McCain and GEA’s sustainable drum forming innovation

The challenge

The new factory in Rilland, which opened in 2023, aimed to introduce new products,  including cheese-based items that often present both process and technological challenges when manufactured at higher volumes. The objective was clear: maximize productivity while maintaining sustainability and quality standards. Additionally, it was essential to reduce water usage in compliance with local regulations. 

Until this point, McCain had used plate forming equipment which, although it provided the  necessary quality for existing products, consumed high quantities of water during production and cleaning. Also, the dimensions of the plate formers did not fully utilize the current 1000mm line.

This presented a significant challenge: How could McCain produce these new products while reducing its water usage? 

The right performance

McCain chose GEA for the project, with whom it had a longstanding relationship. This  decision was largely based on GEA’s clear resolve to tackle the challenge head-on and work for as long as it took to achieve the desired results. 

The decision was to use the GEA MaxiFormer, supported by the GEA MaxiClean, on McCain’s current line. This combination had traditionally been used for conventional applications, but GEA had also demonstrated that it would work well with cheese and other vegan and vegetable products.
Peter Goossens, who has worked with McCain since 1985, explained that McCain first approached GEA about 18 months ago. He collaborated with GEA engineers, food technologists, suppliers, the service team, and validation experts to optimize and develop the new MaxiFormer II.

“By continuing to work and communicate with GEA, we found the right balance and used water in a smart way. It took a lot of testing and development on both sides, but we reached a successful solution together.”

That ‘smart’ way included a data-based approach to cleaning the drum. Using the GEA MaxiClean system, GEA developed a technique for optimizing the usage of water, chemicals, and energy based on the actual condition of the dirty drum. This significantly reduced both the cleaning time and the consumption of water and chemicals. Achieving this high level of cleanliness also reduced downtime. 
McCain is now producing on a high-speed, high-quality, high consistency production line that utilizes the full 1000mm width while minimizing water usage for cleaning. However, it did not stop there. GEA not only met all the initial requirements, but also provided a sustainability-focused solution that offers the lowest lifetime Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).