< Previouseurope.thermoking.comYou win. Always.You know what’s best for your business, what’s best for your clients. Whether you are a retail manager, fleet owner or business executive, you have to make the right choices. SLXi from Thermo King empowers you to make those choices: load protection, fuel economy, sustainability, cost control. SLXi enables you to exceed your customers’ expectations for the freshest of fresh produce delivered on time and on budget. And by connecting you remotely to your asset 24/7, now you can say “I choose, I decide, I control, I win.”SLXi. Choosing is winning.18-22_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:01 Page 3Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netTRANSPORT AND LOGISTICSDon’t just think plastic… Go plastic!01323 744057 | sales@goplasticpallets.comOur plastic pallets and boxes offer a more durable, hygienic and cost-effective solution to other materials. And we deliver fast, direct from stock!Specialist food service distributorinvests in Hubbard ‘efficient cold’transport fleetSussex-based ExpressFoodservice has taken delivery offour new DAF LF 45 twin-compartment, box bodyrefrigerated vehicles cooled byHubbard Products 720 twinevaporator units.Reputed to be the 3rd largestspecialist distributor in England,Express Foodservice supplies overfive million kilos of product per annum. As well as delivering to large parts of the country itslocations include Europe, Channel Islands and the Falkland Islands. The new vehicles supplement their existing Hubbard Products cooled distribution fleet. Asa long-standing customer of Hubbard Products, Express Foodservice is familiar with theperformance and efficiency of the 720 range of twin evaporator units, having specifiedthem on previous occasions. The Hubbard 720 AELT-24-3 in use with Express Foodserviceoperate at – 21°C for the freezer compartment and 1°C for the chilled compartment withelectric standby.For more information, visit www.hubbardproducts.com.processes. For forklift truck provider AisleMaster, efficiency is integral to itsproduct portfolio with its missionstatement of increasing storage space,reducing costs and improvingproductivity – a recipe for success,certainly. In more tangible terms, AisleMaster offer major efficiency gainsthrough its electric powered models,all of which now benefit from ACtechnology as standard. From anoutside perspective, switching to afully electric forklift might not berevelatory in of itself, but it yields anumber of advantages. Chief amongthem is enhanced performance levels,which leads to increased palletmovements and improved accelerationand gradeability overall. There are alsobenefits to the design of the vehicle, withfewer wearable parts, resulting in lowmaintenance and reduced downtime. Theswift battery removal, ergonomicallydesigned operator’s cab and, of course,reduced energy consumption, result in apositive knock-on effect, through which theentire industry benefits. Though not mutually exclusive,automation often goes hand in glove withmore sustainable practices. Often a greenersupply chain can be incidental, but likely itwas a conscious decision. This has been thecase in the switch to more sustainablefuels. Using electric forklifts in warehousesand distribution centres, whilesimultaneously deploying trucks that run onbiofuel, hydrogen or even battery power,ensure both ends of the supply chain are22 ÁPHOTO: AISLE MASTER 18-22_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:01 Page 422 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netTRANSPORT AND LOGISTICSThe versatile articulated truck that does it allAisle-Master.comReduce Aisle WidthsDouble Storage SpaceCut Warehouse Costs Operates inside & outsideSales of ‘square’ pallets stack up forGoplasticpalletsSales of ‘square’ 1200 x 1200mm pallets haverisen in recent months thanks to growingdemands from companies within the liquids andchemicals sector.According to Goplasticpallets.com, the UK’s leadingindependent supplier of plastic pallets, the increasing needfor this specific type of pallet is due to its favourable, squareshape. As a result, Goplasticpallets’ range of 1200 x 1200mm palletshas become progressively popular for handling drums of liquids, powdersand expensive core ingredients. Designed for heavy handling and high rotation use within returnable pallet scenarios, the uniformshape is ideal for transportation and storage. Especially of heavy, cumbersome containers that oftenprove difficult to handle. Historically, the 1200 x 1200mm pallet has been used by chemical manufacturers, who for variousreasons predominately use 205 litre drums, and more recently plastic barrels. In particular, the APB 1212HRR 6R Drum has been designed for this application, with blocks moulded into its frame to locate four,205 litre drums.The robust design offers superior strength and its distinctive size also makes it suitable for handlingand storing big (FIBC) bags, weighing up to 1250kgs safely in racks.working in tandem. These successes help tooffset, even composite, for areas in whichemissions are still an issue. The cold chain,for example, requires significantly moreenergy than some of its counterparts,simply because it needs to provide aconstant and reliable environment fortemperature sensitive food and drinkproducts. While carbon dioxide