For the first time ever, MECATHERM and ABI will exhibit together at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) from September 18 to 21 in Las Vegas, Western Hall – stand 2131. MECATHERM is one of the world leaders in the design and manufacturing of automatic equipment and production lines for industrial bakeries and pastry and patisserie manufacturers. ABI is a premier North American bakery solutions provider, known for its bagel production equipment (make-up & baking) and its robotic and automation equipment solutions. MECATHERM and ABI are subsidiaries of TMG holding company.
Food manufacturers have many challenges to tackle such as labor shortages, inflation, and supply chain tension. Simultaneously, they continue to have demanding expectations in regards to product quality, industrial performance, and sustainability. At IBIE, MECATHERM and ABI will jointly showcase their solutions to support industrial bakeries in addressing these challenges.
MECATHERM and ABI to introduce their latest innovations
In current climate, anticipation and adaptation have become essential. At IBIE, MECATHERM will introduce M-Care, an intuitive predictive maintenance application that enables industrial bakeries to detect anomalies (detection of drifts) in equipment early, prevent breakdowns, and, provide operators and maintenance staff guidance for initial maintenance checks. Visitors can see demonstrations of this digital solution, available on tablets or smartphone. Most of the new MECATHERM ovens are already equipped with M-Care. This solution has been developed in partnership with the French company MaMaTa.
ABI will be highlighting their innovative vision system, a proprietary software designed for bakery manufacturing. The platform gathers, compiles, and analyses visual data captured from a variety of sources such as 2D, 3D, or thermal. Then, the system processes it in real-time to provide robots with exceptional guidance. Using ABI’s vision platform, robotic scoring, dough and product handling, and packing are executed with unmatched consistency and precision.
MECATHERM and ABI offer complete solutions to address market challenges
From vertical ovens to flexible automated lines, the range of MECATHERM solutions has increased in the recent years to better answer the challenges of a very demanding market. For instance, the MECAFLEX line, integrating the M-TA tunnel oven and the M-UB handling system, offers the ability to produce a wide range of products from different process combinations, with diverse baking tray types and formats. The objective: bring flexibility and easily adapt production to new and future consumers’ demand.
MECATHERM will also underline the interest of using vertical ovens. Indeed, as very compact, this type of oven is very easy to operate and enables to optimize footprint. The use of vertical ovens is also an interesting solution for manufacturers that want to optimize their energy usage, as energy losses during operation are minimal.
Visitors can also visit the MECABAGEL Line in a virtual reality experience. It is a line that produces a wide variety of bagels of different sizes, shapes, and flavors. ABI and MECATHERM have combined years of their expertise to introduce this complete line solution in 2020.
ABI will feature a robotic scoring system with an automated tool changeover feature. Scoring blade options include ultrasonic drag, ultrasonic plunge, waterjet, or conventional multi-blade. The system quickly switches its tool depending on the complexity of the cut or on the final product.
Customer support team to soon expand in North America
Olivier Sergent, President of MECATHERM and TMG states, “As our industry currently stands, proximity between suppliers and customers is essential to enable expertise sharing and quick adaption of technology. At MECATHERM and ABI, we are highly committed to bringing a high level of service quality to our customers in North America – a key success factor to tackle today’s market challenges.”
Raymond Nogael, Vice-President Marketing & Business Development of TMG states, “In North America, MECATHERM’s clients can already have a dedicated local service team based in Atlanta, Georgia. To serve the entire region better, MECATHERM plans to open a new office in Toronto, Canada very soon. This new team will mainly be dedicated to services activities and will complement the existing team already in place at ABI in Toronto.”
Alex Kuperman CEO of ABI LTD states "Located in Toronto, Canada, ABI continues to be the ideal hub to serve the North American market. In addition to providing unparalleled support and service to our customers, we are the global leader in bagel processing equipment. We also offer a wide variety of robotic and automation solutions, including our new machine vision technology. These cutting-edge tools help bakeries optimize production, maximize flexibility, and help our customers adapt quickly to ever-changing market conditions."
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About MECATHERM
MECATHERM designs, develops, assembles, and installs ovens, machines and automated lines for bakery and pastry making, all over the world. 420 employees are developing MECATHERM's know-how. The company generates more than 90% of its turnover from exports, with customers in more than 70 countries on 5 continents. For more information: www.mecatherm.fr
About ABI
Since 1989, ABI has helped industrial bakeries across the globe decrease their operating costs, increase their yields, and make better food more efficiently. Based in Toronto, Canada, ABI is home to roughly 80 team members including a deep roster of engineering, technical, and production experts. With a satisfied network of customers across five continents, ABI is the leading designer and manufacturer of bagel make-up equipment and a pioneer in robotics for bakeries. ABI equipment produces many well-loved baked goods, from bagels to pretzels, pizzas to sweet goods. ABI prides itself on its robust design and build quality and continues to innovate around the “bakery of the future.” For more information: www.abiltd.com
About TMG
Majority owned by Unigrains Group, TMG unites its industrial baking equipment and services subsidiaries with a privileged partnership approach. TMG accompanies the development of each of its brands by favoring shared expertise, processes and experiences around a core set of shared values including savoir-faire, exemplarity and teamwork.
Press contacts:
- Sophie KERSAUDY / MECATHERM + ABI / Communication Manager, sophie.kersaudy@tmg.biz,
- +33 6 50 23 73 98
- Michaela DEMISSY et Audrey PUIG SOKOL /MDS COM / infopresse@mdscom.fr /
Tel + 33 1 60 84 53 92 / 06 60 89 00 57
