CUTTING-EDGE BAKERY TECHNOLOGY


solutions and dough handling equipment. By integrating this German engineering know-how into its global portfolio, Middleby aims to offer industrial bakeries more comprehensive, end-to- end solutions tailored to high-volume production. The move reflects a broader trend in bakery technology toward fully integrated lines that prioritise throughput, reliability and system compatibility over standalone machines. Energy


efficiency and intelligent


control are also emerging as defining features of next-generation bakery equipment. Within the Middleby Bakery Group, Sveba Dahlen is focusing on simplifying daily bakery operations while reducing energy consumption. At iba 2025, the company highlighted new control technology designed to make advanced ovens easier to operate. “With SD Amigo, we have created a control panel that truly makes bakers’ daily work easier,” says Åsa Ericsson, Marketing Manager at Sveba Dahlen. “We know that time is crucial in a bakery, which is why we focused on simplicity, smart and smooth basic functions, and an intuitive user experience.” The SD Amigo control panel, now


standard on Sveba Dahlen’s D-Series deck ovens, allows bakers to manage baking parameters more efficiently while safeguarding


settings


during


power interruptions. Alongside this, the company is promoting heat-recovery solutions and optimised airflow systems aimed at lowering energy use and emissions, particularly in gas-fired ovens. Automation also plays a role, with integrated bread lines designed to reduce manual dough handling and improve consistency across shifts.


From connected equipment to intelligent bakeries The future of bakery technology isn’t just about faster hardware and more efficient conveyors — it’s about moving from reactive troubleshooting to data- driven anticipation. Commercial bakeries are increasingly embracing artificial intelligence (AI) not as a novelty, but as a fundamental tool to keep lines running, maintain quality and reduce waste. At


the heart of this transition is


predictive maintenance and smart scheduling. Long-standing operations like Hovis in the UK are already deploying AI and smart sensor systems across


multiple facilities to reduce unexpected downtime and cut costly stoppages that ripple through production schedules. As head of engineering Chris Lawton put it, “We’re moving from reactive firefighting to foresight,” underlining how AI systems empower engineers with early warnings


than human operators ever could. Even equipment manufacturers are


weaving intelligence into production lines. ABI Ltd’s vision-enabled systems, for example, are designed to differentiate between good and bad products and provide trend analysis that can inform line performance improvements over time, rather than just flag defects after the fact.


WE’RE MOVING FROM


REACTIVE FIREFIGHTING TO FORESIGHT


rather than last-minute alarms. Beyond equipment health, larger


industrial bakeries are exploring AI-driven process optimisation. Industry discussions at events such as the American Bakers Association convention have emphasised that AI today is poised to transform everything from oven temperature control and dough handling to production scheduling and quality inspection — precisely because these systems can analyse thousands of data points faster


Rigid lines to adaptable automation Robotics in the bakery sector are also stepping out of the packaging room and onto the production floor, addressing one of the industry’s thorniest long-term challenges: labour shortages in repetitive and physically demanding roles. At


trade shows and in supplier


portfolios, robotics companies are showcasing systems that go well beyond simple pick-and-place tasks. One standout example is JLS Automation’s Peregrine IS robotic cartoning system, which integrates vision-guided robotics to form, pick and load cartons autonomously. Built


to handle bakery


products like wrapped snack cakes or sandwiches,


the technology replaces


repetitive manual carton loading and consolidates multiple mechanical steps into a single robotic workflow — freeing


14 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025/26


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40