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Foodmagazine INGREDIENTS | PROCESSING | SAFETY | PACKAGING | EXPORT
INFORMING FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS
OCT/NOV 2014
WWW.FOODMAG.COM.AU
Labelling
lessons
Print Post Approved 100007267
What Maggie Beer learnt from her recent dealings with the ACCC.
PLUS: Packaging for the elderly | Boosting meat exports | Q&A with five:am founder
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01/09/2014 13:52:28
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WELCOME
Be clear with your claims What will your customers understand - or assume - once they see your packaging?
T
EDITOR: Danielle Bowling danielle.bowling@cirrusmedia.com.au
hey say a picture paints a thousand words. Well, it Of course manufacturers need to ensure that any claim they could also be said, that a mere handful of words or a make on their packaging is accurate, but they also need to give sentence says a lot too. No one understands this more thought to what a consumer might assume from a product’s than chef and food manufacturer, Maggie Beer, who was packaging, or what other messages it’s conveying - regardless of recently slapped over the wrist by the ACCC for what some whether or not they’re intended. see as a technicality, while others claim her company has been Australia’s Meat and Livestock Association has done just deceptive and dishonest. this with the launch of the True Aussie logo. The logo will see The incident in question involves Australian beef, lamb and goat marketed four out of 200 products in the under the one brand identity in all export "Manufacturers also need Maggie Beer Products range, all of markets, including Japan, China and in the to give thought to what a which feature the Maggie Beer logo Middle East. consumer might assume from with the text “A Barossa Family You can read all about this on page 12, Tradition” as well as an address in but the MLA’s Stephen Edwards admits a product's packaging." Tanunda, South Australia. that while the association was at first It turns out these products are no longer manufactured in luke-warm about using the term ‘Aussie’ (and I can understand the Barossa, but rather as the company grew and demand rose, that) it seems both business and consumers abroad associate the Maggie Beer Products decided to outsource manufacturing to word with trustworthiness, quality and reliability, and that, after third parties in Queensland and Victoria. all, is exactly what we’re all about. After all, the local indusBeer has now modified the label on all 200 of her products try’s worked so hard to have the safety, traceability and quality and says she never intended to mislead her customers. standards it boasts today; we may as well tell it to the world.
INSIDE 04 NEWS
8-10 LABELLING LESSONS
20-22 FOOD AUDITS
Food defies manufacturing slump; Dairy Farmers’ selfie campaign
What Maggie Beer has learnt from her recent dealings with the ACCC.
06 INDUSTRY MAP
12-14 BEEFING UP EXPORTS
Follow these simple guidelines to reduce the cost and length of your food audits.
Q&A with five:am’s David Prior
Meat and Livestock Australia has created a new brand identity for red meats destined for export markets.
24-26 SECURE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN Effective serialisation is essential to protect food brands.
28 PACKAGING What does the future hold?
16-19 AN AGEING ISSUE What can manufacturers do to make their packaging more accessible?
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER - Martin Sinclair P: 02 8484 0607 F: 02 8484 0915 E: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au EDITOR - Danielle Bowling P: 02 8484 0667 F: 02 8484 0915 E: danielle.bowling@cirrusmedia.com.au JOURNALIST - Aoife Boothroyd P: 02 8484 0907 F: 02 8484 0907 E: aoife.boothroyd@cirrusmedia.com.au JOURNALIST - Jasmine O’Donoghue P: 02 8484 0854 F: 02 8484 0907 E: jasmine.o’donoghue@cirrusmedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Louis Santos P: 02 8484 0724 F: 02 8484 0915 E: louis.santos@cirrusmedia.com.au
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www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2014 | Foodmagazine 3
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NEWS
AUSTRALIAN Dairy Farmers (ADF) recently urged Australians to help draw attention to the importance of a ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement by getting behind a ‘selfie’ campaign. On 1 September, Australian Dairy Farmers in conjunction with the wider Australian farming community, called on Australians to send a tweet or upload a selfie of them holding a handwritten sign with a positive message incorporating the hashtag #FTA4dairy or #FTA4farmers. The campaign reached over 1.6 million Twitter users, including Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Joel Fitzgibbon, who tweeted: “What’s good for dairy is good for Oz.” ADF says that the absence of a FTA with China is costing Australian dairy farmers over $30 million a year, money that it says could be put back into local dairy farm communities to make Australia more competitive on the global market. For the past six years, New Zealand has enjoyed a lucrative FTA with China that has seen its exports soar to grab a global market share of 37 percent versus Australia’s seven percent. The demand for dairy in China has been described by Bega Cheese as ‘insatiable’, and in May, Norco began exporting fresh milk to China, a process which can
now be done within seven days. The dairy co-operative plans to export 20 million litres of fresh milk in the next 12 months, which will sell for as much as $8 a litre.
Image: Twitter: @PetravdLinde
Dairy farmers push for FTA with selfie campaign
Pactum Dairy Group (PDG) has also entered the Chinese market, signing a strategic supply agreement with Bright Dairy in July.
Food bucks the trend: manufacturing drops THE LATEST AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING INDEX (AUSTRALIAN PMIš) (READINGS ABOVE 50 INDICATE EXPANSION).
53.8 66.3 47.4 2.1 POINTS
STABLE
MACHINERY & PETROLEUM, EQUIPMENT COAL, CHEMICALS & RUBBER PRODUCTS NEW ORDERS
1.0 POINTS
AUGUST 3.4 POINTS
47.3
2.0 POINTS
4.6 POINTS
45.4 44.1
3.1 POINTS
4 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
2.4 POINTS
4.4 POINTS
SUPPLIER DELIVERIES
4.4 POINTS
2.7 POINTS
48.8 47.8 46.3 47.7
FOOD,BEVERAGES WOOD & PAPER LARGE METAL & TOBACCO PRODUCTS PRODUCTS
FOOD and beverage was one of only two manufacturing sub-sectors to expand in August, according to the Australian Industry Group (AIG) Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI). Food and beverage and smaller wood and paper products were the only two out of the eight manufacturing sub-indices to expand, with the rest of the industry contracting when compared to July.
53.2 MANUFACTURING PRODUCTION EMPLOYMENT
The top-line index figure dropped 3.4 points to 47.3, and the three month moving average also dropped to 48.9, where a reading of less than 50 represents industry contraction. All levels of manufacturing, including production, new orders, sales, employment and supplier deliveries all contracted, with the high Australian dollar refusing to relent.
EXPORTS
“While exports lifted in August, many respondents expressed ongoing concern about the persistent strength of the Australian dollar, which is maintaining the intensity of import competition,” Australian Industry Group chief executive, Innes Willox, said. An increase in import competition and a reduction in engineering construction were also listed as key contributors to the industry’s contraction.
