At IFFA 2013 Sandvik Process Systems, the world’s largest producer of stainless-steel belts, will showcase the hygienic and economic benefits that this technology can bring to meat processors and others further along the supply chain.
Visitors to Sandvik’s stand (hall 9.1, stand F63) will be able to see a fully operational food conveyor that showcases the design features required for food-quality conveying, including endless belt and ease of cleaning.
Research carried out by Finnish food laboratory VTT Expert Services has shown that bacterial build-up on meat conveyors can be reduced by upgrading to a stainless-steel conveyor. And with hygiene, safety, quality and compliance high up on everyone’s agenda, the inherent cleanability of a stainless-steel belt is convincing many processors to take a fresh look at Sandvik’s systems.
As a flat, smooth, hard and inert conveying medium, steel belts can be cleaned and sanitised using heat, pressure, brushes, detergents or chemicals. Quick and easy cleaning enables the highest standards of hygiene to be maintained and offers a number of other benefits too. Low water consumption and reduced use of cleaning chemicals or detergents means lower costs and less impact on the environment, while faster cleaning results in less downtime.
The inherent strength of the material also means it is more resistant to knife or bone damage, and therefore less likely to suffer cuts where microbes can develop.
While meat conveying will be the main focus of the stand, Sandvik will also highlight applications for its belts in other areas of meat processing – including freezing – and across the broader food industry where its versatile products are used for everything from baking and cooking to steaming and drying.
Senior management and specialist engineers will be on the stand throughout the fair to provide full details of Sandvik’s design, engineering and installation services.
