Here is a sneak peek at what dairy suppliers are up to this week.


Here is a sneak peek at what dairy suppliers are up to this week.

Toray Plastics (America), Inc.completed the construction of a $2 million, 445 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) farm on its 70-acre campus in North Kingstown, R.I. The new, three-acre solar farm consists of 1,650 PV panels and will generate 625 megawatt hours a year, curbing escalating energy costs and reducing CO2 emissions by 340 tons per year.

DuPont Packagingannounced a call for entries for its 24th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation competition. Packaging designers, converters, consumer goods producers, retailers and equipment manufacturers from around the world are encouraged to enter their new packaging developments. There is no fee for entry and DuPont materials do not need to be in the packaging structure. Entries will be evaluated for excellence in packaging innovation, sustainability and cost/waste reduction. Entry forms and guidelines are available at www.packaging.dupont.com. The deadline for entries is Feb. 24, 2012.  Winners will be announced in May 2012.

Wixon, Inc. achieved GFSI certification to the FSSC 22000:2010 (Food Safety System Certification 22000) by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, Inc. (LRQA), Houston. FSSC 22000 encompasses ISO22000:2005 (food safety management system requirements) and PAS 220:2008 standards (prerequisite programs on food safety for food manufacturing) and integrates additional auditing protocol.  FSSC 22000 is designed to deliver greater confidence in food, fewer health risks, improved protection for brands, lower auditing costs and improved supply chain management. Wixon was accredited under the terms set forth by United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) Management Systems.


Internationally Known
PureCircle announces developments in its sustainability initiatives in partnership withAmigos de las Américas (AMIGOS), an international non-profit organization dedicated to building young leaders through collaborative community development and immersion experiences in Latin America. Building on 2010 projects, PureCircle and AMIGOS completed community development initiatives in the farming communities of San Pedro, Paraguay. This year, the projects focused on the communities’ schools, where local youth and volunteers built playgrounds and restored school yards. Volunteers also engaged more than 6,500 children and youth in nutrition education activities, provided fuel-efficient stoves to families and promoted environmental awareness through educational day camps, which included planting more than 2,500 trees. PureCircle commits to sustainability through a total supply chain approach, beginning with conventionally bred stevia seedlings through to extraction and purification processes that conserve energy and water. For more information on PureCircle’s 2011 Sustainability Commitment, go to www.purecircle.com.

On the Move: Personnel Changes
International Dairy-Deli-Bake Association, Madison, Wis.
David Leonhardi, director of education and events for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), Madison, Wis., was re-elected to the board of directors for a three-year term. He will also serve on the board’s executive committee. Leonhardi, who has worked at WMMB for 14 years, manages education and trade event activities, including working with a field staff of nine regional managers and a culinary training manager.

The NSF International Council of Public Health Consultants, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Several industry experts were elected members.Kevin Beseyis director of the food and dairy division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Lansing, Mich., where he manages the state-wide food and dairy safety programs. Besey has worked in the food safety industry since 1977 and currently serves as a member of the Association of Food & Drug Officials, York, Pa.France Lemieuxworks with Health Canada, currently serving as head of the materials and treatment section of the Water, Air and Climate Change Bureau. She manages a team of scientists and engineers who develop the analytical methods and treatment criteria for the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.Paul Olsonis senior manager of standards for the American Water Works Association (AWWA), Denver, and oversees the AWWA Standards Program, which consists of more than 160 standards and 16 manuals covering water treatment and supply. He has 17 years of experience in public health-related positions and brings particular expertise to the water and wastewater industries.Thomas Vylesis a senior health specialist for the City of Plano Health Department, Plano, Texas, where he oversees codes and standards development for recreational water. Vyles joined the American Academy of Sanitarians, Lawrenceville, Ga., in 2011 and serves on the governing council of the Texas Environmental Health Association, Plano, Texas.

Silliker, Inc., Chicago
Sneh Bhandari,director of chemistry research and development, was named a Fellow of AOAC International, Gaithersburg, Md., for his “meritorious service to AOAC.” In a career spanning more than two decades at Silliker, Bhandari has developed more than 50 testing methods for food and beverage matrices. He’s also a past and current member of several AOAC groups, including the Official Methods Board.

G. Willi-Food International Ltd., Israel
Kobi Levi was named chief executive officer of the producer of kosher-certified dairy products, replacingJoseph Williger, who has served as chief executive officer since its inception in 1994 and continues to serve as president. Williger is no longer able to continue to serve as CEO due to a recent amendment to the Israeli Companies Law, which forbids a person or his immediate family member from serving as both a chairman and a CEO. Williger's brother, Zwi Williger, serves as the chairman of the board of directors. Levi has more than 24 years of business management experience in the Israeli and global food industry.

Label Technology, Inc., Merced, Calif.
David Banksonwas promoted to president, succeeding his fatherJohn Bankson, who will remain as CEO and chairman of the board. The announcement was made as part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebration.