GEA Food Solutions presents developments in meat processing and packaging equipment at IFFA that help meat processors go forward to higher performance. Hygienic design and application specific solutions are recurring themes in a showing that features six product premieres and many enhancements on existing machines.

There are many ways to add value, ranging from providing flexible multi-purpose machines to delivering performance-optimized solutions that are fine-tuned for specific applications. GEA Food Solutions is showing its latest developments in preparation, marination, processing, slicing and packaging equipment at IFFA 2013. The new products and on-going developments reinforce ‘Taking you Forward’ as a promise to customers. The company is present on two stands, with its own 700 square meter booth in the regular place (stand D06 in Hall 8) and a complete GEA automated packaging line on the Robotic-Pack-Line stand in Hall 11.1 (stand D70).

One of the major premieres at IFFA is a new slicer that brings much of the innovative technology and hygienic design of the ultra-high capacity GEA GigaSlicer to a mid-range machine. Called the GEA DualSlicer, this new slicer features two independent grippers that enable it to slice two logs independently with little giveaway. Like its bigger brother, it is very easy to clean and takes hygiene to a new level for a slicer of this format. It is displayed on the Robotic-Pack-Line stand, in an operational line featuring a GEA Check3000 weigher, two new GEA robotic loading cells, a GEA PowerPakRT thermoformer, and a GEA PowerGuide lane converger.

The original GEA GigaSlicer is also subject to continuous development and now has an even wider (640 mm) throat to enable six 105 mm diameter logs to be sliced - making it the largest capacity machine available at present. This slicer has a prominent place on the GEA stand, and is shown in combination with a GEA OptiScan X-ray scanner for optimizing portion weight on the fly.

Making its first appearance on the main GEA stand is a completely new GEA PowerPak that heralds the company’s entry into application-specific packaging solutions with highly optimised performance. With the GEA SmartPacker CX400 continuous operation vertical bagger also on the main stand, GEA shows its versatility in packaging solutions. The most popular configurations for supermarkets, such as Quatro seal and Doy style bags can all be filled on this machine with very little modification. This gives the user a wide choice in attractive and cost-effective flat-bottom packages that stand out on the shelves and cabinets. The same vertical bagger also fills standard pillow bags if required.

GEA Food Solutions’ range of marination equipment is firmly on the leading edge of injection technology. This year’s edition of IFFA will serve as the launching stage of a revolutionary new multi-purpose brine injector. The result of two years’ intensive development, this machine sets new standards for accuracy and hygiene. Moreover, the new GEA Injector provides uncompromised flexibility, taking versatility for applications to the next level.

For the preparation activity, the enhanced GEA PowerGrind 280 grinder and GEA CutMaster V500 bowl cutter are on the stand. These machines are among the highest performers in their respective classes, and have been continually refined and upgraded. They are hygienic, efficient and extremely robust machines that have set standards in the industry.

For coating and forming, GEA’s processing activity will use IFFA to launch two totally new concepts. One is the perfect solution for coating appetizing home-style coated products, and the other is a forming machine that offers high quality products at high speed for large production runs. In addition to these exciting developments, extra attention is focused on the latest fryers and oil filtration solutions from GEA. A revolutionary way to create tasty fully cooked smoked products in-line at high capacities is also being presented for the first time.

Minimizing unplanned downtime and maximizing yield are high priorities in the meat processing industry. GEA Food Solutions’ Global Service department will be present on the IFFA stand to present the latest range of support services that enable customers to maximize their machine performance.

Further on the GEA Food Solutions IFFA stand, visitors can discuss the spiral freezer solution for the protein market with representatives from sister company GEA Refrigeration Technologies. During IFFA, GEA Food Solutions’ fully equipped Technology Centers in Bakel (the Netherlands), Wallau and Kempten (both in Germany) are also available for personal demonstrations of many of the new and existing products.

For more information: GEA Food Solutions B.V., P.O. Box 1, 5760 AA Bakel, The Netherlands; Tel. +31 492 349 349, Fax +31 492 349 416; E-mail gea-foodsolutions.info@gea.com, website: www.gea.com