An Irish abattoir has reported outstanding durability from its Vesconite Bearings-supplied conveyor rollers — they are operating perfectly after four years of continuous use. The dressing line corner rollers are the same type of roller employed across the facility’s bleeding and bone lines.
The rollers, initially supplied as samples in 2021, are guiding conveyor chain radius bends on four lines at the plant and replace rollers made from another polymer. A total of 302 rollers are currently in use, with each roller measuring 75 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length, mounted with a 12 mm bolt through the centre.
The outer body of each roller is made from VescoPolycap, a tough, impact-resistant polymer. Inside each roller is a Vesconite Hilube insert, made by Vesconite Bearings from a proprietary bearing material that provides the low-friction, grease-free movement needed to keep the chains operating smoothly, even under heavy loads and constant washdowns.
“I ordered a few samples of rollers from you a few years ago,” notes the maintenance manager.
“We fitted the rollers you supplied for this application at that time, and to date they are still running perfectly. Four years—that’s really good. We’re lucky to get a year out of a ball bearing unit.”
The abattoir is so satisfied with the rollers’ longevity that it plans to order 320 new rollers in July 2025.
Designed specifically for the harsh demands of meat processing environments, VescoPolycap offers high toughness, resistance to cracking, and excellent cleanability. Combined with Vesconite Hilube’s self-lubricating bearing properties and resistance to water absorption, the rollers require no greasing, reducing maintenance time and contamination risk.
“This is a great example of combining two of our materials for optimum performance,” says Monica De Pontes, Vesconite Bearings’ food application specialist.
“The outer VescoPolycap body provides strength and resilience, while the Vesconite Hilube core delivers low-friction movement without lubrication,” she says, adding that together, they create a roller ideal for conveyor applications in food and hygiene-sensitive industries.
Vesconite Bearings continues to supply solutions to the food processing industry worldwide, offering extended service life, reduced maintenance, and reliable performance in high-hygiene environments.
