Latvian Cheddar maker ramps up production

Preilu Siers, the largest Cheddar cheese manufacturer in the Baltic states, said this month it has installed a process line worth €2.5m, increasing potential production by about 6,000 tonnesannually. The new line features five Damrow enclosed double-O cheese vats, one Wincanton draining and matting conveyor, two Wincanton towers, a milk pasteurisation and standardisation line and a cleaning-in-place (CIP) plant. CIP is being demanded by more and more food processors as they strive to achieve better production efficiency and cut down on stoppages due to the need for frequent cleanings Preilu Siers has increased production capacity due to the strong rise in its exports of cheeses into Europe. The company's production rose by 66 per cent in 2004. The new processing line wasinstalled by CPS Damrow and CPS UK, units of the Carlisle Process Systems (CPS) Group. In addition to supplying the new process plant, CPS Damrow oversaw the design and installation of the new pipe work and valve system, the design and supply of a new control system for the processline, as well as full commissioning of the complete new production line. The project was managed from CPS Damrow in Denmark and used parts engineered and manufactured at CPS in the UK. Preilu Siers was formed in 1994 following the privatisation of the Soviet dairy. The company also produces other dairy products, including sour cream, yoghurts and milk. Carlisle Process Systems supplies machines to the cheese, dairy, food, beverage, pharmaceutical and powder industries. The company also has manufacturing facilities in the US and China. External links to companies or organisations mentioned in this story: Carlisle Process Systems