Extending the shelf life of sandwiches so that they are as good to eat as on the day they were packed is behind the latest new machinery launch from MPE UK Ltd. The new SL1400VG is an inline heat-sealing machine with the same class-leading characteristics of MPE’s range of other sealers, namely a small footprint, ease of operation and simple maintenance.

The flexible SL1400VG can increase output for sandwich and lunch ranges for food shops and the catering trade as well as large-scale production facilities. Suitable for sealing sandwiches with any sort of fillings, the machine provides a consistently accurate seal and twin conveyors for speed – and MPE says it can provide a shelf life of up to nine days.

MPE’s SL1400VG has a recipe-driven configuration system allowing for a rapid switch of products which are loaded into the machine and indexed until they move into the seal station. The SL1400VG then modifies the atmosphere in the pack and hermetically seals the product which is delivered onto a flat belt for final packing and transport.

Boasting high throughput technology – sealing up to 20 packs per minute – MPE has tapped into its extensive heat-sealing experience to design yet another robust machine which is reliable and efficient to operate, whilst its small footprint design saves valuable factory floor space.

SL1400VG is developed and manufactured in the UK using maintenance-friendly, food-grade hygienic stainless-steel construction and guarding. It’s built to keep production line downtime to a minimum with spares and additional precision tooling supplied as standard. MPE’s engineers and support team are available 24/7.

MPE’s Technical Director, John Hodgkiss, says its latest sandwich sealer ticks all the boxes: “Our extensive experience of the tray-sealing industry means we can deliver highly versatile alternatives to the marketplace which are robust enough to be used in the toughest environments.

“We’re excited at what the SL1400VG can bring to the market. It’s a real game-changer, aimed at significantly increasing the shelf life of cardboard-packed sandwiches while still employing MPE’s machine design philosophy of a small footprint, simple to operate and maintain. Not only does this inline machine heat seal sandwiches and other lunch time products, it also increases their shelf life through MAP technology by longer than we’ve seen before in the market.

“The need for speed and accuracy is driving automation and innovation in the food industry, so we continually strive to provide exactly what our customers need to stay ahead of their competition and meet their own customers’ demands, as effectively and efficiently as possible.”