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INDUSTRY MAP
24hwritsh
DAIRY
five:am F
ounded in 2011, organic yoghurt brand five:am was recently purchased by PZ Cussons Australia and New Zealand for £44.1 million. Part of the international consumer products group, PZ Cussons Plc, the domestic business also recently acquired baby food brand Rafferty’s Garden. “I’m delighted that five:am has chosen a great home for the future,” founder David Prior said. “The cultural fit with PZ Cussons was apparent immediately and I am sure the business will flourish under its new ownership.” Prior, who took a few minutes out of his schedule to tell us about his work, will remain involved in the company once the sale is completed.
Title: Managing director
Can you list some of the primary roles and responsibilities in your job? Financial, customer relationship, managing banks, revenue and profit growth, direction of the five:am brand, development of a strong HR team.
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What is the one thing you are most proud of in your professional life? Building the five:am business from scratch to market in just 12 months. This included the establishment of the plant, recipe creation, package design, distribution and marketing strategies, as well as putting together a team of passionate and qualified individuals.
Biggest daily challenge? That would have to be being content with the fact that I’m not surfing!
Biggest challenge in the food manufacturing industry at the moment? I’d have to say eroding margins through a lack of innovation and differentiation.
What makes Australia's food industry unique?
Cleanliness of our environment, the security of our food supply chain and the strength and diligence of regulatory There is a lot of on the job training. Most bodies such as the ACO (Australian 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 9 - 1 0 T1 1 : 0 6 : 2 0 + 1 0 : 0 0 of my experience prior to five:am was Certified Organic).
What training/education did you need for your job?
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developed through my family businesses. I developed a strong work ethic by working from the age of seven for my dad. In regards to formal education, I completed my MBA at the University of Melbourne.
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Can you detail the growth that five:am has experienced since its launch? Turnover for FY12 was $7 million; it was $22 million for FY13; and it reached $35 million in FY14. I put this down to our great tasting quality products, achieving and maintaining an accessible price point, the ongoing support of major supermarkets and our loyal consumers.
How will five:am's sale affect the business? PZ Cussons was chosen as the best new home for five:am due to alignment of values. They are a perfect match and will be able to respect the five:am brand and maximise opportunities here and overseas.
What will the next 12 months involve for five:am? Greater penetration into Asia, innovation for our local market, greater engagement with our local consumers.
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LABELLING
Labelling lessons from Maggie Beer
When South Australian chef and businesswoman, Maggie Beer received notice from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that the labelling on four of her top selling products was found to be misleading, she made the decision to tackle the incident head on, writes Aoife Boothroyd.
I
n mid-August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released a statement detailing that Maggie Beer Products had accepted a court enforceable undertaking for misleading customers following an investigation by the competition watchdog. The text, ‘A Barossa Food Tradition’ can be found on the bottom of the Maggie Beer pheasant logo which is displayed across the entire Maggie Beer Products range. Unlike the other 200 products in the Maggie Beer range which are manufactured in the Barossa Valley or South Australia, four products - extra virgin olive oil,
8 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
aged red wine vinegar, rosemary and verjuice biscuits and the Maggie Beer ice cream range are manufactured at facilities in Victoria and Queensland. In addition to the text within the logo, the words ‘Maggie Beer Products: 2 Keith Street Tanunda South Australia 5352’ also appeared of the packaging of each product. As a result of these representations, the ACCC concluded that a reasonable consumer would assume, or would have gained the overall impression that each of these products were manufactured in Tanunda, the Barossa Valley or South Australia.
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The ACCC also made reference to misrepresentations made by a Maggie Beer Products during a “Local Fair” held at a Woolworths supermarket in Mitcham, South Australia in April last year when a representative of the company stated that its ice cream products and Rosemary and Verjuice biscuits were made locally, when they were not.
Place of origin claims According to the ACCC, place of origin claims are to be used only when a good originates from a more localized region or place than the country that it is manufactured in. All false or misleading claims about the place of origin are specifically prohibited under Australian Consumer Law and as such, businesses found to be using such claims must ensure that it does not mislead customers. Food magazine recently spoke with Beer about the misrepresentations. According to Beer, the products were initially made in the Barossa, however a steady increase in demand, together with new product developments meant that the company had to look interstate to manufacture those four particular product lines. “Everything started here in this Barossa kitchen,” Beer said. “We only went interstate when we didn’t have the equipment or technology to do a product that I wanted to put on the market efficiently, and that is honestly the only reason.” “I had no idea that anyone could be misled by it, and as soon as I was told by the ACCC, I absolutely said we’re going to make sure that this can never happen again. “We put on our website for anyone and everyone to read why something was made interstate - we’ve never hidden it. But I never, ever, want anyone to think that I set out to mislead so if anyone was misled, my apology is so heartfelt, but I truly believed that I was never doing anything wrong.” To rectify the situation Beer says that she will be modifying each label on her entire range which spans over 200 products and will include added information on the State in which each product is made to ensure that there is no way a similar event can be repeated. “We have gone far beyond what the ACCC has asked us to do, so we have made the decision to take A Barossa Food Tradition off every label because having two different logos from a marketing perspective is just absolute chaos, so the idea – sad as I am to take it off – is to use the back story to celebrate provenance, so I’m just tackling it in a different way.”
Take everything into account When asked about the advice that she would give to fellow manufacturers to prevent such events from happening, Beer says that absolutely everything needs to be taken into account. “You have got to look at it from far beyond FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand) regulations,” she says. “You have think, ‘what can a consumer possibly get out of this?’ “I think there is no doubt that we are going to be a good example ... What the ACCC is saying and what I have always believed is that provenance is so vitally important, so this is really going to open up the conversation, and it will put the headlights on the fact that provenance is absolute.”
