The edible oil sector is characterized by intense competition form large- and small-scale manufacturers. Oil extraction, processing and refining is a mixture of batch and continuous processing. Unit cost of production is important competitive factor and thus the need to identify process bottlenecks is important to achieve any sustainability in oil extraction and processing plants. Large scale enterprises maintain a significant market presence through expansive manufacturing and distribution infrastructure. Knowledge of the manufacturing steps and best practices are important in improving production efficiency and resource productivity by maximizing the process yield and eliminating waste. This paper reviews edible oil extraction processes, investigates causes of bottlenecks, and the factors affecting costs and production efficiency in an edible oil manufacturing plant. Steps in the manufacturing process are studied to identify bottlenecks and how to improve process flow considering quality, handling and quality control processes.

Keywords

Oil manufacturing, Bottleneck analysis, Keyword 3, Keyword 4 and Keyword 5.