for more information about stanelco click on the links.

driver's research page link
http://www.moneyam.com/InvestorsRoom/posts.php?tid=7681#lastread
website link
http://www.stanelco.co.uk/index.htm

Eric,
I really hope that SEO have been able to address the speed problem, when it comes down to making a profit the 'big guys', for all their spouting about going green, will not accept a machine that turns out 60 trays a minute against one that will turn out 200 a minute (Ishida Europe) no matter what method is used; it makes a difference of 8400 sealed trays per hour which you will agree, is not an insignificant number. The 'green' pros were outnumbered by the 'profit' cons at the time. Naivety was one of managements biggest failings in the past, I am hoping that it IS now in the past.
kim

It is inconceivable that SEO would retro-fit GS to a machine without first defining key performance measures, of which pack rate would certainly be one.

EWRobson, I always value your posts as they are sensible and level headed but I am not convinced on your arguments regarding Schroders involvement with SEO. Yes they perhaps see SEO as a nice investment but I don't buy into the idea that having put a few million into the placing they have much say whatsoever in the SEO boardroom. A few million to them is the equivalent to me sticking 100 on a 3 legged donkey.

I'd like to agree with you but on this occasion I don't and will wait and see what comes down the line.

Q.

Kim Some helpful feedback on throughput which comes primarily from the GreenSeal video from Stenalco. The low volume machine shows a dwell time of 1.5 secs per weld, giving 40 cycles per minute; 4 packs per cycle would give 160 packs per minute. The Proseal, Multivac and Mondini large scale machines have 8 packs per cycle putting the (theoretical?) speed at 320 packs per minute. The manufacturer quotes a lower rate without GreenSeal because heat sealing is slower and needs longer for the heat to penetrate and melt the plastic to create the bond. Looks as if you have heard misinformation. I think all this info is in the public domain.

I am not sure whether we have any technical wizzkid on the board at the moment. In addition to Paul Masterson, Andy Smith always knew his stuff. What is coming over is that the Technical guys at Stenalco are doing their stuff - a new patent, too complex for me, published today (Patent No. EP1749641). The feeling is that, if the problems have been technical, they have been or will be overcome.

Re the point from Q (wasn't that a souce fro the new Testament?) I have had direct knowledge of Schroders though in the rather distant past. Their style is to get involved, perhaps by an an associate consultant, to influence the company in which they are investing. Their involvement in leveraged buy-outs will only follow a due diligence process. They are putting pension fund monies in here and I would be most surprised if they were not keeping a close eye on progress. It seems highly likely that the departure of White and Balchin was part of the price of their backing. Given the dreadful performance last year (thoroughly naive about funding needs for instance), for the issue to have been successful, City investors must have gained confidence from somewhere and Schroders is most likely.

What do they say, Q Ed! Are you called Ed?
Q Eric

Eric,
No not misinformation, historic fact however, as I said. SEO readily admitted at the time that they could not match the speed of Ishida and other machines, irrespective of the number of lanes, 2, 3,4 or 8. I repeat that I hope that they have been able to overcome the speed deficiency: they did have tooling issues last year but they said that they had overcome them. I do not know what those problems were.
kim

Kim/Eric,

Two excellent structured posts (both giving differing slants, and not sure which view to go with. Time will tell).
Posts such as these make this thread a great read.

Cheers Greek.

Here,Here.

Just to clarify the patent posted yesterday. Gobbledygook to me. But I understand that it relates to the sealing heads and the layer of plastic that is put over them to make them work properly. I am taking the view (5 engineers are named on the patent application) that this will remove the stopper on Greenseal progress. Decent demand this morning. So, wait for it, I am back in! Tell zscrooge someone.
Eric

The video is a demonstration (look at the hand filled salad trays and trays on the line containing differing products). I suspect the machine was purposely running slowly for purposes of the filming and better demonstrating GS in operation.

I saw a GS demonstration 6 or 7 months ago which included filling trays (with blocks of wood!), covering with film from a roll, sealing and trimming the film.

