Family of Brands

The Grote Company Family of Brands has provided food processing equipment, parts, and services for decades. We work together to give food manufacturers a team of experts dedicated to providing more complete solutions and unwavering support.

        
ProFab      
Where to Buy In the News

Resource Category: Blog

Jars of peanut butter moving on an automated conveyor system.

How Automated Conveyors Improve Food Processing Efficiency

Written by Howard on .

As a food processing manager, you’re always looking for ways to improve operational efficiency, maintain product quality, and meet safety standards. Challenges like production bottlenecks, waste, and manual labor are part of the daily grind, but they don’t have to hold your facility back. Automated conveyor systems offer a practical way to streamline processes, reduce labor costs, and enhance productivity, allowing you to keep things running smoothly and efficiently at every stage of your operation.

To help overcome these common challenges, automated conveyor systems offer a range of solutions that enhance material flow, minimize downtime, and maintain product integrity. Let’s dive into how each conveyor type can help address these needs and transform your food processing lines.

BELT CONVEYORS: RELIABLE, HIGH-VOLUME TRANSPORT

Belt conveyors are a cornerstone of many food processing operations due to their efficiency in moving large volumes of product. Here’s why they might be the ideal solution for your facility:

  • Efficient Bulk Transport. Belt conveyors quickly and reliably transport large volumes, ensuring smooth product flow and eliminating bottlenecks.
  • Easy Integration. Integrate belt conveyors seamlessly into your existing processing lines with minimal disruption.
  • Versatile Formations. Available in horizontal/flat-bed, Z/incline, vertical, and curved configurations, giving you the flexibility to fit a wide range of applications and plant layouts

Explore belt conveyors →

HORIZONTAL MOTION CONVEYORS: GENTLE HANDLING OF DELICATE PRODUCTS

When transporting fragile or seasoned products, maintaining their integrity is crucial. Horizontal motion conveyors provide gentle handling that keeps delicate items intact:

  • Protect Product Integrity. Move products gently and safely, minimizing breakage and preserving coatings.
  • Controlled Movement. Products move smoothly forward and back, ideal for fragile items.
  • Adjustable Speeds for Precision. Quick stop/startand back-and-forth direction for tasks like feeding multiple lines or temporary storage  optimizes flow and yield.

Explore horizontal motion conveyors →

BUCKET ELEVATORS: OPTIMIZE VERTICAL SPACE AND THROUGHPUT

If space is limited in your facility, bucket elevators can effectively utilize vertical areas, freeing up valuable floor space and enhancing productivity:

  • Maximize Vertical Space. Lift products vertically, ideal for plants with limited horizontal space, moving products efficiently to mezzanines or elevated processing stages.
  • Gentle Product Handling. Bucket elevators ensure careful transport, significantly reducing product degradation even at high throughput volumes.
  • Increase Productivity. Optimize your workflow and facility layout by streamlining vertical product transfers between processes.

Discover our bucket elevator options →

 

VIBRATORY CONVEYORS: MULTI-FUNCTIONAL AND LOW MAINTENANCE

Vibratory conveyors go beyond simple product transport, allowing you to perform multiple processing tasks simultaneously and efficiently:

  • Versatile Value-Added Operation. Handle tasks such as screening, sorting, spreading, laning, and dewatering within a single conveyor system.
  • Minimal Maintenance. Fewer moving parts mean easier cleaning, minimal maintenance, and greater reliability.
  • Enhanced Efficiency. Increase throughput and reduce equipment complexity by integrating multiple processes into one conveyor.

Explore vibratory conveyors →

HOW AUTOMATED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Building on the belt, vibratory, horizontal-motion, and bucket solutions outlined above, an integrated conveyor network delivers three high-impact wins:

  • Enhanced Food Safety. Food-grade stainless frames, open designs, and tool-less belt removal reduce harbor points and keep hands off product—dramatically lowering contamination risk.
  • Consistent Quality. Uniform belt speeds, metered bucket discharge, and precision vibratory feeds hold weights, portion sizes, and coatings within spec, helping you avoid costly rework or recalls.
  • Higher Throughput. Continuous flow between prep, cook, cool, and pack stations eliminates manual hand-offs and keeps OEE high, even during multi-shift production.

COMMON CONCERNS ABOUT CONVEYOR AUTOMATION IN YOUR FACILITY

As you evaluate the potential for conveyor automation in your plant, it’s important to consider some common concerns that might arise. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these:

INITIAL INVESTMENT & ROI

Conveyors aren’t a nice-to-have; they’re the backbone that lets every other machine run. While there is still capital outlay, most food plants budget for conveyors as standard line equipment, and a well-built system will operate for years with only modest parts change-outs. The real financial question is which conveyor mix (belt, vibratory, bucket, etc.) delivers the best long-term ROI through higher throughput, easier sanitation, and lower unplanned downtime.

INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS

One challenge you might face is ensuring that new conveyors will work well with your existing equipment. Fortunately, modern automated systems are designed for compatibility, making it easier to integrate them into your current setup without major disruptions. By working with experienced vendors, you can design a solution that fits seamlessly into your existing line.

ONGOING SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE

Modern conveyor lines are largely set-and-forget—once tuned, they run with minimal operator input beyond periodic belt or parts change-outs that might be months (or years) apart. A reputable supplier will still give your team a quick orientation and clear documentation, plus phone or on-site support when you do need to swap wear parts or fine-tune a drive. For day-to-day production, however, conveyors demand far less attention than most automation technologies.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR IMPLEMENTING CONVEYOR UPGRADES

  1. Conduct a Thorough Needs Assessment. Map choke points, sanitation pain areas, and labor-intensive transfers before specifying equipment.
  2. Collaborate with Conveyor Experts. Share product specs and growth plans so engineers can right-size belt widths, bucket volumes, and drive horsepower.
  3. Validate Hygienic Design. Require compliance with AMI, USDA, or 3-A standards and review drawings before sign-off.
  4. Plan for Ongoing Maintenance. Stock key spares (belts, bearings, sensors) and schedule quarterly inspections to lock in uptime.
  5. Stage the Roll-out. Install new modules during planned shutdowns or parallel-line trials to keep production flowing.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: THE FUTURE OF YOUR FOOD-PROCESSING FACILITY

Automated conveyor systems sit at the heart of modern food production—reducing manual labor, ensuring consistent product flow, and supporting the highest sanitation standards. If bottlenecks, space constraints, or stricter safety goals are on your radar, a tailored blend of belt, vibratory, horizontal-motion, and bucket technologies can move you forward. 

Talk with one of our conveyor engineers to explore the best solution for your plant.

Talk With An Engineer

A customized food conveyor system with a dumper increases efficiency and food and worker safety

Top Considerations for Customizing Food Conveyor Systems

Written by Kimberly on .

Your food conveyor system sits at the heart of your food processing operation, seamlessly connecting the different parts of your process and efficiently moving product between them while maintaining hygiene and protecting product integrity. It’s a critical part of your production.

Why take a chance, then, on standardized, off-the-shelf conveyor equipment that’s not built with your precise needs and operational goals in mind? At best, you’ll end up with sub-par connectivity and less efficient material flows. At worst, you risk damaging expensive equipment or compromising the quality and safety of your product. 

If you’re serious about producing high-quality food at scale, then investing in fully customized conveying equipment from a reputable, specialized provider is essential. 

This guide explains how to customize food conveyor systems by outlining the key factors that influence design and decision-making.

These considerations include:

  • Industry requirements
  • Application requirements
  • Product characteristics
  • Throughput demands
  • Environmental considerations

Each of these factors plays a role in shaping an effective conveyor customization strategy.

1. INDUSTRY REQUIREMENTS

Customized conveyor design begins with a clear understanding of the regulatory requirements your equipment must meet, or ideally, exceed. These include sanitation and cleanability standards, as well as safety and ergonomics..

