Canadian Packaging

JUNE 2012 | $10

www.canadianpackaging.com

Blake Van Delft, Media & Marketing Director, Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited Jamie Mistry, Brewmaster

Craft brewer captures lightning in a bottle with upscale glass packaging

Publication mail agreement #40069240.

Story on page 16

SALAD DAYS  Page 22

IN THIS ISSUE: PACKAGING FOR FRESHNESS • BOTTLING • AUTOMATE NOW

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 101

pubb_smi_omnifission_curve.indd 8

21/05/12 10.37

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 102

Videojet.indd 4

12-06-04 5:15 PM

R

www.fsc.org FSC C102574 R

The mark of responsible forestry

Why would a company producing 100% recycled cartons bother to go through the process of obtaining certification from the world’s leading forestry stewardship organization?

Because we can!!!

As the leaders in recycling and sustainable packaging for over 60 years, it only made sense that we be accredited by the world’s leading model for environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forestry stewardship.

After all, we save a forest of over 14,000,000 trees per year from being cut down to produce paper products.

Sustainable Packaging for a Sustainable Future®

By utilizing the latest technology and world class processes in our 100% recycled paper mills, we save the equivalent energy to power 100,000 homes for a full year, divert 3 million cubic yards of waste going to landfill, use 4.2 billion less gallons water and help to remove 1.2 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere.

Why purchase your Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)® certified paper and packaging products from us? Because it demonstrates your personal commitment to our environment, it shows your customers that you care, and

Because you can!

Service Driven!TM “Responsive to your needs” Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd.

Corrugated Division Scarborough-Progress Ave., Scarborough-Midwest Ave., Brampton, Mississauga and Ingersoll 416-298-8101 • 1-800-268-5620 • www.atlantic.ca Add Ink (Atlantic Decorated & Display) Toronto 416-421-3636 • www.addink.ca Color Pak (Pre-printed Linerboard) Toronto 416-298-5518 • 1-800-584-5817 • www.colorpak.ca Mitchel-Lincoln Packaging Ltd. Montreal and Drummondville 514-332-3480 • 1-800-361-5727 • www.ml-group.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 103

UPFRONT

SETTING A CLEAR EXAMPLE

VOLUME 65, NO. 6 SENIOR PUBLISHER Stephen Dean • (416) 510-5198 SDean@canadianpackaging.com EDITOR George Guidoni • (416) 510-5227 GGuidoni@canadianpackaging.com FEATURES EDITOR Andrew Joseph • (416) 510-5228 AJoseph@canadianpackaging.com ART DIRECTOR Stewart Thomas • (416) 442-5600 x3212 SThomas@bizinfogroup.ca ADVERTISING SALES Munira Khan • (416) 510-5199 MKhan@canadianpackaging.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Cathy Li • (416) 510-5150 CLi@bizinfogroup.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER Diane Rakoff • (416) 510-5216 DRakoff@bizinfogroup.ca EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lisa Wichmann • (416) 442-5600 x5101 LWichmann@canadianmanufacturing.com EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Tim Dimopoulos • (416) 510-5100 TDimopoulos@bizinfogroup.ca

BIG MAGAZINES LP Vice-President of Canadian Publishing • Alex Papanou President of Business Information Group • Bruce Creighton

HOW TO REACH US: Canadian Packaging, established 1947, is published monthly by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON, M3B 2S9; Tel: (416) 442-5600; Fax (416) 510-5140.

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES: 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON, M3B 2S9; Tel: (416) 442-5600; Fax (416) 510-5140.

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information, contact us at 416-442-5600 or 1-800-387-0273 ext. 3555.

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE PER YEAR (INCLUDING ANNUAL BUYERS’ GUIDE): Canada $72.95 per year, Outside Canada $118.95 US per year, Single Copy Canada $10.00, Outside Canada $27.10.

Canadian Packaging is published 11 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

E

LeBoutillier assured Canadian Packaging that packaging reduction is right on track across all Unilever operations, while displaying a deft knowledge and understanding of the subject.

“Packaging reduction is critical because it is one of the earliest things we can act on, and it’s also one of those initiatives that gives payback immediately,” he said. “It’s not about consumer education that takes 10 years to nurture; it’s not about some new technology 10 years from now—it’s all about today.

“So we are working very actively in that space: both on packaging reduction, which is the easiest part, and also ensuring that things can be reused or reclaimed as easily as possible,” said LeBoutillier, predicting notably faster packaging waste reductions as the company retools its packaging lines to accommodate more sustainable packaging options.

“Right now our factories are built to handle a certain existing package at high speeds, so the first step in a 24-month time-frame is to optimize that package,” said LeBoutillier. “But in about a three-year time-frame we may well be talking about an entirely new package, which would come with totally new conveyors, running those packages at different speeds to maximize their environmental performance.

“It is essential to differentiate between the amount of packaging and the environmental impact of that packaging,” LeBoutillier pointed out, “which requires thinking about packaging down the whole value chain: what new materials are used for the package, how are they sourced, and then what happens to them at the end-of-life?

“And it’s not always the smallest package that’s the best solution: it may instead be a package that is easiest to recycle or reclaim,” LeBoutillier stated.

“It is time for the industry to start thinking broadly on packaging in terms of how it can be universally recycled or reused, rather than obsessing how much it weighs or how big it is.”

Frankly, we could not have said it better ourselves.

COVER STORY

JUNE 2012

| $10 www.canadianpa ckaging.com

Blake Van Delft, Media & Marketing Director, Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited

16

Jamie Mistry, Brewmaster

Toronto microbrewer gears up for the upcoming summer beer wars with an attractive product portfolio of Old World beer styles and sophisticated, upscale glass packaging befitting its premium brands.

Craft brewer captures

lightning in a bottle

DISCLAIMER: 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, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort.

PRIVACY NOTICE: From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374 Fax: 416-442-2191 Email: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca Mail to: Privacy Office, 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON M3B 2S9 PRINTED IN CANADA PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069240, ISSN 0008-4654 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canadian Packaging is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia Limited. Back copies are available in microform from Macromedia Ltd., 158 Pearl St., Toronto, ON M5H 1L3

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

Cover photography by Cole Garside

IN THIS ISSUE: PACKAGING

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS UPFRONT By George Guidoni NEWSPACK Packaging news round-up.

10 FIRST GLANCE New technologies for packaging applications.

12 ECO-PACK NOW All about environmental sustainability.

14-15 IMPACT A monthly insight from PAC-The Packaging Association.

35 EVENTS Upcoming industry functions.

36 NOTES & QUOTES Noteworthy industry briefs and updates.

37 PEOPLE Packaging career moves 38 CHECKOUT By Jaan Koel Joe Public speaks out on packaging hits and misses.

NEXT ISSUE: 2012-2013 Buyers’ Guide

with upscale glass

packaging

Story on page 16

Publication mail

©Contents of this publication are protected by copyright and must not be reprinted in whole or in part without permission of the publisher.

’Dam Good Beer By George Guidoni

agreement #40069240.

JUNE 2012

ver since the word sustainability has been embraced as part of modern-day corporatespeak, different interpretations of what exactly it means to the way companies go about their daily business have turned the issue into a complex maze of contradictory arguments and clashing vested interests stunting all meaningful progress in environmental and packaging sustainability.

So top marks then to global CPG (consumer packaged goods) powerhouse Unilever for the full transparency and clarity in the pursuit of its self-styled 10-year Unilever Sustainable Living Plan blueprint, requiring presidents of the company’s global operations to provide an annual public progress report of what their business units achieved in the last 12 months in each of the plan’s core improvements areas: health and hygiene; nutrition, greenhouse gases; water; waste; sustainable sourcing; better livelihoods; people’s welfare.

While packaging reduction has been subgrouped under the larger waste agenda, it is a key piece to achieving the aim of cutting the total waste sent for disposal to below 2008 levels, despite significantly higher production volumes—an 80-percent cut per tonne of production and a 70-percent absolute reduction—with a mix of packaging reduction, reuse, recycling and outright phaseout of some unwelcome packaging materials.

So far, this game plan has enabled the Torontoheadquartered Unilever Canada to achieve a four-percent packaging reduction in Canada in the last year, according to president John LeBoutillier, who presented his Canadian progress report a few weeks ago at the Evergreen Brickworks urban environmental reserve near central Toronto.

While a four-percent reduction may not seem like a giant leap for a company aiming to cut its packaging footprint by a full third by 2020,

SALAD DAYS  FOR FRESHNESS •

Page 22

BOTTLING • AUTOMATE

NOW

FEATURES

5 6-8

20

FRESH OPPORTUNITIES

By Andrew Joseph Innovative Ontario grocery retailer refreshes its strategic focus with a new production facility and convenient ready-to-eat meal solutions.

24

SUPER TETRA NOVA By George Guidoni Global aseptic packaging technologies powerhouse Tetra Pak steals the spotlight at the Anuga FoodTec 2012 food industry showcase.

30

RAISING THE BAR HIGH By Andrew Joseph West Coast nutrition bar co-packer thrives in cutthroat business with a knack for making tasty products with high-performance automated packaging equipment.

34

SUPER BOWL GLORY Dutch salad processor diversifies its product offering with automated multihead weighers.

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 5

NEWSPACK

THIS BUD’S FOR YOU TO LEARN ALL ABOUT IT

Being Canada’s bestselling beer brand is a happy story any way you put it, and Budweiser is happy to tell Canadian beer-lovers all about it this summer with unique QR (quick-response) codes on each of its beer bottles and cans—enabling consumers to retrace the steps of the Bud in their hands right back to where it was brewed.

Produced at five Canadian breweries operated by the London, Ont.-based Labatt Breweries of Canada, Budweiser’s interactive Track your Bud campaign encourages Canadians to scan the 10-digit QR codes on the packaging with their smartphone to find out the origin of that particular Bud container, along with a virtual guided tour of their Bud’s brewing by the plant’s brewmaster.

RepakPackaging_Meat_v2012_CP_Reiser 3/28/12 1:47 PM Page 1 The QR campaign is part of the 165-year anniversary of one of the world’s best-known beer

brands, which has been brewed in Canada for over 30 years at Labatt’s plants in London, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax and St. John’s, Nf ld.

“Budweiser has a rich story and we want to tell it in an authentic, new way that demonstrates the pride and craftsmanship at our breweries that’s been the backbone of Budweiser for generations,” says Budweiser Canada brand director Kyle Norrington.

“There are a lot of great people behind every bottle of Budweiser, and Track Your Bud gives Canadians a way to meet

our local brewmasters and see firsthand how passionate they are about brewing Budweiser,” Norrington says, adding the interactive packaging codes showcase the product’s ingredients and highlight the brand’s commitment to quality that goes into brewing every batch of Bud. “Brewing Budweiser is a balance of art, science and a lot of passion: It’s a nod to brewing history with a commitment to respecting years of brewing craft and expertise,” says certified Budweiser brewmaster Mark Hantiuk, citing the beer’s unique seven-step brewing process involving beachwood aging and multiple taste tests.

“Budweiser is brewed using only the highest-quality ingredients—barley, malt, hops, rice and yeast—and is fermented for more than three weeks,” Hantiuk explains.

“We conduct more than 100 quality checks along the way to ensure perfect results—results that Canadians know and love,” he states.

For more on the Track your Bud campaign, go to: www.TrackYourBud.ca

FOR THE RECORD Repak RE15

Better package seals.

Longer shelf life.

Rely on Repak horizontal form/fill/seal packaging machines to protect the integrity of your product. Only Repak machines are constructed with two 4-point lifting stations, which can generate up to five metric tons of closing pressure for reliable sealing and more uniform forming. Produce all types of packages – flexible, semi-rigid, vacuum, MAP, and our new vacuum skin package (VSP).

Reiser offers a complete line of Repak packaging machines to match any packaging requirement. For more information, contact Reiser at (905) 631-6611.

Reiser Canada 1549 Yorkton Court #4, Burlington, ON L7P 5B7 • (905) 631-6611 Reiser 725 Dedham Street, Canton, MA 02021 • (781) 821-1290 www.reiser.com 2012

Leading the food industry in processing and packaging solutions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

104

Please note that the multibucket Ishida scales installed at the PridePak Canada Inc. fresh produce processing facility in Mississauga, Ont.—as reported in the May 2012 issue of Canadian Packaging in the article Proud for Right Reasons, pages 29-34)—were supplied by Heat and Control Canada Inc. of Cambridge, Ont., with incorrect information appearing in the Reader Service reference box at the end of the feature story.

The Canadian Packaging magazine regrets the inaccuracy and any confusion it may have caused.

For more information on Heat and Control Canada Inc., contact general manager Chris Jenkins at 1 (866) 337-3312; or go to: www.heatandcontrol.com

6 CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

NEWSPACK

NEW LENS-CARE SOLUTION GOES EASY ON THE EYES WITH CLEAR PACKAGING Everything looks better through clean lenses, especially when the consumers and the environment both benefit.

And there are plenty of benefits to go around with the newly-launched Biotrue multipurpose soft-lens cleaning and disinfecting solution from the Vaughan, Ont.based eye-care specialists Bausch+Lomb Canada Inc. Having recently received Health Canada’s all-important Notice of Compliance approval for widespread purchase at food, drug and mass retailers starting this summer, the innovative Biotrue formulation— said to be inspired by the biology of human eyes—is said to be the only lens-care solution in Canada to combine a pH that matches tears, a lubricant that keeps lenses moist and comfortable, and a special formulation that helps keep certain beneficial tear proteins active, according to the company.

Equally well-suited for all soft lenses, including hydrogel lenses, Biotrue is packaged in clear 300-ml and 120-ml plastic bottles made from fully-recyclable, healthcare-approved grade of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and housed inside fullyrecyclable paperboxes.

Boasting a special dual-disinfection system that eliminates more than 99 per cent of harmful bacteria, according to the company, Biotrue essentially works by forming a moisture-rich cushion around the lens to provide the fresh feeling that comes with excellent comfort for the lens user.

“Biotrue is a very exciting development for Bausch+Lomb,” says Dr. Chris Snyder, director of professional relations at the North American Vision Care unit of Bausch+Lomb.

“By mimicking some of the ways our eyes and tears work, it delivers long-lasting comfort for soft contact lens wearers.”

Snyder explains that the Bausch+Lomb eye health scientists studied the human eye to design a solution that helps make contact lens wear easier on the eyes to develop Biotrue, resulting in several breakthroughs: • The use of the Hyaluronan (HA) lubricant, which is naturally produced throughout the human body, including in the joints and eyes.

Capable of holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water, HA makes an effective Biotrue ingredient that creates a hydrating network to wrap the contact lens in a moisture-rich cushion—providing fullday comfort.

• The innovative formulation also helps keep certain tear proteins in their native state, according to the company, to prevent the tear proteins from denaturing and to remove deposited proteins, which can cause discomfort and blurred vision.

• With pH matching that of tears, Biotrue helps the eye maintain its natural condition and reduces the potential physiological change which can occur when a contact lens is introduced into the eye.

“Not only does Biotrue deliver long-lasting comfort, it also provides excellent disinfection efficacy,” says Dr. Mohinder Merchea, director of medical affairs at the company’s North America Vision Care unit.

“This is a solution that eyecare professionals, who are looking for both continuous comfort and excellent disinfection, can recommend to

their patients with confidence,” says Merchea, citing a recent patient survey that showed 96 per cent of lens wearers reporting good to excellent comfort, along with a separate survey showing patients choosing Biotrue by a three-to-one ratio over the current market-leading multipurpose solution.

“Delivering on patient comfort and health is a key priority at Bausch+Lomb,” says Merchea.

“We are excited to introduce an outstanding product like Biotrue to help make the lens wearing experience easier and more enjoyable for all soft-contact lens wearers.”

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING 7 FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

105

NEWSPACK

CANADIAN LABEL CONVERTER TASTES REPEAT SUCCESS Like fine wine, ASL Print FX seems to be getting better with age, with the Vaughan, Ont.based label converter recently picking up the World Label Award for excellence in technical achievement for the second year running.

