The new Spiral Oven could represent an innovative solution for space-constrained food and beverage manufacturers, according to Total Constructions' food and beverage general manager Tony Tate.
Tate recently attended Foodex, the UK’s premier trade event for food and drink processing, packaging, ingredients and logistics to learn more about new trends and technologies like this one.
This is a crucial undertaking for construction companies, Tate says, in order to deliver the best outcome for customers.
"Say you’re looking for a baking oven, for example, but your site has a limited footprint. You might be tempted to think you’ve hit a brick wall in terms of what you can do.
"But because we have our ears to the ground, we can say: ‘You might not have the footprint but you’ve got height. How about the new Spiral Oven? Maybe that’s the solution here.’ It’s all about knowing your options," Tate says.
Other noteworthy innovations on show included a linear weigh station from Tomra that can deposit fresh vegetable into multipacks, Tate says, and a Packaging Automation high speed tray sealer (150 PPM) for ready meals.
“We take an inside-out approach because it’s the equipment that makes the client money, not the building. Essentially, what we do is put a roof on, and wrap walls around the equipment."
Whether a client wants to revamp, rebuild or start from scratch, there are a number of important issues to consider, such as where to place your packaging store, or how to effectively screen low-care waste from high-care to avoid product contamination, according to Tate.
"These are the sorts of things that need to be asked when it comes to housing all that expensive equipment and ensuring compliance with hygiene and OH&S regulations.
"It’s not until these issues are addressed that you have the best chance of minimising your costs and maximising your output.
"That’s what really great engineering and construction can do for you," Tate says.
