Equipment Guide for Cheese and Dairy Industries

Cheese and dairy plants operate at a fast pace. But at Cherry’s Industrial, so do we. In fact, we’re constantly working to provide the most innovative solutions that adhere to the most stringent industry standards. For the cheese and dairy industries, those standards are pivotal for success.

We know that success doesn’t happen overnight, just as cheese isn’t produced in one day. It’s the product of attention-to-detail, hard work and the utilization of equipment that gets the job done. At Cherry’s Industrial, we proudly provide a wide range of equipment fit for your industry — and we’re ready to partner with you to improve your operations today.

Let’s take a look at our equipment designed for the cheese and dairy industries. We’ll show you why your operations need safe, efficient and long-lasting products from Cherry’s Industrial.

Guidelines for Cheese and Dairy Handling and Warehousing

When you work in the cheese and dairy industry, you learn quickly that food production begins and ends with effective operations. From storage to handling and distribution, each step of the process requires careful planning that complements a streamlined approach. However, the day-to-day operations of a cheese and dairy facility are only one part of the puzzle you need to solve for high-quality production. In the food industry, there are additional factors that come into play: cleanliness, sanitation and regular maintenance of equipment.

The cheese and dairy supply chain is an incredible voyage from farm to fridge or farm to table. As consumers, we understand the beginning and the end. As business owners or employees of these facilities, it’s easier to appreciate the relatively unknown steps that occur in between. At Cherry’s Industrial, we have worked hard to identify each component of a successful operation and we’ve compiled important considerations that should be acknowledged at each point in the process.

The two most significant drivers of success in this industry are handling and warehousing. Let’s take a look at the key elements that contribute to success in both of these vital operations.

Effective Handling and Warehousing Practices

Cleanliness — the powerful word behind plenty of well-known industry regulation — likely deserves a guide of its own. For our purposes, it’s important to review how cleanliness is considered in all handling practices at a dairy facility. Whether guided by a commitment to conducting best practices or moved by a sense of moral or legal obligation, business owners should hold themselves accountable for understanding how cleanliness is monitored and guaranteed every day that production occurs.

In these industries, refrigeration is one key aspect of safe handling. According to food safety specialists, cheese should be stored between 30 and 40 degrees in its original wrapping. To avoid cross-contamination, keep cheese separated from other products that could introduce bacteria or contaminants. When freezing cheese, it’s important to utilize moisture-proof, airtight wrapping. With your refrigeration and freezing equipment, it’s important to check in regularly on the temperature and maintain a systematic approach to recording the dates that each product is placed in its respective location.

Milk and dairy handling also require stringent adherence to storage temperatures. Standardized guidelines require that plants store milk at temperatures lower than 45 degrees Fahrenheit and process it within 24 hours, if possible. This prevents spoilage and organism growth. When it comes to storage, all equipment used needs to be sanitary, cleaned regularly and free of exposure to external contaminants.

When evaluating your warehousing, it’s important to monitor the standards in place to prevent foodborne illness. Your warehouse also needs to be monitored for temperature, and consideration should be granted for the time it takes to move dairy products from trucks and pallets to more temperature-controlled units, such as refrigerators.

An effective warehouse involves consistent, effective movement of products throughout the facility. However, this stage is also one of the most likely times for contamination — particularly if you use unsanitary pallets. As this is both a dairy and cheese handling and equipment guide, we’ll explore the types of pallets that you should be using in your modern warehouse. For now, it’s important to note that the type of pallet is important. Wooden pallets, once the industry standard, are more susceptible to contamination than their plastic counterparts.

Maintaining a safe environment in your warehouse is extremely important, not only for operations but also for your employees. With production and transportation happening at a fast pace, employees should feel confident that the equipment they’re utilizing is well-tested, safe and built to last. For this reason, it’s important to choose equipment you can depend on — and pair high-quality equipment with necessary training for all equipment operators.

