Tues 18th Nov, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London

AN INDEPENDENT FOOD SAFETY CONSULTANT SHOWS HOW TO ENSURE SAFE AND SECURE FOOD SUPPLY TO YOUR CUSTOMER

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Alec Kyriakides, an independent food safety consultant, is confirmed to talk at this year’s Technical Conference.

Alec Kyriakides is a food safety consultant with over 35 years experience in the industry, spending 28 years managing technical operations at the retailer Sainsbury’s, prior to which he worked in food manufacturing.

He is the co-author of books on the practical control of food borne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Clostridium botulinum and is currently Non Executive Board Director of CampdenBRI, Trustee of the IFST, Member of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, Chair of the BRCGS International Advisory Board and a Visiting Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast.

Alec will be talking about Food Security – Balancing the Risk. The food supply chain has consistently demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing demands through efficient and innovative operation and delivery. Acute events, cyclical trends and structural shifts have combined to place even the most resilient businesses under severe pressure but efficiency and innovation remain central to driving sustainable operation. This presentation explores emerging risks presented by current and future challenges and how to balance risk to ensure safe and secure food supply to the customer.

Why Freezing Is the Future

Posted on by rodbenham@dawsongroup.co.uk

With food prices rising at their fastest rate for 45 years, shoppers are turning to frozen food instead of fresh to reduce costs – and food manufacturers need to follow suit.

Not only does freezing improve food quality for the consumer, but it can also prolong shelf life, in turn allowing an increase in capacity and storage, enabling producers to reduce costs and adapt quickly to fluctuations in demand in order to stay agile and competitive in a challenging market.

Reduce Costs and Carbon

Every year, the UK food industry wastes 3.6 million tonnes of food, with a market value of £1.2 billion at farm gate prices. It occurs at all stages of the food supply chain, including production, processing, transport, retailing, storage and consumption.

Not only is this a huge waste of money and resources, but it also contributes significantly to pollution. Every business involved in the food industry needs to play its part in reducing food waste and its environmental impact.

One cost effective way of increasing food efficiencies is freezing. Blast freezing maintains the quality of the food at the highest standard whilst extending the shelf life. This can be done at the production stage, allowing you to store a larger volume which saves costs and enables you to meet any increases in demand without any waste. Equally, blast freezing can be added to your processes further down the line, providing more time to redistribute the goods to other customers when there is surplus food.

By improving food efficiency, you are reducing the energy, costs and water usage it would take to grow, manufacture, transport and sell excess food. It also prevents the emission of methane into the atmosphere by diverting waste from landfills, therefore decreasing pollution and improving air quality.

Bespoke Solutions

Whether you are new to freezing or it is an established part of your processes, Dawsongroup can provide unique temperature control solutions that fulfil all your requirements.

Our blast freezers get your produce to -18°C quicker and more efficiently than chamber freezers, saving you time and money as well as reducing your carbon emissions. If you need controlled thawing, we have a range of tempering freezers to suit every demand, and our mobile storage units are quiet, energy-efficient, and compliant with HACCP, BRC and GMP standards.

A free consultation to understand your business needs is just the start of our relationship with you, and it doesn’t end at installation. We provide first-class service, training and support whenever you need it and throughout the term of your contract with us.

Add freezing to your processes and reduce costs from food waste whilst improving your carbon footprint. Arrange a free site visit with our experts and, once they understand your business needs, they will provide you with a free report detailing our recommendations on how to streamline your processes and improve your efficiencies.

If freezing is already an integral part of your processes, contact our experts for a free consultation and see whether our blast freezers can improve efficiencies, reduce costs and increase your agility.

Contact us today on 01623 518538 or info@tcs.co.uk to see how we can streamline your processes and reduce your costs.

Find out how Dawsongroup’s Smarter Asset Strategy can provide bespoke solutions for your business.

KEEPING ICE CREAM COLD WITH THE HEAT OF THE SUN!

