When a company significantly expands its production capacity while also aspiring to become the reference operation of the South Korean co-manufacturing food industry, this involves far more than the expansion of a production site. This is precisely the goal pursued by High Food Tech Co. Ltd. from Geumsan-gun.
A reference project for South Korea's OEM food industry
OEM, the abbreviation for “Original Equipment Manufacturer”, refers to companies that develop and manufacture products or components which are subsequently marketed and sold by other manufacturers under their own brand.
In the course of its growth strategy, High Food Tech Co. Ltd. invested in modern process technology from Schröter: four complete SEMIjet® systems and four wood chip smoke generators enable a processing capacity of up to 40 tons per day.
Since its founding in 2001 by Chung Hwa Jin, High Food Tech has developed within just over two decades into one of the leading co-manufacturers in the South Korean food market. Around 100 employees produce at the Geumsan-gun site on an area of about 20,000 square meters, exclusively on behalf of well-known South Korean food corporations. The company deliberately does not market under its own brand. With a market share of around ten percent, High Food Tech is today one of the leading providers in its segment.
The company‘s self-image can be explained with a glance at the semiconductor industry. “Our goal is to become Korea’s best OEM supplier – just as TSMC is in the semiconductor sector,” explains Chung Hwa Jin, President of High Food Tech. Just as the Taiwanese manufacturer TSMC produces exclusively for other brands, High Food Tech concentrates entirely on manufacturing for its customers. This specialization comes with high demands on production: differing recipes and product specifications must be produced with consistent quality and with maximum process reliability, every day.
Four single-row hot smoking and intensive chilling systems of the type SEMIjet® HRIK-8 with space-saving lift doors form the core of the new installation. These are semi-continuous pass-through systems, each with four floor-guided transport trolleys per process zone and an automatic conveyor system. Three systems are designed for the production of cocktail sausages, the fourth for bacon. Every trolley is able to process up to 200 kilograms of sausages or up to 1,000 kilograms of bacon.
The products run through a fully automated process: reddening, drying, hot smoking, cooking and pre-showering take place in the hot smoke section. The trolleys are then transported automatically into the chilling section, where intensive air cooling and showers complete the process. All transportation take place without manual intervention.
Precise air distribution on each system is ensured by several powerful circulation fans in the smoke and chilling sections. The entire process is controlled via a Siemens PLC with a 9-inch color touch
panel. Up to 100 separate recipes can be stored and called up repeatedly at any time – a decisive
advantage for a co- manufacturer with a wide variety of different customer requirements.
SEMIjet® HRIK-8 – Hot Smoking and Intensive Chilling in One Line
The SEMIjet® HRIK 8 is a semi-continuous production line system, which combines hot smoking and intensive chilling in one system.
Additional information on the SEMIjet® HRIK-8
- Operating range of the hot-smoking zone: +40 to +90 °C (cooking up to +95 °C), with 20–98 % relative humidity
- Operating range of the intensive-chilling zone: ambient temperature of –2 °C at the end of the process; core temperature of +6 °C
- Pneumatically operated lift doors with drip catchers and manual interior door levers
- Three freely programmable LED signal lights on both the entry and exit sides
Central exhaust air scrubber for present and future capacities
The installation is complemented by a central exhaust air scrubber CLEENjet® RWK, which efficiently cleans the process-related exhaust air of the four installed systems. The exhaust air cleaning system, with a water-saving shower system based on the counterflow principle and highly efficient atomizing nozzles, reliably removes smoke particulate and aerosols from the exhaust air flow and significantly reduces smoke and odor emissions. Thus, the co-manufacturer combines high production capacities with reliable compliance with demanding environmental requirements for industrial food operations in South Korea.
CLEENjet® RWK – central exhaust air cleaning for all lines
A single scrubber treats the smoke-laden exhaust air from all lines together – already designed for the planned expansion.
Additional information on the CLEENjet® RWK
- Feasible processes: reduction of pollutants in the exhaust air by washing particulate out of the exhaust air stream, and odor reduction.
