Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/887673
Produce Show Daily 6 5 Saturday, October 21, 2017 restricted infrastructure in these areas, maintaining a reliable flow of connectivi- ty is difficult. Yet, even if consistent cel- lular coverage is available, it's frequently cost prohibitive for farm monitoring. Similarly, alternate wireless devices that require batteries aren't practical because of high maintenance and replacement rates. This doesn't mean that your land can't embrace Internet of Things (IoT) technology. From irrigation and soil man- agement to optimizing horticulture and livestock yields, LoRa ® technology pro- vides farms and ranches an unprecedent- ed opportunity to improve operations. Establishing a LoRaWAN network allows farmers to connect to endpoints within a 10-mile radius to monitor ani- mals, barns, generators, feeders, soil con- tent, irrigation systems and waste water. In turn, farmers can make better deci- sions to optimize crop yields and response efficiency. LoRa's most enticing benefit, how- ever, is the diversity of equipment and objects it can monitor. From water use and feed systems to soil moisture and nutrient content, MultiTech devices work MultiTech Devices (Cont'd. from p. 1) to ensure a broad range of monitoring capabilities. By monitoring variables like an animal's activity and location to some- thing as specific as a building's tempera- ture, humidity and air quality, being con- nected to your assets and environment has never been easier or more fluid. The combination of its sensible price, impressive battery endurance and broad coverage of monitor points on your land makes LoRa an excellent choice for those struggling with network breadth and quality. It's a tool designed around a preventative maintenance philosophy. Because remote monitoring allows you to tackle potential issues before they mature into more expensive and serious situations, you're in control of your equipment, land, crops and livestock. Whether you're a farmer or a corpo- rate agribusiness, everyone wants to streamline operations by increasing effi- ciency and boosting their product yields. Just as important is tending to injured animals and workers quickly, which is easier via the precise monitoring meth- ods of LoRaWAN. For more information, go to www .multitech.com. company manufactures a patented twist tie dispensing system designed for con- sumer use in produce, bulk, bakery and meat departments. The company also produces a patented flag tie dispensing system designed to be used wherever a space to write a PLU or BIN number is needed. Twist-Ease systems are labor saving and simple to refill, with no spilled ties, creating a positive store experience that is clean, sanitary and organized. This year, Twist-Ease is launching an innovative new system called Click- N-Go, which offers customers a fresh and clean dispenser with every refill. Also new are the 4-inch flag ties that take up less space than traditional 6-inch flag ties. The original Twist-Ease system was designed by a produce manager who recognized the consumer desire for a reliable bag closure, but was tired of the mess and inconvenience of bulk ties. The new Click-N-Go system optimizes the original system by fitting more ties into a smaller footprint that consists of a metal mounting apparatus that is perma- nently affixed in the store. This new "prefilled disposable dispenser" will "click" into the mounting apparatus, providing a fresh and clean dispenser every refill. Twist-Ease's main target is grocery store chains across the United States, Canada and Australia. Customers are Twist-Ease (Cont'd. from p. 1) decision makers in produce, bulk foods, store chains and supply buyers. Twist Ties prevent unpaid products from spilling onto the floor as well as limiting checkout inaccuracies by keep- ing product together and preventing an apple from rolling off the edge of a scale. Twist ties protect retail customers from cross contamination threats by keeping the bag sealed tightly. The International Association of Food Protection has found yeast, mold, staph and coliforms living and growing on checkout conveyors. Twist ties also reduce customer "sampling" or "grazing" on product as they shop other depart- ments. Twist-Ease not only provides all the benefits of bulk twist ties, but they also save on labor. The Twist-Ease system holds 1,200 twist ties per pack, versus a cup that holds only 300-400 loose twist ties, greatly reducing time spent replen- ishing dispensers. It also eliminates loose twist ties spilling out of cups, because Twist-Ease twist ties are held together at the top, so only one is taken at a time. Over its 28-year history, Twist-Ease has been innovative in providing an increasing number of twist ties while reducing dispenser size. This innovation has resulted in the newly launched Click- N-Go system. For more information, stop by booth #3206, visit www.twistease.com or call 888.623.8390. DM: WestRock is very excited about PMA this year because we'll be sharing our booth with our VC partner Grupo Gondi, located in Mexico. PSD: What can