Food Manufacturing Africa Quarter 1

FEBRUARY 2022 • APRIL 2022 Vol. 11 • No. 1

FOOD Manufacturing Africa

NEW BEGINNINGS

Smart flexible packaging solutions

Shining a spotlight on food hygiene

Top food trends for 2022

A full-service experience

Review Ishida Europe has extended its range of QX Flex tray sealers with the launch of a new model, which meets market demands for a compact, high-performance solution. The innovative model also maximises output, capacity and flexibility for medium- to high-volume production lines.

Sustainability is an integral part of Multivac’s strategy. For 60 years, the company’s packaging solutions have ensured that sensitive products globally can be processed efficiently, as well as being packed hygienically, reliably and attractively.

Rotolabel is passionate about the environment and focuses on minimising any negative ecological impact of its products. The company subscribes to the four Rs of packaging sustainability: responsible sourcing; reduction of materials; recyclability and increased recycled content

Read more in the latest issue of Packaging Review Out Now! ADVERTISING

Interested in advertising in PACKAGING REVIEW? If you are a supplier to the packaging industry, this will be an ideal opportunity to showcase your product offering and create additional brand awareness within the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, personal care, and home care manufacturing sectors.

Contact our advertising sales executives to book your space: Anita Raath Sales executive +27 (0)82 976 6541

Carla Melless Sales executive +27 (0)83 260 6060

Càndida Giambò-Kruger Sales executive +27 (0)71 438 1918

SIGNUP

CONTENTS FEB 2022 • APRIL 2022 Vol. 11 • No. 1

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NEWS

What to expect at Propak Africa 2022 New president of Kemin Food Technologies – EMEA announced Diageo agrees to sell Meta Abo Brewery in Ethiopia SimpliFine awarded FSSC 22000-certification Endress+Hauser charts path to growth

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COMPANY FOCUS

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DAIRY FOOD

17

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

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MEAT, FISH & POULTRY

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CLEANING, SANITISATION & HYGIENE

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FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Flavorlogik – A unique approach to flavour creation

14 You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream

Global launch of four cultures for yoghurt manufacturers Top chocolate trends for 2022 Exploring the latest in the ice cream industry Combining PET bottle blowing and pulsed light decontamination An international beer brewer’s commitment to sustainability Gain complete control over your beer brewing processes Get the most out of your processing plant

18 Which came first?

Bread-making or beer-brewing?

Pumping solutions to prevent contamination The importance of good hand hygiene

The benefits of incorporating cobots into your factory Innovative packaging solutions for the F&B industry A mobile bulk bag filling system that maximises strength

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Bragan Chemicals.........................................11.............www.braganchemicals.co.za Doehler ...........................................................19............www.doehler.com / www.we-bring-ideas-to-life.com FlavorLogik ....................................................OFC.........info@flavorlogik.com Flexicon Africa ..............................................OBC.........www.flexicon.com Greentech Plastics Machinery ..................29............www.greentechmachinery.co.za Koel Colours...................................................5..............www.koelcolours.com Koelnmesse....................................................9..............www.anugafoodtec.com Krones Southern Africa...............................7...............krones.com Mitas Corporation ........................................17.............www.tracepack.co.za

Omron Electronics .......................................27.............industrial.omron.co.za Polyoak Packaging........................................15.............www.polyoakpackaging.co.za Rentokil Initial...............................................25............www.rentokil.co.za Savannah Fine Chemicals...........................13.............www.savannah.co.za Shanghai Dase-Sing Packaging Technology Co...........................8..............www.dasesing.com Syspro .............................................................22............za.syspro.com Verder Pumps SA...........................................23............www.verder.co.za

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

EDITORIAL

The return to normality

Editor: Tennille Aron +27 (0)73 995 5599 tennille.aron@newmedia.co.za Layout & Design: Kirsty Thomas ADVERTISING Sales Executive: Anita Raath +27 (0) 82 976 6541

anita.raath@newmedia.co.za

Sales Executive: Carla Melless +27 (0) 83 260 6060

carla.melless@newmedia.co.za

Sales Executive: Càndida Giambò-Kruger +27 (0) 71 438 1918

candida.giambo-kruger@newmedia.co.za

INTERNATIONAL SALES

I

T OFFERS A great sense of relief to see things slowly returning to normal after two tumultuous years of being stuck in a pandemic. Even the trade shows are reopening, with many in the F&B industry looking forward to the much-anticipated Propak Africa.

Normal. If you had asked me two years ago what I thought of things being normal, I would definitely have agreed with Jodie Foster, who said, “Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from.” And yet, here I am just wishing for a non-mask-wearing, non-compulsively sanitising sense of normalcy. While there are certain things that will no doubt eventually return to normal, like people not standing 1.8m away from you in the line at the grocery store, there are some things that will be changed forever because of the pandemic, such as health skyrocketing to claim the number one spot as the biggest global concern among consumers, even when it comes to chocolate.

According to the Barry Callebaut Top Chocolate Trends report for 2022, 83% of global consumers agree that chocolate needs to be tasty, but also good for you.

Find the perfect ingredients to make healthier but still delicious chocolate products on Page 12.

Getting the highest overall effectiveness out of a processing plant is no longer achievable without solid software control. That’s exactly where Intelligent Monitoring of Performance, Availability and Quality Trends (IMPAQT) comes in. Discover more on Page 20.

If the pandemic has done anything, it has shone a huge spotlight on the importance of maintaining good overall hygiene, especially in food and beverage manufacturing environments. Ensure that the hand hygiene practices in your plants are up to scratch by reading Page 24.

Automation and cobots may be the solution to keeping up with the pressure of producing large amounts of healthy, safe food and beverage products with minimal carbon footprints, which consumers are looking for post-pandemic. Explore how integrating automation and robots into your current factory setup could help save you time and money on Page 26.

Although we are slowly returning to what we are used to, I doubt that anything will ever be quite “normal” again. I think the key is to embrace this “new normal” and learn from the lessons that this uncertain time in our history has taught us, especially in the food and beverage industry.

Enjoy the read!

Tennille Aron

Germany/Austria/Switzerland: Eisenacher Medien Erhardt Eisenacher +49 228 249 9860 info@eisenacher-medien.de Italy: Ngcombroker Giacomo Rotunno +39 370 101 4694 g.rotunno@ngcombroker.com Taiwan: Ringier Trade Media Sydney Lai +886 4 2329 7318 sydneylai@ringier.com.hk

CIRCULATION Circulation Manager: Felicity Garbers felicity.garbers@newmedia.co.za PUBLISHING TEAM General Manager: Dev Naidoo Production Manager: Mandy Ackerman Art Director: David Kyslinger JOHANNESBURG OFFICE New Media Publishing, Ground floor 272 Pretoria Avenue, Randburg Tel: +27 11 713 9000 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 784698, Sandton, Johannesburg 2146 Published by New Media a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd MANAGEMENT TEAM MANAGING DIRECTOR: Aileen Lamb COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Maria Tiganis BRAND STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Andrew Nunneley CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Venette Malone HEAD OF HR: Leone Fouche CEO: MEDIA24: Ishmet Davidson HEAD OFFICE New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd 8th floor, Media24 Centre, 40 Heerengracht Cape Town, 8001 Tel: +27 21 406 2002 Email: newmedia@newmedia.co.za PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 www.newmedia.co.za

Food Manufacturing Africa is published by New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd quarterly and circulates to executives in the food and beverage industries. Views expressed in this journal, other than where specifically stated, are not necessarily those of the publisher.

