Packaging Europe Issue 10.3

VOLUME 10.3 – 2015

PACKAGING MACHINERY MULTIHEAD WEIGHER – A WORK IN PROGRESS TRAY PACKING, MARKING & CODING HYGIENIC DESIGN ENERGY EFFICIENCY IPACK-IMA PREVIEW Laminated with Cosmo Films’s gloss thermal lamination film

DOW’S PACK STUDIOS: BEHIND THE SCENES

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Contents

VOLUME 10.3 – 2015

The cover of this edition has been laminated with a BOPP-based thermal gloss film supplied by India based global group, Cosmo Films Ltd. which is a leading provider of laminating solutions & polypropylene films. Thermal lamination of this film is possible on all kinds of printed and non-printed paper and the film is extensively used on perfume, liquor & cosmetic boxes, manuals and shopping bags. Various decoration printing techniques can be performed on the surface post lamination viz. spot UV and UV varnish.

For further info, write to enquiry@cosmofilms.com.

3

Editorial

4 10 16 18 26 30 36 40 45 50 54 57 74 78 82 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 99

News, Analysis & Comment European headlines World news Starlinger: A cutting-edge packaging solution for dry pet food Business news Innovation news Design news Sustainability news Upcoming packaging events Bio!Pac: The conference on Biobase Jindal Films: Committed to knowledge Moba Eurotubi: Paper cores and tubes for all applications IPACK-IMA Fabo: Competence, flexibility, innovation The Big Interview: NOA-PRISM’s Neil Osment Dow Pack Studios: Collaborate Innovate Accelerate Machinery: Growing demand for convenience Multihead weighers: Work in progress Marking & coding: Lean manufacturing Packing: Retailers call for space-saving mixed trays Hygienic design: Food machinery Energy efficiency: Prudent procurement reduces energy costs Design case study: Labelling in Andalusia Design: Book packaging becomes art

100 105 108 111 112 120

Industry Profiles Omron A passion for sensing and control ICR Ioannou Cylinder winner Alvey Group Partner of choice Linearis Long tradition in engineering Procter & Gamble A sustainable future for P&G Hapa Ink Demand flows for individualized Hapa Inks

122 126 130 134 138 142 146 153 156 158 161 164 168 172 176 180 184 188 192 196 200 204 210 214 218 222 226 231 234 238 242 244 248 250

Span Tech Europe Conveyor solutions that just keep on running Harro Hölliger [ALL YOU NEED] – Engineered production solutions Americk Group A positive label Encaplast Rising from the ashes Hirsch Servo Group Protecting products and safeguarding the future SAM Europe Convert with us Pepsico Performance with purpose Hema Reinforced success Starlinger Market leader in flexibles Starlinger Make it new Presto Products Inspiring plastic packaging specialists Pulse Flexible Packaging New face, strong pulse Kern Italia Global partner for mailing solutions Plastek Inspired plastic packaging solutions Emkon True modularity in packaging machines MetLux Digital metalliser in the heart of Europe TMC Leader in tissues and nonwoven MBO Group A single-source provider Top Clean Packaging A dual focus United Barcode Systems On your marks IMP Leading the way Alltub Group All aluminium Ultratech Built to last Arodo Tailor-made packaging machinery Viaware A helping hand WITT Gastechnik Gas safety and control specialist Agrokor Group From field to table easyFairs Zürich Online planner ‘my easyDay’ designs individual trade fair tours Steinemann Technology Spot varnishing goes digital Kablonex Everything covered IPA Awards IPA Awards closes its 1st edition Smart Flow Sustainable logistics solutions Clondalkin Group The future of flexibles Koridon Parts partner

Packaging Europe | 1 |

Advertisers Index A Aic Plastic Pallets Alfa Machine Alpac Aluprint Alvey Manex Ampac Arodo Asma AST Beschichtungstechnik

G 246 34 247 152 19 77 217 157 144

B Baumer Group Berardi Bullonerie Besco Bimec bio!PAC BM|Flex Branson Breyer Bühler

178 76 63 73, 136 47 43 21 5 183

C Capsa Packaging Cattermole Technical Services Coop Bilanciai Corbion Purac Corrado Gentili & C. Snc Cosmo Films CSi

243 175 71 49 170 11 150

D Derma Domino DOW Europe

233 29, 137 65 179 ii

F Fabo Fatra Fischbein FKUR Flexopack

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O 22 67 145 66 247 70 43

H HAT Engineering Hell Hema Hispack 2015 HP Husky

236 33 34 41 27 115

I ICR Ioannou Imballaggi Protettivi IMI Precision Inkspec Innovia Films ITW Thermal Foils

25 73 199 24 45 132

J Jindal Films

53

K Kuka Robotics

69

L 230 129 9

E easyFairs Elba Elitron IPM Emkon ESI

GEA Food Solutions Weert Giuseppe Desiro’ Glenro G. Mondini Go Plastic Pallets Graco Grafe

74, 75 182 58 47 37

LIC Packaging Linearis

P PakTech PaperFoam Parkside Flexibles Performance Masterbatches PPG Packaging Coatings Prematic Primera Pulse Flexible Packaging

35 48 39 175 149, 206 237 61 167

R Rexnord FlatTop RonTech Rossi Meccanica Rossini RPC RPC Bramlage GmbH

151 128 170 241 11 117

S SEI SpanTech Europe SP Group Squid Ink Starlinger Statuti Imballaggi & Legnami

Trascar

62, 171 253 81 31 15 170

236 191 157 13 39, 54 254 175

7, 213

V Valspar Viaware Videojet Technologies

208 221 178

W Weilburger Coatings Italia WITT Gastechnik

59 7 65

187

U Ultratech

N Neri Labels Nippon Gohsei Noxon

23 194 9

T 203 111

M Mastai MBO Mechcom Mitsubishi Electric Moba Eurotubi Mondi Motan Colortronic

Ocme Oliver-Tolas Optima

206 225

Z Zünd Systemtechnik

41

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 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

IF

there is a single watchword today for the biggest demand on packaging machinery it is probably ‘flexibility’. Trends as diverse as brand diversification, mass customisation, just-in-time production strategies and growth in small pack formats all translate into a need for equipment that’s not just fast, but agile. Machinery advances that can add value through versatility, quicker changeovers, lower energy costs, squeezing out more output will always be in demand, which is why brand owners and converters continued to invest in them during the downturn.

Our special focus on machinery in this May edition of Packaging Europe magazine features perspectives from across the segment. Grant Collier of the PPMA takes a broad view of current packaging machinery trends and the future challenges set to impact Europe’s packaging industries. Ishida Europe’s Torsten Giese looks at the situation in multihead weigher technology, which, he finds, remains a work in progress. Charles Randon of Linx Printing Technologies explains how choosing the right coding and marking systems can reduce waste and increase productivity, in line with lean manufacturing principles. We highlight the important role of automation in the growing market for mixed tray packers.

Meanwhile, Martin Dupick of Bosch Packaging Technology highlights the need for hygienic manufacturing practices in food machinery to mitigate the risks of product contamination.

Finally, Nigel Flowers, MD of Sumitomo Demag, argues that growing companies with growing energy needs should invest in energy efficient systems that will increase profit margins.

In addition, I write about the revelatory experience of visiting Dow’s Pack Studios in Switzerland, where a new model for industry collaboration between converters, machinery manufacturers, brand owners and retailers is unfolding. Is this the future of packaging innovation? Quite possibly. We also present our extended preview of Ipack-IMA - this spring’s biggest packaging event, which takes place in Milan later this month. In our Big Interview Neil Osment of NOA-PRISM talks about the insights contained in one of the most important reports on the corrugated industry in years, and poses the big question: has retail ready packaging already peaked? Finally, our design section features contrasting examples of southern European visual flair – from Andalusia and Italy respectively.

Peeking into the near future, the Packaging Europe team is excited about preparations for our July magazine, dedicated to the topic of sustainability. We will be announcing the categories for our Packaging Sustainability Awards imminently, and we welcome entries from across the packaging supply chain reflecting the best green innovations and success stories. A little further ahead, our September edition will focus on FachPack. We are already collaborating closely with Messe Nürnberg to bring you the most comprehensive guide to what will be the most important packaging show in Europe this year.

Tim Sykes ts@packagingeurope.com @PackEuropeTim

A Square Root Company

Packaging Europe | 3 |

Headline News Innovation in Huber Concludes Protective Packaging Crown Acquisitions S

ealed Air has launched what it is describing as a ‘revolutionary’ solution for protective packaging applications. The new Korrvu® Lok™ secures products safely in the centre of the packaging by utilising the latest in compression design technology, keeping them locked safely in place with Korrvu® high performance film. The packaging protects products from shock and vibration and is a flexible solution ideal for packaging a range e-commerce/retail items, cosmetics, electronics, books, software and media items.

Sealed Air has developed Korrvu® Lok™ with the aim of providing users with innovative but simple packaging. According to the manufacturer, it features a wide range of benefits, including fast and easy packing and flexible design process as well as being easily recycled and having excellent versatility.

Paul Saunderson, Sealed Air’s European business manager, Instapak® and Korrvu®, said: “Korrvu Lok is the ideal solution for retailers and internet retailers specialising in shipping lightweight goods of varying sizes which need maximum protection but with less material usage. It is an effective alternative to conventional padded mailing bags, corrugated die cuts and loose fill packaging.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62893

T

he family-run Huber Packaging Group from Öhringen in Germany has successfully concluded the acquisition of the Crown chemical-technical tinplate packaging facilities in Switzerland (Aesch), Finland (Helsinki), the UK (Liverpool) and France (Rouen).

Huber has announced that all the requisite approvals are in place. As such the closing of the transaction announced in late 2014 has now officially taken place. Both parties have agreed not to disclose information about financial details and purchase price.

With this acquisition Huber, is expanding its market share in its core business sector in Europe and establishing market access to fields in which the company has not yet been active.

Internal teams of experts will now work on concrete steps to integrate the new locations.

For Huber the acquisitions represent an important milestone in the strategic development of the company. Huber is strengthening its core business and laying the foundations for further growth. Furthermore, with the new hub in Switzerland Huber is putting the conditions in place for establishing a competence centre for plastic as a second mainstay for the Group that will be viable in the future.

Thomas H. Hagen, CEO of the Huber Packaging Group explained: “With this acquisition we are creating an even more efficient platform for our customers. We are actively pushing ahead with the consolidation of the European tinplate packaging market and with the competence centre in Switzerland are creating a second mainstay that will be viable in the future.

All the locations will benefit from this. We extend a very warm official welcome to our new colleagues in the Huber family. We are convinced that with their work profile the new facilities will fit in ideally with us. Within the network we are providing each location with an opportunity to contribute and indeed build up its strengths as a local unit with good access to the market. Joint teams will now prepare the next steps in the integration process.

The values and principles which have distinguished the family-run company Huber for 140 years now, and whose focus is the workforce, lead the way. The backing and the support given by the owning families and the Advisory Board - not only in the case of this acquisition and internationalization - are a factor in the success of Huber and an important guarantee of stability”.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62802

Breakthrough in Migration Barriers C

londalkin Flexible Packaging Wentus, based in Höxter, Germany, has developed a new barrier film for dry food products, particularly cereals, that prevents the migration of mineral oils from the outer packaging into the food itself. The new WENTOPRO®-barrier film is the result of 18 months R&D and is being represented as an important development for the food packaging industry.

The multi-layer film can be used as a ‘bag in box’ liner for a wide variety of dry foods.

As well as possessing a high moisture barrier, the WENTOPRO® film provides a barrier against potentially harmful mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). The German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection recommends that migration of MOSH should not exceed 2 mg/kg and MOAH levels should be no higher than 0.5mg/kg. The new Clondalkin film offers protection far greater than this, with typical values less than 0.2mg/kg for both.

Mineral oil hydrocarbons derive from printing ink used in newsprint, which is commonly used to make recycled cardboard for food packaging.

Christian Claes, business development director at Clondalkin Flexible Packaging Wentus, comments: “The development of the WENTOPRO®-barrier film is an important advance for the food packaging industry. The subject of mineral hydrocarbon exposure through food and the potential consumer health risks of this is a hot topic at

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the moment. Our protective film offers food manufacturers protection and reassurance that their products carry very limited risk of any such contamination.”

Both products are available in translucent and white versions. They also offer a high barrier against water vapour, excellent strength and sealing properties and are compatible with different types of sealing machine.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/63077

Packaging Europe | 5 |

Ardagh Pioneers Recycling Solution W

ith ever increasing recycling targets to meet, manufacturers of glass bottles and jars need to make sure that they can feed their furnaces with the highest quality of cullet (recycled glass) and maximise the energy and carbon saving benefits that this offers. To achieve this outcome manufacturers have to overcome a number of potential difficulties when remelting recycled glass (cullet).

One of Europe’s leading glass manufacturers, Ardagh Group, has pioneered a number of initiatives to overcome such problems, the latest of which addresses the perennial issue of the weather.

When it is delivered to the glass plant, cullet is typically stored in outdoor bunkers, where it is subject to variations in the climate, particularly during winter months. If it has accumulated significant levels of water, snow and ice, it will require higher temperatures, and thus more energy, to remelt it in the furnace.

The task facing the operations team at Ardagh’s Nienburg plant in Germany was to find a simple and environmentally effective solution. The obvious approach is to pre-heat the ‘frozen’ cullet prior to feeding it into the furnace. But because a traditional preconditioning process can use a lot of energy, an alternative approach of capturing heat already generated elsewhere in the plant was sought. Investigations showed that the most likely source of waste heat was around the furnaces. The challenge would be to find the best way of recovering and transporting this hot air to the cullet. It was met by drawing hot air at 80°C across the furnace, blowing it into a specially developed heat exchanger charged with energy to raise the temperature to 120°C and piping it to the bunkers.

This approach has proved the most energy efficient means of defrosting, drying and preheating the cullet. Annual energy savings of EUR 116,000 have been achieved at Nienburg, together with an annual CO2 reduction of 334 tonnes.

Johan Gorter, Ardagh Group CEO, Glass, Europe, commented: “This is one of many planned actions we are taking throughout our European plants as we strive to meet the very highest sustainability performance standards.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62617

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Faerch Plast A/S Announces International Expansion Plans IN

line with a long-term growth strategy, Færch Plast A/S has announced International expansion plans. One of Europe’s leading manufacturers of high performance plastic packaging for the food industry, the Denmark-based company is building a network of overseas distributors for targeting aggressive expansion in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa the Middle East & Israel.

With its award-winning products and state-of-the-art manufacturing, Faerch Plast is now investing in a dedicated team to fuel growth beyond its EU home market. The expansion plans are focused on Faerch Plast’s core range of dual ovenable CPET (Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate) containers for frozen and chilled convenience meals.

Offering a wide temperature tolerance from -40°F degrees (-40°C) to 428°F degrees (220°C), for freezer-to-oven or microwave convenience, CPET eliminates negative effects on food flavour and aroma. Available in a variety of exciting styles and designs, latest innovations from Faerch Plast include ‘dual colour’ packs for enhanced on-shelf appeal and product differentiation and ‘frost’ trays for unrivalled impact and shatter resistance at low temperatures.

Faerch Plast will also introduce containers produced from its innovative MAPET® II mono material into the previously untapped territories. Specially designed for the robust top sealing of fresh meat, poultry and fish, these packs offer the same properties as multi-layer materials but are more cost-effective, secure and environmentally friendly than non-recyclable laminates.

Joe Iannindardo, Sales Director for Overseas Markets at Færch Plast A/S comments: “This International expansion is a key part of Faerch Plast’s strategic growth plan. The company has established an excellent track record over the past 46 years and created an impressive customer base working with most of the leading food manufacturers, processors and packers in Europe.

“We have an unrivalled reputation as a market leader in CPET containers for the European frozen and chilled convenience food industry and we are looking forward to establishing and working with a network of highly reputable distributors to replicate this success across the rest of the world.”

Faerch Plast’s dual colour CPET trays feature one colour on the outside surface and another on the inside, offering food retailers and manufacturers a major point of difference.

These packs are targeted at high end convenience food products and are the ideal solution for increasingly popular oven to table ready meals as they are attractive enough for the consumer to bring to the table happily, without fear or embarrassment. Their introduction to major British retailers has been very successful and seen sales increases of 15%.

Produced from a single substrate using post-consumer recycled plastic (rPET), MAPET® II trays can be sorted and recycled where the right waste infrastructure is in place. There is a wide range of colours available and transparent versions boast superior clarity due to the absence of a hazy PE layer. This allows consumers to assess the quality and integrity of the food item prior to purchase and gives the food product a more honest and authentic feel.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62970

Headline News

Packaging Europe | 7 |

Plastipak Progresses APPE Acquisition L

eading European PET packaging specialist, APPE, has confirmed that the agreement to purchase the Group has now been completed. Plastipak Packaging’s intention to acquire the business, announced last November, is anticipated to be finalised on 1st June.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc. a leading global manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging, was selected by Forest Partners (administrators of La Seda de Barcelona) as the successful bidder to acquire APPE with a winning bid of €360 million.

Martin Hargreaves, APPE’s CEO comments, “I am delighted with the sale to Plastipak.

Our recent ownership difficulties have held our business back from fully delivering and implementing creative packaging solutions for the market, so this is the most positive outcome for our business and its long term future. Our combined strengths, expertise and

resources will immediately bring financial support and multi-material capability, which will undoubtedly deliver tremendous value for our customers, providing an unrivalled portfolio of products and solutions to support their future requirements.

“As APPE is the market leader for PET Packaging in Europe, the combined APPE and Plastipak business will further strengthen that position. Customers throughout our European locations will not only benefit from an extended geographical reach, as the deal will also see new cutting edge technologies broadening respective product ranges.

“We believe that this opportunity will be welcomed by all of our key stakeholders” APPE currently has nine manufacturing plants covering Europe, Asia and North Africa and Plastipak has thirty two manufacturing plants globally of which seven are within Europe.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62789

World’s First Plastic Aerosol IN

collaboration with one of its largest customers, Swallowfield plc has successfully developed and produced an aerosolised post-foaming shower gel in a plastic ‘can’. Production commenced late in 2014 and is now appearing in stores across the UK. This innovation represents a world first in its product category and format, specifically a bag on valve aerosol product in a plastic container.

The new technology will come as welcome news to cosmetic brand owners who can now benefit from greater flexibility in ‘can’ shapes due to the moulding capability of plastic. The packaging is likely to offer consistency to brands whose complementary products may already be marketed in plastics bottles, tubes or jars, and it is also 18% lighter than the previous metal format, making it lighter to transport.

The new packaging offers consumers a number of benefits, too, including the fact that plastic is warmer and softer to touch, as well as being lighter to handle and less likely to cause damage if accidentally dropped. Plastic is also corrosion resistant in a bathroom environment, making it safer and cleaner to store.

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The project has taken three years to develop and included a number of technical innovations to address challenges around pressurisation precision, crimping technology, gassing techniques, formulation compatibility, shrink sleeving onto heat sensitive PET and many more.

The development period also included extensive safety testing in line with proposed FEA (Federation of European Aerosols) standards and British Standard standards.

Jane Fletcher, group sales & marketing director at Swallowfield, comments: “This product sees a real development in the way aerosol products can be produced in the future. The plastic aerosol format adds to our existing portfolio of delivery formats for personal care products giving greater options for our customers, and we see particular opportunities to apply this new technology to other high value product categories such as shave gels, hair styling, bodycare and skincare.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/63022

Headline News

Packaging Europe | 9 |

PACK EXPO Las Vegas to Feature Largest-Ever Show Floor R

egistration opens for 2015’s largest processing and packaging event in North America and the Las Vegas debut of the co-located Pharma EXPO. PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, anticipates this year’s event will be the largest-ever PACK EXPO Las Vegas (taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 28–30, 2015). Alongside the Las Vegas debut of Pharma EXPO – produced in partnership with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) – the event, bolstered by optimistic reports on the US manufacturing sector, will bring together more than 2000 exhibitors showing their processing and packaging innovations to 30,000 attendees in over 800,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Registration for the recordbreaking event is now open.

PACK EXPO and Pharma EXPO 2015 will help manufacturers from more than 40 market segments capitalise on current growth by providing access to the latest solutions for enhancing the efficiency, flexibility, automation, sustainability and productivity of their supply chains.

“By connecting manufacturing professionals and suppliers representing so many different market segments, PACK EXPO events play a critical role in driving manufacturing forward,” says Charles D. Yuska, president and CEO of PMMI. Past attendee Chay Vue, engineering director, Sargento, describes his PACK EXPO experience in similar terms: “The breadth of equipment and exhibitors at PACK EXPO

is amazing; it is truly all-encompassing. I’m able to look for new technologies, discover innovations and seek out equipment to retrofit and modernise our production lines. All the vendors and suppliers are here for me to meet.”

The benefit of co-locating PACK EXPO and Pharma EXPO lies in the common challenges and solutions industries face, Yuska notes, adding “PACK EXPO and Pharma EXPO offer a unique opportunity to find inspiration and ‘cross-pollinate’ ideas across applications and industries.”

Veteran PACK EXPO attendee Paul Davis, a project engineer with Hearthside Food Solutions who was at PACK EXPO International 2014, says the co-location takes PACK EXPO to a new level. “I’ve attended at least a dozen PACK EXPO shows,” says Davis. “The addition of Pharma EXPO is definitely a highlight. So many technologies in pharma are applicable to food and vice versa. That synergy is great.”

To help attendees make the most of their time at the co-located events, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Pharma EXPO 2015 will include a variety of customer-centric features designed to direct them to the technologies they need. Pavilions include The Processing Zone, a hub for processing innovations, and The Brand Zone, a showcase for materials and containers to shape brands. Attendees from the baking and snack, beverage and confectionery sectors can network with peers and suppliers at their respective industry-specific lounges: The Baking-Snack Break, The Beverage Cooler and The Candy Bar. They can also gain strategic insights on material and equipment trends, regulatory challenges and best practices to advance operations with free on-floor educational programming at the Innovation Stage, exhibitor booths, the Center for Trends & Technology, sponsored by Rockwell Automation and its PartnerNetwork™, the Food Safety Summit Resource Center and ISPE’s worldclass conference programme.

“Pharma EXPO 2014 more than met my expectations. I was looking for new technology that will help us improve our processes, and I definitely appreciated the diversity of companies exhibiting,” says Onté McClendon, senior engineer, Merck.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Pharma EXPO 2015 open on Sept. 28. For more information and to register, visitpackexpolasvegas.com. Registration for PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Pharma EXPO is $30 through Sept. 14, when it increases to $100.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62944

Clariant Opens Desiccant Manufacturing Plant in China C

lariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, announces the opening of a new desiccant manufacturing plant at its site in Zhengjiang, China. Clariant will produce its line of Container Dri II® products alongside a full range of desiccant bags at the new facility, extending its existing regional support for the Asian market.

Clariant’s specially-designed cargo desiccants, Container Dri II, are aimed at protecting goods from the harmful effects of moisture and water damage during shipping via container, rail barge or truck. Container Dri II plays a vital role in preserving edible cargo and other sensitive goods during long transport across different climate zones.

In Zhengjiang Clariant has the advantage of access to locally-sourced bentonite clay and the drying facilities offered by its Functional Minerals Business Unit to support its production of desiccant bags for export packagers, machine manufacturers and food packaging. | 10 | Packaging Europe

To meet growing desiccant demand from Asia, Clariant opened its first Container Dri II production plant in Indonesia in March 2014. Both sites are part of Clariant’s worldwide network for desiccant manufacturing, which also includes plants in Brazil, Turkey and USA. “Clariant’s desiccant products are highly-regarded within the logistics industry. With our new facility, access to local clay sources, and drying capabilities we have a sustainable opportunity to provide desiccant bags into the Chinese market at the consistent, high quality level customers expect from Clariant. This site will also help to support our expansion in the area of food protection in the local Chinese market and internationally. We are wellplaced to build on our existing strong relationships with global companies who also have operations in China,” comments Clariant’s Justin Mueller.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62908

World News

Packaging Europe | 11 |

World News Sonoco Announces New Consumer Growth Projects S

onoco, one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, has announced at its annual shareholders meeting that it will increase production capabilities and support R&D innovation through several significant growth projects for its Consumer Packaging businesses.

Jack Sanders, president and chief executive officer, announced Sonoco will spend approximately $20 million to purchase a new triplex laminator and rotogravure printing press. The new laminator will be placed in the Company’s Franklin, Ohio, plant and encompasses the very latest in three-layer lamination technology to produce high-quality laminates with minimum material waste, across a wide range of flexible substrates with varying thicknesses and a variety of adhesive systems. The investment supports Sonoco’s growth in the hot-fill pouch market and sophisticated lamination structures.

The new 11-colour rotogravure press is based on the latest advances in registration control to allow for quick changeovers, thus improving production speeds and reducing waste while driving energy efficiency. The new press will be placed in the Company’s Waco, Texas, plant and drive market growth using Sonoco’s patented easy-open and reclose technology. Both the triplex laminator and rotogravure press are being purchased from Bobst Corporation and are targeted for startup in the second quarter of 2016.

These flexible packaging expansion projects are on top of the Company’s recently completed acquisition of a majority interest in Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A (Graffo), a closely held flexible packaging business located in Pinhais, Curitiba, Brazil.

Graffo had sales of approximately $35 million USD in 2014 and operates high-quality rotogravure printing presses, including a new 10-colour press, as well as sophisticated lamination applications at its Pinhais facility. Graffo serves the confectionery, dairy, pharmaceutical and industrial markets in Brazil, and Sonoco expects to add to the operation’s lamination capacity in 2016.

Sanders also updated shareholders on investments the Company is making to expand composite cans in emerging markets. For instance, Sonoco is investing $20 million to build and start up a new composite can facility near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to support the growing snack can market in Southeast Asia. Initial production will commence in the second quarter of 2015, with full production expected in early 2016. In addition, the Company expects to build a second composite can plant in the south of China in 2015.

Sanders also announced Sonoco is investing $11.9 million to build a new IPS (Innovative Packaging Solutions) research and development studio that will open in the third quarter of 2015 on its Hartsville, S.C., campus. The centre will be a state-of-the-art research and development facility that will connect consumer insights to the invention of new consumer packaging.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62966

Amcor Acquires Subsidiaries on Two Continents A

mcor has entered into an agreement to acquire Souza Cruz’s internal tobacco packaging operations located in Cachoeirinha, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil for approximately BRL 96 million (US$ 30 million). Souza Cruz is majorityowned by British American Tobacco plc and is the market leader in the Brazilian cigarette market. Closing of the acquisition is conditional upon approval from the Brazilian Anti-trust Authority.

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The investment is supported by a long-term supply contract between Amcor and Souza Cruz and the business is expected to achieve annual sales of approximately BRL 200 million (US$ 63 million). The Brazilian market represents 35% of Latin American cigarette consumption and is the 12th largest tobacco market in the world.

Amcor CEO and managing director, Ken MacKenzie said: “This acquisition is aligned with our strategic objective of growing our packaging business in Latin America. It represents an excellent opportunity to support an important global customer by extending access to Amcor’s global innovation platforms and strong operational capabilities.”

Meanwhile, Amcor has also announced the ZAR 250 million (USD 22 million) acquisition of Nampak Flexibles, the market leader in flexible packaging in South Africa. Nampak Flexibles has extrusion, lamination and conversion capabilities across three plants, and generates sales of approximately ZAR1.1 billion (USD 94 million) per annum. The business services leading multi-national and domestic customers in the beverage, food and home care end markets.

“This acquisition provides a platform for growth in the African region,” Ken MacKenzie remarked. “Nampak Flexibles has an experienced management team and is the market leader in South Africa. It services many of Amcor’s existing global customers and creates the opportunity to leverage our product innovation and design capabilities into this market.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/news/62948

Packaging Europe | 13 |

World News Huhtamaki Acquires Butterworth Paper Cups H

uhtamaki has completed the acquisition of Butterworth Paper Cups Sdn Bhd, a privately owned paper cup and foodservice packaging manufacturer in Malaysia.

With the acquisition Huhtamaki expands its foodservice manufacturing footprint to Southeast Asia and significantly strengthens its presence and capability to serve customers in Malaysia, Singapore and other regional Southeast Asian markets. The

purchase price of approximately EUR 8 million approximately corresponds with the annual net sales of the business. The company employs approximately 120 people in its manufacturing unit in Penang, Malaysia.

The business will be consolidated into the Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business segment.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62794

SIG Combibloc Continues to Develop Customer Relations in South America IN

its drive to expand its production capacity, Brazilian dairy group Quatá Alimentos has once again opted for filling machine technology from SIG Combibloc. Six more filling machines from SIG Combibloc have been put into operation at Quatá. This has significantly expanded the company’s production capacity. And Quatá’s product portfolio is now even more varied, as well.

SIG Combibloc and Quatá Alimentos started working together in 2012. Since August 2012, two SIG Combibloc filling machines, a CFA 512 and a CFA 712, have been in operation at Quatá’s Campo Belo facility in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Another filling machine is in operation at the company’s Bom Jesus dos Perdões factory.

José Henrique Coutinho, managing director of Quatá, remembers the company’s first SIG Combibloc filling machine: “For the modernisation of our factory in Campo Belo, we chose filling technology from SIG Combibloc, as this flexible technology met all our requirements. The filling machines perform very well and have low waste rates – using them, we’ve significantly improved our productivity”.

Reason enough for the company to once again opt, in its drive to expand its production capacity in the fast-growing Brazilian market, for filling machine technology from SIG Com| 14 | Packaging Europe

bibloc. In 2014, a further five SIG Combibloc filling machines were installed at Quatá, and at the beginning of 2015 an additional machine started production. Nine filling machines are now in operation at three Quatá production sites. UHT full cream milk, skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, chocolate milk, cream and sweetened condensed milk are now filled in combiblocStandard and combiblocSmall carton packs.

This means Quatá is optimally prepared for the demands of the sizeable Brazilian market. Brazil is currently South America’s biggest market for aseptic carton packs.

World-wide, the country is in second place, right behind China. According to information from market research institute Canadean, Brazil is the world’s biggest market for UHT milk, with annual consumption of around seven billion litres. Canadean’s research shows that in 2014, more than 15.5 billion carton packs for long-life food were sold in Brazil. This figure is expected to rise to more than 21 billion by 2019, equivalent to an increase in volume of around 7% per annum (in units). Milk is now the product most commonly filled in carton packs in Brazil. In the 1980s, unpasteurised milk dominated the market. The share of UHT milk has increased slowly but steadily, to a current level of about 60%.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62852

Packaging Europe | 15 |

The freely customizable Easy-Open strip is applied in-line at full production speed.

A cutting-edge packaging solution for dry pet food The Austrian engineering company Starlinger provides the complete line of production equipment and process technology for packaging made of polypropylene and polyester tape fabric. A sack concept developed by Starlinger that is highly suited for pet food packaging is the PP*STARÂŽ pinch bottom bag.

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Only the best Animal lovers want the best for their pets. They opt for high-quality nutrition and pet care products to keep their furry, feathered or scaly friends happy and healthy. A safe and protective packaging solution is required to ensure that the food, nutritional supplements or litter are not spoilt or infested by insects. PP*STAR® bags keeps the packaged content safe during transport and storing, and makes it look good on the supermarket shelf.

Pinch bottom with a special touch PP*STAR® bags are exceptionally lightweight pinch bottom bags made of tape fabric laminated with reverse printed BOPP film. The BOPP-fabric composite is the perfect basis for high-strength, lightweight packaging that is also tear-resistant and appealing to the eye. Being made entirely of polypropylene, it is hygienic and 100% recyclable.

The PP*STAR® concept represents a step change innovation for dry pet food packaging and other applications – it combines the advantages of pinch bottom bags and polypropylene tape fabric. In many ways PP*STAR® is the ideal packaging solution for dry pet food: The bags are sift-proof, strong and durable, and offer excellent shelf display and visual appeal. Different opening features such as the easy-open feature make it very easy and comfortable for users/consumers to unpack the content of a PP*STAR® bag.

with a yearly production capacity of 31 million bags/machine. The specialised pinch bottomer converts flat fabric to open-mouth pinch bottom bags with side gussets and a stepped cut. The pinch bottom is closed in-line with special glue, while on the pinch top reactive glue is pre-applied. This allows fast and clean sealing during the filling process.

The heat sealing guarantees reliable closure against external agents. If desired, the application of the easy-open strip is integrated in the production process without requiring additional production steps.

Attractive packaging for high-quality bulk goods The PP*STAR® bag concept has been developed with sensitive goods – as typically sold through retail – in mind. In addition to being the ideal packaging for the growing pet food market, it also meets the requirements of other products, for example fertiliser, seeds, flour, sugar and rice.

The Company

Fully automated production

Starlinger & Co. GmbH is a market-leading provider of machinery and process technology for woven polypropylene packaging production and plastics recycling and refinement. Founded in 1835, Starlinger has over 45 years of global market experience in woven plastic packaging, supplies machinery to customers in more than 130 countries and maintains branch offices in Brasil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, USA and Uzbekistan.

PP*STAR® bags are produced by Starlinger customers on the pp*starKON conversion line – the world’s first fully automated conversion line for poly-woven pinch bottom bags

PP*STAR® is a registered trademark and produced exclusively on Starlinger machines.

Further information: Stéphane Soudais General Manager Division Consumer bags Starlinger & Co. Ges.m.b.H. Sonnenuhrgasse 4 1060 Vienna, Austria

T: +43 1 59955-0 F: +43 1 59955-180 E: ppstar@starlinger.com W: www.starlinger.com

Starlinger PP*STAR® bags offer excellent content protection, an attractive look, raw material savings and recyclability.

Packaging Europe | 17 |

Business News Bohle Inaugurates Technology Centre

F

or many years now, continuous processes in pharmaceutical production have been the focus of the special machine builders of L.B. Bohle Maschinen + Verfahren GmbH. With the inauguration of a new Technology Centre, its engineers, scientists, pharmacists and IT developers have for the first time closed the loop control circuit of a modular system along the entire process including production, sensor technology and controlling. “Series production is set to start as soon as we have received FDA clearance,” explained Dr Hubertus Rehbaum, manager scientific operation at Bohle. “There is no need to develop, install and validate a new production line.”

Two basic ideas are at the core of the successful development project: first of all, the best machines for the individual process steps must be optimally linked to each other, both physically and technically in terms of data. “We have leveraged our acknowledged premium quality in the areas of granulation and coating and, with the companies of Gericke and Korsch, have taken on board another two technology leaders for continuous blending/ dosing and tablet press technology,” said the initiator Lorenz Bohle.

Secondly, the machines had to be equipped with state-of-the-art sensor and measurement technology and all data had to be integrated on a common platform via standardized interfaces. The software integration, in turn, forms the basis of permanent monitoring, controlling and documentation of the continuous production process. Advanced spectroscopy

technologies, such as NIR and Raman, enable precise measurement and analysis during the individual production steps,” explained Dr Rehbaum. Consequently, the leading companies in this area, Kaiser Optical Systems, Sentronic and Kraemer Elektronik, have been involved in the project. Nevertheless, a major challenge arose from directly processing this generated data and making it available for use. Together with the IT partners and university scientists, models had to be developed for simulating various processes as well as for defining and automatically initiating corresponding measures and interventions. “Together, we have developed the intelligence of the system, so to speak,” said Dr Rehbaum. This “evolution process” will continue in the future.

At the Technology Centre at the Bohle headquarters in Ennigerloh, customers from the pharmaceutical industry can now experience the benefits of continuous production first hand. “The unique feature of this plant is that the tablet production can be implemented either without granulation or with dry or wet granulation, in one system“, explained Lorenz Bohle. The modular concept of continuous production offers substantial time savings since it does not require any time-consuming analyses of the product samples between the process steps. Moreover, producers benefit from greater flexibility because the plant can be quickly converted to different products.

EUR 2 million has been invested in the glass-fronted building alone. “In the coming years, we will make available several million euros for the cooperation in order to push the issue of continuous production further ahead,” announced the owner. The permanent measuring, monitoring and controlling of the production throughout the entire process is decisive for the customers. The investor, L. B. Bohle Maschinen + Verfahren GmbH will also manage the Technology Centre.

This opportunity was also identified by the partner from the University of Düsseldorf, Prof.

Peter Kleinebudde: “Given our long-standing and trustful cooperation, it was only natural to join the project as a scientific partner for developing the continuous production line”. The “holistic approach” of this new form of production is especially interesting. “The objective is to link the individual process steps and to ensure consistency with constant parameters. To this day, this could not be guaranteed by science”, said Prof. Peter Kleinebudde.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62996

Smurfit Kappa to Acquire Inspirepac S

murfit Kappa has announced the acquisitions of Inspirepac and that of a majority shareholding in Beacon Packaging. Inspirepac is a subsidiary of Logson Group with operations in Wetherby, Chesterfield, Runcorn and a new 100,000 square foot purpose built facility at Markham Vale. This new facility will accommodate state of the art print machinery – including digital, HQPP six colour flexo folder gluer, litho-lamination with flatbed die-cutting and multi point gluing. The company has invested strongly over the past few years to position themselves to become one of the leaders in high quality corrugated packaging solutions together with fulfilment and contract packing services.

Beacon Packaging, a trading division of Miramar Investments Limited, based in Aldershot, Hampshire is a large independent converter of board into corrugated boxes and fitments. The company has invested over the past five years in latest technology machinery which allows the company to meet the needs of its broad customer base in Greater London, the Home Counties, Southern Midlands, M4 corridor and South Coast.

Clive Bowers, CEO of Smurfit Kappa corrugated UK, commented: “I am delighted with these acquisitions that will bring two very strong professional management teams into the Smurfit Kappa organisation. The culture of these two companies is very much aligned with the Smurfit Kappa philosophy. They have built excellent businesses in selected customer and product sectors which will add to our existing strengths. These acquisitions support our continued drive to “Open the future” within the UK packaging market, further developing our customer offer, brand and reputation in a way that truly sets us apart.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62981 | 18 | Packaging Europe

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GIDUE Announces the Expansion L

Henkel Named Independent Carton Group Supplier of the Year T

he Independent Carton Group (ICG), an association of 19 independently owned and operated folding carton manufacturers, has announced that Henkel is the recipient of its Supplier of the Year Award for 2014. Joseph Wrona, regional sales director for Henkel, was in attendance to accept the award. “Every ICG member has unique needs, and it has always been a pleasure to work closely with each one to understand their company’s goals and challenges, and customize solutions that deliver value,” he said. “The ICG consists of a dynamic group of companies and a wonderful group of people. We couldn’t ask for better customers.

We’re thrilled to know they think so highly of us, too.”

One of the many benefits of ICG membership is participation in the group purchasing program, which began in 1999. Amassing the collective buying power of its members and negotiating vendor contracts as a group enables the ICG to capture volume discounts on the raw materials, supplies and equipment its members use.

The ICG currently maintains contracts with over 40 reputable suppliers of paperboard, printing plates, inks, adhesives, rollers, presses and more.

Henkel, the largest producer of adhesives technologies in the world, supplies ICG members with adhesives, sealants and functional coatings for folding cartons, cases, corrugated boxes, labels, board lamination, packaging windows, and other packaging and packaging features. The agreement the ICG holds with Henkel today was first inked with National Starch and Chemical about a decade ago. The partnership continued upon Henkel’s 2008 acquisition of National Starch’s adhesives business.

“Henkel has all of the traits we look for in our suppliers: quality products, competitive pricing, personal service and flexibility,” said Jay Willie, executive director of the ICG. “Our members require many types of adhesives for use on many types of substrates. Henkel is not only able to adapt specific products to members’ specific applications, but their size and global reach also help to ensure that our members can get any adhesive they need at the best possible price. It was our pleasure to present Joe and the Henkel team with our Supplier of the Year Award for 2014.”

The Supplier of the Year Award has been presented annually since 2012 to the ICG supplier that receives the highest marks on performance evaluations completed

by ICG members for the prior calendar year.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62739 | 20 | Packaging Europe

ance Shumaker, president of GIDUE North America, is working in close cooperation with GIDUE’s Headquarters in Florence, Italy in order to strengthen the presence of the GIDUE technology to new companies, and to locally support the existing GIDUE customers.

