Manufacturing News

Tech Flash Volume 4, No. 1

Manufacturing traceability and compliance

Food processors focus on compliance and traceability initiatives for a number of reasons, which ostensibly will keep them competitive and in business. More specific reasons, according to a study from AberdeenGroup entitled Compliance and Traceability in Manufacturing, include compliance to regulatory mandates, adherence to internal policy guidelines, mitigating risk of product recalls and building customer trust.

The report, which surveyed more than 650 manufacturing executives, also says companies are increasingly focused on reducing manufacturing costs, and particularly the cost of poor quality with end-to-end traceability of product and processes. According to the report, best-in-class manufacturers are more likely to adopt technology solutions for their traceability initiatives at the enterprise level.

Best-in-class manufacturers respond to non-conforming shipments up to 44 hours ahead of laggards (see table, “Top performing companies earn best-in-class status”). Best-in-class manufacturers are 89% more likely than laggard manufacturers to integrate product and process data collection across the supply chain, resulting in a 36-minute response time to non-conforming shipment. Best-in-class companies manufacture 98% of their product in compliance with their process, as compared to 85% for laggard manufacturers. Best-in-class manufacturers realize 95% first-pass yield, as compared to 74% laggards. Best-in-class manufacturers realize 96% on-time delivery as compared to 89% for laggard manufacturers.

(A complimentary copy of the report is available for a limited time. It can be found at http://www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/4138-RA-compliance-and-traceability.asp.)

Top performing companies earn best-in-class status

Definition of Maturity	Mean Class Performance
Best-in-Class: Top 20% of aggregate performance scorers	98% products in compliance 95% first pass yield 36 minute response time 96% on time delivery
Industry average: Middle 50% of aggregate performance scorers	94% products in compliance 91% first pass yield 8 hour response time 91% on time delivery
Laggard: Bottom 30% of aggregate performance scorers	85% products in compliance 74% first pass yield 45 hour response time 89% on time delivery
Source: Aberdeen Group, December 2007

Cyber security standard for automation and control

A new American National Standard and an update of a widely used technical report on cyber security technologies have been published by the ISA and may be obtained at www.isa.org/isa9900012007 (free to ISA members).The new standard, ANSI/ISA-99.00.01-2007, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems Part 1: Terminology, Concepts, and Models, is the first in a series of ISA standards that addresses cyber security for industrial automation and control systems (IACS). This standard will serve as a basis for additional standards currently in development in the ISA99 series.

Enzymes replace emulsifiers and other chemicals

The

enzymes market in food and beverage applications is being driven by the growth of individual segments such as bakery enzymes, wine-making and fruit-processing applications, according to a study from Frost & Sullivan entitled Food and Beverage Enzymes: Popularizing as Healthy Replacements. The study points to food manufacturers’ desiring the “clean-label” on their products, replacing chemicals in most cases.

The battle between enzymes and emulsifiers is intense in the bakery industry. Enzymes such as amylases are increasingly replacing emulsifiers such as DATEM and mono and diglycerides. Enzymes perform the same functions as emulsifiers, including crumb-softening, anti-staling, starch complexing and extension of shelf life at relatively lower concentration that emulsifiers.

Enzymes, being organic in nature, do not have to be listed on the label as additives, hence the “clean-label” showing fewer additives. Currently enzymes are replacing emulsifiers at the rate of 5 to 10% in bakery applications.

In the wine-making industry, the enzyme market grew at a rate of 4.3% in 2006. And in fruit juice production, the chemicals used for depectinisation have been replaced by enzymes such as pectinases. Enzymes break open fruit tissues to release more juices.

Siemens reorganizes

Beginning the first of this year, Siemens reorganized its operations into three sectors-Industry, Energy and Healthcare-with a total of 15 divisions. The Industry Sector’s products and solutions address production, transportation and building systems. The sector is primarily comprised of the business activities of the groups: Automation and Drives (A&D), Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S), Transportation Systems (TS), Siemens Building Technologies (SBT) and Osram (lamps and optoelectronic semiconductor light sources). Heinrich Hiesinger was appointed CEO of the Industry Sector and Ralf P. Thomas, previously head of Siemens’ Corporate Finance Reporting & Taxes unit was named the new CFO.With six divisions, the Energy Sector primarily addresses energy providers, but also industrial companies particularly in the oil and gas industry. The Healthcare Sector manufactures products and solutions as well as providing service and consulting.

MAP packs using CO under scrutiny

A recent four-hour Congressional hearing on safety issues of meat and fish treated with carbon monoxide (CO) under modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) raised serious issues about the FDA’s lack of internal and external communication for its OK to use CO to extend the “fresh” appearance of meat far beyond its actual “use-by” or “freeze-by” dates.

FULL STORY

Features

Food safety crisis

After 2007’s procession of food-safety recalls, are consumers saying “Ho-hum or “Uh-oh”?

FULL STORY

Fabulous food plant: Synonymous with quality

Wayne Farms counts on biosecurity, automation and worker safety to produce quality meats.

FULL STORY

Water gets its due

The sustainability bandwagon is groaning under the weight of corporations climbing aboard. The time for water resource management has never been better.

FULL STORY

Quality, safety intersect at Crossroad Farms

Kroger’s largest ice cream and milk facility reaches full stride with continuous improvement programs.

FULL STORY

Tech update: Process control

Advanced control solutions enable processors to satisfy regulatory demands while gaining a competitive edge.

FULL STORY

Patricia Woertz

People, Plant and Industry News

The Procter & Gamble Company appointed Patricia A. Woertz, chairman and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Corp., to P&G’s board of directors.

JP Ruiz-Funes joined Land O’Lakes as senior vice president, corporate strategy and business development. He has more than 20 years of experience in general management and strategy roles at Baxter Healthcare, Quaker Oats and McKinsey & Company.

Vita Food Products announced the retirement of CEO Steve Rubin. Rubin will remain a member and chairman emeritus of the company’s board of directors.

International Food Products Group (IFPG) is in the final stages of development for a new line of Inka Grill/Golden Choice Foods fresh gourmet Peruvian meals, which will be sold through major retail, specialty and club stores nationwide.

Industrial services provider MISCOR Group Ltd. named Richard Tamborski as its executive vice president and COO.

Matt Matsushita, president and CEO of DENSO International America, has retired after working at the company for 36 years. He has been replaced by Kenji Ohya, senior managing director and member of the board of directors.

Mettler Toledo added in-house weight calibration to its current product and service offerings. The new facility meets NIST Echelon 1 standards as a high-accuracy environment and is ISO/TEC 17025-accredited through A2LA.

SERCOS International opened a branch office in China because of its increasing interest in SERCOS real-time motion control technology in Asia.