Food & Drink Network UK 24.01 by Waltons Publications

FOOD AND DRINK

ISSN: 20568355

NETWORK UK

PPMA REBRAND TO AUTOMATE UK PPMA re-brand puts automation at the heart of UK manufacturing Turn to Page 12

Volume 24 • Issue 01 • foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk

EDITORIAL:

VOLUME 24 • ISSUE 01 Produced in Europe’s Food Town

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NEWS NETWORK

16. Intralogistex 2024 Locus Robotics’ to showcase innovative autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse at Intralogistex 2024

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FOOD AND DRINK

TRENDS & PREDICTIONS

18. Automation UK, Machine Vision Conference and PPMA 2024 Three tremendous trade shows for your 2024 calendar

Eco Flexibles empowers the next generation of packaging professionals: Environmentally-conscious packaging producer Eco Flexibles is investing in the next generation of talent and encouraging young people to try out a career in packaging

MIXING EQUIPMENT

Disintegration with Silverson High Shear Mixers

EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS

A guide to the years exhibitions and events supporting the Food & Drink Industry in 2024....

EXHIBITIONS

Find your trusted outsourcing partner at the Contract Pack & Fulfilment Show 2024 21. Leaders in Logistics Summit World Trade Centre, Barcelona 12-13 March 2024

10. Packaging Innovations & London Packaging Week Why you’re missing out if you haven’t attended one of the packaging industry’s red letter days

NETWORK

CORROSION RESISTANT COMPONENTS

Corrosion Resistant Solutions from Cross & Morse

RECRUITMENT

Navigate challenges and maximise opportunities for manufacturers in 2024

The Year Ahead: Trends and Predictions from Southgate Global

@fdnetworkuk

14. Multimodal 2024 The countdown is on for Multimodal

HYGIENIC PROCESSING

The Pinnacle of Purity: Modular stainless steel pipework in food manufacturing

COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS

Advance Cold Chain Logistics Solutions Cold storage and temperature-controlled logistics in order to maintain high standards of quality and food safety.

FOOD MACHINERY AUCTIONS

Maximising efficiency and savings: The benefits of food machinery auctions

News Network

General

i2r Appoints New Head of Sales Market-leading aluminium foil tray manufacturer, i2r Packaging Solutions, has appointed Tom Cliffe as head of sales. He will report to i2r’s commercial director, Katy Rogers. In his new capacity, Tom will assume responsibility for overseeing the sales managers in the existing channels related to food production and food processor distribution. With an emphasis on nurturing and strengthening existing relationships to drive further growth within this vital sector, his efforts will seamlessly complement diversification initiatives into new markets. “With Tom’s appointment, the commercial management team is now complete,” said Katy. “I have great confidence and enthusiasm in our recent additions to the team, along with the collective expertise within our commercial division. This positions us strongly to not only continue to deliver exceptional service to our existing customers, but also to drive the growth of new products and channels as we grow the i2r business.”

A winner of two Queens Awards for Enterprise, i2r is Europe’s largest aluminium container producer. Manufacturing over 1.2 billion products annually, it supplies many major food producers and retail brands, as well as New Head of Sales, Tom Cliffe to wholesaler and distributor markets worldwide, including Central & Northern Europe, Asia, North & South America and Australia. To find out more about i2r and their product range visit www.i2rps.com.

Berry Launches Breakthrough Technology in Cling Film, Providing a Certified Recyclable Alternative to PVC Films

H-PACK announces success of new HOT ‘N’ FRESH brand

Berry Global has launched a new version of its Omni® Xtra polyethylene cling film for fresh food applications, which provides a high-performance alternative to traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cling films.

The branding, which provides a colour-coded, easy way for buyers to identify products based on the materials used, has received interest from existing and new customers in the UK and has been heralded as a success by parent company and global food packaging brand, Hotpack.

While Omni® Xtra is already an established solution for the packaging of fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, and deli and bakery products, the new Omni® Xtra+ film has improved elasticity, uniform stretching behaviour, and improved impact resistance. It also offers users significant sustainability benefits, including compliance with the anticipated requirements of the forthcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Omni Xtra+ is recyclable in line with current European recycling guidelines and has received certification of recyclability and compatibility from RecyClass and Interseroh, both leading industrial organizations working to achieve plastics circularity. As well as being recyclable, the film offers an overall weight reduction of over 25% in density compared to PVC. Both features are a key part of Berry’s sustainability goals and BMore Together initiative and support the aims of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment, to which Berry is a signatory. For more information visit https://www.berryglobal.com/en/

Europe’s packaging one-stop shop, H-Pack Packaging is celebrating the success currently being enjoyed by its new brand, Hot ‘n’ Fresh since its launch last month.

The new Hot ‘n’ Fresh logos are in green, red, and blue: Green covers all eco-friendly materials from paper to wood and bagasse; the red label is foils, and the blue represents plastics. Head of merchant sales for H-Pack, David Martin created the slick Hot ‘n’ Fresh brand and is delighted with the response so far: “We knew that the new branding needed to be simple and eye-catching to be effective and we believed that we’d met the brief and had pleased the Hotpack family. However, the external response has exceeded expectation and we’re looking forward to building on sales going into 2024.” Hotpack is recognised across the world stage as a brand that holds market leading status as a manufacturer and distributor of food packaging materials and solutions. H-Pack benefits from its role as part of the Hotpack family and has a made a name for itself in Europe as a supplier of premium quality products within a tightly competitive price structure. Hot ‘n’ Fresh will be a brand trading under H-Pack from its site on the outskirts of Wrexham. For further information and for details on the products H-Pack manufactures and supplies, visit https://h-packglobal.com/ or call +44(0) 1978 855595.

Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Elevates Aquaculture Practices with Nuvonic UV Technology Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima), a renowned food science research institute in Norway, partnered with Øwre-Johnsen, a leading supplier of water quality solutions, to integrate Nuvonic UV solutions into its water treatment system, placing the UV units on pipelines supplying seawater to crucial departments.

Using medium-pressure UVC lamps, Nuvonic’s UV systems are compact and energy-efficient. They can be customized to target specific microorganisms and precise dosages. The integration ensures optimal water treatment, aligning with Norway’s regulations mandating effective disinfection for seawater intake.

findings validate the reliability, efficiency, and biosecurity improvements offered by Nuvonic’s UV water treatment systems, setting a new standard for aquaculture businesses worldwide.

NIVA conducted an NVI (Norwegian Veterinary Institute) test to validate the efficacy of Nuvonic’s UV technology in water treatment at Nofima. The test focused on documenting and approving the system’s efficiency, with a specific emphasis on inactivating vibrio bacteria. The conclusive

Said Per Brunsvik, Research Station Manager at Nofima, “Nofima sees UV technology as standard equipment within the aquaculture sector. Such technologies can provide better control of the production process, making it possible to reduce problems related to pathogens.”

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Product News

New Innovations

Douglas Laing reveals new Chinese New Year bottlings for 2024’s year of the dragon Independent Scotch Whisky distillers, blenders, and bottlers, Douglas Laing & Co reveal new Limited Releases today from their Island Malt Rock Island and their Exceptional Single Cask range. In commemoration of the Chinese Year of the Dragon, namely the Wood Dragon in 2024, a Cask Strength edition of Rock Island, finished in fiercely charred ‘Crocodile Casks’ is announced. The original Rock Island Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts distilled only on Scotland’s Whisky islands. The resulting spirit boasts a complex balance of maritime flavours, with waves of sweet, salty, smoky, and earthy notes and accordingly has been decorated with several high-profile industry awards over the years, including double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Packaged in a unique crocodile skin premium tube, with artwork from renowned Asian designer and tattoo-artist, Milkabean.

