36% Fuel Savings & 20% Output Boost, know how a Leading Biscuit Maker Transformed Its Production Line with New Era
Client
Undisclosed
Country
India
A top-tier North Indian bakery group, known for its popular range of soft dough coconut biscuits, faced a pivotal challenge: their aging production line was no longer keeping pace with market demand, cost pressures, and product quality expectations. After struggling with high gas bills, downtime, and inconsistent output, they chose to invest in a new-generation line from New Era, a move that reshaped their operational efficiency and profitability.
The Challenge
When Growth Outpaces Infrastructure
Despite a strong brand and growing consumer demand, the client’s existing production line was dragging their operations down. Key concerns included are
High Fuel Costs
Their line consumed 44 SCM of natural gas per ton, which was no longer sustainable.
Downtime Disruption
Weekly downtime of 5–6 hours affected productivity and pushed maintenance into overtime.
Inconsistent Dough Feeding
With an offline dough feeding system, dough flow was erratic, leading to weight variation and uneven baking.
Poor Product Uniformity
Operators constantly struggled with dark edges, underbaked centers, and color variations—particularly on the first and last rows of the oven.
Gauge Inaccuracy
Inconsistent thickness caused high scrap rates and created problems in downstream packing operations.
Slow ROI on Capex
Past investments hadn’t paid back quickly enough, making stakeholders cautious about future expansion.
The client was clear: any new investment had to deliver clear, measurable results from day one.
The Solution
A New Era in Performance
New Era partnered closely with the client’s production, engineering, and commercial teams to custom- engineer a solution that addressed every pain point. The project resulted in the installation of a
72-meter-long, 1.5-meter-wide biscuit
production line
Featuring a high-efficiency Hybrid Tunnel Oven designed for natural gas with zonal precision control
Fully integrated
online dough feeding system
Advanced gauge control unit for uniform
dough thickness
Auto-cleaning, hygienic design for CIP-friendly maintenance
Smart diagnostics and monitoring through
PLC + SCADA interface
Performance Overview
| Parameter | Old Line | New Era Line |
|---|---|---|
| Production Capacity | 2.5 tons/hr | 3.0 tons/hr |
| Fuel Consumption | 44 SCM/ton | 28 SCM/ton |
| Weekly Downtime | 5–6 hrs | Zero |
| Dough Feeding | Offline (irregular) | Online (uniform) |
| Color/Bake Consistency | Variations & edge issues | Perfect uniformity |
| Gauge Accuracy | High variation | Controlled & consistent |
| Scrap/Breakage | Frequent | Minimized |
| Package Line Rejections | High | Significantly reduced |
| ROI | >4 years | <2 years |
Results That Speak for Themselves
36% Fuel Savings
By reducing natural gas usage from 44 SCM/ton to 28 SCM/ton, the line delivered massive savings in energy cost, immediately visible in monthly P&L.
20% More Output, Same Footprint
Despite similar floor space, the client achieved a +20% increase in hourly output, going from 2.5 to 3.0 TPH, without requiring extra labor or infrastructure.
Zero Downtime = More Throughput
Automated cleaning, better build quality, and reduced manual interventions mean the line runs 24/7 without interruption, unlike the older system which lost 5–6 productive hours per week
Superior Product Consistency
No more batch rejections for color variation. The Hybrid Oven maintains even heat distribution across the full width — no underbaking in the center, no dark edges on the sides.
Precision Feeding = No Waste
The new online dough feeding system eliminated the inconsistencies caused by manual batch feeding, resulting in less variation, less scrap, and smoother automation downstream.
Smoother Packing, Less Breakage
Thanks to tight gauge control, the biscuits remain uniform in thickness and shape, allowing faster and smoother packing operations with fewer stoppages and reduced breakage.
Fastest ROI Yet
With the savings from gas, scrap, manpower, and improved output, the investment is projected to pay for itself in under 24 months — far faster than the client’s historical benchmarks
Why This Matters
In a competitive FMCG market, every gram of dough, every kilowatt of gas, and every minute of uptime counts. This project shows that with the right technology and engineering, legacy problems can be turned into competitive advantages
Technical Highlights
Hybrid Tunnel Oven
Natural gas zones with electric assist options
Online Dough Feeding
Servo-driven, continuous, and weight-controlled
Zonal Heat Profiling
Top & bottom independent control.
Auto-Cleaning System
No manual scrubbing, reduced contamination risk
Gauge Calibration System
Integrated into roller settings
SCADA Monitoring
Remote access, alert triggers, batch traceability.
Technical Highlights
| KPI | Fuel Cost Savings | Output Improvement | Downtime | Scrap Reduction | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Takeaways | 36% ↓ | 20% ↑ | 100% Eliminated | ~60 – 70% ↓ | < 2 Years |
New Era understood our problems and delivered a solution that exceeded expectations. We’re seeing real fuel savings, consistent quality, and no downtime. This line has completely changed the economics of our production.