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Leaders in Packaging Derive Order from Chaos 42

Nestlé Purina’s Most Modern Packaging Line Yet? 56

Keurig Dr Pepper Shares Pointers on Amazon’s SIOC 76

Inside Dow & AmeriStar’s 2020 AwardWinning Packs 152

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VOL28

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Our Leaders in Packaging program, now a Packaging World institution, once again recognizes the many innovative supply-side companies in the packaging community. 64

FEATURES 42 Nestlé Purina’s ‘Most Modern’ Packaging Operation

74 5 Tips on Redesigning Packaging for Inclusivity

Sophisticated use of robotics is the key to this impressive cartoning and case-packing line for 85-g tins of cat food in 4-, 8-, 12-, and 24-count cartons.

When updating your packaging to be more sensitive to today’s social issues, follow these five design strategies to ensure your brand’s continuity and accurately reflect your core values.

56 E-COMMERCE Keurig Dr Pepper Helps Guide CPGs Through Amazon Packaging Compliance 76

Having braved its own journey into Amazon’s Ships in Own Container (SIOC) certification demands, KDP packaging engineers explain what’s required to ready products for e-commerce delivery.

These award winners represent the most innovative packaging breakthroughs in categories ranging from food and beverage to personal care, with a strong focus on sustainability and the circular economy.

64 Sustainable Bio-Based Tray from the USA

88 Clever Design Shines Through in 2020 AmeriStar Awards

Ancestral health brand Primal Kitchen, part of KraftHeinz, is the first to commercialize a new, dual-ovenable molded fiber tray based on U.S.grown sugarcane.

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76 Dow Award Winners Share Strong Sustainability Profile

These three top award winners make the packaging industry proud by giving consumers great interactions and experiences with creative pack designs.

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FEATURES 101

PACK EXPO Connects Exhibitor Showroom Directory PACK EXPO Connects continues through March 31 with on-demand access to content and experts to help you find solutions to your packaging and processing needs. This Exhibitor Showroom Directory includes an alphabetical list of all the exhibitors at packexpoconnects.com.

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110 AUTOMATION Barcode Readers Aid in Serialization Packaging machinery OEM Packaging Efficiency Solutions found just the right bar code scanners for a system that inspects all angles of the bottle or label at speeds to 100 bottles/min.

116 EMERGING BRANDS Home Compostable Bags for Zero-Waste Beauty Brand As part of its holistic strategy to ‘stir up a clean + conscious change,’ D2C superfood beauty company LOLI uses less than 0.5% plastic in its packaging, opting instead for glass jars, paperboard, and compostable courier bags.

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126 Cells Remain Upright in Floating Spherical Shipper Drawing inspiration from the same physical laws that keep boats afloat upright in high seas, this shipper floats live cells to their destination.

134 100% In-line Seal Inspection of Retort Pouches for Wet Pet Food Special Dog Company, one of the top pet food producers in Brazil, innovates with in-line inspection of its retortable pouches.

142 CPGs Lean on OEMs During the Pandemic From equipment startups to training to automation, J.M. Smucker, Rich Foods, and Amway are asking machine builders to adopt new technology and service roles.

255 SPECIAL SECTION Leaders in Packaging 2021 Welcome to Packaging World’s 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program. This is our twelfth year of formally recognizing the many innovative companies that supply packaging machinery, materials, and services for successful packaging operations and initiatives.

PACK EXPO Connects 2020 Innovations Report PMMI Media Group editors scoured the thousands of demos from the recent PACK EXPO Connects to report on the latest and greatest packaging breakthroughs.

154 MACHINERY

226 ROBOTICS

192 MATERIALS

240 PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE

210 CONTROLS

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DEPARTMENTS 12

packworld.com VIDEO

COLUMNS

9 34 36 38 40 449 460

Live Cell Transport Retains Pack Orientation

Lead Off The Legal Side The Big Picture ISTA Omnichannel Answers Sustainable Packaging Shelf Impact! Professional Perspective

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PODCAST

NEWS/EVENTS

Embracing and Adapting to Virtual Events

12 News 30 Quotables/By the Numbers 450 Industry Watch

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INTERVIEW

32 First Person

PRODUCTS

PRODUCT DEMOS

114 Automation Technology 452 Technology

PACK EXPO Connects Demos Accessible Through March

ADVERTISING

458 Advertiser Index

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Aladin Alkhawam Director, Packaging Operations, Par Pharmaceutical Jan Brücklmeier Technical Application Group Packaging Technology Expert, Nestlé David France Packaging Research Fellow, Conagra Foods Patrick Keenan R&D Packaging Engineer, General Mills/Annie’s Organic Snacks Mike Marcinkowski Global R&D Officer, GPA Global & Hub Folding Box Co. Paul Schaum Chief Operations Officer, Pretzels Inc. David Smith, PhD Principal, David S. Smith & Associates Brian Stepowany Packaging R&D, Senior Manager, B&G Foods, Inc. Jasmine Sutherland President, Texas Food Solutions; Vice President, Perfect Fit Meals

Connect with a Leaders in Packaging supplier and support packaging education!

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Connect with us:

www.packworld.com/leaders

Packaging World® (ISSN # 1073-7367) is a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Packaging World® is published monthly by PMMI with its publishing office, PMMI Media Group, located at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2021 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.packworld.com/subscribe. Paid subscription rates per year are $200 in the U.S., $285 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $475 Europe, $715 Far East and Australia by air mail. Single copy price in U.S. is $20. To subscribe or manage your subscription to Packaging World, visit Packworld.com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals outside the United States. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Packaging World®, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611. PRINTED IN USA by Quad. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: editors@packworld.com. Mailing List: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address.

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EDITORIAL Matt Reynolds Editor Patrick Reynolds Vice President, Editor Emeritus @Packcentric Iris Zavala Managing Editor Anne Marie Mohan Senior Editor @PackagingTrends Jim Chrzan Vice President, Content and Brand Strategy Kim Overstreet Senior Content Strategist, Alignment Eric F. Greenberg, Ben Miyares, Sterling Anthony Contributing Editors

ART David Bacho Creative Director

AUDIENCE & DIGITAL David Newcorn Senior Vice President, Digital and Data Elizabeth Kachoris Senior Director, Digital and Data Jen Krepelka Director, Websites & Digital Design Strategy

ADVERTISING Wendy Sawtell Vice President, Sales • wsawtell@pmmimediagroup.com Lara Krieger Production Manager • lkrieger@pmmimediagroup.com Kelly Greeby Senior Director, Client Success & Media Operations Alicia Pettigrew Senior Manager, Product & Revenue Strategy

PMMI MEDIA GROUP Joseph Angel President, Publisher Sharon Taylor Director, Marketing Amber Miller Senior Marketing Manager Bea Greany Brand Operations Manager Sarah Loeffler Director, Media Innovation Janet Fabiano Financial Services Manager Lloyd Ferguson Founding Partner

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LEAD OFF

Three Timely Trends Though our methods were different this year—covering a virtual event instead of an in-person exposition—PMMI Media Group editors once again divided and conquered to collectively take in as much of PACK EXPO Connects as possible. There were and still are (go to page 28 to see how to take advantage) 2600-plus demos in total, so we couldn’t get to all of them, but I’m confident that, at least in aggregate, we were able to get our fingers squarely on the pulse of what’s new, evolving, and trending in packaging in a topsy-turvy 2020. The event wasn’t without hiccups, but if our team’s 100-plus-page report (starting on page 152) is any indication, we got what we came for and then some. After sorting through all of these individual reports from a dozen respected PMG journalists, three trends have emerged as particularly notable. March toward mono-material flexible packaging. The shift away from multi-material laminations and co-extrusions continues to gather momentum. This trend isn’t meant to diminish the critical multi-layer material applications that will always prove indispensable, and they perform essential services as Sterling Anthony lays out on page 36. But the demand for materials that more simply fit into existing recycling streams is growing, and converters and materials suppliers are coming up with new ways to offer the functionality of multi-layer materials—usually with an assist from a thin-as-can-be layer of EVOH for barrier purposes—in constructions that are for all practical purposes mono-material. Amcor Flexibles’ AmPrima PE Plus, ITP’s Monoflex, Toppan USA’s GL Barrier films, Clysar EVO recyclable shrink films, and the “GreenLution” project between Saentis, wipf, and Optima are just five off-the-top-of-my-head new projects that exist to make mono-material solutions more available to brands. Paperboard can handles keep popping up. I believe I first got wind of the paperboard or fiber-based can handle at PACK EXPO Las Vegas in 2019. I suspect I would have seen more of it at the Craft Brew Conference in April had it not been cancelled due to the pandemic, but they sure were visible at PACK EXPO Connects. One solution, Graphic Packaging International’s KeelClip, hit the big time in 2020 with an AmeriStar Award and a Coca-Cola application (see page 96). WestRock’s solution in this arena has matured the most out of any I’ve seen since I witnessed a near-manual paperboard can-handle application process at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. WestRock’s demo on its CanCollar modular can-handle application series of machines was an eye-catcher. And Krones has thrown its hat in the ring as well, debuting LitePac, another paperboard can-handle application system. Though these are machines, it’s important to note that these can handles not only can be recycled themselves, but since they’re paperboard, they can be made from recycled material in a truly circular fashion. And since PACK EXPO Connects, I noticed two more similar systems: Fishbone paperboard can carriers from Atlantic Packaging, and Smurfit Kappa’s GreenCLip, TopClip, and Nor-Grip paperboard can carriers. This is a trend to keep an eye on. Remote monitoring and access hit inflexion point. Adoption of remote access tech in the packaging industry was a near certain eventuality, but it’s likely that the pandemic accelerated it. It’s hard to pinpoint one machine category to exemplify this trend since remote access seems to be an available accessory or add-on to most integrated systems out there, but the lens that distilled it for me was, oddly enough, the hot-melt microcosm. Two major hot-melt glue application companies, Nordson and Robatech, spent precious time at PACK EXPO Connects demonstrating their respective solutions in this arena, and showing what kinds of benefits a brand or CPG can reap by letting their systems get regular expert monitoring and preventative maintenance. From that single corner of the larger packaging OEM landscape, we see remote access got top billing, and that phenomenon can be extrapolated to the entire machine-builder landscape. There’s a lot more to see and learn from PACK EXPO Connects beginning on page 152. And even better, you don’t have to take my word for it. You can still experience it for yourself, through March 31, at www.packexpoconnects.com. PW

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NEWS

Morton Salt Modernizes, but Keeps Iconic Assets Morton Salt has debuted a fresh new look for its packaging to bring more flavor to its entire lineup of retail products. The eye-catchingly bold and contemporary design refreshes the iconic brand that consumers have known and loved for generations, while making Morton’s products more shoppable in today’s dynamic digital and in-store environment. “Morton Salt has been part of hearts and homes all across America for more than a century,” says Denise Lauer, CMO, Morton Salt, Inc. “As we continue to expand our brand and product portfolio, it is imperative to evolve our packaging for the future with more modern cues and a design system that helps consumers understand the variety, benefits, and versatility we have to offer across our culinary and home care categories.” For the project, Morton partnered with creative agency Chase Design Group, which developed a premium visual design that showcases brand colors, striking geometric angles, and sans serif type to help make the packaging easier for consumers to navigate on shelf. The design system is

anchored by the beloved Morton Salt Girl and a quality seal that highlights the company’s origins, which date back to 1848. In addition, Morton’s new packaging features more educational content about salt usage and carries the How2Recycle label to help consumers properly recycle the packaging. The contemporized new design stretches across Morton’s entire retail portfolio, including both culinary and home care products. Says Clark Goolsby, Chief Creative Officer, Chase Design Group, New York, “We successfully combined Morton’s iconic brand assets with clean typography and bold graphic shapes to create a design system that celebrates Morton’s rich history while feeling relevant to today’s consumers.” Morton also is releasing a new augmented reality experience that can be activated on select culinary salts. The experience will enable consumers to engage with the brand in several fun and educational ways and will provide recipe inspiration based on ingredients that consumers already have at home. —Anne Marie Mohan

Henkel Hair Color Tubes Converting to 100% Recycled Aluminum Henkel’s Beauty Care business has begun converting its hair color product portfolio to aluminum tubes made of 100% recycled material. With this transition covering all retail and professional brands globally, Henkel supports a closed loop while at the same time reducing the environmental footprint of its products. Notes the company, recycled aluminum has a significantly lower energy demand—up to 95% less—than virgin aluminum, thus a significant reduction of the CO2 footprint per aluminum tube can be achieved. In addition, aluminum tubes are fully recyclable and widely recovered through existing waste management systems. In the hair color category, aluminum tubes are used to protect the product and allow for easy-to-handleapplication by professional hairstylists and consumers. Thus, they need to fulfill high-quality standards, which the company says are also ensured when using recycled aluminum. “One of the main advantages of aluminum is the recyclability— the material can be recycled infinitely without losing its mechanical properties and sacrificing quality. Therefore, aluminum as a material class is a great enabler for a circular economy, as 75% of the aluminum that was ever produced on earth is still in use across various applications,” says Philippe Blank, Head of Circular Economy & Packaging Sustainability at Henkel Beauty Care. “By shifting major portfolios to this recycled material, we are demonstrating our commitment to sustainable packaging solutions. While a great focus is placed on plastic

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packaging, we are advancing innovation and sustainability holistically across all materials and packaging types.” Although aluminum demonstrates high recycling quotes globally, Henkel explains that the availability of recycled material is limited due to the high demand across several industries, including beverage cans, for example. However, the company says that switching to recycled aluminum for applications with short lifecycles, such as consumer packaging, is an important step in reducing the overall footprint of such fast-rotating packaging items. That is why, Henkel says, it is working with its packaging partners to explore new ways and drive progress along the value chain. The company will not only use post-industrial recycled aluminum for the tubes, but will also integrate up to 95% recycled material from postconsumer sources as well. In addition, Henkel will gradually switch the tube’s plastic cap to recycled plastic. Says the company, this becomes even more important when considering the recycling downstream of aluminumbased consumer packaging along the value chain, where plastic materials still attached to the packaging are not recovered and therefore have no chance of becoming circular. Henkel’s hair color brand Diadem is one of the first brands in the company’s Beauty Care portfolio to transition to 100% recycled aluminum tube, with the complete product range already using the new tube. Additional brands will follow later this year. —Anne Marie Mohan

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NEWS

Purdue University Northwest Awarded Packaging Scholarship The Future Leaders in Packaging Scholarship from Packaging World and the PMMI Foundation was established in 2011 in conjunction with Leaders in Packaging—a print and online marketing program that enables suppliers to promote their innovations and expertise to the packaging community. A portion of Leaders in Packaging revenue funds the $5000 Scholarship—awarded each year to an educational institution that prepares students for careers in packaging. Each recipient institution then selects a student or students to receive the funds to defray tuition and other education-related expenses in the next academic year. The 2021 scholarship was awarded to Purdue University Northwest (PNW). “The Bachelor of Science degree program in Mechatronics Engineering Technology at PNW focuses on packaging machinery manufacturing, including system integration for packaging machinery,” says Niaz Latif, PhD, Dean of the College of Technology. “Significant partnerships with key packaging industry companies in the region allow PNW students to work on real-life

projects to provide solutions to industry problems. “Packaging machinery manufacturers can improve the operation and productivity of any manufacturing industry with the use of advanced (smart) manufacturing solutions,” he adds. “These solutions require system integration based on knowledge of mechanical, electrical, controls, and automation. PNW’s Mechatronics program provides such skills and knowledge to its students.” The scholarship money will be used to support students in the BS in Mechatronics Engineering Technology program. The school will award five merit-based $1,000 scholarships to full-time students. Selection of recipients will be made by a committee composed of faculty members. Scholarship awards can be used for all educational expenses, not just tuition. —Matt Reynolds

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NEWS

Mondele-z Leverages Digital Printing Mondele-z International, owner of Cadbury, has launched a new initiative to transform confectionery packaging into customizable experiences for football fans. Cadbury teamed up with Liverpool Football Club, the most successful English team in European football tourna-

ment history, to send limited-edition Champions Bars to 50,000 fans as a thank you for their unwavering support throughout the 2019/20 season. Using HP digital printing technologies each bar was created with a unique design—for a total of 60,000 one-of-a-kind Champions bars. This flexible packaging job was printed digitally by Danaflex in Russia and DFP solutions in Germany on the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press. “This is a truly innovative way to elevate our brand and build stronger consumer connections with engaging collaborations and relevant experiences. It’s been a fantastic collaboration between our internal experts, partners, and HP to bring this to life in such an iconic and impactful way,” said Bryony McComb, Associate Director, Mondele-z International.

The imagery of the campaign has very deep meaning for football fans, allowing Cadbury to drive buzz, excitement, and relevance. HP Indigo technology was the chosen solution for the campaign. HP SmartStream Designer variable data software was used to design a tailored flexible packaging canvas of iconic Liverpool symbols, phrases, and images set in the background of the Liverpool Crest or behind players’ shirts, with all players being represented. “In today’s age of experience, personalization is driving consumers’ purchase decisions and strengthening brand loyalty. HP Indigo’s unique personalization and customization solutions are enabling brands to engage consumers and create new experiences during times when so many social and business interactions have gone virtual,” said Haim Levit, general manager, HP Indigo, HP Inc. Thanks to HP SmartStream Designer and HP PrintOS Composer variable design and variable data printing software, each Cadbury Champions Bar wrapper design is truly unique, created from collective elements that help define the club and create a visual story for the consumer. This result was achieved as follows: • Designs: A design pattern correlating to club chants, players, moments in history, and other unique Liverpool Football Club details with a total of more than 2000 design elements. • Texture: Each element has several textures that are applied to add depth the design. • Color: Using digital printing allows for a greater color combinations and patterns. A code was created to take into account all the elements, apply the rules, and tell HP SmartStream Designer where to put each element, to ensure each pack is unique and the same design element would never appear twice on the same pack. —Pat Reynolds

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NEWS

Clemson Announces its Fall 2020 Award Winners From Clemson University comes news about two Fall 2020 awards. Austin Moore won the Robert Testin Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award, and Sydney Wilson received the Packaging World Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award. Robert Testin Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award Austin Moore is a senior at Clemson University studying Packaging Science with an emphasis in Package Design and Graphics. In 2019 Austin completed a 7-month co-op with Arthrex, where he helped design medical packaging, wrote and performed design validation protocols, and coordinated between suppliers, project management, and other departments. He has been involved with three Creative Inquiries helping to design and manage two Clemson exhibits at PACK EXPO, as well as kombucha research to streamline the brewing, flavoring, and bottling process. He also co-led the design and package testing for his senior design project with Newell Brands. He will graduate cum laude in December 2020 and says he is honored and humbled to receive this award.

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Packaging World Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award Sydney Wilson graduated from Clemson Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Packaging Science program in December 2020. She started her college career as a biology major, but after assistance from Clemsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career center, she chose to switch to Packaging Science because it combined her interest in science with real-world applications. She says that the Clemson University Packaging Science program has given her countless opportunities to showcase her talents, including visits to PACK EXPO events and a co-op experience with Avanos Medical. She says she has enjoyed her time in the department, and she is excited to begin her career in the packaging industry. PW

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NEWS

Flax4Life Up to the Challenge of Switching from PE to Plant-Based PLA Material Flax4Life, a producer of certified gluten-free and allergy-friendly baked products, converted its retail muffin and brownie tray material from industry-standard PE to a new industrial compostable, plant-based PLA material based on renewable sugar cane. The company says this move will keep thousands of pounds of petroleum plastics from our environment each year. Plus, the process of producing these trays results in a significantly lower CO2 emission rate compared to the production of PE plastics. And the only difference to the consumer is the enhanced sustainability profile where industrial composting is available. “Our main objective is purely starting the conversation and providing resources to educate. Not every municipality has the capabilities now, but we believe by creating a demand we are increasing the chances,” says Sarah Bishop, Flax4Life Marketing Coordinator. “In the places where an industrial facility is not available, and our packaging ends up in the landfills, we are not introducing the harmful chemicals of petroleum plastics. From our research, we are creating less impactful waste on the environment.” The material switch was not without its challenges. There was a litany of initial concerns that the package design and material ultimately overcame in the interest of sustainability. For instance, the PLA trays required a custom mold for the air-pressed forming process to maintain relative consistency with the established product line’s existing packaging dimensions. The company chose to keep the overall dimensions and shapes the same, but modernized the look by smoothing out edges and optimizing the viewing of the product within the package. And as is the case with any retail-ready baked product pack, shelf life was a concern. “Luckily, the manufacturer diligently tested the product before coming to market and fit our needs in relation to shelf life,” says Bishop. “Another

difficulty was the amount of time it took to complete this project. From research, testing, mold-building, and dealing with [pandemic-related] supply chain issues during the last couple of months, it delayed the project by almost a year. A lot of moving pieces are involved to coordinate the change, and it was hard to align all of them.” All of the company’s perishable baked products are shipped and stored frozen, then slacked out at store level to be displayed at room temperature. That led to concerns about how the PLA tray would hold up to the freeze and thaw process. But the PLA tray proved more than up to the task. The material is quite durable, according to Bishop. Packaging at the company’s Bellingham, Wash. facility is a manual process, but she notes that the PLA trays are quite durable and will be able to withstand any automation added down the road. Price was yet another factor—the PLA material is currently significantly more expensive than the legacy PE—but Flax4Life saw the switch as a tradeoff that could benefit both the company itself and the planet. “We ended up reducing our marketing and promotion budget to incorporate the cost. It was more important to us to provide better packaging,” Bishop says. Flexo-printed labels complete the retail package unit. Various certifications, including gluten-free and Kosher, among others, are represented on the label serval times. “We needed something visually catching and simple to understand,” Bishop says. “You only have a few seconds of the consumers attention to get your message across, and we wanted something to help identify the change easily.” Packaging vendor good natured partnered with Flax4Life on the project and supplies the new PLA compostable trays. The brownies and muffins are available online and at retailers across the country, including Whole Foods, Kroger, and Publix. —Matt Reynolds

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NEWS

Edible-Oil Bottle is 22% Lighter Than Competition A new PET bottle for the Oleo de soja Soya brand from Brazilian agribusiness and food producer Bunge is said to be the lightest 900-mL bottle for edible oil in Brazil. According to bottle supplier Amcor, the custom-designed container for São Paulo-based Bunge

is 22% lighter than competitive bottles while providing greater productivity and increased sustainability benefits. Amcor says it responded to Bunge’s industry-wide challenge to suppliers, developing a 14-g container that weighs four grams less than standard bottles. “This new bottle is a huge technological achievement because we were able to replicate the current bottle’s shape and specifications but at a lighter weight,” says Ivan Assenco, Amcor’s R&D Process Coordinator. “During a highly focused three-year development project, we leveraged our expertise in R&D, design, and engineering to create a one-of-a-kind bottle for edible oil.” According to Amcor, lightweighting is an important differentiator in the edible oil market. For Oleo de soja Soya, Amcor developed a new lightweight preform that maintained the same shape while optimizing top-load strength, wall thickness, material distribution, and stacking strength. The container required a high stretch ratio, so the team conducted a finite element analysis (FEA) study to optimize the New! Clysar® EVO™ Recyclable Shrink Films design and meet wall thickness requirements. For the consumer, the redesign also maintains the same look, feel, and handling experience. “At Bunge, we are always looking for possibilities to improve our performance at all operational levels of the company and at the same time reduce our impact on the environment,” says Paulo Silvério, Director of Procurement for Bunge in Brazil. “In this project, we had many challenges, from designing a bottle with less plastic to introducing new filling technologies in our plants, but the result was excellent. Amcor responded to the challenge with a unique bottle that gives us a distinct advantage in the market.” The new container reduces raw material usage by about 4.4 tons per year. As a result, Sparkling Clear Shrink Films for Bunge improved its manufacturing efficiencies Protection, Shelf Life & Retail Appeal and reduced transportation costs. —Anne Marie Mohan

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NEWS

River Run Foods Expands Capabilities with Retortable Cartons

River Run Foods, a co-packer of food products in Northumberland, Pa., has expanded its capabilities to include filling and packaging in Tetra Recart carton packages. River Run is already known for its more than 100 years of combined experience filling high-acid foods, like tomato-based sauces, into jars. The new retortable carton category expands the existing

product and capacity offering. Plus, with 80% lower carbon footprint and significant weight and space savings compared to alternatives, TetraPak says that its Tetra Recart system offers many benefits to River Run customers wishing to enhance the overall sustainability of their food products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Looking to the future, we know trends like sustainability and online grocery will only continue to accelerate,â&#x20AC;? says Roger Hoffman, CEO of River Run Foods. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By investing in Tetra Recart, we can offer brands, retailers, and food service providers an environmentally sound, e-commerce-ready package for their products, from beans and vegetables to soups, sauces, and pie filling.â&#x20AC;? With the recent addition of the Tetra Pak R2 filling machine, River Run can now package its full range of products in Tetra Recart Mini and Midi cartons in 200 mL, 340 mL, 390 mL, 440 mL, and 500 mL sizes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This new installation at River Run Foods allows more brands to take advantage of all that Tetra Recart has to offer,â&#x20AC;? says Jeff Fielkow, President and CEO of Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With River Runâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proven experience and success in tomato-based sauces, vegetables, and more, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking forward to some exciting new products hitting the U.S. market in Tetra Recart.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Matt Reynolds

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NEWS

German Beer is a Shelf Standout With beer consumption in Germany declining, competition between the major beer brands is increasing in the market, and point-of-sale (POS) consumer decisions are more important than ever. This is a dynamic that the Veltins Brewery considered when designing a new pack for its 12-pack of 0.33 L pilsner bottles. To ensure that its beers stand out on the shelf or in the cooler, Veltins chose a Fusion Topliner from paper-based packaging supplier Sappi. Verltins’ new packaging solution was developed by the retail display manufacturer and designer Knappe + Lehbrink Promotion GmbH, of Bünde, Germany. The Westphalian company says it chose the Sappi corrugated board liner because it significantly outperforms conventional GD liners in many respects. For example, it achieves the same material strength with low grammages [mass per area of paper measured in grams per square meter]. “We compared Fusion Topliner with the previously used Topliner paper,” says Jochen Rudat, project manager at Knappe + Lehbrink. Sappi’s Fusion Topliner achieves the same material strength with a grammage of 180 g/m2 as a 230 g/m2 GD2.” In other words, the customer saves between 25 and 30% grammage compared to recycled grades. This means increased efficiency in terms of energy and space, resulting in significant cost savings and packaging weight reduction. With its high compression strength, Fusion Topliners offer stability, excellent grip, and durability, giving the customer a sense of premium value. It is also considerably more elastic than other containerboard papers thanks to its optimized fiber structure. “The material remains perfect even after folding and folded edges no longer tear,” Rudat says. Package development in this case began with the technical design of the carton material. The main challenge involved creating a corrugated pack that would offer reliable load-bearing safety and resilience despite the damp, cold environment it would encounter in the refrigerated section. Thanks in part to the of premium, sustainably sourced virgin fiber, the new beer pack not only meets the food safety requirements, it also offers protection against all of the physical challenges the packaging would be expected to face, as well as delivering a pleasant sensory experience for the consumer as they handle product. The surface quality also made it a good choice to further improve brand communication at the POS, according to the company. Applying the striking silver-green packaging identity to the exceptionally smooth and consistent double-coated surface of Fusion created a high level of brightness, offering faithful color reproduction that results in a stunning finish that consumers will find hard to ignore. The end result is a smooth surface aligned with brilliant color, that reflects Veltins’ own philosophy and follows the trend towards a minimalist, yet stylish, packaging design. PW

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www.beckhoff.us/xts-hygienic Proven performance, ideal form factor and ready for packaging, food, beverage and pharma applications: XTS Hygienic delivers the exceptional flexibility of the eXtended Transport System to environments with stringent cleaning requirements. The intelligent transport system combines the advantages of individual product and package transport with a robust IP69K protection rating and new hygienic design. Ready for wash-down, all surfaces are chemically resistant, free of hidden edges or undercuts and easy to clean. Through the new stainless steel design of the XTS Hygienic, users benefit from the advanced mechatronics, flexible layout options and smaller machine footprints made popular by the original XTS.

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12/18/20 3:16 PM

28 PW JAN2021

NEWS

A One Stop-Shop for Packaging Solutions The live portion of PACK EXPO Connects (Nov. 9-13) collated the leading solution providers in a diverse range of industries into one online marketplace, providing a one-stop resource for the most advanced packaging innovations. With all content available on the platform through March 31, 2021, the streamlined search functionality continues to enable quick and efficient identification of suppliers matching needs. Entire project teams can conveniently access 15-minute on-demand equipment demos that showcase relevant products, equipment, and technologies in action, which they can easily share with colleagues. Offering hundreds of vetted suppliers, packexpoconnects. com provides an unmatched range and depth of solution providers on-demand, ready to address common pain points and critical challenges such as remote access, sustainability, automation, e-commerce, robotics, artificial intelligence, safety, and more. For a snapshot of what PMMI Media Group’s team of editors learned by attending PACK EXPO Connects, check out the exhaustive PACK EXPO Connects Innovations Report, starting on page 152. With so many activities and demos available at PACK EXPO Connects, the Attendee Resource Center offers helpful tools such as video tutorials on how to search and add demos, how to link with exhibitors, and more. Below are some helpful tips on how to explore the world of PACK EXPO Connects: 1. Create a FREE login Click the “Register Now” option at packexpoconnects.com for complimentary registration. Once registered, attendees can search a multitude of ways, including keyword, product category, new products, and educational hours. Any item or event of interest can easily be added to a MyConnects Planner by clicking the plus sign (+) next to it. 2. Organize innovations and education After creating a login, attendees can quickly add educational sessions or live demos to their MyConnects Planner, providing one central place to compare solutions or offer a potential blueprint for success to fellow team members. Categories offering demos of solutions include: • Bagging, pouching and wrapping • Cartoning and multipacking • Coding, marking, labeling and printing • Containers, materials and transport packaging • Controls, software and machine components • End-of-line equipment • Feeding, conveying, accumulating and product handling

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• Filling, capping, and sealing rigid containers or trays • Food processing equipment • Life sciences • Plant facilities and infrastructure • X-ray, vision, inspection, testing, and weighing 3. 24/7 Access PMMI Media Group understands that packaging and processing professionals are busy, and bandwidth is at its limit. PACK EXPO Connects never closes at the end of the day. Content is available online when it is convenient for attendees or when attendees can find time. It can also provide opportunities for team members to look at demos that some project members find applicable and rendezvous later to discuss. 4. Reach out Exhibitors are waiting to hear from potential customers and continue to monitor their virtual showrooms. Attendees can simply click the envelope icon under the exhibitor’s contact information to send a message. “Research shows that engaging with product engineers and technical folks is a top priority among equipment and material buyers. We’re excited about the ability for registered attendees to make direct connections with technical experts. It couldn’t be easier,” comments Dave Newcorn, Senior VP, Digital and Data, PMMI Media Group. For more information and free registration, visit packexpoconnects. com. —Sean Riley

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QUOTABLES

BY THE NUMBERS

The number of suppliers, representing 20 countries, that China has suspended imports from, arguing the measures are needed to prevent introduction of the COVID-19 virus, which it says it has repeatedly discovered on frozen food and packaging

The expected growth in demand for stand-up pouches annually through 2024 in nearly all major food and nonfood markets, according to Freedonia Group

cu yds

The amount of landfill space saved for every 1 ton of recycled plastic, according to the Recycling Coalition of Utah (RCU)

The approximate number of examples—said to be “just the tip of the iceberg”—highlighted by Greenpeace International in its lawsuit against Walmart that claims the retailer’s private-label products use unqualified and otherwise problematic recyclable labels

QuotablesBTN_0121.indd 30

“The key vertical markets expected to thrive are primarily around food and beverage, where the most successful [industrial blockchain] pilots and projects have emerged. The tracking and tracing of these products have become a popular business case, due in large part to the ability of distributed ledgers, combined with industrial IoT sensors, to safeguard against common issues such as perishability, contamination, cold chain, freshness, etc.” –Michela Menting, Digital Security Research Director at ABI Research, in a press release from the company, “Industrial Blockchain Applications Defy Downturn to Grow Exponentially Over the Next 5 Years to US$2 Billion Globally”

“I knew a strategic partnership would be critical to further develop a solution that both addresses plastic pollution while maintaining compatibility with the existing recycling system. With Nestlé Waters’ packaging and recycling expertise, we are excited to continue testing the capabilities of a technology that we will work together to bring to market. This is a steppingstone of our company’s big plan to a world where all plastics are transformed based on their expected use.” –Manuel Rendon, CEO at Timeplast, in a press release titled, “Nestlé Waters North America Invests in Startup Timeplast to Explore Alternative Packaging Technologies”

“Cannabis is already a nearly $170 billion global industry, but the legal market today is only approximately $30 billion. As regulation progresses, the legal market is expected to capture 40 percent of global cannabis sales in 2025, and companies will be able to tap into a large existing user base as well as nurture the curiosity of new adult consumers.” –Shane MacGuill, Senior Head of Nicotine and Cannabis at Euromonitor International, in an article, “Global Legal Recreational Cannabis Sales Expected to Grow 376% by 2025,” from Cannabis Products, A supplement to Prepared Foods & Food Engineering

“It’s disappointing to … see as many out-of-stocks as we have in consumables right now, although it’s a whole lot better than it was earlier in the year. We’ll manage through these curves. They’ll be localized. We will respond. It feels to me like we’ll work through this period of time better than we did in the first wave.” –Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, in a mid-November earnings call, as reported by The Washington Post in an article, “Shoppers are panic-buying toilet paper. This time, there should be enough to go around.”

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32 PW JAN2021

FIRST PERSON

Digital Technology’s Impact Monty Patterson, CEO of Virtual Packaging, talks about how the recent arrival of a Landa S10 Nanographic press and a Highcon Beam digital cutting and creasing system have transformed this Texas prototype house. Packaging World:

You’ve gone from producing prototypes to now producing both prototypes and modest commercial runs. How has that gone? Any surprises?

Monty Patterson: Overall, it’s gone well. The pandemic set us back a bit, especially when some customers furloughed or reassigned employees who were our main contacts. Other customers found themselves so focused on just trying to maintain the status quo that they more or less postponed exploring new technologies for printing and finishing their packaging materials. Not to mention that face-to-face meetings with customers became almost impossible. As for surprises, I must admit that it took longer for me to recognize the kinds of changes that were going to be needed internally from a sales and customer service perspective. But by June we’d sorted most of this out, and at this point things are really looking up.

Any regrets about being such an early adaptor of two breakthrough technologies? Not in the least. The Landa and Highcon technologies are amazing. (For a more detailed look at how Patterson and colleagues deploy these digital printing and finishing systems, go to pwgo.to/5815.) Their service is exceptional, and their passion for digital technology is extraordinary. We’re very happy to be a part of this new revolution— and proud to have such a wonderful opportunity to play a part in it. What are you now able to do for your customers that you couldn’t have done prior to the installations of the Landa and Highcon equipment? It’s an interesting question in our case. The answer you’d most often get from industry at large is “I can now handle our customers’ needs

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for shorter runs.” But in our case, we were looking for something to more efficiently handle what we consider to be our longer runs. Because historically what we supplied to our customers is high-quality prototypes. Once we produced them, the customer would then place orders with other converters for production quantities, even though in many cases the customer would have preferred having us supply those production quantities. Since the installation of the Landa and Highcon systems, once we’ve completed prototyping, we can accept orders for small production runs and further develop relationships with our customers. It’s been a real win for all of us. And we can print and finish jobs very quickly because we don’t need plates for printing or dies for cutting and creasing. Also worth pointing out is that the Highcon Beam provides us with the ability to do things that conventional steel rule dies cannot do. The Beam allows for very intricate cuts and designs to be added to packaging and other paper stock products such as cards, flyers, and folders. In addition to this, the Beam can be adjusted so that it can enhance packaging by adding etching to the design. It’s entirely possible to use this feature in place of ink for some products. It’s quite unique and can add real value to many projects.

Since the installation of the Landa and Highcon systems, once we’ve completed prototyping, we can accept orders for small production runs and further develop relationships with our customers. It’s been a real win for all of us. And we can print and finish jobs very quickly because we don’t need plates for printing or dies for cutting and creasing. Are brand owners sufficiently aware of what digital printing and finishing can offer them? Some are, but many remain unaware of the advancements that have been made. They remember the issues that used to be so problematic, like poor print quality, a limited color gamut, and narrow press widths. We feel it’s important to educate the industry as to how far digital print technology has come in recent years. Are brand owners reluctant to pay more for digital printing and finishing? Or does it actually save them money? When given the opportunity, we can actually save brand owners money, especially in categories such as specialty foods, organic products, natural & ethnic foods, and other items where the package size is small, or in instances where larger packaging runs aren’t really necessary. And then on top of that there’s the reduction in lead-time, which again helps to reduce the need for warehousing space for packaging not needed right away and improves cash flow for many of our customers. —Pat Reynolds

12/18/20 4:37 PM

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12/18/20 4:38 PM

34 PW JAN2021

THE LEGAL SIDE

By Eric F. Greenberg, Attorney-at-law

Food Fraud is Frequent, but Help Flourishes If food fraud prevention isn’t already on your list of New Year’s resolutions, add it. In fact, it’s never a bad time to refocus attention on food fraud, and to remember that, when it comes to what criminals are faking, packaging and labeling are in the mix just as surely as foods themselves. All players in the supply chain need to incorporate protective measures to keep out fraudulent foods and packaging. If the goal of all your various food production and handling practices is safety, it’s easy to think of “fraud” concerns as secondary, since, after all, they usually implicate quality rather than safety. But the growing reality is that first, food fraud is an increasingly complex realm presenting a variety of threats, and second, fraudulent food indeed does create safety problems in some situations. Commonly accepted definitions of food fraud make it clear that it encompasses falsified or misleading packaging and labeling, though it’s usually thought of as intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food or its ingredients, usually for economic gain. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and many private standards and certification bodies, food packagers are supposed to evaluate the potential for food fraud as part of their food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance programs. The good news is that there is lots of help available for companies wanting to assess their food fraud vulnerabilities, notably from the Food Fraud Initiative and now from at least two books. Dr. Karen Everstine, Senior Manager, Scientific Affairs at consulting firm Decernis (part of FoodChain ID), says of the new book, Food Fraud, A Global Threat with Public Health and Economic Consequences, which she edited along with Rosalee Hellberg and Steven Sklare, “the main focus of the book is understanding the regulatory and auditing requirements around food fraud prevention and commodityspecific strategies to reduce the risk within food supply chains.” Also, “The book is intended to be a practical resource that can be used by a range of food safety stakeholders.” (You can order it at pwgo. to/5839.) Fake packaging is as much a part of the picture as adulterated ingredients, she says. “There are quite a few examples of counterfeit food or beverage products involving false branding and packaging. Counterfeit versions of branded alcoholic beverages, such as highvalue wines, can be very profitable for criminals.” She points to an incident from China in 2020 in which boxes of branded lemons were found to be inauthentic—the boxes themselves were counterfeit, and the lemons presumably weren’t the high-quality branded fruits the boxes claimed. Everstine says that if “fraudulent packaging is involved, the product inside is also suspect.” Everstine agrees that food fraud is primarily an economic issue

but it’s clear there are times when it leads to safety concerns, too. For example, lead has been used in turmeric, industrial dyes in spices and palm oil for color, melamine added to milk supplies in China “to artificially increase the apparent protein content, which resulted in illnesses in hundreds of thousands of infants that consumed formula as their sole source of nutrition.” When the intentionally added but undeclared substances are allergens—such as peanut products or soy protein—the safety issues are obvious. She points to an instance in which peanut products were added to cumin to increase volume, leading to recalls in 2014. Dr. John Spink of Michigan State University’s business school’s department of supply chain management continues to pioneer many efforts to improve the study of food fraud and raise its profile within corporate operations. He also has a book aimed at translating these concerns into practical measures. For food packagers trying to translate food fraud advice into action, he says his 2019 Food Fraud Prevention textbook provides a “holistic, enterprise-wide approach” that provides “real help in answering questions such as “how to start” and “how much is enough.” (It’s available via pwgo.to/5840.) His work includes the continuing development of a crowd-sourced glossary of key terminology, now up to over 900 terms. He also notes that packaging, like food component ingredients, gets counterfeited, too, but says that because it is often procured by food makers from a converter or supplier with whom the food maker has an ongoing relationship, there are fewer opportunities for introducing counterfeits. In other words, a shorter supply chain helps reduce risk. If, instead, you buy your packaging from an ever-changing series of online suppliers that aren’t known to you, that’s riskier. Spink looks toward 2021 with a warning for packaging suppliers: “Retailers and food manufacturers are looking at their own food safety management in more detail, and in turn, they are monitoring their suppliers, and that includes their packaging suppliers.” Spink emphasizes that if you think your products are not at risk and you have no known history of fraud problems, you still need to prove and document as much in a risk evaluation or hazard analysis. “You can’t say you don’t have a problem if you haven’t done the assessment.” That’s because FDA’s preventive controls requirements as well as GFSI and similar certification programs are all telling food companies that they need to assess the risks of food fraud and other threats, and to document that they have done so, even if the assessment is that the risk is minimal. The bottom line is that in 2021 and beyond, packaging makers can expect to receive requests from their food company customers, if they aren’t already, for information or to take specific steps, to help the customers assess their susceptibility to food fraud. PW

Eric Greenberg can be reached at greenberg@efg-law.com. Or visit his firm’s Web site at www.ericfgreenbergpc.com. INFORMATIONAL ONLY, NOT LEGAL ADVICE.

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12/18/20 4:45 PM

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12/22/20 9:56 AM

36 PW JAN2021

THE BIG PICTURE

By Sterling Anthony, CPP, Contributing Editor

Flexible Packaging: Hard to Recycle, but Green For the purposes of this article, flexible packaging means non-rigid materials forming primary packages (e.g. pouches and bags). The principal materials are paper, foil, and film. It’s their varying, multilayer combinations that make flexible packaging a recycling challenge. That’s an easy concession to make, though. Recyclability is only one determinant of the sustainability of flexible packaging. From a systems perspective, flexible packaging has sustainability bona fides. A criticism of flexible packaging concerns the difficulty of separating the layers for subsequent recycling. The reality, however, is that the layers are supposed to be difficult to separate. Co-extruded and laminated structures, for example, rely on the combined contributions of their layers. If the layers were easily separable, the structure could not perform its purposes. Bonding is an inherent trait of multilayer flexible packaging and must be reflected in any effort to increase recyclability. Flexible packaging that incorporates film is criticized because the film is sourced from non-renewable petroleum. The film, most often there to allow heat-sealing, can serve additional purposes, such as a moisture barrier and a tie layer. Again, not to be ignored is the issue of performance, or being suitable for a given application. So-called bio-plastics are not necessarily the solution. They don’t match petroplastics in performance, and their use wouldn’t address layers’ being difficult to separate. Yet another criticism is that flexible packaging’s low recycling rates don’t support landfill diversion. But that doesn’t mean it’s not sustainable. Different end-of-life options exist because no single one has across-the-board practicability. A circular economy and a zerowaste society are worthwhile ideals. However, during the interim, optimal use should be made of all options. Deflection of criticisms only goes so far in defending the sustainability of flexible packaging. Discussion has to address specific examples of what flexible packaging brings to the sustainability table. Packaging is a systems concept, wherein trade-offs are made among interrelated components for an optimal end-result. LifeCycle Assessment (LCA)—widely accepted as a tool for determining sustainability—is definable in the same way. Sustainability, LCA teaches, is the net result of the ways and extents that a given subject impacts the environment. Flexible packaging earns sustainability points through sourcereduction. Less material is used in flexible packaging than is used in rigid. Being lighter in weight and taking up less space translates to increased efficiencies and lower costs throughout the supply chain, i.e. material handling, transportation, and warehousing. Source-reduction is further leveraged when the simplest construction (materials and layers) necessary for a given application is used. Also, when flexible packaging is customized for a given

BigPicture_0121.indd 36

application, it will best perform its functions of protection, communication, and convenience, thereby maximizing sellable product. Stated another way, if a product does not sell because of poorly performing packaging, all expended resources will be wasted. Applying the information, analysis, and interpretation required of LCA, flexible packaging emerges as sustainable. The LCA methodology allows subjective determination of the importance of any given aspect of a material’s existence. Nonetheless, it’s not reasonable to argue that end-of-life considerations outweigh all others. That’s not to deny that increased recyclability of flexible packaging is desirable, rather it’s to acknowledge that flexible packaging has disposal options. The question, therefore, is how to expand those options. Recycling involves collection, sorting, bundling, and getting materials to market. The stakeholders are brand owners, consumers, municipalities, regulators, recycling centers, converters, and postconsumer markets. Any initiative aimed at increasing the recyclability of flexible packaging has to harmonize the disparate priorities of those stakeholders. Collaboration, education, and incentives are necessary elements for success. Around the world, sponsored initiatives and pilot programs are ongoing to increase the recyclability of flexible packaging. Some deal with technologies: for example, chemically deconstructing multilayer, multi-material constructions. Others deal with identifying the factors that shape consumer attitudes and behavior. Collectively, they should provide insights regarding the best paths forward. Discussions about recycling inevitably touch on infrastructure, particularly its ability to tolerate materials that otherwise would be regarded as contaminants to the stream. Flexible packaging presents quite the challenge, given the many compositions it can take. A low-hanging-fruit approach is to focus on the mono-material structures, poly bags for example. As structures increase in complexity, it would be advisable to seek out/develop converters and markets for heterogeneous materials. Even so, there likely would need to be formulaic limits on how heterogeneous such materials can be. Complex compositions also will complicate buy-in by consumers. For example, how are they to identify those compositions? For flexible packaging, nothing exists that’s akin to the “chasing arrows” recycling codes for plastics. And no delusions should be entertained that consumers are willing to be deluged with codes nor with having to perform a variety of actions: using different receptacles, for example. Professionals whose job is to tabulate U.S. packaging industry statistics say that the flexible packaging segment is the second largest and the fastest growing. Other developed countries tally similarly. It means that the challenges and opportunities regarding flexible packaging recycling are going to increase. They will need to be met with focused determination, yes, but also with flexibility. PW

12/18/20 4:46 PM

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12/18/20 4:47 PM

38 PW JAN2021

OMNICHANNEL ANSWERS

By Eric Hiser, Vice President of Standards & Certification, ISTA (International Safe Transit Association)

Five Post Testing Considerations Testing is an essential step in ensuring your packaged product has a successful journey to the end consumer, but there are other steps that should be taken for bolstering confidence in your system throughout its life span. The following are five key considerations when the physical testing is complete. These, in combination with the pre-testing considerations (find them at pwgo.to/5847), will help ensure the greatest value is gained for your pre-shipment verification. 1) Thoroughly document testing details. Many overlook and take for granted this critical step. Fully documenting your testing rationale will provide you with a valuable reference moving forward should a damage occur. Key elements include numerous pictures before, during, and after testing as well as clearly listing packaging and product makeup and what you have defined as acceptable levels of damage. Furthermore, it provides a stronger case when dealing with carrier damage issues as you have a clear rationale for the work done. 2) Understanding the results. Testing results provide you with an understanding of the level of risk you are willing to assume for a given packaged-product configuration traveling through a given supply chain leg. Simply achieving a ‘pass’ is failing to leverage the full value in testing. As shared in the five pre-test considerations (pwgo.to/5847), pass/fail criteria are determined by the collective of stakeholders, and ultimately establish the level of risk your business is willing to assume. Undermining the benefit of testing by attempting to circumvent the discussion on risk is delaying the unfortunate situation of dissatisfaction. Assuming a high level of risk by ‘passing’ a packaged product for the sake of just doing business will inevitably result in denied claims, customer complaints of damaged products, and eroded brand equity. 3) Monitor shipments. It is important to note that test protocols can evaluate the effectiveness of packaging only for hazards represented in the protocol. For example, a test procedure that does not include a compression test is unable to evaluate a packaged product’s ability to withstand warehouse stacking loads. Knowing the distribution environment in detail can help users select an appropriate test. Additionally, detailed shipping records for not only the test sample but the entire product line should be maintained, including number of units shipped and the number damaged in distribution. This performance, when compared to results from the laboratory tests, can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of tests and guide future testing decisions. 4) Leveraging testing outcomes. Best practice is to test all products, but if budgets and/or timelines won’t allow, then some testing is better than no testing. Bridging knowledge gaps is intended to provide the test user with best practices on how to apply the learnings from testing to the broadest number of products possible. To ensure that you are informed prior to bridging knowledge gaps of packaged-product tests is to create a detailed matrix of product and packaging attributes, i.e. all packaging and product specifications.

This enables a clear understanding of the packaged products attributes so that those with similar attributes can be congregated together. This is also allowing for a testing plan that captures the full range of packaged products, i.e. small, medium, large, extra-large. By having the full range defined, it becomes easier to understanding the packaged products that exist in your testing gaps. Lastly, if field damage levels for those items not tested is similar to those that were tested, then you should have greater confidence in the risk-based assumptions made. If, however, any particular packaged product shows damage trends that are deemed excessive when compared to those items that were tested, that packagedproduct should be tested. 5) Retesting. Testing should be repeated periodically or as necessary to maintain the quality characteristics of the packaged product on arrival. In addition, tests must be repeated whenever there is a change in the product, the package, or the process. Some changes are not included in this requirement, but only if the change is not associated with potential performance in any way. Changes in the product can include changes in: • Design (configuration, components, accessories, etc.) • Size/weight (dimensions, shape, mass, center of gravity, etc.) • Materials (type, construction, fabrication, gauge, etc.) Changes in the package can include changes in: • Configuration (individual package or unit load, container type and subtype, style, design, interior packaging, etc.) • Size/weight (dimensions, shape, mass, caliper, gauge etc.) • Materials (corrugated, plastic, metal, glass, etc.) • Components (closures, labels, straps, pallets, skids, wraps, etc.) Changes in the process can include changes in: • Manufacturing/assembly (vendor, location, automation, etc.) • Filling (equipment, speed, automation, etc.) • Distribution system (parcel delivery, LTL, intermodal, etc.) When there is any doubt as to whether a change will potentially affect performance, retesting should be performed. Determining when retesting is required may involve knowing and tracking specification details of both the package and the product, such as new or changed components, materials, interior packaging, closure methods, etc. The need for testing comes from the difficulty of predicting what will happen in large-scale operations, coupled with the requirement to make decisions prior to implementation. Essentially, every test comes from the need to make a decision. The test results provide the decision maker with information to help maximize correct decisions. The decisions supported by pre-shipment performance testing of transport packaging are typically about how well the package will protect the contents during distribution. Effective package design benefits from confidence in the diligence and hopefully these preand post-testing considerations will help ensure you get the most from the diligence put forward through pre-shipment testing. PW

ISTA is a non-profit, member driven association for the packaging and logistics sectors. For over 70 years, ISTA has helped its members control costs, damage, and resources during the distribution of packaged-products. ISTA’s members include product manufactures, carriers, suppliers, testing laboratories and educational and research institutions.

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SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor

Loop Expands into QSR Quick-service restaurants Burger King and Tim Hortons, both part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), will soon be piloting a program in partnership with TerraCycle’s Loop circular packaging platform that will allow guests to specify reusable containers and cups when they order select food and beverage products. The closed-loop system will require guests to pay a deposit that will be refunded upon return of the packaging, which will then be cleaned by Loop for reuse, again and again. The initiative falls under RBI’s sustainability platform, Restaurant Brands for Good. “As part of our Restaurant Brands for Good plan, we’re investing in the development of sustainable packaging solutions that will help push the foodservice industry forward in reducing packaging waste,” says Matthew Banton, Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Burger King Global. “The Loop system gives us the confidence in a reusable solution that meets our high safety standards, while also offering convenience for our guests on the go.” Guests, Banton emphasizes, are at the center of all the decisions RBI makes. Therefore, when the company saw its guests expressing greater and greater interest in minimizing their impact on the planet, it pursued the idea of reusable packaging as one strategy. “Understanding that reusable packaging is not something that’s typical within the QSR space, we wanted to make sure we found the right partners that could help us explore the topic and also present it in a way that could be executable,” Banton says. “So, we connected with the team at Loop, and we found we had mutual interests, starting essentially with minimizing our impact on the planet. Once we agreed on those principles, it was clear the partnership made sense on both sides.” The pilot will launch in 2021 in select Burger King restaurants in New York City, Portland, and Tokyo, and in select Tim Hortons locations in Toronto. These pilot cities were chosen for two reasons, shares Banton: “One, we have amazing franchises in those locations— we have good operators and good footprints for our businesses there. On top of that, those are also markets that leverage the networks where Loop is already established, which will help maximize our ability to get into these pilots as quickly as possible.” Prototypes of the reusable packaging, which include a container for sandwiches and a beverage cup for soft drinks and coffee, were developed by RBI’s in-house design team along with one of its agency partners. Banton says the prototype is just an initial starting point; he foresees many tweaks in the coming months before the designs and materials are finalized. Considerations include what functional features

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will be needed, such as opening and closing and the height and width of the packaging, and how these will fit into the QSRs’ supply chain systems, how the packages can be adopted around the world, and how they can be made scalable. RBI is also targeting a minimum of 100 uses for the packaging. “Then, ultimately, it will depend on how guests adopt the program once we do the pilot,” Banton adds. The container deposit cost is also still being determined. RBI is working with Loop to identify the proper threshold to ensure the deposit is low enough that guests will adopt the program, but high

enough that they will be encouraged to return the packaging. “There’s still a lot of work to do to finalize that piece,” says Banton. “I think it also goes hand in hand with the final creation of the reusable asset, because those things are intrinsically tied. So, I think they’ll come together at relatively the same time.” As for the return and deposit collection system, RBI currently envisions a system whereby when the consumer is ready to return the reusable packaging, they will scan the cup or container through the use of the Loop app, at which time their deposit will be returned, and they will place the package into a designated Loop receptacle or collection bin. The packaging will then be professionally cleaned and sanitized by Loop. Says Burger King, “Our partnership with Loop aligns with Burger King restaurants’ rigorous safety procedures around cleanliness and hygiene, all of which have become even more pressing during the current pandemic. Loop’s cleaning systems have been created to sanitize food containers and cups, meaning each will be hygienically cleaned and safe before each use.” While Banton says no one knows the future when it comes to sustainability and some of the new green packaging initiatives, RBI is testing things now to make sure its business is future-proofed. “So, will reusables be part of the future? I’m not sure. But if they are, we’ll be ready.” PW

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Nestlé Purina’s ‘Most Modern’ Packaging Operation Sophisticated use of robotics is the key to this impressive cartoning and case-packing line for 85-g tins of cat food in 4-, 8-, 12-, and 24-count cartons. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Variety packing

Flexible manufacturing

By Pat Reynolds, VP Editor Emeritus Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestlé, which has operated in Poland since 1993, picked the Polish town of Wroclaw to build what it describes as “the most modern Nestlé Purina factory in Europe.” Officially opened in 2015 and occupying 135,000 sq m (1,453,128 sq ft), the plant’s newest packaging operation is for wet cat food in 85-g tins. The building includes everything needed to store raw materials, to produce the cat food, and to store finished goods. Filling and seaming of steel cans is also state of the art, after which a robotic nesting system fills cans into baskets at high speeds for efficient transfer to the retort systems that render the product shelf stable. Unloading from these baskets is also done robotically. Then the cans are labeled and sent to a palletizing system that organizes layers of cans and stacks them onto pallets to be stored as semi-finished product for subsequent multi-

Jumpstart on demand Learn more about packaging line robotics, along with a host of other on-trend packaging topics presented during the recent PACK EXPO Connects Jumpstart sessions, at packexpoconnects.com.

flavor combinations into 4-, 8-, 12-, and 24-count cartons. Immediately after comes case packing. Our focus here is on these cartoning and case packing operations, which are done on four impressive systems from CAMA. The setup is practically a mirror image of an end-of-line solution that CAMA devel-

One case packer receives cartons from two different upstream cartoning systems, one a side-load and the other a top-load.

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P Like the Aubigny operation, the Wroclaw system needed to handle 660 cans/ A min in 4-, 8-, 12-, and 24-count cartons. C This persuaded CAMA to dedicate one carB toner to the 4- and 8-count cartons and a A second cartoner to the 12- and 24-count cartons. Why? “To build a single machine capable of doing all four carton varieties at those speeds would have been much more complicated and would have involved unacceptably long changeover times,” says CAMA Sales Engineering Manager Fabio Melli. “So for the two smaller cartons we use the IG270 robotic collator feeding into the CL169 side-load cartoner. For the 12and 24-count cartons we use the IF318 top-load robotic collator/cartoner. Both Shown here is the infeed section of the side-load cartoner with two of four right-angle curves cartoners then feed into our IN260 case visible (A), the first of four flighted conveyors on an eliptical track (B), and a robot placing the packer.” He adds that the 4-count cartons cans onto the main conveyor (C). run at about 165/min, the 8-count at 85/ min, the 12-count at 55/min, and the 24-count at 28/min. oped two years ago for Nestlé Purina’s plant in Aubigny, France, though Nestlé only runs one of the two cartoners at a time. Regardless of Pasquale Devanna, Packaging Engineering Team Leader at Nestlé Puwhich one is in operation, it’s fed by a depalletizer from Clevertech. rina, says it features a few improvements made possible thanks to obLooking first at how the two smaller cartons are handled, the IG270 servation of the original line once it was operational.

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Trends and Drivers Impacting the

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, reported on trends and drivers impacting the pet food industry, at a global and regional level.

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collator uses four delta-style robots to prepare cans in the proper collations on a flighted Main Conveyor and an additional two delta-style robots to lift the 4- or 8-count collations from the Main Conveyor into the bucket infeed of the CL169 side-load cartoner.

How 8-count cartons are done

B In describing how all of this happens when 8-count cartons are in production, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s useful to imagine four parallel conveyor lanes flowing A from South to North. Each lane is filled with cans, and each lane has a different cat food flavor. At roughly 10-foot intervals, each of these four conveyor lanes curves East to take cans toward a robotic station occupied by a delta-style robot and a flighted conveyor mounted on a short elliptically shaped track that runs North to South parallel to the four-lane infeed flow. In each of these four robotic stations, the In this station, a robot (A) picks cans in collations of eight and places them in a parallel cans go through the same series of operations. bucketed infeed conveyor (B) leading into the sideload cartoning station. First, a starwheel infeed device puts two cans at and places them in the flights of the Main Conveyor. So by the time this a time on edge in the flights of the elliptically shaped conveyor. Parallong Main Conveyor has moved past robotic station #4, every one of lel to this flighted conveyor is the flighted Main Conveyor mentioned its flights holds two cans. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, the pairs of cans are perfectly previously, which, like the main infeed conveyor lanes, also moves in a arranged by flavor: two of Flavor A, then two of Flavor B, then two of South to North direction. Each of these first four delta-style robots picks Flavor C, then two of Flavor D, and then back to two of Flavor A. two cans at a time from the flights of the elliptically shaped conveyor

Seen here on the top-load cartoner are three carton forming cavities (A) and, in the foreground, cans (B) that will be placed into the cartons.

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On the top-load cartoner, the same device that erects flat blanks into cartons by plunging the blanks into a female tool also places the formed cartons into this bucketed carrier.

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All that remains is for robotic stations #5 and #6 to pick cans in collations of eight and place them in a parallel bucketed infeed conveyor leading into the cartoning station. The collations are then pushed into cartons that the CL169 erects from flat blanks. Flaps are closed and glued by a Nordson hot-melt adhesive applicator. Upon discharge, sensors detect if there are any problems with flaps being imperfectly closed, and if there are any issues, that carton is rejected. Finished cartons then move into an Ambaflex spiral conveyor and move at an overhead level to a similar spiral conveyor that takes them back down to floor level. As they exit the Ambaflex spiral conveyor, they pass over a checkweigher supplied by Minebea Intec and then receive a date code by way of a Videojet laser coder. Now it’s on to case packing on CAMA’s IN216. In the case of 8-count cartons, it collates 12 cartons on a platform, pushes them at a right angle onto another platform, and eventually, four cartons at a time are pushed into a corrugated case that the machine erects from flat blanks. Flaps are closed and glued, again by a Nordson unit. Finally, a Logopak thermal transfer print-and-apply labeler applies production code information to the side of each case. One more inspection station confirms that everything is okay with label printing and placement. Then an Ambaflex spiral conveyor takes cases to an overhead conveyor that leads to remote palletizing.

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12- and 24-count cartons

A A A When the production schedule calls for the 12- or 24-count cartons, a simple diversion gate at the outfeed of the Clevertech depalletizer sends cans not to the side-load cartoning equipment but rather B B to CAMA’s IF318 top-load robotic cartoner. It deploys three different robots to form cartons from flat blanks, load product into formed cartons, and close cartons with hot-melt adhesive. As we saw with the side-load cartoning operation, the top-load cartoner produces C cartons containing an even mix of cat food flavors. It begins with a four-lane infeed conveyor where each lane holds a different flavor. A metering device transfers the cans from a flat belt conveyor onto a Visible in this overhead shot of the top-load cartoner are three flat blanks just before they’re flighted conveyor so that each can occu- plunged into forming cavities (A), freshly formed cartons in the bucketed conveyor (B), and four pies its own flight. Running parallel to this lanes of cans soon to be robotically placed into the formed cartons (C). flighted can conveyor is a long stretch of can be placed in each carton. And finally, the carrier advances to the conveyor on which several carriers run intermittently on an elliptical third robotic station, which closes the carton with hot melt adhesive. track. Each carrier has six buckets. As a carrier moves through the three The first robotic station is notable for the number of tightly integrated robotic stations, it receives six empty cartons in the first station. The actuations it involves. First, Device 1 picks three flat carton blanks from carrier then advances to the second robotic station so that 12 or 24 cans

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magazine feeds and places them in Device 2, which strokes forward a short distance to place the blanks in Device 3. As this transfer occurs, hot melt is sprayed on the flaps of the blanks by six nozzles fed by a Nordson adhesive application unit. Once the three blanks are in Device 3, they don’t stay there long. The robotic end effector’s vacuum cups pick all three blanks up slightly, and then, as Device 3 retreats to get three more flat blanks, the carton blanks are plunged straight down into tooling that forms them into erected cartons. Now the robot lifts the three erected cartons out of the tooling and places them in three of the buckets on the carrier that runs along the elliptical track. This carrier then advances a slight distance so that the robot can place three more freshly erected cartons in the other three buckets. Then the carrier is whisked forward to the second robotic station.

with extreme precision • Consistent package pressure • Consistently low oxygen levels • Experienced worldwide service team Since 1958 Six top-loaded cartons at a time are closed in this final robotic station. The second robot in the IF318 has six end effectors that use vacuum cups to pick and place into each carton two layers of six for a 12-count or four layers of six for a 24-count format. All that remains now is for the carrier to advance the loaded cartons to the third and final robotic station. It, too, has six end effectors that, with each cycle, apply hot melt adhesive, close the top flaps, and pull the finished carton away from the bucketed carrier and onto a parallel discharge conveyor leading immediately into an ascending Ambaflex spiral conveyor. It takes cartons to an overhead conveyor leading to the descending spiral conveyor that discharges into the IN216 case packer. All in all, it’s an impressive example of how variety packs can be handled. Expect to see other examples of this kind of packaging prowess, since variety packs are in high demand where today’s consumer is concerned. PW 4 Barten Lane, Woburn, MA 01801 T 781 933 3570 | F 781 932 9428 sales@vacuumbarrier.com

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Keurig Dr Pepper Helps Guide CPGs Through Amazon Packaging Compliance Having braved its own journey into Amazon’s Ships in Own Container (SIOC) certification demands, KDP packaging engineers explain what’s required to ready products for e-commerce delivery. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Avoiding Amazon chargebacks

Damage/return reduction

By Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, ProFood World It’s a brave new e-commerce world. Having large, well-equipped brands that are willing to share their lessons learned can go a long way to helping smaller companies successfully traverse the new terrain. When it comes to navigating rules for Amazon’s Ships in Own Container (SIOC) certification, one company that thought it might help others alleviate the growing pains it went through itself was Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP). SIOC certification is now required for certain products in order to ship through Amazon. “How to interact with this program has really come into focus at KDP,” said Luke Magnant, packaging engineering manager for secondary packaging at KDP in a webinar.

Magnant, along with Kara Revoir, KDP packaging development engineer, explained the steps the CPG took to better understand where its products fell into SIOC classifications, how eligibility was determined, how tests were run, and—ultimately—how packages were redesigned to satisfy e-commerce needs.

Back to the drawing board

Getting your package ready to meet Amazon’s demands is not only about appeasing the e-commerce giant. It will ultimately help your products arrive to your customers intact and ready to enjoy. In a webinar presented by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), Magnant and Revoir showed how changes to the packaging for Keurig McCafé® coffee pods not only helped to qualify it for Amazon’s SIOC standards but also enabled it to withstand the vibration and shock of typical shipping scenarios. The club store format of the Keurig McCafé carton was designed for retail shelf impact— loose pods in a litho lamination case. To determine whether that package could also withstand the rigors of e-commerce, it was classified After evaluating the club store format of its Keurig McCafé carton (left), KDP redesigned according to its weight as well as shipping and the packaging for e-commerce (right), working specifically with Amazon SIOC handling methods and then run through a series specifications. Photo courtesy of Keurig Dr Pepper. of tests, including condition, a drop sequence, vibration, and another drop sequence. Amazon’s SIOC certification—announced in September 2018 as part of “We failed at two points,” Magnant pointed out. The outer liner sufits sustainable packaging programs—was designed to reduce waste, lowfered a significant amount of vibration damage, and the perforated er supply chain costs, and enhance the consumer experience. Any large opening feature ruptured during the second drop sequence. “We had to packages shipped through Amazon that do not meet the requirements rethink what that package needed to look like.” will receive a $1.99 chargeback. They must be “right sized, protective What KDP came up with was a package that looks considerably against damage, ready to ship without the need for additional packaging, different than the original. They replaced the outer liner with a basic ideally easy to open, and recyclable,” Amazon informed its vendors.

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Kraft liner and removed the perforated opening feature. Then they brought the redesigned case back to testing—it passed, the SIOC test results were ready to submit, and KDP was ready to enroll the product for SIOC certification.

Getting all your pods in a row Altogether, there were four major phases of preparation for KDP to enter into the SIOC program: impact assessment, eligibility of products in its portfolio to make sure they met certification, test execution, and enrollment into the program. “When Amazon made the announcement, we all had to figure out how to react,” Magnant said. At KDP, they organized the impact assessment into three zones. • Zone 1 contained large and heavy items that would need to be SIOC-certified and were subject to a chargeback. • Zone 2 items were SIOC-eligible but would not get a chargeback. • Zone 3 contained small or oddly shaped items that were not eligible and were not at risk of a chargeback. “This would help us understand why certain products are at risk for a chargeback,” Magnant said. “The first thing that really defines the three zones is whether it’s required or eligible—whether it’s sortable or not, whether the package can fit a shipping label. If the package is too small or oddly shaped to fit a shipping label, it isn’t eligible.” KDP began by focusing just on Zone 1. “Ultimately, what we really care about are products that fall into Zone 1 only,” Magnant said. “That would become your chargeback-eligible list.” Once you have a handle on which of your items are impacted, then you can begin to understand if they’re actually eligible for SIOC certification, Revoir noted. Similar to how it did for impact assessment, KDP divided all its products into eligibility groups as well: • Group A products met all the criteria for eligibility. “We just need to complete testing and confirm that it passes,” Revoir explained. • Group B eligibility may be a little less clear. • Group C items are clearly not eligible and will require a design change. With these criteria in mind, Keurig Dr Pepper was able to show some clear examples of the sorts of products they found in their portfolio and how they did or didn’t meet the certification demands. In one case involving cartoned Keurig pods, for example, the carton was clearly eligible. While the eligibility of other cartons was in question because of large gaps in the top or handle holes on the sides, another example— bai drinks in a tray shrink format—fell squarely into Group C, Revoir commented.

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Products move through the next phase in a similar manner. Products that fall into Group A can move into testing. Again, there are three options for testing: • Use an ISTA-certified lab. • Work with a member of Amazon When KDP ran the club store format of its Keurig McCafé carton Packaging Support and Supplier through a series of tests, it failed at two points: The outer liner suffered (APASS), where labs are certified by vibration damage and the perforated opening feature ruptured during Amazon to complete testing but also the drop sequence. Image courtesy of Keurig Dr Pepper. offer design services. • Use your own internal lab “if you’re They will also both require travel or a remote pass/fail. And it will take lucky enough to have one at your disposal,” Magnant added. more design iteration turnaround time. Though, of course, many manufacturers will not have the kinds of “When it comes to using an internal certified lab, you have the ownresources that KDP has at its disposal. However, the first two testing opership of the pass/fail evaluation. That comes in handy when you’re tions will require having to pay or find the right partner to work with. trying to have a clean baseline. You get an unlimited number of test attempts and design iterations, and you can collect results over time to build a benchmark database,” Magnant said. “We might be a little biased, but it’s certainly a capability that’s worked really well for us.” Of course, knowing that not everyone has those resources is certainly a part of what led Magnant and Revoir to share its experience in the first place.

KDP’s SIOC process

KDP divided all its products into eligibility groups for the SIOC program based on whether they met all criteria for eligibility, if eligibility was unclear, or if products were clearly not eligible. Image courtesy of Keurig Dr Pepper.

Enrollment in Amazon’s program, done through Amazon’s Vendor Central portal, involves completing two documents from Amazon—a test report and an enrollment template—and then also verifying approval in your case log. But KDP added a few steps to its enrollment cycle to improve the process for themselves internally, Revoir noted. There are several things that can generate the

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need for SIOC work at KDP, including new product development, ongoing maintenance of business, acquisitions, and limited-time offers. “That results in a lot to wrangle with,” Revoir said, including one-off requests, multiple business leads, lab planning complexities, and repetitive requests for the same parent Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN). “We’re figuring out how-to plans for the resulting lab work.” In addition to Amazon’s steps, KDP has established: • Single point of contact for managing SIOC requests • Test request form specific to SIOC • Monthly bulk enrollment cadence • Portfolio tracker and log “It’s helpful to implement an internal process,” Revoir commented. “It’s critical to educate internal stakeholders to ensure a consistent approach.” Though Revoir espoused the benefits of talking directly with Amazon if you have any questions, she advocated first visiting Amazon’s information portal at aboutamazon.com/sustainability/packaging. “It’s Amazon’s pond to fish from,” she said, complete with templates and examples. Magnant echoed the benefits of beginning with the website, where there is a lot of information. “That said, we did run into several instances along the way where we found a gray area. Their guidance would be to start with the website and look at tutorials. But then talk with lab technicians about areas that might be more gray,” he said. “Without everybody jumping on Amazon to pepper them with questions, first go

In addition to the steps established by Amazon (in yellow), KDP added several other steps (in blue) to its standard SIOC procedure. Image courtesy of Keurig Dr Pepper. to the website to self-help, but then Amazon is willing to partner and have conversations.” Oftentimes, a material supplier will be an APASS member and might be able to offer you guidance as well, Revoir added. “It’s worth asking your suppliers if they have a direct contact, and it’s more than likely that one of them will,” she said. PW

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Sustainable Bio-Based Tray from the USA Ancestral health brand Primal Kitchen, part of KraftHeinz, is the first to commercialize a new, dual-ovenable molded fiber tray based on U.S.-grown sugarcane. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

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By Matt Reynolds, Editor Primal Kitchen® was founded in 2015 by Mark Sisson, an endurance athlete, New York Times best-selling author, and early advocate of ancestral health practices via his health blog MarksDailyApple.com. Ancestral health is a blanket term often associated with the paleo or primal diets, and though there are a few different versions in the space like today’s popular ketogenic diet, they tend to revolve around eliminating

heavily processed foods—dairy, gluten, and grains in the form of bread, for instance—from the diet. From an early nutritional supplement platform and book called The Primal Blueprint, Primal Kitchen started as an e-commerce play for paleo condiments, launching a mayonnaise and salad dressing line made with avocado oil. During the early days, the brand built an extensive online distribution network, through both online health and wellness retailer Thrive Market and its own direct-to-consumer (D2C) business. “Our founder Mark Sisson really bucked the system, first by educating the world about a new way to eat via the ancestral health movement, and then creating products in CPG. The first, the mayonnaise, is made with avocado oil and other real, simple ingredients like organic, cage-free eggs,” says Ana Goettsch, VP of Marketing, Primal Kitchen. “The resulting high-quality, premium product was packaged in glass, and was launched online only, not typical of other brands path to market, especially in glass Then, once we got into Whole Foods and a variety of other bricks-and-mortar natural products retailers, the brand exploded from there. We now have over 72 SKUs in nine different categories and can be found in almost every retailer from Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and Wegmen’s to Costco and Target.”

Branching out into new pack formats

Primal Kitchen’s new line of bowls and skillets, launched in April 2020, are available D2C via Thrive Market, or in leading retailers like Walmart, Whole Foods, Wegmans and more.

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In 2020, Primal Kitchen launched a line of three IQF frozen bowls and skillets—Chicken Panang Curry, Chicken Pesto Bowl, and Beef & Mushroom Bowl—each adhering to the now-mainstream (comparatively, at least) tenets of ancestral health. But this move also brought the company into contact with packaging formats it hadn’t previously used. “With this lifestyle and growing consumer trends, there is an emphasis around sustainability in protein sourcing like grass-fed beef, cage-free eggs, organic ingredients where applicable, and those

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Luckily, in January of 2019, Primal Kitchen’s depth of resources to solve this problem had significantly deepened, and its knowledge and capability related to packaging received a big boost. That’s when KraftHeinz acquired the brand and made available its wealth of packaging resources and know-how. “We wanted consumers to continue to have an elevated experience with a frozen meal that might come at a premium from other frozen meals but gives the benefits of not using single-serve plastic,” Goettsch says.

Molded sugar cane fiber brand is born Dual-ovenable molded fiber bowls from Natrellis are made using raw materials entirely sourced from within the U.S. types of quality identifiers just resonate better when you continue that message out through the packaging that you’re using,” Goettsch says. Also, because of Primal Kitchen’s unique brand position within the natural products space—which is of a piece with other loosely related sets of ideals espousing health, wellness, and stewardship of the planet—a typical Primal Kitchen customer was likely to be seeking to eliminate single-use plastics. The average, off-the-shelf microwave-ready, single-use plastic pack used in so many major brand frozen meal packs wasn’t likely to fly with Primal Kitchens’ customer base.

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Meanwhile, just as Primal Kitchen was getting acquired by KraftHeinz and starting R&D on the frozen bowls line, packaging materials provider and converter Sonoco had identified a new market opportunity in agricultural fiber and was investing in R&D in this new packaging tech. Looking across the different markets the company served, Sonoco experts saw a niche where it could use its competencies around the performance of dual-ovenable (stands up to oven or microwave) packaging developed from fiber. Now, molded fiber isn’t particularly new to the packaging materials market. But an interesting confluence of events would eventually give food brands like Primal Kitchen fresh eyes with which to look at molded fiber trays. A business venture launched between Sonoco Products Company and Tellus Products, LLC, combining core competencies with packaging design, materials, science, and responsible sugarcane farming and

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Jumpstart on demand milling practices, led to the introduction of Natrellis®, a dual-ovenable package made from sugarcane fiber grown in the USA. Tellus is jointly owned by Florida Crystals Corporation, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, and American Sugar Refining, Inc., and is part of ASR Group. Sonoco is packaging provider that specializes in all types of packaging including rigid paperboard, flexible, and rigid plastic for the food industry.

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The Natrellis portfolio consists of microwaveable and conventional oven-compatible packaging designed by engineers with expertise in cook-in performance packaging, keeping the consumer experience top-of-mind. Tellus upcycles sugarcane fiber from the sugar milling process and converts it to compostable packaging for foodservice products such as plates, bowls, and take-out containers. Natrellis includes a performance application layer to these formed packages to create a dual-ovenable structure well-suited for applications like Primal Kitchen’s new line of meals.

Watch a short video detailing Natrellis sugarcane-based packaging at pwgo.to/5838 Natrellis products feature a highly engineered surface that delivers strong moisture, oil, and grease resistance during both cooking and consuming. This helps maintain the package strength during all phases of use, preventing loss of food moisture and eliminating the concern of wicking through the package to surfaces beneath. Within the portfolio there is a family of films built for strong heat-seals around the perimeter of the tray lip. This prevents leakage prior to freezing and maintains adhesion during cooking (if desired), while remaining easy to peel for the consumer. The sealants are formulated for both hot roller and platen technologies. Tellus’ manufacturing facility, which produces Natrellis® products, is located adjacent to the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative’s sugar mill in Belle Glade, Fla. This is notable since it limits transportation, and associated CO2 emissions, of the raw material, while being sourced in the U.S.

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As the Natrellis technology developed, it became evident that scaling up meant finding a willing a brand with a project ready for beta testing. When Sonoco floated the broad strokes—a dual-ovenable fiber tray that was grown, processed, and manufactured entirely in the U.S.—to its customers, early interest was quite high. Other Natrellis molded fiber features not yet mentioned include its PFSA-free status, and ability to work with multiple supply chains, including frozen and chilled prepared foods. There was no shortage of potential projects with the brands Sonoco serves.

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But it wasn’t so simple as choosing any old food brand from a hat filled with willing test partners. The entire Natrellis project needed to follow a very specific order of operations around scaling, ongoing How2Recycle certification efforts, and the physical locations of current and future manufacturing facilities. That meant that any brand signing on to this project would have to start without a recycling certification—all part of the scaling plan, and the company is working toward that recy-

cling certification—and grow and scale with the brand. This meant that the partnership might encounter delays and other factors that might be out of the brand’s control. A good partner had to be willing to endure these typical setbacks. Enter Primal Kitchen. It had at its disposal much of the packaging expertise and many of the resources that a big brand owner like KraftHeinz brought to the table, though the budget remained the same initially. Still, the brand continues to operate autonomously with its original leadership still intact, only now with a partner like KraftHeinz to aid in sourcing packaging like the sugarcane fiber bowl. It had a long way to grow still, so it was ready for a scaling journey. And a unique, health-and-wellness-minded customer base with an aversion to single-use plastics meant that the molded fiber trays were likely to resonate with their first consumers. This dual personality made Primal Kitchen an ideal fit for the project.

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“Their brand just matched what we were doing. It was a pretty simple decision to make. We were looking for a company who understood our message and the road we had to take. We were very strategic and purposeful about what we did with the Natrellis brand,” says Becky Skipper, Marketing Manager, RPC North America, Sonoco. “All the fiber, all manufacturing, all films produced, even the simplified bio-based performance layer coatings had to be made in the U.S. And these were variables that we had to address in a certain order. We wanted to ensure that the brand that we went out to market with was just as purposeful about who they were, as we were about who Natrellis was. “When Primal Kitchen came to us and they talked to us about what they wanted to do, we told them we had not picked a development partner yet, but they sure seemed like the right fit,” Skipper adds. “If they

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were willing to take up this challenge with us, with all of our cards on the table and a detailed plan that we’d follow to the letter, then we were ready to partner. It has been a fantastic working relationship. They’re wonderful. The volumes also were exactly where we wanted to be in startup and their brand messaging was where we wanted to be.”

Reasearch and development Early testing with the dual-ovenable fiber bowls was performed by Michael Hartley, Head of Innovation at Primal Kitchen, and he put the system through its paces. “With any bowl, part of the quality assurance procedure is ensuring that liquids don’t seep or leak through the packaging,” he says. “Many plastic alternatives struggle to handle liquid. Whether runny or viscous, liquids can pool at the bottom of the bowl and cause it to degrade over time. This innovative fiber-based bowl is able to hold liquids and deliver a consistent consumer experience.”

Bagasse (inset top right) is the dry pulpy fibrous residue that remains after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice. Luckily, the proof was in the pudding (or curry?), and the Natrellis fiber bowl system didn’t present any unexpected or novel challenges when compared to other molded fiber bowls. “But every material—PET, fiber-based bowls, HDPE, etc.—has unique properties and comes with its own set of challenges,” Hartley says. “Just like with any new product, we had to ensure it would run correctly through our manufacturing line and withstand distribution across the country.” The packaging line uses a cold filling process, and as the bowls run down the line, various ingredients are deposited into the bowl following a proprietary process. Once all ingredients are inside the bowl, the bowls are sealed, placed in a carton, case-packed, and then frozen for shipment. “The film is a parchment paper that is heat-sealed to the bowl. We chose a parchment paper versus a traditional plastic film because we wanted to elevate the consumer experience and differentiate from the competition,” Hartley says. “The parchment paper has printed Primal Kitchen graphics. Just like all Primal Kitchen products, the outer carton contains the date code and lot information.”

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The cartons are case-packed into Display-Ready Case (DRC) at five cartons per case. Retailers receive the case, remove the top opening, and place the entire case in the freezer shelf. “Every new technology presents new challenges,” Hartley concludes. “What makes this fiber-based bowl so special is the fact that it can withstand our normal manufacturing conditions. The adjustments we had to make to our processes are of the same nature that we would make for any new bowl, regardless of the material.”

Cost considerations Price was also a consideration in comparison to more standard bowls, like a traditional thermoformed, recyclable polypropelene tray or ovenable CPET. Hartley says the Natrellis molded fiber product is higher on the cost spectrum than more standard offerings, but says he—and thus the consumer—is paying for extra functionality and premium quality. “The Natrellis bowl offers several benefits compared to traditional plastic options,” Hartley says. “First, it can be used in both the microwave and the oven, which is not always the case for molded fiber packaging. Compared to ovencapable plastics like CPET, the Natrellis bowl has a significantly more premium look and feel. Second, the bowl itself is made without PFAs, which is both a differentiating claim compared to our competition and something our consumer truly cares about. Third, the bowl does not experience seepage or leakage due to a proprietary coating on the interior surface of the package, creating a grease and moisture barrier. This was especially important to us given the use of sauces in all three of our existing in-market SKUs. Finally, there is a compelling environmental story: the bowls are made from 100% virgin sugarcane fiber and are in the process of getting certified as ‘recyclable’ by How2Recycle.” Primal Kitchen’s cartoned IQF bowls retail for $7.99 each.

Channel balancing With a strong partnership with Thrive Market, Primal Kitchen launched frozen bowls and skillets online in July and have continued to expand distribution in brick-and-mortar retail partners like Whole Foods Market, Natural Independent Grocers, and Wegman’s. “We are expanding distribution regularly and excited to bring frozen meals to different retailers and new consumers all over the country.” She adds that one of the things that Primal Kitchen has done quite well over the past five years has been in innovating in categories that might have needed an ingredient clean-up, modification, or in the case of the brand-new frozen bowls and skillets, invention. “And packaging is one way we do that,” Goettsch concludes. “This frozen launch with an all-new package format [the dual-ovenable fiber bowl] really exemplified our leading innovation, and I think that’s exciting. I think it’s fun to bring it full circle, from every quality ingredient we’re using, to the packaging, and that the value of what we’re doing continues to resonate with consumers.” PW

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5 Tips on Redesigning Packaging for Inclusivity When updating your packaging to be more sensitive to today’s social issues, follow these five design strategies to ensure your brand’s continuity and accurately reflect your core values. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Package redesign strategies In a world calling for social justice and inclusivity, many well-known companies are closely reviewing and changing their brand identities. These highly recognizable brands—among them Mrs. Butterworth’s, Cream of Wheat, Uncle Ben’s, Aunt Jemima, and Eskimo Pie—either have imagery or names that could be considered racially divisive, insensitive, or promoting inequality in some way. These moves are not just knee-jerk reactions, says consumer research firm AMC Global. “Brands know that consumers are looking for them to take a stand and ‘walk the walk’ when it comes to social issues,” the company says. “In fact, our research shows that people are watching brands closely right now, so being silent is not an option.” While rebranding and packaging design modifications are a crucial step in an effort to eliminate racial bias, there are some challenges inherent with any brand refresh, AMC advises, saying that “companies do not want to rebuild decades worth of brand equity and recognition.” With this in mind, AMC advises the following five tips for successfully rebranding and changing the visual identity of your packaging to help ensure continuity, even while changing an identity to meet current social pressures and challenges. 1. Effective communication: When you make a major change to your brand or packaging design, your consumers want to know why. Be transparent and specific. A communication-pro tip: Lead with functional, and support with emotional. Communicate why the change supports the core values and brand promise of your company, while at the same time reassuring consumers that it’s the same great product. Leverage effective communication tactics, such as strategic POS messaging and social media campaigns as well as traditional outreach methods. Says AMC, “A rebrand or new package design can fall flat if not fully supported with a strong marketing and communication plan.” 2. Color consistency: Even with a brand change or packaging design update, AMC says its research shows that it’s important for brands to keep their logo and packaging colors as consistent as possible. Color

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Rebranding racially charged mascots is one of your company’s strongest brand cues for consumer recognition and association—especially on-shelf. If new colors are added, be strategic and do the needed research to understand what those changes communicate to your consumers. The last thing a rebrand or packaging change should do is alienate your core consumers. 3. Careful simplification: Simplification is usually a good thing. But you must be careful so that key elements, such as flavor variety, serving size, and critical claims are not lost or overshadowed. Advises AMC, if appropriate, packaging should include realistic depictions of the product inside, not a stylized or artistic representation. Your claims should be clearly visible and resonate with your target audience, while communicating all the applicable information needed. Keep in mind, sometimes superlatives can diminish believability—for example, using phrases like, “We are the MOST delicious,” or “We have the PUREST ingredients.” 4. Balanced modernization: Updating your brand’s packaging or visual identity is always a great time to consider modernization, but don’t push the envelope so far that your brand becomes unrecognizable. Says AMC, be mindful of your target consumer and understand what design updates will work for them. It’s also important to keep a pulse on your competitors and ensure that your approach to modernization does the trick to break through on the shelf without negatively impacting findability. 5. Test, learn, optimize, and launch: When rebranding and/or updating your visual identity through a packaging redesign, let the consumer, especially your target consumers, be your guiding light. Incorporate them early in the process—during the innovation stages when you’re brainstorming and sketching ideas—and continue to capture their feedback throughout the screening and optimization process. Explains AMC, “Taking a consumer-centric approach will ensure your updated branding and/or packaging delivers on your brand’s core values, continues to attract (the right) attention, and avoids any alienation risks—all before your product hits the shelves.” —Anne Marie Mohan

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Dow Award Winners Share Strong Sustainability Profile These award winners represent the most innovative packaging breakthroughs in categories ranging from food and beverage to personal care, with a strong focus on sustainability and the circular economy. DIAMOND AWARD WINNER

Henkel Invests in Recycled Plastic with a Social Cause Dow’s 2020 Packaging Innovation Awards recognize breakthrough packaging achievements in design, technology, sustainability, and user experience. “I am especially inspired by this year’s Packaging Innovation Awards winners because of the industry’s continued focus on innovation and sustainability, despite the difficult global conditions caused by the pandemic,” says Diego Donoso, business president for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “The entry and judging processes were fully virtual this year for the first time, and it still produced strong competition with rigorous judging to recognize the top innovations.” The judges evaluated more than 175 entries from companies around the globe. Entries ranged from personal care and health and hygiene, to food and beverage and industrial innovations. In addition to the top Diamond Award, the judges also selected three Diamond Finalists, six Gold Award Winners, five Silver Award Winners, two Honorable Mentions for Emerging Applications, and one Honorable Mention for Advancements in Industrial Distribution systems. “I’ve been a judge in the Packaging Innovation Awards for many years, and this one presented a unique challenge in the way it was structured,” says lead judge David Luttenberger, global packaging director for Mintel Group, Ltd. “Despite the challenging circumstances, the participants delivered the same quality of innovations as in previous years.” The 2020 Packaging Innovation Awards hosted by Dow is now in its 32nd year and is the industry’s longest running independently judged packaging awards program. The judging panel consists of professionals from around the world in a wide range of fields, including design, engineering, retail, converting, and academia. PW

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The use by Henkel AG & Co KGaA of a more sustainable plastic that also supports a social cause, or Social Plastic®, in product packaging for its Beauty Care and Laundry & Home Care businesses has earned the global company and its partner, Plastic Bank, the coveted Dow Diamond Award. In 2017, Henkel became the first Consumer Packaged Goods company to partner with the social enterprise with the common objec-

tive of reducing plastic waste before it can enter the oceans, while at the same time improving the lives of those in poverty, especially in regions that lack waste management infrastructures. Since October 2018, Henkel has incorporated the resulting Social Plastic recycled materials into packaging for a number of its laundry detergent and household cleaner products. In late 2019, Henkel’s Nature Box became the first beauty brand to use Social Plastic, with up to 98% of its entire bottle portfolio consisting of the material. According to Thorsten Leopold, Head of Global Packaging Innova-

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tion Home Care at Henkel, the Social Plastic Ecosystem partnership with Plastic Bank provides another avenue for Henkel to meet its ambitious packaging targets, which include making 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025, as well as reducing the use of fossil-based virgin plastics in its packaging by half by the same year. “We want to promote a circular economy and contribute to avoiding plastic waste being disposed of in the environment,” he says. “Therefore, Henkel is supporting

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waste collection and investing in innovative solutions and technologies to promote recycling. “The Plastic Bank offers a unique solution to the problem of ocean plastic because it tackles waste at the source, is scalable worldwide, and complements our existing initiatives by adding a strong focus on supporting social progress.” As part of the Social Plastic Ecosystem, Plastic Bank has established ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities in Haiti, the Philippines, and Indonesia, funded in part by Henkel. Waste collectors receive a premium for the materials they collect, which helps them provide basic family necessities, such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. Plastic Bank’s certified blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization, allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability. When Henkel began using Social Plastic in 2018, it replaced from 25% to 50% of the material used in its packaging for select laundry detergent and home cleaner products with Social Plastic. “In our Laundry & Home Care portfolio, for example, we included 50% Social Plastic in bottles for our Pro Nature range, which were previously made of 100% recycled plastic from conventional sources,” explains Leopold. Henkel’s Vernel Fresh Control and Vernel Naturals likewise consist of 100% recycled plastic, 25% of which is Social Plastic. The bottles for its Nature Box products, relaunched in fall 2019, are made from 98% Social Plastic PET. In addition, the bottles for special editions under Henkel’s Fa (“Beach Love”) and Schauma (“Ocean Passion”) brands are now made of 96% recycled plastic, 50% of which is Social Plastic. Says Philippe Blank, Head of Circular Economy at Henkel Beauty Care, “They [Nature Box and Fa] have been pioneering the world’s largest industrial production runs with Social Plastic at this point in time, producing millions of bottles to showcase the material integrity and the supply chain we built behind.” For its Nature Box packaging, Henkel says it is currently working to replace the remaining 2% virgin plastic, which is based on the bottle’s color, with a color carrier consisting of Social Plastic. Greater use of Social Plastic in Henkel’s packaging overall will depend on increased collection and processing of the material. As Leopold shares, in addition to supporting ongoing projects in Haiti, the Philippines, and Indonesia, Henkel is also contributing significantly to the development of an infrastructure of more than 400 Plastic Bank collection points in Egypt. “Through establishing a collection system in Egypt, Plastic Bank expects to reach an additional capacity of up to 5,000 tons annually—this corresponds to approximately 1 billion bottles over a five-year period,” he says. In the meantime, Henkel continues to receive positive feedback from both retailers and consumers on its efforts thus far to incorporate Social Plastic into its

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packaging. “It showcases how we as a global consumer goods company take action to address the global challenge of plastic waste and turn it into specific circular packaging solutions while also adding a strong social component,” says Leopold. “By choosing a brand that is using Social Plastic, as a consumer, you can create a direct impact for people in poverty and contribute to cleaning up the environment in areas where no waste management and recycling infrastructure exists.” —Anne Marie Mohan

DIAMOND AWARD FINALIST

Metal-free Recyclable Coffee Bag One of the Diamond Finalist awards went to Colombia’s Alico for a metal-free and recyclable coffee bag. Among the very first to commercialize this pre-made bag was Pergamino Coffee of Medellin, Colombia. According to Alico Purchasing Manager Christina Rendon, Alico has been optimizing its metal-free pouchmaking technology for some time now. The whole idea, of course, is to remove the aluminum foil layer so that the packaging material fits neatly into the well-established recycle stream that already exists for polyethylene.

