Cremer launches smaller version of its counting and dispensing machine for nutraceutical gummies

Cremer’s HQS 1250 Compact Counting & Dispensing Machine. Photo from Cremer.

Cremer (Towaco, NJ), a supplier of counting machines and part of the Uhlmann Group, has introduced a smaller version of its HQS 1250 Compact Counting & Dispensing Machine. The smaller-scaled version is designed specifically for gummy products in the nutraceutical, cannabis, and confectionery industries. Cremer introduced the original HQS 1250 Compact Counting & Dispensing Machine last year.

The company developed the new, smaller machine with filler manufacturer Spee-Dee. In addition to its smaller size, the machine is still customizable. “The smaller-scale HQS 1250 offers a more affordable investment for companies looking to enter the gummy market, along with a more compact footprint to save valuable production floor space,” the firm’s press release states. “The 12-lane counter can precisely apportion gummies of all shapes and sizes to a downstream Spee-Dee bottle filler. With an average output of 70 bottles per minute on a 60-count gummy product, the HQS 1250 s ideal for a wide range of gummies, including typical sanded or sugared formulations.”

The company says that the HQS 1250 solves two obstacles usually encountered during gummy manufacturing: the ability to accurately count and the ability to fill product at medium to high speeds. “Traditional multi-head scales are not 100% accurate when filling by weight, and gummies tend to clog when filled into a small bottleneck opening.” The HQS 1250 enables fast-paced counting and filling without blocking the bottle neck.

The most efficient and cost-effective way to count food and other products like gummies is to count each piece, the firm says. The company calls this optical counting and says it is superior to counting by relying on product weight. Optical counting is better because it is 100% accurate and prevents product wastage, it says.

“Precise counting and dispensing of gummies is, by nature, a challenging process due to the variations in gummy size and shape, their sticky and sugary coating, avoiding cross-contamination, and ensuring necessary sanitation,” explained Brian Pomponio, business development manager, Cremer North America, in the press release.