KANSAS CITY, MO. - Troy, Ohio-based Hobart Food Equipment Group unveiled a new meat saw, the Hobart 6801-IP, in late 2019. Since its release, its labor-saving and other qualities have earned nothing but praise, said Dan Assell, the company’s marketing manager for food machines.
“The reception has been really positive,” Assell said. “Customers who have switched to this equipment like the convenience of accessing the integrated pusher plate since it’s always right at their fingertips.”
The attachment, Assell said, is connected to the meat saw and can be moved out of the way when it isn’t in use and disassembled without tools.
Of course, Hobart offers a full line of labor-saving equipment for the meat industry — not just saws.
“We have a variety of sizes of mixer grinders and by offering different options, we can fit the need of any size butcher shop,” Assell said. “Also, our meat grinders are available in floor and tabletop models or as an attachment accessory to a power-drive system. This flexibility provides any sized operation the ability to offer freshly ground meat.”
Looking ahead, Hobart has plans to incorporate an integrated pusher into its Hobart 6614 meat saw, Assell said. Adding that convenience feature to a smaller footprint meat saw product is part of the commitment Hobart has made to remain focused on providing solutions for any sized butcher shop operation, he said.
With the onset of the coronavirus, having the ability to break down equipment easily for cleaning is more important than ever, Assell said. All of Hobart’s meat room products provide that capability for its users.
The best-in-class sanitation focus of Hobart’s HS series slicers means that they are the only products in the market that allow complete access for cleaning and sanitizing, Assell said. The unit’s carriage tilts, for spot cleaning; and also can be removed for a fully submerged cleaning in a three-compartment sink. And the ring guard, knife cover and knife are all removable to provide zero-knife exposure cleaning.
When it comes to trends, Hobart is keeping a close eye on greater use of food processors, Assell said.
“Food processors are products that may not generally be considered in the retail space. However, as more and more ‘grab and go’ items are being sold in grocery store delis, the need for this equipment is growing,” he said. “Whole produce lasts longer than precut produce — and when the store is doing onsite prep for meal kits, prepackaged salads and fruit cups, they’re providing the freshest approach to this growing trend.”
Having a machine rather than humans do the work also saves time and labor dollars, Assell adds. And it allows team members to be available for other tasks within the deli.
Hobart offers a full array of food processors — from bowl style for making hummus and purees to continuous feed models to slice, dice and julienne fruits and vegetables. The company also offers combination units to do both tasks.
Saving labor — and keeping workers safe
Countryside, Illinois-based Hollymatic’s Defender 16-4000 and Defender PC-1500 saws were designed not only to save labor but also to keep the equipment’s users as safe as possible.
The 4000, created through a partnership with Tyson Fresh Meats, a division of Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods, features patented state of the art, innovative technology not available on other meat saws.
The unit’s Exclusive Visual Glove Detection System utilizes a camera to detect special colored gloves worn by the operator.
Upon detection in a predetermined zone, the system activates a processing and braking mechanism to stop the blade in less than .04 seconds (ten times faster than the blink of an eye), greatly reducing unintended or inadvertent contact with the blade.
Other features of the 4000 include:
- Stainless steel construction
- Dynamic brake stops in .05 seconds
- Tungsten carbide blade guide backups
- Cutting clearance of 16″ high x 15″ wide
- Camera stops blade in .05 seconds
- Removable upper and lower wheels
The Defender PC 1500 provides a similar level of efficiency and safety for poultry.
Designed with patented innovative stopping devices, the 1500’s operator wears special conductive gloves. If the glove inadvertently comes in contact with the blade, a state-of-the-art electronic braking mechanism will activate, stopping the blade within 15 milliseconds.
Other highlights of the saw include:
- Options include Stainless steel 2 HP servo motor
- Interchangeable cutting tables
- Custom stand leveling pads
- Foot switch operation
- Cutting table support
- Electronic detection stopping devices
- 2 HP, 208/230/460V, 3 ph. servo motor
- 9″ diameter standard cutting blade
- Nema 4X or higher IP rating, all components
- Small compact design
This story was featured in the September edition of Supermarket Perimeter. Click here to view the whole issue
