for more information about stanelco click on the links.

driver's research page link
http://www.moneyam.com/InvestorsRoom/posts.php?tid=7681#lastread
website link
http://www.stanelco.co.uk/index.htm

Cantlose

Terry Robins sent me an e-mail to a query I had, although he didn't answer the question I asked he did give a little bit more information regarding Mondini machines, your post has just reminded me of that e-mail and I've copied the relevent bit below.

.....We are currently building two purpose built machines for specific customers and in discussions and further demonstration trails with others. We have taken on a Commercial Director, Martin Wagner, who is ex ASDA which has proved to be an excellent decision.......

Hi All,

Well done to Seroxat for finding the Northern Foods announcement :)

There is no doubt in my mind, that the 'new packaging' will be Greensealed, and it could welll be Starpol 2000 too. ASDA must be trialling it, as they have Greenseal exclusivity for a year.

If the production is being phased in from the 17th, then watch out for an announcement next week or the week after then .... ?

Northern Foodas are the biggest supplier in the UK, check out the 'RF Sealing Food Packaging' page on my website, scroll down to the pie charts .... http://www.stanelco.devisland.net/


Something I posted at the end of last year, on another website ....

And a number of other food processors such as Northern Foods, a leading UK food producer, employing around 23,000 people, 1 in 5 ready meals comes from these, "Northern is a leading player in this sector with more than 20 per cent of the market share of the UK chilled ready meals/meal solutions market and a similar share in the chilled party food market over Christmas and the New Year", "We continue to develop partnerships with the UKs major food retailers and sales to our top five customers - Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons/Safeway made up 75 per cent of our total sales during the year 2003 - 2004". Northern Foods has annual sales of 1.4 billion. Its top competitors are Unilever, Hazlewood Foods (owned by Greencore), Hillsdown Holdings, Geest and Uniq Plc, who may also convert to RF.

As for Ready Meals ....of the three big ready meal companies .... by ready meal production that is ....

Oscar Meyer is the smallest
Hazlewoods is the second biggest
Northern foods is THE biggest

IF Oscar Mayer need 30 machines to package over 3,000,000 ready meals a year, and Hazlewoods package 80,000,000 ready meals a year, then Hazlewoods must have around 800 machines, and Northern Foods must have EVEN MORE !

looking at Northern foods turnover of 1.5Bn+ compared to Hazlewoods 875m, Northern will likely have over 1200 machines !

Cheers,
PM

A wee bit more ....

http://www.northern-foods.co.uk/embedded_object.asp?docid=1001526

Northern Foods is a leading UK food producer, employing around 23,000 people. Our focus is on serving the leading national retailers in the supply of high quality chilled foods under their retail names. We also have successful brands in biscuits, frozen food and savoury products

http://www.northern-foods.co.uk/

Northern Foods ability to identify and respond to market trends is key to the development of our relationships with our retail customers.

We continue to develop partnerships with the UKs major food retailers and sales to our top five customers - Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons/Safeway made up 75 per cent of our total sales during the year 2003 - 2004.

The total market share of those top five customers also continues to grow, and currently represents over 60 per cent of retail food sales.

http://www.northern-foods.co.uk/index.asp?id=1000016

The convenience food sector has grown by 70 per cent over the past 10 years, creating a UK market worth almost 17 billion in 2003. This was a billion more than in 2002 and, according to Mintel, accounted for almost a third of total consumer expenditure on food.

Northern is a leading player in this sector with more than 20 per cent of the market share of the UK chilled ready meals/meal solutions market and a similar share in the chilled party food market over Christmas and the New Year. We continually research markets and talk to consumers to understand their motivations and needs which enables us to captalise on key growth areas.

http://www.northern-foods.co.uk/index.asp?id=1000013

II, why do you keep persisting in posting in-depth anti-SEO hate mail and is there anything about the company which you DO like?

Have you nothing else better to do at 02.00 in the morning?

