Northern Irish firm strikes Australian deal

27-Jan-2015 - Last updated on 27-Jan-2015 at 16:46 GMT

The 'Econoliser' offers a temperature-controlled "shower"

An international meat firm based in Australia has given a huge boost to a Northern Ireland equipment company that specialises in knife sterilisation.

Monbeef has ordered the ‘Econoliser’ branded system from Belfast firm Airtech Distribution – a system also used by the likes of ABP and Foyle Food Groups.

Robin Adair, Airtech Distribution’s managing director, said the order would provide a "tremendous" boost for the company.

"Monbeef contacted us to provide equipment for evaluation, which proved successful and led to an order – our first outside the UK – for the new equipment.

"While we developed the system in 2013, much of last year was devoted to refining it and developing associated equipment that processors require, with guidance from leading meat processors in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This included the development of a fully electric system. This success in Australia will be extremely important as we step up our international marketing activities," Adair said.

According to Airtech, the ‘Econoliser’ offers a temperature-controlled "shower", reported to use less water and electricity than traditional methods of sterilisation.

Monbeef supplies meat products to the Australian market as well as 26 countries around the world.