In this edition:
Feature article
Tri-Mach Opens New Facility in Manitoba
Tri-Mach is excited to announce the opening of our new facility in Oak Bluff, Manitoba. This facility, approximately 20,000 sq. ft., is equipped with top-of-the-line equipment – ideal for supporting the growing needs of the food, beverage, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries in the region. The facility is home to our highly-skilled, Manitoba-based field service team who are dedicated to serving our valued customers in Manitoba and Western Canada.
Manitoba’s food and beverage processing sector is the largest manufacturing sector in the province. In 2019, this sector produced a total revenue of $5 billion and accounted for 26% of the total manufacturing sales.The abundant livestock and agricultural commodities, coupled with Manitoba’s central geographic location make it a processing hub for food, beverage, agriculture, and pharmaceutical products.
“The opening of our new Manitoba facility was based on the tremendous growth of the food and agriculture sectors in the province. We are excited to provide better, local support to our existing customer base and create new customer relationships within the region and Western provinces,” says Krystal Darling, CEO of Tri-Mach Group.
As a leading employer of the skilled trades, Tri-Mach is partnering with the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) to hire and train the very best licensed millwrights and apprentices, fabricators, and machinists to add to our growing team. “We’re excited to see Tri-Mach make such a significant investment in Manitoba’s manufacturing sector,” says Ray Karasevich, President and CEO of MITT. “We see some real opportunities here for collaboration that will benefit our students while they learn; we look forward to working together to support Tri-Mach’s growth in Manitoba.”
Manitoba currently has over 600 food processing facilities and is projected to become “North America’s protein supplier of choice,” according to the Government of Manitoba’s Department of Agriculture and Resource Development. We are excited to support Manitoba’s growing food, beverage, agriculture, and pharmaceutical processing sectors by providing custom, sanitary solutions, and 24/7 emergency field service.
Manitoba Food and Beverage Sector at a Glance
Food Safety 101
Applying Hyperspectral Imaging to Improve Food Safety
As food safety regulations become increasingly more stringent, advancements in technologies that detect foodborne pathogens and bacteria are required to replace outdated processes. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) may be the solution to improve rapid testing of food and beverage quality as the technology improves.
HSI combines spectroscopy, the study of the interaction between matter and light, with digital imaging technology to detect abnormalities in homogenous groups. Referring to the electromagnetic spectrum, HSI cameras scan objects and divide the spectrum into many wavelengths producing a high-resolution image with details that would be impossible to identify with the naked eye.
HSI is used regularly for food and beverage applications to identify foreign objects and contaminants, detect ripeness, measure protein, fat, and moisture content, and assess the overall composition of raw and processed goods. For example, the image here shows HSI being used within the bakery industry to identify moisture levels in bread. Even difficult to spot textural abnormalities like woody breast in chicken can be identified using HSI technology like P&P Optica (a Waterloo-based HSI company)’s Smart Imaging System.
Unlike lab testing, HSI technology is non-destructive and provides data in real-time, thus reducing the amount of wasted product and time allotted for quality testing. The cameras can be handheld and operated by a technician or affixed to a production line.
Recent studies have found a new application for HSI technology in the food and beverage sector that could immensely improve food safety inspection methods. Research has indicated that HSI can be used for rapid detection and identification of foodborne pathogens in products as they move along a production line. HinaLea, a sister company of TruTag Technologies, is currently using HSI technology to detect E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes in food and beverage products and hopes to have their HSI pathogen detection system commercially available by 2023.
Tri-Mach is constantly looking to adapt and push the limits of innovation within the industries we serve. If you’re looking to integrate new emerging technology, such as HSI, into your process, Tri-Mach has the experience and capabilities to make the upgrade seamless.
Study – Hyperspectral imaging of common foodborne pathogens for rapid identification and differentiation
P&P Optica
Better control of food quality and composition with hyperspectral imaging
Extending hyperspectral microscopy to detect foodborne bacteria
New at Tri-Mach
Innovation Soars with New Product Development Manager
Tri-Mach is pleased to welcome Joshua Bailey, P.Eng., as our new Product Development Manager. Joshua joins the Tri-Mach team as a confident and innovative leader who carries a Bachelor of Engineering degree specializing in Mechanical Systems from Conestoga College. As a certified SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Design Expert, his extensive knowledge in product development will help to streamline the innovation design process.
Tri-Mach’s focus on innovation and technological advancement to better support the growing needs of our customers and employees has inspired this new role within our company. Joshua’s ability to envision the finished product and guide innovative thinking within his team will be a key asset to Tri-Mach’s future growth.
