www.tuco.org June 2014

Warewashers are a big investment for any catering environment, why is why future proofing has never been so important

When budgets are tight, purchasing something as expensive as warewashing equipment must be pretty eye watering — which is why future proofing is perhaps now the most important consideration when purchasing a new piece of kit.

This is also of credit to the manufacturers, who are constantly striving to make warewashing equipment as energy efficient as possible, with many eco features

coming as standard, taking the pressure off universities to stump up the cost of being more sustainable.

Stuart Flint, business and training development manager at Electrolux Professional, stresses the importance of proper specification, ensuring that university caterers choose the right warewasher for their site and think about what their university will look like in the future.

“Water consumption, detergent use and energy efficiency are the key factors in the overall operating cost of a dishwasher and with pressure increasing for university investors to cut costs in these areas, a smart specification process for kitchen equipment is essential,” he says.

“Take a catered hall of residence, for example; the amount of covers that need to be completed daily are

Dishwashing into the futureknown from the off set. The number of rooms generally correlates to the number of servings required for each meal of the day but I would always advise that operators keep track of this figure and how many dishes will need to be washed each hour, allowing leeway for those extra busy periods or events when students may have friends visiting that will also attend meals.

“Future-proofing is essential too. Halls of residence can expand over time and it’s important that the addition of extra students wouldn’t warrant a costly overhaul and refurbishment of a complete kitchen.”

If a university has expansion plans – and many will do – then it is a sensible idea to consider how this might affect the catering operation and if good quality equipment will help caterers cope without having to expand a site.

New technologiesThankfully, new developments within warewashing design have led to smaller footprints without compromised performance and capacity. Universities don’t have to allocate much space to the dishwashing area if they haven’t got it to spare. Again, this comes down to good specification advice.

“Staff must be able to move around freely without interfering with each other, so every dishwash area needs careful design to make sure there is sufficient access routes for clean and dirty ware,” explains Bill Downie, managing director of Meiko UK.

“Kitchens in many instances are becoming smaller and this makes project design a much more challenging task, especially when looking at the wash-up area,” adds Glen Crossland, marketing manager at Dawson Foodservice Equipment.

“This is often the area where space is at its tightest which can lead to crowding and poor ergonomics if the wrong machines are selected.”

Crowding is an important issue to consider, as caterers certainly don’t want food waste coming into contact with plates full of delicious food ready to go out to customers, something that Paul Crowley, marketing manager at Winterhalter UK highlights. He stresses: “There’s more to planning

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¬ “Halls of residence can expand over time and it’s important that the addition of extra students wouldn’t warrant a costly overhaul and refurbishment of a complete kitchen”

¬

a university warewash system than picking the machine – such as working out how to get the dirties to the wash area, then get them back to the service area when they’re clean.

For example, some sites may use integral trays or crockery, which may be plastic or china; in these cases the rack design could be critical. Talk to your supplier about creating a system that will work for you, from the machines and racks to the chemicals and after sales support.”

He notes that while universities tend to have large volumes of dirty dishes, there are manufacturers that offer a big capacity in a small footprint, while for backbar and counter areas there are compact dishwashers that still perform well.

Nick Oryino, chair of CESA, offers a really simple way to estimate the size of equipment a particular site will need.

“First work out how many dishes you need to wash an hour,” he says. “How many customers do you have? How many dishes do they use per meal? A pass through machine can wash around 1,500 dishes per hour, the biggest flight conveyor system can do 12,000.

“Don’t underestimate – an over-stretched dishwasher is going to cause major problems. Ask the experts (local suppliers or the manufacturer direct) for help in working out the right model for your site.”

Indeed, larger university sites can certainly enjoy the pleasure of having a dedicated pot wash room back of house with full pass-through systems, but for smaller sites there are technologies such as hood machines that can help with space saving.

For very small areas, glasswashers could be more suitable for the operation and are very good at quickly turning around clean glasses during busy periods.

“Universities should certainly consider equipment such as undercounter glasswashers whether they are located within the kitchen or behind the bar,” recommends Bob Wood, director of DC Warewashing & Icemaking Systems.

“This will provide a fast turnaround of glasses, which avoids the need for stocking large quantities of glassware. You can also opt for a racking system which will double the machines capacity allowing for larger loads

when it is most needed.”However, glasswashers aren’t

always essential, as many of today’s warewashers can clean delicate items such as glasses.

As Downie confirms: “With modern dishwashing technology featuring reverse osmosis water treatment, glassware can be washed alongside plates, cups and cutlery and will still emerge from the machine sparkling clean.”

In fact, modern warewashing equipment has come on leaps and bounds as manufacturers have responded to the demands of 21st century catering. From energy efficiency features to speed of service, new and emerging technologies within warewashing are coming to the market all of the time.

