OAL News
OAL featured on ITV News Anglia
OAL appeared on the local news on 20 November 2020, discussing the benefits that a new university in Peterborough will bring to our business and the region.
OAL appeared on the local news on 20 November 2020, discussing the benefits that a new university in Peterborough will bring to our business and the region and demonstrating our robotic weighing system!
On Friday 20 November 2020, Harry Norman was featured in a news report from ITV News Anglia focusing on the new Anglia Ruskin University ARU Peterborough campus. Harry shared his views on the great new pipeline of talent that the university will bring to the city and hopefully to our business as we continue to grow and offer our innovations to manufacturers around the world. You can also take a peek at our APRIL Robotics Ingredient Handling system in operation in the video!
ARU Peterborough will provide a practical solution to the problem of low employment and skill levels across Peterborough, helping to increase employability and skills and retain talent in the region while also bringing additional opportunity and prosperity to the area. The university has been created to address a higher education ‘cold spot’ which has been identified, as well as widening participation by attracting a diverse student population from non-traditional backgrounds to improve social mobility and to redress the skills gaps within businesses and industries across Peterborough and the rest of the region.
The new university in Peterborough is set to open its doors to 2,000 students in 2022 with plans to offer courses for up to 12,500 students by 2030. Working with employers like us to develop and deliver the curriculum, which will be led by student and employer demand, the University will offer courses in engineering and technology skills. Courses will be delivered through a mixture of on campus lessons, in-work training, and apprenticeships, with distance learning and outreach programmes to improve accessibility and attract more talent. We’re looking forward to working with the University and students to offer further opportunities in our thriving city!
If you’re interested in our technology or want to hear more about opportunities with OAL, contact us today!
OAL takes part in Social Mobility Pledge
OAL has recently taken part in a new social mobility report with our partner, the University of Lincoln, and led by Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, who pioneered the Social Mobility Pledge. Discover the findings and read the report, including OAL’s role and our case study.
OAL has recently contributed to a new social mobility report produced by our partner, the University of Lincoln, and led by Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, who pioneered the Social Mobility Pledge.
Justine Greening with the University of Lincoln report
The new report outlines the impact of the partnership between the University of Lincoln, food industry employers and local schools in the Holbeach area in supporting social mobility and describes how this ecosystem of opportunity has helped to transform the options open to local children over the past decade.
The Social Mobility Pledge was set up by Justine Greening, then Secretary of State for Education, in 2018 to work alongside businesses and universities to tackle regional disparities and ensure there are opportunities for all. As Greening states in her foreword to the report, the University of Lincoln “has truly stepped into that wider role of a ‘levelling up university’, addressing issues that are relevant to its region’s problems and, through its own investment and effort, creating opportunities that link in with the expertise of the local area.”
The University of Lincoln sponsors the Lincolnshire Educational Trust, an academy trust of local primary, secondary and special educational needs schools based in Holbeach and surrounding villages in South Holland, as well as running a major education, training, and industrial R&D facility in Holbeach – the National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM). The centre serves the skills and innovation needs of the UK's £110bn food and drinks sector, connecting local schools with a global industry and creating a new pipeline of talent for the sector. This is where OAL’s apprentices study and where we house our Steam Infusion & APRIL Robotics test centre.
OAL is a University of Lincoln project partner, offering a path into the workplace from the University and achieving great results for both the individuals and our company, as can be seen in our case study in the report. Samantha Norman, Director at OAL, took part in a round table discussion with Justine Greening, members of the University of Lincoln and other employer partners at the virtual launch event on 3 November 2020.
“We were delighted to take part in this report tackling such an important issue. It’s great to see the success of apprenticeships and how they can help people to overcome the ‘opportunity deficit’, both in terms of learning at the University and the support and development on offer as part of the team at OAL. We look forward to working with the University of Lincoln to support more young people in the future. ”
We’re committed to supporting the next generation getting into the world of work and developing the skills they need to thrive, whatever their background. The University has worked with the community and employers like OAL to raise aspirations and attainment, enhance educational opportunities, support businesses and create pathways for local people into highly-skilled employment and we’re very proud to partner with them.