Posted on by rodbenham@dawsongroup.co.uk

Jude’s Ice Cream has been producing delicious ice cream for over twenty years, and has had a relationship with Dawsongroup for almost as long. As a certified B Corp, Jude’s believes that all businesses should benefit people and communities. They are well on their way to achieving their target of reducing carbon emissions by 43% by 2030, with a 20% reduction already attained since their start date of 2020 – and Dawsongroup is helping them achieve that.

Dawsongroup’s Unique Solution

Dawsongroup has provided various solutions for Jude’s over the years, from forklifts through Dawsongroup material handling to loading docks from Dawsongroup tcs. When Jude’s needed additional cold storage for their ice cream which was also carbon efficient, they turned to Dawsongroup for a solution.

Dawsongroup tcs has a range of modular cold storage solutions which can be set to any temperature from -30°C to +30°C and can be sited either internally or externally to suit your space and requirements. Whilst our units are optimised for energy efficiency and low running costs, they still need electricity to run them.

Tim Clark, Regional Head of Sales for Dawsongroup tcs, worked with Jude’s to come up with a unique solution – a cold storage unit powered by solar panels on the roof.

“Jude’s Ice Cream presented the near perfect partner for the first solar-powered portable cold storage facility in the country, being in the south, in an open prospective and on an exposed hill,” said Tim. “When I made the suggestion to them, the response was overwhelming as it tied in with their very green philosophy.”

Quality Ice Cream with Reduced Emissions

Kevin Smith, Technical Manager for Dawsongroup TCS, installed the solar panels on the cold storage unit roof. He regularly returns to ensure that they are always angled to make the most of the sun year-round.

The 8kW solar array generates 1.54kW/hr of useable electricity in an average month, which is more than 50% of the power needed to keep the cold storage at -25°C, the ideal temperature for the best quality ice cream. On sunny days, it can generate more power than the unit uses – keeping Jude’s ice cream cold with the heat of the sun.

Whilst this saves Jude’s over £100 a week on electricity costs, the saving in carbon emissions is more important to them and makes a significant contribution towards their carbon reduction target.

Just a Phone Call Away

“Dawsongroup TCS is fantastic. The main service Dawsongroup provides for us is that whatever we need as we grow, we can come to them and they have a solution for us,” said James Wright, Managing Director of Jude’s Ice Cream. “Whenever we need help we can pick up the phone and Dawsongroup responds straight away. We have a very good relationship, and they’ve been very supportive to Jude’s as we’ve grown from a hobby twenty years ago to a much bigger business today.”

Contact Dawsongroup tcs for all your temperature control needs, loading docks and more, and contact Dawsongroup material handling for warehousing equipment and storage.

Arrange a free consultation with a Dawsongroup expert today to find out how our Smarter Asset Strategy can help your business reduce carbon emissions.

RUPERT ASHBY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE BRITISH FROZEN FOOD FEDERATION COMMENTS ON THE NI PROTOCOL

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

“The British Frozen Food Federation welcomes the conclusion of the negotiations between the UK Government and European Commission. The settlement reached on the Northern Ireland Protocol is good news for businesses throughout the frozen food supply chain which are looking forward to more efficient trade relations within the UK and to the EU.

“For frozen food producers, distributors and retailers which have faced difficulties since the Withdrawal Agreement, this marks the beginning of a positive new chapter.

“Frozen food has become an increasingly popular choice for consumers looking for high quality and affordable options in their weekly shop and I know that our members will seek to reach more of the Northern Ireland and EU markets through this renewed opportunity.”

For the full set of explainers on what is being called the Windsor framework, click here.

PRODUCT RANGE RATIONALISATION FOR PRINCIPAL LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGIES

Posted on by Rob Sherwin

Warehouse management software (WMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software specialist Principal Logistics Technologies is introducing new branding across its suite of products. The new identities are designed to remove complexity and promote consistency across the range following the company’s acquisitions of leading WMS and ERP businesses Brentech Data Systems and Chess Logistics Technology.

“These exciting strategic acquisitions added significant capabilities to our business but also resulted in a number of different product identities,” says Peter Flanagan, founder and Managing Director of Principal Logistics Technologies. “This rebranding will create the consistency that differentiates each product while making our solutions portfolio offer clearer to our growing customer base throughout Ireland and the UK.”

The company’s enterprise-level WMS product is renamed as ProWMS: Advanced Warehouse Management.

ProWMS: Advanced Warehouse Management – previously In-DEX WMS and Empirica WMS –  tailored warehouse management software offering no limits to the functionality required by small and medium enterprises to multinational warehouse operators. ProWMS includes globally patented Blockchain-based UR (Unique Referencing) technology for comprehensive traceability and AI for increased automation. It is a highly flexible, modular system designed for 3PL, distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, and retail warehouse operators. The product is robust and highly configurable to exacting standard and non-standard customer requirements.

The company is also rebranding the three other products in its range.

ProSKU: Cloud-based WMS – previously ProSKU WMS Cloud – affordable, SaaS-based PAYG (pay-as-you-go) warehouse management software suitable for all business types especially 3PL, eCommerce and eFulfilment warehouse operators. ProSKU is quick to set-up and easy to use so staff training is minimised. ProSKU connects with a comprehensive range of eCommerce and carrier integrator platforms. It is web-based with an Android-based application for optimised stock scanning and it can be used to manage a customer’s own stock or by 3PLs.

ProSCM: Advanced Supply Chain Management – previously Chess Socretes – bespoke supply chain management software that is highly configurable to address the needs of enterprise customers requiring WMS functionality with added sales and purchase order processing, purchase forecasting, reconciliation, and transport management capability.

ProERP: Advanced Order Management – previously AWARDS-BA³ ERP – an integrated, modular enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution designed to enable and support the complex business and stock traceability rules around very high-volume purchasing, sales, handling, and storage requirements common to enterprise-level businesses required to follow robust regulation regimes. Principal Logistics Technologies has longstanding specialist expertise in the pharmaceuticals and healthcare sectors that are required to follow stringent compliance rules.

“Bringing these products together in the Principal Logistics Technologies portfolio enables us to offer a solution for any size of business in any business sector to optimise operations, add new revenue-generating value-added services and reduce overheads,” says Brian Connolly, Corporate Development Director at Principal Logistics Technologies. “Our aim is to make it clearer where each product sits in the portfolio and to make it easier to communicate the functionality and benefits with existing and prospective customers. Since January 2020, our core headcount has grown from 16 to almost 80 highly experienced specialists who develop and support our growing customer base.”

The new branding will be phased in during 2023 to include product software and documentation.

About Principal Logistics Technologies: Principal Logistics Technologies has been introducing new value-added services, optimising operational processes, reducing operational costs, improving return on investment, and increasing revenues for warehouse and supply chain operators for over 30 years. Its advanced in-house developed software solutions include enterprise-level and cloud-based WMS warehouse management software and ERP enterprise resource planning software for customers operating in the 3PL distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, and retail warehouse sectors. The business operates from offices in Dublin, Ireland and Manchester, UK, the latter having been added through the acquisition of Chess Logistics Technology in November 2021.

https://www.principallogisticstechnologies.com/

 

MOD RECOGNISES REED BOARDALL’S SUPPORT OF THE ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY

Posted on by jrae@reedboardall.com

Reed Boardall has been accredited with a Bronze award by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) as an employer that supports defence personnel and inspires others to do the same. Already, the Yorkshire-based logistics business has 23 veterans, serving personnel employed part-time and reservists in the team at its Boroughbridge site.

One of the leading providers of cold storage and distribution services to food producers and retailers across the UK, Reed Boardall’s Bronze award is a demonstration of its pledge to advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align its values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

Over the last year, the company has formalised its support of former and serving defence personnel, as well as building links with the prison services to increase the employment of ex-offenders. It has partnered with organisations such as Career Transition Partnership (CTP), Army Families Federation, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Prison Service and People Plus, as well as charities Veteran into Logistics and Clean Slate Solutions.

