Canadian-based Brandneu Foods significantly reduced lead times for its popular range of kale chips by 75 percent after installing the tna intelli-flav® OMS 5 at its plant in Toronto.
In addition to cutting production lead times from 60 days to just 15, the new installation enabled Brandneu to consolidate work space, meaning it can better respond to customer demands for its products.
Due to increased demand from consumers for healthier alternatives to potato chips, Brandneu has seen the popularity of its kale chips soar. The company therefore needed to reassess its production capabilities to meet this demand and stay competitive, in an increasingly crowded market place.
Sekhar Chakkingal, regional sales manager, tna North America:
“The current trend towards healthier snacks has had a key influence on the food industry.”
“Consumers are growing more and more concerned about the amount of fat, sugar and salt they consume. As a result, many manufacturers like Brandneu are looking for innovative technologies to help them produce healthier, tastier snacks to meet this demand.”
Increasing production speeds
To meet the high demand for their product, Brandneu needed complete flexibility to change flavors quickly and easily. Addressing this need, tna suggested a second drum that can be changed on the line in less than 15 minutes. The addition of the second drum means Brandneu can meet orders more quickly and reduce production lead time considerably.
Adding a completely new system to its existing production line, Brandneu was looking for equipment that was intuitive and easy to use for all operators. tna recognized that in a fast flowing manufacturing process, waiting for the right specialist to operate a machine is going to have a significant time impact. The tna intelli-flav OMS 5 system features a simple touchscreen that is user friendly and easy to program for simple operation. This helps plant managers save time in training staff, while also providing total peace of mind.
Seamless integration
As Brandneu was looking to maximize floor space for possible future expansions, tna needed to consider the overall footprint of the factory when planning the installation. Brandneu appreciated that, in addition to being simple and easy to use, the tna intelli-flav OMS 5 took up much less space than existing equipment, which provided them with the flexibility to add more lines in the future.
For more information, please visit www.tnasolutions.com.