Manufactured for the California-produced Red Tile Central Coast wine brand (see picture), the highly decorative label was printed stochastically to enhance print quality using UV-f lexo inks, according to ASL Print, involving multiple process in its final construction, including silk-screening, hot stamping, UV treatments, varnish, 20 micron dot stochastic process image and redhot stamping—all printed in one single pass.

Judged by an international expert panel representing the world’s leading continental labeling industry associations—FINAT from Europe, TLMI of North America, JFLP of Japan, LMAI of

India, LATMA of Australia and SALMA from New Zealand—the Red Tile label was picked a winner in the World Label Competition’s Flexo Wine & Spirits category, with official award presentation conducted at the closing gala ceremony in Phoenix, Az., a few weeks ago.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the judges as world-class in technical achievement two years in a row.” says ASL Print president chief executive Charlie MacLean, whose company operates two North American label manufacturing plants in Vaughan and in Winston-Salem, N.C. A year ago, ASL Print picked up a total of six different label industry awards—including the Gold Award of PAC-The Packaging Association in the label category—for the Dan Aykroyd Sauvignon Blanc label of the Ontario-based winemaker Diamond Estates.

MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCER HITS PACKAGING SWEETSPOT Ever since maple syrup hit the market, this beloved Canadian product has been packaged in very traditional glass or plastic containers that for the most part look pretty much alike.

At least until earlier this year, when Plessisville, Que.-based Citadelle Maple Syrup Producers’ Cooperative shook up the maple syrup product category with the launch of its new SmartSak f lexible package to rave reviews.

Debuting at last month’s SIAL Canada 2012 international agrifood industries trade show in Montreal, the innovative, eco-friendly SmartSak package was selected as a winning entry in the show’s Trends & Innovations Contest for its authenticity and practicality.

Said to be developed after years of intensive R&D (research-and-development) efforts, the reseal-

able package features a built-in drip-free spout to prevent sticky spills, according to Citadelle, while the 500-ml package’s total weight of only 14 grams makes it a vastly more lighter-weight packaging alternative to traditional 70-gram tin cans, 415-gram glass containers, or 67-gram plastic jars.

Offering two-year product shelf-life, the user-friendly stand-up pouch features opaque exterior to protect the syrup’s f lavor and color, along with sturdy construction to prevent it from denting, ripping or breaking when squeezed or accidentally dropped.

According to Citadelle, the package is designed primarily to make it easy for seniors and children to hold and pour the product, which can be easily stored in the refrigerator or frozen right in its SmartSak container for long-terms storage.

DEW GEARS UP FOR THE NEXT BATMAN BLOCKBUSTER

Wide belt the FlexLink way!

Our new wide belt conveyors allow you to create space efficient layouts and predictable production flows. The system is designed for the transportation of large individual items or large flows of smaller products.

Find out more about the new wide belt conveyors and how you can use them to get the most value out of your production.

Contact us today at info.ca@flexlink.com or give us a call at (905) 639-6878.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

106

www.flexlink.com

With this summer’s Hollywood blockbuster movie season already well underway, the bestselling soft-drink brand Mountain Dew has teamed up with the Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures studios to promote the highly-anticipated motion picture The Dark Knight Rises—the latest installment of the Batman movies franchise—by using color-changing packaging for its limitedrelease Mountain Dew Dark Berry f lavor inspired by the Caped Crusader’s adventures.

Starting this month, the bestselling U.S. brand of f lavored carbonated soft drink—produced by the Purchase, N.Y.-headquartered PepsiCo Americas Beverages—will f lood the North American soft-drink shelves for eight weeks with a Dark Knight graphic takeover of base packaging and temperature-sensitive cans that change color when chilled—all part of a 360-degree marketing campaign leading up to the North American release of the star-studded f lick on July 20, 2012.

“Mountain Dew is all about fueling passion and that is what this partnership is based on,” says Brett O’Brien, vice-president of marketing for the Mountain Dew product family.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find more passionate fans than those of Dew and The Dark Knight franchise,” O’Brien states.

8

“Our goal is to offer those fans unique experiences—from package and product innovation to exclusive content and access that only Dew and Batman together could provide.”

As part of the marketing blitz, the Mountain Dew brand plans to: • Use thermochromatic (color-changing) inks on select cans of 16-ounce Mountain Dew Dark Berry—featuring the trademarked bat symbol that transforms to the distinctive green color of Dew when chilled; • Allow fans visiting the website to enter product codes from their 20-ounce and two-liter bottles, 12- and 24-packs and fountain cup to earn points to redeem for branded Dew or The Dark Knight Rises merchandise as well as sweepstakes entries for a chance to win exclusive prizes.

• Unveiling a special interactive website (wwwDEWGothamCity.com) to give fans “unprecedented access into the world of The Dark Knight Rises, including exclusive sneak peeks of movie content and storylines.”

Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway and other famed Hollywood A-listers, the movie release will also be supported by a massive cable, prime-time TV, radio and digital advertising to drive mass awareness for the PG-13-rated superhero f lick.

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

Food SaFety.

SuStainability.

Market Share Growth.

Packaging for success in all these departments is no easy feat.

Farnell Packaging is fully integrated in the latest blown film flexible packaging technology. what’s more, we offer the most creative approach to flexible food packaging in the market. ask us to show you our porfolio of top innovations being used by our customers.

"Listen. Understand. Execute."

1-800-565-9378

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 107

www.farnell.ca

FIRST GLANCE MAGNETIC APPEAL The new range of magnetic humps and round pipe separators from Eriez are designed to provide a simple and effective way to remove tramp iron contamination from gravity or pneumatically-conveyed, dry free-flowing products such as feed, grain, wood chips, foodstuffs, sand or plastic, according to the company, whereby materials entering the magnetic hump are abruptly forced to change direction against the face of the powerful series SD plate magnet. As the materials tumble in the housing, they change direction once more against the face of a second plate magnet so that the heavier metallics are more likely to work their way to the face of the magnet— increasing the probability of capture. Available in various magnetic strengths—including Rare Earth, Xtreme Rare Earth, Superpower or Maxipower—the low-maintenance magnetic humps can be selected to suit specific applications requiring the ferrous contamination to remain trapped on the face of the magnet until the operator swings the magnet out of the product f low and removes the metal.

Eriez of Canada Ltd.

401

OPENING MOVES The new Romaco Promatic P 91 intermittentmotion cartoner from MG America features patented carton pick-up and positive opening systems, with most of the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)compliant system’s movements performed by servomotors and electronic cams—allowing for smooth handling of a wide variety of products and exceptionally quick changeovers, according to the company. The cartoner’s wide range of tailor-made feeding units ensures reliable feeding of the cartons, with high tolerance for the different carton grades and quality, while its choice of closing options—tuck-in, hot-melt, or a combination of both with tamper-evidence features— faciltates optimal production f lexibility.

MG America

402

MAKING SENSE The new SMx-8M and SMx-10M series proximity sensors from Festo Inc. boast an innovative mounting design to facilitate quick-and easy installation and deliver optimal sensing accuracy reliability and overall performance. Fully compatible with all Festo drive units, these vibration- and shock-resistant sensors—offered in a reed or solidstate switch version—feature sturdy anchoring to support extremely high tensile forces, according to the company, to ensure robust operation in demanding conditions and a long service-life.

Festo Inc.

403

CAPTURED ON FILM Developed by DuPont Teijin Films and distributed by Multivac Inc., the thermoformable Mylar Cook films—boasting full

10 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

FDA, EU and CFIA compliance for food-contact safety—were formulated and engineered specifically for the preparation of food in the high temperature range up to 425˚ F in either microwaves or conventional ovens, with most of the aromas, vitamins, minerals and inherent moisture of the product largely retained during the cooking process.

Multivac Canada Inc.

404

FINISHING STRETCH The new high-speed model LW-300 rotary-arm stretchwrapper from Premier Tech is a fullyautomatic system designed for mechanically applying pre-stretched film with tension to a pallet load, with its overhead rotary arm eliminating the need to rotate the load and enabling higher-speed wrapping of up to 95 loads per hour. Available with an optional top-sheet dispenser, the LW-300 stretchwrapper boasts a rugged construction designed for low maintenance requirements and longterm reliability, with the machine’s user-friendly HMI (human-machine interface) designed to ensure quick and easy adjustments of the film feeding, which can be accelerated or decelerated as needed in order to apply more plastic on the load’s corners or to maintain constant film tension for increased stability.

The stretchwrapper’s innovative film clamp geometry provides for a very strong grip on the film to maintain the film properly until it is ready to be released—preventing unwanted stops—while the machine’s braking system allows for the rotary arm to be immobilized at any time during the wrapping process and restarted from the same position, instead of starting all over again.

Premier Tech

405

AIR SUPPORT Designed to work with the company’s Fill-Air 2000 and Fill-Air Cyclone packaging systems, the new FillAir R5 film from Sealed Air Corporation provides a more sustainable packaging solution for inf latable void-fill packaging applications—with minimum 10-percent TPS (thermoplastic starch) resin derived from a renewable resource and 10-percent pre-consumer recycled content derived from film manufacturing facilities—while enabling packers to achieve considerable material savings compared to using polystyrene peanuts and other void-fill options. Boasting superior strength properties and air retention capabilities, the Fill-Air cushions made with Fill-Air R5 film and also be reused in other packages, according to Sealed Air, and it can also be recycled with polyolefin films through many local recycling streams.

Sealed Air Corporation

406

ECONOMIES OF SCALE The PrimoWeigher 360 combination scales from CombiScale Inc. can be easily assembled in multiple configurations and operated from one central control panel to mix frozen vegetables, fruits, candy, ingredients, or hardware components into pouches or containers in a much more f lexible arrangement than using a 24- or 32-head combination scale, according to the company, while achieving superior accuracy and productivity levels. The

scales’ Windows-based 360 operating system software can support as many scales as needed to mix a virtually infinite number of products, while providing value-added software functionalities such as Skype for online support, Crystal Report for custom reports and a Wizard for step-by-step assistance for operators inputting new jobs, as well as a remote control panel and a handheld controller.

CombiScale Inc.

407

AHEAD OF THE CURVE The new range of curved incline conveyors from Eaglestone Equipment are designed specifically to simplify product transfers in trickier applications where products often need to change elevation as well as no negotiate curves from one to 180 degrees, according to the company, in smooth operation that eliminates a transition point and does not disturb the orientation of the products.

Engineered to ensure clean and quiet operation in demanding production environments, the curved inclined conveyors are offered in a broad range of belt widths from 2.25 to 12 inches; a choice of belt materials including smooth top, friction insert top, and stainless-steel chain; and with a variety of customized options such as side-transfer rollers, live rollers, variable-frequency drives (VFDs), side guides and PLC (programmable logic controller) integration controls.

Eaglestone Equipment

408

THE X FACTOR The new X bagging machine from Matrix Packaging Machinery incorporates two baggers into a small-footprint design that can enable end-users to in the coffee, baked good, snack-food, confectionery and other industries to achieve production speed of up to 250 bags per minute, according to the company, as well as to run to separate products simultaneously. Equipped with two Automation Supply & Engineering, Inc. augers boasting one-gram accuracy and a spot-check weighing systems for ensuring optimal weight consistency, the X machines can form pillow bags from three- to 15-inches-long and from two to 7.5-inches-wide, while facilitating faster and more ergonomic loading of bag film and printer ribbon.

Matrix Packaging Machinery

409

SMARTER DESIGN The new SmartReflect sensor from Baumer Inc. is said to be the first light barrier without a reflector to offer advanced transparency detection capabilities to pick up the tiniest changes in intensity, according to the company, thereby enabling it to detect highly transparent foils, bowls or bottles—regardless of the color and material of the background or the object. Well-suited for a broad range of application in the food industry by verifying the correct positioning of the food to be packaged, the SmartReflect—also available in hygienic and washdown designs—sets up the closed light beam between the sensor and a machine part to eliminate the need for installing separate reflectors or receivers.

Baumer Inc.

410

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

DecentralizeD DriVe systems DecentralizeD DriVe systems

moVigear® Movigear® is distinguished by its high level of system efficiency, a significant factor in reducing energy costs. The integration and coordination of all the drive components lead to a long service life and system availability. Movigear® is an intelligent system with its own control concept.

Its high-quality networking helps reduce startup time and supports monitoring and maintenance tasks. When combined with a functional user software, drive tasks can be solved as quickly and easily as possible.

In many industries and applications, implementing economical automation concepts means utilizing decentralized systems throughout. Long rows of control cabinets with complex wiring, expansive space requirements and long distances between control cabinet and motors are too rigid and not very economical. Only the combination of flexible, versatile, economic and target-oriented modules will provide an efficient solution. This is the reason why system operators opting for decentralized drive systems from SEW-Eurodrive are always ahead of the game.

our Drive solution Pyramid.

moVitrac® lte B The range of functions provided by MOVITRAC® LTE B is particularly well adapted to less complicated applications. Its user-friendly design makes integration quick and easy, it also meets the high quality requirements of everyday requirements. The Movitrac® LTE B is also available in IP66/NEMA 4k making it suitable for special ambient conditions. These frequency inverters operate reliably and flexibly even when exposed to dust or water.

VFDs: reliaBle, comPact & Versatile

SerVo PacKaGe: simPle, fast & DiVerse

Psc

Planetary servo gear units The low backlash PSC planetary servo gear units are designed for torque classes from 30 to 305 Nm. They are designed to offer the greatest possible flexibility and ROI, as not every application demands machines designed for maximum performance. These planetary servo gear units are the basis for versatile, dynamic, and above all cost optimized drive solutions.

moVitrac® ltx Simple, fast and diverse: as part of the Smart Servo Package, SEW-Eurodrive offers the new Movitrac® LTX servo inverter for universal use. It stands out with advantages such as ease of operation, short startup times as well as optimized costs. Available in two sizes and covers a power range from 750W to 5.5 kW. The Movitrac® LTX is particularly suitable for use in applications such as secondary packaging, handling, and logistics.

DecentralizeD control: moDular, flexiBle & economical

The demands on material handling systems today have never been more wide ranging or more challenging.

That’s why SEW-Eurodrive offers drive solutions for every kind of industry application. From the simple to the sophisticated, our pyramid of solutions allow you to control costs and limit complexity by giving you the ability to tailor our products to the exact intelligence and performance specs you require. Reducing energy consumption is also an important imperative today for the modern production line. Just ask Coca-Cola, who achieved a sensational 75% reduction in energy consumption by incorporating 40 of SEW-Eurodrives’s revolutionary decentralized MOVIgEAR® units in a recent overhaul of a European bottling plant transport line.

Driving the world

SEW’s customer resource portal for expert consultation, information and services.

Toronto (905) 791-1553

Montreal (514) 367-1124

Vancouver (604) 946-5535

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 108

www.sew-eurodrive.ca

ECO-PACK NOW

PAPER PACKAGING PRODUCERS WAXING LYRICAL ABOUT COATING OPTIONS

BY ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR

Despite the decades-long popularity of waxed paper being used to protect food products from wet environments, the paper packaging industry has been under siege recently to come up with other technologies that might remove the sticky wicket with something more environmentally-friendly.

To address the subject head-on, the Brampton, Ont.-based Paper Packaging Canada (PPC) association held a half-day seminar last month— drawing an eager audience of about 80 food industry professionals wanting to learn about the latest technological advances.

But anyone expecting a miracle quick fix for the increasingly contentious issue would have been left wanting after the information-packed panel discussion featuring some of the Canadian paper industry’s leading authorities.

“There is no silver bullet to replace wax,” PPC executive director David Andrews said in his opening remarks as he introduced a panel comprising independent industry consultant Dr. Tony Kadai; Serge Desgagnes, Kruger’s Containerboard Division paper product specialist; CASCO regional sales representative Matt McPeake; Sun Chemical’s director of technology Iqbal Dhatt; and Maritime Paper Products director of manufacturing Robert Wainman.

