Cost savings through improved thawing processes
Lerøy Finland Oy, founded in 1991 and part of the Norwegian Lerøy Seafood Group since 2011, offers high-quality fish products for consumers and the HoReCa sector. The company decided to acquire Kometos’ MTM-2 defrosting cabinet, designed for two containers or pallets, or 1,000–1,200 kg per process, to improve the quality and cost-efficiency of its thawing process.
The need for new thawing equipment arose as Lerøy aimed to enhance the cost-efficiency of its production process. Key goals in considering this investment were more efficient control of the defrosting process and minimizing drip losses.
By investing in more efficient thawing process, Lerøy also sought to further enhance the quality of its premium raw materials and maintain the quality all the way to the consumers’ plates.
Drip losses less than 1.5% in just a few weeks
Before acquiring Kometos’s thawing solution, defrosting in Lerøy’s production was carried out in a temperature-controlled space with air circulation. However, Kometos’ thawing equipment enables better control of the process both temperature-wise and time-wise. Lerøy’s Production manager, Juha Sopanen, explains:
Our goals were achieved almost immediately: within just a couple of months, we managed to improve thawing time and reduce drip losses to less than 1.5% using Kometos’ thawing solution. This is already optimal for our production process, however, I believe that through continuous learning, the results can improve even further.
❄️ How to minimize drip losses? During defrosting, some liquid is always lost, but with the right thawing process losses can be reduced to less than 1%. Download our free guide here.
Financial benefits through enhanced thawing processes
The client’s procurement process was fast: the connection with Kometos had existed for years, and Kometos stood out from other options due to its solid expertise in defrosting and its ability to design suitable equipment for the client’s production space.
Lerøy’s goals were related both to financial savings and improved quality. The aim was to maintain the top quality of the raw material, further improve the hygiene of the production process, and optimize costs.
“Kometos worked with us to create a return-on-investment plan based on data and tests collected from their defrosting equipment with different raw materials – and the numbers have held up: we are meeting all our projected targets even ahead of schedule,” Sopanen says contently.
Effective customer service and after-sales support for the thawing equipment
Kometos always provides training for the client’s staff with every equipment delivery. This ensures that everything operates as expected, the thawing process is utilized to its full potential, and the investment goals are achieved.
After-sales support also includes professional maintenance services, which can be carried out regularly by Kometos. Regular maintenance ensures optimal operations and longevity of all equipment. As Sopanen summarizes:
Cooperation with Kometos has been smooth, and the support provided by Kometos has been first-class. Everything went well from planning to delivery, the training was excellent, and the after-sales service has been exemplary: Kometos has genuinely shown interest in ensuring that the thawing process works as expected and that we achieve our goals.
🌡️ Interested in Kometos’ defrosting solutions? Contact us.
