Diversity requires more flexibility from filling machines

Playing with universally appreciated flavors such as strawberry, vanilla and peach, but also with emerging ones (mango, blueberry, pistachio, coconut) is one of the main growth opportunities for yogurts and dairy desserts manufacturers. But it requires high flexibility in recipe changeover. Product launches can also combine new flavors with different cup sizes to cover different consumption patterns as it is already the case for unflavored yogurts, another challenge for the filling unit. Such a diversity surely raises a flexibility issue for any manufacturer who is planning to invest in a new packaging line, or to replace existing equipment, and who is looking for a versatile, long-lasting solution.

For flexibility to be implemented with minimum consequences on production capacity and manufacturing costs, 3 criteria should be closely looked at:

• tooling changeover must be as simple as possible to make sure it can be carried out quickly, without tools
• recipe changeover must be thought of and optimized by the machine manufacturer to avoid as much time and product losses as possible,
• cleaning operations must be carried out as fast as possible, with a minimum amount of water and maximum efficiency.