OAL News
OAL leads “Second Barcode Revolution” roll-out to cut food waste
OAL, a leader in food manufacturing automation, is delighted to announce the launch of its latest software solution for creating, printing and verifying data-rich, on-pack QR and 2D codes designed to meet consumer demand for greater transparency of ingredient origins and methods of production. The software allows unique traceability and manufacturing data to be incorporated into on-pack 2D codes, improving consumer experience to identify allergens, significantly enhancing food safety and reducing food waste by up to 40%.
The OAL solution enables the creation, inline printing and verification of on-pack QR/2D codes containing critical information such as best-before date, allergens and batch data. The solution is in conformance with the GS1 Digital Link standard enabling consumers to access detailed product information in what is being called the “second barcode revolution”, while also enabling retailers to manage inventory more precisely, quickly identify expired products and provide consumers with detailed product information. OAL install inline camera technology to verify the integrity of every QR/2D code printed.
Leveraging GS1's barcode technology, OAL aims to enhance supply chain efficiency and product traceability. The OAL QR code solution stemmed from an initiative led by Tesco to reduce food waste in the supply chain. Tesco’s new initiative allows packs to be scanned by smartphones, and at the point of sale, sharing more information with consumers than the finite space on pack and standard barcode can offer.
Jake Norman, Managing Director, OAL, comments, “Our automated control systems already collect and store huge amounts of traceability data to ensure food safety. We know at a pack level the exact time and raw materials that have been used to make each product controlled by our system. The use of QR codes and the GS1 Digital link is a great way to expand the use of this data to grant consumers the transparency they’re urgently seeking and drive down food waste.”
OAL has pledged to support all manufacturers in integrating a range of QR/2D codes to their process, facilitating seamless data sharing and improving food safety. This comprehensive data ensures product authenticity and simplifies recall processes. OAL’s printer agnostic solution can integrate and control all printer brands. The solution can be retrofitted to existing packaging lines. The solution is available now for new and existing customers.
For more information, please visit https://www.oalgroup.com/gs1-new-barcode
Harry Norman's top 4 tips to thrive in 2020
With almost 30 years working with the food industry, Harry Norman’s seen it all and knows how to help manufacturers to extend machinery life or carry out refurbishments to meet revised process requirements and boost productivity. Here are his top four tips for thriving during these straitened times.
During the current climate of uncertainty, it’s clear that food manufacturers are up against it. Having to meet increased demand with fewer people while also implementing social distancing measures to protect staff and at the same time working with equipment that has perhaps seen better days… It’s certainly been a hard few months and it’s likely to continue. As reported in The Times, analysts at Peel Hunt have calculated that £23 billion has been cut from CAPEX budgets for this year in British listed companies alone. This means that it could be some time before manufacturers can consider investing in new machinery, let alone innovations to take operations to the next level.
It’s now more important than ever to make the most of what you have, something that our MD, Harry Norman, knows plenty about. With almost 30 years working with the food industry, he’s seen it all and knows how to help manufacturers to extend machinery life or carry out refurbishments to meet revised process requirements and boost productivity. Here are his top four tips for thriving during these straitened times.
Digital transformation
Productivity has always been the key buzzword in the global economy, but it has perhaps never been more necessary to return to pre-2008 levels. It was reported in February 2020 that the slowdown in productivity growth in the UK over the last ten years is the worst since the start of the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago, and the impact of COVID-19 is likely to have only worsened this situation.
So the question is, how can you increase your productivity, particularly if you can’t invest in major capital equipment? One way is to begin your journey towards digital transformation. By digitising your operations, you can typically achieve productivity savings of 10% running smarter and leaner and making the most of your existing assets. For example, by going paperless, your plant data can be transformed into useful insights, rather than disparate sheets of paper, allowing you to identify bottlenecks, downtime issues and waste. Our experts, trained in Six Sigma, alongside our software such as our LMS or APRIL Eye, can help you drive productivity gains across your entire facility.
Process simplification
Total production time for three 1,000 kg (2204 lb) batches of béchamel sauce using a traditional steam jacketed kettle vs. Steam Infusion.
When was the last time you reviewed your processes? We mean really delved into the detail? Chances are, it’s been a while and you could benefit from a fresh set of eyes highlighting any simplifications or rationalisations that can be made to speed up operations and boost efficiency. OAL is 100% dedicated to the food industry, and having completed hundreds of projects for manufacturers, both big and small, it means our experts can look at things differently, saving our customers millions of pounds through simple changes to improve throughput.
For example, one of the ways in which we can reduce the processing time of a béchamel sauce is by using our award-winning Steam Infusion technology, which not only achieves faster cooking times but also reduces the number of processing stages required. The traditional roux is not needed at the beginning of the process, and Steam Infusion can be used to mix whilst heating, while the lack of burn-on means that the number of CIP cycles can be reduced by up to 80%, saving valuable time and money.