SANITATION AND CLEANABILITY

Specific requirements vary by segment, but include regulations from the USDA, GMA, BEMA, and FSMA. The most stringent regulations apply to processes involving raw meat, dairy products, and ready-to-eat products. These standards are especially important for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, which do not undergo further cooking or processing before consumption. As a result, sanitary conveyor systems used in RTE environments must meet the highest hygiene and design standards to prevent contamination.

As the leading manufacturer of food-handling conveyors, PFI equipment meets and exceeds all applicable regulations. We prioritize food safety in all design decisions.

All our equipment features: 

  • Open-frame, modular design for faster, easier cleaning
  • Sloped surfaces to prevent liquid buildup
  • Smooth welds and minimal joints to prevent bacteria buildup  
  • Removable, fully washable, food-grade plastic belts 
  • Toolless belt removal to prevent bacteria-harboring scratches
  • Stainless steel (304 or 316) construction

Depending on the application, PFI will also often recommend:

  • Clean in Place (CIP) systems and belt scrapers for belt conveyors in certain applications like dough/bakery
  • Vibratory and horizontal motion conveyors, where applicable, for their washdown pans and ease of cleaning

SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS

The health and safety of your staff are essential.All equipment should meet the relevant OSHA regulations governing safe and ergonomic design. 

Here, PFI’s open-frame designs with minimal maintenance reduce strain and limit the possibility of injury to your personnel. Depending on the system, our equipment is also built to include:

  • Additional guarding around moving parts
  • Emergency stop mechanisms
  • Non-slip catwalks to access our machinery

For PFI, food safety and hygiene are more than just a box to check. They’re at the forefront of our design process.

2. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Every conveyor system should be built to meet the specific physical and functional demands of your application, from integration and scalability to material handling.

FOOTPRINT

Your production line needs to fit into the available plant space and work around obstacles that cannot be moved. That can mean long conveyor runs, tight turns, or moving product vertically between levels. You’re unlikely to find an off-the-shelf conveyor system that meets all your needs. 

PFI offers curved belt conveyors and elevating/vertical solutions to accommodate any floor plan.  Talk to us about your specific challenges early in a project to avoid bottlenecks and poor integrations.

close up image of sanitary conveyors in a plant producing pancakes.

INTEGRATION

Your conveyors need to integrate seamlessly with infeeds and outfeeds for all the otherequipment on your lineto ensure precise timing, spacing, placement, and alignment of products, and to prevent jams, bottlenecks, or spillage. We consider a variety of factors, including:

  • Equipment dimensions: height, width, discharge points
  • Production specs: volume, rate, application
  • Zone: product considerations and make-up, requirements

Food processors are also rapidly adopting increasingly automated systems. Conveyors play a central role in feeding and taking away products from automatic processing equipment and robotic systems. 

PFI designs conveyors to integrate directly into automated lines, with support for PLC-controlled coordination and line-wide communication. We can even build conveyors directly into automated systems at the design stage. 

FLEXIBILITY 

In today’s fast-moving food industry, processing lines must adapt quickly to recipe or product changes to keep up with shifting market demands, without requiring a major overhaul. If you anticipate changing product types or packaging formats, your conveyor can be built to accommodate this with quick-change belts, adjustable guides, and versatile frame designs.

SCALABILITY

Working closely with an experienced partner to plan your conveyor solution allows you to plan for increased production by building additional throughput capacity. For example, you may wish to install wider conveyor belts or faster-running conveyor systems than you currently need.

MATERIAL HANDLING

Conveyors do more than move materials from A to B—they may also need to accumulate, separate, or reorient items in transit. At PFI, conveyors are seen not just as equipment for transferring product between processing stages, but as a value-added part of the production process itself.

Depending on your operation’s needs, we can build equipment that manipulates foodstuffs in motion, eliminating the need for additional machines. These processing-in-motion customizations include:

  • Repositioning and aligning product
  • Screening, spreading, grading, and laning loose granular foods
  • Dewatering or shaking washed, dipped, or fried foods
  • Adding toppings or coatings 

Unlike standardized handling solutions, fully customized conveyors can incorporate diverting gates, servo-driven transfers, and other features to add, separate, or sort your product as needed.

3. PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

The physical properties of your product directly influence the design of your conveyors, limiting the usefulness of off-the-shelf models. Instead, belt type, frame material, and layout must all be carefully selected to maintain product quality and processing efficiency.

SIZE, SHAPE, AND FRAGILITY

Products that are irregular, lightweight, or delicate, like pastries or cut fruit, require gentle handling. Powders, grains, or mixed items like cereal, snacks, or pasta must be moved without crushing or separation. Sticky products such as doughs need non-stick surfaces and scrapers for smooth transfer.

Not sure which solution fits your product? PFI handles all types of food with specialized conveyor systems designed for your unique needs. We’ll help you decide what belt, bucket, horizontal motion, and vibratory design conveyors are best for your product and customize them to meet your specific application.

MOISTURE, OIL, OR SUGAR CONTENT

Sticky, wet, or oily products can cause buildup, slippage, or contamination if a conveyor isn’t properly specified for its task. PFI offers drip pans, food-safe belting materials, and sanitary finishes that resist sticking and are easy to clean. 

Our vibratory conveyors are particularly well-suited for handling washed, dipped, or oily foods, allowing them to be dewatered or drained in transit.  

4. THROUGHPUT DEMANDS

Throughput is one of the most important design variables in food processing. Your conveyor system must move the right amount of product at the right speed without compromising safety, efficiency, or product integrity.

VOLUME AND SPEED OPTIMIZATION

Throughput is determined by the combination of your conveyor’s volume (its width) and the speed at which your conveyor can work with other equipment on the line. Every conveyor has to balance maximum line speed with its carrying capacity to support safe, economic, and sustainable operations.

Any plant manager wants to increase throughput, but relying on a standard, off-the-shelf conveyor can limit options and cause excessive wear if not used as intended. This often leads to costly downtime for repairs or premature equipment replacement.

At PFI, we build balanced conveyors tailored to your specific volume, speed, conveyor width, product specs, and production goals. We collaborate with you to determine peak performance requirements and deliver a solution that operates efficiently at maximum capacity.

MANAGING LINE SPEED

Throughput is ultimately limited by the handling speed of upstream and downstream equipment. Your conveyor is the most flexible part of the process and should compensate for uneven or changing production rates between line components.

Many of our conveyors feature advanced variable frequency drives, allowing you to adjust line speed in real time. With flexible vibratory and horizontal motion conveyors, we design lines that can “absorb” faster production, so you don’t have to stop the entire line if there’s a slowdown downstream.

PRODUCT YIELD

Balanced production means your line is optimized to handle your product’s specific characteristics at peak speed, minimizing spills and product damage. This boosts efficiency, reduces downtime for cleanups, and helps maintain product quality and integrity. 

COST EFFICIENCIES AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Running your line safely at higher speeds increases efficiency across your operation. When that performance is sustained, it leads to a stronger return on investment. While customized conveyors may cost more upfront than off-the-shelf options, their ability to deliver higher throughput with less waste and downtime pays off in the long run.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

The conditions surrounding your conveyor are a key factor in the customization process. At PFI, we understand that conveyors often operate in less-than-ideal environments, and we engineer them to perform reliably despite those challenges.

TEMPERATURE EXTREMES

Chilled and frozen food facilities require equipment that can withstand cold environments without warping, seizing, or failing. On the other hand, bakeries and cooked food operations can expose conveyors to high heat and grease. PFI selects materials, finishes, and components that resist temperature-related wear and maintain performance over time.

HUMIDITY AND WASHDOWN CONDITIONS

Frequent washdowns demand corrosion-resistant materials and hygienic design. Our stainless steel components and tough food-safe belting are built to stand up to moisture, caustic cleaners, and high-pressure rinsing without degrading. 