RRP: £55.00 / 65.00 EUR Tasting Notes: Nose - Experience ashy bonfire embers, grilled pineapple and soft peat smoke on the nose. Palate - Anticipate waves of sea-salt, caramelised sugar and BBQ’d banana. Finish - The finish has remnants of smoke with brown sugar, coconut and salted caramel. ABOUT ROCK ISLAND Instagram: @rockisland_whisky | Facebook: /dlrockisland

The plot chickens! Celebrate new Chicken Run film with Plant-Based Nuggets

Raise & replenish targets national expansion with Holland & Barrett listing

The plot chickens! Popular vegan brand partners with Aardman to unveil new plant-based nuggets to celebrate Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Raise & Replenish, the brand behind the vegan, caffeine-free superfood latte blends, has secured its first commercial listing with the UK’s leading health and wellness retailer, Holland & Barrett, only nine months after launching - just in time to help support its customers with their January reset.

International vegan food brand, The Fry Family Food Co., has announced an ‘egg-citing’ collaboration with BAFTA and Academy Award®-winning animation studio Aardman to mark the Netflix release of the hotly anticipated feature film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. As part of the partnership, Fry’s will be launching new and improved Plant-Based Nuggets into a number of leading supermarkets, with packaging featuring characters from the popular film franchise, with the message: “Choose plants – No Fowl Play!” The new nuggets will provide film fans with the perfect plant-based snack to enjoy while watching Ginger, Rocky and Molly take to the screen in the latest action-packed instalment of the animated feature film. The crispy golden nuggets are 100% vegan and made from a mix of soy, wheat and pea protein. Ideal for busy families looking for child-friendly meat-free options, the PlantBased Nuggets are great for snacking or for after school teatimes. Ready from frozen in just 10-12 minutes when cooked in the oven, or 8-9 minutes in the air fryer, the crispy breaded nuggets are a quick, tasty option for mealtimes or the ideal accompaniment to a movie night. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will feature family-favourite characters Ginger and Rocky, joined by new daughter Molly, as they embark on an exciting adventure to safeguard their freedom. The film is avialble on Netflix and is sure to be a hit with fans of the original feature looking for a hit of nostalgia, along with those meeting the flock for the first time. The limitededition Fry’s products will be available to purchase in stores and online at Tesco, Iceland and The Food Warehouse from January. For more information visit fryfamilyfood.com/uk

It forms part of Raise & Replenish’s growth strategy moving into 2024 to increase the availability of its product nationwide. After initially launching through its website, the brand hosted a successful concession in Harvey Nichols Manchester this November, which naturally led to the highest number of sales to date. Now, consumers will be able to purchase Raise & Replenish online and in 100 Holland & Barrett stores across the UK. Raise & Replenish was founded by Sarah Emblow and Kaya Jones after they found they were struggling to run their busy lives without copious amounts of coffee. As a result, they decided to launch a healthy, caffeine-free alternative that would help with fatigue. Their blends are developed to help you up your goodness game & support your body and mind in one sip - without the coffee jitters. Raise & Replenish blends contain a variety of key natural supplements including Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane, Haskap Berries and Matcha that help to accelerate muscle recovery, alleviate anxiousness, improve the strength of hair, skin and nails and give a boost of energy when needed. Raise & Replenish will launch into Holland & Barrett with five SKU’s, displaying its range of superfood blends. This latest listing will mean that Raise & Replenish will be stocked in 100 stores across the UK. Raise & Replenish is available to purchase online and from participating Holland & Barrett stores. For more information visit raiseandreplenish.com

ALL NEWS IS GOOD NEWS! If you would like to see your Newsworthy articles, regarding the Food & Drink Industry, published in the next issue of ‘Food & Drink Network UK’ email: graphics@waltonspublications.com foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 03

Product News

New Innovations

New Cheestrings Twin Pack adds healthier option to meal deals Strings & Things, has now released Cheestrings Twin Pack (RRP £1.25, 2 x 20g), to add a healthier option in meal deals in Asda and OneStop now! This innovation comes from insight that consumers are looking for more nutritional lunch options in the food-to-go category. Strings & Things Cheestrings is a natural source of calcium for healthy bones, and recently vitamins B6 and B12 were added to the recipe, in addition to vitamin D for immune support. Liz McTurk, Brand Manager at Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods, comments “the food-to-go fixture is an area where consumers are increasingly choosing healthier snack options, which is why Strings & Things is launching Cheestrings Twin Pack (RRP £1.25, 2 x 20g) as part of the Meal Deal promotion in Asda and OneStop.

For more information visit www.stringsandthings.com

Start the New Year with a POP!

Un-bee-lievable – world’s first vegan honey to launch in the UK One of Europe’s largest organic food producers has announced the launch of a revolutionary plant-based honey in the UK. Better Foodie, working in partnership with California-based start-up MeliBio, will be rolling out the award-winning ‘Vegan H*ney’ across approximately 200 retailers in the UK just in time for Veganuary. Identical to honey on a molecular level, Vegan H*ney does not include any animal products or byproducts, and is created using a proprietary plant extract blend, emulating the wildflowers required for real bees to create honey. Unlike other plant-based alternatives to honey, Vegan H*ney doesn’t include additional fruit syrups, cane sugar or preservatives, and has the exact same mouthfeel as honey – making it the ideal addition to porridge bowls or desserts. Multiple studies have shown that the industrial production of honey, as well as the intensive importation of honeybees required as part of the process, can be detrimental to the ecosystem by threatening other populations of wild pollinators, such as wild bees[1]. Offering a sustainable plant-based alternative produced in an environmentally friendly way, Better Foodie argues, could help preserve biodiversity. Vegan H*Ney will be available in approximately 200 independent stores nationwide from November. To find out more about Vegan H*ney, visit narayanfood.com/ products/plant-based-products/ For more information about Better Foodie, visit narayanfood.com/

WPL

Not only are dairy snacks like these a healthier snacking alternative to other Meal Deal snacks, Cheestrings is also high in protein which is important for adults looking for a snack to provide fuel and satisfy their hunger.”

Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites. £3.50. Purchase here Smooth and rich with a satisfying crunch, each popcorn kernel is air-popped (not fried!), before being hand-coated in our unique rich salted caramel sauce by a small team of pastry chefs in our London Kitchens and then sumptuously placed in a delicious, silky milk chocolate cup. Chocolate Orange Popcorn Bites £3.50. Introducing the newest addition to our bestselling range of popcorn bites -Chocolate Orange! A zesty infusion of chocolate orange popcorn pieces nestled within a decadent milk chocolate cup. The perfect indulgence for upcoming festivities! Salted Caramel Popcorn. £4.00. Purchase here Air-popped popcorn coated by hand in our smooth buttery caramel and British Sea Salt flakes. Always a favourite, our Salted Caramel is our most popular flavour and the proud winner of a 2 Gold Star Great Taste Award! Vegan Range - Vegan Salted Caramel popcorn. £4.00. Presenting Joe’s award-winning Vegan Salted Caramel Popcorn, recipient of a Great Taste Award 2020. Enjoy Joe’s satisfyingly crunchy, air popped treat that’s both Vegan and glutenfree. Each piece is a marvellous combination of sweet and salty; and has been lovingly hand-crafted in our London kitchens. Vegan Coconut & Cacao popcorn. £4. Winner of a Great Taste Award 2020. Relish this exotic coconut crunch with a delightfully rich finish. Air-popped popcorn coated in our smooth, vegan caramel coconut and pinch of cacao. For more information www.joeandsephs.co.uk

DESIGN. PRODUCE. THRIVE.