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When Alico submitted its entry in the Dow awards, the pouch it submitted was a two-layer adhesive lamination of two nine-layer blown-film extrusions. Included in each of these extrusions were various combinations of LLDPE (for hermetic sealing at low temperatures plus good processability), MDPE (for high gloss and transparency), HDPE (for high stiffness and good moisture barrier), a “plastomer” (for low sealinitiation temperature), and EVOH (for gas barrier). Also incorporated was a unidirectional degassing spout made of PE. The matte finish, surface printed on a flexo press, provided attractive graphics. This two-layer lamination replaced a three-layer lamination of polyester/ foil/PE. In addition to eliminating foil and polyester and thus making the material compatible with the PE recycle stream, the new two-layer lamination brought a reduction in energy consumption since it required the lamination of just two layers rather than three. Now, however, the laminating step has been eliminated and Alico is able to supply a pouch with all the same performance characteristics, cost benefits, and sustainability advantages with a nine-layer coextrusion of multiple grades of PE and a layer of EVOH for barrier. Shelf life for ground coffee in the Alico material is about 8 months. —Pat Reynolds

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P&G, Zacros Partner on Refillable Pouch Zacros designed the Platinum Dow Award Finalist Ariel Platinum Sports Refill Pouch in partnership with The Procter & Gamble Company of Japan Limited. The innovation is a unique way to cater to consumer habits and environmental concerns in Japan, where refill pouches for liquid laundry detergent are often used. The standing pouch, which is made of aluminum-deposited PET without need for barrier layer, features a PE spout and inner disk, preventing the detergent from coming out when the pouch is turned upside down. In addition, the unique structure also allows the air in the bottle to be replaced by the contents, drastically reducing the time for refilling. We asked Zacros, how does this unique, dual-purpose disk structure work? “The spout has an inner lid (or disk), so even if you turn it upside down, the detergent will not come out. By fitting it into the bottle, the inner lid opens, and the detergent flows into the bottle,” says Zarcos’ Satomi Guzman. “The spout has separate flow paths for liquid and air, and this mechanism allows air in the bottle to escape to the outside. Therefore, it can be poured quickly. Since we designed a part inside the spout inner lid (disk) that fits with the bottle’s tip, the pouch and the bottle fit perfectly. The spout is designed to fit only certain bottles.” While the pack itself isn’t recyclable, it clearly hits the mark on sustainability. In fact, it owes its existence to brands’ efforts to become greener and achieve sustainability goals that they’ve set for themselves. In this case, by using refill packs and getting many more cycles out of what used to be a single-use plastic bottle, the overall sustainability profile is strong. “Zacros doesn’t just focus on ‘Recyclability’ in terms of sustainability,” Guzman says. “Our sustainability focuses on the 3Rs—Recycle, Reduce, and Reinvent. We emphasize the ‘Reduce’ and ‘Reinvent’ packaging with innovative technologies that improve sustainability. In this case, we reinvented a spout. By adding usability and performance, we

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think consumers are willing to switch from the bottle to the refill pouch, which ultimately improves sustainability. We believe that small changes can make a difference in society. Zacros was a pioneer introducing refill to the Japanese market back in the 1990s. You can read our success story of the refill pouch on our website.” (Visit pwgo.to/5837 for more). A video of this P&G and Ariel brand project, to better visually illustrate the spout and inner lid (disk) system, is not currently available. However, the company is currently developing a similar fitment, called the FPS-03, that is based on this Dow Awards-recognized pack. You can access a demonstration, hosted by John Patterson, Zacros America’s Business Development Manager at the recent PACK EXPO Connects, by visiting the company’s PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom at pe.show/426. This On-Demand presentation, titled “Unique Liquid Refill Pouch for Home and Personal Care,” originally aired on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2020, but will remain available for viewing until March 31, 2021. —Matt Reynolds

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Economical Inner Barrier Film Deposition Process for PET Bottles Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd. of Japan, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Chemical Corp., developed a new thin film deposition technology for PET Bottlesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a thin film deposition system for high-performance PET bottles with high transparency, gas barrier, and stability when interact-

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ing with neutral aqueous solutions. This was notably impossible with previous PET thin-film gas barriers for bottles, according to the company. The innovation is created through a process that breaks down raw material gas to construct the colorless, transparent film on the inner walls of a PET bottle, and it is designed to provide cleaner, more efficient energy consumption and reduce product waste. Applications for this method include use with beer and carbonated drinks, in order to prevent carbonic acid from being release from the liquid, through the PET. It also could be used with beer and juices which are prone to oxidative degradation through untreated PET. Another material, EVOH as a laminate on the PET, could potentially be used to accomplish the same task. But Kirinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leilei Wang tells Packaging World that EVOH, by comparison, is expensive, and limited in use, especially for PET beverage bottles. The Kirin film deposition is a more economical solution that accomplishes the same effect. Wang describes the process that is used for the film deposition inside the PET bottle: â&#x20AC;&#x153;For our dedicated PET bottle hot wire CVD film deposition device, we devised a vacuum chamber to house PET bottles. A gas is supplied to the vacuum chamber that enters and fills the PET bottle, and hot wire is inserted along the center axis of the bottle. In the vacuum state, the hot wire is heated to a temperature at which the raw material gas is broken down, to create a thin film gas barrier,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The technology enables us to deposit unique, thin filmâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;composed of silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;evenly on the inner surface of the PET bottle.â&#x20AC;? The raw material gas is called vinylsilane, an organosilicon compound with chemical formula CH2=CHSiH3. It is a derivative of silane (SiH4). The technology to radicalize gas comes out of the semiconductor industry. The entire system accommodates 12 bottles per minute, and the deposition rate is 35 seconds/bottle, and FROM the Kirin deposition device has six chambers. The process and food-contact film are approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Kirin also obtained approval from the Japanese recycling industry, so it can recycled with PET, according to the company. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Matt Reynolds

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Clever Design Shines Through in 2020 AmeriStar Awards These three top award winners make the packaging industry proud by giving consumers great interactions and experiences with creative pack designs. One of the packaging industry’s most prestigious design awards programs rewarded 27 winners, including six student award winners, by selecting them as recipients of a coveted 2020 AmeriStar Package Award. The awards program is produced by IoPP, The Institute of Packaging Professionals. A roster of 15 judges from various segments of the packaging industry, Packaging World’s Senior Editor Anne Marie Mohan among them, evaluated this year’s entries virtually, examining package innovation, product protection, economics, performance, marketing and environmental impact. Judges considered package entries across 15 categories for both professional and student awards, as well as AmeriStar’s

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Gorilla Glue Shoulders Ergonomic Burden Coming out on top of this year’s AmeriStar Awards as Best in Show was the Gorilla Glue Micro Precise, a new entry into The Gorilla Glue Company’s portfolio of adhesives. The pack contains an aluminum tube of cyanoacrylate glue inside a black plastic shroud with orange-winged “buttons” that deliver an easy-touse, precisely controlled-dispensing tool that fits comfortably in a consumer’s hand. The team at Gorilla Glue engaged Product Ventures to design and develop the packaging for the project. Through category audits, consumer research, and iterative prototyping, Product Ventures’ industrial design team delivered—it’s engineering team worked with Gorilla Glue to bring the design through pilot tooling to a commercialized product. “The Micro Precise design hit on all our key objectives,” says Aaron Fromm, Marketing Director at the Gorilla Glue Company. “The ergonomic design allows for precise, comfortable use even for the most challenging applications,

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the internal design allows for maximum evacuation of the adhesive, and the visual appeal of the design perfectly fits what our consumers expect when they see a Gorilla product.”

Breaking the seal One technical concern Product Ventures wanted to address was to ensure the tube of glue inside the packaging was secure. When removing the cap, the internal cyanoacrylate tube of glue needed to stay secure in the pack without rotating, otherwise the glue would not be able to fully dispense. A ratchet-toothed design within the neck of the outer shroud was engineered to allow the cap to screw down to puncture the tube. After puncturing the tube, glue can flow out of the tube through the nozzle. The ratchet teeth will hold the nozzle in place when unscrewing the cap. The nozzle is thus captured by the ratchet mechanism allowing just the cap to open and close without unthreading the nozzle from the inner tube. This allows consumers to safely apply Gorilla Glue to surfaces with precision, and with the cap on, the package can be stored in any orientation. “Since Super Glues need to remain sealed before use to prevent hardening, we keep our cap mechanism separate in the package,” Fromm adds. “The package holds the tube in place while the consumer

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screws the cap on, puncturing the seal. Once screwed in, the “toothed” [ratchet] feature keeps the cap in place, keeping a tight seal between the internal tube nozzle and the cap.”

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the shape at the base. This new shape made the grip more comfortable for consumers and provides a snug and secure fit in the consumer’s hand. Also, the design conveys the toughness of the Gorilla Glue brand and product by using a broad-shouldered silhouette. The tapered cutaway exposing the orange buttons, and the angled rib details on the buttons also reflects the toughness of the Gorilla Glue brand, according to Stephanie Scott, Manager, Sales & Marketing, Product Ventures. “Another design advance helped prevent the internal cyanoacrylate glue tube from being crushed at the top,” Scott says. “Designing for a cyanoacrylate glue tube offers a unique challenge because once the material is crushed it will not bounce back like a typical flexible plastic glue tube. The designers created the orange actuators so they would not crush the tube at the top to the point where glue could not be dispensed. This attention to detail resulted in a packaging design that can dispense more glue and fit comfortably in the consumer’s hand.” When consumers are applying adhesive for precise jobs, they typically aren’t using a large amount of the glue. In order for consumers to use this product on multiple occasions, an anti-clog cap includes a “pin” feature which keeps the orifice clear of adhesive and also prevents excess air from entering the package. On top of this, the aluminum structure of the tube is wellsuited for this usage as it prevents excess air from being introduced after each application. A common knock on superglue applications historically has been that consumers aren’t always able to extract all of the glue from the tube. Consider a loose corollary in toothpaste commercials, where a frustrated consumer is depicted trying to get every last bit out of a legacy-style toothpaste tube. This new superglue design allows consumers to dispense more of the glue from the tube, offering the consumer more value for their dollar because almost all of the glue in either a 5-g or 6-g tube can be applied. The same package is used for both glue tubes, allowing the ergonomic features to remain the same between the two different sizes.

Consumer education When a consumer is asked to actively engage with a package in order to use the product it contains—beyond simply pouring product out—sometimes some consumer education on how to use the pack is required to explain things. “We aim to make all our packaging features as simple as possible,” Fromm says. “From the initial design to final consumer usage tests, we engage with how consumers use the product and where challenges could potentially appear. Although we designed the pack to be as intuitive as possible, we do include a pictogram on the packaging to ensure consumers correctly engage the cap and nozzle.” —Matt Reynolds

www.Dekkaindustries.com AmeristarAwards_2020.indd 90

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Vertical Conveying Simplified

Ryson makes a full line of spiral conveyors that can satisfy most vertical conveying RIIHW 6]WSR 7TMVEPW RIIH PIWW ¾SSV WTEGI XLER GSRZIRXMSREP GSRZI]SVW ERH EVI JEWXIV and more reliable than any elevator or lift. Unit Load Spirals convey cases, totes and packaged goods smoothly on our slat style belts and come in 9 standard slat widths ranging from 6” to 30”. Available in powder coated carbon steel, stainless steel, washdown and freezer versions Mass Flow Spirals handle full and empty bottles, cans and jars in mass up to 2000 units per minute. Available in 4 different slat widths ranging from 6” to 20”. Narrow Trak Spirals are super compact and designed to handle your smaller loads. Our new 6” and 9” wide nesting slats can endtransfer small cartons and packages or side-transfer small bottles and GSRXEMRIVW MR E WMRKPI ½PI SV MR QEWW EX WTIIHW MR I\GIWW SJ *41

High Capacity Spirals are in response to our customers need to go higher and handle more weight. They can handle double the weight GETEGMX] SJ SYV VIKYPEV WTMVEPW EX WTIIHW YT XS *41 The new WT Model comes in a slat width of 30” and 36” and can provide an elevation change of up to 35 feet with only one drive. Multiple Entry and Exit Spirals EPPS[ PSEHW XS IRXIV SV I\MX XLI High Capacity Spirals at intermediate elevations. New special induction and divert conveyors have individually adjustable conveying surfaces to match the spiral pitch, assuring a smooth and reliable operation. 5YEPMX] ERH WIVZMGI GSQI ½VWX EX 6]WSR ;I EVI XLI RYQFIV SRI WTMVEP QERYJEGXYVIV MR XLI 97% *SV ETTPMGEXMSR EWWMWXERGI SV QSVI information, give us a call or visit www.ryson.com.

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DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD

New Can Helps Consumers Get Their Game On Developed in concert with video gamers for video gamers, aluminum can packaging for PepsiCo’s new Mtn Dew® Game Fuel® beverage debuts functional features that include a revolutionary resealable closure and tactile ink, engineered to help gamers stay in play while enjoying the new mid-calorie, lower-sugar energy beverage. It was these innovative, thoughtfully considered features combined with the package’s eye-catching graphics, as well as its high scores in the areas of economics, marketing, performance, environmental impact, and “Save Food criteria,” that led judges of the 2020 AmeriStar Awards to honor the 16-oz Mtn Dew Game Fuel can with the competition’s Design Excellence Award. As Colin Haynes, Associate Principal Engineer – PepsiCo Packaging R&D, explains, the Dew marketing team has played a role within the gaming space for the last 15 years. “Through various partnerships and activations in that time, we gained valuable insights into what gamers are looking for,” he says. “Dew identified an opportunity to create a beverage specifically for gamers, and what better way to do so than by working with them.” Mtn Dew Game Fuel is specially crafted for gamers with theanine

and caffeine, which in combination have been shown to improve accuracy and alertness, PepsiCo explains. The functional beverage is available in multiple flavor options in the resealable can, “so both the beverage and packaging aid gamers in their quest for being the best,” the company says. Packaging for Game Fuel was developed in partnership with gaming pros and elite amateurs. “Gamers were involved at the very beginning during concept development and later when vetting prototypes,” Haynes explains. “To create a product that was authentic to the gaming space, Dew hosted multiple focus groups to understand what players are looking for in a drink, including taste and benefits. Dew learned

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tion.

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that gamers wanted a beverage container that was resealable in order to protect their expensive gaming equipment from spills, easy to open and close with one hand—allowing them to stay in the game—and wouldn’t slip out of their hand. Each of these insights was addressed with the final Mtn Dew Game Fuel can.” The can’s most innovative feature is its resealable closure, which makes Game Fuel the first to nationally scale the use of a resealable

AmeristarAwards_2020.indd 94

aluminum can. The resealable closure is supplied by Xolution GmbH, which refined the plastic component for PepsiCo’s needs. According to PepsiCo’s AmeriStar entry form, the consumer experience with the XO System closure is related to, but still distinct from, a standard end. “The opening of the Game Fuel can begins with the familiar motion of lifting a tab. From that point forward, the experience is unique and exciting,” the entry form explains. “The consumer grabs the lifted tab and slides it back until it passes over a detent, locking it open and revealing the drinking aperture. After consuming the beverage (either a sip or half the can), the process is reversed. The tab is slid forward (until a soft click is heard) to cover the drinking aperture. With the slider fully forward and covering the etched line, the tab can be pushed down, creating a gas-tight and liquid-tight seal.” Refinements by Xolution included reducing the opening force of the tab from approximately 25N (newtons) to 20N, which PepsiCo says is lower than current, non-resealable ends. In addition, insights from focus groups also led to a design feature that addressed an issue with users damaging the resealing mechanism. The new feature, a biaxially-oriented polypropylene tamper band, is placed such that, if visible, it indicates the end is not fully closed. When the feature is completely covered, it means the end is fully resealed and is protected from damage. During development, PepsiCo conducted extensive testing to quantify carbon retention. CO2 measurements were taken weekly, and the data showed that the cans met all performance parameters. According to the company, “Whether the can has been opened by the consumer or direct from the filling plant, once the can is resealed, the product is protected from CO2 egress and foreign object ingress. This exceeds the protection requirements normally assigned to products in cans.” The shelf life for Mtn Dew Game Fuel in the resealable can is 20 weeks. To enable speed-to-market of the product and minimize capital expenditure, the Game Fuel can was designed to work with all existing PepsiCo filling infrastructure. The can is filled on existing fillers from various suppliers, seamed by multiple models of Angelus seamers, and packed into existing secondary packaging used for standard 16-oz cans. At most of the production locations, PepsiCo is now using automatic debagging and lid-feed systems from CSW Can Systems Worldwide, which can run both resealable and standard ends, leading to efficiency gains for both. But the can’s resealability is just one of the functional features incorporated into the Game Fuel can that make it more convenient for video gamers at play. Another is the use of tactile ink technology from can suppliers Ball and MCC that helps consumers keep a grip on the can. The tactile ink is combined with standard inks, adding a matte/gloss combination effect

12/19/20 12:43 PM

Additional BW Packaging Systems’ ads on pgs 35,81 and 130

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that helps the can visually pop on the shelf. Graphics include a bright stripe of color that signifies the flavor variantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;e.g., blue for Charged Berry Blast, red for Charged Cherry Burst, etc.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;next to a stripe of black, bringing to mind the black of gaming consoles. Additionally, there are opening instructions etched on the can end as well as printed on the can body, depending on where the beverage is distributed. In California, opening instructions on the end were replaced with deposit information to comply with local laws. Game Fuel advertising highlights that resealing the can helps keep the beverage â&#x20AC;&#x153;fresh and your hardware dry so you can focus on grinding.â&#x20AC;? Another significant feature of the Game Fuel can that caught AmeriStar judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attention, certainly my own, was its recyclability. According to PepsiCo, during development of the can, PepsiCo Packaging R&D collaborated with Xolution and Waste Management to identify recyclers with the ability to shred the cans prior to sortation to remove the plastic component, and a network was created. Explains PepsiCo, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once shredded, the plastic pieces fully separate from the aluminum and can be removed using existing technology (i.e., eddy current separators) prior to the aluminum entering the de-lacquering furnace. Thanks to these two methods, we have identified the appropriate â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gravesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for this packaging and are proud to say that the can is recyclable.â&#x20AC;? Launched in 2019, Game Fuel has been a significant contributor to revenue growth for PepsiCo. Noted the entry form, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It continually exceeded plans, and this trend looks to continue for the remainder of the year.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Anne Marie Mohan

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING AWARD

Coke Rolls Out Paperboard Carrier KeelClip won the top Sustainable Packaging Award when the Institute of Packaging Professionals announced their 2020 AmeriStar 2020 Award Winners. Developed by Graphic Packaging International, KeelClip is a unique paperboard design that not only replaces plastic rings, top clips,

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VDG Drum Motors

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SSV Drum Motors

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and shrink wrap multipacks for cans; it also offers merchandising benefits that similar beverage packaging does not. The concept combines an efficient paperboard lid that covers the tops of the cans. A paperboard flap attached underneath the center of the lid slips in between the two rows of cans. This flap provides stability to the pack in much the same way that the keel provides stability to a sailboat. KeelClip works with the widest range of cans and multi-count configurations and at the speeds required by large beverage operations, allowing brand owners to present a premium and sustainable image with a billboard for branding and can orientation. Notably, Coca-Cola HBC has successfully begun the roll out of technology in The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Austria. The firm says this first step in its commitment to replace plastic wrap on all can multipacks in its European Union markets will save more than 3,000 metric tons of CO2 and 2,000 metric tons of plastic each year. This new “Grip&Go” packaging is the result of a €15 million ($17,734,800) investment by the company in a strategic partnership with Graphic Packaging International and forms part of a wider commitment by Coca-Cola HBC and its partner The Coca-Cola Company to build a more sustainable approach to packaging. The rollout across all the company’s EU markets plus Switzerland will be complete by early 2022. “By investing in this innovative new technology we are directly supporting our customers and their consumers by providing a more sustainable packaging format,” says Marcel Martin, Group Supply Chain Director at Coca-Cola HBC. “At the same time, we are delivering on our commitment to make a more positive environmental impact.” Alan Crawford, Trading Director, SPAR/EUROSPAR Ireland, says “Coca-Cola HBC has taken a leadership position in the soft drink category, introducing a really new and exciting type of packaging. The move to the new KeelClip and paperboard packaging will eliminate a significant amount of packaging from our supply chain, which is very important for us as an organization and the environment we operate within. The appearance of the multipack cans in KeelClip packaging is also more attractive to our customers, so we expect the change to support increased sales as well as taking an important sustainability position.” As part of the initial agreement with Graphic Packaging, Coca-Cola HBC will install 11 KeelClip machines in seven countries, which will supply the solution across all its EU countries. “We are committed to work with Coca-Cola HBC to deliver this exciting innovation,” says Steve Gould, new product development and marketing director of the beverage division at Graphic Packaging. “We will continue to support the ongoing rollout and commercialization across Coca-Cola HBC’s EU markets and are delighted to be partners in this endeavor.”—Pat Reynolds

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Jumpstart on demand Learn more about sustainable packaging, along with a host of other on-trend packaging topics presented during the recent PACK EXPO Connects Jumpstart sessions, at packexpoconnects.com.

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2020 AmeriStar Award Winners by Category BEVERAGES (ALCOHOLIC, NON-ALCOHOLIC)

• KeelClip; Multi-Can Packaging System Graphic Packaging International (Sustainable Packaging Award Winner) • Mother Parkers’ Improved Polypropylene (PP) EcoCup Pods Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee • Mtn Dew AMP Game Fuel Re-Sealable Can PepsiCo (Design Excellence Award Winner) COSMETICS

• Sei Bella Lipstick TricorBraun • Maybelline’s FitMe Matte + Poreless Foundation ProAmpac • Refillable Top Secret Compact FusionPKG DRUG & PHARMACEUTICAL

• Nip Solution Bags for Pharmaceuticals/Non-leaching Low-elution Soft Bag for Injectable Drugs Zacros (Fujimori Kogyo Co., Ltd.) FOOD, REFRIGERATED

• PaperSeal Tray Packaging System Graphic Packaging International FOOD, SHELF STABLE

• FUNacho: Building a Better Food Delivery System TricorBraun HEALTH AND BEAUTY AIDS

• Pantene PRO-V Nutrient Blends Conditioner Viva HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

• Structural Design for ArmorAll Product Ventures • Green Gobbler Drain Cleaner: Proudly Made in the USA TricorBraun

INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL

• 15-Gal Closed System Mixing Container Taylor-Cain Corp. • Lock-and-Drop Delivery System Ecolab MEDICAL DEVICE

• Arthrex Custom Medical Package Placon • Collections Clamshell Tray Prent Corp. SAVES FOOD-FOODSERVICE

• EZ Flo Packaging/Dispensing System EZ Flo, LLC OTHER

• Crisp Food Technologies Containers Anchor Packaging 2020 STUDENT AMERISTAR PACKAGE AWARD WINNERS

• First Place: Centauri California Polytechnic State University • Second Place: Coconut Cubes University of Wisconsin–Stout • Third Place: Beakies California Polytechnic State University STUDENT HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Logistic and Ergonomic Workstation (L.E.W.) Michigan State University • K&K Cookie Packaging San Jose State University • Self-Sanitizing Gravity Propelled Dispenser Indian Institute of Packaging Additional information about each of the 2020 AmeriStar Package Award Winners is available at pwgo.to/5816.

• Structural Design for Gorilla Super Glue Micro Precise Product Ventures (Best in Show Award Winner) • Truman’s: A Refillable Bottle for a Line of Household Cleaning Products TricorBraun • Branch Basics Berlin Packaging

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CHARTER NEXT GENERATION The Next Generation of Films

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Exhibitor Showroom Directory Exhibits & Content Open through March 31 PACK EXPO Connects continues through March 31 with on-demand access to content and experts to help you find solutions to your packaging and processing needs. Discover why more than 18,000 registered attendees have already engaged with this comprehensive resource. This Exhibitor Showroom Directory includes an alphabetical list of all the exhibitors at packexpoconnects.com. To visit an exhibitor’s showroom, simply type into your browser the shortened URL within each listing. Attendees can now view demos on demand! Whether you were unable to watch a planned broadcast or simply ran out of time to attend during the live week, the good news is that exhibitors are offering technology demos on demand. Those exhibitors who offer demos are listed in blue. We hope you’ll take some time to learn more about these leading suppliers. Watch demos and search for products and educational content to help you identify solutions for your most pressing challenges. Remember, the PACK EXPO Connects experience continues through March 31st!

Want to search exhibitors by product category or keyword? It’s easy to do at packexpoconnects.com

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PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

48Forty Solutions

PE.show/862

Applied Motion Products, Inc.

PE.show/559

8tech

PE.show/641

APPMA - Australian Packaging & Processing Machinery Assn.

PE.show/769

Aptean Factory MES

PE.show/424

AR Packaging

PE.show/760

Argha Films USA

PE.show/716

AROL Group

PE.show/772

A A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp.

PE.show/168

A. B. Sealer, Inc.

PE.show/173

Aagard

PE.show/214

ABB Motors and Mechanical

PE.show/713

ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation

PE.show/618

Accraply, Inc.

PE.show/121

ACE Controls Inc.

PE.show/748

ACMA

PE.show/328

ACMI S.p.A.

PE.show/868

Actionpac Scales & Automation

PE.show/464

Actionpaq Corporation

PE.show/642

ADCO Manufacturing

PE.show/129

Adepta

PE.show/770

Admix, Inc.

PE.show/643

Advantage Puck Technologies, LLC

PE.show/265

AEK Packaging Equipment / Aaron Equipment Co. PE.show/558 Aesus Packaging Systems Inc.

PE.show/203

AFA Systems Ltd.

PE.show/521

AGR International, Inc.

PE.show/468

AIM North America

PE.show/683

AIMCAL

PE.show/715

Airguard Packaging

PE.show/833

Alfa Laval, Inc.

PE.show/266

All-Fill, Inc.

PE.show/369

Allen Field Company, Inc.

PE.show/193

Allied Technology - PicPac

PE.show/557

ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc.

PE.show/215

Alstrut India Private Limited

PE.show/327

AmbaFlex, Inc.

PE.show/370

Amcor Flexibles North America

PE.show/124

Amcor Healthcare Packaging

PE.show/253

Amcor Rigid Packaging

PE.show/682

American Film & Machinery

PE.show/326

American Holt Corp.

PE.show/463

American Industrial, Inc.

PE.show/835

AMETEK MOCON

PE.show/425

AMS Ferrari Srl

PE.show/771

AMS Filling Systems, Inc.

PE.show/368

ANRITSU INFIVIS INC.

PE.show/217

Antares Vision

PE.show/248

Anuga FoodTec

PE.show/865

Apex Motion Control

PE.show/470

APIS Wise

PE.show/712

Aplix, Inc.

PE.show/371

Apple Processors Association

PE.show/836

AROL North America

PE.show/216

ARPAC LLC

PE.show/120

Ashland Inc.

PE.show/773

Aspen Technology, Inc.

PE.show/851

AstroNova Product Identification

PE.show/462

AT Information Products, Inc.

PE.show/461

ATI Industrial Automation

PE.show/619

Atlantic Zeiser

PE.show/219

Auger Fabrication, Inc.

PE.show/367

Australian Institute of Packaging

PE.show/717

AVEVA

PE.show/260

Axiflow Technologies, Inc.

PE.show/626

Axon

PE.show/366

AZCO Corporation

PE.show/372

AZO, Inc.

PE.show/460

B B&R Industrial Automation Corp.

PE.show/201

Bainbridge Associates LLC

PE.show/718

Banner Engineering Corp.

PE.show/177

Barnum Mechanical Inc.

PE.show/869

Basic Crating & Packaging

PE.show/830

Bastian Solutions

PE.show/638

Baumer hhs

PE.show/561

BeardowAdams, Inc.

PE.show/471

Beckhoff Automation LLC

PE.show/213

Bedford Industries, Inc.

PE.show/224

Belco Packaging Systems, Inc.

PE.show/611

Bell-Mark Sales Company

PE.show/144

BellatRx Inc.

PE.show/225

Ben Clements and Sons, Inc.

PE.show/459

Benchmark

PE.show/373

Bericap North America

PE.show/742

Berry Global, Inc.

PE.show/610

Besser Vacuum, S.R.L.

PE.show/774

BestCode

PE.show/622

BEUMER Group

PE.show/188

Big Ass Fans

PE.show/365

Bihl+Wiedemann, Inc.

PE.show/635

Bishamon Industries Corporation

PE.show/298

Black Forest Packaging Solutions, LLC

PE.show/609

Blentech Corporation

PE.show/818

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

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Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

BluePrint Automation (BPA)

PE.show/157

Coesia

PE.show/153

Boix Machinery USA LLC

PE.show/633

Cofil Inc.

PE.show/261

Bonfiglioli Engineering S.r.l.

PE.show/775

Cognex Corporation

PE.show/472

Bosch Rexroth Corporation

PE.show/364

Cold Pressure Council

PE.show/648

Bostik, Inc.

PE.show/363

Colquimica Adhesives, Inc.

PE.show/518

Bradman Lake Inc.

PE.show/374

Columbia Machine, Inc.

PE.show/128

Brenton

PE.show/325

Columbia/Okura LLC

PE.show/200

Brevetti Gasparin SRL

PE.show/776

COMEK SRL

PE.show/778

Buhler Group

PE.show/234

Compass Industrial Group, LLC

PE.show/779

BUNTING

PE.show/362

Composite Can and Tube Institute (CCTI)

PE.show/780

Burns & McDonnell

PE.show/562

Concetti North America Corporation

PE.show/781

Busch Vacuum Solutions

PE.show/239

Conflex Incorporated

PE.show/711

Buskro Ltd.

PE.show/608

Consolidated Technologies Inc.

PE.show/649

Butler Automatic Inc.

PE.show/375

Container Handling Systems Corporation

PE.show/360

BW Flexible Systems

PE.show/146

Contract Packaging Association

PE.show/650

BW Integrated Systems

PE.show/137

Controls Engineering

PE.show/852

BW Packaging Systems

PE.show/458

Coperion K-Tron

PE.show/687

Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products (ResinDek)

PE.show/651

C Cablevey Conveyors

PE.show/423

Cousins Packaging Inc.

PE.show/169

Cadence, Inc.

PE.show/376

Coval Vacuum Technology, Inc.

PE.show/473

CAM Packaging Systems

PE.show/457

Craemer (Craemer US Corp.)

PE.show/652

Cama North America

PE.show/238

CRB

PE.show/741

Campbell Wrapper Corporation

PE.show/646

Crenteria S.A.C.

PE.show/456

Carleton Helical Technologies

PE.show/377

CSI - Central States Industrial

PE.show/297

CARUGIL, S.L.

PE.show/867

CSi Palletizing

PE.show/653

Cascades

PE.show/647

Casfil

PE.show/378

Custom Powder Systems. The Containment Company

PE.show/621

Cavanna S.p.A.

PE.show/828

CXV Global

PE.show/863

Celtheq Industries, Inc.

PE.show/422

Centric Software

PE.show/617

Cepi SPA

PE.show/777

CGP Expal Inc.

PE.show/289

Change Parts, Inc.

PE.show/379

Charles Beseler Company

PE.show/159

Charter Next Generation

PE.show/231

Chase-Logeman Corporation

PE.show/520

Chroma Color Corporation

PE.show/380

Circle Packaging Machinery Inc.

PE.show/686

Citronix Inc

PE.show/361

Citus Kalix SAS.

PE.show/563

Clevertech North America Inc

PE.show/870

Closure Systems International

PE.show/556

Cloud 9 Perception, LP

PE.show/871

Cloud Packaging Solutions

PE.show/519

Clysar, LLC

PE.show/245

CMD Corporation

PE.show/127

Code Tech

PE.show/288

Codian Robotics

PE.show/244

D Damark

PE.show/324

Dara Pharmaceutical Packaging

PE.show/291

Dase-Sing Packaging Technology CO., LTD

PE.show/814

Daubert Cromwell

PE.show/565

Davis-Standard, LLC

PE.show/454

DCI, Inc.

PE.show/235

DCS USA Corporation

PE.show/654

Decade Products, LLC

PE.show/688

Decker Tape Products, Inc.

PE.show/566

Dekka

PE.show/381

Delkor Systems, Inc.

PE.show/202

DELMIAworks

PE.show/655

Delta Modtech

PE.show/453

DENSO Robotics

PE.show/689

Deublin Company

PE.show/263

Deville Technologies, LLC

PE.show/555

Diagraph Marking & Coding, A Division of Illinois Tool Works

PE.show/382

Domino Amjet, Inc.

PE.show/132

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

104

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

There’s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

Dorner

PE.show/176

Flexible Packaging & Packaging Strategies

PE.show/645

DS Smith North America Packaging and Paper

PE.show/517

Flexible Packaging Association (FPA)

PE.show/690

DTM Massman, LLC

PE.show/229

FlexLink Systems, Inc.

PE.show/181

Dukane IAS, LLC

PE.show/560

Flexopack S.A.

PE.show/680

Duravant

PE.show/251

FlexSim Software Products

PE.show/606

DVP Vacuum Technology

PE.show/782

Flowcrete/Key Resin Company

PE.show/740

Dynamic Conveyor Corporation

PE.show/421

FMH Conveyors

PE.show/322

Focke & Co.

PE.show/359

E-PAK Machinery, Inc.

PE.show/383

Fogg Filler Company

PE.show/170

Eam-Mosca Corporation

PE.show/420

Foil & Specialty Effects Association

PE.show/691

Eastey

PE.show/166

Food Plant Engineering, LLC

PE.show/553

EASYSNAP TECHNOLOGY SRL

PE.show/474

FoodSafe Drains

PE.show/477

Econocorp, Inc.

PE.show/145

FOOT MASTER® North America

PE.show/813

EDL Packaging Engineers

PE.show/167

Fords Packaging Systems Ltd.

PE.show/759

Effytec USA

PE.show/837

Formers International, Inc.

PE.show/569

Elettric 80 Inc

PE.show/607

Formost Fuji Corporation

PE.show/147

Elmar Industries, Inc.

PE.show/838

Forpak

PE.show/358

ELPLAST America Inc.

PE.show/567

Fort Dearborn Co.

PE.show/387

Elried Marking Systems

PE.show/475

Fortress Technology Inc.

PE.show/570

Emerson

PE.show/384

FOX IV Technologies, Inc.

PE.show/478

Emplex

PE.show/323

FoxJet, An ITW Company

PE.show/388

EMS Group (Emmeti)

PE.show/783

Frain Industries

PE.show/692

Encoder Products Company

PE.show/220

Frazier & Son

PE.show/479

Enercon Industries Corporation

PE.show/156

Fres-co System USA, Inc.

PE.show/174

Engilico

PE.show/296

Früh Verpackungstechnik AG

PE.show/693

EngView Systems

PE.show/657

FT System North America

PE.show/571

EPG, A Cargo Care Company

PE.show/568

EPI

PE.show/287

Garrido Printing Equipment Inc.

PE.show/389

Epson Robots

PE.show/476

Garvey Corporation

PE.show/123

EQUITEK

PE.show/720

GEA

PE.show/419

Eriez

PE.show/385

GearSync Automation

PE.show/840

ESI Group USA

PE.show/233

General Packaging Equipment Co.

PE.show/418

Esko, Brand Solutions

PE.show/516

General Packer Co., Ltd.

PE.show/551

ESS Technologies, Inc.

PE.show/267

Georgia-Pacific Corrugated

PE.show/357

Evergreen Packaging, LLC

PE.show/154

GGA Packaging, division of George Gordon Associates, Inc.

PE.show/356

Fallas Automation, Inc.

PE.show/130

GHEZZI & ANNONI Srl

PE.show/785

FANUC America Corporation

PE.show/515

Goodway Technologies

PE.show/268

FBR-ELPO SpA

PE.show/710

Gorreri SRL

PE.show/694

Federal Mfg LLC

PE.show/402

Felins USA, Incorporated

PE.show/386

FEMC

PE.show/839

Festo Corporation

PE.show/187

FILAMATIC

PE.show/721

Film Source International

PE.show/295

FilmLOC Inc

PE.show/452

FILTEC

PE.show/738

FINPAC ITALIA SRL

PE.show/784

GR-X Manufacturing

PE.show/817

Graphic Packaging International

PE.show/514

Greener Corporation

PE.show/451

Greif

PE.show/259

Greydon

PE.show/286

Greystone Logistics

PE.show/450

groninger USA LLC

PE.show/449

Gruppo Fabbri Vignola

PE.show/786

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

105

There’s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

Interpak LLC

PE.show/854

PE.show/183

Interstates

PE.show/481

H.S. Crocker Co., Inc.

PE.show/658

Intralox

PE.show/175

Habasit International

PE.show/627

INTRAVIS Inc.

PE.show/663

Hamamatsu Corporation

PE.show/787

IPI

PE.show/255

Hamer-Fischbein LLC

PE.show/480

IPL Inc.

PE.show/714

Hamrick Packaging Systems

PE.show/133

ISM

PE.show/660

Handtmann Inc.

PE.show/269

Italian Trade Agency

PE.show/747

Hapa

PE.show/270

ITP USA Inc.

PE.show/549

Hardy Process Solutions

PE.show/294

ITW Hartness

PE.show/417

Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC

PE.show/190

Haumiller Engineering Company

PE.show/550

J Pack

PE.show/790

Haver & Boecker USA, Inc.

PE.show/218

J.W. Winco, Inc.

PE.show/447

Heat and Control, Inc.

PE.show/355

JASA Packaging Solutions Inc

PE.show/758

Heat Seal/Ampak

PE.show/344

JBT Corporation

PE.show/735

Heisler Industries, Inc.

PE.show/139

JBT Corporation - A&B Process Systems

PE.show/604

Highlight Industries

PE.show/737

JBT-Avure HPP Technologies

PE.show/684

Hiperbaric

PE.show/572

JetAir Technologies

PE.show/574

Hitachi America, Ltd.

PE.show/605

JLS Automation

PE.show/223

HMS Industrial Networks

PE.show/513

JUNAPACK, LLC.

PE.show/842

Honeywell Intelligrated

PE.show/155

Hoosier Feeder Company

PE.show/246

Kaitech Automation

PE.show/512

HP Inc.

PE.show/285

Kawasaki Robotics (USA), Inc.

PE.show/230

HRS Heat Exchangers

PE.show/659

KEB America, Inc.

PE.show/416

Kendall Packaging Corporation

PE.show/746

H.B. Fuller Company

I ICA USA

PE.show/448

Keneng Limited

PE.show/664

Iconotech

PE.show/343

Key Technology, Inc.

PE.show/320

ICPG

PE.show/853

KHS USA, Inc.

PE.show/143

ID Technology

PE.show/284

Kirk-Rudy, Inc.

PE.show/665

Ideal-Pak Massmann LLC

PE.show/134

Kliklok LLC, A Syntegon Company

PE.show/319

Idemitsu Unitech Co., Ltd.

PE.show/573

IDM Automation Srl

PE.show/788

Klöckner Pentaplast, Food and Consumer Products

PE.show/511

Igus

PE.show/709

KOCH Packaging Systems, Inc.

PE.show/228

ILPRA AMERICA

PE.show/789

Kolinahr Systems, Inc.

PE.show/446

Ilsemann Corp. USA / Heino Ilsemann GmbH

PE.show/864

Körber Pharma

PE.show/739

IMA Dairy & Food USA

PE.show/841

KRONES

PE.show/707

IMA North America Inc.

PE.show/708

Kwang Dah Enterprise Co., Ltd.

PE.show/734

Image Fillers, Inc.

PE.show/196

In-Line Packaging Systems, Inc.

PE.show/872

INDUMAK USA, LLC

PE.show/390

INFICON

PE.show/391

Inland Packaging

PE.show/616

Inline Filling Systems, LLC

PE.show/620

INOVINOX USA, LLC

PE.show/637

Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP)

PE.show/661

INTEC Energy Systems

PE.show/662

International Paper

PE.show/237

International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT)

PE.show/736

L Label-Aire, Inc.

PE.show/342

Labelpack Automation, Inc.

PE.show/115

Lako Tool and Manufacturing

PE.show/184

Langguth America Ltd

PE.show/666

Lantech

PE.show/510

Latini-Hohberger Dhimantec, Inc.

PE.show/855

Lawer S.P.A.

PE.show/791

Layton Systems

PE.show/603

Lean Factory America

PE.show/445

Lenze Americas

PE.show/271

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

106

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

Leuze Electronic USA

PE.show/602

Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

PE.show/443

Lifoam

PE.show/667

Miura America Co., Ltd

PE.show/394

Lighthouse Systems, Inc.

PE.show/601

Modern Manufacturing Services LLC

PE.show/548

Linmot USA, Inc.

PE.show/575

Modern Packaging LLC

PE.show/160

Liquid Packaging Solutions, Inc.

PE.show/341

Modern Process Equipment Corporation

PE.show/236

Liviri

PE.show/757

Mold-Rite Plastics

PE.show/745

LJ Star Inc.

PE.show/600

Mondi

PE.show/614

LM SpA

PE.show/792

Morris Packaging

PE.show/442

Loma Systems, An ITW Company

PE.show/415

Morrison Container Handling Solutions

PE.show/165

Longford International Ltd.

PE.show/668

MP Elettronica SRL

PE.show/793

Lorenz Pan Inc.

PE.show/576

Mpac Group

PE.show/547

LUTZE Inc.

PE.show/257

MSK Covertech, Inc.

PE.show/272

Lyco Manufacturing, Inc.

PE.show/392

Multi-Conveyor

PE.show/198

LyondellBasell

PE.show/195

MULTI-FILL, Inc.

PE.show/733

Multifeeder Technology, Inc.

PE.show/118

M M & M Industries, Inc.

PE.show/509

MULTIPOND America Inc.

PE.show/208

MACA

PE.show/318

Multivac, Inc.

PE.show/180

Magnum Systems, Inc.

PE.show/393

MXD Process

PE.show/857

Mamata Enterprises, Inc.

PE.show/856

manroland Goss web systems Americas LLC

PE.show/756

Nalbach Engineering Co., Inc.

PE.show/273

Maplejet Co.

PE.show/482

National Bulk Equipment, Inc.

PE.show/395

Marchesini Group USA Inc.

PE.show/508

National Confectioners Association

PE.show/732

Markem-Imaje

PE.show/142

Nelson-Jameson, Inc.

PE.show/846

Marlen

PE.show/317

Neopac The Tube

PE.show/669

MASSMAN Automation Designs, LLC

PE.show/197

Nercon Conveyor Systems

PE.show/138

Matcon Americas (IDEX MPT Incorporated)

PE.show/577

NeuraLabel

PE.show/441

Matrix Packaging Machinery

PE.show/300

New England Machinery, Inc.

PE.show/135

Matrox Imaging

PE.show/706

Nichimo International Inc.

PE.show/624

Matthews Marking Systems

PE.show/152

NIMCO Corporation

PE.show/810

Maxcess

PE.show/695

Nita Labeling Systems

PE.show/507

Medical Packaging Inc.

PE.show/247

NJM Packaging

PE.show/119

Mega Speed

PE.show/444

NORD Gear Corporation

PE.show/440

Mega Technical Company LLC

PE.show/816

Norden Inc.

PE.show/578

Mehta Flex LLP

PE.show/811

Nordson Corporation

PE.show/151

Mekitec LLC

PE.show/241

Norwalt

PE.show/670

Mentpack

PE.show/843

Norwix Inc.

PE.show/222

Mespack

PE.show/316

Nuova Caveco

PE.show/794

Metsa Board Americas

PE.show/630

Nuspark Inc.

PE.show/506

METTLER TOLEDO

PE.show/148

METZ CONNECT USA

PE.show/768

Oden Machinery, Inc.

PE.show/396

MG America, Inc.

PE.show/179

Ohlson Packaging

PE.show/314

MGS

PE.show/315

MHI - Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations

PE.show/254

OMAC - The Organization For Machine Automation and Control

PE.show/671

Middleby Processing & Packaging

PE.show/186

Midwest Metal Craft and Equipment

PE.show/844

Milliken & Company

PE.show/767

Mini Motor SRL

PE.show/866

Minipan SRL

PE.show/845

OMAG srl

PE.show/795

Omega Design Corporation

PE.show/505

Omron

PE.show/397

OnRobot US Inc

PE.show/696

Optel Group

PE.show/766

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

107

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

OPTIMA Machinery Corporation

PE.show/483

PMMI

PE.show/312

ORBIS Corporation

PE.show/484

PMMI Media Group

PE.show/401

Oriental Motor USA Corporation

PE.show/599

Pneumatic Scale Angelus

PE.show/283

Orion Packaging Systems

PE.show/398

POBCO, Inc.

PE.show/438

OSP (Primark American Corporation)

PE.show/755

Point Five Packaging, LLC

PE.show/252

Ossid

PE.show/182

Polipak Plastik Ambalaj San. Ltd. Sti.

PE.show/798

Overnight Labels, Inc.

PE.show/226

Polymer Solutions International, Inc.

PE.show/673

Polymerall LLC

PE.show/262

P.E. Labellers

PE.show/399

Polypack, Inc.

PE.show/141

PAC Machinery

PE.show/131

PPC Flexible Packaging

PE.show/681

PAC Strapping Products, Inc.

PE.show/400

PPi Technologies Group

PE.show/486

Pacific Packaging Machinery, LLC

PE.show/731

Precision Automation Company, Inc.

PE.show/545

Pack Leader USA

PE.show/744

Preco, Inc.

PE.show/205

Packaging Digest

PE.show/613

PE.show/672

Pregis LLC

Packaging. Switzerland. (by Switzerland Global Enterprise)

PE.show/629

Premier Protective Packaging

PE.show/581

Packsize International, LLC

PE.show/242

Premier Tech

PE.show/582

PakTech

PE.show/194

Pressco Technology Inc.

PE.show/632

Palletizur

PE.show/598

Presto Products Company

PE.show/729

Panther Industries, Inc.

PE.show/212

Paper Converting Machine Company

PE.show/485

Paperboard Packaging Council

PE.show/765

ParityFactory, LLC

PE.show/612

Parsons-Eagle Packaging Systems

PE.show/764

Pattyn North America, Inc.

PE.show/340

Paxiom Group Inc.

PE.show/796

Paxton Products - ITW Air Management

PE.show/209

PDC International Corporation

PE.show/597

Pearson Packaging Systems

PE.show/149

Peco InspX

PE.show/161

Peel Plastic Products Ltd

PE.show/636

Per-Fil Industries, Inc.

PE.show/753

Perfect Pallets, Inc.

PE.show/546

Perfex Corporation

PE.show/754

PerkinElmer

PE.show/730

Pester USA Inc.

PE.show/504

PFM Packaging Machinery Corp.

PE.show/439

Pharmaworks LLC

PE.show/211

Phoenix Wrappers

PE.show/579

Piab Inc.

PE.show/206

Pineberry Manufacturing

PE.show/705

Plan IT Packaging Systems Inc.

PE.show/264

Plastic Ingenuity, Inc.

PE.show/580

Plastic Packaging Technologies, LLC

PE.show/113

Plastic Suppliers, Inc.

PE.show/797

PLCopen

PE.show/697

Plex Systems, Inc.

PE.show/763

PMI KYOTO

PE.show/171

Primary Packaging Incorporated

PE.show/847

ProAmpac

PE.show/227

ProMach, Inc.

PE.show/339

Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc.

PE.show/487

Proseal America Inc

PE.show/728

Prospection Solutions LLC

PE.show/848

ProSys Servo Filling Systems

PE.show/114

Putoksnis

PE.show/631

PWR Pack Inc

PE.show/727

Q QC Conveyors

PE.show/311

QIMAROX

PE.show/414

Quadrel Labeling Systems

PE.show/544

Quantum Design Inc.

PE.show/403

Quest Industrial

PE.show/310

R R.A Jones

PE.show/150

Raytec Vision S.p.A.

PE.show/437

Raziele Inc.

PE.show/726

Reading Bakery Systems

PE.show/240

Redzone Production Systems

PE.show/533

Regal Beloit Corporation

PE.show/293

REISER

PE.show/583

Rena

PE.show/584

Rennco LLC

PE.show/503

Republic Manufacturing

PE.show/274

Reusable Packaging Association

PE.show/338

RICCIARELLI SPA

PE.show/799

Rite-Hite

PE.show/502

Robatech USA Inc.

PE.show/199

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

108

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

There’s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

Roberts PolyPro

PE.show/282

Sidel Inc.

PE.show/191

Robinson, Inc.

PE.show/858

Siemens Digital Industries US

PE.show/108

Robopac

PE.show/698

Signode

PE.show/256

Robotiq

PE.show/859

SIKO Products, Inc.

PE.show/500

Rockwell Automation

PE.show/337

Silgan

PE.show/528

Rollem Intl.

PE.show/404

Simco-Ion

PE.show/332

Romaco Group

PE.show/674

Slideways, Inc

PE.show/587

Ronchi America, LLC

PE.show/336

SlipNOT® Metal Safety Flooring

PE.show/407

Ropak Manufacturing Co., Inc.

PE.show/725

SMC Corporation of America

PE.show/107

ROVEMA North America, Inc.

PE.show/250

SN Maschinenbau GmbH

PE.show/408

RPI Graphic Data Solutions

PE.show/405

SNAC International

PE.show/724

RR Donnelley

PE.show/243

Soft Robotics, Inc.

PE.show/588

Rychiger NA

PE.show/501

Sollich North America, LLC

PE.show/433

Ryson International Inc.

PE.show/335

Somic America, Inc.

PE.show/499

Sonoco

PE.show/136

S.T.V. Di Salati Giovanni Snc

PE.show/800

Sonoco Healthcare Division

PE.show/309

SABEU GmbH & Co. KG

PE.show/834

Span Tech, LLC

PE.show/498

SACMI Packaging & Chocolate SPA

PE.show/615

Spartech

PE.show/822

SACMI USA LTD DBA Hayes Machine Company

PE.show/640

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery, Inc.

PE.show/163

Sani-Matic, Inc.

PE.show/406

SPX FLOW, Inc.

PE.show/676

Sappi North America

PE.show/488

Squid Ink Manufacturing, Inc.

PE.show/308

Satake USA Inc.

PE.show/675

STALAM S.p.A.

PE.show/821

Savage Brothers Co.

PE.show/801

Standard-Knapp, Inc.

PE.show/122

Scan American Corporation

PE.show/436

Starview Packaging Machinery Inc.

PE.show/277

Schenck Process LLC

PE.show/585

Statco-DSI Process Systems

PE.show/752

Schmalz Inc.

PE.show/435

Statera

PE.show/465

Schneider Electric

PE.show/112

Stevanato Group

PE.show/527

Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc.

PE.show/275

STMicroelectronics

PE.show/815

Schober USA, Inc.

PE.show/809

STOCK America Inc.

PE.show/526

Schoeller Allibert USA

PE.show/531

Stratus Technologies

PE.show/497

Schreiner MediPharm

PE.show/489

Straub Design Company

PE.show/634

Schubert North America LLC

PE.show/192

Südpack Oak Creek Corporation

PE.show/628

Sealstrip Corporation

PE.show/111

Sullair A Hitachi Group Company

PE.show/106

Selene

PE.show/802

Super Duty Fans

PE.show/804

Selig Group

PE.show/434

SYNERLINK S.A.

PE.show/281

Senzani Brevetti SPA

PE.show/803

Syntegon Packaging Technology, LLC

PE.show/117

Septimatech Group Inc.

PE.show/172

Syntegon Pharma Technology, Inc.

PE.show/307

Serac Inc

PE.show/110

Syntegon Technology Services, LLC

PE.show/306

Serpa Packaging Solutions

PE.show/334

Systech

PE.show/185

Servi-Tech Inc

PE.show/849

Systech Illinois

PE.show/432

ServiceNow

PE.show/530

System Packaging

PE.show/751

Sesotec Inc.

PE.show/529

Sharkcrates

PE.show/586

Taisei Lamick USA

PE.show/249

Shemesh Automation

PE.show/850

Tanis Confectionery

PE.show/723

Shrink Tech Systems

PE.show/333

Tapecase Ltd.

PE.show/677

Shurtape Technologies, LLC

PE.show/639

TAVIL IND, S.A.U.

PE.show/873

Shuttleworth, LLC

PE.show/109

Tawi USA, Inc.

PE.show/589

SICK, Inc.

PE.show/276

TC Transcontinental Packaging

PE.show/409

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

PACK EXPO Connects EXHIBITOR SHOWROOM DIRECTORY

109

There’s still time to explore! Exhibitor showrooms listed in blue offer technology demos. EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

EXHIBITOR

SHOWROOM URL

Technipes SRL

PE.show/596

Viking Masek Global Packaging Technologies

PE.show/428

Tecnopool S.P.A.

PE.show/805

Vimachem Industrial Solutions

PE.show/876

Teinnovations LLC

PE.show/490

Vishakha Polyfab Pvt. Ltd.

PE.show/761

Tekni-Plex, Inc

PE.show/105

Visstun

PE.show/590

Teknika Strapping Systems

PE.show/699

Visual Components North America

PE.show/594

Teledyne TapTone

PE.show/278

VMek Sorting Technology

PE.show/495

TEXWRAP

PE.show/410

VNE Corporation

PE.show/877

TGW International

PE.show/204

Volm Companies, Inc.

PE.show/522

Thermo Fisher Scientific

PE.show/125

Volpak

PE.show/207

Thriller Metal Fabrication & Manufacturing

PE.show/808

Thwing-Albert Instrument Company

PE.show/496

Water.io

PE.show/875

Tippmann Group

PE.show/595

Weber Packaging Solutions, Inc.

PE.show/126

TIRELLI

PE.show/305

WECO The Science of Optical Sorting

PE.show/302

TNA North America, Inc.

PE.show/524

Weidmüller, USA

PE.show/290

Toli Packaging Sdn Bhd

PE.show/623

Weiler Labeling Systems

PE.show/164

TOMRA Food

PE.show/331

Weima America

PE.show/722

Toppan USA

PE.show/491

WestRock

PE.show/158

TopTier Palletizers

PE.show/258

Wexler Packaging Products, Inc.

PE.show/493

Tourmaline Enterprises

PE.show/411

Wexxar Bel

PE.show/116

Triangle Package Machinery Co.

PE.show/140

Winpak Lane, Inc.

PE.show/593

TriEnda Holdings LLC

PE.show/104

Wire Belt Company of America

PE.show/701

Tripack LLC

PE.show/874

WON ST LLC

PE.show/679

Tube Council North America

PE.show/743

World Packaging Organisation

PE.show/762

Turbofil Packaging Machines

PE.show/700

Wuhan Rentian Packaging Automation Technology Co., Ltd.

PE.show/861

Wulftec International Inc.

PE.show/301

U UCIMA - Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association

PE.show/860

Ultra Packaging, Inc.

PE.show/431

Yamato Corporation

PE.show/330

UNICO LLC

PE.show/704

Yaskawa America, Inc., Drives & Motion Division

PE.show/427

UNIMAC-GHERRI

PE.show/304

Unitech Srl

PE.show/806

Yaskawa America, Inc., Motoman Robotics Division

PE.show/189

United Barcode Systems

PE.show/703

Yeacode (Xiamen) Inkjet Inc.

PE.show/494

UniTrak Corporation Limited

PE.show/678

Yeaman Machine Technology

PE.show/329

Universal Labeling Systems, Inc.

PE.show/162

Universal Pack, S.R.L.

PE.show/492

UPM Raflatac

PE.show/221

UVA Packaging

PE.show/280

V V-Shapes S.r.L.

PE.show/749

VacPack

PE.show/303

Valco Melton

PE.show/103

Vanguard Shrink Films

PE.show/429

Vanomation

PE.show/819

VC999 Packaging Systems Inc.

PE.show/523

VDG (Van der Graaf)

PE.show/102

Veo Robotics, Inc.

PE.show/702

Videojet Technologies Inc.

PE.show/210

VIJAY COPOLYMERS

PE.show/750

Z Zachry Engineering Corporation

PE.show/232

Zacros

PE.show/426

ZALKIN

PE.show/413

Zambelli USA LLC

PE.show/807

Zarpac

PE.show/467

Zhoutai Pouch Machine

PE.show/592

Zip-Pak

PE.show/591

ZPI

PE.show/466

Exhibitor and educational content are available until March 31 at packexpoconnects.com.

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AUTOMATION

OEM APPLICATION NOTE

Barcode Readers Aid in Serialization Packaging machinery OEM Packaging Efficiency Solutions found just the right bar code scanners for a system that inspects all angles of the bottle or label at speeds to 100 bottles/min. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Improving verification

Compact machine design Packaging Efficiency Solutions, which specializes in equipment for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries, was approached by several customers seeking a reliable system for reading barcodes on bottles or labels to improve serialization and verification. The target customers for this system were pharmaceutical manufacturers and contract manufacturers engaged in serialization activities, as well as producers of consumer packaged goods products using the system to allow label and print verification on all bottle sizes and shapes. As with any automated system meant to work for a variety of end users, flexibility was paramount. To make the new system accessible to the broadest possible range of customers, PES needed to keep the overall machine footprint small and invest in highly intuitive technology that would minimize installation and maintenance needs. Finally, PES was hoping for a system that would exceed the level of reliability currently being used by its customers. PES tapped Omron to design the new system, dubbed the PES-360, and Omron selected its popular MicroHAWK barcode readers as the key technology. Omron partnered with Saddle Brook Controls, a distribution partner based in New Jersey, to help with integration and testing. As a local company, Saddle Brook has been able to provide quick support with respect to implementation and optimization. The new system needed to reliably inspect all angles of the bottle/label at speeds to 100 bottles/min, says PES General Manager Andrew Smith. “The goal is to decode the data in the 2D bar code—lot number, expiration date, serial

The compact machine adds no more than 34 in. to the length of a packaging line. It reliably inspects all angles of the bottle or label at speeds to 100 bottles/min.

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OUR RELIABILITY YOUR SOLUTION At EAM-Mosca, we pride ourselves in leading the market with cutting edge technology that offers you the best strapping solution for your application. Our wide variety of machines easily integrate with other equipment in the packaging process, and our engineers collaborate with you to create a reliable, high-performance solution. We have invested in infrastructure to provide timely access to after-market service and parts while building relationships well beyond your initial machine purchase.

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AUTOMATION

reduce the amount of integration and line modifications required for installation. Makers of comparable solutions were offering systems that were fairly large and quite expensive, so PES was hoping Omron would be able to come up with a compact and cost-effective solution. Reliability was also a key requirement. Some of PES’s customers were already using automated bottle inspection systems, but these didn’t use enough cameras to be fully reliable. Since they took just a single image per camera per bottle, they had an elevated occurrence of false rejects or no response. The PES-360 needed to make sure that every point on the circumference of the bottles would always be seen by at least one of the system’s camera, regardless of bottle orientation. To combat the issue of false rejects, Omron used seven cameras—initially MicroHAWK ID-40 cameras but transitioning to V430 cameras as the latest technology—to achieve maximum performance. The MicroHAWK Series is known for small size and easy installation, and the family’s compact design allowed Omron to integrate six cameras situated around the conveyor and one above. The PES-360 takes advantage of the cameras’ ability to capture images in bursts as opposed to a single image per trigger, which provides more chances to successfully inspect and decode the data. The MicroHAWK readers are easily integrated into the current control system, where the standard/configurable I/O offers greater flexibility in machine logic setup. In addition, the system’s ability to communicate data match strings via TCP/IP messages minimizes hardware requirements, and the use of self-contained smart cameras reduces the need for more skilled technical resources to interface with traditional PC-based camera systems. More than 30 PES-360 systems have now been integrated into customers’ packaging lines, and the solution has helped PES become a leading resource for serialization and inspection systems. The MicroHAWK cameras work wonders when it comes to giving PES more flexibility. Depending on the application, Omron Decades of science, imagination, and commitment that help bring your best products to market has a wide variety of MicroHAWK resolutions to choose Heat and Control has been on a mission to we serve, to our process breakthroughs and the from without having to change the overall system’s memodernize equipment solutions since our partnerships we develop, we have always found chanical design. There are many options for internal founding in 1950. For 70 years, our passion new approaches, believed in bold ideas, and put lighting, but there’s also the option to utilize external for advancing the food, pharmaceutical, and TISTPI Ƽ VWX 8LEX MW XLI IWWIRGI SJ [LS [I EVI lighting when required. PES is currently using SXGA other industries has guided our work. From the and how we lead. (which is a 1.2MP sensor) with integrated lighting. machinery we manufacture and the customers Another benefit of the MicroHAWK ID-40/V430 cameras is that their barcode reading capabilities can be easily upgraded to a machine vision smart camera without requiring any mechanical changes to a customer’s equipment. Based on the success of the PES360 and the ease of collaborating with Omron, PES is looking into partnering with Omron for a variety of other vision inspection and code reading applications. —Pat Reynolds number, GTIN—and associate that code with a code on the top of the bottle, which also gets scanned by a MicroHAWK barcode reader,” Smith continues. “So when that bottle reaches the end-of-line equipment, you can scan it from the top and know exactly what’s in the case without having to see the entire bottle sidewall.” In addition to keeping the footprint small—the PES-360 adds no more than 34 in. to the length of a packaging line—PES wanted to

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Visit the link below each item for more info.

114 PW JAN2021

AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY

Sensor SICK expanded its 2D LiDAR sensor line for localization and anti-collision applications with the compact TiM2xx sensor.

SICK pwgo.to/5821

Drive Selection Service Nordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ECO Energy & Carbon Emission Optimization Service will help identify the most energy-efficient units for any drive system application.

Nord Gear Corp. pwgo.to/5820

Linear Motor The AL8000 linear motor series from Beckhoff is based on a modular system design consisting of linear motors and magnetic plates and offers wide-ranging options in length, winding, and cooling type.

Beckhoff Automation pwgo.to/5818

Draw Wire Sensors

Compact IPC

Encoder Productsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new LCX Series draw wire sensors work with its encoders to accurately measure position and provide motion feedback in motion control applications.

The BL2 BPC 1500 from Phoenix Contact is a compact IPC designed for entry-level automation, small machine control, and IIoT applications such as edge/fog computing or decentralized data collection and processing.

Encoder Products pwgo.to/5819

Phoenix Contact pwgo.to/5824

DC Switch Solid State Relays The RM1D series of DC switching solid state relays from Carlo Gavazzi features low power dissipation output, switching frequency up to 1,000 Hz, and 4-32 VDC control voltage range.

Carlo Gavazzi pwgo.to/5822

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Authentication Platform The Summit Authentication Platform from Microtrace provides an easy-to-use method to ensure genuine products are moving through the supply chain, from manufacturing facilities to retail locations, including verifying consumables at point of use.

Microtrace pwgo.to/5776

12/19/20 5:54 AM

High-speed diverters

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Home Compostable Bags for Zero-Waste Beauty Brand As part of its holistic strategy to ‘stir up a clean + conscious change,’ D2C superfood beauty company LOLI uses less than 0.5% plastic in its packaging, opting instead for glass jars, paperboard, and compostable courier bags. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Compostable plastic

Sustainable e-commerce packaging

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor Marketing itself as being “waste-free, water-free, toxin-free, trash-free, and slavery-free,” LOLI Beauty, or Living Organic Loving Ingredients, has left no stone unturned when it comes to building a sustainable brand. New York City-based LOLI describes itself as the world’s first zero-waste superfood skincare brand and was launched in 2018 with a mission to “stir up a clean + conscious change.” From ingredient sourcing to production to packaging and shipping, LOLI has diligently selected those strategies that will result in the least impact to people and the planet.

LOLI’s line of direct-to-consumer skin, hair, and body care products includes serums, balms, pastes, masks, elixirs, oils, and other items that use organic, wild-harvested ingredients that are raw, non-GMO, and upcycled from food for zero waste. Says Founder and CEO Tina Hedges, “The inspiration for LOLI may have come from my Cuban/Jamaican heritage of watching Mother Nature’s ingredients being made into home remedies for beauty and wellness, but it was a moment when I experienced simultaneously a crisis of health and a crisis of consciousness that became the catalyst for my mission to make a clean and conscious change in beauty. “When the world is experiencing water scarcity, and there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050, why are we encouraging consumers to purchase beauty products diluted with 80% to 95% water, polluted with toxic chemicals and synthetics, and over-packaged in single-use plastic? It’s time for a truly sustainable approach to beauty.”

Protecting both people and the planet

LOLI uses the comPOST Pack, a completely biodegradable and home-compostable bag made from corn starch, corn-based PLA, and PBAT, in place of a secondary carton for its products.

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Described as “zen-inducing,” “skin-plumping,” “super-cool,” and “glow-inducing,” among other adjectives, depending on the product, LOLI’s ingredients include such natural superfoods as plum kernel oil, pomegranate, date nut oil, dragon fruit powder, and sweet orange essential oil. The company works with Fair Trade co-ops and farms around the world to find ingredients that have been discarded in the organic food supply chain. Says Hedges, “These efforts mean we are also helping to provide additional income to villages during off-seasons by repurposing ingredients previously discarded.” Its concern for those individuals responsible for providing its raw ingredients also extends to ensuring none of the people involved in sourcing are victims of human trafficking. As Hedges shares, LOLI is the first and only beauty company to be a member of Made in a Free

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WHEN YOU KNOW ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME ...

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World, a charitable organization that focuses on developing and implementing high-impact solutions to human trafficking by working with the most effective partners to rescue and care for victims worldwide. Sustainability also extends to its product development and manufacturing. LOLI’s beauty formulations are created without water and are designed to be multipurpose, minimizing the number of beauty products a consumer needs. According to Hedges, the company’s manufacturing partner is USDA Organic certified and uses very little to no heat and limited energy. And its eco-consciousness does not stop there. Other initiatives include carbon-zero, same-day delivery in certain metropolitan areas, and the donation of 10% of every purchase to charities that support people and the planet through its partnership with GIVZ. One of LOLI’s most significant sustainability pillars though is its strategy to be plastic negative: For every one of its products

purchased, LOLI removes two pounds of plastic waste from the planet. And nowhere is this zero-plastic commitment more evident than in its choice of packaging materials and processes.

Plastic-free packaging selection As part of LOLI’s plastic-negative and trash-free tenet, less than 0.5% of the company’s overall packaging footprint is plastic, with no biodegradable microplastics used for its primary packaging. Instead, it uses recycled, recyclable, and refillable food-grade glass containers that can be repurposed for food storage. These include a 4-oz “hot-sauce” bottle for its micellars (e.g., tonics, toners, and serums) and a 4-oz yogurt jar for its balms and powders. Says Hedges, “We looked at so many options, and with good intentions. So many packaging vendors provided misguided information because the technologies and understandings are changing so rapidly. We considered aluminum, but unless you can use recycled aluminum, the mining of fresh aluminum causes more damage to the environment than the weight of shipping glass. Food-grade, recycled, and reusable glass is also the safest inert packaging option to ensure no leaking of harmful chemicals into the products.” Caps for the micellar bottles are either glass droppers with aluminum overshells and silicone bulbs, recycled aluminum screw-on caps, or non-single use, recycled, and reusable plastic screw-on caps or orifice reducers. The jars are sealed with recycled aluminum foil that is heat sealed and covered with a recyclable, reusable plastic lid.

Sleeve Seal is focused on a new era of Automated Intelligence. The SSL-450 labeler integrates a more intelligent, precisely tunable set of controls with the capacity to label multiple formats from 25 to 450CPM. Get repeatable labeling performance in a small footprint with the SSL-450 for record setting efficiencies.

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Jumpstart on demand

When it came to the secondary packaging, Hedges says LOLI thought about how to replace paperboard cartons and searched the world (literally) for a garden-compostable solution. It found that solution nearly 9,000 miles away, in New Zealand, from The Better Packaging Co., co-founded by biochemists Kate Bezar and Rebecca Percasky. Better Packaging offers the comPOST line of completely biodegradable and home-compostable bags made from corn starch, cornbased polylactic acid (PLA), and polybutyrate adipate terephthalate (PBAT), a “drop-in” petroleum-based biopolymer whose properties resemble those of lowdensity polyethylene. Says the company, due to the inclusion of PBAT, the bags, while biodegradable and compostable, are not 100% renewable. “We are limited at the moment by the availability of suitable, sustainable raw materials that deliver the barrier and performance properties we need but are always testing resins made from an even greater number of plant-based materials,” it says. The company adds that, ironically, it is PBAT that is added to the film construction to make the product degrade quickly enough to meet home compostability criteria. “To our knowledge, there are no bio-based Programmable plastics suitable for making courier bags that do not Encoders have a binding agent like PBAT in them,” it says. “There is a lot of research currently to find an alternative, and there has been some success. We are currently supThru-Bore porting our supplier to trial a higher-percentage bioMulti-Turn Encoders based PBAT.” Absolute Encoders Better Packaging adds that the combination of corn starch, PLA, and PBAT represents a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with traditional plastics. The material is also non-toxic, and contains no phthalates or BPA. The comPOST line, which began with the company’s “Real Dirt Bag,” the comPOST courier bag, has Tru-TracTM Linear expanded to six products, including garment bags, laMeasurement bels, and bubble mailers. The products are waterproof, tough and durable, tear-resistant, writeable, printable, Solutions “stickable,” and brandable, and have some stretch. The material does have one disadvantage versus traditional petroleum-based materials though: it has a limited shelf life. Advises Better Packaging, “To ensure Draw Wire maximum longevity, compost packs should be stored Encoders in a dark, dry place. If stored correctly, they will be strong enough to send parcels around the world for at least nine months. If not, their strength will be comYour responsive experts in motion control promised.” When you call EPC, you talk to real engineers and encoder When it comes to end of life, Better Packaging says experts who can help you spec the right encoder for your the comPOST line of products will break down within motion control application. And we’ll get it to you fast. months in a home compost environment, mixed with Standard lead time is just 4 - 6 business days. food scraps and garden waste, in a non-toxic process. The materials used to make the packaging meet AusCall or visit us to get started. tralian Standard AS 5810-2010 for Home Composting, which requires 95% degradation within 180 days. “However, we know they break down way quicker than that,” says Better Packaging.

Learn more about sustainable packaging, along with a host of other on-trend packaging topics presented during the recent PACK EXPO Connects Jumpstart sessions, at packexpoconnects.com.

For Motion Feedback in Industrial Automation, EPC has your solution.

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Amazon-friendly compostable pack

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LOLI’s partnership with Better Packaging began with a coldcall email from Hedges to the co-founders. “From our very first call, we realized we were on the same mission to stir up a conscious change,” Hedges shares. LOLI is using several varieties of comPOST Packs along with ComPOSTubble Pockets, in place of secondary cartons for its glass bottles and jars. ComPOSTubble Pockets are sealed on three sides and open on the top, with no flap, and are available in two sizes designed to fit inside Better Packaging’s comPOST Packs for an additional layer of protection. For shipping products direct to consumers, LOLI packs them in the bubble mailer, inserts the mailer into the comPOST bag, and then puts the bundle into a corrugated shipper made from 100% recycled FSC paperboard, printed with vegetable inks, and made with wind energy. Says Hedges, “In some cases, like with our holiday kits for wholesale, we even use the comPOST packs in place of a set-up box. “The Better Packaging Company has been our go-to supplier for all our bags. We love their commitment, their vision, and even their branding. We feel so comfortable working with them as we know they have truly done their homework and are the experts. What’s super exciting is that we have now even found a way to launch Amazon fulfillment with our partnership with The Better Packaging Company. Previously, we weren’t comfortable with Amazon’s requirement to package glass in plastic bubble

CMY

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Whole Line. Whole Life. We ensure manufacturing consistency through whole line integration, from product assembly to primary packaging, cartoning to case packing and palletization designed, delivered and supported globally.

mpac-group.com

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wrap. Now, with The Better Packaging Company’s comPOSTubble Pockets, we’re about to launch on Amazon in a sustainable manner that meets our clean + conscious standards.” To sell its products through Amazon, LOLI has a wholesale relationship with Carbon Beauty—a natural beauty and wellness boutique. “We send our glass bottles and jars and the comPOSTubble Pockets to Carbon Beauty’s warehouse, and they assemble the product in the pocket

and send it to Amazon for fulfillment,” explains Hedges. “This was part of our agreement with Carbon Beauty: We wouldn’t launch on Amazon until we could find a compostable replacement for the mandatory plastic bubble bags.” She adds that once Amazon receives the product in the bubble wrap, it places it in a corrugated box for shipment. LOLI is currently using The Better Packaging’s messaging on the bags, which includes the compostable symbol, copy that indicates the bag is compostable, and a website URL, www.bcollected.org, that provides a network of collection points for Better Packaging. “We think they do a great job in telling the story and helping guide the consumer,” Hedges says. Shipping labels, from Elevate Packaging, are also garden compostable and meet EU standards for home composting. If dunnage is required in its shipping boxes, LOLI uses GreenWrap from EcoEnclose, a paper-based alternative to bubble wrap that is naturally biodegradable, compostable, SFI-certified, and fully recyclable.

Winning consumer loyalty LOLI began as an e-commerce company only, but as its message expands, so too will its distribution, moving into wholesale. “We launched as a direct-toconsumer brand first, mostly because we knew that back in spring of 2018, the concept of ‘zero-waste beauty’ was very new, and we would need to educate the consumer on why upcycled, waterless, and sustainably packed beauty was needed,” Hedges explains. “We did a lot of product market testing and listened to what resonated with our community and early adoptors. The world is now ‘woke’ and understands the wasteful ways of the beauty industry. So, we’re ready now to dip into wholesale with a few key partners.” So far, in the D2C world, consumers have been won over by LOLI’s holistic sustainability strategy, Hedges shares. “Our consumer is so loyal to our mission and loves that we take care in every detail, down to our garden-compostable bags.” PW

Free Download: Sustainable Packaging Report PMMI Business Intelligence’s report, Packaging Sustainability: A Changing Landscape, shares the insights of CPG manufacturers’ sustainability initiatives for operations, packaging formats, and materials in a market that is expected to reach $280 billion by 2025. Download a free executive summary of the report at pwgo.to/5597. PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY: A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

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MAXIMUM SHELF LIFE. SANITARY DESIGN. LOWEST POSSIBLE TCO. Providing meat packaging solutions to NHHS \RXU RSHUDWLRQ UXQQLQJ HIÃ&#x20AC; FLHQWO\ Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the heart of what we do best. We have options for meat of any kind: fresh, cold or frozen. Hamburgers. Cured, smoked or salted meat. Quartered, minced or sliced. They can be packaged on thermoformers, WUD\ VHDOHUV Ã&#x20AC; RZ ZUDSSHUV YHUWLFDO EDJJHUV RU VWUHWFK machines. Add our wide variety of automation options to create any packaging setup, up to a full product-to-pallet integrated line. Meat packaging covers an incredible gamut of options and solutions, and we can help with them all. Any product. Any cut. Any style. With consistent, professional and timely customer and technical service, our partnership extends well beyond your purchase.

Contact Harpak-ULMA today to learn more about our meat packaging solutions as well as options for poultry, produce, bakery, dairy, seafood, snacks, ready meals, medical and other non-food products!

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Cells Remain Upright in Floating Spherical Shipper Drawing inspiration from the same physical laws that keep boats afloat upright in high seas, this shipper floats live cells to their destination. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Cross-disciplinary concepts

Orientation-preserving shipper

By Keren Sookne, Director of Editorial Content, Healthcare Packaging Logistics for fragile products can be hard enough to control, but add in the words “living” and “microtissue” and the shipment is even more challenging. Taking inspiration from boats that remain upright in harrowing conditions, one 3D cell technology company developed a spherical shipper that floats on water to keep cells upright. Switzerland-based InSphero AG specializes in delivering assay-ready and custom 3D tissue models to pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide for investigating, developing, or testing new drugs. They produce a variety of models derived from human liver, pancreatic islet, and tumor cells, to provide insights into liver toxicology, metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes and liver diseases), and oncology. The shipping process was already tightly controlled so that these delicate cells arrive safely and on time. “Sterility and temperature must be maintained throughout shipment,” explains Olivier Frey, Ph.D., InSphero head of technology & platforms, and a former Olympic-bound pole vaulter and award-winner for contributions to the advancement of organ-on-a-chip technology. “They are living tissues and need to be maintained at 37°C. They can go a bit lower, but shouldn’t go over 40°C as too much heat will kill the cells and denature proteins.” The lifetime of the microtissues is limited, though putting them into a three-dimensional structure extends that lifetime. Any wasted time in shipment would cut into the customer’s experimental window.

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The shipper was developed to balance watertight design with ease of packout. Additionally, there are specific consumables—culture media—to consider. “The microtissues are around 200 or 300 microns in diameter (three or four times the thickness of a hair). They’re not anchored in a well, but free-floating in a suspension in a specially designed well,” Frey explains. “If the plate shakes, flips, or sits sideways for too much time, the microtissues can get attached to the plate wall or ceiling. Then if you turn it right-side up again, you have the microtissues outside of the medium and they will die.”

Eureka! moment The company has been designing their own packaging from the outset due to the specialized nature of the products. InSphero CEO Dr. Jan Lichtenberg was working with his son on a new shipper that would keep the plates oriented properly. He had what the company calls a “eureka!” moment for a spherical shipper, initially performing trials using a sphere inside of another sphere with ball bearings and some lubrication. At a certain point, they thought of how boats are constructed, with a heavy keel at the bottom to keep the boat upright, even in heavy winds. “They thought, ‘Why can’t we put this on water?’ And that’s when we started discussing at the office with materials from the hobby store. We did some early prototyping with styrofoam spheres floating and saw that it worked,” says Frey. “Then we

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further developed the system with a lot of design iterations in a stepby-step team effort.â&#x20AC;? InSphero selected Taracell AG from a short-list of companies they looked at, due in part to their specialty in pharmaceutical packaging. Frey notes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reason we chose them ultimately was that they were quickly fascinated and showed enthusiasm. We knew from the begin-

ning it was going to be a challenge, but we had the impression that they also wanted to tackle this and put in extra effort. It was a great collaboration.â&#x20AC;? They were also close geographically, only 15 or 20 minutes away. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For such a new shipper, we knew it would require iterations, and that it would be good to quickly meet and discuss next steps,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

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The final product, the InFloat Shipping System, is a spherical shipper floating on water inside of a rectangular outer container (not quite a cube as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taller in height than widthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a rectangular cuboid for geometry fans). Both of the aforementioned parts are composed of expanded polypropylene (EPP). Extruded polystyrene (XPS) was considered but lacked flexibility. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We needed to ensure that the packaging was watertight and the closure required some elasticity of the material. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we chose EPP,â&#x20AC;? Frey explains. In total, the system is composed of four main parts. â&#x20AC;˘ The 3D microtissues sit in the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Akura assay plate technology, sealed with a film in sterile conditions. These plates are wrapped in a small plastic bag to maintain sterility. Depending on the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s order, a few plates are then placed in a small paperboard box. â&#x20AC;˘ The box sits inside of the sphere, which opens in half. Within the sphere are heating elements added for temperature control. The sphere is secured closed by a single plastic strap. â&#x20AC;˘ The sphere sits inside the larger rectangular EPP box, floating on 0.5 liters of water. The EPP box has handles for easy carrying and opening. The box features plastic straps to secure closure. â&#x20AC;˘ The EPP box is then housed in a large corrugated shipper. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The function of the inner box is branding for the product and keeping everything packaged in a proper, easy-to-handle box. The two black EPP containers keep the microtissues upright and maintain temperatureâ&#x20AC;? says Frey.

View a video of the InFloat packout and unboxing at pwgo.to/5813. Taracell manufacturers the shippers at their facility, and assembly steps are performed during packout at InSphero. During packout, InSphero adds ELPRO temperature data loggers.

Key learnings

â&#x20AC;˘ Increased security with decreased shipping costs

There were a couple of challenges Frey points to as learning opportunities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems simple, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complex in that from the beginning we wanted to have a solution that functions so that the sphere is floating and stays upright all the time, while keeping the tem-

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Shipping, Regs, and Customs

The microtissues are not anchored down, but free-floating in a suspension in a specially designed well. perature in range. But at the same time we wanted to design something which is also easy for our team to pack. We wanted it to be intuitive so you show them once how the whole thing is packed and then they always do it properly.” And on the end user side, they wanted the customer to open it with just a couple of steps so that they can quickly get access to the plates. This meant a lot of discussion and a lot of testing. The most challenging part was that the water inside has a crucial function. “We had to put quite some effort to really match the correct dimensions so that it was both easy to assemble and leakproof with just a few steps of closure,” says Frey. During the manufacturing process, there were a few optimization steps regarding the choice of the material and the density of the injection molding process. “We have a lot of thermal elements on the inside that need to be correctly assembled, everything has to match. So from the geometry viewpoint, we had to think about a lot of different things,” he says.

InSphero’s shipping experts handle customs and paperwork requirements, which can be quite intricate depending on the model. They have cells based on animal models; cynomolgus monkey models, for example, need specific regulatory requirements as well as some additives. Liquid hasn’t been an issue. They tested it, shipping prototypes overseas to understand how it is received. Liquids are shipped regularly and thermal shippers have liquid, ice blocks, cold packs, etc. There have been occasions where the end user’s lab staff was desperately looking for a box that was stuck in their own mail room. InSphero’s customer service department works closely with the customer to ensure that the urgency is emphasized not only in the lab, but also in the shipping facility. PW

Unique shipping temperature The product itself is rather unusual in shipping around 37°C. Many similar products in the industry are shipped frozen and need to be placed in the refrigerator upon arrival. InSphero ships live cultures across continents in ready-to-use condition for laboratory experiments. The shipper is qualified for three days, and the company aims to have microtissues at the company in two days for U.S. shipments. (Shipping is three days for Japan.) This is heavily dependent on the lifetime

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of the microtissue because they are not oxygenated during shipment. Frey notes that one shipper was held up at a logistics center for one week due to a Boston snowstorm. When it arrived at its destination in Brunswick, ME, the shipment of plates was still intact. These were a different product (not microtissues) but the shipper remained functional.

Commercialization

The four-part shipper keeps fragile microtissues in plates upright.

The systems were launched in Q2 2020, and are already shipping to pharmaceutical sites on a daily basis. The unique structure of the shipper garners attention. “Everyone that sees it is seeing this type of package for the first time, and there tends to be this wow effect that’s transmitted back to our sales representatives,” Frey says. The system recently won the Red Dot Best of the Best award for product design in the category of industrial equipment and automation.

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The shipper is disposed of in the regular waste stream. Frey explains, “This is something we’re looking into at the moment. What we observed is that more and more customers write asking how they can ship the system back to us.” Initially, the team considered reuse and systems that need to be shipped back. “We looked at the whole picture, including the CO2 footprint because shipping a packaging twice over the Atlantic would not be carbon neutral. So we went in the direction of single-use. The size of the new package is not larger than the size we had before, but I think due to the visual it has, people don’t want to throw it away. We also want to take care of this and we are currently thinking about how these shippers can be reused without losing function,” he says. They are also looking at how these shippers can be recycled. Frey notes, “Sustainability is important to us and to our customers. There are specific recycling stations for EPP, so we are thinking about the logistics in order to simplify that.” PW

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In 2019, Special Dog Company inaugurated an ultra-modern pet food factory with automated processing and packaging.

100% In-line Seal Inspection of Retort Pouches for Wet Pet Food Special Dog Company, one of the top pet food producers in Brazil, innovates with in-line inspection of its retortable pouches. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

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By Lilián Robayo, Media Director for Latin America - PMMI Wet pet food manufacturing is a complex process, and it takes careful attention to consistently guarantee a top quality, healthy and tasty product. Sealing of the filled package is the culmination of all processing steps and protects the food’s quality once shipped from the plant. Incompletely sealed packages, and packages with product spillover outside of the seal, both negatively impact the packaging processes. Exposed product results in contaminating machines, lost production, and extra labor in the form of cleaning and manual sorting of bad packages. If these badly sealed packages escape the production site, the impact can be even greater, with potential risk for expensive product returns,

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recalls, and brand damage. That’s why Special Dog Company invested in a 100% in-line seal inspection to guard the quality of the seals. Established in 2001, Special Dog Company is today one of the four biggest pet food producers in Brazil, selling in that market plus 11 other countries. In 2019, the company deployed an ultra-modern wet pet food factory to increase the product portfolio to keep growing in the market. “The sealing of flexible packages is a critical phase in the packaging process,” says Octávio Soberón, Manager of Wet Pet Food Division. “Even with top quality packaging machinery, bad seals could occur from time to time.” Defective seals are often caused by wrinkles, folds, or product

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one integrated module could easily divert, transfer and sort multiple package types?

in the sealing area, and lead to open or leaking packages. Wet pet food is especially prone to sealing concerns because the recipes frequently use glutinous sauces or gels. These easily can stick in or around the pack’s sealing area during the filling process. Bad seals don’t just affect traditional packaging equipment. They are a major concern during the sterilization process, as when the pet food is heated, it might leak and pollute the autoclave. The disruption to production and man-hours for autoclave cleaning has a domino effect in cost. Worse, if compromised packages are not detected they can lead to reduced shelf life and liability for health risks.

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Brazil’s Special Dog Company is one of the largest petfood manufacturers in South America, serving 11 countries. “Packaging is also responsible for making sure the product gets from the factory, through transport and distribution, and on to retail and the home without any loss to the integrity of the product,” says Soberón. At the latter end it may also be responsible for providing barriers to oxidation and moisture migration which can affect palatability and the nutritional composition of the product.”

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Delivering quality products is one of Special Dog Company’s corporate values. This requires investment in top equipment, well-trained people and refined quality procedures. Special Dog Company is certified with many international quality standards and this vision of quality has also resulted in multiple awards as Best Workplace in Latin America, in 2019. Maintaining quality at the highest level also needs continuous improvement in quality procedures and equipment. For the packaging of the wet pet food, Special Dog Company deployed a Toyo Jidoki rotary pouch packaging machine. To inspect the sealing of the retort pouches, the company extensively researched the market and finally opted for SealScope™, an in-line seal inspection system from Engilico. SealScope offers a unique approach for in-line seal inspection, according to the company. Vibration sensors are retrofitted on the sealing jaws of the dual-lane rotating packaging machine, at two stations in the carrousel. During the closing of the sealing jaws, the vibration response is

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The sealing bars of the rotary packaging machine are equipped with SealScope™ sensors that detect product in seal, wrinkles and folds that cause leaking packages.

measured and compared to a reference model of correctly sealed packages. When the deviation is higher than a user-defined limit—whether the cause is from product in the seal, wrinkles, or folds in the seals— the package is rejected. This automated inspection leads to immediate benefits. Every single package is inspected, so manual inspection can be reduced or drastically reduced. By rejecting the defective packages, the outgoing quality is instantly increasing. “The non-destructive seal testing made directly on the sealing bars greatly improved our effective line efficiency from previous manual inspection methods,” says Soberón. Special Dog Company still maintains a random sampling for physical inspection process, as it is needed to comply to their internal statistical quality control standards, but with a much lower number of samples than before. These random samples undergo destructive burst testing amongst other human inspections, requiring 5 to 6 mins/ package. “The main benefit of SealScope in-line seal inspection is to have a good night of dreams, instead of dealing with quality nightmares,” Sobéron says. “Special Dog Company is delivering a 100% inspected product, which means satisfied consumers.”

