Hygienic AOD Pumps Transform Food Production.
A major food manufacturer needed two fast, hygienic, and versatile pumps for a rapidly expanding facility being used for sauce manufacture.Sauces combine liquids and solids to add flavour, moisture, and texture. Modern production involves cleaning and blending ingredients like vinegar, sugar, and spices, then cooking the mixture to achieve consistency and kill bacteria. Adding a thickening agent cools the mixture into a gel, with precise temperature control being essential to prevent curdling or failed thickening.
The pumps were needed to transfer up to 800 kg at a time of liquids such as honey, oils, and chili to mixers within 20 minutes. Space constraints meant an existing IBC-mounted barrel pump was used, but its awkward position under a low gantry required moving the container before installing the pump.
Most of our pump projects involve large industrial sites with minimal hygiene requirements. Food manufacturing is the opposite—tight on space, highly manual, and demanding strict hygiene. These facilities are built for maximum efficiency in limited areas, with production equipment packed closely together.
This compact layout supports workflow and hygiene but also restricts movement and makes manual handling harder. Much of the hands-on work is done by skilled operatives, which can involve repetitive awkward lifting, tipping and decanting of containers. Ergonomic design is therefore critical, equipment must be safe, easy to use, and accessible for everyone to maintain efficiency and protect wellbeing.
Why process plant cleaning is so important
This was a demanding brief: two pumps had to be lightweight, easy to dismantle, handle a wide range of viscosities, and meet strict hygiene standards. Thorough cleaning isn’t just best practice—it’s legally required to prevent contamination and comply with FSA and FDA standards. With consumer awareness of food safety high, hygienic production directly impacts reputation and competitiveness.
Our specification
After visiting the facility, we recommended various pump technologies to simplify fluid transfer. The best option was an air-operated diaphragm pump, with two choices:
- Foodboxer – hygienic, stainless-steel internal parts, tri-clamp connections, FDA-approved elastomers.
- Hygienix – fully drainable polished stainless steel with a <0.8 µm finish for maximum hygiene and easy cleaning.
The client chose the Hygienix 100, a 1” hygienic air-operated diaphragm pump with a rotatable, fully drainable head and built-in stand for ground-level operation.
It handles fluids with solids up to 5 mm at 100 L/min and 8 bar, with stainless-steel AISI 316 components and mostly tri-clamp connections for tool-free dismantling and cleaning. An air regulator allows operators to control transfer speed. The solution met strict hygiene standards while keeping the high-speed production line running smoothly.
If you need a proven, hardworking, cost-effective fluid transfer pump for use in a demanding environment, speak to North Ridge Pumps – we’ll be happy to help you.
