< Previous30www.fdiforum.netCONTRACT PACKINGAll in theCONTRACT At a time when companiesare looking to cut allexternal costs, how arecontract packersweathering the storm?At a time when companiesare looking to cut allexternal costs, how arecontract packersweathering the storm?All in theCONTRACT 30-31:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:52 Page 1CONTRACT PACKINGwww.fdiforum.net31You could be forgiven forassuming that contract packerswould be facing uncertainty inan economic crisis like ourown. With companies struggling to cutcosts wherever possible, these who act asagencies or middlemen in the supplychain aren’t exactly in a strong spot, andyet contract packers continue to recordprofits and success. A large proportion of this success mustbe levelled at the sheer complexity of thepackaging industry, especially for neweror smaller manufacturers. There is averitable host of legislative and regulativematerial to adhere to, with significantpenalties for those who fall foul. On topof this, there is a difficult aspect ofmarketing and design behind how youpackage your product. Do you wish tomarket your latest product as locallysourced or low in fat? The laws detailingwhat you can label on your product’spackaging can determine or restrict whatpromises or slogans you place on the finalpiece. Deciding on all of this can be abureaucratic nightmare for a smallcompany, and that’s before you’ve evenstarted manufacturing the packagingitself.Contract packers on the other handhave been in the industry for years. Theywill have direct experience of the lawsbehind what you can put on yourpackaging, as well as knowing thevarious tricks you can use to make yourproduct look that little bit moreappealing. Many of them will even havededicated design teams that are capableof designing what type of packaging willbest suit a company, and while thisobviously comes with a cost, it willalways be much less than employing anin house design team. This is before you even get to the pointof manufacturing the packaging itself, atask which is not only going to require awhole new slew of equipment andmachinery, but possibly an additionalfacility in itself. For newer companies, orthose who package in lower amounts, theinitial purchase costs of the machinerywill be completely unfeasible. A separatemanufacturing chain will also requirenew staff and managers, who will allrequire further recruitment and training.Even with all of this, they still won’t beas experienced as a contract packer’steam. But once a company manages to gettheir packaging chain in place with alittle experience, they start savingmoney, right? Unfortunately not. Due tocontract packers running numerousdifferent packaging contracts from thesame machinery, they are still able tomake bigger savings by the sheeramount of work they get from the sameamount of equipment. When a companycan run their packaging equipment atover 80% capacity, they can start tomake their own savings. But once more,this will only exceed savings made bycontract packers, if they aremanufacturing at a very high level,usually in the millions. For many companies this levelof stability is more than enough towarrant outsourcing theirpackaging needs to these contractpackagers. The costs will be anagreed upon contract which meansthe figure will not change eachmonth based on things such asmaintenance or accidents, whichmakes it simple to account for andplan towards. A new set of eyesSometimes contracting outdesign can give you ideas forpacking you might not havepreviously considered. Forexample, PPS recently puttogether an attractive giftpack forGlenfarclas whisky. This was topromote a single bottle and twominiatures and included a ribbonpull and a fitment to secure the mainbottle. Using specialists in this was canmake all the difference and sometimes abit of creative thinking from a differentsource is what is needed. Using separatecontractors to print the interior meant acollaborative effort that showcases theproduct well.It’s important to know exactly whatyou’re looking for in terms of packaging.Many contract packers will specialise in anumber of different aspects of packaging,from shrink wrapping to PET, so it’s bestto tailor your packager towards yourneeds. High levels of communication willbe key as well, especially if you require amore flexible approach. Make thisapparent to them when forming acontract, and explain the problems youmight face and how they think theyshould best go about dealing with them.As with all outsourcing, a goodrelationship between supplier andcustomer is going to be what makes orbreaks a deal. Top drawer