In the food industry, precision is a critical factor, especially in the mass production of snacks. At Mondelēz International's Capriata d’Orba plant in Italy, two Ishida multihead weighers are now improving weighing accuracy, minimising product waste, and increasing the efficiency of cracker production.
In Capriata d’Orba in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, Mondelēz Italia Biscuits Production S.p.A. operates one of its most important European plants for snack production. Well-known brands like Ritz and Cipster are manufactured here, with the Ritz brand accounting for approximately 20 percent of total production.
Challenges in cracker production
The previous scales at Mondelēz's plant in Capriata d'Orba showed weaknesses in precision and reliability after years of use. The standard deviation of almost two grams led to significant costs in mass production.
Mondelēz therefore installed two Ishida CCW-RVE 14-head multihead weighers, equipped with 1.5-litre bowls. These new weighers are specifically tailored to the requirements of the packaging line and offer greater accuracy and consistency in the weighing process. The speed of the weighers is around 65 packs per minute, with higher speeds also possible depending on conditions. A significant advantage of the new systems is their high degree of automation, which limits staff intervention to necessary checks.
Results and benefits
Since the installation of the new scales, the standard deviation of the weighing process has been reduced to between 0.6 and 0.8 grams. This has led to a significant reduction in product loss and savings in raw materials. The efficiency of the multihead weighers now stands at up to 98 percent, which has considerably improved process stability. The proportion of products damaged during the weighing process has also been reduced by approximately three percent. These improvements enable Mondelēz to handle large production volumes efficiently while maintaining high quality standards.
Samuele Mazzei, Head of Maintenance for the Ritz and Cipster lines, emphasised the reliability of Ishida weighers and the professional support from local distribution partner Itech. The positive experience with Ishida machines at the plant significantly influenced the decision for the new weighers.
Source: Ishida Europe
