In a three-part series, we report on the current BTF-S food dryer project at our customer Steinicke Metz GmbH. As one of the leading manufacturers of dried kitchen herbs and vegetables, the family-run company depends on reliable drying technology.
In collaboration with our customer, the BTF-S food dryer was therefore customised for the site in Herxheim near Landau (Pfalz), Germany.
Why a new dryer was necessary
Due to a fire, the previous dryer could no longer be used. As Steinicke processes around 13,000 tonnes of fresh produce every year and produces around 1,000 tonnes of dry produce from this, a quick and reliable solution was needed to maintain production capacity at the site.
The previous dryer after the fire
Quick and competent advice as the key to success
Due to the time pressure, close and uncomplicated cooperation was necessary during the very short pre-project phase. An open dialogue is particularly important for projects with tight deadlines - it helps to find solutions and bring the project to a successful conclusion.
‘We always felt well advised by stela during this phase,’
says Michael Lettenbichler, Managing Director at Steinicke.
Why a stage belt dryer?
Our customer Steinicke opted for a stage belt dryer. He made a conscious decision in favour of this because he was looking for a drying solution that was energy-efficient for the required quantity and met the high requirements for drying quality and hygiene. The stage belt dryer is characterised by the arrangement of several belts (stages) one behind the other, which enables high discharge heights and therefore efficient use of the belt surface.
The decision in favour of stela Laxhuber
Steinicke was particularly impressed by the expertise of the stela team - in addition to a fair price-performance ratio. Steinicke therefore decided in favour of this forward-looking investment for the Herxheim site.
Special requirements for the system
The new drying system had to overcome several challenges at once: In addition to high energy efficiency and performance, the compact design was particularly crucial in order to make optimum use of the existing buildings. The ambitious schedule also placed special demands on everyone involved in the project.
The production hall before assembly begins
Professional planning process despite tight deadlines
According to Michael Lettenbichler, the planning process to date has been very professional. ‘Experienced employees have carried out the planning flexibly and with great commitment together with our team. Of course, there were also technical challenges, but these were examined and solved together. All in all, the planning process was very professional!’
Pre-engineering: A simulation shows the air speed of the drying chambers
Hurdles and milestones
The biggest challenge was the extremely short pre-project phase and the resulting sub-projects, which challenged the entire team. However, thanks to quick decisions and direct communication on both sides, all hurdles were quickly overcome.
Work recently began on installing the food dryer in Herxheim. You will soon be able to read about how this was converted into a just-in-time delivery and installation due to the urgency of a quick completion in the second part of the Steinicke project support.
