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ndustry 4.0 is coming to a food manufacturer near you. According to the experts, three of which are featured in this issue, this fourth industrial revolution harnesses the power of data to make manufacturing more efficient, precise and safer. It will do this by grafting the digital on to the mechanical. Information gathered from machines will empower food makers. It will let them optimise the functions of these machines and make it easier to do things like maintenance, re-order packaging stock or order preparation. As with all revolutions, these changes are not optional. When they come, businesses will have two choices – jump on board or miss out. Back in the 1960s, some people thought hemp and its various derivatives would have something to do with revolutions. Of course, that didn’t work out and drugs played no role in political change. But it turns out that hemp is not just a drug. As featured in this issue, it is actually a very versatile and useful plant. Not only does it have medical applications, but it can also be used to make building products and can even be used in a range of foods as an additive. The hemp used in food contains little or no
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC), the psychoactive component associated with cannabis. Therefore, it produces no high when consumed. What’s more, according to advocates, foods made with hemp provide a range of health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing inflammation and more. In March, Food Standard Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) approved low-THC hemp seed products to be used as a food. Now, providing state and territory governments also give their approval, food makers will be free to start making a range of hemp-enhanced products. Also in this issue, we examine the rising fortunes of the Australian wine industry. Last year was a bumper year for the sector with impressive growth, particularly in exports to China. This news is particularly satisfying given the preceding decade or so of disappointments for the industry. We take a close look at who is buying our wine, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the industry, and what wine makers need to do to consolidate on the good results. Matthew McDonald, Editor
INSIDE 16
12
24
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6 MARKET WATCH
16 FOOD SAFETY
28 AUTOMATION
8 TRADE & EXPORTS
22 FOOD REGULATIONS
10 N ATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK
24 COMPANY PROFILE
34 F OOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AWARDS
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12 EFFICIENCY & DOWNTIME
26 FOODPRO 2017
35 NEW PRODUCTS
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 5
MARKET WATCH
Mergers & Acquisitions C orporate activity in the food and beverage industry was unexpectedly high in February and March 2017 with a number of transactions announced during this period.
Acquisitions announced Date
Target Name
Acquirer
Sector
Deal Value
31 Dec 16
Food Source International
Murray River Organics
Health & natural
$5.6 million
31 Dec 16
Australian Organics Holdings
Murray River Organics
Health & natural
$12.5 million
Allied Mills
Pacific Equity Partners
Flour & milling
~$317 million
Feb 17
Healthy Life
Allegro Funds
Health food retail
Undisclosed
1 Feb 17
Consolidated Manufacturing Enterprises
Real Pet Food Company
6 Feb 17
Portavin
San Miguel Corporation
Bottling
Undisclosed
16 Feb 17
Bombay Petfoods
Real Pet Foods Company
Pet food
Undisclosed
27 Feb 17
Jubilee Almond Orchads
Select Harvests
Almonds
$26.5 million
28 Feb 17
Power Foods International
Freedom Foods Group
Sports nutrition
$20 million
17 Mar 17
Kadac
New Development Corporation
Health food wholesale
Undisclosed
31 Jan 17
Pet food
Undisclosed
The standout transaction in the quarter was the acquisition of Allied Mills by Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) from Graincorp and Cargill Australia. The proposed strategy is to integrate Allied Mills with the Pinnacle bakery business that PEP acquired in March 2015. PEP has been an active acquirer in the bakery industry over the past 12 months with several bolt-on acquisitions concluded for the Pinnacle business.
The organic and health food sectors were active with the acquisition of wholesale distributors Australian Organics (Pacific Organics) and Kadac by Murray River Organics and New Development Corporation respectively. Health food chain Healthy Life was also acquired by Allegro Funds. The two deals in the pet food sector were both concluded by Real Pet Food Company. Real Pet Food Company acquired New Zealand-based Bombay Petfoods and pet food manufacturer Consolidated Manufacturing Enterprises. These two acquisition are in addition to the two domestic and one international acquisition concluded by Real Pet Food Company in 2016.
Listings on the ASX Date
Entity name
Capital raised
Issue price
30 Jan 17
Murray Cod Australia
$10 million
$0.05
28 Feb 17
Tianmei Beverage Group
$10 million
$0.20
9 Mar 17
Jiajiafu Modern Agriculture
$5 million
$0.30
15 Mar 17
Wattle Health Australia
$8 million
$0.20
Four food and beverage companies listed on the ASX over the two-month period. Three of the four companies that listed on the ASX have a strong customer focus on the Chinese market. Deal activity in the first three months of 2017 has started strongly. The food and beverage sector remains highly attractive for investors looking to tap into consumer spend in Australia and Asia.
Ben van der Westhuizen (left) and David Baveystock are directors of Comet Line Consulting, an advisory business that specialises in acquisitions and divestments within the Australian food & beverage industry. For more information visit www.cometlineconsulting.com.au.
Commodity Outlook GRAINS & OILSEEDS – Throughout the rest of 2017, Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat prices are expected to rise modestly.
BEEF – Over the next couple of months, the results of the rebuilding of the sector in the Southern states will become more apparent.
DAIRY - Export-orientated milk prices are forecast to gradually increase in 2017/18.
SHEEPMEAT – Lagging export unit values, combined with falling beef prices may limit possible price increases in this sector.
SUGAR – There is a high likelihood of price volatility in global sugar markets in April. WINE – 2017 is expected to again be a good year. The challenges in the UK associated with Brexit are likely to continue, but demand from China should remain strong. HORTICULTURE – The fruit and vegetable markets are still dealing with unfavourable weather, while nut production climbs.
6 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
FERTILISER – The global price rally may be nearing its peak. FX - The AUD/USD rate will likely fall over the next 12 months. Source: Rabobank’s Agribusiness Monthly, March 2017.
LFP Inox: THE CLEAN SOLUTION FOR LEVEL MEASUREMENT
Lowering costs and offering new ideas: The hygienic LFP Inox level sensor is opening up new horizons in the food, pharmaceuticals, and packaging industries. According to the principle of guided radar, the LFP Inox functions almost independently of the properties associated with the liquid to be measured. The intelligent assembly concept offers maximum flexibility. The LFP Inox comes with a high enclosure rating of IP 69K and fulfills the requirements specified in current hygiene certification such as that provided by EHEDG. Reliable. Hygienic. Flexible. We think that‘s intelligent. For more information please visit www.sick.com.au/LFPInox or call 1800 334 802 (Tollfree).
TRADE & EXPORTS
Consolidating on a stellar year The year 2016 was a great one for Australian wine exports. Matthew McDonald takes a look at what was behind this success and what exporters need to do to keep the wine flowing.
B
eginning in the mid 2000s, the Australian wine industry entered a difficult period. The combination of low grape prices and the entry of a lot of new producers resulted in a grape oversupply and poor export results. But last year things turned around. “There’s definitely a strong degree of positive news that’s coming through for the wine sector, especially compared to what’s happened in the last 10 years or so,” Andreas Clark, CEO of Wine Australia told Food & Beverage Industry News. According to Wine Australia, in 2016 the value of Australian wine exports grew by 7 per cent to $2.22 billion and volume increased by 1 per cent to 750 million litres. In addition, the average value of exports grew by 6 per cent to $2.96 per litre, the highest level since 2009. The strongest growth came from the most expensive wines - those priced $10 per litre or above free on board (FOB) - which were up 19 per cent to a record $574 million. So who is buying all this wine?
China is buying more and more of it. Exports to the nation were up 40 per cent to $520 million in 2016. “China’s now our number one market by value overall. It surpassed the US during the course of last year,” said Clark. Of course, he added, there were exports to other countries too. “We have seen strong growth in other parts of Asia as well. Free trade agreements have given a bit of a boost into markets like Japan and Korea, and other parts of South East Asia as well have had some strong growth,” he said. The results in traditional markets, the US and the UK, were mixed. “The US has been hard for many years but we returned to 3 per cent growth there last year,” said Clark. “So we’re starting to get some traction back there, but it’s a hard market and there’s a long way to go. We starting to see a lot of the media commentary coming through that’s a lot more favourable and talking up the Australian offer so that’s really good.” The result in the UK was less
8 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
positive. While it remains the number one European destination for Australian exports by volume, in 2016, the value of exports to the UK declined by 5 per cent to $355 million while volume dropped by 5 per cent to 236 million litres. According to Clark, the “headwind of Brexit” affected this result. “…that’s taken a hit in the short term. Long term, hopefully that will all wash through and we can return to some normalised trading there. But when you’re an exporter you’ve got to deal with the vagaries of the global economy,” he said.
“People like the flavour of Shiraz but it’s had a bit of adverse publicity over the past few years so you need to come at that from different ways to make sure you’re meeting consumer need. “On the other hand Shiraz is very popular in China, so it’s a matter of understanding what’s happening in the market and meeting the needs of the market appropriately. “It’s taste or just consumer preferences. It can be a combination of taste and how you present the wine as well.”
Varieties
According to Clark, there are a number of factors behind the success in China. “Fundamentally Australia’s well positioned as a food and beverage provider,” he said. “Our products are held in high regard. There’s a strong reputation for our ‘clean and green’ credentials. “They like the taste profile of Australian wine and the free trade agreement has certainly given that some impetus.”
