Biscuit Factory Set up

Introduction

  Biscuit is an important item of bakery indus­try. It has now become a common item of consump­tion among all classes of people. With tea or coffee, biscuit makes a tasty nutritious snack. Biscuit is highly nutritious, easy to digest and can be preserved for a long time.

By varying the ingredients and flavours it is possible to produce a variety of biscuits. About 50 per cent of the total biscuit production in our coun­try is of glucose variety, thin arrow root biscuits ac­count for 10 per cent, salted variety around 5%, and sweet assorted variety like coconut cookies, cream biscuits, etc about 25%. Govt. agencies like ITDC, Defence, Railways, Airlines, etc. are the bulk con­sumers of biscuits. In recent years Bangladesh made bis­cuits have also found ready acceptance in the ex­port market.

Suggested Capacity

   The minimum economic capacity of a unit manufacturing biscuits is 525 tons per annum based on a single shift operation of 300 days working schedule in a year.

Land and Building

   The unit may require about 1,500 sq.m. land with a covered area of about 800 sq.m. for setting up this project. Although in the cost of the project below it is proposed to purchase land and construct build­ing, the unit should preferably acquire the land and building on rental basis.

Raw Material

    The annual requirement of main raw materials for the manufacture of 525 tonnes biscuits per annum at 100% capacity utilisation is estimated as follows:

1.    Wheat flour                                      345.00 M.T.

2.    Sugar                                                105.00 M.T.

3.    Vegetable fat                                    62.28 M.T.

4.    Liquid glucose                                  8.16 M.T.

5.    Misc. items, milk powder, yeast, colours, flavours, coconut, fat, packaging materials, etc.

Utilities

    The unit may require a total connected load of about 80 KVA and a maximum demand load of about 75 KVA. Its annual requirement of water is estimated at about 3,000 KL.

Manufacturing Process

   The process of manufacture of biscuits is nearly the same as used for bread up to the fermentation period. In some cases such as vanilla wafers, fer-mentation is not done and therefore yeast is not re­quired. Soda crackers are usually made by the sponge Dtugh process. The dough is then passed through biscuits moulding, stamping and cutting machines. The pieces are then baked in an oven such as reel :ven, band oven, travelling plate oven, steel mesh oven, etc.

       The baking takes place at 200-260°C and the time taken varies between 3-15 minutes depending an the type and thickness of the biscuit being made. The baked biscuits are cooled and sorted. The defecrve biscuits are removed and the rest wrapped in waxed papers and packed. A typical ingredient mix for plain biscuits is given below:

1.  Flour                                                        200.00

2.  Fats and shortening                                 50.00

3.  Sugar                                                        62.00

4.  Invert sugar syrup                                     20.00

5.  Ammonium bicarbonate                          1.34

6.  Sodium bicarbonate                                1.80

7.  Non fat milk powder                                11.00

8.  Eggs                                                         as reqd

9.  Salt                                                           2.00

10.  Yeast                                                     2.66

11.  Flavour                                                  0.44

12.  Edible colours                                        0.22

Plant and Machinery

   The main items of equipment and machinery required for setting up this project are as follows:

1.Flour sifter

2.Sugar grinder

3.Dough mixer, 100 kg cap.

4.33" rotary moulder

5.33" automatic rotary cutting and punching machine with standard accessories

6.Dough brake with standard accessories

7.33" x 70" oil fried baking oven with standard accessories

8.Two-tier cooling conveyor with standard accessories

9.Stacking and packing table

1o.Oil spraying machine with heater

11.Dough trolley

12.Milk spray nozzles and air compressor

13.Other miscellaneous and laboratory equip­ment

Personnel

The unit may provide employment to about 42 persons including factory workers and staff for fac­tory supervision, administration and sales, and watch and ward, etc.

Estimated Cost of Project

   The cost of a 525 tonnes per annum capacity biscuits project is estimated at $136986.3  as fol­lows:

1.    Land and site development                                     $4109.58

2.    Buildings                                                                $21917.80

3.    Plant and machinery                                               $60273.97

4.    Technical know-how and engg. fees                       $2054.7

5.    Miscellaneous fixed assets                                      $8219.17

6.    Preliminary and preoperative expenses                   $13013.69

7.    Margin money for working capital                          $13698.63

8.    Contingencies                                                        $13698.63

TOTAL                                                                        $136986.3

Suggested Means of Financing

1.  Long term loans from financial

institutions                                                                    $90410.59

2.  State cash subsidy                                                   $16438.35

3.  Promoters capital                                                    $30136.98

TOTAL                                                                       $136986.3

Subsidy is taken as 15% of the Fixed Capital Investment, however it varies from state to state, rang­ing from 10% to 25% depending upon the category of identified backward area.