The recurring challenges of finding skilled labor for deboning and losing valuable meat on the bone have been ongoing issues faced by pork processors. With the development of new technologies and automating processes, these setbacks are now becoming a thing of the past. Alibem's experience is a prime example of this after installing the DeboFlex system at their Santo Ângelo (RS) pork processing plant.
By utilizing the cutting-edge technology of the DeboFlex, the company optimized raw material utilization, eliminated the difficulty of finding skilled labor, improved food safety and workplace conditions, and consequently witnessed a significant increase in the motivation of the deboning team, according to the Industrial Director, Vilmar Francisco Vargas.
"With the DeboFlex, we have reduced bone-in meat waste by 80% compared to the previous conventional deboning process," Vargas reports. "Ergonomically, there are not enough adjectives to describe how automation has benefited our workers. If we were to quantify it on a scale of 0-20, we can confidently say it's 20 times better," he adds.
The plant, initially performing manual deboning, began its operations in 2000 with 50 pigs. After undergoing a gradual expansion process, it decided to automate operations and now processes 4,000 animals per day. The plant handles fresh meat, performing slaughter, organ and byproduct processing, cutting and deboning, as well as cooling and freezing.
When the decision to enhance the deboning process was made, the plant trusted Marel as its primary technological partner. They invested in DeboFlex, an advanced, modular, and flexible platform for the vertical deboning of pork shoulder and ham.
An innovative solution, DeboFlex maximizes the utilization of raw materials in pork processing by automating the deboning of pork products. Furthermore, it ensures high levels of hygiene as there is no contact between products, and there is no cross-contamination from manual handling.
Adopting this new technology allowed the plant to standardize cuts for the subsequent production of processed products like ham. It facilitated the separation of larger muscles such as sirloin, topside, outside, eye round and knuckle. It made removing fat easier without affecting ham yield while adhering to the strictest food safety and hygiene standards.
"Through the manual process, we could not achieve the ham yield we have today," Vargas affirms. "Since there is no handling and the cut does not stay on the table, we eliminated the risk of bacterial contamination," he adds.
The system's ease of operation contributed to the plant no longer having issues with hiring specialized labor, eliminating the need to find a dedicated deboner. Vargas states, "Since the installation of DeboFlex in the Santo Ângelo plant, we have conducted multiple tests, position by position, with the employees in the department. With reduced effort and simplified operations, activities can be performed by almost anyone. We have this fantastic flexibility that also eases labor recruitment for the plant." He mentions that the ability to carry out simplified tasks in each position allows a new operator to catch up with the pace of experienced workers within a few hours. "If it were not for this system, we would certainly have delayed our production orders at a time when demand increased," he concludes.
We have reduced bone-in meat waste by 80% compared to the previous conventional deboning process
Vilmar Francisco Vargas
Industrial Director, Alibem
Marel's solution also contributed to the quality of life of the employees, reducing repetitive strain. "We achieved a reduction in turnover, absenteeism, complaints of repetitive strain, and technical actions. According to current legislation, the maximum number of movements per minute is 30. In the traditional line, the same activity exceeds 60 actions. With DeboFlex, we managed to stay below the required target. I can confidently say our average is 20 actions per minute. This is an excellent achievement, benefiting both employees and employers," Vargas assures. "Today, we can demonstrate the difference in yield, quality, and employee satisfaction, which is an important factor for those managing the process."
The partnership with Marel began 23 years ago when Alibem purchased a flaming furnace from Sulmaq. Since then, whenever the company plans technology investments, Marel is the first to be consulted. "Fortunately, we have a company that has been providing us with equipment since Alibem entered the meat processing industry," Vargas emphasizes.
Vargas informs that Alibem is already studying a new project to increase both slaughter and deboning. "We will certainly discuss the DeboFlex and other technologies with Marel again," he concludes.
Founded in 2000 in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Alibem operates in the animal protein segment. It has industrial processing plants for pork in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and for cattle in Mato Grosso.
It is the second-largest pork company in Rio Grande do Sul and the fifth-largest in the country regarding slaughter volume. It exports to more than 40 countries and distributes its products under the Alibem and Agra brands throughout all regions of Brazil.
All pork processed by the company is sourced from its breeding operations, with a fully verticalized supply chain. To achieve this, they maintain partnerships with approximately 800 small producers in an integration system, creating value for the supply chain and contributing to increased income and social development in various communities.
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