After being carefully set in a line, when a single domino is knocked over into the next, the entire line will fall. Similar to the cascading effect of falling dominos, changes within the front-end of beverage operations often will cascade through the manufacturing facility all the way to the end-of-line operations, even to case packing and wrapping.

All beverage operations, regardless of segment, are challenged by machinery and equipment repair or replacement issues for processing and production equipment, packaging machinery, and distribution vehicles.

If you want to get David McNamer energized, start talking about customer service. The manufacturing manager for G.C. Evans, a manufacturer of cooling, heating and pasteurizing equipment, notes that although customer service was a key part of the company’s business model, it had experienced challenges as its relationships with major bottlers had deteriorated, largely due to inattentive customer service.

Douglas Machine Inc. integrated its Vectra cartoner with dual Fanuc M-3iA Delta robots to reduce the time and number of parts required for changeover.

Davidson’s Organics, Sparks, Nev., announced it is expanding its private-label beverage program because of popular demand. The program, which offers custom tea bags, bulk teas and iced teas, now will offer wider capabilities through the company’s investment in new machinery as well as its NSF International certification.

Attendees at drinktec 2013, Sept. 16-20, Munich, will have the chance to learn about innovative solutions affecting the beverage market.

Vacuum Barrier Corp. added the new MiniDose to its Nitrodose liquid nitrogen injection line.

Charles Ross & Son Co. introduced a new multi-purpose laboratory mixer, the HSM-100LCI-T. Made of Type 316 stainless steel wetter parts polished to a 150-grit finish, the table-top unit features a dust- and fluid-spray-resistant enclosure, color touch-screen controls that display speed, percent of load, batch time and temperature, and an electronic push-button lift.

CMC-Kuhnke Inc. extended its line of can measurement and rating stations (MARS) with its new MARS-ENR.

ProMat 2013, which took place Jan. 21-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago, gave attendees an inside look at some of the newest supply chain solutions provided by material handling and logistics equipment manufacturers.