As pizza manufacturers look for more flexibility in their production, they’ll have to also keep efficiency in mind. Flexible lines are not known for being inherently efficient. Quick, tool-less changeovers and modular equipment have made changeovers faster and less disruptive, but other factors can impact productivity. 

“Though raw material costs are a significant factor, labor is still the most significant impact on production costs,” said Alexander Weissbach, head of dough technology at Rondo. “With this in mind, improving efficiency and investing in automation to reduce the amount of labor involved will significantly lower costs. Investing in equipment with self-regulating possibilities will also help.” 

He also noted that bakers should pay attention to transfer points on the line. These are opportunities for losses in both product and time. 

“Several machines and equipment suppliers are involved in a pizza line,” he said. “The interfaces must be set up correctly to transfer the dough from one process step to another. If possible, manual handling should be replaced by an automated solution to increase production rate.”

Tom Trost, sales manager, Quantum, also pointed out that raw dough pizzas can be challenging when transferring between topping components. Roller or poly-cord transfer sections can help manufacturers overcome this. 

Downtime is the most significant deterrent to efficiency. Changeovers are a form of downtime, but manufacturers can be ready for them. Weissbach recommended operators prepare all the tools needed to execute a changeover to minimize downtime. 

“Preparation will minimize efficiency loss,” he said. “Utilizing resting belts and pressing stations can be easily bypassed for different production methods. Having components and modules on wheels to exchange between the different production methods will expedite product changes.”

Jared Achterberg, sales representative, CBF Bakery Systems, noted the integration of PLCs and HMIs on CBF lines have made it easier for operators to fine-tune production for different pizza styles. This minimizes manual adjustments to sheeters, stretchers and rollers needed for different crusts. 

“Ultimately, this streamlined approach allows manufacturers to keep pace with evolving market trends without sacrificing product quality or operational efficiency, ensuring that they remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry,” he explained.

Cleaning is another form of downtime that’s non-negotiable for food safety. However, production scheduling can minimize sanitation’s impact on overall production efficiency.

“Arranging your product changeovers from non-allergenic ingredients to allergenic ingredients reduces downtime and cleaning in between as the level required during this switch is not as high,” Weissbach said. 

Unplanned downtime is the most challenging as it is often due to equipment breakdown. The unplanned nature of downtime makes it challenging to prepare for, but Stefan Praller, senior director, customer experience, Fritsch, a Multivac Group company, insisted that by implementing predictive maintenance and monitoring, bakers can be aware of how their equipment is performing. This information allows bakers to, hopefully, avoid any equipment issues. Fritsch’s Smart Services program collects data from the Impressa Pizza line’s performance and recommends actions operators can take in advance before components fail. 

“The Smart Service Smart Production Insights (SPI) gives production and shift managers real-time insights into the most important performance data of the line via a clear dashboard,” Praller said. “Even downtimes caused by minor malfunctions are clearly recorded so that measures to prevent them can be initiated quickly and easily.” 

Fritsch’s parent company Multivac Group has also developed a predictive maintenance service called Watchdog, which monitors all the drives on the Impressa line. By analyzing the motor current and temperature of each drive, Watchdog’s algorithm can detect deviations from a defined target. Too much, and the system warns operators who can respond before the drive is damaged.

This article is an excerpt from the March 2025 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Flatbread & Pizza Processing, click here.