News & Insights
REPORT: Future-ready food & beverage manufacturing
Salas O'Brien's latest report highlights how future-forward food and beverage manufacturers are modernizing operations to stay competitive and prepared for what's next.
The pace of change in food and beverage manufacturing is relentless. Old playbooks can’t keep up with shifting consumer demand, volatile ingredient prices, onshoring pressures, labor shortages, and ambitious sustainability targets.
Salas O’Brien’s multidisciplinary engineering teams work with some of the most forward-thinking manufacturers across North America. This report distills what’s working, what’s next, and how you can position your facilities for growth and resilience.
In this report
Address immediate pressures
- Packaging for higher throughput. Why right-sized lines beat high-speed bottlenecks. (p.2)
- Robotics to bridge the labor gap. What’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. (p.6)
Build your strategy
- Digitizing for real-time decisions. Turn sensors into savings with ERP and digital twins. (p.10)
- Fast-tracking onshoring expansion. How to overcome hold-ups before shovels hit the ground. (p.14)
- Cutting energy waste while chasing carbon goals. Upgrades that deliver ROI and sustainability. (p. 18)
Prevent costly risks
- Food safety in a clean-label world. Managing hazards when preservatives aren’t an option. (p. 22)
- Cybersecurity for operational technology. How plants can defend against rising cyber threats. (p. 26)
Get practical, plant-tested insights from engineers on the front lines and learn how you can position for what’s next
Khalil Abou-Arrage, P.Eng.
Khalil Abou-Arrage is a project leader and a mechanical engineer specializing in packaging and project management in the food and beverage industry. He has experience in manufacturing plants and managing multidisciplinary projects from start to finish, and helps clients tackle the challenges of a changing industry. Khalil serves as a senior vice president at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Sébastien Blais, P.Eng
Sébastien Blais is an automation and controls engineer who specializes
in project management and project engineering in packaging, process
and utilities for the brewery, food, and beverage industry.
Brent Cutler
Brent Cutler is a senior leader in the food and agricultural industries who
develops and inspires teams to achieve ambitious goals and applies
creativity and persistence to overcome complex challenges. He brings
expertise in R&D, operations, and process optimization and a broad
knowledge of global supply chains. Brent has guided organizations
through growth, transformation, and innovation to deliver safe, efficient,
high-quality products across the farm-to-fork journey.
Bryan Cousino PE, MBA
Bryan Cousino is a versatile professional with a focus on continuous
improvement in projects, processes, systems, and personnel
development. He is a hard working adaptable, articulate, and creative
team leader accustom to accomplishing goals while leading in a
multidisciplinary cross functional team environment. He has strong
general management qualifications including strategic planning,
manufacturing production scheduling, warehousing, budgeting,
finance, and capital improvement projects.
Henk DeRee
Henk DeRee is a highly skilled electrical automation lead known for his solution-oriented mindset and commitment to delivering high-quality projects alongside his team. With over three decades in his industry, he excels in PLC programs, HMI interfaces, documentation, control system design, field start-up, commissioning, and technical support. Henk serves as a Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected]
Mark Feie
Mark Feie is an expert in robot manufacturing and integration in the materials handling, packaging, and automation industries. He has created many industry standards for packaging and palletizing solutions and processes. Mark has specialized expertise in primary picking, secondary packing, and end-of-line palletizing for the CPG, pharmaceutical, and agricultural markets. Contact him at [email protected]
Mathieu Fleury, P.Eng
Mathieu is a process engineer with a diversified background in project,
production and maintenance management. He has a strong ability to
manage multidisciplinary projects in the field of building improvement,
packaging, process and utility, and he is able to consider the different
views of all groups involved in the project.
