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Shaw Industries Adds Solar Tech to Georgia Facility

Shaw Industries has completed the installation of a half-acre solar array at its carpet tile manufacturing and recycling facility in Adairsville, Georgia.




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Ecore Debuts Rubber Flooring for Light Strength and Conditioning Workouts

Designed from customer feedback and tailored specifically for light strength and conditioning workouts, Performance Motivate Plus complements Ecore’s Performance Beast flooring, which excels in handling heavier weights.




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The Case for Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Flooring in Healthcare Facilities

When the static electricity in a medical office, examination room or lab is under control, it helps reduce the risks of shocks to personnel, disruption of data, malfunction of sensitive equipment, igniting flammables, and reducing contamination due to electrostatic attraction.




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PPG and Shaw Industries Sign Strategic Agreement for Resinous Flooring Products

PPG has signed a strategic agreement with flooring leader Shaw Industries Group, Inc. to offer the PPG Flooring line of resinous flooring products. The products will be available to Shaw’s customers in the commercial property market via its Patcraft brand. 




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Food Giant 'Expedites' Quality Control Upgrade

In a FOOD ENGINEERING interview, a PMMI VP said that three-quarters of food manufacturers were expected to spend money on new equipment from 2020-2025. PMMI’s Jorge Izquierdo, VP of market development at PMMI, said the driver behind the increase in processing and packaging purchases was “to leverage new technologies that offer increased flexibility.”




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Prioritizing Food Safety—Metal Detection in Milchwerke Schwaben’s Dairy Processing

Milchwerke Schwaben’s presence in the dairy industry starts as early as 1922, dairy farmers in Ulm, Germany joined together to form a cooperative that would make it possible to produce dairy products with greater efficiency. This merger resulted in a company whose products meet the needs of consumers throughout Germany and abroad.




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In Dire Conditions, Emerson Donated its E3 Controller System to the Food Bank of Alaska

When COVID-19 began spreading across America, the Food Bank of Alaska in Anchorage quickly became overwhelmed. The organization had been making the best of outdated equipment in a remote location for many years, often dealing with breakdowns that led to significant losses of perishable food items. But, as the pandemic brought many longstanding issues to a head, it became clear that a permanent solution needed to be found.




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Ready to Select Your Next Vertical Form Fill Seal Machine? Consider This...

Vertical form fill seal (VFFS) machines can mean different things to different people. The criteria used in evaluating, and ultimately determining, which bagging machine to buy is likely different if you are a small startup manufacturer versus operating for a global Fortune 500 brand.




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Completing an Employee-focused Design-Build Renovation for Crown Bakeries

The company successfully completed a build-out with employee-centered construction for Crown Bakeries.




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New Grinding Equipment and Automation Continue Optimization for FPL Food

Buying online is growing, and FPL Food LLC in Augusta, Ga., has been leaning into this trend while also selling large volumes of beef to retail stores, foodservice and food manufacturing partners.




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Flexible Packaging Flexes its Muscles with Recycling Pilot

A single-stream mechanical recycling pilot demonstration produces the rFlex bale, a flexible packaging byproduct that could be used for future end markets and as a possible feedstock.




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Niagara Bottling’s Latest DC, a Showpiece for Integrated Robotic Pallet Handling

Niagara Bottling’s new 600,000-sq.-ft. production and distribution facility in Rialto, Calif., manufactures and distributes 120,000 bottles of water per hour. Supporting this throughput are 56 laser-guided vehicles, integrated with a 33,000-position robotic pallet shuttle storage system. Designed and built by E80 Group, the distribution automation operates 24/7/365.




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Smart Flow and Weighing Technology Mean Sweet Process Success

Solutions for accurate control, easy maintenance and remote diagnostics.




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Tools to Improve In-House Traceability

A brewer turns to Siemens for its turnkey Blockchain-based Trusted Traceability Solution to expedite future recall scenarios throughout the brewer’s extensive supply chain.




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Cascade Coffee Ramps Cobot Palletizing Operations

Co-manufacturer Cascade Coffee adds automation to its secondary packaging operations by adding six cobot palletizing units.




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Amid Growing Supply Chain Disruptions, Food and Beverage Retailers Must Adapt

Changing consumer preferences and regulations have introduced additional complexity to supply chains, necessitating that food and beverage retailers invest in robust traceability solutions.




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Enterprises' Quest to Find Data Visibility Across Multiple Sites

After years of mergers and acquisitions, large food and beverage companies seek operational data visibility across multiple plants to drive efficiencies.




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Consumers Identify Health and Wellness for Pet Food

FOOD ENGINEERING talks with Mintel Consulting’s Lynn Dornblaser about consumer preferences for pet food over the last five years and what’s ahead.




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Dehydrated Fruit Processor Zarecki turns to Key Technology for Vibratory Conveyor System

While expanding production with a new line that sweetens and dehydrates different types of berries, Zarecki turned to Key Technology for a vibratory conveyor system with five Impulse shakers.




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De Marchi Automates Production with TOMRA 5B Sorter

The De Marchi Group's operations range from the large-scale cultivation of fruit, vegetables and greens to the production of frozen foods and "in nature" foods for Brazil and abroad.




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Soda Science: The Advantages of Automated Filtration in Beverage Manufacturing

For soda manufacturers seeking to fine-tune their syrup filtration processes, backflushable stacked disc cartridges can play a key role in ensuring consistent soft drink quality.




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Item-level Traceability Technology Is Transforming Food Safety and Quality

This new technology not only gives consumers confidence is knowing their food is safe, but helps supply chain participants and restaurants pull bad products.




