While running the mixer has become easier thanks to advances in intuitive design, a strong training program is recommended to take workers’ skill set to the next level.

“Operators should understand how variables like hydration, ingredient temperature and mixing speed impact the dough’s development,” said Ray Sierengowski, global sales manager, West Coast United States/Canada and Asia, Shaffer. “By combining the right equipment with knowledge of the dough’s behavior, plants can achieve better dough quality, reduce waste and increase efficiency.”

John Price, sales director, Spooner Vicars, a Middleby Bakery company, recommended bakers develop formal training sessions that cover both technical and practical applications of mixer operation. 

“Consider incorporating both classroom instruction and hands-on practice, which Spooner Vicars offers,” he said. “Pair inexperienced employees with skilled bakers for shadowing opportunities to enhance learning through observation and situational practice.”

Price added bakers should also regularly refresh and assess their employees on best mixing practices and cross-train employees on different roles within the bakery. 

“Understanding how mixing interacts with the entire baking process can deepen their knowledge and expertise,” he observed. “Train staff to observe and assess dough consistency, making real-time adjustments as needed to prevent recipe drift.”

One of the best practices for training employees on operating a mixer is training them in a supplier’s innovation center, said Jim Warren, vice president of Exact Mixing, Reading Bakery Systems. 

“This allows employees to become familiar with the new equipment before it is installed,” he said. “Some bakeries also assign a ‘process expert’ who is responsible for training new employees. This approach makes the training process more efficient, as the expert can handle most challenges that may arise.”

Bill Everett, global account manager, Peerless, said suppliers often train a workforce on a new mixer during commissioning and startup. However, he noted bakers can also schedule Peerless service technicians to come in for training sessions at any time. 

“These sessions cover operating, troubleshooting, maintaining and cleaning procedures for our mixers and other equipment,” he said. “Training can take place either at the customer’s location or at the Coperion plant in Sidney, Ohio. Each session is designed to provide a balanced blend of classroom instruction and hands-on training, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.”

Marc Ferree, global accounts manager, Shaffer, stressed the value of training manuals for improving workers’ knowledge of mixer operation, sanitation and maintenance. Shaffer offers manuals in multiple languages to support an increasingly diverse workforce. 

“It seems simple, but in my opinion, there is no substitute for having new associates read through the manual as support for their training at the mixer,” he said.

Regardless of the training strategies bakers employ, management should build a sense of pride in their employees, both in the finished product and in the process of making it, said Andrew Adreani, business development manager, USA and Canada, Escher Mixers, a Middleby Bakery company. Employees should see themselves as the final consumer, he said, held responsible for final product quality and involved in quality evaluation as well. 

“A sense of pride in the final product will keep employees motivated to follow guidelines and recipes,” he said. “Inclusion in the overall success of the bakery is the trick that employers must pull off.”

This article is an excerpt from the December 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Mixingclick here.