GIDUE North America is expanding its presence by establishing the GIDUE North American company, headquartered in Atlanta, expanding its sales organisation and adding Senior Application Specialist in Chicago; addition of service personnel in both the Central/Eastern region and Western region; warehousing of GIDUE parts in Chicago; demonstration centre for the GIDUE M5 Digital Flexo press located in Chicago, in cooperation with (APR) All Printing Resources.

“I’m very pleased to be the President of GIDUE North America. I know that GIDUE is a true leader in innovative technologies,” remarked Mr Shumaker.

“GIDUE’s ‘revolutionary technology’ has been supporting the success of many converters worldwide for years, and I strongly trust in its advanced solutions for the Labels and Packaging industry. Our main objective is to strengthen the GIDUE image worldwide and make the North American customers aware of what can be produced with its revolutionary innovations.”

Mat Jones, national sales manager of GIDUE North America commented: “I am pleased to have Lance as a part of the North America sales management. After a few years as a pioneer in the promotion of GIDUE, it is great to have the successful opening of the new GIDUE Demonstration Centre at APR in Chicago with the support of APR Technical Solution Group, dedicated to being up to date on new technologies, armed with the latest in diagnostic tools, and experienced in problem solving that can achieve consistent and sustainable results. I believe that today, GIDUE can be considered a good partner for all North American converters of the labels and packaging market.”

“Currently GIDUE has over 700 installations of presses worldwide, in more than 100 countries assisted by its sales and service network spread over five continents. With the birth of this new GIDUE North American division, we believe we can face the North American market demand in a better and much more productive way. The positive background already shows that GIDUE is able to organize its team worldwide. What we expect from GIDUE North America and from the future, is an experienced sales and service organisation, which will be able to satisfy the needs of prospects and customers everywhere in North America. There is no doubt, it’s time to demonstrate that GIDUE is not just a printing press manufacturer; but it is a choice for print quality and productivity,” commented Federico d’Annunzio, CEO of GIDUE. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/63011

Business News

New President for Rieke D

avid Pritchett has been appointed president of Rieke. He succeeds Lynn Brooks, who has retired after 18 years and who will now continue with the company in an advisory role.

Rieke designs and manufactures a wide range of highly engineered dispensing pumps and closures for many different end markets including food & drink, health, beauty and home care, and pharmaceuticals. The company offers worldwide sales and service support through its network of 16 manufacturing, warehousing and sales facilities in Europe, Asia and North America. Rieke forms the packaging business segment of TriMas Corporation, a diversified global manufacturer of engineered and applied products, and Pritchett will report directly to TriMas president and CEO, David Wathen.

David Pritchett joined Rieke in 1996 as business development director, and has held various positions of increasing responsibility, including vice president of the dispensing group, vice president of corporate development and vice president of product/business development.

Prior to joining Rieke, he spent seven years at TI Group and two years at Rolls Royce Aerospace.

“David’s proven career experience and leadership with Rieke will enable him to lead one of our top growth platforms into the future,” said Wathen.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/ News/62803 Packaging Europe | 21 |

GEA: Meeting Demand for Ecological and Economic Packages Like all leading packaging industry players, GEA sees a growing interest in packaging that contributes to sustainability. Examples include the use of thinner film, stand-up pouches to replace carton boxes, and more attention focused on the throughput speed of the packaging machines. The German engineering and technology group, which has eighteen thousand employees and a turnover of approximately 4.5 billion euros in the processing industry, strives to play a leading role with innovative solutions. To do this, the company looks for benefits in all links in the chain.

Thinner film material “There are PE films up to 25 per cent thinner than before, yet they still have the same functional characteristics,” explains Frank van der Beek (sales manager Benelux GEA Smart Packers). “This means costs can be reduced without additional investment. Using thinner film could also reduce the sealing time and therefore facilitates a potential increase in the production speed.” By increasing the overall speed of the packaging line, the cost per pack goes down.

According to Carla Verheijen (product manager GEA Smart Packers), successful innovation in packaging and efficient use of materials requires optimal cooperation between all links in the chain: “Innovation in materials and machines bring the economic and ecological aspects together. We must also take more stringent consumer demands, logistics aspects, a growing demand for small portion packages and the use of other (organic) materials into account.” A thinner film also means that more meters fit on a reel. This has benefits in other areas, such as requiring less space to store the same length of film. “It also means that

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production encounters less down time for roll changing because more products can be packaged from the roll.” There are additional benefits linked directly to the environment, such as transporting more meters of material per truck, fewer raw materials are required and, of course, there is less environmental waste. GEA also offers systems for automatic film roll changing (splicing unit), making non-stop production possible.

Stand-up packages GEA also sees a strong increase in the demand for stand-up pouches. One reason is the growing use of upright freezers and cooling cabinets in retail outlets. Block bottom, quatro seal and Doystyle packages are very popular styles for which GEA offers very innovative solutions. There is a shift from cardboard boxes and pre-formed packaging bags to stand-up bags made directly on a GEA SmartPacker that offers much more flexibility.

Reinforcing these positive developments, GEA Food Solutions has recently opened a new, state-of-the-art Technology Center with a fully equipped demonstration area at its Weert facility. “Here we have several GEA SmartPackers set up for a wide variety of bag shapes and throughput capacities, and the machines are naturally equipped with our latest innovations,” says Frank van der Beek. “Under the motto ‘test before you invest’ interested companies come and visit the facility.”

GEA Food Solutions Weert B.V., De Fuus 8, 6006 RV Weert, Netherlands Tel.: +31 495 457 777, Fax: +31 495 524 125 E-mail: gea-foodsolutions.info@gea.com, Website: www.gea.com

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Innovation NEws

Comexi Group Reveals Comexi NEXUS L20000 C

omexi Group opened its doors last month to introduce the new Comexi NEXUS L20000: the water-based laminating machine specially designed to complement the HP Indigo 20000 digital press. A group of 75 representatives from companies belonging to the flexible packaging and labelling sector, from 15 countries, discovered the advantages of this innovative solution.

The attendees highlighted the compact size of the machine, the importance of using water-based adhesives instead of other technologies such as solvent-based or solventless, the speed in delivering the product ready for packaging reducing the waste of the material and the future option of the in-line configuration with the HP Indigo 20000 digital press.

The need to reduce the products’ life cycle and the boom in personalized and mass customized packaging’s as a marketing tool are two factors that have caused an increase in short term projects, which demand a faster delivery time. In this respect, the Comexi NEXUS L20000 will make it possible to deliver a package in less than 24 hours, thanks to the fast, intuitive machine set-up, and the fast curing of the water-based adhesives. This implies a 60% time reduction with respect to conventional solvent-based and solventless technologies that might require a 2 to 14 day set-up. www.packagingeurope.com/News/62940

Low Temperature Hot Melt Adhesives H

.B. Fuller has introduced a range of low application temperature hot melt adhesives, offering the versatility to address practically all case and carton sealing applications. Elizabeth Staab, marketing manager, H.B. Fuller, explains, “Our range of low temperature adhesives is versatile and covers a wide variety of substrates, enabling customers to take advantage of the latest packaging material. The range incorporates seven products, all offering energy savings, increased operator safety and efficient performance.”

H.B. Fuller’s low temperature hot melt adhesives are applied at temperatures as low as 100°C to 135°C. Manufacturers can significantly cut energy consumption, at line startup and during normal melter operation. Based on their energy source, this also means lower CO2 emissions. Low application temperature adhesives can improve the working environment by focusing on operators’ safety and may incorporate vacuum feed systems.

Reduced wear and tear on machinery limits unscheduled downtime and maintenance.

Manufacturers can expect the high efficiency and great performance they are used to from H.B. Fuller’s hot melt adhesives. Their high quality consistently ensures accurate bead placement and impressive package appearance. Advantra True™ LT 9340, for example, combines the benefits of a low temperature adhesive with bio-sourced raw materials.

Containing over 40 percent forest-sourced materials, this hot melt connects premium performance at low temperatures with customers’ sustainability needs.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/63015

Food Contact Compliance for BOPP Label Films I

nnovia Films has produced its first top-coated BOPP label films that are proven to be food contact compliant under European Union and Food and Drug Administration regulations – UltraFoil CFA (clear) and WFA (white).

“The pressure sensitive label value chain is now very much under the spotlight, with retailers, brand-owners and consumers expecting labels to meet the same regulations as traditional food packaging. Until recently, top-coated filmic label-stock materials did not have to meet global regulations’ for food contact compliance. Innovia Films is proud to say that its UltraFoil CFA and WFA topcoated label films are now food contact compliant,” explained Alasdair McEwen, product manager Labels for Innovia Films.

The films are designed to give converters a surface allowing outstanding cold-foiling performance and intricate fine tone and vignette printing, without the need to slow down their presses. UltraFoil films maximise the aesthetics of foiled areas of the label giving brand owners’ shelf impact for their products and

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additional options regarding imagery and branding, without adversely affecting the overall cost of the final printed label.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62957

Packaging Europe | 27 |

Innovation NEws Strapper Meets Corrugated Needs

1L Bi-Oriented Bottles Hit Stores

esigned to strap large-format products for secure transportation, the new Mosca EVOLUTION SoniXs TRC-6 combines the company’s proven SoniXs ultrasonic sealing technology with a compact design and easy access for cleaning and maintenance, made possible by a new Standard-6 strap path system which can be easily disassembled and reassembled without tools.

As a result, the cost-effective EVOLUTION SoniXs TRC-6 delivers extremely reliable, high-quality strapping of up to 28 strapped packages per minute on a standard-size frame with a passage width of 1650mm, and up to 25 packages per minute on the largest passage width of 2600mm.

The machine’s simple tool-free disassembly capability simplifies maintenance, cleaning and repairs. The removable roller-table makes it easy to access the inner workings of the machine – if required the table can be unlocked and completely detached for direct access to all core components from above.

In operation, the EVOLUTION SoniXs TRC-6 straps packages on the conveyor transversely to the direction of transport. The pneumatic hold down device is integrated into the frame, enhancing the machine’s compact uncluttered design. It can be manually fixed at a specific height before the start of the strapping cycle to ensure maximum performance regardless of package height.

Safe to operate without separate protection, and easy for operators to use with minimal training, the machine comes labelled with a CE marking.

Mosca’s patented SoniXs ultrasonic sealing units require no warm-up time and are extremely energy-efficient as energy is only consumed at the moment the strap ends are sealed. The welded seam offers more than 80 percent of the tensile strength of the strap, making it exceptionally strong and stable.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62973

he first product packed with 1L bi-oriented bottles, manufactured by Incoplas Italia in HDPE produced by Total and filled/packed by I.C.E. FOR, are now available on mass market shelves at Italian UNES stores. Incoplas has continuously invested in technical development aiming at weight reductions, while maintaining bottle performance and quality. For the last few years Incoplas has focused on developing ISBM bottle production using bi-oriented HDPE, with the innovative resin from Total HDPE SB 1359. Thanks to this newly developed HDPE Incoplas is now able to produce extra light and simulataneously highly resistant bottles.

This latest innovation based on the ISBM bi-oriented HDPE technology stands out from other plastic bottles by the combination of extreme light-weighting, high mechanical performances, soft touch as well as transparency.

It comes in a standard range of bottles up to 1L, applicable in various market segments. Incoplas Group is also looking forward to customer partners for development of new customised packaging. Compared to equivalent blow moulded (HDPE EBM) bottles weight reduction potential of up to 50% dramatically reduces environmental impact of the packaging. Total, committed to develop improved and better polymers, has contributed to this commercialisation providing HDPE SB 1359 resin, which benefits from a unique molecular design capable of being processed on ISBM machines - a real breakthrough in polymer development.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/ News/62967

D

T

E(gg)xceptional design I

nnovation is fun – as proven by Eggs Posure, a young packaging company founded by the Dutch Twinpack BV and the Danish food producer Hedegaard Foods A/S. Their joint mission was to develop creative packaging concepts for the egg industry. The resulting Eggs Posure showpiece was Eggyplay®, which serves both as packaging and a sustainable toy. The cartons work like clickable building blocks, fitting perfectly together like large duplo blocks. The egg carton is made from plastic, and comes in four bright colours. Young children are said to love them because Eggyplay® cartons are the perfect building blocks for building large castles, towers or playhouses.

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Mette Due Andersen (marketing manager Hedegaard Foods A/S) explains the conditions for being approved as a (reusable) toy and obtaining a CE certificate: “Our Eggyplay® cartons must be dishwasher-proof. Or: resistant to repeated exposure to high temperatures, moisture and detergents. We soon made the decision to use Verstraete IML’s dishwasher-proof IML labels. The company stands for quality and outstanding service. The labels are produced with dishwasher-proof inks and a special layer of varnish. This offers optimal protection for the colours and the quality of the IML label during repeated washes.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62930

Packaging Europe | 29 |

Design News Amcor Captures Golden A’ Design Award A

mcor Rigid Plastics has been awarded a 2014 Golden A’ Design Award from the A’ Design Award & Competition, an international design contest based in Como, Italy. Amcor captured the packaging design award for its innovative redesign of the PROfit Sports Drink container from Ecuador’s Toni, one of the largest food and beverage producers in Central America.

Amcor’s Latin America design team refreshed and revitalised Toni’s hypotonic sports drink brand, transforming the previous standard cold-fill container into a standalone iconic package that is aggressive, sporty, and modern, according to Carlos Londono, senior/group lead designer for Amcor Rigid Plastics. The 350ml and 500 ml PET bottles feature a sport-infused look with a highly reflective and clean label with ghosted attributes. These are tied together with a hexagonal texturing feature on both the label and the container, according to Jeff Klok, Amcor Rigid Plastics’ senior industrial designer who spearheaded the design project.

During the design process, Amcor looked to athletic equipment for inspiration, adding a texture to the container that mimicked sports apparel and footwear. The design incorporated hard reactive-looking shapes that replicated safety pads while sporting an aggressive and modern look with a new metallic label. Amcor also conducted extensive research to improve the functionality of the bottle. A benchmarking study concluded that a container with improved gripability, solid contact points, aggressive styling, and a bold statement were necessary elements for a highly competitive and athletic container.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/ News/62870

Global Closure Systems Serves Yves Rocher Eco-Design Approach Y

ves Rocher has chosen Touareg, a lightweight 35mm snap hinge cap designed by Global Closure Systems (GCS), for its new tube range. Founded in 1959, Yves Rocher is a French Cosmetics and Beauty company present in 88 countries, on five continents. As part of its commitment to the environment, Yves Rocher has developed ‘eco-design packaging guidelines’ designed to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and promote the production of recyclable packaging. The company has thus managed to reduce the CO2 emissions of its sites by 10% per product since 2010 (gCO2/product).

Yves Rocher has naturally chosen Global Closure Systems and its standard closure Touareg for its new tube range. The closure has been thoughtfully developed for personal care and cosmetic applications to boast style and quality while at the same time respecting the environment. GCS always strives to make its products and processes more sustainable and thereby reduce its carbon footprint by looking at right-weighting and coming up with innovative designs.

Designed by Zeller Plastik, one of GCS’ plants in France, Touareg offers an optimised weight of 4g and is 20% lighter than the previous version which has reduced the carbon footprint to 13.8g eq CO2/cap. Furthermore, Touareg answers the market needs in terms of limiting waste and rejects. Although light weighted, Touareg does not compromise on its performance: thanks to its best in class butterfly hinge, it offers a one-hand dispensing for enhanced convenience.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62729

Sagres Beer Launches Can Designs R

exam has been chosen by Sagres, the Portuguese beer brand, to create packaging for their range of new, limited edition can designs that promote the cultural diversity of ten regions in Portugal. The unique cans use Rexam’s innovative HD printing techniques and matt-over-varnish finish to bring to life the illustrated designs. Designed by renowned Portuguese artist, Joana Vasconcelos, the limited edition range celebrates Portuguese passion for the arts and home grown talent.

Speaking about the partnership, Sagres marketing manager, Raul Simão says, “We are thrilled with how Rexam was able to provide a packaging format to display our ten fantastic eye-catching designs that illustrate our patriotism and pride in our culture.

The cans have great stand-out on shelf and we know our customers will love them.

Working alongside a like-minded brand that shares our values of innovation and commitment to sustainability was key in helping us to choose the right partner.”

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The 33cl cans were produced out of Rexam’s La Selva plant in Spain, which recently underwent an extensive engineering project to now operate with aluminiumonly production lines.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62668

Packaging Europe | 31 |

Design News Winning Ardagh Design for Warsteiner T

he combination of outstanding design and packaging proved a winning formula for Ardagh Group and its customer, Warsteiner, in two prestigious international competitions. The Warsteiner Art Collection, a series of 6 shaped 330ml aluminium bottles, each one decorated with the work of one of 7 distinguished artists in HD offset on a metal base, took the winning prize in the ‘can and aluminium bottle’ category of the 2014 World Beverage Awards, and in the packaging category of the 2015 iF Design Awards.

For Warsteiner, founded in 1753 and one of Germany’s most international and privately owned breweries, it represents another example of the brand’s success in using modern culture to attract consumers, and particularly a younger and influential target audience, throughout the more than 60 countries where the beer is sold.

Ardagh was able to use the enhanced printing techniques at its Beaurepaire facility in France to reproduce the stunning artwork through sharp screens combined with solid covering colours on brushed transparent metal effects and gold tones.

Ulrich Kunert, international marketing manager at Warsteiner, commented: “We are delighted that the collaboration with Ardagh to create our own art collection on this very special limited edition bottle has earned such recognition through these important awards.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62726

Future of Innocent Juice On-the-Go P

earlfisher London has re-designed innocent’s on-the-go juice range, completing the picture of innocent as the entrepreneurial leaders in juice. Work spans creative strategy, graphic and structural packaging design. innocent’s latest in-home juice carafe proposition has been a great success and the iconic brand wanted to emulate this in the on-the-go (OTG) category, making the carafe proposition relevant for the more active, transient world of OTG drinks. Pearlfisher’s challenge was to use design to inject these quiet little on-the-go bottles with challenger spirit that disrupts, creates irresistible desire and explodes their sales potential.

Mike Beauchamp, Pearlfisher 3D design director, commented, “The OTG drinks category is dominated by me-too juice, fizzy drinks and water brands all fighting for the same shelf space and consumer attention. Our challenge was to create a structural design that completes the innocent juice family in a beautiful mini-carafe form and disrupts the competitive OTG category. The new structure – which comes in the form of a modern ‘carafette’ – creates positive category story for retailers as well as providing a new consumer experience. The carafette is an impactful new structural design that elevates a clumsy bottle to an object of beauty.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62749

Healthy Snack in a New Look by Greiner W

ith its high-quality milk products, OSM Piątnica is one of the largest dairy industries in Poland. Its main product, cottage cheese, has also introduced the company to a wider audience throughout Europe. In collaboration with Greiner Packaging, OSM Piątnica has developed a new packaging concept for its healthy, protein-loaded snack: a sleeved cup with two chambers, one for the cottage cheese and the other for honey or fruits.

Together, the chambers give the package a triangular shape, making it unmistakable at point-of-sale and clearly setting it apart from the competition. “To survive in a highly competitive market, you have to always have the courage to question, and if necessary, to change existing practices. That’s why we decided to assist OSM Piątnica in updating the appearance of its existing cottage cheese to offer consumers additional benefits. The new, dual chamber packaging is not just visually attractive, but practical as well,” explains Kenneth Boldog, head of Division K. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62696

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Packaging Europe | 35 |

Sustainability News

Coca-Cola Enterprises and Cranfield Join Forces C

oca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has launched a new industry research partnership with Cranfield University entitled ‘Sustainable Manufacturing for the Future’. The study will take place over the next six months with researchers set to deliver their findings in autumn 2015. The project was announced at the same time as CCE unveiled its plans to invest £66m into its operations this year, surpassing the £1m a week it injected in 2014 and bringing total investment by the business to nearly £300m over the last five years.

CCE’s partnership with Cranfield University, chosen for its strong credentials and dedicated sustainable manufacturing team, is part of CCE’s commitment to advance its business and the broader food and drink industry in all areas of operational efficiency. The study will investigate the current sustainability landscape across the supply chain, investigating topics such as resource security, the circular economy, sustainable technologies and waste management. It will also look to the future, forming a vision of what a sustainable factory will look like in 2050.

A roundtable event was held at CCE’s Milton Keynes factory yesterday, hosted by representatives from both CCE and Cranfield University. A number of leading academics and industry experts attended the launch to debate the key topics impacting the sustainability landscape today, and those we anticipated in the years to come.

Steve Adams, group director of Supply Chain Operations, at Coca-Cola Enterprises GB, said: “We are excited to be embarking on this journey with Cranfield, as we look to the future of sustainable manufacturing in our industry. At CCE we take our responsibilities in this area very seriously and we are constantly looking for new ways to progress and improve, which is why we have again pledged to invest significantly across our operations this year. “We view the research project as a collaborative effort, and will look to involve our industry peers as we assess the findings from Cranfield.”

CCE’s latest investment will go towards a range of efficiency and operational upgrades across all of the company’s GB sites this year, in areas such as automation and water treatment. Individual plans and projects will be revealed in due course.

Mark Jolly, Professor of Sustainable Manufacturing at Cranfield University, added: “This is an exciting opportunity for Cranfield researchers to share their expertise in sustainable manufacturing processes, systems and business models in order to help CCE in their mission to achieve best-in-world manufacturing for the future. We hope that Cranfield’s cross-sector vision and experience as well as its extensive network of contacts will be invaluable for CCE in its vision for lower energy, reduced materials usage and lowest CO2 footprint in its manufacturing plants.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62703

‘Sustainable from Labels to Lolly Sticks’ U

nilever has announced a new supplier policy as part of the action to halt deforestation. As a result, more of Unilever packaging – including wooden ice cream sticks – will be sourced sustainably by the end of the year. Unilever’s target is to ensure that all materials used that contain fibre obtained from wood are traceable from certified and known sources by 2020. In 2014, the volume of sustainably sourced paper and board used increased to 87%, up significantly from 62% the previous year. Unilever is therefore now bringing forward its commitment to source all paper and board packaging sustainably by the end of 2015.

The new Wood Fibre Sourcing Policy will contribute to Unilever’s work to eliminate deforestation from supply chains. It will also help to embed the Unilever Responsible Sourcing Policy, which supports Unilever’s commitment to increase its positive social impact throughout the entire supply chain by improving the lives of workers and their communities.

The move is expected to resonate with consumers. Unilever research across 11 countries has found that three quarters of consumers would be more likely to purchase a product if they knew it was made from sustainably sourced ingredients, and according to Nielsen, millennials are four times as responsive to sustainability credentials as the over 50s. Globally, consumer spending on responsible consumption products is $400bn.

Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Chief Supply Chain Officer remarked: “To meet our ambitious zero deforestation policies and support the move to prosperous and sustainable land use | 36 | Packaging Europe

in developing countries, we need to work with all organisations in the value chain, such as our suppliers, NGOs and governments. The business case for doing this is clear. It helps us secure a sustainable supply of commodities into the future, and it is good news for forests and the people that live and depend on them. Action on forests can tackle emissions – at least 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 a year – while at the same time increasing food production sustainably and improving livelihoods.”

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62932

Packaging Europe | 37 |

Higher Efficiency Regrind Recycling T

he latest event in the EREMA Discovery Day series took place at the EREMA headquarters in Ansfelden, Austria this spring. Over 200 existing and potential customers and other guests accepted the invitation and this time took full advantage of information about trends, challenges, opportunities and efficient solutions in the field of post consumer recycling. The highlight of Discovery Day 2015 was the global premiere of the new product innovation INTAREMA® RegrindPro® for the highly efficient recycling of regrind materials.

The trend in plastics recycling is characterised on the one hand by the fact that the quality of the input material is decreasing whereas, on the other hand, the requirements for existing applications (e.g. in the production of blown film) and the demand for exactly specified raw materials from recyclate are increasing. In addition to this the quantities of heavily contaminated post consumer materials are growing and this development calls for new markets and, in particular, new, innovative end products with a high portion or consisting entirely of recyclate.

This represents ever growing challenges in terms of recycling solutions, especially in the post consumer area. Clemens Kitzberger, business development manager Post Consumer Recycling, explains: “Due to the fact that packaging materials are becoming thinner all the time with the relative portion of impurities continuing to increase, plus the high residual moisture and degrees of contamination of the input material, highly efficient recycling technologies are required.”

Kitzberger continues: “EREMA has been adapting its technologies continuously to the requirements of the wide variety of recycling applications for more than 30 years. And, as we have also noted a rapidly growing demand for efficient solutions for the processing of thick-walled plastic materials at the current time, we have designed our latest product, the RegrindPro® system, to meet the exact requirements in this field of application. Moreover, the product COREMA® enables the production of exactly specified and applicationoriented raw materials based on recyclate. COREMA® brings together the benefits of recycling and compounding and interest in this technology is growing all the time. This is also the reason why we will be offering our customers access to a workbench for the production of larger test quantities as of autumn 2015.”

Numerous existing and potential customers and other guests received detailed information about these latest developments in expert talks and demonstrations on INTAREMA® and COREMA® systems at EREMA’s Discovery Day 2015.

Demand for the processing of regrind materials to make high-quality recycled pellets is growing more and more, especially in the thick-walled packaging, electronics (WEEE) and automotive sectors. The thick-walled input material (HDPE, PP, ABS, PS, etc.), however, requires a specific treatment process which is designed to be able to handle mixed fractions with varying compositions, high bulk density and moisture, extremely varying

contaminants through an exceptionally wide variety of impurities such as rubber, silicone and soft contaminants such as wood and paper, plus foreign polymers like PET and PA. To offer its customers optimum solutions also in the regrind segment, EREMA presented the new product innovation INTAREMA® RegrindPro® at Discovery Day 2015 – a system which meets exactly these requirements for the highly efficient recycling of regrind materials. The key factors of this innovation lie above all in the extremely gentle processing and the highly efficient filtration.

The thick-walled regrind particles are warmed through perfectly in the preconditioning unit thanks to the slower turning of the patented rotor disc and a longer dwell time. This means that the material can melt in the extruder with minimum shearing forces while at the same time the impurities in the melt remain large enough to be filtered out extremely efficiently by the high-performance filter.

Additionally, through the combination of the optimised preconditioning unit with a new, particularly gentle universal screw, the new INTAREMA® RegrindPro® offers you a remarkably high degree of flexibility which enables multipurpose regrind processing. This allows you, for example, to process regrind despite varying viscosity, as in the case of materials such as HDPE and PP, using the same system with full output and in a gentle way.

Clemens Kitzberger continues: “The EREMA high-performance filter systems additionally ensure continuously high throughput with outstanding melt quality at the same time. With the recently enhanced EREMA Laserfilter, contaminants are removed even more quickly through the redesign of the scraper geometry and discharge system, resulting in even better filtration performance.”

The result of the new INTAREMA® RegrindPro® recycling technology for regrind is maximum pellet quality for a maximum amount of recyclate in the new end product.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62881

Plastics Industry Greets Ocean Waste Study P

lasticsEurope, the association of plastics manufacturers in Europe, has welcomed a new study on marine debris from the National Center of Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), which has been published by the journal Science. The study, undertaken by the research centre located in the University of California, Santa Barbara, quantifies waste coming from land into our oceans, offers new insights on strategies to tackle marine litter and underlines the importance of proper waste management systems.

“We, as an industry, are not only seriously concerned about marine litter: we take action,” said Karl-H. Foerster, executive director of PlasticsEurope. “In 2011, the European plastics industry launched the initiative Zero Plastics to Landfill, which aims at reducing the amount of post-consumer plastics waste sent to landfills to zero. Seven EU member states plus Norway and Switzerland introduced landfill bans or similar measures applicable to plastics waste. The experience of these nine countries shows that phasing out landfilling together with a better implementation and enforcement of existing waste legislation is crucial to tackle this issue.” | 38 | Packaging Europe

At global level, the European plastics industry together with their global peers and other stakeholders have put in place more than 185 projects to tackle marine litter through the Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter, a public commitment by the global plastics industry to tackle plastic waste in the marine environment.

Another example of the efforts that the industry is doing to share best practices in plastics waste management is the ‘Identiplast’ conference, an event where international experts will share their knowledge to identify key drivers to reach a zero plastics waste society will take place in Rome. “IdentiPlast is relevant to local authorities and municipalities, policy makers, waste management organisations, plastics recyclers, manufacturers, converters and compounders, but also to OEMs, academia and research institutes and NGOs to understand how we can solve this issue” concluded Karl-H. Foerster.

Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/62138

Sustainability News

Packaging Europe | 39 |

Diary Plast 2015

Date: 5 - 9 May Venue: Milano, Italy Visit: www.plastonline.org

IPACK-IMA

Date: 19 - 23 May Venue: Milano, Italy Visit: www.ipack-ima.it

EuPC Annual Meeting

Date: 20 - 21 May Venue: Warsaw, Poland Visit: www.plasticsconverters.eu

ACHEMA

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

Venue: Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

Plastics Packaging Show

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

RosUpack

Date: 16 - 19 June Venue: Moscow, UK Visit: www.rosupack.com

FachPack

Date: 29 September - 1 October Venue: Nürnberg, Germany Visit: www.fachpack.de

Labelexpo Europe

Date: 29 September - 2 October Venue: Brussels, Belgium Visit: www.labelexpo-europe.com

PPMA Show

Date: 29 September - 1 October Venue: Birmingham, UK Visit: www.ppmashow.co.uk

Scanpack

Date: 20 - 23 October Venue: Göteborg, Sweden Visit: www.scanpack.se

Smithers Pira Packaging Forum Date: 2 - 3 November Visit: www.pack-forum.com

Venue: London, UK

Plastic Caps & Closures

Date: 4 - 5 November Venue: Nice, France Visit: www.plasticscapsandclosures.com | 40 | Packaging Europe

EuPC Annual Meeting and General Assembly E

uropean Plastics Converters (EuPC) will be celebrating its 2015 Annual Meeting and General Assembly on 21-22 May 2015 in Warsaw, Poland at the Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre. The event will have some 150 participants from all over Europe, active in different markets of the plastics converting industry. Several market meetings and networking events will take place during these two days.

EuPC is the EU-level Trade Association, based in Brussels, representing European Plastics Converters. Plastics converters manufacture plastics semi-finished and finished products for an extremely wide range of industrial and consumer markets - the automotive electrical and electronic, packaging, construction and healthcare industries, to name but a few.

EuPC Plastics Packaging Forum takes place on Thursday 21 May, the first day of the event. Topics discussed include: • ‘Plastic carrier bags: What is the impact of the EU decision for bag manufacturers?’

(Björn Hoem, CEO Sphere Germany GmbH, Chairman EuPC Packaging Division) • ‘The EuPC Packaging Division: the way forward with a new structure’ (Françoise Gerardi, General Manager Elipso, and Chairwoman EuPC Packaging Division Communications Task Force) • ‘Challenges and innovation in the Polish plastics packaging industry’ (Tadeusz Nowicki, CEO ERGIS Group) • ‘How can EuPC influence the EU decision-making process for plastics packaging?’

(Padraig Nolan, Regulatory Affairs Manager EuPC) • ‘Developments in waste management in Poland’ (André Lemlyn, Vice-President & Managing Director of the Industrial Sector SITA Polska) • ‘The Circular Economy Package - what next? View of the EEB’ (Piotr Barczak, Policy Officer EEB) • ‘Developments in the UK on waste management and biodegradables’ (Mike Baxter, External Affairs Director BPI) • ‘New-to-the-World Plastics - A view from the Frontlines’ (Mariagiovanna Vetere, Manager - EU Public Affairs NatureWorks LLC) • A panel discussion moderated by Björn Hoem On the following day the main conference will take place with the main theme ‘The Plastics Industry’s Competitiveness in Europe: What Needs to Change?’

Visit: For more information visit www.plasticsconverters.eu/events

EVENTS

Packaging Europe | 41 |

PLAST 2015 M

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.

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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

EVENTS BM|Flex

Packaging & Converting Solutions

Machine Control Software HMI – PLC

Vision Systems Smart SCADA and Traceability

Retrofits and Refurbishment of Pouch Making Machines Food – Medicial – Pharmaceutical

BAG & POUCH MAKING MACHINES Hall 15, Stand B147

BM|Flex – Via Michele Roggia 2 – CH-6853 Ligornetto (Mendrisio) – Switzerland Bruno Massaria, Managaing Director – Mobile: +41 78 955 5410 – E-mail: bruno@bmflex.com – www.bmflex.com

Packaging Europe | 43 |

EVENTS PPS Conference: Recipe for Perfect Packaging A

ll the ingredients for perfect packaging can be found at the Plastics Packaging Show (PPS) which takes place in Telford, UK on 16-17 June, and features a free two-day conference programme.

How do you design for the circular economy? Is the UK on track to meet 2017 targets for plastics packaging recycling? What are the latest developments in barrier technology? How can packaging be used to help defend brands against counterfeiting? These are just some of the issues which will be addressed at the PPS conference. Speakers include packaging experts from some of the UK’s largest plastics processors including APPE, Linpac Packaging, Logoplaste and RPC Group as well as Kevin Vyse, Packaging and

Environment Manager, Marks & Spencer and Claire Shrewsbury, Packaging Programme Manager, WRAP. Day one of the programme covers industry issues, sustainability and design. It will be opened with a session entitled Plastics packing is not evil! Changing public perceptions presented by David Baker, General Manager, RPC Group.

The second day of the conference is focused on process and innovation and includes perspectives on blow moulding, simulation, ThermaLite (a glass substitute for the food market), barrier film and APET sheet technologies. These sessions will be led by packaging and plastics experts from Society of Plastics Engineers, The Extrusionists, AMB Packaging, Dow Europe and DRA. Taking place at the Telford International Centre, the inaugural PPS will bring together brand owners, packaging producers, designers and a wide range of decision makers in a free-to-attend exhibition and two-day conference. It will be co-located at the Telford International Centre with Plastics Design & Moulding (PDM 15) www.pdmevent.com and the Plastics Recycling Expo (PRE) exhibition and conference dedicated to plastics recycling www.plasticsrecyclingexpo.com. Visitors who register for PPS will have access to the exhibition floor of all three events, featuring over 100 companies and organisations.

For the full conference programme and more details about visiting PPS visit: www.plasticspackagingshow.com

Inaugural European Packaging Network T

he requirements and pressures on modern packaging is changing. Packaging in FMCG, Food & Drink and Retail is having to become more intelligent, versatile, sustainable and creative; as well being able to instantly as communicate information about the product and brand to drive company growth. In the light of these factors is introducing the inaugural edition of a new event: European Packaging Network, which takes place 22-23 June 2015 at De Vere Venues Wokefield Park in Reading, UK. The Network Group pan-European event is for senior directors involved in packaging and its various disciplines to better understand and solve these challenges by hearing relevant case studies, share best practice and hear from cutting edge brand, material, technology and innovation providers.

The two-day event will comprise keynote Presentations, workshops and interactive discussion groups, as well as pre-arranged one-to-one meetings. Attendance is governed by strict attendance qualification criteria.

Topics and speakers at the event include: Driving creativity in packaging - Finding the next big thing • Director R&D Packaging - Dairy, Danone

Packaging and sustainability • Global Sustainability Director, Bacardi

The branding journey • Global Packaging Director - Operational Excellence, Unilever

How will external pressure influence the future of packaging?

• Group Packaging Development Director, 2 Sisters Food Group

Review of EU packaging and waste legislation • Managing Director, Europen

Improving interdepartmental collaboration • Director of Innovation and Packaging Design, Fazer

The strains of an increasingly multichannel environment • Own Label & Packaging Manager, Iceland

Communicating with the consumer • Global Category Director, Water at The Coca-Cola Company

Increasing supply chain sustainability as a whole • Group Head of Packaging and Compliance, Kingfisher

Driving innovation from the testing phase to large scale production • Operations & Packaging Director, Freedrinks For more information and registration details please visit www.thenetwork-group.com | 44 | Packaging Europe

bio!PAC - the Conference on Biobased Packaging is necessary. Packaging protects the precious goods during transport and storage. Packaging conveys important messages to the consumer. Good packaging helps to increase the shelf life. However, packaging does not necessarily need to be made from petroleum based plastics.

B

iobased packaging is packaging made from mother nature‘s gifts. Biobased packaging is packaging made from renewable resources. Biobased packaging is packaging made from biobased plastics, from plant residues such as palm leaves or bagasse.

Biobased packaging offers incredible opportunities.

That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE (in cooperation with Biobased Packaging Innovations and supported by Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V.) is organising a new conference on packaging made from biobased materials, i.e. from renewable resources.

On May 12-13 2015 experts from all areas of biobased materials will present their latest developments in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The conference not only covers biobased materials and application examples from suppliers and brand owners, but also addresses various disposal options (end-of-life scenarios) as well as the question of the availability of agricultural land for material use versus food and feed.

The programme includes contributions from Corbion’s Francois de Bie on the revolution in biobased and biodegradable plastics; Patrick Zimmermann of FKuR on new opportunities for branding; Erwin Vink of Natureworks on the changing landscape in Europe offering new opportunities for bioplastics; research perspectives on food packaging concepts based on renewable resources shared by Astrid Pant of Fraunhofer IVV; DuPont’s Karlheinz Hausmann on biopolymersolutions and applications in packaging; Hein van den Reek of Billerudkorsnas speaking about formable paper packaging; Martin Bussmann (BASF) on examples for biobased packaging based on material combinations; and contributions from representatives of companies such as Innovia Films, Ecover and Celanese.

The full conference programme can be read in the following section of our event preview.

For more details and registration please visit www.bio-pac.info Packaging Europe | 45 |

Venue The bio!PAC Conference is being held in the Novotel Amsterdam City Europaboulevard 10 1083 AD Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel (+31) 20/7219179 Fax (+31) 20/6462823

FKUR Innovative packaging solutions developed from bio-based materials such as Bio-PET or Green PE offer opportunities for companies to enhance the positive perception of their brands and packaging. Bio-based drop-in polymers often have the same mechanical properties as their regular counterparts. The conversion of these materials into different products and applications can be carried out on standard processing equipment without any modifications.

Due to the similarity of these bio-based materials with their conventional counterparts, both can be used in combination with recycled materials and can be recycled with regular HDPE or PET.

Programme Tuesday 12 May 2015

07:30-08:45 Registration, Welcome-Coffee 08:45-09:15 Michael Thielen, Polymedia Publisher / Caroli Buitenhuis, Biobased Packaging Innovations 09:15-09:40 Harald Kaeb, narocon 09:40-10:05 Francois de Bie, Corbion (and EUBP) 10:05-10:30 Katja Schneider, FNR 10:30-10:45 Q&A 10:45-11:10 Coffeebreak 11:10-11:35 Patrick Zimmermann, FKuR

11:35-12:00 Erik Lindroth, Tetra Pak 12:00-12:25 Laura de Nooijer, Lovechock and Steven de Cleen, Prouddesign 12:25-12:40 Q&A 12:40-13:45 Lunch 13:45-14:10 Erwin Vink, NatureWorks

14:10-14:35 Emanuela Bardi, Tahgleef Industries 14:35-15:00 Peter Matthijsen, Synbra 15:00-15:15 Q&A 15:15-15:35 Coffeebreak 15:35-16:00 Astrid Pant, Fraunhofer IVV

16:00-16:25 Lawrence Theunissen, Reverdia 16:25-16.50 Jaap Hooijmans, Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) 16:50-17:30 Panel discussion: Michael Carus, and others | 46 | Packaging Europe

Welcome remarks - Basics of “biobased” (definitions etc.)

Keynote Speech The revolution in biobased and biodegradable plastics Renewable resources for Biobased packaging -an overview

Packaging – “necessary evil” or new opportunities for branding.

