Now we’re cooking Baking!
One of our SLW clients acquired a food brand that required moving production bakery assets to their existing facility. We tagged, cataloged, and coordinated 42 semi-trailers of equipment to be removed. Items included large mixers, 300ft oven, conveyors, packaging equipment, palletizer and automated robotic packing system. After removal, we coordinated off-site sanitation of the equipment prior to installation within a production facility. We worked side-by-side with contractors for several weeks, resulting in a smooth start up.
This was a very big project but I’m truly proud of my team. At the end of the day, we all took home some fresh baked bread hot off the line that SLW Consultants supported.
31% increase, sweet!
As efficiency consultants, we get this quite often. One of our frozen food clients needed to increase uptime and reduce scrap/downtime during the making both frozen pancakes & waffles.
After several weeks of close collaboration with their Operations Team and examining scrap and waste SLW Consultants implemented a custom designed solution specific for their needs. We then talked with their equipment manufacturers to insure a seamless transition. Currently the facility has achieved a 31% increase in overall output while minimizing waste, resulting in improved overall productivity and cost savings.
Please pass the syrup.
turning 2 into 1… cool!
This was a perfect job for SLW Consultants. Our goal was to enhance the packaging process in a frozen food facility by replacing two case packers with a single, high-efficiency system.
Through collaboration with their Engineering and Operations Teams, equipment specifications and system requirements were developed. Then SLW contacted vendors that were capable of working on this project. An extensive evaluation based on cost analysis and product buffering capabilities then took place. The successful implementation of the new system resulted in a streamlined process with a full two minutes of buffering that significantly improved operational efficiency and productivity in their facility.
After everything was said and done… we toasted with ice cream.
a 5 to 3 cost savings
The objective for SLW Consultants was to reduce Bag-in-Box formats while ensuring customer satisfaction. In other words we had to be efficient, our specialty. We carefully analyzed bag sizes, box sizes, and equipment impact. We then streamlined the packaging process from five bags down to four.
The result was improved operational efficiency and increased uptime. This lead to a successful implementation of packaging material harmonization. In today’s hectic business environment harmony, is always good.
1/4 inch = $500,000 savings
This is one of SLW Consultants favorite cases.
We undertook a packaging material optimization issue with the objective of reducing film usage per bag. By transitioning from ½ seal jaws to ¼" seal jaws, the film cut off length was reduced by ½", resulting in substantial cost savings. The implementation of new tooling across multiple facilities and packaging lines yielded annual savings of $500,000 in film costs. That’s serious money. The importance of thorough planning by our team, equipment evaluation, and a seamless execution resulted in achieving a successful optimization. Plus, we also eliminated thousands of pounds of additional plastic waste in landfills.
At SLW, we call that a win-win-win-win.
Oee, with crackers…
SLW had it’s work cut out for it. In this case study, a cracker/chip manufacturer successfully installed a new packaging line to handle higher output from their new ovens. By developing both a retail and club packaging line, identifying necessary equipment, and collaborating with contractors, SLW achieved a higher Operational Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and a smooth startup. This also included selecting suitable conveyors, scales, bagging machines, X-ray, case packers, and other related equipment.
The implementation of the packaging line significantly increased production capacity, and allowed them to meet increased demand, operate efficiently, and explore new marketing opportunities to a very hungry consumer. Tasty!
from manual to automated
SLW Consultants was asked to replace an existing manual palletizing process with a fully automated system. The project involved conducting extensive research and working closely with the customer to identify suitable palletizing systems, then evaluating vendors to assess the pros and cons of each system. We then prepared a comprehensive cost analysis to aid in the decision-making process. The collaboration with their project manager helped in defining the project scope and timeline, ensuring a smooth implementation of the new system and ultimately improving operational efficiency.