Posted on August 4th, 2023 by showes
With a whopping 86.9 million U.S. households owning a pet, APPA has estimated the pet food and treats sales to amount to $62.7 billion in 2023.
Moreover, pet parents consider their pets as family nowadays and demand high-quality and healthy food for them. An NIH study found that 43.6% of pet parents prioritized buying healthy food for their beloved pets over themselves.
To meet this demand, pet foods are precisely formulated to provide balanced carbohydrate, fat, fiber, protein, mineral, and vitamin levels for specific animals.
Manufacturers achieve the desired levels of nutrition through a crucial production stage called mixing which involves blending powders, ground solids, and other dry ingredients. Most processors prefer ribbon mixers for this stage since they are more efficient and versatile compared to other mixer types.
S. Howes Ribbon Mixers – The Perfect Solution for Pet Food
Ribbon mixers are primarily used for mixing solids with solids but can also handle tasks like coating dry particles with liquids or absorbing liquids into particles.
S. Howes ribbon mixers efficiently mix the components and ensure uniform distribution of essential nutrients in the end product. They are extensively used for preparing intermediates used in pet food products such as cookies, dry kibbles, and moist treats.
The S. Howes double-ribbon agitator, with the original reverse-spiral design, can operate in a well-balanced radial and axial direction. The outer helical ribbon moves the material inwards toward the center while the inner ribbon moves it outwards toward the periphery.
Simultaneously, the variation in ribbon speeds induces the product to traverse the blender’s horizontal axis in opposing directions. The mixture remains consistently suspended, ensuring a superbly even distribution of the material in a short time.
Benefits of S. Howes Ribbon Mixers
Useful for many industries and complemented by robust construction, our Mixall mixers are economically designed to handle several materials, including pet food. The original reverse-spiral design of the ribbon delivers uniform, high-volume blending at reduced power.
Since our pet’s health depends on the precise mixing of ingredients, our ribbon mixers ensure uniform blending in shorter times. As ribbon mixers work on the principle of convective mixing, mixing cycles range from as little as 2 minutes to 20 minutes, depending on the bulk and formulation requirement.
Our ribbon mixers are designed for less friction and perform the blending more softly and less aggressively, reducing damage to the product and its quality. It prevents contamination and breakage of the materials that can cause gastric ulcers in animals. Moreover, scrapers and drop-bottom discharge minimize the amount of residue between batches that can lead to unwanted bacterial growth.
With a low initial ‘per ton’ cost and a low-maintenance design, our mixers are built to last, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing environmental impact. With our mixers in your processing operation, you can worry less about your carbon footprint and focus more on producing high-quality pet food.
Custom mixers and other process equipment can be built to meet your specific requirements.
Experience the S. Howes Expertise
When it comes to mixers or any other industrial processing equipment, S. Howes is a name you can trust. Partnering with us will allow you to experience our expertise in building high-quality machines and enjoy several other benefits:
- Leaders in the design and manufacturing of heavy-duty process equipment since 1856
- Commitment to durability, reliability, and quality
- Custom solutions available for your specific needs
- Hi-tech laboratory to conduct rigorous testing and quality control
- Excellent customer service with set-up guidance and ongoing support
Contact us to optimize your pet food production processes or learn more about our ribbon mixers and other food processing equipment.