Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) produce machines for special applications, all types of equipment, skids and subsystems. These are all tailor-made system components that customers require for their various processes and are based on hardware and software components from individual suppliers. Being able to offer standardized and flexible units that also offer a good price and quality level requires close cooperation between OEM and supplier. An example of an OEM based in Belgium not only illustrates the challenges of the business but also the benefits for the customer.

For more than 50 years, the Belgian company Packo Inox has been producing high-quality stainless steel systems for hygiene-sensitive production processes in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Packo Inox, part of the Verder Group, is represented with its own sales and production subsidiaries in more than 20 countries on four continents and employs more than 1500 people. Packo Inox provides customers with innovative and reliable solutions for all applications where hygiene plays a major role. In addition to milk cooling tanks, continuous pasteurizers, dosage systems and mobile and stationary CIP (cleaning in place) systems, the company also equips complete process lines. Packo Inox enjoys a high demand in the domain of equipment for use in process plants and systems where high hygienic standards are demanded. The stainless steel skids are designed and manufactured so that biologically active materials are hardly given a chance to multiply. In addition, the products can be cleaned, respectively sterilized in situ. This is the only way that the systems can comply with customers’ stringent hygienic requirements. Strict guidelines must be followed in the design, construction, assembly and testing. These include the 3-A Sanitary Standards (3A SSI), which originated in the US in the 1920s, and those of the European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG), founded in 1989. For the pharmaceutical industry, validation according to the FDA 21 CFR Standard and the inspection certification pursuant to EN 10204 are mandatory. The guidelines and recommendations of 3A SSI and EHEDG serve to improve the hygiene of production systems and provide guidelines for the selection of materials and the use of other components such as sensors and fittings.

OEM – wide range of challenges
Packo Inox has been established on the market for years as a manufacturer of hygienic stainless steel systems. However, the challenges vary considerably and the company is continually working on innovative products, systems and solutions that they can market. Every project must strike a balance between standardization and customization. Standardization is important to a certain extent in order to ensure that the solutions they engineer can be used in other systems and applications. On the other hand, customers are always looking for the flexibility to optimize system modules to address special requirements. The Packo Inox package incorporates a high degree of planning and cost efficiency – and of course reliability. These requirements are reflected in the desire for short start-up times, disruption-free operation, high system safety and global service. In projects such as these, the manufacturer guarantees the function of his engineered solution. This includes any components from suppliers that are integrated into the system. Packo Inox selects components and suppliers very carefully so that they can fulfill this promise.

Trust-based cooperation
Siemens has been supplying equipment for Packo Inox skids for years. This equipment includes automation, HMI, monitoring, power supply and instrumentation components. Siemens not only offers an extensive and coordinated portfolio of reliable products, but also has detailed knowledge about the OEM business. The company understands the needs of customers and also the challenges facing OEMs, and can address these needs in the form of coordinated solutions. Most customers are interested in a complete, fully integrated solution, which Siemens is prepared to offer thanks to its extensive industry experience. OEMs profit from the wide product range, which facilitates system-wide automation and electrification. All components were designed and built to withstand the harsh conditions encountered in industry. In addition, they are easy to integrate into larger systems as a result of consistent engineering practices. Their international positioning also helps manufacturers like Packo Inox to satisfy customers all over the world. The global Siemens sales and service network ensures quick and professional help on site – as well as the availability of regional certificates and expert support to be able to comply with country-specific rules and regulations. Packo Inox also profits from the comprehensive service that Siemens offers: free online support with direct access to application or program samples, manuals, circuit diagrams and schedules. All of the component technical data can be accessed directly by scanning product / EAN code. This is ideal when it comes to subsequently transferring documentation, and quick access to the data also makes it easier for Packo Inox to integrate Siemens products into their subsystems as well as reducing planning, construction and repair costs. Packo Inox is very happy that they have a nominated person who they can contact if they run into technical challenges. In many instances, customer-specific equipment can be designed and engineered even faster with the support of Siemens technical experts.

Clean results
The CIP systems of Packo Inox represent a good example of successful cooperation. One of the major concerns of the food and pharmaceutical industries is always proper implementation of cleaning processes, and here, CIP systems play a crucial role. Packo Inox offers these systems as fixed components or as mobile units. For instance, they automatically clean tanks, pipes, heat exchangers, filling and mixing systems without having to be opened or disassembled. Customers appreciate the efficiency and easy handling of these cleaning systems. For users, efficiency means the shortest possible cleaning times with low use of chemicals – while still providing full cleaning performance. Packo Inox modules ensure that both of these requirements are complied with as a result of the high degree of automation employed. To accomplish this, it is necessary to constantly monitor and regulate several process parameters, such as pressure, temperature, flow, and level. The process instruments used for these measurements are mostly supplied by Siemens. Just like the complete CIP units, they must comply with strict hygiene regulations, e.g. have polished stainless steel surfaces and process connections with simple seal geometries. Of course, the process instruments installed, such as the Sitrans F M MAG 6000, Sitrans P300 or Sitrans TS300 are designed to withstand high temperatures and aggressive cleaning agents.

The automated cleaning processes involve several steps: water in the pre-stage, hot detergent, hot water or steam in the main cycle, cold water, possibly disinfectant and again water for rinsing. All of these liquids must be pumped through the system component to be cleaned at prescribed times, cleaning agents must be dosed according to the degree of dirt, and dirty liquids pumped out again. These tasks are handled by Siemens automation components in conjunction with continuous monitoring and operating control. Karel Maeyens, project manager at Packo Inox, is very complimentary about how the process tools interact with the automation technology: "The ease of integration makes it possible to quickly design and engineer projects, including smooth commissioning of our CIP units. This means faster commissioning and our customers profit from a shorter time-to-market." Siemens automation and instrumentation components fully satisfy the demands of Packo Inox and its customers during operation, as Ove De Backer, Industry Business Unit Manager at Packo Inox, confirms: "We appreciate the robustness and stability of Siemens devices. We have customers who want to have a secure business 24/7 that extends over many years of operation." In addition to the comprehensive product portfolio for process instruments, automation and electrification, he mentions one more benefit that is decisive: "We are working more and more with international customers. This means that we need partners and suppliers who also work globally and can help us at the installation site – which is precisely where Siemens comes in!"