those coming to your booth expect to learn about? What are you hoping to get out of the show? DM: WestRock is in booth #1952 and we'll be showcasing the breadth of our produce container solutions and how we can meet customers' needs, not only in the U.S. but up and down the continent. As growers buy more land or create part- nerships in Mexico, Central and South America, they are looking for a key source of corrugated materials that meet their needs for packing and shipping del- icate fruits and vegetables – sometimes for very long distances. Together, WestRock and our partner Grupo Gondi offer packaging solutions that many growers are looking for. PSD: Why is this tradeshow an important one for your company? DM: PMA is a key show for this impor- tant segment of the business. We meet off-the-floor with key customers who are exhibiting there, so it's an efficient way to see a lot of important people in one place. The show also gives us an opportunity to meet new potential customers and say hello to old friends. We're excited about this year's show in New Orleans. PSD: What are you looking forward to most about participating? WestRock (Cont'd. from p. 1) DM: We always enjoy seeing who is new to the show, and new trends pro- duce growers are bringing to market. Of course, we like to see how the prod- ucts are displayed and packaged. Trends such as single packs or conven- ience packs are really big now. All these items must get to markets and stores in safe and sanitary conditions – that's where corrugated is a real advan- tage over reusable plastic containers or RPCs. PSD: What are the hot topics you expect to be talking about and why? DM: We'll be talking to attendees about the extent of our services for growers with products that need to move long dis- tances, from Mexico into the U.S., for example. PSD: What's the latest buzz at the com- pany? What are you excited about? DM: Business has been very strong this year. We know we need to keep up with our growers' needs and desires for inno- vative technology to solve their business issues. For example, automation can help relieve some of the pressure grow- ers are having with labor. With our inhouse machine division, we have a unique position in the marketplace – meeting customers' needs for equipment that is cost efficient, and corrugated containers that exceed performance expectations. Learn more about WestRock's specialty produce corrugated containers at www.westrock.com/produce or stop by booth #1952. An interview with Bob Meek, Chief Executive Officer, Onions 52. PSD: First off, why the name change? BM: Simple answer: we have outgrown the old name. Being Utah Onions was fine while we were just that, Utah onions. Now that we have grower/partners in selected key states, we needed a new name to fit with the growth and the scope of the company. We thought about it and the new name says exactly what we want people to know: quality onions, 52 weeks a year. PSD: Who is Onions 52? BM: We've been Utah based since 1977, but we have operations and partners in Utah Onions is Now Onions 52 strategic key growing areas. We're fami- ly based with a heritage of pride in our products and our service. Those things are not going to change, ever. The same attention to detail and the same care that helped us grow into Onions 52 will not change. The care for our customers and understanding of our product, that's real- ly who we are. PSD: What exactly does Onions 52 do? BM: We do onions. We grow high qual- ity, yellow, red, white, sweet and organ- ic onions. That's our focus and our pas- sion. We provide onions year-round. Fifty-two weeks a year our trucks are rolling. We pride ourselves on quality, consistency and ease. While you find companies that provide thousands of goods all the time, we like to focus on one thing and do it the very best, so Onions 52 is just that: onions, 52 weeks a year! PSD: Apart from the actual onions, what's a point of pride for you about the company? BM: It is all about people. Our customers are friends of ours and we treat them right. It's also about our own people. From our growers and production team to our sales and accounting groups, we have some of the most dedicated people in the industry. Without all these people in all of our operations, we could not do what we do. PSD: Why do you think you're successful BM: That's a good question. It's never just one thing. There's per- sistence and some luck involved of course, but we never say no. We get onions delivered and the idea of say- ing no to a customer, well, that just isn't us. Instead, we find and offer solutions to our customers. Also, the fact that we do this 52 weeks a year sets us apart from the rest. There is never a week without onions for us. We offer a full line of onion products from 2,000 pound totes to two pound bags. There's also quality, year-round supply and reliability and ease, and … see, there's a lot that makes us successful. We love what we do; that sure helps. I think the customers feel that. For more information, go to www.onions52.com, call 801.773.0630, email bob@onions52.com or stop by booth #5829.