Interpack 2008 - 24th to 30th April 2008 at the Messe Dusseldorf

Photograph shows demonstration of low fat, natural ingredients, healthy snack cooking and forming line.

BCH will be exhibiting in hall 5, stand D 02-6 with the British PMCA organisation. As well as hoping to meet their existing customers of  liquorice, fruit and caramel process equipment from around the world, BCH hope to attract those new customers who are looking for the next generation of process solutions. BCH are keen to demonstrate their process knowledge and manufacturing flexibility to assist those customers looking for something a little different.

The focus of the exhibition for BCH will be to present a low cost confectionery extrusion line suitable for the new start up company or developing markets in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. As well as being able to extrude traditional products like liquorice and sugar pastes, BCH also want to draw attention to the new possibilities of 100% fruit and vegetable extrusion to suit the latest consumer trends for natural, organic and clean ingredient labels on their snack products.

PR's

Gareth working at Coates Engineering

Congratulation Gareth

An employee at Coates Engineering Gareth Prince has graduated from University with a BEng degree in Automation & Control Systems whilst also completing an apprecticeship.

Gareth (25) joined Coates Engineering in 2000 after achiveing 4 A levels and then started an apprenticeship with Training 2000. He is now a fully qualified Software engineer travelling all over the world and in the UK.

BCH 100% Fruit Cooking and Extrusion System
One of your 5 a day

BCH have developed a NEW 100% fruit cooking and extrusion system. The system is a combination of BCH’s large surface area MaxiVap Evaporator technology which is used for long running caramel plants combined with BCH’s liquorice extrusion technology. The fruit cooking and extrusion system has enabled BCH to achieve evaporation of high moisture fruit mixes to typically 85% solids, at which point they have a consistency of a soft dough which can be extruded using BCH extrusion technology. This then enables the production of a healthy snack bar using 100% organic fruit ingredients which can be co-extruded in a variety of colours, shapes and different flavours.

BCH also manufacture a range of extruders for the confectionery industry, including side flow, twin screw, continuous or batch fed. The extruders are primarily designed to handle hot, dough textures and have been used to extrude caramel, cheese, fudge, fruit paste and liquorice.

BCH Innovation Centre 2007 Review

‘In business innovation is not an option ~ it is essential’
Over the last 7 years the BCH Innovation Centre and the philosophy on which it is based has enabled BCH in partnership with its customers to produce innovative designs and technology for mixing, cooking, cooling, extruding and enrobing food and confectionery products.

BCH are always looking at new developments and technologies and over the last 12 months they have been investing a lot of time into 100% fruit cooking & extrusion, microwave cooking and induction heating.

The 100% fruit cooking and extrusion system is a combination of BCH’s large surface area MaxiVap Evaporator technology which is used for long running caramel plants combined with BCH’s liquorice extrusion technology. The fruit cooking and extrusion system has enabled BCH to achieve evaporation of high moisture fruit mixes to typically 85% solids, at which point they have a consistency of a soft dough which can be extruded using BCH extrusion technology. This then enables the production of a healthy snack bar using 100% organic fruit ingredients which can be co-extruded in a variety of colours, shapes and different flavours.

Microwave or radio frequency processes, in the correct application, can offer significant benefits over conventional methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation). BCH has established microwave and RF test facilities in the innovation centre to allow pilot scale processing of both solids and liquids. The pilot plant has already been used to good effect in a variety of heating and drying applications with particular emphasis on the ability of the electromagnetic field to deliver rapid, uniform heating and even moisture distribution within filled baked products.

In a further development, BCH has engaged in a substantial work programme to apply induction technology in a range of scraped surface heat exchange applications, including traditional cook / cool processes in jacketed pressure vessels. The BCH process facilitates high heat transfer coefficients at the contact surface, with rapid, controllable heat up times and low thermal inertias. Coupled with BCH know how in vacuum cooling this opens up a number of exciting possibilities for food and confectionery producers, in addition to applications in the pharmaceutical and chemical process industries.

The Innovation Centre therefore helps to maintain BCH Limited and Coates Engineering as leaders in their field and reflects their commitment to raising standards within the company and industry.