< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net NATIONAL FLEXIBLE Q&A There is a lot of conflicting information from the media about plastic packaging, how can food manufacturers and supermarkets decide on their best plan of action? First of all, it has to be said that many food manufacturers and supermarkets are extremely knowledgeable about packaging and have a clear idea of what they want from their packed product. In 2015, virtually all the major companies signed up to the Courtauld agreement which focussed on reducing food and packaging waste by 20% by 2020! Plastic packaging is by far the most effective material for achieving these objectives as it can be flexible or rigid, it is moisture proof and it can be used in various combinations to increase the barrier to extend the shelf life of many foods, from bakery products to fish, meat and cheese. It is low cost, has an impressive seal strength and is many times lighter than alternative packaging materials, such as glass, aluminium, board or paper. If that is the case, why is there such an anti-plastic lobby, not just in the UK and Europe, but all over the world. The consequent popularity of plastic packaging, due to its inherent versatility, has resulted in it being a victim of its own success. Being so lightweight and low-cost relative to the alternative materials, there has been no investment in its collection for recycling, unlike aluminium, glass, paper, board, etc. There is virtually no bulk secondary market for the recycling material, certainly not for food use, and whilst polyester and HDPE bottles are widely recycled, flexible film from food packaging can contain contamination from food. It has probably been printed or had a specialist coating, making secondary use suitable only for lower quality bulk plastic products, such as water pipes, guttering, garden furniture, etc. Does this suggest that single use plastic packaging can be recycled at the end of its ‘useful life’? The term ‘single use plastic’ has come into use only over the last 2 to 3 years and in my opinion, is totally misleading. The naphtha from which plastic is made comes from the same barrel of oil as petrol, diesel, aero fuel, etc. It is just 3 - 4% of the barrel; the remaining 96/97% are consumed as energy in some shape or form. But, I have yet to hear anyone talk of ‘single use petrol’ or ‘single use diesel’. Everyone fills their cars and accepts that the fuel consumed has gone forever. So, why in these circumstances do critics consider incinerating plastics, particularly plastic packaging, as fuel in combined heat and power plants as a wasted resource? All plastic film can be mechanically or chemically recycled, some quite easily, such as PE and PET. Others, such as laminates and coated film are much more challenging, albeit, pyrolysis can be used as chemical recycling to produce higher grade oil. There are limited financial and environmental benefits in mechanically recycling some plastics. Does that mean that you don’t support the adoption of environmental films, such as compostable, biodegradable, or even recyclable as replacements for standard plastic films? Not at all! We have a very large segment of our business which specialises in the sourcing and supply of alternative films, including both compostable and biodegradable. Within this portfolio, we also have a recyclable Mono PE, which replaces OPP on such applications as flowrap and FFS, as well as an easily recycled PE laminate which is being used to replace more complex polymer-based pouches and film on the reel. Equally interesting is the BDP (Break down plastic) film being trialled by one supermarket as a solution to Q&A Barry Twigg, Executive Chairman, National Flexible We recently spoke with Barry Twigg, Executive Chairman of National Flexible, the UK’s largest distributor of polypropylene, laminates and special films, to discuss the controversial topic of plastic packaging. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:52 Page 1Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net NATIONAL FLEXIBLE Q&A films which may be landfilled or subject to anaerobic digestion as it has an additive which shortens the biodegradation rate to less than 5 years. The problem with all these alternatives is that despite what the public is told, they do not solve the problem of litter, or on a wider scale, of dumping plastic waste in the world’s oceans, a common practice in China, Indonesia, India and Vietnam. These countries contribute over 80% of the 9 million tonnes dumped, meanwhile, compostable and biodegradable plastics will not just ‘disappear’ if thrown as litter and certainly cannot be recycled. As a converter / distributor, we do not manufacture plastic, so we have no hidden agenda on being pro or anti plastic. We can supply our customers with whatever they wish, plastic or plastic free. We just feel it is important they know the true facts before they make that decision. Do you think there will be any adverse financial implications due to the ‘War on Plastic’? In my opinion, the industry and the politicians have yet to realise the enormity of the costs involved as a consequence of the negative approach taken to plastic packaging. Take for example plastic recovery notes (PR’s). These need to be purchased by contributors to the supply chain, in order to demonstrate they have disposed of their plastic waste within the guidelines issued by the Producer Responsibility Obligations (packaging waste). The current percentages are: Raw material supplier 6% Packaging convertor 8% Food Producer 37% Retailer 48% In 2018, nearly 1 million PRN’s were ‘bought’ by these organisations. In January 2019, a PRN cost £84. By July / August 2019, a PRN cost £635!!! An increase of over 700% in 6 months. At this level, the industry would spend circa £650 million in one year on proof of recycling. This forces the food producers and retailers to switch to alternative packaging materials, all of which use more of the Earth’s resources and produce more carbon emissions in manufacturing. This adds to global warming, they are heavier so add to packaging waste, they are not as versatile