A UK bakery processor aimed to reduce the maintenance and sanitation time of a processing belt used on a savory pastry line. In the production process, raw pastry was transported via conveyor for glazing with egg wash before heading to the ovens.
The existing wire belt couldn’t be removed for deep cleaning, leading to lengthy and costly manual cleaning while the belt remained in place. The design of the wire belt also made it prone to damage during sanitation, requiring frequent repairs and replacements. Additionally, metal belts posed a serious risk of harmful product contamination, making them unsuitable for this application.
Introducing a Hygienic Belt that Reduces Sanitation and Maintenance Costs
The bakery needed a durable, accessible, and easy-to-clean belting solution. Newtop Engineering met this requirement with the NewtopLINK M1885 Flush Grid belt.
The open grid design of the belt allowed the egg glaze to pass over the product and drain through the belt with ease, reducing product buildup. To further streamline the sanitation process, Newtop Engineering incorporated the Saniclip system, a tool-free quick belt opening feature that enabled fast removal and replacement. This significantly cut both cleaning and maintenance downtime, allowing for deep cleaning and achieving superior hygiene standards.
The plastic construction of the belt reduced the risk of serious product contamination that had been associated with the previous metal design, improving production safety. Additionally, the modular belt design allowed for mechanical recovery and replacement of specific sections, extending belt life and minimizing repair costs.
Newtop Engineering Plastic Modular Belting vs. Previous Wire Belt
The customer retrofitted the NewtopLINK Flush Grid belt across all six of their processing machines.
Belt life increased, reducing the need for replacements from three times per year for each line to just once annually with Newtop’s modular belting.
Maintenance and labor time saw an eight-fold improvement. The previous wire belt took 2 hours to re-fit, while Newtop’s modular belting reduced this to just 15 minutes.
Customer Cost Savings Include:
- Belt: £6,900
- Installation & labor: £3,150
- Total annual savings: £10,050
- Labor hours saved: 69 hours per year
By switching to Newtop Engineering’s modular belting, the bakery significantly improved efficiency, hygiene, and cost-effectiveness.