The world’s first fully renewable beverage carton A holistic concept of product and packaging

Changing landscape in Europe offering new opportunities for bioplastics PLA flexible packaging applications BioFoam - PLA particle foam

Food packaging concepts based on renewable resources: A research perspective Packaging performance opportunities from bio-based PBS How to prove that your product is biobased?

Land use availability for renewably sources materials

Packaging Europe | 47 |

Wednesday 13 May 2015 08:30-08:35 Michael Thielen 08:35-09:00 Andy Sweetman, Innovia Films

09:00-09:25 John McEvoy, Celanese International 09:25-09:50 Tom Domen, Ecover 09:50-10:15 Christoph Hess, Biotec 10:15-10:30 Q&A 10:30-10:55 Coffeebreak 10:55-11:20 Arjan Klapwijk, bio4life 11:20-11:45 Tobias Bloemker, Tesa

11:45-12:10 Karlheinz Hausmann, DuPont 12:10-12:35 Larissa Zirkel, Infiana Germany

12:35-12:50 Q&A 12:50-14:00 Lunch 14:00-14:25 Martin Bussmann, BASF

14:25-14:50 Patrick Gerritsen, Bio4pack 14:50-15:15 Gert-Jan Gruter, Avantium 15:15-15:30 Q&A 15:30-15:55 Hein van den Reek, Billerudkorsnas 15:55-16:20 Mark Geerts, Paperfoam

16:20-16:35 Q&A 16:35-16:40 Michael Thielen | 48 | Packaging Europe

Opening remarks 2nd day Biomaterial partnerships for flexible packaging: Delivering the functional performance to match market needs Cellulose Diacetate Window Films of Opportunity Biobased packaging Manifesto Sustainable and heat-resistant material for food packaging

Biobased labels and adhesives From application to CO2 in 180 days – biodegradable PSA tapes Biopolymersolutions and Applications in Packaging Innovative sustainable films for the diverse bio-packaging market

Examples for biobased packaging based on material combinations Biobased packaging based on laminates PEF, a novel 100% biobased packaging material Formable paper packaging and a great future Biobased & biodegradable alternatives for (bio)plastic packaging Closing remarks

Packaging Europe | 49 |

COMMITTED

TO KNOWLEDGE Jindal Films, a leader in the production of specialty biaxially oriented polypropylene films (BOPP or OPP), is building on a track record of innovation with an excellent portfolio of first-rate products supported by leading technology and R&D. Vanja Švačko reports on the most important milestones in the company’s growth and its strong international footprint.

T

he success story started in the 1970s with the launch of the Films Division.

In the course of next few decades it grew into a large enterprise, gradually expanding its business from Europe to North America, integrating orientation and coating lines, as well as metallisers.

In 2013 the company was acquired by Jindal Poly Films, involving the acquisition of two production sites in the USA (Georgia and Oklahoma) and three in Europe (Netherlands, Belgium and Italy). Jindal Films’ headquarters are in two locations – in Windhof (Luxembourg) and Macedon (NY, USA) – and it supports customers all over the world from its many sales offices. The majority of Jindal Films’ sales are in the greater European region and in North America, but the company also has a strong focus on the Asia Pacific markets.

| 50 | Packaging Europe

The company’s management takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. It implements advanced technologies which enable the development of sustainable flexible packaging and labelling solutions through low weight, low waste and low energy use. The company also improves the sustainability and efficiency of manufacturing facilities with energy efficiency, waste prevention and recycling.

Brand positioning Jindal Films’ portfolio encompasses a wide range of products for the flexible packaging and labelling market segments. Its unique offering includes transparent, white or metallised water based coated OPP that guarantees robust barrier,

sealing, printability and machine performances typically aimed at simplifying the packaging structures.

Last year the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of an important milestone – the successful integration of the OPPalyte brand into the confectionery and bakery industries. The unique cavitation technology enabled the production of a wide range of white opaque films with various densities.

The company also offers transparent Bicor films (coated or uncoated, glossy or matt) for use as monoweb or in lamination; Metallyte films (white, coated, ultrahigh barrier) and Label-Lyte films tailored to the specific requirements of the reelfed, cut & stack and pressure sensitive adhesive label markets. The latter one opened a new window of opportunity for Jindal Films, enabling the company to enter the health, beauty and beverages industries.

The ultimate business drive Speaking about the importance of R&D at Jindal Films, market development team manager Nathalie Lesieu emphasises it as the key element in the company’s films strategy.

“Over the past couple of years, we have been focused on innovation and introduced several new products to the market. One of them is Bicor 50SUP490, which replaces thicker blown or cast PE or PP sealant films and provides significant improvements in terms of clarity, stiffness, moisture barrier and tear propagation.

“The others include Metallyte clear 30MM688 and white 40MM648, which replace laminates for high speed HFFS applications in the biscuit & bakery, confectionery and home and personal care segments. Label-Lyte clear 52LLC210 Packaging Europe | 51 |

and white LLC247 conformable films replace much thicker PE film in no labellook applications.”

These ground-breaking products were introduced at Interpack 2014. Moving forward, Jindal Films is committed to new product development and continues to innovate. Mrs Lesieu talks about the next steps for the company: “At IpackIma 2015 in Milano we will introduce Metallyte 15 and 20MM398, which use a new heat sealant technology platform with improved heat seal performance when laminated to thin OPP or PET outer webs. MM398 has a great moisture barrier and greatly improved seal integrity over standard metallised OPP film offerings, providing brand owners with an opportunity to improve the shelf life by reducing pack leak rates in various HFFS segments, such as biscuit & bakery, sweet confectionery and home & personal care.

“Metallyte 28 MH 388-ES, a multi-layer, cavitated white, metallised OPP film with an enhanced heat sealable layer which provides very high seal strength, is a new high barrier film that has a great moisture and gas barrier and should be used in lamination with paper, PET or OPP outer webs. It has been designed specifically to replace barrier (e.g. aluminium foil or a metallised film) and sealant webs to simplify packaging structures for flat pouches or sachets.

“Together with them we will introduce more products: OPPalyte 30, 35 and 40MH347 combine a very broad seal range (VBSR) with tailored slip properties, offering a robust single web solution on high speed horizontal packaging machines with optimal output, reduced downtime and waste. OPPalyte 20MD347, the thinnest white cavitated BOPP film currently on the market, offers a very high yield white opaque solution for lamination and use on horizontal, vertical and overwrapping packaging machines. Thanks to its high yield, broad seal range and slip controlled feature, 20MD347 is a unique cost-competitive alternative to plain solid white BOPP films with a reduced environmental footprint.” | 52 | Packaging Europe

When asked about the company’s strategy for achieving its growth targets in the near future, executive vice-president of Jindal Films Europe and Asia Pacific Paul Griffith confirmed, “R&D is the fuel to our past and future growth. Jindal Films is committed to new product development and we will continue to put a strong emphasis on this as we seek to find solutions for our customers’ packaging requirements.”

Visit: www.jindalfilms.com

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IPACK-IMA: Six Complementary Exhibitions in One Event IPACK-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.

T

he 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.

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.

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IPACK-IMA: Eco-Friendly, Smart, Elegant The global packaging industry rewards the packages that will help face the challenges of the third millennium.

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pening a sweetener sachet with only one hand is possible, easy, and more importantly it helps the elderly and disabled. They too, along with many others, would like milk packages to be easier to use and recycle. Not to mention safety: drugs should always be kept away from children, but... if they do get their hands on a drug package, it will not open for them.

On 19 May in Milan, these and many other innovative packages from around the world will receive the World Star Packaging 2015 award during Ipack-IMA and its related exhibitions - a trade event gathering over 2000 international exhibitors, taking place three weeks after the inauguration of the EXPO 2015 just a few steps away and with a direct connection between the fairgrounds and the village of the great Universal Exposition.

“We strongly wished for the World Packaging Organization, the global association of the packaging industry, to hold the award giving ceremony for its international prize in Milan - says Guido Corbella, CEO, Ipack-IMA spa. This is an industry where Italy plays a leading technological and economic role and which could supply the answers to upcoming challenges over the next few years, from renewable resources to efficiency, from the rights of the underprivileged to the needs of SMEs”.

Out of 265 candidates, already winners of local prizes in their respective countries, as many as 148 products have been nominated for the prestigious World Star Packaging Award and will receive it during Ipack-IMA; additional nominations include the President’s prize, the Sustainability prize and the Marketing Prize. In the meantime, one can leaf through a rich catalogue of new products and find out about smart packages capable of making life easier, avoiding waste and adding pleasure to food consumption. | 60 | Packaging Europe

Open and dose with two fingers The group of designated winners attending the event includes Turkish honey Balparmak Snap & Squeeze relies on an all-Italian technology. It’s a small, business-card-size flexible sachet containing a monodose of honey. It opens by folding the two short sides between the thumb and index: the sachet bends opening a small hole. The honey pours into tea, coffee, herb tea or whatever beverage needs sweetening. The magical sachet that can be opened with just one hand and makes dosing very easy is manufactured by a Bologna-based company specializing in automated packaging machinery - an industry sector where Italy is a leading country generating over €5 billion in revenues, most of which on foreign markets (85 per cent).

Hurray for convenience Norway brings us pre-sliced salami in a space-saving package. We are all used to the traditional plastic tray, which however takes up a lot of horizontal space both in the fridge and on the table: inconvenient, bulky and rarely resealable. Manufacturer Grilstad chose a very convenient, compact system to package the typically round salami slices: a plastic cup with a screw-on cap.

Looks good, tastes good From the USA and about to walk the red carpet at Ipack-IMA is Schwan’s Soft Serve, a cup-shaped sachet containing soft serve to store in the fridge. All one needs to do is

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squeeze its content in a bowl and the specially designed dispenser will pour a creamy dose of soft serve complete with the typical swirl. A fun-to-use disposable pastry bag to serve ice cream with a touch of elegance.

Charm and elegance in beverages A spirit is the star of the gift box by Spanish manufacturer Miguel Torres. Seen from the outside, it seems to herald the intense tobacco aromas of Latin-American cigars. In their place appear three glass cigars - transparent phials of amber-coloured brandy, artfully designed by agency Savia Design to look like the cigars often accompanying refined liquor in tastings.

Made in Italy is safe A significant contribution to our wine industry, increasingly focused on exports, is the smart anti-shock box for fragile products designed by German company Klingele Papierwerke for postal and courier shipping. It’s a single package developed for valuable bottles - ideal for the e-commerce business of winemakers producing top wines. This is how it works: imagine a long, narrow one-bottle box, then think of another box identical to the first one placed inside it, only rotated by 45° along the same axis. There you have it! The bottle goes into the second box. It can take any shock on any of the four sides - the bottle will only bump against soft corrugated cardboard walls surrounded by the empty space of the first box. | 62 | Packaging Europe

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Separate waste collection Italy brings yet another smart solution, winner of awards by both the Italian Packaging Institute and the WPO: introducing the Tetra Top Separable, a milk and beverage carton whose plastic top with screw-on cap can be removed to recycle plastic and cardboard separately. A simple gesture even for children made possible by an even simpler modification in the preparation of cardboard reels used to make packages and adopted by an increasing number of companies worldwide. It’s an additional contribution to salvaging and recycling cardboard packages, which in Italy has reached 50% of the total amount marketed.

Environmental safety The Dutch company Ecobliss came up with Locked4Kids, a new patent turning a simple medication package into an unsolvable puzzle for children but quite simple for adults. Blister strips containing pills are placed inside a transparent plastic tray: the side flap of the box can be opened, but just try and get the tray out. It won’t because it cannot slide inside the box: its borders lock into reliefs acting as hooks.

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To release the tray one needs to press the box in two places at the same time, which are too far apart for small children’s hands. In addition, the box is tearresistant. No chance!

The future is 1000 These are just some of the 148 packages marking the state of the art, the evolution, performance and technology of the near future. There will be no shortage of prototypes and projects: the award ceremony held during Ipack-IMA will also include 3 of them by young inventors. The World Star Student Award will go to a Turkish, a Chinese and a South African participant, selected with much difficulty among dozens of young inventors and creative students from schools around the world. Special mentions will also be announced for dozens of students mainly from emerging countries, especially China followed by Turkey, Middle East, India and Brazil. Asian packages also abounded among the 148 winners of the WorldStar Packaging Award. It’s a mirror of the times: out of a €800 billion market value, Asia’s share is 34.81 per cent followed by North America (22.16 per cent) and Europe (19.84 per cent). The 1000 billion notch is near, sure to be reached by 2020.

ELITRON: CUT OUT for converting

Elitron will be returning to Ipack- Ima in Milan from 19th to 23rd May, to showcase their innovative, high tech, cutting systems to the Italian and European audience.

Flexible and innovative, the full range of cutting systems varies greatly in order to meet customer’s requirements. The multi-tool cutting head comes with a wide selection of dedicated tools specifically for corrugated and cardboard, and offers fixed or oscillating blade settings. With many different creasing wheel profiles and diameters up to 150 mm, these can be selected according to the quality of the cardboard.

Selected by the jury for “Pack Innovation 2014” at the Salon de l’Emballage in Paris, the Kombo SD’s automation and mechanical innovation promises to raise eyebrows at Ipack Ima this year. The new multi-tool carriage with milling and cutting modules on independent axes, has a 3 kW 50.000 rpm electro-spindle with liquid cooling system, and a 4 position automatic tool change system. Managed by digitally controlled software, and with a working area of up to 3100 x 2000 mm, the system is available as a flatbed or conveyor.

In addition, Elitron’s range includes other highly innovative solutions such as the Kombo TH, which is known as two machines in one. It’s the only plotter in the market with two multi-tool cutting heads that literally cut working times in half.

Dedicated for converting, the fully automatic Kombo TAV SuperPlotter offers integrated loading-cutting-unloading for a non-stop workflow 24/7. For industrial production of displays and packaging, it’s the only plotter with two independent cutting heads. There are already numerous installations in Italy and throughout Europe. Equipped with the innovative AiroPanelTM unloading system – patented

by Elitron – to fully automate the entire offloading process, you get a perfect finish without attachment points and at the same time reduce production costs as the stripping process is elimanted.

Elitron’s RFA (Researching Full Automation) division, produces another example of sophisticated, automatic, integrated technology. The material feeding system, Heleva, for large format digital plotters was nominated “Best Print Support Tool” at the EDP Awards during Fespa 2014. This system can either receives loading orders directly from the printer or can communicate to the printer which material is ready for printing. Compatible with all printing plotters available in the market.

Elitron will be present at IPACK-IMA: Hall 2 Stand H01 K04.

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IPACK-IMA: US Co-Packers choose Ipack-IMA to explore European Market The US-based Contract Packaging Association (CPA) has chosen Ipack-IMA 2015 to explore the potential of the European and Mediterranean market. As part of the remarkable buyers program put in place in cooperation with MISE and ICE – the Italian agency for foreign trade, CPA will bring some of the most qualified American contract packaging professionals to Milan from May 19th to 23rd: companies supplying services including primary and secondary packaging, filling, assembly and manufacture of packaging systems, logistics services.

“WE

are very excited to participate in Ipack-IMA 2015,” says Chris Nutley, CPA Board president. “The goal of the trade mission for the Contract Packaging Association is to engage in dialogue with the European manufacturing and packaging community to uncover potential opportunities and synergies. We hope to learn about the needs of those manufacturers outside of the United States and find ways to help”.

In particular, American buyers plan to gain a better understanding of the needs of manufacturing industries outside of their continent: Ipack-IMA 2015 with its five related exhibitions (Meat-Tech, Dairytech, Fruit Innovation, Converflex and Intralogistica Italia) and the co-location with the universal Expo provide a not-to-

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miss opportunity for meeting and discussion on a truly global scale, going beyond Europe’s borders.

“Ipack-IMA is the ideal place for these conversations to take place and CPA appreciates the invitation” - concludes Nutley. Once more, Ipack-IMA proves to be a strategic platform for high-level technological update and new business development.

“The Contract Packaging Association represents an increasingly important sector in the packaging industry - says Guido Corbella, CEO, Ipack-IMA spa. “We are especially pleased with the participation of this American delegation, whose presence proves that IPACK-IMA 2015 is truly a not-to-miss opportunity. We are counting on this visit as the beginning of a key cooperation bound to continue in the future.”

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IPACK-IMA: Information

Practical Information Tel +39 02-3191091 Fax +39 02-33619826 ipackima@ipackima.it www.ipackima.it

Opening hours:

10.00 am – 6.00 pm

Address: Fiera Milano Spa Strada Statale del Sempione 33,28 Rho (Mi)

Entrances: East (Underground), South, West gates

Ticket Office:

Pavilions 1/3 – 2/4 – 5/7 – 6/10 – 9/11 – 14

Admission: • Upon invitation (with registration) • By payment: 1 day – €30,00 2 days – €50,00 5 days – €100,00 | 72 | Packaging Europe

The new railway station for high-speed trains to and from Italy and Europe serving the Fieramilano exhibition center is now operational with the new designation “Rho Fiera Expo Milano 2015”.

This is a new, important advantage for incoming exhibitors, professional visitors and global buyers attending the events on stage from May 19th to 23rd at Fieramilano: IPACK-IMA, Meat-Tech, Dairytech, Converflex, Intralogistica Italia and Fruit Innovation (the latter will start on the 20th).

Reaching the exhibition centre as well as the jointly held EXPO 2015 is now quicker and more convenient. Now 19 Frecciarossa, 18 Frecciabianca, four connections to and from South Italy and 26 trains to and from Switzerland and France will be stopping at the station on a daily basis.

The extensive rail service and a station located just a few hundred meters away from the entrance to Fiera Milano will enable exhibitors and visitors to access the fairgrounds very easily, quickly and cost-effectively, even from locations far from Milan.

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Big Interview

Has Shelf Ready Packaging Peaked?

Ahead of the June 2015 launch of a major report ‘Strategic Guide for the European Corrugated Industry’ by NOAPRISM and HPC Consulting, Neil Osment (managing director of NOA-PRISM) talks to Tim Sykes about the trends that will shape the corrugated packaging market over the next decade.

TS

Shelf ready packaging (SRP) has been arguably the biggest story in the growth of corrugated packaging over the last decade. Having examined this market closely in your report, where do you see SRP moving in the coming years?

NO

Actually, it was our predecessor organisation Marketpower that predicted the rise of SRP some 12 to 15 years ago and ever since then we’ve been studying and reporting on the trend. The large producers will tell you they are investing in equipment to produce more decorative corrugated products – and there is no doubt that attractively printed corrugated has been a fantastic medium for influencing impulse purchases. However, taking a ten-year view into the future, our report raises the question whether SRP will soon peak or will it continue to grow.

We are seeing a fragmentation within the retail market sector with the proliferation of brands supplied by a single brand owner, e.g. twenty types of toothpaste instead of two.

This means significantly smaller average runs, perhaps from 20,000 to less than 10,000.

Secondly, there is the well-documented shift in consumer behaviour throughout Europe from making weekly or monthly shopping trips to supermarkets moving almost daily to shopping at convenience stores. SRP may not have a place in the convenience store segment, where product can often be decanted onto shelves and where there is greater emphasis on design and product shape to attract the eye. It isn’t all about colour, which is the traditional strength of SRP, because there is less variety of products on sale. It’s telling to observe that even a retailer such as Aldi, which has been at the forefront of introducing one-touch and no-touch packaging, is beginning to invest in the convenience segment too.

Thirdly, we predict that the rise in internet shopping will affect the growth of SRP. Actually, we question if it will be required at all for internet grocery sales when the consumer never sees it? We are as excited about the trends for packaging that the internet will present as we did a decade ago about the emergence of SRP. Without giving away too much of the content of our report, I think we can say that the upwards trend for SRP is probably peaking already. However, we’re certainly not predicting the death of SRP either.

TS NO

If SRP doesn’t thrive in the convenience store context as it does is a larger supermarket, what formats do you expect to thrive instead?

We believe that structural design in combination with high quality print will have an important role in the growing development of the convenience store format. It’s an interesting challenge because this is an area where carton and corrugated companies vie with each other. In fact, folding carton companies in this space are starting to look over their shoulders at corrugated, since the corrugated is starting to take more and more notice of opportunities in the convenience sector. Corrugated has the advantage of an extensive range of flute profiles. Moreover, a lot of the equipment investments made in Packaging Europe | 79 |

Big Interview order to produce highly decorative SRP are potentially compatible with the sort of thinner fluting that can address demand arising from the convenience trend.

There are some nice examples on the market at the moment using shape and techniques such as embossing to add appeal (e.g. a major UK-based retailer is already taking this innovative approach), but I think the big opportunities are still to come as work is done to understand the packaging needs of the convenience segment.

TS

You cited the rise of internet shopping as another factor in the possible peaking of SRP. In what ways more generally do you foresee e-commerce influencing the kinds of corrugated packaging we will be using in the future?

NO

The phenomena of e-commerce and dark warehousing are inevitably going to make brands think differently about the different ways that they engage with consumers. On the outside a package needs to have delivery information or perhaps a QR code in order to direct it towards a particular shelf space. Conversely, it is on the inside of the package, once it is open, that the product engages with consumer and gives them a sense of confirmation of what they have bought.

Clicking on a computer to purchase a product is not in itself a very exciting experience. A great opportunity for corrugated is to provide, when opening the package, a sense of ‘theatre’ that is missing at the point of purchase. The Apple iPhone is a good example of the way opening the packaging can be a fulfilling ritual in itself. Another, more recent example is that of the ceramic poppies that were sold for charity last year following the famous installation at the Tower of London commemorating the anniversary of the First World War. The mail order boxes were plain on the outside. But on the inside of the box the recipient was met with a beautiful photographic image, with excellent print quality, of poppies cascading into the moat. I believe brands will increasingly look to create this sense of excitement and confirmation of purchase on the inside of e-commerce packs.

This may also apply to internet extensions of grocery retailing, especially in areas such as customised and mass-customised digitally printed packaging. Internet shopping doesn’t just mean more standard transit outers. New opportunities are arising such as Cadbury’s chocolate bars printed with an uploaded photograph and tailored message and which uses new packaging combinations or the Share a Coke campaign that boosted sales in traditional packaging formats. Similar concepts are beginning to move into folding cartons and they could also become a feature in corrugated packaging. Our report devotes space to case studies exploring the possibilities.

TS NO

Your report also delves into the changing structure and orientation of corrugated converters and suppliers within the market. What have you discovered?

Our report comprises two parts. Volume Two analyses the trends and markets downstream (including some of the things we have just discussed) and asks what the implications are for corrugated volumes, types and structures. In Volume One we look at which types of existing companies or new organisations are likely to be the winners in this landscape. The objective is to stimulate thought and action in one of the few major segments of the paper and packaging industry that is still growing. We explore and probe the differences between what companies are talking about and what they are actually doing. There is something about smaller, more entrepreneurial companies that can flourish in the present corrugated packaging market, especially as we see a trend towards a more fragmented market. We highlight the speed at which events are happening and flag the dangers. We raise the question about the place of integrated plants.

Another interesting question revolves around demand for paper. If internet shopping is going to have a big impact, it is going to use more brown paper rather than white. I think we are the first people to collect and crunch the numbers on this question, and this has enabled us to come up with a ten-year prediction on respective demand for brown and white paper.

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TS NO

Your report comes out in June this year. Who is it aimed at and what can its buyers expect to get from it?

For a start, this is a very robust piece of research which rests on our strong heritage, experience and reputation. Our predecessor Marketpower has been collecting data on the European corrugated industry and publishing reports for over 35 years.

Henry Poole, with whom we have teamed up for this project, has been assembling robust data for a long time too. Henry, Simon Southern and I have over a century of combined experience as industry analysts and a wealth of contacts we can speak with. So between our two organisations we can be confident we have the best picture of the European paper making and corrugated production industries and associated end user markets. We also work very closely together, cross checking each other’s data and critically debating our interpretations of it.

First and foremost the report is targeted at the senior directors of paper converting companies helping guide their strategic plans over the next ten years – which is an unusually long look ahead for a report of this sort. People recognise that there will be dynamic changes during that period. Our insights will shape their decisions, whether confirming they are on the right course or influencing them to alter their direction. Another benefit of the report is to find out the trends – up or down, or brand new – in specific markets.

Converters may want to see what else is happening outside their main markets.

Incidentally, our report is attracting interest from North America and the Far East, as there is an awareness that Europe tends to be an early adopter in corrugated. The trends seen here are often replicated elsewhere, so our work could be perceived as a glimpse even further into the future for their markets.

Naturally, after a company buys the report, we are also interested in talking to them about their specific strategic dilemmas. We have already been sent some very interesting briefs from customers who have subscribed to the report and want to burrow deeper into the kinds of market segments, products and technologies they ought to invest in for their particular competitive proposition: tackling specific market opportunities, advances in print technologies, demand for a particular kind of construction style , etc. If a customer is planning investments worth tens of millions of Euros, they need to have the very best view of future demand in their market segments.

To send an enquiry about ‘Strategic Guide for the European Corrugated Industry’ please visit http://noa.uk.net/contact

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Collaborate Innovate Accelerate Tim Sykes visited Dow’s Pack Studios in Horgen, Switzerland, to find out why the world’s number one producer of polyethylene is positioning itself as a hub for packaging innovation – and whether this represents a fresh model for industry collaboration.

“O

ur vision is to become a solution provider, not just a producer,” says Javier Constante, (commercial VP, Packaging & Speciality Plastics, Europe, Middle East & Africa). “Therefore, we need to work closer to the end of the value chain, working from the end consumer backward.” This is the crux of Dow’s big move into packaging, symbolised by the company’s first – and certainly eye-catching – appearance at interpack last year and more substantively by the rolling out of a series of global Pack Studios facilities over the last two years.

The backdrop to this strategic shift is a packaging market in which global megatrends is driving demand for innovation, yet where industry pressures put the brakes on risk taking.

Macro trends such as population growth, urbanisation, ageing populations and growth in single occupant households, in addition to pressures such as sustainability, give rise to a heightened need for new packaging solutions: portion packs, easier opening, lighter materials, easier recycling.

On the other hand, in a fiercely competitive market governed by tight margins, converters can be wary to break cover. “As industry becomes more and more fragmented, there is less opportunity for smaller companies to risk committing to an innovation,” remarks

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Apurva Shah (market development manager, Packaging & Speciality Plastics EMEA). “The rewards for introducing a successful innovation are plain but for a smaller business the consequences of failure mean they have to be cautious about any investment.”

Pooling value chain intelligence It is this predicament that the Pack Studios concept was set up to address. Dow describes Pack Studios as an international network of experts, equipment and testing facilities, ‘intended to enhance the collaborative development of better packaging’. Under the umbrella of its ‘Value Chain’ group, Pack Studios brings together stakeholders such as brand owners and retailers, with whom Dow has not traditionally interacted, along with packaging converters, Dow’s direct customers, to pool their respective insights. Similarly, Dow is able to enlist internal and external specialists – equipment manufacturers, packaging designers, experts in prototyping and resin – to work on particular innovation projects.

As well as the centre in Horgen, Switzerland, Dow has opened Pack Studios in Freeport, Texas, Shanghai, São Paulo and, as recently as April 2015, Mozzate, Italy. The facilities are complementary, each possessing its own focus and associated technologies. Freeport

Innovation

specialises in logistic packaging, with an emphasis on stretch hood, while in Switzerland the spotlight is on primary packaging. The focus of the Shanghai centre is on sachet packaging (a major market in China), São Paulo’s is on thermoforming, and Mozzate’s on the adhesives portfolio.

Faster commercialisation Each centre comprises a Collaboration Room, laboratory facilities and equipment for fabrication and testing. Together this provides space for collaboration all the way from analysis of market needs to fine tuning product development. “The intention of Pack Studios is to change the mindset,” comments Carlos Lopes (marketing director EMA, Food & Speciality Packaging Adhesives & Functional Materials). “It is all about moving downstream in terms of knowledge and breaking down silos. By doing so we can facilitate faster commercialisation of new packaging. Our motto is ‘Collaborate – innovate – accelerate’.”

A striking early example of this approach is PacXpert™, a pack format devised as a flexible alternative to the rigid containers used for relatively high volume liquid products, such as windscreen cleaner fluids. Being collapsible, the pack can be stored and shipped flat, meaning it delivers space and energy savings within the supply chain, as well as using significantly less raw material. The switch to flexibles has also given rise to an innovation in functionality – the incorporation of a second handle on the base of the pack which enables the consumer to dispense the contents with two hands, and therefore with greater ease and control.

It is an innovation that not only addressed the environmental megatrend of transitioning from rigid to flexible packaging. Thanks to the insights of the Value Chain group, Dow was

able to identify that PacXpert™ was a product in which real value resided and for which there would be demand on the part of consumers. Designed by the US-based Smart Bottle Co, the invention was bought up by Dow with a view to commercialising for a variety of applications. Bringing together prospective licensees, Pack Studios’ R&D facilities and the input of brand owners, Dow was able to advance the product development at an impressive rate and has already reached the point of commercialisation.

“I think we have found the recipe for accelerating innovation and introducing it to the market,” says Fabrice Digonnet (new business development leader, Packaging & Speciality Plastics EMEA), who took a leading role on the project. “PacXpert is just one example of an innovation that reached the market in 18 months. If you talk to a machinery manufacturer, you’ll hear that there are new ideas all the time coming from converters who want machinery solutions to produce a new type of package. But how many of these do you see each year taking the leap to the mass market? We are able to fulfil the function of supplier of innovation to the value chain. You could say Dow is becoming a consulting arm of the value chain.”

Extensive facilities A key ingredient in that innovation recipe is being able to devote substantial resources to product development projects that ensue from Dow’s value chain deliberations.

“Coming in with a lot of resources and making them available to our customers is a game changer,” asserts Apurva Shah. “Mistakes are very costly for our customers. As a resin manufacturer, we have access to the raw materials to conduct research. In addition, Packaging Europe | 83 |

we’ve partnered with the right machinery manufacturers through sponsorships and donations to bring the costs of development down.”

Indeed, it is hard to conceive of a business other than one of Dow’s size and Dow’s position in the supply chain being capable of bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain or making the necessary investments to facilitate innovation on such an ambitious scale. In addition to the Collaboration Room – a futuristic meeting environment – Pack Studios in Horgen devotes the kind of floor space that a medium-sized converter might possess to laboratories and manufacturing lines solely for testing and product development.

Dow works on a scale that enables it to acquire an array of testing devices – such as the leak testing and seal testing equipment shown during my tour of the premises – that most of its customers do not possess. As the tour went on the magnitude of Dow’s investment in packaging was gradually brought home: a succession of packaging lines across two floors featuring machinery such as a Sealpac tray sealer, a Bosch vertical Form-FillSeal line, and a horizontal Form-Fill-Seal pouch machine from SN Maschinenbau – all set aside for perfecting the next innovation.

“Investing in packaging lines with state of the art machinery is all about gaining knowledge of what works,” comments Marco Amici (EMEA marketing manager). “We are able here to replicate our customers’ manufacturing processes and to test new combinations of materials under varying conditions. For instance, we can look for the sweet spot between easy peelability and tear resistance or barrier reliability when combining new polymers and adhesives.”

Collaboration is key Another area of R&D currently being undertaken at Pack Studios is the work aimed at pushing forward the capabilities of ultrasound technology. This particular project is a fine example of the way Dow is bringing together coalitions of stakeholders whose combined input make it possible to reach solutions faster: partners in the project | 84 | Packaging Europe

comprise Hermann Ultraschall, Amcor, Bosch, the Technical University of Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute.

“Pack Studio is an open platform for collaboration across the industry,” says Marco Amici. “This approach pools knowledge to identify technical solutions quicker. At the other end of the scale, having a very close relationship with brand owners helps us understand market trends and needs. We learn a great deal from this process – also through our failures. It’s great to always succeed but that means you don’t take risks. The important thing when you fail is to fail quickly and learn the lessons.”

There are already signs that Pack Studios is breaking down barriers. “It has been a step change in how we approach the market – not just our customers, but the brand owners and retailers,” comments Fabrice Digonnet. “Stakeholders further down the value chain now want to work with us, whereas in the past they would not have seen the point in talking to a resin manufacturer. The innovations we are coming up with set the tone for a very collaborative environment. They see we are not here to sell resins, but solutions.”

A further advantage is that Dow’s involvement offers reassurance to brand owners who are interested in packaging innovations but reluctant to commit to a single supplier.

The Pack Studios model raises the opportunity of making new technologies and formats available to multiple licensees, who can implement them together with Dow into the value chain.

Managing cooperation Working with the entire value chain, along with internal stakeholders such as Dow’s strategic marketing, new business development, sustainability and R&D specialists, implies a formidable organisational task. Is the process weighed down by its own breadth of ambition? According to Marco Amici, it is not. “Although Dow is a huge company, it is democratic in character. We have clear stakeholders involved in decision making and the number limited to 10-15 people to take key strategic decisions – you don’t need to get permission from 25 layers of management. Individuals take the lead on respective projects,

Innovation

soliciting broad input from around the company but reporting to one person with a global purview. This means we can act quickly.”

“Setting a business development strategy is a complex task,” adds Apurva Shah.

“We look across the whole value chain right from the end consumer level and the chain comprises so many levels, on each of where there may be different responses of a trend and how Dow can impact in terms of innovations and material sciences. Ultimately, there are probably hundreds of different ways one can interpret an end-consumer trend such as easy opening. It’s an exciting challenge to be able to interact with so many different areas of the market and try to pull it all together.”

The way Dow approaches this challenge is to put together a solid network. Apurva Shah continues: “First, we put our tentacles out into the market, investing a lot in engaging with OEMs to understand performance requirements in detail and how to make our materials work on the wide variety of packaging lines out in the marketplace. We also put our tentacles into academia to conduct more experimental research and explore the possibilities in future coatings, materials and technologies.”

One example of collaboration with academia is a partnership with a US university studying shelf impact using scans tracking retina movement. This has made it possible to identify and measure the negative impact of the glare reflecting off packages under the bright fluorescent lighting in grocery stores. This in turn has contributed to the refinement of Dow’s OPULUX™ portfolio of matte finishes, which have been especially devised to produce a luxurious appearance in supermarket conditions.

Innovation projects are categorised as Horizon One (most near term), Two or Three (most long term). Dow’s R&D teams work along the spectrum from blue-sky research, taking managed risks, to groups working with customers to effect minor improvements to existing products.

“The longer-term, strategic part of our organisation is growing as we become more market focused,” says Apurva Shah. “We recognise that taking chances in innovation is

important to the stewardship of the industry. In terms of Horizon Three, we are looking at things such as refining data collection and computer modelling to the extent that we could eventually skip the first 90 days of product development and go straight into trials. An example of a longer term, Horizon Two type project is to develop a coating that improves the thermal resistance and printability of PE. One of the reasons PET is often used in flexible packaging is its superior performance in these respects. Our objective, applying our knowledge from our coatings and adhesives business, is to develop a solution to bridge this gap.”

One stop shop Thanks to its vast portfolio, Dow operates in every major area of packaging, apart from print. Putting Pack Studios at the centre of collaborative innovation within the industry, Dow is placed to foster innovation that responds to most kinds of demand. This could entail developing solutions that respond to a global need such as making sustainable packaging solutions affordable to consumers; devising higher performance sealants to serve the faster lines required for smaller pack formats; or helping converters achieve more margin with products such as the AGILITY™ LDPE resins designed to get more output from the same volume of material.

It could be said that Dow is positioning itself as a one stop shop in packaging: creating a space where the needs of the value chain can more easily be met.

“When customers want to innovate, they have a long checklist to tick off – consulting with raw material producers and machinery manufacturers, thinking about IP, agonising over the business case – before they can take a decision to invest,” Fabrice Digonnet concludes. “Dow is making a big move by investing in packaging technologies in order to facilitate a step change in the industry. If we can engage in innovation and encourage our customers to follow suit, the result will be to accelerate the introduction of new and better packaging products to the market.”

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Growing demand for convenience drives packaging machinery trends

With a greater demand from consumers for convenience and on-the-go products, flexibility and efficiency has become a key point of differentiation for machinery manufacturers. Grant Collier, head of marketing and publishing for the PPMA Group of Associations, highlights current packaging machinery trends and the future challenges set to impact Europe’s packaging industries.

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or packaging manufacturers of a wide range of perishable and non-perishable products, convenience has long been a key trend driving innovation. As a result, and combined with an increasing demand from consumers for practical, on-the-go products, ensuring flexibility and improving efficiency has increasingly become the most prominent issues affecting the manufacturing industries. For example, machinery on today’s production lines must enable manufacturers to cater for a wide number of brands, product types and pack sizes resulting in a need for machinery that can readily accept multiple formats without losing out on repeatability rates or reliability.

This is where an increased need for changeover efficiency can be seen. In manufacturing, a changeover occurs when a line or machine has to be switched from one brand or product variety to another. Changeover times can often vary from a few minutes to weeks depending on the industry and if any re-tooling is required. By reducing changeover times, manufacturers can not only increase production capacity but increase production flexibility as the machinery is capable of more frequent changes. It also allows for a more varied approach to manufacturing. For example, if a specific retailer requires smaller batch sizes, manufacturers are well placed to deliver and in a timely fashion. | 86 | Packaging Europe

For example, recent developments in cartoning have been developed to provide fast and easy format changes as well as safe and reliable product handling. Packaging machinery that provides improved changeover rates not only helps manufacturers increase overall productivity as output rates are increased but significantly reduces turnaround times as the production line is more capable of responding to increasingly varied customer demands.

While convenience is driving innovation to improve flexibility and deliver a wide range of product types and sizes, increasing pressure is also being placed on manufacturers to reduce wastage and turn to more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes to achieve this. For example, with sustainability an increasing factor for consumers when choosing which products to buy or use, manufacturing machinery must be able to cope with a reduction in pack sizes, and as a result, use less materials in the packaging process.

Wastage that is a result of the production process can also have a significant effect on profitability. The challenge here is to reduce waste without undermining the effectiveness or quality of the product. Packaging is one area where significant waste reduction can be accomplished. In addition, by using less materials manufacturers can help to save energy when packing and lower both material and transport costs.

Machinery

Helping manufacturers become more sustainable Among the benefits of the increased awareness and demand for sustainability across the manufacturing industries, is the wide range of initiatives available to help manufacturers achieve this. For example, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is working with the manufacturing and retail sectors to facilitate and implement focused waste prevention strategies to cut waste and increase both financial and environmental savings.

This is particularly key within the food and drink industries, where there is an increasing pressure to not only reduce the level of materials wasted but reduce food waste as well.

For many manufacturers, the most efficient way to reduce manufacturing waste and inspect products more efficiently and accurately is to turn to automated systems which are credited with increasing reliability as well as reducing labour costs. For example, automation is well established for material handling where robotic machinery is used to pick and pack products, inspect for quality as well as label or mark them for delivery and distribution.

This is one area in particular where we’d expect to see even further growth within the industry over the coming years as it largely drives efficiency and flexibility on the production line. This is in part why we’ve included it as a specific focus at this year’s PPMA Show, which takes place at the NEC in September. The new robotics and industrial vision zone will not only include the latest inventive and quirky uses of robotic technology within the industry but will help shine a light on the opportunities for future developments.

It will be supported by seminars from leading robotics expert, Rich Walker, Managing Director of the Shadow Robot Company who will explore the opportunities for robotic technology in the food industry. The company, recently made headlines after revealing its automated kitchen, which features two robotics arms suspended above a conventional kitchen. The arms can not only match the dexterity of human hands but work just as quickly as a professional chef, controlled via a smart phone app. It is these innovations that will not only transform consumer uses of its technology but take efficiency and flexibility for a wide range of applications and processes to new levels.

While it is true that automation and robotics have long been a staple of the automotive production line, growing adoption of the technology on packaging and processing lines will no doubt lead to greater flexibility, efficiency and overall productivity across the packaging industries. Alongside automation, industrial vision will also play a key role in improving accuracy and ensure a consistency and quality of goods before they are packed. This is

particularly important when it comes to food safety, which is another key area packaging manufacturers are addressing now and must continue to do so in the future.