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

With energy costs on the rise, efficiency matters more than ever. Our conveyor systems use energy-efficient drives that minimize power consumption without compromising performance. Designing your line layout from the ground up also improves overall efficiency, reducing total cost of ownership and supporting your sustainability goals.

TAILORED CONVEYORS FOR LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE

PFI Conveyors has more than 60 years’ experience designing, configuring, manufacturing, and supporting high-quality conveying equipment with our customers’ best interests at heart. Today, we remain the leading manufacturer of food-grade sanitary conveyor systems, trusted by some of the world’s biggest food brands.

At PFI, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the complexities of any food-handling challenge. That’s why all of our equipment is fully customized by our expert designers, engineers, and fabricators. We believe in delivering and supporting conveying systems that make it easier for you to achieve your production goals. 

Our customized, long-lasting solutions ensure you don’t have to adjust your operations to fit our systems. Instead, we start with proven standard designs and adapt them to meet the demands of your application, footprint, production goals, and long-term vision.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you solve your food conveying challenges with expertly tailored solutions, or click below to learn more about our range of sanitary food conveyors.

Explore Our Food Conveyors

PurMotion Loop from above

How Design Impacts Sanitary Conveyor Safety, Efficiency & Compliance

Written by Kimberly on .

In food processing, reliable cleaning protocols are non-negotiable. Every plant has them, and every sanitation team knows the drill. But even with the most experienced crew and best SOPs, cleaning effectiveness often hinges on something that’s less talked about: the design of the equipment itself.

When conveyors are hard to clean, everything suffers: food safety, shift timing, labor resources, and audit readiness. That’s why at PFI, we design sanitary conveyors that perform well on the line and can be cleaned quickly, thoroughly, and consistently.

WHY CLEANABILITY STARTS WITH DESIGN

Processors don’t struggle because they don’t know how to clean. They struggle when equipment design makes proper cleaning difficult, time-consuming, or inconsistent.

Flat surfaces, hollow tubing, difficult-to-remove guarding, and tight, inaccessible corners all create sanitation bottlenecks — and they’re more common than many OEMs care to admit. Even when protocols are followed to the letter, designs like these can undermine cleaning outcomes, turning sanitation into a time-consuming, risky process.

By contrast, conveyors designed with sanitation in mind reduce reliance on perfect human execution. They create repeatable, faster, and more effective outcomes — and that makes all the difference.

 WHAT GOOD SANITARY DESIGN LOOKS LIKE

The best cleaning outcomes for food processing lines are engineered upstream. At PFI, we’ve refined every detail to ensure that cleaning, validation, and maintenance are seamless, not a scramble. Examples include:

  • Open-frame designs improve visibility and access during washdowns
  • Sloped framework helps water drain completely, minimizing the risk of pooling and bacterial growth
  • Designs without hollow tubing and minimal flat surfaces, both of which are notorious harborage points
  • Tool-less maintenance where possible

Even elements like guarding and component access are reimagined. Instead of requiring tools or disassembly manuals, our conveyors feature tool-less belt lifts, flip-up guards, and quick-disconnect components — because sanitation windows are short and labor demands are high.

Where needed, we integrate clean-in-place (CIP) systems and belt scrapers to automate some of the most time-intensive parts of cleaning. It’s all designed to support your team — not slow them down.

TIME, LABOR, AND RISK: THE HIDDEN COST OF POOR DESIGN

Every extra minute spent cleaning is a minute lost to production. Multiply that across multiple shifts, machines, and changeovers, and the true cost becomes clear.

Hard-to-clean conveyors require more downtime, more labor, and more rework. Worse, they increase the chance of failed swab tests, missed residue, and food safety risks that aren’t always caught until it’s too late.

Compare that to a conveyor system that’s engineered for sanitation. Cleaning cycles are faster. Labor is reduced. Microbial validation becomes simpler. And because the design supports compliance, your food safety teams can work more confidently.

DESIGNED FOR VALIDATION AND AUDITS

It’s not just about how clean your equipment looks. It’s about how clean it tests. Swab testing is one of the biggest pressure points for food safety managers. When conveyors are hard to access or include hidden surfaces, it becomes more difficult to confirm cleanliness and more likely that issues will arise during audits.

PFI conveyors are built to make validation easier. With accessible product contact surfaces, polished welds, and minimal harborage points, sanitation crews can work faster — and swab testing becomes more consistent. We design to meet or exceed FSMA, USDA, and AMI guidelines across industries, including meat, dairy, produce, bakery, snacks, and pet food.

A LOOK AT CONVEYOR TYPES AND THEIR SANITARY FEATURES

Every conveyor style brings its own sanitation challenges. Our designs are tailored to meet them head-on.

Belt conveyors, for instance, often require disassembly to access rollers, frames, and underside areas. PFI belt systems are built with tool-less belt lifts, sloped support structures, and optional belt scrapers that reduce cleaning time without compromising access.

Vibratory conveyors (already one of the easiest systems to sanitize) are enhanced by PFI’s fully welded pans and open architecture. No belts, minimal moving parts, and optional pan-lift designs mean faster, more reliable sanitation.

Horizontal motion systems like our PURmotion conveyor are ideal for fragile or seasoned products, and we’ve engineered them with reduced complexity and open-frame access, making cleaning and inspection intuitive.

For bucket elevators, where chains, buckets, and vertical housings create additional cleaning demands, we’ve implemented quick-change buckets, stainless construction, and open access around high-contact zones.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR CONVEYOR SYSTEM

If cleaning feels like a constant battle, or if your swab tests are inconsistent despite a trained crew, your equipment may be part of the problem. At PFI, we design conveyors that are easier to clean, faster to validate, and built to support the standards your facility needs to uphold.

Talk to an engineer on our team to schedule a sanitary design consultation or explore how PFI equipment can strengthen your food safety performance.

Talk To An Engineer

PFI engineers collaborating to plan and assemble a sanitary conveyor

Integrating Sanitary Conveyors into Food Processing Lines

Written by Kimberly on .

When you invest in new conveying systems, the goal isn’t just to move product — it’s to move it smarter. Whether you’re scaling production, modernizing equipment, or improving food safety compliance, integrating sanitary conveyors into your existing food processing line is a critical step toward operational excellence.

But effective integration goes far beyond equipment specs. It’s about designing a solution that works in harmony with upstream and downstream machines, plant layouts, sanitation requirements, and automation controls. 

Here are 5 essential points you need to know to get it right.

1. INTEGRATION STARTS WITH APPLICATION, NOT EQUIPMENT

At PFI, we don’t just “sell conveyors.” We collaborate with you to engineer solutions based on your production goals, product characteristics, and plant constraints. Integration begins by understanding:

  • Product details: Is it raw, cooked, sticky, fragile, dusty, or prone to clumping?
  • Zone requirements: RTE (ready-to-eat), high-moisture, allergen-sensitive, etc.
  • Process needs: Are you accumulating, sorting, elevating, or blending product between steps?
  • Footprint limitations: Floor space, mezzanines, overhead clearances, and utility hookups

With this data, we can identify the right mix of conveyors — whether vibratory, horizontal motion, bucket elevators, or belts — and build a system that seamlessly connects each phase of your operation.

2. MECHANICAL FIT MATTERS. SO DOES FUNCTIONAL FLOW

Too often, conveyor integration is treated as an afterthought — resulting in production inefficiencies, cleaning issues, or complex changeovers. Here’s how we avoid that:

1. Match Equipment Geometry

  • Infeed/discharge heights, widths, angles, and directions must align with upstream and downstream machinery.
  • Transitions between conveyors or machines (e.g., from a fryer to a weigher) must preserve product integrity through tight alignment.

2. Maintain Sanitary Standards

  • Seamless transitions reduce the risk of food buildup or contamination points.
  • Our conveyors are built with open-frame, stainless steel designs, minimal moving parts, and tool-less disassembly — meeting USDA, FSMA, and AMI requirements.

