< PreviousA206A206AAA006Sandpit RoadSandpit Roafor sale/ to letSandpit Road, Dartford160,552 sq ft high bay industrial / distribution facility ready for immediate occupationsat-nav referenceDA1 5BU Improved access Two storey fitted offices 360° site access CCTV Alarmed Unrestricted B1, B2 and B8 uses 12m (39ft approx) clear internal height High bay lighting Loading on two elevations 15 Dock level loading doors 5 level access loading doors 198 separate car parking spaces 40m (131ft) service yards Security fence and gatehouse M25M251a1aSam Vyassam.vyas@gva.co.ukRichard Lordrichard.lord@cbre.comChip Mittonchip.mitton@altusgroup.comwww.evanderproperties.com/sandpit-road20:Layout 1 27/8/13 10:51 Page 1Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netCOMMERCIAL PROPERTYThe commercial property market took abattering when the credit crunch hit homein 2008, but experts suggest the market,having reached the bottom of the cycle, isnow bouncing back. This seemsparticularly evident where the food andbeverage industry is concerned.Forward thinking food and drinkcompanies are already snapping upcommercial property in strategic locationsat very advantageous prices.In many cases this can be productionfacilities, such as Barry Callebaut’sTurkish factory. Situated in the CentralAnatolia region, the location in Eskisehirhas been chosen to capitalise on thefurther growth potential of the Turkishchocolate market and to captureopportunities in the regional market .Juergen Steinemann, CEO of BarryCallebaut, says, “The building of a newstate of the art chocolate factory inTurkey is in line with our strategy tofurther expand our geographic presence tomarkets that offer above-average growthopportunities. It is another major step intapping the potential of a rapidly growingregion.”Indeed, while currently the yearlychocolate consumption is rather low inTurkey with less than 2kg per capita, it’sgrowing very fast at an annual rate of 7%per annum – and Eastern Europe isproving a valuable market to target.It’s in the field of distribution thatstrategic locations become all important,however. Many leading retailers havetaken the opportunity to bring togethertheir distribution requirements together inlarge, centrally placed buildings andEvander Properties have been involved ina number of these deals. Their newDDC160 development in Kent is thehighest profile project with its strategiclocation which provides a direct dualcarriageway link to the M25 putting itsoccupiers in direct contact with a hugeproportion of the South East of Englandand – with nearby plane and tunnel links– much of mainland Europe and furtherafield too.Meanwhile last year Waitrose movedinto a state of the art facility at MatrixPark in Chorley, which after nine monthsof construction was delivered on time andon budget. Comprising of a 360,000 sq ftwarehouse, 50,000 sq ft of office spaceand a vehicle maintenance unit, thefacility allows Waitrose to service up toeighty branches across the North ofEngland and Scotland as part of a £35million investment.Like many distribution centres, a hugebonus for occupants is uninterrupted free-flowing vehicular access and a congestion-free road. In a supply chain where everyminute counts, this could well make allthe difference between a customer gainingand losing a contract.As home shopping becomes morepopular, these distribution centres findthemselves not just working as a hubwhere huge quantities of products are sentout in bulk, but also as a kind of “virtualsupermarket” themselves, where specificorders are now made up and dispatched toindividual consumers in a controlledsetting not open to the general public.Hence Asda’s facility in Morley in Leeds22 As internet shopping and consolidation in the distribution sector take centre stage, could commercialproperty be about to bounce back?The locationgameAsda’s Home Shopping Centre usesan belt and roller conveyor systemfrom Exmac which transfersmerchandise from a mezzanine floorto a despatch point on the groundfloor, enabling online orders to bepicked and processedPHOTO: EXMAC AUTOMATIONThe locationgame21-22:Layout 1 27/8/13 11:18 Page 122 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netCOMMERCIAL PROPERTYis now known as a Home ShoppingCentre and has taken on the role ofobtaining and delivering products tointernet shoppers throughout WestYorkshire which previously would havebeen handled by individual branches.This itself brings its own challenges aseach order has its own uniquerequirements and a 50,000 sq ftwarehouse is clearly larger and takeslonger to traverse than even the biggestsuperstore. This means the HomeShopping Centre uses an belt and rollerconveyor system from Exmac whichtransfers merchandise from a mezzaninefloor to a despatch point on the groundfloor, enabling online orders to be pickedand processed, and shopping basketscompiled. Merchandise stocked in thecentre is picked for online shoppers byfive hundred employees and placed intotes ready for delivery.Totes from the mezzanine area, whichforms the upper floor of the facility, aredeposited manually on shelves locatedeither side of two conveyor systems, eachof which consists of 45 metres of conveyormodules. The PLC-controlled indexingconveyors are also fitted with sensors andintegral drive motors that not only controlthe normal conveyor functions but alsoprevent the build-up of totes if they’re notremoved during the cycle. It’s