Plant Operations
Daily Sound Bite: A 'Natural' Look Takes Hard Work
June 18, 2013 12:42 pm | News | CommentsHere's the latest goal for food makers: Perfect the art of imperfection. Kraft Foods took more than two years to develop a process to make the thick, uneven slabs of turkey in its Carving Board line look like leftovers from a homemade meal rather than the cookie-cutter ovals typical of most lunchmeat.
Food Makers Try Hard for ‘Natural’ Look
June 18, 2013 9:44 am | by CANDICE CHOI,AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsFood companies are responding to the adage that people eat with their eyes. Americans still love their fast food and packaged snacks, but they're increasingly turning their noses up at foods that look overly processed. Home-cooked meals — or ones that at least look like they were homemade — are seen as more wholesome and authentic.
Irrigated Vegetable Farm in the Works in Arizona
June 17, 2013 12:21 pm | by SUZANNE ADAMS-OCKRASSA,Kingman Daily Miner | News | CommentsLas Vegas developer Jim Rhodes has returned to Mohave County, but instead of planting houses in the Golden Valley and Red Lake areas, he's planting peppers, tomatoes and pickles. Rhodes' newest company, Kingman Farms, has started breaking ground on a 200-acre commercial vegetable farm off of Aztec Road behind the three model homes he built for his former master planned community Pravada.
Shareholder Says Smithfield Sale Undervalues Company
June 17, 2013 12:19 pm | by MICHAEL FELBERBAUM,AP Business Writer | News | CommentsOne of Smithfield Foods Inc.'s largest shareholders says a $4.72 billion takeover bid from China's largest meat producer falls short of what the company would be worth if sold off piece by piece. In a letter to the pork producer's board of directors on Monday, the New York-based investment firm Starboard Value LP estimated the company's value at $9 billion to $10.8 billion, or about $44 to $55 per share.
Building a Secure Manufacturing Infrastructure
June 17, 2013 9:51 am | by Grant McDonald, Product Marketing Manager for Symantec SMB & .cloud | Articles | CommentsThe digital design process makes it easier than ever for employees to share information with one another and outside experts, but at the same time, with every endpoint connected to the Internet is a risk of a cybercriminal stealing this intellectual property or other sensitive information.
WhiteWave Announces Second Offering
June 17, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsThe WhiteWave Foods Co. said Friday that it filed plans for a secondary offering of 29.9 million shares of its stock currently held by one-time parent company Dean Foods Co. The company has granted the option to underwriters to buy an additional 4.5 million shares of stock.
Where Has All The Training Gone?
June 17, 2013 9:45 am | by Robert Allen and Kathleen Bellemare, Connecticut Spring & Stamping | Articles | CommentsTraining is extremely important to the future of manufacturing in the United States, yet in many states, it has fallen by the wayside. Training for skilled manufacturing positions has been hit by a perfect storm of budget cuts and the mistaken idea that all young workers should go to college.
Whey from Greek Yogurt Used To Produce Power
June 17, 2013 9:36 am | by MICHAEL HILL,Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Greek yogurt boom in New York is being harnessed to make electricity. More Greek yogurt production has meant more whey, a watery byproduct from the process. Yogurt makers commonly ship it back to farms for use as feed and fertilizer, but it's also is being used to generate power in several places.
Photo of the Day: The Power of Whey
June 17, 2013 9:34 am | News | CommentsWhey, a byproduct of Greek yogurt production, is collected at Gloversville-Johnstown wastewater plant west of Albany, N.Y., and mixed with anaerobic bacteria. The resulting methane gas becomes combustible fuel that generates nearly enough electricity to power the plant.
Former Goya Foods President Dies at 88
June 14, 2013 12:36 pm | News | CommentsJoseph Unanue, who helped turn Goya Foods into America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, has died. He was 88. Unanue died Wednesday at his home in Alpine, Bergen County. His family said he died of natural causes. Unanue began working at Goya in 1952 and served as president of the Secaucus-based company from 1976 to 2004.
Smithfield Foods 4Q Profit Plummets 63 Percent
June 14, 2013 9:56 am | by MICHAEL FELBERBAUM,AP Business Writer | News | CommentsPork producer Smithfield Foods says its net income fell nearly 63 percent in the fourth quarter as it experienced lower hog prices, higher feed costs and a decline in exports to China and Russia. The results come amid the company's pending $4.72 billion takeover by the majority shareholder in China's largest meat processor.
5 Quick Questions: Siemens’ Helmuth Ludwig
June 13, 2013 2:20 pm | by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director | Articles | CommentsAlthough the company operates a diverse collection of business units in 190 countries, German-based Siemens also employs more than 60,000 people in 130 U.S. manufacturing facilities. So with this in mind, we recently sat down with Helmuth Ludwig, the CEO of Siemens’ Industry Sector in North America.
Smithfield Deal: Will U.S. Companies Make Headway in China?
June 13, 2013 2:12 pm | by Wall Street Journal | Videos | CommentsWall Street Journal contributor and writer of "The Business" column, John Bussey, takes a look at the recent acquisition of Smithfield Foods by Chinese company Shuanghui International Holdings and suggests the deal should be viewed as an opportunity to expand U.S. holdings in China.
Daily Sound Bite: Hostess Prepares for Rebirth
June 13, 2013 12:44 pm | News | CommentsAfter the purchase of Hostess Brands' assets by Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co., the company's Dolly Madison plant in Columbus, Ga., is preparing to again begin production. The company plans to begin production by July, but it is unknown how many jobs the relaunch will create.
Understanding the Options in Manufacturing eCommerce
June 13, 2013 12:39 pm | by Bob Barr, Senior Vice President, Acquity Group | Articles | CommentseCommerce is driving new opportunities in manufacturing and other B2B industries. With the right technology, a manufacturing brand can dramatically improve its online presence, from a basic website to a sophisticated digital resource capable of promoting products, completing orders and performing other functions.
New Hostess Owner Prepares To Re-Start Ga. Plant
June 13, 2013 12:25 pm | News | CommentsThe smell of snack cakes could soon return to the Dolly Madison plant in Columbus as Hostess Brands LLC prepares to relaunch production. Hostess Brands LLC spokesman Michael Cramer said workers will be resuming production by July. He said crews are now getting the facility ready to bake goods again, including testing equipment that's been idle since November.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:19 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:18 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:17 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:16 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:16 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:15 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:14 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:13 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
Webinar: How to Convert a Diverse Workforce into an Audit Ready Safety Culture
June 13, 2013 11:12 am | EventsAlchemy invites you to a complimentary (30-minute) discussion on how we help companies throughout the food supply chain meet their quality and safety commitments. Learn how we have helped over 1,400 locations across the world increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, foster safe working environments, and produce safe quality products.