Essential Equipment for the Dairy and Cheese Industries

Once you’ve reviewed your handling and warehousing practices, it’s time to consider how your business operations can improve drastically with the utilization of effective, high-quality equipment. At Cherry’s Industrial, we’re here to deliver the innovative equipment solutions that keep operations moving. Here’s the equipment and applicable uses that will drive positive change for your day-to-day operations:

Plastic Pallets

Our plastic pallets shine where their wooden counterparts falter. Offering long-lasting use, reduced cleaning time and resistance to rot, our plastic pallets are a clean and hygienic solution for the cheese and dairy industry. When you balance the benefits with the fact that our products are built with FDA-compliant materials, it’s easy to see why plastic pallets are the preferred choice for many facilities.

Plastic pallets serve a number of important functions in a modern dairy facility. Transportation is one of the most notable roles that plastic pallets fulfill in daily operations. Whether they’re relocating products from one part of the facility to another or supplying a transportation solution between locations, plastic pallets quite literally keep your business moving.

Transportation, however, isn’t the only reason why you should be considering an investment in our industry-leading plastic pallets.

Plastic pallets also offer a suitable option for storage. With spacious accommodation and stacking abilities, plastic pallets are an effective way to store products in an organized fashion. At Cherry’s Industrial, our Stackable Plastic Pallets are an ideal choice for any industry that requires diverse capabilities from their plastic pallets.

Speaking of diverse, our stackable plastic pallets come in a few different sizes, styles and material types. Built with FDA-approved materials, our 9601 Progenic-HD plastic pallets are an excellent choice for warehousing and general options, since they utilize high-density polyethylene and are equipped to support up to 20,000-pound static, as well as 5,000-pound dynamic, loads.

For facilities that require plastic pallets with load capacities of 30,000 static pounds and 4,000 dynamic pounds, HDSC Stackable Pallets are a durable, high-quality solution. These plastic pallets are known for their resistance to deterioration and splintering and they are FDA- and USDA-approved for use in poultry and meat applications.

Our OPH LD Stackable Plastic Pallet is also a fine selection from our stackable collection. This lightweight plastic pallet is a great fit for stacking and conveying needs. As a one-piece product, the OPH LD pallet features true 4-way forklift and pallet jack entry.

Rounding out the stackable plastic pallet options are our PT 4048 Stackable Pallets. Like our HDSC options, these plastic pallets can support up to 30,000 static pounds and 4,000 dynamic pounds. Completely recyclable at the end of their lifecycle, these FDA-approved plastic pallets are the hygienic option that these companies need.

At Cherry’s Industrial, we also provide alternative plastic pallet options, designed for the custom applications that arise in the cheese and dairy industries.

Our Edge Rackable Plastic Pallets are designed for heavy product and storage use. This type of plastic pallet offers racking capacities from 1,500 pounds all the way up to 3,000 pounds.

Our Nestable Pallets are compatible with the storage and warehousing needs of the industry, as they can stack on top of each other, when empty, to save on space. Available in our popular 40″ x 48″ size option, nestable plastic pallets prove to be an economical choice when compared to stackable pallets.

Finally, our plastic pallets are also available in our Solid Deck Design. Solid deck plastic pallets, like our other options, are built with USDA- and FDA-approved materials. Easy to clean and hygienic, our solid deck plastic pallets can be a game-changer for your cheese and dairy operations.

If you’re currently using wooden pallets in your operations, it’s the perfect time to consider a switch to the improved performance and durability of plastic pallets. As these industries continue to require modern, improved equipment and hygienic practices, the plastic pallets at Cherry’s Industrial deliver the cost-effective solution to optimize your facility’s operations.

Pallet Inverters

With the amount of transportation and product distribution that occurs in the cheese and dairy industry, it’s important to find equipment that is built to last.

Our Pallet Inverters represent an exciting combination of long-lasting construction and optimal functionality. Designed with a variety of options, including stainless steel, these pallet inverters will help you safely and efficiently transfer combos and gaylord boxes onto plastic pallets. Ground-level loading capabilities and a movable sidewall complement our new pallet inverter design at Cherry’s Industrial. This design helps prevent separation and the loss of liquids.

