2023 ProFood World Processing Zone Showcase

SEPTEMBER 1113, 2023 ● LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA

A PRE-SHOW PLANNER

Exhibitor Guide, Floor Plan, and Educational Sessions

Special Presentations From Award Winners Prestage, SunOpta, Conagra, and More

Show Preview to Maximize Your Show Experience

Perspectives on Vertical Food and Beverage Sectors

The official pre-show planner from:

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PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents more than 950 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials, as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. We work to advance a variety of industries by connecting consumer goods companies with manufacturing solutions through the worldclass PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, leading trade media, and a wide range of resources to empower our members. The PACK EXPO trade shows unite the world of packaging and processing to advance the industries they serve: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Healthcare Packaging EXPO, PACK EXPO East, Enlace EXPO PACK, EXPO PACK México and EXPO PACK Guadalajara. PMMI Media Group connects manufacturers to the latest solutions, trends and innovations in packaging and processing year-round through brands including Packaging World, Healthcare Packaging, ProFood World, Contract Manufacturing & Packaging, Mundo PMMI, and OEM. PMMI Business Drivers assist members in pursuing operational excellence through workforce development initiatives; deliver actionable business intelligence on economic, market, and industry trends to support members’ growth strategies; and actively connect the supply chain throughout the year.

Learn more at pmmi.org, packexpo.com, and pmmimediagroup.com.

1 About PMMI

PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and producer of PACK EXPO International, welcomes you to the most comprehensive packaging and processing exhibition in North America this year.

3 Welcome Letter

Editor-in-Chief Aaron Hand welcomes you to PACK EXPO Las Vegas, where the focus this year is firmly on sustainability.

4 Vertical Perspectives

Packaging and food industry journalists share their points of view on how various market segments are faring as the world finds itself in a new normal.

12 Show Preview

Here’s what you need to know to maximize your time in The Processing Zone and at PACK EXPO Las Vegas: show hours, new and returning pavilions, special events, and more.

16 Industry Insider Insights

Scan the QR codes on this page to get up-to-date listings of all free educational sessions going on at the Innovation Stages, the Processing Innovation Stage, The Forum, Industry Speaks, and More.

18 Processing Zone Exhibitors and Floor Plan

Find your way to exhibitor booths, educational sessions, and special events.

20 Showcase Profiles

This unique advertising section previews some of the leading companies and solution providers at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

41 Exhibitor New Products

Take an inside look at some of the new technologies and solutions available from exhibitors.

47 Facilities and Infrastructure Directory

Find companies that offer services for design-build, building infrastructure, and plant utilities.

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Sustainability Steals the Show at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

In case you haven’t noticed yet, sustainability is ringing through loud and clear at this year’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas. PMMI is forging ahead with its message about the importance of sustainability in the industry, working together with partners, vendors, and exhibitors to create actionable sustainable solutions.

Sustainability Central is making its debut at this year’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas, taking an expansive look at sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. There are lots of other environmentally minded features at this year’s show, including the PACK EXPO Green icon, which helps you easily nd which among the more than 2,000 exhibitors will be showcasing sustainable solutions. Also, PMMI Media Group has created the PACK EXPO Sustainability Solutions Finder, a targeted curated list of sustainable solutions exhibitors will be displaying at the show.

From my perspective, Las Vegas is a tting place for a closer look at sustainability. It was in Vegas that I visited the grand opening of Republic Services’ agship recycling center—a gleaming 110,000-sqft facility with state-of-the-art sorting capabilities. When it transitioned to a single-stream recycling facility—enabled by a high level of automation and control—recycling rates in its service area rose from 2% to 30% in just its rst year.

That was eight years ago, and I would venture to guess that Republic Services’ North Las Vegas facility is still one of the largest and smartest residential recycling centers in the country. Municipal policies and material recovery facilities (MRFs) vary wildly across the U.S. I live in a city that doesn’t even have curbside pickup. And when we take our recycling to a facility, we rst have to sort it into about ve different categories. How many of my neighbors are actually taking the time?

My long-winded point of all of this is to say that food and beverage processors must do more than provide their goods in recyclable packages; they have to make them easier to actually get recycled. Consumers are demanding more sustainable practices, and the place they’re going to look rst is that package that they’re getting their food or beverage in.

They might not know about the sustainable practices that are going on behind the scenes, but efforts are certainly being made there as well. Food and beverage processors still have quite a few easy bits of fruit to pick to make their operations more sustainable. And they will continue to look beyond those rst easy grabs for one key reason: More sustainable practices not only make environmental sense, but they also make economic sense. They enable saved energy, saved water, saved ingredients—all translating to saved money.

While you’re at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, be sure to spend time in The Processing Zone, where ProFood World readers can nd the exhibitors most targeted to their needs. But I also encourage you to come by the Processing Innovation Stage, located at Booth N-10511, where a range of speakers will be detailing the latest breakthroughs in processing. Use the QR code on page 16 to get an up-to-date schedule of presentations for all of PACK EXPO’s Innovation Stages.

At the Processing Innovation Stage, stick around for the ceremonies for both of ProFood World’s awards programs. Our Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards will take place on Monday at 4 p.m. Come hear about the award-winning sustainability programs and projects from Conagra Brands, Hormel Foods, Bob’s Red Mill, and Smith eld Foods. Then on Tuesday at 4 p.m., hear more about our Manufacturing Innovation Award winners at MyForest Foods, Prestage Foods of South Carolina, and SunOpta.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas will have a full spectrum of innovations to move you forward on your journey—whether you’re looking for a more sustainable package or a more sustainable process. Exhibitors will be there to help you optimize your steam traps; they will be there to show you how to reuse water; they will be there to provide conveyors that keep ingredients from being lost; and they will be there to help you design a more sustainable facility from the get-go.

Aaron Hand Editor-in-Chief

vertical perspectives

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Now an annual fixture in the PACK EXPO Showcase, Vertical Perspectives is a collaboration with six of our editorial counterparts at food market publisher Sosland. Each of these columns takes the pulse of a food-related industry, with packaging cutting across all of them—from dairy to pet food, from bakery to beverage—so what affects them is bound to affect packaging operations directly downstream. That’s why folks like me, with more of a packaging-centric perspective, find these editors’ insights so valuable.

For instance, it appears that there’s a new challenger in the usual triumvirate of major trends affecting food. For several years now, this collective of industry experts has described a three-pronged trend landscape that centered on supply chain issues, sustainability efforts, and the shifting balance between labor and automation. Sustainability goals and the workforce/automation paradigm remain top of mind. But as supply chain disruption has eased, inflation has taken its place as a new change agent.

Food producers aren’t responsible for inflation. But according to Keith Nunes at Food Business News, this pass along of costs is having an impact on consumer behavior. Ultimately, food isn’t a discretionary cost—people need to eat, so that means cutting down on other areas of discretionary spending to keep up with rising food costs.

But it’s not just a simple spending power tradeoff of food for video games or sneakers. Both Josh Sosland of Milling & Baking News and Joel Crews of Meat+Poultry identify changing consumer behaviors within food, as well. In grain-based foods, Sosland cites the reversal of a years-long growth trend in premium and super-premium branded breads, and a corresponding uptick in less expensive private label and store brand breads. Crews points to declining demand for exports, and domestically, a decreasing demand for premium meat and poultry products. Consumers are shifting their dollars around, even within food segments, as they adapt to higher prices.

Inflation is hitting the pet industry, too. But according to Kimberlie Clyma of Pet Food Processing, pet owners—many of whom are relatively new to pet ownership after adopting an animal during the pandemic—remain willing to pay more for Fido’s premium treats and foods even as they’re more spendthrift with their own food choices.

As the effects of inflation-based consumer sentiment ripple through markets, food producers ready themselves for the “Factory of the Future” by investing in digitalization, robotics, and automation. In many ways, this is a natural outgrowth of scarce and unreliable labor. And meanwhile, as we packaging-centric folks well know, sustainability remains a major driver of investment and innovation. Though packaging may have hit its limits in optimization, it appears that low-hanging fruit remains for reducing food waste, reducing energy, water, and air inputs, and streamlining food processing operations. Parallel automation and robotics installations, with their new artificial intelligence and machine learning optimization and continuous improvement capabilities, should help to make strides in that department.

—Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor, Packaging World

Industry Sees Need to Address Food Waste Along the Supply Chain

There are several significant trends within the food and beverage space right now—continuing inflation, supply chain constraints, increasing need for automation, sustainability efforts—but perhaps none is more prevalent than the discussion surrounding food waste and how to curb its expansion.

Each year, billions of pounds of good food are wasted. Whether it’s crops that never get harvested or food left to expire at home or in restaurants, there are any number of reasons that food doesn’t make it into the mouths of an increasing number of people facing food insecurity. Everybody up and down the supply chain—from the farmer to the consumer—has a role to play in reducing food waste.

We recently saw a success out of Bob’s Red Mill, which won a Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Award (SEMA) this year from ProFood World for zeroing in specifically on a food waste problem in its production process. For a pilot on one of its grain lines in Milwaukie, Ore., the company made a relatively simple adjustment to the conveyor to reduce grain spillover—thereby reducing its wasted food per pound on that line by more than 70%.

From a food manufacturer’s perspective, it’s not always in the production process where food waste occurs. It could be looked at from several angles—creating formulations or using technologies (high-pressure processing or aseptic processing, say) that enable longer shelf life for perishable goods, optimizing shipping routes from supplier to processor to retail, rethinking the packaging that might keep that food fresher for longer, and improving labeling practices, to name a few.

Of course, reducing food waste is just one part of the larger discussion of sustainability. Having recently completed the judging of our SEMAs, sustainability is fairly top of mind around here. But then, sustainability has become top of mind for a lot of food and beverage producers these days.

They’re being held more and more accountable by consumers to be transparent, ambitious, and successful when it comes to their environmental agendas. But they also know that many of those sustainability projects—reducing energy, water, materials, food waste, and more—are going to pay for themselves in a relatively short amount of time.

The Bob’s Red Mill project mentioned above—a suggestion made by a production line worker—paid for itself in grain savings almost immediately.

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, clearly sees sustainability as an important topic throughout industry. Debuting Sustainability Central at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this year, the association will team with partners, vendors, and exhibitors to showcase a wide range of sustainability-related content.

That kind of collaboration in the sustainability space is a common theme. We’ve seen time and time again typically competitive relationships among companies loosen up when it comes to the topic of environmental innovation. This is a pre-competitive space where people are truly looking to lift all the boats with the rising tide.

