< Previous30 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSOUPS & SAUCESwe’re making things easier by clearlycommunicating the specific role of theproduct and the colourful label gives goodshelf standout.“Stir-frying is a cooking method thatmost consumers are willing to attemptbecause it’s simple and versatile. We’retapping into consumers’ desire forconvenience and great tasting food.”Similarly, other high-end brands havehad to diversify their products. For thefirst time, soup giant Campbell Soup Cohave entered the soup pod market. Usuallyused to dispense coffee and hot beverages,Green Mountain Coffee Roasters haveentered an agreement with Campbell tobring soup to the Kuerig single-servecoffee dispenser in 2014. Campbell’s Fresh-Brewed Soup consistsof a broth K-Cup pack and an includedpacket of dry pasta and vegetable blendgarnish. Consumers brew a broth K-Cuppack over this garnish to create a snack inSoups and sauces have hadto change to meet a morefast-paced and busy societyPHOTO: INGREDIONA new range of rotorsbeing released by a raft of companies lately ismaking processing shear-sensitive, particulate-bearingfoods such as soups, sauces, desserts andconfectionery easier and it’s easyto see whyPUMPING SYSTEMSFaraday Drive, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV15 5BJTel: 01746 764311 Fax: 01746 763375www.kecol.co.uk email: sales@kecol.co.uk25 years experience in pumping Viscous materialsNo.1choice for many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical, cosmetic&food manufacturersOffering bespokedesigned systems, manufactured to suit your specific needsOur extensive range of equipment is designed to transfer products from triple concentrate Tomato paste through to Petroleum Jelly and Mascara, quickly, cleanlyand efficiently For more information call us today or visit us online27-31:Layout 1 12/12/13 14:33 Page 4minutes. The soups useKeurig’s “proprietarymanufacturing expertise to sealin the ingredients’ peakflavour, and Keurig’s single-serve knowledge to release aportioned snack.” Snacking is a growingbehaviour among USconsumers, with more thanhalf snacking multiple times aday, connsumers are alsolooking for snacks that serveas mini-meals to satisfyhunger, and there is anincreasing need for ultraconvenient options.This kind of diversificationshows an absolute demand forquality as well as varietyamong consumers and can onlybe a sign that in the nearfuture, we will see other largecompanies following suit. Ifthere are margins to besqueezed in niche quarters,then manufacturers should beadvise to take their chances.Feeling the heat?A new range of rotors being released by a raft of companies latelyis making processing shear-sensitive, particulate-bearing foods suchas soups, sauces, desserts and confectionery easier and it’s easy tosee why.The new kind of rotors can be incorporated into new-buildexchangers or quickly and easily retrofitted to existing machinery. Their development has been prompted by a growing consumerpreference for prepared foods containing particulates that areregular in size, texture and flavour. The new styles, ensure an adequate clearance between scrapingblades and the rotor’s surface, which in most cases provides 44%more annular space for product and enabling free passage for evenlarge pieces of product. Confining the number of support pins totwo also reduces the volume of rotor surface in the product zone byat least 44%. This dramatically reduces the risk of shear andproduct damage as food is being processed.When dealing with delicate ingredients or irregularly shapedparticulates it’s important that they don’t get sheared along withthe rest of the ingredients so this kind of accuracy is truly needed. With the amount of innovation on display these days, it’s notsurprising to find the supermarket shelves heaving with choice. Asour tastes change, more traditional flavours may well be bypassed infavour of unusual or exotic varieties but one thing is for sure, theyare going to look and taste better than ever.Food & Drink International 31www.fdiforum.netSOUPS & SAUCESSoups and saucesno problem to asine pumpWhen it comes to high flow applications for food-based products, sine pumps are widely regarded asbeing the best low shear option to ensure quality, brandand reputation. The Watson-Marlow Pumps Grouphave used their vast experience to provide solutions fornumerous food and drink manufacturersLow shearA company needing to pumpviscous, béchamel sauce to dosingnozzles, chose a MasoSine pumpfor its gentle and virtually pulse-free pumping action.The same theory applies inthe manufacture of foodssuch as soups and fillingscontaining a highproportion of soft solids.Preserving andmaintaining the integrityof vegetables, meat andother ingredients duringtransfer, is dependent onthe sine pumps low shearaction and large pumping chamber. HygienicAnother advantage for these customers is the MasoSine pumpsstainless steel housing, with the ability to strip, clean and reassemblethe pumps within the “magic hour”, as one customer put it. Previouspump types at this site had required up to four hours downtime forcleaning, and when working on short run products, that was anunacceptable cost. MasoSine’s exclusive