Process Expo, The Global Food Equipment and Technology Show®, opened its doors at the McCormick Place Convention Centre in Chicago this morning. With over 375 Exhibitors from 19 countries, the event attracted strong attendance from the who’s who of the Food & Beverage manufacturing industry.
From product information to inspirations, from tech advancements to trends and from new connections to business solutions, attendees had a lot to discuss, explore and takeaway. The 2023 edition also opened with more features than ever before, including the Food for Thought series spread across two theatres, three live production lines covering meat, bakery and pet food, The Market and Career Development Center, as well as the Process Expo Innovation Awards.
Process Expo Innovation Award 2023 - winners announced!
Highlighting industry front-runners whose revolutionary solutions are shaping the future of F&B industry, Process Expo announced the 2023 Innovation Award winners. The award-winning developments represented in areas such as new product or application and new technologies for sustainability and automation were presented to:
- Best New Application and Product: German Bionic for the fully-connected Apogee robotic exoskeleton combines human intelligence with machine power to boost workplace safety and worker health.
- Best New Technology for Sustainability: TMCAqua for their Ceramic Membrane technology that can recover low grade enthalpy and clean water from waste exhaust stacks from gas combustion and drying processes. This is the only technology of its kind that works at this temperature and recovers clean water.
- Best New Technology for Automation: Weber Inc for the Weber retail bacon solution that is customized to solve unique challenges like processing with less people, more throughput with your existing square footage, and innovative automated line control making smart decisions without operator input. A single integrated solution allows for total line control and access to real-time data – whether on the slicer, automation, or the packaging machine.
“Innovations push new market developments and are a testament to the ingenuity and vision of the brands participating at this year’s show. Best of all, attendees are able to see these winning innovations present in the winner’s booth.”, says Kristy Meade, Vice President of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows for Messe Frankfurt, Inc.
Alongside the innovation award winners, grabbing the spotlight this year are exhibitors in the meat, bakery and pet food production lines that have come together to showcase a real-time factory set-up covering with the seamless integration of cutting-edge processing equipment to packaging tools to AI-driven insights for efficient automation.
“This year’s Production Lines, once again with real food products, are the most ambitious that we’ve ever had at Process Expo,” said Brian Perkins, Chairman of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA), and President of Provisur Technologies. “The 30+ companies participating in this year’s lines are highlighting the latest in production/packaging technology for all segments and with the integration of AI, end users have far more data at their fingertips to make the right decisions for a more efficient production.”
As a new addition this year, The Market, showcasing butchering demos in collaboration with Chicago Meat Collective, led by McCullough Kelly-Willis was a big draw offering insights into sourcing, processing, and artful meat preparation of a hog. Over the next two days, whole Animal Butchery of a Lamb as well as Sausage and Ground Meats will be covered at this feature area. The Career Development Center was another major highlight for students and sector professionals to understand the nuances of effective leadership skills and hiring talent, opportunities via the FIT Program and building a career in the food industry. Students new to the industry can join PepsiCo’s, Nicole Utne, and BSI’s, Gary Wills, as they discuss career opportunities in the food industry and how to engage with associations to develop your career.
The three-day exhibition with robust education offerings brought key themes of digital transformation and sanitation as well as portion-cutting technology, “water-soluble” cannabinoids and other bioactives and using new equipment using TCO and more for food processors through insightful educational sessions on the opening day. Continuing the series, visitors can attend a host of topics focused on predictive maintenance schemes, product inspection devices emerging alternative proteins landscape, transforming pet food manufacturing, Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) and more!
The optimism on the show floor confirmed that the industry is keen to integrate new manufacturing tech, explore collaborations and anticipates growth impulses against a positive economic background. While the first day ended with a big industry announcement, F&B industry professionals can view these demos and technological innovations live until October 25 at the McCormick place in Chicago and see what all the buzz is about. On-site registration is available.
For more details, visit the website at www.myprocessexpo.com.
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Background information on Food Processing Suppliers Association
The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is a global trade association serving suppliers in the food and beverage industries. The Association's programs and services support members’ success by providing assistance in marketing their products and services, overall improvement in key business practices and many opportunities to network among industry colleagues. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO (industry leading trade show), electronic media marketing, education, market intelligence, research, and advocation of critical industry issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade. FPSA members are organized in vertical industry councils which focus on specific needs and concerns that are unique to each industry sector. FPSA councils currently represent the Bakery, Beverage, Dairy, Pet Food, Prepared Foods and Meat sectors.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,200* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2022 were around €450 million*. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
* preliminary figures 2022
Messe Frankfurt international trade fairs for the food industry
With four trade fairs on four continents, Messe Frankfurt tracks the dynamic growth in the global food processing industry. These international trade shows give impetus to the sector, showcase innovations and connect experts from all over the world. In addition to Process Expo these are IFFA in Germany, Tecno Fidta in Argentina and Meat Pro Asia in Thailand. Further information at: www.food-technologies.messefrankfurt.com