As I write this, Russia has pulled out of the grain export deal it made last July, which allowed Ukraine to safely export its grains from its Black Sea ports. With Ukraine being a key supplier of the world’s grain, this is a move that could further worsen food insecurity issues around the globe and aggravate existing inflation concerns.

When ProFood World looked at how inflation was affecting the food and beverage industry last fall, it was clear that consumers were feeling the pinch. Shoppers were already looking for ways to save money, 60% of those surveyed by Vericast searching for discounts and deals to offset the inflation. Retailers and consumers were also starting to push back against higher prices for goods—and against practices like “shrinkflation,” in which brands kept prices the same while shrinking the size or volume of the package.

As Keith Nunes notes in his Food Business News report on page 8, the continued progression of price increases is affecting purchasing patterns among consumers. They’re reducing their spending on products—particularly certain product categories that they see as more expensive—and changing their meal plans along the way.

All of these trends are interrelated, and food and beverage producers throughout the industry will need to find new ways to adapt, to work together, and to come up with plans to address new demands in a changing world.

Aaron Hand Editor-in-Chief ProFood

verticalperspectives

Future of Packaging Lies in Robotics, not People

Labor remains the driving force for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to automate their packaging departments, according to the “2022 Future of Automation” study from PMMI. The labor shortage is a significant driver for automating operations, according to 60% of the CPGs that responded. When asked if labor shortages were impacting their companies, 90% reported labor was somewhat or extremely impacting their companies. And when compared to other challenges such as rising costs, skills and knowledge gaps in the workforce were cited as the ones most companies expected to be a long-term problem.

With two-thirds of survey respondents reporting a semi-manual or manual packaging department, it’s no wonder CPGs are willing to bite the bullet and invest in automation at the end of their production lines.

When looking at the baking industry specifically, Baking & Snack’s annual capital spending study reflected similar findings this year. Compared with 2022, fewer baking industry executives in the 2023 study listed “decreasing labor costs” and “making accommodations for a lack of labor” as the key reasons for making capital spending decisions. However, about half of respondents still listed these goals as one of their top two priorities for capital spending for 2023. Even more telling is that 75% of baking companies said they planned to spend dollars on equipment in their packaging department in 2023. Second to packaging was mixing at 58%, a significant gap. As baking companies juggle rising material costs, increasing demand for their products, and a persisting workforce gap, packaging remains the department they see as holding the most promise for alleviating their stress through automation.

packaging department is no exception. Each of the packaging department’s four lines have the flexibility to handle both single-bagged and double-bagged formats. AMF Versa Loaders on each line orient the products into trays. This task alone would require five to six people per line. Today, only one person monitors these machines in addition to other tasks.

Flowers Foods is one example of what baking companies can do when they have the space and capital available to fully automate. Not only do other bakeries have to contend with space and capital limitations, but they can also be restricted by the amount of product variations. The sheer number of changeovers between pack sizes and formats can make it difficult for bakeries to transition away from labor-heavy operations.

PMMI’s study showed that, for nearly half of the CPGs in the U.S., floorspace is a limiting factor in their ability to automate. The association’s report also singled out flexibility as a continuing issue in light of the pandemic, revealing how critical it is for CPGs to remain nimble to market changes. And while cost and time were the biggest barriers to automation (65% and 59%, respectively), rising labor costs are increasingly closing that gap.

Charlotte Atchley Editor Baking & Snack

This reality was made evident during Baking & Snack’s recent visit to Flowers Baking to see the latest production line for Dave’s Killer Bread (DKB). The production line was designed with the goal of producing the most amount of bread with the least amount of costs, specifically labor costs, notes Robert Benton, recently retired executive vice president of network optimization for Flowers Foods. What resulted was the most automated DKB production line in Flowers Foods’ facility network to date, and the

While most baking companies might not have the capital spending budget of the second largest baking company in the U.S., technology has become increasingly accessible from both a budgetary and training standpoint. According to PMMI’s study, 48% of CPGs said they are planning to begin using collaborative robots (cobots) in the next three years; 35% are already using them. When PMMI asked survey respondents to what degree robots and cobots can address labor shortages in plants, more than 70% thought robots could have a moderate to significant impact, while about 50% thought cobots could have only a small benefit. This finding seems to indicate that CPG facilities are more likely to invest in robotic solutions to overcome labor issues.

Robotics will be a necessary part of the solution for Flowers Foods’ future, according to Benton. “We use robotics for a three-man job, and now we have one person that works three lines and has multiple jobs,” he says. “The future for us is a focus on robotics. We have to.”

Dairy Industry Works Toward a Sustainable Future

Dairy processors in the U.S. and beyond are aware of the impact of sustainability on the dairy sector and the ongoing efforts to produce products that are respectful to the resources, land, animals, and people involved. In recent years, there has been increasing pressure on dairy companies to demonstrate greater environmental stewardship and social responsibility. This comes at a time when the business case for sustainable operations grows stronger every year.

Over the past 75 years, U.S. dairy production has made significant reductions in water and land use while drastically reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But consumers and investors want more from the industry.

According to Morning Consult, a decision intelligence company, consumers rank food and beverage as one of the most important industries when it comes to environmental impact, but many are unable to articulate what makes a product in the category sustainable. The company surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. consumers about their attitudes, behaviors, and expectations around sustainability. The food and beverage industry came second when respondents were asked to select the sector in which sustainability is most important.

Despite the relative importance of sustainability, at least a quarter of consumers said they don’t know what makes a food or beverage product sustainable. However, one thing that consumers are familiar with is packaging. Disposing of packaging in an environmentally friendly way or reducing packaging altogether was a common response when describing what it means for a food and beverage brand to be sustainable.

Even with the knowledge gap, consumers are more concerned about what companies are doing to reduce their environmental impact than their own personal actions. Food waste created by restaurants, grocery stores, and manufacturers topped their list of concerns.

As the dairy industry strives to make sustainable production the standard, leaders in the industry also understand simply getting started can be a lot to take on for many companies. Driven by those consumer and industry expectations, every step in the process of developing a dairy package is being scrutinized to ensure it is produced responsibly.

Creating packaging that promotes a circular economy requires creative innovation as well as consumer engagement to ensure a continuous

supply of post-consumer recycled content. Creating a circular economy goes beyond the packaging and starts at the source of the materials, which involves ensuring the materials a company uses are sourced as much as possible from renewable sources.

Beyond packaging, processors are creating sustainability initiatives to tackle carbon emissions head on and effectively control energy use and manage other resources within their plants.

In the third quarter of 2022, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, jointly surveyed more than 100 executives and leaders of companies in the dairy industry about their strategic priorities for the coming year. Of the executives surveyed, 37% cited “transforming the business to become more environmentally sustainable” as a top three strategic priority for their company.

The sizable minority of executives who rated sustainability transformations as a top priority exist in a broader pool of support for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values. Out of the survey sample, 75% of executives said they have a sustainability strategy or an ESG strategy (or both). Of those, 72% have a board or leadership that actively oversees their sustainability programs, and 67% have allocated funds to these programs. In the previous year’s survey, only 57% of companies said they were investing resources to align their business with their sustainability goals.

Respondents said investor pressures and regulatory requirements are less important than customer demand, but they still drive sustainability for processors, with 28% and 23% of companies citing these as top three motivators, respectively.

Enhancing processing facilities by treating and reusing wastewater, installing LED lighting, and retrofitting sensors to monitor water use are just a few of the proactive steps some processors have taken to rein in energy use. Investing in a manufacturing execution system (MES) can also help reduce a plant’s carbon footprint by providing real-time feedback on process performance and tracking energy usage.

With many advancements already in development, continued innovation is needed to meet future sustainability goals. Forthcoming innovations will need to be more than just product-driven, but also done in partnership with the whole supply chain. This will involve collaboration with municipalities, legislators, suppliers, manufacturers, and consumers.

verticalperspectives

Kristen Putch Managing Editor Dairy Processing

Keith Nunes Editor Food

Food Manufacturers Adapt to Impact of Inflation on Consumers

Newton’s Third Law states that for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The same may be true in economics, and food and beverage manufacturers are experiencing the effects of consumers reacting to higher prices.

While 2021 and 2022 could be defined by the supply chain disruptions that challenged just about every food and beverage manufacturer, 2023 might be defined instead by inflation and the impact the steady progression of price increases taken by companies the past few years has had on consumer purchasing patterns.

The 2023 U.S. Grocery Shoppers Trends report from FMI, The Food Industry Association, found that among shoppers who expressed concern about grocery prices, 94% said they have changed their spending habits. While prices were unlikely to cause a consumer to shift entirely out of a product category, nearly 70% reported changing their meal plans or choosing an alternative item in response to increased product prices.

“Our national survey reveals persistent consumer concern about food and beverage prices, as the weekly spend for groceries increased in late 2022 and early in 2023,” says Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI. “To address higher prices, shoppers are visiting more stores and seeking deals to stretch their dollars but are now less likely to cut back on the number of items purchased compared to six months or a year ago.”

More than three-fourths (78%) of consumers plan to or already have reduced overall spending on products due to inflation, and 75% of those consumers reported their reason for reducing spending is higher food costs, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm.

“Consumers need to eat no matter what and will adapt to higher food costs by finding lower-cost options or cutting back on discretionary spending, and that’s what we’re seeing play out now,” says Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst at Circana.

It is against this backdrop that companies like General Mills are adapting. “We know from spending time with consumers that they are increasingly

cautious about their financial future,” said Jeffrey L. Harmening, chairman, president, and CEO of General Mills, this past June. “This caution could have an impact on their at-home vs. away-from-home food choices, the channels they shop, and the brands they choose, making it even more important for us to continue to invest in our remarkable products, innovation, and marketing that keep our brands relevant for consumers.”

Rising prices often prompt some consumers to make trade-offs. Higher-income shoppers, for example, might shift from shopping at specialty retailers to more mainstream outlets, while lower income shoppers might trade down from branded to private-label options, buy smaller package sizes, or buy fewer items altogether.

Manufacturers are responding by improving the value proposition of established products through price/pack architecture or by introducing value-oriented lines. McCormick delivered “value innovation” during the fourth quarter of 2022 with the introduction of 10 spices sold under the Lawry’s brand and priced where the company perceives the category opening price point to be. Kroger introduced its private label brand Smart Way, which includes canned vegetables, bread, juices, and other staples for consumers focused on affordability, according to the company.

Uncertainty has dominated the marketplace for the past four years, with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic giving way to supply chain disruptions and now the first significant period of global inflation in the past 40 years. Each event has buffeted manufacturers and consumers alike and brought about change.

