Ovens are at the heart of every bakery, so any energy savings made in this area are very welcome. The government-funded Carbon Trust, which aims to reduce total carbon dioxide levels in the UK, puts it simply: "If a bakery's energy costs are 2% of all costs, and its profits are 5% of turnover, then a 10% reduction in energy costs is equivalent to a 4% profit growth."

Production lines for medium-scale output of American-style cookies and biscuits have been introduced by Baker Perkins. The lines extend the range of machines and systems supplied by the company to produce all kinds of biscuits, cookies and crackers.

Two new features on Baker Perkins' largest biscuit cream sandwiching machines aim to cut downtime and waste in high output operations.

Bakery equipment manufacturer MIWE has launched an energy recovery system designed to help bakers reduce their energy costs. The new system claims to recover around 25% of the energy used in baking in the form of hot water, which can be used for washing or other purposes.

Forced convection technology specialist Spooner Industries is extending its products and services for the UK baking industry. Complementing the firm's long-established capabilities in the design and manufacture of ovens, provers and coolers, Spooner now offers a range of air conditioning and ventilation systems to meet all bakery needs.