Packaging Europe Issue 10.2 by packagingeurope

VOLUME 10.2 – 2015

FOOD PACKAGING ANUGA FOODTEC SPECIAL PREVIEW THE TECHNOLOGICAL TIPPING POINT INNOVATIONS IN MATERIALS & BARRIERS INSPECTION MACHINERY COPING WITH FOOD LABELLING REGULATIONS MIGRATION Laminated with Cosmo Films’s silky matte thermal lamination film

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Contents

VOLUME 10.2 – 2015

The cover of this edition has been laminated with a special BOPP-based thermal silky matte film supplied by India based global group, Cosmo Films Ltd. which is a leading provider of laminating solutions & polypropylene films. The silky satin finish film is one of the many beautifully textured laminating films that the company offers. Thermal lamination of this film is possible on all kinds of printed and non-printed paper and film is extensively used on perfume, liquor & cosmetic cartons; manuals;shopping bags and diaries. Various decoration printing techniques can be performed on the surface post lamination. For further info, write to enquiry@cosmofilms.com

Editorial

4 8 12 16 20 23 24 29 34 36 38 41 44 46 48 50 51 52 54 58 60

News, Analysis & Comment European headlines World news Business news Innovation news Design news Sustainability news Upcoming packaging events Big interview: HAVI’s Mike Richmond The all-seeing x-ray Metal: still the biggest food contaminant? Corrugated keeps pace with modern living Material innovations in food packaging Edging towards solutions to ink migration RPC on barrier plastics Packaging Design: Updating a British icon Five steps to success with big volume orders Leverage new label regulations to optimise e-commerce content Packaging regulations: Will you master the changes and benefit? Anuga FoodTec overview Anuga Special: Food packaging trends Anuga Special: The challenge of automation

62 67 70 72 76 78 81 84 86 87 90 94 98 100 103 106 110 112

Industry Profiles Schur Flexibles Group Strong beginnings Alfa Machine The Greek yoghurt King Bischof + Klein Leading the way in flexible packaging Linde Gas The leak police Scanware Electronic Inspection perfection GEA Procomac Dry for dairy Innovative Systems Customised pumping excellence Sealed Air Food Care Sealed Air Food Care at Anuga food tech 2015 Luceo The power of visual detection Lamican Continued success story Sealpac International Innovative snack in challenging tray Cabinplant Minimising giveaway with Cabinplant Primoreels® “The lidding system of the future” – Cost efficient and reliable. Lindal Group Holding Advanced aerosol technology Habasit Conveying food cleanly Smart Flow Sustainable logistics solutions Clondalkin Group The future of flexibles Viaware A helping hand

115 118 122 126 132 134 138 141 144 146 150 154 158 162 166 169 172 176 178 182 186 189 190 191 192 196 202 207 210 214 220 224 230 234 239 242 250 254 257 262 266 270 272 275

Macedonian Paper Mills Leaders in green packaging Dupont Teijin Films Innovation leading the market Plasticos Romero Innovative plastics-based packaging Repsol Chemicals Repsol races ahead of the competition Dashco Dashing ahead Koridon Parts partner KOCH Pac-Systeme Complete line solutions Alltub Group All aluminium Valspar Leading innovation in coating Tubapack Investing in growth Harro Hölliger [ALL YOU NEED] – Engineered production solutions European Aluminium Foil Material support Steinmann Technology Spot varnishing goes digital Record Packaging Systems Supporting the decision-making process Schmersal In safe hands ZLV Packaging and food technology nerve centre Haloila Revolutionising stretch wrapping Dashco Dashing ahead Goodtech Solutions Superior handling solutions Americk Group A positive label Macedonian Paper Mills Leaders in green packaging Coda Plastics Delivering complete solutions Rawlings Rawlings expands into cosmetic & pharmaceutical glass ESI Pioneering solutions in electron beam technology Takt Sound solutions Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol Connecting values Hagmaier Etiketten & Druck A new generation AR Metallizing A sustainable and economical alternative Packaging Valley Well equipped for the future Brigl&Bergmeister A passion for paper Vibac Global leader in the packaging industry Elopak Innovating freshness Kern Italia Global partner for mailing solutions Radpak Complete packaging systems supplier S+S High tech made in Germany PACE Europe’s premier networking event Fleming Gulf Passion for plastics and polymers Manuli Stretch Group Stretch and grow Mettler Toledo Safeline Avoiding risk – in challenging applications Hunkeler Innovations in paper processing Waddington Europe One to watch Gietz Gietz AG celebrates two jubilees Illig Maschinenbau Trailblazers in thermoforming technology Matrìca Novamelt The success of green chemistry

Packaging Europe | 1 |

Advertisers Index A ABG International Aic Plastic Pallets Alfa Machine Alpac Alvey Group Anixter Component Solutions AR Convert Arnott Handling Equipment Ashton Jig & Tool Co Ltd Athena Graphics ATS-Tanner Banding Systems

205 108 56 109 5 259 206 261 258 248 55, 265

B Bangkok Polysack Bareks Bischif and Klein International Bizerba Brigl&Bergmeister BST ProControl

97 180 189 64 264 232 248

D Deuringer Domino Dow DSN

241 153 7 245

E ESI

F Federfin Tech Flemming Gulf Flextrus

156 253 249

G GEA GEA Food Solutions Go Plastic Pallets Graco Gruppo Fomat

80 59 109 57 117, 188

H Habasit Haloila Hapa

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105 175 9

160 61 157 11

I Ipack Ima IQAP Masterbatch ISG Isolago ITW Thermal Foils

26 124 61 125 184

J J-Max Aarts

181 66 71 201 219 22

C Cabinplant Chempack Coda Plastics Coim Collins Inkjet Corrado Gentili & C. Snc Crown Cork

HAT Engineering Hema Herti HP

249

K K3 Syspro Kodak

261 247

L Legnobotti Lindal Linde Gas Linearis Linpac Packaging Luceo

O Omron Optima

32 13, 213

P Packaged PakTech Pamasol Pauli & Raab Petratto Polyketting Porvair Filtration Group Prati Prematic Primoreels Protekt Plastic Processing Plant

Scanware Schulman, A Sealed Air Food Care Segers & Balcaen SinoCorrugated 2015 SN Maschinenbau Sonoco Alcore SpanTech Europe Starlinger Statuti Imballaggi & Legnami

229 149 226 160 244 66 195

249 15 199 241 265 227 121 204 161 99 195

236 190 25 65, 131 152 232

N Nippon Gohsei Europe Nosta

Radpak Rawlings Reed Exhibitions Repsol RonTech Rossi Meccanica

256 102 75 161 17 86

M Madern International mall//herlan Mariani Mastai Mayr-Melnhoff Karton Gesellschaft m.b.H.

Techform (Sheffield) Ltd Thermo Scientific TM.I.P. Tosaf Group Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol Trufab UPM Raflatac

77 223 85 55 25 198 255 278 246 232 165 21 223 27 13 259 205

V Vacuum Formers Ltd Valspar Viaware Videojet V Tech SMT Ltd

258 145 19 237 258

W Weilburger Coatings Italia Wicks Engineering

143 165

Y Yparex

226

Editor Tim Sykes Deputy Editor Victoria Hattersley News Editor Elisabeth Skoda Journalists Libby White Profile Writers Emma-Jane Batey Alessandra Lacaita Felicity Landon Romana Moares Barbara Rossi Piotr Sadowski Abigail Saltmarsh Marco Siebel Julia Snow Vanja Svacko Philip Yorke Art Director Gareth Harrey Art Editor Paul Abbott

Designers Claire Bidle Rob Czerwinski Leon Esterhuizen IT Support Jack Everson

EDITOR

Web Development Neil Robertson Production Manager Kamila Kajtoch Administration Amber Dawson Kayleigh Harvey Senior Account Managers Kevin Gambrill Jesse Roberts Features Managers Mauro Berini Martin Gisborne Jamie Gibson Clayton Green Matthew Howe Emma Kerton Dominic Kurkowski

Art Administration Tania Balderson

Packaging Europe

Alkmaar House, Alkmaar Way, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6BF, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1603 414444 Fax: +44 (0)1603 779850 Email: Editorial: editor@packagingeurope.com Studio: adcopy@packagingeurope.com Advertising: jr@packagingeurope.com, kg@packagingeurope.com Website: www.packagingeurope.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PackagingEurope Twitter: www.twitter.com/PackagingEurope

© Packaging Europe 2015 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher. POSITIVE PUBLICATIONS

Tim Sykes

he first couple of months of 2015 have seen a notable flurry of acquisitions in the packaging industry. In the biggest deal of all Rexam has acquiesced to Ball’s $6.7 billion takeover bid. Meanwhile DS Smith is set to acquire Duropack (whose former sister company Constantia Flexibles was sold to the Wendel Group in December), Tetra Pak has bought Polish dairy giant Obram, Romaco Group has finalised the purchase of Innojet Herbert Hüttlin, and Industria Macchine Automatiche has acquired the operating business of OYSTAR Group – to mention just a few. Does this burst of activity imply the start of a headwind in the packaging market and wider economy? Are we witnessing a new wave of consolidation, and what would that mean for supply chains and for competition? Time will tell. Our March magazine is dedicated to by far the biggest of packaging markets: food. We present an extended preview of the forthcoming Anuga FoodTec exhibition, including an exclusive interview with Dietmar Eiden, vice president of Kölnmesse, on the big trends in food processing and packing machinery. Meanwhile, I’m proud to present our Big Interview with Mike Richmond of the unfailingly insightful HAVI Global Solutions. Mike shares his analysis that we are at the early tipping point in a range of packaging technologies, not least mass customisation and the leveraging of big data, the collision of which presents food brand owners with a bewildering plethora of opportunities and strategic investment decisions. On the subject of packaging materials for food, RPC argues that barrier plastics are having a significant influence on the growth of the convenience food sector, while Victoria Hattersley surveys the best recent material innovations. Jon Ernst, newly appointed chair of the FEFCO Market & Environment Committee, describes how corrugated is evolving to meet current and future challenges in transit packaging. Sun Chemical’s Jonathan Sexton shares his thoughts on low migration inks. Meanwhile, SGK lends us two of its spokesmen to talk us through the challenges and opportunities of new food labelling regulations on both sides of the Atlantic. We take a close look at inspection machinery, with contributions from OMRON, Ishida Europe and Fortress on the respective merits of optical inspection, x-ray and metal detection to keep unwanted things out of our meals. This month’s design case study was also intended to appeal to the general gustatory mood as we hear the story of the careful modernisation of OXO, the iconic British brand of stock, bouillon and flavourings. Tim Sykes ts@packagingeurope.com @PackEuropeTim

A Square Root Company

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Headline News Rexam Accepts Ball Takeover Bid R

exam PLC has announced today that it agrees to be acquired by USbased can maker Ball Corporation. The deal values Rexam at around £4.4 billion ($6.7 billion). Both parties acknowledged earlier this month that they were in discussions around a potential proposal, and according to regulations Ball had until 5th March to confirm a formal intention to launch a takeover bid or walk away. The favourable outcome of discussions is announced two weeks ahead of that deadline. With Rexam European market leader and Ball Packaging Europe enjoying a large share of the European beverage can market, it remains to be seen whether competition regulators will decide to take a view on the deal. However, it is on a global level that the synergies of the deal would seem to especially pay off.

John Hayes, chairman, president & CEO of Ball, commented: “The combination of Ball and Rexam creates a global metal beverage packaging supplier capable of leveraging its geographic presence, innovative products and talented employees to better serve customers of all sizes in all regions across the globe; while at the same time generating significant shareholder value.” Graham Chipchase, chief executive of Rexam, said: “We believe that the proposed combination with Ball is an excellent opportunity for all stakeholders. Combining the two companies will create a truly global platform to deliver “best in class” service to customers based on a shared culture of manufacturing excellence and continued innovation. The proposed transaction offers our shareholders an attractive premium and an opportunity to participate in the value creation of the combined group through ownership of Ball shares.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62201

FTA Europe Formally Established as Umbrella for Flexo T

he flexo technical associations of the Benelux (EFTA Benelux), France (ATF), Italy (ATIF), Spain (ATEF) and the UK (EFIA) have formally established FTA-Europe as their common European umbrella organisation. In February the inaugural General Assembly of the new organisation took place in Brussels at the offices of Intergraf, the European Federation for print and digital communication, where FTA Europe will have its registered address. The new umbrella organisation will have three major objectives: encourage technical standardisation and the dissemination of standards of practice across European borders; develop a European curriculum and certificate for professionals operating in the European flexo industry; supporting its member associations through joint European advocacy as well as collaboration in promotional activities (awards) and the development of a technical knowledge resource. At the General Assembly, the founding members also elected their first Board. Sante Conselvan (president of ATIF) was elected as the president; Wim Buyle (board member of EFTA Benelux) will act as VP, and Debbie Waldron-Hoines (director of EFIA) as FTA Europe’s Treasurer will take care of the association’s finance. Jules Lejeune (Lejeune Association Management, Netherlands) was appointed as director of the newly established organisation, while Beatrice Klose (director of Intergraf) will act as the association’s Secretary-General. Upon signing the documents, president Sante Conselvan commented that “the establishment of FTA Europe is an important step forward for the European flexo community. There are formal or informal platforms for the advancement of flexo in at least 10 countries across Europe, with a total membership that will not be far off from the numbers of our | 4 | Packaging Europe

parent organisation FTA in North America. Each of the national organisations is doing excellent work in their own country or language region, but so far a common European platform was lacking. With FTA Europe, we are aiming to tackle common European issues that each of us cannot achieve on his own. By establishing our office in Brussels with Intergraf, we will benefit from their existing European connections, and with the engagement of Lejeune in our management, we will have an important liaison with several packaging organisations related to flexo.” Target for the new organisation in its first year will be to develop a website (www.FTA-Europe.eu) expand membership, set up a volunteer framework, and develop an action plan for the next 3 years. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62199

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Tetra Pak Acquires Obram T

etra Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, has completed the acquisition of Polish company Obram S.A., a leading provider of cheese technology solutions and equipment in Poland, Russia, Belarus and many parts of Eastern Europe. Since it was established in 1976 Obram has built a strong reputation for delivering high quality production solutions for fresh cheese, cottage cheese and semi-hard cheese applications, including mould handling and brining. “The addition of Obram to the Tetra Pak Group will strengthen our portfolio and broaden our capability in the rapidly-expanding cheese sector, enabling us to be even more versatile to the needs of our customers. It complements our existing business extremely well,” Tim High, Executive Vice President of Tetra Pak Processing Systems said. According to the Agricultural Outlook, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization, world cheese consumption will grow by 16 per cent over the next decade. As consumers become more health conscious, the popularity of fresh cheese, and lighter soft cheese, is expected to increase. Between 2013 and 2014, soft cheese accounted for 50 per cent of absolute value growth of the total global cheese market1, driven by product innovation and increased penetration. “This acquisition will enhance our ability to help customers capture these opportunities, particularly in places like Central America, South America and India, where consumer demand for fresh cheese is growing at a tremendous pace,” said High. “Obram’s automated solutions provide a higher quality, more efficient alternative to the manual or semi-automated installations that are still widely used.” Obram currently employs around 280 people, the majority of whom are based at one of the company’s two production sites in Olsztyn Poland. Zbigniew Raczyński, President and CEO of Obram said, “From an Obram perspective, this move is full of potential: it will help us to grow our business through Tetra Pak’s global sales channels, while allowing us to provide a broader range of products and services to our existing customers – everything from filtration and whey treatment to technical support and parts.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/61962

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DS Smith to Acquire Duropack Group F

unds advised by One Equity Partners have sold the Duropack Group to the packaging company DS Smith for approximately € 300m. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant antitrust authorities and is likely to be closed in the second quarter of 2015. OEP acquired the company in 2009 when it acquired the majority of Constantia Packaging AG and subsequently delisted it from the stock market. “The Duropack Group is well positioned in the growing packaging industry. Rob Jan Renders and the management team, along with all the employees of Duropack, have done an excellent job in advancing Duropack’s customer offering and market position. On behalf of OEP, I would like to say thank you for the excellent collaboration” said Melchior von Peter, managing director at OEP. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, Duropack has 15 main production sites and is the leading paper and corrugated board manufacturer in central, east and south eastern Europe. The company employs around 2600 people and generated sales of €273m and an EBITDA of €41m in 2014. It provides innovative customer-oriented niche products and services and is a specialist for heavy duty goods, high-flexo and multicolour printing for a variety of customer branches. During its stewardship, OEP is said to have continuously supported Duropack’s growth of market share and position in central, east and south eastern Europe and sharpened the company’s focus on packaging. Rob Jan Renders, CEO of Duropack: “Together with OEP, we have taken Duropack forward as a reliable, flexible and creative partner for our customers. This was a successful and constructive time for the company as well as the management team. We now look forward to continuing our positive development with DS Smith to further create value for our customers and business partners.” Duropack, formerly a subsidiary of Constantia Packaging AG, was acquired by OEP along with the majority of Constantia in 2009 and subsequently delisted from the stock market. OEP’s offloading of Duropack comes just two months after the €2.3 billion sale of Constantia Flexibles to the Wendel Group was announced in December 2014. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62235

Headline News

Smurfit Kappa Launches Shelf-Facer S

murfit Kappa, one of the world leaders in paper-based packaging, has announced its latest ground-breaking solution, the Shelf-Facer, proven to increase the visibility of goods on the shelf by up to 50%, leading to a significant increase in potential sales. Rigorous testing and extensive shopper insight data have confirmed the benefits of the unique solution, which pulls products to the front of shelf-ready packaging, significantly improving shelf presentation and allowing brands to take full advantage of in-store marketing opportunities. The announcement of the Shelf-Facer follows the recent release of Smurfit Kappa’s shopper marketing white paper ‘Marketing on the Shelf - exactly how in control are you?’, which found that, despite 76% of purchase decisions being made by shoppers in-store, brands often fail to seize upon the powerful marketing opportunity it represents, particularly at point of purchase and on the shelf. To meet this challenge, Smurfit Kappa drew on the brightest and most creative minds of its 700 plus designers worldwide. Tasked with creating a solution to maximise shelf visibility, the result was an innovative and commercial solution for brands to guarantee their products are as easy as possible to find and buy in store. The Shelf-Facer consistently ensures the product is in view and available at the front of the shelf for consumers to find. Once an item has been purchased, it is immediately replaced by another from behind, significantly improving brand visibility and increasing sales. Recent studies estimate a significant increase in sales can be achieved through improved shelf presentation. To quantify and understand the impact of the Shelf-Facer, Smurfit Kappa used its unique eye-tracking technology, developed with partner Eyesee, to map where the shoppers’ eye is most drawn to on the shelf. The results prove that the Shelf-Facer increases the visibility of products on the shelf by up to 50%.

Arco Berkenbosch, senior VP Innovation, Smurfit Kappa, said: “After a great deal of testing and research, we are confident the Shelf-Facer will prove an important new tool that will help brands sell more of their products in-store. We understand the importance of grabbing consumer attention at the point of purchase and, in line with our ongoing commitment to maximise value for our business partners, we are pleased to have created a product that is proven to drive commercial success.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62273

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World News Mexico City Prepares for Label Summit Latin America Return L

eading figures from the label industry will be gathering this spring as Label Summit Latin America returns to Mexico. Being held at the World Trade Centre in Mexico City, the two-day conference and table-top exhibition is taking place on 21-22 April. Marking its 12th edition, Label Summit Latin America focuses on printers, brand owners and designers operating in the label and package printing market, offering a carefully targeted program of networking, deal-making, hands-on business advice and informative conference sessions. Featuring a strong line-up of over 80 international and Mexican exhibitors, visitors to the show will be able to network with leading industry manufacturers and suppliers including: gold sponsor Avery Dennison, ARclad, Durst, EFI, Epson, Flint Group, Green Bay, Industrial Papelera, Mark Andy, MPS, Sun Chemical, UPM Raflatac and Xeikon. The conference program features a broad agenda with a detailed focus on education and training, innovative technologies, business transformation and printing processes. Analyzing the big issues confronting the Mexican label industry today, the Summit will start with a keynote presentation from Darrell Hughes, vice president and general manager - Materials Group North America, Avery Dennison Corporation. Hughes will examine the ever evolving consumer market and consider how the sector has changed in Mexico since 2012 when the last Summit was staged in Guadalajara. He will also look at the latest developments impacting the industry and how technology influences trends. Comprised of 14 sessions, other highlights include a panel discussion about training and education for the Mexican label industry with contributions from Keren Becerra of AMETIQ and ACOBAN’s José Alfonso Rubio. Laura Susana Jimenez de Beltran of Tequila Bonanza will share her secrets on creating new opportunities in brand development and market positioning by outlining how to develop a powerful brand identify to maximize a

product’s visual appeal with consumers. The opening day will also have presentations on smart products, the shrink sleeve market, security inks and the newest niche technologies and their applications. Day two will consist of a CEO printer/converter panel discussion, a summary of inkjet technologies with an outline of the latest in printing techniques, substrates and inks and an insight into consolidation with a case study by Fernando Gabel on Baumgarten Gráfica’s acquisitions of Etiquetas Rodak and Autopack. The event finishes with a review of the available opportunities in Mexico’s fast growing wine market by Ramón Vélez Gutiérrez from the Mexican Wines Committee and an interactive wine tasting and workshop. Tasha Ventimiglia, event director for Label Summit Latin America commented: “We are excited to be bringing the event back in 2015 with such a diverse and stimulating new program and exhibitor line-up. The aim of the Summit is to help printers, brand owners, designers and industry suppliers to capitalize on their full business potential by providing them with the latest tools, skills and knowhow. With plenty of time to network and foster new connections too, the Summit should give them the perfect chance to grasp new opportunities to take their business to the next level.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62066

MPS Embraces 3D Printing N

ew York-headquartered Multi Packaging Solutions, a global leader in value-added print and packaging solutions for the branded, healthcare, and multi-media markets, has invested in the latest 3D printing technology for creating plastic prototypes. As an extension to its design services for premium packaging, MPS recently installed the CubeX Duo 3D print system at its design studio in Scotland, and now offers customers printed plastic models in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours. The new prototyping capabilities translate product and packaging concepts into tangible models, helping customers visualise the complete product experience. Virtually any three dimensional object can be printed directly from digital files, reducing the traditional production time from weeks to hours and eliminating the need for expensive test moulds. 3D printing offers customers more freedom to explore design options and make alterations without compromising product launch schedules. “Expanding our in-house design capabilities to include production of plastic prototypes is of tremendous value to our customers,” commented Julie Kennedy, design manager for Multi Packaging Solutions. “We’ve already successfully printed rigid box lids, tube tops and plinths, as well as a number of premium ‘one off’ speculative designs for several new product launches. We also envision opportunities to print prototypes of bottles, | 8 | Packaging Europe

jars, glassware, and promotional items to fully support customer product launches and marketing programs.” In addition to the new prototyping capabilities, MPS offers turnkey design resources from concept through production for premium packaging, including rigid, tubes, and folding cartons in a variety of materials, finishes, and decorative technologies. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62250

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World News PTI Expands Material/Bottle Testing B

scanware Inspection for Aggregation in Brazil T

rack & Trace requirements posed by the Agency for Pharmaceutical Security in Brazil (ANVISA) have challenged the producers, both technically and logistically. Functioning as a turnkey provider, R&B has conducted a pilot scheme with scanware, pharmaceutical producer Libbs and software provider Atlantic Zeiser. The project has been established to demonstrate the implementation of the ANVISA resolution. The successful completion of the project has been announced at an event in São Paulo. Anti-counterfeiting is of keen interest to the public of Brazil. ANVISA (Agência National de Vigilância Sanitária) regulations require packaging units to be marked with a serial number, product registration ID, GTIN, lot number, date of production, expiry date as well as a DataMatrix encoded with these details. Furthermore, the complete trail of the unit through the logistics chain, from single box to pallet, including the companies involved, has to be mapped within a Track & Trace system. For producers, this calls for substantial logistical and administrative action. Rastreabilidade Brasil (R&B) offers a full-service Track and Trace application to producers, providing solutions for the complete handling and data processing on their behalf. In the pilot scheme promoted by the government, Libbs has taken up this service for one of its packaging lines. In turn, R&B engaged partners for the application at the packaging line and traceability, one of which is scanware electronic GmbH. “R&B was looking for a mark & verify solution for folding boxes on the packaging line. The scanware station, LYNX-CAPA MV, has been chosen for marking and verification due to its flexible construction and usability,” recalls Andreas Jamin who supervised the project at scanware. At this point in the process, folding boxes are printed and the print is verified. At the next step, codes of all boxes within a shipper case are inspected. Again, scanware is in charge of the inspection and evaluation of data, utilising LYNXCAPA CI. For data handling both at the packaging line and during distribution, R&B has approached Atlantic Zeiser. Consequently, scanware and Atlantic Zeiser were working together closely. After an intensive work phase, a turnkey solution has been delivered in which the software of Atlantic Zeiser and the hardware of scanware work in unison. On October 8, the pilot scheme was presented to the public at an event in São Paulo. Upon invitation, the Brazilian Minister of Health, Arthur Chioro, representatives of pharmaceutical associations, invited pharmaceutical producers, the directorate of ANIVSA and a topranking official of a governmental bank witnessed the proceedings. During the event, the system was introduced under ongoing production conditions. scanware is highly pleased with the course of the project: “For us, the work in Brazil has been an excellent opportunity to showcase our Trace & Trace solutions tailored to the customers’ needs,” concludes one of the scanware Managing Directors, Harald Mätzig. Brazil has become increasingly more attractive to scanware with numerous product inspection systems being in use. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/61633 | 10 | Packaging Europe

rand owners and suppliers in Southeast Asia will now have access to state-of-the-art PET package evaluation services. The new capability, is a result of a partnership between Plastic Technologies, Inc. and Hemetek Techno Instruments, Mumbai. An open house was held in January, after which the facility will be accepting bottle performance projects. “For the past 30 years, PTI has earned a global reputation as the leader in PET bottle development and performance testing. Through our new partnership with Hemetek, a company that has established itself as a respected package testing solutions provider, we are now able to bring these services to Southeast Asia,” said Greg Fisher, director, global analytical labs, PTI. The expansion into the region has been driven by brand owner requests for PTI to establish a local resource to help them determine if their preforms and bottles are meeting performance parameters. Up until now, companies were forced to send these components to laboratories in other parts of the world or rely on limited internal capabilities. “Empty PET bottles do not typically sustain long journeys well, and particularly those that are subjected to temperature extremes typically found in Southeast Asia. By partnering with PTI to locate these testing services in closer proximity to bottling plants, we can help reduce both time and cost and provide brand owners with critical data to help them meet their performance requirements,” said Viraj Devasthale, president, Hemetek. PET resin, preform and bottle testing will include solution intrinsic viscosity, acetaldehyde and moisture content, finish dimensions and bottle expansion and burst. The new capability will be based out of Hemetek’s expanded testing facility in Baroda, located in the Gujarat state, in western India. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/61535

Pregis Celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary P

regis LLC, a North American leader in protective packaging solutions, is commemorating its 10 year anniversary, which has been built on more than 50-plus years of legacy predecessor companies and brands. The company is kicking off its anniversary year by launching next generation inflatable and foam-in-place solutions. These include an intelligent interface for IntelliPack’s foam-inplace equipment (FIP) and AirSpeed Axis, HLX and HC Performance films. During the past decade, Pregis has invested in multiple new material technologies and systems solutions, as well as in acquisitions designed to support the protective packaging needs of the marketplace. Milestones include the acquisition of IntelliPack (FIP systems) in 2010, Inter Pac (polyethylene sheet foam) in 2011 and Surface Guard (protective film, cohesive material and single-face corrugated) in 2013. Pregis President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Baudhuin stated, “We are excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary. The company was built on a foundation of more than 50-plus years of success under various names including Valcour, AVI, Richter, Plymouth Plastics, DuPont Microfoam, Tenneco and Pactiv. I’m proud of our customers and employees who have helped to make us a protective packaging industry leader over the past ten years.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62197

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Albéa opens its Mascara Centre of Excellence in Italy A

lbéa, the world’s leading manufacturer of packaging for beauty, personal care and pharmaceutical products, has opened its new production site in Bottanuco, a town located near Milan, Italy. The $7 million site demonstrates the group’s technical expertise, strive for industrial excellence and commitment to environmental responsibility, with the continual aim of better serving its customers. Albéa’s new site in Bottanuco has an area of 18,400 square meters, 250 employees and a production capacity of 160 million units per year. Thanks to its integrated injection, injection-blow moulding, decoration, surface treatment and assembly technologies, it has become the group’s European Centre of Excellence for mascara, lipgloss and eyeliner. This plant consolidates production from two former industrial sites in Verderio and Imbersago, which had been operating for nearly 35 years in the Milan area. Bottanuco teams support Albéa’s global, regional and local customers with their product launches, from development to production. In a makeup market notable for its rapid pace of innovations, its teams share the same drive for responsiveness, quality, competitiveness and service. In keeping with its CSR commitments, the group incorporated environmental efficiency during all stages of construction and continues to do so during daily operations. Albéa Bottanuco is now a model site in terms of renewable energy sources. This trigeneration heating and cooling system, both reduces greenhouse gas emissions and reuses the heat for other energy needs. In addition, the workshops’ layout was designed to improve employees’ working conditions and safety.

Joining the other manufacturing sites in, Mexico, Brazil and China, the Bottanuco plant strengthens Albéa’s leading position in the mascara packaging market. ‘‘The creation of this European Mascara Centre of Excellence demonstrates our commitment to supporting our customers with their product launches. This completely integrated site should not only improve our responsiveness and industrial efficiency but should also allow us to offer a wider range of high value-added services. It will also make it easier for our customers and teams to work together,” says Guillaume de Demandolx, Executive VP, Albéa Cosmetic Rigid Packaging. Finally, the Albéa Tips Studio will also be setting up its global Center of Expertise at the Bottanuco site. This program, the only one of its kind in the world, brings together all of the group’s expertise in the areas of innovation, development and production of applicators, including fiber and plastic mascara brushes, lipgloss tips and eyeliner applicators. At Bottanuco, the center offers customers a comprehensive library with fiber and plastic brushes as well as rapid prototyping capabilities and a makeup test laboratory to evaluate the trio formed by applicator, wiper and formula. Bottanuco represents Albéa’s commitment to investment, innovation and partnership with its customers to build the future of their brands. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/61968

Eagle Systems Opens Warsaw Office E

agle Systems, Inc., a US-based developer and manufacturer of foil enhancement equipment, has announced that they have opened a new European office in Warsaw, Poland. The company also announced the appointment of Pawel Kusinski, as MD of Eagle Systems Europe, effective immediately. With hundreds of cold and hot foil system installations worldwide, increasing demand has necessitated the company to expand its corporate sales and marketing operations, while offering a local response centre in the heart of Europe. Located in Central Europe, Poland shares its border with seven countries. Warsaw, which resides in the heart of Poland, is less than three hours from London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Moscow or Athens by plane. Mr. Kusinski is a 20-year veteran of the graphic arts and printing industry having held managerial and executive sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility in the Polish marketplace. His experience reads like a who’s who of international leaders including ECRM (USA), Sakurai (Japan), Hamada Printing Press (Japan), SCS Automaberg (Italy), Technograf (Italy), and Zechini Gra-For (Italy). His main responsibility at the Warsaw office will be to support the European base as well as expand foiling education, service, sales, and marketing activities. “Eighteen months ago I began my search for the next great impacting technology and that’s when I met Eagle CEO and President Mike King,” explains Kusinski. “Mike’s passion for foil applications transcends just making money. He strives to tailor each installation to the customer’s unique needs and wants, while combining old style engineering pride with an unparalleled drive to deliver a solution that

| 12 | Packaging Europe

just won’t quit. This demand for excellence is highly valued by our customer base. In a very short time, we’ve already sold and installed two different systems in the greater Warsaw area. “The European printing community has an increasing demand for hot and cold foil printing, as a means of differentiating their services in unique market segments,” adds Kusinski. “Eagle is both the leading supplier and advocate of foil application and print enhancement on a global scale. Accordingly, Eagle has already established their good name throughout the region. So as their client base grew, it was a natural choice to open a local technical support, client services, and marketing response center closer to the customers. We aim to capture the European market in the same way Eagle now dominates in Americas, and many other parts of the world.” The Eco-Eagle Cold Foil system is a value-added finishing technique for cold foil applications. The add-on system can retrofit to new or existing 70cm up to 200cm sheet-fed offset presses from most major press manufacturers. It offers users the flexibility to apply a single 102cm width of foil or multiple widths of foil, in any combination, as narrow as 5cm. This ability greatly reduces foil cost and consumption. In addition, the cold foil system operates on about the same amount of electricity as a 1,500 watt hair dryer, reducing energy demands in production environments. This year, Eagle Systems has added the ability to use a 16,000k foil roll which allows for less change over during a job run. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/61991

Business News

Packaging Europe | 13 |

Lindal Group Opens Facility in Turkey A

ccording to Francois-Xavier Gilbert, CEO, Lindal Group, work on this production and office complex, located east of Istanbul (Dilovasi, Kocaeli Province), represents the latest milestone in the growth of this innovative 57-year old packaging solutions provider. “This is a proud moment for all of us in the Lindal Group family,” Gilbert said. “Our latest addition will handle the manufacture of our innovative aerosol solu-

tions, including valves, actuators and inserts and, soon, BOVs and custom molding. Further, the new plant will support regional and multinational customers, as well as contract fillers headquartered in the vibrant Turkish market and, eventually, throughout the region.” This latest Lindal Group expansion is part of the company’s strategy for delivering profitable, sustainable growth through superior customer service. Similarly, the recent openings of Lindal’s Global Innovation Centre in Briey, its new Itupeva, Brazil expansion, and recent investments in Mexican operations, are further examples of the company’s customer-first focus, Brand said. “Our new Turkish facility will enhance supply chain efficiencies and provide superior product quality, service and support needed to help our customers meet their goals,” added Bernd Wucherpfennig, general manager, Lindal Turkey Paketleme Ltd. Şti. “In addition, we are very happy that Uenal Varol, with his enormous experience in filling and BOV production, joined LINDAL Turkey this year. “Our Turkish facility is a strategic addition that ensures our place in this increasingly important market, where East literally meets West,” he said. The LINDAL Group develops and manufactures valves, actuators and spray caps for aerosol products used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food applications. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62122

Romaco Purchases Innojet Herbert Hüttlin R

omaco Group has finalised the acquisition of Innojet Herbert Hüttlin, meaning it will now be able to provide engineering solutions for the entire chain for manufacturing and packing pharmaceutical solids. With effect from 12.02.2015 Innojet – until now an owner managed firm based in German Steinen – will become a wholly owned company of the Romaco Group under the new name Romaco Innojet GmbH. The management responsibility of Romaco Innojet GmbH will be shared by Paulo Alexandre (CEO Romaco Group), Carsten Strenger (COO/CFO Romaco Group) and Dr. h.c. Herbert Hüttlin. Dr. h.c. Hüttlin will thus continue to support the Romaco Group in a managerial and advisory capacity. Through its acquisition of Innojet Herbert Hüttlin, Romaco will become the only supplier of high-tech engineering solutions in the world with a product portfolio spanning the entire process chain for manufacturing and packing pharmaceutical solids. In future, Romaco will be in a position to offer integrated concepts for several key technologies: granulation, tableting, coating and primary, secondary and final packaging. “Thanks to the synergetic effects of our Romaco product lines – Innojet, Kilian, Noack, Siebler, Promatic and Macofar – we can serve our customers with innovative, all-in-one solutions for which there is presently no comparable alternative in the market”, emphasised Paulo Alexandre, CEO Romaco Group. Innojet Herbert Hüttlin e.K. was established by Dr. h.c. Herbert Hüttlin in 1997 and currently employs fifty-five staff. In the 2014 fiscal year the company reported sales of approximately eight million euros. It is grounded in the tradition of Hüttlin Entwicklungs- und Verfahrenstechnik, which was set up by Dr. h.c. Hüttlin in 1971. Sound know-how in processing technologies and facility construction still shapes the firm’s technology strategy to this day. Innojet develops, designs and delivers solutions for granulating and coating solids in the pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries on the basis of an innovative product handling concept. Its portfolio includes numerous patented systems and functional components for processing tablets, pellets and pow| 14 | Packaging Europe

ders. The combination of high process quality and low costs is a convincing argument for users all over the world. “Innojet will be able to extend its international reach enormously as a result of its integration in Romaco’s worldwide network of sales partners and agents”, explained Dr. h.c. Herbert Hüttlin, founder and vendor of Innojet Herbert Hüttlin. “As an equal entity within the Romaco organisation, Innojet will be optimally placed to leverage the full, unique potential of its technologies.” “Our stated objective is to help Innojet make the transition to the industrialisation phase following several years in which products have been successfully developed and marketed”, commented Wolf-Dieter Baumann, Chairman of the Board of IPPT GmbH, the Romaco Group holding company. “The acquisition of Innojet will strengthen Romaco’s position as a single-source supplier of engineering concepts.” “Innojet fits in perfectly with the Romaco Group’s new business model, which puts users’ specific business cases at the forefront as a starting point for totally customer focused solutions under the heading ‘Beyond Technology’ ”, added Paulo Alexandre, CEO of the Romaco Group. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62112

Business News Omron Partners with Domino Printing Sciences A

utomation specialist Omron has joined forces with Domino Printing Services, as part of Domino’s i-Tech Partner Programme, to assist manufacturers with the alignment of their printing and vision systems. Focusing initially on the pharmaceutical sector, where impending legislation will require a new level of rigour in coding, marking and verification operations, the partnership will ultimately offer benefits to Domino and Omron customers across a range of industries. Omron will team with Domino to deliver proven technology to meet pharmaceutical quality standards for legislation such as the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), set to be in place by 2018. For manufacturers who are purchasing their own components for packaging lines to comply with the upcoming FMD legislation, Domino and Omron will provide printing and vision equipment that is guaranteed to integrate with them, and offer tangible benefits to operating efficiency. A key advantage of the partnership is the experience both companies have in other sectors, where solutions offer significant print speed advantages and code reading stability. These advantages are an important factor for manufacturers as they tackle one of the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest challenges yet – moving from batch code to individual pack code serialisation. ‘Our partnership with Domino means that we can provide tested and proven technology to our mutual customers,’ said Gunnar Bischoff, business model and industry marketing for Omron. ‘Our partnership goes beyond products – it provides reassurance to our customers that Domino’s printers and our automation and inspection systems can be integrated into the same applications.’ Craig Stobie, Head of the Global Life Sciences team at Domino, said: ‘Our printing technology alongside Omron’s market leading vision and automation expertise will be of great benefit to pharmaceutical manufacturers. When many vision partners are focused on data management, it is great to have a partner experienced in the pharmaceutical sector who is focused purely on vision for quality purposes. ‘When developing a custom-built solution as the FMD legislation date edges closer, manufacturers need to know that the components they are using work well together and will help to smooth out the process of upgrading. Our partnership with Omron aims to give this assurance.’ Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62118

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New Generation Pallet Wrapping Machine H

aloila, part of the Signode Industrial Group, has introduced a new generation automatic stretch wrapping machine. Built on the proven Octopus ring technology, and named as Octopus GP, the new machine features a global platform with several technological innovations for operation, maintenance and safety. Improved energy efficiency, Easy Load S-carriage for fast film loading and State-of-the-art operating experience with the OctoFACE human machine interface (HMI) are said to result in a superior pallet wrapping experience. “The new Octopus GP is a result of a long research and development work. As we are committed to understand our customers’ needs more thoroughly, we analysed their feedback and combined that with our own, over 30 years of experience of manufacturing automatic stretch wrapping machines. The new Octopus GP offers several benefits and enables more cost-efficient, safer and reliable operation for our customers’ packaging lines. It enables increased layout flexibility and gives clear savings in total cost of ownership by energy savings and minimized downtime. The operation is extremely easy, as the OctoFACE HMI guides the user with visual instructions by using the Point-to-Point technology, and for instance the film loading is very easy with our new Easy Load S-carriage.” explains Jari Paavola, MD of Haloila. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62127

MAP Technology Supports Industry 4.0 Initiatives D

ansensor, a MOCON company, has engineered gas mixers and in-line gas analysers to help food processors meet their Industry 4.0 objectives, a technology it will be demonstrating at Anuga FoodTec. Industry 4.0 or the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ refers to industrial computerisation to produce intelligent manufacturing processes with a high degree of automation, continuous process monitoring and high levels of quality assurance. The concept was introduced in Germany in 2011 and has been gaining traction across Europe. It is expected to be one of the focal points at this year’s Anuga trade fair. Dansensor’s latest modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) gas-mixing technology and in-line gas analysers have been engineered to support those processors moving towards intelligent processing. Similarly, the gas mixture entering the packaging line can be continuously monitored by Dansensor’s MAP Check 3 in-line gas analyser. The MAP Check 3 ensures that a preset target for the gas content target is achieved, resulting in stable production. If for some reasons the analyser is not able to reach the target, it will alert the operator, and if necessary, stop the line. In the context of Industry 4.0, the MAP Mix Provectus and the MAP Check 3 can operate in tandem and can communicate electronically. If the MAP Check 3 detects that the mixture is falling outside the predetermined limits, it can instruct the MAP Mix Provectus to alter the gas flow rate accordingly. This restores the required gas flushing levels within the packing chamber. Both machines can also communicate with external IT systems for data logging and control. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62157 | 16 | Packaging Europe

Award for RKW Film Innovation R

KW was among the winners of the February’s World Ag Expo, which was held in Tulare, California. A committee of experts awarded the RKW Group for their film innovation Polydress® O2 Barrier 2IN1, which is a combination of a silage and vacuum film and features a six-to-ten times improved oxygen barrier. Overall, the jury, which consisted of in-dustry experts, agriculturalists, and stock-breeders, selected a total of 10 product innovations for this year’s World Ag Expo. Polydress® O2 Barrier 2IN1 is the first product worldwide that combines a polyethylene silage film with a polyamide vacuum film. This enables a silo to be covered in one work step – the effort required is therefore significantly lower than with standard silage films. Beginning with the cover-age process, the film innovation attaches to the silage. Through the ab-sorption of ambient moisture, the vacuum film independently separates from the silage film after a few days and clings to the silage’s surface. Moreover, during the manufacturing of Polydress® O2 Barrier 2IN1 40 per cent less raw materials are required and 50 per cent less packaging material is produced, resulting in an important contribution to environmental protection and to lower disposal costs. Due to its special barrier characteristics, the polyamide vacuum film with its six-to-ten times improved oxygen barrier significantly reduces the ingress of oxygen into the fodder stock. In turn, this results in a low level of fermentation loss and minimises the formation of mould, thereby ensuring that the quality of the silage is retained. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/news/62189

Innovation NEws

Pack for Perfection with Rfresh® Elite from LINPAC Packaging One of the major challenges facing today’s modern food supply chain is ensuring that pre-packed fresh protein products arrive on the supermarket shelf in pristine condition. Consumers are quite rightly demanding and want fresh, perfectly presented products at all times. However, worrying news is emerging that recent research in the UK has shown that an increasing number of packs are leaking across the sliced meats, poultry and red meat categories. This issue was also highlighted in the recent campylobacter studies carried out by the FSA.

eaking occurs when packs have not been completely sealed during the packing process or damaged in transit. The original modified atmosphere within the pack escapes making the pack unsalable and potentially hazardous from a health and hygiene perspective, particularly when potentially contaminated poultry juices escape. Of course this adds to the ever-increasing food waste problem across the supply chain. LINPAC Packaging, one of the first companies in the world to offer modified atmosphere packaging, has developed a new innovative ‘super-strength’ tray sealing solution, which dramatically reduces the incidence of ‘leakers’ reaching supermarket shelves. Rfresh® Elite trays are manufactured from up to 95% post consumer recycled PET. The packs have a patented flange sealant applied for film lid sealing, rather than the traditional method of laminating PE film to the base of the tray. The arrival of this tray has been heralded a technological breakthrough in the industry and has already scooped an impressive four awards across Europe including the prestigious Pack the Future award at Interpack in 2014. Originally designed to meet the environmental concerns of retailers and consumers for lighter weight, recyclable protein trays, the Rfresh Elite solution produces a high quality looking pack, which also offers multiple benefits to the

packer through highly efficient secure packing. The innovative sealant technology facilitates the reduction of sealing temperatures and dwell times enabling packers to increase their operational efficiency and throughput, reducing their overall production costs. In addition, this novel solution increases the burst strength of packs by up to 28% in factory tests and is easily detected by the human eye, unlike traditional tray sealing methods. Therefore any tray not fully sealed during the packing process is quickly and easily identified and removed from the line for re-packing, before it leaves the pack house. Similarly a quick visual check by the retailer, prior to loading the supermarket shelf, can ensure that each pack on sale is completely safe and secure. Anthony Debus, Protein Sales Director of LINPAC UK, comments: “I’m working with many packers across the poultry and red meat sector on improving the hygiene and security of packs in view of the recent health scares. The industry and its suppliers are taking the situation extremely seriously and Rfresh Elite is a really effective solution to minimising the risk of leakers, identified by the FSA.” For further information about Rfresh® Elite or any other LINPAC Product please contact info@linpacpackaging.com or visit www.linpacpackaging.com

Packaging Europe | 17 |

Innovation NEws Maximising Yield, Performance & Sustainability T

he GEA Food Solutions equipment on the GEA stand at Anuga FoodTec reflects the company’s commitment to maximising its customers’ yield, operational performance and sustainability. Machines representing the preparation, marination, processing, slicing and packaging activities are on the stand, including a slicing/ packaging line. There is a world premiere: the latest evolution of the market-leading 280 mm grinder with a huge capacity increase for frozen meat blocks. As Anuga FoodTec covers the whole food and beverage industry, it is an ideal showcase for all GEA’s mechanical equipment, process engineering and refrigeration products. The GEA Food Solutions equipment occupy one complete side of the 1500 square meter stand and in addition to the slicing/packaging line for cheese, ham or sausage products and high-capacity grinder, also include a multi-functional brine injector and a continuous motion vertical packaging machine with ultrasonic sealing.

The slicing/packaging line is configured around the GEA MegaSlicer and GEA PowerPak thermoformer, a perfectly balanced set-up for medium-sized sliced product manufacturers. This slicer handles boiled and dry-cured ham, bacon, sausage (including soft boiled types), cheese and vegan specialties, and features innovative ‘idle cut’ rotor technology to eliminate slivers. It is speed and performance-matched to the GEA PowerPak, which benefits from the same advanced hygienic design and proven thermoformer technology as the larger PowerPak version, but in a format that is optimised for medium- to high capacity. The thermoformer features a maintenance-free, lowwear membrane sealing system that does not require cylinders or pressure hoses that can suffer from leaks. The membrane sealing system uses a gentle process that builds up pressure quickly and reproducibly, guaranteeing a 100 per cent seal and reliable peel-opening even with large-format tools that have many sub-divisions. The PowerPak also incorporates a split sealing bridge, servos for lifting in forming and sealing station and cross punches, and a GEA TiroLabel unit with ‘no product / no label’ detection that detects an empty pack and does not label it. The line is running new GEA Slicing & Packaging Line Control software that simplifies handling. This software allows recipe selection and program selection from every machine in the line as well as de-centralised line-start/-stop and infeed-start/-stop. Up to six machines can be integrated and status information for each machine is visualised and logged. Any recipe change on thermoformer automatically loads the appropriate labeller/end-of-line recipes so all GEA machines in the line are always synchronised. GEA has three lane convergers that can be controlled from the thermoformer: the GEA PowerPick that guarantees uniform pack spacing and identifies and expels empty packs; the GEA EasyGuide intelligent outfeed system that dispatches packs from up to six lanes to a single line with even spacing at up to 70 packs per

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minute; and the fully automatic GEA PowerGuide multi-indexing converging system that converges up to six lanes to one at up to 100 packs per minute. The new GEA EasyCheck is a compact weighing system with built-in metal detector that checks and filters out products in compliance with HACCP, IFS, BRC and other relevant standards. It is the result of a cooperation with BIZERBA, a market leader in industrial and retail weighing systems with 150 years’ experience in the industry. The GEA EasyCheck is available in combination with the GEA lane convergers and is integrated into GEA End-of-Line control. Throughput is up to 120 products per minute in the weight ranges 50 to 500 grams. The GEA SmartPacker CX400 is a continuous motion vertical packaging machine, and the example on the stand is configured with ultrasonic sealing, which is not only extremely reliable with grated cheese and fresh salad, but also allows the use of thinner, cost effective and more environmentally responsible packaging films. The GEA SmartPackers are widely used for bagging fresh and frozen products, meat, poultry, vegetables and potato products, and confectionery, and have been proven to deliver uptime in excess of 98 per cent. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62280

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Sedley Place Gets Hot and Spicy C

reative agency Sedley Place has created the launch identity for Woodland Radicle Brands’ newest brand Xilli, a spirit drink that ‘re-ignites Aztec traditions and flavours’. The cornerstone of the new identity is a design based on the ancient Aztec calendar stones with a sun god at the centre. The motif, which was especially drawn by the Sedley Place team, sits on the centre of the bottle. Under it sits the brand name drawn in a uniquely created script. Xilli (pronounced chilli) is a spirit infused with a blend of spicy cayenne peppers, hot habanero chillies and a generous dash of tequila. Steve Wilson, co-founder of Woodland Radicle Brands, said: “Xilli is launching into a well-established category, so it was important to create an identity that has stand out without alienating existing audiences. It also had to be authentic to the distinct flavours of the brand. Sedley Place’s creative concept achieved an effective and striking balance between all of these objectives.” Jason Barney, senior graphic designer at Sedley Place added: “The central motif was painstakingly drawn to give a contemporary craft feel to the bottle. From the colour palette to the logo script, the attention to detail was the magic bullet to maximise cut through on what’s essentially a minimalist bottle.” Xilli was seeded in bars as part of a soft launch, backed by an in-bar sampling push that featured Xilli Warriors with feathered headdresses and Aztec print skirts. Wilson adds: ‘The response has been brilliant, from style bars to high-energy accounts, including listings with LAB, Sketch, Peyote, Mode, Buddha Bar, Casa Negra and House of Wolf.’ Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62194

RPC: Twist-Up Offers the Best Solution T

he new Biotherm Skin Best Serum-in-Cream youth-protecting concentrate is combining convenience and on-shelf appeal in the Twist-Up airless dispenser from RPC Bramlage-Wiko. Skin Best offers both the efficacy of a serum and the caring comfort of a cream to create an innovative texture that helps skin appear smoother and more radiant and provides effective protection against external aggressions. The Twist-Up dispenser protects the product while providing consistent controlled dispensing and hygienic application. The upper part of the container twists to reveal the dispensing head and closes in the down position to avoid mess and unplanned doses. Eye-catching decoration has created an attractive and quality appearance on retail shelves. The upper body including the actuator features a metallised finish and the base incorporates a graduated green lacquering with white silk-screen lettering, both of which match other packs within the Biotherm range to maintain a strong family image. Twist-Up is being supplied for Biotherm Skin Best in 30ml and 50ml sizes, which are airline-friendly and can be carried in hand luggage. The standard portfolio range also includes a 20ml version. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com.News/62026 | 20 | Packaging Europe

Design News

BrandOpus Design Category Innovation FRijj Less Sugar AS

part of an ongoing relationship, BrandOpus has worked with FRijj, the UK’s number one flavoured milk brand from Dairy Crest, to launch FRijj Less Sugar. In response to changing consumer attitudes towards sugar quantities in soft drinks, FRijj have introduced reduced sugar alternatives to two of the most popular flavoured milk drinks within the wider FRijj range. These new FRijj milkshakes have been created with 40% less sugar (compared to standard strawberry and chocolate FRijj) and will be available in 471ml sized bottles in two flavour variants Choc-a-Chocolate and Seriously Strawberry. BrandOpus, who recently redesigned the wider FRijj portfolio, coupled the familiar colours consumers use to identify FRijj Choc-a Chocolate and Seriously Strawberry with blue shades to cue the lower sugar advantage of the new range. Laura Sheard, head of marketing, Dairy Drinks, comments: “FRijj is really excited to bring these reduced sugar variants to market. Our new products have 40% less sugar without compromising the full-on taste FRijj is renowned for, which is no mean feat. We are hugely proud of the work our development teams have delivered to achieve this. As a leading brand in the flavoured milk category, we are continually looking for opportunities to bring new and innovative products to market in line with the evolving needs of consumers. With sugar so hot on the agenda in recent months we have every confidence our new launch will resonate in the marketplace.” Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/61981 Packaging Europe | 21 |

Design News Seufert Shows Off Innovations S

eufert Transparente Verpackungen, the German transparent packaging specialist, exhibited its two latest product innovations at the Packaging Innovations in Birmingham in February. The first innovation is a promotional PET packaging with light effects, attracting customers’ attentions onto the presented product through visual and haptic effects. The second one, the ‘Dubuy-Box’, is a dynamic transparent packaging particularly interesting for presenting bottles and flacons in an elegant and lively way. By combining packaging made of a coloured, transparent PET film together with an LED module, Seufert has created a completely new type of presentation packaging for sparkling wine bottles. As soon as the promotional packaging is picked up and moved slightly, the approximately 80 light-points light up in a pre-set sequence of red, white and yellow. It has the shape of a sparkling wine cooler enclosing the bottle of sparkling wine. The black coloured film is printed using offset and silkscreen techniques. Finishing varnishes are applied to create haptic effects. The eye-catching design of the Dubuy-Box features three concave lenses on a triangular base around the bottle or flacon. This delivers the distinctive ‘ogive’ profile that can be transparent, opaque or coloured to best showcase the product to the customer. Die cut and easy to assemble without glue, due to an innovative tension-based closing, assembly is highly efficient. STV’s new bottle and flacon packaging can incorporate low migration inks and R-PET materials with up to 85% recycled material, delivering brand owners a genuinely sustainable and attractive packaging solution. Visit:www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62262

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Sustainability News

APP Welcomes Independent Evaluation A

sia Pulp & Paper (APP) has welcomed the Rainforest Alliance independent evaluation of its Forest Conservation Policy (FCP). The evaluation concludes that the company has made moderate progress towards meeting its commitments. The FCP was announced in February, marking an immediate end to natural forest clearance by APP’s pulpwood suppliers as well as a range of other measures. APP recognised that engaging the Rainforest Alliance, a credible international organisation, to evaluate its progress would provide a valuable perspective on its work as well as increase transparency. The evaluation report, which assesses the period between 5 February 2013 and 15 August 2014, provides a view of the company’s progress towards meeting each of the FCP’s four policy areas, as well as additional public statements that are relevant to the FCP. Aida Greenbury, APP’s managing director, sustainability, said: “The FCP is an unprecedented initiative – developed by APP, TFT and Greenpeace – to define a new standard and a new business model for achieving Zero Deforestation in the supply chain. We’re pleased that the Rainforest Alliance has recognised the progress we are making. We believe today’s report shows that our efforts to achieve Zero Deforestation are on the right track. “However, our FCP implementation measures are not carved in stone. We must have the courage to continually improve them as we learn lessons from implementation. The report has highlighted a number of areas which require additional focus. Its findings, along with feedback from other stakeholders, have been used to inform our FCP implementation plan for 2015 and beyond, which we are introducing today. “We also believe that an evaluation like this puts a global spotlight on the issues currently at play in Indonesia’s forests. Since 2013, we have been calling for other stakeholders to support us with our Zero Deforestation Policy because forest continues to be lost due to factors that, despite our efforts, we cannot completely control, such as encroachment, forest fires and illegal activities. Our hope is that this evaluation will raise awareness of forestry issues in Indonesia and prompt others, including government, NGOs and the private sector to collaborate more closely to help tackle the issues across the landscape.” Richard Donovan, Rainforest Alliance Senior Vice President of Forestry, said: “In 2013 APP set out an ambitious program for change. The Rainforest Alliance has found that APP has made moderate progress to implement the many commitments embedded in its FCP

during the 18 month period we evaluated. Key steps have been taken, such as halting the clearance of natural forest by its suppliers. As with any major change initiative there remains work to be done to put the policies and procedures that have been developed into action in the field. Rainforest Alliance encourages APP to continue on the path set out in the FCP.” Today’s FCP Implementation Plan includes the priorities for 2015 onwards, which draw upon Rainforest Alliance’s most significant findings. These are issues related to third party forest clearance, peatland best management practices as well as FPIC and social conflict resolution. The additional areas covered in the Implementation Plan are wildfire prevention and management; HCV Management and protection; workers’ rights and welfare; sustainable wood supply; landscape conservation initiative; and internal engagement. Elements of the plan will be subject to further consultation as APP continues to implement its Forest Conservation Policy over the coming months and years. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News/62017

Packaging Europe | 23 |

Diary

EVENTS

Personal Care & Homecare Ingredients Date: 12 - 14 March Visit: www.pchi-china.com/en

Propak East Africa Date: 17 - 19 March www.propakeastafrica.com

Anuga FoodTec

Date: 24 - 27 March Visit: www.anugafoodtec.com

Venue: Guangzhou, China

Venue: Nairobi, Kenya

PLAST 2015 Venue: Köln, Germany

GulfCan Conference

Date: 14 - 16 April Venue: Dubai, UAE Visit: www.worldcanconferences.com/gulfcan

SinoCorrugated 2015 Date: 14 - 17 April Visit: www.sino-corrugated.com

Plast 2015

Date: 5 - 9 May Visit: www.plastonline.org

IPACK-IMA

Date: 19 - 23 May Visit: www.ipack-ima.it

Venue: Shanghai, China

Venue: Milano, Italy

EuPC Annual Meeting Date: 20 - 21 May Visit: www.plasticsconverters.eu

ACHEMA

Date: 15 - 19 May Visit: www.achema.de

Venue: Warsaw, Poland

Venue: Frankfurt-am, Germany

Plastics Packaging Show

Date: 16 - 17 June Venue: Telford, UK Visit: www.plasticspackagingshow.com

Fachpack

Date: 29 September - 1 October Visit: www.fachpack.de

Labelexpo Europe Date: 29 September - 2 October Visit: www.labelexpo-europe.com | 24 | Packaging Europe

Venue: Nürnberg, Germany

Venue: Brussels, Belgium

onths before its opening, the International Plastics and Rubber Fair PLAST 2015 has reported that the number of confirmed exhibitors has already exceeded 1200 (a 3.9% increase on the last expo three years ago), while applications continue to flood in. The Fair is taking place at a particularly important moment for Italy, and especially for Milan. PLAST 2015 will take place on 5-9 May, just after the inauguration of EXPO 2015 (1 May - 31 October 2015), which is within walking distance of PLAST at the Fiera Milano fairgrounds in Rho. This overlap has led to expectations by operators of higher visitor flows, producing a positive outcome for business. A number of new features and initiatives have been developed precisely to facilitate the circulation of visitors from EXPO to PLAST: Expo ticket holders will be entitled to free admission to PLAST 2015. All they have to do is register at one of the Fiera Milano reception desks at the entrance to the Fair. Furthermore, all visitors who preregister on the PLAST 2015 website (provided they are not exhibitors, co-exhibitors or employees of exhibitors) before 15 March 2015 will also be granted free admission to PLAST. The preregistration period has been extended for one month with respect to the previous edition to maximise the possibilities for free admission to PLAST 2015. Exhibitors also have the option of purchasing tickets for their customers, allowing them to enter through the special fast lane without needing to convert their tickets. Additionally, given the importance of foreign markets for this sector and as a way to strengthen the international character of the Fair, the PLAST 2015 organisational office is in contact with the embassies of the countries that will be participating in EXPO to explore the possibility of including businesspeople from the plastics and rubber industry in their delegations, who will be populating the Universal Exposition precisely during the first days of May. PLAST 2015 also offers the opportunity to take part in any of a large number of conferences that will address themes of relevance to the industry. Of particular importance among the scheduled events: the Inaugural Convention, which will also feature the ceremony to name the winners of the Plastic Technologies Award; the ‘Virtual Models and 3-D Printing for Advanced Materials’ conference, a technology that will have its own satellite fair during PLAST 2015; and most significantly, ‘Innovation, Safety and Sustainability in Plastic Food Packaging’, a conference closely in line with the theme of Expo Milano 2015: ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’. The PLAST 2015 website is constantly updated with the many initiatives that continue to be developed. The program of associated events will also soon be ready, including a large number of conferences held by exhibitors. Visit: www.plastonline.org

Packaging Europe | 25 |

EVENTS

IPACK-IMA: Six Complementary Exhibitions in One Event I

PACK-IMA 2015 returns to Milan on 19-23 May with a new format. Italy’s leading exhibition for processing and packaging technology will be held in conjunction with Meat-Tech, Processing & Packaging for the Meat Industry, the new highly specialized international event for the meat business community, Fruit Innovation - powered by Fiera Milano and IPACK-IMA - showcasing technology and products innovation in the fruit and vegetable industry, Dairytech, the first exhibition for the processing and packaging of the dairy industry, Converflex, specialising in package printing and converting technology. In addition, the industry of logistics and material handling technology will also be represented at Intralogistica Italia debuting with its first edition in Italy as a result of an important agreement between Ipack-Ima and Deutsche Messe. The joint staging of six among the world’s most important international trade shows ensures perfect synergy between different industry sectors and provides unparalleled value for all companies involved and for all industry players through the exhaustiveness and exceptional business potential of the event: it is a one-of-a-kind show attracting over 2,500 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors with its co-location with the Expo 2015.

