In the food processing industry, efficiency, quality, and safety are non-negotiable requirements. A concrete example of how these principles can be successfully applied is the new tomato pulp preparation plant currently under construction for a leading frozen pizza manufacturer located near Noventa di Piave. This collaboration began in 2014 with the development of a system to automate the transfer of liquid ingredients from raw material storage to the topping line.
A decade later, our client chose to invest in a brand-new production facility, requesting a solution that was even more efficient, flexible, and sustainability-oriented. The result: a four-line plant featuring the latest innovations in food processing technology, with a strong focus on automation, traceability, waste reduction, and advanced hygiene.
Tabella dei Contenuti
Assembly and Testing Phase: Every Detail Under Control
Before delivery to the production site, the entire plant was fully assembled and subjected to rigorous internal testing. Each individual component was validated under simulated operating conditions to ensure seamless operation from day one. This approach drastically reduces installation time on-site and guarantees a smooth and efficient start-up for the client.
Technical Innovations: New Fixed Connection System with Automated Valves
One of the standout features of the new system is the replacement of the traditional manual switching panel with a fixed piping system equipped with fully automated valves. These valves are controlled centrally via a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), enabling automatic product flow routing and cleaning cycle activation without the need for manual intervention.
This upgrade significantly improves plant safety by eliminating the risk of human error during hose connection and disconnection. Additionally, the transition from manual to fully automated logic ensures greater long-term reliability and enables complete traceability of all operations.
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EHEDG-Certified Bivite Pump: Reliability and Quality in Tomato Pulp Transfer
A key component of the system is the integration of an EHEDG-certified Bivite pump, designed for bidirectional operation. This pump was selected to preserve the quality characteristics of the tomato pulp as it moves through different processing stages.
Replacing the previous stainless steel pump—featuring polymer components prone to frequent wear—with an all-steel design has resulted in a substantial improvement in both reliability and maintenance efficiency. The new pump minimizes the need for scheduled replacements, ensuring uninterrupted production and lower operating costs.
Automated Temperature Control: Ensuring End-Product Quality
The quality of tomato pulp is closely tied to maintaining optimal thermal conditions. For this reason, the plant is equipped with an automated temperature control system for both the product and the process water.
The mixing water is maintained at a steady 3–4°C by a glycol-cooled water circuit integrated with a plate heat exchanger.
Tomato pulp temperature is also continuously monitored and kept below 4–5°C, preserving the product’s color, consistency, and freshness throughout processing.
This automatic thermal regulation system is critical to meeting the high quality standards required in food production—especially for products destined for freezing.
Pigging System for Product Recovery: Less Waste, More Efficiency and Sustainability
Another distinguishing feature of the new plant is its pigging system, installed along a 100-meter-long pipeline (round trip) connecting the tomato preparation and mixing area to the dosing units.
This system allows for nearly total recovery of product remaining in the pipeline after each batch, drastically reducing pulp and detergent losses during cleaning phases. It also significantly lowers water consumption for line flushing, minimizing wastewater volume requiring treatment.
From an environmental sustainability perspective, this solution offers tangible benefits—lower disposal costs and a reduced environmental footprint—fully aligned with the company’s ethos of efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Automated CIP System: Safe Cleaning Without Production Downtime
Internal cleaning is managed by a fully automated CIP (Clean-In-Place) system directly connected to the transfer line and mixing vessels. Water and detergent dosing is handled autonomously, following a preconfigured cleaning recipe set by the operator via the control panel.
Thanks to the dual-mixer configuration, one tank can undergo cleaning while the other remains in operation, ensuring uninterrupted production even during sanitation cycles.
This system significantly enhances plant hygiene, reducing the risk of cross-contamination and ensuring compliance with the highest food industry standards.
Granzotto: Innovation at the Service of the Food Industry
The newly built tomato pulp processing plant is a concrete example of how technology, automation, and sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into a highly efficient, future-ready system. Every component has been designed to optimize production processes, reduce operating costs, improve worker safety, and ensure top-quality final product.
From the Bivite pump to thermal management, from the pigging system to the automated CIP unit—every detail was engineered to make a difference.
Innovation, automation, quality: our design philosophy.
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