How to combat the workforce crisis

ProFood World has rounded up some creative recruitment and retention strategies to help manufacturers find the skilled talent they need to operate their advanced plants.

Dec 9th, 2019

As the skilled labor pool shrinks and more positions go unfilled, manufacturers are using out-of-the-box recruiting and retention strategies.

As the skilled labor pool shrinks and more positions go unfilled, manufacturers are using out-of-the-box recruiting and retention strategies.

The good news: Food and beverage manufacturing is booming. The bad news: A lack of skilled workers is threatening the industry. According to the 2018 skills gap and workforce study from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, about 2.4 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled between 2018 and 2028. The workforce crisis is putting pressure on manufacturers as they struggle to find the talent needed to operate their plants and meet increased production demands from consumers. What’s a manufacturer to do? From implementing digital technologies that narrows the skills gap to overcoming the negative perception of manufacturing with younger workers to dealing with the wave of baby boomers heading for retirement, ProFood World has rounded up some of the best recruitment and retention strategies to stay competitive in a changing workforce landscape.

Getty Images 476586896 Food Inspection

Artificial Intelligence Advances Food Safety

Landing AI is helping food producers overcome not only the limitations of their human workforce but of traditional machine vision as well, using machine learning to better evaluate issues around food safety.

Winning Paths to Environmental Savings

Smithfield Foods, McCormick & Company, Conagra Brands, and Hiland Dairy go above and beyond to save energy, water, solid waste, ingredients, and food products by scrutinizing their operations and taking advantage of state and utility grants.

Multi Conveyor Cleated Incline Slider Bed Trough Conveyor

Conveyor Facilitates Safe Handling of Product Waste

Can be used for a variety of other applications

Top Seal Shrink Wrapper

Arpac introduces the top seal shrink wrapper ideal for handling stand-up product running speeds up to 200 fpm.

Gericke Atex Valve

Rotary Valves Line for Explosive Environments Keep Hazardous Situations Safely Contained

Effectively isolate upstream processes from downstream explosive events

Mpac Group plc Acquires Switchback Group Inc.

Mpac Group plc, a global packaging solutions group, has acquired Switchback Group Inc., a provider of packaging machinery and automation solutions to the food and beverage and healthcare markets.

Portable Oxygen Analyzer for MAP

GasLab's Tecpen oxygen analyzer for modified atmosphere packaging is designed to provide fast and accurate oxygen level measurements between 0.01% and 5% by volume.

Paperseal Snack Tray

Renewable-Fiber Food Tray

Harpak-ULMA’s new PaperSeal food trays are made from 80% to 90% renewable fiber sourced from sustainably-managed forests and 10% to 20% film, depending on tray dimensions.

Dorner Dry Cleaning Module

Cleaning Modules Provide Continuous Cleansing for Conveyors

Offer longer, cleaner production runs with less overall maintenance

Winco Lift And Turn Compression Latch

Compression Latch Combines Many Practical Functions into One Unit

Can be locked in retracted position using the supplied key

Coperion K Tron K3 Vibratory Feeder

Vibratory Feeders Provide Gentle Handling of Bulk Solid Materials

Offer higher accuracy and innovative drive technology

Delavan Sdx V Spray Drying Nozzle

Nozzle Delivers Hollow Cone Spray Pattern of Uniform Particle Size

Provides increased nozzle life, along with improved product density and solubility

Hiperbaric’s 525 in-bulk machine processes twice the amount of beverage product per cycle than traditional in-pack HPP equipment.

In-Bulk HPP Juices Up Fresh Quality for French Firm

The world’s first commercial line for in-bulk high pressure processing represents a breakthrough technology that delivers increased output, cost savings, and sustainable value for Hermes Boissons.

Palamatic Screw Feeder

Screw Feeder Operates Without Degradation or Attrition of Materials

Comes in four standard models

Vac U Max Signature Series Vacuum Conveying System

Vacuum Conveying Systems Eliminate Dumping, Lifting, and Stair Climbing

Provide food processors with quick, easy solutions

Masterpack Sensor Spot Technology

MAP Technology Preserves Product Quality Inside Packaging

Protects products from contamination risks

The Baker-Bot ices a full rack of 480 cookies in about 40 to 45 minutes, averaging about six seconds a cookie at Noms Bake Shop.

Cobot Automates Icing Process

A collaborative robot takes on the repetitive task of icing gourmet cookies, delivering speed and efficiency while easing workers’ ergonomic discomfort.

Bete Electric Hydro Pulse Hygienic Spray Nozzle

Spray Nozzles Reduce Waste and Help Maintain Clean, Safe Environment

Uniform, repeatable coverage improves product quality

Mt C35 Advanced Line Washdown Checkweigher

Checkweigher for Harsh Environments

See it at PACK EXPO Connects! Mettler Toledo will showcase its C35 checkweigher designed for harsh environments. It supports speeds up to 250 packs/min and a weighing range from 25 g to 7 kg.

Ima Erca Efs L Fill Seal Machine

Fill-seal Unit Provides Highly Flexible, User-friendly Operations

Offers format flexibility and precision index positioning

More in Processing Equipment

Anue Geomembrane Cover

Covers Eliminate Odors in Food and Beverage Industry

Eliminates the need for chemicals or scrubber equipment

Upgraded Vision System

Silgan Equipment’s 51R84 vision system now features GigE cameras and Windows 10 Software, allowing the system to conduct 360-deg inspections of full-body shrink sleeve labeled products.

Eriez Easy To Clean Dsc Grate Magnet

Grate in Housing Magnet Is Easy to Clean

Eliminates spillage and leaking on process floor

Sausage Maker Bridges the Gap Between Tradition and Technology with Metal Detectors

State-of-the-art metal detectors help Longhini Sausage Company stay true to its old-world sausage-making techniques and brand heritage while ensuring the safety and quality of its products.

Acrison Model Bdf Feeder

Feeders Ensure Smooth, Gentle, Unrestricted Movement of Dry Solid Ingredients

Can be used with even the most difficult to handle materials

Spee Dee Gummy Filling System

Gummy Filling System Optimizes Operations

Multiple proprietary streaming mechanisms work together to achieve high-speed, accurate fills.

Dorner Clamping Module Adjustable Width

Clamping Module Option for Conveyors

Dorner is offering a clamping module on its FlexMove conveyor system that gives users the ability to hold back or pace products for accumulating applications.

Noosa Yoghurt switched to a TrueClean CIP’able valve from Central States Industrial to improve cleaning efficiency.

Cleaner, Efficient Technology at the Heart of Production

Clean in place is an important trend as pump and valve suppliers look to improve uptime for food and beverage producers. Smarter, more flexible products are also helping to meet product demands.

Spx Apv Blv1 Series Ball Valves

Ball Valves Provide Durability and Economy

Are intended for a variety hygienic and non-hygienic applications

Wipotec Hc Warehouse Catchweigher

Catchweigher Eliminates Need for Additional Strain Gauges

Incorporates predictive maintenance for reduced downtime

Douglas Machines Scale Parts Washer

Scale Parts Washers Process up to 10 Cycles per Hour

Are built for consistent washing, rinsing, and sanitizing

Gericke Dense Flow Phf Dry Material Conveying System

Pneumatic Conveying System Sets Material in 1 Continuous Layer

Provides safe, contactless, automated transport of flour, lactose, maltodextrin, and other materials