The Principle Suite installed by Applied Principles helps to improve the flow of information and the visibility of data handled across the Pork Farms facility. It makes use of hand-held devices to capture information on the factory floor, which is automatically fed into progress reports, which enables management to make informed decisions quickly and easily. Personal digital assistant devices are used for audits, good manufacturing practice record keeping and equipment checks on items such as conveyors and sieves.
Initially piloted in the 'goods in' area, it has now been extended across the site. It has helped to identify and resolve problems and quality issues across the factory. An example of this has been a reduction of egg glaze waste. "The investment will make it easier to focus on consistency and quality," said quality assurance manager Ellen Winters.