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Welcome... Bienvenue... Willkommen... Benvenuto... Bienvenido... Welkom |
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Loma Systems, has recently launched an entry-level X-ray system offering cost-effective advanced X-ray technology with the highest levels of accuracy, reliability, safety and longevity. |
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We have invested in a number of key personnel to help support its Service and Research & Development team, as well as further growing its international presence. These new appointments will help to keep the Loma and Cintex brands at the forefront of the safety inspection industry by focussing resources on product development and the highest level of service. |
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Helping to facilitate more efficient production lines and ensure compliance with HACCP requirements and weight controls, Loma Systems has developed the LomaEnet, an Ethernet Reports Capture System developed for it’s range of metal detectors, checkweighers and X-ray systems. |
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Healthbars Unlimited, owners of the leading health bar brand Shepherd Boy®, has chosen CINTEX to help maintain its high food safety standards in production by identifying product defects, specification variances or potentially harmful contaminants. |
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Ola from Mexico! Mexico is a varied country crammed with a multitude of opposing identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient ruins and industrialised cities. Bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US, Mexico is an emerging market with an economy that is expected to grow by about 4% in 2006. |
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11th -13th July 2006: Propack China, Shanghai, China |
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The articles in full |
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Loma Systems, has recently launched an entry-level X-ray system offering cost-effective advanced X-ray technology with the highest levels of accuracy, reliability, safety and longevity. With a number of performance enhancing features, the XR is pioneering state-of-the-art X-ray technology as a viable and cost-effective alternative to more traditional inspection solutions such as metal detection, offering the market the ability to not only find metal but also stone, glass, dense plastics, bone and ceramics. In addition, these X-ray systems offer other product inspection capabilities for irregularities such as over or under fill. |
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And, with the EU now requiring all food businesses to implement a documented food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP, and leading UK supermarkets driving through X-ray inspection as a ‘Code of Practice’ for foil or metallised product packaging, affordable, reliable and accurate X-ray technology is increasingly in demand. This is not only driving the X-ray market in the UK, but also in mainland Europe for suppliers of UK supermarkets. In answer to these UK and European changes, XR delivers the highest levels of performance with a number of new features. For optimum levels of accuracy, Loma has a new design X-ray collimator, which improves the penetration of products making contaminant detection even more precise than ever before. |
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In the high-speed environments of food manufacturing, reliability is absolutely key and here Loma has made significant advances with the X-ray tank, which offers superior thermal management and builds consistency. Protection from external conditions, especially the extreme temperatures in manufacturing facilities such as those for frozen foods is crucial in the longevity and reliability of X-ray machinery. Here the XR has benefited from a newly designed cabinet, which provides better environmental protection and stability. A new X-ray tube further extends the life of the XR. Safety is another key issue addressed in the new XR. With a compact and low cost design, the length of the machine has been specially designed to improve radiation safety and enable an on-board reject system to be included – meeting key supermarket requirements for failsafe reject devices. The XR is extremely easy-to-use with a clear and highly visible backlit LCD with touch screen controls. The product menu holds up to 50 different product specifications, which can be quickly and automatically called up and reset in seconds. Comprehensive statistical data and automatic ‘pop up’ fault display for troubleshooting are also available as standard. Alan Johnson, Product Manager, commented: “Our new XR is yet another advance in affordable X-ray technology that still provides the highest levels of inspection performance. Key drivers such as supermarket Codes of Practice and other important food manufacturing regulations are having major impact on suppliers who are now demanding increasingly better technology as well as value for money. Cost-effective and state-of-the-art – the new XR certainly delivers on all fronts!” |
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We have invested in a number of key personnel to help support its Service and Research & Development team, as well as further growing its international presence. These new appointments will help to keep the Loma and Cintex brands at the forefront of the safety inspection industry by focussing resources on product development and the highest level of service. Alain Dekker and Wallace Ndongwe have joined Loma to further strengthen the R&D team, as Senior Software Engineer and Software Engineer respectively. Alain will primarily be focusing on furthering X-ray developments, as well as supporting field requirements for the existing machines. Using his previous experience in data capture and the manipulation of medical imagery. Wallace joins Loma from the University of Applied Science in Berne, Switzerland where he was involved in both hardware and software embedded systems. He also has a First Class honours degree from the University of Surrey. Both appointments will provide Loma with much welcomed