as plastic so add to food waste and finally and are all higher cost. The Government then proposes to introduce a plastics tax, to encourage recycling, adding further to the problem – quite frankly, you could not find a more effective way of circumventing the Courtauld agreement, whilst adding to Global warming and climate change. So, you fear for the future of National Flexible? Not at all - just the reverse. As indicated earlier our business is as a technically based distributor. Thus we can and do source and supply whatever our customers need. We have a unique stock proposition, which guarantees 100% delivery of every order, on time, in full, within 2 to 3 days or we rebate 20% of the order value. Our Academy presentation continues to help guide our customers to the best choice of packaging materials for each and every application, whilst our customer Print & Film Technical workshops do a similar role in educating our customers’ staff on the latest film and print technology. These initiatives have been very, very popular, with over 60 companies having an Academy presentation, over 100 companies a technical workshop, with over one thousand customer delegates attending. These initiatives not only help guide our customers through the current confusing political situation, but also focus on the latest materials available to by-pass some of the more ‘taxing’ situations (no pun intended). To find out more, visit www.nationalflexible.co.uk, email carol@nationalflexible.net, or call +44(0) 1274 685566. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:52 Page 222 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION To keep up with demand, speed up the supply chain, and maintain high product quality, warehousing and distribution are seeing deeper integration of smart technologies, from sensors to robotics. I n food warehousing and distribution, perhaps more so than in any other industry, it is essential that products are stored and transported with care and consideration. Failure to properly organise and put thought into these aspects can lead to incidents that will affect the bottom line, reputation and operations, for instance food spoilage, waste and potential consumer illnesses. As we know, temperature must be controlled precisely, products rotated properly, thorough sanitation procedures adopted, pests controlled, and cross-contamination prevented. With increasing public desire for freshness, premium products, and perishable goods, driven by health- conscious consumers, the need for tighter control over temperature- controlled logistics to manage sensitive goods is evident. Investment in controlled temperature technology is increasing to keep these products, which require constant and precise temperatures, in prime condition, ensure their safe delivery and respond to regulations on the food industry. One of the biggest challenges for maintaining temperature integrity comes during the transportation of goods where, historically, the monitoring of products and their environment to ensure food safety, prevent threatening pathogens and avoid spoilage has been a challenge. While data loggers have been used, producing data that requires manual processing, they present a retrospective perspective and any problems in temperature and environment that products faced have already transpired and in some cases Smartening up 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:56 Page 1Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION NewCold brings Innovative Solution to the Cold Chain NewCold, the deep- frozen storage and logistics specialists, has recently introduced a fully-automated handling solution which, it says, sets new standards in maintaining temperature integrity and efficiency in the cold chain. Designed in close partnership with Gray and Adams and produced at the trailer builder’s Doncaster manufacturing facility, the aptly-named ‘Pod’ draws on the latest automated loading technology and according to NewCold is a first for the UK. The Pod’s key function is to bridge the gap between the deep-frozen production or storage environment and NewCold’s auto-loading 44-pallet double-deck trailers – also designed and manufactured by Gray and Adams. Initial loading into the Pod is completed in around 5 minutes, with the whole cycle taking less than 30 minutes. Meanwhile, 3 x Carrier TRS refrigeration systems hold the temperature at a constant minus 25 degrees and being electric, keep harmful emissions to a minimum. For more information, visit www.newcold.com. the product could have even been sold. Now, however, with wireless technology, RFID, digitalisation, the Internet of Things (IoT) and its sensors, food firms and drivers can vigilantly trace and monitor trucks, containers, trailers, and the condition of goods, to ensure that they are in optimum condition when reaching a consumer or retailer. The data one collects from this tech also allows the remaining shelf life of products throughout their journey to be determined and by keeping note of storage conditions, one can adhere to legislation and food regulations as well as a societal demand and food producers’ desire for improved food © Shutterstock/ Travel mania 24 Á 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:56 Page 224 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION traceability across the supply chain. Wireless monitoring solutions and sensors are able to provide real time status updates and give warnings of environmental variations that pass acceptable boundaries, on everything from humidity and temperature to light exposure, that could be damaging, boosting visibility of the supply chain and ensuring high levels of food safety on the road. These advancements are seeing the trailer become not just a container on wheels but an advanced, responsive, digital tool capable of presenting useful real time data, and beneficially, according to a report from the World Economic Forum, implementing sensor technology in the food supply chain for boosted traceability could reduce food waste from 5 to 7%. The use of wireless monitoring and IoT extends into the warehouse where, while useful for