In environments where Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems are in place, businesses face stringent compliance requirements to maintain high standards of hygiene. Adherence to these standards is crucial to ensure the safety of products, particularly in industries dealing with food, beverages or pharmaceuticals.
The unique requirements of food and beverage manufacturing present unique challenges for businesses in this sector:
- All employees must consistently follow protocols. Breakdowns in communication can lead to lapses in compliance, as instructions may be misunderstood or overlooked. This can result in business disruptions, fines, the lapsing of certifications and reputational damage, which in turn can have a domino effect on the business’s ability to operate and succeed.
- HACCP environments must regularly evolve to meet new regulations. This requires a culture of continuous improvement. As new regulations and standards are adopted, businesses must adapt their processes accordingly. This requires ongoing training for cleaning staff and regular updates to cleaning procedures. However, the need to stay current can clash with budget constraints, compelling businesses to find a balance between cost-effectiveness and quality of service.
- Faced with escalating costs, including electricity, labour and transport costs, manufacturers face the operational challenge of increasing productivity and streamlining operations to prevent wastage without compromising quality or compliance with regulatory standards such as HACCP.
Facing and overcoming key challenges
To tackle these challenges, businesses can implement a multi-faceted approach. The foundation of a safe, streamlined, hygienic, and HACCP-compliant manufacturing environment is continuous cleaning that does not interfere with or disrupt manufacturing or packaging processes.
Professional cleaning, particularly in such heavily regulated environments, is a specialised skill. It requires specific types of training, processes, chemicals and cleaning equipment that are not core competencies or investments for food and beverage manufacturers. Cleaning is integral to operations but it is outside of what food manufacturers should be focusing on.
The solution is to partner with specialised professional cleaning providers that have experience in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. In our experience, one of the biggest benefits that outsourced professional cleaners provide—over and above specialised and ongoing training, a keen understanding of local compliance and regulations, the best equipment for each job and area, and the correct environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals—is a process that allows for every aspect of the building and workstations to be regularly cleaned, according to specific schedules, without disrupting operations. The expectation is that cleanliness is always maintained to HACCP standards so that manufacturers can focus on their core business.
Efficient manufacturing within South Africa’s unique constraints
Once a manufacturer knows the business is compliant with all regulations and certifications, and that all manufacturing zones are kept clean and therefore support full operability, the focus can shift to finding additional ways to improve efficiencies.
With the price of electricity rising (not to mention loadshedding and the move to solar for many businesses) adopting more energy-efficient practices is important. This could involve investing in energy-efficient machinery, optimising production schedules to run during off-peak tariff periods, or implementing renewable energy sources. As a professional cleaning service provider, we also focus on the most energy-efficient machine for a specific zone, and won’t use a large, power-hungry machine when a smaller alternative will suffice. These seem like small concessions, but they add up.
The rising costs of labour are also implementing bottom lines and adding value to outsourcing non-core functions, such as cleaning. Absenteeism, cleaning chemical costs, full-time salaries and investments in machinery are all removed and replaced with one, predictable monthly line-item.
With manufacturers continually assessing and refining their production processes to identify and eliminate inefficiencies that lead to waste, professional cleaning providers have also followed suit, creating an environment for streamlined processes and focusing on ways to reduce water usage, recycle grey water and overall minimise wastages.
Pulling it altogether
The right commercial cleaning provider understands the unique challenges South African food and beverage manufacturers are facing and offers comprehensive solutions. At Capability, for example, this includes offering ongoing staff training, demonstrating an ability to manage a diverse workforce, and ensuring our practices contribute positively to our clients’ manufacturing processes and final products. It also involves a commitment to using eco-friendly cleaning agents and continuously improving our services to align with both client needs and regulatory changes.
