Inefficiency and waste and a low-skilled workforce can make it difficult for bakers to maintain product consistency in pan bread processing.

“One of the main challenges in pan bread production is to properly manage the production flows of products and pans and in this context, the use of buffers can be an interesting solution,” said Franck Ellenbogen, sales director, North America, Mecatherm. “This makes it possible to save production in case of an unplanned stop of the production line, since the products in the oven can be stored in this buffer and will not be lost.”

Emergency exits for product before proofing eliminate rejects upstream and reduce waste. Mecatherm also has a M-UB handling system, which can reject overproofed products but saves the rest of production when problems arise. 

ABI Ltd. has a robotic pan management system that removes pans from the oven in case of an unplanned stoppage and puts them back in the line when the problem is resolved.

 With the technology slowly taking place in bakeries, reliable equipment, ease of use and remote support are important, said Yan Morin, director of engineering, Rexfab.

“By understanding the total cost of ownership and replacing old equipment with new technology, bakeries can improve efficiency and reduce costs,” he said. “If the line is down for one hour, that costs a lot of money for the baker. Adding a good, reliable machine lowers the risks of unplanned downtime.”

Variations in ingredients, seasonal bakery changes and new staff can lead to errors and inconsistencies, said Dan Alper, product marketing manager, AMF Bakery Systems.

“Continuous training and data analysis help mitigate these challenges by identifying patterns, making real-time adjustments and ensuring that controllable factors remain optimized,” he said. “By leveraging digital tools and proactive learning, bakeries can enhance consistency, improve efficiency and maintain high-quality production standards.”

This article is an excerpt from the April 2025 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Pan Bread Processing, click here.