This material is derived from advanced recycling and converted into a biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) lm for this application, which becomes the rst mono-PP pasta packaging material in the market containing 30% of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.
A new Greenhouse Learning Center enables PepsiCo’s food divisions to fast-track compostable packaging materials by enabling them to eld test, measure, and analyze the materials on-site.
Finding the right t depends on understanding what a contract manufacturer and packager (CM/CP) can and cannot do for a startup scaling up production for the rst time.
The devices on the shuttles/carriers on this linear track system are wirelessly controlled by CoreTigo’s IO-Link Wireless tech, allowing grippers on these carriers to perform tasks on product while moving through the equipment.
COLUMNS
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34 Shelf Impact!
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6 News
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Aladin Alkhawam Supply Chain Security Director, Endo International plc
Jan Brücklmeier Technical Application Group Packaging Technology Expert, Nestlé
M. Shawn French Director – Innovation & Packaging Engineering (Beverage), Danone North America
Patrick Keenan R&D Packaging Engineer, General Mills/Annie’s Organic Snacks
Mike Marcinkowski Global R&D Of cer, GPA Global & Hub Folding Box Co.
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
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There was a lot to see and learn at the first interpack in six years. Here are two highlights.
Independent motion’s adoption curve. At interpack back in 2017, I was tasked with seeking out and reporting on examples of linear servo multi-carrier track systems on commercially available equipment. Sure, I’d seen the tech in standalone displays at the Rockwell, B&R, Hepco, Festo/Siemens, and Beckhoff booths for several years prior, but to my memory, the only machine builder I saw employing a track system back then was AMP Rose.
Six years on in 2023, multi-carrier systems galore were integrated into real, commercial equipment. Cavanna, Syntegon, Optima, PFM Packaging Machinery, and Kosme (Krones) were just a few that had this equipment on display. Cama had one at the show that had been sold to chocolate manufacturer Hawaiian Host—there’s a facility tour I’d like to take when that equipment is installed. Maybe most interesting to me, Rotzinger was demonstrating (via video) a track system where the individual shuttles on the multi-carrier system were being controlled wirelessly via IO-Link from CoreTigo, so each mover on the track could perform gripping functions and manipulate the product at speed (flip to page 30 for more). Beckhoff was also demonstrating powered shuttles via its NCT (No Cable Technology), so this seems to be the next evolution in multi-carrier conveyor tech.
Magnetically levitating tile tech is also emerging. It mirrors the linear servo adoption curve, where we first saw the tech in the controls manufacturers’ booths, then on OEMs’ equipment, and finally in-market at CPGs’ facilities. Again, I’ve seen standalone displays of this tech on Planar Motors, B&R, and Beckhoff demos for a few years now, and had to imagine the potential applications. But at interpack, I saw them in real applications on available equipment. SOMIC was focusing on its nifty small-footprint 434 cartoning/case packing equipment, but stealing the show for passersby was a four-infeed snack chip collating application feeding the 434, using Planar Motor’s levitating tile tech. And at the massive Coesia booth, an application using B&R’s ACOPOS 6D collated pouches at the handshake between a slick Volpak bagger and a flexible R.A Jones Criterion cartoner. Visit pwgo.to/7959 to watch a brief Packaging World video on the ongoing independent motion revolution from interpack
Global recycling harmonization. As unified as EU member states can seem in our American view—at least compared to the disparate systems for recycling among U.S. states—EU member states are emerging from the same fractured environment that we currently find ourselves in. I heard from Sebastian Roth of Arla Foods on the Spotlight Stage, where he discussed the challenges of selling into multiple European markets with separate recycling standards, languages, signifier icons, EPR programs, and return/deposit schemes. Even so, the EU’s about a decade ahead of us in the recycling harmonization game. That’s partially due to political will, and partially out of necessity, with resources being scarcer in a more mature society and landscape. And more recently, the EU’s version of a Green New Deal is pulling member countries into line on common recycling procedures across a culturally diverse set of countries.
If the EU mandates can serve as a rough corollary for federal legislation in the U.S., we have a lot to learn from their journey. And there’s evidence we’re not only listening by preparing to bridge the harmonization gap between our U.S. states, but also bridging standards across the ocean, between Europe and the U.S.
In a fascinating discussion between Scott Tenor, technical director at the Association of Post-Consumer Plastics Recyclers (APR), and Fabrizio Di Gregorio, technical director at Plastics Recyclers Europe and head of Recyclass at the Taghleef Industries booth, it was revealed that the APR in the U.S. and Plastic Recyclers Europe signed collaboration agreement in order to align their recycling guidelines and testing protocols, and to share the methodology behind the recyclability assessment by February, 2024. Read more at pwgo.to/7958. The global-level recycling harmonization this cross-Atlantic collaboration should produce is music to my ears. Will China to hum along in tune? Baby steps. PW
mreynolds@pmmimediagroup.com
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Italian pasta manufacturer Garofalo introduced a proprietary new package with a film made by GT Polifilm and Polivouga that uses certified circular polypropylene (PP) from SABIC, part of its TRUCIRCLE program to accelerate a circular plastic economy. The sustainable material is derived from advanced recycling and converted into a biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film for this application, which is the first mono-PP pasta packaging material in the market containing 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. Garofalo introduced the first pasta bags made from the new packaging to Italian stores in March 2023.
“At Garofalo, we are fully committed to the quality and environmental compatibility of our products. Of course, this innovative new recycled pasta packaging is just one example of our sustainable initiatives, but marks an important step forward. It shows how food manufacturers and packaging suppliers are working together to bring about much needed change. As a packaging product that is both made with recycled content and fully recyclable, it also meets with a better consumer appeal,” says Dr. Sergio De Gennaro, quality assurance manager, Pastificio Lucio Garofalo S.p.A.
The PCR content in the bags is based on post-consumer used plastics, which is turned into pyrolysis oil in an advanced recycling process. At SABIC, the pyoil is used in the production of new polymers with the same specifications as virgin plastics from conventional feedstock. Polivouga, a vertically integrated Portuguese manufacturer of flexible films for packaging products uses a SABIC PP 525PC grade from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio of certified circular polymers to produce the basic BOPP film for the new pasta packaging solution. GT Polifilm, a specialist in the production of flexible polypropylene products for automated packaging in the food industry, adds a cast PP film to the BOPP film to create a mono-material structure, which is then converted to tailor-made pasta bags. Once used, the mono-PP bags can easily be recycled again in existing PP waste streams.
“For such solutions to work in the long-term, the partners in the material value chain must closely collaborate,” Abdullah Al-Otaibi, general manager, ETP & Market Solutions, SABIC says. “With our TRUCIRCLE program, we are pushing for innovative business models to transform our industry from a linear to a circular one and help prevent the valuable material of end-of-life plastic applications from being wasted. Within a year, this remarkable joint project has shown what can be achieved to make this vision come true if all players work together to maximize
post-consumer plastic recycling and sustainability.”
SABIC’s circular materials are produced using a mass balance accounting scheme according to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program, which follows a set of predefined and transparent rules for tracking the material flow across complex supply chains from the feedstock to the final application.
While flexible plastic packaging is often the more sustainable alternative, a lot of food is packaged in paper/plastic combinations or laminates which are difficult to recycle and may have a bigger carbon footprint due to higher resource consumption. As a more responsible solution, flexible mono material with PCR content is potentially the preferred packaging route for a growing number of brand owners and retailers, while it is also supported by EU authorities and NGOs, the company says.
“The development and manufacture of sustainable and economically viable packaging solutions to help reduce food and plastic waste is firmly rooted in our DNA. The incorporation of recycled content has been a key area of focus for us over the past few years,” Ragionier Talamo, Sole Director at GT Polifilm adds. “By supporting the circular economy, adding value to plastics and promoting their recycling into new packaging products, we hope to make a significant contribution to solving the enormous challenge of improving recycling rates and minimizing plastic waste.”
Tiago Barros, Executive Manager at Polivouga, comments: “As a producer of flexible films, we are well aware of our responsibilities in turning our own and our customers’ sustainability goals into reality, and we are very committed to the challenge. Our new BOPP product demonstrates the determined journey we have embarked on with SABIC. We welcome the advanced recycling route offered by SABIC as an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the circularity of plastics in BOPP films. In collaboration with strong global partners, this breakthrough project is demonstrating the feasibility of reusing plastic waste in safe food-grade packaging rather than losing its value to landfill or incineration.”
SABIC’s certified circular polymers are only part of its TRUCIRCLE portfolio and services for circular solutions. The program also includes design for recyclability, mechanically recycled products, certified renewable polymers from bio-based feedstock, and closed loop initiatives to recycle plastic back into high quality applications and help prevent valuable used plastics from becoming waste. —Matt Reynolds
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Like most major multinational Consumer Packaging Good companies, Nestlé has made some fairly significant commitments to reduce the environmental footprint of its packaging, including an ambitious goal to make 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. And, like its peers, Nestlé is employing a number of strategies and technologies in an attempt to reach those goals. One of those is moving to paper-based materials.
In 2020, Nestlé achieved the full “paperization” of the packaging for 419 SKUs of its Smarties chocolate-coated candies (see pwgo.to/7947), moving from plastic bags and plastic packaging components to 100% renewable, recyclable paper formats. Now, after three years of research and development, the company has unveiled paper packaging for an even more challenging application: coffee capsules. The new paper-based capsule for its Nespresso Original single-cup coffee makers will complement the company’s existing recyclable aluminum capsules, providing consumers with a compostable option.
“At Nespresso, we continuously innovate to bring new and exciting experiences to coffee drinkers worldwide. We have always listened to our consumers and innovated to give them the experience they seek,” says Julia Lauricella, head of the Nestlé System Technology Center. “We recognize that our consumers want
to have a choice. While aluminum has the benefit of being infinitely recyclable and where we offer several ways to collect the capsules for recycling, some consumers may prefer to compost their coffee capsules.”
Through an internal Life-Cycle Assessment, Nestlé determined that the environmental impact of coffee packaged in the homecompostable Nespresso paper-based capsule is comparable to that of coffee in the recyclable aluminum capsule. “The paper-based capsule is therefore another sustainable alternative to the current recycled aluminum capsules for those who have access to and prefer to compost, without compromising on the premium coffee experience and high-quality sustainable coffee for which Nespresso is known,” says Lauricella.
The capsules were designed by Huhtamaki, which formed an exclusive partnership with Nespresso in 2021. One of the biggest challenges in creating compostable paper packaging for products that will be exposed to a liquid is engineering a barrier that will prevent the liquid from seeping through the material, while at the same time ensuring the packaging can still be composted. Ground coffee presents an additional hurdle, as it also requires a high barrier against oxygen to preserve the aroma, taste, and freshness of the grounds. For the Nespresso application in particular, another
challenge was being able to mold the paper capsule into a shape that would be compatible with the company’s existing brewing systems.
As Lauricella shares, these hurdles were addressed through the use of innovative new technologies. These included a novel
(proprietary) compostable biopolymer film, “thinner than a human hair,” inside the capsule that acts as a barrier and the use of a pulp-molding technology from Huhtamaki “brought to an unseen precision level of microns.”
Eighty-two percent of the capsule is made from wood fiber that has been responsibly sourced from European forests. The balance of the capsule, which includes the inner film liner and the lid, is made from a compostable biopolymer material. The capsules have been independently certified by German technical certification company TÜV as home compostable and compostable in food waste collection schemes.
For the launch of the new paper-based capsules, Nespresso’s coffee experts also developed new recipes, with the coffee sourced through the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program. There are four in all, one of which is organic, and all are available only in the paper capsule.
