< Previousexceptional flexibility without extensive capital expenditure. Consolidation in the sector now means that making use of larger networks such as these will likely offer greater flexibility. The obvious counter argument is that a company which oversees all its own deliveries in-house should be better prepared for this, but it’s highly likely that adding a new drop or route into a network comprising just ten journeys might represent significant potential for disruption. With traceability and energy efficiency now dominating thinking across the supply chain, making use of higher quality containers and pallets – whether purchased outright or rented from one of the many high-quality suppliers – is bound to ensure an exceptional return on investment. It’s not all about the content and material used in the manufacturing process, however. As manufacturers and warehouses make strides towards higher levels of automation, there is a necessity for containers and pallet companies to offer flexibility in design – in order to meet the needs of the automating machinery. It may seem a simple task at first; adding some specific grooves or ridges that a robotised system can grip onto. But the bespoke nature of the additions could mean vast delays or alterations being made to a manufacturer’s line. 20 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netCONTAINERS AND PALLETSdŚĞh<ΖƐůĞĂĚŝŶŐƉĂĐŬĂŐŝŶŐƐƵƉƉůŝĞƌƚŽƚŚĞĨŽŽĚĂŶĚĚƌŝŶŬŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ͕ŽīĞƌŝŶŐĂǁŝĚĞƌĂŶŐĞŽĨƉĂĐŬĂŐŝŶŐƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ͗ŝƌ^ŚŽĐŬďŽƩůĞƉĂĐŬƐWĂůůĞƚǁƌĂƉΘƐLJƐƚĞŵƐŽdžĞƐĨŽƌďŽƩůĞƐ>ĂďĞůƐan employee-owned business© Shutterstock/ defotoberg17-20.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:43 Page 4Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netWATER TREATMENTWater holds the title as one of the most critical components in the food and drink industry. It is required in a plethora of different activities, and is used for instance as an ingredient, in food and drink preparation and production, for maintaining food hygiene, in preventing the spread of harmful bacteria, and for rinsing away cleaning chemicals. In such a tightly regulated industry, holding major concerns over contamination and maintaining sanitary conditions, the water we use must comply with stringent disinfection and purification specifications. A number of different water treatment systems and technologies are therefore used across the food and drink industry such as: clarification, filtration, softening, deionisation, reverse osmosis, process water polishing, disinfection, biological treatment. In maintaining the sanitary water essential to our industry and the health of its consumers, chlorination has long been a quick, relatively cheap, and popular method of disinfecting water, though its use has come under fire as a result of chlorination by-products and toxicity concerns relating to residual chlorine posing a threat to aquatic creatures. This is of particular concern in our now environmentally friendly focused society where industry bodies and businesses themselves are, alongside consumers, pushing for the use of cleaner methods, highlighting that within water treatment, cost efficiency is no longer the only factor to consider. The emergence of pathogens presenting an increased resistance to chlorine disinfection, for example Giardia, is also a major concern driving companies away from chlorination, along with the taste and odour chlorination leaves behind. Alternative methods for disinfecting 22 Á© Shutterstock/ Avatar_023Working with WATER As an industry using a considerable amount of water and producing a significant amount of wastewater, the methods used in a food and drink business’s water treatment process is of prime importance to the bottom line and one’s environmental impact. 21-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:45 Page 1water are therefore becoming more established, such as UV disinfection, due to its ability to remove water-borne micro-organisms without using chemicals, making the option eco-friendlier than chlorination. Rising in use over the last decade, UV has also been praised for its ability to produce high disinfection rates while not creating a change in water taste, texture, PH or odour. This has seen UV systems utilised all over food and drink production from storage tanks susceptible to bacterial breeding to wastewater re-use and product water. UV is also useful in areas where chemicals should not be used, for instance where changes in organoleptic properties of end products must be avoided. However, UV does not remove particle, ions or colloids and water turbidity influences its effectiveness, so pre-filtration or clear raw water is essential, and is why many use UV at the end of the water treatment system. Ozone is another, stronger, method sometimes used by food and drink manufacturers as an alternative to chlorination, and like UV it does not leave a chemical residue. The strength of ozone does have disadvantages in how it can react with metal however, and thus materials like stainless steel, that are corrosion-resistant must be used