Food Protection Trends - November/December 2022 - 572

INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
State of Conveying Industry Study Reveals
Food Processing Industry Outlook from
Cablevey® Conveyors
Cablevey® Conveyors, a global specialty conveyor manufacturer
for the food/beverage and industrial processing
industries, has released results from a new, proprietary
survey conducted among food processing companies. The
report, The State of Conveying: New Research for the Food
Processing Industry, highlights market trends, preferences
and challenges related to conveying systems, as well as
top marketplace concerns. The findings reveal a high level
of automation with most companies operating multiple
conveyor lines, yet mixed satisfaction related to the various
types of conveyor operating systems.
Key survey findings related to conveyor systems:
* Multiple Lines - 83% of companies surveyed operate
6 or more conveyor systems in their facilities with
26% of companies operating more than 25 conveyor
systems across business units.
* Conveyor Preference - Among the seven types of conveying
technologies survey respondents reported using
within their facilities, users were split on the technology
most often used, when compared to the technology
that generated the most user satisfaction. Respondents
reporting using vacuum, pneumatic and cable/disc
conveyor technologies most often, in that order. However,
cable/disc conveyor systems generated the highest
customer satisfaction scores in the study.
* Material Damage - User satisfaction was tied by many
respondents to material damage, a critical challenge
for those in the food processing industry where the
appearance and quality of the end product at times
can be damaged by some conveying systems. Relative
motion and " free fall " tended to introduce the greatest
levels of material damage; cable/disc conveying was
reported as being the top choice to avoid this risk.
* Conveyor Challenges - 54% of survey respondents
reported cleaning and maintenance as top challenges
related to conveying systems, followed by the corresponding
down time associated with these tasks
(33%). In addition, 56% of survey respondents reported
maintenance issues as the top reason for installing
updated conveying systems.
* Selection Factors - Energy consumption and ease-ofcleaning
were reported tied as the top factors in the selection
process for a new conveyor. Minimization of maintenance
came in as the second most critical criterion; initial
purchase price was relatively far down the list at #5.
* Evaluation Schedules - 85% said they evaluate
their conveying system performance at least every 6
months. Sixty-one percent shopped or purchased a
new system within the past 12 months.
572 Food Protection Trends November/December
Top findings for the food processing industry:
* Industry Growth - 91% of respondents reported business
growth in the past year.
* Supply Chain - 53% of respondents identified supply
chain issues as the most pressing industry challenge.
Related to this, 39% of respondents cited product shortages
as another major issue.
* Agility - 40% of respondents pointed to shifting changes
in consumer demand as a challenge, noting the need
for agility and rapid response to the market.
Cablevey contracted with independent outside research
firm Ascend2, to reach more than 200 professionals at
food processing firms including production managers,
engineers, and executive managers. The most prevalent
product categories being conveyed in the processing facilities
included snacks (55%), frozen foods (42%), breakfast
cereal (32%), nuts (31%) and coffee (30%), followed
by other product types such as pet foods, seeds, beans,
specialty grains and hemp.
High-Speed Conveying Systems Critical to Reach
Production Goals
" What really stood out in this report was the fact that energy
consumption and maintenance issues were cited as the
main drivers for conveyor selection and purchase decisions.
While we're pleased to see that our cable/disc technology
was ranked as the best performing platform to address
these concerns, it points out that any automation system,
including conveyors, can constantly strive to improve
performance and help companies meet both production
and sustainability targets. In order to provide food security
to a rapidly growing population, suppliers and operators
must work together to streamline operations. The number
of high-speed, sanitary conveying systems already in place
within food processing facilities demonstrates the critical
role they play to help achieve manufacturing goals, " said
Brad Sterner, Cablevey CEO.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates
food production needs to increase by 60-70% to feed a
global population of 9.3 billion in 2050.
Cablevey Conveyors
+ 1 800.247.3344
Oskaloosa, IA
www.cablevey.com
http://www.cablevey.com
Food Protection Trends - November/December 2022

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