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Australian university focuses on future food systems

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Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers will play a key part in developing smart logistics to link growers with their markets and high-tech methods of growing customised food, with the announcement of the Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre.

The Future Food Systems CRC will involve more than 50 commercial and research partners, with the Federal Government injecting AUS$35 million in funding over 10 years along with almost AUS$150 million in support from the research centre’s educational and commercial participants.

QUT’s involvement in the CRC is spread across the centre’s three research and development programs of planning and logistics in linking growers to their markets, developing smart automated indoor cropping and creating nutrient-dense foods and hybrid food and medical goods tailored to growing domestic and export markets.

[Read more…] about Australian university focuses on future food systems

Yara and IBM join forces to transform the future of farming

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Yara International, a crop nutrition company, and IBM, have signed an agreement to build the world’s leading digital farming platform, providing holistic digital services and instant agronomic advice.

Yara and IBM Services will jointly innovate and commercialize digital agricultural solutions that will help increase global food production by drawing on the two companies’ complementary capabilities.

Yara’s agronomic knowledge, backed by more than 800 agronomists and a century of experience, and IBM’s digital platforms, services, and expertise in artificial intelligence and data analytics. [Read more…] about Yara and IBM join forces to transform the future of farming

Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

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Leading automation companies will be at automatica in Munich, Germany, from June 19 to 22, 2018. Visitors from industries such as food and beverages, plastics and packaging will find numerous innovative automation solutions and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts.

Companies from the fields of plastics, foodstuffs and packaging are increasingly employing innovative automation to improve their competitive position. Compared to the pioneering automobile industry, however, these three industry sectors have some catching up to do.

The great economic importance of automation technology can be felt on a global level: According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), more than 1.7 million new industrial robots will be installed in factories all over the world by the year 2020, which will increase global inventory to more than three million units.

[Read more…] about Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

KHS launches new labeling machine for food industry

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The KHS Group has launched the Innoket Roland 40 compact labeler to market. With a capacity of 2,500 to 25,000 containers per hour, it is specifically tailored to the requirements of the food industry. It can be fitted with various labeling stations.

The machine is specially geared towards lines with a low output, so is aimed at craft breweries and manufacturers of canned food, sauces or dressings.

In its standard version the Innoket Roland 40 comes with two cold glue stations. This allows shoulder and neck labels to be applied at two levels by the first station, with the second station affixing back labels to the bottles.

[Read more…] about KHS launches new labeling machine for food industry

Plenty attracts ‘largest-ever agriculture technology investment’ led by SoftBank to develop indoor farms in city centres

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A company called Plenty claims it has attracted the “largest-ever agriculture technology investment”. 

The company says the investment will drive its development of its global, large-scale indoor farm network to deliver “radically fresher, affordable food to local communities everywhere”.

Plenty describes itself as a “field-scale indoor farming company remaking the global food system”.  [Read more…] about Plenty attracts ‘largest-ever agriculture technology investment’ led by SoftBank to develop indoor farms in city centres

Software for smart beverage production

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Software maker Copa-Data has demonstrated new solutions for smart breweries, comprehensive energy data management, flexible batch production and efficient filling lines.

Copa-Data also says the system has interoperability with the Weihenstephan and OMAC PackML standards, as a result of which machines and equipment can be more quickly integrated into existing manufacturing infrastructures.

Emilian Axinia, industry manager for food and beverage at Copa-Data, says: “Our software innovations for the smart production of beer and other drinks… demonstrate flexible batch production using an equipment model controlled by zenon. These are smart and field-tested software solutions from soft PLC, through ISA-88 Batch Control to mobile technologies.”  [Read more…] about Software for smart beverage production