Case Study: mowi Salmon
seafood Security in the Food & Beverage Industry
Who is MOWI?
The global salmon industry is booming. In 2017, the leading producing countries together produced more than 2 million tons of this popular edible fish. To ensure high product yield and quality, all steps of the production process, from farming to fish packaging, must be optimally coordinated. This is also the case at Mowi, formerly Marine Harvest, the world's largest salmon producer.
Mosca GmbH used its high standards to test a stainless steel strapping machine specially developed for the food industry under real conditions. Since October 2017, a model of the SoniXs MS-6 has been in Ulvan, Norway, strapping polystyrene crates of fresh fish as part of a fully automated production line. And with great success: from management to operators, employees at Mowi Norway, avd Ulvan are extremely impressed with the reliable and easy-to-clean new development.
MOWI Salmon
The Challenge
When salmon arrives fresh from the boat at the Mowi factory in Ulvan on the Norwegian island of Ulvoya, things have to move quickly. In the fully automated production process, the fish is packed into polystyrene boxes at a constant temperature below two degrees, filled with ice and covered with a loose lid. Double strapping then encloses the polystyrene crate and lid, providing protection and stability. The crates are then packed onto pallets for onward transportation. And the next truck with fresh goods leaves the factory premises. In total, Mowi employs over 13,000 people at sites in 25 countries worldwide. In 2016, the company produced a total of 381,000 tons of fresh salmon. Mowi processes some of this itself, for example into breaded or marinated fish fillets.
The Trial Run
Mowi Norway, avd Ulvan quickly agreed to a trial order in Ulvan. Since October 2017, a SoniXs MS-6 has been in use as part of one of three production lines. In addition to the fast cycle time of the fully automated production, the salty air and cleaning by blasting put the stainless steel machine to the test. In the meantime, it has mastered more than 1,000,000 strappings and is still in perfect condition.
The test in Norway thrives on the close cooperation between Mosca and Mowi Norway. In weekly telephone calls, the experts on both sides discuss the performance of the machine and possible improvements. For example, Mosca was able to optimize the table plate of the SoniXs MS-6 for the application. As a result, the polystyrene crates containing fresh fish are exposed to less abrasion and the machine body is less contaminated. "During the entire test phase, we benefited enormously from the close contact with Mowi Norway," explains Christian Grosskopf. "Through phone calls and site visits at the beginning of the test and after six and nine months, we received feedback and suggestions for optimization at all times - both from the management and the operators who work with the machine on a daily basis."
Designed With Food Safety In Mind
Mosca GmbH developed the SoniXs MS-6 specifically for conditions such as those in Mowi 's production facility in Ulvan. The machine is corrosion-resistant thanks to the use of high-quality stainless steel in the springs and bearings. Thanks to Mosca MSCB-1 real-time controller, users can integrate the SoniXs MS-6 into fully automated lines and control it from a control station.
At the end of 2017, Mosca was looking for an opportunity to put the newly developed machine through its paces under demanding conditions before the market launch - and Mowi Norway's fully automated high-speed production provided ample opportunity to do so. "Live tests are an important part of product development at Mosca," explains Christian Grosskopf, Mosca Industry Manager for the food and beverage industry. "With the SoniXs MS-6, we wanted to find out how the machine performs under the demanding conditions of coastal production."
"The machine particularly impressed us with its high reliability, which is essential in our tightly synchronized production."
Successful Results
During the test phase, the SoniXs MS-6 with a frame size of 650x600 millimeters proved its worth at Mowi Norway and Ulvan.
The SoniXs MS-6 meets the high demands of the salmon specialist with up to 52 strappings per minute. "Our operators particularly like the automatic double dispenser. This enables a quick and stress-free strap change," Jensen continues. When a strap reel is almost used up, the machine ejects the last piece of strap fully automatically and switches to the second strap reel. This means that the operator does not have to add a new spool when the old one is empty, but can prepare the belt change without interrupting production. This minimizes downtimes.
The Future of the
ROMS6-VA SoniXs
The SoniXs MS-6 has been available on the market since spring 2018. The stainless steel machine has already attracted a great deal of interest at Anuga Foodtec in Cologne and Seafood Expo Global in Brussels. "The SoniXs MS-6 has great potential, especially in areas of food production where the utmost hygiene and safety are essential," explains Christian Grosskopf. "With the long test under real conditions in Norway, we have proven that it is ideally suited to the high demands of coastal and tightly synchronized production."
And the SoniXs MS-6 will also continue to be used at Mowi Norway, avd Ulvan: the salmon specialist ordered two machines for production in Norway as soon as the test phase was completed.
| ROMS6-VA SoniXs | |
|---|---|
| Machine Type |
Operator Cycled or Fully Automatic |
| Units/Minute |
Up to 40 |
| Track Width |
600 mm |