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FEBRUARY 2024

CONTENTS 92

125 DEPARTMENTS 6 From the Editor The Food Industry Needs to Do Better

9 In the News

30 ON THE COVER Get Big Results From Small Automation

As skilled labor becomes less available on the plant floor, more facilities are considering what benefits automation could provide. It doesn’t have to be as scary or expensive as a complete overhaul.

Lead Levels Point to Need for Accountability, Incentives Organizational Design Can Boost the Bottom Line

23 Packaging Technology Coca-Cola Partners Invest in Sustainable Packaging Aldi’s Yogurt Tests Digitally Watermarked Packaging

89 PACK EXPO East Preview 104 Plant Floor Products 117 Case Study: Le Herbe The Artistry of Making THC Powders

121 Case Study: Solmaz Foods Meat Processor Halves Costs With Inline Metal Detector

125 Case Study: Best Maid Pickles ERP Increases Visibility for Pickle Producer

223 Tech Perspective Thermal Imaging Generates Predictive Data

FEATURES 20 OpX Intel: Linking Strategy to Action Only a small number of companies successfully link strategy to action. Here are some ways to make that link quicker, easier, more inclusive, and at multiple levels within your organization.

41 PACK EXPO Las Vegas Innovations Report Check out the latest industry innovations that were unveiled during PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

92 Tech Today: Evolving Cleaning and Sanitation Challenges New technology is helping to solve traditional and current sanitation problems while helping address labor and resource issues.

REFRIGERATION & FREEZING SOLUTIONS 99 Market Insights: Cold Storage Construction Market Though the market for cold storage facilities remains hot, industry experts forecast an eventual leveling off as available supply and demand even out.

SPECIAL SECTION 130 Leaders in Processing ProFood World’s Leaders in Processing section recognizes many innovative suppliers to the food and beverage manufacturing industry. www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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ProFood World ISSN 2476-0676

CONTENT

CONNECT WITH US

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AARON HAND 312/488-3392 ahand@pmmimediagroup.com

@ProFoodWorld

SENIOR EDITOR MICHAEL COSTA mcosta@pmmimediagroup.com

@ProFoodWorld www.linkedin.com/ showcase/profoodworld @ProFoodWorld

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS STEPHEN PERRY, STEPHEN SCHLEGEL ART DIRECTOR KATHY TRAVIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR DAVID BACHO

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PMMI Media Group 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: 312/222-1010 • Fax: 312/222-1310 Email: info@pmmimediagroup.com • Web: www.profoodworld.com PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies 12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200, Herndon, VA 20170 Phone: 571/612-3200 • Fax: 703/243-8556 • Web: www.pmmi.org

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PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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FROM THE EDITOR AARON HAND | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Food Industry Needs to Do Better Accountability is the word that keeps coming to mind as more news items cross our desks regarding child and prison labor, and food adulterations.

he food and beverage industry is being held increasingly accountable by consumers—with more and more of them choosing products, at least in part, based on what they see as more sustainable, responsible practices. It is within this climate of accountability that I find myself continually surprised by the ways that food and beverage companies are not being responsible members of society. Examples of manufacturers being caught out employing minors in some of the most dangerous jobs on the plant floor often seem like anomalies. But they’re coming up too often—and appear to be too systemic—to brush off as isolated incidents. Reports late last year of one of the nation’s largest food safety sanitation services employing more than 100 teenagers in hazardous, overnight shifts at meat processing facilities was, in itself, too large to ignore. The case with Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI) involved plants run by big names in meat processing, including JBS, Cargill, and Tyson. But it’s been followed by reports from the New York Times tying exploitation of migrant children to dangerous food manufacturing jobs in every state of our country. In many cases, the food companies are using third-party manufacturers, thereby disassociating themselves from the violations. Such was the case with an extensive report from the AP about prison labor doing some of the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs with little to no training or rights. And such was the case when dangerous levels of lead contamination were introduced into apple sauce by third parties in Ecuador, likely adulterating cinnamon with lead to boost profits. But distancing your operations from third-party suppliers isn’t going to fly as consumers look for accountability. As UCLA professor Christopher Tang pointed out in a recent interview, these sorts of acts are often economically motivated by brand owners refusing to pay higher prices despite higher costs. They need to be responsible for making sure they’re using services that will abide by standards that the brand owners say they follow.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

CHRISTINE BENSE CHIEF SUPPLY CHAIN OFFICER Turkey Hill GREG FLICKINGER CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Nobell Foods JOHN HILKER SENIOR VP, OPERATIONS Kite Hill VINCE NASTI VP, OPERATIONS Nation Pizza & Foods JIM PRUNESTI VP, ENGINEERING Conagra Brands LISA RATHBURN VP, ENGINEERING T. Marzetti MARK SHAYE VP, ENGINEERING Ken’s Foods TONY VANDENOEVER CONSULTANT, FOOD MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING Waterfall Ventures DIANE WOLF FORMER VP, ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS Kraft Foods BROOKE WYNN SENIOR DIRECTOR, SUSTAINABILITY Smithfield Foods

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PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE

NEWS

Lead Levels Detected in Cinnamon Point to Need for Accountability, Incentives AARON HAND | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

AST NOVEMBER, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced WanaBana USA’s voluntary recall of all lots of its WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée pouches because of elevated levels of lead found in some of its product. Now, the FDA is investigating whether the poisoning of dozens of children could’ve been caused by deliberate additives in the cinnamon flavoring of the product, which was also distributed independently in the U.S. as Schnucks Apple Sauce pouches with cinnamon and Weis Cinnamon Apple Sauce. The product was manufactured by Austrofoods in Ecuador, but the cinnamon was provided further down the supply chain, by Negasmart. With almost 70 confirmed cases of children—all under the age of 6—adversely affected by consuming the applesauces, the FDA announced in December that it would be inspecting Austrofoods’ facility. During that onsite inspection, now complete, investigators collected samples of cinnamon supplied by Negasmart, finding “extremely high” levels of lead contamination—5,110 and 2,270 ppm. As a point of reference, international standard-setting body Codex Alimentarius Commission is considering adopting a maximum level of 2.5 ppm for lead in cinnamon and other bark spices in 2024.

Economically motivated The FDA is looking into “the potential that the cinnamon contamination occurred as a possible result of economically motivated adulteration,” according to a statement. Economically motivated adulteration (EMA), or food fraud, can occur by leaving out or substituting valuable ingredients, or adding something to food to make it appear of higher value. In this case, lead could have been added to the cinnamon to give it a higher weight, for example, or to enhance its color. Expert estimates put the cost of global food fraud at $10 billion to $15 billion a year, according to the FDA, although more recent estimates put the cost at as much as $40 billion a year. This sort of adulteration is certainly not new. In 2007, more than 150 brands of pet food were recalled because of contamination from melamine, an industrial chemical, in an imported supply of wheat gluten. Another example comes from the toy industry, where, also in 2007, Mattel had to recall millions of toys because they were tainted with lead. Although Mattel’s contract manufacturer, Lee Der, was implicated almost immediately, the initial culprit was Dongxing, the company supplying paint to Lee Der. An employee at Dongxing was replacing expensive unleaded

PepsiCo Appoints New Head of North American Beverages Ram Krishnan is being promoted from within, having held several senior leadership roles since joining PepsiCo in 2006. He replaces CEO Kirk Tanner, who left earlier this month.

JDE Peet’s Takes Over Roasting Operations From Caribou Coffee In a long-term global license agreement valued at $260 million, Caribou will build its retail coffeehouse business while JDE Peet’s develops CPG and foodservice channels.

First Government Approval in the World to Sell Cultivated Beef Israeli-based Aleph Farms has been issued the first government approval in the world for cultured beef, and also the first approval anywhere for non-chicken cultivated meat.

Cal-Maine Foods to Acquire Shuttered Tyson Poultry Plant Cal-Maine intends to repurpose the dormant facility and its surrounding assets for egg grading and egg production. The plant was closed by Tyson in October 2023, and employed about 700.

A Move to Ban Cultivated Meat Republican representatives have introduced two bills to prohibit or otherwise regulate the sale of cell-cultured animal products in Arizona. One bill aims to control how cultivated meats are labeled, while the other looks to ban the alternatives.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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▲

IN THE NEWS

paint with cheap leaded paint to then sell the more expensive product for a profit. “This is really about money,” says Christopher Tang, a professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management who has been researching supply chain risks for more than 30 years. Such adulteration is often driven by a customer’s refusal to pay higher prices despite the rising cost of labor or materials. “They may push the supplier and say, ‘Hey, I don’t care what you do. Just don’t increase the price.’” Suppliers, in turn, find themselves forced to cut corners.

Push for stricter standards The FDA does not have strict standards for allowable amounts of lead in foods, but is making some moves in that direction, according to a report from the New York Times. In 2017, the agency set recommendations for the amount of lead in children’s candies, the article notes. And earlier this year, it proposed maximum limits for lead in baby foods such as mashed fruits and dry cereals. In its legislative proposals for 2024, the FDA has also asked Congress for more power to address the issue, the New York Times notes. When it comes to testing products for safety, there appears to be a lot of finger pointing, with brand owners pointing at manufacturers and manufacturers pointing at ingredient suppliers. Weis Markets, for example, said in a statement that it was the manufacturer’s responsibility to test the applesauce for contamination. Tang points again to the motivations from various companies in the supply chain to cut costs—whether because of competition pressures or increased labor costs or what have you—perhaps by inspecting less than they had in the past. “But then when things go wrong, it goes really bad,” he says. “I think that is where the company needs to rethink and to be more honest in terms of what they can do.” That’s exactly the sort of thing that Mattel did 10

Tests showed that cinnamon supplied for these applesauce pouches was found to have ‘extremely high’ levels of lead contamination.

after its incident with the leaded paint. The breakdown was able to occur in the supply chain because Mattel’s supplier did not inspect the product for lead and neither did Mattel, both trusting the supplier further down the chain to provide an unadulterated product, Tang says. Now, Mattel requires its direct suppliers to make sure incoming ingredients are inspected, the products are inspected again before they’re shipped to Mattel, and Mattel also inspects again at its facility, he says. “So they do three tiers of inspections to make sure it’s safe. Especially for children’s products, consumers are very concerned about that safety,” Tang says. “I think that manufacturers can do that. The costs will go up, but on the other hand, for safety, we cannot compromise.”

Incentive model Besides conducting their own tests and inspections, manufacturers need to take responsibility for ensuring that their suppliers are reputable, Tang adds. “They need to come up with a carrot and stick and say, ‘Hey, if you continue to produce and ship us good products, we’ll give you a premium.’ But if you find it, then OK, you have to do something, so maybe you hold the payments until the product is safe,” he explains. “You need to give them some incentive so they will not cheat.” Tang, along with Georgetown University’s Volodymyr Babich, published a paper in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (M&SOM) that looks at how manufacturers might deter foreign suppliers from cutting corners. They studied three mechanisms for dealing with product adulteration: 1) deferred payment, where the buyer pays the supplier after the deferred payment period only if no adulteration has been discovered by the customer; 2) inspection, where the buyer pays the supplier immediately, contingent on product passing the inspection; and 3) a combination of the deferred payment and inspection mechanisms. What they found is that the inspection mechanism cannot completely deter the suppliers from product adulteration, whereas the deferred payment mechanism can.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE NEWS

How Organizational Design Principles Can Boost the Bottom Line MICHAEL COSTA | SENIOR EDITOR

OME FOOD PROCESSORS might hear the word design and envision a blueprint for constructing a plant where their products are created. But what if that blueprint extended to organizational design that also helps guide a processor to success within that plant? Darin Zehr, general manager at Commercial Food Sanitation, explained at the most recent Process Expo how the principles of design can apply to employees, maintenance, sanitation, safety, and overall efficiencies when creating a company culture and setting goals, and how all those elements working in unison can put processors on a path to greatness. “I don’t think anybody’s ever walked out of a manufacturing facility and said, ‘Wow, that is a great operation. Look how chaotic and messy that place was,’” says Zehr. “Once you design something, you’re stuck with it, so better design equals better business results—that’s why we spend the time on design.” Here, Zehr details how some of the overlooked aspects in a food processing operation can be incorporated into an organizational design plan that can pay dividends for years after they’re implemented.

Why is design needed? Zehr says design strategies are necessary when

PHOTO BY MICHAEL COSTA

‘Ultimately, when we’re in a design moment, we want to maximize the opportunity we have,’ says Darin Zehr, general manager at Commercial Food Sanitation.

there’s a desire to change as an organization, and that processors should think beyond incremental improvements and strive for long-term greatness when making those decisions. “Think first about the overall impact of design decisions and then how best to maximize the outcome of those design opportunities,” Zehr explains, using the example of Ferrari and Rivian vehicles as being “designed and built for greatness from the wheels up. They weren’t designed to be common cars, and they’ve set a pace [to follow] that sometimes we miss in the food industry.” Zehr adds that design opportunities happen when, “we’re either building something, rebuilding something, or adding a piece to our operation. We could also be trying to reduce something, like the risk of food safety and reducing downtime, or we’re trying to increase something, like our capacity and capabilities. Ultimately, when we’re in a design moment, we want to maximize the opportunity we have. We have to design upfront with the mentality that we want something great to come out of this, just like those vehicles I mentioned.”

Remove silos In food processing, according to Zehr, the daily focus on meeting production goals and solving short-term problems can cause an operation to miss how interconnected a plant really is, and that any opportunity to significantly improve depends on removing silos among departments— from the shop floor to executive offices—to strengthen the overall operation. Zehr says without cross-department collaboration when design opportunities arise, a company can never achieve sustained greatness. “If you look at a manufacturing plant, there’s many components where design strategy can be applied, including equipment, people safety, food safety, maintenance, and production,” notes Zehr. “The facility itself is like a living, breathing machine that’s going all the time, so when you’re designing, it’s like putting puzzle pieces together. Too often, one piece is forgotten until the end, or maybe not remembered at all, like in maintenance or sanitation, for example. “Then that missing puzzle piece always has to be managed for the life of the facility,” Zehr continues, “and it has to be managed with resources,

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE NEWS

Purchase Install

Operate Maintain

Initial Investment Costs Ongoing Operational Costs

Clean

Engaging employees who work on the plant floor before buying and installing new equipment can help save operational and maintenance costs in the future.

people, and money. It makes for an inefficient situation. So rather than people working in silos and looking out just for their own section and forgetting about that missing puzzle piece, they should be working together and understand that for production to be successful, maintenance needs to be successful too. And for maintenance and production to be successful, sanitation needs to be successful, and so on.”

Richie’s story Zehr told the story of a former co-worker named Richie, who had never advanced beyond the ninth grade in school and came from an underprivileged background. He was, however, a superstar operator at the plant, and could tear down, clean, and maintain the equipment effortlessly. “Because of that skillset, Richie worked with us on a plant expansion, where we were bringing in equipment that was very similar to the equipment that he ran,” explains Zehr. “Richie came up with an idea when we were looking through expansion drawings to modify some of the equipment that would make it easier for an operator to access the equipment. The OEM offered us an option to buy equipment customized with Richie’s modifications, and that [modification] paid for itself within four weeks. Richie’s idea saved about 20 minutes every 14

turn, every changeover, and every cleanup. Richie really was thinking different—he was designing for us as a company.”

Expert engagement Richie’s input into a plant expansion project is an example of tapping into expertise from all levels of an organization to improve the operation and the bottom line. “Engage with your experts. If you have a food plant, you want people that think broadly, and not just focus on what they do best,” Zehr says, adding that cross-departmental engagement about hygienic design, sanitation, maintenance, and people safety, can help deepen ideas for operational improvement that can have a lasting effect for years. “Think about Richie. Richie was an operator that engaged with our leadership to work on strategies that had a big impact [on our operation]. That’s a win-win for us,” Zehr says. “You want people that are engaged upfront, and they’re excited and feel like they’re making an impact and not just fighting every day just to get by. That to me is the difference between designing just to solve an issue or designing to be great.” Commercial Food Sanitation www.commercialfoodsanitation.com

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE NEWS

High-Pressure Processing Preserves Baby Food’s Taste, Nutrition AARON HAND | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EAR WITH ME for a moment as we try a little exercise. Picture yourself sitting down at the dining room table with your family. There are wonderful smells wafting from the kitchen—maybe a juicy steak and some steamed vegetables, and maybe even a baked potato. As you sit at the table, plate in front of you, expectant, you can almost taste it. And then your mother approaches with a jar. She opens it and fills your plate. There’s no smell. It’s a dull, beige color. And you think, “Is this what I’m going to eat?” And you start to cry. You’re nine months old, and as the rest of your family enjoys the delicious meal you’ve just smelled from the kitchen, you’re stuck with the jar of glop. This was the scene set by Malin Bruset at the Cold Pressure Council meeting during PACK EXPO Las Vegas. As a nutritionist, a doctor of naprapathy, and a concerned mom, she was sure there was a better way. “As an adult, we would never choose eating canned food from a jar every day for every meal for six months. But that’s the option we have for our youngest,” she says. “And that needs to change and upgrade.” Bruset, originally from Sweden, founded GroGro in Norway in 2018, determined to change the way we’re feeding our babies. A key tenet of the company is that food should never be older

PHOTO COURTESY OF GROGRO

GroGro explains to its customers how high-pressure processing preserves the texture and nutrients of the original ingredients while the taste, nutrition, and consistency of the raw materials are reduced with heat pasteurization.

than the person eating it, but with standard processing and heat pasteurization, the shelf life of a typical jar of baby food is often up to two years, she notes. With her first child, Bruset instead chose to cook most of her baby’s food herself. When her second child came along, she decided to get an education in nutrition. “The more I learned about food and kids, the more I realized how important it is and how little attention it gets, because the first two years in life, you lay the foundation of health for the rest of your life,” she says. “And food is a very big part of that.” Fast-forward through publishing a book for parents and then teaching parents how to cook their own baby food, Bruset ultimately founded GroGro as a way to provide nutritious baby food to parents who might not always have the time to make it themselves from scratch.

Fresh baby food, with a shelf life In a 2022 UK-based survey from Mintel, parents were asked their reasons for giving their young children homemade food rather than baby food from a jar. Getting their child used to the taste of homemade meals topped the list, followed by saving money, more variety in ingredients, more nutritious, and fewer preservatives. Enjoyable to make did not make the top five, which means there’s an opportunity for GroGro. Though GroGro’s products are not cheaper, they check off all the other boxes. “We deliver on taste, nutrition, less preservatives, and a variation of taste and texture,” Bruset says. But there’s a balance between providing fresh, healthy food and having it still last long enough in the package to be shipped and sold to consumers. This is where high-pressure processing (HPP) comes in, and it’s a great fit for this application. Unlike pasteurization, which is used for most baby foods sold in stores, HPP uses pressure instead of heat to kill pathogens, so it doesn’t kill heat-sensitive nutrients in the process of making food safer. It nonetheless considerably extends the shelf life of food, enabling it to go through the logistics of shipping and stocking in grocery stores. Bruset first learned about HPP in 2019, and it was a pivotal moment for her business. “I was so

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE NEWS

PHOTO BY AARON HAND

Malin Bruset, founder and CEO of GroGro, explains the benefits of HPP and baby food at the Cold Pressure Council meeting.

excited because this is the perfect technology for baby food,” she says. “Because you want the clean label, you want no additives, and you want a fresh product with a longer shelf life, so you can actually sell it in the store. And you want to keep all the goodness—you want to keep the texture, the nutrients, you want to keep the flavors.” HPP can do exactly that. While heat pasteurization eliminates not only pathogens but a lot of the flavor and appearance as well, HPP is a non-thermal process that maintains the nutrients, taste, color, and texture of foods. Research has shown how important it is to introduce babies to a variety of flavors and textures, Bruset notes. “If a child is able to get different textures, different ingredients, different flavors, then the risk of them becoming a picky eater is so much lower,” she says.

Packaging: spout or no spout? GroGro has eight SKUs in all—two porridges, which are its bestsellers, four smoothies, and two meals. The goal is as close to homemade as possible, using only individual quick freezing (IQF) frozen ingredients, and cooking only what needs to be cooked. One question that GroGro labored over was with the packaging—whether or not to include the spout that is common on pouches of applesauce and other soft foods for young children. “We chose not to have a spout, and that was probably the hardest decision that we made because parents love the convenience of the spout,” Bruset says. “But we’re focusing on the kids. When we lined up the advantages of going with a spout and the advantages to without a

spout, we made the decision not to have a spout because we want children to experience the food. We want them to smell the food, we want them to see the food, we want them to practice and actively eat the food.” Not to mention: GroGro saves 50% of the plastic by going without spouts on its packages. “That’s a bonus, especially in Europe, where there’s so much focus on reducing plastic,” Bruset says. At one point, when GroGro was considering upgrades for its packages, the company asked its customers whether they wanted spouts on the packages. They actually got pushback from customers who had already been convinced (by GroGro) that spoutless was the way to go. That kind of transparency is key, Bruset comments, to build trust with parents.

Transparency with customers GroGro has an incredibly engaged customer base, so typically, when the development team has something it’s not sure about, they go straight to Instagram and get answers back from customers quickly. GroGro also uses that engagement to educate customers about HPP and why it’s an important part of the company’s production process. “HPP is just an amazing technology that very few know about. So this is a way for us to spread the technology—why it’s good and how it can be used,” Bruset says. “I think that customers, they don’t have a clue of what happens in production, and that kind of transparency and education is so valuable. It gets them also to question other brands and how they do things.” As part of this education, GroGro shows a video comparing its food and a traditional smoothie. “You can see the difference—where you have more texture, more color from our product than a traditional cooked puree,” Bruset points out. “You might think, ‘What’s the problem with canned food? I eat canned tomatoes.’ But when it comes to baby food, the producer is terrified of the risk of the food getting bad. So they sterilize the baby food four times more than canned tomatoes. And that is after you have already cooked the puree, mixing, and then sterilizing.” In contrast, HPP enables GroGro to provide foods with more vibrancy. “By going with HPP and choosing high-quality ingredients, we get more texture, and vibrant color, and better taste,” Bruset says. “These are all the things that we, as adults, love about food, right? If you have ever opened a jar of baby food, there’s no smell, it’s kind of dead. We would never choose to eat that.”

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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OPX INTEL EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STEPHEN M. PERRY, PH.D. | CO-FOUNDER, FSO INSTITUTE CONTRIBUTOR: Dan Sileo, Head Coach Manufacturing, FSO Institute

Linking Strategy to Action: Another X-Factor in Employee Engagement Only a small number of companies successfully link strategy to action. Here are some ways to make that link quicker, easier, more inclusive, and at multiple levels within your organization.

NE OF THE THREE MOST important pillars in the OpX Workforce Engagement document is Connection (Empowerment, Enablement), specifically how a company communicates with employees and helps them understand the company beyond their day-to-day operational activities. When employees don’t see the bigger picture—vision, mission, strategy, action plan—or understand just how their work contributes to it, they are less likely to be engaged. Under the Connection pillar, the OpX Workforce Engagement document describes just how the best CPG companies communicate a compelling vision, a well-thought-out strategic plan, a robust business plan, and the corresponding key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure that ensure success (see Success Cycle graphic, opposite page). But a recent Harvard Business Review article points out that only a small number of companies are actually successful at linking strategy to action. Perhaps the most important reason for this is that those employees responsible for the day-today operational activities are rarely involved in strategy development because it is traditionally seen as the domain of senior-level executives. As a result, the corresponding action plan and operational KPIs for which plant-level employees are now responsible are not fully understood because they were not involved in their development or a robust rollout plan from leadership. In fact, because leadership did not solicit input from the shop floor, the connective KPIs and action plans might not be the best ones. While the OpX Workforce Engagement document identifies some solutions to this dilemma, some

recent work by the FSO Institute offers additional insights and experiences to make the link between strategy and action quicker, easier, more inclusive, and at multiple levels within the organization. Most importantly, it provides engagement opportunities for day-to-day employees to provide input and help them better understand the why of what they do and just how their work contributes to it. To learn more about this new way of linking strategy to action, FSO Institute spoke with Dan Sileo, an FSO coach formerly with Procter & Gamble, Sunny Delight, and Sugar Creek Foods.

FSO INSTITUTE: Dan, you’ve recently worked with some CPG companies that were able to address this strategy-to-action link by bringing together some senior-level, supervisory, and line employees to get them all aligned on vision, strategy, action planning, and outcome measures. Can you briefly describe how you did this? SILEO: There are four common tools that have been used for many years to drive the process. These are the Success Cycle; the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT) analysis; the Strategy Development Template; and the introduction of the Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (RACI) chart. A quick word of caution: Many times people within an organization will push back against these tools as dated and not relevant because new generational groups think differently. We typically lead a discussion about how the tools can evolve to meet the needs; and if we include the generational groups the organization is concerned about, it typically addresses the issue.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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VISION

We begin with some just-in-time training on the Success Cycle and explain how the Vision and Strategy Direction Clarity – Strategic portions set the direction and the Sets Direction Action and Outcomes sections deliver What? Why? the role clarity and deployment of resources. The final part of this discussion relates the Success Cycle to the PDCA process (Plan, Do, Check, Act), which makes the rollout conversation to the shop floor more relevant Role Clarity – Tactical since it is a widely known process. Deploys Resources We then enter into a SWOT analysis, typically with a few groups conWho? What? When? At What Cost? Why? sisting of a cross-section of functions and levels. This brings a diversity of thought and begins the process of buy-in to the strategies to be engaged in. Next is a scan to look for common grouping of FSO INSTITUTE: You’ve had a lot of experience in items that the working groups believe need to be getting plant-level, operations employees more addressed. We try to help them limit it to the top engaged in their work. What do you see as the five and capture others as the potential next round major benefits of involving them more in the of focus areas once the current ones have been strategy-to-action planning process? sufficiently addressed. Finally, we have a discussion concerning the path SILEO: We like to drive the Buy-in, Ownership, forward to include action planning. Once there is Advocacy (BOA) model. By getting involvement alignment with senior leadership, we demonstrate early in the process, we jumpstart the buy-in part how a RACI chart aligns and deploys resources. of the model. A way to think about this in a more detailed way is explained by the Attributes of a Culture of Collaboration (Ali, Pascoe & Wayne). FSO INSTITUTE: Linking the SWOT analysis into an When people are involved, it drives empoweractual strategic plan has traditionally been a ment, forgiveness of mistake making, trust, comslow, laborious process. I understand that you mitment, sharing of information, openness, and used artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up the cultural cohesiveness—all of which drive employee process and make this part of strategy developengagement. In other words, don’t just tell them, ment far less cumbersome and time-consuming. involve them. How did you do this?

0UTCOMES

SUCCESS CYCLE

STRATEGY

ACTION PLAN

SILEO: Embracing AI to do the first blush of analysis really did speed up the process. What normally would take a few days and multiple iterations across at least two to three people to ensure groupings make sense, AI was able to do this in just a few minutes. We type up the SWOT analysis in one PDF document and the five top themes identified in another, and ask AI to place each item in the group that it best fits in. After we do a quick runthrough to make sure what was presented makes sense, we then ask AI to convert the groupings it just made into strategy statements of no more than two to three sentences. Again, we scan to make sure that what is presented makes sense and adjust as necessary. We now have a document that can be shared with leadership to begin the catch ball process (feedback from all stakeholders).

ABOUT THE OPX INTEL SERIES OF ARTICLES PMMI’s OpX Leadership Network ™ has produced more than 20 manufacturing process-improvement documents for CPGs and OEMs. The FSO Institute has facilitated the adoption and implementation of these documents, especially for food and beverage manufacturers. This series of articles shows how CPGs are using OpX and FSO documents to improve their overall manufacturing health and collaboration with OEMs and other suppliers. Learn more at www.opxleadershipnetwork.org and www.fsoinstitute.com.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY MATT REYNOLDS |

CHIEF EDITOR, PACKAGING WORLD

Coca-Cola Partners Invest in Sustainable Packaging Offerings Liberty Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola HBC add recyclable options to reduce total plastic usage by 3 tons.

IBERTY COCA-COLA BEVERAGES, a local Coca-Cola bottler serving Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City, and WestRock, a supplier of sustainable paper and packaging solutions, will collaborate to implement a paperboard carrier that replaces plastic rings for its multipack bottled beverages. The move by the bottler is yet another example in an ongoing trend of large beverage brands and their packaging partners/bottlers making the switch from plastic-based to paper-based multipacks in a variety of applications. Most recently, Coca-Cola bottler HBC in Austria made the switch to paper-based multipacks. PepsiCo announced a similar move in Canada in August 2023. Liberty also switched to paperboard for its mini-can lines. In this set of Liberty applications, WestRock’s PETCollar Shield Plus paper-based packaging will be used at Liberty’s Philadelphia production facility to package Coca-Cola’s top brands in multipacks. The 12- and 16.9-oz products packaged with the new carriers will be distributed throughout Liberty’s multi-state territory. Liberty CocaCola Beverages will be the first bottler in the world to implement the PETCollar Shield Plus bottle clip solution, the company says. “We’ve made it our mission to invest in technology that produces recyclable beverage containers that can return to our system while significantly reducing the need for secondary plastic packaging,” says Fran McGorry, co-owner of Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages. “We know the most valuable change to reduce plastic waste occurs when bottlers and packaging producers work together. We are proud to partner with WestRock to make this change.” Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages expects to have the new paperboard carrier packaging system

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBERTY COCA-COLA AND WESTROCK

Liberty Coca-Cola’s new paperboard carriers are expected to remove 200,000 lb of plastic a year from Liberty’s footprint.

installed and operating by summer 2024. Once installed, the packaging system will add to the local bottler’s paperboard packaging for minicans, implemented in 2022 as mentioned above. Both packaging systems combined are expected to remove 200,000 lb of plastic a year from Liberty’s footprint. PETCollar Shield Plus is a paperboard multipack carrier and part of WestRock’s PETCollar product family, which includes multipack clip solutions in a variety of sizes, designs and configurations for bundled bottles. Committing to implement the PETCollar Shield Plus packaging is the latest move Liberty CocaCola Beverages is making to advance its sustainability efforts. Along with being the first bottler in the U.S. to replace plastic rings for mini-cans, Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages was among the first Coca-Cola bottlers to produce and distribute bottles made from 100% recycled plastic (excluding www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

PHOTO COURTESY OF COCA-COLA HBC

Coca-Cola HBC Austria is switching to a 100% recyclable corrugated handle to replace plastic in multipacks.

cap and label) in the U.S. It has also installed a sustainable compacter that significantly reduces the bottler’s carbon footprint and processes large volumes of full plastic and aluminum containers for recycling.

Refillable glass bottles Another Coca-Cola bottling partner, Coca-Cola HBC, is launching two new pack formats in Austria that should diversify consumer options to recycle or reuse Coca-Cola packaging while boosting its own sustainability profile. In a reusable packaging play, the company invested $12.7 million in a cleanable, refillable, resealable glass bottle packaging line at its Edelstal location. The investment was augmented by a $4.2 million grant from the Austrian government as part of its fund for beverage companies and retailers to enable a circular economy for packaging.

The new line, which the company says is more water- and energy-efficient than traditional packaging lines, will produce a new 400-mL returnable and resealable glass bottle for the Austrian market. This is a first across Coca-Cola HBC’s 29 markets and is aimed at the on-the-go market and at-home consumption. “Austria is already one of our fastest-growing markets for reusable packaging, and this new line will further accelerate this packaging type, which is in demand by our customers and consumers alike,” says Zoran Bogdanovic, Coca-Cola HBC CEO. “As returnable packaging options offer a reduced carbon footprint, this new line in Austria further supports our Net Zero by 2040 goal [to achieve net zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2040].” The new line significantly expands the range of returnable products in the Coca-Cola HBC portfolio to include Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in a 400-mL glass bottle for at-home and on-the-go consumption. Consumers can also buy Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta Orange, and Sprite in 1-L returnable glass bottles. The universal 1-L bottle design for different sparkling soft drink brands helps simplify production and logistics and reduces the sorting and reverse logistics in the market, the company says. This expansion of returnable packaging is in response to growing consumer demand for returnable packaging solutions in Austria, where 62% of consumers value sustainability when they are selecting products, according to Nielsen data HBC cites. Expanding this packaging type also helps customers meet quotas for returnable packaging in retail, which are due to be introduced by 2024. In another move, this time in collaboration with DS Smith and Krones, Coca-Cola HBC Austria is incorporating the DS Smith Lift Up packaging system—featuring a 100% recyclable corrugated handle—to replace plastic in multipacks for Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and Mezzo brands. The companies say the format improves carry functionality for consumers and is designed to contribute with other partners to the kraft paperand corrugated-based solution that reduces about 200 tons of plastic each year for CocaCola HBC Austria. The carrier handle has a soft grip that makes products easy to carry while they remain secure within their sustainable packaging. This has been designed for PET bottles for consumption at home.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

Aldi’s Yogurt Brands Test Digitally Watermarked Packaging MATT REYNOLDS | CHIEF EDITOR, PACKAGING WORLD

decoded by a high-resolution camera on the sorting line at the recycling facility, accurately separating the different materials to their corresponding streams. Those at Aldi say they hope to contribute to this phase of the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative by testing the technical and economic viability of watermark technologies to improve material sorting. This trial will enable further investigation into the potential of watermark technologies as a driver of sustainable packaging.

Plastic packaging reduction down under Meanwhile in Australia, Aldi stores are launching a series of waste reduction initiatives aiming to reduce plastic usage by 25% by 2025. The grocer claims to have already reached the halfway mark with some changes already in effect and others currently rolling out. For instance, Aldi’s Jindurra Station two-star beef mince now uses 70% less plastic in its packaging. The supermarket is transitioning its “everyday range” of batteries from plastic to paper packaging, resulting in the elimination of about 17 tons of plastic waste annually. Aldi is also phasing out polystyrene noodle cups, replacing them with paper-based recyclable alternatives. These initiatives come at a time when major supermarkets face mounting criticism for excessive plastic usage, particularly on products like fruits and vegetables, which often come with their own natural protective layers. ▲

HE ALDI SOUTH GROUP (Aldi Süd) and Aldi Nord are taking part in the third phase of the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative, a program driven by AIM-European Brands Associations and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. Adding digital watermarks to packaging, the company says, will help to improve sorting in waste facilities and boost recycling for a circular economy. German retailer Netto recently made a similar commitment. In preparation for the testing phase of the HolyGrail 2.0 initiative, Aldi partnered with Digimarc and Wipak to print digital watermark codes, imperceptible to consumers, on packaging to improve sorting of materials upon collection at end of life. Aldi’s suppliers, in collaboration with packaging converter Greiner, have ensured that 18 different Milsani kefir and yogurt flavors have been digitally enhanced with watermark technology. These products can already be found in Aldi stores across the German market. The technology has been added to the surface of packaging to test an intelligent way to sort the materials, enabling high-quality recycling outcomes. The packaging will be detected and

PHOTO COURTESY OF DIGIMARC

Eighteen different Milsani kefir and yogurt flavors at Aldi have had their packaging digitally enhanced with watermark technology.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

Picadeli Launches Fiber-Based, Snap-Closing Lid MATT REYNOLDS | CHIEF EDITOR, PACKAGING WORLD

WEDISH HEALTHY EATING pioneer Picadeli Salad Bar, a new in-store concept at grocery retailers in Europe and more recently, the U.S. at Schnucks and Eatwell, will replace its entire line of plastic lids with paper-based lids. The company says the move will eliminate 250 metric tons of plastic from its supply chain every year. The new lids are recyclable in household paper waste streams and are made from renewable plant-based fiber sourced from sustainably managed forests, the company says. “We value the health of our planet as much as we value healthy eating,” says Henrik Åkerman, head of sourcing and supply chain at Picadeli. “We are committed to preserving as many of our planet’s precious resources as possible, while also producing high-quality, functional packaging for our consumers to enjoy. With that in mind, we are delighted to introduce this new lid to our packaging. It fulfills all our needs and helps us reduce the amount of plastic in our portfolio, in line with modern consumer demands.” The packaging format offers a secure snap closure system that represents an upgrade on

the performance of Picadeli’s previous solution. Graphic Packaging International worked with Picadeli to achieve the familiar, functional, and tactile ‘snap’ that consumers know and expect. “Everything we do, we do for our customers, and so it’s always pleasing to develop innovations that deliver on our customers’ expectations so emphatically,” says Åke Larsson, managing director of Graphic Packaging Tibro AB—the site involved in designing and producing the innovation. “The new lids offer the functionality required for Picadeli to eliminate plastic salad bowl lids from their supply chain. They also offer great branding benefits via high-quality printing onto the lid using water-based inks.” Picadeli used this opportunity to add bold, playful messages to the lids, enticing consumers to engage with the brand—an important benefit as it is the market-leading healthy fast-food outlet in Europe and the U.S., with more than 2,000 salad bars across Europe alone. During the development of the new lid solution, Graphic Packaging optimized the design to ensure it remained rigid in chilled and moisture-rich environments.

▲

Picadeli’s new paper-based lids aim to eliminate 250 metric tons of plastic from the company’s supply chain annually.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PICADELI

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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PLANT AUTOMATION AARON HAND | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Get Big Results From

SMALL AUTO M As skilled labor becomes less available on the plant floor, more facilities are considering what benefits automation could provide. It doesn’t have to be as scary or as expensive as a complete overhaul.

