Stephen Hubbard, Bakery & Snack Account Manager, explains how Intralox is helping snack manufacturers improve reliability, hygiene and throughput.
In today’s snack industry, manufacturers are under constant pressure to increase throughput, maintain consistent product quality, improve food safety standards, and reduce downtime – all while responding to growing consumer demand and tighter operational margins. From potato chips and salty snacks to nuts and seeds, production environments are becoming increasingly demanding, requiring conveying systems that can withstand abrasive conditions, simplify sanitation, and support higher levels of automation.
For snack producers around the world, these challenges extend across the entire production line. Receiving areas must cope with harsh, abrasive materials and long operating cycles. Wet areas require hygienic, durable solutions capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and heavy loads. Kitchen operations demand flexibility and standardisation, while incline applications must safely and efficiently move product without compromising sanitation or yield. At the back end of facilities, manufacturers are increasingly investing in automation and smarter handling systems to keep pace with rising production requirements.
Intralox has positioned itself as a trusted partner for snack manufacturers seeking to address these operational demands. With conveyor belting and equipment solutions designed specifically for snack-food applications, the company works closely with producers to improve reliability, reduce total cost of ownership, and achieve more efficient conveyance throughout the plant.
Leading snack food producers worldwide rely on Intralox not only for its technology, but also for its application expertise and global support infrastructure. The company emphasises robust supply chain capabilities, dedicated global resources, plant optimisation expertise, and account structures designed to support multinational operations.
Addressing Abrasion Challenges in the Receiving Area
The receiving area remains one of the harshest environments in snack production. Debris, grit, and abrasive raw materials can quickly accumulate between belt modules and rods, causing accelerated wear, shortened belt life, and unplanned downtime. These issues can significantly impact process reliability, particularly during long production runs.
To address these conditions, Intralox developed its Series 1700 and 1750 Flush Grid belts specifically for high-abrasion applications. Designed for straight runs, inclines, and declines, the belts help snack manufacturers extend belt life while reducing downtime associated with wear-related failures.
The company reports that these solutions can deliver between 2.5 and 3 times longer belt life, while also providing up to 6% manageable belt elongation.
By improving durability in highly abrasive environments, manufacturers are better able to maintain production continuity and reduce maintenance interventions. In operations where every minute of uptime matters, even modest reductions in belt replacement frequency can translate into substantial operational savings.
Hygienic Solutions for Wet Area Operations
Wet areas present a different set of challenges. Conveyor systems in these environments must withstand moisture, temperature fluctuations, high-impact loads, and demanding sanitation procedures – all while minimising contamination risks.
Intralox’s ThermoDrive® Series 8050 belting in Dura material was designed specifically for these conditions. The company positions the solution as ideal for high-impact and high-load whole potato applications commonly found in wet areas. The belting operates across a wide temperature range from 0°F to 210°F (-18°C to 99°C), while delivering durability, steady pull performance, and impact resistance.
Food safety remains central to wet area operations, and Intralox highlights ThermoDrive®’s hygienic design as a key differentiator. Its homogeneous belt surface helps safeguard against bacterial harborage and foreign material contamination, while the company’s patented tensionless technology is intended to provide reliable and predictable performance.
The company also offers additional wet-area solutions, including ThermoDrive® A23 PUR material, which is hydrolysis resistant in warm or humid environments and designed to provide extended belt life, high belt-pull strength, and superior product release.
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