Food & Pet Food Processing
Our range of food processing equipment upholds the S. Howes’ legacy of designing and manufacturing robust and reliable products. Our sanitary equipment for the food and pet food industries reduces residue accumulation during processing and features easy access and cleaning. We offer high-polished finishes and customizable design elements to comply with USDA, FDA, ATEX, CE, and European standards. The S. Howes line of sanitary food processing and pet food processing equipment is built to last.
Operational Challenges in Food & Pet Food Processing
Food and pet food processors operate in highly regulated, high-throughput environments where even small inefficiencies can lead to quality issues, safety risks, or lost production.
S. Howes designs equipment to stabilize your process, protect product integrity, and keep lines running reliably – addressing the real-world challenges that impact consistency, sanitation, and uptime across modern food manufacturing.
Pain Points We Solve
- Inconsistent ingredient mixing
- Contamination risks and allergen carryover
- Dust generation and worker safety issues
- Poor material flow or product bridging
- Equipment that is difficult to clean or sanitize
- Inefficient screening or size reduction
- Unreliable conveying that causes downtime
- Temperature-related ingredient degradation
Optimize Your Food Processing Line.
We help food and pet food manufacturers achieve safe, consistent, and efficient ingredient processing – while meeting strict sanitation and quality standards. S. Howes engineers work directly with R&D, quality, and production teams to design systems tailored to:
- Ingredient characteristics (powders, granules, slurries, proteins, and heat-sensitive materials)
- Sanitary, FDA, USDA, and 3-A compliance requirements
- Batch and continuous throughput targets
- Scale-up from test kitchen or pilot lines to full production
- Facility layout, cleanability, and allergen-control needs
- Moisture, fat content, and temperature-control constraints
Engineered for Food & Pet Food Material Processing
Food-Grade Conveying Systems
For powders, granules, meat ingredients, and pet food blends.
Screw conveyors, tubular conveyors, U-trough conveyors, and feeders are engineered with food-grade finishes and contamination-resistant seals.
Applications include flours, sugars, proteins, kibble mixes, and supplements.
Screening & Separating Equipment
For purity, consistency, and flow control.
Sifters, shakers, and screeners remove overs, fines, and foreign material while protecting delicate ingredients.
Used for flour, powdered sugar, spices, bakery ingredients, dry pet food, and nutraceutical powders.
Size Reduction Systems
For controlled particle size and product uniformity.
Knife Cutters, Powermix, Graters, Lump Breakers, and Granulators are built with food-safe materials and easy-clean designs.
Why Choose S. Howes
What Manufacturers Need:
- Sanitary stainless-steel construction
- Hygienic internals with easy-clean and CIP compatibility
- Uniform blending and consistent particle sizing
- Designed to meet FDA, USDA, and 3-A Sanitary Standards
- Dust-tight and allergen-controlled designs
- Custom systems for powders, granules, and temperature-sensitive ingredients
- Reliable performance for continuous, heavy-duty operation
Applications
- Powders
- Seasonings
- Doughs
- Batters
- Proteins
- Sensitive ingredients
Capabilities
- Batching and dosing systems
- Ingredient storage and transfer lines
- Mixers, feeders, and blenders
- Packaging and filling equipment
- Dust-collection systems
- Cooling and heating utilities
Scalable Systems From Pilot Test to Full Production
Food and pet food manufacturers rely on S. Howes to support every stage of product development – from early formulation and pilot trials to high-volume production. We provide lab-scale and pilot-scale equipment to validate mix quality, temperature control, and material flow before systems are scaled to full-size, sanitary production lines.
Our test and validation services allow you to bring your ingredients to S. Howes to confirm performance, cleanability, and consistency before investing in production equipment to reduce risk and accelerate time-to-market.
Applications Across Food & Pet Food Manufacturing
S.Howes supports a wide range of food and pet nutrition processing applications, including:
- Dry ingredient blending and seasoning mixes
- Protein and meat-based formulations
- Nutraceutical and supplement blending
- Doughs, batters, and wet mixes
- Kibble and treat formulations
- Deagglomeration and lump breaking
- Particle size control and screening
- Thermal conditioning of temperature-sensitive ingredients
System Integration Capabilities
S. Howes equipment integrates seamlessly into complete food and pet food production environments, including:
- Ingredient storage, batching, and transfer systems
- Screw, tubular, and feeder-based conveying lines
- Screening, sifting, and size-reduction equipment
- Mixing, blending, and thermal processing systems
- Dust collection and allergen-control solutions
- Packaging, filling, and downstream handling equipment
Featured Resources
Pet Food Sample Stream Conveyor
A major pet food manufacturer was looking for a way to employ a continuous quality monitor, to pull samples from the production line.
Flour Pre-Mixing & Bagging System
A food processor needed a new system to batch-mix various ingredients into a flour base and package the product for final delivery.
Conveying & Metal Detecting
A national spice company contacted S. Howes for a complete system for weight accuracy, easy cleaning and metal detection.
Complete Pancake Mixing System
A food processor wanted a system designed to automate the previously labor-intensive mixing and bagging of pancake mix.
Food & Pet Food Processing Equipment
Food manufacturing operations are often challenged with unique process requirements and regulations.
Our range of food processing equipment is robust, reliable, efficient and features sanitary designs for compliance with USDA, FDA, ATEX, CE, and European standards.
FAQs for Food & Pet Food Processing Equipment
What makes food processing equipment “sanitary”?
Sanitary equipment uses stainless steel construction, smooth internal surfaces, easy-clean access, and designs that prevent bacteria buildup or cross-contamination.
Can S. Howes equipment handle allergens safely?
Yes. Our dust-tight, easy-clean systems reduce cross-contact and allow fast, thorough sanitation between runs.
Can equipment be customized for temperature-sensitive ingredients?
Absolutely. We offer heating, cooling, and thermal stabilization for chocolate, dairy, plant proteins, and other sensitive materials.
Do you support pet food applications?
Yes. Our systems handle kibble, proteins, powders, supplements, and specialty formulations used in modern pet nutrition.
Will S. Howes systems integrate with existing production lines?
Yes. All systems are engineered to fit your layout, sanitation requirements, and production flow.
Not Sure What You Need?
We’re here to help you! Tell us what you need to be done and we’ll contact you to recommend the right equipment.