< Previous20-22_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:15 Page 1Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netTRANSPORT AND LOGISTICSTransport remains one of the mostcostly and complicated parts of the supplychain for many in the food and drinkindustry, and is often scene as the go-tolocation for cutting costs, improvingefficiency – or limiting environmentalwaste. Over the years however the industryhas been squeezed so much, not only bycompanies looking to cut costs – but alsoever-increasing costs of fuel and taxrelated to it. While more recent cuts inthe cost of oil have had a beneficial effecton the industry, suppliers were quicklyexpected to pass those savings on to theircustomers. And yet the demand for logistics andtransport is only increasing, incorrespondence to the increased demandfor food products to be delivered ever-closer to our doors, and fresher than ever.One of the big questions faced by manymanufacturers in this situation – one ofneeding to transport perishable goodsmore often to meet freshness quotas, iswhether they should seek to increase theirtransport fleet – and all the costsassociated with it. Or whether they shouldlook to invest in more facilities closer tothe destination, usually in the form ofwarehouse or storage space.While the latter certainly sounds likethe most efficient long-term option, it is byfar the more costly one – which is a directresult of the supply and demand for highquality warehouse space at this time.Simply put, there is not enough Grade Awarehouse space to go around, and whencompanies are dealing with large quantitiesof perishable food goods that need to bekept at a regulated temperature – therereally is a necessity for the warehousespace to be of the highest quality. As the available space decreases,chances are the cost of rental willincrease. And this only gets worse whenwe consider that consumer demand forfresher and more immediate goods is notlikely to slow in coming years. In fact,with it being predicted that by 2050 thepopulation of the world will top ninebillion, with over 65% of that living inurban areas… well, the logisticalnightmare is expected to get worse. The other option then, is to considerexpanding transport fleets toaccommodate for the increased demands,with more goods on the road at any giventime to keep product in the retail storesfresh. While this will certainly avoid theissue of limited warehouse space, thelong-term costs of such an arrangementmay become untenable for manymanufacturers. Expanding a fleet not onlyincreases fuel and vehicle related costs –but also recruitment costs for drivers,wages and associated HR andadministration costs. There is also theissue of environmental impact and carbonwaste created by a fleet. Because the onlyissue that can match consumer’s demandsfor fresher food – is that food and drinkmanufacturers should be doing all theycan to reduce the impact on theenvironment, not contribute more to it. Many companies are seeking to combatthe issue through a combined approach,both of improving the efficiency of theirexisting transport fleets – while also betterutilising existing warehouse space.Intermodal transport is a popular methodutilised predominantly in the US – butalso in Europe as well. The guidingprinciple is to mix multiple forms offreight transport to achieve a netreduction in costs, be it energy or capital.The typical example would be to use railto shift huge quantities of goods to agiven warehouse closer to the finaldestination – before then having lorriesferry the goods the last distance into22 ÁTransport is a go-to location for cutting costs, but how muchfurther can the industry be stretched?From point to point PHOTO: SHUTTERSOCK.COM/MILOS MULLERFrom point to point 20-22_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:15 Page 2www.beaverswood.co.uksales@beaverswood.co.uk+44 (0) 118 979 609622 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netTRANSPORT AND LOGISTICSA fruitful outcome for Luscombe Drinkswith Aisle-MasterOrganic fruit drink supplier Luscombe Drinks recentlyexpanded its storage facilities and has taken delivery of an Aisle-Master articulated forklift to allow for maximum pallet density inthe new warehouse. The previous system, using a counterbalance truck,necessitated aisle widths of 3m, and costs were also beingincurred for the external storage of 600 pallets. The narrow aislecapability of the Aisle-Master has enabled aisle widths to be set atjust 1900 mm rack to rack, to accommodate 1,390 pallets in1225m? and to exploit all vertical space too: the 2t capacity of the20SHE Aisle-Master model copes easily with lifting the 1t palletsof bottled drinks to the top beam height of 7.65m. The trucks’ability to work inside and out and to