SalMar Shrinks Footprint and Achieves Zero Yield Loss With Hygienic Side Drive Spiral Elevator

Customer Objectives 

SalMar’s plant in Kverva, Norway, was creating a new salmon line that needed a sanitary, washdown-capable solution to elevate products within a small footprint. Their existing lines used large incline conveyors that required intensive cleaning and occupied too much space. For the new line, however, they wanted an elevator solution that was reliable, flexible, and easy to clean. Because this would be the product’s single, dedicated line, eliminating downtime risk was crucial to meeting production goals.

Intralox Execution 

Intralox recommended a Side Drive spiral elevator with friction modules—the most hygienic and cleanable solution available on the market. Suitable for salmon with or without packaging, Side Drive’s flexibility would enable SalMar to configure the spiral for their delicate product and achieve a 40% smaller footprint than with a traditional incline solution. Cooperation between Intralox’s spiral team and SalMar’s OEM partner ensured a smooth installation and startup.

Results 

With the Intralox solution in place, SalMar has enjoyed zero unscheduled downtime and higher product yield thanks to Side Drive’s gentle handling. The technology also eliminated any need for lubrication, which increased food safety and reduced risk of Foreign Material Contamination (FMC). Their new line is washdown ready and easily cleaned with high impact water. It handles its current 2 kg/m product load easily, with room to potentially increase throughput.