On Wednesday last week, FoodBev was delighted to receive an exclusive invitation from TNA for ‘Feeding Ambitions’ – an open-house event hosted in the city of Birmingham in the UK. Rafaela Sousa rounds up the day’s events.
Stepping into TNA’s facility, we explored the company’s impressive technological capabilities. The visit provided FoodBev with profound insights – spanning from seasoning, distribution and packaging equipment – and offered an in-depth look into the inner workings of TNA’s warehouse operations. A notable highlight was our transition from the event’s physical floor to a vivid virtual factory experience, made possible through the use of a VR headset.
Simon Eggleton, divisional sales manager – Europe at TNA, introduced us to the company’s case-packing system for flexible bags, the Ropac 5, which is considered to be one of the fastest in the industry. In a demonstration featuring small pretzel bags, the machine’s ability to produce an impressive 160 bags per minute was showcased. Notably, this machine’s capacity extends to a remarkable 300 bags per minute and is tailored to accommodate small-to-medium, pillow-style snack bags.
Ropac 5
Following that, Eggleton guided us to the roflo HM 3 (horizontal motion distribution conveyor) and the roflo VM 3 (vibratory motion distribution conveyor), both integral to chip processing. He explained that customers can use the roflo HM 3 to effectively shuffle products to minimise flavour loss and reduce excessive seasoning build-up in the pan. Eggleton further detailed that the system has a gentle sweeping action, and customers can transfer the product long distances with low energy consumption.
Meanwhile, the roflo VM 3 utilises horizontal vibratory motions to distribute products evenly, making it particularly suitable for storing and precise flow control.
We were then led to explore the art of machine seasoning, intelli-flav OMS 5. Elwyn Cope, solutions specialist – coating and seasoning at TNA, provided us with a comprehensive overview of the device. The OMS 5 combines a dynamic vibratory weigh conveyor, facilitating the seamless blending of product, oil spray and seasoning powder within a single drum.
Elwyn Cope demonstrates the process of cleaning OMS 5
When asked if any snack product is more popular than the other, Cope responded: “It all comes down to the type of snacks that we are producing or we are trying to flavour at the time”.
He noted that the preferences for snack varieties often evolve with the times, reflecting a shift towards healthier alternatives. “What we are tending to find, at the moment, is a lot of people are down for healthier snacks. So, things like popcorn.”
Our journey further extended to TNA’s expansive warehouse, where they presented a wider range of machinery.
As the event drew to a close, we spoke with Natasha Avelange, global extended reality manager at TNA. Using a VR headset, we were able to immerse ourselves in a virtual factory environment. This innovation allows for remote setup, installation and maintenance of production lines, leading to a significant decrease in carbon emissions and operational downtime.
Through careful optimisation of space, ensuring accessibility and the seamless integration of production line equipment, potential risks and challenges can be effectively addressed with this technology – regardless of where individuals are located globally – before anyone arrives on-site.
“It’s a functional tool to help improve the efficiency, communication, time and money,” Avelange emphasised.
A huge thank you to the TNA team for allowing us to visit their Birmingham site in person!
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