Food Feb/Mar 2019

FEB/MAR 2019

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Blockchain for dummies What is blockchain and how can it help your business

PLUS: AUSPACK | Starting from scratch - one food manufacturer's journey

o

Do you make or sell food?

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Managing Director: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Managing Editor: Syed Shah Editor: Mike Wheeler

Keeping up with technological advances a must for food industry

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oore’s Law is the observation that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles every two years. It has become a metaphor for technology in general – either stay up-to-date with the latest advances or get left behind. Over the past few years, a lot of different technological words have entered the lexicon. Artificial Intelligence, The Internet of Things, Industry 4.0 and digitisation are just a few of the terms that have entered our vocabulary over the past five years.

A more recent addition to the list of terms is blockchain. It is a noun that whose original province was connected to cryptocurrency, but now has a larger meaning. And what is that meaning?

Basically it is a way for a group of disparate companies who share a supply chain, or database, where there is sensitive information, to work together. In this issue, we have Wiley’s Brent Wiskar, who does an outstanding job of explaining those

intricacies in our main story.

Also in this issue of the magazine, is our special feature of AUSPACK, the premier packaging event held in Australia every two years. As well as a floor plan of the exhibition, and a list of conference speakers, we showcase some of the big players that will be at the event. These includes the likes of Nord, GS1, insignia, Fibre King and Roxset.

Finally, there is our story about Titania Kuzovova, a Russian immigrant who has become what can be described as an accidental entrepreneur. Along with her mother, Nina, Kuzovova has created a boutique dumpling-making facility in Melbourne that is set to expand in the near future. And while Kuzovova can give herself and her mother a pat on the back, she is quick to point out that some traditional bogeymen in the start-up arena were very helpful in getting her started.

Mike Wheeler

INSIDE 42

34

54

8 NEWS

28 CONSUMER

38 AFGC

16 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

31 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

41 AIP

18 FOOD PROCESSING

32 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY

42 AUSPACK 2019

20 PACKAGING

34 PRODUCTION SOFTWARE

60 MARKETWATCH

22 WASTEWATER

35 FOOD HYGIENE

61 NEW PRODUCTS

24 BATCH DOSING

37 SAFETY www.foodmag.com.au | February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 5

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

Australasia’s largest dedicated bulk handling conference & exhibition MELBOURNE

1-3 APRIL 2020

Media partners AUSTRALIA

Association Partner

AUSTRALIA

REVIEW

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bulkhandlingexpo.com.au

NEWS

Diets lacking in essential vitamins and minerals

According to CSIRO studies, four out of five Australians are not eating enough fruit and vegetables.

N

ew research led by University of Illinois, the CSIRO, the International Food Policy Research Institute and others shows that unless action is taken in the near future in making vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and pulses more available and affordable, serious micronutrient inadequacies will persist globally, along with continued undernutrition in the poorest regions of the world.

An analysis of the trajectory of diets across the globe from now until 2050 has been published today in Nature Sustainability.

It shows worldwide, peoples’ diets are lacking in vitamins and minerals essential for proper growth and development.

Widespread inadequacies in calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E and folate are likely to continue into the future.

For some of the poorest countries

in the world, the study projects continued inadequacies in iron, zinc, and vitamins A and K. The World Health Organisation estimates more than two billion people suffer from “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiency.

The effects of severe micronutrient deficiencies include stunting of growth, a weaker immune system and impaired intellectual development.

The study found that while micronutrients are lacking, nearly all countries in the world have more than adequate carbohydrate and protein available.

CSIRO nutrition systems scientist, Dr Jessica Bogard, is one of the authors of the study. She said the findings reinforced the importance of encouraging a shift from carbohydrate-rich staples to a more diverse diet worldwide.

“Global food security is not

8 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

just about providing adequate calories,” Bogard said. “A person can consume too many calories but still be malnourished.”

Not surprisingly, in Australia like many high-income countries, overconsumption is a concern, with diets above the recommended intake for alcohol, saturated fat and added sugar.

A 2017 study by CSIRO found that four out of five Australian adults were not eating enough fruit and vegetables in order to meet Australian Dietary Guidelines.

The biggest factors affecting food and nutrition security in the future, according to this new research, are climate change, increasing incomes and evolving diets.

“A change in the climate combined with a change in people’s diets, as they begin to earn more, will ultimately impact on our agricultural

systems and what gets grown where,” Bogard explained.

“Improving farm productivity and economic growth alone is not going to be enough to achieve nutritional security now and into the future. We must refocus our efforts on dietary quality rather than quantity.”

In all countries, including Australia, the authors recommend better aligning agriculture with nutritional needs by investing in the availability and affordability of nutrient-rich foods, including vegetables, fruits, pulses, nuts and seeds.

In many developing countries this must also include a focus on nutritious animal-source foods.

Complementary interventions throughout the food system such as reduced waste, and efforts to promote healthy food environments, will also be needed.

NEWS

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 9

NEWS

Aust/NZ packaging innovations recognised at WorldStar awards T

hree Australian companies and one New Zealand company have achieved international recognition for their packaging designs in the WorldStar Packaging Awards. The winning companies include Caps and Closures for Precise Pour, ILNAM Estate for 8Kangaroos, Lactote for Polatote and Radix Nutrition for their Foil

Packaging Breakfast Pouch. The wins were across three categories, Beverage, Food and Domestic and Household. Radix Nutrition is the first New Zealand company to be awarded a WorldStar Packaging Award for the food category.

This international recognition follows on from recent wins in the 2018 Packaging Innovation and

8Kangaroos won an award for the shape of its bottle.

Design (PIDA) Awards, which are run by the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and Packaging New Zealand. The PIDA Awards are the feeder program for Australia and New Zealand into the WorldStar Packaging Awards.

Precise Pour for continuous -pour, anti-clog and tamperevidence Company: Caps and Closures Country: Australia Category: Domestic & Household The Precise Pour takes a leap forward in the functionality of the simple tap, both for the consumer and the packer. It is simple to apply, intuitive to use, hard to damage and performs unlike any other tap on the market. The Precise Pour has features in all areas of the cap that create a user experience like no other. It is tamper evident, anti-surge, variable flow, 180-degree opening action, 360-degree pour, has anti-binding lugs, and has an anti-drip lip.

8Kangaroos Company: ILNAM Estate Country: Australia Category: Beverage 8Kangaroos by ILNAM Estate has been awarded the win for a unique and innovative wine bottle shaped like a kangaroo. In addition, all raw materials were chosen for their ability to be recycled and there was extensive thought and consideration in the development of transport packaging to suit the shape of the bottle. The bottles unique shape makes it unlikely that it will be thrown away after initial use. It is envisaged that the bottle will be retained and used as a decanter, water bottle or just a curious item on a shelf. The brand is embossed at the base with the brand name, which means that the brand will live on after the label has gone and the wine has been consumed.

Destined to be successful in the international duty-free market, the family-owned business has developed an outstanding and innovative packaging design.

10 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Polatote

Company: Lactote Country: Australia Category: Beverage Polatote is both an off-the-shelf supermarket/liquor shop beverage multipack and a portable ice cooler.

No longer do consumers need an Esky-style ice container and/or the traditional ice bucket to keep drinks cold. Polatote has been redesigned as a functional shrink-film, multi-pack with global influence and appeal. It is an ice cooler, or more accurately, a method for controlling the temperature of beverages in and outdoors.

It is a comfortable, convenient and sturdy parcel/package for personal carrying and an easily and safely palletised multi-pack for general transportation and distribution.

Polatote is a container to ensure original contents, once consumed, are recycled and do not become litter.

Polatote replaces the standard type of beverage packaging presently used to deliver bottles of all types, metal cans and tetra-type cardboard packs to the marketplace.

Foil packaging breakfast pouch Company: Radix Nutrition Country: New Zealand Category: Food The Radix Nutrition foil breakfast packaging is simple to use, accessible in any situation, preserves nutrients with no food waste. The packaging is durable, yet lightweight due to the company not wanting to create problems for its consumers. This is because a lot of the people buying the product are marathon runners, athletes, rugby players, long-distance runners, cyclists, campers and many other outdoor loving people. These people want to enjoy their athletic and outdoor endeavours and to avoid increases in the weight of their kit so the pouch had to be highly functional, yet add no extra weight.

The Australia and New Zealand winners will be able to collect their trophies at the 2019 WorldStar Packaging Awards in Prague, Czech Republic on the 15 May 2019.

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www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 11

Premier bulk handling expo makes debut A

ustralian Bulk Handling Review is excited to bring the bulk handling industry together for a new trade exhibition, BULK2020, which will be held from April 1-3 2020, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Held in conjunction with MEGATRANS2020, the BULK2020 exhibition will showcase all the latest products and services in the bulk handling industry.

Supported by the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH), BULK2020 is aimed at businesses that are bulk commodity producers that require plant and equipment to run their businesses more efficiently and keep one step ahead of the opposition. Technologies

and equipment that will be on display include conveyors and their components, motors and drives, belt scrapers, container tipplers, weighing and level measurement devices and instrumentation.

“Since announcing BULK2020, we’ve had plenty of local and overseas interest from potential exhibitors and those who are intending to visit the expo,” said exhibition director Simon Coburn. “To have all these exhibitors under one roof in not only a great place for business opportunities, but a fantastic occasion to network within this fast-paced and essential industry.”

For enquiries about exhibiting at BULK2020, please contact Ben Griffiths on Ph: +61 3 9690 8766 or ben.griffiths@primecreative.com.au.

BULK2020 will showcase all the latest products and services in the bulk handling industry.

12 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

NEWS

Jonathan Rankin named CEO of tna T

na has announced the promotion of Jonathan Rankin to chief executive officer (CEO). Having recently returned to tna as chief sales officer (CSO), Rankin will lead tna’s day-today operations, while focussing on the implementation of new processes that will take tna’s operational efficiencies and growth to the next level.

Founded in 1982 by Alf Taylor and his wife Nadia, tna invented the world’s first rotary, continuousmotion, high-speed VFFS system.

The company has since grown from Australian packaging pioneer into a company that provides food processing and packaging solutions for a range of industries, including

snacks, confectionery, fresh and frozen produce.

“Our growth over the last few years has been incredible,” said Alf Taylor. “We now operate out of 30 sites and employ over 500 talented people around the world. It’s a huge step-up from when Nadia and I started the business from our kitchen table. Over the last 36 years, we’ve added some truly amazing people to our team, and gained fantastic customers. Jonathan celebrated some of our most important milestones with us and played an instrumental role in our growth. We were thrilled when he decided to come back and can’t wait to see just how much further he’ll take the business.”

Rankin’s experience in the

Jonathan Rankin was previously chief sales officer for tna. food industry spans over three decades. Having held various global management roles at tna from 1993 until 2003, he returned to tna earlier this year to oversee tna’s global sales division. He is well-versed in the company’s culture, business

objectives and portfolio of integrated food processing and packaging solutions. Before re-joining tna, he served as general manager for food processing specialist Marel, where he was responsible for the growth of the company’s Oceania operations.

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am13 www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage12/12/18 Industry 9:55 News

NEWS

Vaughan Constructions to build $60 million Biodiversity Industrial Estate V

The new facility will be based in North Melbourne.

aughan Constructions will build two new industrial facilities for joint venture partners Mirvac and Blackstone as it launches its new 25-ha Biodiversity Industrial Estate in Epping.

Vaughan director, Mark Byrne, said the circa $60 million buildings – the first speculative industrial buildings for the Mirvac/Blackstone JV – include a 30,000 sqm facility, capable of being split into two tenancies, on a five-hectare site, and a 15,500 sqm facility on a threehectare site.

“We are pleased to be able to announce the Mirvac/Blackstone deals in launching a new estate to a northern Melbourne market, which currently has an acute lack of quality

industrial facilities especially so close to the Hume Freeway.

“Mirvac and Blackstone are confident about finding tenants as they embark on what is a relatively new way of doing things, in an evolving industrial market driven by e-commerce and a booming state economy,” said Byrne.

He said construction would commence on both buildings early in 2019.

The biodiversity estate has the potential to accommodate a further 103,000 sqm of warehousing in Stage 1.

Stage 2, comprising 50 ha with the potential of up to 250,000 sqm of warehouse area, is currently in the planning phase giving the estate an

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14 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

NEWS

end value of $375 million.

JLL head of industrial and logistics for Australia, Tony Iuliano, who brokered the deal, said it was likely there would be more speculative deals of this nature.

This will be due to there being more demand for new, efficient, and well-located industrial buildings for the food industry and other industries, while the supply continues to diminish all around the country.

“This is one of Victoria’s best industrial markets that we have seen in years with significant rises in land prices, rental growth, and unprecedented tenant demand.

“We are also seeing $20 billion of unsatisfied capital, both offshore and onshore, looking to deploy into the Australian industrial and logistics sector,” said Iuliano.

The deal follows a similar speculative, circa $37 million build that Vaughan is currently undertaking for Frasers Property at Maker Place, Truganina in Melbourne’s west. The deal includes two office and warehouse buildings totalling 30,885 sqm on a 4.98-ha site.

There has been a significant rise in land prices in Victoria.

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www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 15

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Blockchain decrypted In recent years, there has been an explosion of enthusiasm for blockchain technology. It seems that every industry has or wants a blockchain – but why? Brent Wiskar from Wiley explains the intricacies of this technology that is rising in popularity and how it can be utilised in the food industry.

B

lockchain has been spoken and written about across industry press and the broader media for the past two years. This innovation is painted as some sort of future technology set to change the way industry manages itself, transacts and tracks product. If the general coverage is to be believed, blockchain is a panacea for anything we choose to apply it to. Like most things touted as a solution, the truth is less promising – so where does the value of blockchain lie? In this article, we explore what blockchain really is and how it can be used to best advantage in the food industry.

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a technology that in one sense is not unlike a conventional database from a more traditional system. It stores information. This information is what all parties in the system agree it to store. The

difference is, blockchain stores its data and records in a solution that is distributed and encrypted securely and provides transparency to all participants in the blockchain.

It’s perhaps easiest to think of blockchain as a way of keeping track of a transaction. This transaction may be financial, but it could just as easily be a transaction involving data point, product shipments, services, emails or other communications, documents, certificates, accreditations or just about anything that could be stored as data.

As is typically the case when the media develops an infatuation with a new piece of technology, blockchain is generally poorly understood. Often described as a distributed ledger, blockchain uses multiple redundant copies of the ledger, each hosted by a participant in the network or supply chain to ensure security. If a copy of the data with one of the participants is

16 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Wiley’s Brent Wiskar said companies need to take advantage of blockchain technology.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

database-backed solution.

Blockchain is not omnipresent and cannot magically watch product from the farm to the plate. Like any data storage system, blockchain needs inputs. It needs humans to interact with the platform. In this case, Walmart is introducing an onboarding system that allows people to interact with the blockchain solution. This onboarding unifies the ways in which people keep track of product in the supply chain. This unified data input is the real challenge Walmart’s blockchain implementation is overcoming. The way it tracks the data once it gets into the system is irrelevant, its achievement is putting the information onto a computer. In truth, Walmart’s market force enabled the company to make compliance with its systems and the collection and input of data mandatory, but this could have been supported through a traditional database system.

Blockchain is designed as a secure system that relies on trust of all participants.

Why blockchain? compromised (hacked/manipulated), that copy of the ledger is overruled by its peers (the other copies). In this way the system remains secure and can be trusted by all.

Trust through transparency Frequently blockchain is described as a “trust-based” system. In truth, when digging a little deeper, it is clear the technology’s successes originate where the blockchain can generate value in markets where there is a lack of trust. When implemented well, blockchain allows people to trust other parties by providing visibility into the actions of the other party.

This means participants don’t have to trust what each other say they’re doing, or have done, but can trust when the outcomes can be seen in the system.

Unfamiliarity and deceptive behaviour in transactions or interactions in businesses breeds distrust. If, however a business can see that other parties are performing as required, then distrust is mitigated and supply chains can move quickly as decisions can be made with confidence.

A true blockchain system ensures all participants in the system have the same data. This data is a snapshot in real-time of the status of the system (goods, finances, approvals etc.). Not only is there a snapshot, but everyone in the system has a copy of the truth

and knows it is valid and has not been compromised by someone in the system attempting to deceive the other parties.

This means a party in the supply chain who is responsible for a step knows when they perform their action (e.g. approve the goods for export) and update the system, every other party in the system knows this has been completed and by who. Visibility through the system places the onus on the next party to perform their own subsequent responsibilities and this sequential visibility drives the behaviours in the supply chain all parties want to see.

A lot of the examples held up as case studies for how blockchain will change industry often lack some of the characteristics that make blockchain valuable. These are more likely technical proofs of concept for blockchain and not true examples. A little online research shows it’s clear that for blockchain to really create value it needs to be applied to the right kind of problem. A helpful checklist can be used to determine if blockchain could be an appropriate solution.

Do the requirements of the ecosystem considering blockchain have each of these?

• Is there a need for shared common database?

• A re there multiple parties involved (usually from different entities)?

• D o the parties involved have conflicting incentives and/or are not trusted?

• A re the rules governing participants uniform?

• Is there a need for an objective immutable log?

• Do the rules governing transactions change infrequently?

There are many examples, around the globe of industries or value chains adopting or trialling the use of a blockchain solution. When we look at these it is clear that they do not always meet the threshold of the list above.

Whether the use of blockchain was essential for a system or not, often the adoption is being driven by technology players like Oracle, SAP and IBM.

Who is using it?

One of the most high profile and relevant blockchain projects is from Walmart. Walmart and IBM have partnered on a food safety blockchain solution. Walmart announced in September 2018 that it will require all suppliers of leafy green vegetables to upload their data to the blockchain solution by September 2019.

Walmart mandating that its suppliers comply with Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), and that this data be stored in a blockchain system, does not improve food traceability beyond that of a conventional

Walmart is driving early adoption of a technology that will drive better performance across its supply chains.

It starts with food safety, but through the partnership with IBM, and its learnings from this program, it will drive compliance and visibility across thousands of supply chains in the years ahead. These supply chain tools based on the blockchain will be the sort of supply chain that Walmart believe will be the future of its business.

