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P ro d u c e S h o w D a i l y 2 1 Th u r s d a y, J u n e 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 A&B PROUDLY PRESENTS THE 'MEDIUM PACK EVOLUTION' By Michael Williamson, President of Sales, A&B Packing Equipment Here at A&B Packing Equipment, we are very proud of a new addition to our "Evolution Weigh & Fill" family, the "Medium Pack Evolution!" The "Medium Pack Evolution" packing machine is mod- eled after our flagship machine, the "Blueberry Evolution," but has the ability to pack products up to 2 inches in diame- ter. With the same proven technology that has brought our blueberry customers suc- cess for years, the "Medium Pack Evolution" has a similar style to bring that speed, gentleness, accuracy and versatility to many different industries. Our gentle approach to packing has set us apart in the industry. The versatili- ty of the Medium Pack Evolution is sec- ond to none. With the ability to accurate- ly pack clamshells ranging from 4.4 ounces to 5 pounds, this Evolution can meet all of your packing needs. You can also quickly transform the Medium Pack into a bagging system with the addition of our roll in bagger unit. Simply roll out the clamshell conveyor and roll in the bagger, and you are ready to bag! Both our bagger and clamshell systems can be quickly transitioned from one size container to another as the need arises. The Medium Pack Evolution's strongest show of versatility comes in its ability to pack multi col- ored products, or different products completely, into a multiple compartment container. The "Medium Pack Evolution" boasts speeds of up to 100 containers per minute, and still maintains accuracy lev- els unrivaled in the industry. The special- ly designed feed system gives you full control of target weights, even without stopping the machine. With the speed and accuracies we offer, you stand to see huge savings in labor costs and time. When you join the A&B Packing family, not only do you get the fastest, most gentle and accurate pack equipment on earth, but you also gain access to our outstanding service department. We have a dedicated team of field service technicians that will be available for training and support while you are in your busiest season. We would like to give a special thanks to our customers from the Williamson fam- ily and the A&B team. We are committed to your success, as it has a direct effect on ours. We look forward to working togeth- er, side by side, to meet all of your pack- ing needs in the future. For more information, visit www.abpacking.com, call 269-539- 4700, email info@abpacking.com or stop by booth #640. DISCOVER WHAT SETS BANK OF THE WEST APART FROM THE COMPETITION An interview with Dean Cardoza, Senior Vice President and Area Manager, Agribusiness Division at Bank of the West. PSD: How's business? DC: For Bank of the West's Agribusiness division, business has been strong year in and year out. We are one of very few banks in the U.S. with a record of 28 con- secutive years of growth in our Ag port- folio. Many banks move in and out of Ag lending depending on the market. Our history at Bank of the West shows us to be a consistent, ongoing player in Ag for more than a quarter century. Our business has also benefited by having relationship managers who spe- cialize in each of the multiple Ag sectors we lend to. The economics of produce are totally different than the economics of orchards or vineyards, which are differ- ent than the economics of greenhouse farming. Understanding those distinct sector dynamics and the interplay among them has helped differentiate us from the competition. PSD: What is the most exciting opportu- nity ahead? DC: The world is becoming a more glob- al economy, and Ag is a big driver of that. Our Ag division is excited by the increas- ing focus and ability of Bank of the West, with our parent company BNP Paribas, to join forces and work across international borders. Our international reach creates a huge opportunity for us to assist clients and prospects in expanding outside of the U.S. to conduct business. Being able to interface and communicate with our BNPP counterparts across the 78 coun- tries where they operate helps us better serve our clients and prospects. We're able to provide a deeper understanding of what's required for them as they look to expand overseas or to engage in import- ing or exporting. PSD: What is the biggest challenge fac- ing clients today? DC: The Ag sector is currently very liq- uid, and most of our clients have had mul- tiple years of fairly good success and high market prices. The biggest challenge for many of them now is how to manage that liquidity going forward. How are they preparing for a down cycle? We're work- ing with them to help moderate some of the activity and expansion that they want to do relative to the fact that things look really great right now. The real risk at this point is