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Kara
Foods
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Kara Foods
Company Profile
In 2007 the Kara Foodservice was born as a £35million company in its own right with headquarters and production plant in Manchester, satellite sites in London, Sheffield and Barnsley, and total focus on providing an easy access, one-stop-shop for UK and European foodservice customers. Kara Foods are continually involved in research to better understand the needs of all their foodservice customers – both now and into the future. This research will steer their product evolution so that, whether their customers are in a hotel, restaurant, on a train station platform or in a factory canteen, they can establish which bakery items best suit their needs and improve their offering accordingly.
Problem
Kara Foods whole production process depends on the efficient cooling of their product. To achieve this they have historically used spiral coolers, utilising steel belts. This type of belt has a number of limitations
which when analysed, can be identified as the cause of problems that effect both quality of product
and downtime losses in production. Sean Pearce, the Engineering Manager, was faced with building an investment proposal that would ensure better production efficiency and improve on what is already a quality product. This was a major project that was managed completely “in-house” by Sean and his engineering team, and needed to be completed in an extremely short timeframe. As a result of other highly successful projects, previously completed, Kara Foods invited Forbo to assess how the system could be improved.
Solution
After a detailed feasibility study of the two spiral coolers in question, ITEC working in conjunction with Forbo-Siegling, provided Kara Foods with comprehensive proposal to fit a Prolink Series 5 CM50/70 belt on the upward and downward spiral and remodel the transfer between the two spirals. This meant fitting a small conveyor which utilised a fray free Transilon sealed edge belt. The proposal guaranteed not only product performance and reduced product waste, but also service commitment and technical support during and after installation.
Each spiral belt was approximately 250M long and 850mm wide, and unlike many other plastic modular belts of a similar width, no additional support framework was required. This was due to Prolinks unique design and stainless steel rod providing exceptional lateral beam strength. It was clear that by fitting a Prolink Modular belt, a number of very important benefits could be realised.
1) Elimination of possible metal belt debris and steel lubricant contamination of products.
2) End of potential stainless steel "black spec" issues on products.
3) Increase life expectancy: the unique design belt greatly reduces operating friction and tension within the system. This often means the UHMW cages bars and support rails may never need to be replaced again!
4) Increased product throughput with greater loading capacity of lighter, but stronger belts.
5) Improved product support, orientation, and air-flow due to the unique belt surface.
6) Elimination of lubrication of support rails and associated costs
7) Reduce spiral down-time with reduced system wear, lower belt tension and quick thorough belt clean-ability.
8) Reduce maintenance time by:
- Eliminating steel belt periodic change over’s "flipping."
- Eliminating periodic wear strip/cage-bar cap replacement.
- Eliminating steel belt cutting, grinding and welding.
9) Improve energy efficiency by utilising a strong but lighter belt.
10) Increased cycle life: better fatigue resistance with plastic particularly in hot environments
11) Improve / Simplify any maintenance with easy assembly / removal of belt
12) Easy to maintain
- Plastic : Pull pins insert new belt section, refit pins
- Steel : Cut and weld
- Improved hygiene - easier to clean
13) Good beam strength - across width due to stainless steel pins
Implementation
As previously highlighted only a small 4 day window of opportunity was available to remove the old steel belts, fit new cage bars and wear strips, re-engineer the transfers and install the all new Prolink belt, this was achieved extremely efficiently by a small dedicated expert team of “in house Kara engineers. Senior ITEC personal and key Forbo Staff were in attendance through out to offer support and assistance.
On the forth day production resumed as planned with no interruptions in production, and an immediate benefit in virtual elimination of waste product.
Outcome
As a result of the collaboration between ITEC and Forbo- Siegling, the implementation of the new Prolink modular belting, has meant that Kara Foods have realised a large reduction in product waste. Subsequently, the mutual association between ITEC and Forbo-Siegling, has shown other clients the benefits from a commercial and technical perspective. This has seen a large growth in projects for Siegling Prolink Modular Belting.