As the accompanying graphic illustrates, in 2016 export success was varied among the wine varieties. “We’ve had difficulties with Shiraz in the US recently. People are looking at other opportunities there such as Cabernet or Chardonnay which are strong... or looking at red blends: not so much a varietal descriptor but the red blend category has been strong in the US recently,” said Clark.
China
TRADE & EXPORTS
Tariffs on Australian wine imports to China, which were as high as 14 per cent, are now down to 5.6 per cent and will be removed completely in a few years. The rise and expansion of China’s middle class is also crucial. Indeed, when metrics like population size and current per capita consumption of alcohol are considered, the potential for growth in wine exports to the world’s most populous country is huge. Clark chooses not to get carried away with the possibilities. “Some exporters have had great success there, some have found the market challenging and haven’t got any traction,” he said. “There is a strong growth story there. It’s exciting and all the fundamentals indicate it should continue to occur, but it’s not a uniform golden outcome for all. “You can’t have all your eggs in the China basket. We need to cultivate other key markets as well and support them because in the long run that will put us in a much healthier and more sustainable position. “At the same time it is a hard market to do business in. You have to get regularly into the market to
understand their routes to market and partners and understand their brand proposition so they can have success there.”
What now? Clark often returned to this theme of the continued need for hard work. If Australian wine makers want to take full advantage of the current success, he stressed, they can’t afford to slacken off now. “What we need to consistently do is be out there working the shoe leather and putting those messages into the market,” he said. “Others have got a bit of a head start on us in recent years or jumped ahead of us and we’ve got to give them a compelling reason to come back to Australian wine if they’ve deserted it in previous years.” Keeping up such efforts can be difficult, especially for smaller players. The Australian wine industry is quite fragmented and has a lot of small producers, so the situation is not ideal. However, as Clark pointed out, this diversity is also a strength. “What that large spread of
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producers provides is a real interest and diversity to the Australian offering. It’s not monolithic,” he said. “We have 65 wine regions and a wide range varieties and styles.” “Once people start unravelling that
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Industrial Water Analysers and Liquid Analytical Products (pH, Conductivity, ORP, Dissolved Oxygen, etc) www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 9
NATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK
NMW: delivering the Industry 4.0 revolution for food makers N
ational Manufacturing Week (NMW), running from 9-12 May at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is themed ‘Delivering the Industry 4.0 Revolution’. For Australia’s food and beverage manufacturers, this free event will feature five critical areas facing the sector: Industry Capability Development, Product and Service Innovation, Technology Innovation, Process Improvement and Sustainable Manufacturing. CSIRO Manufacturing Director Dr Keith McLean, the
Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Managing Director Dr Jens Goennemann, Innovative Manufacturing CRC Chief Executive Officer David Chuter and the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council Chairman John Pollaers are all confirmed as 2017 speakers. Eleven specialist Product Zones will apply these categories to specific subsections of the manufacturing industry, which are Advanced Materials, Air Technology, Automation and Robotics, Digital Manufacturing, Electrical, Engineering, Process Control and
For Australia's food and beverage makers, this free-to-attend event will feature five critical areas facing the manufacturing sector: Industry Capability Development, Product and Service Innovation, Technology Innovation, Process Improvement and Sustainable Manufacturing.
Instrumentation, Research and Development, Safety, Supply Chain Logistics and Welding Technology. Live demonstrations of the latest technologies and products are scheduled to run each day on the exhibition floor, which will feature more than 200 exhibiting companies from around the world. “National Manufacturing Week is Australia’s only fully integrated annual manufacturing exhibition, and provides an unrivalled opportunity for delegates to network, collaborate and learn from one another,” said 2017 event director Robby Clark.
“The 2017 theme and subsequent programming offers attendees the latest expert opinion on the future of ways in which people will work, advances in new technologies and process improvements as well as taking a deeper focus on global sustainability for the manufacturing industry.” NMW 2017 will again be co-located with the Safety First Conference & Expo, along with Austech and the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo. Manufacturers will also be able to access the Business Advice Hub which will run one hour, drop-in style information sessions.
This year's exhibitors include: 3M Australia – Stand 2130 Well-known in the food manufactutring sector as a science and innovation company, 3M has over the years improved daily life for hundreds of millions of people all over the world. 3M operates in more than 70 countries around the world with products sold to nearly 200 countries. 3M ANZ operates in 11 locations in Australia and New Zealand, including four manufacturing sites and is serviced out of North Ryde office. Adept Turnkey – Stand 1916 Adept Turnkey is Australia’s largest independent technology resource for automated inspection equipment used in food and beverage manufacturing as well as packaging and industrial inspection applications. The company provides cost-effective solutions with the security of an experienced supplier and carries the latest technology from world-leading, online inspection systems manufacturers. With a catalogue of over 40,000 vision components and 28 years’ experience it offers products and advice suited to most applications and budgets. The company’s products include vision sensors, smart cameras, embedded multi-camera systems, 3D Smart cameras, line scan cameras
10 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
NATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK
for web inspection of printing or flat materials, and machine vision and imaging software to improve the safety and efficiency of manufactured foods and beverages.
via Bluetooth. It also provides high passive noise attenuation (SLC80 31dB, Class 5) and features 16+ hours of rechargeable battery life while streaming.
Honeywell Safety Products – Stand 1112 Used right across the food sector, Honeywell Safety Products help build enduring safety cultures. They have united the most respected safety brands in the world to deliver best-in-class safety, quality and performance, creating a unique set of solutions with offerings in hearing, respiratory, eye and face, hand and body, footwear and fall protection. This provides unmatched opportunities to drive value for their customers, whilst bringing the latest innovations to market. For industrial safety and noise control in areas such as bottling plants, one of the products on display, the Sync Wireless Earmuff enables you to connect wirelessly, answer calls, and stream information from your mobile phone while performing your day-to-day tasks
Robert Bosch – Stand 1900 Bosch has had a presence in Australia since 1907, and the company’s regional activities are operated through six wholly owned subsidiary companies and cover a diverse range of businesses. These include household appliances, security technology, power tools, engineering services and contract manufacturing, equipment, services and solutions for food manufacturers, drives and control technology, software innovations, hot water heating systems and food packaging technologies. The company recently released an aseptic linear filling and sealing machine for dairy, baby food and clinical nutrition, which enhances product safety. One of the technologies and products on display at NMW 2017 will be Bosch Rexroth’s Linear Motion Technology.
NMW 2017 will again be co-located with the Safety First Conference & Expo, along with Austech and the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo. Manufacturers will also be able to access the Business Advice Hub which will run one hour, drop-in style information sessions.
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01/03/2017 09:52:34 AM 11 www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News
EFFICIENCY & DOWNTIME
Raspberry farm snaps up new freezer tunnel When a Tasmanian fruit supplier decided to expand and set up a new processing facility, it called on BOC to install the cryogenic freezer it needed.
W
esterway Raspberry Farm is a family-run business in the Derwent Valley that supplies fresh and frozen raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries and other seasonal fruits to the juice, cordial, ice-cream and jam markets – as well as local farmers’ markets, independent shops and its very own farm gate shop. For more than 20 years, the Clark family has focused on expanding its product line beyond fresh berries. After investing in mechanically harvesting technology to supply processing berries to juice customers, their attention turned toward setting up a processing facility to better process frozen berries for new markets.
“The cryogenic freezer tunnel installed by BOC produces individually quick frozen (IQF) berries that retain the taste, flavour and texture of a fresh berry. The first season we produced 8,000 kilograms of frozen berries – next season we plan to quadruple this,” said Richard Clark, owner of Westerway Raspberry Farm.
The challenge With demand for berries on the rise in Australia, the business knew getting into the untapped market for individually frozen berries would give it an opportunity to supply high quality Australian berries all year around. “Our biggest competitors are
located overseas, with many frozen berries now imported from Asia, Eastern Europe and South America. We knew we had the strong food safety standards and enough supply to compete in this market, however we lacked the technology to really differentiate our product from the others,” said Clark. “The blast freezing we were doing previously would not achieve the desired efficiency or quality to grow the business – so we decided that individually quick frozen (IQF) product using a liquid nitrogen freezer tunnel would be a better option.” The biggest challenge was then raising the capital to fund this new technology.
The solution After receiving a $260,000 Coles Nurture Fund grant, the team worked with BOC to install a Linde Cryoline MT 5-600 quick freezing (IQF) tunnel and an 8,000 litre liquid nitrogen vessel. “The berry season is very short, kicking off in December and running till early February – so when the grant was approved in September, BOC’s technicians worked very quickly to get it installed and commissioned in time.” Combining state-of-the-art technology with a high-quality hygienic design, the tunnel freezer is easy to operate, clean and suitable for a wide range of applications. It has high-speed internal fans, controllable gas injection and exhaust levels to optimise the application of cryogenic gases for cooling and freezing. “BOC’s team worked closely with us to install the system and help integrate it into our packaging line – we built a vibrating table so the berries could be easily loaded into the tunnel,” said Clark. “They then helped us pre-program each type of fruit as they have different freezing properties and require different amounts of liquid nitrogen – the electronic touch pad is very easy to use and gave us the power to continuously optimise the freezing process to our choosing.”
Diversification
The cryogenic freezer tunnel installed by BOC produces individually quick frozen (IQF) berries that retain the taste, flavour and texture of a fresh berry.
