Continental¡¯s industrial hose plant here has received a major sanitary standards certification from the independent U.S. organization 3-A SSI for a selected range of food and beverage hoses.
Based in McLean, VA, the 3-A SSI is an independent, non-profit organization that leads the development of standards for equipment and accepted practices for processing systems through a modern consensus processes based on ANSI (American National Standards Institute) requirements. The company represents the interests of regulatory sanitarians, equipment fabricators and processors in ¡°Promoting food safety through hygienic design.¡±
The certification No. 3727 and the designation 18-03 (for rubber and rubber like materials) received by Continental¡¯s Granby plant places them in a unique category. ¡°There is a distinct difference between compliance and certification,¡± said Laszlo Dobo, Continental¡¯s product manager for industry hoses in North America. ¡°Anyone can claim ¡®compliance,¡¯ but certification comes only from an independent organization. 3-A SSI has very strict standards because they represent the end-users and the public. They provide special knowledge resources on hygienic equipment design to enhance professionalism and to serve the public health sector.
¡°This is indeed an honor for Continental and its employees in our Granby, Quebec, plant. This is especially good news for Continental distributors serving this market who need 3-A certification, and that gives validity to our claims and is to the benefit of those distributors and the end-user customers,¡± Lazslo Dobo added.
Some of the better-known Continental hose brands that received the certification are Extremeflex, EZ Glide Wine, Vintner Reserve, Drinkline, Grey Flextra, Gray Food, White Flexwing and Harvest.
Continental¡¯s Granby plant manufactures industrial hose on special mandrels for a variety of markets including dairy, wine, breweries, food processing and beverage. The facility is located about an hour east of Montreal and supports a global market.