The issue of accurate labelling - particularly regarding provenance - has been in the spotlight for quite some time, and as a result consumers are scrutinising labels more now than ever before. Beer believes that this is something that should be encouraged. “Customers are reading labels and I’m glad that they are - I think that it’s a good thing that they do so. “I just don’t want there to be anything that anyone can think of - that I can’t think of - that could possibly mislead.” Along with Beer, her daughter Saskia was also pulled up by the competition watchdog for making false or misleading representations in relation to product labelling earlier in the year. Saskia Beer’s Barossa Farm Produce Pty Ltd was found to have made representations between 9 December 2010 and 28 May 2013 that the pork used in
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LABELLING
"I had no idea that anyone could be misled by it, and as soon as I was told by the ACCC, I absolutely said we're going to make sure that this can never happen again."
its “The Black-Pig” smallgoods range was that of heritage Berkshire pigs, or other heritage black pig breeds when that was not the case. Barossa Farm Produce accepted the court enforceable undertaking from the ACCC for the misrepresentations stating at the time that the incident was an isolated one. “This is an isolated instance that arose as a result of miscommunication on the part of our supplier and a failure on our part to adequately verify, in this instance, the source of the product,” she said at the time. “There was no intention to mislead F D1 0 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ DUP2 or misrepresent in any way the origin of the product.” Supermarket giant Coles was also
pulled up for misleading or deceptive conduct by the ACCC for its ‘Baked Today, Sold Today’ and ‘Freshly Baked In-Store’ claims on various ‘Cuisine Royale’ and ‘Coles Bakery’ branded bread products. The ACCC said at the time that the marketing of these products was misleading as the bread is partially baked and frozen off-site, transported to Coles stores and ‘finished’ in-store. Carlton & United Breweries were also in the spotlight in relation to representations that Byron Bay Pale Lager was brewed by a small brewer in Byron Bay when that was not the case. 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 9 - 1 5 T1 1 : 0 8 : 2 5 + 1 0 : 0 0 Even though manufacturers may have the best of intentions and honestly believe that they are fully compliant
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with all of the relevant regulation, it is possible for things to slip through the cracks. Beer says that the investigation served as a wakeup call for her in relation to accurate labelling, and urges fellow manufacturers to carefully consider each message that is sent to consumers on product labels. “The labels must be accurate and looked at with a consumer’s eyes so there is no possibility of a customer being misled,” she says. “I think every food company tries its absolute best. We were doing everything perfectly to the book in relation to our FSANZ regulations, and we thought we were OK. This truly came as a real shock. But it will, as I said, open up the conversation for other food producers.”
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MEAT
MEAT EXPORTS We all know it: Australia’s ‘clean, green’ reputation overseas gives our food and beverage products a serious competitive edge, and the meat industry is harnessing it to boost exports. By Danielle Bowling.
B
y and large, Australian consumers like buying Australian products because they trust the processes involved in their manufacture. Campaigns like Australian Made are built on the premise that there is a real appetite in retail for locally produced products, and that manufacturers will benefit greatly from clearly communicating – both here and abroad – that they are ‘true blue.’ Of course overseas markets also show keen interest in certain Australian products, especially food, and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is taking full advantage of it with the launch of its True Aussie brand position and identity. Officially released at trade shows in China and the US in May, the True Aussie logo will be used "When they talk for lamb, goat and beef in all export markets. Previously, these three red meats were marketed under different logos in different regions, but Stephen Edwards, business manager of global marketing at MLA, says having them come together under one umbrella brand will make promoting Australian meats overseas easier and more consistent. “It’s something which we’d been discussing for a while and something which our stakeholders had asked us to look into, which we obviously did. We went
12 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
through a lot of consumer insights into what people believed Australian beef and lamb was all about,” he told Food magazine. As a result, the True Aussie brand position and logo was created, and it’s based on the three unique selling points of Australia’s agricultural and food manufacturing industries. “[Firstly], we believe Australia is the ideal home to be raising cattle and sheep. The second part is about trusted partners. So trusting the producers, the farmers of Australia, that they have good sustainable practices in place; they raise animals with animal welfare in mind - there are industry standards that back that up, all the way through to the end user who uses the products,
use of the word ‘Aussie’ until its due diligence process indicated that export markets associate the word with reliability, quality and food safety – pillars which the local manufacturing industry prides itself on. “We saw that there was a lot of recognition for the word ‘Aussie’, and when we first saw it we weren’t all that enamoured with it, mainly because I think the word ‘Aussie’ has different connotations for Aussies, but when you go overseas you see that Americans, Japanese, they see us as Aussies, and they see us as straightforward, honest, laid back people and I think that’s what we wanted to portray.” The True Aussie logo is being rolled out in all export markets and is already being used in two of the largest retailers in Japan. The rollouts are about Aussie products, they know it's Australian, it's safe; being supported by regional specific it's sort of a given now." strategies, depending on the export that is, chefs and butchers. So we’re just celebrating how market and there’s also room underneath the logo to good our supply chain really is, and it really is second to insert a tagline that ties in with the region and the needs none in the world. and/or values of its customers. “And the third part of it is pure enjoyment, not only “We have the highest standards of traceability and of the product, but when you buy a piece of Australian food safety in the world and that, in some regions, beef or lamb in an overseas country, you’re really buying will dial up different messages. In emerging growinto the Australian thing as well,” he says. ing markets like South East Asia and the Middle East, Edwards admits that MLA wasn’t convinced on the they’re very keen on knowing where their products come
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MEAT
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from. Especially somewhere like China, where everyone sees the amount of food safety issues they have, simply because they don’t have the infrastructure in place. So when they look at food, they want to know where their product comes from and they want to know that it’s a safe product. When they talk about Aussie products, they know it’s Australian, it’s safe; it’s sort of a given now. So we need to keep reminding people that that is the case,” says Edwards. “In other markets it’s just as important, like in Korea and Japan, but we’ve got to dial up different attributes there; we’ve got to dial up that it’s a high quality product, it’s good tasting, good for you and that there are 2 0 1 4 -nutritional 0 9 - 1 benefits 1 T 1 6there : 3 too.” 2 : 3 5 + 1 0 : 0 0
Capitalising on interest from China The logo will be rolled out in China like it will in all other export markets, Edwards says, and he expects it’ll be a little easier there because “we kind of have a clean slate” in China, with no pre-existing recognised logos. Despite this, China is a fairly new growth market and MLA has plenty of work to do in the region. The government is pushing for a Free Trade Agreement, and Edwards says that since FTAs have been achieved in Korea and Japan, China is now the top priority. “The beef and sheep meat industries are working very closely with the government to ensure that if and when we do get an FTA, not only do we have good market access as far as elimination of quotas and tariffs,
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www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2014 | Foodmagazine 13
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MEAT
Trade shows are an opportunity for Australian producers to connect with Chinese buyers.
