Industry News

ABBOTT
ABBOTT’S nutrition manufacturing facility and distribution center in Sturgis, Mich., was recently awarded the Shingo Prize, an award that assesses organizational culture and how well it drives high-performance results. Abbott is one of two U.S. companies honored with the prize.

PEPSICO
PEPSICO has agreed to acquire South Africa-based PIONEER FOODS for about $1.7 billion, subject to regulatory approvals. Pioneer Foods’ product portfolio includes cereals, juices and other African nutritional food staples. Brands include Weet-Bix, Liqui-Fruit, Ceres, Sasko, Safari, Spekko and White Star.

HOSTESS BRANDS INC.
HOSTESS BRANDS has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its SUPERIOR CAKE PRODUCTS INC. in-store bakery business to SARA LEE FROZEN BAKERY for a purchase price of $65 million in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments. 

BETTER JUICE
BETTER JUICE (featured in FE, January 2019) and CITROSUCO S.A, (Brazil) are partnering to set up a pilot plant to reduce sugars in orange juice.

CHOBANI
CHOBANI opened a 71,000-sq.-ft. R&D center in Twin Falls, Idaho.

BW PACKAGING SYSTEMS 
BW PACKAGING SYSTEMS augmented its investment in the Russian packaging market by establishing Moscow-based sales, parts and field service teams.

FLEXICON
FLEXICON opened new offices in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the Dijon area in France to provide sales and engineering services.

FLOWERS FOODS
Thirteen FLOWERS FOODS bakeries earned the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star certification, with more than half scoring in the top 10% of similar U.S. facilities for energy efficiency.

CONTROL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS ASSOCIATION
CONTROL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS ASSOCIATION celebrates a quarter of a century of service this year, founded by Jamie Jordan, president of Stravicom Global Inc. (Charleston, S.C.) and Robert Zeigenfuse, president of Avanceon (Exton, Pa.). 

People News

ANUE WATER TECHNOLOGIES
ANUE WATER TECHNOLOGIES announced the addition of SHARON PATERSON as its senior sales manager. She has 15 years of wastewater industry experience with Seaglass Consulting, Veolia and Envirosuite.

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES
ALBERTSONS COMPANIES appointed JONATHAN GARDNER as its group vice president, strategic sourcing, and promoted DAVID NELSEN to group vice president, manufacturing. The company also appointed MIKE THEILMANN EVP and chief human resources officer.

BERNER FOOD & BEVERAGE
BERNER FOOD & BEVERAGE hired ROBERT CARPINO as its national accounts manager. He has over 20 years of sales and business experience with Nestlé Nutrition.

DEAN FOODS
DEAN FOODS named ERIC BERINGAUSE as CEO. He came from Gehl Foods.

BOSCH REXROTH AG
BOSCH REXROTH AG appointed HEINER LANG to its Executive Board, where he will take over responsibility for engineering. 

VOLKMANN INC.
VOLKMANN INC. hired RAFAEL NAVARRO to fill the new position of sales manager.