As a result, the company has introduced a number of initiatives both to actively recruit from these communities and also to ensure that it provides adequate support once people join the Reed Boardall team. It also takes part in recruitment fairs and virtual workshops with CTP and local Regional Resettlement Centres, linking with service personnel going through the resettlement process and giving them an insight into the logistics sector, including Reed Boardall’s Driver Academy.

Daniel Delacoe-Eyre, a veteran who served for over 17 years in a number of regiments before joining Reed Boardall in 2020 to lead its HR operation, comments: “As a former soldier and officer myself, I understand only too well the concerns and even fear felt by service personnel as they contemplate leaving the armed forces. It’s vital that businesses do what they can to ensure there is a job for them when they return to civilian life and we have, therefore, embarked on a pro-active campaign to help them transition into a new career in the logistics sector.

“A number of veterans have enrolled into our Driver Academy where they will gain the skills and qualifications they need to become much-needed HGV drivers, and we have also reviewed our employment policies to incorporate some of the specific support those still serving may need, such as additional leave to take part in army training exercises or operational tours.”

Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, add: “We are extremely proud not only to number so many defence personnel among our staff, but also for our efforts to have been recognised with a Bronze Award from the MOD. We will be working hard towards gaining our Silver award next year and even have our sights set on Gold.

“We believe it’s very important that people are given a second chance, whether that’s veterans embarking on a new career, or ex-offenders trying to secure employment and, as a responsible, people-focussed business, we are committed to doing all we can to support this. It’s extremely rewarding to see such talented people redeploying their skills and seizing the opportunity to become part of the Reed Boardall family.”

As a Bronze award holder, Reed Boardall has pledged to support the armed forces, including existing or prospective employees who are members of the community, and it has signed the Armed Forces Covenant which acknowledges and understands that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives. The award also demonstrates that the company promotes being armed forces-friendly and is open to employing reservists, armed forces veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

Reed Boardall is one of the largest temperature-controlled food distribution businesses in the UK, storing and delivering frozen food from manufacturers across Britain, Europe and further afield to all the UK’s best-known supermarkets. With a fleet of over 200 vehicles operating 24 hours a day, year-round, it delivers 12,000 pallets of frozen food daily for its clients as well as providing a range of complementary services including ancillary blast freezing, picking and packing. The company employs almost 800 staff at its single site in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire.

BFFF TO HOST FROZEN FOOD PAVILION AT IFE TO CELEBRATE 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Posted on by Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary

Members of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) will be brought together for the first-ever Frozen Pavilion at this year’s IFE (International Food Event) to showcase the quality of frozen food and innovative new product lines.

Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the BFFF commented: “We are delighted to host the Frozen Pavilion as part of the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the BFFF. During the past 75 years, we have consistently represented the interests of the frozen supply chain at the highest levels of industry and government, whilst also promoting the benefits of frozen food to consumers.

“This year’s IFE will be my first as chief executive of the British Frozen Food Federation and I am looking forward to continuing our longstanding support for IFE as one of this year’s event partners.”

The line up of BFFF members exhibiting includes Cargill, Meadow Vale Foods, Seafish UK, Sea Products International, SFC, VIČI and Visual Foods. Mouth-watering samples from exhibiting companies will be cooked up at the Frozen Pavilion, meaning visitors can try some of the nutritious, innovative and tasty frozen products on display.

Mr Ashby added: “Our Frozen Pavilion in the Chilled & Frozen section of the event will showcase the incredible selection of frozen foods available, as well as highlighting the sustainability benefits, nutritional value and affordability of frozen products.”

More than 25,000 visitors are expected at this year’s IFE and almost three-quarters of all visitors have purchasing power. The Frozen Pavilion will present an opportunity for members to meet buyers from across the food industry as part of the BFFF’s continuous work to promote the interests of the frozen food industry.

The BFFF will be exhibiting the Frozen Pavilion at IFE from 20 – 22 March 2023 on stand 5951.