Industrial drying has long been a critical step in snack-food production, but it’s not without its challenges. Traditional systems demand significant factory space and rely on a single energy source — leaving manufacturers vulnerable to price fluctuations and sustainability pressures.

For over 40 years, CPM’s Triple Pass Dryer has addressed these challenges with a compact, efficient, adaptable, and evolving design. From its origins in the UK to its growing recognition as a global standard, the story of the Triple Pass Dryer is one of innovation, evolution, and a steadfast commitment to helping manufacturers thrive.

A 40-Year Legacy of Innovation

The Triple Pass Dryer was first developed in 1985 by the precursor to Planet Dryers, a small but innovative company in the UK that is now part of CPM. Its design quickly earned a reputation for efficiency and performance, making it the go-to solution for snack-food manufacturers across Europe and other regions, including Africa, the Middle East, India, Australia/New Zealand, Russia, China, and Latin America. The only major territory where it hasn’t yet been widely available is North America.

That changed when Planet Dryers became part of the CPM, a global leader in process equipment and engineering solutions. With CPM’s resources, infrastructure, and global footprint, the Triple Pass Dryer has now entered a new chapter — bringing its proven performance and innovative capabilities to manufacturers worldwide.

“As we celebrate 40 years of the Triple Pass Dryer, it’s exciting to see it entering the North American market,” says Ross Vinten, UK Operations Manager at CPM Process Solutions. “It’s already trusted by major manufacturers across Europe, Asia, and other regions, and now, as part of CPM, we’re bringing its proven performance to a whole new audience.”

Compact, Modular & Future-Ready

While the Triple Pass Dryer has been a hit since its introduction in 1985, it’s also continually evolved to meet the changing needs of the industry and embrace technological advancements. The latest iteration of the Triple Pass Dryer is built for today’s manufacturers, combining efficiency, adaptability, and cutting-edge modularity to meet evolving production needs.

Compact Efficiency

The dryer’s stacked conveyor system delivers maximum drying capacity in minimal space, making it ideal for factories where every square foot matters. Despite its compact size, the dryer handles high throughputs with precision and consistency, reducing energy consumption while maintaining product quality.

Modular Energy Flexibility

CPM is committed to equipment that lasts over the long term, and that commitment is reflected in the latest redesign of the Triple Pass Dryer. One of the major goals behind that redesign was modularity. This focused on creating a system that could adapt to the shifting needs of manufacturers. Implement a Triple Pass Dryer today, and even if your needs or conditions change in the future, the Triple Pass Dryer can easily adapt over time. 

The result is one of the dryer’s most groundbreaking features: its ability to seamlessly switch between energy sources. Thanks to its modular design, manufacturers can choose from gas, steam, electricity, or even hydrogen, enabling them to respond to changing energy costs, availability, or sustainability goals with ease.

“If energy prices, availability, or sustainability goals change, you can switch heat sources with minimal disruption,” Vinten explains. “The dryer also delivers a low cost of ownership through operational efficiency and easy control of standardized wear parts.” 

Validation work has shown comparable performance between natural gas, propane, and electrical versions, including start-up and steady-state conditions, ensuring manufacturers can choose the best option for their needs. Because heat energy is typically the largest operational cost in snack-food production dryers, this flexibility can deliver significant cost savings to manufacturers. 

Built for Hygiene and Reliability

Snack production facilities typically run 24/6, with just one day reserved for cleaning and maintenance. The Triple Pass Dryer is engineered to support this, or even more demanding schedules, featuring a hygienic design that simplifies cleaning and reduces downtime.

“We’ve designed the dryer to minimize nooks and crannies where debris could accumulate,” says Vinten. “The easier it is to clean, the more productive the factory can be during its uptime.”

Key components like conveyors, plenums, and fans are easily accessible for thorough cleaning or maintenance. Seamless door seals and accessible internal spaces further enhance hygiene, helping manufacturers maintain food safety while maximizing efficiency.

Reliability is another hallmark of the Triple Pass Dryer. Built with high-quality materials and precision engineering, it’s designed to operate under demanding conditions with minimal interruptions.

“Our customers expect equipment that just works,” Vinten adds. “The Triple Pass Dryer is incredibly reliable, and CPM’s aftermarket team ensures it stays that way with scheduled maintenance, spare parts, and expert support.”

