Food Engineering December 2011

EXCLUSIVE REPORT: SUPPLY CHAIN MASTERY YIELDS TREMENDOUS COST SAVINGS December 2011 | www.foodengineeringmag.com THE ...

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EXCLUSIVE REPORT: SUPPLY CHAIN MASTERY YIELDS TREMENDOUS COST SAVINGS December 2011

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www.foodengineeringmag.com

THE MAGA ZINE FOR OPER ATIONS AND MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT

Fabulous Food Plant Hormel’s Progressive Processing facility is built to last ALSO THIS MONTH `

TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TECHNICIANS AND ENGINEERS ` SITE SELECTION: REDEFINING LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ` TECH UPDATE: PACKAGING MACHINE CONTROLS

You’re Invited to Test Cut Your Product on Urschel Size Reduction Equipment

s the world leader in the manufacturing of size reducon equipment for the food industry, Urschel offers Product Test Cung Facilies in key locaons around the world. The U.S. test cutng facility is centrally located in Valparaiso, Indiana, just one hour outside of Chicago within the company headquarters.

trained on Urschel equipment. A comprehensive report with photos and/or video can be compiled to fully assist customers in their evaluaon.

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DECEMBER 2011

www.foodengineeringmag.com

FEATURES COVER STORY

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Fabulous Food Plant: Built to Last A quarter century had passed since Hormel Foods had commissioned a new production facility. In designing its Dubuque plant, engineers aimed to create a facility that would be contemporary for the next 25 years.

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Supply Chain: Demand-driven Production Mastery of the supply chain can yield tremendous cost savings for food companies, but only if production is aligned with what will sell in the months ahead.

49

Site Selection: Redefining Location, Location, Location What makes location the most important criterion in selecting a site? Transportation, logistics, labor force, water and utility costs—to name a few.

57

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Tech Update: Packaging Machine Controls Thanks to open standards, packaging machine controls communicate up and down the line and with MES and ERP systems to provide key performance data.

20 DEPARTMENTS 8

Editor’s Note

10

Calendar of Events

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Manufacturing News Consumer satisfaction stagnates as economy slows.

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19

Food Packaging ‘Green’ bag in bottle makes its debut.

23

Technology Sourcebook Focus on PACK EXPO show products

Connect with FE on Facebook www.facebook.com/FoodEngineering

64

Classified Advertising

Follow FE on Twitter

71

Engineering R&D

http://twitter.com/FoodEng

Join FE’s Group on LinkedIn Food Engineering Magazine

With a large cadre of American workers ready to retire, training and educating the next generation of technicians and engineers is a critical need in manufacturing.

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | December 2011

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EDITORIAL Joyce Fassl Editor in Chief [email protected], 610-436-4220 ext. 8519 Kevin T. Higgins Senior Editor [email protected], 847-405-4045 Wayne Labs Senior Technical Editor [email protected], 215-345-4548 Morgan Smith New Products Editor [email protected]

®

For further information call 1-800-477-1214 or email [email protected] www.AAFINTL.COM

Richard Stier, Jaan Koel, Allen Merritt, Mark Huffman, Olin Thompson Contributing Editors ART & PRODUCTION Karla Fierimonte Art Director [email protected] Suzanne Fairman Advertising Production Manager [email protected], 253-946-6854 MARKETING Marge Whalen Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference Manager [email protected], 847-405-4071 Amy Kozyra Marketing and Event Coordinator [email protected], 847-405-4022 Chris Frost ProcessTechnologyXchange [email protected], 952-224-4390 Jill L. DeVries Corporate Reprint Manager [email protected], 248-244-1726 LIST RENTAL Kevin Collopy Postal Contact 800-223-2194 x684, [email protected] Michael Costantino Email Contact 800-223-2194 x748, [email protected] AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Kourtney Genereaux Group Audience Development Manager Megan Neel Corporate Fulfillment Manager Carolyn M. Alexander Audience Audit Coordinator

FOOD ENGINEERING Volume 83, Issue 12 (ISSN 0193-323X) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: FOOD ENGINEERING, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to FOOD ENGINEERING, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

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December 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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DON’T SETTLE FOR “GOOD ENOUGH” In my facility, having pumps I can count on is important. Downtime is not an option. I need quality sanitary transfer equipment that can pump anything from purees to peanut butter –

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www.foodengineeringmag.com NORTH AMERICA SALES Patrick Young Publisher & District Sales Manager 600 Willowbrook Lane, Suite 610 West Chester, PA 19382 [email protected] Tel: 610-436-4220, ext. 8520; Fax: 610-436-6277 Mid-Atlantic Territory: CT, Eastern PA, NJ, NYC and LI, VA, MD, DE, Washington DC Paul Kelly District Sales Manager 155 N. Pfingsten Rd., Suite 205 Deerfield, IL 60015 [email protected] Tel: 847-405-4048; Fax: 248-502-1017 Midwest and Northeast Territory: Northern IL, WI, MN, IA, KS, MO, SD, ND, CO, WY, NE, TX, OK, NM, AR, NH, VT, MA, RI, ME, Saskatchewan Brian Gronowski District Sales Manager 13973 Meadowlark Ln. Newbury, OH 44065 [email protected] Tel: 440-564-5732; Fax: 440-564-5734 Midwest and Southeast Territory: OH, IN, WV, KY, TN, MI, NY, Western PA, FL, GA, NC, SC, AL, Southern IL, MS, LA, Ontario, Quebec Wayne Wiggins Jr. District Sales Manager 454 Funston Avenue San Francisco, CA 94118 [email protected] Tel: 415-387-7784; Fax: 415-387-7855 West Coast Territory: AZ, CA, OR, WA, AK, UT, ID, HI, British Columbia Carolyn Dress Inside and Online Sales Manager Tel: 847-405-4046; [email protected] Suzanne Sarkesian Classified Sales Manager Tel: 248-786-1692; [email protected] INTERNATIONAL SALES Gabriele Fahlbusch IMP InterMedia Partners GmbH Tel: 49 (0)202-27169-15; Fax: 49 (0) 20227169 20 [email protected] Germany, Switzerland and Austria Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications SRL Tel: 39-010-5704948; Fax: 39-010-5530088 [email protected] Italy CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing John R. Schrei

The industry’s only pre-filed hard bound catalog listing equipment, supplies and services to the food and beverage industry is only a phone call away. No need to work with an incomplete vendor list or wade through hundreds of consumer listings online. The Food Master is the most comprehensive reference source for Plant Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing and Packaging executives.

To order your personal copy, call Ann Kalb at 248-244-6499 or go to www.foodmaster.com

Corporate Strategy Rita M. Foumia Marketing Ariane Claire Production Vincent M. Miconi Finance Lisa L. Paulus Creative Michael T. Powell Directories Nikki Smith Human Resources Marlene J. Witthoft Information Technology Scott Krywko Conference & Events Scott Wolters Clear Seas Research Beth A. Surowiec

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Barometers of our industry and the economy

A Joyce Fassl, Editor in Chief e-mail: [email protected]

s 2011 comes to a close, I am continuing my research into the life line of the economy and how it affects the food and beverage industry. My local traffic barometer has been ratcheting up—that’s always a good sign of a recovering economy in my book. I am happy to report the highway traffic in my area has been approaching pre-recession levels over the past two months. Hopefully, all of these commuters are out there working and shopping. On a more proven, scientific note, this year our industry witnessed a fantastic PACK EXPO Las Vegas and a new biennial PROCESS EXPO that doubled both in size and attendees. Even though many signs are pointing toward economic recovery, Food Engineering’s annual survey on the State of Food Manufacturing reports processor budgets for production, process and packaging equipment are flat, and there is actually a slight decrease in spending for automation and software. The good news is all of those lean initiatives must be paying

off—the same survey respondents said their throughputs are expected to increase, some in double digits. So, with capital budgets fairly stable and production units up, why are food prices so high for consumers? The answer lies in an intricate mix of factors including higher costs of raw materials and transportation, bad weather, smaller harvests, a weakened dollar and globalization of the industry. Some experts believe American economic woes lie in wealth inequality. According to a recent report in Businessweek, “inequality is not just a problem for the have-nots.” The report states with the recent $650 billion in income shifted to the top 5,934 households, the result could be shorter recoveries and gun-shy investors. It also cautions there are recovery lessons to be learned about market similarities and defaults in 1929 and 2008. Just a little something to think about over the holidays. Here’s hoping the food industry barometer and our overall economy continue to rise in 2012. ❖

Food Engineering Editorial Advisory Board Tom Lance Vice President-Operations The Boston Beer Company Ed Delate Vice President, Global Engineering and Corporate Social Responsibility Keystone Foods LLC

8

David Watson Vice President-Engineering Campbell Soup Company International and Baking Technology Sam Casey Director of Engineering H. J. Heinz


Alex Peele Director of Project Engineering Interstate Brands Corp.

