McCain Foods has upgraded the control systems on two high-speed pizza cartoning lines in a retrofit project designed to improve reliability without the cost and disruption of replacing the machines.
The lines run 24 hours a day, six days a week, making unplanned downtime a significant production risk. Obsolete electrical control components were increasing the likelihood of failures and interruptions, prompting McCain to look at modernisation options.
Rather than invest in new cartoning equipment and accept an extended shutdown, McCain engaged PerForm Packaging Solutions in 2026 to retrofit the existing systems.
“The decision to retrofit starts with understanding the individual machine and the client’s needs,” said Chris Baudinette, director at PerForm Packaging Solutions.
“We assess the condition of the existing equipment and its technology before determining whether replacement, an upgrade or a retrofit is the most appropriate solution.”
PerForm, working with Kliklok (part of the Syntegon Group), replaced the complete electrical control systems across both lines.
The upgrade included modern servo drives and variable speed drives, new PLC and HMI systems, updated cabling and electrical infrastructure, and a complete redesign of the control software.
With production continuity a key consideration, PerForm bench-tested the new systems before installation. This allowed potential issues to be identified and addressed before the machines were taken offline.
Installation was scheduled around McCain’s Christmas and Easter shutdown windows, while PerForm provided 24/7 on-site technical support to assist with the return to production.
The strategy paid off, with the project completed several days ahead of schedule.
Glenn Kerr, McCain Foods’ managing director, said the upgraded machine was running ahead of the original timetable and ready to support the start-up of the Prepared Foods plant.
“The collective team has managed to get the machine running several days ahead of the original schedule and in time to fully support the start-up of the Prepared Foods plant,” Kerr said.
He said PerForm had been “proactive, supportive, and exceedingly thorough”, adding that he expected the partnership to continue.
The project leaves McCain with two high-speed cartoning lines operating with modern, fully supported control systems, while avoiding the disruption associated with full equipment replacement.
For food and beverage manufacturers running established packaging lines, the project highlights the potential of targeted automation retrofits to address obsolete technology while keeping production moving.
