Global food safety, contaminant detection and checkweighing machine manufacturer Fortress Technology has acquired New Zealand-based food safety specialist Dynamic Inspection, creating the company’s fourth global manufacturing site.
Founded in 1998, Dynamic Inspection remains the only manufacturer of in-line food grade metal detectors in New Zealand. Safeguarding dairy and food processing lines throughout Oceania and neighboring APAC countries, Dynamic has been affiliated with Fortress since the Canadian firm’s inception 27 years ago.
Fortress Technology regional sales manager Eric Garr said that by formalising the longstanding alliance, customers would benefit from both companies’ respective expertise, in turn strengthening and advancing food safety culture as a whole.
“Dynamic Inspection has always been aligned with maintaining quality and putting every customer’s needs first,” said Garr.
Dynamic Inspection Limited was established to supply locally-manufactured metal detection systems. Retiring founders Bob Philpott and Steve Atkins said the acquisition by Fortress guaranteed food safety service and support continuity for customers.
“Dynamic Inspection has earned an unequalled reputation for manufacturing the highest quality, most reliable and technically superior inspection products based on Fortress Technology’s ‘Never Obsolete’ metal detection technology platforms. All backed by an expert New Zealand-based service and support team,” said Philpott.
“Seeing our relationship move to this next level and cementing our global reputation in this specialized sphere of expertise is really satisfying,” said Atkins.
Prioritising customer continuity
“The transition to Fortress now enables us to recruit more experts and expand our manufacturing hub in New Zealand, as well as our business reach, with new products and services to follow,” said Philpott.
Having integrated Fortress metal detector technology from its inception, Dynamic Inspection is already equipped with a comprehensive understanding of the equipment, software features and approach.
Garr said a major benefit of the acquisition would be an improved level of support Fortress can provide to existing and future customers, distributors and agents.
“Having a manufacturing facility in close proximity to customers presents endless benefits; prompt delivery, transport cost savings and faster access to service support. Supplying and servicing markets locally is always the best approach,” said Garr.
Continued growth
Fortress will continue to share the latest advancements in inspection technology to New Zealand, enabling local engineers to adopt identical manufacturing processes. However, the Dynamic team will now have direct access to the Canadian teams’ extensive R&D and global food safety intel.
“Regardless of where customers purchase our inspection technologies, they will look the same, and deliver the same food safety quality control, inspection performance and processing efficiencies,” said Garr.
Philpott said the New Zealand food sector was a model of export safety and trust, producing sought-after dairy, meat and fruit products.
Demand for these export commodities, which totalled $42.3bn in 2022, is expected to increase.
“This is leading to greater demand among processors across our region for better performance inspection equipment, universal codes of practice and more data integration. All areas that Fortress is ahead of the game on and will help our customers to grow their export markets,” said Philpott.
The acquisition gives Fortress Technology its fourth manufacturing operation covering North America, South America, the UK and Europe, and Asia Pacific. The company says it will continue to leverage each site’s localized knowledge to respond to market and food safety needs, as well as changing consumer-supplier relationships.
The acquisition of Dynamic Inspection was ratified on 6 October.
