Biggest mixer for one of the largest gelatin producers

In 2015, one of the world’s largest gelatin producers was looking for a new mixer for its facility in the USA, and their search soon led them to us. We supply the largest drum mixer in the industry. This customer is located in the interior of the U.S., and delivering this giant to their site was a great adventure for us.

The L25000 is unrivalled, having a maximum batch volume of 25,000 litres and a batch weight of approximately 20 tons. But that’s not the only reason the company chose us. Our gentle touch technology has proven its value for other gelatin and food companies. One of its most important features is the extremely low mix energy (less than 2 W/kg) required.

Not heated

The low amount of energy required prevents breakage, dust formation and heating build-up. The latter is especially important because gelatin melts when heated. The horizontal construction of our drum mixer was also important for this customer, as this made it easy to install into the production line.

Process delivers consistent quality to a natural product

Gelatin is a natural product, which means that its quality can vary. Nevertheless, the company knows how to achieve a consistent and high-quality final result. And this starts from its source. Gelatin is obtained from the hides and bones of pigs and bovine animals. Only the highest quality is accepted by the company. The gelatin is released and then cleaned, purified, and heated under pressure to a high temperature. The resulting jelly is dried and converted into powder or granulate.

Through heat, the company separates the gelatin solution from the solids and fats. The solution is then strained through very fine filters to remove the last traces of fibres and fats. In the next step, calcium, salts and soda are extracted from the mixture. After this, a vacuum evaporation system thickens the solution. The solution is then sterilized under strict hygiene conditions, after which it is dried on a perforated surface.

Our mixer’s role

Our mixer can be found at the end of the production process. The L25000 mixes the gelatin granules and gelatin powder with additives such as pectin, to achieve the ideal texture, taste or stability depending on the product required. The gelatin is used in food, such as marshmallows, wine gums and baking powders, as an emulsifier (natural replacement for e-numbers). But gelatin also plays an important part in the pharmaceutical industry, as the gel caps of capsules are often made of gelatin.

Hygiene is of extreme importance

Absolute hygiene is crucial at every stage of production. The mixer is no exception to this, which is one of the reasons the company chose our product. In order to comply with this customer’s legislation and safety requirements, we first carried out a comprehensive risk analysis and discussed the necessary details of the machine’s design with their OSHA officer (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).

Mixer adapted to requirements

At the customer’s request, we fitted the mixer with six instead of three cleaning and inspection hatches for even better accessibility, therefore allowing easier and more efficient cleaning. The hatches have a special fast-lock to enable them to be opened and closed quickly and easily. Furthermore, this mixer is equipped with a large sized, retractable inlet and outlet. This also allows operators to inspect and clean the inlet, outlet and seals quicker and more thoroughly. The better the accessibility, the better and quicker to clean!

Worldwide

Building the world’s largest drum mixer is one thing, but getting it to its destination somewhere in the world is the next adventure. This was an interesting challenge for us. With an unladen weight of 22,500 kilograms and a height of over 4 metres, complex arrangements needed to be made to get this machine to its destination.

We had this huge machine transported by inland barge from the factory in Dordrecht to the port of Rotterdam. From there, it was shipped to the USA. From the port on the east coast, this colossus was driven through six states, requiring a separate oversized load permit for each state.

Since then, the mixer has been dutifully mixing its product for its satisfied customer. Which just proves that we can serve everyone, anywhere in the world. Interested to find out if our mixers can do something for your business? Then don’t hesitate to contact us at mixers@lindor.nl or call us on +31-78-6550655.