A global leader in food processing and packaging solutions, Tetra Pak invests in integrated tools that help companies produce more, reduce costs and gain competitiveness at all stages of the industrial process.
To achieve this, the company offers different types of equipment and technological innovations that range from the selection of raw materials to the processing and packaging of the product.
“Our main goal is to fully serve the entire food industry, working end-to-end with the customer, generating savings, sustainability, processing efficiency and cost reduction,” explains Ana Paula Forti, Processing Director at Tetra Pak Brasil.
Today, the degree of competitiveness of a company is directly linked to internal production processes, which are crucial for improving its position in the market in which it operates. In the case of the food and beverage (F&B) industry, challenges include optimizing industrial operations and reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a business metric used to calculate all direct and indirect expenses related to the acquisition and operation of a business asset, such as heavy machinery used in the industrial production process. This indicator not only takes into account the purchase price of the machine, but also maintenance, consumption, technical training and depreciation expenses, among other factors that impact the financial management of the company as a whole.
Based on this expanded view of costs and operational efficiency, Tetra Pak offers a set of solutions that cover different stages of industrial activity, thereby increasing productivity and reducing costs. These are innovation projects, processing with cutting-edge technology, preventive and predictive maintenance, supply of parts and consumables, specialized services for performance improvement, automation, digitalization and technical training in the operation of devices.
In this context, Tetra Pak® Factory OS™, part of the company’s next-generation automation and digitalization portfolio, offers contextualized and real-time information that enables more assertive and faster decision-making in food and beverage production, an important step towards smart factories.
According to Renzo Perazzolo, Director of Services at Tetra Pak Brasil, the company’s goal is to ensure that each link in the value chain works in perfect synchronization, so that operational performance, food safety and commitment to sustainability progress together and continuously. One example is “Sustainable Solutions”, which provides food and beverage (F&B) producers with customized options for cutting-edge technologies to optimize energy and resource consumption, essential to helping customers achieve their socio-environmental goals and reduce operational costs.
Available services include sophisticated processes developed by Tetra Pak, such as nanofiltration (recovery of clean chemicals and water for future reuse) and reverse osmosis (membrane filtration technology to improve resource efficiency in various applications, including milk separation and water reuse).
Currently, the developed nanofiltration and reverse osmosis are already being used successfully by Queijos Scala, from Minas Gerais. The new methods allow the Minas Gerais company to save thousands of liters of water per day in its manufacturing operations.
According to Cleidomar R. Oliveira, environmental coordinator at Scala, the company is committed to continually improving its operations, investing in more sustainable solutions. “Reducing water consumption is one of the objectives and goals of the organization, and each company is constantly working to achieve this result,” he explains. Oliveira also highlights that in addition to monitoring and controlling the production stages, initiatives such as the recovery of water in serum concentration have contributed significantly to reducing consumption and making the production system increasingly sustainable.
Operations support and structure
Tetra Pak, already at the beginning of its industrial journey, offers support in the selection of high-quality and sustainably sourced ingredients, thanks to its global network of suppliers and local experts. When designing food and beverages, companies that want to launch new products or adapt recipes for different markets rely on a structure that includes market research, testing, concept development and launch support.
At the time of production, the company offers automated and optimized lines that integrate processing and packaging, as well as digital solutions and specialized technical services, all according to the needs and characteristics of each partner.
At this stage, the technical qualification of the company’s employees is also directly linked to the reduction of TCO: without adequate preparation, even the most modern equipment risks being underused, generating waste or operational risks.
The cutting-edge equipment and methods developed by Tetra Pak also prevent food from spilling or spoiling during the production process, even at the beginning. This avoids waste and contributes to environmental sustainability. Packaging designed to extend the life of items also helps prevent loss throughout the production chain.
Among the successes is that of Cooperativa Santa Clara, in Rio Grande do Sul. “With the support of Tetra Pak, we were able to make our process more sustainable and increase our productivity, breaking records year after year. In addition, we were able to reduce our costs thanks to the integration between equipment, automation and specialized services,” says João Seibel, industrial director of Santa Clara.
João Seibel also highlighted that by counting on specialized support at all stages, the company is able to guarantee greater agility in operations, significantly reduce losses and achieve greater uniformity in factory performance.
Another highlight is the recent partnership with juice manufacturer Tial, which put into practice the new pasteurization concept developed by Tetra Pak to reduce costs, increase productivity and increase environmental sustainability in the industry. The innovative approach involves pasteurizing only the concentrated juice during the industrial process, and not mixing it with water. With the implementation of this strategy, Tial has already demonstrated a 64.6% reduction in steam consumption during its production, in addition to reducing the steam required exclusively for pasteurization by 84.3%.
Tetra Pak’s new pasteurization concept also offers more precision. Concentrate losses per liter of juice produced have decreased by 60%. “Reducing concentrate losses is possible thanks to the high control of the aseptic mixing process,” explains Ana Paula Forti.
About The Author