Although I didn't time the throughput it certainly appeared faster than the video. Or at least it did to my failing memory and rose coloured glasses!

I think this post re-lit the GS speed issue:

Sharesure - 11 Feb 2007 10:43 - 23566 of 23594

Bosley, totally agree with your comment. Too many, including me, have been prepared to trust/believe in the past, and some of the present, mgt. They and we have been naive for different reasons. If this stock ever becomes more than a useful CGT loss to offset against profits elsewhere I shall be more than amazed.
The RF machine they demo'd to me at the factory late last year was slow.

Would be good if sharesure could add relevant detail: Machine Make & Model, pack rate pre-GS conversion, pack rate post GS conversion, and particularly, was the demo a live run at full speed.

As has been said, pack rate and seal integrity are two key factors in this arena.

I was with Sharesure.
Funny how memories and perceptions differ.

Picked this of another site - worth a look (Courtesy of PSLeon)

Notice near the end ( Looking forward) Salad Bags

SEO are one of the 50 Members


http://walmart.feedroom.com/ifr_main.jsp?nsid=a-4cd3c5d8:110ba4f17ac:5634&rf=sitemap&fr_story=bcd39c5166dcf0997a294eaf9ea793cd7297516b&st=1171361321890

SEO are producing salad bags for ASDA using Greenseal, the SALAD Bags are on the Walmart video at the end with a slide saying futures

http://www.wrap.org.uk/retail/index.html
see slide 3 for Asda salad bags

Bhunt,

I see no direct mention of SEO, but recall Alan's comment that his source mentioned ASDA's plan for salads to be GS'd and on the shelves in March...is it a case of 2+2?

Baza,
Are you certain these are SEO? I have seen them many times in our local Asda, but they have nothing on them to distinguish them from all the other packaging.
Are they GS or Starpol or both?
Sorry to press you on this.
Alan

am acting as a bit of a middle man here - because I dont know - but here is the response from the chap of whom I asked the same question

"No I don't think they are there yet, as the video stated futures

But if the asda bags have reduced packaging by 10- 15% as in the Wrap slides then Walmart will probably follow, hopefully with alot more products "

So I guess a case of 2+2 at this stage

Tony, even the guy demo'ing the machine to us said that it was slow but that faster models were being worked on. I don't want to knock SEO as that is personally counter-productive but I do still think that previous mgt. and, more worryingly, some of those who remain on the Board have been very cavalier in what they have encouraged shareholders to believe as far as the company's prospects are concerned. I hope that Shroeders' role in this will be to act in all our interests as a significant shareholder and ensure that how they behave from now on is more honest and realistic.

Baza,
That style and printing of packaging is most definitely on the shelves at my local Asda. What puzzles me is that there is nothing on the packs about disposing of the packaging.
Alan

merely as a comment on non-degardable packaging etc etc, and a sign of one of the banes of modern life.

new shredder arrives in a cardboard box .... great!
however, machine comes surrounded by the usual blocks of polystyrene.
why they cannot use shredded paper or even bubblewrap, goodness knows

These are "corner-blocks"..? = Quite small and easily made (probably from a single-shape), so represent good protection shouldd the shreader be knocked before you unwrap it.
Perhaps we need a tick-box on the order that says..."Deliver in minimal packing, I'll accept any surface damage."
However, I suspect those that complain about packing would be PDQ to complain if the cover was cracked.
You can't have it both ways - unless you take the styrene blocks back so they can be re-used - Maybe there is a case to argue that such "corner-blocks" should be of one common design - say in small, medium and large - and then any product would accept whichever was appropriate for the weight, size etc.
Bubblewrap is good for items that don't have great rigidity and weight - to achieve the same "drop-resistance" you'd need a lot of bubblewrap, and only the corners are especially vunerable.
There we are - standardised, "re-usable styrene corners"...return them to the nearest store.
Good luck.....it will be difficult to get agreement, but makes lots of sense.

PS where does "shreaded" paper go - in with newspapers? My Council has some strange ideas as to what they'll take at the Recycle Centre, so we have to sneek stuff in when the camera is pointing away. Oops..not me Gov.