3. Build for Clean-in-Place (CIP) or Quick Washdown

  • We offer flip-up guarding, belt lifts, CIP nozzles, and sloped frames to streamline sanitation and reduce downtime between runs.

3. AUTOMATION AND CONTROLS: A CRUCIAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

In modern food manufacturing, the conveyor system isn’t just mechanical — it’s digital. Properly integrated control systems improve:

  • Production timing (start/stop sequencing)
  • Flow balancing between processing and packaging
  • Real-time feedback (load cells, sensors, inspection triggers)
  • Safety and emergency stops across the line

Whether the controls package is developed by PFI or in coordination with our automation-focused sister company, SPI Automation, we work hand-in-hand with your team to ensure the entire system communicates clearly and operates smoothly.

Need more in-depth guidance on mechanical and controls integration?
Read How To Integrate Conveyors with Other Food Processing Equipment

4. PLANNING FOR FAST, LOW-DISRUPTION INSTALLATION

Delays and rework during installation can throw off timelines and budgets. That’s why we help customers prepare with:

  • Pre-install measurements and CAD coordination
  • Clear project timelines and milestones
  • Expert installation crews who know the nuances of sanitary systems
  • On-site commissioning to test controls and system functionality

When we integrate conveyors into your line, our focus is on rapid startup, minimal disruption, and maximum performance from day one. Learn more about planning and preparing for food conveyor installation here. 

5. WHY THE RIGHT PARTNER MAKES INTEGRATION EASIER

Some conveyor manufacturers simply build to spec. At PFI, we take a broader approach — acting as a strategic partner in both system design and installation. Here’s what sets us apart:

  • Cross-functional expertise — from mechanical layout to controls engineering
  • Real-world application experience — across bakery, meat, snack, dairy, produce, and pet food
  • Sister company collaboration — with SPI Automation, we can offer seamless integration of robotics, vision systems, and line controls when needed

We’re here to help you not only buy the right conveyors, but make them work the right way — with the equipment you already have.

LET’S BUILD IT RIGHT, FROM THE START

If you’re expanding your processing line or upgrading to more sanitary, efficient conveyors, integration shouldn’t be a hurdle. Let’s plan it together — with the expertise, tools, and support to deliver a fully integrated conveying system that’s built to last.

Talk to a PFI engineer today and get started on a tailored plan for your processing line.

Talk To An Engineer

Horizontal motion conveyor transporting product in a food manufacturing facility

Factors Affecting Lead Time for Food Conveyors

Written by Howard on .

In the food processing industry, equipment delays can disrupt production schedules, delay new product launches, and ultimately cut into your bottom line. That’s why lead time is so important.

At PFI, we understand how critical timing is. That’s why our sanitary food conveyors, especially our vibratory systems, are known for having faster lead times than many competitors. While every project is unique, we’ve fine-tuned our processes to move from concept to completion as efficiently as possible.

In this article, we’ll explore the key factors that impact conveyor lead times and how you, as the customer, can help ensure your project stays on track.

What Influences Lead Time for Conveyor Orders?

Several variables impact how quickly your food conveyor order can move through production. Here’s how PFI keeps things moving—and how our approach gives you a lead time advantage.

Standard vs. Custom Equipment

While each PFI conveyor is customized to your application, we start with proven, standardized machine designs. This hybrid approach—standardized design with custom touches—allows us to:

  • Use common and readily available components
  • Avoid unnecessary design rework
  • Deliver commonly ordered configurations faster than fully custom builds from scratch

Whether you need a belt, vibratory, horizontal motion, or inclined conveyor, our ability to start from a tested base model helps keep your project on a shorter timeline.

In-House Manufacturing Capabilities

PFI’s lead time advantage is supported by our powerful in-house manufacturing infrastructure. With multiple dedicated facilities—our flagship plant in Algona, Iowa, and more in the Grote Company Family of Brands network—we can build and assemble conveyors on tight deadlines.

Here’s what sets us apart:

  • In Algona: A large facility capable of running full system Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) before shipment. This saves time on installation and commissioning later.
  • Across the Grote Family: Six additional locations offer manufacturing capacity and panel building, robotic automation, and control systems via sister companies like SPI, eliminating third-party bottlenecks.
  • In-house machining: We manufacture conveyor pulleys, hydraulic cylinders, and other components ourselves, giving us full control over long-lead items.

Unlike competitors that rely on outsourcing, our vertically integrated approach ensures we’re not waiting in line for outside vendors to deliver critical parts.

Supply Chain Strength & Material Availability

PFI takes a proactive approach to material sourcing. We maintain strong relationships with multiple suppliers for key components and parts, reducing the risk of disruption if one vendor faces delays.

Our affiliation with the Grote Company Family of Brands gives us added leverage, allowing us to:

  • Secure preferred pricing and faster fulfillment
  • Tap into shared inventory resources
  • Keep essential materials in stock for quicker turnaround

This supply chain strategy helps us bypass many of the delays others encounter in today’s volatile materials market.

Engineering & Design Efficiency

Our engineering team is one of our biggest assets when it comes to minimizing lead time. With decades of experience across industries and applications, our engineers streamline the design and approval process through:

  • Standardized base designs that reduce full-custom build time
  • Preliminary 2D layouts before purchase order (PO) for quick customer alignment
  • Collaborative design reviews that minimize revisions and speed up approvals

The result? Less time spent in the planning phase and more time building your solution.

Production Scheduling & Capacity

Even the best designs fall short without the production bandwidth to back them up. At PFI, we manage scheduling with precision:

  • We set realistic lead time expectations based on project scope and your timeline.
  • If needed, we initiate parts orders early or shift production across locations to stay on schedule.
  • Weekly internal project reviews keep teams accountable and projects on track.

Plus, our dedicated vibratory and bucket elevator facility means we can produce these conveyor types faster than most competitors, making them a go-to choice when speed is essential.

Vibratory conveyor transporting product in a food manufacturing facility

What Customers Can Do to Ensure the Fastest Lead Times

While we do everything possible to move quickly, customers also play a crucial role in keeping projects on schedule. Here’s how you can help us help you:

Provide Clear Specifications Upfront

The more information you can share early—product type, throughput goals, layout drawings, environmental conditions, and integration requirements—the faster we can finalize your design and move forward.

Approve Drawings and Quotes Quickly

A common cause of extended lead times is slow approval cycles. When feedback is delayed, it pushes the entire schedule back. Quick approvals on layouts, quotes, and revisions are one of the simplest ways to accelerate your project.

Plan for Installation Timing

Be sure your facility is ready when the equipment arrives. Delays in electrical, mechanical setup, or site prep can negate the benefit of fast manufacturing. Let’s coordinate ahead of time to ensure a smooth handoff.

Order Early When Possible

While PFI delivers faster than many in the industry, early planning still gives you the greatest flexibility, especially toward the end of the year when project volumes increase. Starting early also allows more time for collaborative design, testing, and installation without compromising deadlines.

Get Your Food Conveyor Faster with PFI

Lead time can make or break a production schedule, and at PFI, we take that seriously. Our standardized design approach, in-house manufacturing capabilities, supply chain strength, and design efficiency all work together to deliver conveyors faster than the competition.

No matter which conveyor type you need or when you need it, we’re ready to meet your timeline with dependable, sanitary solutions. Contact us today to get your project started with industry-leading lead times!

Contact Us

Snack food being transported on a horizontal motion conveyor

How Horizontal Motion Conveyors Improve Food Safety

Written by Kimberly on .

Selecting the right conveyor is critical for food processors to ensure food safety. The horizontal motion conveyor, one of the newer food conveyor technologies, stands out for its ability to reduce product breakage and buildup, two common sources of contamination and waste in food processing. In this blog, we’ll dive into how horizontal motion conveyors contribute to a safer and cleaner food production environment.

