< PreviousnewsHygiene assessment tester given ‘all clear’forbreweriesThe EnSURE hy-giene quality moni-toring systemmanufactured by Hy-giena InternationalLtd has been assessedas suitable for use inbreweries by TheCampden BRI Instru-ment AssessmentService.The EnSURE system comprises a hand held luminometer, together withsurface swabs and liquid testing dippers, used to measure the ATP levels onworking surfaces or other contamination-sensitive areas, as well as in wateror other liquids..The EnSURE system can be used to test hygiene levels, the efficacy of sur-face cleaning procedures, as well as the quality of potable liquids, thus re-ducing the potential for microbial proliferation thereby safeguarding productsafety and the brand. The equipment is easy to use, with results availablewithin fifteen seconds of the test procedure, and with a sensitivity of detec-tion down to a level of 0.1 femtomole. The ease of operation makes the sys-tem an ideal tool for monitoring all areas of production.10www.fdiforum.netfdiforumfdiforumwww.www..net.netVisitVisitMunters dry air solution cuts fog andcondensationMunters are helping Tyneside Foodser-vice, the frozen and chilled food wholesaler,combat fog and condensation outside theircold storage rooms. Fog build-up reducedvisibility and the floors became slippery dueto condensation and ice. Munters, the air treatment and dehumid-ification specialists, recommended aMunters ML690 with insulated processinlet. Part of the ML series of desiccant de-humidifiers, this system efficiently dehu-midifies in low moisture applications. UsingMunters desiccant rotor technology, air isdehumidified and dropped as very dry airover the cold store door to treat moisture atsource. Stephen Walton, Managing Director,says, “Here at Tyneside Foodservice, con-densation, ice build up and fog formationoutside our cold store room has caused usdifficulties for some time. Now withMunters air treatment solutions, we havebeen able to provide a safer environment for our workers, as well as reduc-ing defrost times.”005-010:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:31 Page 6Soreen strengthensproduct range withnew Lunchbox LoavesSoreen has added two new SKUs toits expanding product range, with thelaunch of the Lunchbox Loaves. Avail-able in two flavours - Original MaltLoaf and Banana - each pack containsfive individually wrapped bitesize loaves, designed for maximum freshness and portion control. The introduction of the Lunchbox Loaves establishes Soreen within the snacking sector andstrengthens the brand’s product offering for consumers on the go, as well as those looking for a healthysnack for children’s lunchboxes. Each Original Malt Loaf Lunchbox Loaf contains 95 calories and 0.1g saturated fat, while the Ba-nana version is full of banana goodness with a light, fruity taste and contains 99 calories and 0.3g sat-urated fat. Katherine Collins, marketing manager at Soreen, says, “The addition of this mini loafproduct format also sees the Soreen factory investing in new equipment, which is the first stage ofbrand investment for Soreen’s wider snacking portfolio.”Diverse vegetarian range available from 3663Fry’s Vegetarian is now available from leadingfood distributors 3663.The products are approved by the both TheVegan Society and The Vegetarian Society as well asa best buy in the Ethical Consumer.Fry’s products are Kosher, Shuddha and Halaal,several of the products are also free of onions andgarlic and as such, can be eaten by Theravada andMahayana Buddhists, practitioners of Hinduism andfollowers of Hare Krishna – as well as those withonion and garlic allergies.The range of sixteen products are all pre-cooked,making them fast and easy for cooks to use. Taste isnot compromised either with Fry’s winning fiveawards over the past five years.Whether you are a meat reducer, vegetarian,Kosher or simply want a lower fat or no cholesterolfood item, now there is something that tastes amazing for you and your customers.on the shelfEntrepreneur lands Tescodeal for breakfast cerealA Dorset company has pulled off a stunningcoup after convincing Tesco to list its new break-fast cereal just six weeks after it came up with theidea. Normally it takes months if not years for aproducer to break into a top supermarket, makingthe achievement by Fresh Marketing all the moreremarkable.FUEL, a new type of granola aimed predomi-nantly at time-starved people pursuing busy, ac-tive lives, is being stocked in 459 Tesco stores.The chunky breakfast granola boasts toasted oatsand