< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING - WRAPID GROUP Q&A Q&A Richard Smith, Heat Sealant Films Manager, Wrapid Manufacturing Wrapid Manufacturing, Bradford, are Europe’s largest distributor of DuPont Teijin films to the food processing industry. Their approach to corporate and social responsibility de- mands constant research and product development to ensure the minimisation of both their carbon footprint and the use of single-use plastic. Wrapid believe that businesses are re- sponsible for achieving good environmental practice and operating in a sustainable manner. It is our priority to encourage our customers, suppliers and all business associates to do the same. Not only is this sound commercial sense for all; it is also a matter of delivering on our duty of care towards future generations Here, Richard Smith, Sales Manager of heat sealant films division at Wrapid, answers ques- tions about Wrapid’s innovative solutions. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:50 Page 1Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING - WRAPID GROUP Q&A What are the latest trends in food packaging? Everyone is talking about recycling. The ‘War on Plastic’ is very much in the public eye and we must all look to ways in which we can commercially achieve the European Parliament targets for plastic packaging recycling or reusing*. Wrapid are dedicated to the responsible use of plastic throughout design, production, storage, delivery and recycling. Okay, so what new products have been introduced to achieve this? After extensive research, trials and testing, we have just announced the launch of the new DuPont Teijin Films’ Mylar® rPET range of heat sealable films, with up to 50% post-consumer recycled rPET content. How is this different? The Mylar® rPET film delivers the waste and cost reduction benefits of top seal lidding with the additional bonus of a lower carbon footprint**, giving retailers the ability to promote a clear and consistent sustainability message with post-consumer recycled content in both tray and lid. Uniquely the rPET has been processed through the LuxCR™ depolymerisation process, “up-cycling” mechanically recycled PET to deliver film properties comparable to virgin material and allowing it's use in high temperature applications such as ready meal lidding. How does this film’s performance compare to other films? Good question! The film maintains the benefits associated with established Mylar® films including low temperature seals, effective anti-fog performance and the ability to seal to a wide range of materials including rPET and pulp punnets. So good news all round then? Actually yes – the key balance is to maintain commercial and performance benefits to both food processing and retail sectors whilst also helping to save our planet. This product is a big step forward in this and we expect like-minded, environmentally aware businesses to buy into it. To find our more about Wrapid Manufacturing, visit www.wrapid.co.uk, email filmsales@wrapid.co.uk, or call +44(0) 1274 220238 *EP agreed Recycling targets – 2025 – 50% / 2030 – 55% **Carbon footprint saving of approximately 1.4kg for every kg of virgin PET 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:50 Page 222 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TEMPERATURE CONTROL SPOTLIGHT T emperature controlled storage and distribution remains one of the most powerful industries in the food and drink industry, with the cold chain accounting for roughly 9% of the £187 billion of sales in the food and drink industry. When it comes to distribution centres which play a key role in the supply chain towards the retail market, the costs of temperature control systems can quickly scale out of control. It’s important at all times to focus on methods of efficiently maintaining temperature levels, with as little ambient loss of temperature as possible. At the end of the day, it’s far more expensive to keep air cool, then it is to warm it up. Doors and loading bays create an immediate but necessary breach in a warehouse’s defences, allowing the cooler air inside to escape via convection currents. What’s more, this is an inescapable consequence, as the © Shutterstock / stockfour Temperature control remains a powerful facet of the supply chain, but new innovations in transportation might mean things will be heating up in the industry. Keeping things cool 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:53 Page 1Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net TEMPERATURE CONTROL SPOTLIGHT ultimate goal of these facilities is to store and ship out goods as quickly as possible to their final destination. As such, it might result in energy savings to install a number of doors between the cold storage facility, and the loading bays. However, this only slows down the productivity of the workers within, and how soon they can have the stock shipped out. Ultimately it becomes a difficult balance between energy savings, and throughput. The final focus must always be on the efficiency of a distribution centre at its central goal – the storage and distribution of goods. Energy savings must come second to this, though should still be pursued at every opportunity. Air curtains provide a potential solution to this problem, or at the very least minimise the loss of heat at loading bays. A cold store air curtain works by creating a curtain of air that cuts through currents, creating a barrier between the external ambient air, and the chilled temperature within a cold store. The greatest benefit of these systems is not just the ability for the air curtain to minimise energy loss through temperature contamination, but also to allow continual access for any workers. There is no door to be opened or closed, and the curtain is safe for 24 Á © Shutterstock / 279photo Studio 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:53 Page 224 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TEMPERATURE CONTROL SPOTLIGHT workers to travel through as they deliver and remove palletised goods. Not only does this improve general efficiency within the cold store, but it also enables rooms to be kept at varying temperatures – important when a facility might have to cater for a wide range of food products that require different refrigerated temperature