Diskomat and Wexiödisk power up partnership
This is a special feature from PAX International's April World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Hamburg 2020 edition.
Stockholm-based Diskomat offers a range of dish washing machines, accessories, tray setting and waste handling to the airline industry
Diskomat AB has been a familiar household name in the Scandinavian catering, restaurant and food processing industry for more than 50 years. The Stockholm-based company offers a range of complete systems, machines and accessories for dishwashing, tray setting and waste handling in the global airline catering industry. Gösta Torssell, Managing Director of Diskomat, acquired the company in 1997 when he recognized the potential and demand for warewashing in the airline catering industry. The company has completed more than 3,000 projects in hospitals, schools, restaurants, food courts, hotels, military camps and flight catering units. Diskomat has seen exponential growth in China and Asia Pacific in the last decade. Now, the company is shifting gears towards increasing its presence in these strategic markets.
PAX International caught up with Tomas Jämtander, Diskomat Marketing Director, Flight Catering Solutions, to find out what opportunities and challenges await this segment of the airline catering industry as the movement towards sustainability grows.
“There are two issues here. On one hand, yes, trending is heading towards fewer disposables but oftentimes, this reduction is in fact a substitution from bad disposables to good disposables, implying that sustainable and biodegradable material is sought in the ongoing chase of removing unsustainable material,” he says.
“This behaviour, as we see it, does not really influence the flight catering warewash industry in the short term. We expect however, that more and more airlines are returning to melamine, porcelain, stainless steel cutlery and other rotable goods. The warewashing operations in any flight kitchen will not just continue to be a critical function, but its importance will increase in the future.”
Diskomat joined forces with Swedish dishwashing machine manufacturer Wexiödisk in the 1970s when Wexiödisk was created. Since then, the companies have cooperated closely to integrate Wexiödisk dishwashers into Diskomat systems. For the last 20 years, Diskomat has been the exclusive distributor for the global inflight catering market. Combined, the two companies offer product know-how and logistic solutions for flight catering units of up to 60,000 meals per day.
Wexiödisk is one of the few suppliers in the international flight catering industry that has robust and reliable enough machines to work seven days a week, 20 hour per day – and that maintains the rigorous hygiene requirements, Jämtander explains.
In the past several years, the industry has seen continued reduction in water, energy and chemical consumption. Diskomat has made advancements in improved logistics of the dishwashing process that includes more efficient utilization of staff and machines. There is ongoing review and improvement in the workplace, occupational health, better ergonomics and neutralizing activities between peak busyness and idle moments.
Thanks to the unique centrifugal technique, Wexiödisk’s rotating trolley washer, WD-18CW, only requires two liters of water per cart and wash cycle. The total energy, water and chemical consumption saves up to 70 percent in cost compared with traditional tunnel cart washers on the market.
In order to speed up the washing process and reduce water and chemical use, both Diskomat and Wexiödisk make sure the powerful washing machines are used to full potential. A half-loaded machine uses the same amount of water, energy and chemicals as a fully loaded machine, which makes it critical to adjust staff rosters and working schedules.
According to Jämtander, it is also important to ensure the machine being used corresponds to the washing requirements. The research and development department of Wexiödisk is working to determine more ways to reduce water and energy consumption in the dishwashing process, resulting in minimal use of water and balance airflow to retain and recover the heat in the machines.
Beyond its headquarters in Stockholm, Diskomat employs staff in China, Thailand and Singapore. The Asia-based sales and services team have contributed to the company’s increased presence in China, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan. Diskomat also has a historical foothold in Europe, Africa and Australia.
Susan Duan, General Manager of Diskomat’s Chinese Operations in Beijing, has played a significant role in Diskomat’s success to solidify customers, including China Eastern Catering in Beijing and Qingdao, China, Hainan Airline Catering and Xiamen Airline Catering.
The most recent major installation by Diskomat last year was for China Eastern Airlines at Beijing Daxing International Airport, which opened last September in time for the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The project included several versions of flight type machines, tray loaders and cart washers.
“Despite market challenges, we are optimistic about the future,” says Jämtander, who notes an increased interest and awareness of the economics in the dishwashing process, its logistical planning and overall life cycle costs.