12 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
Since installing the tunnel, Richard believes his business is more dynamic and diverse – with the individually quick frozen (IQF) berry range giving the business an edge and plenty of room for growth. “As we produce more high quality Australian-made frozen berries, we will be able to get more packets into Australian supermarkets and businesses – offering a more stable price and shelf life of up to two years.
EFFICIENCY & DOWNTIME
The Linde Cryoline MT 5-600 quick freezing tunnel at Westerway Raspberry Farm.
“Our Linde Cryoline tunnel helps us produce frozen berries more efficiently and economically than mechanically harvested fruit. With an added bonus of picking the raspberries when they are perfectly ripe and juicy, and freezing them instantaneously.”
At the peak of the harvesting season, the tunnel could process up to 150kg of raspberries per hour – with a maximum production rate of 300kg per hour. “We are only just scratching the surface of what the tunnel can
achieve – and we plan to fully test its capacity in the coming seasons.”
Quality When it comes to producing a quality frozen berry, liquid nitrogen coupled with IQF technology
has achieved far superior results for Clark than blast freezing or ammonia-based freezing. “With liquid nitrogen, there is less cell damage with the berry as the water freezes rapidly. With blast freezing, you tend to get ice crystals that break the cell membrane – and you lose form and get a squishy product,” he said. “When our berries enter the tunnel, they are evenly spaced and cover the whole belt, so when the liquid nitrogen contacts each individual raspberry, you get the best freezing and product quality result. “This technology has enabled us to retain the taste, texture and flavour when the frozen berry is thawed – and most importantly, give Australian customers a high-quality local choice in the freezer aisle of the supermarket.” BOC 131 262 www.boc-limited.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 13
EFFICIENCY & DOWNTIME
Sustainable relationships yield successful offshore supply chains As companies across Australia and New Zealand increasingly trade and source from low cost countries, it takes time and investment to cement local supply chain standards into the operations of offshore supply partners, says Michael Stewart, Sealed Air’s Director of Dairy Rigids and Flexible films.
T
he impact of compromised food safety issues can be significant and tarnish reputations that have taken decades to build. The 2008 melamine contamination of China’s dairy industry demonstrate how quickly positive brand equity can come undone. The repercussions of that crisis left a permanent dent on the reputation of China’s food exports and to this day, consumer confidence in Chinese dairy products is extremely weak. In order to manage the risks for sourcing from low cost countries, companies should adopt best practices in identifying and partnering with limited strategic suppliers.
before embarking on a long-term, sustainable relationship. A long-term, healthy and mutually valuable relationship requires considerable investment of time from both parties. In engaging a partner, companies and brands should seek to understand supplier growth strategies and vision. Understanding and sharing cost drivers, sharing short and long term plans and openly discussing concerns with frequent review meetings are positive ways to instill two-way trust. The recurrent dialogue to audit financial stability, quality systems, maintenance and process controls will all help to create confidence and build a stable and lasting partnership.
From the beginning
Implementing rigorous testing and controls
The early days of the engagement is an essential point to start building a trusted working relationship. Companies should assess the supplier via comprehensive audits to determine the various systems in place – quality and management, environmental, government and corporate responsibility compliance. It is crucial for brand owners to ensure their supply partner share similar business ethics and values
Companies purchasing packaging from offshore sources need to further mitigate risks by putting in place in-line testing processes as the first measure of conformance. By implementing their own business management protocols into their supply partners, companies and their consumers can be assured of the standards and expectations of the product.
Open communication with supply partners is crucial for this supply model to succeed.
By partnering and investing with a few trusted strategic suppliers and introducing rigorous controls, your brand can rest assured that the risk of a crisis is minimised.
Full second party positive release is another strict measure food packaging specialists need to deploy in order to mitigate risks to safeguard brand reputation. In other words, all products deemed to conform during the first phase of testing are re-assessed in a laboratory. This process not only confirms quality conformance, but serves to keep operations efficient by avoiding stock shortages which can surface if a product is found to be
non-conforming after having spent several weeks in sea freight. These controls require full disclosure of every single ingredient of every additive in a material. The United States Food and Drug Administration and European Union approvals are required on all ingredients for their intended purpose such as microwave, retort and freezer applications. Open communication with supply partners is crucial for this supply model to succeed. By partnering and investing with a few trusted strategic suppliers and introducing rigorous controls, your brand can rest assured that the risk of a crisis is minimised. However, planning for an unlikely crisis makes good business sense. Fully transparent and cohesive supplier relationships will ensure there is proper crisis management and communication protocols in place to curtail the impact, both on your brand and the communities you serve. Sealed Air 03 9359 2244 www.sealedair.com
14 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2017 2017
For more information and to nominate visit www.paceawards.com.au
FOOD SAFETY
Prioritising food traceability Inventory management and tracking have become increasingly important to the food processing industry because of the large amounts of products and raw materials that it typically uses.
B
etter traceability systems drive more efficient recalls. Rapid access to reliable information can reduce the duration and total cost of the recall, minimising product waste, lessening potential litigation risk and lowering the likelihood of lasting brand damage in the eyes of consumers. Food traceability has also become important to the issue of consumer confidence as it allows supply chains to prove that their foods are safe and unrelated from any ongoing food safety incidents. Better described as supply chain traceability, this also helps eliminate illegal activities within the supply chain by giving suppliers and customers the confidence that what they are buying is legal, safe and fairly traded. Additionally, traceability helps mitigate fraud and counterfeiting of food. When supply chains are made visible by traceability, illegitimate products are less likely to enter the marketplace.
Why it's all about the visibility According to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), food traceability is the ability to track any food through all stages of production, processing and distribution (including importation and at retail). Traceability should mean that movements can be traced one step backwards and one step forward at any point in the supply chain.1 For any food processing business and regardless of multinode manufacturing nodes and/or diverse geographic locations, this supply chain traceability should extend to being able to identify the source of all food inputs such as raw materials, additives, other ingredients, chemicals, and packaging.
Software & food safety With the proper software system in place, information about raw ingredients and finished products is collected into a single database, making it much easier to access, track and trace.
However, food manufacturers and distributors can still get burnt by paper. That’s because employees still have to manually type in the information from invoices, orders and other associated paperwork. Manual data entry is slow and tedious work, requiring costly manpower for relatively low-value activity. It’s also fraught with inaccuracies – ranging from simple typos and number transposition to willful neglect of data entry procedures when employees get too busy. Simply put, manual data entry from paper usually results in error rates that are too high for reliable traceability. Automated data collection tools are designed to help employees quickly capture the data needed. An automated data collection system can walk employees through each step of the process for in-house materials transfers, intra-plant transfers, putting away finished products, picking products for shipment and creating shipments.
Using wireless and mobile devices or barcode scanning devices, information about lot numbers is captured in seconds and transferred automatically to an ERP system. An automated data collection system that is integrated with your ERP system also improves information accuracy and quality with built-in data validation tests.2
Traceability, manufacturers and consumers Food traceability enables corrective actions (such as a product recall) to be implemented quickly and effectively when something goes wrong. When a potential food safety problem is identified, whether by a food business or a government agency, an effective traceability system can help isolate and prevent contaminated products from reaching consumers. Traceability allows food businesses to target the product(s) affected by a food safety problem, minimising disruption to trade and any potential public health risks. It is important Traceability helps minimise the cost of recalls.
16 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
FOOD SAFETY
for all food businesses (including retailers and importers) to be able to trace products.
and scheduling to shop floor efficiency and all the way to total supply chain visibility. IT and solutions vendors such as Sage can provide a range of IT solutions available for the food and beverage industry such as manufacturing process management, capacity planning, mixed-mode manufacturing process planning, formula/recipe and potency management, quality control and traceability of lots, sub-lots, ingredients and allergens, stock status, shelf-life management and expiry tracking to ensure quality across supply chains.
The characteristics of an effective system To design a reliable system for tracing food, the first rule is to eliminate paper. Food manufacturers produce in high volume and have rapid inventory turnover, making it virtually impossible to track information with paper. Traditionally, businesses kept paper invoices and shipping documents that could take days or weeks to sort through during a recall. However, in today’s just-intime (JIT) supply chain, a company is expected to take action within hours when food safety is at stake.3 An effective food traceability system relies on being able to track product one step forward and one step back at any point in the supply chain. This includes any procedures for identifying producers, suppliers, customers and products including things like the name and address (and other contact details) of suppliers and a description of products or inputs supplied; date of transaction or delivery; batch or lot identification (or other markings); volume or quantity of product supplied or received; and any relevant production records.4
What Australian law says A food business must provide, to the reasonable satisfaction of an authorised officer upon request, the following information relating to food on the food premises: 1. The name and business address in Australia of the vendor, manufacturer or packer or, in the case of food imported into Australia, the name and business address in Australia of the importer; and 2. The prescribed name or, if there is no prescribed name, an appropriate designation of the food. This means that a food business must not receive a food unless it is able to identify the name of the food and the name of the supplier. According to FSANZ, any food business that is engaged in the wholesale supply, manufacture or importation of food must have a system
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Food traceability has become linked to consumer confidence.
to ensure it can recall unsafe food. The system should include records covering production records, what products are manufactured or supplied, volume or quantity of products manufactured or supplied batch or lot identification (or other markings), where products are distributed, and any other relevant production records. This information should be readily accessible in order to know what, how much and from where product needs to be recalled. Other traceability requirements under the Food Standard Code A number of primary production and processing standards in the Food Standards Code also include traceability measures. There are also information requirements for food (for retail and non-retail sale) specified in the labelling standards. In particular, food identification requires the name of the food, lot identification, and the name and address of the supplier. Food manufacturers must ensure for a number of KPIs to be met, including to fill customer orders, control inventory, plan production and maintain quality, while at the same time managing costs, accurately forecasting yields, and improving customer service levels.
