Guaranteed food safety with ISO 22000

The global standard for all organisations in the food chain is ISO 22000, created to offer consumers safe food. This standard also affects the requirements for work clothing. That is why Nedlin recently became ISO 22000 certified. SANDER SIMONS, Plant Manager at Nedlin Industry, and his colleague BIANCA SCIPIO, QHSE officer, explain the impact this has had and will have, for Nedlin and for our clients.

ISO 22000 ensures the worldwide harmonisation of the requirements for food safety management. The standard contributes to guaranteeing food safety in the complete food chain, from farm to dinner table. Strictly speaking, Nedlin is not a part of this chain. But still, for the realisation of the new company buildings in Hoensbroek, the company is aiming for the certification of all processes. With the ISO 22000 certification, the laundry facility meets the highest standards in the field of food safety. But why?

“The food sector has strict requirements. Supermarkets do not want to take any risks with the products on their shelves”, says Bianca. “With the certification, we show our clients that we meet those same requirements. Basically, we’re speaking the same language now. Before, we had to talk to every separate client about their requirements. That’s no longer necessary.”

Certain of the strictest standards

Clients can be sure that their standards will also be guaranteed at Nedlin. Every year, the TÜV inspects the processes, so that clients can be certain beforehand about the quality of the service. Separate audits are no longer necessary, although clients who make an appointment are always welcome to visit. This saves our clients time and money. Furthermore, it makes clear which potential risks are relevant and which are not.

Bianca: “At a laundry facility, there are other things to pay attention to then in a factory where food is produced. Furthermore, each of our clients has a different focus. This makes it difficult to translate the requirements of the client to the laundry facility one on one.” That is why Nedlin has created a basic values programme for each step of the process, with a relevant risk analysis and HACCP plan.

The new practice in Hoensbroek, where all processes are ISO 22000 certified, suits the wishes of our clients in the food sector perfectly. But clients from other sectors also benefit from our high hygiene standards. In order to guarantee hygiene, various constructional measures were taken at the new location. For example, there is an ultra-modern hygiene sluice, and a strict process and hygiene division between the various departments. There are also extensive clothing regulations, not just for employees, but also for management, suppliers and visitors.

The laundry process is continuously monitored with advanced equipment, including the microbiological condition of the water. Furthermore, every item of clothing has an RFID chip. “The chip contains information about the wearer and the laundry process”, Sander explains. “With this chip, clients can trace where, when and under what conditions the product is processed.” This way, Nedlin guarantees the quality of the laundry process and honours their agreements with clients.

Automation and robotisation

Because of the high level of automation, human labour is hardly needed anymore. With the RFID chip, every step of the process and parameter is registered, from the moment of entry up to the moment of packing. This makes the clothing 100% traceable, according to the wishes of the client. The clothing is packed automatically, which further increases food safety. Furthermore, an X-ray scanner at the start of the process prevents pens and other objects from staying behind in the laundry.

This does not mean that people are less important. Because of robotisation, our employees take on the role of operators more often: they monitor the process, make adjustments where necessary, and they inspect and fix the laundry. Bianca: “Automation has made the work less physical. There are a lot of advantages for people, even if it takes some getting used to sometimes.” “For example, packing operations are fully automated”, Sander continues. “That used to be done by people. So you try to make use of these employees’ skills elsewhere, so that they can keep showing their full capacity.”

Frontrunner

The atmosphere on the work floor is strikingly positive. Sander: “The human dimension is very important here. You can’t get it done without the right people working for you. We have explained why certification is important for the company. The environment where people work is pleasant, and they’ve all seen that the quality level of the company has increased. We’re all proud of that.”

The ISO 22000 certification applies to the whole laundry facility. This makes Nedlin Industry one of the frontrunners in the Netherlands. The unique design of the factory is made to provide the highest possible level of hygiene, in combination with far-reaching automation and traceability of the process. As a result, the company produces at the lowest possible integral cost price (Total Cost of Ownership), while providing the highest possible quality. Sander laughs: “That is Nedlin in a nutshell. We really want to keep improving every day.”