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Forming the backbone at Las Piedras 8 Batching om target at Jensen’s Kitchen 3 Greenlea leads the way in hot deboning 4 SEVEN GENERATIONS OF EXCELLENCE! 10 GRILSTAD
Forming the backboneat Las Piedras 8
Batching om targetat Jensen’s Kitchen 3
Greenlea leads theway in hot deboning 4
Seven GenerationSoF exceLLence! 10
G r i L S t a D
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contentS
Rib-eye, gulash, roast beef, entrecôte, burger, schnitzel, bacon, tenderloin, steaks, spare ribs, flank, strips, roast, culotte, chops, tail of rump, ham, cold cuts, salami and much more.
Marel is involved in a wealth of different meat processing applications throughout the world. We work on processes such as deboning, cutting, inspection, batching, freezing, marinating, check weighing, label-
ling, slicing, packing and tracking. It is impossible to show you them all, but in this issue of Insight Meat Processing you will get a glimpse of what we’re up to.
In Jordan, slicing of meat at Al Nabil has doubled after installing a new Polyslicer. In Australia, Greenlea Premier Meats has installed a second StreamLine for hot beef deboning, and in Iceland pork pro-cessor, Esja, has improved yield dramatically by installing a skinner.
The traceability project with INAC in Uruguay has been praised and received awards in several countries and has helped give the coun-try the high status of a premium beef supplying nation. Las Piedras, one of the country’s highly successful beef processors, has installed five deboning and trimming lines.
In addition to these customer cases, we also feature our newly intro-duced marinating line, a batching system for by-products, service agreements and many other solutions for optimizing your meat production.
Enjoy your reading,David Wilson Managing Director Industry Centre Meat
David Wilson is now Managing Director of Industry Centre Meat, succeeding Sigsteinn Gretarsson, who is continuing as COO of Marel in Iceland.David has vast experience in the food industry and has been with the company for almost 14 years.
Make itwith MarelMake it with Marel
Batching on target atJensen’s Kitchen
Greenlea leadsthe way in hot deboning
Traceability inUruguayan beef
Deboning and trimming lines form backbone at Las Piedras
Grilstad – sevengenerations of excellence
Skinner greatly improves yield at Esja
Weight management
Handling ofmeat by-products
Platino– the difference is in the bite
Magnificent marinating of meat
Slicing at the next level– the Polyslicer 1000 at Al Nabil
Non-stop shop- service level agreementat Snellman
A full house atMeat ShowHow
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I N S I G H T – M E A T P R O C E S S I N G
Batching on target atJensen’s Kitchen
When Danish meat producer Jensen’s Kitchen wanted to switch from manual to auto-matic weighing and batching of its spare ribs, a TargetBatche r from Marel turned out to be the right choice, for several reasons. Not only is the Target-Batcher capable of handling sticky marinated spare ribs, but giveaway and efficiency have improved as well.
Jensen’s Kitchen is the major supplier of spare ribs for the retail market in Denmark, as well as for Jensens Bøfhus’ steakhouse restaurants. Production manager Morten Sørensen explains the differ-ence the TargetBatcher has meant to his company. “The challenge of automatically weighing and batching products as sticky as ours has been solved with
the TargetBatcher. When the weighing scales flip downwards, the products simply slide right off”. Installing the TargetBatcher has also meant a significant difference in giveaway. “Previously we had several people manually weighing each product on small scales before packing. Now with this line we have reduced our giveaway with 28%, explains Sørensen.
While product giveaway has been reduced, efficiency has doubled. “The major improvement in giveaway, combined with increased efficiency, resulted in a short payback time on the machine of only 6–8 months,” he continues.
With efficiency now doubled, Jensen’s Kitchen is today running with a throughput of 25 tonnes per day during the peak season. Working with MarelTo keep up with the increased market for convenience foods, the right capacity and equipment are essential. Having worked with Marel for several years, Jensen’s Kitchen see how they can benefit from the extended product range on offer, including equipment from Stork Poultry Processing and Townsend Further Processing. “Our spare ribs run through a Stork oven, a Townsend marinating unit and a Marel freezer before arriving at the TargetBatcher. We are very pleased with both the equipment
about Jensen’s KitchenJensen’s Kitchen was established as supplier to the Jensen’s Bøfhus steakhouse restaurants. Today the company also supplies the retail market inside and outside Denmark. Products include meat and poultry products such as spare ribs, tenderloin and hot wings, along with a variety of sauces known from the Jensen’s Bøfhus restaurants.
and the 24-hour service agreement that we have with Marel. And from our perspective it is of course an advantage that in the future we will only have one entry point when looking for this kind of equipment,” concludes Jensen’s Kitchen produc-tion manager Morten Sørensen.
