Tong Engineering Ltd
Ashby Road, Spilsby,
Lincolnshire PE23 5DW
Tel: 0044(0) 1790 752771
Fax: 0044(0) 1790 753611
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VEGETABLE PACKERS 'GOING STAINLESS'
Stainless steel is catching on fast among packers of fresh produce, according to
Tong Engineering, one of the leading manufacturers of vegetable handling
machinery.
The Lincolnshire-based company has seen orders for stainless steel equipment
increase significantly and currently account for 50 per cent of production,
reflecting the increasing importance attached to hygiene in the food industry.
Tong Engineering is currently working to capacity to supply orders from the UK
and overseas for a wide range of customers, intending to use the stainless steel
equipment for handling, washing, grading and packing crops from potatoes and
carrots to swedes, vining peas, cooked red beet and celeriac.
"Both packers and their supermarket customers are looking to new standards of
hygiene, particularly when dealing with oven-ready produce," says
Charles Tong, managing director of Tong Engineering. "There’s no comparison
between stainless steel and conventional mild steel.
"Stainless steel retains its clean finish and hygienic appearance while mild steel
has to be constantly cleaned and often re-furbished. There’s much greater
longevity with stainless steel products and we’ve one customer still using his
stainless steel equipment purchased 20 years ago."
A reduction in the extra cost of stainless steel has helped encourage packers
to make the change. A few years ago such products were up to 75 per cent
more expensive, but as a result of cheaper raw materials and advances in
welding and finishing technology the premium is now only around one third.
Mr Tong first saw an increase in stainless steel equipment for export customers.
"The UK was one of the first countries where supermarkets set superior
standards for the presentation of fresh produce in store, and so many of our
vegetable packers have evolved to these high standards over a number of years.
"In other countries where this trend began later new packing plants have been
developed and many have opted for stainless steel from the start."
Stainless steel was discovered in Sheffield early in the last century and is a chromium alloy steel, typically containing 18 per cent of chrome and 8 per cent of nickel. It is almost immune from corrosion, acids and detergents.
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