Norway’s leading supplier of candy, Nidar AS, manufactures 150 products under 35 brands on 10 production lines. Built in 1950, the company’s plant has been periodically updated with newer bulk handling equipment to improve productivity and working conditions. The five-level plant has been extended six times to accommodate growth in production, but due to the building’s design, the space presents challenges for the company. “As with most old buildings, the original layout has not always been optimal for modern production,” explains Tor Ove Kvingedal, one of Nidar’s three maintenance engineers.
Tight places make gravity feeding of materials impossible in some sections of the plant. In these areas, bulk materials are transferred using bulk bag dischargers, flexible screw conveyors, rigid augers and pneumatic conveyors. These pieces of equipment not only reduce manual labor and contain dust, they also fit in the allotted space.