levels. Of course there is more to efficiently running a temperature controlled storage facility than plugging up the entrances. Managing stock within the distribution centre can become increasingly more complex, as the temperatures are kept lower. For instance, machinery and systems that rely on battery power can come under risk, as continued exposure to the cold has a negative impact on batteries – Bi-Metal Thermometer Temperature Gauges from Labfacility Labfacility now offer Bi-Metal Stainless Steel Thermometers with bottom or back entry and ‘any-angle’ versions available to buy direct from its ecommerce website. Advantages include: • Micro adjustable pointer • Class 1 with 316 S/S Stem • 100mm Face size with various lengths and diameters available • 1-year guarantee offered for working parts / default • Adjustable installation fittings - comprehensive range of compression fittings available • Optional 1/2” BSP Thermopocket available • Temperature Ranges from -20°C to 200°C Standard stainless-steel gauges and pockets are suitable for air, oil, water and other non-erosive fluids. Environmental conditions should be taken into account when considering suitable materials for dial case, etc. For more information, visit www.labfacility.com. © Shutterstock / ESB Professional 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:53 Page 3ÁR0«x x0Á0«³ۭ(Áٳn JJ0«³ For the food & drink industry thermometer.co.uk Cooking • Reheating • Refrigeration • Oven • Grill Helping your business be HACCP compliant Designed & built in the UK, we offer a wide range ȒǔɎǝƺȸȅȒȅƺɎƺȸɀɀȵƺƬǣˡƬƏǼǼɵƳƺɀǣǕȇƺƳǔȒȸɎǝƺǔȒȒƳ ۭƳȸǣȇǸǣȇƳɖɀɎȸɵǔȸȒȅƳƏǣǼɵǝƏȇƳٮǝƺǼƳȅȒȇǣɎȒȸǣȇǕ to the latest in Bluetooth® & remote WiFi logging THERMADATA® WIFI LOGGER Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net TEMPERATURE CONTROL SPOTLIGHT typically resulting in 50% degradation to battery life. This can become a larger concern with the recent move towards electric lift trucks and fork-lifts, which can see vehicles running out of juice at inopportune moments. When it comes to workers within these facilities as well, there are a host of new concerns and problems to be aware of, many of which will require some remedial training for companies moving employees to cold store facilities. In the above example of electric vehicles staff need to be made aware that a vehicle which is marked down as having an eight hour battery life, might struggle to manage more than four or five. Changing the labelling on these vehicles can go a long way to preventing problems, alternatively investing in batteries with larger voltages can help minimise the problems. Thankfully many companies providing products to the sector have continued to specialise their products further so that they can operate in temperature extremes. Temperature control devices and panels have almost universally begun to feature larger buttons, taking into account that operators will likely be wearing thick gloves that impede the use of traditional buttons or tools. Automation systems have also been tailor-made to operate within lower temperature ranges, with insulated cables, seals and even lubricants, specifically designed for freezer environments. This leads to larger savings considering that goods might before have needed to be removed from a frozen environment to be palletised, before being placed back within. The goal with temperature control in the warehousing industry is almost always to prevent leakage of controlled temperature, while also adapting the workforce and equipment to work within the changed conditions. But what about the transport side of things, which is naturally the biggest chink in the temperature-controlled armour? Refrigerated vans and lorries have been common sights for many years, yet they’ve rarely been able to match up to the safety and control of a dedicated storage facility itself. Simply put, the technology has not been in place to bring the same kind of safeguards a warehouse has, into a vehicle. But that’s not to say companies aren’t innovating in this direction, with some interesting results and implications for the future. Secondary refrigerants & food safe glycols Chilling, freezing and cold storage facilities are widely used in the food and beverage industry sector. Chilling is used for the preservation of a lot of perishable foods. Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Hydratech are experts in the field of formulating and supplying of heat transfer fluids which include glycols, antifreeze, inhibitors and cleansers for use in cooling and heating systems in the food and beverage industry. Coolflow and the DTX range of products has been especially formulated for use in process cooling applications, to exploit the advantages Ethylene Glycol has over Propylene Glycol - whilst delivering a non-toxic solution. Specifically; more efficient heat transfer, easier to pump, especially at low temperatures, less volume for the same freeze protection and is cheaper per litre. So, the next time you are looking for an innovative cooling solution, be sure to talk with the experts. For more information, visit www.hydratech.co.uk. 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:53 Page 426 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FORKLIFT AND PALLET TRUCKS The need for quick and efficient movement of goods, whether it be with the aim of ensuring perishables get to the shelf without spoiling or making sure orders are sent out on time, has made forklifts and pallet trucks essential in the food and drink industry’s warehouses, distribution facilities, docks and production lines. © Shutterstock / Phonlamai Photo Continuously developing The importance of forklifts is certainly reflected in their sales, with the volume of forklift trucks sold in UK increasing 2.5% in 2018 to just over 35,000 units. These figures, from the British Industrial Truck Association, show a major rise in sales over the past 10 years from a low of 17,658 units in 2009. Pallet trucks and forklifts are continuously evolving. At present there is greater focus on their electrification, which is particularly useful when considering rising oil and fuel prices and the effect this has on the operating costs of forklifts. While concerns over battery life have been a main inhibitor of the adoption of Forklifts and pallet