Foodmach turns 50

Foodmach began trading in Melbourne in 1972 in response to the monopoly of imported packaging equipment. Since its early forays into palletising, depalletising and conveying systems for FMCG, the company has grown exponentially in size and turnover, generating awards and accolades along the way.

In 1973, the company delivered an automated Cheezel processing line in Australia for the company now known as Snack Foods Australia.

In 1983, it supplied skilled staff and management for the construction of the first Yoplait manufacturing facility in Australia.

In 2013, the company fitted out its 5400 m² factory in Echuca, Victoria, with a 100 kW solar system. By 2017, it has yielded 1 GW of energy, representing 700 tonnes of CO₂ emissions reduction.

Now with a national footprint, it has been at the forefront of Industry 4.0 connectivity in Australia — line integration and control systems being strengths within the business. Industry 4.0 projects such as Dulux’s $165m smart factory at Merrifield have been followed by four personal care lines at BWX and its most complex filling line to date for Pernod Ricard Wines.

Not everyone can afford a greenfield factory, so the Foodmach controls team specialises in ‘breaking open’ legacy control systems on older machines for machine interfacing and data extraction. Foodmach’s Line MES enables integration of OEM equipment with an existing line and provides good line control.

Foodmach’s vision is to keep breaking the boundaries of packaging line speed and control.

Read more about the company’s full history at foodmach.com.au/50bigyears.