Delta, British Columbia – January 2nd, 2025 – BCfresh, a 100% grower-owned and operated company, today announced the appointment of Steve Roosdahl as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 2, 2025. Roosdahl will succeed Murray Driediger, who will retire on March 31, 2025, following an 18-year tenure leading the organization.

Roosdahl joins BCfresh with nearly 30 years of distinguished experience in the international fresh produce industry. His appointment follows an exceptional 29-year career at The Oppenheimer Group (Oppy), where he most recently served as Vice President of Operations and Food Safety. He holds an Executive MBA from Athabasca University.

"Steve's deep industry expertise and proven leadership make him the ideal choice to lead BCfresh into its next chapter," said Peter Guichon, Chair of the BCfresh Board of Directors. "His extensive background in operations, technology, and supply chain management aligns perfectly with our strategic vision for the future."

At Oppy, Roosdahl played a transformative role in managing the company's North American distribution network. His achievements include developing sophisticated in-house computer systems, expanding warehousing operations across Western Canada and California, and successfully launching a third-party logistics division.

Roosdahl's industry leadership extends beyond his corporate roles. He has served as Chair of the Technology Committee with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Co-chair of the Produce Traceability Initiative, Director of Produce Supply, and contributes to the International Fresh Produce Association's Food Safety and Sustainability Committees.

Outgoing CEO Murray Driediger, who has successfully led BCfresh since 2007, endorsed the appointment: "Steve brings an outstanding track record in the produce industry and deep familiarity with our operations and management team. His exceptional IT background and expertise in produce supply chain management position him as one of North America's leading experts in the field."

BCfresh has established a comprehensive succession plan, with Roosdahl joining the organization on January 2, 2025, for a strategic three-month transition. Working in close partnership with Driediger, Roosdahl will focus on deepening relationships with growers and customers while ensuring BCfresh continues its momentum in sustainable farming practices and supply chain innovation.

Looking ahead to his new role, Roosdahl commented: "I am honoured to join BCfresh and build upon the strong foundation Murray and the team have established. The company's commitment to its grower-owners and focus on sustainable local agriculture align perfectly with my vision for the future of produce. I see tremendous opportunities to leverage technology and innovation while staying true to the core values and deep agricultural roots that define BCfresh."

We are excited to announce that JBT and Marel have combined to form one company: JBT Marel. This is a real opportunity for us—and you, our valued customer—to progress together.

Key takeaways:  

JBT and Marel have merged to form one company: JBT Marel. 

Combined portfolios, expertise, and capabilities mean better solutions and service for you. 

You’ll still be served by your usual account managers and service contacts.

United to make it all matter 
With our proud histories and complementary strengths, we have united with a single purpose: to transform the future of food. Our shared vision is to be the leading partner in solutions for a sustainable food industry. 

Merging makes us greater than the sum of our parts, enhancing the value we can offer you. By combining our complementary portfolios spanning animal protein, plant-based products, fresh produce, ready meals, beverages, and beyond, we are better equipped than ever to provide the solutions you need.  

With 12,000 talented professionals across the entire food value chain, you’ll benefit from a world of expertise and a new level of service excellence. We drive measurable results through our deep technical know-how, going beyond building exceptional machinery. And we think big and act with precision, because that’s how we propel you forward in a constantly changing and challenging food landscape. 

Ensuring a smooth transition
As we move forward, our focus is on continuity for our customers. Many critical aspects of our business will remain the same for some time, and you’ll still be served by your usual account managers and service contacts. We’re committed to ensuring a smooth transition and working with you as we always have, throughout January and beyond.  

We’re working together across service, equipment, software, and integrated technology—because we know it’s all connected and essential to you. We’ll continue to be your reliable partner, proactively maximizing your uptime and minimizing costs, all while—together—we unlock the next level of end-to-end efficiency and reliability.