sinusoidal rotor overcomes the limitations ofconventional rotary lobe pumps to produce powerful suction withlow shear, low pulsation and gentle handling. The single shaft and single sinusoidal rotor are the centrepieces ofan innovative, simple design. It means there is no need for thecomplex timing gears and multiple seals associated with conventionalrotary lobe pumps. For more information on the Watson-Marlow PumpsGroup’s solutions for your business, call 01326 370362 orvisit www.food-pumps.com.Rotors are nowbeing providedthat can ensurea smoother andmore uniformproduct.PHOTO: ALFA LAVAL27-31:Layout 1 12/12/13 14:33 Page 532 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTThe improvement in quality andavailability of software and hardware overrecent years means that what was initiallybeyond the reach of smaller manufacturersis now a totally mainstream proposition.Businesses can ensure more effective waysof working and greater product integrityvia a range of high quality solutions.Given the incredibly competitive natureof the food and drink industry, anythingthat can give a company an advantagecan’t be overestimated, and businessintelligence software is now helpingmanufacturers receive an overview oftheir market and enjoy a more targeted,logical approach to identifying newopportunities. For example, GlobalBrands, the drinks brand developmentbusiness, has employed businessintelligence software sales-i to support itsteam in maximising selling opportunities.With an expanding product range andgrowing customer base, the companyneeded an intelligent system that couldhelp it to identify warm prospects andmake targeted sales with high conversionrates. At the same time, it also wanted tomaintain an exceptional level of customersatisfaction among existing customers.The sales-i solution affords completetransparency into the company’s salesoperations, and while providing a real-time top level view of businessperformance, it also offers the ability toclosely monitor customer accounts andmeasure the performance ofThe sky’sthe limitCloud computing is one way in whichsoftware and hardware are becoming moreaffordable and effective than everCloud computing is one way in whichsoftware and hardware are becoming moreaffordable and effective than everThe sky’sthe limit32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 1Food & Drink International 33www.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTindividual sales team members.The advantage of making use ofsoftware solutions is the ability for it toimprove its intuitive nature and updateitself with the latest information the moreit is used. In the case of Global Brands,users have access to granular detail onevery aspect of their customer accounts.This allows them to better serve existingcustomers through targeted, proactiveapproaches and identify prospective salesthrough realtime alerts received directfrom the sales-i dashboard.One aspect of the food and drinkindustry that has become particularlyapparent in recent years is its increasedconsolidation. Companies are outsourcingvarious aspects of their operations, suchas distribution, or becoming part of alarger umbrella organisation. Happily thishas gone hand in hand withimprovements in software which meanthat performance and maintenance can bemonitored at every stage of the supplychain, and remotely from anywhere in theworld.Companies such as Shire Systems offerCMMS options that can monitor,schedule and report on maintenancemanagement across a company. TheirPirana CMMS software is scalable to suitorganisations of any size – including thosebased on numerous different sites – whichcan be hosted either on the company’s34 Food manufacturing specialistsNeedlers have made use of the ERPsoftware supplied by SAP to ensuretheir warehouse runs smoothly32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 234 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTWhich of your customers have started buying from a competitor this month?If you don’t know, it’s time to give us a callsales-i is award winning sales and business intelligence software that helps you identify potential competitor threats. sales-i also eliminates the time, cost and complexity of accessing and analysing your business data, whilst building stronger customer relationships. sales-i empowers your sales team to be the very best. Join hundreds of businesses in the food and drink industry and sign up for a free online demonstration.0845 508 7355www.sales-i.com/simpleTRACKMANAGEANALYSEREPORTown IT network or Shire’s servers, and can be accessed viainternet, intranet and mobile phone.Making use of a hosted option, as is the case with thissoftware, can prove advantageous for small companies inparticular as the requirement for new servers or upfront capitaldoesn’t exist, and it also futureproofs the system, with theopportunity to add more modules as and when required.Automatic updates also mean that the software should also beworking to its optimum level.Software as a Service, or SaaS as it’s known, has becomehugely important for smaller companies and now a number aremaking use of PaaS – Platform as a Service – to innovate stillfurther. This is a cloud-computing platform, provided online,which means companies can deploy and run software in the cloudwithout the expense of a specific IT infrastructure.It’s of particular value for small businesses as it means they canoffer the same services as the major multinationals – all theservices they require can be offered on a cloud basis andpurchased as and when required, without requiring excessiveupfront investment. It’s highly likely that PaaS, which is offeredby companies such as Merlin Business Software, will take onincreased importance in the next few years as software becomesPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/HUMANNET32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 3Food & Drink International 35www.