GA Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) Georgia Tech

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Menu
  • Who We Are
    • About the GaMEP IconAbout Us
      Learn more about GaMEP
    • GaMEP Purpose IconGaMEP Purpose
      Discover how GaMEP can help you advance your manufacturing goals
    • Multiple-people-3Meet the GaMEP Team
      Get to know the team that helps more than 1,000 manufacturers succeed each year
    • Close
  • What We Do
    • Southeast Energy Management Program IconLeadership Development
      Give your new and existing leaders the tools to succeed
    • Business Growth IconStrategic Growth
      Identify and develop new business opportunities
    • Technology Services by GaMEP IconTechnology
      Integrate technology to grow your competitiveness and gain new business
    • Lean and Process Improvement Services by GaMEP IconLean and Process Improvement
      Reduce waste and improve productivity, allowing you to take on new business
    • Quality Services by GaMEP IconQuality
      Enhance the quality of your products and increase customer satisfaction
    • Energy Services by GaMEP IconEnergy
      Generate energy cost savings at your facility
    • Environmental Services by GaMEP IconEnvironmental
      Improve your environmental footprint and increase profitability
    • Close
  • How We Work
    • Onsite Implementation Services by GaMEP IconOnsite & Virtual Implementation
      Implement cost savings and business growth solutions throughout your plant
    • Training Services by GaMEP IconTraining
      Learn about GaMEP's open-enrollment courses
    • Magnifying Glass IconIndustry Focus Areas
      GaMEP's offers industry-specific initiatives and expertise for food and automotive manufacturing
    • Events by GaMEP IconEvents
      Find events throughout Georgia
    • Peer-to-peer Learning by GaMEP IconPeer-to-Peer Learning
      Join the Advanced Manufacturing Consortium or the CEO Forum and benchmark with other manufacturers
    • Connection to Georgia Tech IconConnection to Georgia Tech Resources
      Uniting manufacturers with GaMEP at Georgia Tech Connections
    • Close
  • How We Make A Difference
    • GaMEP Success Stories IconSuccess Stories
      Discover the positive impact GaMEP has made on Georgia manufacturers
    • GaMEP Statewide Impact IconStatewide Impact
      Learn how GaMEP's reach extends throughout the state
    • Champion of Manufacturing IconChampion for Manufacturing
      See how GaMEP serves as a voice to and for manufacturing in Georgia
    • Economic Development IconEconomic Development
      Understand how GaMEP's close ties to the manufacturing community promote Georgia's economic growth
    • dashboardGeorgia Manufacturing Data Dashboard
      See a a snapshot of how the state's economy is performing in the manufacturing sector
    • Coronavirus IconCoronavirus Resources
      Find COVID-19 information and resources
    • Close
  • Connect with Us
    • GaMEP Regional Locations IconRegional Locations
      Contact your local region manager
    • Read the GaMEP Blog IconRead Our Blog
      Stay up-to-date on the latest information for manufacturers
    • Sign-up for the GaMEP Newsletter IconSign up for Manufacturing Connect!
      Sign-up to receive GaMEP's newsletter, "Manufacturing Connect"
    • Contact the GaMEP IconContact Us
      Get in touch with GaMEP
    • Close

Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership Launches Outreach Initiative for Food Processing Manufacturers

August 28, 2017 By

Damon Nix, senior project manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, discusses ergonomic solutions for lifting bags of malt with Bobby Epperson, operations training and safety manager at Terrapin Brewery in Athens, Georgia.
Damon Nix (left), senior project manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, discusses ergonomic solutions for lifting bags of malt with Bobby Epperson, operations training and safety manager at Terrapin Brewery in Athens, Georgia.

ATLANTA (Aug. 28, 2017) — Georgia is a one of the nation’s leading agriculture states, with the industry contributing about $74.9 billion to the state economy each year.

A related sector — food processing — is a strong and growing component of the Georgia economy, and accounts for $11 billion to $12 billion each year of the state’s gross domestic product. Food processing also employs 69,000 across the state, with 10,000 of those jobs being created since 2010, according to Georgia Power’s 2016 Food Processing Industry Report.

It’s that strength in food processing, which comprises the largest segment of Georgia’s manufacturing sector, that led to the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership’s (GaMEP) new initiative focused on those manufacturers’ unique needs.

GaMEP, a federally funded economic development program at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, works with manufacturers across Georgia to help them remain viable and economically competitive.

“Food processing comprises many different products and sizes of manufacturers and it is important to assure their viability and growth,” said GaMEP Director Karen Fite. “This effort is in recognition of where the growth is occurring in the manufacturing sector and we want to make sure we’re applying our resources and expertise, as well as cutting edge research coming out of Georgia Tech, that can help our manufacturers.”

Damon C. Nix, GaMEP’s senior project manager, is leading the food manufacturing programming, which includes coaching, analysis, and consulting in:

  • Food Safety
    • Compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements.
    • Management system implementation and audit team support.
  • Energy Management
    • Energy assessments to identify cost reduction and performance improvement opportunities.
    • Companies with fewer than 500 employees at a plant site may qualify for a free energy assessment through Georgia Tech’s Industrial Assessment Center program.
  • Environmental Services
    • Environmental compliance services and management system (ISO 14001) support.
    • Environmental Protection Agency P2 grant-funded projects that support pollution prevention through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and hazardous materials generation.
  • Worker Safety and Health
    • Implement lean/process improvement approaches to safety problem solving.
    • Partner with the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Food Processing Technology Division to support Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules compliance, applied research, and technology solutions.
  • Workforce Development
    • Operational Leader and Frontline Supervisor Training.

“Georgia’s food processing GDP ranks it sixth in the country and we rank sixth in employment,” Nix said, noting the state has roughly 680 food processing manufacturers, including the 127 that either relocated to Georgia or built new facilities here since 2010.

“The GaMEP has created significant results serving manufacturers overall,” Nix said. “We want to continue that momentum in food processing. Georgia’s manufacturing industry remains competitive and continues to grow because the food processing industry is expanding. We want food processors to know that the GaMEP is a resource to support their continued growth.”

Related posts:

  1. GaMEP at Georgia Tech awarded grant for food safety modernization program
  2. GaMEP Taps Wendy White to Lead Statewide Efforts in Food Safety Program
  3. Wendy White Discusses the Importance of Effective Environmental Monitoring Programs to Combat Food Contamination
  4. How Food Supply Issues May Affect Your Thanksgiving Table

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Food Industry, News

Copyright © 2023 · Georgia Tech - Enterprise Innovation Institute