Better visibility & traceability With organisations interested in achieving higher levels of
1) http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/ enewsletter/benefits-of-food-traceability/
productivity, accurate and real-time visibility of the manufacturing system is essential to the profitability and growth as a business. There are a number of easy-touse software suites to help manage manufacturing operation faster and more effectively – from procurement
2) http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/178643/ file-235184968-pdf/docs/whitepapers/ rfgen_whitepaper_ food_traceability_ survival_guide.pdf 3) http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/178643/ file-235184968-pdf/docs/whitepapers/ rfgen_whitepaper_ food_traceability_ survival_guide.pdf 4) http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/ industry/safetystandards/traceability/ Pages/default.aspx
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www.flexco.com www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 17
FOOD SAFETY
How to implement a paperless HACCP system Businesses which want to meet high food safety standards need to also be prepared to document their food handling procedures. Gareth Higgins explains how a paperless HACCP system can help them do this.
F
ood safety is an important ongoing issue for all food makers. As such food safety programs (FSP) must be developed to document a business’s food handling practices. Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Point (HACCP) provides a systematic preventive method for food safety planning. It is also internationally recognised and often a requirement when importing or exporting food, beverages or raw material. Food businesses should record
and retain copies of actions they take as a way to demonstrate compliance with the food safety program and also ensure their procedures are audited by a food safety auditor. The use of paperless inspection software in combination with mobile
devices simplifies this process by providing automated and inspection processes, as well as allowing employees to create routine checks of critical control points and identified potential hazards. Not only does this save time, energy and money, but it also allows employees to prepare and anticipate potential threats and create effective work routines and well-organised workplaces.
Seven steps to an effective HACCP system 1. Hazard analysis This stage involves identifying any hazardous biological, chemical, or physical property in both raw materials and processing. The aim is to assess their potential to result in the production of food that is unsafe for consumption. This can be achieved by photographing and annotating potential hazardous areas at all touch points that come into contact with raw materials. 2. Critical control points These are areas which are controlled to eliminate the possibility of hazards. With the help of collected images and notes, management decides if preventative steps should be introduced. 3. Critical limits At this stage, management decides on acceptable levels in areas such as temperature, humidity, water activity, etc. Once evaluated appropriately, these limits can be noted alongside the existing imagery for future reference. This can be valuable for use by employees. 4. Critical control monitoring The use of paperless software allows for the ongoing input of data, 18 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
FOOD SAFETY
simplify evaluation because after observation, sampling and so on, employees can simply input data via annotating imagery on mobile devices. They can upload forms and make notes using speech to text capabilities of the paperless application.
Paperless HACCP systems can help save time and money.
7. Record keeping Detailed record keeping is essential. These records encourage high quality workspaces and correct process. They also help with documenting the HACCP plan, tracing ingredients and different process points when problems occur, and identifying both long and short term trends.
including imagery and notes, in a logical, systematic order. This allows businesses to review trends in data. It can act as a warning and highlight areas which need attention. At this stage, employees can input their name as well as the Projekt1 21.02.17 Seite 1 times and dates of09:40 data collection.
5. Corrective actions Preventative procedures must be in place so employees are able to intervene with different points, process and materials before it is able to affect the raw material. Employees may refer to electronic procedure notes allocated through
the paperless solution to perform the corrective procedure correctly. 6. Evaluation procedures Testing is needed for the ongoing evaluation of the HACCP plan and its procedures. The use of paperless software can
By combining the tools of mobile data collection and automation, a safer food future can be achieved. Gareth Higgins is Marketing Manager, Pervidi Australia. Pervidi Australia 03 8862 6485 www.pervidi.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 19
FOOD SAFETY
Total recall: the need for real-time track & trace Food makers are in a unique position. The products they produce are not only consumed by its customers, they also pose a potential threat to them. Traceability is therefore something they all need to take seriously.
F
ood traceability is the process of tracking a product’s history and sharing that data along the entire processing path – so called “farm-to-fork” or “field-to-plate” programs. While traceability has always been important for the food and beverage industry, in recent years the need for “real-time recalls” has increased, due to plant processing errors, recalls from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and even the threat of bioterrorism. According to FSANZ, over the past 10 years, the most frequent reason for its recalls is microbial contamination – the most common of which are listeria monocytogenes, salmonella and E.coli. All of these can cause serious illness and, in extreme cases, prove fatal. Contamination of food can happen at any point during production (growing, harvesting, processing, storing or shipping) and crosscontamination, where harmful organisms are transferred from one surface to another, is often the cause.
Cost of recalls When recalls occur, the costs can be severe, both to a company’s finances and its reputation.
In 2012, a peanut-related Salmonella outbreak at a manufacturing plant in the US state of Georgia led to the recall of 3,900 products involving over 70 companies. Reputational damage resulted from over 90 reported illnesses across 19 different states, and a national news story; the economic impact was estimated to exceed US$1 billion ($1.3 billion). Closer to home, in 2010, the Australian Egg Corporation (AECL) recalled 380 million eggs due to Salmonella contamination, which led to nearly 2000 cases of illness. On this occasion, the Australian Government’s “track and trace” system came under fire when it emerged that there was a delay of over two weeks between actioning the recall and warning consumers. This case highlights the shortcomings in information sharing between government, processors, and suppliers, as well as the need for interlinked databases and standardised software. It also highlights the large movements of product and high volumes of data that food processors deal with. Anything that can assist in accurate and easy information gathering will save time and money.
The solution Real-time track and trace solutions, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), can ensure that companies can accurately track products at every stage of the supply chain and gather data reliably and accurately. Consider the production cycle of the humble egg. A feed company produces chicken feed in bulk packs. These must be tracked because contaminated feed can cause mycotoxin poisoning. A barcode reader can scan each barcoded bulk pack as it leaves the feed company, and hand held bar code readers at the farm can record which packs are opened and distributed to which broods of chickens. Freshly laid eggs are then deposited onto trays that are radio frequency (RF) tagged, and RFID readers record the trays as they leave the laying house and move to processing where they are sorted and washed. A camera-based vision system, which provides accurate 3D information, allows suppliers to inspect eggs for defects and sort them by size. Once washed, camera systems can also check for damage and cleanliness and this recorded information can be stored and accessed at a later stage.
They can then pack the eggs into cartons and bar code them by size. This information is stored and can be used for storage and consolidation in bulk pallets. If egg cartons of different sizes are fitted with RFID tags, then there is no need to actually record individual cartons prior to consolidation. Multiple RF tags placed anywhere within the consolidated shipment can all be read at once, and the information contained on each can be recorded. After consolidation, the processor wraps each pallet and adds a barcoded shipping label, which is again scanned and the information transmitted to a database. Once shipped to a warehouse, barcode readers automatically read and track the pallets through the supply chain and, when they turn up to the local supermarket, each individual egg carton is scanned and recorded. Finally, a barcode scanner records the eggs as they pass the check out. At every step of the process, the status of a product can be detected and that information passed to databases for storage and analysis. Sick Australia & New Zealand 03 9457 0600 www.sick.com
Contamination of food can happen at any point during growing, harvesting, processing, storing or shipping.
20 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
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FOOD REGULATIONS
High times for Australia’s hemp-in-food sector Following the recent approval of low-THC hemp seed products to be used as a food additive by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), hemp seeds may soon be coming to a food manufacturer near you. As Branko Miletic writes, now the product just needs the federal government’s blessing.
T
he Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association (TFGA) CEO Peter Skillern is definitely an organisation that could be counted as very much a supporter of hemp in food. “We’ve been arguing this decision was necessary to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the hemp industry in Tasmania. It’s a giant step forward,” Skillern told The Advocate newspaper. But it’s not just the Apple Isle where the hemp-in-food movement is gaining support, One of Australia’s most passionate hempin-food advocates, Hemp Foods Australia (HFA), has calculated the international market for hemp foods
to be currently worth around US$ 1 billion ($1.3 billion) annually. Speaking on the potential for hemp in the domestic food market, HFA CEO Paul Benhaim said the demand for Australian hemp-based foods will “quadruple in the next few years.” “This is another positive step in the years long work and investment in achieving legislation for Omega-3 rich hemp as a food in Australia,” he said.
Ministerial approval not yet The decision by FSANZ was another step toward encouraging federal ministers to approve of the plant for human consumption - a decision that is due to go before the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum
22 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
on Food Regulation on April 28, when the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting is scheduled to take place. However, not everyone is sure about hemp being approved for food use. NSW Greens upper house MP Jeremy Buckingham has said previous resistance to the legalisation of hemp-derived foods had come from health and police ministers in Victoria and New South Wales who have twice raised concerns about hemp’s interaction with road-side drug testing. “They’ve said there’s a health risk, they’ve also said it could give false positives in term of mobile drug testing.”
