Reverse osmosis water filtration and its benefits to glass and dishwasher users.

Reverse osmosis has been the buzz word of the past few years but it is not a new concept, it has been around for 50+ years, but most people don't know what it is or how it can benefit them.

What is Reverse Osmosis Filtration?

To put it simply, reverse osmosis is an efficient way of filtering water to achieve almost total demineralisation.

What does this mean for the end user?

It means that for those washing glassware or cutlery, there is no spotting left on the glass or cutlery after drying. This eliminates the need for polishing of glassware, saving time and ultimately, money.

As a side effect of the Reverse Osmosis water, chemical consumption is also reduced by up to 60%, saving even more dollars.

Is Reverse Osmosis suited to my situation?

There are many factors which will determine whether Reverse Osmosis is suited to a situation and which unit will suit you best.

Wage costs: A simple calculation of how many man hours are wasted either polishing glassware or cutlery (i.e.: (Number of hours polishing) X (Hourly wage rate) X (Days per annum of operation)). These hours can add up to a huge cost quickly (e.g.: 1 hour per day x $15.96 (the minimum wage) x 300 days per year (6 days per week, 2 week shut down) = $4,788.00 per annum).
Do you spend enough time polishing to justify a new glass washer?

Services available at site: Reverse osmosis filters require a cold water feed (< 35 degrees Celsius). This will affect the performance of the glass washer by increasing recovery times and limiting the amount of cycles permissible per hour. To overcome this, it is possible to add buffer tanks and convert many units to 3 phase power giving you the required recovery rates for busy establishments.
How many cycles per hour do you require?
Do you have the services available to run the unit to your requirements?

Reverse osmosis may not be for everyone, but it definitely has its benefits. If you are looking at improving your productivity and reducing labour costs, please contact me for further information on how Hobart can help. 0407 500 997.

What makes a HOBART dishwasher so good?

What makes a HOBART PREMAX AUP different to every other pass through dishwasher on the market? Check out this video to get an insight.

Contact me if you would like more information. rferraz@hobartfood.com.au

Hobart recognised for energy efficiency

HOBART receives certificates for Energy and Environmental Management exemplary attitude to climate protection and responsible energy consumption.

30th April 2013 – Environmental protection and energy efficiency are high priorities for HOBART. Now the approach of the manufacturer of dishwashing technology has been officially recognised. The international certification organisation TÜV SÜD has certified HOBART for its exemplary energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001:2011. Moreover, the world market leader commercial dishwashing technology has also been certified by TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH, a company of the TÜV SÜD Group, for its environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001:2004. Together with the re-certification of its quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001:2008, for HOBART these three certifications form the basis of a sustainable and efficient 'Integrated Management System'. With its energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001, HOBART constantly and systematically optimises its energy performance in order to keep reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In the production of its dishwashers HOBART has for years demonstrated a responsible and extremely economical attitude to energy consumption. Since 2011 HOBART has only used renewable energy for its plant in the Black Forest and is thus making a significant contribution to environmental protection.

One fundamental requirement of the energy management system is the constant monitoring and optimisation of energy consumption. To this end, HOBART employs techniques such as using the waste heat from the production process to heat the halls. The results are impressive: Its energy consumption has remained fairly constant since 2006, even though in the same period the number of dishwashers it manufactures each year has almost tripled. HOBART also prides itself on the economy of its products and their careful use of resources. The PREMAX dishwasher range is the most economical in the world and sets new standards in the consumption of energy, water and detergents.

Ecology and the conservation of the climate and environment form the basis of the HOBART corporate strategy along with innovation and profitability. HOBART documents all related activities in its annual sustainability report. In order to achieve the environmental certification in accordance with ISO 14001 the company constantly defines numerous individual measures with the corresponding targets in production, purchasing, new product development and, above all, in product operation.
For more information, visit www.hobartfood.com.au or call 1800 462 278

HOBART SENSOTRONIC – CP series Rack Conveyors and FTP series Flight Type Warewashing Systems

Hobart FTP Flight Type Warewashing System

HOBART SENSOTRONIC – intelligent warewashing growing from strength to strength 

The 2013 Generation PREMAX FTP flight-type and PREMAX CP rack-type dishwashers – even more intelligent & economical.

The warewashing specialists at HOBART have taken the company's unique SENSOTRONIC intelligent warewash system into the third round. Further optimisations in this innovative system have reduced water, detergent and energy consumption even further in Generation 2013 PREMAX models. SENSOTRONIC automatically adjusts consumption to actual washware load in PREMAX FTP flight-type and PREMAX CP rack-type dishwashers, giving you substantial reductions in operating costs together with major improvements in process reliability. 