“A focus on versatility, space saving and most of all energy efficiency will see the manufacturers launching a range of exciting new units combining the latest technology with optimal space saving and the highest levels of consistency throughout,” says Simon Frost, UK & Ireland country manager for Wexiödisk on being asked about the latest developments in the

competitive sector. For Wexiödisk, it sees combi washers as the future – “the precision of a standard wash for the likes of cutlery, crockery, pans and dishes with the power of the latest granule technology, ideal for burnt on, hard to remove food residues” – and pre-rinse machines, which reuses waste water from the warewasher to rinse dishes prior to wash and reduce water use.

Hobart, meanwhile, points to its AUP passthrough hood-type dishwasher, which includes an innovative cutlery cycle which operates with steam injection during the wash operation meaning no ‘shielding’ or ‘shadow zones’ are caused when items are obscured by other cutlery.

For Miele Professional, it points to freshwater technology over more traditional tank dishwashers, which store and re-use water in their cycle. Freshwater dishwashers, the company says, have an electronically controlled heater pump which heats the water as it passes on its way to the cabinet. Water is discharged and replaced in each phase of the programme cycle.

Crowley, meanwhile, notes that new warewashing technologies should

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¬ “Reduced water consumption also means less energy demand at the machine and less chemicals down the drain!”

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kitchen – through electricity, water and chemical use – which is why manufacturers are working to reduce all three of these as much as possible.

“With the inexorably rising cost of energy, water and detergents, this is likely to be the biggest factor in choosing a warewasher in the next few years,” claims Crowley.

“In common with other leading manufacturers, Winterhalter is focused on bringing down energy consumption – in particular by recycling and managing heat within the wash cycle, recovering it from the final rinse stage and returning it to the input water cycle – and lowering overall water and chemicals consumption.”

Downie agrees, stating that every manufacturer of washing machines has ‘a moral obligation’ to produce machines that reduce consumption of water – “without doubt the Earth’s most valuable, and at the same time, most threatened natural resource”.

“Reduced water consumption also means less energy demand at the machine and less chemicals down the drain!” he adds.

Wood notes that because so many manufacturers pride themselves on having very energy efficient warewashers, it is hard to know where to start when assessing all of the different models on the market.

“As a rule, capacity, efficiency and of course cost are driving factors for universities,” he says. “It’s primarily a case of working out what you want the machine to do and how hard it’s going to be working for you before you go out and spend money from your capital equipment budget.”

Indeed, everything ultimately comes down to cost, so Adam Krause, operations manager for Sammic UK Ltd, advises getting the

most out of what budget is available. “Every caterer should aim for the

best quality dishwasher they can afford, that supports as many energy-saving features as possible,” he says.

Energy efficiency features no longer necessarily mean higher costs though, which is something of a relief for budget-conscious universities but also quite a marked change from the last time a university caterer probably last purchased a warewasher some years ago.

Frost explains: “Energy saving equipment has traditionally been associated with higher purchasing costs countering the benefit of the lower running costs. This however is no longer the case.

“Improvements in technology and the manufacturing process have led to sustainable, commercial kitchen equipment being competitively priced with other leading models on the market. When taken into context, this similar pricing strategy, combined with a lower running cost,

focus on reducing water consumption, power and chemicals.

“Some of the latest Winterhalter passthrough hood machines have heat exchange technology fitted as standard, extracting energy from the waste water and using it to heat up the incoming cold water supply, thus reducing energy costs by up to 10%,” he says, also pointing to low temperature washing, where new machines can wash at just 40°C.

“These reduce energy use and running costs significantly. However, they have to be used with special detergents.”

Downie points to three key areas

of advancement within the sector. First is built-in reverse osmosis water treatment, which provides ‘hand polished’ results, especially on cutlery and glassware.

“RO also reduces consumption of chemicals such as detergent and

rinse aid, helping to improve the carbon footprint and green credentials of the university

kitchen,” he explains. “Where space is tight, RO also removes the

need for water softening apparatus, previously essential to treat

incoming cold water and protect the boiler etc., from limescale build up.”

Then there is heat recovery, which is now incorporated on some of the latest undercounter and high volume rack transport and flight machines as standard.

“There is no need to purchase separate heat recovery equipment any more,” Downie states.

Last but not least, there always new strides made in energy saving. Within the Meiko range, Point2 AirConcept is a newly developed ‘air flow’ control system that reduces emissions of hot waste air on Meiko hood-type machines including dishwashers and utensil washers. When the hood is raised, the hot air is captured and used to pre-heat incoming cold water, often even removing the need for a separate overhead ventilation canopy.

Energy savingEnergy efficiency is, of course, a top priority for university caterers and warewashers are some of the most energy intensive pieces of kit in a

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significantly improves the total life cost of an energy efficient unit compared to other more energy-intensive units.”

