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Seafood manufacturer doubles packaging speeds

U.K frozen seafood manufacturer Whitby Seafoods Ltd has been able to double its packaging speed by installing a new packaging and distribution line.

New bagger at Whitby is fast but has a small footprint.
New bagger at Whitby is fast but has a small footprint.

The investment has enabled Whitby Seafoods to meet rising consumer demand by providing additional capacity and seamless integration between systems, helping to save time and increase efficiency.

Based in Whitby, a traditional fishing port in North Yorkshire, UK, Whitby Seafoods Ltd is a leading producer of frozen seafood products. A growing family company, Whitby Seafoods specializes in locally sourced langoustines – or scampi – that are breaded and sold in bite-size portions. A recent rebrand has meant that the company updated its packaging design to appeal to an even wider audience. New pack sizes range from between 200 and 300 g in a standard pillow bag format. Whitby Seafoods therefore required a flexible packaging and distribution system that would allow it to expand its product portfolio and allow efficient product changes and integration with existing elements of the production line.
 

As a growing manufacturer, Whitby Seafoods was looking to increase capacity with a third packaging line. It chose to install the tna robag® FX3ci – a vertical form/fill/seal packaging solution that would allow consistent high quality at a fast speed for a range of bag sizes.

Simon Hill, regional sales manager attna, comments: “Packaging line speed is crucial to maintaining food safety with frozen foods like seafood. While the two existing production lines operate at 70 bags per minute, the new line works comfortably at 140 bpm, effectively doubling product throughput. This now helps Whitby Seafoods to ensure products are processed as quickly as possible.”

With growing consumer demand for new and exciting products, Whitby Seafoods needed a flexible packaging system that would allow them to enhance production capacity.Tna enabled the company to double its production speeds, while also improving product quality. The installation exceeded the frozen seafood manufacturer’s initial objectives in terms of packaging speeds, which are integral to the company as it grows in the future.

tna’s robagFX3ci was chosen thanks to its ability to deliver a high-quality finish to Whitby Seafoods’ packaging. With a rotary jaw design that uses advanced sealing technology for improved seal integrity at high speeds, the new system helps to deliver a consistently appealing end product. The compact design, including a shorter bagging system height and small footprint, was ideal for the low ceiling in the Whitby Seafoods factory. With the ability to walk around upstairs, operators have better visibility of the line and therefore stricter quality assurance standards. The new equipment also has a user-friendly interface, making it simple and easy to operate. This will help Whitby Seafoods to save significant time regarding ongoing operation and training in the long-term.

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