expertise needed to reach its development objectives in 2006. In the service sector Michael Roberts joins as Customer Service Manager, Ian Craig as International Sales Manager and Mike Rothwell has been promoted to Key Account Manager. Michael Roberts has had over 25 years experience working for a market leading digital imaging and photo processing company. His previous experience should stand him in good stead for the fast changing safety inspection market, which requires even greater emphasis on service provision. Michael comments, “I look forward to building a world-class service team who will provide customers with service that supports their business needs”. Ian Craig will continue to grow the Export market. He has over 18 years international business experience, having held a number of positions with UK manufacturers, particularly within the food processing industry. Ian added, “I am very pleased to be joining the company at this exciting time and look forward to working with our overseas Distribution and Sales Network to ensure that Spectrum Inspection Systems becomes the supplier of choice with all international key accounts and OEMs”. Finally, Mike Rothwell, who has worked for the past two years as a Cintex Sales Representative will be developing relationships with key customers, ensuring that the Loma and Cintex products meet all customers’ individual requirements. Mike will also be looking to promote single supplier agreements, offering customers the peace of mind of one point of contact for all their inspection technical needs. Simon Spencer, Group Managing Director commented, “With our customer margins being squeezed all the time, it is important for us to continue to provide better and more cost effective inspection technology as well as high service levels. With more investment in experienced personnel for our R&D department and Customer Services, we are better placed to meet our customers’ demands”. |
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Helping to facilitate more efficient production lines and ensure compliance with HACCP requirements and weight controls, Loma Systems has developed the LomaEnet, an Ethernet Reports Capture System developed for it’s range of metal detectors, checkweighers and X-ray systems. The report and information management system allows the user to view and archive historical batch reports containing valuable product data via their existing PC-based networks. With a user-friendly Windows environment, the LomaEnet is extremely flexible and existing or new Loma equipment can be easily connected to the Ethernet network. With a speed connection, the software instantly delivers benefits across all Loma equipped production lines and eliminates the need for printers, hard copy records and data entry – automatically generating reports required for HACPP and Weight compliance. LomaEnet also provides rapid payback by identifying product giveaway on checkweighers allowing users to modify their production lines for greater efficiency. In addition, historical information on the frequency of contamination allows greater control over product quality. |
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The benefits of LomaEnet can be enhanced with a more sophisticated package such as OnLine, which automatically creates a powerful database of production information when connected to a Loma inspection device. This allows the user to view weight data trends on either individual or several product lines combined if running the same product, highlighting the costs with overweight production.
Further to this, the advanced OPC software, a user configurable ‘bi-directional’ system, allows for products to be set remotely and equipment changed to suit new production runs from a central computer without the need for operator intervention on the line. With customised screens the OPC system allows the user to define the type of information best suited to the process in order to optimise efficiency and minimise costs. |
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Healthbars Unlimited, owners of the leading health bar brand Shepherd Boy®, has chosen CINTEX to help maintain its high food safety standards in production by identifying product defects, specification variances or potentially harmful contaminants. Healthbars Unlimited is a specialist in healthy snack bars, such as organic cereal, fruit and nut bars, energy bars and carob, and prides itself in sourcing the highest quality, natural and wholesome ingredients to offer unique and satisfying snacks that consumers love. The Shepherd Boy brand was born nearly 30 years ago and continued innovation means that it is still satisfies today’s consumer. The early principles of the company are still followed to this day, as Healthbars Unlimited puts every effort into making each bar as if it were by hand, using only the finest fruits, nuts and cereals, and banning the use of added sugars, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavours and preservatives. The process is also unique, all the natural goodness of the ingredients are maintained as they are simply mixed together and cold pressed into bars so all remains as nature intended. Ingredients include nuts, chunks of real fruit and jumbo-sized oats. Food safety and quality are paramount to Healthbars Unlimited as its brands cover a variety of consumers including young children, pregnant mothers and body builders. When choosing an inspection system Healthbars Unlimited had to fulfil a number of criteria. These included a competitive price, possible purchase options, ease of use and the size of the machine. Healthbars Unlimited contacted Cintex and enquired about an inspection solution that would support them in maintaining their high standards of production and ensuring no contaminant particles could be found in their products. |
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Vince Handley, General Manager of Healthbars Unlimited comments, “One of the problems associated with buying organic natural fruit, nuts and seeds is there are occasions when we find stones and other contaminants from the field. Some form of inspection system is vital in any food manufacturing facility, but we needed to go further than just the conventional metal detector.”.
