In the food and beverage industry, filters operate in direct contact with the product or process water, shifting the priorities involved in selecting production line equipment. Pleated PTFE is the predominant filter medium for these applications, used for both process water and food-grade liquids such as juices, wines, and beers. SPM manufactures the machinery to pleat and assemble these cartridges, utilizing the same technological workflow employed for liquid-filtration cartridges in other sectors, but adapted to the specific properties of the material.

PTFE is mechanically delicate during processing; unlike technical papers or synthetic materials, it cannot withstand uneven tension during pleating without risking micro-tears that would compromise filtration integrity. The 91XSPL servo-driven pleating machines—featuring the “Soft Touch” system and adaptive web tension control—represent the benchmark configuration for these materials, mirroring the setup used for PTFE membranes in industrial dust-filtration cartridges.

For machine parts that come into contact with the filter medium, SPM offers stainless steel components and certified food-grade materials upon request. This is a crucial specification for filter manufacturers who must guarantee their own clients that the production process has introduced no contaminants into the supply chain. Production process traceability is also available upon request—a feature that simplifies supply chain checks and the third-party audits that are increasingly common in the food industry.

Filters produced on SPM machines for this sector are used in three main contexts: food-grade water treatment and purification plants; exhaust hoods in production facilities where air must be filtered before contacting food products; and liquid process filtration. The product range also includes activated carbon filters for drinking water and process water, specifically those featuring granular activated carbon sandwiched between layers of non-woven material.