One such way to improve food safety in packaging is using vision systems. Vision systems are suitable for a wide array of applications and are often considered an essential part of many industrial processes as they offer fast and accurate inspection capabilities at a highly competitive cost. For example, exhibiting at this year’s PPMA Show 2015 Evolution Bottle & Packaging will demonstrate Logics & Controls’ pioneering LOGILOOK inspection machine which fully inspects the quality of the label using a single camera, regardless of the way the bottle is facing. Such innovations, which may soon become commonplace to the industry, not only improve efficiency and safety but help ensure the quality and appearance of products too.

Meeting new regulations Among the machinery trends we’d expect to see emerge across the industry, there are also a number of challenges and new regulations set to impact Europe’s packaging industries. For example, the introduction of changes in 2016 to CE Marking Machines. The CE Mark is effectively used as a tool for designing and planning new products, machines and assembly lines. With this in mind, the PPMA have been working with Peter Evans, compliance engineer at the CE Marking Association to help our members understand how the CE mark is more than just a compliance mark. As a result, Peter will join over 300 exhibitors at the PPMA Show in September, where he will help guide visitors through the changes and no doubt field lots of burning questions in a special seminar session.

The future of innovation in packaging machinery Without a doubt, one of the continuing, and perhaps biggest, challenges for packaging manufacturers across Europe is the fast-pace of change that we’ll no doubt continue to see across the industry. From complex smart packaging to innovative solutions that improve security and traceability – intelligent packaging is poised to introduce a wide range of benefits and packaging manufacturers will need to evolve at the same pace to keep up. Whether it’s helping to counteract high levels of food wastage or responding to new packaging materials, the industry is seeing a great period of innovation and it’s not set to slow down anytime soon.

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Flex Line: Multihead weighers now form part of fully integrated packing lines.

The Multihead Weigher: Still a Work in Progress The importance of accurate product weighing cannot be overstated. Apart from the legal requirement of producing packs at their declared weight, product giveaway – effectively giving the consumer free product due to overfill – is wasteful, particularly in today’s highly competitive markets, while unreliable and inconsistent pack weights harm brand reputation, writes Torsten Giese, marketing manager, Ishida Europe.

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ost food products are not easy to weigh to a pre-determined weight. For example, the individual weight of a frozen chicken nugget, a meatball or a mint humbug in a 200g pack can vary considerably, meaning a pack can very quickly go from being underweight (i.e.180g) to extremely overweight (i.e. 220g) by adding just one extra piece.

As nearly everyone who works in food production and packaging now knows, the solution to this problem, first developed by Ishida in Japan in the 1970s, is the multihead weigher. Using a number of weigh hoppers – today these can vary from eight to 36 – to weigh product simultaneously, a computer then calculates all possible weight combinations and selects the one that comes closest to the target weight.

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The huge impact of multihead weighing technology for food markets has been well documented. Product giveaway, which could be as much as 15% using manual weighing on bench scales, was reduced to well under 1%.

At the same time, accurate filling meant packs could be designed smaller, reducing the cost of packaging, storage and transport. In terms of speed, even the earliest models were able to achieve around 30 packs per minute (ppm) for frozen meat products, and 60-80 ppm for confectionery and snacks. Today’s top speeds for such products can be as much as 100 ppm for frozen and fresh products and up to 300 ppm for easy flowing dry products.

Weighing

Oiled Jelly Mix on CCW:

Mixed Weighing of Frozen Vegetables:

Special surfaces facilitate the movement of sticky products.

Mixed weighing has been a major benefit in markets including frozen foods.

Even more important to food manufacturers is the increased productivity that accurate weighing can bring. For example, high-value products previously wasted in overfill can now be packed into additional packs. Output can therefore be increased without additional input.

Indeed, so great and immediate was the impact of multihead weighing that one could easily argue that its work is done, for what else is there left to achieve? The answer, of course, has been a great deal and multihead weighers continue to prove themselves extremely adept at evolving and developing further to meet the ever-changing demands of the food and retail industries.

Over the years, therefore, multihead weighers have constantly improved in terms of even faster speeds and greater weighing accuracy. The introduction of ‘booster’ hoppers, stepper motors and, more recently, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Anti-Floor Vibration have all helped to set new standards.

Equally important, while the original multihead weighing concept is ideal for easy-tohandle dry and frozen products such as snacks, confectionery, cereals and vegetables, there are many products that do not conform to these simple characteristics. This has become even more critical as new product development has had to respond to changing consumer tastes with ever more sophisticated and exotic products. Another key factor has therefore been the introduction of features and application-specific multihead weighers that can deal with more difficult products.

Special raised surfaces, for example, have been developed for sticky products such as prepared fruit, jellies and gums; reduced angles and drop distances throughout certain models protect fragile or brittle products from breakages.

One sector that has seen particular focus has been convenience foods, meeting a growing demand not just for ready meals but also for pre-packed fresh products such as meat, poultry and fish.

For ready meals, one of the multihead weigher’s major strengths has been its ability to handle the mix weighing of products. A particular benefit of this is that the most expensive component can be controlled very tightly, with any potential overall pack deficits being ‘topped up’ during weighing by adjusting the weight of the less expensive components.

This ensures the pack receives identical weights and that the expensive ingredients are always represented in the mix in the same proportion (thus creating overall product consistency and reducing customer complaints).

Mix weighing of product has also been a major benefit in snacks, confectionery, cereals and frozen foods applications. New 32 head mix weigher models can handle up to eight different products for discharge into the same bag or discharge a single product into a high speed packing machine with up to eight outlets.

For fresh meat and poultry, as well as features such as anti-stick contact surfaces, plastic hoppers with scraper gates and belt feeders to keep product moving easily through the traditional multihead, new designs have also been created to handle these challeng-

ing products, for example a linear layout with an operator positioned by the feeder to help direct and control product.

Another recently developed solution has been the use of screws to move fresh and sticky meat products into the pool and weigh hoppers instead of vibration. The rotational speed and timing can be adjusted via the weigher’s Remote Control Unit so the screws move the product at consistent intervals to the pool and weigh hoppers.

As well as ensuring accurate product weight, multihead weighers today also have to deal with a variety of pack formats including trays, pots and pouches as well as bags. This has led to the development of special distribution/filling systems to ensure an accurate, consistent and spillage free interface between the weigher and the pack. Weigh Batcher systems are another recent development that allow the accurate weighing of fresh meat and poultry to be combined with manual manipulation in order to optimise the products’ arrangement and presentation in a tray.

The use of distribution systems is just one example of how multihead weighers are able to combine and work with other parts of the production and packing line to create fully integrated systems. Alongside the weigher, equipment such as tray denesters, tray fillers and sealers, bag makers, foreign body detectors, checkweighers, seal testers, label inspection and end-of-line packing equipment can be linked together to ensure maximum throughput and efficiency.

And as part of this, advanced checkweigher software can provide valuable production planning and monitoring support, compiling detailed reports and assessments of the efficiency of the line and identifying any problem areas.

The growth in integrated systems has also led to the emergence of project management as a key element in the development of any new line. Rather than a manufacturer sourcing individual pieces of equipment from different suppliers, one supplier takes responsibility for the devising and installation of the entire line, linking together all the different parts of the operation into one centrally-controlled unit. This helps to maximise throughput and ensure all parts of the line are working to the greatest efficiency. Customers also benefit from a single point of contact.

Just as important, all these developments in multihead weigher technology, capabilities and integration have helped food manufacturers keep pace with market demands and consumer and retailer requirements.

Today these demands include a focus on sustainability and here again, mulithead weighers have already had a positive effect – accurate weighing leads to smaller packaging which in turn minimises material consumption and reduces transport costs, while modern weighers are also highly energy efficient.

The multihead weigher may be well established but its relevance shows no sign of diminishing and it is clearly more than capable of dealing with any further challenges that may arise. Thus, for all its achievements to date, the technology is still work in progress.

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Coding and Marking for Lean Manufacturers Charles Randon, senior product manager of Linx Printing Technologies, explains how choosing the right coding and marking systems can reduce waste and increase productivity, in line with lean manufacturing principles.

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any companies are reacting to economic conditions by applying lean manufacturing principles, to help increase competitiveness and efficiency. Lean manufacturing is about minimising waste and maximising value added activities. According to lean principles, each step in the production process should add value for the customer.

Coding and marking is a critical step in the production of consumer products, but often seen as non-value added activity driven by legislative or customer requirements for batch traceability or durability information, lengthening product changeover times and resulting in lost production.

However, the latest developments in coding equipment can help to reduce waste in many ways, and actively support lean manufacturing principles. There are now plenty of examples of how effective coding and marking equipment has helped to reduce production ‘wastes’ which can apply to companies of virtually any size.

companies can identify and minimise the things that don’t add value, creating various benefits in a number of ways: flexibility and the ability to respond more quickly to customer demands; higher quality of work; lower costs, by removing waste; and increased production throughput.

Many companies are already embracing lean principles by focusing on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), which aims to reduce or eliminate the six ‘big losses’ that cause inefficiency in manufacturing. These are breakdowns; setup and adjustment; small stops; reduced speed; startup rejects; and production rejects. And these are the sort of ‘wastes’ that lean manufacturing seeks to minimise.

The benefits delivered by modern coding and marking equipment in promoting lean manufacturing can be broadly grouped into three areas – reducing waiting time, reducing defects and reducing processes and over-production

Lean manufacturing

Reducing waiting time

Linx customer research includes an example where the move from labelling to digital coding at a fruit and vegetable packaging operation increased throughput by 230 per cent.

A pet food manufacturer doubled its output by using coding to apply more data to the pack.

This speeded up product changeovers, reduced pack inventory and enabled the company to run on-pack promotions for even greater added value.

A lean company will constantly strive to focus on the value of what it does for its customers, mapping its processes right across the business, from generating the order for a product to the end delivery of that product. By mapping these processes,

You need your coding equipment to work reliably and unobtrusively. Modern printers with long service intervals minimise offline maintenance time. Increasingly, self-maintenance, mistake-proof consumables changes, and printers designed for use in washdown production environments save time covering or removing machines for cleaning to take place.

For manufacturers needing frequent or fast product changeovers, digital coding technology allows multiple messages to be stored, which can then be switched at the press of a button, reducing the time spent setting new codes compared to for example changing rollers or plates on non-digital coders.

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Marking & Coding

Multiple line settings as well as code content held in the printer’s memory mean codes specific to product lines can be set up and indexed in the machine, making for quick product changeovers. In addition, lightweight coders can be moved between lines and set up quickly, making coders more flexible in their use. Coding errors can be costly, both in terms of lost time and, sometimes, product. Modern printers offer simple code creation and editing, reducing the likelihood of mistakes on the factory floor.

Reducing processes and over-production Coding technology which requires minimal start up procedures and where the first print is as good as the last means there is no need to leave machines switched on permanently, or to run them every day.

Versatility means many manufacturers use one coder for several applications, printing onto a range of substrates from plastic to tin, glass or cardboard. Less variation in printer types also means fewer instructions to learn and a reduced inventory of consumables.

Flexible printheads which can code in any direction – even from underneath the product – mean there is less manual handling required.

Choosing the right coding solution is not easy. No two applications are exactly the same and the following are all factors to be considered when deciding which coding solution to choose: • Code content – will increased code complexity such as additional lines of print, or printing in different orientations be supported by the printer you choose, or will you need to purchase another printer?

• Substrate – consider the range of materials you need to code onto. Ensure that you have each of these sample-coded by the printers you are considering.

• Line speed – will the coding solution keep up with your line speeds? Do you need to code across multi-lane production lines now, or will you need this capability in the future?

• Factory environment – if your coding environment is hot and dusty, for example, ensure that your solution has the right IP rating and features to perform reliably.

• Available budget – not just the initial purchase price, but consider the overall cost of ownership and factor in reliability. During peaks in production, will rental give you flexibility to meet coding demands?

• Testing – will your coding and marking provider offer a free trial? You need to be sure the machine is capable of meeting the demands you will put on it.

high-speed capability and the fact there are no consumables; which together make the long-term cost of ownership lower than some other technologies.

Perhaps the most cost effective choice, Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) maintains an important place as it can print on almost any substrate. A wide range of inks is available to use with CIJ printers including inks of different colours to ensure legibility on any colour substrate.

Many more inks are available, such as UV-readable inks for anti-counterfeiting or waterremovable inks for internal traceability, adding yet another dimension to the coding process. With lighter models increasingly being produced, the CIJ printer is more capable of being quickly moved from line to line and is quicker to install and set up than laser coders.

Large Character Marking case coders are particularly well-suited for printing variable information onto secondary packaging such as cardboard boxes. These outer cases usually require text and graphics which are easy to see. Case coders can print to a high-resolution quality, and are versatile enough for use on a variety of surfaces and materials. Easy to set-up and adjust, their reliability and predictable cost of ownership endear them to production lines in a range of industries. They are also a very cost effective alternative to pre-printed boxes or labels.

Thermal Inkjet Printers offer a flexible coding solution for both outer cases and primary packaging. Although offering a smaller print area than case coders, these high resolution coders generate superb print quality for premium packaging, and are a cost effective solution for slower production lines or where production is not 24/7.

Coding equipment can play a significant role in a lean operation. However, with so many different models available, it is always wise to run a trial with any coder to make sure it is delivering the savings you want. Don’t just look at the printer in isolation – it is how it can contribute to minimising waste throughout the whole operation that counts. In the same way, assess the coder on its total cost of ownership and all the benefits it brings. In that way, the price of the equipment will soon appear to be very lean, with a fast payback on your investment.

The different coding technologies There is a range of coding technologies available, each with its own particular strengths in different applications, but all capable of reinforcing lean manufacturing.

Laser coding provides a permanent code on a wide range of materials at high line speeds. As there is no ink involved in the coding process and therefore no drying time, the process is speeded up. Laser coders are particularly attractive due to their low downtime, Packaging Europe | 91 |

Retailers Call for Space-Saving Mixed Product Trays With brands and retailers producing more range variants and the race for retail shelf-space hotting up, automation specialist Pacepacker Services has developed a new offline, portable Mixed Tray Loader pick-and-place system to quickly generate assorted trays of product. For smaller outlets, such as convenience supermarkets and inner-city delicatessens, these assorted product trays provide a creative way for retailers to offer a far wider product range on space restricted retail shelves.

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he product swap unit, known as the Mixed Tray Loader (MTL), has already been installed at one UK manufacturer of own-label dips. Explaining the logic behind the MTL, Pacepacker Business Development Manager Paul Wilkinson says: “By stocking mixed trays of product, a larger supermarket can hold a wider range of product types, flavours and variants. Equally, a smaller inner-city store, which may previously have had to drop lines to make way for other products, can continue to offer a good variety.”

The dip producer clearly sees mixed trays as being an expanding opportunity too.

They installed an MTL with a pneumatic Cartesian pick-and-place system positioned over twin lanes of filled trays. The picking heads remove one line of product from the first tray, and places it into the second. The process is then reversed to swap items in both trays. “This customer has already asked us to double the capacity to 20 single layer trays of dips per minute on the initial system, and has said it will order a second high-capacity MTL on delivery of the upgrade,” says Paul. “We could not ask for a clearer indication that there is demand for this type of capability and that our solution is an effective one.”

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‘The food retail sector is a battlefield’ Neil Farmer, independent consultant and spokesperson for the packaging sector, comments: "The whole food and grocery retail sector is a battlefield. To achieve higher shelf spacing is the challenge facing all producers. This is particularly so in metro, convenience and local stores where space is even more limited. The use of mixed tray systems therefore has great merit, allowing more variety, choice and range of products.

In store it’s that "blink of an eye moment", the 7 seconds when the consumer looks at the shelf and makes a purchasing decision. With an assorted range of products there’s a greater chance of seeing something which will catch the eye, leading to a purchase.

The growth in brand extensions, personalisation and customisation of products is one of the most important trends in the retail sector. Consumers are used to having a wide choice of branded product options and mixed product trays can go a long way to facilitating this.”

As well as overcoming a laborious task, the MTL can also help manage the stock control within smaller stores. While big supermarket chains have sufficient customers and buying power to stock a wide range of perishable food products, a smaller shop

Packing

One option worth considering when upgrading the Cartesian system is to replace pneumatic actuators with electronic devices. Doing this will normally allow finer control

over acceleration and deceleration, which helps to significantly reduce product damage when handling and swapping delicate items.

As well as being highly compact, the new MTL system is also mobile. As a standalone operation, the MTL can be located in the warehouse area or in the production area; whichever makes more sense from a space and product-flow perspective.

The system can also be configured to other formats, including flexible packaging. “In this instance, to form mixed product collations a customer might need to consider laning options at the initial tray-loading stage. However, it’s worth remembering that complex laning can take up larger amounts of factory space,” says Paul.

Pacepacker initiated the MTL project after the company’s own engineers were on-site working on another robotics application for the dips. Having observed up to five people in a single shift performing the manual ‘product swap’ operation, the team suggested that an automated solution could be developed.

“A large part of our approach at Pacepacker is to keep tabs on retail trends, and when visiting customers we also examine the overall operational efficiency and where automation can solve a particular challenge or overcome a production bottleneck,” Paul explains. “It’s not always dependent on the customer coming to us with a problem. This newest ‘product swap’ development is a classic example of what can be accomplished when we look at the wider automation picture.”

The system can also be used for new product trials, slower-moving lines, seasonal and limited editions.

The Mixed Tray Loader is an offline

Extensively tested with a range of products and packaging types

‘products swap’ pick-and-place system.

the MTL relies on vacuum to grip and manipulate product.

runs the risk of stock going out of date, effecting waste and profits. “In addition to offering customers a wider product range, using mixed cases and pallets also reduces handling costs and back room stock, so both customers and the retailers benefit,” Paul explains.

Pacepacker has tested the MTL system extensively with a range of products and packaging types. It is especially effective in handling plastic pots, jars and other rigid, flat-topped packs such as ready meals, since it relies on vacuum to grip and manipulate product. The system works well in categories such as dairy, where yogurts, creams and soft cheeses are packed in pots, but it is equally suited to swapping canned goods and products in glass packaging, such as jam jars and salad dressings.

Although the first MTL installation utilised a fairly straightforward Cartesian pickand-place arrangement, the system can just as easily be designed with delta or articulated arm robots. “If there is a range of tray or pot sizes, or several product configurations, a robotic system would offer greater flexibility than the Cartesian version,” explains Paul. “You tend to achieve better movement control and increased fluidity with a robot. You also have greater programming flexibility, which means you can swap around product from three trays rather than two, for example.”

Upgrade from pneumatic to electronic

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Food Machinery: Hygienic Design Food manufacturers face increasing pressure to enhance the safety of the supply chain. Recent reports of hygiene failures in the UK’s food industry have raised concerns about safety and contamination. Increased consumer awareness of product contamination is driving changes in the industry, specifically the need for hygienic manufacturing practices to mitigate risks and avoid future scandals. Manufacturers need to ensure that they have thorough processes in place, well-trained personnel and superior equipment to minimise the possibility of cross contamination. By Martin Dupick, global product manager VFFS, Bosch Packaging Technology.

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mproving hygiene in food production starts with refined design of processing and packaging equipment. For manufacturers engaged in the production of foods with strict requirements in terms of purity (e.g. non-gluten, peanut-free etc.) the appropriate design for equipment like vertical baggers and horizontal flow wrappers can reduce the possibility of cross contamination between different products batches.

While a number of regional regulatory agencies, such as the FDA and the British Retail Consortium (BRC), have established standards for equipment design to diminish food contamination risks, there is no global comprehensive legislation or regulatory standard for design. However, there is a clear trend towards more regulation, which reflects intensifying concerns over the global food supply. To help manufacturers meet various food safety standards, equipment providers such as Bosch Packaging Technology offer several options to enhance the hygienic design of processing and packaging machinery in line with several key principles. | 94 | Packaging Europe

Applications demanding hygiene There are specific food applications where the need for hygienically designed equipment is especially important. Baby foods clearly count as one of the most critical, given the sensitivity and vulnerability of this consumer segment. Aseptic filling and packaging technologies can be used for liquid and viscous baby foods, providing the best assurance for contaminant-free processing. They also enable extended shelf life (ESL) up to nine months without refrigeration and preservatives.

Fresh, frozen and dairy foods are other product categories that require high levels of hygiene. These are growing markets, particularly in developing regions where the middle class is expanding. Fresh foods include salads, meats, cheeses and fish that tend to spoil after a few days in the refrigerator. Frozen foods encapsulate a large range of products, from chicken and fish to vegetables, in which hygienically designed vertical bagging and tray forming equipment are well-suited.

Hygienic design

The confectionery and baked goods sectors also benefit from hygienic processing and packaging equipment. These premium, high-margin products require gentle handling since many of them, such as biscuits, are prone to breakage. A hygienic design prevents broken pieces from accumulating in hidden crevices and clogging equipment. Easy and thorough cleaning is crucial when needing to switch between different products and for separating nut-free and nut-containing products to reduce the risk of allergen contamination.

The principles of hygienic design When selecting equipment to meet the latest food safety regulations, here are some tips to consider: • Clean it up. Crevices, nooks and crannies are open invitations to cross contamination.

The design should be free of part features that create recesses, gaps and areas which are hard to clean. An open main-frame design makes it easier to prevent food residues from collecting because they are easy to spot and remove.

• Reduce the clutter. The goal should be to eliminate as many machine components (mechanical and utility) on which food products can accumulate. This includes reducing the number and length of electrical cables, pneumatic and vacuum lines down to a minimum, and establishing a clean routing plan.

• Minimise flat surfaces. Equipment should be designed to leverage the benefits of gravity. Large flat-to-flat contact surfaces should be avoided along with horizontal surfaces.

Sloping surfaces help ensure food residues flow down and drain properly. This prevents food from remaining on surfaces and potentially causing cross contamination.

• Simplify cleaning. Easy cleaning must be an intrinsic part of equipment design. Easier access to machine parts makes them easier to clean. Ideally, cleaning is accomplished without removing components, but if component removal is necessary, it should be a tool-less design with no loose parts. Clean surfaces are a prerequisite for processing foods, and thus all surfaces should be smooth and defect-free. Taking into account the design features above reduces the amount of product residues which in turn facilitates cleaning.

• Provide options. Food manufacturers require varying levels of hygiene depending on what they process and which regional regulations they need to adhere to. Equipment should give users different cleaning choices, including dry, wet or washdowns, to match the specific need.

• Ideal construction materials. Your product and cleaning procedures determine the best construction materials for your particular needs. Harsh cleaning agents, frequent highpressure washdowns etc. determine your choice of material, e.g. stainless steel might be a must. If dry cleaning is applied, food producers can consider an aluminum frame.

• Match to requirements. The applied filling hygiene level must match the product´s and manufacturer´s requirements. For liquid and viscous food products, including dairy, baby foods and desserts filling technologies with hygiene filling levels from clean, ultra-clean up to aseptic, can be applied, depending on product characteristics such as PH value, desired shelf life and non-usage of preservatives. A packaging supplier with aseptic research and a microbiological test laboratory is especially able to fully meet rigorous requirements of dairy food manufacturers.

• Be wary of retrofits. When looking to improve hygienic processing, should manufacturers opt to retrofit their existing equipment, or should they purchase something new? Each situation is unique, but generally speaking, food processers will find it more

practical to choose equipment that is designed — from concept to completion — with hygiene in mind. In the long run, they’ll be better off and more secure compared to retrofitting existing equipment.

Raising the stakes In light of regulatory pressures combined with increasing consumer demands for food safety, manufacturers need to look more closely at equipment design. A hygienically designed food processing and packaging line is one of the best ways to defend against costly threats to business. One product recall or negative social media campaign driven by angry consumers can pose serious threats to a company’s bottom line, and to its longevity.

Food safety depends on the interaction between a product, packaging material, and the equipment on which the product is processed. Truly hygienic packaging ensures that every single machine surface that comes into contact with a product meets the required hygiene standards.

Manufacturers need more than assurances of safety. They also need technologies that increase flexibility and throughput speed, while minimising downtime for cleaning and maintenance. Hygienic and smart equipment design offers benefits across the board.

To ensure the best solution, food manufacturers should seek out single-source solutions providers with expertise in both equipment design and a focus on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).They also need a vendor who understands the unique needs of specific food products.

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Prudent Equipment Procurement Helps Reduce Energy Costs Although the price of energy has more than doubled over the last ten years, plastic packaging manufacturers are often tempted to opt for low cost equipment, without consideration made to the future operating costs of their injection moulding equipment, which can often last for more than ten years. As companies grow their energy need grows too, so for many manufacturers investment in an energy efficient system which in turn reduces unnecessary energy expenditure and increases profit margins could be a more prudent decision – argues Nigel Flowers, managing director of Sumitomo Demag (specialists in injection moulding machines & systems).

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Nigel, Flowers, MD, Sumitomo Demag | 96 | Packaging Europe

with most machines, the initial cost of an injection moulder will be less than the overall cost of the energy consumed by the machine during its lifetime however it is imperative that manufacturers find the best suited product technology match otherwise they will find that their production efficiency decreases as the operating conditions move further away from the design conditions. Subsequently investing in energy saving technologies from the outset may cost more but in the long term, it will save money and guarantee a faster ROI – which is important when customers expect price decreases throughout the product lifecycle.

Energy Efficiency

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s all Electric IntElect injection moulder boasts high accuracy, repeatability, and consistency

Making energy consumption visible using energy monitoring software is important. By making changes and carrying out before and after comparisons, the optimum efficiency settings can be established. A recent trend seen by the injection moulding machinery market is a load sensing pump drive technology which helps manufacturers achieve lower energy consumption and thus reducing costs. For this, all that is required is the installation of a frequency converter in front of the pump drive motor to be able to regulate the output of the latter. The load sensing pump drive system automatically matches the motor output to the cycle requirements to ensure optimum performance for every phase of the machine cycle. Energy savings of up to 40% can be made, allowing every phase of the cycle to be individually adjusted. This is especially beneficial for partial load operation.

Another major draw on energy inherent with injection moulding is barrel heating – a fundamental feature as the material is fed into the barrel, melted, mixed, and forced into a mould cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity. By fitting barrel insulation (sometimes referred to as heater band jackets) lower energy losses through heat emission by the plasticising cylinder can be achieved. This reduces energy consumption and shortens cylinder warm-up times. The jackets can be easily mounted under the standard guard of the plasticising cylinder. With energy savings in the region of up to 40 % of the total heating energy consumption, purchasing the cylinder insulation frequently already pays for itself in the first year.

Toggle joints have been incorporated into many manufacturer’s machine designs as they provide heavy duty, durable engineering but they too, have a vital role in energy saving. The mechanical conversion of the toggle ensures the highest level of dynamics and working speed with minimal energy consumption and secure locking without any additional energy requirement. In the final stages of closing, the large movement of the toggle is countered by a relatively small movement of the clamping platen, providing a high degree of mould safety, reducing mould wear. For larger machines, the toggle joint will save up to 50% of the energy required and for smaller machines, up to 30%. Linear

slide mechanisms specifically in the clamping area have their place in further reductions in energy consumption. Linear slides aid mould movement and reduce friction, therefore using less energy.

With today’s hybrid designs which combine the best of hydraulic fast cycling and electric machines, significant energy savings can be made. The hybrid concept cleverly uses a blend of drive technologies including a servo driven hydraulic clamp unit to achieve precise movements, a hydraulic accumulator delivering high injection rates, and an electric screw drive for parallel plasticising, all of which shave tenths of a second off the cycle time enabling manufacturers to profit from increased margins and lower energy costs. Servo driven machinery can not only reach higher speeds and deliver the required output sooner, but acceleration and deceleration is far more dynamic, furthermore, during the braking phase of the machine cycle, energy is regenerated in the drive system offering additional energy savings.

All electric injection moulding machinery is fairly new to the market, but they have made a huge leap in efficiency giving processors advantages over conventional hydraulic machines including; up to 60% less energy in operation, lower standing losses, less maintenance due to fewer moving parts and are also offer more accuracy in operation.

It is no secret that plasticising is the largest consumer of energy in an injection moulding machine. The dosing drive takes the lion’s share of energy consumption. Manufacturers can now use an optionally available electric screw drive to reduce the energy requirement.

This direct drive system operates without gears and therefore has less friction and losses.

Decoupling the dosing process from the other movements, and utilising parallel operation of the machine creates scope for further reducing the speed or increasing the output.

By employing energy saving technologies, most packaging processors can reduce their energy costs and increase profits. Granted, injection moulding equipment uses a relatively small proportion of energy across the supply chain, but to coin a famous supermarket tag line - “every little helps”.

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Design Opinion

Labelling Design: Colour and Geometrics A labelling design project developed by Surgenia, the Andalusian Technological Centre of Design, was awarded the LAUS award in the ‘Packaging and Labelling Design’ category. The award went to Seville-based studio Fernando Fuentes, which was part of a cross-disciplinary team led by Surgenia, for the development of a new labelling system for DOMCA, an Andalusian manufacturer of compounds and ingredients for the food industry.

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he LAUS award winner was a visual code which, through the combination of colour and geometrical designs, classifies and identifies products in the DOMCA range. The code serves a dual purpose. First, it standardises more than 1000 references of the company’s products through categories, but it also provides the company with a graphic image that serves as to differentiate the brand from the competition, enhancing the elements of research, innovation and technology.

The Andalusian Technological Centre of Design was responsible for the investigation and development of the labelling system in collaboration with the studio Fernando Fuentes.

First of all, Surgenia studied the market design trends and the prospective customers of the company in order to create a roadmap for design to follow. Research was undertaken on the evolution of the market, the way to present products with technological content and clients’ requirements for the information included on the labels. Successful case studies and different design styles were analysed along with technical regulations. Surgenia’s conception of style suggested that the graphic work should strengthen the concepts of technology and health and express it in a minimalist way. The colour and typography should also become more prominent in the overall composition.

A visual code of very basic concentric geometrical designs was outlined: circles, squares, triangles, and rhombuses. A distinct geometrical code was created for each of the company’s eight product typologies. This is also connected with a colour code that | 98 | Packaging Europe

helps classify the six categories of DOMCA products. Such products categorisation boosts usability for the company and staff as well as facilitating differentiation and identification for the customers. The product classification code goes at the top of the labels, whereas the technical and corporative description goes at the bottom part.

The system also complies with the company’s environmental commitment. All the graphic applications (product files, labels,…) are printed in two inks on 100 per cent recycled paper or produced under the FSC® or PEFC certifications, which identify paper whose raw material comes from sustainably managed forests.

“We started with labelling which only included technical information without corporate, graphic or aesthetic identification elements,” explains Juanjo Guerrero, project manager of Surgenia. “However, design is also vital for those, like DOMCA, who develop technology and products for the international and national food industry with a market-oriented approach, as it helps stand out from the competition.”

The LAUS awards are organised by the Graphic Designers and Art Directors Association of the Catalonian Arts and Design Promotion Institution (ADG-FAD). The ADG-FAD is a private non-profit association at a national scale. For 50 years now its purpose has been to promote graphic design and visual communication in the cultural and economic life of the country. The LAUS awards are the best representation of this ambition, a real thermometer of the communication and design work. ©Surgenia & Fernando Fuentes Studio for DOMCA

Design Opinion

Book Packaging Becomes Art

By Luca Desiata, professor of ‘Corporate Art’ at LUISS Business School.

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an the packaging of a technical publication become a work of art? At the beginning of 2015, Edra, the leading brand for communication and education to health professionals and patients, launched a contest of artists to celebrate the 75th anniversary of ‘Informatore Farmaceutico, its best-selling technical publication. The winning work of art will be used as the main theme for the cover of the 2015 issue.

In line with the tradition of the first half of the 20th century when artists were actively involved in the creative processes of advertising campaigns and product packaging, Edra has commissioned three works of art to underline the uniqueness of its product and to interpret the values of three quarters of a century since the first publication of Informatore Farmaceutico in 1941. Reliability, timeliness and punctuality were the key messages in the brief that complemented the visual stimuli from previous covers.

Over 400 Italian artists were involved in the contest through pptArt, a art crowdsourcing platform that works with more than 2000 artists from 75 different countries: a sort of a web-2.0 version of the Renaissance concept of commissioned Art that allows to tap into the unlimited creativity potential of an international pool of artists.

Despite the very tight deadlines (only two weeks for the presentation of the sketches

and two additional weeks for the realisation of the three shortlisted proposals), the artists rose to the challenge and submitted a total of 80 sketches. The diversity of proposals enabled Edra to choose three finalists that were in line with both the corporate values and the management’s artistic tastes. Alex Braga, Anita Barghigiani and Nicolas Tarantino are the artists that made it to the podium of the competition with three different styles: an abstract painting with bright blue and violet colours, a figurative painting with a reassuring doctor and a globe with historical labels.

The winner, Alex Braga, is an eclectic and innovative artist. He is well known in the field of video installations and experimental music with his ‘Concert for cello and yellow Fiat 500’ and his 2011 performance ‘SoundOfBeauty’. His proposal for the Edra contest is a globe decorated with historical prescription drug labels. He searched the internet to buy the original labels directly from online collectors. The globe was intended as a symbol of perfection, the labels as a way to inspire intimacy towards the technical contents of the publication.

This work of art was an elegant celebratory option for EDRA’s corporate values as well as an effective visual summary of 75 years of Italian history seen through the pages of the Informatore Farmaceutico.

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OMRON, A passion for sensing and control With over 200,000 products in its portfolio, Omron provides a wide range of factory automation, control and vision solutions. Elisabeth Skoda visited Omron Europe’s manufacturing and R&D site in the Netherlands, enjoyed a guided tour through the premises and spoke to John van Hooijdonk, Omron’s industry marketing manager, Paul Sollewijn Gelpke, Omron’s European manager for manufacturing and supply chain, and Tim Foreman, the European R&D manager to find out more about what Omron offers the packaging industry.

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ounded in 1933 in Kyoto in Japan, where the company’s headquarters are still situated today, Omron Corporation has been a global leader in the field of automation from the start.

Over the years, the company kept building and expanding its successful product portfolio, and today it has over 37,000 employees in 210 locations working worldwide to provide products and services to customers.

Sensing and control At the core of Omron’s expertise lie its sensing and control applications. “Omron’s sensing and control technology can be used in a wide range of areas, including control devices for factory automation, electronic components for household appliances and communications equipment, automotive electronic components, social systems, and healthcare and medical equipment,” Mr van Hooijdonk points out.

A recent new development that incorporates all of Omron’s skill and expertise is the design of a table tennis playing robot. The robot is not designed to ‘win’ the game but to be able to sustain a long rally by consistently returning the ball to a spot at a velocity that makes it easy for the opponent to return the ball. Mr van Hooijdonk explains why this is:

“The robot is not just reacting, but is able to forecast the ball trajectory and velocity of the ball based on data on both the position of the ball and the opponent’s physical movement.

This works thanks to a combination of Omron’s integrated vision technology with the intelligence to determine the opponent’s intent. The kind of robots and machines needed in the future will move in sync with people to achieve something in unison. We see the future of automation as working in harmony with people through proprietary sensing and control technology.”

Think Global – Act Local Apart from the head offices in Japan (Kyoto), there are sites in Asia Pacific (Singapore), China (Hong Kong), Europe (Amsterdam) and the US (Chicago).

“Omron’s success is confirmed by impressive figures – net annual sales amount to over €5 billion, and the portfolio contains over 200,000 products ranging from input, output and logic.. Over the years, 5000 patents have been granted, with an additional 6000 patents pending,” Mr van Hooijdonk says.

Omron’s European operations were established in 1974, and today almost 1800 employees work from two manufacturing sites, one European central distribution centre,

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five R&D centres and one automation application centre. The European organisation has its own development, manufacturing and distribution facilities, and provides local customer support to all European countries.

Net sales amounted to around €500 million in 2012, and the aim is to double them by 2020. Two globally common target industries are automotive and FMCG, and the three globally common target applications are packaging, material handling and machine tools. “This means we supply to machine builders that use Omron’s solutions for packaging, material handling or machine tools applications. They typically sell their machines to producers-packers in food and beverage, pharma and cosmetics,” Mr van Hooijdonk explains.

To enforce that strategy, Omron Europe recently (1 April 2015) reshuffled its organisation so that no less then two-thirds of the sales people and application engineers are dealing with packaging applications. An infrastructure for internal training & knowledge management is being put in place to ensure that their expertise and knowledge of the different aspects related to packaging remains at the highest level.

Good connections Omron Manufacturing of the Netherlands covers an important part of the large Omron Industrial Automation product range for the European market: PLCs, HMI, motion controllers, safety products (relais, light curtains) and in the near future IPC. “The purpose is to optimise local manufacturing to shorten the supply chain to our European customers and reduce supply and currency risk,” says Mr Sollewijn Gelpke.

“It is important to have quality, speed and delivery strength in our own hands. Having our European factory and R&D department next to each other here in the Netherlands brings major advantages in bringing new products to the market, not only for European but also for our global customers,” Mr Foreman adds.

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One good example of this is Omron’s HMI (Human Machine Interface), a global product developed on site in the Netherlands together with Japan.

“Our European R&D and manufacturing is globally aligned,. If you can develop a product close to key customers, and have the factory close by, our customers benefit from very fast loops and samples which can be produced quickly. This means rapid feedback to R&D to resolve any issues, and therefore the fast creation of products which benefits our customers,” Mr Foreman points out.

Omron creates important synergies within its own factory, as Mr Foreman explains: “We recently developed a new production line for our HMI, and we use our own Omron system components and networks to control our line. Our factory is also a customer for Omron products and solutions, a ‘playground’ for R&D. “Growth can only be achieved when adding value to our customers. That is what we do and that is why we are investing in our Dutch location in order to grow three times as big. This growth is partly autonomous with existing products but is mainly driven by the re-shoring of products currently produced in Asia and the launch of new Europeandeveloped products for global markets.

“Regarding the re-shoring of the manufacturing of products to Europe, our lean processes and concept of Low Cost Intelligent Automation (LCIA) have made us a competitive alternative to manufacturing in Asia. To achieve this we have been and still are investing in equipment and people e.g. global Purchasing, Quality and Engineering. The potential is there for growth with regards to footprint, but at the moment we are working on using our existing infrastructure even more efficiently by the further implementation of lean manufacturing and moving from the current mixed two-shift and day operation to a three-shift operation,” Mr Sollewijn Gelpke says.

“We are continuously investing in R&D organisation, and keeping an eye out for new technology and trends. Tools are constantly changing, new equipment and different skills are needed, which means a need for training,” Mr Foreman adds.

Industry trends Mr Foreman goes on to talk about the trends he has observed. “An important subject is what in Germany is called ‘Industry 4.0’, and ‘Smart Industry’ in the Netherlands – linking up processes to create a ‘smart factory’. Products, solutions, factories and supply chains are in need of simple and secure communication that can withstand any danger of hacking. Omron works closely with partners and universities to be up to scratch on the latest developments.”

Low cost intelligent automation is an important topic for Omron’s manufacturing site in the Netherlands. It is important to analyse a process, and determine which labour intensive parts can be automated. Omron uses the Japanese system of poka yoke – tools and processes are designed in a way that it is almost impossible to make an error. “For example, we have a process where manuals are added to a product once it is finished, and different manuals are needed for different products. If you make a mistake, there will be a warning. Also, it is impossible to finish your task, as there won’t be a label coming out of the printer.”

Another important trend Mr Foreman observed is people wanting instant connectivity. “People now expect to be able to plug and play, and for systems to work together seamlessly. We have 200,000 products in our portfolio, so we are in an ideal position to provide smooth integration.”

Tsunagi – ‘Closing the gap’ Next to manufacturing and R&D and the synergies created through their cooperation, Mr Sollewijn Gelpke identifies Omron’s supply chain competence as another key strength.

“We have our European Distribution Centre next door, from where we ship products directly to our end customers. We achieve 97 per cent on-time delivery, with an error rate below 50ppm (pick/pack errors per million orderlines). We can achieve this because

we have applied our lean and poka-yoke methodologies from the factory in our supply chain operation.