DESIGNING SUCCESS, PRINTING EXCELLENCE! Waltons Publications are a design and print company, and a producer of quality publications. We have been successfully promoting and featuring companies in the local area and nationally for 70 years. Let’s chat about how our tailored services can fuel your success: graphics@waltonspublications.com | Tel: 01472 359036 www.waltonspublications.com issuu.com/waltons.publications/stacks

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Introducing the

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Harford End-to-End MIS/MES

Our updated MIS/MES system is even better than our previous version. The update includes a number of extra modules i.e. laboratory quality; energy tracking; raw materials and labour monitoring, all designed to further minimise production risk and wastage, together with increased production effectiveness, whilst maintaining the highest level of quality consistency for food and beverage, pharma, cosmetics, chemicals and household consumer goods manufacturers.

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New Features to Optimise Performance Compliance, quality, efficiency and yield are comprehensively improved through the excellence of the Harford MIS/MES solution.

New Year, New Opportunities.

All it takes is a fresh perspective to uncover growth opportunities within your production process. If you're ready to explore these possibilities, please contact us with your enquiries at info@harfordcontrol.com or give us a call on +44 (0)1225 764461.

Specialist View

Navigate Challenges and Maximise Opportunities for Manufacturers in 2024 An article By Roy Green, Harford Control Ltd. January 2024

Every New Year brings fresh opportunities to businesses. Many factories are establishing targets for the upcoming year, aiming to reduce wastage and improve productivity, leading to increased bottom-line profits. The Food and Drink Federation reports that 41% of food and drink manufacturers are committed to growth and plan to increase their investments over the next year.

espite these new opportunities, challenges cannot be overlooked. In 2024, manufacturers are expected to face economic uncertainty, ongoing labour shortages, and supply chain disruptions. Particularly in the UK, labour shortages could become a significant challenge. With changes to immigration policy, the minimum salary for skilled worker visas rises to £38.7K, making it even more challenging for factories to hire workers in the new year. What’s more, manufacturers’ total production costs have increased by 14.2% in the year to September 2023 (FDF report). The industry would continue to absorb the rising input costs from the full impact of inflation in 2024, but they can’t. Many audited accounts at Companies House show pretax profits of little more than 1% of turnover. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston S. Churchill. While we can’t control what

06 | foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk

happens next in the wider environment, we can focus inward to improve ourselves and adapt to new challenges. We recognise four areas that could have a meaningful impact on the performance improvement journey: compliance, quality, efficiency and yield.

COMPLIANCE: ensure accurate labelling Inaccurate labelling causes a significant number of batch rejects and product recalls in the production process.

A recent study revealed that allergens were responsible for a large number of food recalls in the United Kingdom over a five-year period, raising concerns for individuals with severe food allergies and potential damage to brand reputation. We assisted a fresh vegetable packer in the elimination of labelling issues, ensuring full compliance with retailers’ label verification requirements, through the use of Harford’s Inline Inspection and autocoding solutions. The system ensures that only correct origin information for various products is printed onto the appropriate retail packaging. Tray label printers print the required number of labels per run—automatically configure with the correct information—directly on the line, rendering the print room obsolete. “Wherever labels are generated in a print room for subsequent application, you have a potential recall” said one Engineering Manager.

Harford Control Ltd. Compliance issues are often very difficult to identify and rectify within a paperbased recording system. Delays and inaccuracies are inevitable.

Quality: remove paperwork and improve traceability Paper recording served manufacturers well for decades but is now holding them back. Without actionable, real-time information, businesses find it difficult to ensure ‘Right First Time,’ thereby leading to many wastages. In the New Year, we anticipate that many more factories will transition from paper recording to digital transformation to improve raw materials and labour traceability, leading to reduced costs, fewer batch rejections and increased customer satisfaction. For example, we installed the Harford Paperless System at a market leader in glass container design, manufacturing, contract bottling of wines and beers. The introduction of HMIs on the production line, along with computer tablets to collect data from other parts of each line, together with roving quality audits, has virtually eliminated paperwork from the factory floor and improved quality consistency. The management team now benefit from real-time information on their desktops, tablets, and smart phones, providing them with instant snapshots of current production status with immediate access to improvement options, further increasing and sustaining improvements. “With the quality and compliance issues sorted, we can now start looking at production efficiency” said their CI Manager.

Efficiency: Avoid OEE-only Approach and Improve Overall Effectiveness Some companies tell us that they are installing an OEE system to improve efficiency, but often say that they are not including quality or compliance, as their priority is to increase efficiency. We find this efficiency-only approach bewildering, as it poses the question ‘why make products faster and faster, if the quality cannot be relied upon?’

Yield: Optimise Volume Control and Energy Usage When discussing the minimisation of manufacturing costs, reducing overall wastage is vital. Wastage is everywhere throughout food manufacturing operations, from goods-in to dispatch. Some obvious examples include overfilling and energy wastage.

Overfilling/giveaway potentially adds £millions to production costs for high volume producers, and excessive energy usage significantly inflates operational expenses and unit production costs. That’s where Harford can help. Harford provides yield optimisation solutions which include weight control (fill optimisation), energy tracking, paperless quality, automated label verification, OEE, Short Interval Control and Vision, all within a single system solution, to reduce wastage and boost manufacturing yield.

Explore New Opportunities with A Fresh Perspective In the New Year, we look forward to helping more manufacturers eliminate risks, reduce wastage, and improve efficiency by turning accurate data into highly visible and actionable information. If you don’t know where to start, all it takes is a fresh perspective to uncover growth opportunities within each production process.

If you’re ready to explore these possibilities, please reach out to us at info@harfordcontrol.com or give us a call on +44 (0)1225 764461.

foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 07

Southgate Global

The Year Ahead: Trends and Predictions from Southgate Global From data optimisation and the continuous rise of AI, to the growing popularity of e-commerce and the increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, Southgate Global, a leader in the supply of packaging equipment, consumables and servicing in operational logistics and fulfilment, explores the various trends at play that will shape the success or downfall of businesses in the coming year.

Dan Brasier, CEO at Southgate Global, said: “In recent years, we have already seen a lot of businesses turning to digital processes and modern warehouse operating systems and this is only expected to grow. As the need for speed and accuracy ramps up, we will continue to see businesses focusing on data optimisation as it offers the ability to process vast amounts of data and make intelligent decisions in near real-time.”