Tesco will be stocking two varieties – 70%Cocoa Chunks and Fruit Loaded. The team at Fresh Marketing says FUEL is thefirst natural energy cereal in the UK. Containingonly natural ingredients, FUEL, whose brandstrapline is “One Life – Live It”, is rich in VitaminB and E, high in fibre and contains guarana ex-tract. It is also a blend of both slow release andfast release energy.Baxters introduce new convenient chillibowl rangeBaxters is adding a touch of spiceto the ambient ready meals marketwith the launch of its new ChilliBowls.A quick and easy way toenjoy a warming portion ofchilli, the premium chillibowls deliver the unmis-takeable homemade taste,synonymous with thebrand. Presented in a mi-crowaveable bowl ready tosimply heat and eat, ChilliBowls will satisfy the growing demand for high quality convenience food thatis both great tasting and nutritious.The Chilli Bowl range delivers two of your five a day and has no artificialcolours, flavours or preservatives. Elaine Tewnion, marketing manager forBaxters, says, “All too often consumers have to compromise on taste whenlooking for a convenient meal solution. We want to provide consumers witha range of chilli recipes that deliver on both counts, making it simple to getthe taste of home on the go.”Unilever strives to boostRussian market shareUnilever is making significant investment in itsbrands in Russia, with a major revamp of its Bal-timor ketchup range. The brand overhaul hasbeen carried out by the Dutch and UK offices ofbrand development agency Anthem Worldwide.The new look re-establishes Baltimor as atrusted Russian brand. Anthem has taken iconicRussian imagery and strengthened the branding,maximising its relevance to the target audience.The Baltimor logo retains its recognisable font,while its shape has been optimised and a goldeneagle emblem has been added. It also incorpo-rates a ‘1995’ date stamp to highlight the prod-uct’s heritage as the country’s first major ketchupbrand. The final touch was a golden tomato, re-flecting the product’s fresh ingredients.The rebrand is being launched across Balti-mor’s range of nine bottles (two bottle sizes) andfive doy packs (three pack sizes), with productvariants including Tomato Ketchup, Admiral andShashlyk (barbecue) – a Russian favourite.www.fdiforum.net11011:Layout 1 16/12/11 09:23 Page 1Payne tear tape is ideal solution for liquidfoodsPayne is promoting tear tape’s ability to combine easy-open functionalitywith eye-catching product branding and enhanced security for a variety of liq-uid food products such as energy drinks, tea, saucesand condiments. Payne’s tear tape can be easily applied on bothfilmic overwraps and shrink sleeves ensuring thebenefits of tear tape can be introduced across arange of products. Simon Wildash, head of marketing at Payne, says,“Tear tape is cost-effective, quick, simple and intu-itive to use and our own research suggests thatbrands which are easy to open retain greater con-sumer loyalty. Our latest print offerings from ourDesigner Collection mean we can provide realimpact on pack. By changing the tape and notthe pack, brand owners can save money by re-ducing packaging waste and origination fees.”Payne tear tape can integrate effectivelywith shrink sleeves, used to protect prod-ucts in bottles and jars from tampering andcounterfeiting.Mercury Packaging keeps itflexible for frozen food sectorMercury Packaging has implemented an aggressivesales drive aimed at significantly growing its presencewithin the frozen food sector.As part of the new initiative, Mercury Packaginghas become a member of the British Frozen FoodFederation and installed a cutting edge UTECO‘Eclipse’ Solventless Digital Laminating System forhigh specification pack designs.Investment in high performance conversion, lam-inating and printing technology together with an in-house design department enables Mercury Packagingto deliver lightweight yet robust plastics packs andfilm-on-the-reel which have been specially designed to achieve maximum brand awareness, shelf lifeand protection.Tony Stanger, Mercury Packaging’s Managing Director says, “Our high quality laminates provide excellent barrier properties for frozen food products andcan be customised to include special features and finishes. Designed to suit individual customer requirements, these films offer excellent protection for pack-aged goods and substantial enhancement in shelf life – reducing wastage for the packer and consumer.”A corking range offlavoursGlobal Brands has set about rebrand-ing its Corky’s product, positioning it asthe number one flavoured shot range onthe market and glass manufacturer Beat-son Clark has played its part, providingan embossed bottle for the drink.Global Brands began working withBeatson Clark eighteen months agowhen it moved filling operations for Corky’s to the UK. The company was looking for a flexible sup-plier able to handle production runs of only 500,000 bottles per year.Beatson Clark provided a 500ml white flint bottle with a standard 31.5mm ROPP (Roll On Pil-fer Proof) neck finish, replacing the previous cork neck.