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTLow Cost Maintenance Management Software from the UK No1Try before you buy at one of our free roadshows023 8022 4111 www.shiresystems.comFree up time, reduce costs, meet compliance, minimise downtime. Unrivalled value.Q Asset & Meter RegistersQ Work Order SchedulingQ PM & Corrective TasksQ Stock & Purchase ControlQ Graphical Reports & KPIsQ Mobile Deployment• Hosted or On-Premise Setup • No-Nonsense Interface • Rapid Deployment • No Hidden Costs • FREE TRIALTmore advanced and companies choose to make use of PaaS ratherthan upgrading their software every few months.This effectiveness and flexibility can have further benefits formanufacturers with the ease in which changes can be made.Idhammar Systems, for example, specialise in Mobile MMSsystems and they can now offer the Pocket MMS which iscompatible with a huge number of mobile devices, giving engineersgreater access to plant information. The device works when it’sconnected to a 3G signal or a WiFi network, but users can alsoupdate work orders, record completed jobs, allocate time andcreate new work orders without being connected directly to thehost system. By making use of this approach, companies should beassured of as little downtime as possible.It’s not just communication between the various premises acompany has that’s important – ensuring all the various hardwareat a particular site all works together is vital as well. One way inwhich companies can ensure that there isn’t any clash or conflictis by making sure the items comply with the WeihenstephanStandards. The WS were developed by a working group ofmachine manufacturers, plant suppliers, IT system vendors andtechnologists, under the guidance of the Technical University ofMunich at the Faculty of Food Packaging Technology inWeihenstephan.The Standards define which production data should be recordedand how the data should be transferred. At the same time, theyalso define a standard interface for the connection of machines,conveying equipment and process equipment to higher-order PDAsystems. Via this uniform interface, manufacturers can connect alltheir machines to the IT system and new projects can beimplemented into the building withoutmajor costs.Bizerba are among the companiesthat have implemented WS-Food inmany devices. This means thephysical connecting point, interface interms of content and data evaluationincluding reporting are uniformlydefined, so there’s no need to have toinvest in individual modifications. It’ssuggested that, instead of more than twelvemonths, implementation based on WS-Food willonly take about six weeks on average. This allowsflexibility in allowing companies to take their pick from a widevariety of solutions, often bespoke, to meet their specificrequirements.Although software is now commonplace across the food anddrink industry, some companies are still using non-automatedprocesses and some major businesses continue to use manualrecords for some aspects of their work – although they arebeginning to look for new solutions. It’s certainly the case that to36 The fast-moving supplychain means automation isnow essential to keep upwith demandCompanies andnow a number are makinguse of PaaS – Platform as aService – to innovate still further.This is a cloud-computing platform,provided online, which meanscompanies can deploy and runsoftware in the cloud without theexpense of a specific ITinfrastructure32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 436 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTFRESH FOOD SOFTWAREA new look toNiche NucleusNucleus, the fresh food software from Niche FoodSystems is already firmly established and usedextensively in the fresh food industry. From Nucleus Liteto Nucleus IV packages, some of their customers havealready relied on their systems for some fifteen years.Designedspecifically by ateam with a solidbackground in thefood industry,customers areguaranteed apackage which istailor made to suittheir businessneeds – as well asthe regulationsand legislationsset out by theindustry. Technologymarches on, andso too does thesoftware. NicheNucleus 8 will be unveiled at the UK’s Foodex exhibition at the NECin Birmingham on 24th to 26th March, and then for the globalmarket at Interpack in Dusseldorf on 8th to 14th May.With modules designed specifically for the type of industry theyserve, Nucleus 8 is aimed directly at the catering, butchery, fish,poultry and dairy industries, where they intend to bring even morevalue to their existing