As I was visiting a plant the other day a sign on the wall caught my eye which stated to workers to “Make every tray like you have to hand it to the customer”. This was a clear reminder to the workers and myself about how important product packaging is for meat processors in order to highlight their product to consumers.

Tray packaging issues can not only impact a customers purchasing habits, but it also can cause contamination due to a poor tray seal. The most common and overlooked causes of tray damage is due to machines utilizing poorly designed belts. BAMCO identified this problem and worked quickly to solve it by creating it’s own version of the entrance/exit belts for the Ossid tray packers.

How OEM belts can hurt your product quality:

Damaged poultry tray found at a local supermarket in Charlotte,NC

Ossid’s entrance and exit “carrier” belts are made from a rough top material, not necessarily optimized for long term use. Over time, the rough-top material on entrance and exit belts wear out. This requires maintenance professionals and operators to adjust the side pressure in an attempt to maintain their machines proper function. This is a delicate balance that often leads to incorrect pressures that can:

Cause trays to warp or crack → Leading to improper sealing and possible contamination.
Increase waste → As damaged trays must be disposed and products can’t be used.
Create poor packaging quality → Resulting in increased customer complaints and/or decreased sales.

The BAMCO difference:

At BAMCO we understand how every detail in food processing matters — right down to the belts that transport your products. When we heard from customers having issues with Ossid’s rough top carrier belts, we developed an aftermarket solution that outperforms the OEM in every way.

✅ Better Belt Materials to Eliminate Tray Damage

BAMCO got to work on creating a belt with a high friction, smooth cover to ensure better tray contact. Our SR material on the entrance and exit belts feature a smooth surface that reduces pressure needed to secure the trays while ensuring it’s delicate enough to handle the delicate polystyrene trays. This creates consistently reliable tray transport for the operators and prevents tray deformation.

✅ Trusted by Leading Processors

BAMCO’s SR material has been tested over and over again in many major meat and poultry processors. By utilizing HAACP principles in its design our belt meets all necessary food safety standards. For the last ten years leading processors including Smithfield, Tyson, and Perdue have trusted BAMCO’s belts to keep their packaging lines running smooth.

✅ Lower Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

With BAMCO’s SR belt, companies can expect to decrease the cost of waste from broken trays. Furthermore BAMCO can not only help companies decrease overall cost of using an inferior OEM belt but also by providing more belts as a cost-effective alternative. By switching to BAMCO’s SR belt and it’s additional aftermarket belts for the Ossid tray packer, customers can expect at least a 20% savings per machine.

Your Customers Expect Perfection—Are Your Belts Helping or Hurting?

That sign I saw in the plant was a great reminder—every tray should be treated as if it’s going directly to the customer. If your belts are causing damage, slowing production, or costing you money, it’s time to make the switch to BAMCO.

Download our Ossid flyer below to see more belts we offer and reach out to me at rmccomas@bamcobelting.com to see how BAMCO can help you get more out of your belts and machines.