Maporal knows the difference full line traceability brings to pork processing

Seeing an opportunity for global growth, Maporal began developing its greenfield pork processing facility in 2019. To make the most of significant export opportunities, particularly into China, Maporal needed a complete, digitalized processing operation, that could work at scale, at speed, and with full accountability built in across every stage of production.

Traceability from the farm, not just on the floor

The first stage of a pork processing facility sets the tone for everything that follows. On arrival at Maporal, operators register each animal in AXIN Pork Primary Processing and Live Animal Receiving Solution by purchase order, gender, total weight, farm code, and total number of arriving animals. From that moment, the AXIN Solutions platform builds a digital record that travels with each animal through the entire facility.

“We have traceability of all the animals, where they were born, what they ate,” Tiago Agostinho, IT Manager, Maporal explains. That record does not stop at receiving; it follows carcasses through stable management, slaughter, veterinary inspection, weighing, grading, chilling, cutting, deboning, packing, labeling, and final pallet assembly. Providing a continuous chain of custody from farm gate to dispatch.

José Calixto expands, “All our products have full traceability. And that is an advantage. Traceability naturally allows us, in the event of any problem, to be confident in any corrective measures we take. The focus on quality is fundamental for responding to market changes and concerns about animal welfare.”

Traceability isn’t just about ensuring safe, regulatory compliant production. The same data adds value to production monitoring and efficiency, optimizing planning and raw material usage. The Maporal planning team can adjust daily production based on orders. The software allows quick adaptation to meet specific customer requests such as carcass weights. “It’s why our customers are happy,” said Tiago.

Optimization of a line

RFID transponders travel with each carcass through every stage of processing, automatically recording key data points in real time. Information from stable management through slaughter, inspections, and chilling is aligned with individual carcass RFIDs. Operators can access data at an individual level that shows the farm it came from, its purchase order, and its pen history.

AXIN Carcass Chilling Process Solution acts as a bridge between primary and secondary processing. It controls chiller logistics based on carcass grading and classification data, and order management criteria. Carcasses are grouped by characteristics, ensuring deboning and cutting lines run efficiently with consistent flow of the correct product. Carcasses that meet order criteria without additional processing, are automatically moved to packing, cold room storage, and dispatch, while remaining carcasses are assigned to secondary processing.

Trimmed products move from cutting stations into containers or crates. From here, AXIN Crate Distribution Solution manages the complete flow of data from infeed registration to dispatch, aligning crate IDs, boxes, weights, lot numbers and articles. Routing of crates and boxes is controlled based on order to optimize product movement and ensure the right end product reaches the right customer at the right time.

Flexibility built in

A shift in direction from Maporal’s initial market focus has meant weight and product requirements to meet varied international and local customers needed to be addressed within the production lines. JBT Marel’s cutting and deboning lines inherent flexibility have become a crucial part of production. Ensuring Maporal can adapt to new market opportunities without problems of stress.

“Production optimization to create greater profitability. In concrete terms, what this software allows is real-time management. This management allows us to adapt to new market needs in real time. For example, correcting cuts and product typologies, and technical specifications on the cutting room floor,” said José Calixto. “All of this is possible because we have detailed up-to-date information in each production session.”

Planning, monitoring, and continuous improvement

Beyond the production floor, AXIN Solutions gives Maporal’s team the tools to manage daily adjustments as customer orders shift. When requirements change, production priorities can be reallocated quickly. “This responsiveness is why our customers are happy,” said Tiago Agostinho.

Dashboards give managers real-time visibility into line speed across Maporal’s primary and secondary processing lines. If throughput drops below expected output – whether due to mechanical issues on the line or a staffing gap – managers can see it immediately. Yield reports track output percentages at each stage, with discrepancies triggering investigations rather than being absorbed invisibly into end-of-day figures. “We can see if we are going on a good rhythm or if somehow we had a slower than expected,” said Tiago Agostinho, “The system provides detailed production reports, showing percentages of yield and discrepancies. If discrepancies appear, they investigate operator performance or process issues."

Maporal has continued to integrate and develop its use of AXIN Solutions since the facility opened, adding new monitoring stations, refining reports and dashboards, and expanding digital control as the operation has grown. 

A key part of JBT Marel’s software model is autonomy for processors. Maporal teams received focused training to operate the AXIN Solutions installed across the plant, reducing reliance on consultancy hours and providing self-sufficiency. 

However, JBT Marel’s Software team is always on hand to support when needed.  When a major export customer changed its requirements and Maporal needed a rapid software adaptation, JBT Marel responded quickly. “They developed it really fast, adjusting it to our needs at the time,” said Tiago Agostinho. This ongoing responsiveness, backed by a subscription model providing flexibility for future development, means Maporal can approach new operational challenges with the system, not around it.

For pork processors evaluating where production software investment delivers real return, Maporal’s facility offers a direct answer: full traceability from farm to pallet, real-time control across JBT Marel hardware and software, weight-based flexibility to meet precise customer orders, and a platform built to grow with the business. 

About Maporal

Maporal is a leading pork processor based in Alentejo, Portugal, supplying fresh and frozen pork products to Portugal, Spain, and a growing number of international markets across Europe and Asia.

The company combines advanced processing technology with full digital traceability to ensure product integrity from farm to pallet. Today, Maporal is one of the region’s largest private employers, with a strong focus on quality, animal welfare, and sustainability.