According to Kadai, who provided a comprehensive overview of current coating options in the market, as well as recent developments for converters, there are emerging market opportunities for some replacement technologies that can be traced as far back as 15 years ago, provided they overcome the remaining technical limitations.

“The market is pushing for recyclability or repulpability,” said Kadia, lamenting that as things stand right now, “waxed cartons are not recyclable or repulpable, and they will end up in a landfill.”

Because of the sticky ingredients used in the waxing process—which gained its mainstream popularity in North America during the 1960s and 1970s—using these waxes presents various production challenges for manufacturers, with the waxed cartons often gumming up the production machinery, requiring considerable time and effort to clean the equipment.

But part of the concern in replacing the wax application option, Kadia related, is rooted in the fact that many manufacturers are already set up to

(From left) Robert Wainman, Maritime Paper; Iqbal Dhatt, Sun Chemical; Matt McPeake, CASCO; Serge Desgagnes, Kruger Inc.; and Tony Kadai, Tony Kadai & Associates.

deal with it, making a rapid switchover an expensive proposition, without clearly defined cost benefits or a clear-cut replacement option.

Nevertheless, the number of available, commercially viable wax alternatives is on the rise, according to Desgagnes, who pointed out that the production of boxes using alternative coatings increased from 4.9 billion square feet of boxes in 2009 to 6.4 billion square feet in 2010, representing a 30-percent gain.

“Despite the lack of a ‘silver bullet’ replacement technology,” he noted, “the number of wax alternatives is on the rise.”

Desgagnes explained that when it comes to coatings as a wax replacement, the choice of paper is critical, noting that along with meeting the U.N. Cobb specifications for water absorptiveness (Cobb value)—the ability of paper, paperboard or corrugated product to absorb water over a 30-minute period—the virgin or recycled material must be smooth and have minimum porosity.

While the alternative double bump coating process—whereby a primer coating acts as a first bump and a premium grade coating as a second bump—has a Cobb value of 10, a curtain-coated waxed paper has a Cobb value of zero penetration.

“Despite the advantages of coatings, you want a Cobb rating of zero,” said Desgagnes, noting that more widespread use of wax replacement technologies would reduce contamination levels at recycled containerboard mills, while retailers would be able to call the coated board OCC (old container board)—enabling them to save money by not having to pay for the material’s disposal.

For his part, CASCO’s McPeake discussed the bonding process of coatings to the paper—stressing the growing importance of starch adhesives, the type of papers chosen, and the temperature of the paper when the coating is applied, as key factors affecting a paper’s Cobb rating and deter-

mining the true effectiveness of the paperboard or corrugated product.

According to McPeake: • when it comes to applying a coating to paper, using fresh adhesive is the best option because the adhesive’s bonding capability and viscosity can break down from heating; • the paper temperature as it runs through the converting machinery will affect the bonding capabilities of the coating, necessitating a “cooldown” period for the processed paper; • use a thin coating application to avoid warping; • penetrating aids and performance additives can help with adhesive penetration and film formation; • using a wet strength resin requires a longer wait time to achieve optimal curing.

Meanwhile, Sun Chemical’s Dhatt used his presentation to provide a fascinating and complex look at what wax papers and coated papers look like on a microscopic level—showing the effectiveness of various surface properties of substrates.

“Coatings will change the mechanics of how inks dry on a surface, as the coatings will now have a lack of porosity and thus no real penetration,” said Dhatt, citing Sun Chemical’s Aquaflex range of inks developed to address the technical concerns over printing on coated substrates by providing a smooth ink laydown, maximizing adhesion, and releasing water from the surface faster than conventional polymers used in traditional packaging inks.

“It’s important to note that you are not printing on paper; you are printing on a synthetic material when you add a coating,” said Dhatt.

“Think of a coating as a film—not as a paper,” adds Dhatt, noting similar printing presses from different manufacturers can produce vastly different results even when using the same paper and inks—requiring keen quality control by the paper producers.

“At the end of the day, you are the experts,” he concluded.

KEEPING EYES ON THE BALL FOR LIGHTER PACKAGING OPTIONS Leading metal packaging products manufacturer Ball Corporation says it has achieved a technological breakthrough to enable the use of recycled aluminum in the manufacture of extruded aluminum packaging for aerosols.

According to the Bloomfield, Co.-headquartered company, the resulting new metal alloy exhibits increased strength and allows lightweighting of the container without affecting package integrity to enable at least 10-percent weight reduction for extruded aluminum aerosol packaging, with further lightweighting expected in the future.

Currently, almost all extruded aluminum aerosol packaging is made from virgin aluminum

12 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

“slugs”—metal disks which are impact-extruded to produce packaging for aerosol products ranging from body sprays, sun screens, air fresheners, etc., whereas Ball plans to offer a new range of ReAL brand of slugs made entirely from the aluminum recycled from Ball’s global beverage can manufacturing operations.

“Our ReAl brand slugs will improve the carbon footprint of increasingly popular extruded aluminum packaging by enabling us to reduce the amount of metal in the package and further enhance the environmental performance of our company,” says Ball’s chief operating officer for global packaging Raymond Seabrook.

“This breakthrough comes after months of collaboration between our global metal technology experts and innovation teams, and brings additional value to the supply chain by adding recycled aluminum from our beverage can plants into our slug manufacturing processes, and by lightweighting our extruded aluminum packaging,” Seabrook adds. “We are excited to bring this new solution to our customers around the world in the coming months.”

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

Labels&Labelingequipment Vivo! Touch Label Printer Intelligent Color Labels at Your Fingertips

QuickPrint Label Printing Service

Need labels printed fast? Our QuickPrint™ Service will custom-print labels for you using QuickLabel digital label printers.

Small quantity printing, fast turnaround, low minimum order, artwork assistance.

Toll-Free 800-565-2216 QuickLabel.ca/Vivo

Real-Time Label Printing Color Labels In-line

QuickLabel’s Xe series of thermal transfer color label printers can print color labels print in real time, ondemand or in batches. Designed to be integrated in-line with an existing packaging system, and to print labels from ERP systems such as SAP. Labels print with unique, product-specific content that varies from label to label such as color codes, barcodes, logos, expiration dates, best-by dates, and other serializing text, prompted fields, and databased information.

Programmable host protocol, applicator mode, and “peel off” option. Prints labels and tags at speeds of up to 7 ips.

Toll-Free 800-565-2216 QuickLabel.ca/Color

Barcode Labels & Color Ribbons

QuickLabel’s Pronto! Barcode Printer Family offers more: built-in Ethernet, built-in web server, and high-speed and high-resolution barcode printer models.

Printers come with Lifetime Warranty, QuickSwap™ Loan & Replacement Service, and 24-Hour Technical Support.

Want a competitive quote on labels and ribbons? We offer low prices because we’re the manufacturer of our ribbons and barcode labels. We have more color thermal transfer ribbons than anyone in the world, including metallic gold, silver, white, and a rainbow of colors.

Toll-Free 800-565-2216 QuickLabel.ca/Pronto

Toll-Free 800-565-2216 QuickLabel.ca/Quote

Introducing the NEW I n t ellIgen ell gen t DI D g It t al C ol or l a bel P r In n t er w I t h tou ou C h sC s C r een

You can print labels at the touch of your fingers from its touchscreen interface, and even print labels without a computer, in standalone mode. This LED printer uses a unique micro-fine CMYK toner system and proprietary halftone screen to make beautiful labels with accurate color and precise dot placement.

Toll-Free 800-565-2216 QuickLabel.ca/QuickPrint

I n t el l I ge n t DI D gIta ta l Co l o r l a b e l P rIn r n t e r w It t h t o u Ch hsCreen

The new Vivo! Touch is the first intelligent photo-quality label printer, capable of dynamically printing fullcolor labels on-the-fly directly from your production system or other database. The Vivo! Touch prints labels quickly, at up to 5 ips (25 feet per minute).

Barcode Printers with Lifetime Warranty

l

tory – of labe We’ve made his you to “print your

n’t allow system. printers that do your production om fr ls” be la r own colo bel printer g an intelligent la ld with a We’re introducin ls just as you wou be la t in pr to u that allows yo r, photo-quality: – but in full-colo barcode printer base from any data

Get in Touch with Us:

800-565-2216 Visit us: QuickLabel.ca

ls on the fly print color labe ly al ic am yn D >> uchscreen ly from the to ct re di ls be la t >> Prin at 5 ips o-quality, even ot ph in t in Pr >> in any shape die-cut labels ling >> Print rolls of sy private labe money with ea >> Make more your fingertips –

el printing at puts intelligent lab h uc To e in-plant label ! vo Vi e Th manufacturers th es giv d an – n ee hedule an from its touchscr waiting for. To sc en be ve u’ yo y lit printing flexibi ckLabel.ca/demo. stration, go to Qui in-person demon

s Your Fingertip t a g n ti n ri P l be Intellig ent La FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 109

ACCESS THE GLOBAL PACKAGING NETWORK

Sponsors

Early bird deadline June 30, 2012

Titanium

Creating Next Life Solutions A World Without Packaging Waste

PAC Conference, Ottawa 2012 September 28-30, 2012

A

Gold

R

Conference overview Join the North American packaging community to advance A World Without Packaging Waste. Sustainable Innovation is the key to our success and leading industry creators will be in Ottawa to show us the way.

For organizations involved in all aspects of the life cycle of packaging, this is THE MUST ATTEND conference of the year.

Creators of Next Life Packaging Solutions

• Waste, what waste? Tom Szaky of TerraCycle demonstrates how to outsmart waste.

• Recyclebank rewards you for your waste • Plasco converts municipal solid waste into an energy-rich fuel

Policy that is shaping the Landscape

• Canada – CCME/Industry collaboration on packaging optimization

• USA – EPR is emerging. Stakeholders are mapping out their territory • BC – Update on the chance to get EPR right

Economics, Green Jobs and the Future of the Packaging Industry

• Emerging Markets, Packaging Growth and Capital Markets • The Economics of Recovery, job creation, GDP growth, Entrepreneurial opportunities

Sustainable Innovation Leaders

• Target, Proctor & Gamble, Nestle, Havi Global and DuPont present their plans and solutions

Sustainable Innovation – Product and Process

• Hear about best-in-class product and process innovations for Paper, Plastics, Carton Council, Glass and Packaging Machinery leaders

A

Bronze

Silver

K

Green

Hotel information

® ® MD

Media

Fairmont Château Laurier 1 Rideau Street. Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 8S7 PAC has arranged a discounted group rate for our delegates: Standard room - $199 Deluxe room - $269 No charge for children under eighteen sharing with their parents.

All meals included with conference registration.

Once registered for the conference, please contact Lisa Abraham at 416.646.4640 for the hotel registration link.

Register online at pac.ca or contact Lisa Abraham at 416.646.4640, labraham@pac.ca for more information.

14 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JuNe 2012

J

Leading North American Presenters

Anne Bedarf

Alan Blake

Ken Brooks

Rod Bryden

Scott Cassel

Elisabeth Comere

Angela Dennis

Harry Epstein

Todd Evans

Agenda Day 1 - Friday, September 28 9 a.m.

Registration opens 10 a.m.

Plant tours - delegates, limited capacity Depart for Plasco and Cascades Noon Return 12:15 p.m.

Lunch & welcome - Jim Downham, President & CEO, PAC 1:30 Keynote addresses from “Creators of Next Life Solutions” • Tom Szaky, CEO, TerraCycle • Rod Bryden, President & CEO Plasco • Ian Yolles, CSO, Recyclebank 3:15 - 5 p.m.

Policy that is shaping the landscape • Canadian Perspective • American Perspective • BC EPR Update 6:30 p.m.

Welcome reception 8 p.m.

Chairmans’ Gala Dinner - Château Laurier Day 2 - Saturday, September 29 7:30 a.m.

Breakfast 8:45 a.m.

Economics – The Future of Packaging • Packaging and Capital • Competitive Alternatives • Economics of the Recovery Business 11:45 a.m.

Lunch 1:15 p.m.

Sustainable Innovation Enablers • GPPS 2.0 - Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability • Labelling for Recovery • PAC NEXT National Design Guide 3 p.m.

• The Nestle Way • DuPont Packaging Innovation Awards • Procter & Gamble Leadership 6 p.m.

Dinner and entertainment - Canadian Museum of Civilization Day 3 - Sunday, September 30 7:30 a.m.

Breakfast 8:30 a.m.

Sustainable Packaging Product and Process Innovation • The Urgency for Sustainable Solutions • Havi Global Solutions • Sustainable Packaging Machinery Initiatives • Sustainable Packaging - Tetra Pak Way 10:45 a.m.

• Fibre • Plastics • Glass • Carton Council Noon Lunch and closing ceremonies

®

Keith Fanta

Alan Feldenkris

Carol Hochu

Daniel Lantz

Guy McGuffin

Shanna Moore

John Mullinder

Laura Selanders

Håkan Söderholm

Tom Szaky

Anthony Watanabe

Ian Yolles

JuNe 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 15

COVER STORY

Jamie Mistry, Brewmaster

Blake Van Delft, Media & Marketing Director, Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited

’DAM WORTH THE WAIT Toronto craft brewer shaking up the local beer scene with artsy glass packaging and Old World authenticity

BY GEORGE GUIDONI, EDITOR PHOTOS BY COLE GARSIDE

I

t takes a lot of nerve to name an upstart business venture after one of the world’s most colorful and charming cities oozing with truly uinque history, architecture, art and scores of other cultural delights and wonders that make it one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, but a little cockiness and self-belief never hurt anyone with aspirations of making a mark in Canada’s crowded and hotly-contested beer market.

And while it has taken a little time and a couple of strategic focus realignments for the Torontobased microbrewer Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited to finally make itself an indispensable part of the local craft beer marketplace, the company’s evolution from a tiny brew-pub into one of Ontario’s most prominent premium microbrew-

ers has been well worth the wait, according to the company’s easy-going brewmaster Jamie Mistry, a life-long beer industry insider who joined Amsterdam Brewing four years ago just as it was starting to diversify its core keg business with new product launches of innovative bottled-beer products that quickly caught the imagination and brand loyalty of discerning local beer-lovers.

Dutch Treat “The original owner was a Dutch gentleman by the name of Roel Bramer who wanted to bring authentic European f lavors to Toronto, so in 1986 he opened up a brew-pub on John Street in Toronto’s downtown core, which he named The Amsterdam Brasserie after the city of his birth,” relates Mistry, holder of a professional degree in Brewing & Distilling Science from the HeriotWatt University in Scotland.

“This was at a time when imported beers were a rare sign in Ontario, well before all the Stellas and the Heinekens of the world were sold here,” Mistry points out.

“That has all changed now, of course, but the main focus for us has remained what it was back then— trying to introduce newer beers styles and brands that are still not as well-known here as they might be: Belgian wheat beers, imperial stouts, bock beers and the IPA (India Pale Ale), which is just about the hottest thing in the market right now.

“We always try to stay ahead of the curve,” Mistry told Canadian Packaging on a recent visit to the company’s current premises at the foot of Bathurst Street near the city’s historical Fort York site of former military fortifications, which the microbrewer will be vacating at the end of this year for a modern, 26,000-square-foot production facility in central Toronto to start an exciting new chapter

Bottles of the flagship Amsterdam Natural Blonde Lager go through their paces on the filling line at the company’s current Bathurst Street brewhouse in downtown Toronto, whose output and production schedule double during the hot summer months to keep up with soaring demand for the company’s premium craft-brewed beer products.

16 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

COVER STORY to ring in maximum sales, which have been growing at double-digit rates in recent years, according to the marketing and media director Blake Van Delft.

“We are now growing by 15 per cent every year, and the craft industry is generally growing at that pace, which is remarkable considering that beer sales as a whole are down from years before,” Van Delft says. “So obviously, people want something different than just the North American lagers these days: they want to experience the new f lavors that are truly unique.