but we also have the ability to demonstrate our food safety credentials and make sure that we lessen the risk of any technical barriers. For example, they might say we can’t bring chilled products in, and we need to make sure the Chinese government is across exactly what our industry can deliver.” Edwards is confident that the True Aussie logo will be used on all meat products, although there was a push
it’s a commodity product, you’re still competing with the likes of Brazil and the US, so you want to make sure that people see that it’s an Australian product, and straight away they know it’s safe and it’s a good, clean product. “In my opinion it doesn’t matter where your product [is positioned], you still want to make sure that people know it’s Australian,” he says. The opportunity that China represents to Australian
"It's been a boom not only in China, but also in the Middle East. Exports for beef and lamb have gone through the roof in those areas." for it to only be used for top quality products like high quality grass fed and high quality grain fed beef. “If you look at a box of trimmings, they could go into making hamburgers or meatballs or bakso balls in Indonesia. You want that [logo] on the carton, and there are quite a few exporters now who are looking to put the F Aussie D1 0 1 4 _on0their 0 0 cartons _ H E because R - even 1 though 2 0 1 4 True logo
producers has definitely surged over the past two years or so, Edwards says. This is due to a number of factors, including the region’s diminishing herd size, with a growing number of Chinese people moving away from rural areas to pursue opportunities in manufacturing. Consequently, there is a growing middle class in 0 9 - 1and 0 T 1 1 :earning 0 5 : more 0 6 +money. 1 0 : “When 0 0 you China, they’re
look at the rise of the middle class in places like China and the Middle East, you note one thing: when the middle class in Australia gets a bit more disposable income, it’s ‘I need a new TV’ or ‘I need a new car’. When the middle class in those emerging markets gets a little bit more money, they want to eat better, and their staples are chicken and pork, which are quite cheap proteins. We at MLA have done a lot of market research, and beef is seen to be the king of proteins in those regions of the world, so they aspire to be eating those proteins. They want to eat more beef and, a) because China has a lot of food safety issues, and b) because the herd is diminishing, they need to import a lot more products. “So it’s been a boom not only in China, but also in the Middle East. Exports for beef and lamb have gone through the roof in those areas,” says Edwards. Just a few months ago in August, V&V Walsh, a West Australian meat processor, signed a deal worth an estimated $1 billion with China’s Grand Farm. The five year agreement is between the Bunbury company, the Inner Mongolian government and China’s Grand Farm, which is the region’s largest red meat importer, despite only supplying one percent of the Chinese market (the ABC reports it aims to increase this to three percent). While not all dealings with China will be on the grand scale of that between V&V Walsh and Grand Farm, Edwards is urging local manufacturers and meat processors to make the most of growing export opportunities by being as visible as possible at industry events and trade shows. “There’s a lot of enquiry coming out of China. Our Beijing office is getting inundated with calls from people wanting to import Australian beef or lamb … There are a lot of trade shows happening in China, and not only in China, there are a lot of Chinese buyers going to different trade shows around the world. We’re seeing a lot of Chinese buyers and importers travelling to trade shows to find products they can import. So it’s very important, I think, for MLA to facilitate trade events with exporters so we can be seen out there under one banner and that umbrella brand of True Aussie,” he says.
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14 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
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AGED CARE
The ageing population is the largest and fastest growing market sector – but when it comes to packaging design, the elderly are often overlooked, reports Jasmine O’Donoghue.
n a – y t i l i b i s s e c c A
e u s s i g n i e g a Creative courtesy of Loud Multicultural Pty Ltd.
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AGED CARE
O
ne of the key roles of packaging is to protect its contents, but what happens when it is so well protected, that a consumer can’t access it? Fergal Barry, strategic partnerships manager at Arthritis Australia says that particularly in food retail, packaging traditionally caters to the nuclear family and couples with children, but this excludes 70 percent of Australians who don’t belong to either segment. “By targeting that market you’re excluding more than twothirds of the marketplace. You’re also excluding the one in two people that face some sort of functional limitation,” Barry says. With 73 percent, or $3,262 billion of Australia’s net household worth belonging to those who are aged 45+, Barry says “surely it makes sense that their needs are actively considered through the design process. A failure to do that creates a barrier to purchase. Simply, if you can’t open it, you can’t eat it.” In order to address the issue, Arthritis Australia teamed up with Nestle, NSW Health and Georgia Tech to release the Initial Scien-
much greater scope to fundamentally redesign a product. With a multinational, the process of making a fundamental design change to an iconic brand, especially one that’s used nationally or globally, can be quite significant. But if you’re a small manufacturing company and somebody says ‘here’s an opportunity, here’s how to redesign the product and we’ll help you’, you can just say ‘yeah, let’s do it’. When you do that … you can pick up contracts and replace existing suppliers in a market just by putting the consumer at the centre of the design process.” Barry says that one barrier that manufacturers may face in making their packaging more accessible is being committed to a certain pack format. Another barrier may be regulatory requirements around labelling, which may compel suppliers to put a lot of information on a small space – which those with less than perfect eyesight struggle to read. A fundamental change in pack format may, (but not always) require a significant investment. “There is often an assumption that making packaging easier
"The idea is not to focus on designing for one group, it's to design for all." tific Review, which estimates what percentage of the population can safely open packaging. Arthritis Australia uses the review to assess hundreds of products and passes the findings onto manufacturers so they can consider improving their packaging. It has been adopted by NSW Health to evaluate the food packaging of its suppliers, ranking them from -8 to +8, to help make food packaging easier to open for elderly or frail hospital patients. Barry says the review represents an opportunity for manufacturers. “It’s not just [about] designing packaging that people in hospital can open; easy open packaging is a significant driver for innovation and an escape from price-only competition. In the health system a lot of the companies are now competing on more than price, they’re innovating and they’re being rewarded for innovation by winning contracts,” he says. “Some of the biggest benefactors of accessibility have been F Dmanufacturers. 1 0 1 4 _ 0 Small 0 0 _ toAmedium P P M Aorganisations 1 2have 0 1a 4 - 0 small
to open is going be very difficult or automatically very expensive, and we’ve helped debunk that myth. In some cases it’s cheaper and you can also reduce packaging waste.” For example, portion controlled cereals are traditionally packaged in a box and a bag, but many manufacturers have begun to switch to a flow wrap, therefore eliminating the need for a box. By switching, manufacturers have been able to use less materials, save money, and reduce environmental and food waste. “I think also sometimes manufacturers perceive that if they’re looking at a redesign, that Arthritis Australia are looking for manufacturers to make unrealistic changes. All we want is for companies to make an informed decision on how any change will impact the number of consumers that can consume a product, or buy it,” Barry says. “The idea is not to focus on designing for one group, it’s to design 9for- all 1 and 0 Tmake 1 1 their : 1 needs 4 : 3part 1 +of 1the0decision : 0 0 making process.”