emissionsare considerably higher in the cold chain forthe reasons stated, research has shown thatthe cold chain has a key role to play inreducing food waste and can even limitingCO2 in the decomposition of food products.Intelligent design and manufacturing arealso helping to mitigate emissions from thisintegral arm of the logistics industry. Thermo King – an Ingersoll Rand brand –produces temperature and climate controlproducts aimed at the transportationindustry. Where Thermo King sets itselfapart from competitors is with savvy designstages, where it utilises simulation analysisas a care part of the process. This meansthat the breakdown points and units arecorrected in advanced, not discovered inuse where they can present significantproblems and result in significant downtimeand expenditure. Efficiency is as muchpredicting and resolving issues before theyarise, as much as it is improving existingprocesses. The company’s labs – believed tobe the most sophisticated in the transportrefrigeration industry – perform endurancetesting to replicate the severe conditions inwhich its products perform, ensuring thatthey will perform to specification in the field. Efficiency is inherent in the transport andlogistics industry, where little is left tochance. Software solutions are ensuringautomation is the standard of warehousing,while telematics helps ensure vehicles areable to keep emissions down. To that end,the proliferation of sustainable fuels aretransforming what was once an emissionoffender. Electric forklifts are having asignificant effect in terms of productivity,but in also creating a greener, moresustainable industry overall. As anecosystem, the transport and logisticsindustry is definitely in good health. PHOTO: AISLE MASTER 18-22_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:01 Page 5Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.netPUMPS AND FLUIDSDealing with fluids and low-viscosity food material canbe challenging for anycompany. But theadaptations and innovationswithin the pumps and fluidsindustry have helped takethe weight offmanufacturers. Hygiene and efficiency remain two ofthe key aspects in the pumps and fluidindustry, particularly with increasedconsumer and media attention beingplaced on food and drink products.Where any liquid or low-viscosity foodmaterial is being pumped through aprocessing line it’s key that it is done soin a manner that both optimises andensures sanitation – without causingblockages or problems within theprocess itself. As the industry has been a consistentone for many decades it’s easy to seethat most companies are now able tohandle the hygienic necessities of theprocess – with adaptations such ashygienic hoses and pumps. But that’snot to say that there hasn’t beeninnovation in other areas; as companiesvie for competitive edge over oneanother. In efforts to increase efficiencymany pump process machines nowinclude metering of additivesthemselves, essentially measuring andadministering flavourings, acids,vitamins or colouring directly to thefood material – in line with the recipe ofthe product. Of course these then need to bemixed, and in that regard industrialmixers are now a common part of theprocess at this point – fitting seamlesslyinto a pump production line. Ensuringproducts are mixed and blendedeffectively has always been a challengefor the food and drink sector, but nevermore so than now. Labellingrequirements that demand productscontain exactly the correct make-up ofingredients and weight, along with anincreased focus on cleanliness, hasmeant accuracy and effectiveness isnow a top priority. However, this has tobe countered with the changing tastesof consumers who now prefer productsto appear natural and not totallyuniform in appearance.The goal is versatility, alongside thetypical ones of efficiency, reliability andhygiene. A food manufacturer mightnow have a number of differentproducts which have vastly differentrequirements in terms of mixing. Mixingcompanies such as AdvancedEngineering have risen to thechallenges through the sheer number ofproducts they can now providemanufacturers. From top entry batch,sealed bearing, bottom entry to singlestage and three stage inline high shearrotor stator mixers and fluid mixers.This flexibility is particularly valuableas it’s hugely important for24 ÁThe perfect blend23-25_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:04 Page 124 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netPUMPS AND FLUIDSmanufacturers that the correct mixer ischosen for the job in hand. To this end,Advanced Engineering also offer free onsite trials with purpose built test rigs –enabling manufacturers to see theresults themselves. When it comes to the valves industry,the demand for the elimination ofpreservatives from food and beveragesis set to drive demand higher than ever.Transparency Market Research hasshown that many large players in thevalves industry have taken to investingin developing regions and emergingmarkets in order to cater to the hugepotential there. The research report alsoclaims that the global hygienic andaseptic valves market is set to increasefrom $6 billion in 2015, to $9 billion in2025 – an increase of 50% in just asingle decade. Of the various types of valvesavailable, hygienic single seat valves areexpected to do the