customers as well as their future customerbase. With connections to web, tablets and mobile devices, NicheFood Systems are bringing stability, reliability and cutting edgetechnology together.As a member of the Bizerba Group of Companies, Niche FoodSystems is able to offer the full advantages of working hand-in-handwith a UK leader in food industry software, as well as a global leaderin food industry hardware.For more information, call 01254 662130 or email sales@niche-cs.com.make moreefficienciescompanies have tolook towards anautomated approachas any changes that canbe made manually havealready been tried.Food manufacturing specialistsNeedlers, for example, have just made use of the ERP softwaresupplied by SAP. Alistair Needler, Managing Director of Needlerssays, “The warehouse was as efficient as it could be with a paper-based system. In order to keep improving the service we deliver toour customers, we had to look at a way of automating the differentelements of the business.”The new solution was implemented over a period of twelvemonths and launched in September. With over 17,000 liveproduct codes on the system, this new capability from the SAPsolution means Needlers can deliver a consistently high level ofquality control. The company prides itself on its customer servicebut there’s no suggestion that this will be compromised byautomating its processes – indeed, it allows it to work moreeffectively and give customers full control of their budgets bymaking deliveries faster and ensuring they can calculate ordersquickly.Companies that may have found the short-term expense adeterrent when it comes to investing in software, but with systemssuch as PaaS now meaning they don’t need to invest in expensiveinfrastructure, it’s easier than ever to take advantage ofautomation for long-term benefits.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM//WAVEBREAKMEDIAIt’s certainlythe case that to makemore efficienciescompanies have to looktowards an automatedapproach32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 5Food & Drink International 37www.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE & HARDWARE SPOTLIGHTMOBILE MMSImprovedproductivity fromIdhammer SystemsAfter extensive development, Idhammar Systems areproud to announce the latest version of the mobileMaintenance Management System, Pocket MMS. Thesystem will be compatible with iPad and android tablets.The Mobile MMS update will improve an engineer’s ability to be asproductive as possible by streamlining the necessary burden of workadministration and providing greater access to plant information. Thedevice works when connected to a 3G signal or a WiFi network,however users can also update work orders, record completed jobs,allocate time and create new work orders without being connecteddirectly to the host system. The device then automatically updateswork to the system once a connection with the network is established.The Pocket MMS is a tool that will assist with eliminatingpaperwork and improving business management through visibility ofreal time information. By acquiring the ability to operate remotelyand in a timely manner; users are able to communicate dataaccurately, cut down on travel, therefore improving response timesand save money on administration costs in the process. Users can deploy the MMS either inside or outside of theircorporate network. When integrated inside, it will be the responsibilityof the user IT department to ensure that communication happensthrough the corporate systems, but when outside of the corporatenetwork it will directly interact with the Idhammar cloud server whichmanages the necessary security protocols.For more information about the Pocket MMS, or to enquireabout using it for your own business, contact Idhammar on0117 920 9400 or email info@idhammarsystems.com.ERPFully integratedsolutions from MerlinBusiness SoftwareSpecifically designed for merchants, stockists,distributors and wholesalers, Merlin is a fully integratedsoftware solution for stock management, sales andpurchase order processing, contact management andfinancials, which is proving particularly effectivethroughout the food and drink industry. Merlin’s software has enjoyed particular success with drinksdistributors and breweries, food suppliers, food disposables and cashand carrys, meaning they supply solutions to some forty companieswithin the industry. One great example comes from wholesalersBablake Wines, who say, “Our existing software package had servedus well over a number of years but had become dated and was notgoing to meet the demands and requirements made on the businessin today’s modern environment.