In the competitive world of coffee manufacturing, the difference between good and exceptional often lies in how carefully raw materials are handled. For producers working with delicate green coffee beans, even small amounts of breakage can lead to reduced yield, inconsistent roasting, and diminished product quality.
Recognizing this, one of Japan’s most respected coffee producers turned to Cablevey Conveyors to overcome a long-standing challenge in its production process – material breakage during conveying.
Protecting a premium product
Since its founding in 1953, Nippon Coffee Trading Co. has earned an enviable reputation for producing some of the highest-quality coffee in Asia. With annual sales reaching $86.7 million in 2015, the company’s growth has been driven by its uncompromising standards and commitment to quality at every stage of production, from sourcing to roasting to packaging.
However, as production volumes increased, the company began to experience significant bean damage during material transfer. Green coffee beans, which typically contain 10–12% moisture, are naturally brittle and highly sensitive to impact, vibration and humidity fluctuations. Conventional mechanical conveyors proved too harsh for the job, resulting in cracked or chipped beans and, in turn, reduced roasting consistency and flavor quality.
Gentle, flexible conveying solution
To meet these challenges, Nippon Coffee sought a conveying system that could deliver on four key priorities. After evaluating several technologies, the company found its ideal partner in Cablevey Conveyors.
- Gentle handling to prevent bean breakage and preserve quality.
- Enclosed transport to eliminate contamination risks and maintain hygiene standards.
- Low maintenance and high reliability for continuous operation.
- Operational flexibility to handle various coffee types and changing production needs.
Enclosed tubular conveyor technology
Cablevey proposed an enclosed tubular drag-and-cable conveyor system, a technology engineered to gently move product through a sealed tube using evenly spaced circular discs attached to a continuous cable. This design allows for:
- Smooth, gentle movement that virtually eliminates shock, vibration, or pressure points.
- Enclosed conveying to prevent exposure to dust, moisture, or other contaminants.
- Easy cleaning and minimal residue build-up, ensuring top hygiene performance.
- Modular system design for flexible layouts and process integration.
- Low energy consumption and minimal maintenance compared to traditional conveyors.
The installed system now transfers 600-800 kilograms of green coffee beans per hour, maintaining throughput while drastically reducing bean damage.
A cleaner, smarter way to move coffee beans
Industry-wide, enclosed tubular conveyors have become a preferred choice for handling sensitive materials, with 54% of coffee experts recognizing them as the optimal solution for maintaining product integrity. Following the installation, Nippon Coffee reported transformative results across multiple fronts:
- Breakage virtually eliminated, protecting the integrity and flavor potential of every bean.
- Consistent product quality maintained from storage to roasting.
- Improved cleanliness through a sealed system that eliminates contamination risks.
- Reduced maintenance costs and downtime, improving overall equipment efficiency.
- Greater operational flexibility, allowing the team to adjust production lines quickly without compromising quality.
Cleanliness and Flexibility
In today’s regulatory environment, maintaining cleanliness is non-negotiable. The Cablevey system supports compliance with the most stringent food safety standards through its enclosed design and simplified cleaning process. For Nippon Coffee, this meant faster changeovers between product types, less downtime and improved overall hygiene – a crucial competitive advantage.
Operational flexibility also plays a key role in modern coffee production. With Cablevey’s modular design, Nippon Coffee can easily adapt to demand fluctuations, introducing new bean varieties or production lines without reconfiguring major equipment.
A Future-Proof Investment
By adopting Cablevey’s enclosed tubular conveying system, Nippon Coffee has not only solved a long-standing quality issue but also positioned itself for future growth. The reduction in material loss, combined with improved product consistency, has delivered measurable cost savings and strengthened the company’s reputation for excellence.
