It is one of the areas where we are seeing an increase in the need for drying solutions,” Anthony Hughes, director, sales, Secomak, told DairyReporter.
Flexible, reliable, efficient, drying
“There are lots of new production facilities being built in the Middle East with faster production speed resulting in a growing demand for moisture related issues.”
The company will be exhibiting at GulFood Manufacturing in Dubai later this month (October 27-29) where it plans to launch its latest drying technology, ‘F.R.E.D’ (flexible, reliable, efficient, drying).
Hughes said it launched F.R.E.D because over the last few years it has seen demand for something more simplified and economical, requiring a lower capital investment but not compromising the performance for the customer.
“It means we have a product that can be sold globally within the Food and Beverage industry without language barriers,” he added.
“Our equipment is installed in six continents, but this has always involved quite a lot of engineering and sales input. With over 1,500 drying solutions installed, we have great understanding of the common problems faced by our customers.
“With F.R.E.D we have a product that will fit almost any production line without complex installations and solve these challenges.”
Rapid increase in decorative sleeving
According to Hughes, customers today are moving towards more decorative packaged products with creativity and personalisation as one of the ways to stand out against the competition.
“This desire to stand out on the shelves has seen a rapid increase in flexible packaging and decorative sleeving,” he said.
“Both allow larger print areas and ways to get more creative. Also, both of these come with moisture related issues and we are completely geared up to solve them.”
He added the main game changer with in the industry is energy conservation.
“Over the last few years we have noticed our customers have become concerned about their energy consumption. This is why they change or have a desire to change from standard compressed air drying units to our components.
“We have a partnership with a major University in the UK and the one thing we are always looking at is how to develop energy efficient products. Going greener seems to be one of the most important shared ethos between us and our clients.”
Secomak recently signed up a distributor in Spain and Portugal and is in talks with distributors in the US, Mexico and Brazil.
“We are in a market that is very competitive at the moment. Pricing has become predatory over the last five years. We have to rapidly adapt our business model to ever changing innovations,” added Hughes.