design by PPS for Glenfarclas30-31:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:52 Page 2Invaluable advice fromindustry specialistsMeet the expert32www.fdiforum.netSuppliers of a comprehensive range of products to the food industry. •Ingredients•Addives•Vitamins•Colourings •Flavourings•Sweeteners•SeasoningsWe believe in giving the customer what they want, when they want it, to the specificaon and in the pack that they require, with no extra costs or hidden charges.We look forward to hearing from you...Jon & Dawn Sermon May Products Ltd, 18 Heathfield Road, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 1AD Tel: 0121 550 7872 Fax: 0121 550 1817 Email: mayproducts@btconnect.comwww.mayproducts.co.uk Torishima [Europe] Projects Ltd specialising in theturnkey delivery of steam and hotwater boilerhousesystems and associated process plant.Providing specialist services to the following sectors:• Water, Waste and Renewables• Healthcare• Food and Beverage• ProcessFor enquiries or additional information, please contact:-Tel: +44 (0) 1249 700 290Torishima (Europe) Projects Ltd. Hartham Park Corsham Wiltshire SN13 0RPwww.torishimaprojects.co.ukTorishima is actively working with a number of leading brands inthe soft drinks, brewing and distillery sectors, as well as raw material processors and specialist food production companies.With a proven track record in delivering ‘full service’ packagesfrom design through to supply with exceptionally short lead times.32-33:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:54 Page 1www.fdiforum.net33May Productsoffer all types of products to the manufacturing industryMay Products are an independent supplier of a comprehensive range of ingredients to the food industry, based in the West Midlands.May Products deals direct with UK-based manufacturers and sourcing houses on the continent or in the UK with in-house QC, with whomthey have developed a long-term relationship based on mutual trust.Personnel involved in the company have over fifty years combined experience in the industry. With long term connections developedthroughout the food sector, May Products offer a comprehensive range of both natural and artificial ingredients including seasonings,colourings, flavourings, sweeteners, baking powders and vitamins, as well as the usual range of chemical additives and preservatives. Theydon’t have minimum order quantities and they don’t believe in delivery charges.May Products have gained accreditation to ISO 9001:2008 standard for the company’s activities. The company is determined to be apleasant, honest company to deal with – a friendly, familiar voice on the other end of the phone, giving you a straight answer. For more information, call 0121 550 7872, email mayproducts@btconnect.com or visitwww.mayproducts.co.uk.Cirrus optimusMaking noise measurements simpleThe optimus red sound level meters from UK manufacturer Cirrus Research plc have been specifically designed to meet the needs ofhealth and safety officers.The optimus range is simple to use, with only three button pushes needed to start a measurement. All of the noise functions aremeasured at the same time, so there’s no chance of selecting the wrong function or choosing the wrong setting.A key feature of the optimus range is the free of charge software. Marketing Manager James Tingay explains, “The NoiseTools softwaresupplied with the optimus instruments can be installed onto as many PCs as needed at no extra cost and updates can be downloaded, freeof charge, from the Cirrus website.”This money-saving feature, along with the ease of use and high performance, make the optimus instruments the ideal solution foranyone who needs to meet the Noise at Work Regulations.For more information, visit www.cirrusresearch.co.uk.Torishima (Europe) Projects Ltdearn their crust when it comes to the use of steam technology in bakeryTorishima specialises in the delivery of steam and hotwater boilerhouse systems and associated plant process. All the client has toprovide is power, water, fuel and drainage. Torishima does all the rest, including design, manufacture and installation.Although energy use is high in baking because of the heat needed to be generated in the ovens, it is relatively small when it comes tothe production of culinary steam, which is used to ‘condition’ the bread, as Torishima’s boilers operate at an efficiency rate of 90.3%. Inaddition, the boilers can be containerised with a complete control system provided, including a water treatment system and blowdownsystem.Torishima’s expert team of engineers understand the variables that need to be