Nespresso is now in June introducing the new coffee varieties in the paper-based capsule in France, followed by Switzerland. This initial launch is a pilot that Lauricella says will enable the company to gather vital consumer feedback on both the product and the packaging. Following the pilot, Nespresso says it will expand the launch to other European countries. —Anne Marie Mohan
Complementing the upcycled ingredients of its organic date sugar, Just Date is on a mission to move away from all virgin packaging materials, including both plastic and paper. The San Francisco-based company was founded in 2018 to offer a healthier alternative to refined sugars, with their negative health impacts, and natural sugars, which also lead to a blood sugar spike and crash, as well as to artificial sweeteners. Date sugar offers a naturally low glycemic index, a high nutrient density, and a high antioxidant content.
Among its company values, Just Date believes in “wellbeing for you and the world,” an ethos that is evident through its product, supply chain, and packaging choices. “Just Date is committed to having as little environmental impact as possible,” says Madeline Vidibor, Just Date’s director of operations. “We started with using upcycled dates and consolidating our production to minimize freight and transportation. We are also excited to be moving away from virgin plastics and paper in our packaging to use entirely previously recycled materials.”
Just Date’s first move—the first of many, says Vidibor—to packaging incorporating PCR came with a change to its granulated sugar packaging. Just Date Organic Sugar was originally packaged in a paperboard carton, with the sugar tightly sealed in a plastic bag inside. After conducting a LifeCycle Analysis in 2022, the company learned that one of the best ways it
could reduce the environmental impact of its packaging was through the use of post-consumer recycled materials. As a result, it moved from the carton-and-bag format to a
pouch
According to Vidibor, Just Date initially ran into some challenges finding a supplier willing to work at the company’s startup scale that also had experience procuring and working with PCR materials. “However, once we started working with Belmark, it was smooth sailing,” she shares. “They understood our vision and worked as partners, making suggestions to improve function and quality, while meeting our sustainability goals and tight deadlines.”
The resulting 12-oz package was launched in April 2023 and consists of a flexible stand-up pouch with a multilayer construction of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), 40% of which is recycled content, and PET, made up of 90% rPET. A zipper closure at the top allows for resealability. “We’ve always wanted the date sugar to be in a resealable bag for consumers to have the best experience,” says Vidibor. “The pouch allows the sugar to stay fresh and soft with no clumping as you use it over and over.”
Just Date Organic Sugar in the new pouch is available on the company’s website, EnjoyJustDate.com and on Amazon.com, and in retailers that include Thrive Market, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, and Whole Foods Market, among others. —Anne Marie Mohan
Designed to seamlessly integrate into new or existing production lines, ID Technology’s CTL and CTP systems accomplish case taping with labeling or printing capabilities in an all-in-one compact footprint. Ultimately saving you on space while providing greater efficiency and throughput.
Going from round to square for a new version of its Easy Baking Tub for Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar, brand owner ASR Group has not only improved consumer convenience, but also reduced the package’s use of plastic by 28%. The tub, which holds 3.5 lb of product, or eight cups, is also recyclable and reusable, with home bakers encouraged to refill the package once empty with Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar sold in bags.
be used for leveling in the measuring cup to ensure the perfect amount without the hassle of using a utensil to level the sugar.”
During initial exploration of the new design, ASR Group’s packaging engineers worked with several suppliers, ultimately selecting Mauser Packaging Solutions to develop the new tub. According to Courtenay Cooper, principal packaging engineer for ASR Group, the 28% reduction in plastic is the result of the overall difference in the shape of the tub, its wall thickness, and the way that it’s processed.
The square Easy Baking Tub measures 6.625 in. L x 5.5 in. W x 5.125 in. H and is decorated with a full-wrap in-mold label, with package graphics adapted for the new shape by Equator Design. As for the tub’s hinged lid, Cooper explains that it’s attached horizontally to one side of the tub to facilitate the opening and closing of the package. The pull tab on the lid functions as tamper-evidence. When the pull tab is removed, it leaves approximately one-third of the lid fully attached along the tub’s width, which enables the remaining portion of the lid to be opened to access the sugar.
Suzzette Arroyo, director, brand management for ASR Group, confirms that convenience and sustainability were the primary drivers for the switch from the previous package—a round, highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) tub with detachable low-density polyethylene (LDPE) lid—to the new square, polypropylene canister with attached, click-to-close polypropylene (PP) lid.
“We are always looking for ways to be more sustainable to be at the forefront of the sugar industry,” Arroyo says. “Domino and C&H Sugar are committed to making 100% of their packaging renewable or recyclable by 2025. Therefore, we are excited to launch a new version with a design that includes a hinged lid that makes it easier for the consumer to open and close. The new tub facilitates accessing and measuring the sugar because the lid can
Another significant sustainability feature of the new container is the fact that it is nestable, which the round tub was not. According to Arroyo, because more tubs can fit on a truck, the carbon emissions resulting from transportation of the empty packaging to ASR Group’s production facility are reduced by 65%.
The new tub is also fully recyclable, as was the round package. However, ASR Group has increased the odds that the new package will be recycled by adding the How2Recycle label to the pack. To get the message out about the reusability of the container, Arroyo says ASR Group is collaborating with influencers as well as using its social media posts and social paid ads.
Domino Sugar in the new square Easy Baking Tub can be found at retailers across the Eastern U.S., while C&H Sugar in the new package is available in the Western U.S. —Anne Marie Mohan
We love it when a plan comes together. In 2022, ExxonMobil, Cyclyx International, Sealed Air, and retail brand owner Ahold Delhaize USA (Food Lion, Giant Food, etc.) announced their intention to be the first in the U.S. to successfully launch a circular food packaging pilot and trial leveraging advanced recycling. The collaboration’s proof of concept hit its mark.
During the successful demo, plastic waste was collected from grocery stores, diverting it from landfills. Leveraging ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling, plastic waste is broken down into its molecular building blocks and attributed through a mass balance approach to new plastic for food-grade packaging. This collaboration demonstrated that creating a circular economy is achievable with value chain collaboration. Following a test deemed viable, the process is now being evaluated for scale.
Creating a circular economy for food-contact plastic packaging in applications where there are strict safety and performance requirements is a difficult challenge facing the industry.
“This project helps demonstrate how Exxtend technology can widen the range of plastic materials that can be recycled while delivering certified-circular polymers with the critical performance attributes of virgin plastic,” says Dan Moore, vice president, Polyethylene, ExxonMobil. “Advanced recycling is making the impossible possible and is an important enabler to support a circular economy.”
Ahold Delhaize USA brand Food Lion supported the initial pilot, collecting plastic waste for recycling at select store locations. With more than 1,100 stores across 10 states, Food Lion is one of the five brands that comprise the Ahold Delhaize USA network—the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast and the fourth largest in the nation.
“Across Ahold Delhaize USA companies, we have ambitious goals around recyclable and reusable packaging,” says Adam Springer, manager, Product Sustainability, Ahold Delhaize USA. “Based on the initial pilot, we’re optimistic about being able to leverage this process at additional scale and look forward to exploring it further as part of this collaboration.”
Cyclyx, a joint venture between Agilyx Corporation and ExxonMobil, was responsible for sorting and pre-processing the waste packaging materials collected from the Food Lion stores, before delivering them to ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas facility.
“The interface between the Food Lion stores and the Baytown facility was critical and required an innovative approach to feedstock management,” says Joe Vaillancourt, CEO, Cyclyx. “Part of our process is to identify the chemical composition of the waste plastics we receive. This allows us to create custom blends of post-use plastic feedstock that are tailored to the specifications required for advanced recycling.”
At the Baytown facility, Exxtend technology for advanced recycling
is used to recycle the valuable end of life plastics and attribute them via mass balance accounting to certified-circular polymers.
“The technology provides a reliable source to attribute to high-performance, certified-circular polymers,” Moore says. “The resulting polymers,
such as Exceed S, Exceed XP, Exceed and Enable performance polyethylene (PE), have the characteristics of virgin resins, which is critical for food-grade packaging.”
Sealed Air, which designs and manufactures high-performance packaging materials that can be remade, converts the certifiedcircular PE resins into food-grade flexible film that is used, in the case of this proof of concept, to package select Nature’s Promise fresh poultry. The packaging then returns to stores used on products purchased by customers, demonstrating an example of the circular economy.
“By collaborating with suppliers and customers, we were able to identify, design, and commercialize an innovative flexible packaging solution which supports circularity,” says Ron Cotterman, vice president, Global Corporate Affairs, Sealed Air. Leveraging ExxonMobil’s existing manufacturing assets, Exxtend technology can be rapidly scaled to process a wide range of plastic waste. To help meet the growing market demand for certified-circular plastics, ExxonMobil plans to increase its annual advanced recycling capacity to 500,000 metric tons, or approximately 1 billion pounds, by year-end 2026 across multiple sites globally. —Matt Reynolds
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60
The number of restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn served by Uber Eats that are now offering returnable, reusable BPA-free polypropylene takeout food packages from DeliverZero
$187M
The estimated size of the mycelium, or fungi root, packaging market by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.7% from $74 million in 2023, according to Future Market Insights
10 cents
The minimum deposit recommended for beverage containers in Deposit Return Schemes, says Reloop; by increasing the deposit from 5 to 10 cents in April 2017, Oregon saw its return rate jump from 64% to 82% in seven months
500
The number of beverage companies that failed to achieve California’s mandate to use 15% PCR content in their bottles last year, according to Plastics Recycling Update; among those that did meet the target were Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo
“Consumer Brands strongly supports this much-needed update to the [FTC Green] Guides, as research shows that consumers are growing more conscious about the environmental impacts of their purchasing decisions. We encourage the FTC to engage with state regulators to seek recognition and reinforcement of the key role the Guides play as a framework on how to appropriately validate truthful environmental claims, while encouraging innovation to expand possibilities for sustainable practices and solutions.”
–Joseph Aquilina, senior director and associate general counsel of The Consumer Brands Association, in a press release from CBA, “Consumer Brands Weighs in on FTC’s Green Guides Review”
“Bottle neck sleeves were introduced many years ago to prevent pests such as moths and weevils from ruining wines kept in dark, damp cellars. The caterpillars of this moth species would bore into the wine corks, causing the wine to leak, or taste musty. Nowadays few people have wine cellars and those who do tend to keep them in much better conditions. This has meant that the sleeves have remained for purely aesthetic reasons and are no longer needed to protect wine.”
“With Indiana’s support, there are now 24 states that see advanced recycling as an important part of efforts to increase recycling, accelerate a circular economy and serve as a model for the rest of the country. Since states began regulating advanced recycling in 2017, more than 40 facility projects have been announced with the potential to divert more than 16 billion pounds of waste from landfills a year.”
As Vice President Global Foods Packaging for PepsiCo, Yolanda Malone is at the epicenter of packaging innovation for the company’s FritoLay and Quaker Oats divisions. In this Q&A, Malone discusses PepsiCo’s strategy to engage multiple technologies to reach its sustainable packaging goals.
Do you know what percentage of PepsiCo’s food packaging is rigid? What percentage is flexible?
Yolanda Malone:
We’re always innovating, so I don’t have accurate percentage numbers I can share with you today. The good news is, we do have a broad portfolio, and part of that is looking across that portfolio, which will probably impact many of the [PepsiCo Positive, or pep+] goals we are trying to reach. So when we talk about our packaging being 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or reusable by 2025, we will have packages that fall into the recyclable bucket, we’ll have some that are compostable. We’re also looking at reusable. We work globally out of the center, and so my teams around the world are looking across all those avenues.
Do you know how much of PepsiCo’s greenhouse gas emissions are coming from your food packaging?
What I can tell you is we have a holistic GHG commitment, and the good news is we’re going to be net zero. Our goal is by 2040, 10 years sooner than the Paris Agreement. And it’s not just packaging, it’s big picture, it’s holistic from a PepsiCo standpoint.
I understand that one of PepsiCo’s goals is to use 50% recycled content in your plastic packaging by 2030. Are there more challenges related to using recycled content in food packaging than there are for beverage packages?