“There are some great beer styles out there that Ontarians don’t know about, so we see it as our role to introduce them to these f lavors by making them as authentically as we can,” he states.

Amsterdam Brewing uses custom-made glass bottles supplied by United Glass, which are permanently decorated by Serigraphie Richford via an applied-ceramic labeling process to enhance brand image and provide classy aesthetic elegance for the premium beers.

of further volume growth and product innovation.

But the new home is hardly on top of minds at this time of the year for the 35 full-time workers brewing, packaging and delivering its premium suds to a steadily growing range of upscale restaurants, bars, pubs and LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) retail outlets across a geographic region now stretching from Ottawa in the east to London west of Toronto.

With the hot summer months traditionally being the busiest part of the season for Canadian beermakers, the main priority is naturally to keep the beer flowing to its customers in sufficient quantities

Time Change

Ready-made pallets of six-packs nestled in corrugated trays, supplied by Norampac, await their turn to be shipped out for quick delivery via the company’s own mini-fleet of two trucks and three delivery vans.

Adds Mistry: “It’s like with wine 20 years ago: you’d go to an LCBO store and all you could get was a few table wines, but now you look at the wine section that is so inundated with variety, with so many countries and styles to choose from, that sometimes you feel like you don’t really know what to buy.

“You see the same thing happening in the beer sections, where LCBO has done a good job with giving consumers choice, especially with pushing seasonal varieties like pumpkin beer in the fall, Christmassy style beers in the winter, bock beers in the spring, IPA and wheat beers in the summer.

“They (LCBO) are doing a really good job of staying ahead of the curve themselves, and they are demanding that the brewers respond in kind,”

Mistry explains.

“If you want to be part of their business, you have to be selling them something other than lager: they already have thousands of lagers; they don’t need any more.

“This really helps keep the brewers on their toes at all times,” he states.

With current annual production capacity of 24,000 hectoliters, a rough equivalent of 300,000 cases of 24 bottles, Amsterdam Brewing currently ranks as one of the top four biggest microbreweries out of the more than 30 craft brewers operating in Ontario, according to Mistry, with only the Mill St. Brewery and Steam Whistle Brewing

Dress for Success We will help you to make your bottle stand out from the crowd. Our bottle decorations offer a high quality, elegant look that can't be matched by conventional labeling methods.We serve the wine, spirits, beer, water, soft drink, food and health and beauty markets.

Our services include: screen printing; frosting; coatings; accessories and labeling.

For your package design, partner with craftspeople who can add real value to your packaging.

Glass decorators and designers of your success!

111 Avenue Manfred, Pointe-Claire, Québec H9R 4Y4 T 514.426.8700 • F 514.694.7668

www.serigraphierichford.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

110

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

111

COVER STORY

Decorated with eye-catching graphics designed by Toronto artist Tony Enns, the upscale packaging of Amsterdam Brewing’s bottled and canned products is helping fuel double-digit sales growth for the popular Toronto microbrewer.

of Toronto, along with the Waterloo-based Brick Brewing Co., boasting bigger capacity.

But production output alone does not tell the full story of market success in the case of a company making its living by selling premium-priced beers.

“A six-pack of our f lagship Amsterdam Natural Blonde costs $12.75 at the LCBO, while you can get a six-pack of Coors Light, for example, for just over 10 bucks,” acknowledges Van Delft, “but our products are marketed to people who are looking for high-quality beer and have the disposable income to afford paying the price premium.

“These people would typically be university or college graduates: better-educated, higher-income earners looking for the “Next Flavor” beer and higher-quality, better-tasting products.

“And we offer that to them with 10 different options, from lager to IPA beers, that are made according to authentic recipes, in smaller batches to maintain better quality control, using the right yeast, better-quality hops and other ingredients, usually locally-sourced ... there is no cutting corners anywhere in the process,” Van Delft asserts.

“Ultimately, it is the high quality and authenticity of our products that has enabled us to grow by 15 per cent a year—the ability to create unique

taste profiles that you just can’t get from the massproduced beers brands packed in huge quantities on super-fast filling lines.”

Some of these unique Old World taste profiles are impeccably represented by the company’s six core year-round brands, including: • The company’s original f lagship additive-free Amsterdam Natural Blonde Lager, which is still its bestselling product both on tap and in bottles and cans, according to Van Delft.

• The (416) Urban Wheat brand of all-natural, unpasteurized, unfiltered wheat beer with a distinct citrus aroma that makes it a popular summer-time favorite, according to Mistry, with its (416) prefix a playful homage to the city of Toronto’s original telephone area code, as well as the beer’s 4.16-percent alcohol content.

• The all-natural, cold-filtered Big Wheel Deluxe premium amber beer brand.

• British-style Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale—a medium-bodied dark beer made from a blend of Canadian, English and four different continental European hops to create chestnut-brown color and a rich tan head.

• The Oranje Weiss brand of faithfully-replicated Belgian-style wheat beer.

• The Framboise brand of fruit-f lavored beer that captured a Bronze Medal at last-year’s biennial

World Beer Cup competition in San Diego, Ca., in the Fruit Beer category.

“Considering there were over 4,000 entries from 75 countries in the competition, with more than 40 entries in the Fruit Beer category, this was definitely a very nice validation of what we do here at Amsterdam Brewing,” Mistry ref lects.

“Brewers have been brewing this type of beer in Europe for over 400 years, so for us to win a medal in this category is a pretty big thing that really demonstrates the level of quality of our products,” he states.

Van Delft says he has high expectations for the company’s newly-launched, higher-alcohol-content (7.1 per cent by volume) Amsterdam Boneshaker IPA this coming summer season, having just recently gotten the band onto LCBO store-shelves following a year-long product development project.

“I think that Boneshaker will become one of our core beer brands,” he asserts. “This is a darker, higher-alcohol, unfiltered beer style that is really ready to take off in this marketplace.

“It is already a big seller on the U.S. West Coast, and it is quickly becoming a new favorite for a lot of people here.

“We just started brewing it last summer for tap sales in kegs, and based on the feedback we have so far, we think the retail product should do well for us this summer; it looks very promising” Van Delft says.

“It’s a little too early to get the exact sales numbers from LCBO at the moment, but it’s looking very promising.”

If so, it will make it an especially busy and exciting summer season for Amsterdam Brewery, which revs up its normal nine-hours, five-days-a-week production schedule at the Bathurst Street building—a former distribution facility for national retail chain Loblaws—to 14-hour days to keep up with the summer surge in demand, as well as to accommodate a steady phase-in of canned products into the company’s product portfolio.

“We only started doing cans about three years ago, but the marketplace feedback has been encouraging enough so that we now offer four of our core brands in cans as well as bottles,” says Van Delft, citing brisk sales for the company’s four-can Entertainer party-

Freshly-filled bottles of beer whisked towards the Adamark air-knife drying system (left) before proceeding down the line atop of Sidel’s GEBO conveying system powered by heavyduty SEW-Eurodrive motors (middle) and outfitted with a broad range of Festo pneumatic automation devices (right) to ensure smooth-running line operation.

18 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

COVER STORY mix boxes featuring a can each of the Natural Blonde, life, so that it never comes off during the wash and Nut Brown Ale, Big Wheel and the KLB Raspberry can be reused for as long as the bottle remains in Wheat beer brand, inherited in the course of its usable shape.”

2003 acquisition of the Peterborough, Ont.-based Adds Van Delft: “There is definitely real value in KLB (Kawartha Lakes Brewing) Co. having our beer bottles labeled with ceramic paint “Mix-packs are a good way to try different beer in terms of enhancing the image of our brewery. types, which is also becoming an industry trend,” “It increases the chances of having consumers Van Delft notes. “There are fewer people coming catching the eye-catching graphic with the corner into stores to buy multiples of Budweisers; what of an eye, giving it a second look, and hopefully you see more nowadays are people buying a single giving it a try. bock beer, a single IPA, and a single of something “Having high-quality packaging is a natural else—all the big action is in single sales now.” complement to producing high-quality beer and While keg sales still account for about 60 per cent growing our product range.” of the brewer’s revenues, Van Delft says the company Already approaching about 70 different SKUs has been very pleased with the brisk rise in sales of its (stock-keeping units), the brewer’s well-established bottled product, which features distinctive container product line is bound to experience further growth shape and colors—accentuated to maximum effect and refinement at its next facility, according to by the ACL (applied ceramic labeling) process used to Mistry, who also doubles as the de facto plant man21376 E Can Packaging_7.875x10.75_21376 11-04-18 4:28 PM Page 1 mark the individual bottles, supplied by Que.-based ager at Amsterdam Brewing. glass broker United Glass, with paperless permanent labels to achieve a classy, elegant look befitting the premiumpriced product.

“We have very good staff here: everybody’s pretty laid-back and everyone gets along, it’s like an extended family really,” he says. “I also encourage everyone to get cross-trained so that our people are interchangeable and the operation doesn’t skip a beat because of one person missing.

“I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people to work with, and I’m really looking forward to starting up a new chapter at our new facility next year.”

For More Information: United Glass Serigraphie Richford Inc. Sidel Canada Inc. Norampac Festo Inc. R.E. Morrison Equipment Inc. SEW-Eurodrive Co. of Canada Ltd.

411 412 413 414 415 416 417

Paper Cut “We used to use paper labels for all our bottles until we redesigned our bottles three years ago,” Van Delft relates. “There’s no question that the painted label does a much better job of ref lecting the high quality of the beer inside the product.

“We are one of very few beer companies to be using this labeling process right now,” says Van Delft, complimenting the high-quality ACL process execution performed by glassdecorating experts at Serigraphie Richfrord Inc. for bringing the bottles to life—both the industry nonstandard 355-ml bottles used for its year-round product, including green and clear containers, and the large 500-ml bottles used to package its seasonal varieties.

“The upscale packaging definitely helps us to differentiate ourselves from the big brewers, with the eyecatching and somewhat left-of-center graphics” designed by a Torontobased freelance designer Tony Enns, who also does graphic design work for all of the brewers’ aluminum cans and beer-boxes.

“There is also the environmental angle to this: it is more environmentally-friendly to be washing the bottles without labels, and all the waste that is generated from that process,” Van Delft reasons.

“It’s a little more of an investment cost upfront, but if you get decent recycling rates on the bottle’s reuse, then you can recoup that.”

Adds Mistry: “From manufacturing standpoint, the bottle doesn’t have to go through a label, so there are no issues with missing labels, crooked labels, rework, the use of resins and labelstock, or washing.

“The special ceramic paint is basically an enamel that gets permanently baked onto the glass in an oven for

Arnold Drung, President, Conestoga Meat Packers, Breslau, Ont.

“Our financing with FCC is just right for our business.”

When you talk financing with Farm Credit Canada, we’ll listen Ready to expand your business? We’re ready to help. We get to know you and your business. Once we learn how you want to grow, we’ll create a financing package that helps you do it. Work with the leading lender to agriculture, agribusiness and agri-food in Canada.

Let’s talk business. www.fccfinancing.ca

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING 19 FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

112

PACKAGING FOR FRESHNESS

FRESH OPPORTUNITIES Fast-growing grocery retailer keeps packing them in with a diverse range of fresh-made, ready-to-eat meal options ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY COLE GARSIDE

T

he term ‘fresh’ often seems to be bandied around the food processing and packaging industry with fairly reckless abandon and with many different interpretations, but such ambiguity and lip service superficiality have no place at Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.—a thriving Toronto-area grocery retailer whose penchant for producing a diverse range of freshly-prepared foods and ready-to-eat meals is quickly helping establish the family-owned enterprise as one of the Canadian grocery industry’s brightest leading lights.

Virtually unrecognizable from its original incarnation as a humble, nondescript 2,000-squarefoot grocery store in midtown Toronto operated by the Longo brothers Tommy, Gus and Joe, the modern-day Longo’s operates a chain of 25 spacious, contemporary grocery stores in the densely populated GTA (Greater Toronto Area) region well-renowned for fierce competition among some of the country’s national supermarket chains with vastly deeper pockets and marketplace clout, with formidable new competitors such as Walmart recently joining the fray in ongoing battle for the Canadian consumers’ pocketbooks.

Family Values None of that seems to phase Longo’s—nowadays employing 16 members of the extended Longo family clan—whose unwavering commitment to fresh quality, service and value over the years has enabled it to build a stellar reputation in the Canadian retail industry for quality fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, and frozen private-label products sold at its premises.

It’s just like its founders always envisioned it, according to Longo’s production facility development manager David Ashlee.

Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. production facility development manager David Ashlee holds up a sample of the company’s fast-selling line of gourmet salad kits retailing in innovative clear plastic tubs.

“They just wanted to provide customers with the freshest food possible, earn a living, and be proud of the food that they could put on their own table,” Ashlee told Canadian Packaging during a recent visit to the company’s brand new headquarter

facility a short drive north of Toronto in Vaughan, Ont. “Six days a week, our food experts go to the Ontario Food Terminal and personally hand-pick the freshest produce available for our stores,” says Ashlee. “Nothing less will do.

“The focus for us has always been ‘fresh’, and anyone who knows Longo’s knows that is where you go to get fresh food,” Ashlee states.

“We’re at the forefront of fresh.”

New Home

Well-suited to pack a wide range of products, the brand new Multivac T300 tray sealer is used by the Longo plant to pack its Meals Made Easy kits and the gourmet line of salad kits at throughput speeds of 38 packs per minute.

20 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Opened up in September of 2011, the company’s new 60,000-square-foot Vaughan headquarters and distribution center is a fitting testament to its steady rise up the grocery industry ranks over the years—boasting 12,000 square feet of production space and warehousing fitted with 42 bays for daily tractor-trailer delivery and pick-up—with its fully-accredited LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification a telling sign of Longo’s proactive commitment to environmental sustainability, according to Ashlee.

“Not only do we utilize solar energy for power generation, but we actually feed the grid,” states Ashlee, adding that the plant recycles all of the corrugated and plastic packaging materials passing Continues on page 22

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

Introducing i-Tech Coding and marking intelligence that helps you do more, for less. i-Tech features make coding and marking operation easier – with lower maintenance, less servicing and simpler installation.

D-Series Laser

V-Series Thermal Transfer

A-Series Ink jet

Contact Domino to discuss how i-Tech can allow you to do more.

1.800.387.7972

Domino. Do more.

www.domino-na.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 113

PACKAGING FOR FRESHNESS Running at 38 packs per minute, the Multivac T300 tray sealer heat-seals the PET tub tops to preserve the freshness of all salad ingredients inside the package.

for supplying Longo’s with the deep-square clear PET (polyethylene terephthalate) base tubs used to package both MMEs and the thousands or so salad kits sold through Longo’s stores each week.

The distinctive square tubs, designed specifically for Longo’s to differentiate its store-made products, easily accommodate a generous portion of the main ingredients—cooked rice or noodle for MMEs, or a mix of leafy salad greens—and a single-serve pouch package of sauce or salad dressing, which is then topped off with an inner PET plastic tray containing additional ingredients.

Inner Self

FRESH OPPORTUNITITES Continued from page 20

through the facility, which employs about 40 workers on a one-shift, six-days-per-week schedule.

“Packaging is a big part of what we do at Longo’s,” asserts Ashlee. “Since we tend to dine with our eyes first, if a product and its package do not look appealing on the shelf, consumers won’t take it home.”

This quality packaging mindset is applied to all of the products produced and packed at the Vaughan facility, which currently adds up to well over 70 different SKUs (stock-keeping units).

Fresh Meat This includes a multitude of varieties of fresh, ready-to-cook pork, pork-and-beef, chicken and turkey sausages—including chorizo, honey-garlic, sun-dried tomato, spinach and feta, sea-salt and pepper, and many other tantalizing f lavors—which account for about 70 per cent of Longo’s business, according to Ashlee, who says the company sells up to 20,000 kilograms of sausages during busy summer weeks leading up to a holiday long-weekend.

