Weighers

Mettler Toledo offers the IND131/331 terminals – a new family of industrial process weighing terminals that provides maximum connectivity with smaller footprints.

The IND131/331 terminals are available in multiple enclosure styles to match any process environment, and include: IND131 DIN rail mount, IND131 J-box, IND331 panel mount, and IND331 Harsh/desk/wall mount. The IND131/IND331 Industrial Process terminals offer the best solution for applications requiring fast data exchange with a process controller, and improved speed and efficiency by executing simple process control from the terminal. These terminals are compact and easy to integrate and set up. Their versatile form factors make them an economical solution for quick, accurate and high-performance weighing for analog scales.

Mettler Toledo: (614) 438-4730, or visit www.mt.com

Conveyors

Ashworth Bros. has released the new Omni-Pro FlexLite conveyor belt that is a rugged, strong, and lightweight belt for conveying pans, trays, and large products. The design is manufactured with the Omni-Pro link and utilizes a very open 1.50-in. by 3-in. (fixed loop) flat wire overlay. The result is an efficient, lightweight belt with increased carrying capacity and a spiral/turn-curve tension rating of 400 lbs. for 100,000 cycles, versus competing belts that rate for 50,000 cycles. The open surface area - 90% in a straight run and 87% in spiral or turn-curve applications - is easy to clean and cools/freezes foods faster by improving air circulation. Belt widths are available in even widths from 24 to 60 inches.

Ashworth Bros Inc.: (800) 682-4594 or visit www.ashworth.com

1st Source Products announces its new line of flexible conveyors, 1stFlex. The 1stFlex200 model is for light/medium duty applications. Its frame is constructed of strong, tubular steel, and features high-quality resin skate wheels with internal steel ball bearings and a specially engineered internal structure that produces super low friction and excellent load bearing capacity in medium/light duty applications. It has a capacity of 90 lbs. per foot. The 1stFlex300 model offers the same strong, steel frame and heavy duty steel skate wheels with over 10,000,000 revolution service life. It is rated for a capacity of 300 lbs. per foot. Both models can easily be adjusted for height from 18 to 40 inches with the turn of a knob.

1st Source Products: (877) 338-9403, or visit www.1stsourceproducts.com

Heater

The VariMax OTH line of standard indirect gas-fired heaters from Munters is 80%+ thermally efficient and capable of a 150°F temperature rise with a 600°F maximum discharge temperature. Process flow can be once-through or re-circulated gas, and the complete set of standard options including controls and FM or IRI gas trains. The heater is provided as a stand-alone standard product or integrated into a fully packaged system with fans, dampers, filters, and controls.

Munters: (540) 291-1111, or visit www.munters.us/en/us/Division-start-pages/Munters-DH-Division/

Cooking Solutions

JBT FoodTech offers Stein MultiPhase Custom Cooking Solutions to ensure that processors don’t get burned in an increasingly competitive marketplace. JBT FoodTech also offers its state-of-the-art Tech Center in Sandusky, Ohio, for processors to try out the advanced cooking systems, and other processing equipment, with their own unique products and processes. Recognizing that every product is distinctive and requires a unique sequence of processing steps, JBT FoodTech developed its MultiPhase Custom Cooking Solutions to deliver the right heat transfer mechanisms in the correct sequence. The Stein MultiPhase Custom Cooking Solutions include: Stein GYRoCOMPACT Oven (GCO-II), Stein Jet Stream Oven (JSO), Stein ProGrill, Stein Charmaker (CM II), Frigoscandia GYRoCOMPACT Steamer, and Stein THERMoFIN Fryer (TFF).

JBT FoodTech: (419) 626-0304, or visit www.jbtfoodtech.com

Bagger

The Bosch SVI Vertical Bagger machine’s low height and the numerous in-field upgrade options make it ideal for a wide range of food and non-food applications. This combination allows the intermittent SVI machines to produce bags with corner seal and doy style bags with optional zippers. For corner sealing, the manufacturer can upgrade the machine with an additional module. The production of a doy style bag can be easily performed by turning the machine cross seal jaws to a 90 degrees position. Whenever the package style is changed, there is no need to adapt the machine height or dosing platform. This efficient changeover reduces machine downtime during format change and increases the overall performance of the equipment.

