Processing Equipment & Systems, Automation, Control

Hospitalized Willy Wonka candy plant workers return to work

23-Jun-2016 By Douglas Yu

All 11 workers, who were hospitalized after a solution spill at the Willy Wonka candy plant last week, have returned to work, Nestlé has told ConfectioneryNews.

R&D

Shockwaves for healthy chocolate? Researchers claim 10-20% fat reduction using electric field tech

22-Jun-2016 By Douglas Yu

Applying an electric field to liquid chocolate in the flow direction can reduce the fat level in chocolate by 10% to 20%, according to Mars-funded research conducted by Temple University.

Baker Perkins to make flat lollipops and turns to 3D printing to shorten mold development times

17-Jun-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Baker Perkins has launched a new version of its ServoForm lollipop depositor to make flat lollipops and has turned to 3D CAD and 3D printing to make test molds for trials.      

Barry Callebaut and Chocolaterie de l'Opera in chocolate recall

31-May-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

Chocolate made by Barry Callebaut for Chocolaterie de l'Opera has prompted a warning in more than 15 countries due to levels of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exceeding EU limits.

Magic Candy Factory takes 3D custom-made candy machine to the US

25-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Katjes Magic Candy Factory, in the UK, has partnered with Dylan’s Candy Bar to take its 3D candy printer, which can create custom-made candies in under five minutes, to the US.

‘Bean to bar’ chocolate makers driving resurgence in the panning industry

22-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

York Metal Products is experiencing a growth in coating pan demand from customers that make smaller run, geographically customized chocolate and yogurt coated products, and health food including Taste of Nature, Riverside, Dare Foods, Georgia Nut, and...

Petrow Food Group invests in $5.7m laser scanning technology for quicker throughput

17-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Petrow Food Group, which supplies dried fruit and nuts for chocolates, muesli, breakfast cereals, and bakery products, has invested £4m ($5.7m) in laser scanning and packaging technology.

Aldomak embarks on major expansion programme predicting 50% sales growth

16-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Aldomak which makes tablets, fudge and macaroons is projecting sales of £1.9m ($2.8m) for 2017 on the back of a slew of contract wins and increased activity with existing clients.

'Produces enough Maltesers to fill 166 Olympic-size swimming pools a year'

Mars to provide 100% renewable electricity to power 12 UK sites

11-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Mars has partnered with Eneco UK to install a 20-turbine Moy Wind Farm in Scotland to provide 100% renewable electricity to power all 12 Mars UK sites.

$6.87m penalty for allegedly violating cleanup operation

Schneider Electric to pay biggest Superfund penalty in EPA history

09-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

The US Justice Department, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has confirmed Schneider Electric USA will pay a $6.87m penalty for allegedly violating a cleanup operation.

Meet APRIL – the food production robot that prepares dishes like a chef

04-May-2016 By Jenny Eagle

A robotic food production system designed to emulate cooking methods used by chefs can offer improved product quality and lower costs, claim its creators.

3D Food Printing Conference 2016

byFlow to create ‘art on a plate’ desserts as it prepares for world tour

26-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Dutch 3D printer manufacturer byFlow has created a portable 3D printer that prints desserts.

3D Food Printing Conference 2016

3dChef partners with confectionery firms to develop next generation candies

22-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

3dChef has partnered with a number of confectionery firms to develop next generation candies, sweets and decorations for the pastry industry.

Palsgaard celebrates CO2-neutrality milestone

08-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Palsgaard, which makes emulsifier/stabilizer blends, which are used in products from cake mixes to chocolate, confectionery, dairy and ice cream, is the first Danish food producer to achieve CO2-neutrality.

ABB Automation director dies in plane crash

21-Mar-2016 By Jenny Eagle

ABB Automation has announced Roger Agnelli, 56, a member of the ABB Board of Directors, has died in a plane crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil, along with his wife and two children.

Museum of the Future 2018

Swisslog debuts ‘Robot of the Future’ in Dubai

03-Mar-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Swisslog, which manufactures automated machines for warehouses and distribution centers, has debuted its CarryPick robot at Dubai’s Museum of the Future.

Blendhub Corp to host first international event in Dubai

04-Feb-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Blendhub Corp. will host its first international event, the ‘Professional Network’ to coincide with Gulfood 2016, in Dubai, on February 24.