“At Beatson Clark we take pride in our flexible approach and the fact that we can offer small pro-duction runs,” said Sales and Marketing Director Lynn Sidebottom.“This flexibility makes us the ideal choice for companies launching or trialling new products orrebranding existing products.”12www.fdiforum.neton lineIshida weigher helps specialityproducer expandAn Ishida Screw Feeder Weigher, designed for thehandling of delicate meat, has significantly increasedproduction for a French producer by as much as 30%,with further increases expected.Société Progré, who supply around 800 tonnes ofmeat a year, wanted to expand into the catering mar-ket, increasing its retail business. Ishida provided the solution in the form of a ScrewFeeder Weigher, the CCW-R-214W-SF, with 14heads and 1.5 litre hoppers, which was installed atthe company’s factory in Baraqueville. AutomatingProGré’s weighing operations not only improved ef-ficiency but also increased production.Designed for movement-resistant products likefreshly-cooked meat, the weigher has coreless screwswhich feed products gently towards the hopper sys-tem. The hoppers have anti-stick surfaces and are fit-ted with scraper gates to prevent clogging. Incombination, these features meet the challenge ofhandling Progré’s carefully prepared meat efficientlywhile preserving quality.DEEPGRIP® bottles further widen PET’spotentialAPPE is introducing a new technologyallowing manufacture of large size PETcontainers with a deep recess for easyhandling, providing an alternative to tra-ditional extrusion blow moulded HDPEbottles with integrated handles.Developed in partnership with Sidel,the new DeepGrip bottles can be pro-duced in sizes up to 7 litres with a deeprecess each side, creating an integral han-dle. End markets include food, dairy,juice, edible oils, motor oils and homeand personal care.The technology combines conveniencewith the established benefits of PET. Interms of branding and aesthetics, the clar-ity enables products to be visible while de-sign flexibility enables the production of bespoke designs for maximumon-shelf impact. The new bottles also offer sustainability benefits, giving light-weight savings over HDPE bottles and also offering a lighter weight alterna-tive to clip-on handles or boxed grips. The containers are also fully recyclable.012-013:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:32 Page 1Unique look to celebrate Mr Jack’sbirthdayCCL Decorative Sleeves created the stylish limited editionfull body sleeve for a special birthday edition of Jack Daniel’sfamous Tennessee Whiskey.The unique 70cl bottle design was created exclusively forthe UK. The eye-catching matt black sleeve accentuates thebottle’s iconic square shape and is six colour gravure printedon 50mym PET, with gold and white accents surrounded bythe brand’s trademark filigree, to maximise on-shelf appealand ensure increased visibility in-store.Key to CCL Decorative Sleeves’ role was careful materialselection in order to ensure that the film shrank evenly inboth planes and avoided twisting around the neck area. Cor-rect orientation of the sleeve on the bottle was also critical so that the branding was fully centred on the front face ofthe bottle. In addition, the matt finish is scuff resistant enabling the brand’s quality image to be maintained throughoutthe distribution process and in the home.La William’s pure tasteguaranteed with newsqueeze bottlesA range of high quality sauces is being introducedin new plastic bottles from RPC Kerkrade.La William was the first to release Andalouse andBrasil sauces into the market, using fresh and nat-ural ingredients. During 2010, La William launcheda new logo and started thinking about having newsqueeze bottles. In close cooperation with RPCKerkrade and RPC Design, a new polypropylenemultilayer bottle has been developed which under-lines once more the company’s innovative and qual-ity driven strategy.La William boasts a very broad range with morethan