SUPPLIER NEWS

Eriez recently added a feature to its website which allows customers to view the refurbished equipment currently available. Every piece of Eriez refurbished equipment is repaired by the experts at the company’s 5-Star Service Center, ready for quick shipping and backed by an “as new” warranty. The Eriez Service Center, located in Erie, PA, is equipped to remanufacture even the most-complex systems. The fully staffed service center employs trained technicians and houses the machining, fabricating, and welding capabilities necessary to rebuild all Eriez equipment.

Everfresh Packaging, a flexible packaging supplier of high-quality, innovative products specifically designed for the food industry, has launched a new website. Visitors to the revamped site will notice an updated layout and modern, fresh design. The new-look, intuitive user interface makes it easier to search for information and navigate inventory. A new feature provides important educational resources and news updates. For ultimate convenience, the site is also mobile-compatible.

Tastepoint by IFF will soon complete a series of strategic growth initiatives to expand its footprint on both coasts. Expansion initiatives include upgrades to current East and West Coast facilities and two brand-new constructions—the Tastepoint Greater Los Angeles Creative Center and the Culinary Center in Tastepoint’s Philadelphia headquarters. The new developments consist of enhanced flavor creation capabilities, new application and support labs, the integration of collaborative customer working spaces, and the official transition of the former Frutarom flavors facility to the Tastepoint Greater Los Angeles Manufacturing Center.

MGP Ingredients, Inc. has hired Tanya Jeradechachai as a vice president of ingredient solutions R&D. Her experience in grain science and managing product development from concept to commercialization supports MGP’s role in helping customers succeed with fast-paced new product development. Jeradechachai joins MGP from Bay State Milling, where she was manager of research, principal scientist, from 2014 to 2020 and led the commercialization of high-amylose wheat fiber and other variety-specific ingredients. She also managed in-house research projects regarding the biochemistry, structure, and functionality of fiber, starch, and protein in food systems. She was also previously a crop quality specialist at the Northern Crops Institute, and assisted in research on plant proteomic and insect lipid biochemistry at the USDA-ARS in Fargo, ND.

Bedford Industries marked the end of a dynamic and pivotal year with the launch of its first-ever sustainability report and a new and improved website. As Bedford continues to update and innovate its products, enhance its services, and expand into new markets, the company has overhauled its website at www.bedford.com. “When we say ‘redesign’ we mean more than just throwing on some updated art and calling it good,” says Jay Milbrandt, president. “We spent quite some time revamping how our website looks and functions, how products are organized, and even offering new content and insights into our company.”

Kemin Industries has added a new interactive mold inhibitor calculator to its Kemin Food Technologies North America website. The tool is designed to help formulators improve texture while controlling microbes and molding in corn tortilla products to improve shelf life and overall performance. The interactive mold inhibitor calculator allows users to engage with the tool in English or Spanish; specify the variety of flour in the formulation; overcome performance challenges, such as mold control and texture; and choose from a wide variety of synthetic and naturally sourced solutions—including clean label and non-GMO—to achieve their label-claim goals.

Bell Flavors & Fragrances is excited to announce the newest addition to the Bell family, Daniel Castillo, vice president, commercial general manager of international. Castillo will pave the way for the development and management of the global commercial organization allowing for the continued expansion of Bell’s international flavor and fragrance business. He joins Bell with a strong background in the chemical and consumer goods industry holding various sales roles with top players in the industry. Castillo’s unique background and experience will help drive the continued growth of Bell's International Division as they continue to reach customers globally, while maintaining a local, custom approach.

Olam Superfoods, a supplier of processed quinoa and chia and part of Olam Food Ingredients, has produced its first sustainability report, outlining progress on positive impact created for farmers and communities in Peru. The Olam Superfoods Peru Sustainability Report shares how Olam has performed on its main focus areas locally since 2018. Key milestones include farmer training initiatives, public-private partnerships, and COVID-19 relief. Around 1,500 smallholders and their farms have been surveyed and mapped on OFIS between 2019-2020 and over 2,000 quinoa and chia farmers registered on AtSource+ in 2020.

Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) has announced leadership changes at Reading Thermal. RBS is pleased to announce that Andrew Rosenthal has been promoted to general manager of Reading Thermal and assumed leadership in mid‐December. Richard Starke, a longtime Reading Thermal general manager, stepped down and officially retired in December. Prior to joining RBS as a project manager in 2018, Rosenthal’s experience included serving as the design engineer for Vermeer Corporation in Pella, IA, as well as project engineer at Reading Truck Body LLC. He has a well‐rounded professional background with experience in engineering and project management, and as a published author of articles for the American Society for Engineering Education. A New Jersey native, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rowan University.

Harpak-ULMA has announced the launch of a new North American initiative to help the bakery and confectionery market improve flexibility and operational performance in response to COVID-19 business disruptions. Its new bakery and confectionary market initiative will leverage ULMA’s extensive global market segment presence, combined with smart, connected packaging platforms, to help bakery and confectionery producers do more and go faster under adverse and rapidly changing conditions. Harpak-ULMA also recently announced that it is embedding augmented reality capabilities for service instructions, staff training, and remote support in its platforms. The combination of market and technological expertise is a powerful advantage, according to Josh Becker, the company’s newly appointed market segment product manager.