Dutch astronaut opens Royal Duyvis Wiener technology center

04-Feb-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Astronaut André Kuipers, has opened a technology centre at Royal Duyvis Wiener’s HQ in Koog aan de Zaan, the Netherlands, claiming he wants to take Dutch cheese and chocolate on his next space mission.

ISM & ProSweets 2016

LHT Consultancy and Eagle Vision create Dirty Tray Vision system

01-Feb-2016 By Jenny Eagle

LHT Consultancy and Eagle Vision are showcasing their Dirty Tray Vision system (DTV) at ProSweets 2016 this week, which can get rid of problems associated with poorly filled starch trays in the confectionery and bakery industry.

ISM & ProSweets 2016

PWR Pack expands its production facilities as it moves into 3D robotic grippers

01-Feb-2016 By Jenny Eagle

PWR Pack, which supplies robotic packaging to the food manufacturing industry, is expanding its production facilities as it moves into 3D grippers.

ISM & ProSweets 2016 Preview

‘Winners of the pack’ Processing & Packaging round-up ISM & ProSweets 2016

26-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

From Crown’s LED lighting to give seasonal, limited edition, premium biscuits and confectionery a striking on-shelf appeal to Bosch’s WRF 600 Flex roller former for multilayer bars – we round up some of the best processing and packaging machines on show...

Bio-Rad joins Mars and IBM-led food safety consortium

20-Jan-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

Bio-Rad Laboratories has joined a consortium set up by IBM Research and Mars to categorize microorganisms and what influences their activity in a normal factory environment.

'Manufacturing breakthrough': Mondelēz nets high-speed gum cooling tech through partnership

13-Jan-2016 By Oliver Nieburg

Mondelēz International has installed novel chewing gum cooling tunnels at three global facilities via a partnership with 42 Technology and equipment supplier Gabler.

KraussMaffei Group to expand in China

12-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

ChemChina, one of China’s largest chemicals group, is set to acquire KraussMaffei Group and its brands KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal, for €925m.

EquipNet opens office in Brazil after surge of international firms moving to the region buying pre-owned equipment

08-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

EquipNet has opened an office in Sao Paulo because it says it has seen an increase in the use of pre-owned F&B manufacturing equipment, due to an increasing number of international firms moving to Brazil.

‘The force is with’ magnet manufacturer as it launches ‘super strong’ magnet to extract iron particles from dairy and chocolate

06-Jan-2016 By Jenny Eagle

Goudsmit Magnetic Group, which works with Heinz, Nestlè and Barry Callebaut, has launched a  EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group) approved magnet called Hydrohansu, which extracts tiny iron (Fe), AISI 304 and 316L particles in the...

Malvern launches accessories for chocolate and coffee analysis

08-Dec-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Malvern Instruments has launched accessories to optimize particle size analysis of chocolate and coffee.

Metal detection capability could set us apart from pack – Huer Foods

27-Nov-2015 By Staff Reporter

Safety is not an option it is a required investment, according to Huer Foods.

Cryogenic freezing aids cookie manufacturing, says Linde exec

12-Nov-2015 By Hal Conick

An executive at Linde claims cryogenic freezing is allows cookie manufacturers to produce a more consistent product.

South African population to increase by 7 million by 2050

Eagle Product Inspection strengthens its market position in Africa

06-Nov-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Eagle Product Inspection has partnered with J-Pak, in Africa, to distribute its x-ray inspection systems for applications including bakery, dairy, snacks, confectionery, cereals and grains.

Kayco launches Chocolate Leather to appeal to better for you segment

27-Oct-2015 By Hal Conick

Kosher product manufacturer Kayco has launched Chocolate Leather, a chewy candy bar lower in calories, fat and sugar than an average chocolate bar.

Krea Swiss launches the chocMELTER to melt, warm or manually temper small or medium batches of chocolate

23-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Krea Swiss has launched the chocMELTER warming tank for melting, heating and manually tempering chocolate.

BillerudKornäs sells first durable pack for sprinkles, candy, sugar & licorice to VetiPak

21-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

BillerudKornäs has sold its first FreeFormPack to VetiPak, one of the biggest co-packers in Europe, in partnership with Italian machinery manufacturer Curti.

