Stadler, Pellenc ST combine on Italian installation

Germany-based Stadler Anlagenbau GmbH has worked in tandem with French company Pellenc ST to equip what Stadler calls a high-performance paper and cardboard sorting plant operated by the waste and recycling business unit of Grupo Iren in Collegno, Italy.

The new plant is the first in Italy capable of separating six different types of paper and cardboard, according to Stadler, and notes the facility was designed for flexibility, high throughput and precision.

“It brings together the engineering expertise of Stadler Anlagenbau GmbH and Pellenc ST’s latest artificial intelligence-powered optical sorting technology, fulfilling the ambitious sustainability and operational goals of multi-utility company Iren SpA,” Stadler says.

The Collegno plant has a capacity of 8 metric tons per hour and separates and sorts multilayer materials packaging among the six grades on which it focuses, according to Stadler.

“Its innovative layout, compact design and advanced automation meet Iren’s demand for operational flexibility, capacity, reliability and quality output, delivering a solution adapted to both current and future requirements,” the company says.

“We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Iren through this new project in Collegno,” says Paolo Cravedi, senior project manager at Stadler. “This plant is the result of close collaboration and shared commitment to sustainability, technical innovation and performance.”

The Collegno plant has been designed to separate six different types of paper-based output materials within a single sorting line: large old corrugated containers (OCC), deinking paper, white paper, fine paper, multilayer material with aluminum and multilayer without aluminum.

Equipment deployed includes Stadler’s double-deck PPK2000 and STT2000 ballistic separators, designed to sort out large OCC and fine material, respectively. Mixed medium-sized material then progresses to six Pellenc ST Compact+ optical sorters that use near infrared (NIR) and visible spectroscopy to identify different types of paper.

“CNS Brain enables us to tackle new use cases in the sorting of fibrous materials, particularly in distinguishing between white paper and white cardboard, which are visually similar but differ in value,” says Matteo Loiacono, Italy region sales manager Italy at Pellenc ST, referring to a machine learning-based feature in the NIR devices.

“This AI-powered system plugs directly into our optical sorters without additional infrastructure or energy consumption, offering a powerful, robust and efficient solution."

In Collegno, each fraction undergoes a manual quality control and automatic composition analysis before being baled and stored. The system also includes direct bypasses and flexible feeding options to accommodate variations in input and demand, aligning the plant’s design with the evolving dynamics of the recovered paper market, according to the equipment firm.

A challenge faced in Collegno involved equipping the new plant within the confines of an existing building. Stadler completed on schedule the dismantling of the old facility in three weeks, followed by a three-month mechanical assembly, two-month electrical installation and one-month commissioning process.

“Adapting the new plant to the pre-existing building layout and electrical infrastructure was a significant challenge,” Cravedi says. “We had to rework the layout, particularly in the feeding area and the baler positioning, to optimize space use and ensure efficient material handling. The end result is a flexible, compact and efficient plant that meets today’s requirements and is ready for tomorrow’s challenges.”

Iren Project Manager Damiano Giovanardi adds, “During the design phase, it became necessary to enhance the line’s separation capacity. Stadler and Pellenc ST were highly responsive and accommodated all our requests by adapting the layout to guarantee the best sorting performance.

“From dismantling to commissioning, Stadler followed strict safety protocols and kept the site clean and well organized. They were precise and punctual, meeting all deadlines in our agreed timetable, and completing the plant start-up and performance tests in just four weeks. During the same period, they also provided exhaustive training so that our operators could immediately take over the plant after commissioning.”

Stadler's series of project partnerships with Pellenc ST began in 2020 and includes working together on facilities in Piacenza, Volpiano, Pianezza, Parma, Asti and Borgaro, Italy.

The new Collegno has been designed to recover a growing stream of paper and cardboard, involving an increase in e-commerce packaging and a decline in printed media.

“The volume of brown cardboard has risen sharply while the tonnage of newspapers and magazines is dropping,” Loiacono says. “This means that the challenge is to maximize the yield of higher value fractions such as office paper and not confuse them with white cardboard. Our AI-powered optical sorters can handle the most complex sorting tasks, like separating white cardboard from white paper.”

By separating six distinct fractions, the plant allows for better marketability of materials and differentiated pricing, which supports the economic sustainability of local recycling efforts, according to Stadler.

“The plant’s standout feature is its flexibility, which ensures we can adapt to market demands and future needs,” Giovanardi says. “Together with the high reliability and availability of the line, this guarantees excellent production results over the long term.”