considered in the steam production process from thetype of steam required to ensuring that pressure and transmission levels are correct. Pipework plays an important part in this process, too,with the minimisation of steam loss from the boiler to the oven being vital to the quality of the end product. Torishima has a proventrack record in this field. For more information, call +44 [0] 1249 700290 or visit www.torishimaprojects.co.uk32-33:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:54 Page 2The bakery sector has changed inseveral different ways over the lastdecade. An intense emphasis onspeciality tastes has createdconsumer demand, but how arecompanies maintaining appeal?34www.fdiforum.netBAKERYThe main concern that thebakery industry seems to beaddressing in swathes is theissue of health. Bakeryproducts, by their very nature, are rich instarch and sugar and combined with thefattening nature of cakes and pastries,the industry has been on somewhat of ajourney to change people’s minds. On theone hand, low fat alternatives andmessages communicated to consumers viapackaging have done much to make this areality. However the rise of artisan andsomewhat indulgent brands puts acrossthe idea that bakery products are meantto be an occasional food to be enjoyed asa treat now and again.Whichever way firms are pushing theirproducts, the fact is there are a host ofways that cost can be addressed alongsideimproving products or transforming theinnate health benefits. One example of this is finding newways to package or present products in away that appeals across the board. Therecent rise of home-baking, which hasseen growth of 13% in the past twelvemonths is a case in point. There has alsobeen a staggering 25% rise in pastry usein the past eighteen months as people goout less and spend more money on homecooking and entertaining friends.Companies producing part-baked oringredient packs for use in the home areseeing their products perform well, butthe more canny producers are alsocornering the foodservice market too. Inleaner times, it is perhaps wise of somesuch businesses to employ methods offood preparation that don’t involve asmuch outlay. One recent example is thecatering-size blocks of ready madeNEW TASTESon the riseThe bakery sector has changed inseveral different ways over the lastdecade. An intense emphasis onspeciality tastes has createdconsumer demand, but how arecompanies maintaining appeal?Combining health benefits with rich new tastes isa challenge the bakery sector facesConsumers aredemanding moreindulgent tasteswhich the artisansector is meetinghead-onNEW TASTESon the rise34-35:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:56 Page 1BAKERYwww.fdiforum.net35gingerbread made available for suchpurposes. Simply rolling out the quantityneeded and chilling the rest for later useis a great time-saver for restaurantscatering for events or functions. Tofurther the quality of these products,which can suffer from a negativestereotype, more manufacturers of thiskind of convenience option are sourcingmore suitable ingredients too. Using flourmilled locally and specially-selectedwheat, means consumers are happy withtheir product while costs are kept downfor retailers and manufacturers.From oven to consumerKeeping products fresh followingbaking, be it from scratch or pre-baked, isa challenge the bakery sector comes upagainst perhaps the most. With onlyrealistically a few days’ freshnessguaranteed without the use of freezingwhich can impact on quality, keepingthings edible and appealing for customersis a challenge. Packaging no doubt countsfor a lot when it comes to maintainingthis, but new packaging recentlydeveloped has made this element all themore easier. Bakery containers have made their wayonto the market which keep sweet treatsspongier and fresher for longer bysignificantly reducing the amount ofmoisture lost and increasing shelf-lifewithout using additional foodpreservatives. The most common cake andbun packaging containers allow high levelsof moisture to escape from packs, meaningproducts turn stale within a few days.Research is also forthcoming for packagingwhich could include coatings whichfurther protect the seals on suchcontainers, meaning theproducts, delicate as theyare, are protected further.Freshness capturedFor those manufacturers who wish togo down the route of part-baked goods, itdoes offer the chance for bakeries toopen up to global food markets and alsomeans freshness is in essence ‘captured’. Immediately after baking or part-baking products, new technology such asspiral freezers can be used to immediatelyput products