for instance in wastewater treatment containers, which can make systems more expensive to install. Additionally its reactivity means it is toxic and thus one must ensure employees will not come into contact with ozone gas that escapes from the water when designing their system. Ultimately, as each individual purification technology removes certain types of contaminate, one cannot rely on one alone to remove all contaminants. Solid food and drink industry water purification systems employ a combination of techniques to achieve the best water quality for operations, such as the use of both UV and chlorination. In the treatment of food and drink industry wastewater, a significant source of pollution that can be difficult and expensive to manage, the spotlight has been on water reuse. This is partially as a result of water scarcity concerns as industry booms put a strain on water supplies, as well as water costs, a desire to increase operational efficiency, and a focus on sustainability along with environmental and corporate responsibility. As an industry that consumes a large amount of water, recycling it can have a real effect on one’s bottom line – less water needs to be drawn in and water disposal costs are WATER TREATMENT© Shutterstock/ Vitaliy Kyrychuk© Shutterstock/ Sergey Ryzhov22 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net21-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:45 Page 2Food & Drink International 23WATER TREATMENT© Shutterstock/ NavinTarreduced. Recycled water is often used for cleaning facilities and equipment and in some cases for chiller water in the meat processing sector, though reusing water to be used in direct contact with food remains controversial and difficult due to contaminant issues. Wastewater can actually, therefore, be quite the valuable resource. While oxidative and anaerobic processes for the treatment of wastewater include coagulation, flotation, sedimentation, absorption, membranes, filtration, and secondary active sludge, it is anaerobic digestion (AD) that continues to receive a lot of attention. This is because of the energy-rich biogases like methane that can be created as a by-product from the process. These can be sold or used for heat in the AD process or in the facility for cooking, pasteurising and sterilising, and for electricity in the production process, which can offset operating costs at one’s facility while reducing volume of waste, water use and one’s carbon and water footprint. One must note, however, that installation can be costly and anaerobic digestion does involve sophisticated operations management, though arguably the investment is worth the price of the technology. Responding to a need to close the loop on water use, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) treatment programmes – which aim for a near total or complete reuse of water resources - are growing. In these strategies, wastewater is purified and recycled for processing, boiler feed and cleaning, to leave almost no effluent. Allowing businesses to recover a high percentage of water, meet government discharge regulations, and recover products, typical ZLD involves reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, evaporators and crystallizers. As with implementing other methods of reusing water, a main drive behind food and drink businesses implementing ZLD is to reduce costs from wastewater disposal, and the desire to increase environmental standards regarding water use and the pollution wastewater can cause. Energy demands in ZLD water treatment processes however have presented it as unsuitable to our industry, and the costs of the involved methods - crystallizers and evaporators - can be seen to offset the proposed benefits. While there is potential with ZLD, which is seeing it used in many different industries, more development is needed make the process beneficial and energy efficient as food and drink companies search for lower cost environmentally friendly options.www.fdiforum.net21-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:45 Page 324 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netFROZEN FOODS© Shutterstock/ stockfourKeeping it cool 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:47 Page 1Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netFROZEN FOODSThe rise of frozen and chilled foods has remained constant in recent years, with steady growth within the UK and EU, and rising growth in Asia and further abroad. In fact, the cold chain accounts for roughly 9% of the £187 billion of sales in the food and drink industry. The Cold Chain With the demand for food and drink in the UK rising by 3% year on year, according to the ONS, many food retailers and supermarkets are facing difficult questions on whether they should increase the size of their temperature-controlled transport fleet, or whether they should look to invest in more temperature-controlled storage facilities closer to home. For many in the industry the choice is not a simple one. While investing in a larger transport fleet at first might seem the cheaper choice, it does carry the bigger environmental 26 Á© Shutterstock/ Vladimir NenezicThe frozen and chilled foods sector is one of the most powerful in the world, and though there are challenges in the industry, opportunities are still bright. 