Kenray Global Community Environment Support Twycross
Posted on by Claire Taylor

kenray Supports Twycross Zoo

Kenray is proud to support Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, just 12 miles from our Coalville Offices. We understand the challenging conditions brought about by Covid to the Zoo in terms of lost visitor revenue and have decided to make Twycross Zoo our Charity of the Year for 2021.

A donation of £2000 has been made and further fundraising initiatives will be undertaken throughout the year by our team.

Mark Evans, Commercial Director added: “The Pandemic has had a knock-on effect for many and Twycross Zoo has been unable to open to the public. Living locally, Directors and staff have all visited the Zoo with our families and we wanted to support where we can. The animals still need food, shelter and vet visits during lockdown which costs. It is vital local businesses get behind the Zoo to ensure it can remain in business to welcome visitors again. Delighted that Kenray has been able to offer some support.”

Kenray Global UK Site 1 VFFS HFFS Packaging Engineering
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Kenray Video: Introduction to Site1

Kenray Forming Ltd – Introduction to Site 1

The next video in our series is an introduction to our Site 1 in Leicestershire, UK showcasing our facilities and our fantastic team that helps Kenray to deliver effective forming solutions:

Here we are outside Site One, what I’d like to do today is just show you some of the facilities we have inside:

 

Here we are inside the Engineering Office. In total, we have 9 engineers, three of whom are dedicated to Research and Development.

 

Here we are in the Canteen which is also used as a meeting room for our Production Staff.

Welcome to the Directors office shared with my business partner Andrew Dennis. Over here we have our communications equipment which has been recently installed and this allows us to communicate effectively between the three sites, it also allows us to talk to our customers or suppliers and other members of the Kenray group across the globe.

Also onsite is one of our main fabrication sites which you can see behind me & also on the shop floor we have two break presses.

Thank you for watching. I hope this and the subsequent videos will give you a little bit more depth into what we actually do. If you need help and support, the Kenray Team are only a phone call away – +44 (0)1530 400 100 or email [email protected]

Introduction to Kenray, Video Blog, Forming Shoulders, Forming Sets, VFFS, Packaging Machines
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Kenray Video: 1 – Introduction to Kenray

Hello and welcome to Kenray, my name is Mark Evans & I’m the Commercial Director and during this and subsequent blogs, I’d like to just show you a little bit about Kenray & what it is we do and how it is we can help you.

 

 

So, who are we? Well, we were formed in 1981 and Andrew Dennis, my business partner & myself, took over the company in 2004 and since then we’ve strived to turn it into the global leader in the design and manufacture of forming sets. Quality is our hallmark and we are ISO accredited.

Our mission is to produce the highest quality forming sets available, delivered to the customer on time with the best after-sales and service support possible. We achieve that through a number of values and the key one is consistency so that you get the same former to the same quality time after time. We use an ERP system so that we can ensure that we have traceability and repeatability and all the former’s are forward engineered on our 3D modelling system. We work with partners around the globe, in America and Canada, we have Greener Corporation who are distributors and forward agents. In Mumbai, we have our Indian plant which is a joint venture with another company & throughout Europe we have a number of Sales outlets and offices and we have a financial interest in Zanon Forming which will become partners with us in our global journey.

Everything that leaves can be assembled and tested in a specialist area with up to six packaging machines so that we can test every former before it leaves us.

Thank you for watching. I hope the subsequent videos will give you a little bit more depth into what we actually do. If you need help and support, the Kenray Team are only a phone call away – +44 (0)1530 400 100 or email [email protected]

Kenray Global Consultancy Solutions and Training VFFS HFFS
Posted on by Claire Taylor

6 Key Principles for Forming, Filling & Sealing Quality Packages on VFFS Machines

Welcome to the latest Kenray Blog looking at the 6 Key Principles of forming, filling & sealing quality packages on VFFS Packaging machines. We are delighted to be joined by our Corporate Partners Greener Corporation.

1. Product Flow

Let’s start at the beginning with Product flow. Problems occur most often when the product is:

• large in relation to bag size
• inconsistent in size or shape
• lightweight
• oddly shaped
• or with rough outer surfaces

Bottlenecks occur when product strings out as it moves from the inlet cone into the narrower confines of the forming tube. In extreme cases individual product “charges” can bridge together. These product flow issues slow down production speeds, create blockages, and cause leakages when product gets trapped in the seal.

On forming tubes with integral cones, the product dose is slightly staggered, so it passes through the bottleneck faster and stays more compact.