ITHIN THE PAGES of ProFood World, we’re not shy about showing off the incredible innovations happening in gleaming new food and beverage plants throughout the industry—where they’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars for all the latest automation. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that not every effort toward automation needs to break the bank. Undertaking large automation projects can be daunting, to say the least, not to mention often prohibitively expensive. But small automation projects can give processors the boost they need and can often see quick paybacks. In this climate of labor difficulties, automation is increasingly essential just to keep production going. But these projects often come with other benefits, such as reliability, consistency, hygienic operation, better recordkeeping and supply chain management, and more. We’re not talking about lights-out automation, where there’s nobody left in the room. Instead, small projects can greatly decrease the number of employees working on low-skill tasks so that they can be deployed elsewhere in the plant. “Taking a

room that might have 20 people on a cut-up line and getting that down to maybe 10, that’s a big deal,” says Geoff Bennett, package handling layout consultant for Intralox. That was certainly the case with Prestage Foods of South Carolina, a recent winner of ProFood World’s Manufacturing Innovation Award, where, despite high levels of automation throughout the turkey processing facility, workers are still actively involved on the production line. It means the plant runs with just over 300 people in more skilled positions rather than the 750 workers that would be needed without automation.

Changing attitudes toward automation Automation has become not only a necessity, but manufacturers are realizing the myriad benefits it can bring. Robots have become much more accepted over the past few years, notes Mike Newcome, vice president of sales for JLS, which makes robotic systems for food and other industries. “I don’t think the technology has changed that much,” he says. “What’s happened is the applications have become validated and it’s now an accepted technology.”

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O MATION The COVID pandemic went a long way to changing attitudes, in Newcome’s observations. “It put our customers on their heels because they had no labor. That more than anything I attribute to the big runup,” he says. “Our customers started to realize it isn’t necessarily about how many people you can remove from a line. Instead of applying a very standard ROI model, it became: What’s the cost not to produce?” If you have a multimillion-dollar line that you can’t staff, it’s best to start thinking about what’s highly repetitive that can be automated, Newcome notes. “And then those people I can move to another line that maybe isn’t as automation-friendly.” The pandemic had an impact in other ways as well, including booming business for some sectors of the industry. That was the case for Clarion Locker in Clarion, Iowa, which saw its meat business grow and reshape considerably. “As much as everybody hated COVID, it was really an amazing thing that occurred for the small and very small meat processors across the entire country,” says Manie Nel, owner of Clarion Locker. “For the mom-and-pop shops like myself, we had a certain clientele up until COVID. Then, when all the large packing plants were shutting down, and there was a shortage of meat in the big box stores, all these families across the country turned to their small meat processing plants, the lockers. It just took off like wildfire and there wasn’t a processor across the country that could keep up.” Even since pandemic restrictions have lifted,

much of that hasn’t changed. “Most processors out there are still a lot busier than they were before the COVID crisis,” Nel says. Another consequence of the pandemic was that many of these small meat processors received federal aid to help boost production. “That helped a lot with the growth of a lot of small lockers that had potential to grow but didn’t have the finances to do it,” Nel says. “That helped them automate too, and automation was needed due to the sudden spike in customer demand.” Clarion, for example, invested in an automated brine injector system from BAK Food Equipment to address the spike in products that needed to be cured and preserved. “I just couldn’t keep up,” Nel says. “I didn’t have enough hours in the day to do it the way I was doing it.” Nel had been spending three or four hours injecting hams, dried beef, pork loins, etc. But when demand picked up during COVID, one employee was spending two whole days on this task. “Now, what I did in two days, I could do in less than an hour with this machine,” he says. “You mix the brine, you dump it in, and hit play. You just set the meat on the conveyor, and the machine does the rest.” Clarion also saw a change in consistency with the automated process. “There are no more dead spots, where the cure doesn’t quite reach the meat. That usually occurs around the bone, and you’ll get a lot of that with hand injecting, so it’s inconsistent curing,” Nel says. “You also get a

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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PLANT AUTOMATION

more regulated pump. If you set it at a 10 or 12% injection rate, it’s consistent through every product.” Nel had considered automated injection previously, but it was COVID that gave him the push he needed—both in terms of demand and the funding available. Clarion has been using the automated brine injector—along with other bits of automation, such as a hamburger stuffer—for almost two years and has never looked back. “I think my [co-owner] wife would give me up before she gives up the injector because it’s really saved her a lot of time and headache too,” Nel quips. “The way we were doing things before, it was a specialized process that only certain individuals would be able to do. Even after training, it wasn’t guaranteed that the individual that was trained would do it correctly. With this injector, you could literally train anybody to do it; it’s not a specialized job.”

Continued labor concerns The shortage of labor in the food and beverage industry is an ongoing issue, so facilities will continue to transition to increased automation. COVID-19 only exacerbated what was already an issue: The places that have the space to build a plant do not always come with a built-in labor force. And since the pandemic, not only is it difficult to find enough staff, manufacturers must also be more mindful about having them all there together, breathing the same air. Small changes are making a big impact on how food and beverage manufacturers are making use of the labor available to them. “It gives the labor force more power, in my opinion, because now their skills are better utilized in something that is going to add value as opposed to just moving material,” says Niranjan Kulkarni, senior director of consulting services for CRB. Particularly for low-skill labor, which is what typically makes more sense to automate, many manufacturers are competing with the likes of Amazon or McDonald’s, Kulkarni notes. “In some cases, you may not find labor at all. We have this client in the middle of nowhere and they can’t find people to come to the site. Or they come there for a few days and then they’re gone. It’s not such a shiny, nice place. It’s hot, it’s humid, and I don’t want to work there. So I just don’t show up on the fourth day,” he says. “That is the reason why people are looking into automation—not just from a cost-saving perspective, but because we may not have the talent here.” Although interest in automation continues to grow, there is still some fear among operators, according to Tom Bako, director of business development for BAK Food Equipment. “We still find that many opera-

Sometimes, a small amount of automation can help ease bottlenecks that fall between larger automation efforts. This was the case on a tray sealing line after a poultry processor added automation to its cutting process. PHOTO COURTESY OF INTRALOX

tors fear these automated solutions will degrade their product or quality or flavor, or the level of comfort in using the automation. We also see concerns about automation increasing food prices or displacing human workers,” he says. “But these fears are simply untrue. Rather, automation can improve overall product quality, enhance flavor, allow workers to be reassigned to more interesting or other needed areas of the plant, which could be less dangerous as well.” BAK Food Equipment had a customer interested in its fully automated bacon line as a way to help ease some considerable labor tensions, Bako notes. It’s a process that can take 40 or more workers with traditional methods. “This large processor implemented our Protech Automated Spiral Cooking, Smoking, Freezing System to find that they have reduced product loss, improved product quality, and increased throughput while optimizing their available labor,” Bako says. “In this particular system, we’re putting through 8,800 lb/hr of pork bellies, ready to be pressed and sliced, with two workers.”

Finding the problem spots It’s important to understand where you operations might best be served by some level of automation. One way CRB engineers try to understand where opportunities might exist is by shadowing the product through the plant. “You become the product, and then you move through the facility,” Kulkarni explains. “We ask those annoying questions like ‘Why.’ Why am I sitting there? Why am I waiting for an operator to come pick me up? As the product is moving through the value stream, you start identifying the value-add vs. the non-value.” A second way to come at the problem is with computer simulation—gathering information about product constraints, workflows, scheduling constraints, etc., and converting that to a simulation model. There are pros and cons to both methods, but one advantage of the physical method is that it gives you an opportunity to interact with the operators who are seeing these issues on a regular basis. “Many times, they have solutions, they may just not be empowered, or they may just not have the right data to support their findings,”

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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Kulkarni says. “On the other side, simulations are going to be extremely powerful because you can really step up and see the whole area of your domain in one shot.” Computer models can help you understand how automating one process might affect another process, says Tony Moses, director of product innovation for CRB. He points to a case in which pepperoni slicing and topping was causing a bottleneck at a pizza maker. “If we automated the pepperoni slicing, that bottleneck might shift to the cheese topping, and we might only gain a few pizzas, or that operator might just have to shift downstream to keep up with that. So that holistic view with the model is awesome,” he says. “There’s great dicing and shredding equipment out there—we’ve seen companies move from handling large blocks of cheese to using automatic shredders. But you have to look at it holistically because that shredded cheese has to go somewhere.”

Getting from here to there Sometimes the solution is as relatively simple as adding conveyance. “If you get to a point where you’re suddenly having a bunch of people running around with boxes, moving it from your primary pack to your secondary pack, or people moving up from your secondary pack to the palletizer, conveyance is pretty cheap,” Moses notes. “That’s a low-cost, high-impact solution.” That space between primary and secondary packaging has become a hot spot for automation, according to Bennett, and it’s also a good place for conveyance equipment to step in. “Not only do you have the labor costs there, but you have safety and ergonomics issues with people lifting heavy product all day every day,” he says. Though secondary packaging has seen its share of automation—particularly robotizing case packing or palletizing operations—it’s the space between processing and final packaging that has been lacking, according to

PHOTO COURTESY OF BAK FOOD EQUIPMENT

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Bennett. The need has not been as great in these areas because they typically have not required as much labor. This is an area that T. Marzetti decided needed automating at its plant in Luverne, Ala., where the company makes frozen bakery products such as Sister Schubert’s rolls. The facility turned to robotics to reduce increasing labor costs. After coming out of a spiral freezer, bagged aluminum pans are manually placed on two conveyors leading to Cama systems that use delta robots to correctly orient the bags and place them into cartons. “The ponytail needs to be in the 12 o’clock position if the package graphics are going to be properly aligned with the two display cutouts in the carton,” John Haenszel, project manager for T. Marzetti, told Packaging World. “So the Cama solution needs to do more than just put pans into cartons at rate. It needs to put pans into cartons in a specific orientation at rate. It uses a vision system to do that. It identifies the orientation of the ponytail and relays that data to the Rockwell controller, which sends that information to the robotic end effector, which in turn rotates in whichever direction it needs to get the ponytail in the 12 o’clock position.” As automation is put in both processing and backend operations, manufacturers are realizing the need to keep the space in between moving effectively as well, Bennett says. “If somebody’s looking at including a new piece of equipment into their facility—maybe it’s an automatic palletizer, maybe it’s new case sealers—it’s important to maintain the uptime and reliability of that machine. A lot of that comes into how the products are presented to it,” he notes. “If you’re investing a quarter of a million dollars into a robotic palletizer, you want to make sure that thing is fed consistently and as often as possible and it doesn’t become a bottleneck.” In fact, sometimes the only automation that’s needed in a given situation is conveyance, Bennett contends, pointing to his time as an industrial engineer conducting time studies. “The most wasteful thing we tried to reduce was walking,” he says. “A person that is walking is not contributing any value to any process. So the less that somebody can physically be moving from one spot to another, or moving product physically from one spot to another, is in some ways a labor savings.” Intralox worked with a poultry processor to evaluate the equipment in its tray sealing room. “It was part of a larger project where they were redoing all of the cut-up coming into this room,” Bennett says. “There’s a point where if you don’t go far enough, the automation that you just did isn’t as effective as it could be. This was one of those instances where they were spending a lot of time and effort looking at implementing a lot of equipment on the cut-up side.” At that point, a worker was placing the poultry into trays, which then moved down a single trunk line to another person who would make sure all the product is how it should be in the tray—because the product

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T. Marzetti uses delta robots to pick bagged pans of Sister Schubert rolls from the conveyor belt, rotate them so that the ponytail is in the 12 o’clock position, and place them into a carton.

has to be pulled off the line at a speed of 120 trays per minute, the product gets jostled. “So you spend all this time and effort to do all this automation upfront to get a higher throughput, but then you’ve just shifted some of the problem further downstream,” Bennett says. The solution has typically been to just throw more people at the problem. In this day and age, of course, that’s easier said than done. “In this case, with some of the technology that we had developed specifically for tray pack handling, we were able to take out the need to have those two people on each tray seal line,” Bennett says. “We have a sorter that, once the tray packer puts that tray on the line, it goes into the next room, it’s identified by a vision system, and it goes to the sealer to be closed up and packed into a box.” The process no longer requires two people on every line, but it also better maintains product quality.

There’s still a price to pay Something we should not neglect to mention is that small does not necessarily mean cheap. These relatively small automation projects can still come with some significant initial and ongoing costs. “The more automated you get, there’s a price to pay upfront,” says Scott Wever, manager of manufacturing engineering at Hixson. “But if they can take that hit on that capital side, they’d be able to see those benefits of not needing as large a workforce or automating part of the process to make it easier on your workers.” Smaller brand owners might not have the budget to take on automation projects that larger manufacturers do, but there are still steps they can take. Consider approaching an equipment supplier, explaining your operation, and finding out if there’s an entry-level system that provides enough flexibility to grow into it, Wever recommends. “The goal is to put something in with the flexibility of being able to add capital as you go for the next several years,” he says. It’s important to evaluate what will happen beyond a single project. “I’ve seen it go wrong—where you add all this time and effort and money upfront to increase your throughput, and now your back end is not set up for

it,” Bennett says. “All the cost is still there; it’s just in a different room.” With small automation, a lot of projects have a payback period of just three to six months, notes Taylor Keaten, principal of Launch Partners, speaking during a panel discussion. “You can take the money that you’re saving from the first small project to fund the next-level project.” That does work with smaller projects, Moses agrees. “We have a customer right now who is looking to automate cleaning, and that’s kind of how they’re breaking it up,” he says. “We’ve got a series of four projects with cleaning as a great way you can invest a little capital. Instead of having a crew come in, open up a kettle, spray it down, and heat water and run it through there, you can buy a CIP [clean-in-place] skid and validate a cleaning procedure. And now, instead of having an operator or cleaning crew actively doing that, they can push a button and it all goes and it all records automatically.” The CIP skid example enables the manufacturer not only to save time and labor, the automated system also records all parameters automatically, making it easy to keep records for auditing purposes. “It allows them to not just be efficient, but it allows for reproducibility and repeatability,” Kulkarni notes. Another step for the customer is a recipe management system. Currently, there’s a lot of manual movement of ingredients, along with recording those movements. “If you could invest in some load cells or some flow meters, that’s a relatively minor investment,” Moses says. “Maybe you need some temperature controllers, some control systems, and then the software to drive that. That’s another way that you can reduce labor but also increase consistency.” Technology advancements are also enabling reduced ROI times in some cases, Kulkarni contends. “We have a client who, in the past, was absolutely against AGVs [automated guided vehicles] because they could not justify the cost,” he says. “But the cost has come down so significantly—not just the equipment, but setting up the infrastructure. So now the ROI looks like not five or seven years, but 18 months.” You might also find that some larger-cost projects are still worth the investment. “We have one client that has a two-step cooling process. They’re using legacy equipment, where they chill the product to get it down to a food-safe temperature, and then a blast freezer. They’re looking to replace that two step with a one step

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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A bacon process that previously took about 40 workers now uses just two workers to run this automated spiral cooking, smoking, and freezing system. PHOTO COURTESY OF BAK FOOD EQUIPMENT

just through a spiral freezer,” Moses says. “That is not something cheap—that’s going to be probably a seven-figure operation. But it’s not going to be multi-million dollars.” And it will be worth it to save the labor of constantly taking product out of the first cooling unit to move it to a blast freezer. Automation projects naturally lead to other automation projects. “Automation exposes problems in the process,” Newcome notes. “Automation likes consistency. We have a lot of flexibility because of the technologies we use for sensing position of product, but it still has to be controlled to an extent. It’s product flow control, and if there are large gaps in your production, it’s understanding how all of that works and optimizing all of that. Our best customers are the ones that recognize that and see the benefit of the automation.” Newcome recommends going into the first automation project with an open mindset that something else might have to change upstream or downstream from that process in order to get the full benefit.

Listen to More Online Join us for an on-demand webinar on this topic, “How Incremental Automation Helps Processors Solve Labor Issues,” moderated by Senior Editor Michael Costa. Costa talks with two food processors, Intelligent Foods and Boichik Bagels, who have experienced firsthand how even small automation projects have made a big impact on minimizing the workers needed to meet production goals. Register at www.profoodworld.com/webinars, and tune in to learn how to start small with automation yet achieve significant impact.

Connecting all the automation pieces Even if you’re undertaking what might seem like one-off automation projects, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. “As a company grows, what they often run into is what we call islands of automation,” Moses notes. “So when they get to a point where they want to open a second facility, where they want to start using that data at a corporate level, then you want to start to think about Ethernet drops and bringing that all together. That will give your corporate functions visibility into where your bottlenecks are, what’s truly running. And that will help drive some of those projects.” It’s also best not to save this connected line of thinking for later. “When you start buying that first piece, have that line of sight to the next piece,” Moses says. “It’s usually simpler if you go with one control system, software provider, etc., because then you train your people on that and they’re used to working with that. And as you get bigger, you can leverage pricing.” Wever recommends getting somebody in to map out your overall plan. “If you don’t have a proper integrator involved in being able to piece all of that together and make sure you’re handshaking all the way down the line, you’re not going to be successful and your OEE is going to go into the basement,” he says. “You’re not going to have the opportunity to run efficiently.” Ultimately, the potential advantages are numerous. “I think we’re still scratching the surface,” says JLS’s Newcome. “If I stand back and look holistically at the operation, there are so many areas that are opportunities for automation.” BAK Food Equipment www.bakfoodequipment

CRB www.crbgroup.com

Intralox www.intralox.com

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INNOVATIONS REPORT PMMI MEDIA GROUP EDITORS

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023 Innovations Report

HE PACKAGING AND PROCESSING community came together this past September for perhaps the most important PACK EXPO Las Vegas in its history, according to show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Nearly 32,000 attendees, the most in the show’s history, actively engaged with more than 2,300 exhibitors across 1 million net sq ft of exhibit space at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This event not only stands as the largest packaging and processing trade show in North America last year but as the largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas in the show’s history. “PACK EXPO Las Vegas was a huge win for the packaging and processing industry,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “From attendance to exhibition space to educational sessions—the show surpassed expectations to provide our largest, most comprehensive show to date. This is proof that the industry continues to thrive and show up to provide the most innovative, sustainable, effective solutions the world has to offer.” As PMMI’s State of the Industry report highlights, industry growth remains steady at a healthy 3.4%, with the total size of the market in the U.S. reaching $10.2 billion. Looking to capitalize on this growth, more than 2,300 exhibitors displayed and promoted their latest innovations to make connections with decision-makers in packaging and processing.

The winners of the 2023 Technology Excellence Awards at PACK EXPO Las Vegas (Sept. 11-13; Las Vegas Convention Center), owned and produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, are: • Food/Beverage Category: Aneko, Emsys • General Packaging and Processing Category: Harpak-Ulma, AIEnabled Augmented Reality for Transforming Packaging Operations • Personal Care/Pharma Category: Catalyx, Digital Line Clearance Assistant • Sustainability Category: Amcor, HealthCare Recycle Ready Sachet Visit pfwgo.to/8170 to learn more about them.

As in years past, the editors of PMMI Media Group were hard at work covering the many innovations shown by the exhibitors. Our report begins on the next page and is divided into two main categories: Food Processing and Sustainable Packaging. This report is brought to you by: Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor, Packaging World Pat Reynolds, Contributing Editor, Packaging World Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor, Packaging World Aaron Hand, Editor-in-Chief, ProFood World Michael Costa, Senior Editor, ProFood World Keren Sookne, Director of Editorial Content, Healthcare Packaging Melissa Griffen, Editor, Contract Manufacturing & Packaging Joe Derr, Digital Projects Editor, PMMI Media Group Casey Flanagan, Digital Editor, PMMI Media Group Lilian Robayo Paez, Editor, Mundo PMMI

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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INNOVATIONS REPORT FOOD PROCESSING

Food Processing W

e begin our review of innovative food processing technologies introduced at PACK EXPO with a look at conveying, a most essential tool in a food processor’s tool box. Liftvrac has elevated the hygienic features on its signature open-frame conveyor system for food processing, which utilizes vertical space to move bulk foods quickly and efficiently without losing product along the way. The 2023 version of Liftvrac’s small-footprint conveyor (1) made its debut in the U.S. at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. It has an updated hygienic open design for easier cleaning and a streamlined sanitary single-belt system. Also, the number of parts for the conveyor’s belt scraper has been reduced down to two for more efficient reduction of product loss during production. Nicholas Lamagnere, technical sales support specialist at Liftvrac, adds that overall, the 2023 version of the conveyor has a 25% reduction in the number of parts compared to previous models.

Also focused on food conveyance is VDG (Van der Graaf), though at PACK EXPO it was a sanitary drum motor that drives conveyors that was a highlight. As part of the SSV line of sanitary drum motors for food processing and handling conveyor applications from VDG, the new SSV-XP (2) enables users to change out the profiled sleeve to enable different styles of modular belts to be used with the same drum motor.

Unlike typical conveyor apparatus, with exposed conveyor drives, VDG’s SSV series has no external moving parts, eliminating harborage areas for bacteria and providing a more sanitary way to drive conveyor belts. The all-316-stainless-steel, IP69K-rated construction withstands washdown and also eliminates the maintenance required on external components of a conventional conveyor drive, including the motor, gear reducer, sprockets, and chain. A drawback to the drum motor design, however, is that anytime a food producer wants to change the type of belt used for conveyance, they must switch to a different drum motor with a different profile built into the stainless-steel design, notes VDG’s Sonia Kanaris. That all changes with the interchangeable profiled sleeve, she explains, which makes it easy to quickly change the profile. “Now, within minutes, you’re ready to go,” she says, also noting the added benefit of not having to stock so many different kinds of drum motors. The VDG SSV-XP drum motor drives modular, wire mesh, and monolithic thermoplastic conveyor belts without using sprockets. It is available with profiles for all major belt manufacturers, including Intralox, Wire Belt, Habasit, Gates, Cambridge, and Volta. Designed for 80,000 hr of continuous operation before maintenance, the motor is available in a range of diameter sizes, belt speeds, horsepower, and industry-specific options and features to suit various food processing and packaging belt conveyor applications.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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INNOVATIONS REPORT FOOD PROCESSING

Largest food pump for processing Unibloc unveiled its new UltraLobe Food First 700 series lobe pump (3) at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The all stainless-steel UltraLobe is the largest hygienic lobe pump currently on the market. While it’s a step up in size from Unibloc’s 600 Series, those at Unibloc say it’s a giant leap in processing capabilities for meat, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and more. The UltraLobe carries a small footprint in relation to its productivity, which according to

Unibloc, can do the work of two smaller pumps in just 20% of the space, multiplying the throughput by two to three times compared to other pumps. “We’ve had some people say they have two lines, and it’d be great if they can do more production, and move down to one single line,” says Mark Boyd, vice president of sales at Unibloc. “This will pump twice the volume, so customers tell us they can do a lot more [processing] with something of this size.” The UltraLobe 700 series also incorporates Unibloc’s patented Quick Strip design for easy cleaning capabilities with one-way assembly and disassembly, and Unibloc’s patented safety swing arm to prevent potential staff injuries and damage to the equipment. Unibloc also showcased updates to its Flotronic Slimline Pump, now in a larger, 14-in. size. The Flotronic is the first high-flow AODD pump with clean-in-place (CIP) credentials, and features simple one-nut disassembly to reduce a video of the Flotronic downtime. being disassembled at Unibloc’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas booth at pfwgo.to/8146.

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Retort and aseptic The new ImmersaFlow technology (4) demonstrated at PACK EXPO Las Vegas by Stock Systems, a ProMach company, focuses on the efficient management of processed water during the retort process. The system pushes this water through a specially designed silo, which grants operators the ability to control the water flow meticulously. This control optimizes the BTU transfer during both the heating and cooling phases. No more waiting for gravity to work, or the need for increased process utilities to achieve homogenous

temperature profiles. This innovative technology uses a closed-loop column of process water, channeled through a plenum and closed wall baskets. In essence, ImmersaFlow creates an immersion process within the basket. The system uses its solid side-wall baskets to direct the channeling of water. As the process unfolds, the bottom of the system is filled with processed water. This water is then heated to a predetermined set point. Once this temperature is achieved, a pump activates, ensuring the processed water is hydraulically ported through the load. Notably, this method avoids filling either side of the machine, instead opting to port the water directly through the load. The result is an efficient heat transfer process for both heating and cooling, as the system cools and heats directly. Outside of the basket, the retort shell is primarily empty, minimizing water usage and reducing the amount of heat required for the process. The efficiency of the ImmersaFlow is evident in its performance metrics. In many instances, the system achieves 8-min come-up times (CUT), and in some cases, even manages to reduce this to a

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range of 4 to 6 min with as little as a 2°F spread between the geometric center and perimeter of the load. Faster, tighter CUT to process temperature allows for more throughput, a more consistent product heating profile, and an overall reduction in energy consumption. This efficiency is not limited to heating alone. The cooling phase employs a similar methodology, where water is directly ported through a plate and frame heat exchanger into the center of the load. This approach ensures optimal cooling conditions. The direct porting of cool water, facilitated by the plate and frame heat exchanger, results in cooling curves that are consistent and efficient. In comparison to conventional cascade retorts, the ImmersaFlow can cool in roughly one-third of the time. “It’s a pretty straightforward process, at the end of the day,” says Rick Eleew, vice president of business development at Stock. “I get a lot of questions: ‘Why hasn’t this been invented yet? It looks too simple.’ While it is a simple process, it’s different than anything that’s out there.” a video of Eleew walking through the ImmersaFlow system at pfwgo.to/8147.

Extending shelf life of foods is also done by way of aseptic processing and packaging technology, and GEA highlighted two new tools for manufacturers at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The focus was on aseptic aluminum bottling and multi-option dosing for drinks with additives, like bubble tea. GEA’s UniBloc Flex system offers a sustainable, aseptic filling solution for sensitive beverages in aluminum bottles and cans with closures. The UniBloc Flex system (5) is available in a fully featured version and a more simplified machine, so manufacturers can choose the option that best fits their operation and beverage production goals. GEA also introduced its dosing pistons for

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additive drinks, like bubble tea with tapioca particles. The pistons can add fiber, pulp, fruit, and more up to 10 × 10 × 10 mm in size, and they add pieces ahead of liquid during production. The pistons feature a hygienic seal to prevent product leakage and fully automatic cleaning.

Continuous sterilizer Surdry introduced its continuous sterilizer ECB series (6) in North America at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023. The equipment is designed to provide manufacturers with increased flexibility in running a wide range of primary packaging—from cups, pouches, and glass jars to non-round containers and traditional round or square cans. The sterilizer can also be used for pasteurization in thin profile plastic cups or trays.

The continuous sterilizer is an inline solution meant to ensure better quality with its capacity to sterilize over 800 pouches/min, or half a ton of product every 5 min. The sterilizer is typically run at temperatures of 250°F ±30 psi to prevent the packages from swelling during the high temperature base and to reduce the risk of seal damage. This results in better quality and more reliable sterilization, according to Jose Bertomeu, owner of Surdry Spain. The machine is divided into multiple temperature sections, using a patented thermal isolation method, to accommodate the various steps required for the sterilization process schedule. The heating and cooling times are also designed to be shorter to reduce thermal degradation and improve product quality. Machine features include: • Easy access for mainte-

nance teams with its horizontal design and doors accessible at both ends of the machine. • Clean-in-place capabilities. • Stainless steel trays to transport containers through the sterilizer. • Predictive maintenance. • Adjustable length and diameter of the equipment to meet slower speeds for medium-sized companies. • Two separate HMIs, designed for ease-of-use, to control heating and cooling and for the handling system and automatic changeover. Depending on the complexity of the transition, changeovers can take as little as 10 min or up to 3 or 4 hr. Mechanical adjustments to infeed and outfeed, recipe changes, and the use of robotic systems contribute to the changeover timeline. The system can also be customized to maximize a manufacturer’s production and minimize changeover duration and downtime. The continuous sterilizer’s defining feature is its adaptability. Manufacturers aren’t tied to a single container type. Whether it is pouches in the morning and cans in the afternoon, the continuous sterilizer seamlessly switches between different packaging materials, says Bertomeu. This flexibility opens up new avenues for food manufacturers to diversify their product offerings and adapt to evolving market trends as well as choose the materials that best suit their environmental objectives. In comparison to batch retort systems, the continuous sterilizer saves 30 to 40% energy by maintaining its temperatures and pressure in the heating and cooling zones. This reduces the consumption of steam and water. The steam can also be recovered back to the boiler and the water used for cooling can also be recovered via cooling towers or dry coolers, or used to preheat incoming containers. Though the equipment can be turned off and on daily and be fully operational within an hour, it saves more energy being kept on for extended periods of time and run more consistently. The equipment is also designed to minimize waste and be increasingly reliable by reducing the number of potential failures that end in product waste.

Using lasers to scan for ripeness Novanta unveiled its Versia two-axis laser scan system (7) at PACK EXPO Las Vegas,

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with a focus on consumer packaged goods, medical applications, and more. In food processing, Novanta’s beam delivery systems include scanners used to ensure the correct color for ripeness in fruits and vegetables, highlighting the increasing role of laser technology in quality control and precision. Those at Novanta say their laser technology offers advantages in terms of precision, efficiency, and versatility. “What’s different about Versia is you can see the scanning mirrors on the inside,” says Rick Elento, lead generation manager, photonics at Novanta. “The mirrors are what’s moving rapidly and bounces the laser beam around in a pattern. It’s a combination of analog plus digital. So, you get the speed and accuracy of digital, but you’re paying essentially for analog pricing.” Elento adds that one of the key advantages of Novanta’s laser systems is their “zero-touch” approach. These systems ensure that only the laser beam comes into contact with the material being processed, eliminating the need for physical contact with the product. This feature opens up many possibilities, including cutting, perforating,

drilling, marking, and coding, all with the precision and speed that lasers are known for. In the pharmaceutical industry, Novanta’s laser technology is used to create micro holes in tablets, enabling them to dissolve faster. Additionally, their lasers are employed for marking and coding tablets and other medical products, ensuring traceability and compliance.

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Elento says many companies either manufacture laser sources or beam delivery systems, but Novanta does both, so they can eliminate the complexity often faced by OEMs and integrators trying to combine separate components. He concludes that Novanta’s ability to design and build both systems also allows them to offer customized subsystems that cater to specific customer needs.

Adding seasonings, removing oxygen PPM Technologies has added new features to its FlavorWright All-in-One line of seasoning equipment (8) to go along with its conveying and frying solutions for an updated, versatile suite of food the equipprocessing machines. ment in action at pfwgo.to/8148. “A couple of years ago, this [FlavorWright] did not have oil, and was dry seasoning only,” says Nicholas Schoen, marketing manager at PPM Technologies. “So we added the oil tank and reworked it to make it more compact and add room for controls. These are some small things that you wouldn’t really notice unless you worked with us, but it’s an evolved version of the

FlavorWright.” Schoen adds that PPM just came out with its fourth and largest model size of its Rotary Snack Fryer, which uses a minimum amount of oil for one-pass frying of foods like pork rinds, tortilla chips, and even small plantbased meats, like nuggets. Oxygen in beverages is not something that producers desire, especially considering the potential negative impacts it can have on the product. Dissolved oxygen can pose various challenges for beverage manufacturers; from adhering to stringent can liner specifications to managing issues related to shelf life and foaming at the filler. Greg Collier, vice president of beverage technology for Statco-DSI, used PACK EXPO Las Vegas to demo the AccuO2 (9)—a solution dedicated to removing oxygen from liquids, called a deaeration process. The AccuO2 was demonstrated as a fea-

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ture on the company’s existing BlenZer soft drink carbonation equipment. The objective behind developing the AccuO2 was clear. While there are pre-existing methods to deoxygenate a liquid, most are primarily applicable to water. And when deaeration is performed on other beverages, it demands significant energy and sometimes even risks product spoilage. And beverage producers know it’s not just about water. A two-stream blending process often involves infusing both water and flavor components into the system. Here’s where the challenge arises. Deoxygenating flavor components without compromising their integrity, and doing it cost-effectively, is no straightforward task. Addressing this challenge, AccuO2 employs a process that incorporates an inert gas, specifically nitrogen. The system injects nitrogen into the liquid streams, efficiently working on both water and flavor components. This versatility ensures that manufacturers can simultaneously treat water and flavors without the need for multiple processes. Now, while this technique of using nitrogen to remove oxygen isn’t entirely new in the industry,

what sets the Statco-DSI offering apart is its proprietary control system, which is currently patent-pending. Collier emphasizes how many other offerings on the market might inundate the system with excessive amounts of gas without closely monitoring its application. Such an approach not only leads to potential waste but could also fail to meet the precise deoxygenation levels required by beverage producers. After all, if a customer specifies a particular oxygen level, let’s say 500 ppb, it’s imperative that the technology delivers just that— nothing more, nothing less. To this end, Statco-DSI’s AccuO2 is designed to be meticulous. It integrates meters on both the liquid and gas streams, ensuring accuracy in measurements and in the application of the inert gas. Particularly noteworthy are the system’s mass flow meters, ensuring precision in the measurement of gas streams. This granularity in control means that the exact amount of nitrogen required to achieve the specified oxygen level in the product is used— not a gram more. Such precision offers dual benefits. First, manufacturers can be assured of consistent product

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quality, as the system maintains the desired oxygen levels. Second, the efficient use of nitrogen ensures optimal utility usage, eliminating wasteful excess. This conscientious application is not only beneficial for cost savings but also aligns with sustainable operational practices. Moreover, the entire process is traceable. Manufacturers have the capability to monitor and report on how much gas is used during the process, ensuring

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Urschel rolled out an updated version of its Affinity dicer (10) at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, with a focus on saving labor through an open designed conical hopper, eliminating the need to reduce the length of preformed meat logs before being fed into the machine. “Before this, processors would have to take the preformed log of salami or pepperoni, for example, chop it up, and put it into the machine,” says Steve Smock, regional manager at Urschel. “This can take 4-ft logs now through the intake and cut them before they’re sliced or diced by the machine.” The Affinity dicer also features a sanitary stainless steel design, and the food zone inside the machine is completely separate from the mechanical zone. The rounded tube frame limits microbial surface area and promotes self-draining.

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Coffee grinder Modern Process Equipment showcased its MPE Crack-ulator (11) at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, which is a compact coffee grinder available in 8and 12-in.-long rolls, within a series that makes precision grinding technology accessible to medium and small manufacturers. The series serves the coffee, pepper, distillery, and other industries. “A lot of the medium and small manufacturers that we work with wanted to be able to do the same exact thing as the larger producers but didn’t need the large machinery,” says Scott Will, director of business development at Modern Process Equipment. “They wanted the same automation, cleanability, and precision grind. So we didn’t shrink the capability, we just shrank the size, capacity, and the price tag.” The MPE Crack-u-lator is designed to provide a distribution of particle sizes ranging from 100 microns to 234 mm in diameter. The machine produces 500 to 1,000 lb/hr, depending on the grind size. Customizable sections can also stack

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X-ray inspection Anritsu displayed several additions to its XR series of X-ray inspection machines, including the XR 7534, designed for washdown processing environments. With an IP69K rating, the unit can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature washdown environments for protein processing operations demanding exacting levels of hygiene. “For industries like meat and poultry, this inspection unit is perfect for your needs,” says Silvino Alonso, Mexico regional sales manager. a quick video tour of Anritsu’s XR 7534 at pfwgo.to/8150. Anritsu presented its XR75 DualX+ system, featuring advanced dual sensors with high resolution for improved detection of small bones and particles in food; and the XR75 DualX X-Ray system, designed to identify contaminants as tiny as 0.4 mm, making it effective for detecting low-density or soft contaminants such as poultry bones or overlapping pieces in packaged items such as chicken nuggets.