Yes. Our primary concern, especially from an engineering standpoint, is food safety. And so if we’re looking at any type of recycled content, we need to ensure that how much we put in and where we put it will meet food safety guidelines. That’s what we work towards because we need to make sure that when the consumer does get the product, not only is it safe to consume, but it’s also fresh.
There is so much happening in chemical recycling technology, which offers a solution for recycling petroleum-based flexible packaging. Meanwhile, PepsiCo is pursuing compostable packaging. So is it an either/or, or does chemical recycling have a place for you as well?
Regulations could go many different ways. And like I said, we’re a global hub. So we’re working to make sure that our end-of-life solutions can meet multiple needs—be it chemical recycling or compostable or biodegradable home composting, and even reuse— and putting those in our toolkit.
Might chemical recycling be an opportunity for PepsiCo to get more recycled content for food packaging?
Absolutely. I think that’s what all of us, even in our different partnerships and the consortiums we are a part of, are looking at—how do we actually get the material back and sort it? So there’s a lot of work underway to make sure we can sort and be able to reuse the material.
[To advance chemical recycling], we’ve been involved with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the Perfect Sorting Coalition, and several others, such as Closed-Loop Partners, with some of the work they’re doing. Because we need other partners on the journey to answer the questions together. That’s how the technology will grow and support us and support the needs of better end-of-life scenarios.
I was at a recycling conference recently where someone said that compostable packaging is just fancy garbage because there isn’t enough of an industrial composting infrastructure to handle it right now. What is your response to this viewpoint?
We understand their concerns. We don’t take them lightly, which is why our Greenhouse Learning Center [see related story on p. 24] is a place where we can educate our partners. We also go to their sites and talk to them. The Composting Consortium that we’re a part of today, the US Composting Council is a part of that as well. So we’re having open dialogue in these collaborations so that if someone has a concern, we want to hear it. We want to understand it. We’ve seen their concerns, and we want to mitigate those.
To conclude, can you point to a sustainable packaging win other than the new Greenhouse Learning Lab you’ve had of late?
We launched our multipack package. We got rid of the plastic outer bag, so now it’s a corrugated or paper outer box. Consumers love it. It used to be a sack, now it’s a lovely box. It communicates well to the consumers, it’s clear. We got rid of the plastic. So for us it was huge. I mean, I know it sounds like a broken record, but to be able to sell that for consumers and have a holistic conversation about great products and great packaging together, for us, it’s amazing.
Anne Marie Mohan
By Sterling Anthony, CPP, Contributing Editor
Palletizing is loading anything onto a pallet, while unitizing is loading multiple items onto a pallet in a layered pattern. Pallets are the workhorses of supply chains worldwide, and the vast majority of pallets carry unit loads. Palletizers build unit loads faster and of greater integrity than is possible by doing so manually. Therefore, palletizers promote safety, efficiency, productivity, and cost savings throughout the world’s supply chains.
Palletizers are testaments to the ingenuity and innovation of that sector of the packaging machinery industry. Features and capabilities are diverse, even though palletizers only come in two categories: conventional and robotic.
Conventional palletizers are classified as low-level or high-level, reflecting how items are fed into the palletizer: floor-level or above floor level, respectively. Inline palletizers are so named because they are positioned at the end of the production line as opposed to farther away. Nonetheless, they, too, are conventional.
Robotic palletizers are classified variously (e.g., cartesian and gantry) and do their work via a mechanical arm. It’s the end-of-arm tooling (EoAT) or fitments that give robotic palletizers their abilities to lift, orient, and place items. Those fitments include suction cups, clamps, or forks, among other styles. Robotic palletizers typically are positioned between a stack of pallets and an item infeed conveyor.
Which type is best for a given application is a determination requiring a systematic approach of measuring tradeoffs, because each type has advantages and disadvantages. Still, any chosen palletizer must score acceptably on three criteria: safety, flexibility, and performance. Safety relates to workers’ access to the palletizer when required and lockout features at all other times. Flexibility is a measure of not only the palletizer’s compatibility with present needs, but also its adaptability to projectable future needs. Performance is how well the palletizer operates, i.e., speed, throughput, and uptime.
Conventional palletizers form rows, then layers, and finally loads, during which, the items are bumped, turned, and pushed into the desired orientation. Throughout, items are not lifted from a surface, such as an infeed conveyor.
Generally, low-level palletizers are of a simpler construction than high-level palletizers, have a smaller footprint, and are less expensive. Since low-level palletizers operate at floor level, it’s easier for workers to notice when something goes amiss. High-level palletizers provide greater throughput than lower-level palletizers. A main reason is that they raise and lower the pallet itself as layers are loaded, thereby
facilitating load building.
Aside from their herein mentioned (and unmentioned) differences, both levels of palletizers share certain characteristics. A main one is that they mostly are limited to square/rectangular secondary packaging, such as cartons, cases, and trays. On a countervailing note, both palletizers can accommodate the aforementioned secondary packaging in a variety of sizes without complicated changeover— great for companies that have multiple SKUs.
Robotic palletizers’ calling card is two-fold: precise, unerring placement of items onto the pallet, and the ability to palletize additional types of secondary packaging, such as bags, pails, or bales. Said precision and versatility are had at the sacrifice of speed and of tolerance of dimensional variations as to pallet and secondary packaging. The sacrifice of speed, however, is lessened in instances in which the robotic arm handles multiple items at a time, rather than individually.
Robotic palletizers are more expensive than conventional palletizers, taking into account acquisition price, installation, maintenance, and modifications. With multiple robotic palletizers, high-volume upstream operations can be handled on a par with conventional palletizers. One more comparison is that robotic palletizers operate within less space than what’s required of conventional palletizers. The smaller footprint of robotic palletizers is due to their ability to move along three axes and an almost circular arc.
Regardless of how the types of palletizers are compared and contrasted, suppliers face this competitive reality: customers want every benefit that there is to be had. That reality accounts for solutions marketed as “hybrids.” One example is to use conventional palletizing for forming a layer, then to use robotic palletizing for placing a layer onto a pallet or onto a previously placed layer.
This discussion of palletizers has so far only made a deep scratch of the surface. For one thing, no matter how descriptive the words, they’re not the equal to observing a fully integrated palletizer operating on a packaging line. Under such a scenario, one can observe the integration of the palletizer with various conveyors. One further can observe the integration between the palletizer and upstream operations. As for upstream operations, some can be built into the palletizer itself. And although stretch wrapping is traditionally downstream from palletizing, that operation is built into palletizers that simultaneously stretch wrap as the load is being built. That fact notwithstanding, stretch wrapping will be covered as a stand-alone operation in my next article. PW
Palletizers build unit loads faster and of greater integrity than is possible by doing so manually. Therefore, palletizers promote safety, efficiency, productivity, and cost savings throughout the world’s supply chains.
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Is there really such a thing as a true closedloop solution? Currently, most products are designed from a virgin mentality. That is to say, they’re designed based on the characteristics, including economic characteristics, of virgin materials. Many of these products have an incredibly short life; in fact, only 1% of total material flow in North America is still in use six months after sale (see pwgo.to/7948). This has caused stakeholders to demand closed-loop solutions that recycle products back into the same products. The question is, how can we accomplish such a transition?
Aluminum cans are the go-to example of a closed-loop solution. Recycled aluminum offers the same performance as pure aluminum (see pwgo.to/7949), and it’s more cost-effective, as using it to make new cans requires 95% less energy. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable; there’s no limit to how many times it can be recycled while maintaining quality. This adds up to plenty of demand for used cans, which is why most recycling programs accept them.
In the world of plastics, we see a similar story with beverage containers. Clear, rigid, food-grade PET bottles are easy to recycle into new bottles. However, plastic can only be recycled a number of times (see pwgo.to/7950) before the quality degrades—a moot point until recycling rates become very high, as first-cycle material dilutes second and third cycle.
Recycled PET is also relatively competitive in price and performance with virgin PET. Because of this, the material is in high demand by many industries that span well beyond the beverage
industry. The problem is that a backpack or shampoo bottle made from rPET cannot be made back into a beverage container.
The problem compounds because today, we don’t see backpacks made from backpacks or shampoo bottles made from shampoo bottles. Primarily, that’s because it doesn’t make economic sense for these items to be closed-loop. Certain characteristics—multicomponent, multilayer, small, or dark in color—drive value out of the recycling process. The resulting material value from these products is often unable to cover the costs of collecting and processing them, so there’s little-to-no demand for recycling them. All of this means that creating a closed-loop solution for items like backpacks or shampoo bottles is more difficult and more costly than continuing to use virgin materials.
More and more companies want to—or in some cases, where legislation comes into play, must—use post-consumer recycled content (PCR) in new production. Producers of hard-to-recycle products turn to material that’s easier to work with: clear, rigid, foodgrade PET. Beverage companies then have to compete for feedstock with these companies. Perhaps there should be a law that gives beverage companies priority for this material, keeping bottles in a closed-loop system?
Closed-loop can exist for products other than beverage bottles. At TerraCycle, we’ve worked with Expo to make dry-erase pens out of dry-erase pens, and with Nature’s Way in Japan to make cosmetics caps out of cosmetics caps. We’re actively developing dozens of other closed-loop solutions in a variety of categories, from food and beverage to home and personal care.
The key is willingness to put resources—time and money—into closed-loop platforms. Product design may have to be adjusted, and
an input of material will need to be established. Let’s look at a few examples:
1. Pen (not typically collected in curbside recycling bins): First you need to resource your R&D team to take used pens, develop a resin from that input, and test it on your pen production lines. This may have to be repeated until the right formulation is achieved. Then you may need to make compromises to your finished product (i.e., design changes to enable a closed loop); for example, if your initial product was white or light-colored, you may need to move to a darker-colored final product. Once you know what your closed-loop product design will be, you’ll need to develop the input supply chain, in other words, get your hands on lots of used pens. Because pens are not typically accepted in recycling bins, you’ll have to set up your own pen collection platform to accomplish this.
2. Shampoo bottle (often collected in curbside recycling bins): Again, resource your R&D team to take lots of used high-density polyethylene shampoo bottles, develop a resin, and test it on your production lines. You may again need to make some design changes, like adjusting the color or wall thickness of your bottle. You’ll also have to ensure that your company doesn’t have any internal rules preventing the use of material other than food-grade. Then you’ll need to find your input. To do that in this case, you’d contact material
TerraCycle is working with Expo to recycle used dry-erase pens into new dry-erase pens.
recovery facilities (MRFs) in your region to see if you can get them to sort this material out of their residual stream.
In both cases, you’ll have the PCR you need to go closed-loop, and you’ll have improved the recycling system by creating demand for more diverse types of material beyond food-grade, clear, rigid PET and HDPE, preventing “less-desirable” packaging materials from ending up in disposal.
Going closed-loop can be a significant challenge. But there is business logic. Competition for PCR is increasing (and what if beverage companies are successful in their lobbies to keep food-grade recycled polymers only for food-grade applications?). Plus, there’s the escalating public outcry against waste as well as impending legislation around sustainable packaging.
With all that said, the highest form of sustainable packaging is reuse (see pwgo.to/7951), which is already being mandated around the globe (see pwgo.to/7952). And ultimately, while recycling and reuse both have their place, the true solution is to stop waste at the source. We all need to vote for a better future by buying less. PW
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A new Greenhouse Learning Center enables PepsiCo’s food divisions to fast-track compostable packaging materials by enabling them to field test, measure, and analyze the materials on-site.
By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor
Just a week after an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, in early April, Frito-Lay North America invited a select group of media to tour what it says is a first-ofits-kind facility globally for PepsiCo that will enable on-site testing and analysis of compostable packaging materials. According Frito-Lay, the new Greenhouse Learning Center, located at the company’s R&D headquarters in Plano, Texas, represents a key milestone in achieving PepsiCo’s PepsiCo Positive (pep+) packaging goal to design 100% of its packaging to be recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or reusable by 2025.