been reported that, since thecompilation of orders has been transferredfrom the individual branches – with allthe difficulties in working around almostcontinuous trading hours that this brings– to the new centre, around twice as manyorders are completed per hour and theycan also offer customers a fourfoldincrease in the number of delivery slots.As internet shopping increases inpopularity still further, it’s likely thatother retailers will look towards this kindof approach to fulfilling orders and will belooking for commercial property that canbe used in this regard.Many companies that move to newpremises can also take advantage of a rangeof grants and support services to make thatmove an effective one. There are manyexamples where planning regulations arerelaxed and numerous incentives areoffered to encourage growth anddevelopment.In Scotland, the Scottish Governmenthave also offered a number of grantsthrough their Food Processing, Marketingand Co-operation scheme, with foodprocessing companies ranging from cheesemanufacturers to meat processorsreceiving funding to improve, extend orbuild new facilities. Among the mostrecent companies that have receivedgrants are whisky manufacturerBallindalloch of Aberdeenshire, whoreceived £1,274,684 to build a new microdistillery and warehouse, and GrahamsDairies of Nairn who were granted£482,770 to purchase a new site foryoghurt and cottage cheese lines.Many of these buildings do, of course,offer exceptional environmental benefits aswell, with high quality buildings allowingbusinesses to enjoy a more productive andattractive working environment while alsosaving on their energy bills.The move towards consolidation in theindustry over recent years, as well asexpansion into new sectors, has meantmany companies are reviewing theircommercial property operations andmoving to more effectively sited andoperated premises. There are certainlynumerous options to suit businesses of allshapes and sizes.Evander Properties’ new DDC160 development inKent has a strategic location which provides a directdual carriageway link to the M25The movetowards consolidationin the industry over recent years,as well as expansion into newsectors, has seen manycompanies review theircommercial property operationsand move to more effectivelysited and efficientpremisesPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/FOTONOV.COM21-22:Layout 1 27/8/13 11:18 Page 2Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.netCONTAINERS & PALLETSThe quality of containers and pallets isincreasingly important to an organisation.Indeed, with the rise and rise of no-frillsretailers in the past few years, in manycases the pallets are now no longer usedfor transportation along the supply chainbut also to display the products at the endof it.This brings with it increasedresponsibility. In fact, under the Provisionand Use of Work Equipment Regulationsa pallet is classed as work equipment andtherefore an employer is under “strictliability” to keep it in good working orderand repair. This means that if an accident24 involving a faulty pallet occurs, theemployer is liable for what could bethousands of pounds paid out in personalinjury claims brought by employees ormembers of the public.As Mark Houghton from PH Palletspoints out, “It’s easy to take pallet qualityfor granted when they’re an everydaypiece of equipment used in warehouse orfactory operations. But they’re designedand made specifically for moving massiveweights, which mean accidents can and dohappen if you cut corners by usinginferior pallets.“The answer is simply to remind yourteam that pallets should be inspectedevery time they are used and to sourceyour pallet stock from a professional palletmanagement company with a qualityreputation.”Happily that is the case for the vastmajority of companies offering pallets.Many emphasise that they have ISOaccreditation in quality, environmental,and health and safety management, andthat they offer the latest heat treatmentservices to the ISPM15 InternationalPhytosanitary Standard for WoodPackaging.In many ways, the containers andpallets market is battling with twodifferent and seemingly contradictoryrequirements. It’s certainly the case that,as the supply chain moves faster, palletsneed to benefit from simple constructionthat can allow them to be stacked andpicked up in a fairly simple fashion, andfrom a decent capacity that ensures as feware required as possible. Yet at the sametime security is paramount and the loadhas to be secured incredibly firmly, withthe introduction of anti-slip intermediatelayers, wrapping in plastic or by strappingwhich, you would expect, provideadditional complexity.But the new breed of pallets meet bothof these needs. Newly developed diagonalbottle formations, for example, areallowing pallets to increase their capacity.Meanwhile at last year’s drinktecexhibition, the German packaging prize inthe transport and logistics packagingsection was awarded to an innovativedisplay pallet which is takes an establishedpackaging solution and takes it to anotherlevel. As well as being made from 100%recycled material, the new pallet has aparticularly innovative design – it has adeeper nesting depth, which saves spacewhen stacking as compared to existingsystems. Generally. plastic pallets – with theiradvantages of precision dimensions andincreased hygiene – are becoming popularthroughout the supply chain, but still onlyPHOTO: PH PALLETSPacking in valueA recovering economy is driving demand in the pallet and container industry but the battle rages on overthe use of timber, plastic and metal.23-25:Layout 1 27/8/13 11:43 Page 1CONTAINERS & PALLETSrepresent a small percentage of the overallmarket share compared with traditionaltimber pallets. The durability of plastichas also been illustrated with companieslooking to returnable transit packaging asopposed to single trip packaging. Thebenefits of this kind of packaging arguethe manufacturers include reducedproduct damage, security and easierhandling. There is of course theenvironmental benefits from usingpackaging on several occasions –and the argumentthattimber pallets can harbour bacteria. PHSTeacrate are among those companiesoffering a flexible RTP pool managementservice which can save SMEs on transportcosts, storage space and capital outlayduring peak periods, and mean they canoptimise or downsize their suppliesdepending on the particular demand.With the requirements regardingenvironmental efficiency and health andsafety in mind, it’s becoming increasinglythe case that companies are making use ofpallet networks, meaning they can beassured that the pallets are of the highestquality, and providing exceptionalflexibility without extensivecapital expenditure.One example of the formeris the DSV Daily Pallet, whichoffers a daily pick-up anddeparture system with on-timedelivery of palletised shipments ofup to 3500kg to any destination inEurope. Every country in thenetwork has a daily link withevery other country in the networkvia the hub near Stuttgart, and byutilising the DSV European roadnetwork as the backbone of the newservice, there are extensivetraceability benefits, as goods stay withinits control and customers can track theprogress of their shipment. The initiativewas launched thanks to continual demandfor customers to be able to deliver smallershipments on a more frequent basis.Consolidation in the sector now meansthat making use of larger networks suchas these will likely offer greater flexibility.The obvious counter argument is that acompany which oversees all its owndeliveries in-house should be betterprepared for this, but it’s highly likely thatadding a new drop or route into anetwork comprising just ten journeysmight represent significant potential fordisruption.Yet, if you were to introduce a newdrop, route or depot into a system withhundreds of weekly journeys, that shouldbe relatively simple and indeed it willprobably prove substantially easier toidentify synergies through commonroutes, compatible loads orcomplementary flows as part of a largernetwork. In addition these networks aremuch likelier to be faster in adopting newregulations that affect the industry andhave the backing to provide the mostextensive training.With traceability and energy efficiencynow dominating thinking across thesupply chain, making use of higher qualitycontainers and pallets – whetherpurchased outright or rented from one ofthe many high quality suppliers – willensure an exceptional return oninvestment.The fast-moving supplychain needs pallets that aretotally secure but are easyenough to move and loadPHOTO: RTITBPHOTO: PHS TEACRATE24 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net23-25:Layout 1 27/8/13 11:43 Page 2Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netCONTAINERS & PALLETSIt can be a complicated businessensuring everything is delivered accordingto ‘sell by’ dates, even for non-perishablegoods that may be stored in warehousesfor months. Sometimes, unexpecteddemand for a particular dried spice orcanned speciality after it is featured by acelebrity chef, will prompt a sudden rushof deliveries. The traditional deliveries of fulltruckloads to huge warehouses still takeplace of course, but more and more foodproducers and retailers are seeking smallershipments, delivered more often, but stillin a cost effective way, according to ChrisMalyon, Sales & Marketing Director forDSV Road in the UK.He says, “We surveyed our customersand asked what they needed. The answerfrom all sectors was time savings, dailypick-ups, short transportation times, highpredictability. Forsome, Europeancoverage wasimportant, but beingable to deliver smaller shipments morefrequently became the recurring theme.” “The customers said they needed toknow that they could move smallerquantities in an economical way, with asupply chain that allows them to bringnew products to market without sendingout bulk loads. They also want to be ableto run in-store promotions without theneed to send a full container load, as wellas being able to get emergency top-ups ofstock quickly and cost effectively.”In response, DSV Road launched DSVDaily Pallet, a high quality, standardisedservice offering a daily pick-up anddeparture system with on-time delivery ofpalletised shipments of up to 3500kg toany destination in Europe. The service operates 24 hours a day,seven days a week in addition to theexisting direct routes DSV already runs.DSV Daily Pallet covers 32 Europeandestinations, with every country having adaily link with every other country in thenetwork via the hub near Stuttgart.By utilising the DSV European roadnetwork as the backbone of the newservice, DSV is able to offer a highquality, full traceable pallet service whereall the goods stay within its control andcustomers can track the progress of theirshipment if they wish.Chris Malyon says, “We are able tocombine the quality of an established,dedicated service with the flexibility andcost-effectiveness of a pallet network,which makes us unique in the market. Werecognise the traditional model where thehaulier dictates which days of the weekthe shipments will leave for any particulardestination is long gone.