New conveyors rescue frozen food producer

02 March 2009

A UK producer of frozen vegetables, fruit, pasta and rice that was having problems with poor drive and incorrect sprocket engagement on its conveyors turned to Habasit Rossi for four plastic link conveyor belts. Ardo UK focussed on improving the conveyors when it embarked on efficiency improvements at its manufacturing facility in Kent.

Before the Habasit installation, as the temperature in the production facility dropped, water that had become trapped was freezing in between the belt and sprockets, and the belt seized up.

The new belts are being used on a set of four conveyors, transferring frozen vegetables in temperatures as low as minus five.

Trevor Sharp, engineering efficiency manager at Ardo UK, commented: ‘Habasit Rossi’s solution exceeded all of our expectations. Its belt lasted between 12 and 16 months, whereas competitor’s belts only last between three and four.

‘We are extremely pleased with the solution Habasit provided, not just on material costs, but more importantly on reduction of downtime and labour costs. We now specify Habasit Rossi products on all new equipment we purchase.’

As the plant is run on a 25/5 production line, the belts were normally changed on overtime, a process that can take up to half a day. According to Habasit, its belts enabled Ardo UK to reduce maintenance labour costs by two days, not including associated down time.


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