Standard Pallet Inverters

We offer a variety of standard pallet inverters to suit your business’s unique handling needs. Lift, rotate, tilt and transfer with ease with the following pallet inverter options:

• Single Clamp Pallet Inverters – The SC Models are our most popular pallet inverter option! These models can transfer loads, replace pallets and rotate up to 180 degrees.
• Dual Clamp Pallet Inverters – The DC Model is ideal for companies who often transfer loads of varying height and width. If you need to transfer different types of materials, such as boxes, pails, packaging materials or drums, this is the pallet inverter for you!
• Ground Loading Pallet Inverters – Don’t have much space or forklift availability? No problem! The GL Models allow you to transfer loads from ground level using a pallet truck, which makes it a great fit for areas where forklifts are prohibited.
• Ramp Loading Pallet Inverters – Our RL Model is perfectly suited for businesses that handle material like thin-gauge metal or printed materials, especially corrugated or commercial printing companies! The increased clamping force and ramp loading capability, make this is the inverter best suited for your needs.
• Low Duty Pallet Inverters – Our “Cadet” Model is designed to meet the needs of small to medium sized businesses that only need to handle about ten to fifteen loads per day. Transfer pallets and slip sheets quickly and safely with economic considerations in mind.

Not seeing your needs described here? Explore our selection of specialty pallet inverters. Cherry’s also offers custom solutions, allowing us to meet any of your unique needs!

Stainless Steel Pallet Inverters

In the cheese and dairy industries, dependable balance and range are two necessary functions of pallet inverters. To achieve both considerations, we designed our DC-91-SS Stainless Steel Pallet Inverter. This inverter offers increased range compared to single clamping plate models. With the ability to transfer both short and tall loads, this inverter is a popular choice for these plants. We recommend the DC-91-SS Inverter for facilities that can benefit from push-button pendant control and are looking for an inverter that features a UL certified electrical panel, a maintenance lock bar and leveling tables.

Constructed partially of stainless steel and featuring wash down electrical components, our CTS Combo Pallet Inverter also provides innovative opportunities for cheese and dairy facilities. This type of inverter is commonly used to transfer product from wood to plastic pallets prior to initiating the processing phase. Our Combo pallet inverters contain fork pockets, washdown components, standard forklift guards, a floor flush loading table and more.

At Cherry’s Industrial, we believe you should feel equipped to find the products that are best suited to your needs. If you are unsure which pallet inverter is most applicable to your operations, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or request a quote right on our website.

Lift Tables

Today, there’s a stronger movement than ever to increase employee productivity, which in turn leads to improved output for your facility. In the dairy industry, handling products is made simpler and more efficient with the right lifting tables in place.

Lifting tables play a pivotal support role in cheese and dairy operations. They provide the space and foundation that’s integral for effective handling of contents from boxes, totes or bins. At Cherry’s Industrial, our industrial lift tables feature a design that promotes accessibility and reduces workplace injuries. Available in different types and models, our lift tables have applications fit for every facility.

Here are a few of our popular types of lift tables:

1. Level Loaders Lift Tables

These spring-loaded mechanical lift tables provide perfect height positioning paired with a low-cost ergonomic design. For facilities that operate at a fast pace, an exciting benefit of Level Loader Lift Tables is the automated capabilities they offer. Boxes and pallets are automatically adjusted to the right height thanks to the spring assistance built into the table’s structure. As weight is added or removed, the table raises or lowers to support the change. This modern approach saves valuable time and energy.

At Cherry’s Industrial, our level loader lift tables are available in a few unique, but equally effective, designs.

The PalletPal 360 is fully mechanical. This product requires no air or power supply. Designed to reduce injuries with its turntable top design and easy access points, the PalletPal 360 will help eliminate employee discomfort caused by constant bending and lifting. With employee ergonomics and comfort in mind, the P3 Pallet Positioner is designed to change height based on the addition, or removal, of pallets. The P3 features a turntable top that provides complete rotation capability. This means your employees can increase their productivity by decreasing the time required to constantly walk around pallets.