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Leaking packages need to be avoided to prevent outgoing product quality issues and the soiling of packaging machinery. The system generates user-defined warnings, so the operator can take preventive corrective actions, for instance cleaning of the sealing station or replacement of the Teflon protection foils. As such SealScope helps to avoid further process drift and to keep the machine in optimal shape. The system also enables operators to optimize the productivity of the packaging process. Often packaging machines run either too slow (to get acceptable quality) or too fast (with an adverse effect on quality). Using SealScope, one can determine the optimal machine speed where production output and package quality are maximized. With the ever-increasing demand for high-quality wet pet food, SpeAs SealScope inspects every product, it also serves a continuous cial Dog Company plans to further extend their production capacity. monitoring system, not only for the sealing process but indirectly for “For the installation of the new line, Engilico’s SealScope system is going the complete packaging line. When the repeatability of sealing process to be there, for sure,” Soberón says. PW varies, this indicates systematic errors in the packaging process. 20_2375_Packaging_World_JAN Mod: November 13, 2020 4:56 PM Print: 12/03/20 page 1 v2.5

Optimizing the packaging process

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CPGs Lean on OEMs During the Pandemic From equipment startups to training to automation, J.M. Smucker, Rich Foods, and Amway are asking machine builders to adopt new technology and service roles. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

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By Stephanie Neil, Editor, OEM In October, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies held a virtual Annual Meeting that covered topics ranging from an economic update to cybersecurity vigilance. In addition, this year a customer panel discussion featured engineers from three CPG manufacturers: Wilken Benjamin, principal packaging equipment engineer at Rich Products Corp. (A), John Giles, manager of Ada engineering at Amway (B), and Joe Zembas, senior manager, reliability engineering at J.M. Smucker Company (C). During an hour-long conversation they discussed COVID-19 issues, equipment updates, training, safety, security, and more with OEM editor-in-chief Stephanie Neil.

two of restricting the people who can come on campus. We are able to do more jobs remotely than we ever thought possible. The difficulty we are facing is understanding how well is that job performance going with people working remotely and what are we getting out of it. That is still yet to be determined, particularly in the groups I’m in. But we are extremely busy with projects and don’t see any let up in that in the future either.

Stephanie Neil:

How would you describe your business condition right now? Business as usual, controlled chaos, out-of-the-box problem solving? Joe Zembas: All of your statements are very true. Here at J.M. Smucker Company we are predominantly a retail company, but we do have a good portion of our business in the foodservice channel as well. When everyone shut down restaurants several months ago it definitely hurt our foodservice segment, but meanwhile, everyone was filling their pantry and eating at home more. There were a lot of PB&Js being made. And we had to fill shelves that had been stripped. Back in March, if you were to go to the grocery store, half of the shelves were empty. Plants were taxed with making more than what they were previously making. We saw a significant rachet up in the need to get product out, keep shelves full, and keep people and pets fed. And, as our corporate environment had gone to working virtually, it had thrown caveats into the way we get work accomplished. So it was controlled chaos, business as usual, it was everything. John Giles: I agree with lot of points Joe made, particular with the controlled chaos, but not so much with the business as usual. There was a lot of out-of-box problem solving for us and defining a new normal. I hear the comments that we’ll return to normal and all will go back to the way it was, but I don’t think that’s the case. We’ll define a new normal and I see our company doing that [for example, figuring] out who needs to be in the office is a big issue for us. We are still in phase

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The hourly production workers are extremely busy [because] with the products vanishing off of the shelves there is a high demand to produce….So a big focus for us is working with those hourly people. It is a little more straight-forward with COVID guidelines, but to keep up with the latest and greatest is our biggest challenge there. Wilken Benjamin: There is some controlled chaos, obviously, but a lot of business as usual. When we started looking at the scenarios in March it was absolutely chaos. But as the business has turned and the environment has changed, it is getting back to business as usual in a sense. Just like John said, we are still trying to figure out the corporate thing—who is coming to work, who is not. Right now there are more corporate folks at home, but the business is figuring out that business can get done being at home.

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You have to have people in the plant and on the packaging line and you have to keep them safe and productive. Has that been a difficult problem to solve? And is that something that you have to solve or corporate has to solve? Wilken Benjamin: It is on a plant-to-plant basis and the guidelines are driven by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] in terms of what things you need to do at the plant level to keep people

safe, and it is really about keeping people separated and understanding how we can still drive productivity. We found in some cases our lines work more efficiently because people are working independently and are not as distracted as they would have been with someone working with them side-by-side. It’s an interesting dynamic in that aspect. But I think we’ve done a good job of keeping them safe. Now it’s more of challenge trying to meet the demands of the business.

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How do you manage people coming into the plant, such as a service technician coming in to work on a machine? Have you reevaluated how you manage the process and the people? Joe Zembas: Yes, if you go back to March there was no guideline. We had to be agile and fluid about how we were doing it. We put checklists together following CDC guidelines and we’ve continued to adapt that system. We cut back as much as possible on external visits and instituted checklists before people come onsite, like thermal monitoring of individuals when they come on-site. And we’ve also looked at what kind of systems we need to put in place to help that be effective. Before, when a tractor-trailer showed up with a load of packing materials, a lot of papers would go back and forth and there were interactions that had to go on. We’ve moved a lot of that to now being paperless by leveraging the technology out there that is available. We are working through touchless invoicing and transactions with truck drivers, and put an extra level of safety in place for the truckers and the people on site who are interacting with them. A recent PMMI business indicator poll asked members what their biggest obstacle was as of late and they focused on supply chain as a disruptions. Are you having the same experience? Wilken Benjamin: I’m an equipment engineer so I’m generally focused on the end product, but I do hear on work team meetings where supply chain is an issue in getting raw materials. The biggest thing for me is equipment OEMs and lead times being extended when it came down to steel and trying to cut in different equipment. We’ve had some issues where lead times that would normally be in the neighborhood of 16 to 18 weeks would now be 32 weeks. What does it do to the organization when you have extended lead times? Wilken Benjamin: We are doing a lot of equipment replacements and we are focused on cost savings, so it delays those savings. Is it effecting the business? Can we still run? We do, just not as efficiently [as we would] with the new technology. Joe Zembas: The most blatant example is in our pet food side of the business. With 35% of U.S. meat

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processing plants shut down, our ability to get meat byproducts for pet food was significantly impacted. To Wil’s point on steel, our wet can business was looking for more cans for wet pet food and a good portion of steel comes out of China and there were places shut down in China. So yes, it ripples across the supply chain for everything from product ingredients to raw materials and packaging materials. LA102-Half-Page-Island-Spread-2.pdf 1 7/21/20 10:26 AM John Giles: In the early phases, in the March and April timeframe,

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was when it hit Amway the hardest. That was true for most companies as a lot of things were locked down and the company was trying to figure out how to work. We went through a lull, struggling with incoming raw materials and the teams did a great job working through those issues or changing production to match what we had on hand. Today it’s not really a big issue for us. For the most part we are moving forward and I’m not seeing significant delays now.

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The PMMI business indicator poll also asked “How’s business?” The response was that quotes and proposal activity has gone up since March. It is surprising to me that people are looking for new machines. Why is this happening? Joe Zembas: In essence, we all had a business plan and things we had committed to. Obsolete pieces of equipment needed to be updated and there were new product launches that needed to hit the market. Once we got through the initial tidal wave of chaos in March and April we still have a 30-year-old tray packer sitting out there that I can’t buy spare parts for any longer. I still need to get that quote, get the project funded, and get it underway, so that is part of the normal business we’ve had to continue. I think it’s just we had business we planned to do this year and we tried to find our way around everything else to keep moving the ball down the field. Wil, why is your company buying new equipment? Wilken Benjamin: Real simple. Labor. As we bounced into the COVID environment one thing we saw is that when people were afraid to come to work, we still had to fill orders. It became evident that the things we were working on for five years down the road, we would have to pull those things in and start automating more processes. As a team we’ve been pushing forward in high-level automation opportunities that we were going to delay. But when we started looking at overall profitability and taking a hit for three months, we looked at what we needed to automate.

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John, are you looking for new types of equipment or turning to more automation? John Giles: Labor is a huge part for us and automation ties into that. We had a plan for an automation spend and where to spend that capital. Other than the little blip where things slowed down in March and April, it’s still full steam ahead and following the original guide for capital projects. We also have a large sector of the nutrition industry and we’ve seen explosive growth with nutrition products, especially immunity defense products. That accelerated some of the things we were doing internally to pull up plans to bring up additional lines and support that growing segment of the business.

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So are there new kinds of products coming into the organization? John Giles: A big one for us is CBD products, those are new products for Amway and they’ve actually been doing very well. It goes into the whole nutrition side and well-being and supporting people’s health. There are plans in place to continue with additional products and new SKUs. The big issue we look at is how to bring those to market quicker. What can we do internally to accelerate, whether it’s equipment, plant

capabilities, buyouts, or whatever, to get that stuff into the market sooner rather than later.

How can your machine builder partners help? Is there room for them at the table? John Giles: Yes. We partner with our typical suppliers and we are looking for new suppliers at the same time. In today’s market we definitly rely on that partnership and it’s everything from going through all of the options and things you can get on the machine and equipment to make sure it will suit the products we’ll make with it, and it will fit into our environment and do what we need it to do. That’s a big part up front and as we get to the build process. But when we get to design and FAT, where we normally have boots on the ground to inspect and look at things, that is where we rely on close relationships with our suppliers or OEMs to make sure they get the equipment we want. For the most part all of the OEMs we’ve worked with have done a very good job, are quick to react, and are flexible to work with us to try to resolve issues and work through problems. We have strong OEMs supporting us and willing to do more than they would have in the past and that is a mutual benefit to everyone. Joe Zembas: I think there is definite openness on the OEM side to doing virtual FATs, they’ve incorporated it, applied whatever technology is needed in their facility, and the thing we’ve seen is the culmination of relationships we’ve built between some of our key OEMs. There’s a certain comfort in going to the shop and seeing [the equipment] run, even if it’s for 10 minutes. Certainly, when you walk away from that you lose that comfort, but if you deal with a vendor that you have a long-established relationship with, and you know they’ll make things right in the end, and you know they build good quality equipment, etc., it’s a lot easier to cut that PO without ever showing up in the shop and putting feet on the ground. So it has reinforced the need for those strong relationships with OEMs and key suppliers. Wil, you talk about automation projects. How are OEMs working with you as you try to figure out your next step? Wilken Benjamin: Everyone I’m working with come from trusted OEMs. Right now we are focused on true relationship-building and collaboration because the trust is there on the projects we’ve been working on. But we were talking to procurement a week ago because they are pushing us to give others an opportunity. We are pushing back and saying that right now is not the time. We have a solid relationship with enough OEMs that we don’t need the push back, we need to partner and problem-solve together. Especially in this time where travel is limited. I can’t hop across the coun-

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try from site to site. I have to depend on my OEMs to do that for me because they are able to in many cases. So partnerships and collaborating long before now has been so beneficial to the direction we are going in.

If this is the time for OEMs to come up with new business models and new services, what would you ask them for? Wilken Benjamin: We all as CPGs want as much aftermarket sup-

port as we can receive—and get it for as close to as free as possible. With that said, one of the things we are looking at is that we need to keep our equipment running, yet we don’t want anyone in our facility because of COVID, so we’ve been digging into technology to figure out how we can have that support. We’ve been checking out [Microsoft] HoloLens and we are receiving a lot of good feedback from everyone in our facilities. So we’ve been sending the HoloLens around to some of the different problems we’re having, whether it’s R&D projects or purchasing equipment for FATs or collaborating plant to plant. [PTC’s Vuforia] Chalk is another project we’ve put out there. Some OEMs came to me with Chalk and we said we would like to test it out. It was interesting because it was pre-COVID that we were saying it’s a neat app and we need to try it out, not knowing it was something we’d really need. But there is a lot of technology out there and a lot of people are just trying to figure this space out. Joe Zembas: Training has always been difficult. The more we can do virtually, the more dynamic we can make it and it will address the need to not have the OEM in our site for a week to do extensive training for individuals. And given that every school in America is dealing with how to teach remotely, I think that five to 10 years from now you won’t get a vendor onsite to do training. That will be a thing of the past. As we continue to move forward there will be more virtual, more visual, even the little 30-second video clips. We’ll see continued movement in that direction. Things like the pandemic will accelerate that movement.

Last year at the PMMI Annual Meeting there was a lot of discussion about cybersecurity. But I haven’t heard any of you talk about cybersecurity. Is it still an issue? Wilken Benjamin: Oh, yeah, it’s definitely an issue…we are just trying to figure ways around it using iPhones and doing anything we can, especially with startups. We’ve had three startups since this pandemic. We start talking about all the devices to try, and IT still pushes back. So cybersecurity is still top of mind, and I shouldn’t say we are trying to get around it, we are being creative. Joe Zembas: The things we’ve talked about relative to YouTube videos , etc., are much different than opening up our platform to allow someone to log into a machine to work on our equipment. Cybersecurity is still a large concern for all of us. John Giles: It is really about being creative and coming up with different solutions. It comes down to who you are partnering with. We are seeing a lot more cooperation because of the pandemic and we realize we need to do things and open things up, but cybersecurity will never drop into the back seat, we are just becoming more creative about learning how to deal with it. PW

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

PACK EXPO Connects 2020 Innovations Report By PMMI Media Group Editors PACK EXPO International has been a calendar fixture in even-numbered years since before most of us can remember. But COVID-19 made it impossible to hold an in-person exhibition in the year 2020, so PMMI launched PACK EXPO Connects, a brand new web-based event to ensure that stakeholders in the essential business of packaging remain connected. Featuring live chats, live product demos, engaging educational opportunities, and innovative new equipment, materials, and services, PACK EXPO Connects was the online event that reflects what the industry now requires.

Despite exhibitor preparedness, technical issues kept the live demonstrations from launching as intended on Monday. But the PACK EXPO Connects exhibitors adapted, and demos returned for attendees looking to see technology in action for the remainder of the event. “This event was able to connect the industry, which was our number one goal in a year when professionals cannot attend physical trade events,” says Jim Pittas, President and CEO, PMMI. “And our exhibitors were remarkable in their ability to react and deliver effective demonstrations despite the technical challenges entirely outside of their control.” To date, PACK EXPO Connects has seen 137,000 unique directory visits with 475,000 total showroom visits since the event website went live. During the show week, attendees viewed demos over 32,000 times. Those numbers will continue to grow as engagement continues on packexpoconnects.com with on-demand demos and exhibitor showrooms available through March 2021. The editors of PMMI Media Group were among the attendees who tuned into this unique online event, and we found plenty to be impressed by. Presented here is a summary of innovative developments we found in five main categories. And by “we” we mean the following: Matt Reynolds, Editor, Packaging World Pat Reynolds, VP Editor Emeritus, Packaging World Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor, Packaging World; Editor, Contract Packaging Stephanie Neil, Senior Editor, Automation World; Editor-in-Chief, OEM Joyce Fassl, Editor-in-Chief, ProFood World Natalie Craig, Managing Editor, OEM Keren Sookne, Director of Editorial Content, Healthcare Packaging Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, ProFood World Kim Overstreet, Content Strategist, Alignment Melissa Griffen, Contributing Editor Jim Chrzan, VP Content and Brand Strategy Two last observations. As you read through the following pages, should you want to see all the other things these exhibitors showed at PACK EXPO Connects, you’ll find links to all showroom landing sites beginning on page 101 of this issue. And finally, next up in the PACK EXPO Portfolio of trade Shows is EXPO PACK Mexico (June 8-11), followed by PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2021 (Sept. 27-29). More details on both will be coming soon. In the meantime, for more information, visit www.pack expo.com. PW

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

MACHINERY As flexible packaging continues to grow in popularity partly due to its sustainability bona fides, it comes as no surprise that innovations in both vertical and horizontal form/fill/seal systems were on full display at PACK EXPO Connects. Here we take a brief look at seven notable developments, beginning with one from Triangle Package. For liquid or semi-liquid fill applications,Triangle’s new Model XYTLF (vf/f/s) bagger (1) offers greater throughput, superior sanitation, and material savings, according to the company, all without a required film contract. Designed for foodservice and other applications, including hot fill and pumpable products, Model XYTLF packages products such as soups, sauces, mashed potatoes, bakery batters, and fruit fillings, as well as ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese. Speeds run up to 30 gal/min. As demonstrated at PACK EXPO Connects, the Model XYTLF can be integrated with a Hinds-Bock pump or other liquid filler. Standard features on the 1 Triangle X-Series include Rockwell Automation/Allen Bradley ControlLogix, AB Kinetics Servo Drives, and AB PowerFlex AC Drives. Model XYTLF offers several unique benefits, including improved productivity thanks to an innovative design that uses servo filling with squeegee staging for better precision, flexibility, clean seals, no leakers, and less air in the bag. Since there is no film contract required, packagers can choose their own film supplier and have more control over material costs. The vf/f/s system is also a cost-saving alternative to premade bags or rigid containers such as cans. Sanitary design features include quick removal of sealing jaws and back seal components for easy washdown, hygienic IP69K stainless steel motors with air purge, and pivoting control box for four sides of machine access. To top it off, optional features include ultrasonic sealing for higher speeds and 100% seal integrity, and check weight feedback for precise filling. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Triangle at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/140. BW Flexible Systems’ new Hayssen ISB vf/f/s solution (2) aims to provide best-in-class sanitary design, modern industrial machine intelligence, and intuitive operation for vertical form-fill-seal packaging. To develop the ISB (intelligent sanitary bagger) BW Flexible Systems conducted voice-of-customer interviews in target markets—including fresh produce, frozen/individual quick freezing (IQF), and cheese—asking about pain points and preferred features. “What we heard in those conversations was a need for an unparalleled hygienic design that was both easy to change over and flexible and intuitive to operate,” said Ed Haarsgaard, BW Flexible Systems’ Sales Leader for new machinery. “The Hayssen ISB delivers a powerful sanitary design and modern intelligent systems, made possible by our

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customer-centered approach and deep flexible-packaging knowledge from decades of experience.” The entire machine is high-pressure washdown capable, including its human-machine interface (HMI), which would typically require protection due to its sensitive components. This vf/f/fs has earned an IP66 weather-proofing rating and a NEMA 4X rating for enclosures. Other hygienic features include its frame, which is an open-channel design with sloped surfaces built to have no more than one square-inch of surface-to-surface contact between components. Furthermore, the Hayssen ISB uses standoffs and flanged fasteners to eliminate secondary hardware like washers, and the bagger’s film rollers are fully removable without tools and come completely sealed with lifetime bearings. In addition, vacuum belts, a potential source for contamination and pathogen growth, have been eliminated in favor of friction belts. The Hayssen ISB’s HMI can be equipped with cellular network capabilities to communicate with tablets for training opportunities without affecting production needs. The system can self-diagnose potential issues in real-time and automatically calculate program values to maximize performance. Changeovers on the Hayssen ISB are toolless except for the sealing jaws. The machine features passthrough film threading, and its entire unwind and film path has been engineered to provide immediate film tracking adjustments. Film tension is managed and maintained automatically using a laser measuring system. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Hayssen and BW Flexible Systems at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/146.

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MACHINERY Mark Stenske, Service Manager for Matrix, a ProMach brand, used PACK EXPO Connects to demonstrate how the Matrix Bag-in-Bag provides an innovative way to fill single-serve and multiple-serve pillow bags in an overwrap or master bag. The Matrix Elete Bag-in-Bag machine is essentially two machines in a single frame. In the demonstration, one bagger above was feeding into another below in a single enclosure. In a ground coffee application, the

INNOVATIONS REPORT

top section packages product into heat-sealed filter paper pouches, and the lower section bags those pouches in metalized film packs. Both rolls of filter-paper material and foil film are on the back of the machine. On the front, pull belts advance the upper filter paper as the vertical seal bar intermittently seals the top, and the end-seal jaws separate each filter-paper pouch, dropping them into a funnel to introduce the second portion of the machine.

Modular Platform for Healthcare Manufacturing Optima Packaging Machinery’s Zero machine platform (3) has modularity at its core. The machine platform’s other key added features include format flexibility and an increase in output, as demonstrated by the OPTIMA Zero L1 version. Designed for packaging feminine hygiene and lightincontinence products, it packages these products into pre-made bags—usually PE, though other materials like paper or bio-based materials are also possible—that are conveyed from wickets. With increasing demands for paper hygiene products, flexibility is key in providing a range of products on one machine, whether the products themselves are triple-folded, packed longways, or in a medium or small package. The new Zero machine platform is constructed to be completely modular. Some manufacturers may not require format changes in a given day or week, but the platform offers the option of achieving considerable time savings with motorized format changes and module shifting, as well as module changes. The process can be adapted to the product when changing the format. One example of this is the OPTIMA Zero L1 welding module. When processing long-shaped products first and then small ones, by selecting the new format, the heatsealing module moves closer to the stack. This makes the process more consistent and faster. The OPTIMA Zero L1 offers the option to increase performance via a double extension, the “dual lane,” which is new in the feminine hygiene and light incontinence sectors. Modules can be switched without having to design a completely new process, so companies can be ready for future changes. The system is based on a new machine structure. This can be assembled and built up in a range of varying lengths— for example, two meters or five meters long—and can accommodate the modules in different positions. In the past, the mounting positions for each unit were fixed. The flexibility extends to software as well. The PLC has a modular design similar to what is used in mechanical engineering. Simulation of the process and variants is performed during the design phase. Optima describes the simulation of the machines’ interlocking functions and function sequences as a digital

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twin. This way, engineers in the design stage can see whether the mechanics, electronics, and software are working together in the desired way. On the new Zero platform, Optima said there is more configuration and less design—more time is available to develop individual function modules. Up to now, it would have been necessary to develop a specific process around a specific module. All that is needed these days is to design and test the specific module and make individual adjustments in the plant, said the company. Each customer only invests in the modules they need, whether they need equipment for a process capable of five format changes per day or a process that produces identical packaging at high speed for five weeks. With the OPTIMA Zero L1, function modules can be adjusted. This allows modules to be added or the process to be adjusted optimally to the product and packaging formats. If automated changeovers are not required—for less frequent format changes—a manual format change supported by adjusting wheels and counters will suffice. If, later on, the need arises for rapid format changes, this can be done using exchangeable modules. Optima is currently developing additional modules for the OPTIMA Zero L1. These modules are designed for processing particularly small formats, larger-sized products, two-layer package configurations, and triple-folded products, etc. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Optima at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/483. PW

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MACHINERY

Late-stage Customization At least two exhibitors at PACK EXPO Connects focused on late-stage customization solutions. First there was Buskro, which debuted its Package Personalization System (PPS) at PACK EXPO Connects. Developed for variable-data printing, personalization, or late-stage customization, it’s a modular solution (4) that incorporates digital drop-on-demand ink jet print heads, typically (though not necessarily) from Kyocera. According to Kyle Kropman, Marketing Coordinator at Buskro, the sheet-fed PPS is suitable for four-color CMYK printing on paperboard or corrugated packaging. Thanks to the inherent flexibility and plate-free nature of digital printing, this system represents a way for a brand owner, for example, to inventory far fewer varieties of pre-printed packaging because it makes it possible to print multiple versions of packaging with little or no make-ready time. Built on its Modular Transport Base, the PPS can be customized for a variety of substrates.

There, on the bottom section, again pull belts advance the film, this time the metalized film, with horizontal seals making the end seal and a knife separating each metalized film pouch. All programs are saved into recipes and can be recalled into future runs. Another application demonstrated included small, single-serve candy bags in registered film being filled into clear plastic film at a ratio of 10:1, equating to 90 primary bags/min and 9 secondary clear bags/min. A third application, once again coffee filter pouches, uses a unique sideways-mounted jaw fixture in the upper machine to form filter-paper pouches into the round shape to match coffee brewing machine baskets. This means the pouches are oriented vertically as they exit the sideways-turned initial jaws and must be re-oriented via a transition funnel that twists the bag 90 deg to fit into the lower bag. In all instances, the two sections are controlled independently via touchscreen HMI, and lengths, temperatures, and seal times are set independently. A clear enclosure allows easy windows into operations to

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Buskro at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/608. And then there was a demo by Atlantic Zeiser, a Coesia company, where the star of the show was their Digiline Versa system (5) designed specifically for late-stage customization. It utilizes digital ink-jet print head technology from Ricoh and UV-curable inks that are suitable on flat substrates such as paperboard, plastic film, or metal. So if different languages are required, or a brand owner wants QR codes on certain cartons but not on others, or if certain demographic groups require varied graphics on cartons holding the same product, all you have to do is divert cartons to the Digiline Versa system as they leave the cartoner. It’s a great way for brand owners to segment and differentiate their packaging to serve market micro niches. It’s all about localizing, personalizing, and customizing packaging at the latest possible stage in the packaging process. The one installation where this new Digiline Versa system is in use commercially is at a cosmetics company that is printing flat carton blanks before they even reach the folder/gluer. The blanks are folded and glued in line as they leave the Digiline Versa and then proceed immediately to the cartoning machine. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Atlantic Zeiser at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/219. PW

monitor performance and correct any issues. During the demo, attendees asked about ensuring safe transfer from top to bottom bag. “Transfer is direct—in the top machine, the finished bag is formed nearly inside the top of the forming tube of the bottom machine,” said Stenske. “When the top seals are made and the bags are cut and released, it’s dropping straight down into the second bag. The machines have communication with each other, so as the top machine makes the bag, the bottom machine is ready to accept it and automatically go through its cycle.” Other applications include snacks, trail mix, even single-serve pet food. As demonstrated, coffee applications used an auger filler from Spee-Dee. “Pretty much any product you want to run bag-in-bag, we can do that,” Stenske concluded. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Matrix at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/300.

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THE ONE STOP SUPPLIER FOR FLEXIBLE PACKAGING. The new FLX HUB is where the production of all machines in the flexible packaging chain converge. Everything needed to process all types of flexible packaging for the Food, Pharma, Wet Wipes and Pet markets is right here. The full array of leading technologies brought together in one facility, where a one-stop supplier drives the quest for excellence, sustainability, constantly researching innovative solutions and new eco-compatible materials.

IMA FLX HUB. Flexpect more.

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www.ima.it

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MACHINERY According to WeighPack Systems Inc., its extremely versatile XPdius Elite 1700 vertical bagger (6) is able to fill bags up to 17 in. W x 24 in. L and includes film tracking, tool-less removable pull belts, forming tube, and film roll. Video of the new large-format rollout is available in the company’s Virtual Showroom at PACK EXPO Connects. Available options include bag gusset attachment, gas flush, hole punch, tare notch, polyethylene sealing assembly, pivoting bag support, bag tapper for product settling, and lot code printing. Capable of producing up to 3,000 large-format bags per hour, the XPdius vertical bagging machine includes twin servo motors and drives for its pull belt assembly and horizontal seal jaws. These drives assure total control over acceleration, deceleration, and positioning while ensuring high performance throughout production. The XPdius vf/f/s machine can be integrated with any auxiliary weigh filling machine including Paxiom’s own PrimoCombi multihead weigher, Star Auger powder filling machine, or PrimoLinear net weigh filling machine. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Paxiom at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/796.

ing from 250 mL to 2 L, and a third version runs pouches as large as 3 L. And finally, the SC+ is also available in a version that is not roll-fed where the filling turret receives premade pouches. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Volpak at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/207. With increased snack food demand in 2020, pouching systems have been a popular choice for machinery due in part to the pandemic and people spending more time at home. At PACK EXPO Connects, PPi Technologies Group showcased the new SN FME 50 (8), a small-footprint hf/f/s machine from SN Maschinenbau designed for short lead times and an entry level price point for end users packaging snack foods, gummies, herbs, spices, powdery products, lotions, and more. Thom Cain, sales support manager at PPi, said that for the past few years, the industry has seen a push to run thinner, monomaterial films because multi-layer films aren’t easy to recycle. “But if a machine is not designed to run that material, it can rip.” With package sustainability in mind, the SN FME 50 is designed to run recyclable films, pulling evenly to avoid tearing without sacrificing speed.

HORIZONTAL FORM/FILL/SEAL

Moving now to the hf/f/s side of things, we come to Volpak, a Coesia company, which introduced at PACK EXPO Connects the SC+ machine (7). Setting it apart, says Volpak, is that both the roll-fed unwind module and the rotary turret on which formed pouches are filled and sealed rely on a continuous-motion principle. Typically, these are both more likely to be intermittent-motion operations. Because the film being fed into the machine is pulled constantly without having to stop and pull and stop and pull, there is far less tension on the film. This greatly reduces the chance for film breakage, especially where thin films are concerned. Forming of pouches is done on a module that is not unlike the systems Volpak has offered in the past, and it is done on an intermittentmotion basis. But when it’s time to transfer the formed pouch into the filling turret, once again the machine reverts to continuous motion. Held by a bag gripper, each pouch is opened , blown open, stretched open, filled, and then sealed. Volpak says the first installation of the machine is at an Argentinian maker of liquid laundry detergent in 950-mL pouches, and they’re running at 280/min. Now in development, the firm adds, is a system that will do a similar pouch but it will be cut at a 45-degree angle so that a corner-fitment pouring spout can be applied. Two other things worth noting. The SC+ comes in three versions. The one that runs at the highest speeds, predictably enough, is for small pouches in the range of 100 to 500 mL. A second version is for pouches rang-

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The system runs at speeds up to 100 pouches/min and is capable of format changeover (toolless, as much as possible) in less than 15 min. With a small footprint of approximately 12.0 ft. x 4.10 ft. x 6.6 ft., the system doesn’t require much space to get new packaging capacity up and running. With an added multi-head weigher (from a scale vendor) the machine can run gummies, which have seen increased demand in the nutraceutical and cannabis industries. Delivery speed is a main feature of the SN FME 50—remote installation can be completed in a few days. The company also showcased the SN FM 060 125 system, a hf/f/f system with basic, premium, and washdown variants. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by PPi Technologies at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/486. New from Cloud Packaging Solutions, the CMR II continuous-motion hf/f/s machine can be configured for a wide range of complex filling applications. Among its features, the machine can handle pouches from 4 to 12 in. W x 6 to 15 in. H, with a gusset of zero to 5 in., operates at speeds to 140 pouches/min, is compatible with a wide variety of zipper closures, and is USDA-washdown sanitary. Pouches are formed in duplex intermittent motion for

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Scan me for more details

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

E-commerce Offerings Packsize International LLC’s line of On Demand Packaging box-converting machines and accessories have proven to be a sustainable and cost-effective way to optimize e-commerce shipping cases. According to the company, rightsizing packaging using its solution results in an average savings of 20% to 30% on packaging-related costs, such as shipping, materials, and DIM weight charges. Key to the success of the system, however, is having accurate dimensional data of those products to be packed. In a pre-show interview, Cameron Stout, Director of Sales, Midwest for Packsize, shared details on one of the company’s newest products (9), introduced at PACK EXPO Connects, the Scan2Pack customizable, 3D dimensioning system, which he championed internally in his former position of Director of the company’s Advanced Products Group. As Stout explained, not having the need previously for accurate product dimensions, many companies lack this data. “So, it’s always been a hurdle for us implementing On-Demand Packaging, because if you don’t have dimensional data or if you don’t have a time-efficient pathway of getting that information to the machine, then what’s the point of doing on-demand packaging, right?” Among the range of solutions offered by Packsize for capturing the data are static dimensioning systems for lowthroughput applications with a certain size requirement all the way up to in-motion systems designed for high-throughput, high SKU-variability applications. For the in-motion systems, the price tag, ranging from $45,000 to $60,000, is cost-prohibitive to those companies just getting into e-commerce. To fill this gap, Packsize developed the Scan2Pack with

the entire bag range, with individual compression control on each tooling post to ensure the highest quality pouch is formed. Once formed, pouches are transferred into continuous motion where they are secured on each side by grippers, after which they are filled by way of a traveling duckbill funnel that provides three times the fill time and allows for precise product filling, preventing product spillage and top-seal contamination. It’s the traveling duckbill funnel that allows the CRM II to fill difficult-to-pack products because it dives into the pouch then opens to maximize the opening of the pouch and extend the filling time, which allows the machine to slow product down and meter it out. The duckbill funnels can be agitated and can also utilize baffles to assist in packaging difficult products. According to Kyle Scalise, Global Account Manager at Cloud Packaging Solutions, who unveiled the new machine during a live demo at PACK EXPO Connects, “Cloud developed this machine as the next generation of our existing machine, the CMR 1500. The CMR has been very

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partner LMI that uses a laser light scanner that Stout says is essentially a laser light curtain, with the software integrated with the Packsize On Demand Packaging machine. The scanner is mounted over a variable-speed conveyor. When a product passes under the scanner, the dimensions are calculated and sent to the machine via Packsize’s PackNet software. The machine then produces a case that fits those dimensions. To create a right-sized box for multiple items, the Scan2Pack employs cubing logic to the items as they pass under the laser 9 light curtain. “It allows a customer to be able to work quickly and efficiently without a dimensioning database and allows them to create right-size packages, really, truly on-demand. Anything they can put into the machine, they can scan, and it can be sent off,” Stout shared. One unique feature of the Scan2Pack, Stout added, is that it allows customers to dimension larger items—up to a 48 in. x 48 in. x infinite-length item—in a cost-effective fashion. “We can design the system specific to each individual customer, which is not something that was readily available in the market. Everything else was confined by just a certain window, so this allows us to expand that window or contract that window depending on the application as we see fit,” he explained. The Scan2Pack also helps customers build a dimensional database, a significant benefit for those companies just starting in e-commerce that may not have the sway with their suppliers to demand dimensional data. “This allows them to do it on their own, and it allows them to do it relatively quickly and painlessly, rather than having a temp employee going around

successful for us over the years in all dry-flowable piece applications, especially with very large fills. It has been embraced specifically in the pet food industry where products have difficult geometries and large fills, where a traveling funnel extends the fill time, allowing more time for the product to get into the pouch. “We developed this next-gen CMR, the CMR II, after many discussions with our customers, asking them what their pain points were. We gathered this intel and found common difficulties: changeover time from one pouch to another, difficulty of changeover, and maintaining quality operators/personnel. With that in mind, we designed a machine to eliminate the complexity of a changeover by automating as much of it as realistically possible, thus dropping the requirement for highly trained individuals needed to perform the changeover.” Automatic changeover can be completed in just 15 minutes. Scalise said that the tooling posts have the ability to run the whole bag range in the machine. In contrast to the past, where the end-user had to pur-

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with a dimensioning system on a cart, for example, then pulling things off the shelf and scanning them, spending weeks and weeks and months to do this,” said Stout. “This is just the most cost-effective pathway for them to either build a database or build their boxes in real time.” Another product new to the Packsize range of dimensioning systems is the DIM2Ship. Using the manual DIM2Ship system, an operator places a product to be scanned in the designated corner of the table and then scans the length, width, and height of the item. The scan data is then transmitted to PackNet to create the right-sized box on an associated On Demand Packaging system. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Packsize International LLC at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/242. Wexxar Bel, a ProMach brand, used demo time during PACK EXPO Connects to introduce the new BEL 5150E, which the company says is the first semi-automatic case forming, packing, and sealing solution with auto adjust case size changeover designed primarily for low to mid-speed e-commerce applications (10). Servo motors have been integrated into all three changepoints to allow for a quick and automated size change. With the constant size changes of e-commerce applications, the BEL 5150E provides a reliable solution unlike any other. The BEL 5150E achieves the best results when integrated with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, tracking the entire process from order 10 picking to shipping. For example, as

chase multiple sets of tooling posts, now it is the one tooling post that ships with the machine that can run the entire pouch range. Scalise added that the CMR II has the ability to run its entire bag range in duplex on the bagmaking section, eliminating the need for a timely change from duplex to simplex bag forming. The machine also features individual compression control on each tooling post, allowing for more flexibility in the variety of films and zippers that can be used. The CMR II is built and designed in the U.S., in Des Plaines, Ill., with all parts and service dispatched from that location. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Cloud Packaging Solutions at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/519. INSPECTION SYSTEMS APLENTY

Featured at the Peco Inspx PACK EXPO Connects showroom was the ScanTrac Fermata X-ray system, which provides high-resolution X-ray inspection for products conveyed through a pipeline. It has a variable-di-

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picked orders approach the packing station, the ERP system sends a signal to both the BEL 5150E and the operator suggesting the optimal case for that order. The BEL 5150E can then begin changing sizes to the suggested case and the operator can select and load the properly sized box. Once completed, the order is verified, sealed, labeled and ready for shipping as the BEL 5150E receives the next case size information to begin the cycle all over again. “The BEL 5150E gives the mid-speed e-commerce output system operators the means to greatly reduce their labor while increasing production,” said Sander Smith, Product Manager, Wexxar Bel. “In the world of e-commerce, operators are dealing with different sized products coming down to the packing stations. We looked at our system to find ways to create efficiencies for operators.” Although many e-commerce applications seem to use between eight to 15 different box sizes, the BEL 5150E has the capacity of up to 30 different box sizes with the ability to expand if necessary. While the best results in efficiency and productivity gains are seen when the BEL 5150E is integrated with an ERP system, operators can also select a box size from the HMI screen or integrate any type of input tool desired such as buttons, scanners, and more. In both cases the machine selects the proper box sizes and automatically makes the necessary adjustments for each product. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Wexxar Bel at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/116. PW

ameter inspection plate assembly for accurate and repeatable inspection of product flow. Metal ceramic X-ray tubes enable the Fermata to identify small pieces of foreign material, such as bone, metal, glass, and rubber. The system can be equipped with a remote monitor for the inspection of pipelines off the production floor. The standard Fermata configuration includes a 4-in. diameter inspection pipeline assembly and a positive-acting two-way discharge valve assembly with mounting. The Fermata is designed to work with piston pump systems. Material flowing through the pipe must be continuous with no air pockets. The Fermata pipeline system inspects bulk flowing through a pipeline at speeds up to 600 ft. or 300 gal per min. From proteins to vegetables and fruits, product conveyed in bulk through a pipeline can be inspected for foreign contaminants prior to packaging. Rejected product is diverted for disposal or further inspection. Check out the many solutions featured by Peco Inspx at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/161.

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MACHINERY 11

THiNK, a new artificial intelligence tool (11) integrated on Sesotec metal detectors, is designed to help food processors produce safe food, comply with food safety guidelines and regulations, reduce waste, and protect their consumers and brands. The tool can virtually eliminate the influence of product defects and provides accurate detection of metal parts, with fewer false rejects. “We’re using artificial intelligence in metal detection to detect smaller contaminants than before,” said Christian Stadler, Group Director of Marketing at Sesotec. “This allows for higher food safety.” According to Sesotec’s live demo at PACK EXPO Connects, it’s difficult to detect metallic contamination in a product if the packaging contains metal or metallic film. THiNK technology has the advantage of working well with metalized packaging. Check out the many solutions featured by Sesotec at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/529. Making its debut at PACK EXPO Connects, the Thermo Scientific Sentinel 1000 Selectscan metal detector (12) employs fully flexible frequency optimization per application with frequencies from 50 to 1,000 kilohertz. “With a single-frequency metal detector, you only have one chance to pick the right frequency that fosters the highest level of metal detection,” said Alex Kinne, applications engineer for Thermo’s product inspection division. Processors can also use Thermo Scientific’s Auto Learn feature to pick the frequency, Kinne explains. “Customers need flexible inspection solutions that don’t compromise performance,” said Kinne. “Often, customers will run multiple products on the same line in the same day. So, Selectscan technology was developed around the principles of performance, efficiency, and ease of use.” The Selectscan metal detector works well for dry, inert products that have relatively low product effect, such as dry pasta or frozen foods. The Selectscan’s single frequency is optimized per application. “If you change product files, you may choose or may change frequencies to a different, yet optimized, frequency,” Kinne added.

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According to Kinne, the Sentinel 1000 provides a high level of metal detection for food safety, reducing the risk of costly recalls due to contamination. “Audits are made easy with our Quality Assurance Check feature, which streamlines the audit process and stores records automatically,” Kinne explained. Check out the many solutions featured by Thermo Fisher Scientific at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/125. A new X-ray inspection system (13) from Mekitec uses separate, dedicated X-ray beams to provide better coverage of packaged beverages and liquid and solid foods. With a strong background in X-ray, Mekitec is using its expertise to bring innovative X-ray inspection systems to the food and beverage industry. At PACK EXPO Connects, the equipment maker demonstrated its latest innovation—an X-ray system that provides precise primary packaging inspection for products that are taller than they are wide.

The Sidemeki system uses dual focal spot X-ray technology to inspect both liquid and solid packaged products. This technology enables the system to not only see foreign objects, which more typically settle near the bottom of the package, but also the fill levels or cap placement, for example, near the top of the package, noted Juho Ojuva, director of global sales and customer care at Mekitec. “You have a fixed generator looking at the bottom of the product. Then behind it is an adjustable X-ray generator that you can use in order to have the best image of the top part of this product,” he explained. “You can, depending on the application, have a Sidemeki system with one of these generators or both, depending on what you need to do with the system.” The X-ray beams are adjustable for various product sizes. The Sidemeki comes with different connection options—both a side-feed option that connects in parallel to the existing production line and an end-feed option that connects directly to the existing production line. The side-feed option “is good for products that have difficulty moving from one conveyor to another,” Ojuva said. Integrated and automated rejection removes non-conforming packages from food production. As with all Mekitec systems, the Sidemeki has full pack-for-pack

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MACHINERY traceability to provide transparency and reliability. A side-shooting X-ray inspection system has been on the company’s radar for some time, but Mekitec decided to take the time to perfect the solution, making sure it complies with the real needs of customers. “When we first started to specify the system features, we took our time to learn about the unique challenges, needs, and desires that food producers have with these types of products and inspection systems,” said Mikko Nuutinen, director of product creation at Mekitec. “We took on those challenges, needs, and desires and created the possibility of hav-

INNOVATIONS REPORT

ing the sharpest X-ray image and enabled valuable quality inspection functions even for the tallest food products without compromising the foreign object detection performance.” Previous inspection systems targeted at these food and beverage applications have either been too complicated and expensive, or too simple with limited benefits. This is something that Mekitec wanted to change by developing the Sidemeki system. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Mekitec at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/241.

Liquid Filling Pneumatic Scale Angelus, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Systems company, demonstrated a filler and seamer (14) with a growing beverage market in mind. To meet the growing demand for hard seltzers, Ready-to-Drink (RTD) cocktails, sparkling wine, and higher-carbonation beer, the CB50C counter-pressure canning line scales PSA’s long history of expertise in high-speed beverage applications for the needs of the Craft market. Counter-pressure technology allows you to fill highly carbonated beverages—in excess of 2.7 vols of CO2—by maintaining equivalent pressure in the can being filled and the product tank supplying the product. Maintaining this pressure prevents breakout, or excess foaming, that releases CO2 and ultimately lowers carbonation. True isobarometric filling, with the fill tank located above the fill heads, allows the product to be gravity-fed versus pumped upward, ensuring less product agitation for a quiet fill and lower CO2 loss. Using proprietary magnetic flowmeter technology, the CB50C also ensures industry-leading fill accuracy, to within 1 mL precision. Integrated with a best-in-class Angelus seamer, the CB50C ensures a hermetic double seam to prevent the loss of gas and subsequent introduction of air that alter product taste, shelf life, and ultimately, brand reputation. The CB50C counter-pressure filler joins the Pneumatic Scale Angelus inline canning system portfolio with an integrated 6-head filler and single-head can seamer, rated for continuous operation at speeds up to 50 cans per minute (CPM). Rotary options are also available for Craft brewers looking to expand their overall production, but keep their canning footprint relatively small. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Pneumatic Scale Angelus at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/283. Elsewhere in the liquid filling sector, DTM Massman used its PACK EXPO Connects platform to demonstrate the PUREFIL 2000 in-line continuous motion flow meter filler. Designed with container flexibility in mind, the system handles the range of typical liquid containers, from glass bottles to PET or HDPE jugs, from hand lotion to industrial lubricants, and from 1 oz. to 1 gallon in size. The entire system is a cost-

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effective solution that the company says can accomplish many applications in speed ranges from 100-300 bottles/min that previously were reserved for more expensive rotary fillers. The infeed helix or timing screw is custom designed for any bottle shape or size. The helix runs through the length of the in-line filling heads, and even has an option to extend to the capper after filling. Mounted above the timing screw inside the filling enclosure is a high-speed 74-in. extended walking beam that carries as many as 16 filling heads, depending on the application. The 2000’s flexible head and nozzle configurations are designed for precise measurements and fill-level. Fill technologies depend on the application, and a full range of fill technologies is available, including magnetic flow, mass flow, pressure overflow, time-pressure, piston-driven, and even gear pump. A top-mounted pressure tank offers CIP with a single push of a button, and downward pressure offers consistent, repeatable fills. The 2000 series is entirely recipe driven, meaning individual recipes can be created for each product in your SKU range. Controls are all Allen Bradley-compatible. Class 1/Div 1 explosion-resistant electronics are available for applications that require them. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by DTM Massman at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/229. PW

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MACHINERY

Next Gen Induction Cap Sealer is Backward Compatible

15 Loma Systems’ new IQ4 RUN-WET Metal Detector Conveyor (15) debuted during PACK EXPO Connects. The system is specifically designed for high-care environments where machinery clean-up is particularly harsh and frequent. The RUN-WET specification of the Loma IQ4 Metal Detector is IP69k rated and hygienically designed following some of the key EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering Design Group) principles offering the best cleaning standards to withstand harsh high-pressure and high-temperature cleaning regimes, whilst maximizing production efficiencies. “The IQ4 RUN-WET includes a number of enhanced hygienic features that directly meet the needs of some of our users’ top concerns,” said Antoine Dodier, customer relations manager at Loma Systems, an ITW Company. “Not all processing equipment is made to withstand harsh environments, in fact, some parts of the processing line are simply covered during washdown.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Loma at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/415. Built for harsh environments, the Mettler Toledo C35 checkweigher (16) shown during PACK EXPO Connects delivers precise weighing results on a stable weighing platform that is resistant to high-pressure washdown and most caustic detergents. The system frame is designed according to hygienic principles, with access for cleaning and sloped surfaces to discourage liquid collection. The system supports speeds of up to 250 packs/min and a weighing range from 25 g to 7 kg. The C35 checkweigher fits a wide range of production situations that require reliable weight control, including food processing. Optional conveyors and handling features, including guiderails to ensure smooth product handling, can transport open products such as jars, trays, and cans. It also enables companies to inspect 100% of their products, segregate non-conforming packages, and collect production data using one of two optional weight data interfaces. According to Keri Klein, Product Line Manager for checkweighing, the C35 checkweigher can be equipped with infeed and discharge side grip transports to move open containers safely and efficiently down the conveyor line to eliminate spillage at transfer points. “These side grips are adjustable to accommodate product specifications and securely guide the product from

Enercon, a leader in the hermetic sealing game, used its demos during PACK EXPO Connects to introduce the fourth generation of the venerable Super Seal lineup of induction sealers. Carrying over the best features of previous generations, Super Seal Touch and Max, the new generation now features mechanically and electrically integrated stalled-bottle sensors (sensors in demonstration were by SICK). The new line also contains integrated support for container rejection, meaning containers without foil cap seals never reach customers. User interface has seen some improvements as well, with simple controls and clear, unambiguous readouts and feedback. The new line offers universal input voltage. Perhaps most important to Enercon’s many existing customers—the company says it has the largest installed base in its category—virtually all of the previous generations’ sealing heads are compatible with the new Super Sealer line. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Enercon at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/156. PW

the customer’s conveyor onto the infeed of the checkweigher. On our infeed conveyor, we offer small-diameter rollers to facilitate smooth internal transfers across the weigh conveyor and to the outfeed conveyor for seamless, accurate weighing,” she said. The weighing of open containers as close to the filler as possible allows the checkweigher to provide filler feedback, as well as optimize fill weights by making adjustments to the filler, therefore minimizing overfilled product and reducing product giveaway. “Processors can also reject under-filled product to be reworked, ensuring compliance with label weights,” said Klein. “If the process does not offer the opportunity to provide feedback, weighing product prior to capping and labeling can also save costs by reducing packaging materials that are scrapped when rejecting off-weight products.” Mettler Toledo’s communication solutions include Ethernet/ IP PROFINET and PROFIBUS DP OPC DA/UA, along with TCP/IP, and various serial communications solutions. Fieldbus and OPC solutions have Pack ML (ISA TR88.00.02) as a fundamental part of their base architecture. C-Series checkweighers provide realtime monitoring of critical control points (CCPs) to support end-to-end compliance with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) principles. Check out the many solutions featured by Mettler Toledo at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/148.

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It Is Not Just A Labeling Machine...

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

MACHINERY

At PACK EXPO Connects, Fortress Technology unveiled its expansion into checkweighing with the launch of its inaugural Raptor “smart” weigher series (17). According to Fortress, Raptor checkweighers have been designed for new-generation manufacturers embracing the digital revolution and include an intelligent conveyor removal system and intuitive digital process monitoring technology to advance inspection efficiency, target operational inefficiencies, and reduce product giveaway. The Raptor range comprises three systems: a single-frame standalone checkweigher, a combination metal detector and checkweigher, and the XL case-weighing system for ingredient and big bag applications. According to Fortress, all three address North America’s calls for robust, accurate, hygienic, and compact food-weight control systems incorporating the very latest digital smart processing technology. Innovative common features across the range include no-tool maintenance, leading digital software processing, and a totally unique conveyor motor release.

Said Fortress President Steve Gidman, “This is a breakthrough advancement for the North American food inspection market that applies unseen technology to improve process efficiency. Raptor is a premium weight control solution that can be integrated with or without a metal detector, at the best price point. All delivered in a flexible, hygienic package.” Among its features, the Raptor introduces high-end weight control technology to guarantee absolute traceability. According to Fortress, by instantaneously capturing sample readings of individual packs by the millisecond, the Raptor control system provides highly accurate and consistent weighing results. “Only possible by using the most advanced ARM processors, this data capture and analytics is a game changer for food factories concerned about product waste and giveaway,” explained Raptor Sales Engineer Matthew Gidman. “Using Raptor’s digital data capture feature, manufacturers can pinpoint upstream operational deficiencies, including overfilling of packs, processing, and packaging waste.” Fortress noted that the Raptor also offers another hygienic first: It introduces a new tight-fitting conveyor concept with a quick release and disassembly of the deck, belt, motor, and rollers. Overcoming the longstanding industry challenge of loosening belt tension during machine sanitation, operators simply unclip and disconnect the conveyor motor and lift out the entire conveyor assembly. In just seconds, the

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MACHINERY

Digital Printing Memjet, a provider of modular aqueous thermal ink-jet technology, showed up prominently in a new machine that Kirk-Rudy was featuring in its PACK EXPO Connects showroom: the FireJet 4C pigment-based aqueous printing system (18). Using Memjet’s new DuraFlex technology, the sheet-fed FireJet 4C is an all-in-one sheetfed digital printing system for paperboard or corrugated that takes the heavy-duty transport that Kirk-Rudy is known for and marries it to the four-color (CMYK) print quality, reliability, simplicity, and disruptively affordable price point that characterizes Memjet technology. It prints at 1600 x 1600 dpi at speeds to 150 ft/min. According to Kirk-Rudy General Manager Bob Mills, the FireJet 4C represents Kirk-Rudy’s first application of Memjet print head technology. “When they came out with the DuraFlex technology, which offers speeds that we found attractive, that’s what fit the bill from our perspective,” said Mills. “A lot of our customers are looking for a machine with this kind of throughput plus highquality full-color printing.” Mills expects to see considerable interest in a machine like this not only among converters of paperboard cartons or corrugated containers like pizza boxes but also among e-commerce fulfillment centers. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by KirkRudy at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/665. Before segueing away from Memjet, it’s worth mentioning an innovative application of their digital print technology that could be a game changer if it manages to make it out of the proof-of-concept stage and into full-blown commercial production. Developed by O&PM Europa BV, it’s called LabelSaver. As its name suggests, it’s a way of replacing labels on metal or plastic containers and using direct-to-object digital printing instead.

conveyor belt is removed, along with its individual components, such as rollers and bearings, for maintenance and cleaning. The belt tension and alignment are instantly restored when clipped back into place. “The Raptor conveyor is super-fast to disassemble, reassemble, and slot back into place. No tools are needed, which means there are no hidden contaminants or loose screws to worry about. Additionally, the tight-fitting, smooth-surface conveyor eliminates belt noise, which can affect a checkweighers’ accuracy,” explained Matthew Gidman. Another feature of the Raptor is its new 19-in. smart touchscreen. The screen is bigger than most digital tablets, so machine operators can customize and bring to the foreground the most relevant parameters to their operation. Ranging from net weight, to average weight, to product

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18 According to O&PM’s Dursun Acun, LabelSaver is defined by two characteristics that make it stand out. First, it relies on water-based technology where other direct-to-shape printing systems rely on things like UV-cured inks or electrostatic drop-on-demand technology. And second, while other digital directto-object printing solutions are decidedly pricy, the LabelSaver is designed to sell for less than $435,000. Also setting it apart is the rationale behind its design. “Competitive direct-to-object printing systems are aimed at high output and printing on only one container type,” said Acun. “My goal is to have a flexible, affordable system running 500 containers per hour and capable of adapting to a variety of container types.” Acun entered a proof-of-concept system in the recent NL Packaging Awards sponsored by Dutch media company Management Media and won a Runner-Up Award for Innovative Technology. That system consisted of a Memjet VersaPass print head beneath which a collaborative robot rotated a 1-gal steel paint can for 360-degree decoration. While the machine configuration that eventually reaches commercialization will also include a fixed Memjet print head, the containers being printed won’t be held by a cobot. Acun said that a more conventional transport system his firm is now working on jointly with AstroNova will carry containers through. He also pointed out that both a priming unit ahead of the printing station and a coating unit after it will be part of the package. The primers, he added, are a big part of the intellectual property underpinning the whole LabelSaver concept. The firm now has five proven primers developed internally that make it possible to print on metal or plastic surfaces with water-based inks. PW

giveaway, operators simply pick their preference for the home screen. Graphs and visual prompts help to flag and respond to critical trends. For failsafe, auditable test routines, Quality Assurance managers can program reminders and test schedules into the HMI. Applying smart technology, visual alerts remind operators when a test is due. The test process, which includes preprogrammed test parameters, is clearly explained, giving no room for human error. Specifically designed for high-care confectionery, chocolate, bakery, nutritional bars, and packaged meats and cheeses, the Raptor Combination system measures 1.7 m, which Fortress said is virtually half the length of a comparable combination system on the market. However, the company added, despite the compact size, the metal detector has

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MACHINERY a full-sized inspection head to ensure sensitivity is not compromised. Using compatible collective parts, Raptor’s universal design also gives manufacturers the option to purchase a standalone Raptor checkweigher. Built to a standard 30- to 32-in. height, the Raptor checkweigher can be easily adapted to weigh different products, pack sizes, and formats, ranging from flexible to rigid packs, and can be moved to other production lines when needed. All the same principles have been applied to the Raptor XL. Designed to suit any case or large bag application weighing up to approximately 50 kg, the reject station can be customized to remove non-conforming products from the line. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Fortress Technology at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/570. Engilico at PACK EXPO Connects featured its in-line 100% HyperScope seal inspection system using hyperspectral imaging (19), which detects foreign materials or contamination in the sealing area of rigid packages. Automatic detection of contaminated seals is important for both food safety and production automation in packaging. For standard vision systems, inspection of the seal of packages having printed top film is very difficult as the printed film is non-transparent and/or has the same color as the contaminant itself. Engilico hyperspectral camera technology makes it possible to identify substances with different compositions, including plastics, paper, meat, fat, or liquids with a much higher contrast than traditional visionbased camera systems. In addition, when print19 ed film is used, hyperspectral is the only imaging technology that detects contamination through the film. Engilico notes the following details regarding its innovative technology: • HyperScope measures a profile over a broad wavelength range; every pixel is analyzed individually and differences in materials or composition are detected; as a result, a region with contamination has a different spectral profile than where the seal is correct • Depending on the camera type, this ranges from visual (400 nm) over near-infrared (950 nm) to short-wave infrared light (1700 nm) • The spectral profile is built from the reflecting light and has information on the sort of material for every measured point of the sample • Substances such as plastics, meat, fat, liquids can be identified in different wavelength bands • The near-infrared light is reflected through the sealing film, even when printed Go to page 134 to see how one of the top pet food producers in Brazil is using SealScope, another Engilico technology, technology for in-line inspection of its retorted pouches. And you can also check out the many packaging solutions featured by Engilico at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/296. Also introducing hyperspectral detection technology was Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, which introduced the first VERYX BioPrint digital sorter (20) at PACK EXPO Connects. As the only sorter that combines near infrared (NIR)

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hyperspectral detection with color cameras, VERYX BioPrint analyzes a richer set of data about the materials it is sorting to improve detection performance and maximize process yield. The VERYX BioPrint C140 sorter for nuts removes shells, foreign material (FM), and product defects, as well as shape sorts and color grades to maximize product quality, while virtually eliminating false rejects. It can be equipped with front- and rear-mounted hyperspectral imaging sensors for all-sided inspection of each object in the product stream. It can also be configured with color cameras and Key’s new Bio Fusion detection technology, which fuses information from both sensor types to identify and remove a wide range of foreign materials and defects from the product stream. The accuracy of the BioPrint detection system uses VERYX’s high-resolution ejection system, which features minimal spacing between air nozzles to better target objects identified for removal without inadvertently sorting out good product. According to Marco Azzaretti, director of marketing at Key Technology, the BioPrint inspection technology uses hyperspectral imaging and powerful software to create a unique digital fingerprint for every type of substance that goes through the food processing line. “It enables our VERYX digital sorter to see and remove more foreign materials and product defects and, as a chemometric inspection system, can even detect internal product conditions and the chemical characteristics of foods,” he stated. Going forward, Key Technology plans to develop VERYX BioPrint sorters for other applications where chemometric detection offers unique performance and customer value. “As it continues to develop, chemometric inspection technology enables a digital sorter to know more and more about every object in the product stream,” said Azzaretti. “Greater detection accuracy helps deliver a safer, higher-quality product, while simultaneously ensuring a more efficient sort process to maximize yield. What’s especially exciting is the ability to leverage chemometric inspection to profile internal properties and even the taste profile of foods by sorting product batches based on sugars, solids content, and other chemical attributes.”

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MACHINERY For example, the VERYX BioPrint C140 sorter can help processors of Spanish-style almonds detect individual so-called “bitter almonds.” Check out the many solutions featured by Key Technology at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/320. Teledyne TapTone’s new Seal Integrity Tester (SIT) is designed to inspect cups inside the cup filler. Using a patented design that consists of multiple sensors mounted inside the cup filling system, the SIT sensor inspects each cup by compressing the sensor head to the foil lid of the cup at full machine production speeds of 200 m/sec and higher. The sensors monitor the lid deflection during the compression cycle, and the digital signal processor board calculates the inspection merit values to accept or reject containers with defective seals that fall outside userset merit value limits. The system can detect bad seals caused by product across the seal area during filling, deformed or damaged foil lids that cannot make a good seal, and weak seals that can be caused by a variety of issues,

RX 4.0 Thermoformer MULTIVAC used PACK EXPO Connects to feature its new RX 4.0 next-generation thermoform packaging machines (21). Part of the X-Line packaging technology is a process that assists in the digitalization of configuration and performance according to Industry 4.0/ IoT standards. Seamless digitalization, comprehensive sensor systems, and networking with the MULTIVAC Cloud can significantly improve packaging reliability, quality, and performance. Under the title of Smart Services, MULTIVAC offers packages that contribute to a deeper understanding of the performance of the packaging machine, providing valuable data that can be used to further optimize packaging procedures and make them even more efficient: • Smart Production Dashboard—Provides real-time data of the day’s production run with historical information displayed for reference • Smart Machine Report—Supplies the user with automatically generated monthly reports on the machine performance • Smart Log Analyzer—Offers the user an opportunity to review relevant machine triggers that hamper performance to assist in improving processes • Smart OEE Analyzer—Presents the user with historical data on the machine’s availability, performance, and quality MULTIVAC Pack Pilot allows access to comprehensive expert knowledge and makes it possible to set up a new packaging solution at the optimum level when a new film is introduced to the machine. This produces packs with maximum packaging reliability, consistent quality, and very high output without production loss while trying to establish the correct

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

including out-of-range heater temperatures. Said Teledyne TapTone, the SIT sensor uses state-of-the-art DSP processor technology and incorporates an easy-to-use PC user interface graphically displaying “good,” non-leaking cups in green and “bad,” leaking cups in red. Minimum leak detection specifications for the SIT system range from 0.006 to 0.008 in. (150 to 200 microns) with multiple inspection algorithms capable of not only seal integrity, but also gross leaks and missing foil detection. The SIT system can integrate into an existing filler PLC using Ethernet Modbus TCP/IP or Ethernet IP and sensors that mount to a vertical travel bridge after the sealing heads in the filling/sealing system. The bridge will cycle up and down based on the filler index speed. Said Teledyne TapTone, bridge control will come directly from the filler PLC for perfect index timing. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Teledyne TapTone at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/278.

machine settings for that film. This leads to significant savings in products, materials, and production time. MULTIVAC Multi Sensor Control is constantly adjusting the machine settings to work very close to the optimum operating point at all times. Any deviations from this, whether conditioned by product or by the system, are automatically compensated wherever possible. The Multi Sensor Control enables many quality problems to be prevented. MULTIVAC HMI 3 is an intuitive, high-resolution, multitouch user interface that corresponds to the operating logic of today’s mobile devices. It enables the operating processes to be controlled even more easily and reliably. All the relevant machine parameters are displayed on one screen page. A new die generation called MULTIVAC X-Tools features extensive innovations regarding design, sensors, and actuation elements. Moreover, the sensor modules are equipped with a status indication. Because of this, X-Tools contributes to increased cost-effectiveness in the packaging process. MULTIVAC X-Map allows for accurate and reproducible gas flushing. This feature can be precisely controlled for packing with a modified atmosphere. It ensures all packages have the same final pressure, regardless of the volume of the product inside. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by MULTIVAC at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/180. PW

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PERFORMANCE, PACKAGED

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UII Labeling System: The EPI UII labeler combines simplicity, durability and flexibility all into one labeler that has the capability of meeting a wide variety of labeling applications. Available with either vac/blow or tamp applicators and 12” or 16” low tension unwinds, the UII Labeler can be reconfigured in the field and offers a wide range of options to suit your ever changing needs. A robust design will bring you years of service with a minimum of downtime. EPI – The Big Idea of a Simple Machine.

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MACHINERY MARKING AND CODING INNOVATIONS

Videojet Technologies Inc. launched its new Videojet 1280 Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) printer (22)) that has been designed with two key focuses—reliability and simplicity— making it easy for operators to use and maintain. “While there is a push for more advanced connectivity and the Industrial Internet of Things, a lot of people just need a good, basic coder that is simple, reliable, and flexible that they can use for their manufacturing needs. And that’s really the niche this product fits into,” explained Mark Breunig, Videojet’s Regional Product Manager for CIJ, North America. “It has the print capacity for up to five lines of print, which meets what pretty much everybody needs in these speeds for all sorts of basic coding applications. So, it’s good for all the things that ink-jet gets used for—batch codes, serial numbers, barcodes, all those sorts of things.” The entry-level coder, which comes with an entry-level price, joins Videojet’s existing entry-level printer, the 1220, which Breunig said provides similar speeds to the 1280, but employs the company’s older, core-based maintenance system. “While it offers a very long time between replacement of the core, when you do have to do it, it’s a bit more cumbersome,” he explained. “For the 1280, while maintenance has to be done a little more often, it’s quicker and easier, and you can do it yourself.” According to Videojet, with its SmartCell service technology, manual maintenance takes just five minutes—a reduction of 95% versus its legacy systems—performed either every year or when the printer reaches 3,000 hours, whichever occurs first. In addition, to help reduce unplanned printer downtime, the 1280 features Videojet Dynamic Calibration™, which enables the printer to constantly monitor environmental conditions and automatically adjust jetting parameters to help maintain superior print quality and maximize uptime. The 1280 is available with an optional dry air kit for very harsh and humid environments. “Dynamic Calibration keeps the printer running better, longer and keeps the print quality high,” Breunig confirmed. “Even in these basic applications, the plant environment can change—it gets cold one day, and it’s hot the next. The dynamic calibration tracks those variables and makes sure the printer has the right settings for the environment it’s in. Even if it’s a simple application, the environment can be challenging, and the printer needs to be able to cope with that.” If an issue does occur, on-board how-to videos guide operators through basic tasks without the need for extensive training. In addition, optional VideojetConnect Remote Service offers remote servicing capabilities. Operators can gain instant access to Videojet’s network of CIJ experts, connecting the Videojet technician directly to the production line for immediate assistance. Said Breunig, not only can operators connect with technicians via the company’s Videojet Remote Service, but VRS also features dashboards that allow the operator to see the status of their printers. “When they look at a printer, and they see how that printer is doing, it’s like a proxy for the production line,” he explained.

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Another feature of the 1280 is the company’s “no mess, no waste, no mistake” SmartCartridge system that drains fluids from the cartridge and offers additional protection against leakage during transport and handling. According to Videojet, the 1280 can remain unused for up to 14 days and can still provide excellent print quality on start-up without the need for additional printer intervention. The 1280 also includes Videojet’s SIMPLICiTY interface, launched in 2018. On the 1280, a tablet-inspired, 8-in. touchscreen display is designed to reduce operator printer interactions and help eliminate potential user errors by making it easier to create and manage codes. “It’s a WYSIWYG [What You See is What You Get], tablet-based interface, like using your cellphone, which is definitely an upgrade from the product in that category that it was replacing, which still has an older, membranestyle interface,” said Breunig. “The Swiss Army knife of print technology,” as Breunig called CIJ, the 1280 is applicable for almost 22 every application. “Whether you’re printing on boxes, cans, bottles, or wires, and from eggs to airplane parts, it’s an applicable technology,” he said. Users can choose from a variety of long shelf-life inks designed to meet their requirements. Videojet iQMark inks are responsibly designed and manufactured to maximize contrast, adhesion, and uptime while meeting safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements. Every batch is tested to ensure it meets strict quality control specifications. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Videojet Technologies Inc. at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/210. Domino Amjet Inc.’s Gx-Series thermal inkjet printer (23) made its North American debut at PACK EXPO Connects. Rolled out were two models that are built to be smaller and easier to use and integrate while having the ability to be monitored for Industry 4.0 applications. The Gx 150i with up to two print heads and the Gx 350i with up to four print heads are designed for simple batch coding or complex coding, checkweighing, or track and trace applications across the food,

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beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The Gx Series comes with new ink that is darker, dries faster, and offers better decap time. “What’s important to remember is that Domino still does and always has been the manufacturer of our own fluids,” said Paul Hammond, National Account Manager at Domino Amjet. “So if we discover the ability to make the ink darker, like we have, or make the ink dry faster, or make the decap time faster—which means we can leave it exposed to air longer, which we have—we don’t need someone else to do it. We can do it ourselves.” In addition, the OEM board is about 80% smaller and lighter in order to save space in the electrical cabinet, and the electrical connections are easier to access and connect, Hammond said. The new ink head has the flexibility to be configured in any way. The ink heads connect in the front and back (vs. the front or back) on the same printer, so it can be adjusted if production needs change. The print heads also have an LED light to see status of the print head when in use. And, a new user interface design—based off of iPhone technology—provides drag and drop of WYSIWYG elements. Lastly, the Gx Series offers Industry 4.0 capabilities. It comes standard with Ethernet/IP communication protocols providing a number of different ways to monitor how the printer is working and providing different reports. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Domino at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/132. Based on the printer landscape, Matthews Marking said that thermal inkjet can play a larger role in primary coding, particularly due to its ability to print 2D codes at high speeds. This plays into a megatrend in the manufacturing industry that moves beyond just track and trace and serialization requirements and considers another emerging area, called “market feedback,” that takes into account customers with a smartphone who use QR codes on products to engage with the manufacturer. To that end, robust bulk systems and rumors of long throw cartridges emerging are overcoming the inherent obstacles of TIJ. And Matthews took a unique approach to bulk systems, introducing what it calls the Active Bulk Ink System (ABIS), which uses computer processors, sensors, and accelerometers to ensure accurate performance. ABIS has two pieces. The main unit is a series of valves all mounted to the processor that is constantly delivering ink to the cartridges. And the cartridge sensor module is an individual unit, always monitoring the cartridge conditions. Atmospheric changes can affect the internal make up of the cartridge, but the ABIS’ use of a series of sensors and processors ensure that, as the environment changes, the delivery of the ink changes as well. To view the Matthews Marking demos at PACK EXPO Connects, go to PE.show/152. Squid Ink Manufacturing, Inc., a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and traceability, introduced the Viper thermal inkjet printing system (24) designed to print superior quality hi-resolution characters on porous or non-porous surfaces. The Viper offers a versatile yet cost-effective solution for coding and marking applications with up to

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0.5 in. (12.7mm) of print height per printhead. Viper TIJ utilizes high-performance Funai no-mess ink cartridges to print up to 600 dpi high-resolution codes on a variety of surfaces, including wood, coated and non-coated stocks, polystyrene, films, foils, and several other substrates. The Viper is ideal for users look24 ing to print permanent marks that dry in seconds on glossy cartons, cases, trays, plastics, and more. The standard system runs at speeds up to 60 m/min (197 fpm) at 300 dpi, or the software can be upgraded to run at up 240 m/min (787 fpm) at 300 dpi. The Viper TIJ printing system features an 8.9-in. full-color touchscreen PC that gives users access to the printer’s internal messages and print functions. The touchscreen allows users to create and edit messages using Squid Ink’s intuitive Sirius PC software. It is ideal for users who want message creation and editing functionality on the production floor. For users that print on many different products, the system features 2GB of storage, allowing users to program and save thousands of messages for easy print recall. The Viper also includes fully functional software out of the box that allows users to print date codes, lot numbers, bar codes, and graphics needed for most coding and marking applications. The printer’s durable touchscreen, industrial strength printhead construction, and compact footprint make for easy integration onto an existing production line. The Viper also features quick-change ink cartridges, allowing users to swap ink cartridges in a matter of seconds to keep their line running, reduce downtime, and maximize ROI. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Squid Ink at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/308. Hitachi’s new UX Series (25) improves on the existing Hitachi continuous inkjet products and is versatile enough to provide ideal marking on food and beverage products, health and beauty products, and a variety of containers from lip balm tubes to bag printing and oversized PVC piping. The Hitachi UX Series was precisely engineered and includes timetested, quality components. It also features an intuitive 10.4-in. touchscreen, a replaceable diaphragm pump, mess-free, mistake-proof fluid refills, accurate viscometer, and an IP-65 rating, which is ideal for wash-down environments. The UX Series features a new nickel-chrome finish, making it corrosion-resistant and increasing the printhead’s lifespan in wash-down environments. Hitachi shared how its UX Series was able to assist Baker Cheese in developing a print solution that fit into their current production processes. The implementation allowed dairy brand Baker Cheese to decrease downtime while increasing consistency of printing. With the 25 improved output, the new Hitachi printers reduced printer costs. Visit Hitachi’s PACK EXPO Connects showroom for more systems at PE.show/605.

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MACHINERY EXPERTS AT CONVEYING

Multi-Conveyor has added to its portfolio a series of powered plastic chain conveyors that incorporate manual lift gates for operator access and pneumatic stop/clamp control for seamless merges. The new technology merges two lines fed from two existing case packers down to a single lane prior to the case sealer and palletizer. Slightly inclined, the offset conveyors incorporate manual lift gate assemblies for operator access within a confined production area. The designated priority line conveys the cases to a right-angle transfer maintaining product orientation. Product ultimately single files to an existing case sealer, controlled by strategically placed sensors and metering devices. Photo sensors and electrical safety switches are mounted and pre-wired for the mechanical lift gate assembly. Other features include LBP (low back pressure) transitions prior to the lift gates; stop clamp assemblies; and roller assist to maintain orientation through the right-angle transfer. Check out the many solutions featured by Multi-Conveyor at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/198. During a live demo at PACK EXPO Connects, Intralox discussed the flexibility and efficiency of its Activated Roller Belt (ARB). According to Paul Neuschwander, Global Advisor for the Intralox packer to palletizer team for beverages, the team combines the best ideas and layouts from around the world and uses this information to reduce project risk and timelines, and create better plant floor layout designs. This knowledge, along with ARB technology, allows Intralox to combine multiple pieces of equipment into one piece of machinery, providing space saving on the plant floor, while often reducing capital expenditure. Intralox Packer to Palletizer ARB technology lets end users reduce the number of conveyors needed, shortening installation time and reducing labor. In fact, Neuschwander said one end user was able to double its filling capacity after installing an ARB solution. Check out the many solutions featured by Intralox at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/175. Offering six times faster changeover, Piab’s Changeover Champion vacuum conveyor piFLOW®p SMART enables users to save time when changing from one material to another, increasing the productivity of their operations. The new technology made its debut during PACK EXPO Connects. According to the company, a changeover that would take one hour in a conventional vacuum conveyor takes only 10 minutes in the company’s new vacuum conveyor. The piFLOW®p SMART is a self-optimizing vacuum conveyor targeted primarily at industries handling many different materials and/or those in which frequent changes need to be made. With each new conveying cycle, the piFLOW®p SMART uses machine learning to automatically tune the process by configuring and optimizing a flawless flow of materials, set at the correct rate. “After just a few cycles, piFLOW®p SMART has figured out what type of material it is dealing with and will automatically adjust itself to optimize how the material is conveyed. There is no longer a need for operators to re-adjust settings between different batches of materials. piFLOW®p SMART will do it for you with higher accuracy than even the most experienced operator can deliver,” explained Milan Bratt, Product Manager Vacuum Conveying. Check out the many solutions featured by Piab at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/206.

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Span Tech LLC introduced a new line of adjustable guide rails to the marketplace during PACK EXPO Connects. The most notable feature of the EZ Guide system is it does not have any protruding brackets or shafts that could be a major safety hazard. Traditional guide rail systems use a solid-mounted shaft to mount the guide rail. When the rail is adjusted to its “retracted” position, these shafts stick out from the sides of the conveyor, becoming a place where someone can easily get their clothes or body parts caught. The EZ Guide system does not have any mechanical components which protrude from the sides of the conveyor during adjustment. All the mechanics are done without the need to protrude past the conveyor, keeping everything safe for those walking close to the conveyors. Another feature of EZ Guide is it is designed to remain adjustable through curves. That is, the radius of the guides can change as the guide width is increased/decreased in the curve. While there are many traditional guide rail systems that can be made to adjust their width in straight sections, there are very few that can truly be adjustable through a curved portion of conveyor. The reason is because changing the radius of a section is difficult—the guides must bend, and the length of the guide has to increase/decrease as the radius is changed. The EZ Guide system handles both of those problems with its unique design. “I can get consistent curves without a whole bunch of work and without any rods sticking out,” said Bud Layne, owner of Span Tech LLC. Check out the many solutions featured by Span Tech at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/498.

Septimatech featured its new enhanced Multi-Lane Guide Adjust System (26), which eliminates change parts, lane spacers, and heavy lifting equipment that cause unnecessary downtime, ergonomic risks, and expense. With this system, one person can adjust a 30-ft section of case packer accumulation lane dividers and lane guides simultaneously from one location in seconds. That’s a job that would typically take two people 35-50 minutes to do. The Multi-Lane Guide Adjust system creates up to seven lanes with a minimal width of 1.5 in. Adjustments are repeatable and accurate up to ±1 mm with no fine-tuning required. The system can be installed on existing support systems and dividers. A large CPG company with nine changeovers per month noted that the ergonomic risk is essentially eliminated with the Multi-Lane Adjust

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MACHINERY system, with no chance of operator injury, Carey commented. The operator makes the adjustment from a single standing location in front of a chest-high wheel adjustor, requiring no ladders or heavy, awkward lifting. “This same customer recorded a 3% increase in OEE that guaranteed the return on investment of less than one year,” Carey said. “And the system was easily installed on their existing support brackets, making the retrofit very cost-effective.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Septimatech at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/172. CASE PACKING INNOVATIONS

Aagard at PACK EXPO Connects featured their Myrias case packing concept (27). Why “Myrias?” Because with this machinery they solved one customer’s business challenge by developing an automated case packing system that produces variety packs in a myriad of configurations—more than 4,000—ranging from 1-6 flavors and permitting case counts of 12 to 96. Oh, and it operates at 100 cases/min.

According to Aagards’s Jason Norlien, Vice President of Technical Sales, lots of brand owners recognize the growing marketplace demand for variety packs. But too often they’re just not equipped to produce such formats, so they wind up sending palletized cases to a contractpackager who tears the cases apart and re-packages the case contents in the variety format—usually by hand. Myrias is designed to address this dilemma by permitting the brand owner to bring variety packing in-house. “For this particular customer the primary package being case packed is a single-serve cup of food that has been retorted,” said Norlien. “Among the challenges we faced was the need for a machine that could handle small 12-count cases as well as large cases holding up to 96 cups. The large cases require such a big pitch that we could never run the small cases at the speeds the customer was looking for—unless, of course, we could vary the pitch infinitely at the touch of a button on the HMI. And that’s where the iTRAK came in.” Rockwell’s iTRAK is a modular, scalable, linear servo motor system that allows for independent control of multiple movers on straight or

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curvilinear paths. It eliminates the rotary driven chains, belts, and gears traditionally used, replacing hardware with simple, effective software profiles that redefine speed and flexibility in automation. Myrias relies not on one but on two iTRAK systems. One is used to build the layers of cups that need to go into the article buckets from which cups are pushed into cases. And since the number of cups going into an article bucket can vary from 12 to 96, relying on a conventional mechanical flight chain assembly where the buckets have to be modified physically was never going to be adequate. “We needed a way to change out the pitch and size of these article buckets without involving physical change parts,” says Norlien. The iTRAK and its infinitely variable movers was just the ticket, he says. The second iTRAK is what transports wraparound corrugated cases from the station where they’re erected to the station where they have cups pushed into them. Flat blanks are picked from a magazine, plunged into tools that erect them, and then placed in the flights of the iTrak system. Because these flights are on 27 the iTRAK movers, which can be adjusted at the touch of a button, changing from one case size to another is done at the touch of a button. Impressive as this cup-insertion and casehandling technology is, there’s some upstream automation that’s every bit as notable. Because the Myrias needs to build variety-pack cases having as many as six different flavors, the front end of the machine consists of six depalletizing stations. Each station has two gantry robots. One uses vacuum suction cups to pick cups from the large trays on which they are stacked and place them into the six flavor lanes that lead to the downstream case packing operation. The other gantry is responsible for picking the empty trays and stacking them for removal.

Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Aagard at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/214. Proud of being a family-owned firm in a world of acquisition, Hamrick Packaging Systems—formerly Hamrick Manufacturing & Service, Inc.—took advantage of PACK EXPO Connects to highlight its new identity.

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Also featured was the new Model 600D-S AllServo Case Packer (28). It incorporates a servo case-lift table, side-belt servo lane divider, servo case indexing system, and a premium controls package. It runs at speeds to 30+ cycles/min and has multi-case per cycle ability, which means undersized cases can run in excess of 60 cases/min. It’s an ideal solution for a dedicated line, but flexible enough for a co-packing operation. The other point of emphasis at PACK EXPO Connects was Hamrick’s pursuit into robotics. On January 1, 2020, Hamrick joined FANUC as an Authorized System Integrator of secondary robotic pick/pack/palletize solutions. The firm is closing in on its year one goal of 10 robotic arms, and it’s looking likely the yearend total will be closer to 13-15. This includes robotic partition inserters, robotic case packers, robotic palletizers, and collaborative robotic palletizers for low-speed, small-footprint areas. Hamrick’s plan is to invest heavily in the robotic areas of growth. As for the re-brand, it’s about focusing more on the firm’s growth in the packaging industry and an emphasis on its new capabilities. Hamrick has primarily gone from being an OEM of case packers to being an experienced supplier of integrated packaging systems from erecting through palletizing. The firm is finalizing details on a new 65,000-sqft facility that will enable it to continue its growth from $15M/year to $50M/year. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Hamrick at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/133. Heat and Control, Inc., took advantage of PACK EXPO Connects to not only show its world-leading food processing and packaging equipment but also to celebrate its 70th anniversary. For meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and a growing menu of other prepared foods, Heat and Control builds a complete range of equipment for coating application, cooking, grill marking, and searing solutions. Snack food processing is another specialty. From unloading raw produce to frying, conveying, seasoning, packaging, and inspection, the firm provides all the equipment and services required to make the highest quality snack foods while achieving higher capacities and lower production costs. On the packaging equipment side, one notable highlight at PACK EXPO Connects was the automatic case packer ACP-700 Series, which offers production efficiency not experienced to date. It provides additional flexibility, enhanced line communications, and easy operator interface while significantly improving the changeover cycle of case packing. Ideal for the snack food case packing industry, which has been asking for effective automation and communications between the weigher, bagmaker, and case packer, this end-of-line solution significantly improves efficiency and performance. With the case packer’s controls system’s feed-forward and feed-back features, the flow of bags is more measured and controlled. This reduces bottlenecks by continuously adjusting settings as bags are running through the system. The machine uses feed-forward communications to the case packer and feed-back communications to the bagmaker. Plus, a seal checker continuously monitors fill level and compares bags to the targeted value so the case packer can automatically optimize the machine operation appropriately, as well as check for leaking bags. This

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helps to maximize cooperation and to deliver stable operation. Changeovers have been an area where improvements need to be made, especially when it comes to changing pack patterns and associated down-time. The loss of production time to perform changeovers has been a thorn in the side for some time as well as the operator labor that is associated with it. The ACP-700 Series can perform a threeminute changeover that is achieved by removing the requirement for tools or changeover parts. Plus, the removal of a troublesome vacuum system usually required for bag handling, further minimizing production downtime. Improvements in controls systems also influence the speed at which a changeover can be made and is achieved in part due to automatic adjustment capability. The operator can easily change the bag count per row or row per case by setting the value in the Human Machine Interface (HMI). Change of timing values and mechanical adjustments is made automatically, no operator manual adjustments are required. Further, with the ability to hold up to 200 presets via the large HMI, the operator experience is considerably simple. For more on what Heat and Control was highlighting at PACK EXPO Connects, go to PE.show/355. A machine type so new to the industry that its manufacturer isn’t sure yet what naming convention to use, the new Duo from Fallas Automation can erect pre-glued RSCs as well as form an array of case and tray styles, including Display Ready Cases (DRCs), from flat blanks, all in one machine. Said Fallas Automation Vice President of Sales Chris Calabrese, the company took the best of its CE400 case erector and combined it with its CF-700 flat-blank, plunge-style case former, “using all the latest and greatest technology in it like Industry 4.0 predictive maintenance, machine status controls, and lighting,” to create the Duo. Over the past five years, Calabrese added, brand owners have been under increasing pressure to pack their product in DRCs for retail. “For customers that are trying to get into Walmart, they have to have a DRC,” he said. “And so, they’re torn between two machines. A lot of times they may just hand-make one kind of case, but it gets to be a mess because they have all these different logistics and different timing, and they really need to automate. But they can’t do that unless they buy two ma-

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MACHINERY chines that make two different kinds of cases. So, we wanted to give them the best of both in one machine.” The Duo can erect RSCs in dimensions up to 24 in. L x 16 in. W x 12 in. H at 25 to 30 cases/min, depending on the size of the case. Currently, the machine tapes the case bottom, but Fallas is working on a gluing module that will be released at a later date. As for plunge-style cases that are formed from die-cut corrugated blanks and then glued, the Duo can create a range of styles, including harness, split rear minor, DRC, and Half-Slotted Container. It can also form a beer tray with a 2-in. lip and a four-corner post clubstore tray. The size range for plungeformed cases depends on the case/tray style, but the Duo accommodates roughly the same size for these cases as it does for RSCs: 24 x 16 x 12 in. According to Calabrese, the machine can be lengthened for larger flap styles, and Fallas can customize the machine for other case styles. The Duo produces plunge-formed cases at 30/min; Fallas can also create a dual-head machine for 60/min. When using the Duo for harness and split rear minor plunge-formed cases, Calabrese said users can save from 10% to 35% in corrugated versus an RSC. The harness style, he explained, is similar to an RSC, but because it’s made from die-cut corrugated, it reduces corrugated by up to 35%. The split rear minor is like the harness, but is stronger, using a double-wall feature. It can reduce corrugated by 10% to 15% versus an RSC. The Duo is engineered so that both the RSCs and the plungeformed case blanks are held in the same magazine. If the machine is forming cases or trays from flat blanks, the die-cut corrugated is picked from the magazine and put into position in the forming station, where a mandrel descends and plunges the blank through the machine, forming and gluing it before it is deposited on a conveyor below to be carried away from the machine. RSCs, likewise, are picked from the magazine and put into position in the plunge-forming area, except, as Calabrese explained, “there’s a set of lug belts on top and bottom and a 90-deg case erecting arm that comes into play.” He added, “The arm raises the case up and erects it at 90 degrees. Then, the lug chain moves it forward, with the lugs keeping the case square as it advances. A series of flat tuckers then tuck the bottom flaps and tape the case just like a regular case erector. The belt then carries the case out of the side of machine.” Changeover for RSCs comprises five changeover points, for width, length, and height—a process Calabrese estimated takes around three minutes. Changeover for flat blanks, which involves swapping mandrel sizes, depending on the case size, takes just five minutes. According to Calabrese, Fallas is working to provide automatic changeover on the Duo in the future. 30 Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Fallas Automation at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/130.

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Eastey, a manufacturer of shrink packaging equipment, automated case erectors, tapers, and material handling solutions, used PACK EXPO Connects to introduce the ERX15 Automatic Case Erector (29), which is designed to efficiently form and seal the bottom of corrugated cases in a single pass. The ERX-15 Case Erector is designed to automatically erect and seal the bottoms of corrugated cases at production rates up to 15 cases/min. It is designed to keep production and maintenance efforts at a minimum while providing fast, efficient case erecting, making the ERX-15 a capable alternative to manual case forming. The ERX-15 Case Erector enables a single operator to form, seal, and pack corrugated cases. Operation is simple: load up to 200 cases in the case magazine hopper and set the system to run or jog mode. Separators release the leading blank case where a series of eight vacuum suction cups hold the case in a properly formed square position. After a set of stationary flap folding bars fold both minor and major bottom flaps, the case is then transitioned and the bottom is sealed with Eastey’s proven EX tape head. The versatile design of the ERX-15 allows operators the flexibility of adjusting on the fly with easy-to-use hand tighten knobs and cranks. No tools are needed and users can complete a changeover in minutes. ERX-15 features a wide range of case sizes as large as 19.5 in. L x 19.5 in. H x 15.5 in. W. Dual 1⁄4 HP side drive motors, eight precise double vacuum powered suction cups, and aggressive industrial strength drive belts make ERX-15 a workhorse that will stand up to today’s toughest challenges. Each case erector is made from steel with a powder coated exterior to protect the system from abusive industrial conditions and ensure years of use. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Eastey at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/166. NEXT-GEN LABELING

ID Technology, a ProMach brand, used PACK EXPO Connects to help introduce their new Model 258 print & apply label applicator (30) with CrossMerge technology. Designed for labeling cases and trays with GS1-compliant barcodes and alpha-numeric text at very high speeds, the Model 258 applicator improves print quality and barcode readability while massively easing use with its unique onebutton operation. “Our patent-pending CrossMerge technology allows us to decouple print speed from line speed and rotate the print head to change print orientation. This increases line throughput while decreasing print speed to simultaneously maximize packaging line output and enhance print quality,” said Mark Bowden, Vice President of Sales & Service at ID Technology. “Our next-generation Model 258 labeler also simplifies operation. Single-button functionality and the ability to easily swing the applicator from its running position to its service position and back make the Model 258 perfect for

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less trained operators in high-turnover environments.” Unlike traditional tamp or feed-on-demand print & apply labelers that must produce linear barcodes in the non-preferred ‘ladder’ direction to apply GS1compliant labels in landscape orientation, CrossMerge prints barcodes in the preferred ‘picket fence’ direction and applies labels in landscape orientation. CrossMerge technology enables the Model 258 label applicator to produce more readable barcodes with crisper edges to ensure the best scores when verified. By rotating the print head, the Model 258 applicator can print a 4x2 label to apply a 2x4 label, which optimizes the conditions for both barcode printing and label application. This facilitates 50% more labels on the roll, running line speeds up to 50% faster and/ or achieving 50% greater print head and print engine life. The 258 applicator maximizes uptime and minimizes the total cost of ownership while enhancing print quality. Dedicated to labeling cases and trays, the 258 applicator prints and applies labels 3.5 to 6 ins. (90 to 152 mm) wide and 1.75 to 4 ins. (45 to 100 mm) in length to cases and trays on packaging lines running at speeds of up to 190 ft. (58 m) per minute. Compared to traditional print & apply labelers that require the printer to pause while the tamp pad is traversing, CrossMerge decouples print speed from line speed. Using a vacuum belt to transfer labels from the print engine to the point of application, the Model 258 applicator allows multiple labels to be on the vacuum belt at the same time and enables the system to start printing the label for the next product without delay. The all-electric design features a fan-based vacuum generator—it requires no factory air. Together, the high-speed vacuum belt, which transfers the labels, and the carbon fiber blades, which finish the label application to cases or trays, minimize moving parts to further reduce maintenance and enhance reliability. The system achieves consistently precise label handling and placement. Rolling labels onto packages eliminates complicated timing issues and improves worker safety compared to traditional tamp assemblies. ID Technology designed the Model 258 applicator for operators. A single touch button controls on/off/ label-feed, eliminating the need for a complex HMI. A beacon light indicates status. The 258 automatically goes offline when the unit is rotated from its running position to its service position clear of the conveyor, easing use and maximizing worker safety when loading labels, cleaning the print head or performing other maintenance. The Model 258 label applicator can be combined with a thermal transfer or direct transfer print engine to print linear and 2D barcodes, including serialized

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MACHINERY barcodes, and variable information text to ‘bright stock’ or pre-printed pressure sensitive labels. It applies side labels to cases, trays, shrinkwrapped bundles and other secondary packages. An optional ‘zero downtime’ configuration, with two integrated 258 machines, can speed changeover and maximize throughput. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by ID Technology at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/284. At PACK EXPO Connects, Universal Labeling Systems shared that it has made technology enhancements to its Contract Packager (CP) Series, which comprises the CP2000 and CP1000 front-and-back multipurpose labeling systems. The series now features an expansive touchscreen control package that includes both stepper- and servo-driven technologies, along with AC drive motors. Among the features of the CP Series highlighted by Universal Labeling were a new, multi-level menu system, synchronous electronic controls, a servo-driven synchronous overhead hold-down belt mechanism, servodriven synchronous product positioning without changeparts, and what it says is the industry’s widest overhead hold-down belt. The labeling system also features four-axis label applicator adjustments, built-in “Z-axis” adjustments, and application-security password protection. The CP Series is constructed of an extra heavy-duty welded system framework and a “workhorse” Delrin chain conveyor. It offers variable label dispense speeds to 3,000 in./min, web widths up to 6.25 in. standard with optional widths up to 10.125 in., and a label roll capacity from 12 in. to 16 in. O.D.

Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Universal Labeling Systems at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/162. Accraply, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Systems company, used PACK EXPO Connects to demonstrate the next generation roll-fed labeling technology that’s being added to its Trine product line. The recently debuted modular labeling station (31) is now available for both existing and new customers. The Trine Modular Labeling Station, which includes the latest in glue roller and cutter technologies, was designed to integrate seam-

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MACHINERY lessly with existing Trine equipment. By leveraging existing product handling systems and Trine change parts, this system can be installed in as quickly as three days, which helps to avoid unnecessary downtime and line reconfiguration. This system comes with the SmartLink HMI, which features a next generation controls platform with efficiency reporting, preventative maintenance alerts, self-diagnosing software, video tutorials and online parts ordering. These features dramatically simplify operation. Additionally, this system was designed to reduce maintenance costs. This is a self-timing, servo-driven system with fewer moving components and fewer parts to replace. This reduces the need for operator adjustments. The updated cutter blades are easy to install and tune and are rated for more than two million cuts. The glue roller and glue scraper systems included in the Trine Modular Labeling Station are safe, easy to clean, and provide simple setup, reducing the time and effort spent on maintenance. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Accaply, Inc. at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Show32 room, found at PE.show/121. American Film and Machinery, formerly NAFM, a manufacturer of shrink sleeve and label solutions, used PACK EXPO Connects to introduce its CH-100 Tamper Band applicator. The CH-100 is designed for low to moderate production rates and is a perfect solution for industries including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, health and beauty, consumer goods, chemical, and other manufactured goods. The CH-100 is a fast and efficient butterfly mandrel style tamper band applicator engineered to meet the demand of your workflow. Designed for 24-hour operation, CH-100’s simple and low maintenance design allows for quick film change and maximum uptime. CH-100’s compact housing is constructed from 304-grade stainless steel and anodized aluminum to provide strength and reduce vibration while offering quiet operation. Product runs are programmed with the user-friendly touchscreen control interface, making setup and operation fast and easy. The CH-100 Tamper Band Applicators are designed with stepper motor driven, single film unwind with tension control, cutter assembly, and pneumatic cylinder to provide accurate and consistent tamper band application. CH-100 has been engineered to handle round bottles made of plastic, glass, or metal at speeds up to 120CPM. The single blade guillotine cutting mechanism provides extremely smooth, even cutting of PVC/ PETG film 50 to 70 microns in thickness. The machines feature a single unwind system with tension control for proper film alignment, and a photo eye sensor system allows for register cutting, guaranteeing accurate cutting of the film for consistent band application on the container. The CH-100 also comes with the company’s quick-change system for switching mandrels with a turn of a knob. Along with the

mandrel, the cutter assembly has only two levers to turn, keeping your downtime to a minimum. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by AFM at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/326. COMPACT PALLETIZING

The new compact and flexible HL2200 high-level palletizer (32) from Columbia Machine, Inc. includes a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive)-controlled hoist, a bi-parting layer apron, centering side layer guides with Smart Squeeze technology for misformed layer detection, and more. According to the company, the HL2200 is capable of palletizing virtually any package type, including unwrapped trays, film-only bundles, plastic totes, RPCs, and others. When equipped with optional small-case handling components, the HL2200 is ideally suited to palletize very tall and narrow product even with a high center of gravity. Options include Smart Diagnostics with video playback to assist maintenance personnel in identifying the cause of a machine stoppage and a servo-actuated touchless turning infeed for gentle package handling, displayready case orienting, or four-way “labels out” layer forming. “Columbia is renowned for the industry-leading safety and guarding system that provides ‘next level protection,’” the company said at its demo during PACK EXPO Connects. “On the HL2200, this standard package includes Category 3, Performance Level D safety components and incorporates fully integrated guarding, full-height light curtains, automatic four-point hoist pins, a case infeed tunnel, and interlocked load-building area access doors. This safety package keeps your employees safe while still being operationally ‘friendly’ and meeting production demands by providing convenient and safe access when needed.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Columbia Machine at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/128. BW Integrated Systems has developed Maximus—a mid-speed case palletizer (33) that meets several growing demands for palletizers including greater flexibility, a smaller footprint, and reduced operational costs, among others. The state-of-the-art operator interface and compact footprint are among the industry-leading features, but what makes Maximus stand out is that it is 100% electric. Making its debut at PACK EXPO Connects, Maximus is the product of customer insights and the top palletizing experts in North America. It is more reliable and costs less to operate than other mid-market case palletizers. With Maximus, BW Integrated Systems expects to impact the 30-70 case-per-minute palletizing market. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by BW Integrated Systems at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/137. PW

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MATERIALS The Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) wants to ensure the health and economic success of the plastics recycling industry by providing critical guidance. The challenges of flexible packaging are pushing new innovations, and a number of these were touched on during a PACK EXPO Connects Innovation Stage presentation. During that presentation, Sandi Childs, Director of Film and Flexible Programs at APR (plasticsrecycling.org), had this to say: “The entire supply chain has to work together to increase the supply of plastics available to be recycled, enhance the quality of the material that’s expected to go back into the marketplace, and ensure that there’s adequate demand for products made from recycled plastics.” Childs also said that “a package doesn’t have to be ugly or brown in order to be ‘green.’ It can still be sexy and functional and lots of fun.” To that end the APR has created the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability. Recyclability is more than just resin numbers, and includes factors such as the polymer, the closure, the label, any inks that are directly printed, barrier layers, or other materials incorporated for product pro-

Dairy and Yogurt Focus Klöckner Pentaplast, which goes by kp these days for short, used its demonstration time at PACK EXPO Connects to illustrate some recent improvements in their stable of food and consumer containers, particularly as it applies to dairy and yogurt applications. A high-impact variety of PS, a material it calls HIPS, is a company standard for dairy due to its ease of thermoforming and moisture and oxygen transmission barrier properties. This tried-and-true product is available in a range of thicknesses, and transparencies from clear to opaque have been available. But newer to the PS lineup for cultured dairy products, the kp Klearcup PS solution (1) is a lightweight application that brands can customize. The thermoformed cups provide significant benefits and still meet lightweight and durable performance needs by foaming the core of the film. With a 30% improvement in clarity over natural polystyrene and a 25% reduction in haze versus natural polystyrene, Klearcup allows brands to make their product the star of the show, and stand out on the shelf. In terms of filling and sealing, no equipment changes from legacy cups are necessary, and the cups meet the same top-load requirements of the standard PS line. Multi-packs are fully snap-able to separate individual cups, so consumers don’t notice any functional difference in their interaction with the product. Just like the traditional PS line of cups,

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tection. Said Childs, “All of these features can interact with each other and can combine with the polymer to have a fairly significant effect on the recycling process.” The APR has a recyclable classification program, which is met when all of the different features of a package are compatible with recycling, or, in the language of APR, “preferred.” These preferred features, according to Childs, include “standard workhorse additives; fully compatible; direct printing is preferred over labels. If a label is going to be used, it should be a polyethylene-compatible label. And for the widest range of end uses, the color should be a light color, a buff or a white color, for putting the material into more uses.” With flexible packaging, said Childs, recycling compatibility can be a significant challenge because the entire recycling system for these materials is different than it is for rigid containers. There are also challenges in the collection channel, which is based on a store drop-off system, as opposed to a curbside system. Some of the recyclers use washing, some of them don’t, and there is no way to tell when a package might go to a recycler that uses a washing system or not.

Klearcup comes in a variety of densities, thicknesses, and even colors if transparency doesn’t translate to your product. The lightweighting of the cup makes the product transport more efficient compared to other similar cups. Optional additional barrier layers are available depending on the oxygen and moisture transmission needs of your application, with a common extra layer being a PE/EVOH/PE sandwich for enhanced barrier on top of PS’s already strong barrier properties. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Klöckner Pentaplast at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/511. PW

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MATERIALS Childs said another end-use question is that of circularity. “Can we design a system where a flexible package is recycled directly into another flexible package? I know there’s a lot of work going on in that area right now, and it’s becoming more and more top of mind to get that done,” she said. PVC, PVDC, metal foils, and thick metal labels have a significant negative impact on recyclability, for both sorting and mill filtration. These detrimental features, however, are motivating a lot of innovation. Said Childs, “The metalized layers are getting thinner and thinner, and the metal detectors in the recycling facilities are being modified to not be so much of an issue. Darker colors are called detrimental, but there’s also beginning to be a recognition in the industry that those dark colored materials can absorb more post-consumer recycled material.” There are many other materials and technologies that are used in flexible packaging that we don’t have guidance for yet. Childs said there is currently an APR work group working on nylon and EVOH, and different compatibilizers. Childs was also joined by Rebecca Mick, PhD, Technical Sustainability Lead at Amcor Flexibles North America. Amcor has been active in testing and developing guidance and has received acknowledgement for sustainable design from APR. Mick said Amcor’s AmPrima PE Plus received APR’s Responsible Innovation Acknowledgement, recognized as a groundbreaking package that doesn’t impede mechanical recycling. The How2Recycle label also granted AmPrima PE Plus a prequalification for its store drop-off label for a variety of barrier and non-barrier specs, which allows Amcor’s customers to avoid having to test these films to get the store drop off label. The next step, said Mick, will be to test the film against the newly released APR critical guidance protocol to prove that it is suitable for truly circular film to film recycling. To see this Innovation Stage presentation in its entirety (available through March 31, 2021), go to pwgo.to/5843. MONO-MATERIALS ARE ON THE WAY

The move away from multi-material constructions in favor of mono-materials that fit more readily into existing recycle streams is well underway. Among the exhibitors at PACK EXPO Connects, at least five highlighted the progress they’ve made in this area. We begin with Amcor Flexibles. Having committed in 2018 to make all of its packaging recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025, Amcor Flexibles has launched a line of polyethylene films—including both barrier and non-barrier—for flexible film packaging that has been pre-qualified for the How2Recycle Store Drop-Off label. “Today, a majority of our products are already designed to be recyclable, and our R&D teams are working in a globally coordinated fashion to push the limits even further,” explained Fabio Peyer, Sustainability Director at Amcor Flexibles. “By taking a platform approach, like we have for AmPrima, we are now able to offer a recycleready alternative for a number of applications and formats that are currently served by multi-material laminations.” The AmPrima portfolio (2) was introduced in summer 2020 and was featured in Ampac’s PACK EXPO Connects Showroom. Said Peyer, AmPrima brings together under one brand all solutions and technologies that are compatible with the PE film recycling stream. “It is the culmination of many years of development work spearheaded by the Amcor global

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core R&D team,” he added. The portfolio includes AmPrima PE and AmPrima PE Plus, both of which are available in ultra-clear and heat-resistant versions. As Amcor Flexibles Sr. R&D Fellow Otacilio Berbert explained, AmcorPrima PE is the company’s standard offer of non-oriented PE-based films, featuring both laminations and surface-printed coextruded options. The products under AmPrima PE are designed for applications with straightforward technical requirements, including pouches and bags, and vertical form/ fill/seal or horizontal form/fill/seal applications.

The AmPrima PE Plus portfolio involves laminations with oriented recyclable films, designed for applications that require superior stiffness, shelf appeal, optical properties, and heat resistance. “All versions of AmPrima are available in barrier or non-barrier options, and AmPrima PE Plus was uniquely designed to match non-recyclable laminations in critical applications that require high packaging speeds, for example, flow wraps, or that demand heat stability when sealing attachments like spouts to the film,” Berbert explained. “It is also designed to survive typically abusive sealing processes, like sealing lidding to trays and cups, without seal distortion.” According to Amcor, AmPrima employs a variety of technologies, including proprietary techniques unavailable elsewhere. “Amcor has creatively leveraged several technologies into the AmPrima portfolio,” Berbert said. “On the converting process side, those technologies include multilayer and multi-material film orientation, annealing, extrusion die design, and others. On the materials side, we have leveraged compatibilization technologies, barrier coatings and additives, and blends of high-performance polymers, among others. The result is a complete portfolio of products that allows Amcor to offer recycle-ready solutions with no compromise on performance.” In late September, the AmPrima portfolio received prequalification to carry How2Recycle’s Store Drop-Off label, subject to conditions like product application and final package design. According to Peyer, a brand owner using the material still needs to submit their package to How2Recycle for approval, but their submission will be fast-tracked, due to the pre-approval Amcor secured by working with The Association of Plastic Recyclers and How2Recycle. “All brand owners need to do is to attach the prequalification letter to their submission,” he said. “This translates into lower costs, increased speed to market, and less risks in the development phase.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Amcor Flexibles at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found PE.show/124.

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MATERIALS Also working hard on the mono-material front is the Italian firm ITP, and they took advantage of PACK EXPO Connects to introduce a new monolayer PE specifically for frozen foods or for standup pouches. Called Monoflex, it’s a blown coextrusion that can be either five or seven layers. The film is coextruded with different types of PE. Even the tie layers used to marry the PE components together are PE-based. The only material that is not PE is EVOH, which is included for oxygen barrier purposes in pouches that are not designed for the frozen food chain. But the amount of EVOH is low and well below the levels allowed by European guidelines that determine what is or isn’t recyclable. When asked if the PE resins used to make the film come from any special suppliers, ITP says some are conventional and some not so conventional. The not so conventional ones are considered proprietary. As for the machines on which this material will run, both vertical and horizontal form/fill/seal systems can be used. Apparently, pre-made pouches are not in the plans. In time, however, a version of the material will also be developed for use as lidding material for heat sealing to trays. In the meantime, ITP said it has one commercial application in the detergent stand-up pouch sector. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by ITP at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/549. While schemes for the recovery and recycling of mono-material polyethylenes are starting to be seen in the U.S., there’s also some notable work being done in developing polypropylene as a recyclable material in Europe and other regions. At PACK EXPO Connects, David Derfler, Sales Manager at Toppan USA, Inc., demonstrated how the company is responding to these trends by driving the shift to monomaterial functional packaging. Toppan USA, a subsidiary of Toppan Printing (Toppan) , announced that it has completed preparations for the production and supply of PE- and BOPP-based additions to its series of GL BARRIER transparent vapor-deposited barrier films (3). Full-scale sales of PE-based “GL-LE-G” and BOPP-based “GL-LP-G” launched this month, initially for the U.S. and European markets. Toppan can now offer GL BARRIER films with PET, PE, and BOPP substrates to facilitate a full range of functional, mono-material packaging. According to Toppan USA, samples of GL-LE-G and GL-LP-G have been made available to selected customers around the world since late 2019 under the provisional names GL-X-LE and GL-X-LP-G, and extensive assessments have been conducted to confirm their performance and market viability. Said Toppan USA, with GL-LE-G, the company has employed its advanced processing technology to overcome the difficulty of vapor deposition on PE and has created the world’s first transparent vapordeposited barrier film with a PE substrate. GL-LP-G, meanwhile, claims it has achieved the world’s highest-level barrier performance for a BOPP film. Said Toppan USA, “Both films demonstrate outstanding processability for printing and lamination with other materials, making them suitable for a wide range of purposes.” Sales of GL-LE-G, GL-LP-G, and GL-BP—a BOPP-based high-barrier film for boiling water sterilization and hot filling— 3 will be targeted at the food and toiletries sectors.

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“GL-LE-G and GL-LP-G have been made possible by taking full advantage of the technologies Toppan has developed over more than 30 years as a global leader in the manufacture of transparent vapor-deposited films,” said Masa Tatewaki, Toppan USA President & CEO. “With strong demand for eco-friendly and recyclable packaging solutions in light of such issues as the problem of plastic waste, we have received considerable interest in these new films and are targeting sales of $20 million in 2025. We will continue to advance more readily recyclable mono-material packaging for wide ranging contents and target the development of eco-friendly packages facilitating the circulation of plastic resources for a sustainable society.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Toppan USA at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/491.

Another development of mono-material solutions involving PP is being pushed by this group of companies: Saentis, wipf, and Optima. Their “GreenLution” project (4) is aimed at coming up with at a fully recyclable coffee capsule featuring a PP-based single material. The sevenlayer capsule material, coextruded and thermoformed by Saentis, consists of PP/regrind/tie layer/EVOH/tie layer/regrind/PP. While the outer and inner layers of PP are virgin material, the regrind layers can include recycled content. Total thickness, said Santis Head of Sales Marco Reiss, depends on several variables, including the size of the capsule. But generally, he said, the thickness is in the range of 800 microns. Reiss said that a key component in these PP coffee capsules is a new grade of EVOH from an unnamed supplier. Because it has improved barrier characteristics, less of it is needed in the cast coextrusion. Consequently, the sheet going into the thermoforming system is about 98% PP. Wipf’s contribution in the GreenLution project is the lidding material, which is described only as a “recyclable film.” Optima, of course, is the supplier of the CFL machine on which the capsules are filled. Optima said this machine boasts optimized film utilization—the lidding material is fed at an angle (see photo) and punched in a way that ensures optimum material utilization—lower energy consumption, and a production reject rate below 0.05%. One final note on the PP capsule material. Reiss said that it includes

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MATERIALS an NIR-detectable component that makes the PP capsules more readily detectable in the all-important sortation process that takes place at the Municipal Recycling Facility. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Optima at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/483. Another innovator in the mono-material space is Clysar LLC, which used PACK EXPO Connects to introduce its family of Clysar® EVO™ recyclable shrink films (5) approved for the Store Drop-Off label by the How2Recycle program. Explained Clysar, these new polyethylene films allow brand packagers and retailers to meet critical package recyclability goals, fulfill retail labeling mandates, and address increased consumer demand for sustainable packaging.

Clysar EVO shrink films have been developed in collaboration with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and have been verified by thirdparty testing to meet the requirements of the Association of Plastics Recyclers, ensuring they are safe and fully acceptable for Store Drop-Off recycling. Offering official letters of prequalification from the How2Recycle organization, Clysar EVO allows brands to bypass the material testing and verification steps that are required when obtaining permission to use official recycling labels. Explained Clysar, most shrink films are not recyclable under current protocols and will only qualify for the “not yet recycled” package label. According to Clysar, Clysar EVO films offer strength, sparkling clarity, and consumer appeal, are similar to traditional cross-linked shrink films, and run on virtually all types of packaging equipment. The line includes two options—Clysar EVO all-purpose films and Clysar EVOX™ high-speed, high-strength films—that provide targeted performance for individual product applications and process demands. A versatile multipurpose solution, Clysar EVO shrink film is suited for most retail packaging applications. Noted Clysar, the film offers excellent optics, clean even shrink, and strong seals, and it runs trouble-free on most shrink-packaging equipment under a wide range of operating conditions. Clysar EVOX films are suitable for high-speed packaging applications requiring extra strength, protection, and durability. The film was engineered as a high-performance option for demanding products like heavy multipacks or irregular shapes. According to Clysar, EVOX films were developed to run effortlessly on highly automated, high-speed equipment and deliver trouble-free sealing and shrink characteristics. The new films are available in multiple gauges and a variety of putups. Complete technical and development support is available—from supporting new applications or assisting with drop-in replacements that make existing shrink packages more sustainable. Official letters

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of prequalification from the How2Reycycle program are available from Clysar, which can be used by How2Recycle members to fast-track individual label use approvals. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Clysar at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/245. PAPER MAKING A PLAY

A notable trend in the packaging materials space that is also driven by environmental concerns is the emergence of paper can carriers to replace plastic. Among the leaders in this area is Graphic Packaging International and its KeelClip technology, the winner of an AmeriStar 2020 Award. Go to page 96 to see how Coca-Cola HBC is successfully leveraging this innovative concept. Also making progress in this fascinating area is WestRock and its CanCollar concept highlighted at PACK EXPO Connects. The company showed a modular can handle application machine (6) that is capable of 600 cans/min. It’s intended to be integrated into existing canning lines and either run parallel to, or replace, more traditional can handle applicators. The most basic can handle is CanCollar Eco, the most economical of the options with a minimalist design that, in form and function, accomplishes the same task as traditional can handles. The basic or core Fortuna module applies this entry-level CanCollar. Optional modules can be added to the base applicator machine, such as one for PremCollar Pure, a can handle format that adds some vertical paperboard billboarding space to the paperboard collar, allowing brands to print messaging on the paperboard. It also can mask bar codes printed on individual cans so that the bar code printed on the multipack is what gets scanned at the checkout counter. A third option is CanCollar Shield, which brings coverage to the top of each of the cans, a hygienic feature some breweries look for. These two upgrade modules can be delivered on day-one with the purchase of the machine or be retrofitted to integrate into the system later in its life cycle.

6 Another optional feature is a can orientation module that orients cans so that any chosen or preferred messaging faces outward, toward consumers on a shelf. But for the cans themselves, all major can height and can diameters are able to be run on the core module, including sleek cans and 8-oz minis that are all the rage right now. Formats of 2x2, 2x3, or 2x4 are standard on the core module. A few trends in canned beverages these days affect material handling after the fill, notably low-CO2 and thinner aluminum walls for lightweighting and material reduction. So linear starwheels on the CanCollar systems carry cans gently, avoiding scuffing and denting or worse. Quality assurance can be expanded with optional inspection systems that, for instance, can reject incorrect colors of the can handle, or situations where the can handle doesn’t fully engage and ‘clip’ onto the top

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MATERIALS of the can, among others. All are automatically coupled with a rejection system on the optional divider module. Downstream of the applicator, a discharge module can either divide or rotate and divide the can handled packs exiting the machine, to accommodate any further secondary or end-of-line packaging infeed requirements. For a more turn-key solution, a tray or wrap-around case packing module can be added downstream of the Fortuna. And for the entire Fortuna family of machines and modules, automatic adjustments and common change parts for repeatable changeovers are advantages. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by WestRock at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/158. Krones also featured a concept for paperboard can handles for fourand six-pack aluminum cans or PET bottles. The company debuted its LitePac Top secondary packaging system (7), a modular paperboard can-handle applicator that will seamlessly integrate with upstream Krones packaging equipment. “LitePac secondary packaging follows the principle of the circular economy because it can be manufactured from recycled materials,” the company said in its Virtual Showroom, “and after use, they can be recycled themselves.” The system features continuous container infeed and can process packs with four, six, or eight cans at up to 416 cans/min. During the production process, the LitePac series scores high in terms of lower energy consumption and less waste than with shrink-packs. As we’ve seen with other paperboard can handle applicators, an op-

tional can orientation system can be added to ensure the containers display outwardly in an optimal orientation (i.e., the front of the can with the brand logo shows outward on the shelf or in the cooler case for maximum shelf impact.) Cans can even be oriented to form a consistently harmonized motif across several different cans. The can handle application is done without any hotmelt or plastic, and the handle itself is designed to use a minimum amount of paperboard material—it’s only 3g in weight. Despite its minimalist approach to material usage, the company says it has a “well-thought-out clip design for maximum pack stability.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Krones at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/707.

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Reusable Box Orbis Corp. introduced its PlastiCorr (8) fully reusable all-plastic box for inbound packaging and finished goods packaging applications. PlastiCorr is a drop-in replacement for customers’ current brown boxes and is most effective in closed supply chain loops–including inbound receiving and finished goods to copack. This system was designed to drive ROI for today’s CPGs. PlastiCorr is made to have the same functionality as corrugated fiber boxes with enhanced features. Integrating PlastiCorr into existing automation systems should be seamless, according to the company. The system is meant to be reusable up to 70 times; is water and moisture resistant; has

NOT JUST CAN CARRIERS

Needless to say, it’s not just can carriers that are being re-engineered into paper as opposed to plastic. PaperSeal, presented at PACK EXPO Connects by Graphic Packaging International (GPI), is a fiber-based replacement (9) for high-barrier plastic trays for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum skin packs (VSP). It recently won the 2020 Sustainability item of the year award from the Paperboard Packaging Council. The PaperSeal packaging system as a whole is a collaboration between G. Mondini and GPI, where Mondini builds the tray forming and lining equipment, while GPI developed the trays themselves and converts them for the brand owner.

9 During a PACK EXPO Connects demo, Jeff Voyzy, Business Development Director at Graphic Packaging, demonstrated via video exactly how the system works. The paperboard trays act as the supporting structural protection for the packs, with a thin internal film lining providing all necessary barrier properties. This paper tray with film lining—once filled with foods usually found in MAP or SVP trays, including meat, poultry, and fish—is then MAP or VSP sealed with another thin film to enclose the product. After consuming the pack’s contents, consumers need only separate the internal, food-contact film (and lidding film) and place each layer in the appropriate bin for recycling. The structure being mostly paperboard translates into 80-90% reduction in plastic in the consumer product. And compared to its CPET

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8 high-quality in-line screen printing; and has edges that seal to reduce potential harbor area for contaminants, and improve safety and ergonomics. Enfold technology is used to return box flaps to the straight position after each use and the boxes don’t have any extra thickness for easy transition. View Orbis Corp.’s PACK EXPO Connects showroom at PE.show/484 for more sustainable products. PW

plastic equivalent tray, it also boasts a 35% CO2 reduction compared to plastic, and 40% energy used in production. An added benefit is the vast increase in billboard space, including the bottom and vertical four sides of the tray—even the inside of the tray can be decorated or branded since the film liner is clear, only the food product contents may obstruct the view. GPI says food brands can either do the forming themselves, or have GPI do the forming depending on how much of the supply chain they prefer to control. It’s up to the customer how much they want to bring in house. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Graphic Packaging International at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/514. Elsewhere in the food-packaging scene, Mondi, a global supplier of paper and flexible packaging materials, was busy demonstrating some paper-based sustainable packaging materials. One intriguing application from Mondi is said to be an industry first. The rice company Vignola has introduced Italy’s first recyclable paper bag for rice (10), which is made of 100% recyclable Mondi Advantage Smooth White Strong paper. The paper is 134 microns and is printed flexo in four colors. 10 The 500-g and 1-kg packages, in addition to being recyclable, meet the technical requirements where shelf life of the rice is concerned. Vignola appears pretty committed to this packaging format, seeing as they had to install a new form/ fill/seal machine from Italpack suitable for paper-based bags. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Mondi at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/614.

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MATERIALS 11

Sonoco spent its time at PACK EXPO Connects on a handful of nifty new fiber-based packaging solutions (11), with two fairly significant ones already in early commercialized projects that can be found on shelves. The first, EnviroSense™, consists of rigid cylindrical canisterstyle containers, one with a paper bottom, the other with a steel bottom. The mind’s eye drifts immediately to the form of a Pringles can, so it’s appropriate that one of a few similar versions of the EnviroSense line is already in the market in the UK in a Pringles application. This paperboard canister solution has been third-party validated via PIQET test to show lower life cycle impact on the environment compared to HDPE, glass, PP, and other rigid structures comparable in size and use. Recycling instructions appear on-pack (depending on market, via How2Recycyle), and may vary depending on steel bottom (steel channel) or fully paper structure (paper channel). A next-gen version of the EnviroSense paperboard can is in development now that would include a paper overcap, too, though a film lidding (disposable by the consumer as instructed) may be required depending on the application. Natrellis is another fiber-based product, this time a molded fiber tray that is dual-ovenable and oil-resistant. The molded tray, which replaces its plastic counterparts, recently found a commercialized home in KraftHeinz brand Primal Kitchen (read more on page 64). The pack is currently on the path to achieve sustainability certification, but pandemic-related delays have slowed the typical certification process. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Sonoco at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/136.

batch rolls down to 500, making MOQs no problem. Standing out on the shelf is more important than ever. “As one of the largest label printers in the world, we can help you pick the best label material to enhance your label design,” said Paul Johnson, Labeling Solutions Specialist. “We’ve had many successes providing design ideas and helping you create unique labels that help your brand stand out in a crowd.” Metallics, estate papers, silver, and clear BOPP films enhance the look of your label and add tactile elements that go beyond visual appeal. Particularly interesting was a wood veneer label (12) made of 12 actual wood, rather than printed fiber or pulp (pictured). All of this variety at high quality is available at such low MOQ thanks to Weber’s heavy investment into HP digital label presses that translate to short, economical label runs for seasonal or experimental brew varieties. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Weber Packaging Systems at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/126. Building on its existing RafCycle® label liner waste collection and recycling service, UPM Raflatac has now closed the loop by using the collected liner material to produce its new LabelLoop™ line of pressure-sensitive paper labels, with facestocks made from 30% recycled liner (13). “It’s absolutely unique,” shared Scott Conrad, Segment Manager for UPM Raflatac, during PACK EXPO Connects. “The only reason we’re able to do this is because we’re the only label company in the world right now that’s collecting recycled liner and turning it into any sort of resource. With LabelLoop, we’re definitely the first company using a platform where we’re able to create a truly circular solution.” RafCycle by UPM Raflatac was launched in 2010 in Europe and in 2018 in the U.S. to collect PET and paper label liner waste from converters and packagers free of charge for recycling. There are now more than 200 partner companies globally, with approximately half a million pounds of liner recycled through the program per year in the U.S. alone.

LABELING DEVELOPMENTS

Weber Packaging Solutions demonstrated its stalwart Pack Leader PL501 p-s labeling and date coding system, a piece of equipment that has evolved over the years, but by now is tried and true in craft brew circles (read more on the system at pwgo.to/5841 or pwgo.to/5842). But the labels themselves, Weber said in a PACK EXPO Connects demo, are changing significantly. Not to mention that the craft beverage industry is known for small batches, seasonal brews, and limitedavailability varietals. And that’s not limited to craft brew—kombucha, cold brew coffee, seltzers, and even wine may particularly benefit from Weber’s wide range of label materials, even digitally printed for small

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MATERIALS

Placard Label Holder

Filmloc debuted its new placard label holder, the INTELLIPLAC Silver series (14), during PACK EXPO Connects. The patented silicone-free intelligent surface placard label holder is now protected with Biomaster silver ion antimicrobial technology. This ensures a 99.9% cleaner surface from damaging microbes versus untreated surfaces. The durable Biomaster protection will last the lifetime of the INTELLI-PLAC placards. These durable placards with X2 extra durable adhesive can also be cleaned and sanitized multiple times. No silicone so they can be recycled with HDPE and PP containers and do not contaminate surfaces. Visit the exhibitor’s PACK EXPO Connects showroom at PE.show/452 for more systems. PW

Until UPM’s launch of LabelLoop, the waste liner material went back into the typical pulp or PET recycling stream. Said UPM, “Silicone and adhesive residue on waste liner causes major contamination, so liner that does get recycled is often downcycled into lower-quality material.” To create LabelLoop, which focuses on paper waste, UPM partner Sustana Fiber de-siliconizes and converts the material collected by RafCycle into recycled pulp, which is then turned into paper label facestock by other suppliers. In the final step, UPM uses the post-consumer waste (PCW) facestock to make new label material. The LabelLoop line currently comprises five products, including four different semi-gloss, or prime, options, and one laser direct mail option. Said Conrad, UPM plans to expand the number of LabelLoop offerings in the future. According to Conrad, it took nearly two years to bring LabelLoop to market, with one year spent vetting potential partners and six to 12 months developing and testing the processes and materials. “Being a big company, we have many suppliers, but we had to select one that was not just a high-quality supplier, but one that was a like-minded sustainability partner,” he said. “We really put some of our suppliers through the ringer, if you will, to find someone willing to do this for us. We really needed someone who could use this pulp and turn it back into a high-quality facestock, and the only way they could do that was by taking extra care within their process and making sure they had all their quality stations in check.” Conrad added that a lot of work was required on UPM’s end as well to develop the product. “We had to think about whether the facestock was compatible with the adhesives we’re using, was it going to function as a label out in the market, and was it strong enough to convert,” he said. “We also had to take printing into consideration and a lot of other technical parameters. All of that work was done behind the scenes by our technical team, and they did a fantastic job with this particular face.”

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According to UPM, LabelLoop labels offer the same high standards of print quality and high-speed converting as its standard offerings and are suitable for a variety of end uses. The labels are also Forest Stewardship Council (FSC™)-certified, which allows brands to show their commitment to responsible raw materials sourcing. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by UPM Raflatac at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/221. FINALLY, A WORD ON PROTOTYPING

In development before COVID-19 but fast-tracked once the pandemic hit is ProAmpac’s new online packaging design configurator, MAKR (pronounced “Make Er”). MAKR (15) allows users to remotely create custom 3D package designs online in both film and paper formats that can then be prototyped at the company’s Design and Sample Lab (DASL, pronounced “Dazzle”). According to Sal Pellingra, Vice President Global Application & Innovation for ProAmpac, one of the main reasons the company developed the tool was to reduce the time involved with the traditional sample request system. Typically, the process is very iterative, with much back and forth between the customer and salesperson as the customer adjusts their vision for the design. MAKR, he estimated, can take a week off of the prototype design process. “No one has time these days, and so we looked at similar apps for designing—you know, if you were to design shoes online or if you were to design some other product online where you go in and change colors and you can spin things around and look at them. That was kind of the thought behind this,” Pellingra explained. “Fortunately, we got this almost done at the end of the year, and then when COVID happened, we just ratcheted the project up to get MAKR launched because then everyone was working from home and it was even more important to have it done.”

15 MAKR allows users to choose almost any flexible packaging format ProAmpac produces. The user can then custom design their own package employing features such as package dimensions, closures, handles, and even the shape of the pouch. An ingenious feature of the tool is that it only allows customers to choose features that can actually be manufactured. Shared Pellingra, many times ProAmpac has worked with brands that submit a number of pouch designs created by a designer that end up not being able to be produced. “We have to be the bearer of bad

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MATERIALS news and say, ‘This one isn’t really manufacturable. This one we could probably manufacture, but we can’t sell this one. There’s no way to develop this.’ And so, one of the benefits of MAKR is that it ensures the prototype they design can be filled and made.” Options include pouch styles like flat, pillow, flow-wrap, stand-up, shaped quad, and even retail bags, among others. Pouch dimensions can be easily adjusted as can the shape of the pouch. Closures such as child-resistant zippers can be added, as well as a number of fitments. As the user manipulates the pouch, options are added or deleted, depending on whether they are available with that design. If a customer would like a design feature that’s not available through MAKR, there is an area where they can add notes for the DASL team. One unintended consequence of the tool, Pellingra added, is that it gives users the ability to explore new ideas they may not have been considering going into the design process. “Even just scrolling through the different pouch types when you start the process you start to think, ‘Oh, I was thinking about a pillow pouch, I didn’t even think about using a shaped pouch,’” he said. “And then you get into the features, and you start thinking, ‘Maybe I wouldn’t want to hang this pouch, which I didn’t even think of either.’” Further enhancing the prototype, users can add graphics and logos to the pouch design, with the added ability to change colors, artwork, and materials. Currently, Pellingra notes, to visualize how a pouch design will look depending on the material type, consumers can select options such as clear or opaque film, foil lamination, and bleached paper.

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

When the prototype design is complete, users submit their order online, with the total cost calculated using an algorithm that determines how long it will take ProAmpac to produce the prototype and the number of prototypes ordered. ProAmpac’s DASL team will then ensure all details are correct, finalize the order, and create and ship the custom prototype directly to the customer. As Pellingra shared, ProAmpac and its proprietary partner had to start nearly from scratch in creating the program, which he said, as far as the company is aware, “is the first totally configurable pouch app in the industry.” Currently, they are working toward MAKR 2.0, which will offer more photorealistic graphics and additional pouch shapes. The tool is available free for both existing and potential ProAmpac customers. Thus far, Pellingra said, the company is getting 40 to 80 users per week. “This is another great example of ProAmpac’s industryleading innovation. We’ve consistently differentiated ourselves, not only with world-class manufacturing, but also by providing packaging design services rivaling those of design firms. MAKR expands our collaborative resources and makes it easier for customers to get products from design to market in record time,” he added. “We’ve already had great feedback from our soft launch partner customers and will build out MAKR and other virtual capabilities to continue to make it easier for customers to bring new packaging ideas to a commercial reality.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by ProAmpac at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/227. PW

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

CONTROLS First introduced in Europe in 2018, Beckhoff’s XPlanar technology— which enables “flying motion” for materials handling—made its North American debut at PACK EXPO Connects. The XPlanar system (1) uses planar motor tiles as a base to levitate passive movers at speeds of four meters per second with acceleration rates up to 20 meters per sec2. The XPlanar tiles levitate by use of traveling magnetic fields generated in the planar tiles to precisely move objects in any kind of pattern through different tracks, enabling batch-of-one applications and flexibility in product handling. The tiles can be programmed to move as needed for an application by automatically lifting, lowering, tilting, or rotating while traveling.

Because the material handling tiles of the XPlanar system float above the surface, Beckhoff said XPlanar offers maintenance-free motion control for complex packaging, inspection, and material handling applications. Collision avoidance for the tiles is put into effect once the user programs the XPlanar using TwinCAT 3 software, said Jeff Johnson, Mechatronics Product Manager at Beckhoff. “The software includes all of the configuration tools, motion function blocks, and collision avoidance functionality. Because the movers travel on programed tracks, users can prioritize cross-over tracks,” he said. A particularly interesting feature of the XPlanar system is its antisloshing functionality, based in the TwinCAT 3 software, for use in applications involving movement of liquids. According to Johnson, the XPlanar anti-sloshing ability is enabled by the six axes of coordinated motion used on each mover. “Beckhoff has developed motion algorithms that create very smooth acceleration and deceleration profiles,” he said. “Think of it as a very soft ‘S’ curve for acceleration/deceleration.” Johnson added that XPlanar’s planar motor tiles can be coated with stainless steel, glass or any another surface to “ensure XPlanar is a sanitary, wash-down-capable solution.” He added that Beckhoff supplies the motor tiles and movers, while the machine builder is “responsible

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for building the machine base and the tile coverings. In some cases, coverings will be unnecessary, and in others they will be critical. This offers the machine builder and end user flexibility in the design and implementation of XPlanar to suit their specific application.” In terms of how XPlanar coordinates or connects with other systems for placement and removal of materials on the tiles, Johnson explained that products can be loaded onto XPlanar tiles via pick-and-place robots, the eXtended Transport System (XTS) from Beckhoff, manually, or via any other system the user chooses to integrate with XPlanar. “Most robot manufacturers offer high-speed EtherCAT interfaces which enable very fast and synchronized communications between XPlanar and the robot,” he added. “This creates a faster cycle time versus using an asynchronous Ethernet protocol.” 1 Also featured by Beckhoff at its PACK EXPO Connects exhibit was the XTS Hygienic—a stainless steel, IP69K version of the XTS system featured at PACK EXPO 2019. This new hygienic version is designed for wash-down production environments in packaging, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage. Beckhoff’s XTS material handling system combines rotary and linear drive principles into a linear transport system for packaging machines. The system features customizable motor modules, mechanical guide rails, wireless movers, power electronics, EtherCAT communication, and position measurement in a compact form factor that Beckhoff says reduces the machine footprint up to 50%. The XTS movers can move as fast as four meters per second and achieve acceleration exceeding 100 meters per second2. The XTS’s flexibility allows it to be designed in circles, clothoids, S-curves or in straight segments. The tracks can operate horizontally, vertically, or at angles, and can handle parts with single or multiple movers. In the new XTS Hygienic version showcased at PACK EXPO Connects, the system’s new Track Management functionality was also highlighted. This allows individual movers to transfer between multiple XTS systems, enabling further customization, quality inspection, and automatic defect ejection. Explaining which components of the XTS Hygienic version are stainless steel, Johnson said, “The motor modules and rails are stainless, while the movers have stainless and aluminum options. There is also a NiTuff coating option for the aluminum machine base. Since it is rated IP69K, we went to great lengths to design it for easy cleaning by including food-safe seals and ensuring that the surface can withstand harsh chemicals in washdown environments.” The XTS also has the ability for its carriers to be tilted—like the tiles on the XPlanar system—even though the XTS has just one axis of linear motion. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Beckhoff at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/213.

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CONTROLS DATA, ANALYTICS, AND CONTROL IN ONE DEVICE

Emerson Automation Solutions is a company long known for the application of its technologies in the continuous processing industries. But with its acquisition of GE Intelligent Platforms in 2018, the company now supplies a much broader array of automation technologies, allowing it to extend into the discrete manufacturing industries such as packaging machinery OEMs and batch manufacturing industries including things like consumer packaged goods and food and beverage. Derek Thomas, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Emerson’s machine automation solutions, said, “What we’re highlighting this year at PACK EXPO Connects is our ability to deliver scalable machine architectures, whether that’s micro control systems, compact systems, large systems or high availability systems (where PLCs need to keep running while software updates are made).”

More specifically, Thomas noted Emerson’s focus on the concept of a supervisory edge controller (2). “Every packaging line has multiple PLCs,” he said. “You’ve got one for the filler, one for the labeler running at high speed, one for the case erector, etc. And on top of that, you usually have a supervisory PLC that’s synchronizing the line itself and is connected to the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system. The ability to have one platform that can span all of this—that could do the logic, the visualization, and the SCADA functionality on a single piece of hardware that made it a true supervisory controller with one set up, one configuration, and one device to maintain and upgrade—that’s what we’ve been doing with our control platform.” This new controller development is an extension of Emerson’s PACEdge controller. Emerson is expanding this device with technologies gained via Emerson’s acquisition of Progea in October of 2020. Progea is a provider of industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), plant analytics, human machine interface (HMI) and SCADA technologies. The addition of Progea’s Movicon software capabilities to Emerson’s PACEdge software enables Emerson’s control capabilities to extend beyond devices or machines to complete line control. This soon-to-be-released controller, designed to create a comprehensive data, analytics, and control ecosystem, will be known as PACEdge IIoT. PACK EXPO Connects attendees were able to a preview this system at the event. Emerson now has a standard package that can be used to do 3D machine visualization or full line visualization as well as OEE calculations and energy calculations, Thomas said. “Today, if you wanted to have a controller plus IoT plus OEE, you would have to have at least two different pieces of hardware and at least three different software packages

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from any company; we’re the only one that can now do it all in one.” Sending a day’s worth of data from once piece of industrial equipment to the cloud is not only impractical, it’s incredibly expensive. “Especially when you consider that one piece of equipment can generate more data in one day than Twitter does in a full year,” said Rich Carpenter, General Manager, Product Management of Machine Automation Solutions at Emerson Automation Solutions. This reality is what’s driving the focus on data aggregation and analysis to the edge. “When you bring all that data down to the edge, you’re making it more accessible to the operator, and that’s how you’re going to realize OEE (overall equipment effectiveness),” said Carpenter. “By putting all this capability in one box, designed for industrial applications—from the hardware to the software—that makes a big difference. Other companies do this by using an industrial PC that they virtualize and run on a soft PLC on top of Windows. However, running your production’s critical applications this way means that you’re not doing it on a system that’s designed to have the reliability of a traditional deterministic control system.” Carpenter explained that Emerson’s approach is to use a hypervisor on the controller to run the applications, the HMI, and the edge software so that users “keep the reliability of the deterministic engine running their production line—even if an app crashes.” (Editor’s note: a hypervisor is software that runs virtual machines separate from the system’s operating system and hardware resources). With the addition of Progea’s Movicon software, Carpenter said one of the things about it that’s so attractive is how easily smartphones, tablets, and HoloLens can integrate with it. “Users can go out into the plant and still get all the information they need via a mobile device without having to go to the nearest terminal.” Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Emerson at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/384. COST-EFFECTIVE ELECTRIC ACTUATOR AND ADVANCED I/O

Festo showed a low cost and easy-to-use electric actuator (3) that is an alternative to pneumatic actuators that are typically less expensive and easier to maintain, but don’t provide the same level of benefits of electric automation. At PACK EXPO Connects, Festo introduced its Simplified Motion Series (SMS) of electric drives equipped with Digital I/O and IO-Link connectivity to enable the intelligent communication associated with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). For those machines and lab instrumentation where compressed air for pneumatics is simply not feasible, SMS provides a cost effective, easy to apply, and well-featured electric option. The actuators are built for simple motion between two mechanical

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CONTROLS end positions or for pressing and clamping tasks, just like pneumatic actuators. But according to Festo, the SMS all-in-one design including actuator and integrated motor and drive, are easy-to-install by simply mounting the axis to the machine and connecting two cables. In addition, the drives offer optimized motion characteristics including gentle cushioning while advancing and retracting into the end positions and pressing and clamping functionality. The parameters for advancing and retracting speed, as well as pressing and clamping force, are set directly on the drive. End position, cushioning path, and manual operation are also set on the drive. Units in the initial release include toothed belt axis, spindle and toothed belt axis, mini slide, electric cylinder, and rotary drive. The drives are plug-and-play for fast startup and no additional software or specific know-how is required. Festo also introduced its next generation distributed I/O, which makes it quick and easy to scale machine parts and capabilities. The new remote I/O system CPX-AP-I, which improves the performance of mixed valve terminals and I/O systems, is compatible with most communication protocols, including EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and EtherCAT. These rugged, compact, and lightweight modules can be mounted directly on machines in IP65/IP67 rated environments. CPX-AP-I enables valve terminals to be moved closer to pneumatic cylinders, which reduces pressurization time and increases the machine’s overall performance. Process data in and out of each bus module is as much as two kilobytes. Scan cycles for a mix of both valve terminals and I/O are below one millisecond and are expected to approach microseconds. Latency is virtually nonexistent. Another important feature is that communication and voltage supply are via two separate connecting cables that are also galvanically isolated, eliminating the potential for stray currents. Two separate wires enable the creation of voltage zones that provide reliable control for a host of machine processes. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Festo at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/187.

IIOT-ENABLED PACKAGING WITH MULTI-PURPOSE SERVO

One of the clearest trends in modern automation technology is flexibility—the built-in capability of a device to perform more than one function or be used in more than one way. And flexibility of application is evident in Lenze’s new i950 servo drive (4). In its demo at PACK EXPO Connects, Lenze highlighted a key aspect of the i950’s flexibility via its three modes.

Dan Barrera, Applications Engineering Manager at Lenze, explained the i950’s drive-based motion, which includes two of the servo drive’s modes. Those modes are: 1) drive parameterization using Lenze’s preconfigured FAST software application, which allows personnel who are not engineers or programmers to commission the drive and its application; and 2) custom configuration of the FAST applications, enabling OEMs and system integrators to access the code behind the applications using IEC 61131-3 programming languages to customize the pre-developed FAST software code for unique uses. Fieldbus protocols, like Profinet, EtherCAT, and EtherNet/IP, can be used to connect a Lenze controller or any third-party controller to the i950 in these two servo drive modes.

IronGrip Lagging System A lagging system adds material to a drum motor to improve the grip between the motor and the belt. The most common form is rubber lagging that has been vulcanized and hardened over a steel shell. During a demonstration at PACK EXPO Connects, drum motor manufacturer Van der Graaf (VDG) described how a lagging system works with the belt traction around the motor, which includes a tight side and a slack side, as well as an adhesion zone and a sliding zone. By increasing slack side tension, more products can be pulled on a belt. But the second way to improve traction is to change the materials touching the belt. That’s where VDG’s IronGrip Lagging System comes in. Composed of steel bar reinforcements welded onto the drive shell with sectional rubber lagging inserts, this patented

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design transfers load forces more efficiently than standard rubber lagging. With up to 40% more traction than standard rubber lagging, the IronGrip allows for less pre-tensioning while providing higher belt-pull, the company said. The difference between standard rubber lagging vs. IronGrip lagging comes down to how the forces are distributed between sections of the drum motor. Common problem areas include shear force at contact points that cause delamination, belt mis-tracking off the center of the conveyor, and wear on external components. IronGrip mitigates these issues by distributing forces with high grip and less tension. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Van der Graaf at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/102. PW

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CONTROLS The i950’s third mode is control-based motion. “Using control-based motion, the i950 can be set up in CiA402 mode to receive commands from a main control motion system,” Barrera said. He noted that, for motion-centric applications, any third-party controller used with the i950 drive should support motion over EtherCAT. The i950 can be used in packaging machinery for registration and synchronization, table positioning, camming, electrical gearing, and winding applications. With respect to the drive’s IIoT enablement, Barrera pointed out the i950 supports MQTT communications to deliver the drive’s operational data to plant and enterprise systems. The compact i950 servo is available with a power spectrum ranging from 0.55 kW–110 kW and features modular interfaces for fieldbus and feedback connections. In addition to its operation and programming characteristics, six technology applications have been implemented in the i950 to save OEMs time and money when developing machine tasks. These applications are: • Speed control, which can operate with and without feedback, to deliver high control performance with speed stability for conveyor and traveling drives. It also includes start-up and deceleration profiles, as well as process and torque control. • Electronic gearbox to enable precise speed- and position-synchronized drives in a network for the continuous transport of continuous materials such as paper, films, or textiles. • Table positioning enables management of profile data sets and sequence profile control for discontinuously running conveying, lifting, and handling drives. This application provides profile generation and position at target and has an override function. • Synchronism with mark correction for the transport of continuous and arch-shaped materials or piece goods. • Winder with dancer control and winder with tension control enable speed-controlled drives for the storage or dispensing of continuous materials such as paper, film, or textiles and tensioncontrolled (open loop) drives for the storage or dispensing of continuous materials such as paper, film, or textiles, respectively. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Lenze at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/271. I-O LINK ADDED TO POSITIONING DRIVES

SIKO showcased its positioning drives at PACK EXPO Connects, which for the first time are outfitted with an IO-Link interface (5). When formats are changed on packaging machines, labelers, textile machines, etc., precise positioning is always crucial, as is optimizing machine setup times. Fully automated positioning drives can prevent incorrect settings, which in turn prevents waste and damage. SIKO positioning drives can do all this by design, but are now available with an IO-Link interface One, for example, is the AG03/1, a high-performance compact actuator for complex positioning jobs. Used to replace manual spindle adjustments by automatic options like push button format changeover, the compact design can fit into very tight mounting situations. Components like gear set, motor, absolute positioning sensor, drive electronic, and now, the IO-Link interface are integrated into the design. The standard IO-Link communication allows direct integration into the IO-Link master which has a direct link to the PLC. The AG03/1 positioning drive enables fast integration via a point-to-point connection

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

using simple I/O technology. With the open, manufacturer-independent standard of the IO-Link interface, integration options are available for machine control systems from all leading providers. IO-Link master components can be used to network multiple devices on a modular basis. This reduces complexity and cabling outlay as well as the costs involved in commissioning. The standardized wiring, combined with additional diagnostic features, improves serviceability and reduces downtimes in the event of errors. The IO-Link master allows parameter data to be read from a field device, stored, and loaded onto a new device of the same type when the old one is replaced—even while the process is still running.

5 SIKO positioning drives provide specific data via the IO-Link interface so that it can be used for tasks such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance in centralized systems, which can be in the cloud. With the open IO-Link standard, a wide range of network components from various manufacturers are available so that seamless communication can be realized from the field level up to the cloud securely. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by SIKO at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/500. IS AR A GAME CHANGER?

Alexander Ouellet, Innovation Engineer at Harpak-ULMA Packaging, discussed the many “flavors” of augmented reality at a PACK EXPO Connects’ Innovation Stage presentation. Ouellet said that for the packaging industry, AR can guide workers with performing product line changeovers, getting machines up and running, or, it can alert them to performance issues. “For the first time,” he said, “AR is bringing computing and on-demand information to our front-line workforce. AR is making it possible to more quickly train or provide expert guidance to our workforce and provide them the information they need at the right time and with the correct context. That’s where most of the value is, especially as producers look for ways to further optimize production processes.” Ouellet said that AR technologies are best understood as a spectrum of overlapping technologies, rather than distinct items, and that the defining trait of each is how the user is going to experience it. (Addressed here are AR technologies used in packaging manufacturing today. For a description of all AR technologies described by Ouellet, see the full presentation at pwgo.to/5846. Available through March 31, 2021.) Assisted Reality projects an extra layer of information onto the user’s peripheral vision, such as Google Glasses. Ouellet said of assisted reality, “It differs from Augmented Reality in that it doesn’t change what the user is seeing nor is it aware of the geometry of the user’s environment.”

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Collaborating on the Cloud Esko is a graphic arts company out of Belgium that has long been at the cutting edge of prepress software and hardware used in the production of packaging. One of the things they featured at PACK EXPO Connects was WebCenter (6), a secure, cloud-based packaging management and collaboration platform. WebCenter manages all aspects of preproduction specification, approval, and project lifecycle to remove the bottlenecks that are most associated with the packaging design-to-production process. Complex review and approval pathways are up to three times faster with revisions reduced by 60%. Errors due to multiple design modifications and project deadline pressures are minimized with up to 50% lead time reductions being achieved on packaging creation, said Esko. The digital, secure management of files and data with streamlined processes leaves team members free to concentrate on tasks that better utilize their expertise.

Augmented Reality (AR) is an overlay of computer-generated content onto the physical world that can superficially interact with the environment in real-time. With AR, the end-user uses headsets or mobile devices. Mixed Reality (MR) is an overlay of synthetic content anchored to and interacting with real-world objects in real-time. Said Ouellet, “When implemented well, MR should be a perfect union of digital and physical content interacting seamlessly.” Ouellet also said there are three distinct types, or flavors, of AR. The one most people are familiar with is Video See-Through (VST) technology, which allows the user to view through a tablet or phone screen. One example is the World Lens app, where the user holds up their phone and it translates signs and language. The second type of AR is lens-based applications that employ Obstacle See-Through (OST) technology, such as the Microsoft HoloLens. Ouellet said in this technology, “AR information is projected in the lens and your brain puts two and two together and stitches it together to create an augmented view of reality.” Thirdly is Projection AR, where a projected image creates a direct overlay onto a specially designed work surface. “A projection-based augmented reality system,” said Ouellet, “can provide user instructions or assistance in a variety of media. Projection AR reduces or eliminates the need for computer monitors and screens as the instructions appear directly in the task space. It can be useful for assembly, disassembly, inspections, kitting, tool changeovers, training, and more.” Ouellet said that AR is an immature market, and “future AR deployment will be driven primarily by industrial applications because that’s where the biggest bang for the buck lies.” Even as a developing market, however, the value proposition of AR is delivering substantial productivity gains to human labor – as much as 30% to 60% depending on the application. One long-form study at Iowa State University found that AR made training faster for complex tasks, and “virtually eliminated human error

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INNOVATIONS REPORT

Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Esko at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/516. PW

in those processes,” said Ouellet. He also cited a study at Lockheed, where AR was adopted as a guidance and instruction tool to attach fasteners to spacecraft and resulted in an 85% reduction in overall training time, a 90+% reduction in the time that it took front-line workers to comprehend tasks, and a 40% increase in overall productivity. “In the end,” said Ouellet, “Lockheed concluded that they saved $38 per fastener in a program that buys over 2 million fasteners every year; that’s a staggering value proposition.” AR does come with deployment challenges, and Ouellet said, “I think it’s safe to say the majority of producers today would struggle with a do-it-yourself AR approach.” Infrastructure issues such as Wi-Fi and access to devices, good 3D data, and building out the AR experience in a way that is appealing to the user are some of the challenges mentioned by Ouellet. Here are a few current use cases for augmented reality mentioned by Ouellet: • AR for remote service • Virtual Factory Acceptance Tests (vFATs) • AR training solutions • Service work instructions • IoT service diagnostics Ouellet sees a big picture payoff for AR in the area of predictive maintenance, and points to industries who are already using this technology, such as jet engines. “To accomplish this,” he said, “we’ll aggregate massive volumes of IoT data into cloud-based databases; that will enable us to benchmark any individual machine’s performance against the entire data-set, a useful analysis in its own, but it also means the data can be mined using a combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop the predictive algorithms that will minimize unplanned machine downtime.” Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Harpak-Ulma at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/190.

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CONTROLS SMART GLASSES EASE TROUBLESHOOTING COMMUNICATION

Elsewhere on the AR front, Beumer has added augmented reality to the tools available to its customers while servicing equipment, enabling faster, easier support. The OEM even used the smart glasses technology to commission and install new equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the value of embracing digitalization to improve customer service, Beumer has developed its first smart system for customer service. Using AR with smart glasses, the equipment maker aims to improve service quality and engagement while significantly reducing cost and downtime for the user. During a demonstration at PACK EXPO Connects, Beumer highlighted the concept of its smart solution, the added value it delivers to customers, and how it can be implemented on-site. To set the scene, Marvin Krampe, Sales Engineer for Beumer, described a customer situation that is undoubtedly all too familiar. The customer calls the hotline to describe an error, but it is difficult to make himself understood without ultimately sending pictures or videos by email, a process that delays results. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we are receiving customer calls on our hotline, we are often facing communication issues,â&#x20AC;? Krampe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These communication issues are mostly not related to the technical knowledge of the hotline engineer, no. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re mostly related to language barriers, language issues. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re using different terminologies around the globe.â&#x20AC;? Customers and technicians are sending pictures back and forth

through email, WhatsApp, or Skype just to try to make the situation clear. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a very uncontrolled information flow. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re using different tools. A lot of information gets lost. A lot of information gets wrongly interpreted,â&#x20AC;? Krampe described. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Therefore, we need a significantly longer time to troubleshoot the system.â&#x20AC;? In its move to overcome these communication issues, the OEM now offers Beumer Smart Glasses as an add-on service to its existing customer support service hotline and remote connection capabilities. With smart glasses, Beumer technicians are able to identify problems faster for clients, mitigating service costs as well. The glasses provide handsfree troubleshooting for the operator through voice activation. Working over the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, the glasses provide live two-way video and audio communication, where technical support is able to share key equipment drawings and documents with clients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The smart glasses are actually a very powerful tool that significantly improves the quality of our communication while we are supporting our customers on-site,â&#x20AC;? Krampe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The smart glasses allow us now to transfer a live video stream from the service technician on-site to the back office of Beumer Corp. We are also able to share additional information on the smart glasses display of the operator, such as guidelines, videos, documentations. We can share our desktop, we can draw some lines, we can pinpoint certain components of the machine, or even guide the operator through a sequence of operations while we are circling, for example, certain areas of the machine all on the HMI.â&#x20AC;? Beumer has found its new service approach to be a highly efficient

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tool for troubleshooting, according to Krampe, who pointed to improved communication and real-time data transfer as key benefits. Not only is downtime reduced significantly in emergency cases, but there is no longer a need to have technical personnel travel to the customer site whenever thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a problem. This has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, Krampe said. An added benefit to all of this has been the training effect the smart glasses end up having on the operator. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Back in the day, we just sent some Beumer engineer on-site. He was troubleshooting the machine and the equipment, and got the machine back up and running. And if you asked the operator at the end of the shift what was the root cause and how they fixed it, he mostly didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what happened because the Beumer engineer did it,â&#x20AC;? Krampe explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only transferring the information. We give the glasses to the operator, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually executing the troubleshooting, which has a very significant training aspect to the entire operation. So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technically learning by doing.â&#x20AC;? Not only has Beumer implemented the smart glasses for troubleshooting scenarios, but the equipment supplier was even able to use the technology during the pandemic to remotely install and commission a palletizer and stretch hood system with one of its clients in Europe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We used the Beumer smart glasses to connect to our client on-site and supported him while they were installing physically the machine and commissioned the machine to get them up to speed,â&#x20AC;? Krampe said. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Beumer Group at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/561.

REMOTE ACCESS FOR HOT MELT EQUIPMENT

The ProBlue Flex melter from Nordson incorporates intelligent technology that enables dispensing accuracy (7). It was launched during PACK EXPO last year, but during PACK EXPO Connects, Nordson unveiled its new BBconn Controls, which allows for remote operation, more visibility, real-time oversight, and the data and analytics needed for continuous improvement for the ProBlue Flex melter. This dynamic new platform opens the door to complete machine integration, which means users can now operate all equipment from a single interface. The BBconn control system allows Nordsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equipment to easily communicate with parent machines and other devices. The new platformâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connectivity options fully support IoT and Industry 4.0 needs, including Nordsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new BBconn Cloud.

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CONTROLS The new ProBlue Flex melter is designed for drop-in compatibility; this means the size and shape of the new ProBlue Flex melter will fit into the same space allotted for the current system. The compact footprint of the ProBlue Flex melter ensures easy physical integration and the connectivity gained with BBconn control system allows for remote operation. This combination of a thoughtful physical design and an intelligent control system greatly improves the overall user experience. Full integration is achieved by using an automated filling system, remote electronic pressure setting, and one of the many remote user interface options. The ProBlue Flex melter meets the highest safety standards for a complete touch-safe experience, according to Ron Ramspeck, product manager at Nordson Corporation, who presented the new technology during the company’s PACK EXPO Connects live demo. The melter is fully covered, limiting exposure to hot surfaces, and offers optional lidlock for additional protection. It features updated security elements, such as password protection, so the correct settings can be maintained without interference from individual operators. This ensures that safe pressure and heating settings are maintained whenever the melter is in operation. In addition, BBconn Controls, which allow for remote operation, eliminate the need to adjust settings on the melter itself. Almost all operations can be handled from the control panel on the parent machine or from a remote device. This limits direct interaction with the machine for the safest user experience yet. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Nordson at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/151.

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‘SENTIENT’ LABELING MACHINE

The new Nita 4.0 platform sentient labeling machine (8) debuted during PACK EXPO Connects. The self-diagnosing system identifies and advises when parts need changing or servicing and allows users to order those parts directly from the machine via built-in 3D drawings that scale down to the specific required part. In the Windows 10 IoT Enter-

prise Software-based PC control screen, users also get daily, weekly, and monthly preventative maintenance schedules and tutorials, a problemsolving high-resolution video library, an open-source SCADA platform that provides real-time OEE and performance reporting, and live video tech support. The support features are built right into screen of the

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CONTROLS labeling machine and users can also use the new NitaCare app, which comes at no extra charge. “Sentient is a human term, which means to feel and perceive,” said Ken Hubscher, the vice president of sales and marketing at Nita Labeling Systems, during the company’s PACK EXPO Connects live demo. “We call these sentient labeling machines because we built in the ability for the machine to perceive and feel because these machines can self-diagnose.” Other features of the sentient labeling machine include: • 100% speed synchronized, all-servo technology engineered with off-the-shelf, non-proprietary electronics and software. • Parts ordering directly from the machine via built-in 3D drawings that scale down to the specific required item. • Daily Preventative Maintenance schedules and video tutorials with full trend reporting. • A l SCADA platform that provides real-time OEE and other performance data. • Total-replication product changeover system where all physical changeover points on the labeler are clearly identified by innovative alphanumeric, color-coded scales. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Nita at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/507. WIZARD LINKS PRINTER CONTROLLER WITH DATA BASE

At its PACK EXPO Connects demo, Foxjet launched a wizard for its Marksman Matrix™ high-resolution ink-jet printer controller (9) that al-

INNOVATIONS REPORT

lows users to link their existing ERP and product information databases directly to the controller, without the need for IT help, to speed message creation and eliminate coding errors. “We had some capability in the past to link to databases, but the wizard makes it much easier,” shared Michael Sawyer, Global Distribution Sales Manager for FoxJet. “The wizard walks you through with a series of questions. It’s anywhere from a two- to three-minute process from the time you start with the database until you link with our system and get it ready for print. “It’s a very quick process that can save a lot of time, and it obviously doesn’t require a lot of IT resources. Anyone familiar with a computer can do this very quickly.” In the past, Sawyer explained, either FoxJet or its distributors would work with customers to set up their messages and make sure their databases were linked properly. With the wizard, a production supervisor or line supervisor, for example, can now perform this task on their own. Once a database is linked, the software automatically updates whenever the customer switches messages, meaning they don’t have to create new messages for every product they create. “Rather, they would just start the product, and all of the information will drop into the message, because it’s been pre-formatted with the wizard,” Sawyer said. “So, it eliminates the need to have, let’s say, maybe thousands or tens of thousands of messages, one for each of the product SKUs. Rather, we link directly into the customer’s database that already has that product information in it.”

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all of that information into a template message that is really just a placeholder for those data pieces,” Sawyer said. In addition to reducing the time it takes to create messages, the wizard also reduces and/or eliminates human interaction with the machine, greatly decreasing the potential for coding errors. “So, whether it’s mistakes made during the message editing, if you had to edit a message for each particular product, or even perhaps if a customer chose the wrong message to start with—all those things result in different messages on the box than are needed, thus causing all kinds of issues throughout the supply chain,” said Sawyer. He added that one of the things that differentiates the Marksman Matrix wizard is that the controller uses Microsoft Windows 10, making it compatible with “hundreds” of database formats, including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, SQL Server, SAP—“really all the big names in database formats,” he said. “Everything is ready to go, out of the box, at no additional charge to the customer,” he added. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by FoxJet at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/388. PW

Databases can be very simple, such as just a SKU number and a description. Or they can include a product code, a line-one description, a line-two description, barcode formats, images, or other information. “In an ideal situation, the customer would have anything they printed on the side of the box in a variable inside of the database so we can drop

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ROBOTICS E-commerce has reached unprecedented levels, much like the unprecedented pandemic that prompted the rise. According to Robert McElmurry, Executive Director—Global Accounts at Fanuc America Corp., e-commerce spiked Q1-2020 from 11% of retail to 16%—representing a 45% increase in just one quarter. McElmurry, who led Fanuc’s demo at PACK EXPO Connects, shared other statistics on e-commerce as he set the stage for a discussion on “Leading-Edge Order Fulfillment Systems.” Among them, he noted that there were 103 billion packages shipped worldwide in 2019, 20 billion of which were in the U.S. “Globally that comes down to 3,200 packages per second that are being handled by parcel companies,” he said. “The great news is that this industry is expected to double in size by 2026. So, if you’re a technology provider or you’re an end user, it means there’s going to be 103 billion new handling opportunities in the next five years”—handling opportunities that can be addressed by robotics (1).

1 According to McElmurry, robots can assist in both upstream and downstream processes—“not only getting the product from a manufacturer to a consumer, but also from a manufacturer to a DC or FC, or an omnichannel fulfillment center, and then moving from there to either a retail location or a cross dock, or moving out to a business or consumer,” he explained. “There are all these upstream opportunities where robots are being successfully deployed today, and we really do see it as the sky is the limit in terms of the number of opportunities likely to be out there over the next two short years.” The most common applications for robots in the warehouse and distribution center today are each picking (also known as piece picking or split-case picking), depalletizing, sortation, and order fulfillment, McElmurry shared. What they all have in common, he added, is that they identify where an item is, grab that item, and move it somewhere else. • Each picking: Robots can be used to pick an item from a bin or tote and place it somewhere else—potentially in a package or a bag for a grocery order. • Depalletizing: Here, robots can be used at a cross-dock facility, for example, to induct items into a small sortable center where small products are handled.

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• Sortation: Depending on where an item sits in the supply chain, the robot can singulate and induct the item into more traditional automated command systems. • Order fulfillment: Robots can be used to pick items necessary to fill an order that will then be routed to an end user. Said McElmurry, “We’re seeing literally hundreds of robots deployed into these areas, and a lot of companies are having a lot of success.” What followed next were several examples of Fanuc robots being used on the outbound side, either out of an FC or out of a parcel facility. The first was the bulk flats induct system, which comprised a robot inducting bulk items into a sortation system through the use of a vision system and a vacuum gripper. Scanners and sensors on the line read the shipping case barcode from multiple sides to orient the package correctly. The solution uses an AI vision system. Said McElmurry, “Where we are really seeing success with these [AI] systems are in applications that have a significant amount of variability in the types of products being handled,” for example, traditional letter envelopes mixed with a variety of box sizes. He added that these types of AI robotic systems can operate at speeds from 1,000 to 1,500 pieces/hr, depending on the number of robot arms used. The next example was a parcel sorting application, using Fanuc’s integrated 3DV/1600 vision sensor, part of its iRVision® suite of fully integrated machine vision products for robot guidance and inspection, to pick objects presented in a random assortment from a bin in a fixed position. Developed specifically for this type of application or for line tracking large parts, the 3DV/1600 can quickly snap 3D images over a Z range of 2 m, with a maximum field of view of 2,700 mm square. “So, you’re getting the field of view that you need, as well as the resolution you need in order to correctly identify pick points for these packages,” McElmurry explained. Fanuc offers its own integrated suite of vision products and can help end users work with a third-party vision company for AI. McElmurry said Fanuc also has the most diverse range of robot products in the industry on a standardized platform. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Fanuc at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/515. END-OF-LINE APPLICATIONS

Robotics is making its way increasingly into end-of-line packaging— from more established palletizing applications to up-and-coming medical device packaging—and Brenton Engineering, a ProMach brand, had a lot to show of this technology and its capabilities at PACK EXPO Connects. With 12 different virtual demonstrations, Brenton detailed a variety of ways to integrate robotics into end-of-line packaging, showing integration methods as well as new technologies in case packing and linear servo motor tracks (2). In Brenton’s video demonstration of a very high-speed, continuousmotion robotic top-load case packer, it was easy to see how the incorporated linear servo motor tracks would benefit the packaging operation. The Intelligent Track System (iTrak) from Rockwell Automation replac-

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2 es chains and belt drives to replace fixed pitches with a more flexible system, automating changeovers easily. “With the push of a button, you can change from a 20-in. to a 25-in. pitch with no changes,” explained Ryan Glenn, Vice President of Sales at Brenton. This type of technology has been around for a few years—demand driven by SKU proliferation and the move toward mass customization— but it’s newer in case packing, according to Glenn. “It’s becoming more cost-effective. It hasn’t been mainstream on fixed-asset machines; we’ve seen it more on larger-scale processing machines,” he said, adding that Brenton is one of the first case packing companies using the technology. “We’ve already sold a prototype machine, and customers are excited about it.” Interest is coming primarily from retail food customers. Demonstrating how modules can be integrated into a full end-ofline packaging system, Brenton showed why robotic pick-and-place has been gaining acceptance in pharmaceutical and medical device packaging. Robots enable a more compact, efficient line design; a higher level of cleanliness; and high reliability, durability, and accuracy. Operation Warp Speed and other government programs built around speeding COVID-19 test kits and ultimately vaccines to the public are adding to the need for life sciences manufacturers to improve efficiencies and speed production, Glenn noted. “We’re kind of on the tail end of gearing up to be prepared for that,” he noted. “We’ll have a big focus around delivery of vaccines by the middle to end of next year.” Complete lines show a range of packaging capabilities, including solid dose end-of-line, robotic sterilization tray handling, thermoformed (blister pack) packaging, and vial packaging. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Brenton at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/325. ROBOTIC PALLETIZERS

In its PACK EXPO Connects demo, “miniPAL® A Collaborative Palletizing Solution,” Columbia/Okura showcased the new safety and mobility features of its miniPAL® collaborative palletizing robot (3), which

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ROBOTICS features the UR10e robot. To ensure operator safety, the miniPAL now has two area scanners and two safety mats that actively monitor the miniPAL cell. When the scanners are triggered, the robot slows down to collaborative speeds. During collaborative mode, the horn will beep. To resume speed, the area must be cleared, and the yellow button labeled “reset” must be pressed. For mobility, all of the miniPAL’s connections now have quick disconnects at the back of the robotic enclosure. To move the miniPAL, users just disconnect all cables and unlatch the robot frame. The miniPAL has a compact design that includes a lifting column for tall loads, dual stacking locations for continuous load building, built-in fork pockets for easy mobility, and intuitive pattern building software. Sheet placement and product double-picking options are available. The cobot has a load capacity of 18 lb, including the end effector. According to Columbia/Okura, the cobots are easy to program, using Pally software by Rocketfarm. “The software is designed to be smooth, flexible, and quick to install, with three easy steps,” Columbia/Okura said. “It also handles changes in production with ease and requires no downtime.” Noted Columbia/Okura, the miniPAL offers five significant benefits: • Efficient Set-Up: Takes less than a full day; plugs into 110V AC wall power • Easy Operation: No previous programming experience required • Quick Payback: Average payback is between eight to 10 months, depending on application and industry • Flexible Deployment: The mobile solution is easily moved and redeployed to new processes • No guarding required: Vast majority of cobot applications work next to humans without perimeter guarding requirements Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Columbia/ Okuara at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/200. Elsewhere on the cobot scene, Yaskawa Motoman’s HC20XP collaborative robot (4) with a 1.7-m reach is IP67-rated, easy to program, and safe and flexible enough to work side-by-side with people or move between conveyors. It made its debut at PACK EXPO Connects. The HC20XP cobot is designed with an extended reach that makes it perfect for end-of-line palletizing applications while working in close proximity to humans, the company said. To that end, the new cobot features a 1.7-m maximum reach. Its extensive range enables the cobot to reach full 80-in. pallets without requiring an elevator or lift mechanism, while its 20-kg payload allows it to lift larger cases and parts. “End-of-line palletizing is one of the best places to implement robotic automation,” said Michael Castor, material handling product manager at Yaskawa Motoman, noting that instead of having multiple people taking boxes off of a conveyor, “you can put in one robot that will take all of the boxes from the conveyor and stack them on the pallet for you.” Castor noted, too, that the HC20XP is easy to implement—featuring precise hand-guided teaching—and, while there still may be a robot risk assessment required, cobots typically don’t require safety fences. This means it uses less space and is flexible. “Because there is no big cell, you can move it to different conveyors, so you don’t have to deploy multiple robots as there is the potential to use one robot to handle many different conveyors just by moving it around.” According to Yaskawa, this is the industry’s first IP67-rated collab-

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orative robot, equipped for continuous use in damp or splash-prone environments. Made of cast aluminum for durability, this model features an easy-to-clean surface, allowing utilization in sanitary environments where wipe or wash is 4 required. NSF H1 food-grade grease is included as standard, enabling use in settings where there is a possibility of incidental food contact. In addition, the HC20XP meets established safety standards (ISO 13849-1 and ISO 102181) and complies to ISO TS 15066. It offers four modes of collaborative operation, including Power and Force Limiting (PFL), where dual channel torque sensors in all joints constantly monitor force to quickly and safely react to contact. Designed for the utmost safety, the HC20XP features a pinch-less design, while through-arm utilities hide cabling, reducing risks of snagging or interference with other equipment. The HC20XP can easily shift between collaborative speed in PFL mode or full speed in industrial mode to optimize cycle times based on risk assessment and process requirements. It can operate without additional protective measurement (risk assessment dependent) resulting in reduced cost and space requirements. Function-specific tooling and accessories are available from various Yaskawa partners. A through-arm Category 6 cable enables a wide variety of communication options for tooling. The HC20XP robot is controlled by Yaskawa’s ultra-compact YRC1000micro controller which can be installed vertically, horizontally, or mounted in a standard 19-in. equipment rack. Its small footprint and lightweight cabinet are ideal for factories with high-density layouts, where seamless integration and stacking of controllers may be required. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Yaskawa at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/189. Introduced not long ago by Apex Motion Control, the Baker-Bot (5) relies on a collaborative robot from Universal Robots that is safe and easy to use and does not require guarding. It can be integrated into most production lines and ensures consistent product quality. At PACK EXPO Connects, Apex highlighted a new function for the Baker-Bot: end-of-line palletizing. So in addition to decorating cakes,

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ROBOTICS performing pick-and-place functions, and loading/unloading trays and pans, this cobot can now handle palletizing tasks and be integrated into most production lines without the need for safety guarding. As many as 11 cases/min can be safely placed on a standard North American pallet with a stack height up to 76 in. and with a 10-kg case load including the end effector. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Apex Motion Control at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/470. ONExia Inc., a collaborative robot integrator and creator of the PalletizUR™, announced at PACK EXPO Connects the release of PalletizUR 2.0, the latest version of their palletizing robot product line (6). Based around the Universal Robots collaborative robot, PalletizUR 2.0 features a custom software that enables end-users to have this robot palletizing standardized products for final shipment in minutes. Key features: • Automates an otherwise manual process, 6 eliminating worker ergonomic issues • Allows reassignment of workers to “higher and better” work contributions • Durable and portable: move with a pallet jack or forklift • Minimal integration: PalletizUR 2.0 comes ready to run out of the crate • Custom end-effectors: designed for each customer’s specific needs • PalletizUR 2.0 software: drag and drop pallet configuration • Continuous operation: two-pallet reach for minimal down time • Auto-height adjustment: seventh axis provides ability to stack pallets up to 70 in. “Robotic automation has become priority number one for manufacturing in 2020, and the PalletizUR 2.0 gives end-users the ability to successfully automate palletizing without a major redesign of their current packaging lines,” said Tim Pelesky, Marketing Manager of ONExia Inc. “With a price point around $100,000 our customers are seeing an ROI in under a year. The system also frees up valued employees to do higher level and ergonomically safer tasks.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by PalletizUR at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/598. Coesia company’s FlexLink Systems RI20 palletizer (7) is suitable for palletizing closed boxes within fast-moving consumer goods industries. The unit includes enhanced safety features that allow a safe coexistence between the robot and operators on the production floor. The presence of operators in the safety area dynamically adjusts the speed of the robot instead of stopping it, reducing unnecessary downtime. Two pallet loading docks create a seamless pallet exchange that allows them to be filled in succession and increase capacity by up to 5%. The compact design of the unit saves up to 40% floor space compared to heavy robot palletizers. The mainframe does not have to be attached

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to the floor and the RI20 unit can easily be moved using a forklift. The palletizing unit can be relocated in just a few hours, 50% more quickly than alternative solutions the company says, and can be used in multiple lines during the day. The RI20 has an intuitive, web-based pallet pattern manager and does not require robot programming. It takes less than 10 minutes to set up a new recipe, or a few clicks to load an existing design. The palletizer is available with several options, including a rigid interlayer module, pallet pattern manager software, a portable tablet, a remote assistance package, preventive information package, and data collection package. Check out the many solutions featured by FlexLink Systems at its PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/181.

FOCUS ON FLEXIBILITY

Out of necessity, end-of-line palletizing equipment is becoming increasingly agile and complex. As speeds go up and SKUs multiply, highly flexible equipment—and increasingly, custom equipment—becomes more important. That’s why NuSpark used a portion of its demo time at PACK EXPO Connects to show its NRP-10 (NuSpark Robotic Palletizer) robotic palletizing solutions (8). These systems use Fanuc robots, typically within the range of M710, R1000, or R2000 depending on the application. The NRP-10 can range from more manual versions with manual pallet replacement to systems with automatic pallet transfer. Illustrating at the event the upper echelons of automation available within the NRP-10, the company demonstrated a system with two pallet magazines, dispensers, and transfer systems. The robotic arm with mechanical gripper, located at the intersection of the two intersecting lines, can simultaneously service both lines with disparate product without any changeover. In the case of the demo, this meant one line of bliss-style open-top trays, and another line of sealed RSC cases, while running slip sheets between each layer. Continuing on the flexibility theme, but increasingly stressing NuSpark’s custom-equipment chops, a second demo showed a custom wraparound sleever for a paint brush equipment. The commercialized application is for Purdy brand Nylox brushes. Brushes from 1- to 3-in., in various bristle orientations from flat to angular, are readily run on this versatile system. At 30 brushes/min, the un-named, custom system

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horizontally slides each brush into a waiting, formed sleeve and keeper carton. A servo-driven indexing conveyor transfers brushes through the loading operations, as well as the sealing and labeling. Pressure sensitive Velcro button â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;labelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;one male, one femaleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are applied to the body and outer flap of the keeper carton, along with a sensomatic tag. When the carton receives its last fold to enclose the brush, the male and female buttons are joined to create the final seal. All of these applications are integrated into a single sleever frame. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by NuSpark at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/506. FOR PACKAGING AND PROCESSING

At PACK EXPO Connects, Omron Automation highlighted three of its robot products designed to address specific packaging and processing applications. One of these robots is Omronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new HD-1500â&#x20AC;&#x201D;an autonomous, intelligent mobile robot that can handle payloads of up to 1500 kg. Omronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demo showcased the robotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of lasers to provide 360 deg of safety coverage as well as its sensor, which allows for precise pick-up and drop-off of materials. The HD-1500 uses Omronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fleet Manager software, which enables the robot to calculate the best route for material transport while navigating safely around people and obstacles without the use of magnetic floor tapes or other guides. Omronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fleet Manager can control up to 100 mobile robots of different sizes, configurations, and payload capacities, such as Omronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other mobile robotsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the LD-60/90 and LD-250. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The HD-1500 is specifically designed for industrial environments and

allows for the movement of large payloads while reducing the need for forklifts,â&#x20AC;? said Kate Cramer, Automation Engineer at Omron Automation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typical applications include high-payload transporting of materials or finished products such as wrapped pallets, modular equipment, and subassemblies to and from the warehouse or from one location to the next.â&#x20AC;? Omron also gave PACK EXPO Connects attendees a preview of its forthcoming FH-3D Vision Sensor (9), which will be available for purchase in April 2021. To demonstrate this new sensor, Omron showed how it works with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TM collaborative robot.

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ROBOTICS Danielle Belskis, Automation Engineer at Omron Automation, said Omron developed the FH Series 3D camera to solve robotic bin picking applications. “Our collaborative robot, when equipped with our new 3D vision camera, is able to pick up known objects with random overlapping positions out of a bin. Traditionally, this was difficult to automate due to varying weights, shapes, and orientations of objects that require 3D location and different forces during picking. The FH Series 3D camera locates the various objects in the bin and sends their coordinates to the robot, while the cobot’s software makes the advanced calculations required for optimized trajectory and force to pick up objects.” In Omron’s Traceability 4.0 demo, Brian Jeppesen, Automation Engineering Supervisor at Omron Automation’s Technology Center, used an Omron NX102 automation controller, a mechanical stage with a concentric ring, Omron’s G5 servo system, and Omron’s FH vision system. He explained that, in this setup, the NX102 automation controller sends motion commands to the G5 servo system. The servo system then sends position data back to the automation controller, which then determines the correct time to trigger the camera and send triggers to the FH-5050 vision system. “The vision system triggers the camera and the strobe light and the camera passes the image back to the vision system,” Jeppesen explained. “The FH-5050 processes the image and decodes the 2D code. The code value is sent back to the NX102, which sends the decoded data to the cloud using the MQTT protocol. And all of these processes can be programmed and monitored using the Omron’s Sysmac Studio software.” With the controller’s ability to send data to the cloud via MQTT, Jeppesen said “one of the major benefits of this Traceability 4.0 solution is having the ability to get information scanned at the point of origin and then become immediately available for analysis using cloud services.” The ability to quickly access and analyze this kind of granular production data is critical to industries such as the food and beverage packaging industry so that contaminated products can be traced to a specific serial number or a lot number. With this level of detail, it means that “all products with a specific part number need not be discarded, only the products with that specific lot number or serial number range would need to be discarded,” Jeppesen said. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Omron Automation at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/397. MORE SPEED, MORE PAYLOAD

ABB highlighted its new FlexPacker robot (10) and PickMaster Twin software at PACK EXPO Connects. The IRB 390 FlexPacker robot, with its 35% faster pick speed and 45% increase in payload of up to 15 kg compared to ABB’s TRB 360-8/1130 FlexPicker, is available as a four- and five-axis variant delta robot. Marc Segura, ABB’s Managing Director of Consumer Segments and Service Robotics, said ABB developed the IRB 390 FlexPacker with the food and beverage, logistics, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaged goods industries in mind. He added that the IRB 390 is designed for secondary packaging and higher payload applications, with the speed and flexibility to support shelf-ready packaging and retail-ready packaging. It features NSF H1 food grade lubricants and is built using an FDA-compliant material, suitable for use in hygienic environments. In its exhibit, ABB demonstrated how the PickMaster Twin, ABB’s digital twin robotic software for vision-guided random flow picking-

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and-packing applications, enables the simulation of packing stations to optimize the picking process before the stations are physically constructed. This ability is said to dramatically shorten commissioning times from days to hours and reduce changeover times from hours to minutes, while maximizing overall line efficiency. The software also features a color vision system that can support up to 10 cameras for accurate position guidance and inspection. Just prior to PACK EXPO Connects, ABB announced its acquisition of Codian Robotics, a well-known supplier of delta robots for high-precision pick-and-place applications. Codian’s robots are also recognized for their use in hygiene-sensitive industries, including food and beverage and pharmaceuticals. Johannes Faden, Strategic Development Manager at ABB for the company’s machine and factory automation business unit, explained that Codian’s portfolio of robots for hygienic food and beverage processing are built with FDA-approved materials, meet the IP69K water-proof standard, and can be cleaned with high pressure water and detergents. “There is a strong need for pick-and-place robots that ensure high hygienic standards, which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and logistics customers are particularly interested in the potential of automation, enabling supply chains to continue to function, while protecting employee welfare,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. Faden noted that ABB’s interest in acquiring Codian was driven by the growing use of delta robots in pick-and-place applications in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and logistics industries. “Codian’s robot arms will be integrated into ABB’s IRC5/Omnicore control platform, RobotStudio simulation tools, and PickMaster picking software to expand our total solution platform for end-customers and system integrators,” he said. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by ABB at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/713 and PE.show/618.

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ROBOTICS INTELLIFLEX ADDITIONS

Epson Robots debuted the two newest additions to its IntelliFlex flexible feeder system (11) line-up at PACK EXPO Connects. The new additions are the IntelliFlex 80 for handling small parts (3 mm to 15 mm) and the IntelliFlex 380 for large parts (15 mm to 60 mm). These systems join the IntelliFlex 240 (for part sizes 5 mm to 40 mm) and the IntelliFlex 530 (for part sizes of 30 mm to 150 mm). These flexible feeder systems are used to feed consumer goods for packaging in kits, as well as sorting of electronics and medical device parts for packaging.

A key aspect of Epson Robots’ approach to flexible feeding systems is its all-in-one system delivery. Stacey Tieu, Product Manager at Epson Robots, explained that common flexible feeder systems are composed of separate feeder communication protocols; feeder tuning requirements; vision system calibration and programming; and system programming and optimization to coordinate the robot, feeder, and vision system. Epson Robots’ approach is to combine all these components into one system that integrates the vision programming, part tuning, and parts control adjustment. This allows for the Epson IntelliFlex system to be set up and running in one day, rather than the weeks it typically takes to set up a flexible feeder system, according to Tieu. “IntelliFlex is a great alternative to bowl feeders,” said Tieu. “With bowl feeders, if you happen to change a part, you have to go out and buy a new bowl feeder or modify your existing one to handle the new part. “With IntelliFlex, you don’t have to retool the system, it can accommodate different part sizes as well as different part and material types.” This inherent adaptability of IntelliFlex is made possible by Epson’s RC+ integrated software environment, which is used to program and control all aspects of the flexible feeder system. “It’s also what enables the IntelliFlex to be set up so quickly,” Tieu added. “We have built-in command sets for parts feeding so that engineers don’t have to figure this out themselves. The user interface provides a point-and-click way to program the feeder.

