The Flexi-Disc line of tubular cable conveyors now includes a 15cm diameter system, increasing capacity of the 10cm diameter system.
It can be configured with single or multiple inlets that are metered and/or non-metered and discharges that are valved or open.
Low-friction polymer discs slide materials through stainless steel tubing, which can be routed horizontally or vertically through small holes in walls or ceilings, over short or long distances.
The conveyor is targeted at beans, cereals, coffees, dried fruits, frozen vegetables, grains, nuts, beans, pet foods, seeds, snack foods, spices, teas and other fragile/friable food products.
Flexicon Europe moved into larger UK headquarters, to increase manufacturing area, office space and operational efficiencies in July this year.
The cable-disc assembly is pulled through the tubing circuit by a drive wheel at one end of the circuit, and kept taut by an automatic cable tensioner at the opposite end of the circuit.
All housings and ancillary metallic components are of 304 or 316 stainless steel with continuous welds ground and polished to relevant standards.
Wet or dry cleaning accessories can be attached to the cable to minimise downtime between changeovers, while Clean-In-Place (CIP) accessories allow automated sanitising of the system.
The conveyor is offered as a stand-alone system and/or pre-engineered and integrated with upstream and downstream equipment such as inlet hoppers, bag dump stations, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag fillers, drum/box/container tippers, weigh batching/blending systems, screeners, filling machines and storage vessels.
Rexnord acquisition
Meanwhile, Rexnord has acquired Precision Gear Holdings (PGH) from One Equity Partners (OEP) Precision Holdings for $78m.
Rexnord chains and belts are used to convey durable products like plastic bottles, to more delicate items such as product bags of chips.
PGH has two operating subsidiaries, Merit Gear LLC, Antigo, Wisconsin, and Precision Gear LLC, Twinsburg, Ohio, which employ 190 associates and has annual net sales of $45m.
Merit Gear is a build-to-print manufacturer of gearing and specialized gearboxes for the North American oil and gas market and other industrial markets.
Precision Gear is a manufacturer of gears primarily serving the aerospace market and other industrial markets.
One Equity Partners (OEP) acquired 100% of the assets of Precision Gear Holdings for $80m from Precision Parts International, Inc in 2008.