CPACK December 2021

Packaging for Freshness Page 21

Food Safety Page 26

Pre-Show Report 2022 IPPE Page 29 SERVING CANADA’S PACKAGING COMMUNITY SINCE 1947

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM DECEMBER 2021 / $10.00

HOME TO ROOST

Poultry processor doubling down on inline X-Ray inspection technology to ensure optimal bone detection for its case-ready portfolio Story on Page 15

CLAUDIO NEVES, V-P, OPERATIONS ADP DIRECT POULTRY LTD.

Your Focus is your Brand, our Focus is Aseptic Processing.

We treat your Brand as if it were our own.

Cardiff Products Corporation is a state-of-the-art aseptic co-manufacturing facility located in London, Ontario next to the 401. We are family owned and operated with several years of experience in the food industry.

Our Branded customers appreciate our straight forward, cost effective approach in getting their high quality product to the market.

Our BRC (AA rated) Facility has Kosher, Organic & Gluten Free designations to support your brand.

844-390-6010 info@cardprod.com www.cardprod.com

Videojet 1880 Continuous Inkjet Printer Enabling Industry 4.0 productivity pioneers

Harness the collective intelligence of 10,000 cloud-connected Videojet printers to help keep your lines running The Videojet 1880 CIJ printer builds upon comprehensive insights gained from the fleet of cloud-connected Videojet printers, the largest in the industry, to enable your journey towards Industry 4.0. Not only does the 1880 enable exceptional uptime, it is expressly designed to help your team improve productivity and help drive lower costs over the lifetime of the printer.

Discover more at videojet.com/1880 ©2021 Videojet Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. Videojet Technologies Inc.’s policy is one of continued product improvement.

We reserve the right to alter design and/or specifications without notice.

BOXED IN

by packaging problems?

We’re globetrotters who source locally, nationally or globally so you’re not limited by local capacity and capabilities. Packaging that fits your products, budget and timelines.

Explore our 9 Tips to Reduce Packaging Costs. The benefits are boundless.

Go to: go.veritivcorp.com/9-tips

© 2021 Veritiv Corporation.

All rights reserved. Veritiv and the Veritiv logo are registered trademarks of Veritiv Corporation or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WF473501 1221

December 2021 Vol. 74, No. 12 canadianpackaging.com

COVER STORY

15

15 Roll the Bones

Hard-working poultry processor raises its food safety standards to new heights with new-generation X-Ray product inspection technology boasting unrivaled bone detection capabilities.

FEATURES

21 All in the Family

Upstart beverage co-packer hits the ground running at full speed ahead with Tetra Pak aseptic packaging technology.

26 Rules to Follow

Strict new regulations on food safety bring new machine design challenges for food and beverage producers.

21

26

DEPARTMENTS

COLUMNS

NEWSPACK 6-7 Packaging news round-up.

FROM THE EDITOR 4 George Guidoni Integrating sustainability with automation for greater good.

8-9 NOTES & QUOTES FIRST GLANCE 11 New packaging solutions and technologies.

ECO-PACK NOW 12 Sustainable packaging innovations.

29 Time to Meat Again!

A preview of the extensive educational programs to be offered at the upcoming 2022 IPPE meat industry showcase in Atlanta, Ga.

CHECKOUT 32 Jeff May Joe Public speaks out on packaging hits and misses.

PEOPLE 13 Career moves in the packaging world.

IMPACT 14 A monthly insight from PAC Global ISSN 1481 9287. Canadian Packaging is published 10 times per year by Annex Business Media. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065710. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department, 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1. No part of the editorial content in this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. © 2021 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of this publication.

Printed in Canada.

ON THE COVER ADP Direct Poultry vice-president of operations Claudio Neves strikes a pose alongside the new Eagle PXT X-Ray product inspection system installed at the company’s case-ready chicken processing plant in Toronto by leading packaging automation integrators PLAN Automation.

FROM THE EDITOR

Integrating automation with sustainability to reduce plastics footprint

A

380 MILLION Tonnes of plastic products produced every year, with less than 10 per cent of it recycled.

utomation and sustainability may not seem like a natural pairing at first glance. But in a world desperate for more sustainable packaging on a truly global scale, there are many promising synergies of ends and means for both megatrends to foster a happy convergence to benefit the public and the planet, while rewarding the innovative industry leaders seizing the day and the opportunity to integrate the two competencies in endless quest for a more sustainable future.

With single-use plastic packaging coming under increasing regulatory and public pressure to limit and ban their use across the board in CPG (consumer packaged goods), retail, hospitality and other vital industries, there’s never been a greater need, or a better time, to address the issue of what will replace all that plastic—on a global scale.

While most of the efforts in plastic waste diversion to date have focused on recyclability, companies like Californiabased Zume are making a compelling case for accelerating advances in packaging compostability as a key piece in helping mitigate the global plastic pollution crisis devastating our oceans and waterways.

Using packaging material made from sustainably harvested plant material left over from agricultural production— including bamboo, wheat and straw—the company’s plant-based material is 100-percent biodegradable and simply breaks down after use.

Using significantly less water and energy to make, hence vastly reducing CO₂ emissions when compared to the production and disposal of plastic packaging, Zume recently patented an innovative manufacturing process to make compostable packaging for anything from food and groceries to cosmetics and consumer goods, according to the company.

“By 2050, we estimate that the world’s oceans will have more plastic than fish, so it is critical that we move everyone away from single-use plastics,” says Zume’s chief executive officer Alex Garden.

Eager to get this packaging out to markets just in time before some of the long-promised single-use plastic bans

become law—as is the case in Canada starting next month—Zume enlisted the support of leading global robotics manufacturer ABB to scale up the commercial rollout of its sustainable innovations.

Under the ambitious plan, ABB will integrate and install more than 1,000 molded fiber manufacturing cells (MFC)— including up to 2,000 robots at Zume customer’s sites worldwide—leveraging its program management capabilities and automation experts in its network of Global Solution Centers to enable the scale, modularity, and speed required to launch the solutions, which have the potential to produce millions of pieces of sustainable packaging annually.

“Automating production of Zume’s sustainable packaging with ABB robots makes this a viable and economic alternative to single-use plastics,” says Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation in Ann Arbor, Mich. “With Zume, we have the potential to remove trillions of pieces of plastic from the global marketplace, preserving scarce resources and supporting a low-carbon world.”

The Zume compostable containers are molded from the plant material by Zume’s molded fiber cells integrated with two ABB IRB 6700 robots, with each cell processing up to two tonnes of agriculture material every day to produce about 80,000 pieces of sustainable packaging. Working with ABB, Zume expects to equip factories with up to 100 robotic cells each.

With the automation, speed and scalability provided by the MFC, each site would have the potential to process 71,000 tonnes of agriculture material annually, potentially producing up to two billion pieces of packaging each year.

“Today, robotic automation is expanding possibilities, making the world more sustainable through more efficient production that reduces energy use, emissions and production waste,” Atiya proclaims. “Our collaboration showcases what is possible when organizations that are committed to pursuing a low-carbon society work together.”

A trend or not, long may it continue!

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 74, NO. 12 Reader Service Print and digital subscription inquiries or changes, please contact: Anita Madden, Audience Development Manager Tel: (416) 510-5183 | Fax: (416) 510-6875 Email: amadden@annexbusinessmedia.com Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 Senior Publisher Stephen Dean | (416) 510-5198 SDean@canadianpackaging.com Editor George Guidoni | (416) 510-5227 GGuidoni@canadianpackaging.com Account Coordinator Barb Comer | (888) 599-2228 ext 210 bcomer@annexbusinessmedia.com Media Designer Brooke Shaw | (519) 428-3471 bshaw@annexbusinessmedia.com COO Scott Jamieson SJamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com Annex Business Media 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1; Tel: 416-442-5600.

Canadian Packaging, established 1947, is published 10 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 008-4654 (PRINT), ISSN 1929-6592 (ONLINE) PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065710 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE PER YEAR (INCLUDING ANNUAL BUYERS’ GUIDE: Canada $78.50 per year,USA $179.50 (CDN) per year, Outside Canada $203.50 (CDN) per year, Single Copy Canada $10.00, Outside Canada $27.10.

From time to time Canadian Packaging will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

Annex Privacy Officer Privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Phone: 800-668-2374 DISCLAIMER: No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2021 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. This publication is for informational purposes only. The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals. Canadian Packaging accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. Canadian Packaging receives unsolicited materials, (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. Canadian Packaging, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, republish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort.

We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada

GEORGE GUIDONI, editor GGuidoni@canadianpackaging.com

4

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

N O T H I N G S AY S

F R E S H like FABB R I PAC KAG ING Fabbri Automatic Stretch Wrappers produce low-cost, highly attractive packages that make your products look fresh and “just packed”. n

Uses stretch film to overwrap fresh food products in preformed trays.

n

Produces tight, over-the-flange, wrinkle-free packages with securely sealed bottoms.

n

Handles a wide range of tray sizes with no changeovers to reduce downtime and increase production.

n

Up to 75 packs per minute.

www.reiserexperts.com Reiser Canada • Burlington, ON • (905) 631-6611 Visit Reiser at IPPE 2022 Booth C11823

Reiser • Canton, MA • (781) 821-1290 Reiser UK • Milton Keynes, Bucks • (01908) 585300

NEWSPACK

Labatt announces huge new capital investment in plastic-free packaging

Labatt Breweries of Canada is investing $110 million in Quebec’s economy over the next three years with major capital upgrades at

its Montreal brewery, including large-scale introduction of more sustainable fiber-based packaging to replace the use of plastics in secondary packaging operations.

Both Quebec and Montreal will benefit from the investment, with $43.7 million going directly into Labatt’s Montreal brewery to fund increased brewing capacity and the implementation of KeelClip packaging—a first-of-its-kind technology in North America that uses a sustainable, fiber-based paperboard packaging system instead of plastic.

The remainder of the $110 million

investment will go towards non-brewery operations across the province, including distribution and technology enhancements, and commercial initiatives.

This investment will not only help accelerate the province’s post-COVID economic recovery, but it will also lead to a significant reduction in single-use plastic and signalling the company’s commitment to Montreal and the province of Quebec, according to Canada’s second-largest beer producer.