While AI-operated tools that use data speed up the process, Brasier explained the importance of them working in coherence with innovative human tools, “Having advanced technology is great, but it only works to full potential if the original data is input correctly. Enabling the operatives to have every chance to input the right data from the get-go to get the most from the digital processes is key. That comes down to giving them the right tools to do their job more effectively.” “For example, our Mobile Powered Workstation (MPW) cuts out the need to take hastily written notes and then walk back to a fixed workstation to enter data. Not only does this impact productivity, it introduces the risk of data entry errors. Because the operatives do their data entry at the pick face, businesses can reduce the risk of human error with inaccurate data entries, while reducing walk time. That elimination of data errors means the power of the digital processes is far more likely to be fully realised.” Another major trend Brasier identified was the growing popularity of e-commerce and the need to meet modern consumer demands. UK e-commerce sales are expected to reach £160.6 billion in 2024 and will continue to grow at 4.1% year on year to 2026 resulting forecast sales of £194 billion by 2027[1]. Customers now want quick, convenient deliveries and in order for businesses to meet this, Brasier explained efficiency must be introduced at each stage of the process.

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Trends & Predictions

He said: “Consumer expectations have changed. For example, next-day delivery is an expectation now rather than an option, and this is only going to get more intense for the supply chain. To keep up, its vital businesses are reviewing their last mile process and bringing in technology and equipment to optimise efficiencies where they can.” The demand for e-commerce has meant the number of vans on the roads has grown substantially, yet most docking facilities aren’t configured to service them, as their bays are built for 40ft artics. Brasier explained that it is particularly important to have the right solutions in place for these manual areas of the supply chain, “It’s at these key points such as the loading bay which can have huge negative knock-on effects on the efficiency of the entire supply chain if this area is not working at full optimisation. “Our Dock Levelling Ramp, for example, allows organisations to rapidly expand the efficiency, flexibility and accessibility of their docks by moving goods right up and into their light trucks and vans directly from the warehouse as they do with their big artics. Implementing equipment such as this will make a huge difference in

speeding up their dispatch operations in the coming year when organisations need to maintain a competitive approach.” 2024 will also see the reduction of carbon emissions as a top priority for logistics businesses worldwide, said Brasier, “Everyone is looking to focus on creating strategies to lower the environmental impact of their facilities. In doing so they’ll need to learn more about their operational logistics and fulfilment providers and how they are dealing with their carbon emissions. Especially as they implement their own strategy for Scopes 3 and 4.” Southgate recently announced it attained carbon neutrality for Scopes 1 and 2 for the year 2022 (the current certification year), as part of its commitment to environmental responsibility. The organisation is also recognised as an Ecovadis silver-rated enterprise and is continually looking to introduce sustainable product innovations under its Pacplus packing consumables and Optimax packaging equipment brands such as its new low energy WAT tape dispenser. Brasier added: “Having ambitious targets in place to reduce carbon emissions is incredibly important. Everyone will need to be playing their part in committing to addressing a comprehensive range of emissions and contributing to a sustainable future, actions we are proud to be taking the lead on at Southgate.”

foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 09

Packaging Innovations & London Packaging Week

Why you’re missing out if you haven’t attended one of the packaging industry’s red letter days Whether you’ve visited Packaging Innovations & London Packaging Week or not, there’s a good reason our UK shows have an unrivalled reputation as the packaging sector’s north star! As organisers of Packaging Innovations and London Packaging Week, we get a good view of how the packaging industry evolves every year. If we had to sum up that evolution in one word, it would be “quick”. The industry is changing so quickly, in fact, many areas on our show floors are nearly unrecognisable compared to what they were just five years ago. Half of that is down to the talent and creativity in the packaging sector that constantly drives progress forward. And the other half? That would be down to constantly shifting regulations. What has been so brilliant about most of the packaging industry over the last few years is that it hasn’t simply sat back and complained about the new rules imposed on it – instead, it’s used regulation as inspiration for innovation. So, how can businesses operate within the confines of today’s laws while also investing and preparing for what might come into force tomorrow? As is the case with most things, those

who are best prepared will also be best placed to succeed. And that preparation starts with understanding. If you’ve never experienced one of our shows before, there’s no better time to jump in than 2024. The consistently glowing reports from last year’s shows make it clear that exhibitors engage in valuable networking with existing and new contacts, secure high-quality leads and consider our events a mustvisit to gain the latest updates from the industry. But if you’ve attended or exhibited in previous years, you’ll know why the show has that reputation. When you combine all the biggest names in the world of packaging and D2C brands under one roof, magic happens. Whether it’s a new material supplier, an innovative pack format, a new contact while networking or just a spark of inspiration ignited in a debate, everyone leaves Packaging

ARE YOU READY FOR

Hot ‘n’ Fresh? Bespoke food packaging has a brand new name…

Global food packaging brand, H-Pack has launched a new brand, ‘Hot ‘n’ Fresh’ to it’s UK market. Reﬂecting the slickness of the operation, supplying premium, quality food packaging products within a tightly competitive price structure, Hot ‘n’ Fresh is ready to tear up the market and set the bar high. Tying in a strong history of service and delivery with the promise of innovation, working with new materials and state-of-the-art machinery, Hot ‘n’ Fresh is for those in the catering and ‘to go’ markets who want a one-stop-shop that provides a complete range of packaging solutions, including the very best recyclable lines.

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Paper & Bagasse Range

Aluminium Range

Recyclable Plastic Range

Part of the H-Pack Group

For further information on Hot ‘n’ Fresh

Call: 01978 855 595 sales@h-packglobal.com www.h-packglobal.com

Exhibitions

Innovations in February or London Packaging Week in September with something they can use to grow their business. Exhibitor places continue to fill up quickly, with brands such as Aldi, Asda, Britvic, Boots, Cadburys, Costa Coffee, Diageo, DHL, Heinz, Holland & Barrett, Hovis, Iceland, KFC, M&S, Molson Coors, Nestle, Oh Polly, Sainsbury’s, Sky, Superdrug, TATA, Tesco, Unilever, and Waitrose regularly taking to the floors of the NEC in Birmingham and the ExCeL in London. The big-name brands turn out to explore the diverse array of suppliers offering a comprehensive range of packaging products and services, spanning from design to cutting-edge primary and secondary packaging, contract packing, e-commerce fulfilment, labelling and printing, and advanced packing and processing technology. But what else can visitors expect to see at Packaging Innovations or London Packaging Week? Well, they’re not just your typical tradeshows. In addition to the impressive showcase of exhibitors, there is an inspiring line-up of speakers across two days.

of packaging. Be part of this dynamic event and position your business at the forefront of the packaging community. Our UK events are where innovation meets collaboration, and the packaging industry comes alive. Packaging Innovations and London Packaging Week remain at the forefront of the packaging industry, offering an exciting platform for exhibitors and attendees alike. With its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and all things packaging, they remain the must-see events of the UK packaging industry. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of these dynamic events and spark your creativity throughout 2024 and beyond – you could leave with the inspiration for your next great packaging innovation.

Dates for your diary: Packaging Innovations & Empack 2024 – 21 & 22 February at NEC, Birmingham London Packaging Week 2024 – 11 & 12 September at ExCeL international exhibition and convention centre, London.

