Page 82 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec2020

82
PROFILE | PKN 60 YEARS SPECIAL
Heat and Control
Heat and Control is a world-leading equipment manufacturer and food processing industry supplier that will celebrate its 70th year anniversary in
2020. Across industries and applications, the privately owned global business designs cus- tom solutions for food, pharmaceutical and other industries and customers range from small startups to large multi-nationals.
As process and product technologists, they engineer innovative equipment solutions and refine processes, so that Australian manufacturers can bring their best products to market. From a single piece of equipment through to a complete fully inte- grated system with full engineering, design and food technologist input, customers enjoy the ben- efit of local manufacture, total project management and aftersales service located here in Australia.
Looking back
Founded in 1950, the company began with five employees in San Francisco, USA and has grown into a global organisation that today employs over 1600 people, in over 30 offices around the world. It is a family owned com- pany, headed by a US based father and son duo, Andy and Tony Caridis – who have worked together for decades. At 99 years young, founder Andy Caridis is still active within the business today, and works side by side with his son and current President, Tony Caridis.
Heading up Australian-based operations is CEO Jim Strang, who manages the headquar- ters for international operations outside USA, Canada and South America at the Brisbane- based facility, which houses engineering, man- ufacturing, service and parts, sales and cor- porate operations.
Solutions + understanding of challenges faced
As the company works across the spectrum of the food industry it sees the numerous chal- lenges faced by customers. Some are product specific and others are universal amongst pro- cessors; profitability, safety, adaptability, leg- islative and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.
Profitability and safety
Tightening profit margins are forcing producers to calculate their OEE and introduce lean man- ufacturing measures to improve overall effi- ciency and reduce wastage and downtime. By
working with a single source supplier such as Heat and Control (where integration across the line is seamless) processors get the very best from every single machine on their line.
Adaptability
Today’s consumers are demanding more from their food. Health and nutrition requirements see the rise of free-from, meat-free, added- protein and fortified ingredients and clean- labelling. While consumers’ reliance on pack- aged goods has increased, the expectations of the products have changed.
Adding value to food products without dimin- ishing quality or compromising on taste, yet main- taining cost-effectiveness, adds to the long list of current issues in the food industry. At the same time globalisation means consumers’ palates are exposed to a wider array of diverse, culturally specific foods and with this evolution, there is increasing demand on new flavours and taste.
In response, Heat and Control focuses on adaptability in its solutions; allowing custom- ers’ investments to fulfil today’s process and product needs, and also grow or change to meet future requirements.
A timeline of milestones
◆ 1950–Startingwithaninitialfocusonimprov- ing process heating applications (heat
www.packagingnews.com.au | November–December 2020