In this interview, Marius Czech, our food market manager, explains how specialty lubricants handle the challenges of griddles, fryers and other snack and bakery operations.
Q: What challenges are snack/bakery operations encountering where specialty lubricants can make a big difference?
A: Let’s start with the big picture. From the viewpoint of the food and beverage manufacturer, there is always a struggle to hold maintenance costs to a minimum. And there is always the need to be more productive, which requires shorter and faster production cycles. In various ways, advanced specialty lubricants can address those challenges.
Q: What about energy costs?
A: Of course, energy efficiency is another challenge—which is becoming more pressing due to economic and environmental issues.
Q: Is it tougher to keep food processing lines operating profitably today?
A: Yes. It is a huge challenge to keep food processing plants profitable. Ever shorter production times, faster running machinery, warm- and cold-loaded machine components, as well as hygiene requirements, are just some of the challenges. We are constantly looking at ways we can help our customers operate more productively and safely.
Q: How do specialty lubricants help meet those challenges?
A: Specialty lubricants meet the requirements in regards to extended maintenance intervals for high-speed applications, high load and high or low temperatures.
Q: What new or upgraded products have you developed recently?
A: One of the critical requirements a specialty lubricant must provide food processors is appropriate high-temperature performance. Three new products come to mind. Our new Klüberfood NH1 CH 6-120 SUPREME chain oil features a solid white formulation that has an operational limit up to 1200°F (650°C). Our new high-temperature polyurea special bearing grease, Klüberfood NH1 74-401, offers a wide service temperature range of up to 320° F (160°C). And our assembly paste, Klüberpaste UH1 96-402, provides protection against tribocorrosion or fretting corrosion at permanently higher temperatures up to 2200°F (1200°C).
Q: What assurance do food processors have that these lubricants are safe?
A: Customers can rest assured that the high standards and best practices we use for non-food lubricant is the foundation for manufacturing our food-grade lubricants. In addition to necessary lubricant certifications, we meet NSF H1, Kosher/Halal and ISO 21469 standards alongside our proprietary quality assurance programs. We are committed to implementing the quality-assurance processes and the research-and-development programs that our customers need to succeed now and in the future.
Asst. Manager - Business Support
18001237686
