In an effort to improve its production efficiency, pita bread and pizza crust manufacturer Goglanian Bakeries recently elected to upgrade an ambient spiral cooler's belt system at the company's Santa Ana, Calif., plant.

As a supplier to several national fast-food restaurant chains, Goglanian wanted a wide belt that was capable of transporting relatively heavy loads at high speeds while running almost continuously.

Length was also a factor, since the bakery products emerging from the oven (at 250 degrees F) required more than 2,100 feet of ambient cooling space before reaching the packaging unit. Finally, the company wanted a product with the longest service life possible.

Because of Goglanian's successful track record with belts from Cambridge Inc., company president George Goglanian opted for the supplier's new Leading Edge Spiral System Belt when he learned of its availability.

Designed for meeting high production requirements for freezing, cooling, chilling and proofing lines, the Leading Edge product features three rows of heavy-duty links and a double row of heavy-duty reinforcing bars along the outside edge.

The belt is available in 36-in. to 60-in. widths and can convey loads of up to 15 lbs. per linear foot. Belt speeds range from 50 to 150 feet per minute. More than a year after the installation, which included an ambient spiral cooler with a 48-in.-wide belt, Goglanian was convinced that he made the right decision.

"We've been running the belt at speeds of 124 feet per minute with loads more than 10,000 pounds an hour and the belt shows no signs of wear," he observed, noting that operations are 24 hours a day, six days a week. "What's even better, we're not even running the belt to its full capacity yet. We've got to automate our packaging section to keep up with Leading Edge so we can take advantage of the belt's maximum speed and load capabilities."

Cambridge Inc., PO Box 399, Cambridge, MD 12613. Tel: 877-485-0648.