WITH food and beverage manufacturers facing razor-thin margins, stricter food safety regulations and growing pressure to reduce water, chemical and product waste, precision spray technology is helping processors in food, beverage, and dairy sectors boost efficiency, ensure compliance and achieve sustainability goals.
In processing plants, where spray technology is used for everything from applying uniform coatings to snacks to sanitising dairy tanks, even minor inefficiencies can result in unnecessary water, chemical and coating waste, driving up operating costs and impacting the bottom line.
Precision in food processing
Consistency is key in food processing with operations depending on spray technology for applications ranging from coating and spray drying to cleaning, tank washing and lubrication.
A snack producer significantly reduced operating expenses through automated precision coating, while a sweets maker achieved substantial annual savings by eliminating wasted release agent. Tank cleaning solutions have dramatically shortened cleaning times for food ingredient manufacturers, delivering major cost reductions in some cases.
Beverage sector gains
Beverage production shares many of these challenges. Today’s spray technology can vastly improve operations in the beverage industry, from can coating and washing to bottle rinsing and drying, assuring quality, safety and productivity that are critical for high-speed lines where downtime equals lost revenue.
Dairy: Consistency meets compliance
Dairy processing presents unique hurdles: inconsistent powder quality in spray drying, mould risks in cheese, and water-heavy Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems.
Spray nozzles provide precise control over particle size, moisture content, and bulk density for consistent powdered milk products. Sanitary nozzles deliver powerful CIP cleaning with significant water savings while meeting strict hygiene standards. For cheese, the right nozzles ensure targeted mould inhibitor application, reducing waste by up to 75% and extending shelf life.
Tightening of standards and meeting consumer demands
As regulators tighten standards and consumers demand greener practices, processors turning to more specialised technology gain a competitive edge. Whether reducing antimicrobial overuse, shortening cleaning cycles, or ensuring uniform coatings, even the smallest drops can drive the biggest operational wins.
Choosing the right spray technology partner
Spraying Systems Co. offers advanced solutions for coating applications, applying spray oils, release agents, and viscous coatings only where needed. Their AutoJet® systems, paired with PulsaJet® automatic nozzles and Precision Spray Control (PSC), deliver accurate, consistent coverage with minimal overspray.
The company’s experts help each customer achieve specific performance goals while placing highest priority on food safety.
With over 85 years of innovation, over 100 sales offices, and deep industry knowledge, Spraying Systems Co., represented in Southern African by Monitor Engineering, acts as an extension of their customers’ teams. Sustainability assessments help plants identify further savings, while “boots on the ground” experts provide localised support.
“Our unmatched product line ensures we have the right nozzles, spray headers, and automated systems,” says Monitor Engineering’s MD Grant Orsmond, “helping plants meet production demands while advancing sustainability. In food and beverage manufacturing, precision isn’t a luxury, it’s the new baseline and Spraying Systems Co. is setting it,” he says.
Email: grant@monitorspray.co.za, Website: www.spray.co.za