Dan Sileo Vice President, Manufacturing Sunny Delight Beverages

Diane Wolf Former Global Vice President, Safety and Environmental Sustainability, Kraft Foods

David Haase Vice President of Operations WILD Flavors

9OUKNOW who it is on the football field.

But did you know the Slipstick Conveyor

can be your sanitary “Wide Receiver” to accumulate product upstream of a packaging distribution system? In this recently installed system, the upper Slipstick pan has a diagonal slot to uniformly distribute the product across the wide Slipstick on the bottom. The width of the bottom Slipstick is 102” to keep product depth shallow and still achieve 30 minutes of surge time. The Slipstick provides gentle, sanitary on-line storage of even the most fragile products with no moving parts in the food zone, greatly reducing the risk of cross-contamination that commonly occurs when using a belt storage unit. Call today or email SALES SSSDYNAMICSCOM to add the Slipstick “Wide Receiver” to your processing lineup.

When food safety matters, the Slipstick Accumulator is the sanitary alternative.

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Terlotherm® Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger The Smart Alternative

CALEN DAR JANUARY 2012 15-18: 98th Annual NW Food Manufacturing & Packaging Expo and Conference; Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR; Northwest Food Processors Association; www.nwfpa.org 22-25: IFPAC-2012 Annual Conference & Exhibition; Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore, MD; International Foundation Process Analytical Chemistry; www.ifpacpat.org 24-26: International Poultry Expo; Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA; US Poultry & Egg Institute; www.poultryegginstitute.org

FEBRUARY 2012 6-9: ARC World Industry Forum; Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld Marriott, Orlando, FL; ARC Advisory Group; www.arcweb.com 28-March 3: IPACK-IMA; Fiera Milano, Italy; Ipack-Ima spa; www.ipack-ima.com

MARCH 2012 14-17: FPSA Annual Conference; The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, FL; Food Processing Suppliers Association; www.fpsa.org 17-19: SNAXPO; Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ; Snack Food Association; www.snaxpo.com

• Vertical Unit = Small Foot Print • (5) Times More Surface Area Than Conventional Heat Exchanger Equipment • Quick & Easy Maintenance and Inspection • Lowest Operating & Maintenance Costs • Can handle up to 1 inch particulates • Low shear processing • Test and Rental Units Available Used For: Heating/Cooking Cooling Pasteurizing

27-30: Anuga FoodTec; Koelnmesse GmbH; www.koelnmesse.de

APRIL 2012 3-4: OFPA 106th Annual Convention and Exposition; Holiday Inn Convention Center, Springdale, AR; Ozark Food Processors Association; 479-575-4607; http://ofpa.uark.edu 15-18: 2012 American Bakers Association Convention; Fairmont Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ; 202-789-0300; www.americanbakers.org 17-19: Food Safety Summit; Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC; BNP Media; 630-962-0078; www.foodsafetysummit.com 22-25: Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference; Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa, Fort Myers, FL; Food Engineering; www.foodautomationconference.com 30-May 3: AMI International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Convention and Exposition; Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, TX; American Meat Institute; www.meatami.com

Ideal For: Sauces, Spreads, Shortenings, Beverages and Dairy Products, Confectionery Products, Soups, Meat and Poultry Products.

Terlet USA Phone: 856-241-9970 Fax: 856-241-9975 www.terlotherm.com

April 25-28, 2012 Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort Fort Myers, Florida See pages 28-29.


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Food o d processing environments nvironment i pu putt a diverse ver number of demands on or a yyour o r designs. g That’s at’s whyy whether whethe it’s t a ssimple imp clamping p g application, p

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complex omplex controlled ed d closed e loop bottle bo b ot fillling solution, Bimba is dedicated to USDA improve efficiency, o delivering elivering productss that h t meet m U S rrequirements, eq and n reduce costs. And as always, when w n you yo work with Bimba, customer commitment comes standard. mm

The Original Line Electric Actuator This revolutionary design is built and tested to provide the greatest durability, highest speed and most thrust per dollar. These cylinder’s superior execution in applications requiring increased control and flexibility make the OLE ideal for various food processing applications.

Roundline Repairable Stainless Steel Cylinder The round, smooth—bodied design prevents potential sources of bacteria growth and contamination and has proven ideal for washdown environments. Designed specifically for food processing applications, this is the only cylinder that meets USDA regulations.

Valves From solenoid air valves to button valves, Mead Fluid Dynamics has the technology to handle the most demanding pneumatic control applications. An innovative approach to design allows these corrosionresistant valves to perform even in tough wash-down environments, while still yielding smooth speed and control.

To learn more about why the best use Bimba, call or go online today.www.bimba.com

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MANUFACTURING

`NEWS The J. R. Simplot Company will build a state-of-the-art potato processing plant in Caldwell, ID. Site preparation is anticipated to begin next May with startup expected by spring of 2014. The 380,000-sq.-ft. plant will replace the company’s existing potato processing plant in Caldwell.

Consumer satisfaction stagnates as economy slows ACSI scores from 1994 to third quarter 2011

76

75

ACSI gained slightly and stagnated

PLANT OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

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Dorada Foods opened a 180,000-sq.72

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Chobani has picked Twin Falls, ID as the home for its new $100 million yogurt production facility.

Sara Lee opened a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Kansas City, KS. The 200,000-sq.-ft. facility processes sliced deli meats under the Hillshire Farm and Sara Lee Deli brands. The plant uses robotic systems that provide “no-touch” processing from the initial raw meat phase to the finished product. The new facility reduces processing time by 50 percent compared to conventional operations. While the unit needs half the employees as a conventional facility, the $140 million plant created 255 new jobs.

Smithfield Packing Company will expand its facility in Kinston, NC. The project represents an $85.5 million dollar investment over a three-year period and is expected to create 330 new jobs.

Unique Pretzel, located in Muhlenberg Township, PA, will expand its manufacturing space and add three 50-ft. flour silos.

Baseline Q4/1994 Q1/1995 Q2/1995 Q3/1995 Q4/1995 Q1/1996 Q2/1996 Q3/1996 Q4/1996 Q1/1997 Q2/1997 Q3/1997 Q4/1997 Q1/1998 Q2/1998 Q3/1998 Q4/1998 Q1/1999 Q2/1999 Q3/1999 Q4/1999 Q1/2000 Q2/2000 Q3/2000 Q4/2000 Q1/2001 Q2/2001 Q3/2001 Q4/2001 Q1/2002 Q2/2002 Q3/2002 Q4/2002 Q1/2003 Q2/2003 Q3/2003 Q4/2003 Q1/2004 Q2/2004 Q3/2004 Q4/2004 Q1/2005 Q2/2005 Q3/2005 Q4/2005 Q1/2006 Q2/2006 Q3/2006 Q4/2006 Q1/2007 Q2/2007 Q3/2007 Q4/2007 Q1/2008 Q2/2008 Q3/2008 Q4/2008 Q1/2009 Q2/2009 Q3/2009 Q4/2009 Q1/2010 Q2/2010 Q3/2010 Q4/2010 Q1/2011 Q2/2011 Q3/2011

ft. chicken processing facility in Ponca City, OK. The company is one of three suppliers of chicken products to McDonald’s in the US.

