< Previous20www.fdiforum.netSUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENTdistribution warehousing is actually basedthere. The vast majority of the itemstherefore have to travel across thecountry in trucks that will inevitablyramp up the carbon emissions.The introduction of more warehousingin the right areas will make a difference,as too will the co-operative logisticsschemes whereby numerous companiescan work together to fill up one lorrywith a number of products rather thanhave dozens travel around half-empty.However companies can make a hugedifference with the introduction of amore multimodal approach. One exampleis the service provided by PD Ports toAsda, which includes a shipping servicebetween their two facilities at Felixstoweand Teesport, providing addedconvenience and ensuring products getcloser, faster, to their intendeddestination.It’s not just the vehicles on the roadthat have an environmental impact,either – those confined to the warehouseplay an equally important role. A recentenvironmental study by Atlet illustratedthat the biggest share of a warehousetruck’s impact on the environment isrelated to the use of the truck, ratherthan the resources used in itsmanufacture.The study considered the truck’senvironmental impact throughout itscomplete life cycle and suggested that66.8% of the truck’s impact on theenvironment is connected to energyconsumption during use. One of the waysin which this can be dealt with isarranging more optimised warehouselayouts. For example, a simple measurelike moving a printer within a warehousecould lower truck energy consumption byas much as 20%.Effective warehouse management hasmade a major difference to the smoothrunning of a supply chain – and can helpcompanies meet the stringent traceabilityand security requirements of the majorretailers.The potential for important securityinformation to become lost andmisunderstood while being collated andreviewed can be very great, hence theimportance of warehouse managementsystems such as System Logistics’ Systore.These can manage and integrate thematerial handling systems throughout awarehouse, including stacker cranes,order picking systems and vertical storagesystems, and interface with existingcomputer processing and ERP systems.The reception, identification and trackingof goods can therefore be assuredthroughout the entire supply chain.The food industry is also making gooduse of technology created for othersectors that has found additional usage inthe sector. One example is Clydebuilt’sLocateIT system which was initiallycreated for 3pl providers but has nowbeen introduced to a number of foodcompanies. The system tracks dataassociated with products such as BBEdate and Shelf Life remaining, and trackand trace ability is inbuilt, meaning acomplete audit trail is compiled withevery transaction.One obvious benefit of the new breedof supply chain management solutions isthat small food companies no longer needto be at a disadvantage. Previously theintroduction of traceability and ERPsystems could be prohibitive for smallbusinesses, but the latest software-basedsolutions are flexible enough to beapplied to all companies, whatever theirsize. One example is Lakeview’s recentwork for Natural Balance Foods, whorequired a revamp of their supply chainoperations after the company extendedits product listing with Tesco – and withit, were obliged to offer seven-daydelivery and cope with a wide range ofvolume requirements, resulting in a ten-fold increase in the number oftransactions.A strong voice in the industryVoice directed solutions have becomeincreasingly popular when consideringsupply chain management – and asRonan Clinton, CEO of Heavey RFGroup points out, “It is, after all, theCheck out our brand new Tergo Reach Truckwww.newtergo.com/ukThe new supply chain solutions ensure consistency across all companies of all sizes19-23:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:48 Page 2SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENTwww.fdiforum.net21only technology that allows warehouse workers to keep their eyes freeto ensure they are selecting the correct product, and their hands to befree from papers or handhelds so that they can quickly and safelykeep products moving.” The question to be asked by those considering a voice directedsolution is whether to opt for a speaker dependent or speakerindependent solution.How well the voice recogniser works in a solution directly affectshow quickly, efficiently and accurately the worker completes theirtask. Speaker independent, or untrained voice, technology uses thesame kind of voice recognition as an automated telephone line. Ronan Clinton says, “If a voice recogniser does not understandwhat the user is saying, then it is very much like when you are on acall to an automated line to a company having to repeat yourselfmultiple times. It costs you valuable time and prevents you fromachieving what you set out to do – often forcing you to start overfrom the beginning.