Appleby Creamery in the Lake District adopts IoT technology to enhance its cheese production processes, reflecting a broader industry trend towards digitalisation.
- The implementation allows remote monitoring of energy usage and temperatures, improving efficiency and quality control for the creamery’s products.
- Real-time alerts and dashboards aid in decision-making, reducing the risk of spoilage and optimising energy consumption.
- The initiative is part of the Digital Dairy Chain project, promoting digital transformation in the dairy sector.
- This technological upgrade demonstrates potential cost savings and sustainability improvements for small-scale dairy manufacturers.
At the forefront of digital innovation, Appleby Creamery in the Lake District has embraced Internet of Things (IoT) technology to refine its cheese-making processes. This move aligns with a growing industry shift towards technological solutions for enhanced efficiency and product quality.
Maurice Walton, the owner of Appleby Creamery, partnered with digitalisation group CENSIS to implement IoT devices across their Eden Valley operations. These devices enable continuous remote monitoring at 15-minute intervals, providing crucial data on energy use and temperature regulation—key factors in cheese production.
The IoT system’s real-time alerts notify the team of any anomalies, allowing swift intervention to prevent product spoilage. This system not only removes the need for laborious manual checks but also displays data on a dashboard developed by CENSIS, facilitating informed decision-making to optimise energy consumption and sustainability across the creamery’s processes.
Further enhancing its capabilities, the system includes plans to track fuel gas usage and water consumption. This comprehensive monitoring framework aims to bolster cost savings and automate compliance reporting, proving invaluable for small-scale producers like Appleby Creamery.
Rachael Wakefield, CENSIS’s business development manager, emphasised the broader impact of this technological adoption, aiming to inspire similar transformations across the dairy supply chain. As part of the Digital Dairy Chain project, supported by the Strength in Places Fund, this initiative underscores the potential for digital tools to revolutionise traditional dairy operations.
The integration of IoT technology at Appleby Creamery exemplifies how digital solutions can drive efficiency, quality, and sustainability in the dairy sector.