“Our customers want daily departuresso they can respond more quickly to theirown customers’ demands. That is what weare giving them with DSV Daily Pallet.”For more information, visitwww.dailypallet.dsv.com.DSV Daily Palletoffers fast, reliabledeliveries forsmaller shipmentsThe integrity and security of the food supply chain hasnever been under more scrutiny. Obviously most of thisrelates to where and how the food is sourced, but themovement of the goods from producer to consumerneeds to be considered as well.23-25:Layout 1 27/8/13 11:43 Page 3Corrugated tube heat exchangers Scraped surface heat exchangersTurnkey processing plants Plate Heat Exchangers Piston PumpsTube in tubeTriple tubeMulti tubeScraped surface PlateContact Michael Adkins at HRS for more informationT: 01923 232335 michael.adkins@hrs.co.uk www.hrs.co.ukHRS THREE TANK BATCH PASTEURISER SYSTEM WITH THERMAL REGENERATIONCombining the HRS stainless steel tube in tube heat exchangers utilising the HRSdeveloped heat transfer enhancing corrugated tubes we can provide a continuous 3tank batch pasteuriser. This allows for a constant raw-feed and pasteurised supply ofsludge, which allows for easy and continuous energy usage onsite compared to singletank fill-and-drain systems.This innovative continuous-batch system also utilises thermalregeneration of heat from the raw and pasteurised sludge to reducerunning costs. The HRS continuous 3 tank batch pasteuriser process can handle awide range of feed stocks and can be placed pre or post pasteuriserto allow for site flexibility. The HRS scraped surface evaporator forconcentration of environmental waste aswell as juices, fruit and other food productsENVIRONMENTAL & FOOD WASTE EVAPORATION & PASTEURISATIONEvaporation is an effective way of reducing the impact of environmentalwaste. It is a Thermal process where energy is invested to separate waterfrom the effluent, thus reducing its volume. The evaporated water, whencondensed, can be reused again. In environmental processing the effluentis often a fouling substance. Normal Evaporators would have a limitedoperation time between stops for cleaning. HRS has overcome this problemby applying the Unicus scraped surface evaporator. The scraped surface means constant removal of fouling which maintains theconstant evaporation capacity. The Unicus can evaporate to very high levelsof concentration.HRS Heat Exchangers offers a wide range of heat exchangers for hygienic processing in the food industry:26:Layout 1 27/8/13 10:53 Page 1Stay out ofthe red bygoing greenFood & Drink International 27www.fdiforum.netENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SPOTLIGHTThe food and drink sector is more awarethan most of the impact of changes in theenvironment. Much food production is at themercy of erratic weather conditions, while thesector is also a voracious consumer of energyresources. It’s not surprising, therefore, thatenvironmental issues are now a top priority forthe sector, with many representatives from theindustry attending this month’s Energy Eventin the UK.There are numerous examples of how foodand drink businesses are playing a major rolein encouraging sustainability andenvironmental best practice. At the recentFood & Drink International-supportedSustainable Foods Summit in Amsterdam, forexample, FoodCycle showed how it works withretailers and unemployed youth to redirectfood waste from landfill, instead being used tocreate nutritious meals for the needy. TheLondon-based organisation has served 60,000meals from 61 tonnes of surplus food, whilstcreating 46,000 hours of voluntaryemployment.It seems apparent that collaboration is thekey to dealing most effectively withenvironmental issues. Delegates at theSummit, for example, heard about the Frenchingredient firm Nexira partnering with SOSSahel for the sustainable sourcing of acaciagum. By protecting acacia trees, its sourcingprojects are preventing desertification in Sub-Saharan Africa whilst creating a positive socialimpact on local communities. Working with alocal NGO has enabled the company to enterlong-term relationships with African growers.These social enterprises not only help solvea waste problem that many food and drinkmanufacturers have battled with in recentyears, but also illustrate their philanthropicaspects to customers. With recent research byBen & Jerry’s revealing that 65% of consumerswere willing to pay extra for their productsafter learning about its environmental andsocial responsibility, it’s clear this kind ofproject provides added value.While the benefits of effectiveenvironmental management are plain to see,those working in the sector – especially on theshop floor – aren’t always entirely sure aboutthe best way to go about making changesindividually. Companies such as SITA UK canhelp in this regard, for example as Heinekenwhere they have helped the company cut theamount of waste sent to landfill by two thirdsover five years, thereby reducing its landfill taxby £64,000 (based on a thousand tonnes at£64 each).28 Stay out ofthe red bygoing greenDSM