Processing Equipment & Systems, Automation, Control

Aqua ViTea moves into a bigger facility, increases production

02-Feb-2016 By Hal Conick

Aqua ViTea, a Vermont-based brewer of kombucha, will expand its brewing capabilities from 15,000 gallons to the possibility of 500,000 gallons with a move into a new facility.

ABF installs wastewater treatment plant

01-Feb-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies has partnered with Associated British Foods (ABF) on a wastewater treatment plant in Thailand, for handover in June 2016.

Heineken, SAB Miller, The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlè & PepsiCo.

CGF completes five-year project to install low carbon refrigeration systems

22-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Members of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) have completed a five-year project to install low carbon refrigeration systems in over 4,000 supermarkets, four million ice cream and drinks chiller units and industrial plants worldwide.

PureCircle refining stevia product to fit consumer tastes

15-Jan-2016 By Hal Conick

Stevia is closing in on mainstream acceptance as a non-caloric sweetener, but the product will need additional innovation before it is fully accepted by consumers.

GEA opens lab to test powder filling systems for food and dairy industry

14-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

GEA has opened an in-house test laboratory at its facility in Hamilton, New Zealand, to test powder filling systems for the food and dairy industry (for infant formulas, coffee, and sports drinks for example), for flowability, bulk density and particle...

KraussMaffei Group to expand in China

12-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

ChemChina, one of China’s largest chemicals group, is set to acquire KraussMaffei Group and its brands KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal, for €925m.

Winemaking waste shows antioxidant and anti-cholesterol benefits: Study

08-Jan-2016 By Louisa Richards

Researchers say polyphenols from winemaking by-product red grape pomice has potential as a functional ingredient in nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

EquipNet opens office in Brazil after surge of international firms moving to the region buying pre-owned equipment

08-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

EquipNet has opened an office in Sao Paulo because it says it has seen an increase in the use of pre-owned F&B manufacturing equipment, due to an increasing number of international firms moving to Brazil.

‘A Starbucks quality latte for $0.67’: Liquid concentrate and enhancer market may grow to $1bn by 2020

04-Jan-2016 By Hal Conick

The liquid concentrate and enhancer market may see a huge expansion in the next five years, according to an industry executive.

Sealed Air purchases Dry Lube

21-Dec-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Sealed Air has acquired Dry Lube (DL) and its subsidiary Dry Lube Inc., a water-free conveyor lubrication technology and service provider for the food and beverage industry.

SodaStream: More than a one-off gift?

21-Dec-2015 By Hal Conick

When pushing a new product into the already-crowded beverage market, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. SodaStream’s US President John Sheppard said the company’s biggest challenge is to be seen as more than just a kitschy gift item.

Tips for choosing a pump system for food and beverage applications

14-Dec-2015 By Pete Ciorrocco

‘Pumps in food and beverage applications are used to transfer product from one place to another, from unloading rail cars filled with corn syrup for a cola beverage; to dewatering devices and high temperature cooking processes or heat exchangers.

Malvern launches accessories for chocolate and coffee analysis

08-Dec-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Malvern Instruments has launched accessories to optimize particle size analysis of chocolate and coffee.

Coca-Cola Refreshments to ‘bargain in good faith’ following workers’ strike for unfair labor practices

02-Dec-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Coca-Cola Refreshments, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, has spoken out after more than 225 employees voted to go on strike following what it claims are unfair labour practices.

UK Vs Germany – which manufacturers spend the most on automation?

30-Nov-2015 By Jenny Eagle

The UK has long lagged behind many industrial nations with its uptake of automation in manufacturing, according to figures from the International Federation of Robotics. Yet automation of manufacturing tasks gives the UK huge potential to increase its...

JBT to broaden its aseptic line for dairy and juices following Stork Food & Dairy acquisition

19-Nov-2015 By Jenny Eagle

JBT Corporation has broadened its aseptic line for dairy and juices from primary processing, in flow sterilization over aseptic bottle blow molder to aseptic filling, following its Stork Food & Dairy acquisition.

NutriFresh to increase HPP capacity to 100m pounds a year

18-Nov-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

NutriFresh Services has purchased its third Hiperbaric High Pressure Processing (HPP) machine saying it will boost capacity to more than 100 million pounds per year.

South African population to increase by 7 million by 2050

Eagle Product Inspection strengthens its market position in Africa

06-Nov-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Eagle Product Inspection has partnered with J-Pak, in Africa, to distribute its x-ray inspection systems for applications including bakery, dairy, snacks, confectionery, cereals and grains.

‘A new distribution mechanism for craft beer:’ Pico lets beer fans recreate their favorite brands at home

04-Nov-2015 By Hal Conick

A new device has been created that will allow people to brew their own craft brews at home.

Scaling up success: Forum helps craft brewers use technology to grow

04-Nov-2015 By Rachel Arthur

Making the leap from small scale brewing to a successful brewing business is often easier said than done: with the technical know-how and right equipment crucial for success, says brewing technology institute VBL Berlin.

Agilent redesigns sulfur and nitrogen detectors

27-Oct-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Agilent Technologies has redesigned its sulfur and nitrogen chemiluminescence detectors to make the technology more reliable and easier to use.

Gulfood Manufacturing 2015, Dubai

PepsiCo: ‘Is sustainability mainstream or faddish?’

26-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

PepsiCo will highlight its sustainability progress across its most significant areas: water, packaging, waste, energy and agriculture at Gulfood Manufacturing 2015, in Dubai, this week (October 27).

Treofan to expand in the US as it sees growing market for five layer labels

19-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Treofan has spent €60m in the past two years upgrading its plants in Germany, Italy and Mexico. It also has a sales office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US.

