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Technology

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TECHNOLOGY

Smarter Chilling & Freezing for Maximum Return

HIVE® is a modular, inline chilling and freezing system that uses direct-contact heat exchange to deliver rapid, uniform cooling. It’s patented rectangular tube design, closed-loop ammonia refrigeration, and automated handling allow processors to achieve faster cycle times, lower costs, and consistent product geometry (and entrapment free), all with the flexibility to switch between chilling and freezing on demand.

How It Works

HIVE uses a series of jacketed rectangular tubes connected to a closed-loop ammonia refrigeration plant. Each tube operates independently, allowing a continuous batch flow that evens out refrigeration load, eliminates idle time, and scales easily with your capacity requirements.

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SET OF STEPS

Process Steps 

HIVE’s process is simple, continuous, and engineered for efficiency:

Each tube is individually controlled allowing for sequential production, resulting in a continuous batch system, levelling out the demand on the refrigeration plant

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TECHNOLOGY

Engineering Advantages

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TECHNOLOGY

Why It’s Different

Unlike plate or blast freezers, HIVE delivers rapid results —freezing product to below –18 °C in less than two hours. This speed eliminates 
bottlenecks and reduces the need for costly freezer storage. At the same time, HIVE removes reliance on consumable COâ‚‚ or Nâ‚‚ for chilling, cutting both operating costs and supply-chain risk. The result is a more efficient, sustainable system that achieves consistent product quality 
without compromise.

Why It Outperforms Traditional Systems

  • Eliminates COâ‚‚/Nâ‚‚ use (~$150/MT savings)

  • Prevents carton bulging, leaks, and plastic entrapment

  • Frees up blast & plate freezer capacity

  • Reduces labour with inline automation

  • Improves cold chain resilience via chilled latent energy storage

ABOUT HIVE ©

For over 40 years, Staughton Group has been solving the toughest chilling and freezing challenges in the meat industry. HIVE is the latest step in that journey, a system born from deep operational knowledge, relentless engineering refinement, and a focus on solving real processor problems.

CONTACT INFO

​© 2025 by HIVE CHILLING |  All Rights Reserved

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