“There’s absolutely no evidence for that anywhere in the world,” Buckingham said. “All over the world people are rushing into this industry, and Australia is missing out because our politicians are stuck in the 20th century,” he told the ABC. Benhaim said he and the HFA were confident that the ministers will grant legislation on April 28, which will see hemp foods become legal to purchase from November 2017. “[This decision] will also contribute significantly toward more sustainable farming in Australia, with the added bonus of creating considerable job opportunities for Australia’s farming industry,” he said.
“Hemp Foods Australia is very excited about seeing the versatility of hemp seeds, hemp oil and hemp protein being used throughout the food and beverage industry.” The community attitude towards hemp has also changed markedly over time, with the community opinion now declared as being “extremely positive” according to Benhaim. “This [attitude] has changed significantly since I first became involved in the industry in the early 1990’s.” “People used to think that hemp may contain drug-like effects. Of course that is not true. You could smoke a field of hemp and all you would do is get a headache - FSANZ has proven this multiple times, and the public also understands this is a healthy superfood.”
Hemp as a superfood According to Pure Healing Foods, hemp seeds these days are being classified as a “superfood”, one that has been shown to provide a range of health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing inflammation along with a range of weight loss benefits. From a chemical point of view, hemp seeds are packed with an array of useful fats, proteins, vitamins and trace elements including Omega 3 and Omega 6, Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), amino acids, carotene, phospholipids, potassium sulfur, calcium, copper and Vitamins B1, B2, B6, D, E and chlorophyll. According to a Rutgers University study, while its fatty acid composition is most often noted, with an oil content ranging from 25-35 per cent, whole hemp seed is additionally comprised of approximately 20-25 per cent protein, 20-30 per cent carbohydrates, and 10-15 per cent fibre, along with an array of trace minerals. With a complete source of all essential amino and fatty acids, hemp seed oil is a complete nutritional source noted the Rutgers study. In light of this nutritional data, in the US, while not yet approved for human consumption, hemp seeds are being touted as an additive for stock feed, with Colorado the latest state to draft legislation to approve the seeds for livestock feeding. Colorado livestock could be eating hemp early next year, thanks
to a bill which directs the Colorado Department of Agriculture to study the use of hemp in animal feed. On a federal level, the US government started allowing farmers to grow hemp under limited circumstances back in 2014. The United States Food and Drug Authority (USFDA) still classifies hemp the same way as the whole Cannabis sativa plant - even if it has a concentration of no more than 0.3 per cent Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid or THC, the intoxicating substance found in marijuana. This means its passage through the various US state and federal legislatures could still be fraught with a range of hurdles. But it’s the addition to food for human consumption that excites organisations like the HFA. “As well as the excellent nutritional properties, hemp has a great flavour and tastes nice on its own,” said Benhaim. “I expect hemp to be part of every food category you can imagine – from drinks, to ready meals, to dried goods, frozen and more. Hemp truly is a tasty and versatile food that contains the nutritional benefits that ensure the consumer comes back for more each time.”
Export markets set to flower It’s not just domestic consumption where hemp as a food additive may find a market-places like North America, Japan, Korea and Europe are the main markets for such products, and HFA said that it has positioned itself to be at the forefront of the Australasian market having the only fully integrated production plan capable of thousands of tonnes of high quality products made in a HACCP environment. The Australian government is also onboard and is currently helping upgrade the HFA factory at Bangalow in northern New South Wales with a $600,000 grant that is going towards the $1.18 million state-of-the-art processing facility. However, Benhaim is at pains to stress that HFA will be taking small steps to start with. “At the moment, we prefer to work at our core business, which is farming, processing and preparing raw materials (hemp seeds, oil, protein and flour) for others to take advantage of and to market themselves.”
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COMPANY PROFILE
The complete package Sydney-based Jet Technologies combines experience with international expertise to deliver complete packaging solutions. We spoke to the company’s founder and Managing Director, Albert Malki.
I
n 1967, a then 19-year-old Albert Malki began working in his family’s packaging business in Italy. A decade or so later, in 1981, he moved to Sydney to try his luck in the Australian packaging industry. “I tried to act as a bridge between the industry in Italy and Australia,” Malki, Managing Director of Jet Technologies told Food & Beverage Industry News.
“I started with importing plastic raw materials for packaging as well as machinery for processing, such as extruders, printing presses, bag sealing machines, thermal forming lines and so on.” In the early days, the business was a “one-man show”, operating out of a 60sqm room in Bondi Junction. Since then Jet Technologies has grown significantly. “Today we employ 48 people all over Australia
- most in Sydney, but we also have staff in Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as New Zealand,” said Malki.
16 staff. “We pretty much copied the success of what we’ve achieved in Australia and New Zealand,” he added.
"Today the company's partners include Crown (a leader in metal packaging technology), Constantia Flexibles (part of Constantia Packaging AG), Italian packaging giant Goglio and others." Recently, the company opened a branch in Indonesia which employs
Albert Malki, Managing Director of Jet Technologies (centre), pictured with Jack Malki (left) and Daniel Malki.
Apart from packaging, the company now also has printing and manufacturing divisions which are run by Malki’s sons, Jack Malki and Daniel Malki respectively. The packaging division offers both consumables and machinery. It focuses a lot of energy on food packaging, particularly for the meat, coffee and dairy sectors. Its product range include adhesives, smooth wall aluminium trays, filling and sealing machinery, degassing valves, die-cutting and roll fed lidding, coffee bags with valves, vertical form fill seal machinery, manual tray sealing machines with gas flushing twist-off closures, and tray seal machinery.
Forging key partnerships According to Malki, there has been a major transformation in the Australian packaging over the past 30 years. In the 80s a lot of products, such as bottles, flexible packaging, and caps were made in Australia. “Many of these manufacturers have either been taken over or merged with others,” he explained. “Or in some cases they have moved their factories overseas or in other cases they have simply disappeared.” “I remember when there were around 50 [manufacturers] in each state. Now they could be counted on the fingers of one hand.” During the 80s and 90s, Jet Technologies capitalised on this transformation by establishing partnerships with several major international suppliers. “For example, when Amcor stopped producing twist-top caps to closures, we started importing them. And the same thing happened with lidding. That comes from the world’s 24 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
COMPANY PROFILE
largest manufacturer, the closure which I use for jars of tomato sauces, juice, and so on,” said Malki. Today the company’s partners include Crown (a leader in metal packaging technology), Constantia Flexibles (part of Constantia Packaging AG), Italian packaging giant Goglio and others. According to Malki, being associated with such heavy weights gives Jet Technologies a significant advantage over competitors. “When you deal with big boys it really puts you in a situation where you can go with confidence to the market and if there is a problem you know they will always back you up,” he said. “That has always been my mantra.”
Complete solution Jet Technologies offers complete packaging solutions. “We take a look at clients, then supply them all the machinery and consumables they need - everything except the food itself!” said Malki. “In contrast, there are many
packaging providers that supply only the machines or only the case packer. Or maybe they supply only the filling machine or VFFS machines or some film. Then, sometimes if they supply the film they don’t supply the aluminium or the paper.” On top of that is the expertise that comes with 50 years’ experience. According to Malki, clients regularly encounter technical problems. For example, they may not know the correct film structure for a particular application or may be unsure how to solve a problem of sealability when hot filling at high temperatures. “Maybe they’re going to be sterilising the product after heating and that creates issues on the production line. They need to know how to cool off the product quickly after it was heated to 120 degrees celcius,” he said. “It’s not that straight forward for someone who sells packaging to know the answers to all these points. It’s called experience at the end.” The company offers extensive technical support. “Particularly in
Sydney and Melbourne we have a very good setup where the technicians are local and can service the clients very quickly,” said Malki.
Packaging trends Malki said that barrier film, which extends the shelf-life of food products and helps open export markets, is an important product at the moment.
can be used in microwave ovens,” he said. “In UK supermarkets, they typically have three or four aisles of pre-cooked meals, while in Australia at the moment it is just in a small corner. We feel this is an industry that can grow more and more.” Malki expects the demand for packaging to double in coming years. Expansion is therefore very much on
"When you deal with big boys it really puts you in a situation where you can go with confidence to the market." “We are offering more in cups and also lidding. Generally, it all goes in the direction of barrier,” he said. Freshness is also very important right now. “For example, for pre-cooked meals, we see more and more aluminium being used in trays rather than plastic. It’s a very good way to maintain the freshness of the product, plus it can be cooked or heated in the oven. Few people know that an aluminium tray
the agenda for Jet Technologies. “We’re hiring new people to make this a reality. I have this vision on both the consumables and the materials,” he said. “We feel they have a lot of potential and they can save a lot of money and expand the horizon of our clients.” Jet Technologies 02 8399 4999 www.jet-ap.com
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www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 25
FOODPRO 2017
Foodpro turns 50, returns to Sydney Foodpro, Australasia’s food manufacturing event, returns for its 50th year in 2017. It all takes place at the new International Convention Centre at Sydney’s iconic Darling Harbour from 16 – 19 July.