21 July 2005

CHAIRMANS AGM STATEMENT

At its Annual General Meeting held near Leeds today, the Chairman of Northern Foods plc, Peter Blackburn said:

Trading in the first quarter was in line with our expectations, with underlying sales* for the 13 weeks to

2 July 2005, up by 3.2%. This compared to 1.4% for the same period last year.

We continue to operate in very competitive market conditions. As indicated in June, we are focusing our efforts in two key areas: driving sales growth and reducing costs in the supply chain, to ensure that we can perform successfully in this environment.

Northern Foods Press Pach

Right-click and save as ....

http://www.northern-foods.co.uk/embedded_object.asp?docid=1001560

stockdog
I don't know the name of the three trial suppliers or the last one, pm1 would be the best one to ask so I will.

pm1
Do you know the name of the three trial suppliers or the third one that is.

Stockdog/driver
I think the first two trials were with Hitchens Foods and Youngs Bluecrest Foods. The identity of the third and final of the three official trials was never disclosed nor was the type of food involved. Also the identity of one of the orders has not been disclosed.
If something was still being negotiated (like Northern's latest news) that could explain the reason the identity was kept quiet.

Driver Hi,

Tony is correct, also I think that Northern would not be disclosed too early in the trials, due to the fact they supply alll those other retailers.

Northern, being the biggest supplier, would likely have the most returns, and would undoubtedly want to change that, as it could be costing them a huge amount of money, as shown in a post on another BB, from me last year ....


Worst case scenario for companies using heat sealing instead of RF

Anglo Beef Processors
20 plants, each producing around 600,000 retail packs per week
Loses 360,000 packs a year at 3% loss, plus 45 fine per pack is 16,200,000 in fines

Oscar Mayer
Over 3 million ready meals a year
Loses 90,000 packs a year at 3% loss, plus 45 fine per pack is 4,050,000 in fines

Hazlewoods
Package 80,000,000 ready meals a year
Loses 2,400,000 packs a year at 3% loss, plus 45 fine per pack is 108,000,000 in fines

Northern foods
Package more ready meals per year than Hazlewoods
Loses a minimum of 2,400,000 packs a year at 3% loss, plus 45 fine per pack is 108,000,000 in fines also as a minimum


Grampian
500 machines tens of millions of packages per year
Loses shed loads too, in packages and costs !!!!



Asda cites the case of one supplier which produces 1m trays of meat per week and typically receives 1,800 complaints. Handling all this work creates a serious cost.

1800 duff packets, with a fine of 45 is 81,000 PER WEEK LOST .... EASILY PAYS FOR TRAY LIDDING AT 35,000 PER MACHINE DOESN'T IT !!!!


Cheers,
PM

Hi Paul---keep up the good work on a Sunday afternoon! What do yoo. do to enjoy yourself?? I'm grateful for your encouragement and looking forward to good rewards from SEO-still red at the moment but not for long I'm sure. All my excitement is coming from Yoo. I'm sure I've bought some veg and fish in the new packaging and I'm sure it will cut waste as it's much harder to open-a b, when your're in a hurry! cheers for next week.

Sorry, can't take the credit for Northern Food post. Stockdog highlighted it first, i just pasted it! However, I'm getting quite excited about this, a number of explanations posted previously could all point to this being the start of the snowball effect, perhaps that's why ASDA were so confident that several hundred machines would be converted by the end of their 12 month exclusivity contract.

Stanelco PLC
23 May 2005

23 May 2005


Stanelco plc

Stanelco signs first Commercial Agreement with ASDA Supplier for GREENSEAL(TM)


Stanelco announces that following extensive trials it has now entered into a
formal commercial agreement for its GREENSEAL(TM) technology with a dedicated
ASDA supplier, endorsed by ASDA themselves. This first commercial agreement will
involve the conversion of a Mondini tray-lidding machine at the chosen supplier.
Stanelco cannot reveal the name of the supplier for commercially sensitive
reasons.


But it wasn't Youngs or Hitchens, they had already been disclosed ....