Company Profile
In 2007 the Kara Foodservice was born as a £35million company in its own right with headquarters and production plant in Manchester, satellite sites in London, Sheffield and Barnsley, and total focus on providing an easy access, one-stop-shop for UK and European foodservice customers. Kara Foods are continually involved in research to better understand the needs of all their foodservice customers – both now and into the future. This research will steer their product evolution so that, whether their customers are in a hotel, restaurant, on a train station platform or in a factory canteen, they can establish which bakery items best suit their needs and improve their offering accordingly.
Problem
Kara Foods whole production process depends on the efficient cooling of their product. To achieve this they have historically used spiral coolers, utilising steel belts. This type of belt has a number of limitationswhich when analysed, can be identified as the cause of problems that effect both quality of productand downtime losses in production. Sean Pearce, the Engineering Manager, was faced with building an investment proposal that would ensure better production efficiency and improve on what is already a quality product. This was a major project that was managed completely “in-house” by Sean and his engineering team, and needed to be completed in an extremely short timeframe. As a result of other highly successful projects, previously completed, Kara Foods invited Forbo to assess how the system could be improved.
Solution
After a detailed feasibility study of the two spiral coolers in question, ITEC working in conjunction with Forbo-Siegling, provided Kara Foods with comprehensive proposal to fit a Prolink Series 5 CM50/70 belt on the upward and downward spiral and remodel the transfer between the two spirals. This meant fitting a small conveyor which utilised a fray free Transilon sealed edge belt. The proposal guaranteed not only product performance and reduced product waste, but also service commitment and technical support during and after installation.
Each spiral belt was approximately 250M long and 850mm wide, and unlike many other plastic modular belts of a similar width, no additional support framework was required. This was due to Prolinks unique design and stainless steel rod providing exceptional lateral beam strength. It was clear that by fitting a Prolink Modular belt, a number of very important benefits could be realised.
1) Elimination of possible metal belt debris and steel lubricant contamination of products.
2) End of potential stainless steel "black spec" issues on products.
3) Increase life expectancy: the unique design belt greatly reduces operating friction and tension within the system. This often means the UHMW cages bars and support rails may never need to be replaced again!
4) Increased product throughput with greater loading capacity of lighter, but stronger belts.
5) Improved product support, orientation, and air-flow due to the unique belt surface.
6) Elimination of lubrication of support rails and associated costs
7) Reduce spiral down-time with reduced system wear, lower belt tension and quick thorough belt clean-ability.
8) Reduce maintenance time by:- Eliminating steel belt periodic change over’s "flipping."- Eliminating periodic wear strip/cage-bar cap replacement.- Eliminating steel belt cutting, grinding and welding.
9) Improve energy efficiency by utilising a strong but lighter belt.
10) Increased cycle life: better fatigue resistance with plastic particularly in hot environments
11) Improve / Simplify any maintenance with easy assembly / removal of belt
12) Easy to maintain- Plastic : Pull pins insert new belt section, refit pins- Steel : Cut and weld- Improved hygiene - easier to clean
13) Good beam strength - across width due to stainless steel pins
Implementation
As previously highlighted only a small 4 day window of opportunity was available to remove the old steel belts, fit new cage bars and wear strips, re-engineer the transfers and install the all new Prolink belt, this was achieved extremely efficiently by a small dedicated expert team of “in house Kara engineers. Senior ITEC personal and key Forbo Staff were in attendance through out to offer support and assistance.
On the forth day production resumed as planned with no interruptions in production, and an immediate benefit in virtual elimination of waste product.
Outcome
As a result of the collaboration between ITEC and Forbo- Siegling, the implementation of the new Prolink modular belting, has meant that Kara Foods have realised a large reduction in product waste. Subsequently, the mutual association between ITEC and Forbo-Siegling, has shown other clients the benefits from a commercial and technical perspective. This has seen a large growth in projects for Siegling Prolink Modular Belting.
