NTN-SNR makes food-processing the flavour of the month

NTN-SNR, a leader in precision mechanics, is pressing ahead with food safety. The company plans to invest in its solutions for the food-processing industry as a way to optimise and strengthen its short-term range. The goal is to achieve optimal production with no risk to the user. This is necessary investment for a sector with increasingly stringent standards…

The average cost worldwide for product recalls in the food-processing industry was €7.92 million between 2012-2017. In 75% of cases, the causes were contamination with bacteria or allergens, or the presence of a foreign body. Despite strict standards, the food-processing market is the French industry leader, with a turnover of € 180 billion in 2017. It also ranks second among industrial sectors most affected by product recalls and withdrawals (16%), after the automotive industry. This presents a risk both to consumers’ health and to companies’ reputations, which are suffering considerable losses.

With this in mind, NTN-SNR, with its 30-year market presence, is pooling its strengths and developing its dedicated teams with a view to making the food-processing business its new battleground. The company’s repositioning brings fresh challenges, including rethinking and reintegrating all of the sector’s constraints, and reidentifying the various segments and ranges to meet each need as accurately as possible, while remaining accessible to all market participants.

A highly constrained environment

With its high-pressure washing, cleaning agents, humidity, fine particles, hygiene standards, high production rates, etc., the food-processing industry is a highly constrained environment.

NTN-SNR relies on its expertise to ensure that health standards-compliant, sustainable production is tailored to each sector of activity.

As of this year, the company is focusing on developing its existing ranges, with Germany and Italy as the main European targets for machine manufacture and France and Spain for maintenance.

NTN-SNR’s short-term food-processing market goals are to eliminate incident risks, reduce maintenance times to increase profitability, and to ensure peace of mind.

Fully suited solutions

To this end, the company offers a wide range of bearings, lubrication solutions, linear guides and stainless steel or thermoplastic self-aligning bearings. NTN-SNR has chosen to offer all-stainless steel bearings, where some market players only offer it for the insert, in combination with an anti-corrosion coated housing. The inserts are equipped with an elastomer seal protected by a shield to counter any impact or mechanical stress. As for the additional protective caps, they are provided with a radial or double-lip seal, offering additional resistance to high-pressure washes, even when in direct contact. These systems are true shields against moisture and dirt.

For added convenience, NTN-SNR inserts are available with Lubsolid^® solid food grease. Fifty-five percent of premature bearing failures result from improper lubrication – a fact that led the company to design its flawless lubricant. The polymer matrix containing a large amount of oil completely fills the free space inside the bearing. As a result, neither pollutants nor water can enter.

The grease’s solid state means that it cannot flow, ensuring the cleanliness of your environment.

These properties increase the duration life of the bearing by up to 20 times compared to a part lubricated using a standard high-performance grease.

The appeal of this technology and growing user demand are behind the company’s plans to invest in its solid food grease. The goal is to secure production while increasing its manufacturing capabilities.

3 questions to Kévin Gay, NTN-SNR Market Manager

Kévin Gay, NTN-SNR Market Manager

Why has NTN-SNR decided that this is the time to strengthen its presence in the food-processing industry?

It’s a gigantic market. The food-processing industry is the largest European manufacturing market. Market constraints mean that innovation is a constant, necessary feature.

NTN-SNR is one of the world’s leading bearings manufacturers. It is known in particular for its presence in the automotive, industry and aerospace markets. The company is also a player – albeit a more cautious one – in the food-processing market. Now, however, it seems vital that we emphasise our solutions and further develop our ranges to put forward options that are increasingly adapted to the many demands encountered by today’s manufacturers.

What is NTN-SNR’s added value compared to the competition?

Every experienced market player has high levels of technical skill and specific expertise (bearings, ball bearings, etc.). That being said, while designing reliable, innovative and qualitative products is essential to protect against bacterial growth, you can’t ignore the cost. Certain premium-quality ranges on the market have a rather high price tag. However, of the 300,000 companies making up the European market, 99% are SMEs with sometimes limited maintenance resources. As a result, they are forced to turn to lower cost solutions. For NTN-SNR, guaranteeing the accessibility of quality products in terms of cost to all food-processing stakeholders offers peace of mind.

What do you mean by “peace of mind”?

“Peace of mind” is one of the cornerstones and drivers for how we respond to the constraints of the food-processing business. It has several aspects.

First, there is health-related peace of mind – of the consumer, of course, but also of the manufacturer. On the business side, economic peace of mind is also a key point. With quality equipment, the maintenance manager can increase his operating intervals, thus increasing production. Peace of mind thus equates to saving time, productivity and profitability.

A wide range

• Topline ball bearings
• Thermoplastic mounted units
• Stainless steel mounted units
• Stainless steel ball bearings
• Linear axis and ball bushings
• Lubsolid®, solid food grease
• Lubrication solutions