Case Study: Automating a Packing Line for Leading Pet Treat Manufacturer
Irish Dog Foods is a leading producer of premium pet treat products for pet food companies and major retailers in Ireland and around the world.
It packages some of the pet treat products it produces in doypacks, otherwise known as stand-up pouches. These packs are resealable, so they are user-friendly as well as being very good at preserving the product before and after the pack has been opened. They also look fantastic on retailer shelves, plus the process of producing them is efficient as all branding and product information can be applied directly to the pouch, with no need for additional labels.
Demand for these products is high, so Irish Dog Foods wanted to automate the packing process, i.e., the element of the line after the pet treat products come out of the baking ovens. It also wanted to increase throughput on the packing line, minimise operator input, and optimise the use of factory floor space.
SF Engineering and Irish Dog Foods have a relationship that goes back many years. We have been involved in multiple projects with this leading Irish export manufacturer, so we were delighted to have been selected for this project.
It involved multiple elements, including the production of SF Engineering conveyors and platforms, specifying new machines, and then integrating those machines into the new line. The project also involved the integration of machines that were already in the Irish Dog Foods factory.
This case study covers the various aspects of the project, including the challenges, how we resolved those challenges, the design process, the solutions we implemented, the installation and commissioning processes, and the results that are being achieved by Irish Dog Foods now the line is fully operational.
Download and read the Irish Dog Foods packing line case study now.
