News on Processing Equipment from the Americas

As a sixth-generation family farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley, Pioneer Potatoes may be smaller in acreage than many neighbors, but their focus has always been on delivering premium A-size potatoes to top supermarkets and restaurants.

Commercial Food Sanitation (CFS) opened its first stand-alone training facility, CFS Institute North America, in New Orleans. The 13,700 sq. ft. center offers hands-on training, labs, and collaboration to advance food safety, hygiene, and efficiency.

On display at Pack Expo Booth N-7410 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 29 – October 1, view Urschel cutting machinery and KRONEN systems in one location.

Vanmark, an industrial potato and produce processing equipment manufacturer, announced its new Helix Hydrocutting System, designed to help curly fry producers achieve high volume with maximum results and yield.

As the market leader in frying oil filtration, VITO AG has introduced the new VITO XM Frying Oil Filter - the next evolution of one of its most successful products.

Covered Bridge Potato Chips has reopened in Woodstock, N.B., after a 2024 fire destroyed its Hartland plant. The new site restores jobs and flavours, while Hartland hopes for its return and keeps the old location open as a gift shop and attraction.

Key Technology introduces COMPASS® optical sorter for potato chips at Pack Expo. Belt-fed with easy-to-use interface, it removes defects and foreign material, ensures food safety, boosts efficiency, enables fast cleaning, and offers IIoT analytics.

As a leading grower of fresh potatoes, Wada Farms set out to improve efficiency, enhance product quality, and reduce reliance on manual labor. All while preparing for future growth.

Backer’s Potato Chips upgraded its aging bulk storage system with Vanmark’s six-bin solution, boosting unloading speed, reducing downtime, and cutting maintenance costs—allowing the family business to focus on growth and meeting rising demand.

The potatoes you pack today define your reputation tomorrow. Customers expect quality, consistency, and on-time deliveries. But can your grading technology keep up?

Gary and Alan Hafner have acquired majority ownership of Layton Systems, purchasing shares from Julia Rich. Building on the legacies of John Layton and Jerry Allen-Rich, the Hafners aim to drive growth while upholding the company’s values and mission.

TNA Solutions will showcase the tna conti-pro PEL 3 fryer and integrated systems at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025, booth W‑2350, offering efficient pellet/extruded snack frying, seamless distribution, automated packaging, and less waste.

FPS Food Process Solutions expands its End-to-End French fry processing expertise with senior hires Dave Rogers, Mike Holden & Ronald Muller, bringing decades of global potato industry experience to enhance operations, projects & customer support.

Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), a global leader in snack food production systems, has announced a significant expansion of its Customer Care team to provide enhanced support for customers worldwide.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025, held from September 29 till October 1, brings 35,000+ packaging and processing pros, 2,300 exhibitors, and unmatched networking. It’s the premier hub for innovation, connections, and industry growth.

NPC invites proposals for Potato Expo 2026 sessions on innovation, tech, trends & collaboration. Formats: 20–40 min talks or panels. Submit by Sept 12; notifications by Oct 10. Topics: production, trade, tech, research, policy & more.

Key Technology (Key), a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Group, introduces its COMPASS® belt-fed optical sorter at Pack Expo Las Vegas booth W-1040.

Regulations on food safety, labour scarcity, and environmental pressures are driving the need for smarter, more sustainable solutions. Waste doesn’t just affect visual quality. It disrupts automation, clogs up machines, and costs money.