“Another service we offer to European customers we refer to as Tsunagi, which corresponds to Industry 4.0 support. If customers buy an Omron product and a competitor’s product, and there is a problem between the two, we will solve the problem and won’t let the customer bounce between two suppliers. Tsunagi means ‘close the gap’, or ‘glue together’ in Japanese,” Mr Foreman adds.

Integrating packaging processes Boundaries between packaging machines and packaging lines are getting increasingly blurred, with robots and vision systems increasing interoperability. Omron thinks of robotic and vision technology as a smart bridge/buffer system, seamlessly integrating packaging processes.

In order to facilitate this process, Omron has introduced Sysmac Machine Controller, a Intel processor-based open control platform solution, integrating motion, logic sequencing, vision, robotics, safety, data management, networking and machine visualisation, all in the same programming environment.

Sysmac addresses a range of challenges typical to the packaging industry, such as ensuring seal quality despite changes in conditions, improving quality inspection and thereby reducing food waste and increasing shelf life.

“The robot’s kinematics are integrated into the main machine controller, so it is very easy to add a robotic module to the main machine. The robots are highly synchronised with the rest of the packaging machine. It is a totally new type of controller, combining EtherCAT with Omron’s ‘One software – one connection’ approach,” Mr van Hooijdonk explains.

As an example of a successful cooperation with a packaging company, Mr van Hooijdonk names Mecapack.

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“Mecapack and Omron have worked together on a single machine line controller approach, with the objective to control the robot within the machine line controller, eliminating the need for a dedicated robot controller.

Showcasing packaging expertise at IPACK-IMA Omron will be present at a range of trade fairs this year, including IPACK-IMA, PPMA, and Fachpack later this year. Its vision systems are an ideal match for the increasing need for anti-counterfeiting measures, and will be showcased at IPACK-IMA. In the tobacco industry, a dotcode label is put on the pack to prove it is genuine, and in the pharmaceutical industry, a datamatrix code is used to provide information and enable tracing of the product. “Our vision systems are able to monitor the quality of these labels and give preventive warnings on how production is going. Our new HMI presents the results to the operator on a screen. The product checks produce a lot of data, which has to be logged, and Omron offers a controller solution for that.

There will be increasing demand for these kinds of solutions with more, especially high value products requiring counterfeit protection and checking,” Mr van Hooijdonk points out.

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Another innovation shown at IPACK-IMA will be a sensor for checking transparent objects, the E3S-DB – an application that is in high demand, but challenging to master.

“The E3S-DB sensor provides reliable detection of all kinds of transparent objects such as PET bottles, glass bottles or transparent trays. The narrow beam types detect the smallest gaps, and are ideal for environments in the food and beverage industries. A sensor that is 20 cm away from a conveyor belt still can identify gaps of 2 mm in the products. Precise and quick checking allows to run a production line at higher speed due to better checking,” Mr van Hooijdonk says.

Omron will also showcase robot control solutions. “We are able to control a robot from a standard PLC, which makes it very easy for our customers to implement our robot application. Traditionally, robots have their own controls and language to program it, requiring specialists. With Omron’s solution a robot can be controlled without stopping the conveyor belt, on the fly,” Mr van Hooijdonk explains.

Visit: www.industrial.omron.eu/packaging

Visit us at IPACK-IMA Hall 7 – Stand C174

Cylinder winner One of Europe’s largest manufacturers of rotogravure cylinders, ICR Ioannou SA is a leading name in electronic engraving across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to business unit manager Vaggelis Simitzis to learn more.

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ounded in Greece in 1956 by Evangelos Ioannou, ICR Ioannou SA has always been dedicated to rotogravure cylinders. With the business initially focused on the engraving of rotogravure cylinders, the family company has continued to grow and develop, with constant improvement and innovation at its core. Today the company is managed by Yiannis Ioannou and, following the traditions established by his father, is successfully maintaining ICR’s market leading position.

As the largest manufacturer of rotogravure cylinders in Greece and a key player across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, ICR Ioannou is proud to keep its long-held dedication to total product quality and service, with ongoing investment in new technologies and human potential. Business unit manager Vaggelis Simitzis spoke to Packaging Europe about how the solid foundation of the company continues to support its aims. He said, “The basic principles of our company were founded back in 1956 and have been developed based on the notion that each customer is unique.

We are always interested in the success of our customers because through their success our recognition is achieved. By continually investing in new technologies, our people and our knowhow, we can maintain the market-leading position we have enjoyed for many years.”

With its core product its unique award-winning lightweight aluminium rotogravure cylinders and flexographic photopolymers, ICR mainly serves the food packaging sector.

In order to maximise its opportunities in this growing field, the company is currently investing heavily in a forward-thinking ‘green technological’ method of manufacturing cylinders. Mr Simitzis explained, “As we all know there is strict legislation concerning the substances in the food packaging sector and, in line with the Swiss Ordinance and the REACH regulations that all converters and brand owners have to comply with and follow, our R&D department is taking our new generation product a step further. So despite the fact that cylinders are not directly related to the food products but rather the packaging materials, ICR Ioannou is now in the exciting position of being able to offer eco-friendly solutions for this sensitive process.”

ICR Ioannou offers pre-press services as well as its aluminium rotogravure cylinders, enabling it to provide customers with excellent quality, sustainability and consistency throughout the printing process, including where the customer wants to print the same job at any converter anywhere in the world. It has recently developed the Ecoton Rotogravure Cylinder, an aluminium-based cylinder without a chrome finish that is ideally suited to short runs.

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What goes around...

Growth goal

ICR Ioannou’s recent investment of more than €1.2 million has seen it increase the capacity of its main plant in Greece, with further plans to expand additional facilities in western and central Europe in the near future. Mr Simitzis continued, “Our main plant for the development and manufacture of aluminium cylinders is based in the well-known Inofita Industrial area, just 25km north of Athens. Here, we produce and engrave the aluminium cylinders for exports and for the Greek market. We also have a state-of-the-art production site located in Sousse in Tunisia and here we have a full production line and engraving for steel rotogravure cylinders.”

The growth plans for ICR Ioannou are in response to increased demand from outside its domestic market. Already exporting around 65 per cent of its production, mainly to customers throughout Europe, in South and North America and in North African markets, the company’s expectation is that it will continue to perform well in these markets whilst also finding new customers. Mr Simitzis added, “Our aim is to penetrate into the Asian and Far Eastern markets in the next two years by really focusing on existing synergies and by creating mutually-beneficial joint ventures in cooperation with skilled converting partners. We also predict that we will grow by working with engraving companies that are interested in ICR’s unique technology.”

So while organic expansion is at the heart of ICR Ioannou’s growth plans, its general philosophy for development comes from an understanding that its first priority is not only to increase its capacity but rather to underline the quality and services it offers as a result of its knowhow and technology. Mr Simitzis explained, “Our goal is to make sure that our customers can be more competitive in terms of quality and cost through using our aluminium cylinders. From our current position we have seen that there is great potential for growth in the European rotogravure sector and we can see that the opportunities available for a competitively-priced, high performance, eco-friendly cylinder are increasing. This is a very interesting time for us as we are pleased to say that ICR Ioannou is one step ahead of any requirements that may arise in the packaging sector in the next few years.”

Visit: www.icr-ioannou.gr

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PARTNER OF CHOICE Specialised in turnkey projects in the field of industrial automation, the European Alvey Group aims to develop high quality and innovative solutions in order to maintain its continuous growth. Managing director Maarten van Leeuwen discusses the returns of a successful merger, core competencies of the system integrator and corporate principles. Vanja Ĺ vaÄ?ko reports.

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lthough it was established in 2011 by the merger of the Belgian Alvey Europe and French Samovie followed by the acquisition of the Czech company Manex, the Alvey Group has inherited five decades of expertise in high capacity end of line palletising systems, low and medium speed palletising systems and automated storage. Last year a new daughter company, Alvey Systems and Services Ltd, was opened in the UK. Currently the group operates from several different sites in the Czech Republic, Belgium, France, the UK and Turkey.

Total integration In reality all Alvey Group companies work as one integrated unit. Mr Leeuwen explains, “We have maintained the core competencies of each company. For instance, we have the stacker cranes and the in-depth knowledge of distribution systems from Alvey Samovie.

We have the depalletiser and an entry level (as far as price is concerned) for both a low level infeed and a high level infeed palletiser from Manex. Obviously, we have retained the Alvey range. The legal entities only exist to satisfy legal requirements. In practice, many employees have a manager in another country.”

The main purpose of the system is to enable efficient handling of secondary packaging containing semi-finished or finished products. Alvey’s handling equipment is synchronised with its own Maestro+ software that improves warehousing efficiency.

The extent of the product range (including machinery, related software and services for warehousing, palletising and depalletising) complemented with an expert performance, has opened many industrial sectors in which Alvey’s solutions could be

applied. The company has completed numerous projects for well-known enterprises in different industry sectors with the help of long-term partners such as ITW Haloila, Ekobal and SEW.

Financing advantages When asked about Alvey’s competitive advantages in today’s fast-paced marketplace, Mr Leeuwen says: “In our 50 years of experience we have never let our customers down regardless of the complexity of demand. We have excellent systems knowledge in our field, which enables us to propose what we believe is the best solution for each requirement.

“We are consistent when it comes to quality and have recently obtained ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 certification for the Czech Republic and VCA certification in Belgium. We are a Microsoft Silver Partner. Our own Maestro+ software acts, among other things, as a middleware to connect our system with the customer’s ERP system. Our service network is strong, with over 50 employees working for that particular segment only, as close to the customer as possible and supported by a 24/7 helpdesk.”

Each year the company invests about €200,000 in R&D. In addition, this year all internal systems are being replaced, from engineering to ERP to Offer Preparation Systems.

The total investment will be over €1 million and will cover all companies at the same time. As far as cutting-edge technology is concerned, Alvey is working on a number of exciting solutions that are due to be completed by the end of this year.

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Accessible services Today the Alvey Group is in a position to supply its solutions to the majority of European countries (France, Benelux, UK, eastern European Union etc.), thanks to its daughter companies. “One of the key approaches to achieving a global presence is empowering our customers with easily accessed services. This is why we have extended our office network and opened a new office in the UK. We are less country-based, but more customeroriented since we are following their demands,” states Mr Leeuwen.

As far as future market potential is concerned, the company envisages strong growth in Poland and Turkey. “Turkey has great potential but investments in end of line equipment have not taken off yet. Nevertheless, this for sure will come.”

Mr Van Leeuwen sharing experience with students of the Brno University of Technology

Well coordinated strategy Alvey aspires to be the partner of choice for industrial services within its fields of competence. As Mr Leeuwen states, every good business starts with excellent people. Along with this comes consistent quality and continuous improvement.

“I would like to emphasise that in December 2014 we launched our continuous improvement programme called ‘Alvey Production Management’ (APM). This is a formal programme taking many of the principles of Lean management, but applied for our project environment. The main focus is on quality and continuous improvement, including the elimination of waste and interdepartmental collabora-

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tion. All Alvey managers have completed the first course and passed an internal certification test.”

As far as excellent people are concerned, the group works closely with the technical universities in Brno and Gent. It also has an active internship programme in Belgium and the Czech Republic. This kind of collaboration is an effective way of fostering intellectual independence and complimentary skills in young students and recruiting talents at an early stage.

Visit: www.alvey.eu

Long tradition in engineering Linearis s.r.o. (Ltd) is an engineering company with a 23year history. Its plants are located in Trencin and Dubnica nad Vahom, all with a rich tradition in production for the engineering industry.

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lovakia became industrialised mostly in the second half of the 20th century and nowadays, building on a long-standing tradition and a highly skilled labour force, the industries within the country that hold the most potential for growth are: Automotive, Electronics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Information Technology. The automotive sector is the largest export-oriented sector in the country (including Volkswagen, Peugeot and Kia Motors).

Slovakia has been an EU member state since 2004 and adopted the euro currency at the beginning of 2009.

The main scope of Linearis’s activities today are mechanical engineering production, construction, cutting operations, lock production and assembly. Its overriding focus is on the quality of the goods it produces, which has enabled it to build a strong reputation on both a European and global level. Exports today account for more than 95 per cent of production, with the biggest markets being Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic and France.

Each of the company’s plants is dedicated to the continuous education of its employees, cooperation with universities and high schools, investments in high performance machines and measuring equipment, and complete project services.

Its references include: • • • • • • • • •

Railway industry – production of spare parts for locomotives Printing machines and accessories Pneumatic fastening technology Automatic rack systems and lifters Production of pressing, bending, cutting and clamping tools Production of mechanical parts for electro-motors and of gear boxes Packaging machine and wrapping line manufacturing and smaller assemblies production Rubber industry machine manufacturing Sanding industry (wood grinding machines)

At the same time, the company offers a complete turnkey service, within which it can provide heat treatment, surface treatment and so on.

Based on our experience, education and investments, we are able to offer competitive services and prices. We are looking for new customers in order to grow our production still further.

For further questions, please, contact us: www.linearis.sk Packaging Europe | 111 |

A sustainable

future for P&G

The global consumer products giant Procter & Gamble has this year expanded its sustainability goals across its entire operations. In the future it will continue to focus on creating value whilst conserving valuable resources.

Packaging Europe looks at what this renewed focus on environmental protection will involve, as well as casting an eye over some of the group’s most exciting product launches over the past year or so.

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ounded in 1837, today Procter & Gamble is a truly global phenomenon, with operations in more than 70 countries and serving more than 4.8 billion people around the world. It has one of the strongest portfolios of quality leadership brands, including Always, Ariel, Braun, Gillette, Lenor, Olay and Pantene to name just a few.

This year, the group announced its plans to sell off its Duracell battery business as part of a long-term plan to give it a sharper focus. This brand was acquired as part of Gillette in 2005 and has healthy annual sales of $2 billion.

Sustainability is key In addition to continued brand development, the future for P&G will see an increased focus on sustainability issues. To this end, in October this year (2014) it announced the expansion of its sustainability goals to continue creating value with consumer-preferred | 112 | Packaging Europe

brands and products whilst conserving resources, protecting the environment and improving social conditions for those who need it most.

Since 2010 P&G has been guided by its vision to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy use, 100 per cent renewable or recyclable materials for all products and packaging, and zero consumer and manufacturing waste going to landfills. Its recent announcement has seen the addition of new goals for 2020, with an emphasis on water conservation and product packaging.

For the first of these, it is looking to reduce the water used at its manufacturing facilities by an additional 20 per cent per unit of production, as well as providing one billion people with access to water efficient products. In terms of packaging sustainability, it will be looking to double the use of recycled resin in its plastic packaging and ensuring that 90 per cent of its product packaging is recyclable or that programs are in place to create the ability to recycle it. In addition to these two expanded goals, P&G is working across its supply chain to develop the capability, by 2020, to replace top petroleum-derived raw materials as far as cost and scale permit.

Unique organisation P&G’s unique organisational structure is one of the key reasons behind its continued ability to grow and achieve new targets. It combines the benefits that come from being a global $79 billion company with a local focus. This latter point is vital: all of its operations and products can be tailored to meet the needs of its customers wherever they are in the world. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Its four main Global Business Units are: Global Beauty; Global Baby, Feminine and Family Care; Global Fabric and Home Care; and Global Health and Grooming.

P&G’s products include many of its most recognised brands in the areas of beauty and personal care, feminine hygiene, health and grooming. It would be impossible to name every single product that sits under the P&G umbrella, so vast is its sphere of influence, but some of the many highlights include: Aussie haircare products; Dolce&Gabbana, Dunhill and Gucci Fragrances; Gillette; Head & Shoulders; Herbal Essences; Max Factor cosmetics; Olay; Old Spice; Tampax; Pantene and Wella.

One of the more recent product launches in its beauty subdivision is the new Herbal Essences Naked Collection. This range of haircare products is free from heavy residues and provides a custom premium fragrance blend infused with fresh mint. It comes in three varieties: Naked Moisture; Naked Shine and Naked Volume.

Also in the area of haircare, the new Head & Shoulders range with Fresh Scent Technology is a breakthrough anti-dandruff shampoo that provides scalp relief and flake-free hair along with an appealing scent. Head & Shoulders has been a well-known leader in the anti-dandruff category for over 50 years, developing an innovative approach that combines proprietary scalp technology and proven hair benefits with a water-activated fragrance boost.

P&G also owns one of the world’s biggest feminine care brands, the above-mentioned Always. The company regularly updates its product offering and August 2014 saw the launch of the new Always Discreet for sensitive bladders. This is a revolutionary way for women to manage sensitive bladder issues using innovative liners and pads specifically designed to absorb leaks and odours in seconds. The pads are up to 40 per cent thinner than the leading brand.

Honouring key suppliers Each year, P&G recognises the importance of its suppliers with its prestitious Partner of the Year awards. The most recent event took place in January 2015 and saw seven companies honoured with the coveted External Business Partner of the Year award. These were: EY; Monosol, Kuraray WS Film Division; PEGAS NONWOVENS; Rising Display Products (Zhongshan Co. Ltd); RONCHI MARIO SpA; SUPERPAC Inc.; and Yamada Electric.

In addition to the above winners, 51 companies received Excellence Awards for consistently high performance. There were: Albany International Corp.; AMPACET CORPORATION; Arkay Packaging; Bilfinger Industrial Services Inc.; Breakthrough Fuel; Carat NA Planning; Cartus; Cellfire Inc.; Chase Design Group; CHEP; Citizen Relations; D.Cloostermans-Huwaert NV; DAWSON Integrated Marketing Communications Co. Ltd; Diamond Packaging; Diversified Supply Inc.; ECS European Containers NV; ELIF; Éltex Ltd; Encapsys; FDK Corporation; Fibria Celulose; FIRMENICH; FLUOR Industrial Services; FOBOHA GmbH; Givaudan Fragrances; Gulsan; Havpak Inc.; Hitachi Metals Ltd; HPV Engineering s.r.o.; JLL; Kang Na Hsiung Enterprise Co. Ltd; Lingaro; Model Kramp; Mondi; NIPPON SHOKUBAI Co. Ltd; Novozymes; One Asia Network; PwC; QPSI / RockTenn; Quality Associates, Inc.; Rialto Enterprises Pvt. Ltd; Saatchi & Saatchi X; Sasol Performance Chemicals; SCHNEIDER NATIONAL CARRIERS, Inc.; SelectNY; Shandong Tianli Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd; Starcom UK TV & Digital Activation Team;

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Technimark LLC; THE SHIBUSAWA WAREHOUSE Co. Ltd; Van Genechten Packaging and WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY. Two of these companies, CHEP and FLUOR Industrial Services, were specifically reocgnised for their efforts and results in the area of Supplier Diversity.

Leading grooming brands Some of the world’s biggest grooming brands are also part of the P&G family, including, of course, Braun and Gillette. Headquartered in Germany, Braun’s small electrical appliances have long been famous for their successful combination of superior engineering with elegant design. The Braun technical centre at Kronberg is also the group’s Global Centre of Excellence for Devices and cooperates on product development with Gillette.

A significant new product launch in the area of men’s grooming products is the new Gillette Fusion ProGlide featuring FlexBall technology. Gillette has pioneered shaving innovation for more than 100 years. With this new razor, whilst the blades will remain straight, thin and sharp, the handle itself moves and adjusts to fit the contours of a man’s face. According to P&G it will “change the face of shaving by allowing each cartridge to ride the facial contours for more constant contact.” This FlexBall technology builds on an innovation that Gillette first brought to shaving in 1977 with the first ever razor pivot.

Greener household products As with the beauty and personal care products, Procter & Gamble’s fabric care, family care and household products include some of the most instantly recognisable global brands. From Ambi Pur, Ariel, Bounce, Downy, Daz, Fairy and Lenor to Pampers, Pepto-Bismol and Vicks, these brands reflect the diversity at play within the group’s portfolio.

But what all the P&G brands have in common, whatever their sector or target audience, is their focus on meeting and indeed exceeding sustainability standards when it comes to both manufacturing and the development of new products. Perhaps nowhere is this best exemplified than in its leading European Ariel brand portfolio, which has long been recognised for its dedication to water saving, sustainable production and social responsibility.

Its Research & Development departments have created a global sustainability team to continually explore ways of delivering sustainability benefits through its products without compromising on cleaning results.

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HUSKY Today’s consumer packaged goods companies are focused on sustainability through less plastic consumption, while increasing demand for more sophisticated closures for differentiation in the market. This requires higher accuracy and precision in plastic closures dimensions. Consumer packaged goods companies are seeking unique molding solutions partners, like Husky, that can provide high precision, reliability, and performance over time. Additionally, the highly dynamic and competitive global market makes product launch time more critical than ever. Husky Injection Molding Systems has vast experience in specialty closures, with a large global footprint and high capacity, placing the company in a unique position to provide on-time delivery of high quality, consistently performing molds that have long life cycles and require low maintenance. Husky is the only company in the world that can offer complete manufacturing solutions, including molds, hot runners, controllers, and injection molding machines, allowing for risk-free operation and providing you the confidence to lead.

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Ariel is a strong proponent of the principle that washing at low temperatures is the single most important thing we can do to lower our CO2 emissions while doing our laundry. Its cold-water washing campaigns such as ‘Turn to 30°C’ have helped reduce around 58,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by educating consumers on how to save energy.

Furthermore, the launch of Ariel Excel Gel has helped the company to significantly reduce the overall environmental impact of its products. The basic principle behind this is that a more concentrated product, such as a gel, can reduce packaging per wash and also clean better at lower temperatures.

One of Ariel’s most recent product launches is its 3 in 1 pods. The Ariel POD is the first compartment laundry liquid tab product. Thanks to the POD’s super-imposed pouch, ingredients can be kept stable and separate until they reach the wash. It is a unique pre-dosed super compacted liquid detergent that combines 3 actions in 1 product: cleaning, lifting stains and brightening.

Sweet dreams Meanwhile, in the US market, P&G has been demonstrating its dedication to social responsibility with the launch of its newest fabric care regimen, the Sweet Dreams Collection, to support the US National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week 2014. The line of products is formulated with ingredients to clean, soften and freshen bedtime fabrics, from bed linens to nightwear, helping to create a relaxing sleeping environment.

The regimen, all of which are official products of the National Sleep Foundation, includes Tide plus A touch of Downy Sweet Dreams, Downy UNSTOPABLES Dreams, Downy Infusions Sweet Dreams and Bounce and Sweet Dreams.

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This initiative is in line with the findings of a survey conducted by Healthcare Research and Analytics (HRA), in which 100 per cent of doctors agreed that an appropriate sleeping environment is critical to aiding a person’s ability to relax so they can fall asleep.

Revolutions in cognitive science for fabric care Indeed, innovative fabric care products will continue to be a major focus for development at P&G, as was demonstrated at its recent Future Fabrics forum held in Berlin. This was primarily to showcase the latest advances from its Ariel and Lenor/Downy fabric care brands and brought together a number of fashion, fabric and human psychology experts to talk about how our unconscious decisions affect our perceptions of clothing.

John Turner, P&G’s Research & Development director, explained that the company’s fibre scientists are introducing new advances in the Ariel 3-step FibreSCIENCE approach – to Clean, Protect and Enhance – with a focus on prolonging and improving the multisensorial fabric properties (the look, the feel and the smell) that influence how people perceive their clothes.

He said: “Our closets are full of clothes, yet we only wear 20 per cent of them 80 per cent of the time, so why aren’t we wearing the rest? P&G is looking at Fabric Care from a new angle to find out the answer. We’re breaking new ground by applying the latest research in the cognitive science of human perception to understand WHY we reject a garment and how or relationship with clothes changes over time. By applying this knowledge to our FibreSCIENCE expertise we are redefining what Fabric Care means for consumers and their clothes.”

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Leaders in baby care But of course, P&G’s Household Products division doesn’t only cover cleaning products.

It is also one of the world’s leaders in babycare products, with its Pampers brand being one of the most obvious examples. This brand continues to lead the field and develop new and innovative solutions.

November 2014 saw the introduction of the new Pampers Premium Care Pants with all-round elastic that can be pulled on like underwear. The soft belt fits the baby no matter how much he or she moves during the night and its stretchy, ultra-soft materials provide an all-round softness that is gentle on the skin. Its 1,000,000 breathable Micropores allow humid air to escape and let the skin breathe, which helps keep the skin dry and comfortable. These pants have been designed using the company’s proprietary technology, which includes the unique extra dry layer.

Global reputation for development With such a vast array of brands, Global Innovation is a constant focus for Procter & Gamble. This dedication to delivering a strong innovation portfolio means that each year the companies in its stable are responsible for some of the world’s most talked-about product launches.

The success of this approach was proven yet again this year when the group became the biggest winners of the 2013 New Product Pacesetters list, launching seven of the top

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10 most successful non-food products of the year. P&G innovations that made the list were Tide Pods (# 1), ZzzGuil (#3), Vidal Sassoon Pro Series (#4); Downy Infusions (#6), Always/Tampax Radiant (#8), Secret Outlast (#9) and Puffs Basic (#10).

In fact, P&G was able to capture 73 per cent of the total sales of the top 10 Pacesetters in non-food categories. The year 2013 thus marked its best performance on the list in the 19 years it has been published. In this time, P&G has had 155 products make the top 25 Pacesetters list in non-food categories – more than its six largest competitors combined.

Innovations in beauty products Whether it is for its beauty, grooming or household care divisions, the group’s Global Innovation activities result in a steady stream of new and exciting product launches. For example, the new Max Factor Masterpiece Transform Mascara has been designed to capture and volumise each lash, making them appear instantly fuller and thicker. It reverses the ‘bigger the mascara brush, the bigger the lashes’ concept with a small mascara wand which is easier to control than the bulkier designs to create more precise make-up.

Furthermore, the shorter bristles of the unique Masterpiece Transform brush allow the lashes to get into direct contact with the mascara formula, coating them on the first stroke. Meanwhile rows of rotating bristles ensure that, as the lashes are brushed through, every one is captured and coated. Originally available in Germany, Russia and Sweden, this product will be sold in other markets from 2015.

Another new product making headlines in the beauty press is the COVERGIRL + Olay FaceLift Effect Firming Makeup, currently targeted at the US market. This breakthrough makeup was developed specifically for the ‘Boomer’ population, which is expected to grow by 35 per cent over the next 10 years. It combines flawless coverage with the hydrating effects of a night cream. The result, according to Olay, is ‘firmer-looking skin for an instant facelift effect’.

This new collaboration between COVERGIRL and Olay combines the latest and most innovative technologies to create products to meet women’s specific needs. Because it doesn’t contain a powder system, FaceLift Effect has a lightweight feel to provide natural coverage and improve tone without feeling heavy. The exclusive Olay FaceFirm technology is infused with a concentrated vitamin complex for all-day hydration to plump and lift the skin. The principle is that, as the foundation hydrates over time, the skin becomes more elastic or firm and lifted.

Another product introduced by Olay last year was the new Pro-X Mircodermabrasion and Advanced Cleansing System. This is meant to offer professional skin care results at home for a fraction of the price. It has been designed to help reduce the effects of UV exposure, pollution and other factors of daily life that contribute to dull, dry skin.

This device comes with three speeds: the first two allow for daily gentle cleansing or daily deep cleansing. The rotating tool’s new third speed, Microdermabrasion Foam

Head and Thermal Crystal Polisher exfoliate to remove discolouration and even up the skin tone. This system has been available wherever Olay products are sold since August 2013.

Advances in clothing care In the area of fabric care, a recent product introduced for the US market is the revolutionary new SWASH clothing care system which reduces wrinkles, refreshes fabric, restores the fit lost after wear and preserves clothing with just the push of a button. This system was developed through a collaboration between P&G and Whirlpool Corporation.

SWASH uses an integrated tension system to gently hold clothes in place, while an advanced spray technology applies a unique designed solution to the clothing from the SWASH PODS cup. Following this, a rapid thermal drying function combines an express heat system with airflow recirculation to dry clothes quickly. It is highly convenient as it can be plugged directly into a standard wall outlet and requires no water, plumbing, pipes, vents or professional installation. It is also energy efficient, using 1300 watts which is less than most hairdryers.

With all of the above product launches and more, it is easy to see why Procter & Gamble remains one of the world’s consumer goods superpowers. Its product development teams are always ready to respond to the latest consumer demands as well as meeting global sustainability criteria.

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Demand Flows for Individualized Hapa Inks Volketswil, Switzerland: Innovative On Demand print specialist Hapa reports rapidly increasing demand and sales for inks developed individually.

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increasing number of companies are looking for an ink supplier ready to design or tailor inks to their specifications and volume needs, specifically when the desired quantity is particularly low.

Hapa’s new division, Hapa Ink, develops, produces and delivers inks customised to clients’ applications, substrates and volume needs, no matter how small.

Mathias Theiler, Head of Hapa Ink

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Optimal results Both the division’s standard range and its tailored inks deliver significantly higher print quality. “Our inks are developed for optimal printing on plastic, aluminum, glass, and labeling materials of all types,” explained Mathias Theiler, head of Hapa Ink. They feature exceptional adhesion, bleed control, fastness against light, jetting

quality and stability. “We are particularly proud of the opacity of our white inks, which we believe is unsurpassed in the industry. From our launch, late in 2013, Hapa Ink has fulfilled orders of any size, no matter how small. Long-term availability of all inks is guaranteed. And we’ll deliver inks in a customer’s individual container, packaged and labelled to their specifications.”

Years of experience and know-how Customers profit from the experience, proficiency and profound know-how that Hapa Ink’s specialists bring to printing systems, printing technology and industry-specific regulations. “Our team, for example,” notes Theiler, “has developed products for applications requiring adherence to the EU Toys Directive. And all low-migration and low-set-off inks are composed of ingredients that meet the Nestlé Guidance on Packaging Inks.”

Sophisticated development The Hapa Ink development team employs a range of sophisticated analytical methods and tools to optimise viscosity, rheology, jet-ability and surface tension. They conduct precise UV Vis-analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy analysis,

develop specialised UV dispersions, as well as quantifying color vibrancy and opacity. Hapa Ink has also developed a range of cleaning agents specifically designed for UV inks. “Evident trends towards just-in-time production, lean batch processes and ever more specialised and complex packaging are all relevant to the demand for our inks,” explains Theiler. “The bottom line is that quality needs to be 100 per cent correct on each and every production run to extract maximum cost effectiveness. Specialised inks specifically developed for the process and materials involved guarantee the best results every time and reduce the risks of packaging error. Quite simply, it’s more efficient to tailor ink to process than the other way round.”

Ink migration tests Hapa Ink migration tests are done in close cooperation with established certified institutes. In order to produce optimal results, a thorough and sophisticated process is used to examine the interactions between components, substrate, product, print system and polymerisation. A proven approach, it ensures that individualised inks remain securely within targeted migration standards and functions on the printing system.

Unsurpassed, one-stop service

About Hapa

Hapa Ink offers more. A complete partner, it provides the development of individualised ink to its successful application. Some of the benefits offered: • Customer-specific ink development and manufacture • Small volume production • Migration tests • Inks for all print systems • Inks for print heads supplied by XAAR, Konica Minolta, Kyocera and many others • Private-labelling and client-specific filling and packaging of inks • Guaranteed long-term availability of inks

Hapa Ink is a division of Hapa AG, the global leader of Late Stage Customisation and On Demand packaging printing solutions in the parmaceutical packaging industry, with dynamic growth within the FMCG, cosmetic and food industries. Its mission is to empower customers to improve lean production with in-process printing solutions. The printing system solutions are developed and produced at Hapa headquarters near Zurich, Switzerland. Worldwide, Hapa employs 170 people who work in Switzerland, the USA, UK, Germany, India, Mexico, Brazil and Japan. The company belongs to the privately held business group, Coesia, located in Bologna, Italy.

Further press information available from Anja Koletzki, anja.koletzki@hapa.ch, Tel: +41 (0)43 399 32 00, or visit www.hapa.ch Packaging Europe | 121 |

Conveyor solutions that

just keep on running Span Tech Europe offers state-of-the-art conveying solutions for a variety of industries. With headquarters in Kentucky, USA, the European branch covers Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Oceania. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Enrico Berlenghi, the company’s MD, to find out more about what makes Span Tech the number one choice for customers looking for reliable and innovative conveyors.

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“We spend a lot of time and money on developing and improving our system. Our response time is unique, and we will go the extra mile for our customers”

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pan Tech Europe was founded in 2011 to cater for increasing demand for Span Tech’s conveying systems from Europe.

“Demand for our conveyors in Europe was getting so strong we decided to set up a subsidiary in Europe, in the Netherlands, to offer spare parts, sales and customer services. Setting up the subsidiary has really helped with providing our customers in Europe with a prompt and reliable service, and to provide them with spare parts rapidly.

Since its start, Span Tech Europe managed to grow by between 35% and 40% every year,” Mr Berlenghi is proud to point out.

“We work closely together with partners, OEMs, integrators and distributors to provide the most efficient and reliable material handling systems possible.”

International presence Span Tech’s production facilities are located in Glasgow, Kentucky in the US, where the company’s test centre and R&D centre are located. A total of 160 people work at the group.

“We spend a lot of time and money on developing and improving our systems. Our response time is unique, and we will go the extra mile for our customers,” Mr Berlenghi adds.

The company is already a leader in the North American market and currently has subsidiaries in Canada, South America, Japan, and Europe.

“We are strong in Northern Europe, Benelux, France, Germany and Scandinavia, and we are also trying to expand to Southern Europe. Being able to give our customers the assistance and service they need is a key priority,” Mr Berlenghi says.

The weak dollar has made conditions more challenging for Span Tech as a US manufacturer, and made acquiring more clients more difficult.

“It doesn’t matter with our existing customers as they know the quality we offer, but potential new customers may be put off by the higher prices due to the exchange rate.

Therefore we try to also focus our interest on areas where the dollar is commonly used, and not the Euro,” Mr Berlenghi adds.

Unique, reliable conveyor solutions Span Tech designs and manufactures a variety of unique conveyor systems for industries such as food production, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals & cosmetics, packaging & non-food, and warehousing & distribution.

Mr Berlenghi is keen to point out the company’s mission statement: “To provide the highest quality conveyor at the lowest cost of ownership.”

Reliability is of great importance to Span Tech, and the company is proud to be a reliable partner to its customers.

“We don’t make promises we cannot keep. We know even in the project phase how our systems will perform when installed, thanks to our software. Since the 1970s we have monitored and improved every single conveyor, and continue to do so. We adapt our conveyors to the specific needs of the product, not the other way around. Our success rate is the highest in the business, and the fact that when clients use our equipment they tend to buy more from us says it all,” Mr Berlenghi is happy to report.

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“Our equipment is second to none in reliability. A couple of years ago, we had a presentation at Deli France. They showed us their factory and the three conveyors they had bought from their partners. They had not realised that they had been manufactured by us as they had worked without any problems for six years,” he adds.

Tailor-made every time Span Tech’s core competence lies in the development of new solutions and customisation.

“This is something we do entirely differently from our competitors. Our basis is the product that needs to be conveyed, and from that we build an engineering system that will fit the product. We adapt specifically to product needs and requirements and we develop a system around that,” Mr Berlenghi points out.

Span Tech works hard to improve the status quo, and continuously develops its machines further. “Recently we introduced stainless steel coded rods, which we have a patent on. This allows us to offer up to six or seven times the longevity of our belts in comparison to our competition. We also worked hard to work on transfers, moving a

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product from one conveyor to another. If this isn’t done well, the product would change orientation or jam,” Mr Berlenghi explains.

Trade fair success Span Tech enjoyed great success at the Anuga FoodTec exhibition in Cologne in March, as Mr Berlenghi is happy to report.

“We attended the fair for the second time in 2015, and again we were blown away by the results. Our stand attracted great interest, and visitors were impressed by how quietly and efficiently our conveyors work. It is always hard to convey our strength on paper in a catalogue, so a trade show is an ideal way to showcase ourselves.”

Span Tech presented several solution highlights at the show, including its twistable conveyor with an extreme helical curve, which can bend vertically and horizontally at the same time, and a sanitary conveyor, developed together with Dynatec, a Norwegian provider of food systems. Span Tech’s conveyors are particularly easy to clean between production runs, which is very important for sensitive food processing areas.

time to concentrate on other equipment. When things run as they run with Span Tech, you realize that in the past we have had a lot of breakdowns, noise and maintenance costs, now this is history and we are now used to these new standards. As a project leader, I’ve not heard any negative comment whatsoever on our Span Tech conveyors since the first line was installed five years ago. Actually the beauty of it is that I don’t hear anything at all, as they simply perform exactly as they should, from day one. I do really recommend Span Tech.”

Ongoing investments “We intend to invest more in trade shows and allow the market to feel and touch our quality and know how,” Mr Berlenghi adds.

Customer satisfaction Asking one of Span Tech’s clients, Mr Aad Stam, project leader at ‘De Bioderij’ (http:// www.bioderij.nl), a leading manufacturer of pancakes in the Netherlands, about his experience with Span Tech conveyors, he said the following: “This is the third project we did together and it has been excellent, starting from the project phase, to installation, not to mention maintenance and increase of our packaging lines’ throughput. Once installed there is no maintenance required, no breakdowns and the conveyors don’t make any noise, which is appreciated by our employees. Span Tech conveyors have helped to reduce costs, to improve and increase productivity, allowing our maintenance staff to have more

Span Tech continuously invests in its offering. “We have in excess of 1200 systems in Europe and Oceania, and we doubled our amount of spare parts in our European headquarters, in order to serve our clients even quicker. For the same reason, we are considering to also start production in Europe, potentially in the Netherlands,” Mr Berlenghi says.

Looking ahead, he sees a bright future for Span Tech. “We want to keep up our successful, stable and strong course. Our aim is to increase our presence in Europe further while working closely with our mother company in the US. Everybody at Span Tech is passionate, and we strongly believe that quality and flexibility are they key to success, and we will keep on cherishing those values. The industry pays more and more attention to keeping maintenance costs low, and this is becoming a key factor when acquiring new lines. So we are in an ideal position, since our systems are almost maintenance free and last up to six or seven times longer than any of our competitors,” Mr Berlenghi concludes.

Visit: www.spantech-europe.com

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[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.

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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. | 128 | 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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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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S

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 | 133 |

Encaplast was established in the early 1980s by the Neri family. Still a family run business today, the Italian company manufactures innovative packaging solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Eugenia Fiusco talks to managing director Mr Mazzoli to find out more.

Rising from the ashes E

ncaplast was originally founded by Enzo Neri, his wife Carla Grilli and is now under the management of Patrizia and Mario Neri. During the 1980s, the biomedical industry bloomed in that particular geographical area. It is in this context that Encaplast came to be. The Mirandola region, where the company is based, now has one of the highest concentrations of biomedical companies in the world. The foundations for this ‘Biomedical Valley’ were laid down almost 50 years ago by the pharmacist-entrepreneur Mario Veronesi. It is home to about 100 biomedical companies employing around 5000 people, producing single-use medical items along with equipment for dialysis, heart surgery and transfusions.

“Encaplast answered the demand for a new class of flexible packaging solutions and has since then be one of the main players in the converting industry,” says Mr Mazzoli.

Production lines and applications “Encaplast is a converting company specialising in flexible packaging. We offer all four packaging production processes in-house: lamination, slitting, printing and welding,” explains Mr Mazzoli. “This means more choice and less risk for our clients, as the | 134 | Packaging Europe

company has total control over all processes and production lines covering a range of packaging materials such as films, aluminium, medical papers and Tyvek (a registered trademark of DuPont).�

Packaging solutions targeted towards the medical sector include: coated or uncoated Tyvek packaging to guarantee protection against tearing and external factors; films with Tyvek flap packaging to ensure production visibility and user-friendly opening; and aluminium and paper for photosensitive products.

The STERI-FIT range, meanwhile, is a specialised hospital packaging solution including ready-to-ship sterilisation pouches and rolls. It is a high-performance, cost-effective and convenient packaging solution for hospitals, dentists and other healthcare workers who carry out sterilisation procedures in their own premises.

