As the cannabis market continues to grow and mature, processors are navigating the transition from small-batch and handcrafted food and beverage, to producing at scale.

Cannabis carries a few unique challenges when it comes to identifying and selecting the right equipment for your operation.

The first hurdle is regulatory issues. With no national regulations for cannabis products, states where cannabis products are legal have to develop their own standards, and they can vary from state to state. Products that include THC cannot be shipped across state lines, so processors face the possibility that production facilities in different states will have different regulations for the same product.

Testing equipment before purchasing is a challenge, because ingredients that contain THC cannot be shipped across state lines. While ingredients such as CBD oil can be shipped for testing purposes, they are not always a perfect analog for ingredients that will be used during production.

The second issue is working with cannabinoid oil as an ingredient. It can act as both an oil and a resin, depending on its exact composition. As the potency increases, viscosity decreases, resulting in a material more like molasses than a traditional oil. That can lead to buildup on hosing, tubing, and nozzles, requiring more frequent cleaning. It can also lead to the oil sticking to other parts of machines and not ending up in the finished product, leading to a lower potency than advertised.

The good news, however, is that the number of equipment suppliers and the types of equipment available for cannabis producers to choose from continues to grow as the cannabis market increases in size.

For cannabis processors who are looking to move up to large-scale production, equipment such as conveyors, mixers, blenders, and fillers is available to fill just about any need. Automation and controls systems can be applied to cannabis production in the same way as traditional food and beverage production. Cooking equipment targeted specifically to the cannabis market is also becoming more common.