What does it mean for industry?

The amount of hype around blockchain is yet to be matched by the scale of investment or the proliferation of systems. Although this means blockchain is not ready for wide adoption yet, there are enough indicators to show that its right around the corner. The biggest technology names are on board and working with government, finance, defence and the large corporations to bring about massive change to how we track, transact and manage our supply chains and monetary systems. There may be another 10 years of time to maturity of industry blockchain systems, or maybe only another two years, but it seems the value blockchain creates will make a significant contribution to the markets that adopt it. This means blockchain running part of our value systems is only a matter of time.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 17

FOOD PROCESSING

Control heads help dairy company consolidate A Victorian-based dairy company wanted to streamline its processes. In order to do so it needed to make sure it didn’t cost an arm and a leg. With the help of control heads from Burkert, this was avoided. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

B

urkert Australia was approached by a process engineering and automation consulting firm who were commissioned by a dairy manufacturer in Victoria to assist them in the consolidation of raw milk inflow processing.

Ultimately, the dairy manufacturer wanted to de-commission one site where they had an external milk drop off station and bring all of its resources and processing into one main site.

This entailed bringing all raw milk deliveries back into its main storage silos located at the main processing site, streamlining operations and through this relocation exercise, consolidate all facility production.

After assessment of the dairy site’s current equipment and requirements for future-proofing the facility, they ended up with a number of dissimilar process valves and control heads located between the two facilities. On review of the project, the consulting firm offered them the opportunity to

reduce the overall cost of the project by utilising a mixture of existing and new process valves. This was designed to save the dairy both time and money in bringing their processes onto one site, without the outlay of a completely new fit-out.

To achieve this consolidation methodology, while also improving their overall reliability of the process, the consulting firm sought to partner with Burkert Australia. With knowledge of Burkert’s products, the company requested Burkert’s assistance in reviewing current site equipment and worked together to supply a solution for the dairy that would work best for project timelines and budget restrictions.

Through investigation and itemisation of the dairy’s existing equipment, the engineering consultant offered the project management team the option to maintain their existing process valve equipment from multiple suppliers and brands by implementing the Burkert Type 8681 control heads.

18 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

They were fitted with their existing equipment to standardise and automate their processes on the one site. This solution was investigated and found to be the best suited to the application and clean in place (CIP) needs, giving the dairy peace of mind as they would also be future proofing their facility as the control heads are equipped with ASi Communication.

This application would also ensure lower costs for ongoing maintenance, standardise communication as well as ensure data accuracy and assurance through a single system feed. The control heads were able to be fitted to the multiple-branded seat and butterfly valve types allowing for a decentralised automation process to the consolidated facility.

Due to Burkert’s adaptability and capabilities of its control head, the Type 8681 was able to work with all of the process valves supplied at the dairy without complication.

Decentral automation can have significant advantages regarding

monitoring, flexibility and safety, even with complex projects. If local access to information and valves is required, decentral automation offers many further benefits. The basis is formed by flexible process valve systems that make for lean automation processes and straightforward cabling and piping. This shortens planning phases and makes the plant design more transparent, saving time and money in the installation phase and ensuring a fast start-up. Operation is efficient and economical due to switching intervals being short, with little delay times. In addition, the combination of intelligent information exchange via direct messaging and status diagnosis, greater reliability thanks to clear-cut process monitoring architecture and easy troubleshooting all speak for themselves. LED displays ensure that switching statuses are visible even from a distance. The components can also be cleaned easily and are suitable for thorough washdowns.

Type 8681 was implemented,

FOOD PROCESSING

along with a number of required new valves to complete the project and bring together the mixture of pre-existing products. Therefore, a hygienic process automation solution was put in place for the dairy.

This simple control head allows for decentralised automation of hygienic processes such as this. Due to its universal adapter, it can be combined with all normal commercial butterfly valves, ball valves, singleand double-seated valves. With a decentralised automation concept, the control head takes over all pneumatic actuation, feedback and diagnostic functions including field bus communication.

The housing is easy to clean and features high IP ratings for protection and chemically resistant materials for use in hygienic processing in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Depending on the process valve type, up to three pneumatic actuator chambers can be controlled independently from each other. The switching speeds of both movement directions can be set separately.

A built-in check valve prevents incorrect switching of process valve actuator chambers, which could result from back pressure.

The process valve switching positions are detected by an inductive, analogue position sensor and reported to the PLC system.

Up to three switching points can be adjusted automatically by a Teach-In function. Additionally, a fourth switching position can be read in and fed back via an external inductive proximity switch. The coloured status display signals the particular process valve switching position or indicates a diagnostic function such as maintenance required status or fault conditions. The pilot valves are equipped with a manual override.

If the device housing is closed, the patented magnetically encoded manual override tool can be used to open the process valve from the exterior.

Bus communication is available with AS-interface or DeviceNet. Burkert was chosen because the solution was easily scalebale, as well as the ease by which it interfaces to third-party hygienic process valves and a reduction in control head suppliers. Then there was the seamless integration into the site-wide existing fieldbus infrastructure and especially the highly visible LED colour status indicating the process valve switching position.

The Type 8681 control head can work with a variety of different valves.

SMC offers automation solutions for food and beverage packaging With a 40% market share, it is no wonder SMC has the answer to all of your food and beverage pneumatic and automation requirements.

SMC is installed in food and beverage packaging facilities across Australia and New Zealand, offering solutions which cater to the efficiency hygienic and safety standards demanded by your industry.

Select from our range of over 12 000 basic components available in over 700 000 variant forms.

Let our global expertise assist in bringing home the best practice for your production facility.

26 - 29 March 2019 09:00 – 17:00

Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria, Stand E140 www.smcanz.com www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 19

PACKAGING

Air Liquide maps new way to make food last longer on the shelf Extending the life of a product is just one of the advantages of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). Food & Beverage Industry News explains why.

C

hoosing the right packaging for your food or beverage can lead to the success or failure of a brand. But, as well as a good logo and pretty colours, your packaging needs to be able to sustain its contents. And the longer shelf life it has, the better for the producer. One way to extend the life of products is to use Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technology, which was created in the 80s and has been widely used since in pre-packaged foodstuff and prepared food and is championed by industrial gas specialist, Air Liquide.

The technique consists of replacing the air in the headspace of a package with a specific gas mixture. It is used to extend product shelf life and to provide an attractive presentation. This way, the natural deterioration of the product is slowed down and the initial fresh state of perishable products may be prolonged. It is commonly said that the shelf life extension with MAP is up to four times longer compared to a product packaged in air.

MAP helps preserve the freshness, colour, flavour and nutritional attributes of food products with an all-natural solution. This is because MAP can extend a product’s shelf life by slowing down microbial, enzymatic and physical deterioration. It also eliminates the need for chemical preservatives, provides mechanical protection for fragile products, and can optimise inventory levels. Side effects of using MAP technology is that its allows users to enlarge distribution networks to new geographies, reduces the amount of returns and food waste, and can provide an attractive package presentation for retail displays.

It is advisable to be careful, because there can be pitfalls. Temperature control, hygiene, and good sanitation practices still need to be followed during the manufacturing process. For refrigerated products, it is essential that the food product is in good condition with a low initial microbial load prior

MAP can give produce a longer shelf life.

"There are multiple gases and mixtures and the choice of the suitable one is not always straightforward.” to MAP, otherwise the gases will not be able to extend the shelf life of the product. It is also important to know that refrigerated products must be stored at refrigerated temperatures, regardless of how they are packaged. If the storage temperature is higher than the recommendation, then the shelf life will also be shorter.

MAP technology also addresses all retail packaged food segments – both chilled and ambient. It is dedicated to the packaging step of the food value chain. It follows the processing or preparation steps and precedes storage and transportation ones. MAP could fit to bulk (big bags, cardboard) and portion units packaging (trays, bags).

MAP is used for maintaining the organoleptic qualities of food products for a longer period of time in most food processing markets whenever there is a risk of degradation if stored under air, such as: • Meat and poultry customers – by far the largest users worldwide for fresh cuts and minced meat or processed products.

• Ready meals (pizzas, quiches, cooked meals, sandwiches).

• Dairy (milk powder, portioned/ sliced/grated cheese products).

20 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

• B akery products (bread, pastries, cookies, fresh pasta).

• Dry products (nuts, coffee, instant mashed potatoes).

• Fresh fruits & vegetables (lettuce leaves, grated carrot, fruit salads).

• Seafood (fish fillets and whole fish, processed seafood products).

Food Safety with MAP Food safety is a public health priority that is presenting new challenges due to the increasing trends in global food production, processing and distribution. Consumers are regarding foodborne disease outbreaks with increasing concern.

Gases used in MAP are considered as food additives in Australia and as such must follow legislation applying to food additives including purity criteria.

Food MAP gases status depends on the local regulation concerning food additives enforced in each country, but must always be compliant to local food grade specifications and manufacturing procedures. Air Liquide guarantees that its ALIGAL range of gas products that are used in MAP complies with the Australian Food Standards Code.

The ALIGAL brand follows a Food Safety Management System

(FSMS) based upon the requirements from FSSC 22000 (ISO 22000 + ISO TS 22002-1). Such a system provides evidence that Air Liquide is committed to: • HACCP- (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and HARPC-based (Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls) systems for carbon dioxide.

• Monitor O-PRPs (Operational Prerequisite Program) and CCPs (Critical Control Points) and record them.

• Implement, maintain and periodically test traceability.

• Use cylinders with specific labelling and special valves to avoid contamination.

• Manage non-conformities/ deviations.

• Train people and ensure that personnel applies procedures.

What Gases Are Used in MAP? The “atmosphere” is the gas surrounding the product. It can be active or inert. This gaseous atmosphere can be made of a single gas component (N2, CO2, O2 or Ar) or a mixture of these gases. The atmosphere can change over time if the film is not impermeable.

The mixture of gases in the package depends on the type of product, the packaging materials, the storage temperature, and the objectives sought by the food manufacturer. There are multiple gases and mixtures and the choice of the suitable one is not always straightforward. As an example, s cheese would require different gas mixtures whether it is grated, sliced or in blocks.

A balance must be found between the shelf life requirements, the characteristics of the food product, and the CO2 levels in the gas mixture. It is advisable to run some MAP trials with different gas mixtures and the product, in parallel with quality and microbial

PACKAGING

analyses, in order to determine the best combination.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)) limits the growth of bacteria and slows down the development of mould, however a minimum concentration of 20 per cent in the gas mixture is required. Users must keep in mind that it is soluble in water and fats, which means that, in some cases, it can lead to package collapse and should be balanced with nitrogen. CO2 also reacts with water to produce a weak acid (carbonic acid) that could cause a flavour change in some products like tomato-based or mayonnaise-based products. When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, too much CO2 in the gas mixture can lead to premature spoilage since higher levels of the gas can affect the cellular structure of the product.

Nitrogen (N2) is an inert gas that is used to displace oxygen inside the package headspace in order to prevent oxidative reactions. It helps limit the growth of aerobic bacteria and is also used to provide mechanical protection for fragile products or to prevent package collapse because it has low solubility in water and fats.

Argon (Ar) has similar benefits to nitrogen as it is also inert, but it is twice as soluble as nitrogen in water. It can slow down the respiration rate of

fresh vegetables better than nitrogen, thereby further increasing their shelf life.

Oxygen (O2) is usually the cause of microbial spoilage and oxidation but, in some cases, its presence is required.

It is ideal for maintaining the bright colour of red meat. However, it can also reduce the shelf life, so it must be used in combination with CO2. It is essential for respiration of fresh fruits and vegetables to prevent premature spoilage or for blue cheese and mouldy

in the number of cycles/min or packages/hour). Compared to vacuum packaging, the extra-cost of the gas is negligible; an indirect cost could be due to gas injection time (one to three additional seconds per cycle) therefore reducing packaging line productivity.

However, the benefits of MAP usually exceed its costs. The extended shelf life could be multiplied up to four times, allowing a reduction in logistics costs (storage and deliveries), production costs (optimisation of

“The benefits of MAP usually exceed its costs. The extended shelf life could be multiplied up to four times." rind cheese products (such as brie), to preserve the mould on the surface of the product. It can be used to prevent anaerobic conditions in produce such as fish, under which pathogenic bacteria like clostridium botulinum can grow.

Compared to air-wrapped or air-sealed packaged food product, on paper the MAP solution appears sometimes slightly more costly, mainly due to higher cost of the packaging materials. There are also indirect costs – packaging line productivity is lower (due to the fact that vacuum/gas injection sequence leads to a reduction

production schedules and series), and decreasing product waste.

Air Liquide can provide tailored solutions for food processors of all sizes. The company has the technical expertise to recommend the right gas solution adapted to each customer, whether it be packaging technology, packaging material, production capacity, size and shape of the product, desired product’s appearance, expected shelf life and logistics constraints.

The company can also propose multiple supply modes. Pure gases and mixtures can be supplied in cylinders

and cylinder packs for small to medium food-processing lines. For larger food processing plants, Air Liquide supplies pure gases in cryogenic bulk vessels of different sizes along with on-site mixing systems when mixtures are needed.

Air Liquide also supplies customer support with its ALIGAL products.

Based on its knowledge of the gas interactions with food products, the company provides solutions along with after-sales services. It has a dedicated worldwide network of international and local food and beverage experts to answer any questions related to MAP technology. It is easy for companies to access to Air Liquide expertise and resources to help companies optimise their process and operational costs.

They also offer training on safe handling of industrial gases and supply services for peace of mind that includesthe FLOSAFE gas reticulation system, bulk telemetry, rental of gas mixing stations, as well as maintenance and repair services. Finally, there are process services that include trials, product package atmosphere analysis and audits of packaging installations.

Air Liquide also provides gas solutions to many other industries, notably in water treatment, lab analysis, metal fabrication and healthcare.

Leader in Low Flow Fluidics Handling Technology Flow ranges for gases from 0 - 0,7 mln/min up to 0 - 11000 m3n/h Flow ranges for liquids from 0 - 100 mg/h up to 0-600 kg/h Pressure ranges from 0 - 100 mbar up to 0 - 400 bar Laboratory, industrial (IP65), Class I Div. 2 or ATEX approved design Analog, RS232, FLOW-BUS, PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, DeviceNet™, Modbus, EtherCAT®

www.bronkhorst.com - www.ams-ic.com.au www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 21

WASTEWATER

Solving pH correction issues in food and beverage wastewater Food & Beverage Industry News talks to Aerofloat’s head of engineering, Michael Anderson, about how wastewater pH correction is a simple process that can impact on food and beverage manufacturing.

G

etting your pH right can have enormous benefits to any business discharging wastewater and yet it is too often overlooked. So, what is pH control?

The alkalinity or acidity of a solution (such as wastewater) is measured by its pH. Neutral pH is measured at 7.0 (such as water). Any number above this is alkaline, while below 7.0 is acidic. Controlling the pH of wastewater has ramifications for whether it can be safely discharged into sewage systems. Generally speaking, the Australian government’s industrial effluent guidelines allow a pH from 6.0 to 10.0, but this varies between different water regulators.

Local water authorities run regular testing on wastewater across Australia, and there can be heavy fines and prosecution for those companies that don’t meet the guidelines.

“The pH of all wastewater is critical to how it is allowed to be discharged, regardless of whether it is being treated with other processes or not. Local authorities set strict guidelines around what the acceptable pH levels of any wastewater can be,” said Michael Anderson, head of engineering for wastewater specialist Aerofloat. “And aside from the negative environmental impact of an incorrect pH, the financial impact can be sizeable.”

Wastewater that is discharged outside of the allowed pH limits can cause degradation to the sewer pipe network over time. While there are plenty of off-the-shelf pH correction products available, there’s a big difference between treating pH at an industrial level versus a home swimming pool. However, a custom pH correction system doesn’t need to be overly complex or costly. If experienced wastewater engineers are involved, their solid knowledge of wastewater and chemistry can make the process quite seamless.

“The first challenge is identifying the variables at play – the temperature

A pH level below 7.0 is acidic, while any reading above 7.0 is alkaline.

of the product, where the equipment is placed, the initial pH levels and what the pollutants and impurities are,” said Anderson.

Aerofloat recently worked with Fyna – the company known for creating timeless confectionary products like Wizz Fizz – to set up an automated pH correction system at its Victorian plant.

“Understanding the wastewater impurities, the placement of wastewater systems and production controls was integral to setting up an automated pH correction system at Fyna,” said Anderson.

“We needed to create a product that would allow Fyna to operate year-round, regardless of outside temperatures and production variations, with the guarantee that the wastewater

22 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

pH at discharge would be well within the local council guidelines.”

At Fyna, the previous trade waste system was paired with an old and antiquated pH testing system that regularly needed probe replacement and checking. It was also hard for staff to ascertain the actual pH of wastewater at discharge, which would have serious implications for the business should the levels be outside of the company’s trade waste agreement.

Chief executive officer, Gillian Powell, chose Aerofloat after meeting the company’s management team at a trade waste show.

“Aerofloat’s cost-effective treatment options appealed to our business and size of operation,” said Powell.

“The team was excellent in assisting Fyna with a number of options that

would ensure compliance to our trade waste agreement. Understanding the regulations isn’t easy if you don’t specialise in the area so I was grateful to Aerofloat’s managing director, Ray Anderson, for his patience with my questions over the journey from quote to commencement of the installation.”

“We now have a fully operational system, our staff are trained and involved in the trade waste operations and well-informed of the regulations and compliancy requirements we need to meet.”

Anderson emphasises the risks companies take by not having a tailor-made system that takes in all the variables that can affect operation.

“Buying an off-the-shelf pH controller just doesn’t cut it in most industrial situations,” said Michael

WASTEWATER

The size of a wastewater tank determines what pH level is needed.

Anderson. “It’s critical to take into account all the variables, whether it’s the way the wastewater tanks are mixed, where the tank is, how big it is, how often it is in use and so on.”

Aerofloat offers a range of solutions to its clients for pH control. The company uses probes inserted into the wastewater, that identify the exact pH of the effluent at that point. This allows operational staff to subsequently adjust the pH through chemical dosage.

