Watson-Marlow Masosine Technology Replaces Gear Pumps at Chocolate Factory

Watson Marlow 09/03/2010

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Watson-Marlow Masosine MR and SPS series positive displacement pumps have been installed at the Fakenham, Norfolk plant of chocolate and confectionary specialist, Kinnerton. The first Masosine pump was introduced to replace a gear pump that was damaging product on an Easter egg production line, with a second model acquired recently to support a newly installed caramel production line. The company has now decided to standardise on Masosine pumps moving forward.

Established in 1978, Kinnerton today is part of Zetar Plc, and can boast a turnover of £60 million. At its manufacturing plant in Fakenham, the company produces confectionery ranging from Easter eggs and Advent calendars, through to chocolate bars and chocolate miniature figures, as well as chocolate lollipops. Around 600 employees help process over 7,500 tonnes of chocolate to make 1,200 different products every year.

In high volume manufacture, production line uptime is vital to profitability and continuity of supply. However, a problem that arose in 2006 threatened to counter this ethos and it soon became apparent that a new solution was required.

“We had an inclusion mixer on one particular line that was supported by an ageing gear pump,” says the company’s engineering supervisor, Phil Barwick. “The line was set up to produce a new white chocolate Easter egg with dried raspberry mixed in. However, when the fruit first went through the mixer, it was squashed by the gear pump – in effect producing ‘pink’ chocolate Easter eggs.”

With Easter one of the company’s peak production periods, a quick fire solution was needed. Fortunately a recent trade show attended by Kinnerton demonstrated the merits of Watson-Marlow Masosine positive displacement pumps and the company duly requested the trial of an MR125 model.

“It was immediately apparent that it ticked all of our boxes,” says Mr Barwick. “Not only did it not damage the product – even subsequently introduced biscuit pieces were damage-free – it was also exceptionally easy to maintain and clean.”

The MR series is a range of medium duty sanitary pumps offering flow rates up to 91,000 litres per hour and pressures up to 10.3 bar. Typical applications include chocolate, cheese, curd, yogurt, concentrates, yeast, batter and stews.

With the MR125 operating trouble-free for the past four years, a more recent project was always likely to see a second Masosine pump introduced at the Fakenham site.

“We wanted to establish an in-house caramel production line. The one problem with caramel is that it’s very viscous when cool and can cause problems for certain pumps. However, we were confident that a Masosine pump would be up to the task,” says Mr Barwick.

Watson-Marlow recommended a Masosine SPS 2 sanitary/industrial pump. With a capacity up to 4 m³ per hour and pressures up to 15 bar, the SPS is ideal for viscous applications such as caramel, gelatine and glucose, as well as industrial products such silicones, adhesives and polymers.

“We have three SPS 2 pumps on site, and not only do these handle the pumping requirements without a problem, they are incredibly easy to clean,” says Mr Barwick. “Even after pumping glucose, a simple flush-through with water is all that is required.”

The focus on cleanliness is engrained in the manufacturing culture at Kinnerton, which in 1998 decided to create the world’s first nut segregated zone in a food factory that handles nuts. The company invested £1 million at Fakenham to introduce a segregated area containing five production lines that can offer chocolate products that are produced on machinery that never runs nut products. In the nine years since Kinnerton first segregated its production facilities, it has produced more than 250 million chocolate products based around its nut segregated facilities and has never had a verified nut incident.

Moving forward, Kinnerton has decided to standardise on Masosine SPS series pumps.

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Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

01326370370
info@wmftg.co.uk
https://www.wmfts.com/
Bicklandwater Road, Falmouth Business Park, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4RU GB

About us

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) peristaltic tube and hose pumps meet requirements including: value for money; low cost of ownership; reliability and ease of maintenance to the food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining and many other industries.

We demonstrate how pumps deliver significant process efficiencies over the lifetime of the equipment. Whether performing flavouring addition in food processing, chemical metering in water treatment or mineral recovery, we have a solution which can cut pump downtime and reduce costs through higher accuracy metering and transfer. WMFTG has dedicated application engineers available to help customers make the right pump and tubing choice from a range providing microlitres per minute to 80 cubic metres per hour flow rates.

The only part of the pump to come into contact with the product is the tube or hose. This means there are no seals or valves that can wear or fail. Replacing the tube or hose can be performed quickly and safely. Peristaltic pump benefits include:

Total fluid containment with no seals No ancillaries Handle viscous and abrasive slurries and sludge Self-priming capability Dry running without damage to the pump In addition to their range of positive displacement pumps, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has added PTFE-lined chemical and industrial hoses to their range. Aflex hoses are reinforced to withstand the most severe conditions and use.

Where we supply to

Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America

Industries we supply to

Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater

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