Hotplate manufacturer Sugden creates mini system for bakeries
UK-based Sugden Ltd, an established designer and manufacture of hotplate systems, has launched a mini system assisting bakery businesses craft new ranges on a single piece of equipment with a small footprint, reports Neill Barston.
The company’s latest market entrant (below), which is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises, incorporates all of the technologies used in the firm’s larger equipment lines, and has been developed with an emphasis on speed and efficiency of operation.
It is reportedly capable of producing up to 1,200 quality, batter-based (such as pancakes, crumpets and pikelets), products per hour. It can also be used for sheeted products such as potato scones and welsh cakes.
Sugden, based in Nelson, Lancashire, designed and developed the mini hotplate after spotting a gap in the market for a smaller system to support the needs of craft, small to medium-sized bakeries, both at home and within emerging markets.
It’s the latest innovation to come out of the company which has doubled in size over the last five years in response to surging demand, both in the UK and internationally, for its British-made hotplate systems, which are capable of producing up to 14,400 crumpets, 26,000 English muffins and 19,000 pancakes per hour.
Notably, earlier this month, the business acquired the intellectual property of Vanderpol Waffle Systems, meaning it can now manufacture, supply and install a wide-range of industry-leading waffle and funcake systems, further strengthening its product range and market position and creating new jobs.
Chris Baldwin, managing director of Sugden, (below) said: “Historically we have always designed and manufactured large-scale production lines, but through market research we recognised that the production needs of craft and smaller bakeries were completely unsupported. During our extensive travels meeting customers old and new it was highlighted that the ability to produce high-quality products for smaller bakeries was not being met. We have also received requests for what would be perceived as typically being UK products, such as crumpets and pikelets, from countries such as Russia, Bangladesh and India.
“Our mini hotplate has been designed to fit into the tightest of spaces and is semi-automatic, requiring a minimal number of operators with small bakeries in mind. Its launch means we’re now perfectly positioned to cater for the needs of food producers of all sizes, providing them with solutions that not only increase their production but also improve product quality while keeping their costs down.”