“Aerofloat can pump the effluent through tanks in a recirculating

pattern, which allows us to dose the wastewater with chemicals as required until the desired pH is achieved,” said Anderson.

The Aerofloat pH correction equipment features an automated correction system that allows operational staff to monitor the temperature and pH levels prior to discharge.

“Operational staff can keep track of the pH levels of the wastewater and, if it isn’t correct, they can adjust the settings to ensure

"Anderson says understanding the variables and getting the chemistry right is vital to ensuring the correct pH at discharge." compliance,” said Anderson.

A major part of pH control is of course getting the chemical balance right. Anderson stresses the importance of maintaining the correct chemical balance by engaging wastewater experts.

“Each chemical has its own reaction

Aerofloat designed an automated pH correction system for Fyna, who manufacture Wizz Fizz confectionary.

time and is impacted by a number of factors. These can include temperature, processing time, volume of effluent and even placement of tanks. We need to strike that perfect chemical balance in the wastewater tanks to get the required pH level.”

Following the installation of the wastewater system at Fyna, the company contracted Aerofloat to provide ongoing chemical supply.

“We have recently begun ordering our chemicals for the system from Aerofloat and their service has been excellent – our previous supplier still hasn’t answered an email for a quote for the acid we needed,” said Powell.

Anderson summarises the importance of not underestimating good pH control.

“Good pH control is relevant to almost all industrial applications.

Aerofloat has seen the benefits of this first-hand, whether it be in a brewery, a confectionary factory or a dairy,” he said. “The benefits of pH controlling systems are enormous and have a major impact on the resulting effluent.”

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 23

BATCH DOSING

Coriolis flow meters can be used in a range of applications in the food and beverage industries.

High-end dosing of additives in food production

Precise, fast batch dosing is a key when it comes to the food production process. It helps to have a range of flow meters that makes the job a whole lot easier. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

N

owadays, consumers are increasingly critical when it comes to healthy food and because of this, usage of natural products and ingredients is coming more into the consumer’s focus. Therefore, food and beverage producers worldwide have to react to fulfill the consumer and market needs.

Additive dosing Unfortunately, natural ingredients are

more expensive and harder to obtain in comparison to artificial or nature identical ingredients. So besides higher costs, important features for quality control must be considered.

Reliability and reproducibility of the dosing method are important and often government-certified materials have to be used.

For most manufacturers, a variation in taste and colour is not acceptable.

Just have a look at the

24 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

confectionery from the wellknown brands; all lolly bags in supermarkets have the same colour and taste. This results in high requirements for guaranteeing the same product composition for every batch produced.

To fulfill the customer – and quality control requirements, as well as cost efficiency issues, it is necessary to redefine production processes.

Bronkhorst has developed a

batch-dosing technology for fast and precise batch-dosing applications like additive dosing for confectionery applications.

Batch-dosing technology The batch dosing technology, called Cori-Fill, is firmware that is integrated in all Bronkhorst Coriolis and ultrasonic flow meters and controllers. The technology features an integrated batch counter function with functionality to directly control

BATCH DOSING

shut-off valves, proportional valves or (gear) pumps. It’s a time and cost-efficient alternative to the more traditional gravimetric method.

This dosing technology allows dosing of small amounts of liquid additives with only a minimum of tolerance.

The firmware is equipped with a “learning function” to correct even the smallest tolerances automatically (e.g. during start-up of the instrument or change of supply batches). The setup is customised to fulfill all requirements of the production – it can be easily integrated in already existing production sites.

Additive dosing with a Coriolis flow meter Besides the integrated batch dosing technology, all Bronkhorst Coriolis mass flow meters are equipped with an on-board PID-control for the direct activation of additional actuators – like valves and pumps

A Coriolis flow meter contains a tube that is energised by a fixed vibration.

– enabling fast communication and therefore enhances speed and quality of the control. The dosing speed is kept absolutely stable, even with longterm usage.

With a Coriolis instrument, the direct mass flow is measured (e.g. kg/h, g/h, g/min etc.). Furthermore, next to flow and temperature, the density can be measured as well.

TRADITIONAL GRAVIMETRIC METHOD Traditionally. dosage of mass/volume is achieved by using a shut-off valve with a weighting scale/balance. The weighing scale is located under a valve outlet nozzle and, after a zeroing procedure, the valve will open.

This can be monitored as an extra quality parameter.

Besides the Coriolis mass flow meter, another product in the Bronkhorst product portfolio designed for dosing applications is the ES-FLOW ultrasonic flow meter for measuring low-volume flows of liquids.

Similar to the Coriolis

instruments, these flow meters comprise the batch-dosing firmware and on-board PID control. The hygienic design, namely a selfdrainable straight sensor tube, an adequate surface roughness and the absence of any dead volume, make it suitable for the food and beverage industries.

This volume flow meter uses an

CORI-FILL METHOD The Cori-Fill technology has intergrated batch counters and the facility to directly operate connected shut-off valves. The Coriolis mass flow meter is capable of dosing the exact desired amount of compound into the collecting vessel. All ingredients can be dosed in one go, meaning a faster, and therefore more effecient (in time and money) method.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 25

BATCH DOSING "Various software tools are available to support the operation of these instruments.

These software tools are suitable for operation by personal computers and available free of charge."

FIVE REASONS WHY ADDITIVE DOSING WITH BRONKHORST INSTRUMENTS SUPPORTS PROCESS EFFICIENCY FOR FOOD MANUFACTURERS 1. One sensor for multiple liquids Many companies have changing process conditions and make use of various liquids like additives or solvents. As the Coriolis and ES-FLOW ultrasonic technologies are fluid independent, re-calibration is not required with liquid changes. Also nonconductive liquids as demi water can be measured and/or controlled.

2. Multi parameter The Coriolis instruments can measure flow, temperature and density; the ultrasonic instruments flow and temperature. Furthermore, there are a lot of parameters available (batch counter, alarms) that can be logged.

3. Integrated PID controller and fast response The on-board PID controller can be used to drive a control valve or pump, enabling users to establish a complete, compact control loop with fast response time.

4. Fast return on investment Because of the high accuracy and reproducibility the investment made during procurement is earned back relatively fast. The more expensive the ingredient, the shorter this time will be since waste and production time are often reduced with this method of dosing.

5. Low cost of ownership Since there are no moving parts in the ultrasonic and Coriolis flow meters, maintenance costs are low. Factory re-calibration is hardly required — usually an annual calibration check in the customer’s installation will be sufficient.

innovative ultrasonic wave technology that can measure the flow.

Due to the integrated dosing technology in the ultrasonic or Coriolis flow meters, it is possible to dose expensive liquids like natural flavours, fragrances, colourings or acidifiers with a great reproducibility and accuracy to avoid production fails and unwanted waste of ingredients.

Both the Coriolis and ultrasonic instruments have their own specific characteristics.

The Coriolis instruments are more accurate (0.2 per cent of reading against 1 per cent of reading of the ultrasonic) but the ultrasonic has a more hygienic design (straight sensor tube, better surface roughness, no dead volume and therefore easier to clean).

Free software tools available for Bronkhorst Coriolis and Ultrasonic flow meters.

Various software tools are available to support the operation of these instruments. These software tools are suitable for operation by personal computers and available free of charge.

Typical functions of this software: •R e-ranging the instruments The Coriolis and ultrasonic

An E-Flow ultrasonic flow meter being put in place on a piece of plant.

26 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

instruments are linear, hence the instruments can be rescaled at any desired value within the specifications of the instrument.

• Optimising proportional-integralderivative (PID) controller settings These flow meters and controllers have an integrated PID controller.

Therefore, it is possible to control valves and pumps directly. With the software it is possible to optimise control settings to personal preferences and save them. This can be useful if users would like to use the same instrument for multiple processes.

• Printing a hardcopy of graphs Share your results with colleagues and/or customers.

• Data logging to comma separated files All parameters can be logged; therefore, you will have good traceability of your process.

This is useful when it comes to quality assurance.

•B atch counter settings The Coriolis and ultrasonic instruments are equipped with high-performance, batch-dosing technology. The counter function

ensures that the actuator will react as soon as the batch has been reached.

Normally, several components would be needed to achieve this. The integrated batch technology offers this functionality in one assembly without the need of additional hardware or complex programming.

The operating principle of a Coriolis flow meter is basic but effective. The flow meter contains a tube, which is energised by a fixed vibration.

When a fluid (gas or liquid) passes through this tube the mass flow momentum will cause a change in the tube vibration, the tube will twist resulting in a phase shift. This phase shift can be measured, and a linear output derived proportional to flow.

As this principle measures mass flow independent of what is within the tube, it can be directly applied to any fluid flowing through it – liquid or gas – whereas thermal mass flow meters are dependent of the physical properties of the fluid.

Furthermore, in parallel with the phase shift in frequency between inlet and outlet, it is also possible to measure the actual change in natural frequency.

This change in frequency is in direct proportion to the density of the fluid – and a further signal output can be derived. Having measured both the mass flow rate and the density, it is now possible to

BATCH DOSING

derive the volume flow rate.

The operation of Bronkhorst ES-FLOW flow meters is based on the propagation of ultrasound waves inside a small, straight sensor tube with an inner diameter of 1.3mm, without obstructions or dead spaces.

At the outer surface of the sensor, tube multiple transducer discs are located, which create ultrasonic sound waves by using radial oscillation.

Every transducer can send and receive, therefore all up- and downstream combinations are recorded and processed. By accurately measuring the time difference between the recordings (nanosecond range) the flow velocity and speed of sound is calculated.

Knowing these parameters and the exact tube cross-section, the ES-FLOW ultrasonic flow meter is able to measure liquid volume flows.

The distinctive character of this flow meter is that it is capable to measure the actual speed of sound, meaning that the technology is liquid independent and calibration per fluid is not necessary.

Next to that, the speed of sound can be used as an indicator of the type of fluid present in the flow meter.

An example of a filling process using Coriolis flow meters.

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www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 27

CONSUMER

A survey of Australians attitude towards food Australians are uncertain about their future food according to market research specialist company Ipsos.

Food and Beverage Industry News explains.

A

survey of 29 countries by market research specialist, Ipsos, looked at current food habits and future perceptions. The resulting report, Food – What the Future, revealed that half believe the cost of the food they eat will get worse and three in 10 believe the environmental impact of the food they eat will get worse.

Head of Ipsos’s Public Communications Unit in Australia, David Elliott, is at pains to point out that the survey is independent and not sponsored by anyone. He said it allows the company to have an unbiased view of the data, which gives companies and institutions within a particular industry an overall picture of what is happening in a particular country within their sector.

“We run multiple studies globally each month that do not have any external sponsors or partners,” he said.

“We run these studies because we are curious about the world we live in and how citizens around the globe think and feel about their world. When we understand the world around us we can provide better research to people.”

And what about the outcome of the future food survey. Where there anything that he found surprising?

“In terms of [Australians attitude to] the cost of food, that didn’t surprise me at all,” he said. “We have a study that we publish quarterly that asks people ‘what are the biggest issues of concern?’

“We ask that both at the state and national level. What we saw in June 2017, was that in first place...was the cost of living. The fact that the cost of food is at the top fits in with that.”

This is the first survey on the subject the company has done, and Elliott expects that due to the response from different sectors, it will become

The price of food is still an issue for Australian consumers.

28 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Ipsos’s David Elliott is not surprised at Australian’s attitudes towards food.

an annual report.

Below are some facts and figures to come out of the survey.

- Six in 10 (59 per cent) of

Australian respondents believe the cost of the food they eat will get worse whereas just under half (48 per cent) of people across the other 28 countries surveyed felt the same.

- In contrast, Australians are split on the environmental impact of the food they eat in the future, with 20 per cent believing it will be better and 25 per cent believing it will be worse. Across the globe, on average 27 per cent believe the environmental impact of their food will be better while 29 per cent say worse. Australia was one of the 10 countries least likely to predict an improvement in the environmental impact.

- Predictions around the quality of food and access to healthy food were more positive with 27 per cent of Australians believing the quality of the food they eat will get better (vs only 18 per cent saying worse) and 28 per cent believing their access to healthy food will get better (vs only 17 per cent saying worse).

Meal Preparation - Three in 10 (31 per cent) of Australian respondents believe

CONSUMER

Australians are one of the least likely people to eat organic-only food.

they will prepare meals at home more frequently, with 64 per cent saying, “about the same”.

Globally the average was 38 per cent saying more frequently and 52 per cent about the same.

- In line with this prediction around meal preparation in home, 26 per cent of Australians predicted a decrease in having meals delivered to their homes, with 53 per cent saying, “about the same”.

- Interestingly, in Australia similar proportions predict the same for having groceries delivered to their home with 53 per cent predicting it will be ‘about the same’ and 24 per cent saying less frequently. Globally the average 42 per cent saying, “about the same” and 27 per cent less frequently.

- Just under two thirds of Australians surveyed (64 per cent) predicted their eating of meals outside the home would be “about the same” while 23 per cent said it would be less frequent.

"We have a study that we publish quarterly that asks people ‘what are the biggest issues of concern?’ We ask that both at state and national level. What we saw in June 2017, was that in first place... was the cost of living."

Current habits and preferences - Australians are one of the least likely to claim to eat only organic food (19 per cent), while globally an average of 29 per cent of people claim to do so.

- Australians are also one of the least likely people to say they would never eat genetically modified food (41 per cent), compared to a global average of 54 per cent.

- Australia is pretty close to the global average in regard to eating a plant based substitute for meat, with 39 per cent claiming to do so.

- Six in 10 Australians (60 per cent) surveyed prefer to eat local food even if it means they have

fewer foods to choose from.

- T wo in 10 Australians (21 per cent) indicated they prefer not to eat any type of meat, poultry or fish, which is in line with the global average at 20 per cent.

Weight and Weight Loss - Australians are close to the global average for being content with their current weight (53 per cent vs 54 per cent globally).

- Australians are in the top five countries for having tried a diet to lose weight, with 59 per cent having done so recently.

- Interestingly, Australians are in the top four for believing that most diet plans ultimately fail, with 71 per cent believing this whereas the global average is up

to a total of 61 per cent.

- J ust under 7 in 10 Australians surveyed (69 per cent) also agreed they would rather eat well than be thin.

- W hen it comes to exercising so you don’t have to watch what you eat, Australians are close to the average at 43 per cent. The global average is 45 per cent.

NB: In total 14,995 interviews were conducted between August 24 and September 7, 2018 among adults aged 18-64 in the US, Canada and Czech Republic, and adults aged 16-64 in all other countries. The survey was conducted in 29 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America).

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 29

FEB/MAR 2019

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Under the pump: responding to the pressures of high energy prices With high energy prices continuing to put considerable strain on manufacturers, Food & Beverage Industry News explores some ways to mitigate the costs.

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he high costs of energy consumption in Australia is becoming a great concern for the food and beverage industry, from the agricultural sector all the way through to the manufacturing and processing sector.

A recent US Studies Centre report, It doesn’t have to be this way: Australia’s Energy Crisis, indicated that Australia was struggling to keep energy costs down, with its manufacturing companies across the country facing much higher electricity and gas prices than their counterparts in the US. Further, a report from the Australian Food and Grocery Council released in November last year showed that high energy costs were among the leading causes of falling capital investment in the food and grocery manufacturing sector.

Food and beverage manufacturing accounts for approximately 14 per cent of energy consumption within Australia’s manufacturing sector, according to federal government statistics. And, for most companies within the food and beverage sector, energy costs represent around 15 per cent of the total cost of operation.

With energy prices continuing to rise, finding ways of creating greater efficiencies in energy use is becoming critical for food and beverage manufacturers looking to cut costs. Moreover, transitioning to energy efficient production can help a company establish its reputation as an environmentally responsible enterprise within the community.

The most energy intensive processes within the food and beverage manufacturing industry are conveying, refrigeration, cooling, air conditioning,

heating and boilers.

Process heating and steam production are a significant source of energy consumption for manufacturers.

According to Australia’s Department of the Environment and Energy, boilers alone can account for around 20-60 per cent of energy costs for the typical industrial plant in Australia and represent 35 per cent of all potential energy efficiency improvements.

Reductions in energy use in this area can be achieved by a number of means, including via boosting the efficiency of heat production, heat containment and improved heat transfer, and by recovering heat for reuse. Other possibilities include alternatives provided by innovative heating solutions.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) hot water pumps are relatively new on the market. They have the ability to efficiently deliver sanitary hot water at 65-90°C and provide significant carbon and energy savings to food and beverage manufacturers.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) Q-ton, an air-to-water heat pump, uses CO2 as a natural refrigerant for the delivery of hot water. Drawing air through an evaporator containing CO2 refrigerant – which absorbs heat through the air – the Q-ton uses a high-pressure two-stage compressor to raise its temperature. The heat from the refrigerant is used to generate hot water, which the Q-ton then stores in tanks.

Providing 3,000 to 100,000 litres of sanitary hot water daily, the Q-ton consumes 76 per cent less energy than an electric heater and 46 per cent less energy than a gas boiler, according to MHI. At the same time, it generates 74 per cent less CO2 emissions than

The Q-ton provided the Shene Estate and Distillery with a solution for its water heating needs.

an electric heater and 48 per cent less emissions than a gas boiler, making it both environmentally friendly and highly energy-efficient.

The Q-ton is able to be configured as a standalone unit as well as in modular configuration with up to 16 units in operation. Controllable from a touch screen, the unit offers programmability options and flexible operation not available with conventional hot water systems.

The flexibility of the Q-ton also extends to the conditions it can operate within. The unit can deliver hot water at low outdoor temperatures down to -25°C, making it suitable for food and beverage producers operating in cooler climates. This feature made it an optimal solution for the water heating needs of Shene Estate and Distillery, a 199-year old distillery located in Pontville, Tasmania.

Shene Estate produces award-

winning gin and single-malt whiskeys, consuming approximately 6,000 litres every day, with multiple temperature changes required throughout the process. Ever-increasing electricity prices and expanding production saw the distillery abandon its instantaneous electric hot water heater and turn to the Q-ton.

Focusing on energy efficiency in this way not only can save food and beverage manufacturers in terms of the costs of production, it can also enhance a company’s reputation for environmental responsibility and enhance customer loyalty.