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Having seen the difference that the Marel StreamLine system made to production at their Hamilton-based deboning and trimming plant, Greenle a Premier Meats wanted to implement a similar system in their hot deboning facility in Morrinsville. This has meant that the New Zealand company today is probably the most advanced processor of hot deboned beef in the world.
Greenlea leadsthe way in hot deboning
Installed in 2011, the new Marel StreamLine system for monitoring and controlling the production of hot deboned beef gives Greenlea the absolute lead in hot deboning. “We really and truly believe in it,” says Russell Shaw, plant manager at
Morrinsville, who has been the leading figure in getting the system into operation.
“I admit I was rather sceptical when we installed the StreamLine system in our cold deboning and trimming facility in Hamilton, but seeing the results has turned me into a true believer. The system has delivered what was promised and probably much more, and I’m in no doubt whatsoever that this was also needed in our hot boning facility.”
Some of the results referred to by Shaw at Greenlea’s Hamilton facility include yield increase, performance gains, increased output and full individual operator monitoring. Similar improvements have been experienced in the Morrinsville facility.
Approximately 80,000 cattle are hot deboned per year at the Greenlea Premier Meats plant in Morrinsville, New Zealand.
“I admit I was rather sceptical when we installed the StreamLine system in our cold deboning and trimming facility in Hamilton, but seeing the results has turned me into a true believer.”
Russell Shaw, Greenlea MorrinsvillePlant Manager
Russell Shaw, Plant Manager Morrinsville
Believing in innovation Greenlea is a forward-looking company constantly on the lookout for innovations and improvements in processing. One way of achieving this is by working closely together and forming a partnership with Marel.
“We learned a lot from the first system, which has been of benefit in designing the second line,” con-tinues Shaw. “For example, we’ve
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I N S I G H T – M E A T P R O C E S S I N G
H O T D E B O N I N G
Graham Green, Operations Manager
Hot boning of beef carcasses has distinct advantages over cold boning. The warm meat is soft and requires less effort to bone, which means that occupational related stress injuries are less likely to occur. There is a potential for improved yield, and expensive chilling of fat and bones is avoided.
However, there are also perceived disadvantages to hot boning. There is a potential for the meat to be tough, darker in colour and, for some primals, different in shape. In Australia and New Zealand, hot boning is usually used for carcasses with a deep-butt temperature of more than 30 °C, which are boned within 30–45 minutes of slaughter.
incorporated solid belts into the line and opted for a single-sided design for hygienic and logistic reasons. Flexibility of this kind is a big part of what our partnership with Marel is about,” he adds.
Employee involvement Greenlea’s partnership philosophy extends further than to Marel, and the company has established a scheme by which the employees are encouraged to suggest potential points for improvement to the management every week. “We not only implement new technology,” explains Shaw. “We also look for fresh ways of improving and innovating production internally, and our workforce is a great source for doing this. This has also meant that our employees have embraced the new trimming line very easily, as they feel they really matter and are closely involved in the way we work.”
Improved working environment Improved ergonomics was high on the list of priorities when imple-menting the new deboning and trimming system. The Marel line has proved a success in improving the working environment, and there have been no work-related accidents since it was installed. Staff turnover has also declined, and the system has taken much of the physical hard work out of the process, as Greenlea operations manager Graham Green confirms. “We’re a close community here and we care for each other. With the improved ergonomics in the system, we can actually increase the number of years our staff can work in their trade. Good for them and good for us.”
Cattle managementWorking closely with the farmers supplying cattle to Greenlea is very important to efficiently manage production. “The StreamLine system enables us to work even closer with the farmers and provide them with a better service. Amongst other things, it provides us with reliable feedback and useful information on each carcass, including yield, breed performance and other factors,” Green concludes.
The basic concept of hot boning is that slaughtering, boning and packing of the meat are all conducted within the space of a single working day. An increasing number of plants are using this method due to the potential for:
• Reduced processing time from slaughter to load out• Lower chilling space and other capital cost requirements• Reduced energy consumption and other chiller costs• Increased boning yield• Improved productivity• Elimination of hard fat problems• More rapid product turnover
The meat must be cooled quickly to below 7 °C after it is boned in order to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
When hot boning is properly carried out, the microbiological quality of hot boned frozen or chilled meat is comparable with that of conventionally boned meat. Studies have also demonstrated that hot boned meat can reach the same level of tenderness and manufacturing functional properties as that of conventionally prepared cold boned meat.
