Bakery cuts a thick slice off its costs.

Using their loaf has helped staff at a Tyneside bakery to save some serious dough.

Allied Bakeries, based on Team Valley in Gateshead, is pounds 9,000 a year better off after an overhaul of its processes, helped by the North-East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC).

The factory supplies bread, including Kingsmill, Allinson, and Sunblest, across the UK and when some of their packaging was modified to a wax-based paper they decided to review their processes in order to save operator time.

Plant engineer and manager, David Hunt, who has worked at the factory for more than 17 years, said: "We were losing hundreds of loaves a day as they got damaged on the production line and additional checks tied our operators up for hours at a time when they were needed elsewhere in the factory.

"We were particularly concerned about the increasing level of wastage during the production process and so approached BIC's Product and Process Development Unit (PPDU) for support.

"The PPDU engineers redesigned our conveyor system to reduce damage by ensuring there was a smooth transportation of loaves from the wax wrapping machine to the checkweigh. These adjustments have made this process much more efficient and cost-effective as loaves are no longer being damaged."

PPDU manager Vince McDonald said: "Often it takes another set of eyes to find a simple solution to a problem that could be costing a company thousands of pounds.

"It has been fantastic to work with Allied and I am thrilled that we have found a way to save them so much money and cut down waste."