offload also enablesstreamlined transportation of bottled juice to the warehouse. “Return on investment for the contract hire package will berapid, approximately around one year,” said Operations ManagerTim Wigley. For more information, www.aisle-master.com. urban areas. While this can obviously save manythousands of road miles there is the issueof rail availability, especially in the UK.The reason why it is so prevalent inAmerica is thanks to their abundance offlat land that is suitable for rail. UK railsystems are often not as well developed –and while that hasn’t stopped companiessuch as Tesco utilising rail for intermodallogistics, it does mean companies aresomewhat limited in location. Beingforced to settle warehouses where the raillinks are strongest. Savings on warehouse space can befound in improving efficiency to increasethe amount of product that can be storedin any given amount of space. Advancedracking solutions, combined with morerobust supply chain systems enablecompanies to increase throughput whilealso cutting costs associated with lost timeor product losses. As always, the trick is infinding out exactly how much is possiblegiven space limitations – and adaptingwhat can be used for a company’sproducts, be they palletised goods – ormore individually stacked produce. Even beyond efficient storage howeveris the concept of efficient temperaturecontrol. With the vast majority of foodproducts needing to be kept at specifictemperatures there are obviously savingsthat can be made in doing so. After all itis more expensive to reduce thetemperature of a storage facility, than it isto maintain it. Any losses in temperaturedue to breaches, poor worker attention todetail – or just old age, will result in coststhat can soon spiral out of control. Little has changed in terms of thechallenges the industry faces, but as italways has – the technology continues toadapt. Failure to keep in touch with thesechanges and take advantage ofopportunities that present themselves maymean disaster for many. PHOTO: TAINA SOHLMAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM20-22_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:15 Page 3Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGEnd of line packaging is integralfor transportation, display andsafety – but how is the marketdeveloping?It’s absolutely vital product security isthe top priority and items can betransported quickly and efficiently, andthe latest cases, containers and boxes areensuring these high standards can be met.Yet it’s also doing this while meeting thegrowing requirement for energy efficiencyin the supply chain. It is not enoughnowadays for a product to simply beprotected by its end of line packaging. Forthe investment that has been put into it,the packaging must make the processmore efficient and – if possible – 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 answer issimple and complex at the same time.With good planning. Simply installingshrink-wrapping machinery or palletisingprocesses will do little if there isn’t abigger strategy behind it, as any within theindustry might say. There has to be a viewon everything that comes after the point,and what tangible benefit the packagingoffers.Take for example the transportationprocess itself. It is still more common thannot for food products to be transported byroad. In these cases the biggest investmentoften comes from fuel, with the item thata company is buying essentially being theempty space in the back of the vehicle.The problem comes from the fact that inmany cases, all of this space cannot beutilised. The weight of products will pushdown on those stacked beneath them,often damaging products beyond what canbe sold in a retailer. Obviously this isunacceptable, and thus it is notuncommon for space to go unused in theback of a vehicle. This is empty space thathas been paid for.Strong and rigid end of line packagingcan help prevent this, strengthening andprotecting the product so that more of itcan be stacked without damage. This canbe a delicate task, least of all becausestronger material will undoubtedly bemore expensive. There is a necessity tojudge and test on how much is saved byfilling 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.24 ÁThe endpackage PHOTO: MANDRITOIU / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMThe endpackage 23-27_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:18 Page 124 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGPallet Wrap Kite Packaging is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of pallet wrap.It’s not just us that say so, visit our website to see what our customers say about us on Trustpilot.Call today to speak to one of our friendly and experienced team on 02476 420065We have