Linpac Plastics Pontivy wins BRC/IoP hygiene certification in France

This certification assures customers of the company’s reliability in terms of hygiene.

12/10/05 Linpac Plastics Pontivy, the first French plastics company to be quality-certified in 1990, is now the first extruder of plastic films to obtain BRC/IoP hygiene certification in France. This certification assures customers of the company’s reliability in terms of hygiene, guaranteeing that, in its organisation and in the hygiene measures applied throughout production, storage and logistics flows, the strictest requirements are met for safe food distribution.

In the absence of an international standard, the BRC/IoP (British Retail Consortium / Institute of Packaging) standard was chosen because it is the closest to meeting the company's customer demands. The BRC/IoP standard was drawn up by the British supermarket trade in co-operation with packaging professionals. This certification is in anticipation of likely future legal and regulatory requirements for the packaging of agrifoodstuffs.

The audit was performed by the LNE (Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d'Essais, France’s national metrology and test laboratory), which is internationally recognised for its expertise in the packaging field and is also the first French organisation to be accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) for this certification. In view of its size, the company hosted an auditor for two days in February 2005 to perform this inspection. The certification was confirmed by a follow-up audit in July 2005.

Individual behaviour (among members of staff) was a major factor in the company’s success. It was important for all personnel to understand and accept the reasons for the introduction of the new requirements. All employees attended training courses, learning to use new equipment and acquiring new working habits. Working groups were organised and supervised by an apprentice engineer over several months.

Restrictions on the wearing of jewellery and the consumption of beverages, as well as the requirement for protective clothing in production areas and the completion of a health questionnaire by all visitors before entry, are new elements to be taken into account on a daily basis. Production managers have played a decisive role in applying these procedures, particularly upon the arrival of new employees or temporary personnel, as well as during operations involving subcontractors, and when showing visitors round the plant.

The prior existence of production zones with filtered and conditioned air, break and rest facilities isolated from production areas, and a programme for sanitation and protection against glass breakage, simplified the implementation of the procedure. However, it was necessary to reduce the number of access points to production areas and to apply the idea of airlocks equipped with non-hand operated washbasins at each entrance. All staff lockers were changed to use a raised model with inclined roof, featuring separate compartments for non-work clothes and working clothes. Drawing pins, tacks and staples were banished from notice boards, and the use of wood in production zones was minimised, for example by installing stainless-steel work surfaces. Procedures were implemented for cleaning machines and workstations by aspiration, for the due maintenance of the buildings (indoors and out), and for the use of cleaning products.

Along with procedures and plant facilities, documentation was also a factor in obtaining hygiene certification. The application of the documentary requirements of the new standard was facilitated by the fact that the company's quality system has been ISO-certified since 1990, and is well known by all concerned. Aspects such as company policy, system documentation, material specifications, product control, processing non-conformity and claims, traceability and internal audits were all part of the existing quality system.

Linpac Plastics Pontivy is Europe’s market leader in the field of stretch food film designed to protect fresh foodstuffs. The company manufactures and distributes a very wide range of plastic films for wrapping food products.

Linpac Plastics Pontivy, which is based in north-west France, is a subsidiary of British group Linpac, which employs about 10,000 staff at various plants and sales offices around the world. With 25 years' experience, Linpac Plastics Pontivy has earned its position as primary partner on the market for protective food-packaging film.

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