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14 FEDA News & Views continued on page 16 Foster Frable Touring The NAFEM Show Floor The Trends and Top Picks that Caught Foster's Eye By Foster Frable Jr., Clevenger Frable LaVallee fosterf@cfl design.com T here was a good attendance at The NAFEM Show this year, and most exhibitors seemed happy with the traffi c the show generated. Some of it, no doubt, was a result of The NAFEM Show Scholarship Program. Designed to offset travel expenses and encourage more par- ticipation throughout the channel, it was great to see a number of buyers, speci- fi ers and dealers take advantage of the $500 gift card. The standouts featured in my article were even better. Here are my personal candidates for the most excit- ing products at the show. Gaylord Hood with Built-in Precipitator (the Eliminator) This breakthrough product could be a game changer for many operators. A pre- cipitator that is integrated into a single hood module can provide big advan- tages when a landlord and/or local codes require a pollution control unit or PCU. This product provides a one-piece solu- tion, so there is no need to fi nd addi- tional space and install ductwork for a separate PCU. An added advantage is that many kitchens require only one sec- tion of the hood to be over heavy grease- producing equipment like a charbroiler, fryer, or wok, so this modular system can signifi cantly reduce space requirements and overall costs. No need to run the entire kitchen hood and exhaust system through a remote PCU. NEICO Autonomous Broiler Self- loading and Unloading Conveyor Broiler Developed for a major burger chain, the Neico broiler could be one of the fi rst automated cooking systems that becomes a mainstream feature. Several manufacturers at past shows have shown grills with robotic arms fl ipping burgers, mostly to draw attention to their grill. The Neico broiler, however, is a practical application of automation that will likely become a mainstream concept as labor costs increase to a $15/hour minimum or higher. Halton's Advanced Odor Control System for Precipitators While Halton's latest PCU is separate from the hood, they have completely redesigned and updated their modular system, which includes a new odor- control section that is three to four times more effective per square inch of surface area than previous offerings. It also incorporates their built-in sniffer (electronic nose) to help manage order control. Halton featured a new mobile self-contained cooking center cart that will comply with all standard U.S. codes. There have been comparable systems on the market from Electrolux and Vollrath but they are dedicated to specifi c appli- ance brands. Halton also demonstrated an improved decorative hood system, called the "Jet Extraction System," that can be installed over a single heavy-duty specialty-cooking device. The old system was for light-duty use only. Standex (Norlake and Master- Bilt) Keg Management System Injuries have always been a risk when lifting beer kegs in walk-in coolers, but as beer choices grow (joined by wine and cold-brew coffee in kegs), demand for fl oor space requires building up and using double- or triple-level storage. This makes the potential for accidents that much higher. To reduce the need for human lifting, Standex adapted a sim- ple gantry system with an electric hoist that connects to the ceiling panels of a walk-in cooler. While adding a gantry to a walk-in might seem like a simple concept, it requires specially-designed supports that connect the rails to the walk-in panels and a lift frame for the hoist to fi t multiple-sized kegs. This is not likely a do-it-yourself project for most buyers or dealers. Advance Tabco Flush-Mount Mop Sink The area around a mop sink prob- ably gets less cleaning attention than any other part of a commercial kitchen. The surface where the mop sink attaches to the fl oor can get especially dirty. Spills around the sink base and splashes on surrounding walls are inevitable when a bucket is lifted and drained. When mop sinks are used to drain things like ice chests and portable sinks, the raised lip creates a barrier. Installing the sink fl ush into the fl oor, with a stainless enclosure around the sink, solves most of these problems. McDonalds is using these in new locations.