Introduction to the Hines Factory
The Hines factory, located in Wigan, is the largest food factory in Europe, covering an area of 54 acres. It produces over 200 different products, including 450 million cans of baked beans annually. The factory operates three shifts a day, with over 850 employees working to produce 1.3 million cans of beans daily. This massive production results in the factory making a billion cans of food every year.
Production Process
The factory receives large quantities of ingredients, including raw Haricot beans from North America and Canada. These ingredients are then unloaded and processed to produce the nation’s bestselling canned food, baked beans. The production process involves several steps, including:
- Washing to remove dirt and grit
- A 20-minute blanching process in heated steam chambers to soften the skins and preserve color, flavor, and nutritional value
- A cold bath to stop cooking and remove loose skin
- Dropping the beans into water, shaking them on a vibrating conveyor to remove grit, and separating them by weight
- Passing the beans through a high-tech laser scanner to detect and remove discolored or rogue beans
Quality Control
The factory has strict quality control measures in place, with experienced employees inspecting ingredients for quality and freshness. The factory also uses state-of-the-art machines to weigh each can of sausages, ejecting any with incorrect weights into a reject bin. A team of 40 taste testers plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality of the products by sampling them throughout the day.
Canning Process
Canning involves a mass sterilization process using heat or steam to control bacteria levels and guarantee the shelf life of the product. The cans are cooked in vast vertical towers or rotary cookers to destroy pathogens and bacteria. The factory produces cans of food at a rate of 1,000 cans per minute, with a separate automated facility producing the cans and sending them to the factory.
History of Hines
Hines, an American company founded by Henry Hines in Pittsburgh in the 1860s, started selling baked beans in Britain in 1901. Initially, the product was sold through a high-end grocer shop in London, supplying the royal family, but it quickly became a mass market product. Today, Brits consume over 4 million cans of baked beans daily, more than any other country, due to their nutritional value, simplicity, and sustaining properties.
Logistics and Distribution
The factory uses a state-of-the-art distribution center with driverless cranes to supply shops nationwide. The distribution center receives pallets every 24 hours and is preparing for the cold season when soup sales increase. The site uses automation, including nine state-of-the-art driverless vehicles, to efficiently move pallets of cans. The facility also features automatic loading of lorries by a huge conveyor belt, minimizing human intervention.
Conclusion
The Hines factory is a massive production facility that produces over 1 billion cans of food annually. With its strict quality control measures, state-of-the-art machines, and automated distribution center, the factory is able to supply shops nationwide and export markets. The factory’s production of baked beans and other canned foods has become an essential part of British cuisine, with most households having a can from the factory.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Haricot Beans | A type of white bean commonly used in baked beans. | The Hines factory uses Haricot beans from North America and Canada to produce their baked beans. |
| Blanching | A process of briefly submerging food in boiling water or steam to preserve color, flavor, and nutritional value. | The factory uses a 20-minute blanching process in heated steam chambers to soften the skins of the Haricot beans. |
| Quality Control | The process of ensuring that the products meet certain standards of quality, freshness, and safety. | The Hines factory has strict quality control measures in place, including experienced employees inspecting ingredients and state-of-the-art machines to weigh each can of sausages. |
| Canning | A process of preserving food by packing it in airtight containers, such as cans, and sterilizing them using heat or steam. | The factory produces cans of food at a rate of 1,000 cans per minute, using a mass sterilization process to control bacteria levels and guarantee the shelf life of the product. |
| Automation | The use of machines or computers to control and operate equipment, reducing the need for human intervention. | The factory uses automation, including nine state-of-the-art driverless vehicles, to efficiently move pallets of cans in the distribution center. |
| Driverless Cranes | Machines that can move and stack pallets without the need for human operators. | The distribution center uses driverless cranes to supply shops nationwide, increasing efficiency and reducing labor costs. |
| Logistics | The process of planning, coordinating, and executing the movement of goods from one place to another. | The factory uses a state-of-the-art distribution center to manage logistics and supply shops nationwide with their products. |
| Mass Sterilization | A process of using heat or steam to kill bacteria and other microorganisms in large quantities of food. | The factory uses mass sterilization to control bacteria levels and guarantee the shelf life of their canned products. |
| Pathogens | Microorganisms that can cause disease or illness in humans. | The factory’s canning process involves cooking the cans in vast vertical towers or rotary cookers to destroy pathogens and bacteria. |
| Rotary Cookers | Machines that use heat to cook food in a rotating drum, often used in the canning process. | The factory uses rotary cookers to cook the cans of food and destroy pathogens and bacteria. |
Watch The Video
Vocabulary Quiz
1. Which word means ‘to stop something from happening or existing’ in the context of the Hines factory’s production process?
A) Blanching
B) Preserving
C) Destroy
D) Control
2. What does the term ‘state-of-the-art’ refer to in the context of the Hines factory’s machines and distribution center?
A) Old and outdated technology
B) Average and standard equipment
C) The most advanced and modern technology available
D) Simple and manual processes
3. Which word means ‘to check the quality or accuracy of something’ in the context of the Hines factory’s quality control measures?
A) Inspect
B) Produce
C) Distribute
D) Manufacture
4. What does the term ‘mass sterilization’ refer to in the context of the Hines factory’s canning process?
A) The process of cooking food in small batches
B) The process of removing labels from cans
C) The process of using heat or steam to kill bacteria and pathogens
D) The process of packaging cans for distribution
5. Which word means ‘to send goods to customers or shops’ in the context of the Hines factory’s logistics and distribution?
A) Supply
B) Produce
C) Manufacture
D) Consume
Answer Key:
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. A
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: The Use of Passive Voice in Technical and Formal Writing
Grammar Quiz:
1. The new employee ____________________ by the HR department yesterday.
A) was interviewed
B) interviews
C) have been interviewing
D) is interviewing
2. The quality of the ingredients ____________________ by experienced employees before they are used in production.
A) are checked
B) check
C) have been checking
D) is being checked
3. The cans ____________________ in vast vertical towers or rotary cookers to destroy pathogens and bacteria.
A) cook
B) are cooking
C) have been cooked
D) are cooked
4. The factory’s production process ____________________ to ensure the highest quality of products.
A) is monitored
B) monitors
C) have been monitoring
D) monitoring
5. The distribution center ____________________ with driverless cranes to supply shops nationwide.
A) equips
B) is equipped
C) have been equipping
D) equip
Answer Key:
1. A) was interviewed
2. A) are checked
3. D) are cooked
4. A) is monitored
5. B) is equipped