About Cloetta

Established in 1862 in Sweden, Cloetta stands as a prominent player in the confectionery industry of Northern Europe. Their delectable products find their way to more than 50 countries across the globe, with a strong presence in key markets like Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Among their treasures are some of the most recognizable brands in the industry, such as Läkerol, Cloetta, CandyKing, Jenkki, Kexchoklad, Malaco, Sportlife, and Red Band. Cloetta has seven production units, strategically divided over five countries, ensuring that every piece of candy that leaves their factory meets the highest standards. 

A new challenge

As an engineer, incorporating machinery into manufacturing processes never fails to captivate me. So, when I heard that Cloetta, a major player in the candy business in the same city as Movacolor, was grappling with some production hiccups, I couldn’t help but feel eager to lend a hand. Even though we’re not directly involved in the food industry, our company’s specialty lies in developing tailor-made dosing solutions, and we are always up for a challenge. That’s what keeps my work so dynamic and exciting.

Are you curious about what a tailored dosing unit would look like in your factory?

The initial problem 

In the following paragraphs, I’ll explain the initial problem, how we came to a tailored solution, and the desired impact on the production process of Cloetta. 

It all started when Anne Rusticus, Process Engineer at Cloetta, contacted us about a critical issue in their factory. A malfunction in their volumetric powder unit had caused their production line to stop and he came to us looking for a solution.  

As we delved deeper into their situation it became apparent that the volumetric unit they were using was outdated, standardized, not that accurate, and difficult to maintain. Anne explained that this occasionally led to errors, making it challenging to achieve accurate and consistent production results, which are imperative in the food industry.  

Initially, Anne’s plan was to quickly replace their volumetric dosing unit with a similar one so that he could start producing again. However, as our conversation progressed, it became clear that switching to a gravimetric dosing unit could be very benificial for their process in terms of efficiency and precision.  

To summarize, Anne wanted: 

• to find a dosing unit with a longer lifespan that is able to dose ammonium chloride efficiently. 
• to make manual labor more efficient, with a focus on the time-consuming process of regularly refilling hoppers. 
• to make sure that the amounts of salt and sugar added to their candy recipes are accurate and consistent. 
• to set up a strong traceability system that would let them track and record the performance and output of the dosing unit.

Improving dosing accuracy

Initially, their plan was to quickly replace the volumetric dosing unit with a similar one. However, as our conversation progressed, it became obvious that switching to a gravimetric dosing unit could actually make their ingredient measurements more precise. This change had the potential to make their operations more efficient and might even enhance the quality of their products.

When you use a volumetric dosing unit, you’re not dosing as accurately as it’s possible with a gravimetric unit. This is because with volumetric dosing, the dosing tool’s feed rate and timing are not automatically altered when the material’s density, viscosity, or environmental factors change.

In terms of product quality in the plastics industry, this means that the color will be slightly different based on the percentage of color additives that were added to the process, resulting in lower color accuracy, and increased waste.

In the confectionery industry, the equivalent is that dosing impacts how salty or sweet a piece of candy gets. Therefore, it is imperative that every product is exactly the same, and that there are no irregularities that make a product unfit for consumption.

Engineering a tailor-made solution

To solve their problem with degradation, we developed a custom powder dosing unit and hopper made of a particular type of steel that is resistant to harsh materials. Additionally, because the hopper is fairly big, it serves Cloetta the purpose of less frequent re-filling, significantly increasing the efficiency of manual labor.

Switching from a volumetric system to a gravimetric system enables them to monitor additive weight loss in the hopper. With our Balance technology, they can now automatically dose their additives with a dosing accuracy of up to 0,02%, regardless of vibrations.

Regarding ‘traceability,’ the built-in software in our gravimetric units helps analyze the performance of the equipment, measure dosed material, and identify any issues before they become major problems.

The result

Thanks to our tailor-made dosing solution, Cloetta was able to quickly continue their production process within two weeks. It was a great feeling to know that my involvement in this project helped make a positive impact on the manufacturing process of a leading confectionary company. 

Because of our custom powder solution, Cloetta was able to: 

• Increase product quality 
• Reduce waste 
• Reduce downtime
• Increase profitability 

An example of modular dosing

Unfortunately, the challenge that most manufacturers face is that there is no personalized care for their unique production processes, which is why I think Movacolor is really special in this industry. After we both realized that it was possible to build a custom unit to suit their production needs, I knew I was going to have a big project in my hands. 

We aren’t naturally active within the food industry, but because of our modular dosing concept, we were able to help a company who couldn’t tend to regular dosing unit manufacturers.  

We invite you to explore how our modular solutions can contribute to efficiency and sustainability in your factory. With our knowledge and dedication, we can assist you in achieving your production objectives while minimizing waste and lowering costs.  

You can schedule a free consultation with one of our product specialists by filling in the form below.