Food Specialties are suggestingsavoury food producers around the worldcan reduce the CO2 footprint of the yeastextracts they use by 81% by replacing thelow salt basic yeast extracts with the moreconcentrated alternative Multirome LSEnvironmentalissues havebecome a toppriority formanufacturers andconsumers alike27-30:Layout 1 27/8/13 15:36 Page 128 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SPOTLIGHTMuch of this is thanks to the increasingamount of recycling Heineken carries outon site. The Hereford brewery, forexample, now bales its own cardboard andplastic, earning it a rebate on its recyclingfees – and that’s an initiative which isnow being rolled out across some thebrewer’s other sites. By last summer, therelationship between the two companieshas seen Heineken increase the amount ofwaste material it recycled to 98% – and tohelp reach its target of zero rainfall, SITAUK staged roadshows at Heineken sitesacross the UK, promoting them with aninternal poster campaign. These events,where individual employees are madeaware of the differences they can make ona smaller scale, have proven particularlyuseful – the small changes making just asmuch an impact as company-wide policyshifts.Effective waste managementOne of the main aspects for a food anddrink company to consider whenreviewing its environmental policies isthat of waste management. Indeed sinceHeineken were able to make their savings,landfill tax in the UK has increased to£72 per tonne, which can certainly makea dent into a company’s bottom line.Disposing of waste can prove particularlyproblematic but there are numerous waysin which it can be done in a cost-effectivefashion.Many food producers are reaping therewards of using their waste to createenergy, which can prove to be aparticularly valuable piece ofdiversification. The use of farm organicwastes and energy crops is anenvironmentally friendly diversificationfor farms and has many advantages.Agricultural crops such as maize silage,grass silage, wheat and rye boost gasproduction significantly – allowing asteady power production and predictableincome return. These can also havebenefits when grown as a break crop.Indeed, the use of agricultural crops in abiogas plant is often the main driver tomake a farm-based plant economicallyviable, and therefore it’s vitally importantto extract the best value out of the gasproduced. To achieve the best value, a highefficiency electrical conversion generationunit is needed, as well as reliablecontinuous operation over the projectlifetime. Hence the CHP unit is probablythe most vital link and companies such asEdina assist in providing the mosteffective for the various operations.One of the most effective ways ofreducing the impact of environmentalwaste is through evaporation – a thermalprocess where energy is invested toseparate water from the effluent, thusreducing its volume. The evaporatedwater, when it’s condensed, can bereused. A challenge here has always beenthat evaporators often have to stop to becleaned out, but companies such as HRSare addressing this with the introductionof their scraped surface evaporator. Thisconstantly removes the fouling that theeffluent brings about which thereforemore the constant evaporation capacity.Contamination of compressed air canalso be an issue in food production. Tothis end, Beko Technologies haveimplemented the energy-saving 3E filterconcept onto their range of Clearpointflanged filters. 3E stands for “EnergyEfficient Element” and the innovativetechnology used leads to an optimisedpressure difference through the enlargedseparation surface at a simultaneouslyenlarged filter cavity. The user can choosewhether they want to utilise the flangedfilters with a volume flow of 100% at thelowest pressure differences in an energy-optimised manner or whether they employthem for higher volume flows.The technology has come about thanksto the introduction of a highly efficientBeko Technologies have implemented theenergy-saving 3E filter concept onto theirrange of Clearpoint flanged filtersOne of the most effective ways of reducing the impact of environmentalwaste is through evaporation – a thermal process where energy isinvested to separate water from the effluent, thus reducing its volume27-30:Layout 1 27/8/13 15:36 Page 2Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SPOTLIGHTCOMEANDSEE USAT THE ENERGY EVENT10-11th SeptemberStandBO5new filter material. In a wet saturatedcondition, users can expect an energyoptimised pressure difference of between0.05 and 0.2 bar (coarse to ultrafilter). Thefilter material consists of a poly-fibrecompound with thermally fused borosilicateand polyester fibres. No adhesive residuesremain between the fibres through thethermal fusing, while intrinsic particlerelease, and thus the contamination of thecompressed air, is avoided. The oil andwater repellent coating of the fibres also hasparticularly impressive coalescenceproperties.It’s certainly the case that making use ofeffective environmental policies, both on asmall scale among employee activity and ona large scale when deciding on theorganisation’s overall direction, can togethermake a huge impact on both the company’sbottom line and on its reputation amongpotential consumers. At a time whencompanies are looking for any potentialadvantage in a crowded marketplace, goinggreen can prove to be highly effective.27-30:Layout 1 27/8/13 15:36 Page 3Next >