5 Questions with Paul Gaertner

In the food processing industry’s continuing quest to reduce foreign object contamination, detectable products are a critical tool in helping achieve success. Paul Gaertner, President of Detectapro Products, LLC, has been helping food processors work toward zero percent foreign object contamination for more than 17 years.

1 What products can be made metal detectable?

Virtually any product can be made to be metal detectable. Large upfront costs are incurred in the engineering and construction of the initial die. After the die is made, quantity of the product determines the price. Some products then become reality and others do not.

New products include: retractable markers, scrub pads, stop watches, key holes tags, aprons and more. Let us know if you need something, we’ll look into it for you.

2 How detectable are your products?

All of our products are 100% detectable when using metal detection and X-ray detection systems. The key in detecting our metal detectable products lies with the ratio of the aperture to the size of the product.

Every product is different and every detectable fragment size need is different. So, calibration is the key to successful detection.

3 Does BRC8 4.9.6.2 only refer to metal detectable pens?

No, it is not just about detectable pens. Although our pens are a large part of our business, all of our Detectapro Products are 100% detectable and comply with the language in the BRC 4.9.6.2 requirement regarding small parts.

Additionally, all of our products are molded without metal springs or other small parts.

Other items such as cable ties, markers, scrapers, knives, and key hole tags comply with section 4.9.6.2 and have no small parts.

4 Can your products prevent a recall?

Working with Detectapro will reduce your chances of hard plastic contaminating the final product.

While we cannot prevent a recall, using our 100% detectable products with properly calibrated detection systems will go a long way toward zero percent foreign object contamination.

5 Does Detectapro carry liability insurance?

Yes, we do carry liability insurance. Most of our products are made in the USA or in the UK and are produced in facilities where quality control is measured on every product produced.

When you reach for our products they work every time. The processing floor is no place for poorly manufactured products, so you cannot afford to have products in your facility that are inferior and for which the manufacturers do not have liability insurance.