Case Study: a leading plastics compounder near Cologne achieves zero-waste pellet color control with HunterLab

a leading plastics compounder cuts 30 tons of off-spec waste with HunterLab

HunterLab's customer, the Plastics Division of an industry leader near Cologne, Germany, faced a significant challenge with color variability in its plastic pellet production. A single color mismatch had previously contaminated a silo, wasting 30 tons of product. While they used HunterLab's ColorFlex EZ and UltraScan PRO for lab checks, they needed an in-line, real-time solution to prevent such costly errors before they occurred.

HunterLab implemented its SpectraTrend HT system with ColorWorkbench software to provide smart, real-time, in-line color control. The solution included an automatic discharge function for out-of-spec material. The results were immediate, leading to nearly zero waste, the elimination of time-consuming lab checks, and a full return on investment within just three months, prompting the customer to order a second system.