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Sustainable Packaging W

hen it came to suppliers of packaging materials at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the focus from an innovation perspective was pretty clearly on sustainability. Fiber-based containers, expanded use of PCR, bio-based solutions, monomaterials that simplify recycling, and “green” developments in e-commerce were all front and center. Grouping these things into neat categories is difficult, so here they are in a somewhat—but we hope not entirely—random order. First up: a fiber-based bottle (1) now being developed for product categories including beverage, beauty, health, medicine, and food. Behind this notable development are two firms with considerable experience in sustainable materials. One is molded fiber packaging producer RyPax—the international division of Wing Fat Printing—with offices and production facilities across the U.S., Macau, and China. The other is Scotland-based CelluComp, whose proprietary microfibrillated cellulose product known as Curran is made from the waste stream of root vegetables, primarily sugar beets. A quick look at what each firm brings to the table helps clarify what this ambitious fiber-based bottle development is all about. The molded fiber that RyPax makes is a step or two up from the everyday molded-pulp egg carton. First, RyPax containers are fully recyclable and biodegradable, and they’re only made from materials sourced from responsible green suppli-

ers. Often enough, the source materials are things like fast-growing bagasse and bamboo. Second, egg cartons are usually made on high-speed rotary pulpers followed by a drying process, and only then is the material pressed and formed in a secondary step. The resulting product does not have a smooth cosmetic finish—but then again, if the package being made is an egg carton, who cares how smooth the finish is? RyPax technology, on the other hand, is an inline process, as drying, finishing, and molding is all done inline. The resulting product is smooth, clean, and attractive enough for the high-end electronics, pharmaceutical, and health and beauty applications that RyPax specializes in. As for CelluComp, its microfibrillated cellulose product, Curran, has been used for some time as a thickener in household paints. Or to add structural integrity to a fishing rod or skateboard. When it comes to fiber, when Curran is added, it also adds strength. But it also closes the porosity of the sheet and smoothens the surface, thus optimizing that surface’s ability to be efficiently coated. So it was only natural that CelluComp would begin marketing Curran for applications in paper and packaging. This led to a working relationship with the Danish Technological Institute, experts in materials science and green technologies. When CelluComp and DTI exhibited at Plastic Waste Free World Europe in November 2021, RyPax came to their booth and, as CelluComp CEO Christian Kemp-Griffin puts it, “We started building our relationship. We liked RyPax’s ability to react and their entrepreneurial spirit. We had some history in paper and packaging at this point, so what we started looking at with RyPax wasn’t entirely new to us. What was new was the idea of looking specifically at fiber-based barrier packaging.” Fast forward a few months and here is where the two firms are at. They’re developing a molded fiber bottle made of Curran, bagasse, and bamboo. The Curran in the fiber brings added structural integrity. But just as important, its inclusion means that the interior surface is optimized for

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application of a coating. And the coating isn’t just any coating. It’s a thin, impermeable coating specially developed by CelluComp called Reef, and once again it includes Curran. So it’s a matter of molding a fiber bottle that is strong and has minimal porosity and then making it even stronger and even further reducing porosity by giving it a unique inner coating incorporating Curran—a coating that won’t interfere with recyclability or biodegradability the way an inner plastic liner does. Both RyPax and CelluComp emphasized at PACK EXPO that what they hope to do is push the packaging community forward by combining precision plant-based packaging production with a highly renewable feed stock ingredient to crack the code on the all-fiber bottle. The partnership is poised to scale production for industry applications to help brand owners reduce waste and meet consumer, government, and their own sustainability goals. Worth noting is that a threaded aluminum closure was used on the prototype bottle shown at PACK EXPO. Moving forward, RyPax and CelluComp will, in close collaboration with DTI, explore additional fiber packaging solutions, including fiber screw threads, caps, and even thinner coatings. “Integrating RyPax’s and CelluComp’s proven technology, materials, and production expertise to produce the industry’s first all-fiber bottle at scale is a major evolution for the industry,” Kemp-Griffin says. “Our unique capabilities and entrepreneurial approach, including establishing a Minnesotabased Public Benefit Corp. to better serve U.S. operations, has finally produced a design most packaged goods companies, and their consumers, have been longing for.”

“Combining our global expertise in fiber packaging design and production with CelluComp’s creative ingredient solution, we’re looking at a true barrier packaging breakthrough,” says Alvin Lim, CEO of RyPax. “This initiative will remove millions of tons of plastic waste from the environment.” When asked if the all-fiber bottle will be able to hold carbonated beverages, Kemp-Griffin said no. He added that DTI is still in the process of testing to determine what the oxygen transmission rate of the bottle will be. In the meantime, this collaboration is genuine cause for excitement, says Alexander Bardenstein, business development manager for DTI. “The RyPax/CelluComp bottle has been through all of our comprehensive testing to earn our endorsement and allows them to start tailoring this technology for the global marketplace.”

Paper packaging possessing barrier properties While barrier paper packaging was a major theme at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, it didn’t just materialize there out of the blue. Amcor Flexibles had been diving deeper into the realm of recyclable paper-based packaging in the months leading up to the event, and recent trials and tests in Australia and Europe have provided insights into its latest efforts. The main aim is to design packaging that’s efficient for recyclability, while also maintaining the necessary quality and protection for products inside. Just ahead of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the company announced the North American launch of curbside recyclable AmFiber Performance Paper packaging (2), part of the company’s AmFiber portfolio. Prequalified by How2Recycle, perfor-

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mance paper meets the re-pulpability standards for curbside recycling, allowing brands to provide consumers with more sustainable end-of-life outcomes for packaging. PACK EXPO Las Vegas served as the first big debut of the technology. Paper-based packaging employs innovative technologies to deliver the right barrier, shelf life, and machine performance to meet brand and product needs. Consumers often seek paper-based packaging to deliver a more sustainable end-of-life, due to widespread curbside paper collection and recycling. And on the shelf, paper-based solutions meet consumers’ preferences for a natural look and feel. “Brands now have more choices than ever when it comes to packaging their products in formats and materials that attract consumers and meet their sustainability goals, while still achieving the operational performance they require,” says Brian Carvill, Amcor Flexibles North America vice president of R&D. “AmFiber Performance Paper, part of the AmFiber portfolio, along with our dedicated research and development team, can make the conversion from plastic to paper effortless and advantageous.”

AmFiber Performance Paper is a high barrier laminated paper that is recyclable in most paper recycling streams, earning the How2Recycle pre-qualification of “widely recyclable.” It provides improved barrier and packer efficiency compared to the existing coated papers and is PVdC-free. “It’s great to receive this independent validation as it should help consumers easily recycle packaging made of AmFiber Performance Paper through curbside paper recycling,” adds Ilya Syshchikov, vice president global product management AmFiber. Amcor’s product portfolio includes options for confectionery, bars, cookies, cereals, dry beverages, and dry mixes. Format applications are ideal for cold-seal flow wrap and three-side seal sachets. AmFiber Performance Paper runs on existing flexible packaging equipment, achieving machine speeds comparable to plastic-based packaging. At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, we were able to get an up-close look at—and tactile tear of— the AmFiber packaging substrate. Desmond VanHouten, senior marketing manager at Amcor, described the trials they have been conducting in the UK and Australia, and how they relate to the new U.S. launch. Interestingly, while the essence of the product is consistent across these regions, its exact form varies due to the unique requirements of different recycling systems, ranging from curbside recycling methodologies to the capabilities of materials recovery facilities (MRFs). Such regional customization ensures the packaging is most suited for its intended market. The primary challenge in developing recyclable packaging, especially those that combine different

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materials like paper and foil, lies in the recycling process itself. A significant point of emphasis for Amcor is to ensure that its packaging material has over 80% fiber content, which is the recyclability threshold for the U.S., a number that varies internationally. Furthermore, during the recycling process, barrier layers need to be removed to retrieve recoverable fibers. Another critical requirement in the development process is maintaining fiber length and quality. For a product to qualify for curbside recyclability, fibers shouldn’t be too short or degraded. This ensures that the recycled material is still of high quality, essential for producing a good product post-recycling. Shelf life remains an essential metric for customers, especially in the confectionery and dry mix segments. According to VanHouten, Amcor’s new packaging solution offers a shelf life comparable to that of metalized OBD. It’s crucial to note that while the packaging possesses a commendable moisture barrier, it might not provide as formidable a barrier as traditional foils. However, its performance seems promising, as many of Amcor’s clients believe it will suit their needs. The aesthetics and tactile feel of the packaging haven’t been ignored. For those curious about the packaging’s appearance, it sports a paper exterior. When torn, the metalized interior becomes visible. VanHouten clarifies that the version on display at the show used metalized film, with several options under consideration—for instance, for applications where metal detection operations render metalized film unusable. In those cases, Amcor is also exploring alternatives to the metalized layer. Potential solutions could offer different layers of barriers that might not necessitate metalization. VanHouten says that ongoing developments and trials highlight their commitment to providing efficient, recyclable packaging solutions tailored to regional requirements. The company’s iterative approach, combined with feedback from its clients, should ensure that it remains at the forefront of this trend. a video of the new barrier paper in the hand and in potential applications at pfwgo.to/8171.

More news in barrier paper Elsewhere at PACK EXPO, ProAmpac showcased its ProActive Recyclable RP-1000 High Barrier (HB)

paper-based technology (3), designed to address packaging needs across a variety of food products. A standard barrier version is also available. RP-1000HB is a patent-pending extension of the existing ProActive Recyclable RP-1000 series. This new packaging system provides robust barrier against oxygen, moisture, and grease, which can compromise the shelf life and quality of products like dehydrated fruit, frozen foods, confections, and flavored oatmeal. Many companies are looking to meet sustainability goals and incorporate recycle-ready content for regulatory requirements, consumer desires, and more. But a major challenge faced by the industry is that some sustainable material changes might require equipment slowdown at the plant. Nathan Klettlinger, global marketing director at ProAmpac, says the RP-1000HB integrates easily with existing equipment and maintains speeds. By ensuring compatibility with already established infrastructure, it “simplifies the transition process and minimizes costs compared to other sustainable alternatives,” he adds. This release is part of ProAmpac’s “Kick it to the Curb!” focus, geared toward ensuring the product remains protected while making recycling convenient for consumers. Adam Grose, chief commercial officer, notes, “Here in the U.S., curbside is the easiest way to get people to recycle. So that’s what we’re focused on, without sacrificing the performance of the package.” Grose also says that the material is pre-qualified for How2Recycle for customers who plan to take their package through the process of featuring the popular symbol for recycling instructions. RP-1000HB is made from bleached paper— there is also a Kraft option. The packaging not only ensures the longevity of its contents but enables clear branding and product information for shelf appeal. It’s available in a variety of formats, including rollstock and pre-made, three-sided seal pouches. Amir Saffar, director of global sustainability innovation for ProAmpac, elaborates on the product’s performance under challenging conditions; in tests simulating up to 85% relative humidity, the

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RP-1000HB maintains its barrier properties. “Unlike conventional paper solutions that offer inadequate grease resistance and subsequent packaging vulnerabilities, RP-1000HB delivers superior grease resistance with excellent seal performance on horizontal and vertical form/fill/sealing lines,” he says. “Its unique characteristics pave the way for integrating recyclable fiber-based packaging into numerous applications.” Suitable for items including granola, cereal, and more, its printability allows for easy brand promotion and customization without compromising its primary function of preservation and protection.

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Earlier this year, ProAmpac launched its patent-pending PRO-EVO Recyclable platforms to the ProActive Recyclable series of products. The system is a multi-wall, paper-based self-opening-sack (SOS) bag that is certified for curbside recycling and is ideally suited for dry pet food. It provides grease and edge-wicking resistance without intentionally adding per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PRO-EVO Recyclable is also available with high moisture barrier to maintain the freshness of pet foods. The package combines shelf appeal and robust structure with high drop resistance. “These patent-pending technologies are engineered to have various moisture barrier levels, excellent organoleptic properties for pet food applications, and run-at-rate on the standard filling equipment,” says Hesam Tabatabaei, senior vice president of global product development and innovation at ProAmpac. Also expanding the use of paper into the realm of v/f/f/s applications is BW Flexible Systems. At PACK EXPO, the firm demonstrated its new Hayssen Mini vf/f/s bagger (4), which allows users

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to run either paper or film, with a changeover pulling of the web and also the tension of the time of less than 10 min between materials. The packaging materials,” he says. bagger is the fulfillment of a request from one of In engineering the machine to meet new packthe company’s customers seven years ago who aging material requirements, however, Irod says he wanted to switch from plastic to paper for 100% wanted to be sure that if the sustainability winds of its bags, explains Dan Irod, director of business changed (again) with greater recycling of plastic, development for BW Flexible Systems. “Until that that customers would have the choice of running moment, we had never evaluated the possibility either material. “That was one of the challenges I of working with paper, so it was a totally new brought to my team,” he says, “just to always be able thing for us,” he says. to take a step back and retrofit the machine with difIn developing the system, BW Flexible collabferent tooling that allows for the use of plastic.” orated with materials suppliers to find a paperAnother notable feature of the machine is its based web material that could seal on its equipsmall footprint: The Hayssen Mini is just 1.3 m ment. Options include a paper web with a peelable high, or about 4 ft. Sustainability isn’t only about film layer that can be removed, allowing the paper the material being run on the machine, but also to be recycled or composted, or paper with a thin a machine’s electrical consumption, the number layer of PE for barrier. of air compressors it uses, and its footprint, Irod Simultaneous with finding a paper that could notes. “As I like to say, the Hayssen Mini will allow a be sealed on BW Flexible’s equipment was the small customer to work even in a garage,” he says. development of a machine that could handle “It’s not going to be a garage definitely, but that’s the paper. Running paper on a vf/f/s machine the concept.” requires a different film path and unwinding of The Mini also offers inline printing with waterthe material, Irod says. “You have to control the based inks as an option. 24_000228_Profood_World_FEB_US Mod: January 15, 2024 10:43 AM Print: 01/19/24 page 1 v2.5

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

Graphic Packaging International has introduced a new coated recycled paperboard (CRB) innovation, PaceSetter Rainier (5). Named after Mount Rainier, known for its pristine white snowcapped summit, the new paperboard offers many of the characteristics of solid bleached sulfate

(SBS) in combination with recycled content. “One of the big trends that we see is the increase in the desire to have packaging made out of recycled content [paperboard]. But one of the really big challenges with recycled content is that, while it’s fantastic, it doesn’t always work for

PFAS-Free Oxygen Absorber Mitsubishi Gas Chemical scored major sustainability points by way of what it removed from its oxygen absorbers. Debuting at MGC’s PACK EXPO booth was a first-ever PFAS-free oxygen absorber (6). It comes in response to the growing legislation against polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These so-called “forever chemicals” were once favored for their oil- and water-resistant properties—until they became known for their inability to break down in the environment, which poses adverse health effects. The key to this advancement resides in the multilayer film structure used to contain the actual oxygen-absorbing components in the three-sidesealed pouch. Essentially a polyester/paper/PE construction, it’s the paper layer that has been altered. A coating on this paper is what always brought the grease- and moisture-resistant properties required, without which the oxygen-absorbing iron inside would not be able to perform its task. This coating is now PFAS-free. “The contents inside the three-side-sealed pouch are unchanged,” says Sean Hael, MGC sales and marketing general manager. “It was just the coating that contained PFAS.” What this “advanced proprietary coating” is, Mitsubishi isn’t saying. But the firm emphasizes that this “game-changing” innovation is preceded by more than 40 years of proven Ageless technology, MGC’s well known and established brand, now reengineered to support the industry’s progress towards ambitious sustainability goals. Also, notes MGC, this 100% PFAS-free solution doesn’t compromise quality, performance, or safety in the many applications where it is found, including processed meats, meat snacks, baked goods, dried fruits, coffee, pet treats, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. “PFAS-free Ageless oxygen absorbers are oil-resistant and can deoxidize the interior of sealed packages to maintain flavor, color, fragrance, and nutrition of freshly prepared food as well as dramatically extend shelf life,” says an MGC press release.

Hael adds that MGC scientists have been working steadily for some years now on a technology that would meet regulatory requirements regarding PFAS that were emerging in Europe. But it turned out that requirements in the U.S. got fast-tracked in a way that required MGC to pivot. “We had to solve this as soon as humanly possible, because when we originally thought we had a couple of years, it ended up being more like a couple of months,” he says. “R&D had to reprioritize if we were going to eliminate PFAS from our products in time. At this point, the technology development is finished and it’s just a matter of getting it into production and into our warehouses.” When asked about the cost of the new oxygen absorber, Hael said this. “We’ll have two different types of oxygen absorbers. One will be the oil-resistant version for use with products high in fatty oils. Being a new technology, there will probably be a slight increase in cost as things get leveled out. But what we found during our testing and studies is that some products not so high in fatty oils only require a non-oil-resistant version, so we’ll also offer that. And this non-oil-resistant version won’t see a cost increase.”

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every purpose just from a shelf-appeal standpoint because it has a brown appearance,” explains Jeannine Scherzer, marketing director at Graphic Packaging International. “For brands that want to have a really bright, impactful carton, having a slightly duller paperboard isn’t going to work for that. But now we’ve figured out how to make a recycled sheet that’s pretty bright white.” According to GPI, with a brightness and whiteness that exceeds that of traditional CRB, PaceSetter Rainier can compete directly with SBS and folding box board (FBB). In addition, it provides improved surface smoothness for enhanced printability and tactile performance. Printability, in particular, is especially important for applications such as OTC packaging. “If you’re

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selling pain medication, for example, that requires you to date code on the side or that requires a lot of fine print, you can’t get that crispness and accuracy with recycled content material; you’ll end up having letters bleed, and then you won’t be able to read the date codes. That’s very critical for the healthcare segment,” Scherzer explains. “This is the first time that they [healthcare CPGs] are actually able to get packaging with recycled content that a lot of their consumers are asking for, a lot of hospitals want to move that way, without sacrificing the shelf appeal. This is really a game changer for a lot of these companies.” The ability to produce new PaceSetter Rainier is the result of Graphic Packaging’s recent investments in CRB, which total an estimated $1.7 billion combined for projects in Kalamazoo, Mich., and Waco, Texas. According to Scherzer, the company’s new CRB line in Kalamazoo—the first new paper machine investment in nearly four decades—features a range of new technologies and high-speed capabilities that allow it to handle advancements such as different coatings or a different process. “It really speaks to the quality and capabilities of that machine—it’s really impressive,” says Scherzer. “That investment and expanding that capacity is allowing us to really hone in on making our already sustainable products even more sustainable.” The new paperboard grade is initially available in 12- to 18-pt calipers and is suited for a range of packaging applications, including healthcare,

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

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Continued development in monomaterials At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, TC Transcontinental revealed its big bet on recyclable monomaterial biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) films (7), with a new $60 million BOPE facility. These films still rely on consumers to use store drop-off, but infrastructure and adoption are improving. Why BOPE? The packaging industry is in the midst of a significant transformation, driven by the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions. One outgrowth of this evolution lies in the use of BOPE materials.

TC Transcontinental Packaging invested $60 million to accelerate the commercialization of recyclable BOPE flexible plastic packaging through the development of cutting-edge monomaterial providing high-performance and polyethylene films with more heat resistance. In addition to a new innovative film line that will produce BOPE, a first in North America expected to be operational in spring of 2024, the investment includes ancillary equipment and a 120,000-sq-ft building expansion in TC Transcontinental Packaging’s Spartanburg, S.C. facility. According to Josh Ball, director of innovation and sustainability platforms at TC Transcontinental, BOPE is emerging as a game-changer in the world of flexible packaging. Unlike traditional poly films, BOPE materials offer a unique set of properties that make them highly desirable for environmentally conscious brands. But what exactly sets BOPE apart? “The orientation process in BOPE gives it physical properties that are hard to replicate with standard extrusion techniques,” Ball says. The stretching during production results in enhanced strength, toughness, and tear resistance, making BOPE a versatile choice for a wide range of applications. One of the driving forces behind the adoption of

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

BOPE materials is their eco-friendliness. The issue of end-of-life disposal has long plagued the packaging industry. However, BOPE offers a solution by being easily recyclable. This is especially crucial in the U.S., where recycling infrastructure for films is lacking. “Most of our current packaging solutions don’t have a good end-of-life plan; they end up in the waste stream,” Ball says. This is where BOPE comes in, aligning with the sustainability goals of brands. BOPE materials can be recycled through store drop-off programs, ensuring a second life for packaging materials. Currently, the store drop-off program remains the primary avenue for recycling PE film, including BOPE materials. Industry experts acknowledge that the adoption of this program has been slow, but it remains a significant part of the recycling landscape. “Store drop-off is the platform for PE film recycling right now,” Ball says. While there are efforts to explore other collection methods, such as regional initiatives and chemical recycling, store drop-off remains the dominant player. To bolster the recycling ecosystem, collaboration between packaging companies and organizations like the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is essential. Companies like TC Transcontinental are actively engaged with APR’s Films Committee, working toward expanding recycling opportunities. “We’re striving to make PE film recycling a broader platform accessible to more people,” Ball says. By adhering to APR guidelines and securing pre-approvals from How2Recycle, TC Transcontinental and other forward-thinking companies are paving the way for recyclable packaging solutions. “The market today is ripe for the taking in PE monomaterial solutions,” Ball says. “We feel like BOPE offers us the best ability to convert our customers out of our standard, non-recyclable solutions, into a monomaterial recyclable flexible pack.” Notably, increasing the North America supply of recyclable PE also will increase the supply of available recycled PE as feedstock. Ultimately, this helps to feed demand for post-consumer recycled (PCR), like TC Transcontinental’s vieVERTe line. This sustainable product portfolio leverages the benefits of flexible packaging, such

as extending shelf life, reducing food waste, and providing product protection, while reducing its environmental footprint. vieVERTe includes packaging solutions that are recyclable, compostable, and made from PCR content. Virgin BOPE production is a spring of content that should be recoverable and reusable as PCR in the same packaging applications that virgin BOPE was initially used in, thus strengthening circularity. BOPE materials have already found their place in a myriad of packaging applications. In dairy packaging, BOPE is used for products like shredded cheese packages, serving as the primary packaging material. This versatile material is also employed in overwraps for multi-pack bundles, offering strength and sustainability in a single package. Brands like Kellogg’s are leading the way by incorporating BOPE materials into their packaging, showcasing the How2Recycle symbol, and encouraging consumers to use store drop-off. TC Transcontinental, along with other converters, is actively working with such brands to provide sustainable packaging solutions that meet consumer demands. As the packaging industry marches forward in pursuit of sustainability, BOPE materials are poised to play a pivotal role. With their unique properties and recyclability, BOPE materials offer a sustainable alternative that resonates with eco-conscious consumers and brands. The industry’s continued collaboration with organizations like APR, coupled with innovative solutions from companies like TC Transcontinental, is set to accelerate the adoption of BOPE materials and drive the transformation toward a more sustainable packaging landscape. Recyclable monomatierials like BOPE, when imbued with barrier properties, represent a significant step forward in the packaging industry’s journey toward sustainability. While challenges remain, the commitment to creating a circular economy for packaging materials is unwavering, and BOPE is at the forefront of this movement. Also pressing forward with monomaterials is Toppan, which used PACK EXPO Las Vegas to debut stateside its newly developed all-polypropylene (PP) monomaterial barrier packaging (8). Uniquely, the pack exhibits outstanding heat and water resistance,

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making it suitable for retort sterilization. Efforts to reuse resources from packaging waste in a circular fashion are underway across the globe. In fact, the EU is aiming to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030. Employing monomaterial compositions for packaging is an effective way to improve recyclability, and there is demand for barrier films and packaging for PP-based monomaterial packages. The new monomaterial PP packaging takes advantage of Toppan’s GL Barrier vapor deposition and coating technologies to provide the heat and water resistance needed for retort sterilization, something that has proved challenging with conventional PP films until now. In addition, the absence of metal in the packaging enables microwave heating and the use of metal detectors to check for foreign objects. The new PP substrate adds to the lineup of GL Barrier products that meet growing demand for monomaterial solutions, particularly in Europe and North America. Toppan is now supplying all-PP packaging to food manufacturers, with samples having first become available globally in spring of 2023.

Two-layer, three-layer, and symmetrical structures come standard. Applications include vitamins, probiotics, fish oil, gummies, and more. In September, Klöckner Pentaplast also announced a big step in medical device packaging: The company received ISCC Plus certification through the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) at three of its manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. The new certification allows the company to use chemically recycled raw material using mass balance, such as Eastman’s Eastar Renew resin. “By utilizing chemically recycled polymers like [Eastman’s Eastar] Renew for our medical device films, we are not only reducing the burden on virgin raw materials, we are also supporting the successful diversion of waste that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated,” explains Tom Priewe, product manager for medical device films.

PCR content from the ocean On show at the Klöckner Pentaplast booth was the kpEnhance RM1, a clear nutraceutical blister film produced using a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled material that is certified, Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) material (9). The POP program is a global recycling initiative in which tens of thousands of people around the world earn their living collecting bottles from coastlines and preventing ocean plastic. The RM1 material is designed to be recycled in the RIC 1/PET recycling stream and the company reports that it is a “plug and play” option that runs on existing equipment. “Typically, when you run a sustainable product, you may have to dial it back— slow operations down and buy new tools. Not with this material or our kpNext,” says Jeff Cole, director of marketing communications.

With a booth highlighting a variety of more sustainable packaging, a key new development on display from Mauser Packaging Solutions was its UN-rated tight-head container (10) made with 100% post-consumer resin (PCR). This is the first of its kind, according to Chris Bradshaw, explaining the difficulty of making such a container durable and reliable. Mauser’s closed-loop system is key, Bradshaw says, to better control the consistency of materials being recycled. “We are able to reuse our own resin and create a fortified package,” he says, explaining the different melt levels in various resins. “This is probably a 4 or 6 melt. You might have other resins that are going to be a 30 melt, and that’s going to be a lot more degraded; you’re going to have a bit more impurities with that resin, so it’s not going to allow you to get the stack strength that you need out of it.” The new tight-head container is made with recycled HDPE produced at Mauser’s own industrial packaging facilities. The closed loop also

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

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E-com drives development of sustainable packaging With Forbes projecting that online sales will account for 24% of all retail purchases by 2026, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales continue at a steady clip. Machinery and material solutions for that sector, especially those offering sustainable packaging options, were a highlight of this year’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Hugo Beck, whose new paper e-com fit packaging machine defies easy categorization, was one of a handful of e-commerce machines that had booth visitors doing a double take. Germany-based Hugo Beck is a leader in horizontal film packaging machines, flow packing, and paper packaging machines as well as automation solutions. At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, it introduced its paper e-com fit packaging machine, a brand-new solution for paper packaging that is especially suitable for e-commerce applications (11). The roll-fed machine automatically adapts the size of shipping bags to the varying length and width of products placed onto its infeed belt. Products up to 200 mm (7.87 in.) tall can be packaged using a minimum amount of paper. The precisely fitting paper bags are especially notable in that they feature two sewn sides plus a glued top overlap. While sewing a bag closed is common enough in the vertical fill/seal space, this is believed to be a first where horizontal systems are concerned. Both uncoated and coated recyclable papers can be run on the machine. Optional as an inclusion into the system is a print-and-apply labeler, as well, which can come from a variety of sources.

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Not only does the machine offer a sustainable solution for e-commerce shippers using paper, cotton stitching, and less chemicals, the e-com fit offers flexibility for busy fulfillment, D2C, and e-commerce lines. “The machine can also choose between two different printed papers, for example, for two different brands,” says Timo Kollmann, managing director at Hugo Beck. “The machine itself chooses which paper has to be taken for the product.” According to Hugo Beck, PACK EXPO Las Vegas marked the first showing of the new system in North America. Shows held earlier this year, including interpack, generated considerable interest in the concept and several installations of the machinery are in commercial operation in Europe. “Building upon our successful track record of European exhibitions this year,” says Kollmann, “PACK EXPO is a chance for Hugo Beck to highlight our commitment to the American market, with our continuous investment in

cross-industry machine innovation for efficient and sustainable packaging concepts.” a video of the machine in operation at pfwgo.to/8172. Also developing a bagger capable of handling paper is PAC Machinery. The firm’s FW 650SI Servo Box Motion Inverted Flow Wrapper (12) makes bags to product length at high speeds and can accommodate products up to 12 in. wide or 8 in. high. According to PAC vice president Greg Berguig, the wrapper runs up to about 80/min with film or 30/min with paper. It also incorporates a thermal transfer printer for printing directly on the package or on a label. Berguig adds that the system is especially suitable for apparel and other soft, delicate products. “It’s easy to underestimate how challenging it is to go from plastic film to paper on a flow wrap operation,” says Berguig. “There are so many

different grades and thicknesses of paper. Also, how extensible is the paper? Does it have a PE coating or some type of heat-sealable coating? Let’s just say it’s been quite a learning process. We’ve been working on getting the paper right for some time now. It’s a curbside recyclable paper, but it’s important to point out that the machine can run film or paper. We feel that flexibility is terribly important from the customer’s point of view. They want to future-proof their machinery investments.” Berguig chooses not to identify the source of the proprietary heat-activated coating that goes on the paper, which, during demonstrations at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, was a 55-lb virgin material. He acknowledges that using it instead of film is a more costly proposition. That’s largely why, when a customer chooses to go with paper rather than film for flow wrapping, the decision is not made at the operations or procurement level but more typically in the C suite, notes Berguig. a video of the FW 650SI Servo Box Motion Inverted Flow Wrapper in action at pfwgo.to/8173. Also at the booth, PAC Machinery spotlighted the new version of the Rollbag R3200 XL, which can customize the bag’s size according to the item being packaged. Catering to diverse products, it efficiently handles a variety of bag lengths, providing options for both long and shorter packages on the same machine. Because the unit features poly tubing rather than pre-made bags, it lets the user adjust bag length on the fly, resulting in less material waste and delivering a lower total packaging cost, says Berguig. “With the same machine, you can right-size the bagging material so that you’re using less material,” he says. SEE (formerly Sealed Air) not only unveiled its new corporate brand name but also highlighted a new paper-based addition to its popular Autobag line of bagging and printing stations. The Autobag brand 850S system uses paper mailers instead of poly bags, offering a sustainable solution for mail order fulfillment and e-commerce paper applications that run curbside-recyclable paper bags. The 850S can open, label, and seal seven to 10 bags per minute, handling two bag sizes: 14 × 19 in. and 19 × 24 in. It also automates the packing process and improves productivity by enabling inline printing of shipping label information. Its air pocket

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

bag-opening technology allows for easy loading of orders and enables inline printing of shipping label information. At the show, SEE representatives demonstrated the unit printing white mailers with no label and kraft envelopes with white labels. Both paper mailers demonstrated crisp graphics like shipping addresses, barcodes, and QR codes. SEE says it is ideal for apparel or soft goods and reduces shipping costs compared to standard corrugated shipping. It is also ergonomic and easy for operators to use, with a small footprint that saves valuable warehouse space. “This machine has a compact design and can easily fit into a work cell,” says Giancarlo Bobbio, marketing director for automation at SEE. SEE also showed a fulfillment work cell loaded with sustainable packaging extensions of its well-known Bubble Wrap product. Natalia Balogh, executive director, Fulfillment Platform at SEE, showed the company’s new paper bubble mailer, which is 100% curbside recyclable and made with virgin and recycled paper. “Not only is it curbside recyclable, but it provides a great level of cushioning by mimicking our iconic [plastic] Bubble Wrap,” says Balogh. SEE also unveiled Bubble Wrap Brand Paper Cushioning, which can be fed through a semi-automated wrapping system for fulfillment operations. SEE also highlighted its void fill air pillow solution made with 95% recycled content—out of which 50% is PCR, says Balogh. SEE present its sustainable fulfillment machines and materials at pfwgo.to/8174.

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Focused on right-sizing Packsize highlighted how two integrated systems— its new software platform and a new machine—can help e-commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands reduce waste for sustainability while driving efficiency. The first product is the PackNet Cloud platform, which offers businesses the ability to optimize box packaging efficiency, boost productivity, and reduce their carbon footprint. “PackNet Cloud represents a significant leap forward in packaging technology, making Packsize the industry’s pioneer and sole provider of cloud capability,” says Rod Gallaway, CEO at Packsize. “PackNet Cloud empowers businesses to optimize their packaging operations, reduce expenses, enhance customer satisfaction, and decrease their carbon footprint.” The innovative cloud-based system seamlessly integrates with Packsize’s On Demand Packaging machines, helping e-commerce brands manage

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

carton machines, streamline box production, and integrate packaging workflows. Designed to help businesses thrive in a dynamic and ever-growing e-commerce market, PackNet Cloud makes operations both more efficient and more sustainable through several features. First, PackNet Cloud enables multitenant environments, allowing businesses to scale flexibly and eliminate IT infrastructure concerns without compromising security and performance. The platform also provides real-time advanced data and analytics capabilities, offering businesses comprehensive insights to make data-driven decisions and optimize packaging operations. Also embedded in the platform is PackNet Cloud Cube, a tool that accurately calculates the dimensions and weight of packages, determining the optimal box size for every order. Included with PackNet are security measures such as data encryption, device authentication, and real-time threat detection, ensuring comprehensive risk mitigation. Packsize’s booth was also abuzz with the company’s X5 solution, a machine released in

2023 that the company describes as the “the world’s first fully automated erected box system and the most advanced, flexible, efficient and sustainable platform available for the e-commerce industry.” The X5, which integrates seamlessly with PackNet Cloud, has already been installed at Crutchfield, a leading e-commerce electronics retailer, as featured in the August issue of Packaging World (pwgo.to/8182). Packsize says the box-making machine is designed to produce ready-to-pack, right-sized erected boxes at industry-leading speed to enhance e-commerce providers’ and manufacturers’ ability to meet customer demand, while addressing labor shortages, associated costs, and waste concerns. “Unpredictable marketplace challenges over the last two years have compelled retailers and manufacturers to solve complex challenges around packaging technology, labor shortages, and throughput issues to meet consumer demand with sustainable solutions up and down the supply chain,” said Gallaway in an earlier statement.

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

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“Our innovations with the X5 solution alleviate these concerns while increasing efficiencies at scale and reducing the environmental impact of e-commerce. We continue to reimagine the future of packaging and create solutions at the nexus of technology, efficiency, and sustainability.” The X5 reduces packaging waste caused by oversized boxes, negates void fill like plastic air pillows, reduces shipping emissions, and improves the end-consumer’s overall experience. Delivering up to 600 ready-to-pack, right-sized erected boxes per hour while automatically and accurately applying up to two labels per box, the X5 is designed to provide an advantage for high-volume e-commerce centers, especially when integrated with Packsize’s software offerings, the company says. Gallaway sees Packsize’s new software/hardware offering as an integrated system that will help e-commerce brands become more sustainable while meeting their logistics needs. With e-commerce and D2C showing no signs of slowing down, right-sized packaging helps companies minimize their costs and environmental impact associated with extraneous and unneeded corrugated boxes while improving parcel logistics, fitting significantly more boxes on freight and delivery carriers. “We know that over-sized boxes are about 40% too large and take 20% more corrugated than we really need,” says Gallaway. “Our machines, paired with the cloud and software, make right-sized packaging for any size order that customers need.” For Gallaway, supplying integrated packaging solutions that allow their brand customers to provide an impactful e-commerce experience for consumers is what it’s all about. “We’re hoping to delight them as they open the package when it gets to their doorstep.” a video walkthrough of Packsize’s new e-commerce products at pfwgo.to/8175.

Reusable bags, boxes for circular B2C In e-commerce materials, one first-time exhibitor grabbing attention in Las Vegas was Boox, whose sustainable products stand at the crossroads where business-to-consumer (B2C) and circularity meet. Boox’s new shipping bag employs Dow Chemical Revoloop resin with 50% PCR. Displaying products from its partnership with Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop and several others, Boox offered an overview of its B2C packaging system’s approach and capability, emphasizing sustainability and simplicity of use for the consumer. “We’re a mission-driven startup, supplying

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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INNOVATIONS REPORT SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

reusable shipping boxes and bags to help both brands and consumers eliminate single-use waste from their shipping stream,” says Paige Russell, Boox’s design director. Boox’s bags and box approach focuses on making circular packaging easy to use. For example, each Boox box is embedded with a QR code that, when scanned, instructs the end user on the process for returning the box to Boox. Boox then cleans and refurbishes them before returning them to the client, such as Goop. This cycle ensures that the boxes enjoy a prolonged lifecycle, being used repeatedly for different shipping needs. As B2C continues to grow, Russell sees that the circular solutions provided by Boox will be increasingly in demand. “We’re one of the only companies here at PACK EXPO that provides B2C reusable shipping containers, so we’re really excited to bring this opportunity to brands and consumers,” says Russell. Another new product Boox highlighted was its new polyethylene shipper, the Boox Bag,

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presented as an alternative to single-use fulfillment poly bags that currently dominate the market. The fruit of a partnership with Dow Chemical and Pregis, the Boox Bag uses Dow’s Revoloop recycled plastics resins with 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. According to Russell, Boox’s shipping bag can be used up to 15 times before reaching its endof-life status, after which it can be repurposed into more bags. In addition to its strong material, the Boox Bag features simple but elegant innovations in packaging design. For example, Boox Bag’s shipping label plays a dual role, also acting as a tamper-proof seal, thereby eliminating the need for an extra piece of tape and further helping to reduce waste. Once shipped, the consumer can also follow simple procedures to open the package without scissors that cause damage to the product. The bag also includes return instructions embedded in the design. Boox give a tour of its sustainable B2C circular products at pfwgo.to/8176.

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SHOW PREVIEW SHOWCASE

PACK EXPO East 2024: Bigger and Better Than Ever

ACK EXPO EAST 2024 provides East Coast packaging and processing professionals a prime opportunity for exploration, networking, and firsthand exposure to cutting-edge innovations. The event takes place March 18-20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, a regional manufacturing hub that is easily accessible to a significant portion of the Eastern U.S. With 7,000 attendees representing 40+ vertical markets gathering to explore more than 400 exhibitors spread out over 100,000 net sq ft of exhibit space, it’s the largest PACK EXPO East to date. The show’s expansion underscores its growing significance, offering an event where attendees can delve into personalized discussions with exhibitors, fostering productive exchanges on solutions to their manufacturing challenges. PACK EXPO East 2024 addresses critical industry issues such as sustainability, automation, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and workforce development. The event enables informed decision-making on capital investments through firsthand experiences with equipment and materials for companies of all sizes. Teams are encouraged to seize the opportunity to witness innovation in action and discover solutions tailored to their specific packaging and processing needs.

PACK EXPO East: Where, when, and how to attend March 18–20, 2024 Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pa. Exhibit Hours Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is $130. For more information and to register, visit packexpoeast.com.

Who exhibits PACK EXPO East is a convenient and valuable opportunity for professionals hailing from CPGs and life science companies up and down the East Coast. The show offers exploration of the newest packaging and processing technologies while providing dedicated time for indepth discussions with leading suppliers and industry thought leaders.

