- Case Study
Lactalis uses FaBLINE to transfer yoghurt and milk
The largest dairy products group in the world, Lactalis, has switched to using FaBLINE™, a food grade PTFE-lined hose from Aflex. The hoses produced by Aflex Hose are being used to transfer milk, yoghurt and fruit filling at production facilities in Serbia and Croatia.
Lactalis, which has 270 production sites in 52 countries, is using two long-life FaBLINE hoses that are two metres in length and have a bore size of two inches after replacing a competitor’s rubber hose at its factory in Sombor, Serbia.
Engineering experts at Aflex have developed FaBLINE to meet the latest hygiene standards. The patented PTFE-lined hose, with standard 316 stainless steel braid and EPDM cover, ensures efficient product transfer and handling with extended life over any rubber hose alternative on the market.
Durability and flexibility
With excellent flexibility and kink-free design requiring less force to bend than competitor smooth bore products, FaBLINE offers Lactalis a versatile hose solution throughout production processes.
Aleksandar Rnjak, Maintenance Manager at Somboled, part of the Lactalis Group, said: “The hoses are exposed to CIP cleaning before production. After hanging the hoses on the fruit paste container, the hoses are rinsed and sterilised with steam at 138℃ (280°F) at 3.5 bar (50.7 psi) pressure in the line.
“The FaBLINE hoses have shown exceptional durability and flexibility, and the safety of the operators connecting the tank with fruit paste and the system on the yoghurt line has increased.”
Alan Varelija, sales engineer for the Balkans region at WMFTS, said: “Lactalis was not satisfied with the hose life of the previous rubber hose it was using, because the cover wore out every few months. The hose is dragged along the floor, so we offered a Safeguard option.
“The FaBLINE hose now transfers milk and yoghurt, and it is regularly cleaned with CIP chemicals without any change almost a year after Lactalis began using it.
“Even if our outer protection comes away or gets damaged when the hose is dragged along the floor, the hose doesn’t lose its integrity, which eliminates the potential of premature failure.”
FaBLINE replaces silicone rubber hose
At another Lactalis’ production facility in Zagreb, Croatia, it has switched to using FaBLINE hoses on a filling machine which handles yoghurt and yoghurt fruit filling. Lactalis is using 16 long-life FaBLINE hoses that are 0.8 metres in length and have a bore size of 0.375 inches after replacing a competitor’s silicone rubber hose.
FaBLINE hoses provide up to twice the flow of similar sized convoluted delivery hoses, for a faster, more efficient processing solution.
Marin Ćosić, Deputy Head of Maintenance at Dukat Dairy Industry Inc, part of the Lactalis Group, said: “On the yoghurt and fruit filling machine, the working conditions are demanding in terms of high sterilisation temperatures (138℃ / 280°F), and exposure to acids and alkalis for washing the hoses through which the product passes. With the aim of avoiding the possibility of contamination of the product, we decided to install the FaBLINE hose on the machine for filling yoghurt and fruit yoghurts. The hoses turned out to be very good and long-lasting.”
Alan Varelija, sales engineer for the Balkans region at WMFTS, added: “The existing silicone rubber hoses from another company on a filling machine were outdated, and the risk of contamination was very high. When the maintenance team saw our hose samples, they were convinced of the FaBLINE quality. FaBLINE is kink-free, and constant dynamic movement is not a problem for our hose. The customer measured its existing connectors, so we were able to offer an exact match.”
FaBLINE’s key benefits include:
- Increased service life
- Reduced maintenance and CIP downtime
- Reduced cost savings on chemicals
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