monitoring conditions in general, the technology can also be used to protect against incidents like power cuts and fridge failures. Offering earlier notification of concerns, problems can be rectified sooner, preventing catastrophic losses and waste. With IoT sensors and RFID tags around the warehouse and on goods, one can monitor the movement of products in and out of a warehouse. Constant real-time details on an item’s status and position are relayed, allowing for improved visibility and stock accuracy, and sensors are capable of ordering stock when it is low. This tracking can also be utilised to discover patterns and demand trends, enabling warehouse users to be more proactive regarding stock held in the future, and can help prevent incidents like overstocking. Linked to the supply chain, an IoT enabled warehouse allows companies to store and order what is needed. With companies placing precise product orders, food manufacturers can create only what is required, decreasing waste. Despite the potential benefits, connecting warehouse operations and equipment to the IoT has been prevented by concerns over security. Fortunately, new technologies are in development to boost the safety of employing IoT sensors, for example microchips that enable more efficient encryption. New and improved warehouse management systems (WMS), are also essential for maintaining accurate knowledge of inventory as well as in dealing with compliance regulations and changing supply chain requirements. Interest in WMSs has come as managers look to optimise capacity and boost efficiency of warehouses as well as reduce human error with a system that can program paths used in picking. WMSs have also proven to be beneficial in optimising warehouse layout - learning where goods should be stored for ultimate efficiency and to avoid unnecessary movement and travel times. Further, WMS programmes can organise how pallets are loaded and built based on factors such as expiration date, and direct product movement from entrance to departure. To keep up with today’s food supply chain, widespread automation has made its way into warehousing and distribution. In the warehouse - though the idea of full automation is not yet feasible, with high costs, technology still developing and the need for a different type of workforce - many forms of automated and autonomous technology have been integrated. Robot pickers for instance, in an IoT enabled warehouse, can receive orders, locate items and communicate with smart shelves to find exactly where an item is and retrieve it efficiently. Meanwhile Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems, such as cranes or shuttles navigating fixed tracks, can retrieve goods at heights potentially over 120ft safely and can automatically load pallets. Automated Guided Vehicles and carts transporting inventory can streamline replenishment, working in a variety of ways from following magnetic strips to using infrared and camera vision to manoeuvre semi-autonomously. Robot arms are another useful piece of automation technology, for de- palletising and palletising as well as picking and packing while automation also extends to loading for delivery. In addition, automated loading technology is setting new standards for maintaining temperature integrity and efficiency, in the cold chain in particular. While pods close the gap between storage or production and trailers, goods are able to leave the production line, be automatically loaded into the pod of the same temperature and then automatically moved into a trailer docked to the pod. This automated movement keeps products in a consistent set temperature, and prevents a product being exposed to the environment or staff. This slashes chance of product damage and guarantees temperature integrity. Overall these robots and forms of automation enable quicker movement of goods and can process more items than humans. Shortening turnaround times, they also reduce human workload, redistributing efforts 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:56 Page 3Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net Contact: Jon Miles +44 7740 924 695 E: jon.miles@newcold.com www.newcold.com NewCold Wakefield. World-class, energy-efficient deep frozen warehousing and distribution Over 4million cubic metres, with 143,000 pallet-capacity at a constant minus 23 degrees Compelling transport offer utilising Euro V1 tractors and a variety of trailers including Standard, Double Deck and Automated trailers, for optimum flexibility Integrated, collaborative, logistics solutions offering improved product, security, safety and quality from the production line to delivery Sustainable supply-chain planning. Working with customers to add value, through innovative thinking and a genuine partnership approach to finding improvements A culture and a team, focused on service and supporting our customers to achieve their goals ADVANCED COLD LOGISTICS NewCold’s unique 60-pallet pre-cooled POD. Bridging the gap between deep-frozen production and storage to their auto-loading 44-pallet double-deck trailers in a 30-minute loading cycle INTEGRATED SERVICE PROVISION THROUGHOUT THE COLD CHAIN The UK’s biggest deep-freeze: 3,000,000 pallets annually 100% auto-handling at minus 23 degrees, for complete temperature integrity in the cold chain from time consuming repetitive tasks, and minimise chance of human injury and error. Drones are also flying into warehouses integrating automation for inventory and asset management as stock gets stored higher and higher to make full use of costly floor space. This rids the need to spend hours of labour using ladders and forklifts to reach barcodes for this task. A further hot topic in warehousing and distribution is sustainability, with the desire to reduce energy consumption and cut emissions. Lighting is being replaced with efficient LED alternatives that reduce power usage, while smart warehouses are using monitors and energy management systems to regulate power usage to become more energy efficient. Further, as operating a high-tech warehouse uses a lot of power, owners are asking for solar panels to assist in offsetting