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Revealing Metal Detection Challenges for Dairy Applications

Changing characteristics, product and orientation effect can disrupt product signals and affect detection sensitivity if not addressed. However, digital technologies and machine learning are pushing the innovation boundaries and streamlining inspection processes.




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Belzona 5811DW2 Coating Approved for Dry Food Contact

Belzona 5811DW2 (DW Immersion Grade) is a solvent-free coating initially designed for the protection of surfaces operating under potable water immersion or where potable water approval is required. 




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Allagash Brewing Company turns to Limble to Reduce Reactive Maintenance

Allagash Brewing Company reports that it has experienced a more than 40% reduction in unplanned work orders since implementing Limble, a CMMS and asset management platform, across its maintenance organization.




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Backer’s Potato Chip Company Turns to Vanmark for Bulk Storage Bin System Upgrade

Missouri-based Backer's Potato Chip Company turned to Vanmark to replace its deteriorating bulk bin system.




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Frozen ready-meal market expected to grow

Read up on the growing frozen ready-meal market as well as how inflation has accelerated private label share and penetration in this installment of Nuts & Bolts.




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Goodbye, methane / Hello, plants

Belle Pulses, in Saskatchewan, Canada, produces pea and legume protein for plant-based products including crackers and baked goods, dairy, soups and meats.




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Education through Experience

In January 2020, I started as the Editor-in-Chief of FOOD ENGINEERING’s sister publication, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods. At the time, I was looking forward to touring cold foods processing plants and learning about the industry firsthand, which in turn, would make our editorial content stronger, because I’d be writing from experience rather than second-hand information delivered via email and phone calls.




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Flexicon offers mobile sanitary IBC unloading-conveying system for contamination-sensitive transfer

Designed to transfer contamination-sensitive bulk solid materials from intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) to downstream processes, dust-free, the system’s discharger frame is mounted on casters for in-plant mobility.




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Cablevey Conveyors offer tubular drag conveyors

Designed for food processors seeking a safer, more energy-efficient means to convey product with less spillage, breakage or downtime due to necessary cleaning and maintenance, the company offers 8" diameter tubular drag conveyors that provide these advantages with essentially double the volumes of 6" units. 




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The State of Food Manufacturing

I recently toured our 2022 Plant of the Year in preparation for next month’s announcement and cover story reveal of our winner. While there, I had our July cover story in my head and filtered everything I saw through this question: “What is the state of food manufacturing today?”




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ADM, Benson Hill Partner to Scale Ultra-High Protein Soy for Food Ingredient Markets

Through the collaboration, ADM will process and commercialize a portfolio of proprietary ingredients derived from Benson Hill Ultra-High Protein (UHP) soybeans through an exclusive North American licensing partnership.




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Sanitary Conveyor Boosts Food Safety and OEE for Nutrition Bar Maker

A tubular chain conveyor helps TruFood increase line efficiency and safety, nourishing the manufacturer’s bottom line.




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Dry Processing Products | August 2022

This month’s dry processing product focus covers bulk bag handling equipment.




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Focus On: Controlling Dust

Dust can occur during any stages of processing—here are products to help control it.




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Key Technology Introduces New Air Cleaner

The system cleans product of debris to improve product quality and line efficiency.




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Controlling Combustion Beyond Dust Hazard Analysis

Nixon helps in guiding your facilities' assessment of agricultural and food processing risks through dust hazard analysis, NFPA 61 compliance, and leading options to address the risk of combustible dust explosions.




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Mini Bag Dump Station

The Volkmann Mini RNT is designed to reduce manual bag handling for improved worker safety.




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Tetra Pak Introduces Powder Handling Equipment

The equipment is designed to augment food safety and production rates and improve operator working conditions.




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BFM Global Introduces Venting Surge Hopper

The company’s flexible, transparent Seeflex 040E material is designed as a bridging solution for processing bulk powders.




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METTLER TOLEDO Introduces HazLoc-Compliant Metal Detectors

Designed for manufacturing environments where dust-producing products can create an explosive atmosphere, the cETLus-certified systems adhere to construction standards and fulfill the requirements for Class II, Division 2 Hazardous locations.




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Spiroflow and Cablevey Conveyors Collaborates with Oat Co.

Operating as part of Automated Handling Solutions (AHS), Spiroflow and Cablevey Conveyors provides the Scottish oats producer with a bespoke conveyor system.




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Clark Logic Announces Rehab Project

The $1.9 million investment includes Blendco as a future tenant with help from Cornerstone Alliance.




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Panhandle Milling Debuts Onsite Flour Mill at Campbell Soup Company Manufacturing Facility

The $100 million facility will be largely dedicated to Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm production.





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Air Treatment Systems by Aeris in the New ‘First One’ Pet Production Line

Dust removal, air treatment, heat recovery, air balancing and conditioning systems by Aeris for the packaging department at the new “First One” industrial site in San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Italy.




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New Dust-Free Docking Station

Gericke’s dust-free docking station is included as standard equipment on the bulk bag unloader.




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Vertical Form/Fill/Seal Machine for Large Volume Filling

The eight-lane machine provides auger filling of 40 grams of powder at 75 cycles per minute.




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Conveyors: Keeping Them Clean and Running

Conveyor manufacturers have taken many steps over the years to simplify cleaning and operation—and maximize uptime.




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Bulk Bag Filler Upgrade Targets the Bottom Line

An expert integrator offers best practice strategies to increase productivity and profit by upgrading critical bulk bag filling equipment.