BCH Ltd Operations Director, Stuart Grogan, highlights the company’s innovations and role within the DC Norris Group in shaping global food manufacturing
What is the DC Norris Group? How did this group of companies come together?
The DC Norris Group brings together five highly specialised companies that collectively serve the global food, beverage, and confectionery processing industries: DC Norris, DC Norris North America, BCH Ltd, Gilwood, and AE Mixers.
While each business retains its own heritage, brand identity, and specialist expertise, the Group was established to foster closer collaboration and deliver a more joined-up service to customers. This means that instead of engaging with multiple equipment suppliers, food manufacturers can work with a single partner capable of managing the entire process. From concept design and recipe development to factory layout planning, equipment supply, automation integration, and installation, the Group provides a complete solution.
The idea was born out of the recognition that the demands on food and beverage processors are evolving rapidly. Customers increasingly want suppliers who can deliver not just machinery, but outcomes – higher productivity, consistent product quality, faster time-to-market, and improved sustainability. By combining decades of world-class engineering and process innovation across multiple companies, the DC Norris Group has positioned itself as a partner of choice for manufacturers who need to stay competitive in challenging global markets.
Can you tell us more about each company within the Group and what they specialise in?
DC Norris
Founded over half a century ago, DC Norris has become synonymous with innovation in food, beverage, and pet food processing. Its systems are used across the world by leading brands to manufacture soups, sauces, ready meals, beverages, and pet food. The company is best known for pioneering Jet Cook™ Technology, a system that dramatically reduces cooking times and energy use while enhancing product quality and consistency. Other innovations, such as the Braising Bar and Cook-Chill Systems, have set new benchmarks in the industry.
One of DC Norris’ strengths lies in its ability to work closely with customers during the product development stage. Its test kitchens and R&D facilities give manufacturers the opportunity to refine recipes, validate new processes, and scale-up concepts efficiently. This combination of technical innovation and customer-focused support has made DC Norris a trusted partner in markets as diverse as frozen ready meals, plant-based foods, and premium soups.
DC Norris North America
Recognising the importance of local expertise, DC Norris established its North American division in Michigan. The subsidiary provides a complete range of services – from manufacturing and assembly to product development and after-sales support – tailored specifically to the needs of US and Canadian manufacturers.
Local presence is particularly valuable in a region where food trends evolve quickly and where shorter lead times are essential to compete. By having engineering, service, and manufacturing capabilities on the ground, DC Norris North America can deliver rapid project turnaround and ensure equipment is supported long after installation. This has allowed the company to win major contracts with both multinational brands and smaller regional producers.
BCH Ltd
With origins dating back to 1835, BCH Ltd is one of the most established and respected names in process systems for both food and confectionery. In food manufacturing, the company has built a reputation for atmospheric, pressure, and vacuum cooking systems, as well as advanced vacuum cooling technology. These systems are used to produce a wide variety of products including soups, sauces, dips, dressings, jams, and savoury fillings.
In confectionery, BCH has carved out a global leadership position in equipment for cooking, cooling, forming, and extrusion. Its systems are widely used for liquorice, starch gels, caramels, and increasingly popular 100% fruit snacks. These are products that require precise control over texture, flavour, and product uniformity, and BCH has the engineering expertise to deliver exactly that. Its technology also helps manufacturers scale artisanal processes into large-volume production without compromising quality – a critical challenge in today’s competitive confectionery sector.
Gilwood
For more than 60 years, Gilwood has been a byword for precision engineering and fabrication. The company specialises in pressure vessels and bespoke process plant equipment, designed and manufactured to exacting standards. More recently, Gilwood has expanded into conveyor systems, mechanical handling solutions, and hygienic stainless-steel factory equipment.
Investment in advanced laser cutting and forming machinery has enabled the company to deliver highly customised equipment with exceptional accuracy. This makes Gilwood a valuable contributor within the Group, ensuring that the end-to-end solutions offered to customers are not only technically robust but also designed for efficiency and hygiene compliance.
AE Mixers
AE Mixers brings over 50 years of expertise in the design and manufacture of high-performance mixing solutions. Its portfolio ranges from high shear mixers for intensive applications to fluid mixers and agitators for broader industrial use. Serving industries including food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, AE Mixers focuses on delivering systems that combine reliability with precision mixing performance.
Mixing is often underestimated, yet it is fundamental to ensuring product consistency and quality. AE Mixers’ solutions are designed to handle everything from delicate emulsions to high-viscosity formulations, making them indispensable in both food production and beyond.
Read the full interview in our latest issue here