best, outperformingall other segments and acquiring afigure close to 26% of the globalmarket. This is due to the ability ofthese valves to meet the strict andvaried requirements pertaining toaseptic and hygienic process in the foodand drink industry. Much of this comes in comparison tothe rest of the food and drink industry,who often show some reluctance toface new laws and regulations on theissue of hygiene. This is perhapsunderstandable given the upsettingnature new regulation has on a well-runprocess, but the valves industryflourishes in such difficult times due toits focus and ability on controlling andimproving hygiene. A major challenge in the pumps andfluids industry is that of ensuringtraceability is in place. Labellingregulations mean that packaging needsto explain exactly what is in the productso it is vital manufacturers can identifyingredients during the mixing process.In many cases – particularly that of arecall – a large retailer might give amanufacturer less than 24 hours toascertain where something went wrong.This is important for the retailer due tothe fast spread of negative publicitythrough the media – requiring them tomake a prompt response. However theonus is then passed down to themanufacturer, who must check theirsystems to see if it was something thatwent wrong on their end; or whether itmight have happened outside of theircontrol. In the cut-throat world ofsupermarkets it’s guilty until proveninnocent, and a poor traceability systemthat cannot meet the retailer’s demandsis sure to lead to damages – or perhapseven a loss of a major contract.Detection, scanning and visionsystems should be employed at variousstages throughout the process – withthe results of these monitored bysoftware systems or employees. Whilepumping systems can and should beable to meter and prepare the productas per the recipe specifications, there isstill a need for quality control andassurance at every stage of the process.23-25_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:04 Page 2Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netPUMPS AND FLUIDSNatures WayFoods install wasteremoval systemsfrom SEEPEXWhen you are one of the largestproducers of ready to eat fruitsnacks, removal of the naturalwaste produced from trimmingand peeling is essential to enablecontinuous production in ahygienic environment.Natures WayFoods is one of theleading companies inthis sector andturned to SEEPEXwhen their existingwaste removal equipmentwas unable to keep up withthe volume and variable nature ofwaste from increasing production.As well as fruit and vegetable peel, they had someproblematical by-products: mango stones and grape vines amongothers. However, SEEPEX have a history of solving problems inproduct and waste handling and proposed a series of systemstailored to each product type. All of the systems incorporatedSEEPEX progressive cavity pumps in different configurations.Firstly, open hopper pumps with integral knives were installedin line with automated peeling machines; to chop and remove allthe waste in enclosed hygienic pipework. These pumps replacedhorizontal grinders sited over wide throat pumps which sufferedfrom bridging issues.For the more challenging products a system was designedincorporating a reception hopper, vertical grinder and pumpcombination. The fruit stones and pulp are converted into apumpable slurry, also removed in enclosed pipework.Finally, a large pump with bridge breaker and integral knivesprovides additional capacity for hand-peeled fruit waste.Natures Way Foods now has a hygienic, fully automatedsystem of waste removal in enclosed pipework and labourintensive tote bin movement from high care to low risk has beeneliminated. All the waste removed is dewatered to reduce thevolume, and transport costs, before disposal to composting orbiogas production. For more information, visit www.seepex.com oremail sales.uk@seepex.com, alternatively you cancall +44(0) 1935 472376.New European plantenhances process equipmentmanufacturing capabilityThe new SPXFLOW facility incentral Europe isdesigned formanufacturingexcellence interms of efficientproduction ofhigh qualityhygienic processvalves, plate heatexchangers andhomogenizerswith reliable andcompetitive lead times. The facility is fitted with advancedmanufacturing equipment and a highly trained workforce to ensurecomponents are made to the highest quality standards withstreamlined inventory processes that keep them readily available atcompetitive prices. This enables SPX FLOW to offer its customersrapid delivery of precision engineered products that are designedfor long life and dependable performance.The European plant represents a multi-million dollar investmentfor SPX FLOW and is part of its commitment and strategy toensure an outstanding customer experience. Every product that isproduced at the new 28,000 m2 facility undergoes multiple qualitychecks prior to shipment to ensure it completely meetsspecification and quality standards.For more information, visit www.spxflow.com.St Austell Breweryunveils 2017 beer listSt AustellBrewery hasannounced the firsttwo beers that havemade it into its 2017portfolio. After beingintroduced in bottlein December, Eurekahas now beenlaunched in keg forthe on-trade market.The 4.9% ABVAmerican pale ale isa single-hoppedbeer crafted in theWest Coast