SIDEDRIVE CONVEYOR COMPANY has begun life as what it claims is the first conveyor company to focus exclusively on edge-driven belt technology from Intralox for flexible and modular sanitary conveyance solutions. “I am excited to announce SideDrive Conveyor Co. as the only company with a singular focus on offering this edge-driven technology for helical and, theoretically, infinitely long conveying solutions that are sanitary, transferless and flexible,” says Kevin Mauger, president of SideDrive Conveyor.
DYNAMIC CONVEYOR celebrates its 30th anniversary of conveyor manufacturing. The DynaClean line of conveyors was introduced to food processors in 2011 as a time-saving alternative to difficult-to-clean sanitary conveyors, cutting cleaning times up to half when compared to conventional conveyors.
DURAVANT LLC, a global engineered equipment and automation solutions provider to the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors, announced the introduction of NVENIA LLC, a new operating company within Duravant’s Packaging Solutions segment formed by combining ARPAC, HAMER-FISCHBEIN and OHLSON into a single entity. NVENIA’s focus is on delivering next-level packaging equipment, integration and innovation to its customers.
PEPSICO INC. and BEYOND MEAT INC. will form The PLANeT Partnership, LLC, a joint venture to develop, produce and market innovative snack and beverage products made from plant-based protein. The joint venture will leverage Beyond Meat’s technology in plant-based protein development and PepsiCo’s marketing and commercial capabilities to create and scale new snack and beverage options.
PROMACH, supplier of packaging machinery solutions headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, completed its acquisition of the assets of BARTELT, a provider of flexible pouch packaging systems for the food and confectionery industries.
DNV GL, the assurance and risk management company, changed its name to DNV. The present name has been in place since the 2013 merger between DNV (Det Norske Veritas) and GL (Germanischer Lloyd).
ALEPH FARMS LTD. and MITSUBISHI CORPORATION’S FOOD INDUSTRY GROUP signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring cultivated meat to the Japanese table. Aleph Farms will provide its scalable manufacturing platform (BioFarm™) for cultivation of whole-muscle steaks. Mitsubishi Corporation will provide its expertise in biotechnology processes, branded food manufacturing, and local distribution channels in Japan.
Swiss technology group BÜHLER AG and the DIL DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FOR LEBENSMITTELTECHNIK E. V., a research institute focusing on food technology and food science, have teamed up to develop new production technologies for healthy and sustainable food products, focusing on alternative protein-based products with a lower environmental impact than the CO2-heavy meat value chain.
EVERGRAIN INGREDIENTS, recently launched and is backed by Anheuser-Busch InBev. (See “Creating healthful products from spent brewers’ barley,” FE.) The new company takes the spent/saved barley grain from breweries and turns it into useful protein and fiber ingredients for food and beverage products.
SÜDPACK acquired LPF FLEXIBLE PACKAGING B.V. from the Clondalkin Group. The company, located in Grootegast, the Netherlands, is a manufacturer of high barrier films for sensitive products.
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EMERSON opened its new BRANSON welding and assembly technologies’ global headquarters in Brookfield, Conn. This opening completes Emerson’s $49 million investment announced in April 2019 and supports Branson’s plastic joining, ultrasonic metal welding and ultrasonic cleaning technologies for the food and beverage, packaging and electronics industries.
SPX FLOW INC. completed the acquisition of UTG MIXING GROUP, the maker of Stelzer, Uutechnic and Jamix mixing solutions for the chemical, food, water treatment and pharmaceuticals markets.
UNIBLOC PUMP, a legacy manufacturer of positive displacement pumps, strainers, valves, bubble traps and other products for sanitary flow control applications, has been acquired by Chicago-based private equity firm MAY RIVER CAPITAL.
AVEVA has attained MICROSOFT’S Gold Application Development competency and Silver Cloud Platform, Data Analytics and Data Center competencies, differentiating its ability to deliver to Microsoft customers’ evolving needs.
BÜHLER NORTH AMERICA acquired DESIGN CORRUGATING COMPANIES, a roller mill and equipment service company based in Taylorville, Illinois.
MHS HOLDINGS INC. has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase certain assets related to TGW SYSTEMS INC.’S U.S. conveyor business unit, which operated separately from TGW’s U.S. integration business unit.
ALTRA MOTION has formed a strategic partnership with factory intelligence and software specialist, MTEK.
T. HASEGAWA USA, INC. (the California-based subsidiary of T. Hasegawa Co. Ltd. in Japan) has officially acquired U.S. based MISSION FLAVOR & FRAGRANCES INC.
SPOTSEE, a supplier of supply chain condition monitoring, has acquired TMC HALLCREST and LCR HALLCREST, makers of temperature monitoring products and indicators.
ANUE WATER TECHNOLOGIES has chosen KERSHNER ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES as its exclusive channel partner for Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
BUREAU VERITAS acquired ORION ASSESSMENT SERVICES INTERNATIONAL INC.’s Canadian food auditing business based in Toronto, Ontario.
GREENWAY PRODUCTS & SERVICES is opening its third pallet manufacturing plant in Baltimore, Maryland.
DEL MONTE FOODS is supporting NATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION (NAITCO) in its efforts to educate teachers and students about the importance of eating fruit and vegetables and making nutritious food choices by using the organization’s lessons, educational materials and other programs.
SOLENIS, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, signed a global partnership agreement with DIVERSEY, where Diversey will become Solenis’ new distribution partner for its complete portfolio of water and process treatment chemicals to the food and beverage industry.
MODERN MEAT INC. has signed a letter of intent to acquire KITSKITCHEN HEALTH FOODS INC.
GRUBMARKET completed the acquisition of BENGARD MARKETING INC., a provider of domestic and imported specialty fruits directly from Chile, Argentina, Peru, New Zealand and the United States.
KEMIN INDUSTRIES is working with CSS to explore the development of high-quality, sustainable pet food ingredients from upcycled groceries.
KPM ANALYTICS established three sales and support offices in Europe: specifically, in Germany, Poland and the UK.
NEOGEN CORPORATION has acquired Ireland-based MEGAZYME LTD., a supplier of analytical solutions used by quality control laboratories in food and beverage industries.
NESTLÉ has formed a new partnership in Indonesia with PLUG AND PLAY, a global innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley to drive innovation efforts across Southeast Asia.
SOUTH MILL CHAMPS has acquired THE MUSHROOM COMPANY based in Cambridge, Md.
JLS AUTOMATION strengthened its sales team for the Canadian market with the addition of Paul Swietlinski as National Sales Manager-Canada. In this newly created role, Swietlinski will bring more than 30 years of industry experience to support JLS’ customers and will help grow business with new and existing accounts across the country.
FPS FOOD PROCESS SOLUTIONS, a global supplier of turn-key freezing and cooling equipment, announced strategic senior appointments to ensure continued strength in the growing food processing sector. JAY LOY was promoted to general manager, U.S. operations. BARRY MCINTURFF joined FPS as sales manager overseeing the Southeast Region of the U.S. BRYAN RIDEOUT was promoted to senior manager, global project management. VIR SINGH was promoted to general manager.
STÄUBLI ROBOTICS has named a new group division manager: CHRISTOPHE COULONGEAT will head the Robotics Division. He succeeds Gerald Vogt, who has assumed leadership of the entire Stäubli Group as the new CEO.
CRB has appointed JIM HIGLEY, formerly Interstates director of business development, to the position of CRB director of business development. He has more than 25 years of experience in integrated project delivery, construction management and operations involving prepared foods, pet care, meat processing, ingredients, automated distribution and more.
SMITHFIELD has announced new executive leadership appointments following Dennis Organ’s recent assumption as resident and CEO. The appointments include: RUSS DOKKEN, chief sales officer; KEIRA LOMBARDO, chief administrative officer; GLENN NUNZIATA continues as chief financial officer; SCOTT SAUNDERS, chief supply chain officer; SHANE SMITH, chief strategy officer; BRADY STEWART, chief manufacturing officer; and JOE WEBER, chief commodity hedging officer. The following were named as executive vice presidents: LUIS CERDAN, European operations; JAMIE DIK, fresh meats; STEVE FRANCE, packaged meats; MARK HALL, finance; and JOHN SARGENT, hog production.
APPHARVEST has appointed DAVID LEE as president, reporting to Founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. Lee formerly served as CFO with Impossible Foods since December 2015.
SEEPEX has announced two moves in its sales team. JOHN SALYERS has been promoted from a regional sales manager to the director of sales while AARON RENICK has transitioned from director of sales Western Region to the newly developed role of director of business development.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INC. announced that its CEO, Jeff Owens, was named to the prestigious 2021 list of “CEOs Who ‘Get It’” by the NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL, along with seven other leaders nationwide.
NEWMAN’S OWN INC., named DAVID BEST as chief executive officer and president. Best, a nine year veteran of the company, has served as president and chief operating officer since 2015. Prior to Newman’s Own, he held various marketing and leadership positions at General Mills, Atkins, Unilever and Henry Rak Consulting Partners. In addition, the company named MICHAEL MARDY to its board of directors.
STAVIS SEAFOODS, a multinational fishing company and seafood manufacturer, promoted DAVID LANCASTER to president. Lancaster, who previously served as vice president of sales at Stavis Seafoods, has more than 30 years of experience in sales, management and the seafood industry.
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INTERROLL announced that MARC LANGLOIS took over the role of managing director for Interroll SAS in France.
CLASADO BIOSCIENCES appointed LUCIE NAGY as head of regulatory and legal. In the role, she will oversee how the science behind the company’s prebiotic ingredient Bimuno is communicated across key commercial markets, ensuring that regulatory compliance remains front and center for the business.
KAMAN DISTRIBUTION GROUP, a value-added distributor of bearings, power transmission, automation and fluid power products, announced the appointment of CHRIS HENSON as the vice president of business development.
MARKON is welcoming KATE BURR as its new food safety director. In her new role, Burr will use her proficiency of field and processing practices, product recall expertise and sustainability knowledge to enhance Markon’s food safety initiatives.
After 17 years with AIB INTERNATIONAL, STEPHANIE LOPEZ, vice president of operations, Americas, will be departing the company to venture outside the food safety industry and take steps toward what she is calling a “second career.”
The GLOBAL COLD CHAIN ALLIANCE announced that JORDAN BONFITTO has been named director of government affairs and RACHAEL OURY was named senior manager of industry promotion.
In addition to his role as managing director of MULTIVAC Malaysia, SIEW KEAT TUNG took over the management of the MULTIVAC Singapore subsidiary. The previous managing director, SOON HENG (ROBIN) LIM, left the company at the end of February 2021.
SPX FLOW INC. appointed SONYA MCCULLUM ROBERTS as an additional independent director.
SPARTECH, a plastics manufacturer of engineered thermoplastic materials and specialty packaging products, promoted SUZANNE FENTON to senior marketing communications manager.
TOMPKINS ROBOTICS named MIKE FUTCH as chief executive officer. Futch, who has served as the company’s president since its inception in 2017, will retain that position and continue to lead the design and forward movement of Tompkins Robotics and its core system, the t-Sort autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solution.
MR. TORTILLA announced the appointment of PAUL BRYZEK as technology advisor. Bryzek is the first of many advisors to come, signaling a new stage in the company’s expansion. Bryzek is an experienced technology leader, consultant, and developer with over 12 years’ of experience in high-level strategy consulting to C-level leaders in Fortune 500 companies.
The AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION announced a fifth addition to its in-house Washington, D.C., policy team. ARIEL WIEGARD joins ASA as a director leading the portfolio for conservation, precision agriculture, nutrition and other issues of importance to soy.
