published on 15/12/09
A team of contract engineers have installed a new automated line at Dairy Crest’s Frome factory to wrap and multi-pack its cheese mini-portions, allowing it to speed up production and reduce the need for manual work.
The line, which was installed quickly and to the allocated time scale comprises a PFM Sirocco flow-wrapper, various feed systems and conveyors, a support gantry and a 14-head PFM multi-head weigher.
Andy Stenton, Dairy Crest's general manager, said: 'The new line was needed to improve output and efficiency. We also looked to outsourcing the engineering team as cutting costs and reducing overheads is always on the forefront of our minds”
The flow-wrapper can handle 20g to 40g cheese portions at a speed of 150 per minute. The weigher runs in count-by-weight mode and delivers a preset number of portions to an indexing elevator and then into a net bagging, closing and labelling system.
The mechanical contract engineers are available as stand alone or as part if a team and are able to carry out all maintenance procedures for mechanical handling equipment.
When the line is in fully automated mode, it can only handle one cheese variety at a time, so to allow for the packaging of selection packs,the elevator with an extended horizontal section: This enables portions of different cheeses to be fed by hand.
The weigher and elevator can also be taken out of service to flow-wrap conventional cheese in blocks up to 125g.


Read the full article at Packaging News