CHEP approached bakery products supplier Lesaffre Australia Pacific with an opportunity to increase efficiencies using its Intercon system
December 12, 2012
CHEP approached bakery products supplier Lesaffre Asia Pacific with an opportunity to increase efficiencies using its
Intercon system.
A CHEP customer for more than
ten years, Lesaffre was already using the CHEPBox, an intermediate bulk container (IBC) designed specifically for food industry applications, to transport up to 57,000 litres of liquid yeast each week from its Melbourne manufacturing site to its Perth distribution site.
While the CHEPBoxes moved well for Lesaffre, CHEP believed the new Intercon would add further efficiencies to the bakery ingrendients supply chain.
Made from food-grade polypropylene, the Intercon is designed specifically for the food manufacturing sector and can be used for liquid and dry food applications – anything from juices, edible oil, meat and vinegar, to liquid yeast.
Among multiple added efficiencies for Lesaffre, the biggest improvement is the increased handling capacity the Intercon provides.
Although the Intercon is more than 60kg lighter than the CHEPBox, it can accommodate 50 litres more liquid yeast. This means Lesaffre can shift more product with fewer boxes.
Lesaffre Australia Pacific National Logistics and Purchasing Manager Russell Cotterell says, the reduction in freight weight combined with the ability to move more product has cut the company’s annual freight component.
“The reduction from 144 trips to 140 trips a year is a huge benefit as the Melbourne to Perth trip is logistically one of the most expensive channels in the country,” Cotterell says.
The CHEP Intercon also features a number of innovations to meet HACCP and ISO standards, a priority for Lesaffre as part of the food industry.
“A drop door on the side of the unit enables easy access to the base for manual filling and placement of liner bags, so our staff can reach further down inside the Intercon without having to bend,” Cotterell says.
“The strong, lightweight construction also means the Intercon is easy to manoeuvre within our plant during filling, while the unit’s four-way design allows forklifts access from all four sides, providing improved OH&S standards and greater handling efficiencies across the plant.”
In addition the Intercon’s smooth wall finish has improved OH&S standards as the boxes are not only quick and easy to clean, but ensure have fewer catchment areas for the liquid yeast to get caught.
Cotterell adds feedback from staff is glowing.
“Our people on the manufacturing floor, the forklift drivers, truck drivers and those in the Perth distribution site have all contacted me to say how happy they are with the efficiency of the Intercons,” he says.
“CHEP’s recommendation to change to the Intercon has improved business processes across the board for us. In the past 12 months we’ve reduced our freight task, freight cost and improved our OH&S standards.”