The editor welcomes for publishing consideration news items, press releases, articles and photographs relating to developments in the food and beverage industries. No responsibility is accepted should contributions be lost.

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

2022 DIARY March 8 - 11 Propak Africa Johannesburg Expo Centre www.propakafrica.co.za 15 - 16 SAAFFI Annual Seminar Online https://saaffi.co.za/events/20th-annual-virtual-morning-seminar-and-workshop/ 21 - 23 International Food and Drink Event ExCel, London www.ife.co.uk

April 5 - 7 Fruit Logistica Berlin, Germany www.fruitlogistica.com 26 - 29 LabelExpo Europe Brussels, Belguim www.labelexpo-europe.com

May Vitafoods Europe 10 - 12 Geneva 2 - 13 Online www.vitafoods.eu.com/en/home.html 10 - 12 Propak East Africa The Sarit Exhibition Centre, Nairobi, Kenya www.propakeastafrica.com 14 - 19 IFFA 2022 Frankfurt am Main https://iffa.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/ en.html 18 - 20 SIAL Shanghai Shanghai New International Expo Centre www.sialchina.com

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

NEWS

LATEST INNOVATIONS, MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ON SHOW AT PROPAK AFRICA AFTER TWO YEARS of being curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the exhibitions industry is successfully re-opening globally and Africa’s most progressive packaging, food processing, plastics, printing and labelling trade exhibition, Propak Africa, will be taking place from 8 – 11 March at the Expo Centre, Nasrec in Johannesburg.

Recognised for its ability to link together people and products, build quality business connections and facilitate sales, Propak Africa together with co-located shows FoodPro Expo, Pro-Plas Expo, The GAPP Print Expo and Pro-Label Africa will provide a platform for over 200 exhibitors to showcase cuttingedge innovations, technologies, products, machinery, systems and services. The show is supported by The Institute of Packaging SA, Packaging SA, Printing SA and Plastics SA. “We are excited that Propak Africa will be taking place as a live event this year,” says Mark Anderson, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions, a division of Montgomery Group.

“The face-to-face interaction that is at the heart of exhibitions has been missed and although online events and virtual exhibitions filled the void and created an environment where buyers and sellers could engage remotely, these fell short of the in-person, face-to-face experience.”

Many exhibitors will have live demonstrations of machinery and equipment on their stands.

Free-to-attend seminars will be taking place across the four days as well as two conferences: the Institute of Packaging SA’s ‘Think Tank’ conference (8 – 9 March) and Printing SA conference (10 March).

Conference pre-booking is required. There will also be an ‘every day is a themed day’ experience with the focus on new products, sustainability, occupational health and safety, and on day four, the last day of the show, a ‘local is lekker’ theme.

“We have been working hard behind the scenes connecting with our partners, integrating latest exhibition

trends and technologies, and planning our educational conferences, free seminars, theme days, experiential activities and additional new features. We are looking forward to the show,” Anderson concludes.

All Covid-19 regulations will be in place at Propak Africa. •

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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NEWS

NEW PRESIDENT OF KEMIN FOOD TECHNOLOGIES – EMEA ANNOUNCED KEMIN INDUSTRIES RECENTLY named Marsha Bro as president of Kemin Food Technologies – EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). “The EMEA market represents one of the top business growth opportunities for Kemin and we’re thrilled to have Marsha leading our Food Technologies – EMEA business unit,” said Giuseppe Abrate, global group president – food. “I’m confident that Marsha’s experience in business development, strategic marketing and general management will elevate our business and help grow our presence in the EMEA market.”

Established nearly two decades ago, Kemin’s food technologies business focuses on keeping products safe, maintaining high quality and appealing to consumers. It offers Kemin customers a wide range of plant-based extracts, antioxidants, antimicrobials and functional proteins, and specialises in solutions that address shelf-life, flavour, colour, food safety and yield enhancement solutions.

“I am honoured to be appointed to this leadership position within our food technologies business and look forward to working with the team as we advance our innovative technologies and grow into the next phase of our business,” said Bro. “With increased consumer focus on the protein segment and needs within the bakery market, our growth continues in current regions and will expand into new regions. Kemin Food Technologies – EMEA doubled its market share over the last four years by providing label-friendly shelf-life and food safety solutions, making it an exciting time for the team to continue its success and growth strategy.” •

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

Marsha Bro President of Kemin Food Technologies – EMEA

Diageo agrees to sell Meta Abo Brewery in Ethiopia DIAGEO HAS ENTERED into an agreement for the sale of Meta Abo Brewery, its brewery in Sebeta, Ethiopia, to BGI, part of Castel Group. The sale is subject to approval by the Ethiopian Competition Commission and certain conditions. It is expected that the deal will complete early in 2022. While Diageo will sell this brewery, they have said that they will continue to service the Ethiopian market with their international spirits portfolio through their dedicated imported spirits channel. •

NEWS

SIMPLIFINE AWARDED FSSC 22000-CERTIFICATION THE MEAT AND prepared foods division of SimpliFine, one of Kenya’s leading producers of bread, meat and vegetable products, has announced that it has achieved Food Safety System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000). FSSC 22000 provides a framework for certifying and auditing food safety management systems (FSMS) which meet the Global Food Safety Initiative’s (GFSI’s) benchmarking requirements – the highest food safety standards in the world.

“FSSC 22000 delivers a framework for food safety management using best practices to ensure consumer safety. SimpliFine places the highest level of importance on the safe production and handling of food and food-related products,” said Erick Ohomo, business manager of SimpliFine Meats. “By pursuing and achieving FSSC 22000-certification we are further demonstrating our deep commitment to food safety for our customers.”

SimpliFine launched its meat and prepared foods division in July 2021. Over the past five months, the company has renovated its facility and implemented safe handling and processing standards. FSSC-certification is the result of investment to ensure that their customers have access to high-quality, safe and affordable food products. SimpliFine now offers a range of 41 retail products including frozen meats, ready-to-cook meals and prepared meal accompaniments. In February SimpliFine launched frozen French fries using Kenya-grown potatoes. •

Endress+Hauser charts path to growth WITH STRONG GROWTH in 2021, Endress+Hauser left the coronavirus pandemic behind economically. The group’s consolidated sales rose more than 11% to just

CEO of Endress+Hauser Group, Matthias Altendorf

under €2.9bn. As a result, the measurement and automation specialist significantly exceeded its own expectations.

In terms of net sales and profit, the family company not only grew compared to the prior year, but also eclipsed the comparative numbers for 2019. Headcount also experienced sizeable growth. At the end of 2021, the group had more than 15 000 employees worldwide, over 600 more than a year ago. “We moved forward with and implemented all of our planned major investment projects,” emphasised CFO Dr Luc Schultheiss.

The quick recovery was not anticipated by the company. “We experienced strong catch-up effects, but also solid growth in virtually all of our strategic industries,” said CEO Matthias Altendorf. Endress+Hauser was always able to deliver despite restrictions due to the pandemic, procurement shortages and strained logistics chains.

In 2021, incoming orders grew even faster than net sales. Endress+Hauser began the current year with a significantly increased order volume. Provided there are neither unexpected setbacks at the political level nor major upheavals in the financial markets, the company expects sales growth in the upper single-digit range for 2022. •

www.anugafoodtec.com

International supplier fair for the food and beverage industry

COLOGNE, GERMANY 26.–29.04.2022

ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE.