These products are specifically designed to achieve high protection against bacteria and are manufactured in accordance with the ISO 11607 standard.

Today around 85 per cent of Encaplast’s turnover is derived from the general medical sector, whilst the remaining 15 per cent comes specifically from hospital packaging.

Challenging times In May 2012, the Italian region in which Encaplast is located was hit hard by three major earthquakes. Its production plants sustained major damage, amounting to around 80 per cent of its facilities (although fortunately no employees were harmed). Despite this, thanks to the firm management of the Neri family and the support of its employees, the company was able to resume production in temporary facilities after only 20 days.

As early as August 2012, the remaining 1000 square metres of production site in Mirandola was made secure, a temporary clean room was set up and manufacturing was resumed. Logistics and administration were housed next-door, in container facilities. Overall, the disruption to the top line of sales was minimal.

Mr Mazzoli says: “We are very proud of our quick recovery. However, the significant investments made in our new headquarters in 2013 meant that no other important investment plan could take place since we had to build our headquarters from scratch.

As part of this major investment, two new clean rooms were set up, both of around

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500 square metres. The first of these houses our welding operations; the second houses controlled atmospheric pressure facilities for all other processing operations.”

The new site was opened in 2014 in Mirandola with a surface area of 4400 square metres, including administrative offices and production facilities. In addition to this, Encaplast recently invested in some upgrades to its production machinery.

Geographical presence and future goals Despite having no production plants abroad, Encaplast sells around 23 per cent of its products to the north and eastern European markets, and 2 per cent to the Middle East and North Africa. The remaining 75 per cent goes directly to the Italian market.

“In the future, we are aiming to develop the above mentioned markets, focusing in particular on the European region,” says Mr Mazzoli. “The main reason for this strategy is that we want to focus more on those areas that are geographically closer to our production plant, so that we can contain export costs and stay competitive n until we decide to invest in new plants abroad.”

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• Packaging • Insulation • Technology

Protecting Products

and Safeguarding the Future

The HIRSCH Servo Group was founded in 1972 and has since grown into an international company that concentrates on packaging, insulating materials and technology. Siegfried Wilding, Member of the Board, explained to Packaging Europe how the company has successfully strengthened its position on the international market, exemplified by an impressive total revenue in the financial year 2013/14 of €89 million.

L

isted on the Vienna stock exchange and employing around 550 staff, the HIRSCH Servo Group operates from its head office based in Glanegg in Austria. In addition, it has three sites in Hungary, in Sárvár, Jásfényszaru and Nyíregyháza; two in Poland, in Wroclaw and Lódz; two in the Slovakian Republic, in Podolínec; two in Romania, in Cluj and Oradea; and one in Italy, in Maslianico. Siegfried Wilding comments, “The expansion into central and eastern Europe was a natural progression as many of the company’s clients moved east and HIRSCH followed them.” With such a strong footprint in Europe, the company is able to serve the needs of its customers quickly and efficiently and that is also an important reason why HIRSCH is a reliable partner for their customers in various countries.

Comprehensive portfolio HIRSCH is committed to a sustainable strategy which is also reflected in the ecological benefits of EPS, offering potential for saving energy and protecting the climate. For years,

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HIRSCH has concentrated on the further improvement of the favourable characteristics of this material and the development of new applications.

The Processing Segment of HIRSCH contains the two divisions of Packaging and Insulation, in which HIRSCH manufactures products made from expandable polystyrene (EPS), expandable polypropylene (EPP), expandable polyethylene (EPE) and Arcel.

Siegfried Wilding explains, “The main applications for these are for safety products (such as crash helmets, children´s car seats etc.) and consumer products as well as insulation products. Packaged in EPS, EPP, EPE or Arcel, various articles are cushioned and cradled against impact, vibrations and temperature fluctuations during shipment.

HIRSCH packaging solutions provide protection for the transportation of valuable and sensitive high-technology products such as entertainment electronics and white goods for global customers.”

HIRSCH also manufactures anti-static EPP and EPE trays which serve as carriers for highly sensitive products, such as home entertainment equipment. Thanks to its high

HIRSCH Mold Shop

Transport packaging for white goods, f.e. wine refridgerator

HIRSCH Management: Harald Kogler and Siegfried Wilding

dimensional stability and temperature resistance combined with low thermal conductivity, EPP also enables versatile solutions for insulation with aesthetic appeal. Die-cutted and glued EPE is used for protecting items in transit, for example in the furniture and electronics industries. HIRSCH also develops and produces technical parts with inserts made from various materials and shape-moulded components made from two different material thicknesses.

In the Technology Segment the group’s engineering companies HIRSCH Maschinenbau in Austria and Hirsch Italia in Italy together form a worldwide leader in the production of shape and block-moulding equipment, including moulding tools and preexpanders. HIRSCH is the world’s only supplier of innovative machine and mould making technology for processing EPS and EPP into shape-moulded parts and insulation that has also gained the necessary expertise from working as a moulder.

Siegfried Wilding points out the latest major investments at HIRSCH as, “the extension of the packaging production to Cluj, Romania and the start-up operations of the new cutting line for insulation boards at the Glanegg, Austria location.”

Expanding expertise “For more than 40 years HIRSCH has offered turn-key solutions for EPS/EPP Shape Moulders who use the HIRSCH Shape Moulding Technology but of course also moulds for moulders using other technologies than HIRSCH,” Siegfried Wilding adds.

HIRSCH production line

The services HIRSCH offers ranges from assistance during the product design, technical drawings, providing 3-D mould designs, mould manufacturing, mould testing and optimisation to providing moulded part samples for customer approval and providing set-up information for the moulding machine. This full scope service makes HIRSCH a unique mould maker in the EPS/EPP industry. The manufacturing capabilities reach from aluminium cast moulds to highly complex fully CNC machined dual material moulds.

HIRSCH was also the first EPS mould maker to introduce the ‘Inserting Plate’ as an integrated part of the mould for insertion of any kind of product into the EPS mould, for example for ICF Building Blocks. Innovative solutions to customers’ requirements are one of the key strengths of the HIRSCH Mould Shop.

Latest technologies The role of HIRSCH as an international technology leader in the area of preexpanders and blockmoulds is undisputed. Thus, the HIRSCH technology is continuously optimized and advanced. “The latest developments which complete the preexpander product range with respect to volumes and special applications in case of higher densities are the two discontinuous fluidised-preexpanders PREEX 5000 and PREEX 8000,” Siegfried Wilding shares. But HIRSCH proved its performance leadership also with an innovative production procedure for the fully automatic, double adjustment system for the production of high quality insulation boards on the new horizontal blockmould.

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Various insulation products made by HIRSCH

Various products that provide optimal protection for people and products

The HC-shape molding machine for EPS and EPP processing with electric drive was complemented by a solely electric drive for an increase of the speed by more than 100 per cent, a reduction of energy and a lower noise pollution as well as the compliance with highest hygienic requirements, e.g. for food packaging, due to the elimination of hydraulic oil.

Future growth A move which will no doubt influence HIRSCH for the better is its recent transition to a new core shareholder. Since last autumn the new core shareholder of the HIRSCH

Servo Group (with 85 per cent of shares) is the Austrian Herz Beteiligungs Ges.m.b.H., a holding company of the worldwide operating Herz Group. The Herz Group is a leading manufacturer of products for building technology as well as for biomass boilers and heat pumps with around 12 production locations in Europe.

Siegfried Wilding summarises, “It can be said that the new core shareholder and a strengthened equity structure, in addition to site-specific programs for improving productivity and results, have created the basis for successfully strengthening the HIRSCH Servo Group´s international market position.”

For more information, visit www.hirsch-gruppe.com

EPS transport protection packaging

EPP enables versatile solutions for

Transport packaging for electronic goods,

for kitchen sinks

insulation with aesthetic appeal

f.e. espresso machine

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Convert with us SAM Europe Srl is part of the Korean-headquartered SAM Group, a global leader in converting machinery manufacturing and engineering. Barbara Rossi talks to managing director Sergio Deambrogio about the future development of his company.

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S

AM is a Korean-based group (Sung AN Machinery Co. Ltd) which was set up in 1960 and is headquartered in the Mado Industrial park, near Seoul. Today it has four companies, two based in Korea, one in the US and one in Italy, as well as agents in over 30 countries. Since its beginnings, the group has carried out over 650 successful installations in 28 countries excluded Korea, from the year 1977 when start to export outside its domestic market. Established in 2013 in Casale Monferrato, northwestern Italy, SAM Europe Srl, also known as SAM EU, is the group’s Italian arm.

The main product categories developed and manufactured by the SAM group are printing presses (gravure) extrusion coaters and laminators, and solution coating machines (machines for special applications). All production takes place in Korea, where the machines are also assembled according to their final configuration. This is followed by mechanical and electronics testing, so that when the machines are delivered at the client’s premises they can be installed quickly and successfully. This is a service that most competitors are not able to offer. Furthermore, all the software and hardware used in the SAM machines is developed in-house by N.C.T (New Control Technology), one of the two Korean companies of the group, which is located just behind to the Korean headquarters.

N.C.T also develops hardware and software for other companies, as long as they are not SAM competitors.

In addition to manufacturing, Korea is also the home of SAM’s research and development activities, alongside sales and service for the Asian, African and Australian

markets. In fact the group, which is ISO9001, CE and UL certified, has an important facility as part of its R & D: SPEL, Sung An Printed Electronics Lab. This, as the name suggests, conducts R & D on printed electronics, including OPV solar cells, OLED, lighting and others.

“By the end of this year our Korean headquarters will implement a new pilot line for all solution coating applications. It will feature a 1000mm web width, a 900mpm speed and the option of having more than 30 different coating systems on the same machine,” Mr Deambrogio explains.

“The US company, SAM NA LLC, which was established in 2010, is specialized in engineering, service, customer staff training, project management and sales. Its engineering activities are mainly dedicated to extrusion coating, mainly in terms of screws and barrels for extruders, while in terms of training, project management, sales and service it serves the north and central American markets (sometimes South America as well). We, SAM Europe Srl, usually take care of supplying post-sales assistance to the European and South American market. As well as doing this and taking care of sales and project management, in Europe as well in South America, we purchase European components for the whole group and carry out R & D activities, especially with regard to solution coating and printing machines. For our post-sales assistance service, we also cooperate with other companies in our sector. As a group we are proud of our SAM 365 service: we can assist our customers 24/7 for 365 days a year, through remote or, if necessary, on-site assistance.”

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Growing gracefully There are no current plans for plant expansion, as the SAM group is able to build about 35 machines a year. Its machines are quite complex and prices start from more than 1 million Euro. The group intends to grow steadily, so the current production facilities are perfectly adequate for its future development.

SAM serves the converting industry for which the particularly important end use sectors are flexible packaging, pharmaceuticals and food, thanks to their high consumption of aluminium packaging solutions. At group level, in the past three years solution coaters

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have generated about 50 per cent of turnover, extrusion coating and laminators 35 per cent and printing presses 15 per cent.

As explained above, SAM Europe Srl serves the whole of Europe (extending as far as Russia to the east and including Turkey). “Demand is at a good level in central and eastern Europe, as well as in Turkey. Apart from a bit of stagnation in France, Italy and Greece, we have not suffered the effects of the economic crisis.

On the other hand, in South America growth was much stronger a few years ago.

Today both Brazil and Argentina (our main customers there) are quieter, prob-

ably due to their political situation. As SAM Europe Srl, we intend to increase our market share in eastern Europe, while for the group as a whole the main scope for growth is in China and India (markets in which we are of course already present). By the way, we have been the first to have sold a printing machine in the Fiji islands.”

Growth is expected to be of an organic nature, without involving acquisitions, and to follow physiological levels. “We expect to see growth in two areas in particular: solution coating and printed electronics. In fact, thanks to our solution coating pilot line, which will be dedicated to the testing of new technologies for final products, customers will be able to see what possibilities are opened up by our technology (and/or carry out their own product tests), thus being further motivated in purchasing our machinery. Then, of course, there is the area of printed electronics developed by SPEL. “We have all high-technology suppliers, who rank highly on the market. They supply us with high-level components, thanks to which we can offer our customers top quality machines. Our high number of returning customers confirms the strength of our technology and service. If service is not so good, customers do not come back.”

Visit: www.sam-na.com

Glenro Inc. – Providing Heat Processing Solutions for Manufacturers Glenro designs and manufactures infrared heaters and systems, industrial dryers and ovens, fume oxidizers and flatbed laminators. We use a variety of heat transfer technologies including infrared, convection and conduction that we apply efficiently and control precisely to make many manufacturing processes more productive and more profitable. Glenro engineers work closely with our customers from process development, through system selection, system design, manufacturing, installation, startup and operation.

Our process heating and laminating systems are engineered to be a Proven Solution™ for every customer’s application.

Process engineering is the key to Glenro’s approach to heat processing system development. Our engineers examine each customer’s process and their desired results. Working from this information, Glenro’s engineers use their decades of practical experience in process heating, theoretical modeling and the company’s in-house pilot lines to develop a process solution.

Glenro was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. If your manufacturing processes require drying, curing, heating or laminating, Glenro can design and manufacture a system to fit your specific requirements.

For more information or to discuss your heat processing or laminating applications contact a Glenro sales engineer. 1-888-GLENRO1 or e-mail: info@glenro.com

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PepsiCo: Performance with Purpose PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Its main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world.

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P

epsiCo’s people are united by a unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo’s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate.

Packaging as strategic asset The fundamental roles of packaging are of course viewed as givens at PepsiCo. But moving beyond that, how does PepsiCo communicate a product’s key attributes, and how should packaging maximise the effectiveness of that communication? Lee Nicholson, Director of Advanced Packaging Research, thinks interactive packaging is one of the answers.

“Packaging today is dictated by what I like to call the four Cs: containment, convenience, communication, and custody, which is another word for security or tamper evidence. What’s missing is the fifth C, and that is connectivity. Packages would be far more enabled and the consumer experience could be so much richer if the industry could create an interactive connected package that provided a differentiated and personalised experience involving a multiway transfer of data.

“One of the things we’ve been pioneering in the area of interactive packaging is what we call the packaging trifecta. It’s a multiway communication enabled by or through

packaging that links brand owner with retailer with consumer. We think of it as an ecosystem of connectedness.”

Another thing that quickly becomes clear in talking with PepsiCo is that packaging is not applied as an afterthought once a new product or product extension has been developed. Instead, packaging is viewed as a strategic asset, says Denise Lefebvre, Vice President of Global Beverage Packaging.

“When I joined the organization eight years ago we knew packaging drew volume growth and was important to the consumer,” says Lefebvre. “But what’s also become apparent is that it has a tremendous impact on both the top and bottom lines. Once people understand its value and what it can bring, then it occupies a more strategic place in the portfolio.”

Talking with Lefebvre also serves as a reminder of how serious PepsiCo is when it comes to collaborating across departments.

“We take a holistic approach to packaging,” she points out. “We examine new technologies and look closely at consumer trends. Then we team up with our internal partner organisations, such as marketing and supply chain, to ideate and come up with the best ideas that are going to meet the needs of our consumers and customers. We have a robust ideation process that includes trend setting, foresight, and then certainly collaboration with our internal partners. We then take those insights and concepts and work with our design team—we have an in-house design team that is very strong—and we see the concept all the way through to execution and operations. By this time our engineers have done a lot of robust work around modeling and different capabilities, so that we

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have really sharp development once we lock in the concept and innovation. Having these development tools and processes in place is important when you have a large system like ours, because it helps us execute flawlessly across that system. The goal, of course, is that when the package reaches the consumer, it’s true to the design thinking behind it and to the marketplace.”

Nicholson echoes Lefebvre’s thoughts on the importance of collaboration. He credits Pepsico’s Chief Scientific Officer, Global Research and Development; Mehmood Khan with shaping the corporate R&D function in such a way that collaboration is among its most essential underpinnings.

“The corporate research function here has evolved tremendously over the past several years,” says Nicholson. “What’s been fostered is a wonderful spirit of collaboration and innovation. As a result, we’ve had a lot of success in attracting top talent and in building a truly innovative environment. Senior leadership has thought really comprehensively about how best to organise multiple functions and business units to be better integrated.

The result is that as we move forward, we’re uniquely positioned to deliver on top-line and bottom-line growth, to deliver on performance with purpose.”

According to both Nicholson and Lefebvre, Khan’s vision is based on the recognition that innovation requires an incubation period, and without the proper resources, incubation is out of the question. Nicholson puts it this way: “If we want to be disruptive and transformational in our innovation process, we need time, commitment, and support. So I think it’s terrific what senior management has done with corporate R&D. As an organisation we have a long-term vision and the resources needed to support it, a roadmap if you will. This is what permits product and package differentiation for the future.”

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Packaging Over the last five years, we have reduced the packaging weight of our products by more than 350 million pounds in all manufacturing for which we procure packaging, including acquisitions, exceeding our target by 20 per cent. The packaging weight reductions we have achieved are equivalent to removing more than 95 tons of packaging material each day during that five year period.

In the US, initiatives by our Aquafina team have enabled PepsiCo to avoid using more than 135 million pounds of plastic. The current 16.9 ounce Aquafina bottle uses half the amount of plastic as the 2002 bottle of the same size. For Gatorade, the amount of resin used in 32-ounce bottles has been reduced from 45 grams to 39 grams, resulting in approximately 595,000 pounds of PET reduction in the US and nearly 9 million pounds of bottle waste reduction in Europe.

In 2012, our partner 3M awarded PepsiCo Mexico Foods a Sustainable Packaging Award for Sabritas’ environmental sustainability efforts in the daily packaging process. Sabritas invested in a sustainable stretch wrap system that significantly reduces waste material. 3M provided Sabritas with an innovative, customised and effective solution to guarantee the correct transfer and delivery of product while reducing waste by 70 per cent. The new solution also cuts costs by five per cent and reduces warehouse space needs.

In 2012, 91.2 per cent of solid waste generated by more than 260 company-owned manufacturing facilities was put to beneficial use, such as recycling; only 8.8 per cent was disposed of through more traditional methods, such as landfills. Moreover, around the world, we have 61 plants that send less than 1 percent of their waste to landfills.

PPG Packaging Coatings PPG’s product range for beverage can applications is widely used throughout the world. In addition to its well-known industry standards, PPG’s new generation of INNOVEL® products and technologies meets the changing market requirements with: l Groundbreaking INNOVEL® HPS™ internal sprays for optimum protection, flavour neutral and able to meet the latest regulatory requirements; l Breakthrough external varnishes, giving more appeal for consumers, value for brand owners and operational advantages for manufacturers; l INNOVEL® HPE™ superior performance coatings for ends, including NPL processing, with excellent application tolerance, fabrication, stamping efficiencies, retort capability and a comprehensive technical support package for customers.

PPG also offers LUMIVAR™ inks for aluminum cans with exceptional technical properties and a range of colour bases, translating to unlimited graphic design and branding opportunities.

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CSi In the past ten years CSi has been providing high quality materials handling and palletising systems to many of PepsiCo’s sites worldwide. In close co-operation with its customers, CSi strives to provide the most efficient end of line automated solutions and its close working relationship with PepsiCo demonstrates this.

CSi is committed to developing state-of-the-art, sustainable automated solutions where low energy consumption, maximum material recovery and forming sustainable long-term partnerships are its key goals.

Together with PepsiCo, CSi is in the process of developing a fully standardised but modular and flexible end-of-line palletising platform. This platform allows to configure a solution based on Lift-and-Shift, yet customised to PepsiCo’s local needs and functionality requirements. At the same time, due to this modular way of standardisation CSi will be able to change their delivery processes from Engineered-to-Order to Assembly-to-Order resulting in affordable investment levels for PepsiCo. In combination with the global localisation of our supply chain and cost effective production CSi can globally offer PepsiCo fit for purpose solutions against affordable pricing, also in emerging markets where labour costs are still relatively low.

We are committed to increasing the recyclability of our packaging, increasing recycling of post-industrial packaging related to our products and making sure our containers utilise materials that are compatible with accessible recycling systems.

We are facilitating recycling by our consumers and retail customers. For example, in the US, we have created and deployed a convenient recycling solution to capture plastic that is recycled for use in manufacturing our bottles.

Since 2010, we have added more than 5000 recycling systems across North America through recycling programs in more than 42 states. These systems have diverted more than 196 million beverage containers to recycling since 2010.

Our success in increasing recycling rates and the amount of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) available for use has enabled us to increase the amount of rPET in our bottles. We now incorporate, on average, up to 10 per cent of post-consumer rPET in our US primary soft drink bottles. Moreover, we lead the industry in expanding the use of rPET across key international markets.

TerraCycle bag brigades Since their U.S. launch in September 2009, our Frito-Lay sponsored TerraCycle bag brigades have diverted over 23 million of our post-consumer snack bags from landfill. The program expanded into Brazil, Mexico and Israel in 2012, collecting more than 6 million bags in just one year. The program now operates 70 brigades in 22 countries. Funded

by Sabritas, Gamesa and Quaker, PepsiCo Mexico and TerraCycle’s chip-bag collection program has diverted more that 1 million chip bags from going into landfills. Printed directions on the product’s packaging encourage consumers to visit TerraCycle’s website, sign up and recruit others to collect chip bags for recycling.

We also have some unique brand activities. For example, over the last two years, Mountain Dew and Burton have worked together on a collaboration which introduced a line of sustainable apparel. The partnership creates fabrics out of recycled plastic bottles that can be used in Burton products. The first product, a collection of t-shirts made from 50 per cent recycled plastic bottles and 50 percent organic cotton, was launched in 2011.

In 2012, the line was expanded to include Men’s and Women’s pants and jackets made | 150 | Packaging Europe

from recycled bottles. The new collection for 2013 continues to change the way outerwear and apparel are made by creating sustainable fabrics out of recycled plastic bottles and using this material in key products within the Burton line.

Waste to Wealth Our Latin America business has been working with waste pickers, who salvage reusable or recyclable materials to sell or for personal consumption. We also work with area associations to develop sustainable ‘waste to wealth’ programs that help improve the environment, enhance the quality of life of recyclers and contribute to a local recycling market.

For example, in Brazil, in partnership with the business association CEMPRE (Compromisso Empresarial para Reciclagem), we support an initiative that includes waste picker training, professional development, waste management and recycling training, and business management practices training to help waste pickers increase their income.

Waste to Wealth Programs in South America Brazil: Increasing Recycling Rates In November 2012 PepsiCo, together with Ciudad Saludable and GAIA Social, launched a project to increase recycling rates of Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) films and PET in Brazil. This project involves eight cooperatives in São Paulo. It assesses each one’s situation, creates action plans and provides training for commercialisation to establish an advantageous partnership for the recycler.

Argentina: Urban Recyclers Program PepsiCo Argentina celebrated its successful first year of the Urban Recyclers program, which we founded in alliance with the IDB and Avina Foundation. The project’s goal is to strengthen the cooperatives of recyclable materials collectors and their production processes. In addition to being a donating partner for the program, PepsiCo started the Pepsi Music 5x1 promotion. 5x1 invites consumers to redeem five yellow plastic caps from Pepsi or 7UP bottles at different points of sale in exchange for a free Pepsi or 7UP 2.25 litre product. Across the country, 35 tons of plastic bottle caps were collected for

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recycling. In return for the recycled material, PepsiCo supplier and partner Scrap Control will make a donation to El Alamo, a local cooperative, to fund new recycling machines and improve the cooperative’s production processes.

The Urban Recyclers project is a Power of One initiative and part of the regional Wealth from Waste program currently implemented in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and now, Argentina.

We believe in the Waste to Wealth program! Achieving recyclable materials, increasing wealth from waste.

PepsiCo’s success is a testament to how seamlessly the company has integrated design thinking with business know-how to craft truly next-generation marketing, communication and innovation platforms. A prime example is being awarded with the Red Dot Client of the Year.

Red Dot: 2014 Client of the Year Goes to Pepsi The Red Dot Design Award is one of the biggest design competitions. It received more than 16,500 applications from over 70 countries in 2014 alone. The ‘Red Dot’ is established internationally as one of the most sought-after quality marks for good design and is awarded in three different disciplines: product design, communication design and design concepts. Well-known designers and design experts from across the globe are handpicked to guarantee as much objectivity as possible in the selection of the winning products, communication works or concepts.

This was awarded to PepsiCo for the corporation’s design ethos and output in 2014.

PepsiCo garners nine awards total and marks the first time in Red Dot history that the ‘Red Dot: Client of the Year’ designation will go to a non-automotive company.

“For more than 100 years, PepsiCo has impressed the world with entertaining adverts, modern campaigns and unforgettable slogans. Time after time, PepsiCo showed | 152 | Packaging Europe

the courage to break new ground and conquer the market in an innovative way. This continuity builds trust with consumers, customers and partners and makes PepsiCo an attractive company with foresight in the creative industry. The company won over our strict jury in several disciplines and is an excellent and deserving Red Dot: Client of the Year,” said Professor Dr Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of the Red Dot Award.

PepsiCo Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini accepted the ‘Client of the Year’ honour on stage in the Konzerthaus in Berlin in front of more than 1,200 guests.

Afterward, the Designers’ Night took place in the E-Werk in Berlin, where the award-winners, jury members and friends of design came together to celebrate last year’s competition and winners.

“We’re honoured and thrilled to be the recipients of the Red Dot: Client of the Year award,” said Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo Chief Design Officer. “Our international design team and partners from around the world work tirelessly to push the boundaries of design-led innovation, surprise and delight consumers and customers, and affect people’s lives with the products and experiences PepsiCo brings to market every day. It’s incredibly gratifying to all of us to be recognized for this work by such a prestigious organization.”

With 16 categories that range from Brand Identity and Visual Systems to Game Design and Social Responsibility every year, the Red Dot Award: Communication Design dates back to 1993. The ‘Red Dot: Client of the Year’ title has been awarded since 2010 to companies that place a special emphasis on the skills of designers and their creative output. This is the first time that the sought-after ‘Client of the Year’ designation, which is nominated-based by an international jury, will be bestowed on a company from the food and beverage industry, with automotive companies having a virtual stranglehold on the prize in the past. Other winners include Audi and Mercedes.

But the Red Dot 2014 Client of the Year goes to PepsiCo.

REINFORCED SUCCESS The French company Hema, a manufacturer of filling systems for liquid and viscous foods, has just gone through a change of ownership. Vanja Švačko talks to Marc Vincent, the company’s marketing and strategy director, about how this new move is will reinforce Hema’s global market presence in the future.

In addition Hema has just launched a complete new range of innovative rotary fillers.

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ince 1936, Hema has been developing various machinery for different types of fillings, starting from linear fillers for corned beef, to rotary piston and weight fillers for liquid food and vacuum seamers for shaped cans. To each new line the company has been adding innovative features, taking into account all critical parameters for the filling process such as accuracy, flexibility, efficiency and sanitation. In the 1970s the company experienced rapid growth when it began to export its goods to new geographical regions, resulting in the opening of a new branch in Utah, USA. For the past 20 years the company has been a subsidiary of the Sidel Group, one of the packaging market specialists in the beverage industry (water, soft drinks and beer). Within the structure of the group, Hema was covered not only the manufacture of filling systems for thick, chunky or homogeneous complex liquid food products such as edible oils, sauces, dressings, dairy products, liquid pate, canned meats, etc., but also cosmetic and household products. The presence of Hema’s machines in more than 100 countries all over the world bears testimony to the company’s manufacturing expertise.

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When asked about the latest news from the company, Mr Vincent says: “On April 1st our ownership was transferred from Sidel to the American group Barry-Wehmiller, more specifically to PneumaticScaleAngelus division, a major supplier of fillers, cappers and seamers for the food, beverage, personal care, household products and pharmaceutical industries. The integration with the new company will bring stronger growth in our principal markets.”

With its diverse portfolio across many industries, Barry-Wehmiller believes that the merger will enable the two companies to mutually enhance their business opportunities.

The synergies gained (market experience, modern technologies and talented people) would further raise the company’s competitiveness in the non-beverage filling market.

When it comes to the former owner, Mr Vincent claims that the new ownership Hema will continue to maintain its close relationship with Sidel. “We have worked together in more than 90 countries, achieving a strong global presence in the filling market, so that is not going to change. Hema will retain its supplier relationship with Sidel in the food segment.”

Under the trade name Hema QuatroTM, the company has just introduced a complete full range of innovative rotary fillers

Field expertise Under the trade name Hema QuatroTM, the company has just introduced a complete full range of innovative rotary fillers. Based on a global modular concept the fillers which run from 600 to 50,000 containers per hour are available in both electronic volumetric and weight filling technologies. The new fillers range takes Hema’s experience benefits with patented solutions and well known filling expertise. They are ergonomically designed and capable of handling a variety of containers made from plastic, glass, metal and cartonboard, for volumes 60 ml to 5 litres for liquid and viscous products. The Hema QuatroTM range is composed of 4 models: Quatro Access, Quatro Sensi, Quatro Nutri & Quatro Care.

“Our main approach is,” says Mr Vincent, “to dedicate different machines for different products. Each filler is used for a specific type of filling, whether it is more sensitive like dairy or edible oils, with pieces or pulp etc. We are supplying different market segments and for each of them we bring specific fillers dedicated to particular applications.”

“The meat industry in which we are also present is a good driver for us, especially when it comes to filling cans,” states Mr Vincent. “For that market we propose our inline volumetric filler of the Canfill range capable to fill up to 18 000 cans per hour.

Our fillers can be perfectly synchronised to the PneumaticScaleAngelus’s seamer enlarging our portfolio and opening great new market opportunities.

Because of its expertise in the field, the company supplies some of the best-known groups in the world such as Coca-Cola, Colgate, Palmolive, HJ Heinz, Kraft, Nestle, Mars, Unilever and many others.

With 3500 machines operating all over the world, the company makes $25 million in sales each year. Turnover is expected to grow thanks to the enlargement of portfolio resulting from the new merger.

Investing in knowledge Hema’s expertise in the field of filling machines is the result of the strong emphasis it places on research & development. The company has invested heavily into growing as a knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven business. Hema Quatro Access of the Hema QuatroTM range which has been introduced at the recent trade fair Anuga FoodTec is part of this investment.

The recent merger has set the company on an exciting path for the future. Considering our performance capabilities and market prospects, we are convinced we are poised for rapid growth.”

Visit: www.hema-filler.com

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Market leader in flexibles Starlinger is a key, market leading player in the fields of flexible woven plastic packaging, PET recycling and PET refinement.

Although the company celebrates its 180th anniversary this year, the signs do not point to any kind of slowdown.

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fact, far from slowing down, this highly innovative European company pushes the boundaries in mechanical engineering and process technology – and continues to set standards with its application-oriented solutions. The company is the only A-Z turnkey plant supplier worldwide, with a strong reputation for developing cutting-edge high-end products and new technologies.

The success story started in Franz Laubek’s workshop in Vienna, Austria in 1835, with steam engines and drive parts serving the local textiles industry.

The machines acted as starting engines and helped to turn the business into the worldwide group it is today with 920 employees and a turnover of over €250 million. Its production facilities are located in Weissenbach, Lower Austria, and TaiChing, China, but the headquarters are still located in Vienna, and with Angelika Huemer at the helm the company is still headed up by a member of the founding family.

45,000 circular looms have been installed worldwide, and over 900 customers in 136 countries trust in solutions from Starlinger. Machines built by Starlinger produce sacks for bulk foods like sugar, rice and flour, attractive consumer shopping bags, heavy duty big bags used at building sites and the ever popular brickshaped AD*STAR® sack, formed in a special adhesive-free heatwelding process.

Now in its fourth decade of world market leadership, the company is distinguished by offering the widest range of woven sack plant machinery. Starlinger is also the only supplier that manufactures and sells the complete range of machines necessary for producing woven plastic packaging as well as associated processes; these include extrusion and winding, weaving, coating, printing, | 156 | Packaging Europe

conversion and recycling – in other words from granulate to finished sacks back to granulate.

In addition, the company offers a complete portfolio of support and consulting services, from project engineering to custom financing solutions, after sales service at its best, ongoing production optimisation, training and advisory services – even end product development.

Top exporter Starlinger is an outstanding flagship of the Austrian export economy, which in the past has been acknowledged with the Austrian export prize in the ‘Industry’ category. Offices in Chicago and Greenville (USA), New Delhi (India), Moscow (Russia), Beijing and Taicang (China), as well as in São Paulo (Brazil) emphasise how important it is for the company to be close to its customers.

The business development strategy is very market orientated. Having become much more than a ‘machine builder’, the company is always on the lookout for areas that would benefit from the introduction of woven plastic technology. The aim of the 80-strong research and development team is to find new solutions for particular industries or applications – where the ‘woven power advantage’ can be brought to new packaging concepts.

Starlinger has established itself as an international key player, underpinned by all the necessary structures and processes that enable it to remain successful in a highly competitive environment.

Visit: www.starlinger.com

Starlinger is an outstanding flagship of the Austrian export economy, which in the past has been acknowledged with the Austrian export prize in the ‘Industry’ category. Offices in Chicago and Greenville (USA), New Delhi (India), Moscow (Russia), Beijing and Taicang (China), as well as in São Paulo (Brazil) emphasise how important it is for the company to be close to its customers.

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Make it new Dedicated to creating and delivering effective recycling machines to customers worldwide, Starlinger recycling technology is driving forward with innovative solutions to waste issues across industry sectors. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to sales director Paul Niedl to learn more.

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tarlinger recycling technology is a key part of the internationally active Starlinger & Co. GmbH, the world market leader in machinery and process technology for woven plastic sacks. Starlinger recycling technology was initially launched 28 years ago in order to meet the increasing need of the company to supply recycling technology to complement the woven bag production machinery in which it specialises. Since 2002, Starlinger recycling technology has provided its expert recycling services to markets and companies worldwide, while continuing to focus on recycling solutions for a wide range of industrial applications.

Starlinger was founded in Vienna in 1835 and has steadily grown as a respected manufacturer of machinery. Now, as a global player in the manufacture of machinery for the plastics industry, the company is the leader in its field, employing over 590 people worldwide and generating an annual turnover of more than €180 million. Offering the world’s most comprehensive range of machinery and process technology for woven sacks, the largest number of customers and the biggest range of end products, Starlinger’s portfolio includes all machines required for the manufacture of woven polypropylene bags. With four key divisions – textile packaging, recycling technology, consumer bags and viscotec – all independent yet collaborative, the company provides a solid foundation from which to offer a truly turnkey solution.

Under the slogan ‘we always find a solution’, Starlinger recycling technology plays an important role in the company’s ability to provide a complete A–Z solution. From raw material to woven printed bag to regrind, Starlinger recycling technology offers innovative machine solutions for the efficient recycling of plastics including PE, PP, PA, PS, PET and many others.

Solutions focused Sales director for Starlinger recycling technology Paul Niedl spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how the company’s ‘we always find a solution’ promise works in practice. Mr Niedl said, “It’s true that we do always find a solution to the recycling needs of our customers, however complex. In fact, we are well known for our ability to find a solution where perhaps others may not be able to – we have such a sophisticated, extensive knowledge of recycling machinery and how it can perform in real life situations that we are always able to create and install a recycling system that is perfectly in tune with the specific demands of the customer.

‘We always find a solution’ is essentially our understanding of conducting business; we are dedicated to finding a solution that works perfectly for the customer and the environment.”

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Starlinger recycling technology offers application-oriented solutions, with its core product portfolio centred on its famous recoSTAR recycling machinery line. Now an integral part of the global recycling industry, its complete range of recycling technologies and proven machine concepts continues to expand. Mr Niedl added, “We work with customers to create a solution that meets their specific requirements, which is often with input material that is not fully defined. Post-consumer scrap or industrial scrap for example always has a risk of contaminants, so we have to be able to look at that material carefully in order to maximise its recyclability.”

The company ‘makes the machines that make the recycled pellets’ and so it generally works with professional recycling companies that sell these cleanly recycled pellets to the converters, or with converters that want to recycle their production scrap internally.

Mr Niedl continued, “Using Starlinger machinery gives incredible results and meets the strictest of global standards. Our extensive product line means that there is always a suitable starting place for our customers.”

Star performer The latest development from Starlinger recycling technology is its recoSTAR dynamic, set to be launched at the end of March 2015. Offering higher output and automation, increased energy efficiency and a wider range of applications, the recoSTAR dynamic is currently a rather top secret product. Mr Niedl added, “We’ll be able to shout all about it after the launch end of March, but it is safe to say that our target customers in the flexible packaging and post-consumer recycling industries will really appreciate the impressive recycling capability of the recoSTAR dynamic, particularly for previouslydifficult applications. What I can say is that it will have all the bells and whistles needed to increase automation in (post-consumer) film recycling and there’s nothing else like it on the market.”

With the recoSTAR dynamic an exciting addition to the Starlinger recycling technology portfolio in 2015, the company is looking forward to continued strong performance

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for the rest of the year and beyond. It predicts particularly impressive results in the polyolefine part of the business, with it already well-positioned to maximise this fastexpanding sector. Mr Niedl concluded, “As a long established company in what is seen by many as a modern business, we know that business cycles and trends need to be ridden successfully to stay strong. As we have more than a quarter of a century’s experience in recycling technology and the support of a very old, very well-established business, we offer the best of old and new.”

Visit: www.starlinger.com

INSPIRING PLASTIC

PACKAGING SPECIALISTS Presto Products Company is manufacturing a wide portfolio of re-closable solutions for individual flexible packaging requirements which offer high end-user convenience, product safety and proven solutions. As a brand name of Presto, SLIDE-RITE® offers a patented Slider technology providing an easy open and easy close solution for various packaging applications. Amongst others, Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Marc Le Péchon, the company’s Senior Sales Manager for Europe, to find out more about recent innovations and applications as well as future growth potential.

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the recent Pack Expo® trade fair in the USA, Presto Products launched two new products: one Fresh–Lock® zipper in press and one Slide-Rite for Slider closure. The former of these, the Click ’N Lock®, is an audible tactile zipper that clicks when it is opened and closed. The new Click ‘N Lock press-to-close double zipper offers pronounced audible and tactile clues which can be heard and felt when closing the package. It is ideally suited for small to medium sized bags. Product manager Tom Winter adds, “ Click ’N Lock excels in delivering both the assurance of a secure seal when the package is closed and the promise of product freshness when the package is opened.” The integration of Soft Seal® technology provides a reliable side seal crush without increased temperature or dwell times, ensuring equal or improved throughput on the pouch assembly line. At Pack Expo in Chicago the technology was demonstrated on a Totani® pouch making machine.

The second innovation presented during Pack Expo was the Presto Products Child-Guard® Slider solution, an enhanced version of the market leading Slide-Rite

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Slider. It is the first child-resistant slider for application on pouch packaging that meets key US regulations on pack safety for children.

“Child-Guard offers a combination of child security and easy operation.

The slider opens with a simple point, press and pull motion. Adult consumers, including seniors, will find the zipper simple to open, but it will be extremely challenging for children aged five and under,” explains Roger Dowler, CR project leader.

The launch of Child-Guard technology allows brand owners to leverage flexible packaging as a good option and still meet child-resistant mandates. By choosing flexible packaging, which is lighter in weight and more compact than rigid alternatives, brand owners can achieve both environmental and cost-saving benefits across the supply chain.

Child-Guard bags are ideal for a number of applications including home care, chemical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and any other granules, powders and solid mixes that should not be consumed by children or taken without adult supervision.

Inspiring cooperation and partnerships For more than 15 years Presto Products has worked closely with manufacturers of prefabricated bag solutions, pouch making equipment, fill-seal lines and form, fill and seal machines to guarantee the optimal Slider closure packaging solution for customers.

Mr Le Péchon is proud to point out that Presto Products’ Slide-Rite closure inspires the flexible packaging specialist that produces a wide variety of premade bags for 100g to 20kg.

“The Slider can be put on top, on the edge or on the side of the bag, creating a range of new bag styles. We recently cooperated with the German company Nordfolien GmbH, who created an entirely new bag with our Slider. Nordfolien’s MaxiPouch, a stand-up pouch with a carrying handle, won the German Packaging Award in 2013. Maxipouch exists as roll stock or as individual bags. The convenient carrying handle comprising four layers which ensure carrying comfort. The MaxiPouch offers a re-closable pouring feature thanks to the Slide-Rite technology.”

