Steaming ahead...

• Dairy producer tackles its inefficient steam and sterilising system on multiple fronts
• Measures result in energy savings of 1 372 000 kWh and € 62 500 in cost savings a year

An Austrian dairy food-maker requires vast quantities of steam for heating, sterilisation and preparing its long-lasting milk products. The ageing system used for steam production and operating pressure needed to be upgraded and better optimised to meet demand in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way.

Probably the best waste-prevention in...

How to lose weight... in packaging at least

Sturdy recycled PET packaging proves reliable 

• Supermarket launches trial of rPET packaging to cut food waste from damaged eggs
• The new cartons reduce egg waste, are 30 % lighter, have a 44 % lower carbon footprint 

A British supermarket chain launched a programme to tackle food waste. As part of this programme, the firm tried alternative egg boxes and managed to reduce both food and packaging waste.

Flushing toilets use vast quantities of water in the workplace. Toilets installed before 1991 typically use 9 litres per flush, while those installed after that date typically use 6-8 litres.

Cistern water-savers can be installed to reduce the volume it takes to refill each time. An example of this in the UK is the ‘Hippo water saver’, which can reduce flush volume in 9-litre cisterns by up to 3 litres, and up to 2 litres in modern (smaller) cisterns. 

Hippo state that the typical cost saving will be approximately €3 per employee/annum.

Global competition and fast changes in markets require companies to develop efficient processes and operations, and to streamline their whole value chain. The Lean methodology can be used to improve the efficiency of an organisation as a whole*.

Freezer rooms, cold rooms, and controlled ambient stores represent a considerable financial investment and should, with proper maintenance, last for 20 or 30 years.

Shedding some weight

• New lightweight beer bottle designs prove popular with customers while saving on material costs
• Lightweight packaging and containers can also cut transport costs and carbon footprint

Lightweight glass containers offer commercial benefits for manufacturers, retailers and brand owners.

If on-site conditions are favourable, it is efficient to integrate renewable energy into production processes. It has strong potential in several subsectors of the food and beverage industry, wherever there is demand for heating, for example in beer, wine, and cheese manufacturing.

Renewable heat can be generated from:

Intelligent packaging is based on the idea that packaging is more than a container, it can also be a highly effective communication medium, carrying information on material flows and logistics (via truck, train, ship, etc), and it can transmit information visually (via indicators, graphics, etc.) or electronically (via a barcode or the Internet) throughout every phase of the supply chain.

Intelligent packaging encompasses: