Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OPTAINER (An unprecedented water-recycling system for washing, rinsing and drying of thermal insulated containers within the Food Industry)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-08-01 do 2022-10-31
Big food retailers use thermic insulated containers for the safe and efficient transportation of temperature-controlled food to retail stores facilities. These containers are cleaned in the logistic centers and reused countless number of times to ship food over and over again. Container cleaning is a crucial step in food operations and aspects like the effectiveness of the cleaning, the cost-efficiency of the process, the environmental impact and the water remaining in the container after the cleaning are of great importance.
Optainer® is an automated modular cleaning station that can be perfectly integrated into the logistic chains of food retailers. This is the first automated solution that can wash, and dry food containers very fast (1’ 40’’), at low cost (around 0.5 €/container), with low energy (1 kWh/container) and low fresh water consumption (<4 l/container of fresh water). Food retailers save money, water and energy and they neither spend too much time cleaning containers nor have to allocate a part of their workforce to these activities. At the same time, they are sure that containers are perfectly cleaned and the process is automatically controlled.
OPTAINER® is the flagship product of LVP Cleantec®, a series of machines for the automated cleaning of insulated food containers. Standing out of competitive solutions, OPTAINER® fosters our business (we estimate 109.1 M€ turnover in the 5th year of commercialization and 123 new jobs in the company). At the same we reduce energy and water consumption of a process that is suboptimal and risky.
Optainer® is an automated modular cleaning station that can be perfectly integrated into the logistic chains of food retailers. This is the first automated solution that can wash, and dry food containers very fast (1’ 40’’), at low cost (around 0.5 €/container), with low energy (1 kWh/container) and low fresh water consumption (<4 l/container of fresh water). Food retailers save money, water and energy and they neither spend too much time cleaning containers nor have to allocate a part of their workforce to these activities. At the same time, they are sure that containers are perfectly cleaned and the process is automatically controlled.
OPTAINER® is the flagship product of LVP Cleantec®, a series of machines for the automated cleaning of insulated food containers. Standing out of competitive solutions, OPTAINER® fosters our business (we estimate 109.1 M€ turnover in the 5th year of commercialization and 123 new jobs in the company). At the same we reduce energy and water consumption of a process that is suboptimal and risky.
First OPTAINER® prototype designed to clean Type E containers allowed us to have a working prototype with a complete control system to operate the robotic arm to clean and dry the containers in a single movement. Main benefits of using Optainer is to use cold water what saves energy and reduce the CO2 emissions, and not only that but the fact that the system uses less water than traditional washing systems and being a single clean and dry movement also saves time in the cleaning process and can reduce bacterial colonies significantly with only 1 washing cycle. Second upgraded OPTAINER® prototype still keeps these main features but go belong. This improved prototype allows cleaning Type C containers and can be tuned with an Artificial Intelligence program that allows the AI container-number recognition. The possibilities of this first step AI are game changing and are not limited to our washing installation. A container can be tracked everywhere so that it is possible to log e.g. which dock it has been loaded into the truck, or even when it has entered and left the shop. We just need a camera on the place where we want to identify it. The AI can also recognize a dirty or broken container, so that the cycle time can be even more efficient. AI for a dirty container is crucial, as for some customers, only every 5th time a box needs to be cleaned. And in case a broken container is recognized by the AI, the system will not allow it to enter the logistic chain and thus it is impossible that a broken container damages the heart of the automatic chain conveyor system. This means that in combination with a well-working AI-recognition, the Optainer® will not be a bottleneck in the logistic chain. OPTAINER® prototype 2 includes a door-open mechanism and a paper removal system. These additional systems make the OPTAINER® more flexible and adaptable to different needs from potential end users.