Advanced Automation for Precision and Control

Another important advantage of the Triple Pass Dryer is its advanced automation system, designed to integrate into diverse manufacturing environments. CPM offers a range of control solutions tailored to the specific needs of each installation, ensuring the system aligns with the customer’s operational requirements.

From fully automated setups to customized configurations, these control systems provide precision and adaptability. Features include real-time monitoring, energy usage optimization, and streamlined operation, all contributing to reduced downtime and improved efficiency. CPM’s automation team works closely with customers to deliver solutions that are as reliable as the equipment itself, giving manufacturers tools to maximize throughput and maintain consistent product quality.

Collaborative R&D Opportunities at CPM’s U.S. Innovation Center

The Triple Pass Dryer recently arrived at CPM’s Horsham Innovation Center in Pennsylvania, marking its first installation in a U.S.-based testing facility. This scaled-down model offers manufacturers a practical way to validate and refine their drying processes before implementing a full-scale production system.

“Having a Triple Pass Dryer in our U.S. innovation center is a big step forward,” says Vinten. “It’s a key resource for customers to test and optimize their products.”

The innovation center provides a controlled environment where manufacturers can replicate their production lines, experiment with new configurations, and test variables like drying time, temperature settings, and energy sources. Customers can also explore different snack types, ingredient variations, and extrusion methods to fine-tune their processes.

By identifying opportunities and addressing potential challenges early, manufacturers save time and resources while ensuring their full-scale system meets exact production needs.

“At the innovation center, we can simulate real-world conditions to ensure everything is dialed in before a full-scale system is installed,” Vinten explains. “It’s about giving our customers confidence and delivering a system that works perfectly for their needs.”

Looking Ahead: New Potential with Hydrogen

CPM is actively exploring innovative energy solutions for the Triple Pass Dryer. In collaboration with a major global snack manufacturer and the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), CPM recently tested hydrogen as a heat source. The pilot project demonstrated that the dryer could maintain consistent performance without compromising product quality.

“This project showed that the Triple Pass Dryer can handle hydrogen seamlessly,” says Vinten. “It’s an exciting step toward a more sustainable future for industrial drying.”

While hydrogen infrastructure is still developing, CPM is prepared to integrate this energy source as the industry evolves — keeping manufacturers ahead of the curve.

The Opportunity for Snack-Food Manufacturers Worldwide

For snack-food manufacturers looking to improve efficiency and meet modern production demands, the Triple Pass Dryer offers a range of compelling advantages.

Energy Efficiency and Flexibility

With energy costs fluctuating globally and sustainability goals becoming a priority across industries, the Triple Pass Dryer’s energy flexibility is a vital asset. Manufacturers can choose from gas, steam, or electricity, and even prepare for future energy sources like hydrogen. Industry-standard insulation minimizes heat loss, lowering energy consumption while ensuring consistent drying performance.

Increased Throughput in a Compact Footprint

The dryer’s stacked conveyor system maximizes drying capacity within a compact design, making it ideal for factories worldwide where space is often at a premium. Its efficiency allows manufacturers to boost production throughput without expanding their facilities. High-volume operations can also run multiple Triple Pass Dryers side by side, optimizing output while maintaining a small factory footprint.

Reliability and Precision

Designed for continuous operation, the Triple Pass Dryer delivers consistent and precise drying for a wide variety of snacks, from extruded products to rice cakes. This reliability reduces downtime, helping manufacturers maintain steady production schedules and meet rising consumer demand.

Tailored for Growth

The Triple Pass Dryer’s modular design ensures it can adapt to changing production needs. Whether scaling up output, switching energy sources, or diversifying product lines, the dryer provides the flexibility and future readiness that manufacturers need to thrive in competitive markets.

For manufacturers seeking to modernize their operations and align with global sustainability and efficiency standards, the Triple Pass Dryer offers a proven and adaptable solution.

Discover the Triple Pass Dryer

The Triple Pass Dryer’s journey from a trusted European solution to a global leader is a story of adaptability, precision, and innovation. With CPM’s global footprint and support, manufacturers can access this proven technology anywhere in the world.

Want to see what the Triple Pass Dryer can do for your products? Download the product brochure, or contact CPM to schedule a test run at one of our global innovation centers and explore how it can integrate into your production line.