For cheese and dairy operations that require a heavy-duty solution, our PPA Powered PalletPal Series delivers load capabilities of up to 4,000 pounds. Supported by a heavy-duty airbag and powered with foot controls, this lift table allows for access to all sides of a pallet.

The PalletPal Mechanical Lift Table is another high-quality option, as it accommodates higher sanitation standards. Fully mechanical, this stainless steel lift table utilizes a spring that drives the unit’s rotating platform. As pallets are built up and broken down, the table maintains a constant working height that your employees will appreciate.

2. Stainless Steel Lift Tables

When sanitation matters, so does the surfacing of your facility’s lift tables. Our Stainless Steel Lift Tables find a welcome home in many cheese and dairy facilities thanks to their sanitary build and effective functionality. The washdown components, passivated finishes and continuous welds allow this type of table to adhere to the strictest food safety standards.

Our selection of stainless steel lift products includes Durable Lift Carts as well a variety of mechanical and low-profile lift tables. For a USDA-approved lift table solutions, our options at Cherry’s Industrial are the industry-preferred choice. Like our level loader left tables, our stainless steel lift tables are designed to reduce stress-related injuries in the workplace. Our stainless units are available in a standard 24″ x 48″ size with a maximum raised height of 42 3/4″.

3. High-Level Lift Tables

Since many facilities in the cheese and dairy industries feature raised work areas or mezzanine levels, we worked hard to develop solutions that would accommodate processes that occur on higher ground. Our High-Level Lift Tables are utilized for lifting pallets, product and personnel.

Available in our popular green and orange colors, our high-level lift table options provide applications for batch mixing and vertical lift. One feature that many facilities appreciate is the small space required for this table’s placement, making it a high-performing piece of equipment with a relatively small footprint. In these tables, you enjoy superior strength and stability paired with outstanding lift heights and large platform options.

4. Floor-Level Lift Tables

With controlled work positioning, easy access and near side loading, our Floor-Level Lift Tables provide innovation and accessibility for employees of all ages and capabilities. Powered by internal hydraulics, our floor-level lift tables are the perfect complement for pallet transportation and warehousing in the cheese and dairy industries. Our floor-level units are easily adjusted with a foot switch or push button. Looking for custom solutions for your facility? Get in touch with us to learn how we’ve made custom applications an important part of our mission.

Our Sanitary Low-Profile Lift Table features a glass-blasted surface and rugged, industrial-grade hydraulic cylinders. Smooth movement and a wide travel range complement this table’s design. For larger capacities, however, you may want to check out our PalletPal Floor-Level Lift Tables. With its extremely narrow side panels, internally mounted power unit and simple operation, many facilities appreciate this style for its ease-of-use.

Although shopping for a new lift table isn’t glamorous, it’s one of the most impactful purchases to consider for your facility or warehouse. In the fast-paced cheese and dairy industries, it’s important to keep employees safe, happy and effective. Our lift tables provide the support and functionality that will keep your workforce operating effectively.

If you want to see the superior quality designs of our lift tables in action, check out our demo and then give us a call at 800-350-0011 for a quote.

Stretch Wrappers

The most innovative dairy and cheese equipment solutions provide key improvements for all phases of your operations. At Cherry’s Industrial, we are proud to offer High-Quality Stretch Wrappers for your industrial needs.

We know that wrapping pallets and products is an important step in your process. Our diverse styles and designs showcase the latest in stretch wrapping technology. With innovation comes savings, too — our units offer integration that can save you thousands of dollars over traditional methods. In addition to savings and modern design, our stretch wrappers help facilities stabilize loads and reduce or eliminate product damage.