Big Events for Liquid Filling Technology Sector on IPACK-IMA Agenda Special attention will be focused on the technology employed in the preparation, filling and distribution of food and non-food liquids. IPACK-IMA is a key player in developments in this specific industrial sector, not only through its organization of trade exhibitions but also as a result of its promotion of a specific culture within the sector. During the exhibition the first edition of the important International conference “LIFILL” is to be held, bringing together researchers and professionals involved in the management and distribution of liquids, and offering them the opportunity to share their knowledge and ideas. | 26 | Packaging Europe

An important concept underlying the two events is that the filling process, which is a key aspect of any manufacturing or packaging process, becomes of critical importance in the case of liquids, and as such cannot be underestimated or ignored. The technology behind the preparation, filling and distribution of liquids for both food and non-food products is of vital importance for a variety of different reasons, ranging from the physical properties of chemical liquids, to the marketing requirements of the finished products. Visit: www.ipack-ima.com

Packaging Europe | 27 |

EVENTS

ACHEMA: Evergreens and Hot Topics T

he countdown is on: from 15 to 19 June 2015 Frankfurt am Main will open its doors to ACHEMA 2015. Over 3100 exhibitors have already registered but, as in 2012, the organisers anticipate around 3800. Already a clear trend is emerging: besides the three focal themes BiobasedWorld, Innovative Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and Industrial Water Management, the hot topics of the world forum of the process industry are energy efficiency, materials and materials testing, and safety technology. The number of papers submitted for the congress in these areas is gratifyingly high. In terms of exhibition groups, first and foremost there has been the traditionally keen interest in Instrumentation, Control and Automation Techniques, Mechanical Processes, Laboratory and Analytical Techniques, while to meet the unprecedented demand, additional space has already had to be mobilised for Pharmaceutical, Packaging and Storage Techniques. Thus, ACHEMA reflects the overall trends in its core sectors like machinery and plant engineering and the chemical industry which, despite a turbulent international business environment, are proving to be surprisingly resilient. Particularly on an international level, these sectors are hard-wired for growth: The shale gas bonanza in the USA and the unwaning industrial growth of India and China are reflected in the number of exhibitors. On the other hand, many exhibitors from European countries like Spain and Great Britain are set to benefit from the opportunity to present themselves to an international audience.

Cross-sectoral focal themes The decision not to reserve a separate exhibition area for the three focal themes BiobasedWorld, Process Analytical Technology (PATand Industrial Water Management was deliberate. “What distinguishes focal themes is that they impact and shake up the process industry as a whole”, explains Dr. Thomas Scheuring, CEO of DECHEMA AusstellungsGmbH. “The development of new technologies and solutions thrives on the interplay of different sectors and disciplines.” Consequently, the exhibitors involved in these themes can be found in very diverse areas. This holds for industrial water management and similarly for PAT which encompasses not only suppliers of laboratory equipment but also of process control systems. BiobasedWorld is a striking example of the cross-sectoral nature of the focal themes: in the biobased economy the spectrum ranges from process development to sensors, from suppliers of stainless steel fermenters to processors of biobased packaging materials. For quick orientation, visitors interested in a particular focal topic will find themed publications | 28 | Packaging Europe

with tours which will be available either in the ACHEMA app or as a print version in the run-up to ACHEMA. In addition, signs in the halls and on the hall plans will make light work of finding one’s way around.

Another first at ACHEMA – the PRAXIS forums To promote the exchange of views between users and suppliers, the organisers have devised a range of new formats: the ACHEMA PRAXISforums, addressing topics such as Single-Use Technologies, Pharmaceutical Production, Components and Equipment, Mixing and Separation, Safety and Plant Control. New developments from practice will be introduced in mini-presentations in the direct vicinity of the exhibition halls concerned. This effectively shortens the distance between lecture areas and exhibition stands, enabling visitors with special interests to plan their visit to optimum advantage.

Congress programme Compared with previous events, this year’s conference programme has been drawn up with a view to streamlining it and avoiding scheduling thematically related sessions in parallel. Participants will be struck by the large number of guest and partner events. “Numerous requests from major national and international partners are a clear indication of ACHEMA’s reputation worldwide as a forum for researchers, developers and users,” comments Prof. Kurt Wagemann, Executive Director of DECHEMA e.V., the congress organiser. And last but not least, on four of the five days of the event there will be a panel discussion or plenary lecture on key themes like the implications of the shale-gas boom for the bioeconomy, future trends in chemical production, the impact of the energy turnaround, and developments in industrial water use. Visit: www.achema.de

Big interview

Packaging at the Tipping Point Tim Sykes caught up with Mike Richmond, VP, Packaging Technology Integrated Solutions, at HAVI Global Solutions shortly after Mike’s appearance at the Global Packaging Summit to discuss the collision of innovation, mass customisation and big data.

TS MR

You have picked out functionality and convenience as key drivers innovation in the future. What makes these so important?

There are so many significant things going on in packaging at the moment but functionality and convenience stand out in terms of offering the potential to enhance the consumer experience. Consumers today are increasingly buying not a product but an experience: things that deliver performance, such as easy opening, reclosing, portability, microwavability, etc. The major brand owners and CPGs are looking to these properties and the better margin opportunities they offer. New types of functionality offer the brand owner and consumer a kind of holistic tie-in that take a product to a new level. The ultimate goal is to delight the consumer through packaging. This could be achieved in so many ways, whether through aroma, a paper battery powering a talking package, a sensor that provides authentication, colour-changing, tactile properties. When you look at the value equation (defined as benefits over cost versus competition) these sorts of solutions make it possible to differentiate a brand from the competition, which is where you can achieve more margin. When you think of the evolution of reclosable packaging, remember when you used to buy grated cheese and have to open the pack with scissors? Then all of a sudden you had packs with zips that were easy to open and close, making the product more portable as well as convenient. In the US baby food market we are seeing all the big players move to adopt small, aseptic fitmented pouches. Another example I like is putting rubber on closures to make it much easier to open a jar with one hand. Dispensing closures are more and more popular – innovations that make it easier to get what you want with ease and that mean you don’t spill the product if you knock it over. We’re also seeing more use of canisters for their reliability and convenience, for example with products such as chewing gum.

Is it inevitable that in relatively saturated, developed markets there is limited scope to introduce totally new categories of product to the market, meaning that packaging is one of the only means for differentiation?

The rise of private label plays into this. If a brand owner spends all its money coming up with an innovation, a private label can quickly bring out something similar at a third less cost. One of the things we are seeing companies like Nestlé, Unilever and P&G buy into in response is ‘Packaging Brand DNA’. This is about trying to do much more with your package. It starts with identifying the essential cues that need to be communicated through the packaging: is it saying that the product is fresh, clean, fun, convenient? In the work we do with big brand owners the question we are asking is ‘What can we do to delight them?’ A great example are Mio water enhancer drops, which come in a small bottle, and is taking off fast in the US. It has a patented closure which meters the drops accurately, stays open when you open it and clicks tightly shut when you close it. It is a relatively expensive feature but testing revealed that consumers were delighted with the product: they love the closure and how it clicks shut, giving them the confidence they can carry it in their purse without any leaks. So it is clear that adding experience is adding value. In fact, P&G have recently developed a new closure for their Mr Clean detergent (known as Mr Proper in Germany) and for the first time in their history they have made a whole commercial which talks exclusively about the functionality and convenience of the packaging. I think we are going to see a lot more of this use of packaging to take a brand to the next level.

You alluded to the emergence of private label as a factor pushing brand owners to invest more in packaging. Is there a possibility that this is merely fuelling an arms race in which private label products look to adopt the same sorts of packaging innovations as their branded competitors?

I think the answer is yes, there’s a kind of yin and yang relationship going on. The brand owners and large CPGs have increasingly shifted their business models away from manufacturing towards innovation and marketing. As a result there are more and more contract manufacturers operating in this space. It makes the CPGs more asset Packaging Europe | 29 |

light, which is great for finances: rather than investing in new equipment they can go to a co-packer. The problem that is beginning to dawn on them is that they are teaching contract manufacturers how to make their product - and of course retailers can go to the same manufacturers to get the same quality of product and packaging. So this is a challenge for brand owners. It comes back to the question of Packaging Brand DNA and looking how to differentiate yourself. Guido Schmidt, head of packaging and technology innovation at Bayer, recently told me they look to come up with innovations that give them a lead of at least two years over private label. Nestlé, meanwhile, are putting a lot of work into ensuring they produce packaging that is convenient to seniors, whether through openability, font or pack size.

TS MR

Over the last two or three years we have seen more and more novel ideas in the area of mass customisation. Do you foresee limits to how far this will go?

I don’t see any limits. It is going to continue to grow. The idea of mass customisation arose in 2004 but at the time it was not ready. Since then a lot has changed. The rise of digital and 3D printing. There are new value chains and we are moving goods faster. Amazon is offering one-day delivery. There are all sorts of technologies that are coming of age. Then you add the capabilities of big data, which offer possibilities to apply these technologies in new ways. For instance, big data can help analyse the various circumstances around a particular event like a football match. It can factor in the score, the attendance, transport information, the weather, then work out the number of wraps that need to be produced and print them with a customised message relating to the result of the match. And you can do the same thing for the next match twenty miles down the road. All of this is already possible and it is only going to get easier as more technologies and components come together. We are at the early tipping point. For me one of the really interesting things at interpack last year was seeing the growth in slower running but more versatile equipment, for example a machine with the ability to produce pouches with or without fitment, in different shapes, with or without zip closures. I was talking to someone at Multivac who said that a lot of customers have switched from buying one machine at 300/minute to three machines running at 100/minute.

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One of the trends driving this is the push for local goods. In the US as a response to the rise of microbrewers we are seeing the emergence of mobile canners. A small brewer doesn’t have to invest in packaging machinery because a truck can simply drive up and bottle the product. That’s another example of how we can do things quicker and smarter than before. I was talking to a guy from Coca-Cola who is responsible for looking at the supply chain in 2020. He had calculated that digital printing by 2020 will be cheaper than conventional printing is now. Once you get those sorts of numbers there is no limit to the marketing possibilities. All of the advances made in science and technology are pushing towards mass customisation.

TS MR

How is big data being used in packaging right now and how much further can it be leveraged?

We are told that 90 per cent of all the data ever created derives from the last two years. When so much information exists the big task is being able to mining it in a smart way. Deloitte has conducted a study which found that there are five primary levels of data and that at the moment the large CPGs are only at level two. Learning to put together more data will present many new opportunities. Right now we use big data for managing things such as the McDonald’s demand chain for wraps on an individual restaurant basis. This can take into account whether schools are in session, whether there are roadworks keeping people from getting to the restaurant, the weather forecasts, the demographics of the neighbourhood, etc. One of the key points is that you can run lots more promotions targeting smaller groups at the right time. This brings us back to our first topic of value-added convenience, for which consumers are willing to pay a little bit more.

TS MR

In this scenario packaging, aside from its traditional functions, turns into a medium for delivering content…

Absolutely. Going back to the football example, if the souvenir cup has the winning score printed on it, fans are likely to keep it after the match and reuse the cup, including the branding messages, at home. So the packaging can go further than before in terms of loyalty and brand building.

Big interview

TS MR

In what ways do you think mobile technologies will contribute to the technological revolutions going on in packaging at the moment?

One of the areas we’ll see growth is consumers using crowdsourcing to share information and opinions about packaged goods. Another area is feeding consumer insights back to CPGs more quickly and cheaply than before, helping them do better testing and research. Another prospect is using near field communication to have the package talking to you as walk past the shelf. There will be all sorts of developments as sensor technologies, etc. evolve. Augmented reality is also being used to create novel effects, for example seeing a band play if you point your device at a snack package. At Microsoft’s retail experience centre I saw clever use of AR that revolved around ‘trying on’ different virtual clothes.

There is the further possibility of tying in the use of mobile technologies with the kind of mass-customisation we have been discussing, isn’t there? For instance, with a mobile device you could have that souvenir football cup springing to life and showing video of the winning goal…

When you put all of these different technological advances together almost anything is possible. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing. In fact, there are so many things going on in packaging right now, so many tipping points, that it is a real challenge to work out which opportunities to invest in. There are too many places to go, meaning companies need to work out the right things for them to focus on. There are risks involved with making the wrong choices. Foresight is key. Our Future of Packaging work, which we carry out every three years, brings together our best packaging and technology thinking with experts from Leading Futurists. First we try to envisage general future changes, then apply those lessons to the implications for packaging. With so many things happening in packaging a company needs to carefully align its strategy. The task is to work out the smartest places to play in order to build the right packaging portfolio that minimises risk and maximises opportunity. Packaging Europe | 31 |

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Packaging Europe | 33 |

All-Seeing X-Ray Fierce competition across all sectors of the food industry means manufacturers need to maximise production throughput and efficiencies. At the same time, it is absolutely vital that the highest standards of product quality are implemented in order to maintain brand image and loyalty, and to secure valuable retail shelf space, according to Mitesh Parmar, product manager, X-ray, at Ishida Europe.

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INSPECTION

qually true, a product recall for any sort of quality or contamination problem is not only extremely damaging in terms of loss of consumer confidence and reputation, the financial implications – including heavy retailer fines – can also be immense. Companies are therefore increasingly taking a pro-active approach to quality control, putting in place systems that ensure that any potential quality or safety issues are swiftly identified and dealt with before goods leave the factory.

Versatility In these circumstances, X-ray technology is becoming particularly popular not only thanks to its versatility in identifying food contaminants but also for its ability to carry out an extensive series of quality control inspections. X-ray inspection picks up inconsistencies in materials, in a pack, or in a flow of product passing a given point. It can detect pieces of bone, shell, stone and glass and metals such as iron, steel, stainless steel and aluminium, as well as many hard rubber and many plastics, such as nylon, PVC and Teflon. The different contaminants X-ray can spot makes the technology more versatile than metal detectors. The technology works by shining an X-ray beam through the item to be inspected. A photodiode array on the other side of the item picks up the radiation that gets through. The photodiodes give out a voltage/signal depending on the level of X-ray that they detect which is then converted into a greyscale image that can be easily saved. If items (contaminants) are present which are denser than the product, these will show up as darker patches, where less X-ray radiation was able to get through. Voids and fissures will show up as lighter, as more radiation is able to penetrate. The system can be set to automatically reject items that have either type of defect. The minimum size of particle that can be detected varies from one material to another, depending on the size, shape and the type of packaging, and it is also affected by the sensitivity of the installed X-ray system. Ishida X-ray machines, for example, can detect impurities down to 0.3mm in size. Another benefit is that X-ray systems can work undeterred in even the harshest of environments, such as humid and wet atmospheres and extreme hot and cold temperatures. Foreign bodies can be detected through aluminium foil and also in tins, regardless of the temperature or the salt and water content of the product. The machines can also handle top sealed and thermoformed trays and flexible bags as well as unpacked product. However, product quality is about far more than contaminants in a pack. Poor presentation, non-uniform product or incomplete packs can be equally damaging to brand reputation. This is where the versatility of X-ray is a major benefit. The technology can detect voids or gas bubbles, and broken, undersized or missing items in packs, be that six biscuit bars instead of seven or a row of ice lollies with one wooden stick missing; it can spot deformed product, for example a beef burger that has not been formed properly, and packaging, such as a dented tin. Under-filled compartments in ready meals, product with cracks or fissures, grains stuck together in powdered products and missing metal clips are further examples of other imperfections that can be detected.

Additional quality control applications include product grading by length (e.g. sausages), monitoring the fat content in meat products and packs, and checking the presence of bottle caps and fill-levels. X-ray can also carry out effective weight estimates and checks. And one of its advantages in this area against a more traditional check using a checkweigher is its ability to spot a problem which weighing alone could not detect. For example, if a pack is supposed to contain four pieces of meat of approximately the same weight but one piece is considerably over weight and one considerably under, then the total weight of the pack may still be correct but the end-consumer will not be satisfied with the overall pack contents.

Traceability Another major benefit of X-ray is its ability to offer full traceability – for example, in the event of a complaint, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or other data systems linked to X-ray inspection and labelling can enable retrieval of the X-ray image of a particular pack, establishing beyond doubt whether or not it contained a contaminant or showed a quality issue such as a missing item. Choosing the best X-ray system will depend on the requirements of each company and its customers but in terms of consistency of detection the right level of sensitivity is essential. Companies therefore need to set levels (i.e. minimum particle sizes) for the contaminants that they most need to guard against. Size is another important consideration. Any system has to deliver an inspection beam that will accommodate the largest products routinely produced on the line. Dual sensor machines, which examine the transmitted X-rays at two different energy levels, can deliver greater sensitivity. This technology can also be used to analyse fat levels in meat, but is expensive and is not always suitable for smaller products. Similarly, twin beam models, which examine the product from two different angles, can increase detection power in certain types of products, but at considerable cost. Alternatively, such extras can often be delivered by clever software, which means the cost over and above the most basic machines is not greatly increased. These include increased sensitivity, achieved by processing the image using special algorithms. Counting software keeps track automatically of the number of pieces in each product, while weighing software estimates product or piece weight. Since operator time is an important cost factor, it is equally essential that the chosen X-ray system is user-friendly. This means that the interface is easy to learn and use and that there are no lengthy set-up or calibration procedures. In particular, some systems allow ‘fine tuning’ to make them more sensitive to specific, expected contaminants. It is very important that such features can be readily mastered and quickly adjusted by the operator. X-ray systems are extremely versatile in terms of their capabilities and the different levels of monitoring and inspection that they offer. In this way they provide a wide range of solutions for effective quality control. Tailoring a system to precise requirements will help protect the reputation of a company and its brands. Packaging Europe | 35 |

Why is Metal Still the Biggest Food Contaminant? Metal remains the biggest and most likely contaminant risk within a food processing and packing plant today. But why is that? In the raw ingredient phase, food is exposed to different processes – from cutting meat, filleting fish, grinding spice or mixing dry and wet baking ingredients. Later down the line, you may be cutting larger quantities into more convenient single service portions or preparing ready-cut vegetables, again introducing a possible metal contaminant into the food supply chain – writes Sarah Ketchin, managing director, Fortress Technology.

Sarah Ketchin, managing director, Fortress Technology

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he rapid increase in automation uptake on processing lines has also had an effect too. Using equipment to improve efficiencies and in some situations product costs, the need for sufficient checks and preventative maintenance practices becomes mandatory. Previously a team of manual operators would visually inspect wear of machine parts and wire mesh from sieves for example, yet with fewer manual workers on a line the risk of metal contaminants increases. Installing a metal detection system is the first line of defence. However, it’s equally important to adopt joined up approach to quality assurance, ensuring proper procedures are in place for controlling rejects, as well as a fool-proof process to determine the source of any contaminants picked up. Equipped with this information, appropriate actions can be taken to protect against costly product recalls and damage to brand reputation. Food manufacturers are under greater pressure to adhere to increasingly stringent levels of compliance and third party audits, whilst also having to contend with an everchanging inspection market. And with constant pressure on the bottom line, coupled with food safety legislation, the challenges continue. Although today’s inspection and detection systems are good, it’s equally important to ensure it’s suited to the environment you are operating in. Do you, for example, require a certified washdown system in order to meet retailer’s hygiene standards? Unsurprisingly, food processors can feel overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of choices and food safety initiatives they have to contend with. As system suppliers, it’s our duty to assist manufacturers in anticipating future requirements and staying ahead of the curve. In line with our ‘ease of use’ philosophy, Fortress Technology has continuously developed equipment from the user’s perspective. Put frankly, if a food manufacturer is running a high-speed product line, they don’t really care how many megabytes per second the microprocessor inside is capable of handling. Customers simply want the detector to perform, rejecting contaminated product accurately, without incurring high levels of false rejects. At Fortress Technology, we design our equipment to do just that, without the operator requiring an engineering degree!

INSPECTION

Automating Britain’s food factories increases the risk of metal contaminants entering the food chain

Metal detection buyers guide top tips Whether you are looking to invest in a new metal detector or upgrading an existing system, here are some practical tips. First, don’t overlook testing procedures and record keeping. In food environments, testing requirements are getting increasingly complex. We advise running detection and rejection of test samples on an hourly basis, at the beginning of a product run or at a shift change, and whenever any settings are updated or changed (always check the industry standards and auditing requirements for testing frequency and procedure). As well as Ethernet, USB and wireless connectivity for easy data collection and HACCP compliance, Fortress’ Contact Communication Software communicates with all generations of Fortress digital metal detectors for simple an effective event logging and data collection. Secondly, ask about signal strength. The sensitivity of a detector is dependent on many factors: aperture size, operating frequency, product speed and environment. Most limiting is in fact conductive (wet) products which act like metal. ‘Product effect’ remains a challenge for all metal detectors, but over recent months there have been some sensitivity advancements. New FM software now effectively analyses and processes the signal from the product, resulting in a 40% sensitivity increase when inspecting challenging products. Thirdly, consider installing metal detectors at specific checkpoints along the manufacturing process. Leaving it until the end of the production line could result in high levels of false

rejects and unnecessary disposal of good product and packaging. An area survey prior to delivery and installation is always recommended. Auto-assessments are especially useful when system access and positioning or environmental conditions hinder testing. Fortress recently unveiled its revolutionary Halo technology – an automatic testing system which removes the risk of human error and workplace injury at critical control points, while complying with industry standards. Another step it to investigate system compatibility before making a new investment. Our ‘Never Obsolete Commitment’ is essentially a backward-compatibility programme which enables customers to upgrade any existing Fortress detector (even those built 15 years ago) to help food processors remain compliant. This saves money and carbon footprint. Finally, think about foil challenges. Generally speaking, metal detectors are capable of phasing out and running products packaged in laminate foils with a good level of sensitivity. However, pure aluminium foil, i.e. an oven ready tray, may be too challenging and a ferrous in foil detector would be recommended. Taking into account the various operational risks, food processors are advised to seek impartial and professional advice. At Fortress Technology, we’ve built our reputation on providing the highest standards of customer service in the industry. There are no set service ‘plans’ or ‘contracts’. Customers simply receive our best, most efficient response whenever help is required. Packaging Europe | 37 |

Corrugated Packaging Keeps Pace with Modern Living Jon Ernst, vice president & general manager EMEA Packaging, International Paper and newly appointed chairman of the FEFCO Market & Environment Committee, gives his views on how the corrugated industry is evolving to meet current and future challenges.

usy lives, unpredictable economic conditions and smaller households mean that people are making fewer big shopping visits and more trips to local discounters and convenience stores. They’re also letting their fingers do the walking by shopping online. Accordingly, there’s been a significant shift in the retail landscape: the growing numbers of smaller stores, the impact of discounters, the emergence of online shopping and the growth of grocery home deliveries are just some of the factors facing multiple retailers, e-retailers, manufacturers and packaging suppliers. It is clear that the corrugated packaging industry needs to continue to evolve rapidly in order to keep pace with these developments. It also has to keep pace with a number of other relevant factors such as the continuous need to reduce environmental impact and food waste, consumer demand for increased range, ever increasing brand differentiation and product personalisation, and the potential for increased consumer and supply chain interaction provided by the use of hand-held devices. Around 75 per cent of goods in Europe are transported in corrugated packaging and it has a fantastic record of displaying and selling at the point-of-sale, as well as delivering products to consumers in pristine condition. It is and will continue to be the number 1 solution for the transport, display and sale of products, for a number of important reasons:

Any size you like The surge in convenience shopping and consumer desire for increased range means there’s a requirement for smaller packs. This requirement is met by corrugated packaging’s ability to be made in any size, a benefit that also makes it the go-to solution for online retailers. Furthermore, adaptable pack sizes help reduce consumer food waste, enabling the sale of the range of portions needed for small or single households, as well as large households. | 38 | Packaging Europe

transit

Form follows function Retailers continue to focus on supply chain efficiencies, requiring transit packaging solutions that offer an easy shelf replenishment process; over time the collaboration between the corrugated industry, producers and retailers led to the development of Shelf Ready Packaging (SRP), and the so-called ‘five easies’ : packaging should be easy to identify (and therefore easily found, for instance, in the back of a supermarket), easy to open (physically easy and with clear instructions), easy to replenish and rotate on shelf, easy for the shopper to see, identify and access the product, and finally it should be easy to flatten and recycle. Corrugated packaging’s form is engineered to meet each required function and SRP provides significant cost savings. With canned foods for example, shelf-refill costs are a third lower for products displayed in SRP than individually. The success of corrugated SRP can be seen most clearly within the discounters. Over 90 per cent of discounters’ products use SRP, compared with only about 40 per cent of non-discounters. Corrugated SRP will continue to evolve with the development of features that allow products to be decanted onto shelf and innovations that ensure consistent front-facing of primary packs. The engineered functionality of corrugated packaging also allows brand owners to develop features that benefit consumers. One example was the cool box developed for bottled beers in conjunction with brewing company Miller. A specially developed waterresistant inner lining was designed to enable the take home pack to double up as an ice bucket in support of the beverage supplier’s Genuine Draft beer brand. Corrugated’s functionality helps reduce food waste and losses. The United Nations estimates that over a billion tonnes of food is wasted or lost globally every year. There is still significant food loss that occurs within the supply chain in high income countries. Corrugated is engineered to ensure protection of products as they pass through the supply chain. It has itself inherent cushioning qualities. Additionally, over the years many

features have been developed to provide further levels of protection. There are tabs and interlocking slots to maintain stability during transport. There are handles to make it easier to carry. There are vents to ensure the circulation of air around the product. Waterproofing techniques have been introduced, both by changing the physical structure of the board and using coatings, meaning that non-renewable solutions for products such as fish can increasingly be replaced by corrugated.

Resource Efficient Corrugated packaging is lightweight yet incredibly strong. It’s made from two sheets of paper glued to fluting material, a layer of paper formed into arches. These provide the strength and enable the lightweight construction important for efficient performance in the supply chain. Modern innovations, such as lightweight papers and new flutings, are offering extremely space-efficient packaging, especially when combined with corrugated’s ability to be tailored precisely to fit the products it carries. This means better use of pallets, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road. In a UK study corrugated packaging achieved the highest space efficiency - 91 to 98 per cent. Another study in Italy showed that 20 kg of oranges, transported from Catania to a family in Milan, will result in CO2 emissions from transport that are 34 per cent lower in corrugated packaging than a competing system. In Germany a review of the total value chain for the transport of tomatoes revealed that overall costs were 13 per cent lower in corrugated packaging than the main alternative. Corrugated packaging’s structure also allows for energy and cost efficient production for manufacturers. In the UK, a leading food manufacturer Premier Foods has reported impressive cost savings and increased productivity at a UK plant following an overhaul of transit and display packaging for its range of branded dried foods. Implementing a corrugated solution has resulted in a 50 per cent increase in throughput and big cost Packaging Europe | 39 |

transit

savings on secondary packaging materials by eliminating the need for additional plastic transit packaging. Corrugated packaging is made entirely from renewable material, is 100 per cent recyclable and 100 per cent biodegradable. As such it plays a vital role in the circular economy. As nations seek to meet the European directive of recycling 50 per cent of waste by 2020, the use and recycling of corrugated packaging is contributing significantly towards the achievement of that target. Corrugated is the highest recycled packaging material in Europe; 85 per cent of corrugated packaging is made from recycled fibre. Moreover where virgin fibre is used in the manufacturing process it comes from sustainable forests, where three trees are planted for every one harvested.

Talking with your customers Corrugated board is ideal for printing on. This gives the essential ability to carry branding but also to convey important technical supply chain information such as barcodes, date codes and information about provenance. It is the preferred material for promotional displays, able to carry printing of the highest standards required by products such as premium cosmetics or wines and spirits brands. The corrugated industry makes constant improvements in its ability to deliver high quality flexo and litho printing. But there is a new development; high-volume digital printing on corrugated board is now becoming a reality. This technology opens up wide new possibilities for maximising the use of corrugated board as a platform for producing targeted or customised packaging as well as communicating directly to consumers. At the same time, digital printing allows fuller use of new technologies such as QR codes and augmented reality (AR), enhancing the customer experience by making the packaging interactive and giving instant access to product, dietary and lifestyle information. One example: Prospective customers for LEGO can scan | 40 | Packaging Europe

the box and AR will bring the contents of the box to life on the screens of their hand held devices. And along complex supply chains, unique QR codes printed on packaging are helping to share data. In summary, the pace of change of consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives and developments within the business environment pose many challenges and opportunities. It is corrugated packagingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inherent adaptability, resource efficiency and its suitability as a communications medium that makes it an ideal packaging solution. Our industry will continue to collaborate with producers and retailers to ensure that it continues to meet their needs. This way corrugated packaging will remain the number one solution for the transport, display and sale of products for many years to come.

Materials

Material Innovations in Food Packaging Whether it’s in plastics, flexibles, metals or cartonboard there have been many advances in food packaging materials over the past year. As we shall see, these have been focused on some of the overriding industry trends including the continued need for lightweighting and shelf life extension. Victoria Hattersley looks at just some of the highlights.

ightweighting continues to be one of the overriding factors throughout the value chain – not just in material development but for packaging design, logistics and so on. In recent years there has also been a definite shift towards developing technologies that allow the use of lighter materials as opposed to biodegradable materials (although that’s not to say we aren’t still seeing plenty of

innovation in the latter as well). Aside from the need to meet environmental standards, this continuing trend may also be down to increasingly fierce competition in numerous markets. As an example, supermarkets are focusing on cutting the price of goods in order to compete with cut-price chains. Cutting packaging weights is just one way of achieving this. Packaging Europe | 41 |

For example, in the area of glass packaging, O-I has been expanding its line of ‘Lean+Green’ lightweight wine bottles. The newest addition to its line of lightweight wine bottles weighs only 14 ounces (397 grams). The new line of claret and burgundy bottles is part of the O-I Lean+Green initiative aimed at creating bottles that are both aesthetically pleasing and lighter in weight. The comprehensive lightweight line According to Stan Gossett, VP and category director for O-I North America Wine: “The lean and green bottles have less impact on the environment and use less energy and raw materials for manufacturing. The newest development of a 397-gram wine bottle with a mini push-up allows for a more socially responsible bottle with the same great look of a traditional, heavier-weight bottle.” Meanwhile, Smurfit Kappa Cor-Trade has launched its new KartonFlute Lite packaging board for litho printers – already showing itself to be a viable alternative to a solid board. This product offers litho printers all the benefits of printing on to a corrugated board with none of the usual additional costs. At 750 microns, it can meet all customer requirements and enable high quality offset printing with better detail and colour fidelity but with none of the set-up costs associated with preprint or litho laminated corrugated board. This, according to the company, makes it the perfect solution for lower volumes of high-quality packaging. Aside from this superior performance, KF Lite’s slimmer caliper means more products per vehicle movement to and from the printing plant. Other environmental benefits include the fact that, when printed with environmentally friendly glues and inks, is 100 per cent recyclable through the normal recovery stream.

Protective packaging In addition to cutting overall weight, innovations in packaging material must also focus on product protection in order to extend the shelf life of a food product and ultimately meet food waste reduction targets. Modified atmosphere packaging, for example, is a rapidly growing area in which we have seen several innovations in the past year. | 42 | Packaging Europe

An example of this which has come to our attention is the two new high performance, patent-pending films developed by Pregis for inflatable cushioning applications. These hybrid cushioning (HC) Performance films target high-pressure applications for products that require longer shipping or storage cycles. Designed to be Pregis’s toughest HC material yet, the HC Performance ‘Plus’ offers very high air retention properties and can protect heavy items. The standard HC Performance, meanwhile, is a lighterduty product designed for packaging lighter products that also require high-pressure cushioning and protection. Hybrid cushioning differs from traditional void-fill pillows because it features multiple square air chambers vs. one large cell. HC rollstock is loaded onto the Pregis AirSpeed HC Versa unit, which automatically inflates the rows of material. The inflated high pressure pockets provide ideal cushioning as the air transfers between the individual chambers. “As companies continue to shift towards more parcel shipping and expanded geographic customer base, their packaging performance requirements are changing. With international shipping on the rise, packages are going to be subjected to extensive handling through the supply chain,” said Tom Wetsch, chief innovation officer. “We developed these new films to address those more rigorous shipping requirements.” As an added note, there have also been developments in modified atmosphere packaging on the machinery side. In 2014 SEALPAC, a manufacturer of modern thermoforming and tray-sealing equipment, unveiled its TriWeb solution for seafood and other similar products. This involves the use of three films fitted on top of each other, with the option of sealing under modified atmosphere in the third layer, or ‘head space’. By applying a deep vacuum, the shelf life of the product can be considerably extended. This TriWeb solution can be applied on all of SEALPAC’s RE-series thermoformers. The past year has also seen the launch of plenty of packaging materials offering other forms of protective properties. Innovia has launched its first BOPP film proven to provide up to 1.5 years of protection from mineral oil migration – the Propafilm RCU. Its develop-

Materials

ment has been the result of extensive investigation into mineral oil hydrocarbon (MOH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) barrier protection of films. It is thought that traces of mineral oil residues can migrate to foods from printing inks present on both the packaging surface and in recycled newspapers used to produce cardboard packaging. This is a significant issue as the World Health Organisation’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation both agree that MOAH have possible carcinogenic properties. The findings of Innovia’s research have shown that its proprietary acrylic coated film provide an effective barrier to mineral oil migration. The RKW Group was among the winners at the World Ag Expo in February 2015 for its film innovation Polydress O2 Barrier 2IN1 for agricultural and animal feed purposes. This is the first product worldwide to combine a polyethylene silage film with a polyamide vacuum film. Due to its special barrier characteristics, the film with its six-to-ten times improved oxygen barrier significantly reduces the ingress of oxygen into the fodder stock. This results in a low level of fermentation loss and minimises the formation of mould, therefore ensuring that the quality of the silage is retained. Another example is the new paperboard developed by MeadWestvaco (MWV). EnShield kit 5 offers barrier protection for foods that require resistance to oil and grease. The paperboard protects the integrity of packaged foods and its light weight and recyclability makes it a sustainable alternative to traditional poly-coated paperboard.

Further innovations There have also been plenty of innovations offering generally improved performance when it comes to printing. API Foils’ latest versatile hot stamping pigment foil, PG, is helping to solve the challenge of providing a high performance general purpose foil suitable for most label substrates and applications. This foil can achieve fine detail, solid panels or a combination of both and its low temperature operating range enables faster set-up, thus reducing machine downtime. One of

the advantages of PG is that it enables label printers to reduce their stock range of foils in other quantities on a ‘one product suits all’ basis. It can print to an extremely high standard on all qualities of paper as well as synthetic products such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester and vinyl. Improved load securing performance is also a continuing priority for the industry as a whole. DUO PLAST has this covered with its latest trend-setting DDK film – a pioneering innovation for the stretch film market. Not only does this material offer increased pallet stability and transport security to ensure foodstuffs reach their destination undamaged, it also offers significant benefits in the form of material and cost savings. The special feature of this film is the double edge, which surrounds the pallet like a net and makes it very stable. According to DUO PLAST, a reduction of material consumption of more than 30 per cent is not uncommon when using this product so it really does seem to tick all the boxes. Finally, we should not ignore the continually increasing role bioplastics are playing in the food and drink packaging sector – despite reservations from some quarters about the cost of producing them and their overall performance characteristics. To give just one example from this particular area, Cardia Bioplastics Limited has announced that it has developed proprietary Biohybrid packaging films tailored to the innovative bagin-bag water packaging process. Australian BOS Water and Canadian Yukon Spring have subsequently launched their ‘Bag-of-Spring Water’ offering made from Cardia Biohybrid packaging. According to Dr Frank Glatz, managing director of Cardia Bioplastics, “Collaborating with these innovative companies presented an exciting opportunity to develop high performance packaging with lower environmental impact. The bag-in-bag water packaging application expands the commercial successes of our Biohybrid packaging and further validates the commercial appeal of our unique patented resin technology. There are significant opportunities in extending the application of the bag-in-bag system to other bulk beverage and liquid product dispensing systems.” Packaging Europe | 43 |

Edging Towards Solutions to Ink Migration As the debate surrounding safety in the food packaging supply chain continues, the risk of potential contamination from printing ink migration remains high on the agenda. Much of recycled carton-board used in food packaging continues to be produced through the recycling of newspapers – with mineral-oils from newsprint ink potentially finding their way into board during the recycling process.

ne industry response to this issue is the introduction of solutions (such as Domino’s 100 per cent mineral oil-free ink for its C6000 high resolution printers) based on vegetable oils, which are not only non-hazardous and sustainable, but also have biodegradable properties that assist with de-inking printed matter during the recycling process. Meanwhile, the concept of ‘low migration’ remains a fraught issue across the supply chain. Here Jonathan Sexton, European product manager Energy Curing at Sun Chemical, provides his thoughts and insight into the key questions surrounding low migration inks.

What actually is the definition of Low Migration? Despite the widespread use of the term ‘low migration’, there still doesn’t appear to be one definitive industry definition, and as a result, it is often interpreted in different ways by the various stakeholders. According to a definition presented by EuPIA, the European Printing Ink Association, low migration means ‘below the applicable Specific Migration Limit (SML)’, which in the case of untested materials, generally refers to a level of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Other suppliers, however, may refer to the overall migration limit of 60 mg per kilogram of food, as defined in the Plastics Regulation EU No 10/2011. But does that necessarily mean that a migration level of 59 mg per kilo of food - which is just within the SML - is actually low and safe? This lack of a clearly defined standard has undoubtedly caused confusion in the market, with ink suppliers all responding in very different ways depending on their interpretation of the terminology. Some ink suppliers are taking a more proactive approach, taking full responsibility to ensure their products contain genuinely low migration properties. Others | 44 | Packaging Europe

on the other hand, may view this lack of clarity as an opportunity to deflect responsibility away from themselves by putting the onus on the user and how they apply the ink, rather than relying on the inherent lack of migration from the ink itself. It’s also important to note that ‘low migration’ doesn’t just refer to the ink, as other factors also come in to play in potential substance migration. This includes pack and print design; how the ink is applied and dried; ink coverage; the substrates used; as well as storage conditions of both the ink and the final printed products. At Sun Chemical, we have taken our interpretation of the definition one step further. We aim to ensure every step is taken to develop low migration inks that offer the highest levels of security to ensure the integrity of the packaged product. Our preferred internal definition for Energy Curing products refers to ‘lowest migration’ for individual component migration below 10ppb, while ‘low migration’ defines those below 50ppb where toxicological data is available. In addition, where individual component migration is higher than those defined levels, but below the Specific Migration Limit, a definition of ‘controlled migration’ can be used. This ensures that our inks are specifically formulated to limit migration to the relevant ppb level through their chemical composition, even where the package itself offers no or limited barrier properties.

Should the industry be doing more to educate consumers of the potential risks from ink migration? While there is always an argument to ensure all stakeholders, including consumers, are kept informed, migration often involves a greater understanding of the technical issues. Therefore, educating the general public at the right level requires a care and control.

Migration

Jonathan Sexton

Consumers are far better informed than ever before, and it only takes a quick internet search to gain an insight into potential health risks. However, in general, they tend to be more concerned about higher profile food issues such as provenance, bacterial contamination, packaging waste, as well as nutritional labelling and the high levels of salt, sugar and fat in food products. Awareness is heightened when packaging related contamination makes headline news, when unfortunately, the tendency of the media is to sensationalise the story to grab the headlines, rather than remain factual and focus on the actual risks, which are usually low. Every stakeholder in the food supply chain has a part to play in sharing information, so that any risks are eliminated before the products even reach the consumer. Our regulations team for example publish a regular newsletter for our customers, highlighting all the latest regulatory issues and developments that might affect their business. Taking such a proactive approach ensures better industry understanding, which leads to greater compliance and ultimately, safer products.

Do you think the EU will introduce legislation to regulate low migration inks in the future? Food packaging is already regulated in a range of ways. The EU regulation EC No 1935/2004 provides a general framework for food packaging compliance, which clearly states that packaging and their components must not have any detrimental effect on the safety or organoleptic (taste and smell) properties of the food. This, together with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations set clear obligations on the supply chain. The situation is further complicated by the introduction of national legislation introduced by several European countries. Switzerland for example has introduced the ‘Swiss Ordinance’ (SR 817.023.21) covering materials and articles in contact with food, which includes provisions applying to packaging inks; Germany is looking at similar legislation, while France has also legislated locally for some specific raw material types used in inks over the years.

Global brand owners are also now driving the need for clarity and compliance in food and non-food packaging, and are increasingly adopting local regulations such as the Swiss Ordinance, and introducing their own corporate policy guidelines into their supply chain policies. In recognition of this, EuPIA has also defined a set of guidelines to enable members and the supply chain to ensure they can meet relevant EU regulations and brand owner requirements.

What proportion of the industry is currently using low migration inks? While volumes of low migration products are growing every year, the majority of packaging that should probably be decorated with low migration ink is still being printed with standard products. This may be due to a number of reasons, such as the use of legacy systems, or the lack of clear regulations or specifications from brand owners, as well as differences in the type of applications. In a number of cases, the presence of a functional barrier, or migration testing and risk assessment may provide sufficient justification for not using low migration products, but clearly there is significant further progress to be made in this area.

How do you see the future where ink is concerned? The issue of low migration is constantly evolving, with the likelihood of further categorisation of materials in the future, more toxicological testing on the effects of migration as well as more countries introducing their own compliance legislation. As the situation develops, it has to be the responsibility of packaging food chain suppliers to constantly monitor developments. Until there is one very specific regulation for low migration inks, interpretation of existing legislation and guidelines remains the key. Where health and safety is concerned – especially for inks used to print the packaging of products intended for human consumption – taking a proactive approach, anticipating changes and keeping one step ahead is the way forward to minimise or eliminate potential risks through migration. Packaging Europe | 45 |

Sustainable Quality of Product and Presentation Barrier plastics are having a significant influence on the growth of the convenience food sector. David Rourke of RPC Containers Corby explains why.

New ISBM technology is opening opportunities in the retail sector.

ackaging provides a reflection on how we live, responding to market trends and consumer demands. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern lifestyle, for example, has led to the continuing growth in convenience foods, meeting the needs of time-pressed and busy consumers with on-the-go snacks, pre-prepared ready meals and ready-to-use ingredients that speed up the cooking process. Barrier plastic technologies have made a significant contribution to the growth of this sector. Barrier solutions typically incorporate EVOH to prevent oxygen ingress, and other barriers such as light inhibitors are also available. The PP/EVOH/PP combination means products can be hot filled, pasteurised and sterilised (like other more traditional packaging materials) and this allows them to be stored at ambient temperatures without the need for chilling. Equally important, these products do not need preservatives to deliver long shelf life, enhancing their quality. | 46 | Packaging Europe

This has enabled a huge a variety of products, such as soups, sauces, ketchups, mayonnaise, ready meals, baby foods, seafood, patĂŠs, fruits and vegetables, to enjoy extended ambient shelf lives of up to 24 months - and in some cases even beyond this - while maintaining their freshness, quality and taste. The technology continues to open up huge opportunities across convenience foods. Ready-to-eat snacks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; often directly from the pack - dips and appetisers are other areas where multilayer plastics have provided effective solutions. A recent new market is the introduction of pre-prepared stocks and spices that can be easily added to a meal for a home-cooked taste with less preparation time. The varying types of foods that require extended protection and preservation provide their own challenges and there is no one material or pack format that can meet every requirement. Importantly, barrier technologies can be allied to different plastic manu-

Barriers

Barrier packs can offer convenience features such as re-closing.

facturing techniques – blow moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming – so that packaging manufacturers can tailor a solution to precise product and brand requirements – everything from large foodservice to smaller retail size jars and pots, and squeezy sauce bottles to tubs and trays. Therefore, whether the focus is on the need for reclosability, a family-size container or microwavable individual portions, barrier plastics can provide the ideal pack format. For the retail sector, there is another important consideration in the development of appropriate packaging solutions – promoting the right brand image and on-shelf appeal in crowded and competitive markets. And this is as important for established brands as it is for new products trying to generate initial impact and attract consumer attention. Here plastics’ design flexibility is a vital factor, combining the ability to create unusual and eye-catching shapes and attractive decoration with practical and userfriendly features. At RPC, for example, recent customer requirements have ranged from a thermoformed pack to resemble a traditional French cooking pot to large-size containers with indented handles for easy handling in the busy foodservice sector. Use of in-mould labelling combines barrier technology with the availability of high-quality all-over decoration for maximum on-shelf impact. Two solutions for Heinz’s famous Baked Beans demonstrate the flexibility of barrier plastics to meet different market requirements. A 1kg blow moulded multilayer jar in a PP/EVOH/PP construction – the equivalent of nearly two and a half standard size cans - is being used for the Fridge Pack. This combines extended shelf life with effective portion control. Unopened the jar offers a shelf life of 15 months. Once opened, the contents can be shared exactly as required and the leftovers stored in the fridge for up to five days. Meanwhile, thermoforming produces the popular Snap Pots, which again offer a long ambient shelf-life and provide convenient 200g microwavable individual portions. All of these benefits have seen barrier plastics making significant inroads into markets which in the past were served by more traditional materials. The adoption of squeezy bottles for sauces and ketchups and the move from glass to plastic jars in the foodservice sector have been well documented. We are now seeing the potential for barrier plastics to make inroads into the retail sector for products such as cook-in sauces, jams and preserves, thanks to the launch of ISBM (injection stretch blow moulding) technology that has the allowed the creation of jars that offer excellent clarity – enabling visually-appealing food products to be displayed to their best advantage – alongside plastics’ alreadyacknowledged convenience benefits. Another recent example is the switch from cans to plastic tubs by a leading Danish fish supplier, where as well as the benefits of a two year ambient shelf life, the company has seen important savings in its logistics operations while end-consumers have benefitted from the added convenience of being able to reclose the packs.

While convenience and quality are the main drivers for the selection of barrier plastics, environmental concerns are another factor in our modern lives that need to be reflected in packaging solutions. Eliminating waste In addition, we are becoming acutely aware of the problem of food waste. The SAVE FOOD initiative, a joint campaign organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH to highlight and fight global food loss and waste, says that each year, worldwide, a third of all food is thrown away or lost, while at the same time around 842 million people are suffering from hunger. Excessive food waste also has a negative impact on the environment as highlighted in WRAP’s high-profile ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ campaign. With their extended ambient shelf lives, barrier plastic technologies are one way in which we can reconcile the demand for convenience and the need to preserve food and minimise waste. Barrier portion packs, which deliver the exact amount of product for individual servings, are another effective solution for minimising waste. Multilayer plastics offer several other sustainable benefits as well. The light weight of plastics already makes an important environmental contribution in terms of energy savings during manufacture of the packaging and subsequent transportation. Barrier packs offer a further energy-saving advantage thanks to their ability to be transported and stored at ambient temperatures without the need for chilling. However, there is still a common misconception that barrier plastic packaging is not recyclable and for this reason some designers still tend to focus only on monolayer packs in the development stages of a new pack design. The fact is that barrier plastics are all recyclable and can form part of a mixed plastics recycling stream. The barrier material in the packaging, such as EVOH, is minimal and for this reason does not act as a contaminant when recycled. Current PP recycling systems, for example, can tolerate the use of EVOH, as well as MXD6 and other nylon-based barrier layers, particularly if the layers are readily separated from the PP in conventional reclamation systems. This helps to maximise the PP yield. And there is high demand for this material – from re-use in non-food packaging, such as paint containers, to second life applications including fencing and benches. So it is vital that manufacturers and retailers continue to promote the recycling message and that more local authorities make facilities available to recycle plastics. For food manufacturers, barrier plastics’ versatility gives them the flexibility to create a pack that meets both brand objectives – in terms of on-shelf image and appeal, and practicality and functionality – while being tailored to the precise characteristics of individual products. And the packs’ recyclability and their contribution to helping to minimise food waste help to create a strong environmental profile that can make an important contribution to a company’s sustainable image. Packaging Europe | 47 |

Updating a British Icon By Stephen Bell, executive creative director, Coley Porter Bell.

XO can truly be called a British heritage brand with over 100 years of history and a place in the majority of kitchen cupboards in British households. It is the UK’s favourite stock brand with leading market share in dry stock. It is also loved in our culture with a wealth of wonderful advertising campaigns over the years that have warmed people’s hearts. The OXO family with the late actress Lynda Bellingham as Mum became an extension of British consumer’s own lives. The public became engaged in the family’s day-to-day activities much as it does with a soap opera. From a packaging point of view, the red OXO cube box is one of the most iconic graphics in UK grocery, ranking alongside Marmite and Coca-Cola as an instantly recognisable pack design. However, an icon can quickly become a historical relic unless it is kept up to date and is relevant to consumers at any given time.

The output of the workshop gave us what we call a ‘Visual Brand Essence’ to sit alongside the written brief that really started to map out a visual territory to bring to life the new OXO packaging. It was clear that we wanted the designs to be bold, vibrant, simple and with transformational cues to it … small and mighty.

