Smart Manufacturing

Fortude helps Beak and Johnston nail recipe for success with Infor M3

Beak and Johnston, an Australian family-owned fresh food manufacturer that produces innovative, value-added meal solutions, has partnered with Fortude, a global digital technology solutions company, to transform the manufacturing operations at its Greenacre plant. While Beak and Johnston is no stranger to Infor M3 having previously adopted it at their Arndell Park Facility, the manufacturer chose to partner with Fortude for the Greenacre plant roll-out because of the firm’s deep domain expertise and strong implementation track record in the food and beverage industry. “Our investment in Infor M3 is a strategic move towards becoming the top convenient meals provider of choice for all Australians. Fortude’s food and beverage industry implementation experience coupled with its extensive suite of extensions and integrations has enabled us to boost the performance of Infor’s core solution. With Fortude’s support, we have been able to streamline our operations and minimise food waste through effective master demand forecasting and inventory management. We also have been able to establish complete traceability which enables us to ensure compliance and food safety in our operations. We are delighted to have a partner like Fortude that understands our industry and growth ambitions very well,” said Ben Taboada, Group IT Manager, Beak and Johnston. Fortude’s implementation has helped the Australian food manufacturer boost its inventory visibility, overcome integration issues, simplify the stock valuation process, and eliminate supply chain inefficiencies. Fortude also introduced the Infor Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to support Beak and Johnston’s core manufacturing activities through complete traceability and accurate shelf-life management capabilities for its fresh food products. “The growing consumer demands for convenient and healthy meal solutions points to a booming frozen food industry. However, limited product shelf-life and dynamics of the fresh food industry, pose serious challenges for fresh food manufacturers,” explains Cameron Greening, Senior Vice President (Sales) ANZ, […]

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Pioneering interactive plant protection tool a first

The latest update to the online NZPPI Weather and Plant Disease Management Platform for myrtle rust is ground breaking and will enable more precise spraying. HortPlus and Plant & Food Research have upgraded the Myrtle Rust Climate Model with new modelling that gives plant producers real-time spray management advice based on the actual sprays they use in their nursery. HortPlus Director Mike Barley said the upgrade was pioneering as it was the first time specific advice on fungicide use had been included in the MetWatch platform for plant disease management. “It will allow plant producers to be more accurate and efficient with the use of chemical sprays to combat myrtle rust this season. This is especially important as myrtle rust spreads down the country.” Rather than spraying seedlings on a typical 14 day cycle, the Myrtle Rust Climate Model enables producers to time spray applications based on real time disease risk. This can significantly reduce the number of applications while improving disease control. “The earlier version didn’t allow for specific spray information so modelling was based on average spray responses combined with MetWatch weather data. The new update is based on the actual active ingredients being used at each nursery so the spray management advice is much more precise,” Mike said. Plant & Food Research scientist Rob Beresford has been conducting trials on myrtle rust management based on the online tool. He said his trials have been invaluable in providing information on spray efficacy and the Myrtaceae species that are most or least susceptible to myrtle rust. “For example, we’ve discovered that mānuka is more resistant to myrtle rust so doesn’t need as much spraying as we previously thought.” The customised tool is the result of a collaboration between New Zealand Plant Producers (NZPPI), HortPlus and Plant & Food Research to improve disease management outcomes for growers and for New Zealand as a whole. To […]

