Idahoan Foods eliminates belt slippage with Intralox Series 10000 belting

Idahoan Foods has eliminated belt slippage and reduced maintenance at its Idaho Falls potato processing facility after installing Intralox® Series 10000 belting on the conveyors beneath its even-flow bins. The upgrade has improved conveyor reliability and reduced production losses caused by rubber belt slippage.
 

Rubber belt slippage caused production losses

Idahoan Foods, a leading ready-to-prepare potato manufacturer, faced production losses and unplanned downtime at its Idaho Falls plant due to rubber belt slippage on the conveyors beneath their even-flow bins.

Operations Lead Mark Rosenquist confirmed that belt slippage occurred once or twice a year, each event causing 1–2 hours of downtime. These losses couldn't always be recovered due to market-driven production schedules.

Mark Rosenquist:

"The belt does not slip. There's basically a reduction in maintenance needs because it's just going to run."

If caught quickly, Idahoan's Maintenance team could repair belts within hours. But sometimes it took a while to notice and resolve the issue. By then, the conveyor's head roll would've burned through the belt, requiring full belt replacement, losing product, and facing significant downtime. 
 

Positive-drive belting improves reliability

In 2025, the plant installed Intralox® Series 10000 belting to increase the even-flow conveyors' reliability. Since installing the positively driven belting, they've eliminated slippage and significantly reduced maintenance.

The upgraded conveyor system beneath Idahoan Foods' even-flow bins delivers more reliable operation with minimal maintenance

Mark Rosenquist:

"The belt 'does not slip'.There's basically a reduction in maintenance needs because it's just going to run."

Reduced maintenance and long-term flexibility

Intralox S10000 belting benefits go beyond eliminating slippage. Idahoan's team no longer needs to adjust tensioning or tracking due to the belt's positive-drive operation. This upgrade enables longer even-flow conveyors—a capacity-boosting option impossible with rubber belts due to their stretch and traction limitations. Also, S10000 belting's design allows easier removal of dirt and debris, simplifying cleaning.

Rosenquist emphasized that the switch has delivered both operational stability and long-term flexibility, positioning the Idahoan Foods facility for future growth.

Potatoes move through the even-flow bin system at Idahoan Foods' Idaho Falls processing facility