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The software environment’s use of artificial intelligence enables autotuning of the IntelliFlex system. Aaron Donlon, Epson Product Manager, explained that, in the RC+ environment, “if you set up the system for one part and then need to move to the next part for a different product, setting up that new part in the system is very easy with all the built-in wizards. You literally just drop 10 parts on the feeder and it uses the built-in algorithm to determine the right set of vibrations or frequency to spread those parts out for optimized feeding. There’s no trial and error with this process, you just let the machine do the automated tuning calibration for you.” Donlon noted that the longest he’s seen the system take to self-adjust to new parts is five minutes, but that the process typically only takes about two minutes. Though Epson Robots is well known for its SCARA robots, the company has been producing 6-axis robots for 25 years. The newest addition to the company’s C series of 6-axis robots is the C12XL—Epson Robots’ highest payload and highest reach robot released to date. It features a 12kg payload capacity and a reach of 1400 mm. As with Epson’s other 6-axis robots, the C12XL has a slim, lightweight design due to its use of Epson’s QMEMS (quartz micro electro-mechanical system) technology in the robot’s gyro sensors, which are part of the servo system. This technology dramatically reduces the weight of the robot, allows for low residual vibration, and minimizes overshoot with smooth end-of-arm motion, according to Epson. “Many robots on the market use a lot of mass to dampen out the vibration,” said Donlon. “We use the QMEMS technology to cancel out the vibration and that allows us to have a lighter weight, faster, and higher-performing robot. That’s how we get a 65 kg robot and a smaller controller with that level of payload capacity.” According to Epson, the C12XL features high acceleration/deceleration rates and high-speed cycle times to optimize parts throughput. Its compact wrist pitch enables access to hard-to-reach areas. ISO 4 Cleanroom models of the C12XL are also available. In the cleanroom version, protective covers are used to avoid static buildup and a vacuum port in the base pulls particles in. Usable as a stand-alone robot or as part of a line, Donlon noted the C12XL will excel in end-of-line applications such as packaging, kitting, material handling, or palletizing. An integrated vision option is also available for the C12XL. Check out the many packaging and automation technologies featured by Epson Robots at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/476. COUNTERFLOW PRINCIPLE

Schubert used its PACK EXPO Connects platform to demonstrate its TLM (top-load machine) Flowpacker, an integrated, modular flow wrapper. The system is U-shaped in product flow, with naked product entering randomly and loosely on a wide pick-and-place infeed belt, and passing left to right in the enclosure until it eventually is pickedand-placed by Schubert-built, gentle-handling delta robots in the third module in the system. The robots transfer the naked, randomly placed product onto a smaller, faster-moving belt traveling parallel to the pick-and-place infeed belt, but 180 deg in the opposite direction. As the robots make the 180 deg directional transfer from the first belt to its counterpart, it indexes product in precise, back-to-back orientation on the flow-wrapper in-

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travels the opposite direction from the third, to the second, to the first module, from which it exits. In most flow wrappers, the spools of rollstock film, or the “film device” as described by Johannes Schubert, Global Key Account Manager, would reside in the same module as the flow wrapping function, right above it in fact. But in this system, the film device has been moved out of the first module, where product is flow-packed into film both by an ultrasonic long-sealing and flying cross-sealing unit. Instead, the rollstock and film application equipment has been moved slightly upstream on the flowwrapper infeed belt, into the second module between the flow packer in the first module at the front of the machine, and the delta robots in the third module at the back of the machine. The reason for this design adjustment was to give operators unfettered access to the sealing jaws in the FOR OVER 75 YEARS NALBACH HAS EARNED ITS REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND first module and film roll device in the second modPERFORMANCE IN THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF LOW MAINTENANCE AND HIGHLY RELIABLE POWDER FILLING, CONTAINER ORIENTING AND BOTTLE ule for maintenance or cleaning, leaving much more UNSCRAMBLING SOLUTIONS. HUNDREDS OF NALBACH MACHINES ARE IN USE room to work in these spaces. Perhaps even more TODAY BY LEADING COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD....WHY? THE BOTTOM LINE important, the in-line (instead of stacked) film rolls/ IS LOWER COSTS AND HIGHER PROFITS. device and flow-wrapping units allows for reduced machine height—the two stations are next to one another instead of one on top of the other. What are you looking for in a POWDER FILLERS powder filler...speed, reliability, “The low height is very ergonomic for operators,” low maintenance, fill accuracy? Shubert said in the demonstration. “Operators can Any of these? All of these? easily prepare the automatic splice, or if they need to Everything you want from a replace film, the height is easy to reach.” powder filler is here with the Also of note, the vision system in the third modNalbach line of powder fillers. ule of the system, where the delta-robots reside, is a Schubert-made 3D vision system. This allows a 3D quality control check to occur directly upstream of the flow-packing operations, looking closely at shape, Nalbach’s modified atmosphere MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING color, height, and weight. Rejects are ignored by these packaging system efficiently trained robots and fall harmlessly into a reject bin at flushes a package with an the end of the wide pick-and-place infeed belt. Not inert gas such as nitrogen to displace the oxygen within the only does this save QC after flow-wrapping, it also package. This system is capable saves the film that would be used to pack out-of-spec of reducing the residual oxygen or damaged product. (RO2) level to less than 1% An optional fourth module contains a single pickdepending on the application. and-place robot paired with a denester for any applications where you aren’t flow-wrapping naked Nalbach orienters are servo product, rather product placed in, for example, a 1x4 ORIENTERS & UNSCRAMBLERS driven systems that quickly, format thermoformed plastic tray for multi-packed simply and inexpensively orient cookies. For applications requiring a tray, the trays are containers into a common simply placed on the outfeed conveyor just upstream direction. of where the delta robots would place the product. Nalbach unscramblers with Only, instead of placing product directly on the belt, only 3 moving parts reduce product would be filled into the denested and robotimaintenance & downtime and cally placed trays prior to flow wrapping. carry a 3 year warranty. A separate Schubert focus, but a quite timely one, was on aftermarket support and service. In the COVideo: For more information VID-19 era, with supply chains disrupted and access Scan or click on and specifications call to service team members compromised, clever service the QR Code to Nalbach at: and support programs were quite the topic of interest the right to watch +1-708-579-9100, throughout PACK EXPO Connects. Schubert’s slant on feed belt. Naked product is now indexed and traveling from right to left. This space-saving design carries product in parallel, but in two different directions, like a two-way highway. The company refers to this as the counterflow principle. The best way to think of the product as it travels through the three main modules is to imagine naked product going into the first module, through the second, then to the third. There, it makes an about face thanks to the delta robots, and then

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this topic was in the form of an exhaustive online parts catalog with full dimensional spec that can be fed into 3D printers. That means many wear or replacement parts that otherwise would have to sit in inventory—or worse yet, wait on shipping— instead can be 3D printed by the end user. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Schubert at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/192. VALVE BAG PLACER

A member of the Duravant family of operating companies, Hamer Fischbein launched its new robotic valve bag placer (12) at PACK EXPO Connects. The placement of valve bags onto valve bag filler spouts is a highly repetitive, labor-intensive task. In many cases, it must be performed in very challenging, dusty environments. The 2400 VBP Robotic Valve Bag Placer automates this placement onto most valve bag filler machines on the market today and can be easily integrated into existing production lines. It utilizes up to two six-axis Yaskawa Motoman robots to place individual bags onto industrystandard filler spouts at speeds to 20 bags/min. A high-capacity, LiveLoad bag carousel capable of storing up to 400 bags virtually eliminates downtime due to bag changeover

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by allowing the operator to load various bag sizes at once. This unique design features dual magazines that allow bags to be safely loaded from one side of a secure cage while the robot continues to place bags onto filler spouts on the other side. “We’re committed to our customers’ success, and to offering innovative packaging solutions to help increase throughput, reduce operating costs, and enable safer work environments,” said Ed Pickens, Director of Engineering and Product Development at Hamer-Fischbein. “One aspect of the 2400 that is truly unique to our design is the LiveLoad bag carousel,” added Brian Bunkenburg, Senior Product Manager. “It keeps our customers up and running because they don’t have to stop production to load bags or to make mechanical adjustments for bag changes. They simply load the different bag size on the carousel at any point, and it just keeps going.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Hamer Fischbein at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/480. PW

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PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE BellatRx’s Constellation Monobloc is a new servo-driven fill-weigh-cap system for unstable pharmaceutical microtubes, vials, and cartridges. The size and shape of certain vials and microtubes can make them difficult to stand on their own, adding difficulty in automated filling because they cannot be placed on a standard conveyor and moved from one machine to another. Life sciences manufacturers producing high-value liquid drugs may also be chal1 lenged by inaccurate fill volume or weight control, or product loss at the end of a batch. To combat these issues, BellatRx Inc. has launched its Constellation Monobloc (1) to pre-weigh, fill, postweigh, cap, torque, and inspect vials to ensure adherence to specifications. The system is suited to small or large batches of high-value liquid products where accuracy is key for pharma, biotech, diagnostic, and healthcare customers. Constellation is able to index unstable vials in a safe way that prevents tilting or leaking. It features a standard speed of 60 vials/min, with higher speeds available with dual-robotic stations. What really sets the system apart is its dual-weight control of vials and microtubes before filling and after filling. “The system measures a tare weight and gross weight, subtracting the tare to obtain an accurate net weight as a verification of the fill volume,” said Alan Shuhaibar, president at BellatRx. This eliminates the risk of underfilled vials. Robotic pick and place stations unload vials from trays into pucks that index the tubes gently throughout the process of filling, capping, and inspection. Grippers match the diameter of the vials for delicate handling. At the filling station, servo-controlled pumps deliver precise volumes into vials, and nozzles are lifted to reduce contact and reduce aeration. “The robotic modules that we’ve added to the system allow us to handle product that usually is very difficult to handle in an automatic format,” explained Shuhaibar. “The controls are Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation), with a large 10-in touchscreen. The robot itself is a Fanuc robot, while the software and the robotic stations are developed in-house.” Capping stations are also servo-controlled—rotation and downspeed are synchronized to match the pitch of the threads. The capping system is equipped with torque feedback sensors. A vision inspection system verifies the presence and placement of caps on vials. If a fill weight or cap issue is detected, rejected vials are tracked to a reject lane without disrupting the system’s operation (tagged in the HMI with the appro2 priate reason).

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Finished product is then robotically loaded back into trays at the end of the line. Subsequent labeling and laser etching of vials or cartoning can be incorporated with the modular design of the Constellation system. If there is an interim operation, vials can also remain in trays to be stored in refrigeration. The system shown at PACK EXPO Connects fills less than 1 mL, but Constellation can accommodate larger fill volumes. In its smallest configuration, the monobloc is 48 in. x 53 in., however when fully configured with three robotic stations it is approximately 156 in. x 53 in. Modules feature surround status lighting that changes color depending on machine status. When operator intervention is necessary, Constellation illuminates the work area in white lighting for enhanced visibility. Constellation can be changed over with minimal product loss. The filling trolley can be unlocked from the system and pulled away for further dismantling without tools. A CIP cycle can be activated to flush wetted surfaces without dismantling. The system is already at work at multiple facilities filling vials for COVID-19 test kits with swabs and rapid (oral) tests. “The trend we’re seeing across the board is a drive towards automation. This includes tasks that were performed manually in the past—because operators could handle the unstable vials,” said Shuhaibar. The shift to automate and increase uptime is driven both by the skilled worker shortage, as well as the desire to reduce contamination (and exposure) from operators breathing near or coming in close contact with the product. “This way they are able to load a tray and step away from the area, versus having to place one microtube at a time,” said Shuhaibar. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by BellatRx at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/225. ROLL-FED SEALING SYSTEM FOR MED DEVICES

Many medical device packages are sealed individually in pre-formed thermoformed trays and pre-cut Tyvek lidding that requires manual lid placement by operators. A tray is loaded into the machine, product is placed in the tray, pre-cut lidding is placed on the tray, and the heat platen is activated to seal the lidding to the tray for a predetermined time, pressure, and temperature. Sonoco Alloyd’s new patent-pending medical sealing system (2) was demonstrated on the Aergo 2 machine at PACK EXPO Connects, where the need for placing pre-cut Tyvek lidding is eliminated by integrating a rollfeeding system into the sealing machine. The roll-feed technology is also offered on the Aergo 2 Plus heat sealing machine.

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to the healthcare setting. In some applications, the new roll-fed system allows for the use of thinner Tyvek. This thinner material reduces the weight and cost without compromising sterility. Without the roll-fed system, a thinner or lighter weight pre-cut lid might curl or move during tray indexing and sealing. The roll-fed system fully removes these seal quality errors. As Kim Sanderson, marketing specialist at Sonoco Alloyd, explained in a product demo, “Advantages of using lighter weight lidding materials include less overall packaging costs, lower waste, and similar benefits to form/fill/seal without the high cost of integration.” The company has calculated cost savings start at around 10% on raw materials saved alone. Both the infeed roller and opposite rewind roller are powered by dual servo-driven motors paired with a series of highly engineered breakers that keep the Tyvek taut and located above the package until the sealing operation is engaged. The system can accommodate rolls up to 14 in. in width. “This torque-applied pressure ensures a tight seal against your package and removes any swelling or extra material that would allow for product to move about,” said Sanderson. Via the 10-in. HDMI touchscreen, Tyvek is programmed to auto advance at a predetermined length, by either a photo eye for printed materials (accurate to ± 1⁄16 in.) or linear indexing measurement for unprinted materials, such as for hand-labeled medical packages. The multi-lingual touchscreen features full color display Choose the best automatic poly bagger, and your ROI starts right away! and on-screen prompts were designed for ease of use. Sealing and diecutting happen at once. When the Whether you are packaging in the hundreds, the thousands or hundreds tray fully engages into the machine, the Tyvek indexes, of thousands, PAC Machinery has versatile, high performance automatic and the heat platen automatically comes down to seal poly baggers to suit your needs. Eliminate inefficient hand filling, hand and cut the Tyvek in the customized shape. Once the sealing, and hand labeling forever. “Right size” your mailers using our Rollbag predetermined seal time has elapsed, the heat platen automatic baggers and our environmentally friendly line of RecyleneTM bag then comes up and the operator may bring the tray material. Reduce cost, reduce waste, and minimize environmental impact. back out to remove the finished package. On the other side of the system, scrap webbing is Perfect for shipping as well as order prep. Start saving today. neatly and automatically rewound on the opposite roller. Sanderson said this excess material may be re1 (888) 378-0820 • sales@pacmachinery.com • pacmachinery.com cycled or sold to regrind HDPE scrap facilities. This automated system eliminates manual lid placement that takes time and can cause errors: • Operators no longer meticulously place the precut lids over the trays using locating pins. (Pins are completely removed with this new integrated medical sealing system, saving on tooling costs.) • Lack of locating pins eliminates the indents in Tyvek lidding. The ideal solution for prep and shipping • Upside down, doubled, or missing lidding is eliminated as well. The roll-fed medical sealing system is designed to ofWant to see some cool automatic poly mailer packaging solutions? fer increased repeatability at approximately 2-6 cycles/ TM Check out our Rollbag fulfillment baggers in operation! min, depending on the application and operator pace. The Aergo 2 features a 12 in. x 18.5 in. seal area while the Aergo 2 Plus features a 14 in. x 28 in. seal area. Two heavily guarded side panels contain the roll and rewind rolls necessary for the automatic placement of the Tyvek lidding (unguarded nip rollers can be hazardous for operator safety). The system accommodates 1073B printed Tyvek, 1059B, and super lightweight 2FS, sterilizable by ethylene oxide (ETO), gamma or E-Beam. Available starting in January 2021, the system is designed to increase speed, seal quality, and seal accuracy, which are all critical for medical devices to arrive safely

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PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE “When working with medical packaging, there’s little if any room for mistakes,” Sanderson explained. “With the integrated medical sealing system, operator error and misplacement of lidding is eliminated. Backwards lidding could cause a costly quality error further down the road If it were to ever reach your end customer. Upside down lidding has the ability to hold up production lines as activated coating buildup must be removed from the heat platens or any subsequent lids will stick to the tool. Misaligned lidding from atmospheric interruption during tray engagement wreaks havoc on seal accuracy and integrity. Trays sealed with lidding completely absent has even larger consequences of contaminating tools by melting raw plastic to the bare tool. Any contamination must be removed before further sealing operations can proceed again.” Tooling is designed and manufactured at the same time as the machine and tray order. The system is compatible with various medicalgrade roll supply materials including foil, paper, and clear sterile barrier film. Specialty tray materials such as direct seal technology may be incorporated. Additionally, multiple number-up seal tool configurations may be designed to maximize production and efficiencies. There are a number of optional features that may be applicable to device manufacturers, including UDI printing, RFID tooling, power shuttle tray, validation ports, automatic product lift, ionizing bar, and ethernet ports. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Sonoco Alloyd at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/136. BLISTER MACHINE’S VACUUM SYSTEM FOR REJECT/TRANSFER

Pharmaworks, part of ProMach Pharma Solutions, introduced at PACK EXPO Connects the TF1pro (3), the next-generation system in its TF1 family of compact blister machines. The system is particularly suited to small to moderate batch sizes and clinical trials for pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers and contract packers that frequently change over. The fully servo-driven blister machine runs up to 100 indexes (200 blisters) per minute. While smaller systems don’t always have the bells and whistles of high-throughput machines, Pharmaworks added many features to maximize product safety and ease of cleaning, while also achieving fast changeovers, accuracy, and versatility. Ben Brower, Director of Sales and Marketing at Pharmaworks, said, “Two years ago, a large pharmaceutical company approached us and asked us to develop a compact blister machine with the most advanced cGMP features. With their design input, we developed the TF1pro, the only blister machine on the market that offers this high level of product safety and sanitation in a small footprint.” The system accommodates tablets, capsules, softgels, vials, syringes, liquids, and more. The intermittent-motion TF1pro supports both thermoforming and cold forming applications and runs a wide range of base materials with a standard roll diameter of 500 mm, providing twice the production capacity of the TF1E blister machine. The usable forming area is 120 by 165 mm with a depth of 25 mm. Optional product vision inspection and print vision inspection are available, as well as full serialization if needed. Processes and parameters—including temperature, pressure, and the timing of each

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step—are PLC-controlled and programmed as a unique recipe in the TF1pro’s large HMI. The TF1pro offers either Rockwell Automation or Beckhoff control systems. As the base roll unwinds, an optional feature monitors roll diameter and alerts the operator when it’s time to add fresh material at the splicing station. Power-driven rollers form a loop in the material, while a sensor ensures that the material loop is in the correct area. This touchless feature helps prevent excess drag on the material, meaning less stretch, saving on costs by allowing the use of small width base rolls. Next, a splice detector notifies the operator when there is a splice in the web, allowing the machine to track the splices and automatically reject that section of material. The company reports that automated adjustment of heating plates, forming tools, and other change parts translates into a 30% reduction in changeover time versus other TF series machines. It features ergonomic components that slide in and lock, including the guide track on the feeding station. The heat area automatically retracts when not in use for operator safety and convenience during changeovers and maintenance. Sloped surfaces throughout the system eliminate the chance of cross-contamination from trapped product or debris, which also speeds changeover by simplifying machine cleaning. At the heating station, upper and lower plates apply contact heating to the base material. The heating station opens fully during machine stop to remove heat from the material. There are optional burnout detectors to determine that all heating elements are working correctly— these will stop the machine if an issue is detected. The warmed material is then indexed to the forming station where upper and lower tools create blisters of predetermined shape, size, and depth. These are change parts that permit toolless changeover, depending on the blister dimensions needed. Driven by a servo motor, the lower tool moves upward during the forming process and this travel can be changed and stored on the HMI

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PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE to allow the most efficient motion for a given blister size. The blister cavity can be formed with air only or air plus plug assist (for cavities up to 25 mm deep). The TF1pro is available with a wide variety of options, including selective forming that enables specific pockets to be turned on and off within the same tool. Pinhole detection for the lid material and/or the base material is available for cold forming. Additional options include a

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lid material splice table, a splitter, servo plug assisted cold forming, and both helium and nitrogen gas flushing. Finished blister cavities are indexed to the feed area, a separate module on the TF1pro that can be tailored to almost any length needed up to 2,500 mm. Open access from the front and rear in combination with feed area length allows automatic feed systems to nimbly dock and undock as needed or allow operators to manually fill blister cavities. Pharmaworks offers several feed systems for its blister packaging machines. The machine on show used the FA1 feeder (also common are the FF1 and FT320) with servo-driven technology to pick and place product into blister cavities. This next generation FA1 feeder is enhanced for more reliable pick motion and features that help speed cleanup and enable toolless installation. At the feeding stage, product is conveyed across a vibratory sift tray, where dust and debris are removed and product is aligned in the feed track. The product populates each groove in the slanted track, enabling gravity to pull the product down the track. The end point of each groove is pre-engineered to match the blister cavity orientation on the web. (When feeding is done manually, operators can work from either side of the machine.) Before the blisters arrive at the seal station, the TF1pro’s advanced vision system inspects the product shape and color, and checks for broken or missing product. The vision system logs this information on good and bad blisters into the blister tracking register (BTR). The position of bad blisters on the web is identified, and these products will be rejected later. Lidding may be preprinted or printed online with the required lot and date codes. Several third-party printers are compatible with the system while a Scanware print vision system checks and logs print quality. To ensure consistent and accurate seal integrity, a load cell provides real-time information on seal pressure. A secondary high-speed sensing system will detect any foreign object between upper and lower seal plates. If an object is detected, the sealing cycle will instantly stop and reverse plate travel. Another safeguard on the TF1pro is a retracting seal plate—if web motion stops, the upper seal plate retracts to the rear so that the web won’t be exposed to unnecessary heat. The blisters are then perforated and die cut by the inverted die punch. The reject/transfer station uses a vacuum arm to lift the “good” blisters onto the outfeed conveyor while “bad” blisters simply drop down into the reject bin, which ensures consistent and accurate ejection. Positioning the die cutter in this way also provides space at the end of the web for direct coupling of a cartoning machine. Blisters can be manually packed as well. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Pharmaworks at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/211.

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PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE PHARMA SECURITY LABEL WITH RFID TECHNOLOGY

Schreiner MediPharm is a global provider of functional label solutions for the healthcare industry. At PACK EXPO Connects, the Germanybased firm discussed its enhanced tamper-evident specialty label, CapLock, with a special RFID inlay (4). Developed to help hospitals expand digitization initiatives, the label-and-cap security concept for prefilled syringes now also enables automated inventory and supply chain management, as well as digital first-opening indication. In doing so, the new Cap-Lock plus RFID solution offers efficient and reliable product authentication and enhanced patient safety. Equipping syringes containing liquid medications with RFID-Labels poses a challenge, as both the container material and the composition of the liquid may impair reading of a UHF RFID Label. Flag labels protruding from the container are frequently used for this purpose; however, these typically require additional space, are prone to being torn off, and must be applied manually. As Paul D’Adamo, sale director, North America, at Schreiner Medipharm, explained, “Flag labels need to be manually applied by hospital staff. This offers separation between the RFID label and the liquid, but it’s not necessarily a very user-friendly application.” With Cap-Lock plus RFID, the RFID chip is integrated in the label. Cap-Lock is a combination of a cap adapter and label. The adapter is placed on top of the syringe’s primary closure and interlinked with it to equalize the diameter differences of the syringe body and closure. The label wraps around the syringe body and cap adapter and—once opened—provides irreversible tamper evidence due to an integrated perforation. The new label-and-cap security concept offers a less labor-intensive application process. “With Cap-Lock, you’re able to incorporate the RFID into the cap, which is creating distance from the actual liquid. From a machine application standpoint, it can be applied when you’re labeling the actual syringe, taking that burden off the healthcare worker,” said D’Adamo. One major benefit of RFID for busy healthcare staff: a direct line of sight is not needed to record inventory, meaning a whole drawer of tags can be read at once without spinning each syringe to view a barcode. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Schreiner MediPharm at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/489.

panies are in need of flexible machines with fast changeover for small, high-value batches. Giacomo Girotto, Vision Inspection Project Manager at Stevanato Group, said, “We want to release the full flexibility of human-like inspection, together with the repeatability and scalability of automated inspection equipment. The system allows some of the flexibility of a ‘human-like inspection’ including the capability to rotate and tilt the containers 4 as they are being inspected, allowing for new inspection possibilities.” With standard vision inspection machines, there may be different format parts to accommodate an array of products, but with the VRU, the robotic gripper means the setup time passing from one format to another is greatly reduced. Its no glass-to-glass inspection process significantly mitigates the likelihood of product damage or breakage for fragile containers. Flexibility is a key benefit of the machine. Whether the end user is a brand owner or contract manufacturer, they are likely to be processing very small batches (some thousands per year) or personalized batches based on a patient’s own cells, where a product may have different attributes— such as varying viscosity—depending on the patient and treatment. This is where AI technology comes in; the VRU is able to improve its inspection performance as data is collected. The unit can quickly react to changing product characteristics—including active ingredient variations, differing fill levels, and different containers—even throughout a single batch. It is also adaptive, exhibiting continuous learning from both production and operator stimuli. It learns to look at the necessary part of the image and isolate the defect. The result is an improvement in the reduction in both costly false rejects and, even more important, false positives. In one trial focusing on reducing the False Rejection Rate (FRR) due to bubbles misclassified as particles, the inspection system viewed 30,000 product images and the false reject rate dropped to 0.21%. The VRU’s island design, for which there is a patent pending, comprises a versatile “plug & play” concept with a freely configurable infeed and outfeed. It is also scalable, so multiple vision inspection units can be added to increase throughput as needs dictate. Check out the many packaging solutions featured by the Stevanato Group at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/527.

ROBOTIC INSPECTION FOR VIALS, SYRINGES, AND MORE

Featured at PACK EXPO Connects by the Stevanato Group was the Vision Robot Unit (VRU), which is designed for accurate and flexible inspection of vials, syringes, cartridges, and more (5). One machine accommodates a range of products including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), vaccines, and lyophilized drugs. The system, which is being delivered to its first customer toward the beginning of 2021, inspects both cosmetic and particle properties without human intervention. With the recent growth of cell therapies, biopharmaceutical com-

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PHARMA & MEDICAL DEVICE INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES

At Syntegon’s PACK EXPO Connects showroom, the latest intelligent and efficient technologies were being featured, including advanced customer services and a variety of digital solutions. An especially timely feature in the showroom was a suitable solution for the use of Syntegon’s SVP process system for the production of potential COVID-19 vaccines. The equipment from the modular construction kit is available for delivery within a short time and can be ramped-up immediately. Solutions for Syntegon liquid pharmaceutical filling systems ranged from small and micro batch sizes to high-performance machines including the MLD cartridge filling equipment. Combined with more than 25 years of experience in isolator technology, Syntegon offers everything from a single source, including bio-decontamination and air-handling technology as well as the qualification and validation. This line competence is rounded off by advanced inspection technology, like Syntegon’s AIM 3000 series, which utilizes high-resolution CMOS cameras with high-speed interfaces to detect particles and cosmetic container defect, while an optional module offers 100% Container Closure Integrity Testing (CCIT). When it comes to Oral Solid Dosage forms, Syntegon showed the TPR 500 tablet press, which combines high productivity and quality with usability. Its hygienic design reduces maintenance and cleaning requirements and offers fast and easy changeovers. Syntegon’s medical device packaging solution handles products safe-

ly thanks to the integrated Fanuc robot arm. The products are protected by locked guards until they are fed into the Pack 202 flow wrapper. Syntegon also presented the remote service assistant – a hands-free solution that enables remotely located experts to guide maintenance technicians using augmented reality (6). Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Syntegon at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/307.

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LINE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL POWDER SACHETS

On show at PACK EXPO Connects was Universal Pack’s ’s Synthesis Theta AR (7). The back story is that a multinational pharmaceutical company sought a complete packaging line to produce four-side-seal sachets of laxative powder and automatically insert them into pre-glued cartons. It was key that the line allow maximum production flexibility, high output, and compliance with pharmaceutical market requirements, while maintaining a compact footprint. The company selected a four-side-seal Theta machine from Universal Pack due to speed and compact size—the vertical machine model can reach horizontal machine outputs, while reducing footprint and maintaining flexibility. Beyond output, the company selected the Theta machine for sachet integrity and aesthetics. Seal integrity is enhanced by a new horizontal sealing concept and a liquid cooling system for sealing parts, which help avoid film and product stress during dosing. For high precision with pharmaceutical powders, the packaging line was equipped with a multi-lane checkweigher whose load cells have direct feedback to the single lanes of the dosing unit. There is also a station for manual reintegration of rejected sachets. The extractable dosing system can be placed at ergonomic height to facilitate cleaning operations and format changes. The Theta line offers companies flexibility in both sachet and carton size, making it well-suited to contract manufacturers and brand own-

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7 ers managing several production batches. With the goal of simplifying operations, the system features toolless adjustments and format changes. The machine was released previously, but the complete line for the laxative powders is a new innovation. As Alex Leardini, Marketing Executive at Universal Pack, explained, “The real innovation is the R80 Counting and Stacking Unit. We usually package sachets using intermittent motion, and this is our first unit designed for continuous motion.” The line features four modules: • Theta Sachet Machine • R80 Counting and Stacking Unit • SC80 Seamless Transfer Unit • Cartoning Machine The system can compact the stacks of sachets before transferring them to the cartoning machine—this process allows for greater stability and enables the company to insert more sachets into each carton. Next is the SC80 Seamless Transfer Unit. “The robot can independently move depending on the rhythm of the machine and the counting and stacking unit, for seamless transfer that maintains the speed and the output of the complete line. At the end we have a Universal Pack continuous motion cartoning machine,” said Leardini. For the laxative powder line, Universal Pack provided a customized assistance and maintenance plan, including training, on-site and remote assistance, and predictive maintenance. Installation of the system depended heavily on remote assistance. The turnkey line means the pharmaceutical company eliminated concerns over integrating components from multiple equipment suppliers. Leardini said that controls and motors are supplied by Allen Bradly, and all other components are produced in house by Universal. “This is important to us and allows us to be very flexible during development.” Check out the many packaging solutions featured by Universal Pack at their PACK EXPO Connects Virtual Showroom, found at PE.show/492. PW

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PRESENTS

Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds. – U.S. Navy Seals

ith the year that 2020 was, teamwork was never so critical, and the above quote from our elite U.S. Navy Seals is so appropriate as we move into 2021. Leading companies foster team leadership. Welcome to Packaging World’s 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program. This is our twelfth year of formally recognizing the many innovative companies that supply packaging machinery, materials, and services for successful packaging operations and initiatives. The pages that follow offer profiles of leading suppliers that have elected to participate in this program. While not a comprehensive list of all packaging suppliers, they represent a diverse range, and this is one of the largest LIP “classes” since introducing this unique program in 2010. Notably, you will find a prominent LIP area prominent on our homepage at www.packworld.com with a listing of the nearly 200 participating companies by product category. As you click on any category, the participating suppliers will appear, and you can link to their special online profile page, complete with additional company information, videos, and content. The participating LIP companies’ profiles will also land in Google searches for enhanced SEO functionality. A very popular feature, we have improved the YouTube video capability that appears on several suppliers’ listings (via camera icon: ) and you’ll note this with every supplier profile online. What’s more, there is a prominent link to each supplier’s Web site to make it easier to connect. Our annual Leaders in Packaging program also is helping to build tomorrow’s packaging leaders. Like in past years, each participating supplier in our LIP program is a named packaging education supporter of the “Future Leaders in Packaging” (FLP) scholarship from Packaging World and the PMMI Foundation, which will be awarded in 2021. This scholarship is for students pursuing degrees that will prepare them for a career in packaging. To date, scholarships have been awarded to students at Clemson University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Cal Poly, Rutgers University, Rochester Institute of Technology and San Jose State, Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging and University of Florida Packaging Program. For 2020, we are pleased to announce the recipient is Purdue Northwest (PNW), College of Technology. The PNW Technology program is led by Dr. Niaz Latiff and is has been recognized as the best in Northwest Indiana continuously for the past several years. PNW’s Mechatronics Engineering Technology curriculum is a synergistic blend of mechanical, electrical, control, hydraulics, automation, robotics, networking, and computer systems technology with a focus on building the interdisciplinary skills necessary for today’s industry. Look for more information on the program in the February issue of Packaging World and online at www.packworld.com. For more information about the FLP scholarship, please contact leaders@packworld.com or visit www.pack world.com/leaders. To be successful, it is imperative that all of us help develop our future packaging leaders, so we encourage you to get involved in your local packaging school, whether it’s a two-year or four-year program. Together, we can help create more leaders in packaging! We appreciate the many extraordinary packaging suppliers who share our vision, and we will be recognizing them in every 2021 issue of Packaging World. Thank you for your continued readership and participation in our Leaders in Packaging program. PW

Look for leaders all year long at: www.packworld.com/leaders

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COMPANY INDEX MACHINERY

PAGE

ADHESIVE APPLICATION Dekka Duraco Nordson Corporation Robatech USA Inc. Valco Melton Videojet Technologies Inc.

301 306 377 402 438 441

BAG & POUCH FILL/SEAL (PRE-MADE) ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc. 269 All Packaging Machinery 266 Emerson 312 Focke Packaging Solutions GmbH 323 Mamata Enterprises, Inc 356 Massman Automation Designs, LLC 358 Mespack-Cloud 363 Ohlson Packaging 381 PAC Machinery 383 Pregis, LLC 394 Shemesh Automation 411

BLISTERS/CLAMSHELLS/ SKIN PACKAGING Boutwell Packaging Co. Starview Packaging Machinery

282 425

BULK HANDLING/FILLING EQUIPMENT ABB Motors & Mechanical Beumer Group GmbH & Co.

261 280

CAPPING New England Machinery Ronchi America LLC Shibuya Hoppmann

375 403 412

CARTONING Aagard AFA Systems, Inc. Bradman-Lake Inc. Brother Usa Machinery Cama North America CRG Automation Delkor Systems, Inc. Douglas Machine Inc. Econocorp, Inc. Exair Corporation Georgia-Pacific Hummingbird Graphic Packaging International Mpac Group Nordson Corporation Nuspark, Inc.

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260 262 283 285 291 298 302 305 310 317 328 331 369 377 380

PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. R.A Jones Robatech USA Inc. Schubert North America LLC Serpa Packaging Solutions Somic America, Inc. Triangle Package Machinery Company Valco Melton

391 396 399 402 407 409 418 433 438

CASE ERECT/SEAL A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. 259 AFA Systems, Inc. 262 Boutwell Packaging Co. 282 Dekka 301 Delkor Systems, Inc. 302 Eastey 308 Econocorp, Inc. 310 Fallas Automation Inc. 318 INSITE Packaging Automation 340 IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) 342 Massman Automation Designs, LLC 358 Nordson Corporation 377 Packaging Distributors, Inc 386 Pearson Packaging Systems 388 Quadient 397 Valco Melton 438 WestRock 443 Wexxar Bel 444

CASE/TRAY PACKING Aagard A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. AFA Systems, Inc. Allied Technology AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions BluePrint Automation (BPA) Bradman Lake Inc. Brenton BW Integrated Systems Cama North America Columbia/Okura CRG Automation Delkor Systems, Inc. Douglas Machine Inc. Econocorp, Inc. EDL Packaging Engineers Fallas Automation Inc. FANUC America Corporation Focke Packaging Solutions GmbH Heat and Control, Inc. Intralox ITW Hartness K2 Kinetics, LLC

260 259 262 268 270 281 283 284 289 291 297 298 302 305 310 311 318 319 323 333 341 343 345

Kaufman Engineered Systems 346 Kawasaki Robotics 347 Massman Automation Designs, LLC 358 Mpac Group 369 Nuspark, Inc. 380 Packaging Distributors, Inc 386 Pearson Packaging Systems 388 PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems 391 Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. 396 Robatech USA Inc. 402 Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. 406 Schubert North America LLC 407 Serpa Packaging Solutions 409 Shape Process Automation 410 Shemesh Automation 411 Sidel Inc. 413 Somic America, Inc. 418 Standard-Knapp, Inc. 424 Syntegon Technology 427 tna North America Inc. 431 Yamato Corporation 446

CODING/MARKING Bell-Mark 277 BestCode 279 Buskro Ltd. 287 Chase Logeman 294 Domino 303 EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA, Inc. 309 Encoder Products Company 313 Exair Corporation 317 Hitachi America, Ltd. 334 ID Technology 337 Label-Aire, Inc. 353 Leibinger Coding and Marking 354 Markem-Imaje 357 Matthews Marking Systems 361 Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection 364 Nita Labeling Systems 376 Norwix Marking Systems 378 SATO America 405 Squid Ink 422 Universal Labeling Systems, Inc. 436 Videojet Technologies Inc. 441 Weber Packaging Solutions 442

CONTROLS & MACHINE COMPONENTS AirTAC USA Corporaton B&R Industrial Automation Beckhoff Automation Busch Vacuum Solutions Emerson Encoder Products Company Festo Corporation

265 275 276 286 312 313 320

Hoosier Feeder Company King Plastic Corporation Lenze Americas Morrison Container Handling Solutions PIAB USA Inc. Precision Automation Company, Inc. Siko U.S. Tsubaki, Power Transmission, LLC VDG (Van der Graaf) Yaskawa America, Inc.

336 349 355 368 390 393 415 434 439 447

CONVERTING EQUIPMENT CTM Labeling Systems Inc. Exair Corporation Honeywell Intelligrated PIAB USA Inc. Sidel Inc.

299 317 335 390 413

CONVEYING & ACCUMULATION ABB Motors & Mechanical AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions Beckhoff Automation Columbia Machine Dorner Eriez FlexLink Systems, Inc Formost Fuji Corporation Garvey Hoosier Feeder Company Intralox ITW Hartness mk North America, Inc Modular Conveyor Express Morrison Container Handling Solutions Multi-Conveyor Multifeeder Technology Nercon Conveyor Systems PFlow Industries Regal Beloit Ryson International Inc. Span Tech Specialty Equipment Filler Co. tna North America Inc. U.S. Tsubaki, Power Transmission, LLC VDG (Van der Graaf)

261 270 276 296 304 316 322 324 326 336 341 343 365 366 368 370 371 374 389 400 404 420 421 431 434 439

DIGITAL PRINTING BestCode Bell-Mark Brother Usa Machinery Buskro Ltd.

279 277 285 287

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Georgia-Pacific Hummingbird Norwix Marking Systems The BoxMaker, Inc.

328 378 429

FEEDING/INSERTING/ UNSCRAMBLING All-Fill, Inc. Eriez Garvey Hoosier Feeder Company Morrison Container Handling Solutions Multifeeder Technology Nalbach Engineering Co. New England Machinery Regal Beloit Ronchi America LLC Shibuya Hoppmann

267 316 326 336 368 371 373 375 400 403 412

FILLING/CAPPING LIQUID & VISCOUS Bellatrx Inc. Brother Usa Machinery BW Packaging Systems Chase Logeman Enercon Industries Krones, Inc. New England Machinery Optima Machinery Corporation Pneumatic Scale Angelus R.A Jones Ronchi America LLC Serac Inc Shemesh Automation Shibuya Hoppmann Specialty Equipment Filler Co.

278 285 290 294 314 352 375 382 392 399 403 408 411 412 421

FILLING/CAPPING - DRY All-Fill, Inc. All Packaging Machinery Corp. Bellatrx Inc. Enercon Industries Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. Nalbach Engineering Co. Optima Machinery Corporation Pneumatic Scale Angelus

267 266 278 314 359 373 382 392

FLOW WRAPPING Bradman Lake Inc. BW Flexible Systems Formost Fuji Corporation George Gordon Associates, Inc. Harpak-ULMA Packaging LLC Ima FLX hub Ilapak Inc. Syntegon Technology

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283 288 324 327 332 338 427

FORM/FILL/SEAL VERTICAL ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc. BW Flexible Systems George Gordon Associates, Inc. Heat and Control, Inc. IMA FLX hub Ilapak Inc. Matrix Packaging Machinery Multivac Inc. Norwix Marking Systems Ohlson Packaging Syntegon Technology TDI Packsys tna North America Inc. Triangle Package Machinery Company

269 288 327 333 338 360 372 378 381 427 428 431 433

FORM/FILL/SEAL HORIZONTAL (POUCHES OR BAGS) All Packaging Machinery Corp. ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc. Formost Fuji Corporation IMA FLX hub Ilapak Inc. K2 Kinetics Mamata Enterprises, Inc Matrix Packaging Machinery Mespack-Cloud Optima Machinery Corporation R.A Jones Reiser TDI Packsys

266 269 324 338 345 356 360 363 382 399 401 428

INSPECT/VISION/TESTING/ CHECKWEIGH/X-RAY All Fill, Inc. 267 ANRITSU INFIVIS INC. 271 CASSEL Inspection 292 Eriez 316 Fortress Technology Inc. 325 Mekitec US 362 Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection 364 Nita Labeling Systems 376 Packaging Distributors, Inc 386 TDI Packsys 428 WIPOTEC-OCS 445 Yamato Corporation 446

LABELING American Film and Machinery Bellatrx Inc. BestCode Buskro Ltd. Chase Logeman CTM Labeling Systems Inc. Domino EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA, Inc.

263 278 279 287 294 299 303 309

EPI ID Technology KHS Group Krones, Inc. Label-Aire, Inc. Leibinger Coding and Marking Markem-Imaje Matthews Marking Systems Multifeeder Technology Nita Labeling Systems PDC International Corp. P.E. North America Pneumatic Scale Angelus Precision Automation Company, Inc. SATO America Sleeve Seal Quadrel Labeling Systems Universal Labeling Systems, Inc. Verst Logistics Packaging Videojet Technologies Inc. Weber Packaging Solutions

315 337 348 352 353 354 357 361 371 376 385 387 392 393 405 417 398 436 440 441 442

MULTIPACKING/SHRINK BUNDLING/BANDING Eastey EDL Packaging Engineers PDC International Corp. P.E. North America Standard-Knapp, Inc.

308 311 385 387 424

PALLETIZING/ DEPALLETIZING Aagard A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. Allied Technology Arpac Arrowhead Systems Inc. Beumer Group GmbH & Co. Brenton BW Flexible Systems BW Integrated Systems Columbia Machine Columbia/Okura GR-X Manufacturing FANUC America Corporation Festo Corporation Focke Packaging Solutions GmbH Honeywell Intelligrated Intralox ITW Hartness K2 Kinetics Kaufman Engineered Systems Kawasaki Robotics KHS Group Krones, Inc. Mpac Group

260 259 268 273 274 280 284 288 289 296 297 330 319 320 323 335 341 343 345 346 347 348 353 369

Nuspark, Inc. Pearson Packaging Systems Ryson International Inc. Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. Serpa Packaging Solutions Shape Process Automation Top Tier Palletizers

380 388 404 406 409 410 432

ROBOTICS Allied Technology BluePrint Automation (BPA) Brenton Cama North America Columbia Machine Columbia/Okura CRG Automation Encoder Products Company FANUC America Corporation Festo Corporation FlexLink Systems, Inc Honeywell Intelligrated Kaufman Engineered Systems Kawasaki Robotics PIAB USA Inc. PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. Schubert North America LLC Siko Shape Process Automation Top Tier Palletizers Yaskawa America, Inc.

268 281 284 291 296 297 298 313 319 320 322 335 346 347 390 391 396 406 407 415 410 432 447

SHRINK WRAPPING Arpac Clysar, LLC Douglas Machine Inc. Eastey EDL Packaging Engineers George Gordon Associates, Inc. PAC Machinery Standard-Knapp, Inc. Uline

273 295 305 308 311 327 383 424 435

STRAPPING EAM-Mosca Corporation Signode

307 414

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COMPANY INDEX continued MATERIALS

STRETCH WRAPPING/ PALLET LOAD CONTAINMENT Beumer Group GmbH & Co. EAM-Mosca Corporation Signode Top Tier Palletizers Uline

280 307 414 432 435

TAMPER-EVIDENT MACHINERY American Film and Machinery Label-Aire, Inc. Enercon Industries PDC International Corp. P.E. North America Sleeve Seal WiPOTEC-OCS

263 353 314 385 387 417 445

332 363 372 401 425 434

TRAY LIDDING/SEALING Harpak-ULMA Packaging LLC Multivac Inc. Reiser Starview Packaging Machinery Wexxar Bel

332 372 401 425 444

VACUUM PACKAGING/MAP Busch Vacuum Solutions Vacuum Barrier Corporation

286 437

WEIGHING/COMBINATION SCALES AnRITSU INFIVIS INC. 271 Heat and Control, Inc. 333 Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. 359 Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection 364 Ohlson Packaging 381 Triangle Package Machinery Company 433 WiPOTEC-OCS 445 Yamato Corporation 446

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Squid Ink EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA, Inc. Hitachi America, Ltd. Markem-Imaje

Duraco IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) STA, LLC The Reynolds Company

306 342 423 430

BLISTERS/CLAMSHELLS/ THERMOFORMING MATERIALS charter NEX Films, Inc. Klöckner Pentaplast, Food Packaging

293 350

CARTONS AND BOXES Boutwell Packaging Co. Fibre Box Association Graphic Packaging International Uline WestRock

282 321 331 435 443

CLOSURES Independent Can Company James Alexander Corp Mold-Rite Plastics Novembal

339 344 367 379

CONTAINERS AR Packaging Systems DAK Americas Independent Can Company James Alexander Corp Klöckner Pentaplast, Food Packaging Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. Mold-Rite Plastics Novembal PFlow Industries Printpack Sonoco Products Company Yupo Corporation America

348

BW Packaging Systems Charter NEX Films, Inc. Glenroy, Inc. Matrix Packaging Machinery Pregis, LLC

Printpack Vacuum Barrier Corporation

395 437

LABELS 422 309 334 357

272 300 339 344 350 359 367 379 389 395 419 448

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

WRAPPING KHS Group

ADDITIVES, COATINGS & INKS

ADHESIVES/TAPE

THERMOFORM/FILL/SEAL Harpak-ULMA Packaging LLC Mespack-Cloud Multivac Inc. Reiser Starview Packaging Machinery U.S. Tsubaki, Power Transmission, LLC

PAGE

290 293 329 360 394

CTM Labeling Systems Inc. EPI ID Technology Klöckner Pentaplast Pharma, Health and Protection & Durables SKC Inc. Sleeve Seal Weber Packaging Solutions Yupo Corporation America

299 315 337 351 416 417 442 448

MULTIPACKS/HANDLES/ CARRIERS PakTech

384

PLASTICS/RESINS ABB Motors & Mechanical DAK Americas King Plastic Corporation Klöckner Pentaplast Pharma, Health and Protection & Durables

261 300 349 351

PROTECTIVE/TRANSPORT PACKAGING Airguard Packaging Charter NEX Films, Inc. IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) Mold-Rite Plastics Pregis, LLC Signode

264 293 342 367 394 414

RETAIL DISPLAY PACKAGING 429 418

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CONTRACT PACKAGING James Alexander Corp Span Tech Verst Logistics Packaging

344 420 440

E-COMMERCE Airguard Packaging AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions BluePrint Automation (BPA) Clysar, LLC Duraco Fibre Box Association

328 383 397 404 420 429 430 443 444

PACKAGE DESIGN AR Packaging Systems Glenroy, Inc. Klöckner Pentaplast, Food Packaging Novembal SKC Inc. Sonoco Products Company

272 329 350 379 416 419

PACKAGING LINE INTEGRATION Arpac BW Integrated Systems BW Packaging Systems EAM-Mosca Corporation FlexLink Systems, Inc Precision Automation Company, Inc. Regal Beloit

273 289 290 307 322 393 400

SOFTWARE Beckhoff Automation Emerson Matthews Marking Systems

276 312 361

SUSTAINABILITY

The BoxMaker, Inc. Somic America, Inc.

BUSINESS DRIVERS

Georgia-Pacific Hummingbird Pac Machinery Quadient Ryson International Inc. Span Tech The BoxMaker, Inc. The Reynolds Company WestRock Wexxar Bel

264 270 281 295 306 321

Airguard Packaging AR Packaging Systems Busch Vacuum Solutions Clysar, LLC DAK Americas Fibre Box Association Glenroy, Inc. Graphic Packaging International Independent Can Company Klöckner Pentaplast, Food Packaging Klöckner Pentaplast Pharma, Health and Protection & Durables Printpack Quadient SKC Inc. Sonoco Products Company The Reynolds Company Vacuum Barrier Corporation Verst Logistics Packaging Yupo Corporation America

264 272 286 295 300 321 329 331 339 350 351 395 397 416 419 430 437 440 448

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Case erect/seal Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. 811 Live Oak Street, Tarpon Springs, Fl 34689 Phone: 727/937-5144 Email: abcwebleads@abcpackaging.com www.abcpackaging.com Since 1940, the A-B-C brand has represented quality, innovation, and service in packaging machinery. It’s this total package that makes a difference every day on our customers’ production lines around the world. We build robust machines, stand behind our products, and work diligently to help our customers achieve their packaging and product protection goals. We know packagers are challenged to do more with less, and we’re responding with new machines that combine ergonomic designs with intelligent control, built for long operating life with low cost of ownership. We’ve expanded our case erector and case sealer lines to offer more standard models for midrange and high speed lines. Our robotic case packing and palletizing solutions combine A-B-C’s workhorse performance with ultimate versatility for changing packaging requirements. Best-in-class HMI automation is standard, giving our customers top performing machines that deliver user-friendly operation and offer top flexibility in their plant integration. A-B-C machines operate in many industries in plants around the world; case erecting, packing, sealing, palletizing, depalletizing, and decasing. Our customers rely on our factory-trained personnel who are dedicated to assisting them quickly whether in-plant or via remote link. All A-B-C service technicians are PMMI Certified trainers who can provide hands-on instruction to increase employee proficiency and confidence. Packagers trust us for quality machines that stand the test of time, supported by comprehensive service and support for the life of their equipment.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging World’s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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Cartoning Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing

Aagard 3711 Iowa Street, Alexandria, MN, 56308 US Phone: 320.763.6043 Email: sales@aagard.com https://www.aagard.com/ Need more automation capability, in a fraction of the space? We can help. By engineering your EXACT solution, we make every square inch count when it comes to Case Packing, Cartoning, Palletizing, Variety Case Packing, Retail Ready, Sleeving, and Combination machines. Our custom approach is a mix of inventive problem solving and a willingness to take on challenges. Check out a few of our innovative solutions: -Fully Automated Variety Case Packing Including Retail Ready Packaging -One Case Packer For Cartons and Bags, With Auto Change Over -Telescoping Conveyor, Accessibility Without Steps Or Draw Bridges -Flexible Top Load Case Packer for Bags With Auto Change Over -Expand Your Capability with Integrated Options Aagard is a leading engineering innovator of secondary packaging automation. Total project success happens with partnership and an iterative design process. We work together to understand the complete picture, creating the optimal solution that mitigates space, speed, and flexibility challenges to drive results. Since 1997 we have specialized in engineering and building customized integrated combination packaging systems that fit our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specific needs and spaces. Using our proven innovative technologies our unique packaging machines can combine many solutions into a single turn-key system with one integrated control package. Whether the need is for a design solution with a small footprint or an agile system that can produce 1000s of product combinations, we will deliver The Aagard Experience. HELPING OUR CUSTOMERS WIN

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 9:33 AM

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Conveying & accumulation Bulk handling/filling equipment Plastics/Resins

ABB Motors and Mechanical 5711 R.S. Boreham Jr. St. Phone: 479-646-4711 www.baldor.abb.com ABB is the leading US marketer, designer, manufacturer and service provider of ABB and Baldor-Reliance® industrial electric motors, Dodge® mechanical power transmission products and ABB generators. With a long, rich history dating back to 1878, the US ABB business is supported with manufacturing, R&D and support offices in more than 15 locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. For many packaging applications across most industries, ABB provides solutions for efficient production, safe and reliable operations, and digital remote condition monitoring. ABB offers the broadest range of industrial AC and DC electric motors to value-minded customers. The company’s product lines include the entire Baldor-Reliance® range of NEMA motors, ABB’s IEC motor line, and large motors up to 100,000 horsepower, ensuring a complete solution for most industrial applications. The company also offers variable speed, servo, synchronous, switched reluctance, gear, pump, brake, and explosion-proof motors. ABB is the North American leading producer of mechanical power transmission products with Dodge® mounted bearings, enclosed gearing, and power transmission components such as couplings, sheaves, bushings, and pulleys. These industrial products are all designed to thrive in the most rugged environments, with the lowest total cost of ownership over the lifetime of the product. ABB’s motor and mechanical business also offers a host of industry experts who understand the challenges of applications in food processing and unit handling. As a result, the team designs and produces a number of industry-specific product solutions for these industries and applications.

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Cartoning Case/tray packing Case erect/seal

AFA Systems, Inc. 8 Tilbury Court, Brampton, ON, L6T 3T4, Canada Phone: 905/456-8700 Email: info@afasystemsinc.com www.afasystemsinc.com Since 2001, AFA Systems has been providing customers with innovative end of line automation systems. From cartoning all the way down to palletizing, AFA Systems can offer turnkey solutions for your end of line automation. Our world-class solutions are seen all over the world in countries such as South Korea, China, Argentina, Chile, and Indonesia. Our experienced and talented engineering team are dedicated to solving your end of line automation problems. We utilize our proprietary technologies to develop solutions that meet your specific packaging requirements. Whether it is vertical cartoning or end load case packing, AFA Systemsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; world-class engineering capabilities can help you build a competitive advantage through packaging automation. Our list of products and services are shown here: cartoning, case packing, case erecting, carton forming, tray forming, tray packing, palletizing, product accumulation, robotic pick and place, machine retrofits, service parts, machinery training, and engineering services.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 9:39 AM

263

Tamper-evident machinery Labeling

American Film & Machinery (AFM) 7041 Boone Ave, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 Phone: 714/974-9006 Email: info@afmsleeves.com www.afmsleeves.com American Film & Machinery is a leading manufacturer and supplier of heavy-duty shrink sleeve labeling equipment, shrink tunnels, and shrink sleeve consumables. AFM’s shrink sleeve labeling equipment includes a complete line of shrink sleeve labelers, tamper evident banding equipment, steam tunnels, electric tunnels and infrared tunnels. AFM’s labelers range in performance from 50 to 500 products per minute, offering a product and price point no matter what the application demands. American Film & Machinery also offers a complete line of shrink sleeve consumables, including shrink labels, tamper evident bands, and preforms. AFM is supported by two of the largest film converting plants – one with 7 rotogravure presses and up to 9-color stations and compatible converting equipment, and another plant with an 8-color 32” central impression flexo press. With over 40 years of experience in the shrink labeling industry, rely on American Film & Machinery to provide the right solution to your product labeling needs. AFM products are sold through a network of authorized dealers, fully trained and capable to install, train and service our equipment. Contact us today for the name of your local reseller and find out how we can benefit your operation. AFM, Eastey, Squid Ink and Cogent Technologies are all divisions of Engage Technologies Corporation. American Film & Machinery (afmsleeves.com) supplies shrink labelers and tunnels, shrink sleeves, and tamper bands. Eastey (eastey.com) is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty shrink packaging equipment and automated case sealing systems for packaging applications. Squid Ink (squidink.com) is a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and traceability, providing superior quality inks and low maintenance printing equipment. Cogent Technologies (cogent-tech.com) manufactures infrared drying systems used to dry ink in the industrial and graphics industries.

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12/17/20 9:41 AM

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Protective/transport packaging Sustainability E-Commerce

Airguard Packaging Protection by Design 2005 108th St., Suite 504, Grand Prairie, TX 75050 USA Phone: 469.332.3051 Email: sales@airguardpackaging.com www.airguardpackaging.com Airguard Packaging is the Designer and Manufacturer of a highly Innovative and Automated 3D Air Cushion Solution aimed at protecting a wide range of products during shipping & handling. Airguard specializes in one of a kind Protective Packaging solutions, specifically suited to your product and package requirements. Airguard USA HQ is located in Dallas, Texas where we Design & Manufacture for the North American market. We are truly MADE IN USA!!! Airguard was established by industry veterans to provide solutions to age-old packaging dilemmas such as excessive storage and handling, labor, transportation, material cost, and environmental challenges. Our 3D Custom Designed Air cushions are shipped uninflated to the customer thereby reducing the Shipping and Storage volume requirements by up to 90% when compared to traditional foam materials. Our Customers Benefit from the following: reduced storage space, decreased packaging line area, enhanced safety, simplified inventory management and lowered carbon footprint. Airguard’s air cushions have superior IMPACT protection which in turn minimizes product returns, are more cost-effective, improving the customer’s reputation in the marketplace. Don’t miss out!! Join the future of packaging & enjoy the many benefits of Airguard’s revolutionary system!

Scan Me to See Airguard Packaging in Action

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12/17/20 9:43 AM

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Controls & machine components

AirTAC USA Corporation pneumatic components 21201 Park Row Dr. Katy, TX, 77449 Phone: (281)394-7177 Email: sales_us@airtac.com www.airtac.com AirTAC International Group with its HQ located in Taiwan, established in 1988, is one of the top five pneumatic components manufacturers in the world. Annual sales revenue reached 530 million USD in 2019. AirTAC specializes in producing pneumatic actuators, control valves, air prep, and accessories that use along with the components. Sales Branches: AirTAC USA Corporation is the one of the sales branches of AirTAC in United States. Located in Houston Texas with 80,000 square feet warehouse. Other branches of AirTAC located in Taiwan, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Italy. Production: AirTAC production bases are located in Taiwan and China, in total of more than 5 million square feet of production ground. AirTAC produces more than 90% of its products, from material extrusion, die cast, injection, to machining then assembling, packaging, AirTAC makes its own products in house. Pricing and Quality: Due to the vertical integration of production, highly automatic manufacture and assembly line, and ISO 9001 certificate, AirTAC is able to produce high quality products with very competitive pricing which give AirTAC a very strong growth and position in pneumatic world.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 9:45 AM

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PW JAN2021

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Filling/capping -dry Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

All Packaging Machinery Corp. 90 1 t ven e, nit 11 • Ron on o a , 11 9 Phone: 631/588-7310 Email: sales@allpackagingmachinery.com www.allpackagingmachinery.com Expert Engineering for Superior Performance All Packaging Machinery Corp. manufactures USDA-approved vertical and horizontal conveyorized band sealers for sealing pouches and bags. Our machinery is configured specifically for your unique packaging application. Every component is designed to run smoothly and require a minimum of maintenance. With over 70 years of successful packaging experience, our quality machinery is proudly made in the United States of America. Vertical Conveyorized Sealing Systems The ideal choice for products packaged in bags that can be sealed in an upright position. Model VCBSDM-1/8TX 6”x5’ includes a bag top trimmer, vacuum scrap removal, dual motor drive, and synchronized lower carry conveyor. Upgrade options and selective components are available such as a stainless steel frame or an embossing coder. Non-trim models are perfect for stand-up pouches! Model VBS-3/8-DH-10-V is supplied with verification ports for process validation of pressure, speed, and temperature. Includes self-contained compressed air. Seals Tyvek® pouches at up to 40 feet per minute. Horizontal Conveyorized Sealing Systems High speed production unequalled in the packaging industry! Model HCBS-1/8CT 12”x8’ includes a bag top trim feature with a vacuum scrap removal and is designed to support heavier or bulky packages. An optional overhead compression assembly is available for specific applications to remove air from the bag. Excellent for “lay-flat” packages such as tortillas, pizza, bakery, meat, poultry, and seafood.

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12/17/20 9:50 AM

267

Filling/capping -dry Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray

All-Fill Inc. 418 Creamery Way Exton, PA 19341 Phone: 610-524-7350 Email: info@all-fill.com www.all-fill.com All-Fill, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of packaging machinery, focusing on simple and effective designs to help our customers meet their increasing demands efficiently and accurately. Our line of machines are offered as standalone units or fully integrated systems that bring you the perfect blend of precision, speed and versatility. With a legacy spanning more than 50 years, All-Fill continues to engineer with our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs in mind by providing reliable equipment that requires minimal set-up, maintenance, or operator intervention. By designing and manufacturing all machinery under one roof, All-Fill utilizes the highest quality materials and components to continuously improve overall performance. Our equipment offerings include auger fillers, vibratory fillers, cup fillers, piston fillers, checkweighers, vertical form fill & seal baggers, labelers and bottle unscramblers. These units feature simple-to-use designs that allow for minimal downtime during changeovers. We supply machines that enhance packaging efficiency for consumer products such as dry foods, snack foods, coffees & teas, cosmetics, fruits and nuts, grains and seeds, spices, pharmaceuticals, powdered foods, flours, cannabis, training & health supplements, household cleaners & detergents, dressings, sauces and many other applications. We also supply many solutions to large-scale industrial products, agricultural, building supplies & automotive industries. All-Fill recently established a satellite facility in Scottsdale, AZ as a sales and service center to provide better support to our customers in the Western United States. Reach out to learn more about what All-Fill can do for your packaging processes, our team of experts and engineers are ready to discuss your needs. Please visit www.All-Fill.com to learn more about our equipment offerings. From startups to fortune 500 companies, we are ready to discuss your needs.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 9:53 AM

268

PW JAN2021

Palletizing/Depalletizing Case/tray packing Robotics

Allied Technology 2150 W 6th Ave, Ste P, Broomfield, CO 80020, USA Phone: 303/502-7753 Email: Sales@Allied-Technology.com www.Allied-Technology.com Allied Technology is an Original Equipment Manufacturer and Integrator of Robotic Packaging Machinery. Proudly made in the USA since 1997, everything we build is designed and manufactured from our headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. We ensure that each machine meets our high standard of quality before being installed. We integrate industrial robots and collaborative robots (cobots) from: - Kawasaki Robotics - Universal Robots - Yaskawa Motoman - ABB Robotics - Staubli Secondary Packaging Machines we specialize in utilizing Robots and Cobots: - Compact, Mobile Palletizers (Single- and Multi-Lane, Cases, Trays, Wrapped, etc.) - 3D Vision-Guided Depalletizers - Case and Tray Packers (Club Store Display Ready, Top and Side Load, and Variety Packs) - 3D and 2D Vision-Guided Pick and Place - Flexible and Rigid Case Collators - Pouch Filler and Sealer - Modular Conveyors and Smart Conveyor Systems Our machines are designed to be simple to use with minimal training, so operators and maintenance teams, on all shifts, have no issues keeping the machine running production. Check out videos of our machines at www.Allied-Technology.com/Videos

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 9:54 AM

269

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags) Form/fill/seal -Vertical

ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc. 780 APEX ROAD Sarasota, FL 34240 Phone: 941/923-1181 Email: dfc@alliedflex.com www.alliedflex.com ALLIEDFLEX® THE AUTHORITY in STAND-UP POUCH PACKAGING & MACHINERY ALLIEDFLEX® is a leading North American supplier of Global Standup Pouch Packaging Machinery and Turnkey System Provider. We also provide integrated systems for Innovative Flexible Packaging - Pouch & Bag Packaging Systems – HFFS & VFFS Technologies, Pouch Processing Systems (Pasteurization, Cooling & Retort) & Automated Packaging including Flow Wrap, Flow Pack, Robotic Flex Picker, Top Load Multipack Cartoning, Tray Packing, Collating, and Case Packing Systems. Bag in Box and Aseptic Pouch and Bag Systems. ALLIEDFLEX® offers: Fill Seal (pre-made), Fill through Spout, and Form Fill Seal (roll stock) HFFS Machinery Technologies, Horizontal Pouch Packaging, VFFS - Vertical Pouch-Bag Packaging, Turnkey Robotic Automation for Pouch Processing and End of Line Packaging, Pouch Processing Systems include Pasteurization, Pouch Cooling and Retort Pouch Chambers. Semi & Automated Machinery from Pilot Plant to High-Speed Automated Systems. Our Global Machinery Partners include: VELTEKO | BOSSAR | SCHOLLE IPN | iXAPACK Secondary Packaging Automation | BLAZEK Stick Pack | UMBRA Pouch & Bag Filling Machinery | SURDRY Food Sterilizers | FENCO Food Processing Systems

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12/17/20 9:57 AM

270

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Case/tray packing E-Commerce

AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions 2301 E.Lamar Blvd, Suite 100 Arlington, TX 76006-7437 Phone: 877/800-1634 Email: info@ambaflex.com www.ambaflex.com AmbaFlex is the partner for customized material handling systems based on spiral conveying technology! Our unique SpiralVeyor is used in a wide range of markets and applications for vertical transportation, temporary storage and the accumulation of single goods and packed products. We are an independent global company that has developed, produces and also maintains the SpiralVeyor system to ensure that our customers receive the most cost effective solutions available today. We are the only spiral conveyor manufacturer with production units and customer support facilities spread over three continents for the best possible service. The production facility in Canton (OH) USA, set up in 2010, is, with 108,000 square feet, by far the largest spiral production plant in North America and situated close to our largest customers and end users. In the packaging market, be it primary or secondary, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical that products stay in pristine condition while keeping a high throughput. AmbaFlex spirals are known for their longevity and careful handling of goods while maintaining blazing speeds. Even multi-rows, portal functions, cooling or accumulating is possible with the proprietary technology of AmbaFlex. This ranges from vertical transport between floors to creating portal passages, as well as the cooling and dynamic accumulating of products. Elevations as high as 30 metres or stacking up to unlimited heights. The possibility of combining up to four parallel independent conveyor belts in a single coil is in line with the trend towards parallel pack flows. The operation stainless steel configurations match the high demands of cleanability.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 9:58 AM

271

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Weighing/combination scales

ANRITSU INFIVIS INC. 1001 Cambridge Drive Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: (847) 419-9729 Ext. Email: eva.bar@anritsu.com www.anritsu.com/infivis Protect Your Brand Against Recalls and Consumer Complaints Manufacturers worldwide rely on Anritsu’s contaminant detection and quality inspection equipment. We deliver a level of precision, reliability and support that truly advances the quality of your products and the efficiency of your operations. How much of your products do consumers inspect? 100% Reduce consumer complaints with the world’s most installed food X-ray. Anritsu X-ray systems give producers the best combination of performance, reliability and low cost of ownership. The Anritsu X-ray Advantage Anritsu X-rays come standard with HD imaging that outperforms competitors in finding metal, bone, glass and stone contaminants. The fully-featured XR75 series offers long component life and easy operation & maintenance. • 1 food -ray supplier worldwide with over 12,000 installations • ndustry-leading performance for both metal and low-density contaminants • Low TCO p to 300% longer tube and detector life • eliability Lowest warranty rate in the industry • .S. assembly of popular models About Anritsu An engineering-driven company, Anritsu has 150,000 inspection installations since 1964 with worldwide sales and service, and available CE and M D European standards. Anritsu’s full solution range includes X-ray, checkweigher, metal detector, and combination systems, backed by 24/7 technical help with available remote support.

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12/17/20 2:31 PM

272

PW JAN2021

Containers Sustainability Package design

AR Packaging Systems 1755 North Brown Road, Suite 200, GA 30043-8196 Lawrenceville Phone: 770/623-8235 Email: infor@ar-packaging.com www.ar-packaging.com AR Packaging offers complete innovative machine systems which provide a unique packaging solution to match your specific needs and wishes for brand differentiation. Boardio® is the game changer for a more sustainable tomorrow. The new system checks all the boxes: consumer convenience, competitiveness, outstanding sustainability profile and flexibility. It replaces plastic tubs, metal cans and glass jars or other traditional packaging solutions to help you fulfill your sustainability targets and support your brand positioning. • • • • • • •

ecyclable in the paper stream in many countries Eye catching shape and design with possibility to print on all si sides E cellent protection of your sensitive dry products Optimized convenience with large opening and integrated reclosable board lid Large opening for an easy-to-scoop and pour function Delivered flat for minimized transportation and storage The winner of carbon footprint benchmarks in rigid gas tight packaging

The Boardio® packaging and machinery are developed by AR Packaging – an experienced supplier with system knowledge since many decades and with continuous innovation. We take full responsibility through conceptualization, installation, verification on site as well as service support over time. Our complete packaging systems consist of packaging equipment, packaging material, services and spare parts your one-stop shop Don’t miss out to make

oardio

your success

AR Packaging – We create success through packaging Our group was founded in 1929 and offers a unique wide range of carton-based and fle ible packaging solutions. With 5,500 skilled employees across three continents, packaging is tailored to meet high customer expectations on product protection, pack differentiation and minimized environmental impact.

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12/17/20 10:03 AM

273

Packaging line integration Shrink wrapping Palletizing/Depalletizing

Arpac - A Duravant Company 9555 Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, IL, 60176 Phone: 847.678.9034 Email: info@arpac.com www.arpac.com/ Since its inception in 1971, ARPAC LLC has been recognized as a leading manufacturer of innovative end-of-line secondary packaging solutions. With 30,000 installations worldwide, ARPAC packaging systems have been successfully installed in virtually every industry. Our machines provide tailor-fit packaging solutions to producers of foods, beverages, printed publications, pharmaceutical goods, health & beauty products, building supplies, automotive products, material handling companies and a wide variety of industrial and consumer goods. This broad scope of expertise has led us to develop an equally wide range of machinery, capable of solving virtually any packaging problem. ARPAC’s vast packaging product line includes shrink wrappers, shrink bundlers, tray formers, case formers, tray packers, case packers, shrink tunnels, robotic and conventional palletizers, and pallet stretch wrappers. All our machines are highly customizable, and we specialize in designing integrated production lines tailor-fit to customers’ needs. ARPAC’s headquarters, manufacturing, training facility and showroom are centrally located in Schiller Park, IL, near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. In ARPAC maintains sales offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and selected countries worldwide. ARPAC has 230 employees and occupies 180,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space. ARPAC machinery is sold and serviced by our international network of 500 independent distributors.

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12/18/20 10:53 AM

274

PW JAN2021

Palletizing/Depalletizing

Arrowhead Systems Inc. 3255 Medalist Drive Oshkosh, WI 54902 Phone: 920/235-5562 Email: inqury@arrowheadsystems.com www.arrowheadsystems.com With a 75-year history of innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction, the companies of Arrowhead Systems are leaders in providing material handling equipment, conveyor, palletizers and depalletizers solutions and service to the food and beverage industries. BUSSE/SJI the inventor of the original bulk palletizer and depalletizer continues to lead the industry in material handling equipment. In addition to the Busse/SJI machines, they manufacture PRIORITY ONE equipment—simple, yet sophisticated low-level depalletizers, high and low-level case palletizers, and multi-line central palletizing systems. ARROWHEAD CONVEYOR offers a complete selection of customized and standard conveyor systems. They offer a diversified lineup of table top, mat top, case conveyors and air conveyors, as well as an entire line of equipment for can manufacturing. With the addition of NEXTCONVEYOR, they manufacture wash down and sanitary conveyor lines. A & B ENGINEERING SERVICES, LLC sends experienced field service engineers around the world to assist customers with all Arrowhead Systems equipment, as well as other major brands. Services include: • ew machine start-up • Services/ pgrades • Preventative Maintenance • Safety Enhancement • Line Controls ntegration • Technical Support • Machine Audits • ebuilds • etrofits More

Alpha Turbo Advanced Depalletizer, SJI Thermal Product Line, and Case and Bulk Handling Solutions with advanced cutting edge smart technology allows companies to optimize and automate their production lines for years to come.

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12/17/20 10:04 AM

275

Controls & machine components

B&R Industrial Automation 1250 Northmeadow Pkwy, S-100 Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770/772-0400 Email: marketing.us@br-automation.com www.br-automation.com B&R Industrial Automation, a member of the ABB Group, is bringing a new level of performance and flexibility to packaging machinery in response to the needs of consumer goods manufacturers. To help CPGs implement their adaptive enterprise strategies, B&R has integrated automation technologies that enable the adaptive machine. It begins with a single development environment resulting in a single program running on a single powerful processor over a single network to simplify and synchronize machine operation. It is the first automation system that integrates all aspects of machine control â&#x20AC;&#x201C; motion, logic, HMI, robotics, track technology, vision, networked safety, IIoT connectivity and predictive maintenance. With the newly acquired Codian Robotics B.V., a leading provider of delta robots which are used primarily for high-precision pick and place applications, B&R now offers packaging machinery builders a solid portfolio from both ABB and Codian Robotics. Track technology (shown at top left) has proven to be a game changer, enabling mass customization down to batch size one, changeovers on the fly and make-to-order instead of make-to-stock. This is the essence of the adaptive machine, machines that adapt to the product being produced and packaged instead of the product conforming to a rigidly sequential process. The adaptive machine in turn enables digital business strategies, such as direct-toconsumer e-commerce, streamlining the supply chain and giving the digital native consumer what they want, when they want it, cost effectively.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 12:35 PM

276

PW JAN2021

Controls & machine components Conveying & accumulation Software

Beckhoff Automation 13130 Dakota Ave, Savage, MN 55378 Phone: (952) 890-0000 Email: beckhoff.usa@beckhoff.com www.beckhoff.us/packaging Next-step Automation Technology from Beckhoff Offers Unrivaled Flexibility and Throughput in Packaging Beckhoff Automation is a global provider of open automation systems based on advanced PC Control technology. The “New Automation Technology” philosophy at Beckhoff represents universal and open automation solutions used in a wide spectrum of hightech applications around the world. These applications range from control of machines and robots used in packaging, to Internet of Things (IoT) systems, to category-defining mechatronics solutions and much more. The world headquarters of Beckhoff Automation is in Verl, Germany while the U.S. headquarters office is in Savage, Minn. (Minneapolis area). XTS, the paradigm-shifting linear transport technology from Beckhoff, has been expanded with new hardware and software technology. XTS Hygienic, a stainless steel, IP69K version, is ideal for wash-down production environments in packaging, pharma, food and beverage. In addition, new Track Management functionality allows individual movers to transfer between multiple XTS systems, enabling further customization, quality inspection, automatic defect ejection and more. These features, along with the system’s high speeds, dynamics, small footprint, instant recipe changeovers and real-time integration with robotics, further revolutionize possibilities in packaging. Another breakthrough in mechatronics technology for packaging machinery, the XPlanar flying motion solution delivers unrivaled flexibility and throughput in product and package handling. The system uses planar motor tiles as a base to levitate passive movers at speeds of 4 m/s and acceleration up to 20 m/s². Path planning and collision avoidance software produce extremely efficient and maintenance-free motion control for complex packaging, inspection and material handling applications. Anti-sloshing functionality in TwinCAT 3 software optimizes XPlanar’s transport capabilities in applications involving liquids, such as filling of beverages, cosmetics and other goods. XPlanar offers wear-free movement and the ability to cover planar motor tiles with stainless steel, glass or other hygienic surfaces.

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12/17/20 10:13 AM

277

Coding/marking Digital printing

BELL-MARK 331 Changebridge Rd, Pine Brook, NJ 07058 Phone: 973-882-0202 Email: info@bell-mark.com www.bell-mark.com For over 60 years, BELL-MARK has been developing innovative solutions for package and carton printing applications in the medical device, pharmaceutical, prepared foods, meat, bakery, dairy, and poultry packaging industries. BELL-MARK offers many in-line printing technologies, including piezo inkjet, thermal inkjet, thermal transfer, flexographic, and ink coder, all of which satisfy requirements to print directly onto package and carton substrates. MedicalDevice and Pharmaceutical Packaging The accuracy of Coding on your product package is crucial. Expiration dates must be clearly identifiable and easily human-readable. Bar Codes must be verifiable & scannable. There are no exceptions. BELL-MARK addresses these needs with systems that provide the highest quality print available on Medical Paper, Tyvek, Poly, and Foil Substrates. Meat, Poultry, and Prepared Foods Packaging Eliminate costly labeling by printing directly onto your package. Sell-By dates and Lot numbers are crucial to your customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety and the reputation of your product. Typically, a printer on your packaging machine will have to meet specific wash-down expectations and will have the ability to print Graphics, Nutritional Facts, Bar Codes, Lot/Exp. dates, and Safe handling instructions. Industry-Leading Reliability BELL-MARK in-line printing and coding equipment deliver industry-leading reliability and durability, time, and time again. High-resolution print quality that consistently affords you the peace of mind in knowing that your codes will not fail. While other companies may claim it, BELL-MARK leads the way in the lowest cost of ownership and highest Return on Investment.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 10:35 AM

278

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Filling/capping -dry Labeling

BellatRx Inc. 20655 Boul. Industriel, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 4B2 Canada Phone: 514/630-0939 Email: info@bellatrx.com www.bellatrx.com BellatRx is a leading manufacturer of complete packaging lines and equipment and your number one source for inventive, advanced, and automated packaging and filling solutions. Our expertise lies in the engineering and manufacturing innovative equipment designed to your specifications for a turnkey operation. Our packaging lines are designed to meet your packaging requirements ranging from small batch runs to large high-speed operation. We design our lines with speed, efficiency, flexibility, and ease of changeover in mind. Your packaging line will be modular with expansion capabilities built in to keep pace with your company’s growing demands. Our expert technical team, support customers throughout the process from kick-off to final commissioning, and beyond. BellatRx is a global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of Complete Packaging Lines, Filling, Capping, Labeling, Inspection, and Recovery systems focusing on Rigid Containers. We serve a broad range of industries including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, chemical, cosmetics and personal care for solid products, liquids, and powders. At BellatRx, we live by an encompassing mindset to create “Beyond Expectation” experience for our customers. This experience is derived from our capabilities in application analysis, innovative engineering designs, product development, project management, ontime delivery, installation, start-up support, training, and ongoing aftermarket support. BellatRx continues to implement the latest automation technologies to manufacture packaging machines which become the benchmark in the industry due to their intuitive operation and easy setup. We are dedicated to expanding our product lines by ongoing investments in our people, R&D, and facilities to provide our customers with the best support, lead time and value. We strive to always deliver a Beyond Expectation experience for our customers.

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12/17/20 10:39 AM

279

Coding/marking Digital printing Labeling

BestCode 3034 SE Loop 820 Fort Worth, TX 76140 Phone: 817/349-8555 Email: info@bestcode.co www.bestcode.co CODING AND MARKING SOLUTIONS BestCode designs and manufactures Industrial Coding and Marking Printing Systems. Systems print real-time “Best By”, “Lot Code”, “Sell By”, “Expiration Codes” and other identifying marks and codes on industrial and consumer goods to ensure product traceability. Products are designed and manufactured in the USA; FORT WORTH, TEXAS. For more than 25 years, the BestCode group continues to produce industry-changing, forwardthinking innovative industrial printing designs. Product designs are focused on ease of use, trouble-free operation, long-term reliability, and affordable cost of ownership with an emphasis on global market requirements. Systems print small and large character text, graphics and barcodes at high speed, non-contact, instantly dry on a wide range of substrates, including plastic, glass, paper and more - meeting the requirements for food, consumer good and industrial coding and marking applications. BestCode offers a complete range of marking and coding solutions (50+ model configurations) - entry level affordable options through mid-range capabilities and high end, specialized engineered solutions focusing on the highest speed, most sophisticated applications. BestCode systems minimize user interaction, limiting the hands-on time for typical coding system operations, extending the operation time between human interactions. Systems are the most efficient CIJ printers available, lowering overall coding costs. Systems are State-of-the-Art, Current Technology, Industrial, Built-to-Last and designed for the World Market, featuring more than 20 operating/printing languages.

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12/17/20 10:43 AM

280

PW JAN2021

Bulk handling/filling equipment Palletizing/Depalletizing Stretch wrapping/pallet load containment

BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG Oelder Str. 40 Beckum, 59269 Germany Phone: +49 2521 240 Email: info@beumer.com www.beumer.com Systems and equipment for complete packaging lines: The BEUMER Group, based in Beckum/Germany, now employs 4.500 staff and achieves an annual turnover of around 950 million euros. The company plans, builds and installs system solutions and complete packaging lines which are matched to the customer’s individual requirements down to the last detail. As a single-source provider, BEUMER Group supplies and installs these packaging lines and adjusts them individually to the customer’s products. The system provider offers different palletising solutions, depending on the packaged items. The BEUMER paletpac, for example, can be equipped with a clamp-type turning device or a twin-belt turning device. For palletising cartons, boxes, canisters or trays, BEUMER offers the BEUMER robotpac, a space-saving articulated robot. During transport, the palletised products must be secured on the pallet and protected against dust, rain or other atmospheric influences. The BEUMER stretch hood® high capacity stretch hood system can be used for this. The customer receives an intralogistic solution that is tailor-made across industries to perfectly fit the task at hand. The system provider has set up a team of experienced specialists to deliver these “Tailor-Made Solutions”. With BEUMER Group, the customer gets everything from one single source, starting from inquiry to technical dimensioning and site installation. If desired, the system supplier continues to support the operator with its comprehensive range of services after commissioning of the system to ensure high levels of machine availability during the entire running period. This is ensured by the BEUMER customer support. Thanks to digitalization, the BEUMER Group can remotely parameterize and commission individual components as well as complete packaging systems.

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12/17/20 10:46 AM

281

Robotics Case/tray packing E-Commerce

BluePrint Automation (BPA) 16037 Innovation Drive, South Chesterfield, VA 23834 USA Phone: 804/520-5400 Email: sales@blueprintautomation.com www.blueprintautomation.com BluePrint Automation (BPA) is a world leader in end-of-line packaging automation. With a diverse and innovative team of experts in consumer goods packaging, BPA designs, develops and manufactures packaging solutions for flexible and other tough-to-handle packages. • Vision Guided obotics obots picking individual packaged and unpackaged items for loading into your containers, wrappers or hffs machines; including Stacking and Loading, Variety Pack, Dinner Tray Loading and Kit Assembly • Case and Tray Packing orizontal and vertical pack solutions for fle ible and other tough-to-handle packages; including wrap around case packing, end-load cartoning and innovative retail ready solutions • Turnkey Packaging Systems Taking total control of your packaging line from the end of processing through palletizing Backed by thousands of successful installations in over 60 countries, BPA has three fullservice manufacturing facilities in the SA and Europe, an additional facility in angzhou China and ten additional subsidiaries throughout the world for sales and service. BPA is all about innovation and know it is their reputation that makes them successful. Based on requirements of their customers, BPA develops innovative technologies and machines designed to exceed expectations. Starting from initial contact through project management and commissioning, including service and support, PA aims to please. Their sales and engineering teams work closely with you to develop the optimal solution for your specific packaging needs, ensuring maximum line productivity.

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12/17/20 10:50 AM

282

PW JAN2021

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging Cartons and boxes Case erect/seal

Boutwell Packaging Co. 251 Authority Drive Fitchburg, MA 01420 Phone: 978/343-3067 Email: salesinfo@bopkg.com www.bopkg.com Privately held, in business since 1887, Boutwell Owens is a designer of and manufacturer of paperboard packaging including: Folding Cartons Display Card Packaging Counter Displays Advertising specialty paperboard items Structural Design and Consultation Film Laminations, Holographics, Foils Graphic Design and Consultation High SKU propagation product lines Inventory management Customized supply solutions to meet individual client needs. Renewable energy powered, carbon neutral and led by only the seventh CEO in our companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 133 year history, our longevity, cutting edge creativity and individual customer focus are the core of our offering ISO9001-2015 registered, AIB and GMI Certified, with both offset and digital print capabilities and digital and conventional cutting capabilities.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 10:58 AM

283

Flow Wrapping Cartoning Case/tray packing

Bradman Lake Inc. 3050 Southcross Boulevard, Rock Hill, SC 29730 Phone: 704 588 3301 Email: sales@bradmanlake.com www.bradmanlake.com From Process to Pallet. With engineering and project management that really understands the challenges of today’s packaging industry, the Bradman Lake Group is synonymous with providing packaging solutions to a client base that demands a partner to help them excel in today’s competitive markets. The Bradman Lake Group is composed of four key brands: • Autowrappers founded 1948 • bonhart founded 1979 • radman Lake founded 1969 • Europack founded 1966 We have amalgamated the brands to become a ma or supplier of ntegrated Packaging Technology to key industry sectors including bakery & biscuit, chocolate & confectionery, dry foods, chilled & frozen foods, pharmaceutical, consumer and healthcare. From distribution and feeding systems, flow wrapping, roll wrapping, slicing, bagging, robotics and cartoning to case packing, shrink wrapping and palletizing, time after time the world’s leading companies place their trust in radman Lake ntegrated Packaging Technology. A common design platform and universal mechanical and electrical standards are adopted group-wide. Our shared research and development successfully bring together cutting edge technologies to offer clients the benefit of placing a single contract with a partner who is able to provide a turnkey system, project managed from initial concept to site acceptance and beyond. Bradman Lake is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the multi-disciplined global UK engineering

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12/17/20 11:00 AM

284

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Brenton 4750 County Road 13 NE, Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: 320/852-7705 Email: Brenton@ProMachBuilt.com www.BrentonEngineering.com Brenton designs and manufactures End of Line (EoL) packaging equipment including case packers, palletizers, integrated end of line systems and other robotic automation solutions. With expertise in conventional, hard automation as well as robotics, Brenton has the solution to fit the customer’s specific application requirements. Brenton’s case packers range from economical, slow-speed to efficient, high-speed case packers. Offering standard machines in industry leading lead-times, Brenton’s can meet compressed project timelines. Their palletizers are built on more than six decades of experience manufacturing heavy-duty, easy to use solutions and can handle simple single pick applications to full layer palletizing and depalletizing. As a FANUC Certified Servicing Integrator and Strategic Market Specialist, Brenton’s extensive knowledge in robotics continues to grow and drive additional robotic automation solutions to their portfolio. With proven robotic solutions in case and carton packing, palletizing, high-speed pick and place, material handling and customized robotic systems, Brenton provides their customers with a partnership deeply rooted in experience. In-house, factory-floor system integration is a thing of the past. For over a decade, Brenton has offered complete EoL integration between Brenton and customer specified equipment. This includes staged Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) guaranteeing peak performance capability, quicker start-up, lower risk, increased system safety and one point of contact for all product lines, resulting in better communication between the pieces of equipment. Brenton’s partnership does not end after installation. With one of the longest running aftermarket programs in the industry, Brenton has a team of in-house aftermarket parts, service and machine retrofit experts providing 24/7 support, keeping customers up and running at peak capacity. Time to update your equipment? Whether it is a Brenton solution or the competition’s, Brenton can retrofit or rebuilding your existing application.

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12/17/20 11:01 AM

285

Digital printing Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Cartoning

Brother Usa Machinery 4423 Old Yale St. Houston TX 77018 Phone: 713/485 5858 Email: info@usabrother.com www.usabrother.com BROTHER USA MACHINERY is a leading packaging machines supplier that focuses on providing quality machines and great service at affordable cost. Our priority is to provide the best packaging solutions and our goal is to create long-term relationships with our customers. Our wide range and diversity of equipment makes us different from our competitors, providing spare parts, service and technical support. Our equipment range goes from Manual Film Sealers all the way to Automatic Continuous Packaging Lines. Our main lines of equipment are: - Printing Automatization for our Packaging Lines - Filling Machinery for Liquid, Viscous, Powder, Solids. - Carton Sealers/ Box Tappers, Carton Erector , Strapping Packaging Lines. - Single and Multiweigher Packaging Lines. - Vertical VFFS Packagers. - Horizontal Flow Wrappers. - Vacuum, Gas Flushing , Skin Blister, Thermoforming Packagers. - Thermal Shrink Packaging Lines, etc.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 11:03 AM

286

PW JAN2021

Sustainability Vacuum packaging/MAP Controls & machine components

Busch Vacuum Solutions 516 Viking Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 Phone: 757-463-7800 Email: info@buschusa.com www.buschusa.com Busch Vacuum Solutions is one of the largest manufacturers of vacuum pumps, blowers and compressors in the world. With more than 50 years’ experience and expertise, Busch provides customized solutions for a variety of vacuum applications. Our customers have always been the focus of our business since the company was founded in 1963. Today, with over 60 subsidiaries in more than 40 countries and sales agents in over 30 countries, we provide sound advice and technical support directly at our customers’ locations. Busch USA, headquartered in Virginia, is also home to our engineers, product specialists, customer service professionals and manufacturing teams dedicated to quality and innovation. Our systems building department designs and builds standard and individual vacuum systems to meet our customers’ process needs. In addition to our production facilities, we offer quality service from our network of service centers around the country or at your location. Our Field Service Specialists are available for preventative maintenance, on-site repairs or 24/7 breakdown support. Busch vacuum pumps and genuine spare parts are conveniently available at each service center. Increase uptime, optimize safety, and improve efficiency with our reliable service options. Read more about Busch Vacuum Solutions innovation in Packaging World: www.packworld.com/companies/busch-vacuum-pumps-and-systems

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12/17/20 11:04 AM

287

Coding/marking Digital printing Labeling

Buskro Ltd 1738 Orangebrook Court, Unit 1 Pickering, ON, Canada L1W 3G8 Phone: 905-839-6018 Email: sales@buskro.com www.buskro.com Founded in 1976, Buskro has evolved into an industry leader in the design and manufacture of print and personalization equipment to meet a broad range of customer applications in the commercial print and packaging markets. Buskro’s approach of incorporating the latest personalization technologies and providing an upgrade path for existing equipment allows our products to meet your current needs and gives you the ability to evolve with your future needs. Buskro equipment features heavy duty construction with the option for 3rd party integration, a design that promotes years of trouble-free operation, and powerful Compose IQ software that has all the tools to deploy simple to complex personalization systems.

Buskro offers a full suite of transport modules, inkjet printers, labelers, inspection devices and personalization elements that allow you to tailor a system that’s just right to meet the specific requirements of your jobs. Choose a printer or array of printers best suited to satisfy your print resolution, coverage, and ink needs and then define the image with Compose IQ, control the output, track progress, and inspect the result to confirm full job compliance.

Buskro’s Package Personalization System (PPS) has been designed to apply inkjet print, brand labels, and other personalization features such as RFID variably onto a wide variety of packaging products for jobs of any size. Employing Buskro’s configurable Modular Transport System as its foundation, personalization elements are added and placed where you need them to meet your specific package personalization requirements. Layered with workflow software that assists with rapid product setup and job preparation plus a camera inspection device that monitors and ensures completion and right amount of each and everyone of your products, the PPS provides all the tools to reduce waste and production costs.