“Speaker dependent, or trained voice, recognisers are designed fora single purpose – to recognise the voice of one user and tocontinually adapt and learn that user’s voice as they continue to dotheir job. When first deploying a voice directed solution in awarehouse, each user would spend about fifteen to twenty minutestraining a set of words that are used to complete their tasks. This is aone-off minimal investment as it is paid back within six days. Fromhere, the device continually adapts to that user – even if one day theyhave a cold. It also removes any complexities for warehouses that22 Among the latestinnovations to ensure amore efficient supplychain, WarehousePartners have introducedRack Nets, fixed to therear of single runs ofpallet racking to form aprotective barrier thatprevents loads fromfalling into the aislesduring the pallet put-away and retrievalprocess19-23:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:48 Page 322www.fdiforum.netSUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENThave users with varying dialects or native languages. The speakerdependent system will work for all of the workers, all of thetime.”In a recent study performed by Vocollect, it was discovered thecost of a 1% word error rate is €300 per user per year – based onthe average time for an error recovery being 3.5 seconds. Thetypical case picker speaks around 6400 words per day whichwould result in approximately 64 errors that need to be recoveredevery day. Ronan Clinton says, “Multiply this across how manyworkers you have in your warehouse, and you start to see thenumbers add up. More significantly are the errors that are notcorrected in a speaker independent solution which result in thewrong product being sent to the wrong location and theadministration and handling costs to repair those mistakes.“Selecting the right voice directed solution to implement iscritical. There have been many stories of workers being slowed sosignificantly by having to repeat or correct errors, entire systemshave been turned off and the warehouses returned to their paperbased systems. Unfortunately, examples such as this make peoplewary of voice directed solutions as a whole. The best advice toanyone considering a voice directed solution is to thoroughlyinvestigate the two different types of technology side by side, notin the boardroom, but in their own warehouse which is filledwith everyday operating background noise. Any solution providershould be more than happy to accommodate such a request.”Supply chain management is meeting the challenge of twoseemingly contradictory problems. Customers certainly have agreat demand for ever more authentic and probably localproducts, which have a low environmental impact and areproduced by very small manufacturers, but counter to that is aglobalising trend for the movement of goods and increasedconsolidation within the food and drink sector, which nowdemands security assurances more stringent than we’ve ever seenbefore. Previously these requirements were far beyond the reachof some manufacturers but the new era of supply chainmanagement is allowing companies of all shapes and sizes toensure product integrity from farm to fork.Lakeview providesspringboard for growthat Natural Balance FoodsLakeview ERP have helped Natural Balance Foodsenjoy expansionNatural Balance Foods boasts arange of healthy cereal bars andflavour-infused raisin snacksthat can be found in ‘freefrom’ sections of Tesco,Waitrose, Asda,Sainsbury’s, Boots, Holland& Barrett and other stores.The company’s ongoingchallenge in maintaining its100% distribution rate insupplying highly-demandingHigh Street food retailerswas to keep sufficientstock of its products ineach of its sevenwarehouses across thecountry.However, the pressure increasedwhen the company successfully extended itsproduct listing with Tesco Wholefoods and intothe retailer’s ‘Free From’ section, for people with specific foodallergies and intolerances. Co-founder Greg Combs says, “Thismeant seven-day delivery and coping with a wide range of volumerequirements, which resulted in a ten-fold increase in the numberof transactions.”Lakeview ERP incorporates full traceability from individualproduct to flavour variants, while providing a robust yet flexiblepurchasing process where volumes can vary from those ordered.Lakeview ERP is a responsive solution which enables full stockreplenishment, including re-ordering fresh produce on a just-in-time basis.Previously an order was handled seven times by individual staff.With the Lakeview system this has been cut and manualintervention is only required twice throughout the process. GregCombs says, “This has freed up our back-office staff to undertakemuch more valuable tasks on behalf of the business and ourcustomers.”Lakeview is available as an iPad app and web client to allowremote access to the Lakeview