Stanelco PLC
10 May 2005


10 May 2005


Stanelco PLC ('Stanelco')


Update on Youngs Bluecrest Production Trials


Stanelco, the RF (radio frequency) applications group, is pleased to announce
that following its recently announced contract with ASDA, the first stage of
full-scale production trials with Youngs Bluecrest has now been completed. For a
two-week period fresh salmon has been sold using our GREENSEAL technology as the
sealing process. The results of these trials have been extremely encouraging.

Over the two-week period of the trials sales of the product packed and sold in
the selected ASDA stores have grown by 21%. Stanelco has been informed by ASDA
that this increase is as a direct result of a number of factors directly
attributable to our technology. Key amongst these is a more attractive looking
pack than the current product. In addition there were no reported leaking packs
and waste at store level was reduced.

Independent analysis carried out by Law Laboratories has also identified better
visual appearance and a fresher taste as the product reaches its end of shelf
life date. In addition microbiological analysis has also indicated that there is
strong evidence that an extra days' product life could be achieved.

Tony Ruane, Technical Manager at ASDA said:

'The benefits are now proving to be substantially beyond our original thinking
and as a result we will look to accelerate the introduction of this technology
to full scale commercial production.

'The second trial is commencing on Wednesday 11th May at Hitchens Foods, where
we will be trialling the process on layered salads and other items in the ASDA
own label range of Hitchens products.'


Ian Balchin, CEO of Stanelco commented:


'These trials are producing benefits well beyond our expectations and we look
forward to the imminent commercial discussions that are now being arranged.'

------------------------------------------------

And the third trial again ....


Stanelco PLC
28 July 2005

28 July 2005


Stanelco Plc ('Stanelco')

ASDA contract goes live


Stanelco, the radio frequency (RF) company, is pleased to announce the stability
results of the third and final commercial trial with a third supplier to ASDA
have been received. The results showed that Stanelco's GREENSEAL technology
performed consistently better than the current heat sealing methodology during
the trial. This now concludes the trialling requirements under Stanelco's
contract with ASDA. The 12 month exclusivity period with ASDA has therefore now
formally commenced and the roll out of GREENSEAL technology under the terms of
the contract will follow.

The terms of the contract Stanelco PLC announced on 24 March 2005 gave ASDA an
exclusive agreement for the application of the Group's GREENSEAL tray lidding
and thermoforming RF technology in the UK and Ireland. ASDA anticipate that
several hundred machines in its supply base will be adapted to utilise the
technology due to the significant benefits it delivers.

Ian Balchin, chief executive of Stanelco commented:

'The momentum of GREENSEAL(TM) Technology continues apace and we are delighted
that the preliminary part of the ASDA contract has now concluded successfully.'

Tony Ruane, Technical Manager, Meal Solutions category at ASDA commented:

'We're looking forward to introducing this new packaging technology to the
products we sell in our stores in the coming weeks and months. It will help us
further reduce the environmental impact of the packaging we use, improve product
quality and reduce waste - a pretty powerful combination.'

MP Hi,

I have done me bit for today :)

Off to a friends house to chill out, have a Thai takeaway later, and watch some DVD's :)

Cheers,
PM

Seroxat Hi,

Thanks :)

And thanks to Stockdog for finding the Northern Foods news :)

Cheers,
PM

No wonder Stanelco couldn't reveal the name of the third supplier (Northern Foods), they were in the middle of tendering for the major part of ASDAs ready meals. Obviously no problem naming Youngs Bluecrest and Hitchen Foods. It's going to be an interesting week!

Seroxat - that does make perfect sense. Hadnt thought of that at all. Oh the next few weeks could be interesting indeed...

Well they can't have started the fitting yet as the EGM stated how many machines had been done and we know who the comapanies are for them.

Hence the month and a half phased introduction (2 months from the EGM).

Stanelco wouldnt have known though that NF would be winning the contract though would they? If they didnt, they would NOT have started retrofitting the machines surely.....