MINIMIZING PRODUCT BREAKAGE FOR SAFER FOOD PROCESSING

THE PROBLEM: HOW PRODUCT DEGRADATION AFFECTS FOOD SAFETY

In food processing, fragile products like chips, cookies, seasoned snacks, pet food, and more are at risk of fine loss and breakage during conveyance. For meat and other raw products, residue and temperature control are vital for efficient and safe transferring. This degradation isn’t just a quality concern—it also presents serious food safety risks:

  • Increased contamination risks – Residue can accumulate in crevices and hard-to-clean areas, providing a breeding ground for bacteria.
  • Cross-contamination – In multi-product lines, particles can mix with other products, leading to allergen cross-contact.
  • Unsafe temperatures – Product breakage can expose more surface area to ambient conditions, increasing the risk of temperature fluctuations. If food reaches unsafe temperatures, it can promote bacterial growth and compromise food safety, especially for ready-to-eat and fresh products.

THE SOLUTION: GENTLE, GLIDING MOTION

Unlike vibratory conveyors, which use vertical motion that can lift and toss products, the PURmotion horizontal motion conveyor moves food in a smooth, gliding motion. This eliminates the aggressive impact that can break delicate foods or remove seasoning and fines.

Key benefits of this gentle movement:
✔ Maintains product integrity – Chips stay whole, seasonings stay on, and fragile items remain intact.
✔ Reduces contamination risks – Less breakage means fewer fine particles that can get trapped in conveyor surfaces and components.
✔ Consistent product quality – Every package contains the same quality product, reducing waste and rework.
✔ Improved yield – Less waste equals more production and higher profits.

REDUCING PRODUCT BUILDUP TO MINIMIZE CONTAMINATION RISKS

THE PROBLEM: BUILDUP CREATES SANITATION CHALLENGES

Food residue, broken pieces, and seasoning buildup on conveyor surfaces increase the risk of microbial growth and contamination. Common issues include:

  • Bacteria harborage points – Accumulated food particles provide an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.
  • Difficult sanitation processes – Buildup in conveyor crevices and underbelts makes cleaning more time-consuming.
  • Increased risk of cross-contamination – Residue from one product can contaminate the next batch, which is especially problematic for allergen-sensitive foods.

THE SOLUTION: EASY-TO-CLEAN, SANITARY DESIGN

Our horizontal motion conveyors are engineered to reduce food buildup by design:

✔ Minimal contact points – The smooth, flat conveyor pan prevents food from getting trapped in moving parts.
✔ No belts or chains – Unlike belt conveyors, horizontal motion conveyors eliminate hard-to-clean areas under belts.
✔ Toolless disassembly – Quick-release components allow for fast cleaning and swab testing and eliminate opportunities to introduce bacteria from tools or the damage they cause.
✔ Open-frame construction – Ensures full washdown capability with no hidden crevices for bacteria to grow.

With these features, sanitation teams can clean the conveyor faster and more thoroughly, reducing downtime while ensuring food safety compliance.

Walnuts being transported on a horizontal motion conveyor

ADDITIONAL FOOD SAFETY BENEFITS OF HORIZONTAL MOTION CONVEYORS

IMPROVED ALLERGEN CONTROL

By minimizing fines and residue buildup, horizontal motion conveyors help prevent cross-contact between allergen and non-allergen products. This is especially critical in bakeries, snack production, and pet food manufacturing, where multiple product variations are produced on the same line.

ENHANCED SANITATION COMPLIANCE

Our horizontal motion conveyors are designed to meet and exceed FSMA, FDA, and AMI sanitary standards. Their stainless steel construction, no hollow tubing, and fully weld-sealed frames ensure food processors can maintain the highest levels of hygiene.

REDUCED DOWNTIME & MAINTENANCE COSTS

Since horizontal motion conveyors minimize contamination risks and are easier to clean, they contribute to less frequent deep cleans and shorter sanitation cycles. This translates to:

  • More production uptime
  • Lower labor costs for cleaning
  • Extended equipment lifespan

IMPROVE YOUR FOOD SAFETY WITH A HORIZONTAL MOTION CONVEYOR

Choosing the right conveyor can have a significant impact on food safety. Our PURmotion horizontal motion conveyor is designed to preserve product integrity, minimize food buildup, and simplify sanitation, making it an ideal choice for food processors focused on safety, quality, and efficiency. Click the link below to learn more about how horizontal motion conveyors can improve your food safety standards.

Explore Our Horizontal Motion Conveyors

A PFI technician at work on a sanitary conveyor installation.

How to Plan & Prepare for a Food Conveyor Installation

Written by Kimberly on .

Are you a food manufacturer planning to install a sanitary conveyor as part of a line addition, plant expansion, or new build? This is a valuable opportunity to optimize your product transfer process from the start.

Taking the time upfront to plan properly can lead to a smoother startup, more uptime, better safety, fewer compliance issues, and a stronger return on your investment.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the key steps to ensure a successful sanitary conveyor installation. Read on for expert insights to help you get the most from your new system.

PLANNING THE IDEAL SANITARY CONVEYOR INSTALLATION

Conveyor installation is usually the final step when adding food processing capacity, but that does not mean it should be an afterthought. Skimping on planning now can mean painful compromises on throughput, capacity, and efficiency, and expensive overhauls later. 

Food plant construction is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and coordination of many overlapping functions. The usual stages for a new build or major upgrade project are as follows:

Typical Stages When Adding  Food Processing Capacity
1. Construction: Major facility building or renovation work 
2. Mechanical: Installation of critical mechanical support infrastructure
3. Utilities: Including electrical, plumbing, air, hydraulics, fire suppression, etc.
4. Processing: Installation of critical OEM application equipment
5. Conveyance: Installation and integration of product transfer systems. 

While conveyance specialists are usually last to the party when it comes to site and infrastructure access, your conveyor provider and installation team must be involved in your planning process from the start. 

Early and ongoing communication will ensure a smooth and effective installation process. It’s also important that your provider has access to detailed layout drawings for the project so equipment can be manufactured to the right specifications. Leading providers like PFI also prefer to schedule on-site assessments ahead of installation.

Work closely with the project lead or general contractor to ensure the conveyor installation team’s requirements are defined, verified, and prepared before they arrive on site.

CHOOSING YOUR INSTALLATION SUPPLIER

Selecting a qualified installation team is critical to getting the best performance from your conveyor system. While third-party installers are an option, partnering with your OEM offers key advantages:

  • Expertise: OEMs understand their equipment better than anyone, handling installation with precision and adapting systems to fit your facility.
  • Fewer Suppliers: Using the OEM’s services streamlines coordination, reducing scheduling headaches and potential miscommunication.
  • Direct Support: With an OEM, you have direct access to the engineers who designed your system, making troubleshooting and long-term support more seamless.
  • Specialized Skills: OEM teams bring the installation experience and technical knowledge that general contractors may lack, leading to a smoother, more reliable setup.

PFI goes a step further with its FAT testing facility in Algona, Iowa, where we can run your system at scale before installation. This allows us to catch and resolve potential issues early, minimizing downtime and keeping your project on track.

 

KEY STEPS TO PREPARE FOR CONVEYOR INSTALLATION

Typically, there are three stages to the process of preparing your facility for conveyor installation: site preparation, infrastructure readiness, and project communication and coordination.

1. Site Preparation: Setting the Stage for Success

Before food processing conveyor installation can begin, your workspace needs to be clean, organized, and free of obstructions. A well-prepared site reduces installation delays and helps maintain safety and hygiene requirements. The following checklist includes three critical aspects: access, space requirements, and sanitary compliance.

