Obela spreads productivity

Food company Obela, known for its wholesome dips and spreads, improved productivity and reduced downtime using NORD Drivesystems’ nsd tuPH product range.

With more than 10 varieties of hummus alone, Obela ensures hygiene is upheld in its plant by subjecting the geared motors on conveyors to caustic washdowns. However, this was causing paint chipping and flaking, and the company also noticed corrosion on shafts.

Smalte Conveying Solutions, a key partner in the supply of conveyor systems to Obela, turned to NORD DRIVESYSTEMS to help find a solution that meant minimal maintenance and zero contamination risks.

Rob Winterbottom, Sales Manager at Smalte Conveying Solutions, explained the reasoning behind choosing NORD DRIVESYSTEMS’ nsd tuPH product range.

“The proposal was on brief and on budget. In researching these aluminium, IP-rated drives, we were impressed with its features and some of the case studies that we came across.”

The anti-corrosion protection conforms to FDA standards, and Nord Sales Manager Vinod Pillai said the demand for the NORDtupH is increasing, particularly in the food industry.

“This particular offering from NORD offers a sleek surface treatment to make our IP66- or 69K-rated aluminium drive robust and resilient. It can withstand harsh washdowns, meet stringent requirements and is proven to last.”

He continued by highlighting the advantages of the finish of the nsd tupH range over the standard epoxy finish.

“Our product offers anti-corrosion protection that is permanently bonded to the surface of the geared motor and is tested to be approximately 1000 times harder than your standard paint finish. Its smooth, non-porous design navigates away from any air pockets on the gearbox, the traditional heat sink, as well as the cooling fan seen on a standard AC induction motor.”

Winterbottom said the project successfully ensured a longer service life and helped Obela adhere to stringent hygiene standards. 

Top image: The nsd tuPH group.