Southern States Packaging Company, based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, provides paper converting services, including tier sheets, slip sheets, coated rolls, and other products for corrugated box manufacturers. As production demands increased, its existing air conveyance and scrap handling system could no longer keep pace.
Two rooftop cyclones jammed regularly, forcing production shutdowns while employees manually cleared them. In addition to interrupting production, the process created recurring cleanup needs on the roof. The air system also exhausted directly into the atmosphere without filtration, releasing dust and allowing paper scraps to collect on the roof.
Together, these issues increased maintenance demands, disrupted production, and created ongoing housekeeping and air-quality concerns.
AES designed and installed a turnkey scrap conveyance and dust filtration upgrade centered on two 48,000 CFM AirShark air material separators. The new units separate scrap from the conveyance air stream, replacing the rooftop cyclones that had been prone to jamming. From there, the air is filtered through an interior drum filter and returned clean to the building rather than exhausting unfiltered air into the atmosphere.
Fine dust is directed to a briquetter, where particles are compressed into small discs or pucks for easier handling and disposal. The system also includes eight divert valves that aid in grade segregation across the converting lines.
Those divert valves add an important layer of production flexibility. If one of Southern States’ two balers is inoperable, material can be redirected to the working baler, helping keep all production lines running rather than forcing a shutdown.
To further support plant safety, AES added a spark detection and extinguishing system to the air conveyance lines, providing additional protection for production and supporting a safer work environment.
AES handled the complete turnkey installation and commissioning of the upgraded system, including the removal and dismantling of the old rooftop cyclones.
The completed system gives Southern States a cleaner, safer, and more reliable way to manage scrap and dust. By reducing stoppages due to cyclone jams and allowing material to be redirected when a baler is unavailable, the upgraded system helps ensure more consistent production.
The new filtration approach eliminates dust discharge to the atmosphere, while the briquetting system simplifies fine-particle handling and disposal. Added spark detection and extinguishing technology enhances production protection, and the overall system design supports lower maintenance demands.