fifteen different varieties offering a sauce toaccompany every dish. This includes traditionalperennials such as Mayonnaise, Tartare and Cock-tail, but also a few novel, exotic discoveries such asBrasil, Banzai and Pitta. The first new squeeze bot-tles to hit the market are filled with two classicsauces – Mayonnaise and Andalouse.GCS launches Picasso sports capGlobal Closure Systems company Astra Plastique hasdeveloped Picasso, a high-tech custom tri-colour flip-topsports closure with a translucent polypropylene body in-corporating an innovative integral tamper evident band,which remains within the closure after opening. Nestléhas chosen Picasso for its European water brands.Astra Plastique has patented the tamper evident band,which is completely inaccessible and therefore inviolable.The translucent material for the closure body and flip-topallows a clear view of the band. When the flip-top ispushed open for the first time the band’s bridges break au-tomatically, the lower section then drops to the base ofthe spout and is retained there as permanent evidence ofopening. A significant benefit is that no separate strip ofplastic is thrown away.Picasso also features a double hinge, which enables theflip-top to open easily to 180°, for a more comfortabledrinking experience. Picasso is produced with and without a silicone valve for maximum versatil-ity.on linewww.fdiforum.net13Spear helps Melville’s realfruit beersInnis & Gunn, the independent speciality brewer,has launched a fruity new brand. Melville’s Rasp-berry and Melville’s Strawberry are flavoursomebeers equipped with stylish labels courtesy of Spear.Following the success of the award winning labelsfor Innis & Gunn’s Oak-Aged Beer, the brewerslooked to Spear to create an equally impressive labelfor their innovative product. The vintage style de-signs with a contemporary twist are printed on apressure sensitive matte paper stock, decorated withbold variant colours. Spear combined this with amatte gold hot foil and a specialist rotary screenprinted varnish to achieve a textured, eye catchingfinish.As part of Spear’s design process, its studioutilises state of the art digital imaging software.This allowed Melville’s brand developers to see arealistic 3D image of their label on screen. Innis &Gunn used the 3D prototypes to promote Melville’sto Tesco, where they now sell the product nation-wide.Smurfit Kappa extends fluterangePackaging giant Smurfit Kappa has extended itscorrugated board flute range to boast one of thewidest selections of flutes and flute combinations inthe business.Smurfit Kappa’s innovative new S-flute is balancedperfectly for both transit and retail packaging as itproduces outstanding printability whilst offeringstrong crush resistance. Sitting between its B and Eflutes, S-flute is designed to be lighter, stronger andmore durable than many corrugated boards.Highly sustainable, S-flute is manufactured fromFSC certified fibres, is fully recyclable and designedto reduce supply chain overheads and the impact oflogistics on the environment.As well as S-flute, Smurfit Kappa offers a Bppgrade, which falls neatly between the standard B andC flutes. This grade offers an optimum performancepackaging product to customers, thus providing themost cost effective solution.012-013:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:32 Page 2DS Smith Packaging, Beech House, Whitebrook Park, 68 Lower Cookham Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 8JZTel: 0845 260 70 80 Email: sales.support@dssp.comwww.dssmith-packaging.comMimosa pack wins top retail readyawardFor the second yearrunning, DS SmithPackaging has won theprestigious Retail ReadyPack of the Year accoladeat the UK PackagingAwards. This year, DSSmith Packaging’s entrieswere so strong that theywere selected for all threeshortlisted places. Thejudges opted for MimosaMarket’s Rape Seed Oilpack describing it as a “good,clean pack” giving the brand a “greatimpact” in-store and protecting a fragileproduct “without over-packaging.”The corrugated pack was designed by DS Smith PackagingLouth to protect six bottles of oil in a one-piece unit usingintegral dividers. The structure uses the characteristics ofcorrugated board with crumple zone areas to absorb energyimpact and minimise damage. The pack looks good on-shelf andis easy to find back of store. The one-piece 100% recyclable pack allows faster assembly and‘in-line’ product packing – no gluing for the customer. Printed infour colours to complement the primary pack, the contents arehighly