Vital questions from Winterhalter
Winterhalter has been manufacturing warewashers since 1947 and has developed ground-breaking, energy-saving technologies including compact heat exchangers to make use of the energy from waste steam, and a specially designed rinse system that means the machines consume less water, less energy and less chemicals.
But it is not only in machine design and manufacture that Winterhalter maintains its expertise. The company has looked into every aspect of the washing process in a commercial kitchen to see where it can be streamlined into an efficient, cost effective and energy saving operation.
60 to 80 per cent of day-to-day dishwashing costs are staff wages. The better organised the wash area is, the quicker and easier it is to load and unload the machines, and hence lower the staffing costs. Whether the site has a compact front-loading dishwasher, larger pass-through machine or big flight and conveyor models there are savings to be made.
To eliminate unnecessary staff trips to and from the machine it is important to integrate the wash area with staff traffic and work flow. Winterhalter has identified a few basic considerations that, when addressed, can simplify procedures and significantly cut staff costs in the wash area.
· Is the glasswasher/dishwasher easily accessible?
· Is there a space for a rack to be filled with empty glasses/dishes?
· Is there a space for a rack with the clean glasses/dishes to stand? They may be dry when they come out of the machine but they will still need somewhere to stand before they are put away.
· Is your machine near a sink or bin? Dregs and waste need to be disposed of quickly and easily. Put an appropriate filter in the plug hole so that waste can’t block the drain.
· A paper towel dispenser should be located near the machine to wipe up any spills so clean, dry glasses and crockery aren’t dirtied when being stacked away.
· Do you need a water treatment unit? Depending on the water hardness you might need to find room for a water softener.
It is not always possible to make all these changes to an existing wash area but even small adjustments to work practices can produce noticeable savings in staff time. However, planning a new wash area based on these considerations will save on day-to-day costs and avoid logistical blunders.
Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance. Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents. For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, see www.winterhalter.com/uk-en/, or www.winterhalter-scout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.