John Glenski, CPM
John Glenski is a leader in digital transformation in the industrial sector with a demonstrated history of providing data-driven outcomes for the world’s largest manufacturers. John works collaboratively with internal and external partners to deliver innovative solutions for smart manufacturing (automation, material handling, and data/information solutions) with a focus on sustainable applications. John serves as a Principal & Senior Director of Automation & Digital at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Julie Hoffherr, MBA, MIM
Julie Hoffherr is an experienced automation lead with eighteen years in industrial automation and controls, gaining the trust of clients in automotive, pharmaceutical, metal, chemical, and utility markets. Her responsibilities span project management, PLC programming, HMI application development, system installations, I/O checkout, commissioning, validation, and site support. Julie serves as a Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact her at [email protected]
Angie Howarth, CRL, TPM
Angie Howarth is an experienced business professional with 10+ years in performance and execution of a diverse range of engineering. As one of only 3,506 Certified Reliability Leaders globally, she applies both formal training and on-the-job manufacturing experience when working with clients. Angie currently serves as a Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact her at [email protected]
Rick Humphries, PE
Rick Humphries is an industry expert bridging the technical, operational, and financial components of energy infrastructure projects. With career experience working from all three perspectives, he is an invaluable resource to owners and project teams in a time of transitioning energy sources, systems, and strategies. Rick serves as a Senior Vice President and a Director of Development at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected]
Dave Jennings, PE, CISA
Dave Jennings is an industrial cybersecurity consultant who works closely with clients to improve and innovate their industrial controls systems (ICS). His main optimization areas of focus are: SCADA controls and visualization, ICS networking, cybersecurity, and data collection and reporting. Dave provides consulting and audits. He serves as an Associate Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Stéphane Larivière, ENG
Stéphane Larivière is a mechanical engineer with 30+ years of experience, specializing in packaging, project engineering, and project management within the food and beverage industry. He currently serves as a Project Manager at Salas O’Brien.[email protected]
Andrew Lee, PE
Andrew Lee has over 20 years of experience in serving key client relationships in industrial manufacturing, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, chemicals, metals, and consumer products. His expertise is at the intersection of commercial needs, technical expertise, and project management to deliver excellent results in a rapidly changing marketplace. Andrew serves as a Managing Principal at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Dennis McCullough, MS, CPP
Dennis McCullough is a highly respected leader in hygienic design with over 45 years of experience providing expert guidance to clients in a range of industries. From consumer products to food and beverage, pet care, cosmetics, and protein companies, Dennis has helped clients to develop innovative solutions for their manufacturing and processing facilities. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected]
Nancy Moorman
Nancy Moorman provides business development and account management services for consulting engineering in the engineering, control system integration and facility solutions in the Food and Beverage, Pharma, and Industrial industries.
Mike Moss
Mike Moss is a project manager who is passionate about facilitating
cross-functional collaboration between project stakeholders and
engineering teams within the industrial manufacturing industries. He is
adept at facilitating communication and delivering projects on time and
within budget. As a subject matter expert in information management
systems, Mike has succeeded in leading large-scale tooling and
production processes.
Marianna Palmour, WELL AP, LEED AP, ActiveScore AP, GRESB AP
Marianna Palmour is a leader in the field of ESG consulting. With her unwavering commitment to sustainability and profitability, she revolutionizes the way businesses approach their operations. By leveraging data-driven insights and scientific methodologies, Marianna empowers clients to harmonize their environmental and social responsibilities with their financial success. Marianna serves as a Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact her at [email protected].
Daniel Strohminger, PE
Daniel Strohminger is a seasoned expert in hygienic design, chemical process, and process engineering. With a portfolio that includes well-known producers of foods and beverages, infant products, and pet care, he brings extensive knowledge, experience, and practical solutions to his work. He serves as a Vice President at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Rock Voyer, P.Eng., M.Eng.
Rock Voyer spent the first part of his career providing multi-million-dollar project management and leading sustainable process initiatives at Molson Coors Canada reducing energy usage by 42% and water consumption by 45%. Deeply experienced in process, building infrastructure, utilities, energy savings, and product innovation, Rock now serves as a Senior Project Engineer for Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].