Haldiram is one of leading brands of Indian snack foods. It is a major player in the fast growing `12,000 crore market with production capability of over 500 metric tonnes a day. Recently Shivraj Choudhary, general manager – technical, Haldiram Snacks was interviewed by B&R Automation India.
B&R: What areas should automation vendors focus on to help manufacturers achieve better productivity?
SC: Simply understanding the packaging process is not sufficient for any automation vendor. It is very important to plan for the packaging process all the way from ingredients processing to end-of-line packaging. Maximum efficiency can only be achieved if the entire process is automated. The automation process should also include a robotics interface so as to provide the high level of hygiene required for packaged food. It is essential to use an open protocol like Ethernet POWERLINK to provide uniform integration of all automation
components on a single network. PackML is a good way to integrate the complete line, independently of the various OEMs and automation solution providers involved.
B&R: How has Haldiram Foods leveraged automation technology to improve productivity and reduce downtime?
SC: Haldiram Foods are well-known in the packaged snack foods market. This highly competitive market challenges us to constantly work toward higher productivity and reduced costs. Haldiram has always demanded very fast and user friendly machines from its OEMs. We have always opted for integrated solutions and user-friendly machine interfaces. Reducing downtime has also been a consistent motive for seeking the best automation systems and training for our operators.
B&R: Haldiram has trusted B&R as an automation partner for many years now. What differentiates B&R’s offering from the rest?
SC: B&R’s reputation as an innovative automation partner is evident from its vast installed base of machines all over India. We have more than 450 machines with B&R systems in various manufacturing sites all across the country. These machines include intermittent collar type, continuous collar type, top filler, vertical filler sealing and pick film sealer machines.
B&R has helped us make great progress in terms of productivity. The support offered by B&R has been one of the main reasons for our long and successful partnership. The single software tool which facilitates programing, diagnostics, and maintenance features for all products offers immense flexibility. The B&R portfolio consists of reliable and robust hardware and the fully integrated design helps us future-proof our plants.