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2015 Industry Excellence Awards
Recognising Innovative & Outstanding Packaging & Processing Solutions
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To access a submission form email appma@appma.com.au or visit www.appma.com.au www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2014 | Foodmagazine 17
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A growing issue Accessibility was recently added to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a sustainable packaging initiative aimed at changing the culture of business, which has over 900 organisations as signatories. Gavin Williams, chief executive of the Packaging Council of Australia says accessibility was added because it’s a growing issue. “If people can’t open [a product], they do one of two things: if it’s a real pain to open, they’ll go to another product, or they’ll take a knife or scissors [to it] and there is the risk of injury,” he says. “More and more of [the elderly] are living on their own, so therefore there has been a move to smaller, individually packed products. Products in larger portion packaging are often unused and spoiled by the time they come to them again and again.” Another significant change Williams has seen is where the packaging also becomes a dispensing device, such as the switch from the honey jar, to a plastic container with a twist-spout closure.
sensor based sorting technology for food inspection + analysis maximise yield + recovery, reduce waste consistent high quality food assurance consumer food safety assurance increase productivity + throughput high capacity sorting
"If you don't change with what the market wants, then you could be left behind." “Those are the sorts of devices that are becoming more commonplace, and it indicates that while all products are not perfect in this area, I think there is a real effort being made to address this issue, for the benefit of the consumer but, put simply, it also makes commercial sense.” When redesigning packaging, it’s all about finding a balance, Williams says. “Easy opening packaging, by its very nature, raises the spectre that - if it’s easy to open, is it easy to tamper with? You’ve got to build in tamper-evident devices which don’t undermine the open-ability.”
Catering to a need
info@heatandcontrol.com | heatandcontrol.com
18 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au FoodMag_OctNov14_100x275_H&C_Tomra.indd 1
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Adrian Marostica, founding director of handeepax, produced an easy to use packaging format for sauces and dressings, which is now used by Tasmanian Health. Marostica identified a need for change after visiting his mother- and father–in-law in hospital and observing them trying to use the packaging presented to them. “That’s when I started thinking ‘how could we do this better?’ “The old [butter] tub format has been around for 30 years and whilst it served a purpose, the growing elderly population were struggling to open and use them.”
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10 ways to improve accessibility: 1. The shape of the product should be easy to hold, so that it fits in the hand. 2. Provide a sufficient area for applying force to open or remove packaging. 3. Reduce the requirement for fine motor skills. 4. Do not require the use of tools e.g. "cut here" or clam shell packaging. 5. Avoid sharp edges. 6. Minimise the number of actions required to remove packaging and do not require simultaneous actions. 7. Minimise the force required to remove seals by providing a grasping point or a seal that is easy to puncture. 8. Minimise the rotational force required to remove a cap. 9. Use steep rather than gradual threading. 10. Avoid small font.
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Accessible packaging doesn't require tools for opening.
Marostica identified problems with the tub format, including the need for fine motor skills when peeling the tops off, the difficulty in getting all the product in the tub out, and the tendency for the product to rip whatever it was spread upon. In the design of handeepax, a number of elements were considered, including ease of opening, the ability to control product flow so it did not cause spillage and so all the product could be removed from the packaging, and the necessity to not to have to use teeth, or any other tool. In the case of the butter, it was also important that the product could be held and warmed in the hand to reach the desired consistency. Throughout the process, Marostica had handeepax tested for openability and accessibility through Georgia Tech University, and discussed with Arthritis Australia in great depth the design, and what the elderly or people with disabilities need and what they would consider to be appro1 4 - 0 9 - 1 1 T1 3 : 4 4 : 0 8 + 1 0 : 0 0 priate packaging.
Marostica says in the initial days he faced some resistance, as people had the perception “why fix something that’s not broken?” “I think the packaging industry was very set in its ways; it wasn’t ready for change. I think that we as a company certainly listened to what people wanted. “It’s definitely worthwhile at the end of the day and when you’re creating something new, you know you’re going to get resistance, it’s just the way the game plays, but that resistance usually gives you a lot of guidance and gives you a good story and reason to go in and explain the product to people,” he told Food magazine. “There’s room for change and there’s room for looking at packaging with a different eye, and I suppose the costs around doing it can be grave, but I think the rewards are there. “If you don’t change with what the market wants, then you could be left behind.”
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AGED CARE
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FOOD AUDITS
How to reduce
your audit
costs Time is money, and while audits are part and parcel of being a food manufacturer, you should be striving to make them as efficient and cost effective as possible, writes Martin Stone.
20 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
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FOOD AUDITS
W
ith the increase in requirements for demonstrating compliance to a given standard, audit costs are steadily rising across the industry. The ultimate cost of a food safety audit is based on the amount of time an auditor spends on site plus a travel component, also based on time. Typically, that total time is multiplied by a rate to yield the total cost. The trick to reducing auditing costs therefore, is to reduce the time of the audit. There are three areas that I regularly see as having potential for reducing audit time, all of which are under the control of the auditee. These include the evidence provided to the auditor, preparation for the audit and activities on the audit day itself. Here are some practical tips to ensure you are minimising your audit costs:
Evidence • Auditors base decisions on evidence. The better the evidence, the less time an auditor will take to make a decision. The best supporting evidence consists of relevant documents that get to the heart of a matter. Documents should be titled, signed and dated. Photographs should be headed and dated. Cross references should be logical and easy to follow. Make it easy for the auditor to join the dots and come to a correct and timely decision. • Remember that facts are quicker for an auditor to respond to - compared to opinions. The provision of hard, concise and factual evidence will save auditing time and money.
Ensure the relevant people are available on audit day.
Preparation • Read the last audit report carefully. Consider recommendations or any issues requiring close outs at this audit and be prepared with the chain of evidence that will be required. Expect the auditor to want to investigate any anomalies raised at prior audits and again, have relevant information at hand to provide to the auditor. • Pre-audit yourself. Imagine the non-conformances or questions that could be raised. Be prepared with an answer and chain of evidence to support your assertions. By anticipating the questions to come from an auditor, you can be ready with the answers. • Many facilities have lengthy induction/site entry programs which are underpinned by the requirement for visitors to read and respond to lengthy documents. Consider if some of the induction programs for visi-
"By anticipating the questions to come from an auditor, you can be ready with the answers." tors can be conducted off site. A system that allows an auditor to complete some or all of an induction program prior to arriving on site will reduce site time of the audit.
