847 922 8671
bhill@palconsystems.com

Process Improvement Begins Here

We specialize in design, engineering, and custom equipment fabrication for the fresh-cut produce processing industry

What We Do

  • New Facility Design and Construction

    Palcon Systems designs fresh-cut produce processing facilities of all sizes with very specific requirements:
    • Up to 80% refrigerated space to help maintain the cold chain
    • Systems for compressed air, chilled make-up water, wastewater treatment, and high-pressure sanitation stations
    • Specialized systems to handle waste, often conveying it hydraulically or pneumatically to an isolated area where it is processed and loaded onto trucks for reuse
    • Interior finishes and processing equipment are designed to resist highly corrosive environments
    • FDA, USDA, and SQF compliant

  • Process Design

    We design processing and packaging lines incorporating lean manufacturing techniques to:
    • Promote proper sanitation
    • Reduce labor costs and enhance ergonomics
    • Improve product flow, yield, quality, and food safety
    • Minimize mechanical failure
    After identifying your needs, we produce AutoCAD drawings showing the process flow with recommended equipment selections and utility connections. We manage this entire task from design through start-up and remain in close contact with plant personnel upon completion to ensure the system is performing up to design standards.

  • Continuous Improvement Programs

    The goal of CIP is to increase your profitability by identifying underlying opportunities for improvement. Our deliverables:
    • Improve product quality
    • Increase yield and throughput
    • Reduce waste and facilitate recycling
    • Create "smoothness" of flow
    • Reduce line downtime
    Implementation is key to the success of the program, so we remain in close contact with plant personnel until all deliverables have been met.

  • autoCAD Drawings

    We use AutoCAD (computer aided drafting) to create our drawings. In a single on-site visit, we will map your existing facility and produce a drawing that will play an essential role in future projects and expansions. These drawings are also useful in maintaining programs such as:

    • HACCP
    • Quality Assurance
    • Emergency Evacuation Routes
    • Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing
    • Master Cleaning Schedules
    • Employee and Food Safety
    • Preventative Maintenance

  • Custom Equipment Fabrication

    We design and build custom equipment to fit your needs:

    • Grab & Go Lines
    • Repack & Splits Lines
    • Volumetric & 2 oz. scaled fill systems for school programs
    • All types of conveyors-washing, trimming, sandwich building, tray filling, metal detection
    • Knife Boxes and Urschel cutting spindle carts
    • Combination scale platforms
    • Accumulation turntables
    • Tote holders
    • Pack tables
    Our equipment is of exceptional quality, easy to clean and maintain, ergonomically correct, and built to withstand the harshest conditions. All equipment is available in FDA and USDA construction

Custom Equipment Fabrication

We have relationships with the top equipment manufacturers in the industry. We will design and build custom equipment that will integrate with theirs, making your process as efficient as possible. Our equipment is easy to clean, top quality, ergonomically correct, and built to withstand the harshest working conditions. Give us a call 847 922 8671 and we will prove it to you!
Click on any photo below to see a slideshow of our work:

Why Hire Us?

Expertise
Servicing the produce processing industry for over 35 years
Personal Approach
Reliable and accessible, always just a phone call away
Quality
We believe in building food safety and quality into the process
Reputation
See what our clients say about us

