Cambridge Engineered Solutions, the world’s largest manufacturer of metal conveyor belts, announced that all its products have been certified as halal, permissible by Islamic dietary laws, by the US-based Islamic Services of America (ISA). The designation by the independent certification organisation provides food processors, and ultimately consumers, assurance that nothing haram, forbidden, was used during food preparation, cooking, cooling or packaging.

Cambridge CEO Tracy Tyler said: "For the more than 1.5bn Muslims around the world, halal certification tells consumers that the meat, poultry, baked goods and other foods they eat were prepared according to Islamic dietary guidelines.

"Unfortunately, most food processors don’t realise that metal conveyor belts are traditionally manufactured with animal by-product lubricants, most commonly pork fat, and therefore not permissible."

Cambridge uses 100% synthetic products in belt manufacturing. The company voluntarily sought halal certification to guarantee its food industry customers that their conveyor belts, an integral part of food processing, were compliant with Islamic dietary law.

As more companies look to serve this growing market, Islam is the world’s second largest and fastest growing religion, Cambridge recognised the need for processing solutions that assured food industry customers their products were prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary guidelines.

Cambridge director of global affairs Dion Banks said: "As a global leader in conveyor equipment, we believe it’s both good and responsible business that the equipment we make and sell to food processing companies around the world could meet the dietary requirements of more than one billion observant Muslims."

Cambridge voluntarily applied for the designation by the ISA, a respected credentialing organisation; Cambridge is the only metal belt manufacturer with a current halal certification by the ISA.

Cambridge’s halal certified conveyor belts include some of the company’s most popular products for the poultry, meat and baking industries: Chain Drive, Cam-Grid, Precision, Sanigrid, Durahinge, DuraFlex, Cambri-Link and DuraLite.