Egan Food Technologies to introduce automatic line at Pack Expo

The machine automates the process of evenly filling baking trays with product.

courtesy of Egan Food Technologies

Egan Food Technologies, a confectionery and baking process equipment manufacturer and service provider, is introducing its newest equipment line at Pack Expo: FlexFeed DRY. Ideal for loose granola, nuts and other dry ingredients, FlexFeed DRY automates the process of evenly filling baking trays with product, which can be racked for baking or further processing. Customers who have beta-tested the FlexFeed DRY have seen a 50% increase in production per employee each hour and have decreased labor requirements by two-thirds.

Like the company’s other equipment lines, FlexFeed DRY fills a gap for manufacturers looking to move from manual to automated production where no mid-range solutions exist. “We’re dedicated to engineering solutions that grow alongside our customers,” says Mike Sherd, Egan Food Technologies managing partner. “We heard from customers who were ready to move away from hand-panning products like loose granola, but not ready to purchase a multimillion-dollar, continuous-belt oven. The FlexFeed DRY bridges that gap perfectly as an affordable solution to shift away from manual production and toward automation.”

The FlexFeed DRY delivers uniform trays of loose granola, nuts, and more at a rate of up to 500 trays per hour. The line can be configured after a mixer that delivers product straight into hopper, from which the product is kibbled, elevated, metered, and finally spread evenly into baking trays. An optional tray feeder at the front of the line offers further automation. Alternatively, the line can be configured to deposit dry ingredients directly onto a conveyor belt.

To learn more about the new FlexFeed DRY, visit Egan Food Technologies at Booth 2482 in the Confectionery Pavilion at Pack Expo, November 3–6 in Chicago. Attendees can also learn about the company’s full line of equipment for bar forming, chocolate molding, and extruding.

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.

This webinar will examine variables factoring into nutritionally improved candy sales, including ingredients, label claims, and alternative sugars. Better-for-you options remain top of mind for consumers who are searching for indulgences, but in a healthier format.