Research shows plantain can reduce nitrogen leaching by 20-60%

The results, from the DairyNZ-led Plantain Potency and Practice (PPP) Programme, prove using Ecotain plantain in pasture can significantly reduce nitrogen entering waterways. Farm trials at Massey University and initial results from a trial at Lincoln University are showing similar trends. The trials are part of the nationwide PPP research and development programme that partners with dairy farmers, industry and Government. “These are exciting results – we now have robust scientific evidence that Ecotain plantain is an effective solution to help dairy farmers further reduce farm footprint and continue playing their part in improving water quality,” says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “Plantain can bring significant benefits to local waterways and communities – we all want healthy freshwater to swim and play in, and dairy farmers can confidently use Ecotain plantain on-farm to support that. “These research findings are part of a broader programme of work to continue delivering on dairy’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint in our local communities, while maintaining profitable businesses,” says Dr Mackle. The $22 million seven-year PPP Programme is funded by DairyNZ, the Government through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra, working with six additional research and delivery partners. The programme uses Ecotain environmental plantain from Agricom because it has proven effectiveness. An evaluation system is available to assess the environmental benefits of all plantain cultivars sold by a range of providers. At the Massey University farm trial, scientists are measuring nitrogen leaching from paddocks grazed by 80 dairy cows. After two years, the trial results have shown reduced nitrogen leaching by 20 to 60 percent in perennial ryegrass and clover pastures containing 30 to 50 percent Ecotain plantain. The results are compared to traditional perennial ryegrass and clover paddocks (the most common […]

SFF Futures Sustainability Snippets

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund supports problem-solving and innovation in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector by co-investing in initiatives that make a positive and lasting difference. Here are examples of three recent projects. Hot-house approach to greenhouse gases A new project has kicked off with the help of MPI to see if we can make commercial horticulture glasshouses carbon-neutral. Near Taupo, Hot Lime Labs is converting crop and wood waste from glasshouses into char – a solid, high- carbon material that acts as a chemical ‘sponge’ to clean up substances such as nitrates. The char is buried in the soil to create biochar, which has the potential to lock up carbon in the ground for hundreds of years.  Hot Lime Labs is receiving $707,360 over two years from MPI’s SFF Futures fund towards the $1.76 million project. The project will also use existing technology developed by Hot Lime Labs, which turns waste biomass into clean CO2. CO2 gas produced from fossil fuels is already used to boost crop yields by up to 30 percent but creating it from waste could be a game-changer for New Zealand’s mission to tackle greenhouse gases. Contact: Tijs Robinson, Chief Growth Officer,  t.robinson@hotlimelabs.co.nz, phone 021 411 466 World-first electric sprayer made in NZ Forest Lodge Orchard (FLO) could well be the world’s first fully electric, zero fossil fuel farm. Now the orchard is developing yet another world first – an electric foliage sprayer. The Otago-based cherry orchard is receiving $37,198 from MPI’s SFF Futures fund to help fast-track development and testing of the sprayer. With the help of TRS Wholesale Ltd in Blenheim, they’ve developed a prototype, which FLO is putting through its paces on New Zealand’s only electric tractor. FLO has ordered a larger electric […]

Heat exchanger helps produce carrot powder

Family-owned for four generations, Huntapac is a leading UK grower and supplier of root crops such as carrots and parsnips. Following a reorganisation of the business in 2019, the company wanted to develop new value-led product options and so installed a state-of-the-art line to produce carrot powder, with a heat exchanger from HRS Heat Exchangers forming a key part of the new process. Established near Preston in northern England by William Hunter in 1942, Huntapac initially grew a range of crops for fruit and vegetable markets in the North West, before starting to supply leading supermarkets almost fifty-years ago. The company was a major producer of root crops (carrots and parsnips), salads and brassicas (such as cauliflower and broccoli) until a few years ago, when it decided to rationalise its operations and concentrate solely on the root crops. The business grows more than 1,300 hectares of carrots and parsnips across the UK, from Suffolk to Scotland, all of which are taken to the company’s factory at Holmes near Preston for washing and packing. With the increased focus on root crops, the company was keen to add value to the five per cent of the crop which is not suitable for its packing customers and looked at a number of options before deciding on the production of carrot powder. “Five per cent may not sound like a lot, but when you are washing up to 400 tonnes of carrots a day, it soon adds up,” comments Huntapac’s Commercial Director Steven Kay. “We researched a few methods because there are lots of different drying techniques available, and we felt that the process that was right for use was to puree the carrots, put them over a drying drum and then mill the flake that results into a powder.” In early 2020 plans […]

