By Grant Peagler National Business Development Manager at Siemens

Food and beverage manufacturers are under more pressure than ever to operate safely, reliably, and efficiently, often with aging infrastructure and fewer experienced resources. Downtime is costly, safety expectations are rising, and compliance requirements are becoming more demanding. Yet electrical distribution systems, which quietly support every process in the plant, are often still maintained using methods that haven’t fundamentally changed in decades.

What’s becoming clear across the industry is that electrical systems can no longer be treated as passive assets. They are active contributors to uptime, safety, and operational risk. As standards like NFPA 70B evolve and production demands increase, food and beverage leaders are rethinking how electrical maintenance fits into their broader operational strategy.

The Industry Is Facing a Set of Common Challenges

Across food and beverage facilities, whether large multi-site producers or single-plant operations, the same challenges come up again and again.

1. Limited Visibility into Electrical Health

Most electrical failures don’t happen without warning. Connections heat up, environmental conditions change, and components slowly degrade over time. The problem is that traditional maintenance approaches rely on periodic inspections that provide only snapshots. Between those inspections, conditions can change significantly without anyone knowing.

Without continuous visibility, teams are forced to react to symptoms rather than address causes. This reactive posture increases the likelihood of unplanned outages, safety events, and rushed decision-making.

2. Maintenance Teams Are Already Overextended

Food and beverage plants are feeling the impact of skilled labor shortages. Experienced electricians are harder to find, and existing teams are being asked to cover more assets with less time. At the same time, documentation and compliance expectations are increasing.

Every manual inspection, follow-up measurement, and subjective judgment adds to the burden. When maintenance programs depend heavily on people remembering what to check and when to check it, consistency becomes difficult to sustain.

3. Compliance Expectations Are Rising

NFPA 70B has made it clear that condition-based maintenance is no longer optional; it’s the preferred approach. This shift requires more than good intentions. It requires objective evidence that equipment has been evaluated, that risks are understood, and that maintenance decisions are based on actual condition rather than assumptions.

For many organizations, this creates anxiety. The standard isn’t just asking what you did, but why you did it, and whether you can prove it.

4. Safety, Reliability, and Operations Are Still Siloed

In many plants, safety programs, reliability initiatives, and operational goals are managed separately. Each group may be doing good work, but when information isn’t shared, opportunities are missed. Hazardous conditions may be identified late, reliability risks may go unaddressed, and maintenance work may be prioritized based on urgency rather than impact.

The industry is recognizing that these disciplines are deeply connected. Identifying hazardous conditions early isn’t just a safety issue, it’s a reliability and uptime issue as well.

5. Electrical Systems Are Often Left Out of Digital Strategy

Most food and beverage organizations have invested heavily in digital tools for production, quality, and supply chain visibility. Electrical distribution systems, however, are frequently left out of this transformation.

When electrical assets remain “dark,” they can’t contribute to better planning, risk reduction, or long-term lifecycle decisions. This disconnect limits the effectiveness of broader digital initiatives.

How Leading Organizations Are Responding

Forward-looking food and beverage manufacturers are addressing these challenges by changing how they think about electrical maintenance, not by adding more work, but by reducing uncertainty.

Turning Visibility into a Baseline, Not an Exception

Rather than relying solely on periodic inspections, organizations are adopting approaches that provide continuous awareness of electrical conditions. This allows hazardous conditions to be identified early, long before they escalate into failures or safety incidents.

The goal isn’t more data for its own sake; it’s fewer surprises and better decisions.

Reducing the Burden on Maintenance Teams

Digital condition awareness shifts the burden from people to systems. When equipment condition is monitored continuously, maintenance teams spend less time chasing potential issues and more time addressing confirmed risks.

This approach supports consistency even when staffing is limited and helps ensure that critical issues don’t depend solely on individual experience.

Making Compliance Evidence a Byproduct of Operations

Instead of treating compliance documentation as a separate task, leading organizations are embedding it into everyday operations. Continuous condition records create a natural audit trail that supports NFPA 70B expectations without adding layers of paperwork.

Maintenance decisions become easier to justify because they’re grounded in observable behavior rather than assumptions.

Aligning Safety, Reliability, and Uptime

When hazardous conditions are identified early, safety and reliability objectives naturally align. Work can be planned more deliberately, risks can be prioritized more accurately, and unplanned downtime becomes less frequent.

This alignment strengthens trust between operations, maintenance, and safety teams—and supports better outcomes across the board.

Bringing Electrical Assets into the Digital Conversation

Treating electrical distribution as an intelligent platform rather than static infrastructure allows it to participate in broader digital strategies. Condition insight supports lifecycle planning, capital decisions, and long-term reliability improvements.