Treofan to expand in the US as it sees growing market for five layer labels

19-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Treofan has spent €60m in the past two years upgrading its plants in Germany, Italy and Mexico. It also has a sales office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US.

Treofan makes its biggest investment in 10 years with €30m five-layer label and packaging film plant

19-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Trefoan invited guests including Bosch, Nestlé, Mars and Danone, to see what it claims to be one of the largest production lines in Europe for five-layer label and packaging film last week.

Online biscuit printing with caramel can replace inflexible rollers, says Procys

15-Oct-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

French equipment supplier Procys has developed an industrial online printing system using caramel-based food inks that it claims offers biscuit manufacturers flexibility to produce personalized products at scale.

Growing demand for dairy and confectionery drying technology in the Middle East

12-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Secomak, which solves moisture related issues for customers including Coca-Cola, Nestlè, Danone and PepsiCo, is seeing a growing demand for its drying technology for the confectionery and dairy industry in the Middle East.

Dry milk producer installs Flexicon bulk bag discharger for baked goods, ice cream & confectionery

09-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Franklin Farms East (FFE) in New Jersey, US, which produces dry milk and non-dairy food products used in baked goods, ice creams and confectionery products has installed a Flexicon bulk bag discharger and bag dump station to bring its blending in-house.

Deal will support Hosokawa Bepex’s bakery & grain processing portfolio

Bühler acquires Hosokawa Bepex as it sees a growing demand in emerging markets

07-Oct-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Bühler Group has acquired chocolate specialist Hosokawa Bepex, which will be integrated into its Business Area Consumer Foods division.

DuPont gets AOAC validation extension for chocolate products

21-Sep-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Enrichment protocols for milk chocolate and chocolate liquor samples using DuPont pathogen detection equipment have been validated by the AOAC.

Sandvik acquires Dutch chocolate equipment supplier SGL Technology

18-Sep-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

Sandvik Process Systems has snapped up Dutch company SGL Technology following a long collaboration between the firms in engineering machines for chocolate production.

Netzsch Pumps North America unveils Tornado T2 rotary lobe pump

17-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Netzsch Pumps North America has launched its Tornado T2 rotary lobe pump, for food industry applications.

DISPATCHES FROM IDFA INTERNATIONAL DAIRY SHOW

Collaborative robot reaches out to dairy industry

15-Sep-2015 By Hal Conick

Universal Robots has reached out to dairy manufacturers at this year’s International Dairy Show in Chicago with its line of collaborative robots.

Factory Focus

Nestlé confectioner reveals her tricks of the trade - Part II

09-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

As part of FoodProductionDaily's Factory Focus feature yesterday, Vikki Geall, senior confectioner, Nestlé UK & Ireland, reveals her tricks of the trade from sourcing flour for Blue Riband, creating a KitKat flavour and launching Rowntree's...

Factory Focus - Part I

From sourcing flour for Blue Riband, creating a KitKat flavour and launching Rowntree's Randoms – Nestlé confectioner reveals her tricks of the trade

08-Sep-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Nestlé UK and Ireland has partnered with the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln to find the chocolate makers of the future.

'Long-term growth potential' in Europe's chocolate market

Mondelēz keeps faith in Europe as it opens flexible $30m chocolate line in Poland

03-Sep-2015 By Oliver Nieburg

Mondelēz International has opened a $30m line in Poland to produce popular brands such as Milka, Cadbury and Oreo as it anticipates a recovery in Europe’s chocolate market.

Katjes creates first-to-market 3D printed gummies

03-Sep-2015 By Hal Conick

The first commercial 3D printer for retail will be used to create gummies in different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors, says creator Katjes Fassin UK.

£10M investment in Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory

24-Aug-2015 By Alice Foster

Biscuit manufacturer United Biscuits (UB) has revealed £10M investment plans for its Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory. 

Q2 results

Mondelēz continues to suffer from chocolate price hike fallout in Europe

31-Jul-2015 By Hal Conick

Oreo maker Mondelēz International saw net revenues decrease by 9.2% to $7.7 billion in the second quarter 2015, with Europe taking a 16.7% hit.

Bosch to develop five axis robots for more shelf ready retail packaging

21-Jul-2015 By Jenny Eagle

Bosch Packaging Technology has redesigned its Delta robotic (D3) packaging portfolio to give food producers a more simplified platform design, faster changeovers and ease of use.