Articles
Designing Plants for Quick Changeovers
September 16, 2008 10:06 am | by Jason Duff, Vice President of Design, Stellar Food & Beverage Facility Services division | CommentsFirst, locating tooling and spare parts storage adjacent to production areas is key to enable quick access. Because changeovers often involve tooling changes on or within the processing, keeping critical tooling and/or parts in the immediate area saves valuable time.
Changes that Make Waves
September 16, 2008 10:05 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsFor those of you who followed the Olympics this summer, you most likely noticed that many swimmers were sporting a very different-looking swimsuit. This suit the LZR Racer by Speedo produced amazing results during the summer games, including being the gear of choice by eight-time gold medal winner and Water Cube Demigod, Michael Phelps.
Gone in a Flash:What you can do to protect your facility from a combustible dust explosion
September 16, 2008 10:05 am | by Dean Hamel, Larry Floyd, Tom Hoppe and Gregory Burke of Ciba Expert Services North America | CommentsCombustible dust may not be the first thing food manufacturing plant managers think of when they come to work in the morning, but if recent history is any indicator, it probably should be. Several serious incidents in recent years involving dust explosions highlight the need for facility and EHS managers to understand and address this matter to safeguard assets and employees. The sooner they start developing a comprehensive plan to do so, the better.
A One-Stop Shop for Process Safety
September 16, 2008 10:05 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsBullet List Housekeeping: Avoiding surface dust accumulations on floors, equipment, rafters, in storage areas, etc. It is also important to use equipment and cleaning methods that do not generate dust clouds. Plants should conduct regular inspections for dust accumulations in open and hidden areas.
Smarter Sourcing Aids Cost Management
August 6, 2008 11:48 am | by Steve Lyman, advisory services partner, Grant Thornton | CommentsConsumers are feeling the pinch as food and beverage manufacturers deal not only with the rising cost of ingredients, but also rising fuel costs that are driving up shipping prices. With growing populations and growing per capita consumption in countries such as China, demand for ingredients continues to increase.
New Metal Detector Spices Things Up
August 6, 2008 11:47 am | CommentsGivaudan installs the new APEX 300 drop-through to eliminate false positives & simplify cleaning processes, saving both time and money. The Inspection Challenge When a factory needs to process and package 100,000 pounds of spices daily, a single machine not working at peak performance can be a major problem.
Don’t Let Pests Sour the Milk
July 21, 2008 8:08 am | by Ron Harrison, Ph.D., Entomologist, Orkin, Inc. | CommentsAs you know all too well, a sound sanitation program as part of a best-practices approach to the dairy business benefits your bottom line. Sanitation violations uncovered during a health inspection can result in facility shut-downs that cost the company revenue and long-term negative reputation.
Does an Old Dog Need New Tricks?
July 21, 2008 8:07 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsIn the spirit of summer barbeques and baseball games, I decided to brush up on my hot dog knowledge. It appears that this is quite timely, as most of the major newspapers are reporting that a "wiener war" is in full-effect. The battle - between Kraft Food's Oscar Mayer and Sara Lee's Ball Park - is somewhat speculative as both companies are producing market research and sales data that proclaims each company as the nation's top hot dog brand.
Dairy Done Differently
July 21, 2008 8:07 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsHope Acres dairy farm puts an automated twist on tradition. Facing more discerning, health-conscious consumers, food manufacturers are taking a closer look at how they are sourcing their dairy products and ingredients. This may require a visit back to the farm - and manufacturers might be surprised at what they find.
Combating Food Price Inflation with Manufacturing Operations Management
July 21, 2008 8:07 am | by Mark Sutcliffe, General Manager, CDC Factory Solutions, CDC Software | CommentsFood processors are no strangers to raw material price volatility. Historically, price fluctuations of 15 to 20 percent have been common and threatened only the weakest companies. But when prices surge by 100 to 200 percent over the course of 12 to 24 months, the rules of the game change.
