Sun Valley, CA

PRESS RELEASE

Thanks to the strong connection with the market in which the UNITEC Group has been operating for 100 years, the Research & Development team has designed and developed a new, innovative solution to meet the requirements of the customer Sun Valley Packing, a leading American grower, packer and distributor of stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums) based in Reedley (California). The project comes from a brand-new idea, different from the US standards of the industry.

For the UNITEC team, the ability to listen and to find the right solution have been key elements in creating a strong relationship with the customer based on trust. As confirmed by Casey Jones, CEO of Sun Valley Packing, where UNITEC has recently started up a major peach handling line: “The feeling with UNITEC has been overwhelmingly positive. Great group of individuals, very family like company, even though it’s a quite large company, it feels like they’re in your backyard, even if we were working on continents thousands of miles apart”, and he adds that “what really solidified the project was the visit to Italy, meeting the team out there, meeting the engineers and then walking on that campus. That’s something to be very proud of there!”

Based on this trust, the UNITEC team developed a new solution to meet the needs of Sun Valley Packing.

“UNITEC came forward with a new idea of how to process stone fruit. They didn’t come here offering a new sorter or a new technology. They came with the idea of a new solution, unheard of in the stone fruit industry”, says Sergio Chavez, Chief Operations Officer.

The 8 lanes sorter Unical 600, equipped with Peach Vision 3 quality selection technology, processes more than 200,000 fruits per hour. Thanks to the innovative Peach Vision 3 external quality selection system, Sun Valley Packing can now detect and remove fruits with defects such as soft, apical damage, peel damage, as well as sort by weight, optical size and color, with the aim of selecting them according to homogeneous characteristics.

The project also includes 4 packing lines, dedicated to different pack-styles (trays, boxes, bags, clamshells) with a strong focus on packing trays of various sizes, especially the “consumer” size, more and more requested by US retailers.

This solution, developed by UNITEC, is designed to facilitate the filling of trays thus allowing the operators to work in a more ergonomic position compared to traditional methods, with a substantial increase of productivity.

The line is then equipped with an automatic palletizing system, capable of picking and stacking entire layers of boxes automatically thus allowing great flexibility, and with the UNISTRAP technology for automatic placing of corner-boards and strapping of pallets.

The Traceability System, entirely developed by UNITEC, completes the line and allows Sun Valley Packing to track the product from the dumping of the bins, all the way to the palletization thus reducing labor and time required for lot change operations, while monitoring the production in real time and automatically communicating with the ERP system of the customer the results of each grower lot.

Such innovative systems with strong automation made by UNITEC, that include the anthropomorphic robot for the handling of empty boxes, like the one installed at Sun Valley Packing, provide many benefits to packing houses: greater efficiency and efficacy thanks to cost reduction – up to 50% (as in the case of Sun Valley Packing) thus getting round the problems of labor shortage and making operations smoother, with the aim of being more effective and efficient while increasing the return to the growers.

Customer satisfaction is the beating heart of UNITEC and this is confirmed by customers: “It is really a team unlike any team I’ve ever seen that the UNITEC Group has put together. They all have one goal and that’s to make the equipment work and to satisfy the customer!” – Casey Jones and Sergio Chavez from Sun Valley Packing conclude.

LOS ANGELES — Sun Valley Magnet School is the rare campus in the Los Angeles Unified School District to be located one block from an airport and adjacent to a bus depot teeming with unhealthy emissions. But by 2026, the buses, at least, will have cleaned up their act.

What You Need To Know

On Tuesday, LAUSD announced it would completely electrify the 180 buses that operate at the Sun Valley Bus Yard, where they transport 4,600 students daily in the northern part of the district. It will also upgrade the depot with 180 new EV chargers. The move is the largest single purchase of new electric school buses, chargers and electric infrastructure by a school district in the country.

“No child in our community should be exposed to environmental conditions that are not ideal for them,” LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said Tuesday at the Sun Valley Bus Yard, where children were playing in a schoolyard on the opposite side of the fence.