Another recent cooperation was with the Mondi Group, involving the development of a re-closable, flat bottom bag. It offers a flat stable base with rounded edges for excellent stability and easy emptying, making this pouch ideal for lightweight contents. The ergonomic Slider, developed by Slide-Rite, is easy to use and reliable.

It also has the advantage of being compact, which means it can be optimally covered by the hood, thus ensuring the packaging has extra protection against tampering,” Mr Le Péchon explains.

Another partner, Tyler Packaging, recently introduced the Slide-Rite re-sealable slider to its packaging range, designed for high-performance packages that require strong top and end retention values, whilst allowing easy gripping and ease of access to the product.

made bag converters in Europe such as B+K, Coveris, Corazza, Gascogne, Mondi group, Plastmoroz and more besides. The range extends from veterinary products to specialty store and supermarket brands. Another area in which we expect to see strong growth is the protein powder market, which is a good fit for our Slider closure solution on flexible bags,” Mr Le Péchon points out.

He is positive that with its mix of innovations and established products the company will keep on growing. “We increase our product range based on new customer requests and expectations. Presto and its partners are pleased to grow the innovative range of products in areas where our Sliders are valued by consumers,” he concludes.

Visit: www.prestoproducts.com and www.slide-rite.eu

Growth markets Presto Products has seen growth in customer satisfaction in the areas of pet food applications, protein powders and frozen foods in the UK (with the Birdseye range).

“There is a wide range of products on offer in the pet food area, from premium brands to supermarket brands, thanks to a widening product range offered by pre-

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New face, strong pulse As a long-established leading UK-based supplier of flexible packaging to the food and beverage industry, Pulse Flexible Packaging is excited to discuss its recent rebranding and strategic plans for continued growth, with an eye on enhanced sustainability across the supply chain. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to managing director Mike Collins to learn more.

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ased in Lancashire in the heart of the UK, Pulse Flexible Packaging is the relatively new name for a respected business whose history reaches back to 1928. Following a carefully conducted management buyout of the UK operation Printpack Enterprises from Printpack Inc. in May 2014, the company has been keen to highlight how its impressive combination of experience and flexibility is continuing to allow it to meet all of its customers’ needs.

Managing director Mike Collins spoke to Packaging Europe to explain how this rebranding offers increased advantages to its customers and potential customers. He said, “We have many years’ experience of the UK flexible packaging industry and that, together with our renewed fresh approach due to the strategic management buyout and the resulting changes, means that Pulse Flexible Packaging is a dynamic packaging partner for all our customers. Not only are we more agile now but we can also penetrate new parts of the flexible packaging market, bringing our unique knowledge to more areas of the industry. We have innovative ideas and the experience to put them into practice, bringing great added value to our customers.”

Clear vision Employing 330 people across its two sites – the head office and production site in Bury, Lancashire and a further state-of-the-art production site in Saffron Walden, Essex – Pulse Flexible Packaging has a clear vision. Understanding that to be a thriving, sociallyresponsible provider of flexible packaging means it must harness the capabilities of its people in order to create high-quality products and services, the company is well known as a great place to work. Mr Collins added, “We are committed to nurturing, developing and retaining our talented and hardworking people in order to guarantee the best possible service for our customers. We are proud of our diverse and skilled teams who embrace our vision in their daily working lives and help us to surpass our goals and achieve our dreams.”

Mike Collins, managing director

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The ambitious aims of the rebranded Pulse Flexible Packaging are focused on ensuring it offers a true value added service to its customers by utilising its long experience of the flexible packaging market. Mr Collins said, “A big part of the motivation behind the management buyout was to diversify in to new product areas and to capture more of the potential value added elements of the market.

We also identified the fact that over one third of the UK’s food and beverage flexible packaging is imported, which shows what great opportunities there are for UK converters.”

This smart analysis of the food and beverage flexible packaging sector has been at the heart of Pulse Flexible’s recent development. With its two production sites in the UK offering great capacity and capabilities, the company’s portfolio meets the needs of all aspects of the food and beverage sectors and a growing number of diverse markets. . To achieve this, Pulse Flexible Packaging uses the very latest technologies to deliver a broad range of standard and advanced flexo and gravure print, lamination and coating processes. Working with brand owners, its large portfolio sees products that can be tailored to the specific needs of each product, with highimpact graphics, unique features and excellent product protection to make sure that delivers real shelf appeal.

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Sustainable opportunities The sustainability element of Pulse Flexible Packaging’s branding is certainly integral to its ongoing expectations for success. Rather than simply a promise without substance, Mr Collins is clear that delivering real sustainability is imperative. He explained, “It is important to us to support our customers with their sustainability targets. We work closely with global household names who value corporate social responsibilty as highly as we do. There are a number of initiatives in place at Pulse Flexible’s including supporting our customers with specialist transport and haulage agreements to operational success stories such as both of our production sites being zero waste to landfill., Pulse offers – an innovative, cost-effective flexible packaging partnership that is truly sustainable; from the materials to the machinery to the transportation.”

With the expectation that it will see strong continued growth in the coming years,Mr Collins concluded, “We’re expanding and investing and really capitalising on our fresh energy. So by working with companies that are also enjoying a positive period, we can help each other to reach new heights. We will invest in specific equipment for the right partners. We expect to grow from our £58 million turnover in our first year to in excess of £80 million by the end of 2018.”

Visit: www.pulseflexible.com

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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 company’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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“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.”

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

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Inspired plastic

packaging solutions

As a leading player in the development of custom injection moulded components for the packaging industry, Plastek offers creative packaging solutions to multinational FMCG businesses in the personal care, household, food and beverage, healthcare and cosmetics markets. Mick Shaw, the company’s general manager for Europe, speaks about recent investments.

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ased in Mansfield, in North Nottinghamshire, Plastek UK is a division of the USA based Plastek Group, a renowned world-class manufacturer within the plastic packaging industry. Plastek’s roots are deep in tool making. It began over 50 years ago in Erie, Pennsylvania as a single tool making shop and diversified into moulding soon after. By the late 1970s, Plastek was a force to be reckoned with in moulding terms and today it remains the largest producer of deodorant packaging in North America. The Plastek Group has grown over time to develop in partnership with its customers, locating manufacturing facilities in accordance with their needs. Today it has sites in North and South America as well as within Europe.

USPs for customers Plastek’s ‘personal brand’ in the market place means that the company can provide its customers with total packaging solutions, including design, tool build and project management.

“Our customers include the owners of some of the world’s most famous brands,” Mr Shaw explains. “Our world class purpose built facility offers them the latest in moulding technology, and has many unique features including a climate controlled manufacturing

environment for complete process stability. These companies value our ability to innovate, and supply bespoke, technically challenging components in high volumes at agreed quality levels with complete consistency.”

Major investments To further Plastek UK’s major success in the injection moulding industry, the company has recently put the finishing touches on a £2 million pound expansion of its facilities in the European headquarters in North Nottinghamshire.

Mr Shaw explains, “We are securing our future growth plans by embarking on a strategically phased expansion plan in line with being awarded major new business.”

Phase one of the expansion at its Mansfield site was completed during February 2015, and has culminated in the addition of a further 860m² of manufacturing space to its already impressive state-of-the-art factory.

In order to strengthen its expertise in supplying packaging products for the Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical Packaging and Personal Care markets, and to underline its commitment to ISO 22000 + PAS 223, Plastek has also created a brand new clean room environment in this area. The company has won major new projects within the aforementioned markets, and its investment in the expansion is a direct result of this success.

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“I am delighted with the progress of the first phase, and everybody involved has worked tirelessly to ensure that all of the projects have completed on time and to the highest standards,” Mick Shaw comments. “The expansion at Plastek UK underlines our commitment to our customers, and shows the strength of Plastek UK as a major player in the packaging arena. I want to extend special thanks to all of our Plastek personnel for their hard work through this period, as well as to all of our contracted partners. This is just the beginning of the expansion programme for Plastek, and we already have plans in place to increase our presence further in the future. This expansion has incorporated state-of-the-art technology in all areas so that the factory will continue to run as efficiently as possible and keep up with the exacting demands of our customer’s products,” Mr Shaw adds.

Plastek has also recently invested in new Ferromatik K-TEC injection moulding machines at its Mansfield site. Ranging from 155 to 450 tonne clamp force, the Ferromatik K-TEC Series injection moulding machines cover a range of configurations from single shot to stack-turning cube moulds. Advanced hydraulic systems that can incorporate servo units provide quiet operation. Intuitive, easy to use touchscreen controls ensure effective operation and monitoring throughout. Mould tool longevity is ensuring thanks to a platen and tie bar design that provides reduced deflection and movement.

As a result, lower clamp tonnage can be used with less pressure on the mould tool. This is particularly important where large multi-cavity moulds are used. Plastek also uses cube moulds for high volume production as well as for additional operations such as cooling, inspection, part removal, insert moulding and assembly without adding to the cycle time.

Plastek UK continues to be strong overall and will continue to invest in new equipment and infrastructure and is actively looking at new business acquisitions within Europe. Potential sites and ongoing concerns there have been evaluated for purchase by Plastek and a short list has been drawn up for further action.

Ultimately Plastek has further expansion plans at the European HQ site to double the manufacturing floor. | 174 | Packaging Europe

Global footprint In the UK, the majority of Plastek’s sales are to mainland & eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia and South Africa, and the company also ship as far as the Philippines, Mexico, Singapore and Australia.

“We will expand into any new geographical areas in response to and in line with our customers’ needs. We offer the flexibility and the corporate will to meet the needs of international consumer brands, and have even moved entire production cells from one continent to another in order to accommodate the needs of our customers,” Mr Shaw adds.

Plastek has a deep commitment to its customers. “Without our customers we would not exist, that is a given, but moreover, the way Plastek does business with its customers is the major key to our success. We view them as our partners, and as such we work together in a harmonious and mutually beneficial way, to ensure that the ultimate needs and goals of our customers are met.”

Recent growth “Within Europe we have seen the UK company developing and growing organically – so there have been more sales from existing customers in new areas such as Mexico, Australia and North America, as well as new companies we have been working with for some time now,” Mr Shaw says. “We also see our growth coming from acquisitions in Europe.”

Plastek’s growth has been within all of the sectors it currently serves – i.e. deodorants, laundry, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, household cleaning products and infant nutrition and food.

Growth targets are always changing and evolving and the company will adjust targets as necessary and in line with customers’ needs and expectations.

“Our growth strategy remains aimed at market development with existing customers as well as market penetration, for example continuing to make inroads with new companies to Plastek. Our growth investment, past and planned underlines our commitment to both of these strategies,” Mr Shaw concludes.

Visit: www.plastekuk.com

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Modular packaging machinery made in Germany since 2000 | 176 | Packaging Europe

The German company emkon. Systemtechnik, Projektmanagement GmbH develops, builds and designs high-tech modular and flexible packaging machinery for the food (dry bulk goods), luxury food, tobacco, and cosmetics industries.

Marco Siebel interviewed CEO Andreas Dittrich to find out more.

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he company’s head office is in Kirchlinteln in northern Germany, situated in the triangle Bremen-Hamburg-Hannover. It was founded by Andreas Dittrich and Jörg Lübbehüsen 15 years ago and they are still in charge of the family run business today. The two had already been working together in the packaging industry, notably in the electrical design and development of modular packaging machines.

Different approach to designing machines Since the very beginning of emkon.’s existence its engineers have been focusing on the electronic components (motion control and software) of their machines. The mechanical components are merely the functional necessary surroundings. It is the combination of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering – both disciplines are in-house – that makes emkon. machines famous for their efficiency and speed.

Andreas Dittrich: “emkon. machines are highly customisable because of the modularity of their design, making almost any modification simple, straightforward and economical.”

Customised solutions The emkon. Biscuit Depositor is just one of many innovative packaging modules that was the result of a close cooperation with one of emkon.’s customers – a well-known and major international player in the food industry. Speed & efficient product handling of two very different types of salt and butter cookies with the exact same machine were the main demands for this project. The emkon. Biscuit Depositor is a Pick & Place machine with an integrated robot module, the Flexpicker. The sucker plate takes products from a transport form and lays them in liquid chocolate. Missing products are recognised and

added automatically if needed. The quick fastener allows quick sucker plate exchanges.

This machine was equipped with a state-of-the-art robot, camera and linear transfer technology that work together to fulfill the individual customer’s needs.

Another example that is showing the skills of emkon. in the food industry is the emkon.

Mulitpack machine. It is responsible for the accurate and fast handling of every single one of the 400 million Bahlsen ‘Pick Up!’ snack bars that are being produced every year.

Andreas Dittrich: “The Biscuit Depositor, together with various filler modules and the Labeler emkon. Multipack, are excellent examples of highly innovative solutions for custom made packaging machinery. The key to success for a machine nowadays is to be adaptable to rapidly changing market requirements and, thanks to the flexible and modular design of our machines, this can be achieved in a fast, easy and cost-efficient way. There are no more surprises for a CFO when he’s doing business with emkon.!”

Adhering to the Industry 4.0 design principles The term ‘Industry 4.0’ originates from a project arising from the German government’s high-tech strategy, which promotes the computerisation of the manufacturing industry. It refers to the fourth industrial revolution. One of the characteristics for industrial production in an Industry 4.0 environment is modularity – the flexible adaptation of Smart Factories to changing requirements by replacing or expanding individual modules.

Andreas Dittrich: “Cost decrease and performance increase are our main selling points. Over the past few years demand has changed dramatically in favour of highly flexible equipment built around technology. Customers that come to emkon. are guaranteed to get one of the most flexible machine technology available on the market today.”

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Andreas Dittrich, emkon. CEO

Videojet Technologies

Videojet Technologies Inc. provide the latest in coding and marking technology innovation, committing to deliver quality equipment, supplies, and service designed to perform with maximum reliability, efficiency, ease of operation and little maintenance. Videojet offer over 30 years of knowledge in applying variable data such as best-by dates, production date, lot number and operator information, as well as linear and 2D bar codes onto virtually every possible product packaging, shipping container or pallet.

Application experts help both OEMs and end users to select the right printing solution to deliver optimum performance, while our dedicated service and support teams cover over 135 countries, and are available locally where needed for installation and post-sales support.

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Cost decrease and performance increase – a case study The European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) regulates the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in the European Union. In force since May 2014, the directive has provided uncertainties and restrictions on the tobacco market: do existing machines have to be changed over, or in a worst-case scenario, must they be completely replaced? The requirements of the TPD argue for the modular principle of emkon. The customers do not have to invest in replacing an entire machine park, since they can find the modular machinery their machines are lacking at emkon.

Andreas Dittrich: “Our modular approach makes us way more flexible in designing high quality machines for different and quickly changing business needs and shorter product cycles on the customer’s side. Our customers don’t have to buy a completely new machine or line if production requirements change: they can simply have one of our submodules changed. This way their investments stay on a much lower level, for the same high efficiency and productivity.”

Another module from the emkon. stable is the Bundler emkon. Strike. This is one more example of how emkon.’s modular approach is working in practice: The machine arranges products into various formations and packs these into bundles with different packaging materials such as film, paper or display carton. The modular layout leaves the customers needing only to change the packaging material and an outfeed module – the machine itself stays the same.

Future projects and expansion plans

emkon.’s CEOs have a heart for the future. In 2009 Andreas Dittrich and Jörg Lübbehüsen launched the emforce® foundation, the aim of which is to help high school pupils choose their professional direction. This initiative is highly appreciated in the local area.

Andreas Dittrich: “As a family run business we feel it is our obligation to give something tangible back to the community in which we thrive. In 2004 we had 42 employees.

In 2009 we were 70+ people, and today we are very happy to say that we employ more than 130 people.”

Plans for the next three years include increasing the company’s footprint on the food and cosmetics market. With its more than 10 years of experience in the food sector, and already serving customers from the cosmetics industry, Andreas Dittrich expects double digit increases of market share in both the food and cosmetics sector, especially in the ‘chocolate and/with cookie’ business. The company has been serving customers mainly in Europe. It is setting up a service and sales point in Poland.

Andreas Dittrich: “Our solutions comprise not only the technology and the machinery hardware. We always take into account the future and lifespan of our customers’ existing machines, so that we can design and cater for the future, thus eliminating investment spillage and increasing profitability for our customers.”

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Digital metalliser

in the heart of Europe MetLux SA has been operating since 1996 in Rodange, G.D. of Luxembourg, specialising in the vacuum metallisation of a variety of flexible materials. At the beginning there was one metallising line and one slitter installed in its facility to supply the plastics film industry. Thanks to the continuous investments in both technologies and skills MetLux SA is nowadays a well reputed provider of roll to roll vacuum coating on flexible substrates. Libby White spoke with Mr Valerio Cassio, business development manager of MetLux, to find out more about its solutions and success.

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2014, the company invested several million euros to install a new line (metalliser and slitter/rewinding) up to a maximum width of 2920mm.

“This line permits us to offer wider rolls for special applications requiring coated substrates and it will also contribute to producing material whilst reducing the footprint of the products,” Mr Cassio comments.

Today in the production facility there are five metallisers integrated with additional equipment such as plasma treaters. There are several slitting rewinding lines also equipped with visual inspection systems which permit MetLux to offer the widest range in terms of roll dimensions: from 2900mm to 290mm in width and from 3km to 60km in length.

Wide customer base Metlux has access to different levels of the supply chain due to the nature of its business. Mr Cassio remarks, “We can count our customers from the film makers, producers and converters to the end-users, and provide our solutions to a wide range of customers.”

The main applications of Metlux’s products remain in the food packaging sector. Its solutions are available for dried food, fat food and bag-in-box. Mr Cassio explains, “Cus-

tomers requiring barrier properties for dried food can look to our metallised solutions, and our solutions also cater for fat food requiring properties such as an oxygen barrier.

More and more, we are seeing demand from the beverage industry for our bag-in-box solutions, for wine and juice for example.

“Also, we are receiving increasing interest from the luxury packaging market, as our metallised material can give packaging more on-shelf visibility. We also provide solutions to the labelling industry, such as for wrap-around labels and material for pressure sensitive labels.”

The decorative markets such as labels and board lamination are well supplied by Metlux. “For those industries we are looking after substrates answering the requirements of the growing demand in the digital printing industry,” Mr Cassio adds.

Comprehensive range With a strong background and experience in flexible substrates as well as with knowledge of the vacuum coating process together with a lean and reactive structure, MetLux can be defined as a ‘digital metalliser’.

“This means that we are able to really personalise a metallised material according to the needs of the product and the customer,” Mr Cassio explains. “We can say that we

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“We have a laboratory operating 24 hours a day which is equipped with the latest high-tech instruments designed to characterise and certify the most important material properties.”

can offer at least ‘250 Shades of Grey’, an exciting prospect for the packaging designer, engineers and end-users alike looking for metallised grade materials.”

In its comprehensive portfolio, Metlux offers products based on substrates such as plastics foils (PP, PET, PE, PA), non-woven and textiles. Being able to apply Al coatings from 0.4 to 4 Optical Density, Metlux can also produce from susceptor material to very high barrier material for aluminium foil replacement.

Compostable substrates are also available for companies that require special care of environmental aspects related to packaging. Mr Cassio comments, “Part of our continuous improvement is focused on material down gauging. Today PET 8µm is a common substrate used in our machines.”

Tried and tested Metlux ensures it provides the best products through vigorous testing of its solutions.

“We have a laboratory operating 24 hours a day which is equipped with the latest hightech instruments designed to characterise and certify the most important material properties,” Mr Cassio points out. “Of course, this includes equipment for barrier measurement. In our product range we have solutions that give a water vapour barrier better than 0,4 g/sqm/day at tropical conditions and oxygen permeability lower than 0,4 cc/sqm/day at 23°C; 0% R.H.” For many years, Metlux has been operating to the ISO 9001 certification and offers the highest food-grade and hygiene standards which are guaranteed by the BRC/IoP and AIB (American Institute of Baking) certifications.

Mr Cassio explains that Metlux aims to keep one step ahead, safeguarding the future of the company. “Working groups based on internal resources, in contact with several levels of the supply chain, are following the needs of the markets to remain able to answer with the technologies requested in the future. This is in the respect of the growing sensibilities concerning food safety and sustainability.”

Geared for the future As Metlux is based in Luxembourg, it can rapidly supply the European market. Mr Cassio remarks, “We take advantage of our position in Luxembourg as we can provide to western Europe with ease. We can design a product that matches the needs of our customers rapidly and efficiently due to our very flexible process and expert skill.”

In addition, Metlux relies on a dynamic and multilingual customer service, which works in strong contact with suppliers and customers alike to meet the ever increasing short timelines requested by the market. An important storage facility also permits Metlux to offer logistic solutions to its partners.

Mr Cassio concludes, “We follow the growing demand of certain trends in the markets and are able to adapt our portfolio to the needs of our customers. For example, with the growing interest in sustainable solutions, we were able to offer solutions to our customers through down gauging. Our customers are always looking at new barrier properties that can extend the shelf-life of their products as another example, and we are able to provide them with tailor-made solutions.”

For more information, visit www.metlux.lu Packaging Europe | 183 |

Leader in tissues

and nonwovens

From its new branch office in the very heart of the European tissue valley, Italian company TMC is ready to focus on turnkey technology for the packaging of tissue and nonwoven products – with a particular emphasis on eco-friendliness and expansion into new markets. Daniele Garavaglia talks to sales manager Davide Pasqualotto to find out more.

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stablished only 17 years ago, TMC (Tissue Machinery Company) SpA is a young company that has already achieved an international presence. Headquartered in Bologna, at the heart of the Italian ‘packaging valley’, TMC designs and manufactures packaging lines for tissues (toilet paper and napkins) and non-woven products (nappies, sanitary towels and so on).

According to Mr Pasqualotto: “Since 1997 we’ve been manufacturing machines for primary and secondary packaging, all of which have stood out for their innovation, flexibility and efficiency. That is why our products are widely appreciated in major foreign markets, which absorb 95 per cent of our production.”

TMC’s customers include some of the most important international tissue and non-woven product manufacturers. “From cutting the rolls to their palletisation, TMC supplies machines and complete solutions, processing the product from the log-saw to the warehouse. Roll packers, high-productivity bagging machines and case packers for pack wrapping are the jewel in the crown of TMC technology.

In addition, we supply all the units needed for an efficient packaging line, such as high-capacity roll distributors, transport systems for rolls, packs and bags, handle applicator units, integrated palletisation systems and pallet transport shuttles.”

Non-woven products TMC has recently moved into the world of non-woven products: its offer includes machines for the production of nappies and incontinence pads, wet wipes and facial tissues.

“Two years of scouting and market research have made our Arka business unit for nonwovens an integral part of our core business,” explained Mr Pasqualotto.

TMC also makes packaging lines for nappies, including accumulation systems, bagging machines combining a traditional cutting and sealing concept with an innovative automated feed system and wrapping machines with a new poly-on-poly sealing concept.

For its wet wipes range, TMC supplies secondary packaging lines including innovative integrated systems with automated handling and high-efficiency case packers. For facial tissue products, TMC makes complete lines from folder to pallet, including packers, single-layer and multi-format wrappers and high-speed horizontal cartoners. Progressive machine integration is the most recent technological solution for meeting the needs of customers who are less willing to invest in internal engineering units.

“The evolution from a single machine to turn-key integrated solutions made us develop in two directions: first of all, designing and building new technological components to complete the line; and secondly, finding partners to develop new equipment assemblies. We started collaborating with smaller companies such as APM and CEM in this regard, as well as with globally renowned manufacturers such as Schneider Electric and Rockwell Automation who were able to provide us with cutting-edge electronic automation platforms.

TMC has also developed close relationships with universities. Recently, a graduate from Bologna University received an award for his work on the development of a piece of management software for the preventive maintenance of TMC machines.

“This application was implemented only a few months afterwards and is now built into one of our machines,” adds Mr Pasqualotto.

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New facility for tissue market In October 2014 TMC opened a new operating facility near Lucca, in the very heart of the Italian paper district. Here, clients can visit a large showroom to experience at firsthand how the company’s machines are installed and operate. According to Mr Pasqualotto: “We chose to maximise our efforts and focus on tissue. By opening the new facility in Lucca, we are sending a message to the market. In fact, besides giving us a strong logistical advantage, the new branch will stand us in good stead for the 2015 ‘It’s Tissue’ show – an event held in Lucca in which over 1200 buyers and suppliers from all over the world will be participating.”

Global horizons Of course, the strengthening of TMC’s position in the Italian market goes handin-hand with its growth abroad. In 2014, two important milestones were reached: the first of these concerns the Brazilian market, where the company established AMS do Brasil as a consulting and post-sales support facility; the second was the stabilisation of its presence in China, where representatives were hired to manage TMC’s business and marketing strategies in this huge market. Elsewhere, the company’s interest is also growing in southern Europe and north Africa.

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But TMC is also aware that the road ahead will not be an easy one: there is an increasing demand in the global market for improved quality that will require a technological step-change that only a few companies have prepared for. “We need to empower our customer and enable them to play their game with new weapons: innovation and sustainability. On our side, we are consolidating synergies with our customers’ marketing staff to anticipate new trends and demands,” concludes Mr Pasqualotta.

Visit: www.tissuemachinerycompany.com

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The KL45 from Herzog+Heymann is perfect for miniature folding.

A single-

source provider With 50 years’ experience in manufacturing of folding machines and web-finishing equipment for digital and offset printing, as well as for special solutions, Germany-based MBO Group is a global leader in the industry.

Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Frank Bahmer, the MBO-Group Sales Director, to find out more about what makes the company an expert in its field.

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A Herzog+Heymann line that is suitable for the production of outserts.

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BO was founded in 1965 by businessman Heinz Binder in Oppenweiler, near Stuttgart, where the company’s worldwide headquarters with its R&D, manufacturing, assembling, sales, service, marketing and administration departments are still situated today. In 1984, MBO Portugal was founded, and a manufacturing and assembly plant was constructed in Porto. A year later, MBO America was set up as a sales and service organisation in Marlton in New Jersey. In 1999, a merger between MBO Group and specialist for the finishing of mailings, pharmaceuticals, packaging and customized solutions Herzog+Heymann in Bielefeld created valuable synergies. In 2003, MBO China opened in Beijing as a sales and service organisation. Finally, in 2005, MBO France was founded.

“With five subsidiaries around the world, the company has a global market presence, and is working with dealers across the world as well. The company also has trained service engineers in Oppenweiler, Bielefeld, USA and China,” Mr Bahmer explains.

MBO has been a reliable partner to its customers thanks to its 50 years of worldwide experience.

“We get feedback from our customers on a daily basis, and we are proud that we digest this feedback and learn from it in order to continuously improve our equipment according to customer requests, thanks to our worldwide sales and service network in various European regions, in the US, Canada, South America, Asia and also in Africa. Our

machines are known for their 24/7 reliability. Last but not least, we can combine most of our modules, and we have a good basis to build a wide range of applications for our customers,” says Mr Bahmer.

Impressive expertise One of MBO’s key product ranges focuses on folding machines for conventional offset printing. The company offers a wide range of equipment starting at a width of 35 cm, going up to 165 cm, and up to 18 buckle plates.

“Our folding machines are the fastest in the world. On the one hand, we focus on very specialised customised solutions; on the other, we focus on high productivity and the best investments in the market environment,” Mr Bahmer adds.

As a second product range MBO offers a wide range of digital web finishing equipment like unwinders, rewinders, sheeters, folding units, plow fold stations, ejection modules, split and merge modules, shingle stream modules and shingle stream separation modules. The before mentioned equipment is available for web-widths of 20 and 30 inches in In-Line and Off-Line configuration.

“Due to our modular concept, most of the digital equipment can be integrated in existing production lines. There are various possibilities to combine different modules to create the best configuration in each individual case. In addition, we are able to run at a

This booklet line was shown at Xeikon Café in Antwerp, in March 2015. It contains an Unwinder, Sheeter, Folding Unit and Delivery.

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The headquarter of the MBO Group is situated in Oppenweiler, near Stuttgart (Germany).

very high speed, starting with very thin paper up to 400 gsm, which enables our customers to choose an application that is ideal for them,” Mr Bahmer says.

“Our digital folding units can be ordered with selective, variable or fully variable buckle plates, making a change of the format size and a change of the page count on the fly possible. These technologies enable our customers to produce a real book of one”, Mr Bahmer adds.

MBO’s third major product range is packaging, including mailing and pharmaceutical applications, which is mostly done by MBO’s subsidiary Herzog+Heymann, offering booklet lines or lines for the pharmaceutical industry, with pick and pack, glue, inline die-cutting and fully customised solutions.

As a fourth point, Mr Bahmer mentions the company’s service and spare parts operations are part of all three other parts of the business. “Dedicated service engineers work in Europe, the US and China, which means we are there 24 hours a day for our customers across the world.”

Market strength MBO’s biggest market is Europe, closely followed by North America, and the US in particular, and thirdly mainland China.

“These are our three major markets. Of course, the market is changing permanently, and we keep our eyes open for new markets. We are looking into South East Asia, and Australia, and also are planning to expand business in Canada,” Mr Bahmer says.

He looks to the future with confidence. “We have a great team, great customers, and we build great machinery. We believe in print and packaging, and we do whatever we can to support our customers all over the world. So our outlook towards the future is very positive.”

Visit: www.mbo-folder.com

Continuous innovation MBO regularly works together with customers to find the right applications and solutions for customers’ needs, so innovation is an ongoing process.

“Our most recent innovation is an inline folding gluing application. We are able to create a box with an insert booklet inside in one process, even including cutting. Applications for this technology are mostly within the pharmaceutical industry,” Mr Bahmer points out.

MBO recently showcased its innovations at the Xeikon Café Packaging Innovations event in Belgium in March 2015, and presented the MBO-/Herzog+Heymann digital pharmaceutical leaflet solution, including a UW500 unwinder, a SVC525C sheeter and a KL112.1 folding machine with Delivery 177, to produce a pharmaceutical leaflet with 16 pages, 4 up, on 40gsm from roll, which was well received by visitors.

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A Herzog+Heymann line that is suitable for the production of folders.

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A dual focus As an active player in the packaging sector for 80 years and specialist in the production of technical thermoformed parts for the last 30, Top Clean Packaging has developed an impressive reputation in plastics processing, with a focus on the medtech market. Packaging Europe talks to CEO Franรงois Berry to find out more.

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op Clean Packaging is a company with an international outlook that is continuing to explore new possibilities worldwide. But at the same time it is investing in its own capacity and abilities. Having recently installed France’s biggest ever roll-fed thermoforming machine in a clean room environment at its subsidiary CartoluxThiers, the family group is continuing to build on its history of success.

Based in the French region of Auvergne since 1927, the company’s first products were in a very different field – cut-throat razors. This was followed by a move into the cutlery industry, and from there other markets were explored, including army supplies, chemicals, and finally the company’s current area of specialisation – the medical sector. “We followed the leading markets as they developed and changed, but have always been able to bounce back from difficult periods by being self-questioning,” said CEO François Berry. Today the company’s customers include leading international companies and brands such as Aptar, Baxter, B.Braun, Boiron, Chanel, Dior, GSK, J&J, Merck, Michelin and Sanofi.

Top Clean operates eight factories worldwide, covering a total of 23,000 square metres – 3000 of them clean rooms. Employing 300 staff, the firm’s sales revenue reached 33 million euros last year (10 times the figure of 15 years ago), with 45 per cent of that total down to exports. With facilities in France, Italy and China, the group today consists of six companies, providing complementary solutions for various medical specialities: Thermoforming; thermoplastic injection moulding; clean room liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection moulding; and the recycling of plastic production waste.

Cartolux-Thiers specialises in clean room thermoforming, and produces packaging and thermoformed technical products for the medical and pharmaceutical markets: blisters, mount sheets, trays, clamshells, packaging for surgical kits and other technical packaging. Its products include thermoformed blisters; Tyvek® Lids (printing and cutting); sterilisable foams (cutting and thermoforming) and other wedges. Part of its raw materials comes from Top Clean Extrusion, another group subsidiary specialises in plastic extrusion of foils, supplied in rolls or sheets. Cartolux-Thiers has a sister-ship subsidiary in China, for the Asian market, which develops and produces highly technical thermoformed products. This Chinese unit, Cartolux-Suzhou, was doubled in size in 2011 in response to growing demand for health care packaging, expanding the clean room and adding new technology and new machines.

With their packaging experience, both subsidiaries have developed the “Top Clean Seal” concept. For more than 20 years, Europe’s leading medical packaging company has been designing and developing blister pack and lids which are sealed together; this is the basis of Top Clean Seal technology. It mainly consists in an upgradeable range of customised sealing machines, developed especially for cleanroom. Innovative sealing tools, full process control and repeatable results are available in different sizes and versions of machines on all continents.

Top Clean Injection is focused on thermoplastic injection moulding for the medical and pharmaceutical industry as well as specialises in Liquid Silicon Rubber (LSR) and

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other elastomer injection moulding in ISO7 and ISO8 clean rooms. Its expertise in the thermoplastics processing extends from standard raw materials, like PP, to the more technical such as PEEK, and it is also a medical device manufacturer. This company also provides high technical silicon parts for the medical and pharmaceutical markets, from short runs to high volume production, and from 0.1 to 300 grams part weights. Processed materials range goes from standard (SHA 10 to 80) to the highly technical such as medical-grade silicon, auto-lubricated, auto-adhesive and fluoride silicon.

Top Clean Injection is working closely with Top Tech Italia, the group’s mould manufacturer and LSR specialist, based in Italia near Milan. With twenty years of experience acquired in mould production, process development and liquid silicone rubber moulding, Top Tech Italia specialised in the medical industry, in which the group is a leading figure, but also for other sectors such as electronics, eyewear, lighting, automotive, babycare and food.

Specialised in the grinding of waste from plastics conversion, Top Recycling processes clean and non-polluted industrial waste in order to produce high-quality recycled materials, with guaranteed traceability.

Three key geographic markets Traditionally, the company’s key markets were in Europe: Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy. However, eight years ago it initiated a significant move into Asia with the opening of its Chinese facility. And it has recently entered the Indian market, working with the

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leading Indian medical device company Meril. The international strategy is also reflected in the make-up of the company’s commercial leadership team, which includes members from Italy, Belgium, India and China. François Berry notes that this international outlook is a key part of the company’s strategy. “For us, the most important markets are in Europe, Asia and North America. We have looked at various possibilities in North America, but haven’t yet found the solution that is right for us – although it’s something we are continuing to investigate.” The company recently visited a potential site in Mexico for instance, and is interested in exploring areas around US medtech hubs such as Boston.

In the meantime, the company is focusing on its internal development and R&D. Last year, Swiss company Wrapping Machinery delivered France’s biggest ever thermoforming machine, the FC Speedmaster Plus 1000E, to Cartolux-Thiers. The new machine allows mould dimensions of up to 1060x750mm, and will be used to manufacture thermoformed wedges for the company’s innovative Lo-g Packaging range for fragile objects (computers, bottles, lamps etc), as well as handling trays for the automotive and other industries. The main advantage of the new equipment is that it is much faster than other similar machines on the market, and allows for thermoforming up to a thickness of 2.5mm.

As François Berry notes, the company will continue to develop and enhance its presence in France. “And in order to do that, we will seek out growth in the places where it can be found – that’s to say in international markets.”

Visit: www.topcleanpackaging.com

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On your

marks Globally-active, Spanish-based United Barcode Systems brings its experience of labelling, coding and marking equipment to the packaging market. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Antoni Bonet to learn more.

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ounded in Barcelona in 1994, United Barcode Systems has over 100 employees and subsidiaries in Italy, the US, Mexico and Brazil. A privately owned equity company, it has more than 20 years’ experience in the design, manufacture and delivery of labelling, coding and marking equipment.

Offering a range of technologies, United Barcode Systems proudly uses the statement ‘The Right Choice’ to show how it is always able to create a suitable solution for its customers. CEO Antoni Bonet told Packaging Europe, “We design and manufacture different technologies for high resolution inkjet printers, print and apply labelling equipment and laser coders. We use the latest, most popular technologies for the food and beverage production facilities of major brands worldwide.”

The United Barcode Systems portfolio comprises pallet and cases labelling systems, coding and marking systems including High Resolution inkjet printers and laser coders, software including equipment management and consumables such as ribbons, labels and ink. These products are available for end-of-line, automated secondary packaging and primary production lines. Mr Bonet continued, “We really utilise our state-of-the-art production facilities, of which we have one in Vilassar de Mar in Barcelona, where our head office is located, and another in Sesto San Giovanni in Milan. We also operate a small but very modern plant in Santiago de Queretaro in Mexico. Our main production plant is the Barcelona plant and it is here

that we manufacture the majority of our equipment. The Italian and Mexican plants are also a key part of our operation and here we manufacture some equipment and all of our consumables.”

Capable solutions United Barcode Systems has long been associated with offering highly capable solutions within the automatic identification field. The experience and knowledge it has acquired in automatic printing and identification systems has become crucial in providing global solutions that meet its customers’ needs in labelling, coding and marking. As a leader in these sectors, the company continually develops innovative solutions that address those changing needs. Mr Bonet explained, “After four years of investigation, in 2014 we launched our new high resolution inkjet printer for non-porous surfaces, based on UV LED ink. The system can be easily fitted into any existing production line without the need for layout modification and it allows the customer to print on to any surface, such as coated carton cases, PET wrap packs or plastic sacks or bags with a reliable and crisp printout of images, barcodes and text. It also has Ethernet capability to connect the system to the customer’s IT network and ERP.” Another recent launch from United Barcode Systems is its new ECO oil ink for printing on porous surfaces such as corrugated carton cases, in compliance with FEFCO

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IMI Precision Engineering IMI Precision Engineering is a world leader in motion and fluid control technologies. Wherever precision, speed and engineering reliability are essential; we deliver exceptional solutions which improve the productivity and efficiency of our customers’ equipment.

As a business, we aim to UNDERSTAND our customers’ challenges to DELIVER great solutions that IMPROVE the performance of our customers’ machinery. The long and successful partnerships between United Barcode Systems and IMI Precision Engineering, is a good example of this.

IMI Precision Engineering has a sales and service network in 75 countries, as well as manufacturing and global centres of technical excellence. This, together with an exceptional Express delivery service and a world-class portfolio of high performance products, such as valve islands, filter regulators and rodless cylinders, have been critical factors to become a key supplier of United Barcode Systems. Thanks to a close collaboration IMI Precision Engineering helped UBS to consolidate their leadership in the labelling, coding and marking manufacturers industry.

To find out more on how IMI Precision Engineering delivers GREAT solutions visit www.imi-precision.com

regulations in terms of corrugated carton recyclability. Mr Bonet added, “We are always addressing the ecological requirements of our customers, so as we develop innovative products we also keep a close eye on how the products impact on the environment.”

The latest launch for 2015 is United Barcode Systems’ new laser coder for coding on any surface. Available in powers of 20W and 40W, these laser coders have an 8” touchscreen display and an easy-to-navigate WYSIWYG user interface. Illustrating how the company is proud of its continuous innovation and product development, it is always investing in new equipment and professional development. Mr Bonet said, “Every year we deliver better equipment performance and more cost-effective machinery as part of our mission and compromise with our customers. As we know our customers are always looking for the shortest possible delivery times from us, this year we are focused on really pushing forward our production processes and logistics. We’ve invested in new hardware, a new Vertical Lift Module solution for automated storage and retrieval, and have improved our EMS system and our quality control. It’s all about reliably delivering the best possible product with the best possible service.”

for our customers in all their labelling, coding and marking needs. Since the beginning we have worked with a number of carefully-selected companies in the fields of electronics, pneumatics, mechanics and chemistry so that, together, we have made United Barcode Systems a worldwide servicing company.”