New Motor Provides Hot Water at the Right Price: Free
June 24, 2008 12:14 pm | by Aaron Frankel, Contributing Editor | CommentsAt a time when any kind of energy conservation is invaluable to bottom lines, Stainless Motors Inc. has released its new water-cooled, high-efficiency motor to help food manufacturers cope with the added stress of the energy crisis. "The request for the product came from one of our customers in the food processing industry," said John Oleson , Chief Engineer for Stainless Motors, as well as the man responsible for the new design.
The Power of Misperception
June 18, 2008 8:41 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsWhile having dinner in a restaurant the other night, I overheard a woman at the table behind me verbally scanning the menu and discussing what she no longer feels is safe and to eat. On her list was beef ("contaminated with mad cow"), spinach ("contaminated with E. coli"), chicken ("possible salmonella poisoning") and all seafood ("filled with carcinogenic toxins").
Flooring Solutions Give Flavors Facility a Fresh Start
June 12, 2008 8:12 am | by Chris F. Crowley, Garon Products Inc. | CommentsBrand Aromatics (Lakewood, NJ), a 10-year old company recognized for the innovative, high quality and concentrated flavors it provides to the food processing industry, experienced dramatic growth and needed to beef up its production capabilities by relocating to a new and larger facility.
Small but Mighty
June 12, 2008 8:11 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor | CommentsThe brewery industry, like the rest of the food industry, is not immune to today's tough economic times. Seemingly insurmountable fuel and distribution costs, skyrocketing grain prices, and the availability (or lack thereof) of ingredients are familiar food industry-wide woes.
Food Conveyor Solutions Add Safety, Drain Costs
May 21, 2008 8:23 am | by John Bloomer, Director, SKF Food and Beverage Business | CommentsNeeds for greater food safety and lower operating costs have given rise to dramatic advancements in conveyor technology. Products such as sealed-for-life bearing units, harborage-resistant housings, and seals that grow increasingly protective under pressure are fast taking hold in the market.
Why use food grade lubricants?
May 21, 2008 8:23 am | by Sibtain Hamid, BASF Corporation | CommentsHistorically, food grade lubricants have not matched the performance delivered by industrial lubricants (gear oils, hydraulic oils and compressor oils). Food and beverage plant managers chose industrial grade lubricants because they were unwilling to jeopardize the longevity or output of their equipment.
Test Tube Nuggets
May 21, 2008 8:23 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor | CommentsI'm clearly not a PETA supporter despite the fact that I feel that chickens serve a very divine purpose on this planet, especially when covered in honey mustard and put on my sandwich. Therefore, I typically dismiss all PETA news events as blatant publicity stunts and inadequate attempts to destroy much of the industry that keeps my publication alive.
Revisiting Your Waste Decisions
May 21, 2008 8:23 am | by Karen Langhauser, Editor | CommentsIt's not all glitz and glamour in the food industry. Behind every shiny bag of irresistibly crispy potato chips on the grocery shelf is water used to wash the potatoes, dirt and stones recovered from the wash process, peels from each and every potato and even, unfortunately, potatoes that didn't quite make the quality cut.
Crossing Borders
April 17, 2008 5:42 am | CommentsIf ever you need some excitement in your day, mention NAFTA in the presence of people with mixed political party affiliations. The North American Free Trade Agreement took effect on January 1, 1994, promising to remove trade and investment barriers among the United States, Canada, and Mexico, thus leading to thousands of new U.
Nut Butter Output Increases Five-Fold With New Bulk Handling System
April 11, 2008 12:44 pm | CommentsMaraNatha Nut Butters was founded in 1982 in Ashland, OR, when the husband and wife team of Robert and Chris Plotnik began delivering dried fruit from the California Central Valley to natural food stores in Oregon and Washington. As the distribution company grew, the family began producing their own specialty peanut and nut butters under the MaraNatha label.