F
ood manufacturing makes up 23 per cent of Australia’s annual exports, with the food and agribusiness industry producing $53.9 billion of value in 201415 alone. Since its inception in 1967, Foodpro has played an important role in this growth and development. It provides a key opportunity for major players in the food processing, manufacturing and packaging industries, to present their latest ideas, technologies and services. This year’s event, set to be the largest ever, provides an opportunity to connect, network and do business with peers. It covers products and innovations relevant to all aspects of food manufacturing, including meat and seafood, value-add processing, beverages, dairy, fresh food and shelf foods. The event includes four key precincts: food processing
technology, food packaging, plant equipment and food technology. New trends will be high on the agenda, as will key issues such as traceability, food safety and sustainability. Australia has a reputation for high standards of safety and quality. If food manufacturers are to stay up to date, they have to be compliant and competitive. They need to adapt to new technology and keep up with industry developments. With education a key focus, the event includes seminars on the latest trends, as well as insights and case studies relevant to the Australian market. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts, engage in discussions and learn from peers. Foodpro 2017 will also host the annual AIFST (Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology) Convention. Over 400 delegates are expected to attend the Convention’s
Foodpro has been part of the landscape since 1967.
26 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
The event includes products and innovations.
50th year, with topics covered including future nutritional needs, technology driving innovation, regulations related to imports as well as a roundtable discussing financing innovation and growth in the food industry. This is the event for those in the
food processing industry wanting to find out about the latest global innovations and trends, and stay competitive and efficient. When: 16 - 19 July 2017. Where: Sydney International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour.
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AUTOMATION
Harnessing the power of data The relationship between machine suppliers and food makers has always more or less ended post sale. In the future, as Haver & Boecker’s Reinhold Festge tells us, Industry 4.0 will allow these relationships to become deeper and endure longer.
W
hen the subject turns to Industry 4.0, conversations tend to focus on things like quality control, improved efficiency, labour market changes and food safety. Haver & Boeker Germany’s CEO, Dr Reinhold Festge has a unique take on the coming revolution. “Through automation and Industry 4.0 we can now sneak into other companies,” he told Food & Beverage Industry News, with his tounge firmly in his cheek. “We can stay with our machines. We can control how they work. We can optimise the function of our machines, provide wonderful advantages to our customers and help them be more effective,” he added. “So I think the customers will like the change. We will know better what they are doing and how. And that is a big advantage.” Festge explained that for packaging the first step was to automate the production line. “We have a packaging machine, an automated back placer, an automated palletiser, and we have an automated shrink hooder. So we have the line completely automated,” he said. In the years ahead, he added, manufacturers like Haver & Boeker will be able to access information from their machines, located in their customers’ plants. And the customers, themselves, we will be able to answer questions like ‘What do we have in this aisle?’, ‘When do we have to order new bags or new film for packaging?”, and ‘When do you have to order the trucks for loading?’. “We will have a complete process that is very effective and very positive for both of us. That is a clear win/win situation,” said Festge.
supplier with machines of different suppliers.” In other words, all machines, whoever makes them, will need to be able to understand each other. In addition, the revolution will require the development of things wireless sensors that produce energy for themselves. “There are many, many things to do still and we are just at the beginning, we are scratching on the surface,” said Festge. “We have not solved the problem yet.”
Dr Reinhold Festge, CEO of Haver & Boecker Germany.
Filling & packaging technologies Haver & Boeker develops and manufactures processing and packing technology for the food stuffs, minerals, chemicals and building materials industries. The company has a suite of seven technology brands including Behn+Bates, a specialist in the foodstuffs sector which provides filling and packaging technology for food, animal feed and pet food makers. Another of its brands, Fiege Filling, is a specialist for liquids including uncritical, foaming, explosive or flammable products. It provides customers with appropriate filling technologies for container sizes ranging from 0.5kg to 3,000kg. Behn + Bates recently unveiled the Roto-Packer Adams Care-Line,
its new hygienic form, fill seal (FFS) polyethylene (PE) packing concept for powder-type products. “This is the first machine that can pack powdery products into watertight plastic bags,” said Festge. “We resolved the infeed of the product, the deaeration of the product. “Before people could do it only in paper bags, for example, because the paper bag can breathe and deaerate through the wall.” Using the Adams Care-Line, it is possible to achieve much better print quality than can be achieved with a paper bag. Display properties can
The Roto-Packer Adams Care-Line, a new hygienic form, fill seal polyethylene packing concept for powder-type products.
How long will the revolution take? “It is a development... a technical revolution. In our understanding in Germany, for instance, we have a time horizon of ten to twenty years. “There are major developments still necessary to interlink all the components of machines, of one 28 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
therefore be enhanced and sales can be improved. According to Festge, Industry 4.0 will ensure an exciting future for technology such as this and the packaging industry in general. “Industry 4.0 will stabilise the future because it gives us the opportunity to graft the mechanical together with the digital,” said Festge said. “So we can graft smarter solutions for our processes.” Haver & Boeker Australia 08 6240 6900 www.haveraustralia.com.au
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AUTOMATION
Information, automation & the food industry Industry 4.0 has been an unmissable part of industry conversation for the past few years. So what will this Fourth Industrial Revolution mean for food and beverage manufacturers? We asked Pilz Australia’s Managing Director Scott Moffat.
An ever more globalised manufacturing world means being globally competitive.
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he cyber and physical worlds are about to merge. Industry 4.0 is set to deliver realtime, self-optimising production and complete visibility of everything in an organisation’s value chain. This Fourth Industrial Revolution will provide food makers with highly networked system structures involving a variety of people, IT systems, automation components and machines. Food manufacturing will become more flexible and adaptable, with scenarios involving what is known as “batches of one”. Information and automation will coalesce, and feed off each other, meaning improved efficiencies and better adherence to safety procedures.
How things stand Last year, McKinsey surveyed 300 leading US manufacturers and found that 48 per cent consider themselves ready for Industry 4.0. Those surveyed estimated 40 to 50 per cent of the machines they use today would need to be upgraded or replaced. In contrast, according to an oftencited report by consultancy Strategy& last year, 80 per cent of German industrial businesses expect to have digitised key value chain processes by 2020. The survey of 235 companies found that, on average, they expected to spend 3.3 per cent of their revenues on Industry 4.0 solutions doing so. However, unlike the situation in Germany, the Australian
30 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
manufacturing sector’s capital investment has been sluggish for some time. Australian manufacturing companies, which tend to be low volume producers and are often characterised by high variability, high complexity, will benefit from Industry 4.0.
Opting out is not an option An ever more globalised manufacturing world - especially in the area of food and beverage manufacturing – means that, wherever possible, digitising operations will be a necessity. So could Australian food and beverage manufacturers survive without being a part of the movement? “I personally don’t think so,” Scott Moffat, Managing Director of
Pilz Australia told Food & Beverage Industry News. “The main difference I see between the two countries with the adoption of Industry 4.0 is that Industry 4.0 is an initiative of the German government and they have a whole Industry approach.” He pointed out that this involves government departments, industry bodies, machine and plant OEMs and manufacturers all working collaboratively on Industry 4.0 themes and initiatives. “As a result, it has permeated through all levels of business and there is now a question [whether] Industry 4.0 is a must for German manufacturing and equipment suppliers to be successful in the future,” said Moffat. “In Australia, however, the approach is a little more disjointed with a large reliance on Industry 4.0 technology being mainly promoted by German-based vendors and suppliers.” He pointed to some positive collaborations, such as the establishment of “Factory of the Future” research center, the Prime Ministers task force for Industry 4.0, and the establishment of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). “However, there does not seem to be the same level of acceptance with Industry 4.0 as I see when visiting Germany,” he said. “In my opinion, the only way Australian manufacturing is going to be able to compete on a global scale is with the adoption of Industry 4.0.” Moffat said that Australia needs to reinvigorate and further develop our local manufacturing with smart technology so that it is both efficient and globally competitive as well as being supported by a vibrant local high tech machine, plant and equipment supply market.
AUTOMATION
Pilz has rigorously and deliberately pursued a modular and distributed approach with its latest automation system the PSS 4000.
“We need to also choose the specific industries to which we can compete and develop these with a view to being global leaders and suppliers for these markets,” he said. “We then need to adopt Industry 4.0 themes and concepts to these markets and develop specifics around this. We are already seeing progress in this space as such with some phases coined like Food 4.0, Medical 4.0 and Defence 4.0.” According to Moffat, this will only be possible if we have a vibrant and globally competitive machine, equipment, and plant supply industry to support it. This second tier industry would also be a provider of equipment and machinery globally and provide great export opportunities. “Unfortunately, at the moment I am seeing the opposite with the trend of the supply of plant and equipment from overseas and local manufacturers being squeezed out of the market,” he said.
Big Data and Industry 4.0 Moffat drew a distinction between Big Data and Industry 4.0. For him, Big Data has more of a consumer feel to it and is more aimed at the retail or B2C markets, while Industry 4.0 is more aimed at the manufacturing process. “One of the big challenges with Big Data is as the creation of data exponentially grows and the opportunity to cross link all of these different sources of data to provide greater insight we will be challenged to ensure that we objectively analyse this data,” he said. “I can see a significant amount of time being wasted analysing data for spurious outcomes or biased outcomes where the data has been preselected to engineer the desired outcome.” “We will need to develop local talent as well as import talent from overseas to help train up and develop local resources.”