The new facility also processes, seasons and

A close-up view of the operator-friendly touchscreen 2.0 terminal used to control the Multivac T300 tray sealer.

22 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

‘tumbles’ thousands of fresh whole chickens per week—using special Venetian and BBQ blend recipes—which are then shipped out for roasting onsite at the company’s stores for direct take-home purchase; eight different Longo Brothers Signature Meals Made Easy (MME) kits such as Spicy Beef & Shrimp Penne Arrabbiata and Chicken Linguine; and eight gourmet-style salad kits including the popular Tangy Citrus Chicken Salad, Ginger Lime Beef Salad and Pear & Blue Cheese mixes.

Introduced about two years ago, both the MMEs and the salad kits are quickly becoming very popular items amongst busy Canadian consumers who just don’t have much free time on their hands to devote to cooking at home, Ashlee explains, but still want to serve their families fresh, high-quality meals without having to dine out.

“The MMEs are gourmet-quality dinners for two that you complete yourself at home,” says Ashlee.

“We provide the pre-cooked noodles or rice, sauces, veggies and meat: you just cook the meats and you’re ready to dine in nine minutes.

“And they also look great,” says Ashlee, complimenting Brampton, Ont.-based rigid plastic packaging products manufacturer Par-Pak Ltd.

A single-compartment inner tray is used for the MME kits to hold the meat portions, and a fourcompartment inner tray for the salads—keeping the pre-sliced or diced meats, shredded cheeses and various vegetable ingredients securely contained within their own pockets—with the finished kit heat-sealed from top with the high-barrier lidding film supplied by Toronto-based Celeplast Packaging Systems Ltd. To ensure secure leakproof sealing, the facility recently installed a new, fully-automatic model T300 tray sealer manufactured in Germany by Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller GmbH & Co., and purchased through its Canadian subsidiary Multivac Canada Inc. of Woodbridge, Ont. While the T300 machine has only been in operation at the Vaughan plant a short time, it has already made a very positive impression on Ashlee.

“Although it is a new machine for us, we are already quite impressed by it,” says Ashlee, complimenting its compact-footprint design, stainless-steel construction, quick-change tooling, and user-friendly operation enabled by IPC control with graphical user touchscreen HMI (humanmachine interface) 2.0 terminal.

“It goes as fast as we can feed it,” says Ashlee, adding the machine is currently heat-sealing the large-sized tubs two at a time at 38 packs per minute, although it is capable of heat-sealing three trays simultaneously with smaller-sized primary packaging.

The Vaughan production facility prepares and packs kebabs in a separate meat production line room for all of its 25 stores.

An SEW-Eurodrive Movitrac frequency inverter inside the control panel helps power the T300 tray sealer.

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

The

highest read raTes

ever

Longo’s gourmet-style salad kits feature an innovative style of packaging that keeps all the ingredients inside separate and fresh until they are ready to be mixed and served by the consumer, while displaying most of the contents.

According to Multivac, the T300 tray-sealer’s consistent, hygienic design facilitates quick-and-easy cleaning of the machine, while its proprietary electric drive system—used to activate the tray transport assembly system, lifting unit and film-trim winder— is engineered to ensure reduced energy consumption.

After the MME and salad kits are fully assembled and heat-sealed, each finished package has a colorful paperboard sleeve, designed by Hamilton, Ont.-based Advertech Group Ltd., wrapped around the tub lengthwise to give the package its final shelf-look, as well as to display all the required product information and preparation instructions—without distracting from the wholesome, fresh product presentation inside by the seethrough packaging.

“Because fresh is our goal, we want to have packaging that showcases the freshness of our products,” says Ashlee.

“For example, the sleeves used on our salads and meal kits were recently reduced—both in paperboard thickness and the actual width of the sleeve— to allow the customer to see more of the product,” says Ashlee, citing “very positive” consumer response and feedback.

“The consumers really appreciate the way the integrity of the product is maintained right up until it is consumed,” states Ashlee, noting that the consumer can easily see and visually examine 80 per cent of the packaged product before purchasing it.

Next Step Ashlee says he is looking forward to using his extensive professional cooking experience as former head chef at Longo’s, as well as some other uniquely-acquired culinary skills, to help launch a whole new range of fresh-made convenience foods and other innovative meal solutions, now that the company has the sufficient space and equipment capabilities to sustain that product growth.

“I spent 14 months in the army cooking for the Canadian troops in Afghanistan, where I quickly learned how to mass-produce food, while still adhering to high quality standards,” says Ashlee, adding that the Vaughan facility’s separate meat production room will play an active role in new product development with its packaging technologies and materials, including:

June 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

• a Digi Canada AW-4600e eco-friendly wrapper for shrinkwrapping for individual trays via an advanced process that ensures low electrical consumption and noise levels, as well as minimal film usage; • cutting-edge MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) machines from Packpro Systems Inc. of Markham, Ont., and the Downers Grove, Ill.based CVP Systems; • a high-accuracy, high-speed IQ3 metal detection system from Loma Systems, Inc.; • a broad selection of packaging bowls and large platters supplied by Unisource Canada.

“Having just moved into this large facility back in September of 2011, we realize we are not yet at full capacity,” says Ashlee, “which is why we really are looking to add some great-tasting new convenience meals for our customers in the very near future.

“Our products, generally speaking, are virtually preservative-free, which is why they have a short shelf-life,” Ashlee relates.

“But the key for us is to not make a product that can sit on a shelf for a long time; rather, we think it more prudent to do shorter production runs more often of products that will sell out quicker,” says Ashlee. This focus on short-run production will allow Longo’s to differentiate itself from larger competitors by being able to offer Ontario consumers a broader variety of freshly-prepared products retailed in attractive, consumer-friendly packaging, according to Ashlee.

“Our fresh products are made not only to taste good,” he concludes, “but also to look as good as they taste.”

For More Information: Multivac Canada Inc. Par-Pak Ltd. Celeplast Packaging Systems Ltd. Advertech Digi Canada Inc. Packpro Systems Inc. CVP Systems, Inc. Loma Systems, Inc. Unisource Canada, Inc. SEW-Eurodrive Co. of Canada

430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439

23

What Would higher barcode read rates mean to you? high read rates help you increase efficiency, lower costs, and control traceability. With the new dataMan® 300 image-based barcode reader, even higher read rates can now be achieved: • Intelligent Tuning automatically adjusts lighting, focus and exposure to optimize code reading, with a single button press.

• 1DMax+ with ‘hotbars’ technology reads 1-d barcodes faster and more reliably, even if damaged or badly printed.

• 2DMax+ reads any 2-d code, no matter the printing method, the surface it is marked on, or the code quality.

To get the benefit of the highest read rates ever, visit:

www.highestreadrates.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 114 COG_ID_Food_Ad_3.375x15.indd 1

15/05/2012 13:55

SHOW REPORT

SUPER TETRA NOVA Tetra Pak transforms Anuga FoodTec 2012 exhibition into a spellbinding futuristic showcase of aseptic packaging technologies and product innovations

BY GEORGE GUIDONI, EDITOR

four per cent of its global revin terms of physical presence, enues is devoted entirely to as well as with the unmatched odern consumers expect an awful lot new product development— variety of technological and from their food packaging nowadays: Jönsson underlined the comcreative breakthrough innovamake sure the packaged food smells and pany’s evolving market focus tions on display. tastes good, meets all the highest-quality safety from being merely a manufacHaving last exhibited at standards, provides long-term shelf-life and prodturer of paperboard milk and Anuga FoodTec six years ago, uct protection, makes it easy and convenient to juice cartons to a full-f ledged and generally keeping a low consume anywhere, and virtually leave without a “value chain partner,” offerprofile on the global tradetrace of waste behind after consumption. ing its food industry customshow circuit in recent years, And while such lofty expectations may be ers wholistic, well-engineered, Tetra Pak was back in a big way described by some as naively optimistic, no food fully-integrated packaging to show off its new-generation packaging product manufacturer worth its salt can solutions for running a compackaging solutions—using afford to ignore them as unachievable in the petitive business with minimal product demonstrations, Tetra Pak Group president and chief context of today’s hypercompetivie global environmental footprint. working lines, and executive officer Dennis Jönsson. economy providing consumers with an “We are here to provide a interactive displays evergrowing range of packaged food vivid demonstration of how our innovation and of process simulation and concept techand beverage options on unprecedented strong customer relationships deliver business sucnologies grouped under the gigantic scale—produced with cutting-edge modcess for food-and-beverage manufacturers, both Today, Tomorrow, Together showbanern technologies and high-caliber food today and tomorrow,” he stated. ners posted throughout the city’s lively production and packaging prowess and According to Jönsson, Tetra Pak is extremely Koelnmesse fairgrounds. know-how. well-positioned to take advantage of an anticiHappy Anniversary For global aseptic packaging technolopated 30-percent rise in global consumption of “As Tetra Pak celebrates 60 successful years gies powerhouse Tetra Pak, meeting milk and other liquid dairy products from 2010 to in the packaging and processing business, rising consumer expectations in a timely 2020 that will reach an estimated 350 billion liters, Anuga FoodTec provides us with the perand intelligent manner is in fact one of with China and India accounting for a full third of fect platform both to showcase our the core competitive competencies global consumption in 2020. that has enabled the Swedish asep- The newly-launched Helicap 27 unrivalled portfolio and to launch Different Class some of our latest innovations,” protic packaging and processing group scewcap closure tops off the gabletop-shaped 750-ml Tetra “The emergence of a significant middle class, claimed Tetra Pak president Dennis to record 60 years of continuous, urbanization and the expansion of modern shopJönsson, extoling the company’s uninterrupted annual growth— Gemina Aseptic milk carton. ping habits by busy, health“processing and recessions, depressions et al—that conscious and well-informed packaging solutions that not have now made it the world’s largest packaging consumers is raising the cononly address our customer company, with revenues of €$10.4 billion ($13.5 sumption of packaged milk needs today, but also anticipate billion) in 2011. in developing countries, with their needs of the future.”

This global marketplace prominence was conconsumers of this decade lookCiting Tetra Pak’s vast intelvincingly reasserted a few weeks ago at the Anuga ing for greater convenience lectual wealth of more than FoodTec 2012 international food industry showcase and uncompromising quality 5,100 individual patents for the in Cologne, Germany, where Tetra Pak’s sprawling, and safety,” Jönsson explained. aseptic packaging and process4,600-square-meter display of a breathtaking range “It’s clear that meeting the ing of liquid and semi-liquid of packaging and processing solutions for today’s Tetra Pak marketing and product world’s growing thirst for milk foods—fueled by unwavering leading food-and-beverage processors and brandR&D commitment, whereby management vice-president Charles Brand. will be both a challenge and an owners literally dwarfed most other show exhibits

M

24 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

SHOW REPORT

opportunity for dairy producers, but I’m convinced the industry can realize these growth opportunities in a sustainable and innovative way—providing the healthy, nutritious and convenient products that people want.”

Naturally, what unfolds in the next decade in Inida and China will be vastly different in the more mature, slow-growth markets in Western Europe and North America, where Tetra Pak’s growth strategy will be shaped by quickly responding to new market trends like greater consumer convenience and friendliness, as well as greater industry and regulatory efforts to accelerate waste and carbonfootprint reduction.

Long Road Happily for Tetra Pak, the company’s long experience of operating across a mutitude of different markets and cultures—with Tetra Pak cartons currently selling in over 170 countries—understanding the unique needs and requirements of all the markets where it operates has long been one of its competitive fortés, supported by a vast porfolio of aseptic packaging product and product combination to suit virtually any aseptic cold-fill application for liquid and semi-liquid foods.

This packaging versatility and virtuosity was naturally in ample evidence at the Cologne show, vividly demonstrated with a multiple product launch of several all-new Tetra Pak drink boxes that are expected to be distributed in North American markets in coming months: notably the two new portion-pack versions of the company’s iconic 1,000-ml Tetra Brik Aseptic Edge cartons in 200-

ml and 250-ml capacities.

“One of the biggest challenges to the food industry in recent years has been the growth of on-the-go consumption, with busy consumers demanding a ‘right here, right now’ service from their shopping experience,” explained Tetra Pak vice-president of marketing and product management Charles Brand.

According to Brand, both new attractive cartons can be packed with either a pushthrough drinking straw or topped off with the company’s Helicap 23 screwcap, said to be the largest screwcap available for 200-ml and 250-ml ambient dairy carton packages.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for a stress-free option, and the new Tetra Brik Aseptic Edge portion-packs deliver just that: a convenient product for consumers and a flexible solution for our customers,” said Brand, citing 99-percent pallet utilization and related logistics efficiencies enabled The new portion-pack Tetra Brik Aseptic beverage cartons can accommodate reclosable Helicap 23 screwcaps for enhanced consumer convenience.

by the packages’ blockish shape.

Another notable product extension highlighted at Anuga FoodTec was the unveiling of the Leaf and Crystal configurations of the company’s popular Tetra Gemina Aseptic package, with their new profiles projecting strong shelf presence, enhanced with a slightly-slanted top facilitating quicker pouring of the product.

For its part, the new Tetra Rex Pearl carton—designed specifically for premium milk and juice products—delivers an extended choice of branding possibilities with its curvaceous, simplistic shape utilizing a curved, dropletshaped keyline to create an impactful side profile, while the absence of a front horizontal crease line creates one large front panel for an effective branding display to maximize the product’s consumer appeal.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to announce these additions to our packaging portfolio,” said Brand. “These The new Leaf (top) and Crystal configurations of the popular one-liter Tetra Gemina Aseptic 1000 cartons.

ROBOTIC END EFFECTORS

Robotic Tool Changers increase flexibility and productivity.

Superior Fail-Safe—springless design maintains lock position in event of air pressure loss

Specially Tapered Cam—second taper produces high locking strength Locking Balls—Low-friction locking balls extend the life of the unit Lock Ring—Wide footprint of lock ring creates high moment capacity in locking mechanism

• Increase the flexibility of your robots by adding the ability to use more than one end-effector in an application.

• Production line tooling changed in seconds for maximum flexibility.

• Change tools in seconds for maintenance and repair.

Håkan Söderholm, managing director of Tetra Pak Canada Inc.

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

25

• Increase operator safety by changing tools automatically.

• Million-cycle tested for reliability.

• Food-handling models available.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 115

www.ati-ia.com/cpc 919.772.0115

SHOW REPORT

highly distinctive new products with functional new designs are the result of our long-standing

commitment to innovation and design excellence.

“We are confident these products will be enthusiastically received by our customers and will raise the bar even higher in terms of functionality and differentiation,” Brand concluded.

“We invest at least four per cent of our turnover in development and engineering, so it is really exciting when this investment materializes to deliver innovative products to our customers and the consumers.”

Other notable new Tetra Pak functionality innovations showcased at the company’s exhibit included: • The large-sized HeliCap 27 resealable screwcap incorporated into the one-liter Tetra Gemina Aseptic and Leaf cartons, with its large 27-mm neck size providing enhanced one-step functionality and a superior pouring experience for in-home consumption, and the cap’s height and ridged design making it easier to open and close

The easy-tear Lokka opening for single-serve packages of energy and probiotic mixes.

for seniors and children with limited gripping strength.

• The new tear-off Lokka opening for the 100-ml Tetra Top Carton Shot package, designed for ondemand consumption of daily-dose drinks, energy-boosters and probiotics—already retailing in Finland.

All of these new packages and packaging components are in the process of being introduced to the Canadian marketplace in the coming months after clearing all the required legal and regulatory paperwok, according to Håkan Söderholm, the recently-appointed managing director at the company’s Tetra Pak Canada Inc. subsidiary in Richmond Hill, Ont., a short drive north of Toronto.

Oh Canada Having only been transferred to the Canadian operation in the fall of 2011—following a series of moves through the Tetra Pak global network in Switzerland and in some developing markets—Söderholm says he is excited to take on the unique challenges of the Canadian marketplace.

