Iqbal Poultry Moves to 15,000 bph While Keeping Full Flexibility on a Single Processing Line

Upgrading the Existing Plant to Increase Capacity

Iqbal Poultry in Thorne (UK) was inaugurated in 2016 and planned to process 12,000 birds per hour. The processing plant is designed to offer the highest degree of production flexibility to meet the great variation in average live weight between flocks. Since the upstart, the processing speed has been increased step by step. Most of the equipment installed in 2016 could already handle a higher processing throughput.

With minor updates and digital process control tools, Iqbal Poultry is now running 15,000 birds per hour (bph) while still accommodating great product size variations on a single processing line.

Together with Iqbal Poultry, BAADER R&D and the support team worked to update the plant, increase the line capacity and obtain state-of-the-art processing performance.

‘Since the plant start-up in 2016, we have experienced a successful business growth, and a capacity increase was required to continue the growth strategy. Part of our success is due to our ability to process different flock sizes. It makes us capable of meeting the demands from different markets. The combination of products we process on one single line makes the upgrade achievement unique. It places great demands on performance optimization for weight ranges between 1000 and 4500 grams. Today we have great performances on the line running at 15,000 bph and even beyond that speed when required’, explains Nadeem Iqbal, Managing Director at Iqbal Poultry.

High-Speed Halal Production

The products produced at Iqbal Poultry are processed according to halal rules. A deep frontal cut is performed manually by authorized persons at 15,000 bph. The combination of the wide weight range processed, the high speed and the halal cut make this plant unique and a reference for other plants.

By increasing the line speed, one reduces the overall processing costs and optimize the ROI. Nevertheless, additional attention is needed to maintain a constant high performance on a daily basis. Support tools to control the process and monitor the performances in real time are key to successful processing.

At Iqbal Poultry, we installed the first generation of support tools. The Data Tracking System handles traceability and process data, while product quality data is captured on several Quality Control Stations as well as on our ClassifEYE® cameras. Besides these support tools, having a short and clear communication line with the support team often proved its value.

Long and Fruitful Partnership

Since the start of our relationship with Iqbal Poultry, it was clear that our companies are aligned regarding implementing flexibility into poultry processing solutions.

‘I feel that the BAADER team understands my daily processing challenges, and they have shown to be truly dedicated to finding long-term solutions. I would like to highlight the close corporation between our chief engineer, Jan Marciniak and the BAADER Team. Together they have worked hard to solve any issues encountered, and they are now working towards the next goals. I am confident that the installation is suitable for operating at even higher speeds, setting the goal at 16,000 bph’, Nadeem Iqbal concludes.

Facts about Iqbal Poultry

• BAADER greenfield plant, established in October 2016 in Thorne (UK)
• Installed wall-to-wall-solution: From UniLoad live bird handling system to BAADER breast deboning
• Average flock weights between 1.7 kg and 3.5 kg
• Initial processing speed 12,000 – now running 15,000 bph
• Production on one single line >150,000 birds per day
• Halal, manual frontal cut