Bettcher donates thousands to food processing technology building

Bettcher Industries is the parent company of Gainco, manufacturer of weighing, sizing, sorting and distribution equipment for meat and poultry processing plants.  Bettcher Industries is the first company to donate to the US$3 mln fund-raising campaign that will add 10,000 square feet of laboratory and office space devoted to human factors, food safety and bioprocessing research.

Commenting on the donation, , stated, “We are pleased to support the continuing research and development efforts of GTRI. They make a strong contribution to R&D activities in the food processing industry. Their pioneering work has made it easier for companies like ours to develop and commercialise better systems and machinery for the benefit of our customers,” said company president Larry Bettcher.

Opened in 2005, the Food Processing Technology Building has positioned itself as a world-class research centre for collaborative food processing technology development, academic research and public interaction. The existing 35,000-square-foot facility houses laboratory and office space for R&D in the fields of automation technology, information technology and environmental systems, in addition to meeting and educational facilities. The US$8 mln facility, which was funded by a mix of state, corporate and industrial dollars, serves as headquarters for GTRI’s Food Processing Technology Division.