In addition to addressing the changing environment and needs regarding pets, Dr Birkhold [pictured above] reviewed the expectations and technical deliverables Nestle Purina PetCare seeks from its suppliers during her presentation on 'Pet Food Customer Expectations'. She emphasised the need for raw material quality, ingredient quality, consistency and relationships.

“We look at leveraging the relationships we have across our own companies and our industry. We want to leverage, today, what is available from a high quality ingredient perspective and what may be available in the future,” remarked Dr Birkhold.

Andy Brashear, area environmental manager, Simmons Foods, discussed why minimising water use is important to plant efficiency in his presentation on 'Plant Efficiencies Case Studies: Water'. He reviewed the cost of potable water, potential impact on ground water, associated cost of waste water treatment and methods to minimise water use.

Mr Brashear concluded by describing the benefits of a new waste heat evaporator installed to help reduce wastewater use. The waste heat evaporator allows Simmons to process high strength waste streams, reduces Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and phosphorus loading on wastewater and reduces sludge loads.

In his presentation on 'Leaks with a Drop of Perspective', Brandon Lairmore, director of operations, Pilgrim’s, remarked, “The biggest opportunity from a rendering standpoint is eliminating leaks.”

He observed that a leak is technically an accident and reviewed various types of leaks and the costs associated with each. He also discussed the need to keep systems tight, efficient, clean and well lit.