Food Processing - January 2008 - (Page 28)

sanitary equipment and rapid microbial detection all stayed within the same percentages in 2008 as 2007. More than three-fourths (76 percent) of processors say they implemented additional food safety measures in 2007 and about the same (74 percent) say they will this year, too. This is also close to the number (73.5 percent) who have an ingredient/food tracking and tracing program in place – 2.5 percent above last year’s responses. From wherever contamination comes, China or our own fumbling of the food safety ball, processors are reasonably confident it won’t come from terrorist sabotage: Security hovered at the bottom for the third year in a row, with only 10 percent choosing it as their primary concern. That doesn’t mean to say security doesn’t matter. When asked about their concern about terrorism/bioterrorism, 31 percent say they are “very” or “extremely” concerned. That number is only a couple percentage points lower than last year. When the 44 percent who are “somewhat” concerned about terrorism are added in, though, the total of those so worried dipped to 75 percent from last year’s 84 percent. Fewer respondents than last year – 44 vs. 54 percent – increased security measures, and only 38 percent will be implementing new security measures in the new year compared to 46 percent who promised to last year. A number of respondents note the reason new security measures were not on the table for 2008 was because their facilities have numerous security measures already in place. The steps processors are taking to make their plants more secure are pretty much the same as last year: Two-thirds will secure/ restrict external access, half will do the same for internal access. Just over half will focus efforts on employee I.D.; the same number will implement surveillance methods. Nearly 16 percent will go high-tech via security application software, compared to just under 13 percent last year. Other measures included “any of the other technologies suggested under the DHS [Dept. of Homeland Security] or by various ASIS [formerly American Society for Industrial Security] groups, (such as) RFID of transports, bio-scanner/sampler hardware and software,” from a processor of specialty foods in Prairie Village, Kan. Similarly, from a Cleveland-based consultant to a national bakery: “Scan contents of (all) product entering and leaving; scanning and other inspection of carrying truck to ensure a match and no erroneous additional or missing items.” Labor pains Coincidental to the security responses was one of the biggest labor issues in the past few years: immigration. Several respondents note how concerns about illegal immigration mesh with security. That said, the only change from last year in how stricter immigration laws would affect business was a decrease in the number of those for whom the problem of illegal immigration doesn’t even apply. At 16 percent, it was almost double last year’s figure of 9 percent. As with last year, about one-eighth would be affected by such laws “a great deal” and one-fifth somewhat affected. Half wouldn’t be impacted at all. But overall, labor worries are limited to the usual concerns of: not enough qualified workers, not enough money to keep good workers and the growing salary and benefit squeeze on the middle class. This is reflected in projected hiring practices. There was nearly a 10 percent drop (from 44 percent) in the number of processors expecting to take on new workers. And 7 percent vs. 5 percent last year expect to actively reduce their workforce. Separating salary and benefits, we found 48 percent of food employees expect raises this year, with 55 percent having received one last year. Salaries are expected to stay the same for one-third. Two-thirds saw benefits stay the same in 2007, and nearly as many – 61 percent – anticipate no change this year. Nearly 11 percent saw a decrease last year and 10 percent expect a decrease this year. But there’s more to the compensation picture. As a Linden, N.J., olive oil processor warned, salary and benefits deterioration can have an adverse effect on safety: “As inflation increases, it will be harder to maintain compensation levels (and) train[ed workers]. [Effective] food safety training will be very important.” We compared staff categories regarding growth. In addition to previous years’ categories of Engineering, R&D and Management, we added Marketing. In each case, between one-fifth and one-quarter said staff for those groups was larger than in 2004; between 43 and 50 percent said levels stayed the same. Staff reductions for the groups show Management will fare the WHAT MANUFACTURING ISSUE IS WHAT MANUFACTURING ISSUE IS MOSTTO YOUR PLANT YOUR PLANT FOR 2008? MOST IMPORTANT IMPORTANT TO FOR 2008? 000 3,000 WHAT YOU MAKING OR MAKING OR PLANNING TO MA WHAT EFFORTS AREEFFORTS ARE YOUPLANNING TO MAKE TO CONTROLTO CONTROLAND OTHER PATHOGENS?PATHOGENS? FOR E. COLI FOR E. COLI AND OTHER Improved washdown/ Improved washdown/ clean-in-place clean-in-place Detection/testing Detection/testing Dedicated lines 59% 45% 19% 14% 6% 5% 25% 0 20 59% 2,131 2,567 2,003 2,218 1,924 2,131 1,834 2,003 1,758 1,924 1,738 1,834 1,662 1,758 2,567 000 2,218 2,000 45% 1,738 1,662 Dedicated lines 19% 000 1,000 Improved labeling Improved labeling 14% Plant security Logistics Labor Food safety Sourcing and materials Energy issues (sourcing, cost) Environmental concerns Labor Automation Sourcing and materials Logistics Environmental concerns Consolidation/ Consolidation/ expansion challenges Energy issues (sourcing, cost) Plant security expansion challenges Automation Food safety 0 0 Reformulation Other Does not apply Reformulation 6% 5% Other The a weighted point score. First-place votes First-place votes were e number shown isnumber shown is a weighted point score. were assigned a multiplier of 9, second-place votes multiplier signed a multiplier of 9, second-place votes 8, etc. down to a8, etc. down to a multiplier of 1 for 9th place. 1 for 9th place. Does not apply 25% 20 40 40 60 0 28 • FOOD PROCESSING JaNuaRy 2008 WWW.FOODPROCESSING.COM http://www.foodprocessing.com

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Food Processing - January 2008 Contents Editor's Plate NewsBites The Trends Rollout Food Biz Kids Product Spotlight Seventh Annual Manufacturing Trends Surbey Product Development Ingredients Plant Operations Plant Operations & Packaging New Supplier Products Toops Scoops

Food Processing - January 2008

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