Eurilait increases uptime with four Ulma packaging machines

Eurilait cuts and packs approximately 300 live stock-keeping units for retailers and third-party customers. Its products include hard, soft and mould-ripened cheeses such as cheddar, red Leicester, gouda, manchego, goat’s cheese, Stilton, Brie, Feta and halloumi.

Volumes rise substantially before Christmas. Eurilait therefore requires dependable seals, accurate pack weights and consistent presentation. Customers can place orders close to the requested delivery date, meaning a prolonged equipment failure can interrupt a full production day and affect service levels.

Before the investment, the company used flow wrappers made by four different manufacturers. Operators had to learn several control systems, while engineers maintained a broader range of spare parts. Following the installation of an Ulma FM300 several years ago, Eurilait expanded its use of the supplier’s equipment and now runs four FM305C machines.

The common machine platform enables operators trained on one wrapper to work on the others. Engineers can also support each line from a shared inventory of components. The machines generally operate at about 55 packs per minute, although their design allows higher rates when additional output is required.

Eurilait has chosen the lower operating speed to preserve product consistency, maintain the required oxygen and carbon-dioxide levels, and produce reliable seals and a premium appearance. Automated cutting sends the cheese directly to the wrapping lines, where automatic case labelling is completed at the end of the process. The company reports that improved reliability has reduced film losses during breakdowns and restart procedures.

Jamie McCabe, Eurilait’s head of operations, said: “Working with Ulma has made our operation much simpler. Our operators only need to understand one machine, and those skills are transferable across all four. Our engineering team knows that one phone call will get the support it needs, while the reliability and spare capacity of the machines give us the confidence to grow.”

The company is testing several recyclable films. Some cheese products require a long shelf life, so individual trials can take more than 100 days. The materials have not yet entered live production, but Eurilait is working with Ulma’s technical team to assess future film structures using the flexibility of the machines.