Site Preparation Checklist
Access 

  • All construction needs to be completed before install, and tools and materials removed 
  • Doorways and access points need to be large enough to admit equipment
  • Pathways should be clear to allow easy transport of conveyor components
Space

  • Verify that the facility has adequate space for the new equipment 
  • Doorways, entry points, and installation zones must accommodate conveyor dimensions, with enough clearance for assembly and maintenance
  • If adjustments to layout or structural elements are needed, make sure these are addressed before delivery
Sanitary Compliance

  • Ensure your conveyor fits within your facility’s existing sanitation infrastructure, including washdown stations and designated cleaning areas
  • Choose conveyor equipment that is easy to clean with minimal contamination risk, such as PFI’s systems designed specifically for ready-to-eat (RTE) applications

2. Infrastructure Readiness: Avoiding Last-Minute Surprises

Conveyor installations usually take 2-5 days to complete, but having the necessary support systems will keep the work on track. Make sure your conveyor installation team has all infrastructure requirements established before work begins. This includes structural readiness, drainage and hygiene considerations and access to the necessary utilities.

Infrastructure Readiness Checklist
Structural Readiness

  • Your facility’s flooring must support the conveyor’s weight
  • Your facility must be able to withstand the operational stress of supporting conveyors, especially in a high-moisture or washdown environment
  • If your floor requires reinforcement or modifications, address these early to prevent installation delays
Drainage & Hygiene

  • Check that sloped floors, floor drains, and waterproofing measures necessary for maintaining sanitary conditions are ready ahead of installation
  • Make sure these elements align with conveyor placement for easy cleaning and maintenance
Utilities

  • Make sure all utility connections are set up before the conveyor equipment arrives
  • Verify that electrical supply, voltage, and grounding meet your conveying equipment’s specifications
  • Confirm that air, water, or hydraulic connections are installed and accessible (if required)

3. Coordination & Communication: Keeping Everyone Aligned

Smooth installation depends on clear communication between all stakeholders from the start of the project. Failure to coordinate activities can lead to project delays or, in some cases, to work having to be done over. And, agreement on layout plans means all stakeholders are on the same page.

Coordination & Communication Checklist
Scheduling

  • Ensure your general contractor, facility manager, and conveyor installation team coordinate schedules to avoid conflicts
  • Define responsibilities clearly and provide regular updates to prevent miscommunication and unexpected delays
Layout  Drawings

  • Ensure drawings are validated by both your facility manager, the conveyor manufacturer, and the installation team to conform measurements, clearance, and integration with existing systems
  • Be sure to finalize details before installation begins to prevent costly last-minute modifications
Timelines

  • Establishing an agreed timeline to help keep the project on track
  • Build in buffer time so that troubleshooting and testing won’t disrupt production

INSTALLATION DAY: WHAT TO EXPECT & HOW TO PREPARE

Before the installation team arrives, perform a final check of all equipment specifications. Confirm that conveyor components match your order, that your utilities are ready, and that your site is fully prepared. The more thorough your pre-installation checks, the smoother your installation process will run.

Qualified equipment providers like PFI will always follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) -compliant installation procedures. This is a list of industry-recognized best practices for effective equipment installation. 

GMP includes proper documentation, validation procedures, and operational testing to verify the system functions as intended. It also mandates that performance and operational qualifications (PQ and OQ) be completed to check the reliability of your conveyor before full production begins. 

The following table summarizes GMP procedures for sanitary conveying equipment installations.

Key Aspects of GMP Compliant Sanitary Conveyor Equipment Installation
Design considerations

  • Equipment should not negatively impact product quality 
  • Design features should facilitate easy cleaning and sanitation
  • Materials should be chosen to minimize contamination risks 

Installation process

  • Detailed installation procedures should be established and
    followed consistently
  • Thorough cleaning and validation of the installation area
    before equipment placement
  • Proper grounding and electrical connections 

Documentation and records

  • Complete documentation of all installation steps, including
    equipment specifications, serial numbers, and installation dates.
  • Records of calibration and qualification procedures 

Validation procedures

  • Performance qualification (PQ) to verify the equipment functions
    as intended and meets required specifications 
  • Operational qualification (OQ) to confirm proper operation under
    normal operating conditions 

Training and competency

  • Personnel involved in installation should be adequately trained
    in GMP guidelines and the specific equipment operation

Designing, building, and installing sanitary conveyor systems is complex, and unexpected issues may arise with even the best planning. Some common installation challenges include misaligned layouts, unexpected space constraints, and scheduling conflicts with other teams. 

Reviewing your plans early, keeping communication open, and assigning specific responsibilities to key personnel can help avoid these problems. Paying attention to small details ahead of time prevents unexpected factors from becoming major disruptions on installation day.

POST-INSTALLATION BEST PRACTICES: LONG-TERM EFFICIENCY

Most premium-quality conveyor systems are highly customized pieces of equipment. Users rely on equipment providers like PFI to provide both in-person installation services as well as post-installation testing, commissioning, and production startup.

Start-up support helps you make a successful transition to full operation, and having the same installation team on-site during initial production runs allows them to troubleshoot problems on the spot. They can help you ensure your conveyor is operating at peak efficiency before being fully integrated into daily operations.

That said, any investment in new technology is only going to be as good as your operators. Your team should receive hands-on training to properly use, clean, and maintain your new equipment. Reputable providers also supply manuals, training materials, and ongoing support to help prevent the misuse of your conveyor system and extend your equipment’s lifespan.

You can protect your investment by developing and following a strict preventative maintenance plan. Regular inspections, lubrication, and calibrations scheduled according to the manufacturer’s recommendations limit wear and tear and may help you spot problems earlier. 

PFI: YOUR END-TO-END INSTALLATION PARTNER

PFI Conveyors is a leading provider of innovative sanitary food conveyor systems. We offer more than 70 years’ experience in building safe, efficient, and hygienic equipment that many of the world’s top food brands rely on every day.

We create highly customized food industry conveyor systems tailored to your specifications and unique production and hygiene needs. And, we stand by every conveyor we make with comprehensive installation support. 

We offer:

  • Expert pre-installation on-site inspections
  • Installation by our own highly experienced technicians
  • Testing, start-up, and troubleshooting services
  • Fully GMP-compliant implementations
  • Training, technical support, and parts

Looking to expand or upgrade your sanitary conveyor capacity? Ready to work with an industry-trusted supplier that stands with you every step of the way? Choose PFI — the most trusted name in food industry conveyor installation.
Contact Us

A metallic scoop full of high-quality, multi-colored cat food.

Avoid Pet Food Manufacturing Downtime with Efficient Cleaning

Written by Kimberly on .

Efficient cleaning is critical for safety and productivity in pet food manufacturing. Proper sanitation prevents contamination and ensures compliance with strict regulatory standards. However, the process often results in downtime that can disrupt production schedules and affect profitability.

PFI designs conveyance equipment to reduce cleaning time without compromising thoroughness. Our solutions help manufacturers maintain uptime, meet regulatory requirements, and protect pet health. 

Read on to learn more about how to avoid pet food manufacturing downtime due to cleaning.

THE DUAL CHALLENGE OF CLEANING IN PET FOOD MANUFACTURING 

Cleaning in pet food manufacturing revolves around two main challenges: achieving high sanitation standards to ensure product safety while maintaining production efficiency. These competing priorities form the foundation of every cleaning decision. However, additional factors—such as equipment design, downtime, and sustainability—intensify the difficulty of balancing these two goals.

Equipment Design Challenges

Equipment design often complicates the process further. Older or poorly designed equipment slows cleaning because it has hard-to-reach areas, too many moving parts, or requires disassembly. 

These inefficiencies increase cleaning time and the likelihood of contamination. To ensure safety, every surface must be completely clean and validated when manufacturing wet or dry pet food.

Sustainability Adds Complexity

Sustainability goals make cleaning even more complex. Many companies aim to reduce water and energy use while responsibly managing chemical cleaning agents. Balancing these priorities with efficient cleaning processes (and proper equipment) can be difficult.

The High Cost of Downtime

Downtime during cleaning directly impacts production schedules and profitability. Even losing 10 minutes per shift, twice a day, five days a week, adds up to 100 minutes of lost production weekly. Over time, these small delays add up. 

Large-scale operations can lose thousands of dollars per hour during downtime, highlighting the importance of streamlined cleaning.

Striking the Right Balance

You might be wondering how to increase pet food conveyance cleaning efficiency. Manufacturers must find a way to balance these competing demands. Thorough cleaning is essential—however, it cannot come at the expense of production efficiency. 

Equipment designed for fast cleaning and easy access is critical to solving this dual challenge while protecting safety, compliance, and profitability.

PFI’S CONVEYANCE EQUIPMENT: BUILT FOR QUICK & THOROUGH CLEANING 

PFI manufactures the best pet food conveyance equipment for efficient cleaning. Our solutions address cleaning challenges by eliminating hard-to-reach areas, reducing the number of moving parts, and simplifying disassembly. This allows manufacturers to clean quickly and maintain production efficiency without sacrificing thoroughness.

Design Features

PFI’s equipment is designed with features that prioritize speed, simplicity, and efficiency in the cleaning process.

  • Tool-Free Disassembly: Components can be removed quickly without specialized tools, reducing cleaning time and making reassembly straightforward.
  • Fewer Moving Parts: Simplified designs minimize areas where contaminants can collect, speeding up both cleaning and validation.
  • Accessibility: Open-frame designs allow easier access to every surface, ensuring all parts are properly cleaned and inspected.

Our focus on accessibility and user-friendly maintenance helps manufacturers meet strict cleaning standards and save time.

Advanced Sanitation Features

PFI prioritizes sanitation in every aspect of our equipment design. Our systems adhere to AAMP (American Association of Meat Processors) standards and avoid materials like painted or mild steel, which can harbor contaminants. Each element is built to support thorough cleaning, reduce contamination risks, and simplify maintenance:

  • Smooth Surfaces and Washdown Compatibility: Stainless steel construction and smooth finishes prevent residue buildup and make cleaning faster and more effective.
  • Efficiency-Boosting Features: Optional Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems and belt scrapers reduce manual cleaning time. Tool-free disassembly and fewer moving parts also save several minutes per shift compared to competing equipment. These small time savings add up over weeks and months, improving overall production efficiency.
  • Ultra-Sanitary Designs: Vibratory and horizontal motion machines include wipe-down pans and ready-to-eat (RTE) designs. These features ensure maximum accessibility and help manufacturers maintain strict hygiene standards.

PFI’s sanitation-focused approach reduces cleaning time, lowers contamination risks, ensures compliance, and boosts profitability.

Equipment-Specific Design Features

During pet food processing, the product passes through a vibratory feeder.

Each type of PFI conveyance system is tailored to meet specific sanitation needs:

  • Horizontal Motion Conveyors: Wipe-down pans with angled sides eliminate water pooling. Open-frame designs provide full accessibility, while IP69k components support easy washdowns.
  • Belt Conveyors: The Eleveyor incline belt conveyor features flip-down guards and belt lifts for tool-free sanitation. The Curveyor’s open frame and quick belt changeouts simplify maintenance.
  • Vibratory Conveyors: Models like the VFII and Magneflex have no moving parts and feature angled pans to prevent water accumulation.
  • Screw Conveyors: Solid stainless steel construction and smooth welds minimize crevices, making these systems highly efficient to clean.
  • Bulk Handling Systems: Ready-to-Eat (RTE) dumper designs with stainless steel hydraulic cylinders meet the highest hygiene standards.

Upgrading to these innovative solutions enables pet food manufacturers to maintain compliance and efficiency, regardless of their production setup.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR OPTIMIZING THE CLEANING PROCESS 

Effective cleaning practices are essential for maintaining safety, meeting regulations, and minimizing downtime. Manufacturers can streamline sanitation while ensuring thoroughness and compliance by following these tips: 

  • Create a Cleaning Schedule: Consistency is key. A detailed cleaning schedule helps prevent residue buildup and ensures all equipment remains hygienic between production runs.
  • Validate Cleaning Thoroughness: After cleaning, validate that all surfaces are free of contaminants. Whether equipment is cleaned in place or moved to a sanitation area, thorough validation protects against safety risks.
  • Use Appropriate Cleaning Methods: Select the right cleaning agents for your equipment, whether water-based, chemical, or dry. Always rinse thoroughly and swab multiple areas to confirm cleanliness.
  • Inspect Hard-to-Reach Areas: Regularly check for buildup in hard-to-clean spots. These areas may require extra attention to ensure they don’t become contamination risks.
  • Train Staff on Best Practices: Proper training is essential for maintaining cleaning standards. Teach staff how to clean effectively and explain why thorough sanitation is critical for safety and compliance.

Implementing these practices helps manufacturers achieve better results while keeping cleaning efficient and effective.

PFI – YOUR PARTNER IN PET FOOD CONVEYANCE 

Efficient cleaning is vital for maintaining food safety, meeting regulatory requirements, and keeping production on schedule. Downtime, contamination risks, and inefficient processes can hurt profitability and reputation, making the right equipment critical.

PFI’s equipment designs address these challenges with advanced sanitation features and user-friendly systems that simplify cleaning and maximize uptime. We help pet food manufacturers achieve high sanitation standards, comply with strict regulations, and optimize production efficiency. 

Click below to explore our equipment and learn how we can support your cleaning and production goals.

View Our Pet Food Conveyance Solutions

Screw Conveyor

Prioritizing Sanitary Conveyance in Pet Food Manufacturing

Written by Kimberly on .

The pet food industry is trending towards healthier and more natural options. Pet owners increasingly opt for foods that prioritize quality ingredients and nutritional value for their pets. This change is driving higher demand for increased sanitation and food safety.

However, older equipment often fails to meet these stricter requirements. As a result, many manufacturers struggle with maintaining the necessary hygiene levels and efficiency in their production lines. This can lead to devastating consequences and damage to a brand’s reputation.

Read on to learn more about maximizing sanitation in pet food conveyance.

INCREASING SANITATION STANDARDS IN MODERN PET FOOD PRODUCTION

Pet food manufacturers must maintain strict sanitation standards throughout their conveyor systems to protect pet health and safety. The industry’s move to higher quality products, including fresh food and baked treats, has dictated new benchmarks for equipment cleanliness and maintenance. 

Conveyor systems play a critical role in maintaining these sanitation standards, from ingredient handling through packaging. Proper cleaning between production runs helps prevent cross-contamination and ensures consistent product quality. This level of control requires equipment specifically designed to support thorough sanitization while maintaining efficient operations.

RAW PET FOOD BRINGS NEW CHALLENGES

The explosive growth in raw and fresh pet food brings unprecedented sanitation challenges to manufacturers. For example, dry kibble often utilizes ‘kill steps’ like baking or extrusion. These high-temperature processes eliminate bacteria and create a safety barrier. Stricter sanitation is necessary for fresh food due to the absence of these bacterial elimination stages.

The constant presence of moisture creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth, fundamentally changing sanitation protocols. Production lines need the ability to handle raw ingredients with surgical precision, as any contamination can quickly spread throughout the entire system. This reality demands more frequent cleaning cycles and thorough validation between production runs.

These challenges extend beyond basic sanitation. Manufacturers must implement comprehensive monitoring systems with multiple checkpoints throughout the production process. Real-time contamination detection becomes essential, as does the ability to quickly isolate and address any issues before they impact product safety.

PFI’S PROVEN CLEAN-BY-DESIGN SOLUTIONS

At PFI, clean design isn’t just a feature – it’s fundamental to every system we build. We bring decades of proven sanitary design principles from meat processing to the pet food industry. Our conveyance solutions blend advanced engineering with practical cleanability.

Our default design follows Ready-to-Eat (RTE) design standards. These rigorous criteria now set the benchmark across the pet food industry. Manufacturers are increasingly adopting this plant-wide to ensure consistent food safety and standardization.

Frame Design That Fights Contamination 

Open-frame architecture is crucial for raw pet food production, where moisture challenges require superior drainage and airflow. Traditional systems use hollow tubing and horizontal surfaces where bacteria can grow. 

