Pet Food Expertise

The Trusted Leader in Pet Food Manufacturing Solutions

The pet food processing market is rapidly growing, dynamic, and complex. Pet lovers and their pets have transformed the industry, demanding products with variety, quality, taste profile, and functionality like human foods. Rapidly changing consumer expectations have required constant innovation by processors to keep pace, build customer loyalty, and grow.

As the No 1. firm for the Food & Beverage industry three years in a row and the leader in fully integrated services for the global pet food industry, Gray helps major manufacturers and start-up companies alike meet the challenges of modern-day pet food processing. Our integrated team of equipment manufacturers, engineers, automation specialists, facility designers, and construction experts work with pet food companies from across the world to solve the most sophisticated problems and realize the boldest initiatives.

From constructing manufacturing facilities for global industry leaders to designing processes for specialty diet pet food producers, Gray draws upon its extensive pet food experience to develop unique, custom solutions for every project.

"What stood out to us was Gray’s overall capability of handling multiple disciplines of the project."

Dwight Howdeshell, Director of Production Engineering

Nestlé Purina North America

Gray’s dedicated, pet-focused team operates with precision and cohesiveness to deliver scalable solutions, from process optimization to plant design and construction. As your partner, we leverage our advanced equipment manufacturing, engineering, and construction teams to maximize safety, productivity, flexibility, and quality, ensuring your ability to innovate and respond rapidly to changing consumer demands.

Unmatched Pet Food Experience:

Gray has executed over $2.6 billion in pet food projects over past 5 years.
More than 1,000,000 metric tons of pet food and treats are produced annually on systems designed and installed by Gray.
Gray has designed and/or installed more than 20 protein grinding/mixing systems.
Gray engineers have designed and installed pet food systems for wet, high-meat (40-50% inclusion +) kibble as well as freeze-dried, dehydrated, and frozen products.
Gray has direct experience with testing, specifying, and selection efforts for Retort, HPP, UV, and temperature-based pasteurization/preservation systems.
On any day, more than 1,000 metric tons of raw materials for pet food production exist in Gray’s designed production staging spaces, and more than 1,200 metric tons of finished pet food products are stored in on-site production warehouse spaces built by Gray.

Connect with Gray today for a focused, customized solution or fully integrated project services for your next expansion, renovation, or process upgrade.

"With the rapidly evolving pet food market, we focus on building a world-class team of experts ranging from food safety specialists to facility designers and equipment engineers. Trained in the latest regulatory requirements and technological advancements, these teams become a trusted advisor to our pet food customers very early in the product development process. "

Tyler Cundiff, Executive Vice President, Integrated Sales

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"We see them interacting with other companies and other customers, we see their involvement in the community, and I think that further solidifies that we made a great decision and that we have a partner that we can work with into the future."

Frank Burdzy, Former President & CEO

Champion Petfoods

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Family of Companies. One Cohesive Team.

Founded in 1960, Gray has grown to encompass an integrated family of companies designed to complement each other’s specialized capabilities. Our robust offering—which includes strategy, operational improvements, construction, and engineering—enables us to create one-of-a-kind solutions at the highest levels of customization, delivering precision and partnership to some of the world’s most sophisticated organizations.

Gray AES delivers tailored design solutions for industrial facilities, offering in-house architecture and engineering expertise for greenfield projects, renovations, and expansions. With specialized focus and flexible delivery methods, such as design-build or design-bid-build, we provide comprehensive or discipline-specific services to meet our customers’ unique needs.

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Founded in the 1940s primarily as a commercial and residential heating and air conditioning company, Anderson Dahlen Inc., a Gray company, has grown into a world-renowned leader for specialty equipment and stainless steel fabrication services in the Food & Beverage, Industrial, and Pharmaceutical markets.

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AD Process Equipment is your single source for system design and process equipment integration. Our experienced team works with customers to meet demands in bulk processing and material handling by providing practical design solutions that cater to their unique needs. Our personalized solutions in equipment and technology give customers a competitive edge in the ever-changing global marketplace.

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NexGen Contracting, the self-perform arm of Gray, specializes in executing turnkey project scopes, including concrete, steel, millwright, and finishes. Through NexGen, Gray delivers experienced labor and efficient collaboration to keep projects on schedule and on budget. The NexGen team is made of career, trade-specific professionals and core craftsmen with decades of experience who are dedicated to meeting our customers’ unique needs. NexGen offers a wide range of self-perform services, which include supervision, administration, craft labor, materials, tools, documentation, consumables, and safety devices to successfully carry projects from start to finish.

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