In a world where expansion is normally followed by the addition of layer upon layer of bureaucracy, TNA is a refreshing example of a family company that has not only stayed true to its beliefs, but succeeded.
The husband and wife partnership that founded the company are still the only directors, and they have presided over 22 years of 38 per cent average annual growth, multiple industry award wins and cross-continental expansion.
In its last financial year, TNA passed through the A$50 million turnover threshold and the last 12 months has also seen the introduction, on an international scale, of the latest generation of the company’s renowned ROBAG, which promises to offer the complete vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) packaging solution. Already the recipient of Processing & Packaging Machinery Association and Starpack awards at Total Packaging 2004, the machine, which is marketed as “greater than the sum of its parts” has received widespread acclaim.
This recognition has further strengthened partnerships with other leading machinery manufacturers, from which TNA source additional equipment when offering the customer a complete packaging solution. “TNA is focused on integrated VFFS machinery and product distribution systems. When project managing a turnkey solution, we will bring in strategic partners who are leaders in their respective fields,” says James Hosford, responsible for business development.
The first user of TNA machines was Smiths Snackfood in Australia, and in its formative years, TNA enjoyed a large proportion of its commercial success in the snacks and confectionery market. With major market penetration in these areas, TNA has now launched Stainless Steel models of the ROBAG 3. Fresh produce installations are already reaping the benefits of the Rotary Sealing Jaws for improved cross-seal strength and reliability as well as reduced product-in-seal rejects due to the patented Tube Closer/Product Stripper assembly.
It is a highly flexible system, which is capable of working at high speed and with very quick changeover times. The formers are robust yet lightweight and simply ‘drop’ on to location pins. There are no tools required or quick release levers and changeovers take less than 60 seconds, says the company. In fact, multiple machines can be operated by just one employee. The pins are mounted on hollow supporting arms, which automatically link any gas supply to the former. Again, there are no pipes to connect up, so downtime is further reduced. The supporting arms can also pivot out to the side of the bagging machine to make accessing the former even easier by removing the need to reach in to the machine. The modular design allows easy access to all parts and there are minimal food trap points and no exposed screw-threads.
The reduction of operator input also cuts down the possibility of human error creeping in. What has traditionally been a fiddly piece of equipment has been enhanced at the same time as it has been simplified.
Developed specifically for use with the ROBAG, the TNA Intelli-sysTM links all system components to the ROBAG 3 touch-screen using proprietary software running under the Linux operating system. All components can be simply and immediately controlled using the Intelli-sysTM touch-screen interface. One selection configures the complete machine from scale through to the metal detector, date coder and bagger.
But the key questions TNA are perpetually asked by interested companies are ‘will it improve our efficiency?’ and ‘will it reduce reject rates?’. The answer to both, based on independent testing, is “yes”, says James Hosford. “The crux of the matter is that the ROBAG 3 series carries TNA’s high efficiency, low waste promise to a new level. The new generation can handle an even wider range of products, and it is ideally suited to fresh produce. It is probably the fastest machine, but judging it on speed alone is ambiguous; production efficiency, seal quality and reject-pack rates are paramount with fresh produce and the ROBAG 3 significantly improves on all three,” he says.
While the machinery is not bespoke, each machine can be tailored to the customer’s specification demands and products. “The ROBAG is the full turnkey solution and its rotating jaw ensures that the product is handled with more care than by a flat jaw on a conventional ‘D’ action machine. Fresh produce is ideally suited to the level of control exercised by the TNA patented product strippers and tube closers. They contact the film ahead of the arriving dump, giving fragile products a soft landing. As the strippers and tube closers separate, the previous dump is stripped clear of the seal area leaving a clear area of film where the sealing jaws meet,” adds Hosford.
Feedback from Vegco, a major Australian fresh produce supplier, is that the ROBAG changeover speed and general product handling ability enables it to stand out from the crowd.
TNA has increasingly found that another aspect of its business that sets it apart from the competition is its after sales service. However good the machine, the manufacturer’s support is critical to on-going production success.
“We have worked very hard on this aspect of our business in Europe,” says European sales manager Darren Pickford. “We have 10 people on the road at all times monitoring the performance of our machines across the continent. We also offer training courses to all of our customers, to help them get the most out of their TNA equipment.”
Outside of Europe, TNA has offices in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, US, Mexico, South Africa, Middle East and most recently in Brazil. The UK office, runs the show for the whole of Europe. Pickford says: “Globally we are looking very closely at the fresh produce industry. The fact that we have developed first in other areas was a matter of circumstance and no reflection on the suitability of the machines to fresh produce. We are out to break the misconception that the ROBAG can only be used successfully in the snack industry. The elements that have made the ROBAG a hit in the global snack market are definitely transferable.”
Nadia Taylor likes to tell people: “I’m Egyptian, Alf is Scottish, the company’s Australian - no wonder our kids are confused.” Perhaps the days of confusion for fresh produce packers are nearing their end.
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