Pneumatic Manipulators for Breweries and Distilleries
Moving full kegs and barrels by hand can pose real risks to your staff. Our pneumatic manipulators eliminate that brutal lifting by making heavy loads feel weightless. This will undoubtedly lead to less employee accidents and injuries, saving you time and money.
We combine Italian precision engineering with North American speed. Our manipulators run on compressed air only. This means no electrical failures and risks in wet environments.
Why Breweries and Distilleries Choose Pneumatic Manipulators
Craft brewing and distilling involve constant and excessive heavy lifting. Kegs, barrels, and grain bags push workers to their limits. Our pneumatic manipulators deliver safe handling with natural movements.
Benefits breweries experience:
- Eliminated back injuries from repetitive keg handling
- Faster production flow with 25% to 40% efficiency gains
- Reduced worker fatigue keeping staff productive longer
- Safe ingredient handling for bulk bags up to 300 kg
Our systems turn any operator into your strongest and infallible team member.
Contact our team to discuss your brewery or distillery challenges
Common Brewery and Distillery Applications
Each manipulator is designed and manufactured to handle specific container types. Our grippers and mounting equipment are also engineered and customized to fit your exact operations.
Dangerous heavy load applications:
- Full kegs using custom grippers for safe positioning
- Wooden barrels for aging and storage operations
- Bulk ingredient bags including malt and grain up to 300 kg
- Fermentation vessels for moving during cleaning
- Bottling pallets for loading and unloading
- Chemical drums for cleaning supplies
We offer column mounted, overhead running, and floor track systems. ATEX certified options available for hazardous areas.
How Manipulators Work in Wet Environments
Each manipulator uses a pneumatic piston and relay valve that automatically balances load weight for an extra layer of safety.
The innovative relay adjusts air pressure instantaneously:
- Upward force effortlessly lifts kegs and barrels without putting your staff at risk
- Downward force lowers loads with control and without worry of accidental droppage
- No movement locks containers in position for an added layer of safety
This pure pneumatic technology means no risky electrical hazards in wet and dangerous areas. We also have washdown rated options available for sanitary environments.
Gripper Solutions for Brewing Operations
We engineer our grippers to fit any and all brewery containers. Heavy weight, complex shape, and meticulous handling requirements factor into all our innovative designs.
Common brewing gripper types:
- Keg grippers with pneumatic jaws for standard kegs
- Barrel hooks for wooden cooperage
- Vacuum systems for bulk ingredient bags
- Drum grippers for chemical containers
- Custom solutions for unique vessels
Most grippers handle multiple container types which ultimately reduces equipment needs.
Why Brewing Operations Partner With THEMA
We deliver European engineering with American responsiveness. Our team provides 10 to 14 week lead times versus 20 to 24 weeks for overseas suppliers.
What breweries actually value most:
- Washdown capability for sanitary environments
- ATEX certification for grain dust and vapor areas
- Local engineering support for rapid installation
- Lower total cost versus hoists and manual handling
- 12 month warranty and on site training
Every manipulator is tested at 2x and 3x rated capacity. This helps us guarantee performance and build trust with our clients.
Safety Certifications for Food and Beverage
Every manipulator meets strict international safety standards. Our certifications prove compliance with food and beverage requirements.
Our certifications:
- EN ISO 9001:2008 – Quality Management
- EN ISO 14001:2004 – Environmental Management
- CE Marking – European Machinery Directive 98/37
- UNI EN 14238 – Manipulator Load Integrity Standard
- ATEX 94/9/EC – Explosion Proof Compliance
- DIN EN ISO 4414:2010 – Pneumatic System Safety
Every unit is serialized and tested at 2x and 3x its rated load. To add to this rigorous quality control efforts, we provide complete CE documentation on each manipulator we provide.
Transform Your Brewery Operations Today
Your brewing team deserves better than manual keg handling. Our pneumatic manipulators make heavy loads feel weightless.
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