How to improve the ripening process of cheese?
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- Comment améliorer le processus d'affinage du fromage ?
Comment améliorer le processus d'affinage du fromage ?
The cheese industry is about to enter a busy period. Every industry faces unique operational challenges, and this is where we come in with solutions to help automate processes.
At the Utz Group, we know the benefits of tailor-made solutions. That is why we work with our customers during the planning phase of a new product to create reusable packaging tailored to their specific needs. Utz cheese containers are designed to enhance process efficiency and minimize food waste, providing an optimal solution for storage and ripening.
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Automated cheese maturing: smarter, cleaner, more efficient
Strong competition in the dairy market and increasing customer expectations favor the development of new technologies and equipment that reduce production costs and increase the efficiency of the company. Such a solution is the automation of cheese maturing, palletizing and depalletizing processes.
Modern robot systems ensure accuracy and full control of the entire production process. During the automation process, plastic, hygienic containers are used, which ensure proper ventilation during the maturing process thanks to numerous holes in the walls and bottom. The holes are designed so that they do not leave any marks on the cheese. The containers can be stacked up to 5 meters, making it more efficient to use space than previously used metal and wooden racks.
Cheese maturing in plastic containers
An important advantage of the container solution is that the cheese maturing boxes can be turned automatically on the hygiene pallets. If necessary, the containers are stacked on a pallet and covered with a second pallet. Then, with the help of a forklift, the entire transport unit with the maturing cheese is turned 180°. This eliminates the need to turn each cheese individually by hand.
Working with the container during production
The procedure for working with the plastic container during production consists of three phases: palletizing, cheese maturing, and depalletizing.
First phase - palletizing
1st step: Putting the container in the right position
The washed containers are transported directly from the depalletizing department to the stack using an automatic loader. A robot removes the container and places it in the stacker using gravity. There, it is put in the right position using a pneumatic mechanism.
2nd step: Cheese stacking
The cheese is delivered on conveyor belts and leveled with a pneumatic device. Then, a robot places the cheese in the container in the correct order. The cheese is stacked using a pressurized air valve. This ensures no marks or damage are left to the cheese.
3rd step: Palletizing
The robot stacks the containers and places them on pallets for loading.
Second phase - cheese ripening in containers
During the ripening process, the cheese containers are stacked up to a maximum height of 5 meters. If necessary, the cheese containers are automatically turned 180° by a forklift.
Third phase - depalletizing
1st step: Removing the cheese from the container
The mechanical loader takes the container from the room where the cheese was ripening. The robot loads the cheese containers onto an automatic tipping device.
2nd step: Washing the containers and pallets
After removing the cheese, the robot takes the empty box and places it at the entrance of the tunnel for washing. The same happens with the pallets.
All containers and pallets are completely hygienic. Their structure is smooth, they have no crevices, i.e. places exposed to dirt and bacteria.
3rd step: Palletizing the containers
The robot places clean and empty containers and pallets in a fixed order for loading. The containers then return to the first palletizing phase.
Key benefits for your cheese production
Implementing automated processes and specialized containers brings tangible benefits to your operation:
- Reduced food waste thanks to consistent handling and hygienic materials
- Optimized use of logistics and production resources by improving stacking, transport, and workflow efficiency
- Higher and more stable product quality through uniform maturing conditions and precise automation
Modernizing your cheese maturing process means more than just automation—it’s about delivering consistent results, reducing costs, and supporting sustainable production.
Ready to optimize your cheese production?
Looking to improve efficiency, hygiene, and space utilization in your cheese production? Our team is here to support you with tailor-made solutions.
