Tata Steel’s Trostre packaging plant achieves elite food packaging standard rating

Tata Steel’s packaging factory located in Trostre, Wales, has achieved the highest possible rating for the AA+ food packaging standard following a surprise audit recently.

By receiving the prestigious BRCGS rating, this site has joined a select group of high quality suppliers to the food industry, demonstrating its excellence in this sector.

Tata Steel Trostre’s food packaging quality standards expert, Howard Saxty, mentioned that although the canning process comes at the end of the steelmaking process, it is the beginning for end customers who produce canned goods that are recognized in supermarkets and homes.

“We must demonstrate to auditors that the tinplate we process is safe enough to manufacture cans containing safety-critical ingredients, including baby formula, so compliance with the strictest food safety standards for packaging is non-negotiable.” he said.

“Steel packaging material is not cleaned after it leaves our facility, so it simply has to be food-safe before it goes out the door.” he added. Despite having obtained an AA rating in recent years, the site decided to undergo surprise audits to further challenge itself and reach a higher level of quality.

“After an impressive two-day audit, Trostre has achieved an AA+ rating as part of our annual external accreditation for food-safe packaging material,” he said.

“While clients expect this standard, very few companies have the confidence to go in for unannounced audits, so this really elevates us to an elite level and gives us a competitive advantage over other vendors,” adding that “this is the most rigorous and thorough audit we can do. Given that the auditors could show up at any time over a four-month period, with only twenty minutes’ notice, we worked with all our teams to make sure we were ‘fit’ and ready at all times.”.

According to site manager Joe Gallacher, the certification is crucial for the company to operate in the food packaging industry. Without this certificate, the company will not be able to have clients in this sector. “Achieving the AA+ rating elevates us to the highest level. Not only does it give our customers confidence that we will protect them and their customers, but it also gives us a competitive advantage, making us a supplier of choice. This prestigious certification could not have happened if it were not for the sustained professionalism displayed across all teams, at all levels.”he concluded.