commissary INSIDER - November 2017 - 12

STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION ALLOWS FOR
COMPLETE WASH DOWN CAPABILITY.
PHOTO: GROTE COMPANY

AUTOMATED PRODUCTION HELPS ENSURE PORTION CONTROL AND REDUCED PRODUCT WASTE.
PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/JOHNNYSCRIV

Grote Company's sandwich assembly
lines typically turn out 30 to 55 sandwiches per minute per lane, Hissrich
says. What helps separate Grote Company from its competitors, he says, is an
ability to address the specific needs of
sandwich manufacturers. Grote Company's modular systems, for example, can
include various combinations of conveyors, bread feeders, sandwich and wrap
cutters, depositors and slicers. All are
designed with flexibility in mind.
"Quick changeovers are required for
efficient production of multiple SKU's
throughout the day," Hissrich says. "Each
system is designed for the customer's
particular application and requirements."
In addition, he says, Grote Company's
stainless steel construction allows for
complete wash down capability, unlike
the bakery-oriented equipment that
some manufacturers use. And the company's conveyor systems are designed
to work with its Clean in Place (CIP)
systems, which provide continuous

washing, sanitizing and drying of the
production belt.

Labor, cost savings
The main advantage of Unifiller's sandwich depositors is the labor savings they
offer users, Sigrist says. "Photo sensor
modules automate processes where one
can easily remove manual operators
from the production line and move them
to other areas of production if needed,"
he says. "One can easily scale up production without hiring on more labor."
There are other advantages - the cost
savings, for instance, that come with portion control and reducing product waste.
Product quality also can be improved,
through the application of consistent
and accurate portions. Higher production yields are another benefit many users find using the 1000i series.
One of the things that differentiates Unifiller's sandwich production equipment,
Sigrist says, is the company's under-

"Ultimately, our customers keep coming back to us because our
equipment is easy to use, our after-sales service is spot-on and
they trust the sales experience, We focus on building a long-term
relationship by really pinpointing their needs and ensuring the
consultation process is focused on them."
Andy Sigrist, Uniﬁller Systems Inc.

12 * NOVEMBER 2017

commissary INSIDER

standing of its market and the needs of
its customers. Food safety, for instance,
is a big concern of its clients, so Unifiller
puts a lot of effort into the sanitary design of its products. The company's latest line of depositors features upgraded
pneumatic control systems designed to
work in the cold environments needed
for sandwich production. That substantially reduces the pooling of water and
food particles, moisture buildup, damage from caustic cleaning processes and
daily wear and tear.
Another hallmark of Unifiller's sandwich depositors, Sigrist says, is their
ease of use. "We understand that it's
getting harder to recruit experienced
staff, and baby boomers are retiring, so
our equipment is designed to be simple, with an easy-to-use interface that
doesn't require extensive training or
reading of manuals."
In addition, Unifiller equipment has features like one-turn calibrated speed dial,
quick connect fittings for attachments
and tool-free design - all, Sigrist says,
make maintenance, change-over and
downtime easier. And some Unifiller depositors are capable of storing up to 100
recipes, so varieties can be built into the
equipment and recipes recalled at the
push of a button.
Different hopper sizes, heated hoppers, hopper stirrers and agitators
allow producers to maintain product
integrity better, Sigrist says, and traveling bridges are available for use over
form-fill and tray seal systems. In addition, the 1000i depositors fit easily

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