CAN MAKERS

Can Makers confirms appointment of new chairman

The Can Makers, the industry trade body representing drinks can manufacturers in the UK, has confirmed the appointment of Simon Gresty, General Manager Metal – Beverage UK & Ireland, Ardagh Group, as its new chairman.

Simon has taken over from Marcel Arsand, Head of Sustainability at Ball Beverage Packaging EMEA who was held the role since July 2018. Simon brings more than three decades of experience in the packaging industry to the role and was previously chairman of The Can Makers from 2006 to 2008.

Simon said: “This is an exciting and challenging time for industry and the Can Makers. We have yet to see many of the effects that we know the pandemic will have, although the industry has already demonstrated its innovative spirit and resilience, while the Can Makers are progressing a number of new initiatives to 12 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

promote the beverage can as the preferred format for drinks packaging.

“I would like to thank Marcel for his enthusiasm, hard work and commitment during the last two years. His work has been instrumental in helping the Can Makers to raise the profile of the beverage can as a sustainable packaging format and there are now a greater number and variety of drinks commonly packaged in cans than ever before. The rise of craft beers for instance has been phenomenal and all the signs are that wine in cans will see similar growth.

“At the same time, we have seen the UK recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans increasing year on year to a new high of 76%. We will continue to showcase the environmental and sustainability credentials of the beverage can and as chairman, I will continue to work in partnership with the Can Makers members and stakeholders, to address the challenges that initiatives such as DRS will bring.

“The beverage can is already the most recycled drinks pack in the world and it is critical that any DRS implemented follows best practice and that all packaging formats are included as well as a variable deposit fee based on size.”

Previously General Manager at Ball Trading UK and Director at Ball Packaging Europe, Simon has held commercial and latterly general management positions in the industry including overseas assignments in Russia, Africa and more recently four years in Zurich.

Simon has held his current role at Ardagh for five years. He completed the Ashridge Business School Directors Programme in 2007.

HARTING launch a connector solution for the food and beverage industry

The newest addition to the Han® portfolio is the Han® F+B, a range of connectors which have been specially designed for the requirements of the food processing, bottling and packaging industries. Within these sectors, hygiene and safety are key considerations, meaning machines and equipment must be both easy to clean and designed so dirt pockets and bacteria cannot accumulate.

The Han® F+B has been specifically developed as a suitable product for the food zone and primarily the splash zone and there are several innovations which make it the ideal solution. Firstly, all hoods, housings and seals are IP69K rated, so the connections are fully protected and resistant to the water jets used to clean equipment.

They also have large nooks and surfaces in accordance with the guidelines of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG), which allows cleaning and disinfecting agents to flow unhindered. For secure identification and easy traceability, the connectors are blue, although a black version is available.

The range is Ecolab approved, which means it is resistant to the highly

aggressive cleaning agents used in the food and splash zones. As the housings are constructed from polypropylene, they conform to the directives of FDA 21. All surfaces also have a smooth finish, which prevents impurities and bacteria from accumulating, whilst the portfolio can function in a wide temperature range from -40 to +125° C.

As well as hygiene and safety concerns, HARTING have also considered the impact of machine downtimes, designing in features which keep disruptions on the production line down to a minimum.

With the Han® F+B, operators do not need to open any cable glands on the control cabinet in order to decouple field devices, eliminating the complex disconnecting and reconfiguring of fixed wiring. This solution also allows for faster replacement of defective components and a more efficient method of changing equipment, allowing businesses in the food industry to shorten set-up times and reduce production stoppages.

The housings can be used with hybrid contact inserts for all types of industrial transmission, including data, signal and power, a versatile connector concept which makes it possible to configure future-proof machine design for processing units, including Ethernet.

To learn more about the Han® F+B and download our FREE whitepaper, which gives more detailed information about using connectors in food and beverage facilities, please visit www.harting.com/ UK/en-gb/connectors-food-industry or email salesUK@HARTING.com.