Breaking News on the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector

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Ethnic Cuisine auction date set for October 6

02-Sep-2010 - The contents of the defunct Ethnic Cuisine ready meals plant in Swansea will be sold off at auction on October 6.

Robotics centre seeks new backers as govt cash runs out

26-Aug-2010 - Bosses at CenFRA (Centre for Food Robotics and Automation) are talking to a series of potential new backers in a bid to secure alternative sources of funding before government cash dries up.

Simpler systems could boost UK robotic sales

25-Aug-2010 - Relatively simple and inexpensive robots could be the key for robot manufacturers looking to boost UK sales, according to a leading automation industry figure.

News in brief

'Growing chatter': Arla could lose some Asda milk volumes to Robert Wiseman Dairies

24-Aug-2010 - There is “growing chatter” in the trade that Arla – currently the sole supplier of fresh liquid milk to Asda – could lose some business to rival Robert Wiseman Dairies if Asda seeks to diversify its supply base, according to City analysts.

Arla keeps City guessing over location of super-dairy

24-Aug-2010 - Arla’s 1bn-litre ‘super dairy’ will not – as suggested in press reports this week – be constructed ‘near the western fringe of the M25 between Slough and Uxbridge’, bosses have insisted.

Heinz slashes energy bill at Kitt Green factory by 13%

18-Aug-2010 - Heinz has reduced its energy budget by more than 13% at its Kitt Green factory in Wigan over the past two years.

Maple Leaf Bakery Walsall strikes delayed due to ‘technicality’

18-Aug-2010 - Strike action by staff at Maple Leaf Bakery UK’s Walsall factory has been delayed due to a technicality and a reballot is now being conducted, according to the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).

Wild Fig triples ice cream production after contract win

16-Aug-2010 - Welsh ice cream manufacturer Wild Fig has tripled production after picking up a major contract to supply ice cream tubs to the Wales Millennium Centre.

Firms risk missing carbon reduction scheme deadline

13-Aug-2010 - Food manufacturers that fail to register for the government's Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRCEES) before the September 30 deadline risk substantial fines, experts have warned.

Groupe Lactalis ‘committed’ to Rachel’s Welsh dairy, says supplier

11-Aug-2010 - French dairy giant Groupe Lactalis has signalled its commitment to maintaining Rachel’s brand and production in mid-Wales, according to Calon Wen, the co-operative that supplies all of the organic yogurt maker’s milk.

Analyst: Dairy Crest biggest loser in retail milk shakeup

09-Aug-2010 - Dairy Crest could be the biggest loser if the UK’s biggest supermarkets decide to shake up supply contracts over the next 18 months, while rival Robert Wiseman Dairies has the most to gain, according to a new report.

Unions urge govt to probe "disgraceful" Twinings fund

06-Aug-2010 - The Trades Union Congress has written to business secretary Vince Cable asking him to investigate whether Twinings received EU funds to “relocate” production from the UK to a new Polish factory, given that UK jobs could be lost as a result.

News in brief

Redwood predicts impressive growth

05-Aug-2010 - The Redwood Wholefood Company expects 2009/10 sales to grow by 10% from just over £3m driven by growing demand for meat and dairy-free products.

COOL concerns help drive Vion meat processing investment

05-Aug-2010 - Growing demand for meat with a clear provenance was one driver behind a multi-million pound investment programme by Vion to expand its processing operations in Scotland and create 250 new jobs.

Wessex Foods fire: staff face possible redundancy

03-Aug-2010 - Staff employed at a massive Lowestoft burger factory destroyed by fire last month have been warned that they face the risk of redundancy.

News in brief

BOC: Carbon dioxide will remain niche refrigerant in food production

03-Aug-2010 - Carbon dioxide will remain a niche refrigerant in food production in the short to medium term, although it is gaining ground in the food retail sector, according to experts at BOC Group.

EU funding helps firms slash insurance premiums

03-Aug-2010 - A project to cut insurance costs for small food processors in north west England has been given EU funding clearance.

UK food manufacturers face power shortages

02-Aug-2010 - Food processors on interruptable electricity supply contracts face a rising incidence of ‘brown outs’ – where power is temporarily switched off when demand exceeds supply.

More efficient plant operation

01-Aug-2010 - A modular frequency inverter has been introduced which is specifically designed for pump, fan, and compressor applications.

Cabinet inverters with range of options

01-Aug-2010 - A wide selection of interfacing options and expansion modules is offered with a new range of cabinet inverters, which allow industrial automation applications from simple speed control to complex servo positioning.

ASI unit offers basic automation

01-Aug-2010 - To keep pace with demand from the food and drinks sector, Alfa Laval has launched the ThinkTop Basic actuator-sensor interface (ASI) valve sensing and control unit.

Costs cut on bakery depositors

01-Aug-2010 - Improved speed control on one of its production lines is enabling gluten-free manufacturer The Village Bakery (Nutrition) to save £20,000 a year at its Abenbury Way site in Wrexham. The installation of an ABB general machinery drive with high ingress protection (IP66) has delivered a combination of cost savings.

Advanced automation packs a punch

01-Aug-2010 - Ishida Europe has designed and installed a packing line that enables three to four operators to produce prepared salads at up to 40 trays a minute, while automating inspection and making every pack traceable to a stored X-ray image.

Double layer puts sparkle in filtration

01-Aug-2010 - Filtration and separation specialist Porvair Filtration Group has designed a double layer membrane filter for use in the wine industry.

Screw kit keeps beer flowing

01-Aug-2010 - The Black Sheep Brewery produces cask ales and bottled beers at its Yorkshire site.

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