Heinsberg Municipal Hospital
After 26 years, Heinsberg Municipal Hospital replaced its outdated HOBART flighttype dishwasher with a brand new FLOW Line. Patients, staff and visitors all enjoy the daily catering that is very different from what you would generally associate with hospital fare.
A hospital that takes pleasure in washing up
The small town of Heinsberg can be found to the north of Aachen, right on the border with the Netherlands. It was here that egg liqueur was invented in 1876 but the local people are always cheerful even when they've not had a drink. With just 187 beds and around 600 members of staff, Heinsberg Municipal Hospital is on the small side. The hospital's kitchen uses a cook & chill process to produce around 600 meals a day, plus breakfast and dinner for the patients as well as external catering for several nurseries, schools and retirement homes. An inhouse cafeteria provides visitors and staff with a self-serve salad counter, hot and cold meals as well as delicious cakes and tarts crafted by its own pastry chef.
“Our food is so tasty that some people just come by to eat here or pick up cakes for take away,” says Frank Seibert. He manages the kitchen and is the heart and soul behind it for 32 years. Now he is one of the main reasons why there is plenty of laughter in this kitchen and beyond.
Modern technology saves resources
Ten full-time and six part-time employees take care of the catering that has to be provided every day of the year. For several years, an external company has run the wash up area in a three-shift pattern; everything is well-rehearsed and runs smoothly. The hospital started using HOBART warewashing equipment back in 1998.
Cleanliness inside and out
"We don't just wash dishes but also pans, utensils and trays; and there's lots of different materials. Thanks to the new machine and its camera recognition, everything runs very well and we are really happy with the results," says Seibert, who always has his eye on the dishwasher and makes sure that it's operated correctly and cleaned thoroughly. "When cleaning a dishwasher, the staff need to be very aware that if the inside isn't cleaned on a daily basis, the dishes might not be fully hygienic," he adds knowingly. He precisely set out the processes with the cleaning team, and thanks to the coloured marking of the removable parts inside the FLOW Line, the cleaning process is very reliable.
New technology, new spaces
The FLOW Line was installed in Heinsberg towards the end of 2024. The kitchen area was redesigned when the new machine arrived: the wash up area moved to a new location with new air conditioning, ventilation and windows. This has all greatly improved the dishwashing staff's working conditions.
Good value for money
René Tellers completed his apprenticeship to become an electrician at Heinsberg hospital in 2010 and is now the technical manager. His role includes responsibility for the technical equipment in the wash up area. "We went for the new FLOW Line on the basis of our long-standing positive working relationship with HOBART and its good value for money," he explains. "The more modern machine cuts operating costs and gives us a very good overview of energy data and consumption. Since installing the new machine, we have reduced water consumption and cut operating costs.“ One clear advantage for him is that the FLOW Line has a similar design to its predecessor so he can remedy minor issues himself and there are no interruptions to washing operations.
Our Passion. Your Flow.
When AI-supported warewashing technology meets smart automation solutions, it has to be the FLOW from HOBART. Innovative features such as SMART VISION CONTROL and ASR² offer new solutions in terms of warewashing intelligence. This allows you to wash even more efficiently, save resources every day and significantly reduce your operating costs.
"We bought our first flight-type dishwasher from HOBART, an FTN, in 1998. We were very happy with it, it ran reliably for 26 years and had relatively few issues. In 2024, we opted for the new FLOW Line from HOBART. It is even more efficient, uses less energy and offers plenty of flexibility in a small space. We don't just wash dishes but also pans, utensils and other materials. Thanks to the new camera recognition, everything is running really well and we are very happy with the results."
Frank Seibert, kitchen manager (right)
"Thanks to the new HOBART machine with AI technology, we are cutting operating costs."
René Tellers, technical manager (left)
The new generation flight-type dishwashers
Many new features and the innovative technology ensure faster work processes and reduce the number of man hours required. What's best: The FLOW Line is the first flight-type dishwasher that uses artificial intelligence to support your warewashing activities – boosting the economic efficiency of your enterprise!
- AI-supported warewashing technology ensures optimal cleaning results with minimal operating costs
- Modular design - Pre-wash, main wash, drying and intermediate zones are planned individually for each customer - depending on the wash volume
- Automatic self-cleaning system makes cleaning easy and saves time
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