‘Icons must be handled with care’ We were tasked by Premier Foods, the owners of OXO, to help them re-position and refresh the OXO brand and most importantly its iconic packaging to ensure that it maintained its relevance. Needless to say we were thrilled to be asked but we had a little trepidation, as icons need to be handled with great care. The client team had already done a lot of strategic work to analyse and think about the future of OXO. The last iteration of the OXO packaging was launched in 2009 and at the time the brand proposition was: ‘OXO puts the heart into today’s home cooking’. The idea then was to reinforce OXO’s association as an ingredient in home cooking. However, acknowledging that times have changed, OXO was very much seen as a traditional addition to slow cook, hob-top meals and there was a desire to grow share and usage occasions by becoming part of more modern, everyday meals. This led to a new positioning of ‘Flavour Transformations’, which has a ‘foodie’ dynamic and inspiring attitude designed to appeal to a younger mindset and consumers with young families who know OXO but don’t include it into their repertoire – while striving not to alienate OXO’s core consumers who are older families and empty nesters. In terms of the packaging redesign, our job was to stand out and appeal to younger consumers as an iconic yet modern brand that inspires them to make lots of different delicious meals. We had to reflect the new positioning, add in foodie and inspirational elements while retaining its iconic status and sense of heritage. In essence we had to breathe new life into the pack and we summed up our creative brief in three words – ‘Bold Flavour Transformation’. This was good in theory but conceptual words often stay on paper and we had to translate those words into an iconic design solution. At this point we used our bespoke Visual Planning™ process, which culminated in collaborative and creative workshop with our clients to bring the brand idea to life visually. This step is incredibly important as we were handling a hugely respected heritage brand but also because as a brand design agency we have been learning a lot from neuroscience about the way consumers make decisions, mainly in System 1 thinking which is rapid response and intuitive and 90 per cent of the information that influences System 1 is visual. These decisions are then qualified and substantiated by System 2 thinking which is rational and logical. Knowing this, we believe our brand strategy and input should be as visual as possible. Otherwise it is largely left to chance that designers will be able to encode System 1 cues into their design work from a purely written (System 2) brief. | 48 | Packaging Europe

Before

At the same time we reviewed competitor packs – we didn’t want to be derivative. We decided against using standard photography or ingredient imagery as most of the competitor brands do and we wanted to be distinctive and true to what we are all about. We also analysed the existing packaging. Our feeling was that the existing designs were overly complicated and fussy with key lines, drop shadows, background patterns, symbols and too many different typefaces at play. The overall effect was a bit messy and old fashioned and the OXO logo was looking a bit cartoonish.

Design Opinion After

In line with the brief of ‘Bold Flavour Transformations’ and our Visual Brand Essence, we stripped all this away. We enlarged the OXO letters and bled them off the edges of the packs as they stand for so much and we wanted to reinstate a boldness and confidence along with great shelf impact. Stripping away unnecessary detail also had the effect of modernising the overall look and feel while being iconic. We used rich, vibrant and intense foodie colours. Adding to this we used the tops of the packs to engage consumers with foodie messaging punctuated with meal-time icons to add personality and deliver flavour transformation ideas. We wanted a tone of voice that reflects the brand’s personality: fun, inviting and inspiring. The array of different messages aim to encourage consumers to use the cubes in different ways, for example: ‘Liven up

your Lasagne’, ‘Beef up your Bolognese’, ‘For pies packed with flavour’, ‘Sprinkle for spectacular stir fry’. Having established this stronger look and feel, we were then able to translate this onto the ‘Shake & Flavour’ range making it more boldly OXO, more characterful with a rainbow of flavourful and vibrant colours. We created a new playful sub-brand logo that bolsters the brand identity, highlighting its creative personality. The new design utilises the inside of the peel labels, which give consumers inspiration for different recipes. Overall the new designs reflect the aspirations for the brand to broaden its appeal to younger consumers and to encourage more versatile usage in modern meal making, while retaining the familiar iconic heritage that is loved.

“OXO puts the heart into today’s home cooking.” After

Packaging Europe | 49 |

Supply Chain

The Five Steps to Success with Big Volume Orders When Phoenix Contract Services was chosen to supply own label cold pressed seed oil to one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, production volumes at its pressing and packing facilities increased by a third overnight. Managing director Ben Guy explains how delivering this increased demand required the firm to draw on every part of its ‘end-to-end’ service.

aving spare capacity is not something for manufacturers to be afraid of. Amid all the effort that firms exert trying to fill their production schedules, the hidden benefit of free time - that is, more space for new work - gets overlooked all too often. And when space in a company’s schedule opens up thanks to flexible, well-run supply chains and processes, all the better. But when that new work comes in large volumes all at once, having those best working practices in place beforehand makes all the difference. Phoenix won a yearly contract to press, filter, fill and pack up to 1 million units of cold pressed seed oil for one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets late in 2014. Leaving aside the challenge of sourcing the extra 1,500 tonnes - 50 lorry-loads - of seed that was needed to meet demand, which we did by calling on our network of British farmers, the packaging processes post-pressing required just as much thought and planning. With the benefit of hindsight, I’d offer these five considerations for any food manufacturer to bear in mind ahead of their next big new contract win.

Plan to be flexible It takes real planning to become a genuinely flexible business. So before adding extra volumes to your workload be sure that your existing systems can take it. Your existing processes need to be set up to adapt to deliver large volumes at high standards already - they need to be well structured and slick, allowing for big additional volumes. If they aren’t then you should think twice about taking on new work just because you want it. Without flexibility, whole production lines can grind to a halt when a large new contract lands.

At the very least, having sight of your whole supply chain from start to finish is a must for big new contracts to be delivered successfully. Even better is to have control over some of it. The fact that we have a combination of both when it comes to our packaging supplies has made a huge difference to us. It’s given us that extra flexibility by allowing us to respond quickly to supplier issues, and it continues to give us the best chance of receiving materials on site when we want it and how we want it. The temptation to leave the responsibility or liability to someone else can be strong, but when problems arise, and they will, that way of working helps no one.

Secure materials in advance Strong relationships give you the best chance of securing the best deals on the materials you need. Take full advantage with each new order you win and line up the packaging you need at the earliest opportunity possible. That might sound obvious, but it can be all too easy to overlook all eventualities, with whole lines grinding to a halt because of a shortfall with one tiny component part as a result.

Stay flexible The innovation process shouldn’t stop once production is up and running. Plan in regular reviews and be prepared to disrupt a smooth operation if ever circumstances change. We quickly moved this seed oil contract from packs of six to 12 for example, when it became clear that sales were outstripping expectations. By sticking to these five steps, we’ve managed to process huge extra volumes on top of our existing work. Almost half way through the contract: so far, so good.

Get the labour balance right It’s important to have a mixture of staff available to you when that big order drops. The experience of your contracted workforce is vital, but large extra volumes brought on by new work may require additional, flexible short term workers to be called upon too. Finding the right balance to suit your operation is the main thing - for Phoenix they brought exactly the right combination of reliability and flexibility that we needed to increase output by 30 per cent. And agreeing a staff charter of working practices has ensured that our staff know what is expected of them, and we do too.

Build strong relationships Those supplier problems ‘out of our control’ can often undo good preparation when a big order turns up. Delivering big contracts successfully requires more than ever for you to have good working relationships across your whole supply chain. | 50 | Packaging Europe

Ben Guy, Managing director

Labelling regulations

Leverage New Label Regulations to Optimise E-Commerce Content By Matt Bennett, SVP, Growth Strategies, Product Development & Innovation, SGK

S and EU regulatory bodies are handing brand owners a prime opportunity to grow their brands. Regulations in force in Europe and pending in the US do mean more work for brands: privately, major brands have told us that as many as a quarter of their U.S. labels will need complete redesign if current FDA proposals become reality in the next 12 to 18 months. And this would be costly news if the mandates didn’t also present a golden opportunity for manufacturers and brands to radically improve package design, brand consistency, label accuracy and production efficiency, on both the physical and digital shelf. In other words, by synchronising workflows, brands can create a stronger shopper experience by ensuring that regardless of where consumers see your brand, in-store or online, the packaging is consistent. EU brands must adhere to Regulation 1169 by the end of 2014, with clearer and more prominent display of allergen and other information on product packaging, on both the physical and digital shelf. Proposed FDA regulations will require changes to the Nutrition Facts label to emphasise calories, provide realistic serving sizes and align with the latest nutrition science. The FDA has not yet addressed images of packages online, but with e-commerce continuing to boom, it likely will. How hard would it be for you to comply? At Schawk, we researched the consistency of physical shelf vs. digital shelf of a wide range of products from a wide range of retail brands. We were astonished at the extent of the disconnects: inconsistent product specs online, outdated artwork – even representations that were several rebrandings out of date. For the sake of consumer safety the regulations address missing or incorrect data, ingredients, nutrition information and allergen alerts. But additional common problems we encountered including outdated product images, images that don’t represent final approved artwork, limited product views, inconsistent or inaccurate colour, and low resolution and poor e-commerce image quality. These problems are the result of e-commerce growing faster than e-content management processes are evolving to accommodate this growth – in other words, faster than brands’ capacity and commitment to total quality and accuracy online. But customers have sharp eyes and expect to see the same package content on the digital shelf as they saw on the physical shelf. Without this seamless shelf, they can question authenticity or freshness. And shoppers who only know your packaging from e-commerce images can be confused when they receive a newer package in the mail. In either situation, you risk eroding consumer trust in the brand – the very trust that you’ve built over time at great expense through traditional channels. You could lose customers to a competitor who’s getting e-content right. Alternatively, you could do it right and, along with regulatory compliance, reap the benefits of absolute brand consistency, product information accuracy, greater agility and speed in executing design changes online, and greater efficiency and significant cost control.

With global B2C e-commerce sales expected to rise 20.1 per cent this year, reaching $1.5 trillion, strict accuracy across channels is paramount. In one study, 24 percent of shoppers said they didn’t trust online product information as much as information in-store. And more than four in ten said they’ve given up on an online purchase because they didn’t feel they had enough information. These startling figures prove that what’s on the digital shelf must be as complete and accurate as what shoppers find on the physical shelf. Convinced? Here’s how to achieve that accuracy.

Commitment Commit to complete, correct and up-to-date packaging wherever your brand appears – on the digital shelf as well as on the physical shelf. This typically requires an in-house advocate and buy-in at the top levels. And there is outside expertise, like Schawk’s Packaging e-content service, that helps you take control of e-content management from approved, regulatory- compliant copy and artwork to consistent, high-quality e-commerce images.

Audit Thoroughly check your brand’s e-commerce images across online retailers and product review sites. If you’re seeing a mix of 2D and 3D images, different angles, different lighting and colour, missing information and outdated images, you’re eroding consumer confidence and – soon – opening yourself up to regulatory issues. Note: if you’re using an outside firm to assist in this audit, the findings will be even more pertinent and actionable.

Organisation Inside many companies, often there is no one single person accountable for packaging e-content. It’s split by brand and among individuals in different departments as well as among a variety of external suppliers. Brand managers have a clearly defined supply chain process to ensure the package on the physical shelf is right and ready on time. But without a similarly unified strategy for packaging e-content development, it’s difficult to control a brand’s timely and accurate representation on the digital shelf.

Technology Even assuming brand owners use a digital asset library, they often don’t have 3D images of packages or multiple 2D panel shots depicting product information. And if they do, it’s usually been created through a conventional photography process that eats up six to eight weeks, costs more, produces fewer images and opens up this part of the supply chain to risk. And this happens every time a design is refreshed or ingredients change or a new packaging regulation requires compliance. It’s a vicious cycle. Packaging Europe | 51 |

Matt Bennett, SVP

An e-content management solution that uses approved artwork files and enforces GS1 standards for 3D images promotes compliance with your own standards for packaging images online. The result is 100 percent synchronisation of content for packaging on the physical shelf and digital shelf.

Process It’s crucial to develop digital brand content in tight integration with the same workflows used to create and manage artwork for the physical shelf. This requires synchronisation among brand teams, design departments, marketing services, procurement and more. It’s a process that Schawk helps its clients implement. And it creates e-commerce images directly from the final, approved master artwork file for the physical package – including complete views of all required informational elements. This way, the product on the digital shelf is never preliminary, incomplete, variable or untrustworthy. Without control of the process, you do not deliver value or reap the benefits of speed, cost, efficiency, quality and regulatory compliance. Control the process and you will control the benefits.

Packaging Regulations: Will You Master the Changes and Benefit? Stephen Kaufman, chief technology officer

By Stephen Kaufman, chief technology officer, SGK

any US and European Union shoppers and consumers merely glance over nutrition information on food labels – or fail to comprehend it when they do pay attention. But that’s about to change. Not just because consumers are growing ever more conscientious about what they eat, but because EU and US regulations will ensure that nutrition information is easier to understand and much harder to overlook on the label.

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Labelling regulations No doubt, this will drive more consumer engagement with packaging. As for brands and manufacturers, some will see the regulations as a burden to be avoided for as long as possible and minimised wherever possible. But others will see it as an opportunity to become more efficient and more accurate – and more profitable in the long term. Let’s start with the vital background.

The new regulations – European Union In the European Union, EU Regulation 1169/2011 establishes a new legal framework for the nutrition information presented to consumers. Ratified in September of 2011, with full compliance for most companies required by December 13, 2014, this new regulation encompasses more than 50 pages of rules that standardise the presentation of food information and lower the administrative burden of tracking data. And, most important, the rules ensure that consumers have complete, unambiguous, highly legible information about the foods they plan to eat prior to purchase. Here are the main features.

Well-organised allergen information Prior to the new regulation, many products displayed an “Allergens Table” somewhere on the package. But with the new regulations, all allergens must be in the list of ingredients and highlighted “through a typeset that clearly distinguishes it from the rest of the list of ingredients.” This keeps mom from having to read the ingredients first and then scour all the other panels to look for egg yolks, whey, crustaceans or products made with a part from one of the 85,000 extant species of molluscs. The implications: The redesign of hundreds of thousands of packages across Europe, but the potential to leverage this for a more trust-based relationship with consumers.

More prominent secondary information The new European regulations require clear expression of many facts not related to the ingredients themselves – such as net quantity, “use by” date, storage conditions, country of origin and instructions for use. While there are some exceptions based on the overall size of the product, most packages will show more information, in a larger format, than ever before. Paradoxically, there is a push from the sustainability end of the packaging spectrum to lower the amount of post-consumer waste, while at the same time, the 1169 rules dictate the need to hold more information. Expect to see your favourite packages stuffed even more tightly with info. The implications: A serious design challenge for all brands and manufacturers, but an opportunity to stand out against competitors who don’t handle the redesign as deftly and as attractively.

Clarity online The most interesting part of the new EU food labelling regulation concerns “pre-packaged foods offered for sale by means of distance communications.” For example, a candy bar sold through Amazon: the regulation states “information shall be available before the purchase is concluded” and “without charging consumers supplementary costs.” This means brands must coordinate the information printed on the package with information displayed on any number of online retail sites. The implications: A tremendous responsibility to get lagging online information in sync with the physical package – which could remedy widespread consumer frustration with incomplete and out-of-date e-commerce product information.

The new regulations – US New food labelling regulations are coming to the U.S. as well. For example, the Food and Drug Administration announced on February 27, 2014 that there will be much more prominent display of information such as serving sizes and calories; a requirement that serving sizes reflect what people actually eat at a typical sitting not the smaller amount they “should” be eating; more prominent display of daily value percentages for nutrients,

along with information about what the values mean; and changes in label information based on new understanding of nutrition science – such as requiring information about added sugars, updating the daily values for certain “nutrients of public health significance,” emphasising the importance of avoiding certain kinds of fat rather than focusing on total calories from fat and so on. At the same time, there has been tentative activity in the U.S. Congress around requiring prominent front-panel information such as the percentage of wheat or whole grains in products marketed as “multigrain” or “whole wheat,” as well as the inclusion of sweeteners, colouring or flavouring. Proposed new regulations would also prohibit misleading information such as touting low cholesterol in a product containing significant amounts of trans fats. Although as of mid-2014 the legislation was still in subcommittee, brands should be aware that such legislation would require new label formatting. The implications: Similar to the EU regulations: serious practical challenges for brands and manufacturers over a short time frame – but clear opportunities to build consumer trust through information transparency and superior package design strategies. The key here is handling the changes in a thoughtful and systematic way.

The challenge Brands know that consumer trust is one of their most valuable assets. And of course, brands are aware of the importance of complying when governments regulate safety into branded products. One minor mistake and you could be looking at a long-lasting, even permanent, impact on your brand. Beyond avoiding mistakes, smart brands will be using new food labelling regulations as an opportunity. Some regulations – for example, the front-panel disclosures proposed in the US – will require substantial modifications to package design. This is an opportunity to refresh the brand through new package design, messaging, promotions or even nutritional improvements to the product itself. All of these possibilities are best addressed early and holistically – not dealt with in isolation from the need to comply with new labelling requirements. Although we’ve focused on food labelling, it’s worth noting that pharmaceutical companies face the same kinds of regulatory challenges – and should also be looking for ways to turn labelling requirements into opportunities to improve brand performance.

The solution Both food and pharma industries can make it to the other end of the wire by employing a centralised system for managing copy, artwork and digital assets across all the brand’s manifestations, globally. Brands need to have a plan in place for managing the many print and digital redesigns that will be required to deal with new regulations that are already in place in the European Union, and soon to come in other regions. Are you ready?

Dedicated to the performance of ambitious brands Packaging Europe | 53 |

Anuga FoodTec Expecting a Record Attendance Registration figures for the seventh Anuga FoodTec, the international supplier trade fair for the food and beverage industry taking place 24-27 March at Kölnmesse, have been outstanding. Alongside countless market leaders from Germany and abroad, many small and medium-sized companies will also be appearing at Anuga FoodTec. In keeping with the motto ‘One for all - all in one’ Anuga FoodTec will represent the entire production chain, divided into the areas Food Processing, Food Packaging, Food Safety and Services & Solutions. Individual topics, such as suppliers for the meat industry, are showing remarkable growth. As an overarching theme, the broad term ‘Resource efficiency’ will be emphasised across all areas of the trade fair and also represented within the supporting programme. Almost 1500 suppliers from around 40 countries and 43,000 trade visitors from around 130 countries are expected at the trade fair.

he excellent registration figures for the coming trade fair can be seen across all sectors of the fair. Certain sections of Anuga FoodTec have seen above-average growth. For this reason, the suppliers for the meat industry will occupy the larger Hall 6 in 2015 (previously Hall 9) where they will present solutions for all processing stages. The supplier section for the milk-processing industry has traditionally been a strong area. The fact that technologies for all processing phases within the milk industry are presented here - not only liquid milk products for instance - is one of the outstanding strengths of Anuga FoodTec. The same applies for the fruit and vegetable processing industry sector, where participation is also strong, which competently satisfies the demand for different solutions within production processes. In addition to the traditional focus on processing and packaging, Anuga FoodTec also offers cross-sector solutions for all processing phases and food industries. Under the heading ‘Services & Solutions’ leading companies from the conveyer technology, inert gases and lubricants sectors, among others, will be appearing at Anuga FoodTec. | 54 | Packaging Europe

Once again Anuga FoodTec will occupy Halls 4 to 10 of the Cologne exhibitions grounds, which corresponds to a gross exhibition space of 121,000 m². As an overarching theme the term ‘resource efficiency’ will unite the individual focuses of the exhibition and place the emphasis on one of the most important issues within the food industry: today a conserving and conscious approach to natural resources is one of the fundamental responsibilities of food and beverage production. Among other things, a half-day conference will be held on this theme on the first day of the trade fair. Here we were able to secure among others the former President of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST), Prof. Dr. Walter E.L. Spiess, Ettlingen, Germany, who will speak on the topic of ‘Virtual water and the water footprint of food production and processing’. In other presentations, Mrs. Stefanie Hardtmann of Bühler AG, Uzwil, Switzerland, will talk about ‘EcothermatikTM - Pasta drying with energy efficiency and best pasta quality’ and Dr. Christoph Glasner from Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen, Germany, will discuss the topic of ‘SUSMILK: Re-design of the dairy industry for sustainable milk processing’.

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Anuga

All of the exhibitors will have the opportunity from January 2015 onwards to present their ideas, technologies and measures on the theme of resource efficiency via the Anuga FoodTec novelties database and thus inform media representatives and interested visitors about their commitment and concepts. The diversity of the topic as well as different approaches and solutions will thus be brought to light. In addition to the exhibitor presentations, Anuga FoodTec will provide industry experts from the food production sector with the information they require through a diverse and technically sophisticated supporting programme. Under the direction of the DLG (German Agricultural Society), current topics and issues relevant to the industry will be addressed in specialist forums presented by prestigious research institutes, associations and experts. Anuga FoodTec 2015 will also be accompanied by high-calibre conference programmes. Among others, the ‘2nd International Conference + Drying Technologies for Milk and Whey’ will take place (23 and 24 March 2015). Innovative and sustainable developments in milk-processing and whey products as well as drying processes will be in focus, this will include a comprehensive discussion on the increasing global demand in the food industry. The event organisers are Muva Kemtem, the Bavarian Centre for Milk and Dairy, Herbertz Dairy Food Service and Anuga FoodTec.

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The Robotic Pack Line will be demonstrated again. The theme in 2015 is an industry 4.0 line as a live demonstration with a dozen processing and packing stations. A Veggie Pack, with its various raw food products, will be put together, inspected, packed, labelled and collated into larger packages. For the second time, several international teams of design students will be working on new products, packaging and displays in the open ‘Idea workshop’. Under the direction of Prof. Jenz Großhans from the Cologne International School of Design of the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, a new, current theme will be tackled every day, addressed in the course of a workshop during the day and presented in an extremely vivid way by the afternoon.

International FoodTec Awards Once again, DLG e.V. (German Agricultural Society) will be conferring the International FoodTec Award. This year, 18 innovative projects from the international food and food supply industry will be distinguished with the renowned award. For more information and advance ticket purchase visit www.anugafoodtec.com

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A Mirror on Food Packaging Trends Dietmar Eiden, vice president Trade Fair Management Kölnmesse GmbH, discusses the dynamics of the industry to which Anuga FoodTec caters.

TS DE

Could you please describe the premise of Anuga FoodTec: who does the exhibition cater for and what are its distinguishing features and strengths?

With its offerings, Anuga FoodTec fulfils the requirements for information, networking and new business contacts more than any other technology and supplier trade fair in the world. The advantage of Anuga FoodTec is quite obvious: It offers both individual solutions as well as holistic, cross-process concepts across all production stages. For all food sectors, both for foodstuffs and beverages. For all aggregate states, whether solid or liquid, whether a component product or a finished product. Contrary to other technology and supplier trade fairs, this is the decisive advantage of Anuga FoodTec. In keeping with the motto ‘One for all - all in one’ Anuga FoodTec will represent the entire production chain, divided into the areas Food Processing, Food Packaging, Food Safety and Services & Solutions.

TS DE

How many exhibitors and visitors are you expecting to attract in 2015?

The results of this years’ Anuga FoodTec are very promising. We expect approximately 1500 exhibitors from 45 countries to participate. This is a very solid increase of about ten per cent compared to the last edition, which took place in 2012 (like interpack in neighbouring Düsseldorf, it is a three-yearly exhibition).

Based on your knowledge of the food industry and your interaction with exhibitors and visitors, what do you consider the most important market trends affecting food processing and packaging companies at the moment?

The agenda is set by different trends around the world. Whereas in Western countries demographic changes result in smaller packages, more convenience food and diet driven recipes, developing countries have to face such basic needs as hygienic standards, fresh from the field production and waste reduction. Overall the consumers ask for more natural food, for a clear and clean labelling, for more transparency concerning sustainability and corporate responsibility. This is a huge field of challenges as well as chances for the supplier industry. Anuga FoodTec brings the food and beverage industry together with innovative and capable suppliers of machinery, technology and material along the production chain.

TS DE

Anuga FoodTec features a programme of conferences and discussions. What do you expect to be the hottest topics under discussion among visitors?

As an overarching theme the term ‘resource efficiency’ will unite the individual focuses of the exhibition and place the emphasis on one of the most important issues within the food industry: today a conserving and conscious

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approach to natural resources is one of the fundamental responsibilities of food and beverage production. I look very much forward to the Congress on Resource Efficiency on the first day of Anuga FoodTec which offers different approaches presented by top speakers from leading companies as well as research institutes. I am sure that the overall topic will result in an ongoing discussion during the show.

TS DE

Are there any particular areas of innovation within the industry that excite you?

Industry 4.0 will be the buzzword in many booths of this international trade fair for food and beverage industry suppliers. The digitisation of production has set in motion a comprehensive change in automation that many experts already refer to as the fourth industrial revolution. Where today’s food industry plants are centrally controlled, future cyber-physical systems will take command and organise production themselves. Anuga FoodTec visitors can experience how real the convergence of production and enterprise IT already is and the challenges involved for automation. This is one of the top topics - among others - of the show 2015.

Anuga

GEA solutions on show at Anuga FoodTec As Anuga FoodTec covers the entire food and beverage industry, it is an ideal showcase for all GEA’s mechanical equipment, process engineering and refrigeration products. GEA Food Solutions equipment occupies one side of the 1500m2 stand and includes both a slicing/packaging line for cheese, ham or sausage products and a continuous motion vertical packaging machine with ultrasonic sealing.

he slicing/packaging line is configured around the GEA MegaSlicer and GEA PowerPak thermoformer for medium-sized sliced product manufacturers. This slicer handles boiled and dry-cured ham, bacon, cheese and vegan specialties, and features innovative ‘idle cut’ rotor technology to eliminate slivers. It is speed and performance-matched to the GEA PowerPak, which benefits from the same advanced hygienic design and proven thermoformer technology as the larger PowerPak version, but in a format that is optimised for medium- to high capacity. The thermoformer features a maintenance-free, low-wear membrane sealing system that does not require cylinders or pressure hoses that can suffer from leaks.

Easier and faster packaging line control The line is running new GEA Slicing & Packaging Line Control software that simplifies handling. It allows recipe and program selection from every machine in the line as well as de-centralised line-start/-stop and infeed-start/-stop. Up to six machines can be integrated and status information for each machine is visualised and logged. The three GEA line convergers can be controlled from the thermoformer: the GEA

PowerPick guarantees uniform pack spacing and identifies and expels empty packs; the GEA EasyGuide intelligent outfeed system dispatches packs from up to six lanes to a single line with even spacing at up to 70 packs/min.; and the fully automatic GEA PowerGuide multi-indexing converging system converges up to six lanes to one at up to 100 packs/min.

Vertical bagger with ultrasonic sealing The GEA SmartPacker CX400 is a continuous motion vertical packaging machine. The example on the stand is configured with ultrasonic sealing. It is extremely reliable with grated cheese and fresh salad and allows the use of thinner, cost effective and more environmentally responsible packaging films. GEA SmartPackers are used for bagging fresh and frozen products, meat, poultry, vegetables, potato products and confectionery, and have been proven to deliver uptime in excess of > 98 per cent. Visit GEA in Hall 9.1, Stand A080 E089. www.gea.com

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The Challenge of Automation The digitisation of production has set in motion a comprehensive change in automation that many experts already refer to as the fourth industrial revolution. Where today’s food industry plants are centrally controlled, future cyberphysical systems will take command and organise production themselves. Anuga FoodTec visitors can experience how real the convergence of production and enterprise IT already is and the challenges involved for automation on March 24-27 in Cologne. Industry 4.0 will be the buzzword in many booths of this international trade fair for food and beverage industry suppliers. Almost 200 companies of more than 1400 Anuga FoodTec 2015 exhibitors will present solutions in the field of automation at the fair. These include, for example, industry giants such as Siemens, Rockwell, B & R, Endress + Hauser, Festo, Mitsubishi or CSB, but also many small and medium-sized companies with special solutions.

fter mechanisation with steam power, mass production on assembly lines and digitisation, the fourth industrial revolution is upon us: Industry 4.0. To ensure that production becomes more flexible and more efficient, machines and products need to communicate with each other like in a social network. The factory of the future will be intelligent and networked. Machines and workpieces mutate into cyber-physical systems that organise production themselves, thanks to sensors, actuators, and small embedded computers - across company boundaries. One example of the change in the mindset is robotics. While industrial robots still perform their tasks behind safety barriers, lightweight robots will soon assist humans without a fence and rigid controls.

Let machines issue commands

The autonomously functioning food factory still lies in the distant future. But the advent and popularity of internet technologies and their associated networked machines cannot be halted. The Internet Protocol IPv6 has laid the foundation for the “Internet of things,” where every object could theoretically receive its own IP address. However, Industry 4.0 means much more than providing machines with IP addresses. It’s about the convergence of production and enterprise IT, the synchronisation of industrial processes, and decisions which the machines autonomously make in real time. Its theoretical foundation is the assumption of an adaptable production which - according to the vision - is freely negotiated between the workpieces and machines. In the future, autonomous shuttles will inquire directly at the silos whether any raw materials are still available. When their contents start to dwindle, they will automatically order more from the inventory management system.

Building blocks on the way to reality Equipment that is self-organising is at the heart of Industry 4.0. Its core consists of mechatronic production units - the cyber-physical systems (CPS). For Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster of the German Center for Artificial Intelligence, the departure from the centrally controlled systems prevalent today is so radical that he speaks of a fourth Industrial Revolution. Others, such as Prof. Dr. Dieter Wegener from Siemens, don’t see the Internet of Things as a Big Bang, but as an evolution that will move step by step from vision to reality. On the way to this goal, today’s automation specialists are | 60 | Packaging Europe

working on practical things for everyday use. Such as image processing technology. It can be used to sort muffins according to their browning level or measure salami slices in three dimensions to then permit an optimum stack height of the slices in the packaging. The down-to-earth part of Industry 4.0 is already a reality: communication from machine to machine (M2M). M2M is about monitoring, controlling and documenting processes. Even today, plant engineers augment food processing machines with sensors, meters and radio modules. Their data not only help to monitor production and save energy. They also warn of any pump or motor failure. Because the entire batch must often be discarded when a machine breaks down without notice - and that’s expensive.

Insights into the digital cookbook

The dream of the smart factory is accompanied by a revolution in production technology. This goes so far that producers are beginning to start thinking about lot size 1 production again. Researchers all over the world are working on bringing the three-dimensional printing process known as Rapid Prototyping onto a level suitable for food production. According to media reports, the Italian food manufacturer Barilla is working on dough cartridges that restaurants can use to produce custom pasta for their guests - freshly pressed rather than cooked fresh. The European research project “PERFORMANCE” indicates the direction we are heading in. Their goal is custom foods adapted to the needs of consumers who have difficulty swallowing. In early June, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University unveiled the first 3D printing process for the food industry. Conceivable are foods that take advantage of new raw material sources for carbohydrates, fats and proteins. At least this is what Modern Meadow’s digital cookbook portends. This US company employs bioprinting to produce meat products that are ethically defensible and climate-friendly. Future-oriented topics are also addressed in Anuga FoodTec’s professional program. The DLG will thus address topical issues in 27 short specialist forums. This also includes technologies that are at the threshold of research/development and implementation in industrial practice. For example, the implementation of electronic noses and tongues, the subject Industry 4.0, or visions of future uses of plasma technology and ultrasonic equipment, or the subject of 3D printers.

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Strong beginnings Major European full-line flexible packaging supplier Schur Flexibles Group has grown rapidly in its short history thanks to its proven ‘buy and build’ strategy. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Jakob Mosser to learn how the company is well on the way to achieving its goal to ‘not be big but to be great’.

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ith 12 production sites across Europe and more than 1200 employees, it is safe to say that Schur Flexibles Group has grown to an impressive size in its brief three-year history. But while the company itself may be relatively new, the experience and history of its members are second to none. CEO Jakob Mosser spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how Schur Flexibles has strategically expanded to ensure it offers a comprehensive, appealing portfolio through careful acquisitions. He said, “As the first major flexible packaging supplier in Europe to create a full-line company with a ‘buy and build’ concept, we are increasingly able to supply markets that we have identified as attractive through developing suitable state-of-the-art technology, services and products.” Schur Flexibles Group is a group of 11 companies, as well as a corporate development and management team that combine to form one of Europe’s largest and most important full-line suppliers. Focusing on the production and distribution of high-barrier flexible packaging for the food, medical & pharmaceutical, confectionary, tobacco and healthcare industries, the group has a unique asset of having one of the highest experienced compa-

nies in the flexible packaging industry – Schur Flexibles Dixie – within the group. And on the other side, they also have some of the technologically most modern sites, such as Vacufol, Schur Flexibles Poland, Danapak and Alpha Beta Roto, as part of the group. Schur Flexibles Dixie for instance, is one of the first producers of high-barrier shrink foil in Europe. Schur Flexibles Vacufol features the outstanding 7-layer “water quench” technology for high-barrier PA-EVOH-PE or PA/PE thermoforming films as well as the triple bubble 9-layer EVOH shrink technology. Alfa Beta Roto houses a state-of-the-art cylinder production and the most recent 11 colours roto printing facility in Europa, accompanying a modern HD flexo printing facility (up to 10 colours) at Flexofol and the recently installed UV flexo equipment for short runs and sophisticated prints as well as a high-performance laminator at Danapak Flexibles. Mr Mosser continued, “We started at zero three years ago and have carefully and cleverly put together the group through individually acquiring companies in a very selective way. We didn’t want to fight against any historical set-ups and so we chose the best targets to make the best company. I

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believe we’ve succeeded in this aim; we’re not trying to be big but we are trying to be great. Every element of the company we are today has been chosen because of great skill, great technological capabilities and great people, which is a powerful combination!”

Only the best Schur’s ‘buy and build’ concept has quickly proven to be successful. Mr Mosser noted that Schur Flexibles Group is now in a very stable position having acquired its first wave of companies to create the group. He continued: “The next two or three years will represent an important optimisation phase for us as we have achieved what we wanted in our acquisition phase. Now, we plan to transfer some of our multiple sites into one company, inside and out, so that we create a truly rock-solid organisation with the same values throughout.” This consolidating and optimisation phase will impact on the supplier base and technological base across the Schur Flexibles Group and represents a key development in both the competitiveness and partnership elements of the company. Mr Mosser explained, “We’re really working on optimizing how we approach the market via our sales and marketing operations. Our positioning is very much about being a reliable, knowledgeable full-line flexible packaging partner with regard to technology, materials and applications. We want it to be easy to work with us at every stage of a project. That’s why we’re heavily investing in the training and development of our sales teams so that we can offer just one face to the customer – someone who knows all about the different brands and services that our group offers and can advise the customer on the best flexible packaging solution for their needs. The ‘one-stop shop’ approach is well-suited to our group and our capabilities, so it’s about informing our customers and making sure our sales representatives know who to call on for the next stage in the project development.”

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NIPPON GOHSEI NIPPON GOHSEI UK Limited is a subsidiary of the NIPPON Synthetic Chemical Company (NIPPON GOHSEI Corporation) of Japan. NIPPON GOHSEI was formed in 1927 and today employs over 1,500 people producing a wide range of products on a global scale. The UK operation in Hull of the 18,000 MT EVOH (SoarnoL®) plant with commercial operation has started in 2004. SoarnoL® is produced in Japan, USA and Europe with a total production capacity of 66.000MT/year. NIPPON GOHSEI Europe in Dusseldorf Germany, is the exclusive sales and marketing company for NIPPON GOHSEI UK’s SoarnoL™ (EVOH) and other NIPPON GOHSEI products; Gohsenol™ (PVOH/PVA), Nichigo G-Polymer™, Specialty Films (Hi-Selon™ & Bovlon™) and Nichigo G-Tape™ in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In recent years, Nippon Gohsei’s R&D activity has focused on the development of new generation SoarnoL® EVOH products, in order to achieve unique properties and enable its use in increasingly demanding applications. The latest innovation is Nippon Gohsei’s special stretchable grade for the entire agricultural sector. Through its global organization with offices all over the world Nippon Gohsei provides customers with marketing and technical assistance for joint development of new applications where high gas barrier and chemical resistance is needed.

Totally flexible By focusing on making sure the group as a whole is ‘easy to do business with’, Schur Flexibles is promoting its benefit of having the strength of a big organisation without any of the disadvantages, offering back-up plants and innovative packaging solutions. Mr Mosser added, “We offer a completely flexible service, short lead times, on-time delivery, consistency of quality and product and attentive customer service. We’re already beyond the current market level and we’re always improving – it’s what sets us apart.” Working with customers to develop tailor-made solutions is also something that sets Schur Flexibles apart. The product portfolio ranges from 3D shrink films and bags based on PVdC and EVOH materials with up to 9 layers, PA/PE (65 to 300 micron) as well as semi rigid PP (200 to 1200 micron in up to 13 layers) for deep drawing applications, skin films for specialized packaging solutions, all types of lamination for lidding films (alu and alu-free) and FFS applications (standard/peel/reclosable) as well as premade solutions such as drawstring and wicket bags and pouches. The balanced Western/(South-) Eastern European geographical presence, supported by the implemented technology competence centre concept, provides our account base also a sophisticated capacity back up scenario which is needed for international players. Mr Mosser said, “We only acquire companies that are either the technology or market leaders in their specific segments so that we continue to grow as a fresh, forward-thinking company that is truly offering something new to the market. We’re able to compete with the key players in our active fields as we have the product portfolio, the experience and the technology behind all of the most in-demand flexible packaging solutions.” Visit: www.schurflexibles.com

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The Greek yoghurt king Greeceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading food packaging machinery company Alfa Machine has doubled its turnover since 2015 thanks to an ever-increasing global demand for Greek yoghurt. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Alfaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s packaging project and continuous improvement manager Georgios Drakoulis to find out how this is being achieved.

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he family-owned Greek food packaging company Alfa Machine has been focused on maximising the opportunities outside its domestic market for over three decades. Already present in various global markets including Europe, Russia, Australia, Japan, US and the Middle East, Alfa Machine produces the packaging machinery and peripherals needed by the food and beverage industries. The range of food packaging machines developed and produced by Alfa Machine includes thermoforming FFS and fill-seal machines as well as various packaging solutions and peripherals. Alfa’s packaging project continuous improvement manager Georgios Drakoulis told Packaging Europe more about how the company’s range meets its customers’ requirements. He said, “Our whole ethos is about making the best possible product and giving a fair deal to our customers. Our standards are incredibly high across every aspect of the business – as a family company we are passionate about our reputation and about maintaining a strong business that can thrive for generations.”

Great growth Famous for its machines for the packaging of Greek yoghurt, Alfa Machine’s core product has proved to be a hugely important ingredient in the company’s recipe for success. Mr Drakoulis explained, “For many years we have developed and manufactured packaging machines specifically for the dairy industry, with international producers of Greek yoghurt especially impressed with our understanding of the product and the machinery

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that maximises its appeal. The exciting and consistent global growth in the consumption of Greek yoghurt has been integrated with our impressive development; since 2012 we have doubled our turnover!” As Mr Drakoulis pointed out, Greek yoghurt has been a traditional and popular product in Greece and across the Mediterranean for centuries, but the relatively recent understanding of the benefits of full-fat dairy products for both taste and weight management have seen sales soar. He added, “Every day we are getting enquiries from potential customers all over the world looking for effective, reliable ways to package Greek yoghurt. As a tasty alternative to cream and a wonderful breakfast good, it’s got a huge appeal for sweet and savoury dishes – and people of all ages love it! It’s no wonder that we have grown rapidly even against a very difficult European and particularly Greek economy.” The specific machines for the packaging of Greek yoghurt offered by Alfa Machine are Form-Fill-Seal machines with the well-known IML integrated system. Mr Drakoulis explained, “Our patented In-Mould-Labelling (IML) mechanism, first presented at Interpack in 2008, allows customers to apply a paper label onto any type of cup – round, cylinder, conical. The mechanism is compact and the minimum possible size currently on a form-film-seal machine, while keeping a tight control on usability. This innovative packaging solution has played a big part in our impressive growth in the Greek yoghurt and dairy products sector as it performs brilliantly, is totally reliable and offers a flexible, appealing product.”

Competitive advantage Alfa Machine’s knowledge and understanding of the specific requirements for the production of packaging machines for the dairy industry, specifically for Greek yoghurt, is certainly one of its key competitive advantages. Mr Drakoulis noted that this, together with the flexibility to design new models with innovative ideas with high quality which solve existing problems of each food industry, will enable it to deliver strong growth in the coming years. He said, “We have a very loyal, long-term customer base as well as new enquires from all over the world. We know that if we impress our customers with their first Alfa packaging machine, they’ll come back for a second and a third. We have customers who have up to 30 Alfa machines in their factories, some of them rely for their production solely on Alfa Machine’s products.” The Fill-Seal packaging lines offered by Alfa Machine include rotary and linear machines, suitable for customers that wish to purchase existing packaging solutions such as ready-made cups and still utilise the Alfa fill-seal capability. As well as the dairy industry, Alfa Machine’s range is perfectly suited to products such as jam, honey and tomato sauces as well as beverages.

opportunities to grow through stable, organic means. By keeping the same quality and the same competitive advantage we’ve always offered, we know that the future of Alfa Machine is guaranteed.” Visit: www.alfamachine.gr

New facility With Alfa Machine’s order book already close to full for 2015, Mr Drakoulis is quick to point out that the company’s ongoing investment programme has seen it build a brand new facility that is soon to be up and running. He concluded, “Our schedule is full for 2015 but with our state-of-the-art new facility we are in a strong position to meet the demands of new customers. Our attitude has always been to grow step by step, to keep the stability and reliability that Alfa is famous for, so we are always looking for new

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Leading the way in flexible packaging Bischof + Klein (B+K) is a leading European full-service supplier of flexible plastic and plastic laminate packaging and technical films, and is represented around the world by a strong network of sales offices.

+K GROUP employs a total of around 2400 staff at six production plants in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland and Saudi Arabia. In 2014 the group’s annual turnover was around EUR 500 million. The family-owned company is oriented towards the principle of sustainability. Achieving balance between ecology, economy and the social needs of employees and society as a whole is a significant aspect of all corporate decisions. In 2014 Bischof + Klein was awarded the German Federal Government's CSR prize. The jury's judgement: "Bischof + Klein has been establishing itself as a whole in the CSR sector for a number of years and reveals a high level of innovativeness. The application of stringent environmental standards and the integration of environmental aspects into all areas of the company deserve particular emphasis."

and coating plus for extrusion lamination and coating. Highly developed conversion technology with product-specific facilities for sealed, welded and adhesive designs enable individual production according to customers' wishes. The company manufactures its CleanFlex® clean room packaging corresponding to clean room class 5 according to DIN EN ISO 14644-1 at rest in a separate production facility in Lengerich. Bischof + Klein identifies with its customers' efforts to achieve increased sustainability and regards itself as a partner in a continuous process. In close co-operation with customers, development engineers, application engineers and sales experts achieve progress, e.g. in terms of increased energy efficiency and sparing use of resources. Wall thickness optimisation and support in switching from multi-ply paper packaging or hard packaging to flexible plastic packaging are typical projects.

Innovative flexible solutions

Offering sustainable alternatives

Bischof + Klein's product range encompasses the entire range of flexible packaging: from traditional industrial packaging and consumer packaging to special films for technical applications. Industrial packaging from B+K is used worldwide. Customers include major players within the chemicals, agriculture and horticulture, construction and housing, high-purity products and foodstuffs industries. The product range encompasses open sacks and valve sacks, liners, shrink films, bale wrapping films, flat films, label films, stretch hood films, hazardous material packaging, FFS films and clean room packaging. In the consumer segment, B+K offers highly converted products for well known brand manufacturers in the agriculture and horticulture, construction and housing, hygiene, foodstuffs, pet food and detergents and cleaning materials industries. The product range includes mono films and laminates, U-Pack® product line side gusseted bags, block bottom bags, stand-up pouches, wicketed bags, envelopes, photographic paper packaging, Value-Packs, carrier packs and special pallet covers. Focus in the Technical Films division is placed on the production of surface protection films, technical laminates and films for lamination. The B+K GROUP manufactures its products using state-of-the art systems for mono/ co-extrusion, gravure/flexographic printing, solvent-based/solvent-free lamination

Stand up pouches with individual contours and formats from 50 ml to 10 litres are a sustainable alternative to conventional packaging solutions for foodstuffs. In contrast to hard plastic packaging (bottles or canisters), they consume significantly less material and are also more efficient in terms of transportation, storage and disposal. They are suitable for both foodstuffs and products from the hygiene or detergents and cleaning materials sectors. Bischof + Klein offers plastic peel films for capsule systems as sustainable alternatives to aluminium peel films. The barrier films offer outstanding sealing properties and enable simple punching or cutting out. They can be coated with various lacquers, e.g. matt lacquer. They also offer a significant advantage in comparison with aluminium peel films in terms of their tensile strength. The omission of aluminium also offers clear advantages in other application areas. Barrier films as bag-in-box inliners are ideal for liquid and paste products. Thanks to significantly reduced wall thicknesses, these individually developed laminates help to make sparing use of resources. At the same time, they also meet extreme requirements, e.g. in the case of acidic products or essential oils, and are easier to convert than conventional aluminium packaging solutions. FFS barrier films also score points as regards purity – an aspect of particular importance for milk products and juices.

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Catering for growing hygiene requirements With its two-ply, separable plastic packaging, Bischof + Klein is responding to the industry's increasing requirements on foodstuff packaging purity. This intelligent packaging solution has been developed for products with particular hygiene requirements pertaining to the packaging, such as highly-sensitive foodstuffs (powdered milk or food additives), pharmaceutical precursor products and special chemical products. Protective packaging protects the inner packaging throughout the entire transportation process and guarantees its cleanliness. It can be removed easily and without residues using the longitudinal seam. This system can be used for both FFS films and side gusseted sacks. The inner and outer layers can be individually dyed and printed to achieve effective advertising.

Awards and certifications Bischof + Klein’s success is underlined by the wide variety of certifications and decorations the company receives. Its clean room production facility is certified according to DIN EN ISO 15378 ‘Primary packaging materials for medicinal products’. Both German plants also offer a certified hygiene and quality management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 15593 and 9001. Material combinations plus raw materials and recipes are approved by the FDA and BGA. B+K’s environmental management system is validated on the basis of the European environmental standard EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). Each year, the company publishes a sustainability report in-line with the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) with integrated environmental statement. In September 2014, Bischof + Klein was awarded the German Federal Government's CSR prize in the category ‘Companies with 500 – 4999 employees’ for its extensive commitment to sustainability.

As a particularly dedicated company, Bischof + Klein received a certificate for its constant commitment to environmental protection in November 2014. B+K's environmental management system was certified on the basis of the European "EMAS" Eco-Management and Audit Scheme for the first time back in 1996. This meant that Bischof + Klein was one of the industry's pioneers. Also in 2014 Bischof + Klein was presented with a ‘best new supplier’ award by American company Avery Dennison (AD). Bischof + Klein won the British Star Pack Award of Excellence 2013 as a partner in a project together with filler OTTO Cosmetic GmbH, British adhesive manufacturer BOSTIK Limited UK and plastic processor Pöppelmann GmbH & Co. KG.

Ongoing investments Bischof + Klein consistently invests in modernising and extending the capacity of its plants, particularly in Germany. Investments of around €27 million are planned in 2015. Of this, €21 million will be spent on modernising the film extrusion facilities and extending the consumer packaging conversion facilities at the two German plants. Construction of a fully-automated, temperature-controlled high-bay warehouse is also underway at B+K Konzell. The company will continue to grow, with Europe remaining Bischof + Klein's most important market, and can still see growth opportunities, especially in Eastern Europe. With its production plants in Europe, Bischof + Klein will continue to remain a leading full-service supplier in Europe in the future. Increasingly, acting on a global footing will also be required. With its strong global sales network, the company is ideally set up to achieve this. Visit: www.bk-international.com

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The leak police An innovative launch from the Linde Gases Division is set to highlight the company’s extensive capabilities in the increasingly important leak detection technology sector of the packaging industry. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to global marketing & business development manager David Stolk to learn more.

global leader in the international industrial gases market, the Linde Gases Division is part of The Linde Group. Linde Group generated revenue of over €16 billion in 2013, making it the largest gases and engineering company in the world, employing over 63,000 people working in more than 100 countries. As a group, Linde is focused on long-term, profitable growth and acting responsibly towards the environment, its partners, its employees and its shareholders. The group comprises two core divisions – Linde Gases and Linde Engineering. David Stolk, working for market segment Food & Beverages of Linde Gases Division, spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how its latest innovation is a true testament to its dedication to development and how it is meeting the latest challenges faced by its customers in the packaging industry. Mr Stolk said, “We offer a broad range of industrial gases for industries including food, beverages, aquaculture and water treatment. Being a world-leading industrial gases company, we have easy access to an unrivalled international network of experts and suppliers as well as the resources to be able to deliver on our promises. Our most recent MAPAX LD product launch has really marked our strong position in the food packaging sector and we are proud of how well it’s been received on the market already.”

Meeting latest demands Focused on delivering technologies to meet rising consumer demands for quality, variety and freshness, Linde Gases has a dedicated team of field and in-house specialists that are continually working on meeting specific challenges. Mr Stolk continued, “Food-grade gases are an effective and natural way to meet these challenges. Increasingly, consumers are looking for low or zero-additive alternatives to conventional preservation techniques and food-grade gases are proving indispensable for example in the growing market for convenience food.” From the very moment fruit is picked, corn is harvested, or fish is caught, the race against time begins. Natural deterioration and spoilage endanger the quality and shelf-life of food due to internal factors such as water activity, pH value, and the type and quantity of product organisms. In order to prevent this loss of natural freshness and quality, an effective and intelligent concept of food preservation has been developed – Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). Through the use of natural gases and adequate packaging materials and machines, the quality of foodstuffs is maintained and their shelf-life is enhanced. MAPAX from Linde is a tailor-made MAP program based on the necessary data relating to Packaging Europe | 73 |

foodstuffs, gases, and packaging. It relies on close cooperation between the suppliers of the packaging material, the packaging machines, and the gases. The purpose of this collaboration is to meet the demands for an efficient and costeffective packaging of foodstuffs with consistent product quality throughout the entire distribution chain Linde Gases’ latest food packaging innovation is a true culmination of years of research and expertise. Beginning 2015, Linde Gases launched MAPAX LD, a pioneering technology that detects defects in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). With the LD standing for leak detection, MAPAX LD is a high-speed, non-destructive, in-line unit which uses food grade hydrogen gas in place of the usual visual or manual water-testing to identify faulty MAP goods. Mr Stolk added, “This revolutionary leak detection technology for the food packaging process uses our patented technology for MAP packaging lines for a huge range of packaged foodstuffs, from meat, poultry and fish to packaged salads, nuts, dried fruit and coffee.” Mr Stolk went on to explain the technology behind the MAPAX LD and its advantages. He said, “MAPAX LD works by adding food grade hydrogen to the MAP gas mix at the packaging sealing stage; gas mixture of up to four per cent hydrogen can be used without any impact on the foodstuff. Then, when there is a leak and hydrogen is detected by the MAPAX LD sensor, a visual alarm is activated which allows the defective item to be removed from the production line with minimal interruption to the packaging | 74 | Packaging Europe

process. The MAPAX LD also allows for faulty settings on the machine to be identified earlier, as when several leaks are found consecutively production can be paused and settings corrected, thus reducing the risk of further defective packaging during that run.”

MAPAX LD suits well With the MAPAX LD perfectly suited to ‘everyone who works in modified atmosphere packaging’, Linde Gases appreciates that its latest product is ideal for production lines where quality control is paramount. Mr Stolk added, “Leakages are big problems for production lines that are often active 24/7. Food processors, producers and packaging companies cannot afford downtime or indeed customer complaints or product recalls. By keeping a tight reign on reliable leak detection, quality is assured.” Officially launched at the Anuga Food Tech show, the Linde Gas MAPAX LD will be a truly new product at this important global trade fair for the food and beverage industry. Mr Stolk noted that the product fits perfectly into its existing portfolio so the system is set to be a welcome addition. He concluded, “Food safety, food security and waste reduction are always hot topics – now more than ever. Our innovative system supports these aims as leak detection addresses all these issues. We also see that there is a forward drive for convenience foods in general, from family ready meals to single portion products and on-the-go foods, and our MAPAX LD is the ideal partner to companies producing these products.” Visit: www.linde-gas.com

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Inspection perfection High-end inspection systems expert scanware electronic GmbH is globally-active, dedicated to innovation and present at some of the world’s leading industry exhibitions. Packaging Europe’s Emma-Jane Batey spoke to product marketing manager Sandra Klein to get the details.

independent manufacturer based in Bickenbach, Germany, scanware electronic GmbH develops and makes high-end inspection systems for every step of the packaging line. Focused on addressing important quality control issues, scanware’s portfolio is ideally suited to the packaging lines of the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. With more than 25 years of experience, scanware is the chosen partner for leading companies worldwide and has installed systems across the globe. “For over a quarter of a century, scanware’s products have been tailored to the needs of producers and are highly specialised and compliant to GMP regulations,” said Sandra Klein. “We have well over 2000 installations around the globe, which have majorly contributed to our reputation as a supplier of high-end technology to all major producers in our active sectors. Even as a fully independent company, we are responsible for some of the most groundbreaking developments in inspection, such as the introduction of white LED illumination, multiple camera systems for the highest resolutions and OCR on large area foils.” Continually developing new products, scanware’s product inspection systems have long been synonymous with high security and user-friendliness. Its LYNX-SPECTRA brand is globally recognised. The portfolio includes the first 3D inspection system, colour inspection that reaches the hard-to-obtain Japan Quality standard and also various applications specifically designed for customers. Ms Klein continued, “We’ve created custombuilt solutions such as dialpack and dry powder inspection. We are also well known for our ability to offer inspection for every step in the packaging process, from pore detection through product inspection to code inspection and track and trace.” | 76 | Packaging Europe

New generation Currently working on a new generation of inspection systems, scanware is also continually providing upgrades, new features and new applications for existing products. “We are a valued partner to our customers as we care for every product through its lifetime, from consultation to installation to after sales and technical support,” Ms Klein explained. “We can find a solution to emergencies within 24 hours and all replacement parts are available for a minimum of ten years.” As a strategically growing company, scanware regularly attends international trade fairs across its active sectors to ensure customers and potential customers can appreciate its latest developments. Ms Klein concluded, “scanware’s exhibitions are becoming more international as we grow worldwide. As well as our domestic German shows ACHEMA and Fachpack, this year will see us present at trade shows in Brazil, China, Egypt, France, South Korea and the US. We always have fully-functioning equipment on site to demonstrate to interested visitors. We expect that 2015 and beyond will continue to see excellent results, particularly with companies in the cosmetics and food industries, which can benefit from our experience in the high security pharmaceutical industry.” Visit: www.scanware.de

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DRY for

dairy

GEA Procomacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ABF technology has now been validated for Low Acid products. In addition, the company has recently introduced a new range of filling solutions for liquid milk.

BF (Aseptic Blow Fill), is a breakthrough technology developed by GEA Procomac, a leading manufacturer of aseptic and traditional filling lines, which offers significant savings in terms of utilities and PET usage. ABF is now validated for Low Acid production. ABF system sterilises the preforms by means of Vapourised Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP), using fewer chemicals than the ones usually required to sterilise pre-blown bottles. Water consumption is also reduced since no water rinsing is required. The system uses a flow of VHP at a controlled temperature, concentration, contact time and flow rate, in order to achieve an effective Log 6 sterilisation of the preforms. Preforms are far easier to sterilise than a bottle: they are just a cylinder of thick PET and very heat resistant. It is possible to blow very light bottles into any kind of shape with no fear of shrinkage during the sterilisation treatment, as no additional sterilisation treatment is needed once the bottles are blown. GEA Procomac ABF pushes the lightweighting of PET bottles to extreme limits, such as 12 grams for a 500ml bottle for aseptic applications. The stretch blowing machine is the first truly aseptic blow moulding system, able to pass even the strictest microbiological protocols. It is an integral part of the ABF. It is all included in the microbiological isolator, and is automatically sterilised by means of VHP in all the parts which enter into contact with the preforms in order to maintain sterility. This even includes the stretching rod, which is moved thanks to a magnetic joint.

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Blower sterility is an absolute necessity, especially if a milk based LA (Low Acid) product has to be produced. For example, POKKA Corporation Singapore has recently installed and validated an ABF Low Acid system to produce extremely sensitive products such as Milk Tea and Milk Coffee in its new plant in Malaysia. The system has faced and successfully passed rigorous decontamination tests on all microbiological isolator surfaces, such as blower, filler and capper, and on preform and cap (internal and external), reaching up to 6 Log reduction on target microorganism. Before it entered commercial production it even successfully passed a broth filling test (a specific and very sensitive LA product). GEA Procomac ABF is a Low Acid validated system that can run up to 48,000bph.

Global leader in filling solutions GEA Group has always been an undisputed leader in the dairy industry: today, thanks to the new range of filling machines designed specifically for the dairy industry by GEA Procomac, they can offer complete technical solutions from raw material to packaged container. GEA Procomac is now able to satisfy customer demands with customised machine solutions for: Pasteurised dairy products; ESL (Extended Shelf Life) dairy products; and UHT (Ultra High Temperature) dairy products. The company has extensive experience in pasteurised milk filling and has always paid great attention to hygiene â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something which is evidenced, for example, in its

new Fillstar DX solution. The Fillstar DX has an external static product tank placed above the valves in order to infeed the product by gravity or, if needed, overpressure; there are no movable parts in contact with the product except for a sanitary membrane filling valve. The GEA Procomac Fillstar Dx has a no-contact filling valve design, with dual speed filling in order to avoid foam forming. It has a completely cleanable and scrap-free design thanks to a collecting duct under the nozzles. The filling carousel is enclosed within a clean box pressurised by HEPA filtered air. The GEA Procomac Fillstar DX is also equipped with a special universal neck handling system (NeckFlex) suitable for handling both PET and HDPE bottles.

Other innovations GEA Procomac Whitebloc is a dry technology solution designed to deal with ESL dairy products, which works by sterilising bottles and caps with hydrogen peroxide. As this is a dry technology it requires absolutely now water consumption. It is also very simple and compact: inside two carousels the bottle sterilization and H2O2 activation with hot air is carried out and the bottles are then filled in the Fillstar DX. GEA Procomac Whitebloc is enclosed in the clean box and pressurised with double HEPA filtered air. This solution is able to handle PET and HDPE bottles thanks to the NeckFlex technology. It is completed by Sterilcap VHP L or Sterifoil VHP L with hydrogen peroxide sterilisation for closures and aluminum foil. It combines maximum efficiency in decontamination with an easy mechanical construction. This new range of closure sterilisation systems allows for a flexible application, whatever the shape of the bottle, and can be combined with PET or HDPE bottles. Lastly, the White & Safe bottle, designed specifically for ESL and UHT milk applications and featuring a range of light barrier additive concentrations, completes

GEA Procomac’s dairy industry offering. Barrier PET provides a ‘total light barrier’ (over 99.5 per cent of the visible light spectrum), with a guaranteed over nine months of shelf life for UHT milk. Furthermore, it offers the potential for lightweighting in exactly the same way as ordinary PET, and a significant reduction of material costs. The White & Safe PET bottle, developed by GEA Procomac together with PET Engineering and Novapet, provides users the opportunity of customizing the light protection level. That is possible simply by adjusting the concentration of TiO2 based solution (DCU® by Novapet) in the preform, in order to match the needs of each individual product. Come and discover more at Anuga Foodtec 2015. Visit: www.procomac.it and www.gea.com

GEA Procomac White & Safe is a 1 liter PET bottle with a 33/15 neck finish that weighs just 21g and it is believed to be the lightest of its size on the market.

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Customised pumping excellence Innovative Systems GmbH offers complete pump solutions and modifications from a single source. Julia Snow hears from managing director René Grywnow about the expertise and ambitions of this brand new enterprise.

he newly founded Innovative Systems GmbH (ISG) is based in Dortmund, Germany, and it offers a unique service for enterprises that are searching for individual system or component solutions for increased production and process efficiency. The core competency of the company is developing and modifying pump solutions exactly aligned to the special requirements of customers in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industry. “Because the quality and hygiene requirements in these industries are constantly increasing, the standard products are often no longer sufficient,” Mr Grywnow explains. “We provide competitive advantages through a service package for pump solutions which includes components that are not found in the standard range of many providers. Our solutions for a better production and process efficiency are based on components of the globally established water technology group Xylem, of which we are a part, and this pedigree guarantees the highest possible product quality and reliability.” As industry experts with over 15,000 completed customised solutions, the company knows all about customers’ priorities: maximum hygiene, aseptic functions and operating ergonomics. Full compliance with all national and international rules and regulations in demanding industries is guaranteed.

Keeping it customised Against the general trend towards standardised production, Innovative Systems GmbH offers market innovation along with its services. Regardless of whether it concerns pump or drive technology, complex installation situations, replacement of a discontinued production series or fast assembly in the case of a plant shutdown, this Centre of Competence creates economically profitable and safe solutions. In both new and retrofit projects, the experts rely on a modern infrastructure. CAD systems, digital prototyping, their own pump testing for high-viscosity mediums and temperatures of up to 250°C assure the best solutions in the areas of product development as well as product optimisation, new assemblies and on-site service.

Solutions for every purpose “Our product portfolio includes hygienic and non-hygienic pumps, like cold- and hotwater pumps, pumps for support processes and more,” says Mr Grywnow. First to mention are the highly innovative dosing systems: they allow precision dosing, give an insight into the process and are permanently resilient for the toughest

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requirements. Robust shaft and gear constructions minimise the shaft deflection at the lowest thermal expansion. As a result, there is no product contamination due to abrasion, and a maximum lifespan makes the system ideal for sensitive applications in demanding processes in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Then there are pumps for the primary process as used in sectors like brewing and dairy, foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or biotechnology. Applications can include products as diverse as yeast, yoghurt, sugar or syrup, chocolate, cocoa or jams, sauces, ketchup, non-alcoholic drinks, beer or even blood plasma and vaccines. The portfolio includes centrifugal piston pumps, centrifugal pumps, normal- and self-priming pumps. All are suitable for the hygienically flawless conveying of biologically challenging media up to a viscosity of 1000 mPas. The low flow speeds and the gentle conveying of the media through the spiral casing ensure a transportation of the product that is exceptionally gentle, with a high level of effectiveness. For particularly high quality materials, from low to high viscosity, ISG’s offers impeller pumps with product-caring properties. The JABSCO’S PUREFLO® 4-level diaphragm membrane pump was developed specifically for use in the fields of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Its straightforward design and ease of use enable fault-free operations. For many customers, it‘s all about secondary pumps - or components in pumps, ventilators, blowers, compressors, valves, pistons and other mechanical assemblies which interact with currents. Membrane ﬁltration, UHT systems and heating systems play a range of key roles in production. “We offer solutions that don‘t come straight from the

catalogue, this is our key area of expertise,” explains Mr Grywnow. Versatile applications include boosting of water supply- and pressure levels, water treatment systems (ultra-ﬁltration systems, softening, ionising and demineralisation systems), washing and cleaning systems (KEG/external crate cleaner), CIP processes, boiler feed water pumps and other industrial processes. For these purposes, ISG offers single- and multi stage centrifugal pumps, pressure boosting systems containing up to eight pumps and submersible pumps.

Getting known in Europe and beyond “Eighty per cent of our business is in central Europe, but our customers do business across the whole world so it is not easy to say where our pumps will be sold ultimately. To support our customers we will go into new markets as and when required,” says Mr Grywnow. Future growth is expected to come from organic expansion, and ISG has an optimistic estimate of future demand. Mr Grywnow concludes: “Our activities will increase, because there are so many customers who have the need for a solution which can’t be solved by standard products. We can bring exactly the experience and the knowhow to serve them with a solution which will work and provide an advantage for them in their future business development.” Customers can meet us at Anuga FoodTec in hall 4.2 booth B 034. Visit: www.isg-do.com

We can offer you the standard and all additional solutions. Packaging Europe | 83 |

Sealed Air Food Care at Anuga FoodTec 2015

At Anuga Foodtec 2015, Sealed Air Food Care will present advanced products, solutions and technologies designed to meet the operational efficiency and food waste challenges faced in today and tomorrow’s food industry. A unique combination of proven packaging and hygiene expertise enables optimal use of resources and the highest standards of safety across the entire supply chain. For customers this leads to measurable financial savings and a substantial reduction of their ecological footprint. Unrivalled food safety standards facilitated by Sealed Air’s Cryovac® and Diversey® product portfolios also make a vital contribution to the development and protection of customers’ brands.

selection of the innovative solutions Sealed Air Food Care will be showcasing at Anuga Foodtec 2015: • Cryovac Proaseptic solutions for aseptic packaging deliver new levels of convenience. The innovative Cryovac Proaseptic® stand-up pouches, available in a range of formats, offer a high-barrier packaging solution, consumer convenience, portion pack formats, branding possibilities and light weight, compact dimensions. Aseptic packaging introduces new standards in the retention of nutritional value without refrigeration – Cryovac Speedflex® Bag in Box and Cryovac Vertical Pouch packaging technology is particularly beneficial for dairy-, vegetable- and fruit-based products that can leverage both the improved microbial food safety assurances and practicality. • Advancements in customer convenience are changing the way people shop and consume food – with Cryovac Darfresh on Tray, Cryovac Sealappeal and Cryovac Grip&Tear, Sealed Air are leading the field in innovative solutions that enhance the

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performance of packaging while improving food safety and shelf life. Discover how our innovative solutions can enhance your brand while tackling the global issues of food safety and food waste. • The good hygiene of food production facilities is a pre-requisite for ensuring production of quality, safe food. Diversey Enduro Power is one solution that makes a visible difference to operational efficiency, food safety and sustainability. This innovative range of cleaning foams from demonstrates up to 50% less water usage, a reduction of up to 33% in chemical levels and a rinse time up to 50% shorter than standard foams. Specifically developed to meet the tough hygienic, environmental and financial demands of the food and dairy industries. Discover how sustainability can also be profitable for your business at the Sealed Air Food Care Stand, Hall 8.1 Stand: C029 - C021. Visit: www.sealedair.com

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Can, Cup, Pak by Lamican Aseptic packaging system expert Lamican is well known for its innovative solutions, including LamiCan, LamiPak and LamiCup. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to the company’s International Marketing Manager Henry Alzamora, to find out more about its award winning innovations and upcoming appearance at Anuga FoodTec 2015.

he company’s trademark product, LamiCan, is a paperboard based easy-to-hold, easy-to-open and easy-to-drink-from can. It provides 12 months of shelf life without the need for costly product refrigeration or preservatives. LamiCan 250ml is an aseptic paperboard package ideal for all types of ambient distribution. Perfect for premium brands, it has the eye-catching feature of printing around the full circumference of its body and different materials such as metalized material can be used. It is designed to be the perfect single serve size package for everything from still drinks, dairy to juices. “Lamican Finland is a pioneer in the manufacturing of these rounded paperboard cans, and the uniqueness of the LamiCan’s shape makes the package interesting.” Mr Alzamora says. LamiCan 250ml can be filled with liquids such as dairy products, milks made of oats, soy and rice, water, flavoured water, sport and energy drinks, ice tea, coffee drinks, juice, smoothies, alcoholic drinks (less than 22 per cent), wines, oils for cooking and salad oils. “Several brands around the world are using LamiCan, and they all have reported an increase in their exposure because of that differentiation and positioning, especially in the sample package markets,” he adds. “As we replace the materials traditionally used to produce cans with an aseptic coupled material (polymer and paper), there is innovation from a marketing viewpoint but also

from a production viewpoint: the can is shaped, filled and closed with the same machine. Aseptic filling technology allows liquids to be inserted and the material is delivered in the form of paper reels.” LamiPak, Aseptic Carton Packaging is the most important product we are offering to the European dairy & juice market. LamiPak is aseptic roll-fed packaging material for brick type packages that runs on roll-fed filling machines, equal in quality and specifications as that of existing roll-fed filling machines, but less complicated pricing structures and a much more competitive price. LamiPak meet the exact specifications required for these filling machines. We are able to offer technical service in Europe and in Asia. “We are already supplying LamiPak to various customers in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Ireland, and we are looking forward to expanding to the rest of Europe as well. The LamiPak business in Europe is growing strongly thanks to its competitive pricing. Available sizes on offer are: 125ml Slim, 200ml Slim, 250ml Slim, 250ml Base, 1000ml Slim, 1000ml Base and LamiPak 65ml,” says Mr Alzamora.

Proven success In recent years, Lamican’s success has been punctuated by a wide range of awards. “We achieved a first place at the Packology Award for LamiCan. One of our brands located in the UK won the Packaging Awards 2014, a leading packaging awards event in the Packaging Europe | 87 |

UK, and Quality Food Awards 2014, the most prestigious awards for food and drinks products on sale in the UK, with positive comments on the best repackaging of a brand. In addition, Lamican was a finalist as the Best Technology Innovation of the year at the Beverage Innovation Awards at Drinktec , Germany, as well as a finalist in the area of Best Packaging Innovations at the Beverage Packaging Awards, Brussels, Belgium,” Mr Alzamora points out. Lamican’s main USP is the company’s focus on enriching the end consumers’, brand owners’ and retailers’ experience, as Mr Alzamora points out. “From the end customer’s perspective, the can gives pleasure to the senses while opening, drinking or holding. It gives the impression of a clean package that keeps the high quality and great tasting flavours but at the same time all the vitamins and minerals are protected with fewer additives or preservatives, thereby protecting the whole family’s health.” LamiCan also boasts environmental credentials, which is important to customers. “LamiCan is an environmentally friendly paper based deposit free product. From the brand owner’s point of view, the package has a unique eye catching shape, it is ideal for premium brands, it boosts new marketing ideas and advertising concepts and is flexible, ideally suited to new niche brands or line extensions. From the retailers’ point of view, advantages include more exposure and visibility, outstanding shelf impact, a shelf life of up to 12 months, no cold chain required for distribution and its one way system meaning less waste and less work.” The company continuously works hard on developing and improving its solutions, with exciting products in the pipeline. Innovation is one of its core values: “We have over 30 engineers developing aseptic filling machines at Lamican Finland and we are committed to innovation and research,” Mr Alzamora adds.

Showcasing innovation at Anuga FoodTec At Anuga FoodTec 2015, Lamican will present a new and interesting solution to the European beverage market: LamiCups, paper cups available for hot and cold drinks, available in single wall and double wall with excellent printing and forming features, made from 100 per cent OBA free food grade paper, using flexo printing from BHS Gallus – Germany and PE Extrusion from Davis Standard Germany. “The LamiCup product range is made in our state of the art facilities China and set up with strict compliance on hygiene. LamiCups sizes available are 4, 6, 7, 7.5, 8, 12, 16, 22 oz. single or double walls,” Mr Alzamora adds. | 88 | Packaging Europe

Another LamiCan’s innovation project to showcase at Anuga FoodTec 2015 is the screwcap option. The screwcap option for LamiCans will be implemented in 2015. Another focus at this year’s Anuga FoodTec is to share success stories and promote its brands. Mr. Alzamora is keen to point out a lecture of customer Plainmilch at the Speaker’s Corner at Anuga FoodTec, named ‘The Art of Starting a new beverage label – What Comes Along With It’ on 25 March at 11 am. “Plainmilch’s marketing concept is that drinking milk can be stylish and different, it shouldn’t be boring, which meant saying goodbye to traditional packaging ideas and pattern. That is why LamiCans became the perfect option. Plainmilch’s online shop is at http://shop.plainmilch.de Delicious Plainmilch’s drinks will be also offered to visitors at the Speaker’s Zone at Anuga FoodTec 2015 and in Lamican’s booth located in Hall 7.1, stand A 101.”

Building relationships Lamican has strong ties with its suppliers and customers, and the development of deep, mutually beneficial relationships over the long-term is key to developing true supply chain excellence. “At Lamican, we build relationships and we provide solutions all the time. Our task is to offer alternatives to make our customers’ lives easier by providing information, marketing projections and virtual/test trials of packaging solutions for them to test their products before launching them,” Mr Alzamora is proud to point out. The main markets for Lamican lie in the areas of dairy and juice, which are the main growth areas, but functional drinks such as vitamin waters, protein drinks, diet drinks and beverages for the elderly are also ideally suited. The company’s biggest markets are in Spain, Germany, France and Italy, with growth potential in Russia and the UK. Lamican is active all over Europe and has sales representatives in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Cyprus, Greece, the East Med and Italy. Mr Alzamora is proud of the company’s achievements and looks forward to the future. “Lamican’s presence around Europe is that of a leader and pioneer in the paperboard based can concept, and we are proud to be considered a company that has created a revolutionary package that has set patterns for others to follow,” Mr Alzamora concludes. For more information, visit: www.lamican.com

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Innovative snack

in challenging tray What happens when a snack idea from Switzerland is combined with leading packaging technology from Germany? A successful project between Swiss meat processor Micarna SA and German packaging specialist SEALPAC provides the answer.

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matter which event in the food sector one visits, snacking appears to be the continuous megatrend that is driving the industry forward. Numerous studies clearly indicate that more and more single households, especially in the cities, are raising the demand for smaller portion packs. This goes along with the consumer’s growing health consciousness – people increasingly pay attention to their eating pattern, resulting in a preference for products with less calories. Traditional eating habits are also changing. Instead of consuming three meals at set times, working professionals are increasingly forced by their everyday fast-paced and hectic schedule to take small meals wherever they are – at work, on the move (for example in their car) and in between. At the same time, convenience is demanded. Snacks have to be practical and readily available – preferably in a package that is easy to open without the use of additional tools. Leading food producers already address these consumer demands, among which Micarna SA. As part of M-Industrie, which has 18 companies in Switzerland and 5 abroad, Micarna SA belongs to the Swiss Migros group. M-Industrie is regarded as one of the biggest employers in the country and the world’s largest producer of private label products. With about 4,500 different products, the company offers a unique variety of

seasonal delicacies. Producing an annual volume of 132,993 tons, Micarna SA is the number one in the Swiss market for meat, poultry and seafood. As one of the leading meat processors in the country, the company has an obligation to inspire its customers repeatedly with new products that address the demands of modern consumers.

Innovative snack idea in striking packaging format Based on its own market study, Micarna SA, together with the Migros Co-operative, developed a new product idea that addresses the modern snacking trends: extremely thin, hearty meat chips in five different flavours, which are particularly suitable as an inbetween snack. The high-quality, low-fat and protein-rich meat products made from beef, poultry or pork are processed according to traditional recipes, lightly salted, naturally seasoned, and air dried or smoked. Depending on the type, the fat content is only between 1.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent. Furthermore, these products can be kept almost indefinitely without refrigeration. This innovative snack required a modern packaging concept that meets consumers’ wishes in terms of portion size and convenience level. As Pierre-André Imhof, head of the Delicatessen department at Micarna SA and member of the executive board, explains: “When it came to appearance, we wanted this new product to be a true

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highlight at retail, a feast for the eyes.” For the implementation of this product, Micarna SA turned to Sealpac Switzerland, local branch for the sales and service of high-technology traysealers and thermoformers from SEALPAC. In a joint cooperation that took around two years, both companies slowly but surely worked out the appropriate solution.

Exploring the boundaries The two partners are highly satisfied with the result of the project. In 2013, the innovative meat snack was launched in a black APET tray consisting of two separate compartments, each containing the ideal snack quantity of around 62 grams. Both compartments are individually sealed under modified atmosphere, and can easily be separated by means of a perforation. Furthermore, each compartment has an additional section that can be used for a fork or toothpick. The tray is sealed with an attractive, partly printed top film, which can easily be peeled away owing to SEALPAC’s EasyPeelPoint system. The corner of the top film is pressed into a round cavity and releases from the sealing edge. With the resulting easy-to-grip peel tab, the top film is removed from the pack with minimum force. Micarna SA’s meat chips are now supplied in their striking format to Migros supermarkets, where they are presented vertically at eye level for optimal attention. Although perfect from a marketing standpoint, this packaging solution for the delicious meat snacks still had to be brought in line with the requirements of the production process. As Dirk Voss, head of Production at Micarna SA, explains: “An attractive look is not enough, the pack also has to be suitable for denesting, conveying, sealing and label-

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ling. Here it is important to find a healthy compromise.” This provided all participants with some major challenges, as the extraordinary, conical tray design, which gives the pack its distinctive look, placed high demands on the production process. Voss explains: “It started with the materials. We claim to be sustainable by using as little consumables as possible. However, if the tray is too thin, the pack will contract in the sealing process. This is where we did a large amount of testing together with Swiss tray supplier Bachmann Forming AG to determine the limits, and to design a stable tray with as little materials as possible.” Despite the reduced thickness of the tray, its u-shaped edge provides additional stability. The resulting tray is relatively light, hence providing a challenge for SEALPAC in denesting and machinability.

Fully synchronised The production line now consists of a servo-driven SEALPAC AS-LS1200 linear denester, a Bilwinco multi-head weigher, which accurately portions around 62 grams in the two-compartment tray, and a servo-driven SEALPAC A8 traysealer that reliably seals each compartment. The line also consists of a SEALPAC lidding unit, which is used for a different pack format. The sealing requires highest precision, as the oddly shaped tray provides a relatively narrow surface to seal. To enhance the pack’s appearance, SEALPAC’s InsideCut system is applied, where the top film is cut and sealed to perfection within the edges of the tray. As such, no material will lie outside the tray edge, giving each compartment an outstanding presentation. For easy opening, after thoroughly testing various options, SEALPAC’s EasyPeelPoint system was selected.

Walking Beam along the line A particular challenge in designing the production line was the transport and accurate filling of the light tray with its special shape, whilst achieving the required output. This was solved by using SEALPAC’s Walking Beam transport system. With this system, the trays are picked up by a revolving bar instead of moving on a conveyor belt. In this way, it is possible to achieve a constant high speed and still place each tray accurately on the required filling position. Despite the low weight of tray, the Walking Beam also provides tilt-free transport. At the end of the line, the trays are transferred from the Walking Beam onto a regular belt conveyor, after which they are labelled and checked for metal before reaching the secondary packaging department. “From a technical point of view, the synchronisation of the line provided a particular challenge. Luckily we could rely on SEALPAC’s highly qualified technicians, who were quickly present whenever their assistance was required,” says Swen Rüegsegger, project manager at Micarna SA.

Increased sales The partnership and careful project engineering between Micarna SA and SEALPAC paid off. In Switzerland, the sales of meat snacks at the Migros supermarkets developed extremely positive. “With the introduction of the new range in meat chips, we were able to considerably grow our turnover in the past fiscal year,” Pierre-André Imhof proudly explains. At the moment, the Swiss pack is also conquering other European countries –

foremost Germany and France, but more countries will follow. Since December 2014, the meat snacks have been available in Belgium, but in a different pack format. “Unlike Switzerland, Belgium hardly knows any vertical presentation at retail. Instead, these types of snacks are often available in cups, which is why we offer our snack range in Belgium in a transparent cup with lid. In Switzerland, vertical presentation is the standard, so for now we will keep the two packaging formats,” he says. Owing to the high flexibility of the SEALPAC A8 traysealer, which allows for the shortest changeover times thanks to its unique tooling quick exchange system, both solutions can easily be produced on the same line.

Award confirms successful project Looking back, both project partners have drawn a positive conclusion. Imhof: “It was a very exciting project, in which SEALPAC was involved from the start to support our packaging competence. On various occasions in the process, also resulting from the many tests that we did, new challenges arose that had to be addressed. I am very glad that we took the time necessary to conclude this project. We are extremely satisfied with the result, and are convinced that we jointly worked out the best possible solution.” There already has been a confirmation from an independent source: At Anuga Food 2013 in Cologne (Germany) the ‘Chicken Waves Paprika’ product was awarded in the category of Top Food Innovation.

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Minimising giveaway with Cabinplant Cabinplant AS is a privately owned company, which was founded in 1969 by Hans Clausen and Vagn Hansen. With headquarters in Haarby, Denmark, it employs more than 240 personnel and has subsidiaries in Germany, Spain, Poland and the USA, and also works through a sales network of agents around the world. Libby White spoke with Henning Hansen, R&D director, to find out about the latest solutions from Cabinplant and its plans to exhibit at the upcoming Anuga FoodTec exhibition.

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he original objective of the Cabinplant was to manufacture cabins for spray painting (hence the name). However, very soon after it came into existence, the company established contact with the fish and vegetable industries, and from 1976 its activities were exclusively within the food industry. The same year the company moved to new manufacturing facilities in Haarby on the island of Funen, where it is still located today. Cabinplantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first sales subsidiary was established in 1981. Over the years, exports have continued to increase and today constitute more than 95 per cent of the total turnover. In 1991 Cabinplant acquired the Danish company Systec, which developed and manufactured multi-head weighers. Through this acquisition Cabinplant was now in a more advantageous position to incorporate weighing, filling and packaging solutions into its complete processing lines. In order to secure the future of the company, the founders passed it on to a younger generation in 2005. Ralf Astrup and Jan Helskov Hansen are the new owners, both of whom have been with Cabinplant for a number of years.

The whole package Cabinplant focuses its attention on three main sectors. Firstly, for the fish and shellfish industry it offers both processing and packaging solutions. Mr Hansen explains, “We can handle the product from its source, i.e. the sea, until it is packed into the final container solution.” Vegetables and fruit is the second industry Cabinplant caters for. “For this sector, we can also provide all of the required processing and packing,” Mr Hansen continues. “We can take the product from the field, and implement processes such as cleaning, skinning, cutting, cooking and cooling and then pack the final product in its container.” Mr Hansen confirms that the third category uses more or less the same solutions from the aforementioned lines. “We can pack other products such as meat, sweets, cookies, tobacco and cheese using the same equipment. However, for these products we can only offer our packing solutions without the processing.” Cabinplant packs these food products from fresh, frozen and raw into all possible containers – from bags and cans to premade or thermoformed trays and glass containers. As Mr Hansen is proud to point out: “We have the solutions and ability to pack products in all the containers you can normally see in the supermarket.”

Accurate portion weighing Cabinplant has been focusing its attention on developing accurate portion weighing and reduced giveaway for the packing of fresh raw meat, for example poultry (both natural and marinated). With its latest multi-head combination weighing machine, Cabinplant can ensure the best portioning for products such as chicken fillets in trays. Mr Hansen comments, “It seems easy and simple but in fact it is a very complicated process to be able to pack fillets in a fixed weight package as they obviously come in different variations of weight and size. It can be difficult to predict the average and pack fillets into a tray without a high giveaway.” The smaller the giveaway the higher the earnings of the food plant. Therefore, Cabinplant has developed a number of solutions to ensure minimal giveaway. “With our latest multi-head weigher, the ’sensor gate’ system secures only one fillet in each weighing pan, which allows for the most combination possibilities. By calculating all the possibilities

“We can pack other products such as meat, sweets, cookies, tobacco and cheese using the same equipment. However, for these products we can only offer our packing solutions without the processing.”

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and then choosing the one that is closest to the target weight, of course you will achieve the lowest giveaway possible,” Mr Hansen points out. Cabinplant has also developed its ‘dynamic over-tolerance’ system. “This is when you programme the weighing machine to find a combination of fillets between two weights, i.e. 500–520 grams,” Mr Hansen explains. “How high this over-tolerance is will depend on how well the average weight of the fillets fits to the portion. If the fillets are too big then there will be more giveaway. As a solution to this problem our dynamic over-tolerance system can automatically move the over-tolerance up and down in relation to how well the product fits to the portion.” The third weighing solution Cabinplant has developed to help minimise giveaway is called ‘dual target’, which has the ability to determine two different portion sizes. Mr Hansen says, “For example we are able to portion 500 gram trays at the same time as 1kg trays. The machine can determine the best outcome with these tolerances. By enabling the machine to weigh two different portion sizes at the same time, we are able to again minimise giveaway.” He also points out these solutions and more are protected by patents in most countries throughout the world. In addition, Cabinplant has developed a new system for weighing and packing marinated meat. Mr Hansen comments, “Usually the meat is marinated in a tumbler, fed into a weighing machine and then packed into a tray. However, as this type of product does not have a particularly long shelf-life, it usually has short production batches for the different flavours, meaning the equipment has to be washed down in between each product type. To avoid this, with our system the portioning is completed first before the meat is mixed with the marinade.” This means the whole production line does not need to be washed down between each process which saves time and of course increases the production rate. Lastly, Cabinplant has developed a multi-batcher weighing machine designed for weighing large portions of up to 30kg. This can be used for the meat industry (such as poultry) and also for the fish industry such as to pack herrings or mackerels, utilising the proven technology of the multi-head combination weighing principle. “We can reduce the giveaway by a factor of ten compared to the traditional machinery on the market, again saving in giveaway which adds up over time,” adds Mr Hansen.

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Exhibiting at Anuga Cabinplant will be exhibiting its exciting new solutions at the upcoming Anuga FoodTec exhibition from the 24–27 March 2015 in Cologne, Germany. Mr Hansen comments, “At Anuga FoodTec we will be showcasing one of our new multi-head weighers and our multi-batcher innovation. We will also be exhibiting our spring roll processing machine.” He continues, “As always, we will be present at Anuga FoodTec to show our customers the features of our new solutions and, of course, to have the opportunity to meet with new potential customers. It is always beneficial to meet with the customers face-to-face and Anuga allows us the opportunity to do this.”

Controlled expansion Last year, Cabinplant had an impressive turnover of about €35 million. With Europe as its main market, Cabinplant also sells to North America, the US, Canada, South America, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East. “We are more or less a worldwide company; however the nature and technological advancements of our machinery means we do not trade so much in regions such as Mid-Africa,” Mr Hansen comments. He continues, “For the moment we are experiencing high demand from South America, a region with very high growth at the moment. In addition, within Europe Germany is a vital market for us. Over the past three years we have also been focusing on establishing a sales force in the US and will be continuing to expand our services there.” Cabinplant has been mainly focusing on investing in the development of its latest solutions. Mr Hansen explains the future outlook and ambitions of the company, “We are very careful not to expand too fast and want to have a controlled expansion. This is owing to the fact that we make custom-made solutions which require time and skilled employees. We cannot expand faster than our ability to train staff and put in place the necessary requirements.” He concludes: “Therefore, we expect to continue expanding in the future n but in a controlled manner.” For more information, visit www.cabinplant.com

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Primoreels® - “The lidding system of the future” – Cost efficient and reliable. Primoreels is a European technology leader in the manufacture of in-line reel packaging solutions for the dairy industry.

rimoreels has become a well-established and flexible partner for a wide range of manufacturers all around the world - mainly in the dairy industry. Primoreels A/S has invented a lidding system which offers unparalleled advantages to dairy product manufacturers whom traditionally are using ALU/PET die cut lids or roll-stock solutions. The unique Primoreels® system is already installed in numerous high capacity machines throughout the world, and further development has allowed Primoreels to retro-fit our stand-alone units to existing equipment to significantly enhance their efficiency and hygienic security level in the production. So far the system has been adapted to suit every type of filling machine using preformed cups including Inline machines as well as Round Table machines. Each machine unit is tailor-made and has its own dedicated touch-screen panel and controls, thus making them truly independent units without interfering with the current PLC or other on the filling machine. The simple instalment creates the perfect interaction between machine and foil material. Compared to regular die-cut PET and Aluminium lids, Primoreels® PET lids offer producers the best possible substitute with regard to a more cost-effective lidding material, which at the same time minimises its environmental impact. Underscoring its commitment to the environment, Primoreels offers its most popular metalized PET lids in 36 microns as well as lids as thin as 23 microns. This is in addition to paper-based materials with even lower carbon footprints. The cost base of these various foil qualities are often significantly lower than the traditional lids, and therefore Primoreels clients can expect savings of up to 25% compared to their current PET lids. Dairy and fruit juice producers benefit in many ways from Primoreels latest inline technology including many hours of uninterrupted production with up to 40,000 lids available

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on each reel. Furthermore, exceptionally high print quality is possible on the ultra-smooth lid surface. Other obvious benefits include UV-C sterilised lids, which eliminate contamination and increase shelf life, as well as providing higher barrier qualities. A four-row stand alone unit will be showcased at the Anuga Fair 2015, so we hope to meet you in Hall 7.1 Aisle F – No. 029. For further details of Primoreels’ latest innovative lidding products and services visit: www.primoreels.com

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Advanced Aerosol Technology Lindal Group Holding GmbH is a family-owned business established in 1959, which is today a worldwide market leader in aerosol technology. With headquarters based in Hamburg, Germany, Lindal is active in 15 countries with 12 facilities around the globe, and achieves a 250 million Euro turnover. Libby White spoke with Mr. Tony Harman, sales director, to find out more about the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prominent position in the design and manufacture of valves, actuators and spray caps.

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he Lindal Group produces an impressive 2.8 billion valves and 2.5 billion actuators per year. Mr. Harman says, “We have one of the largest product portfolios which caters to the aerosol industry across the board.” Personal care is Lindal’s key market, such as for deodorants or hair sprays. Technical industrial products such as insecticides, brake cleaners and paints are another key sector, and Lindal also caters for high viscosity adhesives and sealants that require a doublepiston system. Lindal offers both male (predominantly for the deodorant industry) and female valve ranges (mainly for the technical industrial products sector). “We are also the largest supplier of polyurethane valves suitable for high-viscosity rapid dispensing i.e. for adhesives, sealants and silicones and naturally PU Foams,” Mr. Harman adds. Lindal also offers its solutions to the pharmaceutical and food industries. “We see a lot of growth in the food industry as the technological advances in aerosols offer greater functionality and consumer convenience. Our solutions also ensure that food can be completely separated from component chemicals, outside influences and air, meaning it complies with FDA regulations,” Mr. Harman explains. Catering for the pharmaceutical industry, Lindal produces metering valves for products that need measured amounts dispensed i.e. asthma sprays. Mr. Harman comments, “We have also developed some special valves for the pharmaceutical industry.”

Innovative developments Lindal is constantly innovating and developing solutions, working alongside large multinationals. In collaboration with the company ARLA, it has developed a system that can dispense edible oil in a fine spray, launched recently in the UK for Lurpak’s new Cooking Mist range. Mr. Harman comments, “The nature of our business has led us into the edible oil niche of the food market where we have developed solutions for many different producers of olive oil. The advanced technology that we use enables a variable dispensing system of either droplets, fine mist or a direct jet spray depending on the position of the actuator.” “Our latest development which is new for Lindal however available within the Industrial segment since years, is our 360 degree ball-valve which can be used at any angle.” Lindal has also developed an innovative Bag-on-valve system to improve a wide range of personal care and cosmetics products. “This is a very popular system and a growing trend. There are some products with high viscosity that you simply cannot package in a tin can and expect to spray. So this is very suitable for high viscosity gels such as shaving gels,” Mr Harman explains. It is convenient and user friendly, and can be sprayed evenly at all angles, with a 99 per cent evacuation rate. With a BoV system, the product is placed inside the bag while the propellant is filled in the space between bag and can. The product – such as a gel, cream or spray – is dispensed by the propellant simply squeezing the bag when the actuator is

depressed. As a result, the bulk maintains its integrity and remains separated from the propellant at all times. This system was recently chosen by Unilever for its AXE® branded Men’s Chilled Shave Gel. Lindal also offers variants on this system such as the bag-oncollar which has the added advantage of drastically reduced filling times. This is mainly aimed at the food industry. “The innovation that is currently on everybody’s lips is the compressed aerosol,” Mr Harman comments.The new system, developed jointly by Lindal and Unilever, is highlighted by smaller, “compressed” cans initially used for the company’s Sure, Dove and Vaseline brands, which are now on European retail shelves. According to Unilever, the smaller cans last as long as the old product, use 50 percent of the propellant, are half the size (ml) and reduce the overall carbon footprint of the product through 28 per cent less aluminum and further transportation and stocking gains (e.g., more packs stacked per pallet). Mr Harman adds, “For us, it is a major step in the direction of sustainability and environmental responsibility whilst supporting a multinational company.”

Global innovation centre “Lindal is renowned for its innovation, time-to-market and speed commercialization of new products,” Mr Harman is proud to point out. Its recently opened global innovation centre based in Briey, France, officially launched in the first quarter of 2014, has been specially established to cater for research and development, and to focus on specific customer projects. “Mr Harman explains, “When developing new products and solutions we follow it through from the conception to the launch, for example when Lindal developed a complete actuator series for the new range of deodorants for Beiersdorf.” As a stand-alone organisation, the centre’s main draw and advantage is a dedicated team of scientists and experienced employees who can focus on specific projects. Lindal can offer impressive speed-to-market as everything is produced in-house. This also ensures Lindal has control over the quality. By working with a stage-gate process, Lindal can stay close to the customers’ requirements and manage their expectations. “We do still have local laboratories for our customers, which offer recommendations and sampling. However, all of our major innovations will be driven through the global innovation centre. If you can dream it, we can produce it,” Mr Harman adds.

Worldwide reach As a worldwide group, Mr Harman explains that growth can always be found in the company: “We are expanding as we speak. Currently Europe is a stable market with some growth, and we have recently opened a new facility in Turkey this year. We also look to Asia and the emerging markets with enormous interest.”

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He continues, “Generally speaking, as we work closely with our global multinational Companies, we align our activities alongside their expectations so as we can support our customers in the best way possible. For example, we add value by producing locally for the multinationals, which brings a huge advantage as we have facilities spread across the globe.”

Expanding into new markets Lindal’s focus this year has been on expanding into Turkey and establishing the production site. Mr Harman comments, “Our major focus is on Turkey, as well as Asia, Latin America and the emerging markets. Latin America has a huge growth potential, but is also a challenging market for us with the highest risks. Therefore it is also important for us as a Group to dedicate a lot of energy in supporting our core business in Europe and America, and stay close to our existing customers.” He continues, “We do not just rely on organic growth but look to acquisitions and new markets if there is an opportunity to grow effectively and efficiently. We also have considerable ongoing investments in Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Argentinawe invest heavily in our facilities to ensure they are up to the Lindal standard and specifications. We also continuously invest in our machinery, as we have our own Toolmaking and automation manufacturing Company, Leonhard Fischer & Co. GmbH. Thus, we are always fully up to date on the latest technical capabilities and maintain the commercial edge required in today`s ultra competitive environment.” Mr Harman concludes, “We aim to meet our customers’ expectations and are well-known as an innovation-led group which the market respects. Even so, we do face challenges and competition therefore we focus on our core business as well as continuously investing and expanding into new markets.” For more information, visit www.lindalgroup.com

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Conveying food cleanly Anuga FoodTec 2015: Habasit presents clean and safe conveyor belt solutions for food production Habasit, the leading supplier of conveyor and processing belts, timing belts and drive belts, is presenting its comprehensive line of products for food production at the Anuga FoodTec 2015 exhibition in Hall 5.1, Booth D061. The focus of the exhibition is on innovative technologies for safe and efficient operation, easy cleaning and fast belt changes. Habasit belts not only satisfy the legal requirements but also stand for low operating costs through durable materials and simple maintenance processes.

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einach/Switzerland, February 2015 – Healthy food makes us all happy. In addition to the quality and origin of the ingredients, the production processes play a central role in producing high-quality food and beverages. Very high requirements for cleanliness and hygiene have to be met, especially for conveying processes. Conveyor belts have a key role here, since they have “contact” with the goods, must deliver to the next station for further processing at precisely the right moment, and be able to withstand mechanical loads and chemicals. For food producers, it is also important to fulfil the legal requirements and to have low operating costs that support an economical production. These high requirements can only be met by experienced suppliers. The globally active conveyor and processing belt manufacturer Habasit offers a multitude of belts and tapes for the diverse requirements in food production. The experienced technicians of Habasit can recommend the right solution for every conveying task. The HabasitLINK® family of modular belts with the patent-pending Saniclip fastener system is suitable for many applications in food production and packaging applications. This innovative system makes maintenance procedures and thorough cleaning simpler than ever before, as Saniclip allows the modular belts to be opened and removed from the equipment in seconds. This has proven itself especially with the installation and removal of the special coupling rods in applications that require frequent belt cleaning. Multiple Habasit Saniclip fasteners can be installed on a single belt to allow an easy opening at several locations. Plug and rod are interconnected as a single assembly to prevent loss of the plug component. Tests have confirmed that Saniclip functions reliably even in humid or greasy environments as well as in regions subject to large temperature fluctuations. Thorough cleaning and belt changes can now be carried out without tools in the shortest possible time. Extended downtime is a thing of the past. The new fastener system is currently available for the belt types Micropitch M0870 and M0885 as well as M1185 and M1065 HyCLEAN. The belt types have different surfaces and structures – from a smooth or non-slip surface to a grid or lattice structure – for the various conveying applications.

Hygiene with a concept For installations and components in hygiene-sensitive production processes, Habasit has developed the HyCLEAN modular belt system as a holistic concept that incorporates the core competences of belts (fabric and synthetic) as well as accessories and cleaning methods to provide a higher level of hygiene and product safety while lowering water consumption and reducing cleaning agents. This is achieved by design measures among other things: The patented HyCLEAN sprockets have a rounded design and thereby guarantee an optimum cleanability. The uncovering of difficult-to-reach areas on the back of the belt also allows careful cleaning of all components. This reduces the risk of contamination by product waste and deposits in gaps and recesses. The system is supplemented by HyCLEAN CIP (clean in place). This cleaning module allows an automated – and thus simple, effective and economical – cleaning of the conveyor belt. HyCLEAN CIP functions as a complete belt cleaning system, cleaning inside as well as outside, belt edges as well as the conveying side. In this way, belts are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after a maximum of seven rotations. As a result, the water consumption can be reduced by up to 70 percent and the use of chemicals can be significantly limited. | 104 | Packaging Europe

As an alternative to modular belts, the company offers the Habasit CleandriveTM belt series for the food industry. The belts are characterized by a completely smooth surface with a back structure consisting of cross bars that perfectly adapt to the special sprockets to ensure a positive drive and reliable belt performance. Habasit Cleandrive belts thus not only combine the advantages of modular and fabric belts in one product but are also the undisputed leaders in cleanliness. The thermoplastic material used is extremely resistant to chemicals such as cleaning agents or disinfectants and completely compatible with the HyCLEAN CIP system. This allows the highest hygiene standards to be met along with economical operation.

Precision conveyance, easy maintenance The timing belts of the HabaSYNC® series represent another important product, especially for packaging applications in the food industry. In this product area as well, Habasit offers a wide selection of types whose design features and special covers also meet the stringent requirements of the food industry. They are used in filling lines, processing machines or packaging plants to position products precisely and hold them without slipping. To fulfill this task reliably, the timing belts have precision-manufactured belt teeth that mesh with the corresponding teeth on a similar-pitch pulley. The HabaSYNC® Hinge Joint mechanical joining is a definite plus for timing belts when it comes to maintenance costs. It allows time-consuming assembly procedures and belt changes to be carried out significantly faster than with conventional joining methods and thereby reduces downtime and setup costs noticeably. At the Anuga FoodTec, Habasit will also present the HabaCHAIN® slat and conveyor chains. These are available in both straight-running and radius/side-flexing versions, and they run on most systems and sprockets found on the market.

Habasit Group – A one-stop shop with the world’s broadest range of belting products Habasit, headquartered in Switzerland, is the leading company worldwide for conveyor belts, processing belts and power transmission belts for the food, textile, wood, paper, postal, materials handling and automotive industries. The extensive product range includes fabric-based conveyor belts, plastic modular belts and chains, power transmission belts, timing belts and gearmotors. Habasit has over 30 affiliated companies, more than 70 representatives, and numerous service centers around the globe, ensuring excellent proximity to its customers. Our more than 3,600 employees provide customers with expert advice, products of the highest quality, and comprehensive, tailor-made solutions. Habasit is a family-owned joint stock corporation established in 1946. In 2013, the company achieved turnover of CHF 629.6 million. At Habasit, we are dedicated to optimizing our customers’ process performance results. Tailor-made belting products from Habasit go further, with all-in-one solutions that enhance productivity and efficiency. The Habasit name stands for outstanding products, optimal processing results, and a global network of over 300 partners delivering fast and professional support and service whenever and wherever it is required. Visit: www.habasit.com

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Sustainable logistics solutions Major European manufacturers of reusable plastic packaging and plastic crates, Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla, are working together to provide customers with a complete range of logistics solutions. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to account manager Michael Cibois to find out more.

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lastic packaging specialist companies Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla are both owned by the same family and together they offer customers across Europe a complete range of logistics solutions in plastic. Smart Flow is focused on the production of plastic pallets and Gamma Wopla offers plastic boxes and crates, with Gamma Wopla the longer-established of the two brands. Account manager Michael Cibois spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how the two brands together provide a complete portfolio of reusable plastic packaging for various types of logistics applications. He said, “We operate two state-of-the-art plants in the same area of Belgium, with the two companies operating separately financially but owned by the same family. We share a number of sales and support functions and are able to draw on each others’ expertise and project experience, which enables us to offer the total logistics plastic packaging solution we are best known for.” The €30 million turnover achieved by the two companies is made up of €20 million from Gamma Wopla and €10 million from Smart Flow. With more than 15 years in the plastic packaging industry, Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla’s core business is the manufacture of shipping and handling products that enable the safe, reliable transportation of goods. Mr Cibois continued, “We are a dynamic company that is continually moving forward to help our customers move their products in a reliable, energy-efficient manner. Smart Flow alone produces more than one million plastics pallets a year, with Gamma Wopla’s famous euronorm boxes - nestable/stackable boxes and foldable containers the best seller from this brand.”

Total logistic solution Collectively employing 80 people, the two companies work together to meet the needs of customers primarily in the automotive, pharmaceutical and food industries. Gamma Wopla was founded 15 years ago, while Smart Flow was established in 2007 in order to complete the company’s plastic packaging offer. Mr Cibois added, “Gamma Wopla’s industrial plastic packaging reputation has long been founded on the desire to develop and produce smart solutions in plastic pallets and containers. We started manufacturing plastic crates for the European logistic industry back in 1999 and steadily saw the demand for plastic pallets grow too, so we started Smart Flow to meet this demand. Now, we produce all different sizes and types of plastic packaging for the logistics industry and we can always make what our customers want.” This customisable capability sits neatly alongside Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla’s standardised product ranges. Meeting all logistics and material handling requirements for large-scale packaging needs is what the companies focus on, with all of the European standard sizes available as well as a fully customised service. Mr Cibois continued, “Our most popular sizes for plastic pallets in our standard range are the 1200x800 and the 1200x100. Our niche products include 600x800, 600x400 and the 1100x1300. For plastic

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boxes, our most popular sizes are the standard 600x400, which we produce in huge volumes. But we can make almost anything! We have endless different versions available – customers just have to contact us and we can create the best plastic packaging solution to allow them to optimise their transportation, logistics and storage.” In order to maintain its strong market position and continue to develop its offer, the dynamic, ambitious pairing of Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla is continually investing in its people and its facilities. Mr Cibois explained, “We are not the biggest plastic pallet, container and crate producer in Europe, we do have the most modern facilities. We are so dedicated to creating and producing plastic packaging that is sustainable, reusable and recyclable – while offering the best possible performance. We have a strong commitment to incorporating an environmental dimension across our operation; we pledge to take back our products at the end of their life cycle, with the crushed plastic then used for the manufacture of new plastic pallet products. All our products feature the ‘Eco-Packaging’ logo, which means they can be recycled.”

splinters or nails damaging the goods. Our products are light but heavy duty and always a constant weight.” With Smart Flow introducing an innovative bi-colour crate in December 2014, Mr Cibois is clear that it is well-positioned to boost its already-positive reputation as a forward-thinking plastic packaging partner. He concluded, “The bi-colour crate is nestable and stackable too, making it really easy for customers use and keep track of their products. We’ve got the technology to make these as we’ve invested in a special machines with our own moulds, so we’re really excited about adding to our portfolio of plastic packaging solutions.” Visit: www.smart-flow.com

Looking forward Keeping up with the latest trends in its active industries is also key to both Smart Flow and Gamma Wopla’s continued success. Supplying directly to major players in the automotive industry such as Renault sees the companies offer a range of specifically automotive-certified boxes. It is in this field that the demand for Gamma Wopla’s innovative folding boxes is growing particularly fast; its ecologically-sound boxes save on transport costs as well as being easy to use. Mr Cibois noted that plastic pallets, boxes, crates and containers are increasingly seen as the reliable option for customers that need complete reliability. He explained, “Wooden pallets can weigh more depending on whether they are wet or dry, for example, which makes calculating transportation weights and costs tricky if the product is stored outside. We’re also finding that retail customers don’t want the issues they get with wood such as Packaging Europe | 109 |

The Future of Flexibles FPE member Clondalkin Group is a leading international producer of high value added packaging products and services. It holds leading positions in flexible packaging markets for foils and laminate packaging. Roy McAdoo, the recently appointed vice president of sales and marketing for Clondalkin Flexibles, gives his thoughts on how the future of flexibles is changing and the impact it is having on the packaging industry.

londalkin’s Flexible Packaging division is currently experiencing rapid growth rates. Specialising in the production of foils, laminates, coatings and films for some of the world’s leading brands, Clondalkin Flexible Packaging operates 11 extrusion, printing, laminating and converting production facilities throughout Europe and the United States. Servicing the food and beverage, confectionery, consumer goods, tobacco, agri and horticultural, industrial and service industries, its product range includes barrier films, stand up pouches, bundle wrap, caps and lids, shrink sleeves, bio plastics, twist wrap, fold and seal and laminates.

Brand differentiation Never has innovation been more important. All areas of the flexible packaging sector expect to see something unique that differentiates them from the rising levels of competition. Brand owners are constantly looking for ways to distinguish their products as they compete more and more for space on the shelves. A quick glance down any aisle in the supermarket and it is easy to see the amount of work that goes into adding value to packaging and its functionality. | 110 | Packaging Europe

At Clondalkin Flexibles we’ve made some significant new product developments over recent months. At the start of this year we launched our new SkinTight® range of barrier films for the fresh meat, processed meat, fish, poultry and cheese sectors. This is like a second skin for the vacuum packing of various meat products where there are limited alternative options available to customers at this time. We have also developed a barrier film for the cereal market based on a 14 layer blown co-extruded film. This has been developed to overcome the increasing concerns over mineral oil migration from the recycled board used within the outer cartons. Increasing demand for shorter print runs lead us to develop our new HD flexible printing solution, Flextreme®, which provides a quality comparable to Gravure printing with very high ink and colour density at a more competitive cost level, with the added flexibility of Flexo printing allowing for shorter production runs and lead times.

Sustainability Sustainable packaging materials continue to grow. A requirement that is being driven by both consumer demand via retailers, and legislative frameworks across Europe designed

markets. The increasing use of e-tenders and shorter-term relationships with purchasing departments at the larger customers, is all aimed at improving supply chain efficiency and ultimately driving down cost. The days of developing a relationship with one person from a purchasing department are rapidly disappearing. There is a requirement to develop multiple contact points within a customer’s organisation to fully understand their needs and anticipate market development. Meanwhile, suppliers like ourselves have to manage the volatility in raw material supply and costs, as there are fewer suppliers of most of our key raw materials, such as resin, polymer, aluminium and inks. Further pressure comes from the ongoing impact of increasing energy costs and environmental legislation. It’s a real balancing act, especially when our main focus has to be on new product development and innovation if we are to achieve continued success.

What does the future hold for flexible packaging? to reduce waste to landfill and increase recycling. There is a growing need for extended shelf life of fresh produce due to ongoing concerns over the high levels of food waste and we have developed a shelf life extension film, Xtend-it®, which is fully food approved and can be used in a number of packaging formats. We are also looking to accelerate our development of co-extruded film structures to facilitate recycling where possible and reduce the number of processes required to produce the end product. In addition to this we are running various down gauging projects to reduce the weight of packaging and the subsequent reduction in the carbon footprint of production and transport for these end products. Furthermore, we have ongoing investment in energy and packaging reduction programs to address the ongoing pressure on feedstock costs and margins. Cost reduction, largely driven by the bigger customers, continues to be a challenge for packaging manufacturers and one that we embrace at Clondalkin Group. There is an ongoing focus from our customers on down gauging and reduction in packaging driven by a combination of both cost and environmental initiatives. We’re seeing a reduction in run lengths as customers aim to reduce their working capital, but they also require more flexibility in supplier capabilities to service the rapidly changing needs of their end

As customers’ requirements shift and change, packaging manufacturers need to adapt with them. At Clondalkin we are committed to ongoing investment in new technology to facilitate our increased focus on product development and innovation within our target end markets. In any successful business you cannot stand still and must continuously look to invest and innovate. Many of our customers already see us as their ‘go to partner’ for product development and innovation and this is how we want to be seen by all our customers. We have an increased focus on product development and innovation with a dedicated team developing products linked to market requirements. As the large retailers continue to reduce their number of suppliers, they are looking for partners that can offer the whole package. With facilities across Europe and The United States and a wide range of product offerings Clondalkin Group is in the fortunate position of being able to offer this. We’re looking forward to expanding into new geographical markets in line with our key customer requirements and also to push our new innovative products into different markets. Visit: www.clondalkingroup.com

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A helping hand To ensure public health, rules and regulations for food contact materials are becoming ever more complex and strict. Netherlands-based Viaware B.V. addresses these challenges by providing FOCOSÂŽ, a web-based tool supporting food contact compliance work and communication in the supply chain, as well as consultancy and IT services. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Wim Jansen, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales and account manager, to find out more.

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iaware was founded in the Netherlands in 2013 as a joint venture between two companies with over 20 years of experience in both plastics and IT. The objective was and still is to deliver IT solutions to the plastics industry. The company offers a range of services around food contact compliance, as Mr Jansen explains: “With FOCOS and our supporting services, we focus on food contact materials. Next to the implementation of FOCOS, we provide training, workshop and information sessions. We advise our customers on testing strategies and food contact materials in general. “Furthermore, we offer food contact related IT solutions, helping organisations to handle food contact subjects. For example, last year we helped a group of plastic and packaging federations develop a web based compliance tool that helps users to calculate exposure assessment of NIAS and non-listed substances. The tool is free of charge and can be found at www.matrixcalculation.eu”

Compliance made easier with FOCOS® The combination of broad knowledge about food contact materials, legislation and IT resulted in the development of FOCOS®, a web-based tool that supports food contact compliance work and communication in the plastics supply chain. A great deal of work has been put into Viaware’s dedicated food contact software product. “FOCOS is a secure web based tool that allows users to access their food contact related data and documents from remote locations. It enables them to manage compositional information for raw materials, create and communicate customised Documents of Compliance or documents with adequate information, perform calculations and manage supporting documents. FOCOS provides a structure that helps users to understand food contact legislation and to fulfill their legal obligations,” Mr Jansen says.

In recent months, FOCOS® has continuously been updated to offer more functionality, incorporating customer feedback. “We offer FOCOS as a cloud solution for two reasons. First of all, we want to continuously deliver new features to our users. A cloud environment gives us the opportunity to release new versions whenever we want. Second, we want to make FOCOS available to all companies in the food contact materials supply chain, including medium and small sized companies. Users must be able to easily communicate with each other. “With our knowledge and experience we help customers with the implementation of FOCOS. Last year we introduced an implementation pack which includes four days of consultancy as well as a full year FOCOS License. This approach has proven to be a very efficient way to fully implement FOCOS and create food contact awareness within an organization. Food contact gets more embedded within the entire organization and not just within the quality and legal department. Implementation of FOCOS should be seen as a strategic choice.” According to Mr Jansen, retention of knowledge is another key advantage of FOCOS. “All food contact related information is stored in FOCOS and therefor embedded in the company. An organization that uses FOCOS will be less vulnerable to key employees that are leaving the company.” Packaging Europe | 113 |

Supply chain demands

A winning combination

“There is increasing pressure from the food industry to get complete and correct information. It maximizes the level of security, in order to minimize the risk of reputational damage. After all, if anything happens in relation to food or food contact it might damage a food company’s reputation and brand. We are talking to companies in the food industry, to see how they can be involved in and benefit from our platform of data sharing. “As a result of the publication of new guidance documents by the EU in 2013 and 2014, awareness in the market is growing rapidly. The demand for food contact compliance knowledge is increasing because small and medium sized companies often do not have access to the appropriate knowledge. FOCOS helps them to increase the level of knowledge on food contact compliance in a structured way.”

Viaware takes pride in being a reliable partner for its customers. “We offer a winning combination of IT solutions and food contact material knowledge. We know what we are talking about and we do not make any false promises,” Mr Jansen is happy to report. He goes on to tell us that companies appreciate the fact that Viaware is a great help in an environment where users in the supply chain are increasingly confronted with questions from the food industry. FOCOS consists of four key elements: data management, compliance assessment, communication and change management. “With data management a FOCOS user is forced to review all available supplier information. Data from suppliers about raw materials and product information is registered in a structured way. If a user has access to all necessary information on its raw materials and product composition, he can prove that he is compliant to legislation on food contact materials by performing compliance assessment in FOCOS.” “Probably the most important element of FOCOS is communication. While entering raw material information in FOCOS you can directly send your supplier a request for information and do the follow up. Secondly, generation and communication of a well-structured Document of Compliance is one of the key features of FOCOS. Use the change management capabilities in FOCOS to remain in control of your raw materials, products and compliance work.” Viaware’s main focus is on European legislation, but the company also keeps up with demand from companies exporting to diverse countries such as the US and China. FOCOS® offers the possibility to register and manage legislation from all over the world in a so-called non-listed section. Work continues to further improve and expand FOCOS® in particular and Viaware in general.

Future expectations

Showcasing strengths “Viaware promotes its solutions at trade shows in the Netherlands and at international seminars and conferences. Every month we organise workshops on food contact legislation and FOCOS® in the Netherlands and Belgium, free of charge. On request, we also provide demonstrations, presentations and workshops for a group of companies or for companies in other countries. In 2015 we want to further increase our visibility in the market by attending and visiting conferences and trade fairs. We want to get people acquainted with the opportunities of data sharing within FOCOS,Mr Jansen says. | 114 | Packaging Europe

“With FOCOS, we will work hard to improve functionality, offer multi-language support and communication within the supply chain, add migration modeling capabilities and connect FOCOS to other systems. With Viaware we are looking at expanding to other countries through partners, and sell our software within countries and regions such as the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Scandinavia,” Mr Jansen adds. He sees great potential for the future, thanks to the combination of data warehousing, migration modeling, screening methods and exposure calculation, based on the effective data from the FOCOS® user’s supply chain. “FOCOS will increasingly become a total solution for compliance assessment in food contact. The combination of a big data warehouse and integration of available assessment tools is a key success factor. With FOCOS the members of the food contact supply chain can easily exchange compositional information in order to save costs on compliance assessment and screening of listed, non-listed substances and even NIAS.” Visit: www.focos.eu

Leaders in

green packaging Macedonian Paper Mills is one of the leading Greek producers of carton board and the only one to use 100 per cent recycled paper. Packaging Europe looks in more detail at its activities and recent developments.

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acedonian Paper Mills (MEL) was founded by George Ladopoulos in 1964 in Patras (Greece’s third largest urban area and the regional capital of western Greece in northern Peloponnese). In 1967, both the production plant and its management were transferred to northern Greece where it developed its current structure. The company came under the ‘Business Reconstruction Organisation (OAE)’ in 1984, and was later privatised in 1998. Fourteen years later MEL became a member of the PAK group. MEL is currently the sole Greek producer of carton board from 100 per cent recycled paper and employs 190 people. Its product range consists of WLC 280–600gsm GD & GT carton board grades. Its annual production output for 2013 was around 110,000 tonnes with a turnover of €55 million. The key markets for the company are the Balkans, Turkey, northern African countries, Italy and of course the local Greek market. MEL is one of the leading companies in the Balkans when it comes to solutions for general packaging and developing combined solid + flexo products.

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The company has recently joined the PAK group, whose history dates back to 1923. Today, the group consists of 19 companies and specialises in four areas: food, flexible packaging, carton board and real estate. The total gross turnover of the Pak Group is more than $500 million, with a workforce of 1650 people. The Pak Group owns 75 per cent of Kartonsan, the largest carton board producer in Turkey, and 70 per cent of Intermat, the leading manufacturer of flexible packaging in Europe.

Improvements to boost growth Under the umbrella of the Pak group MEL is trying to improve its current equipment and procedures. The company has just completed its new biological wastewater treatment plant, and has launched its brand new MSK packaging line. In the next year and a half, the mill will upgrade its ERP and it is currently under discussions with two major companies in the market in order to upgrade more of its machinery.

All the above improvements will boost the company’s efforts to become a leader in the Balkans, specialising in dry food and cosmetics packaging solutions. Lately the company has also been investing in draft back and special products (metallised, laminate) in order to gain a competitive advantage in emerging markets. In addition, MEL Paper has recently transformed its website in order to focus more on the ‘green’ aspect of its business. Its logo has been changed in line with this to reflect the fact that MEL is ahead of the field when it comes to environmental matters. Guided by its genuine desire for sustainability, MEL’s entire production process has been organised to ensure that its environmental impact is as low as possible. That is why it is committed to using only 100 per cent recycled paper for all its products, and renewable energy sources when it comes to production itself.

Recycled carton board – the sustainable packaging solution As mentioned above, all MEL’s carton board is 100 per cent recycled. In order to be made ready for production, it goes through several stages: • • • • • •

The paper is mixed with water in huge blenders and turned into pulp; The pulp is then passed through centrifugal filters and pressure sieves to separate out the foreign matter (plastic, glass, metal objects and so on); The clean paper is de-inked, which means the ink is removed; The paper pulp is dehydrated, dried and passed through special devices that transfer it into large rolls; The recycled cartonboard is ready to assume a new, usable form; Recycled paper has seven lives. The same paper can be recycled up to seven times (without the fibres losing their properties).

More than 100,000 tonnes of paper are recycled by MEL each year; even the process of recycling itself is based on recycling the energy consumed. According to official statistics from the Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corp. system, about 240,000 tonnes of recyclable materials (packaging and printed material) were recovered from the blue recycling bins in 2012 throughout Greece. Meanwhile, another 200,000 tonnes of recycling were verified by the system on behalf of competent authorities (Industrial &Commercial Packaging Waste and other sources). Of these, 100,000 tonnes were used by MEL for recycling. Following upgrades to its technological equipment, MEL is able to obtain 15 per cent of the thermal energy it uses from renewable sources (biomass). Thanks to its commitment to water recycling, it has also managed to reduce the quantity of water used in the production cycle. According to MEL: “The planet has already sent out an SOS. It is a message that applies to everyone. Large industries, in particular, bear the brunt of the responsibility. At MEL, we believe that we can change; we can turn the page and write a beautiful story about our extraordinary planet on this new paper. Education and raising awareness at young ages are critically important. That is why our company is open to children. It encourages site visits from primary and secondary schools. It is open to suggestions for common actions that aim to raise environmental awareness, while it actively takes part in Environment Days sponsored by the municipalities in the wider area for their local schools.” With its incorporation into the large Pak Group family, MEL has broadened its potential for increased production, corporate responsibility with an environmental orientation, and for competitive pricing of its products and services. “Fully aware of our important role in the global market, we are committed to excellent products, corporate responsibility, respect for our customers and the assurance of ideal working conditions for our employees.” Visit: www.melpaper.com

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Innovation Leading the Market DuPont Teijin Films is the global leader in polyester films and a renowned innovator at the forefront of the flexible packaging market. Dr Keith Rollins (Chief Innovation & Marketing officer) and Steven Davies (Market Manager) told Tim Sykes how the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ethos is driving the development of a new generation of functional films for the food market.

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uPont Teijin Films came into existence on an appropriately historic date, 1st January 2000, as a joint venture between two industry giants. The two parent companies DuPont of the US and Teijin Limited of Japan invested all of their existing manufacturing, R&D and sales resources for polyester film into the new 50:50 entity. Fifteen years later, DuPont Teijin Films is of course the reference point for PET films, a business employing over 2500 people, turning over around $1.5 billion annually and manufacturing around 250,000 tonnes of film each year. It is a truly global company with production facilities in the USA, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Japan, China and Indonesia. The European business, headquartered in Luxembourg, manufactures in Luxembourg and Scotland, as well as hosting DuPont Teijin Film’s state of the art Global R&D centre in the North East of England. “The rationale behind the JV was to create the world’s number one polyester film business,” explained Dr Keith Rollins. “In fact the two businesses were surprisingly complementary, with little overlap in products and territories. It formed a global grouping with global reach, clearly focused on delivering to customers in every region. It also brought about the platform to realise a vision of becoming the preferred PET film development partner based on unique technical capabilities as an innovation engine, bringing novel and value-adding PET and PEN film solutions to customers through the value chain.”

Reference brands Today DuPont Teijin Films’ brands – Mylar®, Melinex®, Teijin®Tetoron® for PET films, and Teonex® for PEN films – are known throughout the global industry for their technical excellence, performance, quality and reliability. “One of the key benefits of founding the JV was the creation of an industry leading product range,” remarked Steven Davies. “While DuPont Teijin Films itself is relatively young, the parent companies have been active in the Polyester films market for over 50 years and handed down a wealth of technology, including many industry firsts, and customer relationships to the new business.” The company’s packaging brand Mylar® encompasses a dizzying range of specifications and applications. “Our aim is to be a one stop shop with the widest available range of films for packaging applications across all market segments,” said Dr Rollins. “Our flexibility and grade range comes from our unique range of polymer production, base film and coating assets. These allow us to develop a range of products using different polymers (white, matt, super clear), coatings (high metal adhesions, high barrier, peelable) and base film properties (shrink, thermoforming).”

Commitment to growth markets DuPont Teijin Films places particular emphasis on developing value adding products for key growth market segments, such as ovenable packaging and fresh produce in the food space. Packaging Europe | 119 |

The company’s position as global leader in the ovenable packaging market came about with the invention of peelable lidding films for the ready meal market. Today its ambition is to establish PET films as the cooking medium of choice for all proteins, for cooking in Mylar® addresses two key themes that DuPont Teijin Films focuses on in the food segment: consumer convenience and safety. “Our vision is to help provide restaurant quality food at home, with no need to touch the uncooked food, no fuss in preparing it and quicker cooking times,” Dr Rollins affirmed. “No touch cooking also enhances food safety with protection against harmful bacteria such as campylobacter in poultry products. These aims have driven innovation in developing functionality such as thermoformability and shrink – essentially getting close to the ease of forming that some polyolefin films have but with the high temperature capabilities of PET.” Another heavy focus in food packaging is fresh produce, such as fruits and salads, where reliable seal and peel functionality have made DuPont Teijin Films’ OL range of films first choice within the industry. Mylar® comes into its own when reliably sealing at low temperatures on rPET punnets, which are distorted by heat sealing techniques. “Our films deliver very high clarity and anti-fogging performance,” said Mr Davies. “Once again, they also reflect our commitment to food safety as paramount, reflected in their compliance to the highest legislative standards. Moreover, as market leader we have the scale to deal with what has become a very large application for PET films, and have | 120 | Packaging Europe

learned over several years how to deal with the sharp fluctuations in demand caused by seasonal items.”

Industry leading innovation DuPont Teijin Films inherited a commitment to innovation from its parent companies, which among many other achievements invented polyester films in the 1950s. Investing tens of millions of dollars annually and employing around 200 scientists and engineers in R&D, the business holds more than 200 patents and boasts a track record of market-leading innovation, enabling the creation of many new product categories along the way and delivering new PET film products to meet new challenges. “For many years we have been regarded as the leader in PET films, which facilitate the delivery of novel packaging solutions,” said Dr Rollins. Our approach to innovation is based on three tenets. The first is recognising, anticipating and responding to needs of the market. This is underpinned by analysis of mega-trends – for instance in the food market we focus on food safety, food security and sustainability. Secondly, we believe that technical excellence lies at the heart of meeting the market need. The third is customer success. We have a relentless focus on the success of our supply chain partners in innovation, and I believe this truly differentiates DuPont Teijin Films from our competitors. Among the company’s latest cutting edge innovations is a new high water vapour transmission rate film for modified humidity packaging with water vapour transmission

rate five times higher than standard PET. “The driver behind this development is shelf life extension for produce that either creates a lot of moisture throughout the pack life and/ or are susceptible to fungal spoilage due to excessive moisture,” explained Mr Davies. “Essentially what we are doing is taking all the functionality of Mylar® products – clarity, ease of sealing, antifog properties – and adding in the ability to manage in-pack humidity.” Meanwhile, a new skin film has been developed for the ovenable packaging segment. “Skin packaging is clearly a major trend and is fast becoming the retailer’s favourite choice for pack presentation,” observed Mr Davies. “Mylar® SKIN combines the benefits of the shelf presentation of skin packaging with the convenience and safety of cooking in the pack, all with the peace of mind of complying with the food contact rules and legislation.” Both of these solutions are in advanced trialling and will undergo retail launches early next year.

Defining the market DuPont Teijin Films’ task might be characterised as a combination of studying the market, as described above, and educating it. In some regions such as the UK ovenable films are becoming the standard medium, while the translation into others remains a work in progress – a similar journey to that of the ready meal, which took hold in the Anglo-Saxon world before penetrating continental European markets. Packaging is central to DuPont Teijin Films’ portfolio and food is the key packaging market, since its characteristics fit well with the company’s innovation based strategy and competencies. The increasing demands associated with megatrends in food are met with solutions that have been developed explicitly to address these needs. For instance, the transitional arrangements for migration testing specified in the new food contact regulations will end in December 2015, leaving no grey areas on compositional and migration compliance – a significant competitive advantage for Dupont Teijin Films given the company’s commitment to product stewardship.

While there has not been space to discuss them in detail in the space of this article, it should be noted that DuPont Teijin Films has exciting developments across a range of film applications. “Our other targets for growth are typically characterised by scale, value for the functionality of PET and innovation,” commented Dr Rollins. “In addition to food packaging, other important application sectors include digital print and labels, healthcare, electrical insulation, capacitors, flexible electronics and photovoltaics.” Across all of these markets and applications the company intends to continue with its innovation engine strategy, working with converter partners, focussing on providing solutions to their needs and working throughout the supply chain to understand the market. “Converters expect us to bring them innovation,” concluded Dr Rollins. “Our ultimate goal is that whenever a converter needs a new application, they will call at our door first.” Visit: www.dupontteijinfilms.com

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Innovative plastics-based packaging PLASTICOS ROMERO of Spain, founded in 1979 by the Romero Family in Molina de Segura, Murcia, offers a diverse range of products including plastic bags, packaging films and paper for food packaging. Piotr Sadowski reports.

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2007, spurred on by the imminent EU ban on non-reused plastic bags, PLASTICOS ROMERO made the strategic decision to diversify its product range and significantly upscaled its R&D activities. In 2009 it introduced a film for automatic packaging and a new line for the production of high quality self-closing bin bags supplied to retail networks, which today are available in practically all retail chains throughout Spain. “The year 2008 saw the first version of the norm for reusable bags, UNE53942. PLASTICOS ROMERO participated in its drafting, together with ANAIP in AENOR, and promoted the norm both at regional and national level, as well as implementing it across the Spanish market,” says Javier González, general manager of the company. “In fact, PLASTICOS ROMERO was the first company in the country to achieve all the relevant product certifications required by the norm, which has given us a strong competitive advantage over other industry players.” In 2009 the company received two certifications the ‘Blue Angel’ environmental certification for the manufacturing of ‘Blue Angel’ bags and the “OK Compost” biobased certification, thus opening more doors in this niche market in Germany with eco-friendly and

biodegradable products according to the standard EN 13432. In addition, the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and subsequently BRC Packaging OSHAS18000 certifications have helped PLASTICOS ROMERO to prove it is a company that is fully focused on the highest quality, food safety and customer orientation. “Since 2008 we have also been able to offer 10-colour overprinting on bags, which has significantly strengthened our export market operations,” adds Mr González.

Strong market position PLASTICOS ROMERO is the leader on the Spanish market for plastic bags and is also considered a major player across Europe. Exports over the past three years have grown by more than 60 per cent, representing more than 20 per cent of overall sales currently. “We have recently introduced many different innovative products, such as the beforementioned ‘Blue Angel’ certified post-consumer recycled content bags, covers for car seats and for wheels, as well as paper bags with a twisted handle and film for microwave cooking,” explains Mr González. “We also offer PE film modified to improve the quality of welding when laminating, which includes a layer of PET (developed together with AIMPLAST Technology Centre), peelable PE with PA CAST, PE for packaging liquids, including alcohol, shrink

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film, active packaging to help extend shelf life of food, high and medium barrier film and other products. In addition, our R&D department is able to develop brand new products tailored directly to the needs of our customers.”

Most recent investments The company’s 2013–2014 investment plan included the introduction of new, technologically advanced equipment, such as three-layer high efficiency extruders and a printer with a central drum machine, allowing the company to expand its sales of film for alimentary products by 300 per cent, to approximately €14 million. PLASTICS ROMERO has also increased its production capacity for food paper, including the introduction of a machine for paper bags with a twisted handle. Next year, the company will introduce a high efficiency printing machine and two cutter machines. “We are currently in the final stages of planning our 2015–2016 investment strategy and we expect to acquire machinery for refuse bags, based on contracts with our existing customers,” adds the general manager. “We promote our innovations through attendance at trade fairs as well as through direct contact with customers via our extensive network of exclusive trade agents.”

Major customers PLASTICOS ROMERO serves all major food chains and large distributors. It is important to note that 80 per cent of the company’s sales reach more than 100 clients, while the total number of active customers exceeds 2000. “Each and every customer is important to us, because it has been through customer diversification that we have been able to grow even during times of crisis,” explains Mr González. “While the number of employees in the transforming plastics industry in Spain was reduced from 86,000 to 63,000, we have maintained the same number of employees. Our sales grew by 21 per cent in the period 2009–2013 and we expect further growth of 10 per cent in 2014.” The most important markets apart from Spain, are Germany, the Netherlands, France, England, Algeria, Morocco and other destinations. The company is continuously developing these markets and over the past three years export sales have grown by 60 per cent. “We look forward to further growth, mainly through organic development, but we are not ruling out opportunities for acquisitions or joint-ventures,” concludes Mr González. Visit: www.plasticosromero.com

Javier González, general manager

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Repsol Races Ahead of the Competition As a global energy company whose business revolves around the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, Repsol is well positioned as a leading player providing raw materials to the packaging industry. The Repsol Chemicals division sells and markets its products worldwide in 95 countries. 40 per cent of Repsol’s polyolefins sales come from its offerings to the rigid and flexible packaging industry mainly in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany and Turkey. Libby White was given a tour of the technology centre and visited the headquarters in Madrid to speak with some of Repsol’s key experts about the constant innovations in the extensive polyolefins range.

Rafael Jiménez, Polyethylene director, gives an overview of the company: “Repsol is a top company in Spain with sales close to 60,000 million euros. We are unique from other chemicals companies in the fact that we can develop such a vast variety of grades with our customers for many different applications.” Repsol benefits from modern facilities that have been designed to the highest standard. The brand new headquarters, located in central Madrid, opened in 2012 with 3800 employees. The campus became one of the first of its size in Europe to be awarded the LEED® Platinum certificate, by the prestigious US Building Council for new buildings construction, exemplifying Repsol’s commitment to protecting the environment. With a long history of R&D, Repsol’s first research centre was established in 1944. In 2002, the modern technology centre opened, also based in Madrid. With more than 400 researchers and technologists, 25 per cent of the research is devoted to the chemicals division. Ana Montenegro, Polyolefins Technical Service & Development manager, gave a tour of the impressive facilities. She comments, “The main focus of our department is to detect the market needs, improve production processes, reduce costs and create products that can substitute other materials. “We aim to provide the best solutions with many different factors in mind. We are focused on developing products with lower moulding temperatures for example, to use less energy and less water consumption for environmental sustainability.” With the latest technology and equipment, the research centre can test materials by simulating extrusion conditions with its blow-moulding co-extruder that can produce up to three-layer films. Testing equipment can analyse a range of factors such as the purity and contamination of materials, opticability and impact resistance.

Mr José Fagoaga, Polyolefins laboratory manager, comments, “Approximately 300,000 euros are invested each year in new equipment. Next year, Repsol will be investing around two million euros in its research centre laboratories. We have two main laboratories for Polyolefins: one focused on analysing and identifying materials and the other focused on developing the physical properties of materials. We also have a laboratory to test for organoleptic properties and we work with the TZW water technology centre to help with our testing.” Closely following ECHA studies to track changes and monitor European regulations, Repsol works towards continuous improvements and keeping ahead of the market needs, complying with all technical and environmental requirements approved by the main certification bodies. Repsol also offers greater flexibility to its customers with the added benefit of its three polyolefins pilot plants, where it can test a product before manufacturing on an industrial scale.

Developing a comprehensive portfolio Fernando Espada, technical service & development, film engineer, explains the extensive portfolio of Repsol that can be used in many applications of the plastic packaging industry: “Our main quality and strength is that we have a broad range of products covering lowdensity polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, EVA and EBA copolymers, and now we have expanded our offerings also to metallocene-based polyethylene resins.” He continues, “With a strong background, for many years we have offered our solutions to four main sectors: industrial film, food packaging, extrusion coating and protective and lamination films. It is vital for Repsol to develop and produce a wide range of products for numerous possibilities of applications to address the constantly evolving market.” Packaging Europe | 127 |

Repsol is also one of the biggest producers of EVA/EBA copolymers in Europe with a very large portfolio of grades covering a spectrum up to 40 per cent vinyl acetate content. Mainly used in carton-sealing and labeling, the EVA copolymers play an important role in the packaging sector to manufacture high-quality hot-melt adhesives.

Introducing metallocene Complementing its high performance portfolio for film and packaging solutions, in March 2014 Repsol entered into an agreement to license Chevron Phillips Chemical’s proprietary technology for the production of metallocene-based polyethylene resins. It can provide value to the processor by either allowing reductions in unit costs or by making higher value products. Ms Rocio Rey product manager says, “This new investment allows Repsol to offer the most in-demand properties for food packaging films. At this first stage, the polyethylene metallocene range includes two grades with an MFI of 1.00. Repsol’s objective, however, is to offer by the end of 2015, a full range from an MFI of 0.70 to 3.5, and to expand its portfolio to at least eight grades, according to the demands of the market.” Its suitability for stretch film, heavy-duty packaging, flexible food packaging and stretch hood is as clear as the finished films. “With properties such as puncture resistance, impact resistance, improved sealing capabilities, higher clarity and gloss and easy blending with other polyolefins, mLLDPE is favoured by sophisticated and developed markets demanding higher value end products. It is perfect for packaging products such as frozen foods,” adds Ana D’Cotta, Head of Communications, Chemicals division.

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Latest innovations The most recent innovation from Repsol is its blown film Ultraclean 2308F, a solution aimed at protective and lamination films for packaging. The characteristics include a very low gel level and a high consistency during production. This product offers high quality for the application as it has to be clean and free of imperfections to ensure products such as cars and fridges remain intact and protected. Repsol offers low density polyethylene extrusion coating with high MFI and offers both autoclave and tubular processes for its customers. Typically used for lamination with aluminium foil or paper, Repsol supplies its PE071 and 1970C grades to leading customers in Europe. Most recently added to this range, Repsol has developed a new LDPE- PE041 with an MFI of 4.00 – perfect for use in multilayer packaging. Repsol is also focused on its injection moulding developments. Pablo Giner, Polypropylene sales manager, explains, “We are focused on developing thin-wall applications for high transparency with a balance between stiffness and impact. We work with the main and leading brands in the packaging sector.” The latest developments for injection moulding include PB500K1M, an ultra-high fluidity copolymer (MFI 100 g/10 min) that exhibits easy flowing and good stiffness for very thin wall articles or complicated designs. These properties allow reducing processing pressures, melting temperature and cooling times as well as the manufacturing of thinner pieces. It is particularly suitable for injection moulding applications where exceptional organoleptic properties are in high demand.

PR580C2M is a random copolymer (MFI 20 g/10 min) suitable for injection moulding and ISBM. It has been specially designed to show low blooming behaviour and excellent organoleptic and optic properties. With this new grade Repsol wants to provide its customers with new products that have a distinctive look of quality. PB179K1M is a block copolymer (MFI 12 g/10 min) that shows an outstanding mechanical balance. It provides a high level of stiffness with an excellent impact resistance. It is nucleated and contains a special antistatic formulation which provides a good long-term aesthetic finish as well as an excellent demoulding performance.

Leading the way in blow moulding Repsol also has a strong presence in the area of raw materials for dairy blow moulding products, where it is currently the leader in the Spanish and Portuguese markets. Repsol has a high market penetration in dairy products and especially in milk bottles in southern Europe. With the ambition to continue to grow in the European dairy market, Repsol has now released new HDPE grades, white and very high yield, with very high speed textures. Recently, a leading European machine manufacturer has approved a Repsol grade in all its milk packaging lines. These machines prevail today in Europe and with this certification Repsol can serve the whole of the European market. The milk bottles are in three layers for optimum light protection and Repsol has achieved a perfect white container finish.

Mr José Alablá, Polyethylene sales manager, says, “We focus on developing tailor-made solutions for the dairy industry. We are able to sell our new white grade to all European converters and we also offer our blow moulding materials to the cosmetics, food and industrial/chemicals markets.”

High quality service With such a wide product range covering extensive applications and worldwide delivery, Repsol is very much valued by its customers. Fernando Arroyo, Polypropylene business director comments, “We have the knowledge, expertise and facilities to develop tailor made products for our customers when they have special requirements. Repsol has a highly qualified technical team which is extremely efficient in providing specific new products with a personalised technical service. We are very flexible and close to our customers.” Repsol is committed to its customers on a long-term basis. “There are chemical companies and manufacturers that are divesting in Europe; however Repsol is investing in new technologies. The Repsol team has close relations and ties to its clients through the building of strong bonds of trust and commitment,” Ana D’Cotta adds. Repsol’s capacity for innovation and the use of appropriate resources, including its technology centre, are at its clients’ disposal. Repsol optimises products and their performance at its clients’ sites, in accordance with current standards and the requirements of the application, thus offering customised solutions and supporting development. These are competitive advantages for both parties.

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Mr Albalá explains that Repsol has sales offices all over Europe with native-language employees: “We ensure that we interact with our clients on a personal and knowledgeable level, and support them with both our sales and technical teams. Our 24/7 customer service team, answering the phone in seven languages, is based at our HQ in Madrid allowing them to work alongside other departments. For example, they work closely with the logistics team to ensure customers receive the best service down to the delivery of their orders. Our quality service means we have a high percentage of repeat customers and longterm clients. A strength that our customers also value is our critical detail to service.”

Future growth and competitiveness plan Under the current economy and market scenario, Repsol’s Chemicals division has been taking actions through its different lines such as cost reduction and restructuring in line with its recently implemented competitiveness plan. This is based on three very clear and strong pillars with three lines of action. Firstly, Repsol has focused on differentiation by investing in the development of a more diverse portfolio, selective technology acquisitions and new process developments. As a second line of action, efficiency has been developed through increased feedstock flexibility, maximising streams value and minimising energy consumption, synergies with different operators and site optimisation. Through joint ventures and alliances focused on business based differentiated products, by taking advantage of low cost cracker feedstock outside Europe, and by maximising technology value, Repsol also looks to globalisation as the third pillar of its competitiveness plan. | 130 | Packaging Europe

Ana D’Cotta comments, “The strengths of the Chemicals division are its solid western Europe commercial position and leadership in Spain and Portugal, alongside its efficient assets such as the olefins plant in Tarragona fully integrated with derivate units. With strong differentiation capabilities, the division is focused on new markets, forging alliances, differentiated products and production efficiency.” Ana D’Cotta comments, “The strengths of the Chemicals division are its solid western Europe commercial position and leadership in Spain and Portugal, alongside its efficient assets such as the olefins plant in Tarragona fully integrated with derivate units. With strong differentiation capabilities, the division is focused on new markets, forging alliances, differentiated products and production efficiency.” Esteban Gimeno, Polyolefins business unit director, concludes, “Repsol aims to find opportunities in the packaging segment for tailor-made solutions for small and medium sized companies as well as large companies. Our main strengths are flexibility and commitment and our comprehensive range adds value to the customer. We have so far been making regular and selective investments into our specialised portfolio, such as in the development of our mettalocene range, the VA high content grades of HEVA, the new functionalized polyolefins and the PP TPO’s in the near future. We will continue to innovate in these areas and expand our product range; our key strength is the vast range we offer from under one roof. Our target is to be our customers’ “favourite option” through company values such as, integrity, flexibility, responsibility, transparency and innovation which we try to give clear proof of in our everyday relationship with our customers.” Visit www.repsol.com

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Dashing ahead Dashco produces high quality glass containers at competitive prices from its ISO 9001:2008 and GMP class C certified organisation based in Qazvin, Iran. Ms Rana Sattaripour, marketing and communications manager, explains to Libby White how its presence as one of the only independently owned glass container manufacturers in the world for the pharmaceutical industry sets Dashco apart from its competitors, and places it on the right track to become one of the leading players on the international market.

using only the highest quality type I borosilicate neutral glass tubes from trusted global manufacturers such as Schott, Dashco ensures product consistency and reliability for the demanding pharmaceutical industry. The company specialises in manufacturing three core products: ampoules, vials and dental cartridges.

Core products The high quality glass ampoules on offer range in size from one to 30ml and the designs are according to ISO 9187-1: 2010 (E). The vials on offer range from two to 30ml and designs are according to ISO 8362-1: 2009 (E) and ISO 11418-7: 1998(E). In general Dashco manufactures flint (clear) and amber glass vials in crimp neck and screw neck forms as well as offering vials for lyophilisation (freeze drying) purposes. The carpoules designs, including dental anaesthetic cartridges and insulin pen-injectors are according to ISO 11040-1:1992 (E) and ISO 13926-1:1996 (E). With secure footholds in these product sectors, Dashco holds a strong position to progress into new sectors. Pre-filled syringes are a fast and effective method to administer drugs, and are in increasing demand. “We are currently exploring the concept of manufacturing pre-filled syringes for the administration of therapeutic drugs via injection, a developing industry with huge potential,” Ms Sattaripour remarks. | 132 | Packaging Europe

Many pharmaceutical companies are presently looking into using this method. “Dashco always strives to be one step ahead of the industry and aims to offer innovative solutions. If we take on this project we aim to be manufacturing within a year,” Ms Sattaripour comments.

High quality and customer service Due to its strategic location in the Middle East, the combination of lower energy costs and lower labour costs ensures that Dashco is able to provide extremely high quality that meets European and worldwide standards of quality, at a competitive price. Ms Sattaripour explains the Iranian domestic market makes up around 60 per cent of Dashco’s business, with the remaining 40 per cent focused on Europe (i.e. Spain and Germany) and worldwide (in South America, Asia and Africa). Dashco can rely with peace of mind on a professionally trained quality control team to conduct incoming material, process and final product control and defect analyses. Its products are safeguarded with traceable data records from receipt of raw material to the dispatch of final products, and with a chemical and physical certificate of analyses provided for each consignment. Communication is one of the key strengths of Dashco, to ensure it provides the best service to its customers. Ms Sattaripour explains, “We have a dedicated 50 strong sales team focused on providing one-to-one customer service. We can meet

with every single one of our customers and individually ensure their needs are met, products are delivered on time and they receive the best after-care.” The company goes one step further than most, according to Ms Sattaripour, “We view our customers as partners and we have a two-way relationship: they can also make really important contributions to our business, as we do for them. We perform regular audits to ensure that our customers’ quality standards reflect our own and as a result, both the supplier and customer are on the same page, making certain of the best possible finished product.”

Strong foundations for growth Established in 1981 and with impressive customer relationships that span well over 20 years, Dashco has strong foundations to build on, with a facility poised for growth. “We are constantly expanding, not only with our existing vial, ampoule and dental cartridge lines, but also into new sectors,” Ms Sattaripour points out. “Our dedicated research and development team focus on refining and advancing our products according to customer demands and the needs of the market. For example, we are receiving a high level of interest from the cosmetic sector into our vials, an area with huge prospects to expand into. We have also been approached by botox manufacturers for our cartridges, another exciting area for potential development.”

To guarantee the continuous improvement and evolution of its products, Dashco invests in the latest European-made machinery and state-of-the-art technologies on the market. Its customers can benefit from automatic online visual system controls incorporated onto the machines to ensure geometric precision as well as rejecting products with visible defects. An onsite laboratory is equipped with precision instruments to perform the required physical, chemical, particles and cosmetic defect tests according to USP, BP, EP and ISO standards. Benefiting from a healthy organic growth, Dashco consequently holds ambitious aims to become one of the major manufacturers in the world and to expand its global reach. “With constant research and development to meet our customers’ demands, the pharmaceutical industry will continue to benefit from our developments in ampoules, vials and dental cartridges. Future growth will come from new product ranges such as pre-filled syringes, and we are considering expanding into manufacturing with type two glass as well to grow our product range further.” Dashco is well on its way to becoming a global leading player in the international market with its winning combination of high quality, assured standards, and competitive prices. For more information, visit www.dashco.ir

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Parts partner Industrial sheet metal specialist Koridon has nearly 30 years’ experience in delivering high quality sheet metal parts and sub-assemblies to Dutch customers. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to commercial director Rob H Beltman to learn how the company is bringing its valued expertise to a wider European audience.

stablished in the Netherlands by the Koridon family in 1986, Koridon Industriële Plaatbewerking has steadily grown over the past 28 years to become a respected name in the field of high quality sheet metal parts and sub-assemblies. Highly specialised in metal sheet production for high end machine builders, Koridon works closely with its customers to create perfect solutions for their individual requirements. Rob H. Beltman, Koridon’s commercial director, spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how the company’s approach to problem solving has continued to set it apart from the competition for nearly three decades. “We don’t make any products of our own so we are totally dedicated to creating expert sheet metal solutions for our customers that suit their particular application,” he said. “We produce sub-assemblies and high quality sheet metal products as well as associated parts – as long as it’s made from sheet metal, Koridon can create a solution.”

Customers focus on core business With its overall goal “to unburden our customers”, Koridon works hard to ensure that customers are able to focus on what they do best. Mr Beltman explained, “The aim is to get more production from our customers’ facilities to our facilities so that they are only concentrating on their core business. Koridon is a true partner to our customers as by passing part of the assembly on to us, they can offer a higher level of specialised service.”

As a reliable, flexible partner, Koridon Industriële Plaatbewerking prides itself on upgrading the service level of its customers by creating high quality sheet metal solutions that allows them to develop effective, efficient machines. “We are able to achieve this by developing long-term relationships with our customers and making sure that we are involved very early on in their projects,” Mr Beltman observed. “By totally understanding their business and what they need their machines to achieve in terms of production and processes, we can provide integrated solutions that really perform to a high level.” These long-term partnerships with customers means it is not unusual for Koridon to be included in the future investment strategy of its valued partners. Mr Beltman noted, “As we are specialised in applications such as laser cutting, punching, bending (by press-brakes) welding and (sub-) assembly, customers know that when they are thinking about expanding their capabilities or investing in new machinery or upgrading existing machines they can count on Koridon. By working with us right from the initial discussion stages they can be assured that Koridon’s expertise will be integrated into their investment.”

Ready for export growth As a specialist in the field of engineering, production and assembly of high-grade sheet metal parts and sub-assemblies, Koridon’s geographical focus has long been its Dutch do-

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mestic customers, providing solutions for machine builders in many industries. Yet with a particular specialism in providing packaging machines for the food industry, Koridon’s success in the Netherlands is set to be replicated across Europe. “While many of our customers export their machines, built using Koridon sheet metal, we have yet to exploit the myriad export opportunities directly, which is something that we are excited to pursue,” Mr Beltman revealed. “We are currently working to develop export partners with our near neighbours, particularly in Germany, as there is a positive synergy between the Dutch and German ways of working.” Koridon is open to opportunities with any European customers across the sheet metal value chain, noting its particular specialism in packaging machines for the food industry, with the company’s ability to deliver high-end solutions in a range of metals. Mr Beltman added, “The type of export opportunities we are looking for include high-end machine builders who are interested in high quality sub-assemblies. Our added value, flexible approach makes Koridon a very attractive partner.”

Partnership from start to finish With Koridon’s proven concept-to-completion capability as a supplier and technology partner, the company knows that its customers can concentrate on the development and marketing of their own products, leading to cost savings and greater efficiency. | 136 | Packaging Europe

“We have incredibly efficient means of production and can also re-engineer existing products – either way, working with Koridon is a clear way to upgrading and enhancing your activity,” Mr Beltman concluded. “As a true outsourcing partner, our unrivalled sheet metal solutions are of interest to all industries, particularly food, medical, traffic and packaging. Our recent investment highlights our commitment to continual development and, as we increase our automation alongside excellent human achievement, we offer a reliable, solutions-based service.” Contact us: Koridon Industriële Plaatbewerking, Rijder 5, 1507 DP Zaandam T : +31 (0)75 6123004 F: +31 (0)75 6703985 E: info@koridon.nl W: www.koridon.nl

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Germany-based KOCH Pac-Systeme GmbH develops, constructs and distributes packaging lines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from small blister sealing machines to high performance blister lines and complex packaging lines including robots, product handling and end-of-line packaging. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head of marketing, JĂśrg Schebetka, to find out more about how its line competence and strong service culture benefits its customers.

Complete line

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he company, with its head office in Pfalzgrafenweiler, was founded in 1969 by engineer Dieter Koch as a family run machinery company serving a wide range of industries. The development of the first form fill and seal machine in 1973 kick-started its activities in the packaging sector. Since then the company has continued to manufacture packaging machines, with a focus on blister packaging. “We consider ourselves to be a speciality packaging machinery manufacturer. We construct every machine either completely from scratch or offering modular solutions, and they are designed and built according to customer specifications. We offer a portfolio of different machinery standard types, blister machines as well as small semi-automatic machines”, Mr. Schebetka explains. Over the years, the company has grown and expanded. In 1996, a distribution subsidiary was set up in Towaco in New Jersey in the USA, which since 2012/13 has also been offering servicing. “Today we are present all over the world, with distribution sites in France, the US and China, and we are also represented by trade representatives in various countries,” says Mr. Schebetka.

Synergies In 2006 KOCH Pac-Systeme GmbH was sold to the Uhlmann Group, a blister packaging manufacturer for the pharmaceutical industry based in Laupheim in Germany. Today, as a subsidiary of the Uhlmann Group with 250 employees and an annual turnover of €30 million, KOCH Pac-Systeme is one of the leading manufacturers of packaging machines. “KOCH Pac-Systeme manufactures machines for pharmaceutical and medical technology. Other sectors include body care and cosmetics, and consumers and industry – a general area where a lot of products are packaged,” Mr Schebetka says.

“We are an SME offering solutions to our customers. We are relatively small, but we offer the strength of being able to manage even major projects without any problems, which can be a problem for smaller companies. Our customers are global players in major industries.”

Machinery expertise and KOCH Packaging Line KOCH Pac-Systeme’s focus is on blister machines as well as feeding and handling systems. Automation and pick and place solutions enable the company to offer its customers robotic solutions in order to make the manufacturing process more cost efficient. Marking systems, control and inspection systems, cartoning and end-of-line packaging machinery complete the picture. All this leads up to one of KOCH Pac-Systeme’s core competencies – its line competence. “We want to offer our customers a complete individual packaging line from beginning to end - we are a solution provider and therefore want to sell complete systems to our customers. The process starts with a high level of consultation and advice – a customer tells us, for example, that they would like to package a toothbrush, and we give advice on how to do this, and, if requested, we can also develop the design for the packaging, give advice on how the blister pack could look and how this can be implemented on the respective machine. We offer a complete solution from the beginning to the end of the process, summarised in our own brand – KOCH packagingLine, which stands for the entire packaging process for the customer, including end of line packaging, robotics and consulting competence,” says Mr Schebetka. Each KOCH packagingLine is based on four synchronised modules with a perfectly matched performance: a blister machine, a product feed, a blister grouping module and a final packaging machine. They can be complemented with labelling, inspection and handling systems as necessary. Every line is capable of packaging small and large format

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products, from a single button cell battery to a toy with many parts. Fast, easy format changes ensure high overall availability and, thanks to the integrated control concept for components, a single employee can operate the entire packaging line. “At the interpack trade fair, which for us is the most important trade fair, the company focused on presenting the complete KOCH packagingLine. We chose a product with blister packaging and packed it into a folding box. Our blister machine KBS-KF was combined with our partner Brunner’s machine and equipped with a range of features and a robotics system”, Mr. Schebetka explains. One example for the company’s line competence is the packing of medical devices such as syringes, hip or knee joints or operation tools in hard blister packs. In medical technology, the type of packaging is important, and hard blisters offer extra protection, for example if a pack is dropped in the operation theatre. Hard blister packs made on KOCH machines offers to customers security. “Other applications include lines for contact lenses, cosmetics and body care products such as toothbrushes, shaving products, body care, mascara and lipsticks. The consumer goods industry is another big market – toys such as Playmobil, batteries, energisers, USB sticks, lighters, stationery, air fresheners etc. are often packaged in blisters today”, Mr. Schebetka adds.

Medplus – innovation for the pharmaceutical industry KOCH Pac-Systeme offers a strong consultancy service in the medical area and individual project care through its medplus brand. Every KOCH machine or KOCH packagingLine can also be produced in the KOCH medplus medical version. Design and materials are then perfectly tailored to the special requirements of medical technology.

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“A novelty in the medical technology area is our new KS-PO machine – a pure sealing machine which lies somewhere between a semi- and fully automatic solution. All our machines in the medical technology area have the suffix medplus”, Mr. Schebetka adds. KOCH’s machines in the medplus version are designed in compliance with GMP (good manufacturing practice), using stainless steel and avoiding cavities, which makes them easy to clean and prevents contamination. A range of certifications and validation documents are provided, such as GMP, ISO and FDA. The machines offer clean room compatibility and variability owing to fast format changes.

Investments and company development Last year KOCH opened a new show room, the KOCH Technical Centre, to give customers a platform in which they can see and discover its machinery range, combined with a development area. “Service is getting increasingly important – for us, this starts with the delivery of the machine, and is followed by customer care and spare parts provision. This is a key part of the business which is important to our customers, and which we aim to expand even more”, says Mr. Schebetka. “We place great importance on expanding our customer support and service even more, and consider ourselves a company that grows organically. Education and training is also key. An aging population means that it is getting increasingly difficult to find young employees, but we have a training quota of around 12 per cent, and we offer internal n training and the possibility to attend a dual university course”, he concludes. Visit: www.koch-pac-systeme.com

All aluminium As a worldwide leading manufacturer of tubes, aerosols, cartridges and aluminium packaging, Alltub is truly a key player in flexible and rigid packaging. Following 18 months of smart strategic development, the company is looking to further boost its presence on the global market. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Mario Barbero to find out more.

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lltub Group has over 50 years of experience dedicated to aluminium packaging. Over the past ten years, Alltub Group has seen its turnover grow from €70 million in 2005 to over €125 million in 2012 and continued increases are expected in the coming years. Regular major investments have played a key part in Alltub’s long-term success, with the opening of a number of sales offices in countries including the UK, the USA and India, as well as strategic acquisitions of complementary operations. Fully acquired by the US investment fund Aurora in 2011, Alltub Group today operates five specialised production sites worldwide, manufactures tubes, aerosols and cartridges with more than 60 production lines and employs over 1,200 people.

World leader Each year, Alltub produces 1.4 billion collapsible tubes, 90 million aerosol cans and 25 million cartridges. CEO Mario Barbero told Packaging Europe how this is achieved using the company’s state-of-the-art facilities. He said, “As the world leader in collapsible aluminium tube packaging and a major player in aluminium aerosol cans and cartridges, we know where our strengths lie. By consistently offering high

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quality, high performance products, our customers know they can rely on Alltub. Everything we do is about quality; all our production sites are subject to the strictest controls and have the relevant accreditations – ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 2200, FDA DMF registration and BRC-LoP.” The latest production site to join the Alltub family, in 201X, is located in Mexico. This site is central to the group’s planned growth in North and Central America. Mr Barbero continued, “Our mission is to be the world leader in all pure aluminium packaging and our production plant in Mexico certainly supports that goal. All our sites have the most modern flexible equipment and are experienced in partnering with domestic and multinational companies. Across all our sites, we have longstanding relationships with global, blue chip customers such as L’Oreal, P&G, Sika, Henkel and Bristol-Myers-Squibb.” The past 18 months have proven to be an important part of Alltub’s ongoing success story. In early 2013 the company decided to reorganise its industrial footprint across Europe in order to maximise its potential by cementing its long-term dedication to operating specialist production facilities. As a result, one of its French factories was closed, with the six production lines relocated to other European pro-

duction sites. Mr Barbero explained, “It was a difficult experience but overall very positive both for our company and for our customers as we carefully assessed the situation to ensure that we could continue to reinforce our approach of operating production sites by packaging specialism. Each of our sites is now focused on one aspect of aluminium packaging and that means that customers can be assured that experts are on hand whatever their packaging needs.”

Ready to listen Part of what has helped Alltub to achieve its market-leading position in collapsible aluminium packaging is its ability to cooperate with customers on special projects. As a driving force in developing, manufacturing and supplying rigid and flexible aluminium packaging for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and industrial sectors, Alltub regularly creates innovative solutions in accordance with a customers’ specific request. Mr Barbero said, “We are a busy company but we are also reaching out, particularly outside Europe, to customers that may be looking for a fresh packaging solution. As the market leader we’re passionate about sharing the possibilities of

aluminium tube packaging for a range of applications. Our main targets for growth are the pharmaceutical and the cosmetics sectors, but we’re also open minded about pushing our extensive capabilities to the next level and creating innovative packaging solutions in other areas.” Alltub is also keen to establish mutually-beneficial relationships with potential suppliers and employees. It enjoys developing long-term partnerships with like-minded professionals in order to continually improve and enhance its offer. In terms of recruitment, Mr Barbero is quick to point out that, while the aluminium tube business doesn’t always have a glamorous reputation, Alltub is dedicated to offering a challenging, rewarding workplace. He said, “We’re a young, dynamic company that loves to listen to our employees. Now more than ever we are a tight, consolidated business and we are very interested to hear from aluminium packaging professionals that want to take their career to the next level in an organisation that has the resources, reputation and capability to make that happen.” Visit: www.alltub.com

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Leading Innovation in Coatings The Valspar Corporation is one of the largest coatings manufacturers in the world, providing coatings and coating intermediates to a wide variety of customers. Since 1806, Valspar has been delivering the latest innovations, the finest quality, and the best customer service to the packaging, industrial, and consumer segments.

the leading global supplier of packaging coatings, Valspar Packaging helps develop, protect, and advance the packaging design and heritage of many of the world’s best-known brands. Valspar Packaging provides internal and external coating systems for nearly every light metal packaging end-use, including beverage cans, food cans, and general packaging containers such as aerosol and monobloc cans, tubes, and closures. Valspar strongly supports the metal package - a highly sustainable and infinitely recyclable material. No other packaging provides a longer shelf life, better preserves product quality, and offers greater protection against spoilage than light metal packaging. In the past, new coating technology was focused on improving can production performance and food safety. Today, innovation is driven by international regulatory compliance requirements such as the recent ban of BPA in France, as well as evolving consumer preferences. Thus, coatings for metal packaging need to continue evolving to remain competitive. Valspar is leading this evolution. Because coating formulations for the interior of food, beverage, and general packaging cans are highly specific, any formulation changes require extensive qualification

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before they are commercialised. To ensure coating commercialisation success, Valspar’s Safety by Design development protocol works ahead of regulation and creates assurances for customers. The protocol does this by allowing an evaluation of the regulatory and environmental landscapes enabling Valspar to screen out materials early in the product development cycle that might impact a formulation’s commercialisation, acceptance, and sustainability in the market place. Valspar is the leading supplier of non-BPA packaging coatings. The company has developed a family of non-BPA alternatives that includes next-generation polyester and acrylic technologies for food can bodies and ends, beverage can inside spray and ends, as well as interior and exterior coatings for closures, and a product line for closures for baby food products. Last month, valPureTM non-BPA coatings for Tube & Monobloc were presented at ADF Paris 2015. These recent innovations join Valspar’s existing technologies, providing customers with the broadest portfolio of coating solutions for light metal packaging applications. As the coatings industry continues to evolve, Valspar has the best-in-class regulatory expertise, product development, and technical service to support its customers and lead the metal container into the future.

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The Slovak company TUBAPACK, a.s., based at Ĺ˝iar nad Hronom, is an undisputed leader in its field with several high-profile awards to its name. The past few years have seen continued growth, with a number of investments in the modernisation of its facilities.

“This all shows that the new line is globally the very best in the packaging technology field.”

UBAPACK, a.s., located in Žiar nad Hronom, is part of the ŽHS, a.s. group and has for a long time been a producer of aluminium and laminated tubes, the first of which was produced in 1973. Owing to the increasing demands of its customers, the product portfolio was extended in 1998 to include laminated tubes. Thanks to its many years of experience, TUBAPACK, a.s., which now employs over 200 people, is ranked among the major tube manufacturers not only in Slovakia but also in central Europe, and this year the aluminium tube production in Žiar nad Hronom will be 42 years old.

Two product groups The company’s manufacturing programme is divided into two basic product series: aluminium tubes and laminated tubes. The maximum annual production capacity for aluminium tubes is 300 million, and 50 million for laminated tubes. Aluminium tubes are mainly intended for packaging applications for paste and slightly viscous liquid products in the cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Aluminium is an ideal packaging material: it is hygienic, non-toxic and retains the aroma of the packed product. In contrast to competing materials, aluminium packaging materials offer more concrete advantages – they are highly resistant to corrosion and provide a impermeable metal barrier to light, UV radiation, steam, lipids, as well as to oxygen and micro-organisms. Their recyclability is a major factor. Aluminium tubes are coated inside with a preserving layer, on the outside a basic white glaze is applied, or any other shade of the basic coating. Tube tightness during filling and pressurising is secured by applying a sealant to the interior edge of the tube. Laminated tubes are used predominantly in the food and cosmetics industries. The finer structure of the material from which they are made fits them for packaging

contents with higher volatility, because the barrier used prevents these materials from escaping and the contents being oxygenated. Their attractive appearance is another major advantage.

Uniquely Slovak It is in laminated tubes that the company offers its star product – a laminated tube with Braille characters intended for the blind and sight-impaired. One advantage of such tubes for drug manufacturers is that all information, including the product name, can be written in Braille on the tube, and no other packaging needs be used for the product. The exceptional nature of this packaging was rewarded with First Prize at the ‘Packaging of the Year 2010’ competition in the Czech Republic and also at a global competition in Düsseldorf, where it won the ‘WorldStar for Packaging 2010’ award. An innovation being offered by the company’s graphics department is 3D visualisation of a tube. In practice this means that on customer request the company is capable of creating a 3D model of a tube, offering views of the tube from any angle. The customer thus has the opportunity to see the tube as it will actually be before it is produced.

Major investments In Žiar in 2011 the company invested €7 million in a new line to produce aluminium cylindrical and conical tubes. The ‘Introduction of Innovative Technology and Improved Competitiveness in Aluminium Tube Production at TUBAPACK a.s.’ project was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund, with half coming from the company’s own resources. The result has proven to be worthwhile. The new TUBOMATIC 200 line for aluminium tube production has a manufacturing capacity of 65 million units a year. It is capable of turning out an unbelievable 200 tubes a minute. A natural part of the new technology is automatic packing and other leading technical and qualitative parameters. Packaging Europe | 147 |

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In addition to an increase in manufacturing capacity the new line offers customers higher quality in a very current area, that of hygiene and food safety. There is also automated product quality checking at critical points and a doubling of the range of printing to eight colours (previously print had been in a four-colour range). “This investment in a new line has extended the company’s portfolio by another type of product. These are the conical tubes, whose major advantage is a unique design and savings on storage and transport costs, because conical tubes can be stacked (i.e. inserted one inside the other because of the broadening of the casing),” says company Head of sales Martin Benuska. “This all shows that the new line is globally the very best in the packaging technology field,” he adds. The past year (2014) has also seen a number of important investments in the modernisation of TUBAPACK’s production processes, totalling several million euros. For example, it has recently a Mall Herlan line with an annual capacity of 50 million aluminium tubes. This was followed by the modernisation of its laminated tubes facilities with the addition of a clean area which allows it to meet the highest criteria for clean production. Furthermore, the company has been focusing on improving the working environment for its employees, to which end it installed an adiabatic cooling system which is far more efficient than standard air conditioners. This was followed up by improved thermal insulation in the main production hall and the replacement of air wells. According to the company, “These investments run into million of euros but this is the only way to ensure we are a reliable and competitive partner for our customers, as well as being a responsible employer.”

TUBAPACK is ranked among the world’s leading tube producers through its manufacturing processes and the guaranteed quality of its end products, as confirmed by its successful recertification under the ISO 9001, 14001, 18001, 22000 and 27001 management systems. There are exciting times ahead for the company: “Constant development, investment and qualified staff are the keys to strengthening our competitiveness, our market position and the introduction of TUBAPACK to new markets. WE cover all of Europe and Russia, and from 2014 we will also be expanding in North Africa and the Middle East,” says head of sales Martin Benuska in conclusion.