For further information about Greenlea Premier Meats:www.greenlea.co.nz
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traceability inUruguayan beef
Traceability in the world market is becoming increasingly important to red meat processing companies. It is about creating market access, building and maintaining consumer confidence in products and ensuring a competitive, transparent supply chain. This requires both investment and commitment.
Uruguay – which exports about 75% of its beef production – is branding beef on a national level, and is now recognised as a frontrunner in this field. The country has an individual ear-tag-based animal identification programme implemented at all farms as well as one of the most comprehensive centrally organised traceability systems installed at all approved slaughterhouses in the country.
The Uruguayan traceability system, SEIIC (Electronic Information System of the Meat Industry) was set up by INAC (The National Meat Institute) in cooperation with Marel, and has been in full operation since 2007.The purpose of SEIIC is to gather and collate online data about bovine cattle slaughter and deboning in a central system, to ensure transparent management and the same operating data for all parties involved in the mandatory meat processing system – farmers, producers and the state. The system has proven to be a very positive technological leap forward, especially for the medium and small-sized slaughterhouses in Uruguay.
To gain access to the European markets, SEIIC is complying with the EU traceability regulations “EAN 128” which stipulate that it should always be possible to trace a product one step backward and one step forward and that recalls can be effectuated within two hours of detecting that something is wrong. This is fully possible with SEIIC.
Production transparencybenefits allReal time information generated and obtained from central points at each plant is stored in a local SEIIC server in each of the 39 plants and in a main server at INAC in Montevideo. As Hugo Köncke, Chairman of Information Technology at INAC, explains, “Using our system, more than 25000 units of data per day from around 500 data collecting points are analysed, validated and forwarded to the farmers and producers to document how they perform. It gives both them and us a very good tool for managing beef production and marketing the industry.”
INAC’s deputy director, Maria del Carmen Vilanova, continues, “When the system was first installed there was a lot of resistance from the slaughterhouses because they felt they were being ‘monitored’. This attitude has subsequently been transformed into a positive feeling about the system as a tool to provide traceability and a marketing tool with export benefits. The system has proved its worth, and a lot of manual paperwork has become superfluous.”
From birth to carcass cuttingThe SEIIC system consists of seven data capture and registration points, strategically located in all plants in the areas responsible for:
1. Live weight2. Bleeding3. Pre-dressing4. Classification5. Deboning room entry6. Deboning room packing7. Dispatch of boxes
The capture points consist of Marel hardware, including scales, computers, printers and scanners. These then provide information about the slaughtering, deboning and dispatching processes via Marel production control software.
Hugo Köncke, Chairman of Information Technology at INAC daily works with a constant information flow from more than 500 data collection points.
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Three stages of traceabilityThe beef supply chain can be divided into three stages – and traceability is important in each of them.
• From the cow’s birth at the ranch through delivery to the slaughterhouse
• The killing of cattle and division of carcasses into cuts at the slaughterhouse
• Delivery of cuts from the slaughterhouse to the importer, retailer and consumer.
The animals are first registered into the traceability system when they enter the plant and the accompanying information, such as the herd number, and the number for the producer, farm and ear-tag, is entered into the system.
Updating the softwarethroughoutMarel employs 10 IT staff for software and hardware service and support for the SEIIC project. With the extended 24/7 Marel help desk it is possible to detect device downtime on the spot. Actually, the Marel helpdesk may know that something is wrong with a device in one of the plants before the plant operator would even notice. Before installation the device uptime was guaranteed to be no less than 99%. The reality has actually showed uptime results better than that. The measured uptime is more than 99.56% - which means less than 1.6 days downtime per year – but in reality there is no downtime at all because the system is also “fault-tolerant”. So if any server in the whole chain has a problem the
weighing terminals can work by themselves without any disruption at all.
In 2011 – as part of a dynamic and constantly adapting system structure – it was decided to undertake a software upgrade to SEIIC. As a result, INAC and Marel are now working on the implementation of a new, improved system based on Innova production control software from Marel.
