The first high pressure processing (HPP) system to be manufactured in the United States, a model QFP-350L 600, is up and running at Hope Fresh in Louisville, Colo. Hope Fresh, the first and only certified toll processor in the Rocky Mountain region, is Avure Technologies' certified tolling partner.
The 350L machine was the first unit to be completed at Avure's new manufacturing facility in Middletown, Ohio, in late September. It joins an Avure 100L system installed at the 58,000-square-foot Hope Fresh tolling operation in mid-May.
"We are delighted to have the distinction of owning the first American-made HPP system," comments Robbie Rech, president of Hope Fresh parent company Hope Foods. "The question of origin comes up frequently in food production, and it's great to be able to interject that consideration in other aspects of the business. We value this opportunity to support domestic industry."
Along with boosting capacity-a need that emerged shortly after Hope Fresh opened its doors-the Avure 350L HPP system provides "the assurance of redundancy that makes food processors more comfortable," Rech adds.
According to Matt Rutherford, Avure senior vice president of business development and global sales, the company's decision to establish a North American manufacturing operation was made last year as "a key step in building the global infrastructure to support the rapidly expanding HPP market." The Middletown, Ohio, site was selected for its robust industrial infrastructure and access to materials expertise.
