Fike & Hobré Announce Partnership to Protect Industrial Drying Processes
HERENTALS, Belgium September 2025: Fike Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of industrial safety solutions, and Hobré International, a worldwide leader in design, manufacturing of online process analyzers and sample solutions, have announced a partnership to ensure the safety of industrial drying processes susceptible to fire and explosion hazards.
Spray dryers are often required in food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing and in 2023 accounted for nearly 18% of all reported fire and explosion incidents (2023 Combustible Dust Incident Report – dustsafetyscience.com). They are particularly susceptible to these hazards because the process conditions within cause product to coagulate and form clumps, which then may smoulder due to their exposure to intense heat. If left undetected, this smouldering product may then catch fire and ignite the dust cloud within the spray dryer.
Hobré’s BICOSYS system identifies the very early stages of such smouldering by monitoring for anomalies in carbon monoxide levels, which may be detected around 30 minutes before a fire occurs. The system continuously monitors both inlets and outlets of the spray dryer to identify differences in CO levels and also prevents false alarms caused by trucks, exhaust pipes and more.
“Hobré’s BICOSYS system fills an important role in Fike’s continued efforts of explosion prevention,” said Jan-Bart Seymortier, Fike Director of Sales, Europe. “By identifying the very early stages of combustion, a large scale fire or deflagration may be avoided and prevents the suppression and explosion protection systems from being used, thereby reducing downtime if such an event were to occur.”
Humidity monitoring by Hobré’s HICOSYS system will also be available by Fike. Readily available humidity insights allows for accurate dryer control without the likelihood of sticky deposits accumulating within the dryer. Therefore, monitoring the humidity within the process reduces the chance for product coagulation and accordingly also smouldering.
Etienne Hunt, Hobré’s Global Sales Manager, said this partnership with Fike supports both organisations’ collective efforts of reducing the number of reported incidents per year that originate within spray dryers.
“With this collaboration, we are combining Hobré’s long-standing expertise in analytics with Fike’s proven safety equipment,” Hunt said. “Together, we’re introducing a convenient one-stop shop concept by delivering unified, end-to-end solutions that protect people and assets, while reducing OPEX and TCO without compromise.”
About Fike:
Fike manufactures industrial safety products that protect people and organisations from pressure-related explosions, combustible dust explosions and industrial fire hazards. Using internal product development, scientific research and testing and validation capabilities, Fike develops application specific solutions consistent with or exceeding the world’s standards and regulations.
If you have any press enquiries, please contact Caroline Margolis – caroline.margolis@fike.com