“Over the years since starting this project, we have worked with Marel to overcome a lot of structural difficulties. We have had many good discussions that have resulted in good solutions,” says Hugo Köncke. The close relationship between Marel and INAC has also meant that deciding to upgrade to new software did not involve any big risk. “We have a lot of confidence in the system and in the Marel organisation. They provide excellent preventive and corrective maintenance of both software and data collection hardware,” continues Hugo Köncke.
“Uruguay is now recognised throughout the world as one of the leaders in beef processing, thanks to thorough marketing of Uruguay as a committed beef nation with focus on quality and traceability. This wouldn’t be possible without the SEIIC system,” concludes Maria del Carmen Vilanova.
Las Piedras and INACOne of the 39 slaughter and processing plants that operates using the SEIIC system is Las Piedras, which is featured on page 8-9 in this Insight Meat Processing magazine.
INAC is the National Meat Institute in Uru-guay – an official non-governmental entity whose role is to advise the National Govern-ment of Uruguay on its National Meat Policy as well as to implement this policy. INAC is directed by a Board with representatives from the private sectors of the industry and the producers.
INAC has the purpose of promoting, ruling, coordinating and monitoring activities concerning production, transformation, trade, storing and transport of meat including beef, sheep meat, horse meat, pig meat, goat meat, poultry, rabbit meat and small game.
I N A C
Instituto Nacional de Carnes
INAC Deputy Director, Mrs Maria del Carmen Vilanova and Chairman of Information Technology at INAC, Mr Hugo Köncke
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Deboning and trimming lines form backbone at Las Piedras
As a pioneer in the Uruguayan beef processing industry, the manage-ment of Las Piedras is always on the lookout for innovations in process-ing equipment and methods. So when directors Mr Jose Gonzalez and Mr Alberto Gonzales and general manager Mr Martin Bazterrica saw the Marel trimming systems in Europe and Australia, they were in no doubt that such a system would mean a new era for Las Piedras.
Partners in meat for the future“After seeing what the system did for processors in Europe and Australia, we could easily see the opportunity that we had for improving quality, logistics and traceability,” general manager, Mr Martin Bazterrica explains. “We
consulted Marel and, together with their meat processing experts, we designed a full production hall catering for the future.”
The company has now installed a complete meat processing line consisting of five primary break-down lines where the quarters are split into the main primals, five intel-ligent trimming lines, where performance, yield and quality are monitored by individual operator as well as the whole line, and a pack-off system.
Once the product has been trimmed it is automatically con-veyed to the pack-off system, where it is packed individually as part of a multi-pack, or in bulk. Each individual cut is fully traceable.
Uruguayan company Las Piedras believes in being innovative and seizing the opportunity, a policy which has resulted in a successful state-of-the-art beef processing plant with a slaughter capacity of 1000 head per day and an export rate that equals 10% of the country’s total beef export. Five Marel deboning and trimming lines are installed at Las Piedras, forming an impressive backbone for the deboning room.
“We are getting better results every day and we have now begun to analyse the results of the lines and see improvements in both yield and throughput.”General Manager at Las Piedras, Mr Martin Bazterrica
4,200 quarters are deboned, trimmed and packed per
shift at Las Piedras.
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The meat processing system has a capacity of 150 animals per hour, which equals deboning 4,200 quarters per shift.
“We are getting better results every day,” continues Bazterrica “and we have now begun to analyse the results of the trimming lines and see improvements in both yield and throughput.”
Processing with a messageThe system has not only given better yield results, but hygiene, product quality and the overall working environment have also improved. “Hygiene and ergonomic design were big considerations in the plant layout,” explains Marel Uruguay sales manager Ignacio Ugarte. “The system minimises strain on the operators. For
example, raw material is delivered automatically to each operator allowing for uninterrupted trimming and improved productivity. This makes a huge difference.”
Traceability facilitated by INACLas Piedras is connected to the central trace and recall system that has been set up nationally by Uruguay’s national meat institute, Instituto Nacional de Carnes (INAC), which feeds individual animal ID traceability back to the farmer, along with information on weight, grade, production lot and other data. The INAC project has been recognised worldwide as an impressive and unique system for full traceability, features for which Uruguayan meat has become famous, as well as its supreme quality.
L A S P I E D R A S , U R U G U A Y
Established in 1978, Frigorifico las Piedras S.A. is a family-owned company managed personally by its owners. Employing close to 800 workers, its 25,000-square metre industrial plant is built in the midst of a farming area, 20 minutes away from the port of Montevideo.
