Materials management specialist Gough Engineering has created an infographic that follows the factory journey of everyday foods such as cereal, sweets and dog biscuits. The infographic highlights the value of using bucket elevators in the process and is available to download from Gough's website.

Research from Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) states that, in the UK alone, 1.7 million tonnes of food is wasted throughout the manufacturing supply chain. In the food processing sector, mechanical mishandling accounts for up to three quarters of the total food wasted during production.

The infographic from Gough Engineering explores how different segments of the food industry use bucket elevators to smoothly transport products around production plants. Gough Engineering has an extensive portfolio of process and production equipment, having worked with many household names in the food industry such as Nestlé and Associated British Foods.

"They say there is no elevator to success but, as engineers know all too well, taking the stairs is simply not an option when you need to transport any product smoothly and gently," explained Stephen Harding, managing director of Gough Engineering. "Bucket elevator systems can be used for a wide range of materials and industries and offer an effective method of conveying products around a facility.

"Whats important for manufacturers to remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all with bucket elevators. Operation managers need to consider the type of products that are being handled and the challenges or potential problems they face as a result, such as spillages or deformed products.

"When producing dog biscuits, for example, manufacturers need to ensure that the final product is not degraded or broken during transportation. For a product like this, pendulum-type bucket elevators are the most gentle and controlled means of handling products."

Gough Engineering provide three types of bucket elevators that can be integrated into a processing system to optimise factory or warehouse space. This includes swinglink bucket elevators, econ-o-lift bucket elevators and horizontal bucket elevators.

The infographic is available to download from the Gough Engineering website. For more information on Gough Engineerings range of material handling equipment, contact the company on +44 (0) 1782 567770.