Not only that, but they offer a unique platform to connect, learn, and get inspired, whether you’re a packaging supplier, specifier, buyer, or designer. The event facilitates knowledge exchange, keeping you up-to-date with the latest packaging trends and technologies. So, mark your calendars and make sure you don’t miss out in 2024. It’s the ultimate opportunity to showcase your products, network with industry leaders, and discover the future

400+ exhibitors

7,000+ visitors

50+

expert speakers

94%

satisfaction

Simple & Perfect Pouch packing The horizontally operating form-fill-seal machine FME 50 enables a quick and easy entry into the world of flexible pouch packaging. If you mainly want to pack dry products, the FME 50 meets the highest demands with easy handling on a very small footprint and within an attractive budget. The FME 50 is unique thanks to its proven SN technology. The central pouch gripper adjustment on the rotary table and the optimized height adjustment of the folding wedge contribute to a reduction of format changeover times, saving both time and cost. This greatly simplifies operation. In addition, the new protective covering concept, including easy access to all relevant machine components, supports handling, cleaning and maintenance of the machine. The modern pouch packaging machine with integrated control cabinet is supplied as a complete system. This reduces the time for commissioning by our technician to a maximum of one day. Alternatively, SN offers commissioning via online support. With a pre-set format, the FME 50 can even be used immediately after installation and connection

at the production site, just “Plug & Play”. With this proven SN technology, most pouch types, such as stand-up pouches or four-side sealed pouches, are produced from the film reel and filled on the rotary table. The insertion of resealing systems (zipper) is also possible with the SN entry-level model. Of course, the FME 50 processes a wide range of recyclable films and this at a surprisingly low energy consumption. Despite its small size, the FME 50 offers a high degree of ﬂexibility for product packaging from a wide range of industries. And this with up to 100 cycles per minute – depending on the product and the pouch size.” For more information on high performing pouch machine systems contact Penn Packaging on 01473 893990 or email@penn-packaging.co.uk

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PPMA Rebrand to Automate UK

L-R Peter Williamson speaking Aasmah Mir sitting

PPMA re-brand puts automation at the heart of UK manufacturing

The PPMA (Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) Group of Associations has re-branded and has changed its name to Automate UK to better represent the needs of its membership and their end user customers in the ever-changing manufacturing landscape. The forward-looking move was announced at the trade associations annual chairman’s lunch in London on 1 December and follows the publication of a Manifesto for Automation earlier in the year. This Manifesto set out the organisation’s goals and commitment to be the facilitators for change to make UK PLC more productive. It also set out the central role that automation has to play in the UK manufacturing sectors continuing success. The PPMA was founded in 1987 and was joined by BARA (British Automation and Robot Association) and UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA) in 2009 which broadened the range of automation equipment and services represented. As the association matures, the leadership team feels that the time is right for the overall offer to members, and their customers, to benefit from a widening of its

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already extensive range of services. As the leading trade association for automation suppliers and end users of technology across processing, packaging, robotics and machine vision, it believes it can make great strides in this crucial area of the UK economy. The three very successful associations – the PPMA, BARA and UKIVA – will continue to operate, but going forward they will come under the Automate UK umbrella. “This is way more than just a name change,” says Automate UK’s CEO Peter Williamson. “It is a fundamental shift in how our three trade associations can impact the manufacturing arena in a positive and meaningful way. “By driving industry progress, supporting growth of our members and helping users make more informed technology decisions, we are the

Exhibitions go-to partner to help members and their clients thrive,” he continues. “And also increase productivity through investments in automation, in the increasingly competitive marketplace.” The main purpose of the modernised trade body is to:

New for the organisation is the aim to become a recognised lobbying organisation to put forward key industry issues to government and to represent its members best interests. “There is a clear role for government to play in the drive to a more automated manufacturing sector in the UK,” says Williamson. “We estimate that our members represent a £7 bn turnover, which is why our sector should be heard in this critical area.”

• Drive the progress and adoption of automation technologies • Identify future talent and help upskill existing employees to The trade body wants an industrial strategy that has automation at minimise impact of skills and labour shortages its heart; it wants a government backed scheme • Support the growth of its member to support finance for automation and it wants a companies tax system to provide incentives for companies • Help the members and end users to make This is way more than just investing in automation. It also believes that the better technology decisions apprenticeship levy should be reviewed, STEM a name change, it is a should be promoted more in schools and also “We plan to take an active part in tackling the fundamental shift in how wants more support for exporters. issues facing all manufacturers today, such our three trade associations as the workforce challenge including skills can impact the manufacturing “We want a call to action on automation, and shortages and recruitment difficulties. We will along with our members and their customers, arena in a positive and also aim to empower SMEs through clear the Government has a key role to play in this,” scaling up strategies and we want to bust the meaningful way. says Williamson. “As an organisation, we are misconception that robots take jobs,” said Automate UK’s committed to making Automate UK do exactly Williamson. what it says on the tin.” CEO Peter Williamson. Automate UK will be offering a raft of Automate UK’s chairman James Causebrook practical support across the pinch points in believes that the re-branded trade body will succeed because of the manufacturing including grants to help reduce the skills shortages, PPMA, BARA and UKIVA legacy that has been built up over many promoting career progression through its charitable organisation years. PPMA BEST, along with technical support and expertise. Key to this technical support is the current recruitment of a chief technical officer “We have years of experience and industry know how that provides who will lead the discussion on opportunities, challenges, regulations, the credibility in everything we do,” he says. “Knowledge and technical skills and more. expertise are our key traits which gives us access to, and influence in the right circles,” he continues. “This is why I believe our focus on pushing The association will continue with its successful range of training, the industry forward will reward our members, and their customers in both in-house and on-line, with its export support, its respected equal measure.” magazine for end users Machinery Update, and the organisation and development of its world class exhibitions – the PPMA Show, Machine For more information please visit automate-uk.com Vision Conference and Automation UK. Below – James Causebrook speaking at the AutomateUK launch

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Multimodal 2024

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR Hot on the heels of the success of Multimodal 2023, the 2024 Expo is gearing up to continue putting shippers, retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, and exporters in front of exhibitors who offer the latest logistics and supply chain solutions; bringing together the supply chain and logistics community under one roof. Shippers and cargo owners at the free-to-attend show improve their businesses by finding ways of moving their products more sustainably, efficiently and more cost effectively. The free visitor registration for Multimodal 2024 is now open at https://www.multimodal.org.uk The three-day show between 11-13 June 2024 at the Birmingham NEC, will offer a unique opportunity to make valuable face-toface contact with new prospects and existing companies.

The evening will be hosted by Kevin Keegan, an incredible host who brings enormous professionalism and fantastic humour.

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The event in 2023 was the most successful to date, with a sell-out exhibition, record visitor numbers and the most ever entries to its

Exhibitions

The three-day show between 11-13 June 2024 at the Birmingham NEC, will offer a unique opportunity to make valuable face-to-face contact with new prospects and existing companies. prestigious Awards. Over the three days of the show, 320 exhibitors showcased their products and services to 12,267 visitors – an increase of 25% on the previous year. In addition, the coveted awards ceremony received over 250 entries, beating previous figures.

Road Haulage Association to deliver content and insight in the conferences.

The Multimodal exhibition will include hundreds of companies showcasing the latest innovations in supply chains, including DP World, Port of Tyne, Malcolm Logistics, Maritime Transport, Freightliner, Bristol Port, CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Company, and ONE.

A special highlight of the three days is the Multimodal Awards, which recognise outstanding industry-leading supply chain businesses and individuals. With seats for the awards always selling out, attendees are now being urged to secure their place for the 11 June evening ceremony as soon as possible.

A main attraction at Multimodal is the free to attend conference sessions - hugely relevant to the whole multimodal community. In 2024 the sessions will focus on new regulations, collaborations, essential tools and guidelines, practical and innovative sustainable practices, and deep delve into wider topical industry issues. New for 2024 will be a spotlight around refrigerated transport of goods at new temperature regulations for transporting foods, and focussing on the sustainability for all those involved, notably the goal of reducing emissions.

