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As the demand for processed foods continues to grow, manufacturers feel the strain, and so does their equipment. As a result, ancillary equipment like HVACs and ventilation systems must keep up, too. However, many food processors run into issues here regarding climate control and air quality. Talking about how facilities can mitigate these risks, Polygon’s Nick Kline, director of client development, and Mart Wicker, business development specialist, joined Ideal Conditions host Tyler Kern.

The US food industry is a giant, complex machine. Products start on farms and end on tables. But what happens in between those two points varies greatly. Crops are broken into powders and combined with other ingredients to make the millions of different products that we find in restaurants and grocery stores. Animal products go through processing facilities to ensure safety for the consumer. During processing, whether ingredients are taking powder form or simply being packaged, it’s important that humidity is controlled.

Avocados don’t grow in Maine. But residents and visitors in Portland, Maine can still take a seat at Scratch Toast Bar and enjoy a delicious avocado toast. How? Logistics companies. More specifically, cold chain logistics companies. When it comes to transporting fresh ingredients, frozen foods, medicine, and other goods that need to be temperature-controlled, 3rd-Party Logistic companies, or 3PLs, help move goods from where they are manufactured or grown to wherever they need to be for use or consumption. The cold chain connects the country and single-handedly creates new possibilities for different communities.

In 2013, The Washington Post covered the story of a federal poultry inspector in New York who died 5 years into his job when his lungs bled out. This tragic story caught the attention of federal investigators and the poultry industry, forcing them to look at the dangers that come with using toxic chemicals in order to remove contaminants from the processing line. Since then, the demand for chicken and turkey in the United States has only increased, leading to processing plants depending more heavily on these dangerous chemicals. While these chemicals do keep the food products safe, they must also be monitored in order to protect the people working to put food on our tables.

Outdoor temperatures can create humidity problems indoors, creating condensation, icing or equipment malfunction. All of these situations can impact production and cause delays. A rental solution to temporarily manage the climate and reduce humidity could be the answer. To help with humidity problems in a food processing or production facility, Polygon offers rental equipment, available 24/7.