Step 1
Receiving, destoning & washing
Even feeding, stone removal and washing prepare raw potatoes for peeling. Where needed, an optical sorter integrated from a partner manufacturer, selected to fit your line, sorts the raw potatoes.
Equipment →
Potato & French fry lines
Potato & French Fry Processing Lines, from Receiving to IQF Freezing
Complete frozen and par-fried French fry lines designed, built and commissioned by Bigtem, from small to very large lines, sized to your plant. Buy the whole line or the modules your current line is missing.
French fry line process flow
Nine steps, one supplier, one capacity target. Select a step to see the machine.
Step by step through a Bigtem fry line
Step 2
Steam peeling & brush finishing
A DORUK steam peeler lifts the skin and a brush finisher removes it.
Equipment →
Step 3
Water-knife cutting
Potatoes are pumped through the cutting head. A dual head switches automatically when a knife is dull or blocked.
Equipment →
Step 4
Sliver & nubbin removal
Short pieces and slivers are separated after cutting, and inspection removes defects.
Equipment →
Step 5
Two-stage blanching
First stage for starch removal and color, second stage for cooking. Starch can be recovered from cutting and blanching water.
Equipment →
Step 7
Frying
A continuous fryer with precise temperature control, three-stage oil filtration, level control and fire protection.
Step 8
Cooling & IQF freezing
Fries cool on ambient-air conveyors, then freeze in an IQF freezer integrated from a partner manufacturer, selected to fit your line.
Equipment →
Step 9
Grading & packing
Size grading, final inspection, weighing and packing, with box filling and palletizing options.
Still images from Bigtem’s French fry line footage.
What a complete line includes
- Process engineering, plant layout and a utilities outline (steam, water, compressed air, power and fryer heating)
- Every process machine from receiving to packing, matched to one output target
- Interconnecting elevators, conveyors, turn tables and stainless steel service platforms
- Electrical control panels with PLC and HMI per module, wired for the voltage you specify
- Pressure vessels with US and Canadian certificates
- Factory testing before shipment
Small and starter French fry lines
A starter line uses the same process steps as a large plant, with fewer modules, a single lane and more manual work at the end of the line. It is laid out so that capacity and automation can be added without rebuilding the core.
Feed & wash
An even-feeding hopper and a combined drum washer and destoner.Peel
One of the smaller DORUK steam peeler models with a brush finisher and a short inspection conveyor.Cut
A water-knife cutting system with a sliver remover. Single-head to start; a dual head can be added.Blanch & dry
A screw blancher, an air-knife feeder and a belt dryer with fewer modules.Fry & cool
A continuous belt fryer with oil tank and filtration, followed by an ambient cooling section.Freeze & pack
An IQF freezer integrated from a partner manufacturer, selected to fit your line, then manual box filling on a turn table with weight check, carton sealing and metal detection. Automated weighing, bagging and palletizing can be added later.
Lines are built from small to very large, sized to your plant. Tell us your target output, cut sizes and operating hours and we size each module to the same throughput.
Watch a fry line run
Product forms
- Frozen and par-fried French fries: straight cuts, wedges and other formats (machine-by-machine guide)
- Potato chips: the same washing, peeling and slicing upstream, with continuous or batch frying
- Fresh-cut and peeled potatoes
- Dehydrated potato products
- Sweet potato fries
Controls
PLC and HMI control on each module, with SCADA integration, recipe control and line synchronization. Remote access is available where the line is configured for it.
Modules you can buy on their own
DORUK steam peeler
Six vessel sizes for potatoes and root crops.
Hydrocutter
Water-knife cutting with a dual, auto-switching head.
Belt dryer
Modular continuous dryer ahead of the fryer.
Blanchers
Two-stage blanching for starch removal, color and cooking.
Washers & destoners
Receiving, stone removal and washing.
Chips fryer
Batch frying for kettle-style chips.
Plan your line
Define output
Finished-product output, cut sizes, product mix and operating hours.Review utilities
Steam, water, compressed air, power and fryer heating available at your site.Lay out the flow
Receiving to packing, in sequence, with service access and sanitation in mind.Configure & quote
A line proposal with a layout and utilities outline. No prices are published.
Read the French fry line layout guide →
Build your equipment ROI case with the free ProcessorROI calculator. A free online tool for rough labor, yield, energy and payback estimates you can bring to a capex meeting. Enter your own plant numbers.
Open the ProcessorROI calculator (external site, opens in a new tab) ↗
Market context
North American potato processing keeps growing
Processors are adding and modernizing lines, and the equipment behind that tonnage has to keep up.
286.1 million cwtUS potatoes used by processors from the 2025 crop, up from 2024.
159.7 million cwtof that went to frozen French fries, the largest single use.
58.3 million cwtwent to chips and shoestrings, and 42.1 million cwt to dehydrated products.
125.8 million cwtCanada’s 2025 crop. Alberta planted more potatoes “on account of increased processing capacity.”
Sources: USDA NASS, Potatoes 2025 Summary (US figures); Statistics Canada, December 2025 release (Canadian figures and quote). 1 cwt = 100 lb.
French fry line questions
What makes up a small or starter fry line?
The same core steps as a large plant with fewer modules: one feed lane, a smaller DORUK steam peeler, water-knife cutting with sliver removal, a screw blancher, a shorter belt dryer, a continuous fryer, cooling and freezing, and manual packing that can be automated later.
What capacities are available?
Bigtem builds fry lines from small to very large, sized to your plant. Tell us your target finished-product output, cut sizes and operating hours, and we size every module to the same throughput.
Can you supply only some modules for an existing line?
Yes. Steam peelers, hydrocutters, blanchers, dryers, fryers and washers are sold on their own and matched to the equipment you keep.
What utilities does a fry line need?
Steam, process water, compressed air, electrical power and, for the fryer, a heating source and exhaust. We prepare a utilities outline for your configuration.
Which voltages can you build to?
Any voltage the customer specifies, for example 480V/60Hz or 575V/60Hz.
Do you install and train in North America?
Yes. Installation supervision, start-up, operator and maintenance training, and parts support are coordinated from Atlanta.
Can the line handle sweet potatoes?
Yes. Sweet potato fries use the same core steps. Peeling and blanching settings are adjusted to the crop.
Request a fry line layout study
Share your target output, cut sizes, operating hours and site utilities. We size every module to the same throughput and send a layout and utilities outline.