This intelligent technology automatically detects the actual washware load as well as gaps in the wash ware to reduce water, detergent and energy consumption to a necessary minimum. The new warewash intelligence controller "SENSOTRONIC" gives you potential savings in operating costs of up to 10% compared to previous PREMAX models, thus increasing HOBART's lead over the competition on the market with the most economical warewashing equipment line. The new pan-washing "INTENSIVE2" program in the flight-type dishwasher PREMAX FTP detects metal washware such as pots and pans as they are placed into the appliance during operation, and adjusts the washing and rinsing parameters of the appliances to ideal values. Both of the machines, CP and FTP, use the optional washware detection "ACTIVE" program for washing glasses and cutlery. Together, these technologies ensure a perfect wash result.

The resource management system "MINIMAL" keeps fresh water consumption to the lowest possible level. The water consumption control "AQUA-ADAPT" automatically controls the water supply to the appliance`s speed selected. SENSOTRONIC takes it a step further in all PREMAX FTP models with additional tray return belts by automatically controlling the appliance's speed according to conveyor belt load. Models with two water tanks keep one tank on stand-by until the appliance runs at full capacity, cutting operating costs again by up to 20%. The system check program "BEST START" boosts process reliability and usability by automatically checking all of the appliance's major functions before each program start and automatically suggesting corrective measures as necessary.

HOBART has also made improvements in drying – the pumped rinse system "80DEGREES" heats up the washware to a higher temperature, improving the drying effect. The dryer system called "GUIDEAIR" in PREMAX FTP models directs the air to your washware not only from above, but from the side and underneath to give you a perfect drying result in hollow washware items such as glasses, cups and mugs and bowls. 

The wash system "CONTACT-PLUS", the wash zone "HOT-TEMP" as well as the rinse system "TRI" ensure an ideal wash result. The system "PERMANENT CLEAN" adds to the effect by removing coarse dirt in the pre-wash zone, thus not only increasing wash-water quality but also protecting the environment by reducing pollution from waste water and degreasing agents.
HOBART has set new standards in economical operation with the "SENSOTRONIC" optimised wash intelligence system in the PREMAX Generation 2013 Range. Further savings in water, detergent and energy consumption have given rise to substantial reductions in operating costs while adding to environmental sustainability. Once again, the world's largest industrial warewashing equipment manufacturer has delivered an impressive demonstration of its innovation leadership.

For more details contact me or click on the links below.

PREMAX CP

http://www.hobartfood.com.au/product_view.asp?pid=836

PREMAX FTP

http://www.hobartfood.com.au/product_view.asp?pid=849

Everyone's a DJ - Choosing the right kitchen designer.

On the weekends, I like to DJ. I do a few parties, weddings, engagements, etc. It's a bit of fun for me. The technical bit (mixing the songs) is the easy bit. The hard bit is reading the crowd, feeling their mood and knowing where to take the party to, that only comes with experience. At every party, there are always a few people that come up to me and try to tell me how to do my job. They know music, some even know the equipment, but none know how to read the crowd. You see, everyone's a DJ in their own mind, and unfortunately it spills over into our industry as well.

There are professionals that have been designing commercial kitchens for longer than I have been alive. These people are seasoned campaigners who can look at a space, a menu, and a budget and 99% of the time design a kitchen that works. Unfortunately, there are a lot of architects and designers that have no clue how a commercial kitchen works, but they are all throwing their hat in the ring and coming up with whole restaurant designs including the kitchen. These people are usually tasked with doing domestic style kitchens and facilities and like to do things like put timber cabinets with stainless steel tops on them. For the most part, the front end of these facilities are visually spectacular, but the kitchens may leave a lot to be desired. The technical specs of equipment and legislative requirements is the easy bit. Knowing how a kitchen works and designing the work flow is the hard part. Sometimes, it's best to leave the kitchen designing to the kitchen designers, and the DJing to the DJs.

It's important to choose the right person to design your kitchen as there is no such thing as a standard design. A 400 seat Italian restaurant will be completely different to a 400 seat Chinese restaurant. Asking your designer for credentials and references is not rude, it's smart business. If you are planning on going it alone, ask as many questions as possible. If you are purchasing your fitout from a dealer, they should have enough experience to know what will and won't work in your business.

If you are building a new kitchen and need some advice, feel free to contact me. I'm more than happy to lend a hand or point you in the right direction.