Just six of the buses at the Sun Valley yard are currently electric. The rest are powered with compressed natural gas, gasoline or propane. LAUSD removed the diesel buses from the facility last September.

Electrification of the bus yard is currently in the planning and engineering phase. Construction is expected to begin in late 2024, with electric school bus deliveries expected in 2025. When complete, the electrification of the Sun Valley Bus Yard will reduce the district’s carbon dioxide emissions by 780,000 tons each year and save the district $2 million annually in maintenance and fuel costs.

As part of a resolution LAUSD passed in 2019, the district has committed to electrifying its entire bus fleet by 2040. The 180 buses in the Sun Valley yard represent 20% of the district’s buses.“To put it concisely, 2040 is much too late to make a change here in Sun Valley, which is why we are making a bold commitment today to make the Sun Valley Bus Yard the first all-electric bus yard in the school district,” LAUSD Board member Kelly Gonez said.

Sun Valley residents have some of the highest asthma rates in LA as well as elevated rates of chronic bronchitis and lung cancer, having “endured disproportionate environmental burdens for decades,” she added. “With pollution from heavy and light industry operating throughout the neighborhood, being crisscrossed by several major freeways, the presence of the Hollywood Burbank and Whiteman airports, the environmental injustices in our community abound.”

In addition to the buses and chargers, the district plans to install a green retaining wall around the bus yard’s perimeter to help protect the Sun Valley Magnet School. It may also install solar panels at the facility that could help with the district’s plans to achieve 100% clean, renewable energy by 2030.

The Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with $5 billion through 2026 for its Clean School Bus Program. The rebates are available to school districts that replace traditional buses with low- and zero-emission models. The California Energy Commission also operates a School Bus Replacement Program for districts to replace diesel buses in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

Carvalho estimates the Sun Valley buses will cost about $72 million and the infrastructure $75 million, but the program could be cost-neutral over time, as each bus is expected to save $10,000 annually in maintenance and fuel costs. LAUSD could see additional savings from selling electricity back to the grid with the buses’ bidirectional charging capability.

The six electric buses the district is now using in Sun Valley are made by the manufacturer, Blue Bird, and include bidirectional charging technology. The EV chargers that fuel them are made by the San Diego vehicle-to-grid technology company Nuvve. Together, the two technologies work to charge the school bus batteries so they can do their primary task of transporting students, but they can also tap the energy that is stored in those batteries when needed and send it back to the power grid.

Last year, Nuvve launched the first vehicle-to-grid program in Southern California with school buses as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s vehicle-to everything initiative, which is designed to develop and commercialize technologies that allow vehicles to connect with infrastructure, including electrical utilities. The pilot program uses eight battery electric buses and six bidirectional chargers in the Cajon Valley Union School District in San Diego.

School buses are an excellent use case for bidirectional technology because their large batteries store a lot of energy. Their operating hours are also limited to mornings and afternoons, picking up and dropping off students. That means they can recharge when electricity is cheapest and sell energy back to the grid when it is more expensive to make a profit.

As LAUSD electrifies the Sun Valley Bus Yard, it could eventually add to its financial and environmental savings by leveraging bidirectional charging.

“There will need to be significant infrastructure improvements in the surrounding community to bring the level of energy and power to the yard to be able to satisfy our requirements prior to us being able to actually monetize the investment and provide some energy back to the grid,” Carvalho said. “But that’s something we are currently exploring.”

The Ridge at Sun Valley is an affordable housing project for people who make 60% or less of the area median income.

A new apartment project is giving Reno much-needed low-income housing at a time when residents are struggling with near-record rents.

The Ridge at Sun Valley is officially breaking ground Thursday morning on 10 acres of land in north Reno at 5100 W. First Ave. by Slope Drive. The project, which is being developed by Colorado-based Ulysses Development Group, will add 195 units of low-income housing to the area.

Reno-Sparks apartments:Which neighborhood has the lowest average rent?

The Sun Valley location was one of the first sites identified by Ulysses Development Group after it was formed two years ago as an affordable housing developer by partners Connor Larr and Yoni Gruskin.

