Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037828
Summer 2018 21 European foodservice equipment makers tend to be years ahead of their American counterparts when it comes to innovation. Technologies such as combi ovens have been in Europe since the 1980s and are only now becoming widespread in U.S. kitchens. Similarly, European manufacturers were quick to adopt digital controls on their equip- ment, a change that is still in its infancy in the United States. Events such as HOST Milano have become not only a showcase of European food- service equipment manufacturers but a glimpse into the technologies and innovations that are like- ly to make their way stateside in the near future. When it was starting out in the mid-1990s, Equipex recognized that European manufacturers were setting the tone for the industry. So instead of trying to compete with them directly, the com- pany sought out partnerships that would give it an edge in the American market, leading it to develop a hybrid model for introducing new prod- ucts. Instead of engineering all of its equipment from scratch, the company imports products from two French manufacturers, Roller Grill International and more recently Adventys Induction, performing the final assembly and all UL and NSF certifica- tions at its facility in Providence, R.I. Access to advanced technology was one rea- son Equipex sought out European partners when it was founded 22 years ago, as the company felt those manufacturers were better prepared to cater to the looming changes that have since been realized in the U.S. market. At the time, American manufacturers were producing larger equipment pieces that were right-sized for more spacious commercial kitchens, which were com- mon in American foodservice operations. Kitchen footprints have steadily shrunk over the years, as operators continually reallocate space to the front- of-house operations that actually drive revenue. Here, too, Equipex President Gary Licht says Europeans had an edge. Foodservice facilities GARY LICHT Equipex Induction equipment "is primarily being used for ancillary functions, but it will definitely migrate into primary cooking as a result of its 90 to 95 percent efficiency." By Tim O'Connor, Associate Editor tim@feda.com