Providing background on pep+, David Allen, vice president, chief sustainability officer for PepsiCo Foods North America, said that the program, launched just
over a year ago, is a fundamental transformation in PepsiCo’s business. “It’s about putting sustainability at the center of how we create growth and value for the organization and do that in a way that makes sure we’re operating within planetary boundaries, and we’re making a positive impact on the planet and the people,” he said.
One of pep+’s three pillars is creating a positive value chain, which is where the company’s efforts around circularity and its sustainable packaging vision sit. Guided by Science Based Targets initiatives (SBTi), PepsiCo is working across all divisions and packaging formats “to build better packaging for a better world,” shared Allen.
Frito-Lay North America, the $23 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo., Inc., relies heavily on flexible film packaging for its snack brands, which include such well known products as Lay’s and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips and branded dips, Fritos
corn chips, and SunChips multigrain snacks, among others. One route Frito-Lay and its sister company, The Quaker Oats Company, have been pursuing to meet PepsiCo’s pep+ packaging goals is compostable packaging, with the ultimate vision of engineering home-compostable packaging.
At the event, Yolanda Malone, vice president Global Foods Packaging, PepsiCo, pointed out the challenges Frito-Lay has faced in transforming its multilayer, petroleum-based plastic flexible snack packaging—which has nine layers in all, providing print, lamination, and barrier functionality—to a more sustainable material. “We have a really wellhoned, functioning package today,” Malone said. “But in order for us to achieve our aspirations to make our packaging 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or reusable, we have to make some changes.”
In 2010, ahead of its time, Frito-Lay launched a 100% industrially compostable bag for its SunChips snack brand, but consumer pushback on the noise the bag created sent the company back to the drawing board. “There was a lot of feedback, but we continued our journey,” said Malone. “And so from 2017 through today, we’ve launched our Off The Eaten Path, second-generation compostable bag” (minus the loud crinkling sound).
Building on learnings from the launch of the OTEP next-generation commercially compostable packaging, Frito-Lay has introduced other options made from 85% renewable plant materials that produce approximately 60% lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional snack bags. Moving forward, the company is focusing its efforts on engineering home-compostable and biodegradable packaging, and one of the tools in its arsenal, said Malone, is the new Greenhouse Learning Center.
The Greenhouse Learning Center is an impressive, fully outfitted facility custom designed for Frito-Lay and Quaker’s R&D packaging team. Here the team will test the biodegradation properties of compostable packages in different environments to accelerate learnings, validate lab results through simultaneous, real-time experiments as packaging formulations are improved, and iterate packaging solutions more quickly.
According to Technical Director, PepsiCo R&D Senior Fellow Sridevi Narayan-Sarathy, who led the tour of the center, it can take up to six months to get results from outside testing facilities on the composability of a new material or package. At
As part of PepsiCo’s pep+ initiative, in 2021 Frito-Lay introduced a second-generation, industrially compostable, bio-based bag for Off The Eaten Path.
the learning center, the R&D team will be able to quickly evaluate—in as little as three months or less—whether a material has the potential for industrial or home compostability. It will enable products to move from testing to certificationready at least two to three times faster to fast-track new packaging.
One of the composting processes being tested is hot composting, which simulates industrial composting. In this process, microbial activity within the compost pile is optimized with regular turning of the pile to create heat, resulting in finished com-
post in a much shorter period of time. Another process it is looking at is cold composting, where material is continually added to a compost pile without turning the material. Home composting is also being examined through the use of a composting bin.
Also at lab, the R&D team is examining how compostable materials impact the soil and plants such as dill, basil, and cilantro—which are then being used by the site’s cafeteria chefs—as well as canola and corn, which can be used as feedstock for the production of biopolymers.
According to Frito-Lay, the Greenhouse Learning Center was established not only to advance the learning of its own R&D team, but also the industry at large. “Our sustainable packaging vision is to build a world where packaging need never become waste,” said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of R&D for PepsiCo, at the media event. “We’re actively changing our own compostable snack packaging technologies. By sharing these technologies, we’re inviting the industry to make these changes as well. We are prioritizing, investing in, and expediting projects to build a more circular, inclusive economy.”
The center also aims to actively change industry standards by educating partners and stakeholders on the benefits of transitioning to compostable packaging, demonstrate circularity with biodegradable materials, and provide training to co-ops and visitors.
Said Allen, “We look forward to leveraging key findings from the Greenhouse Learning Center, alongside our scale, reach, and expertise across North America and globally, to drive progress across our organization and the entire industry. We must work together to inspire positive change for the planet and people, and Frito-Lay and Quaker are proud to be leading the way.” PW
Technical Director, PepsiCo R&D Senior Fellow Sridevi Narayan-Sarathy led a recent media tour of the new Greenhouse Learning Center.Most startup food companies would have a difficult time shepherding their new product to market without the help of a co-manufacturer or co-packer (CM/CP). The knowledge, cost, and logistics required to produce consumer packaged goods safely and consistently is often beyond the scope and budget of emerging brands, who are likely better versed on how to sell the finished items to consumers instead.
At the recent Snaxpo 2023 in Orlando, a panel of CM/CP experts offered advice for startups in choosing the right co-manufacturer for their product. Here are a few key takeaways from that session.
A nascent brand may be able to produce small amounts of test products on its own, and it may be able to package those products at that small volume, perhaps even manually. But when it’s time to scale up to mass manufacturing, CM/CPs say there are many other elements that need to be nailed down before moving forward.
“As you get ready for emergence into the supply chain, you need to have your formulation done with commercial ingredients, you need to
Join us for the Emerging Brands Summit in Las Vegas on Sept. 10, the day before PACK EXPO opens. Get in front of emerging brands as an exhibitor, or as an attendee to learn more about scaling operations for brands in the $1M to
know what your certifications should be, and what your packaging is going to be from a graphical and structural perspective. And with that in hand along with your volume forecast, you can effectively approach a contract manufacturer. That’s the minimum bar to have everything ready to scale,” said Jamie Valenti-Jordan, founder and CEO of Catapult Commercial Services, a food brand consultancy.
“Just because you have a formulation, doesn’t mean you’re ready to go to market,” added Chuck Woods, senior director, commercial at the CM/CP MSI Express. “As a contract manufacturer, the biggest struggle we see is [companies] that think they’re ready to go to market, but sometimes they don’t really have a plan for where they’re going to sell and how they’re going to sell it from a marketing standpoint.”
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Dave Krombeen, GM and VP of sales at the specialty food CM/CP Cheeze Kurls, added that from the manufacturing side, “you want to partner with [a startup brand] that has a passion. They have to be able to turn that passion into a product and understand the challenges we’re going to face and meet us in the middle and make sure we both get what we need out of it,” he said. “When someone comes in our door, we want them to be full-time invested in their product. If you’re still doing this on the side, then you’re not financially committed. Once you’re financially committed to anything in life, you treat it differently.”
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After a busy spring, including exhibiting at interpack in Germany, the Contract Packaging Association (CPA) will be at PACK EXPO Las Vegas again in September at the Association Partner Pavilion. Show attendees are always seeking CPA member services, so the association showcases its capabilities with towers displaying member companies’ packaged and manufactured products. Executive Director Ron Puvak will speak at the PACK EXPO Forum and Industry Speaks stages, covering topics of interest to anyone involved in external manufacturing.
Also at the show, the association will also be sharing new data from the 2023 CPA State of the
Some emerging brands might believe their product is so unique that it makes sense to use capital to build their own manufacturing and packaging facility, bypassing CM/CPs. Those on the panel say be careful what you get into, since manufacturing operations are more complicated than they seem on the surface.
“If you’re considering manufacturing and packaging on your own, just understand that you will likely be managing two businesses at once: your manufacturing/packaging business, and the company you intended to start up,” said Pete Brennan, VP of Innovation at Mattson “Work with a group to be able to find the right potential CM/CP before you start investing the dollars in your own equipment, unless [your product] is something that’s absolutely new to this world, which is a small percentage of the overall innovation that’s making it to market.”
Woods noted that contract manufacturing and packaging has evolved over the past decade, and can handle the speedy pivots needed as the industry grows related to equipment and facilities—something a young brand might not have the money to do after their initial plant investment.
“It’s a lot of capital intensity [to invest in your own facility] and there’s a lot of complexity. The CM/CP industry is growing at a greater than 10% rate. So maybe 10 years ago, the answer would have been, ‘maybe you can do this yourself,’” Woods said. “But there’s a lot of different options now, and a lot of capabilities and competencies that you could leverage. Then you can stick your capital into building your brand and into marketing and other areas outside of building a manufacturing base.”
If a startup CPG truly has something unique to manufacture, Krombeen advised spending a fraction of the cost for a new facility on specialty equipment instead, and let a CM/CP handle the operation of it.
“Instead of investing all that money to get your plant moving, go to a co-manufacturer and say you have a new process. Let them know you can buy a $40,000 piece of equipment that can make or package that certain shape or size you have in your product. If you do that, the investment will be a lot less. And if that equipment is going to cost $150,000, maybe there’s a partnership in there,” Krombeen noted, “and they can give it back to you in tolling or some other way and you’ll earn it back over time as a shared expense.”
Valenti-Jordan added, “at the end of the day, your CM/CP doesn’t make any money for commercializing and getting the first of a product
Industry Report, which will be released late summer or early fall. The biennial report has been a leading data source on the contract packaging and manufacturing industry since 2008. A preview of this valuable report is available for download for free, and the whole report is available for purchase, at pwgo.to/7956.
CPA will then return to Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia, Sept. 20 to 23. This show, along with its counterpart Expo West, always attracts hundreds of visitors to the CPA booth with new and established brands seeking information about how to bring their products to market. Keep up with all CPA events at pwgo.to/7957 PW
out, they make money because they can run your product at a great quality level all day long, and then shut it down and move on to the next company’s product. You get value out of a dedicated partner that’s looking to make your product in a sellable, cost-effective way, because you can leverage economies of scale without having to build [a plant] yourself.”
Food and beverage CPGs—like any other industry—rely on having an edge over the competition. Therefore, an emerging brand with a closely guarded formula or especially sustainable package design, for example, might be reluctant to allow an outside party like a contract manufacturer into their inner information circle. However, those on the panel say it would be unethical and not very profitable to sell those secrets, not to mention the damage to a CM/CP’s reputation.
“The food industry is small, and we all know each other,” said Valenti-Jordan. “If you behave unethically, we all know it. And honestly, no emerging brand is worth enough to sacrifice a decades-old reputation to steal somebody’s formula and make a thing out of it. Even if they were successful, the value to [the CM/CP] is already lost, and they’re going to lose probably 40% of their business from doing something like that.”
Krombeen also mentioned that once a startup and CM/CP have partnered, it’s the contract manufacturer’s responsibility to guard anything confidential. “A co-manufacturer and packager is there to make and package products. They’ll take that recipe and own it as much as [an emerging brand] will let them own it, securing the raw materials and everything else. They just want to make that product, move on to the next one, and keep going.”
The number of contract manufacturers available can be overwhelming to an early-stage brand just getting started in the industry. To save time, the panelists recommended the Contract Packaging Association (CPA) which has updated lists and can help steer a startup toward the best fit for their particular product. Conversely, Google is not the place to start searching, according to Valenti-Jordan.
“Every list that I’ve ever run across [on Google] is out of date within about six months. I would encourage networking and finding people who know people in the industry for recommendations. It’s going to be much more effective to find a CM/CP that way than consulting a giant list online.” —Michael
Costa
The devices on the shuttles/carriers on this linear track system are wirelessly controlled by CoreTigo’s IO-Link Wireless tech, allowing grippers on these carriers to perform tasks on product while moving through the equipment.
