No quality without spotlessly clean premises, or so they say at Medaillon Topvlees and Ülkem Döner. The two companies don't just have the product meat in common; they have both recently undergone renovation. It ensures that hygiene is maintained.

" The meat speaks the truth. And if hygiene is not up to scratch, quality is lost." It is a truth that comes from the mouth of director Bert Rozenboom. On the work floor of 'his' Medaillon Topvlees in 's-Gravenzande, everything has to be spotless for the beef, veal, lamb, horse meat and pork that the company supplies to butchers across the country. That also applies, of course, to food safety. "Over time, some damage has occurred, such as dents in the walls of our cutting rooms. We wanted to deal with them. Because these damages cannot be solved with some paint, and hygiene is a serious matter, a renovation was needed."

Antibacterial and antiviral

The two-metre-high panels in the cutting rooms - the vulnerable part as Bert calls it - were dented but could not be replaced. Sealwise WCB panels were therefore placed over them. A major advantage of these panels is that they are antibacterial through and through and the top layer is antiviral through and through. "In addition to the cutting rooms, it has also been applied in a number of cooling cells. The same applies to a room in our company that used to be a warehouse. Thanks to the new tiles on the walls and ceilings, it now meets the requirements for a modern production area. They were installed over the old tiles without any problems. Everything looks neat and tidy again," says Bert. "Thanks in part to the renovation, we can continue to comply with the current hygiene regulations. Even better: we even received compliments on the certification for the BRC."

Bert Rozenboom

Halal and hygiene

A little further south - across the border in Kapellen in Belgium to be precise - we also found Sealwise WCB panels on the walls and ceilings in the premises of Ülkem Döner. Here too the company floor was recently the scene of a renovation. "Quality is our priority. It is also essential that all our meat is halal; a quality that has a lot to do with good hygiene. The conditions on the floor have to be tiptop," says technical manager Asad Tahib. 

The meat processor supplies doner kebabs and other meat products made from chicken, turkey and veal to supermarkets, grill parlours and pizzerias in the Netherlands and Belgium. A container of kebab also goes to Hong Kong every month. "Our building is 30 years old and was home to a meat processor before we moved in. The walls have discoloured over the years and were damaged in several places. Now, thanks to the new panels on the walls and ceilings, our two large halls are fresh, white and clean again. We clean our tables, machines, floors and walls every day. This is now easier and faster. This is due to the smooth surface of the walls," says Asad.

Less contamination

The Sealwise WCB panels installed at both companies are made of recycled UPVC that is recyclable. They are used in both renovations and new constructions, and are completely watertight. British company Sealwise is responsible for this solution, which it originally developed for use in the healthcare sector. "Thanks to its various properties, the material is also very suitable for the food industry, as it reduces the risk of contamination, among other things," says Ernest Conradi, general manager of Sealwise Nederland, which is based in Waalwijk. "Even if the material is damaged - after all, an accident is always a small risk - it retains its antiviral and antibacterial properties. The panels can be placed on various other materials. Also on concrete and tiles, as was done at Medaillon Topvlees. Moreover, work can be done quickly thanks to the light weight and special glue with a short drying time."

Jack Pluim

24/7

These are factors that make Jack Pluim's work easier. The new building and renovation specialist of Jackit from Beekbergen has had a collaboration with Sealwise Nederland for some time now. He places the Sealwise WCB plates at food-producing companies throughout the country. Delivering professional work is important to him. And also: that the company in question is not hindered by a renovation. "Our customers must be able to continue their normal production as much as possible. That is why we work 24/7 if we have to, including weekends and public holidays. At both Ülkem Döner and Medaillon Topvlees, we worked on Saturdays and Sundays as much as possible," says Jack.

No downtime

This flexibility and speed was one of the reasons why döner supplier Ülkem came to Jack. "We considered replacing our panels. But we soon found out that production would have to be shut down for too long. That was not an option for us," says Asad. "With Jack, the job was done in one weekend. Without downtime. The work was very professional. That's why, in addition to our two larger ones, we now want to have our smaller hall renovated with Sealwise WCB."

The renovation in 's-Gravenzande took a little longer; about a week and a half in total. Bert was pleased that the operation took place in close consultation. "They listened carefully to us and were flexible in dealing with our situation. For example, the renovation took account of the fact that our pig cutting plant usually finishes earlier in the day than the beef cutting plant. Apart from that, the whole renovation left no impression on me - in a positive sense! I didn't notice it at all and it didn't bother me at all."

Breaking News

Plastica Plaat introduces
New generation of protective panels and wall closures

In cooperation with Sealwise Nederland and Jackit Beekbergen, Plastica Plaat has developed a new product for the food industry, which will be available for the market from 2022. 

In addition to the demand for Sealwise WCB, Jackit was increasingly asked for high quality protective panels for walls and wall connections to floors, which protect against impact in production areas, are thoroughly antibacterial and offer a high fire and smoke safety. Both inspection bodies and management have high demands; maximum protection against contamination has priority. Traditional solutions often do not suffice. Jackit turned to Sealwise Nederland and Plastica Plaat with the question whether such a product, specifically for the food industry, could be created. 

Plastica Plaat took up that challenge! The result will be on the market early 2022: safe, antibacterial and antiviral wall panels with a high fire rating (Bs1d0).

www.medaillontopvlees.nl
www.ulkem.eu
www.jackit.nl
www.sealwise.nl

Photos: ©Fotobureau Roel Dijkstra