The audit day • Ask the auditor “Can we proceed quicker if possible, what can we do to reduce the time required?” Let the auditor know that you wish to keep audit time to a minimum and will do what you can to facilitate this. Ask the question at the start of the audit and again,
for next time, at the closing meeting. • Get a plan for the audit and ensure the relevant people are available at each stage. If a key person is not available at a particular time, alter the audit plan to suit. Do not get in a position where you are waiting for a key person to finish a meeting before interacting with the auditor. • Have someone available for the auditor to access at all times. Think ‘assistant auditor’; assigning someone like this can save you a lot of time. This person should be someone who knows where all the
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FOOD AUDITS
•
•
•
•
references are and how to find any auditor requests. The idea here is to ensure the flow of information to the auditor, rather than receiving a big list of requests that results in dead auditing time while the required information is retrieved. Ensure complete access to the plant is available for a single plant inspection. Having to go to and from the plant because one section or another is closed or in wash down or ‘starting up later’ wastes time. Tour the facility in a logical commonsense manner. Start with receivals and end with dispatch. This makes the process easy to understand and will speed transit through the facility. Guide the auditor, tell them where key monitoring takes place and point out ‘places of interest’ and those locations relevant to the program being audited. Again, do everything you can to ensure the tour is a ‘one-pass’. Coming back to the plant to check on something that was not observed in the first pass wastes large amounts of time. Develop a one page index of your system so that an auditor can find a relevant section quickly and easily. A diagram of the system component parts is also great to help an auditor who is unfamiliar with your system.Of course your system always takes some audit time, but you can minimise this. Provide somewhere quiet, tidy and cluter-free for the auditor to sit and review. A big desk or table that they can spread out on is essential. Ensure your records are organised, chronological and complete. Check this yourself if you rely on others to put the records together. Missing records will waste time. If you discover missing records that cannot be located before the audit, determine a cause and be prepared for questioning by the auditor. If the records have been misplaced, ask the auditor if you can send them for review on a later date rather than making the auditor wait as you conduct a sweep of the operation.
The key to a quick audit is preparation.
"Like most things in food manufacturing, planning really is central to minimising time and costs."
additional two hours of travel time for this second day. By staying back another hour, the additional travel time could have been avoided. Ask your auditor “Can we stay back to complete this rather than you coming another day?” Above all, try to eliminate the ‘waiting for’ moments in an audit - waiting to see this item, waiting to find that document or waiting to see that person can be dead audit time which ends up costing your business money. Like I recently reviewed a report where an auditor returned most things in food manufacturing, planning really is on a second day to complete an audit and logged only central to minimising time and costs. D 1 of0 audit 1 4 time _ 0 0for0this _ Eday. XH 2 0an1 4 - 0 9Let’s - 1 face 0 T it, 1 every 1 : 0year 7 : you 5 8should + 1 0be: getting 0 0 better oneFhour They- also1logged
OWNED AND PRESENTED BY
ORGANISED BY
at audits, so having shorter audits as an objective is a worthwhile and achievable target. Try setting the auditee team a KPI of reduced audit time and see if you can actively reduce your audit costs. Good luck. Martin Stone is a director of HACCP Australia, a leading food science consultancy. He is an accomplished food safety auditor and undertakes audits for legal, insurance and certification requirements. For more information visit www.haccp.com.au
AUSPACK. The natural home for food processing and packaging machinery. For more information visit auspack.com.au
22 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
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Secure your supply chain
Effective serialisation is essential to protect and bolster your food brand now and in the future, writes Mark Dingley.
24 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
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CODING & SCANNING
S
erialisation is not new. It’s the process of putting a unique number on a product. While the idea has been around for a while, its use has come back into the spotlight because of the benefits it offers in an increasingly complex global supply chain. At the consumer level particularly, a serialised unique identification process enables traceability and authentication via systems such as chain of custody, chain of ownership, product identifier authentication or recall - and readily available technology can be used with all of these. The pharmaceutical industry has quite well developed serialisation, but changing regulations in various countries around the world will most likely see mass serialisation become a reality across a host of industries.
So why is it necessary? There is a lack of real-time transparency with products changing ownership a number of times. Serialisation gives complete traceability and enables authentication at every level in the supply chain — especially at the consumer level. Along with the complexities of an increasingly world-spanning supply F D1 0 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ SUM -
chain, counterfeiting is another major reason why serialisation is becoming necessary. Counterfeiting affects not only company bottom lines, but in the case of foods and pharmaceuticals, poses a public health risk.
Business benefits
returns that were not originally sold to the customer.
Implementing serialisation To effectively implement serialisation and traceability, a business needs to understand the requirements from a compliance perspective, as well as their brand objectives. Typically, a traceability/serialisation system has these building blocks: • Unique identification codes • Sata-capture mechanisms • Managing links across the chain • Data communication across the
While there’s consumer-level and supply chain justifications for serialisation, there are also several business benefits: 1. Brand protection: it gives the ability to detect and manage counterfeit product threats 2. Reverse logistics and recalls: it gives greater granularity of data to aid recalls, returns, withdrawals and rebates, and shrinks loss recovery. 3. Inventory control and supply chain visibility: it improves visibility of the exact item and quantities delivered at each point in the supply chain, so provides a better insight into raw materials ordering as well as process scheduling. 4. Consumer connection: it gives the ability to build consumer trust through product verification or authentication, and, therefore, the opportunity for the brand to connect directly with the consumer. 5. Returns: 1 2 0 1 4 -it gives 0 9 -the 1 ability 1 T 1 to 4 detect : 3 2 : 1 9 + 1 0 : 0 0
supply chain Flexibility is key. A system that meets current regulations is great, but it should also be able to accommodate change if regulations alter in the future. (With the way regulations have changed so far, that’s really “when” regulations change.) Serialisation can be implemented in three stages: 1. At the consumer level, with a unique number on the unit using a data carrier (e.g. data bar, 2D code, numeric code). 2. Using the existing Global Trade Item Number (GTIN); a serialised GTIN
www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2014 | Foodmagazine 25
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CODING & SCANNING
can be used for a more integrated approach. 3. Across the supply chain, including cartons and pallets, for complete supply chain visibility and end-to-end track and trace.
Considerations Here are a few things to think about before implementing serialisation: • Review data management from an enterprise level (ERP/MES), a plant level (MES), line level (SCADA) and machine level (PLCs and equipment) • Consider the impact on your existing processes and line speeds • Determine the code’s location and permanency • Choose the right data carrier (i.e. QR, Datamatix, GS1 Datamatrix barcodes) • Use GS1 standards • Think of aggregation strategies when serialising beyond the consumer-unit level • Choose a technology partner who understands serialisation and can provide serialisation-ready devices and solutions Here are a few more things to think about: • Move 2D barcodes away from other barcodes on the packaging so your scanning is efficient • Use a data reader for online verification • Make sure any rework or removing samples P A 0 6 for 1 4QA _ doesn’t 0 0 0 _cause C O serial N 1
number linking to go out of sync • Test print on several substrates • Use barcode grading • Control pallet aggregation and avoid cartons being moved around before a pallet is completely wrapped up and labelled • Control products being picked up from the line • Make sure your existing network can handle the data flow • Ensure your existing systems can inter-operate with serialisation-control software • Have clear processes on how any rework (if needed) will be handled • Use validation processes in line (vision inspection, data readers) Serialisation has many business and supply chain benefits. As with every new process, make sure it really is right for your business. If you’re unsure, start with a pilot program and evaluate from there. Mark Dingley is chairman of the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) and heads operations at Matthews Australasia. You can contact him at 2 info@matthews.com.au 0 1 4 - 0 5 - 1 3 T1 5 : 0 9 : 5 5 + 1 0 : 0 0
5 pointers for choosing the right equipment supplier There is less differentiation in equipment now than ever before. Most machines will 'do the job', but if your coding and labelling equipment breaks down, there's no code, and that means no product. The faster you can get your production line back up and running, the less impact to your bottom line. That's why it's critical to choose an equipment provider who's local, has reliable service and strong support capability. But it's not just all costs and deadlines; having access to specialists who can build a relationship with your team, and understand your individual business needs and service requirements can be vital to getting your business back in business. Here's what to look for: 1. Response time: If a breakdown happens, how quickly can they support you? How quickly can someone reach your site? Days? Weeks? 2. First-time-fix rate: When the technician visits, do they
26 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
resolve the issue the first time? Or a few visits later? Or does the equipment fail again a few days after they leave? 3. Phone help: Do they have a 24/7 helpdesk to guide you through basic fault-finding, so you can get up and running quickly? 4. Operator training: Do they have a program to train your staff on how to use and maintain your equipment effectively? For coding equipment in particular, operator training is essential to reduce coding errors. 5. Spare part availability: Many breakdowns need a part or module replacement, but does the field technician carry adequate spare parts? Or will you have to wait (and suffer costly downtime while the delivery eventually comes through from overseas)? A provider's timely expertise on the ground avoids the excessive downtime of waiting for parts.
