Ideal solution for the master chocolatiers

Challenges

Lindt is a leading premium chocolate producer, offering a large selection of products in more than 120 countries around the world. Established more than 160 years ago, the company has produced chocolate at Oloron Sainte Marie in the Atlantic Pyrenées since 1921. The factory employs 900 people who create 45,000 tons of chocolate a year.

In a factory environment, particularly one used for food production, it is vital that equipment is given a thorough, hygienic clean, without linting of fibres. Low quality cleaning materials may disintegrate quickly when used with detergents, solvents or even just water, resulting in a high consumption rate. What’s more, if fibres are shed onto the equipment, this can have a serious impact on productivity.

For the Lindt team, the quality, strength and durability of the cleaning materials used are of particular importance. Production machinery such as conveyors are cleaned using a disinfectant solution before being wiped clean, in order to achieve the highest standards of hygiene. Therefore, materials used need to be strong enough not to deteriorate when in contact with the cleaning substances.

The chocolate moulds themselves require specialist cleaning. This process is carried out dry, without a cleaning liquid, therefore it is vital that no fibres whatsoever are shed from the wipe used.

The Solution

Lindt chose to use Chicopee’s Veraclean Critical Cleaning Plus wipe. This high grade cleaning material is exceptionally strong when both wet and dry and helps reduce the amount of lint by over 45%, making it suitable for use in the toughest cleaning jobs.

With the ability to instantly absorb liquid, with a dry-at-once effect, the wipe remains effective for longer, making it a popular choice for a wide range of uses.

The wipe does not tear or shed fibres even when used with cleaning detergents or solvents – vital when it is used in production areas where quality is of the utmost importance.

A further fundamental benefit is that the wipe is safe to be in direct contact with food, having full FCC certification, making it ideal for use in Lindt’s food production environment.

The Result

Lindt has now used the Critical Cleaning Plus for a more than eight years, enjoying an excellent relationship with the manufacturer that enables any challenges to be solved immediately.

For Lindt, the quality of the product was of paramount importance in order to achieve the highest standards of food safety. The Veraclean Critical Cleaning Plus wipe reduced the amount of lint by over 45%, significantly reducing the risk of contamination through linting issues.

Julien Dupuy, Safety Co-ordinator (Safety Environment) at the site since 2011, said:

“Quality is at the heart of everything we do here. Using the Veraclean Critical Cleaning Plus has allowed us to solve a number of technical problems that we have experienced with other products and we know that we are guaranteed quality. Our relationship is extremely positive.”