The plant has a slaughtering line for cattle with a capacity of 1,000 animals per day and another for lamb with a capacity of 4,000 carcasses daily.
The carcass-chilling coolers have space to refrigerate 1,600 hanged cattle carcasses. The boning room allows the deboning of 4,200 quarters per shift. The facility also houses a chilling and maturing tunnel and a cold store that accommodates 500 tons of vacuum-packed chilled meat.
For fast freezing of meat and meat products, the company is equipped with two continuous automatic tunnels (Carton Freezer). These can freeze 170 tons every 24 hours to an internal product temperature of -24º C.
Once the meat is frozen it is stored in a high-density cold store with a capac-ity of 5,000 tons and a state-of-the-art system equipped with mobile shelves.
Directors, Mr Jose Gonzalezand Mr Alberto Gonzalez
For further informationon Frigorifico Las Piedras S.A. visit:
www.frigorificolaspiedras.com
Packed and la-belled boxes ready
for shipment.
The INAC (Instituto Nacional de Carnes) traceability system registers parameters that include animal ID, grade and weight.
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Seven GenerationSoF exceLLence!
Today, the company has 8 factories located in mid and Southern Norway employing some 700 people operating 20 lines to produce salami, burgers, fresh meat and air dried ham. Cooked meat and ham production is also being planned for the future.
Thanks to high quality and an enviable reputation, the company supplies around 50% of the salami consumed in Norway and their other products enjoy equal, if not greater, success in the home market.To cope with increasing demand, the Trondheim plant has been extended no fewer than 24 times since 1957 and now operates 6 slicing lines that produce 65 tonnes every week.
In 2010 Grilstad installed a Marel IBS2000 Vision bacon line in their Gjovik plant, the success of which inspired Head of Technical Develop-ment, Georg Mattingsdal, to look at how Marel could help reduce high labour costs and improve profitabil-ity at his Trondheim plant.
Automatic slicing and packingGeorg was attracted to the idea of applying robot technology to automate the slicing and packing operation and, safe in the knowl-edge that Marel are without doubt, market leaders in intelligent portion loading, he carefully researched and subsequently ordered, a PolyLine
Trondheim, Norway’s first capital city, boasts a proud Viking history of chieftains and their finest of men who built the city’s agriculture, fishing and forestry to provide prosperity and excellent living standards. Those high standards live on at Grilstad, a private company managed by the seventh generation of the Jenssen family with the same pride and dedication to quality established by their ancestors in 1790.
Georg Mattingsdal, Head of Technical Development.
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comprising PolySlicer 3000, G2300 Checkweigher, VBS Vertical Buffer, Pack Desynchroniser and a triple head IPL Robot.
The new line was installed in October 2010 with an engineer appointed to oversee and optimise the performance of the system. The PolySlicer 3000 high speed slicer automatically loads and slices up to 4 logs of high quality salami at a time. The sliced groups are then dynamically weighed by the G2300 Checkweigher, which is connected in closed loop feedback with the PolySlicer in order to maintain on-weights in excess of 98%.
The IPL Robot is equipped with 3 heads, which share the work of loading the sliced groups into the thermoformer at, typically, 180 picks/minute.
Improved presentation PolyLine produces both shingled packs and overlapped shingle packs which, Georg says, have been welcomed by customers who have commented on the improved presentation of the product. IPL Robot has a great deal to do with this because it can place the sliced groups in the pack more quickly, more gently and more precisely than any operator. The relatively
“As well as greatly improving output and productivity, PolyLine has made a big difference to the quality, presentation and consumer appeal of our products.”Georg Mattingsdal, Head of Technical Development.
few transfer points on the PolyLine also contribute to maintaining good presentation and hygiene – a vital safety issue with ready to eat products.
Georg is very pleased with the PolyLine, commenting that it has made a big difference to the output, quality and presentation of Grilstad’s products and Trondheim’s profitability. He is also pleased about being able to manage the system on line and, in partnership with Marel, he looks forward to even higher levels of efficiency and productivity in the future.It’s so reassuring to see Grilstad entering a new era and an eighth generation of excellence!
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Skinner greatly improves yield
“In pork, giveaway has been reduced by 50% after we bought the skinner. It has performed very well for us,” says Vilbergur Flovents Sverrisson, production manager at Esja. “The skinner only removes the mem-brane, whereas before, when the skinning was done manually, a substantial amount of the meat was cut away with the membrane. This can make a big difference when you are talking about muscles that cost from 10 to 15 euros per kilo. So the payback time on the equipment is short.”