USAstyle that inspired a brewing generation - it’s also the first beerthat’s been launched as a permanent brew from St Austell’s SmallBatch Brewery. Underdog also joins St Austell Brewery’s portfolio. First brewedfor the Celtic Beer Festival – St Austell Brewery’s annual charitableevent – the highly-hopped beer is intentionally low in ABV andbrewed using hops from all around the world.Roger Ryman, St Austell Brewery’s Brewing Director, said: “Aswell as a new three-season schedule in the Small Batch Brewery,which will see more than 27 limited edition beers launch, we’ll beunveiling more permanent beers as the year goes on.”For more information, visitwww.staustellbrewery.co.uk.23-25_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:04 Page 326 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGIt’s absolutely vital product security isthe top priority and items can betransported quickly and efficiently, andthe latest cases, containers and boxesare ensuring these high standards canbe met. Yet it’s also doing this whilemeeting the growing requirement forenergy efficiency in the supply chain. Itis not enough nowadays for a productto simply be protected by its end of linepackaging. For the investment that hasbeen put into it, the packaging mustmake the process more efficient and – ifpossible – cheaper. This can be a daunting task at firstglance. How can a process which is notonly going to cost money, but alsosignificant investment in machinery –make the product cost less? The answeris simple and complex at the same time;with good planning. Simply installingshrink-wrapping machinery orpalletising processes will do little ifthere isn’t a bigger strategy behind it,as any within the industry might say.There has to be a view on everythingthat comes after the point, and whattangible benefit the packaging offers.Take for example the transportationprocess itself. It is still more commonthan not for food products to betransported by road by lorry. In thesecases the biggest investment oftencomes from fuel, with the item that acompany is buying essentially being theempty space in the back of the vehicle.The problem comes from the fact thatin many cases, all of this space cannotbe utilised. The weight of products willpush down on those stacked beneaththem, often damaging products beyondwhat can be sold in a retailer. Obviouslythis is unacceptable, and thus it is notuncommon for space to go unused inthe back of a vehicle. This is emptyThe end of line packagingindustry has become astaple of any manufacturingprocess and is set to boomin 2017.Endof theline26-29_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:10 Page 1Food & Drink International 27www.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGADPAKPACKAGING SYSTEMS & FILMSAdpak is the UK’s number one supplier ofshrink wrapping, packaging systems and filmsto a range of industriesTel: 01282 601444 l www. adpak.co.uk l email: sales@adpak.co.uk l 3 Pendleside l Lomeshaye Industrial Estate l Nelson l Lancashire l BB9 6RY Providing your complete Packaging Solutionspace that has been paid for.Strong and rigid end of linepackaging can help prevent this,strengthening and protecting theproduct so that more of it can bestacked without damage. This can be adelicate task, least of all becausestronger material will undoubtedly bemore expensive. There is a necessity tojudge and test on how much is savedby filling lorries further than they werebefore, and whether this takes asignificant number of vehicles off theroad. In many cases this will depend onthe product itself and how fragile it is.Products more prone to breakage willbenefit more from the strongerpackaging, with biscuits being a primeexample. Biscuits typically come in28 ÁShrink wrapping by hand ought tobe a thing of the past formanufacturers, and yet some stillcling to outdated methods26-29_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:11 Page 228 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGYPS gogreen withsustainableshrink film Shrink wrapping specialistsYorkshire Packaging Systems hasunveiled its new, sustainableBollore ‘B-Nat’ shrink film to thepackaging industry.The award-winning firm,celebrating its 40th anniversary, isnow offering this unique, specialistfilm to meet the demands of anincreasingly environmentally-conscious market.The ground-breaking filmconsists of a polyethyleneproduced from sugarcane ethanol.As well as sugarcane’s superiorwater efficiency, the film alsocaptures more Co2 in its lifetimethan its soybean and corncounterparts. Its cultivation doesnot occur on arable land, meaningit doesn’t interfere or impact foodproduction areas.Unlike other green alternatives,B-Nat shrink film does not incurany efficiency penalty. It offersimproved aesthetics and optics forenhanced shelf-attractiveness, withno compromise on cohesionstrength for multi-packingapplications. Whether on a manualor high-speed machine, there is nodisparity compared to morestandard, less-green counterparts.The film is available in flat orcentre-folded in multiple widthsand varying thicknesses. For more information, visitwww.yps.co.uktubes, but these are not solid in any way,shape or form – leading to the fragile treatssnapping or crumbling when even theslightest pressure is placed on them.Corrugated end of line packaging canprotect them during