AUTOMATED DEPOSITORS AND SHAPING TECHNOLOGY


increasing demand for systems capable of reducing training requirements while maintaining repeatable product quality across multiple production environments .


Handling increasingly complex formulations


Alongside labour and efficiency pressures, bakery formulations themselves are becoming more challenging to process. The continued growth of plant-based products, reduced-sugar recipes, gluten- free formulations and premium filled products is creating new demands on depositing and shaping equipment. These products often behave differently during processing, exhibiting variations in viscosity, density and flow characteristics that can compromise deposit accuracy if equipment is not properly controlled. As a result, manufacturers are


increasingly investing in advanced pumping systems, servo-controlled pistons and adaptable flow-path designs capable of maintaining consistency across a broad range of ingredients. Depositors are now expected to handle everything from highly aerated creams and mousse-style fillings to particulate-rich fruit preparations and


chunky inclusions without damaging product structure or compromising portion accuracy. This evolution reflects a broader shift


in bakery production, where equipment flexibility is becoming critical to supporting increasingly diverse product portfolios.


Depositing precision tied directly to yield and profitability Rademaker’s approach to depositing technology places particular emphasis on the commercial impact of accuracy, especially in cake and laminated bakery applications where small deviations in deposit weight scale rapidly across production volumes. Nick Magistrelli, Vice President of Sales


at Rademaker USA, highlights the direct link between depositor accuracy and financial performance: “If a depositor is not precise, it can lead to inconsistent portion weights and uneven product shapes, both of which directly affect product quality.” He adds that inconsistency also has a


direct cost implication: “More importantly, it can lead to loss in profitability as inconsistent weights will need to be compensated to meet regulatory and customer demands, usually by increasing


the overall weight dosed by the depositor.” Rademaker’s latest developments,


showcased across its topping and shaping platforms at IBIE 2025, reflect a broader move toward integrated production systems that combine depositing, shaping and automation into a single production ecosystem. Its pizza topping and forming technologies,


for example, incorporate automated sauce depositing, ingredient distribution and dough shaping functions designed to reduce manual handling while improving consistency across high-speed production lines.


Hygiene and changeover efficiency gain prominence While precision remains a primary purchasing criterion, hygiene and cleaning efficiency are becoming increasingly important design considerations within depositing systems. Bakery manufacturers are producing


a growing number of stock-keeping units, many involving allergens, fillings or toppings that require regular product changeovers. As a result, downtime associated with cleaning and sanitation is receiving greater scrutiny. Equipment suppliers have responded


32 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • APRIL/MAY 2026


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