Briefs: Ecolab, Graham Packaging and ceremonious cheeses
hygiene, Graham Packaging targets dairy demand in Turkey, and UK
cheese manufacturers get into the Christmas spirit.
Ecolab focus on dairy safety Safety and hygiene group Ecolab has expanded its presence in dairy production with the acquisition of the Irish dairy hygiene business from Novartis Animal Health in the country.
The acquisition of the operations, which boasts sales of about $3m a year, will become part of Ecolab's existing food and beverage operations in the country.
Turkish expansion for Graham Packaging Graham Packaging has announced an expansion of its operations in Turkey to tap growing demand for polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in the country's dairy and personal care industries.
The opening of the two-story 4000 square meter plant, situated in Tuzla, will allow the packager a more modern production base, while also bringing the company closer to its customers on the Turkish market.
Ashok Sudan, group executive vice president for the global food and beverage markets said the move reflected the growing significance of dairy markets in the country.
"This investment in this plant is a tangible indication of Graham Packaging's commitment to the rapidly developing Turkish market and will serve as a base for growth in the overall Euro-Asian region," Sudan stated.
Along with producing bottles for the yoghurts and personal care market, the US-based packager also has operations for soft-drinks as well.
The Ceremony of Christmas Cheeses Its hard cheese, soft and even cream varieties for a number of UK pensioners this week, as the country's leading manufacturers have joined forces to show their admiration for a group war veterans.
Manufacturers have donated 200kg to this year's Dairy Council annual Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses to be presented to live in veterans at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, London.
According to the council, the ceremony, now in its fiftieth year, is not simply cheesy sentiment.
They claim it dates back to 1692, when the very same hospital asked a local cheese monger to supply pensioners with a cheese for Christmas.
However, the ceremony is not just about goodwill to all men, according to the Dairy Council's Judith Bryans, with cheese offering a vital dietry benefits to pensioners.
"Cheese is a nutrient dense food which provides many vitamins and minerals important for good health," she stated.
"It can also help guard against dental decay, as eating a piece of cheese after a meal helps to remineralise tooth enamel."