Food processors utilizing cooking and baking technologies will now have expanded offerings through JBT FoodTech. JBT FoodTech has acquired certain specific assets of Scotland-based Double D Food Engineering Ltd., a leader in designing, manufacturing, installing and servicing custom-built ovens for both bakery and meat/protein products.
Double D has been serving the baking and food processing industry for more than 30 years, and after building a reputation for quality in the United Kingdom, now has installations on every major continent. Double D’s bakery offering is complementary to JBT FoodTech’s panless baking technology. The flexibility in design and production capacity of Double D’s ovens also will expand JBT FoodTech’s solutions within the global protein processing market.
“Double D has previously focused on a regional market and will now have the ability to market their products worldwide, via JBT’s channels of distribution,” says Gert Nilsson, international sales director for JBT FoodTech. “The broader equipment portfolio, and Double D’s expertise in developing new technologies for specific applications, will strengthen JBT FoodTech as a solutions partner for the entire baking industry.”
The future of baking
Double D designs and manufactures quality, custom-built, energy-efficient ovens that meet the complex needs of the baking industry, which is facing demands such as increased competition from in-house retailers, changing eating habits and the rising cost of raw materials. Double D continues to invest in new technology, and the company believes the future of baking lies in linear ovens.
“Every baking process has its own personal specifications and product range: light-fired, medium-fired or hard-fired product, for example,” says Bob Petrie, managing director of JBT FoodTech’s Double D operations. “But Double D’s Revoband Linear Bakery Oven can fulfill many different demands and specifications without the need for additional equipment. It features a unique impingement system that gives processors complete control over both top and bottom heat, producing consistent results, even on high-volume throughputs.”
Double D developed the Revoband Linear Bakery Oven as a versatile solution for a range of bakery goods including rolls, quiches, pies, scones, and pastry shells and crusts. A high-temperature version of the oven provides this same consistency, quality and high-volume capacity for cooking pizza.
All Double D ovens are custom-built to suit individual specifications, including the linear belt, which can be built to any width. The ovens currently utilize a wire belt, but will soon be available with an optional solid belt, designed for processes where the product is deposited directly onto the belt.
Continuous improvement
With processors looking to save on energy and operating costs without compromising baking quality and production yield, Double D ovens have introduced additional innovations to enhance and further automate the production process.
One such innovation is an energy-saving “limbo” mode, designed to cut energy costs by switching off cooking zones in the Revoband Linear Oven when not in use. Each zone (up to four) can be controlled independently, depending on the product being cooked. Sensors at the front of the oven can tell the burners in each zone when they are not required, so they automatically switch off or reduce temperature as required.
The predictive loader, a scheduling feature designed to load recipes quicker on changeover, also is being developed for the oven.
“The Double D bakery ovens complement and expand several existing bakery solution offerings from JBT FoodTech,” Nilsson says. “Frigoscandia proofers, chillers and freezers process a wide range of different baking products. Double D’s innovations will strengthen JBT FoodTech's current position as a leading supplier of panless baking technology.”
Double D also produces a range of batch ovens, including the Revorack Baking Oven. This versatile oven provides consistent cooking on a wide range of products, including morning goods, batch and specialty breads, pies, pastries, biscuits, sponges and confectionery, and is perfect for processors with smaller footprints.