Food Processing | Food Packaging | Safety & Analytics | Intralogistics Digitalisation | Automation | Environment & Energy | Science & Pioneering

Special Edition!

Be part of it find out more here!

Koelnmesse GmbH Messeplatz 1 50679 Köln, Germany Tel. +49 1806 578 866 Fax +49 221 821 99-1020 anugafoodtec@visitor.koelnmesse.de

AFT_2022_Anzeige_Food_Manufacturing_Africa_177x130mm_Int_Afrika.indd 1

19.11.21 13:53

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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COMPANY FOCUS

New beginnings The past four years has seen very interesting shifts in the snack seasoning manufacturing market with smaller companies being integrated with multinational flavour houses. This created a unique opportunity for a new privately owned flavour company to capture the informal sector flavour market and so, FlavorLogik was born.

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LAVORLOGIK provides a unique and logical approach to flavour creation. Their main area of focus currently is the manufacturing of snacks seasonings. “We pride ourselves in being a unique team and hold a combined snack industry knowledge of more than 30 years, explains owner Johan Smith.

FlavorLogik aims to be one of the leading snack seasoning suppliers in

Sub-Saharan Africa. They are centrally located in Centurion, Gauteng and boasts a manufacturing capacity of 800 – 1000 tons per month.

Flavorlogik was established and is being built on the pillars of excellent personal customer service, costeffective products, flexibility, reliability, consistency and honesty.

With a customer-centric approach, FlavorLogik service and supply

both up-and-coming as well as established snack manufacturers.

Technical advice, whether it is research and development or equipment related is also provided.

Their main aim is to build mutually beneficial business relationships with their customer.

FlavorLogik can be contacted on +27 881 5222 during office hours or alternatively on info@flavorlogik.com •

“FlavorLogik provides a unique and logical approach to flavour creation” FlavorLogik factory

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

DAIRY FOOD

Changing the yoghurt game with these new cultures IFF announced the global launch of four new cultures under its Yo-Mix Prime series destined for yoghurt manufacturers.

The new cultures join Yo-Mix Prime 800 and 900 in helping dairy manufacturers to solve a range of major production challenges, enabling them to offer a diverse range of highquality products to consumers.

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FF DEVELOPED THE first Yo-Mix Prime series to offer full acidity control, delivering products with premium texture, stable pH and consistent quality through shelf-life. The new Yo-Mix Prime 801 and 802 cultures in the freezedried format as well as Yo-Mix Prime 830 and 840 cultures in frozen format offer consumers the ultimate mild taste experience. They are also available as part of the texture modulation toolbox, providing manufacturers the flexibility to offer a wide variety of texture to consumers.

"IFF developed the first Yo-Mix Prime series to offer full acidity control, delivering products with premium texture, stable pH and consistent quality through shelf-life"

Consumers will be able to enjoy affordable and healthier products, due to the cultures’ ability to control acidity and enhance the sweetness perception, allowing manufacturers to formulate yoghurts with less added sugar.

With this launch, IFF now offers a total of six highly phage-robust cultures under the game-changing Yo-Mix Prime umbrella.

“After the successful launch of Yo-Mix Prime 800 and 900, we knew we wanted to deliver even more flexibility for manufacturers to offer a wide variety of texture experiences to consumers,” said Charlotte Debare, global product line manager for Yo-Mix. “These new cultures deliver the same benefits as the original series, but the new texture modulation toolbox will offer producers a flexible and easy way to experiment with different textures based on what their customers prefer,” she added. •

IFF - www.iff.com

Johannesburg Head Office Seven Warehouse Complex 3 Bernie Street, Unit 3, Kya Sands Tel. No.: +27 (0) 11 708-0007

Durban Office Tel. No.: +27 (0) 31 942 9624

www.braganchemicals.co.za

Port Elizabeth Office 67 213 421 9288 5187 Tel. No.: +27 (0) 71

Cape Town Office Tel. No.: +27 (0) 21 000 3121

WE DO WHAT IT TAKES 2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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DAIRY FOOD

Keeping up with the top chocolate trends for 2022

Over the last two years, the pandemic has changed what consumers want and need, even when it comes to the type of chocolate products that they enjoy. Chocolate manufacturers have had to keep up with these changes and adapt their products accordingly. Barry Callebaut’s Bensdorp range of cocoa powders and ingredients, distributed locally by Savannah Fine Chemicals, are the perfect ingredients to help manufacturers adapt to the ever-changing needs of the industry.

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INCE THE PANDEMIC began, health has jumped to the top of the global priority list. Consumers are constantly searching for food that has added health benefits, and this extends to all food categories, including chocolates. According to the Barry Callebaut Top Chocolate Trends report for 2022, 83% of global consumers agree that chocolate needs to be tasty and good for me. Therefore, chocolate consumers are not only looking for chocolate products that taste great, but that are also low in sugar and fat, and have other unique health benefits.

Bensdorp offers a range of high-quality cocoa powders and ingredients for creating delectable chocolate products. These are just a few of the ingredients that they have on offer:

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DARK CHOCOLATE POWDER Bensdorp’s Dark Chocolate Powder is made with no addition of dairy. However, it allows you to claim chocolate on the pack and show real pieces of chocolate on the packaging.

These powders have a round chocolate flavour with caramel and milky notes. This chocolate powder has a fat content of just 32% and only 2% sugar content, which is three times less powder needed (vs chocolate) for an equivalent cocoa content, delivering both a sugar and cost reduction.

There is also a new organic version that is available to manufacturers.

Thanks to the powder texture, this powder is particularly suited to drinks’ applications, and ideal for desserts,

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

mousses and ice creams made with dairy alternatives.

DEFATTED COCOA POWDER The Defatted Cocoa Powder contains less than 1% of fat and has a reduced risk of fat blooming because

DAIRY FOOD

it has a very low cocoa butter content.

This powder is ideal for aerated bakery applications. It is particularly suited for recipes in which a low fat content is key to obtain the right aerated texture (e.g. macarons, meringues). It provides increased volume of batter (~+20%) and has better baking stability. This powder has a classic balanced cocoa and dark chocolate flavour with a brown colour. It can be used in recipes that require whipped egg whites, such as meringues, macarons, sponge cakes and marshmallows. It can also be used for low calorie applications (e.g. sports and diet products).

EBONY BLACK COCOA POWDER This cocoa powder is a fat-reduced highly dutched cocoa powder with a distinctive intense black colour. It is one of the blackest cocoa powders on the market and has a strong roasted cocoa flavour with a slightly bitter after-taste. It is perfect for dark biscuits, cakes, fillings and desserts to obtain a unique, dark colour.

CROQUOA Another finding in the Barry Callebaut Top Chocolate Trends report was that 75% of

the global population wants to try new and exciting chocolate experiences. Adding new chocolate ingredients, such as Croquoa to products is just one way to create new delectable chocolate innovations. Add Croquoa to your mixture for a delicious multi-textured chewy stracciatella. These crunchy inclusions have a light, aerated texture and a delicious dark chocolate flavour. They show an excellent behaviour at high temperatures (up to 200°C) where ordinary chocolate drops just can’t go. The best part is that they are made of cocoa and sugar only.

While food trends might change over the years, chocolate remains a firm favourite for consumers all over the world. So, make sure you choose the right ingredients partner to help you create the healthiest and most delicious chocolate products that consumers will love for generations to come. •

"According to the Barry Callebaut Top Chocolate Trends report for 2022, 83% of global consumers agree that chocolate needs to be tasty and good for me."