Our design eliminates these risks by removing enclosed spots and contact surfaces. These sanitary features of our pet food conveyance equipment help to ensure proper cleaning in high-moisture environments. This standardized approach saves time and money through faster cleaning and inspection

The system eliminates traditional cleaning obstacles. Every surface is accessible, visible, and cleanable – no tools are required. It delivers:

  • Complete visual inspection from any angle
  • Superior airflow for faster drying times
  • Streamlined maintenance access
  • Reduced cleaning time and labor costs

Purpose-Built Conveyor Solutions 

Different products require unique handling solutions, especially in the evolving pet food industry. To address these needs, we provide a range of specialized conveyor systems, including conveyor belts, horizontal motion conveyors, and dumpers. Recently, we’ve expanded our offerings to include advanced augers and vibratory conveyors—innovative solutions designed to meet the shifting demands of pet food manufacturing.

Auger Systems

  • Moves raw product quickly to prevent bacterial growth
  • Built-in metal detection capabilities
  • Optimal for high-volume transfers to processing
  • Temperature-controlled product movement
  • Sanitary welds and smooth surfaces throughout

Vibratory Solutions

  • Gentle product handling to maintain quality of fragile products like dog treats
  • Minimal moving parts for maximum cleanability
  • Self-draining surfaces to prevent moisture accumulation
  • Easy-access design for thorough sanitization

How to Improve Sanitation in Pet Food Conveyance 

Sanitary design in pet food conveyance equipment

Our systems go beyond basic cleanability with optional and standard features that help manufacturers meet evolving sanitation demands:

Belt scraper—Cleans the residue off the belt so it doesn’t get stuck over long periods, where it could begin to grow contaminants. It also helps eliminate waste and improve uptime.

Spray bars/CIP systems—Washes the machine while in operation, eliminates residue (repeat of above), and reduces downtime for sanitation since it’s consistently cleaner.

Open frame design—Eliminates hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas where bacteria can grow over time, making cleaning and validation faster and easier.

RTE design standards—Started as the meat industry standard and was then adopted by many other industries. There’s been a shift in bakery, snacks, pet food, and other industries, with all equipment being moved to this standard throughout the processing plant. 

This is primarily due to food safety risks and the desire for standardized equipment.

Each feature of our equipment is designed with one goal: keeping your production lines cleaner, longer, and with less effort. This means you spend less time cleaning and more time producing.

SETTING THE STANDARD IN SANITARY PET FOOD CONVEYANCE

At PFI, we manufacture the best sanitary pet food conveyance equipment. Over the decades, we’ve transformed pet food conveyance by integrating sanitary design into every weld, surface, and component we manufacture. 

Our engineering team has solved complex conveyance challenges across the pet food industry. We’ve helped manufacturers pivot to fresh food production, scale traditional kibble operations, and launch fresh food lines – all while maintaining the highest sanitary standards.  

Pet food manufacturers across North America trust PFI for fast lead times, a versatile product mix, and comprehensive support. Elevate your production process with purpose-built conveyance systems that maximize sanitation, protect your brand reputation, and improve operational efficiency. Click below to learn how we can transform your pet food manufacturing.

View Our Pet Food Conveyance Solutions

Pet food

Standardization vs. Flexibility: Pet Food Conveyance Equipment

Written by Kimberly on .

In the competitive world of pet food manufacturing, choosing the right conveyance equipment is crucial for maintaining efficiency, ensuring product quality, and adapting to evolving consumer demands. Two key approaches to this decision—standardization and flexibility—offer distinct advantages and challenges. 

Read on to learn more about standardization vs. flexibility in pet food conveyance.

THE CASE FOR STANDARDIZING PET FOOD CONVEYANCE EQUIPMENT

Standardizing conveyance equipment across multiple facilities can transform operations in several ways. By adopting consistent equipment, manufacturers can reap numerous benefits:

  • Streamlined Operations: Consistent equipment across facilities simplifies production, allowing teams to produce the same product with predictable outcomes shift after shift. This consistency enhances efficiency and minimizes operational hiccups.
  • Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Savings: Using the same equipment means maintenance teams only need to master one system and stock fewer spare parts. This reduces complexity, saves costs, and ensures faster repairs when issues arise.
  • Cost Efficiency: Bulk purchasing of standardized equipment often leads to cost savings, while uniform processes reduce training time for operators and maintenance staff.
  • Product Quality: Standardized conveyance systems help maintain consistent handling processes, ensuring uniform quality, especially for high-volume products like dry kibble.

LEVERAGING PRODUCTION FLEXIBILITY

Pet food conveyance equipment

Determining whether to prioritize standardization or flexibility—and to what degree—depends on several factors:

  • Production Scale: Standardization is often the most efficient choice for high-volume, stable product lines like dry kibble. These products benefit from consistent processes and economies of scale.
  • Product Variety: Flexibility is key for niche or emerging products. Testing new products with adaptable equipment or through co-manufacturers minimizes risk while gauging market demand.
  • Market Goals: Manufacturers with a broad portfolio or ambitions to innovate should prioritize a process design that emphasizes flexibility so they can remain agile and competitive. Those focused on flagship products can leverage standardization to maximize efficiency.

If the production line includes equipment with multiple capabilities and scaling capacities, the company can remain flexible while standardizing equipment. For example, vibratory conveyors can be utilized to convey kibble, but if needs change, they could also be used for screening and laning applications with a pan changeout. 

Regardless of the equipment included in the facilities, committing to standardized systems requires upfront planning and a long-term commitment to specific product lines. If market demands change, retooling or replacing equipment or implementing a new line can be costly and time-consuming. In an industry experiencing extreme growth (like pet food), it’s important to consider an overall process design that allows for future developments.

STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE

In recent years, the pet food industry has seen significant demand for new formats and specialized products, such as raw food, freeze-dried treats, boutique baked treats, and customized diets tailored to specific health needs. This growing diversity in product offerings highlights the need for manufacturers to carefully evaluate how equipment characteristics align with each product type’s unique requirements. 

The decision between standardization and flexibility is not binary. Instead, a balanced approach—standardizing core systems for high-volume products while maintaining flexibility for niche or innovative offerings—often yields the best results.

Product/Market Characteristics Recommended Equipment Strategy Benefits 
High-Volume, Established Products – Dry Kibble and Feed Standardized conveyance systems across multiple lines and facilities. Systems include a range of solutions, including belt, vibratory, horizontal motion conveyors, and bulk handling equipment.    Standardized systems improve efficiency, product consistency, and reduce the total cost of ownership. 
Novelty, Small Batch Products – Baked Pet Treats Gentle handling from equipment like vibratory and horizontal motion conveyors. Equipment is configured to lower production rates and implemented in secondary/test areas or with co-manufacturers. Gentle transferring maintains product integrity and minimizes damage and waste. 
Up-and-Coming Products – Frozen & Raw Pet Food Sanitary equipment, including screw augers, RTE dumpers, vibratory and horizontal motion conveyors. Equipment is designed to scale up as demand continues to grow.  Sanitary designs with open frames, maximum accessibility, minimal moving parts and toolless maintenance improve sanitation, validation, and food safety. 

OPTIMIZE YOUR PET FOOD PRODUCTION LINE WITH PFI CONVEYORS

At PFI, we specialize in providing pet food conveyance solutions that meet the unique needs of manufacturers. Whether you’re looking to streamline operations with belt and vibratory conveyors or implement flexible systems with bulk handling and value-added applications,  we’re here to help.

By understanding your production goals, product portfolio, and market demands, PFI can help you design the perfect conveyance strategy to keep your operations efficient, innovative, and competitive.

View Our Pet Food Conveyance Solutions

Sanitary conveying, delivered.™

Contact us

300 Kofab Drive
Algona, IA 50511


515.295.7265


sales@pficonveyors.com

Quicklinks

Contact Us

© 2024 PFI. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions