Industry News
KADANT INC. completed its acquisition of COGENT INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD., an industrial automation and controls solution provider.
SOUTH MILL CHAMPS, supplier of fresh mushrooms and mushroom products, announced that LOVEDAY MUSHROOM FARMS (Winnipeg, Canada) has joined its North American family of mushroom producers.
ALS CONTROLS (North Gloucestershire, UK, and Amarillo, Texas) has changed its name to ALS MECHATRONIC.
OSHA has recognized the GLOBAL COLD CHAIN ALLIANCE (GCCA) as an Alliance Program Ambassador in recognition of GCCA’s long-standing work raising safety awareness in the cold chain.
BORDEN DAIRY competed its sale to CAPITOL PEAK PARTNERS and KKR.
REGISTRAR CORP. launched a fully online and self-paced “FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food” course, approved by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance.
BLUEGRASS DAIRY AND FOOD INC. changed its name to BLUEGRASS INGREDIENTS.
The COLD PRESSURE COUNCIL added YEWON CO., a South Korean company with offices in California, as a new general member.
Pittsburgh-based BENSHAW INC. acquired EXCEL INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS INC., headquartered in Clinton Township, Mich.
EGGLIFE FOODS has partnered with TONY’S FRESH MARKET to expand its distribution in the Chicago area.
ALBERTSONS has signed a multiyear partnership with vertical farm PLENTY for produce distribution in more than 400 California stores.
ARCADIA BIOSCIENCES INC. announced the execution of a term sheet to form a strategic business venture with THREE FARM DAUGHTERS, a majority female-owned North Dakota-based consumer food company, to develop and market food products using Arcadia’s patented non-GMO GoodWheat technology.
TRUFOOD MANUFACTURING announced the acquisition of SIMPLY NATURAL FOODS.
APPLIED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES announced a strategic partnership with autonomous mobile robot manufacturer OTTO MOTORS, a division of Clearpath Robotics.
PROMACH has completed its acquisition of FOGG FILLER CO., a provider of rotary liquid filling systems based in Holland, Mich.
OLDE THOMPSON, a California-based provider of private label and branded spices and seasonings, has acquired GEL SPICE, a family-owned New Jersey-based importer and manufacturer of spices, seasoning and bakery ingredients.
The MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRY (MHI) and the WAREHOUSING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COUNCIL (WERC) announced MHI’s acquisition of WERC, which will offer expanded educational resources to both associations’ audiences. MHI has acquired the assets of WERC and will operate WERC as a division of MHI.
People News
ROME GRINDING SOLUTIONS President KATE ROME was recognized by two industry groups for her contributions to the advancement of women in manufacturing. The first recognition comes from Empowering Women in Industry. Rome was presented with the Leadership in Manufacturing Award during the virtual Empowering Women 2020 National Event. The second comes from Women in Manufacturing (WiM), where Rome is included in the inaugural class of the organization’s Hall of Fame inductees.
PURE BIOSCIENCE INC. announced the appointment of JASON KAWATA as its new vice president of technology, Food Division. Kawata is an accomplished food industry professional with over 20 years of experience.
Duravant LLC appointed Cory Hypes to the position of vice president and general manager of Integrated Solutions.
STELLAR announced that TED SPEAS has joined to serve as vice president of its Distribution and Logistics Division.
BUITONI FOOD CO. appointed PETER B. WILSON JR. as its new president and CEO. Buitoni Foods was recently established by Brynwood Partners VIII L.P. to acquire the North American Buitoni business from Nestlé USA Inc.
KEMCO SYSTEMS hired NATHAN MEIN as regional sales manager, based in Houston.
CATALINA SNACKS appointed industry veteran JOEL WARADY as president.
REDWOOD LOGISTICS announced the addition of MIKE REED as chief product officer. He joins the Redwood executive team to drive advances in the company’s services, technology solutions and partner commercialization strategy.
INDUSTRIAL MAGNETICS INC. appointed AARON EVANS as regional manager for its Western U.S. territory, which includes Arizona, Utah, Central and Southern California, and Southern Nevada.
RUDI’S ORGANIC BAKERY/RUDI’S GLUTEN-FREE BAKERY named BRIAN MCGUIRE as its new president and chief executive officer. McGuire’s goal is to reassert Rudi’s as a leader in organic and gluten-free baking.
KEMIN INDUSTRIES, a global ingredient manufacturer, has appointed ALBERTO MUÑOZ as marketing director and NICOLA ABRATE as operations director – palatants and proteins for KEMIN NUTRISURANCE, the pet food and rendering technologies business unit.
REAL GOOD FOODS named JACK WHITE as its senior vice president of sales.
SAUER BRANDS appointed DAVID STARR as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
NIVERPLAST B.V., a builder of food packaging equipment, announced the recent expansion of its sales force to accelerate its sales growth in North America. MARK FINNERAN has joined the sales team and will be responsible for new machine sales in the U.S. and Canada. MARI FETZER has joined Niverplast and is responsible for coordinating all sales and marketing efforts in the U.S. and Canada. Both will be based in Boston.
GRIFFCO VALVE, manufacturer of pump accessories for chemical-feed systems, appointed WILLIAM L. BENDEL II to the position of product/technical manager. He will be responsible for compiling and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining product goals, and working with Griffco engineering, sales and marketing to support the company’s distributors, end-users and channel partners.
DOWNEY RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL CO., developer of Greasezilla, announced the addition of industry expert Ken Loucks as a manufacturer’s representative for its FOG (fats, oils and grease) separation system. In his new role, Loucks will represent and promote Greasezilla with POTWs, wastewater treatment utilities, liquid waste haulers and industrial food processing facilities. His territory includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, California, Nevada and Arizona.
