However a growth strategy was required to provide vegetables for the growing Aldi supermarkets and production speeds would have to be increased. After the success of the early machines, Rob was again able to turn to Record, who recommended the Scorpion flowrapper, an entry level machine capable of flow-wrapping trimmed leeks and vegetable trays at up to 100 packs per minute.
With requirements growing exponentially lines for carrots, sprouts and onions were automated. Record were able to provide specifically designed vertical form and fill machines with multi-head weighers, one in 2003, a second in 2004 and a third line in 2006. These volume lines are now bagging up to 24 hours a day. Rob Wilson is quick to acknowledge the importance of the packing process to the company. "We pride ourselves on getting high quality, fresh produce to the stores, in most cases, same day, something which is only really possible when you pack in-house. It was this that drove our decision to create a purpose built pack house here, which was completed just over a year ago.
With lead times being as little as 4 hours from order to depot, I need packaging machines that are 100% reliable and easy for my colleagues to operate. Record Packaging's after sales service and support is second to none.
Our packing now takes place 24/7 and our packaging machinery forms a vital part of that operation. Unlike a single source supplier, Record have continued to help us review our requirements and provide the most appropriate machines at every step of our considerable growth".
It was perhaps no surprise that when the new Gazzella inverted flowrapper became available that Wilsons were the first in the UK to benefit from its belt feed operation and variable bag facility, ideal for loose produce.
The success of its operation on traffic light peppers, lettuce gems, leeks and cauliflower, packing many thousand packs a week, has indeed led to a second machine being installed. This additional Gazzella has the facility to offer a bead seal allowing broccoli, cabbages and cauliflowers to be shrink wrapped.
All of the machines feature coders and end of line weigh labellers, ensuring no delay getting vegetables to the supermarket shelves.
Record sees its involvement with the company as a very satisfying one, We always aim to provide the best possible advice with packaging solutions and in this case we have had the benefit of being able to offer appropriate equipment to meet the needs of the customer.
It is hard to believe the sheer volume that the company are now able to handle in an average week compared to the early days, and nice to know that at least to some degree this has been possible through the capacity and reliability of the machines we have installed.