Why attend? Top 5 reasons The following are just a few reasons to attend PACK EXPO East. It’s the largest show to date: PACK EXPO East continues to grow with more than 400 exhibitors offering solutions for 40+ vertical markets spread out over 100,000 net sq ft of exhibit space, making it the largest PACK EXPO East to date. See innovation in action: Get a front row seat to the latest machinery and technology that the industry has to offer. There’s something for everyone: With more than 40 vertical markets present, discover countless innovative crossover solutions from different industries. Get personalized attention: Attendees can have one-on-one, productive discussions with exhibitors to learn how these innovations can solve some of their most challenging manufacturing issues. An unbeatable location: Known as an innovation and manufacturing hub, Philadelphia is convenient, affordable, and feasible for many companies to send teams. Bring the whole team Accessible to much of the East Coast, PACK EXPO East provides a convenient and affordable way for entire teams to have a PACK EXPO experience, which will help your company: • Spark discussion, collaboration, creative thinking, and problem-solving around current projects and future goals. • Make informed capital investment decisions by bringing varying perspectives and expertise to the table. • Motivate, incentivize, and mentor younger employees, and develop the next generation of leaders. Show features • Industry Speaks: New to PACK EXPO East! Industry experts across multiple verticals will address today’s most pressing topics and industry trends such as sustainability, remote access, supply chain solutions, augmented reality, and operational efficiency. Located in Booth 1653. www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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SHOW PREVIEW

• Innovation Stage: In the center of the action, the Innovation Stage offers ample opportunity for professional enrichment while at PACK EXPO East. Exhibitors present free, 30-minute seminars throughout the day. The Innovation Stage is a valuable opportunity for attendees to learn about groundbreaking technologies, innovative applications, and proven strategies. Located in Booth 1153. • Reusable Packaging Pavilion: Sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, this pavilion will present sustainable packaging solutions to help reduce waste, cut costs, and gain supply chain efficiency. Explore reusable transport packaging products and services and see innovative reuse solutions. • Association Partner Pavilion: Discover leading associations dedicated to advancing the packaging and processing industry, offering significant resources, insights and expertise all in one central location. Participating associations already confirmed include RPA, Institute of Packaging Professionals, Contract Packaging Association, Flexible Packaging Association, OMAC – Organization for Machine Automation & Control, the Foundation for Supply Chain Solutions (F4SS), International Society of Beverage Technologists, and more to come. • Workforce Development Pavilion: This is the onestop shop for resources to strengthen your business’s current workforce and grow the existing workforce. Schools will present their packaging and processing offerings, and companies can meet students interested in careers in the industry. • Professional Development: PMMI is offering popular training workshops at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to coincide with PACK EXPO East. • Certified Trainer Workshop – Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This workshop gives companies the strategies and tactics to train well across all employee skill levels, including service technicians, service and training managers, maintenance technicians, internal trainers, line supervisors, and any employee tasked with training fellow employees or customers. Register at pfwgo.to/8215. Located in Room 107B. • Student Opportunities: PACK EXPO East offers programs and activities aimed at getting students excited about careers in packaging and processing. Scavenger Hunt – New to PACK EXPO East! Local students will have a chance to test their packaging and processing knowledge by accepting “missions,” James Bond-style, in a scavenger hunt taking place on the show floor. Learn more and register at pfwgo.to/8216. • Welcome Reception: Once the show floor closes on 90

day one, gather with peers at the PACK EXPO East “A Taste of Philly” opening reception on Monday, March 18 and enjoy networking with fellow show attendees. Located in the Grand Hall. • Young Professionals Network (YPN) Reception: Unwind with other young professionals in packaging and processing at PMMI’s YPN free networking reception. Learn more about the industry and connect with your young professional peers on Monday, March 18 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at SPIN Philadelphia. Visit pfwgo.to/8227 to register. • Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) Reception: Launched in 2016, PPWLN serves to recruit, retain and advance women in processing and packaging. The PPWLN networking reception sponsored by ID Technology and Morrison Container Handling Solutions will take place on Tuesday, March 19, after the show floor closes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Located in Room 204C. Visit pfwgo.to/8228 to register. • My Show Planner: Visit packexpoeast.com and use My Show Planner to prepare for your time at PACK EXPO East. Create a personalized plan with exhibitors and products you are interested in and get recommendations for your unique needs. • PACK EXPO East Mobile App: Navigate the show like a pro with the free mobile app. Look up exhibitors, products and educational sessions; create and save a personal agenda of what you want to see and do; navigate from booth to booth with the interactive map; get news and notifications about demos, giveaways and more; and access your agenda anywhere. The app is sponsored by ProMach.

Also taking place at PACK EXPO East • F4SS Conference, March 19-20, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia • Supply chain professionals should make time for the Foundation for Supply Chain Solutions’ (F4SS) Spring Connect 2024 conference at PACK EXPO East. Learn from your peers on the issues currently being faced in the supply chain. Hear from industry leaders about the top trends impacting the supply chain and how F4SS is addressing ESG/sustainability regulations. Benchmark and network with leaders and learn how companies navigated supply chain complexity over the past three years. For more information and to register, visit pfwgo.to/8214. • Vision 2030, Wednesday, March 20, Pennsylvania Convention Center (Room 307AB) • Identify and address critical challenges in packaging and processing operations with your peers at PMMI’s Vision 2030 session. Develop joint solutions and better understand your packaging and processing partners. Attendance is by invite only. Contact Andrea Admana (aadmana@pmmi.org) for details.

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TECH TODAY CLEANING AND SANITATION MICHAEL COSTA | SENIOR EDITOR

Equipment Evolves to Meet Cleaning and Sanitation Challenges New technology is helping processors solve traditional and current sanitation problems while helping them address labor and resource issues.

PROCESSOR ONLY NEEDS to look at the elevating number of food recalls the past few years to understand that any shortcuts on cleaning and sanitation can lead to trouble, and perhaps permanently damage a business’s bottom line. “Sanitation is key for assisting with food spoilage and allergen recalls. With the increasing number of ready-to-eat facilities due to our ever-changing food demands, we need to ensure that a clean facility is delivered to production day after day for a heathy food supply,” says Stephanie Goff, technical services lead, safe foods chemical innovations, PSSI. “Sanitation has changed in that we are now driven by data and numbers and not just by if it looks clean. We now understand that sanitation can impact recalls and improve production cycles if performed correctly and efficiently.” With an ongoing labor shortage and tight budgets at some companies, cleaning and sanitation programs have been tasked to evolve and meet many challenges that didn’t exist years ago. Here, we’ll address some of the key areas related to cleaning and sanitation, and what new tools and technology are available for manufacturers to implement into their operations.

Importance of sanitation Cleaning and sanitation are so integrated into a food processing operation that it might be easy for some to view it as a simple routine where skipping steps to save time or money is occasionally acceptable. So, just as a reminder, here are a few reasons why this part of processing is crucial. “Once production for the day is completed,

the clock starts for the growth of microbes that are in the environment or hitchhiked through the process,” says Goff. “Cleaning is the only way to ensure that cross-contamination doesn’t occur between product types or marinades which could lead to allergen concerns.” What used to be acceptable in a daily cleaning and sanitation routine has changed over the years, with more attention paid to deep cleaning the equipment and the environment that surrounds it. Glenn Quinty, senior design engineer at ThermOmegaTech, notes that cleaning methods that used to be acceptable but are no longer acceptable include: “visual inspection as the sole cleaning verification method, inadequate frequency of cleaning, inadequate drying of surfaces, lack of separation of cleaning tools and equipment, and insufficient sanitizer concentration.” Jason White, field audit and support at PSSI, adds, “In the past, acceptable cleaning practices could mean as long as it looked clean or mostly clean, it must be clean. The use of high pressure during pre-rinsing sometimes was good enough to make equipment look clean. Other past practices consisted of not titrating cleaning solutions, poor application of cleaning and sanitizing solution, high-pressure water used during the post rinse, hosing the floors prior to and after the final sanitizer application, and simply taking shortcuts. The most important thing to remember is to follow a validated cleaning procedure with approved cleaning and sanitizing chemistry and application rates.” On the subject of chemistry, Goff says, “Long gone are the days of just rinsing down with water or

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF HYDRO-THERMAL

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Direct steam injection used in cleaning systems helps to save water and energy, while increasing the bottom line through efficient resource usage.

Investing in updated cleaning and sanitation systems can help processors pass inspections and consistently produce safe food for consumers.

ThermOmegaTech, adds, “Outside of areas where the end product is processed, we also need to clean loading docks and material handling spaces to ensure ingredients are not contaminated.” Turning back to processing PHOTO COURTESY OF PSSI equipment, today’s sanitation programs have a deeper focus just using a scrub soap. Detergents have been develon ensuring every inch of a machine that comes in oped specifically for certain types of metal, equipcontact with food has been thoroughly cleaned. ment, soils, and tasks. We have an arsenal of deter“Some overlooked areas that deserve more attengents available for use and have learned that this tion include equipment joints, corners, and intricate only expedites the process to use the correct ones.” machinery parts, which can harbor contaminants if not adequately cleaned,” says Shawn Berg, busiCleaning targets ness development engineer at Hydro-Thermal. Some processors might just focus on equipment as “Additionally, ventilation systems and other non-dithe primary target for their cleaning and sanitation rect contact surfaces may need to be addressed but program. While that’s still important, there are other can contribute to overall plant hygiene.” areas to consider. Evolution of CIP and COP “The critical areas to focus on include proClean-in-place (CIP) and clean-out-of-place (COP) cessing equipment—especially ones with joints, systems are both effective for precision cleaning seams, and gaskets—food contact surfaces, and the areas that Berg describes. Today’s CIP and floors, walls, and ceilings,” Quinty says. His colCOP systems have also evolved in recent years by league Andy Reichlin, national sales manager at

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 |

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PROFOOD WORLD

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TECH TODAY CLEANING AND SANITATION

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANI-MATIC

Clean-out-of-place (COP) parts washers are an effective way to wash and sanitize individual equipment pieces, while newer machines like automatic cabinet washers can cut the touchpoints down further, reducing labor and increasing efficiencies.

incorporating new technology and automation, and addressing shifting workplace needs. “We are seeing systems evolve to meet more strict standards both self-imposed by a plant or via a regulating body, while also achieving the efficient usage of energy, chemical, and time,” says James Bushard, regional sales manager for Pick Heaters. “These changes have come in several forms and include hygienic design consideration, material selection, increased need for automation and integration. Flexibility in the operation of systems and recording of data to track compliance is important as well.” As for COP systems in particular, “more advanced technologies than traditional COP parts washers have evolved,” says Peter Barrie, product management director at Sani-Matic. “More facilities are realizing the benefits of automated cabinet washers and the further reduction in labor, utilities, and cleaning time they produce. A COP parts washer still has a lot of touch points of the part and room for error, while an automated cabinet washer is like a dishwasher at home: load it up, hit start, and go.” White addresses automation in both CIP and COP systems. “CIP has evolved from assisted cleaning systems to fully automated systems, where the operator is more of a technician than an on-floor sanitor. These advanced CIP systems have been able to show a high degree of repeatability along with automated data collection of their working parameters, like time, temperature, flow rate, and concentration,” he says. “COP systems are also much improved from earlier systems, where temperature and concentration were manually controlled unlike some of the new systems of today. Other improvements such as engineered directional flow of cleaning solutions and hygienic design of the COP equipment—like wash tanks and cabinets—is now a consideration.

Lastly, I would mention the integration of automated sanitizing for both CIP and COP systems as another advancement.”

Less labor Automated equipment—and the data it generates to measure cleaning efficiencies—has been among the most important changes impacting cleaning and sanitation programs. The ongoing labor crunch has meant fewer workers are available to consistently staff a facility and reliably execute its programs, while new hires still learning on the job require additional safety and ease-of-use features to operate cleaning machinery. “With the influx of inexperienced labor and a labor shortage, we have seen an increased need for the development of complex automated equipment or processes to ensure sanitation standards and maintain cleanliness while reducing manual labor requirements,” says Bushard. “These systems require significant investment both in capital and technical expertise to design and implement.” Automated cleaning used to mean eliminating workers on a facility floor, Barrie adds. “But now we say that automated cleaning will help repurpose workers on your facility floor. The labor shortage is making every employee even more valuable, and now if you can reduce the personnel needed for cleaning, you can shift them towards the production processes.” The advancement of specialized cleaning solutions is another factor in addressing the labor crunch, as they can help balance the four essential pieces needed for effective sanitation—time, temperature, chemistry, and manual labor—by picking up the slack when labor is low. “Think of these four pieces to make up an entire pie,” Goff explains.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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CLEAN-IN-PLACE EFFICIENTLY EFFICIENT EFFICIENCY REPEAT THAT TEN TIMES! REPEATABLE & EFFICIENT CLEANING CYCLE CONTROL CIP 2.0 is designed for food, dairy, and beverage plants. Our systems are designed to be scalable to meet your needs today and in the future. CIP 2.0 incorporates smart machine technology to enhance performance, flexibility, and reporting. Based on the Rockwell Automation® control platform, CIP 2.0 controls cycles using process parameters.

• Built-in predictive and preventative maintenance program with valve cycle count and pump runtime analysis. • One to four tank configurations with single or dual supply. • Process parameters deliver a more accurate and repeatable process than a time-based approach, and enables users to manage chemical, water, and other resource consumption. • Allows authorized in-house users to make and track all changes. • Automated record-keeping verification occurs after each cycle, designed to comply with regulatory standards CFR21 and S88.

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TECH TODAY CLEANING AND SANITATION

“If one piece is smaller than the others, one of the other pieces would need to be larger in order to complete the pie. Meaning, if labor is less than what is needed, we would need more time and chemistry in order to complete the task. Chemistry has been improved over the years with scientific studies being performed to see which type of detergent and at what concentration responds best to proteins, fats, and oils. The improvement in detergents can assist in making the process faster and cleanup easier, thus using less labor.”

Resource savings Environmental concerns are also evolving as processors are being asked to save resources like water and energy in their cleaning and sanitation programs, which would likely not have been a concern several years ago. “When designing automated cleaning systems, sustainability should always be part of the design process,” says Chad Dykstra, vice president, sales and marketing at Douglas Machines. “Many automated cleaning systems are designed to reuse cleaning solutions for multiple cleaning cycles, and in many cases the prewash and final rinse water is

reused throughout the cleaning process to reduce the amount of wastewater and treating of chemicals. The design of single-use cleaning systems such as boosted-pressure manual cleaning have been designed to reduce the amount of water usage by increasing pressure applied to surfaces of the process equipment being cleaned.” Cleaning systems that use steam efficiently have grown in popularity as energy savings is a priority for many processors today. “Systems that have decreased energy input by utilization of all energy available are more attractive,” Bushard says. “As a manufacturer of direct steam injection hot water systems, our technology gets full utilization of all the total heat energy in a pound of steam. This has efficiency over other heat exchange methods that utilize only the latent heat of each pound of steam.” Also on the subject of steam, Berg adds, “Direct steam injection enhances efficiency by rapidly reaching and maintaining optimal cleaning temperatures, reducing cycle times, and minimizing downtime. Automation and direct steam injection ensure precision and consistency in cleaning processes, minimizing human error. This

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technology also facilitates resource savings While washdowns are still an integral part of a cleaning and by optimizing water and sanitation program, washdowns energy usage.” alone won’t ensure clean machinery Water conservation that can safely produce food. should also be at the forefront for procesfor equipment. sors today, since “it not “Today’s labor market only addresses usage, makes it more challengbut also the disposal of PHOTO COURTESY OF THERMOMEGATECH ing than ever to not invest wastewater,” White says. in automated solutions,” “Some strategies currently Barrie says. “Work with your supplier to see if being used range from proper sizing of water hose they have return-on-investment (ROI) examples nozzles for volume (GPM) and spray pattern, conor calculators. Often, the labor and utilities savtrolling water temperatures for consistency and ings can be two years, one year, or even less than proper temperatures for the task being performed. six months for a capital equipment purchase. In Another tool is the use of variable-frequency addition, these calculators don’t always take into drives on boosted/high-pressure water systems to account the increased production time you’ll have control water usage and pressure.” when you take less time to clean.”

Worth the investment?

While the labor shortage and environmental concerns should be top-of-mind when investing in modern sanitation tools, a more traditional obstacle for some manufacturers might be budgeting

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MARKET INSIGHTS COLD STORAGE MICHAEL COSTA | SENIOR EDITOR

Cold Storage Construction Market to Increase in 2024 Though the market for cold storage facilities remains hot, industry experts forecast an eventual leveling off as available supply and demand even out.

OOD PROCESSORS that manufacture perishable goods rely on cold storage to house their finished products before distribution. That cold storage can be attached to a company’s manufacturing facility, but onsite capacity is often limited. Having access to independently operated offsite cold storage—preferably in regions where a company’s food and beverage can be further distributed—is essential for manufacturers to successfully grow their customer base. As a result, more and more processors that can’t build self-owned, offsite cold storage distribution facilities (like J&J Snack Foods has, for example) rely on third-party cold storage as a crucial link in their outgoing supply chain. Speculative cold storage construction is a sliver of the overall industrial construction equation: 479.1 million total sq ft are under construction, and only 2.5 million of that is tabbed for speculative cold storage in 2024, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE’s National Food Facilities Group. However, cold storage continues to show year-over-year growth, up from 2 million sq ft in 2022 and 2023. Will that continue? To find out, we spoke with Lucy Durbin, senior vice president of CBRE’s National Food Facilities Group, to see what’s next and why processors of perishable items should pay closer attention to cold storage availability in relation to their own business goals.

PFW: Cold storage seems to be a ubiquitous term these days with multiple definitions. How is cold storage defined from an industrial real estate standpoint? DURBIN: Cold storage as a generic term can mean many things. In the food sector, the proper use of the term cold storage means public refrigerated warehouses or dedicated onsite cold storage attached to a plant. You will hear the real estate community sometimes mix apples and oranges

with the term cold storage, when the intention is to say a refrigerated facility, but cold storage for whatever reason has become a pervasive term that sometimes gets used too broadly.

PFW: Some processors might not pay attention to the cold storage construction market because they’re more focused on the business of manufacturing food. Why should food processors care about trends in cold storage construction? DURBIN: Cold storage construction has recently entered the speculative market, which means developers are building vacant facilities without a tenant. That has opened the door for more opportunistic, public refrigerated warehousers to react to the short leadtime requirements food manufacturers have for cold storage. Cold storage availability allows manufacturers to expand their inventory and distribution rapidly as needed, as they take on new customer contracts. Just for perspective, it takes 12 to 18 months to build a cold storage facility. So, food processors can’t be very nimble or reactive to their customers without this speculative real estate product being available. Speculative cold construction is really designed around short-term requirements from food companies as well as their distributors and cold storage partners. Generally speaking, there’s always been a tight supply of existing refrigerated inventory on the market. They’re expensive to build and tenants like to stay in the long term. If a food company has a requirement in Chicago, for example, there’s only going to be a handful at best of options at any given time on the market of existing [refrigerated] available product where they could move in and get something close to what they need quickly. So, they’re beholden to whatever happens to be available at that time, and that might mean, if supply is insufficient in Chicago for their

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 |

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needs, they would look at Indianapolis or another regional market instead if there’s a building available right now. A food company will say, ‘Hey, we just got this contract and need to be up and running in the next few months. Where can we put [our products]?’ That’s where the speculative cold developers come in and offer a brand-new, state-ofthe-art facility that was just built in the same market. With brand-new cold product ready to go or delivering in short order, it solves a need for [food companies] that couldn’t otherwise have been addressed historically. Most of the speculative cold facilities are typically in the middle-size range, around 200,000 to 400,000 sq ft. That’s designed to capture the broadest subset of demand from various types of users across the food sector. Cold storage is never going to be one-size-fits-all for food users, but in that size range, you can capture some overlap within some of the subsectors.

PFW: What current trends are impacting the industrial cold storage market?

While these projects are tricky, there are a select few developers dedicated to developing cold product that have a rhythm going to be able to pre-plan projects and consistently deliver what I would call a modest but necessary amount of cold product nationally every year. I think they are going to continue that trend.

‘Food processors can’t be very nimble or reactive to their customers without this speculative real estate product being available,’ says CBRE’s Lucy Durbin, about thirdparty cold storage facilities.

DURBIN: I would not attribute the construction of third-party, speculative cold storage to one particular trend. For years developers were too afraid to build cold storage because it’s a complicated product that is very expensive, very specialized, and can be a big swing and miss if not carefully planned, with the right thought around location and demand for products. I would say the demand for speculative cold storage space is not massive, as some industry articles claim, but it is healthy, and right now the volume of deliveries is leveling off to a healthy pace that can continue to capture those kind of need-itnow contract opportunities for occupiers.

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PFW: How has the rise of e-commerce for food and beverage affected the cold storage construction market? DURBIN: The e-commerce phenomenon as a driver for the growth of speculative cold storage development is a bit over-inflated. That really pertains most specifically to the retail element of the food sector. There’s been some transformation in the way the grocery category in particular handles product amongst the largest players. But generally speaking, I would not say e-commerce is a big watershed game changer here amongst the many other sectors of the food industry.

PFW: What are some of the cities or regions in the U.S. that are growing for cold storage construction? DURBIN: Cold spec is popping up across the country in many major industrial markets, such as Dallas and Chicago, as well as growing secondary industrial markets like Columbus and Nashville. We’re also seeing growth near ports. For example, in Wilmington, N.C., there’s a new project under construction. Generally speaking, these trends follow

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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An example of a speculative cold storage facility is this 205,796-sq-ft project by Karis Cold Storage in Lebanon, Tenn., just east of Nashville. Construction began in 2022, and the building is scheduled to open in Q1 this year. The location near a major city and proximity to Interstate 40 puts this project in a prime logistical location for potential tenants.

broader industrial market trends. At the core of it is where the populations are located, followed by where the interstates are located, and where the product is coming from. That really leads you to most of what we would call primary industrial markets, which are major cities in the U.S., as well as some of the secondary [markets] that may not be in your top-five cities, but may be within your top 10 to 15 for overall regional and national distribution. The ports capture the import and export markets when it comes to cold product as well. When our team works with cold storage speculative developers, long before we get anything off the ground, we’re working with them to assess the demand in their target market specifically for food companies, and we ask: Where are the goods coming from? Who is manufacturing nearby? Where are goods being distributed? What are the consumption zones? How many and

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what type of food deals are in that market? And are all those factors a fit for the type of building that we’re planning? There’s a lot of analysis that goes into being certain that, if you build it, they will in fact come.

PFW: Any insight where the cold storage construction market might be headed beyond 2024, based on current trends? DURBIN: The demand for cold spec is established and healthy, but I would say a glut of oversupply, if, for example, annual cold spec deliveries went up by several multiples, could be a challenge for developers. But based on where the pace has been consistently now for the past two years, and where we are pipeline-wise for 2024, I would say I feel pretty good about the supply/demand being steady and healthy.

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS Fischer Connectors connectivity solutions offer high data transfer rates with low latency for IIoT control applications. Compliant with MIL-STD norms, the single-pair Ethernet solutions allow 1 Gb/s data transfer and feature three locking mechanisms, hermetic sealing, and IP68/IP69 ratings. The MiniMax connectors with USB 3.2 Gen 2 provide 10 Gb/s data transfer and offer additional power contacts up to 8 A. Fischer Connectors | fischerconnectors.com

HAM MARINATION SYSTEM The GEA MultiCarve is a tenderizing process used between injecting and tumbling pork and poultry meat for slicing. It creates succulent, consistent ham with improved texture and binding by using bladed rollers to increase surface area and release tension in the meat, effectively addressing variations in meat cuts. This helps manufacturers produce well-formed and cohesive ham slices that meet consumer desires for taste, tenderness, and convenience. GEA | gea.com

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Developed to provide independent validation of feeder sensor data, the Gericke Dosingtest V2.2 measures, records, and analyzes mass flow data of powders, granules, and other bulk materials in real time to reveal any differences between sensor data and actual production, or to confirm the validity of sensor data. If a discrepancy is revealed, action can be taken to determine the source of the discrepancy and restore the feeder to the proper settings.

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PHOTOELECTRIC LASER SENSORS Developed to operate in IO-Link environments and traditional automation systems, Carlo Gavazzi photoelectric laser sensors offer four predefined, selectable application functions: speed and length, pattern recognition, divider function, and object and gap monitoring. Capable of detecting objects of different sizes, shapes, or surface textures, the LD30 PBR IO sensors include a 1-mm-diameter, focused, visible red laser that allows detection of small objects or holes at distances up to 600 mm or close to a background. Carlo Gavazzi | gavazzionline.com

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DUAL PALLET CONVEYOR Dorner’s DualMove pallet system uses twinstrand timing belts to place, orient, and transfer pallets to workstations for further processing. This configurable conveyor offers seven pallet lengths and widths, making it suitable and cost-effective for a variety of small to medium-sized products that require assembly and packaging. Dorner | dornerconveyors.com

SOFTWARE SUITE The Allpax software suite offers retort supervisory control, tamper-resistant data capture, and retort and retort room automation machine control. Fully compliant with FDA regulations, the next-generation suite was developed in the Microsoft .NET Framework to allow upgrades and future customization. The retort software suite also implements OPC UA for PLC-level communication, enabling the use of encrypted connections. Older Allpax retorts can be retrofitted with the new software suite; software retrofits on non-Allpax retorts are available. Allpax | allpax.com

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Key Technology’s RemoteMD 2.0 allows Key service technicians to remotely connect to a customer’s sorter for technical support and monitoring in real time. RemoteMD reduces the likelihood an on-site service technician is required, since many issues can be diagnosed and corrected remotely by Key. If an in-person service visit is necessary, a remote system audit can speed resolution by identifying parts needed prior to the technician’s arrival.

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SYNCHRONOUS MOTORS UL/CSA certified, Nord synchronous motors can be mounted to Nord gear units, IEC B5 flanges, IEC B14 flanges, and NEMA C-Face adapters. The Size 90 TENV IE5+ permanent magnet motor has a power range up to 3 hp, a fanless design, and IP69K protection. The ventilated TEFC IE5+ permanent magnet motor features constant torque over a full speed range of 0.5 to 5 hp and a motor integrated encoder, as well as an optional integrated mechanical brake. Nord Gear | nord.com/us

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PNEUMATIC VACUUM CONVEYOR Featuring a designed-in ball valve in the feeding elbow, the Volkmann pneumatic vacuum conveyor can be operated in a dense phase and then switched to a lean or dilute phase or vice versa by adjusting the ratio of air to vacuum at the valve. The hygienic VS vacuum conveyor includes stainless-steel construction as standard and is ATEX certified as explosion-proof. It handles a range of bulk materials, such as flour, coffee, salt, or mixtures. Volkmann USA | volkmannusa.com

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Panduit’s Antimicrobial Metal Detectable Nylon Cable Ties and Mounts combine three features for enhanced safety and hygiene in critical environments such as food and beverage production. The embedded antimicrobial agent inhibits bacteria, mold, and fungi growth, while metal detectability minimizes the risk of foreign material contamination. Their bright blue color also ensures easy identification and quick removal, promoting a clean and compliant production process. Panduit | panduit.com

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X-RAY SCANNER Incorporating a vertical piping system, the Antares X-ray scanner system uses gravitational fall to inspect a range of contaminants. The XR Bulk system is situated vertically, with product entering through a steel infeed pipe at the top. It reconfigures product flow from a cylindrical to a rectangular pathway, creating a width that aligns with the sealed inspection sensor, which identifies the position of contaminants and rejects only affected portions of the flow. Following inspection, product exits via an outfeed pipe at the bottom of the unit. Antares Vision Group antaresvisiongroup.com

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Offering real-time fleet-wide insights, the Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas telematics system is compatible with a range of material handling equipment—from warehouse products to electric and internal combustion forklifts. The Lift Link solution can enforce the completion of pre-operation forklift inspections; capture forklift hour meters and usage; notify users of exception events, such as failed pre-operation inspections and impacts; and track important planned maintenance milestones. Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas logisnextamericas.com

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The Ross FDA-1500 dual-shaft mixer has a 1,500-gal capacity and can operate under vacuum, making it suitable for largescale and specialized applications. Its independently driven agitators, each with dedicated motors, cater to both gentle mixing and high-speed dispersion, ensuring thorough and consistent processing.

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WIRELESSHART GATEWAY Featuring WirelessHart connectivity, the Endress+Hauser gateway offers simple access to digital communication, enabling the monitoring of devices. The FieldGate SWG50 WirelessHart gateway features a list with color codes for device status; four RJ-45 connectors for access to the connection of plant and cloud networks, as well as the unit’s web interface; a redundant power supply; Modbus TCP and Hart-IP outputs; and connection to 100 nodes. It seamlessly integrates with any WirelessHart device on the market. Endress+Hauser | endress.com

X-RAY INSPECTION SYSTEM Engineered to inspect pumped and free-flowing applications, the Loma Systems inspection system has a rectangular X-ray section that changes the shape of contents passing through it. The X5 4-in. Pipeline system includes integrated safety sensors and a capacitive 8-in. touchscreen for regulatory compliance through realtime data collection. Rated to IP69, the system detects all major contaminants, including bone, ceramic, glass, and dense plastics, as well as stainless steel, ferrous, and nonferrous metals. Automatic reject options are available. Loma Systems | loma.com

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| February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD 111

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

COLLABORATIVE PALLETIZER The Columbia/Okura collaborative palletizer uses a collaborative robot (cobot) arm that provides a 44-lb lifting capacity and 80-in. load height. Able to handle heavy payloads, the miniPal+ solution has flexible tooling and intuitive pattern-building software that allow multi-pick options. It includes area scanners and radar, both of which monitor the palletizing cell and slow the robot, should a person enter, as well as guarding to create a physical barrier. The palletizer has a 10 × 11-ft footprint and uses 110 VAC, which is achieved through a standard power outlet. Columbia/Okura | columbiaokura.com

BULK BAG FILLER The AFC Bulk Bag Filler lets one worker safely manage the entire bag filling process from ground level, eliminating climbing injuries. The filler handles big bags up to 48-in. cubes and 2 tons with minimal dust exposure due to a built-in inflation system. The 8-ft-tall machine has a compact design that fits tight spaces, and the system offers integrated weighing and densifying as options. Automated Flexible Conveyor | afcspiralfeeder.com

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TOWER LIGHTS Parameterized flexibly via an IO-Link interface, Leuze tower lights make states, faults, and ongoing processes visible from a distance, enabling signaling at the machine, on the conveyor belt, or for access control. Segments can be actuated one at a time via IO-Link, allowing color, intensity, and lighting sequences to be configured individually. Machine states can be signaled through different brightness levels, lighting sequences, colors, or types of signal sounds. An additional acoustic signaler is available. Leuze | leuze.com

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The AFC flexible screw conveyor includes an explosion-proof, NEMA 4, stainless-steel purge control panel enclosure and a hazardous location motor with companion electrical components that meet NEC standards for transferring hazardous materials. The Spiralfeeder XP conveyor automatically transfers bulk materials from its hopper through an enclosed tube to discharge into a mixer, tank, container, or other location. An optional purge unit maintains constant pressure without permitting contact with the outside atmosphere. Automated Flexible Conveyor | afcspiralfeeder.com

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Operating at 208 or 240 V, the Pharmafill heat tunnel with dualheating elements seals tamper-evident neck bands on bottles, jars, tins, cans, and other containers at speeds up to 100 per min. The HT6B heat tunnel includes an emergency auto-lift system that features a current-sensing relay that automatically raises the unit if a change in voltage occurs and a bypass switch that holds the unit above the conveyor until proper voltage is restored, and the settings are automatically recalled for return to operation.

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INDUSTRIAL PC Built on an open, customizable, commercial-off-the-shelf premise, the Revolution Pi Industrial PC is equipped with a Broadcom BCM2711 processor and support for WLAN and Bluetooth communications, a battery-buffered real-time clock, and a plug-and-play GUI for expansion. The IIoT-enabled RevPi Connect 4 IPC is used for data connectivity, motion control, robotics support, machine visualization, and other applications. It has a DIN rail-mountable housing and can be supplemented by digital or analog I/O modules. Phytools | phytools.com

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Crafted from Type 316 stainless steel with interior surfaces polished to a 150-grit finish, the Ross ribbon blender has a maximum working capacity of 18 ft3, and is direct driven by a 10-hp gearmotor to process materials with a bulk density of up to 60 lb/ft3. The Model 42N-18SS blender includes a solid doubleribbon design agitator with internal flanges welded to shaft stub ends and an anti-friction bearing on the non-driven end. The blender is operated from a 4-in. color touchscreen that includes a cycle timer, start/stop, forward/reverse, and speed controls. Charles Ross & Son | mixers.com

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CASE STUDY LE HERBE AARON HAND | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Artistry of Making THC Powders Le Herbe has spent nine years mastering the art and science of nanoemulsions to create ready-to-mix cannabis powders. Help with scaling has come from specialized spray drying and mixing equipment.

ITH RECREATIONAL or medical-use cannabis now legalized in the majority of the U.S., the market is experiencing significant growth—expected to reach $72 billion in annual revenue by 2030, according to New Frontier Data. To keep up with projections, cannabis product manufacturers must be innovative, increase output to keep up with the escalating demand, and ensure that their products comply with ever-changing industry standards and regulations. Demand for cannabis-infused products continues to grow and has led to the development of water-dissolvable THC powders, which offer advantages over traditional THC consumption. Water compatibility ensures optimal bioavailability, enabling rapid absorption and consistent effects. The powders are created by using advanced nanoemulsion technology—stable mixtures of oil and water achieved through the reduction of oil droplets to nanoscale sizes, typically less than 100 nm. By breaking the THC oil down into such small droplets, it becomes highly dissolvable in water and forms a clear, stable emulsion that can then be made into a powder via spray drying.

The art and science of cannabis powders The development of water-dissolvable THC-infused powders from a nanoemulsion requires expertise in emulsion technology, formulation science, and the selection of appropriate equipment and ingredients. Florida-based cannabis brand Le Herbe has been mastering its craft for nine years, conquering many technical issues along the way, notes Jay Grillo, founder and CEO. Le Herbe entered the market in 2014 with cannabis-infused ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages that used nanoemulsions to create stable and bioavailable formulations. Four years later, the company recognized the need to extend its existing beverage shelf life by converting liquid to powder, developing a line of ready-to-mix (RTM) THC-

PHOTO COURTESY OF LE HERBE

Le Herbe THC drink packets easily dissolve in hot or cold liquids.

infused single-serving drink powders that dissolve instantly in hot or cold liquids. Cannabis powders are an advancement from cannabis-based RTD beverages—an improvement over a form that loses effectiveness over time, according to Grillo. “We still make RTDs for clients, but we only produce powder because scientific data will lead you to this product format time after time. We created the product category out of necessity and quality by design principles,” he says. “Cannabis powder has a shelf life of three years and gets better with age, while cannabis beverages start to degrade rapidly over time with a shelf life between three and six months.” On top of that, there are logistical considerations. A single serving of cannabis powder with the packaging weighs 7 g, compared with a single serving of a cannabis beverage at 340 g (12 oz).

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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Pulse Combustion Systems has pioneered a gas-dynamic atomization method specifically designed for the efficient drying of liquid feed materials.

“We would much rather send 64 single servings in the mail that weighs less than a pound than one or two single servings of a cannabis beverage with similar weight,” Grillo says.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PULSE COMBUSTION SYSTEMS

Powders at scale Cannabis powder is also easier to scale than beverages, Grillo notes, because it doesn’t require temperature-controlled environments, large storage facilities, or large trucks for transportation. When it was looking to scale its production, Le Herbe’s team searched for a U.S.-based toll manufacturer that specialized in spray drying equipment. Le Herbe chose Pulse Combustion Systems (PCS), which provides spray drying equipment for various industries, including food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical. In the pursuit of producing water-dissolvable oil-infused powders, PCS developed the P-5, a state-of-the-art plug-and-play spray dryer that was able to achieve the final step in what is a very technical process. PCS pioneered a gas-dynamic atomization method specifically designed for the efficient drying of liquid feed materials. The technique uses a high-velocity gas stream, reaching speeds of up to 300 mph, to atomize and dry the liquid feed. The process involves two key air streams: the main process air, generated by a blower and heater, which serves as the hot air responsible for both atomization and drying; and the transportation air, which is introduced to the system to reduce humidity in the drying chamber and maintain low exit temperatures to prevent damage to sensitive products. ROSS Mixers also play a key part in making Le Herbe’s cannabis powder. “A rotor-stator is required to make a coarse emulsion so you can further reduce the particle size below 100 nm by forming a nanoemulsion,” Grillo says. “ROSS’s equipment is a workhorse for these product lines and can be serviced if necessary with minimal downtime The Ross High Shear Mixer rotor-stator is used to make a coarse emulsion that can be further reduced to a nanoemulsion. 118

because it’s made in the USA.” The ROSS High Shear Mixer consists of a single-stage four-blade rotor that turns at high speed within a stationary stator. As the rotating blades pass each opening in the stator, they mechanically shear particles and droplets, and expel material at high velocity into the surrounding mix, creating intense hydraulic shear. As fast as material is expelled, more is drawn into the bottom of the rotor/stator generator, which promotes continuous flow and fast mixing resulting in efficient particle size reduction, emulsification, and dispersion.

