We have saved money by using Vikan's quality tools

"It has been impressive to see how quickly and fully the employees have embraced the colour-coding concept and, as a result, achieved our internal safety targets. The colour concept and very well designed cleaning tools motivate the employees to clean thoroughly and regularly. We have been very satisfied in our dealings with Vikan and we have saved money by using Vikan's quality tools."
Jürgen Ahlers, Quality Manager at Coppenrath & Wiese.

About Conditorei Coppenrath & Wiese

Conditorei Coppenrath & Wiese is Europe's largest producer of frozen desserts, all of which are produced in Germany. More than 2,000 staff are employed in the family owned business. The product range comprises some 50 different items, including cream desserts, cakes, tarts and German specialities.

Challenge

Coppenrath & Wiese strives to maintain the highest hygiene and standards to protect their products from any form of contamination while continuously looking to improve their production efficiency. Their outstanding product quality has earned them a whole range of food industry awards and quality certifications, including for their HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) standards.

The entire production process is subject to regular internal and external audits, and is supervised rigorously throughout. Their in-house and external quality labs and their state-of-the-art systems aim to ensure that every product leaving their bakery reaches the customer in perfect condition.

Coppenrath & Wiese recognize the importance of rigorous cleaning protocols and were seeking a cleaning system that could be communicated easily in staff training sessions and integrated seamlessly into production processes on the premises. 

Solution

Coppenrath & Wiese has implemented Vikan's colour-coded system® in their production facility. This simple-to-use and easily understood programme is designed to improve a company's internal hygiene control and make it easier to maintain and document their HACCP system.

Each area in the Coppenrath & Wiese facility has been allocated its own colour for tools and storage brackets. Missing and dirty tools or those needing to be replaced are easily identifiable, while 'borrowed' or misplaced tools can be spotted immediately and removed from the zone. This is reducing opportunities for cross contamination by microbes or through ingredient transfer across zoned areas, and so increasing both hygiene and food security.

The Vikan colour-coded system is also contributing to better production organization and optimization, as the appropriate cleaning tools are easy to recognize and stored near to their point of use. As well as minimizing cleaning time, having the tools readily available is motivating staff to tackle spillages and routine cleaning tasks promptly and effectively.

The ergonomically designed, comprehensive range of Vikan's food-industry specific 'high hygiene' tools and equipment are made of FDA-approved materials. Their smooth fully moulded components are also easy to clean and quick drying, making them resistant to bacterial growth, but they can also be washed at high temperatures to eliminate germs and bacteria.