Caito Foods Receives First Place Manufacturing Innovation Award

Caito Foods received first place at the awards presentation held on April 5, during ProFood Tech in Chicago. ProFood World is pleased to recognize outstanding food and beverage packaging and processing innovation projects via the first annual Manufacturing Innovation Awards competition.

The awards recognize food and beverage manufacturing companies, including pet food manufacturers, for projects that display a high level of advancement in packaging and processing operations. Projects completed in the past 18 months were eligible to compete and entries were based on single plant location.

2017 Winners

• First Place: Caito Foods – Indianapolis, Indiana
• Second Place: Castellini Group of Companies – Elmwood, Georgia
• Third Place: Morada Nut Company – Stockton, California

The award-winning companies were judged, based on the following criteria:

• High level of technology advancement in packaging and processing machinery
• Level of automation, software and controls
• New-to-the-industry use of technology
• Major efficiency and cost savings
• Major line changeover, flexible manufacturing, food safety, sustainability and maintenance improvement achievements
• Exceptional worker recruitment and engagement programs; employee welfare programs
• Outstanding use of tools/methods such as OEE, lean manufacturing and TCO

Types of projects eligible for the award:

• Major plant expansion
• Major plant renovation
• Greenfield facility
• Brownfield facility
• Major line expansion incorporating ground-breaking technology
• Major plant automation upgrades
• Major plant food safety upgrades
• Major plant sustainability upgrades
• Overall plant efficiency upgrades

“We are proud to honor these companies and their dedication to innovation,” said Joyce Fassl, editor in chief, ProFood World. Information about first place winner Caito Foods can be found in the May edition of ProFood World, and on ProFoodWorld.com in the coming weeks.

ProFood World is a media brand of PMMI Media Group, edited for food and beverage processors across the vertical segments of meat, poultry and seafood, baking and snack food, beverage, dairy, candy and confectionery, pet food, cereal and grain, shelf stable products and refrigerated and frozen foods. Editorial coverage features news, trends, products and technologies for professionals responsible for food safety, automation, processing, packaging, material handling and sustainability.

To learn more about ProFood World and future industry events, visit www.profoodworld.com

About PMMI Media Group
PMMI Media Group, a division of PMMI, is a market-leading B2B media company that produces information for processing and packaging professionals, bringing together solution providers and end users and facilitating connectivity throughout the supply chain. Its world class media brands — Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging, ProFood World and Packaging + Processing OEM — are proven leaders in covering this diverse and dynamic marketplace, and its digital products incorporate leading edge media technologies to deliver informed, actionable business intelligence to the industry. PMMI Media Group also produces the Automation Conference & Expo, an annual education and networking forum, that takes place in Chicago each spring.

About PMMI
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents more than 800 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. We work to advance a variety of industries by connecting consumer goods companies with manufacturing solutions through the world-class PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, leading trade media and a wide range of resources to empower our members. The PACK EXPO trade shows unite the world of packaging and processing to advance the industries they serve: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Healthcare Packaging EXPO, PACK EXPO East, EXPO PACK México, EXPO PACK Guadalajara and ProFood Tech. PMMI Media Group connects manufacturers to the latest solutions, trends and innovations in packaging and processing year-round through brands including Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging, ProFood World and Packaging + Processing OEM. PMMI Business Drivers assist members in pursuing operational excellence through workforce development initiatives, deliver actionable business intelligence on economic, market and industry trends to support members' growth strategies, and actively connect the supply chain throughout the year.

Learn more at PMMI.org and Packexpo.com and PMMIMediaGroup.com.