The company said that although the main reason for the new center is to increase the size of its application and innovation areas, it also hopes that this will make it more accessible to its customers by moving closer to the airport, while remaining close to its manufacturing site in Belcamp, Maryland.
TIC Gums’ main area of work at the facility will be customizing texture stabilization technologies according to customers’ needs. It is for this purpose that it has expanded its laboratory with a pilot plant and new commercial-grade culinary testing kitchen.
A spokesperson for the company told FoodNavigator-USA.com: “Customers who want to work with our scientists at the bench who do not have the ability to run on pilot scale, or do not have the equipment to run or test as we do, can come and work at our facility.”
Gums trends
TIC Gums has been active in the area of gums innovation in the past and, although it has not announced anything new, looking to the future, the company spokesperson said: “Functional foods are still in full swing, and we offer low viscosity soluble dietary fiber.”
In the past, the company has responded to trends in the world of gums, by introducing natural gums, like its locust bean gum, low-carbohydrate, with its prehydrated gum arabic, and organic with its organic locust bean and guar gums.
All manufacturing and departments directly impacted by manufacturing would remain in Belcamp, the spokesperson said.
The company is a major supplier of hydrocolloids to the food industry and offers a complete line of gums and gum systems including agar, alginates, carrageenan, guar and xanthan.
It said: “By staying one step ahead…and formulating unique products that help manufacturers create efficiencies, TIC Gums has created a solid reputation in the industry.”
The new center covers 56,000 square feet, which also includes more space for visitors to attend seminars and more room for the company’s sales and marketing departments.