Continental’s industrial hose plant here has received a major sanitary standards certification from the independent U.S. organization 3-A SSI for a selected range of food and beverage hoses.

Based in McLean, VA, the 3-A SSI is an independent, non-profit organization that leads the development of standards for equipment and accepted practices for processing systems through a modern consensus processes based on ANSI (American National Standards Institute) requirements.  The company represents the interests of regulatory sanitarians, equipment fabricators and processors in “Promoting food safety through hygienic design.”

The certification No. 3727 and the designation 18-03 (for rubber and rubber like materials) received by Continental’s Granby plant places them in a unique category. “There is a distinct difference between compliance and certification,” said Laszlo Dobo, Continental’s product manager for industry hoses in North America. “Anyone can claim ‘compliance,’ but certification comes only from an independent organization.  3-A SSI has very strict standards because they represent the end-users and the public. They provide special knowledge resources on hygienic equipment design to enhance professionalism and to serve the public health sector.

“This is indeed an honor for Continental and its employees in our Granby, Quebec, plant. This is especially good news for Continental distributors serving this market who need 3-A certification, and that gives validity to our claims and is to the benefit of those distributors and the end-user customers,” Lazslo Dobo added.

Some of the better-known Continental hose brands that received the certification are Extremeflex, EZ Glide Wine, Vintner Reserve, Drinkline, Grey Flextra, Gray Food, White Flexwing and Harvest.

Continental’s Granby plant manufactures industrial hose on special mandrels for a variety of markets including dairy, wine, breweries, food processing and beverage. The facility is located about an hour east of Montreal and supports a global market.