Stellar Team

Stellar Team

These informative Food for Thought blog posts are collaborations of Stellar employees, therefore no one author is credited. Stellar employs professional architects, engineers, designers and construction managers with expertise across many industries in the areas of plant design and construction, process engineering, packaging, industrial refrigeration, distribution centers, thermal envelope and mechanical/utility systems.

The latest from Stellar Team

Views: 2276

Are HEPA Filters the Most Valuable Choice for Your Plant?

Because billions of particles lace unconditioned air with dust, dirt, bacteria and pathogens, your plant’s air filters are crucial to preventing contamination and ensuring food safety. But when it comes to filtration, more isn’t necessarily better. This is especially true with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. While HEPA filters may be a necessity for some plant environments, they could be expensive overkill for others.

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Views: 7465

The International Building Code’s Modification to Exit Access Travel Distance

The 2015 International Building Code includes a key modification, increasing the length of exit access travel distance from 250 feet to 400 feet (if it meets specific criteria) for buildings containing Group F-1 and/or S-1 occupancy. This change is significant to the design industry, building owners and occupants of large distribution and manufacturing facilities. Understanding the code’s implications for your existing and future facilities will ensure you’re properly prepared. Continue Reading “The International Building Code’s Modification to Exit Access Travel Distance”

Views: 799

A Conversation With Powerit Solutions® About Energy Management Technology

I recently sat down with Jack Perkins, Director of Channel Development for Powerit Solutions®, to discuss ways the food and beverage industry can benefit from energy management technology. Stellar often partners with energy experts such as Powerit Solutions to provide clients with a full range of tools to increase energy efficiency.

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Views: 1151

Key Changes to NFPA 13’s Sprinkler System Codes

Recently, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updated NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. The majority of the changes clarify issues contained in the code’s previous versions, but there have been some very significant changes that may impact manufacturing and warehouse facilities. Not all local and state jurisdictions have adopted the 2013 version of NFPA 13, so it’s important to check with the applicable permitting agencies to determine which version they use.

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Views: 714

Top Five Implications of California’s New Energy Standards

Energy consumption is a global issue and California is leading the charge in enacting legislation to reduce our carbon footprint. The state recently revised the energy standards known as Title 24, part 6 of the California Code of Regulations, which will more than likely affect other states in the future. The goal of Title 24 is to reduce energy use and make commercial and industrial buildings more efficient than required by the 2010 Title 24 standards.

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Views: 1231

Automate These Three Processes to Increase Throughput

As product lines become more diverse due to increased demand in specialty ingredients in multiple sized packages with private labeling, manual processes become both costly and time consuming. Many food processing plant managers are recognizing the benefits of automating previously manual processes to increase production and reduce labor costs.

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Views: 2351

Tips for Managing Multiple SKUs to Meet Customer Demands

The food and beverage industry today is all about consumer demand and meeting preferences for tastes, specialty ingredients and preparations (such as non-GMO, Kosher and gluten-free), flexible packaging, and convenient serving sizes.

Take the coffee industry for example: One customer wants a special blend in a light roast with a medium grind. Another customer wants a different blend in a dark roast with a fine grind. You can do the math and see the exponential impact of the options. Every variation creates a unique SKU for the coffee producer.

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Views: 2092

Sanitary Process Installation: What to Ask When Selecting a Subcontractor

Equipment manufacturers play a key role in the food safety program of a food processing plant, ensuring that equipment is designed and built to meet stringent sanitary requirements. Plant owners often spend significant time and money to acquire the right equipment with the proper sanitary construction. Yet once that equipment is designed and delivered, the next critical step is ensuring that it’s installed properly, within those same sanitary standards. If you do not carefully screen installation subcontractors, you could put your plant at risk of a food safety issue.

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Views: 11552

Six Reasons to Consider a CO2/NH3 Cascade Refrigeration System

 Food processors and distributors are under constant pressure to produce more while spending less on operations. For plant owners looking for greener and more efficient secondary refrigerants, a carbon dioxide (CO2)/ammonia (NH3) cascade system is a viable option. In addition to providing 0 ozone depletion potential (ODP) and 1 global warming potential (GWP), CO2/NH3 cascade systems offer several benefits for food processing and low-temp distribution facilities including:

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