The difficulties of keeping the costs of energy consumption down will continue to be an issue for the food and beverage industry. However, as shown by the example of carbon dioxide hot water pumps, finding more energy efficient means of production can go some way to alleviating the burden.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 31

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY From Granny’s dumplings have proved popular at food trade fairs.

Old recipe lays foundation for dumpling business Tatian Kuzovova’s dumpling business started out as a favour to some friends. Now it’s a fully-fledged food manufacturing enterprise. Mike Wheeler explains how From Granny came into being.

H

ome to the Russian Pacific Naval fleet, Vladivostok is about as far away as you can get from Russian civilisation without actually leaving the country. More Asian than European, it is a city that is arguably one of the most cosmopolitan in Russia with a heavy influence from China and North Korea. Which is probably why From Granny founder, Vladivostok native, and Women in Industry Awards finalist in the Excellence in Manufacturing, Tatiana Kuzovova, has a penchant for her mother’s dumplings, which were inspired by the eclectic cuisine that inhabits the city.

And how does a Russian immigrant with a double degree in economics and tourism, and former Japanese

interpreter, end up starting a food business in Australia with her semiretired mother? Completely by accident, that’s how.

“We did not plan to start a business at all in the beginning,” she said.

“I moved to Australia in 2002 to study English. Then six years ago my mother, Nina, came to Australia from Russia. One night we had a dinner, my mother said, ‘What are the kids going to eat?’ I told her not to worry about the kids and that they would be fine. She said, ‘No, the kids need some proper food. They need dumplings’. A friend had bought some other dumplings from the supermarket to the dinner for the kids. My mother thought they were not fit for the kids to eat.”

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Tatiana Kuzovova started her business in her kitchen.

While Kuzovova chastised her mother for telling people what they should feed their children, her mother was unrepentant. Kuzovova senior believed that if you fed children unhealthy food, then it could become a generational thing, so she decided to recreate her own dumplings using a recipe she had from the old county. And that is where the seeds were sown and the germination of a business started to grow.

“My mother cooked some dumplings and friends tried them and loved them,” said Kuzovova. “She cooked more and put them in the freezer. Friends asked if they could take some of the frozen ones home.

Then they called her and asked if she could make some more for them if they provided the ingredients.

She started making them for that friend. Then another friend. And then another friend.

“Then, one of the friend’s friends owned a restaurant and called me and said, ‘can your mum work for us?’

I wasn’t that keen as she was 65 years old. She didn’t move here to work.

They said, ‘can she at least make some for us for the restaurant.’ That is how she started making them for the restaurant. Then, their friends had a grocery shop. We had a phone call asking if she could make 30kg every week for the grocery store. Then another grocery shop. After a couple of grocery shops, I said, ‘Mum we can’t sell it like this. We need to find out the rules because if something happens [with regard to food regulations], we could be in trouble’.

I called the Glen Eira council, and they sent us to a kitchen incubator run

by Jane Del Rosso.”

Thanks to Del Rosso’s guidance, within six months From Granny was in a factory and filling orders.

Kuzovova doesn’t see herself as a natural salesperson, but that hasn’t stopped the business growing and selling into overseas markets like New Zealand. It is also setting its sights on Asia, especially Indonesia, China, Vietnam and even the Middle East.

“I was only originally keeping up with customers who learned of our product by word of mouth. I was happy with that. We were doing well.

Whatever came through the door, we were picking it up because we knew we needed time to be established, we needed time to do other things,” said Kuzovova. “We didn’t really need quick growth. That was good.

Tatiana Kuzovova (4th left) and her mother Nina (3rd left) have had a lot of help along the way when starting up their business.

But when everything was established we needed new customers because the factory takes a lot of money to run – electricity, rates, mortgage – everything is money. We needed more customers, so I had to go after customers, but I didn’t have much experience with sales. It was hard, but we soon found ourselves at a stage where customers start coming to us.

I don’t really do much, but with word of mouth, people know about our dumplings so we started selling more.

“I hope it grows. We now have a license to sell overseas. Hopefully we’ll start advertising more overseas.

We went to Singapore this year to find out whether there was going to be interest in other parts of Asia. We had a good reaction to our products.”

With both her mother and two other staff onboard, Kuzovova is looking to expand from the 140 sqm premises they currently inhabit. She knows expansion is a matter of not if, but when, due to the orders coming in. Having more or less started by accident, Kuzovova is optimistic not only about the future, but also gives some sound advice to those starting up a business, especially in the food processing industry. She was advised that there would be a lot of obstacles put in front of her, but found the opposite to be the case.

“When we started people told us not to go to the council because they could cause you trouble. Same with

the licensing agencies and we were told that we would have big headaches,” she said. “That is not true. We met so many good people. From Jane at My Other Kitchen, through to the Greater Dandenong City council, there were many great people who were very helpful. We received a grant that helped start the business.

I would advise people to go to the council, ask for help and people will help you rather than make any trouble.”

And what about the bane of a many food factory’s existence, the health department? Not a problem, said Kuzovova. She believes that being proactive not only makes it easier, but also leads to less issues further down the line.

“I’m lucky because we had so many good people. All the team from the economic development unit were very helpful from the beginning of our business,” she said. “Even the health department – where everybody was telling us that they were full of trouble – we didn’t have a single issue with them. We only had helpful and thoughtful people. I called the health department before we opened and asked them what else needed to be done so we didn’t have any trouble later on. A lady came and inspected our premises and issued a report stating that this is right, this is right, and this is right. She approved the

From Granny’s European dumplings. premises before we started operating and then we never had any issues.”

A last piece of advice may seem a bit philosophical for those starting out in business, but Kuzovova is serious when she says that there is one important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration.

“I think if people know what they are doing, and they love what they are doing, then that is half the battle,” she said. “Originally, all I was thinking was that it was a little thing for mum to do so she would have a little money. She wouldn’t be sitting home all day getting older. So, I thought if she could do something, and do it with me, then it would be good. I’m not doing the business just for business, I’m doing it for the full enjoyment.”

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 33

PRODUCTION SOFTWARE

An Industry 4.0 solution for production improvement Improving a food processing plant’s quality and maintenance management can be helped by a new software solution. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

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he Nexeed Production Performance Manager is the Industry 4.0 software solution for systematic production improvement. The software helps quality and maintenance management associates in decision-making and thus makes their everyday work easier. Individual modules aid in this process with functions that are specific to certain areas, such as predictive maintenance or real-time process monitoring.

This software harmonises various pieces of production data. It can extract customised information from this data and apply production knowledge automatically. The processed information is made available to the user directly for specific purposes. Consequently, response times can be shortened, faults can be prevented, tasks can be assigned and newly acquired information can be accessible.

In addition to the software solution, the corresponding service options have also been customised to the demands of the user – depending on demand, customers can receive a use case consultation. Starter kits offer support in the introduction to the new software. Bosch can take on the installation and operation if desired.

After installation, Bosch experts assist customers through comprehensive support and train associates so that they can work with the new system quickly and without problems.

The Nexeed Production Performance Manager operates as a stand-alone solution. Due to its open interfaces, it can be combined with other solutions, such as an MES extension. Customers benefit from the ecosystem and the open Industry 4.0 standard Production Performance Management Protocol, offering fast and easy machine connectivity.

For the plant manager, it’s the big picture that counts: they need an

up-to-date overview of the condition of all machines as well as up-todate analyses at all times. Condition monitoring, meaning the permanent recording of machine states by measuring physical variables, forms the basis of the software. Production and machine data is collected and harmonised centrally and can be retrieved on any terminal. This makes it possible to both easily monitor and systematically optimise production.

The Nexeed Production Performance Manager displays measured values of machines and sensors as well as machine messages live and in chronological order. The current state of production can be determined quickly and short-term decision-making in the event of faults is simplified. For long-term increases in efficiency, the user has access to analysis options, for example sorting of fault messages by frequency. This makes it easy to see where failures or bottlenecks occur on a regular basis.

This information is important when it comes to overall production and resource planning.

Process and quality engineers want a transparent, fault-free and continuous process that ensures products of impeccable quality. The Process Quality Module can be used to monitor and document process data in real time. This transparency helps users keep an eye on quality at all times and therefore improve the costeffectiveness of production.

Via a cockpit, the Process Quality Module displays the parameters and tolerances in such a way that any problems that occur can be detected and remedied quickly. Due to the analysis function, systematic faults and tendencies are detected earlier and their causes are isolated.

This allows process engineers to take measures before faults occur.

This module is suited for obtaining transparency quickly regarding

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Nexeed Production Performance Manager displays measured values of machines and sensors. joining or coating processes.

For maintenance technicians, work used to start with a report of a machine failure – in the networked factory, predictive maintenance ensures that it doesn’t even come to this in the first place. With the Nexeed Production Performance Manager, they have a powerful and easy-to-use tool at their fingertips that they can use to detect and remedy possible machine downtimes at an early stage.

For example, the system warns the maintenance technician early, if a motor is about to overheat or if parts of a system show signs of wear.

The software monitors defined parameters in the production process and immediately notifies users when warning limits are exceeded or process-threatening trends become apparent. Maintenance technicians can use the Data Processing Module to select the underlying rules from a catalogue and configure them individually.

The generated notifications can be forwarded directly to the responsible person. In conjunction with the Ticket Management Module, this happens automatically according to an optimised servicing schedule that sorts tickets by urgency and assigns

them according to both qualification and responsibility. The Nexeed Production Performance Manager is an Industry 4.0 tool that can be used within production. With open interfaces, a high level of connectivity and modular expandability, the software will continue to provide flexibility in the future.

The networking of software, sensors, machines and production lines is crucial for long-term increases in efficiency. In particular, the easy connection of new Industry 4.0 products makes production adaptable and agile. The Production Performance Management Protocol, Bosch’s open-source machine language and the open documented interfaces, allow users to implement their own and third-party solutions in the existing IT ecosystem.

Also, the associate is more involved, because even without IT knowledge, they can use the software independently to implement applications – this allows everyone’s knowledge and experience to be used to increase efficiency. The software is not a closed system, but is always evolving thanks to updates and module expansions – and therefore adapts to the current requirements.

FOOD HYGIENE

CRC launches new food-grade bio-degreaser CRC has released a new bio-degreaser aimed at the food and beverage industry.

Food & Beverage Industry News takes a look at the new product.

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RC Industries has introduced a new NSF A1-rated CRC Food Grade bio-degreaser which expands on its Greenlight Food Safe Program range.

The bio-degreaser is an extra heavy-duty cleaner formulated to penetrate and dissolve tough grease, oil and contaminants for easy removal – safely.

CRC Industries Australia managing director, Shona Fitzgerald, said the product had been formulated for use in food processing applications.

“We are very pleased to be launching CRC Food Grade bio-degreaser in the Australian market. It is a unique product which combines outstanding high-performance cleaning and degreasing qualities while being composed entirely of ingredients which meet NSF A1 requirements,’’ said Fitzgerald.

“At CRC, we understand the food industry, whether growing, producing, processing or packaging, requires the most stringent conformity of compliance.

“We also understand that a range of maintenance products is no longer enough and that is why we have

The bio-degreaser can be used on glass, plastics and laminates.

CRC’s new bio-degreaser is non-abrasive and solvent-free. not only developed our Food Grade range…but, we have also developed our exclusive CRC Greenlight Food Safe Program to reduce the risk of incident when conducting maintenance during production.”

Biodegradable, non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable, pH balanced and water soluble, the CRC Food Grade bio-degreaser’s advanced formula is powerful but non-abrasive, non-corrosive and solvent-free.

The product can be used on all metals and alloys and will not damage bright metals including aluminium and brass. It is safe for use on fibreglass, glass, plastics, rubber, painted surfaces and laminates. It is also gentle on the environment with all ingredients readily decomposable.

“This product has been specially formulated to penetrate and dissolve tough grease, oil and contaminants for easy removal – with a focus on personal and environmental safety,” Fitzgerald said.

“These properties make it suitable for use in many applications especially where there are

regulations or restrictions in place concerning the types of products that can be safely used or allowed.

“It can be used to quickly and effectively clean mechanical equipment motors, tools, benches, walls, floors, filters, grills, drills, grinders, rollers, dies, moulds (injection, plastic, steel, aluminium), chains, conveyers, wire rope, robotics, hoists and more.”

CRC Food Grade bio-degreaser is available in 5-litre and 20-litre bulk containers as well as a 750ml trigger pack.

“The launch our new CRC Food Grade bio-degreaser is an important milestone for CRC as we remain focussed on adding customer value through extensive research and development, anticipating demand and delivering the right solutions in an ever-changing market, while adhering to the strictest protocols for food safety,’’ Fitzgerald said.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 35

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SAFETY

Plastics that meet conveying needs E-Plas ensures food and packaging manufacturers have an effective solution for their conveying needs.

Food and Beverage Industry News explains.

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-Plas, a specialist in engineering and industrial plastics, has expanded its product set to include additional conveying options. The company, established in 1981, now offers more comprehensive solutions for customers that need efficient conveyor systems in their food and beverage manufacturing facilities.

E-Plas national operations manager, Sean Kelly, said the company is able to supply a range of markets – from mining and bulk handling, to the food and beverage sector. “In 2017, E-Plas serviced one of the largest suppliers of quality chemical products to the Australian market. Being an aerosol filling plant – the conveying system required a special anti-static conveyor chain system to eliminate the potential of static discharges, which was further incorporated with the Tivar1000 AntiStatic Wear strip material to minimise any potentials of static discharges,” said Kelly.

The Tivar 1000 Anti-Static Electro Static Dissipative (ESD) material helps manufacturers achieve high line speeds and conveying rates. The anti-static properties are achieved by incorporating efficient carbon black and proprietary additives into the material. The Tivar 1000 Anti-Static ESD grades handle tough conditions where dust and static electricity can cause problems.

E-Plas conveyors are designed for food contact.

The material is ideal to use when potentially volatile conditions exist, such as those in grain elevators and munitions plants, effectively safeguarding against static discharges.

In addition, it resists heat and protects robotics and other products that are sensitive to dust accumulation and electrical charge build up. It can be used in belt guides, guiding and conveyor components, chute liners, transfer tables, trough liners and discharge spout liners.

“E-Plas is also working to supply abrasion-resistant polycarbonate sheets

E-Plas products can be used in meat processing plants like this chicken factory.

to a food manufacturing company in their wash down bays,” said Kelly.

“The customer has traditionally used UV2 polycarbonate sheets, which has a lower chemical resistance.

Our abrasion-resistant sheets have a silicon coating, which makes it more chemical and scratch resistant.”

E-Plas helps cover food manufacturing needs as well as packaging needs. “We have a wide range of products for the packaging and conveying markets, the majority of which are suitable for food contact,” said Kelly.

Polycarbonate, for example, is used for machinery safety guarding.

The high impact-resistant material is lightweight, easy to fabricate, and is food industry approved for glazing and guarding applications. Having 250 times the impact-resistance of glass and 30 times that of acrylic, polycarbonate is almost unbreakable.

The Tivar UHMW-PE is a good solution for conveyor beds, tracks and wear strips, said Kelly. “Nylon and acetal are used for more aggressive applications, as well as PTFE for higher temperature areas.”

Nylon is a partially crystalline thermoplastic and is known as the workhorse of engineering plastics due

to its variety of properties. Because of its good mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, chemical, thermal and low-friction properties, it has earned a reputation as an excellent bearing material. Hardness and strength, yet toughness and tenacity are the combination that makes nylon versatile and the solution for many difficult applications.

Acetals, also known as polyoxymethylene or polyformaldehyde, exhibit predictable mechanical, chemical and electrical properties over a broad temperature range for long periods of time. The high crystallinity of acetals impart excellent creep resistance under continuous load and fatigue endurance under repeated loading and unloading cycles.

Unfilled grades are hard, strong and stiff, and have good toughness although they show some notch sensitivity. Low coefficient of friction and good chemical resistance are also standard features combined with their inherent dimensional stability.

Acetals, homopolymer and copolymer, are available in a number of commercial stock shape grades, each having specific properties, however, the copolymer grade has the better broad range optimum benefits.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37

AFGC

Preventing a global recycling Armageddon Barry Cosier director of sustainability for the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) tells Food & Beverage Industry News why there needs to rethink on how Australia recycles its food waste.

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t would be fair to say that most Australians could not imagine life without household recycling.

Kerbside newspaper collections commenced across the country in the 1970s and 1980s, followed shortly by the yellow-lidded bin collection of fully commingled materials.

Recycling has become as entrenched in the household routine as emptying the mailbox or locking the front door. Until now, perhaps.

Thanks to the introduction of the China Sword policy in 2017, the resource recovery and recycling sector is under immense pressure to sustain recovery rates; households are becoming reticent and unsure about the efficacy of their recycling efforts; and many are looking squarely at government and industry for a new solution. So, what does this mean for food and grocery manufacturers?

The AFGC’s Barry Cosier needs to up the ante when it comes to recycling infrastructure.

The good old days Some people are old enough to remember when glass bottles were returned to the corner store for recycling and used milk bottles were collected by a pre-dawn milkman.

While the recovery rates for these items were high, all other packaging material ended up in landfill.

The introduction of commingled collection and recycling dramatically increased the recovery rates for paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminium, glass and steel, while concurrently reducing needless waste.

Over time, advancements in packaging technology also reduced food waste that was previously disposed of in landfill. Barrier protection materials increased the shelf life of products in store and the home, providing almost year-round availability of seasonal produce for consumers.

We now take for granted the many benefits that packaging affords: food safety, food freshness, tamperevident packaging for medicines,

"The heydays of exporting to China have ended — with no plan B. Simply put, Australia does not have sufficient recycling processing infrastructure in place to recycle packaging collected at the kerbside." hygiene barriers for personal products, portion control to reduce waste and obesity, and limited breakages in manufacturing, transport, retail and the home. The list goes on.

Like many industries over the last 30 years, China’s appetite for raw materials gave us a ready-made destination for discarded packaging.

