Scott Technology has signed a $12 million deal with McCain Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, to deliver its automated materials handling system to McCain’s Alberta, Canada processing facility.
Scott Technology chief executive John Kippenberger said the company is delighted to be extending its partnership with the long-term customer into North America.
“McCain has been a customer of ours in Europe for many years, where we have worked with them to deliver multiple automated materials-handling solutions to improve their operational efficiencies,” Kippenberger said.
“This new contract is recognition of our expertise in this area, as well as a reflection of our strategy of partnering with companies that have a large global presence.”
The solution combines multiple production lines for a common palletising system for cases of frozen french fries and has been designed to handle McCain’s production capacity of 130 cases per minute.
It features two high-speed palletisers, nine buffer tables for multiple stock keeping units, as well as case and pallet conveying systems and pallet wrappers. Scott’s latest Maestro+ software package will monitor efficiency and display key performance indicators while supporting and guiding maintenance.
McCain director of capital development, Dr Mourad Rahimi, said the project is part of the largest global investment in McCain Foods’ history, and will double the size, production capacity and workforce at its Coaldale, Alberta processing facility.
“The new Coaldale plant will be one of our biggest processing facilities in North America once it’s completed, and we wanted to incorporate best-in-class automated palletising as part of this. Our experience with Scott, and its materials handling technology in our European production sites, gave us confidence that Scott are the experts for the job.”