“We’re proud of our history in Quebec and we’re excited to continue our commitment to the province with this important investment that will improve our operations and have significant environmental benefits,” says Montreal Brewery general manager André Gravelle.

“We know sustainability is a priority in the province,” Gravelle says, “and by introducing North America’s first KeelClip system right here in Montreal, we’re positioning our brewery to be a leader in sustainability in the province and setting up for future growth.”

Developed and commercialized by Graphic Packaging International, Inc., the multiple award-winning KeelClip is a minimal fastener that is made from recycled fibre paperboard and replaces plastic packaging ring-tops and shrink film, while offering merchandising benefits by displaying full can graphics in any orientation; providing an extra layer of consumer protection by keeping the top of the cans clean, and enhancing consumer convenience with die-cut finger holes in the top layer of the KeelClip sleeve for easy carrying by hand.

The innovative solution uses the high-tech KeelClip 1600 automated packaging system, which will enable the Montreal brewery to eliminate nearly 100,000 kilograms of plastic by early 2022—more than the weight of 77 mid-size cars of plastic no longer going into the landfill.

Once underway in other Labatt operations, this investment is projected to further cut Labatt’s single-use and recyclable plastics by a total of 242,000 kilograms by 2024.

In a bid to meet growing market demand, Labatt is using the remainder of the $43.7 million to expand production and install three new tanks at the Montreal brewery to increase brewing capacity.

With the new upgrades, the company can ramp up production for new innovations, such as seltzers and ready-to-drink products.

“This investment comes at an important time and helps us move from strength to strength,” Gravelle states. “We’re now able to make more of our most sought-after products and have the flexibility required to adapt to changing consumers tastes and preferences throughout the province.”

Headquartered in London, Ont., Labatt has been operating in the province of Quebec for 143 years and has been brewing beer at its Montreal brewery since 1956.Tracing company roots back to 1847, when London-area farmer John Kinder Labatt first turned to brewing, the company today operates seven key breweries from coast-to-coast, as well as four craft breweries, to produce about 75 different brands, while employing over 3,600 skilled craftspeople and other professionals.

Between 2011 and 2021, Labatt has invested over $200 million in the Montreal brewery and $1.125 billion across all its operations Canada-wide.

6

CPK_Plan Automation_Dec21_CSA.indd 1

2021-11-16 11:00 AM

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

Reading the tea leaves to cut packaging footprint

Inspired by the tea houses he visited in Europe in his youth, Montreal native Hugo Americi opened the first Camellia Sinensis tea salon in Montreal back in 1998.

After recruiting three local tea connoisseurs to join his new business venture—including Jasmin Desharnais, François Marchand and Kevin Gascoyne—the passionate team proceeded to turn the fledgling start-up into a solid high-end enterprise operating three boutiques and a tea salon in Montreal and Quebec City.

A global reference thanks to their unique criteria for selecting their teas, the four expert tasters visit gardens the world over to meet with producers in order to import high-quality teas of exceptional taste, cultivated in healthy gardens where the products are responsibly grown.

In line with its progressive mission statement and corporate priorities, Camellia Sinensis has

recently redesigned its retail tea packaging to make it more environmentally friendly.

“As a tea house, our raw material is, of course, taken from the land.

“So, it was only natural that we put every effort into providing the most environmentally respectful packaging possible,” says company founder and general manager Americi.

“It took us two years of review and research to arrive at the final product, which we’re extremely proud to see on the shelves now,” says Hugo Americi, founder and general manager of Camellia Sinensis.

The main feature of these new packages, lunched in October, is that they use up to 68-percent less material than the bags they replaced, according to Americi.

“After running tests using different materials, we ended up going with bags that keep the tea fresher and have a longer shelf-life, which makes it easier to reuse the packages,” Americi explains.

“Like many in the food industry, we thought the option of compostable material was the way to go,” he adds. “However, we figured out that bags made with that kind of material don’t keep tea fresh enough or last long enough, since the composting facilities in Quebec and the rest of Canada weren’t developed to manage packaging or sort materials, but instead to produce quality compost.

Going against the downsizing trend in the food industry, which means smaller sizes and

smaller volumes in the packages, Camellia Sinensis instead decided to increase the volume of tea by 15 to 20 per cent per bag to offset the price adjustment.

For the consumer, this translates to savings of one or two bags at the end of the year.

In addition, to compensate for the labor shortage, a whole new automated bagging process has been put into place at the company’s so-packing facility in Montreal, whereby it now it takes just a half-day to produce 1,000 packages—compared to four days earlier. Moreover, the consumers are actively encouraged to reuse the bags through a 50-cent discount Camellia Sinensis boutiques offer for every bag they bring back.

Featuring an attractive new graphic design created by branding agency Studio Caserne of Outremont, Que., each of the brand’s tea families now have their own color, with a symbol in the upper left corner indicating whether the tea inside the packaged is a loose-leaf product or packed in individual bags.

For their part, the back panels of the pouches are used to display all the technical product information, including the origin, producer name, steeping instructions, and antioxidant and caffeine content.

CARLO GAVAZZI Automation Components

Innovative Automation Solutions CARLO GAVAZZI Automation Components SENSORS: Inductive and Capacitive Proximity Sensors • Photoelectric Sensors • Level Sensors • Ultrasonic Sensors • Magnetic Sensors • Limit Switches • Safety Interlocks

SWITCHES: Solid State Relays • Contactors and Overloads • Soft Starters • Definite Purpose Contactors • Mini Circuit Breakers • Electromechanical Relays • Pushbuttons and Pilot Devices

CARLO GAVAZZI

CARLO GAVAZZI has the solution for your application uto m a t ileading o n C osolid m pstate one n t s energy needs, whether it’sA our industry relays, USA Tel: 847.465.6100 meters, contactors, motor controls, monitoring relays or Canada Tel: 888.575.2275 Mexico 55.5373.7042 sensors, now available Tel: with IO-Link communications.

Brazil Tel: 55.11.3052.0832 www.GavazziOnline.com • Info@CarloGavazzi.com twitter.com/CarloGavazziNA facebook.com/CarloGavazziNA https://www.linkedin.com/company/carlo-gavazzi_2 CANADIANPACKAGING.COM youtube.com/user/CarloGavazziNA

CONTROLS: Energy Meters • Current Transformers • Transducers • Power Supplies • Panel Meters • Time Delay Relays • Current-, Voltage- and Phase Monitoring Controls

Contact us today, and one of our field sales representatives will show you why we are one of the fastest growing automation companies worldwide. We’ll even provide a free evaluation sample to qualified customers.

GavazziOnline.com • 888.575.2275 • Gavazzi@CarloGavazzi.com December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

7

NOTES & QUOTES

DON’T PLAY CATCH-UP.

Remove system downtime due to drive failure and get up to speed with our Drive System Modernization Program.

Maintaining relationships for life.

sew-eurodrive.ca | sewcan.ca

CPK_SEW Eurodrive_Dec21_CSA.indd 1

Global metal packaging products group Trivium Packaging has picked up two Excellence in Quality Awards of the International Metal Decorating & Packaging Association (IMDPA) last month in recognition of exceptional quality and precise consistency in the pursuit of decorating and packaging excellence. In the competition’s Aerosol & Bottle category, Trivium’s U.S. operations were awarded the Best of Category distinction for the Gen Z brand water bottle—a 16-ounce refillable and recyclable container showcasing the brand’s colorful graphic and fun images. “Throughout this project, the Trivium team was fantastic to work with,” says Neil Mellers, founder of GEN Z Water in Fayetteville, Ark. “Special thanks to our account managers for taking the time to walk us through the process and ensure our design looked great on the bottle.” Also, Trivium’s French business packed up the competition’s top Award of Excellence honors for the Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc bottle—a 300-ml container holding Mont Blanc’s thermal water said to provide effective remedy

for repairing, soothing, and moisturizing atopic-prone skin. Launched to coincide with the release of Hollywood’s animated blockbuster Frozen II, the container was picked on the basis of superior utilization of metallic inks to match the marketing expectations of the product’s brand-owner.

Cincinnati, Ohio-headquarted packaging machinery group ProMach has completed the acquisition of CL&D Graphics, Hartland, Wis.-based provider of high-quality flexographic and digital web packaging and converting solutions for consumer product companies, and its CLD Digital subsidiary. According to ProMach, the acquisition significantly expands the company’s portfolio of flexible and rigid packaging systems and strengthens its ability to provide complete machinery and material solutions for a broad range of packaging applications. Founded in 1979, CL&D Graphics specializes in manufacturing rollfed film and pressure-sensitive labels, shrinksleeves, pouches, lidding, and pre-printed thermoform solutions to CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies across North America. For its part, CL&D Digital produces short-run,

2021-11-16 8:54 AM

IN INSPECTION SYSTEMS The Meat Pump Pipeline is optimized for inspecting metal contaminant in high viscosity meats transported through an enclosed pipe.

Meat Pump Pipeline

With the hygienic design, this system is easier to dismantle and clean to prevent bacteria accumulations. IP69K rated and USDA compliant, it can withstand harsh meat processing environments and high-pressurized washdowns.

LEARN MORE AT BOOTH C12919

8

888-220-8737 sales@fortresstechnology.com www.FortressTechnology.com CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

production quality prototypes and promotional samples to help brandowners bring their bring products to market more quickly. “ProMach is always looking for new and unique ways to bring more value to our customers, and CL&D changes that narrative for many of our clients in the flexible packaging space that have wanted a single-source partner who can provide a more complete and total solution, including both materials and machinery,” says ProMach president and chief executive officer Mark Anderson. “This proven model has served us well with our industry leading brands like ID Technology and I’m confident this will be the case with our flexible packaging partners as we move forward.”

Protective packaging products group Pregis LLC has acquired Danco Converting, Carol Stream, Ill.-based producer of broad range of paperbased packaging products for industrial, foodservice and distribution packaging applications. “Danco has been a strong

converting paper partner to Pregis for many years, providing the materials are used in conjunction with our Easypack paper void-fill systems,” says Pregis president and chief executive officer Kevin Baudhuin. “With the continued growth experienced by our paper systems, it was a natural next step in our evolution to vertically integrate the process, and acquiring such a well-run, successful converting partner like Danco will help us achieve our goals.”

