APV wins benchmark award for automation developments
for automation innovation in the food and drink industry.
The company's new heat exchanger and the upcoming launch of a process to produce a full flavor cheese with healthy ingredients are among the products cited by Frost & Sullivan in handing out the award for the first time.
The award recognises that more and more food and beverage companies are turning to automation as a means of increasing efficiency in their plant operations.
The award provides an independent benchmark for plant managers to assess when picking foodprocessing equipment.
APV provides a scalable set of automation equipment, software and services ranging from the installation of instrumentation equipment, heat transfer equipment, control systems, and software to fullintegration with production planning and business systems.
"This is a unique combination of technologies and innovation, which sets APV apart from other automation and information solution providers in the food and beverage industry,"Frost & Sullivan research analyst Sandeep H.R. stated.
He said APV was given the award for its ability to leverage technology solutions to deliver value to the food and beverage industry. The company produces processing equipment and automationtechnologies for the dairy, food, beverage, brewing, personal healthcare, pharmaceutical and other industrial sectors.
"By working closely with its customers, the company has developed a wide range of solutions that improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs and increase profitability," Sandeepstated. "The comprehensive range of technologies consists of heat transfer, fluid handling, mixing and blending, homogenization and emulsification as well as membrane filtration."
Frost & Sullivan cited the company's latest product, the Vega plate heat exchanger, as an example of APV's innovation. The product is a super hygienic plate heat exchanger for high viscosityfood products.
"Combining a unique plate design with few contact points, APV Vega fosters new standards with longer run times, rapid cleaning-in-place (CIP), increased product output and gentle producttreatment, providing the basis for improved process efficiency and product throughput," Sandeep stated.
Sandeep also cited another advanced technology developed by APV that ensures closed process equipment will be free from any residual organic matter after the CIP process.
The technology can be used to examine any closed equipment in the process plant, including plate heat exchangers.
"CIP optimization helps customers to lower cleaning costs, achieve shorter cleaning cycles and assure hygienic processing," he stated.
Another product just about to be launched is the new APV process to enable the production of full flavor cheese with a health difference, he said.
"The key strength of APV is the company's ability to contribute in-depth process know-how and integration on top of a complete portfolio of product technologies," Sandeep said. "Technologystrengths in heat transfer, mixing and blending, process control and automation, hygienic engineering and CIP capability together with process knowledge, engineering expertise, and advanced,intelligent automation systems from Invensys group companies means that APV is able to offer total, integrated business solutions to food and beverage customers worldwide."
With its uniqueness and distinct advantage of evolutionary technology, in-depth process know-how and a broad portfolio of products, APV is the deserving recipient of the 2005 Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation.
APV is based in the UK and is part of Invensys, an international industrial manufacturing and engineering company.
