Cleaner Production in Confectionery Manufacturing: Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd has implemented a large number of cleaner production initiatives at it's Ringwood Confectionery plant in Victoria. The annual savings from reduced raw material and waste disposal costs amount to $780,000.
Background
Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd's plant in Ringwood, Victoria produces a range of confectionery products, including Easter eggs, chocolate bars and other chocolate coated items. The plant currently produces more than 25,000 tonnes per annum of chocolate products, including the brand names Cherry Ripe, Crunchy Bar and Red Tulip.
The Process
As the plant specialises in the manufacture of chocolate confectionery, there is a requirement for a large range of different production processes. The precursor to manufacturing the various confectioneries is the production of chocolate. The base chocolate is produced from milk, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and emulsifiers. It is then further processed to make products such as Easter eggs, chocolate bars, coated nuts and moulded products (such as the Freddo Frog).
Cleaner Production Initiatives
Participation in the joint Victorian Environment Protection Authority - Business Victoria Cleaner Production Demonstration Program in 1992 provided a big impetus in setting a clear direction for cleaner production. Cadbury Schweppes identified many opportunities for improvements based on the introduction of a few simple and innovative techniques to minimise waste.
These cleaner production initiatives included:
- Recycling of solid waste
An overall factory mass balance was undertaken and operations reviewed to identify all possible sources of solid waste generation. A number of recyclable wastes were identified, and systems implemented to separate these from the solid waste stream. The recycling rate has increased from approximately 5 per cent to over 50 per cent.
- Reuse of food wrappers
Collection and conversion of waste food wrappers into plastic pallets used for in-house product storage.
- Pipe insulation
Insulation of 2 km of pipework and 12 storage tanks used for chocolate has reduced heat loss, internal air conditioning loads and eliminated the need to upgrade the hot water system (the chocolate is held at 43 degrees celsius while the factory is air conditioned to 23 degrees celsius).
- Boiler enclosure
Enclosing the boilers has reduced external noise and improved the boiler efficiency by up to 5 per cent. Enclosing the boiler has also reduced maintenance costs.
- Trade waste reduction
Specially designed wash bays, automatic nozzles on hoses, automatic taps and utensil washers have contributed to significant reduction in raw water usage. As a consequence the volume of trade waste has reduced from 600 kl/day to 150 kl/day.
- Dust Collection
Installation of a CSIRO designed cyclone for recovering fine sugar dust has eliminated the problem of cleaning filter bags. In addition to improved collection efficiency, this has eliminated the water washing of filter bags with a consequent reduction in trade waste load.
- Solid chocolate moulding
Optimisation of the moulding parameters has improved the material yield.
- Caramel extrusion
Optimisation of material use, handling and process parameters has improved weight control and reduced material wastage.
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