“The Canadian market is both a challenge and an opportunity for Tetra Pak,” Söderholm told Canadian Packaging in an interview on the show-f loor.

“There are some Canadian market characteristics that are quite different from other Tetra Pak markets, and one of the things that strikes me is that we have been doing relatively very little packaging business, with virtually no market presence, in the dairy industry.

“We have done very well on the processing side of the dairy business, but virtually zero sales in packaging,” said Söderholm, adding he’s starting to come to grips with some odd peculiarities of the Canadian dairy industry regulated by different provincial boards with their own sets of rules and regulations governing the sale and marketing of milk, along with some other similar interprovincial trade barriers.

“This struck me as being very odd at first,” said Söderholm, “but the upside part is that most of the provinces are themselves so big geographically, that from a marketing perspective this makes a very good case for employing aseptic milk technology, whereby all the milk is produced in one place and then shipped cost-efficiently across Continues on page 28

26 CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012 FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 116

Proximity Sensor SMT-C1 for Washdown Applications.

• Durable, corrosion resistant with easy-to-clean design.

• Electronic components are protected in a rugged, sealed housing.

• Temperature and damp-resistant.

• Suitable for all Festo clean design drives with mounting rails.

• Ideal for washdown applications in food/beverage and pharmaceutical processes.

Safety and Hygiene Guaranteed. www.festo.ca/cleandesign

Commercial Support: 1 877 463 3786 FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 117

Technical Support: 1 866 463 3786

SHOW REPORT

TETRA PAK BY NUMBERS Packaging machines in operation: Packaging machines delivered in 2010: Processing units in operation: Processing units delivered in 2010: Distribution equipment in operation: Distribution equipment delivered in 2010: Factories for machine assembly: Production plants for packaging material and closures: Countries where Tetra Pak packages are available: Market companies: SUPER TETRA NOVA Continued from page 26

vast distances, with no refrigeration required.

9,114 491 63,753 2,364 17,318 1,566 11 43 >170 40

Sales offices: Number of employees: Technical service centers: Technical training centers: R&D centers: Number of liters of products sold in Tetra Pak packages in 2010 (million): Number of Tetra Pak packages sold in 2010 (million):

79 21,812 41 16 11 74,000 58,001

Figures as of January 2011.

“We are having some very good discussion with the dairy industry and our main strategies are wellreceived by the companies we talk to,” he related.

“Our aim here is not so much to change the white

Introducing the first wireless and battery-less push button that can be used worldwide Harmony XB5R installs easily and is globally compatible, enhancing mobility of operations anywhere in the world.

Winner 2011

milk business upside down,” Söderholm expanded.

“It’s more about filling the void for consumption occasions that we think may currently be underserved—such as small-size or single-serve sales in the foodservice service industry, like a small cream box at a Tim Hortons coffee shop, as well at convenience stores, gas stations and so on.

“I don’t think we are going to take over the whole white milk category, but the opportunities are there,” Söderholm stressed.

“While it’s true that the big growth opportunities in the dairy markets are in the developing regions, there is still a lot for us to do in many of the developed markets, and Canada is most definitely one of those markets,” he asserted.

Special Touch

Harmony XB5R transmitter Harmony XB5R receiver

The innovation built into the Harmony™ XB5R wireless, battery-less push button benefits everyone: easy set-up for you, improved mobility of operator and equipment for your customers.

Discover the rest of the Harmony family

Easier for you With its unique wireless technology, the Harmony XB5R requires no cabling, saving you time and money with every installation (up to a 20 per cent reduction in overall installation costs compared with hard-wired solutions). Plus, its 2.4 GHz radio frequency makes it suitable for use anywhere in the world without fear of creating interference with other wireless devices. Now, you can ship anywhere in the world with confidence while giving your customers the ability to unlock the full potential of your machines and applications wherever they might be.

Easier for your customers, too They will love Harmony XB5R for its robust design and freedom of mounting, making it especially useful on equipment such as conveyors and mobile devices.

Customers can add external antennas to extend the coverage range and have more than one unit controlling the same equipment, i.e., many buttons can turn on/off a single receiver and vice versa, which becomes critical for industries where people and equipment constantly move around. And, with the battery-free design, they’ll never have to worry about replacing or recycling batteries and can benefit from the uninterrupted availability of their operations.

Build with Harmony XB5R wireless, battery-less push buttons and build your competitive edge.

Ease through innovation

Harmony XB5 Ø 22 mm plastic push buttons and pilot lights

Harmony XB5 Ø 22 mm plastic push buttons and pilot lights

Harmony XB4 Ø 22 mm metal push buttons and pilot lights

Harmony XB4 Ø 22 mm metal push buttons and pilot lights

Söderholm also pointed out that many of the emerging new-generation specialty milk products, such as soy-based dairy alternative beverages, will provide Tetra Pak with many more promising opportunities for further market penetration.

In fact, Tetra Pak recently worked with the Quebec-based dairy cooperative Natrel to develop the innovative Baboo line of dairy product formulated specifically for toddlers aged 12 to 24 months.

Aready retailing across Canada in one-liter Tetra Brik Square Aseptic and single-serve 250-ml Tetra Prisma Aseptic cartons, the nutrient-rich Tetra Pak Canada worked closely with leading Canadian dairy cooperative Natrel to develop attractive aseptic packaging for the Baboo brand milk formula for young toddlers.

Limited time offer! Download our FREE application video and be entered to win an iPad 2!

Visit www.SEreply.com Key Code m929v FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 118 ©2012 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric and Harmony are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. 1415 S. Roselle Road, Palatine, IL 60067 • Tel: 847-397-2600 • Fax: 847-925-7500 • www.schneider-electric.com • 998-4551_US

28 CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

SHOW REPORT

TETRA PAK CARTONS Tetra Brik The Tetra Brik package was introduced in 1963.

It is rectangular or square in shape and available with a large number of different openings. The Tetra Brik Aseptic carton, which was introduced in 1969, is the most frequently used package for long-life products.

Tetra Recart Tetra Recart is a carton packaging system developed as an alternative packaging solution for a variety of food products that have traditionally been packed in cans or glass jars, including fruits, vegetables and pet food.

Tetra Gemina

Tetra Rex

Tetra Gemina Aseptic is the world’s first rollfed gable-top shaped package with full aseptic performance for juice and liquid dairy products.

Introduced in 2007, this packaging system, is based on the well-tested reliable Tetra Brik Aseptic concept.

Widely used throughout the worldfor pasteurized products The Tetra Rex package is features a rectangularshape with a gable-shaped top.

Tetra Prisma Launched in 1997.Tetra Prisma Aseptic is an octagonal package made in accordance with the principle of the Tetra Brik Aseptic system, offering excellent grip and pouring performance and available with resealable StreamCap closure for added convenience.

Tetra Top Launched in 1986, the reclosable, square package with rounded corners and has a polyethylene lid, which is injection-molded and sealed to the package in a single process.

Tetra Wedge Introduced in 1997, the Tetra Wedge Aseptic package boasts an innovative shape to facilitate effective product differentiation on the shelf level.

Tetra Classic Tetra Classic is the name of the first package launched by by Tetra Pak in 1952, with an aseptic version released in 1961.

Tetra Fino Introduced in 1997, Tetra Fino Aseptic is a carton-based pillow-shaped, roll-fed packaging system offering a cost-efficient packaging soilution for producers and consumers.

Baboo is marketed as a safe and nutritious way for parents to ensure a smooth transition from breastfeeding or infant formula to regular milk.

According to Natrel, the officially-approved Baboo formulation is a well-balanced mix of white milk and all the essential proteins, vitamins and other healthy ingredients—with 120-day unrefrigerated shelf-life.

“This Baboo product line is a good example of how we need to work closely wi th our partners in Canada to develop new market opportunities for our aseptic technology,” said Söderholm.

“It may be a little bit too early to talk about complete success for Baboo, but the first indications are very positive—both from the customer and the consumers—so I believe you will see more of those types of products in Canada soon,” he stated.

From Left: Tetra Classic/Tetra Classic Aseptic, Tetra Recart, TetraTop, Tetra Brik/Tetra Brik Aseptic, Tetra Gemina Aseptic, Tetra Rex, Tetra Fino Aseptic, Tetra Prisma Aseptic, and Tetra Wedge Aseptic.

we have built so far in the last few years is holding very steady.”

As a strategic beachhead to the vast U.S. marketplace, Canada enjoys a unique position among all global Tetra Pak operations, says Söderholm, noting that Canada is home to one of the company’s very first international subsidiaries, started up in 1952.

“These days we are working more as a North American company, as we have seen a lot of Canadian companies start expanding into the U.S. markets, but it’s also critically important for us to remain market-specific in Canada by having a home base—we could not do it remotely,” he stated.

“I have heard many Canadians point out that the

Canadian market is only one-tenth of the American market, but from a European perspective, a country with almost 40 million people is a pretty attractive market,” he asserted.

“There is only nine million people in my native Sweden,” he chuckled, “so you can be sure that Tetra Pak is deeply committed to the Canadian market ... and that Canadian consumers will soon see a lot of the packaging innovation, with new shapes, benefits and functionalities, that we are proud to display at Anuga FoodTec.”

For More Information: Tetra Pak Canada Inc.

Solid Base While the dairy category still remains very much a work-in-progress for Tetra Pak, the company’s prominence in the domestic juice-and-nectar segment is the envy of many other global Tetra Pak units, according to Söderholm.

“We have been very fortunate in Canada to work with some very good, very professional, forward-thinking customers over the years,” he related, “and extending those relationship into mutually-beneficial partnerships.

“Same thing is happening in the liquid foods sector, where in 2010 we made our first Tetra Recart machine installation for a private-label manufacturer packaging soups and broths in Tetra Pak cartons that provide a very cost-effective alternative to metal cans,” said Söderholm, also noting Tetra Pak’s “steady” market penetration in the domestic wine industry.

“Again, we are not going to replace glass in such a traditional industry,” he acknowledged, “ but the wine business

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

29

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 119

450

CONTRACT PACKAGING

RAISING THE BAR HIGH

Tasty energy and sports nutrition bars keep B.C. co-packer in good health ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER GRABOWSKI

T

oo often in the nutrition bar industry, the old adage that “if it tastes good, it can’t be good for you” is something manufacturers have unfortunately taken to heart.

Not so at the Port Coquitlam, B.C.-based Nutri-Nation Functional Foods, a successful contract manufacturer of private-label functional food products that literally has consumers smacking their lips and f lexing their muscles.

“Nutrition food bars is a broad category to be sure, but it does break down into a few identifiable subgroups: sports nutrition, protein bars, energy bars, diet bars, low glycemic response bars for diabetic and other special dietary needs, healthy snack-bars, fruit-and-nut bars, veggie-based bars, organic bars, vitamin- and mineral-fortified bars, etcetra,” says Nutri-Nation’s co-owner and president Richard Schroeder.

“We make them all to match the specific regimens required by our brand market customers.

“We are a private, family-owned and operated company that basically makes food bars with some value-added proposition that our customers’ consumers are looking for,” says Schroeder, taking pride in the knowledge some first-time customers have mistaken the product for candy.

“If we can make a healthy and functional bar that tastes like a good candy bar, we have done our job,” says Schroeder, whose company employs about 40 people at a 37,000-square-foot facility to process and package about 300,000 bars per shift for customers across Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Headed by company president Richard Schroeder (inset), Nutri-Nation Functional Foods is a contract manufacturer and co-packer of many different varieties and types of nutrition bars sold across Canada, U.S. and Europe.

It’s a recipe that has done wonders for the company’s order books, according to Schroeder, relating that Nutri-Nation will be moving to a bigger, 70,000-square-foot production facility at the end of the year, with plans to add a second shift to the com-

pany’s current five-days-a-week production schedule.

“The new equipment is already being ordered for all our infrastructure needs, including the additional production and packaging lines,” Schroeder told Canadian Packaging in a recent interview.

New Beginning

Schneider Packaging Equipment supplied Nutri-Nation with a pair of HCP-10 horizontal case- and tray-packing automatic workstations that pack and seal corrugated cartons at speeds up to 10 cases per minute.

30 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

“The new building is designed and built specifically for our bar production and warehousing needs, and also designed to implement some of our many ‘green’ initiatives in mind, including some rooftop recreational space.”

Founded in 1999, Nutri-Nation is a family business in a true sense of the word, with Schroeder’s wife Melany running the office operations, his daughter Allison Cienciala employed as director of business development; his son Aaron in charge of quality assurance and food security; and his other son Ben managing production planning.

It’s all a far cry from the company’s early days, when Schroeder purchased leftover production equipment from a bankrupt neighboring company that actually used to make nutrition bars for Schroeder under the Flash 5 Energy Foods brand that he himself developed and marketed.

“We bought the equipment and hired the one remaining employee, still with us today, and began making bars,” recalls Schroeder, adding he soon realized he was actually better at making the nutrition bars than marketing them.

“Our custom (third-party) manufacturing soon became larger than our own branded business,” Schroeder relates, “so we decided to put all of our efforts into making products for other people who were much better marketers than we proved to be.”

Continues on page 32

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

World’s FasTEsT PiCk and PlaCE sysTEM

Propack Solutions Deliver: n Power of high-performance through innovative technology. n High reliability and long machine life. n High flexibility and production efficiency. n User-friendly design. n Excellent service from installation and training to after-sales support and spare parts. n More than 20 years of industry knowledge. n Customized integration for our customer's production environment.

“Our systems are built to a quality standard, second to none, incorporating flexibility and ease of changeover. At Propack, we listen intently to our customers needs to ensure the solutions we provide address their present and future requirements.”

n Turnkey solutions from one supplier through seamless integration of packaging solutions.

- Chris Follows, President, Propack Processing and Packaging Systems Inc.

ComPlete lete Sy SyStemS ProviDer “the Power of PerformanCe”

Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. 4902 Union Road, Beamsville, Ontario L0R 1B4

1-877-924-3337

www.propack.ca FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 120

CONTRACT PACKAGING The Propack robotic LJ TRT top loader operates at Nutri-Nation at an output of 450 bars/minute. It is capable of production of 600 bars/minute.

SETTING THE BAR HIGH Continued from page 30

Today the company produces a diverse range of different types of bars for many of the world’s leading brand-owners, as well many new innovative up-and-coming niche brands, using two main production processes: a single- or multilayer extrusion method; and a single- or multilayer slab-forming method.

Handling both hot and cold products, the extrusion method essentially moves a doughy mass through multilane die openings to form continuous ribbons of product, which are then cut to length and covered with chocolate or some other selected coating.

For its part, the slab-forming method employs a hot slurry binder mixed with dry, solid particles to form what Schroeder describes as a ‘plasticlike mass,’ that is moved through rollers to form

a slab. This slab is then compacted to a specified height, slit into ribbons, cut to a finished length for optional coating.

Hot Stuff “I like to compare the slab-forming process to asphalt road paving, where the hot mass is rolled to thickness and allowed to cool,” Schroeder explains.

“In our case, the road is laid upon a traveling conveyor line, and the rollers are fixed in place.”

Schroeder says a lot of the plant’s production equipment is set up to accommodate the shortrun production requirements of smaller customers who cannot afford to produce full trailer-loads of product.

“Where possible, we have tried to purchase equipment that would allow us to be f lexible with quick-change capabilities to keep production costs within line for our smaller-run customers,” Schroeder points out.

Producing well over 100 different SKUs (stockkeeping units)—with bar sizes ranging from 20 to 120 grams—Nutri-Nation employs three production lines for its manufacturing process which converge into two fully-automated packaging lines downstream.

After the bars are formed and cut to size, NutriNation uses a pair of Fuji Formost FW 3400 Alpha Series horizontal rotary servo f lowwrappers that envelope the product into tightly-sealed, smart-looking packages formed at speeds of 300 to 425 bars per minute, depending on the size of the product.

Purchased about five years ago, the Fuji f lowwrappers have long proven themselves to Schroeder as “good performers.”

