National Starch achieves BRC’s top rating

One year after acquiring the Lane Cove specialty grain wet milling and manufacturing facility from Penford, National Starch has achieved top-grade certification by one of the world’s most stringent food safety and quality standards.

The certification from the British Retailers Consortium (BRC) is part of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a collaborative safety and quality effort by some of the world’s leading food safety experts from the retail, manufacturing and food service sectors.

Shortly after purchasing the 29,000 m² facility, which has been operating since 1890, National Starch began improving aspects of employee and food safety at the facility to align it with National Starch standards.

The company rolled out upgrades to buildings and employee facilities, improved safety standards and procedures, and enhanced training in safety, food hygiene and good manufacturing practices.

“The plant needed significant upgrades to achieve the high levels of quality and safety required by National Starch. A meaningful culture change, driven by strong cooperation from the facility’s 60 manufacturing employees, was the real key to our success in securing this recognition,” said Thomas Henriksen, Operations Manager.

“Involving all employees in the process, we systematically changed the way of working, attitudes and the way of thinking around the site. It wasn’t just about spending money; it was about working as a team and coming together, planning and driving the plan,” he added.

The huge effort paid off, with the Lane Cove site achieving an ‘A’ grade rating in the BRC audit in November 2010. This certification is essential to ensuring ongoing supply for Australian and Japanese customers who demand high standards in quality and non-GM ingredients.

The Lane Cove site has joined an elite group of manufacturing facilities with GFSI/BRC certification, alongside National Starch operations in the US, Germany, UK and Shanghai. National Starch facilities in Brazil and Thailand are working to achieve BRC certification in 2011.