James T Blakeman (Services) upgrades its sausage freezer

The Blakeman company produces sausage and meat products for the catering and retail sector and was founded by James Blakeman in 1953.

James T Blakeman (Services), a specialist cooking and cold storage operation, was formed in 2000. It has capacity to make 100,000 standard sized sausages every eight hours and can cook deep-fried, oven cooked or steamed products.

Project ​

The refrigeration project involved the removal of an ageing refrigeration system while maintaining production in the factory.

“To say this project was a headache would be understating the task, yet after a strenuous nine-week period the plant was up and running,”​ said Blakeman’s factory manager Kevin Moller.

Savings ​

The double-belted spiral freezer system allows for better product integrity and allergen control combined with greater energy savings. It also copes with products fed into the freezer at 77°C and exiting at -30°C within 30 minutes.

Starfrost Freezing & Chilling Systems of Lowestoft was contracted to install a full internal stainless plant. This features a highly efficient hot gas defrost and a clean-in-place system, allowing for rapid cleaning and improved hygiene. This is assisted by the use of easy-to-clean slideable conveyor belts.