THC powders from start to finish To produce water-dissolvable THC powders, the manufacturing process begins with the extraction of THC from cannabis plants using methods like CO2 extraction or solvent-based extraction. The THC is then combined with a carrier oil, and an emulsifier or surfactant. Le Herbe uses the ROSS High Shear Rotor/Stator Mixer for emulsions and slurries. Following the mixing process, the nanoemulsion is thoroughly analyzed. Le Herbe has several testing protocols both before and after formulation to ensure it is producing the highest quality products. After testing has been completed, the nanoemulsion is fed into the Pulse P-5 spray dryer to convert it into a powdered form. This step removes the water content, leaving behind a stable and highly dissolvable THC powder. It is then tested again before being packaged and shipped to customers. Le Herbe does much of its production in-house but uses PCS’s facility to process hemp-derived cannabinoids and also for experiments, tolling, scale, and certifications, he adds. Pulse Combustion Systems www.pulsedry.com

ROSS Mixers www.mixers.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSS MIXERS

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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CASE STUDY SOLMAZ FOODS MICHAEL COSTA | SENIOR EDITOR

Halal Meat Processor Halves Costs After Adding Inline Metal Detector Solmaz Foods expanded its fast-growing operation safely with an upstream Fortress metal detector that helps reduce waste on the back end.

OLMAZ FOODS is one of the largest halal meat processors in Canada, supplying more than 75 different products to Canadian retail outlets and restaurants, as well as distributors like Sysco and Gordon Food Service. The company specializes in Turkish-style meats like sujuk sausage, but also manufactures top-selling items such as halal pepperoni, deli cuts, and Montreal-style turkey breast, processing about 135,000 lb of meat each month. While the scope of Solmaz’s operation is broad, the company started small as a butcher shop east of downtown Toronto in 2001, run by Tahsin Solmaz and his son, Mehmet. As that storefront business grew, Mehmet branched the company out into wholesale supply, and learned there was a strong demand for processed halal meats in the Canadian market. The company eventually opened a 4,000-sq-ft processing facility to increase production and help satisfy that demand. The company expanded again in 2016, moving to a 20,000sq-ft plant west of downtown Toronto in suburban Etobicoke, currently equipped with two processing lines and four packaging lines. When Solmaz Foods opened the plant, it had metal detectors from Fortress Technology on the packaging line. But by 2021, the ever-increasing volume of production necessitated adding a Fortress Stealth Pipeline metal detector inline before meat is stuffed into casing, cooked, smoked, sliced, and eventually packaged. “Now we have a control where we can identify if a product has any metal pieces or other materials inside earlier in our production,” says Mehmet Solmaz, president of Solmaz Foods. “That gives us better control and peace of mind that our products are safe.” Aside from improved food safety upstream, adding the Stealth Pipeline has reduced costs across the board by 50%, according to Solmaz. “That 50% is basically combined time and labor savings, plus risk reduction,” he says. “Before, we would be slicing our products and might find some

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOLMAZ FOODS

Halal-certified Solmaz Foods processes about 135,000 lb of meat each month, with distribution throughout Canada to retail and foodservice locations.

material in the meat, which meant we had to throw the whole batch out. Our inline detector eliminates a lot of waste because the moment this system detects any material in the meat, it automatically discharges that part of the batch, and we can still process the rest of it. So, this gives us two control systems in place where before we only had one on the packaging line.”

Further distribution The market for metal detection systems is competitive, so Solmaz Foods had many options when looking to add that equipment to its operation. It chose Toronto-based Fortress not just for the inline detector, but also the three detectors located on the packaging lines. “Fortress has a lot of experience in the food business with many global brands as well as local players in Canada like us,” Solmaz explains. “We know they have experts in place that have faced similar situations that we face in our operation.” There might be a need to add more Fortress detectors in the future. Solmaz Foods is in the pro-

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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CASE STUDY SOLMAZ FOODS

Training by Fortress technicians for Solmaz Foods employees included how to use the machine during specific metal detection scenarios so they can react to real-time situations.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOLMAZ FOODS

cess of completing the regulatory steps to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which would allow the company to expand its distribution into the U.S., growing Solmaz Foods further. The company expects that to happen later this year. For now, Solmaz Foods has laid a food safety foundation in its plant with four Fortress detectors, which the halal meat processor considers essential equipment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORTRESS TECHNOLOGY

Mehmet Solmaz, president of Solmaz Foods, says his company has saved 50% combined time and labor costs while reducing food safety risk, after adding this Fortress Stealth Pipeline metal detector into its meat processing line.

“If we didn’t have these machines, it wouldn’t really matter what our production schedule is,” Solmaz says. “We would be getting tons of food safety questions from our regulatory control inspectors about whether we have the right safeguards in place. We now have peace of mind that we can make a certain amount of product, and whatever wasn’t discharged by the detectors is safe.” Fortress Technology www.fortresstechnology.com

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CASE STUDY BEST MAID PICKLES STEPHANIE NEIL | CHIEF EDITOR, CPG NEXT

Enterprise Resource Planning Increases Visibility for Pickle Producer Best Maid Pickles improved its inventory management, demand planning, and product traceability with a cloud-based ERP system.

EST MAID PICKLES, founded in 1926 and now the largest pickle manufacturer in Texas, faced the need for higher Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification levels in 2016 due to rapid growth and private label packing for a large company. To modernize its operations, the company sought an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and in 2016, it selected Plex by Rockwell Automation for its cloud-based design, user-friendliness, and tailored implementation strategy. The Fort Worth site, equipped with 800 tanks that can hold 35 million lb of cucumbers, had relied

on traditional methods for scheduling and inventory management. During a presentation at Rockwell Automation Fair in Boston, Lance Heinen, Best Maid’s vice president of supply chain and finance, described the setup that had served the company well for decades, but was in need of modernization. “At the time, we had a good plant manager. He was a great guy, but he based the schedule on feel. So, he would say, ‘I feel like we haven’t run this product recently, so I think we are going to put it on the schedule because I feel like we are going to need to ship it.’ And that was our demand plan-

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST MAID PICKLES

At its site in Fort Worth, Texas, Best Maid is equipped with 800 tanks that can hold 35 million lb of cucumbers.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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CASE STUDY BEST MAID PICKLES

for material operators, the Plex team effectively integrated Best Maid’s processes into the system.

Improved inventory, finances, visibility The Plex system has noticeably improved the company’s inventory management in addition to streamlining financials. “On the financial side, it would take us three to four months to close a period. So, we were constantly operating pretty far behind,” Heinen explained. “In today’s age, you can’t make decisions four months after—you have to be able to make it today and PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST MAID PICKLES you have to know where you stand on your margins today. Before Plex, we To manage its 800 tanks and other operations, Best Maid turned to an ERP system from Plex, providing improved visibility. were absolutely not able to do that.” The material requirements planning (MRP) functions of Plex played a crucial role in reducing safety stock. Best Maid, which previously maintained a year’s supply of every raw material, now relies on Plex’s MRP to determine needs for the next week or month. This shift led to a substantial reduction in raw material holdings from six to 12 months to just six to 18 weeks, resulting in a $500,000 annual saving. Furthermore, the implementation positively impacted other areas, such as labeling. Plex’s serialized inventory system enhanced visibility, eliminating about $50,000 in annual lost revenue from PHOTO BY STEPHANIE NEIL mislabeled items. With about 180 different SKUs, the company can now ensure the correct labels Lance Heinen, vice president of supply chain and finance at Best Maid Pickles (right), and Isaac are applied, reducing the risk of revenue loss. Gould, research manager at Nucleus Research, talk Best Maid also benefited from enhanced visiabout a cloud-based ERP implementation during bility into its processes, particularly in managing Rockwell Automation Fair 2023 in Boston. orders. Previously, without a warehouse management system (WMS), the company would ning,” Heinen said, noting there wasn’t a lot of techrealize a shortage in an order only when the truck nology implemented at the manufacturing plant. arrived for pickup. Plex’s MRP provided insights Even inventory management was performed by into inventory levels, allowing for better visibility, one person counting and recording information in schedule adjustments, and improved tracking of an Excel spreadsheet. “So, to go from that to some incoming and outgoing goods. very specific customer requirements on timing—we To assess the return on investment (ROI) of the knew we needed to change what we were doing.” Plex implementation, Nucleus Research conductThe company also knew an ERP system was the ed a detailed investigation, revealing an annual answer. But the transition had to be seamless and average of 185% ROI. This calculation considered easy for non-technical users. Plex was ultimately the net benefits of Plex minus the costs, including chosen for its suitability for shop floor operations the implementation process, consulting services, and a well-defined implementation strategy. The subscription costs for the first year, and training selection occurred in 2016, and by August 2017, elements. The impressive ROI was achieved within the system went live without disruptions. Despite the first six months of deployment. the cultural shift of adapting to new measurement Plex units and the transition from computers to tablets www.plex.com

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Welcome to the 2024 Leaders in Processing (LIP) section of ProFood World. Leaders in Processing (LIP) is ProFood World’s signature supplier branding program. Participants in the LIP section have both print and online branding and receive prominent, year-round exposure on ProFoodWorld.com.

Business Drivers

131

Hydro-Thermal Corporation

176

AHS Automated Handling Sysetms

132

IKA®- WORKS, INC.

177

• Automation & Digital Transformation

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

133

Industrial Magnetics, Inc.

178

Ampco Pumps Company

134

JAX INC.

179

• Food Safety

AmTrade Systems, Inc.

135

Key Technology Inc.

180

• Sustainability

Anderson-Negele

136

Krones Process Group North America

181

Anritsu Product Inspection & Detection

137

Linde

182

Apex Motion Control

138

Lubriplate Lubricants Company

183

Ashworth Bros., Inc.

139

M&M Carnot

184

• Beverage

Atlas Copco

140

Material Transfer & Storage

185

• Cereals, Breakfast Foods

Axiflow Technologies, Inc.

141

Messer Americas

186

• Confection & Candy

Bepex International

142

Mettler Toledo Product Inspection

187

• Dairy

Big-D Construction

143

Miura America Co., Ltd.

188

Busch Vacuum Solutions

144

Munson Machinery Company, Inc.

189

Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) 145

MXD Process

190

Cleveland Gear Company

146

Paxton Products

191

Columbia Machine

147

Perfex Corporation

192

Columbia/Okura LLC

148

Pick Heaters, Inc.

193

Coperion & Coperion K-Tron

149

PPM Technologies Holdings, LLC

194

CRB

150

Quantum

195 196

Vertical Markets • Bakery & Snack

• Food Ingredients • Frozen & Refrigerated Foods • Fruits & Vegetables • Grains, Seeds, Beans, Flour & Nuts • Meat, Poultry & Seafood • Pet Food

Delkor Systems, Inc.

151

ROSS Mixers

• Prepared & Canned Foods

Dennis Group

152

Sani-Matic, Inc.

197

• Soups, Condiments, Sauces, Spices, Dips & Dressings

Deville Technologies Inc.

153

Schenck Process

198

Douglas Machines Corp.

154

Scott Mixers

199

Product Categories

Endress + Hauser

155

SEW-EURODRIVE, Inc.

200

EnSight Solutions

156

Silverson Machines, Inc.

201

• Cleaning, Sanitizing & CIP

Eriez

157

Sleeve Seal

202

• Conveying & Product Handling

ESI Group USA

158

Spokane Stainless Technologies

203

FlexLink Systems, Inc

159

Starview Packaging Machinery, inc.

204

• Dry Processing & Handling Equipment

FOCKE & CO

160

Statco-DSI Process Systems

205

FoodSafe Drains

161

Stolle Machinery

206

• Facilities, Design & Infrastructure

FPS Food Process Solutions Corp.

162

ThermOmegaTech®, Inc.

207

Frain Industries

163

Tippmann Group/Interstate Warehousing208

• Food Processing Equipment

Freudenberg FST GmbH

164

tna North America Inc.

209

• Inspection, Sorting & Weighing

Fristam Pumps Company

165

Urschel

210

• Liquid Processing & Handling Equipment

GEA North America

166

VAC-U-MAX

211

Gericke USA, Inc.

167

VDG (Van der Graaf)

212

Graphalloy

168

VEGA Americas, Inc.

213

Hapman

169

Vibra Screw Inc

214

Harpak-ULMA Packaging

170

Volkmann, Inc.

215

Haver & Boecker USA

171

Weber, Inc

216

Heat and Control, Inc.

172

WITTE COMPANY

217

Hiperbaric - High Pressure Processing

173

Wire Belt Company of America

218

Hitachi Global Air Power

174

Yaskawa America, Inc.

219

Hörmann – Innovative Door Systems

175

• Mixing & Blending Equipment • Packaging Equipment & Materials • Plant Operations & Equipment • Refrigeration, Chilling & Freezing Equipment

130

Aerzen

PROFOOD WORLD | February 2024 | www.profoodworld.com

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Aerzen 108 Independence Way Coatesville, PA 19320 Phone: 610-380-0244 Email: order-usa@aerzen.com www.aerzen.com Aerzen’s positive displacement machines are known for high reliability and efficiency and are chosen for harsh environments, difficult applications, and where high turndown capability is required. Aerzen provides various types of dry, single-stage, air-cooled positive displacement blowers and compressors for pressures to 50 psig and vacuum to 25.5” Hg. Blowers are used for processes such as pneumatic conveying in both vacuum and pressure modes to handle the transfer of dry bulk materials. The Delta Hybrid Blower was developed with a focus on increasing energy efficiency and significantly reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The wire-to-process energy usage reduction can exceed 30% over typical positive displacement blowers, depending on operating conditions and turndown range. Aerzen Turbo Blowers are single-stage high-speed radial turbo blowers designed to meet the varying flow and pressure requirements in many different processes. This modern frequency-controlled, gearless driven machine and lubricant-free aero bearings guarantees an economical, reliable and maintenance-free compressor operation. Aerzen Rental provides temporary oil-free blower and compressor solutions under 50 psig. Rental units are available for immediate deployment in the event of a production failure or shortfall, as well as longer-term operational leasing and rent-to-own programs. AERZEN offers you 100% oil-free process air for various applications in food technology. For 100% product purity and safety solutions, visit: www.aerzen.com

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 AHS Automated Handling Solutions 2397 Highway 23, P.O. Box 148. Oskaloosa, IA 52577 Phone: 800-247-3344 Email: info@automatedhandling.com www.automatedhandling.com Automated Handling Solutions develops and builds state-of-the-art enclosed tubular drag cable and disc mechanical systems used to convey food and specialty ingredient materials. Based on its patented, gentle, cable-and-disc technology, Automated Handling Solutions conveyors gently move materials such as coffee, nuts, snack foods, breakfast cereal, flakes, powders, pellets, shavings, crumbles, granules, fluff and dust through an enclosed tube with ease. By using no air to convey, friable materials are kept intact as intended, from inlet to discharge points. This gentle approach virtually eliminates the product separation and degradation that occur with traditional conveying systems such as bucket elevators, screw conveyors, pneumatic and aeromechanical systems. All systems utilize cable & disc technology, stainless steel or newly released clear plastic tubing and operate at conveying speeds which average 100 ft. (30.48 meter) per minute. 8000 Series: Eight-Inch Diameter (203.2mm) System Up to 2,000 Cubic Feet (56.6 Cubic Meter)/Hour 80,000 Lbs per hour/ 31,751 Kgs per hour 6000 Series: Six-Inch Diameter (152.4mm) System Up to 1,240 Cubic Feet (35.4 Cubic Meter)/Hour 49,420 Lbs per hour/22,420 Kgs per hour 4000 Series: Four-Inch Diameter (101.6mm) System Up to 525 Cubic Feet (14.87 Cubic Meter)/Hour 21,000 Lbs per hour/9,525 Kgs per hour 2000 Series: Two-Inch Diameter (50.8mm System) Up to 75 Cubic Feet (2.12 cubic Meter)/ Hour 3,000 Lbs per hour/1,361 Kgs per hour

132

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. 1940 Air Products Blvd., Allentown, PA 18106-5500 Phone: 800-654.4567 Email: info@airproducts.com www.airproducts.com/food Air Products’ Freshline® solutions offer food processors high-purity food-grade gases (N2 & CO2) and equipment to chill or freeze a wide variety of foods. Select equipment highlights includes: • Freshline® F - highly efficient design allows processors to produce consistent, high-quality individually quick-frozen products in larger throughputs than standard spray freezing cryogenic F freezers, without re uiring the high li uid nitrogen consumption of immersion freezers. • Freshline® Spiral Freezer - roviding efficient, continuous freezing chilling to a broad range of meat poultry products in a small footprint at high production rates. • Freshline® -injection Cooling System - A tailor-made temperature control system that uses liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide to deliver rapid, precise temperature control to a blender or mixer grinder, enabling food manufacturers to optimize processing speed and product quality. The benefits of these cryogenic systems include faster freeze times, increased throughput, improved product quality and more. We also offer gaseous solutions including controlled atmosphere stunning, wastewater treatment, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and inerting. We can test a customer’s product on commercial-scale equipment in our state-of-the-art food laboratory, or bring our mobile food lab to you to determine the feasibility of using cryogenic freezing or chilling for their specific process. For more information about Air Products’ complete portfolio of Freshline® solutions for food processing, call 800-654-4567 outside of the U.S. or visit www. airproducts.com food Email info airproducts.com Air roducts lvd., Allentown, A USA.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Ampco Pumps Company 2045 W Mill Road, Glendale, WI 53209 USA Phone: 800/737-8671 Email: info@ampcopumps.com www.ampcopumps.com Ampco Pumps Company manufactures the most complete line of sanitary pumps, mixers and blenders in the food processing industry. POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS: The PATENTED ZP1+ and ZP3 circumferential piston pumps offer upgraded materials and improvements including a maintenance-saving front-loading seal design. The ZP4 shares this same design in a compact size that offers the industry a NEW solution for viscous sanitary low-flow and dosing applications. The AL Series rotary lobe pumps are affordable options for many applications, offered in various seal, rotor and jacket options. Ampco offers the SLH twin screw pumps from ITT Borenmann, the leader in twin screw technology. The dual-duty SLH Series handles both process and CIP and is backed by Ampco’s superior customer service. CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS: Ampco sanitary centrifugal pumps are second to none and include standard, heavy-duty, high-pressure, and self-priming models. The AC+ offers an improved shaft design. The L Series offered in several varieties includes a front-loading seal option. The self-priming SP is ideal for products with entrained air and CIP return. MIXERS & BLENDERS: Ampco Applied Products offers a vast selection of inline and in-tank mixing and blending products. Blend wet and dry ingredients, stabilize emulsions and enhance texture while improving process efficiency. The SBI, SBH and SHEAR-max in-line mixers have options to fit any process. The JET-shear in-tank mixer comes in many sizes and configurations. Ampco offers quality products with enhanced features, competitively priced and with the best delivery times in the industry and is ISO 9001:2015, 3A and EHEDG Certified. Ampco Pumps Company LLC is a member of the Krones Group.

134

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 AmTrade Systems, Inc. 12885 Wayne Road, Livonia, Michigan, 48150 Phone: 734/522-9500 Email: sales@amtrade-systems.com www.amtrade-systems.com AmTrade offers leading-edge food processing systems. From Livonia MI, with team and distributors in several states, we offer custom solutions, technical recommendations, system design, sales, installation, commissioning, training and aftersales spare parts and service support. SCHRÖTER – Leading Quality: The latest technology in smoke generators, smokehouses, fermentation and steam cooking ovens, drying, defrosting and intensive chilling chambers, and exhaust cleaning systems tailored to each customer’s exact needs. REX Technologie – Innovative and high-quality machines including vacuum stuffers with fully automatic linking and hanging lines; portioners, forming and depositing systems; link cutters; and other customizable specialty attachments and accessories for all segments of the food processing industry. GLASS GmbH & Co. – Made in Germany: Food mixers and meat or non-meat processing machines, flatteners and tenderizers, temperature-controlled mixing & cooking systems and fine choppers/emulsifiers tailored to the customer’s needs. HOJA Food TEC – Industrial frying - Home-cooked Taste: if you are making potato pancakes, pancakes, crêpes, blini, meat balls, rissoles, hamburger, steak, chicken, vegetables, naan bread, pita breads and many more other delicious products prepared to the highest quality standards. NOCK Maschinenbau GmbH - know-how in food processing: Manufacturer of derinding machines, membrane skinners and combination systems, circular blad vertical slicers for strips and jerky meat, specialty poultry skinning machines for whole carcasses or individual pieces, fish skinners, frozen drum skinners and scale ice machines. AmTrade sells its e uipment directly from our Michigan office, as well as through our distributors in California, Colorado and Ohio.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Anderson-Negele 156 Auriesville Road, Fultonville, NY 12072 USA Phone: 800.833.0081 Email: customerservice@anderson-negele.com www.anderson-negele.com Anderson-Negele, a global leader in instrumentation, is dedicated to providing top-tier solutions for food, beverage, and life sciences processors. With a mission focused on delivering hygienic instrumentation solutions and services, we collaborate with thousands of customers worldwide, alongside OEMs and system integrators, to craft innovative solutions tailored to diverse applications. Committed to safeguarding food, beverage, and life sciences processing, each member of our team embodies our role as “guardians” of safety. Our comprehensive range of products for temperature, pressure, flow, and analytical measurement adheres to stringent design standards such as 3-A, EHEDG, and BPE. As part of the Fortive Group, a global technology leader, we employ the Fortive Business System to ensure product quality and continual process improvement. With over 90 years of experience, Anderson-Negele is the trusted partner for reducing waste and maintaining environmental sustainability while upholding the integrity of food and beverage products.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Anritsu Product Inspection & Detection 710 Innovation Drive, Suite A, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 847-419-9729 Email: eva.bar@anritsu.com www.anritsu.com/infivis Protect Your Brand Against Recalls and Consumer Complaints Manufacturers worldwide rely on Anritsu’s contaminant detection and quality inspection equipment. We deliver a level of precision, reliability and support that truly advances the quality of your products and the efficiency of your operations. How much of your products do consumers inspect? 100% Reduce consumer complaints and product recalls with the world’s most installed food X-ray. Anritsu X-ray systems give producers the best combination of performance, reliability and low cost of ownership. The Anritsu X-ray Advantage Anritsu X-rays come standard with HD imaging that outperforms competitors in finding metal, bone, glass and stone contaminants. The fully-featured XR75 series offers long component life plus easy operation & maintenance. • food x-ray supplier worldwide with over , installations • ndustry-leading performance for both metal and low-density contaminants • Low TCO Up to longer tube and detector life • eliability Lowest warranty rate in the industry • U.S. assembly of popular models Discover

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About Anritsu An engineering-driven company, Anritsu has 175,000 inspection installations since with worldwide sales and service, and available CE and M D European standards. Anritsu’s full solution range includes X-ray, checkweigher, metal detector, and combination systems, backed by technical help with available remote support.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Apex Motion Control #206 – 9775 188 Street, Surrey, B.C Canada V4N 3N2 Phone: 1-778-298-8292 Email: info@apexmotion.com www.apexmotion.com Apex Motion Control designs and builds turn‐key robotics and machine vision automation equipment for food, bakery, dairy, pet food and pharmaceutical manufacturing that is designed to provide immediate benefits today, and, with future growth demands. Apex Motion Control handles the design, fabrication, product tests, installation, and support for all of the systems they build. Apex Motion Control’s collaborative robots (cobots) are perfect for helping with labor shortages, maintaining optimal efficiency and consistency, and removing mundane tasks that are known to cause repetitive stress injuries. As far as safety is concerned, the Baker‐Bot and Flexi‐Bot cobots can safely work alongside human workers throughout your plant with minimal to no guarding at all needed.

COBOTS and AUTOMATION • • • • • • •

obotic decorating and writing Targeted, vision depositing over conveyors Tray management loading and unloading trays, and depanning rimary and secondary packaging pick and place EOL palletizing obotic cookie dough cutting and decorating Conveying including oven in-feed, reciprocating and cake layer stacking E’ E GOT OU

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Ashworth Bros., Inc. 450 Armour Dale, Winchester, VA 22601 USA Phone: 888-871-5854 Email: sales@ashworth.com www.ashworth.com Ashworth offers global expertise to optimize the function and mechanics of food processing conveyor systems that are key to keeping your business running smoothly. By integrating both metal and plastic belt solutions based on a product’s unique needs, Ashworth offers companies the best of both worlds in processing innovation. The PosiDrive Spiral® System Ashworth’s PosiDrive Spiral® System features a unique drive design that is designed for heavier loads, eliminating jam-ups, and helping to streamline packaging. Reduce downtime and improve efficiency with the PosiDrive Spiral, an affordable solution for new and existing spiral applications. Ashworth’s SpiralSurf® Plastic Belt Line SpiralSurf plastic belts are offered in both 1-inch and 2-inch pitch with available plastic or steel rods. Like their metal counterparts, Ashworth’s SpiralSurf belts can be customized to meet individual requirements for cooling, proofing, and freezing applications. The durable plastic line has been tested and proven to operate over 100,000 cycles. Ashworth’s SpiralSurf 100 is perfect for tight transfers and smaller products, while the SpiralSurf 200 is ideal for heavier/larger products. Ashworth Factory Service Ashworth Factory Service offers a full range of engineering services, including system refurbishment, troubleshooting, and belt installation. Ashworth Factory Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Celebrating over 75 years of revolutionizing the future of conveyor belts, Ashworth continues to lead the market with the most conveyor belt patents in the food processing, can making, and material handling industries.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Atlas Copco 300 Technology Center Way, Rock Hill SC 29730, USA Phone: (866) 546-3588 Email: info@atlascopcousa.com www.atlascopco.com/air-usa Headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Atlas Copco Compressors provides innovative solutions, including world-class air and gas compressors, gas generation and carbon capture systems, renewable gas fleet fueling solutions, air blowers, industrial chillers, process filtration, quality air products, and 24/7 service, including remote monitoring and auditing capabilities. Atlas Copco Compressors is your local, national, and global partner for all your compressed and gas air needs. Atlas Copco Compressors’ promise is your goals are our goals. We fully understand that manufacturers cannot achieve their sustainability goals and maximize today’s efficiency without an efficient compressed air and gas system. To under-pin this commitment, Atlas Copco was the first air compressor company to sign up to Science Based Targets (SBTi). It’s all about doing more and taking customers on the connected efficiency journey. Meaning going further and deeper in every aspect of our offering a promise that extends way beyond products.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Axiflow Technologies, Inc. P.O. Box 17510, Tampa, FL 33682 USA Phone: 1-855-Axiflow Email: info@axiflowtechnologies.com www.axiflowtechnologies.com Axiflow Technologies is a U.S. based corporation that specializes in Sanitary Twin Screw Pumps. Twin Screw Pumping Technology is the use of two intermeshing feed screws, timed for non-contacting and rotating in opposite directions to create product flow. Axiflow has 3 locations including an R&D Pilot Plant and Engineering facility in Charlotte NC and Fabrication Facility in Tampa FL. Twin Screw is all we do! One significant benefit of Twin Screw Pumping Technology is the capability of the pump to operate at a given speed for the process conditions and then operate at a higher speed to perform the required Clean In Place (CIP) condition. This 2 in 1 capability simplifies the system to one pump and eliminates the need for the separate CIP By-Pass. There are several other process benefits which include low product shear, virtually pulse free, gentle pumping of soft solids, low NPSHr, high vacuum capability and others. Why should a customer consider Axiflow first and foremost for their Positive Displacement pump applications? Axiflow personnel has over 100 combined years of process and pumping experience in Food, Beverage, Dairy, Plant Based Foods and Pharma Industries, with the largest Sanitary Twin Screw Pump installed base and inventory in North America. The many applications handled over the years enable Axiflow to use their experience to help avoid pitfalls and assist our customers in determining the best processing solutions. Our Maintenance Technicians provide on-site start up and maintenance training support when needed. Axiflow Technologies has a vast array of pump sizes and configurations available for either On-Site Testing or Rental. The typical free trial is 3 weeks from the date of shipment with only shipping cost incurred.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Bepex International 333 Taft Street NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413 Phone: 612-331-4370 Email: info@bepex.com www.bepex.com Bepex manufactures custom continuous solids processing equipment and systems Where do we come in? We partner with your experts in research & development, business development, and business operations early in the new product development stages. We work with your team to accelerate development while simultaneously designing a continuous process for commercial production. Your Process Development Playground Our greatest strength is our Process Development Center in Minneapolis, MN. This is where new ideas, products, and technologies are brought to life in a pilotscale setting. We can design, develop, and test new continuous processing systems, making tweaks to put together the best solution for your material. Thermal Processing We are the experts in solids drying and thermal processing. Our customers make us their first call when evaluating a new thermal project because we can make quick and accurate assessments of their material and requirements, and advise on the most applicable technology for developmental testing. Agglomeration With solutions for both dry (pressure) and wet agglomeration, we can dial in your density, particle size, solubility, and other key material characteristics. Size Reduction We offer a line of grinding equipment that can produce particles ranging from ½” down to a D(50) of 3µm. Our technologies range from large block grinders that decrease downstream cook time, to an air classifying mill capable of drying and micronizing solids simultaneously.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Big-D Construction - National Food & Beverage 5768 S 1475 E, Ogden, UT, 84403 USA Phone: 801-415-6030 Email: fmcnabb@big-d.com www.big-d.com THINK BIG, WORK BIG, LIVE BIG We have an appetite to build and a zeal for success. Since our first project for Western General Dairies in 1967, our annual revenue has grown to nearly billion, with Cold Storage, Distribution Centers and Food Processing facilities making up a significant portion of this revenue. And we are hungry for more. A Language All its Own Food and Beverage facilities are built on a language of their own – where critical control means systematically identifying, assessing, and controlling health hazards – from construction to production. We speak it. Without a hint of an accent. In fact, we are fluent in Food Processing Plant language, not just Construction language. Besides the value of understanding your product requirements, we have purchasing power with national vendors/subcontractors in dairy brick acid resistant tile, specialty flooring, insulated metal panels, refrigeration systems, sanitary drains, low temp doors, dock equipment, and numerous other specialty construction products/trades. Menu of Capabilities Our company understands the needs and demands of your facility and the requirements to comply with regulatory requirements and plant specifics such as FSMA, GMP, HACCP, PSM/RMP, and other programs. The ingredients for success for our customers includes Dairy rocessing lants • Food everage Facilities • emodels • Expansions • Additions • Low-Temp Facilities Manufacturing Distribution Facilities • Tilt-Up Construction • Green Field • rown Field • LEED Sustainable • Service rojects • Maintenance Support • Strategically lanned Shutdown Support Services hether it’s a renovation addition at an existing facility, a cold storage distribution facility, or a processing plant, the focus of our company has never wavered from its roots in this specialized industry.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Busch Vacuum Solutions 516 Viking Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 USA Phone: 800-872-7867 Email: info@buschusa.com www.buschusa.com Busch has been providing innovative vacuum solutions to businesses of all sizes for more than six decades. From large food corporations to small and mid-size enterprises, we are your go-to-source for all your vacuum needs. We take pride in our collaborative appproach to developing and delivering the best vacuum solutions in the industry. Our aim is to ensure our customers get exactly what they need, when they need it. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? • Save costs with the right technology for your process. • mprove manufacturing and output with uni ue solutions. • ncrease employee productivity by streamlining processes. • Safeguard manufacturing operations with digital services. • rotect the environment with demand-driven vacuum pumps. Let us help you tackle your challenges. OU O E ODUCTS • Large acuum ump ortfolio • lowers Compressors • Custom and Standard acuum Systems • Spare arts, Oil Accessories • Measurement E uipment OU AT O DE SE CES • On-call Field Service • Convenient Service Centers • revent downtime with ump Exchange • Factory Direct epair Overhaul • reventative Maintenance • Digital Condition Monitoring

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) Springfield, MO | Grand Prairie, TX | Durham, NC | Modesto, CA Phone: 417-831-1411 Email: sales@csidesigns.com www.csidesigns.com Central States Industrial (CSI) is an engineering, design, and fabrication partner for hygienic liquid processors, providing value-added process components for the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries. The CSI team includes experienced process engineers, project managers, and designers. They listen, analyze, and problem-solve every project regardless of size to ensure a successful outcome. CSI utilizes 3D scanning to provide clients with a preview of their system before fabrication begins. AR and VR technology are also employed, allowing clients to review and critique the system development process. Experienced and certified craftsmen, combined with ASNT Level II inspectors, ensure components and equipment meet regulatory industry standards. Various custom equipment is offered, such as Clean-in-Place (CIP), process skids, utility stations, transfer panels, holding tubes, valve manifolds, jacketed tubing, pump carts, and more! CIP systems are scalable to meet your needs today and in the future by using smart machine technology to enhance performance, flexibility, and reporting. CSI’s process systems are designed to solve existing hygienic process issues and optimize new processes. Systems are skid-mounted, built on time, pre-tested, and ready for utility hookup to avoid costly delays. CSI has four warehouses across the United States for the distribution of sanitary processing equipment and installation materials, including fittings, pumps, valves, tubing, and instrumentation. Complete lines of corrosion-resistant Super Alloys™ AL-6XN® and Hastelloy® C-22® are stocked. Processors, OEMs, mechanical and electrical contractors, engineering firms, and resellers in the processing industry turn to Central States Industrial for its breadth of experience, expertise, and innovation. Find more information at csidesigns.com.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Cleveland Gear Company 3249 East 80th Street. Cleveland, OH 44104 USA Phone: 800/641-9000 Email: sales@clevelandgear.com www.clevelandgear.com The Cleveland Gear Company has been manufacturing gears for over 100 years. An early member of AGMA, Cleveland is a pioneer and world leader in worm gear technology. Today, Cleveland Gear manufactures all types of open gearing including: helical, double helical, spur & worm gear. We also provide a wide variety of enclosed gear drives: Helical shaft-mount & Screw Conveyor, Standard worm-gear reducers (1.3” to 36” C.D.), Standard parallel shaft and Custom enclosed drives. NEW products include Cleanline Worm Gear Reducers and Stainless Steel Worm Gear Reducers. The new Cleanline series is our Modular cast iron reducers with Stainless Steel epoxy paint & primer, stainless steel shafts, Viton seals, SS motor fasteners and H1 food grade oil lubricant. This Cleanline series is available in both single reduction and double reduction models. Assembled to order in 5 to 7 days ARO. Cleveland recently launched its Stainless Steel Worm Gear Speed Reducer offering for the Food & Beverage markets. PRODUCT FEATURES INCLUDE: • Cast SS ousing, Covers Motor Flanges. • SS Solid ollow Output Shafts. • O-ring sealed earing Covers Motor Flanges. • Double lip, Spring loaded Encapsulated iton seals. • All fasteners are SS solid cap screws all housing plugs are SS male type. • Every unit includes a Mounting Accessory it SS motor mounting bolts, SS breather vent & O-ring to provide a positive seal between the motor & gearbox flange. • STA LESS EDUCE S A E ASSEM LED TO O DE T E USA S IN 3 TO 4 DAYS

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Columbia Machine 107 Grand Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661 USA Phone: 360/694-1501 Email: pallsales@colmac.com www.palletizing.com Flexible Product Handling Columbia’s conventional palletizers are the most flexible palletizing solutions available and handle virtually every package type, including shrink bundles with and without a pad, plastic totes, high CG, unwrapped trays, and more. Part of the flexibility comes from Columbia’s ability to provide zero time changeover from one SKU or package type to the next. Industry Leading Standard Safety Features Columbia’s standard safety package contains Category 3 electrical safety components, including dual circuit safety interlocks & full height light curtains. This safety package provides a fully guarded, Performance Level D palletizer to keep your employees safe while enhancing OEE and production demands. Complete System Integration Columbia Machine manufactures conventional high speed, high level, floor level and robotic palletizers, load transfer stations and provides complete system design and integration. With the most flexible and modern palletizing solutions available, Columbia is the leading palletizer solutions provider in North America. High Performance AND Sustainability Columbia has a palletizing solution for virtually any application, each equipped with standard features designed to safely maximize OEE, throughput and uptime.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Columbia/Okura LLC. 301 Grove Street, Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: +1 877 204 7444 Email: COLLCSales@colmac.com www.columbiaokura.com Columbia/Okura LLC is a robotic palletizing integrator, applying expert knowledge and tools to solve customers’ “End of Line” production challenges for a diverse range of businesses, products, and applications. The historical success of our company can be attributed to an exclusive focus on end of line palletizing systems and applications. Columbia/Okura LLC offers robotic palletizing solutions comprised of dynamic products and services aimed at increasing our customers end-of-line packaging efficiency, promoting safety, and reducing their overall cost of production. Like all industrial robots, Columbia/Okura robots are programmable, automating tasks that are often repetitive or harmful to workers. They have the ability to lift and move heavy loads quickly while keeping products safe and stacking them to be shipped or even neatly to be sold in stores. The Columbia/Okura miniPAL® is a collaborative palletizing robot built for flexibility and ease of use. It features a range of cobots by Universal Robots, that can handle up to 30KG. The miniPAL® is equipped with Pally software, an intuitive pattern-building program—created in partnership with Rocketfarm—that is easy to operate and program for various product types, including cases, spot packs, trays, bundles, and plastic bags. With 25 years of equipment design and system integration experience, we have the knowledge to offer the right solution for the job. We offer complete and professional services; from initial system design proposals through project start-up and commissioning, as well as after sales support. Our integrated lines offer an end-to-end solution for fully automated bagging and robotic palletizing line solutions from a single, US-based, OEM provider. Our service offering includes integration of manual bagging machines, open-mouth bagging machines, valve bag fillers, air packers, impeller packers, and pallet dispensers.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Coperion & Coperion K-Tron 606 N Front St, Salina, Ks 67401/USA Phone: 785/825-1611 Email: info@coperion.com www.coperion.com/food Coperion delivers modern food and pet food processing solutions for global food manufacturers that are searching for partners in system, component, and equipment supply. The extensive application experience and design expertise offered by Coperion stands out with highly knowledgeable and trained extrusion, feeding, conveying and material handling experts who understand the importance of process efficiency and food safety. Coperion specializes in twin screw food extrusion and material handling components such as rotary and diverter valves specially designed for hygienic applications. The ZSK twin screw food extruders can be used for various applications such as cereals, snacks, plant-based meat alternatives and pet treats. The Coperion K-Tron line of feeders provides the highest degree of accuracy in ingredient and product delivery to optimize ingredient cost savings, process stability, and reliability as well as consistent product quality. Coperion K-Tron also offers a wide variety of pneumatic receivers, product pick-up components, and unique quick-release bin vents for silos and large bins. The pneumatic conveying systems include a wide array of solutions comprising dense or dilute phase conveying, pressure or vacuum systems, in-line sieving and blender loading and much more. Stronger Together – The Coperion Food, Health and Nutrition Division has combined the technology strengths and capabilities of leading brands in the food and pet food industries to better serve global food manufacturers – Baker Perkins, Bakon, Coperion, Coperion K-Tron, Diosna, Gabler Engineering, Kemutec, Peerless, Schenck Process FPM, Shaffer, Shick Esteve, Unifiller, and VMI – experts in ingredient automation, extrusion, feeding, material handling, predough systems, mixing, and depositing technologies. www.coperion.com/FHN

