bake - October 2012 - 66

sweet goods

A guide to transfer pumps, depositors and decorating equipment

Bakery Portioning
Q: What is bakery portioning equipment? A: Bakery portioning equipment is any machine used by a baker to transfer or deposit batters, icings and various other products quickly, continuously and in accurate portions. Uniﬁller provides 4 general types of portioning equipment 1) 2) 3) 4) Hopper Toppers Depositors Cookie Extruders Decorating Equipment 3. Does the equipment grow with production? Q: Why would a bakery incorporate a depositor into their production? A: There are many advantages to incorporating a depositor into production, including • Increasing production yield. • Help meet quick turn-arounds with minimal setup. • Decreasing labor costs. • Standardizing the quality and taste of products. • Eliminating repetitive hand scooping of dough, and thus strain. Q: Will a depositor suit my needs? A: In most cases, yes. Companies like Uniﬁller, offer various models that vary in footprint, portability, deposit speeds and volume, automation, and price; and offer no obligation consultations to determine if portioning equipment will contribute to a baker’s growth. Q: What are some of the things I need to consider when choosing portioning equipment? A: Working with a reputable bakery equipment manufacturer is essential when choosing the right bakery equipment. It’s important to take some key points into consideration: For more information about bakery portioning equipment, 1. Does the depositor manufacturer understand your needs? The right manufacturer will understand the need for product consistency and quality control as it affects a bakery’s brand contact Uniﬁller Systems at info@uniﬁller.com or visit www.uniﬁller.com.
U N IFILLER SYSTEMS

and reputation. The right equipment provider will “ﬁne-tune” the depositor for a customer’s ideal recipe conﬁguration. 2. Does the equipment require extensive training or setup? Bakers want to focus on baking and selling. They don’t want to waste valuable production time trying to setup and train staff on a complex machine. Make sure to ask questions about the ease of setup, ease of use, disassembly and cleaning.

When planning a purchase, it’s important to consider long-term growth strategy. Will the depositor handle various product applications i.e. versatility? Will there be a need for additional accessories in the future? What deposit speeds can be maximally achieved with one depositor? 4. Does the manufacturer offer options to facilitate the investment? Few manufacturers will work with you to analyze your operations and develop an ROI (Return on Investment) plan. Reputable manufacturers will always ask the important question to better understand your business, including questions about production volume, batch size, particulates, current production, ﬁlling viscosity, etc. 5. Is the manufacturer interested in a short term sale or in a long term relationship? The right manufacturer will tell you if your production and budget is ready for portioning equipment. They want you to grow at a manageable rate and they want to build a long term trusting relationship that will have you coming back to them in the future.

66 < OCT 2012 | bakemag.com

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bake - October 2012

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