the UK’s leading B2B ecommerce website, offering 2,500 stock products.Our commitment to our customers :Service levels that are second to none.Next day delivery available.Lowest prices.High quality products.Credit facilities.One-to-one account management.www.kitepackaging.co.ukBest Range in the UKMachine FilmsHigh Performance FilmsHand FilmsRange of ColoursRange of Cast and BlownPrinted Stretch Film What We Offer:WTo book your Stretch Film auditplease call 02476 420065Linkx Shrink Wrappersensure Rowse productionis as sweet as honeyLinkxPackagingSystems,specialists inthe design andmanufacture ofshelf-readypackagingmachines andsystems, haverecentlydelivered fourshrink-wrapmachines toRowse Honey, the UK’s favourite honey supplier.“Rowse Honey needed an enhanced packaging solution for its busyproduction lines and we’ve provided this with our new compact shrinkwrappers,” said David Hayward, Managing Director of Linkx PackagingSystems. “Each machine is easy to use and boosts production efficiencymassively, sending savings straight to the bottom line, so much so, theoriginal order of three machines has now risen to five.”Linkx Compact Shrink Wrappers are used by Rowse for wrappingjars of honey in trays that can contain 1 x 6 or 2 x 3 jars. They arecapable of continuously producing up to 30 finished packages perminute, allowing them to maintain the high output of the plant’smanufacturing lines.For more information, visit www.linkxpackaging.com/shrink-wrapping-machines. Products more prone to breakage will benefit more from thestronger packaging, with biscuits being a prime example.Biscuits typically come in tubes, but these are not solid inany way, shape or form – leading to the fragile treatssnapping or crumbling when even the slightest pressure isplaced on them. Corrugated end of line packaging canprotect them during transit, while also diffusing the weight ofadditional boxes down supporting frames. If twice as muchcontent can be placed into a single vehicle, then in theory itshould allow for a 50% saving on transport costs (or at leastfuel). This balancing act must be taken further, however, and it’salways important to keep the end user in mind. While savingmoney on fuel – and thus environmentally as well – mightsound nice, the enthusiasm will rarely reach the workers inthe warehouses of supermarkets, who will not appreciatepackaging that is difficult to get into. Rigid and unyieldingend of line packaging that might have been good forprotecting the product from strain, will not always be theeasiest to break apart for the shelves.Unless it is specifically designed to be so, that is. Productdisplay packaging and trays have helped to minimise thisproblem, with many forms of transport packaging actuallytransforming into display packs with relative ease. To use theexamples of biscuits again, looking back fifteen years it’sPHOTO: ROBERT KNESCHKE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM23-27_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:18 Page 2Food & Drink International 25www.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.Hey Pesto! YPS solve it for The FreshOlive Co.Yorkshire Packaging Systems recently installed a semi-automatic sleeve sealer and shrinktunnel into of The Fresh Olive Company, Middlesex.The Fresh Olive Company is an ethical supplier of olives to the catering industry and retailers.The equipment YPS supplied allowed them to wrap a variety of multi-packs in a shelf-readyformat. The sealer and tunnel were two separate units allowing for a modular easy upgrade pathwith the sealer easily upgraded to a higher speed automatic, able to cope with anticipatedhigher volumes.The benefit to The Fresh Olive Company has been an increased throughput at a reduced cost compared to a cardboard solution.Derek Wiles, Operations Manager, said: “YPS advised us of what we required, paid great attention to the important details and gave us a totalsolution, with the option to upgrade to an automatic machine in future.”For more information, visit www.yps.co.uk. possible to remember that many biscuitswere hand stacked on shelves. Nowadaysit is different, 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 theshelf itself, allowing consumers to reach inon designing the displays.What manufacturers are more focusedon today, however, is automation. Canthe packaging systems be efficientlyintegrated into a line in such a way as toboost the efficiency of the process. Toooften does it seem that the manufacturingline and the supply chain are separated bya wrought iron fence, with many accidentshappening in transit between the two.The increased automation of this processcan also cause problems in its own right.Most notably, in a high-speed packagingand labelling operation at a