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 CRB 1251 NW Briarcliff Parkway, Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64116 USA Phone: 877-4-CRBUSA Email: info@crbgroup.com www.crbgroup.com Safe, high-quality, value-driven food + beverage facilities fuel your growth and success. Scale up a small process or expand and improve a large-scale operation. No matter your size or goals, you need an adaptable facility that quickly responds to consumers’ constantly changing tastes and meets increasingly strict regulatory standards. Get engineering, architecture, construction, consulting and control systems integration solutions to help you: > Increase production rates > Optimize energy efficiency > Improve speed to market > Achieve food safety compliance Have confidence in your project knowing that we understand the intricacies of your operating environment and the complexity of your industry. From planning to production, you’ll get a safe facility that meets your budget and requirements, minimizes long-term operating costs and maximizes your return on investment. Quality food + beverage products rely on excellent processing plant design and construction. Deliver the best products to your community and the world with our help. ENGINEERING | ARCHITECTURE | CONSTRUCTION | CONSULTING

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Delkor Systems, Inc. 4300 Round Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55112 Phone: 800-328-5558 Email: info@delkorsystems.com www.delkorsystems.com PACKAGE DESIGN TEAM In addition to advanced robotic cartoning and case packing systems, Delkor has a full package design team that is focused on the creation of shelf-ready packaging as well as other economical packaging formats. We can turn around fully printed custom package samples for your products within 48 hours. WIDE RANGE OF CASE PACKING AND CARTONING EQUIPMENT Delkor’s case packers offer versatility to address a wide range of package shapes and sizes, with rate capacity to match the latest generation of filling and bagging equipment. Delkor draws on over 50 years of history to offer perfectly integrated packaging systems & trustworthy aftermarket support to enhance your plant’s efficiency and capacity. RETAIL READY EXPERTISE Delkor can help you comply with the latest retail-ready (RRP) and shelf-ready package guidelines for major retailers including Walmart, Aldi, Kroger, Costco, and many others. With award-winning RRP designs such as the patented Delkor Cabrio Case® with over 1 billion cases produced per year, we have the ideal package solution for candy, snack foods, frozen foods, refrigerated foods, and more applications. FULLY INTEGRATED PACKAGING SYSTEMS Whether you’re packing flexible or rigid products, Delkor smooths your transition from package concept to production. We leverage decades of industry experience, and put our 300+ employees to work for you out of our 315,000 square foot facility! Delkor is your one-stop, turn-key packaging system provider.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Dennis Group 1537 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 USA Phone: 888.514.7270 Email: info@dennisgroup.com www.dennisgroup.com Since 2015, ENR has annually ranked us the #1 Food and Beverage Design Firm. We’ve built a specialized team who understands the unique challenges faced by food manufacturers and how to solve them. From small-scale studies to large greenfields and everything in between, we have the internal resources to support you. Our more than 700 employees spend every day working on food and beverage projects, and our project managers average more than two decades of experience in the food industry. We specialize in: • Food Safety and FS CA Food Safety Certification Training • roject Definition • Facility rocess Audits • Site Search • Sustainability, Energy Audits, and Carbon Master lanning • Civil, Structural, Architecture • Mechanical • Electrical • lumbing • astewater • rocess Design • efrigeration Design • Modeling Simulation • Automation • ackaging ntegration • roject Management • rocurement • Construction Management •C Contact us today to discuss your next project. Let’s build something together.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Deville Technologies, LLC USA: 8911 58th Place, Kenosha, WI 53144 | 3150 Guenette, Montreal, Quebec Phone: 866/404-4545 Email: info@devilletechnologies.com www.devilletechnologies.com Deville Technologies combines its extensive years of experience with an innovative mindset to supply state-of-the-art hygienic food cutting solutions to clients worldwide. We are committed to manufacturing equipment that provides increased uptime and yield without compromising cut quality and hygiene. Our consultive approach remains constant - no matter the size of the company. We work with companies ranging from Fortune 500 members to small entrepreneurs requiring sanitary, durable, practical, and efficient food cutting equipment. Deville’s cutting-edge technology coupled with traditional craftsmanship, quality materials and hygienic principles, allow us to deliver cutting solutions that provide high performance with low maintenance. Deville has two state-of-the-art Client Centers so that clients may run trials with our equipment without incurring the cost of halted operations. Our detailed trial reports provide the necessary data to review cut quality, options and gain an understanding of the impact our sanitary cutting equipment will have on their business; all of which assist informed investment decisions. Our technical experts are always available to meet our client’s needs; whether it be to provide telephone-based support, a customized engineering solution to solve a specific challenge, or to schedule an on-site visit to assist with expansion planning. We have an inventory of genuine parts for our equipment readily available; because we understand the cost of recurring labor for replacing parts can quickly consume a maintenance budget.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Douglas Machines Corp. 4500 110th Ave N. Clearwater, FL 33762 Phone: 727/461-3477 Email: info@dougmac.com www.dougmac.com ADVANCED WASHING AND SANITIZING SYSTEMS A leading container washing and sanitizing systems provider specializing in designing and manufacturing innovative solutions industry-built to address your unique needs. Quickly and efficiently clean containers of various sizes and shapes including pans, trays, molds, screens, pallets, lugs, totes, racks, bins, vats, baskets, buckets, waste containers, scale parts, drums, and shipping/distribution containers. Discover how to proactively implement food safety compliance, lessen risk, changeover time, save time and energy, streamline manpower and throughput, grow revenue by reducing costs and increasing productivity. We can design and build a customized washing and sanitizing system for you. Our standard and custom racks help clean your containers, tools, and equipment, as well as racks specifically created to hold scale parts chutes, buckets, feeder pans, and weigh hoppers. Designed and manufactured in the USA using only the highest quality materials. With over 80 Standard models we have an effective, efficient solution to meet your processing/manufacturing requirements and budget.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Endress+Hauser 2350 Endress Place, Greenwood, IN, 46143 USA Phone: 888-ENDRESS Email: info.us@endress.com www,us.endress.com Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. They provide process solutions for flow, level, pressure, liquid analysis, gas analysis, temperature, recording and digital communications, optimizing processes in terms of economic efficiency, safety and environmental impact. The company serves a variety of industries, including chemical, oil & gas, food & beverage, water & wastewater, life sciences, power & energy, and primaries & metals. Endress+Hauser, a Switzerland-based company, was founded in 1953, and expanded operations to the U.S. in 1970. More than 80% of all Endress+Hauser instruments ordered and shipped within the U.S. are manufactured in the U.S. This means customers can rely on Endress+Hauser to deliver the products they need quickly. This strong manufacturing base is complimented by a complete network of sales partners and service locations to support its customers – wherever their instruments are installed. Premium services, customized solutions, project management and IIoT applications round out Endress+Hauser’s offering, helping customers gain efficiency, increase quality and maximize plant availability.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 EnSight Solutions LLC 549 Evergreen Road | Strafford, MO 65757 Phone: 417-736-2195 Email: swolfe@ensightsolutions.us www.ensightsolutions.us At EnSight Solutions, we are dedicated to designing and building quality, hygienic food processing solutions that can help organizations move, shape, mix and blend product and automate processes. EnSight Solutions comprises the Bridge Manufacturing Company, Likwifier and A-One Manufacturing–three storied brands with more than 100 years of combined food processing experience. In addition, the EnSight team–from our sales representatives to our engineers to our manufacturing team–are well-versed in the food processing industry, hygienic designs and the challenges face, such as staffing shortages, washdown procedures and safe food handling. This means that when food processors work with the EnSight team in search of a new food processing machine, they can expect the highest level of expertise and professionalism. It also means that instead of just getting a standard, assemblyline machine, they can expect a full turnkey solution that helps improve processes, efficiency and safety while also reducing downtime. EnSight Solutions offers a variety of food processing solutions, including hygienically designed conveyors, high-shear mixers, dumpers, carts, shapers, slitters, tenderizers and blenders. In addition, EnSight has a dedicated automation and robotics team who can also help organizations integrate food-grade robotics systems into their processes. Move, shape, mix and blend–EnSight can help you share your special product with the world.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 ERIEZ 2200 Asbury Road. Erie, PA 16506 USA Phone: 814/835-6000 Email: eriez@eriez.com www.eriez.com Your Best Defense Against Metal Contamination Whether it’s protecting equipment from damage, or ensuring your consumer products are free of metal contaminants, Eriez offers equipment and systems to protect product purity and increase the efficiency of your process--from the moment ingredients enter your plant to the time the end product ships from your dock. Eriez’ wide range of Metal Detectors, Magnetic Separators and Vibratory Feeders, Screeners and Conveyors are designed for the unique needs of the food manufacturing industry. Eriez Metal Detectors set the standard for “bestinclass” performance and offers the greatest dollar-for-dollar value of any detector on the market. This featurerich, multi-frequency unit is designed to achieve the highest levels of sensitivity to detect small ferrous and non-ferrous metal contaminant. Magnetic Separators — Eriez, the world leader in magnetic separation technology, offers the widest selection of permanent and electromagnetic equipment to remove ferrous contaminants from any process application. From purifying powder with a Dry Vibratory Magnetic Filter to removing steel fragments in a grain chute with a low-cost ProGrade grate magnet, Eriez has a solution for every process. Our line of Magnetic Separators effectively draw out fine tramp metal along critical points of your production line. These separators— including Plates, Grates and Traps—come in different styles and magnetic strengths, so you can choose the right product for your particular needs. Feeders..For Every Application —Looking to feed, convey, meter or screen a food product? Start with Eriez’ line of Electromagnetic and Mechanical Feeders, designed for everything from bulk granular ingredients, fine fluffy powders and sticky or even leafy food products. Our line of compact electromagnetic feeders are used for everything from simple metering to moving difficult leafy products, powder/talc or gummies, as well as high-speed packaging and high material load applications.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 ESI Group USA 950 Walnut Ridge Drive I Hartland, WI 53029 Phone: 866-369-3535 Email: sales@esigroupusa.com www.esigroupusa.com ESI Group is a nationally recognized design, engineering, and construction services firm for climate-controlled facilities. Our team specializes in food and beverage processing and storage solutions to improve efficiencies, mitigate costs, and ensure compliance. Since 1991, our design-build team has completed over 500 quality food facility projects with five million square feet, achieving LEED. Our sole focus is on foodautomated warehouses, cold storage facilities, food distribution, and specialty food manufacturing and processing facilities, including ultra-low temperature projects in the Pharma-Cold space. This includes companies who work in bakery and snacks, meat, poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, ingredients, and prepared and frozen foods. Our design and construction team provides site search and evaluation, process layout, simulation and visualization, facility layout and design, material handling analysis, and construction management. Our Single Source, Three Phase Approach streamlines communication, accelerates project completion and lowers overall costs. By managing each project from concept to completion, ESI Group can ensure a Guaranteed Maximum Price and commit to your facility meeting or exceeding industry standards. These factors and our first-rate safety record are crucial to maintaining an 85 percent rate of repeat customers. We take pride in our history, experience, and long-term partnerships. Our success is driven by providing value to help you build, manage, and grow your business. We put our customers first, so you can put your customers first! To learn more about our cold storage and processing solutions, visit ESIGroupUSA.com.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 FlexLink Systems, Inc. 6580 Snowdrift Road, Allentown, PA 18106 Phone: 610/973-8200 Email: info.us@flexlink.com www.flexlink.com Factory automation solutions from FlexLink, a Coesia company, increase the overall efficiency of production by minimizing throughput time. Our standardized solutions have a strong impact on factory performance and capability to meet the labor challenges of today. Our solutions are reconfigurable, reusable and requires minimal maintenance with low power consumption. FlexLink’s team of experienced experts can propose a customized solution according to your needs. We deliver all sizes of projects – from simple part deliveries to large and complex turn-key solutions. Our approach is based on streamlining the material and information flows in a production process to maximize the value of the process and minimize all potential losses. Automated palletizing with FlexLink palletizers (RC10, RC12 and RI20) helps reduce the workload of your employees. Using robotic palletizing solutions enables you to achieve effective and sustainable benefits by fully automating physically demanding and time-consuming tasks. FlexLink serves a wide customer base, from local producers to global corporations, and from end-users to machine manufacturers. Our customers are lead players within the food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and electronics industries. Global support is provided by our operating units in 30 countries and a network of Strategic Partners. Our partner network is an important strategic element for FlexLink’s business model since our start in 1980, enabling us to enhance efficiency at factories in more than 60 countries. FlexLink is part of Coesia, a group of innovation-based industrial and packaging solutions companies operating globally, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. www. coesia.com

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 FOCKE & CO 5730 Millstream Road, Whitsett, NC 27377 Phone: (336) 449-7200 Email: sales@fockegso.com www.snacks.focke.com About FOCKE & CO FOCKE & CO is an international leading engineering company for packaging machines within the tobacco, food, savoury snacks and hygiene industry. With more than 60+ years in business, we are proud to offer high-level machinery with top technology. FOCKE & CO is well recognized for providing engineering solutions for primary packaging, end-of-line packaging and palletizing. Snack Packing Solutions FOCKE & CO’s case packers offer careful handling alongside the flexibility to accommodate american case, tray, and tray-with-lid packaging. In fact, our machines – such as the HFP Base (Highly Flexible Packer) – provide multiple pack configurations that normally cannot be achieved with a typical case packer. And like all our machines, it stands true to our corporate philosophy to provide packaging machines that: - Conform to the highest quality standards and - Stand out for their efficient production, reliability, and longevity. With a clean machine concept and a compact footprint, our HFP Base is designed to fit perfectly into typical snack food production lines. Sales and Service Worldwide With sales and service centers worldwide, FOCKE & CO has the capabilities to deliver local technical support, training, and spare parts. FOCKE & CO has repeatedly set new benchmarks in terms of output and product quality. Our ground-breaking technologies in the field of motion control combined with components featuring extreme dimensional accuracy are highly acclaimed in the industry. This is why we are the leader in Packaging Solutions.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 FoodSafe Drains 100 McPhillips St, Winnipeg, MB R3E 2J7, Canada Phone: (855) 497-7508 Email: info@foodsafedrains.com www.foodsafedrains.com As a food processor, we know your number one priority is cleanliness, which is why we build drainage systems that are sanitary and safe for all types of food production applications. We can help with drainage systems that stand up to the roughest wear, keep both your floor and products bacteria-free, and are easy to clean. Whatever your application, we have the custom drainage solutions to fit your unique needs. FoodSafe Slot Drain - People, equipment, and your products are constantly moving, and your floor needs to stay safe. That means you need drainage that is bacteria-resistant, durable, and easy to clean to sanitation standards — you need a Slot Drain system. Our Slot Drain systems are built to integrate into your existing workflow and equipment placement and feature no-niche designs that are easy to clean, with options to suit all applications. FoodSafe Trench Drain - When solid materials accumulate and plug a drain, it can create backups, which can cause accidents and delays in your workflow. With several design options to choose from, you can safely, quickly, and easily dispose of solids. FoodSafe Area Drain - Standing water can cause a multitude of issues in your facility, from bacterial accumulation to accidents, terrible odors, and worse. Our area drains can help make your facility more hygienic, safer, and can help reduce nasty odors. FoodSafe area drains also feature tamper-proof strainers, allowing you to protect your facility by ensuring that only designated employees can access them. Contact us today to talk about any upcoming projects - our drainage experts are ready to assist!

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 FPS Food Process Solutions Corp Suite #110, 13911 Wireless Way Richmond, BC V6V 3B9 Canada Phone: 604-232-4145 Email: sales@fpscorp.ca www.fpscorp.ca FPS Food Process Solutions is a global leader in turn-key food freezing and chilling solutions. We provide innovative systems to ensure the highest efficiencies and to meet the most stringent sanitary demands. These factors transform into superior food quality, lowered total cost of ownership, and maximized profits. We are truly realizing our core vision – to provide full End-to-End Solutions – by growing the FPS Global Family to meet and even exceed true excellence in the food processing industry. By providing best-in-class turn-key solutions, we ensure our customers’ products are managed through every step of the production process. Combined with our subsidiaries Charlottetown Metal Products Ltd. and GEM Equipment of Oregon Inc., our equipment are designed to seamlessly integrate and create full processing lines, from infeed to processing to packaging. FPS are with you every step of the way. Our full End-to-End product offering includes: • Spiral Freezers and Chillers • Spiral mmersion System S S ™ • F Tunnels and French Fry Tunnels • mpingement Tunnels • Carton CF and ariable etention Multi ass M Freezers • Fryers lanchers atter Systems • Conveyors Tote andling Spirals Thermal Solutions roduct andling FPS employs over 900 staff around the world. Established in 2010, the company has a combined 800,000sq. ft of space in 20 locations including its Canadian headquarters, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities as well as international sales offices across six continents.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Frain Industries 245 East North Avenue, Carol Stream, IL 60188 Phone: 630-756-5412 Email: sales@frain.com www.frain.com From kettles, bins and totes to extruders, granulators, hoppers and boilers, Frain has a wide range of plug and play production ready processing equipment in stock and ready to ship in days – not weeks or months. This allows you to get your manufacturing process up and running faster so you can beat your competitors to the market. Equipment Rentals: Invest only in what you need when you need it with processing equipment rentals from Frain. We carry NEW equipment from over 65 industry-leading OEMs that ship fully tested so you can begin production faster and more efficiently. Ideal for seasonal items, special edition products and new product development, Frain’s processing machinery rental program allows firms to conserve capital and maximize profit. No long-term commitment necessary. Pay As You Go: With Frain’s Pay As You Go flexible capital program, you’ll only pay for processing equipment as you use it. There’s no leasing and no large capital investment. Instead, you’ll have the financial flexibility to invest in more projects, take more chances and get products to market faster – and all on your schedule. Consulting & Technical Support: Professional setup, inspection, repair, and training are all part of the Frain difference. All Frain rentals and purchases come with up to 8 hours of technical training from Frain engineers to get you started – and we’re standing by to help with other maintenance and service to keep operations humming. Contact Frain: For more information on Frain and to inquire about the next piece of equipment for your processing line, contact us today at 630-756-5412 or visit www.frain. com. Need new packaging equipment? Frain can help with that too.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Freudenberg FST GmbH Hoehnerweg 2-4, 69469 Weinheim, Germany Phone: +4962019607700 Email: fps@fst.com www.fst.com | www.foodandbeverage.fst.com “We are the experts for the food and beverage industry. Our job and aspiration is to provide you with the best possible sealing solutions.“ Small parts, large loads. Seals have to withstand heat, cold, grease, acids, CIP/ SIP media and much more besides. Plus, they not only need to meet the most stringent hygiene requirements, they must also be easy to clean. Choosing the wrong sealing solution can quickly lead to leakage and hygiene problems. Not at our company though. At Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, we have worked for decades on developing and continually improving sealing solutions and their high-quality materials to benefit your business. Through greater flexibility of use; through the reassurance of having an expert by your side; or simply through respectful collaboration, in which both sides contribute their expertise to find the best possible solution. If you think that sounds interesting, we look forward to talking to you.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Fristam Pumps USA 2410 Parview Road Middleton, WI 53562 Phone: 800-841-5001 Email: fristam@fristampumps.com www.fristam.com/usa Fristam is the leading manufacturer of high-performance stainless steel pumps, blenders, and mixers. Our equipment is designed for precision and durability to outlast and outperform all others. Made in the USA with quick delivery times. Blenders and Mixers: Fristam’s Powder Mixer tabletop system provides quick and thorough, repeatable blending of wet and dry ingredients into a fluid stream, with the ability to handle 1 to 1,000,000 cps. Our Shear Blenders remove agglomerates and prevent lumps and masses in product while reducing raw material usage and processing times. They easily and affordably improve existing mixing set-ups too, when placed after a mix tank they disperse any unblended particles. Twin Screw Pumps: Our versatile FDS Series Twin Screw pump handles both product transfer and CIP duties, eliminating the need for extra CIP pumps and piping. It transfers a wide range of products gently and reliably, from thick to thin, chunky to smooth, and fast to slow. Positive Displacement Pumps: Fristam offers the widest selection of PD pumps, including heavy-duty, high-pressure; gentle, low-pulsation; and high-suction models. Our FKL Series is built to last with heavy-duty construction that ensures hassle-free operation. The standard FKL is CIP’able with all parts in, a COP version is also available. Centrifugal Pumps: Fristam centrifugal pumps serve as the industry benchmark for quiet, efficient, low-maintenance operations. They include standard-duty, heavy-duty, high-pressure, front-loading seal and self-priming centrifugal pumps. At Fristam, we know one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why we offer a wide selection of pumps, blenders and mixers and employ an expert staff of application engineers to help you make the right choice the first time, and every time.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 GEA North America 9165 Rumsey Rd. Columbia, MD 21045 Phone: 844-432-2329 Email: sales.northamerica@gea.com www.gea.com From raw bulk materials discharge, to filling and packaging finished product in the container of your choice — and every process in between — GEA can engineer, manufacture and install the most appropriate equipment to suit your product handling requirements. GEA has long specialized in the field of filling and packaging applications, offering design, manufacture, installation and start-up services throughout the world. The GEA SmartPacker TwinTube offers a combined output of 500 bags per minute and can now handle pillow bags up to 160 mm in width. Capable of running mono material or paper-based bags, it provides manufacturers with new ways to demonstrate sustainability to their customers. Available on our PowerPak thermoformers, GEA LeakCheck and OxyCheck are inline quality-control systems that can be integrated to verify the oxygen (O2) content of all MAP packages and identify leaks after the form-fill-seal process. We also offer filling solutions for sensitive and non-sensitive beverages. Our GEA Visitron Filler ALL-IN-ONE is an ideal choice for small- and medium-sized beverage manufacturers wishing to bottle and can on just one machine. Customers packaging sensitive beverages can rely on the variety of top-class sterilization technologies. As an example, the GEA ABF 2.0 combines an aseptic blow molding module with aseptic filler and capper modules and features dry hydrogen peroxide-based sterilization technology for preforms and caps. Powder packaging is another GEA specialty. Our range of multi-wall bag/sack fillers is designed to pack powdered products at rates from less than 1 ton/h up to more than 12 ton/h with an accuracy better than 10 g (0.35 oz).

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Gericke USA, Inc. 14 Worlds Fair Drive, Suite C, Somerset, NJ 08873-1364 USA Phone: 855/888.0088 Email: sales.us@gerickegroup.com www.GerickeGroup.com Gericke is a fourth-generation, family-owned company offering a complete range of state-of-the-art equipment and expert engineering services for the automated handling of dry, bulk raw materials from the railcar, silo or bulk bag through to the processing and filling lines. The company custom-designs, manufactures, installs and services pneumatic conveying systems, sifters, feeders, mixers, valves, bag handling stations and other products and accessories. Founded by Walter H. Gericke in 1894 in Zurich, Switzerland, the company operates nine facilities in Europe, Asia, South America and North America, including the Gericke USA headquarters in Somerset, New Jersey, encompassing, design engineering, manufacturing, assembly, testing, sales and technical services. Only Gericke offers the scale, capabilities and experience of a worldwide organization with the handson, personal attention, care and concern for each customer of a family company. Complete Line of Sanitary, Dry Process Equipment Gericke offers food-grade bulk processing equipment and systems to promote the safe, sanitary, dust-free transport and secure storage of ingredients for food, beverage, nutraceutical and other products. Its GMS Multiflux® batch mixer has earned acclaim for achieving maximum homogeneity quickly with a gentle mixing action that protects fragile ingredients. Similarly, the Pulse-Flow™ PTA dense phase pneumatic conveying system has become standard equipment for gently transporting fragile ingredients up to hundreds of yards, whether powdered, granular, coarse or agglomerated. The Gericke Nibbler for deagglomeration and other size reduction needs features an optional proprietary advance that helps safeguard against combustible dust issues. Free Test Gericke offers free material testing services in its test laboratory at the company’s Somerset, New Jersey headquarters. For a test with your material, facility tour or quote, call 855/888.0088 x 805 or see GerickeGroup.com.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Graphalloy 1050 Nepperhan Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10703 Phone: 914/968-8400 Email: sales@graphalloy.com www.graphalloy.com FDA Acceptable GRAPHALLOY® Bushings eliminate maintenance and frequent replacements in food applications. Graphalloy is self-lubricating and requires no grease or oil, performs in temperatures from –400°F (-240°C) to +1000°F (535°C), works submerged in low viscosity and corrosive liquids, and there is no lubricant loss in steam or pressure wash. A bakery oven OEM was using rolling element bearings on the conveyor circuit of a tunnel oven with a temperature range from 450°F to 650°F. To reach these bearings, mechanics would have to crawl over the oven belt when the machine was shut down, thus causing damage and presenting a safety risk. Another issue was caustic washdowns that rusted the ball bearings. In some applications, bearing life was as little as 2 weeks. They were researching solutions when they discovered GRAPHALLOY. Graphalloy self-lubricating bushing materials thrive in high temperature environments, handle caustic washdowns, and are maintenance-free. These Graphalloy bushings in stainless steel pillow block housings have been running in this application for several years with no issues. A seafood processing plant in the Southeast was running a conveyor in their freezer area to “flash-freeze” fresh seafood. The environment is a difficult one: The temperature is cold (28°F/-2°C) and wet and the system requires frequent washdown. The conveyor bearings were being replaced every month. The plant maintenance superintendent contacted GRAPHALLOY about the problem. It was determined that the current bearings could not hold lubrication under these conditions and, as a result, breakdowns were occurring frequently. Graphalloy 4-bolt flange block assemblies were installed and have been running successfully for more than five years!

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Hapman 5944 E. N Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49048 Phone: 800-427-6260 Email: sales@hapman.com www.hapman.com Experience efficiency and reliability with Hapman’s top-of-the-line equipment. Designed, built, and supported in the U.S., our products ensure effortless operation, easy maintenance, and remarkable durability. With a proven track record of success in thousands of applications, we offer customized solutions for any equipment need. Product Life and Longevity: Experience equipment that is built to last, thanks to our superior engineering, fabrication, and materials. Hapman equipment has a 98.9% success rate, with some equipment still operating in the field after 35 years. Built for Serviceability: Easy maintenance is crucial to minimizing downtime. That’s why our equipment is designed for fast disassembly and hassle-free cleaning. Fast Access to Parts: Our 24/7 support ensures that you get the parts you need quickly. With $1.5 million worth of parts ready for immediate shipment, we are always standing by to help. Staff Expertise: Benefit from our broad industry expertise and deep knowledge base. Our experienced engineers are dedicated to providing professional support and delivering exceptional results. At Hapman, we’re more than just a supplier - we’re your dedicated business partner. Our goal is to earn your trust and satisfaction by providing unparalleled expertise and exceptional service.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC 85 Independence Drive, Taunton, MA 02780 USA Phone: 800/813-6644 Email: info@harpak-ulma.com www.harpak-ulma.com Looking for the lowest total cost of ownership and highest quality packaging automation solutions available for food, medical devices, and other non-food products? We can help you navigate today’s complex, rapidly changing packaging landscape. We help balance costs and functionality with innovative and emerging processes, materials, and advanced technologies; enhance your profitability and improve the performance of your primary and secondary packaging operations. Our full-service solutions address installation, training, spare parts, service and customer support. Our capabilities span thermoforming, tray sealing, flow wrap, vertical bagging, stretch, filling, blister, skin pack, and vacuum. Our automation offerings cover feeding, loading, secondary packaging, palletizing, robotics, centralized line control and tote/basket management. Our goal is to provide every G. Mondini and ULMA solution with Rockwell Automation integrated architecture and smart connectivity to reduce solution complexity and maintenance costs, while realizing better quality, capacity, and throughput. We also partner with PTC to incorporate Augmented Reality tools. It all lets us leverage data to enhance your operation and realize greater productivity and efficiency. We are focused on the environment, aiming to help you meet demand while meeting your sustainability initiatives. Our sustainable packaging options include less plastic use, thinner gauge films, optimized package sizes, reduced film scrap, and alternative packaging materials. Our customers rely on us to help them optimize their overall packaging investment, from start to finish. We offer package design and prototyping services, and can help solve production concerns with comprehensive flexible and efficient systems. We help strategize how to tackle today’s most complex packaging challenges, such as sustainability, eCommerce, robotics and digital transformation.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Haver & Boecker USA 460 GEES MILL BUSINESS CT NE, CONYERS, GA 30013 Phone: 770-760-1130 Email: INFO@HAVERUSA.COM WWW.HAVERUSA.COM Haver & Boecker USA is a leading global manufacturer of liquid fillers, bulk powder baggers, and palletizing machinery. We supply equipment using various degrees of automation and requirements for dry bulk materials and liquid products. We focus on consistent quality, weight accuracy, consistent output rates, simple operation, and user-friendly maintenance. Our aim is to provide the marketplace with high-quality machinery to get the job done right. Our machinery ranges from semi-automatic to fully automated equipment. Our product portfolio is below: Our Machinery -

Valve Bag Packers

Open-Mouth Baggers

Form-Fill-Seal Baggers

Big Bag Fillers

Drum and Tote Fillers

Pail and Canister Fillers

Conventional and Robotic Palletizers

Let us help you provide the best packaged goods for your customers.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Heat and Control, Inc. 21121 Cabot Blvd. Hayward, CA 94545 Phone: 800/227-5980 Email: info@heatandcontrol.com www.heatandcontrol.com Heat and Control®, a world-leading equipment manufacturer, offers the latest technology and the highest quality equipment for processing, coating and seasoning, conveying, weighing, packaging, inspection, and control/information systems and develops innovative solutions for production challenges. Established in 1950, they are a privately owned company and have 11 manufacturing facilities, 12 testing centers, and more than 30 offices around the world. Heat and Control builds food processing and product handling equipment for the food industry, and it can also integrate complete lines and systems, including equipment for unloading, washing, storing, seasoning, coating, cooking, frying, roasting, conveying, weighing, inspecting, and packaging. Heat and Control has partnered with other global manufacturing leaders, including Ishida (weighing packaging and inspection) and CEIA® (metal detection), and their brands include FastBack® (horizontal motion conveyors and on machine seasoning), Mastermatic (fryers), and Spray Dynamics® (coating and seasoning application systems). They can assist manufacturers with equipment for all types of food as well as provide pre- and post-sale technical support, including applications assistance, engineering, installation, parts, service, and training to maintain peak effciency. They have built an extensive knowledge bank and developed a wealth of experience and expertise with access to production and technical support from a network of engineers, food technicians, field service technicians, skilled tradespeople, and support teams to provide food and non-food manufacturers with the ability to achieve their production goals. Contact them to visit one of their demonstration centers to test products on their latest equipment.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Hiperbaric - High Pressure Processing 2250 NW 84th Ave. Unit #101, Doral, FL 33122 USA Phone: 305-639-9770 Email: marketing@hiperbaric.com www.hiperbaric.com High Pressure Processing – Food Safety. Extended Shelf Life. Clean Label. Hiperbaric is the world’s leading supplier of High Pressure Processing (HPP) equipment for the food and beverage industry. HPP technology is a non-thermal processing technique by which products are subjected to a high level of isostatic pressure to inactivate foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, extending the shelf life considerably, without the need for preservatives. HPP also preserves the quality of fresh food, opens opportunities to new markets for clean label products due to the extension of shelf life and protects brands against recalls. HPP is a highly versatile technology that can be applied to a wide range of foods: juices and beverages, meat, fish and shellfish, fruits and vegetables, wet salads, dips, and sauces, pet food products and Ready-To-Eat products. Hiperbaric industrial High Pressure Processing (HPP) units are designed to be the most reliable systems in the market, with the widest throughput range of industrial HPP machines meeting the requirements of start-ups, small-medium enterprises and large corporations. Its horizontal layout and ergonomic design simplify installation and operations. Each machine can reach up to 6,000 bar / 600 MPa / 87,000 psi. In addition to the HPP In-Pack equipment (post-packaging process), Hiperbaric offers HPP Bulk equipment for the processing of large volumes of HPP liquids before packaging. Hiperbaric also offers fully automated turnkey solutions for HPP equipment. iperbaric is head uartered in Spain, with offices in Miami, Mexico, Singapore and Australia.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Hitachi Global Air Power 1 Sullair Way Michigan City, IN 46360 Phone: 1-800-SULLAIR Email: SullairSolutions@HitachiGlobalAirPower. www.HitachiGlobalAirPower.com/Sullair Hitachi Global Air Power is a leading global industrial compressed air manufacturer. Our Sullair branded compressors are known the world over for reliability, durability and performance. We offer a complete line of oil flooded and oil free rotary screw compressors as well as portable diesel and electric air compressors for a variety of applications. We build the machines that power industry. Hitachi Global Air Power is a leading compressed air solutions manufacturer, known the world over for our Sullair brand air compressors that deliver reliability, durability and performance to customers in a wide variety of industries. We offer a complete line of innovative oil flooded and oil free rotary screw compressed air solutions with proven efficiency and reliability. We serve customers in the manufacturing, food and beverage, packaging, pharmaceutical industries and more. Sullair compressors are sold and serviced by a broad distributor network providing expert installation, maintenance and service capabilities. Visit our website to learn more about the local Sullair distributor near you. As part of Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd., our global network of engineering and quality experts are building next generation, efficient and environment-forward compressed air solutions that deliver air power when and where our customers need it.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Hörmann – Innovative Door Systems 450 Airport Road, Sparta, TN 38583 Phone: (800) 365-3667 Email: info2@hormann.us www.hormann.us At Hörmann, we offer a variety of door solutions to match every environment in your facility. From production areas, coolers & freezers, blast freezers, docks, and ramps, we have a door that will boost operational and energy efficiencies and accommodate the demands of specific material handling processes. Our roots are with the Hörmann Group, based in Germany, who has been manufacturing doors for over 80 years. With 40 highly specialized factories, and growing, as a global leader in today’s building components, Hörmann is present in over 100 individual sales locations in more than 40 countries and represented by sales partners in over 50 other countries. Today, Hörmann has manufacturing and distribution locations across the United States and Canada and manufactures a wide variety of doors including highperformance, commercial sectional, and residential garage doors.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Hydro-Thermal Corporation 400 Pilot Court, Waukesha WI 53188 Phone: 262-548-8900 Email: info@hydro-thermal.com www.hydro-thermal.com What Sets Hydro-Thermal Apart: We understand the critical importance of precise temperature control in manufacturing processes. Our unwavering commitment to delivering tailored solutions based on specific needs, applications, and desired results sets us apart. We manage all the details, from scheduling installation and training to preventative maintenance and replacement parts, ensuring a worry-free customer experience. Dedicated Service Team: Our dedicated Service Team is available for installation and support, to ensure our customers are always covered. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities manufacture all products in the USA within an ISO-certified facility, ensuring the highest level of quality for an extra layer of peace of mind. Efficiency and Innovation: Our innovative technology, Direct Steam Injection (DSI), offers a range of benefits that outperform traditional heat exchangers. Our DSI heaters modulate the steam at the injection point, providing exceptional heat transfer efficiency. This results in significant energy cost savings, efficient control of process fluids, and the ability to handle high-viscosity slurries without any burn-on. Exceptional Product Range: Hydro-Thermal offers an exceptional product range, including the original Jetcooker, designed for top-tier performance. The Hydron™ Sanitary Hydroheater is our latest innovation. This 3A-certified direct steam injection cooker is designed to provide ultimate process flexibility and stability while maintaining product quality. The Hydron Sanitary Hydroheater solutions can cook thoroughly in-line or cook to a stage of completeness like parboiling, emersion cooking, or tank heating.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 IKA®- WORKS, INC. 2635 Northchase Pkwy SE Wilmington, NC 28405 USA Phone: 910-452-7059 Email: process@ika.net www.ikaprocess.com WHO WE ARE: Internationally renowned in process, laboratory and analytical technology, IKA® is the global market leader and driving force behind innovation in many product fields. Founded in 1910, the family-owned company can now look back on more than a century of company history. In the late 1940s, IKA also pioneered the first rotor/stator high shear mixing technology. The process division now produces a vast array of high shear mixers and - with over 65 years of experience - has attained a leading position for mixing, milling and dispersing solutions as well as complete engineered systems. Our high quality mixing, homogenizing, wet milling, dry milling, kneading, and turnkey equipment is widely used in the cosmetic as well as personal care industries. IKA offers first-rate quality from initial consultation to full scale production. SERVICES OFFERED: - Designing complete production systems - Modern R&D facility equipped for proof of concept testing - Performing test runs when developing new products to optimize machine choice - Trial equipment fleet consisting of over 80 stand-alone machines available for on-site trials - Planning and implementation of mechanical, electrical and pneumatic installations - Commissioning, including a processing test and training of the operating personnel - Qualification support - Technical advice for questions concerning operation, process, and maintenance of IKA machines and plants - In-house & on-site maintenance repair service technicians - Spare parts service

