Efficient and flexible lines for agile and profitable performance
Demand for flavoured and functional drinks is growing worldwide, including in regions where recombined milk production is the norm. Meeting that demand can be costly and complex – but it doesn’t have to be. We sat down with seasoned Line Solution Manager, Dick Evander, to find out how recombined dairy drink producers can stay flexible, expand their portfolios and stay ahead without having to revamp or heavily reinvest in production lines.
Meet Dick Evander, Line Solution Manager
Dick has been working with recombined milk for more than 15 years. He and his team collaborate with customers to support planning, installing, and operating their dairy processing lines. “The goal is always efficiency, improved sustainability, and optimal performance,” he says.
A big part of his role is sharing knowledge and insights about the most efficient and effective ways to set up production, bringing new insights and ways of working to his customers.
It’s a job that keeps him on the move. Recently, he was in Mexico to help train colleagues in designing and promoting efficient line solutions. Shortly after that, he was in Netherlands to discuss how a customer could create a more streamlined dairy line. They explored ways of working that would reduce costs, improve performance, and provide more flexibility.
“Every market, and every producer is different,” says Dick. “Some producers aren’t aware of the latest possibilities and advancements in line solutions that could have a significant positive impact on their business. In those cases, we share our knowledge,” he explains.
Dick Evander, Line Solution Manager
“In many cases, it’s also me that’s receiving new knowledge! Even though I’ve been working with Tetra Pak for many years, I’m still learning from meeting producers.” Dick takes these learnings back to the team and uses them to improve our offer and ways of working.
We sat down with Dick to get his insights into recombined milk line solutions. He shares what he’s seen as the keys to setting up successful production that’s flexible enough to adapt to future market demands without requiring major re-investments.
Streamline for efficiency
In general, the more steps in your production, the more product loss, media consumption, personnel involvement, and time needed. All this drives up total cost of ownership (TCO). “There are, of course, a lot of factors to take into the calculations when you compare production methods,” says Dick. “But if you look at the overall result, fewer production steps deliver a lower TCO.”
That’s why Dick and his team often recommend a OneStep batch production line solution, especially for recombined milk producers. OneStep doesn’t require pre-treatment or intermediate storage, which are steps with significant investment and operational costs. Dick and his team have estimated that this can save you around 25% in processing costs1.
“If you produce high volumes, the time it takes to earn your return on investment in a OneStep line will be quite short,” explains Dick. “The cost savings are that significant.”
A flexible production line can run multiple SKUs and adopt new formulas – this helps producers stay competitive by making it easier to meet diverse and changing market demands. The design of OneStep line solutions makes them particularly efficient when it comes to switching between formulas and producing functional milk products. That means you’re always ready to meet future market demands, especially in the growing segment of lifestyle nutrition2.
“If you want to produce a new SKU and you have a OneStep line, you don’t need to invest in a new line,” says Dick. “Instead, we can work with you to perfect the formulation for your existing set-up.”
Invest in the right equipment
The capabilities of your mixer are key to the flexibility and performance of a OneStep line. Conventional lines can operate with simple (and more affordable) mixers, and they’ve traditionally been the choice of producers because of the lower investment cost. However, this creates limitations and ultimately becomes a hurdle if you want to expand the type of products you produce on your line.
“We always promote an efficient mixer with sufficient wetting and dispersion capabilities,” says Dick. “When someone asks me if it’s worth the investment, my answer is: absolutely.”
Our latest models of recirculation, high shear mixers and protein mixers are powerful and efficient. The protein mixers reduce foaming (compared to traditional mixers) which often cuts down run times. “This performance improvement comes from smart changes to internal components,” says Dick. “It’s a really good step forward, and I believe the flexibility you get with it gives our customers a competitive advantage.”
Secure the right ingredients and formulations
Fortifying recombined dairy drinks takes more than adding vitamins or minerals. Each ingredient responds differently during processing and can influence shelf life, colour, or texture (as well as the overall taste and experience of the final product).
That’s why the right formulation – and the right support – matter. We can support product development through our expertise and experience, as well as with our dedicated centres and global ingredient supply network.
“The ingredients are a critical starting point for your entire production process,” says Dick. “One powder might create a sandy mouthfeel if it isn’t balanced with flavourings or sugar. We share this kind of insight with our customers every day – and when they want to develop new formulations, our Product Development Centres provide the space to trial and analyse their recipes.”
Ask questions!
Every product, every facility and every producer is unique. The best way to find the most resource- and cost-efficient process for your recombined dairy product is to have a conversation about it. Dick and his team work side-by-side with producers, asking questions that can lead to increased line flexibility, improved operational efficiency and reduced TCO.
“All our customers have challenges, and sometimes they’re very specific to their operations,” Dick says. “My favourite part of the job is talking about these challenges with them to find solutions. Of course, at Tetra Pak, we have a lot of knowledge around recombined milk but I’m still learning from our customers all the time. We’re learning, together.”
1. Total cost of ownership is dependent on many variables. This calculation is based on a scenario that includes mixing to packaging operations (i.e. powder handling is excluded). The scenario: production 7 days/week, which includes: 1.47 million litres output, pasteurizer CIP and SIP 10 times, UHT CIP, SIP and AIC 10 times (with UHT production time of 12h between CIP and AIC).
2. “Global Data 2024”, Ad Hoc research. Fully Researched Markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam.