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Lean Manufacturing Solutions

Interested in increased throughput, reduced operating expenses and minimized inventory? In today's competitive environment, what processor is not?

Intentia, a solutions provider for the manufacturing, distribution and maintenance industries launched its Theory of Constraints (TOC) production planning solution. This solution shortens the time necessary to achieve lean manufacturing and delivers increases in throughpot, minimizes inventory and reduces operating expenses.

"Lean manufacturing focuses on enforcing customer value-added activities throughouta factory by eliminating waste and striving towards continuous improvements," said Andrew Dalziel, product director for supply chain management at Intentia.

TOC is for manufacturers with make-to-order environments where demand is volatile and different product lines share the same resources, which can result in bottlenecks. The critical bottleneck is the most overloaded resource which determines the maximum flow rate for production. The TOC solution allows manufacturers to optimize production through their critical bottleneck in order to meet market demand.

The production planning solution is part of Intentia's portfolio of lean manufacturing applications, and demonstrates the company's dedication to helping mid-size manufacturers improve business processes. For more information visit www.intentia.com/lean_manufacturing.

FDA Unveils Mad Cow Prevention Plan

FDA has announced new measures to help further protect consumers against the agent thought to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy BSE, also known as mad cow disease. The agency is proposing to amend its animal feed regulations to prohibit certain high-risk cattle materials that can potentially carry the BSE-infectious agent form use in the food or feed. Most of the proposed prohibitions have already applied to cattle feed since 1997.

The high-risk cattle materials prohibited in the new proposed rule include:

• the brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months of age and older,
• the brains and spinal cords from cattle of any age not inspected and passed for human consumption,
• the entire carcass of cattle not inspected and passed for human consumption if the brains and spinal cords have not been removed,
• tallow that is derived from the materials prohibited by this proposed rule if the tallow containes more than 0.15 percent insoluble impurities,
• mechanically-separated beef that is derived from the materials prohibited by this proposed rule.

"These additional measures will make an already small risk even smaller by further strengthening the effective measures already in place to protect American consumers from BSE," said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach.

X-ray Inspection Path to Profitability

X-ray inspection systems for food and packaged goods offer brand owners, producers of consumer packaged goods and contract packagers the surest path to increased profitability of any intelligent technology to enter the marketplace during the past decade, according to a new research study from Packaging Strategies.

"X-ray Inspection Systems For Food & Packaged Goods: Technologies & Capabilities, Cost/Benefit Impact, Purchasing Guidelines, Market Forces & Growth" points directly to an expressed lack of understanding among food, pharmaceutical, general consumer and industrial packaged goods producers and contract packagers surrounding the operational and financial benefits of modern X-ray inspection systems. That lack of understanding, reports the author, Tellico Harbor Consulting, extends well beyond legacy functions of metal detection and checkweighing. It also leaves food and packaged goods producers wide open to liability and regulatory issues, and even terrorist threats, that could be avoided with X-ray inspection technologies.

"This study helps potential buyers and users understand what to look for in an X-ray inspection system, how to make informed system purchasing decisions and outlines return-on-investment benefits," says teh study's publisher, David Luttenberger, CPP, director, Packaging Strategies.

The study is complemented by profiles of major X-ray inspection systems providers and seven X-ray inspection best practices case examples. It also presents comprehensive market force and growth driver factors that the author contends are currently limiting X-ray inspection technologies to just 10 percent of their projected market potential in the coming years.

For more information call Packaging Strategies at 610-436-4220, ext. 11.

New Global Standard for Safer Food Supply Chains

The new food safety management system standard provides a framework for keeping the global food supply safe and helps organizations worldwide implement the Codex HACCP system for food hygiene. More at www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/news/news_item/0,6336,160796,00.html

What Drives Innovation in Food Manufacturing?

Find out from our Keynote Speaker Rory A.M. Delaney, Senior Vice President, Strategic Technology, General Mills, Inc.

Register today to reserve your place

www.foodengineeringmag.com/FILES/HTLM/FE_FAM_index/

State of Food Manufacturing: Period of Polarization Emerges

The middle ground is shrinking as processors gravitate to one extremem or another in their approach to food and beverage manufacturing. More at www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/coverstory/BNPCoverStoryItem/0,6326,160788,00.html

Fabulous Food Plant Focus: Meadowbrook Farms

Producer organizations are taking the lead in building modern processing facilities by reshaping the cooperative approach. More at www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,6330,160789,00.html

Food Firms Tap into Aseptic

For 20 years, watching aseptic's progress has been like watching paint dry. Thanks to filling and packaging innovations that may be changing. More at: http://www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,6330,160791,00.html

Tech Update: Process Control Performance Management

New tools can rescue a food manufacturer's entire operation when trouble arises. More at www.foodengineeringmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,6330,160794,00.html

People, Plant & Industry News

Middleborough, MA-based Cirelli Foods named Jay Cirelli president and CEO. Cirelli most recently served as executive vice president with the company. David Baileywill now serve as senior vice president and John Kelleher will become vice president and chief information officer.


Poore Brothers, Inc. signed a licensing agreement with Panda Restaurant Group for the development, manufacture and sale of snack food products under the Panda Express brand name. Poore Brothers plans to develop product prototypes and begin conducting consumer tests on a variety of snack food products during the first half of 2006.


Rosen's Diversified and American Foods Groupannounced a merger agreement that will create a new national food company known as American Food Group, LLC. The combined company will have operating plants in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Ohio, Nebraska and Virginia and will provide fresh and frozen meats and cooked and case-ready meats, as well as refrigerated transportation services.


Pro Mach, an integrated packaging solutions provider, named Mack Green as president of the end-of-line business unti. This segment of Pro Mach currently includes Orion, Wexxar, Rennco and Brenton Engineering. Glenn Greene has been promoted to vice president and general manager of the Orion business unit.