visible and the pack makes it easier to manage the shelf, asindividual bottles do not have to be decanted.Reinvigorated packaging for Seven SeasDS Smith Speciality Packaging, Belper, has designed new, highquality retail ready packaging for the Seven Seas range of LiquidPure Cod Liver Oil. The different bottles had been previouslypacked in a variety of B-flute open fronted trays with shrink-wrap. All these have been replaced with a single material.UsingPackRight, DSSmithPackaging wasable to specifyanother spacesaving materialwith an idealprint surface,Cartonflute, tooptimise thepackaging’sperformance. ImageRight enabled an exact match ofbrand colours, so primary and secondary packaging work inharmony.High quality flexo print has been applied on the outside andinside liners to create greater impact on shelf, while cleanperforations add greatly to the visual presentation. Each pack hasan Imagelase panel containing data such as product descriptors,pack weights and barcodes, ensuring reductions in packaginginventories, fewer changeovers on the packing line and totalelimination of consumables such as labels or ink-jetting.It illustrates how working with DS Smith Packaging enablescustomers to improve supply chain efficiency while driving outcosts and carbon and boosting sales.Chocolate bar breaks recordDS SmithPackaging issupporting long-standing customerThorntons bycreating replicapackaging for theworld’s biggestchocolate bar.Thorntonscelebrated itshundredthanniversary by producing the massive bar in its iconic Continental90g chocolate block design. DS Smith Packaging’s replica packaging was produced through atruly collaborative effort, showing how well the differentcapabilities of the business can work together. DS SmithPackaging’s Clay Cross design team managed the specification andmanufacture of the pack, while its Monmouth site, home to Tri-Wall, supplied the board. DS Smith Multigraphics printed thevinyl graphics.Steven Rose, Managing Director at Clay Cross, says, “This was areal challenge to produce an exact replica of the packaging. Werelied on each site’s skills set to make this idea happen. Everyonewas very happy with the result.”DS SmithPackaging makesideas happen14www.fdiforum.netD S SMITH PACKAGING014:Layout 1 16/12/11 09:27 Page 1IMPORT AND EXPORTwww.fdiforum.net15All food and drink manufacturers whoimport or export must adhere to stringentregulations, particularly relating to foodlabelling, security issues, compliance andlogistics.Recently, a new Food InformationRegulation, designed to make foodlabelling easier to understand forconsumers, was published by theEuropean Union. The regulationcombines rules on general food andnutrition labelling into a single EUregulation. Transitional arrangements setout in the FIR mean that the bulk of therequirements will not apply until 2014,with nutrition labelling becomingmandatory in 2016.Some of the main points of theregulation include country of origin,nutrition labelling and labelling clarity –a minimum font size has been set for allmandatory information on most foodlabels. Allergen information will alsohave to be provided on all food.Xavier Lavigne, Food Law Manager atinternational policy experts EAS, says,“The new food labelling regulationmeans inevitable changes for companies,particularly those exporting and tradingin international markets. The costs ofconforming to the mandatory nutrientcontent rules will most likely hit thesmaller food companies more than thelarger ones, as many of the largercompanies already have some type ofnutrition labelling which will simply needto be adapted.”Other aspects of the regulation, withwhich companies must be compliant bythe 13th December 2014 deadline,include new rules on allergen labellingand legibility. Xavier Lavigne says, “The regulationintroduces a minimum font size of 1.2mmfor all mandatory label information, and0.9mm for products whose packaging hasa largest surface of less than 80cm2. Formanufacturers it means that knowinghow to use the space on certain packagesUK Exports of food anddrink continue to groweven in the currenteconomic climate, butcompanies must look toemerging markets such asAsia and South America. PHOTO: THE FOOD AND DRINK EXPORTERS ASSOCIATION 16 Going globalImports and exports are a fact of life in a modern industry that operates in a globalcontext. But what are the challenges facing food and drink companies in today’scompetitive marketplace?015-017:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:32 Page 