Tekni-Plex, Wayne, Pa.-headquarered manufacturer of medical devices and consumer packaging components, has completed the acquisition of Keyes Packaging Group, Wenatchee, Wash.-based supplier of protective packaging products for the food-and-beverage industries, including molded-fiber trays for transport of apples, avocados, eggs and wine bottles.

“Adding Keyes to the Tekni-Plex Consumer Products family gives us a boost in our overall efforts towards providing additional sustainable solutions to our customers,” says Eldon Schaffer, chief executive officer of Tekni-Plex Consumer Products division.

YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE MORE SUSTAINABLE?

USING LESS, AND USING IT SMARTER Discover new ways to keep your bottling lines moving, while making your business more sustainable. System Plast® Valu Guide® conveyor components will help you achieve your sustainability targets while increasing safety and efficiency. Interested in reducing the use of water, elimination of slippery floors, reduced electricity use, less downtime, and less waste? Ask our specialists for specific recommendations for your plant. You can start now reducing the natural resources we consume!

SHAWPAK SYSTEMS ADDS NEW TECHNICAL SALES ASSOCIATE

regalrexnord.com/RunDry Creating a better tomorrow™...

Nolu®-S

Shane Hinchey to service Greater Toronto Area bearings

Shawpak Systems a Distributor and Equipment Representative for Product Inspection Equipment / Packaging Equipment & Industrial Hygiene Equipment announces the appointment of Shane Hinchey to Technical Sales Associate. Hinchey will serve customers in the Greater Toronto Area.

chains and belts

plastic materials

Most recently, Hinchey worked as a Project Manager for Mettler Toledo Canada and brings with him an extensive technical background, in the Food / Pharma & Beverage Industries.

Hinchey also spent several years in Europe gaining knowledge specifically in the X-ray Product Inspection Division of Mettler Toledo at the Strategic Business Unit, based in Royston United Kingdom.

Shane may be reached at 905-815-7734 or via e-mail at Shane@shawpak.com

Avoid re-greasing, reducing use of lubricants and maintenance time

shawpak.com

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

9

Eliminate lubrication and save up to 150.000 liters* of water per week

* Actual numbers depend on line size and circumstances Regal Rexnord, Creating a better tomorrow, NG, Nolu, Sealmaster, System Plast, and Valu Guide are trademarks of Regal Rexnord Corporation or one of its affiliated companies. © 2019, 2021 Regal Rexnord Corporation, All Rights Reserved.

MCAD21059E • 10308E

Reduce energy consumption by up to 11%*

LESS IS MORE

Meet Steve.

Steve is an manufacturing engineer at a major pharmaceutical company.

And Steve knows better than anyone that in life sciences, coding and marking projects with high regulations and short timelines can get pretty tricky.

Partnered with Domino, Steve has

designed and implemented a serialization solution that’s compliant, efficient, on-time and on-budget.

Which means Steve spends less time troubleshooting coding errors and more time basking in the success of a well-run marking line.

INKJET CODING LASER MARKING LABEL PRINT & APPLY

Less risk. More compliance.

Domino. Do more.

domino-printing.com

FIRST GLANCE

STACKING THE DECK

SUPER SONIC Designed to print superior quality small characters on a variety of substrates, the new JetStream Sonic continuous inkjet (CIJ) printer from Squid Ink Manufacturing, Inc. can print up to five lines of text on porous, non-porous, smooth, textured, curved, concave and other challenging surfaces to suit virtually any small-character primary product coding application. Operating at higher frequency to generate smaller droplet size, the system’s user-friendly 10.1-inch color touchscreen interface features a number of options to help users make their mark on a variety of products, while streamlining their coding operation, with JetStream Sonic’s intuitive software allowing them to print database messages straight from a USB drive. In addition, users can also select up to 16 quick-load messages for lines that require quick message changeover. For messages with graphic elements, JetStream Sonic’s software lets users make changes to the graphics by utilizing the system’s onboard graphic editor—allowing them to print exactly what they want right when they want it.

Squid Ink Manufacturing, Inc. BETTER FORM Wexxar Bel has redesigned its IPAK range of automatic tray formers to incorporate several important design upgrades that allow users greater accessibility for faster, easier and safer

changeovers than ever before, according to the company. Notable updates to the IPAK tray formers also include redesigning the guard doors and other guarding components to provide better access into the machine for faster adjustments and changeovers. Moreover, the number of adjustments needed for changeovers has also been reduced, making it easier for employees with varying skill levels to operate while reducing the amount of training needed and, ultimately, taking greater ownership of the machine on a daily basis. Simplifying the machine also aids maintenance crews by troubleshooting and servicing the machine more efficiently to minimize downtime. The filter regulator and coalescing (FRC) on the redesigned IPAK tray former has also been relocated outside the machine, enhancing ease of accessibility when pneumatic adjustments are required.

The relocation has also made pneumatic connections more direct and efficient, reducing the chance of air leakage and making for a more energy-efficient operation with an overall lower cost of ownership. Other changes include reinforcing materials on the overall machine and in particular, reinforced guarding and door hinges.

Wexxar Bel (Div. of ProMach)

Designed to provide a highly versatile solution for load transporting and stacking applications, the new high-performance PowerStak fully powered stackers from Presto ECOA Lifts are equipped with powered drive technology that allows for palletized loads to be moved effortlessly by any operator regardless of their size or physical strength—even over long distances. In addition to being easier to use than manual stackers, PowerStak units offer a significant economic advantage over forklift trucks with compact design, low overall weight, and quiet operation that allows them to fit nicely into a wide variety of work environments including warehouses and distribution centers, manufacturing and assembly workcells, on all types of loading docks, and even in Big Box retail and home improvement centers.

Available in six models, the PowerStaks are offered in fork-over configurations for use with open bottom pallets or with adjustable straddle bases for use with any style pallet, including closed bottom, with each model boasting 2,200-pound capacity and a 24-inch load center. Each model is outfitted with numerous performance and convenience features making the user-friendly PowerStaks safe and easy to operate, including an ergonomically designed control handle that puts all

functions—including lift, lower, forward and reverse—within easy reach for operator comfort and convenience.

Redundant design allows all controls to be accessed by the operator’s right or left hand with the instrument control panel featuring a key switch, emergency e-stop, battery status indicator and hour meter.

Presto ECOA Lifts

XTREME CONDITIONS Eriez has added two new conveyor belt size options to its original 12-inch-belt Xtreme metal detector conveyor systems with automatic rejects, with both six- and 18-inch belt sizes offered for fast delivery through the Eriez Quick Ship program. Just like the 12-inch systems, the standard six- and 18-inch Xtreme metal detector conveyor systems boast a wide array of new options, including a choice of push-arm or air-blast rejects, lockbox, reject confirmation, stainless-steel motor/reducer, improved guarding, emergency stop and side guides.

Designed for optimal sensitivity, convenience and productivity, Xtreme metal detectors conveyor systems feature seven-inch touchscreen interface, multiple pre-programmed languages, easy set-up,, multiple USB and interface ports, remote access, and 24/7 technical support.

Eriez

SIMPLE, SAFE CHANGEOVER FOR MAXIMUM MACHINE FLEXIBILITY Optimize your entire plant, avoid downtime and realize shorter production runs. Our easy-to-use digital position guide increases efficiency and eliminates the errors seen in fully manual format changes. And with its Ecolab certification and IP68 and IP69K ratings, it is ideal for packaging, food and beverage applications. balluff.canada@balluff.ca (905)CANADIANPACKAGING.COM 816-1494

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

11

ECO-PACK NOW

NOVA paving the way forward to achieve plastics circularity

T

Operating as a wholly-owned “Together, we are finding new he road to Circular Econsolutions to divert plastic waste from subsidiary of the Mubadala Inomy for plastics will not be landfill and create a circular econ- vestment Company of the Emirate an easy one for many of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emiromy for plastic materials.” plastic companies, but for NOVA Chemicals first ap- ates, NOVA Chemicals develops NOVA Chemicals Corproached Brantford, Ont.-based and manufactures chemicals polyporation, the path to that virtuous GreenMantra in 2020 to initiate a ethylene, and sells post-consumer goal is literally being paved with field paving trial, which included the resin, for recyclable applications awe-inspiring recycling innovation equivalent of 118,000 plastic bags in such as food packaging, caps-andhelping to divert huge amounts of NOVA Chemicals’ newest poly- two 1,700-feet-long pathways locat- closures and e-commerce packaging plastic waste from landfills.

Teaming up with advanced ethylene manufacturing facility, in- ed at its future Rokeby site in nearby that make everyday life healthier and safer. (chemical) recycling leader Green- corporating a polymer additive from Corunna, Ont. Proud to be one of the largest According to NOVA, pilot was Mantra Technologies, the plastics GreenMantra that boosts the perprocessor has just completed a formance of the asphalt to enable aimed at testing the of the Canadian private employers in the Sarsecond asphalt paving project at its consturction of stronger, more dur- climate and the environmental im- nia-Lambton region, NOVA Chempact of freeze-thaw cycles, UV rays, icals epects to create over 150 new manufacturing operations near able roads.

“This is an excellent example of and moisture in addition to bearing full-time jobs at tits second second Sarnia, Ont., incorporating the equivalent of 700,000 plastic bags in Canadian innovation and collabora- the load of heavy construction Advanced SCLAIRTECH TechnolPCR (post-consumer recycled plas- tion to shape a world that is better equipment. Based on the positive ogy facility at the new Rokeby site, tic) materials into two pathways and tomorrow than it is today,” says performance of the test strip in 2020, which has employed nearly 1,800 Sarah Marshall, vice-president of NOVA Chemicals and GreenMan- people to construct and equip the a parking lot.

The asphalt paving project was sustainability at NOVA Chemicals tra proceeded with the expanded facility, adding up to well over four million man-hours to date. paving project. completed at the construction site of headquarters in Calgary, Alta.