that, when times are good, many farmers have a tendency to overleverage themselves, which creates a worse down- turn when times get bad. We spend a lot of time looking down road for future risks to help our clients avoid over leveraging themselves today. PSD: What's the best way to keep your competitive edge? DC: It is critical to stay engaged in the markets and commodities that clients are working in and trading. For us, that means communicating with clients and prospects not just locally, but globally. Information is key to the marketplace and to decisions being made daily. Bank of the West's Ag focus, in tandem with our connectivity to our international partners at BNPP, gives us access to information that can help offer clients value that goes well beyond just provid- ing capital. Being able to add value to the client bank relationship makes a dif- ference in developing long term, mutu- ally beneficial relationships. For more information, visit www.bankofthewest.com, call 916-552- 4356 or stop by booth #1462. CATANIA WORLDWIDE: A MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY Originally established in 1929 in Toronto, Ontario, by Michael Catania, M.L. Catania and its parent company Catania Worldwide has grown to encom- pass three countries and has become an importer of fruit from all over the world. Now owned by Michael's grandson Paul Catania, Catania Worldwide and its affiliated companies work to develop unique programs for a range of cus- tomers. Catania Worldwide customers range from local grocery chains such as Castellini's in Cincinnati and Longo's in Toronto, to national chains such as Walmart and Costco in the U.S. and Loblaw's, Sobey's and Metro in Canada. Vertically integrated and Global GAP certified in the U.S., Catania Worldwide's sales force works with each of its retail chains to provide quality produce in pack- aging that meets the consumer's needs. One example is a ripening program in Catania's Toronto warehouse that natural- ly ripens fruit using only heat and humid- ity to reach peak flavor. This fruit is then shipped promptly to provide consumers with fresh and ready-to-eat produce. Catania Worldwide also seeks out new, delicious fruit to provide consumers with new taste choices. Recently intro- duced by its California based company, Stellar Distributing, the tiger fig is gener- ating enormous interest from wholesalers who like its vivid green and yellow striped exterior and raspberry red interior that provides a sweet flavor. The Catania group of companies has become vertically integrated, growing, packing, shipping and distributing figs, kiwi and limes from its own sources in California and Mexico. Working on new import programs has been one of the key business development tools utilized by Paul Catania to grow his organization. Paul Catania recently returned from a trip to his Mexican company to oversee a fig import program that currently sup- plies Black Mission figs from Mexico into the Canadian market. Combined with a U.S. fig program, Catania Worldwide now offers fresh figs year round in the Canadian market. Catania Worldwide also hopes to have approval from the USDA during the coming year to start a similar program into the U.S. through Stellar Distributing. After 85 years, Michael Catania's legacy is still going strong. Learn more at www.catania worldwide.com, call 416-236-9394 or email info@cataniaworldwide.com. ISHIDA WEIGHER BUILT FOR IP69K WASHDOWNS Ishida RV weighers stand up to the most aggressive sanitation. Self-draining sur- faces eliminate bacteria traps. Washdown ratings of IP66, IP67 and IP69K make RV weighers are the industry's most waterproof. Fully welded product contact parts are available for highly sanitary applications. Improved product feeders and electronics make it 15 percent faster than previous models. Ishida's unique Auto Setup feature speeds changeovers and reduces operator error. It automati- cally recommends the optimal operat- ing settings based on only five key product and performance parame- ters. Wireless access is available for Android tablet computers and smart- phones so you can remotely operate the weigher, adjust feeders and review sta- tistics. Diagnostics can be performed by wire or wireless to reduce the need for in-plant service calls. RV weighers are built for a green future. Three energy-efficient power modes reduce hopper drive amperage by as much as 50 percent over previous models. Manufactured to comply with Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) guidelines, RV weighers use no mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromi- um or other toxic substances. All cir- cuit boards have a lead-free finish and all seals and gaskets are made with FDA-approved materials to promote food safety. Ishida builds weighers for all appli- cations and price ranges. For details and an Ishida demonstra- tion, contact Heat and Control at 800- 227-5980 or info@heatandcontrol.com.