It also elevates electrical systems from a background concern to a strategic asset.

Looking Ahead

The food and beverage industry is moving toward a future in which electrical maintenance is proactive, data-informed, and integrated into the overall operational strategy. This shift isn’t about adopting a specific product; it’s about embracing visibility, accountability, and foresight.

Solutions like Siemens Sm@rtGear™ IE reflect this broader industry direction by enabling continuous condition awareness directly at the switchgear level. More importantly, they demonstrate how electrical systems can support safer work, stronger reliability, and more confident decision-making

As expectations continue to rise, organizations that rethink electrical maintenance today will be better positioned to operate safely, reliably, and competitively tomorrow.

By Luca Menassi, General Manager – Asia

For today’s confectionery manufacturers, crafting a confectionery masterpiece means blending precise innovative production technology with bold creativity. Manufacturers are reimagining jellies, gummies, marshmallows and liquorice through advanced processing systems that deliver consistent quality while enabling rapid innovation. From high-efficiency cooking and continuous depositing lines to smart, data-driven quality control, the modern factory floor is built for both reliability and experimentation.

As consumer expectations shift, production teams are incorporating plant-based gels, functional ingredients, reduced-sugar formulations and exotic flavour pairings all without compromising texture or repeatability. Seasonal micro-batches, personalised shapes and premium finishes are becoming standard, powered by flexible automation and modular equipment.

At TNA Solutions, we are proven in consistently delivering the results a new generation of confectionery systems that is crafted with precision, inspired by global innovative trends, and engineered to delight every batch, every season, every time.

Confectionery production can, at times, feel as much like composing a symphony as it does like orchestrating high-intensity operations. On one hand are the familiar notes of classic gummies, marshmallows, and liquorice, whose repeatability consumers expect. On the other hand, there are the improvisations: new plant-based recipes, textural innovations, exotic flavour trends, and health-conscious functional gummies designed for wellness, emerging from a proactive approach to well-being. Consumers are redefining their gummy consumption as more conscious, with people buying only what they need, understanding the cleaner and greener ingredients derived from natural products.

Today’s consumers want the best of both worlds: the familiar, dependable taste of their favourite jellies, gummies, marshmallows and liquorice, along with

exciting new twists in the form of everything from plant-based and fortified varieties to seasonal creations and premium, indulgent flavours.

Reflecting on 2025

Confectionery in 2025 has been defined by the intersection of technical precision, consumer-driven flexibility, and manufacturing innovation. As demand shifts more toward plant-based, functional, clean-label and sensorially rich products, success has depended on the ability to optimise processes, adopt new technologies and maintain quality across increasingly complex product portfolios.

Manufacturers that invest in agile systems, smarter automation and advanced ingredient solutions will be best positioned to compose the next generation of confectionery masterpieces.

And the pressure to deliver these masterpieces is growing. The global confectionery market was valued at $225 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.6 per cent between 2025 and 2029. Sugar-free products are at the forefront of change, already accounting for 35 per cent of all new product launches in 2024.

Yet this growth has been tempered by volatility, with cocoa prices at record highs putting significant pressure on chocolate margins. For producers heavily dependent on chocolate, the cocoa shock was a defining feature of 2025. For manufacturers in the jelly, gummy and marshmallow categories, it created space to consolidate growth and demonstrate resilience.

Within the broader market of sugar confectionery, jellies and gummies stand out as a primary growth engine. The segment was valued at $38.18 billion in 2024 and is projected to achieve a CAGR of 3.8 per cent through to 2030. North America holds the largest share, with gummies becoming a popular delivery format for functional and nutraceutical products. Europe remains a stronghold for sugar-free and vegan confectionery, alongside a long-established pick-and-mix culture. Asia-Pacific continues to be the fastest-growing region, with annual growth rates of up to 12.9 per

cent, fuelled by rising disposable incomes, rapid urbanisation and an increasingly health-aware consumer base.

Consumer expectations drove much of this momentum. Plant based formulations moved into high performance territory, functional and fortified wellness gummies gained market share and consumers sought transparency and clean labels.

Indulgence retained its place in the composition, with berry flavours, hybrid textures, tropical blends and centre-filled or multi -layered textures providing variety and novelty. Innovation in format and texture became as important as flavour, with freeze-dried gummies and crunchy clusters adding new dimensions to the sensory experience.

As ever, convenience also played its role, with gummies and jellies thriving as portable, on-the-go treats, supported by seasonal tie-ins and brand collaborations that kept ranges vibrant and engaging.