T

he measure of how satisfied American consumers are with food, pet food and other necessities has stagnated, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The ACSI is apparently stuck in neutral for the third quarter of 2011, yielding an unchanged 75.7 on a 0-to-100-point scale. ACSI says the lackluster performance mirrors the economy and frail markets. Where numbers are down doesn’t necessarily mean that consumers are having issues with quality; cost increases have been the typical reason for slipping satisfaction. Condiment purveyor Heinz, however, is doing a good job at pleasing its customers and has been leading the food industry for 12 years in consumer satisfaction. This year, according to ACSI, satisfaction with the company’s food products rose 1 percent to 89 on the ACSI scale. The processor rated number one among ACSI’s 225-plus measured food companies. Food manufacturing as a whole is stalled at 81, following last year’s decline in the face of rising food costs.

` The ACSI started in 1994, and took a hit in the middle to late 1990s as companies tried to improve profit margins by cost cutting. The last two quarters have yielded static results due to the sagging economy. Source: ACSI.

“When there is little or no industry growth, the only way for many companies to expand is to take market share from competition,” says Claes Fornell, founder of the ACSI. “In an anemic labor market with tight household budgets, this leads to more price competition, deflationary pressure and a further weakening of the aggregate demand. The best defense a company can have against competitive efforts to take market share is to have satisfied customers.” Results are mixed for individual food processors, with an even number of gainers and losers; three processors have unchanged scores. Mars (+2 percent) placed second at 87, but its score is well ahead of Hershey (-2 percent) and Nestlé (unchanged) at 84. Like Hershey, PepsiCo’s Quaker brand slipped 2 percent to 84,


13

MANUFACTURING

`NEWS while four processors tied at 83 (ConAgra, Dole, General Mills and Kraft). Customer satisfaction with this latter group is generally static (changes of 0 to 1 percent) with the exception of Kraft (+3 percent). Sara Lee and Campbell Soup—down 4 percent to 82 and 79 respectively—had

NE

14

the largest decrease in customer satisfaction. The loss pushes Campbell Soup to the bottom and into a tie with Tyson (+3 percent) and the aggregate of smaller food producers (-1 percent). ACSI assumes cost is the likely reason for Sara Lee’s decline as consumers encounter prices

W


that average 10 percent higher on the company’s big-name brands such as Ball Park and Jimmy Dean. Likewise, Campbell has raised its prices in response to cost increases at a time when competing soup labels have kept their prices the same. Pet foods are showing similar issues. The customer satisfaction of consumers who purchase pet food has slipped a second year, down 1.2 percent to 82. The decline at the industry level has been driven by drops of Mars Petcare and the aggregate of smaller pet food companies. In 2010, both Mars and the smaller brands led the category with a score of 85. After a drop of 4 percent to a score of 82, the smaller pet food companies have tied with the industry average while Mars fell a steep 6 percent to last place with a score of 80. ACSI says price has played a key role in depressed satisfaction. With a 2 percent gain, premium brand Hill’s Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive) has taken the industry lead with a score of 84 while Procter & Gamble’s premium offering, Iams, gained 1 percent to reach a score of 81. Del Monte lost 1 percent, and Nestlé Purina PetCare, which remained unchanged, rounded out the industry with scores in the middle at 82. As a point of reference, the current study also compares athletic shoes and apparel. As a group, makers of athletic footwear showed the only gain in customer satisfaction among the four industries reported in the study with a 1.3 percent increase to 81. The apparel industry took an almost -4 percent hit and had an overall ACSI score of 80. The ACSI was started in 1994, and has generally trended upward except for 1997 when it plunged. “For much of the 1990s customer satisfaction fell,” says Fornell. “Companies tried to improve profit margins by cost cutting, especially in customer service. As a result, there was a large and sustained drop in the ACSI. “However, in sectors where service plays less of a role (most non-durable products, including food products), the impact was much less and customer satisfaction held steady,” adds Fornell.

REGULATORY WATCH FSMA’s effectiveness is questioned President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) nearly a year ago, but whether the new law will be fully implemented anytime soon remains an open question. The law, which expands FDA’s authority, requires additional funding. Republicans, who control the US House of Representatives, are demanding budget cuts and have balked at the idea of increasing funding for FDA. Dennis T. Avery, a senior fellow for the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC and an environmental economist, suggests that even with unlimited FDA funding, the new law would not provide that much protection. In a recent guest column for Ag Weekly, Avery notes that salmonella bacteria are everywhere and that USDA inspectors say they have never visited a cattle farm where they did not find E. coli O157: H7. The White House says FSMA does have prevention as its main objective. A White House statement notes the law “directs the Food and Drug Administration, working with a wide range of public and private partners, to build a new system of food safety oversight—one focused on applying, more comprehensively than ever, the best available science and good common sense to prevent the problems that can make people sick.”

the group says it has a problem with the IWG guidelines. “The IWG’s proposed nutrition standards are in direct conflict with established government food policy standards such as the USDA dietary guidelines and the school lunch program,” the group said.

“They would effectively ban the advertising of 88 of the most 100 most popular foods consumed in America, including healthy foods such as cereals, soups and breads.” GMA says the guidelines are not voluntary, would not reduce obesity and would end up costing 74,000 jobs.

Food marketing guidelines still under debate Food industry representatives in Washington are closely watching the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) as it develops guidelines for food marketing to children. Following a hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the proposed guidelines, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) issued a statement saying member companies are committed to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve and maintain a healthy diet. But www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | December 2011

15

MANUFACTURING

`NEWS INDUSTRY & PEOPLE Sara Lee Corp. announced an agreement to sell its fresh bakery businesses in Spain and Portugal to Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V. for approximately $154 million. The agreement includes all Sara Lee

fresh bakery brands in Spain and Portugal as well as seven manufacturing facilities. Sara Lee Corp. is considering a binding offer from Sagard for the sale of Euro-

Dough (Sara Lee’s European chilled dough business) for a purchase price of approximately $159 million. Omaha Steaks announced that Alan Simon, company chairman and fourth generation family owner, was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame. Rob Sweatman joined Just Born, Inc. as the company’s VP of operations. Sweatman reports to David Yale, Just Born president and COO. Gary Saunders was promoted to general manager at Magnum Systems, where he previously served as VP of sales and marketing.

SAUNDERS

Del Monte Foods appointed consumer goods veteran M. Carl Johnson, III as its executive vice president, brands, reporting to CEO David West. Kraft Foods opened its new European biscuit research and development center in Saclay, France, a suburb of Paris. The two-year construction project represents a $20 million investment. Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. announced that Robert Vitale will serve as chief financial officer of Post Holdings in conjunction with the separation of Ralcorp and the Post cereal business. James T. Hackett was appointed to Bunge Limited’s board of directors as an independent director. The ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston Boardman, OR potato plant earned its first ENERGY STAR certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the Lamb Weston plants in Park Rapids, MN and Richland and Quin-

16


cy, WA received ENERGY STAR recertification for 2011. Sun Pac Foods Limited was acquired by Liquibrands Inc., a private investment firm owned by beverage industry veteran Csaba Reider. Reider will take over the helm as president and chief executive officer.

food and beverage industry projects and include Scott Mark, vice president, food & beverage services operations; Michael Polczynski, vice president, field services; Matt Doherty, senior project manager,

food & beverage; Nathan Edwards, project manager, food & beverage; Lauren Hedberg, procurement analyst, refrigeration services; and Jim Martini, senior automation engineer.

Grocery Manufacturers Association announced the appointment of Robert Burns, PhD, as its vice president, Health and Nutrition Policy. John Bean Technologies Corporation named Steve Smith as the vice president and division manager of JBT FoodTech’s Food Processing Systems Division. Siemens Industry Automation Division acquired Vistagy, Inc., a supplier of engineering software and services with emphasis on designing and manufacturing structures made of composite materials. NJM Packaging acquired Montréalbased automated production equipment manufacturer, The Company of Jalbert Automation. POWER Engineers, Inc. acquired Minneapolis-based Professional Design Group (architects/engineers). S+S Inspection moved its headquarters from Niagara, NY to Bartlett, IL. The Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) presented its 2011 IFSH Award to C. Patrick Dunne, PhD, senior research chemist and senior advisor, Nutritional Biochemistry and Advanced Processing at the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development & Engineering Center. Stellar promoted nine of its employees, including three to vice president roles. Six of the newly promoted employees focus on


17

Vibratory Inspection Feeders • Sanitary wash down and quiet operation • Replaces unsanitary belt conveyors

Metal Detector Quick Ship!

