Wyke Farms boosts cheese output with new packaging solution
To improve production line efficiency and meet increasing demand, Wyke Farms has more than doubled the output of its cheddar cheese with the help of high-speed flow wrapping technology from ULMA Packaging UK.
The cheese-maker was able to upscale its daily production from around four tonnes to almost 10 tonnes thanks to the new packaging machinery equipment.
ULMA Packaging UK supplied Wyke Farms with the horizontal FV35 FLOW-VAC flow wrapper (HFFS), along with a TR300 shrink tunnel to vacuum pack 1.25kg to 5kg big cheese blocks. Now the production line can produce 25 bags per minute, an uplift in quantity from the manually-driven five bags per minute that the old packaging system could handle.
The combination of the FV35-created vacuum pack and high barrier film in tandem with the TR300’s shrinking and air flow stations provides a high-speed application that also keeps food fresh, extending shelf life and improving presentation.
Wyke Farms’ production manager, Leigh Norris, said the equipment has helped boost output levels: “The aim was to improve the efficiency of the line by speeding it up. This is the first piece of kit we’ve had from ULMA Packaging UK and it’s been faultless – from the quick turnaround of a few weeks to complete the order, to the fantastic sales and after sales service.”
ULMA Packaging UK’s business manager for machine sales, James Couldwell, said: “When automating the vacuum pack house, cheese makers need to consult suppliers about flexible and competitive solutions that suit all types of products. We have a great rapport with Wyke Farms and look forward to a long-standing relationship with them.”
