Industry focus Food & beverage
Putting automation back on the menu
As the UK starts to recover from the recession, food automation plans are back on the agenda as manufacturers strive to keep production costs down. With the knowledge that cheap labour is not a long-term option they are turning to the centre for excellence for food robotics and automation, CenFRA, for advice
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he smarter food companies are looking to grow out of the reces- sion using the latest technologies and equipment and CenFRA has
recently recruited more engineers thanks to a surge in new enquiries. However, CenFRA, a not-for-profit
company, believes one of the biggest barriers to automation is a shortage of food manufacturing experience in the automation suppliers and automation experience within the food manufac- turers. This lack of experience coupled with a lack of confidence in food com- panies means that many producers are unable to access the engineering resources needed to recognise automa- tion opportunities and then specify, buy and install the optimum solutions. CenFRA’s overall aim is to success-
fully bridge the gap between equip- ment manufacturer and end user to ensure reliability, trust, clarity and cooperation are integral parts of the automation procurement process. CenFRA’s expertise and independence can benefit all parties, by helping to
eradicate uncertainty in purchasing decisions and giving food manufactur- ers the confidence that the correct investment choices are being made. Equipment suppliers will also be
looking for closer partnerships with food manufacturers to ensure history does not repeat itself and there is a viable future for both industries. ABB Robotics food and beverage seg-
ment manager, Alan Spreckley says: “It is CenFRA’s unique application knowl- edge and impartiality, which makes it so essential to the industry. “The company has established itself
as a vital resource centre, bringing suppliers, installers and food produc- ers together to ensure the correct pur- chasing decisions are made. There is no hidden agenda with CenFRA, it is not focused on selling machinery but instead is committed to providing the bridge in automation knowledge and expertise between equipment pro- ducer and buyer.” In the past two years CenFRA has built relationships with national and
UK food
manufacturers are starting to turn to automation in a bid to keep production costs down
regional food producers by giving them access to knowledge on the bene- fits of automation through factory audits and ‘one-to-one’ consultancy. Using discrete event simulations, CenFRA engineers produce virtual replicas of factory space and activity to show where a technology is appropri- ate and how an installation can be optimised and integrated without dis- rupting manufacturing operations. This level of trust is further strength-
ened by support from researchers, academics and technologists, who aim to provide industry guidance and updates on technological advances, enabling CenFRA to recommend the most up-to-date solutions and the best person for the job. Funded principally by Yorkshire
CenFRA T: 01302 765680
www.cenfra.co.uk Enter 201
Forward, CenFRA was created to help increase the uptake of automation and robotic solutions within the food and beverage manufacturing sector by addressing the perceived issues sur- rounding the capabilities of new tech- nologies and supporting a more sustainable future for the industry.
New robotic system gives salad grower a competitive edge
he centre of excellence for providing automation and robotic knowledge to the UK food and beverage manufacturing sector, CenFRA, has played an integral role in the recent expansion of an award-winning fresh gourmet salad grower. Living Salads was initially hesitant about commit-
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ting to new technology and approached CenFRA for guidance to ensure its system was the best for the job. Twelve months on and Living Salads has improved
product quality and competitiveness, enjoying a 50 per cent increase in production units with a matched decrease in labour costs. CenFRA whittled the opportunities for Living Salads
to consider including simultaneous tray filling and harvesting, tray dispensing, integrating a seeder unit with a tray filler and various automated packing and transport systems. All options were offered as solutions to help improve the competitiveness of Living Salads. CenFRA was able to highlight areas of the business
Automation MAY 2010
cent of eligible costs) through the Rural Enterprise Investment Programme, which offers grants starting from £25,000 and is available to rural businesses wanting to grow and become more productive. The grant was used to install the new packing
equipment at Living Salads and the company has now increased the speed and packing efficiency of the ‘living salad’ trays and has reduced manual handling while adding value to the product. Introducing automation and robotic systems at
where an automation solution could help to reduce risk, cost and improve productivity and quality. It also brought funding opportunities to the attention of Living Salads, available through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which has £63m to invest in rural businesses over six years. Living Salads accessed a £60,000 grant (40 per
Living Salads has not cost people jobs but instead has allowed the company to produce more products, expand the business and ultimately create more jobs. Founder of Living Salads Andrew Johnson com-
ments: “CenFRA is an impartial, authoritative and cru- cial link between food manufacturers and automation suppliers and Living Salads was able to trust CenFRA’s recommendations because of its expertise and impres- sive market knowledge.
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