Pilz's latest offerings Pilz is at the forefront of the
revolution. The company is part of numerous initiatives including the Industry 4.0 Management Team at ZVEI, the manufacturer-independent demonstration and research platform SmartFactory KL, and the Industry 4.0 Platform. A safe automation specialist, it is well-placed to meet the parallel - and well-known - challenges related to security, as communications become more decentralised and distributed. New challenges with regard to modularisation, networking and distribution of control functions into ever smaller sub-functions are the result. The company’s latest automation system, the PSS 4000, and its realtime Ethernet-based safety Protocol (SafetyNETp) are part of this modular and distributed approach. Suitable for food and beverage makers, the PSS 4000 automation system is easily implemented and allows control functions to be distributed simply, using its state-
of-the-art programming software, PAS4000. The software platform has been specifically designed and created from the ground up using Industry 4.0 principles. Pilz’s new visualisation software, PASvisu is a further extension to the PAS4000 software. This enables a real-time view of the entire factory on a smart device, and enables the user to cut through the streams of complex content with highly customisable visual displays. In other words, if Big Data is to be useful, it must be made sense of and put forward in a simple, visible format. This is something that Pilz’s newly launched PASvisu software is intended to achieve. It synchs with the software program right from the start and is designed to provided highlytailored visualisation, on the move, at any time on personal devices. As the Industry 4.0 implementation approaches, there will be plenty of conversations about the effect on manufacturing. Some in the industry continue to talk about it as a kind of coming revolution that will one day make its way to Australia. However, at least in some ways, it’s already here. Pilz Australia 1300 723 334 www.pilz.com/en-AU
Scott Moffat, managing director of Pilz Australia.
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 31
AUTOMATION
Food & beverage manufacturing is the future With a heritage approaching 60 years, SMC Australia is already looking to the next 60. Food & Beverage Industry News spoke to the company’s Managing Director Wayne Driver about the challenges his company will be facing.
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t’s never easy saying goodbye to a good client. This year, SMC Australia is set to say goodbye to Toyota and Holden as both companies shut down their Australian manufacturing plants. At the same time, the company is seeing many of its mining clients slow down, with the buzz in this space dwindling. For a company with six decades of experience, and subsidiaries in more than 55 countries, this changing of the tides is nothing new. As Managing Director Wayne Driver told Food & Beverage Industry News, this shift presents an exciting opportunity to dedicate its resources at tackling challenges in the food processing industry. “Historically, we have been strong in the mining industry but obviously with the mining boom over, the area that is growing is food and packaging,” said Driver. “We’re able to focus more energy and resources in supporting the food and packaging industry and that’s certainly an area we’re very much focused on.” While there are a number of new innovations on the horizon, according to Driver, the Australian arm of the company will be very much at the forefront when it comes to new developments. “SMC’s R&D centre in Japan is focused on product that is lightweight, has a much smaller footprint and is focused on energy saving along with a number of other innovations,” said Driver. He noted that the company’s plans include the pursuit of food and packaging industry robotics; seeing more OEMs integrating robots into their machinery; setting up R&D centres in China, the US, UK and Germany; and extending its electric actuator range. “Although historically we are a pneumatics company, over the years we have been known more for electronics, serial communications
and various protocols,” he said. “So it’s a very dynamic industry in which we operate and it’s good to have the backing of the R&D centres as well as engineers in Sydney and Auckland to be able to keep up with demands in the market place.” Companies like SMC are very much on the frontline in terms of coping with the disruption that the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will bring. When asked how it will affect SMC, Driver was upbeat. “It is definitely the way of the future,” he said. “While some companies are focusing on the IIoT industry mainly at an academic and university level, SMC is concentrating on it at a practical level, the product level and how it can be integrated and used with our customers.” Another area for growth for the company is protein – the red meat and white meat areas – where, he said, “automating a number of processes from manual brings more throughput for the meat company and obviously more work for us”. Asked whether food and beverage manufacturing will be the next mining industry, Driver said: “I think certainly mining will always be there. It’s going through a cyclical phase at the moment. There will be projects that will come online again in the future. I think the beauty of SMC is that, because we have such a diverse customer base, we’re well positioned for when the mining picks up again. We can be very responsive to that while also growing in the food packaging industry. “Food and packaging will continue to grow, because let’s face it, we all have to eat and while Australia only has a small domestic market, the majority of OEMs in ANZ can only grow their businesses by exporting.” Driver noted that it’s important that the company has a competitive advantage. He said innovation in ANZ
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is paramount, and that SMC wants to help companies be more efficient and reduce their costs and improve energy efficiency. “I think mining will always be there and it will bounce back, but at the same time, it’s good to be in both markets,” he said. As to whether there was one industry that currently SMC was not involved with but would like to expand into, Driver said that it’s not so much about particular markets but more about overall opportunities. “SMC is always looking at other opportunities in the market and
it’s important that if we do look at that, we weigh up what is involved before entering certain markets,” he said. “There are some markets we will decide that are not strategically appropriate and given the company’s growth at this time, there is nothing on the immediate horizon that we are looking at expanding into. But if we do find something of interest, it will be at the appropriate time and with the right resources.” SMC Australia 1800 763 862 www.smcworld.com
Managing Director of SMC Australia, Wayne Driver (left) and his father, the company's founding Managing Director Peter Driver.
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FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AWARDS
Introducing this year’s sponsors The year marches on and the Food & Beverage Industry Awards 2017 is not far away. With that in mind, we would like to introduce you to some of our sponsors.
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his year the Food & Beverage Industry Awards take place on Monday July 17, at Doltone House in Sydney’s Hyde Park. This once a year opportunity for members of our industry to come together and celebrate the excellence of colleagues and friends would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. We thank them for this support.
and operated company, inspiring people to discover food that actually tastes great. With their mission to “Create amazing. Always” Flavour Makers’ commitment to excellence extends to encouraging other food and beverage manufacturers to continually strive for innovation, quality and improvement.
team of chefs in the kitchen, living the art of cooking is what keeps Creative Food Solutions at the forefront of the industry. This team strive to develop innovative and resourceful food service solutions revolutionising the way sous-vide is perceived within the industry.
Some of this year's sponsors:
Flavour Makers PLATINUM SPONSOR, PROUDLY SPONSORING BEST OF THE BEST Since their formation in 1993, Flavour Makers has grown into an amazing 100 per cent Australian-owned
Creative Food Solutions PROUDLY SPONSORING INGREDIENT INNOVATION Creative Food Solutions was created to supply foodservice customers with restaurant-quality cooked meat products, and is now one of the most advanced cooked food service operations in the country. A knowledgeable and dedicated
Nord Drivesystems PROUDLY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY OF THE YEAR Nord Drivesystems is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of drive technology – for mechanical and electronic solutions. The range of products include geared motors, motors, industrial gear units, frequency inverters, motor
starters and frequency inverters for decentralised drive control. As a leading global company with headquarters in Germany, Nord prides itself in the highest quality standards, the latest technologies in mechanics and electronics, a large production footprint and a global presence. These are their strategies for success. Nord Drivesystems provides individual drive solutions for the food industry, offering customers reduced maintenance, energy saving products and minimum downtime.
Nominate now With the awards now just over three months away, the nominations have started to roll in. Nominations close on Monday, April 24 so there is still time for those who hurry. To nominate, simply visit our website: foodmagazineawards.com.au
The Food & Beverage Industry Awards take place on Monday July 17, at Doltone House in Sydney's Hyde Park. 34 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
NEW PRODUCTS
Scroll compressor THE EO 11 scroll compressor produces class 0 oil-free compressed air in the 11 kW performance segment. This means the company now covers the full performance range from 5.5kW to 22kW. The EO series is available with one to four air ends. In the upgrade-ready version the EO 11 can be alternatively retrofitted with an integrated refrigerant dryer or a third air end. Its compact design combined with operation at min. 59dB(A) means there is no problem with installing the system next to the workplace. The units do not use oil lubrication. The aluminium spirals in the compressor chamber intermesh but do not touch and the resulting compressed air is pulsationfree and absolutely free of oil.
Up to four compressors can be installed in the housing of the compressor to ensure flexible adaptation to compressed air demand. At 10bar the EO series can cover delivery rates from 490l/min to 1,960l/min, while at 8bar the supply of compressed air ranges from 620 l/ min to 2,480 l/min. Featuring a modular design, the EO series can be ordered with an integrated or separate refrigerant compressed air dryer, mounted on a receiver or as a duplex and multiple system. Like the EO 17, the EO 11 is available as an upgrade version.
This allows the two-stage compressor to be extended to include a third air end or an integrated refrigerant dryer. Boge Australasia 03 5940 3266 www.boge.net.au
Clean-trace luminometer NOW available in Australia and New Zealand, the luminometer offers greater sensitivity, more powerful and intuitive software, wireless connectivity and a rugged, user-friendly ergonomic industrial design. Advances with the company's latest Clean-Trace Hygiene Monitoring and Management System include the use of photomultiplier technology to amplify any luminescence and boost the likelihood of detection. The second area of improvement is the system’s upgraded software. The Clean-Trace Hygiene Management Software has a new user interface, with a streamlined and more intuitive dashboard to make navigation easier, minimise the amount of clicking between displays and allow reports to be generated more quickly.
Thirdly, the new-generation luminometer offers users wireless connectivity, with the capability of transferring data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology to the device or computer where it will be analysed by the system software.
Finally, the housing and structure of the 3M CleanTrace luminometer has been redesigned to be tougher and more ergonomic.
