HAYWARD, Calif. — Columbus Foods, the venerable San Francisco Bay Area maker of premium specialty meats, is raising the bar in food safety technology with a $7 million investment in a reconfigured ammonia refrigeration system at its South San Francisco facility. The advancements, which exceed current EPA Clean Air Act standards, provide increased safety for employees and the community surrounding its 467 Forbes Blvd plant.
The system features state-of-the-art hardware and controls technology, safeguards including secondary containment and an air scrubbing system, and a complex sequence for leak detection, alarm and notification. To further ensure control of the ammonia gases, the refrigeration system and ammonia charge will be fully contained in an enclosed building.
“For more than 90 years, we’ve been committed to our employees’ safety and invested in improving the conditions they work in,” CEO Tim Fallon said. “The new ammonia refrigeration system puts Columbus at the forefront of innovative manufacturing safety technologies.”
The Forbes facility, which has been operational since 1967, acts as Columbus’ primary manufacturing plant where it handcrafts its full collection of traditional and artisan salumi and suite of premium deli meats. In 2012, it’s expected to produce approximately 22 million pounds of specialty meats. The facility operates five to seven days a week based on demand, and employs up to 150 people.
Two incidents at the facility in 2009 prompted an EPA investigation which found the plant to be in violation of regulatory requirements for process safety management under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act. Columbus fully cooperated with the investigators and has made system improvements surpassing the EPA’s recommended standards. The company will also pay a $685,446 penalty as detailed in the consent decree made public today.
About Columbus Foods
Founded by Italian immigrants in 1917, Columbus Foods is a venerable San Francisco Bay Area institution bringing its passion for food and commitment to authentic Italian culinary traditions to life. Old World family recipes inspire the most extensive hand-crafted collection of Italian-style dry cured salame and a rich assortment of premium deli meats that are marketed under the Columbus brand. Its products are available at specialty food stores and supermarkets nationwide. For more information, visit www.columbussalame.com.
About Endeavour Capital
Columbus Foods is owned in part by Endeavour Capital which, in 2006, acquired a majority interest in the company through a recapitalization initiative. Founded in 1991, Endeavour is a local source of capital and long-term partnership to leading companies in the Western United States. Today, Endeavour is investing its fifth equity fund ($475 million) and has offices in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. In addition to its geographic focus, Endeavour targets companies in five primary industry areas, including: food and consumer, transportation and logistics, education and training, niche manufacturing and business services.
Source: Columbus Foods
