‘Steam is an essential part of the production process'

At Dutch meat producer Koetsier Vleeswaren, everything revolves around authenticity, craftsmanship and sustainability, despite – or perhaps because of – the state-of-the-art manufacturing resources, such as the use of a Certuss Universal 500 TC steam generator. “Steam is indispensable nowadays when manufacturing meat products,” stresses company owner, Bert Koetsier.

Koetsier Vleeswaren has been specialised in artisan meat products for more than 85 years. The company’s primary mission is the manufacture and supply of meat products with optimal quality and flavour. In 2013 the Koetsier Vleeswaren factory was substantially expanded. “At that time, our steam boiler was 20 years old and it really needed to be replaced. We also needed a bigger generator in view of the increase in capacity,” recalls Bert Koetsier. “You never know how your company will develop. In anticipation of growth, we decided to invest in more than sufficient capacity for the future. Since the expansion and the installation of the new steam generator, our capacity has increased by roughly a factor of three.”

Trustworthy

For Bert Koetsier, it was a logical decision to choose Scharff Techniek. He already knew the company well, chiefly from sourcing appendages. “We prefer to work with a Dutch company, not only because that makes it easier to communicate, but also because it’s useful in the case of technical problems – not that we’ve had any so far. Scharff immediately came across as being trustworthy. It just ‘felt’ right. And the price was good compared with what we were used to.”

‘Gas-powered steam generators perform better than steam boilers in terms of sustainability’

Certuss

In close collaboration with Scharff, the company decided on a Certuss gas-powered steam generator, type Universal 500 TC EG. “Among other things, we use the steam to heat our five smoking and cooking chambers and for steam injection for the sausage peeler,” says Bert Koetsier. “In addition, it heats the two cooking kettles, the shrink tunnel and the crate-washing machine. In the future we will also be using the steam generator on our pasteurisation line.” The generator was installed while Koetsier was still in the midst of the extension work. Bert Koetsier: “We had a lot of other things going on so it’s always nice when the process runs smoothly. The Certuss was installed exactly in line with the agreed plan. We signed a maintenance contract at the same time so that the generator would be checked and serviced annually. It’s been serviced twice so far.”

Authenticity and craftsmanship

In addition to a range of artisan cooked meat products Koetsier also produces ham specialities, roast and grilled meat specialities, cooked bacon and sausages, including liver sausages. The frankfurter and smoked sausage are two of the company’s key products and specialities. “We’d be so bold as to say that we combine the quality and craftsmanship of a butcher with large-scale manufacturing,” continues Bert Koetsier. The top priorities are taste and quality. Koetsier’s reputation for authenticity is based on the production methods used and the high-quality raw materials. Those, combined with the authentic recipes and herbs & spices as well as very limited use of additives, are at the heart of the purity of flavour. The fact that Koetsier has won several prizes for its products stands testimony to its approach. In addition to supplying to butchers, Koetsier has been serving the wider retail market since 2009. “Special requirements are no problem. In line with client requests, we can make exclusive products or cooked meats based on a special recipe in line with the customer’s own specifications.”

'Higher output and lower energy consumption thanks to new steam generator'

Sustainability

Another important theme for Koetsier alongside authenticity and craftsmanship is sustainability. “Gas-powered steam generators perform better than steam boilers in that respect,” comments Bert Koetsier. He describes the steam generator as “a nice, compact unit”. “The generator we have now is actually smaller in size than a steam boiler. Because the heat transfer occurs on a smaller surface area, there is less heat loss at the burner. Thanks to this higher output we can manage with less power, and this delivers a saving of 5 to 10% in terms of the gas consumed by the steam-powered system, which is of course an added bonus.” Besides the steam generators, the company has been using 100 solar panels since 2014. Koetsier Vleeswaren is noticing that sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the market, in addition to demonstrable quality.

Ease of use

Apart form higher output, another major advantage is that the steam generator is considerably cheaper to maintain and operate than a steam boiler. “So it pays for itself in the long run.” Furthermore, Bert Koetsier finds the steam generator extremely easy to use: “You simply turn it on and off with a switch. When the machines require steam for the production process, the generator springs into action automatically. If our company continues to grow at the same rate in the future, we will soon need to install an extra generator,” concludes Bert Koetsier. “Or perhaps we can upgrade the current generator. In any case, we’ll be sure to contact Scharff again!”

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