Cranswick Tackles Manual Lifting Challenges with Ergonomic Lifting Aids
Eliminating heavy lifting to maintain efficiency in food production
Customer: Cranswick Convenience Foods
Location: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Industry: Food production / Delicatessen meats
TAWI Solution: Stainless steel vacuum lifter for 55 lb bags and lifting trolley for reel handling
The Challenge: Repetitive Heavy Lifting in High-Demand Operations
Cranswick Convenience Foods, part of one of the UK’s leading fresh food producers, operates a high-volume, 24/7 production site in Milton Keynes. With over 1,000 employees and a constant demand for sliced delicatessen meats, manual handling is a key concern—especially in the brine room, where team members were regularly lifting 55 lb bags by hand throughout their shifts.
"The brine room was an area we particularly wanted to improve," says Zan Jan Jua, Sustainability and Health & Safety Manager at Cranswick. "People were lifting 25 kg bags all day long. We wanted to reduce the strain and introduce mechanical aids to eliminate manual lifting."
The Solution: Ergonomic Lifting Aids - Vacuum Lifter and Portable Lifting Trolley
Cranswick partnered with TAWI to identify the right ergonomic solutions for their site. After an initial assessment, a vacuum lifter was installed in the brine room to safely and efficiently handle heavy ingredient bags. In addition, a custom-designed, battery-powered lifting trolley was developed to support operations in the boxing department, making lifting easier across multiple departments.
"When I contacted TAWI, they were brilliant," says Kajal, Health & Safety Environmental Coordinator. "They visited our site, reviewed the operation, and designed a trolley tailored exactly to our needs. It’s battery powered and simple to use—it’s made a big difference for the whole team."
The Result: Less Strain and Improved Employee Health
The impact of implementing ergonomic lifting aids was immediate. The vacuum lifter in the brine room eliminated the need for repetitive heavy lifting, reducing fatigue and the risk of injury.
"Before we had the lifter, I used to pick up all the bags myself and I started to feel pain in my back," says Nirmal Singh Hans, who has worked at Cranswick for 15 years. "Now, I don’t feel tired after an 8-hour shift. It’s so much easier—it’s really helped me."
Zan Jan Jua adds: "Since the vacuum lifter was installed, we haven’t had a single complaint. That area has improved immensely in terms of manual handling."
The success in the brine and boxing departments has inspired further plans to expand the use of lifting aids to other high-risk areas of the facility.
A Safer, Smarter Way to Lift
Cranswick’s investment in TAWI’s ergonomic lifting solutions has created a safer, more sustainable work environment—one that supports employee well-being and maintains the efficiency needed for large-scale food production.
Looking to improve manual handling in your operations? Let’s talk about how TAWI can help you create a safer, more efficient workplace.