The City of Porvoo has been a satisfied user of ScanBox food trolleys for 15 years. The system is used in seven regional kitchens in the City of Porvoo, from where food is delivered to the regional kitchen network and to individual clients such as service homes.

”It’s easy to work”

Birgitta Creutziger, Catering Manager at Porvoo City Facilities Services, needs no time to think about the merits of ScanBoxin trolleys. “Easy to move and manoeuvre. And the wheels don’t get stuck in the middle of a move, which means they are of high quality and reliable,” says Creutziger. There is also talk of ergonomics at work. “Thanks to ScanBox trolleys, there is less lifting at the end of the kitchen. It’s like moving dishes from one oven to another. Easy.”

Creutziger mentions one more thing that may seem small at first, but to the user it means a lot. “It’s so good to have a magnet to hold the door open. It’s fail-safe. So the door stays open and doesn’t snap open.”

In addition to the hot wagons, the city of Porvoo also uses refrigerated wagons and for a couple of years now also two-piece ScanBoxes. The upper part is warm and the lower part cold. Two-piece food wagons are small space-saving units that work well in places where space is limited. “We just agreed to buy more two-piece ScanBoxes,” says Creutziger.

The inside of the trolleys is made of anodised aluminium, which keeps warm food warm and cold food cold. The removable guides are easy to clean.

Transport companies also like ScanBox because the rectangular shape of the trolleys makes it easy to attach them to the trucks.

The line had to meet a lot of requirements, as it had to be able to serve between 600 and 1000 portions per day. The design was all about the whole: the line had to have enough space for both hot and cold food. The layout of the line had to be clear and smooth to avoid bottlenecks and congestion. The final solution was a practical need: a fast and efficient serving line that would serve a large number of users.

Due to the large number of school pupils, it was decided to build two identical lines that can be used from both sides. To optimise efficiency, two plate dispensers were placed at the ends of the lines, reducing the need for staff to constantly replenish plates. Two cold buffet trolleys were installed downstream of the plate distributors, with a total capacity of four 1/1 GN containers. Next to these were the warm buffet trolleys, which were designed to be wide enough to accommodate three GN 1/1 dishes.

At one end of the line, a water distributor and a neutral wagon were placed, on top of which the cutters and milk distributor were placed. A point for bread was placed on the side of the line to ensure smooth passage of diners through the line. A neutral trolley was chosen for the bread, which can be used from both sides. This proved to be the most practical solution.

The lines were static, but the plate distributors and the neutral trolley for bread were equipped with wheels to facilitate the movement of the trolleys.

The company’s main kitchen is located in Mäkkylä, Espoo, from where food is delivered to customers around the capital region. “We plan every menu down to the smallest detail. We also strive to use high-quality ingredients. This work would be wasted if the food is not at the desired temperature when it reaches the customer,” says Walch. “For example, the texture and taste of red meat is directly influenced by the internal temperature of the meat,” Walch continues.

Share Catering has both hot and cold carriages at its disposal. The ScanBox trolleys have anodised aluminium interiors. This allows the food to be kept at exactly the right temperature until it arrives from the kitchen to the customer’s plate.

Work efficiency is improved with good tools

Share Catering organises around 1 000 events a year. An interesting detail is RadioGala. For three years in a row, Share Catering has hosted almost 1,000 heads of RadioGaala audience. The Gala could be called a real showcase, as a 3-4 course menu is served to the tables. The company’s clients include private individuals, companies and the government.

A good food transport and storage system has a big impact on the work of both the main kitchen staff and the work at the venue. “The trolleys are easy to move from one place to another. The trolleys are light and the large wheels roll well,” says Walch.