Powerful dishwashers in the new wash-up area at the Radisson Blu hotel in Gothenburg

Hotel Radisson Blu in Gothenburg has been undergoing an extensive and stylish renovation with a lavish international style for the past couple of years. Andreas Olsson works as the Food & Beverage Manager at the hotel, and has been a driving force when it comes choosing all of the equipment for the wash-up-area. 

Andreas Olsson, Food & Beverage Manager, Radisson Blu Scandinavia, Gothenburg:

- For me, it is important that the staff have the right equipment that they can easily work with and creates a pleasant environment. Only with the right conditions can the staff do the absolute best job, and of course, we strive to be the best in class on all levels. We want the feeling of quality to permeate everything. All our rooms are newly renovated and right now we have decorated a suite designed by renowned fashion designer Lars Wallin. For those interested in interior design, it is completely incomparable!

- When it comes to the wash-up-area, we have invested a little extra in order to achieve a good, effective solution that eases the tiring and often stressful work there. We have, among other things, looked at the workflow, ergonomics and operating economy. Early on, we decided on dishwashers and equipment from Wexiödisk. I have a previous good experience with their machines and know that they are sustainable, good quality machines.

How did the procurement of the wash-up-area go and what factors were important to Radisson Blu?

- A dishwasher costs a lot to buy and is also a machine that consumes a lot of energy, water and chemicals. It is therefore a large and important investment for a hotel. It is important to think long-term when choosing a model; afterall, changing machines means downtime and it can be a costly affair.

- We received several quotes before we made any decisions and it was a good way for us to get ideas about different logistical and practical solutions, which turned out to be crucial for our choice. A good workflow makes the job efficient and easier and a solution with a separate glass washing station became a successful option for us. Now we handle large amounts of dishes without running into each other, the machines are easy to care for, clean and maintain. My goal is to create well-being, security and job satisfaction no matter what role you have here at Radisson.

The best solution was presented by Wexiödisk's dealer Pelle Närkenstam at Storköksgruppen Syd.

The choice fell on Wexiödisk's equipment, supplied by Storköksgruppen Syd and with GSS as installer.

Pelle Närkenstam at Storköksgruppen Syd:

“Our proposal was to install a separate machine to wash fine glasses, another for plates, cutlery and other heavier washware. A WD-6 GLASS with glass tilt function with automatic hood lift and ECO-FLOW heat recovery was the choice. In this way, the glasses that are relatively clean do not need to be washed together with other more dirty dishes. The often fragile glasses can be handled more carefully in this way.

A rack conveyor dishwasher, model WD-243 ICS+ handles all the plates, cutlery and other goods and the entire system is built with a sorting station at the start, and shelves for the incoming washware. Here, the dishes are sorted into baskets which are then slid onto a chain driven conveyor which moves the baskets to a PRM pre-rinsing machine where the goods are pre-rinsed. Then the rack conveyor dishwasher takes over and washes the goods.

The drying takes place here on a roller table which in this case have room for as many as 7 baskets. The roller table is ergonomic and requires no lifting as the baskets can easily be transferred to the shelves and transport trolleys. When the roller table has been filled with 7 baskets, the washing process stops through the limit switch located at the end of the roller table. This means that the staff does not have to wait and take care of the washing process but can do other work steps in simultaneously.”

The dishwasher that refuses to wash without washware!

This dishwasher model has an ICS+ function, which makes it even more water-efficient. The dishwasher detects when there are no baskets to wash in the machine and then automatically stops the washing process and the water flow. In this way, large amounts of water are saved.

- We usually say that it does not "wash any empty spaces". In addition, it is equipped with an intermediate rinse, which means that water changes are reduced and together with the ICS+ function, this is an extremely good way to save amounts of water. Two superior smart features simply!

PRM - a self-sufficient machine

- Another thing that is well worth noting is that the rack conveyor dishwasher supplies the pre-rinse machine PRM with both electricity and rinsing water. The warm water, enriched with a bit of chemicals from the dishwasher rinse, is reused and goes back to the pre-rinse machine, which uses the water to pre-rinse the next basket that passes via the conveyor belt. Again, a smart feature that makes the concept a really good investment.

The hand shower is a vast consumer of water 

The alternative of using a hand shower and manually rinsing dishes is much more expensive because it consumes a lot more water. Pre-rinsing by hand is also a tedious and time consuming job, a job that is easily fixed by the pre-rinse machine.

Storköksgruppen Syd has a good and long-term collaboration with GSS, Göteborgs Storköksservice, Tony Sommargren:

- The installation in the washroom here at Radisson was up and running after just a few days. Now we have fine-tuned and trained the staff and I feel confident and satisfied with the result. Installations of this kind must go quickly and flawlessly and it is important that you can trust the delivery time and the products.

In addition, it should be easy to service the dishwashers so the customer avoids unnecessary downtime. Wexiödisk machines are serviced from the front so you can access functions and parts easily. This is something that make Wexiödisk dishwashers superior. The availability of spare parts and continuous training is also something I value.”

For more information about this installation please contact Pelle Närkenstam på Storköksgruppen Syd AB.