system.Tel: 0845 388 3329 Email: info@lakeview.co.ukTwitter: UKERP www.lakeview.co.ukSkills for Logistics are among those responsible for ensuring a smootherrunning supply chain by encouraging better training of drivers19-23:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:48 Page 4SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENTwww.fdiforum.net23Visible solutions ina hidden industryClydebuilt Business Solutions’ knowledge of thirdparty logistics and contract packing, coupled withtheir extensive client base, has helped them createversatile supply chain software that help to add value.Clydebuilt’sWarehouse andTraffic ManagementSoftware enablebusinesses todelivering a first classservice, flexibleenough to cater forspecific needs. Theyare a logisticssoftware developer originating in manufacturing, with staff thathave direct experience in all aspects of production, process andwarehouse management. Clydebuilt is therefore in a uniqueposition to offer products and services from an in-depthunderstanding of the complete supply chain.Clydebuilt is renowned for its LocateIT WarehouseManagement System – ideally suited to single or multi-siteoperation, locally hosted or over the internet. Functionally richand flexible for out sourced logistics providers, retailer, distributoror manufacturer, LocateIT is the core warehouse managementelement that enables your warehouse to deliver and integrate withyour business. Increasingly communications is the key to a successful business,and Clydebuilt pride themselves on their integration skills. It’seasy to integrate LocateIT WMS comfortably with otherwarehouse systems or those of customers. More and morecustomers are looking to fully integrate LocateIT into theirexisting businesssystems, resulting in afirst class, best ofbreed solution thatgets right down to thenitty gritty ofphysically managingfood items, includingBBE date, Lot/Batchnumber control, andFIFO management. For more information on what Clydebuilt Business Solutions can offer, call 0141 847 1920or visit www.clydebuiltsolutions.com.PD Ports helpsretailers cutsupply chain costsPorts and logistics company PD Ports is at theforefront of portcentric logistics - a supply chainmodel that offers retailers huge savings in terms ofcost, time to market and emissions output.The premise behind portcentric is simple – products destinedfor sale in the South of the UK are transported by ship directly toports and distribution centres in the South of the country andproducts destined for sale in the North are transported directly tonorthern UK ports and distribution centres.Using regional distribution centres and ports close to finalmarket allows retailers to drastically reduce the number of roadmiles used to transport products. This results in lower supplychain costs and fewer emissions.PD Ports is able to offer portcentric solutions in both the Northand South – in the North it operates warehousing and Teesport inTeesside and in the South it offers warehousing at the Port ofFelixstowe. This means the company can offer a twin-regionportcentric solution with one overarching company overseeing thewhole operation.In recent years, major retailers have realised the significant costand environmental benefits of adopting the portcentric model fortheir UK imports. ASDA Wal*Mart, Tesco and Taylors ofHarrogate are some of the major companies importing through PDPorts-owned Teesport, using bespoke or shared warehouses at theport and its hinterland, with goods then distributed to localstores/customers/production facilities from there.For more information, call 01642 877000,email enquiries@pdports.co.uk or visit www.pdports.co.uk.19-23:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:48 Page 524www.fdiforum.netTEMPERATURE MONITORING AND CONTROLThe perils of losing stockthrough inadequate monitoringand control of temperaturemust be obvious to many, butwhat technology is out there toprevent losses?The technology involved inmonitoring has remained largelyunchanged in recent decades.Probes, ambient temperature monitorsand a reliance on operatives to log andmonitor temperatures works well.However, more net-based solutions seemto be gaining dominance and the abilityto constantly monitor the temperatureremotely has indeed been a boon for theindustry. Being able to accurately tell ona 24 hour basis what temperature goodsare being stored at means there are nogaps in knowledge and of course, meanssignificant cost savings. As Ian Robinson of the IMC Groupsays, “With legislation becoming morestringent across the industry,manufacturers, distributors and retailersare investing in wireless technology,ensuring quality and maintainingcustomer satisfaction. Not only does thisprotect both business and consumerinterests, but it reduces the financial,environmental and logistical implicationsof dealing with unsatisfactory goods. “Another consideration is posttransportation, when food and