Sleaford Quality Foods in the UK, a family-owned supplier of dehydrated fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices have grown substantially in recent years. This growth has been due to Sleaford’s ability to react quickly to customers needs. The Company found however, that the combination of fixed mixing and packing equipment coupled with Sleaford's strict cleaning regime was limiting production capacity.
IBC Filling Line
(Click to enlarge)
Sleaford selected Matcon and EPCM Technology as their partners in a complete
refurbishment of their UK facility. A key goal of the project was to
increase production capacity by 400% without reducing
delivery lead times to customers or the need to employ more operators.
Following extensive full-scale product trials at Matcon's testing facility
in the UK, the Matcon IBC Batch Blender
was selected to complement Sleaford’s traditional fixed mixers.
Fixed mixers have the disadvantage of a very low rate of utilisation
(typically less than 10%) due to "dead time" during formulation,
packing and cleaning. The Matcon IBC Batch Blender has the advantage
of allowing all non-mixing operations to take place "offline"
as the mixing vessel itself (the IBC) can be removed.
The "Cone Valve" technology
used in all Matcon IBCs, meant that potential problems caused by segregation
during packing could also be avoided whilst providing guaranteed
discharge of even the most difficult flowing
Packing Line
(Click to enlarge)
products
such as those recipes containing oil.
Sleaford’s have not compromised on hygiene or quality in the design
and construction of their production facility. They have incorporated
the highest GMP standards, including high quality flooring, walls, lighting
& equipment specification – standards usually reserved for
pharmaceutical installations.
Matcon are proud to have been able to assist Sleaford in their continuing
success and to be a part of one of the most impressive Food Mixing and
Packing plants in Europe.