Matcon - IBC Systems and Material Handling Solutions

Matcon is an international supplier of material handling solutions with vast experience of ‘lean manufacturing’ techniques and process interfaces. The company specialises in Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) systems.

The company primarily focuses on facility design with a view to providing the most efficient material handling operation, and to reduce waste where possible.

CONE VALVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

The technology at the heart of every Matcon system is the cone valve. The lifting vibrating action of the valve promotes mass flow, overcomes all common flow problems and provides guaranteed discharge of even sticky and cohesive materials.

When applied to a complete IBC-based materials handling solution, this proven technology allows Matcon engineers to focus on the higher level efficiency of material transfer throughout the manufacturing process.

CONSISTENT FEED IBC SYSTEMS

In order to ensure content uniformity and avoid flake degradation in the compacted batch, it is vital that the roller compactor in-feed receives material in a consistent, controlled manner.

At this part of the process, the materials are often very light, cohesive and can form blockages, causing in-feed starvation and segregation problems. Matcon IBC systems are specifically designed to counter flow problems such as these and can guarantee consistent feed to the roller compactor to ensure compaction can take place at its optimal rate.

FLEXIBLE BLENDING

Blending is often the critical process of manufacturing plants; efficiency in blending, loading / unloading and product changeover has a direct effect on overall plant efficiency. For this reason more and more plants are adopting IBC flexible blending rather than conventional ribbon or paddle mixers.

As the batch is totally contained in the IBC throughout, there is no contamination of the blender. Therefore product change-over takes place in seconds and no cleaning is necessary between batches. Loading and unloading of IBCs is taken completely off-line and can take place in parallel to blending. High-sheer can also be included if required.

MINIMISING SEGREGATION RISKS FOR BLENDED MATERIALS

Avoiding segregation of blended materials is a key issue for many pharmaceutical processes. Segregation risks caused by core flow, elutriation or percolation can occur during discharge from mixing equipment or to a process such as compression. Matcon solutions minimise these risks by introducing mass flow, controlling material discharge and venting displaced air as required.

EFFICIENT TABLET HANDLING

Matcon IBC-based tablet handling solutions enable a move from inefficient small boxes, kegs or drums for tablet handling to specifically designed IBCs with sufficient capacity (400L – 1;000L) to hold a complete batch of tablets, without contamination, damage or marking of uncoated or coated tablets.

HIGH CONTAINMENT

Matcon have extensive experience in high containment applications having successfully completed installations achieving containment in the range of 1µg/m³ – 10 µg/m³ (TWA / 8 hrs) and thus avoiding the need for costly and cumbersome operator PPE. In some instances, containment levels down to 1µg/m³ have been achieved.

CLEANING

Matcon offer a comprehensive range of cleaning equipment, including fully automated and valid CIP / DIP for material transfer stations, IBC wash booths and stations as well as mobile service skids and COP systems.

FULL-SCALE TEST FACILITIES

Matcon is also committed to reducing project risk for customers by testing the actual materials required in the process, before the main contact orders are placed. Test facilities operate from a number of locations worldwide including the UK, Scandinavia, Australia, USA, Germany, China and Japan.

These tests, which include IBC filling and discharging, flow ability characteristics, blending, containment and clean-in-place (CIP) have greatly reduced the project risk for many customers, many of whom experienced solids handling problems with alternative technologies.