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Industrial Magnetics, Inc 1385 S M 75 Boyne City, MI 49712 Phone: 800-662-4638 Email: imi@magnetics.com www.Magnetics.com Industrial Magnetics is a leading force in the magnetics industry, known for its strong emphasis on customized craftsmanship, quality, and performance. Since 1961, IMI has delivered exceptional solutions to meet customer needs, resulting in the widespread adoption of magnetic equipment in manufacturing processes worldwide. IMI provides magnet options to purify your product from ferrous metal contamination and defend downstream equipment. Gravity-fed magnetic separators like the Drawer-In-Housing contains rows of round 1”, 2” or 3” magnetic tubes assembled into drawers and contained within a housing. Specialty units like The Ox® can handle magnetic separation in difficult processing conditions, such as high or low ambient temperatures, high humidity, bridging, abrasive, corrosive, or galling tendencies. IMI Magnetic Grates separate ferrous tramp metal in bins, chutes, drawers, hoppers, and enclosures. Plate Magnets are the optimal solution for angled chute applications. IMI offers the best options for liquid line production needs. The Plate Style T-Trap is ideal for carrying viscous or fibrous products through the housing without plugging. The Tube Style T-Trap is optimal for heavy-duty flow systems. Our Exposed Pole Tube protects pneumatic line system machinery and ensures purity when installed before processing equipment and bulk load outs. The Bullet® Magnet is shaped with a solid stainless steel nose cone diverter. This magnet maintains uniform velocity in line flow, allowing it to be used anywhere in your system. When it comes to making things better, Industrial Magnetics is a magnetics industry leader.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 JAX INC. N59 W13330 Manhardt Drive, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Phone: 800/782-8850 Email: info@jax.com www.jax.com Since 1955, JAX has been developing cutting-edge industrial and food grade lubrication solutions. From hydraulic and gear to compressor, conveyor, chain, and eco-friendly lubricants, we offer a comprehensive selection of top-quality grease and aerosol products – all proudly made in the United States. If you are in need of specialized, high-performing food grade lubricants for your plant, JAX has solutions for bakeries, meat packers, beverage bottlers, and many other food processing settings. Since pioneering food grade lubricants back in 1963, we’ve developed hundreds of NSF registered lubricants, backed by ISO 9001 and ISO 21460 certifications. At JAX, we have a dedicated team of technical service representatives, scientists, and chemists who are committed to providing continuous assistance for optimal equipment performance. Our field service representatives are available to provide in-plant support and offer training as needed, ensuring that your business runs smoothly. In our JAX RPM Lab, our scientific team conducts extensive research and development activities to identify products and formulas that precisely meet your specifications. Additionally, we perform in-house used oil analyses to monitor performance and promptly address any potential concerns that impact performance and longevity. Innovation is at the core of our business. We thrive on unique challenges, and our team is prepared to help you develop a tailored solution that meets your specific needs. Let us assist you in finding the perfect lubrication solution for your plant. Contact JAX today.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Key Technology, Inc. 150 Avery Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362 United States Phone: 509-529-2161 Email: product.info@key.net www.key.net Key Technology (“Key”), a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group, is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automation systems including optical sorters, conveyors, and other food processing equipment. With 75 years of experience as a food machinery supplier, Key serves dozens of industries including confectionary, fruit and vegetable, meat and poultry, nuts and more. Applying application expertise, Key helps customers improve quality, increase yield, and reduce costs. A proactive partner, Key listens closely to process challenges and offers seamlessly integrated, customized solutions that create real impact and ROI. Optical Sorting Key’s optical sorters help optimize product quality while improving yield and reducing labor. The COMPASS and VERYX optical sorters detect the color, size, shape and/or structural properties of every object to identify and remove a variety of product defects. Foreign material (FM), such as plastic, metal, glass, and paper, that may have been accidentally introduced to the production line is also removed. Food Handling Key’s food handling systems are customized to address the unique product characteristics and line requirements of processors. Key’s horizontal motion and vibratory conveyors maximize throughput efficiencies by helping to align, singulate and feed, collect and convey, de-water and de-oil, distribute product for packaging, and more.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Krones Process Group North America 9600 S. 58th Street, Franklin, WI USA 53132 Phone: (800) 816-1610 Email: kpgna-sales@krones.com www.kronesprocessgroup-na.com The Krones Process Group North America provides sanitary process system expertise backed by the global depth and experience of KRONES serving the beverage, food, dairy, HPC and pharmaceutical industries. With combined experience spanning over 170 years, Krones Process Group North unites the best process system design expertise in the industry. Our experts have combined resources and knowledge to offer our customers the highest level of quality. By offering one seamless line solution we have the horsepower to support the entire process: from engineering, to automation, to fabrication, installation, and full regional after-market Lifecycle Services support. Whether its brewhouses for beer or processing lines for beverage or consumer packaged goods, we understand each project has its own unique needs and we offer tailored solutions from a single source – no matter your location. Krones Process Group North America offers the highest quality products and services available in the industry. We are part of the KRONES global network covering every region of the world. • • • • •

Over , employees in the global service team rompt spare-parts supply Lifecycle Service for an entire line Digitalized support solutions and connectivity support

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Linde 7000 High Grove Boulevard, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 Phone: 1-844-44LINDE Email: contactus@linde.com www.lindefood.com Rapid heat removal with cryogenic liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide offers processors a variety of options that meet their processing needs. Customers working with Linde’s industrial gas and equipment systems can boost productivity and maintain high product quality targets in freezing, chilling and cooling operations. Tunnel, spiral, flighted, snowing and in-line cooling systems provide cost saving benefits to our customers. For Linde and the food processing market areas we serve, there are three unique competencies to address the needs of our customers. The focus on 1) product temperature through precise heat removing properties of cryogenic gases, 2) the scientific application knowledge of the gases and gas atmospheres acquired by servicing thousands of customers, and 3) the system support coupled with engineering experience that allow our customers to rely on Linde to help improve productivity. Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company. We live our mission of making our world more productive every day by providing high-quality gases, application technologies and services which are making our customers more successful and helping to sustain and protect our planet. The company serves a variety of end markets including chemicals & refining, food & beverage, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing and primary metals. Linde’s industrial gases are used in countless applications, from life-saving oxygen for hospitals to highpurity & specialty gases for electronics manufacturing, hydrogen for clean fuels and much more. For more information about the company and its products and services for the food processing market, please visit www.lindefood.com.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Lubriplate Lubricants Company Newark, NJ 07105 / Toledo, OH 43605 Phone: 800-733-4755 Email: LubeXpert@lubriplate.com www.lubriplate.com Back in 1870, Lubriplate’s founders set out to make the highest quality, best performing lubricants available. In doing so, they helped pioneer the use of anti-wear additives that significantly increased lubricant performance through the years. Today, that innovative tradition continues with their complete line of ultra high-performance, 100% Synthetic, NSF H1 Registered, Food Grade Lubricants. Manufactured under strict NSF/ ISO 21469 Certified and ISO 9001 Registered quality control standards, these lubricants are formulated to deliver a number of significant, cost effective advantages, including; extended lube and fluid change intervals, multiple application capability, lubricant inventory consolidation and improved performance. Clean, safe and non-toxic, their use can eliminate lubrication as a critical control point in HACCP programs. All Lubriplate Lubricants come with Lubriplate’s ESP Extra Services Package at no additional charge. Services include; a complimentary plant lubrication survey by a factory direct representative, color coded lubrication charts and machinery tags, a toll free technical support hotline and email, and follow-up lubricant analysis.

For more information contact: Lubriplate Lubricants Company Newark, NJ 07105 / Toledo, OH 43605 Phone: 800-733-4755 E-Mail: LubeXpert@lubriplate.com www.lubriplate.com

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 M&M CARNOT 412 Railroad Ave, Federalsburg, MD 21632 Phone: 410-754-8005 Email: sales@mmcarnot.com www.mmcarnot.com M&M Carnot, founded in 1960, is a pioneer and manufacturer of natural refrigerant-based products [ammonia and carbon dioxide], packages, systems, and controls. Our commercial and industrial refrigeration applications include refrigerated warehouses, food processing, wineries, dairies, arenas, pharma, data centers, and supermarkets. M&M Carnot has headquarters in Federalsburg, MD with manufacturing facilities in MD, FL and Quebec, CAN. AQUILON INDUSTRIAL Transcritical CO2 Packaged System A plug and-play transcritical CO2 industrial rack with Parallel compression and robust highpressure design. Microprocessor-based controls. Capacities 50 to 400 tons. AQUILON CHILL Transcritical CO2 Industrial Chiller Our high-pressure design eliminates the need for a backup generator and synthetic condensing unit during off-cycle. VFD on lead compressors. Cooling capacities 50 to 500 tons AQUILON DS Transcritical CO2 Condensing Unit A plug-and-play transcritical CO2 condensing unit. Featuring a power block connection for evaporators. Heat recovery options. Capacities 10 to 85 Tons. PURE CHILL Low Charge Ammonia Packaged Chiller A plug-and-play low-charge ammonia packaged chiller. Features Industrial VFD driven Sabroe compressor. PLC-based controls. Capacities 40 to 400 Tons. PURE COLD Low-Charge, Ammonia Condensing Unit A Plug-and-play low-charge ammonia condensing unit. Features dual screw compressors; VFD on lead. Water, air-cooled, or adiabatic heat rejection. PLC based controls. Capacities 30 to 100 Tons.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Material Transfer & Storage 1214 Lincoln Rd., Allegan, Michigan 49010 U.S.A. Phone: 269-673-2125 Email: sales@materialtransfer.com www.materialtransfer.com Material Transfer has been a trusted and reputable provider of advanced bulk material handling systems for more than three decades. We are focused on delivering high-quality equipment and driving process improvement to increase productivity, enhance employee safety, and improve overall efficiency. One of the key factors that sets Material Transfer apart from our competitors is our specialization and customization capabilities. We are dedicated to tailoring its solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients, ensuring that the equipment is built to last in your unique manufacturing environment. This approach ultimately provides greater value, improved efficiencies, longer machine life, and safer work environments. You can count on us to provide: Bulk Bag Filling Systems custom designed for low-, medium-, and high-volume filling applications. Bulk Bag Discharging Systems that offer advanced flow promotion, secure discharge spout closures, and effective dust control options that prioritize safety and minimize downtime. Bulk Bag Conditioners with a patented design that delivers up to 75,000 pounds of cylinder force to condition even the most severely agglomerated materials. Custom Turnkey Integrated Material Handling Systems that incorporate our highperforming bulk material handling equipment with automated auxiliary processes like conveying, material storage, feeding, weighing, and more!

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Messer Americas 200 Somerset Corporate Blvd., Suite 7000 Bridgewater, NJ, 08807 USA Phone: 800/755-9277 Email: sales@messer-us.com www.messer-us.com/food-beverage Building on decades of hands-on food industry experience, Messer delivers cryogenic solutions that help increase throughput, use labor more efficiently and support resilient supply chains. Proven at hundreds of customer sites, Messer’s differentiated technologies improve process temperature control for small-scale start-ups through large-scale operations. Over 100 Installations of Nitrogen Bottom Injection Chilling: Messer’s nitrogen bottom injection chilling system improves production, quality, and security of cryogen supply in processes traditionally offered only in carbon dioxide. Messer Delivers an Unmatched Portfolio of Freezing Technologies: Messer’s latest tunnel freezing technologies can boost production on new and existing lines for individually quick frozen (IQF) products, hot products or crust-freezing. The new Digital Freezer monitoring system offers processors more accurate process control to achieve a step change in quality, traceability, and productivity. Plus, its family of spiral freezers -- the industry’s proven workhorse -- increases throughput in a small linear footprint to meet production goals. Whether helping processors improve production in a smaller footprint, convert from carbon dioxide to nitrogen or conduct product testing onsite or at the state-of-the-art Messer Technical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, the company grows with you to help expand your brands. Messer is your partner for next generation freezing and chilling solutions.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 METTLER TOLEDO 1571 Northpointe Parkway, Lutz, FL 33558 Phone: 813/889-9500 Email: pi.marketing@mt.com www.mt.com/pi METTLER TOLEDO provides product inspection solutions that ensure product quality and regulatory compliance, increase productivity, ensure operational excellence, boost profits and protect your brand. Our full range of metal detectors, checkweighers, x-ray and vision inspection systems deliver unmatched inspection capability on all types of bulk and packaged products for environments ranging from dry to harsh wash-down. Systems range from very basic and economical systems to sophisticated, state-of-the-art systems with customized material handling solutions. Segments including meat, poultry, seafood, bakery, confectionary, ready meals, dairy, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, personal care, chemical, beverage, pet food, and produce. Systems can be built to meet the standards of USDA, 3-A Sanitary and AMI with Allen Bradley components, and to meet FSMA and FDA requirements. We can also assist with developing your HACCP and HARPC programs. An OMAC member, we are committed to connectivity as well as data storage and retrieval, with methods including EthernetIP and OPC, as well as METTLER TOLEDO’s ProdX data collection. ProdX facilitates the collection and storage of production data across multiple lines and facilities. All data is easily accessible and exportable to other systems, facilitating compliance with all regulatory requirements. Our solutions supported by the most comprehensive engineering solutions, product testing, and training in the industry, with 24/7 telephone support and nationwide field service.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Miura America Co., Ltd. 2200 Steven B. Smith Blvd., Rockmart, GA 30153 U.S.A. Phone: 888-309-5574 Email: us.info@miuraz.com www.miuraboiler.com/products/miura-connect MIURA: THE WORLD’S LEADER IN STEAM BOILER SYSTEMS Miura is a world leader in innovative steam boiler technology, with advances that include “cold start to full steam in less than 5 minutes,” or “On-Demand Steam,” a unique feature that allows users to turn boilers on or off easily according to load demands. Miura’s once-through watertube boilers are also exceptionally reliable, efficient, safe, and feature a range of impressive benefits that set them apart from traditional firetube boilers. Among these are best in class efficiency and reduced fuel requirements; enhanced operational reliability; modular, space-saving design; advanced controls and remote monitoring; and a best-in-industry safety record with zero catastrophic vessel failures resulting in casualty. The fastest growing steam boiler company in the North American market, Miura, along with Hartford Steam Boilers and Armstrong International, recently introduced “Steam as a Service” to meet Steam Generation needs for industry, while solving today’s capital funding, declining workforce expertise, and subpar system efficiency concerns Miura’ compact-designed LX Gas/Low NOx Series, Low and High Pressure Steam Boilers (available in boilers from 50 -300HP) use natural gas or propane and are available in a range of steam options. Their naturally low NOx (nitrogen oxide) ratings are as low as 9ppm depending on model. Miura’s EX Gas/Oil Series High Pressure Steam Boilers (available in boiler models starting from 100HP, and in 50HP increments up to 300HP) are the most versatile industrial steam boilers in the world. The EX design minimizes carryover and produces dry saturated steam.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 MUNSON MACHINERY COMPANY, INC. 210 Seward Ave. Utica, NY 13502-5 5 USA Phone: 315-797-0090 Email: info@m unsonmachinery.com www.munsonmachinery.com LEADERS IN MIXING, BLENDING AND SIZE REDUCTION MACHINERY SINCE 1823 Munson Machinery Company is aisleading manufacturer of mixing, blending, size Munson Machinery Company a leading manufacturer of mixing, blending, reduction and separation equipment serving the food, dairy,dairy, coffee/tea, size reduction and separation equipment serving the food, coffee/tea, nutraceutical and hemp industries. Munson offers the industry’s widest selection of equipment for mixing and blending of bulkthe food products (with selection or withoutofliquid additions) including: Munson offers industry’s widest equipment for mixing andRotary blendBatch Mixers, Blenders, Blenders, Veeing of bulk foodRibbon/Paddle/Plow products (with or without liquidCylindrical additions)Plow including: Rotary Batch Cone Blenders, Fluidized BedBlenders, Mixers, Rotary Continuous Mixers, and Variable Mixers, Ribbon/Paddle/Plow Cylindrical Plow Blenders, Intensity Blenders. Vee-Cone Blenders, Fluidized Bed Mixers, Rotary Continuous Mixers, and For size reduction of spices, herbs, nuts, dates, roots, grains, beans and other Variable Intensity Blenders. bulk food products, Munson manufactures Lump Breakers, Pin Mills, Attrition Mills, Screen Classifying Cutters, Knife Shredders, and Hammer Mills. For size reduction of spices, herbs, nuts,Cutters, dates, roots, grains, beans and other solids separation, themanufactures Munson’s Centrifugal Sifter canPin siftMills, and Attrition scalp bulk bulkFor food products, Munson Lump Breakers, food at high rates with virtually no product degradation. Mills,materials Screen Classifying Cutters, Knife Cutters, Shredders, and Hammer Mills. Munson equipment is available constructed of #304 or #316 stainless steel and finished to food, USDA dairy or pharmaceutical with optional For solids separation, the Munson’s Centrifugal Sifterstandards, can sift and scalp bulk CIP food systems. materials at high rates with virtually no product degradation. The exceptionally broad selection of full size equipment in Munson’s laboratory allows side-by-side testing of your actualofmaterial, precisely Munson equipment is available constructed #304 or and #316documents stainless steel and how effective — or ineffective — any given machine would be at meeting your finished to food, USDA dairy or pharmaceutical standards, with optional CIP sysspecific performance requirements. This assists customers in specifying a tems. machine at no cost or obligation — and takes the risk out of purchasing bulk food processing machinery. The exceptionally broad selection of full size equipment in Munson’s laboratory Established in 1823, Munson offers unparalleled experience in solving the allows side-by-side testing of your actual material, and documents precisely how most challenging problems encountered by customers through two centuries, effective — or ineffective — any given machine would be at meeting your specific continuously improving equipment performance to a level unmatched by any performance requirements. This assists customers in specifying a machine at comparable manufacturer worldwide. no cost or obligation—and takes the risk out of purchasing bulk food processing machinery.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 MXD Process 4650 New Middle Road Jeffersonville, IN 47130 Phone: 812-202-4047 Email: sales@mxdprocess.com www.mxdprocess.com MXD Process stands at the forefront of industrial mixing solutions, offering an extensive range of mixers suitable for a diverse array of industries like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food and beverage. Focused on efficiency and precision, we design every mixer to ensure thorough and consistent mixing for various viscosities and materials, highlighting our commitment to quality and versatility. Beyond mixing technology, we offer fabrication of stainless steel tanks and vessels. From simple storage vessels to the most complex process requirements like heating, pressure, and vacuum rating, we strive to solve your process challenges efficiently. Our in-house team of engineers and fabricators can provide a variety of options for your tanks configuration and exact needs. At MXD Process, we distinguish ourselves with our ability to configure custom mixing systems tailored to individual client needs. Our approach involves a deep understanding of unique challenges and requirements, followed by the design and installation of optimized, scalable, and adaptable mixing systems. These systems often incorporate advanced automation and control features, enhancing efficiency and ease of operation. We believe in delivering high-quality and innovative industrial mixing solutions at any scale. Our commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction positions us as a crucial partner for businesses seeking to enhance their manufacturing processes with state-of-the-art equipment and tailored solutions.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Paxton Products 10125 Carver Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242 Phone: (513) 891-7485 Email: sales@paxtonproducts.com www.paxtonproducts.com Paxton Products manufactures high efficiency centrifugal air blowers and custom-engineered pneumatic air delivery devices used for drying, air rinsing, and blow off, to improve product quality through better cleaning, rinsing, labeling, marking, and coding processes. Paxton’s Air Delivery Devices - such as Paxton’s high efficiency Air Knives - are custom-engineered to maximize and improve the quality of drying, blow off, and cleaning of products and surfaces. Our team configures the Air Delivery Device specifically for your unique application - sizing air knives, nozzles, and manifolds for peak efficiency. Available in both aluminum and 304 stainless steel, Paxton’s Air Knives and Knife Drying Systems are designed to give maximum efficiency for high velocity drying and blow off applications. These systems feature a continuous, uninterrupted air slot design that gives uniform air coverage over the targeted area. Because of this, you’re able to significantly reduce the amount of product quality rejects for your business. Coupled with Paxton’s high efficiency centrifugal blowers and air delivery devices, Paxton’s Ionizing Rinsing Systems remove particulates, dust, and contaminants using powerful ionization. The Ionizing Rinsing System provides static control and static elimination so that dirt and dust don’t adhere to surfaces, and then blasts contaminants away using a Paxton PX-series centrifugal blower. For drying, Paxton’s patented PowerDry Drying System sets the standard for a complete, power drying and blow off air system that can used for a wide variety of cans, bottles, jars, and pouches. By incorporating Paxton’s PX-series centrifugal blower, the PowerDry System lowers energy costs by as much as 80% through reduced compressed air usage in bottling, canning, and other packaging operations.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 PERFEX Corporation 32 Case Street, Poland, NY 13431 USA Phone: 1-800-848-8483 Email: perfex@perfex.com www.perfex.com Perfex Corporation is a world leading manufacturer of innovative cleaning tools for controlled environments. Established in 1924, we’re celebrating 100 years of excellence fueled by passion and dedication. Our experienced team is devoted to providing you with the most effective cleaning tools available in the industry. PERFEX® is the pioneer of heat-fused brushes for food processing facilities, our patented fused fiber design eliminates premature fiber fall-out and areas for contaminants to collect. One-piece polypropylene material handling tools such as scoops, scrapers, and shovels eliminate weak points and areas for contaminants to collect. TruCLEAN® systems are designed specifically for ultra-high sanitation requirements found in cleanrooms, laboratories, and research development areas. TruCLEAN Cleanroom mops incorporate specialized materials to promote economical and consistent cleaning methods without leaving residual contaminants. PERFEX products can be found in diverse industries across the globe such as food and pharmaceutical manufacturing, bioengineering, and life sciences. We’re committed to supplying high quality products with first-class customer service. Perfex representatives are readily available for on-site evaluations, product support, and technical advice.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Pick Heaters, Inc. 730 S. Indiana Ave., West Bend, WI 53095 USA Phone: 262/338-1191 Email: info1@pickheaters.com www.pickheaters.com Throughout the food plant, from process heating to plant sanitation, Pick Heaters provide instant, unlimited hot water at a precise temperature. When compared to indirect heat exchangers, Pick can cut energy costs as much as 28% without the maintenance and operational headaches. Pick offers two types of water/liquid direct steam injection heaters, the constant flow and variable flow models. The constant flow heater mixes medium-to-high pressure steam with cold water and delivers instant hot water. It is ideal when the water flow is fixed or varies over a narrow span (3:1). The variable flow heater is used to accommodate wide variations in demand and frequent start-stop applications and is ideally suited as a central heating system for multiple use points such as hose wash-down stations or plant sanitation. Pick’s 3A-certified sanitary steam injection heater is the preferred choice for inline product cooking, CIP heating or nitrogen gas injection. It heats/cooks any water-miscible liquid or slurry instantly on a continuous straight through basis. It can handle slurries containing bite sized particulate such as salsas or stews with particulate integrity retained! Pick Heaters’ products are trusted by many food manufacturers around the world, who value quality, reliability, and performance. Learn more about Pick Heaters and our products at www.pickheaters.com or call 262-338-1191.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 PPM Technologies Holdings, LLC 500 E.Illinois St. Newberg, OR 97132 Phone: 503-537-5319 Email: nisch@ppmtech.com www.ppmtech.com PPM Technologies is a globally recognized manufacturer of industrial foodprocessing equipment for conveying, frying, seasoning, and cooling applications. For over a century, PPM has combined passion and expertise to provide uniquely engineered solutions with new and innovative products designed to improve quality, increase efficiencies, and reduce costs. Our equipment can be found across industries, including snack foods, cereals, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, meats and plant-based meat alternatives, seafood and poultry, confectionary products, and more. PPM understands that the food industry is ever-evolving and shaped by dynamic consumer preferences; therefore, we offer a standardized range of products with flexible customization options to meet the unique and specific needs of each customer. Our portfolio of material handling equipment features a range of high-performance, energy-efficient technology that includes vibratory, horizontal motion, and belt conveyors, as well as bucket elevators and tote dumpers. Our state-of-the-art seasoning systems ensure your products are accurately and consistently coated or flavored and can be used to apply an array of ingredients, including oils, tacs, gums, slurries, powders, and other particulates. Our industrial thermal processing line, which includes customizable designs for batch and continuous fryers, offers a selection of reliable safety features, efficient heating systems, and advanced filtration technology to protect oil quality, reduce downtime and save costs.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Quantum Technical Services, Inc. 9524 Gulfstream Road, Frankfort, IL 60423 Phone: 815/464-1540 Email: info@q-t-s.com www.q-t-s.com Quantum manufactures high speed, automated portion and apply systems for wholesale frozen pizza, prepared meals, and bakery industries. Our systems are used to apply sauces, cheeses, IQF ingredients, meats, dry ingredients, and a variety of other ingredients. We offer standard production systems as well as custom designed equipment for various production requirements. Our in-house engineering team works closely with customers to create the best solution for their application. Incorporated into every Quantum machine is high speed, non-contact, and highly durable stainless steel construction. Our machines are wash down capable, and have an easily accessible open design requiring no tools for sanitation. • TA GET SAUCE O T O A D A L S STEMS uantum Target Sauce Applicators apply a consistent deposit with a sauce-free border, maintaining high quality and accurate weight control. • TA GET and ATE FALL O T O A D A L S STEMS uantum Target Applicators and aterfall Applicators are available with automated feed systems to ensure consistent deposit portions. • E E O SL CE O T O A D A L S STEMS Quantum pepperoni slicer / applicators are servo driven to provide precise deposit patterns and are available in many configurations. Quantum has supplied production equipment to customers ranging from small wholesalers to large manufacturers since 1991. For application assistance or to learn more about how Quantum can serve your needs, please contact us at www.q-t-s.com, or 815-464-1540.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 ROSS, Charles & Son Company 710 Old Willets Path. Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA Phone: 800/243-ROSS Email: mail@mixers.com www.mixers.com Serving all the process industries in virtually every industrialized country, ROSS offers experience and production capacity that no other manufacturer of specialty mixing and blending equipment can match. In the US, ROSS operates five plants dedicated to engineering, R&D, manufacturing, and process testing. Overseas, ROSS equipment is manufactured in four state-of-the-art plants in China and India. The ROSS Test & Development Center in Hauppauge, NY, is the industry’s bestequipped laboratory for process testing. Hundreds of ROSS customers visit the test center each year to confirm their equipment selections and optimize processes. Ribbon Blenders – High quality and available in customizable configurations. Laboratory sizes to 1000 cu. ft. Many models in stock. Batch and In-Line Rotor/Stator High Shear Mixers – Single-stage and multi-stage models for fine emulsions and dispersions. SLIM Solid/Liquid Injection Technology – Eliminates the persistent clogging of conventional eductor-based systems. Multi-Shaft Mixers – Multiple independently-driven agitators work in tandem to ensure fine solids dispersion, efficient turnover and uniform heating/cooling. In-Plant Trial/Rental – The industry’s largest fleet of rental mixers and blenders. Meet short-term demand or test equipment in your process prior to purchase. Control Systems – From single-axis to multi-axis designs, ROSS control systems offer unprecedented accuracy and flexibility in the mixing and blending process. Tanks essels Custom-fabricated storage tanks and pressure vessels built to exacting standards at competitive prices. Capacities from to , gallons.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Sani-Matic, Inc. 2855 Innovation Way, Sun Prairie, WI. 53590 Phone: 800/356-3300 Email: hello@sanimatic.com www.sanimatic.com Quality products start with clean equipment. Let Sani-Matic help you optimize your equipment cleaning processes with our portfolio of automated cleaning and data recording solutions. Our team of experts works with you to determine the best product for your specific needs. Through consultation, customized system design, programming, and service support we will help you reach what we call ROI2 – Where Return On Investment, Meets Real Operational Improvement. Our Product Offering Automated Cleaning Technology: • C Clean-in- lace systems, custom designed for your specific process needs. • CO Clean-Out-of- lace automated systems for process parts. Hygienic Component Solutions: • rocess strainers, spray devices, system accessories, and spare parts • Tanks, tank components, and transportation tanker sprays • Centralized washdown systems for Open lant Cleaning O C . Digital Solutions: • Digital rocess ecorder D A digital replacement for traditional paper chart recorders. • SaniTrend® Local or cloud-based automated data recording and OEE optimization platform. Service Solutions: • Field service engineers provide onsite audits and optimization, preventative maintenance, system start-up, and aftermarket services. • Customer Success team specialists stay in touch and make sure processes are running smoothly with periodic visits after field service has occurred. Sani-Matic has been improving food and beverage processors’ production uptime and sanitary results since 1943. Today, we continue our commitment to sanitary cleaning results for a diverse range of industries.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials (FPM) 7901 NW 107th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153 Phone: 816-891-9300 Email: americas@schenckprocess.com www.schenckprocessfpm.com Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials (FPM), a Hillenbrand company, engineers cutting-edge technologies and solutions across the bulk material handling spectrum. Our teams deliver complete solutions for your real-world needs, based on deep process and engineering expertise. Product Description – Whether conveying 300,000 lbs. of sugar or feeding small amounts of food additives, the experienced staff at Schenck Process FPM will work with you to select the most cost-effective and energy efficient technology for your product. We specialize in precision solutions for pneumatic conveying, milling, extruding, depositing, sifting, weighing, and feeding. Expertise in baking, cooking, coating, mixing, shaping, dust collection and thermal processing are also part of our capabilities. Project Management – At Schenck Process FPM, everything we do is centered on customer satisfaction. We strive to make your equipment and systems robust and efficient. Our project management teams become an extension of your business with a direct line of communication to the many resources within our global network. Your Schenck Process FPM Team will take command of the design/ build process from project kick-off to process commissioning. From start to finish, our teams are dedicated to meeting your business goals. Stronger Together – Schenck Process FPM has joined Coperion as part of Hillenbrand’s Advanced Process Solutions business for the food processing. The Coperion Food, Health and Nutrition Division has combined the technology strengths and capabilities of leading brands in the food and pet food industries to better serve global food manufacturers – Baker Perkins, Bakon, Coperion, Coperion K-Tron, Diosna, Gabler Engineering, Kemutec, Peerless, Schenck Process FPM, Shaffer, Shick Esteve, Unifiller, and VMI – experts in ingredient automation, extrusion, feeding, material handling, pre-dough systems, mixing, and depositing technologies.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Scott Turbon Mixer, Inc. 9351 Industrial Way, Adelanto, CA, 92301 USA Phone: 800-285-8512 Email: info@scottmixers.com www.scottmixers.com For nearly four decades, Scott Mixers, also known as Scott Turbon Mixer, has designed and manufactured high-performance, high-shear mixers and turnkey mixing systems in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, personal care, and chemical process industries. Whether your challenge is formulation development, process scale-up, or full-scale manufacturing, we offer a full range of mixing technologies and solutions to meet these challenges. Across North America, Scott Mixers is the premier choice for manufacturing various consumer products, including salad dressings, sauces, creams, and lotions. Our highshear mixers and mixing systems excel for your powder-wetting, dispersing, deagglomerating, and emulsifying needs. The Scott Mixers’ head uniquely draws product from the top and bottom of the batch simultaneously, rapidly dispersing the product throughout the tank. This rotor technology provides excellent horizontal and vertical batch flow, ensuring the product is evenly sheared and dispersed, saving time and resources. The unique design of the mix head develops high pumping rates not achieved with traditional-style batch high-shear mixers. No matter the application, a successful mixer installation relies upon more than just selecting the right mixer. Choosing a suitable vessel geometry (height to diameter, bottom shape) is a critical step toward a successful installation and understanding how the mixer or mixers should be operated (mixer rpm) at any stage of the process. A mixer specified and provided by Scott Mixers, along with the integrated vessel, accessories and controls, will ensure high performance and reliable operation. We offer a wide range of high and low-shear mixers for batch mixing. Scott Mixers has developed several application-specific mixing systems in the food processing industry that address the most challenging material handling and mixing applications you will encounter. Contact us to improve your process and reduce costs.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 SEW-EURODRIVE 220 Finch Road, Wellford, SC 29385 Phone: 864/439-7537 Email: cslyman@seweurodrive.com www.seweurodrive.com About SEW-EURODRIVE SEW-EURODRIVE is a leading manufacturer of gear units, motors, and automation control systems. Our extensive line of products includes a full line of drives and controls for use in the food manufacturing and packaging industries. Stainless Steel Servos and Gear Units Stainless steel servos and gear units from SEW-EURODRIVE keep things moving wherever machines and systems are subject to particularly intensive cleaning. Their hygienic properties, long operating life, and maintenance friendliness make them optimally suited in wet and washdown environments. Gearmotor Protection Options SEW’s gearmotor washdown protection package includes components and coatings designed to overcome the demands of chemical washdown environments. This package includes an industry-leading 2-year warranty covering any motor failure that results from moisture damage. TorqLOC® Hollow Shaft Mounting System Our patented TorqLOC® mounting system is the perfect solution for easy machine shaft removal, even after years of operation in a wash-down environment. Unlike a shrink disc that requires very tight tolerances, TorqLOC can use standard stock material without additional machining. TorqLOC reduces costs for machining, inventory, and installation. No wonder it is SEWEURODRIVE’s bestselling shaft design!

