The manufacturer of special steel products, Ruukki Metals, emphasizes cost-efficiency and the international development of sales and distribution in its strategy. A transportable big bag filling station for the packing of iron oxide actualizes both goals smoothly.
Located within their Hämeenlinna factory is Finland’s only regeneration plant of hydrochloric acid. A by-product of the regeneration is iron oxide, which the company supplies for downstream operations, such as permanent magnet manufacturing for electric motors.
The Supervisor of Energy and Process Services, Mr. Kimmo Peltola, states that iron oxide is generated at 20 tons daily.
Due to its high content of dust, international customers prefer iron oxide in big bags rather than containers, which makes handling the material more hygienic. The Hämeenlinna factory got an own, transportable big bag filling station in May.
– With our own station we are able to better serve our customers that prefer big bags, and to expand the market with greater cost-efficiency.
Tailoring ability won the competitive bidding
According to Peltola, the company stringently examined the potential candidates and their abilities, as the mobile station had strict requirements to fulfill, especially in terms of customization and adaptability. In the end, the bid was won by Dosetec, which delivered the station in the desired way.
– We wanted a comprehensive solution that would function as easily and reliably as possible. One of the biggest reasons for choosing Dosetec was the flexible transportability of the station, and the pricequality ratio was right.
A part of the company’s customers prefer iron oxide in containers, in which case the station is pulled away from the loading area by a forklift truck for container loading needs. This way the company got both big bag and container packing options to work seamlessly together. The big bag filling station can also be transferred under other dosing silos if needed.
Well begun is half done
Mr. Peltola commends Dosetec’s active contribution to the initial joint design, which is very important in this kind of project. Several details, such as material stream must be designed in a way that a weekly quantity of big bag filling, 150 tons, runs flawlessly.
– The whole system has been functioning surprisingly well. In fact, at first our employees didn’t believe it would work the way it should. Now, after experiencing it first hand, they have given positive feedback.
Ruukki Metals is part of Ruukki Corporation that operates in ca. 30 countries with about 9 000 employees. Turnover of Ruukki Metals in 2012 was 1 787 M€.