utility cost, which is particularly beneficial as electricity costs rise. Meanwhile, solar powered energy generation solutions are being used across food distribution vehicles. Electric vehicles are also being implemented, such as electric forklifts, eliminating the requirement for oil and gas by using lithium-ion batteries. © Shutterstock/ Halfpoint WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:56 Page 426 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING AND TRACEABILITY Consumer focus on health, ingredients and additives has left the labelling industry with a lot of information to fit into relatively small spaces. Consumers have become far more conscious and scrutinising in the last decade, and labels have struggled to keep up with the plethora of information they demand, let alone what is required by law. As packaging attempts to move towards more streamlined designs, often with as little space covered by labels as possible, the problem is only exacerbated. Considering the large quantities of finished products that go through a manufacturing facility in any given day, there is also a necessity for a flawless and efficiency system that can work with batches of well over 10,000 individual products. All of this must be done with minimal downtime, efficient energy usage and unparalleled accuracy. In terms of design and aesthetics, labelling has improved in recent years, with many now tying functionality and appearance together. The abundance of products such as in the ready meals sector, for example, mean that labelling must be applied in a manner which does not obfuscate the product itself. In years past, this might have been a problem, but now companies turn towards labelling on sleeves and cartons with positive effect. As ever, the labelling industry is tied inherently with packaging itself and must adapt to the changes that happen within that sector. The difficulty, of course, comes from maintaining an efficient and flexible system that can be changed at any time to account for variances in product. When it comes to the labels themselves, human error remains one of the key points for mistakes, not only in terms of a person stamping or applying a label to a product, but also monitoring the information that goes on the labels in the first place. Software systems often come as part and parcel of the system, and while these can often accurately measure, weigh and determine correct information on labels, it is still important that these be checked and monitored by operators on a day-by-day basis. It is often best to look for a software system that can be Clear and concise 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:58 Page 1Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING AND TRACEABILITY integrated with other checking system at the same time as the labelling one, allowing it to label the product accurately based on the results it receives from weighing machines or vision detection systems. In that regard talking to professional systems specialists is always preferred as they might be able to save a company investment by pointing out how they can combine and adapt packages to cover different aspects at the same time. Labelling is often tied in with traceability, something that has become all but essential of late and seems to be generating even more focus due to media attention on food contamination and scandals. In many cases companies have taken an almost laissez-faire Direct part marking on food production equipment Universal Marking Systems (UMS) manufacture a range of low cost, easy- to-use permanent marking systems for marking a wide range of metal food processing equipment, utensils and conveyors. Part numbers, serial numbers, data matrix, datamatrix and high-quality logos can be marked in seconds. Mark directly onto the metal surface with a high contrast black mark ideal for stainless steel and other metals. For nameplates, mark both the nameplate layout and variable data directly onto the component all in one operation. It doesn’t deform the surface of the metal and eliminates potential contamination that you may get with riveted nameplates. The equipment has a small foot print and can easily be taken to mark large items in situ on a production line. UMS have over 55 years of experience in the field of part marking and provide comprehensive after sales support. For more information, visit www.ums.co.uk. How smart labels can increase traceability of food and drink products The term ‘smart labelling’ is used as an umbrella term for any labelling or coding that uses technology to add functionality and data beyond a traditional simple barcode, for example data embedded barcodes, RFID, and QR codes. A smart label offers a vastly increased capacity for data, for example a QR code can store over 7,000 characters compared to just 20 characters for the humble barcode. This can be used to add more information to food and drink products such as product provenance and every step of the food’s journey, allowing suppliers, packagers and consumers to trace food from ‘farm to fork’. This not only improves food traceability, increasing food safety, it also gives packagers another platform to advertise the product to the consumer by displaying further information about the food. For example, smart labels can be used to measure the freshness of the product and when this is used in conjunction with tracking the product down the supply chain it is easy to see where the inefficiencies are that cause products to spoil. This information can be used to optimise these processes which is of vital importance as currently one third of all food produced is wasted, which is becomingly increasingly unpalatable for environmentally conscious consumers. Clearmark has wrote extensively on smart labelling in its free downloadable ‘Blockchain Guide and Data Embedded Barcode Guide’ and is happy to offer expert advice on any smart labelling application. For more information, visit www.interactivecoding.co.uk. 28 Á © Shutterstock/ Song_about_summer 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:58 Page 228 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING AND TRACEABILITY Labfacility offer comprehensive range of hand-held temperature probes Comprising of a handle, 2 metre coiled cable and mini plug, Labfacility’s hand- held temperature probes are suitable for use in corrosive material tests and high temperature molten metal measurements. Labfacility offers a comprehensive selection of hand-held temperature probes, including: • General Purpose Probe • Spring Loaded Thermocouple with Copper Disc Tip • Stainless Steel Air Probes • Right Angled Probe • Ceramic Tip and Coiled Element • Right Angled Probe and Copper Disc Tip • Needle Probe T-shaped • Moving Air Probe • Surface Probe • Penetration Probes • Pipe Clamp Probe The probes are manufactured by Labfacility at its 12,000 square foot plant in Dinnington, South Yorkshire and are available for immediate despatch. For more information, visit www.labfacility.com. approach to traceability, trusting in their labels to highlight where a product came from so that they can track any issues. This approach may suit for internal needs in the company but is almost certain to fall short of what customers demand should a product recall occur on their shelves. In many cases the largest and most powerful supermarkets will demand answers within twenty-four hours, perhaps even less – which is going to necessitate a much more robust system. While it’s true that labelling and traceability will always go hand in hand, it is therefore important to remember that neither is a solution unto another and that investment may be necessary into additional safeguards. The issue of traceability should be considered as its own matter, often tied into additional systems such as vision, inspection and quality assurance. A centralised (or at least remotely operable) software system will likely also need to be in place, particularly to isolate and identify where a fault occurred and what products were delivered to where. This can help prevent costly recalls that might cover multiple customers, useful when it might only be one or two who actually run the risk of contaminated food products. Traceability systems can be a daunting prospect for many, often treated like insurance or breakdown cover in our normal lives in that the benefit is not seen until something goes wrong. The world has become increasingly litigious of late, however, and the media has been quick to pounce on negative stories and food scares, so a fats response from an efficient system can help to minimise brand damage. Sometimes this can be through quick identification and recall, others by finding out that the issue took place in another facility and might not have been the fault of the manufacturer at all. Consumer attention can be short, however, so failing to provide a satisfactory answer quickly can mean people only remember the initial storm of negative publicity. Automating the process is preferred 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:58 Page 3Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING AND TRACEABILITY Fapas ® marks 30 years supporting food and beverage with new testing programme Fapas®, the proficiency testing arm of Fera, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020 – and has introduced a new range of proficiency tests, which will be available in this landmark year. The international food and beverage sector will be supported in its efforts to increase safety for consumers thanks to the new tests, which have been developed to meet the specific requirements from testing laboratories and reflect changes in food and beverage processing and consumer demand. Fapas® has strengthened its offering to the meat industry to help laboratories detect the presence of growth hormones in beef products by introducing a new test for testosterone and oestradiol in bovine blood serum and nandrolone and ethinylestradiol in bovine urine to ensure that laboratories testing for the presence of these hormones can accurately measure the levels. This helps ensure producers are complying with relevant legislation for veterinary medicines, providing confidence to customers that unsafe product should not reach the market. Fapas® is supporting the seafood industry in its efforts to increase safety for consumers, by introducing a proficiency test for cadmium, lead and mercury in bivalve molluscs. Heavy metals may bio-accumulate in bivalve molluscs and exceed the maximum levels permitted by legislation. Mark Sykes, senior scientific advisor of proficiency testing for Fapas®, said: “The challenges for the food and beverage industry seem to grow and become more complex year-on-year. But, whatever the challenges the food and beverage industry faces, Fapas® can help to ensure that analytical testing is accurate and fit for purpose.” Full details on the test available can be found here: www.proficiencytesting.fapas.com/proficiency-testing. You can also email info@fapas.com, or call +44 (0)300 100 0325. wherever possible however, even when dealing with relatively low levels of throughput in a factory. Automation not only increases speed in terms of units processed, but also offers reliability in terms of where and how the label is applied, how correct the information is, and how quickly a labelling system can be changes to account for a different product line. But as said, that might not be an option for some companies – especially those who have just experienced an increase in demand but might not have the capital to throw at a fully automated production line. This is a problem faced by many, particularly in the artisan sector if they suddenly gain a contract from a major distributor and see their demand increased tenfold in just a few months. For companies like this, an offline system might be more applicable, in which products are taken to a labelling machine that is not part of an automated system. These can still label products at rates comparable to larger machines, and much faster than anyone could by hand, but are also a good middle ground between the cost and efficiency of a larger production line. © Shutterstock/ rtem 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 23/09/2019 10:58 Page 4Next >