Savannah Fine Chemicals – www.savannah.co.za Barry Callebut Bensdorp https://www.barry-callebaut.com/en-ZA/ manufacturers/bensdorp

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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DAIRY NEWS FOOD

YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM With its proven solutions and deep process knowledge, Tetra Pak is ideally positioned to offer local ice cream manufacturing the latest in global trends. As much as 50% of the world’s ice cream is produced using Tetra Pak equipment and lines, a system and technology to be brought to South Africa by the company. Exposure to a majority of the global market allows Tetra Pak, one of the world’s largest food processing and packaging businesses, an advantage point when it comes to identifying the latest ice cream trends.

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ORBEN VILSGAARD, Ice Cream Academy manager at Tetra Pak says that the company possesses the expertise to assist South African companies to optimise their operations and grow their ice cream business by incorporating the trends it has identified internationally.

“With decades of ice cream experience in our international operations, we have the equipment and know how to drive success in this food sector,” says Vilsgaard.

The South African ice cream market is in a rapid growth phase due to accelerating urbanisation and shifting consumer lifestyles. According to Market Research.com, the local market has enjoyed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% between 2015 and 2019, culminating in total revenues exceeding R5.5 billion (US$375 million) in 2019. This represents a total of 60.4 million kg consumed in 2019.

This growth rate is more than double the forecast global average of 4.5% for 2019 to 2022, making the local market an attractive new one for Tetra Pak. The global ice cream market is expected to hit US$75 billion by 2024.

Tetra Pak believes its expertise can further accelerate the CAGR not only in South Africa, but Southern Africa, by assisting brands to innovate new recipes and flavours, while also responding to changing consumer demands prompted by challenges of Covid-19 and climate change.

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“With decades of ice cream experience in our international operations, we have the equipment and know how to drive success in this food sector.”

Food Africa | 2022 Quarter 1 FoodManufacturing Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

Hervé Saini, processing director, Tetra Pak Southern Africa, said, “By working closely with our local customers, we can experiment on their behalf with new flavours and ingredients, thereby creating new ice cream concepts. For this explosion of new ingredients, the key is trials and testing to find the optimal solutions.”

He lists some of the trends to have emerged in recent years. Vegan and flexitarian diets are rising in popularity.

This is for health reasons on the one part, but on the other because

DAIRY FOOD

many consumers in South Africa are increasingly aware of the environmental footprint of the food they eat. There is a fastgrowing interest in trying alternative ingredients with health benefits to which ice cream makers are duly responding.

“Globally plant-based ice creams have doubled their share of the market over the last five years – a trend we fully expect to see replicated in South Africa. Tetra Pak is helping brands experiment with these new ingredients at its product development centres, enabling them to test and pilot interesting new products.

“There is a wealth of other trends we wish to bring to the South African market ranging from nostalgia turning consumers and makers towards traditional flavours such as potentially melktert - to quirky innovative launches such as rooibos flavoured ice cream,” says Saini. •

VISIT US AT PROPAK KENYA 10 -12 MAY 2022

Tetra Pak - www.tetrapak.com AC004-4.pdf

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2022/02/18

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DAIRY FOOD

Combining PET bottle blowing and pulsed light decontamination The dairy packaging specialist combines PET bottle blowing and pulsed light decontamination in a single machine: the ESL Combox. This machine has already won over several local dairies by enabling them to emphasise their commitment to sustainability while offering consumers a longer shelf-life.

A REDUCTION UP TO 3-LOGS WITHOUT CHEMICALS By combining the blowing of bottles in a controlled environment just before filling and pulsed light treatment of necks and caps, it is possible to achieve a 3-log decontamination on containers.

This level of decontamination can be enough for several applications to significantly extend the shelf-life. For example, Serac’s ESL Combox is used for fresh white milk with a 30-day shelf-life or for drinking yoghurts with a 60-day shelf-life in Asia.

Pulsed light is a fast and efficient decontamination method. It destroys the cell membrane of microorganisms and degrades their DNA in less than a millisecond. Using neither water nor chemicals, pulsed light allows dairies to guarantee the absence of treatment residues in the packaging and to better

manage water resources, both in terms of consumption and effluents.

A LIGHTER CARBON FOOTPRINT Short supply chains are increasingly appealing to consumers who are sensitive to the carbon footprint of the products they buy. From this point of view, PET bottles have arguments to put forward, especially in comparison with glass. Their manufacturing requires much less energy and their lightness has a direct impact on the transportation part of GHG emissions. This impact is reinforced when bottles are blown just before filling, since the preforms are five times smaller.

Moreover, with the development of the rPET value stream, these bottles can be recycled in a circular system. At this last stage, the PET bottle will still make the difference with glass in terms of energy consumed.

ALL THIS IN A COMPACT AND VERY FLEXIBLE MACHINE The ESL Combox combines the blowing, filling and capping functions in a single unit with a footprint up to 25% smaller than that of a conventional filling line.

It is capable of blowing round, rectangular, oval or complex shaped bottles, ranging from 250ml to 2l.

Its patented positive neck transfer system allows different shapes and sizes of bottles to be filled on the same machine, with very short changeover times. Designed for low to medium output, it is ideal for local production units.

With this new version of its Combox, Serac provides a packaging solution adapted to the changes in consumer behaviour, more attracted by ethical and sustainable products. •

Serac SAS – www.serac-group.com

“Pulsed light is a fast and efficient decontamination method”

Preform treatment by pulsed light in ESL Combox

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

Cap treatment by pulsed light in ESL Combox

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Embracing sustainability in the beer brewing industry The installation of Grundfos pumps at the Sedibeng brewery’s wastewater plant highlights an international beer brewer’s commitment to water and energy efficiency.

T

HE INSTALLATION, which is in line with the brewer’s commitment to conserve water as a precious resource, included the installation of a water recovery plant, allowing the operation to further optimise water use within its facility.

The expansion also saw the upgrading of the water treatment plant, where clean ‘raw’ water from the municipality is further purified for brewing purposes. After the beer is produced, beer residues and water used for pipe cleaning is treated to meet regulated environmental discharge limits. This can also be re-used for cleaning, reducing the need to draw on the municipal supply.

According to Raymond Makgoga, Grundfos associate sales engineer, three Grundfos submersible wastewater pumps were provided to transfer water from the brewery

to the water recovery plant. After the sedimentation process, water is pumped to the reclamation plant for final treatment.

In this circuit, around 6 000m3 of water is pumped daily with the pumps being driven by 15kW high-efficiency motors with IE3 rating.

ACCURATE DOSING “In the water treatment plant, a number of Grundfos Smart Digital S and Smart Digital XL pumps are installed, mounted on dosing skids,” says Makgoga. “These must accommodate a range of chemicals from sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite in the reverse osmosis circuit to citric acid and anti-scalant in the ultra-filtration circuit.”

These systems give a high level of control, communicating vital data between the pump and the PLC, so that chemical dosing

is accurate and appropriate,” he says. “This eliminates over-dosing and ensures that chemicals are not wasted. The Grundfos pumps are able to measure the volumes of water flow and then dose in proportion.”

The dosing pumps were supplied with the complete package including Grundfos’s CIU 500 interface. The CIU 500 is a standard interface for data transmission between an industrial ethernet network and a Grundfos pump or controller, making data exchange possible between Grundfos pumping systems and a PLC or SCADA system.

SAVING ENERGY Energy efficiency is also an important factor, considering the significant energy consumed by wastewater treatment plants.