Bosch Packaging Technology: (715) 243-2404, or visit www.bosch.com

Packaging

High-performance Flavorseal roll stock from CMS offers superior clarity, strength, forming properties, and sealability along with CMS’ competitive pricing and fast turnaround on orders. CMS offers a variety of film gauges and widths for both horizontal and vertical form fill-and-seal operations. The roll stock maintains a consistent thickness even after the pocket is formed, making it ideal for preserving quality in fresh and processed meats, cheeses, poultry and frozen fish. At the retail level, its clarity offers strong appeal in the case and lets consumers see what they are purchasing. Processors can fill more packages per minute, reducing per-unit costs versus filling individual bags. Flavorseal films are compatible with all major roll stock packaging machines and are compliant with FDA and USDA regulations and recommendations.

Carroll Manufacturing & Sales: (866) 769-1500, or visit www.cmsflavorseal.com

Rubs

Wixon Inc. has introduced new seasoned rubs that invoke the bold and exciting flavors of Tuscany’s fare. Wixon notes that consumers are seeking out regionally diverse and exotic seasonings, and these mixtures of specific herbs, spices and flavors best exemplify Tuscany. These new products can add a quick burst of zest to a food item. The new seasoned rubs include: Tuscan (infused with spices, onion, garlic, butter and tomato; ideal when paired with lean, skinless chicken breast) and Tuscan Roasted Garlic and Herb (onion, spices, parmesan cheese and garlic).

Wixon Inc.: (414) 769-3000, or visit www.wixon.com

Drives

Omron has introduced the 3G3MX2 series, powerful mid-range micro drives in 230V and 460V and power ranges from fractional horsepower to 20HP. The 3G3MX2 is compact in size and ideal for original equipment manufacturers and their demanding industrial applications. With sensor-less vector control functionality and built-in safety inputs, the 3G3MX2 is ideal for constant torque conveyor and mixing applications and variable torque fans and pumps. A wide range of industrial communication options are supported, enabling 3G3MX2 to seamlessly exchange data via Modbus, DeviceNet, Profibus, EtherCAT, Mechatrolink-II and many others. With advanced design and algorithms the 3G3MX2 provides smooth control down to zero speed, plus precise operation for fast cyclic operations and torque control capability in open loop.

Omron Electronics LLC: (866) 88-OMRON, or visit www.omron247.com



Supplier News

The year 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of Meyn Co. This stands for 50 years of service and dedication to the worldwide poultry industry. Piet Meyn Sr. started his business as supplier of poultry processing equipment in the small town of Oostzaan, the Netherlands, in 1959. It is now the world’s leader in poultry processing equipment.
One of Meyn’s main focus areas has always been product development. Over the years, Meyn has introduced a large number of revolutionary innovations, including the first automatic eviscerator, the Apollo, in the early seventies, automatic rehangers in 1980, the renowned Meyn Maestro in 1993, as well as the recently introduced Rapid HQ deboner. The company says it will continue to invest a substantial share of its time, energy and financial resources in our development process. In doing so, it will provide the poultry processing industry with innovative solutions, focusing on key issues such as increasing quality and yield while at the same time reducing labor and operational costs. Meyn will unveil several significant innovations in the coming months.

Provisur Technologies Inc., a global provider of high-performance food processing equipment announced the appointment of Kevin M. Howard to vice president North American Sales, Marketing & Service. He has been promoted to his new position from Provisur’s parent company, CC Industries (CCI), where he worked on the acquisitions of Beehive, Weiler, and Young & Associates and their integration with Formax, in creating Provisur Technologies Inc.
“Having completed the integration of four companies into a single platform, we believe our company is well positioned to undertake the strategic and technical initiatives that are so important to our future,” said Mel Cohen, CEO and President of Provisur Technologies. “Kevin’s robust leadership skills, knowledge and vision will put our food processing customers first by promoting the unmatched innovation, service and value of Provisur.”

