The global food processing sector is entering a new era of precision engineering, and Middleby Food Processing Corporation is leading the charge with the industry’s first fully automated bacon production line. Designed and powered by Rockwell Automation, this breakthrough system represents a major leap forward for manufacturers seeking higher efficiency, improved uptime and stronger sustainability performance.
A New Benchmark in Automated Bacon Production
As food processors face rising labour shortages, tighter sustainability requirements and increasing demand for consistency, the need for an automated bacon production line has become urgent. Middleby Food Processing — headquartered in Elgin, Illinois — recognised this trend and partnered with Rockwell Automation to build a unified, scalable automation platform suitable for modern production environments.
“Integrating Rockwell Automation technology across all Middleby Food Processing brands was a decisive factor,” said Mark Salman, President of Middleby Food Processing. “We needed long-term flexibility, interoperability and a system capable of scaling with customer needs. Rockwell delivered not only seamless integration but also strong engineering support and top-tier programming practices.”
Rockwell Automation’s Technology at the Core
Standardised Interfaces for Consistency
A key advantage of the new automated bacon production line is Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Optix platform. This technology standardises operator interfaces and streamlines application code libraries, such as:
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Machine Builder Library
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Device Objects
These shared structures ensure consistent performance across different machine brands, minimise troubleshooting time and enhance remote diagnostic capabilities.
Data-Driven Manufacturing
The architecture enables real-time data strategies that provide insights into:
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Production speed
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Equipment health
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Energy and resource usage
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Wastewater reduction
This empowers manufacturers to optimise throughput and quickly adapt to shifting production demands.
Transforming Efficiency, Sustainability & Workforce Needs
According to Steve Pulsifer, Senior Manager, Partner Marketing at Rockwell Automation, the project is a showcase of what advanced automation can achieve.
“This collaboration demonstrates how innovation and automation intersect to shape the future of food manufacturing,” he explained. “The fully automated bacon line boosts throughput, lowers labour dependency, cuts wastewater usage and sets a higher operational standard for the industry.”
The system is purpose-built to help food processors:
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Reduce human intervention in repetitive tasks
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Improve operational precision
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Maximise resource efficiency for sustainability goals
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Enhance production reliability
Beyond Bacon: Automation Across Food Segments
Middleby Food Processing is expanding its automation capabilities to other key categories including:
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Bakery lines
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Protein processing
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Integrated cooking and chilling systems
Each solution powered by Rockwell Automation is engineered for modularity, making it easier for customers to configure equipment around specific workflows and future expansion plans.
A Future-Ready Approach to Food Manufacturing
The introduction of an automated bacon production line marks a turning point for the global food processing sector. With scalable digital architectures, unified machine control and powerful data visibility, Middleby and Rockwell Automation are enabling food manufacturers to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
