Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon writes on industrial, manufacturing and technology issues. His features have appeared in more than 2,500 business and trade publications worldwide.

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

Jim McMahon

November 14, 2023

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.

R.S. Hanline’s Pressure-Flow dry bean cooker

Processing Tech

Dry bean cook-IQF line processes up to 8,500 pounds of soaked dry beans per hour

R.S. Hanline reduced cook time to 3½ minutes, 90 percent less time than conventional atmospheric continuous-process cookers

Jim McMahon

July 9, 2022

R.S. Hanline reduced cook time to 3½ minutes, 90 percent less time than conventional atmospheric continuous-process cookers.

Tribe 9 Foods' Clean-Flow pasta cooker handles 2,400 pounds of cooked gluten-free pasta per hour

Automated pasta processing

Cooking/cooling/freezing gluten-free pasta with a gentle touch at Tribe 9 Foods

The automated processing equipment also includes built-in CIP to do a thorough cleanup in 40 minutes once a day

Jim McMahon

July 16, 2021

Located in Madison, Wisconsin, Tribe 9 Foods (Tribe 9) is a specialty foods company dedicated to creating delicious, nourishing and functional food. In 2019, Tribe 9 built a new manufacturing facility to support further growth in Taste Republic’s co-manufacturing, private label and foodservice businesses. Capabilities at this new facility include extrusion, IQF, form-fill-seal, flow-wrap packaging, nut butter milling and gluten-free flour blending.