Page 28 - AWA Vol.42-No7 issue

FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

How JBT Marel freezing technology is adapting

to new demands

As food processors look for more capacity, efficiency, and
reliability from every square meter of production space,
freezer design is evolving too. Torbjörn Persson, Freez-
er Global Product Line Senior Manager JBT Marel, shares
what our customers are asking for and how we’re innovat-
ing to meet those needs.
For food manufacturers, freezing has always been about
getting the fundamentals right: capacity, product quality,
reliability, and uptime. But the list of priorities is growing.
Space is at a premium. Water and energy use are under
closer scrutiny. And processors increasingly want equip-
ment that can keep performing reliably for many years “The inherent design of the GYRoCOMPACT spiral freez-
without pushing up the total cost of ownership.
er means it is very space efficient, especially when it
These shifts are helping shape the latest developments comes to the overall height of the freezer,” says Torbjörn.
in JBT Marel’s Frigoscandia freezing portfolio, including a For processors trying to increase capacity within the
new generation of the self-stacking FRIGoBELT® NOVA+ space they already have, those dimensions can make a
conveyor for GYRoCOMPACT® spiral freezers.
significant difference.
So, what matters most to customers today? And what
trends are influencing the next generation of spiral freez- A stronger belt for a longer working life
ing technology? Longer equipment life and lower total cost of ownership
are also becoming increasingly important considerations.
Water moves up the agenda
Energy has long dominated discussions around sustain- JBT Marel is introducing the Frigoscandia FRIGoBELT
ability in freezing, but water use is becoming a much big- NOVA+, a new development of its self-stacking spiral
ger consideration. Torbjörn sees this as one of the trends freezer belt. The focus is not simply on handling heavier
set to become increasingly important in the coming years. product loads, but on extending service life.
“Capacity and operating time between defrosts are still “The coming version of our world-renowned self-stack-
the normal challenges,” says Torbjörn. “But utility con- ing FRIGoBELT conveyor addresses service life and there-
sumption, and particularly water consumption, have come by the total cost of ownership for a freezer over its service
very high up on the agenda.” life,” says Torbjörn.
That puts greater focus on freezer designs that can simpli- The reinforced belt design is engineered for greater du-
fy cleaning and help reduce resource use. Torbjörn points rability and reliability, ensuring a significant increase in
to the self-stacking design of JBT Marel’s Frigoscandia GY- service life. For processors, a longer belt life can mean
RoCOMPACT spiral freezers as one example. fewer replacements, less disruption, and a lower lifetime
cost.
“The design gives you fewer components to clean and
very good accessibility to the critical components in the It also reflects a wider shift in how equipment investments
freezer,” he explains. are assessed: not just by the initial purchase, but by how
reliably they perform year after year.
For processors, that can make cleaning more straightfor-
ward while supporting more efficient use of water over the Total solutions beyond the freezer
lifetime of the equipment.
With more than 60 years of freezing expertise, JBT Mar-
Getting more capacity into existing spaces el offers spiral, impingement, and IQF (individual quick
Another trend influencing freezer design is the need to freezing) solutions. Since JBT and Marel came together,
increase capacity without increasing the size of the facility. that portfolio also sits within a much wider range of pro-
For many processors, simply building a bigger facility is cessing, packaging, software, and service solutions.
not a realistic answer to growing production demands. For processors, that means freezing can be integrated
“Constructing new facilities is very costly, so a large pro- into a complete end-to-end line or supported as a stand-
portion of the freezers we sell are intended for existing fa- alone part of production, with long-term service, mainte-
cilities,” Torbjörn explains. nance, and upgrades helping protect performance over its
working life.
That puts a premium on compact equipment. Spiral freez-
ing naturally offers an advantage by carrying products Looking toward 2027 and beyond, the focus remains firm-
vertically through the freezer rather than requiring a long ly on practical gains: making better use of space and re-
linear footprint. The design of the Frigoscandia GYRo- sources, extending equipment life, and keeping produc-
COMPACT takes this further through its self-stacking belt. tion running reliably. Circle 28 on enquiry card
26 Vol. 42 No. 7