Increased automation has been extremely important for meat processing in Iceland, in Sverrisson’s view. “Automation has greatly improved the speed and accuracy, which in the longer term results in lower prices. Quality has increased as well since the equipment usually always performs its tasks in exactly the same way, while the human hand can vary.”
Further processing in demandEsja primarily serves restaurants and canteens in schools and institutions. The company has a kitchen in a separate facility where it produces, among other things, ready-to-eat meals and prepares and pre-cooks food for large canteens.
“I think that the market will continue to develop in this direction and that plate-ready processing will increase. Society moves much faster these days and that’s what the market is asking for; but the quality also has to be good.”
Esja moved into its current 1,000-square metres premises in Reykjavik a decade ago and has already outgrown the building. The company is now planning a move to a larger facility next year, which will provide the an opportunity to improve processes and increase automation even further. “It is becoming ever more difficult to find skilled labour so we are making a conscious effort to reduce manual labour, in our processing.”
Icelandic meat processor Esja acquired a Townsend skinner from Marel in 2010 in keeping with its increased focus on automation. The skinner has greatly improved the company‘s yield in the processing of pork and beef.
“In pork, giveaway has been reduced by 50% after we bought the skinner. It has performed very well for us,”Vilbergur Flovents SverrissonEsja production manager
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The Marel range of bench and floor scales can be combined with the comprehensive range of weighing indicators, computers, printers, labellers, software and accessories to suit individual processing needs. The scales can be used as standalone installations or as a part of a complete production management system.
Floor scalesConstructed from hard-wearing, fully welded stainless steel and waterproof to IP67 or IP69K specifications, Marel floor scales are easy to open by means of a gas spring. With no rough edges or points where bacteria can collect, they are also very hygienic and easy to clean.
• The PL6000 trolley scale provides a compact, easy means of weighing products in a Vemag wagon.
• The PL7000 series of floor scales is designed to tackle most weighing jobs and can be placed on the floor or installed in a pit.
• The PU8000 series of pallet scales provides a compact, flexible way of weighing products on
a pallet.
Weightmanagement
M1100 weighing indicatorAvailable in several versions, the M1100 offers a weighing range of 1.5 kg to 3,000 kg, depending on the model chosen. With its touch-sensitive yet tough, hardwearing keypad, the M1100 is easy to operate, while its large LED display and under/overweight indicator ensure user-friendly operation. The M1100 comes with either metric (kg, g) or avoirdupois (lbs, oz) weighing units, depending on the system required.
M2200 weighing indicatorUsed for a variety of applications in wet and dry food production, the M2200 scale can control hoppers and conveyors, as well as serving as a registration terminal. M2200 packing scales can also be integrated into a full packing system comprising several scales and printers, using Innnova Packing Lite and Innova Packing software.
Bench scalesDesigned to deal with most weighing tasks, Marel bench scales can be placed anywhere in a factory, ranging from dry packing areas to very wet or humid areas. Constructed from fully welded stainless steel (load cell and platform/frame) and waterproof to IP67 or IP69K specifications, Marel bench scales are hygienic, easy to clean and come equipped with a load cell overload stop for static load protection, ensuring durability and a long working life.
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Handling ofmeat by-products
Accuracy and throughput are key factors in the bulk packing of by-products. Marel’s automatic batching line can be used for virtually any meat by-product.
Products can enter the batching line directly from cut up lines, process-ing lines or from bulk flow.
The batching solution enables packing of cooled down products (approximately 2°C) which are typically brought to the batching line in large containers. These are placed in the swing loader and emptied into the buffer infeed. From the buffer infeed, products are automatically guided onto the flighted conveyor and fed into the SpeedBatcher.
• High throughput • Batches in bags or boxes to
target weight • Flexible and user-friendly• Hygienic, fast process• Reduction of labour costs
The SpeedBatcher automatically weighs the by-products into sub-weights that are then selec-tively combined to form the optimal final batch weight, specified with over-/underweight tolerances.
For most bulk packing tasks, the products are then released into cartons, after forming of the final batch weight. These cartons are checkweighed and labelled according to customer require-ments, after which they are ready for stock or dispatch.
