Articles
Tomatoes for all seasons
d’VineRipe’s $30 million Stage 2 expansion of its tomato glasshouse in South Australia will provide considerable insurance against extreme weather events and assure the retail sector of consistent supply, according to joint venture partner Perfection Fresh Australia.
[ + ]Buzzwords in beverage marketing
Rising consumer interest in health and naturalness is being strongly reflected in new product activity in the global soft drinks market.
[ + ]Smart packages - with built-in freshness watchdogs
The latest packages are not only stronger but also require fewer materials and permit efficient handling - integrated time-temperature indicators and microchips constantly indicate the product’s state of quality. Active systems are even capable of improving the quality of the contents during storage. For product manufacturers, smart packaging therefore ought to be a big talking point.
[ + ]Optimising the efficiency of VSD air compressors
Variable speed drive (VSD) technology is increasingly being deployed in many air compressor applications to cater for variable loads. As a result, developments for the motor/drive component and the compressor itself continue to improve. Sean Richardson, Product Manager with WEG Australia, and Andrew Dove, Product Development Manager with Sullair Australia, discuss the implications of the WEG motor/drive technology incorporated into Sullair’s Champion range of VSD air compressors.
[ + ]Reducing fruit juice decanting time
Cavitation and noise issues initially prompted industry-leading beverage giant Halewood International to seek an alternative to its existing centrifugal pumps when decanting sugars and fruit juice concentrates from tankers arriving at its UK headquarters in Merseyside. Installing three sinusoidal pumps proved successful in a number of ways, not least because unloading times for sugars have been halved and, for syrups, more than quartered.
[ + ]Cleanroom technology ensures longer-lasting produce
Current consumer demand is for fresh food products but also, paradoxically, for foods that keep for longer. In response to this, cleanroom technology is changing to ensure hygienic preparation and processing of food products to allow foods to be stored for longer without spoiling. By preparing and packaging foods in germ-free conditions, products can keep for up to 50% longer. [ + ]
‘Rechargeable’ antimicrobial surfaces for gaskets, conveyor belts and more
A thin antimicrobial layer which can be recharged with bleach is being tested for efficacy on stainless steel food processing and handling equipment surfaces. If the system proves as successful on the large scale as it has in the laboratory it will add a new food safety weapon to the food manufacturer’s armoury.
[ + ]Solution for cheese-processing waste
Located an hour north of Brisbane, in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, Maleny Cheese is a family-owned business that first opened its doors in 2004. With its fine range of cheese products and on-site cafe, it is a popular spot with tourists and locals alike.
[ + ]Traceability and Brazilian UHT milk
Brazilian food cooperative Aurora is harnessing Tetra Pak’s next-generation traceability solution to increase production efficiency and add brand value to a newly launched UHT milk product.
[ + ]Fit-out for Lite n’ Easy
Brady IPS, food facility and cold storage builders, has completed a fit-out for Lite n’ Easy at Carrum Downs in Melbourne’s south east.
[ + ]Hunter Bottling Company commissions new forklifts
A leading wine bottling operation has extended its 28-year partnership with Toyota forklift trucks by commissioning five new machines.
[ + ]A new home for Charlie’s Cookies
Food-facility and cold-storage builders Brady IPS has recently completed the new fit-out for Charlie’s Cookies at East Bentleigh in Melbourne’s south east. The construction features a large production area, cool rooms, wash rooms, oven area, amenities and office fit-out.
[ + ]Mobile computers for Parmalat
“As we look to expand our manufacturing and distribution capacity in the coming year, we will rely heavily on new technology to enhance our WMS and improve our overall operations,” said Vince Campanelli, Vice President at Parmalat, a global producer of milk and dairy products, fruit juices, cultured products and cheese products. “The use of the CK71s on both the manufacturing and distribution floors will help streamline all aspects of our business, from shipping and receiving to inventory, picking and more.”
[ + ]Wraparound case packers installed for Arnott’s
A custom-built, end-of-line packaging solution consisting of four wraparound case packers has been designed, built and installed by Cermex for biscuit manufacturer Arnott’s. The packaging solution requirements were to move from manual to automated case packing as well as changing the company’s secondary packaging from regular slotted containers (RSC) to wraparound blanks. A quick start-up of four production lines simultaneously while maintaining the integrity of the product was essential and the solution needed to be able to accommodate frequent form changeovers. An exponential increase in speed to 12.5 cases/min and a maximum pack speed of 175 packets/min was also required.
[ + ]Poultry enterprise saving water
Ovivo has saved the state of Queensland millions of litres of water each day by building an advanced water treatment plant (AWTP) which is claimed to be the first of its kind globally and the first of its scale.
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