Well, newish - it was first shown last year at Europain in Paris and at Interpack in Düsseldorf. This industrial bread line from Rondo is designed to meet the trend for making bread from a dough band. Dividers have dominated for many years, but some industrial bakers have been turning towards production from a continuous dough band.

== How can this be better than tried-and-trusted dough divider systems? ==

The quality is claimed to be demonstrably better than bread made with a dough divider, due to the exceptionally gentle processing of the dough, which retains the gluten structure rather than damaging it.

== I’d like to see it cope with my ultra-sticky, watery, speciality doughs.... ==

Lucky you, because it’s been designed to process doughs with a significantly higher water content and with a long bulk fermentation time - your very soft doughs. Another benefit, says its supplier Rondo, is the great flexibility of this type of bread line.

== Like an elastic band? ==

Erm, yes. Different sizes and bread types can be produced on just one line. This means you can respond quickly if sales of rolls suddenly fall off a cliff, heaven forbid.

== How far will this band stretch then? ==

Rondo says there are production options for making anything from baguettes in various styles, to seeded rolls, focaccia, ciabatta and round-moulded rolls, all of which can easily be accessed through a clever control system with advanced operator guidance.

== You keep saying Rondo. Don’t you mean Rondo Doge? ==

You can’t catch us out! They’re rebranding and the ’Doge’ has gone.