Industrial skewering machine
Coping with seasonal peaks without extra staff
The Customer
Westvlees in Westrozebeke is one of Europe's leading producers of fresh and prepared pork. The company is part of Belgian Pork Group, a family-owned company in the top 10 pork processors in Europe.
With 960 employees, Westvlees processes 1.4 million pigs into more than 140,000 tonnes of pork every year. From slaughterhouse to cutting plant, from packaging to ready-to-cook meals: everything is done in-house. Westvlees supplies customers in more than 50 countries, from retail and catering to wholesale and food industry.
The Challenge
Brochettes are a seasonal product for Westvlees. In summer, during the grilling season, demand skyrockets. For several months, large volumes have to be produced, after which it stops again.
That seasonal pattern creates a staffing problem. Finding extra people for a few months is expensive and difficult. They need a training period. And when they leave, the next year starts again from scratch.
The existing machinery was inadequate. Regular downtime, unreliable, and too many non-compliant finished products. Capacity was still determined by the speed of operators. Westvlees needed a solution that could handle high volumes, change quickly between brochette types, and be less dependent on staff.
Why this is not a standard machine:
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Seasonal peaks: Very large quantities have to be produced in a short period of time. Downtime is not an option.
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Flexibility: Different types of brochettes without long changeover times.
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Crafted look: The final product should look handmade, not industrial.
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Hygiene and safety: Stringent requirements for materials, cleanability and food safety.
Project Gallery
SMO's Solution
The principle of manual PINTRO machines, but on an industrial scale
SMO took the principle of manual PINTRO brochettes and scaled it up to industrial capacity. Flexibility remained: different types and types of brochettes, with an emphasis on an artisanal look. But now four times faster.
A limited number of fillers and one operator are enough to run large volumes. The machine sets the pace, not the people. And changing between brochette types is fast, without major changeover times.
Scaled up without losing flexibility
The proven concept of manual machines was translated into an industrial version. The same principles, but with higher speed and larger volumes.
Craftsmanship quality, industrial output
The final product looks like handmade. More consistent even, as the machine does not make mistakes due to fatigue or haste.
Engineering and production under one roof
The combination of high speed, flexible product changeovers and strict hygiene requirements required close cooperation between mechanics and automation. As both disciplines sit side by side at SMO, the team was able to quickly switch between design, test and adjustment.
The machine in action
The Result
The machine delivers a productivity gain of more than 50%. Fewer staff are needed, and Westvlees can now handle much higher volumes. Downtime has fallen dramatically and the end result is more consistent than before, both compared to the old machines and to manual work.
More importantly, Westvlees is less dependent on seasonal workers. The machine determines capacity, not the availability of staff.
We were looking for a partner who thinks along soberly and delivers what was agreed. No over-promises, just a machine that runs when we need it. Our brochettes look better now than when they were made entirely by hand. And we achieve volumes that used to be unthinkable.
Technical Specifications
- Type Industrial skewering machine
- Product Various brochettes (pork)
- Capacity 4x faster than manual
- Key technology Scaled-up PINTRO principle
- Flexibility Quick changes between brochette types
- Completion 2020