SUPPLIER NEWS

The Berndorf Band Group has started the new year with a new management team. A new management duo consisting of Alexander Leutner and Gernot Binder follows the long-standing Managing Director Herbert Schweiger at the world market leader in steel belts and steel belt systems. Alexander Leutner joined the company based in Lower Austria in 2014, where he worked as executive vice president of the International Commercial Division until the end of 2021 when he stepped up to be one part of the management duo. Gernot Binder, also CEO of the Berndorf Band Group, headed Berndorf Band Engineering GmbH as president until the end of 2021.

Mactac, a LINTEC Company, has acquired CSI – SoCal, a custom slitting and distribution center for roll label printers located in Ontario, Calif., under an asset purchase agreement. A $2.5 million investment, the acquisition is the latest in a major Mactac operational expansion plan. The strategically located West Coast finishing center provides Mactac a turnkey, high-performing roll label slitting and distribution center with a talented operations team and newer world-class slitting assets.

Sweegen’s entire Signature Bestevia portfolio of nature-based sweeteners and sweetener systems is now accessible to brands in Mexico after the country’s food safety authority adopted the Codex Alimentarius specifications for steviol glycosides produced by different technologies. This includes Sweegen’s bioconversion method for producing clean and non-GMO stevia sweeteners, such as Rebaudiosides B, D, E, I, M, and N. Codex is the international food safety organization under the auspices of the World Health Organization.

Kerry has officially opened its newly upgraded facility in Rome, Georgia. A total of €125 million has been invested to create one of the most state-of-the-art food manufacturing facilities in the U.S., which represents Kerry’s largest-ever capital expenditure investment and one of the biggest in Georgia’s history.

Ardent Mills has announced that Manoj Rana has joined the company as its vice president of corporate and business development. In this newly created role, Manoj will partner with leaders across the industry to identify future business ventures that support Ardent Mills’ long-term growth strategy. In his role, Rana will work to align priorities, projects, and strategic initiatives to enable growth for Ardent Mills and its customers with an emphasis on unlocking opportunities within the emerging nutrition space. He will report to Angie Goldberg, chief growth officer at Ardent Mills.

Ken Williams is the new service and after sales manager for SOMIC Packaging, Inc. Responsible for all machine installations and managing the service team that is being expanded, he reports to CEO Peter Fox. Based in Eagan, Williams most recently was the packaging service manager at Engage Technologies Corporation. He managed all service installations and the service parts department, in addition to providing technical training to distributors and end users.

Isuzu Motors Limited of Japan (IML) has announced that Shaun C. Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., and Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada, Inc., has been appointed as an executive officer of IML. The appointment marks the first time that a local executive of an overseas Isuzu distributor has been named to an executive officer position in the parent company. Skinner will retain his present roles as president and chief operating officer of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America and president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada.

Grote Company announced that it has opened a new facility in The Netherlands to better serve EU (European Union) customers. The facility features a parts warehouse and service center. Initially, EU customers will continue to place orders through Grote’s United Kingdom team, with orders fulfilled by the team in The Netherlands.

Bühler has handed over its first Prime Masa plant in India—the second Prime Masa plant worldwide—to PV Sons Corn Milling. The innovative plant will consume 84% less water, 52% less energy compared to a traditional nixtamalization process, and will produce 96% less waste, among other benefits. The Prime Masa plant is a solution for corn flour, which is used to make tortillas and nachos. India is one of the top 10 maize producers in the world contributing 2-3% of the total maize produced globally.

Cama North America has expanded its sales force with the addition of Carl Roeder, Northwest regional sales manager, and Amber Griggs, Southwest regional sales manager. Roeder and Griggs will assist customers in their respective regions with case packing, cartoning, robotics, and sleeving applications.