As an industrial manufacturing business, your equipment is the backbone of your production output. With the ever-increasing complexities involved in industrial equipment, as well as their ‘always on’ nature, it’s not uncommon for breakdowns and malfunctions to occur. And when equipment stops working as efficiently as it used to be, it can cause production delays and even impact health and safety, as well as increasing your lifetime cost of ownership through unscheduled downtime and repairs.
In these circumstances, upgrading your food processing machines can help you reach your production goals and optimise efficiency, while saving on lifetime operating costs.
Signs That You Need To Upgrade Your Food Processing Machines
So, how do you know whether the most cost-effective option is to invest in new machines, or simply to repair and maintain your existing assets? The first step in your decision-making process is to identify the extent of wear and tear on each machine. Common signs that an asset is approaching end of life include more frequent breakdowns, decreased energy efficiency and output, and increased incidences of downtime. If your equipment is costing you more to repair than its value, it is more cost-effective to upgrade your assets altogether.
Another indication that an upgrade may be valuable is when you’re experiencing production bottlenecks due to slow processing, or when performance issues are beginning to hamper product quality or compliance. Additionally, it is essential to consider employee health and safety, which can be impacted if old and unsafe equipment is being used beyond its effective end of life.
Benefits Of Upgrading Your Food-Processing Assets
Investing in more modern production machinery can provide a wide range of benefits beyond simple increased production output. Upgrading your equipment can also help you develop new and more efficient production lines, reduce energy waste and costs, and improve management efficiency. The food production sector is evolving rapidly due to increased competition and technological innovations, so to remain competitive it is essential that your operation is equipped with the newest and most effective technologies possible. Targeted investment in new equipment could put you at the forefront of your sector, increasing output and margins.
How To Ensure A Smooth Transition For Your Team
Implementing new machinery into your production line can be daunting for production teams; however, thorough project management and a systematic implementation process can facilitate a seamless transition for your new assets. Some initial preparation measures to consider include conducting thorough research on the best machinery suppliers, calculating the business benefits of each upgrade, and modifying your production schedules to facilitate the new machines – including implementation time and training.
Implementation issues can also be avoided by ensuring that your employees are on board and properly trained on the new equipment prior to installation. This smooths the adjustment process to the upgraded machinery and reduces the amount of time needed to integrate their usage into your production processes.
Servicing And Maintenance
When deciding to upgrade your machinery, it’s also important to consider your return on investment and how to increase the lifespan of your new equipment through regular and appropriate servicing and maintenance. The long-term value of an asset can be increased through the correct maintenance schedule to prolong its service life, ensure maximum efficiency, and reduce downtime due to breakdowns. Routine maintenance procedures such as cleaning, machine calibration, and replacement of parts should be followed according to vendor recommendations. Adopting a scheduled monitoring and maintenance programme from the outset can lessen aggravation later on, as well as increasing the longevity of your assets.
Find Out More
At Premier Forrester, we supply high quality, reliable European machinery with a long service life and a strong reputation for value. With various options available for production line expansion and efficiency, we are happy to discuss your options and consult on the best options for your budget, project outcomes, and timescales. Please get in touch today to discuss your requirements.
