Stronger Can, Better Service

The Challenge

In 2010, the closure of a prominent glass bottle manufacturing plant in the Charlotte, MI region resulted in almost 300 job losses, dealing a significant economic blow to the community. Stronger Can, Better Service purchased the vacant 650,000-square-foot facility in 2019. Their mission was clear: to disrupt the domestic can-making market with a brand-new, high-speed aluminum can manufacturing line.

The Solution

The first major hurdle was the limited space available for the manufacturing line and support systems. Belvac designed a flexible line that maximized operational efficiency within the confined footprint. A standout feature of this design was the innovative tunnel conveyance connecting the manufacturing line with the palletizers and storage area—an ingenious solution driven by spatial constraints.

Commissioned in June 2023, the line boasts a remarkable capacity of 1.5 billion cans annually, rated up to 3600 cpm. The can line begins with a Belvac Cupper feeding into 12 BM 27 and CC93 Trimmer combinations. Gutter conveyance carries the preforms into a mass-conveyed Belvac Can Washer and Dry-off Oven system. Once cleaned and dried, the cans are loaded into two Belvac Decorators.

The line continues as the pin chain transports the labeled cans into two Pin Ovens for bottom rim coating and curing. After this, the cans are fed via the mezzanine into 12 Inside Spray systems for internal coating, and then cured in the Belvac Internal Bake Oven. The dried cans are finally ready to be necked and palletized, featuring the new Servo Belvac Necker operating up to 3600 cpm.

Belvac’s comprehensive involvement, from line design and production equipment to container and tooling design and line commissioning, ensured the project stayed on schedule and within budget. Their team of skilled engineers and project managers expertly managed each stage, streamlining the process and delivering exceptional results.

“Working with brownfield projects is always a challenge, but Belvac was able to supply a custom-designed solution to fit Stronger Can Better Service’s needs. The results are truly astounding, with a completed state-of-the-art can manufacturing line rated up to 3600 cpm.”

— Stephen Kish, Director of Integration Services

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