116www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTwill be key. Already some companies arelooking into the creation ofunderstandable symbols in order to gainspace and to deal with multilingualchallenges. Most companies in the foodsector will be pressured into a detailedreview of their product packaging in themonths and years to come.”Future successTo be successful globally, companiesmust not only adhere to stringentregulations, they may also have to adapttheir branding and marketing strategies.Dan Einzig is founder of Mystery, abranding agency that specialises in thefood and drink industry explains how tocreate a brand that can translate toforeign markets. He says, “Youngaudiences internationally often regardBritain as ‘hip & cool’ while France isoften associated with refinement andItaly with luxury. These preconceptionsrepresent an exciting opportunity forbrands looking to establish themselves inforeign markets. By developing acharacterful brand with values and beliefsthat are easily shared by customers fromdifferent countries and then leveragingtheir heritage internationally, brands canopen doors to a world of opportunity.”But how do food and drinkmanufacturers create a brand that will besuitable for the UK audience and forforeign markets? Dan Einzig says, “I seetwo ways to do it. Firstly by focusing thebrand identity on the product origin –Swiss chocolate, Scotch whisky and so on– or secondly, create a ‘global’ brandfrom the start, like we did for Freshiescafe. Customers are used to internationalbrands and what they want is a strongpersonality and a real innovative productproposition.”With these strategies in place, foodand drink manufacturers can successfullyexport globally. Elsa Fairbanks, Directorof The Food and Drink ExportersAssociation in the UK says, “Exports offood and drink continue to grow even inthe current economic climate. Whilemany of our members are reportingrecord export sales in 2011, we are gettingfeedback that many companies are onlytoo aware that although Europe stillcontinues to account for around 77% ofUK food and non alcoholic drink exports,future growth is likely to come fromfurther afield.“FDEA is recommending that memberslook to Asia for new opportunities. Werecognise that this will be a long termcommitment in order to raise the profileof the UK as a supplier of high qualityfood and drink, and for our suppliers tounderstand the structures and cultures ofemerging markets. “FDEA recently led a successfuldelegation of fifteen companies to exhibitat FHC Shanghai as part of our Taste ofBritain Shanghai Programme and we areworking closely with UKTI, gettinginvolved in its Business in Asia campaignwhich is particularly aimed at the foodand drink sector.”The UK exports nearly £11 billionworth of food and drink each year – morethan half of which has had value addedto it through processing by foodmanufacturers. According to researchfrom the Food and Drink Federation,about three quarters of the UK’s exportsgo to other European Union memberstates and the rest to third countries.Exports are an important revenue streamfor manufacturers, farmers, growers andthe general UK economy.However, the market is becoming evermore competitive. Developing nationssuch as Brazil, China, India andArgentina are increasingly adding valueto their own agricultural raw materialsand consuming them domestically insteadof importing products. At the same time,European manufacturers are facingincreasingly volatile agricultural rawmaterial prices and increased bureaucracyand red tape. FDF are among the EUbodies lobbying for improved marketaccess to non-EU countries, and supportsthe EU’s ongoing efforts to addressobstacles such as tariff barriers, as set outin its Market Access Strategy. Egging Europe onInevitably, some countries will relymore on imports than other, especially asrecent growth in agricultural productionhas been uneven due to circumstancesbeyond anyone’s control. In manyregions, climate change has broughtirregular weather patterns such as risingtemperatures, violent storms, and flashflooding. In Russia, where severe droughthas plagued large farming regions, overallwheat yields plunged 40% in 2010,compared to a decline of only 5%worldwide. This means that while Russiawas the fourth largest wheat exporter in2009, it promptly banned any export thefollowing year.Meanwhile, El Niño in the west Pacificbrought rice production downsignificantly in the Philippines – alreadythe world’s largest food importer, theyneed to rely further on other nations.The marketplace has already