Project Management: A winning formula for building one of the world’s biggest french fry fryers
services | 4 mins read
July 19, 2016
Providing 360-degree support
Effective project management is often key to the success, or failure, of any large-scale project. At Florigo, we’ve just built one of the biggest French fry fryers in the world. The system is capable of processing at least 25 tonnes of product per hour, helping a leading Brazilian manufacturer significantly increase production capacity. With project management at the heart of this assignment, we provided support throughout every stage of the process; from receiving the customer’s initial request right the way through to post-installation.
With a clear delivery deadline and a specified budget, keeping the project on track required strict management of metrics and project goals, extending across the project team and out to suppliers, contractors and the customer. Taking into account every detail was imperative, from careful consideration of the delivery logistics, to extra cautiousness when purchasing parts, and additional requirements for tools that could handle larger components of the fryer.
Delivering a tailored solution
Finding bespoke machines that match key performance indicators can be a significant challenge. Understanding the customer’s needs and providing specialist technical support throughout the project was therefore crucial in offering a tailored solution. With a holistic view of the production line, our project manager and a dedicated team of specialists were able to recommend a system that matched the client’s needs, as well as advise on the best industry practice and legal requirements to ensure a smooth and efficient installation.
Besides defined input and output specifications, the French fry producer was looking for a solution that could process a specific cut size – 10x10mm. Other important factors were also taken into account including the plant size and compatibility with the existing production line. Acting as business consultants, our team worked with the customer to select a number of key objectives, including project timelines, optimum production levels and expected return on investment. These served as a guide throughout the implementation of the project to ensure maximum gains for the customer.
Overcoming technical challenges
Once the sales team had found a solution to meet the customer’s requirements on paper, it was up to the engineering team to make it a reality. However, building a fryer of this size brought significant technical challenges. Finding optimum oil flow and circulation over the length of the fryer, for example, was a particular challenge.
With over 50 years’ experience in fryer design, our engineers incorporated the latest frying technology to push productivity to a new level. The fryer’s 2.5 metre-long self-supporting belt is a key feature of the new fryer design. Usually, a belt of this size would incorporate at least one or two support frames along its length. However, through its inventive construction, with no support underneath the belt, oil volume in the frying kettle is significantly reduced. This guarantees a low oil turnover time of approximately 10 hours, prolonging oil quality and therefore reducing material costs. What’s more, any leftover particles and product debris is quickly flushed through the system, improving the oil flow pattern and ensuring optimum product quality.
Improving lead time
When investing in a new system, ensuring it meets all the required expectations and performance targets is a key consideration. A full service supplier understands it is extremely important to minimise installation time and re-start production as soon as possible. Pre-testing and preparing the site for installation are just some of the measures used to ensure the process runs smoothly.
As part of the project management process, our team pre-tested and fully assembled the new frying system before it was shipped to the customer. This helped to reduce the risk of unexpected problems and delays during installation. As such, any minor inefficiencies or inaccuracies were easily resolved before the new machine was shipped to the customer, offering them total piece of mind and ensuring production could be restarted as quickly as possible. From finding the appropriate site for a pre-build, to assembling the pre-installation team ensuring an on-time delivery, our project manager handled every aspect of the pre-installation phase.
Click the link below to view the fryer assembly for yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKDexxZ6NT0
Contact us for more info on tna’s project management services, or you can also click here to download our white paper on getting the most out of your turnkey solutions provider with project management, control systems and training.
