Durham Box has been relying on equipment from Baumer hhs in its gluing processes for over ten years. In early 2026, the company upgraded its Xtend2 controllers to the latest Xtend3 generation. It also switched over to Baumer hhs equipment on its gluing line for e-commerce packaging, replacing the existing hot melt unit in one machine with an Xmelt system specifically designed for this application. Since then, Durham Box has been achieving unprecedented quality, reliability and productivity in its gluing processes. What is more, the gluing and quality assurance systems offer maximum ease-of-operation.
Left to right: Mark Story (Maintenance & Engineering Manager), Percy Sowden (General Manager), Martin Bhatoa (Managing Director Baumer hhs UK) and Dan Morris (Managing Director).
“The new equipment makes a huge difference. It’s like night and day. The Xtend3 controllers are now the heart of our gluing systems. They make our gluing processes more efficient than ever. We reliably turn out top quality products and have increased the availability of our gluing lines by several hundred hours a year. We can produce more packaging in the same amount of time,” says Mark Story, Maintenance & Engineering Manager.
Two folder gluers and one multipoint gluer at Durham Box are equipped with a total of four Xcold glue systems from Baumer hhs. As complete systems, they comprise high-performance application valves and quality control sensors. “At the time, we replaced equipment from other suppliers with these cold glue systems. We consider Baumer hhs to be the market leader in solutions for applying glue at high production speeds. It’s why we decided to partner with the company back then,” says Story.
The equipment from Baumer hhs has proven to be efficient and reliable in day-to-day operation, so there was no question that Durham Box would stick with these products for the latest update to its gluing processes.
The new Xmelt hot melt system has been seamlessly integrated into the company’s process. With an XM-100 FC melter, which boasts a 100 kg tank capacity and high melt rate, the system supports non-stop production of e-commerce packaging. Its HLT-300 hot melt sensor continuously monitors the adhesive to ensure it is applied on the individual box blanks to specifications. The sensor also continuously checks the temperature and properties of the pressure-sensitive adhesive to verify that the surface of the glue beads is uniformly closed and the packaging therefore flawlessly resealable. The new Xmelt hot melt system likewise is paired with an Xtend3 controller for gluing and quality control that is effortless to operate.
Story adds, “We have made it our mission to exclusively supply customers with premium quality, fully functional packaging. The Xtend3 controllers give us all the options we need to achieve stable and reliable gluing processes. In our view, their intuitive operation contributes to making them the best solution available on the market for controlling and monitoring cold glue and hot melt application in packaging production.”
The informative reporting functions of the new controllers are yet another advantage. They give Durham Box a number of ways to analyse process data from its gluing lines and implement ongoing optimisations. With this improvement, the packaging manufacturer can further strengthen its position in the highly price-competitive market segment of corrugated packaging production.
The equipment also benefits customers of Durham Box: they can rely on the company even more than before to deliver packaging products that fully meet their specifications. In fact, the number of complaints has dropped since the new equipment from Baumer hhs was installed.
“Thanks to its intelligent technologies, Baumer hhs has become one of our most important partners. We also value our efficient collaboration with Area Sales Manager Niall Markey and his team. They assist us with all matters relating to gluing and quality control, and offer all the related services,” concludes Story.