The 2024 Awards include some new judged Awards to continue the development and evolution of the event. The evening will be hosted by Kevin Keegan, an incredible host who brings enormous professionalism and fantastic humour. Places at the Awards can be booked at https://www.multimodal.org.uk/awards.

The conference programme is compiled in conjunction with the industry’s leading trade associations ensuring topics of importance to each genre are at the core of the discussions including Logistics UK, the Cold Chain Federation, the Rail Freight Group, The Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics, the British International Freight Association, Institute of Export and International Trade, the United Kingdom Warehousing Association, and the

Look out for the conference programme being announced early in 2024.

Another networking event is the Multimodal Mixer, open to all visitors and exhibitors, hosted by DP World on their stand in the Hall on 12 June from 5pm, giving everyone a chance to mingle in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. To find out more about attending, entering the awards, exhibiting, or sponsoring, visit https://www.multimodal.org.uk, or contact Robert Jervis, Director on +44 (0) 20 7384 7760 or robert.jervis@ clarionevents.com

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Exhibitions

Intralogistex 2024

LOCUS ROBOTICS’ TO SHOWCASE INNOVATIVE AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs) FOR WAREHOUSES AT INTRALOGISTEX 2024

Leader in warehouse robotics will feature high-performance, worker-friendly Locus Vector and Origin AMRs at premiere UK tradeshow 19th and 20th March 2024 at NEC Birmingham.

Locus Robotics, the industry leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for use in warehouses and distribution centres, will showcase its innovative Locus Origin and Locus Vector at IntraLogisteX – the UK’s largest two-day warehousing and intralogistics exhibition. The collaborative robots will be fully operational and provide live demonstrations of their flexibility, high productivity, ease-of-use, and worker safety in a live, simulated warehouse environment. Martin Donohoe, regional marketing manager at Locus Robotics said: “IntraLogisteX 2024 will be the public’s first opportunity to see how two highly flexible form factors work together to optimize order fulfilment speed and efficiency.” Donohoe added, “Visitors will be able to experience, first-hand, their powerful capability in terms for optimizing order picking rates and put away, while emphasising our robots’ safety and ease of use for the worker. It’s an exciting, hands-on experience and one we’re looking forward to sharing at IntraLogisteX this year.” Locus robots are already deployed at commercial sites throughout the UK and in 300 sites across the world. LocusBots enable warehouse staff to work easier, faster and with unprecedented accuracy. The multi-bot picking solutions eliminate unproductive walking time, lifting, and pushing heavy carts to improve the overall quality of the workplace. This has additional impact on helping improve staff recruitment and retention rates by facilitating a safer, less stressful working environment. In terms of each bot’s function, Locus Origin is an intelligent autonomous mobile robot (AMR) designed specifically for collaborative, high volume order fulfilment. By eliminating unproductive walking time and ensuring near-100% order 16 | foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk

accuracy, Locus Origin doubles fulfilment productivity and efficiency. Locus Vector is the highly flexible, autonomous material handling and logistics robot that delivers a high payload capacity of up to 272 kg (600 lbs.) that is ideal for case-picking, shelf-rack moving, discrete order picking and point-to-point material handling, Locus Vector can transport just about any warehouse item safely, efficiently and to the operator’s precise requirements. Developing warehouse automaton that works collaboratively with employees is key to Locus Robotics’ business model, allowing employers to meet the challenges of an increasing product inventory, volume and fulfilment speeds. Donohoe added, “There are very few shows like IntraLogistex in the UK,” he said. “It’s the ideal show for us to highlight our solutions to people that are looking to overcome the everyday challenges associated with growing fulfilment volumes, costcontainment, and efficient warehouse productivity.” Locus Robotics will be exhibiting at Stand 600 IntraLogisteX 2024. To discover how its automaton solutions can increase your workplace productivity, visit: locusrobotics.com.

IntraLogisteX 2024 takes place on March 19th and 20th at NEC Birmingham. For more information or to register your interest in attending, visit: https://www.intralogistex.co.uk/

Brau Beviale 2024

Exhibitions

The place to be for the beverage industry’s expert community in Europe It has been held annually at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg since 1979, except in the drinktec years.

from 138 countries – the focus is clearly on Europe with around 85% of visitors.

For three days, BrauBeviale offers the European beverage industry community a central platform for professional and personal dialogue, showcases innovations and provides impetus. The trade fair covers the entire process chain of beverage production – from raw materials, technologies and components to packaging, accessories and marketing ideas.

However, it is much more than just a meeting place for business partners. In keeping with the motto: “We unite variety”, friends, colleagues and former fellow students meet here every year to exchange ideas, network and do business in a familiar and creative atmosphere. Tradition and many years of experience meet inspiration and the latest trends. The content of the supporting programme focuses on current topics in Europe.

BrauBeviale is the platform for small and medium-sized companies and start-ups in the beverage industry. The exhibitors offer products and solutions along the entire process chain for the production of beer, water, soft drinks, fruit juice, wine, sparkling wine and spirits. BrauBeviale attracts visitors from the entire beverage industry

The Association of Private Breweries in Bavaria (Verband der Privaten Brauereien Bayern e.V.) supports BrauBeviale with its professional expertise as a conceptual sponsor, creative partner and with its flagship, the European Beer Star.

BrauBeviale in Nuremberg is one of the leading trade fairs for thefoodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk global | 17 beverage industry. Its focus lies on the European market.

Exhibitions

Automation UK, Machine Vision Conference and PPMA 2024

Three tremendous trade shows for your 2024 calendar:

Automation UK, Machine Vision Conference and PPMA Show 2024 Automate UK is the UK’s leading trade association for automation suppliers and end users of technology across processing, packaging, robotics and machine vision. It is also the driving force behind three prestigious annual exhibitions: Automation UK, Machine Vision Conference and PPMA Show 2024.

Automate UK supports the UK manufacturing industry by putting automation at the heart of it, representing over 580 members, and comprising of three associations: PPMA (Processing and Packaging Machinery Association), BARA (British Automation & Robot Association) and UKIVA (UK Industrial Vision Association). The three shows provide fantastic networking opportunities with buyers and industry experts, raising your company profile, selling your products and services, and expanding your knowledge at seminars. https://www.automate-uk.com/

Automation UK The inaugural Automation UK show in June 2023 was a huge success and provided an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations in automation and robotics to a wide range of visitors. The show will take place again on 18-19 June at the CBS Arena in Coventry. This year BARA, the show organisers, have doubled the exhibition space for the 2024 show; providing a fantastic platform for visitors to see the latest industrial solutions such as robots, systems integration, automation control parts and systems. Visitors can also discuss their requirements with exhibitors face-to-face and hear seminar presentations from leading experts. https://www.automation-uk.co.uk/

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Machine Vision Conference MVC is the UK’s leading machine vision and technology event, hosting a broad range of cutting-edge products and services and expert seminar sessions. For seven years, MVC events have been abuzz with the latest industrial vision, imaging technologies and innovations, making it a fantastic visitor experience.

new processes and technologies designed to provide businesses with a much-desired competitive edge.

MVC is organised by UKIVA and is co-located alongside Automation UK on 18-19 June 2024 at the CBS Arena in Coventry.

Visitors will have a fantastic opportunity to experience live demonstrations and talk to leading companies showcasing their latest state-of-the-art innovative solutions.

