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A new chocolate factory is set to open in Barnsley, UK, a joint initiative between industrial equipment suppliers JJA Pack and Siemens. JJA Pack, based in South Yorkshire, is a global provider of industrial chocolate-handling machinery, supplying to confectionery industry giants such as Mondelez and Premier Foods. It has teamed up with long-term partner Siemens to create an advanced, commercially viable chocolate manufacturing line that will also provide young people with hands-on manufacturing experience, aiming to address STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills gaps. The 10,000-square-foot ‘JJA Snack’ facility will open its doors to school-age pupils, as well as engineering students who will be able to learn about data capture, streamlining manufacturing processes and energy efficiency. The Sheffield Steelers and Leeds Knights ice hockey teams are among JJA Snack’s first customers for branded bars, with the facility also set to manufacture chocolate under its own name. JJA Snack will use a cloud-based AI solution to provide a comprehensive picture of the production line’s performance, which can be accessed both remotely and in situ. Data will be collected to avoid machine downtime by predicting and diagnosing issues remotely. Jamie Ashpole, director at JJA Snack, said: “Creating an opportunity for students of all ages to get a taste for modern, industrial chocolate-making, is our way of helping to address the UK’s current STEM skills gap”. “It’s exciting to bring this project forward in collaboration with Siemens, which provides a window for young talent to see how industries are advancing with the help of digital technologies.” Andy Lane, business development manager at Siemens, said: “Chocolate can be an extremely difficult substance to handle due to its inclination to set and become solid. This can damage equipment and bring down-time to production lines, causing big brands millions-of-pounds in losses a week.” “This is just one of the engineering challenges that budding Wonkas at JJA Snack will learn about – alongside how manufacturers are using smart digital technologies to spot and remedy problems before they occur.”