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INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN |
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Medal sausages / pork sausages , and formed products like frikkadels and patties . All value-added products , including pork chops and cooked ribs , are processed and packaged on-site , ensuring quality control and freshness .
Factory general manager Willie Lӧtter describes a highly collaborative process in designing the facility with consulting firm AMC Engineers . Regarding cooling and refrigeration requirements , regulatory obligations dictate temperature control for final product storage , and the new plant is capable of maintaining temperatures consistently at 5 ° C or below . “ A notable addition is a continuous box freezer , the largest in Africa , capable of freezing 120 tonnes of product in a 24-hour cycle . Achieving this required upgrading the refrigeration system to consistently maintain temperatures as low as -40 ° C ,” he explains .
Highlighting the company ' s continued presence in Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal , Lӧtter explains that a processing plant there manages a specific range of products including bacon , viennas and cold meats . “ However , the primary processing occurs at the main facility in Heidelberg , where approximately 7 000 pigs are processed weekly .”
Describing their closed system approach , Lӧtter details the stringent protocols observed on supplier farms to ensure biosecurity : “ Deliveries occur throughout the week , with processing commencing on Sunday afternoons , and around 1 350 pigs are processed per shift . Following processing is the deboning process which separates raw materials destined for further processing on-site , primarily for bacon and viennas , from those used internally or stored for later use or sale . The comprehensive loop system requires adherence to strict protocols at every stage , from farm to processing facility . Vehicles transporting animals undergo thorough sanitation procedures , and personnel undergo mandatory showers before entering or leaving designated areas . This meticulous approach aims to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases within the facility . “ For safety issues associated with refrigeration systems , there has been a shift
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© Cold Link Africa |
Cutting the carcasses .
towards using glycol-cooled ammonia , a safer alternative to direct ammonia cooling . This approach mitigates risks in the event of spillages , prioritising the well-being of workers . Despite ammonia remaining the primary coolant in the plant room , the incorporation of glycol enhances safety measures ,” he says .
While the refrigeration upgrade went uneventfully , Lӧtter lists the primary challenge as being the coordination of the many contractors while keeping the business operational . “ Integrating new systems into an operational facility while ensuring uninterrupted production posed significant logistical hurdles . For instance , the expansion of the deboning facility from 120 to 190 tonnes per day required working over a single weekend to avoid disruptions . Managing a workforce of over 2 000 contractors across various disciplines added complexity , necessitating stringent safety measures and logistical oversight .”
While much of this coordination was attributable to consulting engineers AMC , particularly Andrew Minnaar and Stephen Frewen , as well as Krynauw Nienaber and Leon Barnard of Scip Engineering Group , much the load of the day-today management of the project fell to the manager and his team , navigating challenges ranging from safety protocols to logistical coordination .
Much of the focus on coordination was due to the unique challenge posed by Eskort ' s system wherein shareholders exclusively supply pigs to the facility , which must continue on a daily basis . “ Meticulous planning is consequently required to ensure uninterrupted processing . Even during critical maintenance periods , such as the tiein of refrigeration systems , operations must continue seamlessly to accommodate daily deliveries of thousands of pigs .”
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© Cold Link Africa
Stacked carcasses .
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© Cold Link Africa
Barpro devised solutions that optimised picking efficiency while minimising time and resource wastage .
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