A positive sign is that the rate of inflation is easing, and even more positive is that the supply chain challenges of the past few years are lessening and allowing food and beverage manufacturers to invest more broadly in innovation, marketing, and promotions, as well as category management. It is welcome that the crisis management mentality of the past four years is giving way to some form of normalcy. Now the goal of every manufacturer must be to better understand and define that new normal.

Getting Back to Business and Facing Challenges in Early 2023

April showers might bring May flowers, but January, February, and March sprouted some financial weeds for some of the meat and poultry processing industry’s most prominent companies. In the post-COVID era, most companies were more than ready to put supply-chain challenges, plant closures, lockdowns, and foodservice shutdowns behind them and move forward with business strategies that reflect the new realities of the meat and poultry processing industry. But moving forward has not been without speed bumps, and new headwinds are posing challenges.

Early 2023 fiscal reports from companies like Tyson Foods, JBS, Hormel Foods, and Seaboard reflected the headwinds facing most of the industry’s processors.

Inflation, declining demand for exports and domestically for premium products, higher ingredient costs, and operational inefficiencies were some of the common themes in many companies’ conference calls to discuss financial results in the first half of the year.

When announcing a loss of $97 million in the fiscal second quarter last month, Donnie King, Tyson’s president and CEO, said a slow start to the year was expected. In early 2022, the company cut costs significantly, including closing its corporate offices in South Dakota and Chicago to consolidate those workers in Arkansas. It was well documented earlier this year when the company announced plans to close two processing plants and downsized its corporate workforce by 10% and laid off 15% of its senior leadership.

“We knew Q2 was going to be challenging and it was,” King told financial analysts on a May 8 conference call. “I’ve never seen this highly unusual situation for beef, pork, and chicken,” he added, noting that all three business segments were experiencing challenges at the same time, which is hardly the norm.

Days later, Gilberto Tomazoni, global CEO of JBS, said that his company had experienced similar hardships on a global basis. “In the last 12 years during which we already had a global platform, this is the first quarter that we have faced adversities in almost all countries where we operate,” he said.

In the short term, the industry looks forward to input costs easing, more favorable livestock costs, and increasing demand for U.S. meat and poultry products to its export markets. As for domestic product demand, meat and poultry companies happily welcomed the spring and warmer summer months, providing a seasonal boost in sales at meat departments across the country. Each year, Memorial Day signals the unofficial kickoff to outdoor cooking season, an uptick in retail meat sales, and a flurry of summer-themed menu additions at quick-service and full-service restaurants, resulting in more meat and poultry demand.

Meanwhile, the industry’s leading companies are navigating through the current headwinds and planning for the months and years ahead by implementing new equipment technologies and data-focused production strategies. Look no further than Cargill rolling out its “Factory of the Future” initiative systemwide, which was the focus of Meat+Poultry’s June cover story. Cargill’s investment in automating and digitizing its meat plants will top $100 million in 2023 and total $700 million in the next three years, according to the company.

Industry-leading companies like Cargill are preparing for the future by investing in technology, digitizing operations, focusing on data analytics, and implementing automation and robotics to remain competitive in today’s market.

Other companies have seen the writing on the wall, too, and are spending millions to equip their plants for the future. “We continue to invest in automation and digital capabilities with opportunities to improve our yield. We now have 50 debone lines that are fully automated,” Tyson’s King said on the conference call. “And we continue to build our digital capabilities, operating at scale with digitally enabled standard operating procedures, and utilizing data, automation, and AI tech for decision-making.” Tyson’s investments in automation over the next three years are expected to top more than $1.3 billion.

While processors are accustomed to navigating cyclical economic and market volatilities, it is encouraging to see the industry’s stalwarts planting seeds of technology for the future.

Joel Crews Editor

Meat+Poultry

verticalperspectives

Inflation Is Especially Tough on Grain-Based Foods

An inflationary environment has created challenges across the entire U.S. economy and food industry over the past year, but in recent months, higher prices have posed particular difficulties for grain-based foods.

For the most part, inflation has been a widespread problem in the food sector. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all food at home was up more than 5% from a year earlier in about 20 straight months. Before October 2021 when monthly food inflation first topped 5%, it had been nearly 10 years, January 2012, since the figure topped 5% for even a single month. Before easing in March, prices for food at home were up 10% or more than the year-earlier figure for 12 straight months—the worst bout of food inflation since the 1970s.

Especially recently, inflation for grain-based foods has been steeper than has been the case for other food categories. In May 2023, the CPI for bread was up 13.4% from a year earlier. Cracker prices were up 12.4%, and cookies 11%. The double-digit increases compared with an overall food inflation rate of 6.7%, or 5.8% for food at home. The comprehensive inflation rate during the month was 4%. Among other major categories, the year-to-year change for meat prices was 0.4%; dairy products, 4.6%; and fruits and vegetables, 2.7%. Helping propel grain-based food prices higher were strong trends in baking ingredient costs, as demonstrated in sharply higher CPI figures for flour and prepared mixes, up 17%; fats and oils, up 11.8%; and sugar and sweets, up 10.2%.

Higher flour prices reflected difficulties growers have experienced over the past three years producing hard red winter wheat, the principal wheat class used for bread production. Average crop size over the past three years through 2023 (using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s June forecast) was 647 million bushels, reflecting three successive poor crops. The three-year average was the smallest of any three at least since 1984 and compares with average annual production over the past 40 years of 903 million bushels.

The difficulties have not been evident when

looking at top-line figures from baking companies. Total center store bread sales in the year ended Feb. 26 were $10.12 billion, up 12% from a year earlier, according to data from Circana OmniMarket (the recently adopted name of the merged IRI and NPD data collection businesses). The jump in dollar sales reflected a 13.2% increase in the price per unit for sliced bread, to $3.19. Unit sales of bread were 3.2 billion, down 1.5%.

While premium and super premium bread has been gaining market share steadily in recent years, a reversal occurred over the past year. In center store sandwich bread, private label was the big winner, according to the Circana data. Private label unit sales were 754 million, up 4% from the previous year. The gain in private label represents a reversal from the previous several years when sales of store brands fell consistently. For example, unit sales of private label were down 12.2% in the year ended Feb. 20, 2022. Private label sales were down 6.7% the year before that.

Meanwhile, unit sales over the past year were lower for all but one of the largest U.S. baking companies, with decreases ranging from 2.2% to 7.9%. In the case of the nation’s three largest bakers, Grupo Bimbo was down 2.3%; Flowers Foods was down 4%; and Campbell Soup’s Pepperidge Farm business was down 4%.

The effects of the higher costs and the shift to private label were evident in financial results at Flowers Foods. In the company’s most recent quarter, its earnings were down 17% from the year before. The company’s adjusted EBITDA margin was 9.8%, down 170 basis points from its 2022 first quarter. “Comparisons were impacted by input cost inflation, partially offset by inflation-driven pricing actions, lower employee compensation expense, and reduced outside purchases of product,” says R. Steve Kinsey, chief financial officer.

The largest baking company in the U.S., Bimbo Bakeries USA held its own in the first quarter ended March 31. Though the business’s operating income was down 30%, adjusted EBITDA was up 4.8% and its adjusted EBITDA margin was flat.

Josh Sosland Editor Milling & Baking

Pet food and treat sales continue to represent the highest spend category in total pet industry sales, or 42.5% ($58.1 billion) of total industry sales. According to the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) 2022 State of the Industry data, total pet industry sales topped $136.8 billion in 2022, representing an increase of 10.8% from 2021. This includes pet food and treats, veterinary care and products, supplies, live animals, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and other services.

“Pet spending in 2022 was up nearly 11% from the previous year,” says Peter Scott, president and CEO of APPA. “While we outperformed our 2022 forecast, we know this increase can be attributed in large part to higher than anticipated inflation, and we expect spending will follow a similar trajectory and remain steady in 2023. Along those same lines, we saw pet ownership normalize and return to pre-pandemic levels, which is not surprising given the uptick we saw in pet acquisition as a result of the pandemic.”

Hand in hand with this data is evidence that more and more households—86.9 million in the U.S.—own at least one pet. APPA’s 2023-2024 National Pet Owners Survey revealed that 50% of U.S. households owned at least one dog in 2022, and 35% owned at least one cat. This pet ownership is reflected equally among younger and older generations; for the first time, APPA reported, the number of Gen Z and Millennial pet owners equals the number of Gen X and Baby Boomer pet owners across the country.

Pet ownership among the two youngest generations rose steadily from 2018 to 2022. According to APPA, 11% of Gen Z owned a pet in 2018, which rose to 14% in 2020 and 16% in 2022. Additionally, 31% of Millennials owned a pet in 2018, which rose to 32% in 2020 and 33% in 2022.

Despite ongoing inflationary pressures on spending, pet owners are willing to spend more for certain product attributes when shopping for pet food and treats, according APPA’s survey. These attributes include products made in the U.S. (60% of pet owners), brand name products (55%), ethically sourced pet products (52%), eco-friendly products

(49%), and BPA-free products (49%). Other pet food attributes that make their way into pet owners’ shopping carts include non-GMO (17% of dog owners and 15% of cat owners), environmentally friendly packaging (11% of dog owners and 14% of cat owners), human-grade ingredients (14% of dog owners and 12% of cat owners), clean label ingredients (10% of dog owners and 12% of cat owners), and functional ingredients (12% of dog owners and 11% of cat owners).

With an increasing number of pet parents and a growing number of pet and treat formulations on the market, pet food and treat processing operations are continuing to proliferate with more and more new plant builds and facility expansions each year.

Notable investments and expansions include: Identity Pet Nutrition relocated its headquarters from Denver to Windsor, Colo., in early 2023; PetDine invested $11.7 million in a new facility in Windsor to add 50,000 sq ft of pre- and post-production space to its existing plant; Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced plans to relocate its global and U.S. headquarters to Overland Park, Kan., in late 2023; Freshpet broke ground in March on the expansion of its Ennis, Texas, manufacturing facility; General Mills-owned Blue Buffalo also broke ground on an expansion in March to add 169,000 sq ft to its Richmond, Ind., plant; and Mid America Pet Food cut the ribbon on its new $40 million, 115,000-sq-ft facility in Mount Pleasant, Texas.

Pet Ownership Continues to Rise; With It, Pet Food and Treat Sales verticalperspectives

On the supplier side, DSM announced May 1 plans to construct a premix plant for the pet food industry in Tonganoxie, Kan., which should be fully operational by early 2025; ingredient supplier Anchor Ingredients officially broke ground in June on a new transload and ingredient processing facility in Richmond, Ind.; and Hillenbrand announced May 24 it has entered an agreement to acquire Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials (FPM) from Blackstone for $730 million.

