REACH F
Maximising rice processing efficiency by So Komori, International Business Division, Satake Corporation, Japan
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orld rice production has continued to grow over the past years, approaching near 770 million tonnes in 2017, according to the latest Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report. This growth is not only in regards to production for traditional rice usage, such as paella in Spain or sushi in Japan, but also from increases in new usage areas such as rice bread, even in regions where rice is not considered as a staple food. Regardless of the final product, all rice produced must be processed before hitting the market, whether it be husked for brown rice, milled for white rice, etc. Many rice processing business owners who place importance on both their product quality such as taste, moisture content, appearance to satisfy their customers, processing efficiency or volume for profitability, put enormous effort into the design of their processing facilities. They realise that, along with the selection of equipment in the process line, the auxiliary equipment such as holding bins and conveyors also dramatically affect their production flow and product yield. In other words, optimising the design of the total processing line is key to the success of the final result. In 2019, Satake launched a new product - REACH System 7.0. REACH defines a pre-assembled rice processing line, from receiving to packing and is designed to provide several key qualities of a well-designed rice milling facility. First, it provides astonishingly short machine installation time of two weeks when compared to the usual three-tofour months. Pre-assembled in Satake’s manufacturing facility in Thailand, it provides hassle-free installation and better final product output. In a typical rice milling plant, designers often face difficulties designing the flow due to combinations of equipment and accessories from multiple companies. Unmatched machines and pipes are often forcibly assembled, resulting in unnecessary damage to the product, resulting in a deterioration of product quality. An
76 | July 2019 - Milling and Grain