Focus on maintenance
There’s no doubt that as people, we’re all more interested in innovation than maintenance, and it’s no different when it comes to plant equipment. But while budgets are tightened, it will become vital to make the most of your existing kit. It might be tempting to reduce maintenance right now but while you may see short-term gains, you could see long-term damage. An effective maintenance schedule and working with experts can help to take care of your kit to help it last longer.
For example, our Steam Infusion technology can also be used to extend vessel life. There’s no need to condemn your kettle cooking system and invest in a new jacket or tank if it fails the pressure tests or is no longer cooking efficiently. A simple retrofit adding one of our In-Tank Steam Infusion Vaction Pumps breathes new life into your existing kit, while delivering added benefits such as near maintenance-free operation and energy efficiency – particularly valuable at this time.
Consider used equipment
As we see the unfortunate news that some plants are closing due to the challenging economic conditions, we will inevitably see a rise in used kit coming on to the market, and this will be of a better quality that can usually be found. This can often be a cost-effective way to boost your productivity but it can be a challenge to find the right equipment and ensure that it is installed seamlessly into your existing processes.
While used kit can often represent a bargain, it requires a diverse set of engineering resources to integrate equipment that doesn’t meet your exact requirements. It may look great on paper but there are a number of questions to consider, such as how old is it, what is the warranty, are the controls current and even how will you get it to your plant?
Working with trusted partners, such as OAL, who have experience in delivering both new and refurbished equipment, as well as effective maintenance, ensures you get the right advice before committing, allowing you to minimise the risk and maximise savings.
Get in touch today to see how we can support you during this time!
Harry Norman's predictions for 2020
As we gear up for another busy year and the start of a new decade, Harry Norman, our founder, reveals his top trends for 2020.
As we look to the start of a new decade, we’re taking some time to speak with our founder, Harry Norman, to discuss what he thinks are the key trends in 2020.
Harry, what are your top trends for 2020?
I think main focus in the food industry in 2020 is a continued focus on improving productivity. This will be achieved through a variety of initiatives as well as the growth in adoption of tools like robotics and machine learning.
It seems like productivity is a permanent concern for food & beverage manufacturers. How can they make a material difference to their productivity levels in 2020?
Productivity has been a major concern for businesses around the world for over a decade but we don’t seem to be able to find the right answer. Latest figures from the ONS showed that productivity in the UK fell at its fastest annual pace in five years in during the April-to-June quarter of 2019, so arguably the problem is getting worse rather than better. Productivity in the food industry has been dropping due to increased product complexity, which requires more production staff to achieve the same volume. This has also led to further erosion of margin as labour costs continue to increase. In April 2019 the national living wage for those aged 25 and over in the UK increased by 4.9%, from £7.83 to £8.21, and it’s set to rise further. The same trend can be seen across the globe so manufacturers need to think outside the box in terms of their productivity.
We know that this is a real priority for our customers but we find that the solution is often in overlooked areas of manufacturers’ operations and that small savings can really add up. For example, if you’re carrying out offline printing on your packaging line, the time taken for a changeover for a new supplier code can quickly mount up. We’ve been able to save customers typically 1-2% of line manning hours by automating the changeover, allowing them to increase production time and reduce labour costs as fewer personnel are needed on the line. By working with experts to review their operations, food manufacturers can find many examples like this and boost their productivity levels by increasing efficiencies.
Robots are another way for manufacturers to boost their productivity – do you think adoption in the food industry will grow in 2020?
Absolutely! As an industry we have generally been slower to adopt robotics than others such as automotive. But the barriers are starting to be broken down and we’ve already seen growth of 50% in robot adoption over the past five years, primarily due to retailer pressure for larger volumes at lower prices combined with consumer demand for safer and more sustainable production. However, we know that this growth has primarily been driven by robotics on the packaging line. I believe that 2020 will be the year that we achieve significant growth in robotics upstream in the processing stage of food and beverage production.
In 2018, we began to see reference sites piloting our robotics technology, and now as we enter 2020 this technology is really taking off. Food and beverage manufacturers are eager to take advantage of the proven results that APRIL Robotics can bring. Our robot chef and automated ingredient handling system allow manufacturers to move to unmanned production, boosting productivity, cutting labour costs and improving product safety – three priorities for manufacturers all over the world. We’re able to achieve payback within two years on our systems so automation of your processing stages needn’t be a pipe dream!
Closely related to robotics is the trend of machine learning. What do you think the impact of this technology will be on the industry?
Machine learning has the potential to transform the food industry. Many companies in Asia have already adopted AI in their food safety processes and it can be used in all areas of the food industry to aid continuous improvement & process optimisation, forecasting, the speed and accuracy of operations, and of course, productivity. A 2017 study by PWC found that global GDP will be 14% higher by 2030 as a result of AI adoption, which will contribute an additional $15.7 trillion to the global economy.