If prognosticators are right, the pet food industry’s growth will continue as pet ownership increases and more pet food and treat formulations are developed to feed everyone’s favorite four-legged companions.

Kimberlie Clyma Editor

pet food processing

Pet Food Processing

Sustainability Meets Innovation at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023 will be the largest and most comprehensive edition in its history. Experience in-person an unmatched breadth of new technologies and innovations, this time with a special focus on sustainability.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023 (Sept. 11-13, Las Vegas Convention Center) will be the largest, most comprehensive edition of this trade show since its inception, with 30,000 attendees expected to explore over 2,000 exhibitor solutions spanning nearly 1,000,000 net sq ft of exhibit space.

Produced by PMMI, PACK EXPO Las Vegas is the premier destination to witness cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions, with suppliers showcasing diverse innovations for more than 40 vertical markets, making it the most inclusive packaging and processing show in North America this year.

exhibit location/hours

SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2023

Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday

ty and what it means to brands, including expert speakers, interactive content, and a look at actionable sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. Located in the North Hall, Booth N-9455.

•Sustainability Commitment

Visit www.packexpolasvegas.com to learn more, search suppliers, register, and plan your visit to the show.

Sustainability-Minded Features at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023

PACK EXPO is strengthening its sustainability commitment through all facets of the show. Through targeted show features, increased recycling, and improving processes on the show oor, PACK EXPO stakeholders are working together to create a more sustainable world.

•Sustainability Central

Debuting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this year, Sustainability Central will take an expansive look into packaging sustainabili-

The PACK EXPO Sustainability Commitment and accompanying PACK EXPO Green icon identi es exhibiting companies that provide sustainable solutions via new materials, technology, or strategies, such as sustainable processes and machines, renewable and biodegradable packaging, source reduction and lightweighting, recyclable and recycled-content materials, or innovations that reduce carbon footprint. Look for companies that offer sustainable solutions by seeking out the PACK EXPO Green Icon. They also will be highlighted by the PACK EXPO Green Icon in the Exhibitor Directory at pfwgo.to/8025, where you can see the growing list of sustainable solution suppliers that will help advance your company’s sustainability goals. Also look for the PACK EXPO Green Icon to highlight educational sessions focused on sustainability. Visit pfwgo.to/8024 to learn more about the program.

•Sustainability Solutions Finder

PMMI Media Group has created the PACK EXPO Sustain-

ability Solutions Finder, a targeted curated list of sustainable solutions exhibitors will be displaying at the show. Visit pfwgo.to/8022 to learn more. Exhibitors can participate in a postshow donation program, bene ting local organizations in the Las Vegas area, by donating any unwanted food, electronics, or booth materials. PMMI also will donate or recycle any remaining carpet after the show.

New or Improved Features at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

•Industry Speaks Stage

Experts from the PACK EXPO Partner Program, covering multiple industry verticals, will address the latest hot topics and industry trends such as sustainability, remote access, supply chain solutions, augmented reality, and operational ef ciency. Located in the Central Hall, Booth C-1141. Scan the QR code on page 16 for the latest schedule of speakers.

•The Logistics Pavilion

This Pavilion is new at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Logistics is a crucial part of the product journey from manufacturer to consumer—and among the top ve searches on the PACK EXPO website. With the boom in e-commerce, the Logistics Pavilion in the North Hall will be the place to nd targeted solutions related to the supply chain, including warehousing, ful llment, distribution logistics services, and transportation providers.

Returning Favorites and Features

•Innovation Stages

Now tried-and-true PACK EXPO favorites, the Innovation Stages are free, 30-minute seminars on breakthrough technologies and best practices presented each day by suppliers and subject matter experts. No registration is required; stop by and discover the latest innovations. Located in Central Hall, Booths C-2051, C-2058, C-2151.

The Processing Innovation Stage, located at N-10511, will offer free show- oor education focusing on the latest breakthroughs in processing.

Scan the QR code on page 16 for the latest schedule of speakers at the Innovation Stages and the Processing Innovation Stage.

•The Forum

A growing staple in the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, The Forum will return to PACK EXPO Las Vegas with its interactive industry knowledge exchange. The Forum offers

Technology Excellence Award Finalists: Vote and Be Heard!

The Technology Excellence Awards are back at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023, and PMMI needs your help to select winners. The awards recognize innovative technology, developed by exhibitors, that has not previously been shown in the PACK EXPO family of events. Voting will take place live, starting when the show opens on Sept. 11 through Sept. 12, via the official show mobile app (more on page 15) or online. Attendees are encouraged to visit the finalists’ booths and check out the technologies for themselves, then vote for their favorite.

The Technology Excellence Awards 2023 Finalists are as follows:

Food/Beverage Finalists

• Aneko Emsys. Designed specifically for the beverage industry to simply and quickly empty all kinds of concentrated liquids contained in drums, barrels, or jerricans. Aneko, Booth N-10165

• Precision Servo Tech for HPP. System brings a smart, efficient high-pressure processing (HPP) pump system to the market via servo. JBT, Booth SL-6349

• Quantm Electric Diaphragm Pump. A departure from air-operated double diaphragm (AODD), these new pumps are designed to provide efficiency gains over traditional pneumatic pumps. Graco, Booth N-10634

General Packaging & Processing Finalists

• Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Augmented Reality. Leveraging granular data sets quickly and accurately produces recommendations and results, transforming good solutions into great ones. Harpak-ULMA Packaging, Booth SL-6188, SL-6101

• DairySeal featuring ClearCor. An advanced PET barrier gives dairy and similar products a new shelf presence, along with eco-benefits. Amcor Rigid Packaging, Booth SU-7244, SU-7254

• Somic 434 Case Packer. The modular machine concept is based on fixed-function groups consisting of proven, standardized mechatronic groups, and uses Rockwell ArmorKinetix. Somic Packaging, Booth SL-6172

free, 45-minute learning sessions on the latest industry trends, including hands-on activities, small group discussions, and Q&A. Located in Central Hall, Booth C-2158.

•First-Time Attendee Lounge

If this is your rst time at a PACK EXPO event and you are at the show to nd products and solutions for your business, stop by the First-Time Attendee Lounge and get assistance on how to navigate the show, access product locators, talk to experienced show staff and attend beginner-type sessions from industry experts. Or, simply relax and recharge here to help maximize your time at the show. Your “First-Time Attendee” badge is your access pass. Open during show hours, the lounge is located in Room S-220 and sponsored by ProMach.

•Ask the Experts

The Ask the Experts program is an additional attendee resource offered on-site at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and serves as an extension of the PACK Match Program. Ask the Experts will be located in the Central Hall and South Lower Hall lobbies and will be staffed by experienced packaging or processing industry executives. Attendees will receive expert guidance on nding the right packaging or processing solutions to address their speci c challenges.

Pavilions Returning to PACK EXPO Las Vegas

•The Processing Zone

In today’s manufacturing environment, processing and packaging are coming together as an integrated system, making it

Workforce Development Trainings

PMMI is offering popular training workshops in Las Vegas to coincide with PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023:

• Risk Assessment Workshop, Sept. 9-10

• Certified Trainer Workshop, Sept. 11-12

• Fundamentals of Field Service Workshop, Sept. 11-12

Visit pfwgo.to/8026 to register for or login to PMMI U, then browse through these workshops to register.

more important than ever to bring both packaging and processing solutions under one roof. The Processing Zone, which is double the size that it was in 2021, supports the integration of processing and packaging, a key function in the manufacturing environment.

•The Confectionery Pavilion

Here you will learn about the latest trends relating to aeration, batch re ning, shaping, cluster production, and other candy-making technologies. Sponsored by the National Confectionery Association (NCA), this pavilion provides an opportunity for attendees to network and gain valuable insights. Come and recharge at the Candy Bar Lounge (located in Booth SU-7201), sponsored by Syntegon Packaging Technology and hosted by NCA.

Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network Event

Join the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) for a conversation with award-winning entrepreneur and reality TV show Dragon’s Den judge Manjit Minhas. She’ll talk about what it takes to defy the odds and thrive in an industry dominated by men. A petroleum engineering student turned beer baroness, at age 19 Minhas co-founded Minhas Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries— becoming the youngest brewery owner in the world. It’s now the 10th largest brewery in North America. Minhas also is a venture capitalist and the star of Canada’s Dragon’s Den, where she coaches and often invests in entrepreneurs. In a conversation with her during PPWLN’s breakfast event, Brewing Success: How Manjit Minhas Turned an Idea Into a Beer Empire, Minhas will share the story of how she broke into the notoriously competitive beer and spirits industry, and offer advice on ways to conquer obstacles and live the life of your dreams. This networking breakfast takes place Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 to 9 a.m. in room N-247. Visit pfwgo.to/8028 to learn more and register.

Sponsored by BW Packaging, Emerson, ID Technology, Morrison Container Handling Solutions, Septimatech Group, SMC Corporation of America, WestRock, and PowHer, a ProMach Women’s Resource Group.

snacks at the theater. Visit pfwgo.to/8030 for more information and to reserve your spot.

•Young Professionals Networking Event

The Young Professionals Network will host a networking reception at Topgolf Las Vegas, located at the MGM Grand, on Monday, Sept. 11, from 7 to 10 p.m. Sponsored by Beckhoff Automation. Visit pfwgo.to/8031 for more information.

Emerging Brands Summit 2023

•The Workforce Development Pavilion

This is a one-stop shop for resources to strengthen the workforce. Learn about PMMI U offerings, including popular training workshops, and meet students interested in careers in the industry. Located in Booths N-9000 to N-9026.

•Association Partner Pavilion

The PACK EXPO Partner Program connects attendees to leading associations from all segments of packaging and processing. Located in Booths C-1145 to C-1354.

Networking and Special Events at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

•PACK gives BACK visits Cirque du Soleil

PACK gives BACK features an all-new format this year. Jumpstart the PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023 show on Sunday evening, Sept. 10, by gathering with colleagues and customers to enjoy a private performance of “O” by Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino. Rockwell Automation is the title sponsor and proceeds bene t the PMMI Education Foundation. Tickets are available for single purchase for $95 each or in blocks of 10 for $855. The price includes general admission seating and drinks/

The Emerging Brands Summit is back and will take place on Sunday, Sept, 10, prior to the start of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, at the Westgate Resort & Casino. Extend your stay in Las Vegas and experience this one-day event specifically designed for fast-growing brands in the $1M to $20M+ revenue range seeking to scale their manufacturing operations. With educational sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities with industry experts, contract manufacturers, and leading packaging and processing suppliers, you’ll gain valuable insights into scaling your brand. Plus, one exceptional brand will be awarded a $50,000 grant to assist with the purchase of packaging or processing machinery for their or their co-manufacturer’s facility. Maximize your time and expand your knowledge by attending both events. Visit pfwgo.to/7699 to learn more.

