The food industry is reveling in the digital age with the continual improvement of new technology. More snack producers and bakeries aspire toward alignment with Industry 4.0 ideals

WP Bakery Technology’s tried and tested control system will be launched on the market in the third generation at the iba 2018.

Beckhoff Automation will demonstrate its new AMP8000 distributed servo drive system alongside a complete lineup of automation hardware, software and networking solutions at Pack Expo 2018 in Chicago.

The Readco Process Control System (RCS) from process equipment manufacturer Readco Kurimoto, LLC, York, Pa., integrates mixing, heating, cooling and feeding into a single, touch-screen HMI.

EXAIR's new Dual 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Cooler Systems with ETC (Electronic Temperature Control) keep electrical enclosures cool with 20°F (-7°C) air while maintaining the NEMA 4X rating of the enclosure and removing the heat that could adversely affect the internal components.

Is it just me or does it seem like the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate came out just last week? 

During and since the two-week government shutdown, there has been a lot of analysis from across the political spectrum. The analysis includes a lot of finger pointing and blame assessment. At the end of the day, it was the abdication of leadership by all parties and no coherent strategy for how to end the stalemate that lengthen the shutdown.

After the resounding victory by Republicans at all levels of government—local, state and federal—in November, there was some speculation about the posture and tone President Obama might take in his final two years in office.

A growing and consistent theme in the policy debates in which the American Bakers Association (ABA) is engaged is the importance of science to fortify our position.

Many of us are asking ourselves where the summer went, and it is difficult to find a good answer. I hope you had some deserved downtime with family at some point.

Multiple prevailing trends at the consumer and regulatory levels will factor into the business concerns of the bakery industry over the coming year. These include product-development dynamics like non-GMO, nutritional labeling, transparency and food safety—all of which have the potential to positively influence overall shopper perceptions related to bread and the other baked goods that play a part of dietary patterns.

One of the strangest, most-convoluted policy fights in the history of modern food just cleared a major hurdle in July with President Obama’s expected signature of the GMO Labeling agreement between Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

With the election of Donald Trump, and a slightly narrower Republican majority in Congress, Washington and the national punditocracy is both stunned and clamoring to find meaning in the election results.

With great trepidation that this column will become immediately obsolete or at least very dated in the short time from submitting it to publication, I want to address the whirlwind of regulatory relief announcements from the new Trump Administration.

This past year on the Stronger Together tour, after the merger of the American Bakers Association (ABA) and the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers’ Association, we stopped at Kansas State University (KSU) to meet with the Bakery Science & Management students and participate in the Grain Science and Industry Advisory Council meeting.

During the tumultuous first year of the Trump Administration, the untold story has been the significant efforts to mitigate the numerous regulatory overreaches by the Obama Administration.

At long last, FDA has provided guidance on many dietary fibers. To be clear, the FDA announcement covers about 70–75 percent of common dietary fibers in use today, so more work needs to be done.

I recently met with one of the most actively engaged and supportive members of the American Bakers Association (ABA) and their senior management team. They asked me to provide a market and Washington update.

Even though the year started in a partial government shutdown, the government relations team from the American Bakers Association (ABA) continued to push forward on several key regulatory initiatives.

As of the last regulatory update from the American Bakers Association (ABA), we were coming out of a governmental shutdown. Now, the clock is ticking as we stare down the August recess in Congress and feel continued residual delays from that shutdown.

All federal food policy is based on the recommendations stemming from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The American Bakers Association (ABA) leads the Grain Chain, an organization of 10 groups from grain growers and millers, as well as bakers and others who have an interest in growing grain consumption.

The 2020 election is over, but efforts to understand the impacts are just beginning.

In the ongoing grip of the COVID-19 pandemic as we enter a new year, and a new administration in Washington, we reached out for an update from Robb MacKie, President and CEO, American Bakers Association (ABA), Washington, D.C.

The fly-in will connect baking industry leaders with elected officials in the nation’s capitol.

 
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The ‘Roaring Twenties’ were a time when all participants had their act together.

Plumbing and mechanical contracting companies have been the birthright of generations.

One of the legacies of the old Trade Extension Bureau that remains alive today was its effort to standardize industry vocabulary.

The debate over who Thomas Crapper was - or even if there was a Thomas Crapper at all - continues.

American plumbers have accomplished more in two centuries than the Romans did in 10.

Every year on March 11, the international plumbing community comes together to celebrate World Plumbing Day. The day aims to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers in protecting public health and improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities. 

Tool Tips—August 2018

Tool Tips—April 2019

Tool Tips—July 2019

When installing a toilet, the final touch is caulking around the base which can sometimes be a mess. 

We do gas and electric water heaters for lots of residential customers. 

Carry lengths of pipe in a standard cargo van and eliminate roof racks.

Contractors are a mobile breed — constantly on the move, from job to job. With so much shuffling around, there is more opportunity for human error — tools ending up on the wrong jobsite on the wrong day. When you have inventory tied up across different jobs, in the back of a work truck or van, or in a warehouse on a high shelf that’s rarely dusted, it’s easy for mistakes to be made.

PEX can be a viable alternative to more traditional materials for fire sprinklers.

NFPA 70 provides the important details for design.

Now that many jurisdictions across the country are mandating fire sprinkler systems in new-home construction, de-signers need to be aware of the requirements and challenges these systems can face in relation to water meters.

How can engineers and contractors design wet fire sprinkler systems equipped to prevent corrosion and dry systems equipped to prevent freezing? That has long been a question central to code requirements and new product development.

Corrosion in fire sprinkler systems can go undetected until it's too late, causing damage or loss of life. Traditional ITM protocols can accelerate corrosion, but new advancements offer better prevention and monitoring for protecting lives and property.

Eighty-two percent of respondents use digital tools daily to help streamline training and development programs. The majority of respondents within this group recognize the diverse benefits that digital tools offer the skilled trades industry.

One of the most challenging tasks managers face is terminating an employee. It is never easy, but sometimes necessary. What is all too easy is putting it off when it does become necessary.

The most expensive part of plumbing service is getting the phone to ring and the truck to the job. Once there, every additional dollar past breakeven helps cover the monthly overhead nut. Once this is covered, it falls straight to the bottom line. So, how can you maximize revenue? Here are nine ways to boost your average tickets.

Ninety percent of seniors would rather remain in their own homes than move to assisted living, according to AginginPlace.org. Given the costs of assisted living, aging-in-place makes financial sense as well. Yet, many homes are not ready, which presents an opportunity for plumbing contractors.

There has been a lot of private equity activity in the service trades since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Suddenly, boring old businesses gained monetary sex appeal when they were declared essential and could continue making money while many other local businesses were effectively shuttered. This has led to a land rush for good service contracting businesses and many plumbers have grabbed the brass ring while the grabbing was seen as good.