India is one of the fastest growing industrial markets

15-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

India is one of the fastest growing industrial markets, according to FS-Elliott as it opens a wholly owned subsidiary, FS Compressors India, with offices in Pune and Bangalore.

Hanovia UV eliminates bacteria from water in soft drinks manufacturing process

08-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Hanovia UV has partnered with F&N (Fraser and Neave) Beverages Manufacturing (FNBM) in Malaysia to install a disinfection system at its manufacturing plant in Inanam, Kota Kinabalu.

Partnership targets spoilage organisms in juice

22-Sep-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Invisible Sentinel has partnered with Refresco Gerber to detect spoilage organisms found in fruit juice and concentrates.

Umisol installs Infrared Blocking window filters at Coca-Cola

17-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Umisol has partnered with The Coca-Cola Company to install its Infrared Blocking Filter at its Services Building at its company HQ in Brussels.

DISPATCHES FROM IDFA INTERNATIONAL DAIRY SHOW

Collaborative robot reaches out to dairy industry

15-Sep-2015 By Hal Conick

Universal Robots has reached out to dairy manufacturers at this year’s International Dairy Show in Chicago with its line of collaborative robots.

Filtec undergoes rebrand and promises refreshed product line

11-Sep-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Industrial Dynamics Company has become Filtec and has promised a refreshed product line.

Ardagh Group to expand pellet recycling scheme after award recognition

08-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Ardagh Group is looking to expand its programme for recycling softening pellets to its sister plants after winning a Resource Recovery Award by the International Water Association (IWA).

Sidel to make 10% job cuts in company restructure

07-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Sidel will move its headquarters from Zug, Switzerland, to Parma, Italy, next year, axing 10% of its workforce, affecting 360 employees.

Ardagh fined by EPA over wastewater discharge violation

21-Aug-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Ardagh Glass will pay a $103,440 penalty and fund three environmental projects costing about $121,700 to settle claims it was discharging wastewater in violation of its permits.

Praxair unveils sanitary version of oxygen stripping system

20-Aug-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Praxair will show its dissolved oxygen control process at InterBev which features a new sanitary design.

Two workers taken to hospital after Nestlé Poland Spring water ammonia leak

10-Aug-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Up to 100 employees were evacuated and two workers were taken to hospital after an ammonia leak at Poland Spring water bottling plant in Poland, Maine, on Thursday (August 6).

Liquid Light to create MEG from CO2 for The Coca-Cola Company PlantBottle Packaging Program

23-Jul-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Liquid Light has signed an agreement with The Coca-Cola Company for its technology to create mon-ethylene glycol (MEG) from CO2 as part of the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) firm PlantBottle Packaging Program.

Sidel to change the way it manufactures bottles from high pressure blowing to ‘blow and form’, which uses lower pressure

22-Jul-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Sidel claims the beverage industry could be more sustainable, with a stronger focus on the package and packaging technologies to deliver completely green products.

Aske Stephenson mixing up a stir with Bibby lab equipment

17-Jul-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Bibby Scientific’s Rotary Evaporator is helping alcoholic beverage manufacturer Aske Stephenson produce pre-bottled cocktails.

Nestlé to open $120m food processing plant in Dubai, creating 400 jobs

06-Jul-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Nestlé is investing $120m in a 175,000m² manufacturing facility in Dubai to produce Nescafé coffee and Maggi products, creating 400 jobs.

Remote tech: Nestlé sharpens competitive edge for out-of-home coffee

25-Jun-2015 By Lynda Searby

Nestlé has developed coffee machines with more interactive interfaces that can also be adjusted remotely, enabling better control on tailored drinks for food service.

Exclusive interview: Tetra Pak on why eBeam is a breakthrough technology in the beverage carton industry

23-Jun-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Tetra Pak announced the launch of its E3 filling machine with eBeam technology at Fispal Technologia this week.

Tetra Pak launches eBeam to replace hydrogen peroxide sterlization of its packaging material

23-Jun-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Tetra Pak claims it is the first company to use electron beams (eBeams) to replace hydrogen peroxide H₂O₂, in its carton filling machines.

Redesign on PET bottle blowers to be rolled out to 10 sites in 2015

Coca-Cola to invest in improved energy-efficient equipment as part of its 2020 Sustainability Plan

16-Jun-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Coca-Cola Enterprises’ (CCE’s) has released its 10th annual Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report, providing an update on its Sustainability Plan and replacing CCE’s 2013/2014 CRS Report.

HAZMAT crews called to Coca-Cola ammonia spill

15-Jun-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Fire and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) teams are on the scene of an ammonia leak at the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in Speedway, Indianapolis, US.

AB InBev opens Vietnam brewery to embrace beer potential of Southeast Asia

22-May-2015 By Rachel Arthur

Anheuser-Busch InBev says Vietnam is the ‘next turning point’ for growth in Southeast Asia, as it officially opened its first brewery in the country yesterday.

Honeydrop Beverages CEO: 'A tablespoon of raw honey in every bottle is what makes us stand out'

22-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

With an eight-year stint in sales and brand management at PepsiCo on his resume, David Luks knew a fair bit about the beverages market when he launched Honeydrop in 2009. But it quickly became clear that selling Diet Pepsi and selling a product no one...

Rockwell Automation to demonstrate PlantPAx system update at Achema

20-May-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Rockwell Automation has updated its PlantPAx distributed control system (DCS) with virtualisation, batch management and integrated motor control capabilities and will showcase the system at Achema (Frankfurt, June 15-19 2015).