into a ‘fresh’ state until theyare needed. Recently spiral freezers havebeen able to reverse the freezing processtoo. If a company freezes a batch ofscones for example and finds it needsthat batch to bake that day, a defrostprogram is often built into new systems,meaning moisture is not a problem andthe products are ready for use within ashort time, often with no degradation ofquality. This works not only with cakes,but bread, pastries and all manner ofbakery items.With the bakery sector predicted togrow, particularly in emerging marketssuch as Asia and the Far East, perhapsnow is the time for companies to lookinto expanding. The market in India ispredicted for example to grow 13-15% by2015, which is somewhat of a boom inany industry. Thanks to developing tastesand more western influence creeping in,particularly in terms of the snack foodsmarket, there are many who stand to takegreat advantage if they approach withenough caution. This is where transit andfreshness challenges come into their own,who knows, perhaps in a few years wewill see staples like the humble sconebeing snapped up on the streets ofMumbai?New packaging, complete withimproved sealing technology couldmean freshness for longerPHOTO: LINPACTechnology meansthe inspectionprocess for bakeriesis becoming easier,important whenemphasis on qualityis so highPHOTO: GEORGIA TECH34-35:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:56 Page 2The huge interest in delicate,natural ingredients inrecent times has certainlyhelped create a wide rangeof exciting and popular products – butit also has a huge effect on theproduction process. Labellingregulations and fears of contaminationmeans that manufacturers need to betotally aware of what’s going into theproducts – and in some cases this hasmeant production has had to be carriedout by hand. Happily, the new breed ofsieves and separators are ensuring qualitycan still be maintained without slowingdown production to inappropriately slowlevels.In addition the use of very delicate andgranular ingredients can create additionalproblems during production due to theamount of dust that can be generated –creating obvious health risks for thoseworking in the facilities and causingnumerous potential flashpoints if itinterferes with machinery, somethingthat is frowned upon thanks to the EU’sATEX regulations. The vibrations thatcan be created from the machine are alsoan issue that bring about additionalsafety worries.In the past, companies may havethought little of throwing a bag of foodproduct through an open sieving machineand collecting it in a bin on the floor –but with contamination now a majorissue, this is unlikely to remaincommonplace for much longer.Hence vacuum sieving is becoming36www.fdiforum.netSIEVES AND SEPARATORSmore popular, ensuring that as littleresidue escapes during the process aspossible. Sacktip units can now be fittedwith a single vacuum hopper loader toprovide the interface to each mixer,allowing the correct quantities ofingredients to be dispensed into thesieving system and, via the hopperloader, to the mix. In addition to the lackof dust, accurate quantities are assuredusing this system because the vacuumloader doesn’t retain any product within,unlike screw and other mechanicalconveyors.A Sievmaster Sack Tip Station in thisstyle has been introduced by Farleygreeneinto a biscuit manufacturer, who had aparticular concern regarding theconnection between the hopper loaderdischarge chute and the inlet of themixer, to ensure that there was noleakage and the connection could bemade quickly and simply without theneed for tools.Farleygreene’s new expander sleeveallowed the operator to remove andreplace the sleeve with one swiftcompressive action, by hand. The sleeveis flexible, takes up misalignment, andallows operators to see product flowing.Being a perfect double seal, the sleeve isresistant to leakage and will withstandextremes of pressure and is evenexplosion proof. Compared to the oldfashioned clamped sleeves, there are hugeadvantages.The whole system is also simple toclean, as all components can be totallydismantled without tools down to thebasic components. The vacuum hopperloader is retained via band clamps andtri-clover fittings, the machine having thefacility to effortlessly raise the dust hoodaway from the sieving machine to allowtotal access to the sieving components.With no heavy or bulky components tomanoeuvre when cleaning down, theprocedure can be carried out with theminimum of effort and fuss. In addition to safety and security, theimportance of meeting exact quantitiescannot be overestimated. Because of