changedsignificantly since demand for grain hasbeen rising in countries such as ChinaTo be successful globally, companies must not only adhere to stringent regulations, they may also have to adapttheir branding and marketing strategies. PHOTO: TETRA PAK015-017:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:32 Page 2IMPORT AND EXPORTwww.fdiforum.net17and India, where growing middle classes are adopting morediverse diets.One illustration of the myriad issues affecting producers isthe news that bakery manufacturers face the threat of risingegg prices – and even shortages – when new Europe-wideanimal welfare legislation comes into force on January 2012.The Welfare of Laying Hens Directive will ban the use ofcramped battery cages, forcing egg producers to use larger‘enriched’ cages that allow laying hens more space to perchand move around.However, as many as thirteen countries across the EuropeanUnion, including Spain, Italy and Poland, have admitted thattheir egg industries will not be ready to meet the newrequirements in time for the deadline – sparking fears ofavailability problems and higher prices. This could trigger thesudden importing of eggs or egg-related products as demandremains the same but supply is massively outweighed.Although this crisis has been looming, the countries inquestion have been warned over and over, but traditionalmethods of production have been slow to change, resulting inwhat may become an egg crisis. This may also hit eggproducers in these countries hard. The changeover cannot becheap and so equipment and space issues may have preventedchange as swift as legislation will have allowed.John Gelley, Sales Director for EU Bakery at Arla FoodsIngredients, says, “Nobody knows for sure what impact theDirective will have. But with so many member states admittingthat they are unprepared for the changes, there are worryingsigns that bakers could face difficulties sourcing sufficient eggsfor their needs or, at the very least, significantly higher prices.”Thanks to changing tastes and a move towards increasedsecurity, those looking to make inroads into new territories willneed to consider a wider range of issues than ever before.The Food and Drink Exporters Association is recommending that members look toAsia for new opportunitiesPHOTO: THE FOOD AND DRINKEXPORTERS ASSOCIATION (FDEA)015-017:Layout 1 19/12/11 08:32 Page 318www.fdiforum.netWAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTIONMaking paths into investment on theproduction and overall technological sidewithin warehousing can make all thedifference. Efficiency and time-saving isthe name of the game, especially withinfood and drink. As goods dealt with areoften perishable, an accurate and reliablesystem for taking care of business isessential.Diageo, a leading drinks company,recently opened a £10 million cooperageat Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Thecooperage, which combines materialshandling innovation with robotics, is theculmination of a two year project. Thenew operation intends to produce250,000 of rejuvenated and rebuilt casksa year prior to refilling with thecompany’s famous whisky brands, whichwill increase cask production by 25%.Alan Hadden was the project deliverymanager for Diageo on the cooperagedevelopment. He explains why it wasnecessary to invest in a new facility, puttogether by robotics and manualhandling experts CI Logistics, “In 2009we reviewed Diageo’s operations inScotland, at that time the company hadtwo cooperages, producingapproximately 200,000 casks perannum. The challenge we faced was toincrease cask production by around 25%and unfortunately the existing facilitieswere not suitable for expansion.Therefore we decided to erect a purposebuilt, high-tech cooperage here inCambus and move our entire caskmaking operations to this site.Logistically it made sense too - we arenow situated on a 29 acre site in theheart of our largest warehouse facilityand cask filling/disgorging operation. “We have also gained environmentalbenefits from moving to Cambus. Thanksto the new central location, we have beenable to cut down on our transportoperation by approximately seventhousand vehicle movements per year.”This is a move many companies areseeking to make. As well as saving moneyon needless journeys, the overall carbonfootprint left is reduced significantly. Within the cooperage, there are twomain floor conveyor lines, one for re-building and one for rejuvenation ofcasks. Before starting on therejuvenation line, the cask type and sizesettings are