21_2405_CN_Pckg_DEC_CN Mod: October 28, 2021 10:45 AM Print: 11/15/21 page 1 v2.5

CLEAR ROUND WIDE-MOUTH JARS

π

F-STYLE JUGS

SHIPPING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS

JARS AND JUGS IN STOCK – SHIPS TODAY

ORDER BY 6 PM FOR SAME DAY SHIPPING UTILITY JUGS

PLASTIC PAILS

COMPLETE CATALOG 12

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021 CPK_Uline _Dec21_CSA.indd 1

1-800-295-5510

uline.ca CANADIANPACKAGING.COM 2021-11-16 8:50 AM

PEOPLE

BMG (Brown Machine Group), Beaverton, Mich.based manufacturer of automated industrial equipment, has appointed Brian Golden as sales director for the Americas region at GN Thermoforming Equipment in Chester, N.S., which was acquired by BMG this past spring.

JLS Automation, York, Pa.-headquartered integrator of vision-guided robotic solutions for the food packaging industry, has appointed Jim Jeffries as reginal sales manager for the southwestern U.S., responsible for the company’s sales activities in California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Swiss package printing and converting machinery manufacturing group BOBST has appointed Katie Graham as regional marketing and communications manager for the company’s BOBST North America Inc. subsidiary, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. Cincinnati, Ohio-headquartered packaging machinery manufacturing group ProMach has appointed Tom McDaniel as president of its Pharma Business Unit, which manufactures a diverse range of pharmaceutical packaging solutions under the NJM, WLS and Pharmaworks brand labels.

Tekni-Plex, Wayne, Pa.-headquartered manufacturer of pharmaceutical packaging product and components for healthcare and personal-care industry applications, has appointed Chris Qualters as chief executive officer of the company’s Healthcare division, and Eldon Schaffer as chief executive officer of its Consumer Products division.

Australian processing and packaging equipment manufacturing group tna solutions has appointed Steve Johnson (left) as regional sales manager for midwestern U.S., and Timothy Upshur as regional sales manager for southeastern U.S., to be based at the company’s North American headquarters in Dallas, Tex. Pharmaworks, Odessa, Fla.-based ProMach subsidiary specializing in pharmaceutcal packaging machinery, has appointed Jeff Miller as regional sales manager for territory comprising central U.S. and central Canada.

Leading global end-of-line packaging and material handling equipment manufacturing group BEUMER Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG of Beckum, Germany, has appointed Jörn Fontius as the company’s managing director.

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

13

High-Quality High-Qualityand and Reliable Reliable Equipment Equipment Solutions Solutions

Abbey Equipment Solutions is a Canadian based

Abbey Equipment Solutions is a Canadian based company company with 30 years’ experience in the Food & with 30 years’ experience in the Food & Beverage and Cannabis industry.

Beverage and Cannabis industry.

We havepartners strategically We have strategically sourced manufacturing of sourced manufacturing partners of high-quality and high-quality and reliable equipment to best serve our customers needs. reliable equipment to best serve our customers needs.

With Abbey Equipment’s mixture of options from packaging, With and Abbey Equipment’s mixture of optionsmechanical from inspection, processing equipment to our integrated packaging, inspection, and processing equipment to our solutions, we’ve got you covered.

We integrated can provide you with stand alone equipment options to fully integrated mechanical solutions, we’ve got you covered. turnkey project solutions all supported by our local service team.

We can provide you with standalone equipment options

to fully integrated turnkey project solutions all supported by our local service team.

TOLL FREE: (800) 361-5919 ABBEYEQUIPMENT.COM

PARTNERS

USA

INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN

JOIN US. CELEBRATE THE CRAFT OF PACKAGE BRAND DESIGN AND INNOVATION. A one-day virtual event designed for the global packaging industry with intention to inspire, champion, and celebrate.

J o i n u s a n d j o u r n e y d o w n t h e p a t h o f i n n ov a t i o n , i n c l u s i v i t y, and accessibility in packaging – where no one is left behind.

O u r s p e a k e r s w i l l c h a l l e n g e a n d i n s p i r e yo u t o m a k e c h a n g e a n d s h a k e u p t h e o r d i n a r y.

Feb. 8, 2022 Virtual FREE to all! Register now and learn more about the full speaker and session lineup at pac.global/2022oneof100

FLAGSHIP SPONSORS

SPEAKERS

Humming Bird Group

GLOBAL

AWARDS Th e 2022 PAC G l ob a l Awa rd s wi nne r s wi l l b e a nno unce d at t h e O N EO F1 0 0 Sum m i t . Vi ew t he co m p l e te l i st o f no m i ne e s at p a c - awa rd s .co m /2 02 2 no m i ne e s 14

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

COVER STORY

DOWN TO THE BONE Toronto poultry processor invests in next-generation X-Ray inspection technology to bring its bone detection capabilities to a whole new level of excellence

By George Guidoni, Editor Photos By Naomi Hiltz

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

F

ounded in Toronto in 2006 by local entrepreneur Augo Pinho, ADP Direct Poultry Ltd. is certainly not the kind of company that tends to put all its eggs in one basket.

In fact, product diversification and recipe customization for meeting specific customer requirements are two of the most prominent and refined core competencies that have enabled the hard-working poultry processor to vastly expand its customer base in the last few years, while also breathing new life into the Canadian grocery aisles with innovative, nutritious, healthy and, above all, perfectly safe fresh poultry products to satisfy virtually any taste or occasion.

ADP Direct Poultry director of sales and marketing John Febrey (left) and vice-president of operations Claudio Neves cheerfully display the company’s high-end Blue Goose brand of boneless chicken products and meal solutions skin-packed for maximum shelf-life and visual shelf impact on a Multivac R 175 MultiFresh vacuum skin-packaging machine.

Serving a growing number of clients in the retail, private/white label and foodservice industries, the family-owned company is a living testament to the virtues of innovation, experimentation and creativity in product development and packaging sophistication.

Always game for trying new products and styles to grow its business, while integrating new technologies into its production process to remain a highly efficient and flexible operation that can turn on a dime when called on, the company is nevertheless a steadfast and devoted disciple of using X-Ray product inspection technology as its prime line of defence against product contamination— down to virtually microscopic levels.

For vice-president of operations Claudio Neves, carrying the distinction of being the firm’s first employee hired by December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

15

COVER STORY

Packaged in lightweight semi-rigid blue plastic trays, the Blue Goose brand retail packs of boneless chicken breast products, available in several different innovative and inspired recipes, use recycled paperboard overwrap sleeves decorated with elegant branding graphics created by Brand Culture Marketing of Mississauga and printed by Godin Productions Ltd. in Toronto.

16

founder Pinho, the company’s recent purchase and installation of an Eagle PXT (Performance X-Ray Technology) X-Ray machine at its 22,000-square-foot poultry processing facility in Toronto’s west-end suburb of Etobicoke is a logical next chapter it its blossoming business partnership with Orangeville, Ont.-based packaging automation integrators PLAN Automation, the Canadian distributor for the product inspection systems and technologies manufactured by Eagle Product Inspection of Tampa, Fla. Having already had achieved astounding improvements in contaminant detection—most notably bone detection—at the company’s head office manufacturing facility a few blocks away after installing an Eagle 400 RMI (Raw Meat Inspection) system there about three years ago, there was really no need to look elsewhere when the time arrived to bring X-Ray technology to the smaller case-ready processing facility on Vansco Road, according to Neves.

After a few consultations and brain-storming sessions with PLAN Automation’s vice-president and product inspection specialist Mat Bédard, Neves was convinced that Eagle’s new state-of-the-art line of PXT (Performance X-Ray Technology)system would be a perfect fit for the company’s latest capital investment aimed at reinforcing its outstanding reputation for product quality, specifically for superior bone detection/removal in its boneless breasts and other boneless chicken parts.

“We have had a good working relationship with Mat for at least 15 years or so, and we have always found him to be very good to deal with,” Neves relates.

“When we did some trials with their

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

first X-Ray unit, they proved and showed us that the system can find very, very small bones still embedded in the flesh after manual deboning and trimming, which was imperative to our operation,” Neves recalls.

“We saw very good success with bone detection during those trials, and with the price of the system being competitive to other options on the market, we made a decision to purchase that unit, and it has worked very well for us,” he says.

“When we decided to acquire a second one for this other plant, we just went directly to Mat,” Neves relates, “because we were very happy with the unit that we already had.

“It’s really nice to have suppliers you don’t have to worry about.”

Says Neves: “Over time, consumers have been becoming a lot more demanding in terms of getting a truly boneless product when they’re buying a boneless product.

“After we installed or first X-Ray system, we saw bone complaints related to boneless product drop dramatically.

“And as we continuously improved our process,” he relates, “we are now pretty much next to no complaints at all.”

Employing about 100 full-time workers in a one-shift operation running Monday-to-Friday schedule for most of the year, the Vansco Road facility has many long-time, highly skilled production line operators possessing exceptional skills for trimming and deboning raw chicken, Neves confides.

But with the steadily increased volumes of raw chicken and turkey being processed at the plant, continuing to rely on visual and manual inspection to spot and remove tiny bone fragments from the meat before packing was becoming

more challenging all the time.

“As we have been increasing our capacity to provide our customers with more boneless products that they want,” Neves says, “getting another X-Ray unit would be beneficial to the consumers, to our customers, and to ourselves.”

For director of sales and marketing John Febrey, the latest investment in state-of-the-art X-Ray inspection technology is a reflection of the impressive growth in both sales and volumes that Direct Poultry and its sister company Premium Foods have enjoyed in recent years.

“I’ve been here for five years, and we’ve never had a year of less than double-digit growth in that time,” Febrey told Canadian Packaging on a recent visit to the fast-paced Vansco Road plant brimming with human activity at the cutting tables and humming with operating machinery and conveyor lines moving the product through all its processing and packaging stages.

“In fact, last year was the best one yet for the company despite COVID,” says Febrey, crediting the company’s stellar reputation for outstanding customer service as a critical competitive advantage in the fresh poultry markets.

“We always try to go above and beyond what we can to help our customers out if they’re in a pinch,” he says, “or if they’ve shorted by another supplier.

“We always do whatever we can to meet their needs,” Febrey states, “with both our existing customers and the new customers coming on-board.

“And having these customers stick with us went a long way helping us to grow our business even in a very challenging [last] year,” say Febrey, noting the Vansco Road plant now produces about CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Manufactured by Eagle Product Detection and distributed in Canada by PLAN Automation, the new-generation PXT X-Ray product inspection system has enabled virtually flawless bone detection in fast-moving deboned chicken products, with capability to catch bone fragments as small as one-millimeter in size.

35 different SKUs (stock-keeping units) in various pack styles, sizes and formats.

In addition to sound organic growth, ADP Direct Poultry has also carried out a few important strategic acquisitions in the last few years to fuel its growth in market share. The include the the addition of Simple Path Farms, a farming and slaughtering operation in Welland, Ont.; the acquisition of Bonte Foods, a meat processing and further manufacturing company based in Dieppe, N.B.; and the premium Blue Goose brand of value-added retail chicken products sold nationwide.

“The market growth in chicken, compared to other proteins, is extremely strong,” Febrey says. “The only limiting factor is just the availability of it.

Like for so many raw material items, the availability of chicken has been challenging as the industry deals with unique challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, he notes.

“By building solid relationships over CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

the years we’ve been in the business, we have been able to maintain the same high level of service to our customer base despite the challenges paused by rising costs of raw materials and any other supply chain issues,” Febrey notes.

“While the retail segment has been our fastest-growing business,” Febrey points out, “we are also well-known as an exceptionally strong developer of custom-formulated products for our foodservice and industrial clients.

“We’re doing an excellent job for them,” Febrey proclaims, citing a ringing endorsement from Lyndon O’Hearn, head of culinary-beverage and supply chain operations at a popular Ontario restaurant chain Lone Star Texas Grill.

Says O’Hearn: “Premium Foods is our exclusive supplier of Lone Star Texas Grill proprietary formula chicken breast and strips.

“Guest experience and quality are of paramount importance to our brand and having capability for bone detection is a

critical step to achieving that,” O’Hearn states.

“We are pleased to say that we have not had any bone or foreign material complaints with the product coming out of their facility.”

Such warm feedback is priceless to Direct Poultry, according to Neves,.

“By making such a significant investment in safety with our second X-Ray inspection line, our customers know that our products are also safest product out there for them to spend their money on,” he proclaims.

As Neves explains, the plant’s highly skillful and experienced production staff are very adept at locating and removing the fan bone and the collarbone from chicken breasts to make them as boneless as possible, but it’s not a fail-proof solution when it comes to smaller-sized bone chips and fragments.

“The X-Ray system is an added step of insurance for catching and finding things that people just can’t see,” he says.

“It doesn’t eliminate all of the manual and visual bone inspections we do,” Neves points out, “but it is obviously very helpful to have this added level of insurance, whereby a rejected product comes back to the operator’s light-table to have any remaining bones removed.”

According to PLAN Automation’s Mat Bédard, the launch of PXT technology in 2020 was one of the most important milestones and breakthroughs in Eagle’s recent history.

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

17

COVER STORY

Top Claudio Neves stands alongside the fully-automatic DSI series waterjet cutting/portioning machine from JBT Corporation installed at the plant last year.

Bottom Impeccably skin-packed on the Multivac R 175 MultiFresh vacuum skin-packaging system for extended shelf-life, the premium Blue Goose skinless and boneless chicken breasts are thoroughly inspected by Eagle X-Ray technology to make sure the product is truly boneless.

“Eagle had identified poultry bone detection as one of the hardest applications for X-Ray inspection well before 2020, as well as one of the biggest opportunities for this technology,” Bédard relates.

“There were some machines available that did a fairly decent job of poultry bone detection,” he says, “but none that did an excellent job.

“They (Eagle) spent a lot of R&D dollars and worked diligently to come up with a new technology that would really revolutionize poultry bone detection, and in 2020 they came up with this new PXT technology that provides the ability to detect smaller bones than any other system in the industry could,” says Bédard.

Capable of detecting calcified bone fragments as small as one millimeter in size, the new PXT technology incorporates proprietary dual-energy X-Ray technology that uses density, as well as chemical composition of the product, to detect ever smaller bone particles, while also sharply reducing the incidence of ‘False Reject’ readings to less than one per cent.

Says Bédard: “A lot of our competitors try to increase the detection size limits, but that results in increased false reject rates.

“If you have a production line running 120 to 150 pieces per minute and rejecting seven to nine good breasts every minute for no reason at all, you will go bankrupt,” Bédard says. “Poultry processors typically just don’t have the time to rework such a large percentage of their production output.”

In contrast, there is no trade-off between detection size sensitivity and false reject rates with the PXT technology, according to Bédard, because it is designed to excel at both.

Incorporating a purpose-built X-Ray generator with proprietary TDI (time-delay integration) software and robust SimulTask image analysis software, the PXT technology was “engineered and designed specifically for the poultry industry,” says Bédard, who estimates to have sold nearly 20 PXT X-Ray systems to poultry processors across 18

CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

Canada since its launch.

As Eagle explains, this radically enhanced detector technology, featuring smaller diodes with a smaller pitch, collects more detailed data about the product being inspected.

When analyzed with advanced image analysis software, it provides images with much higher resolution to allow poultry processors to find the smallest bone fragments, down to 1-mm, with high repeatability, low false rejects, and less rework.

According to Eagle, the PXT can be deployed to suit a wide range of applications at any product control point, including chicken and turkey intended for retail packs, as well as incoming raw

material bound for further processing into products like sausages, patties, or nuggets.

Moreover, the versatile technology is equally effective for detecting bone and foreign contaminants in both fresh and frozen products, according to Eagle, and it can handle thick products like turkey breasts or thinner products such as chicken tenderloins.

From an operational standpoint, processors can use X-Ray devices equipped with PXT in both single and multilane set-ups and as stand-alone critical control point, or they can be networked to enable full process optimization and efficiency analysis.

In addition to superior bone detection CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Overwrapped in trays on the Reiser Fabbri shrink wrapper, the Blue Goose brand whole chickens pass through the Stealth metal detector, manufactured by Toronto-based Fortress Technology Inc., prior to being placed inside corrugated shipping cases for palletizing and delivery to customer.

capabilities, the PXT X-Ray systems also offer superior capabilities in the detection of all the usual contaminants such as ferrous and nonferrous metals, stainless steel, glass, stone, and high-density plastics and rubber.

According to Bédard, the Eagle PXT technology had outperformed its nearest competitors during rigorous head-tohead tests conducted at a major U.S.based poultry processor by a wide margin along all the key performance criteria— validating PXT as the best technology of its kind in the market.

Says Bédard: “Although PXT was originally designed to address poultry bone detection application because it was one of the hardest applications, in doing so we have opened up market opportunities we never had before, like detecting fish bones or tiny sand pockets in shellfish, as well as detecting lowdensity contaminants such as aluminum and certain plastics and rubbers down to one millimeter in size.”

While such applications may be of only passing interest to Direct Poultry, for Neves and his staff they provide an extra level of confidence in their X-Ray equipment and vendor selection.

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

“It is a very user-friendly system offering a lot of pre-loaded recipes with different configurations, depending on the products that were being run at the time,” Neves says.

“If there are any adjustments to be made on-the-fly, our QA (quality assurance) guys can usually make them in a matter of seconds, keeping downtime to a minimum.

“We have always met or exceeded the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) standards in terms of bone control,” he says, “but doing it manually meant that we were always running a risk of letting some unwanted bone fragments get through the process.

“With the addition of the PXT system from Eagle Product Inspection,” he concludes, “that risk has now been dramatically reduced.”

SUPPLIERS PLAN Automation Eagle Product Inspection Brand Culture Marketing Multivac Canada Inc. Godin Productions Ltd. JBT Corporation December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

19

THE VIPER™ THERMAL INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM 600 DPI OF HI-RESOLUTION CHARACTERS ON A VARIETY OF SURFACES WO R L D C L A S S PR I N T I N G S Y S T E M S F O R R E A L WO R L D A PPL I C AT I O N S

Squid Ink introduces the Viper thermal inkjet printing system, utilizing revolutionary Funai® TIJ technology to print superior quality hi-resolution characters on porous or non-porous surfaces. The Viper utilizes proven, no-mess ink cartridges to print up to 600 dpi hi-resolution codes on a variety of coated and non-coated stocks, plastic, polystyrene, films, foils, metals, glass, and several other porous or non-porous substrates. The Viper is ideal for users looking to print high quality codes that dry in seconds.

The Viper is designed to meet the harsh demands of your coding and marking operation. The easy-to-mount printer and touchscreen with a compact footprint integrates seamlessly into your production line. The Viper’s rugged design will withstand the most abusive industrial environments while still providing superior quality print.

A coding and marking leader for over 25 years, Squid Ink printers and inks are designed to keep your production line up and running day after day.

For more information, visit www.squidink.com or call 1-800-877-5658 for an Authorized Squid Ink Distributor in your area.

SQUID INK CODING & MARKING SOLUTIONS HI-RESOLUTION PRINTERS / DOD LARGE CHARACTER PRINTERS / THERMAL INKJET PRINTERS CIJ SMALL CHARACTER CODERS / LASER CODERS / UV LED CURING SYSTEMS INK JET FLUIDS / PRINT VALIDATION SYSTEMS / CODING & MARKING SOFTWARE

PACKAGING FOR FRESHNESS

Cardiff Products founder Stewart Cardiff (left) poses alongside his son-in-law and company vice-president Jon McPhail inside a state-of-the-art co-packing facility operating two high-speed turnkey Tetra Pak aseptic packaging lines in London, Ont.

ALL IN THE FAMILY New co-packing enterprise well on track to make big waves in plant-based beverage markets with state-of-the-art aseptic packaging technology

By George Guidoni, Photos by Naomi Hiltz

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

I

f the quality of life is determined by finding a happy balance between work and family life, then Stew Cardiff thinks he has one of life’s biggest mysteries figured out.

Growing up as one of six children on a family farm outside the tiny southwestern Ontario community of Brussels, being part of a family business was an integral part-and-parcel of Stewart’s upbringing that laid foundations for a highly successful career path in both the food business and the more buttoned-down white-collar world of corporate finance, where he rose through the ranks to join a senior management team at TD Canada Trust, one of the country’s largest commercial banks.

While the latter career feat would more than suffice for most people trying to make a good living for themselves and

their loved ones, Cardiff’s exceptional entrepreneurial skillset—combined with solid academic background and natural curiosity about food science and technology—helped him grow into a man whose happiness is defined by being fully in charge of his own destiny.