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Silverson Machines, Inc. 355 Chestnut St. , East Longmeadow, MA, 01028 Phone: 413-525-4825 Email: sales@silverson.com www.silverson.com For more than 75 years Silverson has specialized in the manufacture of quality high shear mixers for the food and beverage industries. Whether you’re concerned with reducing production times, sanitary processing, powder/liquid mixing, producing stable emulsions, dissolving sugar, disintegrating solids, blending liquids of different viscosities, or dispersing and hydrating gums, thickeners, and stabilizers, Silverson has a mixing solution for you. Time after time, companies specify Silverson mixers as the “standard” equipment for their manufacturing process, with a single Silverson high shear mixer able to perform a wide range of mixing applications with speed and consistency. With the exceptionally rapid mixing action of a Silverson high shear mixer, process times are substantially reduced compared to a conventional agitator. Silverson Machines offer the largest capacity range from a single manufacturer, from our most popular L5M-A Laboratory mixer all the way up to in-tank mixers that can process batches of up to 8000 gallons. These mixers are advantageous when: • ydrating and deagglomerating gums and thickeners • eclaiming waste or out-of-spec product • Dissolving • omogenizing • educing particle size • Mixing igh iscosity products • lending li uids of varying viscosities • Forming stable emulsions If you’d like to discuss your food/beverage application or find out more about high shear mixing could benefit your mixing process, get in touch with Silverson Machines today.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Sleeve Seal 14000 Dineen Drive Little Rock, AR 72206 USA Phone: 501-492-3893 Email: sales@sleeveseal.com www.sleeveseal.com SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. SHRINK SLEEVE LABELERS Sleeve Seal is focused on a new era of repeatable labeling performance. Builtto-last American manufacturing expertise and modern engineering combine to produce speeds from 25 to 1600 CPM on robust machines equipped with intelligent Allen Bradley controls. Heavy weight construction and the fastest, most durable drive train in the industry provide countless hours of high efficiency runs. Sleeve Seal machines are engineered to provide quality-labeling performance with simple, tool-less changeovers between container formats. Other patented innovations, such as a multi-blade cutter assembly with quick-change blades have been developed for ease of maintenance. ROLL-FED LABELERS The RFL Series range of roll fed labelers was born from the same need as our shrink sleeve labelers - a need for faster, more efficient, more robustly built machines with Allen Bradley controls. In a market where efficiencies and cost of ownership are everything, Sleeve Seal has a proven history of fast, precise label application with minimal maintenance costs. Our engineers have an unparalleled depth of knowledge that has been applied to a new style of label application for today’s market. SHRINK TUNNELS Sleeve Seal Steam Shrink Tunnels use steam for efficient, controllable shrink labeling and are available in a range of lengths to match production speed. Sleeve Seal steam shrink tunnels all feature a 316 stainless steel interior to prevent corrosion with removable service doors that make the tunnels machines service friendly. Ease of use, range of controls and safety features make our tunnels an easy choice for quality label shrinking on unique containers.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Spokane Stainless Technologies 3808 N. Sullivan Rd, Bldg 4H, Spokane Valley, Washington 99216 Phone: 509-921-8852 Email: @spokanestainless.com www.SpokaneStainless.com Spokane Stainless Technologies is a leading manufacturer of custom engineered stainless steel tanks designed to meet the specific needs of the Processing and Packaging industries. Our tanks are made in the USA of highquality stainless steel, providing superior durability and resistance to corrosion. With a wide range of features, including mixer/agitators, Skid-Mounted systems, ASME steam jackets, ports, a variety of manways, tank finishes, and sizes, we can create tanks that meet the specific requirements of our clients. Whether you are looking for a tank for storing liquids, mixing chemicals, or other applications, we have the expertise and experience to design and manufacture a tank that will meet your needs. Our engineering team is the foundation of our commitment to customers. Using state-of-the-art solid modeling tools, we embrace customer challenges, envisioning innovative solutions that are on the leading edge. We provide ASME Pressure/Vacuum Vessel & UL Code certified design. If product support is required, our team will assist you and get the issue resolved quickly! We are committed to your complete satisfaction. At Spokane Stainless Technologies, we take great pride in our commitment to quality, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. Our team of experienced engineers and fabricators is dedicated to providing high-quality tanks that are designed to last, ensuring that our clients receive the best value for their investment. If you are in need of a custom engineered stainless steel tank, look no further than Spokane Stainless Technologies. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services. We look forward to starting or continuing a lasting business relationship with you! Spokane Stainless Technologies is head uartered in Spokane alley, ashington, USA.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Starview Packaging Machinery, Inc. 1840 St. Regis Blvd. Dorval QC H9P 1H6 Canada Phone: 888/278-5555 Email: sales@starview.net www.starviewpackaging.com Starview Packaging Machinery, Inc. is a primary manufacturer of tray sealers for food tray packaging with over 25 years of supplying standard and custom packaging systems to our customers and distributors. Providing the Processed Food Industry with Innovative Packaging Machines for: • Fresh Foods • Frozen Foods • eady to Eat Meals • Customized ackaging E uipment • Systems with Automation and ntegration We design, engineer, and manufacture a comprehensive line of manual, semiautomatic, and automatic tray sealing machines. Available in shuttle, rotary, and inline conveyor configurations, a variety of standard and custom sealing areas are available to meet the specific re uirements of customers and maximize productivity. Machines are configured to suit specific applications with a focus on efficient, easy to operate, safe to use, and cost effective to run. Starview’s distinct competitive advantage is in providing a range of both standard and customized uality packaging systems backed by solid machine designs, robust machine construction, and superior service. Starview offers many value-added features for our machines such as auto tray loading, fillers, product sensing, printing and/or verification, automatic packaging materials loading, automatic lid placement, finished package unloading with reject feature for noncompliant packages.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Statco-DSI Process Systems 7595 Reynolds Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Phone: 714-375-6300 Email: info@statco-dsi.com www.statco-dsi.com Statco-DSI has a longstanding reputation in the industries we serve. We offer an extensive portfolio of sanitary equipment, systems and services to provide startto-finish support for your processing facility. We’re recognized as one of the largest process equipment distributors and systems integrators for the sanitary processing market in North America. With eleven sales and engineering offices strategically located throughout the United States, our nationwide network of more than 150 seasoned sanitary process professionals are in your backyard and ready to get to work. Our project engineering and design team is second to none. Your project will benefit from working with some of the most experienced and well-rounded engineers in the industry. The tenure of this team is evidence of its cohesiveness. Open lines of communication and willingness to share information helps ensure that every project and every challenge is handled effectively. Our sales staff has a vast knowledge base and taps into the technical expertise of our engineering staff when needed. Many of our sales team have in-plant experience working for various factories within the industry. They are factory trained on a regular basis to keep up-to-date on the latest products, innovations and specialty applications. Our technical service team is well versed in preventative maintenance and critical breakdowns, available 24/7/365 to keep your facility running. Trust StatcoDSI for servicing not only blending skids, but pumps, valves, homogenizers, rotary fillers, and both scraped surface and plate heat exchangers. Call our spare parts team for all of your critical spares, MRO and consumable items like charts and pens, as well as pump and valve seal kits. We represent over 100 of the top brands in the sanitary process industry.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Stolle Machinery 6949 South Potomac Street, Centennial, CO, 80112 USA Phone: 303-708-5020 Email: zachary.brent@stollemachinery.com www.stollemachinery.com Stolle WeightControl Fillers can fill a wide variety of food products, including meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables and pet foods. They are widely regarded as the most accurate container filling machines available, with accuracies equal to ±½ to 1%, even on difficult to fill products. This unparalleled filling accuracy reduces wasted product due to overfilling and eliminates rejects due to underfilling. The machine uses a unique method of portioning and filling which provides an exceptionally gentle fill that maintains the integrity of delicate and easily damaged products. There are no valves, sharp corners, restrictions, or other product-damaging components. With a long history of reliable operation, Stolle Fillers have a simple rotary design and few moving parts for low maintenance and nearly zero downtime. In fact, many of the earliest machines built are still in operation. Stolle currently offers 4 models of Fillers equipped with from 12 to 34 filling stations, with filling capacities from 20 grams to 48 ounces in can sizes up to 603 diameter and 710 height, with speeds up to 1200 cans per minute. Features of the WeightControl Stolle Fillers include a durable main gearbox, automatic lubrication system, and central shaft bearing protection. Other features include a tungsten-carbide coated cavity plate and filling stations and motorized portion control with a no can / no fill system, and motorized safety cam. The machines are ruggedly constructed of heavy-duty stainless steel and other non-corrosive materials to withstand daily cleansing, and the open design makes all parts easily accessible for cleaning and maintenance. As the world’s leading supplier of production machinery for the 2-piece canmaking industry, Stolle has unparalleled global reach and support resources, including supplying OEM parts for existing PRC food equipment – just send us your machines’ serial numbers and we will supply the correct parts to keep you in production.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 ThermOmegaTech®, Inc. 353 Ivyland Road. Warminster, PA 18974 Phone: 877-379-8258 Email: valves@thermomegatech.com www.ThermOmegaTech.com Founded in 1983, ThermOmegaTech® is a leader in designing and manufacturing self-actuated thermostatic technology. They provide solutions for a wide range of applications, including washdown, freeze & scald protection, tepid water delivery, mixing & diverting, thermal relief, and other temperature control needs. ThermOmegaTech® offers the most economical, safe, and effi-cient industrial washdown stations to provide a high-powered wash to clean and sanitize food and beverage processing facilities. STVM® Washdown Station - delivers a high-temperature wash using a proprietary mixing valve to combine steam and water. The Silent Type Venturi Mixing (STVM®) valve is unique because it has only one moving part, a thermal actuator within the mixing valve cartridge. The valve is self-scouring, which minimizes mineral buildup and reduces maintenance frequency. Maintaining competitor washdown stations is time-consuming and costly due to complex disassembly, special tooling requirements, and non-reusable components. The STVM® station utilizes a simple cartridge design, which allows it to be serviced inline by removing the cartridge with a wrench and replacing it with a spare. The unit is back in operation within minutes, significantly reducing production downtime. The station also operates at around 20 decibels less than competitor mixing units, reducing operator stress and improving workplace conditions. Interlocking shut-off ball valves prevent accidental steam-only operation, and a thermally actuated over-temperature shut-off feature reduces flow if the output temperature exceeds the factory set-point (150°F/185°F) and will completely stop flow 15°F above that or when cold water flow is interrupted to protect personnel. For facilities without a steam supply, the simplistic and cost-effective HCX Washdown Station delivers a high-powered wash by mixing hot and cold water to the desired proportion.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Tippmann Group / Interstate Warehousing 9009 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: 260/490-3000 Email: tippsales@tippmanngroup.com www.tippmanngroup.com Tippmann Group is a unique combination of two companies, Tippmann Construction and Interstate Warehousing, which are dedicated to safe and efficient design, construction, and operation of multi-temperature processing and distribution facilities for the food industry. In business since 1968, our refrigeration expertise and owner/operator experience make Tippmann Group your single-source provider for all of your temperature-controlled facility needs. Tippmann Group’s QFR Zone® utilizes enhanced airflow to provide an energy and labor-efficient blast freezing solution, freezing products faster and more efficiently than traditional blast systems. Tippmann Construction • Design build construction of multi-temperature warehouse and production facilities • ew builds, expansions and renovations • Master site planning • Owner operator experience knowledge Interstate Warehousing • th largest company in the United States • , , cubic feet of cold storage space • S F certified facilities • Customized distribution solutions • etail and Foodservice consolidation programs • Comprehensive management development training program

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 TNA North America Inc. 680 S. Royal Lane, Suite 100, Coppell, TX 75019-2800 Phone: 972/462-6500 Email: gustavo.mendez@tnasolutions.com www.tnasolutions.com TNA solutions Helping food producers succeed responsibly in a changing world TNA creates and sustains complete processing and packaging solutions that help confectionery, bakery, snacks and french fries producers realise goals and exceed their expectations. These solutions are designed for the highest output, minimal downtime and reduced total cost of ownership. For snacks, this includes receiving, destoning, washing, peeling, inspecting, slicing, blanching, dewatering, continuous vacuum and batch frying, deoiling, sorting, distribution, seasoning, and packaging. For confectionery processing, the range spans from kitchen operations, starch conditioning, mogul tray handling, de-moulding, product cleaning and finishing to depositing, distribution, packaging and case packing. With an in-depth understanding of the balance required to satisfy consumers and retailers, while keeping brands profitable, TNA offers end-to-end expertise. The company provides solutions at every stage, including consulting, planning, project management, commissioning, installation, and comprehensive aftermarket support. Through a global network, spread across 30 countries, the company ensures realtime access to experts, seamless availability of spares and technicians, enabling customers to keep their production lines running smoothly and efficiently. With over 40 years of industry experience and 14,000 systems installed across more than 120 countries, the company’s consultative and customer-centric approach ensures manufacturers’ goals are met, going beyond delivering products to providing high-performing solutions with a responsible ethos. For more information, please visit www.tnasolutions.com

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 URSCHEL 1200 Cutting Edge Drive, Chesterton, IN 46304 U.S.A. Phone: 844-877-2435 Email: info@urschel.com www.urschel.com Meet the M VersaPro® (MVP) next-generation protein powerhouse. The 2-D dicer excels in the processing of meat, poultry, and alternative proteins. The machine provides the best in sanitary design and the ultimate in the versatile cutting of all types of protein. The MVP offers a 33% increased feeding capacity versus the standard M6 due to wider belts, optimized cutting, and increased horsepower. The belt-fed MVP delivers 2-dimensional dices, strips, or shreds from product of a predetermined thickness. A new patented, fluted crosscut option provides gentler cutting action. A deeper circular knife to feed drum penetration produces an improved cutting method. Available intuitive touchscreen HMI option easily gathers data, monitors machine components including sensors and amperage; adjusts operating speeds, and saves recipes. Touchscreen swivels for full visibility. Explore the new laser cut Model CC Slicer frame. This bold, improved design offers increased sanitation and flexibility. Open internal corners and angled support sides reduce bacterial collection areas offering faster, more effective washdowns. The optional top cover is easily removable. Space for hand knobs after removal ensures they are not lost or placed on the floor. Hoops, electrical boxes, and motors are all field replaceable for maintenance or future upgrades. The DiversaCut 2110A® 3-D Dicers produce precision dices, strips, and slices at high production capacities to maximize yield. The close proximity of each cutting station establishes a compact zone to increase the exactness of each cut. The discharge conveyor-equipped model facilitates batch processing into totes or onto conveying systems or platforms. This design also eases routine servicing by maintaining the machine at floor level. Successful processors partner with Urschel to achieve their production line goals. Contact Urschel to learn more about Urschel cutting advantages.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 VAC-U-MAX 69 William Street. Belleville, NJ 07109 USA Phone: (973) 759-4600 Email: info@vac-u-max.com www.vac-u-max.com VAC-U-MAX is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of bulk material handling systems that convey, weigh, and batch over 10,000 various powders and bulk materials to food processing and packaging lines. With strong application expertise in the food industry and being a subject expert on conveying powders and granular bulk solids, VAC-U-MAX food ingredient handling systems incorporate pneumatic, aero-mechanical, and flexible screw conveying technologies designed to handle many types of materials including powders, flakes, granules, pellets, fibers, tablets, seeds, coatings, sugar, and other granular bulk materials. Since 1954, VAC-U-MAX has been a pioneer in pneumatic conveying, developing the first air-powered venturi unit, advancing technologies for directcharge loading of vacuum tolerant process equipment, and the first to design vertical-wall “tube hopper” material receivers for difficult to convey materials. A vacuum receiver represents the heart of a food ingredient handling system, conveying materials from drums, bins, totes, bulk bags, super sacks, and bag dump stations for dust-free material handling. VAC-U-MAX product range includes vacuum receivers, bulk bag loading and unloading systems, aero-mechanical and flexible screw conveying systems, bag dump stations with integrated dust collection and empty-bag compaction, diverter valves, feed bins, and vacuum pump packages. VAC-U-MAX is a UL-listed manufacturer and supplier of control packages that are easily integrated into existing plant PLC’s. Product range also includes a full line of portable, continuous-duty, and central vacuum cleaning systems for plantwide clean-up of many types of materials including combustible dust. VAC-U-MAX systems focus on waste reduction as in topping and coating applications that require placement of seeds, flavorings, sugar, salt, and coatings onto finished food product. For more information or RFQ, visit www.vac-u-max.com.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 VDG (Van der Graaf) 13771 Cavaliere Drive, Shelby Township, MI 48315 Phone: (888) 326-1476 Email: info@vandergraaf.com www.vandergraaf.com As the leader in the design and manufacturing of drum motors for belt conveyors, VDG continuously sets new sanitary standards with the SSV Series Drum Motor design that inhibits the growth of pathogens such as E. coli and Listeria. With inhouse research and development and using cutting-edge production technology for manufacturing its drum motor, VDG provides innovative, high-quality conveyor belt drive solutions, fast delivery, and after sales service. All drive components of the SSV Drum Motor, including the premium-efficiency electric motor, gear reducer, and bearings, are enclosed and protected inside the drum, increasing energy efficiency, operator safety, and optimizing space. The SSV Drum Motor features an IP69K-rated sealing system and is maintenancefree for 80,000 hours of continuous operation, minimizing downtime, reducing operational costs, and increasing throughput. For modular conveyor belts, the SSV Drum Motor has the belt profile machined directly onto the all-316 stainless steel drum to drive the belt without using sprockets. The new SSV-XP Drum Motor design has the belt profile machined directly onto the drive sleeve, which can be easily removed and exchanged for another profiled sleeve to match the belt required on the conveyor. This offers the flexibility to use the same drum motor when switching to another belt for a different type of processing. SSV Series Drum Motors eliminate by-product buildup areas, increasing hygiene and reducing water and time used for washdown by 50%. Belt profiles are available for all major belt manufacturers. SSV IntelliDrive™ Drum Motors feature new permanent magnet motor technology, delivering 40% increased electrical efficiency, a wider range of belt speeds without loss of torque, and an increase in electric motor lifespan compared to a traditional external conveyor drive. It enables onsite diagnostics, full motor indexing speed control, and communications with other automated plant equipment.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 VEGA America’s, Inc. 3877 Mason Research Parkway, Mason, OH 45036 Phone: 1 800 FOR LEVEL Email: americas@vega.com www.VEGA.com For more than 60 years, VEGA Americas, Inc. has provided industry-leading products for the measurement of level and pressure. VEGA’s full product line of level and pressure measurement instrumentation allows us to provide one of the most complete ranges of measurement solutions in the industry. VEGA’s continued innovation in radar, pressure, differential pressure, and point level switches ensures food and beverage operations of all sizes can continue to improve their processes and keep up with ever-shifting market demands. VEGA believes the future of instrumentation lies in the ability to produce high-quality, innovative products that keep pace with technology, and provide service and value to our customers in today’s competitive environment. Our measurement solutions have helped make more batches, maintain inventory of raw ingredients, and save energy. Always in pursuit of technology that improves operational efficiency for our food and beverage partners, VEGA created the VEGABAR 39 universal pressure transmitter for measuring gases, vapors, and liquids at up to 130 °C. Designed to aid in such processes as pasteurization and separation, the VEGABAR 39 employs inventive solutions like a 360° colored light ring for enhanced status readability from across a facility. Because integration can be just as important as operation, the VEGABAR 39 is also equipped with IO-Link communication for simple integration into control systems. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, VEGA Americas combines manufacturing, distribution, and service for products that represent the most sophisticated process measurement technologies anywhere in the world. VEGA Americas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of VEGA Grieshaber KG in Schiltach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. VEGA understands the benefit of investing in community and employees,

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 VIBRA SCREW INC. 755 Union Blvd., Totowa, NJ 07512 USA Phone: 973-256-7410 Email: info@vibrascrew.com www.vibrascrew.com Vibra Screw Incorporated was founded in 1955 by Eugene A. Wahl, whose experience in solving problems in the process industries led to revolutionary ways to discharge and meter dry solids. Today, with a staff of experienced and talented engineers and technicians, Vibra Screw is the leader in dry solids processing, with high quality equipment to store, discharge, meter, convey, size and blend. Vibra Screw serves its markets through a world wide network of sales representatives, licensees and subsidiaries. Vibra Screw is staffed with experienced, professional engineers who solve problems. From initial study, through testing & design, our goal is to satisfy our Customer’s unique requirements efficiently & cost effectively. Our modern facility in Totowa, NJ handles every aspect of equipment manufacture from sandblasting, fabrication & assembly to full electronic control production. The most trusted name in dry solids processing. Vibra Screw Inc. prides itself in being able to bring ground-breaking solutions to your solids processing challenges. Vibra Screw currently manufactures: bulk bag unloaders, volumetric feeders, bin activators, vibrating feeders/vibrating conveyors, flexible screw conveyors, loss-in-weight feeders, storage pile activators, live bottom bins, screeners, continuous blenders, and process controls. No other Industry source stands behind its products with the confidence & assurance of Vibra Screw, because no other Company engineers & manufactures to our uncompromising standards:

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Volkmann, Inc. 1900 Frost Road, Suite 200. Bristol, PA 19007 USA Phone: 609/265-0101 Email: contact@volkmannusa.com www.VolkmannUSA.com Volkmann USA designs and manufactures hygienic, explosion-proof pneumatic vacuum conveying systems to safely transfer powders, pellets, granules, and other bulk materials from one point in a process to another point while safeguarding particle integrity and mixture homogeneity. Proven worldwide in transferring ingredients for foods, pet foods, beverages, nutritional supplements, and more, as well as finished products ready for packaging, these automated, sanitary conveyors feature patented vacuum technology that eliminates the potential for ignition even when transferring ignitable, fine particles and combustible dusts. By operating entirely pneumatically without electricity, without rotating parts, without generating heat, and with proper electrostatic grounding, our conveying systems earned the ATEX certification as suitable for safe installation in all dust explosion areas. Our conveying systems can be quickly disassembled without tools for easy access to the interior, complete cleaning and inspection. Our experienced engineering team custom-designs the powder transfer conveyors for sanitary, cleanroom, hazardous, and any type of process. Volkmann also designs and manufactures the companion bulk material handling equipment typically specified when conveying dry materials and ingredients. Bulk bag unloading stations, bag dump stations, lump breakers, and accessories are all available, custom-engineered to suit the installation. Serving North America from our Bristol, PA headquarters near I-95, we offer material testing on fully operating pneumatic conveying systems and accessories in a dedicated test laboratory. The family-owned, global organization based in Germany operates subsidiaries in Great Britain, USA, France and the Netherlands with more than 100 employees worldwide.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 10701 N. Ambassador Drive Kansas City, MO 64153 Phone: 816- 891- 0072 Email: Sales.us@weberweb.com www.weberweb.com Weber is the leading supplier for fully integrated slicing and packaging lines in the food processing industry. From automatic infeeding, slicing, handling, product loading and packaging, Weber delivers application driven solutions designed around your business needs. With an impressive breadth of product portfolio, Weber has a unique philosophy on complete line solutions bridging the gap between the “tech” and “food” industry. Solutions from one source, seamlessly integrated and intelligently networked, boundaries between individual components disappear as the complete slicing line evolves into one system. This makes Weber’s solutions highly adaptable to specific customer requirements and can bring unprecedented optimization and high-performance to the production process. With innovative technology at each step of the process, including Weber’s own OEM designed and manufactured software, vision, and robotics, Weber challenges consensus when it comes to integration and line control – with the solution truly integrated, mechanically, electrically, and digitally. Further complimented by a complete suite of digital products, starting with the Weber One Control and rounded out by its Factory Cockpit real time production monitoring tool – Weber’s approach to true integration and application specific solutions are why many customers choose Weber as a trusted partner they can grow with.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 WITTE COMPANY 507 RT 31, WASHINGTON NJ 07830 Phone: 908-689-6500 Email: INFO@WITTE.COM WWW.WITTE.COM ABOUT WITTE The Witte Company is a leading manufacturer of vibratory process equipment used in the food processing industry. The company’s core products include Fluid Bed Dryers and Coolers, Vibratory Conveyors and Screeners. MORE INFO ON WITTE The Witte Company designs and manufactures drying, cooling, classifying and related vibratory process equipment at its headquarters in Washington, New Jersey. Family-owned and operated since its founding in 1938, the company has earned an outstanding reputation for engineering expertise, craftsmanship and personal service. Featuring innovative machine design at a competitive price, Witte has established a track record for operational dependability, earning the trust of Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Dependable customer service, prompt onsite engineering support and readily available spare parts are always a phone call away. The Witte Company looks forward to learning about your processing needs and having the opportunity to earn your trust as a valued customer.

www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 | PROFOOD WORLD

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Wire Belt Company of America 17 Colby Court, Bedford, NH 03110 USA Phone: (603) 644-2500 Email: sales@wirebelt.com www.wirebelt.com Wire Belt Company is the leading manufacturer of open-mesh stainless steel Wire Belt belts Company theline leading manufacturer of open-mesh stainless conveyor and aisfull of conveyor solutions. With over 85 years ofsteel conveyorknowledge, belts and awe fullkeep line ofour conveyor solutions. Withlines overup 85and years of indusindustry customer’s conveyor running. Our try knowledge, we keep customer’s conveyor lines upas: and running.battering, Our conveyor belts are used our extensively in applications such breading, conveyor belts are usedcooking, extensively applications such as: breading, battering, baking, coating, frying, and in cooling. Our world-class Customer Service baking, coating, frying, cooking, and cooling. Our you world-class Customer and Technical teams have the knowledge to help find the right belt orService conveyor to fit your applications needs. to help you find the right belt or conand Technical teams have the knowledge veyor to fit your applications needs. • Flat-Flex® stainless steel conveyor belts - USDA Accepted, open-mesh cleanin-place design. Available different belts pitches and wire diameters to meet your • Flat-Flex® stainless steelinconveyor - USDA Accepted, open-mesh cleanapplication needs. in-place design. Available in different pitches and wire diameters to meet your application needs. • Eye-Flex® heavy-duty metal modular conveyor belts - Designed to take on your applications. •toughest Eye-Flex® heavy-duty metal modular conveyor belts - Designed to take on your toughest applications. • Compact-Grid™ conveyor belts - Engineered to offer superior support for small products. Compact-Grid’s belt design offers long Compact-Grid™ • Compact-Grid™ conveyor belts - Engineered to belt offerlife. superior support for is small easy to join on your conveyor, which will get you up and running quickly. is products. Compact-Grid’s belt design offers long belt life. Compact-Grid™ easy to join on your conveyor, which will get you up and running quickly. • Ladder-Track™ conveyor belts - Designed for baking applications. Easy to join and to install on your conveyor. • Ladder-Track™ conveyor belts - Designed for baking applications. Easy to join and to install on your conveyor. • Flat-Turn® Conveyors - Maximize your space with tight transfers and maintaining product orientation around corners. • Flat-Turn® Conveyors - Maximize your space with tight transfers and maintaining product orientation around corners. • Straight Conveyors - Open design with maximum cleanability and custom designed for your application. • Straight Conveyors - Open design with maximum cleanability and custom designed for your application. • Ladder-Flex™ Conveyors - Spreading, converging and diverging conveyors with a positive drive and ability to run narrow conveyors to save space. • Ladder-Flex™ Conveyors - Spreading, converging and diverging conveyors with a positive drive and ability to run narrow conveyors to save space.

Call us to talk about a specific application or for further information at (603) 644-2500.

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LEADERS IN PROCESSING 2024 Yaskawa America, Inc. 2121 Norman Drive South, Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: 847/887-7000 Email: marcom@yaskawa.com www.yaskawa.com At Yaskawa, we help you explore what’s possible, and open new doors to opportunity. Rather than accepting the status quo, we invite you to wonder, “What if?” And then we make it possible. That dedication to innovation is what makes us different. Experience is often the difference between solving a problem the right way and settling for “good enough”. Our global expertise is unmatched and unquestioned, with 100+ Years of manufacturing excellence, 30 countries with sales, service, and manufacturing locations, and $4.5 billion in global sales per year. Yaskawa AC Servo Systems come to a precise position with a speed and consistency that is unmatched in the industry. Connect our rotary, linear, and direct drive motors to an advanced Yaskawa machine controller to achieve SINGULAR CONTROL: the ability to manage robots, servos and drives with a single controller and familiar IEC 61131-3 programming. Yaskawa low and medium voltage AC Variable Frequency Drives cover every automation application need in the industrial plant, with power ranges from fractional to 16,000 HP and a legendary reputation for reliability and advanced technology. Our latest variable frequency drives provide simple motor setup with highly flexible network communications, embedded functional safety, no-power programming, and easy-to-use tools featuring mobile device connectivity with our DriveWizard® mobile app. Over 540,000 Yaskawa Robots are at work worldwide, with 150+ models to choose from and the strength of decades of packaging application expertise. Yaskawa’s Motoman robots are successfully picking, packing and palletizing a wide variety of food, beverage and consumer products for global CPG leaders.

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AD INDEX COMPANY / WEBSITE

PAGE

COMPANY / WEBSITE

Aerzen USA, Inc www.aerzen.com AHS Automated Handling Solutions www.automatedhandling.com Air Products www.airproducts.com Ampco Pumps Company www.ampcopumps.com AmTrade Systems, Inc. www.amtrade-systems.com Anderson-Negele www.anderson-negele.com ANRITSU www.anritsu.com/infivis Apex Motion Control www.apexmotion.com Ashworth Bros., Inc. www.ashworth.com Atlas Copco www.atlascopco.com Axiflow Technologies, Inc www.axiflowtechnologies.com Bepex www.bepex.com Big-D Construction www.big-d.com Busch Vacuum Solutions www.buschusa.com Catalynt www.teamcatalynt.com Central States Industrial www.csidesigns.com Cleveland Gear Company www.clevelandgear.com Columbia Machine, Inc. www.palletizing.com Columbia/Okura LLC. www.columbiaokura.com Coperion & Coperion K-Tron www.coperion.com CRB www.crbusa.com Delkor Systems, Inc. www.delkorsystems.com Dennis Group www.dennisgroup.com Deville Technologies, LLC www.devilletechnologies.com Douglas Machines Corp. www.dougmac.com Endress + Hauser www.us.endress.com EnSight Solutions www.ensightsolutions.us Eriez www.eriez.com ESI Group USA www.esigroupusa.com FlexLink Systems, Inc. www.flexlink.com Focke & Company www.focke.com FoodSafe Drains www.foodsafedrains.com

70, 131

FPS Food Process Solutions 101, 162 www.fpscorp.ca Frain Industries 40, 163 www.fraingroup.com Freudenberg Process Seals Gmbh & Co. KG 164, IBC www.fst.com Fristam Pumps USA 13, 165 www.fristam.com GEA 1, 166 www.gea.com Gericke USA, Inc. 71, 167 www.gerickegroup.com Graphalloy 60, 168 www.graphalloy.com Hapman Conveyors 25, 169 www.hapman.com Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC 57, 170 www.harpak-ulma.com Haver & Boecker USA, Inc. 5, 171 www.haverusa.com Heat and Control, Inc. 124, 172 www.heatandcontrol.com Hiperbaric 96, 173 www.hiperbaric.com Hitachi Global Air Power 43, 174 www.hitachi.com Hörmann – Innovative Door Systems 114, 175 www.hormann-flexon.com Hydro-Thermal Corporation 50, 176 www.hydro-thermal.com IKA®- WORKS, INC. 82, 177 www.ikausa.com Industrial Magnetics, Inc. 81, 178 www.magnetics.com JAX INC. 63, 179 www.jax.com Key Technology, Inc. 104, 180 www.key.net Krones 88, 181 www.kronesusa.com Linde 19, 182 www.lindeus.com Lubriplate Lubricants Company 59, 183 www.lubriplate.com M&M Carnot 67, 184 www.mmcarnot.com Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. 69, 185 www.materialtransfer.com Messer Americas 98, 186 www.messer-us.com METTLER TOLEDO 73, 187 www.mt.com/pi Miura America Co., Ltd. 109, 188 www.miuraboiler.com Munson Machinery Co., Inc. 7, 189 www.munsonmachinery.com MXD Process 61, 190 www.mdxprocess.com PAXTON, An ITW Air Management Company www.paxtonproducts.com 76, 191 Perfex Corporation 103, 192 www.perfex.com

132 122, 133 49, 134 79, 135 110, 136 29, 137 51, 138 55, 139 35, 140 17, 141 106, 142 IFC 123, 144 56 95, 145 111, 146 44, 147 128, 148 52, 149

85, 150 22, 151 39, 152 119, 153 112, 154 2, 155 105, 156 46, 157 47, 158 84, 159 53, 160 87, 161

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PAGE

Pick Heaters, Inc 120, 193 www.pickheaters.com PMMI 129, 221, 222 www.pmmi.org PPM Technologies Holdings LLC 113, 194 www.ppmtech.com Quantum Technical Services, Inc. 127, 195 www.q-t-s.com Regal Rexnord 91 www.regalrexnord.com Ross Mixers 33, 196 www.mixers.com Sani-Matic, Inc. 97, 197 www.sanimatic.com Schenck Process 45, 198 www.schenckprocess.com Scott Turbon Mixer, Inc. 115, 199 www.scottmixers.com SEW-EURODRIVE, Inc. 200, OBC www.seweurodrive.com Silverson Machines, Inc. 8, 201 www.silverson.com Sleeve Seal, LLC. 107, 202 www.sleeveseal.com Spokane Stainless Technologies, Inc. 86, 203 www.spokaneindustries.com Starview Packaging Machinery Inc. 64, 204 www.starviewpackaging.com Statco-DSI Process Systems 37, 205 www.statco-dsi.com Stolle Machinery Company 4, 206 www.stollemachinery..com The Witte Company 108, 217 www.witte.com ThermOmega Tech, Inc. 77, 207 www.thermomegatech.com Tippmann Group 54, 208 www.tippmanngroup.com TNA North America, Inc. 209 www.tnasolutions.com Uline 66 www.uline.com Urschel Laboratories, Inc. 75, 210 www.urschel.com VAC-U-MAX 15, 211 www.vac-u-max.com VDG (Van der Graaf) Cover-1 www.vandergraaf.com VEGA Americas 116, 213 www.vega.com Vibra Screw Inc 11, 214 www.vibrascrew.com Volkmann, Inc. 80, 215 www.volkmanusa.com Weber Inc 65, 216 www.weberweb.com Wire Belt 27, 218 www.wirebelt.com Yaskawa America, Inc., 83, 219 www.yaskawa.com

ProFood World®(ISSN 2476-06760, USPS 22310) is a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. ProFood World® is published 7x a year (February, April, June, August, September, October, December) by PMMI Media Group, 401 North Michigan Avenue Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2023 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.profoodworld.com. Paid subscription rates per year are $55 in the U.S., $80 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $130 Europe and South America. $200 in all other areas. To subscribe or manage your subscription to ProFood World, visit ProFoodWorld.com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: ProFood World, 401 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611. PRINTED IN USA by Quad Graphics. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: ahand@pmmimediagroup.com. We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address. Volume 8, Number 1.

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2/3/24 10:10

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards

Produced by

Awards to be presented at

Each year, ProFood World recognizes outstanding food and beverage processing and packaging innovation projects via the Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards ENTER competition. THE RECENTLY ADDED PROCESSOR/ Multiple awards will be named for projects such as: SUPPLIER PARTNERSHIP O Reduction in water and energy CATEGORY! O Waste conservation O Pollution prevention O Packaging reductions Join past winners such as Conagra Brands, Hormel Foods, Bob’s Red Mill, and Smithfield. View past winning entries and learn more at pfwgo.to/sema.

Entries are due March 18, 2024

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TECH PERSPECTIVE MICHAEL COSTA | SENIOR EDITOR

Thermal Imaging Generates Predictive Data to Reduce Waste Yoran Imaging’s Process Analytical Monitoring system measures residual heat from sealing applications to predict problems on the line before they occur, leading to lower costs and increased food safety.

a heat pattern that is not visible to a [traditional] NSPECTION IS A FOUNDATIONAL safeguard in vision inspection system. But [PAM] can reveal food processing and packaging to ensure prodit and can show the pattern so we can learn and ucts are free of contaminants before they’re sold understand the process.” to consumers. While X-ray and metal detection can The thermal imaging data from PAM’s smartreveal whether a package contains harmful matephone-sized camera overseeing the line is transrials, those technologies can’t determine whether ferred wirelessly to a portable cabinet monitor, each individual package on the line has been sealed where an end user can see where an alignment correctly to maintain the integrity of the product might need to be made to a sealing machine if the and keep out potential pathogens. data shows any problems. Sinbar says PAM’s built-in That’s a gap that Israel-based Yoran Imaging AI can also help manufacturers predict failure before plans to fill with its Process Analytical Monitoring it occurs on the line, potentially saving enormous (PAM) system. At the core of PAM’s capabilities amounts of material and resources in the process. is a proprietary thermal imaging inspection and “[PAM] can predict data capture system. The and prevent failure and thermal imaging technolthis is one of our huge ogy, according to Eran advantages,” Sinbar says. Sinbar, co-founder and “You don’t even have CEO at Yoran Imaging, to reach a point where was originally develyou have failure. This is oped as night vision for why we can dramatically the Israeli military. That reduce waste and custechnology is now transtomer complaints and ferred to the CPG manenable manufacturers ufacturing industry and to work at a very high can determine whether capacity.” the seal on a food or Another goal for Yoran beverage package has Imaging with PAM is to PHOTO COURTESY OF YORAN IMAGING been applied properly by eliminate manual saminstantly analyzing residpling methods from CPG ual heat from the sealing ‘We assume that future production manufacturing, which application. lines will be touchless, zero contact, Sinbar says is an antiquat“We understood there ed strategy. “Manual samwas a huge opportuniand zero waste, so new equipment pling is somebody pulling ty [in CPG] since night that comes with our system inside a product randomly off vision is based on visualthe line and expecting izing thermal radiation,” would be a closed-loop digital the condition of that one says Sinbar. “When heat system,’ says Eran Sinbar, co-founder package to be represensealing is applied to a tative of everything in package, it generates and CEO at Yoran Imaging. www.profoodworld.com | February 2024 |

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lenge if you aren’t monitoring your sealing process because there’s less room for error.” The reduced use of preservatives in food is also an opportunity to use PAM as a safeguard against packaging defects. “Some processors don’t add preservatives to meat or cheese anymore,” he notes. “Instead, they put inert gas in the packaging to keep the food fresh. If that inert Humidity detection gas leaks through a faulty Because PAM’s wireless heat seal, the food can spoil camera is small enough to without preservatives. PAM be mounted anywhere on can monitor and catch this the line, it can also be moved before it happens.” upstream into food processIn addition to Nestlé, ing, Sinbar says. In particular, other notable customers of PAM’s thermal imaging techYoran Imaging include Tetra nology can detect and meaPak and Colgate, and many sure humidity and moisture major snack and coffee comin a product prior to being panies in Israel. Sinbar says packaged. PAM has the most instal“Let’s say potato chips lations in Israel and is just have been cooked and are getting started in Europe moving into being packed and the U.S., with its eye on and sealed in pouches. expanding further into both [PAM] can monitor those of those markets this year. chips to ensure they’re the Additional plans for Yoran right humidity level,” Sinbar Imaging include working with says. “If they’re too warm, OEMs to integrate PAM as a they will lose their crispness component inside processing in the bag, and any excess and packaging machines. moisture from that heat “We assume that future procould potentially create duction lines will be touchbacteria in the bag too.” less, zero contact, and zero Yoran Imaging’s smartphone-sized camera Nestlé in Switzerland is one can be placed on the line to oversee waste, so new equipment of Yoran Imaging’s customfood processing or packaging, and data that comes with our system ers that purchased PAM to generated by the camera’s thermal inside would be a closedmonitor the humidity and imaging is transferred wirelessly to this loop digital system,” Sinbar moisture levels of its prodportable cabinet monitor, where end users explains. “We’re also looking ucts, he adds. can see real-time analytics. at how to bring data from Sustainable packaging is other equipment like checkanother area where PAM can weighers, X-rays, and metal detectors, and comoffer advantages for manufacturers. “A sustainbine it all under our [data] umbrella. There may be able milk carton, for example, is smaller today to small SMEs out there that might like us to handle save material and align with zero waste initiatives,” all their digital controls.” Sinbar says. “The carton is also thinner because it might have monolayer instead of multilayer materiYoran Imaging als. When you put that together, it becomes a chalwww.yoran-imaging.com that batch. For example, if it’s a potato chip bag, they put it in a bucket of water to see if air bubbles appear, which would mean it’s not sealed properly. I would say that’s primitive,” Sinbar says, adding that manual sampling also doesn’t generate practical data to apply to an operation like PAM does.

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CLEAN EATING UNCOMPROMISING PURITY IN FOOD PRODUCTION THANKS TO EFFICIENT SEALS

Seals used in the food industry have to meet very high requirements. That‘s because hygiene and the appropriate certifications are critical for the safety of processes and end products. Yet extreme temperature fluctuations, aggressive media such as cleaning agents and grease, and abrasive additives like nuts or pieces of fruit present a huge challenge.

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Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed special seals made of innovative materials that can withstand these extreme conditions permanently and uncompromisingly – for the clean production of all kinds of food. foodandbeverage.fst.com

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