Ellen Ballentine of Rainbow Park Nurseries in Drury, Auckland NZF

New Zealand’s young plant producers compete for national title

Five of the country’s most successful young plant producers are taking part in the 2022 Young Achiever competition in Christchurch from this Wednesday, vying to be named Aotearoa’s best. The competition, organised by NZ Plant Producers (NZPPI), hosted by IPPS (International Plant Propogators’ Society) and supported by the Horticentre Charitable Trust, tests competitors on the skills needed to run a successful plant production business including finance, biosecurity and health & safety. It is the chance for young plant producers from nurseries around the country to receive an invaluable boost of experience, industry insight and mentorship, plus the chance to win a $4000 fund to advance their career. The winner also gains automatic entry to the Young Horticulturalist of the Year award where they will compete against finalists from the entire horticulture sector, vying for a prize pool worth more than $20,000. Since 2016, Young Achiever winners have placed first or second in the Young Hort competition. “The Young Achiever competition showcases our industry’s most talented young plant producers. We’re proud to support the development of our industry’s future leaders and see them putting their knowledge and skills to the test,” says NZPPI People Capability Advisor Alice Schofield. “Every year the standard increases and we’re looking forward to seeing who among our five competitors takes home the winning trophy.” The Young Achiever Challenge Day is being held at Lincoln University this Wednesday (July 27th) followed by a Business Breakfast in the CBD on Thursday where the finalists will present their speeches before judges decide on then announce the winner. This is the first year Young Achiever is being held at Lincoln University. “We very much appreciate the opportunity to host at Lincoln, as it’s the perfect venue in which to encourage young people to further their career through professional development.” The […]

NZ Food Network receives Government funding to reduce business food waste

Aotearoa’s food rescue coordinator, the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) has been awarded $440,000 in Government funding to install more chillers and freezers in its storage facilities, increasing the capacity to handle surplus and donated food. The extra storage space will allow NZFN to divert an additional 1,100 tonnes of edible food from landfill and into communities in need. The expansion is supported by The Waste Minimisation Fund, which is administered by the Ministry for the Environment. Additional support is from pre-approved Ministry of Social Development funding. Gavin Findlay, NZFN CEO, says “Vast amounts of edible chilled and frozen food products are sent to landfill every year by food organisations and producers across the country. There are lots of reasons for this, but the primary reason is that there’s no single entity that can handle these large quantities. “Many businesses are willing to donate this surplus food to communities in need but it’s simply too complex and time consuming to find homes for these products, so it’s sent to landfill.” “The New Zealand Food Network was set up to provide the food production and manufacturing industry with a solution for surplus edible food. This support from the Ministry for the Environment will provide real progress to reducing New Zealand’s commercial food waste and our overall carbon footprint. At the same time, it will improve food security by rediverting this surplus food into our vulnerable communities.” The NZFN currently supports 61 food hubs (food rescue organisations, iwi, foodbanks and charities). Through this expansion, the NZFN aims to support an additional 10-15 food hubs throughout the country. “Increasing our storage capacity will allow us to target a broader range of food items, especially within the protein sector, which is highly valued by our food hubs,” adds Findlay. Since its launch in July […]