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:47 Page 226 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netFROZEN FOODSimpact and of course has costs dependent upon the price of oil. On the other hand, storage facilities require a larger amount of initial capital investment and would also require more staff to man and maintain. In addition, energy consumption remains a key concern for many in the industry, not only due to the increased travel lengths associated with the food and drink industry – but also increasing costs in the case of keeping a storage facility at a certain temperature. It’s easy for the costs of temperature control systems to quickly scale out of control. Therefore, it’s important at all times to focus on methods of efficiently maintaining temperature levels, with as little ambient loss of temperature as possible. At the end of the day, it’s far more expensive to keep air cool, then it is to warm it up. It’s more than just energy consumption that is putting pressure on the supply chain however, hygiene continues to play a key role, particularly with many accidents taking place in storage and distribution centres. With the costs of warehouse space expected to increase, and available space decreasing, it is perhaps more likely then, that manufacturers will be forced to turn to investing in larger fleets of refrigerated transport. Either their own fleets or investing in logistics specialists to provide more of their own. For these companies, the falling price of oil should be a fortunate boon, allowing logistics companies some good news after the repetitive fuel rates rises they have been experiencing for the last decade. Soon they might even be able to offer some kind of cuts or benefits to their own customers as well, either in lower costs or higher quality service. Many companies now however are adapting their technologies to better operate in extreme temperatures, including specialised lubricants for the frozen foods industry, and materials handling equipment that is specially designed to enter cold storage areas. Consistent Growth Despite the challenges faced by the supply chain, the future continues to look good for the frozen and chilled foods sector, with consistent growth taking place in the UK, but also abroad. Ice, frost and fog in cold stores can create slippery, dangerous conditions for staff. While many accept that ice is simply part of the cold store, it doesn’t need to be so. Munters IceDry® is a specially designed dehumidifier that targets moisture in manufacturing facilities,cold stores and process freezers to:• Reduce & prevent ice, frost and fog build up on floors, walls and ceilings• Reduce defrosts - case studies available • Lower maintenance costs • Improve safety for staff & forklifts• Increase productivity• Improve evaporator efficiency01480 432243 info@munters.co.uk munters.com/icedryseries Improve Safety & Climate Conditions in Cold StoresFree CPD SeminarsProven global installations“The cold store is the best it’s ever been for excessive ice & snow” - Kitchen Range Foods FREE site surveys 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:47 Page 3© Shutterstock/ ET1972Food & Drink International 27www.fdiforum.netFROZEN FOODSAsia remains a particular market opportunity for the industry after showing strong growth not only in economic terms, but in the development of consumer tastes for international food. An increasing demand in Asian countries for convenience food with health or well-being benefits is cited as being a cause for this, which is creating a tangential demand for refrigerated storage and distribution technology – as retailers rush to take advantage of the demand. The United Arab Emirates is also proving to be a strong trade opportunity within the chilled foods markets as well, particularly for meat products – but also for luxury products such as ice-cream and chilled fruit drinks. What is clear to the frozen and chilled foods industry however is that the demand from consumers across the globe is not decreasing, and that there are numerous opportunities to be taken advantage of, both within the UK – and further abroad. ÁR0«x x0Á0«³ۭ(Áٳn JJ0«³For the food & drink industrythermometer.co.ukCooking • Reheating • Refrigeration • Oven • Grill Helping your businessbe HACCP compliantDesigned & built in the UK, we offer a wide range ȒǔɎǝƺȸȅȒȅƺɎƺȸɀɀȵƺƬǣˡƬƏǼǼɵƳƺɀǣǕȇƺƳǔȒȸɎǝƺǔȒȒƳۭƳȸǣȇǸǣȇƳɖɀɎȸɵǔȸȒȅƳƏǣǼɵǝƏȇƳٮǝƺǼƳȅȒȇǣɎȒȸǣȇǕto the latest in Bluetooth® & remote WiFi loggingTHERMADATA® WIFI LOGGER24-27.