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PLANT MANAGEMENT


Phil Brown explains how food processors can get the most out of their equipment; both today and in the longterm


ne key cog in any food processor’s business is the performance and efficiency of production equipment. And while it seems logical to simply consider the initial cost of any machine, this is just a small part of the financial story. In fact, industry experts predict the price to be just 10-15% of the total cost of ownership (TCO) equation. Looking beyond the price tag, factoring in the expenses that may accumulate across the lifespan of equipment is paramount in today’s highly competitive food manufacturing environment. Breaking down the various direct and indirect costs associated with inspection machinery across its lifespan is not to be taken lightly. In fact, it can be the difference between losing essential revenue and raising profit margins long after the investment is made. Tink of it like a list to be ticked off: operational and energy costs, ongoing support, sourcing replacement parts, maintenance and repair fees, lost production time when machines are down, productivity and product lifecycle. All of these factors should form part of a TCO calculation.


O 34 www.engineerlive.com


GETTING TOUGH WITH TCO


DON’T FALL FOR FALSE BARGAINS It’s completely within our nature to look at the pricetag of an item. Just like we might pick out a cut-price outfit from a clothing shop, there’s a thrill attached to being frugal or buying on impulse when purchasing inspection machinery. Yet what looks like a great deal on the surface can turn out to be a false economy. In the same way that the seams fall apart soon after bagging that bargain outfit, in the case of food safety machinery, the same rings true. Inspecting for contaminants, including metal, is a prerequisite for brand protection. Implementing a robust food safety programme is something you can’t put a price on when quality underpins commercial success. Short-term frugality with inspection equipment is not always worth it. Instead, try to base your decision when investing in inspection machinery on the most prevalent food safety risks. Be sure that any technical advantage will actually add value to your production line. Always consider the cost of replacement parts, and keep in mind how quickly technology evolves.


TCO is lower when taking into consideration backwards compatibility – it requires a stable platform at the outset. So long as the structural inspection machine is sound and systems are designed with modularity and scalability in mind, the process of rolling out upgrades requires minimal time, investment and business disruption, compared with commissioning an entirely new build and installation. For example, with the right maintenance, a Fortress food metal detector can run for 20+ years. Just last year, one of the first machines ever sold by the company was upgraded from an analogue metal detector with no digital controls to the current Stealth hardware platform. Tis legacy metal detector continues to run as efficiently as when it was installed in 1996.


BE SMART WITH PARTS For some inspection machines, part obsolescence is when the real drain on finances can start to bite back. It can be a shock to a food supplier each time a new model launches and the price of spares increases. Food manufacturers subsequently


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