MULTIVAC S.A.S. in Colombia appointed JORGE YANEZ PENABAD to the position of managing director. He assumes the role as the successor to Jairo Rodriguez, who assumed the managing directorship of the two subsidiaries, MULTIVAC Costa Rica and MULTIVAC Dominicana.

ALLPAX, a product brand of Pro Mach, promoted TREY TRAW from the assistant manager’s position he has held for two years to service manager. Traw, with extensive experience in building customer loyalty, now supervises a team of mechanics and electricians responsible for new equipment installations, audits of installed customer equipment, and in-field and remote access service on Allpax manufactured retorts and automated batch retort systems.

BARENTZ, a distributor of life science ingredients and specialty chemical solutions throughout North America, welcomed MATTHEW NAJM to its expanding Human Nutrition sales team as an account manager covering Ontario, Can.

ARDENT MILLS announced HEATHER DUMAS has joined the company as its chief people officer. In this role, Dumas will be responsible for all aspects of human resources, people management and internal communications.

METALCRAFT, supplier of custom RFID and barcode tags and labels, appointed the company’s COO KYLE BERMEL as its new president. Bermel joins CEO and former president Steve Doerfler in leading Metalcraft’s culture of innovation.

The INTERNATIONAL FOODSERVICE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (IFMA) appointed PHIL KAFARAKIS as its new president and chief executive officer. He will be responsible for overseeing IFMA’s day-to-day operations and will direct the activities of the association in support of policies, goals and objectives established by its board of directors.

The NATIONAL INVENTORS HALL OF FAME (NIHF) has announced its 2022 class of Inductees, and SYLVIA BLANKENSHIP and EDWARD SISLER will be formally inducted into NIHF on May 5, 2022, in Washington, D.C. for their invention of 1-MCP for Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Freshness.

PRAIRIE FARMS DAIRY announced that ED MULLINS has decided to step down as chief executive officer/executive vice president to assume a new role as senior executive officer. With a tenure of over 40 years at Prairie Farms, Mullins will continue to be actively involved in the company’s day-to-day operations. Currently serving as senior VPof sales, MATT MCCLELLAND has been promoted to replace Mullins as CEO. McClelland joined Prairie Farms in 1991 and has held numerous leadership positions in sales and operations.

DR. FRANK LIOU, the Michael and Joyce Bytnar Professor and Director of Manufacturing Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, has been named to the College of Fellows of the SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERS (SME) and was honored at the 2021 SME Fall Gala on Nov. 10.

4505 MEATS, a provider of premium pork rinds and high protein/low carb snacks, announced the appointments of ERIK HAVLICK as chief executive officer and GREG O’NEAL as chief marketing officer. Prior to 4505, both served on the executive team at Thanasi Foods.

IFS, a global cloud enterprise applications company, announced the winners of its first IFS Change for Good Sustainability Awards, which is open to all IFS customers/users. Winner in the Social Impact category is Canada’s NATURE’S PATH, maker of organic grain products. The family-run business was founded in 1985 on organic farming and production standards.

The ARMOR GROUP has acquired IIMAK (International Imaging Materials Inc.). The combined thermal transfer activity will be called ARMOR-IIMAK with consolidated revenues of more than $400 million, firmly establishing it in the design and production of thermal transfer ribbons for the printing of variable traceability data on labels and flexible packaging.

Due to changing client needs, ALLPAX, a product brand of ProMach, now offers a tiered approach to service contracts for both onsite and remote-access technical support that is provided by the specialists who build these complex systems. This program ensures that customers facing staffing challenges have access to skilled support personnel and a comprehensive strategy for maintaining their retort operations at peak efficiency.

ADM and Qingdao, China-based VLAND BIOTECH GROUP CO., a producer of enzymes and probiotics, have agreed to form a joint venture to serve growing Chinese demand for human probiotics. The joint venture, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to launch in the first half of 2022.

DANFOSS broke ground on its new manufacturing facility in Tallahassee, Fla. The 167,000-sq.-ft. building, scheduled for completion in early 2023, will host state-of-the-art manufacturing for the VTX line and two TT/TG lines for Danfoss’ Turbocor compressors—tripling current capacity.

BUNTING acquired MAGDEV LTD, a UK-based magnet and magnetic assembly manufacturer. This acquisition will expand the range of magnetic solutions and technical expertise Bunting is able to offer as a global magnetics group.

SMITHFIELD FOODS INC. received the WORLD SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS’ (WSA) Profit with a Purpose award. The company was recognized for aligning sustainability and profitability through its innovative renewable natural gas (RNG) programs, which significantly reduce carbon emissions by converting methane from hog manure into clean energy for consumers while presenting new revenue opportunities for family farmers.

Industrial pumping solutions provider INDUSTRIAL FLOW SOLUTIONS, (New Haven, Conn.) has agreed to acquire CLEARWATER CONTROLS LTD., based in Glasgow, Scotland. Clearwater Controls offers a broad line of wastewater solutions. Clearwater Controls will retain its company name and brand.

GLOBAL FOOD AND INGREDIENTS INC. announced the acquisition of a state-of-the art plant-based pet food ingredients production facility in Bowden, Alberta, and the creation of its new PLANT-BASED PET FOOD INGREDIENTS business unit.

The ADUSA Supply Chain network opened a one-million-sq.-ft. nonperishable grocery products distribution center in Manchester, Conn.

Barvecue, producers of wood-smoked, plant-based proteins, opened a 10,000 sq.-ft. smokehouse production facility called Carolina Smokehouse, in Cornelius, N.C.

West Coast Cold Storage, a Southern California-based food-grade warehousing and 3PL services provider, opened a new 127,000-sq.-ft. cold storage facility in Jurupa Valley, Calif. creating 75 new jobs.

Walmart announced plans to build a new, high-tech 720,000-sq.-ft. distribution center for fresh and frozen groceries in Lyman, S.C. The $450 million facility will create more than 400 new supply chain jobs.

Ferrero broke ground on a new $75 million chocolate processing facility in Bloomington, Ill., which will add 70,000 sq.-ft. to its nearby facility, adding as many as 50 new jobs.

Flavorman, a beverage development company, held a groundbreaking on the site of its new $8.5 million facility expansion in Louisville, Ky.

Tyson Foods announced a $58 million expansion at its Seguin, Texas, poultry processing plant. The expansion adds 40,000 sq.-ft. of manufacturing space plus new machinery and equipment.

Tyson Foods is investing $61 million to expand its Vicksburg, Miss. fully cooked chicken products facility, adding 50 jobs.

Mars Petcare has announced a second expansion at its Fort Smith, Ark. production facility. The $117 million investment will add 142 jobs to the roster.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition plans a $17 million expansion of its facility in Richmond, Ind. The expansion will take place over two phases and create 65 jobs be the end of 2023. The first phase is expected to be complete in early 2022. FE