2. Forming Set Design

Forming sets should be designed according to your product, package design, machinery, and film specifications. Make sure that this optimal design is accurately and consistently replicated when you order replacement parts or specify formers for multiple machines, lines, or locations.

3. Roller Position

Machine adjustments are also critical for producing quality packages. Misaligned film rollers prevent the film from making full contact with the forming shoulder, causing wrinkles, creases, and package distortions that reduce shelf appeal and cause seal problems.

4. Film Drive

Poor package quality is caused by film drive issues such as belt adjustment and forming tube alignment

5. Former Wear and Damage

Wear or damage to the former lip or shoulder can also distort the package.

6. Sealing

By fine-tuning your forming and filling operations you will improve both package appearance and seal quality.

Leakages
The end seals on packages produced by vertical baggers typically vary in thickness. Most have a lap or a fin seal, and some are designed with gussets. Unintended wrinkles or pleats may, at times, be unavoidable. Leakages, when they occur, often follow channels at the intersections between two and multiple layers of film and at the corners.

Sealing Jaws
Sealing jaws must transfer enough pressure and heat to seal across these channels without crushing, cutting, or distorting the end seal.

• Pressure

In order to create uniform sealing pressure, the serration profile of your sealing jaws should be designed according to your package specifications, machinery, and running conditions.

• Heat
Sealing jaw temperatures are often increased to improve seal quality, but this can create hot spots that overheat and distort the package.

Jaws manufactured from Dura-Therm material provide more responsive, consistent heat transfer across the package to help seal off-channel leakages without overheating the film.

• Wear and Damage
Jaws that are worn, damaged or contaminated with products also create inconsistent pressure and heat transfer that cause seal problems.

To learn more about forming and filling on vertical packaging machines, contact Kenray Forming on +44 (0)1530 400 100. We can also offer remote training and consultancy to help you optimize your packaging operations.

Kenray Forming_sets formadores para envasadoras verticales

For more details on sealing  Jaws, consult the wide variety of Greener “Tech Bites” posted on their P3 Solutions Blog, or contact Greener Corporation.

For further information, please contact Mark Evans on +44 (0) 1530 400 100 or email [email protected]

 

Kenray Global VFFS HFFS Directors and Team Business Improvement and Innovation
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Kenray Add Horizontal Folding Boxes Capability to its Portfolio of Products

Kenray is delighted to announce that we have added a range of equipment and tooling that has allowed us to launch our design, manufacture, testing and verification of forming solutions for the horizontal packaging market and have invested in new machinery to further enhance this capability.

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This is an exciting new addition to the Kenray portfolio. For the past 18 months, our Engineering Team has been working hard to develop in-house capability to supply leading food manufacturers with forming solutions and a range of applications, including sustainable & compostable film structures that will help ensure packaging is more environmentally friendly. This development will facilitate the use of environmentally friendly film whilst enabling manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint.

During development, Kenray has become the partner of choice for a number of global manufacturers to design, manufacturer, test & verify solutions for the horizontal folding box market and further investment has been made to widen our capabilities for further testing & verification.

Mark Evans, Commercial Director, and Andrew Dennis, Technical Director said:

“As the packaging sector changes, machinery capabilities need to change in order to offer an efficient solution that is eco-friendly, reduce carbon footprint, and keep machines running at their optimal performance. We have been delighted to be chosen as partner of choice to help design and develop solution’s over the past 18-months and with the future expansion plans in place, this capability can only strengthen our product offering. Exciting times ahead and we look forward to sharing more news over the next few months.

For further information, please contact Mark Evans on +44 (0) 1530 400 100 or email [email protected]

 

New Training Facility for Kenray Global 2020
Posted on by Claire Taylor

New Testing & Training Centre for Kenray Global

Kenray Forming has continued its expansion plans during the recent lockdown period with the open of its new dedicated testing and training centre at their HQ in Coalville, Leicestershire. Kenray now operates across three sites from their current location focusing on manufacturing, design & R&D, sales and now testing and training.

The new Testing & Training Centre has been designed to deliver effective remote training solutions to clients across the globe and technology has been at the heart of the expansion. With travel and site visit restrictions in place at client sites, the new digital training programme in real-time means we can help manufacturers keep forming sets running at optimal and increase productivity.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire recently opened KENRAY’s new Testing & Training Centre and took a tour of the premises and met the Kenray Team. During the Open Day, through the use of new technologies, Partners from USA, Italy & India were able to join in the celebrations and tour the new facilities.

Andrew Bridgen MP commented: “Businesses need to innovate in the challenging conditions we are facing right now. Delighted to witness the expansion of Kenray over the years and the future employment opportunities created in the area. With the opening of the new testing & training Centre, I have seen what investment in equipment, training and staff who speak multiple languages can do for a company like Kenray. I am aware it is a major part of UK manufacturing, enhanced by specialist companies like Kenray who have been able to build their international reputation”.

The new testing facility also allows Kenray to continue its programme of research and development into new forming solutions, material options and new processes to ensure its forming sets meet the needs of clients in an ever-changing landscape. Again, Kenray has invested in a range of original equipment to ensure new designs and solutions can be tested fully and adapted where possible. All configurations & types of forming sets can now be tested onsite. We are already working closely with manufacturers to research and develop new material-handling solutions.

This is an exciting development for Kenray which has already allowed for job creation and training solutions have already been delivered across Europe with more opportunities available.

Commercial Director Mark Evans and Technical Director Andrew Dennis added: “Kenray is committed to the design and development of forming sets to meet the needs of our client base and to be able to deliver training solutions across the globe without the need to travel and also to enhance our R&D opportunities by having a test centre, means we are consistently delivering a world-class service. The new building is part of a larger expansion programme for Kenray and whilst world events have meant we need to adapt, we know that the extra support we can offer clients will take our services to the next level.

For further information on Kenray Forming Solutions Testing & Training – visit www.kenrayglobal.com or call the team on +44 (0)1530 400 100 email [email protected]

 

 

Kenray Forming Solutions 2020 - Kenray Forming Sets, VFFS, UK, Europe, India, USA
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Kenray Forming – Post Covid Support for Clients

Kenray Forming Ltd is located in Coalville, Leicestershire, and over the past week, we have been asked if we are included in the Leicester localised lockdown zone.  We are outside the Leicester area covered by the new lockdown and wanted to take this opportunity to reassure clients the steps we as a company have taken to ensure staff, visitors and client safety:

1. All non-essential personnel have been restricted from the site. Our Sales team are remote working and will continue to do for foreseeable future.

2. Web/video conferencing has been installed across all of our sites to ensure that clients get the information they need. This includes meetings, technical support, and diagnostics.

3. All staff that can work remotely are doing so to ensure our admin and order processing are efficient.

4. All training programmes can and will still go ahead virtually.

5. All staff are following the NHS Guidelines for cleaning and hygiene and contactless deliveries are available where possible.

6. Contactless deliveries where requested are available

Our expert Sales Team is on hand to help and assist with product information and we are committed to supporting our clients, suppliers and the food industry as a whole as much as possible.

Kenray Global Community Environment Outreach Support
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Donation to Coalville Community Hospital

The Team at Kenray donated money from their Friday Treats to provide sweet baskets for staff across Coalville Community Hospital.

     

Each Friday, Staff & Directors come together to have a Friday Treat as a way to get our teams together and due to Covid-19 everyone wanted to use the money normally spent to support our local hospital & say thank you to the Staff and Carers working hard on the front line.

Kay Collins – Operations Director said “The team really wanted to make a difference and put a smile on the faces of Nursing and Care Staff at Coalville Community Hospital and what better way to do this than with a number of sweet baskets. We hope they have enjoyed the sweets and thank you from all the Kenray Staff & Directors.

Kenray Global India LLP Engineering Team VFFS HFFS
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Meet the Kenray India Team

Kenray has made a small but significant step in its evolution by adding a small production team in Asia.

Design and Quality Control will remain under the main UK factory but we can now manufacture closer to our customers in India and Asia making our products more accessible.

For more information about what our new team can do for you please contact Mark Evans on +447956307352 or email [email protected].

Kenray Global Community Environment Three Peaks
Posted on by Claire Taylor

Kenray Take on The Three Peaks Challenge in May

A Team from Kenray will be taking on the Three Peaks Challenge in May in aid of local Charity Rainbows.  The team will be taking on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

A practice run up Snowdon has already been completed with the weather changing constantly throughout the climb.

PHOTO-2019-02-14-07-57-41

The Team taking part includes, Ant Guiney, Colin Bosworth & Gary Collins and a fundraising page will be set up to document the training events and to help raise much needed fund for local charity Rainbows.

PHOTO-2019-02-14-07-57-43