Clarion Locker | Case Study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarion Locker, a small meat processor in Iowa, faced unprecedented demand as large packing plants shut down, leading consumers to turn to local processors. To meet this surge, Clarion Locker expanded its facility from 8,000 to 16,000 square feet, tripling processing throughput. However, traditional manual methods, especially for brine injection in products like hams and pork loins, became bottlenecks. Manual injection was time-consuming and led to inconsistent curing, particularly around bones.​

To address these challenges, Clarion Locker invested in a NOMA automated brine injector from BAK Food Equipment. This automation reduced a two-day manual injection process to less than an hour, significantly enhancing efficiency. The automated system also ensured consistent brine distribution, eliminating dead spots and providing a regulated injection rate for uniform product quality.​

Owner Manie Nel noted that the automated injector not only saved time but also simplified training, as the specialized skill required for manual injection was no longer necessary. This allowed for more flexible staffing and further streamlined operations.​

The adoption of automated brine injection enabled Clarion Locker to effectively manage increased demand, improve product consistency, and optimize labor utilization, positioning the company for sustained growth in a challenging environment.