N EWS
One of Europe’s leading food
producers has installed seven
high-end Cerberus combi
checkweigher and metal
detectors, slashing giveaway
for the premium deli meat
supplier almost instantly by
55%.
With no checkweighing
mechanism in place, the
processor of 150 tonnes of
deli meats weekly knew
that it’s overfi lling strategy
to ensure compliance with
European weight legislation
was having a detrimental
impact on its bottom line. At
a cost of over 250,000 Euros,
the supplier acquired seven
Sparc Cerberus machines for
its Irish-based production
facility.
Designed for high care food
production environments,
the accurate, fully integrated,
combination metal detection,
packaging inspection and
checkweighing system
inspects for potential metal
contaminants, checks the
label, and verifi es the weight
of each product. With a
standard inspection speed
of 200 packs per minute, it
is, says Sparc’s national sales
manager Charlie Graham,
one of the fastest and
precise combination
inspection units on the
market.
Featuring a single,
clear, touch-screen
panel, the
Cerberus, like all of Sparc’s
inspection systems, comprises
an electric servo drive. This,
explains Charlie, is far more
effi cient and seamless, as it
provides constant feedback
on all processing elements
such as volume, weight and
speed up and down the line,
esnuring real-time production
monitoring. It also enables
processors to inspect packs
faster increasing throughput
and yield, as well as saving
around £4,000 annually
on energy consumption
compared to the more widely
used compressed air combi
units.
On a daily basis, each
Cerberus combi system
is inspecting more than
40,000 premium deli
meat packs. “For this one
customer, reducing giveaway
by a massive 55 percent is
especially signifi cant given
that 80 percent of their
production costs are in the
meat,” refl ects Charlie.
Delivering an uptime of
nearly 100 percent, with
speedy product changeovers
and ease-of-cleaning, the
customer stated: “Cerberus is
the best machine we’ve ever
bought, off ering the best ROI
we’ve ever seen.”
WWW.MADEIN.IE « JANUARY 2021 « 11
Saica Flex
Enniskillen invests
in equipment
Leading fl exible packaging experts
can continue to off er innovative
Saica Flex Enniskillen has invested
packaging solutions for new and
in a Bobst CL850 lamination
existing clients across a broad
machine, transforming its off er
range of industries.
while supporting the ongoing
“The investment provides a real
growth in its lamination and cold
opportunity to expand our off ering
seal categories.
while building upon the growing
The £1.6m investment will
demand for lamination and cold
enhance Saica Flex’s capabilities by
seal products. We are keen to start
allowing the business to laminate
using the exciting new equipment
a variety of designs, while its high
as soon as possible.”
operational effi ciency means it can
By purchasing this machinery,
consistently produce high-quality
Saica Flex is aiming to build on
products.
its substantial UK expertise in
The machine is due to be
lamination processes and cold-seal
operational by 1 November 2020,
products developed at its Buxton
and the broad selection of products
site, further complemented by its
means the organisation can now
sister sites across Saica Flex in
service new industries such as pet
Europe.
food, beverages, confectionery and
The machinery will help to
pharmaceutical.
reduce the Northern Irish market
In turn, it will allow Saica
dependency on other facilities to
Flex’s Enniskillen facility to meet
produce fi nished goods, which
local demand whilst delivering
becomes increasingly important
an excellent business continuity
as supply chains look to overcome
platform, providing increased
the impact of the UK leaving the
versatility and confi dence to new
European Union.
and existing clients across Ireland
The announcement follows a
and the wider UK.
series of recent investments made
Commenting on the new
at the plant and is complimentary
machinery, James Beresford-Wylie,
to Saica’s fi ve new print presses
Saica Flex UK sales director, said:
capable of 10 colour print,
“At Saica Flex we are committed
sequential promotional coding and
to growing our operations so we
high-speed slitting and fi nishing.
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