AB Garos

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With more than 30 years’ experience, AB Garos is a master of specialist machinery for the food production industry. Project Coordinator Christian Norfjord discussed the evolution of the company. With Imogen Ward.

Drawing from prior experience in the meat processing industry, Swedish-based AB Garos understands the needs and requirements of its customers.

“The founder of Garos owned a sausage factory, and he knew how much potential was in machinery production,” Project Coordinator Christian Norfjord said. “Having that first-hand insight and knowledge was really key to working out how best to serve our customers. Now we have machines on every continent except Antarctica.”

Inspired by the industry, Garos began operating as a reseller of equipment for the Scandinavian meat processing sector. Taking a chance in the mid ‘80s, the company went on to develop its own machinery.

Now under the second generation of management, Garos continues to manufacture market leading technology for the meat industry.

“Our machines fit within our niche expertise,” Mr Norfjord explained. “We have mastered specific processes, from thawing to injecting and tumbling, and all our machines are adaptable to any company’s production process.”

Outshining the competition

Since Garos entered the market, it has evolved its products to meet the developing needs of its customers. The company produces a number of advanced products, including fully automated lines, injectors, tumblers and roller tenderisers.

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Currently on its fourth generation, the company’s brine injector (GSI) has been adapted to improve performance ratings. As one of the most advanced injectors on the market, the GSI is optimised to ensure precision and efficiency.

“When it comes to injectors, customers expect precision,” Mr Norfjord explained. “They don’t want the machine to do anything other than what it is programmed to do. You don’t want it to inject too much or too little, because then the end product is completely different to what

the customers expect. So, precision is key.

“The machines also have to be adaptable. Customers invest a lot of time and money to ensure that their products are perfect, so they need to be confident in the knowledge that our machines will successfully meet their specific needs.”

Most recently, Garos has updated its tumbler range with the GBT 600. This machine has double the capacity of the GBT 300 and incorporates all the fan favourite elements of its predecessor.

“Even before we launched the 600, we had customers asking for quotes, because the GBT 300 was such an immense success,” Mr Norfjord said. “The machine itself is so versatile as well: it can be used for tumbling, coating, mixing and marinating. We have customers that use it for mixing nuts and candies, some use it for salads and others marinate meat with it.”

The tumbler’s flexible nature ensures customers require fewer machines in their production lines – making them more efficient and sustainable. With a single machine capable of four different processes, Garos also intends to help customers save money, removing the need for multiple suppliers and the big price label that comes with multiple machine purchases.

Pioneering transportation

Ever innovative, Garos offers customers a unique transportation system. The Vacuum Filling System (VFS) automatically transports products to the next stage in the process, via a network of tubes. The VFS is customised

to fit any factory and is future-proofed for an improved demand in production (expansions can be added at any point).

“The VFS is by far the most efficient way to transport products,” Mr Norfjord said.

“When you compare it to more traditional transportation methods – using buggies or conveyor belts – which have limitations. Our system requires minimal maintenance costs and is extremely hygienic. Unlike conveyor belts, the VFS is space-saving and doesn’t require constant monitoring. Effectively, an operator can press the start button and then forget about it.”

With every new customer comes new and interesting challenges. From product weight to consistency, Garos customises its systems to account for these variables.

Built to last, all Garos machines also have an impressive lifespan, with the majority lasting more than 20 years. Mr Norfjord saw this as another way of helping customers maintain a more sustainable process:

“Thanks to our machines, the customers do not have to go through the process of

buying new machines on a regular basis, which helps to minimise the emissions generated from material procurement and manufacturing.”

First-class service

Maintenance comes part and parcel with the purchase of a Garos machine; each one is incredibly complex and requires a certain

level of knowledge and understanding. “ Of course, the best people to service the machines are the ones that built it,” said Mr Norfjord. “We have service personnel who take on that role, we also have a solid network of partners all over the world that are trained to repair Garos machinery.

“Whether it’s a breakdown, service or software update, our professionals can be at the location within a matter of hours to solve the problem.”

The company believes in a more practical approach to training, opting to position employees in the factory where they can learn about the facility first-hand, and experience solutions being applied in real-time.

On the topic of sustainability, open communication is strongly encouraged at Garos. The company relies on the synergy of its workforce, to actively make conscious efforts towards improvement, including waste management and efficiency goals.

Looking to the future, Garos will continue to provide its customers with the very best food processing solutions. Development is

an ongoing process, and the company is determined to uphold its commitment to ensuring excellence.

“We are always trying to develop our machines and look for better solutions, to make them more efficient and userfriendly,” Mr Norfjord concluded. “We are also focused on getting the Garos name out there, because we would like every production facility, big or small, to be able to benefit from solutions that are

modern, sustainable and will improve their production. We are just a small piece of the puzzle, but our machinery is integral. What we do plays a part in feeding millions of people, and we do that with innovation at the forefront.

“These days, food variety is greatly improved and that is in part due to the development of innovative machinery. Even the simplest products are backed by huge ingenuity.”