Executive Patricio Pujante says, “We were looking to replace our live bird handling system, as it had been overtaken by today’s fast changing regulations on animal welfare, sustainability and food safety. For us, however, the most important argument for considering a new supply system was being able to achieve the highest level of product quality.”
Requirements
Patricio Pujante continues, “We formulated some clear requirements which the new system had to meet. It should make for easier loading of birds in the sheds, with fewer people and less time needed for the job. Loading and unloading from the trays should cause no damage to the birds. Last but not least, the containers should be easy to maintain and clean to give us the highest standards of hygiene and prevent contamination.” The ATLAS system met all of Pujante’s requirements; its containers’ large openings allow for quick unobstructed loading, no protruding drawers allowing containers to be placed anywhere in the shed, no frame and no blind spots for thorough cleaning.
Spanish heat
Pujante’s processing plant is located in the town of Beniel, in the Levante region on Spain’s east coast. This area is known for its summer heat with birds having to be transported from farm to plant in temperatures of up to 42°C [107°F] at 50% relative humidity. In the decision process for a new transport system, one of Pujante’s key concerns was the ability of the system to cope with these extreme temperatures. It’s therefore logical, that SmartStack came out best. Even in the truck, driving in the heat, birds experience the coolest conditions possible, profiting from the largest headroom available in the industry.