bottling plant,un- or mislabelled packs have to bedetected by the human eye or byadditional scanners, removed, returnedand relabelled. In a competitive high-volume market, where product cost is lowand margins are squeezed, this handlingadds to costs. This is especially the case when the linehas to deal with many different productswith a range of sizes and shapes – all ofwhich remains the manufacturer’s duty.This places some burden on scanning anddetection equipment, which must be morerobust than ever. Of course, onecompany’s problem is another’sopportunity, so those who are able toadapt and manage such difficultconditions will be in a position of26 Áand take the product at will. This kind of innovation is commonplacenow, but was revolutionary at the time –not only saving the manufacturer time andmoney, but also the retailer. It alsoallowed manufacturers to have morecontrol over their branding andadvertising, as they could have free rein23-27_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:18 Page 3FOODGRAPHICSLOGISTICSMERCHANDISINGPHARMAMANUFACTURINGIntelligent packaging of CONVENIENCE FOOD.ATS-Tanner Banding Systems (UK) Ltd | Elstree, Herts, WD6 3SY | Phone +44 20 8736 4085 | ats-tanner.uk26 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGcompetitive strength over their rivals. While the speed and efficiency of thepackaging is a top priority, the materialused for packaging is equally important.An EU research consortium, spearheadedby the Paint Research Association, hasdeveloped a food packaging coatingproduct, called PlantPack, which canreplace current packaging coatings basedon petrochemicals which are bad for theenvironment. The eco-friendly packagingcoating product is made from seaweedextracts and starch and can be applied topaper and cardboard as a spray. Previouslyseaweed extracts, though sustainable,haven’t been flexible enough to use as acoating but the scientists working on theproject blended seaweed extracts withstarch and starch derivatives so it could beapplied to paper packaging.PRA is working with a consortium ofEuropean partners with funding from theEuropean Commission under theFramework Programme Seven, includingITENE in Spain, Montrose UK, AltinGidas of Turkey and the Polish companyYanko. In the meanwhile, however,companies are moving towards shrinkwrapping material and machines that useas little material as possible, both to savemoney but also promote theenvironmental benefits of the brand. Asmore and more supermarkets movetowards the green side of things (such asM&S have), advancements like this maybe more than just advisory. What one company classes as an end ofline packaging system will also differgreatly from another’s, creating asituation in which one size certainlydoes not fit all. Some companieshave chosen to specialise in entry-level systems, which have lowerlevels of investment but tend to besomewhat more labour intensive.These can be more suitable forindividual lines, however, particularlyfor handmade or low-quantityproduction lines.On the other hand, large-scaleindustrial packaging lines can beused to fully automate a process,albeit at a higher level of investment.The challenge comes in finding outwhat individual assets can beseamlessly integrated into a linewithout any real fuss, and thankfullythis is something that manypackaging machine manufacturersare focused on. In terms of the future, it isexpected that end of line packagingwill become even more prevalent inour lives – and especially on oursupermarket shelves. We alreadyhave examples of this with bag-in-box wine and other drinks, and whilethis may not be new, it is starting tocatch on with consumers. This is anopportunity for companies to experimentwith new designs and technology, and tocut out their own niche within the market- if they have the courage to do so. End of line packaging is important, notonly in terms of protection of valuablecommodities within food and drink, butalso in terms of aesthetics. With moreinformation needing to be displayed thesedays thanks to legislation changeregarding health benefits and nutritionalvalues, the packaging industry may wellhave to adapt in the future tocompensate.23-27_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:18 Page 4Food & Drink International 27www.fdiforum.netEND OF LINE PACKAGINGSN builds on history ofexcellence for successful andsustainable future SN is the worldwide expertand market leader forhorizontal pouch packagingmachines, and has more than50 years of experience inproviding knowledgeableadvice, development,production and service tocustomers all over the world. SN’s mutual goal is toimplement the unique andperfect solution for yourbusiness. Whether pillow orstand-up pouch, a pouch withcontour, spout or reclosure-system: SN realises custom-made FFS and FS pouch packaging machines – tailored precisely foryour requirements and your product.Its machines have output rates which start at 20 pouches per minutesfor the smaller applications, and rise up to several hundred pouches perminutes for the high-speed applications. Thanks to unique ideas, innovations, decades of experience andprecise workmanship, we guarantee each customer a machine solutionthat suits. With SN there are no ready-made machines but individualsolutions of highest quality. For more information, visit www.penn-packaging.co.uk/sn. Adpak showsunrivalled experience With over 11,000 successful machine installations toour name since 1987, supporting a variety of differentindustries, we know a thing or two about shrinkwrapping and packaging systems.We deal with the leadingmanufacturers in the industry– giving you confidence thatyou are buying a qualityproduct.From simple manualchamber and L sealingmachines to complex highspeed automated packagingsystems and e-commerceautobagging machines – Adpak haswhat you need to streamline your packaging and make yourbusiness more efficient.In addition to our diverse product range we aso offer rental andreconditioned machines which means that we have a solution tosuit any budget.Technical KnowledgeFrom identifying the correct ‘off the shelf’ product for acustomer through to innovating and adapting a machine to performa specific and unusual purpose – you can rely on Adpak.We continually invest in training and development to ensurethat our team’s technical knowledge is second-to-none. Ourengineers are trained by leading manufacturers including Smipackand BVM – enabling them to provide prompt, effective nationwidetechnical support when required.We also carry an extensive range of spare parts for all ourmachines meaning that we can react quickly if a problem occurs –keeping your business movingCustomer FocusOur customers range from small start-up businesses up tomultinationals and household names – but all Adpak customersreceive our same friendly, intelligent and responsive service. We provide full support andadvice to enable ourcustomers to selectthe right machine forthem – including livedemonstrations andpre-deliveryinspections at ourshowroom facility inLancashire.ADPAKPACKAGING SYSTEMS & FILMSFor more information contact Adpak directly on 01282 601 444,or for more information visit online at www.adpak.co.uk PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/PHOTOGRAPHEE.EU23-27_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:18 Page 528 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netTRACEABILITYFor food products, the final destinationlies with the consumer or end-user,following the result of an often complexlogistical journey from raw materialsthrough to manufacturing anddistribution. During this journey, aproduct can come into contact with anynumber of contaminates, from pathogensto metals, as a direct result of theproduction process or at other potentialentry points. In either instance, it canprove challenging for food manufacturerspre-empting, never mind counteracting,any occurrence of contamination.Traceability is the shield with which theindustry guards itself, it is fundamental tosafeguarding company reputation, savingface with the media and, of course,keeping customers safe. The Centres forDisease Control and Prevention estimatesthat in the United States alone, around 1in 6 (48 million people) get sick everyyear, while 128,000 are hospitalised with3,000 dying of foodborne diseases. These figures go some way to showingthat food-related death and illness is stillvery much a troublesome part of the foodindustry. Measures to create a moreefficient, transparent supply chain arehelping to create a more harmoniousindustry as well as maintain public health.And traceability is a core part of thatstrategy. Product recalls have long been deployedas a key measure in counteracting eitherthe threat of contaminates or theiroutright presence. They are morecommonly used, however, in the advent ofundeclared allergens such as the possiblepresence of milk, gluten or nuts. Whilethe presence of the aforementioned islikely minimal at best, the protectivemeasure ensures that the company is seento be responsible, as well as minimisingthe possibility of customers becoming ill(or worse). Yet these recalls can result intonnes of wasted food, something whichthe industry, government and consumersalike are rallying against. Eliminating theneed for recalls altogether is a pipedream,as the threat of contaminates andallergens will be present no matter howefficiently or transparently the supplychain is navigated. Instead, improvingtraceability can lead to more efficientproduct recalls and, by extension, analtogether tighter, more reliable andfundamentally safer supply chain. A new study undertaken by theUniversity of Notre Dame, Indiana, hasidentified that being able to trace aproduct through its respective supplychain is critical as well as difficult. Kaitlin Wowak, study author andAssistant Professor of Management atNotre Dame’s Mendoza College ofBusiness, says: “Our study [‘Tracing BadProducts in Supply Chains’] reveals thattraceability is hindered by three things:time pressures, supply chain permeationWithout atraceEvolving traceability measures is essential in improving efficiencyand ensuring consumers are kept safe. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/RTEMPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JAN FAUKNER28-30_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:20 Page 1Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netTRACEABILITYOvercome the challenges of dot-matrixtext with Matrox SureDotOCR™Matrox SureDotOCR™ is the first OCR technology specifically designed to overcome thechallenges of using inkjet-printed, dot-matrix text in vision inspection applications, particularly onpackaging lines in the food, beverage and healthcare sectors. Existing solutions for reading dot-matrix product identification information such asmanufacturing date, expiry date, lot size and product number are limited because they involvecase-specific image pre-processing to form solid-stroked text prior to using traditional OCR. SureDotOCR requires simply specifying the expected dot size and dimensions of a box framingthe entire text of interest. The software handles non-uniform dot spacing; deformed, skewed andtouching characters; rotated text strings; varying contrast; uneven backgrounds and otheranomalies. SureDotOCR also accepts grammar rules such as letter only, digit only, specific letter(s),specific digit(s), specific punctuation mark(s) and other designations at each character position tofurther enhance reading accuracy. Matrox SureDotOCR™ enables more efficient product traceability and recall management. For more information, visit www.matrox.com/suredotocr/fdi. SureDotand product characteristics that createconfusion about what to trace.”Traceability is often thought of as ablanket, all-encompassing concept, onewhich can be applied to all productsregardless of their shelf-life, functionalityand composition. Tailoring traceability toany given product’s perishability, forexample, will allow a more effectivesystem in the event of contamination.This is contrary to the attitude in whichmany products are rushed to market tooquickly, irrespective of traceability factorsand other important safetymeasures. “Our research reveals adownside to supply chaininitiatives that stress pushingproducts to market too quickly,” addsWowak. “Thus, firms should consideradopting different traceabilityrequirements for fast-flowing products.Federal regulations mandate that firmshave traceability one step up and downthe chain. However, this may not besufficient for perishable products that flowquickly, such as fresh strawberries or dairyproducts.“If firms develop traceability two orthree steps up and down the chain, theymay have access to more information,which could help the product and30 ÁAdvancing Food ChainTransparency throughPartnershipsFoodLogiQ has partnered with 1WorldSync, the leadingmulti-enterprise project network, to provide a supply chaintraceability solution to the food industry which deliverstransparency whilst simultaneously tackles food safety andcompliance issues. Dean Wiltse, CEO of FoodLogiQ, said: “From the customerdemand for transparency to the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration’s mandate for better processes, traceability isno longer just a nice-to-have asset. Without this sort of insight,keeping up with the evolving industry will be highlyproblematic, if not impossible.”“The Fresh Industry has struggled in the past in figuring outa way to engage in true data synchronization with their Retailand Foodservice partners,” added Nick Manzo, Global Omni-Channel Lead, at 1WorldSync. “1WorldSync’s productinformation and Fresh Industry solutions coupled withFoodLogiQ’s track/traceability and supply chain managementcapabilities allows the Fresh Industry an opportunity to befully engaged in global product information sharing.”FoodLogiQ will leverage 1WorldSync’s suite of tools thatprovide data validity, quality, and intelligence while enablingcustomers to maintain a seamless connection with tradingpartners to make sure accurate, complete product informationis flowing through the supply chain at all times.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/VIHROGONE28-30_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:20 Page 2Next >