drink mayhave been exposed to unsuitabletemperatures during transit. Athermometer probe can test products onarrival to ensure that they have not beenspoiled. However in a quick-pacedenvironment, more effective monitoringfor storage is compulsory to keep aheadof the market.” Systems now exist to combat theseproblems, which monitor goods infridges, cold rooms, storage facilities,vehicles and warehouses. The level ofcontrol these units offer is entirelybespoke to a company’s needs. Automaticlogging at different time periods,customisable by a client, is transmitted tocomputers where it can be viewed andassessed. Often data reviewing canprovide a more effective schedule, whichwould no doubt improve a company’scosts over time. If a cold store lays emptyfor any period of time and is still beingcooled, these monitoring results will quitepossibly show fluctuations in temperaturethat can cause concern and be actedupon quickly.Operatives can adjust thermostats toprevent unnecessary energy consumptionand the regular temperature checks incold storage facilities can highlight whenmaintenance visits may be required,reducing the risk of electrical failures andfood spoilage. Operatives can alsoactivate the option to receive SMS alertsto mobiles, the minute a serious problemis detected. In addition, the system alsocontains local audible and visible alarmsand remote email and voice call alarms. With the range of wireless monitoringtechnology available, manufacturers,distributors, retailers and caterers canremove one of the biggest pressuresfacing the industry. Packaging, transportand catering staff can concentrate onother parts of the business without theworry of neglecting a serious food safetyissue.Wireless systems being incredibly easyto install, often a case of affixingmonitors to cold store walls and installinga simple router. The investments madeare minimal but the cost savings couldmake all the difference. Radio signalsMaintainingcontrolMonitoring systems existthat can be used in thelargest cold stores to thesmallest franchise kitchento ensure safetyMaintainingcontrolPHOTO: IMC GROUP24-25:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:51 Page 1TEMPERATURE MONITORING AND CONTROLwww.fdiforum.net25used are robust enough to be transmittedthrough the cold atmosphere and throughthick partitions, so the alerts will reach keyoperatives no matter what the problemmight be.Staying cool on the move Moving chilled goods around the worldcan come fraught with problems too, but arecent push of technology within thelogistics sector mean this is beingaddressed.A new fleet of vehicles from Renaulthave been tested which can accommodate5.5 tonnes of useful load for both food anddrink, can hold eighteen pallets and aredesigned for controlled-temperaturetransport. Thanks to a refrigeration unitwhich can operate in diesel or electricmode, drivers may decide which mode thecooling unit should operate in, according tothe type of journey, delivery times andremaining autonomy. This means whendriving through a particularly cold nightwhere frost or particularly cold conditionsare present, the machinery can bemomentarily turned off. This operates inmuch the same way as the stop/starttechnology some modern cars use whereinthe engine turns off when at rest at trafficlights and similar situations instead ofidling and wasting fuel.This ensures that loads are not needlesslyover-chilled or not chilled enough, which issurely a concern for any manufacturersending food or drink onto the road. Usingtoo much power to chill food down totemperatures they do not need to be issurely waste too, so monitoring levels atevery step of the way is something allcompanies should be wary of.Giving the customer control?A recent innovation is the idea of giving the consumer the onus of control. A can hasbeen developed that actually chills itself when prompted. With no need for chilling incabinets at all, this interesting innovation involves a ‘widget-like’ technology beingemployed. To chill the drink to about 15°C below ambient temperature, the consumer justhas to push a button on the base of the can. This releases pressurised carbon dioxide whichis adsorbed onto activated carbon contained in an inner can. The release absorbs heatwhich cools the drink, contained in the space between the inner and outer cans. The liquidis then ready to be poured or drunk from the top of the can in the usual way. This of course requires behaviour change in consumers, but negates the need for storagespace within cold stores. If taken up on a larger scale it would mean smaller cold stores ingeneral, but could only feasibly be used on goods which would not require constant cooling.Changing consumers’ expectations would also be a challenge - the feel of a cold drink froma fridge is often what makes a sale, even if this technology means a cold product withinminutes of activating.Remote monitoring is easy to install and can often