Saving the bacon – Endoline helps Beckett’s Foods drive up efficiency

Endoline Automation has helped increase efficiency for a leading supplier of bacon, by replacing seven of its legacy case taping systems like for like.

Producing over a 1,000 tonnes of bacon products each week, Beckett’s Foods Ltd supplies the food service and retail industries. A long established customer of Endoline Automation, the company invested in several 706 semi-automatic pre-set case taping machines almost two decades ago.

Due to the longevity of Endoline’s systems, Beckett’s Foods only made the decision to upgrade the case sealing machinery earlier this year. They immediately turned to Endoline who, due to the high quality of its legacy equipment, exchanged the older 706 machines for newer models.

“We have always been impressed with the quality of the Endoline systems, and, despite operating continuously for over 15 years, the machinery had only recently begun to cause downtime,” comments Diane Lumley, Head of Operations for Beckett’s Foods. “Replacing the systems like for like was the obvious solution as we wouldn’t switch to another brand.”

With full traceability and hygiene levels, Beckett’s Foods works to the highest criteria set out by the BRC. Consequently, Endoline constructed the 706 machines in stainless steel integrated with IP65 motors and controls to protect them from water ingress during washdown.

The new, 706 systems were installed to work across seven packing lines within Beckett’s Foods’ Coventry factory. On each line, manual workers fill cases with bacon products before pushing each case through the 706 machine which simultaneously tapes both the bottom and the top. Depending on the customer order, up to 15 types of cases are selected by the packer, but the Endoline machines are easily adjustable to cope with the size changes.

Each 706 system within Beckett’s Foods has an output of around five cases of bacon products per minute. With each case containing between 5 and 24 packs of bacon products, this equates to approximately 10,000 packs per hour.

“The staff working on the line are delighted with the investment in the new machines, it’s definitely boosted morale as the lines are now running much more efficiently.” Diane concludes.

Becketts produce over 1,000 tonnes of bacon and gammon products a week.

Endoline Automation has installed seven, stainless steel 706 semi-automatic pre-set case taping machines within Becketts factory.