RS Offers an Extensive Range of End-to-End Solutions for the Food & Beverage Industry
March 17, 2023
RS currently offers more than 78,000 ready-to-ship products designed to provide end-to-end support for an extensive range of food & beverage industry applications.
The food & beverage industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the U.S. economy, accounting for over 4% of national GDP with an estimated value of $1.5 trillion. RS has a robust food & beverage product portfolio that supports applications extending from the production of equipment used to produce food & beverage products, ranging from industrial mixers to commercial ovens and packaging equipment, to the production of consumable food & beverage products and the equipment used to serve them, including commercial toasters and frozen drink machines.
Solutions extend from the components and devices needed to build new equipment to those engineered to maintain and improve the quality, efficiency, scalability, safety, and sustainability of existing equipment and processes. Well-represented product categories include factory automation & control solutions, process automation & control solutions, preventative and facilities maintenance solutions, and material handling & packaging solutions.
Factory automation & control solutions support the physical movement of food & beverage products throughout production processes and include motors and motor controls, hydraulics & pneumatics, mechanical power transmission products, sensors, wire & cable, and fans and thermal management solutions. Leading suppliers in this product category include Southwire, whose complete range of NFPA 79-compliant wire is available through RS and backed by more than 70 years of experience. These wires feature copper conductors, thermoset insulation, and a metallic shield with a robust industrial-grade jacket optimized for high performance in harsh environments. They also have a high strand count for improved flexibility, especially in constrained spaces, and a dual voltage rating for machine flexibility.
Process automation & control solutions include temperature and level sensors, industrial controls, PLCs and HMIs, and enclosures and are often ruggedized for use in environments exposed to hazards such as chemicals, washdowns, and extreme temperatures. Leading suppliers in this product category include Endress+Hauser, whose compact Soliphant FTM20 and Liquiphant FTL31 point level limit switches offer broad application suitability.
Soliphant FTM20 switches are engineered for use with fine- and coarse-grained, non-fluidized bulk solids, including cereals, flour, cocoa, sugar, animal feed, dye powder, and chalk, and are available in various designs suitable for use in environments with dust and gas hazards. Liquiphant FTL31 point level limit switches are engineered for overfill prevention and pump dry-run protection, offer IO-Link capabilities, and are widely used in cleaning systems in the machine industry.
Preventative and facilities maintenance solutions help manufacturers boost productivity, protect employees and equipment, and avoid downtime. Solutions include lubricants, maintenance chemicals, PPE, tools & hardware, handheld test & measurement devices, vibration and temperature sensors, and replacement components for modular solutions extending from wire and cable to PLCs, HMIs, and mechanical power transmission products.
Suppliers in this product category include SKF and Kimberly-Clark Professional. SKF offers a highly configurable line of Food Line ball bearings, which provide relubrication-free solutions in most wet, abrasive, and contaminating environments, and high-quality, food-grade grease essential to maintaining food & beverage manufacturing and service equipment and available in manual and automated dispensers. Kimberly-Clark Professional offers a world-class line of trusted facilities maintenance products extending from PPE, such as shoe covers, safety glasses, and gloves, to wipes, gloves, and shop towels.
Together, these solutions help food & beverage industry manufacturers comply with strict food safety and hygiene regulations and improve operational efficiency, employee and equipment safety, and even sustainability by enabling reduced energy consumption, food waste, and equipment downtime.
The depth and breadth of the RS food & beverage product portfolio, combined with its more than 78,000 in-stock and ready-to-ship solutions and its highly experienced technical support team, is well positioned to support suppliers through the concept, design, build, and maintenance stages and help them overcome challenges ranging from retrofitting legacy equipment to implementing IIoT networks and future-proofing maintenance processes.