After sorting materials locally, Chinese recyclers would reprocess packaging into new products and new packaging materials, which were then marketed world-wide. Demand (and therefore prices paid for packaging materials) peaked to a point that some Australian recyclers could afford to

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sort recycled materials free of charge and pay local councils for the material collected at the kerbside.

It was almost too good to be true. And it was good until China implemented the China Sword Policy, effectively banning the receipt of mixed paper and plastics through setting very low acceptable contamination levels.

Recycling Armageddon The introduction of the China Sword policy has left local kerbside recyclers with recycled materials that no longer meet the quality specifications required by global processors. The

heydays of exporting to China have ended – with no plan B. Simply put, Australia does not have sufficient recycling processing infrastructure in place to recycle packaging collected at the kerbside.

This complex global problem cannot be solved by simple solutions that some may suggest.

All stakeholders along the supply chain – from packaging manufacturers, product manufacturers and retailers to the consumer, local councils, collectors, and recycling processors – have a role to play in finding environmentally and economically sustainable solutions.

Certainly, leadership and support from local, state and federal governments is essential. However, more importantly, industry must collaborate with all stakeholders and provide government with industryled solutions if we are to gain their confidence and support in developing

AFGC

new local infrastructure that will meet the needs of both manufacturers and material processors. Put simply, all stakeholders must work together to safeguard the general public’s confidence in recycling.

Next steps: What can manufacturers do?

In the coming years, a circular economy must be developed. What is a circular economy? Simply put, it’s when waste materials, such as packaging avoids being landfilled and is repurposed or recycled to reduce the use of virgin materials.

Examples include, converting plastic milk bottles into new milk bottles or into park benches, or using glass to make new bottles or low-grade glass in civil construction. With the federal government endorsing national recycling and recyclability targets for packaging, what can manufacturers do?

Increase recycled content As manufacturers of grocery products, the first key step is to increase the amount of recycled material contained in product packaging. To drive this, the federal government has endorsed the packaging targets proposed by the Australian packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) to increase the recycled content of packaging to 30 per cent by 2025. Many

manufacturing companies have already committed to this goal.

Design for re-use, recycling or composting The second step is to increase the use of recyclable or compostable packaging where product freshness, safety, quality and food waste is not compromised.

Design for source separation Use the Australia Recycling Label (ARL), which provides consumers with simple instructions on how to dispose of each packaging material type. The addition of tear tabs on multi-material packaging such as plastic blister on a cardboard backing, will encourage consumers to separate materials prior to placing it in the recycling bin.

An industry-wide approach There are many food and grocery manufacturers that have already made commitments in the above areas.

However, while implementation may appear simple on the surface, there are some real barriers that need to be addressed in order for product manufacturers to make progress.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has collaborated with APCO, government, the packaging industry and the resource recovery and recycling sector to overcome the following barriers: • A vailability of recycled

"All stakeholders along the supply chain — from packaging manufacturers, product manufacturers and retailers to the consumer, local councils, collectors, and recycling processors — have a role to play in finding environmentally and economically sustainable solutions." packaging materials Retailers and manufacturers have broadcast their intent to purchase greater volumes of recycled plastics such as recycled PET (rPET), which is currently in short supply, particularly given the high standards for food grade materials. The AFGC is working with APCO and the packaging industry to increase availability of these materials.

• R esearch and development The AFGC is working with APCO and the packaging and recycling industries to develop new compostable plastic substitutes that are fit-for-purpose and meet food grade and medicinal product packaging specifications. Additionally, research and development of new processing technologies that have the potential to recover materials currently landfilled are also required. For example, chemically processing end of life plastics (Numbers 4-7) into oil-based products such as bio diesel.

• P ractical infrastructure planning We will continue to collaborate

with all stakeholders to identify the recycling infrastructure needs of a circular economy. This will be aligned with the changing mix of packaging materials as the availability of recycled packaging material increases and as new processing technologies are developed over the next five to ten years. This whole-of-supply-chain approach is critical to provide industry and government with confidence to invest in the plant and equipment that is necessary to achieve the national packaging targets.

The good news is that environmentally and economicallysustainable solutions are possible for all stakeholders along the packaging supply chain without compromising product freshness, safety, quality, or increasing food waste. But this will only occur with collaboration, with decisions based on facts, and undertaking research and development to provide new technological solutions for today’s issues.

The kerbside collection is where businesses need to make sure their recycling is in the correct bin. www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 39

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AIP

Packaging’s role in halving food waste by 2030 The executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging, Nerida Kelton, explains the initiatives the AIP has in place to fight the war on food waste.

Nerida Kelton is the AIP’s executive director.

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ith Australian consumers throwing away around 3.1 million tonnes of edible food a year, and another 2.2 million tonnes disposed of by the commercial and industrial sector, along with a Federal Government National Food Waste Strategy to halve food waste that goes to landfill by 2030, it is time that everyone contributes to solving this issue.

As a part of the AIP’s commitment to minimising food waste, the Institute has a representative on the Department of the Environment and Energy National Food Waste Steering Committee. It is also a participant in the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre is a member of both the Save Food Initiative and of Friends of 12.3, as well as an active World Packaging Organisation Member in the Save Food Pavilion at Interpack.

The AIP is a long-standing supporter of Foodbank Australia, running an annual Christmas Hamper Packing Program in Queensland and recently introducing a warehouse packing day in Victoria for the wider industry.

The Institute is focused on education and training programs that can assist with minimising food waste and loss globally.

The AIP has developed training courses and awards programs that are focused on: • The role of packaging in minimising food waste • Save Food Packaging design • Sustainable packaging design • The role of lifecycle analysis in packaging design The AIP has also been working on key criteria and guidelines for packaging technologists and designers to use as the standard for Save Food Packaging design.

Long-term objectives of the AIP are to: • Encourage all packaging technologists and designers to use Save Food Packaging key criteria and guidelines across the globe. The key criteria includes “re-sealability, openability, improvement of barrier packaging and extension of shelf-life, portion control, better understanding of Best Before vs Use By dates; improved design to reduce warehouse and transport damages and losses; better use of active and intelligent packaging; and lifecycle assessments”.

• Ensure that all packaging technologists and designers are utilising lifecyle analysis tools within their Save Food Packaging framework. Today, there is a strong focus on the environmental aspects of food packaging to ensure that at the end of its life (after use of the product contained) that it can be reused, repurposed, recycled or composted.

• Encourage manufacturers to actively engage in designing innovative Save Food Packaging and communicating these initiatives to their customers

and consumers.

• R ecognise a range of Save Food Packaging innovations through the Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards and the international WorldStar Packaging Award program.

• Showcase best practice awardwinning save food packaging innovations across Australia and New Zealand.

• Contribute to consumer education and engagement projects to change the narrative around packaging’s roles in minimising food waste.

Consumer education is needed to help them better understand the true role of food packaging: “protection, preservation and promotion of product, shelf-life extension, tamper resistance, barrier from external elements

all the while ensuring safe delivery of food.”

The National Food Waste Strategy and the establishment of the Fight Food Waste CRC have for the first time enabled the bringing together of a range of like-minded industry professionals who are working collaboratively across the entire supply chain for a common goal: “Halving Food Waste by 2030”.

Every business has a role to play.

Has your business developed a Fight Food Waste Strategy? Are you designing any Save Food Packaging?

If so, what criteria are your packaging technologists using?

Are you ensuring that LCA is incorporated in your design tools?

Have you enrolled your packaging technologists in the new training course, The Role of Packaging in Minimising Food Waste?

"With Australian consumers throwing away around 3.1 million tonnes of edible food a year, and another 2.2 million tonnes disposed of by the commercial and industrial sector...it is time that everyone contributes to solving this issue.”

A government food waste strategy is to halve the amount of food waste by 2030. www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 41

AUSPACK

The exhibitor hall at AUSPACK will be filled to capacity.

Sell-out exhibitor hall a good sign for AUSPACK The exhibitor hall at AUSPACK is sold out for the much-anticipated packaging and processing expo to be held in late March in Melbourne. Miri Schroeter finds out why this event is one not to be missed.

A

USPACK, a biannual event that brings manufacturers from across the globe together, sold out its exhibitor hall four months before the doors are due to open on March 26. The four-day event, which runs during Packaging and Processing Week, is one that companies in the food, beverage and packaging industry won’t miss.

AUSPACK provides visitors and exhibitors with a face-to-face environment to experience the latest in fast and flexible machinery, track and trace, smart packaging, digital printing, Industry 4.0 and robots.

The expo covers accessibility and convenience, e-commerce, safe food and sustainable solutions.

There will also be a conference that will concentrate on packaging

and processing and business growth.

More than 25 speakers and panellists will present new data and ideas at the event. Speakers will include Andrew Manly from the Dutch-based Active and Intelligent Packaging Industry Association; John Broadbent, adjunct professor of engineering at UTS in Sydney; and John Baird, whose roles among other things include being chairman of the Cyber Security Advisory Council of NSW. Exhibitions and Trade Fairs marketing manager, Anne-Marie Mina, said the 34th AUSPACK event will be packed with exhibitors and additional programs that complement Australia’s leading processing and packaging trade event. “There will be 350 stalls and 1,200 brands. The experience for visitors has been

42 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

designed with the industry’s mega trends in mind,” she said.

The trends include global automation, Industry 4.0 and sustainable packaging. “All of these different exhibitors have products and services that align with these global trends.”

One of the themes being promoted at AUSPACK is smart connectivity and sustainability. “Smart covers Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0 and connected equipment. We are providing visitors the chance to hear first-hand and learn about new trends from international and domestic exhibitors,” said Mina.

Safety and inspection One of the companies promoting smart manufacturing and

Diversity Partners’ CEO Katie Spearritt. sustainability is Heat and Control. The company provides food manufacturers with equipment that will help them minimise waste and save money.

Heat and Control business

AUSPACK

Economist and former senior economic advisor to the prime minister, Stephen Koukoulas, will be among the keynote speakers at AUSPACK. manager for packaging and inspection systems, Robert Marguccio, said that while companies often inspect products at the end of line, inspection during the manufacturing process also helps companies to save. This is where Heat and Control’s inspection systems come in handy, he said.

“Generally, everybody wants to carry out inspection when it’s in the bag, from a due diligence perspective, because that’s when theoretically nothing can contaminate the product.

However, that’s not always the best place to do it.”

For sectors including fruit and vegetables, particularly for products

such as packaged salad leaves, it is important to inspect them for bugs, sticks and dirt early in the process, said Marguccio. “A good inspection system can also look at the quality of the product.” Be it wilted leaves, green potatoes or burnt fries, the system removes unwanted items before the products are cut, cooked or bagged. “This all relates to not putting money into products that will eventually need to be removed for customer satisfaction, safety and regulations. Certain inspection systems can also detect items such as bones in meat, relative to cut thickness,” he said. Heat and Control has provided services to a major fastfood chain to allow them to detect fish bones before the final product is made, said Marguccio.

“We have inline metal detection for potato chips and French fries before they are bagged. We have also supplied up stream detection on these lines to remove discoloured product and/or not-to-size products. We can inspect on a large range of products, including metal detection in flour or frozen meats for example.

“The earlier you can remove unwanted product or contaminants in a line, the greater your productive

efficiency. The other side to this equation is that by minimising the amount of unacceptable product and/ or contaminants, one improves the probability of taking out nearly all your unwanted issues. The higher the amount of unwanted product, the higher the risk of missing the removal of an issue. It all comes down to pure statics and probability theory,” said Marguccio.

“Early removal of any contaminants and unwanted product means that you are not wasting energy or resources in adding value to a product that needs to be removed.

The overall effect of complete and progressive inspection at appropriate points of your production line, as well as at the end of line, ensures a higher quality product and customer satisfaction, while at the same time achieving a higher productive, efficient and profitable way of manufacturing,” he said.

Heat and Control, which has participated in AUSPACK in the past, will showcase its complete processing, packaging and inspection systems at the 2019 event.

One company that is new to the AUSPACK scene is Nord Drivesystems – a specialist in

Heat and Control’s equipment helps food manufacturers reduce waste.

manufacturing helical geared motors.

Nord Drivesystems managing director, Martin Broglia, said the company’s product range has been well received by the Australian market over the 10 years it has been here. “We have worked alongside some of the biggest end-users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the country and AUSPACK is another great opportunity for us to showcase our latest drive technologies.”

Smart Media

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www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 43

AUSPACK

Global automation and Industry 4.0 will be a couple of topics of interest at the event.

Putting the latest technology to use With robotic automation and factory of the future highlighted as key topics at AUSPACK, Broglia said Nord Drivesystems has solutions that fit into these categories. “As a German-born company, Nord Drivesystems is no stranger to the world of Industry 4.0. Its intelligent drive units have created quite the stir – both locally and abroad. Today, there is a call from more and more customers for IoT technologies to keep them informed, remain flexible and provide efficiencies.

“More than ever it’s about increased outputs, reduced inputs, more accuracy, more profits and more communication. Most recently, Nord Drivesystems joined the likes of SMC Pneumatics, Balluff and Beckhoff to form Open IIoT, a forum dedicated to addressing the complexities of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, and breaking down the jargon,” said Broglia.

Nord Drivesystems will be focusing

"The overall effect of complete and progressive inspection at appropriate points of your production line, as well as at the end of line, ensures a higher quality product and customer satisfaction, while at the same time achieving a higher productive, efficient and profitable way of manufacturing.” on three products at AUSPACK that use the latest technology to give people efficient and cost-effective products – the Super Premium Efficiency synchronous IE4 motor, the Sealed Surface Conversion System and the Variable Speed Drive.

The company makes the equipment with longevity in mind by using materials that are rustproof and won’t deteriorate. The Sealed Surface Conversion System for example, is made of aluminium, which is coated with a special process that makes it up to seven times harder than a basic aluminium and up to 1000 times harder than paints and lacquers, the company indicates. “Instead of using a stainless-steel option, we can

44 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

provide an option that is much lighter and cheaper,” said Broglia. “There’s not going to be paint flaking or any paint chipping away. The material won’t deteriorate.”

Efficiency and cost savings can also be made with the Super Premium Efficiency synchronous IE4 motor. “This technology is different to the normal motors that are out there. Customers can save up to 50 per cent energy by using it.” The motors operate more efficiently than induction motors, specifically in the partial load range, said Broglia.

The motors feature a high power density and a long product life and can help keep a factory clean. The efficient smooth-surface motors are

War On Waste’s Craig Reucassel is the conference MC.

suitable for use in dry areas, as well as in applications requiring frequent cleaning. As they generate very little excess heat, they don’t need fans, and therefore do not contribute to the spreading of germs.

While these products will be on display at AUSPACK, Broglia said, Nord offers plenty more to help new and existing customers meet cost efficiency and hygiene needs. The products are made in Germany, but the Australian counterpart is not dependant on waiting for products

AUSPACK

Packaging sustainability will be a big topic at AUSPACK.

from overseas, he said. “At the moment we hold a fair amount of stock in Australia, so we can deliver this pretty quickly. We also assemble it locally. We can build any type of combination at a fast rate.”

Nord Drivesystems is not the only company that has more to offer.

AUSPACK will also feature new and re-established events during the 2019 packaging and processing week.

Adding to the action-packed week is the launch of the AUSPACK business

and industry conference. It will focus on industry key challenges and opportunities around sustainability, innovations in technology and design, and systems thinking.

More in store The business and industry conference is all about exploring new ideas and business potential through case studies, interactive Q&A sessions and keynote plenary sessions – of which there will be seven – along with 18

breakouts across 2 streams, which are packaging and processing, and business growth.

Mina said four key note speakers had been announced and more would be announced in the lead up to AUSPACK. Among the speakers are McCormick US vice-president for global sustainability and packaging Michael Okoroafor, economist Stephen Koukoulas and Diversity Partners CEO Katie Spearritt. The conference MC is Craig Reucassel, who is a writer and comedian best known for his work on ABC’s TV program War on Waste and The Chaser.

The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Awards of Excellence have also been reinstated. “The overarching theme for the awards is sustainability, and materials used on the night are recycled and repurposed,” said Mina. The awards recognise industry innovation and outstanding performers in the packaging and processing sectors.

The award categories include Best New Product, Customer Collaboration Award, Design Innovation Award, Export Success Award and Imported Equipment Award.

McCormick’s Michael Okoroafor alongside other key business leaders will explore new ideas and business potential at the conference.

Keeping in theme with the week, the awards evening will use sustainable materials such as recycled copper – for the table centrepiece decorations – and low-energy LED lighting. The menu is designed in partnership with Yume – a wholesale market place for surplus food. “It will be designed using surplus stock from local manufacturers in an attempt to reduce food wastage. This year we are really focusing on pushing those exhibition and industry trends,” said Mina.

The exhibition is free to attend, and registrations are open. “We encourage the industry to take part in this opportunity to get the latest industry insight,” said Mina.