X-Ray Inspection • High speed final product inspection • Detects foreign objects, damaged product, package voids and more

Metal Detectors • Detects ferrous and nonferrous contaminants • Xtreme™ Sensitivity

Quick Ship E-Z Tec® Metal Detectors Eriez’ stocks eight E-Z Tec® metal detector aperture heights and three stainless steel, wash down conveyor widths for quick assembly and delivery. The variable speed conveyors are available in 12, 18 and 24-inch widths with a food-grade polypropylene belt. E-Z Tec® metal detectors offer the highest level of protection against metal contamination. Visit purity.eriez.com for details.

Vibratory Screeners • Scalping, screening and sizing • Variable speed for precise control

Features include: • Easy Set Up and Validation • High Sensitivity without False Positives • Xpress Delivery on Standard Models

FREE!

Magnetic Separators • Removes ferrous contaminants from free flowing materials • Xtreme™ strength at low costs • Liquid or dry process

Vibratory Selection Guide & How-to-Use Brochures

Visit purity.eriez.com Call 888-300-3743

F O O D PA C K A G I N G Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor

Bag in bottle

`

Green aesthetics meets bag-in-box functionality in the eco. bottle container.

B

ag in box was such a functional success, it spread from foodservice to consumer packaging applications. Now, a California startup firm is reshaping the box and wrapping it with green credentials to form the eco. bottle container. The bag in bottle’s commercial roll out began in March with Seventh Generation, a laundry detergent distributed through Whole Foods and independent retailers and cooperatives. Target stores and other supermarket chains were expected to put the detergent on their shelves in November, according to Julie Corbett, founder and CEO of Ecologic Brands, the Oakland, CA firm she created to market the bottle.

` Molded paper fibers in the shape of a bottle form the exterior of the eco.bottle package, with a flexible inner pouch protecting the product. Laundry detergent is the first application. Source: Ecologic Brands.

A trial with the cardboard bottle was done last year with Straus Family Creamery, a Petaluma, CA organic dairy. According to an Ecologic representative, the novel bottle helped lift sales of the dairy’s nonfat milk 72 percent at a local Whole Foods Market. “It is true, sales of our nonfat milk increased dramatically during the test,” confirmed Straus’s Helen Lentze. “We only ran a small batch. We don’t have the equipment to fill this kind of bottle on a large scale at our facility, but we do hope to be able to so at some point.” The container’s outer shell is made of molded fiber from recycled cardboard. The spout is composed of #4 low-density polyethylene, and the inner pouch can be formed from whatever flexible film a manufacturer desires, Corbett says. A 50-oz. container was designed for home cleaning products such as detergent, while quart and half-gallon bottles target beverage bottlers and others, she adds. Getting the bag inside the bottle requires special machinery, and Ecologic engineered a unit to combine the two elements. “We provide an integrator, after which the bottles are sent to a standard rotary filler,” says Corbett. A star-wheel changeover also is necessary. “Copackers spend their life making changeovers,” she says, and procuring the necessary parts is “the filler’s responsibility.” Commonly used closure sizes are used, including a 38mm cap for 64-oz. bottles and 51mm for the 50-oz. detergent container. Aseptic products could be filled, she suggests, though validation of the additional equipment would be required. Corbett credits a visit to Canada for the container’s inspiration. Fluid milk commonly is sold there in flexible pouches, then placed in a reusable carafe for home use. “You don’t need any instructions in how eco.bottle performs,” she says. “It’s tactile, it’s visibly different, it resonates with consumers.” USDA approval for direct contact with food and beverages is being sought. ❖ For more information: Julie Corbett, Ecologic Brands, 877-326-5642


19

F O O D PA C K A G I N G

Scoop-and-store bag for nuts

C

onvenience and freshness preservation are the drivers behind a new resealable pouch for baking nuts from Fisher Nuts, a division of John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc., Elgin, IL. An ex pandable bottom helps the bag stand upr ight , w hi le the w ide opening makes it easier for bakers to scoop walnuts, pecans, almonds or raw peanuts out of the bag. The resealable strip is included on bags ranging from 2 oz. to 16 oz. The pouch was designed and produced by Clear Lam Packaging Inc. The Elk Grove Village, IL supplier has some ownership ties to Sanfilippo and is located in close proximity to some of the food company’s production sites. ❖ For more information: Roman Forowycz, Clear Lam Packaging Inc., 847-439-8570, [email protected]

` A resealable stand-up pouch with a wide mouth for easier scooping adds greater convenience to Fisher Nuts for baking. Source: John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc.

PUSH START. SAVE MONEY! Barrels. Buckets. Belts. Scale Parts. Bins. Totes.

Any washer, for any need. All push-button easy to operate! This means saying goodbye to the time-consuming and costly routine of handwashing – freeing your employees for more productive and profitable tasks. Call 800-331-6870 today for pricing, literature and specifications on a model suited to your particular needs – or visit www.dougmac.com for additional details.

2101 Calumet Street Clearwater, Fl 33765 (727) 461-3477 Fax: (727) 449-0029 Email: [email protected] WEB: www.dougmac.com See Food Master, p. 50

20


Many applications. One solution. It forms. It extrudes. It portions. It sheets. It deposits. It fills. It’s a Vemag! Designed with our unique double-screw pumping technology, the Vemag offers unrivaled versatility, portioning accuracy, speed and consistent product quality. Whatever your application, Reiser’s R&D and engineering team can custom design the right solution for you. From producing exact weight portions of fillings for egg rolls, burritos and stuffed sandwiches to portioning salads, chilies, sauces and spreads to forming cheese blocks – Reiser has the solution. And with Reiser’s co-extrusion and filling systems, producing filled products is fast and effortless. Whatever your application – think Vemag from Reiser. For more information, contact Reiser at (781) 821-1290.

Reiser 725 Dedham Street, Canton, MA 02021 • (781) 821-1290 Reiser Canada 1549 Yorkton Court #4, Burlington, ON L7P 5B7 • (905) 631-6611 www.reiser.com

Leading the food industry in processing and packaging solutions.

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K Focus on PACK EXPO Products

BAR PACKAGING

FREQUENCY INVERTER

Engineered for the primary and secondary packaging of bars and bar-shaped products, the Bosch Packaging Systems bar packaging line includes a Sigpack HRM horizontal flow wrapping machine and Sigpack TTM cartoner, as well as a station, accumulator and interfaces; all the components are part of a single design, with their speeds balanced to eliminate bottlenecks. The cartoner runs at speeds up to 150 cartons/ min., enabling an overall output of a 1,000 bars or more per minute. Automated precision splicing can be achieved at speeds up to 150 meters/min. Packaging formats and styles can be changed as needed, and the line can be modified for cold, heat and ultrasonic sealing. Bosch Packaging Technology; www.boschpackaging.com

The B&R ACOPOSinverter P84 frequency inverter with an integrated POWERLINK interface has a performance range of 0.37 to 500 kW. Onboard digital and analog I/O channels control a range of technology functions; the integrated POWERLINK hub simplifies bus cabling. An encoder interface can be added for applications with strict requirements for speed or torque control. The System Diagnostics Manager makes it possible to perform full diagnostics or read the status of the machine, even over the Internet. B&R Industrial Automation Corp.; 770-772-0400; www.br-automation.com

HYGIENIC ENCLOSURES Crafted of ANSI 304 stainless steel with a 400 grain brushed surface, Rittal Hygienic Design enclosures feature a smooth

surface grain, internal hinges, washable gaskets, locks and no crevices to trap debris or contaminates. Available with screw covers for smaller, integrated applications or hinged doors for larger installations, the enclosures can be mounted with rounded stand-off brackets on the back to improve the flow of water around the unit during washdown procedures. Using optional hardware, larger enclosures can be mounted on leveling feet and fitted with a wire shelf to assist with cable routing. Optional stainless steel cable glands have smooth, solid exterior surfaces and are self-sealing to enable high-pressure washing. Rittal Corporation; 800-477-4220

ID READERS Capable of reading 1-D and 2-D codes, Cognex DataMan 8000 handheld ID readers offer Industrial Ethernet communication and liquid lens technology. Cognex DataMan compact 750 readers can read a range of variations in 1-D and 2-D code appearance due to degradations in code quality; a built-in laser aimer provides quick alignment, while adjustable optics optimize resolution and working distance. Cognex Corporation; www.cognex.com


23

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

clear. safe. solutions. Clarion provides the most highly refined white oils available to help protect your facility from contamination, equipment failure and downtime. EXPERIENCED We have a 40-year history of processing white oils and continue to redefine the leading edge of industry innovation. SECURE As an established national manufacturer, we know the importance of a strong supply chain: When you need our white oils, you’ll be able to get our white oils. COMPLETE Clarion Food Grade FR Fluid Clarion Food Grade White Mineral Oils Clarion Food Machinery Grease, No. 2 Clarion Food Machinery A/W Oils Clarion Food Machinery Gear Oils Clarion Food Machinery HT EP Greases Clarion PM Hi-Temp Food Machinery 100 Greases Clarion Chain and Trolley Lube COMMITTED Our technical field support team is able to optimize your operation by creating custom solutions.