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PACKAGING
Packaging design:
what does the future hold? Packaging design has always been a fascinating creative discipline, and its future promises to be even more exciting, writes Laura Drewe.
I
n the past, packaging served one purpose – to contain and protect the merchandise. Now, it’s a communication vehicle; the focus is just as much on the package as it is on the product inside. Moving forward, the following factors will need to be considered by manufacturers wanting to make an impact.
QR code is that the consumer has instant access to product information. As consumer concerns about food manufacturing and certain ingredients continue to grow, the accessibility of interactive product information is extremely valuable.
the perceived “greenness” of packaging materials (increasing by 23 percent), recyclability (increasing 27 percent) and reusability (increasing 13 percent). According to Tom Szaky, writing on packaging trends in Packaging Digest, Sustainability over 80 percent of consumers are mindful A dynamic trend that is influential in of sustainability claims made by products. Consumer interactivity package design is the consumer’s growSydney designer Mike Rossi believes As we continue down the path of digital ing awareness of the environment. that commitment to sustainability runs evolution, interactivity in packaging is The 2012 Survey of Future Packaging deeper than packaging and “should be becoming a common tool used by brands, Trends, indicates consumers value convenia core principal of the brand itself and advertisers and designers. The use of the ence (76 percent) and shelf appeal (58 applied across all aspects of its operaQR code is a good example. This code is a percent). However, when asked what were tions.” He would also like to see more symbology developed in Japan in the 1990s going to be the most important packagenvironmental initiatives created by corpothat encodes information in a two-dimening attributes in the coming decade, rations that encourage recycling and reuse. sional space. respondents suggest that consumer In the Status of Packaging SustainabilThe scope of use for the QR code is huge. priorities are drastically changing. The ity in Australia report, Mike McKinstry, OneFofDthe most 0 6 1 4important _ 0 0 0features _ B OofGthe 1 focus 2 0is 1on4sustainability, - 0 5 - 1 4specifically T 0 9 : 2 7 : 0 president 3 + 1 0of: the 0 0Packaging Council of Australia, writes “Sustainability is relevant to all companies in the packaging supply chain. Companies that ignore sustainability do so at their peril. The time has come for sustainability to work for, rather than against, the industry.” Produce your own As well as developing sustainable nitrogen right from packaging systems, corporations and industhe word go with the tries are acknowledging the importance modular system from of investing time and energy in educating BOGE. Choose from a shoppers – and in conveying environwide range of output mental claims and benefits in a clear and and purity. compelling manner via labelling and other marketing material. Interestingly, here is where QR codes again become beneficial: the consumer could be able to trace the origins of the product, and properly look into the The BOGE ISO class ‘O’ brand’s environmental credentials. oil free converter for use with any brand of Practical minimalism oil injected screw or In line with the move to sustainability integrated in the BOGE is the increasing trend to minimalism in Bluekat compressor. packaging. It’s the less-is-more principle – packaging that is smaller, lighter and economical, elements that acknowledge consumer awareness of the environment, social changes and convenience. Joe Pryweller, editor of Packaging Strategies, says, “Waste is a major global concern, and the push by retailers and CPGs (consumer packaged goods) to reduce packFor your nearest distributor please call (03) 5940 3266 aging – and save some money on materials 28 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2014 | www.foodmag.com.au
in the process – will not cease. In fact, the newer trends of using pouches and other flexible formats will continue to grow as a means to reduce size and weight.” There is no doubt social change is indirectly contributing to modifications in packaging design. The average size of households is declining, in part because more couples are opting not to have children, and many professionals choose to live alone instead of getting married or living with others.
"Companies that ignore sustainability do so at their peril." Increasingly busy lifestyles mean consumers are seeking ease of use and convenient transportation from their packaging. Smaller, lighter and disposable packaging makes consumption-on-thego easier. Innovations such as no-mess applicators and dispensers eliminate the need for additional packaging, and individual-sized portions are becoming key in packaging. Products are increasingly expected to be easy to open and re-sealable whenever possible. People don’t want to waste food, and trends in packaging dictate that smaller is better and less packaging is more desirable. Packaging design is a large and demanding design field ever alert to the need to deliver both product originality and sales performance. Packaging is the last message consumers see and a last chance to convince them to buy a product. It needs to give meaning, to tell a story that is important to both the producer and consumer. Laura Drewe is currently completing a diploma of graphic design at the CATC Design School in Sydney.
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ON THE SHELF
1
2
3
4
5
6
1 - Jacob's Creek Sparkling Lightly
2 - Better for U! Barley Clusters
3 - Spiral Chunky Tapenades
This new pétillant-style wine range is available in white and rosé variants. By limiting the sugar in the second fermentation, the manufacturer was able to achieve a delicate sparkling character that is less bubbly than traditional sparking wine.
Goodness Superfoods has extended its range of products with its new Better for U! Barley Clusters containing cashews, macadamias and cranberries. The cluster cereal features Barleymax, a super grain developed by the CSIRO.
Spiral Foods Chunky Tapenades are available in Green Olive, Black Olive and Muffuletta. Unlike most other tapenades on the market, the roughly chopped olives provide a homemade taste and appearance.
