YPS: Speed is of the essence for instant meals

In the world of instant meals, producers are used to focussing on speed. One instant noodle meal producer has recently turned up the dial on its packaging operation and has uncovered savings in wrapping materials as an added bonus.

When their previous side sealer packaging line became increasingly unreliable, the well-known food production facility looked to Yorkshire Packaging Systems (YPS) to propose a replacement.

Line speed was always going to be paramount in this fast-paced, high-volume environment. The packaging line would be fed by an automatic pot filler and would have to keep in time with that rapid equipment.

YPS supplied a servo-driven side sealer and double chamber shrink tunnel, a combination with unbeatable speed and precision. Ultra-thin film is also being supplied which has led to significant savings in materials use.

With potential throughput of up to 10,000 cycles per hour, the side sealer can comfortably handle the desired throughput of instant meals. The output speed is achieved by a combination of the servo-driven motor and the continuous motion transverse sealing bar, which moves with the product, ensuring there is no need for a stop/start action which would slow the process down. Adding a double chamber shrink tunnel then ensures the greatest capacity at the heat shrink stage of the process.

Vacuum belts also contribute to the overall process speed and, furthermore, assist in creating a tighter pack around the product. The side sealer is configured to create the side seal before the transverse seal which is the primary driver in creating tighter packs around the products. The resulting close-fitting, film-efficient pack creates an improved pack aesthetic as less film needs to be shrunk. Using this model has led to average documented film savings of around 15% when compared with similar competitive models, contributing to sustainability goals.

In addition, the side sealer is now running an ultra-thin film, recommended and supplied by YPS. The material is the thinnest available on the market and can be supplied with 30% recycled content for even greater environmental benefits. This change has reduced material thickness for the customer from 35 micron to 12.5 micron with no loss of performance – a plastics saving of some 64%.

Glyn Johnson, Managing Director of YPS, said: Working with this food production company has been an exciting project, as we’ve been able to help them achieve a significant step forward in their packaging. Coupling the latest in machine and materials technology has delivered speed and efficiency to the customer, while contributing to their environmental aims.

The meal producer’s tasty treats are flying out of their factory, with packaging capacity at least tripled compared with their previous line.