Minneapolis-based Litin Paper Co., a seasoned, family-owned company with years of converting experience, turned to supplier Converter Accessory Corp. [(CAC) www.handleyourweb.com], for a portable system (above) able to efficiently remove large amounts of trim from several production lines.

In business since 1947, Litin is a converter and wholesale distributor of packaging and industrial supplies. With 32 employees, it operates six converting lines performing cutting, slitting and rewinding in both small and wide diameters. Production includes sheeting, producing packaging paper, counter rolls, butcher, plotter, wax-coated and silicone-coated paper, and newsprint.

With so many products diverse in gauge and weight, Litin needed a versatile system, one able to handle heavy kraft trim as well as very light, thin-gauge papers and plastics. According to Litin vice president/general manager John Hanson, handling trim waste, while in itself not a major problem, was a nagging annoyance made worse by Litin's rapid growth rate.

“We wanted a way to efficiently collect diverse trim materials and move them easily from a production line to a collection area. We wanted the solution to be priced to fit our budget, easy to install and maintain and able to be moved from line to line where needed,” Hanson explains.

After a thorough search, Litin contacted CAC and became convinced that the Fox Runner™ portable version of CAC's widely used Fox TrimAway® trim-removal system was the best option and ordered an FX 2 700R, capable of pneumatically moving trim up to 100 ft. The Fox Runner uses TrimAway components mounted to a portable stand for permanent, semi-permanent and temporary applications.

The complete Fox Runner portable system includes CAC's exclusive Venturi design; a regenerative, quiet, virtually maintenance-free blower; all blower hardware; motor starter plug and cord, and blower filter. Options include collection units such as high-capacity nylon bags and metal collection bins, and discharge ducts over 100 ft long.

Fox Runner systems are designed to handle paper, film, foils, textile and non-woven trim widths from 2 to 6 in. at speeds up to 6,000 fpm, depending on the Fox system size. It is especially effective with more difficult to handle diecutter waste as well as chopped, granulated and pelletized materials, CAC says.

According to Hanson, the Fox Runner was easy to install and delivered the versatility, energy efficiency, and low maintenance that Litin required. “It is stable enough to put in place for long-term trim handling, or it can be easily wheeled to multiple locations throughout the plant and rapidly set up and put to work wherever it is needed,” Hanson says.

“And finally, it works great, and it's quiet! We especially appreciate that.”