Swiss packaging equipment OEM Rotzinger, a pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food and beverage machinery manufacturer, and CoreTigo, a provider of industrial wireless automation, were at interpack last month demonstrating an interesting controls-based collaboration. CoreTigo’s IO-Link Wireless products and technology have been integrated into Rotzinger’s advanced packaging machinery, resulting in new and advanced capabilities that are driving maximum flexibility, throughput, and sustainability.
“We are delighted to partner with CoreTigo and to integrate their IO-Link Wireless products and technology into our advanced packaging machinery,” says Andreas Graf, Rotzinger PharmaPack CEO. “This partnership has allowed us to provide our customers with even more advanced capabilities and benefits, resulting in adaptivity, increased productivity, and sustainability.”
Rotzinger says its mission is to continuously optimize product flow for its customers, along with offering first-class solutions, services, and
software. The machine builder was asked by a leading food manufacturer to develop an adaptive secondary food packaging machine that meets very high demands of throughput, along with the ability to support multiple package and product variations, all on a single machine.
The machine is based on a multi-carrier smart conveyer system, often called linear track system, composed of independently moving shuttles or carriers. In this case, the application required performing actions on products while in constant, high-speed motion. Cables were not a possible option for such a complex and high-speed task, nor were conventional wireless solutions. By using CoreTigo’s IO-Link Wireless
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Grippers mounted on the shuttles/carriers are individually and wirelessly controlled without cabling by CoreTigo IO-Link Wireless technology, allowing the grippers on each carrier to perform tasks on the products themselves. Automatic changeover can be done on the go as well, enabling exibilty.
products—which were designed speci cally for wireless control and monitoring in factory automation—Rotzinger can now wirelessly control grippers that are mounted on the shuttles/carriers without needing additional external robots, cables, or other types of equipment.
This innovative machine design results in reduced changeover time, machine footprint reduction, maximum capacity, and full exibility to support multiple product and package types. These factors ultimately add up to result in greater sustainability, as less energy, space, and parts need to be used within the machine. The total number of machines necessary is thus lowered as well, since this allows for one machine to handle various products and package designs.
“Rotzinger is a leading company in the packaging machinery industry, and we are proud to have our IO-Link Wireless technology be part of their innovative machinery,” adds Eran Zigman, CoreTigo CEO. “The collaboration between CoreTigo and Rotzinger is a perfect example of how technology can be leveraged to meet the evolving needs of the industry.”
Partnerships and developments such as this one demonstrated by Rotzinger and CoreTigo are creating a fully connected ecosystem that enables real-time control and monitoring at any stage of the manufacturing process, the companies say. Machines and production lines are enabled with more exibility and an optimized design to improve operational ef ciency and productivity. Such a packaging machine with IO-Link Wireless is breaking barriers that exist today with machine communication, and enabling solutions and designs that were not possible before, CoreTigo summarizes. —Matt Reynolds
Interested in track and levitating independent motion systems? Don’t miss PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023, where a wide range of wireless automated packaging offerings will be on full display. For more information, visit packexpolasvegas.com
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With its new Crate brand, Australian wine maker Fourth Wave Wine has put zero waste at the core—from vineyard sourcing and winemaking techniques to its boldly unique, label-less package for wine. According to Rowena Curlewis, chief executive officer and co-founder of Denomination, the designer of the label-free bottle, the impetus for the new brand came from Fourth Wave Wine’s own dedication to creating a greener future.
“As a business, Fourth Wave Wine has sustainability at its heart,” she says. “It felt there was an opportunity for another sustainability-based player in the market, given how important this aspect is to Gen Z and millennial consumers particularly, but also to those consumers who are concerned about the environment, and there are a lot of them!”
Crate was introduced in February 2023 in three varietals, McLaren Vale Shiraz, Barossa Shiraz, and Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. They are described by Fourth Wave Wine as high-quality, barrel-matured wines from Australia’s leading red wine regions. And that’s where Fourth Wave Wine wants consumers to put their focus and their dollars—on the wine, rather than on the packaging.
By removing the label from the body of the wine bottle, Fourth Wave Wine has eliminated paper, therefore saving trees; adhesives, reducing waste; and the PET from the label’s liner, which is made from petroleum-based plastics. It has also eliminated the cost and time associated with applying the label. Ultimately, the label-free bottle conveys the eco-friendly nature of the brand while making the product more affordable.
To unlock the sustainability opportunity presented by such a strategy, Fourth Wave Wine tapped beverage packaging design firm Denomination, whose solution, Curlewis shares, was an “uber simple” design: A detailed, branded capsule, no label, and a carton that is printed on 100% recycled stock with clear messaging regarding the reasons why Crate is sustainable.
While it may be an uber simple design, it was not so simple to accomplish. “The key challenge was trying to fit all of the many mandatories for the Australian market, including the new Pregnancy Warning, on a very small space on the capsule,” Curlewis says. “The second was to make sure the capsule still looked ‘designed’ and premium, to compensate for the lack of label.”
All mandatory information is printed on the skirt of the capsule, which remains on the bottle once it’s opened, while the top of the capsule is devoted to branding. Also on the capsule is a QR code that consumers can use to access a video of the winemaker explaining the premise of the Crate brand as well as information on the quality of
the wine inside, including tasting notes.
According to Curlewis, very clever crafting of typography ensures that there is an ease of space; the design never feels crowded or jammed. “It’s like a Tetris puzzle, constantly moving the pieces around until they fit together harmoniously,” she says. Of the font chosen, she adds, “We wanted Crate to feel both crafted and approachable, much like the wine style, and so we chose a chunky serif type that is easy to read, but has a distinctive feel.”
Crate is available only in cases, or “crates,” of six bottles. For this secondary package, Denomination selected a kraft corrugated material, overprinted with ink. “We wanted to avoid using bleached paper as the external substrate so to avoid any superfluous chemicals being used in the making of these cartons,” Curlewis explains.
The decision to go label-less could be a risky one, with Crate’s branding messages minimized, but it is this spareness that may just catch consumers’ attention. So is it a gimmick? According to Curlewis, it’s definitely not. “We need to get real about climate change as both winemakers and packaging designers, and in doing so explore other real and effective ways of reducing our footprint,” she says. “Crate so happens to be the first to market for a branded, label-less wine. I expect to see more, and I also expect to see other creative ways of solving the same problem.”
All three Crate wine varietals are available in six-bottle cases online as well as at independent retailers in Australia. PW
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TricorBraun signed an exclusive agreement with BioBottles that enables it to exclusively offer BioBottles—said to be the first and only biodegradable bottle specifically designed and engineered for the nutraceutical industry—to nutraceutical companies in the U.S. and Canada.
Triangle Package Machinery Corp. celebrated its centennial anniversary.
ProMach announced BDT Capital Partners will acquire a significant stake of the company, alongside Leonard Green & Partners, the existing majority owner. As part of the agreement, LGP will invest new capital into the company.
PAC Machinery Bags and Materials’ custom and stock pre-opened bags for automatic baggers will be produced with a minimum of 25% post-industrial recycled resin.
ABB began construction to expand its existing North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Mich.
JLS Automation acquired K2 Kinetics.
Piab acquired Coval Vacuum Technology and IB Verfahrens- und Anlagentechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Krones signed an agreement to acquire 90% of Ampco Pumps
Heat and Control’s new facility in Jalisco, Mexico, will be the headquarters for its Mexico and Latin American operations.
Michigan State University opened its newly renovated MSU School of Packaging building.
Lantech opened a case handling equipment manufacturing facility in North America that will provide quicker lead times and machine expertise to its customers.
Quality Packaging Specialists International celebrated it 30th anniversary.
Della Toffola Group and Bertolaso merged to Form Omnia Technologies
Amcor announced a joint research project agreement with Nfinite Nanotechnology Inc. to validate the use of Nfinite’s nanocoating technology.
Solidus Solutions rebranded as Solidus
Columbus McKinnon acquired montratec GmbH
Rudy Sanchez was promoted to food handling systems product manager – Americas for Key Technology
Enercon promoted Ryan Schuelke to president/chief sales officer and added Mike Ritterling to the newly created position of technical support and field service manager.
Kevin Kuznicki was appointed president for Billerud North America.
NJM appointed Rich Orrell regional sales manager for the Midwestern United States.
Yamato’s board of directors appointed Bill Pierce president.
John Blicha was promoted to vice president of Eriez.
ITW Air Management and Pillar Technologies united their sales teams to better serve customer needs in similar markets. Doug Biggs was appointed to lead the sales organizations.
Paul Leibinger Inc. expanded its leadership team in East Troy, Wis., with the addition of Derek Morin as general manager – Americas and Ryan Friend as sales director – Americas.
WLS appointed Randy Backich regional sales manager for Northeastern United States and Quebec, Canada.
What’s new in 2023?
No Conflicts! Emerging Brands Summit 2023 will be hosted the day prior to the start of PACK EXPO, so you don’t need to worry about any conflicts with the show.
More Content! In addition to the main stage, you will also have a choice between concurrent breakout sessions providing additional educational programming throughout the day.
More Resources! Browse the digital marketplace to discover resources before, during and after the event.
Easier to Connect! A dedicated event mobile app will make it even easier for you to connect with peers, experts, and suppliers.
Emerging rands Concierge! Take advantage of this exclusive service at PACK EXPO Las Vegas to help you identify suppliers who support emerging brands.
Special onus! All brand owners and end user attendees are eligible to receive complimentary registration to PACK EXPO Las Vegas (September 11-13, 2023) and PACK gives ACK.
Supported by:
Early Bird Rate Ends Soon!
Epson Robots expands its VT6L-Series with the addition of the industrial-grade VT6L-DC All-in-One 6-Axis Robot. It can be mounted to an AMR for warehousing applications or on a mobile platform for easy transport between workstations.
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Amcor announces the European launch of its PrimeSeal and DairySeal recycle-ready thermoforming films for meat, fish, and dairy; the films are heat resistant up to 90°C.
Amcor pwgo.to/7891
Sidel’s 1SKIN label-less 1-L PET bottle can enter a recycling stream with no need to separate additional raw materials such as ink, glue, labels, or sleeves.
Sidel
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Continue your search for the right packaging solution. Visit prosource.org.
Arguably the oldest packaging material, glass is exuding youthful vigor in its recent explorations of new (some would say revolutionary) manufacturing technologies, formats, material characteristics, and product applications.
Today’s glass industry is expanding the horizons of tomorrow’s packaging expectations. Developments surrounding glass materials and their manufacturing processes belie the material’s long-standing status as a stolid packaging option.
By many accounts the global glass packaging market is expected to grow from about $76 billion last year to about $98 billion in 2027, a 4.4% compound annual growth rate.
The growing appeal of glass packaging is driven by its GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, its impermeability, non-porosity, heat resistance, and infinite recyclability. For some applications such as beverages, glass containers are easily refillable and reusable.
Still, some recent activities show that glass material converters and glass container makers are inventively increasing the number of manufacturing methods, formulations, and formats, thus broadening the material’s packaging appeal even further.
Small, mobile, and modular glass container manufacturing plants are moving beyond imagining at O-I Glass. Envisioning smallerfootprint (both environmental and physical) plants that can be moved near or co-located with customers’ filling lines, O-I is investing up to $240 million to build its first purpose-built MAGMA (Modular Advanced Glass Manufacturing Asset) facility. It’s slated to come on stream in Bowling Green, Ky. by mid-2024. A cadre of MAGMA plants is in the works beyond Bowling Green.
O-I says MAGMA plants will have melters about one third the size of conventional glass-making furnaces and feature on/off capability to enable frequent job and color changes. Among MAGMA’s touted “advanced technologies and innovative processes” is ULTRA, an O-I innovation to reduce container weights by up to 30% without sacrificing performance levels.
