Food manufacturer improves efficiency with sieving solution

SternMaid, part of the global Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, has improved the efficiency of its food ingredient processing operations by implementing a sieving solution from Russell Finex.

Producing a wide range of blended products — including confectionery mixes, bakery ingredients and micronutrients — SternMaid processes up to 5000 tonnes annually. Maintaining consistent product quality and efficient workflows is essential to meet production demands.

Food powder sieving plays a critical role in ensuring quality by removing contaminants, agglomerates, and oversized particles, while achieving uniform particle size for consistent blending. By sieving ingredient powders such as flour, sugar or spices, manufacturers can remove foreign particles, lumps, and contaminants that may have formed during production or storage.

Overcoming processing challenges

SternMaid identified inefficiencies in its production line that were limiting productivity. A single-sided dump station allowed only one operator to load ingredients at a time, making the process slow and labour-intensive.

Additionally, once blending was complete, bulk bags had to be manually transferred to a separate filling line. This increased handling time and extended the full process cycle to approximately one hour.

A more efficient, integrated solution

To address these challenges, SternMaid installed the Russell Compact Sieve to screen powders before blending, alongside a magnetic separator to remove potential ferrous contamination.

The solution integrates sieving, blending and filling into a single streamlined process, allowing materials to be discharged directly into bulk bags ready for shipment. A custom double-sided configuration also enables two operators to load simultaneously, increasing throughput.

The SternMaid facility. Image: Supplied

Following implementation, process time has been reduced from around 60 to 25 min — improving productivity by over 50%.

Additional benefits include:

• Reduced manual handling
• Improved workflow efficiency
• Enhanced product quality and contamination control
• Better use of labour and resources
   

The project highlights how integrated sieving solutions can help food manufacturers improve operational efficiency while maintaining high product quality standards.

Top image credit: iStock.com/smirart