Our classic Turntable Stretch Wrappers increase warehouse operating efficiency by replacing hand wrapping processes. Inexpensive and built to last, this style of stretch wrapper rotates as rollers pre-tension the film. At the same time, a mast moves up and down. Together, these fluid movements help secure products to pallets. All industries rely on consistent product output, meaning the loss of any product costs time and money. With turntable stretch wrappers, business owners find a cost-effective solution they can depend on.

At Cherry’s Industrial, we strive to find a balance between traditional products and those that drive industry-leading opportunities. Our Overhead Stretch Wrappers are anything but traditional and feature a design that is sure to impress. Overhead wrappers remain stationary as the mast revolves around the load. Due to this functionality, overhead stretch wrappers are an effective option for washdown areas or floor-level applications.

We know that productive warehouse operations are central to effective cheese and dairy operations, and our Robotic and Automatic Stretch Wrappers are a great addition to warehouses that seek increased efficiency. These units are both portable and automatic, making them an excellent selection for large warehouse and distribution centers. The automated features included in these wrappers reduce film costs and improve load containment. Employees also benefit when you invest in our robotic and automatic stretch wrappers. Easy to operate and safe to use, these stretch wrappers contain built-in safety sensors.

Save time and money when you choose a stretch wrapper from Cherry’s Industrial. For assistance with matching a stretch wrapper to your needs, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Pallet Washers

For the cheese and dairy handling phase of your operations, cleanliness and the possibility of contamination are always top-of-mind. Our Pallet Washers are the preferred solution in food industries, as the stainless steel design helps minimize the risk of contamination. Our pallet washers serve many important functions, including cleaning pallets, totes, containers and freezer spacers. When outbreaks of Salmonella, E-coli or Listeria sweep the nation, facilities that utilize our pallet washers find comfort in the performance of our advanced washing system.

If you have a preference between a manual or automatic solution, we’re equipped to provide both. Our pallet washer selections include diverse features, but if you’re someone who prefers it all, we recommend our PPW-C24 Stainless Steel Automatic Pallet Washer. This is an innovative, multi-modular system that effectively washes, rinses and dries.

Whether you’re looking for a simpler product or a comprehensive solution, we’re proud to offer a wide selection that will address the important contamination concerns of the dairy and cheese industries.

The Value of Upgrading Your Cheese & Dairy Handling Equipment

Upgrading your equipment is more than taking advantage of the newest products available today. At Cherry’s Industrial, we believe that upgrading equipment means you’re upgrading your efficiency, productivity and capabilities. It means you’re ready to optimize your business operations — an important decision that propels companies forward while leaving others behind.

Furthermore, upgrading your equipment is imperative in today’s competitive world. It’s more important than ever to utilize equipment that will keep you at the forefront of innovation and production. If you choose the right equipment, you improve your ability to lead the charge. Whether you need to improve adherence to standards, expedite production turnaround times or integrate more structured processes, the equipment you use makes a notable difference.

In the cheese and dairy industries, the nature of your business will continue to evolve as more legislation comes into play and as consumers continue to expect transparency in business operations. Despite anticipated growth and change in these industries, one thing will always remain a constant: The equipment you utilize should always be safe, clean, long-lasting and reflect the absolute highest standards in quality and craftsmanship.

When you work with Cherry’s Industrial, you can take advantage of our commitment to the values and standards that have improved industrial operations since 1982.

Trust Cherry’s With Your Cheese and Dairy Handling Needs

At Cherry’s Industrial, we understand the evolving needs of the industry. As we’ve expressed throughout this guide, the choices you make in your equipment are pivotal for your continued success. When you partner with us for your equipment needs, you experience our legacy of American craftsmanship in your own facility or business. With a strong commitment to ergonomic and safe solutions, we have the products that will have your team operating at peak efficiency.

Excitingly, we continue to expand our capabilities with the introduction of new products and features. We adapt to changing industry needs alongside you and consider ourselves a partner in your cheese and dairy operations. When you’re ready to upgrade your handling or warehousing equipment, contact us online or give us a call at 800-350-0011. We’re ready to help you find solutions that will inspire change, improved efficiency and effective practices in all areas of your operation.