Guttridge supplies equipment for new production lines at the Masteroast Coffee Company

Guttridge 06/09/2011

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Based in Peterborough, the Masteroast Coffee Company has for the last 30 years been an independently owned coffee roasting and packaging company supplying private label customers.

With extensive expertise, experience and an understanding of the coffee market, Masteroast who have a secure strong working relationship with their growing client portfolio recently decided to expand and introduce a completely new production line at their Peterborough factory.
Having benefitted from Guttridge equipment on their existing production facility for over ten years, the company had no hesitation in returning to the Spalding based company to supply the equipment for the new production lines.

At the heart of the Masteroast 40,000 sq/ft facility are three different roasting systems representing the art and science of coffee roasting, offering unrivalled roast styles, replication (profile roasting) and batch size flexibility, all freshly batch roasted on a “roast to order” basis. With their new facility the company are able to respond quickly and efficiently for supply of either large or small quantities from either a 7g espresso grind sachet or a bulk 5kg sack. With nine packaging lines, Masteroast can offer the widest range of options in the UK coffee industry.
With all installation work carried out by Masteroast engineers, Guttridge manufactured and provided a bespoke high-specification range of machines for use within a coffee bean process line and also a coffee granular process line.

The supply of equipment for the coffee bean process line involved a re-jig of the existing layout to improve productivity and included the manufacture of a FIBC discharger and the supply of a vibratory tray feeder. For the FIBC discharger Guttridge manufactured a bag support frame complete with a cruciform (1250kg loading) for lifting the bulk bag into position via four lifting loops. This operation is performed by an electrically operated (two speed lift and travel) chain hoist which picks the bag from a position adjacent to the discharger and then lifts and travels into position before discharging. Interfacing with the discharger is a totally enclosed vibratory tray feeder which is powered by a pneumatic piston type vibrator with a cushioned stroke for quiet operation. With a tray size of 300mm wide x 3000mm centres x 150mm deep the feeder is mounted horizontally providing a controlled and variable feed rate of product.

For the coffee granular process line Guttridge manufactured and supplied four modified Augaflo cross feed Archimedean Screw Augers of differing inlet and outlet diameters in addition to four assemblies and two cross slides.

The Guttridge Augaflo is a high quality, special purpose cross feed Archimedean Screw Auger. Primarily designed as a screw feeder for feeding bulk materials to auger filling machines, its tubular screw construction makes it ideally suited to many general purpose screw conveyor and screw feeder applications. By electrically linking the Augaflo to a level probe in an auger filling machine hopper a more consistent level of material can be automatically maintained in the hopper. With most product types this will usually lead to improved fill accuracy with consequential cost savings.

Designed for easy cleaning and maintenance, a unique quick release clamping system connects the outer screw tubes, whilst slip-fit joints connect the screw auger sections. The system is robust and ideal for frequent wet or dry cleaning regimes, essential in today”s modern factories. Inlet hoppers and special outlets allow a variety of configurations making the Augaflo a very versatile machine.
To complete the project Guttridge made modifications to two existing Easyflo hoppers which were transported back to the factory where each hopper was reduced in height with an additional flanged top to eliminate product escape. The inclined auger sections were also reduced to provide an adequate height to the feed bins with the second hopper situated under Grinder B having frame reductions and wheels repositioned, allowing alignment with the grinder outlet. With all modifications completed all were delivered to the Masteroast factory for installation.

The project was completed successfully within the time frame; Colin Mole – Engineering Manager, commented, “It was good to have all the various equipment delivered according to my fluctuating relocation plans. With the simple installation of the FIBC and ease of mounting the hoppers and augers being a great benefit. Since this installation, a growing demand and a greater need to be more flexible, I will have no hesitation in getting Guttridge to look at my new requirements.”

Guttridge Ltd is a leading UK equipment manufacturer and a provider of a wide range of services and can fulfil most bulk handling requirements. With an extensive in-house portfolio of equipment Guttridge also partners with a range of Pan European equipment and solutions providers allowing them to potentially fulfil any requirement.

Further Information:
Guttridge Ltd
Wardentree Park
Spalding
Lincs PE11 3UU
T: +44 (0)1775 765 300
F: +44 (0)1775 765 304
E: sales@guttridge.co.uk
W: www.guttridge.co.uk