thediverse manner in which spices and otheringredients are harvested, for example,there are obvious issues for suppliers ofthese imported products who need to becertain they are 100% free fromunwanted material or to the correctquality control specification required.Very basic sieving of the products hasSet to succeedThe challenge formanufacturers isensuring accuracywithout sacrificingspeedPHOTO: FAIRFIELDS FARM CRISPSSieves and separatorsare changing to meetconsumer demands fordelicate, naturalingredients alongsidetotal product integrity36-37:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:57 Page 1SIEVES AND SEPARATORSwww.fdiforum.net37always been carried out in these instances but the slowhand methods used can create an enormous bottleneckand ensures huge delays to production output –certainly not something that is useful in the currentclimate. Hence the introduction of bespoke sieving andvacuum transfer combination systems that can offeradditional capacity. Differing products and differingfinal product requirements can be dealt with viaadditional sieves to grade products into size fractions.It’s of vital importance for manufacturers to ensureproducts can’t be contaminated and therefore the newbreed of sieves pay particular attention to removingpotential flashpoints. Often they are now incorporatedalongside a magnetic separator which can identify andremove ferrous items that would lead to a productrecall. Incorporating the sieves and separators into theproduction line, as Farleygreene do with theirhardware, ensure this happens without slowing downthe production process – vital in an industry wherespeed is of the essence.The latest sieves and separators banish at last one ofthe few parts of the production process that is stillcarried out by hand, and ensure safety isn’t sacrificedin the need for speed.The new breed of sieves and separators from Farleygreene are ensuring that quality can still bemaintained without slowing down production to inappropriately slow levels36-37:Layout 1 17/9/12 09:57 Page 2cardeaUNLOCKING NATURE‘S POTENTIAL™ǸȃȣȨȽȽɄɨǸɜȨɄȽȇȨпȐɑɕѱWith a vibrant and special shade, they truly stand out. Sensient’s food colours enhance the unique character of your food and beverage products and add value to your brand. With our latest innovation of exclusively natural colouring foods, CardeaTM, Sensient unlocks nature’s potential supporting your specific needs.We offer the leading global natural colours and colouring foods portfolio, process and application expertise, regulatory insight and local presence – let’s create together.Contact us to make your ideas a colourful success Sensient Food Colors Europe Tel. +49 4152 8000-0 Sfc-eu@sensient.com www.sensient-fce.comSensient Food Colors is a business unit of Sensient Technologies Corporation.The Colour of Innovation38-43:Layout 1 17/9/12 10:04 Page 1INGREDIENTS SPOTLIGHTwww.fdiforum.net39With consumer demand for new tastesand the need to offer healthyalternatives to traditional food anddrink, we take a look at ingredientsinnovationThe taste of a product is often what influencesrepeat purchases and a product’s success overall.These days there is a myriad of options availablefor those who want to replicate tastes withoutcompromising health benefits. In addition to this, replacingingredients with effective versions or suitable alternativescan make a real difference to costs, meaning the most valuecan be squeezed from products.A recent example of this is a chemical firm revealing apowder derived from cake ingredients that could be used tohelp those watching their weight.Methyl cellulose, traditionally used as an emulsifier incakes, has been revealed as helping those who were given asample of the food additive to reduce calorie consumptionin their next meal by around 13% during clinical trials. Stillin the approval stages by the UK Food Standards Agency,by the end of 2012 it could be appearing in yoghurts,smoothies, ice creams or soups, aimed at slimming Britons.The ingredient helps to form a gel in the stomach, thusreducing appetite.Similarly a new product has been developed to help theincreasing demands placed on the foodservice and coffeeshop market when it comes to bakery items and donuts inparticular. Often displayed out of packaging, a newingredient has been launched that keeps donuts fresher forGinger is fast becoming a ‘must-have’flavouring ingredient PHOTO: DOEHLERThe rise in organic ingredientsbeing used reflects theinterest in healthy snack foodand drink as showcased atesoteric shows such as Lunch!The baseelements40 The baseelements38-43:Layout 1 17/9/12 10:04 Page 2Next >