OH&S liabilities for mixers without Safety Cages/Guards

In 1913 Hobart introduced the Planetary Mixer and since then a lot has been said about the legendary reliability of the Hobart mixer range. There are many mixers out there in the market place that are 20, 30, and 40+ years old and still in perfect working order. The one discussion I have been having of late is that of Safety Cages/Guards. All new mixers sold in Australia are required to have a safety cage with cut out switch, bowl height cut out switch, and bowl connection cut out switch fitted as standard. This was not a requirement until Mid Nineties and most units prior to that were not fitted, or don't have the ability to be retrofitted with the safety cage.

2013 Hobart A200C

This has created an OH&S liability for many operations with these older mixers. Recently, many people have been contacting me regarding safety cages as they are being picked up by council and workcover inspectors. Unfortunately, due to the fact that many of these mixers were never designed to take a safety cage, retrofitting a cage is either impossible or prohibitively expensive leaving two options, run the risk or upgrade to a new mixer.

Running the risk may sound like a good idea and for the most part, inspectors will either ask you to stop using the unit, or order you to upgrade. The real issue comes if you or one of your staff members actually injures themselves with the mixer. A planetary mixer has a lot of torque and getting something caught in it (clothing, hair, fingers, arms) will cause a lot of damage. Ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law. It is the owners responsibility to ensure that all equipment meets current codes. You maybe covered by insurance so the staff member will be taken care of, but the owner of the mixer will inevitably be pursued for damages and, in extreme cases, prosecuted under the law.



2013 Hobart Legacy Series HL600

Upgrading to a new unit can sometimes be the easy way out. A new Hobart A200 will retail for slightly more than the cost of retrofitting a safety cage to it due to the amount of work involved. Other brands may have the same retrofit issues. The market has been flooded in recent years with many brands of mixers out there now, some being offered at ridiculously cheap prices. Some dealers have even taken to buying mixers and placing their own brand on them. I have seen a strong flow back to the established brands in the past year or so as many customers are suffering failures in these cheaper imports between 1 and 5 years after purchasing. Some don't fail straight away, but instead their gears get loud and grinding, and the planetary action develops a significant amount of play in it, usually from the use of poor quality materials and lack of attention to detail in the manufacturing process. It is a bit of a slap in the face for someone that had a 30 year old Hobart, replaced it with a cheaper unit, only to have it fail after 3 years at which time parts and service become a real issue.

Hobart Food Equipment has our own factory technicians based in the major capital cities. We can come to your facility and conduct an official OH&S Audit of your mixer for $210 + GST.

Alternatively, if you are not sure where you stand with this, contact me for further information.

New German made Hobart Ecomax402 glasswasher available soon!

German build quality and technology has now reached the entry level segment of the glasswasher market! The new Hobart Ecomax402 sets the new benchmark for quality, technology, and true value for money.

The new Hobart Ecomax402 comes fully featured with our patented wide angle fan nozzle technology as well as double skinned door, chemical dispensers, automatic pump out drain with self clean on pump out/shut down and much more. The new drain pump system means no more pulling out of drain plugs from hot wash tanks at the end of the day making it easier to clean and offering an OH&S benefit that no other machine in this price bracket can.

I'm very excited to introduce the new Hobart Ecomax402 into Australia. With the introduction of this glasswasher, we now have a complete German made line up of warewashing equipment on offer. The Ecomax402 joins the Ecomax502 undercounter dishwasher, and Ecomax602 pass through dishwasher to offer Hobart quality, technology, and "MADE IN GERMANY" reliability in a complete product range at an entry level price.

Press release from Hobart manufacturing Germany:

"Warewashing specialist HOBART now produces the entire ecomax by HOBART series at its plant in Elgersweier near Offenburg, Germany. The ecomax by HOBART line includes glasswashers, dishwashers, hood-type dishwashers, automatic rack-type dishwashers and flight-type dishwashers. By manufacturing in Germany, HOBART provides legendary German manufacturing quality to its customers in the entry-level warewashing segment.

Ecomax by HOBART is an entry-level professional warewashing series for restaurants, hotels and institutional kitchens. These machines feature excellent reliability and cost-effectiveness, while introducing a new standard of quality in this price segment – Made in Germany.

The Elgersweier plant is one of the world’s most productive manufacturing facilities for warewashing products with first-class state-of-the-art workmanship. HOBART’s PREMAX and PROFI models –which have already won several awards – carry the “Made in Germany” badge of quality, and already come from the company’s manufacturing facility in the Black Forest.

The world leader in professional warewashing solutions has invested several million euro in revamping its plant in the Black Forest over the last few years, and has further extension plans for the location in future."

Please contact me if you are interested in a demonstration. If you are in the Sydney, Wollongong or Canberra metropolitan areas, I can come out to your facility and give you a full run through and site assessment.