When it comes to buying slicing equipment, processors have a wide range of models and options to consider. For Fresno, CA-based Bussetto Foods Inc., the award-winning Italian specialty-meats processor of fermented and ready-to-eat dried-meat products, the solution quickly became clear — the Weber 602 Slicer.

Bussetto Foods Italian-style processed meat products include boldly-seasoned dry salami; Prosciutto, air-cured ham; Pancetta, Italian bacon; dry Coppa, a seasoned air-cured pork shoulder; and Bresaola, air-dried salted beef that has been aged about two months.

When Bussetto Foods began looking for a slicer, it was particularly interested in interleaving technology.  “We wanted to be able to interleave Prosciutto — a difficult product to thin-slice and present — and to accurately checkweight each draft to reduce costly giveaway of our high-end products,” says Paul Gillum, plant manager.

During their investigation of slicing technology, Bussetto executives were impressed by the positive feedback they received on the Weber 602 slicer from their peers. “We went and looked at a few slicers that companies in our same line of trade were using. Those that were most happy were using the Weber 602,” Gillum says.

Like Bussetto, mid-size processors seeking extra capabilities usually found only on the largest slicers often select Weber Model 602,  based on its flexibility to create a wide variety of presentation styles. Ten popular 602 slicer presentations include shaved, pieces, folded, shingled, stacked, overlapped, and interleaved. The 14-inch slicing throat provides processors another big advantage by accommodating multiple product logs. Up to 2,400 slices a minute can be produced on the 602.

“Slice quality” is another reason often cited by processors for their selection of Weber technology.  Program-controlled grippers push logs up against the circular blade for precise parallel cuts. The sliced portions can be set as stacked or shingled portions on the portioning conveyor. Automatic endpiece ejection adds a measure of safety by eliminating manual removal of the endpiece.

Having used the Weber 602 since January 2004, Gillum says: “We are happy with our selection of the Weber 602. The system is very user-friendly, the interleaver is precise, and the scale is reducing give-away. It is a nicely designed machine.”

“Wonderful” is how Gillum describes the service Bussetto Foods has received from Weber. “Service starts at the top, and Scott Scriven [Weber North America president and chief executive officer] and his entire team are dedicated to keeping customers happy. We’ve experienced that first-hand,” he continues. “We did have issues to work through at start-up, but Scott personally made sure that we were taken care of,” he adds. “That means a lot to us because having a machine down is very costly. Weber has helped us work through some challenging situations, and I hold service like that in high regard.”

Weber Inc. is the world’s largest manufacturer of slicing machines for the meat and cheese industry. Their broad line of slicers and modular accessories is designed to meet the needs of processors of every size.

In addition to manufacturing reliable and efficient slicing systems, Weber has just introduced a new lineup of skinner/derinder machines that are successfully challenging the yield results of any competitive machines.

Top-quality ice machines manufactured by Weber are available in a variety of styles to accommodate the space and capacity requirements of seafood and grocery users. NP