SideDrive Conveyor Co. won the Innovation Showcase Award for the Bakery, Grains, Nuts, Seeds, and Snacks sector at the 2021 PROCESS EXPO in Chicago, Illinois. 

SideDrive’s hygienic spiral conveyors use only side-drive, edge-driven technology from Intralox and are fit for virtually any application, including naked, raw, and packaged food products, as well as non-food products. They can be configured in any way—curved, spiral, with turns in both directions, multiple inclines and declines, or simply straight—and without any transfers.

Hygienic features of the spiral include an open, accessible design with a drumless (or cageless) design and smooth welds, flat-plate construction and sloped surfaces that ensure easy access to clean quickly and thoroughly while preventing standing water. The modular belting, drives, rods, and sprockets are made with USDA-compliant plastic. This helps the spirals stand up to high-pressure washdown environments while eliminating contamination risks caused by shavings and the lubrication that comes with metal belts. 

A panel of judges selected one winner from each industry sector and announced the winners during the official press conference on the opening day of the show on November 2, 2021.