Worldwide success A large portion of the company’s customers are in the food, chemical, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Up to 95 per cent of output is four export, mainly to the EU countries and to Russia. Consumers will come across TUBAPACK tubes when buying products such as Indulona cream, Piknik and Pikao milk, and for Schwarzkopf and Syoss hair dyes. Packaging Europe | 149 |

[All you need] – ENGINEERED PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

Harro Höfliger is a global leader in the fields of pharma, medical processing and packaging machinery. Its technology platforms and turnkey systems are providing tailored solutions for each customer requirement. Sales Marketing Manager Denise Dreher explains the company’s holistic approach to Julia Snow.

arro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH currently employs approximately 900 people and achieves a turnover of €160 million. Its 100 per cent customer focus and a high level of innovation have earned the company a leading market position. With the transfer of his company shares to a family foundation in 2013, owner Harro Höfliger has ensured the long-term stability of the business.

The company is a member of Excellence United, a strategic alliance of ownermanaged companies in the field of special machine engineering, where each is a leader in its field. This unique network offers advanced technology for the entire line, and Harro Höfliger contributes technical solutions from the laboratory stage right up to high-volume production.

Key competencies and technologies

[ALL YOU NEED]

The company offers both standardised machinery and customer specific solutions for a whole range of applications: among them are respiratory and inhalation solutions, TTS/ wound care/oral film, pharma solid and liquid and assembly automation, diagnostics, eye care, medical devices and consumer goods. A variety of key technologies form the basis of the company’s technological know-how: Core competencies include micro-dosing of powder and liquid media and barrier systems for product and/or operator protection when processing active substances. The company can assist with sealing technologies for different material properties, the production of portion packs for consumer goods and integrated packaging solutions. Finally, there is the manufacture of products from web materials with multi-layer structure and assembly solutions from pre-assembly to final assembly of medical and pharmaceutical products.

“This is our company motto and our commitment,” says Mrs Dreher. “During each project, we ensure a dynamic project flow and actively support clients during the qualification and production phases. We accompany customers from the process development stage to the production line – as a development partner, technology supplier and problem solver. Our work is not done until the production runs perfectly to everyone’s complete satisfaction. All-encompassing and to the highest quality standards: quite simply ALL YOU NEED.” She goes on: “One of our greatest competences is the combination of different technology platforms and relevant processes to build a production system exactly tailored to customers’ requirements. With our extensive program of standard machines, we cover a variety of processes. Upon request, we can also include the corresponding packaging periphery.”

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A high percentage of staff – around a third – are dedicated to the development of both standardised and customised machinery. When planning and implementing individual production processes, the project management, development and research specialists, as well as the technical departments, work hand in hand with the customer. “That way we create innovative processes and systems, which do not only meet the demands for performance and precision, but often exceed them.”

Family company with strong values The company believes that innovation and technological progress flourish best in a climate of trust and cooperation, and values like trust, fairness, openness and mutual respect are an integral part of the company culture. Mrs Dreher describes the concept: “As a family-owned company, teamwork ranks very highly with us. Not only do we sell machines, we also sell solutions – and many hands and heads are required from submitting a quotation to delivering customer service. The hierarchies are flat and the doors are always open at all levels. We welcome and actively promote creativity and one’s own ideas, and are happy to include them in the decision making process. We see ourselves as a team but also reward individual efforts. And even though we attach great importance to the results of our work, we are of the opinion that the pursuit of a goal should also be enjoyable.” Precisely for this reason, much emphasis is placed on the expert knowledge and continuous education of employees: The strengths and knowledge of each individual employee are valued, and together they make the company successful.

HH Academy Since 1981 the enterprise has been training apprentices systematically, and in 2014 its capabilities in this area were extended when it opened the Harro Höfliger Academy, under the Slogan ‘Driven by Knowledge’. Harro Höfliger’s vocational training is very strongly directed towards practical orientation, technical solution expertise and social skills. The training program will ensure the availability of qualified employees in the future. | 152 | Packaging Europe

Market growth “When it comes to pharmaceutical and medical production technologies, we occupy a niche market,” explains Mrs Dreher. “We come in when individual manufacturing process have to be developed. This has led to a strong knowledge and presence in the markets of inhalation, assembly automation, web concerting systems and the turnkey integration of packaging technologies. We are also active in diagnostics, eye care and suture projects. “Our regional markets are spread across Europe. The main areas of potential growth for us are in the MENA region, in Asia – especially China – and of course in Russia. The US and the UK are important regions of growth because we have many long-term cooperations with market leading enterprises there. We have installed a network of subsidiaries, which is continuously growing, and the Excellence United cooperation helps us to extend our service globally.” Visit: www.hoefliger.com

Domino Domino has established a global reputation for the continual development and manufacture of its total coding and printing technologies that meet the needs of manufacturers & OEMs, whilst setting new industry standards in quality and reliability. Our printers are designed to print the highest quality alphanumeric and graphic codes including bar codes, 2D data matrix and QR codes onto a variety of diverse substrates. Our technology enables manufacturers to comply with existing and emerging global legislative standards, helping to secure the supply chain from Product to Pallet. For OEMs such as Harro Hรถfliger, Domino also offers special laser solutions for cutting and perforating applications, e.g. easy-to-open packaging. Through a global network of subsidiaries and distributors, Domino sells to over 120 countries offering extensive customer support.

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Material support As the international body that works to make aluminium foil the packaging industry’s material of choice for various applications, the European Aluminium Foil Association is bringing its market research, industry statistics and networking opportunities to packaging companies across Europe. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to communications director Guido Aufdemkamp to find out more.

he European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) is an international body that represents its members with the aim of promoting aluminium foil as the material of choice across various channels. Founded in 1974 and with roots that reach back to the 1920s, it is safe to say that not only does EAFA know aluminium foil, it also really knows the packaging industry. EAFA’s members include companies from all strands of the international packaging industry, from manufacturers engaged in the rolling (all thicknesses up to the 0.2mm ISO standard maximum) and rewinding of aluminium foil, to manufacturers of aluminium closures, semi-rigid containers and all kinds of flexible packaging. In order to fully support its various different members, EAFA is made up of five specialist areas: Closures Group, Container Group, Rewinder Group, Roller Group and Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE). Communications director Guide Aufdemkamp explained how this works: “Over the past 40 years our role has continued to be very market-orientated, even whilst the dynamics of the markets we serve – particularly the packaging sector – have changed dramatically. Environmental responsibility, resource efficiency and sustainable materials are all issues at the forefront of our work as they are of concern to our members. As the range of our members includes smaller companies of just 20 employees right up to multinational corporations, we know that it is imperative that we offer the right support, information and services to meet each of their needs.”

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Material of choice The association’s activities on behalf of its members include the compilation and sharing of statistical information, market research, generic PR and the promotion of aluminium foil as a flexible packaging material. Mr Aufdemkamp continued, “Our main activities and responsibilities are to support our members in growing the aluminium foil market and to help make aluminium foil the material of choice in the packaging industry for appropriate applications. EAFA is also active in promoting the European foil and flexible packaging industry internationally and in creating relationships with sister associations across the globe.” With more than 100 member companies, EAFA’s five groups are carefully formed to ensure that the specific needs of each group is catered for within a sympathetic and dynamic structure. Members are located across western, central and eastern Europe, giving an interesting foundation to the association with plenty of universal issues and others that are sector or location specific. Within the Closures Group, EAFA represents more than 75 per cent of European production of closures and screw caps for all types of beverages as well as products such as olive oil and medicines. The EAFA Container Group represents over 80 per cent of the foil container manufacturing capacity in Europe, with foil trays, lidding materials and systems for food processors and retailers, specifically in relation to the changing demands of the food contact industry.

“In order to fully support its various different members, EAFA is made up of five specialist areas: Closures Group, Container Group, Rewinder Group, Roller Group and Flexible Packaging Europe.”

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For the Rewinder Group, EAFA’s members represent around 75 per cent of European production, including producers of aluminium household foil for both the retail and catering sectors. Members of EAFA’s Roller Group includes originators and suppliers of plain aluminium foil and thin strip materials which are then processed by converters, with over 95 per cent of this sector part of the association. Flexible Packaging Europe represents more than 75 per cent of the European flexible packaging market and includes companies that manufacture all types of flexible packaging such as pouches, sachets, confectionery and pharmaceutical packaging.

“Our main activities and responsibilities are to support our members”

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Foil in the sustainability age With sustainability being such a core issue across all of EAFA’s active groups, it is a major focus for research, development and discussion. Mr Aufdemkamp told Packaging Europe, “We have a sustainability framework that supports our members in their constant quest to operate in as sustainable manner as possible. Our statistical information, market research on end consumers and global-level support is all focused on issues such as Recycling & Recovery, Building for Tomorrow and Research Efficiency.” The large portfolio of EAFA members is always increasing. As it is keen to promote the material rather than itself as an organisation, the importance of EAFA’s work will continue to be recognised as the flexible packaging industry appreciates the sustainable, practical and reliable performance of aluminium foil. Visit: www.alufoil.org

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Spot varnishing

goes digital

Headquartered in St Gallen, Switzerland, Steinemann Technology AG is an international market leader in industrial varnishing systems. CEO Christof Stürm tells Packaging Europe’s Tim Sykes about the company’s exciting new venture into digital print.

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teinemann’s history stretches back nearly a century, its technological roots stretching back to sanding equipment, which remains a division of the business to this day, and the production of varnishing machines for wood panels. In the 1970s the company began to move into explore opportunities in the graphic industry, since when it has launched a series of varnishing and laminating machinery for board and paper, including the well-established Colibri full surface varnishing system. Since 2008 the business has no longer manufactured laminating equipment, though it still provides customers with full servicing for the 900 machines in service around the world.

Digital spot varnishing In keeping with its history of responding to the direction of the market, Steinemann’s latest venture in the graphic arts market seeks to fill a gap that will grow dramatically. It dmax machine, launched in 2014, is a digital spot varnishing solution that is unique to the market in that it meets demand for speed and reliability from high volume folding carton converters. Handling sheet sizes above B1 (up to 108 x 78 cm), it can run at up to 10,000 sheets per hour. “The graphic market is a challenging one right now, though better in the packaging segment,” remarks Mr Stürm. “However, aiming at the top producers in UV spot varnishing, we faced no direct competition. With our know-how we were ideally positioned to move into this niche. And where existing digital spot varnishing offerings target small volumes, dmax targets users processing at least 20,000 or 30,000 sheets per day.” The first prototype machine has been supplied to Druckhaus Mainfranken, Europe’s leading web to print producer, with a number of other companies watching on closely. “Potential customers are excited about the product,” says Mr Stürm. “Before making orders, they want to see that the machine is running well – and the prototype machine has been running very successfully. We are therefore confident that we will sell a few machines in 2015 and we expect sales to double the following year.”

The future is digital As everyone knows, today’s market conditions – hunger for shorter runs, ondemand production, late-stage and mass customisation – are conducive to digital print. Steinemann’s entrance into this arena thus enables the company to take advantage of a growing market, particularly in premium and luxury packaging niches, such as cosmetics, chocolate and spirits, where gloss effects are popular. In addition, it also represents an intervention which advances the possibilities of digital print and UV varnish. “A core element of our solution is the application of post print enhancement, a technology owned by our partners Schmid Rhyner AG,” explains Mr Stürm. “This consists in blowing air on the varnish at a certain angle before it is cured, yielding better results than a traditional varnish finish.” More specifically, the post print enhancement process eliminates pinholes, which can be a problem when using small amounts of varnish. In addition, it requires less treatment than existing systems, meaning it delivers more gloss for same amount of varnish – in other words, it reduces the cost and the environmental footprint of digital print.

Full surface varnishing Meanwhile, Steinemann continues to produce its established, analogue roller-varnishing system. Colibri is a full sheet solution which has been proven on the market for over twenty years. Like the dmax, it is built for high volume converters in the range of five million sheets a year or over. “This is a cost efficient solution for users who do not require spot varnishing,” comments Mr Stürm. “It is a high quality machine offering short make-ready times and built to last more than twenty years, meaning used equipment retains a high market value.” The Colibri 74 and Colibri 104 modular machine options provide UV strip coating on sheet sizes up to 108 x 142 cm, delivering ultra-high gloss or matt varnishing at low

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varnish consumption volumes (approximately 2 g/m2 lower compared to that of the common anilox roller system) and at speeds of up to 11,000 sheets per hour. “While we continue to sell the Colibri as a single line, it also gives us the opportunity to offer our customers additional value,” reveals Mr Stürm. “Some customers need both full size and spot varnishing capabilities and having both technologies means we are able to offer the dmax with the option to install an integrated Colibri unit.”

Global growth Steinemann believes the two platforms leave its graphics business well positioned to achieve international growth. While its main graphic activities are based in Switzerland, Steinemann has sales and customer service offices throughout the world, enabling the company to stay close to customers and markets, and has cost competitive production in China in the form of its licensing partner Shanghai Yoco Printing Machinery Co Ltd.

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“We are a niche player selling globally,” says Mr Stürm. “In the digital space the main focus for growth is going to be the mature markets of western Europe and the USA, as well as the fast growing markets of Mexico and Brazil, although we are ready to supply machines globally.” The company will seek to underpin this growth by continuing, as it has always done, to invest in keeping up with, and ahead of, the needs of the market. “Steinemann will continue to serve the markets with innovations,” concludes Mr Stürm. “Thanks to dmax we expect a growing graphic business in terms of both turnover and profit. We intend to build on this technology with further innovations required by the market. We are currently working on adding new functionalities to dmax, such as 3D varnishing and matt finishes. Our innovation plan will focus on specialising on digital varnishing process.” Visit: www.steinemann.com

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Supporting the decision-making process Many millions of pounds are wasted year after year by people buying the wrong packaging equipment, says Edward Murphy, managing director of Record Packaging Systems Ltd. As Felicity Landon reports, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on a mission to put that right.

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fter 30 years’ experience in the packaging industry, Edward Murphy knows all about the obstacles and difficulties encountered by those making packaging purchasing decisions. There are certain essential factors which must be considered. “Machine performance, reliability, power consumption and long-term availability of spares” are just some of these. While price is an important factor in any purchasing decision, “when it comes to packaging machinery, it is way down the list”, says Ed. Mr. Murphy is the Managing Director of Record Packaging Systems in Manchester, UK. He has been selling Record machines, which are manufactured in Italy, for 30 years. He has been operating in this market for so long, that at this point he has seen all kinds of foolishness. He observes that even in larger companies, they don’t necessarily make the correct purchasing decisions. Whether it’s because “decision-makers listen to the salesman and then simply choose a salesman they think they can trust”, or they are not taking into account the most important factors, either way, it can end up being a costly mistake. A bad

choice is not necessarily a bad machine, but if it is not appropriate in the long run it ends up costing the company big bucks. With his extensive knowledge of the industry, Edward has seen it all. From ruthless competitors snatching customers with false promises, to those customers returning after realising the mistake they have made. In one recent example of this, “a customer listened to the sales people in the shiny shoes, trying to sell the machine they are paid to sell them”. In an incredibly competitive industry these salesmen and women will do anything in their power to close the deal at the end of the day. “Selling problems rather than solutions” as he put it.

A Fresh Approach Mr. Murphy insists Record takes a very different approach, and give customers all the information they require. “We guarantee to say it how it is”, he states. “Those who have already run packaging machines would have some idea of what is required, but for first

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time buyers it can be a difficult and scary decision to make; and an expensive one if not all factors are accounted for. At Record we guide them through it”. As an independent, privately owned company, Record isn’t tied down to any specific manufacturer, he emphasises. This enables them to “take all variables into consideration” and “offer clients the right solution”. When it comes to many of Records competitors, they are tied down to one company and will do what it takes, even if it means they have to resort to using aggressive sales tactics, to sell their brand of machine. “We advocate for a number of manufacturers and our goal is to deliver above expectations and guide the client through the process with honesty, transparency and integrity at all times”.

Market Leader Record’s own brand of machinery has a great reputation for building very-high quality, solid flow-wrappers – there are Record machines of 40-years old still in operation around the world, according to Mr Murphy. “We have a phenomenal reputation for reliability and continuity of spares”, he says, “Record has been manufacturing flow wrappers since the 1960s”. Having been in the industry for such a long period of time it is no surprise they are the experts when it comes to building flow-wrappers.

Customised Production Record’s manufacturing facility in Italy builds each machine from scratch. What this means is that the machines are built around the customers’ needs and specifications. “First, we look carefully into what product the customer wants to pack, then we specify and manufacture the machine to run that product”, says Ed. According to him, customers can end up going “around in circles and asking questions which are not necessarily important”. Mr Murphy makes it his job to ensure that does not

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happen and “that the product will transfer properly from one machine to another seamlessly– in other words, [he] will ensure that the customer has integrated solutions that work.” Each machine is tested and validated before it leaves the shop floor. Record Packaging Systems Ltd covers the UK and Ireland markets and it has seen the effects of the downturn in recent years. “Most companies buying capital equipment need some sort of lending – and the banks were not lending”, says Mr Murphy. However, he has noticed a change in the market over the past 2 years, “Last year (2013) we saw the first pick-up after a massive downturn. This year (2014) has improved on last year and the pipeline going into 2015 is looking strong”. To enable these businesses purchase the equipment over the last few years Record has begun working with leasing and finance companies. The companies “work with Record to tailor a finance package to suit the customer”.

Continued Success And there will be some important new developments from Record during 2015 including the launch of both a resealable packer and a new automatic sealer. These are faster, more economical machines and with the markets seemingly picking up, it is an exciting time for the business. The New Year brings in a fresh air of promise and new challenges to be met, the opportunities are there. “In all successful purchases it has to be a two-way process”, says Ed. This involves a discussion not a sales pitch and working together, to come up with the “right solution”. “People waste millions of pounds on machines, that don’t do what they want them to do”. It is Ed’s aim to cut out this unnecessary expenditure and ensure customers’ needs are met as diligently as possible. “We want to have happy customers! It’s in our best interest and theirs.” Visit: www.recordpackaging.com

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In safe hands Offering the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest range of safety switching appliances and systems, Schmersal Group is dedicated to the protection of human life and machines, with tailor-made systems and industry standard solutions. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Siegfried Rutter, industry manager for packaging, to learn more.

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ased in Wuppertal, Germany and active worldwide, the Schmersal Group develops and manufactures safety switching appliances and systems. With more than 25,000 products on offer, including safety switches, solenoid interlocks and emergency stop switches, Schmersal has the world’s largest, most comprehensive range of safety switches and related equipment. The company has four production sites in Germany as well as production plants in Brazil, China and India, with the Shanghai and Rangoon sites opening in the last two years. Siegfried Rutter, industry manager for packaging at Schmersal Group, told Packaging Europe how the company’s ever-increasing global footprint is a key ingredient in its recipe for success. He said “We are watching closely how the global market for safety systems is developing and where it makes strategic market sense to undertake capacity adjustments. It is this market analysis that saw us open sites in China and India and we will continue to assess the most effective growth potential in new markets.” Schmersal develops and produces safety switchgear and systems for the machine and plant construction sectors, including guard monitoring, optoelectronic safety devices, safe signal processing and also command and signalling devices. As one of the world’s largest providers in this field, Schmersal goes beyond being a manufacturer of safety components to become a systems supplier. Mr Rutter continued, “Many of our customers are looking for a partner to offer expert advice and accompany them in finding a complete solution. This means that safety consulting for us is just the first step: we support our customers with a standards-compliant selection of safety switchgear and develop safety concepts for complete systems and industry-specific applications. We finally implement the safety solutions with the help of our application engineering capabilities right up to commissioning. We also support our customers and professionals continually with new developments in machine safety. In short, we offer our clients a comprehensive complete safety package.”

the packaging industry is also growing. Mr Rutter explained, “A top priority for us at the moment is to continue to develop market-driven solutions that bring real competitive advantages to our customers. At the next trade fair SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg, Germany, we are presenting a number of our most recent innovations. We are including our most important new development, which is set to be the next generation safety control system – it’s modular, programmable and has a truly multi-functional use.” Other recent innovations from the Schmersal team include its new safety switchgear, which will also be presented at SPS IPC. Called the Solenoid Interlock AZM 300, it offers position monitoring of safety gates and was developed specifically for the packaging machine construction industry. Featuring an integrated RFID sensor for the identification and coding of the actuator, this unusual design is compact and has a high reacting distance.

Global growth Most active in its domestic German market, Schmersal is widely known across the whole of Europe and is increasingly present worldwide. Mr Rutter said, “In order to keep up with market growth and offer our customers a better service, we have invested heavily over the past two years. We have built a state-of-the-art central European warehouse in Wuppertal, which started operation in 2013, and it is from here we supply all our

Safety in packaging With the packaging industry representing a significant industry for Schmersal, the company is particularly active in the segments of food and beverage and pharmaceutical products, all of which have an increasingly strict demand for packaging worldwide. As the packaging industry is growing through increased globalisation and more sophisticated marketing, the demand for adequate safety systems within

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Schmersal develops and produces safety switchgear and systems for the machine and plant construction sectors, including guard monitoring, optoelectronic safety devices, safe signal processing and also command and signalling devices. European customers and subsidiaries. It is equipped with the latest software and enables us to significantly increase our efficiency and productivity in our entire warehouse and delivery logistics. In addition, we are well prepared for further growth in demand as the warehouse and our well-established processes offer potential for even larger cargo handling volumes.” Already a global operation, Schmersal’s plans for continued growth will see an expansion of its network of subsidiaries and sales agents. Present in 50 countries worldwide and with production sites in strategic locations in Europe, Asia and South America, the company expects to gain and support more international customers in the coming years. Mr Rutter concluded, “As a system supplier we will grow. We will expand our portfolio of programmable safety systems so that we can offer even more

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comprehensive, tailored solutions to our customers. Our portfolio will grow in three ways, through safety products, safety solutions and safety services. We have identified considerable opportunities in the market globally and we will meet this through careful acquisition and close analysis of the market.” Visit: www.schmersal.net

Packaging and food technology nerve centre ZLV (Zentrum fĂźr Lebensmittel- und Verpackungstechnologie e.V.) is a joint initiative of leading industrial companies and institutions, as well as science and research partners. It works as a cooperation network for all business partners in the entire value chain for factory made and packaged foodstuffs. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Lothar Zapf, the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managing director, to find out more about its activities and the recent packaging symposium. Interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, business talks in the exhibition halls

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The organizers of the symposium Prof. Dr. Markus Prem / University Kempten and Lothar Zapf / ZLV in conversation.

The two organizers of the event: Prof. Markus Prem and Lothar Zapf

VL is based in the south of Germany, in Kempten, Bavaria, and connects all major sectors of the food and packaging industry along the entire value chain from raw materials through all stages of processing to the shelf of the retail sector – including the reuse/circular economy. “Interdisciplinary knowledge is key to achieving sustainable success. Five years ago, an initiative was launched to start up a new degree course at the University of Kempten, combining food and packaging technology. Previously, it had only been possible to get a degree in either food technology or packaging technology, despite the need for both competencies in the business environment. Foodstuffs, packaging materials, filling and packing machines interact with each other, and the industry needs experts with knowledge in all these fields,” explains Mr Zapf. ZLV has therefore started an initiative to develop cross industry connection and communicate interdisciplinary knowledge better across the entire value chain. “We have put together an educational programme for employees on the ‘shopfloor’ who are not aiming for a university degree but still want an additional qualification after school. This new programme consists of 400 lessons, and will last around six months, focusing on all aspects of food packaging from a machinery, materials and logistics point of view. The programme has been finally designed and organised and will start in April 2015,” says Mr Zapf.

trade including recycling. Today, ZLV has more than 60 members in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, from food manufacturing and processing, raw materials, machinery and automation, packaging materials and conversion technologies, research and science labs, institutions, service companies and education. Indeed, ZLV’s network includes companies from the entire value chain, ranging from industry giants such as BASF, St. Gobain, Henkel and Nestlé, a number of internationally leading private companies such as Multivac, Südpack, Lenze and Dachser up to a number of successful, innovative food manufacturers and niche players like FMP Technology or Waldorf Technik. “ZLV covers not only the manufacturing processes, but also design issues, secondary and display packaging, logistics as well as re-use and recycling – i.e. the second life of the packaging materials. Legal issues such as conformity to regulations are also covered. It is about anything that is relevant in order to improve overall quality, efficiency/cost and speed up innovations along the value chain, from raw material development to the final product on the shelf,” adds Mr Zapf.

Centre of competence In order to achieve full understanding and realise overall improvements, it was decided to set up ZLV as a competence centre, combining all disciplines including food manufacturing, packaging conversion, packaging machinery and automation, distribution and

Packaging Symposium – a varied programme From 18–19 September 2014, ZLV organised and hosted another successful packaging symposium. Approximately 250 professionals from the entire value chain of industrially produced and packaged foodstuffs attended. ZLV had the opportunity to showcase its interdisciplinary set-up, offering exhibition possibilities for all disciplines and organising a state-of-the-art speaker programme, providing an interdisciplinary exchange in appealing environments. “The exhibition was fully booked with 40 exhibitors ranging from raw material and additive manufacturers to machine and automation companies, R&D oriented

Auditorium, opening lecture, Dr. Gundolf Meyer-Hentschel. “Convenience – of course, but how?”

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Lecture in the specific, expert break out rooms

companies and institutes. We received a lot of positive feedback about the diversity of our speakers. The experts found ideal circumstances for networking, interchange of ideas and conversations. The number of participants increased by around 30 per cent in comparison to the previous year, proving that we are on the right track,” says Mr Zapf. The symposium offered many high-quality, technical presentations. The technical innovations session included the presentation of a new 3D barrier coating technology. This coating process is ideal for complex injection moulded packages in all shapes and sizes, such as food containers, capsules, bowls, closures or tube shoulders. A further interesting innovation presented in the quality control segment was a 100 per cent inline inspection via small printable sensors to check whether a pack is tight. Another topic was energy flexibility and efficiency, and how manufacturing sites can adopt a way of using energy more flexibly when it comes to renewable/green energy. “In total, we had 18 technical presentations carried out mainly in parallel so that participants could decide which topics were most important to them,” Mr Zapf explains. In addition to the technical sessions, two generic topics provided the appropriate framework for the symposium: “The opening lecture by Dr Meyer-Hentschel, ‘Convenience-packaging: of course, but how?’ and also the final lecture, ‘Incitement to lateral thinking’, from the author and ‘cross thinker’ Anja Förster, were excellent sources of inspiration and starting points for innovative thoughts.” For the first time this year, the ZLV Packaging Symposium also honoured the best bachelor thesis of the year in the ‘Food and Packaging Technology’ course. From amongst the first graduates of this new course, Daniela Köppl’s thesis on ‘Improving the camerabased web inspection in packaging printing by customised error modelling and specification’ was selected by the ZLV jury. “The event was a great success, and we are looking forward to organising and fine tuning the following events in the future. We will be continuing our work of promoting overall progress, innovation, quality and safety along the entire value chain,” Mr Zapf concludes. Visit: www.zlv.de

Break outside of the auditorium, walk to the exhibition halls

Lothar Zapf thanks Anja Förster (bestseller author) for the most respected lecture “Incitement to lateral thinking”

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Revolutionising

stretch wrapping

As a leading manufacturer of automatic stretch wrappers, Finland-based Haloila offers comprehensive solutions for the automatic wrapping of pallets. The company’s sales director Jyri Lehtio spoke to Elisabeth Skoda about Haloila’s innovations – the Octopus stretch wrapper range, which is still going strong after 30 years, and the newly developed ground breaking Octopus GP range.

capacity requirements, load size requirements and developments for certain types of packaging. Technology has changed remarkably but the original machine is still recognisable. 2014 saw the launch of a brand new Octopus model, the Octopus GP. “It is almost as remarkable a milestone as the original creation of Octopus in 1983, with out-of-the-box thinking, offering a completely new way to control the machine. The focus was on cost efficiency all the way through: driven by energy-efficient, self-monitoring motors, Octopus GP is low maintenance, achieving a reduction in energy consumption between 30 and 40 per cent. It is available for a performance ranging from 10 to over 200 pallets an hour,” Mr Lehtio adds. Octopus GP first was introduced at Salon Emballage in Paris in November 2014, and will be showcased at several trade fairs this year, for example at Logimat in Stuttgart.

Synergies

aloila was originally established in 1972 as a family-run company. Since 1976, the company has produced stretch wrapping machines, and in particular automatic stretch wrapping machines. In 1983, the company launched its first Octopus stretch wrapper, the first stretch wrapper using ring technology ever built, marking a milestone in the history of stretch wrapping machines. Over the years, the technology has been developed and expanded with different models and different options for various industrial sectors. The year 2013 marked Octopus’s 30th anniversary. “Major launches over the years included Logo WRAP, a new system for inserting printed stretch film to a pallet load during the normal wrapping cycle, Octopus Compact, a new generation ring wrapper, developed for low capacity lines, and Octopus TWIN, a high speed Octopus model with a two film carriage,” Mr Lehtio says. Octopus developed and evolved over the years, and today there are 15 different Octopus models available for a wide range of needs in different industry sectors,

In 1995, Haloila was acquired by the American company ITW, and was part of the group until May 2014. At this time ITW’s entire packaging business was sold, known now as a Signode Industrial Group, a leader in industrial packaging for the transportation of goods. “The group is a leading manufacturer of industrial packaging materials and equipment. It has nearly 7000 employees with manufacturing facilities in over 80 countries, and has a turnover of €2.4 billion. Being a part of Signode brings valuable synergies,” Mr Lehtio explains. Signode Group is made up of four segments: Paper and plastic based protective packaging, protecting products during transportation; stretch solutions, including plastic film equipment and stretch wrapping machines; strap packaging, including equipment and consumables and also packaging software. Haloila is part of Signode’s stretch business and has 150 employees at two manufacturing sites – one in Masku, in Finland and another one in Kardjal, in Bulgaria. “Octopus machines are manufactured in Finland, and semiautomatic stretch wrapping machines are made in Bulgaria. Exports makes up over 90 per cent of our business. Roughly half of business is to Europe, and another half is to North America, Latin America and Asia,” Mr Lehtio adds.

Forward-looking service Offering the best service to its customers is a priority to Haloila, as Mr Lehtio explains. “Service plays a remarkable role in our activities – of our 150 employees, around 60

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are working in service. We have our own service organisations in 12 countries, and we offer global service plans. When we deliver a machine, it is important to accompany the customer through the life cycle of the machine, making sure total cost is minimised. This happens proactively, before anything happens that would cause extra costs. We have a 24/7 service philosophy; if the customers call us when there is a problem, it is too late already. We should be there before anything happens.” Haloila’s unique data acquisition system OctoMAX guarantees that any faults can be detected before they cause problems. Internet connectivity means that the customer will get detailed info on equipment, production, productivity and utilisation, and can monitor film consumption. “This means they can trace backwards if something goes wrong, and that Haloila gets information related to service and maintenance, helping the company focus on the right actions. We have Octopus machines in 60 countries, and through OctoMAX we can help customers operating the machine as if we were on site,” Mr Lehtio is happy to report. Haloila has room to expand in its current facilities in Finland and Bulgaria, and is working together with sister companies within the group in order to achieve growth. Mr Lehtio underlines the importance of cooperation within the Signode Industrial Group. “Our sister company Muller, based in Illinois, covers Octopus and semiautomatic stretch wrapper sales in North America and Latin America, for example. We work together very closely. There are also strong synergies with our sister company Mima Films, a producer of stretch film, which brings an element of stretch packaging knowledge to our company.”

Market trends Organic growth is the way forward for Haloila, and Mr Lehtio is clear about where the areas of growth are. “In recent years we have observed that there is no real growth in Europe any more, the growth is in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and that is where we need to be. Unlike

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five years ago, today we sell more than half of our products outside Europe. A strong megatrend is the increase of labour costs everywhere, leading to a need for automated production lines. Safety is another important issue. Equipment can take over tasks from people that are dangerous to do. Technology is getting more and more complicated, requiring skilled people.” Mr Lehtio is confident that there is a bright future for Haloila. “Signode Industrial offers us a platform to have a strong presence in all the growing markets. But of course it is important not to forget about existing customers. We have supplied more than 5500 Octopus machines so far, and we need to accompany our customers throughout the entire life cycle. Changes are happening fast, so we need to be quick to spot the emerging megatrends and react to them.” Visit: www.haloila.com

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Superior Handling

Solutions

With over 20 years of experience and knowledge in the materials handling industry, Goodtech Solutions AS is a strong and reliable answer to bulk handling and big bag packing challenges, utilising the trusted PORTABULKÂŽ FIBC and system of flexible solutions for handling, filling, labelling, transporting and tracking. Libby White spoke with managing director Tim Johnstone to find out how Goodtech enables its customers to optimise their entire distribution chain from the acceptance of raw materials to delivering finished goods to the end customer.

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oodtech Solutions is part of Goodtech ASA, a leading Norwegian supplier of engineering, technology and environmental solutions listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Based in Porsgrunn, in the south-east of Norway, the company is strategically located in the hub of the Norwegian processing industry. With an annual turnover of approximately €30 million, it is established on a stable foundation within its prioritised segments. “We operate across a variety of materials handling segments, for leading producers of goods such as fertiliser, minerals, cement, chemicals, plastics, fish and animal feeds, sugar, flour and grains,” Tim Johnstone explains. “Under the well-known PORTABULK® brand, we are active across the globe and are supported by a network of partners.” As an example of the long-standing quality of its services and technology, the company has supplied PORTABULK® FIBC for a wide range of fertilisers to Hokuren, a major Japanese agricultural federation, with a relationship spanning over 20 years. “We have supplied a vast number of bags, services and technologies to this group which is a remarkable achievement,” Mr Johnstone remarks.

Core activities Goodtech supplies high-speed filling systems for large volume bulk products, typically for volumes from 50–150 tonnes per hour. The PORTABULK® range of filling rigs comprises net and gross weighing systems and includes manual, semiautomated and fully-automated machines. Mr Johnstone is proud to point out that the PORTABULK® system meets all national and international safety and environmental regulations and is adapted to local requirements. With an entrenched knowledge of PORTABULK® FIBC and its systems, Goodtech can provide its customers with an assured and tested technology. When combined with its heritage spanning back over 20 years (the company evolved from Hydro’s agri division which in 2005 demerged into Yara International), Goodtech’s knowledge of the fertiliser market is second to none.

“We have a certain number of repeat clients; however, we serve customers for individual and specific projects who require a tailor-made solution for a well-defined activity,” Mr Johnstone comments. “When a new project is proposed, we always start from the PORTABULK® FIBC and work our way up. We know how to define the correct bag to be used and we focus on three main points: the bag itself, the product, and how the machinery can be adapted to optimise the combination.” The PORTABULK® system is modular, scalable and user friendly and has been developed with the intention of transporting bulk products throughout the entire distribution chain, with as little handling and as much safety as possible. Optimised unit weight in the package, customised equipment design and efficient filling and handling give the customer greater utilisation of capacity, more efficient logistics and lower transport costs. Mr Johnstone comments, “The PORTABULK® FIBC is a certified lifting device. The FIBC is tested to up to six times its standard safety working load and will be certified according to the specific defined dimensions, to prove that it is capable of withstanding the load. This is extremely important and any serious supplier of FIBCs will adhere to this procedure.”

Global supply network Goodtech relies on a number of current PORTABULK® partners all over the world: Ameriglobe (USA), Bangkok Polysack (Thailand), Chempack (Russia), Cotesi (Portugal), Fairflex (Sweden), Flexituff International (India), Kingpack (Venezuela), Lasheen (Egypt), Lucky Star (Thailand), Pithampur Poly Products (India), Plastchim (Bulgaria), and Tisza Textil Eesti (Estonia). It also operates a global supply and representation network comprising leaders in their respective regions and product segments. These partnerships include Haver & Boecker (Germany), Haver Trading Spółka z o.o. (Poland), TMT (Czech Republic), Damec (Sweden), Cimbria (Denmark), Baobag (France), SGH Equipment

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CHEMPACK – LEADING RUSSIAN FIBC PRODUCER Chempack, the leading FIBC producer in Russia celebrates 22nd anniversary of starting FIBC production in 2015. As a PORTABULK SYSTEM PARTNER, Chempack is acting in the Russian FIBC industry with introduction, supply and implementation of Portabulk System. Chempack has great experience in filling and handling systems of FIBCs. Company produces Portabulk one and two loop FIBCs and also four loop FIBCs. Production is at two plants in a total covered area of 120,000 square meters. One plant is in Dedovsk, near Moscow and the second plant is in Shahty, near Rostov-on-Don. All equipment is state of the art and supplied by the best machine manufacturers of the world. Production of fabric, belts, sewing yarn, liners are all made vertically. Chempack supplies FIBCs not only in Russia but also in CIS countries, Scandinavia, France and Austria. The company now intends to expand its sales territory to new countries in Europe. The main industries using Chempack FIBCs are fertilizer, cement, salt, minerals, chemicals and food. Chempack is an innovative company which has developed several patents throughout the years. Customers of Chempack are now benefiting from those patents.

Ltd (UK), APAC (Romania), Ferry Contact (Hungary), and Masanés Industria y Servicios (Spain). It has recently accomplished a number of projects and secured supply contracts with companies across Europe. The company has completed the installation of two fully-equipped net weight filling and conveyance lines in Russia at Phosagro’s Metachem site. Similar installations have also been carried out at the Polish agricultural majors, Police and Anwil. Supply contracts have been established with Havsbrun, the leading Faroes fish-nutrient provider and also Azomures, the Romanian fertiliser and agrochemicals producer. Upcoming installations include Azot (Eurochem, Russia), Azomures, (Ameropa, Romania) and Visnes Kalk (Norway).

Key to success Addressing the needs of its customers is one of Goodtech’s main strengths. Constantly adapting the performance and efficiency of its machines allows Goodtech to ensure that it meets the ever-growing demands of the market. “We focus on flexibility and transport handling issues that may arise, and we aim to solve these challenges with the most efficient solutions,” Mr Johnstone comments. “There is a growing need for traceability and data capture in many sectors we cover, for example with organic materials and dangerous goods. We are constantly looking to improve processes with the latest software, traceability systems and data capture. As an example, when dealing with the organic product of fish feed which has a relatively low shelf life and cannot be stored for longer than six months, a stringent ‘first-in, first-out’ system needs to be used and we can implement this with an advanced data capture system.” Goodtech can benefit from the support of over 120 engineers, as well as the technical and project services of the multi-faceted division of which it is a part. Its customers can expect support throughout the project, from an initial review of | 180 | Packaging Europe

needs to planning, project management, implementation, training, service and support. A dedicated after-sales service team is based in Sweden. One of Goodtech Solutions’ key objective is to strengthen the core activities in its division, and improve and enhance its current capabilities. With an eye on the emerging markets, it already supplies FIBCs to Latin America, with particularly strong potential in Brazil and Chile. Mr Johnstone sums up Goodtech’s accomplishments so far and looks towards a future built on the success of the past: “Our knowledge and experience of the PORTABULK® FIBC and its performance is at a very high level of expertise in as much as we are able to satisfy the highest quality requirements of a project or installation with a great degree of certainty and reliability. The industry will continue to benefit from us building on this knowledge and expertise in the future.” Visit: www.goodtech.se

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A positive label Part of the global Americk Group of packaging companies, Americk Systems Labelling is a leading expert in the development and manufacturing of innovative, functional labels for a wide range of applications. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to sales director Tony Exford to find out more.

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ince 2013, long-established British label expert Systems Labelling has been part of the globally-active packaging specialist Americk Group. Acquired as a successful, knowledgeable labels company, Americk Systems Labelling provides the specific label know-how across the whole group. Sales director Tony Exford has been with the company for nearly 15 years and he perfectly represents its positive spirit. Mr Exford spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how being part of a bigger group has given the company a real boost. He said, “It’s just over a year since Systems Labelling was acquired by the Americk Group and I can happily say that it’s been a very successful development. We were acquired to add real label expertise to the group and our long-term dedication to innovation, quality and service has been welcomed with open arms. And with the global support of the Americk Group now at our fingertips, we’re finding that we’re able to deliver our unique brand of labels knowledge to an even wider audience.” Mr Exford explained how Americk Systems Labelling can now draw on the wide footprint of the Americk Group, benefiting both its customers and its own sales pipeline. He continued, “It’s a very positive, very successful approach; each company within the group cross-sells wherever possible, but only within the carefully-defined remit of what is suitable and appealing to the customer. There’s no hard sell – just experts in their own

field able to suggest potentially advantageous solutions. We don’t go out to sell and be a Jack of all trades and master of none. Only when there is an identified need do we suggest a sister company to present their solutions.” Working with key distribution partners like Americk, ITW Thermal Films manufactures, converts, and distributes PrintheadSaver® thermal transfer ribbons (TTR) for bar coding and labelling applications. Through our market knowledge, experience and technical support we provide an uncomplicated, peace of mind service to our partners that compliments their core products and allows them to concentrate on their main focus. Next day shipping across Europe from our extensive stock range, UK field & technical support and consistent quality products are just a few examples of why ITW & Americk have been a key partnership for several years now. Through our constant innovation as a market leader in an ever changing market we will be here to support Americk as their own success and growth continues.

A cohesive packaging group The Americk Group consists of Americk ASP Flexibles, Americk Marchmont, Americk Primopost, Americk Webtech and Americk Systems Labelling. With all this expertise at its fingertips it is able to deliver top-quality solutions for cartons and produce

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Tony Exford, sales director

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packaging, flexibles, reel-fed labels and self-adhesive labels. The philosophy behind the group has always been to create and manage a cohesive collection of companies that service the entire packaging needs of major brands and smaller brands across the FMCG and healthcare sectors. Mr Exford continued, “Americk’s unified strategy delivers efficiencies across every aspect of the business, which we pass on to our customers through cost-savings and flexibility.” Innovation is also very much a common thread that runs through the Americk Group. Defined as its ‘unrivalled collective appetite for innovation’, the group’s focus on freshthinking and new product development has seen it gain a number of industry awards. In terms of Americk Systems Labelling, its latest product development is both innovative and environmentally sound. Mr Exford explained, “Our ‘RecycLabel’ is a brand new PET liner that offers considerable performance and sustainability benefits over a traditional PET or glacine liner. It’s thinner yet stronger, doesn’t snap and is totally recyclable. So not only do customers not have the cost associated with transporting liners to landfill and the environmental cost, they can produce around 30 per cent more lines per reel on the RecycLabel and there is a value at its end of life too.”

the other primarily on IML and cut and stack applications, so our dedicated teams are kept focused on their own area of specialism.” Americk Systems Labelling is hugely ambitious and plans to continue its impressive upward trajectory in the coming years. Having already boosted its turnover from €12 million to €20 million in three years, the company expects to see continued growth. Its strong strategy for cross-selling its expertise has balanced well with its targeting of potential customers that value its quality and ecology promise, which in turn is supported by its smart approach to developing a sales team that is not defined by territory but rather by specific label expertise. Mr Exford concluded, “It’s a multi-approach strategy that is clearly working well for us and we look forward to even greater success in the coming years.” Visit: www.systemslabelling.com

Dedicated production Americk Systems Labelling’s portfolio offers a broad range of label options for applications in food, dairy, beverage, household, healthcare and industrial as well as various thermal printers and auxiliary products. Previously operating on two separate sites 40 minutes apart in the UK – one in Runcorn and one in Deeside – the company has managed to acquire the site next door to the Deeside plant. Mr Exford explained the advantages of this: “When the mirror-image site of the Deeside plant became available we knew that operating two production units at the same location would be advantageous as it means our management team can stay in closer contact with both production teams more easily. It’s also very helpful for our customers in terms of disaster and recovery. The two production units are still separate in that one is focused solely on blank labelling and Packaging Europe | 185 |

Leaders in

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Delivering Complete Solutions As one of the largest independently owned plastic packaging manufacturers in the UK, Coda Plastics Limited continues to innovate and expand into new markets with its award winning solutions and bespoke offerings. With a global reach, Coda Plastics operates from a modern, purpose-built facility based in Norfolk, UK. Libby White spoke with Sales Director Simon Girdlestone to find out about Coda’s winning combination of high manufacturing standards and custom-made designs.

r Girdlestone remarks, “Coda was established in 1973, so our expertise is based on a long history. Our knowledge is well recognised by the industry which leads us to design and manufacture the most innovative and challenging products.”

Bespoke Packaging One of Coda’s main strengths is that it can offer its expertise to both start-up companies and well-known leading brands. “From concept to design, we work alongside our clients every step of the way throughout the product development process, delivering bespoke solutions that will set them apart from their competitors,” Mr Girdlestone is proud to point out. Coda Plastics offers concept design and rapid prototyping to low or high volume plastic packaging manufacturing across the personal care, household, pharmaceutical and food markets. The company counts leading brands such as Imperial Leather, Carex, Charles Worthington, St. Tropez and Revlon amongst its customers within the personal care market, in which it has held a strong position for many years. It has also worked alongside such leading names as Proctor & Gamble, Jeyes Parazone and the Bin Buddy.

High Standards Utilising the latest manufacturing processes and equipment ensures Coda can achieve the highest manufacturing standards. Mr Girdlestone explains the company continuously invests in its machinery, “We have recently purchased new KraussMaffei injection moulding machines to increase our capacity and we are about to install a new extrusion blow-moulding machine.”

Successfully expanding into the food market, the company has achieved high standard certifications in the last few years from approved bodies to support this growth. Mr Girdlestone comments, “We achieved the British Retail Consortium food packaging standard and were accredited an A grade status as a direct food contact packaging manufacturer.” Coda has worked alongside companies in the food & beverage sector such as Britvic, and is a Coca-Cola accredited manufacturer. “We also provide our packaging for Nespresso® compatible coffee pods. Our main client for these is CaféPod which is developing into one of the largest Nespresso® compatible brands in Europe,” Mr Girdlestone adds. Also meeting the needs of the pharmaceutical market, Coda has developed products such as crash-box packaging for hypodermic syringes. Mr Girdlestone says, “For this market, we have been audited by a number of our large customers to a high level pharmaceutical standard.”

Company growth The company’s main market is the UK, however as a truly global manufacturer, it supplies its packaging across the whole of Europe, and as far afield as East Africa, Indonesia, India, Australia and the U.S. Coda will continue to maintain organic growth within its established markets. “However our recent investments and certifications achieved for our high standards puts us in a strong position to advance into the food and pharmaceutical markets,” Mr Girdlestone concludes. “We are currently working on a number of confidential new and innovative medical developments.” Visit: www.coda-plastics.co.uk

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Rawlings Expands into Cosmetic & Pharmaceutical Glass Established in 1850 with a focus on collecting, cleaning and recycling used bottles to sell on to wine merchants, Rawlings today has grown into the leading independent UK glass specialist. Rawlings designs, sources and supplies glass packaging suitable for the food and beverage industry. From the old-school bottles of Lucozade used in the 1980’s to the new embossing and printing techniques used by companies today fighting for consumer attention, Rawlings works tirelessly to develop the best product packaging for your brand. Based in Bristol, Rawlings remains an independent, family-run business, providing expertise and support to a variety of well-known, national brands. One of Rawlings’ Technical Account Managers, Alan Illsley, speaks to Libby White about the success of the company and its expansion into the pharmaceutical and cosmetic glass markets.

awlings has grown organically over the past 150 years, primarily through enthusiastic referral. This strong foundation for growth and a dedicated team with an average service of 13 years means Rawlings has an ideal platform for augmentation in 2015. Alan reports that “Rawlings is excited to announce our expansion into the pharmaceutical and cosmetic glass markets. We aim to stock glass with a quality driven and price conscious ethos. In preparation, we have significantly grown our supplier base to provide an expansive portfolio, whilst still maintaining our ability to provide bespoke product development”. On the 25th and 26th of February this year, Rawlings officially launched its new pharmaceutical and cosmetic ranges at the UK’s leading packaging event, Packaging Innovations held at Birmingham’s NEC. To see how they can help with your pharmaceutical or cosmetic requirements please visit their website at www.rawlingsbristol.co.uk.

The pharmaceutical range includes but is not limited to: clear, amber, blue and green glass dropper bottles, medical round bottles, boston round bottles, medicine liquid bottles, powder jars and squat jars. The cosmetic range includes a plethora of shaped cosmetic bottles in various sizes, and a vast array of caps, closures and pumps. In order to accommodate its ever-expanding range of stocked products, Rawlings is also investing in new warehousing in 2015. Alan explains the company’s intentions of expanding into the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets: “Our background, level of expertise and infrastructure in the food and beverage glass market is an ideal springboard to diversify. Coupled with the investment in training and recruitment specific to this industry allows us to deliver the same high level service.”

Strength from independence Alan is quick to draw attention to the significance of Rawlings’ independence. He remarks, “We pride ourselves on providing bespoke solutions at competitive prices, and being truly independent allows us to cherry pick the right manufacturer for every customer no matter what their requirement.” Consequently, Rawlings is able to offer a flexible service to its customers, who range from micro and small scale breweries, small-scale food producers through to national brands such as Westons Cider. In 2014 we created an e-commerce website specifically catering for those interested in boxed quantities of glass – shop.rawlingsbristol.co.uk.

The latest techniques and products Rawlings understands that shelf presence is vital for its customers and is dedicated to invest in the latest manufacturing and design techniques. Alan points out, “Our most recent innovations focus on decoration options, such as improved embossing and manufacturing techniques to produce increasingly sharp, yet environmentally friendly products. We can advise on every aspect of container design, production sourcing and consulting, guiding you through every step of the process.” As an example, for our customer Wild Beer, Rawlings sourced a high quality 330ml Vichy bottle and worked with its screen printing partner to produce a vivid and unique, sleek bottle design.

A clear future With its core customer base in the UK, Rawlings also supports customers and suppliers globally. With such a strong foothold in its current markets, Rawlings is keen to use its experience and expert knowledge to diversify and invest further in emerging markets. Alan comments, “We aim to stay one step ahead of the curve. We welcome enquiries for different concepts with glass, and always investigate new projects that come our way to check their possibility.” Rawlings has seen excellent growth within the past six months, and Alan expects this level of growth to continue with the diversification into the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. For more information, visit www.rawlingsbristol.co.uk For boxed quantities of Rawlings core food and drink products visit shop.rawlingsbristol.co.uk | 190 | Packaging Europe

Pioneering Solutions in Electron Beam Technology With over 40 years of experience, ESI is the worldwide leader in Electron Beam (EB) technology. One of the prime reasons for ESI’s continued success is a constant focus on the customer and finding new ways to meet their current needs. Gelflex-EB™, the newest innovation in EB Flexo inks, is a prime example of this. Gelflex-EB™ inks are ultra-high solids, gel-based inks which are fluid enough for CI flexo printing, but thicken rapidly, providing effective high-speed ink trapping in the wet state. Only one EB dryer is required per press, eliminating ALL inter-station and end-of-press thermal dryers. Brian Sullivan, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, explains the benefits of this process and how it reduces costs without sacrificing quality.

rinters today are under constant pressure to maintain graphics quality while delivering year-over-year cost reductions. Gelflex-EB™ ink can give today’s flexible packaging printer both, all while decreasing solvent usage 90 per cent. “First, let’s talk about costs: the upfront capital equipment costs of one single EB dryer versus an entire CI Flexo thermal drying system, including fans, burners, ductwork, and emissions abatement equipment, is less. Much less. But that’s only the beginning. The printer will use over 30 per cent less total energy and 60 per cent less ink due to the ultrahigh solids content of the ink. Other savings involve reduced waste due to no heat, and increased productivity due to higher uptime.” But lower cost does not mean lower quality. And Sullivan wants you to see it for yourself: “The higher resolutions and tonal values are extraordinary, even on wide web presses at high speeds. And 50 per cent less dot gain than solvent-based inks provide higher contrast, brightness and smooth vignettes.” In short, depending on your press, the quality levels may go up. The Gelflex-EB™ ink system is FDA compliant. And it’s safe for operators to handle. “EB inks, coatings and adhesives have been in food packaging for over 30 years, even in demanding primary packaging structures for foods like ice cream, frozen desserts, chocolate, and spice mixes where NO odor is paramount.” ESI’s European sales and service office in the Netherlands, ideally located to serve the entire continent. Eight pilot facilities are located elsewhere in the world. Three demo facilities in Europe are operated by three of the biggest printing press companies in the world.

A positive year “We are having a record year,” says Brian Sullivan. “ESI is doing well across all our markets, in particular packaging where we’re seeing consistent growth. The European packaging market is a key to our continued growth. People and companies in Europe care not only about what and how they consume, they are questioning their impact on the environment and society. Gelflex-EB™ inks are a perfect fit for today’s environmentally conscience packaging printer.” He ends on another high note with regards to EB flexo and the GelFlex EB ink system: “With the opening of UTECO’s new Converdrome in Verona, Italy, which is equipped with the latest in EB CI Flexo technology, we are fully prepared to demonstrate the benefits of this technology to anyone who is willing to listen. The future is here. It’s safe and clean. And most importantly it’ll save you money. We can prove it.” For more information, visit www.ebeam.com

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Sound solutions TAKT Sp. z o.o. is the largest Polish optical disc pressing plant and one of the most significant suppliers of CDs, DVDs and multimedia packaging in Europe. Alongside this it manufactures other products such as books, notepads and brochures. Its continued success is based on its ability to move with the times and maintain a flexible approach towards its customers.

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ounded in 1991, TAKT began its business activity with the production of cassette tapes. In 1992 it was the first Polish company to become a member of IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) and ZPAV (Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry). In 1997 it extended its range of services to include the manufacturing of Audio CD, CD ROM, CD Extra and Video CD. To meet the resulting increased production demands it established a new plant in BolesĹ&#x201A;aw (southern Poland). Soon after that in 1998 it became the first company in Poland to launch its own DVD pressing lines (Video DVD, DVD ROM). Furthermore, since 1992 TAKT has also been running its own printing facility. This allows it to offer more complex services to its customers, including the preparation of source materials for the printing process and product component printing itself. In 2007 it made further investments in printing and binding in order to extend its production capabilities. TAKT is ISO 9001 certified in terms of its internal production processes and also holds the ISO 14001 standard for quality and environmental protection. It is also certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) standard, CDSA (Content Delivery & Security Organisation), Philips, Toshiba and MpegLA.

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Product offer In addition, TAKTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current product offering also includes: books (soft- and hard-cover), notepads, brochures as well as various types of cardboard packaging such as rigid boxes, clamshell-type boxes, digipacks, digifiles, digisleeves, slipcases and so on. All its packaging lines are available in a wide range of finishes, such as machine seal varnish (gloss,

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matte), UV varnish (gloss, matt, including spot varnishing) lamination (gloss, matt), embossing, debossing and hot-foil stamping. Its in-house design department and printing house allows it to create unique, tailor-made products for its customers. The success of TAKTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s print-house is built on the versatility of its printing methods, printing-related services and modern printing equipment.

The company also provides complex services in terms of CD/DVD manufacturing (e.g. CDPremastering, DVD-Authoring).

Additional services Alongside the pressing of the CDs & DVDs themselves, TAKT also provides DVD authoring and premastering services, e.g. audio and video encoding, conversion, subtitles, menus, navigation, menus and content preparation in DDP format.

