German Abattoir Finds Petro-Canada's Food Grade Lubricants Stand Up To Their Severe Operations

As part of their operating philosophy they have implemented model ecological measures throughout the entire operation, ranging from minimizing the animals’ stress before slaughter, to incorporating the most rigorous sanitation guidelines, to including the use of appropriate food grade lubricants.

An Environmental Perspective

They have an unconditional attention to quality that also extends to careful use of natural resources. The abattoir “Schlachthof Bensheim” is a member of the “ÖKOPROFIT-Klub” Bergstrasse, a network of companies that are optimizing their operations by implementing environmental solutions. And in May 2005 it also became a member of the Hessian environmental alliance “Umweltallianz Hessen”, which is well-respected throughout the country. In the course of its environmental program, “Schlachthof Bensheim” implemented measures to conserve water, optimize the treatment of service water, recover heat from the cooling system and, in multiple optimization steps, reduce its power consumption.

“Of course, in addition to these measures, sanitary processing within the slaughter house is our uppermost priority,” says Technical Manager R. Schuch. “So we very quickly focused on the lubricants.”

Importance of Lubricants

On entering a slaughterhouse, the first thing that catches the eye is the amount of technology required to process the animals properly and cost-efficiently.

“Lubricants are very important because they ensure uninterrupted operation of the processing chain. If one part is down, the entire operation comes to a standstill,” says Schuch. Schlachthof Bensheim required several lubricant products that would endure their harsh and demanding plant conditions.

“Initially we were very skeptical whether so-called food compatible lubricants with H1-certification would stand up in our intensive operation,” explains Schuch. “Water and steam are sprayed around quite a bit here, which, together with the cleaning agents, have a significant effect on the lubricants in particular.”

They decided to use Petro-Canada PURITY* FG lubricants including greases, gear fluids and hydraulic fluids because many areas within the abattoir have rigorous demands that need to be met by a quality food grade lubricant. “The hydraulics in our cattle skinning facility have tough work to do, and the fluid in the hydraulic tank gets really hot,” says Schuch. “But that doesn’t affect the Petro-Canada lubricants at all.”

The Result

After trying out the products for themselves, Schlachthof Bensheim is convinced they have chosen the right lubricants for their needs. “We’re very satisfied with the Petro-Canada PURITY FG lubricants.”

The PURITY FG line of lubricants has proven performance in the tough conditions encountered in food plants. PURITY FG AW Hydraulic Fluids have better oxidation stability than most leading specialty food grade lubricants, combined with excellent extreme pressure and wear protection. The PURITY FG greases have better water washout resistance than most leading specialty food grade greases which leads to improved protection and longer life, plus it maintains food safety in and around food processing areas.

“The lubricating greases can withstand our cleaning processes, and the wear prevention and service life of both the gear fluid and the hydraulic fluid are first-rate,” says Schuch. “Petro-Canada PURITY FG lubricants also give us the assurance that we are providing the consumer with the best food safety possible.”

PURITY FG lubricants are H1 registered by NSF, so they can be safely used in and around food processing areas where incidental food contact may occur – as required by the German Ministry of Health. Schlachthof Bensheim’s selection of Petro-Canada food grade lubricants clearly fits their tough plant conditions and meets their corporate philosophy of ensuring optimal meat quality with an environmental conscience.

If you would like to know more, please contact www.petro-canada.co.uk

Petro-Canada Europe Lubricants
The Manor, Haseley Business Centre
Warwick, Warwickshire
CV35 7LS
United Kingdom
Phone ............................... +44 (0) 2476-247294
Fax ................................... +44 (0) 2476-247295