provide youwith data that can be interpreted to save on bottom line costsSensitive monitoring such asthat of meat, fish and poultryneeds to be reliable to ensureguidelines are being metPHOTO: IMC GROUPPHOTO: COOL CANPHOTO: LIZARD MONITORING LTD24-25:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:51 Page 226www.fdiforum.netCONTROL & AUTOMATIONThe seminar, held at the uniqueDeFabrique venue in Utrecht, wasattended by over 30 companies, mainlyfrom the food and beverage sector, whowere interested in learning more aboutcoding integrity solutions and theassociated benefits.The seminar was opened by VideojetGeneral Manager, Alex Lever, explainingwhat was meant by coding integrity:“Ensuring the correct message andvariable data is printed in the correctplace with the correct productpackaging.” He described the financialimplications resulting from errors in datecoding or incorrect packaging such as costof wasted materials, labour andproduction, as well as the less tangibledamage to a company’s reputation. Dr Vivien Maitland, Ambient & NonFood Technical Manager of the FoodSafety Consortium discussed importanceof coding integrity from a retailer’sviewpoint. The FSC is a non-accreditedauditing company providing food safetyservices exclusively for Marks & Spencerand their global supply base. DrMaitland explained how coding andpackaging integrity had grown inimportance due to an increase in thecomplexity of packaging and manyproducts sharing similar packaging. Shecited examples of product recalls from theFood Standards Agency due to incorrectdate coding, incorrect allergen labellingand incorrect packaging. To counterthese problems, Marks & Spencer hasintroduced its own Code of Practiceagainst which the audits are carried out.Mike Hughes, Managing Director ofAutoCoding Systems Ltd, continued theCoding Integrity theme by giving a briefintroduction to the company andidentifying the main reasons forcompanies using their packaging lineautomation solutions. With more than 200 lines installed inthe UK, AutoCoding Systems’ customersare already enjoying numerous businessbenefits such as increased speed andreliability of line set-up, reduced jobchangeover time, reduction in humanerrors and the ability to managecomplexities in packaging formats, as wellas complying with various retailer codesof practice. A short practicaldemonstration given by AutoCodingSystems’ Technical Director, Robin Eatchand Solutions Engineering Manager,Stewart Lightfoot, illustrated thesimplicity of the system to managecustomers, orders and production lines. This demonstration was followed byPeter Houthuijzen, Sales Manager ofSICK BV who outlined the versatility ofscanning and inspection equipment andthe successful partnership betweenAutoCoding Systems and SICK. TheSICK equipment integrates seamlesslywith the AutoCoding system and therange of SICK sensors and scanningproducts have been used extensively byAutoCodings. The final speaker, Lorna Eddy,Barcode/Production Systems Manager ofTulip Ltd, considered coding integrityfrom a manufacturer’s point of view.Tulip Ltd has been an AutoCodingSystems’ customer for many years andhas implemented their coding andpackaging integrity solutions across manylines in numerous sites. Lorna explainedthe process Tulip Ltd went throughbefore choosing a coding and packagingverification system. The main motivationfor buying a solution from AutoCodingSystems was the ability to utilise theirexisting hardware and software, wherepossible. Important too was having onemaster database that managed andcontrolled multiple devices on manylines, as well as fully satisfying Tulip’sspecific date coding and packagingstipulations. All of this, of course, had tobe accomplished cost effectively.AutoCoding Systems satisfied theserequirements and worked with Tulip toachieve their desired implementationwithin budget.Autocoding Systems goes DutchHaving recently become a Distributor in the Netherlands for AutoCoding Systems Ltd, VideojetTechnologies BV hosted a Coding Integrity Seminar to highlight the importance of automaticdate coding and packaging verification. AutoCoding Systems, an experienced SystemsIntegrator in this sector, and Videojet Technologies BV, leading provider of coding and markingsolutions, were joined by speakers from the Food Safety Consortium, Tulip Ltd and SICK BV. Cedar House, Sutton Quays Business Park, Sutton Weaver, Cheshire WA7 3EHTel: 01928 790 444 Fax: 08703 835 636Email: info@autocodingsystems.com Web: www.autocodingsystems.com26:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:52 Page 1Companies that cannot guaranteetotal product integrity andeffective health and safety havelittle chance of succeeding in the foodand drink industry. Not only will themajor retailers refuse to allow theirproducts on their shelves withoutassurances of safety and security, but thepotential for food scares will be enoughto turn customers off for good.Automation