INSPECTION SYSTEM Designed for the inspection of mid-sized packaged products, the Eagle Pack 430 PRO inspection system provides 16.9 in. of detection coverage at the belt and is capable of imaging up to 350 ft./min. The system can inspect multiple lanes of the same or dissimilar products or use one lane for production and the other for rework. It features a CAT 3 (EN 954), PLd (EN 13849) safety system with embedded self-diagnostics; the system can also be remotely accessed by Eagle technicians to diagnose and often correct issues without onsite service. The system is available with IP65 and IP69K environmental ratings as well as standard and high-resolution packages. Eagle Product Inspection; 877-379-1670; www.eaglepi.com

RELIABLE Clarion Food Grade Lubricants are NSF H-1 registered and Kosher certified.

chains and belts have an operating temperature limit of 245°F. Emerson Industrial Automation; www.emersonindustrial automation.com

To learn how Clarion can refine your operation, call 855-MY-CLARION or visit clarionlubricants.com.

PACKAGING SOFTWARE

CHAINS AND BELTS System Plast New Generation NG modular chains and belts are made from a PBT thermoplastic resin designed for dry running applications. They have a large, flat surface for product stability, a low coefficient of friction, corrosion resistance and a reduced pressure/ velocity limit. Available in side-flexing and straight-running configurations, the

Rexroth IndraMotion for Packaging version 12 software offers an open IEC611313 programming environment allowing OEMs to configure and program packaging applications that require precise synchronization, camming, registration, electronic gearing, collating, robotic path planning and dynamic belt synchronization. The open architecture programming environment supports the use of OMAC packaging guidelines like PackML and use of PackTags including a wizard to configure the template. Bosch Rexroth AG; www.boschrexroth-us.com

See Food Master, p. IFC 13, 36-41 December 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT CONTAMINATION OR DOWNTIME.

FOOD GRADE

We know how hard you work to meet demand and stay competitive. But no matter how meticulously you service your equipment or how much skill your workforce acquires, accidents happen. Something as simple as a ruptured hose can lead to lost profit, missed deadlines and even e damaged reputations. That’s why we created Clarion Food Grade Lubricants. This full line ne o off NSF H-1 regist registered food grade products including oils, greases and fluids has been sp pecifically formulated to iinhibit nhibit oxidation and provide anti-wear proper ties to safeguarrd your operation and givee your bottom line the security it des deserves. ser

clear. safe. solutions.


26

TAPES AND DISPENSERS

BULK BOX

Suitable for a range of basic carton sealing applications, 3M water-activated tapes create a secure bond when the moistened adhesive interacts with porous surfaces. Available in white and kraft and in a variety of widths, the tapes form a tamper-evident seal that shreds if an attempt is made to pull them off before delivery. Options include non-reinforced tape for light and medium duty, and fiberglass reinforced for heavy-duty packaging needs. 3M water-activated tape dispensers are available in electric and manual versions. Both offer an extra large water bottle for fewer refills, and can dispense tapes from one to 3 in. in width. 3M; 800-362-3550; www.3M.com

Featuring sturdy structural foam panels and drop-down doors, the Buckhorn BN4845 48- x 45-in. bulk box has an injection-molded, 2-piece welded base. The box is available in 25- and 34-in. heights; it includes ergonomic handles as well as 4 drain holes. The box nests with competitive bins when upright or collapsed, and provides 4-way forklift entry. Its full 31.7-in. wide dual drop-down doors are either 10.25- or 14.5-in. deep based on the height of the box. 100% recyclable, the box features added decoration areas including multiple recessed ID tag areas on all 4 sides of the base and additional flat surfaces on the panels and doors for labels or RFID tracking. Buckhorn Inc.; 800-543-4454; www.buckhorninc.com


TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K TM

Material Master

• Complete line of Bulk Bag Discharging Systems, Bag Handling Systems, and Bulk Bag Filling Systems • Safe, dust-tight designs • Designed for your specific application • Improve material flow and worker safety • Complete engineering and support services

PRINTER-APPLICATORS Offering a selection of thermal/thermal-transfer print engines, Weber Model 4300 Pro-Apply label printer-applicators print 203-, 300- or 600-dpi text bar codes and graphic images at speeds up to 16 in./sec.; they dispense labels up to 6-in. wide and 6-in. long. Labels are printed in a next-out mode and immediately applied to cartons or products on the production or packaging line. Weber Packaging Solutions, Inc.; 800-843-4242; www. weberpackaging.com

• Patent-pending technology

Call us: 800.836.7068 Product showroom: www.materialtransfer.com

FEX03094mtran.indd 1

NORD SURFACE PROTECTION REINVENTED!

2/2/09 2:05:32 PM

NSD TupHTM, A BREAKTHROUGH IN PROTECTION AT A MOLECULAR LEVEL. At last it’s here, a cost-effective and weight-saving alternative to stainless steel for use in the harshest environments. NORD has redefined surface protection. NSD TupHTM is a true innovation in corrosion resistant cleanable sealed surfaces. Molecular conversion of the aluminum alloy provides our drive equipment with all the protection your application demands. All of this at a fraction of the price you have been forced to pay for stainless steel. Introducing NSD TupHTM, the better solution you have been asking for is finally here. You can immediately start saving big money on protection without compromising quality. Contact us today and find out how you can profit from NORD reinvention.

www.nord.com INNOVATION BEYOND THE ORDINARY www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | December 2011

27

Sanibel Harbour Marriott

APRIL 22-25, 2012 Sanibel Harbour Marriott, Fort Myers, Florida

02/'2!-sSave the Date — Register by December 31 and Save $400! FOOD AUTOMATION & MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE AND EXPO is the industry’s only event presenting real-world solutions on automation, processing and packaging innovation, sustainability and food safety topics for Operations, Engineering and Manufacturing Executives. Join us in 2012!

W Sunday, April 22

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Refreshment Break

12:30 p.m.

Golf Tournament

10:30 – 11:15 a.m

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Engineering Keynote: Manufacturing Innovation for Today’s Leaders

Welcome Reception

Dave Haft, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Productivity and Quality, Frito-Lay Fundamental change is occurring in how food is processed and raw materials are handled as food safety requirements become more stringent. This speaker will discuss how engineering and operations professionals can deliver manufacturing innovation and OEE while controlling capital equipment expenditures.

3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Registration

W Monday, April 23 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Registration

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Creating a No-Compromise Operations & Manufacturing Culture

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Neil Ducoff, Founder and CEO, Strategies

8:00 – 8:10 a.m.

When compromise seeps in, it hinders growth, momentum and energy. Allow it to go unchecked, and even very achievable goals can turn into pipe dreams. This speaker will show you how to turn missed opportunities into manufacturing homeruns. No-compromise leadership is a commitment to a higher standard that guides a business culture to extraordinary achievement.

Welcome Patrick Young, Publisher, Food Engineering 8:10 – 8:30 a.m.

Opening Remarks: The State of Food Manufacturing Joyce Fassl, Editor in Chief, Food Engineering

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch Buffet

Theme for Day One: Addressing Manufacturing’s Current Critical Challenges

12:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Expo

8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Keynote Address: The Age of Transparency Michael J. McCloskey, Founder and CEO, Fair Oaks Farm Public and customer demand for greater transparency in food manufacturing is causing many processors to refocus their outlook regarding social responsibility as well food safety. This speaker will address how embracing transparency with science-based technology can lead to profitability.