The show promotes the use of image processing technology throughout UK industry, helping visitors to learn about impressive

The outstanding seminar programme is one of the highlights of MVC with leading industry experts presenting on topics such as camera technology, optics, illumination, 3D vision and vision in robotics.

https://www.machinevisionconference.co.uk/

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Exhibitions

Automation UK, Machine Vision Conference and PPMA 2024

The show provides an invaluable opportunity for visitors to see the latest products and technologies from an impressive lineup of over 300 exhibitors and 1,500 brands represented. The fantastic networking opportunities provide visitors with a huge choice of impressive exhibitors to talk to face-to-face and the perfect chance for them to learn about the latest technology and solutions available to them.

PPMA Show 2024

The UK’s leading processing and packaging machinery exhibition, PPMA Show, will take place on 24-26 September at the NEC Birmingham. This vibrant event showcases the latest in processing and packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision systems, attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors from all over the world.

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The PPMA Show is the perfect place for all to prosper from valuable business connections, expand professional networks, develop and reinforce relationships and find new business contacts. The new Smart Show add-on allows visitors to scan the QR code on exhibitors stands, giving visitors access to further information about exhibitors and vice versa. The show also features a captivating seminar programme headed by leading industry experts, providing visitors with an opportunity to learn from their wealth of industry expertise and knowledge, but also to find out about current industry trends. ppmashow.co.uk

Leaders in Logistics Summit

Exhibitions

Leaders in Logistics Summit is the event that brings together the global e-commerce, parcel delivery and postal ecosystem. Through unique insights, exclusive case studies, and innovation showcases, this event is where senior leaders from carriers, postal operators, 3PLs and retailers meet to collaborate, identify efficiencies and shape the future of the industry. This coming March in Barcelona, over 700 leaders and pioneers from across the global e-commerce, parcel delivery and postal ecosystem will come together to shape the future of delivery. Hear from 100+ speakers this March including: Lisa Lisson, Senior Vice President, Network Operations, FedEx Express Rafael Gutierrez de Mesa, Managing Director, GXO Iberia, GXO Logistics Thiemo van Spellen, Global Accounts Managing Director, GeoPost Beatrice Manso, Global D2C Supply Chain Lead, Mars Petcare Marina Lussich, Principal Program Manager, European Operations Sustainability, Amazon Charles Brewer, Group Chief Executive Officer, Pos Malaysia David Saenz, Chief Growth Officer, EVRI Richard Lim, Chief Executive, Retail Economics Jack Green, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bodo David McRedmond, Chief Executive Officer, An Post Seb Robert, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Gophr Paul Janacek, Vice President, Head of Group Fleet, Austrian Post Andrew Seirlis, Vice President, Global Vertical Lead, Consumer Retail & Fashion, DSV Andreas Thöni, Executive Vice President, Digital and Innovation, Austrian Post

This year, Leaders in Logistics Summit is bigger and better than ever with unmissable streams focused on the hottest topics in logistics: The e-commerce logistics landscape Discover how online behaviour and customer expectations are changing and how to address the trilemma of cost, sustainability and convenience. The future of out-of-home delivery With speakers from Evri, DPD, Delipop, CACI & Post Italiane – refresh your OOH strategy – from mobile apps to lockers. Digitising the supply chain Address the challenges of visibility, connectivity and adaptivity with DSV and IKEA Cross-border e-commerce La Poste, Ukrposhta and An Post weigh-in on streamlining the complexities of tax, customers and operations. Transforming fulfilment Explore warehouse automation, reverse logistics efficiency, robotics and more with experts from Alaiko, Swarovski and Boohoo. Sustainable logistics Transforming delivery sustainability: from concept to reality – join speakers from Amazon, Barcelona City Council, Geopost, An Post, Stuart and Salsa Jeans to learn more. Plus, join us on 11 March for an evening of innovation! Mingle with peers and enjoy drinks as you hear from CXOs of 6 up-and-coming logistics and solution providers. Discover insight from Venture Capital experts from DB Schenker and Beam, and vote for your winner of the 2024 Leaders in Logistics Start-up Award. Carry on those all-important conversations at The Official Leaders in Logistics After Party, taking place quay-side overlooking the port of Marina Vela

Secure your place before Friday 26 January to save up to €350 on your ticket! > http://tinyurl.com/4ps97z8w foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 21

Cross &&Morse Morse Cross& Morse Cross

CORROSION CORROSION RESISTANT RESISTANT SOLUTIONS FROM SOLUTIONS FROM

InInan an environment ofofincreased increased operational requirements and tough anenvironment environmentof increasedoperational operationalrequirements requirementsand andtough tough In regulatory guidelines, today’s bearings and power transmission products regulatory guidelines, today’s bearings and power transmission products regulatory guidelines, today’s bearings and power transmission products are exposed to a host of demanding conditions. Such conditions may are exposed to a host of demanding conditions. Such conditions may are exposed to a host of demanding conditions. Such conditions may include corrosive cleaning agents, high pressure washdown and a wide include corrosive cleaning agents, high pressure washdown and a wide include corrosive cleaning agents, high pressure washdown and a wide array of environmental factors that can negatively impact performance. array of environmental factors that can negatively impact performance. array of environmental factors that can negatively impact performance. Overall, balance ofofmaterial material strength, corrosion resistance, sealing Overall,aaabalance balanceof materialstrength, strength,corrosion corrosionresistance, resistance,sealing sealing Overall, and lubrication are required for all products used where hygiene isisof ofof and lubrication are required for all products used where hygiene and lubrication are required for all products used where hygiene is paramount importance. paramount importance. paramount importance. Due totothe the pandemic we’ve seen increased attention totocleanliness, cleanliness, Dueto thepandemic pandemicwe’ve we’veseen seenincreased increasedattention attentionto cleanliness, Due washdown procedures and prevention of foreign contaminants washdown procedures and prevention of foreign contaminants washdown procedures and prevention of foreign contaminants from getting into the manufacturing process within fish, food and fromgetting gettinginto intothe themanufacturing manufacturingprocess processwithin withinfish, fish,food foodand and from beverage processing companies. Recently there has been concern beverage processing companies. Recently there has been concern beverage processing companies. Recently there has been concern over rise inincontamination contamination ininmeat meat processing and fruits and overaa arise risein contaminationin meatprocessing processingand andfruits fruitsand and over vegetables; which has changed procedures ininfood food manufacturing vegetables;which whichhas haschanged changedprocedures proceduresin foodmanufacturing manufacturing vegetables; across the board. acrossthe theboard. board. across

24 foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk 24|| foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk 22

The result that processors have become more aggressive with Theresult resultisisisthat thatprocessors processorshave havebecome becomemore moreaggressive aggressivewith with The cleaning. Even though cleaner equipment means a lower risk ofof cleaning. Even though cleaner equipment means a lower risk cleaning. Even though cleaner equipment means a lower risk of contamination, older equipment just isn’t built totohandle handle this aggressive contamination,older olderequipment equipmentjust justisn’t isn’tbuilt builtto handlethis thisaggressive aggressive contamination, cleaning. AsAsyour your facility continues totofollow follow government guidelines; cleaning.As yourfacility facilitycontinues continuesto followgovernment governmentguidelines; guidelines; cleaning. using components made from corrosion resistant materials will help usingcomponents componentsmade madefrom fromcorrosion corrosionresistant resistantmaterials materialswill willhelp help using extend the life ofofthe the product and cut down on nuisance maintenance, extendthe thelife lifeof theproduct productand andcut cutdown downon onnuisance nuisancemaintenance, maintenance, extend even when using some ofofthe the newer, harsher cleaning chemicals. evenwhen whenusing usingsome someof thenewer, newer,harsher harshercleaning cleaningchemicals. chemicals. even

Corrosion Resistant Components For further information please contact Cross+Morse Telephone: +44 (0) 121 360 0155 Facsimile: +44 (0) 121 325 1079 Email: sales@crossmorse.com or visit www.crossmorse.com

Stainless steel tends to hold up the best, allowing for more pressure, more soap and a little faster cleaning time. Alternative surface treatments such as nickel plating and Aquaproof are also available. There is tremendous benefit to selecting products that support a reduced maintenance schedule. For example, corrosion resistant high performance bearings can prevent contaminants such as water and dirt from entering the bearing. New equipment is not always an option, so the ability to adapt to the situation with the right components with the best seals can be a game-changer.