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Case Packers - Palletisers - Conveyors - Case & Tray Handling www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 45

G085

H232

B235

C200

ABB Australia

ABBE Corrugated

Absortech

AccuPack

B070

ALDUS TRONICS

Ampack Pty Ltd

I070

I250

I065

I075

AFA Dispensing

ALFT Packaging Company AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions

D190

Aerofloat

B100

A155

A150

Adept Turnkey Vision Systems ADM Packaging Automation

Stand

B035

B038

B037

H034

H030

G030

A&D Weighing & Inspection

A035

E031

E030

G022

Exhibitor

A010

A020

B026

B014

B020

B012

C024

C020C022

D024D026

D020D022

E028E029

E024E026 E026

E020E022

F020

G020

B010

C014

C012

C010

D012

D010

E012

E010

F012

F010

G012

H014

H013

IZAKAYA LOUNGE

I030 I031 I032

C055

A064

Dinies Technologies GmbH Dong Guan Jin Feng Hardware Products Co., Ltd Dongguan Encolors Packing Co., Ltd Dongguan Spring Packing Plastic Products Co., Ltd D047

B254

H052

B014

E190

A105

Datalogic Australia Pty Ltd

DFC Packaging

B010 D026

I177

Crafers Group

DANSENSOR/ PRYDE

B150

CPS

DAANET Pty Ltd

F216

Stand

Costa Enterprises

A070

D180

A062

B070

G075

ConTecH

A060

B055

C065

D065

E065

F065

G065

H070H073H075H077 H072H074H076H078

I070 I075

H056

F057 F060

E055

I065 I067

H052H062

I060

G055G060

I055

Exhibitor

A050 A053

A050 A050A051

B045

C048

C045C046

D047D048

D045D046 D045

E046

E045

H040

I050

A080

B080

C080

D080

E080

G085

G080

H080

I082

H100

A112

A105 A110

B100

C100

D100

E100

G106

G100

H106

G150 E080

Integrated Machinery

B250

A175

A062

G232

insignia

Industrial IT

ifm

Huizhou Yangrui Packaging and Packaging Co., Ltd Hychem Seamless Flooring

G020

H200

HP HRS Process Solutions

A212

D192

E022

G140

HOTPACK

HOSOKAWA ALPINE

HONGHAI PLASTIC PRODUCTS CO., LTD

HMPS

I210

HIP LIK PACKAGING PRODUCTS FTY. LTD

Stand

B125

C202

A115

B116

A125

C120

H120

B115 B120

C115

D115

E115

G110

H110H112

A130

B130

C130

D130

E130

F130

G130 G135

H136

H130H135

CAFÉ H144

A150

B150

D150

E150

G150

H150

I155

A160

B170

C170C172

D170

E170

F170

G170

H166

H165

I165 I167

OF Packaging

OCME/ROBOPAC

Nupac Industries

Now Systems Co. Ltd

Nordson

NINGBO KAIZHOU NEW MATERIALS CO., LTD NORD DRIVESYSTEMS

Narrowtex Australia

Nantong Unipack Int'l Co., Ltd.

Nan Sing Plastics Ltd

F170

A240

D065

I100

H150

G075

D045

B236

F244

H056

A110

E228

Multiple Packaging Sdn Bhd MULTIVAC Australia

D022

A035

Stand

A155

H155

I156 I157

Multapex

MPI Australia

ENTRY

B145

Exhibitor

A140

B140

D140

E140

G140

H146

H142

I140 I145

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Highgate Group

Exhibitor

H085

I085 I100 I102 I105 I110

Exhibitor Listings

A170

B177

B175

F172

G172

I177

A175 A187

B185

H190H192

F190

A197A198

A195A196

B197

B195

C200

D200

E203

E200

F200

C172

Romheld Automation

Rockwell Automation

Robotics & Automation

B175

D130

F190

A130

Robatech Gluing Technology Robotic Automation

H106

RMR Process Pty Ltd

C065

E170

B205

H146

E180

A250

H112

H110

Stand

A212

A210

B209

E217

E215

B125

A205

B207

B205

C202

E204

E202

F215

E228

F216

A224A226

A220

B230

B220

C220C222

D226

D220D222

G215

H215

F233 F234

F231 F232

G233

C240C242

D240D242

A240

B239

B246

B244

A250

B256

B254

B252

B250

C254

C252

C250

D254

THEATRE

E250

F252

F250

G250

H252

H250

I250

Thermal Ribbons Australia

Thermaflo Ltd

The Glove Company

TANGSHAN JASON TRADE CO., LTD The Australian Pouch Company

Taisei Lamick Co., Ltd

SUNSHINE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES LIMITED SUPERIOR PUMP TECHNOLOGIES Suzhou Hengchang Plastic Co., Ltd SUZHOU LUCKY TIME PACK MATERIAL CO., LTD Syncmen Enterprise Corp

Exhibitor

H252

G200

B246

G060

E028

D242

A195

F232

A050

E234

C046

Stand

List accurate as of 01/19

A234A236

A230

B237

D230

E236 E238

E240

F243 F244

F240 F242

G240

B235B236 B242

G231G232

H232

I232 I235 I236 I240 I241

E230 E232 E234

H216

I210 I215 I220 I221 I222

RK Rose + Krieger

Rhima Australia

Result Group of Companies Reynolds Automation Controls

Regethermic

Recopak Machinery

H200

G200

Reactive Engineering

RCS Products

QuickLabel

C190

D190D192

E190

F192

G190G192

Exhibitor

C180

D180

E180

F180

G180

H180 H185

CAFÉ

I215

Avian Granulator Group

E202

G030

E150

G170

B045

A187

E031

H135

E012

A060

BEUMER Group

Biosteam

Biotec Solutions Ltd

BluePrint Automation

Bosch Rexroth

Braskem

Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems

Cama Australia

Case Packaging Systems

CFI Global

CGP Coating Innovation

E031

I235

B177

I155

Cog-Veyor Systems Inc.

Concept Automation Group

Concetti S.p.A

A198

C045

E010

Clevertech S.p.A

CHENGDE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD Chumpower Machinery Corp

Chart Inc

A052

A053

H080

Becker Pumps Australia

CHANGLE PENGLIE PACKAGING PRODUCTS CO.,LTD CHAOZHOU CHAOAN JIXIANG FILM INDUSTRY CO., LTD

E240

C250

BCDS Group

C180

C115

D080

Automation & Robotic Technologies

Axelent Automation & Safety Barry – Wehmiller Australia

B130

Automaint Solutions

B170

I110

Grain Tech Ltd

D150 A210 A125

Heat and Control

Hibar Systems Limited

HIGHFINE ENGINEERING LTD

H165

E215

G180

D048

D200

F012

GMD Innovation

Guangdong Highdream Intellectualized Machinery Co., Ltd GUANGDONG WEIYA PRINTING AND PACKAGING CO, LTD Guroz Metal Ve Plastik Paz. TIC. LTD. STI (Stand Name- Guroz Metal) Haver & Boecker Australia HBM Packaging Technologies

H100

E230

A064

I165

C252

E065

F252

C120

A140

C190

E055

Funktion Australia

FUCHS LUBRICANTS (AUSTRALASIA) Fujian Henglong Plastic Industrial Co.,Ltd Fulun Packing Manufacture

FPC Industry Co., Ltd

FOODMACH

Fletcher International

Filler Specialties

Fibre King

FESTO

FB*PROPAK

F200

F233

FANGDA PACKAGING CO., LTD( HEBEI, CHINA)

Fanuc

F065

A010

Fallsdell Machinery

Extend

ESKO Australia

B035

D230

C130

Ernest Fleming Machinery & Equipment Pty Ltd

Australis Engineering

B256 H130

Eriez Magnetics Pty Ltd

B012

Emtivac Engineering

ErgoStrap Australia

H030

I157

EMERSON

EFI Group

H185

H144

E.R.C Packaging

Ecolean

G192

G233

C048

Stand

Dotmar EPP

DONGGUAN ZHITENG PLASTIC PRODUCT CO., Ltd DONGUAN HUAYUAN PACKAGING CO., Ltd

Exhibitor

H142

H165

D222

G060

AUSPOUCH

Australia HM Pharmachine Pty Ltd Australian Filling & Packaging Machines Pty Ltd Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) Australian Wrapping Company P/L

I105

B140

D024

Stand

Ausdo Packaging Group

ANHUI SEALONG BIOBASED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association

Exhibitor

Leuze Electronic Pty Ltd LIAONING HENGYUE PRINTING AND PACKAGING CO., LTD

MOLENAAR PACIFICVIDEOJET

MOFFAT

Minipack International Pty Ltd

Millsom-Schmalz

Metro Plastic Manufacturer SDN. BHD Malaysia Milliken Enterprise Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd

E130

H014

B026

A220

I145

H136

D140

E030

Matthews Australasia

F010

Maruto Sangyo Japan/ JL Packaging

F215

E031

B115

B242

B185

G190

Manipal Digital Systems

Makum Pty Ltd

Makro Labelling S.r.I.

Louis Adhesive Tapes Co., Ltd Machine Knives Australia P/LL

Linco Food Systems

Lighthouse Systems

G130 G250/ G252

LAPP

G231

C254

G065

G080

F180

A234

C024

E200

C220

H180

F130

B037

C014

Lagarde Autoclaves

Lachenmeier / Bliss & Reels LACO INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD

Kuka

KRONES PACIFIC

KPPL India

Kiel Industries

Key Technology

Keneng Packaging

Jinhang Flexible Packaging Ltd JMP Engineering Pty Ltd Johns Adhesives / Beardow Adams

Jinda Label

A053

JIAXING MINGYUE PACKING MATERIALS CO., LTD

JCA / Industrial packaging mfg D100

I140

J.L Lennard Pty Ltd

Jet Technologies

D170 B080

Intralox

I050

Stand

Interroll

Exhibitor

E045

QPM (Q&L Packaging)

A080

F234

E026

A070

PSE QINGDAO HUAKANG PLASTIC PACKAGING CO., LTD QINGDAO RIZONE PLASTIC PRODUCT CO., LTD

C100

I221

ProPak Tradeshows PROSEAL AUSTRALIA

H040

A115

H034

ProPak

Propac Industrial

Profilium

E250

E031

Processing and Packaging the High Tech Italian way Profile Solutions

B230

G012

D240

C240

H215

I102

I232

G022

B120

A224

Print & Pack Australia

Prime Creative Media Pty Ltd Prime Engineering Services

Pressco Technology INC

Premier Tech Chronos

Pollen Consulting Group

PKN Packaging News + Food & Drink Business Plastic Machinery Works Australia POLIPA PLASTIC PACKAGING

Phoseon Technology

Phillro Industries Pty Ltd

G055

F242

Pharm Pak Pty Ltd PharmEquip Pty Ltd

G215

Perfect Automation

B038

A160

H062

Packweigh Equipment PAKONA ENGINEERS (INDIA) PVT. LTD Parle Elizabeth Tools Pvt Ltd

H085

G240

I082

D254

C080

F192

B237

B195

Packsize Pty Ltd

PackMach

Packline Solutions

Orora (may change closer to event) P&P Hong Kong Holdings Limited

Oriental Packing

Open IIoT

OMS Australasia

C055

B220

OFI Weigh & Inspection Solutions Omni Group

Stand

Exhibitor

F060 G135

Summit Machinery Sunlea Label Printing Co. Ltd

B197

H216 Stevco Seals and Pumps Victoria Pty Ltd

G100 Star Stuff Group (SSG)

E140

G106

B055

A226

E238

B145

I055

E024

D010

H075

E020

H077

C020

F231

D046

A236

H155

E204

E115

A205

SMI S.p.A

SMC Australia

Smalte Conveying

SKY Softgel & Pack CO., Ltd

Sirane Australia

Sidel Group

SICK PTY LTD

SI Instruments

SHANDONG XINGGUO XINLI PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD SHANGHAI RUIMEI PACKING MATERIAL CO., LTD. Shanghai Tops Group Co., Ltd SHANTOU LINGHAI PLASTIC PACKING FACTORY CO., LTD SHENZHEN BULL PACKAGING MATERIAL CO., LTD SHENZHEN HUANAN XINHAI DRIVE MACHINE CO. LTD SHENZHEN SHUANGYUAN PACKAGING MATERIAL CO.,LTD Shenzhen Zhenghao Plastic & Mold Co., Ltd

Shako Flexipack Pvt Ltd

SEM PLASTIK SAN. VE TIC. AS.(Stand Name- SEM PLASTIC) Seymag Makine Pazarlama San. Ve Dis. Tic.Ltd. STI

Selpak Industries

Select Equip

B209

H120

H166

A112

I222

S&S Film SANCO ENGINEERING Schur Star Systems Pty. Ltd. Scott Automation & Robotics Selcuk Iplik Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S.

C222

A051

RUIAN JIABO IMP & EXP TRADING CO., LTD S&J Industrial Pty Ltd

E031

Stand

Ronchi Mario S.p.A

Exhibitor

ZIP-PAK Australia

Xiamen Dazhengli Industry Co., Ltd XIAMEN LESI INDUSTRY & TRADE CO.,LTD Xiamen Sengong Packing Equipment Co. Ltd XIAMEN UPC IMP & EXP CO.,LTD ZHANGJIAGANG FRESH LIFE ALUMINIUM FOIL CO. LTD ZHONGSHAN HISOON PACKAGING MACHINERY CO.,LTD

WRH Global Australia

Wine Industry Services

What's New in Food

Wenzhou Totalpacks Machinery Co., Ltd

Wedderburn

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group

Walls Machinery

VPET Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd

VISY

Venus Packaging

Value Concepts

Vacupack

UP Group-Shanghai UPG International Trading Co., Ltd Ustun Plastik Ambalaj San Ve Tic A.S. Plastmore

Universal Robots

Univer Pty Ltd

Toyota Material Handling

Tosa Group

TOMYPAK FLEXIBLE PACKAGING SDN BHD

TNA Solutions Pty Ltd

Titan Packaging

Tinco Pty Ltd

Thermal Ribbons Australia Toshiba TIANJIN ZERPO SUPPLY CO., LTD

Exhibitor

Media Partner

F057

D012

E029

H070

H073

C010

H076

H190

F240

E217

H072

E100

I060

A196

G110

F020

I032

F250

B207

C242

E236

B020

D115

E031

B116

A170

F243

A230

H078

H252

Stand

AUSPACK

Conference TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 8:30-9:00 9:00

9:10-9:45

9:45-10:30

10:30-11:00

11:00-11:45

11:45-12:30 12:30 – 13:30 13:30-14:00

13:30-14:00

14:00-14:30

14:30-15:00

15:00-15:30

Tea & Coffee on Arrival/Networking Welcome and introduction to the conference APPMA, Mark Dingley, Chairman, The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association Facilitator: Nigel Collin Opening Keynote: Industry Outlook – Key Insights Driving the Future of Packaging for the FMCG Industry Dr Michael Okoroafor, Vice President, Global Sustainability & Packaging Innovation, McCormick (USA) In this keynote, thought leader Dr. Michael Okoroafor will share his insights on leveraging transformational packaging innovation and re-aligned supply chains to drive growth for the FMCG industry.

The presentation will address digital transformation and the power of e-commerce, and how it shapes the future of retail and on-demand marketplaces. Plus, hear how sustainability imperatives will drive the circular economy and shape the future of innovation for FMCG companies.

The presentation will conclude by sharing examples of successful innovations that are transforming our industry and the society at large.

Session take outs: • D iscover how the power of e-commerce is shaping the future of retail and consumer behaviour • L earn how global sustainability imperatives will drive the circular economy and shape the viability of FMCG companies • Hear examples of successful innovations that are transforming our industry and the society at large Panel: What’s good for the planet is good for business - exploring the opportunities arising from the 2025 National Packaging Waste Target Facilitator: Craig Reucassel, Writer and Presenter of ABC’s War on Waste and The Chaser Panellists: Steve Lapidge, CEO, Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre Brooke Donnelly, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) The 2025 National Packaging Waste Target is presenting industry with one of the biggest challenges of our time. Recognising that in every challenge lies an opportunity, this session will focus on how the processing and packaging industry has the potential to be a leader on this issue, plus, the implications and the importance of collaboration. We are delighted to have speaker, writer and comedian Craig Reucassel from ABC’s War on Waste and The Chaser chair an industry panel and Q& A session that will ensure a lively discussion and thought-provoking debate.

Topics covered: • T he role of packaging in minimising food waste • I mplications for industry and consumers of The 2025 National Packaging Waste Target • T he innovations arising from the move away from single use packaging and the reduction of food waste • The potential of the Circular Food Economy Morning Tea - Networking STREAM ONE - PACKAGING AND PROCESSING STREAM TWO - BUSINESS GROWTH Keynote: Finding sustainable solutions - the value of industry Panel: How is e-commerce shaking up the supply chain? collaboration Amanda Green, Director for E-commerce, L’Oreal Australia Changing purchasing habits as a result of the growth in online shopping has given rise to packaging and supply chain challenges. This panel discussion and Q&A session will bring together some of Australia’s leaders in the e-commerce field to discuss: • E-commerce friendly packaging • Safe Product delivery • Cost effective shipping • Sustainability and innovation • Unique supply chain logistics • Positive customer experience • New technologies Case Study: Sustainable Solutions in Practice Case Study: E-commerce innovation Following on from the discussion on how to achieve sustainability in packaging and processing, what does this look like in practice? Hear from the innovators and change makers.

Lunch STREAM ONE - PACKAGING AND PROCESSING STREAM TWO - BUSINESS GROWTH Keynote: Smart Packaging - How can packaging be part of the Keynote: The Future Consumer - it’s not just about Millennials sustainability solution?

Shelley McMillan, Associate Director, Consulting ANZ, Mintel Andrew Manly, Communications Director, Active and Intelligent Most conversations on the consumer of the future focus on millennials and Generation Z. Many industries Packaging Industry Association are realising that they also need to respond to the needs of an aging consumer base by adapting or How can new packaging technologies drive efficiency, reduce waste segmenting their products and packaging through customisation. This session will discuss current research, and give better control of sales, marketing and the supply chain? This trends and predictions but most importantly, what does the industry need to consider? session takes a deep dive into the world of ‘smart packaging’ looking at active v. intelligent solutions and new technology.

Smart Packaging Technology Case Study: Keeping up with the Customers - Customer Driven Innovation Angeline Achariya, CEO, Monash Food Innovation Centre Consumer expectation is higher than ever and ‘innovation’ is now assumed. Should we now be more concerned with keeping up with your customers rather than the competition? Leading food & beverage industry innovator Angeline Achariya will discuss the challenges and opportunities from rising customer expectation with specific industry case studies on successful customer-driven innovation.

Case Study: Smart Packaging Innovation Panel: The rise of the Mindful Consumer - Consumer demands driving change in packaging and processing How do I reduce waste? Where does it come from? Is it safe? How was it made? Is it kind to the environment? These are the questions an increasing number of consumers are asking during the purchasing process. This panel discussion and Q&A session led by Lindy Hughson from PKN magazine will address the impact of the mindful consumer and what this means for the packaging and processing industry.

