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Food Processing News
News Release from: Ingredient Handling Solutions | Subject: Holgran and HO Short and Son partnership
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 June 2004
Partnership triples productivity in
cereal plant
A strategic manufacturing alliance between leading food producers Holgran and HO Short and Son has seen design and installation of a new UK plant, which has increased productivity by a third
A strategic manufacturing alliance between leading food producers Holgran and HO Short and Son has seen the design and installation of a brand new UK manufacturing plant, which has increased productivity by a third The new plant houses the latest materials handling technology from AZO, global leaders in ingredients automation
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 9 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Part of the Rank Hovis McDougal group, UK based Holgran is a manufacturer of malted ingredients, concentrates and mixes for the production of premium bread products.
Each year, Holgran sells 20,000 tonnes of processed foods to industrial milling and baking manufacturers across Europe.
When premises that had been occupied by the company since the 1950's became too small to cope efficiently with throughput levels and government legislation, such as the ATEX directive, Holgran sought to form a strategic alliance with a suitable food manufacturing company in order to invest and expand operations with a new UK plant.
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They found the perfect solution with food ingredient manufacturer H.O Short and Son Ltd, a family run business established since 1843, which produces cereal mixes and food improvers.
Together with AZO, global leaders in ingredients handling systems, the two companies have built new premises, in Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland.
This houses production for Silvery Tweed - a trading division of HO Short and Holgran's range of malt, cereal and technical ingredients for the premiumisation of bread and flour products.
Both parties wanted a plant with the capability for automated containment, plus transfer of materials and ingredients.
The innovative plant was designed to minimise raw material loss - ensuring homogeneous mixing, gentle product handling and maximum production speeds.
It was also crucial to introduce long-term benefits such as improved efficiency, increased capacity and cost reductions in manpower and materials.
The whole GBP5.5 million project took place during 2003, with AZO installations from March to September.
Costing around Euro700,000, the AZO contract took under a tenth of the overall budget.
Efficiency is higher and they can now achieve in 8 hours what previously took 24 hours.
Sandy Davidson, Project Manager at Holgran comments: "We chose the AZO design not only because they offered us a detailed project tender and a total solution but because they were able to individually solve any issues, from dust to contamination, using their own equipment.
In addition, they were able to deliver to the timescale we requested." Alan Marson, Operations Director for Holgran, says: "The strategic alliance with H.O Short has enabled Holgran to move into better premises with the latest technology.
The partnership is an example to other manufacturers of how investment is not only possible in the current economic climate but how it can bring about long-term benefits and cost savings".
Tom Gladstone, Managing Director, at H.O Short, says: "With between 50-60 RHM recipes currently being blended at the new plant the benefits are enormous.
Provided the materials are in the bins they can be fed into the system automatically through one computer controlled operator.
Technically, we now have an extremely sophisticated plant.
AZO didn't walk away once the job was finished.
They trained our staff on the new control systems superbly and were available on-site and remotely after the completion of the contract".
Phil Plummer, Sales Director at Ingredient Handling Solutions, UK agents for AZO, comments: "Despite the long-term benefits of increased efficiency and production for food manufacturers in the UK, investment in the latest technology is often overlooked because of the cost factor.
Automated ingredient handling systems are now vital to the food manufacturing process".
A more detailed case study and other images are available on request.
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