“We identified Northern Nevada as an area facing an acute housing crisis,” Larr said when reached by phone. “Obviously, Northern Nevada has really felt the squeeze in the last few years as the world changed (from the pandemic).”

How much are rents and who qualifies for The Ridge at Sun Valley?

Rents at The Ridge at Sun Valley will vary depending on the unit size. Here are projected rents based on the numbers for today, which can change by the time the apartments are available:

All units at The Ridge at Sun Valley will be reserved for tenants who meet the requisite low-income requirements set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

To qualify, households must make 60% or less of the area median income, according to Larr.

As of May 3, the threshold equates to an annual household income of $39,000 for one person or $56,000 for a family of four, according to Ulysses Development Group.

Reno has recently seen several new affordable housing projects. These include The Vintage at Redfield Apartments and Altitude by Vintage developments that were approved by the city of Reno in December. California-based USA Properties also acquired two existing affordable housing apartments in Reno last August in order to remodel them.

The Ridge at Sun Valley will not be an age-restricted project, according to Larr.

“It’s for working individuals and families but seniors can certainly live here as well,” Larr said

What amenities will The Ridge at Sun Valley have?

Like many of the new low-income developments entering the market, The Ridge at Sun Valley will have a modern look and amenities.

“Historically, when you talk about income-restricted or affordable housing, there tends to be a negative connotation,” Larr said. ”Our goal as a developer is to provide quality housing for people who work and support the community.”

“We want people to walk in and say, 'Wow,'” Larr added.

Amenities at The Ridge at Sun Valley include:

Units at The Ridge at Sun Valley will also have washing machines, dryers, steel appliances, walk-in closets and patios.

When will The Ridge at Sun Valley finish construction?

Construction is expected to take about two years with units being phased in, according to Larr.

“It will be 100% complete by 2025 but some units might be available earlier,” Larr said.

Developing low-income housing is always a challenge and The Ridge at Sun Valley is no exception.

Unlike standard multifamily housing, low-income housing requires not just bank financing but public funding and tax credits to make the project pencil out. Issues with inflation and rising construction and labor costs also adversely impacted the project.

“Our financing partners US Bank and Citibank stuck with us through the long term, which was huge,” Larr said.

The project also received support from state and local partners.

The Washoe County HOME Consortium, for example, provided funds from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program while the Nevada Housing Division helped the project secure funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. In addition to the 4% federal housing tax credit, the project also received a state housing tax credit.

“It’s been a bit of a zig-zag in the last couple of years when the financing environment changed and construction and labor pricing impacted the development’s feasibility but we know it’s an important project for Washoe County and Reno,” Larr said. “At the end of the day, we got all the permits and approval in place and, working with the housing division and the consortium, we were able to get a financing package to get this project off the ground.”

A rare Sun Valley development site situated on 6.9 acres has sold for $40 million.

The buyer, Epicenter Landcorp, has acquired the 11660 Tuxford St. asset, marking the completion of the group’s third real estate investment in the last 12 months.

“A meaningful purchase price reduction, seller financing on desirable terms, and the assembly of a 13-acre industrial property in the middle of Sun Valley made the acquisition of 11660 Tuxford very attractive,” Vasco Noya di Lannoy, chief investment of Epicenter Landcorp, said in a statement.

Colliers’ North Los Angeles industrial agents David Harding, Greg Geraci, Matt Dierckman and Billy Walk brokered the deal on behalf of the buyer. Raines Feldman LLP facilitated legal considerations for Epicenter in the transaction. Brad Luster of Major Properties represented the undisclosed seller.

The site’s features include 300,900 square feet of land with 73,000 square feet of building space, LA M1 zoning with land use for warehouse and light industrial and a secure gated lot.

“The 11660 Tuxford St. site presents a rare opportunity for Epicenter Landcorp to expand their portfolio in a vibrant industrial market,” Harding said. “Not only is the property ready to be leased in an active market with a 0.5% vacancy rate, but it also provides the potential for future development, making it truly a one-of-a-kind investment.”

