West Pak Avocado, Murrieta, Calif., has made changes to facilities to ensure it has the latest technology, while taking precautions for worker safety during the pandemic.
Many changes were focused on cold chain management systems, according to a news release. New cold docks, preconditioning rooms and redundancy in infrastructure and systems were key, according to a news release.
“Continuous improvement through innovation and integrated systems are core to operating safely, efficiently, and within safe increases in anticipated volume here at West Pak,” Trevor Newhouse, vice president of operations, said in the release. “Between effectively processing year-round fruit and anticipating increased capacity at the height of the California season, last fiscal year, we identified critical opportunities to address our facilities to accommodate such needs.”
The company reevaluated workflow, infrastructure and safety measures when the outbreak began in 2019. More hand washing and hygiene stations were added at West Pak facilities, as well as dividers on packing lines to enforce distancing and thermal detection cameras to take temperatures.
The company also made changes to increase efficiency, including adding shifts and automation, and updating equipment to reduce bottlenecks.
West Pak added online services with a data-driven platform to manage internal environmental needs and highlight the company’s performance in meeting grower and customer needs, according to the release.
“With the completion of our recent expansion, we are well-positioned not only to support our customer’s growth in the years ahead but also to ensure the health and safety of our workers,” CEO Mario Pacheco said in the release.
For more stories on the pandemic, see The Packer’s COVID-19 page.
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