Plan Ahead, Download the PACK EXPO Las Vegas Mobile App

Download the PACK EXPO Las Vegas Mobile App, sponsored by ProMach, to your smartphone in advance of the show to start developing your show plans.

• Free to download and use.

• Search exhibitors, products, and sessions.

• If you created a plan for the show via My Show Planner (more below), your saved information will sync to the mobile app.

My Show Planner

Attendees should also visit www.packexpolasvegas.com, where they can view floor plans, search exhibitors by keyword or product category, schedule meetings in advance with exhibitors, and more. To keep track of all the new additions as well as old favorites, attendees can use My Show Planner to check the schedule of booth activities, add itinerary sessions, and plan routes around the show floor.

Get Insight from Industry Insiders

Scan these QR codes for updated schedules on all of the show features listed below.

Innovation Stage: Get a heads up on industry developments with up-to-the-minute content. Learn about breakthroughs and discoveries, new products, and best practices during fast-paced, 30-minute seminars presented on three stages addressing dozens of topics.

Processing Innovation Stage: Find out about the latest breakthroughs in food and beverage processing, including food safety, HPP, sustainability, cleaning, and more in 30-minute seminars. Content is targeted to food and beverage manufacturers.

The Forum: Enjoy a rare opportunity to discuss common issues and collaborate on solutions with peers from other companies. These 45-minute sessions kick off with a short introduction to the topic by a moderator before participants break into roundtables.

Sponsored by

Reusable Packaging Learning Center: Learn about incorporating reusable assets for the transport and handling of goods into your supply chain reusables, increasing its sustainability and efficiency. Hear directly from suppliers and users of reusable packaging systems about topics such as logistics, intelligent supply chains, value assessment, and more.

Industry Speaks: Hear from those who have their pulse on the industry. Leading associations will discuss the latest hot topics affecting the packaging and processing community. Topics range from the implications of present and future packaging policies, envisioning the future of food manufacturing facilities, to the business case for SLAM solutions in e-commerce fulfillment. The panel will also shed light on the factors driving interest in the contract packaging and manufacturing industry.

Sustainability Stage: Hear from industry experts on a range of packaging sustainability topics and receive actionable advice on how to make your brand more sustainable. Listen in on these sessions located in Sustainability Central, a new, must-see destination aimed to help guide you through a complete understanding on how to achieve packaging sustainability and what that means for your brand.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas The Processing Zone Exhibitors

Advertisers in this issue are highlighted in blue. | Exhibitor list as of July 25, 2023

The Processing Zone Floor Plan

For a complete list of all PACK EXPO Las Vegas exhibitors, please visit www.packexpolasvegas.com.

VDG (Van der Graaf) SU-8025

CENTRAL STATES INDUSTRIAL

CSIDESIGNS.COM

Central States Industrial Equipment (CSI) is an engineering, design, and fabrication partner for hygienic liquid processors. CSI also supplies value-added process components for the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries.

CSI offers a variety of custom equipment such as Clean-in-Place, process skids, utility stations, transfer panels, holding tubes, valve manifolds, jacketed tubing, pump carts and more!

CSI has four warehouses located across the United States stocked with:

• ittings

•Pumps

• alves

• ubing

•Instrumentation

We also stock complete lines of corrosion-resistant Super Alloys™ AL-6XN® and Hastelloy® C-22®.

Douglas Machines Corps

4500 110th Ave N, Clearwater, FL 33762

Phone: 727/461/3477

www.DougMac.com Email:

Douglas Machines Corp. designs and manufactures automated washing and sanitizing systems tailored to a wide variety of industrial applications.

These advanced washing systems sanitize process items, reduce damage to extend their life, and prevent cross-contamination. Designed to conserve resources, decrease downtime, increase throughput, and improve labor efficiency, these machines create a safer, simpler process.

Over 40 years of adaptive and innovative solutions to complex, evolving market demands have made Douglas Machines Corp a trusted partner in over 15 industries.

Systems like the conveyorized tunnel washer, rack washer, and bin washer have revolutionized the sanitation processes across countries and industries, including meat and poultry processing, prepared foods, snack foods and pet food, among others.

Eagle Product Inspection

1571 Northpointe Parkway, Lutz, FL 33558

Phone: 1-877-379-1670

Email: eaglesales@eaglepi.com

Eagle Product Inspection is a leading provider of innovative x-ray inspection and inline fat analysis solutions, delivering robust technology and expertise to food and beverage processors. Our line of x-ray inspection machines evaluate in process and finished products for contaminants such as metal, glass, stone and bone while also having the ability to analyze the fat content of meat, count components, as well as measure mass and assess fill levels.

Introducing MAXIMIZER RMI

An innovative solution designed to optimize the production process for poultry processing operations, MAXIMIZER RMI saves time, resources, and reduces manual labor related to handling rejected products. Our system combines an enhanced x-ray inspection machine with an automated reject management system, providing superior detection and greatly minimizing false rejects. It has a small footprint and is the most hygienic and ergonomic system on the market today.

MAXIMIZER RMI is designed to support standard market deboning throughput lines, with a capacity up to 120 pieces per minute per lane. The Eagle system is designed to meet hygienic and sanitary standards, with a robust and IP69 system that can withstand harsh washdown environments and constant thorough cleaning procedures.

MAXIMIZER RMI handles a variety of boneless poultry products, with a primary focus on raw and unpackaged chicken breasts, butterflies, fillets (tenders) and thighs. Built into this system is the new standard in dual energy x-ray inspection, PXT™, that can detect smaller, low density foreign materials including the smallest bone fragments in the industry.

Experience the Future of Raw Material Inspection at PACK EXPO Booth #N-10813 or go to the interactive virtual tour bit.ly/maximizer-rmi

Live Demo Schedule

Monday & Tuesday: 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm

Wednesday: 9:30 am, 11:30 am and 1:00 pm

Also on display is the Pack 240 HC. A compact high performance x-ray inspection system designed for easy cleaning where daily equipment sanitization is mandatory.

Step into the Future of Raw Material Inspection

The most hygienic and ergonomic solution available, MAXIMIZER RMI offers a perfect balance of accurate detection and targeted rejections to reduce waste and maximize yields, while the small footprint and modular design integrates easily into your production line. Advanced bone and metal detection with PXT™ maximizes product safety, enhances quality and reduces false rejects, further optimizing your process.

Drive productivity to the MAX with EaglePI.

Experience the Interactive System Tour bit.ly/maximizer-rmi

E.A. Bonelli + Associates, Inc.

Oakland, CA | Fresno, CA | Portland, OR | Denver, CO | Holland, MI

Phone: 510.740.0155

www.eabonelli.com

Email: eab@eabonelli.com

E.A. Bonelli is a leader in the master planning and design of processing plants, cold storage warehouses, and distribution facilities for the food and beverage industries.

Since our founding in 1960, E.A. Bonelli has focused exclusively on these sectors, combining a client-oriented approach with a wealth of experience to find proven solutions regarding space-planning, food safety requirements, and architectural and engineering design.

E.A. Bonelli has designed plants across North America, with a track record that ranges from small remodels to some of the largest expansions and newest plants in the United States. We have consistently been on the forefront of industrial architecture and engineering, meeting food and beverage trends by coupling practiced experience with design innovations. We understand processing environments and recognize the importance of zone separation for optimal hygienic and sanitary design.

E.A. Bonelli's integrated design services provide architectual, structural, and MEP engineering. We recognize that our job is to design an environment that is both efficient and hygienic, in which safeguarding the client's process is of paramount importance.

Over the course of more than six decades in business, E.A. Bonelli has grown considerably, from a San Francisco-based architectural office to a firm that now proudly provides support for our customers from offices across the United States. In addition to our Oakland, CA headquarters, EAB operates offices in Fresno, CA, Portland, OR, Denver, CO, and Holland, MI.

Even as E.A. Bonelli has continued to grow, our focus remains firmly rooted in the vision of our founder: client-focused, hygienic design for the food and beverage industries.

Hiperbaric - High Pressure Technologies

2250 NW 84th Ave #101 Miami, FL 33122, USA

Phone: 305-639-9770

www.hiperbaric.com/en/ Email: sales@hiperbaric.com

Hiperbaric is the world’s leading supplier of High Pressure Processing (HPP) equipment for the food and beverage industry. Hiperbaric headquarters are located in Spain and offer a full service to the US market from its delegation in Miami. In addition, there is a commercial and technical team located in Mexico, Singapore, and Australia.

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 adding any preservative to the original product.

Key Technology, Inc.

Key Technology offers food processors the single most complete source of high performance automated sorting and handling solutions.

A global leader in the design and manufacture of automation systems including optical sorters, conveyors and other processing equipment, Key provides complete solutions, supported for optimal performance and returns through their lifecycle.

Key services include line design and system integration, application testing, installation, start-up and training. Plus, customizable aftermarket services through our SupportPro® service arm.

Membrane Process & Controls

922 N. 3rd Ave. Edgar, WI 54426

Phone: (715) 352-3206

Email: info@membranepc.com

www.membranepc.com

We provide custom, end-to-end solutions for a variety industries and customers worldwide, and we continue to expand the industries and locations we work in. We have helped hundreds of companies improve their process flow, reduce water use, increase productivity and reduce costs through our spiral membrane technology applications, highquality equipment engineering (including ASME pressure vessels), automation technologies and installation.

Our Filtration Process:

Evaluate your needs and identify the main objectives associated with them.

Determine if separation is a feasible solution for your company, both technically and economically, by offering on-site pilot testing. Based on the obtained information, we can provide you with a system design that solves your filtration challenges.

One company.

One line of communication. One completely customized solution.

