By Valco Melton On 2025-09-01
The THIMM Castrop-Rauxel plant has successfully integrated Valco Melton’s GlueChek+ adhesive inspection system into its production line, significantly improving the quality of its corrugated board packaging. With insights from Rene Komoẞa, Team Leader FFG & Lean Expert, we explore how advanced quality control systems can boost production efficiency, guarantee zero-defects products, and promote customer trust.
The quality of the final product in a corrugated board converting plant is a major responsibility, especially when representing a well-established European brand like THIMM. The company produces corrugated cardboard packaging – for transport, shipping, retail or even direct food contact – and its range also includes standardised, product-carrying displays. Founded in 1949 as a family business, THIMM now employs over 2,500 people across 11 plants in five European countries, making it a key player in the packaging industry.
Rene Komoẞa, Team Leader FFG & Lean Expert at THIMM Castrop-Rauxel in Germany, is well aware that continuous product quality is crucial, as high customer satisfaction is THIMM's top priority. Adhesive application is a delicate and vital stept of the production process. A single defective box in a bundle could lead to customer complaints. “A precise glue application plays a key role in maintaining the quality of our products. Incorrect positioning or an insufficient amount of adhesive can compromise the stability and functionality of a box, potentially affecting its load-bearing capacity or preventing a proper seal,” Komoẞa explains.
Preventing customer issues means detecting, locating, and removing defective packaging before it leaves the plant. This is when automated inspection systems play an essential role. Nowadays, virtually no converting company can operate without a reliable and cutting-edge inspection system, but expectations and demands incresases as the market becomes more and more competitive. “Our previous adhesive inspection system had become outdated,”
says Rene Komoẞa. “To continue delivering high-quality products and optimize efficiency, we decided to invest in a modern, high-performance system.”
Komoẞa became interested in Valco Melton’s solution after hearing positive feedback from colleagues at nearby plants. “We had already experienced the success of a Valco Melton adhesive inspection system at other THIMM plants, which encouraged us to implement GlueChek+ at this facility.” That’s how the Castrop-Rauxel plant connected with Sven Heimann, Key Account Manager at Valco Melton Germany. “I could immediately appreciate that THIMM maintains extremely high quality standards. Among all our options, GlueChek+, developed by our ClearVision quality assurance division, was clearly the best fit for their needs,” explains Heimann.
GlueChek+ inspects any type of adhesive on corrugated boxes, including those without UV additives. This makes the GlueChek+ ideal for cartons used in industries such as food packaging, where alternatives to chemical substances like UV additives are in high demand. Additionally, it captures and stores high-resolution pictures of every single box running the production line, providing unparalleled box traceability. This camera technology far surpasses traditional sensors, which only provide a simulated representation of the adhesive pattern. “The ClearVision camera captures actual images of each box, enabling realistic and detailed review afterwards.” This feature is highly
appreciated by customers, as Komoẞa says: “One of the key factors in our decision was the high-performance camera, which allows us to monitor and control adhesive application with unparalleled precision. The image data provided by the system enables direct influence on product quality, simplifying both root cause analysis and job setup. Unlike simple sensor monitoring, which requires significantly more effort, GlueChek+ ensures precise tracking of adhesive application down to the millimeter.”
The effectiveness of the ClearVision system has been evident, bringing immediate benefits to the company. As Komoẞa confirms, “GlueChek+ has noticeably improved the adhesive application process and we achieve a consistently high application quality.” The Production Manager also adds that the system has “seamlessly integrated into our daily workflow, providing a user-friendly and reliable solution that simplifies operations and ensures consistent product quality.”
Additionally, the 24/7 support provided by Valco Melton has exceeded THIMM Castrop-Rauxel’s expectations. “Reliable assistance was one of our top priorities, and we are fully satisfied with the level of service we have received,” Komoẞa afirms.
With GlueChek+, THIMM continues to uphold its commitment to innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction in the packaging industry. “Given our positive experience, we confidently recommend GlueChek+ to any company seeking to optimize adhesive application processes and ensure the highest standards in packaging quality,” affirms the Team Manager of THIMM Castrop-Rauxel. This marks the success of the collaboration between the two
companies. As Sven Heimann from Valco Melton puts it, “Our goal is not just to sell a product or service. Once we understand our customer, their way of working, and their expectations, we can advise them based on our experience and knowledge to help them achieve their goals. We aim to collaborate and build a successful long-term relationship.”