Streamlining Calibration and Compliance for a Premium Food Manufacturer
A UK-based premium kebab manufacturer and wholesaler was managing calibration across multiple service providers, creating unnecessary complexity and production delays. MWS consolidated that work into a single, on-site service, reducing admin and keeping production running.
Customer Profile
Our client is a UK-based manufacturer and wholesaler specialising in premium kebab products, supplying food service businesses and retail customers. Operating in a fast-paced, temperature-critical production environment, they depend on accurate, reliable equipment to maintain food safety standards and product consistency throughout their process.
MWS has supported this client for three years, initially providing calibration services for their weighing equipment before expanding to cover a broader range of production-critical instruments.
The Challenge
Managing compliance across a food production site means keeping track of a wide range of equipment, each with its own calibration schedule, service provider, and documentation trail. For this client, that had meant dealing with several separate suppliers, which brought with it a growing administrative burden and inconsistent service timelines.
Temperature probes presented a particular problem. The client was required to send them away for calibration, a process that removed essential equipment from the production floor for an extended period. Any delay in return meant potential disruption to live production lines, with time wasted managing logistics rather than managing production.
Beyond the operational challenge, the client also needed a better system for their calibration records. Holding the relevant certifications is not just good practice in a food manufacturing environment; it is a compliance requirement used to demonstrate process control to auditors and customers.
The Solution
Building on an established relationship, MWS was well placed to take on a broader remit. Having already demonstrated reliability with its weighing equipment, the client asked MWS to consolidate calibration and servicing across their wider equipment portfolio, covering both weighing and non-weighing instruments.
Central to the new arrangement was bringing temperature probe calibration in-house. Rather than sending probes off-site, MWS now carries out three-point temperature calibration on-site, adhering to ISO 9001 quality management standards. The process covers:
- Verification of probe accuracy across three calibration points, confirming performance across the relevant temperature range
- Generation of fully traceable calibration records aligned with the client’s quality management requirements
- On-site completion, removing the need to take equipment off the production floor for extended periods
MWS also conducted a review of additional equipment across the site, identifying instruments where proactive servicing could improve performance and reduce the risk of product waste caused by inaccurate readings.
Outcome
Consolidating calibration under a single provider has simplified the client’s compliance management considerably. Instead of coordinating across multiple suppliers, tracking separate schedules, and chasing documentation, the client now works with one point of contact for all calibration and service needs.
Bringing temperature probe calibration on-site has had the most immediate practical impact. Probes that previously left the facility for days at a time are now calibrated and returned to service without disrupting production. That change alone has removed a recurring source of delay from the client’s workflow.
Key outcomes from the engagement:
- 50% reduction in administrative overhead through consolidated service provision
- 100% cost savings on shipment fees for offsite calibrations
- Faster turnaround on temperature probe calibration, with no off-site delays
- Improved calibration traceability, supporting ISO 9001 compliance
- Equipment review identified opportunities to optimise performance and reduce product waste
RESULTS
Conclusion
For a food manufacturer operating under tight regulatory and safety requirements, calibration sits at the centre of how a production site demonstrates control over its processes.
What this partnership illustrates is that consolidating service provision can deliver genuine operational value. Fewer suppliers means fewer gaps in coverage. On-site calibration means less lost time. A trusted partner who understands the production environment means decisions are made with better information.
As MWS gains a broader view of the client’s equipment across the site, there is scope to take a more proactive approach to maintenance planning, addressing potential issues before they affect the production line.