Plastic has benefits, for example in terms of safety, practicality, strength and lack of breakages, and reusable plastic is highly sustainable. However, plastic catering ware requires more time to dry than standard tableware, and often the kitchens have limited space for air drying and they may need to reuse the tableware as quickly as possible. 

The DMX is designed to be used in conjunction with, and sit alongside, a passthrough or undercounter dishwasher, such as the Winterhalter PT and UC ranges. The washed plastics come out of the dishwasher, in their rack, which is loaded straight into the DMX. 

There they are dried, within two minutes, with the water film being completely removed. They can then be handled by staff who can stack, store or use them for service straight away. Used in conjunction with Winterhalter’s dedicated plastics cleaning chemicals, rinse aid and wash program, the result is perfectly hygienic and dry plastic tableware. 

The DMX works by blowing air from both above and below the racks, so that even hollow items such as cups and bowls are dried inside and out. It has three drying programs, Eco, Standard and Multirack. 

For one major high street QSR customer, Winterhalter has developed the DMX so that it is connected to the PT dishwasher: when it senses the wash cycle is about to end, it starts up automatically so that it is up to temperature and ready for the drying program. This also enhances energy efficiency, since it means the DMX is only on when it needs to be. 

Paul Crowley, marketing development manager at Winterhalter UK, said: “The DMX is a huge benefit for any operator making use of reusable plastics. In many countries there are now legal regulations to reduce disposable packaging in foodservice – it’s likely something similar will come to the UK in the future, and the DMX supplies a solution here, too.”