Habasit America helps a major bacon processor realize significant cost savings
It’s been said that bacon can make everything taste better. Chefs and other food prepares seem to be putting that axiom to the test, because bacon is showing up in all sorts of non-traditional ways (including bacon-flavored ice cream!). All of the new uses for bacon have created a market for pre-cooked varieties used in the home, sandwich shops and large-scale food production facilities.
A well-know processor of microwave bacon in the Midwest was utilizing plastic modular belt to convey bacon slices and bits through a microwave oven. This is normally an efficient way of cooking large amounts of bacon. The processor recognized that the belts wear out and have to be replaced every four to six months. Habasit was invited to look at the process to introduce its M2586 belt, which was designed specifically for the microwave bacon industry.
Habasit representatives discovered that, in addition to replacing belts with greater regularity than necessary, the food processor experienced many other issues that resulted in downtime interrupting production. After surveying the maintenance staff and line workers, it was determined that these interruptions were caused by the current belt being used.
Just like when you’re cooking bacon in a pan at home, the frying process produces grease that is highly flammable. The same holds true for microwave bacon. The excess grease has a tendency to build up on the modular belt, causing flame ups. An unwanted flame in a high-speed bacon facility can be a safety hazard for workers.
Other production interruptions occurred when retaining pins on the belt would start to work their way out. This resulted in conveyor jams and belt breakage, which left gaps in the conveying surface where the bacon would fall through.
The production team at the bacon processor was pessimistic about the ability of the Habasit belt to solve a problem they didn’t even know they had until it was pointed out to them. However, because they’re continually looking for ways to improve productivity and throughput, they gave Habasit a chance to prove their belt.
Into the frying pan
Habasit accepted the challenge to show the processor how to add life and uptime to their process.
Habasit and a local distributor worked side by side with plant maintenance personnel to install the first belt. It required some adjustments to be made in the transfer areas where cooked bacon is transported to another conveyor and readied for packaging.
The clock was now ticking on Habasit’s belt. The bacon processor and Habasit agreed on a schedule to benchmark the belt in three month increments. After the first three months, there were no signs of wear to the belt and a noticed reduction of flame ups. After six months, when the competitor’s belt would normally be replaced, there were still no signs of wear. After 18 months, the Habasit M2586 had lasted three times longer than the competition. In fact, the belt was still running after 24 months but was becoming discolored in the cooking lanes, so the processor decided to replace it for aesthetic purposes.
In the end, the bacon processor realized savings in excess of $300,000. The cost reduction was not limited to tripling the life of the belt. Considerable savings were achieved because the maintenance crew was no longer called to the line three to four times per week to fix a belt that was coming apart. Production throughput significantly increased in areas that no longer experienced breakdowns, belt change outs and flame ups. The icing on the cake (or the bacon on the burger in this case) was the ability to capture more of the grease renderings during the cooking process. The bacon grease is sold as a byproduct, resulting in extra revenue added to the company’s bottom line.
Habasit proved to be the solution provider this company was looking for. Over the next three years, the bacon processor replaced all of its existing belts with Habasit belts, making them standard throughout the plant.
|
Category |
Savings |
|
Belt Savings 3:1 |
$14,400 |
|
Product Loss Belt Replacement |
$51,200 |
|
Product Loss Belt Breakdown |
$220,800 |
|
Labor Cost Belt Replacement |
$1,104 |
|
Labor Costs Belt Breakdown |
$1,587 |
|
Production Labor For Replacement |
$1,344 |
|
Production Labor For Breakdown |
$11,592 |
|
Total Savings with M2586 |
$302,027 |
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