Schumacher Packaging plant in Forchheim successfully BRC-certified

Schumacher Packaging Group, one of the largest family-run manufacturers of corrugated and solid board packaging solutions (www.schumacher-packaging.com), has received the globally recognized BRC certificate for its plant in Forchheim. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification confirms that Schumacher Packaging meets hygiene, quality and safety standards at the highest international level in the production of food packaging. The BRC standards are set by several retail chains as mandatory standards that are effective far beyond the UK. The packaging manufacturer underwent a comprehensive audit by TÜV Rheinland for the certificate. "We are proud to consolidate the trust of our customers through the successful BRC certification," says Managing Director Hendrik Schumacher. "At the same time, it strengthens our position as a packaging specialist, including in the food industry, and enables us to tap into new customer groups."

Audit passed with very great success
With the certificate valid from January 2021, Schumacher Packaging can now prove that the audited plant in Forchheim fully complies with the BRC specifications and has passed the audit with very great success. On the one hand, the BRC certificate documents the strict compliance with hygiene regulations, which are intended to prevent the contamination of packaging materials for food. On the other hand, it proves the detailed documentation of the packaging processes, the complete traceability of the materials and the strict quality controls at Schumacher Packaging. "In this way, we create the greatest possible transparency, which sustainably strengthens customer confidence," explains Hendrik Schumacher.

Safe production of food packaging
The Forchheim plant has already laid the foundation for the safe production of food packaging in 2019. With the HACCP certification (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), Schumacher Packaging has established a concept of measures to reduce risks during packaging production that can affect food purity. The recently acquired BRC certificate not only includes the HACCP concept, but also supplements it with other aspects that are crucial for the production of safe products that do not pose a risk to food safety. These include specific requirements for the building (solidity, cleaning, etc.) and for the behavior of the personnel (hygiene, work clothing, special training, etc.). In this way, Schumacher Packaging ensures that the production of food packaging meets BRC standards at all times.

Company lives new hygiene and safety rules
"Especially at the beginning, the employees in production were confronted with many new rules," explains Mauren Stiegler, who is responsible for quality assurance and hygiene management at the Forchheim plant and was in charge of the project surrounding BRC certification. "It is quite normal that new things are first eyed critically. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with the plant management and their understanding of the concept - led by Mr. Orcun Sönmezgök - the employees accepted the BRC requirements very quickly," praises Mauren Stiegler. "The fact that we were able to realize the certification project at all in the last twelve months is due in no small part to our dedicated team."

Ambitious goals for the future
In the coming years, Schumacher Packaging plans to have additional sites certified according to BRC. Currently, the company management is examining which plants could be considered for this. Furthermore, the packaging manufacturer aims to always complete the annual BRC audit with a very good result and thus to maintain the high level on a permanent basis. "Our goal for the future is to conduct an unannounced audit instead of the mandatory announced audit," says Mauren Stiegler. "That's the only way we can get the top score. And that's what we want to achieve."