Version / specifications SB-3000 SBL-3000
Batch size 4–30 kg 4–30 kgHopper volume 12.9 litres 18.8 litresMaximum item size 260–380 mm 380–500 mmThroughput (up to) basedon 10 kg batches* 7-10 batches/minute 7-10 batches/minute
Other packing possibilities are possible with the SpeedBatcher if required– e.g. into bags or trays. *Larger batch sizes mean fewer batches per minute.
SpeedBatcher
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Platino
the differenceis in the bite!
Marel’s Platino flattener might just be the only machine on the market where you can taste the difference in the end product!
Unlike most flattening machines, the Platino uses a unique flattening method that makes sure the end product retains its moisture. With this technique, the Platino puts less pressure on the meat by massaging it over a shorter period of time than other flattening equipment. The result is a high quality to the bite and the taste.
Furthermore the Platino’s technique ensures that less of the meat will return to its original shape after flattening.
Compact and easy to use the Platino flattener is robust and flexible. It is easy to clean and designed to comply with the highest hygiene standards.
Marel SolutionsThe Platino can easily be integrated with other Marel equipment. It can be combined with an OptiCut, which provides individual weight and shaped portions for the Platino. This set-up is ideal for convenience products such as schnitzels, etc.
When placed in line with the StripCutter, the Platino will ensure that the height of the meat fits the perfectly dimensioned strips and cubes cut by the StripCutter. Or, when the meat has been cut on the PortionCutter I-Cut 55, the Platino will ensure the same thickness to the cut meat and thereby the same cooking time for products such as foodservice steaks.
• Unique flattening technique• No ribbed meat fibers• More tender end product• Less product bounce back after flattening• Hygienic and easy to clean
K E Y F E A T U R E S
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Magnificentmarination of meat
The consumption of convenience food is rapidly increasing, and consumers continue to ask for more versatile products, including international flavours. Marination is one way of catering for this increased demand and is typically used to improve consistency, taste, tenderness or other sensory attributes, such as colour or juiciness.
• Small footprint – high capacity• Labour-saving process – automatic cutting,
marinating and batching • Suitable for fresh crust frozen boneless meat• Consistent product quality – low meat and
marinade give-away • Rapid changeover of recipes
K E Y F E A T U R E S
Marel offers an in-line system for quick and easy marinating and batching of large quantities of meat products such as pork loin steaks, rib eyes and neck steaks.
The Marel marinating line is specifically designed for the in-line wet marinating of portioned and fragile meat products. The line gives an accurate pick up and more uniform distribution of marinade and coarse pieces, such as pepper and herbs, compared to traditional equipment dippers and tumblers. This is very important, as unevenly distributed marinade can cause discolouration, rubbery texture, strong flavour and uneven cooking.
Cutting and marinatingCrust-frozen products are cut into portions of fixed weight or thickness. These are then transported via a conveyor belt along a set of nozzles that spray marinade onto one or both sides of the product.
During spraying, the surplus marinade flows back to the unit’s reservoir and is reused, minimising the loss of valuable marinade.
After marinating, the products are automatically shingled according to customer specifications and ready for packing in trays or thermoformer.The line capacity is 3000 kg/hour (based on 30m/minute belt speed, 20mm product thickness and 55% belt load).
valueSpray system
OptiCut, ValueSpray and Stacker
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I N S I G H T – M E A T P R O C E S S I N G
The Al Nabil Company for Food Products is the leading producer of chilled and frozen food products in the Middle East and Gulf region, and produces a wide range of cold cuts for the retail market.
Business has been going well for the Jordanian company, and the product range and throughput have grown steadily. Production of beef pastrami, Italian salami, dry salami, pepperoni, smoked roast beef and mortadella has doubled in the last 12 months.
A major reason for this success is the recently installed Marel PolySlicer 1000. This machine has taken over slicing of all small-diameter prod-ucts, such as salami, from two existing machines that are now only used for large-diameter products. The company has opted for an involute blade head, because it can cut at twice the speed of the existing machines – at a similar cost.
A Marel technician supervised the machine’s installation at the plant. He also trained Al Nabil’s operators on how to use the machine, which proved to be a major benefit. “The service and training from Marel was
very good. It helped us to quickly integrate the machine into our daily production and now we are running many of our products on it – amounting to around 3 tonnes per day,” says Engineer Salah Al-Johari, Production Manager at Al Nabil.
He continues: “We are very happy with the new PolySlicer 1000. The machine is stable, our operators find it easy to use, the quality of our products is excellent and it has helped us double our throughput. It is the perfect machine for our needs.”
