A reliable means of transferring blends of flavoured coffee from the mixer, in which the flavours are added, direct to the buffer hopper above the machine that packs finished products ready for shipment to customers.

Spiroflow solutions

And that’s exactly what we gave them! Since 1994, Excelso Coffee & Tea, based in Norcross, Georgia, USA has been using a ‘Spiroflow’ Aero-Mechanical Conveyor (AMC) in its flavoured coffee production operation and without replacement of any parts - until July 2008. Excelso is a custom provider of coffee and condiments to offices, vending machine outlets and for private label sales.

The Model PC3 Aero-Mechanical Conveyor was manufactured and installed at Excelso’s production facility by our US sister company Spiroflow Systems Inc in 1994. Operating intermittently eight hours a day, five days a week, the Aero-Mechanical Conveyor is used to convey flavoured coffee from a Vee-Ribbon blender to a storage hopper ready for packaging into coffee pouches or bags.

“When Excelso called in July 2008 and said they needed a replacement wire rope for their Aero-Mechanical System, it was the first time in 14 years. We were amazed at the life of the rope,” comments Mathias J. Lee, Vice-President Sales at Spiroflow Systems Inc. “Normally, we expect these ropes to be replaced every five to seven years depending on the application. What’s equally phenomenal is the fact that no other replacement part has been required for the machine”.

Allan Shaw, Vice President of Excelso Coffee and Tea Company, recalls that Excelso initially selected the ‘Spiroflow’ AMC after a thorough analysis of the various suppliers and types of conveying systems. “We mainly selected Spiroflow because of their years of experience and record for excellent after sales support. We also needed a totally enclosed system that is dust free and wouldn’t alter the integrity of the flavoured coffee. The Aero-Mechanical Conveyor seemed to be the perfect fit.”

The ‘Spiroflow’ Model PC3 Aero-Mechanical Conveyor plays a critical role at Excelso in conveying flavoured coffee from the Vee blender to a hopper for storage and eventual packaging. The AMC has 80 mm diameter conveying tubes. It is one of the most efficient methods of conveying materials such as coffee because of its gentle, dust-free and clean handling properties. Constructed of stainless steel to reduce flavour cross-contamination from the previous batch, the AMC can be washed with water or other cleaning solution through a valve sited at the top and a drain on the bottom. At Excelso, according to Shaw, the AMC is virtually self-cleaning. The Model PC3 AMC was specifically designed to meet Excelso’s exacting hygiene requirements.

“We provide our customers with the highest quality coffee at the best possible price while delivering excellent service,” notes Allan Shaw. “To do this, we operate a facility where only the best equipment is used, the most modern procedures are followed and where quality control is number one”. Shaw continues, “The AMC is a dusttight, well designed system that is virtually self-cleaning. We have been extremely pleased with its performance in getting the flavoured coffee to the storage hopper for final packaging in the quantities customers require.”