What Our Clients Say

  • "Brian Hill and the Palcon team have been a partner of Texas Harvest for over 5 years now. Brian's work has helped us design and grow our business to a level we never thought was possible. Brians focus and attention to detail are second to none, from process flow to efficiencies, negotiations with vendors and most importantly food-safety we would not be where we are at without his company. I take pleasure in calling Brian/Palcon a true partner and team member of Texas Harvest." Tony Stachurski, President, Texas Harvest
  • "Brian was hired to create a packaging system that was unavailable in today’s marketplace. We knew what we wanted to accomplish, and Brian was able to take the project from concept to reality. What he brought to us was definitely not an “off the shelf” product. Brian’s creative ability along with his expertise in the packaging arena led us to a brilliant solution that has positively changed the course of our business." David Klein, President, Spring-Fill Industries, Inc.
  • "We have worked with Brian on several expansion and line layout projects over the last 4 years. Brian has been there for us during periods of tremendous growth and has consistently helped deliver solutions that have increased operational efficiency, quality, food safety, and profitability. Brian has become an invaluable member of our team who consistently delivers solutions." Kevin Whitehurst & Austin Fleming, Owners, Royal Fresh Cuts
  • "I could not have done this project without Brian's assistance. The savings Brian provided paid for his fees two fold, maybe more. The expertise provided cannot be valued monetarily. Anyone thinking of starting a food processing facility needs to work with Palcon, period. Brian walked us through every step of the way, navigating through tight budgets and aggressive timelines while delivering state-of-the-art results." Steve Holzbaur, General Manager, Finger Lakes Fresh Food Hub
  • "Brian’s help was instrumental in improving the functionality and flow in all areas of our building. His extensive knowledge of quality food processing equipment (and vendors) saved us time and money and greatly simplified our decision making process. Brian’s professionalism and vast experience makes him the perfect choice for anyone looking to renovate, upgrade or expand in the food industry." Jorge Vazquez, CEO/Owner, Latin Specialties Produce, Inc.
  • “Brian is one of the most creative Operations/Production leaders I have worked with. He is a problem solver. He uses his knowledge to drive change. He works with his team members to understand yield and efficiency loss and then drive a solution to completion. His people skills are excellent. In multiple plant facilities with over 600 personnel under his direction, he knew who people were and what they did in his plants. I watched him build an incredible fresh cut vegetable facility with quality in mind each step of the way. I would highly recommend Brian for any project.” Linda Frelka, Director Food Safety, Coca Cola Refreshments-Odwalla
  • “From my personal experience working with Brian, he offers his customers a complete understanding of the process from packaging back to the raw product infeed. He works the vendors to get the most for the customers’ money on the equipment. He runs the installs to make sure everything goes smoothly and is on-site for start up and training. He made these projects a positive experience for everyone involved.”
    Alan Heinzen, President, Heinzen Manufacturing
  • “Brian is innovative and thorough. Every project he oversees displays a common thread; it is very functional, works as designed, is easy to maintain, and makes good intuitive sense. I am always happy when Brian includes our equipment in his design, because I know the customer will be satisfied.”
    John Clement, Sormac USA
  • “Brian brings a unique perspective to each undertaking. He has an excellent grasp of product flow, line design, layout and process integration. From incoming raw to processing, packaging and shipping, Brian has developed processes that maximize yield and improve efficiency. I always look forward to working with Brian on a project because I know I will always be satisfied with the results.”
    Lawford Baxter, Ph. D., President, Cut Fruit Express
  • “Brian played a key role in the growth and success of Redi-Cut Foods. He’s a leader that gets things done…doesn’t just talk about it. His hands-on approach and problem solving skills make him a guy you want on your team. I would highly recommend him and I will continue to use his services.”
    Carey Cooper, President, Danaco Solutions LLC (formerly President, Redi-Cut Foods, Inc.)
  • "Palcon Systems was there from day one with creative and cost-effective solutions. From engineering design to assistance with our existing warehouse as well as our new expansion, they have truly gone above and beyond. Designing this project could have been a very stressful experience, but with Palcon Systems’ guidance, the entire process has been smooth. Owner Brian Hill’s expertise and ability to think outside the box have been an incredible benefit to me and my company. It has been a tremendous pleasure working with Brian and the Palcon Systems team. We look forward to seeing this project through with them, and to collaborating on other projects in the future."
    George Paxos, Owner, Primo Produce
  • "I was extremely impressed with Brian’s technical knowledge of the fresh-cut produce processing industry and his strong communication and engineering skills. I recently recommended Brian to Challenge Industries from Ithaca, New York who has hired Brian to design and oversee a new produce processing facility for a new “Food Hub” project in Groton, New York. I highly recommend Brian and Palcon Systems, Inc. to anyone needing expertise in this arena."
    Marty Broccoli, Agriculture Economic Development Specialist, Cornell University,
    Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • “Brian is and outstanding leader, mentor, and loyal person. When it comes to thinking outside the box and coming up with creative and cost-effective solutions to our daily manufacturing problems, he fulfilled every need and all expectations. I learned a tremendous amount about the packaging and manufacturing industry while working directly with him.”
    Brian Baranski, Director of Operations, Sandwich SC dba Jimmy Johns
  • “Brian has an extensive background in plant operations, from initial plant layout and conception to actual plant operations. I consider Brian to be an excellent mentor as well. Brian has helped to guide me through a number of positions, from Plant Manager to Director of Operations. I find his opinions on all aspects of Plant Layout and Operations to always be spot on.”
    Michael Anthony, Director of Fresh-Cut Operations, Primo Produce-Kali-Bee’s

Meet The Owner

Brian Hill
Brian started his career with Redi-Cut Foods, a privately held processor of high quality fresh-cut produce. RCF focused primarily on the food-service market, supplying fresh-cut produce to McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell and others. Brian rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Operations. Within fifteen years, Redi-Cut grew from 50 union employees and $3 million in sales, to over 700 employees, 800 SKU's and processed over 2.5 million pounds of produce per week with annual sales of over $130 million.

With over 35 years of experience in the fresh-cut industry, he is considered a proven, innovative, operations leader with an outstanding track record of implementing process improvement programs to reduce manufacturing costs and improve efficiencies. He is an expert problem solver with strong motivational and team building skills, and has extensive hands-on experience in process design, engineering, and project management. RCF Fresh-Cut Magazine Archive
RCF Processing Technology Magazine Archive
RCF Waste System Food Processing Magazine Archive
Major accomplishments include: Invented “Method and Apparatus for Processing Produce” U.S. Patent #5,097,755. Developed specifically for McDonalds Corporation to launch their salad program.

Invented “Storage Rack with Position Sensing” U.S.Patent #5,848,707. An electronic sensing device used to aid forklift drivers while positioning pallets into storage rack. "Pallet Control" = Palcon

Invented the “Lime Bomber” U.S. Patent #6,991,822. A device used to sanitarily squeeze and insert fresh citrus wedges into bottled beverages. www.limebomber.com

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We specialize in design, engineering, and custom equipment fabrication for the fresh-cut produce processing industry
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