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This week our peers gathered to discuss the latest in the dairy industry at Dairy Forum 2017. The International Dairy Foods Association event brings together farmers, processors, regulators and dairy executives to network and examine industry trends — and there’s a lot to talk about.
Continue Reading “What’s Next in Dairy? From Probiotics to Premium Flavors and Drinkable Yogurt”
Energy costs typically account for 30 percent of a facility’s operating budget. That means nearly a third of all the money you funnel into your plant goes straight to the utility bill.
We already know about the popularity of green building and sustainable practices, but is it possible to go too green? In short, yes. You don’t want to go so overboard with efficiencies that you’re overspending on unnecessary improvements.
Continue Reading “6 Ways to Optimize Your Facility’s Energy Consumption”
With a new year comes a fresh start, and for some business owners that may mean a budget reboot. Perhaps your resolution for 2017 is to cut costs at your facility—but where?
There are a lot of areas to consider, but one of the best ways to eliminate unnecessary costs is to optimize your processes.
Continue Reading “How to Eliminate Costs Through Process Optimization”
We all know the importance of food safety. One oversight can put public health and your bottom line at risk. That’s why meeting food safety standards isn’t enough — merely complying is the lowest bar.
We discuss food safety often, but when was the last time you examined your facility’s risks from a high-level view? Let’s examine five major areas to focus on when assessing your plant’s food safety risks.
Continue Reading “5 Focus Areas for Assessing Food Safety Risks”
After months of discussions and hours of negotiations, nearly 200 nations have now reached a deal to limit the use of greenhouse gases worldwide. In October, world leaders agreed to the deal that would gradually phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) starting in 2019.
Continue Reading “5 Types of Low-charge Refrigeration Systems”
A strategic plan is a roadmap that defines the future of your business. That roadmap is crucial to your company’s success down the road, but creating one is a heavy undertaking. Food processors are already pressed for time with day-to-day tasks, and dedicating time and resources to plan for the future may not be feasible.
Continue Reading “6 Essential Qualities to Look for in a Strategic Planning Consultant”
Does your food processing company have a strategic plan? Failing to plan is planning to fail—especially when it comes to your business. Earlier this year, Stellar hosted the Food Engineering webinar, 3 Key Elements in a Successful Strategic Plan for Growth. That webinar is now available on-demand, so you can still catch up on our discussion about how strategic planning can benefit food manufacturing plants, and how you can get started with developing your own strategic plan.
Food processing and cold storage facilities have historically faced challenges when pursuing LEED certification. Refrigeration and process systems require a lot of energy, and there has never been a specific path or program for these types of facilities under the LEED umbrella. However, LEED v4 and its two specific credit interpretation rules are now making the path to certification more achievable.
Continue Reading “Is LEED Certification More Achievable for Refrigerated Facilities in LEED v4?”
Most of us enjoy cooking food that we love to eat. It’s the cleanup that we hate. Have you ever made a home-cooked meal that didn’t involve cleaning? Probably not. Also, those of us who like to cook would never start with dirty utensils and pans, right?
Food manufacturing facilities operate in the same way. They aim to produce high-quality products while minimizing the cleanup involved, but they must first begin processing with clean equipment. But that can be easier said than done.
Dust explosions have been linked to numerous fatal accidents in the United States. Between 1980 and 2012, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board investigated more than 280 combustible dust incidents that killed 141 people and injured 767 others.
Food manufacturing plants are among the most susceptible to these incidents, especially those in the baking segment that use a lot of flour and sugar. Of course, protecting your facility and employees is paramount, but the risk factors aren’t always obvious. Before we look at how to proactively protect your facility, let’s examine how these disasters can happen.
Continue Reading “How to Prevent a Dust Explosion at Your Food Processing Plant”