If you’re carrying a smart phone, you probably have a piece of break-resistant aluminosilicate Gorilla Glass from Corning Glass in
your pocket or purse. It’s used to protect the screen of your phone. When used to make vaccine vials, Corning’s aluminosilicate glass, branded Valor, resists breaking over a range of extreme temperatures that the vialed vaccines are likely to experience. Valor is challenging borosilicate glass for the vaccine vial market. Schott Glass produces the lion’s share of borosilicate glass vials for vaccines that need to be held at temperatures between -50°C (-58°F) and -15°C (5°F).
SiO2 Materials Science, another challenger for the vaccine vial production market, offers a plastic/glass hybrid under the brand name Vyterial. At its core, SiO2’s tri-layer hybrid features a thin injection-stretch molded, medical grade cyclic olefin polymer (COP) or copolymer (COC) vial. The interior surface of the plastic vial incorporates a three-layer barrier coating of amorphous silicate applied via a modified plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process.
Finally, imagine this: Glass that’s both biodegradable and biorecyclable. That’s the development claim of a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences led by Professor Yan Xuehai of the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE).
Dr. Yan and his team applied for a patent for their development, which they described in a paper entitled, “Biomolecular glass with amino acid and peptide nanoarchitectonics” published in the March 17, 2023 issue of Science Advances
The research team used biologically derived and chemically modified amino acids and peptides to make “a family of ecofriendly glasses.” The biomolecular glass was further processed via conventional glass molding and additive manufacturing into glass with both biodegradability and biorecyclability features. The researchers then tracked the glass-forming ability, glass-transitionrelated kinetics, and thermodynamic parameters of the material, as well as its in-vitro and in-vivo degradability.
“Using glasses derived from molecules … we created a variety of glass components by both 3D manufacturing and mold casting. The concept of biomolecular glass, beyond the commercially used glasses or plastics, may underlie a green-life technology for a sustainable future,” Yan says. “However, the biomolecular glass is currently in the laboratory stage, and far from large-scale commercialization.” PW
Today’s glass industry is expanding the horizons of tomorrow’s packaging expectations. Developments surrounding glass materials and their manufacturing processes belie the material’s long-standing status as a stolid packaging option.
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Need more automation capability in a fraction of the space? We can help.
By engineering your EXACT SOLUTION, we make every square inch count for Case Packing, Cartoning, Palletizing, Variety Case Packing, Retail Ready, Robotics, Sleeving, and Combination machines. Our custom approach is a mix of inventive problem-solving and a willingness to take on challenges.
Aagard is a leading engineering innovator of secondary packaging automation. Check out a few of our innovative solutions:
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Since 1997 we have specialized in engineering and building customized integrated combination packaging systems that fit our customers’ specific needs and spaces. Our unique packaging machines can combine many solutions into a single turn-key system with one integrated control package using our proven innovative technologies.
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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 and tamper evident bands. 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, and Squid Ink and 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.
919-772-8383
Axon, a ProMach product brand, is an industry leader in shrink sleeve, stretch sleeve, and tamper band labeling systems, offering dependable performance in key sleeving and tamper band applications including full and partial body sleeves, tamper evident bands, multipacks, and full body over-the-cap sleeves. Over 5,000 Axon systems are in operation worldwide, supported by an experienced team of engineers and service personnel.
The flexibility to run shrink sleeve labels, tamper evident bands, and multipack sleeves on a single machine makes Axon applicators and systems the ideal solution for low-to-high speed and high-performance applications in a wide range of industries including craft beer, wine and spirits, RTD beverages, food, condiments and sauces, ice cream and dairy, pharma and nutraceuticals, and more.
Axon’s systems and standalone applicators are known to deliver dependable performance and unmatched flexibility that translates into higher productivity, more savings and dollars on the bottom line.
Our success starts with listening to your needs, asking the right questions and conducting a thorough technical evaluation to deliver the rightfit solution for your business. Making use of over 50 years of shared experience in the labeling industry, our team of sales and application engineers offer guidance to ensure operational results are met, from the initial conversation through installation and day-to-day operations. Your internal teams can count on US based manufacturing of equipment and parts and local technical support provided by leading service experts that average 14 years of Axon experience.
770/772-0400
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.
The B&R ecosystem offers a uniquely comprehensive portfolio of today’s most advanced automation technology – including machine vision, robotics, digital twin simulation, and mechatronic product transportation systems. Our team has the knowledge and experience to combine these technologies in a way that enables manufacturers to adapt to all types of unexpected changes without sacrificing productivity. This is the crucial ability – known as adaptive manufacturing – that CPG manufacturers can leverage to more efficiently handle the demands of direct-to-consumer and omnichannel business opportunities.
Codian Robotics became a member of the ABB Group in 2020. The integration of Codian Robotics’ delta robots into the B&R portfolio has made it much easier for customers to implement high-speed pick-andplace applications.
The mechatronic solutions have 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 adaptive manufacturing, machines that adapt to the products being made and packaged, rather than forcing products to conform to a rigidly sequential process.
Adaptive manufacturing enables digital business strategies with the ability to deliver cost-effective, automated, make-to-order mass customization for the first time ever. Manufacturers can now offer personalized, even batchsize-one order fulfillment directly from the production line to the consumer.
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.
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 and 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.
BELL-MARK has successfully satisfied UDI GS1 requirements for many of our customers. We understand the UD1 rules and regulations and have experience in a wide range of applications. From retrofitting band sealers to Form, Fill, Seal packaging machines, we have the expertise to ensure your codes are verifiable and scannable and meet the necessary regulations.
Eliminate costly labeling by printing directly onto your package or replace your CIJ printer with a maintenance-free alternative. BELL-MARK offers a full line of washdown tolerant printers, including both thermal transfer and thermal inkjet technologies. Print graphics, nutritional facts, bar codes, lot/expiration dates and safe handling instructions on almost any surface. Rest easy knowing your printer is IP67 rated and can be washed down and sanitized without complicated protective procedures.
BELL-MARK’s in-line printing and coding equipment delivers industryleading 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.
Inc.
www.bellatrx.com
BellatRx is a leading manufacturer of packaging lines, equipment, and integration solutions and your number one source for inventive, advanced, and automated packaging and filling solutions. Our expertise lies in the engineering and manufacturing of innovative equipment designed to your specifications for a turnkey operation.
We are 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, diagnostics, biotech, nutraceutical, chemical, cosmetics, and personal care for solid products, liquids, and powders.
Our packaging lines are designed to meet your packaging requirements ranging from small batch runs to large high-speed operations. We design our lines with speed, efficiency, flexibility, and ease of changeover in mind. Your packaging line will be modular with expansion capabilities built to keep pace with your company’s growing demands. Our expert technical team supports customers throughout the process from kick-off to final commissioning and beyond.
At BellatRx, we live by an encompassing mindset to create a “Beyond Expectation” experience for our customers. This experience is derived from our capabilities in application analysis, innovative engineering designs, product development, project management, on-time delivery, installation, start-up support, training, and ongoing aftermarket support.
BellatRx continues to implement the latest automation technologies to manufacture packaging machines which have become the benchmark in the industry due to their intuitive operation and easy setup. We are dedicated to expanding our product lines through ongoing investments in our people, R&D, and facilities to provide our customers with the best support, lead time, and value.
QC
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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, forward-thinking innovative industrial printing designs. Product designs are focused on ease of use, trouble-free operation, longterm 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.
Bevcorp offers solutions for your filling, blending, container handling, and seamer packaging equipment, parts, and service needs. Our goal is to provide unparalleled service highlighted by our dedicated commitment to serving the food and beverage industries. We provide high speed rotary filling equipment including new and Bevcorp Certified can and bottle fillers. We manufacture both electronic volumetric and mechanical rotary filling equipment. Our Microblend Division manufactures the Micro2 Advantage Series Blender, in-line carbonator, CSD, hot fill and non-carbonated blenders, replacement parts, and provides 24-hour service and support. Our FCI Handling Division provides quick-change handling, conversions for all brands of equipment, parts carts & storage solutions, vent tubes/ ball cages, base control and neck handling solutions. Our newest division, East Coast Seamers, provides rebuilds and overhaul services for Angelus, Continental and Canco can seamers, 24-hour emergency service, parts, oil and lubrication analysis, installations and training.
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. You make it, They’ll pack it!
• rimary ackaging ision guided robots picking individual packaged and unpackaged items for loading into your containers, wrappers or hffs machines; including Carton, Case and Tray Packing, Stacking and Loading, ariety acks into Sack or Case, inner Tray oading and it Assembly
• Secondary ackaging ori ontal and vertical pack solutions for fle ible and other packages; including wrap around case packing and end-load cartoning acking shelf ready Their Easy- case is a retail-ready case that allows for easy top loading and ensures a good-looking product appearance on the shelf.
• Turnkey ackaging Systems Taking total control of your packaging line from the end of processing through palleti ing
id you know ongerius anco, a leading supplier of multipack bag-in-bag systems is now powered by BluePrint Automation? With their wide range of bag-in-bag and sealchecking solutions, ongerius anco is the perfect complement to BPA’s end of line packaging solutions.
Backed by thousands of successful installations in over 60 countries, BPA has three full-service manufacturing facilities in the USA and Europe, an additional facility in ang hou China and ten additional subsidiaries throughout the world for sales and service. BPA has clearly emerged as a global leader in the design and manufacturing of fully integrated turnkey packaging systems. The systems are constructed for around the clock operation and known worldwide for their quick change over, flexibility, speed and simple design.
Brenton is a global leader in designing and manufacturing integrated end of line case packaging systems and machines, specializing in case packing and palletizing using both robotics and other automation. 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 are reliable, efficient and easy to operate. With over 850 traditional case packers and robotic case packing installations, Brenton continues to be a leader in the case packing industry. These systems are designed for maximum flexibility, to accommodate diverse product requirements. Brenton’s Case packing solutions offer a wide range of options to easily accommodate our customer’s applications.
The Brenton full line of palletizing and depalletizing solutions uses rugged designs which help maximize the reliability and value of your machinery. Brenton’s systems range from single pick palletizers to bulk robotic palletizers and depalletizers as well as conventional machinery. By offering both conventional and robotic palletizing and depalletizing products, the Brenton line meets virtually every automation challenge. As a FANUC ASI and 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.
Brenton Integrated System Solutions offer customers a single source for all end-of-line packaging needs, from standalone applications to complex packaging systems. Brenton solutions integrate not only Brenton machines but also the entire ProMach family of brands as well as other customer specified equipment. Integrating systems streamlines the production process, allowing for maximum efficiency and increased productivity.
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. Retrofit upgrades also available on the competition’s solutions.
757-463-7800
www.buschusa.com
Busch Vacuum Solutions combines the precision of German engineering with American-made know-how to offer an extensive range of vacuum pumps, blowers, and compressors tailored for your unique application.
Busch is proud to offer high quality, reliable solutions crafted in the US. Our key products for packaging are proudly constructed with a combination of US-made components and international materials - giving customers both reliability and value.
At Busch, quality and innovation come first. Our expert engineering team is committed to creating vacuum systems that meet the unique requirements of our customers. With such dedication to excellence, it’s no wonder we are a leader in system building!
Keeping your production running smoothly is our top priority. Our nationwide network of service centers or on-site Field Service Specialists provides expert maintenance and repair solutions, including 24/7 support for unexpected breakdowns. Invest in peace of mind knowing that with Busch you can maximize uptime, optimize safety, and improve efficiency.
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Founded in 1976, Buskro is 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 & Workflow software, 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.
Buskro research and development is constantly searching for new products, processes and systems. This commitment to innovation has produced industry leading operating systems, print technologies & transports.
BW Integrated Systems is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of end-of-line 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 a company that enables its associates to return home daily 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 portfolio comprises trusted legacy products (Ambec, Fleetwood, Goldco, Nigrelli, SWF, Tisma), innovative solutions like our Maximus Case Palletizer and Fortis Bulk Depalletizer, and integrated packaging systems. In addition, 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 & Craft Beverage, Wine & Spirits, Container Manufacturing, Food, Household, Personal Care, Dairy, Paper, Pharmaceutical, and Industrial.
