There are several factors to consider when sourcing industrial food processing equipment to ensure maximum production efficiency and delivery of optimum food products which leads to increased profits. The following areas which focus on total cost of ownership should be well understood by you and your team prior to sourcing equipment from OEMs.
Innovative Robust Food Processing Equipment is Not Always the Cheapest to Acquire But Often Performs Better in TCO
When you’re producing a premium processed food product that must feature consistency and optimum product integrity, accurate solutions that precisely deliver according to your product standards should be carefully reviewed. Innovative food processing equipment relates to ease of maintenance, ultra-hygienic features, and ease of operation for diverse workforces. Of course, all of this usually comes at a higher initial purchase price. While the upfront investment may seem like a lot, the payback is usually much shorter than most imagine and the long-term cost of owning the equipment may be lower than the cheaper models. Remember the price we pay in making a capital equipment purchase is only a partial figure when calculating the “total cost” of equipment. Here’s how food processors realize the benefits for having the best industrial equipment in their production plants while operating at a much lower cost.
Ease of Maintenance Results in Reduced Regular Spare Parts Spend and Increased Uptime
While fewer parts equate to a reduced spare parts investment, it also equates to easier maintenance and less unplanned downtime. At the end of the day, the fewer wear and tear parts on a machine, the less breakdowns that occur and ultimately maximum utilization and increased uptime positively impacts your business. Balancing parts inventories to optimize equipment uptime is never an easy task and greatly affects the total cost of ownership. One must always consider the maintenance, repairs and operating costs so be sure to identify the spare parts requirements and ensure you have the tools to service the equipment before justifying your purchase. You have a right to request the owner’s manual prior to purchase so you gain a full understanding of the theory of operation which includes maintenance and service documentation. Once you purchase processing or packaging equipment, if your maintenance and operations staff requires additional training outside of programs offered by the OEM, associations like PMMI offer current workforce training classes which may be of value.
Hygienic Food Processing Equipment Design for Ease of Cleaning and Sanitation
The basic level of hygienic design minimizes contamination risk to the food product. But it goes further than this. The equipment should require a low degree of cleaning and related controls to reduce risk. Sloped surfaces for water runoff is extremely important and premium industrial food processing equipment manufacturers like Marlen are doing this best. If the equipment design makes cleaning easier, then additional labor for sanitation purposes won’t always be required which can also affect the cost of ownership. Fewer parts also result in quicker changeovers in between products. Tool free equipment like Marlen’s OptiServ 340 vacuum stuffer has a major positive impact on quick changeovers and optimal operator safety.
Ease of Industrial Food Processing Equipment Operation Requires Less Operator Training
It’s important to gain an understanding of the overall user-friendliness of the equipment to determine how much costly technical training will be required – both expense and time. From machine set-up to simple operation, quick changeover times, ease of teardown, maintenance, repair and troubleshooting – all are key considerations when factoring in the ease of operation when properly accounting for the total cost of ownership. The complexity of the equipment should be a key component in making your decision. When Marlen designed it’s Carruthers DuraKut meat dicer, all of these factors were taken into consideration and customers are claiming it is by far the easiest size reduction equipment to operate in the food industry.
Do Your Homework
Make sure you fully understand all of the acquisition costs prior to making an equipment purchase. This does not stop at purchase price. You must factor in throughput, changeovers, risks, controls, hygienic design, operator training, energy usage, spare parts, cleaning and sanitation, installation, maintenance and more. A premium provider of food processing equipment will be able to provide you with the resources to determine the total cost of ownership from acquisition to operating the equipment. Efficient manufacturing operations are key to driving results. Companies like FSO Institute are an excellent resource to assess your current state and recommend solutions to accelerate performance and achieve lasting positive results from premium industrial food processing equipment.
