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JCS Process & Control Systems, an industry leader in beverage batching and processing technologies, has announced plans to open the UltraPhil Center for Aseptic Excellence, the world’s first and only small scale, bottle-based pilot aseptic research, development, and production center.
The UltraPhil Center for Aseptic Excellence leverages JCS’s significant beverage industry thought leadership and an investment of more than $14 million in aseptic production technologies and laboratories, to create what is expected to become a critical industry resource. UltraPhil will enable beverage industry entrepreneurs and manufacturers to perfect and prove scalability while optimizing batching and aseptic production processes and manufacturability.
“Small-scale, for-hire aseptic pilot production lines for a diversity of beverage formulations do not currently exist for PET and HDPE bottle-based products,” explains president Greg Frechette. “UltraPhil—which pays tribute to my late father, Phil Frechette, an industry thought leader and the founder of JCS—will allow any beverage manufacturer, no matter their size, to come in and perfect production processes for their shelf-stable aseptic beverage products in small quantities. This will help beverage manufacturers expedite the new product development process and speed time to market while reducing product development expenses.”
UltraPhil will be a strategic resource for research and development, product development, and ingredients and packaging personnel from across the global aseptic beverage formulation and processing industry. UltraPhil will support a broad array of beverage product formulations including fluid milk beverage products, protein based low/high acid beverages, plant-based protein drinks, dairy and non-dairy based coffees and teas, nutritional drinks, 100% juice and juice drinks, as well as sports drinks.
“Just as important as accommodating smaller batch production will be UltraPhil’s flexible batching and processing technologies that are designed to replicate any and all full-scale commercial processes,” explained John Eaton, president of Transcendent Processing (whom JCS has contracted to design and build the center). “Manufacturers who come to UltraPhil to research and test their products will leave 100% confident that when they return to their own facilities to produce full-scale batches, the product will taste just how it did at UltraPhil. UltraPhil allows manufacturers to create samples at a pilot scale (from 100s to ~2,000 a day) for consumer tests, shelf-life studies, and sales samples much earlier in the innovation process versus having to wait for first commercial runs. Until now, this hasn’t been possible.”
The fully FDA-validated and licensed facility will be led by a tenured team of aseptic beverage processing and engineering experts. In addition, the UltraPhil Center will offer hands-on training classes to support the continued growth of the aseptic beverage industry.
The 10,000-square-foot facility will be located at Sibley Square in downtown Rochester, New York. Based on construction, delivery, and installation of equipment, and regulatory approvals, the Center is expected to open in Summer 2025.
Matt Hurlbutt, president and CEO, Greater Rochester Enterprise, commented, “GRE connected UltraPhil to the resources needed to expand operations in the Greater Rochester, New York region. The company’s plans to establish the UltraPhil Center for Aseptic Excellence at Sibley Square in downtown Rochester will leverage the region’s talented workforce, entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, world-class R&D assets, low cost of doing business, and serve as an invaluable resource to the beverage manufacturing industry. We look forward to continuing to assist UltraPhil as the company grows in the region.”
