John West rolls out global data management

Global seafood processor MW Brands, which owns the John West range of fish and seafood products, has placed a contract with UK-based data management systems specialist Applied Principle for its data collection systems. The project is being carried out in response to MW Brands' need to update its paper-based system and increase efficiency.

Applied Principles is installing its Principle Suite system across all MW Brands' worldwide production sites. This includes John West Foods' UK warehouse, CEVA Logistics, at Mendlesham in Suffolk, through which all its fish products pass. At this facility, Stuart Neal, John West's UK laboratory intake manager manages a range of information using Datalogic Elf devices.

The Principle Suite will enable MW Brands to increase productivity through customised mobile electronic data collection and real-time reporting. The Elf hand-held devices will enable employees to capture data across all MW Brands' production sites.

The system will give MW Brands consistent data management, such as good manufacturing practice audits, intake and product audits, together with health and safety and quality control.

At the Mendlesham facility, it is used to carry out organoleptic checks on products, which assess their taste, smell, texture and appearance. It is also used for integrity and coding checks on labelling, can seaming, barcodes and 'use-by' dates. The facility also carries out vehicle inspections and reporting trend analyses.

The project is expected to be completed in February 2013.

JJ Kotze, md of Applied Principles, said: "The 12-month pilot delivered excellent results and we look forward to implementing it over the next six months."