Using its extensive inspection system expertise and understanding of the food industry and its requirements, Cintex recommended its Sentry X-ray system. The Sentry is a low-cost X-ray system that provides state-of-the-art X-ray technology that is priced well in line with other metal detection systems. |
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The system is capable of detecting ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel; glass; stones, ceramic and cement; calcified bones; high-density plastics and rubber. Sentry acts as a highly effective quality control tool. With a head size of just 330mm wide the Sentry is considerably smaller than most metal detectors but can accommodate products measuring up to 265mm wide and 100mm high. This enables those with smaller product profiles to take advantage of this state-of-the-art technology at a more budget-friendly, entry-level cost. With a compact design, the system is ideal for smaller independent manufacturers like Healthbars Unlimited where floor space in the production hall is at a premium. The Sentry offers superb sensitivity, the auto-tracking system continually updates and set parameters to ensure absolute sensitivity levels and minimal false rejects. It utilises the computer electronics and user interface from the excellent Sentry range but includes a new, low power WASC (Wide Angle, Self Cooled) X-ray design which has reduced moving parts and takes up minimal space, allowing the compact sized unit to fit most food lines. Another major requirement of Healthbars Unlimited was that the inspection system had to be simple to operate. The Sentry is operated via a clear backlit LCD with easy-to-use touch screen controls. The onboard computer has a capability of storing up to 50 products parameters each of which can be called up for automatic machine set-up in just two minutes. Full system diagnostics provide automatic fault troubleshooting and machine operation statistics and data are available to identify and rectify production inefficiencies. The system can detect product contamination and package assembly errors at conveyor speeds of up to 90 metres per minute, inspecting as many as 600 packaging units in the same timeframe. The flexible belt speed can be easily adjusted via a controller and the speed can vary from 10-70 metres per minute, depending on what products are being scanned. The adjustable conveyor also has separate reject systems available and there is also a serial printer port available for collecting data. Sentry is ideally suited to smaller profile products like healthbars, including cakes, confectionery, foil trayed ready meals, candy bars, individual baked goods, small frozen meal components, pharmaceutical blister packs. Vince Handley adds, “The Sentry fitted all our requirements- affordable, reliable, easy to use and doesn’t take up too much space. I am extremely happy with its performance, it gives us peace of mind that our high standards in quality and safety are maintained and that our products reach our customers in a perfect state.” The Sentry X-ray system is set to firmly establish x-ray based inspection as a cost effective alternative to other inspection methods. Cintex has been delivering practical, cost-effective quality assurance system solutions, designed to satisfy the varying needs of customers around the world for over six decades. |
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Ola from Mexico! Mexico is a varied country crammed with a multitude of opposing identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient ruins and industrialised cities. Bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US, Mexico is an emerging market with an economy that is expected to grow by about 4% in 2006. |
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Rodrigo commented: “The Mexican economy is currently going from strength to strength and as a result we are working together with Armida and their Project Manager, Manuel Mendoza to improve on our 2005 market share. Armida is renowned for providing the best service within the Mexican market due to its excellent regional sales coverage - with six offices offering technical support in the most important cities in Mexico and a total of 20 people working within the sales team.
“Since 1992 Armida has gained a great deal of experience working with worldwide companies such as coding and printing specialist, Videojet Technologies and as a result of their involvement the sales of their products have increased annually. |  |
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One of the company’s strengths is that they have developed excellent relationships with key accounts such as Nestle, Kraft, Unilever and Coca-Cola – a useful tool for growing Loma’s Mexican market share. From these relationships with key accounts and the fact that Loma and Videojet have a similar customer base, Armida will be able to provide total end-of-line inspection and inkjet solutions – resulting in further business growth for Loma throughout Mexico. “Armida’s success in this market has also allowed it to invest heavily in Loma’s marketing and the company is participating in key trade shows throughout Mexico in order to develop our presence within this market. There is an increasing demand for quality inspection technology throughout Mexico and we are expecting great success here with the help of Armida. Working closely together, we are looking forward to a prosperous future.” |
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Feedback and enquiries If you no longer wish to receive Loma / Cintex News, please email us on spectrumnews@loma-cintex.com For further information on the Loma and Cintex range of products and services, visit www.loma.com or www.cintex.com |
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