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 worldwide. With six manufacturing facilities and over 650 team members worldwide, BW Integrated Systems is a trusted global partner for our clients, ranging from mid-size to multi-national corporations.
Contact us to learn more.
BW Packaging is Barry-Wehmiller’s global team of packaging professionals who genuinely care about people. We show our customers that they matter by learning about their challenges and embracing them as our own. Through these partnerships, we develop purposeful packaging solutions to optimize our customers’ processes and back them with a lifetime of customer support.
Comprised of five divisions - Accraply, BW Flexible Systems, BW Integrated Systems, Pneumatic Scale Angelus and Synerlink - BW Packaging offers comprehensive packaging machinery and solutions including complete packaging lines, filling and closing, flexible packaging, labeling, end-of-line solutions, and systems integration.
Whether you need a single piece of equipment or a fully integrated line, BW Packaging provides reliable packaging solutions for food, beverage, personal care, household products and pharmaceuticals.
With 11,000+ installations around the world, BW Packaging brings a global perspective to solving the industry’s greatest challenges. Through innovation, application of our broad packaging expertise, and collaboration with our customers, we optimize packaging solutions for:
• Sustainability Infusing sustainable thinking into our business culture and practices.
• Integration Building robust connections through e pertise and IIoT solutions.
• Automation rioriti ing people and safety while streamlining production
• erformance Improving OEE with reliable solutions and lifetime customer support.
Looking to improve production and efficiency? Cama has 40 years’ experience designing and building innovative, automated secondary packaging solutions that are easy to operate, improve production and OEE, and run multiple products with quick and easy changeovers. A subsidiary of Cama Group, Cama North America is vertically integrated, providing complete sales, manufacturing and aftermarket support to North American customers, including engineering, parts and technical service.
Cama’s expertise spans a wide range of applications, including various food markets, as well as Pet Food, Personal, Health, and Home Care. Our product line includes:
• Case packers and case packing systems for SC, wrap-around, and retail-ready /display ready cases C , as well as forming, closing and lidding machines for bo es, trays and SC cases
• Intermittent and continuous motion cartoners and carton sleevers
• Integrated decoupled and monoblock robotic loading units
Check out our new BreakThrough Generation of case packers, cartoners, and sleevers BT models feature high sanitation levels quick and easy, tool-less changeovers fle ible configurations and ease of maintenance and accessibility. They offer a monoblock design, no hollow body structure, and C-less, cabinet-free technology with non-proprietary electronics In addition, they are T M-compliant and ready for the future with Industry features such as our Augmented eality A Machine Assistant.
Offering flexibility and quick changeover in a compact footprint, our integrated, turnkey systems can accept flexible or rigid products in an oriented or random configuration, orient packages as needed, end load or top load products into a carton, and case pack into a display ready and/or conventional SC or wraparound case In addition, the Cama ackaging epartment offers more than years of e perience in the design and testing of packaging cardboard, and can often help design more sustainable solutions that help our customers save material costs and reduce their impact on the environment.
Partner with Clysar for packaging with a positive impact.
Clysar is a leading U.S. shrink film manufacturer with sustainable solutions for virtually every packaging application: offering today’s most extensive portfolio of recyclable, recycled-content and right-gauged polyolefin films. Gain industry-leading expertise, 24/7 technical service and the developmental support of a knowledgeable sustainability team. Recyclable Films – Find a high-performance recycled film for every product, prequalified for Store Drop-Off by How2Recycle®. Solutions include Clysar® EVO™ all-purpose film, EVOX™ high-speed film, EVO-C™ Confidential e-commerce/privacy film, EVO™ ShrinkBox® high-abuse film and ULTRA LEG™ low-energy film.
Certified Recycled Content – Meet your goals with shrink packaging made with pre- or post-consumer recycled content. EVO-C™ Confidential film, an opaque shipping film, features Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) content. Other clear films incorporate Clysar® ReClaim™ pre-consumer resin certified by SCS Global Services.
PVC Replacement – Improve material health and eliminate toxins with advanced polyolefin films that replace PVC shrink film (polyvinyl chloride), including our gentle new recyclable ULTRA LEG™ low-energy film.
Right-Gauging/Source Reduction – Explore options to reduce packaging, eliminate components and deliver improved performance at lower gauges. Solutions range from printed shrink film to thin films to corrugate replacement films that save up to 80% in package volume.
Reduced Energy Use/Cost – Lower impacts with films that run reliably at lower temperatures in sealers and tunnels, achieve improved speed/ throughput and eliminate rewraps.
Responsible U.S. Manufacturing – With 60+ years of shrink packaging expertise, Clysar is a responsible resource that meets rigorous qualifications for environmental, social and ethical performance. We are committed to environmental collaboration, education and improved packaging performance.
Make your next package more sustainable and successful. Visit clysar.com or talk with us to explore the advantages of full-circle shrink packaging.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1.877.204.7444
Columbia/Okura LLC is a leading robotic palletizing integrator. Our team applies expert knowledge, gained through 26 years of business, with the right tools to solve customers’ “End of Line” production challenges for a diverse range of businesses, products, and applications. The historical success of our company can be attributed to an exclusive focus on end-ofline palletizing systems and applications.
We provide design, integration, and commission of end-of-line robotic palletizing systems including industrial robots, cobots, automated bagging machines, and integrated equipment. Through our partnerships, we procure and integrate top-of-the-line valve packers, pallet and sheet dispensers, conveyors, and any additional end-of-line equipment your line might need. By providing custom-engineered solutions, we develop robotic palletizing systems to meet demanding customer requirements.
Our team is well versed in providing solutions for most major manufacturing industries including:
• Animal Nutrition
• Beans, entils, ulses
• Building Materials
• Chemical roducts
• ood Beverage
• Milled roducts
• Medical / harmaceutical
After a system is shipped and installed, ourdedicated service team continues to support our customers with 24/7 remote support, troubleshooting, and maintenance services. We maintain a team of experienced field service technicians and engineers that are available to travel to our customer sites, offering services customized to a client’s specific needs Additionally, our team is trainedtrainers, conducting onsight training for system operators, ensuring they know how to operate the system safely.
CTM Labeling Systems
330/332-1800
www.ctmlabelingsystems.com
From design and engineering through final system set-up and quality control, exceptional expertise and craftsmanship is built in at every level to create the finest labeling machines available on the market. Setting high standards is difficult, maintaining those standards is even tougher. The highest standard, that we consider our benchmark, is unsurpassed support “after the sale.”
At CTM, supporting our customers before, during and after the sale is paramount. Our management team and dedicated support staffs are driven by some of the most experienced and well-respected professionals in the industry. From semi-automatic applications to the most demanding highspeed, high-accuracy labeling solutions, we understand your needs. More importantly, we understand how to convert your needs into successful production.
To maintain unparalleled quality standards, every phase of our company is housed under one roof. When raw material leaves the rack, it travels through the most automated manufacturing facility in the industry. Stateof-the-art equipment incorporating precise tolerances, coupled with true craftsmen at the controls, results in an impeccable product. Our promise to you — “You won’t find better quality, better service or better delivery anywhere else in the industry.”
We welcome you to tour our facility and experience the “CTM Commitment to Excellence” firsthand.
Products:
• Tabletop Wrap Systems
• Custom abeling Systems
• a abel Applicators
• a rinter Applicator
• ST Servo Tamp rinter Applicator
• T-Base, -Base Stands
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.
We are a leading manufacturer of advanced case packing and cartoning machinery. Our talented 350 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.
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 full line 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 1 billion Cabrio Cases are in use across many product categories in 2023! 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.
Delkor’s robotic case packers and cartoning machines were designed for today’s diverse packaging environment.
From package design to finished pallet, we’ll help you with everything you need. We’ll handle the hassle of upstream and downstream add-ons, purchases, and recommendations for your project.
Diagraph provides identification solutions that make it easy for manufacturers to make the perfect mark – print after print after print. Diagraph focuses on partnering with customers in every aspect of their coding and labeling operations, including warehouse automation and eCommerce – providing a holistic approach that maximizes efficiencies for customers and drives tangible value throughout a long-term partnership.
Diagraph is the longest established business in the product identification industry and has been a trusted leading manufacturer and distributor of product identification solutions for 130 years.
Our solutions include:
• in small character continuous inkjet printers lead the industry in durability and reliability with the longest intervals between printhead cleanings (up to 3 months). The simple user interface allows for quick message setup and intuitive daily operation. The sealed industrial printhead provides maximum print quality protection over longer periods of time.
• The new esMark is the ne t generation standard for case coding
Utilizing its extensive industry knowledge, Diagraph engineered this intelligent system to deliver simplicity, reliability, flexibility and a lower cost of ownership over the life of the system. This high-resolution industrial inkjet printer system offers the industry s largest print area and greatest throw distance and sets the standard for durability and the lowest cost per mark. Innovative and patented rapid replace printheads can be brought online quicker, reducing production line disturbances and repairs while minimizing downtime.
• iagraph s all-electric labeling print apply systems and label applicators are simply the smartest, most efficient and reliable automated labeling systems in the industry. Industry-leading smart technology uses sensors to reduce label application complications and ensure a one-to-one label to product match for secondary packaging and pallet labeling.
469-885-5722
www.doosanrobotics.com
Founded in 1896, Doosan Group has achieved an incredible reputation as one of the most advanced industrial machinery innovators in the world. Doosan Robotics Americas continues this tradition of technological excellence with a complete lineup of cutting-edge industrial optimization and automation tools, perfect for applications of packaging, palletizing, pick-and-place, and beyond.
Doosan cobots easily integrate and interface with a wide range of equipment and systems. Having partnered with industry-leading manufacturers of tools, grippers, sensors, and software, Doosan cobots install quickly for immediate operation – they also arrive within four weeks of ordering. With intuitive one-touch programming and automatic axis alignment, these products are incredibly easy to use for dynamic processes and precision movements.
Doosan’s cobot lineup consists of three tiers and ten models with payload capacities ranging from 5kg to 25kg and reach capabilities ranging from 900mm to 1,700mm. Whether you’re looking to tackle precision palletizing tasks or heavy-duty package conveyance, Doosan Robotics has the perfect products to get the job done.
Duravant is a global engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. The Duravant family of operating companies serve the food processing, packaging and material handling segments.
Duravant’s packaging families include:
Fischbein International, a global leader in sewing and sealing systems, designs and manufactures bag packaging equipment and complete systems.
Mespack is an international manufacturer of flexible packaging solutions that engineers and builds high speed machinery for the world’s leading consumer packaged goods companies.
nVenia designs, builds and integrates primary, secondary and end-of-line packaging solutions for producers of consumer packaged goods and industrial products with longstanding brands Arpac, Fischbein, Hamer, and Ohlson.
Wulftec is the world’s leading manufacturer of highly complex, fully customizable load containment solutions for end-of-line packaging applications.
Duravant’s food processing companies consist of Foodmate, Key Technology, Marelec, Marlen, Multiscan and WECO.
FMH Conveyors and QC Conveyors make up Duravant’s material handling segment.
763/428-4846
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 of installing, training, and servicing our equipment. At our manufacturing facility in Big Lake, 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 reflects Eastey’s commitment to meeting new needs and new challenges and ensuring that customers have reliable solutions for their packaging application.
Eastey, Squid Ink, and American Film & Machinery (AFM) are all divisions of Engage Technologies Corporation. 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. American Film & Machinery (afmsleeves.com) supplies shrink labelers and tunnels, shrink sleeves, and tamper bands.
Engage Technologies Corporation is headquartered in Brooklyn Park, MN with facilities in Big Lake, MN, Spring Lake Park, MN, The Hague, Netherlands, and Shanghai, China.