haslong beenestablished in the sector and it’s now agiven that many processes can no longerbe carried out manually. The next phasein the introduction of automation,therefore, is to ensure increased productsecurity, faster moving productionprocesses and a competitive edge for abusiness. Investment in automation applicationsis essential for businesses to remaincompetitive, protect the futureof the business andreduce a company’s environmentalimpact. Although it may seem asomewhat sensitive area, meanwhile,increased automation should not meanemployees are made redundant butinstead allow for better use of labourresources, with unskilled and repetitivework being replaced and quality controlimproved.Technology has now improved to thelevel so that many of the jobs that untilonly a few years ago had to be carried outby hand – specifically primary packaging– can now be automated as well with thenew machines able to safely deal with themost fragile and delicate of ingredients.The potential for contamination, spillageand breakage is therefore substantiallyreduced.In many cases, the move towardsincreased automation is thanks tobusiness’ ever closer links withacademic institutions and universities,which can help with access to grantfunding and leading edge automationsolutions. Organisations such asCenFRA, the UK’s centre for foodrobotics and automation, have alsodeveloped learning packages whichsupport the upskilling of operativesengaged in automated foodNew machinery suchas the ODENBERGqvision 500 analysermeasures fat, moistureand protein to ensureaccuracy on labels andeffective traceabilityCONTROL & AUTOMATIONwww.fdiforum.net2728 The next levelAutomation is commonplace in the industry – and the next stage is to gain a vitalcompetitive edge with ever more advanced processes27-29:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:53 Page 128www.fdiforum.netCONTROL & AUTOMATIONmanufacture on the shop floor andproduction area. An added bonus to amore effective automated productionprocess is that this can help companiesachieve quality accreditations, providing avaluable selling point to potentialcustomers.Coding integrity is taking on increasedimportance in food and drink – ensuringthe quality and the make-up of theproduct is clearer than ever before. Inrecent months there have been numerousexamples of product recalls due toincorrect date coding, incorrect allergenlabelling and incorrect packaging – anexpensive and embarrassing business, andone that has ensured many retailers areintroducing their own codes of practicethat go above and beyond the legalrequirements. It’s worth rememberingthat a product incorrectly labelled canhave equally unpleasant results as acontaminated item for the consumer.The recent Coding Integrity Seminar,hosted by Videojet Technologies,emphasised this point, with John Clague,Head of Technical at ASDA Wal-Mart,saying, “A large number of our productwithdrawals are down to coding errors. Itis essential that we have absoluteconfidence in our on-pack coding.” AlecKyriakides, Head of Product Safety atSainsbury echoed this, “Traceability isessential. Removing errors from thesupply chain reduces wasted product andpackaging, which helps to ensureproducts are affordable. It also has to begood for the environment.” At the seminar, companies includingAutoCoding illustrated the variousaspects that new automation procedurescan bring about – the increased speedand reliability of the line set-up, reducedjob changeover times, a reduction inhuman error and the ability to managecomplexities in packaging formats, as wellas complying with various retailer codesof practice.Companies such as Stevens Groupspecialise in this kind of automation thatcan ensure the entire production processis accurately recorded. One of theirrecent projects has been the developmentof a complete factory process controlsystem that would control and managethe food manufacturing process at frozenfood specialists Paramount 21, coveringevery aspect from receiving the rawmaterial to the finished product.In this situation, Stevens ReceivingSoftware has been integrated withParamount 21’s existing Pegasus OperaMRP system to allow cross-referencingwith purchase orders and to control theuse of ingredients throughout the factoryprocess, saving money through ingredientrotation. The installation of the StevensVantage RFS controls the weighingaccuracy of ingredients used to make upprocessed mixes, ensuring there is noproduct giveaway or incorrect labels.Companies such as Stevens can offerbespoke, high quality systems that canbring together production processes thatwere previously separate – for example,weighing and metal detection can now becarried out simultaneously. The newbreed of automation in the industry alsofacilitates the integration of intelligentmotor devices, such as motor controlcentres, drives, compressors, pumps, fansand measuring equipment, into acommon automation architecture. Thishigh