Ham producers are continuously bettering their traditional, new products and their production systems. Most companies have turned away from cost cutting as their primary approach to improve profitability, and are now embracing a strategy of profitable growth. Technology plays a key role in making these production process effective and efficient. Following the ham throughout the complete production process contributes to this perfection and is an indispensable requirement for

food`s top quality; as a consequence it allows them to optimise the production process and achieving profitability.

Resuming, ham producers have three main reasons to implement a process automation system: quality control, regulation, and optimisation of the production process.

The first two ones differ depending on the denomination of origin by which the ham producers govern their production process. Each denomination of origin is in fact a quality control program, designed to insure both the origin of the product, as well as it’s production methods, raw materials, etc… therefore it establishes certain requirements to be followed during the production process. Without meeting these requirements the denomination of origin can not be used.

As a consequence of the previous a series of data and/or information has to be gathered, stored and analysed at each point of the production process.

Implementing a system of optimisation and control of the production process, contributes to the achievement of these goals. An effective use of information technology is the key to profitable operations, as it turns data into actionable information to track the complete production process.

TouchStar Authorised partner ‘Athelia Solutions’, has developed a turnkey solution, HamFlow®, to optimise and control the production process of Ham, based on RFID technology.

The key benefits this solution offers are:

• Implement a process automation solution.
  
• Computerise the production activities.
  
• Generate information to make decisions on the production.
  
• Follow up of the treatment/healing process per piece, suppliers, drying, storeroom,…
  
• Improve the quality control.
  
• Individual or batch tracking.
  
• Control of the shrinkage per piece.
  
• Select the suppliers base on the shrinkage and quality of the pieces.
  
• Control over stock and the situation of the pieces.
  
• Fulfilment of the law of ham- / food- production.
  
• Paperless administration in the production process.
  
• Product differentiation.
  
• Possibility to offer new services to clients.
  
• Turnkey solutions for clients.
  
• Tracking up to consumer.