Kitchen Brains^® launches USA2020 with $1+ million investment in Connecticut factory

May 20, 2020

Kitchen Brains^® has launched USA2020, an extensive program that includes an investment of more than $1 million in new, state-of-the art manufacturing equipment, clean kitchen products to support foodservice operators in today’s coronavirus environment, and advanced IoT/Cloud technologies and analytics that take a giant leap into the future.

At the core of USA2020 is Kitchen Brains deep commitment to its manufacturing operations in the United States. With this investment, Kitchen Brains will provide customers with new capabilities, faster build times and greater accuracy. The equipment will support upcoming technology advancements and more efficient production of current and future products. In addition, the added capacity will enable Kitchen Brains to offer contract manufacturing to support current and new business partners in foodservice and other industries.

Over the next few months, Kitchen Brains will be installing two new Juki RS1R SMT lines that have an optimum placement speed of 42,000CPH and can handle components that range in size between 0201mm and 74mm square on virtually any board size. Already in place are a Juki iCube Selective Soldering System and a Gamma 263 Fully Automatic Wire Cutting/Stripping/Crimping Machine. The iCube will provide more accurate and faster soldering with a high degree of consistency and has the ability to handle three PCB’s simultaneously, one each in the fluxer, preheat station and soldering station. The Gamma 263 can handle a multitude of wire types with both high efficiency and quality.

In a conversation with Kitchen Brains Chief Relationship Officer, C. Wayne Best, and Company Advisor, Jeff Rhodenbaugh, who collectively share more than 90-years of industry experience, they noted that, “This investment reflects Kitchen Brains long-term view of the market, which will continue to see the implementation of new technologies that ensure product quality and reduce labor costs. As the economy strengthens, Kitchen Brains will be well positioned to further lead the industry for controllers, monitors and new products that are currently in development.”

Christian Koether, CEO of Kitchen Brains commented, “Even before the COVID-19 crisis impacted the world, we recognized the critical importance of self-sufficiency in providing us with the tools we need to meet our product and schedule commitments right here in the USA. This new equipment will enable us to achieve our goal and further support our leadership role in the design, engineering and manufacturing of the world’s finest products under the (FAST.)® and Modularm brand names. It will also allow us to more efficiently produce IoT devices, sophisticated touch screen controls and a wider range of PCB assemblies, box builds and wiring harnesses.”

In light of the current environment, USA2020 will also focus on delivering relevant new products to support our foodservice partners, starting with Scrub Buddy™, the only timer that both schedules individual handwash reminders and provides 20-second handwash countdowns for up to eight employees during their entire shifts. Lastly, USA2020 includes deeper investment in KB360™, with exciting product enhancements to be announced shortly.

About Kitchen Brains

Founded in 1969, Kitchen Brains^®, continually leads the industry in the design, development, manufacturing and deployment of controls, monitors, sensors and IoT connectivity for foodservice outlets and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that reduce costs, drive productivity and increase guest satisfaction.

Kitchen Brains^® brands, including (FAST.)^®, Modularm^® and QPM, feature a growing number of products that incorporate KBconnect™ IoT/cloud connectivity, and can be found in leading QSRs, casual and fine dining restaurants, convenience and grocery stores, schools, hospitals, stadiums and more globally.

With corporate headquarters and a state-of-the-art factory in Stratford, Connecticut, an Advanced Technology Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and offices in London, Shanghai and Singapore, Kitchen Brains^® meets a wide range of customer needs, whether for an off-the-shelf product, a custom solution or contract manufacturing.