UK: Barfoots benefit from Marco’s Yield and Waste Control Modules
Given the diversity of produce and the varying sizes of individual pack constituents, a proportion of Barfoots’ products are packed by hand. Therefore, maintaining accurate pack weights for predefined pack sizes of these products is a challenging task, especially when line changes can be frequent to meet changing customer demand. Without adequate control, higher than expected giveaway can be experienced and this translates directly to lost profits and can also impact on freight costs. In parallel, excess waste from trimmings and unacceptable produce bring their own cost implications. Again without a suitable waste control system, management are unable to understand and react to unwanted trends.
Marco first started working with Barfoots in 2009 at Sefter Farm near Bognor Regis. The scope of supply for this original installation included an eight station Yield Control Module with dual purpose LineMaster workstations. The Marco YCM has been specifically developed for the controlled packing of fresh produce and has a proven track record in de-skilling the packing process, whilst reducing giveaway to fractions of a gram. The following year, Barfoots purchased a single station Waste Control Module for the same site. Following on from the success of the first install, Barfoots have now purchased an additional 24 station Yield Control Module and a further two Waste Control Modules.
Barfoots’ Operations Manager Tom Spragg is impressed with the improvements the Marco systems have already brought at Sefter Farm: “Our range of fresh produce is not the easiest to pack and maintaining target weights within legislative requirements can be difficult. The Marco Yield Control System has reduced our giveaway dramatically, whilst our productivity has improved. Our operators find the systems easy to use and minimum training is required. With regard to the monitoring of waste, we now know when and where waste is produced and by whom. This allows us to fine tune our operation and optimise costs.”
For more information:
Mandy Hart
Marco
Tel: 0044 1732 782380
Email: [email protected]
www.marco.co.uk
