Esro maintains temperature with the right door

Natural laws also play a role on the production floor. For example, too much moisture in the freezer room can cause frost and ice to form on floors, walls and ceilings. With all the consequences that entails. It is one of the reasons why meat processor Esro Food Group bv Belgium invested in a new freezer rapid roll door. 

Esro Food Group bv has specialized in processing meat and meat products for over 40 years. Yet we do not see the products so often on Dutch shelves. However, organs and meat from the head, for example, are indeed processed for the human industry and are in great demand in Asia, among others. In addition, the meat processor supplies meat to the pet food industry. Pets, zoo animals and even endangered species eat from Esro's products. Another branch the company serves is the pharmaceutical industry; its products are used in various applications.

Sustainability is a top priority at Esro Food Group bv. That means valuing all parts of the supplied animal and striving for as little waste as possible. "We are always looking for new applications. In addition to aiming for efficiency and a low CO2 footprint, meeting the protein needs of our customers as well as possible is among our main objectives," says Bert Molenaar, who is in charge of day-to-day management at Esro's site in Hoeselt, Belgium. The focus there will be more on pet food and its applications. The company has branches in Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and -after the summer- also in Spain, and (with partner Fayman from Australia) in the US.

Bert Molenaar (left) and Ray Denessen

Area of tension

Ensuring continuous product quality naturally requires a professional production floor that is up to date. In order to be able to store large quantities of products, Esro Food Group bv in Hoeselt has two large freezer rooms. And that's where you immediately encounter an area of tension. When moving in and out, the cold chain must be guaranteed and energy losses must of course remain minimal. The freezer doors are therefore the most important doors in the company, Bert believes. "A door that does not close properly causes energy losses and is a danger to the products in the freezer rooms."     

Isolate 

Bert speaks from experience. At the plant in Belgium, the stainless steel sliding door of one of the two freezer rooms reached the end of its service life some time ago. Besides being old, it was now somewhat crooked as a result of several collisions with the forklift truck. The door no longer closed properly. That resulted in fluctuations in temperatures. And ice and frost forming on walls, ceilings, supplies and slippery floors. A new door was required. "Now the room is closed with an automatic and vertically opening speed door with an insulated 100 mm thick door curtain where all the technology is enclosed in isolated Quadcore isolation panels. It seals the cold store well and has a strong isolation effect. The temperature is now consistently -22°C and it hardly varies," continued Bert. "The door opens and closes a lot faster and responds with a sensor. This is a great advantage in terms of constant temperature and it keeps losses to a minimum. Also nice: the speed door is equipped with an emergency button that allows you to get out of the freezer even in case of power failure. So safety is also guaranteed."

Superfast

It was clear fairly quickly who Esro Food Group bv could turn to for a unique new door system: DenDoor-GTS with head offices in Sittard-Geleen and Heerde. The supplier supplies various types of industrial doors mainly to companies in the food industry and already performed regular maintenance at Esro. So now, for the first time, the company also installed a door there. The Speed Roll DD500 COOL/COLD, to be precise. Although you could also call it a super-fast freezer door, as director and owner Ray Denessen does. "At Esro, speed of opening and closing is important because there are so many logistical movements. Further strengths include ease of maintenance and energy efficiency; in fact, the residual heat from the motor is primarily used to heat the internal system," he says. "It is easily the most energy-efficient freezer door on the market. The system is unique and exceptionally suitable as a single-door solution for freezer cells and can be mounted on both the negative and positive sides without any problems and up to -40°C."

Customization

DenDoor-GTS delivers customized solutions. After all, no situation is the same. "We look for the right door in the right place. If the system does not function optimally in spite of this, we will find an alternative. In practice, however, this rarely happens. Over the years, our systems and knowledge have developed to such an extent that we know very well what works best in certain situations," says Ray. "We have already paid the learning money for our customers."

And Bert? Who looks back on the cooperation with satisfaction. There is a good relationship with the door supplier, which he says always has a solution. "Sometimes in the form of advice, other times by ensuring that a technician is on site quickly. We are very satisfied with the new door. It's good for its money."

www.esro.com
www.dendoor.eu 

Photos: © Marcel van Hoorn