SHAPING FOR EXPORT
We have often written about developments in fish processing
and shaping as processors throughout the world respond to the increasing
consumer demand for fish and fish products. That demand continues to
grow and, in turn, advances much needed technology from companies like
ours that helps fish processors explore creative and innovative ways
of satisfying it.
A prime example of this is in New Zealand where our long standing friends
and customer, Independent Fisheries, have developed a substantial and
flourishing business that, in 1956, the late Howard Shadbolt began as
a small fish and chip shop in the Christchurch suburb of Linwood.
From these humble beginnings, the company has become a major player in
New Zealand’s growing fishing industry which is now one of the
world’s largest with more than 1,000 species of marine fish occupying
some 1.2 million square miles of the beautiful, pure, clean waters of
the great southern oceans.
Independent’s fleet of modern trawlers, which includes a state-of-the
art factory freezer vessel, harvests a variety of species from squid
to hoki to southern blue whiting, much of which is filleted and frozen
at sea to retain that all important freshness and quality. Processing,
production and distribution takes place at Woolston, a 5 hectare site
that boasts highly sophisticated and well equipped filleting, squid processing
and added value lines. It’s from here and the nearby port of Lyttelton
that the company exports more than 70% of its high quality products mainly
to Australia, the USA, South America, Canada, UK, Europe, Iran, Indonesia,
China and Asia.
Value added products form a major part of Independent’s business
with 3 modern lines producing an average daily output of 50 metric tonnes
of superior product, manufactured from either fillet, frozen at sea mince
or squid.
An AEW Delford Systems PP530, 5 station fish shaping system makes a major
contribution to this comprehensive facility by producing high volumes
of shaped, frozen portions – including fillets and fish bites – for
further processing. The process has been very successful, so much so,
that Independent have decided to significantly increase production of
existing products – and create new ones – by investing in
a new AEW Delford Systems ShapeLine Compact.
“
The PP530 system continues to serve us well, but the new ShapeLine Compact
will give us the higher output we need for existing lines and the ability
to create new products, too,” said Managing Director, Charles Shadbolt.
The new, advanced, high capacity single station ShapeLine Compact offers
a number of benefits over its predecessor.
For a start it takes up much less floor space and it’s considerably
faster at around 40 cycles or 120 portions per minute (depending on the
type of product) – the equivalent of an output of around 500kgs
per hour. Low cost tooling aids flexibility and shape variety and magazine
loading means that multiple, three dimensional portions can be produced
in one cycle. The machine produces superbly presented product from frozen,
natural fillet, whole muscle or comminuted product with no need for thawing,
grinding or further processing. It can even produce cavity portions for
sauces or fillings and there are ten product programme memories to aid
fast product change-over.
Charles Shadbolt is certain that his new ShapeLine Compact will substantially
enhance Independent’s already impressive output and innovative
product portfolio. “We looked around, of course, but at the end
of the day the ShapeLine Compact won on outright performance. Anyway,
after all these years we just know we can rely on AEW Delford Systems
to deliver the goods,” he said.
Log on to www.indfish.co.nz to get the full story on
Independent Fisheries and see for yourself just how good this company really
is. When you’ve
done that, why not find out more about ShapeLine Compact by calling us
or logging on to our website.
Seems we’re both in great shape for the future.