OAL digitises its operations
In mid-2020, as the UK remained in lockdown due to COVID-19, we were awarded a grant to digitise our operations. As a result of the steps taken, we’re now working smarter, working faster and being more productive, helping the business to accelerate significantly.
In mid-2020, as the UK remained in lockdown due to COVID-19, we were awarded a grant to digitise our operations. As a result of the steps taken, we’re now working smarter, faster and more productively, helping the business to accelerate significantly. James Palmer, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, visited us to see how we got on!
Banishing paper to the recycling
Harry and the team were able to digitise the business thanks to the COVID-19 Capital Grants Scheme from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. With a grant of around £48,000, OAL was able to make the most of the quieter period at the height of the lockdown to take steps to streamline operations and take advantage of new technologies. This meant an end to old systems generating what amounted to around 14 square metres of paperwork and non-integrated software which made it difficult for our teams to work collaboratively.
“This grant has been extraordinarily important for the future of our business. People are now doing in two hours what it might have take them all day to do before. We’re estimating productivity gains of about 20% within our business.”
State-of-the-art pods
The digitisation comes with 14 new, fully-equipped pods for staff to work in. Building work for the new pods and the setting up of the new equipment has been very cost-effective, using local contractors, prefabricated panels, Amazon Alexa hubs and Microsoft Teams software, for example, to slash the cost of a typical refit and overhaul. This meant we actually achieved double the number of pods than what was originally envisioned with the grant money.
Each pod is self-sufficient with its own ventilation, lights and screens allowing one person to work in a quiet, productive environment, where they can collaborate with colleagues and customers easily through video calls and shared documents, allowing for a more interactive way of working.
The pods also allow people to work in two-metre spaces, adhering to the latest public health guidelines, as beforehand the original open plan office environment provided too many distractions and meetings were not always productive.
“Adversity does create opportunity and COVID-19 has given us time to reflect. We had too much paperwork and our systems held back our potential to work more effectively as a team. The more we have rolled out this technology, the more we wished we had done it sooner.”
We received a ringing endorsement from Mayor Palmer, who was amazed by how much we achieved with the grant and commented that we had created “the most innovative, paperless 21st century office” and “the future of offices”. The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority were exceptionally helpful throughout the application process, offering practical information and even making themselves available at weekends to help support us at what was a difficult time across the world. The transformation that we made wouldn’t have been possible without the grant so a big thank you to Mayor Palmer and the rest of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority team!
Ready to work with the new and improved OAL? Get in touch with us today!
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!
SafeContractor accredited for the fifth year in a row
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been approved as a SafeContractor for the fifth year in a row. Receiving this accreditation recognises our dedication to health and safety, both in terms of our workforce and how we work to protect our employees and our customers. When you work with OAL, you can be sure you’re in safe hands partnering with a responsible company.
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been approved as a SafeContractor for the fifth year in a row. Receiving this accreditation recognises our dedication to health and safety, both in terms of our workforce and how we work to protect our employees and our customers. When you work with OAL, you can be sure you’re in safe hands partnering with a responsible company.
What is SafeContractor?
Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading third-party health and safety assessment scheme initiated by the UK government under Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSiP). SSiP promotes a minimum standard of health and safety assessments and helps customers to identify which companies meet the UK’s rigorous health and safety requirements. The accreditation is a sign of professional and credible contractor business, and all listed businesses can be found by registered customers via the client web portal. For any customers who are not clients, further information can be found on the SafeContractor website.
How do you become SafeContractor approved?
To gain accreditation requires that we provide examples of all our health and safety paperwork to ensure it is up to date and meets legal industry requirements. This includes risk assessments, method statements, COSHH assessments and working at height, to name just a few!
SafeContractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, due to the number of contracted services. The SafeContractor seal of approval means you can be sure that we’re doing all we can to adhere to the very highest standard of health and safety and legal compliance, providing you with peace of mind when our teams carry out work on your sites.