Large pumps in the system transfer about 1 750m3 of water per hour around the brewery pumping 24 hours a day. The use of IE3 energy efficient motors in the Grundfos pump installations has assisted in reducing energy consumption to about 1.3 kW/kg chemical oxygen demand treated, from a level of over 1.9 previously. •

Grundfos - www.grundfos.com/za

TracePack offers a range of solutions to make beverage production easier, more efficient & safe.

At TracePack we have a range of solutions, from cap control systems, line monitoring, leak detection to label and code control to facilitate your beverage packaging & labeling processes.

Contact TracePack to find out how our solutions can improve the efficiency of your production lines. +27 10 020 7221

www.tracepack.co.za

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

17

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Which came first?

Bread-making or beer-brewing?

“Human beings have taken the brewing of alcohol very seriously for centuries,” says Ferdie Fortuin, sales manager – general industry at Danfoss Drives South Africa. Danfoss provides solutions for different processes throughout the brewing industry, where ‘control’ is a key word all the way from mash to bottled product.

W

HICH CAME FIRST in the history of civilisation: bread-making or beer-brewing? Since the 1950s, scientists and scholars have been arguing about what really caused our early ancestors to start farming and settling down, rather than remaining as nomadic hunter-gatherers. Which came first? Breadmaking or beer-brewing? “Whichever it was, Danfoss now has experience in breweries’ application systems worldwide. Danfoss variable speed drives (VSDs) are suitable for all processing control and monitoring, no matter what the specific protocols might be. With our latest condition-base monitoring technology, we can even provide more information feedback from a single drive that could assist with maintenance schedules within the breweries,” says Fortuin.

Fortuin clarifies that a brewing company in the Netherlands decided to embrace innovation from Danfoss to secure a more

18

"Danfoss variable speed drives (VSDs) are suitable for all processing control and monitoring, no matter what the specific protocols might be." solid and sustainable future. The solution involved using Danfoss VLT drives with integrated CBM capabilities to reach its goals.

THE CHALLENGE With the European beer market expected to grow 15.2% by 2025, the company realised that to meet demand, its production line had to deliver a consistently reliable and excellent performance.

However, prior to Danfoss Drives’ input, the brewery faced costly and lengthy

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

Ferdie Fortuin, Sales Manager at Danfoss Drives South Africa

disruptions whenever a machine fault occurred with operations taking place in harsh, wet conditions and all applications containing concealed motors, making them difficult to access when issues arise.

Danfoss was tasked with helping the brewery to: • Increase up-time • Lower overheads • Improve management of spare parts and stock • Access new levels of machine data • B oost application and system performance.

THE SOLUTION In August 2019, Danfoss Drives proposed that the brewery install VLT drives with

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

embedded intelligence, connectivity and sensor capabilities.

Condition-based monitoring signals were then integrated into the brewery’s maintenance system via edge computing.

The brewery also received 4-20mA vibration sensors from Hansford Sensors and Danfoss provided additional support with project scoping, commissioning and training as well as hosting workshops to determine the best solution for the company’s needs.

The VLT drives also support pre-existing communication interfaces and software such as fieldbus, local control panels and VLT Motion Control Tool MCT 10, meaning the brewery did not have to invest in a new parallel system as part of the upgrade.

THE OUTCOME “The VLT Motion Control Tool MCT 10 plug-in brought a tremendous improvement enabling seamless commissioning with consistent parameter settings. And so, with the power to gather more critical application data in real-time than ever before, the brewery was able to optimise its production line while solving all its challenges and building a total value proposition. In addition, Danfoss Drives’ digital expertise enabled the company afterwards to retrofit the rest of its drives elsewhere in its facilities with condition-based monitoring functionality,” says Fortuin.

This upgrade shows that condition-based monitoring is no longer a premium product meant for a few critical assets, but an affordable solution available for all, provided by Danfoss Drives’ innovative and forward-thinking approach. “Edge computing in the drive ensures smart and simple conditionbased monitoring. At Danfoss, we have the required experience and specialised application knowledge to act as a competent and trustworthy partner for the global brewing industry. It seems that humankind has been brewing beer since the dawn of time and it is Danfoss’ proud intention to continue assisting this process to the highest standards of efficiency and quality control,” Fortuin concludes. •

Dutch brewing company continues innovations with Danfoss VLT drives

Turning the best out of nature into

MultiSensory & Nutritional Excellence We pave the way for turning smart ideas into amazing products.

Find out more: www.doehler.com www.we-bring-ideas-to-life.com mailbox@doehler.com

Danfoss - www.danfoss.com

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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02.02.2022 09:45:02

MEAT, FISH & POULTRY

Performance, availability and quality monitored in primary processing Getting the highest overall effectiveness out of a processing plant is no longer achievable without solid software control. That’s exactly where Intelligent Monitoring of Performance, Availability and Quality Trends (IMPAQT), Innova's overall equipment effectiveness module, comes in.

T

HE OVERALL EQUIPMENT effectiveness module can pinpoint the smallest undesirable production losses. Even in a very well organised and automated poultry processing plant, IMPAQT can add value.

Almost all equipment in the primary process can feature integrated sensors to measure line performance during production time.

RELIABLE DATA All IMPAQT data come together in the overarching software platform Innova.

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

By making use of the data from these sensors, IMPAQT can reveal the processes that are causing performance losses or line stops.

Based purely on data, these outcomes are fully reliable, without any guesswork involved.

One-off incidents or isolated malfunctions

MEAT, FISH & POULTRY ABOUT MAREL Marel is the leading global provider of advanced processing systems and services to the poultry, meat and fish industries.

In partnership with customers, Marel is transforming the way food is processed by developing pioneering innovations and supplying proven solutions.

Showing the IMPAQT data to the team members should be effective in stimulating them to achieve their highest hang-on performance possible.

can always happen and are hard to prevent, but when the same malfunctions keep recurring, however small their loss may be, it is time for plant management to intervene.

IMPAQT PREVENTS DISCUSSION Innova IMPAQT focuses on reliability. It makes key performance indicators available in realtime, pointing out the smallest losses and giving the reasons why these occurred. In this way, IMPAQT prevents discussion, allowing management to make decisions based on real data, i.e., the fully reliable and transparent data from IMPAQT.

EVISCERATION PERFORMANCE MONITORING Once installed in a processing plant, Innova IMPAQT is the perfect tool to keep performance, availability and quality at peak level. In practice, it enables management to identify and react instantaneously to even the smallest drop in performance at the very earliest stage.

GOING INTO DETAIL Let's take evisceration performance as an example: suppose IMPAQT monitors a minor loss in evisceration performance; it can then

go directly into detail to detect the causes.

“In the graph of the example project, we can see that after having had parts replaced and been optimally set, the eviscerator was already performing considerably better, but still not consistently. At that moment we could decide to make IMPAQT show performance per unit. In this example, we saw from IMPAQT that only three units were underachieving, not the entire machine. After replacing these individual units, performance was back to optimal again and fully under control,” says Dirk Kuijpers, Innova IMPAQT project coordinator. "This is a splendid example of how IMPAQT can monitor and analyse even the smallest details in order to reach full potential."

LOSS AT HANG-ON The hang-on loss is also an important issue that can be tackled by IMPAQT, as every empty shackle at the beginning of the line comes back time and again further downstream in the process. At multiple places in the line, people and equipment will be inefficient, waiting for full shackles again.