Award-winning designs In 2014 TAKT received the prestigious Polish ‘Złoty Gryf’ award in the ‘Unique Product’ category for its innovative product design, development and manufacturing. The company’s management says: “Winning this award would not be possible without our great team consisting of experienced and creative people who are capable of creating remarkable products for our customers. Another of our products, Passenger Deluxe, was one of five nominees for the US Grammy Awards for the best CD Package category.” “Our products are always unique, perfectly designed and made with passion using the highest quality raw materials. This is our greatest strength, allowing us to maintain TAKT’s leading market position.” Visit: www.takt.eu

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Christian Czech & Yuichi Takayanagi

Connecting Values An interesting new joint venture, Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol GmbH is bringing the spirit and experience of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading aerosol contract filler Toyo Aerosol Industry Co., Ltd together with the strong European reach of Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Care Connection GmbH. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the managing directors of both companies to find out how this is being achieved.

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oyo & Deutsche Aerosol has been created following the strategic joint venture between Japan’s leading aerosol contract filler Toyo Aerosol and Germany’s highly respected Care Connection. The partnership is the perfect balance of knowledge and a strong European footprint, bringing together two of the most wellknown companies in their fields to create a truly unique aerosol expert, which aspires to improve the life’s of consumers with smart, innovative aerosol technologies. Toyo Aerosol, headed by president Yuichi Takayanagi, is the largest contract filling manufacturer in Japan and part of the Toyo Seikan Group Holding, the world’s seventh largest packaging company. As a pioneer in the aerosol field, Toyo Aerosol is truly an innovator. Managing director of Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol, Akira Tada spoke to Packaging Europe to explain more about the company’s strengths and its plans to bring its unique experience to the important European market. Mr. Tada said, “We are a key part of the

huge Japanese Toyo Seikan Group, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, employs more than 20,000 people and has over 100 facilities worldwide. As the largest contract manufacturer of aerosols in Japan we have a terrific reputation for creating, manufacturing and delivering high quality, innovative aerosol packaging for a large range of customers worldwide.”

Ready for action Mr. Tada noted that the joint venture with Care Connection, which was initiated beginning of 2014 and started operations in April, is a major step forward in Toyo’s global expansion. He said, “We decided to establish the joint venture corporation with Care Connection in Germany as a base for manufacturing and selling aerosol products in order to expand our business in Europe. We’re now here and ready for action!”

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Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol GmbH connects values Working closely alongside Mr. Tada is Christian Czech, CEO and 49 per cent shareholder of Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol. His extensive experience in the packaging industry makes him a valuable part of the newly-formed company. Mr. Czech told Packaging Europe, “I was born in an aerosol can! Along with my family, I established and developed the CZEWO, one of Europe’s biggest contract manufacturing groups, which we sold some years ago. Now I am purely dedicated to our exciting joint venture by bringing my knowledge and connections of the European aerosol packaging market together with the huge scale of Toyo’s investment and global reach.” Both Mr. Tada and Mr. Czech explained how the name Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol is key to representing the marriage of the two operations. Mr. Czech said, “The ‘&’ between Toyo & Deutsche is very important; we’re connecting values and combining the best of two cultures...all the customers, the opportunities and the innovations. It’s a connection of two like-minded operations into one company that can deliver truly exceptional quality and service, but more importantly can improve the life’s of consumers with smart, new aerosol technologies.”

Incredible foundations Collectively, the joint venture brings over 100 years of contract manufacturing experience in the aerosol packaging industry with more than 60 years of solid presence in Japan. Mr. Czech added, “We know aerosols by heart. We’re bringing together the best values and technological advances of Asia with the innovations and on-the-ground knowledge of the European packaging industry. We will be bringing our customers the very best possible experience of developing, manufacturing and filling all types of aerosols – all with an innovative twist.” That innovative twist is expected to reap big rewards for Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol. It’s fresh-thinking, award-winning DUAL aerosol is a truly new introduction to the market:

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an aerosol can that combines two bags into one can, the DUAL has quickly become successful. Mr. Czech explained, “The DUAL is a game-changer. With this two bag, one-can solution, it is possible for the first time for products to be mixed and dispensed at the same time. They can be kept separate in the can until the exact moment they are required to be mixed. The DUAL is proving highly valuable for products like glues and hair colours, where the product stays fresh and can be used a little at a time, just as needed.” The DUAL is an ecologically-responsible offer too. Totally reusable and recyclable, it is also supporting a ‘less waste’ focus by allowing products to be used as required rather than all mixed with only a little used. The Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol joint venture is based in Neutrabling, Germany, in the Bavarian countryside not far from Munich. By the end of 2015 the company’s state-ofthe-art facilities will be totally finished, representing a €12 million investment in premises, technology and machinery. Mr. Tada added, “It’s a serious investment for a start-up, but Toyo & Deutsche Aerosol is not any start-up! We have decades of high-end contract aerosol experience gained across the world. We also have the strength of a global group with production facilities and blue chip customers across the world and the passion of a respected figurehead. We’re ready to go!” Visit: www.td-aerosol.com

Bizerba Bizerba offers its customers in industry and logistics a globally unique solutions portfolio of hardware and software around the central value “weight”. The customer base includes globally operating companies in trade and industry as well as retailers, bakeries and butcheries. One of the many diverse solutions offered by Bizerba is a dynamic checkweigher for maintaining precise nominal filling quantities. The calibratable CWF checkweigher combined with a Varicon metal detector can check up to 400 packages per minute and detect metal components in the product. Like other Bizerba systems, the CWF is also compatible with the _statistics.BRAIN software, which enables comprehensive documentation of production processes.

“As the largest contract manufacturer of aerosols in Japan we have a terrific reputation for creating, manufacturing and delivering high quality, innovative aerosol packaging for a large range of customers worldwide.”

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A new generation Hagmaier Etiketten & Druck has a slogan: ‘We Live Labels’. Felicity Landon reports on a family company with nearly 70 years’ experience and a new generation on board.

agmaier Etiketten & Druck is a company with a strong sense of history and tradition. It was founded by Adolf Hagmaier, the father of the current managing director and owner, Thomas Hagmaier. Its headquarters and main production site are still where they started, in a village between Ulm and Stuttgart. Many of its workers have been with the company for 20 or 30 years. And the company’s expertise remains the same – labels. But at the same time, this is a company that has seen almost a ‘fresh start’ over the past two years, with a new generation joining and some major reorganisation, modernisation of production and a renewed attention to environmental issues.

A strong tradition For more than 30 years, Thomas Hagmaier managed the company jointly with his brother, Werner. Then, two years ago, Werner stepped out of the business, leaving Thomas as the sole owner, and Thomas’s three children – Rodolfo, Max and Veronika – joined the company. “Our slogan is ‘We Live Labels’ and that is the message to our customers and employees,” says Thomas Hagmaier. “We now have a third generation in the company, who are just as enthusiastic. When my brother stepped out of the business, we first took over the company – and then this year we took over the buildings. We have spent the past two years reorganising a lot of things, investing in software and modernising the production. We have looked for ways to work more efficiently, introducing systems like 5S – that is very important for the future, because time and money must not be wasted. It is worth focusing on new ideas, programmes

and processes in order to reduce costs and keep a clean and comfortable working environment for everyone.” Environmental issues are also to the fore. In 2000, the entire air conditioning and exhaust air system was updated when the building was expanded, to provide hotair heating with integrated air humidification, heat recovery, air conditioning and insulation and insulating glazing. Today, 1100 square metres of photovoltaic panels cover the company’s medium power consumption. There’s a UV drying facility with LED UV, and LED lighting is installed throughout the production area and offices. The company also focuses on buying raw materials locally to reduce carbon, and has some very sophisticated recycling processes in place.

Range of labels Broadly speaking, Hagmaier produces three categories of labels. First, blank labels, in which it offers all of the die-cutting versions, including laser, rotary, semi-rotary and flatbed. Second, industrial labels, including fairly standard colours, materials and foils. And third, non-adhesive labels, which encompasses a very wide range of speciality materials, processes and knowledge. These labels can be of composite structure with a thermal layer inside, or feature very special foil components and layout. “In this category of products, we do a lot of ticketing for theatres and other special applications,” says Mr Hagmaier. In fact, the Hagmaier range is enormous – including blank, laser, thermal/ thermal transfer, industrial, adhesive, paper/cardboard, logistics, pricing, barcode, Packaging Europe | 203 |

UPM Raflatac UPM Raflatac is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials. We supply high-quality film and paper label stock for consumer product and industrial labelling. Our label materials are designed to combine economy, ecology and optimized performance throughout the label lifecycle, from conversion and end-use right up to eventual reuse or recycling. We strive to provide our customers the best total experience with profound expertise and the most attentive service in the business.

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composite/plastic, sheet, fanfolded, sandwich and special labels, as well as tags and tickets. What’s unusual about Hagmaier’s production is that 90 per cent or more of its labels are not actually ‘ready’. Rather, they go through printing machines in the customers’ premises or warehouse, because information has to be added at a later stage. “This is quite unusual because many companies – in the food or cosmetics industry, for example – need a million labels to go directly on to the products, with no printing to be done by themselves. With most of our labels, the customer may not know the final use or details, so we might print a basic label with the name, logo, and so on, and they will need to add information later. This makes our labels very special – it isn’t just information, but also the functionality of the label that is so important. These people are not specialist printers and they need to be able to put our labels into a printer without experiencing any problems – for example, with boarding passes.” “For these kind of labels we need suppliers which are flexible, fast and innovative like e.g. Arconvert from Italy. Beside the standard, commodity products you often need special solutions to fulfill customer requests on special applications. To manage this close to the market you need a good partnership also to your suppliers. Arconvert helped us to develope a special product for an application on several difficult card boards, which should be removable, but not as easy as the standard removable adhesives. For our kind of business, we need partners like this, which fit to our companies philosophy.”

Widespread customer base About 50 people are employed in Hagmaier’s 4000m2 factory and offices in Münsingen, a village that is out in the countryside but also within easy reach of the nearby cities. The company has a wide range of customers, although geographically they are mainly limited to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. “Most of our customers are in Germany, from north to south – and we are doing a lot of business in Switzerland and Austria because they are close to us,” says | 206 | Packaging Europe

Mr Hagmaier. “I believe that labels are a product you will always buy in your own country or from a neighbouring country, because most countries have a lot of label companies. So our focus was never on the French, UK or Spanish markets.” Hagmaier has a careful policy of not becoming too reliant on one customer; a few years ago, the company unexpectedly and suddenly lost a customer on which a high percentage of its turnover was based. “We lost a large quantity of work and this was very hard. So our vision now is not to do more than 10–15 per cent with one customer,” he says. “In any case, we are focusing on the very specialist products – of course we could print millions of standard labels for a company, but we want to be known for our expertise in specialist labels. “If there is something which the other label companies can’t do, maybe people should ask us. If they want a special material or special die-cutting, we will find a solution.”

Growth in RFID The company stepped out in front by combining laser die-cutting machines and inkjet printing, and this combination is in demand. A market it is looking at afresh is RFID. “We actually started with RFID in 2008 but after the crisis nobody was interested in RFID products,” he says. “So the RFID market is very quiet at the moment – but we are thinking about doing this again.” Hagmaier’s flexibility and range of technologies are key to its competitive edge. Indeed, until recently the company had no official sales team at all, doing any marketing via third party agents. “That worked for a long time but now we are changing and are setting up our own team of sales people,” says Mr Hagmaier. “Because our product is so special, we need dedicated people to explain our flexibility and our very high-quality results.” Visit: www.hagmaier-etiketten.de

A sustainable and economical alternative

Headquartered in Belgium and with additional production facilities in Italy and the USA, AR Metallizing is the global market leader in metallized paper for consumer packaged goods and the beverage market, with a turnover of approximately 125 million Euros. Libby White spoke with Mr Martin Raeymakers to find out the story behind the success of the company.

“E

very year, millions of consumers in over a hundred countries pass more than 30 billion bottles with our labels through their hands and use more than 20 billion of our metallized folding boxes,” Mr Raeymakers, chief commercial officer of AR Metallizing comments. A strong statement from a company created in 2009 following the merger of two leaders in the vacuum metallisation area; Alupa and Rotoflex. The combined group AR Metallizing has an installed capacity of 50,000 tonnes. In its three sites, covering 30,000m², it deploys nine metallizers. Paper is pre- and post-treated on eight lacquering lines and AR Metallizing’s proprietary technology is prepared in controlled ‘chemical kitchens’. “Our traditional core markets are metallized labels for wine, beer, soft drinks and spirits,” says Mr Raeymakers. He adds, “In addition to these traditional markets, we produce metallized paper for all kinds of consumer products, like gift and can wraps and tobacco packaging. We currently focus on metallized packaging, having introduced several new, innovative materials in the market, like our metallized paperboard.” The general benefits of metallized paper for consumer goods are, amongst others, more shelf appeal and stronger brand identity, resulting in a proven sales increase of up

to 30 per cent. Mr Raeymakers goes further in explaining the benefits: “Our products beat the conventionally used materials when it comes to functionality, sustainability and cost-efficiency. On top of these advantages the possibilities for graphic design are even larger.” AR Metallizing leads the way in launching new innovations to the market. “Surprisingly, there have only been relatively limited innovations in our area of business,” says Mr Raeymakers. “Over the years, however, demands from clients, end-users and regulatory authorities have evolved enormously. These include an increasing demand for innovative packaging, lengthening of product life, cost reduction and sustainable packaging to name just a few. We endeavour to constantly meet and surpass the packaging requirements of today and tomorrow. In this, we are successful. We continue to present new alternatives with superior technical qualities at lower costs and this enables us to stand out from our competitors,” Mr Raeymakers explains. AR Metallizing’s innovations have not gone unnoticed. One of their end-users, a leading personal care producer, calls the new paperboard laminate concept ‘the first real innovation in paperboard in 15 years’. Packaging Europe | 207 |

Constantly innovating In Europe AR Metallizing has heavily invested in R&D and new business development to enrich its portfolio with new, sustainable and cost efficient products. Of note are the metallized paperboard and laminated paperboard which offer clear advantages over conventional materials. AR Metallizing currently focuses on metallized packaging, and has introduced several new, innovative materials to the market, such as its metallized paperboard. Apart from its attractive appearance, metallized paper adds functionality to the packaging, especially for the food and beverage market. “For instance, if you use our metallized paperboard for six-packs, your product will be 5 °C cooler compared to the use of conventional materials. Imagine drinking cold beers and soft drinks on the beach without bringing an unpractical and old-fashioned cool box! Your six-pack works like a cool box. Our paperboard can also avoid melted chocolates or warmed fresh products , just like lukewarm burgers. Our paperboard not only performs better than traditional alternatives like aluminium foil, but also has a significantly lower environmental impact,” Mr Raeymakers says. In the near future the added value of functional packaging is expected to increase, in view of the implementation of Big Data analytics in the food and beverage in-

dustry. If, for instance, Big Data show a consumer preference for slightly colder chocolate bars in summer, than in winter chocolate bar producers are able to meet consumer preferences each season with AR Metallizing’s paperboard. AR Metallizing’s laminated paperboard also offers obvious advantages over traditional alternatives. Besides its sustainability, another benefit is that it runs like regular paper, so there is no need to change the supply chain. Mr Raeymakers adds, “It is printable in nearly all technologies (including conventional offset, heliogravure and flexo), the line speeds are much higher than in case of the printing of conventional metallized materials, the glue curing time is shorter and the die cutting process is faster. In short, our paperboard is very easy to process.”

“Our future growth will come from a continuation of the current, successful strategy, resulting in further growth and more innovative products.”

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“We always aim for environmentally friendly products, by reducing the usage of base materials and by making the production process more energy efficient. Comparing it to conventionally used materials, our metallized paperboard, although having the same visual appearance and stiffness, enables the use of lower weight and of lower quality (e.g. recycled) base board.”

Cost efficient and sustainable solutions AR Metallizing has always been known for its commitment to the environment. Considerable investments are made each year as it firmly believes that a prosperous business and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand. “We always aim for environmentally friendly products, by reducing the usage of base materials and by making the production process more energy efficient. Comparing it to conventionally used materials, our metallized paperboard, although having the same visual appearance and stiffness, enables the use of lower weight and of lower quality (e.g. recycled) base board,” Mr Raeymakers explains. “In addition, it contains 300 times less aluminium and no foil or film at all. Consequently, our paperboard is fully recyclable and compostable and its carbon footprint is 50 per cent lower. Best of all, given the savings on used material and energy, the price can be 14 per cent lower than the traditionally used complex, so it is cost efficient to be environmentally friendly!” Committed to producing in a sustainable manner, AR Metallizing sources its material from FSC® certified paper suppliers, integrates waste management in its facilities and the recuperation or burning of solvents. In addition, AR Metallizing focuses on creating flexible packaging solutions that allow products to be stored longer, maintain product quality, maximize supply chain efficiencies and ensure the safe delivery and use of food and non-food products.

of concept for a diversification strategy. For example, it recently acquired the company Vacumet, a metallized paper producer near Boston in the USA. This company has a very diverse product portfolio. Mr Raeymakers concludes, “Our future growth will come from a continuation of the current, successful strategy, resulting in further growth and more innovative products.” n For more information, visit www.armetallizing.com

Strong growth strategy AR Metallizing’s products are currently used in over a hundred countries around the world. With a global target market, it focuses on Europe and the USA as traditional markets and looks to South America, Africa and Asia as potential growth markets. As well as geographical expansion, AR Metallizing’s future will be further secured and nurtured through building on its existing product range, as it aims for a clear proof Packaging Europe | 209 |

System_Manufacturers Our system manufacturers offer a comprehensive range of products, from custom machines to complete packaging lines for primary packaging, secondary packaging and gentle final packaging. Including: - Machines for liquid, pasty, powdery or solid products - Machines for specific packaging materials - Machines for special industry requirements (i. e. pharmaceutical standards)

Well equipped for the future Packaging Valley in the south of Germany is a network of 40 companies from the packaging industry. Its members stand out for their outstanding quality, top-class solutions and international service. Daniela Lukassen talks to Kurt Engel, managing director of Packaging Valley, to find out more.

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ore than 40 packaging machine manufacturers are located in the district of Schwaebisch Hall and Crailsheim in the south of Germany: This is Packaging Valley. The association of Packaging Valley Germany e.V. was founded in 2007 by around 15 companies and today it has more than 40 members. The idea behind the association is based upon a long-term development process. “In the past 100 years a lot of packaging manufacturers have settled down in this area of southern Germany,” begins Mr Engel. “We want to promote Packaging Valley worldwide and we want to make it famous. Our members advocate the highest quality, best solutionsa nd international service. They develop new technologies all the time so they are always ahead of the pack.” Today the name ‘Packaging Valley’ is registered and protected as a collective brand.

Many companies under one roof The Packaging Valley network includes companies of many different types. This includes system manufacturers producing customised solutions like individual pieces of machinery and complete packaging lines which are tailored to the needs of each specific customer. In addition, Packaging Valley combines machine and component manufacturers of packaging machines as well as engineering and service providers.

The Association’s member companies offer conveying systems, control technology, inspection and testing systems, individual components, tools and packaging container equipment. According to Mr Engel, “Our members are highly sought-after in such areas as machine and process optimisation, automation and software, packaging engineering and development, technical documentation, validation, contract manufacturing and so on.”

On-going development and growth Altogether, the companies within the network represent a workforce of more than 7000 people. “Our business has developed steadily within the past couple of years,” says Engel. “The concentration of inventors and producers of state-of-the-art packging technologies continues and we expect the trend to increase. Packaging Valley’s member companies supply customers in a wide range of different industry sectors including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, paper manufacturing and food & drink. According to Mr Engel, “No matter whether products and liquid, gaseous or solid, there is nothing that is not possible.” Furthermore, thanks to the support offered by the Association, its member companies have been expanding and modernising their manufacturing facilities over the past few years. “Alongside this, a lot of new employees have been recruited. As a result, we are very well equipped for the future.”

Executive Commitee Packaging Valley Germany e. V. From left to right: Reinald Weiss (R.WEISS), Kurt Engel (Packaging Valley), Hans Bühler (OPTIMA), Andreas Prauss (Seidenader), Elke Bader (BPS), Bernd Hansen (kocher-plastik), Sabine Gauger (OPTIMA)

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Shared_booth_interpack_2014â&#x20AC;¨The pictures shows our shared booth at the interpack 2014 in Duesseldorf. 5 member companies exhibited their products at our booth on an area of 600 square meters.

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Entering new markets More than 80 per cent of the machines and systems built in Schwaebisch Hall and Crailsheim are used abroad. “Europe and the US in particular are of enormous importance to us,” says Mr Engel. “Other markets such as South America and Asia are also gaining in importance.” The Association is focused on developing new markets in the coming years. To this end, it holds a regular series of events known as ‘Packaging Valley Days’. “This event comes up every three years and it gives our member companies a great opportunity to give an insight into their work. The Packaging Valley Days are also the perfect platform for international knowledge transfer within the industry. Another highlight in Packaging Valley Germany’s calendar is FachPack, the European trade show for Packaging, Technology, Processing and Logistics which will next take place in Autumn 2015. Mr Engel says: “We will be present at this event with a joint stand and our Packaging Valley Lounge.” The event is hugely important for the companies withing Packaging Valley as it allows them to showcase their outstanding packaging solutions. In addition, the Associationis currently planning a mechanical engineering day in association with the ‘Deutsche Verpackunginstitut’ (German Packaging Institute).

we involve young people in our development and present the member companies of Packaging Valley Germany e.V as prospective employers.” When it comes to the future, the Association considers itself well-equipped for growth. “Our member companies are working on the advancement of innovative packaging solutions, adapted to the needs of their clients.” Moreover, they guarantee the highest level of quality. Visit: www.packaging-valley.com

Promoting young talent Another important function of the Association is to fund the recruitment and training of junior staff. “We invite German and American students to visit our companies to get an idea of what our members do. It is of vital importance to us that Excursion_Students_Stout_USA_2 The photo shows 10 students of the UNI Stout/USA during the company tour at OPTIMA consumer GmbH. The subject direction of the students is “Packaging”. Packaging Europe | 213 |

A passion for paper

Located in the Austrian province of Styria, Brigl&Bergmeister is a leading manufacturer of label papers and flexible packaging papers, printing some 100 billion labels per year. Elisabeth Skoda visited the Brigl&Bergmeister headquarters in Niklasdorf, was given a tour of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper factory and neighbouring waste incineration plant and spoke to Managing Director Michael Sablatnig and marketing manager Arthur Erdem to find out more about what lies behind the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success.

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he B&B group is made up of the companies Brigl&Bergmeister and Papirnica Vevče, which was founded in Slovenia in the greater Ljubljana area in 1842, and has been a 100 per cent subsidiary of B&B since 2004. ENAGES, the thermal recycling plant adjacent to Brigl&Bergmeister in Niklasdorf, supplies the factory energy in the form of steam and electricity. Waste incineration per definition is 100% CO2-neutral. At Brigl&Bergmeister in Styria the production focus lies on wet strength wet glue labels and Papirnica Vevče in Slovenia concentrates on non wet strength wet glue labels and flexible packaging materials. Brigl and Bergmeister was founded in 1890, by Leonhard Brigl and Julius Bergmeister and started out as a pulp producer. “Towards the end of the 1980s it became evident that specialisation was necessary, and that offering a wide range of papers, like so many other paper factories do as well, wasn’t working as well any more. Looking for a niche, it was found with labelling papers,” Mr Sablatnig explains.

The company was then bought by Prinzhorn Holding, and specialisation continued. In 2011, Prinzhorn sold Brigl & Bergmeister to Roxcel Group, which is continuously investing in efficiency and increasing capacity. “Today we are at a point where almost 100 per cent of production on site in Niklasdorf is for labels,” Mr Sablatnig points out.

Synergies with waste incineration A key event in the history of Brigl&Bergmeister was the acquisition of ENAGES, a waste incineration plant which supplies the company with steam and electricity. The plant for thermal utilisation of waste set up by the Energie- und Abfallverwertungsgesellschaft (ENAGES) and started operation in December 2003 on site in Niklasdorf. Energy gained from waste (electricity and heat in the form of steam) is delivered to Brigl&Bergmeister and replaces fossil fuels. The state of the art fluidised bed system has a

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throughput of between 90,000 and 110,000 tonnes of waste per year, depending on the calorific value of the material put in. The effectiveness, dependent on the heat extraction share is between 75 per cent and 85 per cent. The extremely complex flue gas cleaning ensures the highest environmental standards, and the exhaust air levels are largely well below the thresholds stipulated by the authorities, who are continuously supplied with data. Materials burnt at the ENAGES plant include packaging waste, residual products from municipal, retail and industrial waste which cannot be recycled, residue from organic waste treatment, treated or painted scrap wood, rejects from waste paper recycling and residue from effluent sludge. “This means that we are energy self-sufficient and only have to buy extra electricity at peak times. So we burn waste, get paid for it, and also gain free energy – no greenwashing or greenburning is involved,” Mr Sablatnig points out.

Label product range Brigl&Bergmeister’s main focus lies on labels. “We manufacture wet glue labels, where the paper itself isn’t adhesive. The glue is added to the paper, which is then stuck to bottles or other packs. We offer a range of wet strength papers, which means that paper is applied with wet glue. Wet strength papers are used when the bottle is recycled, and the label is washed off and is detachable as a whole. With highly technological products it is important that the entire value chain works together,” Mr Sablatnig explains. “Wet strength papers and paper labels are common on glass containers, which are still the most popular choice of packaging material for alcoholic drinks. There has been a trend towards PET bottles for water and soft drinks, and often foil based labels are used for these – but we also offer a label made from paper for PET, our NiklaPET label.” At drinktec 2013, Brigl&Bergmeister presented the new NiklaPET WEB 55 grams, a solution for reel-fed labelling, which is environmentally friendly and also makes the switch from film to paper labels easy. Beside its inherent features of being rapidly biodegradable, recyclable and ecologically sustainable, the special benefit of NiklaPET Web 55 is its runability on the same machinery as film labels. | 216 | Packaging Europe

Brigl&Bergmeister works hard to continuously develop existing products, improving quality with new recipes. “We try to reduce costs without compromising on quality, which goes almost unnoticed by our customers. The market demands the same performance in labelling and print with lower gram weights, which have been reduced by an average of 5 grams in the last ten years. There is a balance between innovation and evaluation, and we have products in our range that have been in our portfolio since 1996,” says Mr Sablatnig. In the area of flexible packaging, Brigl&Bergmeister works on the challenge of achieving barrier properties with paper alone. “Of course a barrier is easily achievable with a PE coating, but it can also be achieved just with paper. Our target is to add the barrier during coating, offering grease tightness and an oxygen, water and odour barrier – our customers have a wide range of requirements. Top quality is a must and is taken for granted nowadays. Brand owners put an increasingly high value on sustainability in production and raw materials, the use of FEC certified wood and a range of other certificates across the supply chain are also expected,” he adds.

Sustainability “Environmental figures such as the carbon footprint are getting requested more and more. Customers now want to know what is contained within the entire supply chain when buying a label, including during the manufacture of pulp, chemicals etc. It often isn’t easy to get that information from all suppliers. We look at it positively as an opportunity to set ourselves apart from our competition,” Mr Sablatnig explains.

Brigl&Bergmeister is proud of its environmental record, and marketing manager Arthur Erdem is passionate about the subject. The company has an exemplary carbon footprint verified by the Austrian federal environmental office (Umweltbundesamt), but he is keen to point out that it is not just about the carbon footprint, but lowering the total environmental impact. He lists ingredients of sustainable packaging as: reducing packaging and maximising the use of renewable and reusable materials, using materials which reduce negative end of life, using materials which are from certified, responsibly managed forests, demonstrating compliance with regulations regarding hazardous chemicals, model toxics in packaging, as well as European Directive 94/62/EC, packaging and packaging waste, optimising material usage including product-to-package ratio, meeting criteria for performance and cost (for example minimising product damage during transit), reducing the flow of solid waste to landfill, and reducing the costs associated with packaging (logistics, storage, disposal etc.). He warns of just seeing part of the picture, as there are several types of optimum calculations, dozens of ideal scenarios, but only one reality when it comes to sustainability. He trusts in consumer maturity and their readiness to ‘buycott’. “Customers want to buy products with positive environmental and social impact with sustainable packaging featuring among their top concerns. Usage of Brigl&Bergmeister label papers will support your aims for a better and holistic sustainability.” In order to be truly sustainable, Brigl&Bergmeister offers efficient production of label papers with minimum resources, best product performance and minimal environmental Packaging Europe | 217 |

stress, best processing properties, effective after use disposal and recycling as well as security of supply. “Sustainable packaging needs a holistic approach along the entire packaging value chain to gain positive values and make a difference,” Mr Erdem summarises.

Performance and investments Brigl&Bergmeister is proud to achieve solid results across the group. “Our balance is positive, and ENAGES especially is very profitable, but we achieve good results throughout the entire group,” says Mr Sablatnig. A recent key investment is the exchange of major parts of the paper machine in Niklasdorf. The conventional size press will be exchanged to a high tech film press. “We ordered a new film press from Voith for our site in Niklasdorf. In addition, a non-contact energy-efficient compact infrared and air-drying combination (qDryPro) will be installed, and the steam and condensation systems as well as the air-handling system will be modified in order to improve quality even further, enabling a better coating application on the paper machine,” he adds. “These investments will increase annual capacity in Niklasdorf by 5000 tonnes, at reduced energy consumption. In addition to improvements in the quality of the existing product range, this will make it possible to develop innovative speciality papers. Installation is scheduled for September 2015, as an addition to the new headbox already installed in April 2014.” At the Vevče mill in Slovenia, too, modernisation and extension measures are being implemented, initiated in 2013 with the installation of a film press. Development focuses, among other things, on improvement of the barrier properties of flexible packaging papers.

Showcasing strengths Marketing and being close to the customers is important to the company, and one way of achieving this is a regular presence at trade shows such as Brau Beviale or drinktec. “We present ourselves mainly in order to keep in touch with our customers, which are printers and brand owners. For printers, our products have to run smoothly, emphasising quality and especially service, with reliable, fast production cycles throughout the supply | 218 | Packaging Europe

chain so that an order can be delivered quickly and reliably. To brand owners, we present ourselves as a reliable, steady, innovative and globally present value chain partner for packaging,” Mr Sablatnig adds. Every other year, Brigl&Bergmeister organises its own event to underline the capabilities of paper labels, the International Label Conference, which last took place in Bad Hofgastein in Austria in March 2014. “We invite customers, agencies and brand owners and have talks about a range of topics such as market trends, entrepreneurship, sustainability and challenges in the entire value creation chain, offering an ideal opportunity to network and exchange information. The next event will take place in spring 2016,” Mr Sablatnig points out. Brigl&Bergmeister also regularly organises the Golden Label Award, a competition for paper labels. “Paper labels are evaluated by an independent jury according to different criteria, allowing printers and printers’ customers to show off their skills. This creates connections within the supply chain, which is important to us,” Mr Sablatnig says.

Growth and markets Emerging markets show the biggest growth in the area of paper labels, while Europe is stagnating but stable. “Above a certain income threshold people don’t buy their goods unpackaged on the market and don’t fetch their own water from a well but buy packaged goods. Population growth in Asia, India and Africa is an important driver. Beer, a classic market for paper labels, is the most frequently drunk alcoholic beverage in developing countries and is growing strongly. In Europe, the drinks market has stagnated on a relatively stable level, in Eastern Europe there is a certain amount of growth. Markets in Russia fluctuate due to legislation.” Brigl&Bergmeister is on a solid path of growth, and the company is keeping an eye out for new acquisitions after the planned acquisition of Uetersen GmbH from Stora Enso was prevented by the German Federal Cartel Authority. “Many paper factories want to be bought, but of course it has to fit as far as company culture and product range is concerned. We are keen to grow, and consolidation is not as advanced in the paper industry as it is in other industries,” Mr Sablatnig concludes. Visit: www.brigl-bergmeister.com

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Masking Tapes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The perfect solution for Body Repair and Car Refinishing

The Vibac Group is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading producers of speciality packaging films and pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes. Eugenia Fiusco talks to Carmela Magno, product manager of the Film division, Andrea Sentimenti, global marketing director, and Giovanni Gaballo, sales director of the Film division, about the latest developments at the company.

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Carton sealing tapes – Products and solutions for any Packaging need

Global leader in the packaging industry V

ibac was set up 1968 and since the very beginning has built a strong reputation for its production of adhesive tapes. In the 1980s the company, thanks to investments in a new production line and strategic acquisitions, consolidated its position as the leading group in the packaging and labelling industry. In less than 50 years the group has achieved an annual turnover of €300 million, set up five production plants in Europe and the Americas reaching an yearly production output of over 3000 million square metres of adhesive tapes and 110,000 tonnes of film. The Group consists of two main divisions: The BOPP Film Division (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene) and the Tape Division. The former is dedicated to flexible packaging and labelling, with production lines including clear, metallised and white opaque biaxially oriented polypropylene films. The latter, meanwhile, is focused on the manufacturing of pressure sensitive tapes with different supports: BOPP for carton sealing and other purposes; Paper (masking tapes) for various applications such as automotive and DIY; and PVC. “Thanks to a new production line located in L’Aquila, specialising in BOPP film coating, Vibac has strengthened its position on the market. We offer a comprehensive range of products that appeal to customers thanks to their innovation and quality,” says Mr Gaballo.

Ms Magno, meanwhile, comments on a recent innovation from the Film division: “We have introduced a special film that prevents contamination from mineral oils. In particular, MOSH and MOAH are mineral oils commonly used in industrial inks, notably for printing newspapers. Since newspapers form a significant part of the paper/carton recycling stream, recycled paperboard often contains a mixture of MOSH and MOAH. A potential health hazard if ingested, while waiting for E.U. new legislation on the subject the German Government is legislating to strictly regulate the migration of mineral oil from packaging to food. We would also like to underline the fact that we are ready to supply coated, metallised and coextruded products free of phthalates, in line with a European law that will become effective in 2015, additionally all our BOPP films are already BPA free.” Apart from the ISO 9001 and ISO 14000 certifications, Vibac is also implementing the OHSAS 18001 standard. “Undoubtedly, Vibac’s quality standards are amongst the highest in the industry and so are the efforts and investments made to ensure our group grows in a sustainable way.”

Geographical presence Vibac recently invested €60 million in setting up its latest production plant, due to be up and running some time in 2015. The plant is located in Serbia and will consolidate

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Masking Tape production line

R&D - IR Spectrometer

the group’s presence in eastern Europe, strengthening business relationships with the neighbouring Russia, Turkey, the Middle East and some African countries. It will thus apply the same winning strategy it has used beforehand in Canada where it set up a tape sales and production site. “In a global market, a company cannot afford to be unable to serve their customers efficiently wherever they are,” explains Mr Sentimenti. “In terms of growth and development, America and Europe offer the greatest potential for us. That is why we wanted to strengthen our presence in those areas. Our products are now used by clients in 130 countries all over the world. We are leaders in countries that are 18,000 kilometres away – for example Australia – and we don’t intend to stop there.”

Tape production – Packaging line

BOPP Film – Product Range selection

Research & development The Vibac group carries out its research and development activities in a modern research centre equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for performance evaluation. Thanks to its research activities, Vibac is able to design and develop innovative films and tapes for numerous areas and applications. “Research & development are key stages in the production process. Investing time and effort in those two key areas is vital for the success of the end product on the market,” explains Mr Gaballo. “Vibac works in collaboration with two excellent centres for films and tapes, each of which boasts a superb team of highly qualified researchers.” In terms of its future goals, Vibac has always combined organic growth with acquisitions and it intends to maintain this winning strategy in the years to come. “In the future, we aim to concentrate our efforts on the development of products for highly specialised applications,” says Mr Sentimenti. “Our market also includes commodities and that is a big opportunity for us in terms of profit and ongoing improvement of products and processes. Visit: www.vibacgroup.com

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BOPP Film-Slitting Line

Masking Tape â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The tape sticks at a touch and stays positioned providing outstanding paint lines, hugs curves and perfect contours even on sensitive surfaces

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Innovating liquid carton packaging Highly innovative carton packaging for dairy and juice products – this is the world of Elopak. Julia Snow reports on the company and the newest member of its product family.

oday a carton has to be more than just a generic package for liquid. With over 13 billion produced annually, Elopak’s paper based packaging solutions are top of the class in terms of design, functionality and innovation. The company offers complete packaging solutions, including blanks, closures and filling lines with maintenance and service. Based in Norway, and wholly owned by the Ferd Group (one of Norway’s largest privately owned industrial groups) Elopak is continually developing its packaging expertise to match the changing demands for packaged food. Over half a century of continuous expansion and growth has turned it into a global corporation operating on every continent. Through a network of market units and associates in more than 40 countries, the Elopak Group is able to bring its international expertise and product technology to new markets.

Trendsetting in Aseptic: the new generation of filling lines With the development of the first fully aseptic gable top system, Elopak is pursuing the strategy of highly functional packaging concepts, offering convenient and cost-attractive packaging solutions for products in ambient distribution. Elopak´s new aseptic filling machine (E-PS120A) sets new standards in the market and ensures fully aseptic filling technology. It benefits from its modest space requirements and high effectiveness with an output capability of up to 12,000 cartons per hour. The machine offers a multitude of unique benefits in manufacturing, assembly, operation and maintenance. The versatile design makes it capable of processing high as well as low acid products.

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Mariani S.r.l.

The Mariani IMW 335L Series is based on a continuous packaging process carried out on one level, this mode of operation ensures very gentle product handling and packading. As with all MARIANI machines, the open design of the IMW335L Series machines provides optimal machine accessibility, which facilitates simple operability, fast format changeovers and efficient cleaning and maintenance work. The working principle of the solution is uncomplicated. The products are collated and fed directly on to the blank which is fed in line as benefits the continuous motion cycle designed for carrying out distribution format in an extremely gentle and pressure-free manner : the cases being formed, folded and glued during their passage, guaranteeing perfect product handling and stability. The case packer is easily accessible and very easy to clean using either wet or dry cleaning techniques. The IMW 335L Series, with its modular construction, can be combined with the SW Series and thereby offers the highest possible flexibility in packaging solutions for the most varied of applications.

Yparex®

We salute Elopak as a frontrunner in renewable packaging. They have clearly shown that they are serious about sustainability and packaging. Their ambition fits perfectly with Yparex’s own philosophy. We have focused our research efforts on developing renewable tie resins alongside our target customers in the packaging industry. Like Elopak, we believe that more sustainable packaging is the way forward. Ultimately, we have to shake ourselves loose from our dependence on fossil feedstocks. The renewable packaging produced by Elopak is a step in that direction. We are confident that our renewable tie resins fall into that category as well. We invite companies that are active in multi-layer barrier packaging to put their sustainability challenges to us as well.

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Pure-Pak® Sense: Next generation gable top carton

Contributing to a more sustainable future

Brand new in 2014 is Elopak’s latest carton innovation for fresh products: the Pure-Pak® Sense carton. The name has been derived from the fact that the design is focused on an appeal to the senses. This latest highlight is a result of thorough market research and analysis as well as internal workshops across Elopak’s technical, design and development departments. It was developed to appeal to consumer preferences and enhance brand differentiation through both its look and innovative functional features. It has a new, eye-catching design that communicates better on-shelf, and improved functionality with more convenient handling.

Elopak aims to replace all fossil-based raw materials with renewable alternatives and is working in partnership with key customers wanting to boost the environmental merits of their packaging. An increased use of bio-based PE helps reduce the use of fossil-based materials. In addition, this reduces one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions in the beverage carton value chain. “The beverage carton is the environmentally superior packaging choice, consisting of at least 75% renewable paperboard derived from responsibly managed forests. The remaining materials are mostly made of polyethylene, a polymer usually produced from fossil-based raw materials. Renewable PE brings us much closer to our vision of a 100% renewable carton. At the same time, we are further reducing the carbon footprint of the carton; a footprint which was already best in class within beverage packaging”, says Kristian Hall, Director Corporate Environment at Elopak. In addition, the bio-based PE is certified through the entire value chain, by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system (ISCC PLUS). ISCC PLUS sets strict requirements for sustainability and traceability through the entire value chain, with chain of custody certification based on a mass balance system.

Differentiating on shelf The carton features an arched top fin with a print option that provides a tool for better range navigation and enhanced communication of promotional messages. This carton both looks and feels different with an embossed ‘first touch’ zone on the top sides of the pack, giving consumers a new tactile experience with better handling. Reflecting the global trend to combat food waste, the Pure-Pak® Sense carton features new easy-to-fold lines. The feature enables consumers to fold the carton and squeeze out more of the product from the pack which is ideal for high viscosity products. The easy-tofold lines also enable convenient flattening of the empty carton, reducing volume in waste or recycling facilities. Elopak has developed this latest solution as a cost-efficient and flexible option running on existing filling lines with a minimal investment in a retrofit kit. Customers could run both the new Pure-Pak® Sense carton and the Pure-Pak® Classic carton on the same line. Importantly, the technology gives users the flexibility to switch from one carton format to another with minimum changeover time. In a marketplace that demands ever-increasing diversity and innovation, this is a key enabler for business growth. The Pure-Pak® Sense carton has been tested and launched in several Beta sites across Europe with a strong positive response from customers, retailers and consumers.

The Greenest Pure-Pak® carton ever Elopak is the first company to offer beverage cartons with renewable coating to the European market. As an industry first, Elopak uses second generation renewable polyethylene (PE), made of European-sourced biomass not in competition with food supply.

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Visit: www.elopak.com

MADERN INTERNATIONAL BV

Madern is one of our key suppliers providing us high quality cutting- and creasing tools and rotary die-cutters for our global EloBrick™ aseptic carton- and Pure Pak® carton production. Our partnership with Madern goes back more than 20 years and it has been instrumental for the development and efficiency of our production processes. For our new business developments, such as the new Pure Pak® Sense carton, Elopak worked closely with Madern to achieve the optimum carton design. Also, for our new EloBrick™ production line in Denmark, Madern supplied their latest development for creasing and punching of aseptic liquid cartons.

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GLOBAL PARTNER

FOR MAILING SOLUTIONS Kern Italia develops integrated systems for document and packaging processing addressed to medium and large sized companies. Based in Assago (Milan, Lombardy) and Sansepolcro (Arezzo- Tuscany), the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tailor-made hardware and software solutions are highly appreciated worldwide.

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“K

ern Italia was established in 2013,” begins Roberto Tumaini, Marketing and Trading General Manager for Kern Italia. “We are a part of Kern AG, a Swiss company owned and managed by Uli Kern. “Currently, poly-wrapping represents a common, practical and cost-effective method of processing packaging and mailing applications. Virtually all multi-various products that fall under the umbrella of the printing and graphic arts industry – magazines, newspapers, books, brochures, agendas, directories, calendars and so on – can be polywrapped. Poly (or film) wrapping bundles different kinds of items into individual packages that can be mailed conveniently to customers wherever they are.” Kern offers a wide range of tailored solutions for customers all over the world. They include: • folding and inserting systems with optical readers, • complex mailing lines, • processing of continuous computer forms and, last but not least, products for pre- and post-processing for digital printing. A more detailed description of its key product lines is provided hereunder.

Products for digital print solutions In today’s market, customer demands are constantly evolving. They want everincreasing value at a lower cost and in the same time looking to boost productivity. With this in mind, Kern offers high-speed, high-quality solutions that enable advanced printers to optimize their efficiency. Unwinding, rewinding, cutting, folding, stacking, inserting, packaging, consulting, software – the company offers combinations of all these services to provide solutions, suitable for each customer needs.

Inserting solutions Its high-speed inserting systems are the core of the company’s business. Its activities in this area include the development and manufacture innovative document inserting systems, mail wrapping systems and card mailing solutions ranging from mid- to highspeed performance. The Kern 3600 processes all format sizes, offering optimum performance levels combined with outstanding flexibility. The inserting system is available separately with a maximum output performance of 27,000 envelopes/h.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are even intensifying our efforts in Research & Development because our products represents our future and we would like to break into Russia, China and India.â&#x20AC;?

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Settings have been automated, allowing for a reduction in downtime when a format change is needed. Access to individual sections of the system have been improved for operators. Tables and stations can be opened or, like the feeder station, be lifted. This improved operator access means that possible malfunctions or problems can be solved quickly and efficiently. The flexibility of the system means it can be integrated with Kern’s mail Factory software solutions or solutions from third-party manufacturers.

Card solutions Kern’s Card System solutions were entirely designed and developed in Sansepolcro production site The Kern 90 Card System is notable for its extremely versatile and modular design. The system’s ‘pick and place’ robot allows for up to eight cards to be placed anywhere on the document, while its linear structure allows a maximum cycle speed up to 7000 card placements per hour. The system’s user-friendly software allows for a databasecontrolled procedure in which all cards are compared with the carrier document and are then validated and inserted. What’s more, all product information is available to be customized prior adequate analysis. The use of a pick and place robot processes cards with variable thicknesses, sizes and forms. The Kern 90 Card System can be connected to a Kern 2500 or 2600 inserting system, meaning customers can continue to use their systems to process ‘standard ‘insertions. A further option is represented by Kern 91 – a simple A-Z solution designed for the needs of the mid-range sector. This product can achieve a maximum cycle speed of 4000 card placements per hour. Its ultra-compact and functional design is the other main strength of the Kern 91. It is configured to be run by one operator, making it extremely cost effective.

Software solutions Typically, Kern’s customers today require not only high output volumes but must also consider other critical aspects of production such as security processing and efficiency optimization. Kern has developed a huge range of software which is able to trace, measure, analyze and enhance production. All software solutions run on Kern machines and work in the cloud.

Future strategy “Our goal for the next years,” says Mr. Tumaini, “is to further strengthen our market position in Europe, especially with our card systems. We are even intensifying our efforts in Research & Development because our products represent our future and we would like to break into Russia, China and India.” Visit: www.kern.it Packaging Europe | 233 |

Complete Packaging Systems Supplier Radpak, a company from Wloclawek, is Polandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leader in the production of packaging machines and complete packaging lines. Dariusz Balcerzyk reports.

adpak was founded by Tadeusz Radzanowski in 1991 in Wloclawek, an industrial city located in the centre of Poland. Mr Radzanowski gained experience in the design of packaging machinery in Canada and the United States. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own production base allows it to offer design, production, marketing, sales and additional services from a single location. At the same time Radpak has been developing its administrative and technological structures. As a result, the company has transformed into a thriving business with more than 100 employees. Since the very beginning Radpak has been focused on developing complete packaging lines including vertical FF&S baggers and dosers, cartoners, tray formers, case erectors and end of line case packers.

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Turnkey packaging systems In the domestic market, Radpak is now positioned as a leader in the production of packaging machines and complete packaging lines. Its product range has been increasing year on year. Nowadays, it offers a wide range of packaging machines, including vertical formfill-seal (VFFS) baggers; dosing (multi-head combination and linear scales, volumetric cup dosers, auger fillers); horizontal end load cartoners with semi & automatic loading (intermittent and continual); vertical top loading cartoners with semi & automatic loading (intermittent and continual); fully automatic case packers; automated loading systems (including industrial robots); custom designed packaging lines; and machines or packaging systems designed to meet individual needs. The company’s goal is to provide complete, turnkey packaging lines and it is constantly updating its range. This strategy means that Radpak is able to offer its customers some of the highest quality machines in the automated packaging market. The company is an active user of the European Union ‘Passport to Export’ subsidies, which provide Polish companies with support to develop their export business. Radpak’s supply chain includes some of the world’s leading companies such as Allen Bradley PLC (programmable controllers), Festo (industrial automation and process automation), SEW (drive automation solutions), Nordson (adhesive applicators) and many others. Radpak ensures that it uses only best components so that its machines are well known for their longevity and trouble-free operation. And who are Radpak’s core customer groups? The majority of end users are from the food sector, although it also serves the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The company’s future development will see the strengthening of its position in the Polish market and expansion into foreign markets, especially in the US market where the company sees great potential for its products.

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All Radpak’s machines are equally popular amongst its clients. Recently, the company has noticed an increased level of interest in complete packaging lines or cartoning machines for multipacks. Demand for the Radpak vertical packaging machines is also at a consistently high level.

Close cooperation with clients Radpak produces complete packaging lines which can be customised according to what the client demands. According to the company, some clients already come with a vision for their finished line but others only know what they want to be packed. Radpak works closely with its clients from the initial design phase up to the final product. At each stage the customer is free to inspect the progress of the work – both virtually and by visiting the company’s factory – in order to ensure it meets their requirements.

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But Radpak does not only produce and sell packaging lines: the company also offers additional services including spare parts, shipping, inspection, after-sales services and on-site training. Its service team consists of experts with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in the packaging industry. Radpak is an active participant at major trade fairs, both at home and abroad. These provide it with an excellent opportunity to make new contacts or new sales. It regularly attends shows such as PACK EXPO in Chicago; IPACK – IMA in Milan, Manchester and Birmingham; Interpack in Düsseldorf; and ProSweets and Anuga FoodTec in Cologne. Radpak will often present its prototype solutions at these shows prior to full production. Visit: www.radpak.net

High Tech made in Germany As one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading manufacturers and developers of inspection, separation and sorting systems, Germany-based S+S serves a wide range of industries. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to sales director George Laudi to find out more about the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive product portfolio and recent investments.

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S+S

develops metal detectors, separators, magnetic systems, X-ray systems and sorting systems for the examination of unit loads and bulk goods in the food, chemical, pharma, plastics, rubber and tyre industries. The machines are also used in other industries, such as textiles, cement and wood as well as in mining. X-ray systems like the S+S Raycon line are able to check packaged foods or bulk material for contamination through glass, stones or metal, and also detect faulty products – such as missing or broken biscuits in a packet. “Metal detectors on the other hand find even the smallest metal particles in packaged or unpackaged food, but also in plastic granules or ground products, for example during packaging recycling. Metal contaminations can be detected and directly sorted out of the product stream. S+S does not just build the detectors but also provides the product handling system,” Mr Laudi explains. Metal separators are used for the examination of bulk goods during conveying. They detect metal contaminations and eject them from the product stream without interrupting production. “Our metal separators are available for a variety of applications for industrial manufacturing companies in the packaging industry. They protect converting machines such as injection moulding machines, extruders and blown film extrusion lines from metal particles in the conveyed material. These metal particles then cannot get into the machines where they would possibly cause damage or blockages resulting in expensive downtimes. By using our metal separators, our customers noticeably increase their machinery efficiency,” Mr Laudi points out. “In the food industry, our detection systems are primarily employed in the examination of food. Used for quality control they find even the smallest metal contaminations, which normally would have ended up undetected on the end consumer’s plate. Expensive recall campaigns, loss of image and health risks therefore can be reliably avoided. Food processing machines can also be protected from damage through foreign bodies in order to increase packaging production efficiency,” Mr Laudi adds. | 240 | Packaging Europe

Magnetic systems to separate special metals containing magnetic material complete S+S’s portfolio and are used amongst other things as complementary systems for example in the area of packaging recycling. The company also develops sorting systems for fully automated sorting of mixed material streams, especially for the recycling of plastics, glass and other materials. “In the packaging industry, our machines are used wherever the aim is to fulfil strict tolerances in quality and production efficiency, be it in the manufacture of high quality packaging films, PET bottles, caps and closures and also the clean sorting of plastics in recycling. Securing quality when packaging foods is another important field of application,” says Mr Laudi.

Focus on innovation Innovation is key for S+S, and there is continuous work on developing machines and appliances, using the newest available technologies and drawing on in-house synergies. “Thanks to the wide spectrum of technologies we have available in-house, we are able to provide each customer with the solution best suited to them. Recently we introduced the Raycon 130/240, an X-ray system for the examination of tetra packs or bottles into the market. The X-ray penetrates the product sideways, which means that less X-ray energy is absorbed by the product than if the X-ray were hitting the product from below. Therefore we can find even smaller contaminations by using the same amount of energy,” Mr Laudi explains. All of S+S’s machines are manufactured in an environmentally friendly way near the Bavarian Forest National Park in Schönberg, Germany. “With our leading high tech products Made in Germany we serve discerning customers all over the world. We have set ourselves ambitious growth targets with which the production capacities have to keep up,” says Mr Laudi. “As a well positioned worldwide manufacturer we are present with subsidiaries in big markets such as the USA, China, India and South East Asia, but we also see the European market, where we have our roots, as an important driver for growth. At the moment, apart from Europe, expanding our business in our overseas markets is also very impor-

tant to us; for example, South America is offering a very interesting perspective for us,” adds Mr Laudi. The company has made significant investments in distribution in recent years and founded subsidiaries in India and Italy. Most recently S+S Italy was founded in 2013, and S+S India was founded in 2014. Mr Laudi see’s a very positive future for S+S. “We have been growing continuously by expanding the application areas of our existing and new technologies. One example is the market dynamic in the area of X-ray inspection systems which we co-drive ourselves with our Raycon product line. We set ourselves ambitious growth goals and we think that we have positioned ourselves very well to fulfil the need for increasingly demanding technological solutions in the markets. S+S has 30 years of experience in the area of product inspection and sorting. Our know-how in the area of customer applications is of key importance for our future success. As a partner of our customers, we are able to support and advise them to achieve maximum performance with our systems in their specific production line. We secure our leading knowledge not only through continuous development of our technologies, but also through consistent training of our employees.” Visit: www.sesotec.com

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PACE: Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier

Networking Event

The Packaging and Converting Executive Forum (PACE) celebrates is tenth edition next year with the goal of once again providing a platform for collaboration to help industry professionals respond to the ever-shifting trends and challenges of the marketplace. Tim Sykes spoke to the organisers of the packaging industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier invitation-only event.

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idely regarded as the must-attend event for senior executives in the packaging industry, PACE Europe, which takes place in Brussels, 10-12 February 2015, is meticulously planned in order to bring the right people together to address the most important issues of the day facing their businesses. It is a cross-industry event where executives from brand owners such as Coca-Cola, GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble and Mars rub shoulders with converters in workshops, case study sessions, one-to-one meetings and presentations.

Delegate driven forum Since its launch in 2004, PACE has grown into a global medium with sister events in Asia and the Americas. One constant has been an ethos of providing a unique and stimulating space for converters and brand owners to come together. However, over the decade the organisers have continually innovated to perfect the format to maximise the benefits for participants. Drawing on packaging supply chain knowledge as well as the wealth of experience gained through running the event, PACE designs its programme based on a profound understanding of the needs of attendees, the key market drivers affecting their businesses, and how to create an environment which maximises touching points for networking.

“PACE is a delegate-driven forum,” said Antoine Marsden, director of PACE Forums. “It is set apart from any other event by its research-driven agenda. We spend a great deal of time talking to our delegates and getting to understand what challenges they face today and envisage in the future. Such insights are channelled into the selection of topics to be addressed by our programme of presentations, case-studies and workshops.”