The challenge for confectionery manufacturers lay in keeping the rhythm steady while improvising where needed. Efficiency remained critical as rising input costs and energy prices squeezed margins. Flexibility became indispensable, with short-run lines, seasonal SKUs and flavour rotations all requiring rapid changeovers and minimal downtime. Sustainability pressures continued to mount, with starch containment, reduced energy and water use, and recyclable packaging formats all on the agenda.

Ready for 2026

At TNA Solutions, these priorities come together in the way we support our customers. The tna mogul provides precision starch moulding for gummies, jellies, marshmallows, fondants , crème centres, liquorice and centre-in-shell gummies, combining the repeatability needed for established classics with the flexibility to create innovative new designs. Depositing systems allow fast format changes, supporting limited-edition runs and multi-layered products.

The tna robag^® with auto-splice delivers high-speed bagging with minimal film waste, while the tna ropac^® 5 enables efficient case-packing for small formats

that reflect the rise in portion-controlled packs. Together, these systems create an integrated confectionery processing line that ensures every part of the production process plays in tune.

And as we enter 2026, confectionery will be about balancing comfort with curiosity, delivering the repeatability consumers trust while surprising them with bold new experiences. Functional and nutraceutical confectionery is expected to expand further, moving from niche to mainstream. Plant-based alternatives will grow in scale, even as producers continue to grapple with cost and textural challenges. Premium and seasonal lines will proliferate, increasing pressure on lines to manage rapid changeovers and shorter runs.

This may seem like more of the same from the past 12 months, but there is one critical new ingredient: regulation. The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and its ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging will take practical effect in August 2026. In the United States, new traceability requirements under FSMA 204 will also apply from early in the year. Each of these changes demands reformulation, packaging redesign or digital record-keeping, placing greater pressure on manufacturers to adapt without compromising efficiency.

Confectionery’s enduring appeal lies in its, interplay of indulgence and innovation, comfort and surprise. In 2026, this duality will intensify as consumers, regulators and global markets demand greater variety, cleaner labels, and more sustainable production practices. Manufacturers will be challenged to deliver novelty without compromising consistency, efficiency or compliance. The leaders in this next era will be those who master composition: achieving a precise harmony between repeatability and adaptability, ensuring every product is both reliably crafted and dynamically responsive to emerging trends.

From food processing and pharmaceuticals to chemical production and building materials, quality control has fundamentally changed. Quality used to be a checkpoint, something validated at the end of a line, inspected after a batch was complete, or measured when a defect had already become visible. Today’s facilities must operate under a different paradigm: quality is a continuous process variable. In order to mitigate the cost of rework and consumer impact, manufacturers are increasingly expected to prevent variation before it happens, rather than reacting after the fact.

Moisture content is one of the most influential of these variables. In many industrial processes, it drives efficiency, product integrity, throughput, and energy consumption. Small deviations can mean the difference between materials that cure properly or fail prematurely, bonds that hold perfectly or separate during use, and food that dries evenly or remains undercooked in the center. The ripple effects reach into every corner of operations. Variability in moisture content contributes to rework, waste, energy overuse, scrap, and inconsistencies that erode profitability.

Yet in many facilities, moisture is still managed manually or intermittently through lab sampling, operator judgment, or after the fact quality inspection. These approaches are slow and reactive by nature. Material is often already off-spec before a problem is discovered, forcing facilities into damage control. The move to continuous monitoring represents a pivotal shift. Rather than treating moisture as a predictable byproduct, manufacturers are treating it as a controllable performance parameter that influences cost, sustainability, and repeatability in measurable ways.

The Link Between Moisture and World-Class Quality Systems

Quality frameworks such as ISO 9001 and Six Sigma have long defined best practices for reducing variation and improving predictability. What continuous moisture monitoring does is give manufacturers the real time data necessary to act on those systems. ISO 9001 emphasizes standardization, consistency, and customer satisfaction. Continuous measurement supports these objectives because it ensures moisture is held within precise, documented thresholds across every shift, location, or batch. It also helps manufacturers identify subtle deviations in real time, rather than waiting for defects to materialize in the final product.

Six Sigma is even more explicit. Its core principle, reducing variation, is impossible without accurate data. Continuous moisture measurement provides that foundation. The ability to quantify moisture trends as they happen allows facilities to correct and optimize processes based on statistical feedback, not guesswork or post-manufacturing analysis. Variability is addressed at the source rather than downstream, supporting defect reduction and improving first-pass yield.

Critically, this level of real time control aligns with broader lean manufacturing goals. Moisture is directly tied to waste, energy consumption, and operational efficiency. Materials that are too wet may require unnecessary drying time and fuel consumption. Materials that are too dry may lead to brittleness, shrinkage, or poor performance. In both situations, the product and the process degrade. When facilities measure moisture continuously, they reduce the chances of under or over processing and protect both quality and energy efficiency simultaneously. Moisture becomes not just a production variable, but a measurable contributor to lean objectives.

Traceability, Standardization, and the Data Advantage

As manufacturing becomes more distributed, traceability and standardization are no longer optional, they are essential. Many companies operate multiple production sites, work with varied raw materials, or supply industries that are heavily regulated. Moisture data provides a clear pathway to consistent outcomes across locations, teams, and equipment. Because continuous monitoring includes time-stamped records and actionable feedback loops, manufacturers gain a detailed history of moisture performance across every stage of production.

This supports compliance in highly regulated industries like food and pharmaceuticals, where specifications are non-negotiable and audits require validation. It also helps establish standard operating conditions across facilities. With continuous moisture data, operators can measure the impact of incoming raw materials, environmental influences, equipment wear, and process changes. Rather than relying on assumptions, manufacturers rely on evidence. The result is a more uniform product profile and a production process that is inherently more predictable and scalable.

Just as important, this data contributes to sustainability. Moisture has a direct relationship to energy usage and resource efficiency. When materials are processed at optimal moisture levels, drying stages require less heat and less time. The result is significant energy savings and lower operating costs. Scrap rates drop because quality issues are minimized before final inspection. Rework, waste, and rejects decline because materials are processed within their ideal specification window. The cumulative effect is measurable, both operationally and environmentally.

Transforming the Economics of Production

When moisture becomes a real time variable rather than a post-process correction, the operational benefits are immediate. Energy consumption drops because drying steps become more efficient and consistent. Quality improves because moisture-related defects are identified before products leave the line. Scrap and rework decline because variability is controlled where it begins. And labor devoted to manual sampling or offline measurement is redirected to tasks that drive throughput.

This shift also improves operational predictability. Manufacturers know when moisture deviates and can immediately intervene. This level of insight fundamentally changes what quality control means. Instead of reacting when defects surface in finished goods, facilities are now anticipating where variability is likely to occur and controlling it at the source. The payoff is realized across the entire operation with better cycle times, reduced downtime, fewer manual checks, and tighter control of raw material behavior.

This evolution in moisture control is made possible by advanced near-infrared technology, which allows sensors to measure moisture continuously and without contact. Rather than interrupting a line for sampling, operators gain instant feedback that feeds into control systems and automation. One company leading these advancements is MoistTech, whose continuous moisture monitoring systems are designed specifically for industrial environments. Their NIR sensing technology delivers real time data that is unaffected by changes in material color, thickness, flow height, or density. These systems require minimal calibration and can be positioned at multiple points in the production line, enabling closed loop control and continuous optimization. MoistTech’s technology exemplifies how far moisture monitoring has advanced: what was once a reactive manual step is now fully integrated into automation, data tracking, energy optimization, and quality assurance.

A Roadmap to Proactive Quality Improvement

Manufacturers looking to adopt continuous moisture measurement do not need to overhaul entire lines. The most common first steps are incremental: integrating sensors into existing control systems, training operators to respond to real time alerts, or applying moisture data to an ISO or Six Sigma program. Once installed, data is analyzed for trends, deviations, and patterns that reveal opportunities for continuous improvement. Facilities often begin to see results almost immediately in reduced energy use, lower defect rates, and greater consistency.

The larger transformation comes from how organizations use this data. Operators gain confidence in the predictability of their process. Quality teams gain visibility into trends and root causes. Management gains measurable efficiency and sustainability improvements. Over time, moisture monitoring becomes a standard practice rather than an add, making the entire production system smarter and more resilient.

Manufacturing is moving toward a world where quality is not checked, but controlled, where variability is minimized at its point of origin, and where real time data becomes the engine that drives continuous improvement. Continuous moisture monitoring is no longer an optional technology. It is the missing link tying together quality systems, lean practices, energy efficiency, and operational reliability. When moisture becomes a predictable, continuously measured variable, manufacturers gain something even more valuable than quality, they gain control.

From aerospace to submarines, Alexia Williams' career at manufacturing giant Rolls-Royce is defined by curiosity, adaptability, and a passion for engineering that lasts. Starting as an aerospace engineering apprentice in 2018, she discovered her calling in sustaining long-life assets already in service, work that now sees her as a Through Life Technical Lead in the Submarine Delivery Enterprise, tackling complex, multi-decade challenges in reliability, safety, and performance.

She’ll be speaking at , sharing insight on how businesses can inspire the next generation of talent, and why packaging - a discipline that spans design, materials science, logistics, and engineering – needs to take STEM engagement seriously.

"I always struggled with future design," Alexia explains. "I need to be able to relate to the part, to see it and to interact with it. That's what drew me to through-life engineering and sustainment. It's real and it's tangible - you get to make continuous improvements over time."

That hands-on experience was possible because of the rotational structure of her degree apprenticeship. Starting at age 18, Alexia was thrown into a whirlwind of placements: from business sales to test and measurement, manufacturing to after-service repair. Not only did this help her zero-in on what made her tick, but it gave her a multi-dimensional view of how complex systems operate. This knowledge would later prove extremely valuable in the company’s submarine division.

"When I did a placement in future design, I hated it. I fell asleep at my desk! But the moment I got onto the shop floor, dealing with in-service issues, something clicked. That’s the benefit of the apprenticeship route, especially in a large business. You find out what fits."

Breaking the stigma of apprenticeships

It’s this first-hand experience that fuels Alexia’s passion for advocacy. As someone who came through the system without much support from her school, she now works hard to make sure others have the opportunities she fought for. She sits on the Skills England Apprentice Panel, is a Trustee of , and actively works to demystify routes into STEM for young people, parents, and employers alike.

"There’s still this archaic misconception that apprenticeships are just tea-making and manual labour grind," she says. "But that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are degree-level, even masters-level apprenticeships across almost every sector now, and they’re a viable alternative to university."

She credits an encounter at a country fair with setting her on her path. "I met a GKN graduate who told me his friend had done the same job via an apprenticeship and was two years ahead of him, with no debt. That stuck with me."

Engineering is everywhere – including packaging

As Alexia points out, engineering doesn’t always mean building engines or utilitarian machines. It underpins sectors as diverse as food, fulfilment, and yes – packaging. That’s exactly why she believes packaging needs to get louder about its STEM credentials.

"When I speak to students, I say if you’re curious and if you like solving problems, there’s a place for you in engineering. It could be in submarines, or it could be in smart packaging. We need to show people that the skills are transferable, and the principles are the same."

Her own career reflects that: moving from aerospace into submarines, she expected to have to start from scratch, but the opposite was true. "So many of the principles carried over. The idea that you can only work in one field is limiting. People working in packaging have just as much right to be proud engineers."

Packaging might not always get the STEM spotlight, but it should. Perhaps it’s the small format that masks the complexity behind the scenes, or maybe the volumes produced. But scratch the surface and it’s clear that packaging is right at the intersection of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. And importantly, it’s as much a STEM field as aerospace or automotive; we just don’t always frame it that way.

A call to industry: use your voice

"I'm passionate about closing the skills gap, but it can't just be left to schools or government. Employers are absolutely vital and we need businesses to step up and engage," Alexia says.

At Rolls-Royce, at least 200 apprentices are brought in every year, especially in the nuclear division. It's not just about upskilling fresh talent, it's also about the reverse. "Some of our apprentices go into teams and start teaching older staff newer principles and techniques they’ve learned at university or college. That diversity of thought is so valuable."

From a technical standpoint, Alexia's work on through-life sustainment echoes many of the same challenges facing packaging.

How do you make systems more sustainable, without compromising performance?

How do you future-proof materials in fast-moving sectors?

"We’re getting better at lifecycle thinking," she says, "but composites are the next big challenge. They’re improving fast, but we don’t yet know how to repair or dispose of them sustainably. That’s going to be a big issue across sectors – packaging included."

She also highlights the importance of data. "We gather tonnes of data from submarines when they return from service, but it’s useless if you don’t know how to then take that, interpret it, and apply it. Predictive maintenance, lifecycle optimisation – those principles apply just as much to a filling line as they do to an engine."

Why packaging can be a platform for progress

Ultimately, Alexia sees packaging not just as an output, but as an enabler. "It’s a visible, accessible, consumer-facing example of engineering in action. If we want to engage more young people in STEM, packaging is an ideal platform to do that."

And Alexia will be doing just that at , where she joins a panel on how the industry can attract, retain and empower the next generation of engineering talent.

"There are huge challenges facing the UK, from sustainability to skills. But that also means there are huge opportunities. If we give people the tools and confidence, we can build something better."

Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 takes place on 11 & 12 February at Birmingham NEC for your free ticket and gain exclusive access to insights, innovations, and expert-led sessions that will shape the future of packaging.