(Madison, IN) – Madison Chemical introduces RAF NO FOAM Cleaner, an alkaline cleaner for clean-in-place systems within food, beverage, and dairy processing plants. This unique product features a high percentage of available chlorine in a medium duty highly sequestered formulation for maximum performance. It is low foaming even at high concentration and high circulation velocities. Ideal for hard or soft water environments, RAF NO FOAM Cleaner is free rinsing and leaves a spotless surface. Physically and chemically stable, it can be stored for up to 6 months with negligible loss of available chlorine. High detergent activity coupled with high available chlorine makes RAF NO FOAM ideal for circulating in-place cleaning of equipment lines, tanks, vessels, and more in milk plants, breweries, food processing of all kinds, and similar facilities.

It meets guidelines for use as a general cleaner (A1) in food and beverage processing areas and is safe for use on ferrous, stainless, and cuprous metals. Not recommended for use on aluminum and zinc alloys. It is not intended for food contact. Typically used at temperatures between 120°F to 185°F,with exact dilutions dependent upon specific application requirements. RAF NO FOAM CLEANER rinses easily and completely without streaking with potable water.

When used according to manufacturer’s instructions, no residue or odor is noticeable after use. Madison Technical Sales Reps are available to assist with SOPs for concentrations and temperatures based on actual conditions.

Madison Chemical is a chemical formulator which provides cleaning, sanitation, maintenance, and surface preparation products for the craft brewery, pulp and paper, metalworking, food processing, industrial maintenance, transportation, wastewater treatment, winery, and other industries. Since 1947 they have served customers from their Madison, IN headquarters and through a nationwide network of Direct Technical Sales Representatives. For additional information visit , write to them at Madison Chemical Co., Inc., 3141 Clifty Drive, Madison, IN, 47250, call (812) 273-6000, or email solutions@madchem.com.

Ravenna, OH – Vogelsang, the inventor of the rotary lobe pump with elastomer-coated lobes, announces the U.S. launch of the XSplit^® Separator, an innovative solution that significantly enhances manure management for dairy, cow, and livestock operations. The XSplit Separator efficiently transforms manure into material ideal for animal bedding and simplifies the separation of liquids from solids, boosting overall efficiency.

Utilizing the proven screw press separator approach, the XSplit groundbreaking design delivers exceptionally high dry matter yields along with unmatched ease of use and maintenance. The XSplit incorporates a high-quality elastomer sealing disc at the end of the pressing area to achieve a dry matter content of up to 40 percent. The elastomer sealing disc is a significant improvement over existing alternatives.

A key innovation is positioning the gear reducer behind the solid matter outlet, thereby eliminating the need for an additional shaft seal. This design ensures liquid manure may never come into contact with the motor, gear reduction, seals, or bearings. Competitor’s units require frequent seal changes, increasing costs for wear parts, maintenance effort and downtime.

The XSplit Separator's advanced sealing disk design ensures smoother and quieter startup behavior, creating the desired plugs without aids for an optimal “start and go” operation. Various sieve variants are available to suit different media and consistencies, guaranteeing reliable separation results.

The efficient management of the separation of digestate or liquid manure is critical for profitable dairy and livestock operations. With the XSplit, the separated solid material is a valuable livestock bedding or a peat substitute and easier to transport partitioned nutrients off of the farm. Additionally, only the liquid phase enters the manure storage, significantly reducing the formation of floating and sinking layers. Meanwhile, the processed liquid phase can be applied more easily and evenly or recycled to reduce the viscosity in the digester.

Vogelsang’s well-known commitment to service-friendly and adjustable equipment design ensures reduced downtime and extended life of wear parts. The XSplit allows quick access to the screen and screw elements, requiring minimal disassembly and reducing maintenance time from a full day to mere hours.

Vogelsang is launching the XSplit with Skinner Ag, known for advanced biogas solutions. This partnership leverages Skinner Ag's expertise and network, solidifying XSplit as a top solution for manure and digestate separation. Skinner Ag will offer localized support, highlighting Vogelsang's commitment to advanced technology and expert partnerships.

Skinner Ag will be demonstrating the XSplit at the North American Manure Expo. Join us in the Exhibitor Tent in Auburn, New York from July 17-18, 2024.

For more information, visit https://www.vogelsang.info/en-us/.