BLENDING

The blending operation follows the weighing operation. Delavau owns three 150 cubic foot Patterson-Kelly V-blenders and one O'Hara Technology 50 cubic feet V-blender. The entire blending process is automated with our AWACS/MES/PLC technology. All the batches are verified and validated, including the containers that were weighed for the batch to be processed. Unless all the containers can positively be scanned (scanning is necessary - manual override is only allowed at supervisor level and only after necessary checks) the operator is locked out of proceeding further. The process has to be performed exactly as stated by the formula manager: which ingredient, which specific lot, in which cycle the ingredient is to be added, and at what speed and for what duration the blending process is to continue.   It is virtually impossible to make an error, letting us "do it right the first time". Any out of the ordinary processing will create an alarm condition which will be logged into the system and analyzed by our Quality Assurance department.