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12/17/20 11:05 AM

288

PW JAN2021

Form/fill/seal -Vertical Flow Wrapping Palletizing/Depalletizing

BW Flexible Systems 225 Spartangreen Blvd. Duncan, SC 29334 Phone: (864) 486-4000 Email: sales@bwflexiblesystems.com www.bwflexiblesystems.com BW Flexible Systems is a worldwide leader in flexible packaging systems and technology with state-of-the-art design and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Italy, and the Netherlands and a global network of sales and support teams offering local, responsive service whenever and wherever needed. Bringing over 100 years of experience building packaging machinery, we partner with our customers to provide the right packaging solution to meet your needs, from entry-level machines to full line systems, and any environmental or regulatory requirement. Horizontal Flow Wrappers – Capable of handling a wide range of sizes and materials, our flow wrappers produce the best seals, wrapping and packaging for a wide variety of applications, including difficult-to-handle products. Vertical Form Fill Seal - Featuring an array of continuous and intermittent motion bag filling systems, our vertical baggers are capable of filling low, medium and high-speed packaging applications for a variety of products and industries in any packaging environment. Big Bag Filling – Offering innovative and reliable solutions for free, and semi-free flowing products, our product lines also feature a variety of solutions for weighing, mixing, blending, filing and packaging a variety of products. Bag Palletizing – Our advanced palletizing systems feature a patented layer squaring and compression system that accurately and efficiently places, stacks, and wraps bags with exceptional pallet stability with no pallet overhang. BW Flexible Systems is a Barry-Wehmiller business, in the BW Packaging Systems family of companies. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world.

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12/17/20 11:08 AM

289

Palletizing/Depalletizing Case/tray packing Packaging line integration

BW Integrated Systems 1305 Lakeview Drive | Romeoville, IL 60446 | USA Phone: +1 630.759.6800 Email: sales@bwintegratedsystems.com bwintegratedsystems.com BW Integrated Systems is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of end-ofline packaging equipment and robotic automation solutions, as well as the execution of integrated packaging systems. Our company attributes its decades of success to three simple principles: “People. Products. Performance.” PEOPLE: Striking the appropriate balance between a people-centric culture where everybody matters and industry-leading performance is core to our business. As a member of the Barry-Wehmiller family, we strive to be the kind of company that enables its associates to return home each day with a true sense of fulfillment. Our mission is to be a company that people enjoy working for, doing business with, investing in, and having as part of their communities. PRODUCTS: Our diverse product portfolio consists of trusted legacy products (AMBEC, Fleetwood, Goldco, Nigrelli, Streamfeeder, SWF, Tisma), innovative solutions and integrated packaging systems. Our service network provides global technical support and offers peace of mind for a diverse client base that operates in a variety of market segments including: Automotive, Beer & Beverage, Wine & Spirits, Container Manufacturing, Food, Household, Personal Care, Dairy, Paper, Pharmaceutical, Industrial, and Packaging, Print & Mail Fulfillment. PERFORMANCE: BW Integrated Systems’ has decades of application experience in packaging line design and integration, robotic automation, and the design and manufacture of innovative packaging equipment. We have packaging equipment and systems integration installations in over 50 countries around the world. With seven manufacturing facilities and ~800 team members worldwide, BW Integrated Systems is a trusted global partner for our clients, which range from mid-size companies to multi-national corporations.

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12/17/20 11:10 AM

290

PW JAN2021

Flexible packaging Packaging line integration Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

BW Packaging Systems 8020 Forsyth Blvd. Clayton, MO 63105 Phone: 314/862-8000 Email: connect@bwpackagingsystems.com www.bwpackagingsystems.com/ BW Packaging Systems – a part of Barry-Wehmiller, a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members worldwide – represents the collective capabilities of five BW companies in the packaging industry. Through these companies, customers can find more than just a single machine, they can leverage their combined primary packaging, labeling and end-of-line packaging systems. BW Packaging Systems includes: Accraply, a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and support of pressure-sensitive (self-adhesive), roll-fed and shrink sleeve label application systems, as well as converting and finishing equipment, for the shrink sleeve and flexible-packaging markets. BW Flexible Systems, a global manufacturer of packaging systems that fill and bag thousands of food and non-food products. Their range of machinery includes form-fill-seal, feeding, bag filling and sealing, flow-wrap, reclosable packaging solutions, palletizing, stretch-wrapping and more. BW Integrated Systems, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of end-of-line packaging equipment solutions and packaging automation, as well as systems integration. Pneumatic Scale Angelus, a global supplier of wet and dry fillers, cappers, can seamers, labelers, centrifuges and change parts for the pharmaceutical, personal care, food, beverage, canning and household products industries. Synerlink, a trusted supplier of fillers for dairy products, and other food and beverages with a broad range of solutions through their complete packaging lines, including form-fill-seal lines and fill-seal machines (preformed cups and bottles), filling and dosing modules, and end-of-line robotic solutions, such as collating and overwrapping, picking, crating and palletizing.

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12/17/20 11:14 AM

291

Cartoning Robotics Case/tray packing

Cama Group North America 901 Corporate Grove Drive – Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 Phone: 847/607-8797 Email: cama-US@camagroup.com www.camagroup.com Cama NA supplies complete high-technology secondary packaging solutions. After expanding to cover the United States, Canada and Mexico, Cama USA is now doing business as Cama North America. Cama NA provides one-stop sourcing for integrated innovative robotic, cartoning, case packing and sleeving solutions. Cama NA provides primary and secondary machinery and systems for food, pet care, beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical packaging operations. All Cama machines are equipped with our “Breakthrough Generation” design, including sanitary construction, toolless changeover and flexible configurations. Cama NA is vertically integrated, providing complete sales, manufacturing and aftermarket support to North American customers, including engineering, parts and technical service capabilities. Cama’s featured machinery includes our innovative turnkey system to accept flexible or rigid products in an oriented or random configuration, orient the packages based on the necessary pack pattern, end load or top load the products into a carton and then case pack into a display ready and/or conventional RSC or wraparound case. Cama’s integrated solutions feature flexibility and quick changeover in a compact footprint. As an option, a lidding module can be added to this system to provide tray/case with lid capability. Consultation is also offered by Cama personnel regarding new packaging styles and methods thanks to our dedicated in house packaging design department that helps our customers in designing the best customized RRP packaging for their needs. Cama, which has been manufacturing and supplying robots for over thirty years, offers robotic loading units integrated into complete packaging lines for wrapped, bagged or naked products. These systems range from 2-axis, 3-axis and 4-axis arms to “delta” style robots. Cama’s primary industry advantage is offering equipment with built-in, openarchitecture, customized robots rather than providing solutions conceived for specific packaging operations. Cama is the single source to automate your secondary packing operations.

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12/17/20 11:15 AM

292

PW JAN2021

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray

CASSEL Inspection 2440 W Corporate Preserve Drive, Ste. 600, Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone: +1-414-574-4220 Email: us.sales@cassel-inspection.com www.cassel-inspection.com Protecting your Customers, your Products, and your Brand. Ultra-sensitive yet cost effective in-line foreign object detection systems designed to help producers exceed global product safety standards and regulations. CASSEL Inspection offers a broad range of solutions to find and reject the full spectrum of non-biological contaminants before they result in expensive rework, scrap or recalls. Detection technology and design are optimized for food, pharmaceutical, personal care, forestry, non-wovens, and other manufactured products. Metal Detection Instruments utilizing electromagnetic fields and advanced digital signal processing to find the smallest magnetic and conductive contaminants possible. Designed to operate reliably with minimal intervention in extremely harsh factory environments. X-Ray Inspection Systems that create X-Ray density images which are processed at high speed by a suite of image analysis algorithms. They can locate dense, sharp and other unexpected objects barely visible to the human eye. Complete operator safety is assured via compliance with local regulatory standards. To enhance value, CASSEL Inspection systems can be configured and even customized to meet specific customer requirements, assuring fast factory acceptance and operational efficiency. CASSEL Inspection also provides field repair service, regulatory validations and other support. Our equipment is desgined and manufactured at our headquarters in Dransfeld, Germany (phone: +49 (0) 5502-911 50, info@cassel-inspection.com). CASSEL Inspection - WE PROTECT YOUR PRODUCT

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 11:17 AM

293

Flexible packaging Protective/transport packaging Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Charter Next Generation 1264 E High Street, Milton, WI 53563 Phone: 608.868.5757 Email: marketing@cnginc.com www.cnginc.com Charter Next Generation (CNG) is one of North America’s leading independent producers of high-performance, specialty films used in flexible packaging and other end-use markets. Known for innovative products and world-class manufacturing capabilities, our company’s quality and expertise are unsurpassed. Our exclusive focus on film, and relentless pursuit of excellence, make us the ideal partner for any film need – from monolayer to multilayer, blown to cast, and breathable to barrier. One of the top ten film extruders in North America, Charter Next Generation operates 12 manufacturing plants and more than 100 extrusion lines in Ohio, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. It employs over 1,500 people. Our exclusive focus on film means we take innovation to heart - making films that push the envelope and allow our customers to do the same. Across our facilities, we are equipped with state-of-the-art clean rooms, the most advanced technology, and thoroughly trained team members who live and breathe A Better Way. Our relentless focus on quality, by every team member in every role, enables us to deliver the high level of performance the industry expects of us. Our commitment to quality is simply unparalleled. Sustainability is more than an idea for Charter Next Generation. It is our responsibility. Our mission to preserve the world in which we all live demands that we proactively implement sustainability initiatives in our facilities, processes, products, materials, transportation, and recycling efforts. We are CNG – the sustainable film solutions provider who sets excellence as the standard in all that we do.

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12/17/20 11:18 AM

294

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Labeling Coding/marking

Chase-Logeman Corporation 303 Friendship Drive, Greensboro, NC 27409 Phone: 336-665-0754 Email: info@chaselogeman.com https://www.chaselogeman.com Simple, Dependable, Repeatable... Chase-Logeman Corporation has been designing and building monoblock style filling and finishing equipment for over 60 years. We have systems for fills from microliters to 250-ml. Our monoblock equipment can integrate filling, plugging, capping, and labeling push or screw cap containers and filling, stoppering, and aluminum sealing vials. Typically operating at 50-60 containers per minute, these machines are the operational backbone for many well-known brands. Chase-Logeman monoblock fillers are ideally suited for operations such as: R&D, Pilot Scale, Clinical Trial, Small or Medium commercial batch process applications. Suitable for use in cGMP facilities, critical functions such as applied cap torque verification, ChaseWeigh™ tare-gross checkweighing or serialization can be incorporated to make sure every bottle or vial meets regulations or label claims. There are options available for filling flammable liquids and processes requiring isolators. These machines serve a wide range of applications in Automotive, Chemical, Diagnostic, Food Ingredient, Homeopathic Remedies, Nutraceutical, and Pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors. Chase-Logeman can incorporate many different types of dispensing systems into the equipment. This accommodates products with different viscosities and optimizes machine productivity. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, Chase-Logeman Corporation has decades of broad ranging fill-finish experience to help customers select the right machine for meeting growing business plans. To meet your exacting production needs, let us integrate an entire production line for a turnkey process package. It is about capabilities…

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Untitled-82 294

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12/17/20 11:19 AM

295

Shrink wrapping Sustainability E-Commerce

Clysar, LLC 2505 Camanche Industrial Park Rd., Camanche, IA 52730 Phone: 888-4-CLYSAR Email: marketing@clysar.com www.clysar.com Looking for sustainable shrink packaging that meets the latest recycling and labeling requirements? Would you like more “uptime” and more appealing packages? Would you benefit from U.S.-sourced films with 24/7 technical service? Your shrink package can be more secure and sustainable. Clysar manufactures the broadest selection of highperformance polyolefin shrink films—produced exclusively in the U.S. Clysar® shrink films are strong and brilliant, produced responsibly and certified to critical quality and industry standards. They are supported with unmatched shrink application expertise, and backed with expert technical service. Find a Clysar® shrink film for your product application. Sustainable Solutions • ew Clysar EVO recyclable shrink films preapproved by How2Recycle® for the Store Drop-Off label • ew Light, strong, low-shrink-force films to replace to ic PVC packaging E-Commerce Solutions • PG Confidential films for secondary shipping/security, reduce DIM weight and deliver cost and carbon savings • Versatile protective shrink films to contain scented, liquid and granular products. Retail Display Solutions • Sparkling clear or printed multi-pack films for retail advantage • Produce films including industry-leading one-hour anti-fog • igh-speed films for efficient, troublefree throughput • Specialty films for produce, bakery, delicate

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12/17/20 11:21 AM

296

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Columbia Machine 107 Grand Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: 360/694-1501 Email: pallsales@colmac.com www.palletizing.com Complete System Integration Columbia Machine manufactures conventional high-speed, high-level, floor-level & robotic palletizers, load transfer stations and provides complete system design and integration. With the most flexible and modern palletizing solutions available, Columbia is the leading palletizer solutions provider in North America. Industry Leading Standard Safety Features Columbia’s standard safety package contains Category 3 electrical safety components, including dual circuit safety interlocks & full height light curtains. This safety package provides a fully guarded, Performance Level D palletizer to keep your employees safe while enhancing OEE and production demands. Flexible Product Handling Columbia’s conventional palletizers are the most flexible palletizing solutions available and handle virtually every package type, including shrink bundles with and without a pad, plastic totes, high CG, unwrapped trays, and more. Please ask us specifically about flexibility and how it relates to your palletizing application. High Performance AND Sustainability Columbia has a palletizing solution for virtually any application, each equipped with standard features designed to safely maximize OEE, throughput and uptime. Please ask us about features included to address the industry’s increasing demand for higher levels of sustainability.

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12/17/20 11:22 AM

297

Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Columbia/Okura 301 Grove St, Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: 360/735-1952 Email: collcsales@colmac.com www.columbiaokura.com Safety, Flexibility, and Performance are key deliverables in providing the right robotic palletizing solution for the application. Our team of experts are skilled at listening to client needs and objectives to deliver innovative solutions to achieve these goals. With hundreds of successful installations, in countries all over the world Columbia/Okura is able to provide you the right robotic palletizer for your factory needs. Whether you are in the need of an industrial robotic palletizer or a collaborative palletizer, we are able to provide a solution for your needs. Columbia/Okura LLC designs, integrates and commissions end of line robotic palletizing solutions for most major industries. For over two decades, Columbia/Okura has been a leading provider of robotic palletizing systems by delivering custom engineered solutions to meet demanding customer requirements. Headquartered in Vancouver, WA Columbia/ Okura is a joint venture of material handling leaders Columbia Machine, Inc. and Okura USA, Inc. WE BELIEVE IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF AUTOMATION

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 11:23 AM

298

PW JAN2021

Robotics Case/tray packing Cartoning

CRG Automation 1700 Watterson Trail/ Louisville, KY Phone: 502-901-5868 Email: sales@crgautomation.com www.crgautomation.com Founded in 2000, CRG specializes in the custom engineering of automated solutions for the packaging, material handling and manufacturing industries. Located in Louisville KY, CRG Automation not only develops new systems but re-engineers and rebuilds existing ones to meet your changing needs. Our highly experienced team of engineers, fabricators, machinist & electrical controls specialist work closely together so that we can fully execute design, fabrication, assembly and testing. We offer complete design and drawing services as well as PLC programming, HMI/SCADA development and robotics integrations. Working with our customers, we build a team of experts to solve complex problems using a variety of product solutions, partners and innovations.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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CRG Automation.indd 298

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12/17/20 11:24 AM

299

Labeling Labels Converting Equipment

CTM Labeling Systems Inc. 1318 Quaker Circle, P.O. Box 589 Salem, OH 44460 Phone: 330-332-1800 Email: ctmsales@ctmint.com www.ctmlabelingsystems.com CTM Labeling Systems - Setting Global Standards, One Customer at a Time and Manufactured in the USA! We are a leading manufacturer of pressure sensitive labeling equipment from semiautomatic applications to the most demanding high speed, high accuracy labeling solutions. CTM products are engineered and built in the United States. Custom systems include, but are not limited to: Front/Back, High Speed Wrap, Pail, Hugger, Clamshell, Vial, Bottle, 3-Roller Indexer, and Forms Feed Labeling Systems. Print and apply labeling automation continues to increase in demand as operations need to move more product than ever. CTM Labeling Systems supplies this demand with our robust 3600a PA Series. The 3600a PA Printer Applicator is a rugged and versatile, high speed, thermal transfer labeler used to print and apply pressure sensitive labels to various products. A Sato or Zebra OEM print engine is integrated into an applicator to form a selfcontained unit to print variable data. Assembled with right or left hand printer modules, the unit can be mounted in various positions to apply labels to the tops, sides or bottoms of a multitude of products with its proven tamp-blow application. Labels as small as ½” and as large as 7.1” wide can be accommodated with its built-in barcodes and alpha-numeric fonts and 203, 305, or 609 dpi print resolution. The 3600a PA can also be integrated as a Swing Tamp, Dual Action Tamp (DAT), or Corner Wrap to accommodate complex labeling requirements. CTM also offers a Swing Away Tamp Nose Assembly with a hinged component which allows easier access to clean and maintain the print head, as well as simplifying the media threading process. Print head maintenance and cleaning is integral to the hardware’s longevity. Making operations easier for you is a CTM priority Visit us on our website at www.ctmlabelingsystems.com

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12/17/20 11:25 AM

300

PW JAN2021

Plastics/Resins Sustainability Containers

DAK Americas LLC, an Alpek Polyester Business 7621 Little Ave., Suite 500 Phone: 877-432-2766 Email: info.us@alpekpolyester.com www.dakamericas.com Alpek Polyester’s PET Resins business is the preferred supplier of PET container resins used by many of today’s leading branded consumer products. As the second largest integrated producer of PET resins in the world, with capacity of over 2,400 Ktons/yr. of PET, we are committed to fostering circular economies for PET. This commitment is reflected in our expanding PET and rPET production capacities including facilities in the US, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Laser+® family of PET Resins provides solutions for manufacturing the highest quality containers using the most consistent, innovative, and best quality resins available today. We are committed to providing PET Resins with recycle content that consumers and brand companies are demanding by growing our recycling initiatives and offerings in many regions. With strategic positioning in relevant markets, state-of-the-art technology, core strategies focused on sustainability, growth, trade leadership, low cost production and innovation; Alpek Polyester is a leading producer of PET Resins globally. PET resin offerings include products engineered for carbonated soft drink and water end uses, custom containers, sheet/thermoforming, strapping and carpet end-uses. DAK Americas and Grupo Petrotemex and their subsidiaries and affiliates make up Alpek Polyester, a trade leading business with core business units focused on the production of Terephthalic Acid (PTA), PET Resins, and Polyester Staple Fibers (PSF). Not only strong at its core, Alpek Polyester is using its knowledge and experience to build a growing presence in its Specialty Polymers and Green PET (recycled PET and renewable raw materials) businesses.

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12/17/20 11:48 AM

301

Case erect/seal Adhesive application

DEKKA 13471 Vulcan Way, Richmond, BC, Canada V6V 1K4 Phone: 604/930-9300 Email: Dekka@ProMachBuilt.com www.dekkaindustries.com Dekka is one of the only companies where the primary focus is on tape heads. Because of our dedication and focus, our team is not only more experienced and knowledgeable, but we care about every tape head that goes out the door. Our pride and passion lies in providing a consistent and reliable solution for every application for seamless integration and easy operation. We support every product because we put our customer’s reputation first. A key to Dekka’s success was our ability to grow and develop a wide distribution network across North America. With our own experienced technicians as well as knowledgeable distributors and packaging suppliers, Dekka and our partners compose of the strongest tape head support network in the industry that will listen, understand and solve your tape head issues. Dekka offers over 400 unique tape heads which fit on almost every case sealer, case erector and case former in the market. This versatility extends to the types of packaging tape and cases that our tape heads are able to handle as well including hot melt, acrylic, rubber, and other types of tapes for cases, boxes, recycled cartons and more. The wide range of products has been driven by the overwhelming demand for Dekka tape heads. Dekka customers understand the importance of the quality, reliability and service that comes with each Dekka tape head. Along with these tape heads, we also offer options and accessories on our tape heads such as the Tape Monitor Alert System and other retrofit packages. Dekka also offers a line of entry level machinery, bringing the same level of quality and reliability from tape heads to case sealing and erecting machinery. These machines have been designed and built to synergize with Dekka tape heads to bring the highest level of performance and reliability to our customers. Contact us if you are having trouble with your current tape head or if you are looking for some new equipment- we are happy to help.

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12/17/20 11:50 AM

302

PW JAN2021

Cartoning Case/tray packing Case erect/seal

Delkor Systems, Inc. 4300 Round Lake Road West St. Paul, MN 55112 Phone: 800/328-5558 Email: info@delkorsystems.com www.delkorsystems.com ADVANCED ROBOTIC CASE PACKERS AND CARTONERS We are a leading manufacturer of advanced case packing and cartoning machinery. Our talented 250+ employees have proven to be one of the most inventive teams in the packaging industry. Delkor has changed the landscape of retail ready packaging and is now widely recognized for creating a new generation of cutting-edge machinery and fresh package concepts. RETAIL READY EXPERTISE Our team can help you comply with the latest retail-ready packaging (RRP) guidelines for major retailers including Walmart, Aldi, Kroger and others. All of Delkor’s case packers stand-alone by offering both retail ready case styles as well as the full range of club store display trays with only 8 minute change-over. Delkor’s popular patented Cabrio Case design is provided free of charge with the purchase of a case packer, which enables customers to source the Cabrio Case from any corrugated manufacturer. Currently over 500 million Cabrio Cases are in use across many product categories and on track to hit 1 billion Cabrio Cases in distribution by 2022! To see your product in a Cabrio Case, our in-house package lab can provide you with a physical sample with graphics within 48 hours. MAXIMIZE YOUR PACKING VERSATILITY Delkor’s robotic case packers and cartoning machines were designed for today’s diverse packaging environment. CASE AND CARTON FORMERS AND CLOSERS IN 6 TO 10 WEEKS We have prebuilt our most popular formers and closers to provide our customers the fastest delivery in the industry. Go from order to install in as little as 6 weeks!

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12/17/20 11:59 AM

303

Coding/marking Labeling

Domino North America 1290 Lakeside Drive, Gurnee IL, 60031 Phone: 800-444-4512 Email: solutions@domino-na.com www.domino-printing.com Industry 4.0 is more than connecting things, and traceability codes are no exception. Are you leveraging your investments to their fullest? In today’s fast-paced manufacturing environments, Industry 4.0 is becoming essential to uncovering inefficiencies. However, often key areas to leverage interconnectivity can be overlooked, such as variable printing coding, labeling and marking technology. Here at Domino Amjet, our team of Coding Automation experts provide insight on more efficient print practices to achieve optimal uptime, and true connectivity. Minimizing operator errors is the single greatest strategy for driving improvements in coding/marking performance. Coding Automation allows companies to conquer errorbased production stoppages, remove expensive product recalls and rework, and as a consequence, the waste and extra cost associated with these errors. In addition to this, Domino’s coding, marking and labelling range is designed to satisfy the compliance and productivity requirements of global manufacturers. These are typically deployed for the application of variable and authentication data, bar codes, promotional and unique traceability codes onto products and packaging. The technology and range of industrial printers and coders in the Domino portfolio include: continuous inkjet, scribing laser, fiber laser, case coding, binary inkjet, thermal transfer overprinting, thermal inkjet, and Print & Apply labeling. Domino’s Digital Printing products are designed to meet the high speed, high quality demands of commercial printing environments. They bring new capabilities to numerous sectors such as packaging converters and security printing. These include digital inkjet printers and control systems designed to deliver solutions for a complete range of labelling and variable printing applications.

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12/17/20 12:02 PM

304

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation

Dorner 975 Cottonwood Avenue, PO Box 20 Hartland, WI 53029 Phone: 262/367-7600 Email: info@dorner.com www.dornerconveyors.com At Dorner our mission is to Transform Conveyor Automation by providing cutting edge solutions with best-in-class support. It’s that commitment and history of proven excellence that has made the Dorner Brand a recognized leader in product handling for over 50 years. With our complete line of customizable stainless steel and aluminum conveyor automation systems, Dorner can provide solutions for almost any conveyor need. Dorner’s conveyors are designed to move product to the exact location, at the exact time and in the exact position it needs to be for the next phase of the production line. With benefits such as industry best product transfers and in-house belting capabilities, Dorner is leading the market in precision conveyance. This extremely accurate product control allows Dorner conveyors to easily integrate with robots, workers and equipment. Dorner’s Engineered Solutions Group (ESG) is transforming product handling with innovative solutions that are custom designed to solve customers’ unique needs. This full service team can provide systems for applications such as accumulation, indexing, positioning, product flow and much more. Using Dorner’s Online Configurator, you can design and engineer simple or complex conveyors to meet your needs in minutes. The industry leading tool delivers a complete 3D CAD assembly model for instant validation of fit. Dorner’s new ERT250 Conveyors utilize Edge Roller Technology to provide low back pressure accumulation, non-contact zoning, and conventional transport, all without a belt! They feature a clean, open roller design and are ideal for assembly automation and cleanroom applications. Check out this must see in pallet and tray handling conveyance.

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Dorner.indd 304

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12/17/20 12:03 PM

305

Case/tray packing Cartoning Shrink wrapping

Douglas Machine Inc. 3404 Iowa Street, Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: 1.320.763.6587 Email: info@douglas-machine.com www.douglas-machine.com At Douglas, it’s not just what we do, it’s who we are. The mission of our 100% employee owned company is to enrich lives by providing differentiated packaging automation and services. Case & Tray Packers. Douglas’ innovative case packing technologies provide high performance solutions for wraparound, knockdown or regular slotted case and retail ready display cases/trays. Ask us about solutions for unique product configurations and orientations, such as horizontal flat packs and vertical retail ready displays. Shrink Wrap Systems. Our shrink wrap systems are available as stand-alone or fully integrated systems. They offer innovative features that maximize speed and easily accommodate large size ranges and pack patterns. The ergonomically designed automatic film splicer delivers precise print registration and heat splicing. Cartoners, Sleevers & Multipackers. Douglas’ paperboard offerings are designed and built to deliver today’s creative packages and variety pack solutions to the shelf efficiently and reliably. Our solutions result in greater throughput, less waste and enhanced production efficiency for a wide variety of product types and sizes. Robotic Palletizers. Our Robotic Palletizing System easily combines with Douglas packaging equipment for seamless integration. It dispenses and conveys pallets, meters cases on the product infeed plus utilizes robotics to palletize cases and apply slip sheets. Service & Support. Douglas is proud to provide world class service for all our customer’s needs. Remote Service Technicians are located throughout the United States to offer the most responsive local support possible. We are dedicated to assist you throughout the life of your equipment. We would be honored to partner with you.

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12/17/20 12:05 PM

306

PW JAN2021

Adhesive application Adhesives/tape E-Commerce

Duraco 7400 Industrial Drive, Forest Park, IL 60130 Phone: 708 943 7797 Email: BrittanyPelka@duraco.com www.duraco.com Secure packaging is more essential than ever as businesses need packaging that they can rely on to withstand the rigors of transit. To produce reliable and dependable packaging, an adhesive tape is needed. Although it is a small component, tape provides the most value to a package to ensure it can securely close to protect what is inside the package. Duraco, a leading manufacturer of adhesive tapes, carries a broad range of pressure sensitive adhesive tapes specifically designed for closing a variety of packaging applications. These tapes have a double-sided permanent adhesive which creates an unbreakable bond to securely seal packages which can be applied by hand or a machine. Available in a variety of styles, including finger lift/extended liner, it creates an optimal peel and seal solution for end users. Designed to withstand the rigorous elements of transit, Duraco tapes ensure packages arrive in consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands undamaged and unopened. Questions? Contact a tape expert at sales@duraco.com

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 12:12 PM

307

Strapping Packaging line integration Stretch wrapping/pallet load containment

EAM-Mosca Corporation 675 Jaycee Drive Hazle Township, PA 18202 Phone: 570-673-0668 Email: info@eammosca.com www.eammosca.com Performance first focus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; driven to excel! Our years of experience and expertise have set us apart. At EAM-Mosca we develop reliable, high-performance strapping system solutions configured for your individual needs. Our performance-first focus has enabled our customers to achieve lower maintenance costs, minimized replacement parts, and improved productivity. Evolving packaging requirements demand the technological innovation and agility our engineering team provides. EAM-Mosca field engineers are trained for in-depth in-plant application analyses to fully understand customer processes and tailor solutions for the highest performance with the lowest total cost of ownership. Contact us today for your no-cost in-plant survey and machine demo. Chat to us online, call (570) 459-3426, or email info@eammosca.com We have solutions for all industries including: - 3PL - E-Commerce - Pharmaceutical - Food & Beverage - Retail & Fashion - Automotive - Manufacturing Parts - Integrators

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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EAM-Mosca.indd 307

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12/17/20 12:19 PM

308

PW JAN2021

Shrink wrapping Multipacking/shrink bundling/banding Case erect/seal

Eastey 21480 147th Avenue North, Rogers, MN 55374 Phone: 763/428-4846 Email: info@eastey.com www.eastey.com Eastey is a leading manufacturer and supplier of heavy-duty shrink packaging equipment, case erectors, case tapers, and other packaging equipment. Eastey’s shrink packaging products include a complete line of L-sealers, sleeve wrappers, shrink tunnels, and bundling equipment. Eastey also supplies a complete line of case erectors and case tapers, from entry-level bottom and side-belt tapers, to fully automatic and random size case tapers. Eastey has been in business for over 30 years and has an installed base of over 15,000 packaging systems. Eastey products are sold through a global network of authorized dealers, fully trained and capable to install, train, and service our equipment. At our manufacturing facility in Rogers, Minnesota we take pride in manufacturing equipment that is First in Quality – Built to Last. We maintain an extensive inventory of replacement parts and offer prompt technical support when needed. Today, Eastey continues to focus on its core purpose to “help companies deliver products to the world.” An expanding line of integrated products and services reflect Eastey’s commitment to meet new needs and new challenges and ensure that customers have reliable solutions for their packaging application. Eastey operates as a subsidiary of Engage Technologies, parent company of Eastey, Squid Ink, AFM, and Cogent Technologies. Squid Ink (squidink.com) manufactures industrial inkjet printing equipment and high-quality inks for a variety of industrial coding and marking applications. American Film & Machinery (afmsleeves.com) supplies shrink labelers and tunnels, shrink sleeves, and tamper bands. Cogent Technologies (cogent-tech. com) manufactures infrared drying systems used to dry ink in the industrial and graphics industries.

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12/17/20 12:20 PM

309

Coding/marking Labeling Additives, coatings & inks

EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA, Inc. 1840 Industrial Drive, Suite 200 Phone: 847-996-0739 Email: sales@ebs-inkjet.com www.ebs-inkjet-usa.com A leading manufacturer of innovative contact-free industrial ink-jet printers, printing systems, and supplies, EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA offers packaging industry customers efficient, accurate, and clean ways to mark, label, and code products. EBS Ink-Jet printers include wireless, portable, hand-held printers and continuous in-line (large character and small-character) printers that: • print on virtually any package or product. • replace outdated and manual marking methods. EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA’s parent company, EBS Ink-Jet Systeme, has an over 40 year history of ink-jet coding innovations and expertise. Founded in 1977, EBS Ink-Jet Systeme, Cologne, Germany, pioneered the development of “drop-on-demand” ink-jet coding. Since that time, EBS has continued to advance and improve ink-jet coding technology. Today, they remain a leading name in ink-jet coding throughout Europe. Founded in 2008, EBS Ink-Jet USA is centrally located in Libertyville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. Serving the ink-jet coding needs of all North and Central America, EBS Ink-Jet USA prides themselves on consistently meeting four significant customer goals: • providing high-performance products • building products using superior materials and workmanship • delivering e ceptional service and support • ensuring fair product pricing EBS Ink-Jet USA’s disruptive innovation uproots conventional thinking on existing product marking methods and creates “no longer status quo” bottom-line process improvements.

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EBS Inkjet.indd 309

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12/17/20 12:21 PM

310

PW JAN2021

Cartoning Case erect/seal Case/tray packing

Econocorp Inc. 72 PacellaPark Drive Randolph, MA 02368 Phone: 781/986-7500 Email: info@econocorp.com www.econocorp.com ECONOCORP, INC. has been a worldwide leader in supplying cartoning solutions worldwide since 1955. The company was truly one of the early pioneering spirits with regard to the overseas exporting of packaging machinery products from the United States. ECONOCORP continues to offer packaging solutions globally with a well established network of domestic and export sales/service agents. With the experience of supplying over 10,000 machines to more than 110 countries, ECONOCORP, INC. is well equipped to offer time proven cartoning solutions for a customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever changing packaging demands. The complete line of trademarked ECONOSEAL equipment offers the full range of cartoning from table top semi-automatic carton sealers to completely automatic, integrated product handling and cartoning systems. All ECONOSEALS feature simplicity in design and a minimum of maintenance. ECONOSEAL cartoners are a productive fit from small, family operated businesses to large multinational corporations. Our goal is to uncomplicate your job by offering a cost effective solution that makes a better looking and stronger package while offering a quick return on your investment. ECONOSEAL equipment not only provides efficiency to the full spectrum of company sizes, but it is also used to carton products across all industries from food to household goods to industrial products to personal care. The list of applications is endless. Carton closure styles include hot melt glue, tuck closure, hot air activation, and pressure sensitive tape. The equipment can accommodate most materials including paperboard, corrugated, and PET/PVC styles. To learn more about how you can benefit from our experience with your particular product, telephone +1-781-986-7500 or email info@econocorp.com

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 12:33 PM

311

Shrink wrapping Multipacking/shrink bundling/banding Case/tray packing

EDL Packaging Engineers 1260 Parkview Road, Green Bay, WI 54304 Phone: 920/336-7744 Email: sales@edlpackaging.com www.edlpackaging.com At EDL Packaging Engineers, a Massman Company, we understand that secondary and end-of-line packaging decisions are driven by multiple factors – consumer demand, distribution requirements, cost reduction, and packaging design. That’s why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all packaging solution. Instead, we apply more than 50 years’ experience in the food, personal care, building supplies, carpet, dairy, grain, and pet food industries to manufacturer shrink bundling, multi-packaging, and tray wrapping equipment designed to meet customers unique requirements. Each project begins by listening and understanding product and packaging needs. From there we tailor our standard modular equipment to design and manufacture a solution that meets customers’ unique requirements. This holistic approach has made us the industry choice of many leading CPG and industrial manufacturers. Our systems are designed to collate and bundle consumer and industrial products for shipment in Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) film, a cost-effective means of unitizing and protecting products for transportation, storage, and retail purposes. EDL’s full line of equipment includes, shrink bundlers, forming shoe, tray forming, loading and wrapping, light bars, single roll wrappers, roll wrappers, tight wrap shrink bundlers, semi-automatic shrink bundlers, continuous motion shrink bundlers and wrappers, shrink tunnels and heat tunnels. Our standard packaging equipment can accommodate film widths ranging from 16” to 144”. Other services include turn-key system integration, including line layout, controls engineering, process design and layout, after sales support, and ancillary equipment integration. Learn more about EDL Packaging Engineers and see our complete line of secondary and end-of-line packaging equipment in action at edlpackaging.com.

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12/17/20 12:38 PM

312

PW JAN2021

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Controls & machine components Software

Emerson 8000 West Florissant Avenue, P.O.Box 4100 St. Louis, MO 63136 Phone: 314/553-2000 Email: industrialautomation@emerson.com www.Emerson.com/Packaging Emersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s packaging expertise and technologies enable manufacturers of consumer packaged goods to reduce waste, maximize productivity and ensure quality. With our innovative digital transformation solutions, manufacturers can achieve total integration and connectivity between their process and package control systems. ASCO Fluid Control - Fluid control products for packaging electronics with enhanced control and safety systems along with increased connectivity for better line insight and flexibility AVENTICS Pneumatics - Trusted pneumatic solutions delivering reliable and long-lasting operation for industrial applications with industry leading IoT connectivity BRANSON Ultra Sonic Cutting and Seam Welding - Precise and high-speed cutting and seam welding solutions for a variety of application with reduced waste and energy consumption CASCADE Gas Leak Detection - Packaging gas leak detection analyzers and systems provide unmatched measurement performance and reliability in real-time EMERSON Machine Automation Solutions - Automation solutions to optimize IIoT equipment and processes including edge controllers, devices and software to enhance safety, reliability and drive higher performance MICRO MOTION Flow Measurement - Precision measurement and diagnostics solutions to achieve filling flexibility, improve safety and efficiency in the most critical process applications. ROSEMOUNT Package Leak Detection - In-line system that accurately tests 100% of packages going through production lines at 200 packs per minute

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 1:38 PM

313

Controls & machine components Robotics Coding/marking

Encoder Products Company 464276 Highway 95, PO Box 249, Sagle, Idaho 83860 USA Phone: 800-366-5412 Email: sales@encoder.com www.encoder.com At Encoder Products Company (EPC), we specialize in the encoders that provide you with motion feedback. Our Accu-Coder™, Accu-CoderPro™, and Tru-Trac™ encoders come with an industry-leading three-year warranty, and our standard delivery is just 4 - 6 days on most orders, with expedite options on many models. EPC has been a leading designer and manufacturer of motion sensing devices for more than 50 years, and we understand that each industrial automation application is different, and you need encoders that fit the needs of your applications. That’s why our encoders are highly configurable, offering a wide array of shaft or bore sizes, output types, connector types, mounting options, and resolutions as high as 65,536 CPR. Our encoders also offer: • Advanced Opto-AS C and phased-array sensor design for reliable, stable signal output over a wide range of conditions • Programmable encoder options, giving you the fle ibility to program them to your e act specifications • obust mechanical housings for your harshest environments • Magnetic-based multi-turn absolute encoders that operate in the absence of power, without the need for gear trains or batteries • Magnetic encoder modules with sealing to P69K • Programmable and Absolute linear measurement solutions • The all-in-one Tru-Trac family of linear measurement solution encoders, offering an integrated encoder, measuring wheel, and pivot arm in one unit EPC’s corporate headquarters is right here in the USA, housed in our vertically-integrated, 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility. When you call EPC, you’ll talk to real engineers and encoder experts who can help you find the right motion feedback solution for your application. Call us today.

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12/17/20 1:39 PM

314

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Filling/capping -dry Tamper-evident machinery

Enercon Industries W140 N9572 Fountain Blvd, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 USA Phone: 262/255-6070 Email: rschuelke@enerconmail.com www.enerconind.com/sealing Induction Cap Sealers for Product Freshness, Leak Prevention & Tamper Evidence Enercon is recognized as the global leader in induction cap sealing and surface treatment solutions. Induction cap sealers create hermetic seals to prevent leaks, provide tamper evidence, preserve freshness, extend shelf life and deter pilferage. Our unique induction sealing head technology maximizes productivity and flexibility for contract packagers and dedicated packaging lines. The Super Seal™ Touch and Super Seal™ Max are ideal for high line speeds and offer an intuitive touchscreen control that unleashes powerful induction cap sealing features such as recipe control, operator lockout and integrated troubleshooting information. Enercon application experts can provide you with advice on foil sealing child resistant (CRC), dispensing, and standard continuous threaded caps, as well as other unique foil seal applications. The NEW Super Seal™ sets new standards for ease of operation and productivity with new innovative features. For the first time ever, this model level offers integrated stalled bottle, container rejection control and a menu-driven interface that provides operators with a more informative display for system setup and fault information. For labs and small production runs, the tabletop Super Seal™ Jr. is the industry workhorse. Whether you are new to induction sealing or a packaging industry veteran, you will appreciate the application expertise and support provided to Enercon customers around the world. We offer quick start guides, application infographics, free webinars, training, and of course 24/7 service. Enercon also offers a complete line of atmospheric plasma and flame surface treaters. These systems improve adhesive and ink adhesion on many packaging applications such as folding cartons, inkjet printing, labeling and much more.

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12/22/20 9:11 AM

315

Labeling Labels

EPI 1145 East Wellspring Rd New Freedom, PA 17349 Phone: 717/235-8345 Email: EPI@ProMachBuilt.com www.epilabelers.com ABOUT EPI: EPI, a ProMach Product Brand, has been providing simple and durable labeling equipment for the packaging industry for over 35 years. Engineered for ease of use and reliability, EPI’s labeling machinery is designed to integrate to your packaging process. For short-term promotional needs, EPI maintains rental labelers ready to be deployed in as little as three weeks. EPI takes the time to understand your requirements and develop systems to meet them. Training is critical to a project’s success, therefore, EPI’s PMMI certified trainers offer outstanding after-sale support, and are always available to service your needs. PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABELING SYSTEMS for both promotional and primary labeling applications. EPI works with all the major VFFS and HFFS manufacturers so you can be assured that your installation will have the same high performance and solid reliability that have made EPI the industry standard in flexible packaging labeling. PRINT AND APPLY LABELING SYSTEMS that range from cost-effective ink-jets to fully featured thermal printers, in stand-alone configuration or fully integrated with your production/warehouse software. Applications include leading or trailing edge, multi-panel, and traditional tamp and vac/blow applications. As with all EPI labelers, units can be reconfigured in the field to meet your company’s changing needs. ALSO AVAILABLE: Stand-alone and integrated labeling systems for most packages and materials, including; clamshells, boxes, cartons, bottles, tubs, and bread or buns. Whether your product is produce, bakery or confections, EPI can engineer an integrated system to handle your labeling needs. Designed to label a variety of packaging with simple adjustments and reliable label placement, our integrated systems simplify your packaging process.

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EPI.indd 315

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12/17/20 1:41 PM

316

PW JAN2021

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Conveying & accumulation

Eriez 00 s r Road • rie, P 16 06 Phone: 814/835-6000 Email: eriez@eriez.com www.eriez.com Eriez’ equipment for the packaging industry includes metal detectors and magnetic separators for metal contaminant removal, as well as a full line of vibratory feeders, conveyors and screeners. Eriez’ compact Vibratory Feeders handle high-speed packaging, difficult products like flour, leafy and gummy products, and high material flow applications. These electromagnetic drives are energy efficient, low maintenance with no moving parts, and can be mated with a range of sanitary and non-sanitary trays. Eriez Xtreme Metal Detectors offer best-in-class performance to safeguard against both ferrous and nonferrous metal contaminants. This equipment is very effective for identifying and removing stainless steel fragments in conveyed, gravity flow and liquid line sanitary processing applications. Detectors are positioned at different locations throughout the process from bulk and raw material through final package inspection. There is no better solution to ensure your product is metal-free than using Eriez magnets for steel removal and using Eriez Xtreme® metal detectors to reject nonferrous metals like aluminum, brass, stainless steel and more. Visit Eriez.com for FREE downloadable guides packed with information to help you choose the equipment you need to fit your unique application. Eriez.com features more than 250 packaging solutions, from our best-in-class vibratory feeders, conveyors, screeners, and metal detectors, to our wide selection of magnetic plates, grates and traps. Many of Eriez’ most popular magnetic separators, vibratory feeders and controls are available for next day shipment.

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12/17/20 1:43 PM

317

Cartoning Coding/marking Converting Equipment

Exair Corporation 11510 Goldcoast Dr.Cincinnati, OH 45249 Phone: 513/671-3322 Email: techelp@exair.com www.exair.com/52/prod_home.htm EXAIR Corporation manufactures Intelligent Compressed Air® products that improve manufacturing processes which involve blowoff, drying, cooling, vacuum, lifting and static elimination. Since 1983, EXAIR products have been engineered to reduce compressed air use, reduce compressed air noise exposure and increase safety for personnel. Their staff of industrial process experts are familiar with a wide variety of manufacturing segments and offer help to individuals trying to find the most efficient and effective solution to their problem. EXAIR’s engineered air nozzles are the most efficient air nozzles available and can help optimize compressed air efficiency, especially when replacing homemade or commercial air nozzles. Return on investment for EXAIR’s engineered air nozzles is generally weeks, not months or years. An enormous range of nozzles are available from a tiny M4 x 0.5 thread to a large 1-1/4 NPT produce a gentle puff or a massive blast or air. Materials include zincaluminum alloy, type 316 stainless steel, brass, and PEEK thermoplastic are available to ship same day. EXAIR’s Gen4 static eliminator products have undergone independent laboratory tests to certify they meet the rigorous safety, health and environmental standards of the USA, European Union and Canada that are required to attain the CE and UL marks. They are also RoHS compliant. A complete line of static eliminators includes Super Ion Air Knives, Ion Air Guns, Super Ion Air Wipes, Ion Air Cannons and Ionizing bars. This product line is available from stock and includes products requiring compressed air or not requiring air. When static is a problem on moving webs, sheet stock, parts or extrusions, EXAIR has the solution. EXAIR products are made in Cincinnati, OH and can be modified to suit a specific application. All of the cataloged products have a 30 Day Unconditional Guarantee, a 5 Year Built to Last Warranty, and ship factory direct from stock.

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Exair Corporation.indd 317

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12/17/20 1:44 PM

318

PW JAN2021

Case erect/seal Case/tray packing

Fallas Automation, Inc. 7000 Imperial Drive Waco, Texas 76712 Phone: 254-772-9524 Email: sales@fallasautomation.com www.fallasautomation.com Since 1979, Fallas Automation has produced simple, compact case packers and automation support equipment. Our goal is to provide our customers with stress-free automated case packing lines, so you can increase your production and improve your bottom line. Fallas Automation celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2019. Dedication to machine quality and customer service are key reasons Fallas has been successful for so long. Fallas started producing semi-automatic case packers in the 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, then adapted to the rapidly changing technologies and expanded our catalog of machinery. Today, we provide fullyintegrated end of line case packing solutions for a variety of products. Markets, machinery, and customer needs have changed. Our heritage of constructing machinery to the highest quality standards and providing the most value for our customers has stayed constant. Fallas Automation systems can accommodate a variety of plant layouts, products, and customer needs with modular units that provide a successful end of line packaging system. With case erectors, case packers, case sealers, and product handling solutions, we set up each purchased system in our factory in Waco, Texas, before we disassemble and ship to your facility. This allows you to have full confidence that your system works as expected, and provides training opportunities for your operators before the machine has arrived at your facility.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 1:46 PM

319

Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

FANUC America Corporation 3900 W. Hamlin Rd.Rochester Hills, MI 48309 Phone: 888-326-8287 Email: Marketing.Contact@Fanucamerica.com www.fanucamerica.com FANUC America is the leading supplier of automation with over 25 million CNCs, robots, and ROBOMACHINEs installed worldwide. Together with our Authorized System Integrators (ASIs), we help customers solve production problems and meet goals to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), changeover flexibility, consistency, energy efficiency, sanitation, ergonomic/safety issues, and meet sustainability and traceability requirements. FANUC’s extensive line of robots and cobots are reliable, flexible and able to handle payloads from 0.5-2,300 kg. Our products include the new and easy-to-use CRX-10iA collaborative robot that is the latest in our line of cobot models that work safely alongside people without fences or guarding. Additional packaging products include: the DR3iB/8L delta robot designed for primary and secondary food packaging, along with an entire family of delta robots for high-speed handling; four SCARA robot models for highspeed, precise operations; and the LR Mate 200iD series of six-axis robots including ISO Class 4 clean-room and food-grade variants. We also offer the M-20iB/25 robot with a completely enclosed design, making it IP67 protected to withstand harsh environments; and the M-410iC series of high-speed palletizing robots. In addition, we provide application software for packaging and palletizing, integrated iRVision® and tracking features, ROBOGUIDE simulation, Dual Check Safety (DCS), and Zero Down Time (ZDT), our Industrial IoT solution designed to help customers monitor and manage their automation. In addition, we are committed to “Service First” which offers our customers parts and support for the life of their FANUC products. Now is the perfect time to get started with automation. Whether you’re a small shop or a large global manufacturer, we have an automation solution to meet your needs. Contact us today, and we’ll review your application, either virtually or in-person. Then, we’ll connect you with one of our ASIs—all experts in developing automation solutions. Read more about FANUC America Corporation’s innovation in Packaging World.

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12/17/20 1:47 PM

320

PW JAN2021

Controls & machine components Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Festo Corporation 1377 Motor Parkway, Suite 310 Islandia, NY 11749 Phone: 800/993-3786 Email: customer.service.us@festo.com www.festo.us We are the Engineers of Productivity! Festo is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic and electromechanical systems, components and controls for process control and factory automation solutions, with more than 55 national headquarters serving more than 180 countries. For over 40 years in the U.S. and 80 years globally, Festo has elevated the state of manufacturing with innovations and optimized motion control solutions that deliver higher performing, more profitable automated manufacturing and processing equipment. Our dedication to the advancement of automation extends beyond technology to the education of current and future automation and robotics designers with simulation tools, teaching programs and on-site services. We can help decrease process costs by engaging Festo as an extended workbench and leveraging our expertise in pre-assembled pneumatics, customized product designs and system solutions. We offer a comprehensive line of automation components, custom components and complete electromechanical and pneumatic motion controlled multiaxis systems. In addition to tried and tested pneumatic drive units, we also provide both servo-pneumatic and electric drive units. Our intelligent systems for status monitoring and machine diagnosis consist of sensors, software, controllers and visualization—greatly reducing maintenance and servicing costs. In 2018, Festo acquired Fabco-Air Inc. and has since worked closely with its Florida-based facility to produce high-quality inch-dimension actuators. Through these joint efforts, Festo has released new standard products—all while integrating the principles of quality and production that are synonymous with the Festo name. Festo can support your most complex automation requirements. Read more about Festo Corporation ’s innovation in Packaging World: www.packworld.com/companies/festocorporation

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12/17/20 1:49 PM

321

Cartons and boxes E-Commerce Sustainability

Fibre Box Association 500 Park Blvd., Suite 985 Itasca, IL 60143, USA Phone: 847/364-9600 Email: info@corrugated.org www.corrugated.org BOXES: THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY THING IN THE WORLD. Corrugated cardboard boxes are so common, it can be easy to take them for granted. We tend to think about what we put in them, while barely giving the box itself a second thought. They are ordinary indeed. But they are so, so much more than ordinary. They’re also infinitely customizable, strong, protective, beautiful, clean, economical and sustainable. That’s pretty extraordinary, right? Boxes get your goods to market. They also market your goods. Corrugated boxes can be configured into just about any shape and direct-printed with just about any kind of graphics. So they don’t just get your product from point A to point B. They elevate your brand along the way. Flexible. Printable. Extraordinary. Boxes are the backbone of e-commerce. And just plain old commerce. Meal kits. New shoes. Home décor. Only one container is flexible enough, clean enough, cushioned enough and strong enough to ship all the products today’s consumers shop for online. They click it, corrugated ships it. Cushioned. Clean. Extraordinary. Made from recycled boxes. Or, more accurately, re-re-re-re-re-re-recycled boxes. With a recycling rate hovering near 90% for the past decade and an average 50% recycled content, boxes not only ship just about anything on earth, they’re also a renewable resource that’s circular by nature. Reusable. Renewable. Extraordinary. For more information visit www.boxesareextraordinary.com. Follow the corrugated packaging industry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/corrugatedpkg (@corrugatedpkg).

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12/17/20 1:51 PM

322

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Robotics Packaging line integration

FlexLink Systems, Inc. 6580 Snowdrift Road, Allentown, PA 18104 Phone: 610/973-8200 Email: info.us@flexlink.com www.flexlink.com Factory automation solutions from FlexLink increase the overall efficiency of production by minimizing throughput time and non-value added operations. Our standardized solutions have a strong impact on factory performance and capability to meet future demands. Our solutions are reconfigurable, reusable and requires minimal maintenance with low power consumption. FlexLink serves a wide customer base, from local producers to global corporations, and from end-users to machine manufacturers. Our customers are lead players within the food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and electronics industries. Global support is provided by our operating units in 30 countries and network of Strategic Partners. Our partner network is an important strategic element for FlexLinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business model since our start in 1980, enabling us to enhance efficiency at factories in more than 60 countries. We invest in long-term relationships with customers and partners to develop and refine value adding products and solutions, geared for low cost of ownership. For more information about FlexLink visit www.flexlink.com.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 1:52 PM

323

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing

FOCKE & CO 5730 Millstream Road Whitsett, NC 27377 Phone: 336/449-7200 Email: sales@fockegso.com www.focke.com The portfolio of FOCKE & CO is assigned to provide customized packaging solutions. The company activities are concentrated in two divisions, Tobacco and General Packaging for hygiene & tissue as well as food & consumer. The Tobacco division delivers ultra-high speed packaging machines for the tobacco industry and holds a unique market position. The General Packaging division provides customized packaging solutions for different products for the hygiene & tissue as well as for the food & consumer industry. For those, FOCKE & CO is specialized on tailor-made end-of-line packaging solutions, featuring for example gentle product handling for delicate products, such as snack food and bakery products. Additionally, FOCKE & CO serves the hygiene industry with highspeed packaging lines for packing products such as sanitary napkins, pads and diapers are packed into bags or cartons. In addition to the headquarter and divisions in Germany, the family-owned enterprise operates sales and service branches on all continents. Since the foundation in 1955, FOCKE & CO has delivered more than 21,000 machines to more than 70 countries. FOCKE & CO General Packaging equipment offerings range from: -

Stacking, bagging and cartoning machines for hygiene products Sideload and topload case packers Wrap around / tray case packer Bundling and palletizing equipment

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 1:52 PM

324

PW JAN2021

Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags) Conveying & accumulation Flow Wrapping

Formost Fuji Corporation PO Box 359, 19211 144th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072 Phone: 425-483-9090 Email: sales@formostfuji.com www.formostfuji.com With over 55 years in the packaging machinery business, Formost Fujiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team of dedicated and hardworking people are known for designing solutions that are, simple, built to last, and value driven. HORIZONTAL FLOW WRAPPERS: Horizontal form-fill-seal wrappers include models such as: Swing Arm Rotary end seal wrapper for longer dwell time at higher speeds Sanitary Design wrapper with complete disassembly for thorough and easy sanitation Box Motion end seal wrapper for difficult to seal film Formost Fuji wrappers are customized for product needs and customer preferences. HORIZONTAL BAGGING MACHINES: Formost Baggers are the most flexible, most dependable in the world The GTS Bagger is ideal for bagging a wide range of products, built to operate up to 90 plus packages per minute with multiple options for quick, automatic changeover AUTOMATION: Formost Fuji provides packaging line automation for conveying and accumulation. Robotics are easily incorporated with Formost Fuji equipment to add efficiency and value to your packaging line. Whether it be in design, manufacturing, or service you can expect Formost Fuji to deliver a solution you are proud of. Our experienced team members listen to your needs and will provide you with a hygienic packaging line that is efficient and simple to operate. Contact us today to discuss your packaging challenges.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 1:53 PM

325

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray

Fortress Technology Inc. 51 Grand Marshall Drive, Toronto, Ontario M1B 5N6, Canada. Phone: (888) 220-8737 Email: Sales@FortressTechnology.com www.fortresstechnology.com Fortress Technology is proud to introduce their first fully integrated checkweigher, the RAPTOR. It is designed to take on the most demanding of checkweighing applications in a variety of production environments. Placed at any stage of your process, the RAPTOR promises precise inspection weighing packs up to 8kg while rejecting non-compliant products. The sleek, modular design has fewer components, allowing for a variety of reject systems to be installed, such as air blast, pneumatic pusher, and more. RAPTOR Checkweighers accurately remove non-compliant products while minimizing product waste, preventing costly recalls that may harm your brand identity. Manufactured with ease of maintenance in mind, this next evolution checkweigher features lift out conveyor belts that can be easily removed for sanitizing within seconds and without the use of tools. The hygienic design helps support sanitation processes with sloped surfaces to promote water runoff, while maintaining its ability to withstand harsh food production environments. RAPTOR Checkweighers are current with Industry 4.0 standards, offering the best in digitization and reporting. The intuitive 18.5â&#x20AC;? full colour touchscreen HMI allows the operator to efficiently select product changeovers. Operating the machine from this userfriendly interface reduces training time and increases operational awareness. The RAPTOR is available in a range of equipment including single frame standalone checkweighers, caseweighing for heavy bags and cases, and combination metal detection systems. Connect with us today to learn more about RAPTOR checkweighing solutions or find out more about how our customized metal detection solutions will enhance your food safety programs.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 1:54 PM

326

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Garvey 208 South Route 73 Hammonton, NJ 08037 Phone: 844/746-0492 Email: marketing@garvey.com www.garvey.com Maximize your line efficiency. Minimize your downtime. Whatever your product, Garvey can handle it.

If you’re looking for ways to improve your throughput and increase efficiency, Garvey’s patented accumulation and conveyor solutions will help do just that. No matter your industry, Garvey has solutions to help you boost your throughputs by up to 30%. So whether you’re in beverage, food, household goods, personal care, or pharmaceutical processing contact us to learn how you can get more throughput/sq ft. “The Garvey team came in and assessed what was going on, ran some numbers based on theoretical run rates, and designed a system to help us reach our goals... We’ve been able to increase efficiency by about 30% in pounds per man-hour coming off the backside of the line. We also decreased our direct labor footprint. On a weekly basis, we’ve shaved off about 1,000 hours in direct labor costs associated with the packoff process.” - Josh Kosmala, Senior Director of Operations, Good Foods

At the heart of all Garvey solutions is the Garvey Line Analysis. Here’s what we do: - Visit your facility to conduct a complimentary evaluation of your production and packaging lines (virtual options available) - Calculate each individual machine efficiency and net output - Find the total line efficiency - Recommend solutions for increasing your throughput

Scan the QR Code with your phone camera to schedule your line analysis.

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12/17/20 1:58 PM

327

Flow Wrapping Form/fill/seal -Vertical Shrink wrapping

GGA Packaging, division of George Gordon Associates, Inc. 12 Continental Blvd, Merrimack, NH 03054 Phone: 603-424-5204 Email: kim.ggapack@gmail.com www.ggapack.com GGA Packaging, division of George Gordon Associates, Inc. continues to be a leader in the flow wrapping and shrink wrapping industry, providing equipment for a multitude of product applications. In addition to wrappers, we continue to offer custom-tailored packaging system solutions over a wide range of applications such as full food kit lines, pouch cut and place from a web string, on-line vertical form/fill/seal, chew pouch fillers, shrink wrappers, and special pouch handling products. Our design and expertise allow us to address any packaging challenges you may face. Our extensive experience in a wide range of equipment designs have been applied to a variety of applications including: multi-item food service kits, wash/wipe down for food packaging, pharmaceuticals, cannabis products, personal care products, free-flowing dry product make and place, chew pouches, and desiccant placing. Our equipment ranges from basic machines to full wash-down food-grade systems. GGA takes full responsibility providing turnkey systems with an extensive level of integration, all with GGA equipment. Your benefit is trouble-free startup, efficient production, and a cost-effective resource to increase your profits. Our company takes pride in our ability to work with each customer individually to create machines that best fit their product and packaging needs, as well as offer spare parts at competitive prices and friendly technical support throughout the lifetime of your equipment. Contact us at kim.ggapack@gmail.com for your future applications.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/17/20 1:59 PM

328

PW JAN2021

Digital printing Cartoning E-Commerce

Georgia-Pacific Hummingbird™ Headquarters: 133 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Phone: 000/000-0000 Email: info@gppackaging.com www.gphummingbird.com As the only packaging supplier in North America to offer 110-inch wide web digital inkjet printing, Hummingbird™ digital print solutions allows you to connect retail to marketing in real-time, with unprecedented control, quality and clarity of message. Hummingbird can provide quality packaging design that lives up to your brand – with full-color gamut capabilities, creative omni-channel messaging, flexibility and crisp, stunning graphics. Hummingbird™ is part of Georgia-Pacific’s Packaging & Cellulose business. GeorgiaPacific is a global leader in forest and consumer products and one of North America’s leading corrugated packaging manufacturers. GP Corrugated offers innovative, customerfocused packaging solutions that help brand owners tell their story in a way that is as unique and compelling as their product. A commitment to building a better box for customers is demonstrated through an ongoing focus on safety, sustainability and consistent quality in manufacturing high graphic and traditional corrugated packaging. Georgia-Pacific Corrugated operations across the country offer a range of products and services, including CubeLogic®, Greenshield®, Color-Box®, Litho-Corr™ and Brand Ready Packaging®. The company’s Innovation Institute® simulates retail and packaging environments, allowing customers to experience sustainable innovation and novel package design solutions in action. For more information on how Hummingbird and GP Corrugated can take your packaging to the next level, please visit www.gphummingbird.com or www.gpcorrugated.com.

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12/17/20 2:01 PM

329

Flexible packaging Package design Sustainability

Glenroy, Inc. W158N9332 Nor-x-way Ave., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 USA Phone: 800/824-1482 Email: info@glenroy.com www.glenroy.com Glenroy is the exclusive converter of the premade STANDCAP Pouch. Lauded as the “better ketchup bottle” by The Washington Post, the award-winning, eco-friendly premade STANDCAP Pouch is an easy-to-use, lightweight flexible package providing messfree dispensing, up to 99% product evacuation, and instant shelf impact. The inverted, sustainable pouch uses less plastic in the first place and reduces fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and landfill waste when compared to rigid plastic & glass bottles. This category changing inverted pouch is available in multiple sizes and formats, including post-consumer recycled (PCR) content for greater sustainability benefits. As a trusted supplier of high-quality customized flexible packaging, Glenroy specializes in high-barrier flexible packaging laminations, pouch film laminations, stick pack film laminations & innovative stand-up pouches. We serve leading brands in the food & beverage, household products, personal care, pharmaceutical, pet food and treats, nutritional, cosmetic, medical device, and industrial industries. Our capabilities include award-winning flexographic printing, adhesive & extrusion laminating, advanced pouch prototyping, inhouse pouch converting, and unsurpassed customer service. Sustainability – We offer a range of sustainable flexible packaging options, including store drop-off recyclable and PCR pouches. When compared to other packaging formats, flexible packaging is inherently eco-friendly; it generally weighs less – resulting in less waste, has a better product-to-package ratio, consumes less energy in manufacturing and transport, generates less greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes less to landfill waste. Learn more at Glenroy.com/eco. Premade Pouches – With some of the most extensive in-house premade pouch converting capabilities in the industry, we offer the capabilities and expertise to create pouches that increase sales at the shelf. Our packaging engineers work with customers to determine the ideal pouch film structure, configuration, and features such as custom shapes, a variety of press-to-close zippers (including powder-proof), and spouts. Learn more at Glenroy.com.

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12/17/20 2:02 PM

330

PW JAN2021

Palletizing/Depalletizing

GR-X Manufacturing 3800 36th Street SE, Suite 107, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 Phone: 616.570.0832 Email: sales@grxmfg.com www.grxmfg.com Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, GR-X Manufacturing designs and builds equipment that handles lightweight plastic, glass, or aluminum containers. Our popular line of palletizing and depalletizing equipment is a proven solution for loading and unloading full and half-height pallets. Our philosophy is “Equipment built well - Sales made simple.” We are a team of individuals that take great pride in going beyond the spec to understand the application, so we can ensure that the equipment we offer is the right one for the job. DEPALLETIZING EQUIPMENT GR-X depalletizers are an economical and efficient means to unload empty aluminum, glass, or plastic containers from bulk layered pallets. Our depalletizers are robustly constructed, utilize quality components, and are designed with easy operation, reliable performance, and a compact footprint in mind. Discharge conveyors, decline conveyors, roller conveyors, pallet stacker, and other options are available. PALLETIZING EQUIPMENT GR-X offers two options for palletizing your lightweight containers or cans. The manual tilt palletizer features easily operated controls for raising, lowering and manual pallet forming operation. The automated palletizer feeds your containers or cans onto a dual side load table top conveyor and automatically sweeps the cans or containers into the palletizer. Infeed conveyors, incline conveyors, roller conveyors, automatic slip-sheet placement, pallet dispensers, and other options are available.

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12/17/20 2:08 PM

331

Cartoning Cartons and boxes Sustainability

Graphic Packaging International 500 Riveredge Pkwy, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30328 Phone: 770-240-7200 Email: roxanne.mcspadden@graphicpkg.com www.graphicpkg.com Graphic Packaging International offers industry and market-specific expertise and innovative thinking to create sustainable packaging that stands out in the highly competitive retail marketplace. As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of paperboard, folding cartons, microwave packaging, machinery solutions and foodservice containers, we continue to set new industry standards. Solving our customers’ packaging challenges while providing greater efficiency and boosting sales is our top priority. The world’s most well-known and emerging brands rely on our paperboard and related paper-based materials derived from renewable resources to add value through increased sustainability and recyclability. We deliver the right paperboard for virtually any carton application including automotive, beverage, food, electronics, pharmaceuticals, health and beauty, e-commerce and many others. Graphic Packaging’s history extends more than 100 years. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, we have more than 19,000 employees in our 90+ facilities worldwide. Graphic Packaging’s machinery group offers a complete line of innovative and reliable machinery solutions to improve production line efficiencies and automate manual operations. Our beverage machinery includes QuikFlex™ for fully enclosed cartons, Marksman™ for wrap cartons, Autoflex™ for basket carriers, and KeelClip™, our sustainable clip solution for can multipacks. Our specialty machinery includes pick-and-place machinery, paperboard sleevers and cartoners, carton formers, neck-tag applicators, robotic solutions, and specialty machinery. Our goal is to create inspired consumer packaging solutions that make a world of difference.

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Untitled-83 331

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12/17/20 2:11 PM

332

PW JAN2021

Tray lidding/sealing Thermoform/fill/seal Flow Wrapping

Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC 175 John Quincy Adams Rd, Taunton, MA 02780 Phone: 800-813-6644 Email: info@harpak-ulma.com www.harpak-ulma.com Looking for the lowest total cost of ownership and highest quality packaging automation solutions available for food, medical devices, and other non-food products? We can help you navigate today’s complex, rapidly changing packaging landscape. We help balance costs and functionality with innovative and emerging processes, materials, and advanced technologies; enhance your profitability and improve the performance of your primary and secondary packaging operations. Our full-service solutions address installation, training, spare parts, service and customer support. Our capabilities span robotics and automation, thermoforming, tray sealing, filling, flowwrapping, stretch, blister, skin pack, and vacuum. Every smart, connected G. Mondini and ULMA packaging platform utilizes Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture to reduce solution complexity and maintenance costs, while realizing better quality, capacity, and throughput. We also partner with PTC to incorporate Augmented Reality tools. It all lets us leverage data to enhance your operation and realize greater productivity and efficiency. We are focused on the environment, aiming to help you meet demand while meeting your sustainability initiatives. Our sustainable packaging options include less plastic use, thinner gauge films, optimized package sizes, reduced film scrap, and alternative packaging materials. Our customers rely on us to help them optimize their overall packaging investment, from start to finish. We offer package design and prototyping services, and can help solve production concerns with comprehensive flexible and efficient systems. We help strategize how to tackle today’s most complex packaging challenges, such as sustainability, eCommerce, robotics and digital transformation. We focus on lowering your TCO and offering the most reliable systems available. With consistent, professional and timely customer and technical service, our partnership extends well beyond your purchase.

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12/17/20 2:12 PM

333

Form/fill/seal -Vertical Weighing/combination scales Case/tray packing

Heat and Control, Inc. 21121 Cabot Boulevard Hayward, CA 94545 USA Phone: 5102590500 Email: info@heatandcontrol.com www.heatandcontrol.com Heat and Control®, a world-leading equipment manufacturer, offers the latest technology and the highest quality equipment for processing, coating and seasoning, conveying, weighing, packaging, inspection, and controls and information systems, and develops innovative solutions for production challenges. Established in 1950, Heat and Control is a privately-owned company and has 11 manufacturing facilities, 12 testing centers, and more than 30 offices around the world. Heat and Control has partnered with other global manufacturing leaders, including Ishida (weighing packaging and inspection) and CEIA® (metal detection), and their brands include FastBack® (horizontal motion conveyors and on machine seasoning), Mastermatic (fryers), and Spray Dynamics® (coating and seasoning application systems). Heat and Control can offer a single machine or can integrate several components into a complete system and assume single-source responsibility. Heat and Control is also able to assist manufacturers with equipment for all types of food, pharmaceutical, and non-food products, as well as provide pre- and post-sale technical support, including applications assistance, engineering, installation, parts, service, and training to maintain peak efficiency. Heat and Control has built an extensive knowledge bank and developed a wealth of experience and expertise with access to production and technical support from a network of engineers, food technicians, field service technicians, skilled tradespeople, and support teams to provide food and non-food manufacturers with the ability to achieve their production goals. Contact us to visit one of our demonstration centers to test products on the latest equipment.

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12/17/20 2:16 PM

334

PW JAN2021

Coding/marking Additives, coatings & inks

Hitachi America, Ltd. 6901 Northpark Blvd Suite A Charlotte, NC 28216 Phone: 866/583-0048 Email: InkJet-printers@hal.hitachi.com https://www.hitachi.us/ice/marking-and-coding Continuous inkjet printers from Hitachi industrial Equipment are proven to be more reliable than alternative solutions. This reliability, coupled with a simplified, intuitive user interface and a circulation system that consumes up to 50% less in inks and makeup fluids means you would keep product moving through the line and your production casts in line. Hitachi’s UX Series of printers, feature up to 6-Lines of printing capability on a multitude of porous and non-porous packaging materials. The UX Series builds upon an impressive 35year history of continuous inkjet printer manufacturing, resulting in hundreds of thousands of printer installations – offering unmatched reliability, ease of user and efficiency. Reliability – Hitachi’s UX Series provides the ability to run loner with less intervention – less need to clean the print head, and less need to change filters resulting in higher production numbers for you. Quite simply, Hitachi builds the most reliable continuous inkjet printers in the world today. Ease of Use – Hitachi UX Series features an intuitive 10.4” color TFT LCD touch panel for east message creation and management. The UX Series also allows operators to easily change filters without tools, in less than 5 minutes. Our flexible umbilical design enables traditional or ’90-degree’ mounting, all within the unique tapered print head. Our easy “one Button” shutdown feature, including automatic print head cleaning, allows operators to reduce time associated with end of production maintenance, while ensuring an easy startup for the next production run. Efficiency – Hitachi brand products have always been known for their efficiency, designed to lower your total cost of ownership. Building on 35 years of experience, our UX Series offers even more ways to save including the best fluids management system available. Our innovative ink return system ‘pulsates’ the ink return stream, effectively reducing air exposure with ink – consequently, there is less evaporation. Less evaporation results in you enjoying the lowest solvent consumption in the industry.

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12/17/20 2:18 PM

335

Converting Equipment Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Honeywell Intelligrated 7901 Innovation Way Mason, OH 45040 Phone: 866/936-7300 Email: info@intelligrated.com www.intelligrated.com Honeywell Intelligrated is a leading single-source provider of intelligent automated material handling solutions and software that drive end-of-line manufacturing, retail and e-commerce fulfillment productivity. We design, manufacture, integrate and install complete solutions, including conveyor, sortation, palletizers, robotics, and automated storage and retrieval systems â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all managed by advanced machine controls and our robust Momentumâ&#x201E;˘ warehouse execution system. Our Connected Distribution Center helps companies make the digital transformation necessary to maximize efficiencies and inform decision making via real-time visibility to assets, automated systems and workers across the enterprise. We back every project with 24X7 multilingual technical support and access to lifecycle services. Leveraging data from machine-level sensors allows us to provide real-time equipment monitoring, diagnostics and asset-level insights to boost reliability, throughput and performance. Our connected solutions analyze real-time and historic data to detect equipment conditions that could impact performance and provide real-time alerts to help fix critical issues before they affect the entire production process.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 2:19 PM

336

PW JAN2021

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Conveying & accumulation Controls & machine components

Hoosier Feeder Company 100 W Morgan St. Knightstown, Indiana 46148 Phone: 765-445-3333 Email: info@hoosierfeedercompany.com www.hoosierfeedercompany.com Hoosier Feeder Company focuses on delivering the best parts feeding equipment in the industry, not being the biggest company. That is why we always put the customer first, keeping open communication throughout the entire build. We will do whatever it takes to provide you with a top tier parts feeding system both during and after the build. Our Vibratory Bowl Feeder Department prides itself on the skill and concepts that goes into every bowl. We are in every industry you can imagine from food to automotive to pharmaceutical and we have no problem meeting their specific industry standards. We stand behind our product and we are happy to service any bowl that you have even if they are not ours. Our Centrifugal Feeder Department is paving the way with new innovations in the Food and Beverage Industry. Our newly patented Food Grade Centrifugal Feeder can handle a multitude of different foods from bread to protein. It also adheres to the strictest of standards to ensure that it is wash down safe and contamination free. While we are leading from the front in the food and beverage industry, we also have high speed solutions for other industries such as consumer goods, appliances and more. With our vast line of centrifugal feeders, we can find the right model that will best suits your application. If you need any feeding, indexing, or orientating machines to help automate your line look no further than Hoosier Feeder Company. We have the integrity, knowledge, and product line to provide the best solution possible for our customers.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/17/20 2:22 PM

337

Coding/marking Labeling Labels

ID Technology 5051 N. Sylvania Ave., Suite 405 Fort Worth, TX 76137 Phone: 888/438-3242 Email: IDT@promachbuilt.com www.idtechnology.com ID Technology, a brand of Pro Mach, is a manufacturer and integrator of solutions for labeling, coding, and marking applications. With seventeen regional sales, service, and stocking facilities, ID Technology provides responsive, ongoing service and support to fit our customers’ individual needs. ID Technology’s product range includes label printer applicators, label applicators, inkjet printers, laser coders and overprinters. As a full-service label converter, ID Technology has seven converting facilities with full-line printing capabilities to produce high-quality labels, tickets, and tags — from short-run, onecolor labels to large-volume process labels. To complete the “total service” package, all ID Technology field service personnel are PMMI Certified Trainers and are factory trained to service and support the full range of ID Technology products. ID Technology has your labeling, coding and marking solution for primary product labeling, secondary identification, coupon labeling, case marking, bar coding, pallet labeling, date, lot or batch coding, and more.

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12/17/20 2:27 PM

338

PW JAN2021

Flow Wrapping Form/fill/seal -Vertical Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

IMA FLX hub Ilapak Inc. 105 Pheasant Run - Newtown, PA 18940 - USA Phone: 215/579-2900 Email: info.flxhub@ima.it https://ima.it/en/flexible-packaging-hub/ IMA FLX. The One Stop Supplier For Flexible Packaging. The new IMA FLEXIBLE PACKAGING HUB is where the production of all machines in the flexible packaging chain converge. Everything needed to process all types of flexible packaging for the Food, Pharma, Wet Wipes and Pet markets is right here. The full array of leading technologies brought together in one facility, where a one-stop supplier drives the quest for excellence, sustainability, constantly researching innovative solutions and new eco-compatible materials. IMA FLX HUB, taking advantage of synergies and integrations with IMA Group companies and thanks to proven expertise gained in food & non-food industries’ key applications, o ers fully engineered solutions delivering highly e cient flexible packaging lines to maximise your line’s OEE, with real time operator-specific production and diagnostics data. From automatic loading systems to cartoning, from product feeding and handling to single and multiple flow wrapping. Weighing solutions coupled with vertical baggers and end of line equipment. IMA FLX HUB is your perfect partner for delivering turn-key horizontal and vertical solutions. Its high-speed flexible automation systems are capable of the highest production throughput requirements. The portfolio includes also systems for modified atmosphere applications (M.A.P.) and vacuum, as well as machines for 4 side seals multi-lane and sticks, fold pack and sandwiching. The HUB also offers counting solutions, dosing devices and complete, fully automated Doy pouch lines.

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12/17/20 4:34 PM

339

Sustainability Containers Closures

Independent Can Company 1300 Brass Mill Road Belcamp, MD 21017-0370 Phone: 410/272-0090 Email: contact@independentcan.com www.independentcan.com Excellence in Metal Packaging Since 1929! Independent Can Company has been manufacturing specialty metal packaging in the USA since 1929! The company has grown from a single location in Baltimore, Maryland, to six strategically located facilities nationwide. Our portfolio of specialty cans is the largest in North America. We are the leader in state-of-the-art metal decorating with continuous investment strategies. Products: Our product line includes a breadth of decorative promotional cans for snacks and confections, as well as hermetic food cans, hermetic cans for industrial applications including chemical containment and welding electrodes, and a broad array of high quality seamless tins, specialty fittings and closures. Food Safety: Our facilities are SQF Certified. We have been audited and approved by national companies such as Target, Kraft-Heinz, Zippo, Coca-Cola, Nestle and many others. Programs: Independent Can features a year-round stock decorative tin program – the only one made in the USA. We offer custom lithography, digital printing, special finishes, embossing, and more. Our packaging promotes, protects and is 100% infinitely recyclable. We partner with companies to build their brands. We’d love to discuss your packaging solution.

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12/18/20 5:27 AM

340

PW JAN2021

Case erect/seal

INSITE Packaging Automation 1104 34th Ave West Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: 320.762.7830 Email: InfoConnect@insitepackaging.com www.insitepackaging.com Straight, Forward, Packaging Automation. At INSITE, we are focused on case erecting and sealing equipment. We are passionate about leveraging technology wherever possible to make our machines simpler and smarter. Our mission is to continually put you, our customer, at the center of our business because we understand that our success depends on your success. Peerless Packaging Solutions. INSITE’s case formers and case sealers have been designed by some of the industry’s best engineers and product specialists to respect vital resources: your time, your budget and your operators’ safety. We do this by packing our packaging equipment with features and benefits we know you’ll appreciate. Case Erectors. Through innovation, INSITE case erectors apply technology to enable next-level simplicity and reliability. Effortless set-ups, quick and trouble-free changeovers, consistently square cases, fewer wear parts and less maintenance … INSITE’s case formers have all that and more thanks to our innovative use of robotics and elementary operator controls. If you’ve ever struggled with opening a case, getting a case square, or removing a jammed case, you know making a case erector is easy to do, but hard to do well. When you step up to an INSITE case erector, you’ll notice how our work makes your work easy. Case Sealers. INSITE’s sealers use a clean, minimalist design, despite being packed with functions and features that other case sealer manufacturers charge for. Our case sealing equipment handles a large range of case sizes while accommodating enormous variations in the number of cases that can be sealed per minute. INSITE case sealers combine a smart, flexible machine design with proven technologies for a quick and clean top seal — every time. They’re safe, dependable, efficient to operate and effortless to maintain. Premium performance, priced for premium value.

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12/18/20 5:29 AM

341

Conveying & accumulation Palletizing/Depalletizing Case/tray packing

Intralox 301 Plantation Road Harahan, LA 70123 USA Phone: 888-427-2358 Email: CustomerService.MatlHandling@intralox.com www.intralox.com Intralox is the global conveyance solutions leader, offering direct service for a broad range of industries in more than 100 countries. We specialize in innovative technologies, including Modular Plastic Conveyor Belting, ThermoDrive® technology, DirectDrive™ Spiral Systems and Activated Roller Belt™ (ARB™) equipment. Our products, combined with a powerful blend of engineering expertise, services and global support, are backed by the strongest written performance and delivery guarantees. Our Packer to Palletizer team ensures maximum return on investment for your back end projects—from initial planning, to final installation and beyond. Whether you’re building a new plant, expanding an existing facility, or undertaking a reconfiguration, our team can help you reach key performance indicators (KPIs) and limit project risks. Packer to Palletizer consists of three core facets: Expertise, Service, and Technology. Our approach helps you fully integrate these areas in order to realize the best possible results, both now and in the future. By partnering with us at the start of your next project, you can achieve key objectives, including increased productivity, improved total cost of ownership (TCO), less floor space required, and future ready, flexible lines. Working with Intralox allows customers to experience our uncompromising commitment to providing sustainable solutions that create lasting value.

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12/18/20 5:32 AM

342

PW JAN2021

Case erect/seal Adhesives/tape Protective/transport packaging

IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) 100 Paramount Drive, Suite 300 Sarasota, FL 34232 Phone: 800/474-8273 Email: info@itape.com www.itape.com Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (IPG) is a recognized leader in the packaging industry. Leveraging its advanced manufacturing technologies, extensive research and development capabilities and a comprehensive strategic acquisition program, IPG has assembled the broadest and deepest range of products in the industry. IPGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s product offering includes carton sealing and industrial tapes (masking, filament, duct/cloth, double coated, flatback, foil and electrical), stretch and shrink film, protective packaging products and complementary packaging systems for industrial and retail use. IPG also specializes in high performance tape products engineered for demanding aerospace, marine, automotive and industrial applications. The comprehensive product offering and market specialization uniquely positions IPG as the supplier of choice for leading packaging and industrial distributors and large end users across a diverse cross section of industries. IPG employs approximately 3,500 employees with operations in 31 locations, including 21 manufacturing facilities in North America, four in Asia and one in Europe.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 5:34 AM

343

Case/tray packing Conveying & accumulation Palletizing/Depalletizing

ITW Hartness 50 Beechtree Blvd. Greenville, SC 29605 Phone: 8642971200 Email: info@hartness.com www.hartness.com ITW Hartness, a division of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), is the first choice in Accumulation, Packing and Palletizing for secondary packaging solutions, delivering unprecedented OEE, quality, and service while leveraging technology to maximize value. ITW Hartness serves customers in select food, beverage, personal, and household care industries. ACCUMULATION—As the recognized global leader in FIFO pressure-free accumulation solutions, we offer a diverse portfolio of single file, mass flow, floor level, and helical variants with a consultative approach. Via line simulations and ROI calculations, we deliver the analytics required to validate increased line efficiency. PACKING—Driven by continual growth to secondary packaging demands, we offer Top Load Drop Packing, Shrink, Tray, and Wraparound solutions as well as extensions of Case Packers (Laners, Sealers) in an array of standalone, modular, and blocked configurations. PALLETIZING/DEPALLETIZING—Our robotic-based platform and innovative designs enable ultimate flexibility and low-pressure product handling that are both highly reliable and inherently safe. SYSTEMS INTEGRATION—Our expert integration team utilizes the DYNAC-Centric line design/control philosophy and a ‘best-in-class” approach to machine center selection to deliver maximum line efficiency. Using v-curve analysis, our team takes into consideration everything from product type/speed and changeover requirements to production demands and machine performance. All projects are validated using simulation software to assess performance of the line design and interpret ROI, allowing you to understand your investment before making a commitment. AFTERMARKET—ITW Hartness aftermarket support programs ensure you maximize the life of your equipment and optimize the performance of your lines. Our dedicated experts are readily available 24/7 to help with technical assistance, including on-site service and training, remote support, and replacement parts. With HartnessPARTS, our e-commerce platform, customers can order parts online with quick turnarounds.

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12/18/20 5:34 AM

344

PW JAN2021

Closures Containers Contract packaging

James Alexander Corp. 845 Route 94 Blairstown, NJ 07825 Phone: 908/362-9266 Email: info@james-alexander.com www.james-alexander.com Located in northern New Jersey, James Alexander Corporation (JAC) is a leading contract manufacturer and custom filler of single-use crushable glass and plastic ampoules. Its manufacturing facility features unique, company-designed equipment and produces its patented plastic ampoules, among other product offerings. Stemming from an uptick in demand, James Alexander Corp. is currently adding manufacturing space. Scheduled for completion in Q2 2021, the expansion will provide more capacity for servicing key markets including pharmaceutical (OTC & Rx), medical devices, health & beauty products, first aid and diagnostics. JAC’s patented single-use plastic ampoules, which have undergone various enhancements since their initial market introduction, are available in a variety of colors and with an array of applicators, offering singlehanded activation in a customizable format. Meanwhile, the company’s glass ampoules can be filled and assembled in single-use swab or dropper packages. JAC also recently introduced a winged device, THE ACTIVATOR™, which provides easier activation for these glass formats. Other services include autoclave sterilization for glass ampoules, blister packaging and formula compounding. Plastic Unit-Dose Dispensing Systems James Alexander Corp.’s revolutionary plastic ampoule combines style and ease of use through single-handed activation. With just a gentle squeeze, the inner membrane ruptures, allowing the contents to be dispensed by the user. The plastic ampoule is available in sizes up to 5ml, as well as a range of colors and applicators. Unit-Dose Glass Swabs James Alexander Corp.’s unit-dose swabs offer the stability of glass in one- or two-part systems allowing for convenient application of pharmaceuticals and health aids. JAC also produces single-use glass ampoules for inhalation and dropper tip assemblies for the dispensing of liquids.

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12/18/20 5:35 AM

345

Case/tray packing Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags) Palletizing/Depalletizing

K2 Kinetics 3495 Industrial Dr. York, PA 17402 Phone: 800-995-2832 Email: hello@k2kinetics.com www.k2kinetics.com Automate Smart. Automate Fast. Process Makes Perfect! K2 Kinetics is a total solutions provider specializing in the UNIQUE automation, design, engineering, and integration of packaging solutions that seamlessly fit into the current plant operations and future capital needs of our customers. We work with global food and beverage brands to offer turn-key solutions to their post-processing packaging needs. Our best-in-class team of packaging automation experts collectively brings more than 150 years of talent and industry experience to your project. Our PROCESS: Needs Assessment, Review & Recommend Solutions, Score Development & Proposal, Project Management, Factory Testing Installation & Post Installation SERVICE! Turnkey SOLUTIONS from start to finish: Palletizing, Packing, Cartoning, Case Packing, Conveying, Quality Assurance, Filling & More... CAPABILITES: Engineering & Design (Smart Automation, Collaboration, and Data Analytics). Turnkey total integration, and training to all staff + maintenance moving forward. SERVICE: FANUC Certified Service Provider - Technical Support for all equipment in your facility - Authorized warranty and repair of FANUC products and our installed lines Remote Troubleshooting - Spare parts inventory - 24/7 Field service. LEADERSHIP: We have a best-in-class team of packaging automation experts to design, integrate, and maintain the highest quality of service for K2 customers. The senior team collectively brings more than 150 years of talent and industry experience to your project. Give Us a Shout - our team is here to help you overcome staff shortages and work on planned expansions that will save you valuable time and money in the long-run!

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 5:36 AM

346

PW JAN2021

Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics Case/tray packing

Kaufman Engineered Systems 1260 Waterville-Monclova Rd. Phone: 419-878-9727 Email: Info@KES-USA.com www.KES-USA.com As a level four Authorized Systems Integrator for FANUC Robotics, FANUCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest level of attainment, Kaufman Engineered Systems applies FANUC robot technology to provide customers complete end of line system solutions. The solution may be as simple as a dedicated palletizing cell, or as complex as a multi-line handling and palletizing system. No matter how big or small, Kaufman Engineered Systems will address each project and customer with the same integrity and professional response. Kaufman Is Your Single Source For Complete Line Automation Some of our product offerings include: Robotic Palletizing and Depalletizing High Speed Picking and Placing Case and Tray Packing Robotic Load Labeling Fully Automatic Stretch Wrapping Automatic Machine Loading Material Handling Conveyor Systems Service And Support: With each end of line system comes Kaufman Engineered Systems service and support. Backed by 70 years serving customers, Kaufman is a partner you can rely on to respond quickly and efficiently when having service needs. With your end of line system, you will have service options to choose from if you wish to setup quarterly, semi-annual, or annual maintenance support with Kaufman Qualified Technicians.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 5:37 AM

347

Robotics Palletizing/Depalletizing Case/tray packing

Kawasaki Robotics (USA), Inc. 28140 Lakeview Dr., Wixom, MI 48393 USA Phone: (855) 855-1414 Email: info@kri-us.com www.KawasakiRobotics.com At Kawasaki Robotics, we use human ingenuity to develop difference-making robotics. That means the people of Kawasaki Robotics are what separates our company from the rest. We promise to deliver excellent robotic solutions while being there every step of the way, ensuring you get the service and support you need from project inception to commissioning with no hidden costs. As a leading supplier of industrial robots and automation systems, Kawasaki Robotics leverages years of experience and innovation to design complete solutions for high-speed palletizing and packaging applications. These proven systems take the guesswork out of automation and minimize risks, lower costs and speed up implementation. In addition, Kawasaki robots are built for reliability and ease of maintenance while offering a superior payload and speed and working range for maximum flexibility. Kawasakiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suite of software programs simplify the integration and installation process and, when combined with our energy savings features, open source simulation and offline programming software, users have an impressive lineup that is the very essence of human ingenuity. Let us show you how we meet the demand for flexible manufacturing and minimize production costs, all while being your trusted automation partner.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 5:39 AM

348

PW JAN2021

Labeling Palletizing/Depalletizing Wrapping

KHS Group Juchostraße 20, 44143 Dortmund, Germany Phone: +49 231 569-0 Email: webmaster@khs.com www.khs.com/en/ The KHS Group is one of the leading manufacturers of filling and packaging systems for the beverage and liquid food industries. The KHS Group includes the following companies: parent company KHS GmbH, KHS Corpoplast GmbH and numerous subsidiaries outside Germany, located in Ahmedabad (India), Sarasota and Waukesha (USA), Zinacantepec (Mexico), São Paulo (Brazil) and Suzhou (China). KHS manufactures modern filling and packaging systems at its headquarters in Dortmund, Germany, and at its factories in Bad Kreuznach, Kleve, Worms and Hamburg, where the group’s PET expertise is pooled. The KHS Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of the SDAX-listed Salzgitter AG corporation. In 2019 the KHS Group and its 5,149 employees achieved a turnover of around €1.260 billion. The corporate philosophy of the KHS Group is based on three pillars: Efficiency, sustainability, and digitization. All new developments follow these three guiding principles just like the latest further development of the KHS Innopack Kisters tray packers. KHS now enables cans of food and beverage to be wrapped in paper with its tried-andtested packaging machine. The new technology replaces shrink film or wrap-around carton packaging for transportation or sale on packs of 12 or 24 cans in the high-capacity range of up to 90,000 cans per hour. Regarding stability the results are the same yet compared to cardboard costs are lower as less energy and fewer materials are used. With a few minor adjustments existing machines can be converted to the new setup, making a full new investment unnecessary.