Manufacturer: Jacob’s Creek Shelf life: 12 months Packaging: 750ml glass bottle Website: www.jacobscreek.com.au
Manufacturer: Popina Foods Shelf life: 12 months Packaging: 400g cereal box Website: www.goodnesssuperfoods.com.au
Manufacturer: Spiral Foods Shelf life: Two years Packaging: Glass jar Website: www.spiralfoods.com.au
4 - Vitasoy Coconut Milk
5 - Espresso di Manfredi 250g
6 - Connoisseur's Empire Collection
Vitasoy is one of the first major manufacturers to bring coconut milk to Australian consumers. Vitasoy Coconut Milk comes in an Original and an Unsweetened variety, and is suitable for cereals, smoothies or as a dairy alternative.
The Classico blend is a fine, complex coffee with a full and textured body. With quality arabicas from South America and a touch of fine robustas from Asia, the blend offers well-balanced fruit and elegant acidity with a chocolate finish.
Connoisseur’s new range of gourmet ice cream comprises four flavour combinations including French vanilla with choc flakes and Armagnac sauce; red bean with coconut; and pistachio with a cinnamon, honey and date sauce.
Manufacturer: Vitasoy Shelf life: Nine months Packaging: 1L carton Website: www.soy.com.au
Manufacturer: D.E. Coffee & Tea Shelf life: 12 months Packaging: 250g bag Website: www.caffedimanfredi.com.au
Manufacturer: Connoisseur Shelf life: 18 months Packaging: Tubs designed by Steve Cross Website: www.connoisseuricecream.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2014 | Foodmagazine 29
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ADVERTORIAL
Safe, but also
SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL CHALLENGES IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY Food producers and sellers need to ensure that products are fit for use by consumers and do not pose any health risks. The meat adulteration scandal in Europe, in which foods advertised as beef products were found to contain horse meat, was not the first time that consumers were alarmed. Certainty about the origin and quality of products that end up in shopping carts is an important issue. But consumers are also increasing demands for sustainable production methods that waste less energy and resources. SICK scanners and vision sensors are used throughout the entire production and delivery process to help control the quality and origin of food and beverages and improve production efficiency.
Food safety and tracing Tracing and food safety are tantamount to full transparency about the food‘s origin and its path through the entire supply chain, from the producer to the consumer. This includes processing, filling and packing. SICK vision sensors can be found in an incredibly wide range of applications: • Code validation: Ensuring that all codes on packaging are readable, or that the correct code was printed on the product
• L abel and packaging validation: Ensuring that the proper label is affixed to the product, or that the right product has been packed in the right packaging • S eal inspection: Ensuring that lids and caps are properly positioned and closed
Quality control In the global market, product quality is an increasingly important key to success. Quality problems damage the image of food and beverage producers. Today, this can be largely avoided by using the right technology: • M onitoring of shape, size and colour: Ensuring a global supply of consistent quality at all times • L evel monitoring: Vision sensors monitor crates, boxes, cartons and other forms of packaging and ensure that they contain the proper number of pieces or the right filling quantity • L abel checking: Ensures that the labels were affixed correctly
LECTORR620 OCR: The best choice for optical character recognition The new LECTORR620 OCR image-based code reader can identify all common 1D and 2D code types. Featuring optical character recognition (OCR) and optical character verification (OCV), this code reader is perfect for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as on packaging machines.
Sustainability and efficiency Less is more: A reliable inline quality control system implemented over different process steps translates into fewer rejects, less packaging and reduced energy consumption. Inline quality control systems are playing an increasingly important role, particularly in situations where more products need to be manufactured in shorter and shorter amounts of time. For example, slight product deviations in shape and size during the manufacturing of chocolate bars or meat products are enough to significantly impact medium- term production costs. A reliable inline quality control system therefore not only improves product quality, it also cuts down the number of rejects.
Knowing what's inside: Inspector vision sensor ensures food safety Over the past few years, the number of people suffering from food allergies has risen significantly. The Inspector vision sensor
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ensures that each and every unit of packaging truly contains nothing but what the food labeling indicates. For example, the Belgian frozen food manufacturer Crop‘s uses the sensor to visually check every product that comes off the line. This enables the company to guarantee that consumers with particular food allergies will always have accurate information.
Quality control and contour checking for cookies When cookies enter the packing line, they pass by the IVC-3D smart camera. This camera captures the 3D contour (correct diameters, heights and volumes) at high speed and verifies that the cookies have no dents, all while the baked cookies are moved past the device on the conveyor belt. Inferior cookies are rejected, and the measured values are communicated to a control system in order to fine-tune the process and assist with statistical evaluation.
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MORE THAN A VISION.
In the real world, providing an effective solution for identification tasks requires more than just one technology and also demands years of experience. For decades, SICK has been a pioneer in vision solutions, a market leader in industrial code reading, an RFID specialist and an expert in connectivity and big data. All these are essential for professional identification. As a global organisation with over 6,500 employees, you can rely on SICK for experienced technology experts and specialists for your industry and in your location. To meet your everyday challenges, it takes more than a vision. We find intelligence is what truly makes the difference. For more information please visit www.sick.com.au or call 1300 405 807.
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TOP 7 TIPS TO SEAMLESS CODING, AND THE PITFALLS TO AVOID ALONG THE WAY. Knowing what to choose is vital. Knowing what to avoid is just as important!
AVOID Technology that’s too rigid Your business will change. Your customers can change. Your customers’ needs can change.
GO FOR
Technology that’s too rigid.
Technology that’s flexible & allows you to grow without needing to continually upgrade.
Assuming the camera will capture ‘everything’.
Setting clear quality criteria and goals in the beginning.
Thinking your processes are the best they can ever be.
Monitoring for continuous improvement.
Not checking your equipment No technology will be fine ‘forever’. Equipment needs regular maintenance. Failures lead to downtime, & downtime is not good!
Assuming your equipment is fine.
Regular preventative or planned maintenance.
Cap-ex = short run Capital investment is important - but not everything. Don’t compromise the solution just for the upfront cost. Make sure you understand the true total cost of ownership for the entire life of the equipment.
Focusing solely on the initial cost.
Evaluating the benefits & total cost of ownership.
Assuming all is fine after the initial training.
New staff need proper training.
Thinking you’re limited to one particular technology type.
Explore all technology options - be innovative!
Fuzzy specs Vision cameras are not mind readers. They can only capture what they’re set up for. Not in the quality criteria? Camera didn’t capture it? Then it’s not the camera’s fault! That ‘will do’ Athletes don’t stop training when they win. Don’t stop monitoring your processes. Finding & fixing minor issues can prevent rework and $$$ lost.
Training All operators need training on regular maintenance. Staff training lets you get the best out of your equipment. Mistakes are often operator error rather than a technology fault. Think out of the box Don’t think too rigidly (“I must have an X for that”) You can achieve the same end result with several solutions. e.g.: you can check a carton has all 6 bottles with either a vision system or a checkweigher.