Added value through data insights – and Tetra Pak’s expertise


Over the years, we’ve developed our equipment to help our customers improve their operations. We’ve come up with new mechanical solutions that have provided increased efficiency and more uptime. And now, in the days and times of Industry 4.0, digitalization offers new possibilities.

That’s why we’re introducing Ice cream Line Insight®, a digital solution that lets ice cream manufacturers improve production line efficiency through – yes, you’ve guessed it – insights.

So how exactly can Line Insight be of help? We asked Product Manager Elsebeth Baungaard (EB) and Software Designer Anders Hald Kirkebye (AHK) to elaborate.

food technologists inspecting equipment

How did you come up with this idea?

EB: The first time we made this kind of solution was in connection to our biggest project ever, for a global supermarket chain. They required a system for logging and collecting data. At the same time, more and more customers expressed a need to get more control and insights into their production lines. The driver was, and still is, an increased focus on cost-per-unit. We also saw that some customers teamed up with local suppliers for data collecting – suppliers that don’t have any knowledge about how ice cream is made.

What value does Ice Cream Line InsightTM add?

EB: It is easy to collect a lot of data. It requires some software and connectivity. But what is difficult is to use the data in a way that gives you value.

AHK: A simple extrusion line has between 200 and 250 different data points. And if you just collect that, you get confused. What to look for? How can we use it? This is where we see a need for our solution – and for us.

EB: We have many years’ experience of making ice cream. We put our knowledge on top of all this data. And this is where we add value to this product, in a way local suppliers can’t.

Is the customer expected to analyse the data themselves, or is it pre-analysed or structured in any way?

AHK: It depends on the customer. We provide a framework with what we think is the best solution. In collaboration with the customer we will then customize for their specific need, and structure it in a way that they think makes sense.

EB: The important thing is that we are consultants here. We make it possible for customers to get any data they want. But because it’s hard to know exactly what to do, we have created this framework with suggestions on some the calculations and reports. The idea is that it is easier to make changes to something that already exists, than to develop something from scratch.

Could you give an example on a typical customer scenario?

EB: Yes. For example, when you’re covering ice cream in chocolate, the amount of chocolate very much related to the chocolate’s temperature. The colder it is, the more chocolate we will have on the product. So if an operator lowers the temperature, worst case is that the chocolate layer becomes too thick. Which means a lot of money is spent, because chocolate is expensive.

AHK: So it actually improves productivity. You can tell the operator what is correct and what is wrong by showing the facts. But it is not done to “spy” on the customer’s operations, or to point a finger at the operator and the production line.

EB: The data belongs to our customer. They are the sole owner of it, and they decide what to do with it. But if they want us to look into the data and help them troubleshoot, we’re of course happy to do that.

New lines often perform flawlessly, but it is not unusual to see a drop in capacity over time. Ice cream Line Insight is a great way to secure a stable and consistent output. The solution can be a part of a new line setup, or installed on existing lines. To learn more about Ice Cream Line InsightTM and what it can do for you, please just get in touch!