trucks are essential for the transportation of goods in warehouses, at docks and production lines. Though the equipment has been around for decades, it is still evolving. Continuously developing 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:56 Page 1Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net FORKLIFT AND PALLET TRUCKS consumption. Switching to electric pallet trucks also has major benefits. In comparison to their manual equivalents, they can save on travel time when long distances need to be covered in our ever-growing warehouses and reduce chance of strain on employees, as well as improve productivity, by removing the need for pulling and pushing loads. Injuries resulting from a lack of adequate equipment for moving heavy loads are one of the biggest causes of productivity loss and according to HSE over 30% of injuries in the food and drink industry are a result of manual handling such as stacking and pushing around goods. HSE recommends that mechanisation is introduced wherever reasonably practicable to prevent these injuries, and electric pallet trucks can be a real help in this. Not only useful in this respect, electric forklifts and pallet trucks are beneficial for food and drink firms looking to reach emission goals and wanting to be more environmentally friendly. Ideal for interior situations, electric forklifts, for example, have zero emissions and do not expose food and produce to exhaust fumes. This also means workers will not inhale carbon monoxide, avoiding possible occupational health and safety issues, and there is no need to shell out money for the installation of special ventilation. The environmentally friendly image of electric pallet trucks and forklifts is set to only improve with advances in solar energy storage options which could see stored solar power used for pallet truck and forklift batteries. 28 Á electric forklifts and pallet trucks, and indeed once electric forklifts couldn’t last a whole day in a warehouse, advances in technology have overcome this issue, extending battery life, speeding up charging, and thus making it easier for adopters of the machines to organise charging cycles around production, meaning the electric equipment can now do anything liquid fuelled options can with extra benefits such as being safer and quieter. The only noise one should expect to hear from an electric forklift are its tires, the safety reverse beep, its warning beacon and the lift. This reduces distraction from noise and avoids harming a worker’s hearing. In addition, with new technology, the batteries used for this equipment have reduced in size and weight which has allowed for lower energy 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:56 Page 228 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FORKLIFT AND PALLET TRUCKS The automation of forklifts and pallet trucks continues to be a key trend for the food industry. With Bluetooth technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), forklifts and pallet trucks can work autonomously, with an operator far away. These automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), once bound by fixed routes across warehouse floors, are now guided by lasers and cameras, or by measuring their environment. By being connected to the IoT, software can be used by managers to keep an eye on AGV traffic and optimise it - if they see a slowdown in an area of a warehouse, they can identify the cause and rectify the issue. For instance they may discover an obstruction that forklifts are taking time to travel around that needs moving. One project focusing on the automation of forklifts is the ILIAD project, which has connected robotics specialists from the UK, Germany, Italy and Sweden. The project, currently underway, is developing a fleet of autonomous forklift trucks which will operate alongside humans in packing, palletising and transporting goods. The robots are human aware and with advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence they can predict human behaviour and plan movements based on observations they make of warehouse layout and activity patterns. The robots also learn from data they collect over time to optimise their actions. When connected to a warehouse management system these AGVs can be assigned tasks, and with information on shapes and weights of goods needing to be moved, the system can plan how each item should be stacked on a pallet and the robot will know the order in which to place objects on the pallet. Then the system can plan how the fleet should move to fulfil an order. This technology is being developed primarily for the fresh food sector due to the challenges it faces including short shelf life, traceability requirements, the need to respond to quick changing market trends and wastage costs. The project reached its second milestone last September, demonstrating the ILIAD system to industry representatives at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing in Holbeach. A key benefit of automated forklifts is that they are much safer than their manually operated counterparts. With over 8,000 accidents involving forklifts reported each year in the UK alone, the automation of forklifts removes the driver error that causes so many of these incidents. Often able to detect objects from several feet away, these AGVs can move between people and other machines easily and efficiently. The adoption of this technology also allows employees to be moved away from repetitive tasks of loading, unloading and transporting materials to production lines to those that add more value. Further, the automated machines can operate tirelessly, transporting both raw and finished products while only needing to stop for refuelling/charging or maintenance. This makes them highly useful in 24/7 warehouses which are becoming ever more common in the ecommerce boom. © Shutterstock / Dmitry Kalimnovsky 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:56 Page 3Register for your $0## pass at QQQŝGŊRHBN •Visit the largest logistics event in the UK •Attend hundreds of product launches and live demonstrations •Gain insight from free-to-attend seminars •Network with thousands of logistics professionals It’s time to register! Organised by REGISTER #0*7 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2019 10:56 Page 4Next >