The OpX Leadership Network, convened by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, recognizes the manufacturing plants honored during the third annual Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards. Snyders-Lance Inc. and Smithfield Foods received first place honors at the awards presentation on April 5, 2017, during ProFood Tech in Chicago.

The peer-reviewed awards, presented by the OpX Leadership Network and ProFood World, recognize facilities for projects or programs that improve sustainability efforts in food, beverage or consumer product manufacturing operations, focusing on pollution prevention, compliance assurance and environmental protection.

The award-winning companies’ diverse projects and programs include:

Projects Category

• First Place: Snyder's-Lance Inc. – Peeler Water Reclamation
• Second Place: Pepperidge Farm – Fuel Cell Power Generation
• Third Place: Keystone Foods LLC – Solving First Week Mortality Increase After Going Antibiotic Free

Programs Category

• First Place: Smithfield Foods – Aluminum Chloride Reduction Plan
• Second Place: Smithfield Foods – Ham Formulation
• Third Place: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – CO2 Recovery

“We are proud to honor these companies and their dedication to environmental sustainability,” says Steve Schlegel, co-managing director, OpX Leadership Network. “It’s inspiring to see the quality of these innovations and we look forward to witnessing further improvements to sustainability in food, beverage and consumer products operations next year.”

The OpX Leadership Network was founded by PMMI in 2011 to bring consumer packaged goods companies and original equipment manufacturers together to identify and solve the industry’s common operational challenges.  

Award winner case study videos and award submissions will be posted to the OpX Leadership Network website. To learn more about the OpX Leadership Network and future industry events, visit OpXLeadershipNetwork.org.