1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Solutions Theater 2:15 –2:45 p.m.

Refreshment Break Stations 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

9:15– 10:00 a.m.

Expo Reception

Food Safety Modernization Act: What You Need to Know Now

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Kurt Deibel, Vice President, Quality & Food Safety, HJ Heinz New legislation and resulting enforcement often create questions concerning compliance. This presentation will address the latest trends in food safety management, effective track and trace systems as well as food safety compliance on a global basis.

Harbour View Barbeque

GOLD SPONSORS

WHY GO ALONE? Learn more when you bring your colleagues and share ideas. Save with the Team Discount!

W Tuesday, April 24

4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Plant of the Year Cocktail Reception

7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Registration

W Wednesday, April 25

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Breakfast

Continental Breakfast

7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

8:00 – 8:15 a.m.

Expo

Opening Remarks

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Solutions Theater

Theme for Day Three: Sustainable Plant and Process Practices

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.

8:15 – 9:00 a.m.

Refreshment Break

Social Responsibility: Addressing Customer and Consumer Concerns

Theme for Day Two: Practical Measures for Improving Plant Performance

Speaker: Leigh Ann Johnston, CPEA, EHS Training, Communication, & Sustainability Manager, Tyson Foods, Inc. Demonstrating social responsibility is important in being an employer of choice, engaging company critics and effecting improvements in both food and worker safety. Maintaining business-to-business relationships is also a prime motivation. Hear how a leading processor embraces this crucial topic.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Educational Tracks on State-of-the-Art Methodologies Session A: Packaging Technology 10:30 a.m. Robotics vs Continuous Motion Terrence Southern, Senior Engineer, Flexible Automation, Frito-Lay North America, Inc. 11:15 a.m. Best Practices in Machine Safety Michael Thompson, Golden Peanut Company, a division of ADM Session B: Plant & Process Controls 10:30 a.m. Overcoming the Challenges of Legacy Systems Anass Bennani, MIS Director, Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods, Inc. 11:15 a.m. Best Practices in Automated CIP 12:00 to 1:15 p.m.

Networking Luncheon 1:15 – 2:30 p.m

9:00 – 9:45 a.m.

Special Panel Discussion: The Journey to Sustainability Excellence Speakers: Bill Gill, Assistant Vice President, Smithfield Foods; Amber Brovak, HSE & Sustainability Manager, Sunny Delight Beverages Co.; Jarod Cook, Director, Environmental Services, Del Monte Foods Moderator: Stephen Schlegel, Managing Director, AIOE The Alliance for Innovation and Operational Excellence (AIOE) brings together operations professionals from consumer products companies and solutions providers to address key industry issues and establish best practices on a range of critical operational topics. These members of AIOE’s Sustainability Solutions Group will discuss the industry guidelines created by the strategic collaboration of more than 25 consumer goods manufacturers and suppliers. AIOE was founded by PMMI and includes The Grocery Manufacturers Association as its charter member. 9:45 – 10:15

Ask the Experts Panel: Perfecting Your Continuous Improvement Plan

Refreshment Break

Speakers: Tom Deschler, Vice President, Continuous Improvement, T. Marzetti Company; Tom Lance, Vice President-Operations, The Boston Beer Company; John Mutchler, Executive Vice President, Glanbia USA; Sharri Hall, Director of Manufacturing Excellence, Diageo North America This special session featuring a panel of food and beverage industry experts will present different viewpoint s on various continuous improvement methods such as lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, OEE, KPIs, Kaizen and high performance work teams. These experts will address your top manufacturing challenges.

10:15 – 11:00 a.m.

Lessons Learned on the Road to Sustainability Speaker: Paul Halberstadt, Senior Director, Energy and Environment, ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston This speaker will discuss the many lessons ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston learned on its sustainability journey. Topics will include construction of the first frozen food processing plant in the world to achieve LEED Platinum certification; achievement of EPA ENERGY STAR certification at four plants; sustainable agriculture initiatives with growers; and progress and challenges presented by ConAgra Foods’ sustainable reduction goals. 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.

2:30 – 3:00 p.m

Wastewater Treatment Paybacks and Benefits

Refreshment Break 3:00 – 3:45 p.m.

Plant Security Audits: Protecting Your People and Assets Speaker: William L. Ramsey, Director of Corporate Security, McCormick & Company Inc.

The cost and availability of fresh water is becoming an issue for some facilities, and many regulators are mandating organic load reductions. High levels of suspended and dissolved sugars, protein and fat pose a special challenge for food plants. This speaker will show how to achieve cost-effective wastewater treatment. 11:45 a.m.

The ability to document access-card use, the condition of perimeter defenses and other aspects of safeguards against intentional food contamination will likely be requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Learn how to upgrade your security systems in a costeffective manner.

Closing Remarks 12:00 noon

Conference Adjourns

QUESTIONS? Contact Marge Whalen, Senior Event Manager at 847-405-4071 or [email protected]

Register by December 31 and

3:45 – 4:30 p.m.

Plant of the Year Award Join us as we honor the 2012 Food Engineering Plant of the Year Award Winner. Each year, only one food or beverage plant in North America earns this award.

SAVE $400!

SILVER SPONSORS

Developed and Produced by:

w w w. F o o d A u t o m a t i o n C o n f e r e n c e. c o m


SLIDER SYSTEM The ZIP-PAK SLIDER SELECT slider system enhances consumer usability through ergonomic design. Capable of speeds of over 150 closures per minute, the slider features advanced leak resistance to help keep food products fresh and seal in flavor; a small opening or protruding finger is not required for the clip to work properly. The slider is suitable for pre-made pouches and form/fill/seal applications. Zip-Pak; www.zippak.com

INK JET PRINTERS

9(56$7,/( $FFXUDF\WR´ ([WUHPH7HPSHUDWXUHV &OHDQ5RRP&RPSDWLEOH 3UHFLVLRQ,QGH[LQJ

&RPSOHWH &RQYH\RU 6\VWHPV

$XWRPDWHG $VVHPEO\ 6RODU&HOO 3URFHVVLQJ 9DFXXP %HOWV &RDWHG 6WHHO %HOWV

237,21$/ )($785(6 7HÀRQ&RDWHG 9%HOW7UDFNHG 3HUIRUDWHG$WWDFKPHQWV 6PRRWK6XUIDFH

ZZZPHWDOEHOWVFRP %RZOHV5RDG$JDZDP0$ 7HOHSKRQH )D[ 7HÀRQLVDUHJLVWHUHGWUDGHPDUNRI'X3RQW,625HJLVWHUHG

See Food Master, p. 18

30


Videojet 1000 Line continuous ink jet printers feature an advanced print head with automatic setup, calibration and adjustment. A calibration feature automatically adjusts to changes in temperature and viscosity for consistent print quality, while a needle-and-septum based cartridge fluid system eliminates the need for operators to pour fluids. Once the cartridge is inserted, the printer reads its embedded microchip to verify it is the proper fluid type and has not passed its expiration date. Available with a choice of 60 or 70 micron nozzles for higher contrast codes, the printers integrate into existing systems with advanced connectivity technology, including a USB port that allows for hot swapping print jobs and backing up messages. Videojet Technologies Inc.; 800-8433610; www.videojet.com

BOILERS Designed for quick startup and shutdown, Clayton boilers generate clean steam in about 10 minutes; they only need to be turned on for production and can be turned off immediately afterward. Available in 15 sizes from 10 to 1,500hp and with design pressures up to 3,000psi, the boilers have a vertical design and are 100% explosion-proof. Clayton Industries; 800-423-4585; www.claytonindustries.com


EVACUATION SYSTEM The Arena STARFISH Air-Evac system increases the amount of high-viscosity fluids that can be extracted from bag-in-box packages. A hands-free system, it replaces the volume of liquid pumped out of the inner chamber of the bag with shop air introduced into chambers on the outside of the bag. The inflating air chambers push the liquid content toward the bag outlet. Air volume is increased as the liquid content decreases. A.R. Arena Products, Inc.; www.arenaproducts.com

