Optimisation of the Ravago factory in Katerini with an automated production process

Vraykos reduced the carbon footprint of Ravago’s factory in Katerini by automating the manufacturing process, a project that won the Bronze Award for “Environmental & Energy Policy” at the Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2022.

Ravago Hellas in collaboration with Vraykos Bulk Handling Systems, undertook the project of automating part of the production process and increasing capacity for the factory in Katerini Pieria, resulting in a significant reduction in its energy footprint.

Ravago Hellas, which is involved in the industrial production of extruded polystyrene insulating panels in Greece and abroad, aimed to automate the receipt, storage, handling, and contribution of its basic raw material, polystyrene granules in two production lines at the Katerini factory. By incorporating two storage silos into the production line, Ravago Hellas and Vraykos were able to reduce plastic consumption and forklift fuel consumption while simultaneously improving the production line’s efficiency.  

In particular, the raw material was stored in 25 kg plastic bags, which were distributed from Lavrio to Katerini. The installation of the storage silos eliminated the use of packaging bags, which produced 16 tons of plastic waste annually. According to forklift fuel consumption, plastic bags of polystyrene granules were transported within the factory by forklifts that consumed fuel and produced exhaust gas. The silos allowed for the storage of larger volumes of polystyrene, thereby reducing the material’s external and internal transport and distribution routes along the production line. Moreover, the silos ensured more productive time for the shift operators, who had to manually open the bags, spending valuable time on the  process at the risk of their own health, as they were opening 180 bags of raw material per shift. The time and effort expended by the workers during this procedure are now used to optimize the production line’s efficiency.