I believe AI will play an even bigger role in 2020. However, it can be really difficult for food manufacturers to know where to start. At OAL we help manufacturers to incorporate AI into their packaging lines to boost productivity by scanning over 1000 packs per minute inline much more accurately than human operators every could. Our AI-based label & verification systems also allow manufacturers to keep up with changing packaging formats without the need to re-programme the system – saving time and increasing throughputs. And because you have machine vision with a brain, you can switch to unmanned operations, further supporting your bottom line by reducing labour costs, all the while preventing product recalls and reducing waste. It’s a great first step for manufacturers looking to take advantage of the benefits of AI.
Are you ready to tackle your productivity challenge in 2020? Get in touch today to see where we can boost your production.
Spotlight on a career as Automation Development and Support Team Leader
Ethan Stone, 26, is an Automation Development and Support Team Leader at OAL. He lives in Alconbury with his fiancée.
Day in the life of…
Ethan Stone
Ethan Stone is an Automation Development and Support Team Leader at OAL. He lives in Alconbury.
My alarm goes off…
At 7.30am. I’m not a breakfast person so I generally get up and head straight for the shower to wake myself up. I then get dressed and try to wait for my partner to return from her night shift before I head off or sometimes I head straight into work.
I’m responsible for…
The day to day running of my department, which consists of myself and four other engineers. I lead the Factory Systems Automation team, and we are mainly responsible for the line management system (LMS), which is a production line automation solution providing performance monitoring to help increase efficiency within factories. I report to my manager with frequent updates on how we are doing to ensure we deliver the best for our customers. As the primary contact for the department both internally and externally I spend a lot of time speaking with current and prospective clients.
I got the job…
Based upon my previous experience working within automation in the oil and gas industry. I showed that I had a real passion for problem solving, which is ideal for OAL. I flourish in a setting that gives me autonomy to come up with practical solutions to hard technical problems – something I get to put into practice every day!
My typical day…
Could be anything! It could range from interpreting customer requirements and building a proposal for them or I could be working on any of the stages during our project lifecycle, from specification or development to testing and commissioning. Or I could be out and about supporting our customers with one of our existing systems. No two days are the same!
My most memorable moment…
Was graduating from my HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. This was four years of education in parallel to working full time, including being on-call out of hours. It was hard work but it certainly paid off! I never saw myself wearing the gown and walking in a procession to celebrate my education in a cathedral but I’m so glad I did it.
The worst part of my job is…
That there sometimes aren’t enough hours in the day! It can feel like for every item I tick off my to do list, two more get added!
The best part of my job is…
Interacting with experienced engineers across a range of disciplines. From process engineers to plant operators – it’s a two-way conversation. Also, seeing something you’ve developed in action in real life; it’s really rewarding.
After work…
I drive home and cook dinner together with my fiancée. We then chill out and have some well-deserved rest and catch up with each other – I love finding out how her shift at the hospital was and what interesting patients she’s encountered.
Would you like to get involved in developing market-leading automation solutions? We are always on the look out for talented individuals, so get in touch to find our more!
Spotlight on a career as Installation Electrician
Will Woodham, 22, is an Installation Electrician at OAL. He lives in a small village outside Spalding.
Day in the life of…
Will Woodham
Will Woodham is an Installation Electrician at OAL. He lives in a small village outside Spalding.
My alarm goes off…
Usually in the early hours of the morning! The exact time depends on which site I’m working on, it could be anywhere in the U.K. and sometimes in Europe!
I’m responsible for…
Installing electrical systems for all of our solutions at our customers’ sites alongside my colleagues.
I got the job…
Originally through an apprenticeship scheme in 2014. My sister works for one of our customers, so she and gave me a list of companies that I might be interested in. Fortunately, OAL came back to me and the rest is history!
I originally worked as an apprentice electrician while studying at Peterborough Regional College to achieve my Level 3 NVQ Diploma in installing electrotechnical systems and equipment. Having finished my apprenticeship in 2018, I was promoted to become a fully qualified electrician, with greater responsibilities.
My typical day…
Can vary a lot, from working inside a factory, bakery or construction site to getting on top of silos and installing electrical systems and equipment. It keeps it interesting!
My most memorable moment…
Is always witnessing our systems go from drawings on a computer screen to fully functioning systems producing the food we buy in the supermarket.
The worst part of my job is…
The temperatures: the general rule is we’ll be working in hot bakeries in the middle of summer and working outside in the middle of winter!
The best part of my job is…
Being able to travel around the country and abroad!
After work…
When we’re away on site, we all usually go out together in the evening to a restaurant and have dinner, go back to the hotel, relax and watch TV.