transit, while alsodiffusing the weight of additional boxesdown supporting frames. If twice as muchcontent can be placed into a single vehicle,then in theory it should allow for a 50%saving on transport costs (or at least fuel). This balancing act must be taken further,however, and it’s always important to keepthe end user in mind. While saving moneyon fuel – and thus environmentally as well –might sound nice, the enthusiasm willrarely reach the workers in the warehousesof supermarkets, who will not appreciatepackaging that is difficult to get into. Rigidand unyielding end of line packaging thatmight have been good for protecting theproduct from strain, will not always be theeasiest to break apart for the shelves.Unless it is specifically designed to beso, that is. Product display packaging andtrays have helped to minimise thisproblem, with many forms of transportpackaging actually transforming intodisplay packs with relative ease. To usethe examples of biscuits again, lookingback fifteen years it’s possible toremember that many biscuits were handstacked on shelves. Nowadays it isdifferent, with most transit packagingincluding perforated lines where the toppart can be torn off or pulled back,revealing the products inside a brandedcontainer. This is then placed onto the26-29_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:11 Page 3Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGHarkstead Hall Barn, Harkstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1DBTel: +44 (0)1473 893990 Fax: +44 (0)1473 893995email@penn-packaging.co.uk www.penn-packaging.co.uk• Case/tray Packing machines • Shrink Wrapping systems• Stretch-Film Wrappers • DepalletisersPalletisers • Bag Closing Machines• Pillow pouch systems • Pre-made pouch• Stand-Up / Doypack • Slider/Zipper• Spout • Ultra Clean FillingUniquely customized. Uniquely economical.shelf itself, allowing consumers to reachin and take the product at will. This kind of innovation iscommonplace now, but wasrevolutionary at the time – not onlysaving the manufacturer time andmoney, but also the retailer. It alsoallowed manufacturers to have morecontrol over their branding andadvertising, as they could have free reinon designing the displays.What manufacturers are morefocused on today, however, isautomation. Can the packaging systemsbe efficiently integrated into a line insuch a way as to boost the efficiency ofthe process. Too often does it seemthat the manufacturing line and thesupply chain are separated by aQuin Systems opens the door for fullyautomated packing Lack of available space at theend of the line is often cited as amajor barrier to automation.Quin Systems, designer andsupplier of intelligent end-of-lineautomated packing systems, hasdeveloped an integrated casepacking and case erectingsystem that allows productionlines of all sizes to installautomated technology.Mike Webb, Quin’s ManagingDirector, said: “VersapackTM is afully integrated robotic casepacking and case erectingsystem with a tiny footprint thatallows the machine to be usedwithout the need for additionalbuilding or line reorganisation.“Its ergonomic design makes no compromises to flexibility; Versapack packs products inany orientation into a wide range of cases including the smaller retail-ready cases.”Recent enhancements include the ability to handle crash lock cases the same machineas standard cases. This makes it easier for manufacturers to implement automation instages and run hand packing and fully automated lines side by side. For more information, visit www.versapack.co.uk.wrought iron fence, with manyaccidents happening in transit betweenthe two. The increased automation ofthis process can also cause problems inits own right. Most notably, in a high-speed packaging and labellingoperation at a bottling plant, un- ormislabelled packs have to be detectedby the human eye or by additionalscanners, removed, returned andrelabelled. In a competitive high-volumemarket, where product cost is low andmargins are squeezed, this handlingadds to costs. This is especially the case when theline has to deal with many differentproducts with a range of sizes andshapes – all of which remains themanufacturer’s duty. This places someburden on scanning and detectionequipment, which must be more robustthan ever. Of course, one company’sproblem is another’s opportunity, sothose who are able to adapt andmanage such difficult conditions will bein a position of competitive strengthover their rivals. In terms of the future, it is expectedthat end of line packaging will becomeeven more prevalent in our lives – andespecially on our supermarket shelves.We already have examples of this withbag-in-box wine and other drinks, andwhile this may not be new, it is startingto catch on with consumers. This is anopportunity for companies toexperiment with new designs andtechnology, and to cut out their ownniche within the market - if they havethe courage to do so. End of line packaging is important,not only in terms of protection ofvaluable commodities within food anddrink, but also in terms of aesthetics.With more information needing to bedisplayed these days thanks tolegislation change regarding healthbenefits and nutritional values, thepackaging industry may well have toadapt in the future to compensate.26-29_Layout 1 27/02/2017 10:11 Page 4Next >