In dairy sector, the reasons of success are tight margins and wise decision, while choosing proper materials and products employed for equipments are determinant for excellent results.
Silicone is a material ever more employed in dairy industry, replacing traditional rubber compounds, largely used in the past to produce articles for this sector.
The advantages
Behind this trend we can find the resistance to high temperatures (in contrast to thermoplastic elastomers), a better resistance in absorbing milk derivatives (such as butterfat, a plasticizer for rubber products), a greater chemical resistance to acid washing and a better resistance to continued flexing, ozone and UV.
All these characteristics allow silicone to keep intact its composition: the result is a liner that lasts between two and three times more than rubber products.
Producers often choose rubber liners because initial costs are lower, but it is important to consider that the initial investment is also related to the number of milking per liner. The longevity of silicone products also means a lower waste, lower indirect manpower and maintenance, lower disposal and shipping charge and leading to bigger saving.
Another advantage of the silicone in the liners production is the well-being of the animal; silicone is softer and more comfortable and the repeated usage leads to a lower onset of mastitis and sensitizations, by increasing the productivity and the quality of milk.
In the last 20 years, the progress in the usage of silicone for milking liners leads the material to have high milking performances in terms of quantity and milking speed, thanks to the introduction of complex geometries that were impossible to develop with materials and moulding technologies of the past.
Our approach
Since many years, the Research and Development Department of Silikoneurope, is doing technical studies in the milking sector producing innovative articles.
To keep us informed in the sector, in October we will visit two of the most important fairs for the dairy industry: World Dairy Expo, from 1st to 6th October in Madison, Wisconsin (USA) and Dairy Industries Expo 2023, from 4th to 5th October in Harrogate (UK).
Our Business Developers Danilo Pasquale Zaccaria and Michael Rivola, will meet our customers and participate to the numerous conferences about milking. This visit will be the occasion to discover the innovations of the sector and to meet the best suppliers of equipment for dairy industry.