YOU ARE AS SAFE AS THE

FLOOR YOU WALK ON CARTON/CASE LOADER Equipped with 2 FANUC Robotics Delta (spider) robots for specialty cartoning, case loading, and high-speed pick and place applications, the Schneider RCCL/ Spider robotic vertical carton/case loader can handle multiple products and packing combinations. The multi-axis spider robots locate, inspect and orient product for high-speed nesting into a carton. The modular design can be configured to top load cartons, cases or trays, in combination or separately, on the same line. Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc.; 315-676-3035; www.schneiderequip.com

PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY Integrated and mechatronic, EPLAN platform technology provides core functions required in electrical CAE as well as fluid or PCT engineering. EPLAN Electric P8 software includes freely selectable graphical/object orientation, variant technology and reverse engineering. EPLAN Fluid software combines CAD functionality with logic to automate fluid documentation, with links to electrical and mechanical designs. EPLAN Cabinet software for enclosure design provides virtual 3-D models and 2-D/3-D views for manufacturing, routing, drilling templates and NC coupling. EPLAN Software & Service GmbH &Co. KG; www.eplan.de

SlipNOT ® 's slip resistant premier stainless steel product line creates a low maintenance, easy to install, sanitary solution for slippery areas in food p r o c e s s i n g f a c i l i t i e s . S l i p N O T ® i s e n g i n e e re d t o w i t h s t a n d t h e e x t re m e heat of cookers and steamers and cold of cryogenics, as well as daily washdowns and caustic cleaning agents.

Green Products

313.923.0400 | 800.754.7668 | www.slipnot.com | [email protected]

SlipNOT Metal Safety Flooring

®

[

SlipNOT® manufactures slip resistant metal flooring products that are designed to increase safety and decrease your risk exposure.

SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring products may be covered by one or more of the following patents; 5,711,119,6,839,951, and 6,863,932.

s l i p r e s i s ta n t s ta i n l e s s s t e e l f l o o r i n g Additional patents pending. ® 2010 W.S. Molnar Company. All rights reserved.


31


Reliable Food Grade Synthetic Lubricants For consistant food grade lubricant quality, buy from a company that is NSF H1 and ISO 21469 CERTIFIED. Summit Industrial Products is one of the fast growing synthetic food grade lubricant manufacturing companies in the US.

Try us out and see why!

CUSTOM-FABRICATED EQUIPMENT Designed for either horizontal or vertical installation, Ross custom-fabricated tanks can be made of any material of construction, from carbon steel and stainless steel, to aluminum, titanium, Monel, Hastelloy and Inconel. Ross custom-fabricated vessels and reactors feature charge and discharge ports, a vacuum and/or internal pressure design, agitation system, heating/cooling jacket or coils, sheathing and insulation, sanitary design, special polishes and coatings, mounting frames and brackets, and control systems. Charles Ross & Son Company; 800-243-ROSS; www.mixers.com bottom of a container correspond with the label of the package. When a defect is detected, the system communicates with a downstream rejector to remove the faulty package from the production line before it can be case-packed. One print inspection camera and 6 label inspection cameras are included. Mettler-Toledo Inc.; 630-446-7700; www.mt.com

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LABEL VERIFICATION SYSTEM Automatically inspecting labels on unoriented packaging, the Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision Mosaic label and print identification inspection system confirms they are correct and match the product inside the package. The inspections include verification of the presence, quality and accuracy of date/ lot/product codes, bar code and 2-D data matrix, label control number and graphical label ID. The system also ensures printed codes on the top or

Intended for small, standalone machine applications, Allen-Bradley Micro800 component-class micro programmable logic controllers are used with other Allen-Bradley componentclass products such as drives, motion control and operator-interface products. The controllers offer simplified communication via point-to-point data exchange. Removable terminal blocks and a range of plug-in modules for analog/digital I/O, communications and expanded memory enable personalization of the controllers to meet specific application needs. Rockwell Automation; www.rockwellautomation.com



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BAG FILLER Designed for the high-speed filling of granular products such as pet food, rice, seed and salt, the Haver TOPLINE 2000 bag filler has a vertical bag magazine, and can be used with open-mouth bags made of paper, PE or woven PP; it achieves output rates up to 1,800 bags/hr. The unit needs just 1 filling spout and 2 net weighers. Its servo-driven motors automatically switch on and off depending on the bagging process. The filler can handle small bag overlaps and new bags made of thinner materials. Haver Filling Systems Inc.; 770-760-1130; www.haverusa.com infeed line and place them in different pallet patterns on 2 separate pallets. The 4-axis, 110kg payload, 2.4m-reach robot includes an ABB FlexGripper clamp end-of-arm tool for secure handling of heavy cases. The complete system is programmed using Robot Studio Palletizing PowerPac software. ABB Robotics; www.abb.com

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OXYGEN ABSORBERS

PALLETIZING ROBOT Engineered to meet the high throughput requirements in bag palletizing and end-of-line palletizing applications, the compact ABB IRB 460 palletizing robot can pick boxes from an

Multisorb FreshPax oxygen-absorbing packets extend the shelflife of oxygensensitive products, retaining flavors, color, aroma and quality. The Multisorb APA-1000 FreshPax dispenser dispenses up to 70 packets/min.; higher-speed models are available. Multisorb FreshCard oxygen absorber is a flat-profile card with embedded active material; it also functions as a support card that can be printed on both sides in up to 4 colors. The Multisorb APA-5000 FreshCard dispenser uses stacked feeding and dispenses up to 200 cards/min. Multisorb Technologies; 716-8248900; www.multisorb.com See Food Master, p. 45


WEBINARS Preventing Contamination: A Guide to Material Selection for Food and Beverage Equipment Design Food and beverage design engineers are under constant scrutiny to deliver machines that are both good for the bottom line and that protect the company from devastating product recalls. This webinar outlines the steps engineers should consider to select material that both meets the functional requirements of the application and Federal Guidelines for safety and contamination prevention. Jerry Scherzinger Product Marketing Manager Bimba Manufacturing

Seven Surprising Uses for Spray Technology Processors clean, coat, cool, dry, and lubricate products and equipment in dozens of areas in a plant thousands of times a year. Even though it may not be obvious, spray technology is often the backbone of these operations and can be used in many more. Webinar attendees will learn more about how spray technology can be used to solve tough processing challenges, improve quality and lower operating costs. Tim Oberg Director of Food & Beverage Markets Spraying Systems Co. Arun Ramabadran Director of Market Solutions Spraying Systems Co.

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FREE Renovation Mythbusters Featuring real-world examples, the latest Food Plant of the Future webinar from Hixson, one of the leading design and engineering firms in North America, dispels some of these common misconceptions. Join us as we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of renovating/ expanding and Brownfield development to help you determine which option best fits your plant expansion needs. William H. Sander, NCARB Senior Vice President/Project Manager Hixson Chris Harmon, P.E. Senior Vice President/Project Manager Hixson Jeff Ashba Senior Project Manager Hixson Presented by:

How to Choose the Best Accumulation Solution for your Application With so many accumulation equipment options available, how do you make the right choice for your packaging line? In this webinar, we will provide a side-by-side comparison of all the accumulators commonly used in the packaging industry today. Jim Streblow V.P. Sales and Marketing Nercon Eng. & Mfg. Mike Weickert Director of Engineering Nercon Eng. & Mfg. Presented by: ®

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FABULOUS FOOD PLANT ` Extensive use is made of natural light at Hormel’s Dubuque plant. One of 212 skylights is visible in the upper left of the retort area. Source: Gene Lifka, Studio H.