checked into one of thehuman machine interface terminals ofthe two main control panels. This information is used in a numberof key locations, including centralisingthe cask at cross transfer units andpassing information to the roboticsystem.Casks are stripped of ends and quarterhoops which are placed in a cradle on abranch of a power and free overheadconveyor. Removed parts are given anidentification number and stored on aradio frequency tag fitted to each carrier.The tags are then read by code readers atkey positions around the system keepingthe parts on the overhead conveyors insynchronisation with the casks travellingalong the floor conveyors.Once tagged, the cooper transfers casksonto a floor level driven roller bedTesco have made rail links amore integral part of theircentral distribution hubKeeping things movingMethods of management within the warehousing and distribution sector can make agreat amount of difference within the food and drink sector. Changing the way youoperate could bring down costs significantly.018-019:Layout 1 16/12/11 09:30 Page 1WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTIONwww.fdiforum.net19conveyor mounted on a lift table in ashallow pit. The lift table rises and putsthe cask into the conveyor system readyfor de-charring. After this is complete thecasks are delivered, two at a time, to thenext stage where they are manipulated bytwo robots onto platens ready forcharring. At the end of the line the casks arriveat one of six finishing stations. Apneumatic gate is operated by foot pedaland indexes casks to be reunited withtheir ends and hoops from the overheadline.At the start of the rebuild line, casksare reconstructed with temporary endplate hoops. The creation of the caskstakes place at six cask riser machinesfrom where they are transferred onto themain line.The casks are then accumulated in setsof five and temporary lids are appliedprior to them travelling through a steamchamber. Lids are taken off following thisoperation and temporary bulge andquarter hoops fitted ready for the casks tobe loaded into the crozer machines. After this process, casks are inspectedwith the assistance of specially designedsemi-automatic turn and tilt machines,one of the additional ideas from CI. Herethey are transferred onto the main line toenter the charring process and theheading and hoop driving machines atthe end of the line.This process means that every elementof the process is accounted for, possiblythe best way to be. This means that atany time, information is readily availableand although all the casks may be thesame, each one can be traced.This approach is one that should beheld up as one of the best managementsystems to adopt, clear, regimented andfully functional as well as utilisingtechnology, in this case, robotics, to cometo an efficient, smooth operation.Other companies, often large concernsare adopting equally new approaches.Tesco has recently teamed up withProctor & Gamble, working together todevelop an intermodal solution tologistics. Tesco has expanded its railservices from Daventry, meaning it nowhas two extra distribution routes. Proctor& Gambol act as an efficiency service theother end, sending products back on thesame line. Not only does this mean anestimated 40,000 truck journeys arebeing taken off the roads, but also offerssignificant cost savings. “This new service is part of ourongoing commitment to be zero carbonby 2050,” says Nigel Jones, Tesco UKLogistics Director. “Utilising rail servicesallows us to transport products acrossthe country in the most sustainable way,taking thousands of lorries off the roadeach year and reducing our carbonemissions. In addition to transferringgoods from our central depot to otherpoints for distribution to the stores, thetrains will also return to our depot withgoods from our key suppliers making theservice even more efficient.” These big changes signal a trend forthe food and drink industry. As thesetwo companies trial and improveadvanced systems, other successful firmswill no doubt follow suit. We will nodoubt now see a take-up of similarlythorough systems, which place efficiencyand traceability alongside speed andquality of standards. This will almostcertainly trickle down to SMEs andsmaller concerns, hopefully allowingthem to grow.Traditional coopering skills sitalongside robotics at Diageo’slatest expansion.Intelligence powering warehouse efficiency Call today: +44 [0] 121 717 7474 or visit our web site: www.proteussoftware.com 018-019:Layout 1 16/12/11 09:30 Page 2Next >