Visit: www. ubscode.com

Ready for growth Set to participate in this year’s Hispack exhibition, United Barcode Systems is very positive about Spain’s growing economy and the opportunities this represents. Furthermore, it expects strong growth in Asia, North America and the Middle East as well as continuing with its traditionally strong markets in western and Eastern Europe.

The company is pleased to note that, thanks to its efficacy and cost efficiency, laser technology is becoming increasingly popular compared to the high maintenance cost of continuous inkjet technology. With double-digit growth expected to continue in the coming years, United Barcode Systems is positive about the future. Mr Bonet concluded, “With an increasingly global presence, we are truly becoming a global solution partner Packaging Europe | 199 |

Leading the way IMP (Imballaggi Materie Plastiche SpA) is a leading Italian contract packer and plastic packaging manufacturer.

Sales director Giampaolo Ferronato talks to Packaging Europe’s Alessandra Lacaita about his business.

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MP was founded in 1952, primarily to produce injection moulded containers for the pharmaceutical industry. Some six decades later the company’s focus is now on contract plastic packaging (jars and bottles), injection mouldings (caps and packages for detergents, cosmetics and food products) for the food and household cleaning industries, and chemical production.

Giampaolo Ferronato says: “We don’t have branded products, but instead develop products for our customers and then the launch is managed by them. We work for companies such as Reckitt Benkiser, Unilever, Bolton, Bolton Manitoba group and Johnson Wax.” | 200 | Packaging Europe

The company has two production sites: the first one, which is the central headquarters, is based in Altavilla Vicentina (Vicenza); while the second is located in Mira (Venezia) within a Reckitt Benkiser plant.

Technology IMP specialises in blow-moulding, screen printing, filling and chemical production. With regards to blow-moulding, it has 46 blowing machines with leakage control units and includes co-extrusion and in-mould labelling plants and injection-stretching blow-moulding units. For its screen printing, hot stamping

and sleeving it has one to six colour units. As for chemical capabilities, IMP operates a chemical laboratory equipped with mixing units and a testing lab that ensures its products meet the necessary requirements.

As Ferronato explains: “With regards to chemical and filling technologies, we produce household cleaning products but also wax, cream, abrasive crème, products for metal cleaning, fabric softeners, washing machine and dishwasher products based on hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, ethyl alcohol and medical and surgical devices.

“IMP’s ability is characterised by a capacity to provide a full service from conception up to the logistical management. We follow our clients in all the design stages,

researching innovative and specific materials suitable for the type of application required and developing the graphic design and structure of the product. So a customer can come to us with his idea and we can develop graphic concepts and the implementation of the industrial product. We prepare the product ready for sale and are able to serve as a logistics platform receiving goods from other contractors and managing the delivery to the final client.”

With regards to plastic container production, IMP serves the automotive (with clients such as Arexon), food (with companies such as Formec Biffi), cosmetic and household detergent markets. Ferronato emphasises the extremely important role suppliers have in production and business. He says: “We are closely linked

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with our suppliers with regard to the innovations and new technologies we can propose to our customers. If a client asks us about a product with sustainable characteristics, we can move between our suppliers and look for compounds that meet those specifications.”

Future growth In addition, the role of IMP’s customers is very important as the company works to respond to their requirements. Ferronato says: “With our clients we are looking for the opportunity to create other production sites and other in-house manufacturing lines, where we can continue the business we have had in these two major areas.

Generally, our investments are focused upon important projects with customers.”

With regard to filling activities, 60 per cent of IMP’s business is in Italy and 40 per cent abroad, while in the blow-moulded product area, 85 per cent of its sales are domestic.

On the subject of future projects, Giampaolo Ferronato remarks: “We are planning an expansion on the European market. I think we will grow by organic expansion. The idea is to strengthen partnerships we have with our existing clients, and then support them in the development of other European markets, developing for them new types of blow-moulding technologies wherever they operate.”

Visit: www.imp-spa.it

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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 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

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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 production 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.

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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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Built to last

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Ultratech was established in Hong Kong in 1985, and today the company has two business units: mould making and custom moulding. Growing with its customers, the company now provides high cavitation moulds for the packaging and medical industries, including airless pumps, liquid pumps, containers, medical connectors and so on. In custom moulding, the company focuses on engineering plastics parts for a range of markets. Packaging Europe spoke with Calvin Tan, CEO, and Simon Cheung, V.P. Sales and Marketing to find out more.

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the very beginning, Ultratech employed just two trainees. Today it has evolved into a high level supplier in China, with three factories employing 800 people. With its head office based in Hong Kong, Ultratech has one tooling shop in Shenzhen and two moulding shops in Dongguan, China. The tooling shop makes about 300 sets of multi-shot or high cavitation moulds per year, of which almost 95 per cent are made for export customers.

From 1987, Ultratech branched out to supply moulds to Detroit in the US, enabling it to learn new skills from experienced over-seas customers. In 1997, noticing a high demand for 2-K parts at the K fair, Ultratech made the decision to expand its overseas markets even further and now services customers all over Europe China and the US.

High quality solutions and equipment With 30 years of experience in mould making, Ultratech provides high fast cycle moulds, from 16 to 64 cavity, for cosmetic packaging and thin wall parts for food packaging.

High cavitation and high productivity moulds for the packaging industry are Ultratech’s strength. Ultratech uses the latest equipment in its facilities. For example, it has invested in a cylindrical grinder from Kellenberger and Jones Shipman (Hardinge HG-U1000) with an accuracy of 0.001mm when it comes to roundness. This equipment increases Ultratech’s competitiveness in the area of high cavitation moulds, and the interchangeability is easy.

The company also uses components such as HUSKY and Moldmasters hot runners, HASCO, PCS and Progressive, and conforms to relevant European standards and SPI/

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SPE classes (101, 102 and so on). The tooling size matches 6–500 tonne injection machine. Using only the highest quality mould materials, Ultratech also relies on major steel suppliers such as Assab/Uddenholm, Thyssen and Bohler steel.

Ultratech keeps ahead of its competitors by using the latest technologies on the market: for example, it is now working with different partners in the industry to provide turnkey solutions, like defect less high gloss solution from Roctool, H&C, PEGASO‌. it is the RJG training partner in the south of China, where it tests the moulds in a highly scientific way using viscosity tests, gate freeze tests, filling balance tests and cooling tests. It also operates a 4–8 hour production run to verify and validate tooling productivity, as well as hot and cool facilities.

Strong service Ultratech works closely with its customers to develop parts and products and uses concurrent engineering methods, product design review, Moldflow, APQP and FMEA to decrease the product development time, whilst improving productivity and reducing costs at the same time. All the moulds Ultratech builds are based on customer requirements and its own innovation. It takes responsibility for every stage of the process, from design to mass production, and is always looking to improve upon its existing methods and technologies.

The company delivers high quality products with short and on-time deliveries, whilst at the same time offering competitive pricing. With strong international project management skills, early design involvement and concurrent engineering, Ultratech ensures that it develops strong partnerships with its customers.

Looking forward to the next year, Ultratech will focus on its multi-shot and high cavitation moulds, with a projected 40 per cent increase in output.

For more information, visit www.ultratech.com.hk

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Tailor-made packaging machinery Arodo bvba is an international player in the packaging machinery market, and has been providing its expertise in the design and manufacture of customised machines for many years. The company produces its own complete filling lines, palletisers and stretch hood systems. Libby White spoke with Mr Bob Bergmans, marketing director, and Mr Jan van Noort, Sales Director Benelux & UK to find out more about its unique offerings and latest innovations. | 214 | Packaging Europe

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rodo was founded in 1988 by Henk Mariën and Piet van Doormaal. Its headquarters are situated in Arendonk, Belgium. It also has a construction facility in Reusel, the Netherlands and a coating company named Allco in Arendonk. Mr Bergmans comments, “Starting with just the two of them Arodo has grown into a leading company with over 100 dedicated and well qualified employees. It supplies its customised packing lines globally and has very diversified customers, from construction to food and from chemicals to feeds.”

Company strengths One of Arodo’s key strengths is its ability to be flexible in the solutions it offers, Mr van Noort explains: “Production from A to Z is done by Arodo itself, from the first design on the drawing board to implementing the final installation at the customer’s factory. Specific problems can be solved through individual customised solutions that perfectly meet the customer’s demands. Arodo is also able to modify the equipment owing to changes in the customer’s facility; for example if there is a need for increase in production capacity or the use of new packing materials.”

The service department is a key factor in Arodo’s business philosophy and objectives. Mr van Noort continues, “The service department is highly praised due to

its short time leads, well qualified engineers and structural solutions in solving any risen problem.” Research and development is also a very important element within Arodo’s activities. It strongly believes in continuous innovation through spending time, effort and money in its R&D program.

Developing unique offerings The company’s focus consists of three product applications: filling, palletising and protecting bags. The (big) bag filling machines are constructed for various bag weights and offer up to a 1500 bag per hour capacity. The lines can be applied to all types of bags. “With regards to the transport system, bag hanging technique, weighing component, and sealing technique, all kinds of modifications can be installed to ensure a unique machine,” Mr Bergmans says.

Arodo has a complete line of various palletisers, and according to the demands on the stacking of the bags it offers specific solutions. Different techniques can be used to construct a machine that best benefits the customer’s demands. Capacities of up to 3000 bags per hour can be achieved and even more if multiple lines are installed.

Arodo has also developed a unique stretch hooding machine for pallets with bags. Mr Bergmans comments, “It offers perfect protection against dust and Packaging Europe | 215 |

moisture and can be used as a marketing tool by printing a logo on it. Further advantages consist of more solid and well-shaped stacking.”

The latest development is a unique 2-step technology for the vacuum packing of cement and food products resulting in a significantly longer shelf life. The Arodo Arovac patented vacuum bagging system produces fully de-aerated waterproof packs for solids, using standard tube foil. The capacity can be customised to the customer’s requirements.

Mr Van Noort explains the benefits of the Arovac: “This system gives the possibility of outside storage of cement products as it is waterproof. For both food and cement products it also offers advantages regarding less spillage, no smells, lower packing costs, better stackable packs and longer shelf life. No perforation is required in the bag.”

Markets and expansion In 2011, Arodo’s capacity was increased by 2000 square metres, which in total increased the production capacity, assembly and overall site. Mr Bergmans explains, “Before the expansion we were struggling with a lack of space and logistical issues; however since our capacity has increased our overall work flow has improved.”

Arodo’s main geographical market is Europe, and in particular Benelux. Mr Bergmans adds, “Nevertheless all other countries in Europe are being supplied with the Arodo packing lines. Arodo has offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland and has agents in various other countries. Next to Europe, Arodo targets the US and Asia.”

Mr Jan Van Noort explains, “We do not focus on only one market, but on custommade packaging lines which can be applied to all kinds of industries. For example, we serve a wide variety of applications from construction, chemicals, food and feed to agriculture, and our solutions are perfectly suited to dry goods materials.”

He concludes, “Owing to the fact that we do not focus on only one market, over the next few years our developments can be wide ranging. For some of our develop| 216 | Packaging Europe

ments we not only work together with the polyethylene film suppliers but also with the resin suppliers. We have just started looking at the long-term development of a thinner film, which will offer significant cost-efficiency to our customers. We are also of course always focusing on the reliability of our machines. The feedback from customers is very important for us and we will continue to develop tailor-made n solutions that address the needs of the market.”

For more information, visit www.arodo.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 FOCOSŽ, 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 company’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.”

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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. | 220 | 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

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Modified Atmosphere Packaging Specialist Offering technology for gases for 70 years, German global player WITT, an expert in Modified Atmosphere Packaging, delivers high quality gas control and gas safety equipment to customers in the food production and other industries. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to managing director Martin Bender to learn more.

Martin Bender,

WITT headquarter in Witten, Germany

Managing Director

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ounded in Witten, Germany in 1945 by Paul Witt, WITT-Gasetechnik GmbH & Co KG is still a family-owned, technology-driven company with a clear focus on providing excellence in machinery for gas applications. Continual and strategic growth in the following seven decades have created a much-respected international company with a reputation for consistently providing innovative gas technology products for various industrial applications.

WITT’s product portfolio has been founded on an impressive number of inventions and patents, all of which have been motivated by the company’s desire to innovate and meet customer’s individual requirements. Martin Bender explained: “Working with our partners worldwide, discussing various applications and understanding the challenges they face – and how we can fix them – is a key aspect of how we distinguish ourselves from the competition. Our exceptionally strong history in Modified Atmosphere Packaging solutions and working with technology for gases is our advantage.”

MAP solutions Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is an area of growing importance providing packed goods with a longer shelf life, greater freshness, taste and colour. Martin Bender explained, “Quality management is at the heart of everything we do. Our MAP solutions have been specifically designed to work with food producers to address the costly and | 222 | Packaging Europe

important issue of safe food packages.” The WITT portfolio offers solutions for the whole packaging process including quality control – gas mixers, gas analysers, leak detectors and ambient air monitors.

During the packaging process the ambient air is replaced by a special gas or gas mixture. Modern WITT gas mixing systems create highly precise gas mixtures, can be easily integrated into various packaging machines, have low power consumption and low maintenance. But first of all they offer the highest flexibility levels. Different gas mixtures can quickly be achieved with the push of a button. In addition, using gas mixers means a cost benefit compared with using pre-mixed gases. For quality control purposes, gas mixers can be combined with online gas analysers for permanent control.

Gas mixers and analysers for high process safety Following the packaging process the correct mixing ratio can be tested via a sample check. Nearly every company working with modified atmosphere packaging is using this kind of quality control. WITT offers several versions of gas analysers depending on the customer’s requirements. The bestseller is the mobile headspace analyser OXYBABY® O2/CO2. Via a needle the analyser takes a sample from within the package. After a few seconds the user gets a precise result. Owing to its minimum sample gas requirements the OXYBABY® allows even the smallest of modified atmosphere packages to be

Mobile headspace analyser OXYBABYÂŽ O2/CO2

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Package leak detection with a bubble test - LEAK-MASTER® EASY

MAP gas mixers - flexible and economic

tested. In order to achieve consistently accurate results, there is a permanent flow control with automatic alarm in the event of needle or filter blockage. As an alternative WITT offers a new solution using an innovative sensor technology. Martin Bender explains: “Based on an optical sensor technology our latest development OXYSPOT enables fast and precise measurements of oxygen concentration without the need to take a gas sample. We offer three versions: for non-invasive testing and long-term measurement, with a needle for the smallest packs with low gas volume and for permanent control during the packaging process.”

While many of WITT’s customers appreciate its ‘off the shelf ’ products, the company is also highly experienced in developing and delivering customised solutions. Many of its customers are active in the food market, particularly baked goods, meat, dairy and convenience foods, but it is also active in delivering special application solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, chemical and automotive sectors. Mr Bender said, “Our portfolio for Modified Atmosphere Packaging is perfectly in tune with the needs of all food producers; invariably they’re invested in this area and their products need to be safe.

But we also work closely with a number of manufacturers outside the food production sector as WITT technology ensures safety and quality across industry sectors.”

WITT exports nearly 70 per cent of its products to more than 60 countries worldwide, with key markets across Europe and in the US. With subsidiaries in Spain, France, Poland, the UK and the US all playing a key role in providing fast, effective technical support and maintenance, WITT also operates a number of strategic partnerships all over the world. Martin Bender concludes, “This smart network of subsidiaries and partners allows us to offer global support and service to our customers. We work with all our partners to ensure that their product knowledge and application knowledge is perfectly positioned with WITT subsidiaries and representatives and this will continue to support our growth. We see great opportunities for expansion worldwide as the issue of safe packn aged food is ever-present.”

Package leak detection is essential But all these solutions and efforts are useless when the package is leaky. For the high important package leak testing WITT provides the LEAK-MASTER® series with solutions for all types of packaging – with modified atmosphere or vacuum. LEAK-MASTER® leak detection systems have been proven and tested for many years worldwide as reliable, secure, user-friendly and extremely robust. The user has the choice between systems for sample or in-line testing, based on CO2 or with a bubble test.

LEAK-MASTER® EASY features leak detection without the need for trace gases. The package is placed into the chamber filled with water. Then the head space above the water level is evacuated using a venturi vacuum (compressed air) system, and the package immersed in water inflates. If there is a leak, air or filling gas escapes as a visible stream of bubbles, so it’s easy to find out where the package is leaking.

The LEAK-MASTER® PRO uses CO2 as a trace gas – the same gas that modified atmosphere packages normally contain as part of the protective atmosphere. The package is placed into the chamber, and the chamber is evacuated. In the event of a leak, gas flows from the package. Highly sensitive gas sensors detect even the smallest leaks within a few seconds, and the package will not be damaged. With a special WITT control software package, the measurement documentation can be integrated into the overall quality system. All results including date, time, product details and user name can additionally be sent to MS-Excel. LEAK-MASTER® MAPMAX is the in-line version of the LEAK-MASTER® PRO using CO2 as a trace gas – a 100 per cent testing method connected directly to the packaging process. Thus, not a single leaking package gets to the customer. With a speed of up to 15 cycles per minute and the testing of cartons or shipping cases, the LEAK-MASTER® MAPMAX provides a complete in-line leak detection for the highest safety.

Highest quality and customised solutions All of WITT’s products are manufactured in Germany according to the strictest quality control standards, having gained the internationally-recognised Quality Management System ISO-9001 back in 1990 (one of the first German companies to gain this status).

All WITT products for the food industry are also manufactured to the ISO 22000 food safety standard. | 224 | Packaging Europe

In-line leak testing with LEAK-MASTER® MAPMAX - 100% control, 100% safety

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From field

to table

As the largest privately owned company in Croatia, Agrokor Group has almost 60,000 employees and reported consolidated revenues reaching HRK 54 billion. With its business model linking agriculture and production, Agrokor ensures its customers enjoy a wide range of fresh domestic products. Through its strong distribution chain supplying a network of modern retail stores buyers are provided with an excellent service and budget-friendly grocery shopping.

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he Agrokor Group’s core businesses are the production and distribution of food and beverages and retail. Corporate members include: Jamnica d.d., Croatia’s largest producer of mineral water; Ledo d.d., Croatia’s leading ice cream company; Zvijezda d.d., the biggest domestic producer of oil, margarine and mayonnaise; PIK Vrbovec d.d., Croatia’s leading agricultural and industrial company; and leading retail chains Konzum d.d. and Poslovni sistemi Mercator d.d.

The leading positions of Agrokor’s companies are reflected in their dominant market shares. Ledo dominates Croatia’s ice cream market. Zvijezda enjoys the biggest share of the margarine and edible oils market, while Jamnica fronts Croatia’s bottled water market. Konzum is Croatia’s biggest retail chain and PIK Vrbovec is the leading meat company in the region.

Corporate values across the group The Agrokor Group’s vision is to be an internationally recognised company setting new standards of excellence in all its areas of activity. These goals will be achieved by focusing on sustainable development to drive growth and staying committed to its key corporate values.

Agrokor is dedicated to vertical integration from agriculture to the manufacture of end products. It offers customers an extensive range of fresh and healthy domestic products.

Furthermore, it is proud to offer a professional and friendly service, a pleasant shopping atmosphere and reasonable prices in its network of modern retail stores.

The success of the group’s corporate members is closely linked to fruitful partnerships with suppliers and customers, who share the common goal of increasing added value in a sustainable manner.

Management systems and certificates Agrokor has implemented a Quality Management System in accordance with multiple ISO standards and requirements, as well as internal control systems based on HACCP, guaranteeing its customers safety and traceability according to the Field-to-Table concept.

For agricultural companies, the emphasis is on switching towards raw material monitoring and control through the Global G.A.P. standard that prescribes good agricultural practices and represents the key element in managing agricultural processes and processing.

An increasing demand for Halal and Kosher certificates incited a majority of Agrokor companies to expand certification to those segments. Now Belje, Dijamant, Ledo Čitluk and PIK Vrbovec are Halal certified and Jamnica, Ledo, PIK Vinkovci, Solana, Sojara, Zvijezda, Belje, Irida and PIK Vrbovec are certified Kosher.

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Agrokor’s Food Business Group is responsible for ensuring that all quality and health requirements are met, in order to guarantee a high level of consumer health safety. Continuous improvements are confirmed by successful recertification processes and audits showing that suitable corrective and significant preventive measures are being implemented. Educational processes in the field of food quality and safety have been continued on all business and operational levels, focusing on control, development and new technologies and active involvement in cooperation with Campden Association from England.

Integrated management A systematic approach to quality planning, assessment and management is adopted across the Agrokor Group.

In 2012 the following systems were certified: VUPIK – the successful certification of a first QMS in 2012 according to Global Good Agricultural Practice standard in vegetable growing; Nova Sloga, Trstenik – a HACCP certificate awarded to the Mivela production line for the production of natural mineral water rich in magnesium; PIK Vinkovci – the construction of a new refrigeration facility for onion storage in accordance with European standards; the first successful certification of GG in cattle farming; Konzum BiH – initiated certification process according to the

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HACCP system (basic HACCP system requirements for 48 facilities of varied use); and Jamnica – continued cooperation with NATO through re-certification according to their standard.

Environmental management system Agrokor focuses on the implementation and maintenance of integrated management systems, in accordance with international standards and requirements (ISO 9001:2008, HACCP, ISO 22000:2005, OHSAS 18001:2007, Global GAP, etc.) including the EMS (environmental management systems) ISO 14001:2004. In 2012 the requirements of ISO 14001 were met by two new companies within Agrokor Group: Konzum d.o.o. in Bosnia and Herzegovina and IDEA d.o.o. in Serbia. With that certification, in addition to Croatia’s Konzum d.d., the two retail companies have become the only EMS-certified retail chains in their respective countries.

When investing in new technologies, Agrokor is particularly dedicated to product quality and safety, as well as the reduction of its environmental impact. There are currently 20 EMS Lead Auditors and about 220 EMS Internal Auditors in The Agrokor Group. Furthermore, EMS not only ensures a safe, sustainable and clean working environment for all employees, but also extends to consumers, business partners, suppliers and cooperates and the entire social community.

All group companies continually optimise their technological processes, with the aim of optimising the use of natural resources and to achieve the rational use of raw materials. Recent examples of Agrokor’s work in the area of environmental management are the projects carried out by Ledo in Čitluk and Zvijezda. Systematic waste management has been upgraded at all locations. Overall, the volume of municipal solid waste has been reduced through the improved collection of particular types of waste. Numerous new disposal units and containers have been put into service and new sites for more efficient and selective waste collection have been arranged.

Following the initial launch of Eco Corner (Eko-kutak) in Jamnica, Sarajevski kiseljak also formed its own Eco Corner as a special facility for the selective disposal of all kinds of waste. In PIK Vinkovci a special eco warehouse for hazardous waste was built at Lipovac. Projects for the improvement of technological wastewater quality are currently under way. At Agrolaguna’s Sirana site a new system for the purification of industrial wastewater was implemented. At Irida the reconstruction, expansion and equipping of a wastewater treatment plant has been put in train.

Agrokor-energija has worked intensively on activities related to the use and application of renewables. Gradec, located near Vrbovec, was the company’s first biogas plant; this represents the most eco-friendly method of transforming waste to energy

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and organic feedstock is transformed into three products: organic fertiliser, heat energy and electricity. Gradec was just the first in a line of biogas plant investment projects scheduled for implementation. In addition, after the success of the solar electricity system installed on the roof of the Konzum maxi shop in Sopot, six new PV Solar Systems are planned for installation.

Innovation and R&D Innovation is a very important for all companies within the Agrokor Group. It continually strengthens its R&D activities by developing new products or improving on existing processes. Focusing on innovation as an important part of business strategy brings a comparative advantage to the group’s companies in an increasingly demanding, highly competitive marketplace.

R&D activities within the Agrokor Group are organised through research and development centres within individual companies, according to specialised fields.

This allows for the development of expertise within specific teams and allows them to stay abreast of consumer trends and new technology developments.

New product development strategies are based on recognising customer priorities. They are focused on improving ingredients and flavours, their health and functionality, as well as improving packaging for the purpose of extending product freshness, shelf life and convenience.

In early 2013 Agrokor signed a cooperation agreement with the company NineSigma, one of the pioneers in the open innovation concept. Through this agreement, Agrokor Group gained access to the largest worldwide network of innovators and a knowledge base spanning many different industries and technical disciplines. With this investment came the adoption of a new innovation strat-

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egy – open innovation – which will be continuously strengthened and applied across all business processes. Its aim is to strengthen R&D capacity to integrate new knowledge, expand the product portfolio and implement innovative solutions to successfully meet the challenges of the future.

Visit: www.agrokor.hr

Online Planner

‘my easyDay’ designs

individual trade fair tours

The ‘World of Packaging’ comprising the trade fair trio of ‘Empack’, ‘Packaging Innovations’ and ‘Label&Print’ will be unveiled on 25–26 March 2015 in Zürich with a fresh new look and inspired by practical concepts. ‘Myeasyday’, for example, is a new visitor service provided by Easyfairs: Individual tour suggestions make it easier to find your way round the trade fair halls and gives you rapid access to programme highlights and the exhibitors of your choice.

3D print technology can be experienced live by participants in the workshops of 3D-Model AG.

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Participation in the workshops is free of charge but numbers are limited. You can register using the registration form on the website www.empack-zuerich.com

Printing and packaging ideas with added value

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lan your trade fair visit according to your individual requirements: this is made possible by the new online tool from Easyfairs – ‘my easyDay’. Depending on your area of interest you can plan a half or full day at the trade fair in advance.

The suggested tours are aimed at different focal points and three types of trade fair visitor: classic, trendsetting or specialists. “In this way Easyfairs caters to the individual needs of visitors, makes it easier for them to find their way around and drawing their attention to suitable programme highlights,” explains Martina Hofmann, Event Director for the Easyfairs packaging trade fairs in the DACH region. For those who would prefer a more personal approach, guided visitor tours run throughout the trade fair, starting at the Meeting Point by the entrance at 11am and 3pm on Wednesday 25 March and at 11am on Thursday 26 March. More information: www.myeasyday.com

3D Workshops demonstrate three dimensional facts Printed food like something from a science fiction laboratory, three dimensional prototypes and innovative implants: 3D print technology offers a revolutionary approach to traditional manufacturing processes while at the same time opening up whole new perspectives. The workshops of 3D-MODEL AG at the ‘World of Packaging’ on 25–26 March 2015 in Messe Zürich provide answers to many questions. The workshops take place on the stand of 3D-Model AG (Hall 3, Stand D08) and are tailored to various themes and sectors: • The workshop entitled ‘3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing in the Pharmaceutical Industry’ (Wednesday, 25.3.15,10 am) deals with the potential applications of 3D printing technology for anatomically printed models or implants with controlled slow release of active ingredients.

• ‘Additive Manufacturing in the Food Industry’ is the theme of the workshop on Wednesday, 25.3.15 at 1.30 pm and Thursday, 26.3.15 at 10 am. These include demonstrations of the production of food at the touch of a button, either for decorative purposes or personalised nutrition, tailored to the dietary requirements of the individual consumer.

• The workshop ‘3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing in the Graphics Industry’ takes place on Thursday, 26.3.15 at 1.30 pm. This workshop looks at the challenges facing graphic designers and printing works due to the growing use of 3D printing technology.

What does the future hold for this sector? What is already possible today? Where do the limits of technology lie?

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Visitors will find inspiration for contemporary packaging solutions at ‘Label&Print’, the trade fair specialising in printing, labelling and finishing technology. This is making its debut in Zürich on 25–26 March 2015. Issues of the moment include finishing, which is playing an increasingly important role in all packaging material. The ideal solution combines sustainability and elegance with high tech production. On the issues of print and the graphics industry, ‘Label&Print’ will be presenting innovative solutions as well as new methods and technologies. The target audience consists of printers, finishers, label and packaging designers as well as advertising creatives.

Key themes of the trade fair include product personalisation. New manufacturing and printing processes such as digital printing make it possible to produce small quantities to suit individual customer requirements at an affordable cost. The market is experiencing a strong demand for such customised packaging solutions; the interest in finding new solutions is correspondingly great on all sides – from print service providers, packaging specialists and agencies alike.

Today’s demanding customers expect products to be sustainably produced and recyclable. For that reason, new materials and functional coatings play just as big a role at ‘Label&Print’ as innovations in terms of function – such as labelling, expiry dates and protection against forgery. Here, too, visitors will find a whole range of suggestions, innovations and specialist providers, who will be at hand to answer any questions. For more information visit www.lp-zuerich.ch ‘Label&Print’ welcomes well-known companies such as Graphax AG (Hall 3, Stand C13) – a leading provider of complete solutions for corporate-wide print workflow in B2B. ‘Workflow Optimisation’ and ‘sRGB colour printing’ are two central themes on the Graphax AG stand. Print service providers face increasing challenges as a result of the changing media environment and enormous pricing pressures.

Graphax demonstrates various strategies that can be used to improve added value; on the one hand with a system that opens doors for print service providers in terms of cross-media marketing, and on the other hand with a print production server that can control all the print systems in an optimum colour space. As the Swiss general importer of Konica Minolta, Graphax AG is in a position to offer highly innovative solutions together with top quality hardware for any requirement. Visitors to the trade fair can experience the UV spot coating in a new dimension on the Graphax stand with the brand new Jetvarnish 3DS from Konica Minolta. Whether you need a thin protective coating across the whole product or a spot finish with astonishing 3D effects, the Jetvarnish 3DS system has the perfect solution. It doesn’t matter what the substrate is or what print technology you use – offset, digital toner, screen or letterpress printing. (www.graphax.ch)

See brands come to life at ‘Packaging Innovations’ Stylish and elegant or eccentric through to retro: At ‘Packaging Innovations’ the focus is all on fascinating packaging solutions that captivate the consumer. On display are original and sophisticated designs that generate genuine added value. Here visitors from the fields of Design, Marketing, Advertising, Sales and Purchasing can find inspiration for their work and put their specialist questions to real experts.

What are the current trends? In Zürich and elsewhere, the desirable ‘elegant’ look is no longer restricted to luxury or premium products. Knowing that looks are important when selling a product, no holds are barred when it comes to the finishing: special effects and embossed foils, innovative materials, personalisation, emotional colour

schemes or high quality paper can all act as brand ambassador. The trade fair provides an opportunity to discuss the latest brand packaging that sends active electronic messages at Point of Sale (PoS), tailored to the individual consumer. The retro look is still bang on trend and highly profitable to boot: retro packaging stirs the emotions and because it stands out for being ‘different’ from the modern mainstream, it is also an ideal way for small providers to differentiate themselves at PoS. Consumer protection and sustainability continue to be perennial themes. At ‘Empack’ and ‘Packaging Innovations’, visitors will find a varied range of specialist providers to suit all trends, with innovative solutions for future-proof products and services.

The stage is perfectly set for exhibitors at ‘Packaging Innovations’ in Hall 6. Once again, a whole series of premium international exhibitors have registered for an exclusive presentation of high quality packaging solutions at the Passion for Packaging Plaza. The popular Champagne Bar will again be a highlight and focal point of the Plaza in 2015.

Packaging Blog live with ‘LOOK & LIKE’ Different packaging options are showcased at «Packaging Innovations» in a way that is not just haptic but also visual, by tapping into social media – as demonstrated by Sandra Tennemann and Laura Haberkorn with their Packaging Blog LOOK & LIKE (www.lookandlike.de). They provide visitors with the latest news and highlights from

the trade fair, both online and offline. The innovative LOOK & LIKE stand ‘Packaging Circus’ represents a particularly striking special exhibition: the structural elements and partition walls as well as the furniture of the ‘All-In Cardboard’ stand concept are made entirely of corrugated paper. ‘All-In Cardboard’ is a concept of the Vienna start-up design studio Papertown and is likely to be used more and more frequently at future Easyfairs trade fairs as a sustainable, design-oriented and innovative stand solution. “The cardboard building elements are easy to put together, offer a fresh, new idea and are designed to be taken away and reused,” says Event Director Martina Hofmann.

Get your FREE TICKET now!

More than 4000 specialist visitors are expected to attend the ‘World of Packaging’ on 25-26 March 2015 in Zürich. Whether you are keen on networking or doing business, the main Swiss packaging event with around 250 exhibitors and a varied supporting programme once more promises interesting novelties, efficient know-how support and exciting encounters.

The regular two-day ticket costs 30 CHF. Visitors can visit the three specialist trade fairs ‘Empack’, ‘Packaging Innovations’ and ‘Label&Print’ free of charge if they register online in advance at www.verpackung-zuerich.ch. The code for the free ticket is 7909.

Book online now for your free ticket!

Visit: www.pi-zuerich.ch

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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.

“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.

Digital spot varnishing

Full surface 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.”

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 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.”

The future is digital As everyone knows, today’s market conditions – hunger for shorter runs, on-demand 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.

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. “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

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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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Everything covered Kablonex, from Chodziez, is Poland’s leading producer of plastic products, particularly polyethylene films and shrink films. Dariusz Balcerzyk talks to company owner Oskar Nawrocki to find out more.

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ABLONEX was founded in 1971 in Chodziez, a small town in the Wielkopolska region. Since the beginning it has been a family run business run on only Polish capital. “The fact that it is a family business makes our decision-making process very short. In addition, the crew is very integrated,” begins Mr Nawrocki.

Initially KABLONEX dealt with the production of cables. The company’s greatest achievement in this period was the supply of cables to the Warsaw Underground.

“Since then a lot has changed: the technology, the market, the needs of our customers. Time, however, has proven to be our ally. From a small company we have grown to employ 120 people. We have modern production facilities focusing on the manufacture of film, warehouse facilities and our own logistics network. With our highly qualified staff and professional facilities with the latest technologies we are sure that the quality of our products will satisfy even the most demanding customers. We listen very carefully to the needs of our clients because they know what they want. We are very flexible which means we can adjust products and processes to meet individual needs. Amongst our key suppliers, we use Rossini for long repeats of very stiff carbon fibre adapters.”

A versatile producer The company’s stated mission is to be the leader in the central and eastern European film market. Currently KABLONEX is one of the most recognised brands in the shrink films sector, as well as being the leader in the production of multilayer films. It specialises in the production of shrink films, packaging films, polyethylene bags, bubble film, shrink hoods, HDPE films and POD films.

Shrink film is used for the bulk packaging of products on automatic lines in the food, metallurgy and construction industries, amongst others. It exhibits excellent physical parameters (size and thickness) which can be modified in order to meet the needs of the customer. Foil packaging is used in almost every industry to protect goods from dirt and damage as well as harmful atmospheric conditions.

KABLONEX is able to print in up to eight colours on its plastic packaging films. These printed films are used for packaging a wide range of products. The printing width depends on the customer’s needs and can range from 100 to 1800mm. Printed plastic bags are used for products such as dry goods, peat, food, gravel, sand, mattresses, furniture and much more. They are also perfectly suited for welding to form a tight, hermetic package.

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ROSSINI enlarges production capacities for flexosleeves

The Italian sleeve and roller manufacturer is presently enlarging the production capacities in Romania, to cope with the continuously growing demand for flexo sleeves, whereas Rossini Spain sets the main focus on the production and development of high modulus carbon fiber adapters, being supplied to both, OEM and end customers for high speed flexo printing.

Rossini, founded in 1928 by the father of today’s owner Felice Rossini, is a leading supplier of sleeves for flexographic and gravure printing and converting with 7 production facilities in Europe, America and Asia, and therefore a strong partner for all multinational companies.

The product range covers conductive and non-conductive plate sleeves and carbon fiber adapters for flexographic printing, as well as tapered Speedwell Sleeves and rubber rollers for gravure printing, coating and lamination. Additionally Rossini offers Equipments, such as a modular Sleeve Storage, the Prima grinding machine and the Evolution central drum cleaner.

Visit: www.rossini-spa.it

Hoods, meanwhile, are suited for securing palletised goods. Bubble films if the most economical form of packaging for the movement of products which can be easily damaged, such as porcelain, leather furniture and so on.

HDPE film is used for protecting goods against potentially damaging external conditions such as water, dust and so on. It is used in virtually every sector of the economy, from furniture and construction to food & drink. It is stronger and more robust than LDPE with a higher melting point, higher barrier to gases and higher chemical resistance.

POD film is used to create bulk packaged products on automatic lines for the food, metallurgy, construction and other industries. This film was developed as a response to the market demand for a product with improved physical properties and combined with minimum thickness.

“The global trend is for more ecological packaging polymers with a lower environmental impact. Our premium product, which is KABLONEX POD foil (our patented polymer blend) is able to achieve unusually high shrinkage with extremely low thickness levels. This means packaging film consumption drops by 30 per cent, translating to significantly less damage to the environment. This foil is produced using machines from the industry leader Windmöller & Hölscher,” says Mr Nawrocki.

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KABLONEX also produces high-quality, three-layer and five-layer films using stateof-the-art machines from companies such as GHIOLDII and MACCHI. In 2010 the company invested in machinery for the production of five-layer and HDPE films. The granules it uses as raw material are purchased from several well-known suppliers including Basell, Sabic, TVK Poland and Total. The company also maintains a close research partnership with the Poznan University of Technology.

Future-proof investment KABLONEX’s annual sales in 2014 were estimated at PLN 80 million (more than €20 million). Its production capacity reached 12 tonnes in 2013 – a figure which is likely to increase by 15 per cent when the 2014 year-end numbers are in.

It is also expected that the company will increase its production capacity by 50 per cent in 2015 thanks to a recent major investment. Worth €5 million, and partly financed by EU funds, it includes the construction of a new, modern production hall equipped with six powerful five-layer extruder machines from Windmöller & Hölscher.

Mr Nawrocki concludes: “For us, this is a truly historic investment which will allow us to make a giant technological leap forward into the future.”

Visit: www.kablonex.pl

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IPA AWARDS closes its 1st edition The first ever edition of the IPA AWARDS honoured some of the leading specialists and took places as part of the Packaging Innovations Madrid event.

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he first edition of the IPA AWARDS took place on 5 November 2014 as part of Packaging Innovations Madrid. The event was organised by easyfairs Iberia, Veredictas International and Sponsored by Derprosa, an agency specialising in the management of awards for excellence and high quality standards.

The ceremony was attended by contestants, designers and specialised trade media, as well as the winners themselves there to receive their well-deserved prizes.

It should be pointed out, for the record, that only one of the winners was unable to attend the ceremony owing to their location in Sweden.

The international nature of the IPA AWARDS is reflected in both the jury – which included members and associations from various different countries – and the contestants who represent five different nations from throughout Europe and America.

You can check the images of the winners and selections of the different categories in the website: http://www.veredictas.com/awards/ipa-awards-eng/awards-andselections/2014-edition.html For more Info check: IPA AWARDS, easyFairs, Veredictas Internacional.

CAPSA RE-INVENTS CLOSING CARDBOARD BOXES Capsa Packaging, a Spanish company with more than 15 years of experience in creating solutions for packaging with corrugated cardboard, is bringing to the market its new patented system with a double closing option, Capsa 2in1®.

Winner of the Seleccion IPA Award and the Liderpack 2014 prize, this new patented system is used on corrugated cardboard. This revolutionary innovation adds value to your packaging and also improves its structure and sustainability.

It is the first double option closing concept which benefits both the sending and receiving of goods, and which converts the traditional corrugated cardboard box into a functional tool which offers more efficient logistics.

In order to offer the market a cardboard box with a high productivity value, Capsa Packaging has decided to combine this system with its earlier patented box, Capsa Plus, to create its star product, the Capsa 2in1 Plus box. This new packaging solution brings multiple benefits to any company which utilizes it during all stages in the supply chain.

The company, whose headquarters are in Barcelona, has set its goals in the development of packaging solutions for the e-commerce market and in intralogistics, as well as supplying consumer needs in different distribution channels. Capsa Packaging currently has 150 distribution points in Spain and France, all of which offer their products to the market.

Following the creation of a new subsidiary company in France, Capsa has began its plan of international expansion with the aim of offering its innovations and industrial property to the European, American, Asian and Australian markets through its products and licensing program.

For more information go to www.capsa2in1.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.

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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.

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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. | 248 | 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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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.

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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.”

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“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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