BOOTH #N-10227

Provisur Technologies

222 N. LaSalle, Suite 720, Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: 708-479-3500

www.provisur.com

Email: info@provisur.com

Provisur Technologies is a leading food processing equipment manufacturer specializing in:

• rinding mi ing forming

• orm pressing and slicing

•Separation

• efrosting marinating and cooking

In our booth you ll see two innovative Slicing e uipment offerings ur versatile orma S slicer has fast blade speeds small footprint and takes on short runs and rapid changeovers with ease and efficiency ur high speed ashinS bacon slicer was designed to deliver superior weight control consistent slice thickness and higher yields

Sani-Matic

2855 Innovation Way, Sun Prairie WI. 53590 – USA

Sani-Matic, Inc. delivers reliable sanitary process cleaning solutions with custom engineering, automation, and manufacturing. The Wisconsin-based manufacturer serves the food, beverage, personal care, nutraceutical, and biopharmaceutical industries. Founded in 1943, Sani-Matic offers a full line of automated cleaning systems and supporting sanitary components. These include clean-in-place (CIP) systems, clean-out-of-place (COP) parts washers, cabinet washers, automated local and cloud reporting software, tunnel washers, boosted pressure systems, 3-A certified strainers and static spray balls, rotary and jet sprays, and more. These proven products, as well as the company’s Tactical Solutions system optimization program and field services, provide customers with total Cleaning Confidence.

Soft Robotics Inc.

32 Crosby Drive, Suite 101, Bedford, MA 01730 USA

Phone: 617-391-0612

Email: info@softroboticsinc.com

www.softroboticsinc.com

Soft Robotics is an industry-leading technology company that designs and builds automated high-speed food automation solutions using artificial intelligence, 3D vision, and soft robotic grippers. The company’s transformational robotic automation solutions enable System Integrators, OEM Machine Builders, and Food Processors to automate complex processes in the food and consumer packaged goods industries – solving supply chain issues and eliminating the reliance on human labor to maintain operational efficiencies.

The result?

• Increased throughput with high-speed picking

• Pick delicate and variable products directly from bulk

• Reduced automation footprint

• Safer food with IP69K food-grade materials

• Easy integration with all industrial robots

Spokane Stainless Technologies

Spokane Stainless Technologies is headquartered in Spokane Valley, Washington, USA.

We are a stainless-steel equipment manufacturer specializing in custom engineered processing and packaging tanks, vessels, and equipment.

Our engineering team is the foundation of our commitment to customers. Using state-of-the-art solid modeling tools, we embrace customer challenges, imagining 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.

Our fabricating expertise shows in the high-quality of the completed product, tailored specifically to your process.

Stolle Machinery

VAC-U-MAX

69 William Street, Belleville, NJ 07109

Phone: 973 759-4600

Since 1954, VAC-U-MAX systems have automated manufacturing, maximizing process efficiency, productivity, and end-product quality. Whether conveying handfuls per hour, or 25,000 lbs. pr/hr (11,300 kg.hr), VAC-U-MAX systems transfer powders and granular bulk ingredients from many sources such as bulk bags and drums, to many destinations including mixers, blenders, extruders, and packaging machines.

VAC-U-MAX vacuum conveying product range offers custom solutions based on application parameters, or off-theshelf systems such as the Signature Series(TM). Units are available in 1500 Series for conveying from handfuls to 1500 lbs/hr (680 kg/hr), or 3500 Series for conveying up to 3500 lbs/hr (1600 kg/hr). Each 5-part package includes the vacuum producer, pick-up wand, convey tubing, Signature Series Vacuum Receiver with automatic pulse filter cleaning, and UL-listed control panel. Put VAC-U-MAX to the test!

Urschel

1200 Cutting Edge Drive, Chesterton, IN 46304 U.S.A.

Phone: 219-464-4811

www.urschel.com

Email: info@urschel.com

The M VersaPro® (MVP) Dicer excels in the processing of meat, poultry, and alternative proteins with 33% increased feeding capacity versus the standard M6 due to wider belts, optimized cutting, and increased horsepower. Intuitive touchscreen HMI optional.

View the DiversaCut 211 OA® Dicer with built-in discharge conveyor. The conveyor facilitates batch processing into totes or onto conveying systems or platforms and eases routine servicing by maintaining the machine at floor level.

Turn to Urschel for more solutions in food cutting technology.

VDG (Van der Graaf)

13771 Cavaliere Dr, Shelby Township, MI 48315, United States

Phone: (888) 326-1476

www.vandergraaf.com

Email: info@vandergraaf.com

VDG is the leader in the design and manufacturing of drum motors for belt conveyors, with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and longevity. VDG adheres to a simple principle: provide reliable belt drive solutions to the material handling and food processing industries through innovation, continuous research and development, and precision manufacturing. Manufacturing in-house in the USA and Canada for 38 years, using cutting-edge production technology and automation, VDG ensures product quality, fast delivery, and after-sales support.

The one-component VDG Drum Motor has all drive components, including the electric motor, gear reducer, and bearings, enclosed inside the drum, increasing mechanical and electrical efficiency, optimizing space, and promoting operator safety. VDG Drum Motors are designed for 80,000 hours of continuous operation before maintenance, reducing maintenance and operational costs and increasing productivity. VDG Drum Motors are available in a range of diameter sizes, belt speeds, horsepower, and industry-specific options and features to suit various belt conveyor applications.

For food processing and handling belt conveyor applications, the all-stainless steel SSV Series Drum Motor drives modular, wire mesh, and monolithic conveyor belts without using sprockets. The SSV Drum Motor has the belt profile machined directly on the drum, or in the case of the new SSV-XP Drum Motor, on the interchangeable profiled sleeve. The profiled sleeve on the SSV-XP can be removed and exchanged for another profiled sleeve to match the belt required on the conveyor without changing the drum motor.

All SSV Series Drum Motors feature an IP69K-rated sealing system, withstand up to 3,000 psi washdown pressure, and eliminate crevices that trap food by-products and bacterial harborage, reducing washdown time and water usage by 50%. Belt profiles are available for all major belt manufacturers.

The IntelliDrive™ Drum Motor features new synchronous 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.

SSV Series Drum Motors

SSV Drum Motors drive modular conveyor belts without using sprockets, eliminate gaps and crevices, and reduce washdown time and water usage by 50%.

IP69K-rated Sealing System Washdown Up to 3,000 psi

ELIMINATE Drive Sprockets

ELIMINATE Product Build-Up

ELIMINATE Bacterial Harborage

The new patented SSV-XP Drum Motor IHDWXUHVDQLQWHUFKDQJHDEOHSUR OHGVOHHYH that can be removed and exchanged for DQRWKHUSUR OHGVOHHYHWRPDWFKWKHEHOW required on the conveyor without changing the drum motor.

Weber

weberweb.com

Weber is a leading provider for slicing and packaging solutions in the global food industry, from automatic infeeding, slicing, product transport, handling, and loading, and packaging. Showcasing their latest packaging technology innovations, Weber’s appearance at PackExpo will help visitors understand the company’s ability to problem solve and bring optimized, integrated solutions forward.

Starting with Weber’s flagship thermoformer wePACK 7000 which features the most robust frame on the market and standard servo motor technology, this packaging machine is setting new standards for output quality, longevity, and reliability. By realizing a heavyduty frame to avoid flexing and bending in a hygienic design, Weber listened to their customers and built a packaging machine that makes operators’ lives easier and reduces down-time and materials waste.

The wePACK 7000 forming and lifting system is powered by a strong, stainless steel (IP69K) servo motor, and guided by dry lubrication free bushings, the system offers millions of maintenance free lifting cycles. Thanks to Weber’s unique combination flexible rotary knife and sheer cutting system, the wePACK 7000 offers the fastest and safest changeover system in the industry. It features a convenient and safe cassette system, making a complete knife replacement possible in less than five minutes while always having the correct mounting pressure and position. The integrated pick robot wePICK, the standard for hygienic environment robotic loading, shows how products can be delivered to the wePACK thermoformer in a high output, yet footprint friendly manner.

Make sure to stop by our booth and see for yourself, how Weber’s packaging solution can give your operation more maintenance- free time running! You can also explore Weber’s latest packaging and automation innovations, including Weber’s fully integrated crossweb labeler weLABEL 5000, our compact wePACK 4000 thermoformer, and Weber’s sustainable paper-based packaging solutions.

new products

DEVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Mettler Toledo ProdX software Version 2.6 is compatible with virtually all Mettler Toledo metal detectors, checkweighers, X-ray systems, and vision inspection systems. An intuitive user interface allows users to monitor data, review contamination events, and run reports from a web client on any in-network PC. The software enables the automated generation of nal evaluations and summary reports at the end of every product run, shift, or day. The product validation capability prevents product settings from being changed and displays a visual indicator to conrm the system is running an established, validated recipe.

USDA DAIRYACCEPTED AIRLOCK

The Schenck Global USDA Dairyaccepted airlock is suitable for applications where dry raw or nished products are being handled in a process and where inspection or system clean-out are required. It includes a rail system that provides access to the internal valve, cavity, rotor pockets, and all other product contact areas for cleaning. A valve interference detection system protects the dismountable hygienic airlock from damage and prevents product contamination due to interference between the valve rotor and housing.

Schenck Process

schenckprocess.com

See us at Booth SU-8039

ROUND SPOUT SEPARATORS

Mettler Toledo Product Inspection Group | mt.com/pi

See us at Booth C-1814

PUMP DRUM UNLOADER

Completely CIPable, the Axi ow twin screw pump drum unloader features discharge pressures up to 375 psi and a 50+ gpm unloading capability. It can handle product viscosities over 500,000 cPs, transfer soft solids up to ¾ in. in size. Variable plate sizes pump out 75-, 55-, 30-, 20-, and 16-gal plastic, metal, and ber drums. Custom plates for pumping out mix kettles and pots, as well as a removable plate for pumping out totes and tanks, are available.

Axi ow Technologies

axi owtechnologies.com

See us at Booth N-10161

Eriez round spout magnetic separators feature a lower pro le, eliminating the need for square -to-round adapters on the inlet and outlet ports. The separators are available with manual or automatic easy-to-clean functionality. The manual design provides for a push/pull operation to strip accumulated tramp metal from the grates without physically handling the magnet. The automatic version uses a set of pneumatic cylinders to clean the magnetic grates automatically at the touch of a pushbutton or timer control.

Eriez | eriez.com

See us at Booth SL-5901

TRANSFER SYSTEM

Incorporating personalized robotics and customized tooling, the R.A Jones exible transfer system (iFTS) offers pouch size change exibility. Placed on a magnetic shuttle, the intelligent system automatically responds to substitute another shuttle in its place in some scenarios. The standard frame mounting, guarding, and overhead enclosures can be adapted around other machines in the line, while the lower frame mounting enables the integration of conveyors and other equipment. The system is suitable for a variety of products, including bulk packs and dry foods, such as snacks, cereal, and candy.

R.A Jones | rajones.com

See us at Booth C-4400

XRAY INSPECTION MACHINE

Used for boneless poultry processing, the Eagle Maximizer RMI X-ray inspection machine is equipped with an automated reject management system. Dual lanes enable processors to run up to 120 pieces/min per lane. The machine has a small footprint.