- Fill levels max.: 425 l Fill levels min.: 175 l
- Untreated exhaust fan with a capacity of 5,000 m³/h, infinitely variable via frequency converter
- Untreated exhaust collecting line from the exhaust air bypass dampers of the hot smoke zone to the scrubber, approx. 25 m in length
For smoke generation, a wood chip smoke generator SMOKjet® RH09 is used on each system, operating according to the proven smoldering smoke principle.
SMOKjet® RH09 – natural smoke based on the smoldering smoke principle
One wood chip smoke generator supplies the associated hot smoke zone on each line. It combines traditional natural smoke with consistent smoke intensity.
Further data on the SMOKjet® RH09
- Smoldering smoke principle for wood chips with a particle size of 6 to 10 mm
- Temperature monitoring and automatic extinguishing device in case of overheating or power failure
- Emergency shutdown upon a drop in water pressure or a lack of wood chips, monitoring of the smoke damper position
- Compliance with safety guideline DGUV 110-005 issued by the BGN
A central cleaning station RGA450 supplies all systems alternately with cleaning solution and rinsing water. This reduces service times, relieves the operating personnel and ensures consistently high hygiene standards.
RGA450 – central cleaning for six lines
The entire installation is supplied with cleaning agent and rinse water from one central station. This process runs under program control.
Further information on the RGA450
- Central cleaning station with a tank volume of 450 l
- Two feed pumps and two dosing injectors for the simultaneous cleaning of two systems or process zones
- Automatic cleaning and rinsing process via the program of the respective system
German engineering meets South Korean market expertise
The project was realized together with Stern Co., Ltd., the exclusive representative of Schröter in South Korea. Both companies have worked closely together since 2018. Stern has since established itself as a competent partner for Korean food manufacturers.
During assembly and commissioning, specialists from Stern and Schröter worked hand-in-hand. Two installers supported the system assembly, while a technician accompanied the commissioning
together with the specialists from Borgholzhausen. This created a team that combined German engineering expertise with comprehensive knowledge of local requirements.
The significance of this cooperation extends far beyond the individual production site. “As one
of the largest co-manufacturers in the country, High Food Tech is visited by numerous food manufacturers. This plant is the strongest showcase we can currently present in Korea,” explains Richard Lee, Managing Director, Stern Co., Ltd.
“We are very pleased that this comprehensive project was successfully implemented at High Food Tech. The well-thought-out system configuration ensures precise process control, short recipe times and rapid cooling of the products. This safeguards high hygiene standards, high product safety, a longer shelf life and sensory quality. In addition, the RWK exhaust air scrubber sustainably reduces smoke and odor emissions and thus makes an important contribution to the environmentally compatible operation of the four SEMIjet® lines,“ adds Dietrich Schröter, Managing Director of Schröter Technologie GmbH & Co. KG.
This success story impressively demonstrates how modern system technology, high automation and a consistent OEM orientation merge into a forward-looking overall concept – setting standards for the South Korean food industry.
High Food Tech Co. Ltd.
Facts & figures
- Company: High Food Tech Co. Ltd.
- Founded: 2001
- CEO: Chung Hwa Jin
- Headquarters: Geumsan-gun, South Korea
- Employees: approx. 100
- Production space: 20.000 m²
- Production volume: up to 40 t/day
(20 t smoking line + 20 t baking/roasting line) - Business model: 100% OEM manufacturing
for South Korean food corporations - Markets: South Korea only (no export)
- Web: www.highfoodtech.com
Stern Co. Ltd.
Service Profile
- Close collaboration with Schröter Technologie in the role of technical advisor, local market expert and trusted business partner for the South Korean food, meat, poultry and fish processing industry
- Portfolio: industrial thermal process systems (e.g., THERMICjet®, SMOKjet®, ARCTICjet®, CLIMAjet®, etc.), seamless implementation, spare parts logistics as well as maintenance and service for the South Korean market
- Coordination of connection to local supply networks
- Compliance with electrical regulations and strict food safety standards
- Translation of demanding European engineering expertise into reliable, locally adapted production success for South Korean food manufacturers
- Founded: 2018
- CEO: Richard Lee
- Headquarters: D-414, Techno Valley U1 center, 947 Hanam-Daero, Hanam-Si, KR 12982 Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
- Employees: 5
- Web: http://www.sterne.co.kr/