And manufacturers will only continue with their methods, especially once the EU brings in ratings for commercial appliances, something that was a hot topic for discussion at this year’s Hotelympia show at London’s ExCeL.

CESA is chairing the EFCEM (the European Federation of Catering Equipment Manufacturers) Technical Committee and is working with the EU Commission on the new Energy Related Products Directive (formerly the Eco Design Directive).

A part of this could be energy labelling for catering equipment, similar to domestic equipment, which has an A-G rating (with A being the most energy efficient). When establishing benchmark standards for dishwashing, the committee will look at functionality, hygiene and energy efficiency. These regulations are due to be published in 2015, so there is a lot of discussion yet to take place.

Oryino explains further: “EFCEM will be collating the input of manufacturers to provide effective

representation in Brussels and with national authorities and governments. It will recognise national legislation and local requirements as part of the process. In the UK we already have a Food Standards Agency study underway in relation to cross contamination issues.

“It is going to be a very complex task for the Commission to accommodate all of the issues relating to warewashing. What must not be compromised is the need for the equipment to fulfil its primary role of effectively cleaning product in the appropriate timescales.”

Expert tipsWhen the time does come to upgrade warewashing equipment, some of the UK’s biggest warewashing suppliers are keen to offer their advice.

For Hobart, Tim Bender, the

¬ “Too often, when caterers invest in new warewashing equipment, they don’t maximise its green potential”

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www.tuco.org www.tuco.org June 2014June 2014

warewasher to suit the level of demand is vital for university caterers,” he states.

“A machine that is too large or too small will mean excess water and electricity is wasted so make sure you work out the workflow and space in your kitchen before choosing any warewashing equipment and that it works with the needs of your kitchen.”

Oryino stresses that caterers shouldn’t just look at the machine, but the other aspects of the washing area too. He advises: “When planning an install, it’s important to consider not just the machine itself but also its environment, especially ventilation, lighting and the utilities. If any one of them is sub standard, it will impact not only on the warewashing results but also, potentially, staff and resident comfort and safety.”

“At the end of the day, when purchasing any kitchen equipment, always look for quality build, intuitive design and cost efficiency over the life of the machine, not just per cycle,” concludes Krause.

“Your warewasher will be the hardest working piece of equipment in the kitchen so durability should be a serious consideration. Buying cheap equipment is always a more expensive exercise in the long run.”

Food for thought from across the sector. By using their advice and looking in-depth at the whole warewashing market, university caterers can make a real educated choice on this long-term, expensive investment. This will then last them for years to come as the university continues with its expansion plans to cater to the modern day student.

CESA www.cesa.org.ukDawson Foodservice Equipment www.dawsonmmp.comDC Warewashing & Icemaking Systems www.dcproducts.co.ukElectrolux Professional www.electrolux-professional.co.ukHobart UK www.hobartuk.comMeiko UK www.meiko-uk.co.uk Miele Professional www.miele-professional.co.ukSammic UK Ltd www.sammic.co.ukWexiödisk www.wexiodiskuk.co.ukWinterhalter UK www.winterhalter.co.uk

company’s UK sales director of warewashing, points to future proofing: “Think ahead and consider your requirements and the requirements of your site going forward, how the nature of the business is developing and how this might impact on warewashing needs a few years on.”

Les Marshall, sales and marketing director at Miele Professional, points to speed: “When understanding customer needs in today’s market, it is key to look for products that maximize their cycle efficiency through short cycle times and high throughput, whilst not losing any of the quality of the results.”

“Look for a supplier who can offer ‘all inclusive’ packages including planned preventative maintenance, parts and labour and ‘no bills’ during the warranty period,” Downie recommends. “This essentially removes any headaches from the caterer and ensures the smoothest possible running of the machine.”

Meanwhile, Frost stresses the importance of just reading the handbook! He says: “Maintain the equipment in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure proper working order and a continued high quality finish from each cycle.”

This also touches on the importance of staff being knowledgeable about the new kit they are required to use. There is no point installing something that promises to save money and energy use and staff are not educated in how to get the most out of these savings.

“Too often, when caterers invest in new warewashing equipment, they don’t maximise its green potential,” claims Flint.

“By simply making sure that all staff are trained properly and refreshing their training regularly you can help ensure that your machine keeps running in pristine condition and that you really do make the most of its energy saving features.

“It is no coincidence too that a lack of knowledge across the industry is the biggest cause of breakdowns in warewashing equipment.”

Flint also recommends operators introduce a strict cleaning regime to guarantee that the new equipment is kept clean, which will also help breakdowns.

Wood, however, urges university caterers to get the right bit of kit for their operation.

“Choosing the right size of

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