The Client
Chaucer Foods UK, based in Hull, are a leading manufacturer of croutons for the salad and pizza industries globally, and supplies most major supermarket chains across the UK. Their operation runs at a high volume, requiring precision, efficiency, and consistency to meet demand.
Mark Baird, Engineering Supervisor at Chaucer Foods UK, is tasked with driving operational improvements – from reducing production costs to increasing throughput, all with the ultimate goal of maximising profitability.
When Chaucer Foods began experiencing rising levels of product waste and costly downtime due to frequent blade changes, Mark sought a solution that would restore efficiency and give the company a competitive edge.
The Brief
Chaucer Foods was facing a frustrating and expensive problem: their existing crouton slicing blades, supplied by a well-established provider, were underperforming.
- High Crumb Waste: Inconsistent blade quality led to excessive product waste.
- Short Blade Life: Blades lasted a maximum of 20 hours before needing replacement.
- Excessive Downtime: Each blade change took approximately 2 hours, occurring 3–4 times a week.
This downtime represented a significant loss of production capacity and added labour cost. Mark needed a solution that would:
- Extend blade life
- Reduce product waste
- Minimise production stoppages
The Solution
Dakin-Flathers were approached to solve this challenge. Our process began with an in-depth consultation with Mark and his team to fully understand the issues. We then conducted a site visit to observe the slicing operation in real-time.
Based on our findings, we supplied our superior Freshcut37 bread slicing blades manufactured using:
- Premium-grade raw materials for long-lasting performance
- Advanced manufacturing techniques ensuring precision and consistency
- Tight tolerances developed from over 125 years of engineering experience
This solution was designed to tackle product waste, downtime, and inconsistency in one go – offering Chaucer Foods UK blades with significantly extended life and reduced product waste.
The Results
Switching to Dakin-Flathers blades has been a game-changer. We’ve cut waste by over 15%, reduced downtime by more than three-quarters, and tripled blade life. The difference is night and day. I’d highly recommend Dakin-Flathers to any high-volume bakery looking to improve efficiency and reduce costs.Mark Baird, Engineering Supervisor
The results were immediate and measurable:
- 15.2% Reduction in Product Waste – visibly cleaner cuts with less crumb.
- 75.4% Improvement in Downtime – thanks to blades lasting 3x longer.
- 60–70 Hours of Blade Life – (up to 80 hours maximum) compared to 20 hours previously.
- Only 1 Blade Change Per Week – down from 4, freeing up valuable production time and reducing costs.
In Summary
Chaucer Foods UK’s partnership with Dakin-Flathers has transformed their production line – saving money, improving product quality, and maximising uptime.
