Ice Cream Manufacturer Increases Throughput with Nercon

May 30, 2025

Scaling fast to meet a growing appetite for ice cream products — that challenge brought one of the largest independent ice cream manufacturers in the U.S. to Nercon for a rapid solution. The goal: Enable an increase in the bundler discharge rate by diverting the line to a different hardener that could handle the higher rate and still get the product down to the required temperature before it was shipped. 

The manufacturer wanted to take advantage of a holiday shutdown to make the changeover. They partnered with our team of conveyor experts to ensure production stayed as smooth as their product.

Reconfiguring Frozen Food Production for a Tight Space

As with all production line reconfigurations, the solution had to fit the facility’s space. A residential community had grown up around this long-established manufacturer, so space was rather tight. In addition, this would be a new line in the cold room rather than a replacement of the existing conveyor. Our team visited the site in order to identify and plan for potential interference from existing machines and conveyors, traffic lanes and piping conduit. 

The heat was on to quickly supply the conveying solution. Our team designed, fabricated and delivered a system that met all of the customer’s requirements:

• Friction-top incline conveyor to move the products to the hardener’s elevation

• 85 feet of washdown mattop conveyor that reliably transports pints and scrounds (square packaging with round corners) across the facility from bundler to high-capacity hardener

• Designed for simple installation and delivered on time for the scheduled changeover

When You Need Cold Room Expertise

When the manufacturing environment is sub-zero, or even just below 32° F, and you’re moving fragile frozen food products at high speeds, working with a partner experienced in engineering cold room conveying is critical. 

Production disruption can happen if the equipment isn’t built to handle the cold or wet conditions, including:

• Material failure — metals can become brittle in sub-zero temperatures, and plastic components may crack. 

• Motor and drive issues — lubricants may thicken or freeze, causing motor damage and breakdown. Condensation in electrical enclosures or motors may lead to shorts.

• Belt slippage — moisture can freeze on belts or rollers, leading to slippage, tracking issues or jamming.

• Corrosion — moisture and cold can quickly degrade surfaces, especially around joints and fasteners.

• Hygiene and safety risks — ice buildup can create slip hazards or product contamination risks, while improper drainage can lead to bacterial growth. 

In temperature-sensitive industries such as ice cream and frozen foods manufacturing, production disruptions can be especially costly. 

Nercon has nearly 50 years of experience in meeting customer goals with cold room conveyor systems that maximize efficiency and throughput of fragile frozen ingredients and finished products. Conveyors aren’t just something we do — we specialize in them. That focus is what sets our solutions apart.  

If you’re considering expanding capacity or upgrading for efficiency, our team is here to help. Contact our conveyor experts today to find the right solution for your facility.