Schroeder reveals that most of the packaging materials used by Nutri-Nation are actually supplied by the customers, as brand managers prefer to keep tight control on their packaging expenses.

“They know their volume needs and their own appetite for cost-savings that can be gained by ordering larger print runs,” notes Schroeder.

“However, we do try and steer our customers to packaging materials vendors who are capable of producing the precision components needed to run on our equipment.

“For example, while film for the Fuji wrappers are provided by many different suppliers, one of our favorites is the film sold here in Coquitlam by Associated Labels, who are relatively new at cold seal wrapper application, but do a great job.”

After the bars are f lowwrapped, the products are coded with a pair of Markem-Imaje 9064 coders to make wrapper imprints; three Markem-Imaje SL110i laser coders for carton imprints, and two brand new Markem-Imaje model 5800 large-character, high-resolution inkjet case-coders utilizing TouchDry Hot Melt inks for direct barcoding and fine-character print application onto the corrugated shipping cases.

“We purchased the 5800 case-coders this past The Nutri-Nation plant employs Markem-Imaje equipment for all of its product coding requirements, including the SL110i laser coder for cartons (left) and a brand new 5800 large-character inkjet case-printer (below) to apply all the required product barcodes, data and other required information onto the corrugated shipping cases.

32 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

May, and we couldn’t be happier with the service and support we have received from MarkemImaje,” says Schroeder, adding the coders have made the plant’s existing print-and-apply equipment virtually obsolete.

To ensure optimal product quality, the company has always relied on its SuperScan Micro ISC, metal detector from Loma Systems, recently upgrading its quality control in a big way with the addition of a Cintex brand Sentry model both with systems easily handling f low rates of up to 425 bars per minute.

The wrapped bars are then picked up eight-ata-time, by a model LJ TRT single-train, toploading robotic bar collator from Propack, which continuously feeds them into cartons that are then conveyed for automatic case-packing and palletizing down the line. These end-of-line functions are expertly handled by two new, high-performance HCP-10 horizontal case- and tray-packing systems from Schneider Packaging Equipment, purchased through Schneider’s Canadian distributor Garth Dangerfield.

“Both of these machines were set up by ourselves, and we had them running pretty much right out of the box,” reveals Schroeder, complimenting his aforementioned first employee Paras Reddy for the quick startup.

Just in Case “He had both of the machines up-and-running as part of our production line without any difficulty, and we now run them at speeds up to 10 cases per minute,” says Schroeder, praising the machines’ quick-changeover capabilities, rugged design, and heavy-duty construction.

Schroeder relates that the HCP-10 case-packers incorporate a reliable intermittent-motion indexing system as its main drive, along with air cylinders and a vacuum unit, to erect the case, insert packed cartons of product into the case, fold and then glue the cases shut with the high-performance Nordson ProBlue 7 hot-melt adhesive application system, with both HCP-10 outfitted with a special feature that enables them to handle both retail-ready, half-slotted cases and the standard regular-slotted cases.

“We are happy with the purchase,” states Schroeder, “and we will likely be back working with Schneider Packaging on some additional equipment after we move into our new digs.”

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

Operated via a user-friendly control panel (inset), a Propack robotic LJ TRT top-loader uses a pneumatic gripper to load eight bars into two cartons at once.

Other key packaging machinery employed at Nutri-Nation includes: • tri-seal lock tab Kliklok SR4WD carton erectors, used to build the cartons by crashing a f lat blank of die-cut board through a cavity to fold the carton, inserting the tabs into notches to hold the carton erect and ready to load; • Kliklok Mini Genesis and ADCO RAC-80 triseal carton closers, doing the same job but using a hot-melt adhesive instead of tabs to hold the box shape.

• Two automatic pallet dispenser and transfer systems, supplied by Alliance Robotics, each employing a six-axis model 420-series palletizing robot from FANUC Robotics to pick up two cases at a time at speeds of up to 12 cases per minute.

Schroeder says he highly appreciates the important role that high-performance automatic packaging equipment plays in Nutra-Nation’s marketplace success, which he hopes to build on at the new plant by continuing to produce highquality, good-for-you and, last but not least, goodtasting nutrition bars.

Says Schroeder: “We always strive to make products that are honest-working, functional and based on solid nutritional science, but we never lose track of the fact that a positive taste experience is also an essential ingredient for the long-term market success of our customers’ products.”

For More Information: Formost Fuji Corp.

Associated Labels Inc. Markem-Imaje Canada Inc. Loma Systems Inc. Propack Processing and Packaging Systems Inc. Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. Nordson Canada, Limited Kliklok-Woodman Adco Manufacturing, Inc. Fanuc Robotics Canada, Ltd. Alliance Robotics, LLC

480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490

33

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

121

Photos courtesy of Multipond

AUTOMATE NOW

SUPER BOWL GLORY Multihead weighers serve up a winning Dutch treat for growing fresh-cut produce processor

T

ossing a salad always seems a little easier said than done in real life, and that’s especially true when making salads is your bread-and-butter, as it is for leading Dutch produce processor and packager Vezet B.V. Based in the little North Holland town of Warmenhuizen, the company is one of the largest vegetable and fruit processing businesses in The Netherlands—leading the domestic market for freshly chopped, ready-to-cook vegetables—with its growing client base boasting the country’s largest supermarket chain Albert Heijn.

With a diverse product range of over 250 salad mixes, the family-owned enterprise packs approximately 220 million bags of salad annually—with about 180 million bags shipped to the Albert Heijn outlets—and plans to increase that output to 300 million bags within the next five years.

To achieve those ambitious goals, the forwardlooking business has been busy investing in cutting-edge automated processing and packaging technologies at its plant, including a recentlyinstalled new production line designed for highspeed packaging of fresh ready-to-eat salads packed into plastic bowls.

Located in the plant’s designated ‘high-care’ section, the line was built to accommodate a broad variety of ready-to-eat salads consisting of one main ingredient—a mix of different leaf salads or cooked noodles, for example—and several salad toppings like shrimp, chicken, mozzarella, olives, pineapple, mandarins, small pieces of beef, boiled egg slices, etc.

“The market demand for bowls is steadily increasing, so from a business perspective it became imperative to invest in an additional bowl line, so that we could package products of this type in the most efficient manner,” relates general manager Hans Boshuizen.

According to Boshuizen, reliable and precise product dispensing was a key consideration for the new bowl line, where the product target weights can often vary between 10 and 150 grams, depending on the recipe.

To achieve that level of precision, Vezet turned to the experts at Multipond Wägetechnik GmbH to install the high-performance, high-accuracy weighing systems that the bowl line required.

34 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

“We simply needed to have the best and fastest line in the plant here,” he recalls, “and that is where Multipond, our equipment partner of many years, came into play with its extensive project expertise.

“We had some ambitious goals for the next year and beyond, and based on our previous positive project experiences with Multipond weighing systems, we were very confident in relying on Multipond exclusively in this process,” Boshuizen adds.

Based about 65 kilometers east of Munich in Waldkraiburg, Germany, Multipond is the sales and service division of a well-established processing machinery manufacturing group ATOMA. Founded in 1946, the company introduced its first automatic weighing system for the packaging industry in 1963, and has since positioned itself as one of foremost market-leading innovators in the design and manufacture of customized multihead weighing systems for packaging applications.

Today it operates a vast global network of sales and service representatives—including four wholly-owned subsidiaries in the U.S., U.K., France and Holland—with Abbey Packaging Equipment Ltd. of Burlington, Ont., appointed as Multipond’s exclusive Canadian distributor.

Weigh to Go With the new bowl line at the Vezet plant comprising six filling points—three fully-automated and three requiring manual product placement— Multipond engineers proceeded to install a customtailored equipment configuration consisting of: • One 14-head model MP 14-3800/1250-H weigher for weighing the main recipe ingredient; • Two 10-head model MP 10-1000/400-H weighers for filling the toppings; • A customized three-track product transfer systems for distributing the prepared servings into the bowls.

As Boshuizen relates, all the product contact parts were precisely adjusted to production requirements, and to the products being weighed, to ensure most optimal product f low.

Once it has arrived at the weighing systems, the product is first conveyed to the pre-feed hoppers by radially positioned feed trays and to the weigh hoppers underneath, where a computer assesses partial portions

Incorporating three high-accuracy multibucket scales from Multipond (inset) has enabled the recentlyinstalled salad bowl line at the Vezet processing plant in northern Holland to churn out 40 bowls of a broad range of fresh-cut salads per minute.

to determine the combination which best corresponds to the target weight to be achieved, or closest to it.

After the actual weighing process is done, the precisely weighed servings are transferred via the outlet funnel by a timing hopper to the swiveling funnel, which distributes the portions to the product transfer system.

Running at an average rate of 40 bowls per minute at standard weight deviation of less than one per cent, the line ensures maximum accuracy and product availability via calibration systems integrated in each load cell—making completely automatic calibration possible even during production, according to production manager Sam Mos, who also lauds the operator-friendly system for complying with the exacting hygienic requirements in the fresh-cut salad category.

“Thanks to the simple user interface, our employees can operate the Multipond weighers in the shortest amount of time, which is tremendously important for a high-speed operation like ours,” says Mos. “Also, the reliability of the machines is absolutely terrific.”

Boshuizen concurs: “If you consider all the factors like giveaway, reliability, spare part requirements and personnel costs, then the Multipond systems pay for themselves in the shortest amount of time.

“We have developed a genuine partnership between the two companies over the years,” Boshuizen concludes, “and as a result of all our past successes, we are already planning some exciting new joint projects with Multipond for the near future.”

For More Information: Multipond Wägetechnik GmbH Abbey Packaging Equipment Ltd.

495 496

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

EVENTS Sept. 5-6

Oct. 1-4

Rosemont, Ill.: Ink Jet Technology Showcase 2012,

by Information Management Institute (IMI). At Rosemont Hyatt. To register, go to: www.imiconf.com

Atlanta, Ga.: 2012 SuperCorr, corrugated industry exhibition and conference by TAPPI (Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industries) and AICC (Association of Independent Corrugated Converters). Contact Kristi Ledbetter of TAPPI at (770) 209-7319, via email KLedbetter@tappi.org, or go to: www.supercorrexpo.org

Sept. 11-13 Chicago: Labelexpo Americas 2012, labeling technologies conference and exhibition by Tarsus Group plc. At Hotel Transamerica. Contact Camilla Colborne at +44 (0) 20 8846 2731; via email ccolborne@labelexpo.com; or go to: www.labelexpo-americas.com Sept. 20-23 Istanbul, Turkey: Eurasia Packaging 2012 Istanbul, international packaging industry fair by Tüyap. At the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center. To register, go to: www.packagingfair.com

Oct. 2-5 Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo Pack 2012, packaging technologies exhibition and conference by the Japan Packaging Institute (JPI). At Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center.

To register, go to: www.tokyo-pack.jp

Oct. 21-23 Louisville, Ky.: Adhesive & Sealant Convention, by the Adhesive & Sealant Council Inc. (ASC). to register, go to: www.ascouncilorg

age industry exhibition by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and Messe München GmbH. Both at the Bombay Exhibition Center. Contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at (312) 781-5180; or go to: www.mdna.com or www.packtech-india.com

Nov. 12-14 Hollywood, Fla.: Thermal Printing Conference,

by Information Management Institute (IMI). At Hollywood Beach Marriott. To register, go to: www.imiconf.com

Nov. 14-15 Montreal: PACKEX Montreal, packaging technologies exhibition by UBM Canon. Concurrently with Expoplast 12, ATX Automation Technology Expo Montreal, Design & Manufacturing Montreal, Contract Manufacturing Expo, Powders & Bulk Solids and AerCon. All at Palais des congrès de Montréal.

To register, go to: www.canontradeshows.com

Sept. 28-30

Oct. 28-31

Ottawa: World Without Packaging Waste, national conference by PAC-The Packaging Association. At Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Contact Lisa Abraham at (416) 646-4640, or via email labraham@pac.ca

Chicago: PACK EXPO International 2012, global packaging technologies exhibition and conference

by Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). At McCormick Place. Contact PMMI at (703) 243-8555; or go to: www.packexpo.com

Nov. 14-16

Oct. 1-3

Nov. 6-8

Nov. 19-22

Chicago: Packaging That Sells, conference by BNP Mumbai, India: International PackTech India 2012, Advertiser: Haremar Manufacturing Media.

At Embassy SuitesPlastic Chicago.

Contact Amy processing and packaging technologies exhibition Publication: Canadian or Packaging Riemer at (978) 475-4441; go to: - 1/4 ad June 2012

by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. Concurrently with Contact: Steve Lendt slendt@motumb2b.com 416-598-7588 www.packagingthatsells.com the drink technology India 2012 international bever-

Hollywood, Fla.: Security Printing Conference,

by Information Management Institute (IMI). At Hollywood Beach Marriott. To register, go to: www.imiconf.com Paris, France: EMBALLAGE 2012, international packaging exhibition by Comexposium. At ParisNord Villepinte. To register, go to: www.emballageweb.com

What if

your P.E. film packaging supplier…

• processed film using solar power?

• down-gauged your film by 20% without sacrificing critical properties?

• used resins made from renewable resources?

Don’t ask what if.

Know how…

www.haremar.com/sustainable

HAREMAR PLASTIC MANUFACTURING

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

122

HAREMAR PLASTIC MANUFACTURING

HAREMAR PLASTIC MANUFACTURING

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

123

NOTES & QUOTES  Lenze Americas, Uxbridge, Mass.-based subsidiary of German electrical and mechanical drives and motion controls group Lenze SE, has achieved the international ISO 9001:2008 quality manage-

ment certification for its primary North American manufacturing facilities in Uxbridge and Rosemont, Ill., following third-party validation of the company’s rigorous quality management systems, policies and procedures focusing on continuous process improvement and customer satisfaction.

Toray Plastics (America) vice-president of production and safety Paul Urick (left) accepts the Environment Council of Rhode Island’s top conservation award from Zechariah Chafee, assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Rhode Island.

 Toray Plastics (America), Inc., North Kingstown, R.I.-based manufacturer of polyester, polypropylene, and bio-based films for flexible and rigid packaging, lidding, graphic and industrial applications, has been awarded the Senator John H. Chafee Conservation Leadership Award of the Environment Council of Rhode Island in recognition of the company’s numerous environmental milestones achieved FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 125 since it embarked on a comprehensive sustainability initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing operations— including startup of an on-site solar farm, significant reductions in energy, waste and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and implementing rigorous recycling programs. “Eight years ago we launched our sustainability initiative and have never wavered in our commitment, nor will we,” says Toray Plastics president Rick Schloesser. “It is truly gratifying to know that the results of our efforts extend far beyond the bounds of our 70-acre campus with a positive WHEN IT COMES TO AIRKNIFE DRYING, effect on the state of THERE’S A REASON 80% OF CANADIAN Rhode Island, as well as BOTTLERS GO WITH US. the global community.”

• Proven air knife cleaning and drying  Clear Lam • Canadian design engineering Packaging, Inc., Elk • Unmatched service and installation • 25 years experience Grove Village, Ill.headquartered manufacturer of flexible and rigid packaging materials for food, personal-care, healthcare and other consumer products, has completed the sale of its thermoforming division You really should contact us today!

1.800.668.8736

www.adamarkairknife.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

124

to D&W Fine Pack LLC, a leading manufacturer of foodservice packaging products headquartered in Fountain Inn, S.C., for an undisclosed amount. The sale includes Clear Lam’s two U.S.-based thermoforming facilities in Elk Grove Village and Vernon, Ca., and Nanjing, China, which generated combined sales of about US$80 million last year manufacturing food packaging containers made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA).

“Combining Clear Lam thermoforming with our existing portfolio of businesses will add innovative products and strengthen our focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship,” says D&W Fine Pack president Mark Staton.  Chicago-headquartered plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures supplier Berlin Packaging has completed the purchase of Naugatuck, Conn.based Lerman Container Company in its third major acquisition since 2010, when it purchased the assets of Pittsburgh, Pa.-based All-Pak and Continental Packaging Solutions of Chicago.