Slicing at the next level– the PolySlicer 1000 at al nabil
the Marel PolySlicer 1000PolySlicer 1000 is a compact, versatile machine that is easy to use for slicing cold cuts. It produces well-defined stacks, shingles or shaved products at speeds up to 1500 revolutions per minute.
It can slice a very wide range of cooked meats, bacon and natural products. The slicer is designed and engineered for high reliability and low maintenance.
PolySlicer 1000 can operate as a standalone unit or it can be integrated with a range of manual, fixed or random-weight production lines.
“Only with modern technology will we beable to produce in accordance with ourhigh standards. And some of thebest machines inour production facilities arefrom Marel.”Mr Nabil Rassam,General Manager
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For Finnish meat producer Snellman, a service agree-ment with Marel has meant a significant improvement in production. Previously the plant would have intermit-tent stops on its equipment throughout the day. Today Snellman’s production runs non-stop.
Snellman purchased its first Marel equipment in 2005, a Flowline for deboning beef and pork. The purchase included an MPS software control system, the predecessor to Innova, Marel’s current intelligent production management system. When the equipment was first installed, Snellman sent their own service personnel to Marel’s headquarters in Iceland for training in servicing and maintaining the Flowline.
Knowledge is keyIn 2007, however, having worked with the equipment for two years and seeing some opportunities for improvements, Snellman produc-tion manager Pekka Kalliosaari decided to purchase a Service Level Agreement (SLA) from Marel, which included both hardware and software servicing of the system.
“The SLA gives us ready access to help from Marel personnel, who are updated on all the features of our equipment,” explains Kalliosaari. “It’s good to get this kind of help as we cannot send our own service personnel on training courses all the time.”
“When the deboning line was first installed in 2005, there were still some adjustments that needed to be made. That is much easier when you have Marel personnel by your side.
non-StoP SHoP– service level agreement at Snellman
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I N S I G H T – M E A T P R O C E S S I N G
Time factorFor any producer, keeping down-time to a minimum is an issue of great importance, and Snellman is certainly no different. As a result, the extended knowledge of Marel’s service personnel is not the only important factor for the company’s service agreement. Response time plays an equally large part. “It is important that our equipment is running correctly so that we can avoid the small stops that we previously had on the Flowline, and Marel’s fast response time makes a big difference in this respect,” explains Kalliosaari.
Working with MarelWith the SLA now in place for a couple of years, Kalliosaari is clear in his conclusion on his company’s co-operation with Marel.“We’re very pleased with the current set-up and the service personnel from Marel. I think the co-operation between our company and Marel is very good,” concludes Snellman production manager Pekka Kalliosaari.
S N E L L M A N A T A G L A N C E
Oy Snellman Ab is a family-run business that produces fresh meat, ready meals and everything in between, including minced meat, steaks, sliced cooked meat and sausages. On average the company processes 860 pigs and 120 beef cattle each day. Based in Jakobstad, on Finland’s east coast, the company has 700 employees and a 2010 turnover of EUR 191 million.
Service LevelAgreementThe SLAs are service agreements between the customer and Marel. The goal is peak perfor-mance and maximum uptime for the customer’s processing system.
The Service Level Agreement may consist of any of the service products available, such as installation and commissioning services, emergency support, extended warranty or software maintenance.
The service products are arranged in a modular structure offering maximum flexibility in putting together a service and support package tailored to the customer’s exact requirements.
www.marel.com
• At Marel, our aim is to stay at the
forefront in providing innovative
technologies for the beef and pork
processing industry.
• We have the expertise and
extended sales and service
organisation to deliver advanced
equipment and systems to our
customers, creating maximum
process performance and value.
Global meat industry
At the first Meat ShowHow held in Aarhus, Denmark, Marel demonstrated a wide range of new equipment and systems available to the meat industry. The event attracted more than 250 visitors from places as far away as South America and New Zealand.
Equipment on show included complete systems for case-ready retail packs, value-added product, deboning and trimming and trim management together with a number of stand-alone machines for portioning, skinning, slicing, sawing, batching, marination and meat recovery.
During the day visitors were given presentations and demonstrations on each of the systems, after which they had the opportunity for in-depth discussions with Marel process consultants regarding their own operations and their particular application requirements.
As one processor commented, “It has been a really useful day and I’ve picked up several new ideas for my products.”
a FULL HoUSe at
The 2012 Marel Meat ShowHow will take place on 23 October in Aarhus, Denmark.