level of integration will seecompanies see an obvious improvementon their bottom lines in terms of assetavailability, plant efficiency and energymanagement.The introduction of automation intothe industry has been complicated inThe move towardsabsolute productintegrity is behind thelikes of SATO’s TH2label printer whichenables foodmanufacturers tocomply with the latesttraceability requirements27-29:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:53 Page 2CONTROL & AUTOMATIONwww.fdiforum.net29Vantage In-LineInspection Systemhelps United CoffeeUnited Coffee UK isthe largest UK coffeeroaster, producing anddistributing a wide rangeof coffee, coffee machinesand related servicesthrough its headquartersin Tilbrook, MiltonKeynes and coffeeroasting manufacturingfacility in Dartford, Kent.With the increasingquality demands ofcontract catering, hotelsand major retailers, United Coffee looked to improve their end ofline inspection systems to ensure the highest quality andconsistency of their finished, wrapped product.For this reason, Stevens installed two In-Line CheckWeigherand Metal Detection Combination Systems. The Combis, whichhave integral infeed, weighdeck and out-feed conveyors, are usedto checkweigh packs of coffee against very high weight tolerances.The units are capable of offering weighing speeds in excess of twohundred items per minute with the utmost precision, and thecombis are fitted with high speed flipper reject system and rejectbins – built to meet BRC, McDonalds, Waitrose, Tesco and M&Sstandards.The Combis also guarantee compliance with average weightlegislation. The Vantage technology brings unrivalled levels ofdata capture, reporting and analysis to their factory floor.In addition, the units are each fitted with precision MetalDetectors, designed to detect ferrous and non-ferrouscontaminants which may have been picked up through themanufacturing process – a high priority internal quality process forUnited Coffee. For this reason, the metal detectors are located atthe end of the line.The combis are linked to the United Coffee’s internal backoffice software, so product specifications are automaticallydownloaded to the systems.Attul Desai, Technical/Quality Team Leader says, “We decidedto replace our aging end of line units with the Stevens Systemsbecause we found Stevens had the most flexible and robust systemalong with a first class service and support facility.”To find out how Stevens Group can help you and your business,call 01254 685200 or visit www.stevensgroupltd.com.recent years due to the very specific requirements of thesector. Indeed, it’s estimated that in the UK alone that137,000 new employees need to enter the sector in the decadeto 2017 to allow for staff turnover – but employers have oftenhighlighted something of a skills gap, with an inability to findhighly qualified engineers with a knowledge and understandingof their specialist requirements.To this end, work has taken place to emphasise food anddrink engineering as a particular qualification in its own right.Sheffield Hallam University has this month been named as thesuccessful university to partner the industry in thedevelopment of the UK’s first dedicated food and drinkengineering degree.Justine Fosh, Executive Director of the National SkillsAcademy for Food & Drink says, “This is an importantmilestone in redressing gaps in provision for our industry. Therole of the National Skills Academy is to work with foodbusinesses to drive up the relevance, quality and accessibilityof training and with greater levels of automation in theindustry we need higher levels of skills. This activitydemonstrates the importance of the industry coming togetherto support new developments to ensure that they areappropriate to industry needs and sustainable for the future.”The new degree, when it is introduced, will emphasise theimportance of such factors as supply chain integration,sustainability, lean processes and design for maintenance –which previously have has to be taught in addition to a generalengineering degree – and should also highlight the value of theindustry as a high quality career path with the same standingand ability to excel as the likes of aerospace.Automation is no longer a novelty in the food and drinkindustry and even the smallest companies can see the benefits– if for no other reason than to allow it to compete for themajor contracts with the leading retailers. The introduction ofthe new degree and the latest automation solutions will helpbring about even more convenient and effective hardware toimprove the production process massively – creating anindustry where exceptional efficiency and high standardsbecome the norm.The On A Roll Sandwich Company utilised the VantageFactory Wide Ingredient Control & Traceability System togo above and beyond the required traceability measures27-29:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:53 Page 3Next >