Integrating hang-on efficiency in IMPAQT means that this data is easier to gather and is available real-time. It’s IMPAQT’s task to detect whether each empty shackle is due to poor manual performance at hang-on or not. When there is a malfunction, in for example the live bird supply, IMPAQT should not include those empty shackles in the hang-on loss. This is possible by making use of sensors at the live bird infeed belt, registering availability.

FACE THE FACTS How can such losses at hang-on be reduced?

When IMPAQT indicates similar performance losses each time after a certain shift change, the team concerned may need better training.

Marel’s poultry processing solutions can be tailor-made for each process step, from live bird supply, evisceration, chilling, cut-up, deboning, portioning to packing and labelling. These full-line processing equipment and software systems are known for their high yields, unequalled reliability, lowest cost of ownership and well thoughtout maintenance concepts, while paying close attention to performance, food safety and sustainability.

Marel invests substantially in research and development. These projects are often conducted in cooperation with renowned research and scientific institutes, resulting in groundbreaking innovations. Marel continuously sets new benchmarks for inline process automation and all-time high production capacities. This focus has resulted in end-to-end poultry processing in smart factories at capacities of 15 000 broilers per hour.

Marel offers dedicated poultry processing systems for broilers, turkeys and ducks.

Supported by automation and digitalisation, customers can benefit from data-driven insights. Such intelligent systems, services and software enable them to optimise their use of raw materials, enhance poultry meat quality and food safety, guarantee traceability and engage continuous improvement.

Showing the IMPAQT data to the team members should be effective in stimulating them to achieve their highest hang-on performance possible. This goes to show that IMPAQT makes everybody face the facts, and the facts lead to improvement.

THE SCREEN SHOWS IT ALL All IMPAQT data come together in the overarching software platform Innova. It is easy to read out this database and make reports, customised dashboards per day, week, month or year. The Innova IMPAQT screen explains it all. The uptime bar clearly indicates when to expect full production, taking into account break times. Production losses are shown in red with their causes.

IMPAQT is a tool for signalling and generating reports and histogram. It shows areas to be addressed to eliminate possible losses. Loss can mean a loss of availability (stand still or empty shackles), quality loss or performance loss. •

Marel https://marel.com/en/products/innova-impaqt

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

21

CLEANING, SANITISATION & HYGIENE

Staying ahead of the key trends in the F&B industry There are two important trends that continue to gather pace as the pandemic continues. Food safety has become top priority for consumers around the world as well as catering to the changing trend of spending more time eating at home. Darryl Macdougall, managing director of Verder Pumps South Africa expands on this.

T

HE WORLD HAS changed at breathtaking speed in almost every sphere of human civilisation since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Everyone – from consumers to regulators – is asking for more accountability and transparency on food safety, explains Darryl Macdougall, managing director of Verder Pumps South Africa.

Another key trend is the fact that the “table” is more likely to be at home than in a restaurant now. Globally, people are cooking and eating at home much more often. This has led consumers to seem rather indecisive when it comes to flavour preferences – loading their grocery cupboards with familiar

"At the heart of maintaining the highest hygiene standards across multi-product lines lies the careful selection of equipment." comfort foods one moment and seeking out bold new experiences the next.

These two trends, while not new, have had major implications for food and beverage production. First, it is more critical now than ever before that food

It’s more than supply chain management…

and beverage processors produce quality food and drink that meets today’s hygiene standards with every batch. Second, food and beverage producers must seek ways to cater for vacillating flavour preferences, including rising demand for varied plantbased protein alternatives, if they want to stay competitive.

Directives from the European Hygienic Engineering Design Group (EHEDG) are aimed at setting universal standards founded on science-based knowledge in the hygienic engineering and design of food production equipment and facilities. These standards offer solutions for staying ahead of these two key trends. As an example, a core aim

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

CLEANING, SANITISATION & HYGIENE

of the EHEDG standards is to prevent contamination of consumable products – and related to this, one of its major directives states that every part of the production line should be accessible for cleaning.

The cleanability requirements to meet hygiene standards alone – including clean in place (CIP) and sterilisation in place (SIP) – present many challenges for processors.

These can be further compounded by the move from a dedicated production line per product or flavour to a multi-product line that could process several different flavours every day.

The multi-product line approach raises more challenges that every production line manager will invariably face – such as deciding how best to manage the transition

from one product to another on the same line. Another potential hazard is crosscontamination, which can lead to spoiled products, shorter shelf-life, production downtime and risks to employees during the cleaning process. Finally, a multiproduct line can increase the exposure risk to microbes, which present an everlooming threat.

So, at the heart of maintaining the highest hygiene standards across multi-product lines lies the careful selection of equipment. Fitfor-purpose hygienic pumping solutions that have been designed and built to eliminate any risk of contaminants during production are necessary for producers who want to stay ahead of the trust and variety trends.

As F&B industry seeks to recover financially – and to turn the challenges posed by consumers’ decreased trust in brands and increased demand for variety into opportunities – processes must be reliable, repeatable and error-free. Integrating the right equipment is critical to steering through the pandemic upheaval, sustainably. Food and beverage processors should look to a trusted and reputable brand that can offer not only a wide range of pumping solutions, but solutions that are long-lasting, costeffective and efficient – because they are 100% fit-for-purpose for the application. •

Verder Pumps - www.verderliquids.com/za/en

A COMPLETE RANGE OF PUMPS FROM ONE MANUFACTURER

VERDER

Hygienic pump solutions Best cleanability 3A, EHEDG, EC1935/2004 EC10/2011 certification Best fit pumping solution

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

VERDER is manufacturer of PACKO pumps VERDER PUMPS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD

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TEL +27 (0)11 704 7500

MAIL info@verder.co.za

WEB www.verder.co.za

07-07-2021 10:16

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

23

CLEANING, SANITISATION & HYGIENE

Gloves on or gloves off?

The past two years have really put hand, surface and air hygiene in the spotlight, which, as a hygiene services provider, is where Rentokil Initial has always maintained hygiene should be.

O

F COURSE, many - if not all - food manufacturing environments already had excellent hand hygiene practices in place pre-pandemic because a lapse in hygiene standards could result in a food-borne illness outbreak such as salmonellosis, shigellosis, hepatitis A, giardiasis and campylobacteriosis.

One of the more common hand hygiene protocols is insisting that employees who handle food wear latex gloves. Gloves can play a role in the prevention of cross-contamination in the food industry and compliance is perceived to be more easily monitored than a hand washing regime. However, there is clear evidence to suggest that gloves do not always prevent pathogens from spreading and this is because gloves themselves can be the source of contamination, just like bare hands.

According to the CDC, around 40% of food-borne illnesses and nearly 80% of infections are spread via germs on our hands. Contaminated hands can transfer viruses and bacteria to up to 14 other surfaces, therefore, the personal hygiene of employees who handle food must be impeccable to prevent the spread of food-borne disease.

So, should all employers in the food manufacturing industries be making their employees wear gloves? There is clear evidence to suggest that gloves do not always prevent pathogens from spreading: gloves themselves can be the source of contamination, just like bare hands. A 2010 article in Food Safety News says that “gloves may actually pose a number of unforeseen risks because the confidence they provide may encourage risky behavior.”

A 2004 study in the Journal of Food Protection, conducted in a fast-food

24

restaurant and comparing gloved and non-gloved employees handling different foods, found the bacterial counts were consistently higher in the foods handled by gloved employees.

