Articles
How to Solve Food Manufacturers’ Top 3 Concerns
February 11, 2013 12:57 pm | by Robert Lockard, Fishbowl | CommentsA mandated shut-down due to ongoing food contamination is a food processor’s biggest nightmare and is considered the top concern by most producers. With industry uncertainty looming in 2013, cost control and labor issues fall just behind food safety as top manufacturing concerns. So how do you ease the worry over these issues? Ever thought about software as a solution?
FSMA and IPM – A Match Made in Common Values
February 11, 2013 9:22 am | by Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D., B.C.E., Director of Quality Systems, Orkin, LLC | CommentsWith the new rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) going into effect in less than 60 days, it has become obvious that the FDA is seeking to revamp food safety in the United States, as well as regulate imported food from around the globe.
Hantavirus: Are Your Employees at Risk?
February 8, 2013 11:00 am | by Lindsey Jahn, Associate Editor | CommentsA recent outbreak of hantavirus at Yosemite National Park has raised concern about potential rodent infestation and hantavirus outbreaks in manufacturing plants, including food facilities. Patricia Hottel of McCloud Services discusses the risks of hantavirus and how food companies can keep their employees safe from the disease.
Brainstorm: Automation in Poultry Processing (Part V)
February 8, 2013 9:30 am | by Lindsay Galas, Global Marketing Manager for Meat & Poultry, Videojet | CommentsLindsay Galas of Videojet weighs in: Poultry has long been one of the least automated food processing sectors. As automation equipment becomes more sophisticated, how will poultry processors see their business practices change?
Cutting the Mustard
February 7, 2013 11:00 am | by Krystal Gabert, Editor | CommentsBeaverton Foods, Inc. is currently the largest processor of specialty mustards in the country and operates out of a 70,000-square-foot food processing facility in Hillsboro, Ore., shipping about 30 million units per year. But its beginnings were much more humble.
Brainstorm: Automation in Poultry Processing (Part IV)
February 7, 2013 9:30 am | by John Kadinger, Market Manager, Key Technology | CommentsJohn Kadinger of Key Technology weighs in: Poultry has long been one of the least automated food processing sectors. As automation equipment becomes more sophisticated, how will poultry processors see their business practices change?
Food Safety Update: Meat, Poultry and Seafood Processing
February 6, 2013 11:00 am | by Krystal Gabert, Editor | CommentsThe Food Safety Update section of Food Manufacturing is designed to offer our readers insight into the state of food safety concerns across the industry. We received hundreds of responses to this month’s survey on meat, poultry and seafood processing.
Brainstorm: Automation in Poultry Processing (Part III)
February 6, 2013 9:30 am | by Christy Miller, Marketing Manager, Eagle Product Inspection | CommentsChristy Miller of Eagle Product Inspection weighs in: Poultry has long been one of the least automated food processing sectors. As automation equipment becomes more sophisticated, how will poultry processors see their business practices change?
Q&A: The Hostess Auction — What to Expect
February 5, 2013 9:53 am | by Lindsey Jahn, Associate Editor | CommentsAs Hostess continues its bankruptcy auction process, the company has announced the lead bidders for many of its popular brands, including Wonder Bread and Twinkies. Food Manufacturing spoke with Professor Anthony Michael Sabino about the bankruptcy auction process and what it means for both buyers and sellers.
Brainstorm: Automation in Poultry Processing (Part II)
February 5, 2013 9:28 am | by Eric Pfeiffer, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions | CommentsEric Pfeiffer of Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions weighs in: Poultry has long been one of the least automated food processing sectors. As automation equipment becomes more sophisticated, how will poultry processors see their business practices change?
Brainstorm: Automation in Poultry Processing (Part I)
February 4, 2013 9:39 am | by Kevin Stump, Product Marketing Manager, Bettcher Industries, Inc. | CommentsKevin Stump of Bettcher Industries weighs in: Poultry has long been one of the least automated food processing sectors. As automation equipment becomes more sophisticated, how will poultry processors see their business practices change?
A Rose by Any Other Name Is a Lawsuit
February 1, 2013 11:20 am | by Trent Taylor, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP | CommentsOne of the most explosive litigation trends in our tort system right now is the large uptick in the number of suits targeting the labeling practices of food manufacturers. Indeed, a huge number of such suits were filed in 2012 alone. And more such suits appear to be on the way in 2013.
The Benefits and Risks of BYOD
February 1, 2013 9:44 am | by Dean Wiech, Managing Director at Tools4ever | Comments"Bring your own device" (BYOD) is when employees have the ability to bring their own technical devices — like smart phones, tablets and laptops — and use the company’s network instead of a company-provided device. BYOD has many benefits and risks, though, that each organization’s IT department needs to consider.
Q&A: Working With Companies To Secure Data
January 31, 2013 9:00 am | by Jeff Multz, Director, North America Midmarket Sales, Dell SecureWorks | CommentsThe biggest threat is organizations themselves because they aren’t doing enough to protect themselves. They often think they’re secure, yet they’re not really secure. Public and private organizations need multiple layers of security. Not only do they need security around their network, they also need separate layers of security around their most valuable servers and databases.
New Research Identifies Major Climate Threat To Global Supply Chains
January 30, 2013 9:00 am | by CDP & Accenture | CommentsSeventy percent of companies believe that climate change has the potential to significantly affect their revenue, a risk which is intensified by a chasm between the sustainable business practices of multinational corporations and their suppliers, according to research published today by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and Accenture.
Is Labor Productivity The No. 1 Factor For Global Competiveness?
January 29, 2013 9:34 am | by Simon Macpherson, Senior Director Operations, Kronos EMEA | CommentsA recent survey conducted by IDC Manufacturing Insights shows that labor productivity ranked the highest among all 11 countries surveyed as the most important factor for achieving manufacturing success. Factors such as modern infrastructure, government support, and foreign direct investment ranked in varying degrees after labor productivity.
Seven Tips to Help Save Money on LTL Shipping
January 25, 2013 10:00 am | by Nicholas Isasi, Executive Vice President, DM Transportation | CommentsDespite the benefits of Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping, LTL rates can be very confusing. While truckload rates are usually based on a per-mile rate plus a fuel charge, many factors determine LTL rates, and these factors can dramatically impact the cost of a shipment.
Environmentally Friendly Pest Management
January 23, 2013 3:21 pm | by Patrick T. Copps, MS, B.C.E., Technical Services Manager, Orkin, LLC | CommentsThe days of traditional pest management strategies — which may have included an over-reliance on pesticides and reactive pest treatments — are long gone. In their place is a proactive approach to pest management that uses chemical treatments only as a last resort.
Purchase Mobile Computers Wisely
January 23, 2013 11:44 am | by Jerker Hellström, CEO, Handheld Group | CommentsHigher productivity, increased labor costs and a strong trends towards true mobility in the work place are all factors that have put the spotlight firmly on ‘total costs of ownership’ for computers and devices. Organizations will have to start spending more on durable and reliable mobile computers rather than looking for bargains, if they want to avoid losing valuable productive time.
How To Ensure A Motor’s Energy Efficiency
January 23, 2013 9:29 am | by Baldor Electric Company | CommentsSince the inception of the first industrial electric motors, manufacturers have been developing technology to produce better motors which use the least amount of energy possible. While increasing the efficiency of electric motors is not a new phenomenon, the last several decades of technological advancements in motors, as well as manufacturing methods, has vastly improved the efficiency of electric motors.