Infor nets 7-year SaaS deal with New Zealand seafood giant Sealord

Infor CloudSuite F&B to play a crucial role in steering Kiwi success story towards gains in sustainability, cost efficiency and supply chain traceability Infor, the industry cloud company, today announced that Sealord, one of the largest seafood companies in the Southern Hemisphere, has selected Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage (F&B) and Infor Supply Chain Planning (SCP) in an initial seven-year, multi-tenant SaaS agreement to enhance productivity, improve forecasting and better measure sustainability. The cloud-based platform provides day-one functionality gains as well as continuing to adapt and improve into the future. As an asset-intensive business, Sealord is also looking to incorporate a stronger and modernised asset management solution to cater to its end-to-end requirements. These include purchase and commissioning, maintenance and asset management, and tracking from both land and sea-based users. Along with reducing risk and improving efficiencies across the business, Sealord’s focus on promoting positive sustainability practices resulted in the selection of Infor CloudSuite, built specifically for their F&B industry, to establish specific carbon and other sustainability measures, such as sea temperature and plastics usage monitoring, to enable and improve reporting, management, and progress on sustainability goals. Sealord CIO Matthew Dodd said Infor was selected as it was an ideal fit as a strategic partner. “Infor has incorporated deep industry-specific features that are purpose-built within Infor CloudSuite F&B which align with Sealord’s business processes and operations. This results in a close fit solution out of the box. Ultimately, we were looking for a strategic long-term partner to work with, so not only do we value the decades of Infor development that have resulted in strong food-manufacturing capability, but we also appreciate that Infor and Sealord share similar visions for people and culture,” Dodd said. “We needed to address growing business and security risks associated with our legacy systems. Infor will […]

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Dairy sector looks to the future with new workforce plan

The dairy sector has launched a new workforce plan setting out how it will attract, retain and grow the farm workforce in the next decade. The Great Futures in Dairying plan is the sector’s strategy for shaping dairy farming as a competitive career option through a range of workplace and technology advances. “Dairy farms employ 37,000 people on-farm. The success of dairy is critical for those working in the sector and to New Zealand as a whole,” says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “New Zealand is facing significant social changes which will require many businesses to work harder to attract and retain staff. These include an ageing population, increasing urbanisation, wider career options, lower fertility rates and technological change.” Dr Mackle say these trends mean the dairy sector needs to be forward-thinking and develop fresh ideas to attract and keep the right staff. “Farmers are resilient and practical people, and we know they are focused on finding solutions to this challenge.” The Great Futures in Dairying plan is led by DairyNZ in partnership with farmers, Government and farming sector representatives. The plan identifies three key focus areas to make dairy a competitive career option. “As a sector we firstly want to shape up to ensure we are attractive in an increasingly competitive labour market. We are looking at a range of initiatives, including piloting an induction experience for new dairy staff and developing clear career training pathways for people to progress into more senior roles,” says Dr Mackle. The second focus area – change the job – looks at embracing new technology and strategies to improve workplaces. Smart cow collars, milking cup removal technology and flexible milking are some initiatives proposed to provide staff with a better work-life balance. “Lastly, we want to look in new places – […]

Boosting productivity and reducing environmental harm

Dairy Holdings has been on a journey to significantly reduce the amount of water and nitrogen fertiliser it uses as part of a five year strategy to limit environmental impacts – while improving productivity. Precision-ag technology company, CropX, has recently partnered with Dairy Holdings to help it meet those targets. Since implementing its strategy in 2017, Dairy Holdings has reduced water use by one third across its 60 farms spanning 20,000 hectares. This has been achieved by modernising irrigation systems, introducing water meters to measure annual consumption, and installing soil moisture monitors to guide irrigation decisions. Dairy Holdings has also reduced fertliser use to well within the new nitrogen cap regulations of 190 kilograms per hectare (kgN/ha) at an average of 172 kgN/ha for the 2021/22 season. Despite these big cuts in water and nutrient inputs, pasture growth has, in fact, improved. This has resulted in a massive 90% decrease in the quantity of purchased supplementary feed per year. Underlying all of this positive change has been a need for Dairy Holdings to understand, in precise terms, what is happening in the soil of its farms. This allows farm managers to make informed decisions about how much water and nutrients to apply to the land and when, to enable optimal grass growth with minimal inputs. Initially, as part of its irrigation upgrades, Dairy Holdings installed soil sensor tapes below the ground under the irrigators, which farm managers could monitor daily to inform irrigation decisions. But this system required more active management, was very time consuming to use, and often led to inconsistent results. Dairy Holdings needed one, standardised, automated, online, easily accessible, and transparent soil moisture monitoring system with data captured from across all of its irrigated farms. This would guide optimum water […]

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