So when he quit his high-paying job with the bank in 2003 to start up a cheese company literally from scratch, there were more than a few eyebrows raised among many of his friends and colleagues.

“Most people I knew, just about everybody, thought I was crazy,” Cardiff recalls.

“Leaving a very good job, a senior level position, at a leading bank, to start making cheese from milk from my sheep farms I also owned … it’s just something no one could relate to.

“I still recall one of the senior V-Ps at TD Bank calling me six months into the December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

21

PACKAGING FOR FRESHNESS

venture saying, ‘Cardiff are you done playing around with those sheep and that cheese hobby? We want you back!

“Trust me, it was a difficult ‘no thanks, I want to give it a little more time’, as it was the toughest thing I ever did.”

For Cardiff, however, getting back to his farming roots was a calculated risk that ultimately paid off in spades in 2018, when Canada’s leading dairy products group Saputo purchased his familyowned Shepherd Gourmet Dairy operation in St. Marys, Ont. Starting out in a small 5,000-squarefoot plant making sheep cheese from the sheep milk sourced from his and his brother’s farm, the fledgling start-up quickly grew into a highly reputed supplier of high-quality sheep products— with time extending into goat cheese and then traditional cow milk cheeses—supplying all the leading national grocery chains under its own Shepherd Gourmet label and other highly respected brands.

By the time Saputo came around with a generous offer that was just too good to turn down, Shepherd Gourmet Dairy already ranked as the country’s largest producer of sheep milk cheeses, and a leading co-packer of premium-quality cheese products for many well-known national brands.

“We grew up rather quickly in a heavily regulated business,” Cardiff says, “much faster than we expected.

“I used to tell people that Shepherd 22 CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

All state-of-the-art Tetra Pak aseptic packaging equipment at the Cardiff Products plant can be easily monitored and controlled in real time via touchscreen HMI (human-machine interface) terminals integrated into the machinery.

Gourmet was the best-kept secret in Southern Ontario,” Cardiff recalls, “and once people got to know who we were, the business really took off nicely.

“We invested heavily in technology and keeping our plant spotless, and by the time potential buyers would start coming through our facility, they knew that we were very serious about what we were doing.

“We always took great pride in our facility,” says Cardiff, who was more than happy to see his wife and his two daughters join the family enterprise in 2008, along with his future son-in-law and business partner in Cardiff Products, Jon McPhail.

As Cardiff explains, having close family members on-board working alongside many dedicated employees creates a unique sense of ownership and vested self-interest that is hard to replicate in conventional management hierarchies and structures, if not impossible.

After the sale to Saputo, his son-in-law Jon pitched the idea in 2019 of working together again, and Cardiff was more than happy to put his entrepreneurial instincts and vast operational experience to good use again.

“The timing of the call from Jon was prophetic, as only a few days prior a good friend in the industry flagged the aseptic business as an opportunity for our family,” he recalls.

“He knew our organized approach to business and processing expertise would

be a welcome entrant to the industry.

“At the same time I had also been noting a trend towards shelf-stable and plant-based beverages in my own travels,” he adds, “and my personal appetite had also moved more towards a plant-based diet.”

After a thorough evaluation of available production sites in the area, Cardiff set his sights on Discovery Drive in southeast London, in close proximity to Highway 401 and Highway 402.

Soon after, Cardiff proceeded to design a 50,000-square-foot factory himself along with his son-in-law Jon—just as he did with the Shepherd Gourmet plant in St Mary’s—while launching extensive capital investments aimed at making the new Cardiff Products plant as modern and state-of-the-art as possible in time for start-up.

Commencing operations in March of 2021, the 30-employee operation marked its start-up with resounding aplomb, running a 24/5 schedule to turn out sizable quantities of private-label plantbased beverages packaged in one-liter Tetra Pak Slim beverage cartons manufactured by the world’s leading aseptic packaging and processing technologies group Tetra Pak. Running two turnkey filling lines supplied and expertly installed along with Tetra Pak Canada personnel to ensure optimal production efficiencies— from blending and pasteurization through filling/capping and on through CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Clockwise from left: Close-up of a printhead of a Domino Ax350i continuous inkjet printer applying product codes; inine application of resalable HeliCap closures; a Nordson hot-melt adhesive applicator incorporated into the Tetra Pak packaging lines. to the downstream packaging machinery—the extensive array of Tetra Pak equipment laid out in perfect sequential order is naturally a great source of pride for Cardiff.

“Tetra Pak is the industry standard,” he says, “and considering we were new to the industry, it made sense that we stick with a known entity right out of the gate.

“Compared to our very humble beginnings for my last dairy business, this was like taking off in a rocket ship,” Cardiff extols, adding he loves working with the high-performance Tetra Pak equipment and with shelf-stable aseptic beverage cartons more and more each passing day.

“Doing aseptic processing and packaging is difficult,” Cardiff remarks, “but our ultra-modern plant and our loyal dedicated staff were up to the challenge.

“It was imperative to uphold our reputation gained from our days of owning Shepherd Gourmet, when we were wellknown for our high-quality products, strong customer focus, and efficient operation of state-of-the-art facilities.”

For Cardiff, choosing to go with asepCANADIANPACKAGING.COM

tic beverage production technology provided a welcome opportunity to put many of the technical, IT and business skills he acquired with his previous venture back into action—integrating the highly-automated Tetra Pak machinery with the company’s larger enterprise operating systems to optimize overall process efficiencies.

“With technology advances, including state-of-the-art SCADA, ERP and EDI systems, a family company such as ourselves can operate at scale and still remain in close contact with our customers,” says Cardiff, adding he feels “blessed” to have his wife, along with both daughters and their spouses, join the company’s management team in various capacities.

“We have no head office,” Cardiff expands. “Our customers always have access to a decision-maker, and we can move very quickly once a direction is agreed upon.

“Our company is one team and there is no finger-pointing internally:We own our mistakes and we learn from them,” Cardiff states.

“Our customers have always appreciated this approach at Shepherd, and now at Cardiff.

“We have won awards with major brand-owners for this approach,” Cardiff point outs, “and we still live by it today.”

This approach has enabled Cardiff Products to establish its name in all the right retail and CPG (consumer packaged goods) circles with such speed that the company is already in the opening stages of a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion that it hopes to complete by March of 2022.

According to Cardiff, the expansion will involve construction of a new on-site warehouse and installation of two to three more turnkey production lines to massively boost its manufacturing capacity; diversify its product portfolio with other carton sizes and formats; and grow its workforce to about 75 full-time staff.

Cardiff readily acknowledges that being an aseptic operation gives the company a strong competitive advantage in attracting new customers, being perfectly in line with the larger food industry trends towards more shelf-stable product in general and towards more plant-based foods and beverages in particular.

With Tetra Pak as a partner, there’s December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

23

Clockwise from left: A Nordson ProBlue 10 adhesive applicating system mounted onto the Meurer case-packer from ITW Hartness; one of a multitude of pneumatic automation components and devices from Festo incorporated into Tetra Pak machinery; a giant roll of Tetra Pak paperboard readied for a run. really no limit to the heights that his new business ventures can reach, according to Cardiff, quick to praise Tetra Pak’s exemplary customer service capabilities.

Says Cardiff: “Any time you work with any other company cooperatively, you get to know their systems, you get to know their equipment, you get to know their personnel, and you can build many mutual synergies and trust over the time you work together.

“Being a very collaborative person myself, I really believe in the advantages of a team-based approach to problem-solving and working with like-mind24 CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

ed people,” Cardiff states.

“Their technicians helped us out through some very tough times during the COVID pandemic lockdowns,” he says, “and that kind of customer service really resonates with me.”

With his new plant boasting the vaunted globally recognized BRC AA food safety rating of the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative)—along with authoritative Gluten-free, Kosher and Organic certifications—Cardiff says he’s highly upbeat about the new company’s chances of becoming the next “best-kept secret in southern Ontario” before long.

“Our initial success has really exceeded all our expectations,” Cardiff sums up, “but we intend to manage our growth carefully to maintain our high levels of quality and service going forward.

“We are a multigenerational family company,” he concludes, “and we are definitely in it for the long term.”

SUPPLIERS Tetra Pak Canada Domino Printing Sciences Nordson Canada, Limited Festo, Inc. CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

FOOD SAFETY

A high-speed pretzel shaping line incorporates signature-blue Festo tubing and food-safe grippers to ensure strict compliance to all the prevalent food safety regulations.

RULES TO FOLLOW With regulations on food safety getting more stringent, no risk is too small for food producers

By Patrice Charlebois

26 CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

I

n the third quarter this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued 32 mandatory recall alerts for contaminated or mislabelled foodstuffs. In the third quarter of 2011, 39 health hazard alerts were issued; recalls were voluntary.

What spurred the change to more stringent regulations?

In 2011, the U.S. enacted the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a legislation that would have a major influence in framing Canada’s own Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA), which came into effect in January 2019.

Broadly speaking, the SFCA regulations (SFCR) align Canadian regulatory regime with FSMA, only with fuller coverage. For example, it covers poultry and meat, whereas in the U.S. they remain under the Department of Agriculture

(DEA) jurisdiction.

Like FSMA, the Canadian reforms shifted the emphasis in risk mitigation from “should do” to “must do,” with increased emphasis on prevention. Inspection regimes and penalties were toughened, with the Canadian regulations also extended to non-food issues such as weights and consumer protection.

Canadian producers with FSMA or third-party food safety certification, or an effective HAACP program to eliminate potential hazards, are already largely SFCR-compliant.

Those manufacturing, processing or packaging meat, fish, dairy or egg products are required to have a Preventive Control Plan to identify and minimize risks in their operations.

The Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) under FSMA CFR CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Title 21 117.40 detail the cleanability and cross-contamination standards plants must meet. They provide a good baseline on which to inform purchases of new equipment.

Yet, even with FSMA-compliant processors, there may be seemingly innocuous but preventable risks that can elude even a well-managed safety program, particularly in maintaining older equipment.

Most can be identified and corrected at relatively little cost through regular audits.

Typically, these issues involve the exposure of food contact surfaces to contaminants in compressed air— through inadequate filtration or leakage.

