Question 1

What packaging automation machinery does Vision Food Systems supply in the UK and Ireland?

Accepted Answer

Vision Food Systems Ltd is the exclusive UK and Ireland sales agent for three world-leading Dutch packaging machine manufacturers: Niverplast (bag-in-box packaging lines and automated bag placing machines), CPS Case Packing Systems (end-of-line case packing and automatic case erectors), and VDL Packaging (vertical form, fill and seal machines). Together, these brands cover everything from primary bag forming and filling through to secondary case packing and full turnkey line solutions for food producers of all sizes.

Question 2

Which food industry sectors do you serve?

Accepted Answer

Our packaging machinery is used across bakery, frozen food, fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, snacks, coffee, pet food, ingredients, confectionery, and ready meals. The machines we supply are designed for both fresh and frozen product environments and can handle flexible bags, MAP trays, flowpacks, IQF bags, and loose or bulk products.

Question 3

What is bag-in-box packaging and what Niverplast machines do you supply?

Accepted Answer

Bag-in-box packaging places a pre-made bag inside a corrugated or retail box, combining the protective benefits of rigid outer packaging with the flexibility of a bag inner. Niverplast machines automate the full process: case erecting, bag placing, product filling, and closing. Their range includes the CombiPlast, EasyPlast, and VarioSeal systems, which are widely used for bakery products, fresh and frozen produce, meat, fish, and e-grocery order fulfilment.

Question 4

Can Niverplast machines handle both fresh and frozen food products?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Niverplast machines are designed to handle a broad range of products including fresh bakery goods, frozen bread, fresh fruit, fish, and meat. The machines are modular and scalable, so they can be configured for your specific product, hygiene requirements, and line speeds. They are also built to integrate with existing production lines with minimal disruption.

Question 5

Are Niverplast packaging lines suitable for bakery producers?

Accepted Answer

Bakery is one of Niverplast's core specialisms. Their machines are used extensively for packaging baguettes, artisan bread, pastries, and frozen bakery products. Features such as integrated camera systems for quality control and accurate product counting, minimised drop heights to protect fragile items, and hygienic design make them particularly well suited to both craft and high-volume industrial bakers.

Question 6

What types of products can CPS case packing machines handle?

Accepted Answer

CPS specialise in the automatic case packing of flexible bags, MAP trays, and flowpacks into corrugated cases, trays, crates, pallet boxes, and wheeled containers. Their machines handle fresh and frozen products including IQF bags, meat and poultry trays, fish, confectionery, and bakery items. Products can be packed horizontally or vertically, and the machines accommodate a wide range of case sizes and packing patterns.

Question 7

Do CPS case packers include quality control features such as metal detection and checkweighing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. CPS case packing lines can be integrated with a full suite of inline quality control equipment including metal detectors, X-ray scanners, checkweighers, seal integrity detection, correctly-closed box monitoring, and coding systems. This ensures product safety, retailer compliance, and full traceability from the packing line through to despatch.

Question 8

Can CPS supply a complete turnkey end-of-line packaging solution including palletising?

Accepted Answer

Yes. CPS can deliver complete turnkey end-of-line solutions covering box erection, product infeed, case packing, quality control, box sealing, labelling, and palletising. Each line is custom-designed to your specific product, throughput targets, and factory layout. Vision Food Systems is your UK and Ireland contact for the project.

Question 9

What is a vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machine and what does VDL Packaging offer?

Accepted Answer

A vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machine takes a roll of flat packaging film and automatically forms it into a bag, fills it with your product, and seals it, all in one continuous inline process. VDL Packaging's UVA range of VFFS machines are available in both continuous and intermittent motion variants, covering a wide range of bag styles and market segments including snacks, cereals, coffee, fresh and frozen food, and pet food.

Question 10

Are VDL VFFS machines suitable for high-hygiene or wash-down environments?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The VDL UVA Dynamic Pure is designed specifically for high-hygiene environments, featuring a full stainless steel sloped frame, IP55 rating, waterproof rubber seals, and hygienic ventilation covers. This makes it ideal for meat, fish, and dairy applications where regular deep cleaning is required. For dry or low-risk environments such as snacks or powdered products, VDL also offers more cost-effective configurations.

Question 11

What is an automatic case erector and do you supply them?

Accepted Answer

An automatic case erector is a machine that takes flat-packed corrugated blanks and automatically folds and seals them into open cases ready for filling. CPS Case Packing Systems integrates automatic case erection into their end-of-line solutions, eliminating manual box building and significantly increasing throughput speed and consistency.

Question 12

What are bag placing machines and how do they work?

Accepted Answer

A bag placing machine automatically opens a pre-made bag and inserts it into an erected case or tray, ready for filling. Niverplast specialise in automated bag placing as part of their bag-in-box packaging lines. Their machines pick pre-made bags, open them, place them precisely inside the corrugated case, and then pass the open bag forward for product filling and sealing.

Question 13

Do you supply packaging machinery for frozen food producers in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All three of our partner brands supply machines validated for frozen food environments. Niverplast bag-in-box lines handle frozen bakery, IQF fruit, and frozen fish; CPS case packers handle IQF bags, frozen meal trays, and frozen meat; and VDL VFFS machines can be configured for frozen or chilled applications. Machines are built for cold and hygienic environments with appropriate IP ratings and stainless steel construction.

Question 14

What packaging automation equipment is available for meat and poultry processors?

Accepted Answer

For meat and poultry, we supply Niverplast bag-in-box lines for fresh or frozen cuts and portions, CPS case packers for MAP trays and retail-ready cases, and VDL high-hygiene VFFS machines (the UVA Dynamic Pure) for fresh or frozen poultry portions in flexible bags. All machines meet the hygiene, wash-down, and materials standards required by major UK retailers.

Question 15

How do I find out which packaging automation solution is right for my production line?

Accepted Answer

Get in touch with our team and we'll arrange a no-obligation consultation. We'll discuss your current packaging process, products, throughput targets, factory layout, and budget, then recommend the right combination of machinery from our Niverplast, CPS, and VDL Packaging ranges. We can also arrange factory demonstrations and trials so you can see the equipment running with your own products before making any investment decision.

Question 16

Where are you based and which areas of the UK and Ireland do you cover?

Accepted Answer

Vision Food Systems Ltd covers the whole of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. We travel to visit food manufacturers anywhere in the UK and Ireland for site surveys, consultations, and project meetings. Our manufacturing partners are based in the Netherlands, and we manage the complete logistics, shipping, installation, and commissioning process so that UK and Irish customers receive a fully local service experience.