Joshua will spearhead the company’s vision of expanding our patented product line to set us apart from our competitors. A believer in continuous training and idea generation, Joshua is excited to lead innovation and creative thinking amongst the Tri-Mach team.
We are thrilled to have Joshua join our talented family and look forward to his future growth within Tri-Mach.
Industry Trends
Desire for Baked Goods Increases due to Pandemic
With the majority of North Americans spending more time at home, there has been an increase in the time spent preparing food from scratch and eating sit-down meals with family. The pace of our lives has changed, and consumers are developing an appreciation for cuisine like never before. The desire for baked goods has especially increased as consumers search out delicious bread options for lunch or a sweet treat to round off a homemade meal.
From baking artisanal bread at home to delivering a box of celebratory cupcakes to a loved one, baked goods have never been so popular. “Indulging in a craving was once just a guilty pleasure. Today, baked goods are in constant demand,” says Wayne Blythe Director of R&D and Culinary at Weston Foods. In May, Weston Foods published their 2021 Bakeology Report which surveyed North American adults’ eating habits over three waves of the pandemic. The study found that 52% of Canadian participants feel “satisfied” when eating their favourite baked goods and 74% of participants say that everyone in their family loves bakery items.
Interestingly, North American palates differ in preference when it comes to baked goods. Canadians tend to prefer more savoury items like bagels, muffins, and croissants, while Americans prefer sweeter items like donuts, cupcakes, and pies. However, both Canadians and Americans agree that bread is top of their list with 77% admitting that they “really enjoy eating bread”.
As consumer desires for baked goods continue to increase, bakery processing facilities must ensure they are fully equipped to scale up production. Tri-Mach’s custom material handling equipment designed specifically for baking applications can help keep up with demand. Our Bake-Kleen™ Conveyor, designed with the bakery industry in mind, features wide, sanitary belts with smooth transfers to easily transition delicate baked goods from one processing line to the next.
Looking for custom material handling solutions for your bakery facility? Speak to one of our design experts today to learn more about our sanitary and easy-to-clean equipment. Send us an email at sales@tri-mach.com.
Weston Foods Bakeology Report
Product Showcase
Introducing Bake-Kleen™: Designed and Built for Bakery
As the demand for baked goods continues to increase, bakery processors need reliable equipment to accelerate production. With these processors in mind, Tri-Mach is thrilled to announce the launch of the Bake-Kleen™, our newest custom conveyor specifically built to meet the needs of the bakery industry.
The Bake-Kleen™ Conveyor design features extra-wide surface areas for large bulk processing applications, allowing for multiple rows of product to run simultaneously. The system includes a mid-drive motor enabling knife edges on either end of the belt. These thin edges allow for tight, smooth transfers preventing baked goods from becoming damaged. Fitted with your choice of fabric, steel or polyurethane food-grade, non-stick belting, you can be confident that your product will remain food safe during processing.
Headed to an oven or freezer? These systems can be built with high or low-temperature components permitting the use of cooking or freezing applications.
Built with our revolutionary Ever-Kleen® technology, the Bake-Kleen™ Conveyor is built using food-grade stainless steel components with smooth and continuous welded seams to minimize bacteria harbourage areas. All components comply with NAMI, 3A, HACCP, NSF-GFTC, GFSI food safety standards and are designed to mitigate contaminated products.
With over 15 years of experience in the bakery industry, the Tri-Mach team recognizes that bakery production is unique and requires specialized equipment to create a perfect end result. That is why our Bake-Kleen™ Conveyor is built specifically for bakery, with bakery producers in mind. To speak to one of our industry experts about improving your bakery production line contact sales@tri-mach.com.
A Message From Our President
Halfway through 2021 and Tri-Mach’s growth has been remarkable. From opening our new facility in Manitoba to reaching record high sales targets, our team has truly gone above and beyond over the past 6 months.
Looking forward, we are excited to expand our operations in Manitoba and develop meaningful relationships with our new and existing customers in Western Canada. Thank you to everyone who made the launch of our new facility a success and a warm welcome to our team in Manitoba.
As we continue to innovate and create custom solutions for sanitary applications, we are excited to welcome Joshua Bailey as Product Development Manager to the team. Joshua’s expertise will allow us to take on larger projects and better serve the needs of our customers.
A huge thank you to our employees who have been so adaptable and resilient to our ever-changing market and industry. This year has certainly shown that our Tri-Mach family can weather any storm. We would also like to thank our suppliers for supporting our growth and our incredible customers who have made our growth possible.
Thank you for reading this edition of IMPACT.
Ryan Martin
President
Tri-Mach Inc.