Hormel’s Progressive Processing plant is built for the long haul A quarter century had passed since Hormel Foods had commissioned a new production facility. In designing its Dubuque plant, engineers aimed to create a facility that would be contemporary for the next 25 years. `

Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor

A

daptability is as much an element in sustained operations as energy efficiency, water management and other objectives in corporate social responsibility programs, and the ability to adapt to market changes is as much a part of Hormel Foods Corp.’s Dubuque, IA facility as its sustainable manufacturing credentials. Officially known as Progressive Processing LLC, the 342,000-sq.-ft. plant was conceived in headier economic times as “the culmination of our commitment to sustainable operations,” writes Jeffrey Ettinger, CEO, president and chairman in the

company’s 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report. Financial storm clouds had formed by the time ground was broken in July 2008. When production started, the housing bubble had burst, Wall Street was reeling, and retrenchment in food purchasing patterns was occurring. At the plant’s grand opening, Ettinger noted initial plans for two production lines for microwavable shelf-stable entrées already had been scrapped. Adaption to changing conditions was a given from the first day of design work in 2007, and the facility transitioned to a meat canning line that came on line in fall 2010. Although Dubuque is the first


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FABULOUS FOOD PLANT

` A vision inspection system identifies trays with food on the sealing surface and rejects them before they reach the sealer, a critical safeguard for shelf-stable meals that must maintain an airtight seal. Source: Gene Lifka, Studio H.

36

Hormel greenfield project in more than 25 years, the 120-year-old company knows something about shifting demands and new opportunities in food production. Given a blank slate, planners were able to build to the highest energy-efficiency and resource-use standards. That inspired a quest for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The company’s manufacturing network is struggling to attain goals of 10 percent cuts in energy use, though a similar reduction in water consumption is on track. In Dubuque, there were more ambitious goals of 25 percent reductions in both energy and water use per pound of finished goods, compared to similar production lines. Those goals were surpassed in the first year of operation. “From both a customer relations and business perspective, we were looking at being as sustainable and energy efficient as possible with the project,” explains Mike Devine, vice president-operations for Austin, MN-based Hormel’s grocery products division. LEED certification was not originally considered, but as the project planning evolved, “the LEED structure best fit what we wanted to accomplish,” he says. Six months after production began, the facility joined a short list of LEED Gold food plants.


Eleven sites in six states were considered for the expansion project, including some existing plants. In the end, “we decided a greenfield would give us the most flexibility to do the things we wanted to do in energy use and efficiency,” says Devine. After a floor plan was devised, “I took it to all our shelfstable plants and said, ‘Tell me what you would want that isn’t in there.’” Based on the feedback, the layout was tweaked to optimize flow. Premium efficiency motors, reflective roofing materials, high-efficiency lighting and other triedand-true technologies help drive down electric and gas consumption, but corporate engineers looked for opportunities to innovate, as well. Arguably the most novel advance is a thermal recovery system that captures waste heat from equipment and product cooling in a closed loop water system. Incoming cold water cools air and ammonia compressors, dryers and other equipment, warming it to 125°F to 140°F. The now-hot water is either used immediately or stored in a 200,000-gallon reservoir. Reuses include sanitary washdowns and space heating. Similarly, after each batch, water from retorts is circulated through a heat exchanger, which recovers thermal energy for reuse. Waste heat from the plant’s three two-stage, oilfree rotary screw compressors is reused two ways. Besides feeding hot water into the piping loop, hot air from the compressors is used to wring out water from the compressed air before it is used. Using water to cool the compressors also delivers greater operational control, according to John Ruprecht, director-sales at Atlas Copco. As a result, the machines run at higher efficiency, are more reliable and require less maintenance. Other food companies are considering installing heat harvesting systems similar to Hormel’s, but to date, Dubuque is the first and only application in the food industry. Water reuse opportunities were a design priority, according to corporate engineer Chad Sayles, manager-mechanical & electrical engineering. For example, retort water typically goes to drain; at Progressive, some is retained for the next batch, while the rest feeds the gray water stream after its heat is reclaimed. Retort cooling water is directed to the closed loop, where thermal energy is extracted and applied to other uses. The plant’s utilities infrastructure set new benchmarks, but other facilities in the manufacturing network are building on those advances, says Sayles. “Even though this is our sustainability model, we now have more advanced systems in locations around the country,” he adds. “We’re not going to keep copying

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Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Environmental and Consulting Solutions "UMBOUBt$IJDBHPt%BMMBTt%FOWFSt%PIB 2BUBSt'PSU8PSUIt)PVTUPOt,BOTBT$JUZ .Pt.JOOFBQPMJT4U1BVMt/FX&OHMBOEt0SBOHF$PVOUZ $BMJGt1IPFOJYt4U-PVJT $ I B U U B O P P H B 5 F O O t , O P Y W J M M F 5 F O O t . J B N J t . J M X B V L F F t / F X : P S L t / P S G P M L ) B N Q U P O 3 P B E T 7 B t 0 ' B M M P O * M M t 0 N B I B / F C 1BMN#FBDI(BSEFOT 'MBt1IJMBEFMQIJBt3BMFJHI /$t4BO%JFHPt4BO'SBODJTDPt4FBUUMFt8BTIJOHUPO %$t8JDIJUB ,BO

FABULOUS FOOD PLANT

` A multi-function packaging system that performs everything from collating single trays to shrinkwrapping finished products reduces floor space requirements 50 percent. Source: Gene Lifka, Studio H.

38

this plant over and over.” Continuous improvement projects are ongoing at every Hormel plant, with those designated as the Best of the Best serving as inspiration for the other 38 US processing facilities. “A little bit of everything” is on display in Dubuque in terms of lighting, Sayles continues. “If we redid it today, we would have the same mix, but we could be 20 percent more efficient.” T-5 fluorescents and metal halide fixtures illuminate much of the space, with some LED lights sprinkled in. Fixtures are equipped with sensors that adjust the intensity and number of bulbs that are energized, depending on occupancy and available light. With 212 skylights, the availability of natural light results in continuous adjustments, with each passing cloud triggering an automatic change in the number of fixtures turned on. Linear layouts, in which raw materials enter the plant at one end and finished goods exit at the other, have been the prevalent industry design in recent decades, but today’s trend is toward a network of rooms where discreet processes are executed. Progressive Processing reflects that shift, with separate areas for blanching, ingredient preparation, cooking, filling and other processes. “By separating operations, the plant can potentially run 24/7,” with production proceeding in one area while another undergoes cleaning or maintenance, points out Mark Zelle, plant manager. “There’s so much cost associated with the equipment,” and prorating those costs over more hours of operation offers great potential in boosting overall equipment efficiency. Since launching Compleats microwavable trays in 2004, the company had scrambled to meet double-digit annual growth, ultimately installing five


lines throughout its network. Despite the depth of experience, Dubuque boasts several firsts and process innovations, beginning with an optical scanning and screening system from BEST. Screens or manual picking traditionally have been the only defense against foreign materials mixed in with peas and other produce. The vision system identifies any objects out of color or size spec and removes them. Instead of kettles, the protein cook system relies on a thermal blender that gently and uniformly mixes ingredients with minimal pumping and greater consistency, according to Zelle. Once cooked, product moves to the adjacent fill room, where it is deposited in trays. Gravy or other ingredients can contaminate a tray’s lip, compromising seal quality and raising the possibility of package failure during retorting. A vision inspection system was engineered in-house to identify and reject those trays prior to sealing. Integration of the system, along with downstream X-ray inspection and checkweighing, was performed by Raque Foods, the fill and seal line fabricator. Fully automated loading of individual trays into retort baskets is executed by a multi-function robotic system from Aagard. A twin of that unit unloads retorted product and collates, sleeves, case packs, palletizes and stretch wraps finished goods. All of the handling is executed in a 126 ft.-long unit, about half the footprint required for conventional machines performing the same functions. Loss of flexibility is the downside: The system packs six trays to a case, and variations are not an option. Advanced electronics also mean the plant is “very closely connected” to the machine builder, particularly for machine troubleshooting and programming changes, observes Zelle. A Hartness accumulator between the fill and seal line and the retort-loading system provides a twominute buffer, giving mechanics a narrow window to correct any system hiccups. Having new workers in a new plant is a plus: “It’s a startup, and the team is engaged,” Zelle says. “There’s a sense of ownership.” In-house technical skills now are advanced, he says. More reductions A corporate goal of 10 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions over five years got off to a rocky start last year, when GHG emissions actually increased half a point. The shuttering of an older facility in Turlock, CA and relocation of its Valley Fresh can line to Dubuque should help Hormel get back on track. The change puts finished goods closer to both their markets and raw material sources for chicken and turkey.

-3,?@6

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Food Engineering October 2011

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