News & Insights
Mike Berkshire presents at the 2024 AOCS Annual Meeting in Montreal
Mike Berkshire explores the synergies between hygienic design and sustainability at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Oil Chemists' Society.
The AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo brings together thousands of chemists, engineers, technologists, and researchers focused on the science and technology of fats, oils, proteins, surfactants, and related materials. Salas O’Brien’s Mike Berkshire is presenting Hygienic Design as an Aid to Sustainability Initiatives for the 2024 meeting in Montreal on April 28th.
Both hygienic design and sustainability are hot topics among producers and processors. Although the benefits of each are clear, the way they’re put into practice, monitored, and achieved are typically independent of each other. Sustainability efforts reflect a company’s goals and focus on specific outcomes, while hygienic design follows FSMA guidelines and fits into a company’s unique production processes. However, these two initiatives can support and enhance each other, becoming a force multiplier when they work together.
Mike Berkshire, PE, CPM, is a seasoned Lead Engineer, with over 20 years of experience in process design and project engineering. He has spearheaded multimillion-dollar efforts, contributing to significant design endeavors for large-scale and innovative facilities. His expertise spans various unit operations such as dewatering, drying, heat exchange, evaporation, membrane separation, reactions, pneumatic conveying, material transport and piping, bulk solids conveying, mixing, and more.
I’m excited to delve into intriguing concepts that are becoming increasingly critical to our best practices in the engineering world. I’m also looking forward to engaging with fellow attendees to deepen their understanding.Mike Berkshire, PE, CPMSenior Process Engineer, Associate Vice President, Salas O’Brien
About AOCS
The American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) is a prominent organization focused on the science and technology of fats, oils, proteins, surfactants, and related materials. Serving both industry and academia, AOCS advances the field through its publications, shared research, and rigorous technical standards. The society also facilitates a global network of professionals, providing a platform for collaboration and exchange of expertise, thus promoting innovation and quality across the sector.
About Salas O’Brien
Salas O’Brien is an engineering, commissioning, and technical services firm focused on advancing the human experience through the built environment. Our team is engineered for impact, helping clients achieve critical goals, advancing our team members through growth and opportunity, and operating at the center of important global issues including sustainability and decarbonization. We are a top firm as ranked by Engineering News-Record and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, and we have appeared for the past ten years on the Inc. 5000 list of North America’s fastest-growing private companies.
For more details or to set up an interview, please contact Stacy Lake, Director of Corporate Communications.