3-in-1 handheld tablet PANASONIC has launched a new rugged handheld tablet, adding to its range of enterprise-grade mobile devices. Features of the tablet include an angled barcode reader, full outdoor functionality, Android Lollipop operating system, 4G phone connectivity, military-certified toughness, warm swappable battery, and versatile optional accessories. The handheld tablet will be available with dual SIM slots and certified on leading mobile carrier networks, providing 4G LTE/3G/GPRS/CDMA2000 mobile broadband for voice (or VoIP) and data. To ensure clear voice communication above industrial noise, the device is equipped with intelligent noise suppression capabilities and dual front speakers providing an astounding maximum volume of 100dB(A). Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, near field communications (NFC), standalone and assisted GPS (A-GPS) and Bluetooth, v4.1 (Class 1) are standard. Panasonic Australia 132 600 www.panasonic.com/au/
3M Food Safety 136 136 www.3m.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 35
NEW PRODUCTS
Combi switchbox THE GEMĂœ 4242 combi switchbox is suitable for secure and fast applications in most food plants. It is small, compact and light, and is suitable for pneumatically operated linear actuators. With its integrated 3/2-way pilot valve made of anodized aluminium or stainless steel, the combi switchbox, a specialist for valves, measurement and control systems, is especially designed for smaller and medium nominal sizes. It is particularly well suited to secure and fast applications with a stroke of 2 to 30mm. The design is compact and saves material, and in comparison with competitors' product, it is smaller. This has a favourable effect on pricing and also provides protection for the environment. Mounting and commissioning is made simpler by a speed-AP function. A manual override enables fast diaphragm change. The combi switchbox has a microprocessor-controlled, intelligent position sensor and an analogue, integrated travel sensor system. It provides extended diagnostics, and reports various programming, sensor and pneumatic faults using high visibility. The end positions are programmed on site via the reed contact, using a solenoid on the top of the housing, but without a PLC connection. The position of the reed contact in the housing is clearly marked so the housing does not need to be opened. GEMU Australia 02 4323 4493 www.gemu-group.com
Vibrating fork level detector COMPATIBLE with the HART 5 and HART 7 hosts, the vibrating fork level detector enables operators to continuously monitor electronic and mechanical health. Frequency Profiling functionality immediately detects any build-up, fork blockage, or excessive corrosion, indicating maintenance may be required and allowing this to be scheduled during periods of downtime. In addition, Power Advisory functionality monitors voltage and current drawn over the device's lifetime with a Process Alert for potential issues that could become a problem, such as corrosion. An optional integral LCD display shows switch output states and diagnostics so an operator can inspect the device locally. Also, selectable Media Density and Media Learn functions help configure appropriate density settings to calculate and maintain optimum and consistent switching points in fluids of unknown properties so the device always switches with the highest degree of reliability. For safety-critical applications, a dedicated version of the Rosemount 2140 certified to IEC61508 is available with a 97 per cent safe failure fraction and 96 per cent diagnostics coverage, making it one of the
safest devices in the current SIL2 market. For installations within safety instrumented systems, a fully-integrated remote proof-testing capability eliminates the need to access the top of the vessel for extracting the device from the process. This saves time and increases process availability, worker safety and efficiency. Emerson Automation Solutions 1300 55 3051 www2.emersonprocess.com
36 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
Immersion burner IMMERSION tube heating of tanks is a proven method to heat process liquids at the point of use more effectively than centralised boilers or under tank systems. Burners which can fire into a small diameter immersion tube can extract even greater efficiencies. Tank heating is used for cleanin-place of dairy tanks, blanching vegetables, plucking chicken, scalding pigs, industrial washers, anodising and degreasing, paint pre-treatment and other applications. Huril Nu-Way 1300 556 380 hnw.com.au
NEW PRODUCTS
Compact industrial cameras SCITECH has released a range of compact industrial cameras designed for high speed performance and high frame rates. Ultra-compact by design, the new Ximea XiQ USB3 industrial cameras measure 26.4 x 26.4 x 21.2mm and weigh only 27 grams. The cameras are four times faster than GigE, five times faster than Firewire and 10x faster than USB 2.0 for machine vision applications. Key features include a CMOS, global shutter enabling high speed, high frame rates
of 500fps at VGA and 90fps at 4Mpix (2048 x 2048) and 170fps at 2Mpix resolutions; compatibility with more than 30 Vision Libraries, Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, ARM, USB3 Vision Standard and more; and option of colour and monochrome versions. Ximea XiQ USB3 industrial cameras are suitable for a vast range of applications including factory automation, robotics, and food and print inspection.
Multi-purpose intelligent data loggers MANUFACTURED in Australia, DataTaker is one of the world's leading brands of general purpose and specialised data loggers and data recording equipment. These products are used by a broad range of customers across many industries including environmental, industrial, construction, manufacturing, process
management, scientific, laboratory and education. DataTaker data loggers are designed to be compatible with most all types of sensors, with a strong focus on communications to make data easily accessible. Pacific Data Systems 07 3361 2000 pacdatasys.com.au
Scitech 1300 724 832 www.scitech.com.au
Light, food-safe guide rollers THE rollers for use in the labelling, packaging and food industry consist of a blue PVC tube with two flange ball bearings at the ends made of wear-resistant xirodur B180 with stainless steel balls. Released under the brand name xiros, the polymer ball bearings are maintenance-free and, importantly, lubricant-free. This is a decisive advantage for use in the food and packaging sector as there is no risk of contamination. New in the product range is a ready harnessed system solution consisting of a blue PVC tube as well as two flange ball bearings made of xirodur B180 with stainless steel balls. Compared to stainless steel tubes, the food-grade plastic tube weighs only about one third as much, which in turn has an effect on the required drive energy when the rollers themselves are moved, for example in film storage. Also the dry operating xiros polymer ball bearings achieve less friction than lubricated ball bearings made of metal, since the balls do not have to overcome the resistance of the lubricant. Here, they have the advantage that they start much more easily than ball bearings made of metal. The most widely used designs are
radial deep groove ball bearings according to DIN 625, similar to the available ball bearings made of metal. Further types are, for example, axial ball bearings, multiple bearings, slewing ring bearings or axial polymer ball transfer units. Treotham Automation 02 9907 1788 www.treotham.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | Apr/May 2017 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37
NEW PRODUCTS
Dock leveller MHE Demag introduces the GATOR series, which are said to be among the toughest and safest dock levellers in the industry. With a heavy-duty 9 mm diamond deck, I-beam underdeck support and auto-tilt technology, the dock leveller is built to absorb immense structural forces with ease. It also comes with a host of features to enhance safety during operation and servicing. The series is suitable for heavy-duty usage in the loading bay, enhancing speed and ease of goods flow for your logistics operations. Easy access, via remote control and a maintenance strut with retrieval hook, allows maintenance by a single person. MHE Demag 1300 336 241 www.demag.com.au
Infeed and collection conveyors DESIGNED to work together with Veryx belt-fed and chute-fed sorters as integrated systems, Key's vibratory shakers and belt conveyors embody the company's expertise in both product handling and sorting. The infeed conveyors must optimize stabilization and separation of the product to the sorter. This creates a consistent feed through the sorter's inspection and ejection zones, which ensures ultimate accuracy in detecting and sorting out every piece of foreign material (FM) and defective product while avoiding inadvertent removal of good product in the process. The sorter's collection conveyors must create a soft landing and ease product deceleration to offer gentle handling and prevent damage to the product. Exactly how these objectives are best achieved depends on the conveyance properties of each product. Based on years of experience testing and fine-tuning thousands of conveyors, Key's new Application Matrix defines the ideal stroke, frequency, shape, slope, surface texture and other conveyor variables to match each product. For food processors that run multiple products on the same line, Key designs conveying solutions that offer the best performance across all the products with minimal adjustments needed at each changeover. Key Technology 03 8710 8200 www.key.net
Tank cleaning machine THE Alfa Laval TJ40G rotary tank cleaning machine uses a high-impact jet stream to effectively clean tough tank residues and minimise the risk of product contamination. According to the company, this fournozzle rotary jet head also cleans tanks 60 per cent faster than static spray ball technology, which increases production uptime. Because it cleans faster, this device uses less water and less cleaning agents thereby reducing operating costs by up to 70 per cent. The tank cleaning machine is capable of handling tough tank residues as well as solids up to 1mm in the cleaning fluid in tank sizes 50-1000m. This is particularly important for demanding process lines, such as applications
within the brewhouse, where both the size and the amount of particles may be re-circulated in cleaning media before completing the cleaning cycle. The hygienic self-cleaning construction ensures that the flow of the cleaning fluid reaches the exterior surfaces of the rotary jet head, as well as the critical interior components such as all bushings, bearings and inner surfaces. This minimises the risk of product contamination and ensures a high product quality. The rotary tank cleaning machines are designed with numerous of features to ensure self-cleaning of the machine, such as directional flow from small jets in the hub that cleans the exterior of the machine.
38 Food&Beverage Industry News | Apr/May 2017 | www.foodmag.com.au
A low pressure loss over the machine provides increased cleaning efficiency compared with other tank cleaning machine running at same inlet pressure. This results in lower cleaning cost as the unit can run at lower pressure/ flow compared to other tank cleaning machines. Alfa Laval 1800 023 182 www.alfalaval.com.au
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