Starfrost has completed another large multi equipment installation project in Russia’s burgeoning seafood processing sector.
In this latest installation project in Russia, Starfrost has supplied a complete production line for Atlantis, a seafood processor based in the Baltic region of Kaliningrad. Atlantis produces value added seafood products for supermarkets, restaurants and wholesalers across Russia.
The Atlantis project was lead by the Starfrost Europe office in Lublin, Poland. The contract saw the company installing one of its largest Starlite HT (Hybrid Tunnel) freezers to date. The multi-belt in-line freezer was designed and built at Starfrost’s UK headquarters and manufacturing facility in Suffolk.
In addition to supplying the freezing system, Starfrost sourced all the equipment for Atlantis’ new shrimp processing and packing line. This includes multi-head weighing machine, glazing equipment, conveying system and form fill seal packing machine. The company also delivered a filling line for seafood in various sized containers with a variety of sauces.
Atlantis’ Starlite HT is designed for fast and efficient glazing and refreezing of frozen shrimps, to protect and add value to the product. It is designed to process up to 1,500kg per hour, operating at a temperature of minus 40 degrees centigrade.
The system features three 1.4m wide product belts configured on a cascade principle. This sees products cascading from the top belt to each lower belt in turn, spending a total of 7.5 minutes within the freezer.
Starfrost’s Managing Director Neil Winney says: “As well as designing a bespoke freezing system for Atlantis, we were able to manage the supply of a complete turnkey equipment package. The Atlantis project is the latest in a long line of installations that have further established our reputation with food manufacturers in Russia and Eastern Europe.”
Starfrost says that the Starlite HT offers a versatile, low cost option for processors upgrading from static blast freezing to continuous IQF production, or those looking to diversify or expand production. It is available with multiple level and width belts that can be operated independently at various speeds or on a cascade principle.
The HT is capable of processing from 200kg to in excess of 1,500kg per hour, depending on application and product. The system can be adapted to harden, chill, freeze or thaw a wide range of food products.
Starfrost developed the Starlite HT as a cost effective alternative to cyrogenic tunnel freezers that are blighted by ever escalating consumable nitrogen prices. The unit is low maintenance with a fully accessible stainless steel design and offers significantly reduced operating costs compared to a nitrogen tunnel.
