British Bakels recently celebrated their win at the Institution of Chemical Engineers (‘IChemE’) Global Awards, as they were given the Process Automation and Digitisation Award for their adoption of NIR technology.
The award recognises the company’s journey in adopting and implementing Near Infrared (NIR) inline process control technology at their manufacturing site. The process ensures it delivers the best possible products, backed by the highest quality assurance standards, to customers in UK supermarkets and industrial bakeries, and wholesale and craft bakeries.
The NIR Spectroscopy equipment was first installed in 2012 in its Bicester quality control lab, where it used NIR light to monitor raw materials and finished product quality. They then went on to use the technology to monitor these parameters in their dry powder plant.
This is not the first accolade the company has won for its adoption of NIR technology – in July of last year, it nabbed the the Innovation Award at the Oxfordshire Business Awards (OXBA).
“We are delighted to win the Process Automation and Digitisation Award at this year’s IChemE Global Awards. The award recognises not only Bakels’ most recent implementation of NIR inline process technology in wet manufacturing, but also the journey our team has been on to get here,” commented Michael Schofield, Marketing Manager at the Bakels Group. “Near Infrared Spectroscopy is crucial in guaranteeing the quality of our products such as our caramels and paste concentrates, during production, as it enables us to stop heating and start the cooling process.
“Adopting this technology, which isn’t widely used elsewhere in the food industry, in our ‘wet’ plant helps us not only to ensure our product quality by reducing substandard and waste products but also increases our process and staff efficiency, optimises our manufacturing capacity and minimises unnecessary use of energy. Everyone wins – us, our customers, and the planet.”
Since British Bakels first adopted the process the Bakels group has confirmed its plans to roll out the technology to its sister companies worlwide.
“Our knowledge and implementation experience is now being transferred around the world including in Bakels Australia, which is great recognition for all the hard work over the years,” confirmed Michael Schofield. “For the team here in Bicester, the additional accolade of winning the Process Automation and Digitisation category at the IChemE Global Awards is the icing on the cake.”
the world.”
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Caitlin Gittins
Editor, International Bakery
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