This is a project about a pet feed belt dryer for wet raw material in Norway. The raw materials are coarse pastes or granulates made from minced fish/shellfish by-products, often mixed with organic binders like oats or potato starch. The initial moisture is extremely high (75-85%).
This is a project about a pet feed belt dryer for wet raw material in Norway. In the coastal processing hub near Bergen, Norway, the innovation manager of a specialized pet nutrition company identified a significant opportunity aligned with national sustainability goals.
Norway's massive aquaculture and fishing industries generate vast quantities of high-quality but underutilized wet by-products: fish trimmings (heads, frames, viscera) and shrimp shells. The company's vision was to develop a line of premium, sustainable dog and cat feeds using these locally sourced, nutrient-dense raw materials as the primary protein and mineral source.
However, these materials have very high moisture content (70-80%) and spoil rapidly. Their pilot-scale freeze-drying process was effective but prohibitively expensive and slow for commercial production. To viably scale up, they needed an industrial-scale dehydration technology that could efficiently handle these challenging, wet raw materials while preserving their nutritional integrity.
This led to the strategic investment in a specialized pet feed belt dryer for wet raw material. The decision was made to install two advanced belt dryers for wet raw material as the cornerstone of their new, dedicated production line.
This dual-unit configuration was critical for their R&D-driven approach, allowing simultaneous drying trials with different material blends (e.g., white fish vs. salmon trimmings) and providing the necessary redundancy and capacity for future commercial batches.
Name:
pet food drying equipment
Country:
Norway
Date:
2025
Capacity:
Flexible
Model:
DHG-2000
drying area:
58㎡
initial moisture:
75-85%
belt width:
1.6-meter
For this pioneering Norwegian company, the process was as innovative as the product. Investing in two pet feed belt dryer for wet raw material units was essential for their development and production strategy.
One dryer could be used for rigorous process optimization and small-batch production of new formulas, while the other could be dedicated to stable, continuous production of a validated recipe.
This multi-layer belt dryer system provided the flexibility needed for a company transitioning from R&D to full-scale manufacturing. Two machines ensured that production of their launch product would not be halted by experimentation on the other, de-risking their market entry.
The raw materials are coarse pastes or granulates made from minced fish/shellfish by-products, often mixed with organic binders like oats or potato starch. The initial moisture is extremely high (75-85%).
The drying intent is gentle, low-temperature dehydration to create a stable, free-flowing powder or granulate with maximum retention of omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and chondroitin (from shrimp shells), which are the key selling points of the final feed.
After evaluating Nordic and Central European drying technology, RICHI Machinery was selected for our ability to engineer a highly customizable, low-temperature drying solution with superior heat recovery. We supplied two RICHI DHG-2000 Electric Heating Multi-Layer Belt Dryers with a customized dehumidification air system.
The technical configuration for this pet feed belt dryer for wet raw material in Norway was engineered for precision and efficiency:
This continuous belt drying system for wet materials is uniquely suited for such applications. The paste is evenly spread on the belt and conveyed slowly through the controlled, low-humidity chambers, ensuring uniform drying without case-hardening, which is the critical function of this low-temperature raw material dryer.
The dried output from these belt dryers is a high-value intermediate product:
This case illustrates how RICHI's advanced drying engineering supports cutting-edge, sustainability-focused innovation in the global pet food ingredient sector.
The Norwegian client chose RICHI after a detailed technical assessment where we demonstrated a superior understanding of their specific challenge.
The two large, customized pet feed belt dryers were manufactured in sections, pre-assembled for testing, and shipped in multiple containers from Qingdao Port. The shipment arrived at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, followed by specialized short-sea shipping to the Port of Bergen, Norway, a major gateway for industrial equipment.
"Our vision was to create the most sustainable pet nutrition ingredient from what others see as waste. The challenge was drying it without destroying its value. RICHI's pet feed belt dryers were the answer.
The closed-loop dehumidification system is incredibly efficient, and the low-temperature drying preserves the omega-3s perfectly. Having two units gives us the flexibility to innovate and produce simultaneously.
RICHI didn't just sell us a dryer; they co-engineered a solution with us. For any company working with sensitive, wet raw materials and needing precision drying, this belt dryer for wet material is in a class of its own." – Innovation Manager, Sustainable Pet Nutrition Company, Vestland, Norway.
This project showcases RICHI's role as an innovator and partner for companies pushing the boundaries of sustainable ingredient production, providing not just equipment, but tailored, energy-optimized process solutions.
Contact RICHI Machinery to explore how our advanced belt drying technology with heat recovery can help you transform challenging wet raw materials into stable, high-value products.
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