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Thermal oil technology saves additional energy during
frying. A remote heat exchanger, supplied by Quality Fabrication, uses natural gas burning at 500°F to heat the thermal oil,
which absorbs about 80% of the natural gas' energy and circulates through the heating tubes within the fryer to bring the
oil up to proper cooking temperature. The remaining 20% of
the heat generated by combustion of the natural gas travels
up the exhaust stack to an air-to-air heat exchanger and to
a PSI air handling unit, which preheats air to heat the building on cool days. On a cold winter day, the heat exchanger
can reduce the exhaust's temperature to 50°F by the time it's
released into the atmosphere, according to Ed Kiser, PSI's mechanical engineer. At that cool temperature, he added, water
vapor released as a product of combustion will condense out
of the exhaust stack, resulting in recovery of nearly all of the
20% of heat that would have gone up the stack. At this time,
exhaust heat from the fryer's oil is not captured.
From the fryer, the chips traverse on a Wright vibratory
conveyor and through a seasoning drum and tumbler.
They then travel up to the mezzanine level, through pivot
conveyors that continually feed each of the five TNA Robag systems with scales that accurately weigh the products.
After falling down a chute, the tortilla chips are packaged
in form/fill/seal bags for retail distribution or bulk packaging for the company's contract manufacturer clients.
Later in summer, the plant started up its Shapers multigrain chip line with a Clextral twin extruder, a Quality
Fabrication and Design fryer, Heat and Control conveyance systems and two TNA Robag scaler/bagger systems.
The line can produce 800 lb of the better-for-you snacks
an hour, which is more than twice the amount on the
lines in the nearby Brewster facility.

RAMPING UP PHASE 2. In July, Shearer's broke ground
for the 60,000-plus-sq-ft expansion project, also known as
"Phase 2" of the Millennium operation. From a construction standpoint, the facility will mirror the first phase.
"We're using all of the same contractors," Mr. Shearer said.
"We are using all of the same sustainable materials, and we
are 100% committed to what we're doing."
That's where the similarities end. Initially, the second
phase, which is scheduled for completion in January, will
house six kettle potato chip lines, with room for two more.
Eventually, the facility will have eight kettle-chip systems,
which feature a centrifugal oil-removal system that removes 40% of the oil from the chips after frying to create
Shearer's signature reduced-fat kettle chips, Mr. Weyandt
said. In addition to featuring more energy efficient thermal fluid exchanger oil heating, the 500-lb-an-hour kettle
fryers will have significantly more capacity than the largest
360-lb-per-hour kettle fryer in Brewster.
In the new operation, the company also will install
a large continuous potato chip line with a preheating
system for the oil to aid in energy efficiency. Shearer's
is extending application of sustainable technology
used in Phase 1, with the introduction of steam heat
energy recovery in Phase 2. This new system will
recapture energy in the steam released by the 4200 lban-hour continuous potato chip line, for use in heating the additional square footage of the expansion. In
addition to space for a second continuous potato chip
line and a pretzel line, the second phase will include
20,000 sq ft of warehouse space. Currently, warehousing for snacks produced at the Millennium facility is
at a nearby facility down the road.

Shearer Growth
While staying true to its roots, Shearer's Foods has
reinvented itself during the past five years. In 2005,
the salted snack producer had 480 employees,
operated a single manufacturing plant in Brewster,
OH, and distributed its Shearer's branded products
throughout Ohio and western Pennsylvania. The
company today has 1,300 employees, six production
facilities and distribution throughout the nation and
into 18 countries, including Canada and Mexico. The
company definitely has the pedal to the metal when
it comes to growing the business.
In 2007, the company acquired a snack facility in Lubbuck, TX. In 2009, it purchased a pretzel operation in
Canonsburg, PA. In addition to building its new snack
plant this year in Massillon, OH, Shearer's Foods in April
acquired Snack Alliance and its production facilities in
Bristol, VA, and Hermiston, OR. The purchase of Snack
Alliance dovetails nicely into Shearer's Foods' rapidly
growing private label and contract manufacturing businesses, said Scott Smith, president of Shearer's.
BAKING & SNACK / September 2010

"The Snack Alliance team, brands and products are very
complementary to ours, and their plant locations allow us
to serve our customers more effectively," Mr. Smith said.
Founded in 2000, Snack Alliance brings with it
more than 400 employees and produces potato chips,
tortilla chips, extruded products, popcorn and its national riceworks brand of whole-grain, gluten-free and
lower-in-fat salted snacks. The riceworks brand has
added a new component to Shearer's efforts in recent
years to introduce more healthful products, including
its hand-cooked kettle chips with 40% reduced fat and
its whole-grain snacks sold under the Shapers label.
Additionally, Snack Alliance has been a leader on
the sustainability issue. Wastewater from its Hermiston
operation, for example, is used to irrigate an adjacent
400-acre, organic alfalfa farm. For more information
on the company's sustainability efforts, visit its new
sustainability Web page by clicking on "Goodness
Beyond the Bag" on www.shearers.com.

http://www.shearers.com

Baking & Snack - September 2010

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