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Food and Drink

Ensuring the safety and reliability of the processing and packaging for you.

Finch Consulting is a leading provider of consulting and forensic investigation services to the food manufacturing sector. We help food manufacturers of all sizes, from startups to multinational corporations, ensure that their food processing and packaging technology is safe, reliable, and compliant.

We do this at the buying and specification stages, talking with suppliers and OEMs, and all the way through to the reuse and repurposing of complex machinery and integrated lines. This is underpinned by our experience of helping develop industry standards, and our experts being regularly engaged in UK and international contractual and performance arbitrations and other legal proceedings.

We have a deep understanding and pragmatic experience of the safety and reliability challenges in food processing and packaging: from potentially explosive atmospheres and pressure systems to functional safety and automation and occupational hygiene, ergonomics and workplace transport (WPT).

We can help you review designs, write specifications, validate safety systems (SIL & PL), manage and engage in factory and site acceptance tests (FAT & SAT)/pre-delivery inspection (PDI), review the layout of plant, equipment and transport systems, or even develop safe operating procedures and training.

We have particular expertise in helping research and development teams build and scale pilot plants and processes, from proof of concept through to full production: sitting on the design team as their critical friend. We have a proven track record of success over many decades, and we can help you achieve your goals and margins.

We focus on our three interconnected capabilities:

Health and Safety Management

We help you develop and implement health and safety programs that protect your employees and others.

Process Safety Management

We help you identify and mitigate the risks associated with your processes, such as explosions, pressure releases, caustic substances.

Asset Management

We help you optimise the performance of your process and packaging assets and reduce your operating costs.

The interconnectivity of our capabilities adds real client value: when considering the explosive characteristics of a dust, consider the allergen and asthmatic nature at the same time. The control measures may control the risk for both hazards. When assessing the performance of safety functions, use the reliability data in the asset management plan.