Strict qualification A core principle of PACE is to select high level attendees in order to ensure that meaningful communication takes place throughout the myriad networking opportunities. For instance, to attend as one of the 100 or so VIP delegates on the brand owner side, an individual must work for an organisation with a turnover of at least £100 million and personally have control over a budget of at least £1,000,000. This strict qualification bracket sets PACE apart from any would-be competitors. The solution providers present, meanwhile, are also controlled both in terms of numbers, seniority and job functions. While there is an emphasis on including only top management, the PACE forum hosts a spread of heads of R&D, engineering, marketing, sustainability and other departments involved in the value chain, reflecting an understanding that the industry must overcome its habit of working in silos.

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Bespoke agenda Each attendee will come to PACE Europe with a personal agenda for the forum, comprising a tailored mix of sessions and meetings. Participants get to choose particular workshop and case study sessions based on their roles, and meetings based on their needs. “Marketing and engineering executives have divergent interests,” remarked Antoine Marsden. “The multi-stream format of PACE, with sessions taking place in parallel, means there is something interesting going on all the time. Everyone can pick and choose in order to make the very most of their time, and their bespoke timetable matches their objectives.” The organisers do their utmost to ensure that professionals have a platform to communicate openly while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their supply-chains. Although they emphatically state that ‘PACE is not a trade show’, it is a forum which fosters collaborations and business relationships. To this end, the event programme incorporate eleven half-hour slots dedicated to one-to-one business meetings, which pair up VIP attendees with carefully selected solutions providers. “The governing idea of one-to-one meetings is quality over quantity,” said Antoine Marsden. “Each attendee supplies us with data about their needs, enabling us to introduce them to relevant solution providers. We encourage parties to do their homework on each other and we provide passwords to allow participants to communicate in advance of the meeting. This isn’t about speed dating. The aim is to create an environment that is conducive to doing business: to have an in-depth and open discussion about their supply chains.”

Presentations and discussions Around the business meetings is a packed agenda of keynote presentations, group discussions, workshops and case-study sessions. PACE Europe 2015 will frame its topics around

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the context of packaging as an investment, addressing how to deal with the fragmented nature of the packaging business. The key trends under scrutiny include present and future areas of innovation, marrying technology with packaging, how to respond to changes in demographics and consumer behaviour, the rise of e-commerce and a multi-channel environment, as well as issues revolving around sustainability, such as food waste and water consumption. The customer case study sessions are designed to explore challenges and opportunities within an area to which most of the brand owners can relate. Converters can sponsor a session to show an alignment of their capabilities to the technology or challenge under discussion. Meanwhile, the series of workshops, many of them running concurrently with the business meetings, are sessions tailored to specialised audiences, talking through the practicalities and specifics of a solution, technology or application. The brand owners pre-select which of these they wish to attend before the event.

Fresh perspectives “For the tenth anniversary of PACE Europe we will be innovative, not through radically changing the tried and tested formula but focussing on the content,” said Antoine Marsden. “The agenda is driven by the most important conversations taking place in the packaging world, which we try to frame in fresh and interesting ways.” Attendees will hear from inspiring thought leaders, to swap ideas on crucial trends with the packaging industry, and to get an inside view of how projects such as Heineken’s light-up can or the integration of Coca-Cola’s mass-personalisation ‘Share a Coke’ initiative into the supply chain came to fruition. They will establish new contacts and initiate new business relationships. The forum can be guaranteed to provide the three most intense days of learning, sharing and networking of the year. Visit: www.arena-international.com

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Passion for Plastics

and Polymers Gulf Plastics and Polymers Show (GPPS) is an exciting new launch event for Fleming Gulf Exhibitions, an experienced events coordinator that has been organising world class events since 2005. Under the slogan ‘Linking Business with Intelligence’, Fleming Gulf has 10 international offices and organises over 100 events across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

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he first edition of the exhibition will run from 8–10 September 2015 at the impressive and dedicated exhibition venue of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), with the mission of bringing together plastic raw materials, machinery, equipment and finished goods under one roof. Alex Heuff, exhibitions director, talks about the highly-anticipated event and the huge impact it will have on the industry.

Networking platform The aim of GPPS is to provide thousands of the world’s leading suppliers and buyers a business platform to network, learn and capitalise on the multi-million dollar industry. “We are expecting our exhibitors to be showcasing the latest technologies and solutions to help our visitors – i.e buyers – improve their manufacturing capabilities and increase their output,” Mr Heuff comments. “Through our seminars and conference, exhibitors also have the opportunity to speak to a captive audience, educating the market on the latest techniques available within the industry.” Visitors and delegates will have the opportunity to network and learn about the latest technologies and innovations within the industry – whether it relates to polymer development, plastic converters, end users, machinery or recycling. Delegates will be able

to listen to thought provoking speakers and interact through panel discussions. Visitors have the opportunity to see the latest products and services and have the opportunity to improve their manufacturing and production capabilities by purchasing the products and services on display.

wood to become more economical,” Mr Heuff remarks. “Other technology areas would focus on selective dissolution and the splitting of the resins into recyclable plastics.” GPPS provides the ideal platform for the industry to address these issues and showcase the technologies to overcome them.

Key trends

Dedicated product zones

When researching and speaking to the market about the feasibility of organising GPPS, Mr Heuff uncovered some very interesting insights and trends about the market, which will be explored throughout the show. He explains that two key areas reoccurred in discussions: “Sustainability and bioplastics and the technology around making bio-plastics a more attractive proposition over the more traditional fossil fuel and chemical based polymers.” The shift from fossil fuel based polymers to plant based polymers, which are more sustainable and environmentally friendly, is an area the industry is exploring. However, the costs involved in the development of plant-based polymers are higher than the relatively cheaper costs for fossil fuel polymers. “On the other side of sustainability, there is mounting pressure on the industry to reduce the environmental impact of the final products and increase the use of biodegradable materials. We all know that there has been a worldwide drive and government initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase recycling. Consumers are becoming more environmentally friendly and conscious of recycling so the industry needs to react to these trends.” Related to the area of sustainability is the development of bio-plastics and plant-based polymers. According to Mr Heuff, in 2012 bio-plastics were worth US$4 billion and are forecast to grow further between now and 2018. However, there needs to be further improvements in the manufacturing process to reduce the costs and allow bio-plastics to become more mainstream. “We are expecting some of the technologies to focus on how to make second and third generation cellulose conversion from non-food crops such as horn husks, grass and

“Over the next five years, the number of polymer products produced within the GCC will double and by 2018 the total polymers capacity within the GCC is expected to reach 35.9 million tons. During the same period, 11.3 million tons of additional polymer capacity will come on stream and 22 per cent of this will be from new products,” Mr Heuff points out. To ensure that GPPS is focused, catering for the needs of this vast market, the show is split into five dedicated product zones: Plastic Converters; Machinery, Lab and Control Equipment; Polymers and Materials; Printing Solutions; and Plastics Products for Packaging and piping. Initially GPPS will cover 3000 square metres of ADNEC’s exhibition space, providing thousands of the world’s leading suppliers and buyers with a platform to network, learn and capitalise on the multi-billion dollar industry. Mr Heuff remarks, “The potential for GPPS to grow and develop over the years is enormous. Trying to ensure that the first GPPS achieves its full potential is a challenging task but we are confident that, as the market grows, so will GPPS.” With the bulk of the GCC’s polymers being commodity plastics, Mr Heuff expects a fair proportion of the audience to come from consumer packaging. However, as the industry is so vast within the region visitors are also expected from the following sectors: construction, industrial packaging, textiles, consumer goods, agriculture, automotive, appliances, electrical and medical. Mr Heuff comments, “Our exhibitors can expect to meet with both C-Level decision making professionals, distributors, trader, consultants and agents as well as the more technical and specialist chemical professionals from around the region.” Packaging Europe | 251 |

Strategic venue Abu Dhabi the capital of the UAE, with a GDP per capita of over $41,000 is a wealthy, dynamic and vibrant cultural city with strong business acumen thanks to its substantial investment in free trade zones and international business parks. Visitors will be able to see the many attractions on hand ranging from the Yas Marina Formula 1 track, Ferrari World Theme park, Guggenheim Museum, Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, countless golf courses with over 130+ hotels. ADNEC is ideally located with ease of access for both internal and local businesses looking to exhibit and visit GPPS. “We believe that the potential for the event is enormous considering the size and value, not just of the local market, but also the regional market,” Mr Heuff remarks. “Currently polymer sales within the GCC stand at US$23.8 billion and this is growing at an annual rate of more than 20 per cent, which demonstrates the sheer scale of the industry within the region and the market potential for suppliers looking at conducting business within the region.” Abu Dhabi, the capital and business hub for the United Arab Emirates, has been strategically chosen as the venue for the exhibition for a number of reasons. Mr Heuff explains why he believes there is a strong market demand for an event such as GPPS: “Abu Dhabi is home to one of the fastest growing plastics business parks within the region – the Abu Dhabi Polymer Park located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD). With a total output capacity of no less than 1 million tonnes per annum, the Abu Dhabi Polymers Park creates sustainable value within the economy through the conversion of readilyavailable domestic and regional products. “By leveraging Abu Dhabi’s existing up- and midstream presence in petrochemicals, the Park is well placed to participate in higher margin downstream production so as to broaden its manufacturing base and product mix. In addition, it creates opportunities for international and regional private investment in developing downstream products for the construction, infrastructure, packaging and OEM segments.” He continues, “Looking beyond the UAE and Abu Dhabi, the Middle East’s plastics and polymer global market share is set to soar by 17 per cent by 2020. This growth is helped by the investment the region is putting into the industry. Along with the Abu Dhabi Polymer Park in the UAE, Saudi Arabia has two massive projects under development – firstly there is the Rabigh Conversion Industrial Park (RCIP) where Petro Rabigh is building another plastics converting park similar to its existing site based in Jiddah. Petro Rabigh is a joint venture between Sumitomo Chemical from Japan and Saudi

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Aramco. Secondly there is the expansion of the Plaschem Park, which is managed by the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu, where Saudi Aramco are developing a plastics park in Jubail next to Sadara Chemical.” These three major projects in the region demonstrate the investment and importance of the plastics and polymers industry, and its need for a comprehensive show.

Conference aims The conference will be held over two days of the exhibition and provides more than 20 industry experts to educate the market with the latest trends. It will include presentations, workshops, panel discussions and roundtable discussions allowing both the speakers and the delegates to interact. The conference aims to cover five key areas. One of these key areas is polymer development in the region and forecast on new product development along with the impact on the converter sector. According to Mr Heuff, “The Middle East is host to some of the world’s largest downstream players such as Tasnee, Sipchem, Sabic, Aramco, Petrorabigh and Sadara Chemicals. With huge forecasts of over 2 million tonnes of polymers to be produced p.a. in the GCC alone, polymer players are poised to develop new materials such as EVA that will promise to open doors to new and fresh applications in plastic manufacturing.” GPPS will be an ideal platform to host technical workshops from leading material players to raise awareness and make an informed business decision. Secondly, the conference will throw light on the burgeoning growth promised by converters through innovations in packaging, materials and supply chain efficiency that will lead to good quality products at competitive price. The focus will be on packaging but also on automotive, construction and medical. “The GCC is host to around 1000 plastic converters with the majority of them present in UAE and Saudi Arabia. UAE accounts for 19 per cent of the region’s output and the country also ranks second in total plastics manufacturing capacity, representing 10.2 per cent of the area’s polymer capacity,” Mr Heuff explains. “The growth is led by major companies such Falcon Pack, Obeikan Group, Savola Plastics and NAPCO Group, all of whom we expect to be in attendance. “The GCC has a growing FMCG sector with high growth in Construction, Medical and apparel as well. All these sectors lead to a high demand for packaging materials and plastics and polymers for their end manufacturing.” Therefore the conference will also host presentations from leading FMCG and construction companies and end users to discuss their requirements and future packaging innovations. Companies such Al Marai will be focusing on sustainable packaging materials. Visitors to the show can also expect to find solutions for their machinery requirements. Mr Heuff points out, “There is an ever-growing demand for large-scale machines and technologies that enhance production output at lower costs in the MENA region, home to many large-scale downstream and converting plants, resin raw material manufacturers, plastic converters and companies that use packaging which need advanced machineries and technologies for their manufacturing facilities.” The conference will also aim to cover the important topic of plastic recycling. “The government is increasing awareness through regulations for environmentally friendly activities and companies are looking at eco-friendly and sustainable materials for plastic packaging,” Mr Heuff comments. GPPS will have leading companies that offer recyclable material packaging solutions to present and raise awareness through workshops and presentations. For more information, visit www.gpps.ae

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Stretch and grow Globally-active BOPP film manufacturer Manuli Stretch Group has consistently developed innovative ways to meet the changing needs of its customers. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Jean Claudio Bassano to learn more.

ounded in Milan in 1934, Manuli Stretch Group was established when Dardanio Manuli developed an electrical insulation tape that quickly proved popular. Over the following decades the company continued to maintain its position at the technical forefront of the BOPP industry, becoming the global market leader in totally recyclable linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) stretch film. Today Manuli Stretch Group is one of the world’s biggest producers of stretch film, with the group comprising three focused business units that all work together to deliver a sustainable product to customers worldwide. The three units are the European operations, European distribution and the Latin American operations and distribution. With the global headquarters in Milan, the European manufacturing hub in Leipzig, Germany and additional manufacturing sites in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, the company has a strong global footprint.

Safe and sound CEO Jean Claudio Bassano spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how the company’s structure serves both the business and its customers. He said, “Our group manufacturing is centred on our three main plants in Schkopau near Leipzig, Buenos Aires and Curitiba in Chile, giving us an excellent capacity and availability for customers wherever they are in the world. Together, our plants produce nearly 200,000 tonnes of stretch film every year from a total production area of around 40,000 square meters. So by having a sound company foundation and three state| 254 | Packaging Europe

of-the-art manufacturing plants, we have worked hard to create a globally-active company that consistently meets the needs of our customers.” At the Manuli Stretch plant in Leipzig, which was built from scratch in 1999 using the very latest technologies and has continued to be upgraded ever since, the company operates 14 extrusion lines. There are a further four extrusion lines plus a tapes coating line in Argentina and another three extrusion lines in Chile. “All our plants are second-to-none in terms of the latest machinery and equipment,” Mr Bassano continued. “In Leipzig our key technologies are industrial stretch film extrusion, stretch film orientation and conversion, cast polypropylene (CPP) extrusion, stretch hood extrusion and CPP film conversion. Our continual upgrading of this European facility has seen us install a new capacity for stretch hood extrusion and we’ve built an extension line upgrade for CPP. We have also recently installed a new slitting line for CPP conversion.” With the Argentinian and Chilean plants also operating the very latest extrusion and conversion machinery, as well as tapes coating lines and new tapes slitting lines, it is safe to say that Manuli Stretch lives up to its promise of delivering quality stretch films. Mr Bassano added, “We do have some further expansion and investment planned for the near future but it is currently confidential.” All of the Manuli Stretch Group’s facilities are accredited with the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 15001 certificates. The company is committed to operating in an environmentally-sound manner as well as being efficient in terms of process

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manufacturing. The sustainability focus certainly extends to its product development activities too, with its latest innovation achieving a reduced thickness while retaining the high-quality mechanical properties expected by the Manuli brand. Mr Bassano explained, “We’ve been very successful in reducing the thickness of our film through smart use of technology and clever integration of research. It means that customers can use fewer polymers to wrap or palletise their products but they keep the performance and reliability of our films. It’s better for the environment and better for our customers.”

Always developing The innovative developments from Manuli Stretch Group can be attributed to its ‘Touch Centres’ - dedicated research and development centres at each of its plants that employ highly skilled process engineers that follow market trends and lead in-

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novative projects. Mr Bassano added, “It is here that we’ve been working on a really fresh new film for food packaging. It’s currently top secret but I will certainly tell Packaging Europe readers all about it as soon as it’s launched.” As an Italian family company based in Germany, Manuli Stretch Group has an interesting mix of efficiency and flexibility, taking the positive traits from its heritage and balancing it with the benefits of its location. “Our German plant is great at coming up with a good idea and running with it in an effective manner, while the Italian part is then flexible about getting it to market,” said Mr Bassano. “We’re always asking the question ‘what is the best way we can solve this?’. It’s about being fast in the market but, above all else, it’s about being reliable. Reliable quality, reliable service and reliable as a partner. We’re really into mutual exchanges of ideas with our customers, our suppliers and our staff.” As Manuli Stretch Group continues to grow, the company is continually increasing its efficiency in order to stay the market leader. Currently working to adapt all its facilities to ensure it is always one step ahead of the latest certifications in its fields, the company is very positive about the future. Mr Bassano concluded: “The European market is not so buoyant at the moment, but as a global company with a strong footprint we are able to move quickly and grow in countries where there is potential. By keeping close to our customers worldwide, we are always ready when the market picks up and, thanks to our constant innovation, we always have new solutions available that are tailor-made to our customers’ needs.” Visit: www.manulistretch.com

Avoiding risk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In Challenging Applications Mettler Toledo Safeline is the global market leader in industrial metal detection for the food and pharmaceutical processing and packaging industries. Felicity Landon reports.

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Vacuum Formers Ltd are a British company with our factory based in the heart of Macclesfield, Cheshire. Vacuum Formers are specialists in creating moulded plastic components using thermoforming (vacuum forming) techniques. Vacuum Formers are ideally located to serve our customers throughout Cheshire and the UK. Vacuum Formers are a family run business and our success is largely due to our very flexible and creative approach to plastic moulding and plastic fabrication. We are specialists in the manufacture of replacement roadside and amenity lighting and a wide range of general purpose industrial plastic mouldings, including for pharmaceutical machines. We utilise many types of plastic moulding materials such as Petg and polycarbonates with food grade options for the vacuum forming process. A complete in-house development service is carried out on the premises by our team of experienced plastic design engineers. From initial drawings, we can provide realistic lead times for prototypes and production quantities. We can also provide â&#x20AC;&#x153;cut to sizeâ&#x20AC;? panels, fabrication and welding. If you have a project to complete or a problem that needs solving please contact us. We are always happy to discuss your plastic vacuum moulding requirements with absolutely no obligation. 01625 428389 - info@vacuum-formers-plastics.co.uk - www.vfplastics.co.uk

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or food and pharmaceuticals companies the world over, brand and reputation means everything. A product recall can cost millions of dollars, without even taking into account the knock-on effect of the bad publicity. And no company wants to make the headlines because a customer has found a piece of metal in their breakfast cereal or ready meal. This is where Mettler Toledo Safeline, and its sister companies in the group’s product inspection division, provide critical services and solutions. Incredibly sensitive instrumentation can detect rogue items even where volumes are huge and flows extremely fast. This is, however, no ‘ordinary’ detection. “Our Profile Advantage metal detector sets the benchmark in sensitivity for difficult-to-inspect products in the food industry, while our Pharmaceutical systems can detect specks of stainless steel that the eye can’t see,” says Alan Purvis, managing director of Mettler Toledo Safeline. “We can find those specks at a processing speed of 200,000 tablets an hour. And we don’t just make the detector – we make the material handling system to provide the right solution, including a failsafe reject mechanism.” It is, says Mr Purvis, all about avoiding risks – not only putting in detection at critical points in the process but also avoiding false alarms which bring production to a halt. “Reliability and uptimes are absolutely critical for our customers,” he says. “But at the same time, compliance must be watertight. Companies value their brand and reputation extremely highly. We sell the high technology inline instrumentation to help food producers and retailers, and the pharmaceutical sector, to protect their brand, comply with international standards and maximise productivity at the same time.”

World leader Safeline was set up in Salford in the UK 25 years ago; it grew fast and was acquired by the Mettler Toledo group. “The Safeline name is recognised by food producers for providing high quality inline instrumentation – but we would not have been able to grow and invest to the level that we have without the support of our parent group,” says Mr Purvis. | 260 | Packaging Europe

The company holds a global market share of about a quarter – and its export figures are remarkable, exceeding 95 per cent of its output from the UK. “We are the global leader in terms of installed basis and turnover in the metal detection business,” says Mr Purvis. “And we intend to grow. The global food industry is enormous, and the proportion of the world’s population that is able to buy mass-produced, packaged food is growing every year, particularly as the population becomes more and more urbanised.”

Unique solutions A key factor of Safeline’s expertise is in its attention to detail. There are so many potential and varying applications in the industry that the company doesn’t make to stock or sell off-the-shelf solutions. “We assess the application, which means that our sales people have to be experts,” he says. “Nearly 90 per cent of what we sell is made to order. You have to understand what the customer needs before you can explain to them what you can provide, before they decide to buy it. There is a whole value chain of expertise involved.” A good metal detection system provides improved brand and customer protection; compliance with international food safety standards and retailer codes of practice, or pharmaceutical standards; cost reduction; and increased productivity. But as well as all of these, a good system can improve overall equipment efficiency (OEE). “There is a lot of information inside metal detection that most customers wouldn’t normally consider,” he says. “They only want to know – can it protect/reject? But the information gathered in the detector can also help optimise manufacturing and processing by reporting throughput, yield and system availability. “I believe we are the only metal detection supplier that offers OEE displays, and these are incredibly valuable to our clients’ quality engineering teams. They can track OEE, detector set-up, product rejects and Performance Verification (PV) routines. With this

phone: +44-161-876-4498 www.k3syspro.com

K3 Syspro At K3 Syspro, we understand that industrial packaging businesses need an ERP solution that is tailored to meet their manufacturing and distribution needs. And just like there is no one-size-fits-all solution for packaging, the same is true for ERP. You need a solution that helps you overcome the daily challenges that you face every day; whether it’s labelling multiple units of measurement, connecting shopfloor and e-commerce, or rebate tracking, we give you the tools you need to do your job more effectively. ERP packaged around your individual business needs can really help your company deliver.

type of system you can demonstrate compliance much more quickly than if you send people out with clipboards to write things down. “Our systems also monitor the electronics. We build in predictive diagnosis and condition monitoring, so the client can pre-empt maintenance issues – for example, if the system starts to drift out of calibration. More and more companies are using this feature to reduce their production costs. In the future we will develop further in this area.” Safeline metal detectors can inspect food products in all formats, and are built to provide the best solution for each type in order to pick up on ferrous, non-ferrous and difficult-to-detect non-magnetic stainless steels. Its rectangular aperture metal detectors detect contaminants in conveyorised, loose or packed product applications and can be used, for example, for meat, poultry, fish, bakery and ready meals, as well as sacked/crated produce, blocks of cheese or bulk meat packs. For some products, however, something different is needed. How does a factory producing millions of packets of crisps every week enable an efficient inspection? The cooked crisps are fed into a giant hopper, weighed and then dropped down a chute into the individual bags which are themselves metallised, so are clearly not suitable for metal detection at that point. Safeline produces vertical packaging metal detectors to fit neatly into this type of operation. As the crisps head through the final process, the system detects for metal – before they go into the bag. For bulk powder or granular products, Safeline supplies gravity fall metal detection systems. And for liquid, paste of slurry type products – think jam, baby food, sausage meat – Safeline supplies a pipeline detector.

facility in China. To augment that, because you can never have enough innovation, we sponsor a department at the University of Manchester which is focusing on electromagnetic research. “In the past three years, we have innovated substantially and have had really significant successes, including several patents.” Safeline is about to bring to market the most sensitive metal detection solution it has ever produced. Mr Purvis described the ‘Profile Advantage’ as the company’s biggest step forward for a decade, and a significant moment also from the market point of view. At present, Mr Purvis says, there are 80,000 Safeline detectors installed in the world. An estimated 1.5 trillion packages of food go through Safeline metal detectors every year. In terms of the company’s markets, approximately 40 per cent of sales are into Europe (including the CIS countries), 40 per cent to the Americas, and 20 per cent to Asia, which is the fastest growing market as global companies look for ‘global reach and local excellence’. That means that a branded chocolate bar should be exactly the same standard, whichever country it’s made in bought in. “We can support these companies in their growth plans,” he says. In 2012, Mettler Toledo Safeline received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, in recognition of its exports and also the company’s longevity and reputation. The award also recognised Safeline’s impact on society, says Mr Purvis proudly. “Food safety is so important. Through our equipment, we are making a hidden and secret contribution to the welfare of billions of people.”

The importance of innovation

For more information on how to detect and reject metal from “challenging applications” in your production line, download Mettler-Toledo Safeline’s white paper: http://uk.mt.com/gb/en/home/supportive_content/White_Papers/product-organizations/pi/ understanding-challenging-metal-detection-applications.html

R&D is, of course, a vital part of the company’s ongoing success. “It is critical that we continuously innovate,” says Mr Purvis. “We invest in R&D people primarily based in Manchester, near our factory, but we also have R&D people at our satellite production

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Innovations in paper processing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anyone who processes paper and print knows our name as a byword for excellence in paper processing.â&#x20AC;? Behind this claim stands the brand Hunkeler, an independent, family owned business based in Wikon near Lucerne, Switzerland. Julia Snow gives a preview of the Innovationdays in Luzern â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an event organised by the company and due to take place in February 2015.

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unkeler has gathered more than nine decades of expertise in the paper processing industry since its foundation in 1922. The company offers advanced pre- and post solutions for high performance digital print systems covering print on demand, computer centres and direct mailing, as well as web finishing services. It also offers modular systems to produce application-based, organisational, communication and advertising media. Around 250 employees are working at its recently built corporate headquarters in Switzerland as well as in subsidiary companies in Germany, Italy and Hong Kong; more representations can be found worldwide.

Hunkeler Innovationdays Being held from 23–26 February 2015 for the 11th time, the Hunkeler Innovationdays event in the Swiss city of Lucerne is described as “the event for trendsetters and technology leaders who will influence and set the pace for the next stage of industry innovation.” The list of exhibitors includes all the top names in the printing industry, and the event is expected to break attendance records. Visitors will have plenty of opportunities to have in-depth discussions, make new contacts and discover innovative ideas and solutions dealing with every aspect of digital high-performance printing and paper processing. In the two new ultra-modern trade show halls in Lucerne,

Hunkeler will show more than 40 real-world production solutions. More than 80 exhibitors – from wide-ranging areas including prepress, print and finishing, printing substrates, consumables and finishing materials as well as software – will all be in one place to provide visitors with expert advice.

Reaching the summit together The Innovationdays event slogan ‘Reaching the summit together’ refers to the convergence of important customers, technology and worldwide experts who will be present at Lucerne. The event invites users, manufacturers and specialists to inspect Hunkeler’s broad state-of-the-art product portfolio for the digital printing sector. With their own eyes visitors can experience the high efficiency of end-to-end workflows over the entire value creation chain – from software to finished books, from idea to solution. Inline, nearline or offline, with tried and proven digital printing or mapping the transition from conventional printing environments.

The latest in automation Hunkeler and its partners will also use the event to present exclusive world premieres and leading-edge developments for improved automation, including: A new generation of winding and unwinding modules with fastroll changes and

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Petratto Petratto is a manufacturer of original folding gluing machines, able to process most of the jobs that are not feasible with traditional folder gluers. Equipped with many innovative accessories, our machines can perform various processes: from the application of double side adhesive tapes, tear strip, up to inserting 3D objects inside boxes or envelopes. The main novelty of 2014/2015 is given by the new line of die cutting machines, Pdf. The leading machine is Pdf 75 that differs from other similar equipments in the market: in fact it had been specifically designed for digital jobs. It’s a fully automatic machine that allows carrying out the following processes: die cutting, hot foil, embossing and holograms.

production speeds over 300 metres /min; a book production line with automated format length changeover; dynamic finishing technology for perforating, punching, gathering, chip-out, cutting and stacking; as well as new ease-of-operation with new control platforms and software modules such as PerfEditor and LaserEditor.

Innovations from coating to book binding The new Hunkeler ‘Primer Coater’ Module expands the range of conventional substrates that are eligible for inkjet printing and can also add post-print gloss to inkjet-printed products. In the area of digital newspaper finishing Hunkeler will show a new folder and collecting module for enhanced efficiency when producing tabloid and broadsheet formats – also perfectly suited for producing inserts. Also, book production solutions can be inspected in a variety of workflows – from highly flexible nearline solutions to highly-automated book production lines and from the white roll to the finished book. Examples include short-life budgetbound books and efficient adhesive binding to quality thread stitching, as well as the full spectrum from small to medium scale production runs. Visitors will find efficient production solutions for digitally printed brochures with dynamic content and variable numbers of pages. When it comes to the dynamic perforation and punching of payment forms, tear-off coupons, mailings and security applications, Hunkeler solutions now offer even greater functionality and production speed.

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More security with laser Laser finishing is for perfect security printing, including highly dynamic punching, perforating and engraving of complex logos, shapes, text and numbers. Easy operation is guaranteed with an advanced LaserEditor for producing forge-proof checks, IDs, lottery tickets, coupons and much more. Hunkeler’s quality control and document tracking meets the latest standards for reliable production monitoring, compliance and reporting.

Listening to experts – finding experts The Innovationdays will also be supplemented by high-level on-site forums: DOXNET (The Document X-perts Network), Interquest and EBDA (European Business Document Association) are sure to attract attention with fascinating technical presentations and discussions. Digital printing means that offset quality can often be achieved or even exceeded in many applications. Choosing a competent partner, who not only accompanies developments but also actively helps to shape them, is vital in order to stay ahead in the digital printing world. The Innovationdays 2015 are set to offer a unique platform to find such partners. Up to date information, timings and a registration facility can be found at www.innovationdays.com.

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One to Watch

The Waddington Group is a major global manufacturer and supplies a broad range of packaging for the food processing and food service markets. The Group has grown substantially over recent years, operating 14 manufacturing sites across the USA and Canada and ambitiously growing its European market presence. Packaging Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Libby White reports.

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he Waddington name will be familiar to many in Europe as a major UK based packaging and printing company, renowned for producing board games such as ‘Monopoly’ and ‘Cluedo’ . The company was acquired in 2000 and subsequently divided. As a part of the break up, Waddington’s US division was sold to the management and a group of financial investors. Together and under the original Waddington name they have steadily built the business to become the powerhouse it is today. In 2013 the Waddington Group acquired ParPak of Canada. ParPak is a large thermoforming company based in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Houston, Texas, and Milton Keynes in the UK. This gave Waddington its first foothold back into the European market. They recently used the ParPak Europe business as the springboard to acquire Holfeld Plastics in Co. Wicklow Ireland. The two businesses are now being operated under the Waddington Europe banner and are poised for significant further European expansion. The combined businesses have a turnover in excess of €50m and have well over 200 employees. The businesses are led by managing director Kevin Ingram, who has enjoyed previous experience of Waddington, having worked for the Group in the early 1990s. I recently met with Kevin Ingram and other members of the management team when

I visited Holfeld’s site in Ireland to learn more about the future plans and strategy of the newly combined companies and the track record of innovation and achievement into which the Waddington Group has bought. Kevin explained that with two plants in northern Europe and a shared dedication to innovation, greatly encouraged by its new US based partners, Waddington Europe can lead the way forward in European growth in thermoformed packaging.

European expansion “After initially acquiring Par-Pak Europe (PPE) in June 2013, swift advancements were then made through PPE’s subsequent acquisition of Holfeld Plastics,” Kevin Ingram explained. “This is only the beginning of a major growth strategy: the Waddington Group will continue to invest further in both European sites and look towards future acquisitions.” Based in Milton Keynes, UK, PPE’s core competencies lie within the bakery, confectionary and dairy sectors. Its clients benefit from concept development, lead time compression (i.e. speed to market from concept to full scale production), flexible manufacturing capabilities, and an extensive library of designs for immediate use or as a basis for NPD.

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“We are well invested both in terms of our staff and our manufacturing resources,” remarked Kevin Ingram. “Much of our team has developed its skills within PPE but we have also brought into the company experience and expertise from other industries and backgrounds. We have and, under the ownership of The Waddington Group, continue to benefit from an on-going investment in new manufacturing technologies.” Holfeld Plastics employs similar thermoforming technologies but is predominantly active in the protein and produce markets. As an additional service, Holfeld shares the benefit of its expertise with on-site tool making and extrusion. “Together the businesses offer a broad portfolio and demonstrable expertise across key markets,” commented Kevin Ingram. “It is an extremely complementary combination that provides a solid foundation for the Waddington Group to grow into Europe.” Promoting the portfolio and manufacturing capabilities on a European scale, both companies are already well-regarded and well-known in the European arena. “We aim to become truly pan-European,” said Frank Coleman, site director at Holfeld Plastics. “Our packaging can be seen on the shelves of major leading UK supermarkets and increasingly so in continental Europe, for example, we have are supplying a leading French retailer. We offer a direct route to the European market for the Waddington Group.”

Customised creativity PPE’s focus is on creating bespoke designs that are functional, use environmentally-friendly materials, and offer striking on-shelf differentiation. The most recent example is shelfready packaging PPE has developed working closely with the Cornish brand Rodda’s to boost the visibility and personality of its clotted cream products in the retail environment. “PPE were challenged by our customer to provide a shelf ready packaging solution for branded clotted cream,” explained Kevin Ingram. “The tray had to hold two different pack sizes, protect the product through the transit process and arrive on shelf to maximise the visual appearance of the Rodda’s brand.” The solution is easy to merchandise with simple shelf replenishment and optimisation of critical shelf space. The packaging, produced in recyclable PET, is strong enough to endure the challenges of the supply chain. The design makes for easy, customer friendly shopping. The solution, which was successfully launched ahead of the Christmas season, adds value for both the brand and the retailer through encouraging impulse purchases while minimising handling through the supply chain and within the store – and this is just one example of the innovation PPE can bring to its clients. Another high profile and successful innovation is the rPETeCO from Holfeld Plastics. This is a new range of lightweight, low-carbon footprint sustainable trays accepted in the recycling waste stream and exceeding Courtauld 3 objectives. The new trays are suitable for a number of applications in the protein, meat and fish and fresh produce markets with wider applications in the airline catering, bakery, games and perfumery sectors. Holfeld has invested substantially in new thermoforming and extrusion equipment to support the production of this new range. The packaging contains at least 85 per cent food grade post-consumer PET recyclate and is available with a PE sealing layer with the potential to provide high gas barrier | 268 | Packaging Europe

in Modified Atmosphere Packaging applications. Barrier protection of rPETeCO mono material is approximately 90 per cent of that of standard PET but more than 30 times higher than standard polypropylene. The range is particularly suited to applications such as the organic food market, which seeks a natural feel and appearance to trays. The range also demonstrates the same characteristics and material properties as virgin PET with excellent chill impact properties and top load performance.

Award winning innovation The achievement of rPETeCO has garnered wide recognition within the industry, resulting in a number of highly regarded awards more recently a shortlisted winner in the World Star Packaging award for the low carbon rPETeCO material. In awarding a Starpak Gold in the Greenstar sustainable packaging category, the judges felt that rPETeCO delivers long term financially viable and environmental benefits and is a truly sustainable range of multi-purpose packaging. In addition, the innovation has scooped the Repak sustainable packaging design award 2013/14, won the top Packaging Solutions Gong at the Food Processing Appetite for Engineering Awards 2014 and was a finalist at the Plastics Industry Awards for best technology application and best recycled product. Most recently it was highly commended at the UK Packaging Awards for Best Rigid Pack of the Year. Among other recent innovations is Hydrozorb, an offering specifically targeting the mushrooms sector. “Mushrooms are traditionally packaged in polystyrene or polypropylene,” explained Frank Coleman. “However, these materials are not readily recycled through current collection systems and are therefore currently non-sustainable. The Hydrozorb can be made from up to 100 per cent post-consumer material, meets food safety regulations, and has a low weight and also surface tension to avoid moisture build-up, as mushrooms are notorious for sweating in the pack.” Shelf-ready packaging and bespoke promotional decoration are other areas in which the business believes it can add value to the market. It is also developing innovations in hermetically sealed skin-pack technology to offer extended shelf-life and ensure food safety. “To add further value to the skin-pack, we are developing bespoke formats for difficult-to-package or delicate products that are more demanding and challenging applications,” Frank Coleman revealed. In summary recent developments reflect a focus on providing innovative, sustainable, and customised solutions – an ethos which is set to be underpinned in the future by considerable investment from the Waddington Group.

Spotlight on R&D Research and Development is central to the strategy of PPE and Holfeld. In terms of focus, food safety is the key foundation of innovation, with sustainability coming a close second in importance. The recent sequence of acquisitions makes these exciting times for the businesses, with technological synergies being exploited and more to come. “The integration of Holfeld and Par-Pak gives us the opportunity to develop and innovate in a stronger union drawing from the knowledge and expertise of both parties,” commented Kevin Ingram. “Furthermore, under the umbrella of our parent company in

the US we can draw on the Waddington Group’s technological capabilities and harness them to suitable applications directed at the European market. It can be a challenge to introduce new technologies into Europe from outside markets. However, there is a tremendous opportunity to add value to the European market through the extensive US portfolio of the Waddington Group.” An interesting feature of Holfeld Plastics is that it is entirely self-supported with regards to tooling and the company also makes the sheets from which it thermoforms its trays. “Our innovation goes beyond that of a normal thermoforming business or converter,” Frank Coleman revealed. “It goes into the raw materials we are using, and we invest a lot of time in materials development. Similarly, PPE invests time in tooling development as well. We have vertical integration and are self-sufficient so we can control factors in terms of cost and time-to-market.”

Waddington Europe The combined product ranges and merged technical resources enhance both companies’ capacity to serve the needs of their existing and new market sectors. Bryan Ford, sales and marketing director of both European sites, observed, “PPE and Holfeld Plastics already share the same values, and a commitment to customer service

excellence and innovation. We pride ourselves on offering the core values of agility, innovation, and responsiveness. We strive to continually exceed our customers’ expectations. By combining our sites we are convinced we can bring new opportunities to the market through ongoing investment in R&D, materials and technology and increased thermoforming capability.” Indeed since the acquisition of PPE, the Waddington Group has continued to invest into the Milton Keynes site, and the further acquisition of Holfeld Plastics was the second major investment of an ambitious growth strategy. Kevin Ingram concluded: “The Waddington Group aims to be one of the leading players in the market through both the organic growth of Holfeld Plastics and PPE, and further acquisitions. This is a company with huge aspirations – it was not present in Europe until 2013, and after entering the market with the acquisition of Par-Pak it virtually doubled its capacity within a year with the subsequent acquisition of Holfeld Plastics. The two companies will, in the future develop as ‘sisters’ under the umbrella of Waddington Europe. Our US parent is keen to see the growth and development they have enjoyed in North America replicated here in Europe, and the enthusiastic support being given to the n current businesses is testament to this.” Visit: www.parpak.co.uk and www.holfeldplastics.com

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Gietz AG celebrates two jubilees Switzerland-based machinery manufacturer Gietz AG supplies first-class foil stamping machines as well as machines for the gluing and forming of conical trays to the graphic and packaging industry all over the world. All machines are built exclusively in Switzerland. Today the company is run by Ms Claudia Gietz Viehweger and Mr Hansjörg Gietz, who represent the 5th generation of the founding family.

ounded in 1892, Gietz AG opened its new production site in Gossau near St. Gallen in 1964. Today, its headquarters are still located there. On 25 and 26 September 2014 the company invited customers, partners and employees to celebrate two jubilees: The handover of the 50th hot foil stamping machine Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander; and 50 years since the establishment of the Gossau production site. 10 years after the introduction of the hot foil stamping machine Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander, the 50th machine was handed over to the long-time customer Gräfe Druck GmbH from Bielefeld (DE), a company well known for its activities in the print and print finishing sectors.

The celebration Some 70 international customers and partners from Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, UK and Switzerland arrived in Gossau on the afternoon of the 25 September 2014.

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After a speech from managing director Mr Hansjörg Gietz, the 50th Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander was officially handed over to Mr Frank Denninghoff, managing director and co-owner of the company Gräfe Druck GmbH. As a mark of appreciation of the trust and good cooperation between the two companies, Mr Gietz handed over to Mr Denninghoff a specially engraved Appenzell cowbell. In 2005 Gräfe Druck GmbH was the first company to invest in the innovative new Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander technology. Perfect stamping results, huge production output and very high durability made the decision to invest in the 50th Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander for Gräfe Druck GmbH an easy one. In the assembly hall the 50th Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander was set up to produce a jubilee poster featuring a large combined foiling and embossing impression, an example of which was signed by all participants. To celebrate Gietz’s commitment to the production site in Gossau and its Swiss heritage, four Alphorn musicians in traditional Appenzell dresses accompanied the handover, giving it the ‘Swiss Touch’.

That evening, at the Werk 1 restaurant in Gossau, the guests were able to view the photo exhibition ‘50th Gietz FSA 1060 Foil Commander & 50 years company location Gossau St. Gallen’. Afterwards some very informative presentations took place: Mr Markus Hoffmann, member of the managing board of Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co. KG from Fürth (DE), opened the symposium with a view on new perspectives and challenges in the foil stamping industry. Mr Keith Campbell, global technical director at Amcor Tobacco Packaging, spoke from the customer viewpoint about the unique aspects of the Foil Commander and gave an overview on the future trends in the tobacco packaging industry. Mr Heinz Artmann, founder of ART-Line Projekt GmbH and international consultant for the high security industry, spoke about his long-term experience in the high security industry and the application of Gietz technology in the banknote printing industry. Playing local musical melodies, the yodel group Hirschberg-Appenzell opened the celebratory banquet. As a special musical treat Valerie Schindler dazzled the guests with her skilful performance on the dulcimer, her performance being enthusiastically applauded by all participants. Additional greeting messages came by video from England, the USA, Nigeria and Brazil. To conclude proceedings, on 26 September 2014 there was a group excursion to the top of the Säntis mountain. Visit: www.gietz.com

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Trailblazers in thermoforming technology Based in Heilbronn in the south of Germany, ILLIG Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG is an industry leader, offering the most comprehensive range of machinery and tools for the thermoforming and packaging industries world-wide. Elisabeth Skoda visited the company’s Open House on 30 October 2014, and spoke to managing director Karl Schäuble and head of marketing communications Wolfgang Konrad to find out more about what makes the company a benchmark in quality.

LLIG was founded in 1946, and since its beginnings has been at the forefront of thermoforming innovations. The company headquarters are located in Heilbronn in Germany, ideally situated between Stuttgart and Frankfurt. Machines are exclusively manufactured on site in Heilbronn. As a global player, ILLIG has sales offices in 80 different countries, and 80 per cent of its business comes from exports. More than 750 employees develop and produce complex production lines. ILLIG prioritises pioneering inventions and innovations, as Mr Konrad explains. “About 100 members of staff, over 10 per cent of the workforce, develop forwardthinking solutions into research, development and design, securing ILLIG’s position as an innovation leader. Having such a high percentage of employees working on development gives us a competitive edge.”

Complete thermoforming solutions As a market leader, ILLIG is proud to be the only manufacturer to offer a complete thermoforming portfolio under one roof, as Mr Konrad points out. “We are the only company to offer a complete range for various industries, including sheet processing machines; automatic roll-fed machines for forming and punching and also for separate forming and punching; skin and blister packaging machines; and form, fill and seal lines. Our competitors offer some of the machine functionality, but none of them offer the entire range under one roof.”

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“We have competitors in individual sections, but nobody else offers the complete range in thermoforming. Thanks to this, we can offer from synergies in-house, and the customer benefits. For example, when we work to fulfil the high requirements for coffee capsules, the insights gained in the process can be applied to other areas, thereby optimising processes. Our synergies, complete lines, training and service are the key points that set us apart from the competition,” Mr Schäuble adds. Packaging applications include items such as cups, blisters, lids, inserts and trays, bottles, hinged packs, trays and skin packs. Automotive is another major industry served with a product range from headrests to instrument panels and inner door linings being thermoformed. Refrigerator insides, model making, stacking pallets, plates, housing and laminated parts complete the application portfolio. ILLIG not only develops machines, but also tools in-house, which makes the company an ideal partner for machinery development together with customers. “This enables us to offer a wide spectrum of products and customers benefit from receiving the complete product from one source,” Mr Konrad adds. “ILLIG’s name has become synonymous with quality. Many of our suppliers and even competitors advertise the fact that they manufacture tools in ‘ILLIG quality’, which is a great recommendation but also keeps us on our toes to keep ahead of the game with innovation.”

Better machine operation with ILLIG IC One of ILLIG’s success stories is the introduction of its IC Intelligent Control System. The name evolved out of ‘ILLIG Intelligent Control Concept’, following market demands for a simpler way to operate increasingly complex machines. “Modern thermoforming machines have increasingly complex requirements, necessitating an intelligent operating concept. An example might be the technology used in smartphones which offer a lot of features but are still easy to operate,” says Mr Konrad. Mr Konrad explains that IC offers six key features: thermo line control, dynamic process optimisation, compensation of ambient influences, accelerated mould change, a self-adaptive start-up phase (sas-up®), and ILLIG NetService. ThermolineLineControl allows central management, monitoring, optimisation and controlling from a panel at the forming station, providing increased operator convenience, saving time and effort during a mould or format change, thereby increasing machine productivity, facilitating fault analysis and troubleshooting in case of a malfunction. The second feature is dynamic process optimisation via a motion control system. The machine recognises material and calculates parameters for production, facilitating the task of selecting the right machinery settings. When settings are changed, operating sequences are re-calculated and adapted while pre-set process parameters are maintained, with downstream stations being integrated into the system. ILLIG achieves an average performance increase of around 42 per cent using standard tools. The third key feature that sets the IC system apart from the competition is the compensation of ambient influences. “Previously, a machine frame would heat up as production progressed, resulting in temperature non-uniformity of the material band. A compensating controller is now used to ensure a constant film temperature via continuous automatic adaptation of the heating element temperature or heating time, respectively. At the same time, the forming air pressure, temperature and cooling water throughput are monitored inside the mould. These features promote a constantly high product quality and save energy,” Mr Konrad adds. Another feature is fast mould changing. A structured help system displayed on the control screen guides the operator through the mould-change process, saving time, increasing the machine’s availability rate.

The ‘sas-up® - Self-Adaptive Start-Up’ mode provides a reduced cycle rate and optimised settings, slowing down the start-up phase, thereby allowing the operator to observe processes and make the necessary changes, which means a reduction of waste. Finally, ILLIG’s NetService provides the option for remote servicing and trouble shooting, allowing technicians to review system components via the internet anywhere in the world, and provide trouble shooting. “This also allows for preventive maintenance – the system recognises when a part is nearing the end of its life, and we can send a replacement before the part is actually broken,” Mr Konrad says.

Showcasing the company ILLIG regularly exhibits at trade shows, and makes sure it is present at all the major fairs such as K, Fakuma, Interpack and Anuga Foodtech, and a range of trade fairs in countries where plastics products are popular, such as Germany, France, UK, Italy and Spain. Further afield, important trade for ILLIG include Chinaplas, Plastica in Russia and of course Pack Expo in Chicago and Las Vegas. Regular Open Houses are another way of keeping customers and potential customers up to date with ILLIG’s latest developments. On 29–30 October 2014, ILLIG held its 13th Open House at its headquarters in Heilbronn, presenting high performance machines and recent improvements and innovations. Amongst the machines showcased were newly developed thermoformers of the IC Generation, such as the models IC -RDK 80 with servo A/B stacking and IC - RDKP 72 with DSB and stacking. Further highlights included a RDK 90 with double handling. Also showcased was the potential to interlink machines, with the IC-RDKP 72 and the STAL 90 punch and die press. Visitors had the chance to see the machines in operation. Presentations summarising technical highlights and market trends, with a focus on IML applications and the coffee capsule market, concluded the event. Packaging Europe | 273 |

At the last Fakuma, ILLIG presented an old classic. In response to many requests it reintroduced the previous generation of today’s UA 100g sheet processing machine into its portfolio – the UA 100Ed machine which had been built for two decades up to 2002. It is a completely servo driven and process controlled sheet processing machine and meets all current demands in terms of flexibility, cycle speed and product quality. But thanks to its smaller size and easy operation it is of great interest to contractors, training institutions, workshops as well as material manufacturers and tool makers. “People are keen to own an ILLIG machine, and the 100Ed is perfect for entry level customers,” Mr Konrad adds.

International focus The company has achieved continuous growth over the years, as Mr Schäuble explains. “Recent years were marked by an ever growing international focus, expanding to more markets outside of Europe. Standards in packaging and demands on hygiene are increasing. As megacities in developing countries grow further, demand for higher hygiene standards through packaging will also grow. Therefore it is important to be present in developing countries with operations and services. Growth will follow.” Technological advances and sustainability go hand in hand, as Mr Schäuble adds. “Of course there has been some discussion about replacing plastics with other materials in order to be environmentally friendly. We think however that in order to fulfil the hygiene requirements of the modern world, plastics are here to stay. Technological advances, allowing optimised thermoforming which results in the minimal amount of materials used for the best possible product will lead the way to a sustainable future.” Mr Schäuble uses ILLIG’s coffee capsules as an example. “The coffee capsule market continues to grow. Thermoformed coffee capsules offer a long product life thanks to being hermetically sealed, preventing contamination and saving the need for outer pack-

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aging. In-mould labelling is another example of thermoforming as an environmentally friendly technology: since label and container are made from the same material, recycling becomes a lot easier. Improving the quality of in-mould labelling again helps to reduce the need for extra packaging, for example in the case of a six pack of yoghurts. When the product description is clear on the containers, extra cardboard wrapping is not necessary.” Process optimisation as described in the term Industry 4.0. is of key importance, and this is why ILLIG focuses on innovation, investing a large share of turnover back into product development, as Mr Schäuble points out. “It is important to us to very watch market trends very closely. It takes around two years to develop an entire line. Big form, fill and seal lines have huge technological requirements, and we have to be an expert in almost the entire supply chain, as our machines can be linked up with other machines in the supply chain.” ILLIG follows a strategy of concentrating on its in-house core technologies and exploring development potential in new applications for thermoforming. “Important areas for additional growth are in-mould labelling and packaging lines with decoration technology – a major USP for us. We will continue to bring new solutions to the market,” says Mr Schäuble. With an international presence already, ILLIG makes 60 per cent of its turnover from outside of the EU. “Our machines are used all over the world, and one of the important challenges for the future is finding out how to adapt machines so that they work well for the different requirements of other countries. A range of applications were originally developed together with European customers, with good possibilities for transfer to countries outside Europe. Looking for new applications which are initiated in Europe and trying to distribute these applications outside Europe once we have a suitable distribution n and service structure in place is of key importance,” Mr Schäuble concludes. Visit: www.illig.de

Matrìca: The success

of green chemistry In October 2014 Matrìca hosted an international open day in Porto Torres (Sardinia) to present its green chemistry plant to European stakeholders. Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont and Matrìca and Daniele Ferrari, CEO of Versalis and chairman of Matrìca talk about the project and the importance of building bridges with institutions, local government and farmers in order to be successful and promote the circular economy. Alessandra Lacaita reports.

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The joint venture Born in June 2011 as a 50/50 joint venture between Novamont and Versalis (ENI), Matrìca managed the successful project of the reconversion of the petrochemical plant of Porto Torres (Sardinia) into a green chemistry plant. Leveraging Novamont’s knowledge in biotech and green chemistry and Versalis’ engineering know how for the industrialisation process, Matrìca identified local sustainable production of oleaginous products crops, created a research centre and started its production of bio-based products. Catia Bastioli explains that Matrìca continues on the line of the Novamont’s research. She states: “Our main objective at the beginning was to use low impact crops available in the local areas in order to respect biodiversity, to use marginal areas without wasting large volumes of water, to reuse deindustrialised sites and integrate a range of technologies into the bioplastics chain. In the bioeconomy we have to think not only about bio-based products but about systems and about territorial regeneration and so the way a product can face societal challenge.” “In the chemical industry,” Daniele Ferrari emphasises, “we have always thought about energy platforms, alternative energies, sustainability, an intelligent market and bio-based chemistry, which are the European mega-trends for the bioeconomy.

Today in Europe there is a need for infrastructures and political support to face challenges which can unlock the potential of green chemistry. Moreover, in order to be successful in the green chemical industry we have to think about three main business growth accelerators: chemical industry, crop science and biotech, and the way we can exploit these.” According to Mr Ferrari, as a joint venture Matrìca possesses these points of strength and it has the support of the local Institutions and the local Goverment, which on 26th May 2011 signed the ‘Memorandum of understanding for Green Chemistry in Porto Torres’.

Plants and production Matrìca has globally invested 180 million Euro in its project. In 2012 it opened its Research Centre in Porto Torres consisting of an analytical laboratory and seven pilot plants covering a total area of 35,000 square metres. In addition, Matrìca has three big plants with innovative technologies for its production. The Bio-monomers plant represents the most important part of the project, as it produces intermediates such as azelaic and pelargonic acid which are not produced in Europe at all. The Azelaic Acid is the monomer of bioplastics and

“Our main objective at the beginning was to use low impact crops available in the local areas in order to respect biodiversity, to use marginal areas without wasting large volumes of water, to reuse deindustrialised sites and integrate a range of technologies into the bioplastics chain. In the bioeconomy we have to think not only about bio-based products but about systems and about territorial regeneration and so the way a product can face societal challenge.”

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“In the bioeconomy it is important to establish a relationship between industry and agriculture and this is what Matrìca did, through the joint venture between Novamont and Versalis”

the monomer for the synthesis of some polymers and it serves for the production of plasticisers and lubricants and for pharma-cosmetic formulations. Pelargonic acid is a raw material for ester production in applications such as bio-lubricants, cosmetics, personal care and food fragrances. The second plant is specialises in Rubber and Additives, and produces plasticisers and oil extenders for rubber. The third plant is dedicated to esterification, that is, production of esters for different applications. “All these products can contribute positively to the environment,” Catia Bastioli explains. “Polymeric plasticisers are a replacement for phtalates; bio lubricants reduce the consumption of lubricants, which disperse oil in water and soil; thistle oil replaces palm oil, with less deforestation.” Matrìca’s main crops for the production of bioplastic is the thistle, with a total of 400 hectares on which 40 farmers work.

institution: we started locally, involved the government, university, research centres and trade unions. We spoke a lot about the employees, who are the most important factor for a successful realisation.” Today Matrìca employs around 120 employees (rising to 145 by the end of 2014) but, for its first project installations it had 400 people working on the construction of the site, with peaks of 700 per day. “We always put safety at first, from the beginning to the last. The major achievement was to deliver this project with no accidents.” Matrìca is now working at six different sites in Italy producing new technologies n for the bioplastics chain.

Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont and Matrìca

Building connections “In the bioeconomy it is important to establish a relationship between industry and agriculture and this is what Matrìca did, through the joint venture between Novamont and Versalis,” Ms Bastioli asserts. “Matrìca is the result of a new concept: from a product based company it becomes a system based company as it tries to integrate the biorefinery plant into the local area. Matrìca is in fact a green plant which produces chemicals and bioplastics from different plants, in order to respect a different biosystem. It uses low impact technologies and plants as well as marginal lands and de-industrialised sites.” She also explains that in the creation of a start-up it is really important the upstreaming integration, as it requires research and financial support, engineering activities and connection with institutions and farmers: “A project like this cannot be done alone but with lots of partnerships. It is important not to build cathedrals in the desert but to create connections with the local area in order to create a specialised chain which enables crops to survive in an environment like the northern part of Sardinia. Matrìca creates these connections.” “I think Catia and I can claim a masters degree in Institutional Relationships after this experience,” Mr Ferrari jokes. “I believe we have spoken with all kinds of Packaging Europe | 277 |