Project Overview
Client: International FMCG Manufacturer
Location: South Africa
Equipment: Two Dual-Fuel Tunnel Ovens & Two L-type Provers
Product: Bread
Throughput: 12,000 loaves per hour
Expected Completion: Q4 2026
The Client
One of South Africa’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies approached Spooner via Astratek, a key distributor in the region with a long-standing partnership. The manufacturer was seeking high-volume, consistent bake quality and fuel-flexible equipment that would support their long-term operations.
Our innovative and highly energy-efficient equipment will be supporting their bakery division, which produces high volumes of sliced bread. The adoption of the new bakery equipment will ensure the most modern and consistent high-volume bread-making plant in the region and support them for long-term sustainable growth.
Project Brief
Spooner had a clear objective: to supply a high-capacity, dual-fuel oven system that is capable of a throughput of 12,000 tins per hour, combined with an L-type prover. Each piece of equipment will replace ageing, inefficient assets to deliver meaningful improvements in energy efficiency, production volume and ease of access for routine maintenance and cleaning.
Implementing Dual-Fuel Powered Ovens
Upon installation, the ovens will operate on a combination of natural gas and polyfuel. Polyfuel is a fuel derived from plastic waste, helping to divert plastic from landfill and incineration.
Polyfuels are capable of producing a cleaner burning fuel than traditional sources due to their low sulphur content. Our oven design will enable both fuels to be applied simultaneously in any required combination, without disrupting production. These innovative dual-fuel ovens were thoroughly tested in our R&D centre to validate and optimise the dual-fuel heating design. The client was able to visit us and see this first-hand, and explore the extensive features of the oven.
These modular ovens will feature integrated internal walkways within their structure to facilitate routine maintenance and hygiene activities, reducing downtime and supporting operational continuity.
Spooner was also tasked with designing provers that could maintain precise temperature and humidity conditions – critical for consistent bread quality at such high volumes.
Industrial Ovens Built for Long-Term Flexibility
Given the region’s infrastructure, this manufacturer cannot immediately rely on fully electric power or a high proportion of renewable energy. However, due to the long lifecycle of their baking equipment, they need a solution that allows flexibility in energy sources to support long-term sustainability ambitions.
Spooner’s industrial ovens are now supplied electric-capable, meaning our unique electric heating elements can be integrated at a later stage without any structural changes to the equipment using capped access points. This forward-thinking approach will ensure this facility is well-positioned to transition its energy mix over time as grid capacity grows or they develop their own on-site renewable generation, so that their production can become less carbon-intensive over time.
Progressing Bread Production
Spooner’s expertise spans in-house engineering and design, manufacturing, testing, installation and commissioning alongside long-term service and maintenance. The resulting design will fully meet the contract requirements and internal specification agreed between Spooner and the client, to ensure advanced efficiency and controllability.
As their energy needs evolve, the Spooner team will implement the integration of electrical heating and any future enhancements to the system. The equipment is designed to scale and evolve alongside the client’s needs, accommodating future shifts in energy supply, including a potential full transition to electric. In addition, ongoing lifetime service and maintenance support will be available to ensure the ovens continue performing at peak efficiency long into the future.