They can also be the result of leakage of non-food grease or other liquids, or be caused by the bacteria or dirt lodging in avoidable nooks and crannies.

Naturally, metal shavings and other fine metal particles or chemical residue in food will cause a recall just as surely as salmonella or e-coli bacteria.

A food contact surface, as defined by the FDA, is one that comes into contact with food or to which food drains “in the normal course of operations.”

The European regulation is more strin-gent: “It is any area where food can come into contact with the surface, or drip, drain or diffuse or be drawn onto it, even incidentally.”

The CFR Title 21 117.40 requires all equipment and utensils to be designed and manufactured so as to be “adequately cleanable” and be maintained to protect against allergen cross-contact and contamination.

Some of the most pressing design and maintenance considerations, include: • All components and utensils should be designed—or in the case of replacement parts, selected—to avoid contamination from lubricants, fuel, contaminated water, metal fragments, etc.

It is important not to overlook locations where contaminants can puddle or collect.

Small design choices, like squared rather than preferred rounded corners, can become dirt/bacteria traps.

Food contact surfaces in proximity to food must be corrosion-resistant.

Products designed primarily for food zones must not only provide the necessary corrosion-resistance and cleanability, but also offer a longer service life and other benefits.

For example, Festo’s clean-design IP69K valve manifold MPA-C doesn’t need a protective control cabinet. As a bonus, by locating the manifold close to the process, tubing lengths are shortened for more repeatable cycle times (and potentially higher production rates) or reduced compressed air consumption.

• If you use a lubricant on a machine, you must know it’s food-safe. Most pneumatic actuators do not use food-safe grease, and will leak grease over time.

To address this issue, consider incorporCANADIANPACKAGING.COM

ating cylinders like Festo’s clean-design CRDSNU that uses FDA-approved NSF-H1 grease. If such grease comes in contact with the food zone, it’s acceptable.

In addition, the tubing itself should be resistant to cleaning agents and, if the process requires it, high temperatures or high pressure.

Festo offers a broad range of food- and beverage-appropriate tubing rated for regular cleaning, for intensive cleaning, or for use in particularly demanding environments—namely the rugged new food-safe PTFEN tubing with high temperature and chemical resistance.

There are also food-safe sealing options for cylinders, like Festo’s A3 for very aggressive operations, enabling the cylinder to function even after all its grease washes off.

• Exposed thread on a fitting is a potential contaminant trap. In general, we highly recommend parallel threads such as a G thread for all fittings and tubing in the food area.

When threading a tapered thread, the debris that can come off can enter your process or pneumatic system.You can only detach and reattach such a fitting three or four times before thread wear results in too much damage, or leakage.

For food-safe operations, avoiding exposed thread is always a good idea.

For non-food zone equipment like secondary packaging and palletizers, the regulations require only that they must be capable of being kept clean and sanitary— not that they always be clean and sanitary.

That said, I expect to see growing demand for more easy-to-clean packaging equipment, especially the machinery located right after primary packaging— labelers, case-packers and more.

• As for the critically important issue of compressed air quality and leakage, neither the 21 CFR 117.40 nor SFCR impose

a standard, although many trade and certification b odies r ecommend f i ltering to a 0.01-micron level for the food zone.

For example, SQF Code Edition 7.2 Implementation Guidance (section 11.5.7, Air Quality) recommends final stage filtration of 0.1 with an efficiency of 99.999-percent.

It is a fact that effective and aggressive filtration will extend the service life of actuators and associated components.

In addition, recent advances in leak detection, like the Festo MSE6 energy efficiency modules, will detect leaks at a n early stage.

Because compressed air also can be released through faulty tubing, or even something as innocuous as the venthole on a manually adjustable cylinder, Festo has eliminated the venthole (and associated risk) with self-adjusting cushioning (PPS) that adjusts optimally to changes in load and speed. It’s an option available with many types of Festo food-safe cylinders and actuators.

For a deeper dive into food safety regulations and componentry, Festo offers several white papers on food safety, cleaning in the food zone, and compressed air quality for food production—all available at www.festo.ca

(From Left) The clean-design MPA-C valve terminal from Festo offers superior washdown resistance without a need for a protective control cabinet; the DHAS series adaptive fingers grippers from Festo used for handling fresh fruit on a meal kit assembly line; a close-up view of the clean-design CRDSNU stainless-steel round cylinder from Festo.

PATRICE CHARLEBOIS is industry segment manager for food and beverage at Festo, Inc., leading supplier of industrial automation.

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

27

The new UX2 – Developed for Tomorrow’s production line

PRE-SHOW REPORT

TIME TO MEAT AGAIN! Annual meat industry showcase eager to bounce back with live in-person exhibition

or anyone earning their daily bread and butter in North A m e r i c a ’s US$27-billion meat processing industry, there is no better way to start off the next year than with a visit to the 2022 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga., next month.

Scheduled to run Jan. 25-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center, this year’s in-person exhibition has already attracted some 1,085 exhibitors eager to show off their latest processing, packaging, technological and sustainability innovations to a knowledge-hungry audience grateful for the long-awaited return of live, in-person industry exhibitions to the North American trade show circuit.

Sponsord and organized by the by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), the three-in-one integrated show will cover over 512,000 square feet of exhibit space, according to organizers, confirming its status as the world’s largest annual meat, poultry and animal food trade show.

“We are excited about offering an in-person 2022 IPPE and are encouraged by our strong exhibitor participation,” remark the show organizers remark.

“It demonstrates that our exhibitors are enthusiastic about reconnecting and showcasing the latest technologies and services that will continue to drive the industry forward.”

Highlighting the very latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of animal food, meat and poultry products, 2020 IPPE show will also combine the vast knowlede and expertise of AFIA, NAMI and USPOULTRY to offer vluable dynamic education programs focused on current industry issues.

Here are some of the highlights of the extensive educational programs and unravlem networking opportunities awaiting

Operating as a PepsiCo bottler, the new Quilmes plant in Buenos Aires is Argentina’s largest producer of the world-famous Gatorade brand of isotonic sports drinks, supplying the entire country and exporting some of its production to the neighboring country of Uruguay.

F

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

visitors to the 2022 International Pro- standing regulatory changes in worker duction & Processing Expo (IPPE) safety, this session will take a look at a next month: variety of issues affecting the workplace today.

FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

(Included with trade show admission)

POULTRY MARKET INTELLIGENCE FORUM

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm A leading industry economist and industry experts will provide insights on how the domestic and global economies, continuTuesday, Jan. 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm An ever-increasing population coupled ously improving performance, and regulawith a changing agricultural workforce has tory issues impact the poultry and egg incompelled the animal agriculture industry dustries.

They will identify challenges facing the to make sustainability its top priority. Each animal agriculture sector has initiated an industry and discuss how the U.S. and industry driven program to define sustain- international poultry industries are posability and measure its commitment to itioned to move forward. become more sustainable.

Representatives of the meat, poultry and ENVIRONMENTAL animal feed industries will share details on COMMITMENTS AND the development of industry programs or CONSIDERATIONS tools to advance their aspirations of produ- Thursday, Jan. 27, 8:30 – 10:00 am cing more protein in a sustainable fashion.

From carbon footprints to food waste to recycling, environmental improvement programs are a priority for processors and FEED PRODUCTION suppliers alike.

EDUCATION PROGRAM Companies of all sizes and capacities are Wednesday, Jan. 26, 8:00 – 10:00 am AFIA’s production compliance commit- looking for ways to implement programs tee is hosting the annual Feed Production with tangible and measurable outcomes, and this session will explore the tenants of Education program again in 2022.

As regulatory requirements for the feed a successful environmental improvement industry continue to evolve, this training program with real world examples and session will update participants on any best practices that span industries. recent changes from several federal agencies including DOL, DOT, EPA, FDA MEAT INDUSTRY HALL OF and OSHA. FAME (VIRTUAL) Tuesday, Jan. 18 All registered attendees are invited to the THE FUTURE OF WORK AND virtual online Meat Industry Hall of WORKFORCE ISSUES Fame awards ceremony, an industry-wide Wednesday, Jan. 26, 8:30 – 10:00 am Workforce issues are top of mind for celebration that recognizes top members anyone in the food or manufacturing in- of the meat, poultry and animal protein dustry. What are the biggest pressure industries.

The awards ceremony is being offered points in 2022, and how can the industry as a virtual event, culminating in a live work to relieve them?

From embracing automation to under- roundtable with inductees on Jan. 18, 2022.

ANIMAL AGRICULTURE SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT

2022 IPPE SHOW HOURS: Tuesday, Jan. 25: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 26: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 27: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The health and safety of everyone who attends IPPE continues to remain a top priority.

IPPE management is monitoring the changing conditions and will follow state guidelines regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and will continue to adjust the on-site operations as new guidance comes out and conditions inevitably change. More information regarding safety preparations can be found on www.ippexpo.org

December 2021 · CANADIANPACKAGING

29

PRE-SHOW REPORT Tuesday, Jan. 25 TECHTALKS 10:30 am. – 4:30 p.m.

(Halls B8579, C10611) IPPE is offering short educational presentations by exhibitors regarding operations and technical issues critical to all aspects of the animal food, meat and poultry industries.

WELCOME RECEPTION 4:30 – 5:00 p.m., Georgia World Congress Center New for 2022, the IPPE Welcome Reception will be held on the trade show floor Tuesday afternoon.Take time to network and catch up with your colleagues!

INNOVATION STATION/NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

B/C Hall The Innovation Station/New Product Showcase will provide attendees with an outstanding opportunity to see the newest products or innovations offered by exhibitors.

Wednesday, Jan. 26 TECHTALKS 9:30 am. – 4:30 p.m., B8579, C10611 IPPE is offering short educational presentations by exhibitors regarding operations and technical issues critical to all aspects of the animal food, meat and poultry industries.

INNOVATION STATION/NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., B/C Hall

TECHTALKS 9:30 am. – 12:30 p.m., B8579, C10611 IPPE is offering short educational presentations by exhibitors regarding operations and technical issues critical to all aspects of the animal food, meat and poultry industries.