Eagle Product Inspection eaglepi.com

See us at Booth N-10813

DRY VACUUM PUMP

The Busch Cobra DX dry vacuum pump features settings controlled via an integrated touchpad, an integrated variable-speed drive with different operating modes, and state-of-the-art screw vacuum technology. Available in two sizes, the unit achieves pumping speeds up to 950 m3/hr and an ultimate pressure up to 0.01 hPa (mbar). All operating data is continuously recorded and saved. Typical applications include thermoforming, packaging machines, tray sealers, and modi ed atmosphere packaging (MAP).

and

Busch Vacuum Solutions

buschvacuum.com

See us at Booth SL-6258

ELEVATOR SYSTEM BUCKETS

PPM Technologies split buckets provide the ability to ll each “split” with a different grade of nuts. The buckets, which seamlessly integrate into existing bucket elevator systems, allow nuts that have already passed through an optical sorter to be recirculated to the bucket elevator for further sorting. The nuts are re ned to meet the desired grade by providing another pass through the sorter.

PPM Technologies ppmtech.com

See us at Booth C-4800

CHECKWEIGHER

Compliant with global net weight regulations for packaged and premium foods, the Fortress Technology Raptor checkweigher comes in 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-mm belt widths. The unit veri es the weight of each product up to 17 lb and rejects non-conforming packs. De ned product application tolerance tables are integrated into the software, while modular electronics facilitate full integration with upstream and downstream equipment. A conveyor run only (CRO) mode provides an override option to remove the checkweigher control and run the unit as a conveyor.

Optional automated Contact 4.0 datalogging and reporting is available to connect machine reporting to back-end reporting software and export in real time.

Fortress Technology fortresstechnology.com

See us at Booth C-4303

HYGIENIC VALVE

Modular in design, the Alfa Laval Unique Mixproof CIP hygienic valve manages the ow of cleaning media during cleaning in place. It features double-seat technology with seat lift to simultaneously route two different uids, while keeping them separated to provide protection against the intrusion of harmful microorganisms. The top-loaded valve handles high pressure without the risk of pressure shocks, and is certi ed according to FDA, 3A, and other recognized standards.

Alfa Laval | alfalaval.com

See us at Booth N-10412

DRUM MOTOR

The VDG SSV-XP drum motor drives modular, wire mesh, and monolithic thermoplastic conveyor belts without using sprockets. It features an interchangeable machined pro led sleeve that enables different styles of modular belts to be used with the same drum motor. The all-316-stainless steel motor withstands washdown pressures up to 3,000 psi and comes in a range of diameter sizes, belt speeds, horsepower, and industry-speci c options for a variety of food processing and packaging belt conveyor applications.

VDG (Van der Graaf) | vandergraaf.com

See us at Booth SU-8025

2D DICER

Built for processing meat, poultry, and alternative proteins, the Urschel M VersaPro (MVP) dicer creates 2D dices, strips, or shreds of a predetermined thickness. The belt-fed 2D dicer has 12-in. infeed and takeaway belts that work together for even transitioning of product and discharging into totes. An IP69K-rated electrical enclosure features a double-sealed door for protection during washdown. An optional uted crosscut is driven by a 5 hp (3.7 kW) motor equipped with a variable-frequency drive. An optional intuitive touchscreen HMI gathers data; monitors machine components, including sensors and amperage; adjusts operating speeds; and saves recipes.

Urschel Laboratories | urschel.com

See us at Booth N-10241

VIBRATORY CONVEYORS

Proex Food vibratory conveyors use laminate reaction spring technology, crafted from long-thread ber that is closely packed and treated with an antimicrobial agent, to move high volumes of product hygienically. They include IP69-rated electromagnetic drive units, an angled edge, and internal pan with pro les for easier sanitizing. The custom-built conveyors can be used with fruits, vegetables, poultry, snack foods, and pet foods in fresh, frozen, canned, RTE, and additional output styles. Typical applications include general conveying, metering, dewatering, grading/sorting, and multihead weigher feeding.

Proex Food | proexfood.com

See us at Booth SL-6178

CONVEYOR BELT

The Wire Belt Company of America Compact-Grid CG15 conveyor belt has a 15-mm mesh to handle dif cult conveying challenges. USDAaccepted, the compact-grid, open-mesh stainless-steel conveyor belt offers a clean-in-place design and simple belt joining. It features a 0.082-in. wire diameter and has a 73% open surface area for increased ow-through in heating, cooling, and coating applications. The thicker, larger mesh allows the belt to hold more weight per square foot.

Wire Belt Company of America | wirebelt.com

See us at Booth SU-7164

BULK BAG LOADER

The Powder-Solutions BFM bulk bag loader prevents material and dust from escaping during the bag lling process, preventing contamination of the lling station. The loader is comprised of a three-layered in atable lling head with a stainless-steel core fully encased in exible ether-based urethane. Standard pneumatic air in ates the sleeve in seconds, sealing tightly on the bulk bag’s neck. After lling, the sleeve de ates to release the bag. The loader can be used with bulk bags with or without a plastic liner. It is USDA (material only), EC, and ATEX compliant.

Powder-Solutions | powder-solutions.com

See us at Booth N-10855

AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT

The Signode Simplimatic autonomous mobile robot automates full-load and material transportation tasks traditionally performed by forklifts. The unit is made to dock to end-of-line roller or drag chain transfer conveyors, facilitating the integration of autonomous transfer pallets and gaylords in an existing facility. The robot navigates without the aid of lines or magnetic strips, rerouting to avoid obstructions in its path.

Signode | signode.com

See us at Booth C-5017

ROBOTIC SOLUTION

With its modular design and exibility, the Rotzinger robotic solution combines a delta robot with an integrated buffer, and a hygienic conveyor in one cell. The vision-guided, high-speed robot identi es incoming products on the conveyor belt before picking and placing them into a variety of packaging formats, such as cartons, cases, thermoforms, ow wrappers, and cartoning machines. Built for dry cleaning, the hygienic conveyor complies with U.S. food safety regulations. It features a foldable belt and beveled or rounded horizontal surfaces, as well as stainless-steel construction.

Rotzinger Group | rotzingergroup.com

See us at Booth SU-7113

CUSTOM PRESSURE VESSELS

MP&C custom ASME pressure vessels meet or exceed the standards for sanitary and other high-purity applications. The stainless-steel and higher-alloy vessels come with diameters from 2 in. to 12 ft and thicknesses up to ½-in. MP&C holds ASME “U” and National Board “R” stamps, and its facility is 3-A certi ed for sanitary equipment. Atmospheric, noncode tanks; heat transfer jackets; agitation; membrane ltration; and complete process skids also are available.

Membrane Process & Controls

membranepc.com

See us at Booth N-10520

STAINLESSSTEEL TANKS AND VESSELS

Spokane Stainless Technologies stainless-steel tanks and vessels are custom-engineered, built to exact process/packaging requirements, and manufactured to sanitary standards. The company is accredited to manufacture ASME pressure vessels; ASME U, U/M, and H stamped vessels; and UL 142 explosion-resistant tanks. Options include mixers, heated/cooled jackets, and other tank features. Sizes range from 300 to 50,000 gal (1,100 to 190,000 L).

Spokane Stainless Technologies spokanestainless.com

See us at Booth N-10061

SOFTWARE SUITE

The Allpax retort 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 software suite also implements OPC UA for PLC-level communication, enabling the use of encrypted connections. Older Allpax retorts can be retro tted with the new software suite; software retro ts on non-Allpax retorts are available.

Allpax | allpax.com

See us at Booth C-3214

XRAY SCANNER

The Wipotec SC-S 5020 X-ray scanner detects micro-leaks measuring down to 0.1 mm in lled and sealed glass bottles and jars, and can provide foreign body detection, ll level checks, and con rmation of proper screw cap or lid closure. Able to handle tall and/or slender containers at throughput rates up to 60,000 products/hr, the scanner has ejectors that sort faulty products into lockable rejection bins or convey them upright into a sort lane. It can be integrated into existing lling lines without the need for opening an additional transport route.

Wipotec | wipotec.com/us

See us at Booth SU-8027

REVERSIBLE CONVEYOR

When integrated with pneumatic controls on the production oor, the Key Technology reversible Zephyr horizontal-motion conveyor allows users to change the direction of product ow with the push of a button or automatically if fully integrated with the line. It can be con gured to separate a single product stream to two side-by-side machines or divert a single stream to two different downstream production lines to produce different products. Options include slide gates for scale feed distribution, a discharge for multi-head weighing, a bias to spread product when feeding downstream systems, and a stop-start mode for scale feeding or product distribution.

Key Technology | key.net

See us at Booth C-4225

OIL REMOVAL SYSTEM

The Reyco Systems EcoMiser

Elite oil removal system incorporates swirl tube technology; the swirl tube can be arranged in a number of installation con gurations. Its internal hot oil rinse system includes a dedicated pump and skid that provide the correct oil pressure and ow at each rinse nozzle to clean the suction plenum, drain pans, swirl tube separation chamber, and other areas. The doors of the system have shut-off switches as standard.

Reyco Systems reycosystems.com

See us at Booth N-10954

FEEDER DOSING SYSTEM

The Volkmann feeder dosing system automatically weighs powders, pellets, akes, and other bulk materials and doses them into hoppers, mixers, baggers, and vertical form/ ll/seal machines. The unit has a vibrator design that sets the powder or other material in a uniform layer while advancing the material toward discharge in a rst-in, rst-out process. It can be con gured for loss-in-weight feeding, gainin-weight feeding, and continuous metering. ATEX certi ed as explosion-proof, the system has a stainless-steel construction in product contact areas.

Volkmann | volkmannusa.com

See us at Booth SU-8260

MEAT SUBSTITUTE EXTRUDER

A hybrid solution for meat substitute product manufacturers, the Coperion ZSK Mv Plus extruder can be used to produce texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA) with a minimum of retro tting effort. Using a Coperion adapter solution, the extruder’s discharge can be changed from the ZGF centric pelletizer used for TVP to a specialized cooling die for HMMA. The pelletizer cuts product direct at the nozzle plate, while the cooling die produces a solid strand with textures similar to meat.

Coperion | coperion.com

See us at Booth SU-7641

FACILITIES+ INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTORY

A Resource

Highlighting

Suppliers Who Provide:

n Design/Build and Engineering Services

n Plant Operations and Maintenance

n Utilities and Ventilation

CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2023

SECTION 1

DESIGN/BUILD AND ENGINEERING SERVICES

49 The Austin Company

CMC Design-Build

Dennis Group

E.A. Bonelli + Associates, Inc.

