Packaging a premium product requires a weigh price labeling system that is efficient in speed, accuracy, and appearance. Perdue Premium Meat Co. (PPMC) selected the NextGen 2115 Weigh Price Labelers from Ossid for its pork packaging lines at its Sioux Center, Iowa, facility for these reasons.
PPMC, a subsidiary of Perdue Farms, is a leading facility in Iowa that produces a variety of pork products. The company prides itself on offering all-natural, no antibiotics, pasture-raised pork from independent family farmers across the US. In 2020, PPMC completed a $29 million expansion of its Sioux Center facility to accommodate upgraded equipment, revamped processing and packaging lines, and enhanced safety and wellness programs for employees.
The company operates on 100% wind power and utilizes a closed-loop wastewater system that filters and recycles water to provide nutrients to surrounding farmland. PPMC is certified humane and goes above industry standards with practices like live video monitoring by a third party.
To meet the growing demand for its pork products, PPMC needed faster weigh price labelers. After giving its current labeling vendor the opportunity to supply equipment, it became clear that the performance could not keep up with the desired speed. Jon Schelling, director of case ready operations & purchasing at PPMC, explained the need for labelers to match the increased production rate and grow with the company in the future.
Ossid, a trusted brand within Perdue Farms, was chosen for its expertise in weigh price labeling systems. Ossid, part of the ProMach group of companies, recommended the NextGen 2115 Weigh Price Labelers for PPMC. These labelers can handle up to 150 packages per minute and feature WYSIWYG label design for easy customization. The modular design allows for short lead and delivery times, and the machines are National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) approved.
Jared Rangel, a sales representative at Ossid, emphasized the importance of open communication and partnership in creating solutions for customers. Ossid’s Weigh Price Labelers are versatile and can handle various packaging types, including trayed, shrink, and thermoform packages. The stainless steel construction is ideal for the protein industry’s harsh environments, and the open frame design allows for easy cleaning.
The two NextGen 2115 Weigh Price Labelers were installed in February and August of 2023 at PPMC’s facility. The packaging lines run between two and three days a week, with the thermoformer line packaging just under 3,000 pounds per hour. Products packaged include boneless chops, bone-in chops, ground pork, and direct-to-consumer selections.
Schelling expressed satisfaction with the Ossid weigh price labelers, noting the increase in output and efficiency. The technical support from Ossid has been excellent, allowing PPMC to package more pounds per day without adding extra hours of operation.
In conclusion, the partnership between PPMC and Ossid has resulted in efficient and effective weigh price labeling solutions for premium pork packaging. The NextGen 2115 Weigh Price Labelers have helped PPMC meet the demands of its growing market while maintaining high standards of quality and appearance for its products.
