Sanitary control. Compliance built in.
Food and beverage manufacturing leaves no room for error. Batch inconsistency, a failed CFIA or FDA audit, or an allergen cross-contamination event can halt production, damage your brand, and cost far more than any automation investment. Lineside helps implement clean, sanitary control systems designed to eliminate those risks while improving throughput and reducing manual labour.
We understand the regulatory environment, the washdown requirements, and the operational realities of manufacturing. Our controls are engineered for compliance from the start, not patched in after the fact.
Ready to improve throughput without risking compliance? Talk to our team, no obligation.
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
Food manufacturers in Canada and the United States operate under a demanding web of regulations. Every automation system Lineside designs is aligned with these requirements so your control infrastructure supports your compliance program, not fights against it.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
Global Food Safety Initiative
Certification Scheme Compliance
Our designs can provide the data logging, recipe traceability, and audit trails that inspectors and certification bodies require, built into the HMI and SCADA layer, not added as an afterthought.
WHAT WE HEAR FROM F&B CLIENTS
Food ingredient manufacturers we work with consistently share these pain points.
Manual batch processes that introduce variability between production runs making it difficult to guarantee product consistency or meet customer specifications.
Regulatory audits (CFIA, FDA, HACCP) that expose gaps in traceability, documentation, and process controls creating costly corrective action requirements.
Allergen cross-contamination risk from inadequate recipe management, improper line changeover procedures, or insufficient CIP validation.
Legacy control systems that lack the data logging and electronic recordkeeping required for modern food safety certification schemes.
Washdown-related equipment failures from control panels or components that weren't specified for sanitary environments.
Significant manual labour in ingredient handling, dosing, and batch sequencing creating throughput bottlenecks and dependency on skilled operators.
WHY LINESIDE
We can implement systems that enforce batch parameters at the PLC level so operators can’t deviate from approved formulations. Every batch can be logged with time-stamps, ingredient weights, and process parameters.
We can implement CIP sequence logic that integrates directly with your cleaning management program ensuring validated cleaning cycles are executed consistently and documented automatically (according to your SOPs).
Our SCADA and HMI implementations can provide electronic batch records, operator login and access control, and exportable audit logs that satisfy HACCP and GFSI documentation requirements.
Our engineers listen carefully to your process before proposing a solution. We’re not pushing a product, we’re solving your specific throughput and compliance challenges.
TECHNOLOGY + PLATFORMS
We integrate with the equipment and software you’ve already invested in. No forced rip-and-replace.
OUR CAPABILITIES
We are able to help across the full food production process from raw ingredient intake through packaging, palletizing, and facility utilities.
We can help with the integration of:
Recipe control, bin level monitoring, weigh feeders and batching systems, real-time temperature monitoring, steam pressure control, valve sequencing, conveyor automation, and CIP integration for storage vessels and piping.
Mixer sequencing, viscosity monitoring, temperature profiling, batch automation with electronic batch records, recipe management with parameter lockouts, operator access control, and real-time process visualization.
Fill-level control, capping and sealing integration, vision inspection for container integrity and label verification, flow metering, conveyor speed matching, intrinsically safe design for applicable areas, and lot traceability.
Robot integration for pick-and-place and palletizing, conveyor and transfer systems, marking and vision systems for labelling compliance, date/lot code verification, automated reject handling, and end-of-line throughput optimization.
RECENT PROJECTS
Case study
Machine safety upgrade to Category 3 per CSA Z432
A risk assessment on an EDL 7140 Bundler identified multiple Category 1 deficiencies: door interlocks that did not fully disable hazardous motion, conveyors and solenoids that remained energized on E-stop, and heater outputs with no electromechanical isolation. Lineside engineered and commissioned a complete safety overhaul including a new AB Compact GuardLogix safety PLC, Omron force guided relays and contactors, a Ross pneumatic dump valve, and a 1,000 mm Omron light curtain, bringing the machine to full Category 3 compliance with CSA Z432 Clause 8.2.2.6.
Case study
Servo drive modernization + Ethernet/IP integration
End-of-life Control Techniques servo drives on a 7140 EDL Bundler were creating unplanned downtime and parts availability risk. Lineside replaced all 5 axes with Schneider Lexium 32 drives and motors, migrated motion logic to the existing Schneider PLC over Ethernet/IP, and delivered updated CAD and software within a planned 5-day production shutdown.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
A predictable engagement process so you know exactly what to expect at every stage.
Free consultation on your process + pain points.
Site walk-through, current-state documentation.
Scoped solution with budget + timeline.
P&IDs, panel drawings, code architecture.
FAT in our shop before anything ships.
Phased cutover during your scheduled downtime.
Commissioning + ongoing service contracts.
THE BUSINESS CASE
Automation in food manufacturing isn’t just about throughput. It’s the operational foundation that lets you scale, pursue new certifications, win new customers, and face audits without anxiety.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness through real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.
Paper-based batch records, full electronic traceability from intake to shipment.
Line changeovers with recipe-driven automation and CIP validation.
At any time with complete electronic logs and process documentation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
That’s exactly the kind of client we work well with. We’ll start with a discovery conversation about your current process, your biggest pain points, and your production goals. From there, we identify the highest-impact automation opportunities, often something like automated batching or recipe control, and scope a phased project that fits your budget and minimizes disruption. You don’t have to automate everything at once.
Recipe management at the PLC level means the system enforces the correct formulation for each production run including CIP validation steps before changeover to allergen-sensitive products (per your SOPs). We can design interlock logic that prevents production from starting until a validated CIP cycle is confirmed complete, and we log all changeover activities with timestamps for audit purposes.
Yes, we design to your specs and to your environment. Typical control panels for food environments use NEMA 4X stainless steel enclosures with sloped tops, waterproof cable entries, and washdown-rated components throughout. We can also optimize mounting heights, cable routing, and panel placement to minimize ingress risk during cleaning operations.
Almost certainly. We work with Ignition, FactoryTalk View, WinCC, and Wonderware for SCADA, and we have experience integrating with MES and ERP platforms via OPC-UA, SQL databases, and REST APIs. If you already have a system in place, we’ll connect to it. We won’t force you to replace what’s working.
We design the data capture and reporting requirements into the system specification up front, not as an add-on. This includes automated electronic batch records, operator action logs with timestamps, CIP cycle validation records, alarm and event logs, and exportable reports in formats your QA team can use. When the auditor walks in, your documentation is already there.
We plan every project around your production calendar. Typically, this means staging hardware work during scheduled maintenance shutdowns, pre-building and factory-testing panels before arriving on-site, and using a phased cutover approach so new systems come online progressively. Our goal is minimal production impact, and we’ve delivered on that consistently.
Tell us about your process and your compliance requirements. Our engineers will come back with a practical, budget-conscious plan, not a sales pitch.
1-888-845-7955 | [email protected] | 60 Ottawa St S, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3S7
