Leading flexible packaging supplier and contract packer Universal Flexible Packaging has installed a further three Ishida DACS-W checkweighers at its Leicester factory as part of the company’s ongoing investment programme, focused on ensuring it has the very best equipment to meet the varying needs of its wide customer base.
UFP now has a total of five Ishida mulithead weighers and 12 checkweighers, which the company says offer the accuracy, flexibility, speed and reliability to handle the many different requirements of its contract packing operation, ensuring UFP’s commitment to quality and service are consistently maintained. The company has also just launched a popcorn manufacturing operation and has ordered a top-of-the range Ishida multihead weigher to support the development of this new product range.
A key requirement for the new checkweighers was that the machines are able to meet the latest specifications of the UK supermarkets. At the same time, Ishida Europe has also upgraded most of the existing models at UFP to include these capabilities.
The majority of the installed checkweighers now include separate reject bins for metal contaminants and incorrect weights, internal alarms for rejects and a coloured beacon to distinguish different problems. The DACS-W can also provide valuable production information for subsequent monitoring and traceability.
All installed DACS models incorporate Ishida’s unique Anti-Floor Vibration (AFV) system, Ishida-made high-sensitivity loadcells and high-speed Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for high weighing accuracy and consistency at high speeds, as well as key pad display for simple operation.
All the Ishida checkweighers and multihead weighers at UFP offer the facility for fast changeovers with easy set up using the programmable memory and ease of cleaning. In addition, the bagmakers underneath each Ishida multihead all feature a full set of forming shoulders so machines can quickly be adapted to daily production equirements.
"Responsiveness is a vital part of our offering so we have ensured that every line in our factory is multi-functional," confirms chief executive Tinku Durrani. "Equally vital is the accuracy and reliability of our equipment.
"As a contract packer, we have to continually prove ourselves to our customers. This means we do not compromise on our equipment and generally over-specify in order to ensure it can meet our demands both now and in the future.
"We have been extremely pleased with the performance of all our Ishida models in helping us to meet and exceed our high standards."