Operating from modern premises in Christchurch, Southern Engineering Solutions (SES) is a long-time provider to New Zealand’s highly developed food processing sector. But its reach extends further than just our shores as it is focused on markets throughout Australia and Asia as well. In short, SES is an industry leader, delivering innovative solutions in food processing. SES now has a team of staff, which, due to the company’s success, is ever increasing.
The two directors / owners are the sales team; themselves driven by delivering excellence, quality and service to all customers. As an innovative supporter of the food processing industry SES design skills, clarity of thinking and quality engineering has a direct bearing on the integrity of the food produced in factories throughout New Zealand and Australia. A significant factor in the company’s rapid growth is the staff’s willingness to engage with customers to identify and resolve issues that represent barriers to market penetration and compliance.
Food processing is New Zealand’s largest manufacturing industry, employing nearly 75,000 people. It is also a highly regulated industry and customer driven. Customers know what they want and have an indisputable right to expect it in good condition. The recognition of this and the commitment to meeting and exceeding customer expectations has played a large role in the company’s success to date. With most food processing based on meat and dairy products (employing nearly 30,000 and 10,000 people respectively), SES has in recent times focused predominantly on the manufacturing of conveyors and meat cutting equipment for boning rooms throughout New Zealand meat works and more recently in Australia.
The company’s capabilities as a general engineering company means it offers a wide range of engineering services aside from purely installation and maintenance. Professional engineers and qualified technicians service the meat, dairy and processing industries, as well as general engineering and factory maintenance. Part of the reason for this diverse portfolio of skills is because the systems and machinery developed in New Zealand are increasingly sophisticated. These food processing systems are developed to maintain food integrity, so the quality of all SES work must be first class. It ensures this by concentrating all available technology on what it does.
SES places the utmost importance on providing top-quality engineering solutions which have played their part in New Zealand developing world-leading expertise in food processing technology.
From concept to manufacture
SES maximises the quality of its work by way of full design drawing software and constant research into new and innovative concepts. A team of design engineers constantly updates products, ensuring SES stays at the forefront of a groundbreaking industry. The company can provide service from concept design through to manufacture, can install and commission all its machinery and conveyance, and offers a comprehensive range of services from design, production, plant layout consultancy, 3D CAD modelling, prototyping and development through to fabrication, installation and maintenance. A modern, well-equipped fabrication facility
with sufficient space to layout and test projects before commissioning is another aspect of ensuring absolute quality.
Another vital skill and string in the company’s bow is that, as a specialist supplier to the food processing and related sectors, SES is especially experienced in stainless-steel fabrication.
Another aspect driving SES’s commitment to excellence is that the food ergonomics industry is production-intensive and has rigorous demands in food hygiene, employee health and safety compliance standards.
Hygiene and health standards
As with industries stringent on health and safety, the SES sales and design team is fully trained in the hygiene and health and safety compliance requirements of such sectors and ensure these are met or exceeded in every project. Once these rigorous standards are met, fabrication and installation is then undertaken by the experienced team of professional engineers and qualified technicians. The result of this is that project work is provided to a broad base of clients by SES, who places the utmost importance on providing top-quality engineering solutions.
These solutions have played their part in New Zealand developing world-leading expertise in food processing technology over many years and, as such, adding maximum value to primary sector produce. Technology originating in response to the needs of New Zealand’s primary sector has led to producers acting on its export potential. As such, SES has taken its innovative, quality solutions to the Australian market where its services were in dire need.
Aiding this is that New Zealand is well known around the world for the quality and safety of its food products. It has developed a wide range of systems for cost-effective processing while maintaining the integrity and presentation of the primary produce. Underpinned by many decades of scientific research, food and beverage manufacturing is a major industry in New Zealand, accounting for around one third of exports and contributing just under 5% of GDP.
Internationally recognised research organisations continuously carry out cutting edge R&D into applying science and technology to food processing and packaging. SES maintains strong relationships with the engineering industry’s leading component suppliers throughout Australasia and internationally, to ensure access to the best in materials and components. As regular attendees of selected international trade shows it sources the latest technologies and concepts in order to provide industry-leading engineering solutions.
Customer satisfaction is the primary focus and each project is undertaken with a consultative approach to ensure the clients’ needs are fully understood, options explored and solutions developed that will meet or exceed expectations.
Downtime equates to cost in production-intensive industries, therefore installation and commissioning is planned to ensure disruption is minimised and commissioning deadlines are met. This is where the SES design team comes to the fore. Highly experienced and consulting directly with clients, the team’s aim is to develop optimal solutions that meet or exceed compliance.
As a long-time provider to New Zealand’s highly developed food processing sector, SES is an industry leader, delivering innovative solutions in food processing, cutting and conveyancing.
Cutting edge technology for processed meat products
The round knife is not a saw but a knife, cutting tissue and bone clean, fast and cold. Band saws remove up to 20g of prime product to process a single sheep carcass and debris contaminates the cut area, reducing shelf life and detracting from product appearance. Also, blade speed heats the meat and alters the flavour. The round knife cuts clean because it produces no debris, is fast because of advanced cutting technology and cold because of the slow knife rotation speed. Round knife technology provides the opportunity to realise the maximum value
for processed meat products.
Conveyancing systems
The development of conveyancing technologies has markedly increased productivity in the product handling sector. Smart conveyancing system design reduces labour input, minimises operator fatigue, reduces repetitive strain injury and promotes a healthier and safer workplace environment. Conveyancing systems may also be used to reduce risk in moving heavy or hazardous materials.
SES has extensive experience in delivering conveyancing solutions to production-intensive industries. Installation may be timed to coincide with planned plant shutdowns where circumstances dictate. Each site has unique demands in terms of available footprint, configuration, product handling and integration needs. SES works closely with each client to develop customised solutions achieving the desired outcomes. Having built long-term relationships with many of New Zealand’s and Australia’s largest food processors, SES is an industry leader in conveyancing system design and technology. The highly experienced project team are mindful of maintaining time-critical processes, increasing productivity and minimising downtime.
A consultative approach ensures that clients’ needs are fully understood, options explored and solutions developed that meet or exceed expectations.