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12/18/20 5:40 AM

349

Controls & machine components Plastics/Resins

King Plastic Corporation 1100 N. Toledo Blade Blvd. North Port, FL 34288 Phone: 941/493-5502 Email: sales@kingplastic.com www.kingplastic.com King Plastic Corporation is a leading manufacturer of quality polymer sheets, slabs and massive shapes - including several products pioneered by the company. Its polymers are made in the USA and sold worldwide through a network of top plastics distributors to customers who fabricate products for the marine industry (King StarBoard® brand), signage, food service, healthcare, architectural, industrial and other markets. King continues to raise the bar with new products, new production techniques and new standards of excellence. High-Performance Polymers: • King Star oard • King Star oard ST • King Color oard • King ColorCore • King y-Pact

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12/18/20 5:40 AM

350

PW JAN2021

Containers Sustainability Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Klöckner Pentaplast Food Packaging 3585 Klöckner Road Phone: +01.540.832.3600 www.kpfilms.com

Email: kpinfo@kpfilms.com

At Klöckner Pentaplast (kp), we believe in the sustainable protection of everyday needs. It’s why we do what we do; it’s why we exist. Our purpose is to be the leader in sustainable rigid and flexible plastic solutions that improve lives, communities and health, while protecting the planet. We can achieve this by delivering food and consumer products safely to meet the needs of a modern-day society, while optimising the use of scarce resources. We will ensure our products protect and help reduce food waste and provide affordable hygiene and protection in today’s complex supply chains, while operating a sustainable business for generations to come. This underpins our growth, builds upon our heritage and defines our culture. kp is a global leader in rigid and flexible packaging, specialty film solutions, serving the pharmaceutical, medical device, food, beverage and card markets, among others. With a broad and innovative portfolio of packaging and product films and services, kp plays an integral role in the customer value chain by safeguarding product integrity, assuring safety and consumer health, improving sustainability and protecting brand reputation. Founded in 1965 kp has 32 plants in 18 countries and employs over 5,900 people committed to serving customers worldwide in over 60 locations.

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12/18/20 5:44 AM

351

Sustainability Labels Plastics/Resins

Klöckner Pentaplast Pharma, Health and Protection & Durables 3585 Klöckner Rd Gordonsville, VA 22942 Phone: 540/832-3600 Email: kpainfo@kpfilms.com www.kpfilms.com Klöckner Pentaplast is a global leader in rigid and flexible film solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical device, card, consumer packaging, decorative, and home, building & construction markets. With a broad portfolio of packaging and product films and services, Klöckner Pentaplast plays an integral role in the customer value chain by safeguarding product integrity, assuring safety and consumer health, improving sustainability, and protecting brand reputation. Klöckner Pentaplast films package the world’s best-known products and brands. Solutions include films for shrink-sleeve labels, mono and high barrier pharmaceutical blisters, medical device packaging, financial cards, gift boxes, instructional floor graphics, decorative furniture & flooring films as well as films for the building and construction industries. kp delivers solutions to meet your needs in a cost-effective manner, and kp’s extensive product line includes films to help you meet your sustainable packaging goals as well. Founded in 1965 in Montabaur, Germany, Klöckner Pentaplast has operations in 18 countries and employs over 5,900 people committed to serving customers worldwide from 32 production sites. Collaboration is integral with each opportunity. With a cooperative approach, kp’s expert technicians visit you on-site to consult, troubleshoot, train, and provide all the necessary solutions to help optimize film performance. You can also work together with a designated team at the kp i.center, designed specifically, to serve the pharmaceutical and thermoforming industries. Equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and expert staff, kp is dedicated to help you improve current packaging and create new sustainable solutions.

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12/18/20 5:45 AM

352

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Labeling Palletizing/Depalletizing

Krones, Inc. 9600 South 58th Street Franklin, WI 53132-6241 Phone: 414-409-4000 Email: sales@kronesusa.com www.kronesusa.com Every day, millions of bottles, cans, and PET containers run through a Krones line. As a supplier for complete systems, Krones provides breweries, beverage bottlers, food producers and CPGs all over the world with both individual machines and complete turnkey production lines. Our “Network of Krones” offerings are comprehensive and everexpanding, with solutions from product and container production, filling, and packaging all the way through material flow, IT, automation, and container recycling. With our comprehensive Lifecycle Service (LCS) aftermarket support program, Krones further provides full engineering and manufacturing support for implemented production solutions – up to 24 hours, 7 days-a-week. The robust online platform Krones.shop provides a user-friendly experience to not only order spare parts, but also manage substitution lists, maintain customized stockkeeping, track upgrades, overhauls, and more. You can even access training from our Krones Academy for your team on the site to fully maximize your equipment investment. The combined power of Krones German-based engineering coupled with the expertise of our North American-based subsidiaries – Trans-Market, Process Data & Automation, Javlyn Process Systems, System Logistics/Vertique, MHT, and W.M. Sprinkman – provides this market with some of the most comprehensive solutions available. In October 2020, Krones launched the Krones Process Group North America to provide a more cohesive offering to the beverage, dairy, and food industries across the region. Krones Inc. is headquartered in Franklin, Wis. and is the North American subsidiary of Krones AG based in Neutraubling, Germany. For more information visit www.kronesusa.com or follow us on social media: Twitter: @KronesInc Facebook: @KronesNorthAmerica Instagram: @KronesAG LinkedIn: Krones-AG YouTube: Krones.tv Read more about Krones, Inc.’s innovation in Packaging World: www.packworld.com/companies/krones-inc

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12/18/20 5:46 AM

353

Coding ar ing Labeling a er evident a iner

Label-Aire, Inc. 0 B rning ree Rd. • llerton, C 9 8 Phone: 888-664-8111 Email: info@label-aire.com www.label-aire.com Label-Aire is the worldwide leading manufacturer of pressure-sensitive labeling machinery. Over 50 years ago, Label-Aire introduced a revolutionary new method for applying pressure-sensitive labels. The patented “air-blow” concept provided the packaging industry with labeling machines. This new preferred method of label application eliminated the need for additional product handling. Our pioneering technique has gained complete acceptance. The widespread growth of pressure-sensitive labels in existing and new markets worldwide resulted. Labeling Made Easy When our customers asked for a labeling machine that was easy-to-use and productiontough, we took plenty of notes. Our advanced Primary Applicator line of labeling equipment delivers top-notch performance on even the most difficult applications. Our labeling systems and labeling equipment are loaded with features: Making operating labeling systems simple and virtually maintenance-free, automatic setup, user-friendly control panel & display, stepper motor technology, and Zero Downtime labeling capabilities. And it’s all backed by the industry’s most experienced and responsive labeling systems distributor network. Focus On Innovation and Saving Customers Money Since our inception, Label-Aire’s focus has always been on providing customers with the most inventive, intelligent, and reliable pressure-sensitive labeling machines. The result? Over 50 years of satisfied customers with lower operating costs and higher productivity than our competitors.

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12/18/20 5:47 AM

354

PW JAN2021

Coding/marking Labeling

Leibinger Coding and Marking 2702 Buell Drive, Suite B, East Troy, WI 53120 Phone: 262/642-4030 Email: info@leibinger-group.com www.leibinger-group.com/en Leibinger’s coding and marking portfolio consists of a full range of continuous inkjet printers, from entry level to the highest speeds and most demanding applications. Dried-up ink? Extensive cleaning? Clogging or replacement of nozzles? Not with Leibinger inkjet technology. The self-sealing print head guarantees an immediate print start even after long shutdown periods. No scheduled cleaning is required. All Leibinger printers are equipped with this patented nozzle seal technology. *ENTRY LINE* Our Entry Line and the Leibinger JET One offer everything that makes a Leibinger coder unique, but at a price that makes it affordable for everyone. *BASIC LINE* Our Basic Line model, the JET2neo, has been a leading product in the market for standard applications requiring up to 3 lines of code. Fully equipped, it even comes with an option for dusty environments. The line also offers a higher speed model for increased performance. *ESSENTIAL LINE* A bright, 10.4” screen and all connectivity options you can dream of. The Essential Line and JET3se make it a coding powerhouse with superior performance at a competitive price. *UNIVERSAL LINE* The JET3up is the flagship model of our Universal Line. There’s no application too difficult or demanding for the JET3up. Dedicated models for IP65 requirements, up to 30ft umbilical cords and capabilities for white and yellow on dark surfaces.

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12/18/20 5:48 AM

355

Controls & machine components

Lenze 630 Douglas Street, Uxbridge, MA 01569 Phone: 508/278-9100 Email: info.us@lenze.com www.Lenze.com “The best machines and production facilities around the world use Lenze.” As a global specialist in Motion Centric Automation, Lenze offers you products, drive solutions, complete automation systems, and engineering services and tools from one single source. Lenze is one of the few suppliers able to support you throughout the entire machine development process – from the control system to the drive shaft, from the initial ideas to after-sale. We are a reliable partner with the knowledge and expertise to provide you with the best overall solutions reducing machine development times and enabling faster time-to-market. Engineering made easy – in order to deliver the ideal solution for your machine tasks, Lenze advises and supports you through all five phases of the engineering process: 1. Developing ideas, 2. Drafting concepts, 3. Implementing solutions, 4. Manufacturing machines, 5. Ensuring productivity If you are looking to implement cutting-edge machines and plant concepts, or modernize existing installations, you can trust Lenze. We help choose the best products, providing energy efficient drive dimensioning, project planning, implementation and commissioning. We make it easy for precise implementation of your machine tasks. Lenze is a global manufacturer of electrical and mechanical drives, motion control and automation technology. We are a leading provider of automation solutions to the following industries: consumer goods packaging, automotive, material handling and logistics, robotics, and commercial pumps/fans. With a global network of engineers, sales representatives, and manufacturing facilities, Lenze is well-positioned to meet the motion control needs of customers worldwide. Lenze Americas, a subsidiary of Lenze SE of Germany, is headquartered in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. Corporate global headquarters are located in Hamelin, Germany.

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12/18/20 5:48 AM

356

PW JAN2021

Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags) Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made)

Mamata Enterprises, Inc. 3210 59th Dr E Unit 101 Bradenton, FL 34203 United States Phone: 941/205-0227 Email: sales@mamatausa.com www.mamata.com A New Year focuses us all on creating the best possible efficiencies around our productivity and resources. Mamata USA is here to sprint with you to achieve just that. Our packaging machines offer flexibility to address challenges like speeds, changeover, and ease of operation. Our machine design addresses these and many other crucial pain points. Increasing productivity is at the core of everything you do to achieve OEE targets. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why speed and changeover processes are game changers. Take a look at the key features of Mamata packaging machines that will take your productivity to the next level. In terms of efficiency, format changeover is under 30-minutes including filling section increases uptime & efficiency. Mechanical speeds of up to 100 ppm on simplex HFFS rollstock machines & 55 ppm on premade pouch fillers. Get an OEE of 95% or higher. Regarding hygiene, check out the SS high hygiene & corrosion resistant machine frame with the option of 316 L frame. A carousel design for filling section makes changeovers quick and easy. And to ensure product quality, servo web tension control system & optisealTM system to process recyclable mono-material PE film structures. We feature independent seal time & seal pressure control to deliver pre-made pouch quality seals. All above and many more that will ease your packaging process and increase your productivity. Our hf/f/s and rollstock machines are available with speeds up to 100 PPM and covers pouch sizes from 80 to 300 mm. Our Premade Pouch filling systems can fill pouch sizes from 125-300 mm at upto 50 PPM. This takes care of 99% of the single-serve to clubsize pouches. It can handle 3SS pouches and reclosable SUP & flat bottom pouches with terminated gussets and zippers. Mamata serves the plastics and packaging industry for over 30 years offering equipment for film extrusion, converting, and packaging. Globally, our footprint is 85 countries with more than 5000 converting machines working in the field. We have over 350 installations in North America and are growing, supported by Florida and Chicago locations. Visit www.mamata.com.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/21/20 1:00 PM

357

Coding/marking Labeling dditives, oatings

in s

Markem-Imaje Co ntr 100 C astain Center Blvd., S ite 16 â&#x20AC;˘ ennesa , 0144 Phone: 770-421-7700 Email: marketing@markem-imaje.com www.markem-imaje.us Creating value for our customers around the world through innovation, customer intimacy, and a unique experience Markem-Imaje is a trusted global manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions. Our connected solutions help manufacturers to reduce waste, increase efficiency, achieve compliance and protect their brand. We offer the most complete range of market-leading marking and coding systems along with software, services and consumable solutions so you can streamline all your printing needs from one supplier. For decades we have defined the possibilities of coding with superior technology, implementation, and services. With the technical leadership in coding hardware and software implementation and the most extensive global network coverage in the industry, we can meet any needs from local producers to global corporations, and from end-users to system integrators. Why choose Markem-Imaje All businesses, from an entrepreneur with a growing brand to a large firm with an established global presence, are looking to optimize operations, increase customer satisfaction and comply with obligatory regulations. At Markem-Imaje, our unique range of coding solutions will help you build a smarter, better-integrated business. Whether you need data control software solutions, fully inclusive pallet tracking, permanent codes or food grade inks, our proven expertise in advanced coding technologies will maximize the efficiency of your packaging line, strengthen your digital supply chain, and support the future growth of your business.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 5:49 AM

358

PW JAN2021

Case erect/seal Case/tray packing Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made)

Massman Automation Designs, LLC The Massman Companies 1010 East Lake Street - Villard, MN 56385 Phone: 320 554-3611 Email: sales@massmanllc.com www.massmanllc.com The Massman Companies began with the founding of Massman Automation and Design in 1978. In the years since, acquisitions have created the Massman Companies, a group of machinery and technology companies devoted to the principle of “Enhancing Lives through Automation.” Growth will continue as new technologies and packaging equipment are added and the integration of production line capabilities continues for the benefit of Massman’s customers. The primary goal of these early acquisitions was to add capabilities that would let Massman offer a wider range of solutions to its customers. Acquiring Sabel added robotic case packaging; Talon added microwave popcorn and flexible pouch packaging; PSA brought cartoning and product handling; PASE introduced drum filling, denesters and depalletizers; Bedford added reclosable packaging, including tin tie reclosable pouch closures for coffee and bakery products, offering Massman its first entry into consumer packaging. In 2016, Massman acquired Elliot Manufacturing and EDL Packaging, expanding Massman’s offerings in case erecting and sealing and introducing the capability for shrink wrapping and shrink bundling. Ideal-PakÒ, acquired in 2018, added automated filling capacity for small to mid sized packaged liquid products. Forming Ideal-Pak and PASE into the Ideal-Pak/PASE Group created a division capable of filling a wide range of products into a wide range of package sizes. In 2019, a major acquisition added DTM Packaging and Custom Automation, a leader in machine manufacturing and re-manufacturing and in the integration and automation of packaging lines. This strategic move allowed Massman to offer, for the first time, complete packaging line solutions for a variety of industries. DTM brought Massman Companies a significant presence in the liquid filling marketplace, as well as partnerships with Ronchi America, an Italian manufacturer of high-speed rotary fillers, and Tolke USA, a German manufacturer of high-speed bottle unscramblers and cap sorters, for whom DTM provides all US service and technical support.

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12/18/20 5:50 AM

359

Containers Filling/capping -dry Weighing/combination scales

Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. 1214 Lincoln Road, PO Box 218 Allegan, MI 49010 Phone: 800/836-7068 Email: sales@materialtransfer.com www.materialtransfer.com Material Transfer is an industry leader in the custom design and manufacture of material handling equipment and systems for the powder bulk industry. Our combination of application focused engineering, award winning designs and exclusive features result in equipment that offers class leading quality, value, performance, durability, and ease of use. We form a responsive partnership with our customers, and then apply our extensive experience, technology, and flexibility to provide custom designed solutions to each customer’s specific material handling challenge. Many Fortune 500 companies rely on our equipment to introduce product to their process, or package their finished product. Our product line includes custom designed Container and Drum Discharging Systems, Bulk Bag Discharging Systems, Bulk Bag Conditioning Systems, Bulk Bag Filling Systems, Box Filling Systems, and Drum Filling Systems. Over 98% of the equipment Material Transfer manufactures is custom designed for a customer’s particular application requirements. Material Transfer utilizes talented engineers and the latest 3D computer software for equipment design, experienced metal fabricators and machinists with the latest fabrication and CNC machining technologies, and an experienced team of machine assemblers to build its products.

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12/18/20 2:48 PM

360

PW JAN2021

Flexible packaging Form/fill/seal -Vertical Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

Matrix Packaging Machinery 650 N. Dekora Woods Blvd. Saukville, WI 53080 Phone: (262) 268-8300 Email: Matrix.Info@ProMachBuilt.com www.MatrixPM.com Headquarters for World Class Flexible Packaging Solutions A leader in vertical form fill seal packaging equipment, Matrix delivers rugged, wellengineered, easy-to-use packaging systems backed by a large world-class service and parts teams. Matrix demonstrates the ability and commitment in creating profitable packaging systems for customers on a global scale. As a ProMach brand, Matrix is in the unique position to provide customers with a wealth of knowledge throughout their entire packing system. And, we can facilitate integrating packaging and processing products and solutions for food, beverage, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and other diverse companies throughout the world. Matrix also partners with FLtècnics, INVpack, and Toyo Jidoki, to provide a comprehensive solution for all your flexible packaging needs. FLtècnics (a ProMach brand) offering rollstock horizontal form-fill-seal pouch making technology in both carousel and walking-beam styles. Solutions allow customers the flexibility to produce a pouch with top or corner valve on the same valve applicator. INVpack, a leading provider of high quality stickpack/sachet systems for flexible packaging applications. The first form-fill-seal company specializing on the stickpack format. Technologies continually evolve to follow rigorous security and hygienic rules including Ultra Clean format. Toyo Jidoki, a leader of high quality automated pre-made pouch packaging systems that efficiently load, open, fill and cap pouches. Suitable for liquid and non-liquid applications producing a precise and dependable seal. Matrix supports a complete flexible packaging product, providing you the solutions you need, when you need them. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package.

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Matrix.indd 360

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12/18/20 5:53 AM

361

Coding/marking Labeling Software

Matthews Marking Systems 3159 Unionville Rd, Suite 500, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 Phone: 1-800-775-7775 Email: info@matw.com www.matthewsmarking.com Matthews Marking Systems is a global supplier of marking and coding solutions for product identification, branding, and traceability. Our customers trust us to help them achieve increased productivity while driving bottom line improvement with reliable systems for any application. Committed to improving efficiency and accuracy in marking and coding, we offer the industry’s only universal automation controller, MPERIA®. MPERIA is truly universal, controlling one or many marking/coding devices regardless of brand or technology while seamlessly integrating with backend systems and databases. Whether you are adding to an existing production line or expanding to multiple plant locations, MPERIA’s inherent capability and flexibility grows with your business. Matthews’ focus on marking system innovation and quality are readily apparent in our full line of high-resolution inkjet, laser, print & apply, drop-on-demand valve jet and high-performance inks. We are dedicated to our customers’ success worldwide through an extensive sales, service, and distribution network. From current products to custom engineered solutions, we help customers throughout the industrial, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, personal care and consumer goods packaging industries.

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12/18/20 5:53 AM

362

PW JAN2021

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray

MEKITEC 2900 Gateway Drive Ste 635, Irving, Texas 75063, USA Phone: (469) 751-8444 Email: info@mekitec.com www.mekitec.com Mekitec is a global manufacturer of innovative quality control systems based on X-ray technology for the food industry, committed to ensure safe food by providing inspection systems with the best value in the industry. Mekitec X-ray systems are a part of the food production line guaranteeing the quality by detecting and removing food products that contain unwanted foreign objects or other defects by using the latest X-ray imaging and processing technology, resulting in 100% food quality control. Their X-ray quality control systems are an answer to questions many food manufacturers have regarding: - detecting and removing hazardous foreign contaminants from food production - increasing traceability in food production process - saving costs by preventing product recalls - building a stronger food brand by delivering only the safest and high-quality products Mekitec X-ray systems are a perfect fit for various food segments, and specially designed for the inspection of primary packaged products. This is where the food manufacturers are able to get the most accurate foreign object detection, utilize additional quality control functions and advantage from pack-for-pack traceability. The MEKI product family breaks the traditional model of focusing only on controlling metallic contaminants to overall quality control by making the X-ray technology accessible to every food manufacturer at a cost-level providing best value in the industry. Visit the Mekitec website for more information: www.mekitec.com

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 5:54 AM

363

Bag o ill seal re ade or ill seal ori ontal o es or ags er o or ill seal

Mespack-Cloud 4 4 Ho ard ve. • Des Plaines , 60018 Phone: 847/390-9410 Email: sales@cloudps.com www.cloudeg.com Mespack-Cloud is a leading manufacturer of high-speed horizontal flexible packaging equipment, providing global sales and service support to brand owners and contract packers of consumer packaged goods. Founded in 1929, the Cloud brand has long been recognized for engineering excellence and design innovation. A speed and performance leader in multiple packaging categories, Cloud brand machines dominate the sweetener, packet, flat pouch, and sachet markets. The company’s patented rotary soluble pod equipment is the preferred solution for both liquid and dry soluble pod applications. Mespack-Cloud is a Duravant Company. For more information, visit www.cloudeg.com. Ultra-High Speed Pouching for Sweetener Applications Ultra-High Speed Pouch / Packet Solutions. Cloud performance continues to lead the industry with speeds of 5,600 PPM (with full count and product control), the Cloud Performa sets the standard for ultra-high-speed production. Soluble Pod Solutions for liquid and powder laundry/dish Applications Cloud’s Hydroforma is the undisputed market leader in Soluble Pouch Machine technology. With more machines in more countries making more pods. Cloud’s soluble pouch line sets the industry standard. Greater speed (up to 2,400 pods per minute), less scrap and lowerst overall cost that competing solutions. A full line of machinery puts pod technology into reach for companies of all sizes. Stand-Up Pouch Solutions for Dry Flowable Pieces & Liquid Pouches Mespack-Cloud’s Full line of HFFS solutions from pre-made pouch machines to continuous motion, high-speed lines, Mespack-Cloud has machines for companies and projects of all sizes. On a full cost of ownership basis, Mespack-Cloud’s HFFS solutions outperform the industry standard by a wide Margin.

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12/18/20 5:55 AM

364

PW JAN2021

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Weighing/combination scales Coding/marking

METTLER TOLEDO Product Inspection 1571 Northpointe Parkway Phone: 813-889-9500 www.mt.com/pi

Email: pi.marketing@mt.com

METTLER TOLEDO is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest manufacturer of product inspection equipment, delivering a wide range of solutions for foreign body protection, regulatory compliance, and improved profits. Systems range from economical to state-of-the-art with customized material handling solutions. Safeline metal detectors automatically reject every type of metal contaminant in all types of bulk and packaged products, Safeline x-ray inspection systems use high-performance image processing to detect and reject all types of dense physical contaminants, as well as measure mass, check for missing or broken product, and confirm fill levels to guarantee product and package integrity. CI-Vision machine vision systems verify label content and integrity to prevent recalls. The use of these systems in your food safety program can help you prove due diligence, pass regulatory audits, and protect your brand. Hi-Speed checkweighers are offered in a wide range of sizes and configurations to handle nearly any package type or design at high speeds to ensure accurate product delivery, reduced giveaway, and an optimized production processes. Patented weighing technology and a vast amount of package handling expertise ensures repeatable performance from the first to the last package weighed maintaining tight production tolerances. PCE provides comprehensive solutions for Track & Trace programs with serialization and aggregation software, hardware and product handling using stations or integrated kits for existing packaging machinery. As a member of OMAC, METTLER TOLEDO is committed to connectivity and data storage and retrieval to help meet regulatory requirements. Inspection systems can be connected using a variety of methods, including our own ProdX data collection and management software.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 5:56 AM

365

Conveying & accumulation

mk North America, Inc. 105-125 Highland Park Drive, Bloomfield, CT 06002, USA Phone: 860/769-5500 Email: info@mknorthamerica.com www.mknorthamerica.com mk North America believes in delivering not just a better product, but a better solution. Since 1988, this core belief has driven us to provide customers with the best possible selection, quality, and support for every project and defines us as an industry leader within the conveyors and aluminum extrusion channels. With more than 50 different conveyor products and 250 aluminum extrusion shapes; combined with our specialty in customizations, provides customers the confidence that mk North America offers a solution to meet their needs. VersaFlex, mk North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flat top chain conveyor system ideally suited for the packaging industry. VersaFlex conveyors provide a versatile and dependable platform for conveying product in three-dimensional space. Product can be conveyed, stored, accumulated, transferred and sorted all on one conveyor line. Other conveyors from mk North America include belt conveyors, plastic modular belt conveyors, cleated conveyors, curve belt conveyors, roller conveyors and timing belt conveyors. When you work with mk North America you can expect customer support that will meet and exceed your expectations. Our talented team of sales engineers will ensure your project runs smooth from concept through delivery and beyond.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 5:58 AM

366

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation

Modular Conveyor Express (MCE) 600 S. Commercial Street, Neenah, WI 54956 Phone: 844-293-2816 Email: tluft@nercon.com www.modularconveyor.com Partner for Your Success Modular Conveyor Express (MCE) is the dedicated distributor network of Nercon. Selling exclusively through MCE Distributor Partners, MCE complete conveyor systems are designed by Nercon engineers and backed by Nercon quality standards. This network includes distributors located across the United States who are fully supported by an MCE team of conveyor experts able to understand and respond to the specific operational needs of the MCE distributor network on an individual basis. Designed with a Purpose® Built to maximize productivity, MCE complete conveyor systems provide a significant competitive advantage to MCE distributors. Developed and designed by highly skilled Nercon engineers over countless hours of analysis and testing, MCE conveyors skip the costly start-up of a custom process and begin with a core of proven equipment making your projects more cost-effective and MCE’s turnaround time an advantage — 4 weeks! MCE’s conveyor systems are manufactured at Nercon’s production facility in Oconto, Wis., where Lean Manufacturing practices are employed to increase quality, identify any wasteful operations, and reduce unnecessary costs. As an industry leader in manufacturing conveyor systems and equipment, we are proud of the advanced technology and unparalleled quality our distributors can count on. Contact us at (844) 293-2816 to learn more about becoming a distributor of MCE.

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Modular.indd 366

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12/18/20 5:58 AM

367

Closures Containers Protective/transport packaging

Mold-Rite Plastics 2300 Highland Road Twinsburg, OH 44087 Phone: 518/561-1812 Email: marketing@mrpcap.com www.mrpcap.com Mold-Rite Plastics is the leading provider of high-quality jars and closures used every day by millions of consumers around the globe. Providing the unique combination of innovative design solutions and quality products at industry-leading customer experience levels, you can depend on Mold-Rite to deliver safety, compliance, shelf impact and consumer satisfaction. Count on the experts at Mold-Rite Plastics to support your nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, personal care, household chemical and automotive packaging projects. Innovative. Reliable. Responsive. It’s all part of our package. Among the company’s complete line of products: • A vast CT Closure selection • Child esistant Closures • ars, Vials and Fitments Dispensing Closures including: ack and top-hinged disc tops, flip tops, Twist-open, Strap cap Our promise to our customers is to provide an unmatched experience in delivery performance, order flexibility and lead times. It is our daily commitment to deliver exceptional products and service that help our customers and distribution partners realize their value potential by making them more competitive and more profitable. From fast order shipping of a wide range of stock components to developing custom product solutions with our in-house innovation team, Mold-Rite is a trusted supplier to leading distributors and manufacturers who understand that closures are a small, but important part of how people experience their brands.

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12/18/20 5:59 AM

368

PW JAN2021

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Controls & machine components Conveying & accumulation

Morrison Container Handling Solutions 335 W. 194th Street Glenwood, IL 60425 Phone: 708-756-6660 Email: info@morrison-chs.com www.morrison-chs.com Morrison Container Handling Solutions Designs Innovative Packaging Solutions – That Solve Your Unique Container Handling Challenges. Innovation in pursuit of greater line efficiencies has kept Morrison Container Handling Solutions the leading manufacturer of custom container handling equipment for 50 years. Utilizing a variety of our product lines to create a custom system for our customers unique container handling needs, we continue to manufacture timing screws (feed screws), drive units, change parts (stars and guides), can openers, down bottle rejects, and auto adjust rails to address a variety of line related efficiency Issues. With PMMI Certified Trainers on staff, we fully back our customers with Support Built In®. From design to manufacturing and installation, our team backs yours with support every step of the way, even years down the line. Do you need to fill, cap, code date, weigh, inspect, orient, stack, variety, denest, or label containers? If you do, then allowing Morrison to implement our innovative solutions to these challenges can reduce changeover time, increase throughput, eliminate operator interventions, and more. Screws and custom solutions don’t just meter, they are great for: FEED G • T G • G O P G • TW ST G • VE T G • COM G•DVD G Morrison has one clear objective: supplying you with the best custom solution to move your container where it needs to go, perfectly, every single time. No two containers are the same, so your handling systems shouldn’t be either. Each custom designed solution never arrives for installation in your plant until it has been tested and approved. Leading the industry in fast service and expert follow-up, our e perienced engineers often make house calls, working alongside your team to • Diagnose problems • Design and install solutions • Ensure smooth operation. We look forward to engineering your next container handling solution!

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Morrisson.indd 368

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12/18/20 6:01 AM

369

Cartoning Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing

Mpac Group 6500 Kitimat Road, Unit 1, Mississauga Ontario, L5N 2B8, Canada Phone: (905) 670-7200 Email: sales.americas@mpac-group.com www.mpac-group.com Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been helping businesses evolve to meet new challenges for over 100 years. Using ingenious and limitless thinking; our group of companies (Mpac Langen, Mpac Lambert and Mpac Switchback) are leaders in cutting edge packaging automation and transformational technologies; working across the pharmaceutical, health & personal care, food & beverage and consumer goods sectors; helping world-class companies to adapt and grow. Our technical capabilities include: ASSEMBLY (from your first prototype to your millionth product & beyond, our converting platforms grow with you) FILLING & DOSING (we have years of experience in precision filling and dosing. Whether you need new dispensing technology or looking to incorporate fresh methods into your existing applications; we can help) PRIMARY PACKAGING (With our extensive knowledge and refined equipment, we can help you design unique packaging solutions to suit your specific needs) CARTONING (Whether your require manually operated machines, semi-automatic cartoners or high-speed, fully automatic packaging lines, we are here to help. Our range includes horizontal, vertical and top load cartoners) CASE PACKING (We provide end of line packaging equipment to businesses who want to adapt quickly to new challenges. Our fast and flexible case packing platforms are available with fully automatic robotics or combined solutions) PALLETIZING (Whatever your application, we can provide turnkey systems ranging from one-in-one provisions to centralized palletizers serving multiple lines. All of our palletizing equipment can be seamlessly integrated into your existing packaging lines) SERVICE: Service Agreements, Modernizations & Upgrades, Product Training, Remote Support, Spare Parts, Rental Equipment With six operating sites; our global teams can support you, wherever you are in the world.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 6:02 AM

370

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation

Multi-Conveyor 25 Windustrial Road, P O Box 10 Winneconne, WI 54986 Phone: 800-236-7960 Email: info@multi-conv.com www.multi-conveyor.com We are a custom and standard conveyor manufacturer. Our products are multiple and unique. No one product defines Multi-Conveyor. We’ve designed and engineered some of the most simplistic to most revered conveyor solutions ever manufactured. The goal is to provide a more functional, affordable conveyor while maximizing productivity or saving essential floor space in the process. Our Designers and Engineers factor in safety, ease of use, maintenance, longevity, sanitation and agency compliance (as required) and quality components, making sure to meet or exceed your requirements. We bring technology driven operator-to-controls communications encompassing functional engineering designs; HMI interface and servos that provide faster, more efficient changeovers to feed various line packaging, case packing and pallet forming configurations. Flexibility in product shapes, weights and sizes are matched for increased throughput and future expansion. If this research is not done up front and a system is purchased on lowest initial cost, a poorly performing conveyor and extremely expensive retrofit could have you scrambling with interrupted production and a major headache in the process. When comparing conveyor systems, make sure they’re apples-to-apples. Don’t settle for anything less. Take the Multi-Conveyor challenge. Even if you’re satisfied with your existing conveyor supplier, let us quote your next project. Chances are, we’ve already built a system that’s similar to the project you’re working on right now - or made one pretty dang close. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

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12/18/20 6:02 AM

371

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Labeling Conveying & accumulation

Multifeeder Technology 4821 White Bear Parkway, St, Paul, MN 55110 Phone: 651-407-3100 Email: sales@multifeeder.com www.multifeeder.com Multifeeder Technology - A worldwide leader in Automation Solutions for the Food, Pharmaceutical, Labeling, Print, and Packaging industries. We provide high performance friction feeding and labeling machines along with fully integrated system solutions. For more advanced automation solutions Multifeeder offers a Washdown, and Hygienic Washdown friction feeding machine and a Hygienic Labeling machine. Our Hygienic Washdown Friction Feeders 300 and 600, and the Hygienic Washdown Labeler 300 are built to meet the most rigorous washdown environmental demands. With state-of-the-art control technology and robust mechanics, all our products feed and label more quickly and accurately to provide customers with a greater value of return. All feeders, labelers and accessories can easily be integrated with other machines to provide a turnkey system solution for any of your production needs. This includes full line integration with third party components, testing, validation, installation and training. Contact us for a free demo of your product samples. Or call us today to talk with a sales expert at 651-407-3100 or sales@multifeeder.com to discuss your project requirements.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:03 AM

372

PW JAN2021

Form/fill/seal -Vertical Tray lidding/sealing Thermoform/fill/seal

MULTIVAC, Inc 11021 N Pomona Avenue Kansas City, MO 64153 Phone: 800/800-8552 Email: muinc@multivac.com us.multivac.com MULTIVAC is passionately committed to creating value-added packaging solutions that enable our customers to grow, innovate, and succeed. We pride ourselves on setting the industry standard in technology, efficiency, and reliability through our expertly engineered products. With the most experienced team in the industry, we help you develop the perfect package suited to your product, your brand, and your objectives for profitability. Our extensive product portfolio is as diverse as the technology and standards, which we have developed for a wide range of applications and products. We systematically direct our view to our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs- developing and implementing solutions, which above all, create added value. This applies to resource efficiency, process reliability, and operating safety, hygiene, and reproducibility. Our commitment begins with the first consultation and continues through comprehensive worldwide technical service and support for as long as you own your MULTIVAC equipment. To provide customers with a single source supply network, MULTIVAC offers thermoforming, traysealing, and chamber packaging machines along with portioning, labeling, printing, inspection, and automation equipment solutions. In addition, MULTIVAC Certified Films are designed and tested for optimal performance on MULTIVAC packaging equipment.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:04 AM

373

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Filling/capping -dry

Nalbach Engineering Co. 621 East Plainfield Rd.Countryside, IL 60525 Phone: 708/579-9100 Email: neco@nalbach.com www.nalbach.com For over 75 years Nalbach has earned its reputation for quality and performance in the design and manufacture of low maintenance and highly reliable powder filling, container orienting, bottle unscrambling and robotic solutions. We offer a complete range of volumetric powder filling machines from low-speed indexing to multiple-head, continuous motion, rotary high-speed systems including the new generation high speed NECOFLO-G6 system. Capabilities include automatic fill weight control and an option for 3-A dairy applications. Our range of powder filling equipment includes a line of auger fillers for low, moderate, and high-speed applications. All Nalbach auger fillers are servo driven with touchscreen controls. Nalbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modified atmosphere packaging technology efficiently flushes a package with an inert gas such as nitrogen to displace the oxygen within the package. This system is capable of reducing the residual oxygen (RO2) level to less than 1% depending on the application. Nalbach offers a line of servo driven, Inline, container orienters. These orienters are available as stand-alone systems or fully integrated with our line of plastic bottle unscramblers, providing a complete single source solution for bottle unscrambling and orienting applications. Our unscrambling equipment includes a line of moderate speed plastic bottle and cartridge unscramblers. We also have a line of high-speed bottle unscramblers, which handle the lightest weight bottles being used today and have the smallest footprint in the industry. Our unscrambler designs, with no reciprocating motions, complicated mechanisms, or hard-to-adjust container handling parts, eliminates any need for adjustments, significantly minimizes maintenance and downtime, and carry a three (3) year warranty.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:07 AM

374

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation

Nercon Conveyor Systems 600 S. Commercial Street, Neenah, WI 54956 Phone: 844-293-2814 Email: tluft@nercon.com www.nerconconveyors.com Nercon is a conveyor systems manufacturer, providing solutions to the food, beverage, health, beauty and pharmaceutical packaging industries since 1976. An essential part of any production line, Nercon’s conveyor systems are operating in nationwide consumer packaged goods manufacturing facilities, where uptime is critical in the efficiency of operations. Designed with a Purpose® Our ProCore® brand serves a unique purpose in the Nercon conveyor product line. Developed by highly skilled engineers over countless hours of analysis and testing, ProCore® conveyors skip the costly start-up of a custom process and begin with a core of proven equipment making your projects more cost-effective and our turnaround time faster. The ProCore® conveyor family maximizes performance and minimizes downtime. Conveyor designs range from MatTop, belt and TableTop, moving a variety of packaging. Keep It Clean Built to maximize productivity, HydroCore® is our sanitary and washdown conveyor systems designed to withstand rigorous sanitation practices and daily hygienic procedures. HydroCore’s® hygienic designs disassemble, washdown, sanitize, and reassemble easily. Our uniquely innovative sanitary design is known for its versatility and durability, adding value across all product operations. Nercon’s conveyor systems are manufactured in Oconto, Wis., where Lean Manufacturing practices are employed to increase quality, identify any wasteful operations, and reduce unnecessary costs. As an industry leader in manufacturing conveyor systems and equipment, we are proud of the advanced technology and unparalleled quality our customers can count on. Contact us at (844) 293-2814 to partner on your next project.

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12/18/20 6:07 AM

375

Capping Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

New England Machinery 2820 62nd Avenue East Bradenton, FL 34203 Phone: 941/755-5550 Email: info@neminc.com www.neminc.com New England Machinery (NEM) manufactures versatile packaging machinery for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, personal care, household, and chemical industries to name a few. Our product lines include Unscramblers, Orienters, Cappers, Retorquers, Lidders, Pluggers, Pump Placers, Scoop Feeders, Spout Inserters, Hopper Elevators, Cap Sorters, and much more. In addition to a full line of superior quality standard products, we engineer packaging machinery for special applications. We have thousands of machines at Fortune 500 companies as well as small ‘Mom and Pop’ businesses. Our equipment, all designed in-house by NEM engineers, is born of raw material delivered daily. This material travels through our machine shop, to welding, fabrication, assembly, tuning and lastly quality control departments to become a state-of-the-art machine. As opposed to outsourcing, we insource - thereby giving us ultimate control over lead time, fabrication, and quality of your machines. Our focus on being industry specialists allows us to provide equipment that exceeds your expectations. This coupled with our superior customer service has led to unprecedented growth and product development. High-standards and tenacity sets NEM apart from the rest. NEM believes in doing the right thing even when no one is watching, always acting in the best interest of the customer, and providing value, solutions and uncompromised quality.

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12/18/20 6:08 AM

376

PW JAN2021

Labeling Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Coding/marking

Nita Sentient Labeling Systems 1051 Du Viger Street, Terrebonne, Qc, J6W 6W6, Canada Phone: 855/668-NITA (6482) Email: Sales@Nita.ca www.NitaLabeling.com Nita is beyond anything you have ever seen. Welcome to the Revolution of 4.0 labeling! Imagine a suite of software with powerful tools to ensure you are RUNNING. All the time. The Nita 4.0 Sentient Labeling system does just that! Every Nita comes with the following tools to boost your PRODUCTIVITY: - 100% speed synchronized, all-Servo technology engineered with off-the-shelf, non-proprietary electronics and software. - A self-diagnosing system that actually identifies possible issues and suggests fixes or when parts need changing or servicing. - A Wi-Fi enabled HI-RES COLOUR Touchscreen Panel PC running Windows 10 IoT Enterprise Software. - Parts ordering directly from the machine via built-in 3D drawings that scale down to your specific required item. - Daily Preventative Maintenance schedules and video tutorials with full trend reporting. - A powerful SCADA platform that provides real time O.E.E. and other performance data. - NitaCare lifetime no-charge live tech support built right in your screen at the push of a button. Yep. - Ultra-fast, total-replication product changeover system where all physical changeover points on the labeler are clearly identified by innovative alphanumeric, color-coded scales. Nita builds the best labeling machines you can buy. This is the brand that PROMISES to do anything and everything required to make your labeling life as easy and productive as it can be. It is why we exist. Come learn more at www.nitalabeling.com or call us any time! We cannot wait to meet you. For the love of labeling! Your Nita Team

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 6:10 AM

377

Adhesive application Cartoning Case erect/seal

Nordson Corporation 11475 Lakefield Drive Phone: 877/218-1144 Email: adhesiveleads@nordson.com www.nordsonadhesive.com Nordson is recognized as the world leader in hot melt adhesive dispensing systems for the packaging industry, with comprehensive product lines that include tankless dispensing systems, adhesive melters, applicators, nozzles, hoses and pattern controls as well as tracking and verification systems. Our commitment to continuous improvement is demonstrated in extensive research and product development. As a result, all Nordson systems and components are designed and built for precise, reliable and repeatable adhesive dispensing. We deliver products and solutions with a low total cost of ownership, helping customers achieve a lower cost per package, reduced adhesive use and costs, minimal downtime and maintenance, maximum package integrity and the flexibility to meet changing package and market demands. Because one solution does not fit all applications, we offer a variety of systems to fit a wide range of needs. The ProBlue Flex melter is advanced technology that adapts to any operation with ease and simplicity. The new ProBlue Flex melter is designed for drop-in compatibility and will fit into the same space allotted for your current system. This melter brings together all of our most intelligent adhesive application technology for data-driven precision that is honed to meet your unique requirements and ensure consistency. The ProBlue Flex melter is complemented by Nordson’s new BBconn Controls, which allows for remote operation, more visibility, real-time oversight, and the data and analytics needed for continuous improvement. MiniBlue® II applicators offer the longest life in the industry for reliable dispensing with clog-free operation. EcoBead™ Inspect pattern generator helps you to reach continuous improvement goals through adhesive savings and reduced waste. Economical and easy to use, the EcoBead Inspect lets you dispense short, intermittent bead patterns and verify the placement of adhesive on a surface.

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12/22/20 9:19 AM

378

PW JAN2021

Coding/marking Form/fill/seal -Vertical Digital printing

Norwix Marking Systems 31 Clinton Avenue, Norwich CT 06360. USA Phone: 860/823-3090 Email: sales@norwix.com www.norwix.com Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Connecticut, Norwix supplies rugged and effective variable data printing equipment and solutions to OEMs and integrators in the commercial Packaging, Graphics, and Mailing markets throughout the world. Incorporating TIJ 2.5 technology from HP and Ricoh based printheads, Norwix products include easy-tointegrate hardware, software and ink supplies that make the coding of variable data effortless in most situations. With a global distribution network, Norwix provides variable data printing equipment and solutions for the widest range of applications and customers. From package coding in Ohio to lumber printing in New Zealand, Norwix has a proven and established installed base. New Products are constantly being developed with our dedicated team of in-house software, hardware and firmware engineers based on specific customer and market needs. Norwix has always been a leader in terms of the quality and consistency of its service. Our teams of Field Application Engineers advise and assist in multiple applications using decades of specific industry knowledge and experience. In the Packaging market, Norwix has developed the innovative and highly configurable iSP, which provides a versatile, cost-effective, and solid solution to meet variable coding needs in a range of Vertical Form Fill Sealers. For high speed, high resolution applications, the UV curable, piezo based iM2 printer provides an incredibly versatile, cost-effective solution for medical, pharmaceutical, security and other industrial applications, printing permanent and sharp barcodes, numbering, logos, and graphics. We stand behind everything we do, with the industries only real Lifetime Warranty, proving real reliability in all our products.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:11 AM

379

Closures Package design Containers

Novembal 8606 W Ludlow Drive, Peoria, AZ 85381, USA. Phone: +1 623-334-7928 Email: sales_contact@novembal.com www.novembal.com Turnkey solutions for your business For over 60 years, Novembal has been a leader in plastic cap design and injection. Our extensive knowledge of the markets, our experience and our commitment to continuous quality improvement, place us among the industry leaders. By offering our customers innovative solutions, we help them maintain and build their competitive position in the market. We support our customers in each step of the process, from the conceptualization of the closure designs through industrialization and beyond: Design Services Our experts help customers turn their ideas into reality by providing innovative designs that make their products stand out on the shelves. Once the concept is validated through pilot tooling, an industrial solution will be provided. Production Services We emphasize unique solutions that offer quality, convenience and innovation to meet any need that your business may have. If a completely new or different design is required, we can tailor a closure to the needs of our customer. We also offer tolling options. By combining an existing customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mold and our resources, we can produce, finish, inspect and package your product. After Sales Support The after-sales team provides reactive and proactive technical support to troubleshoot issues, minimize downtime and optimize your production equipment. Our goal is to help you achieve your goals in production and line efficiency. Explore more at novembal.com

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:12 AM

380

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Cartoning Palletizing/Depalletizing

Nuspark Inc. 400 Steeprock Dr., Toronto, Ontario M3J 2X1 Canada Phone: 416 663-7071 Email: Sales@nuspark.com www.nuspark.com Nuspark provides turn-key packaging machinery solutions for high-speed product collation, cartoning, case/tray packing, and palletizing. We focus on exceeding customers’ expectations through our commitment to our customers’ needs. Before every system design, we listen carefully to your specific challenges and parameters, your timeline, and your production process’. We offer solutions that optimize your output, reduce your downtime, and increase efficiency. Nuspark’s management team is comprised of gifted, highly-educated engineers with over 100 combined years of engineering/robotics experience and 30+ patents to our name. We dedicate this experience to servicing our markets; food, pharmaceutical, personal care, consumer good and automotive. We value our reputation for creative innovation. We maintain this reputation through constant analysis of new and emerging technologies, ensuring that our customers benefit from state-of-the-art-design and construction. All Nuspark equipment is proudly built and manufactured in our Canadian facility located in Toronto, Ontario; giving us complete control over the quality of our product. Our commitment from proposal to installation: attention to detail and precise execution to deliver complete turn-key solutions; capitalizing on our experienced mechanical design group, electrical/control engineers, in-house manufacturing facilities, and dedicated after sales service team. Nuspark offer solutions for all your end of line packaging needs – from standalone machine to highly complex, automated, fully integrated packaging lines.

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12/18/20 6:13 AM

381

Weighing/combination scales Form/fill/seal -Vertical Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made)

Ohlson Packaging 490 Constitution Drive, Taunton, MA 02780, USA Phone: 508-977-0004 Email: Sales@OhlsonPack.com www.ohlsonpack.com Since 1967, Ohlson Packaging has been your premier choice for reliable and accurate primary packaging solutions. We offer a broad range of equipment for all your automatic and semi-automatic weighing, counting, and container filling needs – with solutions for everything from pillow bags, premade pouches, boxes and bottles to clamshell, tray, and cup filling. Companies ranging from the Fortune 500 to the startup world have recognized Ohlson Packaging as a leader in the packaging industry for quality, service, and value. Our proven systems help companies increase profits by: • • • •

educing Labor Costs Slashing Product Giveaway ates Decreasing Production Area Space eeded for Packaging ncreasing Shelf Life of Perishable Products

We design and manufacture our custom systems for a variety of industries, including: Frozen Foods • Cheese Dairy • Chocolate, Candy Confections • Produce, Fruits Vegetables • Cannabis Flower, Gummies Edibles • akery tems • Coffee Powdered Products • Snack Foods • Pet Foods Products • ardware • Pharmaceutical and Dental Applications • Vitamin Gummy Supplements • erky Products • Automotive Products • Electrical Components • Plastic Wooden Parts Our team is fully dedicated to our customers’ long-term success, and it shows in everything we do. Contact us today, and see why Ohlson Packaging is the weighing, counting, and container filling system manufacturer of choice for your industry.

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12/18/20 6:14 AM

382

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags) Filling/capping -dry

Optima Machinery Corporation 1330 Contract Dr. Green Bay, WI 54304 Phone: 920-339-2222 Email: info-usa@optima-packaging.com www.optima-packaging.com OPTIMA Packaging Group is the worldwide leader in packaging machine technology. Founded in 1922, the family owned and operated business is in its third generation. OPTIMA Machinery Corporation was the first subsidiary of OPTIMA Packaging Group. Incorporated in 1985 with two employees in Green Bay, Wisconsin, OPTIMA Machinery Corporation continues to grow. We are proud to have served the United States and Canada from our Green Bay, Wis. office for more than 35 years. Our location has grown to over 80 employees providing sales and service support for machines from all four of Optimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s divisions. OPTIMA builds innovative packaging machine solutions with state-of-the-art technology. We design and build packaging and filling machines as well as complete production lines for pharmaceutical, consumer, nonwovens, and life science products. OPTIMA is a worldwide leader in packaging machine solutions specializing in modular and turnkey solutions with the latest technological advances for a variety of products. OPTIMA continues to grow at a rapid pace, with a headquarters in Schwabisch Hall, Germany, 13 foreign branches, and over 2,400 colleagues around the world, including our main US office in Green Bay, Wisconsin. OPTIMA Machinery Corporation preserves the core values of the group, namely flexibility and customer focus. It is through the success of the customers that we serve that gives testament to our dedication to them.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:15 AM

383

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Shrink wrapping E-Commerce

PAC Machinery 25 Tiburon Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 Phone: 1-800-985-9570 Email: sales@pacmachinery.com www.pacmachinery.com How many ways are there to package a product? The answer is a lot! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the PAC Machinery family of brands offers manufacturers what we believe to be the most comprehensive selection of flexible packaging equipment and materials in the packaging industry. We provide more experience, and we provide better choices! As a packaging industry leader for over six decades, PAC Machinery, makes far more than machines and bags. We deliver dependable solutions engineered to streamline your unique packaging requirements. Our extensive family of products includes: Automatic baggers, shrink wrappers, bag & pouch sealers, impulse sealers, industrial vacuum sealers, horizontal flow wrappers, band sealers, validatable medical sealers, custom poly bags, poly mailers, sustainable bag materials, and many other versatile packaging solutions. The PAC Machinery family of companies offers some of the best warranties in the industry, and our proven engineering skills enable us to configure poly bagging and sealing systems for the E-Commerce order fulfillment industry, food manufacturers, medical and life science products, injection-molded and industrial products, semiconductors, aerospace industries, and many more applications. Our experience is measured in decades, and some of our brands represent the very foundation upon which the flexible packaging industry was built. From start-ups to multinational corporations, packaging solutions from PAC Machinery are in continuous use around the globe. Should your business require something simple or complex, contact one of our knowledgeable, flexible packaging engineers for a solution to solve your most demanding packaging challenge. For dependable, long-lasting, flexible packaging solutions, PAC Machinery can give you a competitive edge.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

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12/18/20 6:16 AM

384

PW JAN2021

Multipacks/handles/carriers

PakTech 1680 Irving Rd Eugene, OR 97402 Phone: 541/461-5000 Email: handlesales@paktech-opi.com www.paktech-opi.com PakTech is the leading producer of 100% recycled and recyclable secondary packaging. Founded in 1991, they are a family-owned and operated business and headquartered in Eugene, Oregon. PakTech’s commitment to quality is paralleled by their commitment to the environment. They are dedicated to bringing the highest quality packaging to the market with the least environmental impact. PakTech handles are made with 100% recycled HDPE resin such as recycled milk jugs and similar unpigmented containers. Second life PakTech handles are also reusable and 100% recyclable. When PakTech handles are recycled, they often see a third life as composite lumber, flower pots, park benches, new PakTech handles and more. PakTech focuses on a sustainable approach by applying the reduce, reuse and recycle concept across every business decision. This means that sustainability is not merely a guiding principle but truly underpins the whole production cycle of PakTech’s packaging solutions. PakTech carriers feature a minimalistic design using the least amount of material. While other secondary packaging options wrap and surround product, PakTech carriers snap at the top letting the product shine for itself. PakTech also offers automated application versatility. You can apply the handles by hand or utilize their automated applicators ranging in speed fit for any job. PakTech applicators are efficient, reliable, versatile and the smart multipack packaging solution. From design to final handle application PakTech’s responsiveness, rapid turn-around time, and comprehensive product offerings separate them from their competition. Tremendous value is what they offer and deliver.

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12/18/20 6:26 AM

385

Labeling Multipacking/shrink bundling/banding Tamper-evident machinery

PDC International Corp. 8 Sheehan Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854 Phone: 203/853-1516 Email: sales@pdc-corp.com www.pdc-corp.com/contact_us.html PDC International, founded in 1968, leads the industry in Shrink Sleeve Labeling technology. Our mission: to engineer, build and install the most robust, and most efficient, shrink sleeve labeling systems, as well as Tamper Evident Banding Equipment and highperforming shrink tunnels, for market-leading companies worldwide. PDC offers consumer products companies, and leading contract packers, a Total Sleeving Solution. Programs begin with package analysis and material recommendations, followed by testing and prototyping, system layout and integration, and documentation. PDC’s technical support team has been praised by some of the most prominent names in consumer products. (Go to www.pdc-corp.com/customers to read 25 of them!) PDC is known worldwide for its full body shrink sleeve labelers, which conform to every container curve, enabling decoration of the widest range of shapes – from top to bottom and 360 degrees. Our sister company, PDC Europe, headquartered in Montdidier, France, manufactures similar systems, as well as stretch sleeve applicators. All PDC machines use a unique blade system that is proprietary to PDC. PDC Blades last Months, not Days. This rugged, heavy-service assembly is a longer-lived alternative to the “spinning knives” that are standard in competitors’ equipment. PDC is totally vertically integrated, including engineering, machining, sheet metal, welding, and programming, . By managing every facet of manufacturing, we deliver the combination of responsiveness, quality, and agility our customers need to execute successful roll outs, produce high volumes on schedule, and maintain their competitive advantage. We machine all components in Connecticut, and use off-the-shelf, readily available replacement parts, to maximize uptime and provide ultimate productivity. From Concept to Production, PDC machinery empowers your brand - and optimizes

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12/22/20 9:46 AM

386

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Case erect/seal Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray

Packaging Distributors, Inc. 1136 Church Rd.McGregor, TX 76657 Phone: 254/848-8123 Email: rjf@pdimachinery.com www.pdimachinery.com Packaging Distributors, Incorporated, headquartered in McGregor, Texas, manufactures check weighing, bulk packing, and infeed systems for the packaging industry. Our philosophy is to develop packaging line equipment that will perform under harsh conditions and continuous three shift operation, occupy a minimum amount of plant floorspace, and use standard industry controls. We are driven to find the best solution, not the easiest! We take pride in the quality and craftsmanship of every machine that we manufacture. Each of our machines undergoes thorough testing before shipping to ensure reliability and minimize installation downtime. All of our equipment is completely documented and we use standard industry parts and suppliers to simplify spare parts procurement.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

Untitled-89 386

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12/18/20 6:30 AM

387

Tamper-evident machinery Multipacking/shrink bundling/banding Labeling

P.E. North America 3080 Business Park Dr., Suite 103 | Raleigh, NC 27610 Phone: 800/598-8601 Email: PE.NA@ProMachBuilt.com www.PENorthAmerica.com | www.AxonCorp.com P.E. North America supports P.E. Labellers labeling systems and Axon shrink sleeve and tamper evident band application systems in North America. By bringing these two worldclass product lines into one group, ProMach offers the largest selection of labelers from a single supplier and expands customer support through the availability of skilled technicians throughout North America. P.E. Labellers P.E. Labellers offers rotary and inline pressure sensitive labelers, rotary cut & stack cold glue labelers, rotary cut & stack hot melt labelers, rotary and linear roll-fed labelers, modular labelers and pre-applied adhesive roll-fed labelers. Food, beverage, wine and spirits, pet food, personal care, chemical, and cosmetic manufacturers across the globe rely on P.E. Labellersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; high-speed rotary and linear labeling systems. From cold glue and hot melt, to self-adhesive, roll-fed, and combination systems, P.E. Labellers handles the broadest range of label application solutions. Axon Axon provides customers the means to produce attractive sleeve labeled products and tamper evident protected packages with dependable performance and unmatched flexibility that translate into dollars and cents on the bottom line. Engineered for reliability and value, Axon solutions includes shrink sleeve applicators, stretch sleeve applicators, tamper evident band applicators, and heat shrink tunnels for pharmaceuticals, beverages, processed foods, dairy, health and beauty, household, and chemical products.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:32 AM

388

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Case erect/seal Palletizing/Depalletizing

Pearson Packaging Systems 8120 W Sunset Hwy Spokane, WA 99224 Phone: 800.732.7766 Email: mktreply@PearsonPkg.com wwwPearsonPkg.com With its portfolio of case erectors, robotic (top-loaded) case packers, case sealers, and robotic palletizers, Pearson Packaging Systems specializes in end-of-line packaging automation solutions to overcome labor cost and supply, safety, quality and throughput challenges. The OEM and turnkey system integrator offers a single source supplier experience that enables customers to enjoy uniform machine interfaces, standardized machine features including remote access capability, and industry-leading delivery times as short as 30 days for select equipment. To provide flexible and scalable solutions and minimize total cost of ownership, Pearson Packaging Systems is dedicated to the application of advanced technologies and a usercentric design. Since its inception more than 65 years ago, a diverse set of high-volume manufacturers and distributors in the food, beverage, personal care, chemical and online commerce industries have relied on Pearsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products and services to meet their growth and profitability objectives. To date, Pearson has deployed over 21,000 machines worldwide, with select models available through a risk-free Machine-as-a-Service program not requiring traditional CapEx investments. Equipment & Service Portfolio includes: ERECT: Case/Bliss Forming PACK: Robotic Carton/Case Packing/Product Handling, Partition Inserting, Bag Inserting SEAL: Case/Box Sealing, Bag Uncuffing PALLETIZE: Robotic Palletizing INTEGRATE: Turnkey System Solutions + Integration Services

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 6:33 AM

389

Conveying & accumulation Containers

PFlow Industries 6720 N. Teutonia Avenue Phone: 414-352-9000 www.pflow.com

Email: info@pflow.com

Since founding the vertical reciprocating (VRC) industry in 1977, PFlow has manufactured over 19,000 units, installed worldwide. PFlow custom engineers and manufactures VRCs for diverse applications including those in the manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and retail industries. VRCs transport materials between multiple levels in mezzanine, balcony, through-floor, interior and exterior applications. PFlow’s package handling lifts, the B Series and the DB Series are built for ease of installation and maintenance. These lifts are ideal for moving boxes totes, cartons, barrels, sacks, cases and individual parts, with ease and speed, to mezzanines or between floors and conveyor levels, offering loading from 1 to 3 sides of the unit. PFlow’s DB Series systems ensure smooth acceleration and deceleration control in highspeed, automated environments. The DB Series offers a space-saving alternative to a spiral or inclined conveyor, and its smooth and quiet counterweighted lifting mechanism minimizes horsepower requirements and saves energy costs. The DB Series lift is available with high-speed variable frequency or Servo drive packages. Designed for quick and easy installation, PFlow’s B Series Box Lift’s modular sections are shipped pre-wired with quick-connect wiring. With a mechanical motor/gear reducer located in an easy-to-access location at the base of the unit, maintenance will be performed quickly and easily, reducing downtime and saving your operation time and money. Featuring a lift capacity up to 500 lbs. on two level applications, PFlow’s value-added package handling lifts have a lot to offer at an affordable price. As the industry leader, PFlow is 100% focused on robust lifting solutions engineered to perform safely and last a lifetime, even under the toughest conditions. PFlow continues to innovate with new safety, reliability and efficiency features that lead the market, keeping facilities productive and workers safe. All PFlow lifts meet ASME B20.1 safety standards.

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12/18/20 6:34 AM

390

PW JAN2021

Controls & machine components Converting Equipment Robotics

PIAB USA Inc. 65 Sharp Street Hingham, MA 02043 Phone: 800/321-7422 Email: info-usa@piab.com www.piab.com Piab designs innovative vacuum solutions that improve the energy-efficiency, productivity, and working environments of vacuum users around the world. A reliable partner to many of the world’s largest manufacturers for a variety of automated material handling and factory automation processes. Within the packaging industry, Piab products are found in applications involving carton forming, modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), labeling, pick and place, robotic tooling, slip sheet feeding, bag opening, vacuum packaging, palletizing, handling sacks, bags, boxes, etc.Piab is a worldwide organization with subsidiaries and distributors in almost 70 countries. Vacuum Automation/Robotic Gripping Piab vacuum pumps/vacuum generators are predominately based on the patented energy efficient COAX® technology for flexible, modular vacuum systems. State-of-the-art suction cups from Piab are designed to speed up automated vacuum-based packaging lines all the way from empty bag to full pallet. Large area vacuum grippers designed and optimized to be used in various applications e.g. packaging, food etc. Powder and Bulk Handling Vacuum is used with great advantage in conveying dry powder products through dedicated pipe systems. Piab’s vacuum conveying systems are built of high quality material. When producing food, pharmaceuticals and chemical products there are demands on the highest possible degree of safety as to hygiene and operation. Ergonomic Lifting Solutions Providing the most innovative lifting equipment based on vacuum technology on the market and supply solutions that operators are happy to use. Working with ease is our focus all times —before, during and after your purchase. Our goal is to make your work physically easier – focusing on efficiency, ergonomics and safety.

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12/18/20 6:35 AM

391

Cartoning Case/tray packing Robotics

PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems 850 Pratt Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 847/437-1427 Email: sales@pmikyoto.com www.pmikyoto.com A HISTORY BUILT ON CUSTOMER TRUST Based in Chicagoland since 1993, PMI has continued to expand our operations and product offerings as customer demand increased. We have worked to ensure our customers have been satisfied with the quality machines built, installed and continuously supported by our team of qualified engineers and technical professionals. Our headquarters in Elk Grove Village, IL, houses our engineering, manufacturing, parts, customer service and support teams, plus a 150,000-square-foot manufacturing, engineering and testing facility next door. Our parent company is committed to the advancement, support and service of the global packaging industry with best-in-class products and service offerings. Backed by an experienced team of 400 engineers from Kyoto Seisakusho, our engineering team will continue to advance our product lines and our tradition of well-built packaging equipment, including: Horizontal Cartoners Vertical Cartoners Case Packers Robotic Systems Integrated Systems PACKAGING MACHINES BUILT TO PERFORM We take pride and go the extra mile to make sure that your machine exceeds your expectations. Our philosophy of designing rugged, well-crafted machines will assure your highest efficiencies with minimum cost of ownership while your machine runs for many decades. It is common to find PMI machines running at high efficiencies for 20 years after installation.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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PMI Kyoto.indd 391

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12/18/20 6:36 AM

392

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Filling/capping -dry Labeling

Pneumatic Scale Angelus 4485 Allen Road, Stow, OH 44224, United States Phone: (800) 992-0491 Email: sales@psangelus.com www.psangelus.com Pneumatic Scale Angelus is a global supplier of packaging machinery for filling, capping, can seaming, labeling, and centrifugation applications. Since 1895, our solutions have set the standard in the Food, Beverage, Craft Beverage, Dairy, Pharmaceutical, Household and Personal Care industries, and are supported by a global Service and Aftermarket network with the most robust offering of change parts and pre-owned/rebuilt solutions in the industry. Each of our 700 team members is committed to helping you maximize your investment in the machines that keep your operations running. INNOVATION & EXPERTISE As one of five Barry-Wehmiller businesses of BW Packaging Systems, and through our diverse but complementary capabilities, PSA and our sister companies provide everything from standalone machines to fully-integrated packaging lines. We serve as trusted advisors to our customers, offering products with leading-edge technology, backed by expert service technicians capable of supporting every machine manufactured since our inception. FLAGSHIP BRANDS PSA has earned its reputation as a leader in the design and manufacture of packaging machinery by leveraging the strengths of the most trusted and innovative brands: Angelus, Burt, CARR Centritech, Consolidated, Continental / Closetech, Hema, Mateer, Multi-Tech Systems, OnTrack, and Zepf Solutions. CULTURE OF LEADERSHIP As a member of the Barry-Wehmiller family, PSA strives to send our associates home each day with a sense of fulfillment. We strive to be a company people enjoy working for, doing business with, investing in, and having as part of their communities. As our Chairman Bob Chapman says, “We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people.”

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12/18/20 7:36 AM

393

Labeling Controls & machine components Packaging line integration

Precision Automation Company, Inc. 1841 Old Cuthbert Rd, Cherry Hill NJ 08034 Phone: (856) 428-7400 Email: sales@precisionautomationinc.com www.precisionautomationinc.com Precision Automation Company, Inc. provides high quality automation systems, contract machine work, fabrication, controls, and related services that maximize productivity for our customers. Our 45,000 sq. ft. facility and 75 years of experience enable us to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions for a variety of industries. The capabilities, resources, and combined experience allow our team to provide complete line integration services and custom processing & packaging automation solutions for various applications. Our labeling & laser marking systems combine maximum simplicity with traditional merits of industrial strength, quality, and competitive pricing. From simple “end of line” labeling to print & apply machinery and more sophisticated systems, Precision Automation has the capabilities for your processing, labeling, and packaging needs. With an extensive array of production equipment and machine shop capabilities, Precision Automation custom manufactures parts, subassemblies, and machinery for our clients’ specific needs. Through CNC contract machining, fabrication, welding, and assembly services, our team follows strict ISO 9001 standards to provide the perfect solution(s) for each individual customer. Precision Automation also offers turnkey conveyor solutions for material handling and packaging applications. We utilize decades of conveyor experience along with robotic options to design & integrate the right solution for your operation. Our proficient engineers and project managers present a one-stop shop to tailor complete product handling solutions for an array of applications. Since 1946, Precision Automation Company has been driven by the needs of our customers to improve their manufacturing processes. Through a detailed, strategic approach, our experience and tradition has enabled us to provide cost-effective automation machinery to boost efficiency and save costs.

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12/18/20 7:37 AM

394

PW JAN2021

Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Flexible packaging Protective/transport packaging

Pregis, LLC 1650 Lake Cook Road, Suite 400, Deerfield, IL 60015 Phone: 877/692-6163 Email: protectivesales@pregis.com www.pregis.com Pregis is a leading global provider of protective packaging materials and automated systems. Pregis designs, develops and delivers packaging solutions for virtually every industry and application. As a company, we partner with customers to determine the right protective material and system for their specific product, application and requirements – damage reduction, lowering shipping (DIM weight) costs, improving labor efficiency and enhancing the customer experience. To find optimal solutions, Pregis takes a consultative approach to every protective packaging situation. Our dedicated sales professionals do a thorough audit to uncover opportunities for improvement. And the breadth of our portfolio allows for a material neutral approach. That means decisions are driven by customer needs, not a vested interest in selling one material over another. The Pregis IQ – Innovation Headquarters – is a customer-focused training, design and ISTA certified testing hub that deploys a variety of package engineering tools to achieve performance-oriented, cost-effective packaging solutions. Pregis also has a dedicated applications engineering team who is responsible for integrating automated or custom packaging systems into customer operations. Pregis takes a holistic approach to support our customers and the environment. We protect our customers’ products to minimize the monetary and environmental impact of replacement shipments. We preserve the environment by creating packaging for the circular economy, using less raw materials and maximizing recycled content. And we strive to Inspyre™ our employees, customers, and consumers to think more sustainably, educate proper recycling methods and give back.

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12/18/20 7:38 AM

395

Flexible packaging Containers Sustainability

Printpack 2800 Overlook Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339 USA Phone: 404-460-7000 Email: info@printpack.com www.printpack.com At Printpack, we are industry leaders in flexible and specialty rigid packaging. We combine your vision with our unique capabilities, knowledge of consumer trends, and a wide range of product offerings in a variety of markets to enhance your brand and drive success. Our advanced printing methods and extensive manufacturing and converting capabilities have garnered many accolades over the years. Take your business to new levels with our vast portfolio of packaging solutions along with our technical and commercial expertise in materials science, barrier solutions, and printing. Printpack’s engineers are experts in a wide variety of product categories, utilizing the latest films and converting processes. We develop and employ cutting-edge packaging technologies to make certain your product’s specific protection needs are exceeded. Printpack Preserve, our sustainable packaging platform, encompasses a portfolio of eco-friendly structures that use renewable and post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, as well as maximizing design opportunities for greenhouse gas and source reduction and an optimal end-of-life condition. Our digital press capabilities allow for hyper-customization and design flexibility. Now, our customers can print what they want, when they want, and the amount they want. The risk to experiment is low, and customers can offer more timely and relevant products to consumers. Printpack’s engineering team is also skilled in the art of making packages with reclosable solutions, peelable materials, easy-open materials, environmentally friendly materials, and structures that withstand the rigors of the e-commerce supply chain. Our collaborative development and innovation process help ensure a positive consumer experience throughout the entire usage cycle, promoting repeat purchases and supporting overall brand loyalty.

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Printpack.indd 395

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12/18/20 7:39 AM

396

PW JAN2021

Cartoning Case/tray packing Robotics

Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. 4902 Union Road, Beamsville, ON L0R 1B4 Canada Phone: 905/563-9400 Email: info@propack.ca www.propack.ca Celebrating 25 years, Propack has been successful since 1996 because we strive to develop life-long relationships with our customers. With the highest quality machinery, built in North America, every solution is customer specific and every project is a true partnership. Packaging Propack manufactures a series of robotic loaders for automated collation & robotic loading of top and endload cartons. We continue to deliver proven results with solutions that can be customized or purchased as a turnkey solution. Propack has earned a reputation for outstanding food-industry automation, specializing in handling snack bar, bakery/snack cake, prepared foods and frozen products, along with many more wrapped and unwrapped products. Propack’s line of machines, with patented technology, delivers versatility, flexibility, and value. Processing We provide world-class sanitary design machinery including slab formers, slitters, spreaders, and ultrasonic guillotines. We understand our customers’ challenges and pride ourselves on being able to respond with flexible processing solutions. Integrated Solutions We have extensive integrated systems knowledge and experience providing turnkey solutions. Our experienced team will design and deliver complete packaging line solutions with best-in-class feeders, wrappers, erectors and closers. Parts, Service and Support Propack’s knowledgeable support team is customer focused and our engineers possess world-class technical skills. We recognize that our service and support is key to our longterm partnerships.

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12/18/20 7:40 AM

397

Case erect/seal E-Commerce Sustainability

Quadient 195 Chastain Meadows Ct NW Ste 112, Kennesaw, GA 30144 Phone: 678-819-1599 Email: sales.packaging@quadient.com https://us.packagingbyquadient.com/ Quadient, a leader in helping businesses create meaningful customer connections through digital and physical channels, provides revolutionary auto-boxing solutions to optimize all steps of package fulfillment. Its two models, CVP Impack and CVP Everest, offer savings on shipping and materials costs, decreases reliance on labor and aids in sustainability efforts. Quadient’s fit-to-size auto-boxing technologies measure, construct, seal, weigh and label variable dimension single- or multi-item orders of either hard or soft goods in one seamless process while eliminating or reducing the need for void fill. The CVP Impack packs up to 500 parcels per hour and requires only one operator while the high speed CVP Everest packs up to 1,100 parcels per hour and uses two operators. Both meet increasing demands during peak times and create greater efficiencies in the warehouse. The two solutions also offer a more sustainable fulfillment process for shippers. The CVP Impack seals parcels with tape on only two sides while the CVP Everest uses a patented gluing system to affix a custom-fit lid to each box. This allows the automated packaging solutions to be considered a reuse/recycling program initiative as the corrugate can be 100% recycled and the boxes can be reused for returns or other items, which also enhances the customer experience. With Quadient’s auto-boxing technologies, shippers can: • educe shipping volume by up to 50% • Save an average of 88% in packing labor as the solutions can replace up to 20 manual packing stations • Eliminate bo inventory SK s and save an average of 30% in corrugate material • Greatly reduce D M weight costs to save more on transportation and shipping • Achieve a full return on investment in as little as 6 to 18 months ead more about uadient’s state-of-the-art automated packaging solutions in Packaging World: www.packworld.com/companies/quadient

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Quadient.indd 397

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12/18/20 7:40 AM

398

PW JAN2021

Labeling

QUADREL LABELING SYSTEMS 7670 Jenther Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 Phone: 866-744-6429 Email: labeling@quadrel.com www.quadrel.com Quadrel Labeling Systems is a world leader in the design and manufacture of pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve label application equipment. We serve a wide variety of industries including packagers of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, automotive chemicals, beverages and food. Quadrel offers an extensive product line ranging from simple economically priced systems, up to sophisticated inline and rotary systems that include vision, validation, PLC control, servo drives and remote access for troubleshooting assistance. Labeling and Sleeve application requirements can vary widely. Many companies have labeling projects that do not fit into a standard product offering. Our experienced and professional engineering staff addresses these needs with a willingness to design complete custom one-of-a-kind labeling systems. We offer custom controls and documentation common with Fortune 100 companies. Providing a comprehensive, capable and elegant solution for our customers often requires the products and support of multiple suppliers. Quadrel is proud to partner with some of the most respected and recognized companies affiliated with our industry. Responsive and professional technical support is vital to maintaining the productivity of machinery in the field. Quadrel keeps this commitment by providing technical assistance to install and maintain the equipment and train operating personnel.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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Quadrel.indd 398

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12/18/20 7:41 AM

399

Cartoning Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

R.A JONES, a Coesia company 2701 CRESCENT SPRINGS ROAD, COVINGTON, KY 41017 Phone: 1.800.216.4499 Email: INFO@RAJONES.COM www.rajones.com R.A JONES offers an extensive portfolio of solutions for both primary and secondary packaging machinery that includes: AEROSOL: Our KP-Aerofill series of machines includes low to high speed equipment for those needing aerosol and rotary liquid fill systems, rotary base crimpers, gasser/shakers, propellant and liquid fillers, bag-on-valve (BOV), air powered through-the-valve (TTV) technology, and more. BEVERAGE/MULTIPACKING: Our Wraptor, Meridian, and Maxim series of machines provide a wide range of solutions for any mid to high speed can and/or bottle (glass or plastic) production line needs. Whether single tier or double tier, 4 pack to 48 pack, our machines can handle multiple package configurations and types including E-Flute & B-Flute cartons. CARTONING: Our comprehensive portfolio of machinery includes end load and top load cartoners. These can range from hand load vertical end load cartoners to fully automated systems. Familiar branded cartoning technology includes: CMV, Legend, Legacy, and Criterion. CHUB PACKAGING: Our KartridgPak chub packaging equipment features/benefits include: close-clip option, continuous motion, rollstock clips and film, PLC controls, simplified clipping head, stainless steel construction and more. CUP FILLING/SEALING: Autoprod and Holmatic cup filling systems are the flagship series of cup fillers manufactured and serviced by R.A JONES. Fill, seal and overcap preformed cups, tubs and trays in straight or tapered walled containers. POUCHING: Pouch King is our high-speed pouch-filling series of horizontal form fill seal machinery with patented printed circuit heating technology for 3-sided, 4-sided, gusseted and stand-up gusseted pouch styles.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

www.packworld.com/schools

RA Jones.indd 399

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12/18/20 7:42 AM

400

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Packaging line integration

Regal Beloit 7120 New Buffington Rd., Florence, KY 41042 Phone: 800-626-2120 Email: CustomerService.PTSolutions@regalbeloit.com www.regalbeloit.com/Packaging At Regal... we make the complex simple. The System Plast® ModSort® module is a low-noise, low voltage modular transfer/diverter station that can move everything from tiny polybags to boxes. This suite of products can easily integrate with new or existing systems, eliminating the need for a lift, pneumatics, or Z-direction position feedback devices. Motorized drive rollers and controls allow flexibility in wiring, with safe, efficient, quiet and low-maintenance operation. In addition, the new ModSort Trident mobile setup for fulfillment/distribution centers has a four-zone infeed that gaps a product, reads the package, and sends it down a belt, where it then diverts left, right or straight on a 30-degree spur-curve to one of three sorting locations. To learn more about the ModSort suite of products, visit regalbeloit.com/ModSort. For washdown environments, Regal offers many IP69K-rated products to help you meet CIP standards. Sealmaster® PN Gold™ mounted ball bearings with high performance triple lip seals, and USRB PN Gold mounted spherical roller bearings with double lip seals offer excellent protection against contaminant ingress. Hub City® Stainless Steel HERA® gear drives are built for sanitary operation with easy cleanability and polished stainless steel housings. HERA gear drives are 90% efficient, and can reduce and consolidate storeroom inventory with less SKUs - four models of HERA can replace 12 sizes of worm gear drives! Grove Gear® all-stainless steel worm gear reducers feature food grade synthetic lubricant with single-reduction ratios up to 100:1. To learn about these and more products, visit regalbeloit.com/IP69K. For superior locking capability, the Sealmaster® Skwezloc® concentric locking collar has an innovative circumferential groove on its inner ring bore that reduces stress on the inner ring when properly clamped to the shaft. The Skwezloc locking collar has a design that meets customer shaft tolerance need in unit material handling applications. For a video and more information, visit regalbeloit.com/Skwezloc.

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12/18/20 7:47 AM

401

Thermoform/fill/seal Tray lidding/sealing Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

Reiser 725 Dedham Street, Canton, MA 02021 USA Phone: 781/821-1290 Email: sales@reiser.com www.reiser.com Since 1959 Reiser has been a leading supplier of food processing and packaging machinery. During that time, the company has gained recognition for its high-quality equipment, innovative engineering, and outstanding service and support. Today, this expertise—along with their total commitment to customers—positions Reiser as the one supplier that processors can trust for better, smarter solutions. Reiser supplies a wide range of packaging machines and model sizes, allowing customers to choose the best packaging solution for their application and budget. Reiser horizontal form/fill/seal packaging systems produce vacuum, modified atmosphere and vacuum skin packages from flexible and semi-rigid materials. Compact configurations are available for lower production requirements, as well as high-performance machines capable of the industry’s fastest production speeds. Ross tray sealers produce modified atmosphere, vacuum skin and lid-only packages from preformed trays. They package fresh, refrigerated and frozen food products at a full range of output rates. Ross tray sealers produce attractive packages with superior seal integrity and extended shelf life. Fabbri stretch wrappers use stretch film to package fresh food in preformed trays, providing a “just packed” appearance. Fabbri stretch wrappers employ four-way stretch technology to produce tight, over-the-flange, wrinkle-free packages with securely sealed bottoms and superb case presentation. Supervac is the technology leader in automatic belt vacuum chamber packaging machines, shrink tanks, chill tanks and dryers. Supervac packaging machines produce attractive packages that feature two superior seals to eliminate leakers, rework and returns. Talk with our team of Packaging Specialists to determine which solution is best for your application.

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12/18/20 7:48 AM

402

PW JAN2021

Adhesive application Cartoning Case/tray packing

Robatech USA Inc. Gluing Solutions 1005 Alderman Drive Ste 108 Alpharetta, GA 30005 Phone: 770/663-8380 Email: info@robatechusa.com www.robatechusa.com Robatech designs and manufactures sustainable solutions for industrial gluing processes that meet customer needs by ensuring they are reliable, safe, economical, straightforward, and green. Robatech’s experienced sales and service teams get gluing projects up and running quickly and ensure smooth operation of adhesive systems all around the globe. AntiSlip Gluing is a sustainable and cost-effective method to stabilize pallets without plastic wrap by applying hot melt adhesive directly on top of packages. When palletized the packages become a stable load that is safe for transport and storage. Compared to conventional methods AntiSlip Gluing increases the packaging speed by up to 50 %, reduces the use of plastic films and cardboard layers, lowers operating costs, and avoids shifting the waste problem to customers. The Robatech Control System – an all-in-one platform integrated into the adhesive melter – ensures easy and smart control of gluing processes. The standardized user interface facilitates access to all system functions from anywhere. Be it process or quality control, system or component monitoring – the Robatech Control System allows to stay in full control and to achieve maximum line efficiency. Robatech’s safe and automatic filling system for adhesive melters protects operators from the risk of burns and relieves them from short refill intervals. The system helps prevent unplanned downtime by informing operators before a melter’s tank runs empty. The automatic filling system consists of GlueFill, a hopper that is placed in safe distance from the heated tank of the melter, and the granulate feeder RobaFeed 3. The feeder can be installed on top of Robatech or third-party adhesive melters. More about Robatech Gluing Solutions at www.robatechusa.com.

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12/18/20 7:49 AM

403

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Capping

Ronchi America LLC 63 Duncan Circle, Hiram, GA 30141-3237, USA Phone: 678/398-7413 Email: sales@ronchiamerica.com www.ronchiamerica.com Ronchi America, Ronchi Mario’s American branch, was founded in 1997 and its headquarters is located just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. We design and manufacture advanced fillers, cappers, unscramblers and orienters for liquid products including detergents, cosmetics, food, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Ronchi America’s mission is to support the U.S. and Canadian market with sales, and after-sales activities, including the installation of machines, onsite support and training, and ensuring availability of spare parts domestically. In 2013, to further strengthen our position in the North American market, we started producing an 18 head EXACTA stand-alone filler. This filler utilizes flow meter filling technology and Allen-Bradley controls. It can be easily integrated into new and existing lines, and can be available in 12 weeks or less. The Ronchi robotic bottle unscrambling system is designed to pick up and orient either symmetrical or non-symmetrical containers and place them into a programmable magnetic transport system or conventional pucks at output speeds of up to 300 plus bottles per minute. The Ronchi filling and capping Monoblocks are designed for flexibility, agility, and accuracy. The filling technology of the filler is based on flowmeter technology, which is extremely accurate. The capper uses a series of servo motors to create a programmable cam profile, and torque application and orientation control. With the electronic cam it is possible to run caps, pumps and triggers on the same capping turret with tool-less change over.

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12/18/20 7:49 AM

404

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation E-Commerce Palletizing/Depalletizing

Ryson International, Inc. 300 Newsome Drive Yorktown, VA 23662 Phone: 757.898.1530 Email: sales@ryson.com www.ryson.com Ryson makes a full line of spiral conveyors that can satisfy most vertical conveying needs. Ryson Spirals need less floor space than conventional conveyors and are faster and more reliable than any elevator or lift. Unit Load Spirals convey cases, totes and packaged goods in a continuous flow, smoothly on our slat style belts and come in 9 standard slat widths ranging from 6” to 30”. Available in powder coated carbon steel, stainless steel, washdown and freezer versions. Mass Flow Spirals handle full and empty bottles, cans and jars in mass up to 2000 units per minute. They are ideal for canning and bottling operations where units need to be conveyed vertically in mass. Available in 4 different slat widths ranging from 6” to 20”. Narrow Trak Spirals are super compact and offer a significantly larger elevation change capacity than what is currently available in the small package marketplace. Our 6” and 9” wide nesting slats can end-transfer small cartons and packages or side-transfer small bottles and containers in a single file or in mass at speeds in excess of 200 FPM. High Capacity Spirals can handle double the weight capacity of our regular spirals at speeds up to 200 FPM. The new Wide Track Model comes in a slat width of 30” and 36” and can provide an elevation change of up to 35 feet with only one drive. Multiple Entry and Exit Spirals allow loads to enter or exit the High Capacity Spirals at intermediate elevations. They are ideally suited for warehousing and order picking operations. Special induction and divert conveyors have individually adjustable conveying surfaces to match the spiral pitch, assuring a smooth and reliable operation. Quality and service come first at Ryson. We are the number one spiral manufacturer in the USA. For application assistance or more information, give us a call or visit www.ryson.com.

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12/18/20 7:50 AM

405

Coding/marking Labeling

SATO America 10350-A Nations Ford Road Charlotte, NC 28273 Phone: 704/644-1650 Email: sai@sato-global.com www.satoamerica.com SATO is a leader and pioneer in the Automatic Identification and Data Collection (AIDC) industry. Our leadership is derived from an impressive selection of print engines, industrial and desktop barcode printers/RFID encoders and SATO Genuine Consumables. SATO America’s high-performance S84-ex and S86-ex print engines designed for case carton, pallet and individual product identification, and print and apply applications. The new generation of SATO print engines offers significant industry advancements in quality imaging, exceptional throughput, and incomparably easy operation, setup and maintenance. As the world’s largest supplier of print engines, SATO continues to manufacture print engines regarded as the standard in the print/apply industry. Designed specifically for integration into automatic print/apply systems, the components of these high-duty cycle engines are selected for reliable performance over extended periods of time. They are available through manufacturers of print/apply systems. Whether it’s hardware, consulting, software development, Barcode or RFID solutions, custom industry development solutions, SATO’s commitment remains the same—to provide cost-effective solutions that exceed customers’ expectations.

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12/18/20 7:52 AM

406

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing Robotics

Schneider Packaging Equipment Company, Inc. 5370 Guy Young Road, Brewerton, New York 13029 Phone: 315/676-3035 Email: Please add sales@schneiderequip.com Schneider has been designing world-class automation solutions for over 50 years. The unmatched commitment to problem-solving coupled with proven designs has made us a leading manufacturer in end of line automation. We take pride knowing our relationships with our customers are not only just about completing a project, but creating a mutually beneficial partnership that will last for years. How are we leading in end-of-line automation? We incorporate new technologies and provide proven concepts by building flexible, world-class solutions that are efficient and reliable. The challenges that COVID-19 presented to plant managers made an even greater case for end of line automation. Simply hiring temp, or even permanent, labor to work in close proximity became no longer practical. Imagine optimizing pallet configuration right from the HMI, seeing visual alerts with task-based lighting, or saving time and money with automatic changeovers. Intelligent Illumination™, ProAdjust® and OptiStak make all this a reality. While others rely on external computer solutions, we equip our machines with proprietary software that contributes to efficiently increasing your productivity. Optistak is a seamless and simple palletizing software solution. Operators can change patterns on the fly, optimize pallet configurations quickly—directly from the HMI. Intelligent Illumination™ proactively cues operators where attention is needed with taskedbased lighting, allowing them clear visibility to issues without consulting the HMI. ProAdjust® is an automated machine adjustment system featuring an easy-to-use handheld interface driving the adjustment power modules. Learn how our technologies decrease your total cost of ownership, simplify programming, and proactively monitor your operating efficiency at www.schneiderequip.com.

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12/18/20 7:52 AM

407

Cartoning Case/tray packing Robotics

Schubert North America LLC 8848 Red Oak Boulevard, Suite H, Charlotte, NC USA 28217 Phone: 980/244-3140 Email: sales@schubert-na.com www.schubert.group The Schubert Group, with its international headquarters in Crailsheim, Germany, is one of the global leaders in the field of modular, intelligent top-loading packaging systems. Since more than 50 years, Schubert has played a decisive role in the development of automated packaging solutions and fully integrated packaging processes. Innovations include the vision control system, the transport robot Transmodul or the recently introduced flow-wrapping machine Flowmodul with its patented sealing technology. Schubert provides customers with future-proof solutions that are easy to use, flexible in terms of format changeovers and stable in operation, while delivering exceptionally high performance. At regular intervals, Schubert introduces breakthrough innovations that enable customers in a wide range of industries to master demanding packaging tasks with a high level of overall system efficiency over a long service life. With the new Schubert lightline machine series, customers can master standardized packaging tasks with great efficiency and high quality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at attractive purchase costs. The series consists of packaging machines with preconfigured machine modules. This enables quick planning and assembly processes. A key benefit is that the packaging machines from the Schubert lightline product family are ready for use within a very short time. And all machines are delivered in the high Schubert quality you expect. Today, the group is run by a second generation of owners and it employs 1,300 people. From the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North American headquarters and customer training center in Charlotte, and with its Canadian office in Mississauga, Schubert North America serves the US and Canadian markets.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 7:53 AM

408

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Serac Inc 160 E.Elk Trail, Carol Stream, IL 60188 Phone: 630/510-9343 Email: Kenn@serac-usa.com www.serac-group.com Serac designs, assembles and provides packaging solutions (Filling, capping and blow molding machines, turnkey lines) to industrial companies and end-users, mainly in dairy products, edible oil and home and personal care products. Serac has 6 factories located in the United States (1), France (3), Brazil (1), Malaysia (1) and 10 sales offices in the United States, France, Brazil, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, China and Spain. More than 5,800 machines have already been installed in more than 120 countries. Creating Performance Together The packaging solutions market is in a constant state of evolution, shaped by new consumption trends, emerging regulations and a shifting geopolitical context. With its broad international influence, extensive expertise and strong local presence, Serac truly understands how to adapt to these market specificities as well as to the needs of our customers. To this end, our teams are dedicated to helping customers reach their performance, profitability and sustainability goals. While innovation remains at the heart of our development, our strength really lies in the ambition and energy of our sales and technology teams, always at the ready to find the best solutions for our customers and anticipate their needs. Every machine we build is the result of the expertise of our talented employees, committed to bringing you the best solution, from the design phase up to the maintenance. For over 50 years, our success has been driven by the challenges we face and overcome.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 7:54 AM

409

Cartoning Case tra a ing Palletizing/Depalletizing

Serpa Packaging Solutions 0 0 est S nn vie ven e â&#x20AC;˘ isalia, C 9 91 Phone: 800/348-5453 Email: sales@serpapackaging.com www.serpapackaging.com Since 1985 Serpa has been providing packaging solutions for some of the largest companies in the world. A manufacturer of high-quality machinery, we provide complete end-of-line packaging solutions by offering the most advanced technology and design in the industry. We establish long-term, trusting relationships with our customers by providing not only a quality product, but by placing a strong focus on customer service. Serpa Packaging Solutions excels in integrating large lines with on-time start-up. We are experienced at project management and have an impeccable factory acceptance testing (FAT) track record. When you work with Serpa, we make your job easier. Machine uptime is our highest priority. Our machines feature industry-leading changeover technology and the best operator and maintenance access available in the industry. We provide simple solutions for complete packaging lines. Serpa is your single source for complete end-of-line packaging solutions including cartoners, case packers, high speed insert feeding systems, tray packers, palletizers, sleevers, and tamper evident labelers. We manufacture robust, high-quality packaging equipment that is built for three-shift-per-day operation and rapid, repeatable changeovers. With a customer base consisting of some of the largest companies in the world, Serpa Packaging Solutions has provided solutions for a variety of applications across most industries. We currently have a major presence in the pharmaceutical, medical device, personal care, cosmetics, nutraceutical, food, dairy and household industries.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 7:55 AM

410

PW JAN2021

Robotics Case/tray packing Palletizing/Depalletizing

Shape Process Automation 1255 Harmon Road. Auburn Hills, MI 48326 Phone: (248) 829-2800 Email: spainfo@shapetechnologies.com www.shapeprocessautomation.com Shape Process Automation is a leading supplier of custom factory automation and advanced materials processing solutions. Since the mid 1980’s we’ve designed and installed over 6,000 systems in more than 70 countries, providing world class solutions and service to the world’s largest companies, across multiple industries, locally and around the globe. As a leader in the Packaging industry we have demonstrated expertise designing and building custom solutions for a variety of picking, packing and palletizing needs. We understand that these are demanding applications, requiring a lot from human operators. By choosing a robotic solution from Shape Process Automation you get the speed, reliability, accuracy, and dexterity needed to automate your process all while increasing the health and safety of your workplace and improving overall efficiency and quality of your operations. As an authorized robot system integrator we take on the complexity of making sure all of the hardware, such as robots, conveyors, EOAT’s, safety and vision equipment, along with the various software packages, work together seamlessly so you get a solution that you can rely on - to work as designed and giving you confidence about your investment. Additionally, we offer complete service and support during installation, start-up and throughout the life of your system. We stock OEM spare parts, offer PLC remote access, preventative maintenance agreements, training, on-site support and more. We can customize a support package specifically for you. Shape Process Automation is part of the Shape Technologies Group of companies. You may have known us previously in the USA as DRS Robotics and/or in Canada as Tech-Con Automation. While our names and brands may have changed, our experience, knowledge and commitment to our customers remains unaltered.