INNOVATION STATION/NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., B/C Hall

PAID PROGRAMS INTERNATIONAL POULTRY SCIENTIFIC FORUM

Monday, Jan. 24, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Tuesday, Jan. 25, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration Fee: US$80 early bird, US$140 after Jan. 7, 2022 Price includes admission to the IPPE show floor, and students with a valid student ID may register complimentary on-site.

LATIN AMERICAN POULTRY SUMMIT

Monday, Jan. 24, 8:30 am – 7:00 pm Registration Fee: US$250 early bird; US$350 after Jan. 7, 2022 Sponsored by USPOULTRY and the Latin American Poultry Association, the Latin American Poultry Summit will focus on leading technical topics covering live production and processing issues of greatest priority to Latin American poultry and egg producers and processors.

Offered completely in Spanish, the program’s conent will focus on a variety of areas for broilers and layers—bringing together key researchers from universities and leaders from genetic companies, suppliers, integrators and commercial companies to learn, discuss and network. A lunch and reception will be offered, along with special recognition for international students from Latin America.

PET FOOD CONFERENCE

Thursday, Jan. 27

Tuesday, Jan. 25, 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Registration Fee: US$105 early bird/US$150 on-site The AFIA’s Pet Food Conference regularly covers a broad variety of topics from regulatory to technical aspects of production to product claims, marketing and nutrition.

The conference regularly attracts more than 300 attendees from pet food manufacturing to ingredient suppliers covering all ingredient categories, offering an excellent opportunity to network with a diverse audience. Program registration includes breakfast and lunch.

FEED STRATEGY CONFERENCE: POULTRY TRENDS, FEEDING & HEALTH

The team at Abbey Equipment Solutions wishes you a Merry Christmas.

May the season bring you joy and many great memories!

Tuesday, Jan. 25, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration fee: US$150 early bird/US$200 after Jan. 7, 2022 The Feed Strategy Conference will delve into the economic and nutrition issues influencing 2022 poultry and feed production.

From the examination of global protein trends to strategies for successful antibiotic-free production, poultry and feed industry stakeholders will attend this forum to glean leading-edge insights on the critical issues impacting their poultry operation’s productivity and profitability.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY IN TIMES OF DISRUPTION: LESSONS LEARNED IN THE FEED INDUSTRY

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Registration fee: US$55 /US$75 after Jan. 7, 2022 The AFIA’s nutrition committee is hosting a program in 2022 focused on challenges and opportunities to the industry in the face of disruptions such as global pandemic or foreign animal diseases.

INTERNATIONAL RENDERING SYMPOSIUM

Thursday, Jan. 27, 12:00 – 5:00 pm Friday, Jan. 28, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Registration Fee: US$250 Rendering is an integral and often invisible aspect of animal agriculture’s economic and environmental sustainability. Sponsored by the North American Renderers Association and USPOULTRY, this program will discuss rendering’s contributions, impact, and the future of the industry.

30 CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021 CPK_Dec_ABBEY_GWJ.indd 1

2021-11-23 10:45 AM

REGISTER TO ATTEND CANADA’S NATIONAL BAKING INDUSTRY EVENT! Registration is now open!

CONGRESS CENTRE, TORONTO, ON • APRIL 10 & 11, 2022 PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSOR

PREMIER MEDIA SPONSOR

Learn more at baking.ca/bakery-showcase-toronto

PRESENTED BY

CHECKOUT

Feeding Nova Scotia one banana box at a time / Jeff May

One of the interesting things about spending time in a place like this is constantly encountering some odd and offbeat packaging styles and formats that in some cases seem to belong to another age. Produced in Denmark, the canned Mario’s Cooked Ham brand is a throwback to the era when metal cans ruled the packaging universe.

The process for canning food can be traced more than 200 years ago as a response to

Clockwise from left widespread food spoilages causing hunger among the masses, and bacteria from the rotting food spreading extremely nasty disease outbreaks. Although metal cans have become fairly standardized over the last few decades, prior to that there was no such thing as a standard can opener able to self-adjust to all the can surfaces and curvatures, which is why many of those cans came with their own opening metal twistkeys—spot-welded to the package for opening the contents along the designated metal tear-off strips etched into the side paneling. For the Mario’s brand of canned cooked ham, the opening twist-key is discreetly located on the backside of the 340gram pear-shaped tin, with the front and sides used for displaying branding graphics and the required product information.

While this is definitely Old School packaging to say the least, there is something oddly nostalgic and reassuring about this once prevalent opening device that, despite all the marvels of modern packaging, still has a place in contemporary food packaging design. With the recent steep increases in food prices, especially for fresh meat, canned food is now in some instances more affordable than the fresh variety, with the added advantage of remaining good to eat even after years of storage.

Reused banana boxes loaded with nonperishable food items; single-serve Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cup; a bronze-hued aluminum canister of McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal; Mario’s brand of cooked ham with the opening metal twist-key attached to the bottom.

AD INDEX Abbey Equipment Solutions Bakery Showcase Balluff Canada Inc. Cardiff Carlo Gavazzi (Canada) Inc. Domino Printing Solutions Inc. Engage Technologies Corporation (Squid Ink) 32 CANADIANPACKAGING · December 2021

13, 30 31 11 IFC 7 10 20

Fortress Technology Inc. Harlund Industries Ltd. Heat and Control Heat Sealing Packaging Supplies & Equipment Plan Automation Regal Beloit America, Inc. Reiser / Robert Reiser & Co.

8 28 IBC 25 6, OBC 9 5

Single-serve ready-to-eat packages are also a common sight at the warehouse, with the 48-gram Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cups offering an especially inspired example of easy-made breakfast nourishment. One of the great features of this product is that is it can be prepared in two ways: using boiling water from a kettle or heating it up with cold water inside a microwave. This versatility makes it a natural one-the-go companion for either camping or an overnight stay at a no-frills hotel with no on-site food service.

Each cup is securely enclosed with a high-graphics layer of peel-off plastic lidding for optimal food safety, and there is also a measuring line inside the cup marking exactly how much water to add. Ready in minutes regardless of the cooking method, Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cups come in a variety of flavors, each one boasting its own labeling color scheme to best match the contents. For its part, the iconic Quaker brand logo is clearly displayed in full glory both on the top and the front of the cup, with highly legible nutritional information and instructions displayed on the backside.

Oatmeal is a nutritious food that can be used in a variety of ways, with steel cut oats in particular offering a hearty combination of whole grains with plenty of fiber and carbohydrates for lasting energy throughout the day. In addition to standard breakfast oatmeal, steel cut oats are also a great for making bread, pies, meatless burgers, salads, you name it. Imported from Ireland

by B&G Foods Canada, the McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal is a great product packaged in a round 793-gram canister topped with a snug press-in lid one would find on a tin of cocoa powder. The handsome aluminum tin has an attractive bronze hue to catch the eye, with the full-body wraparound white label—English one on side and French on the other—tastefully accented with same shade of bronze in the brand name lettering. With such elegant label design, the product looks nice enough on the kitchen counter that it doesn’t really need to be stored out of sight after use, and the high-quality tins could also be reused in multiple ways around the household for storing coins, nuts-and-bolts, and all sorts of other small trinkets best kept in one place.

JEFF MAY is an avid percussionist and an active community volunteer living in Halifax.

Shawpak Systems SEW Eurodrive Ltd. Uline Canada Corporation Veritiv Canada, Inc. Videojet Canada

9 8 12 2 1

CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

PHOTOS BY JEFF MAY.

M

ade from thick corrugated fiber board, banana boxes are exceptionally sturdy, durable and well-travelled shipping containers that have been thoughtfully standardized by the global banana industry to come in one basic size, whereby six banana boxes make one perfect layer on a standard shipping pallet.

Stackable up to six or eight layers to make a full palleted load, these tough cartons travel vast distances around the globe and hence must remain very stable during transport, as any damaged fruit will quickly start turning to waste. Although very basic in design, banana boxes have been aptly modernized over the years with various add-ons, such as the placement of holes into the panels for increased air-flow to make bananas ripen more evenly, while also allowing shippers to use less energy for colling the bananas. With bananas being one of the bestselling fruit varieties at most grocery stores, there are always plenty of banana boxes around to be reused to great effect. Here in Nova Scotia, and around the world, many grocery stores donate their boxes for use by charities mandated with helping economically disadvantaged communities deal with food insecurity. As a volunteer at the main Feed Nova Scotia warehouse in Dartmouth, N.S., I see all kinds of non-perishable food donations—coming in from multiple donors and covering the full range of foods and packaging styles—sorted into appropriate categories (soup, cereal, pet food, baking, etc.) and shipped out to the food banks and other agencies in need in stacked banana boxes, which are then returned to the warehouse and used again for next shipment—continuing the whole virtuous packaging reuse cycle. It would not surprise me if many of these boxes in fact log more mileage traveling around Nova Scotia than the distance to get here from Central America in the first place.

91

97

COMPLETE SNACK PACKAGING SOLUTIONS • • • • • • • •

Helping you bring your best products to market.

Accumulation Horizontal motion conveying Incline, belt and bucket conveyors Filling and multihead weighing Bagmaking and casepacking Checkweighing and seal checking Foreign object and defect inspection Controls and information systems

17

98

We are successful when you are successful. That’s why we apply creativity, engineering excellence, and determined perseverance to every project to help our customers get the performance their business demands—whether measured by flavor, efficiencies, sustainability, improvement, or innovation.

34

116 94

Delivering Results.

With Heat and Control, you have a partner with the scale to support your success, the innovation to advance your operations, and a commitment to quality that will help you offer better products for consumers.

36 108

42

~2~ Mar. 27-29, 2022 Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort Phoenix, AZ, USA

107 41

info@heatandcontrol.com | heatandcontrol.com

20 LOOKING BACK. PRESSING FORWARD. ALWAYS INNOVATING.

26

OUR BRAND IS PROTECTED! “We put everything into bringing to market the freshest, purest and tastiest poultry products. We count on Plan Automation and Eagle PI for the best protection against all types of contaminants.

The new PXT X-Ray detection machine protects our brand against the minutest bone fragment and other foreign agents. It offers the highest level inspection technology. There is nothing like it in the market.”

Claudio Neves, Vice-President Operarations, Premium Foods & Direct Poultry

FOOD SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS I PROTECT YOUR BRAND I CALL US TODAY! 416.720.7875 I planautomation.com