GEA will present its solutions at this year’s Foodex Manufacturing Solutions, from 24-26 Apr at the NEC in Birmingham. The global group will be showcasing its range of technology solutions from processing equipment to complete slicing and packaging lines, as well as debuting more than one innovative solution.
As GEA celebrates its diamond anniversary in food processing this year, it will launch the official debut of the CrumbMaster Gen 2. This is the latest evolution of GEA’s trusted in-line crumb coating/breading system for spreading on poultry, pork, fish, meat, vegetables, or meat-replacement products and with fine, coarse, J-crumbs or specialty crumbs. The new machine retains the crumb specifications throughout the process without crumb break and offers higher flexibility, hygiene and dust-free production.
The growing demand for less waste and increasing sustainability in the food supply chain is driving manufacturers to seek out ways to change their production methods for the better. GEA will be demonstrating a range of energy-saving products — some designed especially for the new food sector — from a cross-section of GEA’s business units from food processing and slicing and packaging, to bakery, pasta and snacks.
GEA’s engineers will be demonstrating the Panda Triplex Homogeniser and the plug-and-play features on decanter and scout separator skids, giving potential customers the opportunity to see in action this state-of-the art equipment for dairy products like yoghurt and fresh cheese.
Also making its UK show debut at Foodex will be the PowerPak PLUS, which offers thermoforming technology, improved productivity and sustainability. It will be joined by the SmartPacker Twin Tube continuous motion vertical packaging machine, which boasts a future-proof modular system with increased functional efficiency promoting higher operational uptime and ease of use. The SmartPacker is suitable for packaging small-sized food products such as confectionery, dried fruits and nuts, and other on-the-go products in pillow bags of different sizes.
For complete packaging and slicing lines, GEA offers the GEA OxyCheck and DualSlicer. OxyCheck is an in-line quality control system that checks the oxygen content and seal integrity of every single Modified Atmosphere Pack (MAP). The DualSlicer was developed by GEA for integration into fully automated lines. It consecutively slices two calibrated logs, such as round sausage, or two uncalibrated logs such as cheese, cooked ham or raw ham, delivering consistent slice quality and constant slice thicknesses — even with softer products — at an output of up to 1,600kg per hour.
Visitors will also be able to learn more about GEA’s snack format. Cinderella’s Slipper is a snack that could be dipped into any sauce — spicy, sweet or savory — without fingers getting coated. The slipper-shaped treat can be made from a wide variety of raw materials to suit any taste, thanks to the versatility of GEA’s xTru Twin Extruders.
To meet the growing demand for automation in the bakery sector, GEA will be promoting the DFI volumetric piston depositor for depositing muffin, cake and cupcake mixes. The DFI machine has been designed to operate on continuous running conveyors or with electric tunnel ovens. Last but not least, GEA’s electric oven is a carbon neutral solution for bakers. It features a radiant, convective or hybrid electric system. By combining these systems, it is possible to produce rotary molded, extruded, deposited soft dough cookies, as well as cakes, pies, tarts and many other products.
GEA Frozen Foods will be showcasing CALLIFREEZE, a new energy saving freezer control system developed for use with the GEA range of freezers for the food industry. The new system can be configured for freezers handling a wide range of food products, including meat, poultry and fish, ready meals, bakery and dairy products. It monitors the condition of products exiting the freezer, and then automatically calibrates the freezer parameters to ensure that every product is frozen according to optimum requirements. CALLIFREEZE automatically adjusts product retention time in the freezer, air temperature and fan speed to achieve the precise level of freezing required, with minimum energy consumption.
Greg Austin, GEA director of sales (food and healthcare technologies UK), said: “Foodex is undoubtedly one of the premier food shows in Western Europe and we’re delighted to have such a powerful offering this year for every application within food processing and beyond. We’ve got well-established solutions that have proven their worth over decades, alongside unique and innovative new developments that can only help our customers to improve their productivity and lower costs. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do and we’re very proud to lead the way in providing class-leading solutions to the food industry as a whole.”