Zepol Corp., a trade data intelligence company, has launched its new merchandise trade data tool, TradeView. TradeView is the first trade data product on the market that allows subscribers to analyze both imports and exports at the same time. TradeView uses the Merchandise Trade and Port HS6 data sets released by the Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We developed TradeView™ by taking actual trade data users’ experiences and applying their needs into an innovative trade data tool that no other product can match,” states Paul Rasmussen, CEO and president. TradeView™ is available for purchase at www.zepol.com on a subscription-basis for $895 for unlimited annual access. Subscribers have access to import, export, and balance U.S. Census trade data from January 2007 through the present.

Cambridge International Inc. has launched a new blog, “Conveying Conversations.” The blog is intended to provide useful information and news for the company’s customers and industry colleagues, with a special focus on conveyor systems’ operating efficiencies and product sanitation.
The blog will feature weekly posts focusing on improving belt operations, as well as a variety of other topics including sanitation issues on the processing line and how to best to minimize contamination. Posts will be written by a group of Cambridge employees – each author focusing on areas of his or her particular expertise. The Conveying Conversations blog is housed on the Cambridge International web site. It can be accessed from the corporate home page (www.cambridge-intl.com) or by going directly to www.cambridge-intl.com/blog.

Beacon Biotechnology LLC reports the formation of its subsidiary, Beacon Food Safety LLC, which is developing a DNA/RNA test that is pathogen specific and will provide accurate, low-cost testing for the food industry. The BrightSPOT Food Safety Test is disposable and easy to use, enabling immediate, highly sensitive, quantitative detection of multiple food borne pathogens simultaneously. Beacon’s BrightSPOT™ Food Safety Test affords the ability to perform quantitative food-borne pathogen detection without culturing and within minutes after sample collection — for what promises to be the fastest and most sensitive quantitative real-time solution available. Beacon’s BrightSPOT™ solutions are based on a series of proven, patented technologies. Beacon is developing BrightSPOT™ based Food Safety Test applications for multiple pathogen screening applications in all market segments of the food industry.

Food Decision Software Inc. has taken the applicable food recall information from both the U.S. and Canadian regulatory agencies and have recreated Food Recall Templates for both food distributors and manufacturers. Using these free templates and the associated guidelines, every distributor and manufacturer, with or without software to help them trace their products, can become compliant with the regulations set out by their own regulating agency. FDS has been given the approval by the various regulating agencies to use their information in regenerating and distributing the process and templates created. To review the guidelines and templates compiled by Food Decision Software Inc. visit www.fooddecisionsoftware.com and follow the links to the Food Recall Plan. For more information, contact FDS as foodrecall@fooddecisionsoftware.com or (905) 889-6939.

Lohmann Animal Health and Facilities Manager Ron Wood have been honored by the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve with the Patriotic Employer Award. Wood and Lohmann were nominated by Nathaniel Gordon, a maintenance technician with Lohmann and a staff sergeant in the Maine Army National Guard. The award honors employers who support their employees’ service in the National Guard and Reserve. Gordon is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq some time early next year. He is currently training for his one-year tour of duty. This will be Gordon’s second deployment to Iraq.

Processor News

Cargill Pork announced the new 100-percent vegetarian diet for hogs that supply its Good Nature pork line of products. The vegetarian diet is Cargill’s most recent addition to its strict all-natural standards for Good Nature pork. The product is already guaranteed to be antibiotic-free, and hogs selected from the program never receive antibiotics or growth stimulants.
“Good Nature pork is targeted at a growing consumer audience that is very conscious of how and where their food is raised,” said Joe Linot, pork marketing manager, Cargill Pork. “By using a 100-percent vegetarian diet for hogs in our program, Cargill can provide options for consumers who want to make healthy, environmentally responsible choices when they select Good Nature pork for their families.”