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 09:47 Page 428 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netWAREHOUSING OPTIMISATIONThere are few who do not understand the importance of software and hardware within the food and drink industry - or any industry for that matter – but there are just as many companies who see it as a necessity to be fulfilled and not an opportunity for further growth. In truth, technology can be taken in two ways, as a box to be ticked at the lowest possible price, or as a tool to be fully utilised and embraced. Many industry between customer, product and process - is key. Implementing Industry 4.0 involves numerous components including data exchange, automation and modularisation, and uses technologies such as advanced robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, cloud, machine learning, big data analytics, and sophisticated sensors. This is, in many ways, an issue of software more than hardware, though naturally some hardware is required to run these systems. Within the processing sector an Industry 4.0 strategy, due to its hyper-connectivity and the data it makes available, has the ability to provide the information required to improve productivity, reduce costs, increase Making the most of softwareSeen as a tool to keep things running, many manufacturers could make more of software than they currently do – embracing an Industry 4.0 model. © Shutterstock/ Zapp2PhotoFor success choose an ERP system that can grow with you Sarnia Food develops and manufactures food products for a variety of brands that, for whatever reason, are unable to take their own ideas forward into manufacturing. This allows clients to concentrate on sales and marketing while the Sarnia team sources packaging and ingredients and manages stock, production, packing and shipping. Through a direct link to some of its clients’ websites, the Sarnia team can take orders directly. Director Patrick Finigan and his business partner set up Sarnia Foods in 2013 and both had clear views about the type of software they wanted to drive the company. When the team from Kerridge Commercial Systems contacted Mr Finigan to talk about K8 LV software, he thought it sounded too good to be true. “It gave us everything we needed and I know we made the right decision,” he said. “As a base model for a food manufacturer, we think it’s absolutely fantastic.” For more information, visit www.kerridgecs.com.of our European and global rivals are taking the latter approach, and yet UK business consistently falls behind. At a time within the food and drink industry when there is constant increasing demand for high quality products on a large scale, with improved traceability at a reasonable price, embracing Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution – using technologies to form a more connected, efficient 28-30.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 16:27 Page 1Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netSOFTWARE SPOTLIGHTprofitability through production control, improve quality assurance and food safety, enhance productivity through the optimisation of certain processes, offer tighter control on supply chains, and offer a chance to upskill a workforce. As always, the focus is on efficiency, with a view to reducing costs through minimising on mistakes a more traditional system might make. Removing the human element where possible can help to not only ensure that all data is correct and accurate, but that there are no unnecessary paper trails to try and work through. Automation is king, both on the production line – and when it comes to software packages. When an Industry 4.0 strategy is used optimally, it can reduce downtime and in return increase production without raising costs. For instance, the health of process equipment like conveyors, pumps, fans and motors can be tracked. By using, for example, wireless sensors like vibration monitoring sensors in a factory, one can receive data on the performance and amount of downtime certain equipment is facing. The equipment’s condition can be monitored and, from anomalies identified in sensor data, it can then be predicted when it will need replacing or repairing before breakdown through early problem detection, which sends alerts pre-failure. This means there will be less idle downtime with lost productivity for repairs or replacement of equipment, as maintenance can be scheduled in a cost-effective way and be complete before machine failure stops production, preventing waste in the case of perishables, loss of revenue from missed shipments and customer satisfaction problems. The ability to perceive when equipment may fail and what is not efficient in processing is perhaps one of the greatest changes Industry 4.0 technology brings the industry: it makes the food and drink industry predictive rather than reactive to the challenges that it faces. Of course, as with adopting any new technology or equipment, the digital technology and required data analysis that comes with implementing Industry 4.0, to ultimately create a smart factory, presents challenges in finding and retaining staff who are able to understand and run data business operations. This is especially difficult as the industry 30 ÁÁ© Shutterstock/ Montri NipitvittayaFREE trialREE trial- Gain control of your assets- Maintain visibility across your business- Powerful & easy-to-use- Scaleable, modular solutionFree up your time, reduce costs & meet complianceLeading Maintenance & Facilities Management softwarewww.elecosoft.com | +44 (0) 23 8022 411128-30.qxp_Layout 1 28/01/2019 16:27 Page 2Next >