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http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press17.html Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:15:26 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press17.html Report for the 1st Qarter of 2008:Symrise starts 2008 Financial Year Successfully Symrise made a successful start to the new 2008 financial year despite a considerably more difficult economic environment: sales in the 1st quarter increased from &uro;331.2 million to &uro;338 million, an increase of 2.0%. On a local currency basis, this represents growth over the same quarter the previous year of 6.4 per cent. Adjusted for the effects of currency translation, earnings before interest, tax and amortisation of intangible assets (EBITA) increased by 6.2 per cent. At actual exchange rates, EBITA decreased from &uro;63 million to &uro;62 million, which corresponds to a reduction of 1.6 per cent. This development in company earnings reflects the pace of increase in the value of the Euro, particularly in March. Adjusted earnings per share were up 15.4%. On the balance sheet, the equity ratio improved from 31.9 per cent at the end of March 2007 to 36.9 per cent. FLAVOR & NUTRITION The Flavor & Nutrition division had a strong first quarter in all regions and business units: sales increased by 5.6 per cent - from &uro;149.8 million to &uro;158.2 million - and by 9.7 per cent in local currencies. SCENT & CARE On a local currency basis, sales in the Scent & Care division were 3.7 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2008 at EUR 179.8 million; they decreased by 0.9 per cent at actual exchange rates. The Life Essentials business unit achieved growth of 8.8 per cent in local currencies, whereas the Fragrance business unit recorded figures that were in line with the previous year. Both divisions succeeded in increasing sales with key accounts, with sales to the ten largest Scent & Care customers increasing disproportionately fast compared with total division sales. Business with what are known as AND products - products with additional benefits - rose by a further 6.7 per cent (in local currencies) and double-digit local currency basis growth was achieved in sales to emerging markets. A regional breakdown shows that Symrise recorded good growth primarily in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the emerging Asian markets. Raw material cost increases were compensated for by improvements in production efficiency; gross margin was only depressed by higher energy costs and a less favorable product mix. The division highlights in the first quarter of 2008 included the take-over of the Chr.Hansen flavor operations to strengthen the North American business in the Flavor & Nutrition division and the strategic partnership with Cambridge Theranostics in the Scent & Care division, the aim of which is to co-operate on opening up the market for health & medical food. To take account of the broader focus of the Cosmetics business unit to include the beauty and health fields, this unit was renamed Life Essentials. OUTLOOK "In view of our presence in the fast-growing regions of the world and our concentration on selected market segments that are growing rapidly, we continue to be confident that our business will grow disproportionately fast: we are therefore confirming the forecasts we made in our 2007 Annual Report, i.e.sales growth of 5 to 6 per cent and EBITA growth of ten per cent on a local currency basis. It is difficult to predict how exchange rates will develop in future and what impact this will have on the results we report. The relative stability of the Euro in recent weeks is certainly a positive sign in this context," says Dr Gerold Linzbach, CEO of Symrise. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/dsm/press5.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:06:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/dsm/press5.html DSM Nutritional Products Increases Price of all Fat Soluble Vitamins by a Minimum of 10% for all Food, Pharma & Personal Care industries DSM Nutritional Products announces a global price increase for all fat soluble vitamins. After recent price increases announced for Vitamin E and A the remaining fat soluble vitamins in the portfolio - K1, Natural Source Vitamin E, Mixed Tocopherols and Vitamin D3- will now also increase in price for all newly contracted business. The increase is effective for all qualities of these vitamins marketed in the human nutrition and personal care industries and will amount to a minimum of 10%. The price increase is necessary due to significantly higher costs of raw materials, energy and transportation and due to higher demand for DSM quality vitamins. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press16.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:14:08 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press16.html Symrise Successfully Finalizes its Acquisition of Chr. Hansen's Flavorings Business Symrise has acquired the Dairy Flavors, Savory Flavors, Sweet Flavors and Seasonings sectors of the Danish manufacturer Chr. Hansen. The anti-trust authorities approved the transaction on April 25, concluding Symrise's largest acquisition to date. The acquisition allows Symrise to keep expanding its business in the US: over 80% of Christian Hansen's sales in the flavoring sector come from North America. This move will help Symrise continue to become one of the leading suppliers on the largest flavor market worldwide. Symrise will benefit from much more thorough market coverage and be able to offer its clients an even broader product portfolio. The additional production capacity will dramatically improve Symrise's competitive ability and service in North America. The two companies' client structures and core competences complement each other perfectly. In addition to its extensive knowledge of development and application technology, Chr. Hansen also works with technologies which are an excellent match for Symrise. In turn, Chr. Hansen's clients will profit from Symrise's global infrastructure, market knowledge and research expertise. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/packaging/ishida/press14.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:07:44 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/packaging/ishida/press14.html Multihead Weigher Technology Copied - Ishida Stops Patent Infringers at Interpack Ishida has mounted a legal challenge against the exhibiting of multihead weighers that infringe its patents at the Interpack trade fair in D¨sseldorf. The company recently filed an injunction with the Regional Court of Düsseldorf against a number of Chinese exhibitors. The machines concerned are multihead weighers exhibited by the Chinese companies; High Dream, Jinyi, Saimo, Aochi, Kaidi, Jingwe, Multiweigh and Hi-Speed. These companies have been prevented from exhibiting the infringing machines at Interpack. The multihead weighers have had to be removed from the stands or covered up immediately. Ishida engineers discovered the illegal use of patented elements of Ishida multihead weighers as they walked around the various stands on the eve of the fair. Paul Griffin, Marketing Director at Ishida Europe, said: "We have taken this action against the infringers to protect our technology and our ideas. In doing so, Ishida is helping to maintain quality standards in the packaging industry." According to the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), sales worth around five Billion Euros are lost to product piracy every year in mechanical engineering in Germany alone. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/packaging/ishida/press13.html Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:00:59 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/packaging/ishida/press13.html Ishida Helps to Ensure Gourmet Quality Standards An Ishida fresh food weigher at Tanfield Food in County Durham has helped to increase accuracy of key ingredients and nearly quadruple throughput for a pioneering range of gourmet convenience meals. Launched in 2005, the Look What We Found range is described as: "gourmet food for busy people," offering a delicious, hearty selection of ready dishes in meals, soups and pour-over sauces. All the recipes feature the finest ingredients from small-scale specialist producers, to enable consumers to enjoy and serve restaurant quality food at home in minutes. Uniquely, the freshly prepared dishes - such as wild rabbit with leek and elderflower sauce and camargue red rice and smoked haddock pottage with nadine potatoes and saffron - are packed in convenient, easy to store lightweight pouches. The pouches are then slow cooked in traditional steam pressure cookers after filling, to give each recipe freshness for longer, with shelf lives of around 12 months. Sizes vary from 200g - 350g for retail up to 1kg for catering packs. The immediate success of Look What We Found led Tanfield Food to purchase an automated filling line. The key objective of automating the process was to increase the number of pouches filled from around 460-600 to around 2,000 per hour, depending on the complexity of the number of ingredients to be packed. The Ishida CCW-NZ-106 Fresh Food Weigher (FFW) is used to ensure pinpoint accuracy of major ingredients for each recipe, including meat, fish and vegetables. According to Tanfield, thanks to the FFW, product giveaway has been reduced from around 3g to less than 0.5g. Using Ishida's proven multihead weighing technology, the computer selects the combination of hoppers that most closely matches the target weight. A set of booster hoppers under the weigh hoppers holds product not initially selected by the computer. This frees up the weigh hoppers to accept more product and thus generate additional weight combinations, which further increases weighing speed and accuracy. The FFW features linear belt feeders and special non-stick hoppers with scraper gates that avoid product sticking and ensure a smooth, reliable and consistent product flow through the weigher. An IP 65 waterproof construction allows easy cleaning of all contact surfaces. Target weights for each individual recipe ingredient are stored in the FFW's memory for instant call-up via the touch screen RCU. These range from 25g of onions to 562g of chorizo. Tanfield has specified a second set of hoppers and belts, so that the machine continues to operate while the other set is being cleaned. Changeover can be carried out in less than 30 minutes. Weighed product is discharged into plastic pots, which contain all the other ingredients for each recipe. These are added to the sauce and filled in a Toyo Jidoki retort pouch filler. The empty pots then circulate to receive more product. The new automated system is filling over 2,000 packs per hour, depending on the individual recipe. The decision to purchase the Ishida FFW was based on Tanfield's senior management's previous knowledge and experience of the company's weighers. "My background is the snack food industry where I had used Ishida weighers successfully for many years," explains Engineering Manager Dave Dunn. "It was therefore a natural step to speak to Ishida to see if they could provide a weighing solution to handle our gourmet range for this specific project - and the FFW proved to be the ideal solution. We have been delighted with its performance. Its accuracy is excellent and it has helped us to meet our increased throughput targets. After sales service and support have been up to Ishida's usual high standards." "The success of the Look What We Found brand Complete Meals range, which has added exciting and sometimes unusual carbohydrates to the recipes to complement the protein and complete the meal, really challenged the packing system, which has responded extremely well," adds Tanfield Foods' Co-Founder and Executive Director Keith Gill. With such strong demand, the company is currently considering the installation of an automatic feed system for the FFW to further increase speeds. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press15.html Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:37:28 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press15.html Symrise and Cutech launch SCoutech Joint venture provides high-tech screening services for the personal care, nutraceuticals and pharma industries Symrise GmbH Co. KG and the Italian biotech company Cutech Srl have founded a highly specialized biotechnology joint venture called SCoutech as of April 1st, 2008. SCoutech offers screening services for cosmetic raw materials, cosmetic formulations, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Using cell and tissue-based screening assays, SCoutech supports the development of effective products for skin and hair care. In this joint venture, Symrise and Cutech merge their expertise and offer their clients extensive screening and consulting services. The Padua-based Italian company Cutech is specialized in the design of highly informative skin and hair follicle screening models to be used as an alternative to animal testing, whereas Symrise provides the full range of its experience in developing active ingredients and in consumer research. Symrise and Cutech have been collaborating since 2003 in the field of biotissue engineering. This pioneering cooperation has resulted in the development of a full thickness pig skin model (PSOCM) to be used as a more reliable and economical alternative to artificial skin models. Via SCoutech, this powerful model, for which a patent is pending, is now available for contract screening for the first time. Together with the portfolio of screening tools already available at Cutech, it allows SCoutech to offer a broad range of screening assays in full compliance with the new EU cosmetics directive which gradually bans animal testing on personal care products. "This joint venture offers our clients in the beauty and health industry sophisticated tools to test the efficacy and tolerability of their products - from individual ingredients all the way to the finished products. Both partners are bringing their strengths and expertise to this joint venture and can synergize them to create a service that is unique in this industry," says Dr Gabriele Vielhaber, Vice President Innovation/R&D Life Essentials, who is responsible for the Symrise side of the initiative. Dr Paolo Pertile, President and CEO at Cutech, is also convinced of the success that this cooperation promises: "SCoutech considers screening to be much more than a mechanical activity done by sophisticated equipment. Our test procedures are reliable and beyond ethical objection. Furthermore, our experts offer guidance and consulting in order to provide our customers with information not only on the efficacy of their products, but also on the possible mechanism of action, in order to support both their R&D and marketing departments." http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press3.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:36:57 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press3.html BAADER Stands for Safe Food Providing the best solutions to produce safe food, safely processed worldwide Food contamination and worker safety issues in the fish processing plants are of ever increasing concern facing the industry. BAADER has addressed this issue by standing for a commitment to provide the best solutions for safe food, safely processed worldwide. According to Andy Miller, Managing Director of BAADER: "Fish is often processed in places that take advantage of cheap manual labor, unfortunately at the expense of compromising consumer food safety. Our nearly fully automated solutions remedy this problem by minimizing the amount of workers on the fish processing line, therefore minimizing the chance of contamination. At the same time, we reduce the labor costs for the processor and create the safest working conditions for the line managers." BAADER's Salmon Processing Line is a perfect example of this safe Food Solution. Starting with precise gutting on the BAADER 142 Princess-Cut Gutting Machine, high yield heading on the BAADER 434, filleting at BAADER 200, automatic transfer, the BAADER 988 automatic trimming with color and size recognition with BAADER 988, the BAADER 560 Final Inspection and the newly available BAADER 1900 for sizing and grading, overseen by a Line Monitoring Control System (LMC-System), completing the safest fish processing line, bringing the safest fish products to market. BAADER is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of fish processing machinery, and also serves the poultry, red meat and fruit industries. In mid-2007, LINCO joined the BAADER Group, adding its line of chillers, sizers and yield control products. After 88 years BAADER remains committed to producing the highest quality food processing solutions, providing safe food, safely processed worldwide. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press2.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:33:41 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press2.html BAADER Offers Complete Salmon Processing Solution From Gutted Fish to Trimmed Fillet with Addition of BAADER 1900 BAADER offers complete processing solutions to the industry - from heading, filleting, trimming, final inspection to sizing and grading, thanks to integrating the BAADER 1900 into the line. This system is the key for most efficient pre-rigor and post-rigor processing. BAADER's Salmon Processing Line starts with precise gutting on the BAADER 142 Princess-Cut Gutting Machine, high yield heading on the BAADER 434, Filleting at BAADER 200, automatic transfer, the BAADER 988 automatic trimming with color and size recognition with BAADER 988, the BAADER 560 Final Inspection and the newly added BAADER 1900 for sizing and grading. A Line Monitoring Control System (LMC-System) is also part of the line helping the production floor manager to visualize the flow in the line and help to maximize the performance of the system. The customer has full transparency of all ongoing processes and batches. The LMC-System can be configured according to customers demands, completing the safest fish processing line, bringing the safest fish products to market. BAADER is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of fish processing machinery, and also serves the poultry, red meat and fruit industries. In mid-2007, LINCO joined the BAADER Group, adding its line of chillers, sizers and yield control products. After 88 years BAADER remains committed to producing the highest quality food processing solutions, providing safe food, safely processed worldwide. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press1.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:21:29 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/baader/press1.html New Generation of Whitefish Skinners We are proud to introduce the new BAADER 59 whitefish skinner, debuting at the upcoming Seafood Processing Europe trade show in Brussels April 22-24. The machine was specially designed for cod, saithe and haddock, and is gentle enough to handle the soft meat of many other whitefish. The fish is fed tail first into the BAADER 59, then processes shallow skinning, producing the highest yield possible. Due to a special technique it is possible to ensure a perfect skinning result even at the tail tip. According to Andy Miller, Managing Director of BAADER: "Even soft product is skinned very gently. One special feature of this machine is that the skinned fillets leave the machine stretched out and separated from each other for easy inspection and further processing. No manual straightening is necessary." BAADER is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of fish processing machinery, and also serves the poultry, red meat and fruit industries. In mid-2007, LINCO joined the BAADER Group, adding its line of chillers, sizers and yield control products. After 88 years BAADER remains committed to producing the highest quality food processing solutions, providing safe food, safely processed worldwide. We look forward to meeting you at Seafood Processing Europe in Brussels April 22-24. Come to our stand 5243 in hall 4 and watch our live demos. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/quality_control/hygiena/press7.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:59:21 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/quality_control/hygiena/press7.html Hygiena International Announces Preferred Supplier Status with JohnsonDiversey new SystemSURE Plus from Hygiena International makes them the supplier of choice for ATP hygiene monitoring systems to JohnsonDiversey. This rapid test system presents revolutionary technology in a simple, robust format that delivers best value and performance, and will be marketed by JohnsonDiversey Europe throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Hygiena International uses state-of-the-art technology in its brand new SystemSURE Plus, which provides simple, repeatable testing with robust, low maintenance instrumentation that delivers excellent value for small and large size operations in many areas of use. It is designed to ensure the highest levels of post-cleaning hygiene now required within todays' safety-conscious environment. Hygiena International have revolutionised ATP Bioluminescence technology to manufacture a very simple, rapid and cost effective test to determine the hygienic status of facilities, plant and equipment after cleaning. The use of such rapid hygiene test has been well established for over 30 years, with a wide range of applications including the food, dairy, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and healthcare and clinical sectors. Based in the UK and California, Hygiena International enjoys market leader status for the manufacture and supply of rapid hygiene test systems including ATP devices, water and other colour indicator tests. They supply globally to many different customers from large multi-nationals, retailers, clinical, industrial and commercial users to government inspection agencies. Frans Martens, Distributor Manager of Hygiena International states: "We are very pleased with this agreement with the worlds foremost supplier of chemical cleaning products and services. It demonstrates once more the attained leading position of Hygiena International in the field of ATP testing, having achieved exponential growth in recent years since the launch of our SystemSURE range. Hygiena remains committed to supplying simple, convenient, cost effective products with excellent service." JohnsonDiversey is a leading global provider of commercial cleaning and hygiene products in food safety, food and beverage hygiene, floor care, housekeeping and room care, laundry, hand hygiene and industrial cleaning. Additionally, JohnsonDiversey offer a wide range of value-added services, including safety and application training, consulting and hygiene auditing. Hein Timmerman, Food & Beverage Sector Support Team Leader of JohnsonDiversey comments 'the agreement enables JohnsonDiversey to standardise ATP Hygiene Monitoring systems in support of its own product and services for cleaning and disinfection. Hygiena's technology and elegant swab devices provide a simple, robust, cost effective product. Hygiena's extensive distribution network in the region will also provide local logistics and technical support for the hygiene test. The partnership represents a win-win situation for all parties and will deliver a first class service to all our customers." http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/materials/intralox/press10.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:38:54 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/materials/intralox/press10.html Intralox Presents Conveying Technology to Improve Line Efficiency at Expo Pack 2008 Intralox will present proven solutions for a variety of packaging and case handling applications in booth #1706 at Expo Pack 2008, June 24-27, in Mexico City, Mexico. Since Intralox opened a new, Mexican entity in 2007, customers have found it easier than ever to do business with Intralox, receiving direct delivery of all in-stock materials within two weeks' time. At Expo Pack, Intralox will feature its new Activated Roller Belt™ (ARB) technology, which has proven to increase throughput, reduce line jams, and significantly reduce maintenance and downtime in case handling applications. Employing a smart, automated method for directing the movement of conveyed articles, ARB offers greater flexibility, reliability, and safety, along with other operational advantages, including: Singulation - Simple, low-cost solution with a small footprint reduces labor needs and increases sorter throughput Depalletizing/Descrambling - Compact, effective solution offers a small footprint and dramatic savings Switching - Unique, patented ARB™ technology offers even greater flexibility to accommodate a larger variety of case and packages Another booth focus will be Intralox's EZ Roller Retrofit™ system. Using this quick and cost-effective system to retrofit metal rollers with Intralox belting takes about 50% less time than installing a new conveyor and reduces conveyor ownership costs by as much as 85%. Intralox-equipped conveyors (both retrofitted and new) help manufacturers around the world reach their operational goals: Easily convey new packaging styles and smaller packs Eliminate problematic dead zones Maintain even product flow Adjust to higher line speeds Eliminate downtime risks Reduce maintenance to near-zero levels http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/tetra/press37.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:16:53 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/tetra/press37.html Luxlait Awards Tetra Pak Greenfield Dairy Plant Contract Tetra Pak, one of the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions providers, and Luxlait, the largest dairy in Luxemburg, have announced plans to invest more than &uro;100 million in a new state-of-the-art dairy, to support Luxlait's growing dairy business. In November 2007, Luxlait Association Agricole contracted Tetra Pak Processing Systems as a key partner in the development of its new, state-of-the-art greenfield dairy at Roost, near Bissen in Luxemburg - which will have a key role in supporting Luxlait's future dairy operations strategy. With a planned annual intake of 120 million litres of raw milk, this new facility will be a strategic replacement for Luxlait's existing production capacity. The new plant broke ground in mid 2007 and is scheduled to start operations in the second quarter of 2009. "The main challenges that we are facing are quality assurance and food safety," explains Gerard Reslinger, Industrial Director at Luxlait. "These are points we cannot compromise on. Our second focus is on operating costs and flexibility. That is why it is interesting for us to work with companies like Tetra Pak. It allows us to benefit from a reliable partner and the latest trends in technology, together with proven, high capacity solutions, deep know-how and long experience." Tetra Pak's unequalled technical knowledge allows it to offer globally proven processing and packaging solutions, at competitive prices, with short lead times and performance guarantees that ensure its customers, including Luxlait, achieve high quality products and strict levels of food safety, higher efficiency, undisturbed productivity, and lowest possible environmental impact. Waste and energy management will have a high priority in the new plant development. Goals set include a minimum reduction of 38% in drinking water usage and a reduction of 25% in use of fossil energies. Waste water must be treated before it is released it into the environment. "Environmental issues are very important. They are so today, and will be even more so tomorrow," Gerard Reslinger comments. "The impact of environmental values on costs is becoming ever greater, because the cost of energy is increasing, as is the price tag on waste processing and disposal. It is absolutely necessary to take this into account when calculating of the cost of our products." The new plant will incorporate a large number of Tetra Pak dairy processing solutions, covering operations from raw milk intake to package filling, and will include a high-level automation solution based on Tetra PlantMaster. Tetra PlantMaster is an innovative and modular plant automation solution based on open industry standards and Tetra Pak production know-how. "The combination of advanced information technology and comprehensive application knowledge in Tetra PlantMaster enables a high degree of functionality, future scalability, customisation and secures full traceability," says Ron De Keersmaeker, Commercial Director of Tetra Pak Benelux. "Looking into the future, it is very important to us not to only consider a factory that will be starting production in 2009, but that we will have a factory that will last maybe 20 to 30 years," says Gerard Reslinger, and continues: "That's why it is so essential to have open systems - as technologies develop and market conditions change we want to have the possibility to develop the system." Flexibility is the name of the game for Luxlait, and most of its dairy products are found in the 'value' market segment. Pasteurised and UHT milk, yoghurt, cream, buttermilk, functional drinks and much more will be produced in the new plant. "Markets are evolving and we must be able to evolve in accordance with the markets, but at the same time we also have to be able to answer to our customers' daily requests. In the fresh dairy market, business varies depending on the season, different product quantity needs and even depending on the day of the week," concludes Gerard Reslinger. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/tetra/press36.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:07:43 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/processing/tetra/press36.html Pizza Drives Cheese Sales Tetra Tebel Alfomatic cheddar equipment is a versatile, modular solution for automatic whey drainage, fusing, stretching, milling and salting of cheese curd - for cheddar and mozzarella cheese types. Alfomatic units are among the largest equipment in the Tetra Pak Processing Systems product portfolio, measuring at least 10 x 2 x 7 metres. Some are 20 metres long. Tetra Tebel Alfomatic equipment can handle a broad range of cheese types and process a wide variety of moisture and fat contents, at high volume with equal efficiency and uniformity. A single Tetra Tebel Alfomatic can treat 1,500 kilos to 16,000 of cheese curd per hour, depending on the cheese type. Whether the customer wants to automate a small operation, or build up a system capable of processing more than 100,000 kilos (220,000 pounds) of cheese milk per hour, the Tetra Tebel Alfomatic is suitable. The major benefit of the Tetra Tebel Alfomatic is that many different types of cheese can be made on the same equipment, even stirred and washed curd varieties. Whereas in the past approximately one unit was sold per year, between March 2006 and the end of 2007 a total of nine Tetra Tebel Alfomatics were sold. "Sales of the Tetra Tebel Alfomatic have recently multiplied for a number of reasons," explained the Sub Category Manager Cheddar and Pasta Filata at Tetra Pak Tebel in Holland, Michael Crook. "Pizza sales are increasing all over the world, and with them the demand for Mozzarella cheese. The world market for pizza cheese is growing by 5% annually. "Japan, Brazil and Denmark have come strongly, with needs for both Mozzarella and Cheddar production, and our marketing efforts have started to pay off. In Ireland grants have made investments in dairy projects possible, and for some customers it has just been time to update old, outdated equipment with higher capacity units," he said. "All in all the market is growing. This explosion in sales has put tough demands on our whole team, to manage, install and commission so many in a short time. They have done tremendous work!" The future continues to look interesting, especially on the American side of the Atlantic: new US factories are still being built, at least one large plant every other year - business which Tetra Pak Cheese & Powder Systems handles. Brazil also has some interesting projects coming up. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/lycored/press39.html Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:54:39 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/lycored/press39.html Tara Dairies and LycoRed Win Top Dairy Award Tara Dairies, and ingredients company LycoRed, both of Israel, took the top Cream Award in the Dairy Innovation Awards 2008, with YOU - a range of fortified dairy products targeting women 30-40 years old. The awards, held at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Athens, Greece, were organized by Zenith International Publishing through its dairy innovation magazine. "We are very proud to receive the top dairy award for our new product line YOU. It reflects our mission to become the most innovative dairy company in Israel. In a short period we opened a completely new category of dairy products designed for women with a hectic lifestyle," says Nir Kanias, Deputy Marketing Manager at Tara Dairy. "This is a good example of LycoRed ability to create innovative solutions for dairy companies and we are thankful to Tara Dairy for making it possible for us to prove our capabilities in such an innovative product line like YOU," notes Udi Alroy, V.P. Global Marketing and Sales at LycoRed. With categories for dairy drinks, desserts, cheese and children's products, along with categories for health, packaging, school milk and marketing initiatives, the awards attracted more than 90 entries from 21 countries. "Our second Awards attracted a wide range of entries from around the world," said dairy innovation Editor Geoff Platt. “These entries came from dairy companies and organizations both large and small - but all illustrated the high level of innovation, the high quality of the work and the diversity of activity that is going on in this exciting industry." Tara Dairy was chosen as the most innovative food company in 2006 according to market research that surveyed 3,000 consumers. Tom & Jerry drink milk, YOU yogurt drinks and Tara cottage cheese are among the Tara Dairy products that were awarded the 'best product of the year' title by Forum Publishing. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press14.html Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:34:03 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/symrise/press14.html Symrise Joins Forces with Cambridge Theranostics The corporation enters the health and medical food market and renames its Cosmetics business unit "Life Essentials" Symrise AG and Cambridge Theranostics Ltd have entered into a strategic partnership as of Dec. 21st, 2007. Under the agreement, Symrise will contribute up to &uro;8 million in milestone-related payments towards the development and clinical evaluation of new health and medical food products. The partners will share the profits on products resulting from the collaboration. For Symrise, this step means expanding its activity into the health market. This is a logical extension of its investment in the nutraceuticals sector with the successful acquisition of Kaden Biochemicals GmbH early 2006. In addition, Symrise has invested &uro;2 million in capital into the English company which specializes in the diagnostics and prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases. Cambridge Theranostics, which was founded in 2002 as a spin-off from Cambridge University, will use its proprietary screen to select natural products from Symrise's extensive libraries of extracts and compounds to identify high value compounds that can best protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidative damage and afford effective protection against cardiovascular diseases. Cambridge Theranostics will then perform pharmacokinetic and clinical studies with the aim of launching two products by the year 2010. Dr Gerold Linzbach, CEO of Symrise, said: "This alliance will enable us to enter our active ingredients into the high value healthcare sector. It is the next logical step in implementing our growth strategy by offering intelligent products which have an added value for consumers." Dr GH Schmidt, CEO of Cambridge Theranostics, also confirms the major potential of this alliance: "Thanks to this partnership we can develop unique health products based on scientific and clinically validated knowledge. The products will be available via pharmacies. Prevention of cardio-vascular complications is a rapidly emerging healthcare sector, currently covered neither by traditional pharmaceutical companies, nor by the food industry. There is a particular need to maintain healthy blood vessels, because about half the population affected by heart attacks or strokes had no prior symptoms. "In order to reflect the strategic orientation towards health and beauty, Symrise has renamed its Cosmetics business unit "Life Essentials". Achim Daub, President of Scent & Care at Symrise, explains: "We look at the aspects of beauty and health from a broader point of view. The boundaries between beauty and healthy wellbeing have long since become blurred, as can be seen by the way the wellness movement emerged several years ago. People who are healthy and feel well radiate that feeling. Beauty comes from within as well. This is our premise and we take our strategy of the “Power of `And`” to its natural conclusion: for us, beauty and health are inseparably intertwined." http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/viv Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/viv VIV For over 30 years, VIV Vreeland B.V. (VIV) has specialised in the production and processing of milkfat. During this period we have become one of the leading manufacturers in this field in Europe. Our anhydrous milkfat, butter oil and dairy blends are sold to manufacturers in the ice cream, chocolate and bakery industry all over the world. Under the brands 'Cow Brand' and 'Gold Medal' our pure butter ghee has gained a leading position in the Arab countries. We also carry a full range of bakery butter and concentrated butter for special use. Our modern, state-of-the-art factory is situated in the eastern part of The Netherlands. We are a fully certified according to ISO, HACCP and COKZ product and processing procedures. ANHYDROUS MILKFAT AND BUTTER OIL Our Anhydrous Milkfat (AMF) and butter oil are used by bakeries, confectioneries and producers of chocolate and ice cream throughout the world. The product is of high quality and the composition is precise. The quality is a result of the excellent fresh cream or butter we use as raw material and our modern production methods and strict quality checks. We can also provide you with AMF with a melting point between 10°C and 44°C. PURE BUTTER GHEE For decades, consumers and producers around the world have been placing their trust in the consistent quality of our pure butter ghee. Our 'Gold Medal' and 'Cow Brand' are widely known and highly appreciated in the Middle East. Pure butter ghee is available in smaller cans, intended for the consumer market, but also in larger cans intended for bakeries or catering companies. CONCENTRATED BUTTER Our butter concentrates are available in blocks and bars. They are also available in thin sheets that lend themselves superbly to dividing into smaller doses. Our butter concentrates are also available with a high melting point. Beurre Brillant Croissant has much better puff pastry properties than regular butter. This is one of the reasons a higher product yield can be achieved. Beurre Brillant Millefeuille provides you with the same workability and productivity in high ambient temperatures. PATISSE BUTTER Bakeries use our patisse butter because of excellent plasticity the whole year round. Thus enabling our clients to produce superb and consistent quality. Our Beurre Brillant Patisse Premier gives a smooth flavour and the taste of real butter. Our Beurre Brillant Patisse Excellent provides the same qualities at higher environmental and processing temperatures. Its plasticity and workability is suited for the best puff pastries and layered dough. We also supply variants of these products specially tailored to the way in which you want to mix: tourage or incorporation. The reliable quality of these VIV products is also directly dependent on the excellent raw materials that we use and our ultra-modern production line for this type of product and strict quality control. DAIRY BLENDS We produce a variety of dairy blends for use in the food industry. As basic ingredients we use anhydrous milkfat, butter oil, butter or fresh cream. Our laboratory and our pilot plant give us unprecedented knowledge of how to tailor the blends precisely to the application or functionality required by the client. We can also specify a melting point ranging from 10°C to 44°C. Finally; the method of packaging is naturally part of the quality we supply. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/svz Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/svz SVZ With more than 100 years of experience with fruit and vegetables, SVZ International is an expert manufacturer and supplier of fruit and vegetable ingredients from natural raw materials. Our product range includes Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) fruit and vegetables, juice and juice concentrate, puree and concentrated puree, compounds and Verifruit® ingredients. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICE AND JUICE CONCENTRATE SVZ is a leading producer of fruit and vegetable juice and juice concentrate. Our top quality is a result of using first-class raw materials. SVZ has the facilities, the knowledge and the experience to turn juice and juice concentrate into a multipurpose ingredient. Not only as the core component of a finished product, but also as a colouring or flavouring agent. At SVZ, juice means just juice, or Not From Concentrate (NFC). From a single kilogram of fruit, a specified quality of juice can be obtained. With NFC juice, the &squo;natural&squo; ratio between raw material and juice is maintained. In other words, this is not juice made from juice concentrate. Juice and juice concentrate are derived by pressing the juice from fruit and vegetables. The residue (fibres, peels and skins and seeds and stones) is fully or partially removed. PUREE AND CONCENTRATED PUREE Purees from SVZ offer a wide range of possibilities, because SVZ has the knowledge and experience to make purees from a wide range of fruit and vegetable varieties. One puree product with major practical advantages is the puree cube. This is a product which is frozen ultra-rapidly into small cubes (like domino pieces), which can then be rapidly defrosted. As well as saving time, this production method guarantees the retention of both flavour and colour. In addition, the cubes are easy to dose. For certain applications, concentrated puree has advantages over single strength puree. Because water has been extracted, less product needs to be packaged, transported and stored. COMPOUND FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INGREDIENTS A compound is a fruit and/or vegetable mix consisting of: NFC juices / juice concentrates Purees Other natural ingredient (vitamins, minerals, herb extracts, aromas, or other additives required by the customer) SVZ constantly contribute ideas for compound fruit and vegetables for applications to meet market trends. IQF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INGREDIENTS SVZ has considerable experience with quick freezing techniques for IQF ingredients, has extensive knowledge of fruit and vegetables and their possible IQF applications. We are responsible for every stage of the process; as SVZ even influences the cultivation process, quality and safety are guaranteed. The IQF process involves rapidly freezing fruit, pieces of fruit, or vegetables so that they remain free-flowing. With IQF, all the natural characteristics of fresh fruit and vegetables are retained. Fruit and vegetables can be frozen whole, or in slices of different sizes. IQF products are easily processed as they defrost rapidly and are perfect for portion control. SVZ guarantees consistency in quality and composition. In addition, IQF fruit and vegetables: Increase product's fruit and vegetable identity Add flavourful and healthy fruit characteristics Demonstrate excellent shelf life (at least 24 months at -18º) IQF products are ideal for applications in food where fruit and vegetable pieces provide added value, e.g. as decorative or other clearly recognisable aspect of the dish. Applications include ready meals, jam, confectionery, and ice cream. FRUIT ALTERNATIVE - VERIFRUIT® Verifruit® is an innovative product developed by SVZ - &squo;the next best thing to fresh fruit&squo; because, as far as possible, it retains the characteristics of fresh fruit. This high-quality ingredient puts the true fruit sensation into your finished product, despite having an excellent shelf life, and being far less susceptible to damage during processing, than fresh fruit. On the basis of Verifruit, you can develop new products which until recently were not possible. Verifruit is available in three variants: Verifruit® with syrup Verifruit® drained Verifruit® dried http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/oleon Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/contractors/ingredients/oleon Oleon Oleon is the leading company in the production of oleochemicals in Europe. We operate on a revolutionary concept, our products satisfy the highest requirements and at the same time we only use natural fats and oils. We ensure that quality and care for the environment go hand in hand throughout our production processes, meaning that we produce our products in harmony with people and the environment. We trade under the name 'Radia' and our oleochemical products include: Esters Glycerine Fatty acids Fatty alcohols Dimers acids Technical oils Biodiesel Specialty oleochemicals To ensure the quality and consistency of products and services, the quality assurance system ISO 9001 is implemented and certified throughout the organisation. HACCP guidelines are followed for the production of Oleon's food range. RADIAMULS MG MONO- AND -DIGLYCERIDES OF FATTY ACIDS (E471) Radiamuls MG are water-in-oil emulsifiers which perform many other functions as well: they complex amylose, regulate the crystallization of fat, plasticize, homogenize and distribute other ingredients, inhibit foam, help rehydration, impart non-sticking properties, etc. Alone or in emulsifier blends, they are used in margarine and shortenings, ice creams and other desserts, starch and starch containing foods, instant potatoes, chocolate and other coatings and fillings, confectionery products, coffee whiteners and other spray-dried foodstuffs, peanut butter and other spreads, as well as chewing gum. RADIAMULS ACETEM ACETIC ACID ESTERS (E472a) Radiamuls Acetem are alpha-tending emulsifiers, stabilizing the alpha-crystal form of fat or other emulsifiers. Alone or in emulsifier blends their alpha-tendency enhances the volume, the fine and moist texture, and the shelf life of a variety of foods based on foam systems that must be whipped to a stable and aerated form: cream, toppings, instant desserts, cake batters,... Radiamuls Acetem have filmforming properties and are used in meat casings and cheese coatings to protect the foodstuffs against bacterial attacks, dessication and oxidation. Radiamuls Acetem are components of demoulding agents and lubricants for food processing equipment. RADIAMULS LACTEM LACTIC ACID ESTERS (E472b) Radiamuls Lactem are alpha-tending emulsifiers, stabilizing the alpha-crystal form of fat or other emulsifiers. Alone or in emulsifier blends their alpha-tendency enhances the volume, the fine and moist texture, and the shelf life of a variety of foods based on foam systems that must be whipped to a stable and aerated form: cream, toppings, instant desserts, cake batters,... RADIAMULS CITREM CITRIC ACID ESTERS (E472c) Radiamuls Citrem are anti-spattering agents for cooking margarines. Radiamuls Citrem are also emulsifiers for the meat industry (pâtés and other meat products) and can be a replacement product for lecithin in applications such as the chocolate industry. RADIAMULS POLY POLGYCEROL ESTERS Radiamuls Poly 2248 (E475) is an alpha-tending emulsifier improving the volume and performance of cake batters. Radiamuls Poly 2253 (E476) improves the flow properties of chocolate by reducing the yield stress and provides the right fluidity to produce thin and uniform coatings. Radiamuls Poly 2253 is also an excellent W/O emulsifier used in the production of tin grease agents and low calorie spreads. RADIAMULS SORB SORBITAN ESTERS Radiamuls Sorb are a range of W/O and O/W emulsifiers mostly used in blends with one another to yield more stable emulsion systems. Radiamuls Sorb are also used as fat bloom inhibitors, whipping aids, dispersion enhancers and solubilizers. RADIAMULS SL STEAROYL LACTYLATES Radiamuls SL are used in the bakery industry as an anti-staling agent and dough strengthener. Radiamuls SL are also used in coffee creamers to improve the whitening power. RADIAMULS MCT MIDDLE CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES Radiamuls MCT are completely odourless and tasteless, low-viscosity oils. Because of their low viscosity and cloud point, they form very thin films on foodstuffs or moulds. The low acidity and high saturation endow Radiamuls MCT oils with a high resistance against hydrolysis and oxidation. Radiamuls MCT are low molecular weight lipids used as a direct source of energy in the human body and not accumulating as fat. Radiamuls MCT are used in the confectionery industry as an anti-sticking agent. They improve the gloss on the surface and there is no risk of oxidation. Radiamuls MCT are mould release aids (alone or in blend) for bakery, pastry, confectionery and other foods, and lubricants for food processing equipment. Radiamuls MCT are viscosity depressants or carriers of active substances. Radiamuls MCT are lipids for dietetic foods in which the presence of middle chain fatty acids is imperative (infantile nutrition, malabsorption of lipids, etc.). http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/superbee/ Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/superbee/ Superbee Honey Factory, Superbee is one of Australia's foremost honey processing companies and has recently relocated to a brand new facility in Forbes, New South Wales, after the company was rescued from the receivers in 1989. The old factory was located in Tanawha, Queensland on the Sunshine Coast and used to also function as a free tourist attraction for school parties and weekend visitors, with a visitors centre and 'theme park'. The factory was relocated during February 2008 because of its success; the company needed additional space to meet the demand for its processed Australian honey product. Superbee sells to supermarkets and the foodservice industry and hopes to establish a retail outlet at the new factory for direct public sales. The company already has a retail outlet in Sydney selling a variety of products including honey, pollen, dried honey, propolis, Manuka honey, honey and ginger, royal jelly and honeycomb. HONEY SOURCE "The factory was relocated during February 2008 because of its success; the company needed additional space to meet demand." The honey processed at the Landrace Road factory is sourced from apiarists from across the eastern states of Australia, particularly from Riverina, Central West and Forbes. The honey is supplied in bulk steel drums in a raw unprocessed state. It is then heated to around 150‐170ºC to make it less viscous and ultra filtered to remove pollen and other unwanted particles and then blended so that a consistent product can be achieved. The honey is then packed in a variety of formats as required by the customer. Honey can be supplied in quantities from 6g portions to 20t bulk orders. The factory can process around 1,500t of honey per year and currently has 600 barrels of unprocessed honey ready for processing during 2008 at the new facility. NEW FACILITY The new honey factory started production in February 2008 after transferring all of the processing and packaging equipment from the old facility and reinstalling it. The factory had to go through several weeks of commissioning and tests before starting full production. The new facility was taken over from Bush's Dry Pet Foods who moved into a new plant at Dubbo because it needed space to expand. The processing and filling plant was reassembled by personnel from the plant ‐ there are four workers and four more will be employed now the new factory is established ‐ with help from local contractors such as Rodney Neilson Concreting, Shead and Nicholson and Complete Plumbing. Chris Kath, the general manager, commented: "On a good day, Superbee can produce about 15 palettes or 4,500 3kg jars of processed honey. Our job here is to store and blend that honey so we can provide a consistent product throughout the year. We also filter it to remove all the trace particles and potential allergen issues. Then we supply that to customers all over Australia and internationally." "On a good day, Superbee can produce about 15 palettes or 4,500 3kg jars of processed honey." ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Superbee is an environmentally aware company which uses little resource compared to other larger companies. It uses water and natural gas for processing the honey. The honey needs to be heated so that it can be filtered and the water is needed for wash down when the process is completed. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE The new factory has just started production and plans have been tentatively mentioned about constructing a cold storage facility on site. However, the focus is still currently on getting production started properly. In addition, the company has been looking into the purchase of equipment to produce a new product called honey straws, or honey stix. These are a drinking straw-type package containing around 5g of honey (original or flavoured), which can be sucked from the straw. They have become popular in the US and could be a success in Australia. A retail facility is also planned at the factory to sell directly to the public. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/tanfieldfoods/ Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/tanfieldfoods/ Tanfield Food Company, Depositor Line, County Durham Because of the demands of modern life, one of the great advantages is the availability of ready meals. Tanfield Food Company has taken this a stage further with its 'Look What We Found' range of convenience meals which are available in aseptic laminated pouches off the shelf with no need for a chiller display. The meals are hearty stews, casseroles and cassoulets with accoutrements, such as rice with chilli. The range also extends to hearty soups and pour-over sauces in the same packaging Each of the products was developed from a recipe in the Northeast of England by an artisan producer, the supplier of the organic/free range ingredients going into the meal. The pack graphics display an image of the small-scale food producer and information about the provenance of the ingredients. AVAILABILITY "The 'Look What We Found' range of convenience meals are available in aseptic laminated pouches off the shelf." The 'Look What We Found' range is available from UK supermarket retailers such as Waitrose and Sainsbury, farm shops and delicatessens and certain items have also been introduced into the buffet cars on Virgin trains. The advantages of these single-portion dishes are that they are light, the packaging is strong and the meal is ready to heat and eat. Some of these dishes have even been introduced for expeditions in Nepal as they are very light to carry. The Tanfield Food Company operates from Tanfield Lea South Industrial Estate, near Stanley. DEPOSITOR The production of the meals is carried out on a batch process in large 'kettles' as there are at least 15‐16 different items in the range of ready meals and a number of soups and sauces as well. The criteria for the depositor line at the production facility was, therefore, that changeovers should be rapid and simple, cleaning should be easy to implement, wastage should be kept to a minimum and depositing should be accurate. In September 2007 Tanfield approached Riggs Autopack for a new depositor system because the demand from UK retailers has been so great. Riggs were able to supply their low mount, semi automatic Model 1000 depositor with a hopper that was fitted with a low impact paddle agitation system. The system is designed to handle meals of varying consistency and with different-sized particles of meat and vegetables. The gentle agitation system was included to avoid blockages and stoppages due to larger particulates while maintaining a smooth flow during filling and achieving an even distribution and feed of product. CURRENT APPLICATIONS The new depositor is being used at the moment for depositing meat and vegetable mixtures into pouches of between 50 and 280g at speeds approaching 14 per minute. The machine is also being used in product development. "The single-portion dishes are light, the packaging is strong and the meal is ready to heat and eat." The depositor has been tested on a number of applications and has been used for both cooked and raw ingredients. The machine has also been used for the packaging of pour-over sauce pouches. Dave Dunn, Engineering Manager for Tanfield Food, commented: "Riggs equipment is easy to operate and has impressive changeover times, ideal for coping with the demand for more choice. We have also noticed a definite decrease in wastage since using the Riggs machine. "We have been thoroughly delighted with Riggs and are currently in discussion with them to supply us with a new machine or help us to modify our existing one to cope with our new product launches and sustain high productivity levels." LOOK WHAT WE FOUND The 'Look What We Found' range is almost-ready meals for busy people. Each of the pouches is a single-portion dish produced from prime ingredients sourced from small specialist producers and is ready to heat, garnish and serve. The range includes such offerings as Mark Robertson's Northumberland Cheese Soup, Hugh Lough's Wallington Hall Beef in Beetroot, Shaun Richardson's Citrus Braised Herdwick Mutton, Meatballs in a Rich Damson Jus, Richard Woodall's Wabberthwaite Pancetta in a Wild Mushroom Sauce or Colin Kerr's Alnwick Castle Estate Venison to name just some. http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/two-sisters/ Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/two-sisters/ 2 Sisters Food Group, Plant Upgrade, Forfar, Scotland The 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG) is fast becoming a leading contender for the title of largest poultry processor in the UK. The Birmingham-based group made four acquisitions around the UK in June 2007, including Joseph Mitchell (Letham) of Forfar; Challenger Foods of Sunderland, where 400,000 chicken fillets per week are prepared for sandwich and pizza market; and the Tulip facility in Morecambe. The Challenger and Tulip facilities produce roast poultry for major retailers and also the foodservice market. In January 2008, 2 Sisters made a further acquisition, in the southwest, of the Lloyd Maunder Ltd facility in Willand, Devon, a major poultry product producer for major UK supermarkets. 2 Sisters Food Group has annual sales of more than £650m and 5,500 staff employed across 13 sites in the UK, plus operations in Holland and the US. OPERATIONS "2 Sisters Food Group has annual sales of more than £650m and 5,500 staff employed across 13 sites in the UK." The company operates in three areas with three separate divisions. There are primary processing and slaughter facilities for chicken, including free range and corn fed/organic products. There are also secondary processing facilities for portioning, deboning and filleting and several facilities to produce processed products such as breaded and roast chicken, ready meals, savoury stocks, sauces, gravies and soups and ready-to-cook BBQ meats. 2 Sisters Food produces mostly private label brands but is also responsible for the well-known brands Buxted Original and Devonshire Red. PLANT UPGRADE In March 2008, 2 Sisters began to upgrade equipment and systems at the Joseph Mitchell Forfar primary processing plant, which can process over 250,000 birds each week for two other 2SFG plants. The major upgrade has included updating the vacuum system to a new centralised system. This has had advantages in increasing production efficiency, removing the heat and noise of vacuum pumps from the production hall to a newly constructed plant room and cutting energy costs at the plant enhancing the company's green credentials. "The major upgrade has included updating the vacuum system to a new centralised system." The new vacuum system was provided by Busch (UK) Ltd and is an eight-pump (seven on one off) system which is managed by a custom cascade system to supply the five production lines with vacuum services as required. The cascade system automatically monitors vacuum use and turns pumps off when the vacuum lines are not being used but on again when demand is restored. The system is based on the Busch RA 0305D oil lubricated rotary vane pumps, part of the R5 range. Every day of operation one pump is chosen to be lead pump in rotation and one is out of the line for maintenance, ensuring efficiency and continuity of operation. The vacuum system is required for servicing the production lines and also for the newly integrated vacuum packaging equipment on each line, which was a further part of the equipment upgrade.