Corrosion Resistant Products Introducing CRS from Cross+Morse: a comprehensive line of corrosion resistant power transmission products engineered to perform in corrosive and contaminated environments. Cross+Morse offer an entire range of stainless steel products suitable for washdown environments: Roller chain and attachments, sprockets, taper bushes, shaft clamping elements;

along with the whole selection of McGill® cam followers and Sealmaster® bearings and gearboxes. If there is not an off the shelf solution, Cross+Morse also have the ability to manufacture sprockets, platewheels, gears, bevel gears, helical gears and timing belt pulleys in non-corrosive material to your exact specifications at our factory here in Birmingham.

There is tremendous benefit to selecting products that support a reduced maintenance schedule. For example, corrosion resistant high performance bearings can prevent contaminants such as water and dirt from entering the bearing. New equipment is not always an option, so the ability to adapt to the situation with the right components with the best seals can be a game-changer. foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 23

Hygienic Processing

Modular Stainless Steel Pipework Systems

The Pinnacle of Purity: Modular Stainless Steel Pipework in Food Manufacturing

In the ever-evolving landscape of the food manufacturing industry, the quest for efficiency, safety, and hygiene has led to the adoption of innovative materials and technologies.

At the forefront of this revolution is modular stainless steel pipework, a game changer in how food manufacturing facilities manage bulk goods handling, dust extraction, and ventilation. This feature delves into the hygienic benefits of stainless steel and its pivotal role in modern food processing environments.

The Hygienic Powerhouse: Stainless Steel Stainless steel, known for its corrosion resistance and durability, is a hygienic champion in food manufacturing. Its non-porous surface prevents the absorption and retention of bacteria, mold, and other contaminants, making it an ideal choice for environments that demand sterility. Unlike other materials that might degrade or corrode, stainless steel withstands rigorous cleaning protocols, including the use of strong disinfectants and high temperatures, ensuring a consistently clean and contaminant-free environment.

Advantages in Bulk Goods Handling

In the realm of bulk goods handling, stainless steel pipework systems are unparalleled. They offer a smooth and cleanable surface, reducing the risk of food particles becoming trapped and leading to bacterial growth. This is particularly vital for products like grains, spices, and powdered ingredients, where cleanliness is paramount. The modular nature of these systems also allows for flexible configuration, adapting to different processes and layouts within a manufacturing plant.

Revolutionising Dust Extraction

Dust extraction is a critical concern in food manufacturing, both for product quality and worker safety. Stainless steel pipework excels in this area, providing a safe conduit for the removal of dust and particulates. Its smooth surface minimises the accumulation of dust within the pipes, reducing the risk of blockages and potential contamination. This aspect is especially important in environments dealing with allergens, where crosscontamination could have severe consequences.

Gravity Chute Systems and Air Conveying

Gravity chute systems and air conveying are integral components of many food manufacturing processes, and stainless steel plays a vital role in their efficiency. Gravity chutes made from stainless steel offer a 24 | foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk

hygienic, low-maintenance solution for moving products within a facility. Similarly, air conveying systems benefit from the use of stainless steel pipework, ensuring clean, uncontaminated air transport, which is crucial for both product quality and the work environment. The use of modular stainless steel pipework in food manufacturing is not just a trend; it’s a testament to the industry’s commitment to hygiene, safety, and efficiency. From bulk goods handling to dust extraction and ventilation, stainless steel stands out as the material of choice, offering unmatched hygienic benefits and adaptability. Its role in gravity chute systems and air conveying further cements its status as a leading solution in the food manufacturing sector, paving the way for a cleaner, safer, and more efficient production process.

Recruitment

Eco Flexibles Young Recruit Development

Eco Flexibles empowers the next generation of packaging professionals Eco Flexibles new young recruits (L to R Thomas Butler, Lily McQueen and Joshua Hutchings) are settling well into their new careers in a vibrant and engaging business environment.

Environmentally-conscious packaging producer Eco Flexibles is investing in the next generation of talent and encouraging young people to try out a career in packaging. As the print and packaging sectors grapple with an ageing workforce, Eco Flexibles is focusing on empowering young people with the skills they need to thrive in the sector. Recognising that young people can introduce fresh ideas and unbiased viewpoints into a business, Eco Flexibles has focused on developing its culture and development opportunities to provide appealing career pathways. This approach – which included moving into more modern premises and creating new training courses – has already attracted a number of young recruits who are settling well into their new careers in a vibrant and engaging business environment.

business that gives young people opportunities to develop a career – a lot of us have had the chance to ‘come through the ranks’ in packaging so to speak, and we really want to offer this back to the next generation.

As we look to develop our company further, empowering the next generation of packaging professionals will be key to our continued success. We really want to build a business that gives young people opportunities to develop a career – a lot of us have had the chance to ‘come through the ranks’ in packaging so to speak, and we really want to offer this back to the next generation

Eco Flexibles is taking active steps to ensure a welcoming working environment where employees feel valued and listened to. For example, staff are being asked for suggestions for improvements they would like to see to the business’s new headquarters, including amenities such as dart boards and table tennis stations in the break areas. Recruits are also being offered career progression opportunities through training, and existing team members are encouraged to offer support and coaching. Simon Buswell, Founder and Director at Eco Flexibles, said: “As we look to develop our company further, empowering the next generation of packaging professionals will be key to our continued success. We really want to build a

exciting new career.”

“What’s more, taking a chance and hiring someone new into the industry comes with a strong possibility that they’ll be more adaptable. After all, employees who have spent years in the same sector or role can potentially become set it their ways. Introducing new talent can help to question these established processes, bringing innovation, passion, and energy. “We’re delighted that our focus on building a welcoming culture that supports new recruits has already been so successful and that our young people are settling in so well to their new roles, and we’re looking forward to seeing how they develop in an

Lily McQueen, 23, who recently joined Eco Flexibles as a Sales Administrator, added: “I liked the sound of how much success Eco Flexibles has had in the past five years and I thought this was a great opportunity to work with passionate, successful people. I am still learning about the industry, and everyone I work with is open and encouraging. If I don’t understand something I know I can ask any one of my colleagues and they’d help me, everyone feels comfortable here. I don’t feel like the new girl, I just feel part of a great team.”

To find out more about how Eco Flexibles is supporting the packaging sector, go to www.ecoflexibles.com foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk | 25

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