Without paper, no cigarette. Four to six kilometre long strips of paper are wound onto large paper rolls, the so-called bobbins. That sounds like a lot but it's enough for only 15 minutes of production time. After which, the rolls are changed automatically. Hauni systems ensure that paper is supplied continuously, safely, and reliably.

Speed and reliability are also key with filters. Hauni's filter stations can be equipped with up to ten modules simultaneously – and every module shoots up to 2,500 filters per minute using compressed air. The pneumatic, practically wear-free machines set standards in other regards as well. For example, they clean themselves automatically: filters in the area around the filter feed drum are removed automatically and the machine restarts itself after a fault.

20,000 cigarettes per minute makes 1.2 million per hour makes more than 8 million cigarettes per shift – the Secondary must be capable of dealing with these extraordinary quantities. Hauni's conveying systems ensure a perfect connection from one production step to the next. All the while, handling the products very gently. Moreover, the machinery is extremely reliable, flexible, and can easily deal with cigarettes and filters of different sizes.

Freshly produced cigarettes or filters cannot always immediately be processed further. If, for instance, there are fluctuations in production, there may be an “excess supply” of filters. Or cigarettes. Or both. This is where our reservoirs come into play: they can buffer up to 200,000 filters and temporarily store cigarettes for up to 14 minutes. They enable us to regulate the product flow and ensure greater effectiveness.

What happens to the finished products that shoot from the machine in huge quantities? They can be buffered and cached in open trays. The trays are loaded and unloaded at breathtaking speed. Hauni has machines that can change the trays four times a minute – there is space for 4,000 cigarettes in one tray. Despite this speed, the cigarettes are handled gently and the processes are flexible and reliable.

For cigarettes and filters that are finished but have not yet been packed, and are to be stored temporarily in trays, Hauni has developed a fully automated high-bay store. At any given moment, the system and operator know exactly how many cigarettes and filters of which brand are currently in the store. The store creates a buffer that is entirely decoupled from filter and cigarette production. All of this increases productivity and flexibility.