“Having battled through the minefield of software and hardwareproviders, we found Merlin helpful towards our needs, providing anup to date system which specifically addressed the wines and spiritsindustry.”As the supply chain becomes increasingly complex, Merlin canassist their customers in easily actioning, tracking and updating stockmovements between suppliers, depots, locations and customers. Theresult is a streamlined business process saving valuable time andmoney. As the solution has been designed with the sector in mind,most businesses can implement it straight away, but client feedbackhas enabled it to be adapted to meet individual needs.Merlin have enjoyed particular success in London and the SouthEast in recent times which has led to the company expanding theiroperation and opening a London office in addition to their mainheadquarters in Chesterfield.For more information on the solutions offered by Merlin Business Software, call them on +44 (0)1246 457150,email info@merlinbusinesssoftware.com or visitwww.merlinbusinesssoftware.com.32-37:Layout 1 13/12/13 09:10 Page 6SORTING & WEIGHINGProduct giveaway may seem pretty trivialin the grand scheme of things but continualunderestimation of the weight and make-upof products can have unfortunate long-termconsequences. Not only can this lead tocompanies finding themselves substantiallyout of pocket but labelling regulations nowmean there are consequences if the productisn’t exactly as described on the packaging.Indeed, Laura Wilks from Avery Weigh-Tronix points out, “Unfortunately manypeople do not realise what legal for tradeweighing means and are selling productsillegally. Any weighing equipment used forselling product by weight, must be verifiedafter undergoing a stringent set of tests toensure that it is sufficiently accurate and fitfor purpose.”One challenge for manufacturers, eagerto ensure accuracy in production, is thatthis initially seems at odds with consumers’demand for varied and irregular products.Part of the appeal of confectionary brands,for example, is often the range of differentshapes, sizes and flavours that are includedin each pack, so a totally uniform andunchanging selection would prove lessappealing. However the current sorting andweighing equipment does offer substantialflexibility while still ensuring an effectivemix and accurate portion sizes.The importance of effective weighing canbe seen right across the production process– starting from the arrival of bulkingredients. This is the reason why sugarproducts importer Ragus has installed anweighbridge at its newly built multimillion-pound refinery to weigh bulk incoming rawmaterials and outgoing finished goods. TheBridgeMont weighbridge has been supplied38 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSugar products importerRagus has installed anweighbridge from AveryWeigh-Tronix at its newlybuilt refinery to weigh bulkincoming raw materialsand outgoing finishedgoodsPerfectportionsImproved accuracy in sorting and weighing hasn’t comeat the expense of efficiency38-40:Layout 1 12/12/13 14:26 Page 1Food & Drink International 39SORTING & WEIGHINGby Avery Weigh-Tronix and Ragus will use thecaptured weight data for generating invoices andpaying suppliers – hence the importance of completeaccuracy.Peter Eastick, Managing Director for Ragus says,“Ragus take a lot of pride in the strong relationshipswe have developed with our suppliers and customers.One key aspect of maintaining these workingrelationships is that they trust the precision of ourbilling process. That is why the accuracy of theweight data captured to the weighbridge is soimportant.“One of the most important features for us is thatwith the Weigh Bar in the BMS weighbridge, onlythe vertical forces are measured, regardless ofvibration and shock loads on the scales. The WeighBar also ignores the effects of contraction orexpansion on the weighbridge that are caused bytemperature change. These two features mean wecan confidently weigh our tankers throughout theyear without having to factor in anomalies in theweight data caused by environmental or seasonalfactors.” Weighing also remains an issue when it comes totransporting goods across the factory or distributioncentre – as companies must ensure their staff are safein the workplace. Companies such as RDSTechnology now offer on-board weighing systems forforklift trucks. These systems offer load monitoringand weighing functions with an internal alarm towarn when load threshold is approached and at theoverload point.Their Liftlog 100+ also offers a totalising feature,making it ideal for applications where multiplepallets are to be checkweighed or loading storagesystems where weight limits are to be adhered to.This means that it negates the need to travel to afloor-mounted platform scale often sited in a remotepart of the warehouse. Also included is an overloadalarm that will sound when the overload threshold isapproached - helping the driver to avoid potentialtip-over, increasing the safety of the forklift andwarehouse.It’s on the production line where weighing andsorting take on paramount importance, however –and manufacturers have to match the requirement toensure accuracy with the need for speed. To helpachieve this, Mettler-Toledo Garvens has designedthe Multi-lane Checkweigher, a high precisionweighing and sorting application for multiple-laneproduction and processing. The new checkweighercan inspect packaged products on up to sixteen lanesfor correct weight and fill levels. This compares tostandard applications which can only be configuredwww.fdiforum.netNew methods such asStaticDetect, which has beenincorporated on Mettler-Toledo’snew analytical balances, measurethe weighing error attributable toelectrostatic charge40 38-40:Layout 1 12/12/13 14:26 Page 2Next >