Panel Facilitator: Lindy Hughson, Publisher, Yaffa Media Panellists: Shelley McMillan Mintel, Associate Director ,Consulting ANZ, Mintel Afternoon Tea - Networking

48 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019

15:30 - 16:00

16:00-16:45

9:00 9:10-9:55

9:55-10:25

10:25-11:00

11:00-11:45

11:45-12:30

12:30 – 13:30

13:30-14:00

Keynote: Meeting the Energy Challenge The high cost and uncertainty around reliable energy sources has become a significant issue for the manufacturing sector in Australia. The absence of political leadership on the issue in Australia has meant that increasingly industry is creating their own solutions. This session and following panel discuss will discuss how the energy challenge is currently being met, who is leading the way with innovation and the importance of a collaborative mindset.

Keynote: Meeting the Energy Challenge - Security, reliability, accessibility Facilitator: Sam Staples, Market Development Manager, Australian Energy Storage Alliance Panellists: Aylin Cunsolo, Special Counsel, Baker McKenzie How can industry secure its own sustainable and reliable energy future? Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), which establish fixed energy pricing from renewable resources, may be the answer. An expert panel representing the innovators, brokers, government, industry and energy providers will discuss the drivers behind commercial PPAs, how to navigate the legal process, the potential benefits and risks.

Session take outs: • Long-term financial benefits of commercial PPAs • Potential risks and how these can be minimized • The motivational drivers behind commercial PPAs • PPA accounting • Navigating the legal process • Benefits of assets incorporating Energy Storage

WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH 2019 Opening Day Two Keynote: Economic ‘State of the Nation’ - Forward thinking and the impact on the manufacturing sector Stephen Koukoulas, Economist Hear insights and analysis from one of Australia’s leading economic thinkers and commentators, Stephen Koukoulas. With his unique blend of humour and expertise, ‘The Kouk’ will explain how the current state of the economy impacts you and your business.

Keynote: Factory of the Future - it’s already here John Broadbent, Realise Potential Smart Factories, Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), are these just buzzwords or a reality? This session aims to demystify the rapidly changing technical environment in packaging and processing.

This session will: • Clarify the various terms around smart factories • Explain why most businesses are stuck at Industry 3.0 • Reveal why some projects succeed and others fail • Share what you, as a manufacturer, can do to get started on the ‘smart factory’ journey • Suggest ways to ensure your projects and business succeeds Morning Tea – Networking STREAM ONE - PACKAGING AND PROCESSING STREAM TWO - BUSINESS GROWTH Panel: 4.0 in Practice - Taking the leap of faith Keynote: Blockchain Panel facilitator: - What is blockchain technology and how might it transform supply chains?

John Broadbent, Realise Potential Panellists: Dr Darcy Allen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub Paul Barber, Director, Lighthouse Systems Blockchain is much more than a technology for creating cryptocurrencies. Blockchain Michael Parrington, GM Licensing & Technology, Pact Group and other distributed ledger technologies are currently being applied in areas as diverse Empirical evidence has shown that those manufacturers who have embarked on smart as healthcare, identity and democratic voting. How might blockchain transform supply factory projects have reaped huge rewards including increased supply chain visibility, chains and logistics? This session will explain what blockchain is and how it looks improved efficiencies, reduced waste, higher customer satisfaction, traceability to impact the economy and society. Blockchain presents enormous opportunities for and product geneology and a healthier bottom line. This panel discussion and Q&A changing the way that we trade by increasing the quality, quantity and transparency of opportunity moderated by Smart Factories Mentor John Broadbent will explain how information about goods as they move.

Industry 4.0 works in practice, what technologies you should be embracing in order to compete locally and internationally, and most importantly, how to go about it.

Keynote: Collaborative Robots - Embracing Industry 4.0, leading the way to Industry 5.0 Peter Hern, Country Manager, Universal Robots The Fourth Industrial Revolution AKA Industry 4.0 is the norm today – virtually every step in a process can be recorded and the data is available in real-time. Industrial automation including robotics has allowed great leaps in productivity and quality while the simplification of the automation has made it more accessible for smaller manufacturers.

While Industry 4.0 focuses on the machine, Industry 5.0 puts the focus back on the humans. Collaborative robots – as the name suggests – are designed to collaborate with humans rather than replace them. This paper will discuss some of the benefits.

Case study: How blockchain and IoT provide full traceability of the supply chain John Baird, Ultimo Digital Technologies Hear how Ultimo Digital Technologies, with their world-leading supply chain management ecosystem named UCOT, are combining blockchain and IoT technologies to provide full traceability of the supply chain.

UCOT’s small IoT sensors, which can be embedded in a product’s packaging, have their own battery life and report information from the supply chain directly to a secure blockchain database in real time (which is a world first). The sensors report on GPS, shipping conditions and whether a product has been tampered with or stolen in real time, without the need for any third parties to scan barcodes or QR codes. The technology flows through to the end customer who has the ability to scan the product to ensure its authenticity and safety.

Lunch - Networking STREAM ONE - PACKAGING AND PROCESSING

STREAM TWO - BUSINESS GROWTH

Keynote: Design Trends - How to lead and not to follow

Keynote: The current export landscape Bryan Clark, Director, Trade & International Affairs Australian Chamber of Commerce This session will consider the evolving global trade landscape with a focus on free trade agreements and the situation with Brexit, antidumping and other trade restrictive measures being applied by governments around the world and how industry should respond.

Case Study: Innovation in distribution

Amber Bonney, Head of Creative Strategy, The Edison Agency

Keynote: Design Trends in Packaging - The structural perspective 14:00-14:30

14:30-15:20

15:20

Michael Grima, Founder, qDesign Enterprises Closing Keynote: Strength through diversity Dr Katie Spearritt, Diversity Partners Diversity and inclusion are increasingly recognised as mainstream business issues, prioritised by many leading companies. That’s because new research shows the importance of diversity of background and thinking to stimulate innovation, improve decision-making and create a more engaged workforce. This interactive session by leading diversity expert Dr Katie Spearritt will challenge your thinking on unconscious bias and give practical ways of embracing diversity in your workplace.

Conference Close

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 49

AUSPACK

Flooring meets strict food code requirements In order to meet current HACCP regulations, Rydges Hotels and Resorts decided to upgrade the kitchen flooring at several of its Australian locations. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

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ydges Hotels and Resorts is a hotel accommodation and hospitality provider that operates in Australia, New Zealand and England.

Rydges accommodates one million guests annually across a range of market segments. It provides mid to upscale accommodation, catering from corporate travellers to sophisticated upmarket resorts.

Roxset Health and Safety Flooring, a specialist in food and beverage coating solutions for over 30 years, has been providing tailored HACCP Grade VOC non-toxic flooring to a number of key Rydges properties in Australia since 2008. Currently, five properties have been upgraded with the Roxset SE ultra-hygienic coating in food and beverage preparation and associated areas.

Due to the age of some of the properties, the main kitchens were suffering from maintenance challenges, specifically as the traditional kitchen floors were installed with either large ceramic tiles or vinyl coatings. These coverings present on-going problems with grout cleaning and water penetration through progressive cracking, which led to serious hygiene and slip hazards and would not meet the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) food safe requirements.

Australia is governed by a Food Standards Code. A new code came into effect on 1 March 2016.

HACCP is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating and controlling food safety hazards.

A hazard is anything that could make food dangerous to eat and can be, microbiological (e.g. bacteria, virus, fungi) chemical (e.g cleaning products), physical (e.g broken glass, fingernail, hair).

Food safety legislation has specific requirements for food preparation areas relating to the condition and design and includes:

Roxset SE3 trowel-on coating is a tailored food-grade system that addresses coving and levelling.

"Roxset SE is a tailored, hand-built protection coating built up with selected aggregates to allow a cure thickness of 4-6mm and has a R12 slip rating."

• F loors – should be constructed of a material that is easy to clean and safe to walk on and maintained in sound condition.

• Walls – should be made of durable materials that are washable, non-toxic, easy to clean and maintain.

Over time, Roxset has been upgrading the Rydges Hotel group kitchens by either replacing the vinyl or laying a high-grade seamless

50 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

epoxy HACCP food grade system over non-drummy tiles. The benefit of epoxy is that when the resin and hardener are mixed together they form a rigid plastic material. This material is strong, durable, resistant and bonds to most base layers. The epoxy is so strong it is used in heavy traffic areas such as industrial environments.

The Roxset SE 3 trowel-on coating is a tailored food grade system which addresses coving, wall intersections

and levelling, and falls to drains to ensure rapid cleaning regimes are optimised, especially in busy hotel kitchens.

Roxset SE is a tailored, handbuilt protection coating built up with selected aggregates to allow a cure thickness of 4-6mm and has a R12 slip rating.

Roxset recently completed a 380sqm area at the Rydges Hotel in Parramatta, which included the main kitchen, cool rooms, passageway and bar area. These areas are now protected from slippage and any impact or chemical spills and will perform well in excess of 10 years, while meeting all requirements of HACCP’s strict hygiene criteria.

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AUSPACK

Intelligent, autonomous, connected manufacturing through Industry 4.0 The digital transformation of factories to make them smarter is not just about collecting data and making efficiencies better, but also about consumers wanting more information. Food and Beverage Industry News explains.

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he concept of a smart factory is a big leap forward from conventional automation to a fully connected and autonomous system – one that uses a constant stream of data from connected devices to provide insights in real-time and drive improvement initiatives across manufacturing and the broader supply chain.

Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0, smart factories, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is the future of manufacturing. Technological advancements available today are helping gather vital manufacturing and machine performance data to make automated improvements and aid in making informed decisions in operational processes.

Taking what was started in the Third Industrial Revolution with computers and automation, Industry 4.0 is elevating it with intelligent, autonomous factory systems integrated with each other and with the internet, fuelled by data. This will create what is known as the smart factory, where machines learn and are able to provide

accurate real-time analytical data that enables educated proactive decisions.

While smart factories, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), machine learning, and big data seem futuristic, the reality is that they are here, and development and adoption is accelerating. Investment and plans to adopt Industry 4.0 are happening across the globe. China is one example leading the initiative with “Made in China 2025”;. The proposal is to encourage every factory in China to be a smart factory by 2025.

The digital transformation of the supply chain There are a multitude of factors that are driving this industrial evolution, and the key drivers vary between industry sectors. The growth of e-commerce and omnichannel retail is the main universal driver facilitating the push for a more efficient supply chain.

The demand coming from consumers is putting pressure on every component of the process from sourcing of raw materials, processing, packaging, supply chain and retail to deliver perfect products faster and more

Industry 4.0 will help creative the intelligent, autonomous smart factory.

52 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

efficiently. While a recent Harvard Business Review study of 46,000 shoppers estimated 73 per cent of consumers are omnichannel shoppers, another report titled, Zebra, the future of fulfilment: Asia Pacific vision study, stated only 42 per cent of supply chain respondents are operating at an omnichannel level.

However, to be able to operate at this level and fulfil these orders with 100 per cent accuracy requires visibility across the entire supply chain.

This is exactly what Industry 4.0 is making possible.

The smarter factory Consider Apple’s Cloud, Amazon’s Alexa or Microsoft’s Cortana: they’re all smart technologies that have existed for years collecting data about the people using these devices to provide a better user experience. This begs the question – if the technology has existed for so long, why is it only now being utilised?

“It’s the development of device connectivity, or cloud-ready devices, that have allowed cloud technology to become more available to the industrial world,” said Andrew Wilson, head of corporate business for insignia. “The data gathered by the devices can be collated into meaningful insights.”

Right now, cloud technology in these industries is still in its infancy, but its adoption is accelerating as more devices become smart and cloud-ready.

Wilson confirms reported statistics that the population of smart factories will increase productivity by 2022 – creating potential contributions between $500 billion and $1.5 trillion globally. With such attractive statistics, it’s no surprise that over three-quarters of manufacturers either already have a smart factory initiative or

are planning one.

“Connected devices are turning things upside-down in a good way,” said Blair Kietzmann, insignia’s head of sales for Domino. “Machine builders, service providers, operators, and management have real-time communication with machines to proactively manage the process, providing real benefits to different parts of the business. As an example, the machine operators gain visibility over the health status and replenishment timelines of the equipment, helping manage priorities and reduce unnecessary line stoppages.

Continuous improvement personnel can analyse the data and focus improvements in areas that provide the best value to performance and quality.

Perhaps most importantly, management has full visibility of manufacturing lines from anywhere in the world, giving them immediate accurate data in real time that would have taken days to gather in the past, with differing degrees of accuracy.

“As mission-critical service providers, insignia is changing the way we support our customers by investing in cloud technology and data analytics to provide a level of support never experienced before in our field. By analysing accurate machine data in real time, we can predict potential line stopping events before they occur. If the machine does experience a critical fault our help desk is automatically alerted and can proactively resolve the fault, reducing the impact on our customer.”

All this drives performance and availability of the machines, lowering costs, improving quality and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

With more advanced cloud software, particularly in the enterprise

There are many ingredients that contribute to the making of a smart factory. mobility space they provide a two-way connection. This allows the operator to not only receive data but roll out software updates amongst a fleet of devices at the press of a button.

Having visibility over devices means a company can better manage their fleet, particularly in the realm of mobility. Wilson said that device management features, including geolocation and usage data, gives management the ability to know where each device in their fleet is and how it’s being used, so they can ensure each device is being fully utilised.

Future state “This is an incredibly exciting time for industry,” said Wilson. “The leaps in technological advancements, analytics, visibility and performance provide potential that we are only just beginning to tap into.”

Imagine a state where the machines understand their requirements and communicate with appropriate machines, systems, personnel and support providers autonomously.

Connected to ERP systems, the potential to self-order consumables assists in lean ordering, avoiding over or under stocking. Operational staff only need to conduct physical action/ improvements based on informed data from the machines. Managers have real time accurate automated dashboards and reports to make informed decisions from anywhere in the world.

The reality of smart factories is closer than people think – a lot of the technology that has the potential to build them already exists.

Industry 4.0 does not happen overnight and is not one size fits all – it should be shaped to fit the industry and the business. Rather than just investing in the latest equipment, the focus

should be on improving processes and prioritising based on importance and cost.

Like with any investment in a new technology, a company should start with an adoption plan, then implement, test and revise. This will ensure the solution is suited to its needs and properly moulded to a business and plans for future growth. Consequently, manufacturers want a supplier that will partner with them and provide a solution rather than a product.

From coding and marking to mobile computing and printing, insignia is embracing a broad spectrum of IIoT technology to provide its customers with cloud solutions that offer better visibility over their devices and improved performance. Wilson said that the cloud software and dashboards are just one part of it, and decision makers should be focused on investing in cloud-ready devices so they are Industry 4.0 ready.

“To put it into perspective, you may have a desktop printer that you’ve had for 10 years and works fine, but with the advancement in technology the new printers hitting the market are giving businesses information and data that they’ve never had access to before. This data allows them to make educated business decisions around their hardware, spares, consumable usage and output.”

It’s easy to get excited about the possibilities of connected devices and smart factories, but it is crucial to pay attention to the security of the network.

Investment in network security needs to be a high priority, ensuring hardware and software systems are always protected and up to date.

Smart factories are coming and coming fast. It is a new era, that is rapidly being invested in and deployed.

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Simplifying and integrating the supply chain journey GS1 Australia account director, Andrew Steele, talks to Food & Beverage Industry News on how the Supply Chain Improvement Project will deliver better traceability and transparency of food ingredients for manufacturers.

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onsumers’ daily lives revolve around trust. Every day, when peeling an orange, opening a can of baked beans or dining in a favourite restaurant, consumers put their trust in Australia’s food supply chain.

Behind every food and beverage product on the shelf is a supply chain journey that starts with ingredients.

The Australian food manufacturing industry is an intricate maze of ingredient and packaging suppliers that have different supply chain management solutions.

Sourcing ingredients without a traceability and food safety protocol today invites counterfeit products onto the food chain and increases the risk of contamination. News of unsafe or spoilt food can impact business owners’ livelihoods and the industry’s broader reputation, and causes significant disruption to consumers’ lives.

“To manage ingredient safety and increase the visibility of food ingredients and raw materials in these complex supply chains, a new initiative, the Supply Chain Improvement Project, is being implemented using GS1 standards,” said Steele. “The project’s objective is strengthening integration between the thousands of upstream supply chains in the Australian food

Data capture and data sharing will enable automation of key ingredient sourcing.

manufacturing industry.”

An industry working group has been set up to drive the project using the GS1 global standards for product identification, data capture and data sharing. GS1’s Global Traceability

The supply chain journey starts at the farm.

54 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Standard (GTS) is the foremost traceability framework, allowing businesses to track their products in real-time and have end-to-end visibility of the supply chain.

“The group will work to achieve consensus across the industry to improve food safety, deliver efficiencies and reduce costs,” said Steele.

Representatives from Nestlé, Ingham’s, SPC, Lion Dairy and Drinks, Sanitarium, CHR Hansen, Newly Weds Foods, FPC Food Plastics, Labelmakers, Matthews Australasia and Visy Industries make up the group.

The ability for companies to capture material movements from “paddock to plate” provides data integrity and timeliness from receipt to delivery, with traceability back to the source.

Through automation, many of the

manual processes are eliminated and businesses can be proactive with inventory management and handling systems.

“As a food and beverage business it’s critical for us from a food safety perspective to be able to track ingredients all the way back to the origin,” said SPC’s national logistics manager, Christian Lecompte.

Also critical to business is the capability to support information and production flow within existing systems for integrated supply chains. The project has the capacity to eliminate waste within an organisation’s value stream, reduce non-value-added tasks and ensure cost-effective solutions for customers, leading to a “right-first-time” approach for all deliveries.

“One of the things we found we

AUSPACK "By having consensus across the industry on how to interconnect electronically and exchange critical operational data, we can realise cost-effective solutions across the end-to-end – from manufacturers, to suppliers, to customers. Everyone benefits from this improvement in standardisation." could do to be more efficient was to look at opportunities to be able to electronically track all the product ingredients throughout the production cycle – how we identify a product coming into the warehouses, how we receipt goods, how we put our goods away, how we manage our inventory and how we deal with our suppliers,” said Lecompte.

The adoption of GS1 standards as the common language for identification, data capture and data sharing will enable automation of key ingredient sourcing and traceability between ingredient suppliers and food manufacturers.

Using GS1 standards for upstream integration goes well beyond minimum standards. It allows businesses to translate their internal processes and approaches into the one common language that all trading partners can

use and understand, without having to translate data formats across different supply chain management systems.