Thanks to the Horizon 2020 project, we already managed to sell Optainers® to a new customer for a total amount of € 1.539.000. Next to that we have a framework contract with another customer for 10 double units with the possibility to upgrade to the Optainer®-technology for each unit, good for € 260.000. Although we were heavily challenged during the roll-out of the project due to the Covid-pandemic with the travel restrictions and the lack of components, we are happy to state that all our critical milestones were achieved. During the project, we needed to shift a part of the dissemination towards artificial intelligence and the building of 3 prototypes, where originally 1 prototype was foreseen. The AI can also be sold separately and could be useful for other applications. Prototype 1 convinced the customer to allow us to install a tailor-made prototype 2 to a logistic center for the long-term testing period. As time was catching up with us, it was necessary to build a 3rd working prototype that was able to move and this has been successfully shown on the IFFA trade fair in Frankfurt in May 2022. We are on speaking terms with different huge retailers for the Optainer®-project. We can conclude that the future for the Optainer® is very promising and that the market is eager to adopt this CO² and drinking water saving technology.
Thanks to the Horizon 2020 project, we already managed to sell Optainers® to a new customer for a total amount of € 1.539.000. Next to that we have a framework contract with another customer for 10 double units with the possibility to upgrade to the Optainer®-technology for each unit, good for € 260.000. Although we were heavily challenged during the roll-out of the project due to the Covid-pandemic with the travel restrictions and the lack of components, we are happy to state that all our critical milestones were achieved. During the project, we needed to shift a part of the dissemination towards artificial intelligence and the building of 3 prototypes, where originally 1 prototype was foreseen. The AI can also be sold separately and could be useful for other applications. Prototype 1 convinced the customer to allow us to install a tailor-made prototype 2 to a logistic center for the long-term testing period. As time was catching up with us, it was necessary to build a 3rd working prototype that was able to move and this has been successfully shown on the IFFA trade fair in Frankfurt in May 2022. We are on speaking terms with different huge retailers for the Optainer®-project. We can conclude that the future for the Optainer® is very promising and that the market is eager to adopt this CO² and drinking water saving technology.
Optainer® is a step forward with respect to our current cleaning stations (now gathered within LVP Cleantec® series) as it is more cost-efficient and effective than any other alternative. In effect, nowadays, a major part of container cleaning is done manually and the few existing automated solutions only clean from a distance. Optainer® offers better performance in terms of cleaning power, water and energy use, drying efficiency, speed of cleaning and occupied space in the logistic center. The installation of Optainer® cleaning stations will reduce risk for foodborne illnesses during transportation of food and will limit workers’ exposure to polluted boxes, will save money, energy and water and will speed up the logistic chain in food retailing market. Additionally, Optainer® is a technology in line with the European Green Deal as this technology saves energy (less carbon emission when using power from current electric grid and easy transition towards renewable energy sources). At the same time this technology saves water and reduces operating costs in the logistic chain of food, as already pointed out.
Optainer® can be equipped with newly developed artificial technology, which is optimizing even further the total process and saving more CO² and drinking water. Containers that are broken and could damage the installation can be recognized and transported out of the installation. The step up of this the AI is that the washing cycle can be adapted according to the dirtiness of the container; we can use a more intensive cycle for a dirtier box and a lighter and quicker washing cycle for a cleaner container.
We expect to have a strong economic impact in our company: after five years we will be able to increase our turnover by 14-20 times the current value, transforming this SME in a large enterprise with more than 100 employees. In addition, Optainer® will enable a way for derivate solutions to be applied in other sectors, such as the agriculture industry (for crate cleaning) or construction building sector (e.g. to wash steel rode plates).
Optainer® can be equipped with newly developed artificial technology, which is optimizing even further the total process and saving more CO² and drinking water. Containers that are broken and could damage the installation can be recognized and transported out of the installation. The step up of this the AI is that the washing cycle can be adapted according to the dirtiness of the container; we can use a more intensive cycle for a dirtier box and a lighter and quicker washing cycle for a cleaner container.
We expect to have a strong economic impact in our company: after five years we will be able to increase our turnover by 14-20 times the current value, transforming this SME in a large enterprise with more than 100 employees. In addition, Optainer® will enable a way for derivate solutions to be applied in other sectors, such as the agriculture industry (for crate cleaning) or construction building sector (e.g. to wash steel rode plates).