Winterhalter MTR keeps pace with busy school schedule
Based in Edinburgh, Merchiston Castle School is Scotland’s only all-boys’ independent boarding and day school, with 470 pupils aged from 7 to 18. Founded in 1833, it has remained committed to the principles of providing a balanced education focused on what is best for the boys.
When the time came to specify a new warewasher, the choice had to be held to the same criteria. Feeding nearly 500 pupils three times a day means that the kitchens have to run to an exacting timetable. Tableware and cutlery has to be kept clean, with large quantities needing to be processed as quickly as possible throughout the day. And the end result has to be to the same standard every time.
After consulting with six other local independent schools, and researching the alternatives, Merchiston chose Winterhalter’s MTR rack conveyor warewasher. Its modular design means it can be tailor-made for any location. June Hogg, Deputy Manager of Merchiston’s catering team, says, “It’s a dream – from the speed it works at, to how dry the plates come out, to the savings in energy and cleaning chemicals, we’re very happy with it.”
Along with the daily timetable that forms the heart of a busy school, Merchiston is also a popular location for weddings and functions. “The Winterhalter helps us to offer a top quality catering service, in addition to feeding the boys and the staff. No matter how busy we are, it can keep pace with us!”
The MTR uses a continual rack conveyor system, ensuring consistent hygienic cleaning by providing an even transport speed of items being washed. Features like rack activation mean that processes only occur when racks reach specific zones within the machine, which helps to minimise consumption of resources and reduce operating costs. “We’ve noticed a drop in our energy bills since the Winterhalter was installed. It also uses less chemicals than the machine we had previously,” says June.
“The quality of cleaning it delivers, and the aftercare and support Winterhalter offers, are second to none.”
With touchscreen controls designed to make operation as simple and intuitive as possible, and a host of cleverly implemented features designed to maximise hygiene and performance, the MTR is the ideal choice for any location that requires consistently perfect results within a tight schedule. The school’s motto, “Ready Ay Ready” is something Winterhalter can easily appreciate, with the MTR always ready to provide top quality service.
Winterhalter @ Merchiston Castle School
Typical of the innovative and energy saving features of the MTR is the fresh air drying zone. Conventional drying processes recirculate air within the machine. The MTR fresh air drying zone draws in air from the outside room, which has a higher absorption capacity due to lower humidity, reducing energy consumption by at least 33%. The humid air is removed by exhaust fans and the entire process means the temperature of the wash items is reduced by 10%, making them safe to handle from the wash.
Winterhalter’s MTR system uses less water and energy than previous generations of high volume warewashers, resulting in lower running costs as well as increasing staff comfort by reducing the amounts of waste heat and steam being released.
The special rack drive system ensures the continuous movement of dishes through the individual zones, providing even contact with the wash water and delivering consistently perfect results. Just-in-time activation ensures that operations only occur when racks move into each stage, minimising consumption of resources and reducing operation costs.
Sophisticated filtration removes food debris, guaranteeing continually clean wash water, while the automatic self cleaning system maximises hygiene and reduces the time needed for manual cleaning.