Operating a well-established North American network of over 80 warehouse and office locations, the Lerman acquisition will enable Berlin Packaging to post combined revenues of over US$700 million in 2012, according to the company. “The closer we can get to customers geographically, the faster we can serve them and the more attention we can give them,” says Berlin Packaging’s chief executive officer Andrew Berlin. “This acquisition makes that possible by adding local presence in important markets as well as top packaging talent and deep vertical industry expertise ... and bringing the Lerman team into our organization strengthens our ability to do that.”  Nordson Corporation, Westlake, Ohioheadquartered manufacturer of precision dispensing and applicating systems for adhesives, sealants, coatings and other industrial formulations, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Chippewa Falls, Wis.-based EDI Holdings, Inc. (Extrusion Die Industries), a major manufacturer of slot coating and flat polymer extrusion dies for plastic processors and web converters, for an estimated US$200 million. Currently employing 317 people at operations in Cologne, Germany and Shanghai, China, EDI will operate as part of Nordson’s Adhesive Dispensing Systems business segment following the deal’s pending approval in the third quarter of Nordson’s fiscal year, subject to regulatory reviews.  Japanese specialty chemicals conglomerate Kuraray Co., Ltd. has reached an agreement to acquire MonoSol, LLC, Merrillville, Ind.-based developer and manufacturer of water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films used in a diverse range of unit-dose application of a broad range of consumer, agricultural, chemicals and industrial products, release films, transfer printing, and water-soluble packaging products, for an undisclosed amount.

According to Kuraray, whose POVAL range of PVA films is widely used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), the transaction will enable it to expand into a wider range of industrial markets for PVA films. “This merger will allow MonoSol to continue to grow and service it customer base while providing additional R&D resources, capitalizing on the expertise of both groups,” says MonoSol president Scott Bening. Under the terms of the deal, subject to regulatory approvals, the MonoSol business will continue to operate as an independent company under Kuraray Holdings U.S.A., Inc. corporate banner.

Mississauga, ON

36

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

PEOPLE  SunPac Foods Ltd., Brampton, Ont.-based contract packaging services provider for the beverage industries, has appointed Mark Cumberland as national business development manager for Canada, with prime responsibilities for the development of private label co-packing and retail business growth opportunities.  Philadelphia, Pa.-headquartered metal packaging products manufacturer Crown Holdings, Inc. has appointed Gerard Gifford as president of the company’s Crown Europe division in Baar, Switzerland.  Toronto-headquartered supply chain standards organization GS1 Canada has appointed Sylvain Prud’homme, executive vice-president at Loblaw Companies Limited, to its board of governors.  Chicago-headquartered branding and package design services provider Schawk, Inc. has appointed Hans Muysson to the newly-created post of vice-president of product development within the company’s brand development group—comprising the Brandimage and Muysson Anthem Worldwide business units.  End-of-line packaging equipment systems manufacturer Cermex Inc. has appointed Guillaume Fauché as customer service manager responsible for all retrofit projects in North America, to be based at the company’s Fauché North American headquarters in Norcross, Ga.  Mark Andy, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.-headquartered manufacturer of narrowweb f lexographic printing presses and related sysSchulte tems and equipment, has appointed Steve Schulte as vice-president of sales and marketing; and Mike Russell Russell as international sales director.  Atlantic Zeiser Group, designer and manufacturer of industrial digital and security, numbering and card personalization systems and technologies based in Emmingen, Germany, has appointed Manfred Minich Minich as chief executive officer.

Gangji

 Davis-Standard, LLC, Pawcatuck, Conn.headquartered manufacturer of extrusion systems, feedscrews, barrels and process controls for the f lexible web converting, plastics processing and rub-

JUNE 2012 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

37

ber industries, has appointed Hassan Gangji as chief procurement officer.  German-headquartered packaging machinery group OYSTAR Holding GmbH has announced the appointment of two chief executive officers in a new senior management corporate alignment, whereby Markus Ehl will head the company’ s global operations in Stutensee, Germany, while Barfy Shoulders will lead the company’s OYSTAR North America business unit in Davenport, Iowa.  Cambridge, U.K.-headquartered industrial inkjet printheads manufacturer Xaar has appointed Richard Barham as sales and marketing director.

Barham

 Watlow, St. Louis, Mo.headquartered manufacturer of industrial heaters, temperature sensors, controllers and complete thermal systems, has appointed Jim Rowland as vice-president of operations.

 Toronto-based package design services provider Shikatani Lacroix Design has appointed Sandra Riano and Adam Mintz as strategy planners; Derek Petridis as vice-president of finance; and Robin Ernstes as director of business development.  INX International Ink Co., Schaumburg, Ill.-headquartered manufacturer of printing inks, has appointed Ken Ferguson as technical manager for distributors.

Ferguson  Plant sanitation and hygienic systems and products supplier Deb Canada of Waterford, Ont., has appointed Steven Pye as general manager.

 Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based Hexacomb, a Boise Inc. subsidiary specializing in the manufacturer of paper-based protective packaging and graphic display boards, has appointed Scott Daniel as president.

Daniel

FRee PRODuCT INFORMATION For further information on either advertisements or editorial in this issue, please circle the appropriate numbers below.

Once you’ve filled out your contact information, fax this form back to us at: 416.510.5140

101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241 261 281 301 321 341 361 381 401 421 441 461

102 122 142 162 182 202 222 242 262 282 302 322 342 362 382 402 422 442 462

103 123 143 163 183 203 223 243 263 283 303 323 343 363 383 403 423 443 463

104 124 144 164 184 204 224 244 264 284 304 324 344 364 384 404 424 444 464

105 125 145 165 185 205 225 245 265 285 305 325 345 365 385 405 425 445 465

106 126 146 166 186 206 226 246 266 286 306 326 346 366 386 406 426 446 466

107 127 147 167 187 207 227 247 267 287 307 327 347 367 387 407 427 447 467

108 128 148 168 188 208 228 248 268 288 308 328 348 368 388 408 428 448 468

109 129 149 169 189 209 229 249 269 289 309 329 349 369 389 409 429 449 469

110 130 150 170 190 210 230 250 270 290 310 330 350 370 390 410 430 450 470

111 131 151 171 191 211 231 251 271 291 311 331 351 371 391 411 431 451 471

112 132 152 172 192 212 232 252 272 292 312 332 352 372 392 412 432 452 472

113 133 153 173 193 213 233 253 273 293 313 333 353 373 393 413 433 453 473

114 134 154 174 194 214 234 254 274 294 314 334 354 374 394 414 434 454 474

115 135 155 175 195 215 235 255 275 295 315 335 355 375 395 415 435 455 475

116 136 156 176 196 216 236 256 276 296 316 336 356 376 396 416 436 456 476

117 137 157 177 197 217 237 257 277 297 317 337 357 377 397 417 437 457 477

118 138 158 178 198 218 238 258 278 298 318 338 358 378 398 418 438 458 478

119 139 159 179 199 219 239 259 279 299 319 339 359 379 399 419 439 459 479

120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 480

481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500

Do you wish to receive/continue to receive CANADIAN PACKAGING? Yes  No 

*Existing subscribers: Please affix mailing label below, or provide subscriber I.D.# (located above name on mailing label. ie. CPKF123456) Subscriber I.D.#: ______________

 Check here if you also wish to receive CANADIAN PACKAGING’s monthly e-newsletter.

Signature (must be signed to be valid) Name Company Name Address City Telephone Email Address

Date Title Province Fax

Postal Code

IMPORTANT: Please complete the following questions What is the primary business at your location?

Which of the following do you plan on purchasing within the next 12 months?  Advesives  Checkweigher  Machine Vision  Adhesive Applicator  Colour Label Printer  Metal Detector  Bar Code Equipment  Conveyors  Modified Atmosphere  Capper  Filler Packaging Machinery  Cartoners  Ink Jet Equipment  Palletizer  Case Packer  Intermediate Bulk Containers  Pallets  Case Sealer  Labeler  PLC’s, Sensors, Controls Approximate number of employees?

Is this company a:  Package User  Custom Packager  Package Maker  Supplier

 Print & Apply Label Applicator  RFID Equipment  Robotics  Scales & Weighing Equipment  Shipping Containers  Shrink Film  Shrink Wrapper

 Strapping Equipment  Stretch Wrapper  Stretchwrap Film  Shipping Containers  Tape  Vacuum Packaging JuNe 2012

COOL PACKAGING MADE IN SUMMER SHADE

W

hen it comes to making the most of summer, there is no shortage of some great activities to enjoy in Canada— jazz festivals, boating, biking, motoring, barbequing, camping, hiking ... the list of fun possibilities is virtually endless. At this time of the year, dealing with excessive or unnecessary packaging seems to be even more irritating than usual: nobody likes a spoilsport when it’s time to hit the road to experience the seasons sights and sounds atop a comfortable bike-seat. Which is a breeze when choosing a high-quality seat from cycling accessories manufacturer Selle Royal S.p.a., whose broad variety of sizes is guaranteed to suit even the most discerning derrière out there. The way these seats are displayed at the store for sale—hung up on simple but sturdy paperboard cardbacks—are also a treat for any enviro-rider out there, with the pack-to-product ratio a mere faction of what would be considered average.

The cards are sufficiently stiff to support the weight of the seat on display and to provide good transport performance during distribution, while their smooth printing surface provides a good canvas for colorful graphics and instructional text in no less that seven languages. This ability to use the same packaging in all the major markets around the world is something of an environmental kudo in its own right—a great example of one size fits all!

For a life-long sax player like myself, jazz festivals are naturally a big and vital part of my annual ‘summer package’ experience, with the balmy weather a great motivator to blow one’s horn a bit for the benefit of

entertaining guests and other company. However, this hobby has been getting a little more pricey over the last couple of years since venerable musical and instrument accessories supplier Rico Products changed the way it packages its reeds— bamboo slivers that a sax player attaches to the mouthpiece to make the horn work. Back in the good old days I was able to buy a box of 25 reeds packed neatly in layers on top of each other between sheets of thin paper—a good number of reeds for not a lot of money. Now, alas, each reed comes pre-packed in its own plastic sleeve, but the number of reeves in the package has been cut down to just 10 reeds—leaving the price-per-reed to crescendo in a hurry. Having played nothing by Rico brand reeds ever since picking up the sax I’ll be the first to defend them as a great product, but that does not alter the fact that the old box protected them just fine as well, in my opinion. The bottom line is that the new box now contains more plastic that bamboo, whereas I’d rather see it reversed: for the sake of both the environment and my pocketbook.

If you find yourself grooving to the sounds of live jazz music in someone’s backyard this summer, the odds are pretty good that there’s a barbeque unfolding there as well. And this summer BBQ season is already off to a great start already chez moi since my recent discovery of the Hickory BBQ smoking chips from the Minneapolis, Minn.-based Outset Inc. This supremely handy grill accessory initially caught my eye mostly because of the packaging— a gabletop-shaped paperboard carton that would not look out of place if it was used to package some fancy snacks or candy. Featuring attractive print with an elegant flame motif—with the word ‘Hickory’

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

For more information on Classified Advertising please contact: 416-510-5198 38 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

R.S. No. ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Page 121 ABB Robotics 33 115 ATI Industrial Automation 25 103 Atlantic Packaging Product Ltd. 4 127 Bosch Rexroth Canada 40 114 Cognex Corporation 23 113 Domino Printing Solutions 21 119 Eriez Magnetics 29 112 Farm Credit Canada 19 107 Farnell Packaging 9 117 Festo 27 106 FlexLink 8 123 Harlund Industries Ltd. 35 122 Haremar Plastic Manufacturing 35 105 Intelligrated 7 125 Motion Canada 36 116 Multivac Canada 26 101 Omnifission/SMI 2 126 PMMI Packaging Machinery 39 Manufacturers Institute 120 Propack Processing & 31 Packaging Systems, Inc. 109 QuickLabel Systems 13 124 R.E. Morrison 36 104 Robert Reiser & Co. Inc. 6 118 Schneider Electric 28 110 Sérigraphie Richford Inc. 17 108 SEW Eurodrive Co. of Canada 11 111 Tsubaki 17 102 VideoJet Technologies Canada 3

Pictures by Jaan Koel

CHECKOUT JAAN KOEL

encased in a classy orange border and a plastic cutout window allowing a peek at the contents—the package makes effective use of grey-taupe side panels to provide additional product information and instructions, along with a fairly detailed recipe for Hickorysmoked Turkey on the back panel. Ideal for classic charcoal barbeques, but also compatible for use on gas ones, these chips are a great way to add a little extra touch of summer flavor to any mixed grill with a liberal sprinkling over the hot coals, or inserting them into a chip-smoker box on a gas unit.

Instant coffee is not everyone’s cup of tea, I know, but the striking packaging for the Masterpiece brand of instant coffee from renowned Swiss leisure goods conglomerate Zino Davidoff S.A. certainly makes a compelling and eye-catching style statement. The elongated glass jars are outfitted with extended plastic screw cap lids that drape down three-quarters the entire height of package. Like all other members of the diverse Davidoff product portfolio, which also includes pens, perfumes, briefcases, eyewear, watches, cigars and even cognac, these instants convey the true aura of quality and elegance befitting the brand with the great hand feel of the product, the smooth way the screw-cap opens and closes, and surprisingly decent taste of the coffee itself—a designer instant, if you like. Like many classy packages, this one has great reuse possibilities to boot—either as a handy pen-holder or as a beverage shaker to shake up a frappé or two on a warm summer day. Cheers!

Jaan Koel is Prinicipal of Toronto-based Koel Communications.

FREE

PRODUCT INFORMATION

JUNE 2012

CIRCLE THE R.S. NO. THAT MATCHES THE NUMBER ON THE ADVERTISEMENT OR ARTICLE OF INTEREST. FAX THIS BACK TO US AT (416) 510-5140 Name Title Company Name Address City Prov.

P/Code

Telephone Fax Email Address

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2012

October 28-31, 2012 McCormick Place Chicago, Illinois USA

Advance your knowledge. Advance your network. Advance your business.

The packaging and processing industries are constantly changing. To stay ahead of the curve this year, there’s one place you need to be – PACK EXPO International 2012. It’s the largest collection of innovative packaging and processing solutions in the world. Register today!

Produced by:

Register today! www.packexpo.com October 28-31, 2012 | McCormick Place | Chicago, Illinois USA

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 126

Speed, time, efficiency Speed, all goingtime, up efficiency all going up

All-servo driven PMC 2000S

See what Rexroth See do what can forRexroth you can do for you

Results from Rexroth: Increase productivity, save energy, grow faster Successful food and packaging operations need to maximize flexibility Results from Rexroth: Increase productivity, save energy, grow faster without sacrificing productivity or increasing costs. Innovative Successful food and packaging operations need to maximize flexibility Rexroth drive and control technology helped Paper Machinery without sacrificing productivity or increasing costs. Innovative Corporation launch the first all servo-driven paper cup forming Rexroth drive and control technology helped Paper Machinery machine, enabling faster changeovers while cutting both energy use Corporation launch the first all servo-driven paper cup forming and machine development time. Only a technology leader like Rexroth machine, enabling faster changeovers while cutting both energy use can help its customers, and theirs, create and sustain that kind of and machine development time. Only a technology leader like Rexroth competitive advantage. The Drive & Control Company can help its customers, and theirs, create and sustain that kind of competitive advantage. The Drive & Control Company

All-servo driven PMC 2000S

For more information on our Innovative Drive and Control Solutions, EXACTLY for your application requirements, visit www.BoschRexroth.ca For more information on our Innovative Drive and Control Solutions, EXACTLY for your application requirements, visit www.BoschRexroth.ca bos000587-01CupAd-D10a.indd 1 bos000587-01CupAd-D10a.indd 1

1/4/12 8:59 AM

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 127

1/4/12 8:59 AM