How Simple Changes Reduced Waste and Downtime
By making a small adjustment to the slicing blades used for croutons, this case shows how targeted improvements can make a measurable difference on the production floor, saving both costs and reducing downtime.
Chaucer – UK, a manufacturer of croutons for the salad and pizza industries, was facing a frustrating and expensive problem; their existing crouton slicing blades were underperforming, leading to significant loss of production capacity and added labour costs.
Mark Baird, Engineering Supervisor at Chaucer – UK, was in charge of developing a solution that would extend blade life, reduce product waste, and minimise production stoppages.
The Challenge
Chaucer’s slicing process depends on blades that must remain sharp and consistent under continuous use. Their blades were creating:
- High crumb waste, due to inconsistent blade sharpness.
- Short blade life, lasting only around 20 hours.
- Frequent downtime, with each blade change taking two hours, three to four times a week.
That added up to a loss of valuable production time, increased labour costs, and wasted product.
The Approach
Chaucer partnered with Dakin-Flathers Ltd, a UK-based manufacturer specializing in high-performance blades. It all began with an on-site consultation to analyze the slicing line in real-time.
After observing the challenges firsthand, the team recommended upgrading to their bread slicing blades, engineered specifically for high-volume food operations.
The new blades were built using premium-grade raw materials for extended durability, advanced precision manufacturing for consistent sharpness, and tight tolerances. This tailored approach aimed to eliminate excessive waste and downtime while tripling the usable life of each blade.
The Results
The impact was immediate and measurable:
- 15.2% less product waste, thanks to cleaner, more consistent cuts,
- 75.4% reduction in downtime, as blades lasted three times longer,
- 60 to 80 hours of blade life, up from just 20 hours,
- Only one blade change per week, instead of four.
These improvements not only reduced operating costs but also boosted production capacity, giving Chaucer Foods a tangible competitive edge.
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Sources: Chaucer Foods UK Boosts Productivity with Dakin-Flathers Blades
(1893) How Chaucer Foods Tripled Blade Life & Slashed Downtime with Dakin-Flathers – YouTube