Stay ahead: Take your pork primary processing to the next level

In today's competitive pork industry, more than ever, processors must maximize the value derived from every gram of meat. Rising costs of raw materials, increasingly stringent food safety and traceability regulations, plus benchmarking supplier quality standards, are all part of the growing challenges.

Processors staying ahead of the competition have embraced the benefits of digital systems. Improving machine and process performance and increasing the accuracy and accessibility of data. Advanced software is transforming pork processing from a manual and reactive business to an automated and proactive one.

Where the traditional paper-based system approach falls short

Traditional approaches to record-keeping are under growing pressure from regulatory shifts, operational demands, and consumer expectations. Yet, many pork processors still rely on a manual, paper-based system.

Manual systems are labor-intensive, prone to human error, and keep reporting and recalls slow, making them costly and unreliable. Added to this, processors looking to improve their margins, relieve bottlenecks, and optimize production lines risk missing the crucial insights that digital data and centralized control provide.

Taking the leap and shifting from paper to digital

By embracing digital innovations that drive efficiency, pork processors can set themselves up for a competitive future. High-quality data derived from the primary processing line:

• Simplifies and supports regulatory compliance with automated reporting and fast, accurate auditing
• Integrated inspections support the process of registering findings and actions
• Maximizes product valorization by matching incoming carcasses with customer order specifications and controlled downgrades
• Boosts supplier evaluation and feedback on quality and quantity based on inspection, grading, and weight results during primary processing
• Continually improves operations with visibility that enables real-time, data-based decision making
• Optimizes order management for delivering consistent products to maintain and improve brand reputation

A close up of digital primary processing

Food processing software designed specifically for your industry means you can be confident that the system you invest in will meet your needs today and be ready for future challenges. We’ve leveraged our over 40 years of industry experience to develop the Pork Primary Process Solution software, ready to optimize your business today and adaptable to address fast-changing industry needs. 

The Pork Primary Process Solution collects and collates data across the primary processing line to provide valuable insights into your production lines and optimize operational control. 

It identifies and tracks product, recording key data at four crucial points throughout the primary process: 

1. Live animal reception & stable management
   On arrival, animals are unloaded and inspected according to animal welfare and quality regulations. This information, along with each animal’s weight, is registered and linked to the purchase orders.
2. Batch sequencing
   After slaughter, individual carcasses are assigned a hook RFID and conveyor position based on the batch level information. This is the starting point of the journey to traceability.
3. Carcass/organ inspections
   Visual veterinary and quality inspections are digitally recorded by operators, to be used in grading, sorting, and/or to send carcasses for retrimming. If needed, inspectors can digitally ‘mark’ carcasses with a visual indication to be condemned.
4. Classification
   Carcasses are graded based on a combination of findings, quality, grading, and weight results. Based on user-defined parameters, a specific sorting group is assigned to each carcass, determining the next processing steps.

This level of insights gathered and alignment of data to animals, carcasses, end products, and orders from entry to exit, helps optimize the production of valuable products, reducing losses and boosting profits. 

“In 2021, we integrated AXIN Software throughout the deboning hall to provide complete product tracking, tracing, and exceptional processing management..., these installations significantly reduced Cranswick's need for skilled operators and improved product accuracy, resulting in a 3% yield increase.” Darren Andrew, Operations Director, Cranswick

Traceability advantage

As global traceability regulations become more stringent, having a digital system that automates product tracking and can produce reports and audits almost instantly ensures your company can meet any changes with ease and confidence. 

• Faster, more targeted product recalls to protect your brand
• Effortless compliance with audit and regulatory compliance
• Improved food safety and consistent product quality
• Seamless data sharing across internal teams and external partners

Integrating food processing software such as the Pork Primary Process Solution into your processing line will result in an optimized, efficient, and future-ready operation.

Benchmarking for profitability

The crucial step to making every gram of meat count is to have clear insights into the quality and quantity of the raw materials you receive from suppliers. The Pork Primary Processing Solution collects and registers animal origin, veterinary findings, weight, etc., linking the data to each unique carcass ID and conveyor position enabling real-time tracking from intake to dispatch. Grade is assigned manually or automatically to pre-defined parameters.

One of the great advantages of a digital system is that the registered data is enriched with more information during the processing of carcasses into final products. Various weighing devices and data collection points are used in the solution to set up different yield calculation points. Multiple yield calculation points can be defined to combine the various stages of the production process in different ways. With clear and accurate data available, you can benchmark suppliers, provide valuable feedback, and foster stronger relationships.

The future of pork primary processing

An important part of any digital journey is ensuring the software you invest in works with existing systems and can evolve to meet future needs.

The Pork Primary Process Solution seamlessly integrates with other JBT Marel Software solutions for downstream processes, such as the Carcass Chilling Solution to maximize profitability with inventory control, Deboning and Trimming Solution, and End-of-Line Weighing, Packing and Labeling Solution. It also integrates with third-party equipment and systems, including ERPs.

The future is here; by optimizing your processing lines with digitally integrated software, you can improve margins and reduce valuable product losses, keeping your business not only ahead of the competition but leading the way to a sustainable industry.

Ready to see how digital solutions will maximize the value of every gram you produce? Book a meeting with one of our experts today.