This is the key, as Steele believes interoperability is essential to the future of data sharing. “Establishing international standards to ensure transparency across the supply chain can help lower existing barriers to the exchange of data between suppliers, trading partners and consumers,” he said.

The Supply Chain Improvement Project has the potential to deliver many benefits to industry, including increased visibility of food ingredients and raw materials, unique identification and traceability to improve food safety, and reduced costs with automated business transactions.

Nestlé Australia’s eBusiness manager, Mandeep Sodhi pointed out the key to the project’s success.

Traceability is now becoming the norm when it comes to following the food supply chain.

“By having consensus across the industry on how to interconnect electronically and exchange critical operational data, we can realise cost-effective solutions across the end-to-end – from manufacturers, to suppliers, to customers. Everyone benefits from this improvement in standardisation,” he said.

Looking ahead, the industry working group is encouraging all upstream businesses to adopt the food safety and traceability protocol using GS1 standards.

“With an industry-wide solution in place, your trading partners will have more visibility of your products across the supply chain,” said Steele.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 55

AUSPACK

Packaging handled with care When handling food and beverage goods, no company wants their product left battered and bruised once it leaves the conveyor belt. Miri Schroeter explains how Modu System helps companies move their products without damage.

Modu System supplies affordable, quality conveyor belt systems.

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eeping the tea leaves in the tea bags is key. That’s a requirement Modu System knows all too well as it deals with large tea manufacturers worldwide.

The company provides conveyor systems to companies such as Lipton Tea. Modu System Australia director CS Tan said that with conveyors in a number of Lipton Tea factories, working with fragile products has proven to be a strong area for his company.

“The majority of the Lipton Tea conveyor installations worldwide

are done by us,” he said.

Being able to handle products such as tea bags is important as they are more delicate and not all conveyers will pull through with the same results, said Tan. Modu provides flexible production flows and high throughput with an electrical and pneumatic control system, which is vital when controlling empty and filled tea bag boxes to ensure their flawless movement between processes, he said.

Modu is also able to help with

56 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

"We make everything ourselves, therefore we are able to provide a good product that’s cost effective. We are not that high in price compared to bigger players, yet we offer the same experience." other fragile products with its gripper conveyor system. This includes assisting companies with shifting and packing bottles and aluminium cans.

“Aluminium tin cans are very soft and easy to damage,” said Tan.

“If it’s coming out of the depalletiser system and the tin can has to be moved from a low end to a high end, it needs to move without being damaged. The gripper system grabs it without causing damage.”

The machine grips it firmly but

AUSPACK

"We are here to make sure the customers enjoy the advantage of the prices while they still get great quality.

We help them grow." not too tightly to ensure no dents or punctures are created, he said.

“We have 20 years of experience in conveyor lines and automation, including gripping systems that are suitable for any kind of product.”

The Modu Group was formed in Singapore in 1995 and Modu System Australia was established in Sydney in 2017 as the company’s sixth office.

Tan said that despite being an international manufacturer, Modu is able to supply the Australian market with affordable yet quality products. “We make everything ourselves, therefore we are able to provide a good product that’s cost effective. We are not that high in price compared to bigger players, yet we offer the same experience.

“We are here to make sure the customers enjoy the advantage of the prices while they still get great quality. We help them grow,” said Tan. For many conveyor suppliers,

the modular chains or belts and accessories are purchased from other suppliers while the structures are made in-house, meaning several parties are involved. However, Modu manufactures its own range of modular chains, belts, beams and accessories, said Tan. “This simply provides us the control over the quality of our conveyors and cost advantage over other conveyor suppliers.”

Modu’s product offering in Australia includes modular conveyor systems, spiral conveyors, automatic guided vehicles and customised automated machines. The company has distributors located throughout Australia and local technicians are always on standby to service customers’ needs.

“We are also able to support our customers globally through our global offices located in USA, UK, China, Singapore, Malaysia and India,” said Tan.

Being able to handle delicate products like tea bags is important for a conveyor belt.

CONFERENCE 26 27 MARCH EXHIBITION 26 29 MARCH CONVENTION MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE CENTRE

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www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage10/12/18 Industry11:30 Newsam57

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Robotic automation solutions for compact spaces Everyone needs a helping hand from time-to-time, but one company is giving more than that by offering a robotic helping arm. Miri Schroeter writes.

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obotic automation is helping factories big and small grow in sectors such as food and packaging as demand for quality and affordable products increases.

Fibre King, an automation industry specialist, is leading the technology charge by designing their own robotic arm.

The company creates turnkey solutions to meet its clients’ packaging requirements, budgets, available space and time frames with the help of the latest technology, which includes the company’s newly developed robotic arm. The three-axis articulating robotic arm suits multiple applications around product collation, sorting and loading.

Fibre King CEO, James Windsor, said it gives the user the ability to pack and load items that are difficult to work with, such as soft packaging. “We developed the three-axis robotic arm to fill a gap we had seen in the market. It works into our existing product range and it gives more flexibility in how

products are handled.

“In the past we would use multiple machines. Now we can do it all in one.” The robotic arm picks up delicate items, but it also has the muscle to carry heavy products. “We wanted more payload to move heavier items. We are able to carry up to 15-20 per cent more weight. We are always looking at ways to improve productivity within tight spaces and robots provide the flexibility needed to multi task within a small footprint,” said Windsor.

By having Fibre King’s research and development team creating products such as the robotic arm, the company is able to rely less on suppliers and therefore ensures that it products remain available for clients well into the future, said Windsor.

“We found over time, that designs have to change because a particular supplier doesn’t make a component anymore. Now we have more control.

“Our relationships with other industry leading OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] enables

Fibre King is always looking for ways to improve a customer’s productivity in tight spaces.

58 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Fibre King to provide complete turnkey production lines for our customers. Our relationships are not binding, which means we can provide a tailored solution to our clients built from the best equipment available for their needs, or from their preferred brands,” he said.

Experience in improving facilities Fibre King’s core business is focused on providing end-of-line packaging equipment and servicing solutions that exceed production expectations.

The company’s solutions provide reduced direct labour costs, improved productivity, increased product quality and capacity, and reduced risk of injury.

With more than 90 years’ experience, the company’s value on service remains a strong focus. “From a market perspective we are known in the industry for packaging automation solutions, but our value to the market is broader than that. It starts earlier than a case packer,” said Windsor.

Fibre King CEO James Windsor said his company offers turnkey solutions to packaging requirements.

The company offers site audits and helps customers plan for the best equipment they can install to utilise the space they have and the products they’re manufacturing. “It’s all about giving the customer that overview and a recommendation. At the end of the day they have a plan for the next threeto-five years that they can implement.”

Supplying a thorough solution Fibre King put a plan into action for Nestlé in Smithtown, NSW, as the global food manufacturer wanted a fully automated end of line packaging solution that would integrate into the existing production line. The company designed, manufactured, installed and integrated the packaging solution into the facility.

Fibre King has worked with Nestlé and its associated entities for more than 20 years, providing end of line packaging solutions for a number of its facilities around the globe.

For this project, Fibre King delivered dual palletising robots and conveying system. The products exit the case packer – in a tray and hood – at low level and are conveyed on a spiral elevator up to a high-level case conveyor. A custom inline flipper

AUSPACK "Our relationships are not binding, which means we can provide a tailored solution to our clients built from the best equipment available for their needs, or from their preferred brands."

One of the company’s main products are its robotic arms. inverts the product, so the hood is on the top. After the flipper, the products are conveyed to the pick-off conveyor of the robot palletising cell and oriented as required.

The ABB IRB460 robots will pick up the products using a vacuum gripper in groups of one-to-seven products at a time, depending on the pattern required. The gripper head has 32 cups – split into 20 segments and connected to a vacuum pump – that

are controlled to operate on and off, depending on the product formation.

The products are picked and placed on to the pallet in the correct pattern formation. A pallet conveying system also allows stacks of 10 pallets to be loaded into the pallet dispenser.

Available from start to finish Fibre King’s equipment and services can also help customers beyond the sale and set-up. The company is

there to offer support throughout the manufacturer’s journey. Windsor explains that Fibre King staff can support customers remotely and on-site if issues occur.

“If the customer is happy to give us access to an internet connection, we can have the machine remotely monitored.” Typically, in the past, staff would go to the customer’s site to check any discrepancies, but now a lot of that can be done remotely, he said.

Staff also help with troubleshooting.

For example, Fibre King can advise a customer if a fault is small enough to be fixed in-house rather than waiting for a technician.

“If the machine is slowing down through wear and tear, or it’s starting to use more power because the machine is working harder, providing feedback to the user gives them the opportunity to fix it and save money and time in the long run. If you start seeing these issues you are not too far away from a failure. We offer

services to all of our customers to fix that,” said Windsor.

Taking centre stage In order to show new and existing customers what Fibre King has to offer, the company is exhibiting at AUSPACK in March, continuing its 20-year participation in the event. “It is another way to show support for the industry and it enables us to educate potential buyers and develop alliances and integrated solutions that will shape the future of packaging.

“Our team is passionate about helping our clients achieve the best solution for their production lines, so we will be providing the opportunity to speak with our team about our facility design services and automation audits.

“Our stand will incorporate a robotic palletising and depalletising display. We may also have a few extra surprises, which we will keep to ourselves for the time being,” he said.

www.foodmag.com.au February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 59

MARKET WATCH

Strong finish to 2018 bodes well for deal activity in 2019 C orporate activity in the food and beverage industry in November and December 2018 continued to be active with six acquisitions announced during the period.

Acquisitions announced

The largest transaction announced was the takeover offer received by Greencross from TPG Capital. The offer of $5.55 per share represents a 45 per cent premium to the Greencross monthly share price to 9 October and implies a $675 million equity value for the company.

Darrell Lea acquired Melbourne-based independent chocolate company Heritage Fine Chocolates. The purchase enables Darrell Lea to establish a chocolate “centre of excellence” and will create up to 50 new jobs within the first year of operation. All current full-time Heritage staff will be retained by Darrell Lea. Italian coffee group Massimo Zanetti has agreed to buy The Bean Alliance for $17 million plus a potential earnout. The deal will strengthen Zanetti’s exposure to the Australian market and forms part of a strategy to expand abroad as competition at home intensifies.

Australian pastry manufacturer, Bakery Du Jour, was acquired by Lantmännen, an international bakery group. The family-owned Bakery Du Jour was founded more than 20 years ago and is a leading supplier of premium pastry products to major Australian retailers as well as food service customers. Lantmännen considers the acquisition an important step to expand its global footprint.

Pharmacare acquired Go Natural, one of the leading health-snack brands in Australia. Pharmacare has indicated that it will further develop the Go Natural brand to a new stage of growth.

The Max Brenner chocolate café chain was sold by the appointed

administrator to Roy Mustaca, the owner of United Cinemas.

2019 is shaping up to be a dynamic year across the food and beverage industry with strong investor interest in the industry from both trade investors and financial investors.

Ben van der Westhuizen and David Baveystock are directors of Comet Line Consulting, an advisory business that specialises in acquisitions and divestments within the Australian food & beverage industry. For more information visit www.cometlineconsulting.com.au.

Date

Target Name

Acquirer

Sector

Oct 18

Brasserie Bread Company

Noisette Bakery

Baked goods

16 Oct 18

Heritage Fine Chocolates

Darrell Lea

Confectionery

30 Oct 18

The Bean Alliance

Zanetti

Coffee

5 Nov 18

Greencross

TPG Capital Asia

Pet food

7 Nov 18

Bakery Du Jour

Lantmannen

Baked goods

9 Nov 18

Go Natural

Pharmacare

Snacking

27 Nov 18

Max Brenner

Roy Mustaca

Hospitality

Commodity Outlook WHEAT – World wheat prices to recover slightly from low levels due to lower tradeable supplies.

COARSE GRAINS – World barley prices to rise due to low stocks and strong demand for feed and industrial-use coarse grains.

BEEF AND VEAL – Australian cattle prices to fall due to higher production and strong competition in export markets SHEEP MEAT – Strong competition from processors and restockers to drive lamb prices higher.

OILSEEDS – World canola prices to fall due to abundant oilseed supplies.

DAIRY – Milk prices to rise due to a falling Australian dollar and increased competition for milk.

SUGAR – World sugar prices to fall due to world sugar supply growing faster than demand.

Source: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (ABARES), Agricultural commodities March quarter, 2018.

60 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Robust mass flow meters and controllers for gases MASS-Stream instruments operate on the basis of direct throughflow measurement in accordance with the constant temperature anemometer principle. They contain no moving parts and the measured gases pass the two stainless-steel sensor probes directly, without bypass. As a result, the gases are unhindered on their flow path, making the series suitable for applications with low pressure loss, as well as less sensitive to moisture and particulate contamination than thermal mass-flow instruments with a bypass sensor. The electronics casing has a robust design with an IP65 level of protection (dustproof and splash waterproof). The mass flow meters and controllers can be supplied with an optional integrated multifunctional display. On the new D-6390 model, the maximum measuring range has been expanded to 10,000 ln/min air equivalent.

Analogue I/O signals as well as an RS232 interface are provided by default. In addition, an interface with DeviceNet, ProfiBUS DP, Modbus or Flow-BUS protocols can be integrated. Typical applications include gas consumption measurements, aeration and purging processes or natural gas/biogas applications.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams.ic.com.au

Gear units designed for long working life Nord Drivesystems has launched a high-performance, washdownoptimised aluminium drive for hygienic applications. This successful series now offers smaller gear units for torques up to 50 Nm as an efficient alternative to worm gear units. The SK 9x0072.1 series has a power range from 0.12 to 1.1 kW and covers speed ratios from 3.03 to 47.67 : 1.

The two-stage helical bevel gear units are characterised by high efficiencies, compact design, reliability and long working life. The highstrength aluminium housing guarantees high rigidity and maximum durability with low weight. Additionally, the modular design provides wide application flexibility due to numerous application and mounting options. There are two models available: SK 920072.1 and SK 930072.1. The open housing of SK 920072.1 is lightweight and solid due to its construction. It is also available with a universal foot flange.

With its closed housing, the SK 930072.1 is suitable for applications with stringent requirements for hygiene and cleanliness. Additional protection is provided by the optionally available nsd tupH surface treatment.

The standard version is equipped with a B14 flange. All versions are available with solid or hollow shafts. The motor can be mounted directly without a coupling or adapter (IEC or NEMA). Accessories including torque arms, flanges, covers and fastening elements from the Universal series may also be used for this gear unit. The new, compact and flexible Nordbloc.1 bevel gear units are particularly suited for intralogistics and packaging technology, and thanks to their washdown design may also be advantageous for the food and beverage industry.

The LogiDrive combines these new Nordbloc.1 gear units with an energy-efficient IE4 synchronous motor and the Nordac Link field distributor for an optimally matched drive system. These standardised geared motor variants are highly efficient, and thanks to plug and

play technology they are maintenance-friendly and benefit from a reduction of spare part stocks, which also results in the reduction of versions.

NORD Drivesystems (03) 9394 0500 www.nord.com/cms/en/home-au.jsp

www.foodmag.com.au | February/March 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 61

NEW PRODUCTS

SMC’s VMG blow gun series and nozzles SMC's blow gun with energy saving nozzle offers up to 20 per cent reduction in power consumption (when combined with an S coupler and coil tube). It can achieve equivalent performance at lower pressures, resulting in less air consumption.

When pairing the blow gun with SMC's high efficiency nozzle, the KNH series, customers can enjoy maximum efficiency thanks to a more focused blowing impact. There is a wide range to choose from and the air blow thrust can be improved by 10 per cent.

Available nozzles include: male thread; high efficiency; low noise w/male thread; and extension nozzles.

Energy saving tips from SMC: Generate just what you need. Analyse your energy bills with a critical view. Ask the question of, is what we consume justified?

• R ecover what you generate. Make use of different technologies to reuse the energy (heat, released air, etc.)

• M onitor your consumption. Understand what you are using to instil effective energy management policies.

• U se only the essentials. How can we use energy more rationally in production processes? Rethink what has been done in the past.

• T hink efficiently. The concept that closes the loop is the most important one to ensure energy efficiency.

SMC Australia (02) 9354 8222 www.smcanz.com

Feedback for your process valves – MVQ101 Position feedback for process valves has always been one of those difficult to handle issues. The initial way was to have only visual indication of valve position which was very problematic as there was no electrical connection to the process and no way to control it. Then, the practice of mounting a mechanical box on the actuator which would give two positions, opened and closed which is still in use today but all so fiddly to mount with the usual mechanical problems, they often break. Then, a better solution was to offer the same feedback but with solid state proximity sensors that would never break down.

Now, ifm has the evolution of the actuator valve with feedback at a full 360¡ with 0.1¡ increments.

This now gives the plant continuous position feedback and diagnostics, ranging from simple end position monitoring to continuous position feedback in combination with IO-Link and the corresponding possibilities of flexible parameter setting and data acquisition. This now opens up new markets concerned with Industry 4.0.

Key features of the new MVQ101 • Valve condition monitoring and support during error diagnostics • Preventative maintenance planning • Full digitisation of the valve movement • Higher plant up-time • Continuous position feedback • Individual switching windows can be set • Highly visible status LED’s for increased effect from a distance • The valve position can also be detected when disconnected from power • Diagnostic functions via IO-Link • Temperature and time monitoring • Cycle

counter

62 Food&Beverage Industry News | February/March 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Diagnostic functions The IO-Link communication interface allows the identification of different wear conditions. On the one hand, the sensor features seal monitoring indicating a change of the closed position, which can point to deposits or wear of the seal, for example. On the other hand, the different positions can be counted and the time taken can be measured. The types of industries that will need all this functionality of valve positioning are food and beverage manufacturing, dairies, breweries, soft drinks. Water and waste water not only for water authorities but local waste water for factories to know the valve position and the valve health.

Pneumatic bulk material conveying, manufacture of paper products.

Example applications, annually maintenance activities at a breweries replace more 2,000 seals, waste water with blockage due to cellulose deposits, adhesion, corrosion and seal damage. ifm efector 1300 365 088 www.ifm.com

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