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12/18/20 7:56 AM

411

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Bag & pouch fill/seal (pre-made) Case/tray packing

Shemesh USA Inc. 40 Centennial St. Green Bay, WI 54304 Phone: 920 325 0050 Email: sa@shemeshautomation.com www.shemeshautomation.com Established in 1990, Shemesh Automation is a family owned and operated business with over 30 years’ experience in delivering automated packaging solutions to major manufacturers around the world. With a focus on linear and rotary filling machines, capping machines, sealing machines and labelling machines, our solutions are used across a wide range of industries including food & beverage, pharma & biotech, cosmetics and chemicals. In addition, we offer particular expertise in packaging for liquids and viscous fluids using either rigid or flexible packaging containers. We are based strategically across the globe with offices in the USA, Israel, France and the UK as well as sales and support teams in Europe, the Americas and the Far East. This combination has enabled us to develop an impressive range of packaging solutions and systems to meet requirements of the highest standards while delivering a compelling, consistent ROI to our clients. Partnering with Shemesh Automation, experts in automated packaging systems, our customers don’t simply get a machine but engage in a meaningful, long-term relationship through which they can build their business on our experience, knowledge, reliability, and, most importantly, integrity. Alongside this, and over the last 20 years, Shemesh Automation has also focused its considerable resources into pioneering downstream packaging solutions for the nonwovens sector through our sister company Shemesh Automation Wet Wipes (www.sawetwipes. com). This investment in design and manufacture has established us at the forefront of the nonwovens industry as one of the leading providers of packaging solutions in the sector. From single machines through to complete turnkey production lines we deliver solutions individually tailored to our customers’ specific needs.

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12/18/20 7:56 AM

412

PW JAN2021

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Capping Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Shibuya Hoppmann 7849 Coppermine Drive Manassas, Virginia 20109 USA Phone: 800/368-3582 Email: sales@shibuyahoppmann.com www.shibuyahoppmann.com Shibuya Hoppmann manufactures quality and durability you can trust. Our systems handle everyday products that are used in everyday life. We have handled a wide variety of applications over the years. This means we have the tools, the world-leading technology, and the expertise to handle your product. Our engineers are skilled in different manufacturing styles – and will work with you to optimize the method that best meets your project’s requirements. We design and manufacture: Aseptic Fillers • everage Fillers and Cappers • Centrifugal Feeder Systems • Continuous Motion Assembly Systems • E- eam Aseptic Filling Systems • nde ing Placement Systems • Prefeeders Conveyors • otary nline Labelers • Print Apply, Pressure-Sensitive Label Applicators • Spare Parts Industries Served: everage Dairy • Food utrition • Pharmaceutical • ealthcare

ousehold • Personal Care •

ndustrial •

Our unique products have proven essential in the e ploration of COV D-19 solutions. Trust in industry leaders like Shibuya Hoppmann to diligently provide the highest quality manufacturing equipment. Send us your part - We can handle it!

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12/18/20 7:57 AM

413

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Case/tray packing Converting Equipment

Sidel Inc. 5600 Sun Court, Norcross GA 30092 Phone: 678/221-3000 Email: contact_americas@sidel.com www.sidel.com People all over the world consume products packaged by Sidel Group solutions every day. Each of those packaging solutions is developed according to our goal to deliver the highest quality standards to consumers. We are a leading provider of equipment, services and complete solutions for packaging liquids, foods, home and personal care products in PET, can, glass, brick, carton, pouch and other materials. There are close to 40,000 Sidel Group machines in operation in over 190 countries today. Every one of them is the result of over 170 years of proven experience and innovation. We continually focus on providing our partners with proven expertise in blowing, filling, labelling, material-handling, end-of-line and line-engineering solutions, including an innovative focus on the factory of tomorrow. Delivering this level of performance requires that we stay flexible. We continuously ensure we understand our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; changing challenges and commit to meeting their unique performance and sustainability goals. We do this through dialogue and by understanding the needs of their markets, production and value chains. In turn, we apply our solid technical knowledge and smart data analytics to ensure lifetime productivity reaches its full potential. We call it Performance through Understanding.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 7:58 AM

414

PW JAN2021

Protective/transport packaging Strapping Stretch wrapping/pallet load containment

Signode 3650 W. Lake Ave, Glenview, Illinois 60026 Phone: 800.323.2464 Email: marketing@signode.com www.signode.com Signode is a leading transit packaging provider, offering efficient and effective products and solutions to our customers globally. With 80+ manufacturing facilities across six continents and over 7,000 employees worldwide, Signode is a leading manufacturer of a broad spectrum of transit packaging consumables, tools, software, and equipment that optimize end-of-line packaging operations and protect products in transit. Signode brings this extensive product portfolio together under hundreds of trusted brands to offer complete transit packaging solutions to its customers. We produce strap, stretch and protective packaging. We also manufacture packaging tools and equipment used to apply the bulk packaging materials. These commercial packaging products are used to pack, bundle, unitize, protect and secure goods during warehousing and transit. Our company is a pioneer in the industrial packaging sector with a long history of customer-focused innovations in materials, processes and automation technology that have revolutionized the sector. Working with us means spending less time on transit packaging and more time perfecting your products. Visit Signode.com today to learn how we can customize a comprehensive transit packaging solution for your company.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 7:59 AM

Controls Ro oti s

a ine o

415

onents

SIKO 1 Bis o Cir le • De ter, 481 0 Phone: 734/426-3476 Email: sales.us@siko-global.com www.siko-global.com For over 50 years SIKO has been developing and producing rotating and linear measuring systems, actuators and individually programmable displays for the entire field of machine construction. With its precision and innovative power, the company sets global standards in terms of quality and reliability. SIKO has been characterized by innovative ideas and quality without compromise for our customers. Our motivated and experienced staff is the cornerstone of our success. Many years of experience in distance and angle measuring technology as well as input from our customers have created a basis for solutions for both the present and the future. SIKO for your Quick Size Changeover needs. 1. DA series for manual machine changeover - Digital position indicators “SIKO’s” for inexpensive and reliable positioning. 2. AP series for monitored machine changeover - Bus-compatible position indicators with set/actual value comparison and status display for guided manual adjustment. - Now also available with Ethernet IP and I/O Link! 3. AG series for fully automated machine changeover - Field bus compact actuators for process-optimized, exact and fully-automatic positioning.

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12/18/20 8:00 AM

416

PW JAN2021

Sustainability Package design Labels

SKC Inc. 1000 SKC Drive, Covington, GA 30014 Phone: 678/342-1000 Email: info@skci.com www.skci.com SK Group is one of the largest South Korean conglomerates composed of nearly 100 subsidiary companies sharing the SK brand name and corporate management culture. Over the years, SK Group has significantly contributed to global industrial development by establishing a presence in multiple countries, including the US with SKC Inc. SKC, Inc. is the only North American Film division of SK Group, with the ability to design and manufacture our own resin. As a leader in specialty PET Films, we strive to maintain growth and market leadership by pursuing added value products and capitalizing on global operations. Our comprehensive products portfolio includes a wide range of films used for various applications such as packaging, graphic, labels, medical, display and more. SKC Inc. is advocating global sustainability efforts by exceeding environmental procedures and standards. Our sustainability goal is to continuously find ways to reduce pollution and preserve the environment with greener products: SKC Ecolabel™ – Fully recyclable shrink sleeve SKC PLA film – Biodegradable and environmentally-friendly film PCR film – Post Consumer Resin film Our focus is to revolutionize the packaging industry with our sustainable solution SKC Ecolabel™, the World’s First fully recyclable heat-shrinkable film, tested and approved and by APR. Our promise is to support environmental sustainability goals and continue to grow as a Global Green Company.

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12/18/20 8:02 AM

417

Labeling Labels Tamper-evident machinery

Sleeve Seal Shrink Labeling Solutions 14000 Dinneen Drive Little Rock, AR 72206 Phone: 501-492-3893 Email: sales@sleeveseal.com www.sleeveseal.com High Speed Shrink Sleeve Labelers Sleeve Seal is focused on a new era of repeatable labeling performance. Built-to-last American manufacturing expertise and modern engineering are combined to produce speeds from 25 to 1600 CPM on robust machines equipped with intelligent Allen Bradley controls. Heavy weight construction and the fastest, most durable drive train in the industry provide high efficiency runs for countless hours. Sleeve Seal machines are engineered to provide quality labeling performance with simple, tool-less changeovers between container formats. Ten-color shrink label printing The Sleeve Seal 10 color rotogravure printing press allows us to print the highest quality, most vibrantly colored labels available in the labeling industry. Our ten-color printing offers quality colors and custom finishes for a variety of looks. CMYK plus PMS spot colors, with gloss, matte or pearl finishes can be combined in a single run to create the most striking labels on the shelf. Our start to finish manufacturing and printing processes allow complete quality control at the most competitive prices available. Large Format Shrink Labeling Automated, oversized labeling just got easy. Our new SSL-100L labeler handles containers up to 215mm (8.5”) in diameter with extra-long label cut lengths. Sleeve Seal’s “all day long, all day strong” reliability has been applied to an extra strength drive train to accommodate your large format labels. The modular design allows for easy adaptation to existing conveyance systems. The drive train of the SSL-100L utilizes the same synchronized adjustments system as the faster labelers in Sleeve Seal’s line of labelers for fast, tool-less changeovers.

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12/18/20 8:04 AM

418

PW JAN2021

Cartoning Case/tray packing Retail display packaging

Somic America, Inc. 500 Lone Oak Road, Suite #200 Eagan, MN 55121 Phone: 847/915-9872 Email: p.fox@somic.us www.somic.us The flexibility of SOMIC’s advanced mechatronic, retail ready packaging systems has reached new heights. With solutions evolving into nearly every type of manufacturing operation, SOMIC’s high performance, case packaging systems – wraparounds, tray and display ready, cover applicators for trays and closing machines and others – have been delivering solid results for over 40 years. Our newest secondary packaging machine was introduced during the virtual PACK Expo Connects event in November 2020. The proprietary 424 T2D series serves as a catalyst for all custom machine development, and we design each system with flexible formats to deliver the right system for your operation and best return on your investment. The majority of our reliable, user-friendly machines are configured to process stand-up pouches, flow packs and other flexible material packages. That’s one reason why our popularity continues to grow with a wide variety of manufacturers, from retail and food and beverage, to confectionary and consumer goods. The 424 system showcases our capabilities to run and package a variety of blowmolded bottles in standard wraparound cases and two-piece display trays with covers. It represents the flexibility of this system as it collates, closes and cartons pre-bundled rigid bottles with flip top closures, finger pumps and trigger sprays. You can watch in action on our YouTube channel: SOMIC Virtual Show Case Packer video. SOMIC has unique cartoning solutions – from wraparound case packers to shelf ready systems – for any situation. To learn more about what end-of-line packaging equipment is best for your operation, give us a call to discuss.

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12/18/20 8:05 AM

419

Package design Sustainability Containers

Sonoco Products Company 1 North Second Street Hartsville, SC, USA 29550-3350 Phone: 800-377-2692 Email: 360solutions@sonoco.com www.sonoco.com Sonoco Products Company is a $5.4 billion global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, supply chain services and point-of-purchase displays. To help build stronger brands, we leverage our deep knowledge of material science, our patented i6 Innovation Process™ and our industry-leading expertise. Sonoco develops innovative packaging solutions for many of the world’s most recognized brands and product categories including appliances, electronics, automotive, beverages, confections, construction, converted paperboard, fresh and natural foods, frozen and refrigerated foods, home, lawn and garden, medical/pharmaceutical, pet care, powdered beverages, recycling, snacks and more. For on-the-go consumers, we craft innovative, high-barrier packaging from recycled paperboard, rigid plastic and flexibles with easy-open closures for optimal convenience. Our tubes, cores, reels and spools are made from uncoated recycled paperboard from Sonoco Recycling, one of the world’s largest recyclers. Our Protective Solutions customers depend on us to deliver sophisticated packaging to ensure the integrity of temperature sensitive biologics and pharmaceuticals, high-end automotive components, as well as dishwashers, televisions and other durable goods. Sonoco recently introduced the EnviroSense™ portfolio of more sustainable packaging solutions to help protect the planet for years to come. As the range of industries we serve continues to expand, our purpose can always be summed up in just a few words: Better Packaging. Better Life. Learn more about EnviroSense packaging at www.sonoco.com/envirosense. For additional information about Sonoco’s full portfolio of packaging products and services, visit www. sonoco.com or call 1-800-383-7000.

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12/18/20 8:06 AM

420

PW JAN2021

Conveying & accumulation Contract packaging E-Commerce

Span Tech Conveyors 1115 Cleveland Ave. Glasgow KY, 42142 Phone: 2706519166 Email: info@spantechllc.com www.spantechconveyors.com Span Tech leads the industry as an innovative material handling company. We are known throughout the world for our quality, reliability, and excellent customer service. Today we are recognized as a global leader in developing unique and customizable solutions for conveying applications. Our customized solutions ensure that your products get where they need to be when they need to be there and with countless number of chain configurations the possibilities are endless. From changing elevation while curving to transferring, our conveyor solutions have been proven effective time and time again. Need to integrate? No problem. Span Tech conveyors can be designed to integrate with almost any type of machinery, work station, or robotics. We do not shy away from your challenges, we embrace them. If solutions do not exist yet, we create them. Our Core Industries Include: • Food everage Production, Pharmaceuticals, Packaging, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Distribution, E-Commerce, Cosmetics Through product evolution and innovation, we provide our customers with the lowest total cost of ownership, as well as the longest service life available. Contact us and let us show you how together we can Outlast, Outperform and Outdeliver the competition. We are committed to building the best conveyor systems possible. It’s more than a goal. –It’s how we do business.

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12/18/20 8:07 AM

421

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous Conveying & accumulation

Specialty Equipment Filler Co. 1221 Adkins, Houston, TX 77055 Phone: 713/467-1818 www.specialtyequipment.com Specialty Equipment Corporation is a Houston, Texas based manufacturer of high end packaging machinery and material handling systems, which includes; liquid fillers, custom dry solids fillers, drum and pallet conveyors, and palletizers. We started in 1969 as a twoman job shop, and, have since grown to become the largest manufacturer of drum filling, conveying and palletizing systems in North America. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve developed a full product line of automatic and semi-automatic liquid filling machines and conveyors for industries like; agriculture, chemical, cleaners, coatings, flavors, food, food additives, lubricants, and sealant manufacturers. The products we fill and convey include; drums, pails, bins, totes, pallets, and rubber bales, a customized product

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:08 AM

422

PW JAN2021

Coding/marking Additives, coatings & inks

Squid Ink 7041 Boone Ave, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 Phone: 800-877-5658 Email: info@squidink.com www.squidink.com Squid Ink is a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and traceability, providing superior quality inks and low maintenance printing equipment. Squid Ink began in 1991, supplying high quality replacement ink jet fluids. Since then, the company has grown and expanded to include a complete line of hi-res piezo printing systems, CIJ (continuous ink jet) printing systems, TIJ (thermal ink jet) printing systems, DOD (drop-on-demand) printing systems, laser coders, and a full library of inks and ink jet fluids. Our printers and ink are designed to print the highest quality bar codes, batch numbers, date codes, logos and large or small character text, directly onto corrugated cases, plastics, metals, glass, wood and other substrates. And Squid Ink continues to design new products that are reliable, easy to use, and cost effective. One of our latest examples is the CoPilot Max, a feature-rich printing system that offers 360 dpi print resolution from multiple printheads, 2.8” print height, full color touchscreen, and the option to run from a wireless tablet. The CoPilot Max offers users clean and reliable printing of bar codes, logos and razor-sharp small character text. Today, Squid Ink continues to focus on it’s core purpose to “help companies deliver products to the world.” An expanding line of integrated products and services reflect Squid Ink’s commitment to meet new needs and new challenges, and ensure that customers have reliable systems for their packaging application. Squid Ink, Eastey, American Film & Machinery (AFM) and Cogent Technologies are all divisions of Engage Technologies Corporation. Squid Ink (squidink.com) is a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and traceability. Eastey (eastey. com) is a leading manufacturer of shrink packaging equipment and automated case sealing systems. American Film & Machinery (afmsleeves.com) supplies shrink labelers and tunnels, shrink sleeves, and tamper bands. Cogent Technologies (cogent-tech.com) manufactures infrared drying systems used to dry ink in the industrial graphics industries.

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12/18/20 8:09 AM

423

Adhesives/tape

STA, LLC 75 Industrial Park Drive, Rogersville, TN 37857 Phone: 800-235-8273 Email: stacs@sta-usa.com www.sta-tapes.com Founded in 1976, STA’s focus has always been to produce the best water-based acrylic packaging tapes in the world. Today, STA is proud to be U.S.-owned, with manufacturing in the USA. We currently produce a wide range of packaging tapes in both hand and machine length rolls. Our Supreme and Cohere brands offer the broadest lines the industry has to offer. The full line also includes hot melt carton-sealing tapes, paper tapes, and water-activated tapes. All of our high-quality acrylics are made with 100% Rohm and Haas adhesive. The Rogersville, Tennessee location features state-of-the-art coating and finishing equipment. The adhesives and films used are manufactured under the strictest conditions offering assurance of cleanliness. Our nationwide network of distribution and worldwide partners make STA products readily available. With service centers located in California, Washington, Georgia, and Wisconsin, STA is poised to meet your just-in-time inventory needs. We know that providing superior quality packaging tapes is incomplete without equally superior support. Whether partnering with us at the beginning of a manufacturing project, replenishing supplies quickly, or searching for the newest technology in packaging tape, we’re here to help. Contact our friendly customer service department to be connected to a knowledgeable sales representative who will discuss your application and recommend the STA product to fit your needs.

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12/18/20 8:09 AM

424

PW JAN2021

Case/tray packing Multipacking/shrink bundling/banding Shrink wrapping

Standard-Knapp, Inc. 63 Pickering Street, Portland, CT 06480 U.S.A. Phone: (860) 342-1100 Email: info@standard-knapp.com www.standard-knapp.com ULTIMATE Is Our Standard™ For over 125 years, Standard-Knapp has designed and built the ULTIMATE case, tray, and shrink packaging machinery for the most demanding customers. We strive to help our customers pursue green initiatives using our technical expertise in lightweight materials and energy efficiency. With our Pic-N-Place Case Packer, Standard-Knapp offers a high-speed “soft-place” solution for precise, gentle handling of product with a proprietary technology that eliminates glass breakage. Highly reliable, lightweight, and robust, this adaptable solution is engineered to handle high-volume product, 24/7/365. A Pic-N-Place module is also available for retrofitment on existing Standard-Knapp Versatron case packers. Glass-to-glass packing has never been easier thanks to the 939S Versatron™ Soft Catch Servo Case Packer. New advances in our Soft Catch technology allow for the packing of lightweight glass into partitionless cases, without breakage – increasing your bottom line by reducing total packaging material use. The 949S Versatron™ Tandem Case Packer allows for multiple cases per drop, thereby unlocking even higher speeds than those possible with the 939S. Our continuous-motion case slitters and sealers complete the packing process on filled tab-lock corrugated cases at speeds of up to 80 cases per minute (cpm), depending on product specifications, offering high-speed, reliable case finishing. The new TriWraptor™ TSUP (Tray/Shrink/Unsupported/Pad) Packer features flexibility and efficiency that provides maximum performance. The TriWraptor’s innovative high-speed Robo-Wand™ wrapping module provides consistent, tight, wrinkle-free wrapping of a wide range of product sizes.

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12/18/20 8:12 AM

425

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging Thermoform/fill/seal Tray lidding/sealing

Starview Packaging Machinery 1840 St. Regis Blvd.Dorval, QC H9P 1H6 â&#x20AC;˘ Canada Phone: 888/278-5555 Email: sales@starview.net www.starview.net Starview Packaging Machinery, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of packaging machinery for high-visibility packaging and medical device packaging with over 25 years of providing standard and custom packaging systems to our customers and distributors. We engineer, design, and manufacture a comprehensive line of manual, semi-automatic, and automatic sealing machines. Available in shuttle, rotary, carousel, and inline configurations, with a variety of standard and custom sealing areas to meet exact requirements and maximize productivity. Machines are configured to suit specific applications such as retail-carded packages, sterile medical device packages, pharmaceutical wallet packages, OTC pharmaceutical packages and food tray packaging. Starview offers many value-added features for our machines such as: marking / printing systems, vision verification systems , robotic product loading, product detection / sensing, automatic packaging materials loading, automatic inline fold-over, finished package unloading with reject feature for non-compliant packages, RFID tooling identification and hydro-pneumatic cold seal presses. Machines are offered worldwide through a network of Authorized Distributors who provide sales and service as well as the packaging materials used in conjunction with our machines. Leading the industry with the most complete and innovative packaging machines for: Blister & Clamshell Packaging, Medical & Pharmaceutical Packaging, Systems with Automation & Integration, Food Tray Packaging, Skin Packaging & Die Cutting, Stretch Pak Packaging, Thermoforming Equipment, Customized Packaging Equipment

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:14 AM

426

PW JAN2021

Sullair 1 Sullair Way Michigan City, IN 46360 Phone: 1-800-SULLAIR Email: sullairsolutions@sullair.com www.sullair.com/oilfree Air compressor options to meet your packaging needs While air compressors may not be front and center on your packaging lines, they are critical for keeping operations up and running. Sullair has the solutions your business needs – including oil free compressors when air purity is critical. With each hour, minute and second counting in your operation, there’s no time for downtime. Sullair air compressors are built to last—with reliability, durability and performance in mind—to help ensure your packaging lines don’t stop. Oil free rotary screw air compressors From scroll to rotary screw to centrifugal, the Sullair oil free air compressor portfolio is available in powers from 2–30,000 hp and pressures from 15–725 psi, providing options to meet your specific application need. Oil flooded rotary screw air compressors Sullair lubricated rotary screw air compressors combine our heritage of durability and reliability, while adding unprecedented ease of use and performance. The full line of Sullair oil flooded rotary screw compressors is available in powers up to 600 hp and pressures up to 350 psi. About Sullair For more than 55 years, Sullair has been on the leading edge of compressed air solutions. We were one of the first to execute rotary screw technology in our air compressors, and our machines are famous throughout the world for their legendary durability. Our global distributor network provides customer support at nearly every corner of the globe, and Sullair relentlessly pursues the development of high-quality air compressors that are built to last.

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12/18/20 8:15 AM

427

Flow Wrapping Case/tray packing Form/fill/seal -Vertical

Syntegon Technology Allendale, NJ; Decatur, GA; Minneapolis, MN; New Richmond, WI; Oldsmar, FL; Raleigh, NC Phone: (770)-981-5200 Email: connectwithus@syntegon.com www.syntegon.com Syntegon Technology is one of the leading suppliers of processing and packaging technology, mostly to the food and pharma industries, but also other packaged goods. We offer a product portfolio ranging from entry-level machines to fully integrated systems. As a single-source supplier of processing and automation technology, as well as primary and secondary packaging technology, our mission is to support customers in creating sustainable solutions with market-leading technologies. Our product portfolio includes: confectionery processing equipment; product distribution, collation, and loading systems; horizontal flow-wrappers; vertical bagmakers; topload, endload and wraparound cartoners; case packers; filling and sealing systems for cups and bottles; thermoforming, filling, and sealing systems; bag sealers; and checkweighing systems. Fields of application in the pharmaceutical industry are the production, processing, filling, inspection and packaging of liquid and solid pharmaceuticals (e.g. syringes and capsules). In the food industry, the portfolio includes process technology for confectionery and grainbased (and non-grain-based bars) as well as packaging solutions for dry foods (e.g. bars, bakery products and coffee), frozen foods and dairy products. Based in Waiblingen, Germany, and employing some 6,000 associates, at 30 locations in more than 15 countries worldwide, a highly-qualified workforce develops and produces complete solutions for the pharmaceutical, food, and confectionery industries. These solutions are complemented by a comprehensive after-sales service portfolio. A global service and sales network provides customers with local points of contact.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:15 AM

428

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Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Form/fill/seal -Vertical Form/fill/seal -horizontal (pouches or bags)

TDI Packsys LLC 974 Corporate Woods Parkway Phone: 877-834-6750 Email: sales@tdipacksys.com www.tdipacksys.com At TDI PACKSYS, we believe the small things matter. Which is why we offer X-ray inspection machines that can find contaminants as small as 0.3mm. That’s 25% smaller than any other X-ray machine. We also provide better and more comprehensive, expert service. We think that dedication to our customers is a pretty big difference between us and our competitors, and a very big deal. Product safety is critical to the success of your business. We take that responsibility as seriously as you do. That’s why our inspection systems are the most sensitive in the industry. Our multi-dimensional X-ray machines can view a contaminant from multiple angles, significantly improving the detection rate in jar and canister products. Our line-up of X-ray machines can uncover metal, glass, ceramic, stone, and bone better than anyone else can. We also offer remote service, so we can troubleshoot any issues off-site. We know machine downtime is costly. We make sure our solutions are not. Our best-in-class products also include packaging automation designed to meet your seal of approval. Think of our solutions as high-performance vehicles, ready to zoom ahead to the finish line. They feature state-of-the-art German engineering you won’t find anywhere else. Our global manufacturing platform ensures that you always get the best engineering and quality. Our high-end machines are the finest in the world, but unlike our competition, we offer a range of machines to fit your needs and your budget. We work with you to determine the true gamut of your needs, not only the ones you face today, but those you may encounter in the future. Then, we’ll uncover the best, customized solution for you, incorporating the highest quality, industry-leading machines and systems. We’ll optimize performance and maximize value because with TDI PACKSYS, you get the complete package.

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Untitled-90 428

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12/18/20 8:17 AM

429

Digital printing Retail display packaging E-Commerce

The BoxMaker, Inc. 6412 S. 190th St., Kent, WA 98032, United States Phone: (800) 443-5431 Email: info@boxmaker.com www.boxmaker.com Corrugated Boxes | Graphic Packaging & Displays | Labels | Foam | Fulfillment | Supplies EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF PACKAGING For 40 years The BoxMaker has proudly served the Pacific Northwest and beyond as a leading all-in-one supplier of packaging innovation, providing integrated services and solutions that effectively address our clients’ business needs. As a manufacturer and distributor with 7 locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, The BoxMaker offers custom corrugated boxes, retail displays, custom labels, foam and protective packaging, fulfillment, and custom packaging supplies and related items. LEADING THE WAY WITH DIGITAL PRINT AND PRODUCTION Since 2011 The BoxMaker has offered digital production for corrugated packaging, display, and labels, delivering high quality solutions at the speed today’s businesses demand. With a 2nd all-digital production plant located just outside of Springdale, Arkansas, The BoxMaker is leading the way in delivering digitally printed and finished packaging solutions to clients across the United States. ACCELERATE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN Digitally printed and finished packaging helps you control costs and get your product to market faster. The BoxMaker delivers highly efficient corrugated packaging solutions on demand, transforming your supply chain into a competitive advantage. • Minimal Lead Time • apid Prototyping • Easy Artwork evisions with Every Order • educed isk of nventory Obsolescence Start benefitting today with The BoxMaker as your trusted packaging partner.

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12/18/20 8:19 AM

430

PW JAN2021

Adhesives/tape E-Commerce Sustainability

The Reynolds Company Adhesives & Coatings 10 Gates Street, Greenville, South Carolina 29611 Phone: (864) 252-9183 Email: bonds@reynoldsglue.com www.reynoldsglue.com The Reynolds Company is ISO 9001:2015 Certified for the manufacture of hot melt, water based, and dry blend adhesives and coatings. Reynolds product formulation uses highquality raw materials produced by the leading chemical companies servicing the adhesive industry. Our customers who have known the challenges of extreme conditions like heat and humidity have been pleased when using Reynolds’ custom formulation. Packaging with Reynolds’ adhesives proves to be successful in reducing production slowdowns, downtime, and pop-opens. Our Reynco Metallocene product line, high-performance hot melt adhesives, provide a balance of hot and cold, offering excellent performance in blast freezers and IOPP testing. The large ambient temperature ranges from -40°F to 160°F is exceptional for cold storage performance. The product line offers fast setting and water-white color, making these products ideal for a variety of packaging applications When anticipating temperature extremes, Reynolds can ensure packaged goods will arrive at your customers with no failures. We have over 25 years of proven history with zero heat stress failures. With our CA 270 series adhesives, we can provide no open cases after storage in hot warehouses or shipment in hot trailers. If your business receives customer complaints or returns, let The Reynolds Company help your ROI. Since our founding in 1978, Reynolds has maintained a philosophy of treating customers as we would like to be treated in delivering quality products at fair prices, on time, every time. Known to offer service that set us apart, we deal ethically with our customers, vendors, and employees, and are forward-thinking in product innovations and modifications and uphold industry tenets by always doing the right thing. For 40+ years our success has bolstered our customer’s ROI. Give us a call and let our team of experts assist you in an adhesive compound that will yield exceptional results.

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12/18/20 8:22 AM

431

Form/fill/seal -Vertical Conveying & accumulation Case/tray packing

tna Solutions Pty. Ltd. 24 Carter Street, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127, Australia Phone: 972/462-6500 Email: info@tnasolutions.com www.tnasolutions.com tna is a leading global supplier of integrated food processing and packaging solutions with over 35 years of industry experience and 14,000 systems installed across more than 120 countries. The company provides a comprehensive range of products including materials handling, processing, cooling and freezing, coating, distribution, seasoning, weighing, packaging, inserting and labelling, metal detection, verification and end of line solutions. tna also offers a variety of production line controls integration & SCADA reporting options, project management and training. tna’s unique combination of innovative technologies, extensive project management experience and 24/7 global support ensures customers achieve faster, more reliable and flexible food products at the lowest cost of ownership. A customer-centric approach dominates tna’s business philosophy to address any production challenges and suggest innovative solutions to help customers stay ahead of the game. tna combines the expertise of its team members to offer innovative technology solutions that cater to the ever-evolving demands of the food industry. Our aftermarket services provide real time remote assistance for collaborative maintenance, repairs and inspections. When tna was founded, its offering was a single, innovative packaging machine (tna robag®). Today, the brand is a single-source supplier for an entire food production line. Whether it’s for building a new line, or upgrade a current production line, tna is the soughtafter partner to provide the perfect solution. It is tna’s belief that a company’s performance must be measured by its contribution to building economic, social and environmental capital towards enhancing societal sustainability. It is with this belief that the Nadia and Alf Taylor Foundation has evolved into a Foundation that has supported more than 150 charities across 39 countries and has directly impacted the lives of over 19,000 people.

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12/18/20 8:23 AM

432

PW JAN2021

Palletizing/Depalletizing Stretch wrapping/pallet load containment Robotics

TopTier Palletizers 10315 SE Jennifer St Portland OR, 97015 USA Phone: 503/217-6457 Email: salesteam@toptier.com www.toptier.com TopTier is the #1 selling line of palletizers in North America... mission-critical components of automated end-of-line packaging operations for food, beverage and consumer packaged goods manufacturers. TopTier is the leader in innovation and value — providing palletizing solutions with speed, flexibility, and dependability for 24/7 operations. Complete Capabilities TopTier palletizers provide cost-effective palletizing solutions for applications across all industries: • Product cases, bags, bundles, trays, trayless, display pack, buckets, totes, and more • ates to 4 layers per minute • The global leader in concurrent stretch wrapping technology • Sheets, pallet handling, and comprehensive options • Advanced safety controlled entry E SO 13849-1 Category 3 PL d • igh and low infeed • Smallest full-featured footprint • EasyStack programming and machine control • oth layer-build and robotic technologies Modular Engineering TopTier’s modern layer building technology is more advanced than generic robots and legacy palletizers. Modular engineering and construction provides for all options and accessories in one compact integrated unit, achieving quality control and complete configuration flexibility. Live Demos Personal interactive demos are available every day. Schedule a demo with TopTier sales engineers combining 36 years of e clusive palletizing e perience.

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12/18/20 8:25 AM

433

Cartoning Form/fill/seal -Vertical Weighing/combination scales

Triangle Package Machinery Company 6655 West Diversey Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60707 USA Phone: 800/621-4170 Email: info@trianglepackage.com www.trianglepackage.com Looking to improve production and efficiency? Our packaging solutions can help you do just that. Founded by Louis Muskat in 1923, today the family’s third generation continues a tradition of innovation in packaging machinery. We offer superior engineering, a complete manufacturing facility and dedicated customer support. In addition, our vffs baggers, scales and cartoners are made in the USA - designed and built at our Chicago headquarters. Our core solutions include Vertical Form Fill Seal (vffs) Baggers; Combination Weighers; Cartoning/Bag in Box Systems; Tray Loaders/Depositors; and Rotary Pouch Machines. VFFS Baggers & InLine Combination Weighers Whether your application requires pillow bags, 3-sided seal bags, zippers, Doy bags, flat bottom or stand-up pouches (SUP), you can count on Triangle to deliver a trusted, costefficient solution to your packaging machinery needs. Our vffs baggers provide improved efficiency and production, quick and easy changeovers, and clean, accessible, sanitary designs that can meet USDA/3A standards. New solutions this year include our Delta Bagger, which offers ease of use and a rugged, sanitary design. For liquid and semi-liquid fill applications, check out our new Model XYTLF vffs bagger. In addition, our InLine Combination Weighers offer unmatched accuracy and efficiencies. Pair with a bagger, tray loader, or rotary pouch machine for a seamless, integrated system. Horizontal Cartoning Systems With the ability to load single-, twin-, or triple-packs at speeds up to 100 cartons per minute, Triangle’s Flex 1 Cartoner offers improved production and efficiency, carton size changeovers in only 5-15 minutes, and gentle product handling. A Name You Can Trust Finally, with one of the largest and most experienced field service staffs in the industry, we can keep you running 365/24/7.

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12/18/20 8:25 AM

434

PW JAN2021

Controls & machine components Conveying & accumulation Thermoform/fill/seal

U.S. Tsubaki, Power Transmission, LLC 301 E. Marquardt Drive, Wheeling, IL 60090 Phone: 847/459-9500 Email: sales@ustsubaki.com www.ustsubaki.com U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC is a leading manufacturer and supplier of stateof-the-art power transmission and motion control products and is a global leader in roller and conveyor chain production. U.S. Tsubaki is the largest global subsidiary of Japan’s Tsubakimoto Chain Company which was founded in 1917. Today, Tsubaki’s products are marketed in over 70 countries. Its corporate headquarter and main distribution warehouse are just outside of Chicago in Wheeling, IL and it has full manufacturing facilities in Holyoke, MA, Sandusky, OH and Milwaukee, WI. In addition to this it has service centers strategically located in Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; Atlanta, GA; Philadelphia, PA and Anoka, MN. The TSUBAKI name is synonymous with excellence in quality, dependability and customer service. An intense focus on research and development, along with constant modernization of its production facilities are among the key components in Tsubaki’s ability to successfully meet the ever-changing needs of the marketplace. Tsubaki has a wide variety of standard roller chains and attachment chains that cater to the Packaging Industry applications. It also offers a multitude of specialty chains such as corrosion resistant Neptune® chain, lube-free Lambda® chain, vacuum wrapper chain, thermoforming chain, Gripper® chain and Titan® series chain for high-speed operations. Tsubaki’s Made-to-Order capabilities allow for custom engineering of chains and attachments specific to your operation to ensure optimal performance.

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12/18/20 8:27 AM

435

Shrink wrapping Stretch wrapping/pallet load containment Cartons and boxes

Uline 12575 Uline Drive Pleasant Prairie, WI Phone: 262/612-4200 Email: customer.service@uline.com www.ULINE.com Uline is North America’s leading distributor of shipping, packaging and industrial supplies. A family-owned company, Uline is known for its unparalleled customer service. Started in 1980 with one product, the carton sizer which is still sold today, Uline’s product line has steadily grown and expanded over the years to include material handling, safety, tape, retail and janitorial supplies. Uline’s 600+-page catalog contains over 36,000 in-stock products available for same day shipping when ordered before 6 PM. Even the big stuff ships out the same day it is ordered. Uline is able to provide fast shipping and low-cost freight to its customers with 11 North American locations: Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City/ Philadelphia, Seattle, Edmonton and Toronto in Canada and Mexicali and Monterrey in Mexico.

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12/18/20 8:28 AM

436

PW JAN2021

Coding/marking Labeling

Universal Labeling Systems, Inc. 3501 8th Avenue South St. Petersburg, FL 33711 Phone: 727/327-2123 Email: sales@universal1.com www.universal1.com Welcome to Universal Labeling Systems. We are labeling. Since 1984, Universal has been a leader in pressure sensitive labeling machinery. No one designs and builds more custom, made-to-order labeling systems than ULS. You can’t be all things to all people; that’s why we’re all things labeling. It’s all we do. All machines are designed and built in the USA at our St. Petersburg, Florida manufacturing facility. Everything we are goes into everything we do. Your Universal Labeling machine is sold and supported through a worldwide network of authorized distributors, and backed up by our expert technical staff. Universal’s product manuals include specifications, bill of materials, set-up and operational details, and machine maintenance. Universal Labeling Systems has the most complete line of pressure sensitive labeling machines. From low volume table top models to high volume zero down time systems, our machines are designed, manufactured, and tested with one purpose in mind…you and your labeling needs. And at Universal, we do more than talk as our Performance Guarantee states: “All equipment manufactured by Universal Labeling Systems carries a 30-day performance guarantee. If your labeling machinery does not perform as stated, we will take your machine back and reimburse you in full.” Since 1984, we continue to honor this pledge.

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12/18/20 8:29 AM

437

Vacuum packaging/MAP Flexible packaging Sustainability

Vacuum Barrier Corporation 4 Barten Lane, Woburn MA 01801 Phone: 781-933-3570 Email: sales@vacuumbarrier.com https://vacuumbarrier.com/ Vacuum Barrier designs, engineers and fabricates liquid nitrogen dosing and piping systems for Food, Beverage, Semiconductor, MBE, Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Beer, Wine, Coffee, and Cannabis industries. We provide custom and standard solutions for all liquid nitrogen handling applications to position ourselves as your one-source for a complete system. Liquid Nitrogen Dosing Vacuum Barrier’s NITRODOSE liquid nitrogen dosing systems pressurize thin-wall packages or displace oxygen to extend product shelf-life. A precise droplet of liquid nitrogen is dispensed into the package vaporizes and expands to fill the headspace forcing nitrogen into the solution and pressurizing the bottle. To inert headspace the vapor is allowed to expand, before sealing, pushing out oxygen and extending shelf-life. Liquid Nitrogen Piping Vacuum Barrier’s SEMIFLEX vacuum jacketed sealed and dynamic liquid nitrogen pipe delivers liquid nitrogen at bulk tank pressure in two-phase condition for on-demand supply. Combine with SEMIFLEX Triax liquid nitrogen pipe eliminates two-phase flow to all use points. Vacuum Barrier is ISO 9001:2015 certified and has a highly trained worldwide staff to assist you with all your liquid nitrogen handling applications.

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12/18/20 8:30 AM

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Adhesive application Cartoning Case erect/seal

Valco Melton 497 Circle Freeway Drive, Ste 490 Cincinnati, OH 45246 Phone: 513/874-6550 Email: ask@valcomelton.com www.valcomelton.com Valco Melton is a world-leading manufacturer of adhesive dispensing equipment and quality assurance systems with 60+ years of technical experience. From case and carton sealing, to sift-proof closures and pallet stabilization, Valco Melton offers a comprehensive range of hot melt and cold glue equipment, and industry compatible spare parts, which set the standard for precision and reliability in adhesive application. The company has been leading research and development efforts of all-electric dispensing systems with its EcoStitch™ hot melt gluing solution. By reducing adhesive usage by up to 75%, and eliminating consumable parts, downtime and compressed air, EcoStitch has been helping customers across the packaging industry to improve their OEE and reduce TCO by decreasing packaging costs and carbon footprints. Valco Melton has made its electric technology available in melt on demand format for food & beverage packagers with the introduction of the Electric Kube™. Extending quality inspection to the packaging process, Valco Melton’s award winning PackChek™ System provides real time hot melt inspection for end-of-line packaging. If your customers are complaining about pop-opens, missed glue application, or out-of-line flaps, PackChek solves all three by combining thermal and visual imaging to inspect every package and guarantees proper hot melt application. Valco Melton is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, with seven large manufacturing facilities across the world. Our direct service support in 96 locations offers knowledgeable sales and service teams committed to providing technical assistance when and where you need it. Contact one of our product specialists to learn more at ask@valcomelton.com Download our Packaging Brochure at: www.valcomelton.com/solutions-by-market/packaging

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12/18/20 8:31 AM

439

Controls & machine components Conveying & accumulation

VDG (Van der Graaf) 13771 Cavaliere Drive, Shelby Township, MI 48315 Phone: 888/326-1476 Email: info@vandergraaf.com www.vandergraaf.com Designing and manufacturing drum motors for belt conveyor applications in USA and Canada since 1985, VDG uses cutting-edge production technology and automation ensuring quality, fast delivery and customer support. The VDG Drum Motor has all drive components including motor and gearbox enclosed inside the drum for a safer, more efficient, and space optimized belt conveyor drive solution. All components are designed for 80,000 hours of continuous operation before maintenance, minimizing downtime, reducing maintenance costs, and increasing production. VDG Drum Motors with patented IronGrip™ lagging extends the lifetime of the lagging, the belt, and the overall conveyor system. Composed of steel bar reinforcements welded onto the drive shell with rubber lagging inserts, this patented design eliminates lagging delamination, reduces wear of belt and lagging, extending the lifespan of the overall conveyor system. With up to 40% more traction than standard rubber lagging, the IronGrip™ allows for less pre-tensioning while providing higher belt-pull. The USDA approved SSV Sanitary Series drum motor with the belt profile machined directly onto the 316 stainless steel drum drives modular, wire mesh, and monolithic thermoplastic conveyor belts without the use of sprockets. Featuring an IP69K sealing system that withstands up to 3,000 psi washdown pressure, this sprocketless design eliminates foreign material contamination and areas prone to food by-product buildup, cutting washdown time and water consumption by 50%. The latest IntelliDrive™ drum motor with integrated VFD provides conveyor drive data feedback and controls belt speed either remotely or directly at the drum motor without loss of torque or belt-pull, increasing the efficiency and the life of the electric motor.

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12/18/20 8:32 AM

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Contract packaging Labeling Sustainability

Verst Packaging 300 Shorland Drive Walton, KY 41094-9328, United States Phone: 800/978-9307 Email: wschretzman@VerstLogistics.com www.VerstLogistics.com/packaging Verst provides one-source shrink sleeve contract decorating for the most recognized brands in America. Our customers outsource to us because we save them the costly investment of buying their own packaging equipment – and can complete even the most intricate shrink labeling jobs with ease. In addition to cost-effectiveness, outsourcing with Verst is a sure way to win the firstto-market race. Thanks to our 30+ years of experience and state-of-the-art equipment, our customers benefit from a dramatically reduced learning curve, as well as a 10-15% efficiency gain over doing their own labeling in-house. Verst is also first in shrink because: • With more than 400,000 square feet of LEED Gold Certified production and warehouse space, we have the capacity to run multiple projects at the same time and can accommodate custom orders with short lead times. • We have more than 125 sets of automatic application tooling in stock, fitting a variety of containers. In most cases, customers can avoid the costs of start-up tooling and saving time while the tooling is being manufactured. • We increase productivity by 10-35% by decorating pre-fill versus post-fill. Most customers-purchased equipment accommodates only inline filling/decorating, which is less efficient. • Our quality standards are the highest in the industry, evident by our scrap rate of less than 1%. We are Kosher approved, FDA registered and inspected and Pharma approved. We minimize risk by adhering to FSSC 22000 Food Safety System and current Good Manufacturing Practices. To learn more about Verst’s shrink labeling, call Will Schretzman at 859/379-1264

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12/18/20 8:33 AM

441

Coding/marking Labeling Adhesive application

Videojet Technologies Inc. 1500 Mittel Boulevard Wood Dale, IL 60191 Phone: 800/843-3610 Email: info@videojet.com www.videojet.com Videojet Technologies is a world leader in the product identification market, providing in-line printing, coding, and marking products, application-specific fluids, and product life cycle services. Our goal is to partner with customers in the consumer packaged goods, pharmaceutical, and industrial goods industries to improve their productivity, to protect and grow their brands, and to stay ahead of industry trends and regulations. With customer application experts and technology leadership in continuous inkjet (CIJ), thermal inkjet (TIJ), laser marking, thermal transfer overprinting (TTO), case coding and labeling, and wide array printing, Videojet has more than 345,000 printers installed worldwide. Customers rely on Videojet products to print on over ten billion products daily. Taking advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT), VideojetConnect™ allows customers to leverage the Videojet equipment already on their lines to gain visibility into their packaging line operations. VideojetConnect software can gather finished goods data, packaging line production rates and line stops, quantities produced and time frames, and more. The Videojet 1580 continuous inkjet printer is designed for an effortless coding and marking experience while delivering lasting uptime. Videojet SmartCell™ components are easy to replace within minutes, helping to ensure maximum productivity. OPTIMiZE software provides on-screen alerts with expert analytics and guides to enhance everyday printer performance. Videojet recently redefined fiber laser technology and integration with the Videojet 7340 (20-Watt) and 7440 (30-Watt) fiber laser marking systems. They are the first fiber lasers to feature the Lightfoot™ marking head, the smallest in the industry and IP69 rated for use in washdown and harsh environments. The Videojet 7340 and 7440 lasers are designed to deliver high-quality, permanent codes for a wide range of marking applications. The lasers are ideal for many food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers.

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12/18/20 8:34 AM

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Labels Labeling Coding/marking

Weber Packaging Solutions 711 West Algonquin Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 USA Phone: 800/843-4242 Email: info@weberpackaging.com www.weberpackaging.com Weber Packaging Solutions is an experienced innovator in the design, manufacture, and supply of high-performance labels, labeling systems and ink jet coders. We can provide you with everything you need to label or mark your products and we back them with a nationwide network of direct sales, service, and technical support. Throughout our history, we have focused on the development and improvement of labeling and coding solutions. Labeling Systems Weber manufactures and supplies a complete line of equipment for labeling either primary or secondary product packaging. We offer a broad selection of automatic label applicators that rapidly apply pressure-sensitive labels to all types of products and packages. In addition, we design and build an exclusive selection of label printer-applicators. These selfcontained systems combine high-resolution print engines with automatic label applicators to print and apply labels as an integral component of production. ISO 9001 Certification. Labels Weber understands everything a label needs to be. We operate more than forty label presses including the latest HP digital label presses. From the type of label material to the proper adhesive to creating eye-catching graphic designs, we understand what kind of label is ideal for any given application. Whether the assignment calls for blank or full process color decorative labels, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly making strides to ensure those labels meet the needs of our customers. Ink Jet Coders Weber has two solutions for adding coding to your products. The BestCode CIJ coders feature industrial stainless steel print heads, fast print speeds up to 1500 feet/minute, a 10.4-inch touch screen, a fluid management system and much more. The Weber X-Jet Series TIJ coders use an HP cartridge-based independently-operating print head and controller system.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:35 AM

443

Case erect/seal Cartons and boxes E-Commerce

WestRock 1000 Abernathy Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30328 Phone: (407) 843-1300 Email: aps@westrock.com www.westrock.com/automation In a time of urgent and accelerated business challenges, companies are looking for innovative solutions. WestRock is using its extensive expertise in automation and secondary and tertiary packaging to create new-to-the-market holistic solutions that help our customers improve efficiency, increase flexibility, and reduce labor cost. As a global, vertically integrated manufacturer of corrugated and consumer packaging with an in-house machinery manufacturing and service division, WestRock provides a broad range of differentiated packaging design to automation solutions that protect, ship, promote and display your products.

Change is constant. Innovation should be too. Through a consultative approach, we work to fully understand the issues and challenges that our customers face daily. It is this simple act of listening to our customers that inspires us to innovate. We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation in our automation platform. This commitment stems from a deep desire to help our customers solve their most difficult challenges. We strive to develop packaging and automated solutions that meet their operational needs as well as the needs of the end consumer.

Sustainability WestRock is committed to a more sustainable future for all, and consistently innovates to provide customers with unique fiber-based packaging and efficient automation to help achieve this goal.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:36 AM

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Case erect/seal Tray lidding/sealing E-Commerce

Wexxar Bel 13471 Vulcan Way, Richmond, BC, Canada V6V 1K4 Phone: 1-888-565-3219 Email: Wexxar@ProMachBuilt.com www.wexxar.com Wexxar Bel is a leading manufacturer of fully and semi-automatic case and tray forming and sealing solutions. We provide a wide array of reliable machinery focusing on advanced technologies, easy to operate equipment and a top tier service network. Wexxar Bel’s dedication to quality means you can have peace of mind in the reliability and performance of our machines. Many Wexxar Bel customers are excited to show-off their new purchase to stakeholders while long-term customers still feel proud when they boast about their nearly 40-year-old running Wexxar Bel machines. A key to Wexxar Bel’s high level of service and success was the ability to grow and develop a wide distribution network. With experienced technicians as well as knowledgeable distributors and packaging suppliers, Wexxar Bel partners compose of the strongest packaging machinery support network in the industry who will listen, understand and solve your packaging issues. You will always feel supported by the industry’s best performing and best-serviced case/tray formers and sealers in every step that your company takes. Wexxar Bel is also a technological leader in the field by pushing the boundaries of innovation. The company was built on the reliable patented “Pin & Dome” system and continues to incorporate new technologies in our products to create innovative and ultrareliable packaging machinery. This focus on reliability has also transitioned to our IPAK product line with the utilization of servo-drives to ensure complete tray blank control at all times for precise accurate forming. Latest Wexxar Bel developments have targeted inefficiencies or bottlenecks in certain industries or applications. The BEL 5150E is the first semi-automatic case forming, packing & sealing solution with auto adjust. Developed specifically for the e-commerce industry. The recently developed DELTA 1 fully automatic case former, provides unmatched levels of uptime and OEE, able to match with the growing demands of increased throughput and smaller case sizes.

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12/18/20 8:37 AM

445

Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Weighing/combination scales Tamper-evident machinery

WIPOTEC-OCS 825 Marathon Parkway Phone: 678-344-8300 Email: info.usa@wipotec.com www.wipotec-ocs.com/us/ Do you have an in-motion product weighing challenge? Then Wipotec is your answer. Our checkweighers deliver precision, accuracy, and repeatability in robust product and package weighing applications. Our X-Ray scanners and vision systems ensure that foods are free of foreign body contamination while maximizing package integrity, and product labeling accuracy. Wipotec’s TQS modular serialization and aggregation machines guard against counterfeit products entering the global supply chain. Wipotec manufacturing takes place in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The Atlanta metro area is home to the company’s North American operations. The metro Atlanta facility includes training rooms, a product showroom, application engineering labs, and an expansive spare parts warehouse. Checkweighers Checkweighers prevent under filling and overfilling of product, resulting in brand protection and cost reduction due to less product giveaway. Wipotec checkweighers use EMFR weigh cells to deliver the fastest and most accurate product weights possible at throughputs up to 650 ppm. The modular design of these machines enables support for a wide variety of machine options including metal detectors. X-Ray Scanners and Vision Systems Our X-Ray scanners and vision systems prevent expensive product recalls. These machines maximize product safety and packaging integrity. X-Ray scanners are ideal for foreign body contaminant detection, package completeness, and fill-level checks. Vision systems do a great job verifying product label contents and correct placement on your packages. TQS Serialization and Aggregation Machines These modular machines got their start in the pharmaceutical industry ensuring end-to-end tracking of medications in order to keep counterfeit products out of the supply chain. Driven by global compliance regulations, these machines employ open interfaces and software that delivers the flexibility needed to meet each country’s track and trace requirements. These machines are now finding use in many other package verification applications.

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12/18/20 8:38 AM

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Case/tray packing Inspect/vision/testing/checkweigh/x-ray Weighing/combination scales

Yamato Corporation 6306 W. Eastwood. Ct. Mequon, WI 53092 Phone: 262/236-0000 Email: info@yamatoamericas.com www.YamatoAmericas.com WE WEIGH STUFF. Yamato is the leading provider of automatic, commercial, and industrial weighing solutions in North, Central, and South America. Our industry strengths include cheese, poultry, snack foods, confectionery, prepared meals, fresh produce, and more. Whether your product is dry and free-flowing, wet and sticky, or frozen and a little difficult to run, we can weigh it. Yamato scales offer supreme accuracy and support a wide variety of markets. Our combination weighers, checkweighers, and depositors can address virtually any packaging application. Our commercial scales offer convenient weighing for a variety of retail markets, and our industrial scales are ideal for very high target weight applications. We promise you the Yamato Difference. As Yamato – not a distributor or agent – we’re easily accessible and available to offer you direct advice and support. We understand that you need maximum uptime and non-stop performance. We promise you’ll get that from our scales, and from us. That’s the Yamato Difference. Yamato Corporation is a subsidiary of Yamato Scale Co., Ltd., headquartered in Akashi, Japan. Worldwide, Yamato Scale Co. has subsidiaries and business partners in over 80 countries. Founded in 1920, Yamato Scale Co. is celebrating over 100 years of providing innovative, high-quality weighing equipment and systems. We’ll continue to strive to exceed our customers’ expectations with industry-leading technology and service rooted in our company policy of “Reliability, Technology, and Creativity.” Learn more and find your scale at YamatoAmericas.com.

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12/18/20 8:39 AM

447

Controls & machine components Robotics

Yaskawa America, Inc. 2121 Norman Drive South, Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: 1-800-YASKAWA Email: marcom@yaskawa.com www.yaskawa.com At Yaskawa, we help you explore what’s possible, and open new doors to opportunity. Rather than accepting the status quo, we invite you to wonder, “What if …?” And then we make it possible. That dedication to engineering and innovation is what makes us different. Experience is often the difference between solving a problem the right way and settling for “good enough.” Our global expertise is unmatched and unquestioned, with 100+ Years of manufacturing excellence, 30 countries with sales, service, and manufacturing locations, and $4.0 billion in global sales per year. We provide both standard products and tailor-made solutions, all backed by proven quality and reliability. We continuously work to save you money, time, and energy, because we believe your machine can always run faster, smoother and more productively. It’s about making the correct diagnoses, creating the right automation machinery, and implementing it in the best way possible. Yaskawa AC Servo Systems come to a precise position with a speed and consistency that is unmatched in the industry. Connect our rotary, linear, and direct drive motors to an advanced Yaskawa machine controller to achieve SINGULAR CONTROL: the ability to manage robots, servos and drives with a single controller and familiar IEC 61131-3 programming. Over 400,000 Yaskawa Robots are at work worldwide, with 150+ models to choose from and the strength of decades of packaging application expertise. Yaskawa’s Motoman robots are successfully picking, packing and palletizing a wide variety of food, beverage and consumer products for global CPG leaders. Yaskawa low and medium voltage AC Variable Frequency Drives cover every automation application need in the industrial plant, with power ranges from fractional HP to 16,000 HP and a legendary reputation for reliability and advanced technology.

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12/18/20 8:40 AM

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Labels Containers Sustainability

Yupo Corporation America 800 Yupo Court Chesapeake, VA 23320 Phone: 888-873-9876 Email: info@yupo.com www.yupousa.com YUPO is the recyclable, waterproof, tree-free Synthetic Paper with attributes and properties that make it the perfect solution for a variety of marketing, design, packaging and labeling needs. Located in Chesapeake, VA, Yupo is the largest manufacturer of synthetic papers in the western hemisphere. YUPO Synthetic Papers are extruded from polypropylene pellets. YUPO IML for blow-molded packaging offers a perfect solution for a brand item that is scratchproof, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scuff, tear or flag, and eliminates the need for adhesive backing. YUPO IML offers eye-popping color and graphics, plus an enhanced tactile touch appeal. Specs the substrate chosen by more designers, printers and brand leaders.

All suppliers participating in our 2021 Leaders in Packaging (LIP) program are helping support packaging education. A portion of the proceeds from our LIP will be used to fund Packaging Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship that will be awarded to a college packaging program. We encourage your company to get involved with a school in your area. For a list of packaging programs, connect to:

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12/18/20 8:42 AM

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By Dr. R. Andrew Hurley, PhD, Contributing Editor

The Influence of Product Visibility on Sales more than 70% of the total attention on a package. The designer’s If shoppers don’t see your product, they interpretation of the product captured participant attention more won’t buy it. Makes sense, right? It’s an than the lure of name brands or marketing claims––and the packages obvious concept: Warehouse goods unseen by the public aren’t that captured attention were the ones that purchased. If an item isn’t on the retail shelf, were purchased. a consumer can’t buy it. Simple enough. Average Shopper Attention to Granted, there’s more to consumer But did you know that your product can Pasta Packaging Graphic Elements purchasing decisions than how a package be invisible (i.g., not purchased) even if it’s looks, and this was a relatively small on store shelves? Product Visual Name study. Despite that, the results are still How can that be? 36.6% 34.9% valid: Consumers bought the package that Our research team decided to investigate; captured their attention. After looking at a the subject was pasta. The group conducted few choices, the majority of them bought a consumer research project to test the one of the top three attention-getters. By quantitative and qualitative aspects of boxed Claims Brand and large, they didn’t even look at the macaroni and cheese dinners (yum!). A total 8.0% 20.6% remaining 28, essentially rendering them of 227 participants were given a shopping invisible. They bought what they saw, and list of five items and asked to shop as they they only looked at a few specific elements. normally would. They were unaware of which item was being studied. Making your product more visible can involve completely Before entering the test store, participants put on eye-tracking redesigning an entire line. An article in the September issue of glasses that were calibrated to their eye movements. The glasses Packaging World (see pwgo.to/5836) described how St. Louis-based capture eye movement at 50 times per second, providing highly Schnucks Markets redesigned their own-brand products. They started accurate results. As participating shoppers made their selections, they with their cheese, switching from generic white to eye-catching green wrote down the special code associated with the product of their packaging that stood out among the reds and blues of national choice. When they were done, they turned in their list, completed a brands. Conversely, for their carbonated beverages, they opted survey, and received an incentive for their participation. to keep similar colors as the national brands but added quirky The pasta planogram featured 31 different SKUs that included illustrations to indicate the flavors. national brands like Kraft, Velveeta, and Cracker Barrel, and store Increasing product visibility can also be as simple as tweaking your brands from several regional grocery stores. There were a variety of current package design. Our team was approached by a company flavor options represented, as well as some organic choices. that had been told their allotted retail shelf space was about to be The results of the study were compelling. The largest cohort of drastically reduced due to steadily declining sales. After a series of participants (47%) selected the pasta carton they viewed the longest. A/B studies, the design was tweaked to feature a smaller logo, a larger Twenty percent of participants chose the product with the secondproduct picture, and a slightly different font for the flavor, and the highest attention duration (they looked at it second longest). Rounding next quarter saw a dramatic increase in sales and no reduction in out the top three, 8% of participants selected the product commanding shelf space. the third-longest amount of their attention. That equates to 75% of the Unseen is unsold. What packaging consumers look at is just as participants choosing to make a purchase from 10% of the available important as the product itself, maybe more so. It won’t matter how products—the products they looked at the longest. The remaining life-changing the product is if consumers aren’t buying it. While products were, for all intents and purposes, invisible. myriad factors contribute to slow sales, one of the easiest to assess At this point, you might be asking: What did they look at? How and test is package design. It’s not a blanket fix, and every market did that impact their decision? And how can this impact your own and product category is different. You should establish a hierarchy of product’s packaging? what’s visually important to your market audience to make sure your While attention to SKUs helped the researchers understand product is seen because if consumers don’t see your product, they sales at a product level, a deeper dive into what was printed on the aren’t very likely to buy it. cartons provided even more interesting revelations. Obviously, there Do you know which side of the equation your products are on? were significant graphical and visual differences among the 31 pasta To find out more about what we know about macaroni and cartons, but statistical analysis revealed that the graphic style of the cheese, see our interactive dataset here: pwgo.to/5848 PW product name combined with the presentation of the visuals drew Dr. R. Andrew Hurley is an Associate Professor at Clemson University. He can be reached at me@DrAndrewHurley.com.

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INDUSTRY WATCH

NEW DESIGN

FASTER DELIVERY TIME

Companies Duravant acquired Cloud Packaging Solutions from Hearthside Food Solutions. Krones AGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Board adopted a new climate strategy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its Group worldwide. Charter NEX and Next Generation Films rebranded to Charter Next Generation (CNG). The rebrand reflects a full integration of the two companies. Berlin Packaging acquired Consolidated Bottle Corp. Mpac Group plc acquired Switchback Group Inc. The San Diego Paper Box Co. was renamed Pemcor Packaging. It also launched a redesigned website that features a Spanish language option and enhanced its headquarters and manufacturing facility in San Diego. Markem-Imaje opened a factory and regional head office in Bhiwadi, India. Placon is collaborating with MG&E to purchase locally generated, carbon-free solar energy from the Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Solar Fields.

People John Fortin was named President and CEO of Paper Machinery Corp. Peter Steinbeck was named CEO of WindmĂśller & HĂślscher, responsible for Sales and Service. Dr. JĂźrgen Vutz joined the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Supervisory Board. Leswin Canales was hired as Sales Manager, South America, for BluePrint Automation. Spartech promoted John Inks to CEO, Matt Gisoni to Vice President of Supply Chain and Sourcing, and Dave Gorenc to Vice President of Manufacturing.

48â&#x20AC;? Rotary Accumulation & Unscramble Table

Anna Kingsley was appointed CMO for Shemesh Automation.

â&#x20AC;˘ 10 Business day delivery advantage

Brenda Chamulak joined Tekni-Plex as president of its newly created Packaging Products division.

Ryan Schumacher was named East Coast Sales Manager for Somic America. Joshua Brunn was promoted to Digital Printing Project Manager for Domino. The OPC Foundation announced that Emerson joined its Board of Directors. Peter Zornio, CTO for Emerson Automation Solutions, was named as Emersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representative on the Board of Directors.

Nicolas Ricard was promoted to Chief Sales Officer of the Serac Group.

â&#x20AC;˘ New streamlined design creating Ă&#x20AC;H[LELOLW\ LQ Ă&#x20AC;RRUVSDFH XVDJH â&#x20AC;˘ &DOO IRU QHZ SULFLQJ RI Â´ URWDU\ DFFXPXODWLRQ RU XQVFUDPEOH WDEOH

Toray Plastics (America), Inc. announced the following promotions within its Torayfan Division: Christopher Voght to General Manager, Franco Chicarella to Director of Sales, Amanda Whaley to National Sales Manager, and James Ota to Sales Representative.

Achievements Fanuc was named a top workplace in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press for the ninth consecutive year.

In Memoriam Jonathan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jonâ&#x20AC;? Otto passed away on September 22. He was with Bosch Packaging, now Syntegon, for 23 years in sales, engineering, and project development.

www.nerconconveyors.com 844-293-2814

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PACK-FOR-PACK FOOD SAFETY Critical Control Point Based On X-Ray Technology Providing SAFETY, QUALITY & TRACEABILITY

MEKI™ONE is a compact, easy-to-use system that offers pack-for-pack inspection, not only to provide food safety & quality but also to take your food traceability to the next level. Designed for individual packaging lines, offering the best value and performance in the industry. Scan to watch the MEKI™ONE video! www.mekitec.com

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Visit the link below each item for more info.

452 PW JAN2021

TECHNOLOGY

Label Applicator ProMach brand ID Technology’s M2 label applicator is designed to apply pressure-sensitive labels to clamshells, tubs, boxes, trays, bottles, and pallets as well as other packages.

Metal Detector Conveyor Systems

ID Technology pwgo.to/5829

Recyclable PET Canister

Eriez adds 6- and 18-in. belt sizes for its Xtreme metal detector conveyor systems with automatic rejects.

Ring Container Technologies offers the SmartCAN, a 100% recyclable PET canister.

Eriez Magnetics pwgo.to/5827

Ring Container Technologies pwgo.to/5666

A PP-Based Bacon Board

Closure Liner Tekni-Plex’s patented Sniff Seal closure liner gives brand owners a way to showcase product scents/aromas without breaching the seal and compromising the contents. It is compatible with mask wearing by enabling scent permeation through the induction-sealed closure liner.

Profol Americas introduces SBB Synthetic Bacon Board film. It is 100% recyclable in the polypropylene or polyolefin recycling stream.

Profol Americas pwgo.to/5833

6-Axis Robots for Confined Spaces ABB extends its line of small, 6-axis industrial robots with the launch of the IRB 1300 designed for use in small spaces and available in three versions: 11 kg/0.9 m, 10 kg/1.15 m, and 7 kg/1.4 m.

Tekni-Plex pwgo.to/5832

ABB pwgo.to/5770

Aseptic Closure Fogg Filler’s sweep-style pick-up cap dispenser’s new design features an improved cap retainer and stronger axel.

Silgan Closures’ 33-mm ACL lubrication-free aseptic closure features a linerless plug design that enables smooth application by the packager and easy removal by the consumer without the need for added lubrication.

Fogg Filler pwgo.to/5828

Silgan Closures pwgo.to/5806

Cap Dispenser

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Our Transport Tube, Cap & Depuck System features: V speed of 300 ppm Orients and feeds product , diameter-to- diameter, Pucks discharge feeder single stream onto recirculation

PUCKER UP! And kiss your assembly system worries goodbye!

incorporating 16-station capping turrets Depucking Turret with count batch chute for vials e ding with electrical interlocks

www

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Visit the link below each item for more info.

454 PW JAN2021

TECHNOLOGY

X-ray Machines Eagle Product Inspection’s enhanced Pack 400 HC and Bulk 540 PRO X-ray systems are designed to help food and beverage manufacturers adhere to requirements for a strong food safety culture.

Eagle Product Inspection pwgo.to/5826

Transparent Paper Bags

Bagging/Labeling System

Seaman Paper introduces Vela FSC-certified transparent paper bags designed to replace singleuse plastic bags. They are available in five sizes: XS (15 x 20 cm), S (20 x 25 cm), M (25 x 30 cm), L (30 x 40cm), and XL (35 x 50 cm).

Texwrap, a product brand of ProMach, introduces its e-Pack 3322 Auto-Mailer, which can automatically bag and label 15 to 20 orders/min. It can improve e-commerce fulfillment profitability by lowering labor and materials costs and by reducing shipping errors.

Texwrap pwgo.to/5696

Seaman Paper pwgo.to/5805

Recyclable Foodservice Containers Fabri-Kal’s Recycleware foodservice containers are made with a minimum of 20% to 50% rPET. Product line includes on-the-go boxes, round and square deli containers, and dessert containers.

Fabri-Kal Corp. pwgo.to/5835

Massman’s GP-M3000 pouch-filling system for products such as cannabis flower can be used to automatically open, fill, close, and seal stand-up pouches and can use a variety of reclosing features, including child-resistant heat-seal closures.

Case Packer Douglas launches the expanded CpONE case packer platform designed to run 5 to 45 cases/min with 40% fewer parts and 40% fewer changeover points.

Massman pwgo.to/5590

Douglas Machine pwgo.to/5825

PCR Resin for Shrink-Film Applications Dow’s PCR resin is designed specifically for retail and logistic shrink-film applications.

Dow pwgo.to/5831

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Cup Inspection Sensor Teledyne TapTone launches the Seal Integrity Tester (SIT) designed to inspect cups inside a cup filling system.

Teledyne TapTone pwgo.to/5830

12/18/20 3:48 PM

CUSTOM ENGINEERED PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Whatever you make, CRG Automation helps you make it better. DESIGN. FABRICATION. INTEGRATION

Founded in 2000, CRG specializes in the custom engineering of automated solutions for the packaging, material handling and manufacturing industries. Located in Louisville KY, CRG Automation not only develops new systems but re-engineers and rebuilds existing ones to meet your changing needs. Our highly experienced team of engineers, fabricators, machinist & electrical controls specialist work closely together so that we can fully execute design, fabrication, assembly and testing. We offer complete design and drawing services as well as PLC programming, HMI/SCADA development and robotics integrations. Working with our customers, we build a team of experts to solve complex problems using a variety of product solutions, partners and innovations. • Custom Engineering

• Vision Systems

• Cartoning

• Robotic Integration

• Labeling & Tracking

• Casepacking

• Robotic Palletizing

• Conveying & Handling • Control Systems

• Autonomous Robot

• Precision Weighing

• Guarding & Safety

www.crgautomation.com

TOP INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS CONSULTING/SERVICE

COMPANIES 2020 Awarded By

TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTS

Tell us how we can help by calling 502-499-4921 or emailing sales@crgautomation.com

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Visit the link below each item for more info.

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TECHNOLOGY

Wraparound Labeler

In-line Barcode Verifier

Herma US’s compact 362E wraparound labeler is fitted with two Herma 500 applicators that, in two-sided operations, can label up to 200 products/min.

Herma US pwgo.to/5595

The DataMan 475 in-line barcode verifier from Cognex provides automated verification at 20 codes/ sec and reporting for 1D, 2D, and direct part mark (DPM) codes.

White Top Kraft Liner BillerudKorsnäs launches Pure Performance, a white top Kraft liner that offers packaging material reduction due to its three-ply construction.

Cognex pwgo.to/5640

BillerudKorsnäs pwgo.to/5664

Corrugated Beverage Carriers Large-Parcel Singulator MHS launches the Activated Roller Belt (ARB) largeparcel singulator designed to keep automated sortation systems running smoothly, transforming a bulk flow of packages into a single-file stream, critical for high-throughput operations.

Smurfit Kappa launches GreenClip, TopClip, and Nor-Grip, a portfolio of 100% recyclable, renewable, and biodegradable corrugated can carriers that can be used as an alternative for plastic rings to bundle canned and bottled beverages.

Smurfit Kappa pwgo.to/5487

Material Handling Systems pwgo.to/5594

Label Applicator Afinia Label’s A200 semiautomatic labeler is designed to apply single or front-and-back labels on bottles, jars, cans, and other cylindrical containers.

Afinia Label pwgo.to/5802

Recycled-Content Copolyester EDL’s Double Tight Wrap shrink-wrapping machines use two perpendicular bands of LDPE film that are fused during heat shrinking to tightly unitize and totally enclose multipacks of packaged pet foods.

Eastman offers Tritan Renew copolyester with up to 50% certified recycled content for a variety of products, including reusable sports bottles, food-storage containers, and cosmetics packaging.

EDL Packaging pwgo.to/5592

Eastman pwgo.to/5665

Shrink-Wrapping Machines

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458 PW JAN2021

AD INDEX

Search Packworld.com for additional information on any of the advertisers listed or visit their website directly ADVERTISER WEBSITE

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. www.abcpackaging.com Aagard www.aagard.com ABB Motors & Mechanical www.baldor.com AFA Systems Inc www.afasystemsinc.com AFM- American Film & Machinery www.afmsleeves.com Airguard Packaging www.airguardpackaging.com AirTAC USA Corporation www.airtac.com All Packaging Machinery www.allpackagingmachinery.com All-Fill Inc. www.all-fill.com Allied Technology LLC. www.allied-technology.com ALLIEDFLEX Technologies, Inc. www.alliedflex.com/ AmbaFlex Spiral Conveyor Solutions www.ambaflex.com ANRITSU INFIVIS, INC. www.anritsu.com AR Packaging www.ar-packaging.com Arpac LLC www.arpac.com Arrowhead Systems Inc. www.arrowheadsystems.com B&R Industrial Automation www.br-automation.com Beckhoff Automation www.beckhoffautomation.com Bell-Mark Sales Company www.bell-mark.com Bellat RX Inc. www.bellatrx.com BestCode www.bestcode.co Beumer Corporation www.beumergroup.com Blueprint Automation, Inc. www.blueprintautomation.com Boutwell Packaging Co. www.bopkg.com Bradman-Lake Inc. www.bradmanlake.com Brenton www.brentonengineering.com Brother USA Machinery www.usabrother.com Busch Vacuum Solutions www.buschusa.com Buskro, Ltd. www.buskro.com BW Flexible Systems www.bwflexiblesystems.com.com BW Integrated Systems www.bwintegratedsystems.com BW Pacakging Systems www.bwpackagingsystems.com CAMA Group www.camagroup.com CASSEL Inspection www.cassel-inspection.com Charter NEX Films, Inc. www.charternex.com Chase-Logeman Corporation www.chaselogeman.com Clysar LLC www.clysar.com Columbia Machine, Inc. www.palletizing.com Columbia/Okura LLC. www.columbiaokura.com CRG Automation www.crgautomation.com CTM Labeling Systems, Inc. www.ctmlabelingsystems.com DAK Americas www.dakamericas.com DEKKA www.dekkaindustries.com Delkor Systems, Inc. www.delkorsystems.com Domino www.domino-na.com Dorner Manufacturing www.dornerconveyors.com Douglas Machine Inc. www.douglas-machine.com Duraco www.duraco.com EAM-Mosca Corporation www.eammosca.com

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14, 259 23, 260 261 33, 262 15, 263 53, 264 10, 11, 265 87, 266 89, 267 268 79, 269 8, 270 75, 271 57, 272 85, 273 21, 274 115, 275 27, 276 225, 277 39, 278 5, 279 18, 280 24, 281 37, 282 83, 283 80, 284 73, 285 29, 286 186, 287 35, 288 81, 289 95, 290 46, 291 61, 292 99, 293 93, 294 22, 295 97, 296 66, 297 455, 298 94, 299 55, 300 90, 301 100, 302 67, 303 92, 304 113, 305 71, 306 111, 307

ADVERTISER WEBSITE

PAGE

Eastey Enterprises www.eastey.com 17, 308 EBS Inkjet Systems www.ebs-inkjet.com 69, 309 Econocorp Inc. www.econocorp.com 170, 310 EDL Packaging Engineers, Inc. www.edlpackaging.com 124, 311 Emerson Industrial Automation www.emerson.com/packaging 129, 312 Encoder Products Company www.encoder.com 120, 313 Enercon Industries www.enerconind.com 188, 314 EPI Labelers www.epilabelers.com 177, 315 Eriez Magnetics www.eriez.com 20, 316 Exair Corporation www.exair.com 137, 317 Fabco-Air www.fabco-air.com 96 Fallas Automation Inc. www.fallasautomation.com 121, 318 FANUC America Corporation www.fanucamerica.com 25, 319 Festo Corporation www.festo.com 157, 320 Fibre Box Association www.corrugated.org 47, 321 FlexLink Systems, Inc. www.flexlink.com 227, 322 Focke Packaging Solutions Gmbh www.focke.com 122, 323 Formost Fuji Corporation www.formostfuji.com 45, 324 Fortress Technology Inc. www.fortresstechnology.com 224, 325 Garvey Corporation www.garvey.com 220, 326 George Gordon Assoc., Inc. www.ggapack.com 141, 327 Georgia-Pacific Corrugated corrugated.gppackaging.com 41, 328 Glenroy, Inc. www.glenroy.com 195, 329 GR-X Manufacturing www.grxmfg.com 117, 330 Graphic Packaging International www.graphicpkg.com 149, 331 Harpak-ULMA www.harpak-ulma.com 125, 332 Heat and Control, Inc. www.heatandcontrol.com 112, 333 Hitachi America www.hitachi-america.us 59, 334 Honeywell Intelligrated www.intelligrated.com 49, 335 Hoosier Feeder Company www.hoosierfeedercompany.com 147, 336 ID Technology www.idtechnology.com 31, 337 IMA FLX hub Ilapak Inc. www.ilapak.com 159, 338 Independent Can www.independentcan.com 193, 339 INSITE Packaging Automation www.insitepackaging.com 143, 340 Intralox, Inc. www.intralox.com 341 IPG Intertape Polymer Group www.itape.com 128, 342 Institute of Packaging Professionals www.iopp.org 135 ITW Hartness www.hartness.com 63, 343 James Alexandar Corp. www.james-alexandar.com 62, 344 K2 Kinetics, LLC k2kinetics.com 119, 345 Kaufman Engineered Systems Inc. www.kes-usa.com 148, 346 Kawasaki Robotics robotics.kawasaki.com 235, 347 KHS Group www.khs.com 84, 348 King Plastic Corporation www.kingplastic.com 200, 349 Klรถckner Pentaplast Food Packaging www.kpfilms.com 350 Klรถckner Pentaplast Pharma, Health & Specialties www.kpfilms.com 351 Krones, Inc. USA www.krones.com/en/ 7, 352 Label-Aire, Inc. www.label-aire.com 146, 353, OBC

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Connect with a Leaders in Packaging supplier and support packaging education!

www.packworld.com/leaders

ADVERTISER WEBSITE

LEIBINGER Coding and Marking Systems www.leibinger-group.com/en Lenze Americas www.lenze.com Maplejet www.maplejet.com Markem-Imaje www.markem-imaje.us Massman Automation Designs, LLC www.massmanllc.com Material Transfer & Storage www.materialtransfer.com Matrix Packaging www.matrixpm.com Matthews Marking Systems www.matthewsmarking.com Mekitec US www.mekitec.com Mespack-Cloud www.cloudeq.com Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection www.mt.com/pi mk North America, Inc www.mknorthamerica.com Modular Conveyor Express www.modularconveyor.com Mold-Rite Plastics www.mrpcap.com Morrison Container Handling Solutions www.morrison-chs.com Mpac Langen www.mpac-group.com Multi-Conveyor www.multi-conveyor.com Multifeeder Technology www.multifeeder.com Multivac Inc. us.multivac.com Nalbach Engineering Company, Inc. www.nalbach.com Nercon www.nerconconveyors.com New England Machinery, Inc. www.neminc.com Nita Labeling Equipment www.nitalabeling.com Nordson Corporation www.nordsonadhesive.com Norwix Inc www.norwix.com Novembal www.novembal.com Nuspark www.nuspark.com Ohlson Packaging www.ohlsonpack.com Optima Machinery Corporation www.optima-packaging.com Pac Machinery www.pacmachinery.com PakTech www.paktech-opi.com PDC International Corp. www.pdc-corp.com PDI Packaging Distributors, Inc. www.pdimachinery.com P.E. North America www.penorthamerica.com Pearson Packaging Systems www.pearsonpkg.com PFlow Industries www.pflow.com PIAB www.piab.com PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems www.pmikyoto.com Pneumatic Scale Angelus www.psangelus.com PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies www.pmmi.org Precision Automation Inc www.precisionautomationinc.com Pregis Corporation www.pregis.com Printpack Inc. www.printpack.com Propack Processing & Packaging Systems www.propack.ca Quadient www.packagingbyquadient.com Quadrel Labeling Systems www.quadrel.com R.A Jones www.rajones.com

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134, 354 65, 355 60 139, 357 16, 358 138, 359 173, 360 171, 361 362, 451 363 144, 364 52, 365 26, 366 175, 367 50, 368 123, 369 150, 370 239, 371 127, 372 238, 373 374, 450 44, 375 169, 376 167, 377 187, 378 68, 379 199, 380 145, 381 191, 382 242, 383 246, 384 189, 385 222, 386 132, 387 203, 388 186, 389 197, 390 9, 391 130, 392 457 229, 393 201, 394 77, 395 237, 396 185, 397 165, 398 151, 399

ADVERTISER WEBSITE

PAGE

Regal Beloit Corporation www.regalbeloit.com 136, 400 Reiser www.reiser.com 213, 401 Robatech USA www.robatechusa.com 3, 401 Ronchi America, LLC www.ronchipackaging.com 207, 403 Ryson International Inc. www.ryson.com 91, 404 SATO America www.satoamerica.com 243, 404 Schneider Packaging www.schneiderpackaging.com 254, 405 Schubert North America LLC www.schubert-na.com 209, 407 Serac Inc www.serac-inc.com 219, 408 Serpa Packaging Solutions www.serpapackaging.com 252, 409 Shape Process Automation www.shapetechnologies.com 233, 410 Shemesh Automation www.shemeshautomation.com 13, 411 Shibuya Hoppmann www.Shibuyahoppmann.com 412, 453 Sidel Inc. www.sidel.com 70, 413 Siko www.siko-global.com 82, 415 SKC Films, Inc. www.skcfilms.com 1, 416 Sleeve Seal www.sleeveseal.com 118, 417 Somic America, Inc. www.somic.us 153, 418 STA, LLC. www.sonoco.com 247, 423 Sonoco Products Co. www.sonoco.com 251, 419 Span Tech www.spantechconveyors.com 420, IBC Specialty Equipment www.specialtyequipment.com 181, 421 Squid Ink Manufacturing www.squidink.com 19, 422 Standard-Knapp, Inc. www.standard-knapp.com 131, 424 Starview Packaging Machinery www.starview.net 241, 425 Sullair www.sullair.com 208, 426 Syntegon Packaging Technology, Inc. www.syntegon.com 51, 427 TDI Packsys LLC www.tdipacksys.com 211, 428 The Box Maker, Inc. www.boxmaker.com 249, 429 The Reynolds Company www.reynoldsglue.com 231, 430 tna North America www.tnasolutions.com 161, 431 TopTier Palletizers www.toptier.com 205, 432 Triangle Package Machinery Company www.trianglepackage.com 433 U.S. Tsubaki, Inc. www.ustsubaki.com 78, 434 Uline www.uline.com 140, 435 Univeral Labeling Systems, Inc. www.universal1.com 232, 436 Vacuum Barrier Corporation www.vacuumbarrier.com 54, 437 Valco Melton www.valcomelton.com 221, 438 Van der Graaf www.vandergraaf.com 96a, 439 Verst Logistics Packaging www.verstlogistics.com/packaging 217, 440 Videojet Technologies Inc. www.videojet.com 245, 441 Weber Packaging Solutions www.weberpackaging.com 155, 442 WestRock www.westrock.com IFC, OFC, 443 Wexxar Bel www.wexxar.com 250, 444 WIPOTEC-OCS, Inc. www.wipotec-ocs.com 215, 445 Yamato Corporation www.yamatoamericas.com 58, 446 Yaskawa America Inc. www.yaskawa.com 223, 447 YUPO Corp. www.yupousa.com 43, 448

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PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE

By Christine Lebron, CPP

Onboarding—an Underrated Competitive Advantage Remember your first day on the job? You were likely nervous, yet ready to impress and eager to make a difference. After all, the company picked you out of 50-plus other applicants. On that first day, imagine your new manager has a conflict and cannot welcome you. You are escorted to an empty office with just a checklist of administrative tasks to complete and people with whom to have join-ups. Every join-up leaves you more confused from differing opinions on organizational structure. Within the week, you are on project calls and cannot make sense of the cacophony of acronyms, updates, and an unfamiliar product lineup. To top it off, you now have a dozen follow-ups, and the person from whom you are receiving projects is going on a two-week vacation—beginning tomorrow. Do you think this employee feels set up for success?

Why onboarding is critical New employees arrive enthusiastic, but with pre-existing thought processes for approaching problems and oftentimes lacking certain soft skills. Therefore, onboarding is critical to both an individual’s and your organization’s success. Onboarding is not the same as orientation. Orientation is a short, one-time event within onboarding—e.g., the site tour, setting up payroll, getting a badge, etc. Onboarding is the months-long process during which new employees acclimate to a new culture and establish themselves within the organization. Having experienced onboarding programs, and subsequently supported developing them at several packaging companies, the intangible benefits of an onboarding program are many. Consider these highlights: 1) It ingrains culture. Innovative packaging results from a culture that embraces autonomy, creativity, and iterative testing. But the prospect of testing an idea, and it failing, is uncomfortable. New employees must be onboarded into an environment in which “failure” is a necessary stepping-stone to a solution. Ingrain this mindset into new employees, and they will learn to take calculated risks and discover innovative ways of solving challenging packaging problems. 2) It creates connections. Partnering a new employee with mentors and “peer buddies” helps build networks with new industry experts, testing labs, suppliers, and training opportunities. Therefore, it helps them to more quickly achieve independence in technical decision-making. Mentors also provide a broader business perspective, e.g., how to present a new pack design that will win over key organizational stakeholders.

3) It builds confidence. When a new employee knows how tasks get done and how decisions are made, it makes the individual a more effective contributor. Mastery of packaging development work processes, knowledge of roles and responsibilities, and strong business acumen allow an employee to accurately assess the lay of the land. Partner this with confidence and an individual will share atypical packaging solutions without fear of criticism. 4) It ensures quality performance. Qualification of a new product is different between companies and industries. Because of this, the onboarding process needs a significant amount of handson training and coaching on using lab equipment, designing and requesting tests, authoring detailed specifications, coordinating in-plant line trials, and leading new mold qualifications. Technical coaches or subject matter experts must teach new employees the expectations on technical requirements and quality. This is what supports and sustains consistent work practices across packaging organizations. Deviation from standards due to lack of onboarding not only introduces technical risk, but also harms an employee’s chance of meeting expectations. 5) It mitigates attrition. An acclimated employee feels engaged, welcomed, involved, and heard. Most importantly, they can see and feel that they matter, which is key in helping them to see that opportunities exist for them at your organization. When this is not the case, self-doubt, frustration, and dissociation sink in, and the employee will search elsewhere for an environment that appreciates them more. I would be remiss to not acknowledge that onboarding is tougher amidst a pandemic. In-person join-ups and plant tours are now nostalgic activities. However, onboarding is especially needed now to ensure new hires remotely develop a sense of belonging, effectively navigate new interpersonal challenges, and adopt new ways of working. So, the next time you are thinking of adding to your organization, take a look at and assess your onboarding program. Does one exist? If so, how can it be improved? If not, can one be created? Steve Jobs famously said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people, so they can tell us what to do.” One could argue that intelligence alone does not equate to immediate success. A new working environment is akin to moving to a new country and having to learn the local language and customs—it does not happen overnight. Welcome your new employee with a purposeful onboarding plan, and you will develop a positive change agent of an employee who will more consistently bring their best to the workplace. PW

Christine Lebron is part of the Global Packaging Innovation team at McCormick & Company. She is a Certified Packaging Professional and has worked more than eight years in various packaging development-related roles in the CPG industry, previously for Procter & Gamble, and Coty. For more information on IoPP, please visit www.iopp.org.

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NEW PRODUCT EZGUIDE ADJUSTABLE GUIDE RAIL The most notable feature of the EZ Guide™ system is it does not have any protruding brackets or shafts which could be a major safety hazard. The EZ Guide™ system does not have any mechanical components which protrude from the sides of the conveyor during adjustment. All the mechanics are done without the need to protrude past the conveyor, keeping everything safe for those walking close by. Another feature of EZ Guide™ is it is designed to remain adjustable through curves. That is, the radius of the guides can change as the guide width is increased/decreased in the curve. While there are many traditional guide rail systems which can be made to adjust their width in straight sections, there are very few that can truly be adjustable through a curved portion of conveyor. The reason is because changing the radius of a section is difficult – the guides must bend, and the length of the guide has to increase/ decrease as the radius is changed. The EZ Guide™ system handles both of those problems with its unique design.

SEE EZGUIDE IN ACTION

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