Sustainable, automated and digital solutions for the food industry

Exhibiting at Anuga FoodTec 2024 under the motto “Multiply Your Value, “the MULTIVAC Group will be presenting its wide range of innovative processing and packaging solutions for the food sector. The focus will be on its comprehensive slicing range and integrated lines, which contribute significantly to making production processes very efficient and resource-saving thanks to its high level of automation and digitalization. Visitors will find the MULTIVAC Group in Hall 8.1 (Stand C10) and a marquee on the open-air site, where the processing machines will be shown in live operation.

Wide slicing range for all types of sliced products

Showing a fully automated, high-performance line for slicing and packaging sausage and cheese slices, MULTIVAC will be presenting itself as a supplier of complete solutions – from processing through to end-of-line. The MULTIVAC Line Control (MLC) throughout the entire line enables all the process stages to be operated very efficiently from one central point – from slicing through to loading into the thermoforming packaging machine and subsequent converging of the packs, and right up to inspection, labeling and container loading. Recipe changes "on the fly" will be demonstrated at the trade fair, significantly reducing start-up losses during product changes and saving resources and production costs.

When it comes to slicing and packaging small to medium-sized batches, a flowpack line will be on show at the trade fair, and this consists of a new entry-level slicer and the universal W 510 flowpacker, characterized by its ease of operation and cleaning. The line at the trade fair will feature cheese slices being packed.

Packaging of fresh meat and ready meals

For those visitors interested in the cost-effective portioning and packaging of fresh meat, a thermoforming packaging line will be shown, which offers a very high level of flexibility, a small giveaway, and low packaging costs. The heart of the line is a new high-output portioning machine from TVI; the main features are maximum product yield, the finest cutting quality and weight precision, and a new weight sorting system for equal portions with the most miniature giveaways. The compact R3 thermoforming packaging machine is used for packing the portions, and this machine can also run recyclable and environmentally-friendly mono materials very efficiently, as well as being capable of being designed to customers' requirements thanks to its modular construction. The line is also equipped with a new cross web labeller for compact thermoforming packaging machines, which offers a high level of efficiency at low investment cost. The central MLC line control can control all the process stages – portioning, feeding, packing, and labeling.

Regarding traysealing, MULTIVAC will present a line for packing ready meals, which offers outstanding performance with exceptionally efficient use of the available production space. An entire wrap label encloses all four sides of the pack like a sleeve, ensuring that the packages are labeled attractively.

Entry-level solutions for small and medium-sized processors

In addition to this, MULTIVAC will also be giving insight into its wide range of compact solutions for the food industry at the trade fair. Several packs, including skin, MAP, and stretch, will be demonstrated on a range of compact tray sealers. When it comes to packing fruit and vegetables, an innovative concept called Top Close labeling will be shown, which enables fresh produce trays to be sealed closed with a label in a very resource-saving way.

Solutions for the bakery industry

Thanks to its more powerful drive system, the ROLLFIX prime dough sheeter from FRITSCH can take portions of dough weighing up to about 20 kilograms. A double spindle on the delivery roller provides even greater power, and its selectable infeed speed enables a greater degree of flat rolling. The intuitive control concept makes the operation of the machine exceptionally easy. The sheeting programs can be created quickly and easily and are saved very transparently with the corresponding product image and name in the machine's memory. The stainless steel construction not only provides a high level of mechanical sturdiness and, therefore, a longer lifespan, but it also contributes to the machine's outstanding hygiene features. Fresh products will be baked daily in an open bakery.

In addition to this, the MULTIVAC Cooling@Packing System, a vacuum application for cooling bakery products, which can be integrated into thermoforming packaging machines and enables sensitive bakery products to be packed without any loss of quality, will also be shown in Cologne. By packing the product immediately after baking, a higher level of freshness and longer shelf life can be achieved. Energy costs for product cooling can also be saved, and shorter baking time means that production capacity can be increased. Last but not least, one of the many features of this solution is the reduced space requirement in bakeries.

Processing solutions in live operation

Another exhibition area in a marquee on the open-air site (in front of Hall 8.1) is dedicated by the MULTIVAC Group to portioning fresh meat and slicing processed meats and cheese. The machines will be shown in live operation, including various portioning machines of the GMS series, which produce trim-free portioning thanks to their 3D forming and MULTIVAC slicers in different output categories.