Corporate Social Responsibility

American Custom Drying (ACD) is a toll manufacturing company processing ingredients to some of industry’s largest brands across many industries: food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and technical. ACD holds its pride in being a socially responsible company. We are aware that there is more to building a business than just revenue. In fact, we’re strongly committed to building a socially and ethically responsible business as well; sustainability is the way of the future to ensure our families have great communities and continued natural resources. Moreover, our customers rely on us not only to deliver high-quality spray dried products, but also to run our operations responsibly, safely and ethically. Therefore, we’re making a commitment to our community, our employees and better business practices that work towards a sustainable and profitable future. 2023 has been filled with community engagement and investments in the personal and professional growth of our employees.

Commitment to Our Environment

We recognize that we have one planet and need to do our part so that it remains strong and healthy for all of our future generations. As part of our commitment, we have addressed several areas within our production and warehousing facilities that will have a direct impact on our energy use, improving our energy efficiencies.

Recycling

We are 100% committed to our local recycling program where we actively recycle the following materials:

Pallets
Metal drums
Plastic totes
Cardboard
Stretch wrap
Glass
All scrap metal

Improvement to HVAC

We are working towards replacing our HVAC systems to higher seers ratings. In 2017, when we finished the front office expansion we upgraded that cooling unit and plan to do the same to our units that cool the production floors in 2018 and 2019.

It is our continued commitment that as we move towards tomorrow we make decisions and uphold our promise to build a better future. This starts with our three commitments:

To build a better community for those around us
To provide a better work environment for our employees
To make our manufacturing more green

Large Motor Efficiency

We utilize variable frequency drives (VFD) on our larger motors which helps to facilitate a lower energy consumption throughout processing. The use of VFD reduces the electric used by ramping the motors up and down versus just an “on” and “off,” which ultimately consumes more energy.

Lighting

Starting in late 2016, we began an initiative to replace all of the T8 lightbulbs that illuminated our facility. After evaluating our options, we chose LED lighting options for the following reasons:

LED are 30% more energy efficient, on average
LED transfer light, not heat, which in turn helps air conditioning efficiencies
LED offers directional lighting (1100) vs. T8 (3600) which means more actual light (on average 70% more light) reaches the intended space
LED even as they approach the end of their life are as luminous as their beginning of life
LED are mercury free
LED does not emit UV light

By the end of 2017 we replaced over 50% of the existing bulbs with the remaining to be replaced by the end of 2018.

Commitment to Our Employees

Providing a work environment that is safe and equitable is instrumental to the overall health, wellness and satisfaction of our team members. Investment into our team members is directly related to productivity. For all employees that fall under the full-time bracket, we have a competitive benefits package that includes a 401K plan, medical benefits (medical, dental & vision), short and long-term disability, annual hearing screens for those that work around loud machinery, life insurance and a partnership with a local gym that provides our team with a monthly discount on membership.

Safety & Education

Our commitment to employees extends beyond their physical wellness and into their workplace safety, education and training. We want for everyone to feel safe and invested so as to provide an optimal working environment.

Onsite Safety Training

Each month, our regulatory coordinator hosts mandatory safety trainings. These trainings cover a variety of workplace safety issues such as:

Food Defense
Glove Hygiene
Identifying and Disposal of Workplace Hazards
General Safety in the Workplace
Good Documentation Practices
Chemical Control
First In First Out (FIFO) Training
Recall Process Overview

Aside from each monthly training biweekly cards are handed out as reminders to help enforce safety within the workplace. All personnel receive these laminated cards in an effort to maximize compliance.

With the implementation of this training program and responsibility of our team, we are now 615 accident free days since our last incident.

Offsite Training

We believe that employees need continuing education, inspiration and industry collaboration. Each year we send employees to educational seminars, conferences as well as industry tradeshows for the exposure and experience. In 2017 we sent key employees to trainings and seminars in the following areas:

Best Human Resource Practices
Bar Development Technology
Sweetener Technology
Atomization in Spray Drying
Yaskawa Workshop for Engineers
Protease Workshop in Enzyme Technology
Microencapsulation Advances
Best Practices in Enzyme Technology
Food Safety & Quality Control
Sales Techniques Best Practices

Annually, there are several company traditions that we honor for the team in an effort to build camaraderie. First, there is our Employee Appreciation Summer Barbecue where management gathers to cook and prepare and an outdoor feast of breakfast, lunch and dinner. So that each shift can enjoy some time building bonds and socializing.

Secondly, there is our Thanksgiving meal where each employee is provided with their choice of meat to serve with their family’s meal. Lastly, there is our annual December Holiday celebration.

Each year, the whole team can gather and celebrate the success of the year with food and dance. We also honor employees at this time who have given back to the team with exceptional service.

Commitment to Our Communities

We believe that actively contributing to the community is vital to our continued growth and morale. 2017 saw several community outreach efforts from helping to feed the local community to raising funds to help communities afar affected by natural disasters.

Helping to Feed Communities

Early in 2017 we came across a community that was in need of great quality, nourishing shelf-stable foods. We decided to take protein shakes we manufactured and donate to the local township, who in turn distributed to the community members most in need.

In October 2017, an American Custom Drying (ACD) team initiated a food drive to help support local New Jersey families during the 2017 holiday season. Over the month, our team gathered canned and other non-perishable foods and donated 75lbs to the South Jersey Food Bank. 2018 will see a similar food drive as well as a toy drive to help families that need the assistance.

Giving Back to At-Risk Youth

Initiated by one of our spray dryer operators, we helped support a local NJ Sports League for at risk youth by sponsoring team’s afterschool program. As a team of people working together towards a common goal, we recognize the value of teamwork, and a great place for our future to start understanding this value is through organized sports.

Local Community Outreach

In 2017, we had several community outreach efforts that helped drive employee morale and encouraged our team to get involved.

Rain Barrel Collection

From mid-2016 through 2017 we have donated over 50 barrels to a local organization that collects, purifies and provides clean water to families in need.

Other Communities

The summer of 2017 bore witness to one of the costliest natural disasters that swept across Texas. Along with Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey goes on record as one of the costliest tropical cyclones, inflicting nearly $125 billion in damage to the affected communities. The ACD team banded together and fundraised to send two locally based Houston charities: The Houston Food Drive Fundraiser and the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.