Due: May 26, 2026

TechConnect’s client, an international snack and candy producer, seeks innovative food-safe lubricants for use on its confectionary production lines. Proposed solutions must allow for extended manufacturing time without product accumulation on equipment.

Background

Our client utilizes punch press equipment to tabletize powdered confectionary materials into individual goods. The powdered confectionary consists of sweeteners, acids, stabilizing agents, flavorings and flavor modifiers. Currently, they rely upon magnesium stearate to function as a lubrication agent to facilitate the clean separation between the punch and the finished goods.

After 3-4 hours of production time, a thin film develops on the punch surface, affecting operations and quality: movement of the punch is reduced, and the confectionary product is no longer in specification for appearance.

On behalf of our client, TechConnect seeks innovative food-safe lubricants to improve operations. Proposed lubricants must:

• Be safe for direct food contact in a production environment
• Not negatively impact:
  • Punch press operations
  • Quality of finished product
• Improve production time between cleanings
  • Currently: 3-4 hours
  • Ideally: 12 hours

Our client has evaluated both calcium stearate and magnesium stearate as lubricants. Consequently, these are not of interest unless the respondent can demonstrate significant production time improvements.

While we primarily hope to identify novel, food-safe lubricants, our client will also consider alternate approaches for improving production including clean-in-place technologies or surface modifications. Solutions are ideally commercially available or close to that stage of development, but less mature approaches will also be considered if a viable pathway to deployment exists.

Requirements

TechConnect encourages solvers to highlight capabilities that meet criteria including:

• Overview of proposed technology
  • Food-safe lubricant
  • Clean-in-place technology
  • Surface modification
• Description of effectiveness at film prevention or removal
• Estimate of improvement to production time
• Prior experience with tableting operations
• Experience supporting a global client
• Previous collaborations with the food industry

Business Opportunity for Solvers

Either TechConnect or the client will contact respondents with well-matched capabilities to discuss potential partnership opportunities, including demonstrations, consulting, contract research, licensing, and more. TechConnect may also invite top-rated entries to register or participate in upcoming events or pitch programs.

Response form

TechConnect encourages interested individuals and organizations to submit a brief, high-level, non-confidential response via the online form below: