On-site Planning
Installation & Commissioning
Automated & Energy Efficient
Client Name: P***A Marine Resources Group
Country: Republic of Peru
Region: Ica Region – Where the Pacific coast desert meets the ocean, influenced by the Humboldt Current, a globally important area for natural seaweed growth
Core Products: Dried kelp, dried sargassum, seaweed powder (feed and food additives), ready-to-eat seaweed snacks
Equipment Configuration: Hadof customized multi-layer mesh belt hot air drying line (with integrated solar preheating and sand removal modules)
Commissioning Date: Q1 2023
Peru is home to the world-famous Humboldt Current, a cold, nutrient-rich sea that nurtures diverse and abundant seaweed resources. From the Ica region extending north along the coast, natural seaweed beds are widespread, with significant reserves of sargassum, kelp, and more. P***A Group, based in Ica, focused for the past decade on fresh seaweed export and simple sun-drying, primarily selling to Asian markets as raw material for food processing.
However, traditional methods were severely limiting the company's growth:
Weather Dependent, Staggering Losses: Despite abundant sunshine, coastal Peru experiences frequent sea fog ("Garúa"), especially in autumn and winter. High humidity makes open-air drying long and unreliable, causing about 25% of seaweed to mold or degrade annually.
High Sand Content, Export Hurdles: Traditional ground-level drying inevitably mixes in windblown sand, which gets trapped in the folds of seaweed blades. Clients in China and Japan have strict impurity standards; visible sand can lead to entire container rejections.
Low Value, Thin Margins: Over 80% of Peru's seaweed exports are primary dried products, priced at only a tenth of processed seaweed foods. With surging Asian demand for ready-to-eat seaweed snacks and organic seaweed powder, P***A urgently needed deep processing capabilities.
The client's needs were clear: retain the natural nutrients of Peruvian seaweed, meet Asian food hygiene standards, and adapt to the local realities of limited water, frequent fog, and relatively high energy costs.
After comparing equipment from Chile and Spain, the client ultimately chose our company. Our advantage lay in deep adaptation for seaweed's characteristics: rich in colloids, prone to moisture absorption, and hiding sand.
Solution: Three Custom Designs Adapted to Peru's Coastal Environment
1. Integrated "Solar Preheating + Multi-stage Sand Removal" System
Addressing the of strong coastal sunshine but frequent fog, we integrated a solar air preheating unit and a multi-stage vibratory sand removal module into this drying line.
Solar Assistance: During the day, Peru's abundant solar energy preheats ambient air to 40-45°C before it enters the dryer, reducing electric heating energy consumption by 35%. Even on foggy days, diffuse light and the preheating function help maintain a baseline temperature.
Sand Removal Design: A vibrating screen and high-pressure air sorter at the inlet remove over 95% of sand grains and shell fragments mixed with fresh seaweed, completely solving the problem of excessive sand content found in traditionally sun-dried products.
2. Flexible Drying Process for Seaweed Characteristics
For Kelp (thick-leaf type): A "gradient temperature change" process. Initial stage at 55°C for rapid surface moisture evaporation; medium stage at 45°C with gentle through-flow to prevent premature surface trapping internal moisture; final stage at 40°C to balance moisture. Final product moisture around 15%, leaves intact, regaining fresh algae elasticity upon rehydration.
For Sargassum (thin-leaf type): A "low-temperature, high-airflow" mode with half the堆积 thickness, reducing drying time to 6-8 hours, perfectly preserving natural fucoidan and polyphenols, achieving a natural yellowish-brown color.
3. Moisture Resistance and Hygienic Design
The dryer chamber uses fully welded 304 stainless steel with no, allowing easy high-pressure washing. Air intakes are equipped with G4 pre-filters, effectively capturing salt spray and fine sand from the coastal air.
A metal detector is integrated at the discharge end, ensuring the final product meets EU and Japanese import standards.
Client Testimonial: The "Blue Transformation" from Primary Raw Material to High-Value Product
After the equipment was commissioned, P***A Group's business expanded rapidly.
Capacity & Market Breakthrough
Daily Throughput: Increased from 5 tons of fresh seaweed per day (weather-dependent) on the old drying ground to 15 tons/day continuous operation. On-time delivery rate jumped from 50% to 98%.
Export Certification: The enclosed stainless steel drying environment helped the group secure Japan's JAS Organic certification and meet China's requirements for the "Administrative Measures on Import and Export Food Safety." By 2024, kelp and sargassum exports to China grew 300%, with first-time entry into the South Korean food processing supply chain.
Significant Economic Benefits
Product Premium: Sand-removed premium grade kelp, with uniform color, no sand, and high rehydration rate, sells for 50% more than traditionally sun-dried products. Processed ready-to-eat seaweed snacks have over 8 times the added value.
Return on Investment: Group General Manager Mr. Carlos calculated: "In the past, the 25% loss plus products downgraded due to sand content cost us over $400,000 annually. Now, with loss rates under 3%, just from reduced losses and upgraded sales, we'll recoup the equipment investment in under two years."
Energy Independence
Clean Energy Ratio: Through solar preheating and waste heat recovery, the line's fossil fuel dependency decreased by 45%, earning recognition from Peru's Ministry of Production as a "Green Industrial Innovation" and tax benefits.
"Before, our dried seaweed was often complained about for sand content, and prices were kept very low. Hadof's equipment truly showed us what 'clean processing' means – delivering the gift of the Humboldt Current purely and cleanly to the world's tables. That is our rightful dignity and value."
—— P***A Marine Resources Group, General Manager Carlos Mendoza