The study noted that “the observed tendency of workers to wear the same pair of gloves for extended periods and complacency might account for the apparent failure of gloves to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. The results further suggest that glove use might be counterproductive because workers might wash their hands less frequently when gloved.” The study goes on to conclude that “both managers and employees prefer glove use because it is easier to check for compliance, although in practice, it has often been found that glove use provides a false sense of security because food handlers misuse

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

“According to the CDC, around 40% of foodborne illnesses and nearly 80% of infections are spread via germs on our hands”

gloves or neglect washing their hands when gloves are worn.”

For those of you that would still like to add an additional latex layer to your employees’ hand-hygiene regimen, here are some guidelines to try and minimise the issues found in the studies mentioned above: • Wash and sanitise hands before putting on gloves

CLEANING, SANITISATION & HYGIENE

• Remove contaminated gloves and replace with fresh ones when moving between locations • D o not reuse disposable gloves • A lways dispose of gloves before using the toilet/restroom • Replace gloves every two hours to guard against possible unseen punctures • Ensure that the wearing of gloves and regular hand washing and sanitising are seen as complementary activities, rather than mutually exclusive.

It’s clear from the research above that gloves alone aren’t the silver bullet to hand hygiene. Far better is to promote an integrated hygiene strategy, which includes emphasising the importance of better hand, surface, and air hygiene practices.

This means washing hands with hot water and soap, followed by proper drying with either paper or a good air dryer, and then sanitising before putting gloves on and after taking them off. It also means having an integrated approach to surface and air hygiene – to

ensure that employees breathe clean air and aren’t picking up bacteria and germs from the surfaces on which they work.

Businesses that embrace this shift in their thinking about hygiene and implement integrated hygiene strategies – not only for hand hygiene, but for surfaces and clean air as well – will be better placed to protect the health and safety of employees and customers. •

Rentokil Initial - www.rentokil-initial.co.za

When food is at the core of your business, impeccable hygiene is non-negotiable.

Pests are a major risk to the hygiene standards of any food manufacturing business. Not only do they pose major threats to compliance, but they can disrupt production and hit revenue too. Rentokil is trusted by customers across the world to deliver ground breaking solutions and offer expert advice to enhance the food food safety standards of your business.

Contact the Experts in Pest Control, today.

t: 0800 77 77 88 w: www.rentokil.co.za

Part of

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

25

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Professional help for personal care Of the many processes involved in finalising a consumer product, the final step can often be the most intricate. For this Omron customer, the last step in production is to fasten the cover holding screw, closing the unit—in this case, an electric shaver. Traditionally, the full process was completed manually, with an electric screwdriver in a multi-step process. This repetitive task is an ideal application for the help of an Omron cobot.

W

HEN A LEADING global manufacturer of personal care equipment needed a production solution that combined cost reduction with quality improvement, they came to Omron, a trusted partner they had worked with many times. For this particular line, they needed something that would help with a very specific task, right at the end of production.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE The task at hand? Tightening the final screw into a personal grooming devicesimple enough you might think. But the intricate process is something that takes great care, accuracy, and attention to detail, and involves differing form factors

26

and models, with differing placements of screws per model, which is why it’s generally finalised by hand.

PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS “The customer approached us to see if it was possible to bring a collaborative robot in to help the operator,” Barry Oorbeek, key account manager Industry Solutions at Omron Benelux explains. The solution design phase involved a thorough audit of needs. “Omron Safety Services Europe (OSSE) first conducted a machine risk analysis, then a Sistema calculation, to define the requirement specifications for the system integrator,” says Oorbeek. “From here we were able to prioritise and plan for the commissioning phase of the project.”

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

SELECTION AND SETUP “In the setup phase, we used the intuitive plug and play software to establish virtual ‘safety fences’ prior to installation. This set clear boundaries around the cobot, to limit its range of movement to its specific area of operation,” said Oorbeek. This ensured complete predictability, so that the operator had a confident understanding of where the cobot would be, and what it would be doing, at all times.

SAFETY FIRST For the customer, the key criterion was of course safety, since the cobot would be working in close proximity with a human operator. From the various options

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

RAPID START-UP, INTUITIVE OPERATION An intuitive human-machine interface within the machine controller gives full overview and control of the cobot, which is designed for ease of use. Operators need only 5 minutes’ instruction before starting to work with the system, which was engineered to keep pace with the speed of the manual production line.

IDEAL HUMAN/COBOT MIX

“Omron cobots are designed to be supremely flexible, both in the way they are simple to program, and in the way that they can be used.”

“This system goes a long way to solve a very common problem in production lines,” says Oorbeek. “Repetitive tasks done by hand can suffer from quality variation over time. With this solution, the customer has the ideal combination—the flexibility of an operator to handle the high diversity of components, with the accuracy and sensitivity of the Omron cobot to perform the repetitive screw-fastening process.”

SO, WHY NOT FULLY AUTOMATE? suited for the task, they chose the Omron TM5-700, a unit built for quick start-ups, rapid changeovers and of course, inherent safety, as Oorbeek explains. “From the points highlighted in the machine risk analysis, OSSE then conducted extensive force- and pressure-testing, going through each potential risk point, establishing the maximum permissible pressure, and confirming that the cobot was able to instantly and accurately sense the results of its actions.”

This testing covered all the delicate movements involved in screwing the unit cover into place, so the cobot detected when the screw was firmly in place, without overtightening. Since everything is programmable, once the actions are performed perfectly once, they are fixed in memory, for right first time—every time— action.

The customer in this case already has a large installed base of Omron robots in place with some automated screwdriving in automated lines. But this particular workstation is used for a variety of form factors and end-products, so it was decided to bring a cobot on board, since there may be multiple changes per day of the product that’s being finalised.

“Omron cobots are designed to be supremely flexible, both in the way they are simple to program, and in the way that they can be used. Here for instance,

the customer can achieve single-minute exchange of dies (SMED), moving from one product type to another extremely quickly,” says Oorbeek.

THE END RESULT “A delighted customer,” Oorbeek concludes proudly. “Their process quality has improved and they have an integrated solution that was quickly verified and validated.” This Omron customer is currently investigating the use of Omron cobots in other areas of its production facilities. •

ABOUT OMRON As a leader in industrial automation, Omron has extensive lines of control components and equipment, ranging from vision sensors and other input devices to various controllers and output devices such as servomotors as well as a range of safety devices and industrial robots. By combining these devices via software, Omron has developed a variety of unique and highly effective automation solutions for manufacturers worldwide. Based on its reservoir of advanced technologies and comprehensive range of devices, Omron set forth a strategic concept called “innovativeAutomation” consisting of three innovations or “i’s”: “integrated” (control evolution), “intelligent” (development of intelligence by ICT), and “interactive” (new harmonisation between people and machines). Omron is now committed to bringing innovation to manufacturing sites by materialising this concept.

Omron - www.industrial.omron.co.za

Flexible Production Integrated Robotic Solutions

• Autonomous teach and go and self-recharging • Automated can fit within a line or factory to achieve end to end automation and traceability • Intelligent can optimize travelling path and work within a fleet of up to 100 robots • Safe fully collaborative and operate along people Would you like to know more? +27 (0)11 579 2600 info_sa@omron.com industrial.omron.co.za

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07-09-21 13:57

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Innovative solutions for the packaging industry

GreenTech Plastics Machinery will be showcasing an e-Mac 100 injection moulding machine and ancillary equipment and systems at Propak Africa 2022, which will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from 8 – 11 March.

“W

E HAVE a proven reputation and are well-known for our expertise and quality product and service solutions in the automotive, packaging, technical, teletronics and medical sectors,” says GreenTech’s HOD of sales, JC Jonker. “Our focus at Propak is to accentuate these same capabilities within the packaging industry.