The Sun Valley property stands in the tight submarket of East San Fernando Valley, which saw 0.6% vacancy in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to the same vacancy in the overall San Fernando Valley and 0.9% in Los Angeles County, according to Colliers data. Asking rent for industrial buildings in East San Fernando Valley held at $1.71 a square foot — the same rate as the greater San Fernando Valley — while Los Angeles asking rent was $1.80 in the fourth quarter. While the asking rent in the East San Fernando Valley was flat with the third quarter of last year, it was up from $1.55 in the first quarter of last year and $1.64 in the second quarter.

Colliers has been busy. The brokerage announced on Feb. 7 that it recruited a longtime CBRE Group Inc. capital markets broker in greater Los Angeles, naming Sterling Champ as executive vice president for Colliers in Glendale.

Champ specializes in corporate capital markets, sale-leaseback, build-to-suit, acquisition and disposition deals as well as lease accounting, deal structuring and strategy services. He has transacted deals totaling more than $8 billion in value since starting in real estate in the 1980s. His clients have included high-profile firms including MetLife, New York Life and Goldman Sachs as well as the California State Teachers’ Retirement System. He also helped form the net-lease property group at CBRE, according to the company.

Champ started in the real estate industry working for Vantage Cos. in New Jersey in the 1980s. After the firm experienced financial problems, Champ and another partner bought the business and started the management and leasing company Bridgewood Properties. Bridgewood was sold to Koll Real Estate Services, which CBRE acquired in 1997. Two years later, Champ relocated to Los Angeles to work for LoopNet and in 2001, Champ moved over to CBRE, where he had been working until the Colliers hire.

“Our momentum of attracting world-class talent continues with the addition of Sterling to our business,” Jodie Poirier, executive managing director and greater Los Angeles market leader at Colliers, said in a statement. “Sterling’s corporate capital markets expertise will add immediate value to our greater Los Angeles business, including our growing private equity practice.”

The Jordanian royal family is currently in Sun Valley, Idaho!

The royals are in the States for the annual Sun Valley conference, presented by the investment firm Allen & Company. King Abdullah II and Queen Rania are joined by their son, Crown Prince Hussein, and his new bride, Princess Rajwa, for what seems to be a working vacation in the resort town.

Yesterday, Queen Rania posted photos showing the family in coordinating blue outfits for her daughter-in-law Princess Rajwa's first post-wedding appearance.

Today, Rania once again took to her social media to share some pictures from their trip. "More from Sun Valley," the Jordanian queen wrote on her Instagram account. "Wishing everyone a wonderful Friday!"

View full post on Instagram

In the first photo, Prince Hussein drives a golf cart, with Rajwa sitting next to him and his mom Queen Rania sitting in the backseat. A person sitting behind Hussein is obscured. In the second photo, Rania is inside what looks to be a hotel room, wearing a fitted brown shirt, white pleated midi skirt, and a name tag.

Today, the Royal Hashemite Court shared, "His Majesty King Abdullah II participated in the Sun Valley economic forum in Idaho, the US, over the past two days, and held meetings with heads of a number of major international and US companies, part of which were attended by HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II."

They continued, "Opportunities for cooperation with the private sector in #Jordan and investment in vital sectors were discussed. The meetings included CEOs of companies operating in mining, the garments industry, engineering and technology industries, tourism, education, and investment."

View full post on Instagram

In June, the Royal Hashemite Court said that the visit to Idaho was a "private visit," one where King Abdullah "will participate in the Sun Valley economic forum."

The Jordanian royal family are among numerous VIPs who are in Sun Valley for the conference. Spotted thus far include CEOs Bob Iger (of Disney), David Zaslav (of Warner Bros. Discovery), Tim Cook (of Apple), Ted Sarandos (of Netflix), Mark Zuckerberg (of Meta) and Sam Altman (of OpenAI), to name a few.

The event is not open to the press. As Deadline notes, "Members of the press making the trek to Idaho are kept at a distance from the goings-on inside the Sun Valley Resort, and event organizers frown on participants doing any media relations beyond waving at cameras and briefly chatting at the valet line."