Close collaboration between Bakkerij Schaap and EverBake ensures that the ZELA1600 works ‘fantastically’

ZELA greasing and spraying machines have been a household name among many bakers for many years. Greasing and spraying machines have been used by artisanal and industrial bakeries worldwide for 40 years. The specialist offers a broad spectrum of machines for all kinds of solutions in the bakery. Using ZELA’s inventive spray technology, the release agent, tiger porridge, jelly or chocolate is sprayed accurately and in an even pattern over the bakeware or products at low pressure. But without development you are nowhere these days, so innovation is also a given at ZELA, as Nick Eversdijk explains to us. “Where possible, we optimize our machines so that bakers can work even more efficiently.”

ZELA greasing and spraying machines are produced and supplied exclusively by ZELA Technical Solutions, part of the EverBake Group. “This year we have taken a very big step, especially with ZELA, and have achieved substantial growth. There is a lot of demand for automation and replacement of greasing and spraying machines. So there is actually a need from the market for a new batch of ZELA machines. Fortunately, we have fully focused on this in recent years in terms of development, which allows us to offer a very broad spectrum of solutions, from greasing, tiger porridge, glazing agents and other spraying machines for the artisanal and industrial bakery.”

The fact that the question is getting started is confirmation for Nick that they have made the right choices. “Demand for our glazing machines for glazing hamburger buns, for example, is increasing at home and abroad. We have further optimized this machine to guarantee greater hygiene. As a stand-alone machine, they are easy to remove from the line and can be completely hosed down. That is a major requirement for bakers who work with such machines.”

Greasingmachines
The greasing machines have also recently been further developed by ZELA. “Partly due to input from our customers, we have adjusted internal components to make improvements, but the internal electrical and pneumatic parts have also been improved and optimized to further relieve customers’ worries. The software is also regularly rewritten with input from our customers to further increase ease of use. Our tiger porridge mixers are a good example of a machine about which we receive feedback in practice and make adjustments. For example, we have adjusted the design of the control panel and placed sensors in other places, in order to continuously innovate and optimize to guarantee hygiene, safety and efficiency.”

“A machine that we have specifically developed at the request of a baker is our new greasing machine for cake pans,” Nick continues his story. “This is specially designed for dosing release agent in round shapes such as cake pans. This is a machine that can be slid over the line, so that the pan is ideally positioned under the rotor head. Extremely efficient and cost-saving, because this saves people on the line.”

As Nick already indicated, ZELA’s engineers do not sit still. “There is plenty of development on our existing machines, but also on new machines. There is a serious expansion coming soon, but I can’t say anything about that yet. What is important is that we can provide every baker with a suitable solution with our greasing and spray systems. We also help simplify every greasing or spraying process within the bakery. Whether it concerns manual or fully automatic spraying. Together with the customer, we look for the best solution to integrate into the production process.”

ZELA1600
ZELA’s latest showpiece is the ZELA1600: a mobile stainless steel machine with an automatic form conveyor for greasing bread and confectionery in baking tins. The spray unit is adjustable in width and height and has multiple nozzles, which are also adjustable in width and height. The many setting options offer flexibility and guarantee an economical and perfect spray pattern. “The ZELA1600 was introduced last year and is now used in several bakeries at home and abroad. Bakery Schaap uses it in the Netherlands and the machine functions extremely well there.” That is something Hendrik Schaap agrees with. “I must say that after some minor adjustments the machine is running really well for us.”

Much less oil consumption
After the initial idea to have an old type of ZELA machine overhauled, Nick Eversdijk at Bakkerij Schaap suggested implementing the ZELA1600 in production as a pilot. “We were certainly open to that, also because I am firmly convinced that as a baker and producer you should help each other. Work more closely to improve the production process where possible. The ZELA1600 was a new development and was in its infancy, but we saw the potential and therefore agreed to participate in this test. With our findings in practice, the developers have started to make some improvements. After some minor adjustments to the software, among other things, the ZELA1600 runs really fantastic. It is clean, economical and atomizes the oil perfectly in the can. It will certainly save us a barrel of oil every two months.”

Economical and efficient
In addition to very good cooperation, the importance of efficiently running machines is just as important for Hendrik Schaap. “For us bakers, it is important that a machine does not malfunction and is economical and efficient. With the ZELA 1600 we mainly save time. Incorrectly atomized oil causes annoyance. In addition to time, it also costs you money, because a loaf of bread remains stuck in the tin. That is certainly not the case with ZELA 1600, because the reliability is great. To this day we have not had any problems with this machine. You’re still talking about a pilot model, but EverBake has been there once for a tune-up so far. Furthermore, it has proven to be a great addition. The machine can also be used flexibly, because you can easily indicate the parameters. We have bus bread and floor tins and we can quickly switch between the two using the simple touch screen. The ZELA 1600 is exactly what we were looking for. It is clear that EverBake has made great strides in the development of this machine.”