Bowlswitch USA Inc. is importing and marketing high-performance sanitary valves designed for food and beverage processing. The company’s valves are now in place at the Hershey’s facility in Stuart’s Draft. They’re working on peanut butter as it is combined with other ingredients to become Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or other nutty candy bars.

Clemens von Claparede, president of Bowlswitch USA, markets the valves to businesses as a way to improve processing efficiency. "Our valves, compared to other valves, reduce downtime and maintenance costs," he explains.

The valve’s applications are numerous, says von Claparede, not only in the food and beverage industry, but for manufacturing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well. "These valves were very well-received in Europe, and we expect to have similar success in this country," he says.

Von Claparede started Bowlswitch USA in the spring of 1999; the company has an exclusive relationship with the German valve maker. "Several leading brand manufacturers are using trial valves at this time," he says. "They’re very happy with it right now."

Recently, von Claparede met with representatives from Florida’s citrus industry. "This industry alone could help us achieve our sales goals," he says. "I think five years down the road we want to achieve $3 million in sales."

If the company is successful, he says, it will be selling Bowlswitch valves across the country, as well as Canada and Mexico. If it pans out, von Claparede believes Bowlswitch may require a manufacturing facility in the United States, most likely in Virginia. That would be sweet news.

— SG