Background
Based in Xiamen, China, Xiashun Aluminium Foil Co., Ltd (Xiashun) is the largest manufacturer of light-gauge aluminium foil in China and a global industry leader. Customers use their light-gauge aluminium foil in a wide variety of consumer products from beverages to cigarettes.
Following a successful R&D project, a global manufacturer of aseptic carton packaging introduced us to Xiashun, who are one of their biggest suppliers of aluminium foil. Xiashun wanted to take advantage of the huge amount of aluminium rolling and product expertise within Innoval to find innovative ways to differentiate an already excellent product and stand ahead of the competition. The two aims of this project were to suggest ways to further enhance Xiashun’s rolling capability, and to demonstrate methods to improve knowledge of the foil surface structure and its behaviour in finished products.
How we were involved
Because of the breadth of aluminium expertise within Innoval, which includes process engineering, process modelling, surfaces and coatings technology and metallurgy (to name a few), we’re able to employ multi-disciplinary teams to help our clients. This way, advice can be given on both the process and the products, often from the customer’s perspective.
Vicente Martin, a metallurgist and foil rolling expert, and Colin Butler, our polymer expert, visited the Xiashun foil plant to audit the rolling process and support laboratory.
Outcome
Suggestions made during and after the visit allowed Xiashun to make immediate modifications that will be of long term benefit to both them and their customers. One such modification was an upgrade to laboratory equipment that is providing Xiashun with new insights into their process and products.
Services Involved
- Process Improvement
- Rolling
- Materials Development
- Product & Process Training
This case study appears as an article in the 2014/15 edition of ‘innform’; the newsletter of Innoval Technology.
Between them, Colin and Vicente have a huge amount of experience both in foil production and end-use requirements. Because they’ve worked with our customer they really understand our product and we were able to use this knowledge to further improve our process and train our people.
Grace Jiang, Senior Manager, Continuous Improvement Dept., Xiashun Aluminium Foil Co., Ltd.
