Konsum Varmland
PolyLine : another ray of sunshine in Varmland
Just about every processor in the world is seeking to achieve increased throughput with lower costs and Konsum Varmland are no exception. This highly successful Swedish cooperative has no fewer than 3300 member producers, 60 retail stores and 1700 people producing a wide range of baked goods, ready meals, cooked, cured and fresh meat, hamburgers, meatballs and sausages. The cooperative's range of delicatessen products – the subject of this story - are produced by some 185 people in 2 factories based in Karlstad, capital of Varmland County in west central Sweden and famous for being one of the sunniest towns in Sweden.
For some time now, there has been a trend away from in-store retail delicatessens towards more efficient and cost effective centralised packing using trays produced on a thermoformer.
In 2006, Konsum Varmland's Delicatessen manager, Kenny Thor, responded to the trend by deciding to source a new slicing line that would enable his company to meet the increasing demand for this type of packaging that has become so popular with consumers – firstly in stores along the border with Norway and now throughout Sweden.
Kenny drew up a detailed and demanding specification. Speed and throughput, combined with slice quality and presentation, were, of course, essential if the pressures of growing daily demand were to be met. So too, was the ability to handle a range of products in a variety of formats with precision and accuracy right through to packing and despatch.
Kenny paid a visit to the Scanpack 2006 exhibition in Sweden and found just what he needed: an AEW Delford PolyLine comprising a PolySlicer 3000, Intelligent Portion Loading (IPL) Robot, a pack converger, WPL8100 weigh price labeller and a TL8 packing station for packing and labelling crates. I.O. Trading & Teknik, AEW Delford’s distributor in Sweden, demonstrated and supplied the system which now operates on two shifts a day.
The PolyLine has exceeded Kenny's expectations. “Not only is the line very fast, it saves 4 operators and reduces product handling which in turn greatly improves hygiene and presentation. The IPL Robot's great ability to pack a variety of formats reinforces my view that robots are definitely the future for our industry,” he said.
14 Konsum stores now stock and sell the wide range of tray packaged products and a further 20 will come on stream in the summer.
It looks like the the sun will continue to shine at Konsum Varmland for some time to come - thanks to Kenny Thor and PolyLine.
For more information about AEW Delford Systems and Polyline, please contact:
Tony Ambrose or Terry Starkey
AEW Delford Systems
Pinetrees Road
Norwich NR7 9BB
Tel: 01603 700755, Fax: 01603 700844
e-mails: t.ambrose@aewdelford.com t.starkey@aewdelford.com