50 ESI Group USA

Food Plant Engineering, LLC

Gleeson Constructors & Engineers, L.L.C.

Hansen-Rice, Inc.

51 The Haskell Company

Hixson Architects/Engineers

Kiewit Corporation

52 Mead & Hunt, Inc.

POWER Engineers, Inc.

Stellar Tippmann Group / Interstate Warehousing

53 The Webber/Smith Group

Zachry Engineering Corporation

SECTION 2

54

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE UTILITIES AND VENTILATION

Busch Vacuum Solutions

54 Miura America

Sullair [Hitachi Global Air Power]

PACK EXPO LAS VEGAS n FACILITIES + INFRASTRACTURE DIRECTORY 48

Perfex Corporation

N-10517

START WITH US. STAY WITH US.

theaustin.com

For over 140 years, companies across the globe have turned to Austin for site selection, design, engineering, construction, and facility maintenance. Whether you are looking to build new, expand existing, or automate production, we have the depth of knowledge to help you make all the right moves.

The Austin Company

Experts in Food and Beverage Facilities

www.cmcdesignbuild.com

CMC Design-Build is a national leader in the planning, design, and construction of food and beverage facilities with a focus on food safety and operational efficiency. Our expertise in sanitary plant design, high care/low risk segregation, and facility operation provides the best opportunity to maximize the potential for success.

SU-7604

CMC DESIGN-BUILD

N-10553

#1 Food and Beverage Design Firm

www.dennisgroup.com

ENR has ranked us the #1 firm in food since 2015. With a highly experienced team and more than 35 years in the industry, we can support you at every stage of a project from small-scale studies to ground-up greenfields, and everything in between.

Dennis Group

N-10559

Food & Beverage Architecture + Engineering

www.eabonelli.com

E.A. Bonelli is an architectural and engineering firm working exclusively for the food & beverage industries. Over sixty years of hygienic design expertise, serving clients from six offices across the United States. Since 1960, we have specialized in designing the right environments to optimize the success of your products.

E.A. Bonelli + Associates, Inc.

SECTION 1 DESIGN/BUILD AND ENGINEERING SERVICES

Your Next Food Facility Design-Build Firm

www.esigroupusa.com

A nationwide firm focusing solely on food and beverage climatecontrolled storage, automation, distribution, and specialty food manufacturing and processing facilities, including those earning LEED Certification. ESI’s turnkey solutions improve efficiencies, mitigate costs, and ensure compliance.

N-10045

ESI Group USA

N-10143

Food Plant Design and Construction

https://foodplantengineering.com

We are designers and builders of sustainable food production facilities. Using imagination, innovation, and ingenuity, we help food manufacturing companies improve food safety, gain productivity, and grow capacity.

Food Plant Engineering, LLC

Gleeson is your Food

www.gleesonllc.com

N-10213

N -10256

Processing Design-Build

Gleeson has a long history of designing and constructing high quality Food-Processing Facilities and Cold Storage Distribution Centers, nationwide. Our extensive knowledge of the food industry makes us the right partner for your design-build project.

Gleeson Constructors & Engineers, L.L.C.

CONSEQUENTIAL CONSULTING

www.hansen-rice.com/pe23

Total control over the scope & cost of developing your facility is what you deserve. Our subject matter experts deliver data-driven frontend planning, OEM evaluations, procurement strategies, & turnkey solutions integrated with your business goals and values. Optimize performance, schedule, and cost with our Assured Delivery Program.

Hansen-Rice, Inc.

SECTION 1 DESIGN/BUILD AND ENGINEERING SERVICES

Haskell: Industry Leading Systems Integrators

haskell.com

From design, installation, and startup of automated process and packaging systems to sustainable facility design and self-perform construction services, Haskell has over 50 years of experience delivering turnkey manufacturing projects for clients in Food & Beverage, Consumer Products, Manufacturing, and Life Sciences.

SU-8181

Architecture | Engineering | Process Design

www.hixson-inc.com/fid23/

Since 1948, Hixson has partnered with some of the world’s most well-recognized brands on their complex food, beverage, and science+technology projects. With 20 technical disciplines colocated in-house, Hixson creates lean, high-quality solutions delivered effectively and with unparalleled speed.

N-10164

Engineering & Construction Services.

www.kiewit.com

Kiewit is the #2 ENR ranked design-build firm and has consistently ranked in the top five for the last decade. As one of North America’s largest and most respected construction and engineering organizations, we offer full project delivery services for food and beverage facilities of all sizes and complexities.

N-10263

Kiewit Corporation

Interested in the latest packaging and processing trends? Don’t miss PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023, where a multitude of cutting-edge packaging and processing innovations will be on full display. For more information, visit packexpolasvegas.com

The Haskell Company

Hixson Architects/Engineers

SECTION 1 DESIGN/BUILD AND ENGINEERING SERVICES

Engineered Facility & Utility Solutions

meadhunt.com

Since 1949, we have been providing design services for food and beverage manufacturers. We specialize in utilities, refrigeration, process, and wastewater solutions. Our full-service capabilities provide executable scopes, realistic budgets, and schedules to guide your project. We look forward to partnering with you!

SU-8446 Mead & Hunt

SU-7236

Your Recipe for Project Success

powereng.com

Complex systems, stringent regulations, tightly controlled conditions—our experts have built their careers serving the manufacturing industry. A full-service architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firm that thrives on challenging projects, all while making sure we have a little fun along the way.

POWER Engineers, Inc.

Your Global Powerhouse in Food Processing

www.stellar.net

Ranked one of the top food manufacturing design-build firms in the world, Stellar offers clients fully integrated services. We have designed and built processing and distribution facilities for world-renowned food industry clients across the US and around the world.

N-10225

Stellar

SU-7677

Design/Build & Cold Storage Warehousing

www.tippmanngroup.com

Tippmann Group offers design/build construction and cold storage warehousing services for the food industry. Our QFR Zone® blast freezing alternative features Pallet Fit™ doors and is the most energy and labor-efficient way to freeze your palletized product fast!

Tippmann Group / Interstate Warehousing

SECTION 1 DESIGN/BUILD AND ENGINEERING SERVICES

Creating Food-Safe Environments

www.webbersmith.com

Providing food-safe. cost-effective. scalable. and sustainable engineering and building design solutions to the Food & Beverage Industry. Our Engineers and Building Designers have been creating comprehensive client-centric solutions since 1978.

Engineering and Design Services

www.zachrygroup.com/foodandbeverage

Zachry Engineering provides a full range of high-quality engineering and design services, from small revamp projects to large grassroot plants for the food and beverage industry in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner, resulting in successful projects for our clients.

Connect With Suppliers Fast

PMMI ProSource is a free online directory with 460 categories of validated suppliers of packaging machinery, materials, and service solutions. With a powerful search engine and the ability to filter solutions by machine feature and package type, ProSource brings vetted suppliers to you. Visit www.prosource.org today.

C-5646 The WEBBER/SMITH Group

SU-7719

Zachry Engineering Corporation

SECTION 2 PLANT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

Reliable Turnkey Vacuum Solutions

buschusa.com

From vacuum system design to installation and service support, we’ve got you covered. Achieve your processing goals with proven technology and comprehensive service from a single source. Conveniently designed and built in the USA.

SL-6258

Busch Vacuum Solutions

Hygienic Color-Coded Cleaning Tools

www.perfex.com

Prevent dangerous cross-contamination and easily isolate work areas with color-coded cleaning tools by PERFEX. Our patented heat-fused brush fiber design eliminates premature fiber fallout and areas for contaminants to collect. Made in the USA!

SL-6077 Perfex Corporation: 1-800-848-8483

SECTION 3 UTILITIES AND VENTILATION

Energy Efficient On-Demand Steam Boilers

www.miuraboiler.com

Miura’s safe reliable modular steam boilers are a major asset to companies seeking to maximize operation efficiency and cut energy costs. Visit the Miura booth at PACK Expo West in Vegas September 11-13. They will have an Engineer ON SITE to answer questions!

N-10803

MIURA

DS Series Oil Free Rotary Screw Air

Sullair.com/OilFree

The DS Series brings Reliability, Durability and Performance to the next level. Engineered for reliable operation, unparalleled ease of use and simplified service and maintenance, the DS Series delivers oil free air you can count on.

N-9520

Hitachi Global Air Power

ad index

CONTENT

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

SENIOR EDITOR MICHAEL COSTA mcosta@pmmimediagroup.com

NEW PRODUCTS EDITOR MORGAN SMITH msmith@pmmimediagroup.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

CONNECT WITH US @ProFoodWorld @ProFoodWorld www.linkedin.com/ showcase/profoodworld @ProFoodWorld

JEANNE SCHWEDER, STEPHEN PERRY, STEPHEN SCHLEGEL, JEFFREY BARACH

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DAVID BACHO

ART DIRECTOR KATHY TRAVIS

ADVERTISING

VICE PRESIDENT, SALES JOHN SCHREI jschrei@pmmimediagroup.com

PUBLISHER PATRICK YOUNG pyoung@pmmimediagroup.com • 610/251-2579

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PMMI MEDIA GROUP

VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL ELIZABETH KACHORIS

DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MEDIA JEN KREPELKA

SENIOR DIRECTOR, CONTENT & BRAND GROWTH MIKE PROKOPEAK

SENIOR DIRECTOR, EVENTS TREY SMITH

DIRECTOR, MARKETING SHARON TAYLOR

PRESIDENT DAVID NEWCORN

FOUNDING PARTNER AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, INDUSTRY OUTREACH, PMMI JOSEPH ANGEL

FOUNDING PARTNER LLOYD FERGUSON

ProFood World • PMMI Media Group 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611

Phone: 312/222-1010

Email: info@pmmimediagroup.com

• Fax: 312/222-1310

• 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

Sta at PMMI Media Group can be contacted at info@pmmimediagroup.com.

FEATHER IN THEIR CAP $)$67ǧ75$&.('

Congratulations to our partner, SunOpta, on their award-winning facility!

When sales of oat milk surged during the pandemic, long-time sustainable food & beverage leader SunOpta stepped up to the plate with an innovative new facility to sustainably increase plant-based milk production. But this facility won’t just produce RDWPLONsWKHHQHUJ\HƱFLHQWGHVLJQEURXJKWWROLIHE\'HQQLV*URXSZLOOKHOSUHGXFH 59,000,000 pounds of carbon per year. It’s a winner in more ways than one.

Congratulations to the project teams on their success!

dennisgroup.com

info@dennisgroup.com

+1.888.514.7270

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