The Expo therefore, provides us with an ideal platform to showcase our comprehensive plastics solutions through leading-brands such as Engel and Wintec as well as peripheral products from Motan-Colortronic, Tampoprint and HB-Therm. Our value proposition is to sell premium quality machines, combined with exceptional service and continued after-sales support.”

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GreenTech was established in 2016, securing the sole distribution rights for the Engel brand. The company went on to expand its product and service offerings to become a market leader in the supply, installation and servicing of a range of best-in-class European-designed plastics machinery and ancillary equipment. With a combined experience of 220 years in the industry, the team services customers across the Southern and East African regions. GreenTech has offices in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Eastern and Western Cape as well as in Nairobi, Kenya.

Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

GreenTech Plastics Machinery showcases innovative solutions for the packaging industry at Propak Africa 2022

“Engel, our flagship product, is an established brand with injection moulding machines operating in the country since 1976,” affirms Jonker. Wintec plastic injection moulding machines are ideal for customers with single-shot applications, but still demand the same quality and reliability from their equipment.

GreenTech is also a proud supplier of Motan-Colortronic ancillary equipment, offering dosers, blenders, desiccant

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

dryers as well as raw material feeder systems for optimisation of material flow. Temperature control during the manufacturing process is critical in injection moulding. GreenTech supplies HB-Therm maintenance-free temperature control units with a lifetime warranty on heating elements.

GreenTech’s service engineers deliver customer service to optimise machine performance and machine availability, preventing unplanned, costly stoppages.

Strategy and operations Llad at GreenTech, Marcus Visser, wraps up, “We pride ourselves on the professionalism that permeates our business. This enables us to grow the company sustainably throughout our value chain. We strive to position ourselves as a long-term partner for our customers.”

Visitors to Propak Africa 2022 will have the opportunity to see a demonstration of an Engel injection moulding machine on stand (C20) in Hall 5. •

GreenTech Plastics Machinery - www.greentechmachinery.co.za

2022 Quarter 1 | Food Manufacturing Africa

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FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

New mobile bulk bag filling system with metal detection and tilt-down feeder

A new mobile Bulk Bag Filling System from Flexicon features an integral metal detector/separator and a tilt-down conveyor/feeder for dust-free filling at multiple locations.

I

NTEGRAL TO THE system is a patented Twin-Centrepost Bulk Bag Filler, said to maximise strength and improve accessibility to bag hooks while simplifying construction and reducing cost.

The system detects metal in the free-fall stream of material entering the filler and then ejects it through a chute that discharges into a removable drum at the rear of the unit.

The filler is also equipped with fill head height adjustment to accommodate all popular bag sizes.

It has an inflatable cuff to seal the bag inlet spout, a blower to remove bag creases prior to filling and load cells for filling by weight. This bag filler also has a vent port for dust-free air displacement during filling, pneumatically

retractable bag hooks and an automated vibratory densification/ deaeration system to maximise capacity and stabilise the bag for storage or shipment.

As the first bulk bag filler to receive USDA acceptance, it is constructed of 316 stainless steel, finished to sanitary standards and configured with fulllength forklifting tubes allowing it to be moved throughout the plant.

A tilt-down flexible screw conveyor on a castor-mounted frame, which mates with the bulk bag filler’s base frame, can be manoeuvered through narrow aisles and around corners. With the hopper support boom and conveyor assembly tilted down, the unit fits through standard doorways and orients the conveyor tube horizontally, allowing the flexible screw to be removed easily for thorough cleaning and inspection.

The conveyor’s inlet hopper includes an air displacement vent with cartridge Flexicon mobile, sanitary bulk bag filling system comprised of a Twin-Centrepost Bulk Bag Filler with metal detection and a Tilt Down Flexible Screw Conveyor with clog-free dustcontainment system.

"The patented Twin-Centrepost Bulk Bag Filler is said to maximise strength and improve accessibility to bag hooks while simplifying construction and reducing cost." filter that is equipped with a reverse pulse cleaning system that dislodges accumulated dust with short bursts of compressed air, returning the dust to the hopper on a timed cycle, maintaining operating efficiency.

Once the operator connects an empty bag and presses start, weighfilling functions are automatic.

The controller runs the conveyor at high speed, and steps it down to trickle-feed rate immediately prior to stopping it once the accurate fill weight is gained, and releasing the bag straps. The programmable controls are housed in a stainless steel NEMA 4X enclosure with touch screen that graphically displays filling functions.

The company also manufactures rear post bulk bag fillers and patented fillers that pivot the fill head for floor-level bag connections as well as bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag conditioners, pneumatic conveying systems, bag dump stations, drum/box/container tippers, weigh batching systems and engineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls. •

Flexicon Africa - www.flexicon.com

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Food Manufacturing Africa | 2022 Quarter 1

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to gain access to all of this and much more.

CONVEY

FLEXICON® Manual Dumping Stations allow dust-free dumping of bulk material from bags and other containers. Automatic reversepulse filter cleaning allows continuous, efficient operation. Available with integral bag compactors for total dust containment.

FLEXI-DISC® Tubular Cable Conveyors gently slide fragile foods and non-foods through smooth stainless steel tubing routed horizontally, vertically or at any angle, over short or long distances, dust-free.

Single or multiple inlets and outlets.

CONDITION BLOCK-BUSTER Bulk Bag Conditioners loosen materials that have solidified during storage and shipment. Variable height turntable positions bag for hydraulic rams with contoured conditioning plates to press bag on all sides at all heights. ®

CONVEY PNEUMATI-CON® Pneumatic Conveying Systems move a broad range of bulk materials over short or long distances, between single or multiple inlet and discharge points in low to high capacities.

Available as dilute-phase vacuum or positive pressure systems, fully integrated with your process.

SOUTH AFRICA sales@flexicon.co.za +27 (0)41 453 1871

DUMP

FILL SWING-DOWN , REAR-POST and TWIN-CENTREPOST™ Bulk Bag Fillers can fill one bulk bag per week or 20 per hour at the lowest cost per bag. Numerous performance options.

Available to industrial or sanitary standards. ®

TIP TIP-TITE® Container Tippers dump bulk material from drums (shown), boxes or other containers into vessels up to 3 metres high.

Dust-tight (shown) or open chute models improve efficiency and safety of an age-old task.

BULK-OUT® Bulk Bag Dischargers unload free- and non-free-flowing solids from bulk bags automatically.

Allows untying, discharging, retying and collapsing of bulk bags—all dust-free. Available with weigh batching controls.

CONVEY FLEXICON® Flexible Screw Conveyors transport free- and non-free-flowing bulk solid materials from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including products that pack, cake or smear, with no separation of blends, dust-free at low cost. No bearings contact material. Easy to clean quickly, thoroughly.

SUCCEED The FLEXICON® Lifetime Performance Guarantee* assures you of a successful result, whether you purchase one piece of equipment or an engineered, automated plant-wide system. From initial testing in large-scale laboratories, to single-source project management, to after-sale support by a worldwide network of factory experts, you can trust your process— and your reputation— to Flexicon.

+44 (0)1227 374710 +1 610 814 2400 +61 (0)7 3879 4180 +34 930 020 509 +33 (0)7 61 36 56 12 +49 173 900 78 76 +65 6778 9225 +62 81 1103 2400 +60 10 282 2400

©2022 Flexicon Corporation. Flexicon Corporation has registrations and pending applications for the trademark FLEXICON throughout the world. *See full guarantee for details.

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