(360) 673-0018
Make Crating Your Easiest Task
Revolutionary and patented Ecorrcrate® is a standalone, all-corrugated shipping crate solution. Presented in a convenient, easy-to-use format, Ecorrcrate is designed to better protect your product at a lower cost.
Do you struggle with:
• igh freight costs due to shipping heavy wood crates
• roduct damage in transit
• igh cost of packaging labor
• E port quarantine delays
The Bottom Line
We know determining ROI for your company’s bottom line is top priority. Take this opportunity to evaluate both your front end and back end costs, including product replacement rates as well as the associated cost of poor customer e periences before finali ing a decision on your shipping solution.
• Starting cost is lower than common wood crates
• ight weight Ecorrcrates will lower your freight in most situations
• Setup is easy and safe, saving you time and money on labor
• euse and repeat due to our durable and straightforward design
Wait…It’s sustainable and durable?
Finding a reliable, highly durable shipping solution that is also sustainable is often quite challenging Wood is a renewable resource but typical disposal is in the dumpster headed for the landfill.
This is where Ecorrcrate stands alone in the crated goods industry. Ecorrcrate is built from paper-based corrugate lumber. Our proprietary cross-laminated material gives the Ecorrcrate superior multi-directional strength and durability to better protect your products.
Strong, highly Water esistant, Shatterproof, Easy to assemble, enewable, Easily recycled, and IS M compliant, we are confident that Ecorrcrate will improve your processes and lower your Carbon footprint.
At Encoder Products Company, we strive to serve you with expert service, quality products, and fast delivery. EPC specializes in encoders for motion feedback in industrial automation applications such as packaging, printing, labeling, vision systems, food and beverage, motor feedback, and more.
We understand that each industrial automation application is different, and you need encoders that fit the requirements 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 up to 65,536 CPR. You’ll also get an industry-leading warranty, and fast delivery from Idaho, USA.
EPC offers:
• Tru-Trac linear measurement solutions – an integrated encoder, measuring wheel, and pivot arm in one compact unit
• raw wire units with wire lengths up to 2 meters
• Accu-Coder ro programmable encoders
• Magnetic multi-turn absolute encoders that operate in the absence of power without gear trains or batteries
• obust mechanical housings for harsh operating environments, with stainless steel and corrosion-resistant options
• Magnetic encoder modules with sealing to I
• Temperature ranges from - C to 2 C
• Competitor cross referencing and drop-in ready irect eplacement encoders
• Engineering services for your custom motion feedback needs
E C is ISO 2 certified, and we design, manufacture, and assemble most of our encoders and accessories at our corporate headquarters in Idaho, USA. When you call EPC, you’ll talk to engineers and encoder experts who can help you find the right motion feedback for your application. Contact us today.
Enercon’s induction cap sealing technology reliably creates hermetic seals to prevent leaks, provide tamper evidence, extend shelf life, deter pilferage and preserve product freshness.
With industry leading application expertise, equipment design, and support, Enercon makes implementing induction sealing simple. Our application engineers will recommend the best power supply and sealing head for your specific product, cap and container to ensure you will always Achieve a Perfect Seal.
Our highly efficient power supplies & innovative sealing heads optimize induction fields for reliable sealing. Whether you package pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, beverage, cosmetics or personal care products, Enercon has a system solution for you. Seal containers one at a time with the industry workhorse the Super Seal™ Jr. For continuous production line sealing, choose the Super Seal™ Touch & Super Seal™ Max with intuitive touchscreen control with remarkable features such as recipe control, operator lockout and integrated troubleshooting information.
For moderate & low line speeds, our NEW Super Seal™ brilliantly seals containers while offering advanced features. Integrated stalled container detection, container rejection control, fault information, and a menu-driven interface provides operators with all the tools they need for successful sealing.
Whether you are new to induction sealing or a packaging industry veteran, you will appreciate the application expertise provided to Enercon customers around the world. We offer quick start guides, application infographics, free webinars, training, and of course 24/7 service.
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-inclass 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.
FANUC America is the leading supplier of CNCs, robotics and ROBOMACHINEs with over 40 million products installed globally. We have the largest variety of easy-to-use robot and cobot models available to pick, pack, fulfill or palletize any product.
FANUC’s robots and cobots are reliable, flexible and can handle virtually any size product - from 0.5 kg. to 2,300 kg., including:
- Our CRX collaborative robots are reliable, flexible, and easy-to-use solutions for kitting, palletizing, packing and much more.
- The new DR-3iB/6 STAINLESS is FANUC’s stainless-steel food-grade delta robot for picking and packing primary food products. Rated IP69K, the robot meets USDA and FDA food safety standards.
- Expanded SCARA robot family has six models including environmental options rated IP65 to withstand dust and liquids.
- The popular LR Mate series of tabletop robots has ten models including ISO Class 4 cleanroom and food-grade variants.
- The M-20iB/25C robot with an enclosed design and IP67 rating to withstand harsh environments.
- Established M-410iC series of high-speed palletizing robots.
FANUC offers application software for packaging and palletizing, integrated iRVision® and tracking features, ROBOGUIDE simulation, Dual Check Safety (DCS), and Zero Down Time (ZDT) to help customers monitor and manage their automation.
When you’re ready to automate, FANUC and our team of Authorized System Integrators are here to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution for your plant or fulfillment center. Let’s discuss how we can help you overcome production, supply chain and labor challenges by improving your OEE, flexibility, sanitation and safety. Also, we are committed to “Service First,” providing our customers parts and support for the life of their FANUC products.
Read more about FANUC America’s innovations in Packaging World.
Factory automation solutions from FlexLink, a Coesia company, increase the overall efficiency of production by minimizing throughput time. Our standardized solutions have a strong impact on factory performance and capability to meet the labor challenges of today. Our solutions are reconfigurable, reusable and requires minimal maintenance with low power consumption.
FlexLink’s team of experienced experts can propose customized solutions according to your needs. We deliver all sizes of projects – from simple part deliveries to large and complex turn-key solutions. Our approach is based on streamlining the material and information flows in a production process to maximize the value of the process and minimize all potential losses.
Automated palletizing with FlexLink palletizers (RC10, RC12 and RI20) helps reduce the workload of your employees. Using robotic palletizing solutions enables you to achieve effective and sustainable benefits by fully automating physically demanding and time-consuming tasks.
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 a network of Strategic Partners. Our partner network is an important strategic element for FlexLink’s business model since our start in 1980, enabling us to enhance efficiency at factories in more than 60 countries.
FlexLink is part of Coesia, a group of innovation-based industrial and packaging solutions companies operating globally, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. www.coesia.com
FOCKE & CO is an international leading engineering company for packaging machines within the tobacco, food, savoury snacks, and hygiene industry. With more than 60+ years in business, we are proud to offer high-level machinery with top technology. FOCKE & CO is well recognized for providing turnkey engineering solutions for primary packaging, end–of–line packaging, and palletizing.
Due to the delicate nature of snack products, FOCKE & CO’s case packers offer careful handling alongside the flexibility to accommodate tray, traywith-lid, and case (RSC) packaging. In fact, our machines - such as the HFP Base (Highly Flexible Packer) - provide multiple pack configurations that normally cannot be achieved with a typical case packer. With a clean machine concept and a compact footprint, our HFP Base is designed to fit perfectly into typical snack food production lines.
The modular machinery design of the FOCKE stacker and bagger equipment offers economic solutions for various applications for the hygiene industry. Increased efficiency and an open design enable easy operations and maintenance. Neither various bag styles nor sustainable materials affect the operation planning with this packaging line. The stacker module itself stands for high flexibility to combine multiple modules such as one or more bagger and / or cartoner, flow wrapper, case packer as well as further packaging solutions.
With sales and service centers worldwide, FOCKE & CO has the capabilities to deliver local technical support, training, and spare parts. FOCKE & CO has repeatedly set new benchmarks in terms of output and product quality. Our ground-breaking technologies in the field of motion control combined with components featuring extreme dimensional accuracy are highly acclaimed in the industry. This is why we are the leader in Packaging Solutions.
We are here to help you design a packaging solution that is EFFICIENT, RELIABLE, and SUSTAINABLE.
Equipment EFFICIENCY is the result of many different options. The features of a Formost Fuji standard wrapper include a vision system that controls registration and makes for a faster film change and an operation panel with a tablet-like, intuitive user interface that helps reduce labor hours. The ALPHA 8 flow wrapper center seals are designed with induction heat technology that provides fast and consistent sealing, which in turn increases output and saves energy. These are just a few standard features to improve your packaging line’s efficiency.
RELIABILITY has been proven time and time again with our bagging and wrapping machines. Formost Fuji equipment is designed and built for years of dependable operation. In-house dedication to the design and manufacturing of our equipment has positioned Formost Fuji as a leader in quality horizontal flow wrapping and bagging machines as well as automation systems that remain the most reliable in the industry.
Formost Fuji is a leader in providing SUSTAINABLE packaging lines for our customers. With eco-friendly and recyclable materials continually improving and becoming more readily available, we provide free testing in our lab with your product and new films. This allows you to determine if the materials you are considering will align with your product, package integrity, and marketing efforts. Other innovative solutions, such as eliminating foam trays within flow wrap packaging, help meet consumer demand for better sustainability.
You can count on your partnership with Formost Fuji to provide you with excellent customer service from the beginning of the sales cycle, through the build and delivery, and continuing with support, training, and onsite service for years to come.
From sealers and cartoners to cappers, labelers to wrappers, Frain has a wide range of packaging equipment ready to ship to your facility within 2 weeks! Each Frain machine that ships out from our facility arrives to yours completely dialed into your product so when it arrives to your facility, you’re ready to begin production. It’s the closest thing to plug and play you’ll get in the packaging industry. Read on to learn more about how Frain adds value to every equipment purchase or rental.
Equipment Rentals:
Invest only in what you need when you need it with packaging equipment rentals from Frain. Ideal for seasonal items, special edition products and new product development, Frain’s program allows firms to conserve capital and maximize profit. All rentals come dialed into your product, allowing your firm to begin production faster. Best of all, there’s no long-term commitment necessary.
Why pay in full for something before you even use it? With Frain’s Pay As You Go flexible capital program, you’ll only pay for packaging equipment as you use it. There’s no leasing and no large capital investment. Instead, you’ll have the financial flexibility to invest in more projects, take more chances and get products to market faster – and on your schedule.
Consulting and Technical Support: Setup. Inspection. Repair. Training. It’s all part of the Frain difference. All Frain rentals and purchases come with up to 8 hours of technical support from Frain engineers to get you started – and we’re standing by to help with other maintenance and service too.
Contact Frain Today:
For more information on Frain and to inquire about the next piece of equipment for your packaging line, contact us today at 630-629-9900 or visit www.frain.com.
1-800-257-8581
Founded in 1926 in Hammonton, New Jersey, Garvey is recognized as a leader in designing and manufacturing low-impact, multi-functional, pressure-less loop accumulation systems, and conveyor systems. Highly regarded for its engineering expertise in developing equipment that can handle a large variety of product shapes and sizes, Garvey’s solutions convey, accumulate, orient, single file, combine, and lane products rapidly without back pressure or operator interference. It is a leader in bottling operations ranging from small vaccine vials to wine bottles. Garvey offers a broad product offering across both modular standard and highly engineered accumulation solutions. Garvey has approximately 100 employees, including a highly technical sales and engineering organization with a proven track record of innovation within the accumulation market.
Garvey’s flagship product is the Infinity Accumulator, designed to provide efficient and rapid accumulation of products without back pressure or operator interference.
The Infinity is a modular, standard accumulation solution, highly regarded for its ability to handle an extensive range of product shapes and sizes. It can handle it all, from small vaccine vials to wine bottles. Its unique design allows for products to be conveyed, accumulated, oriented, single-filed, combined, and laned rapidly and efficiently, ensuring maximum production output.
One of the critical features of the Infinity Accumulator is its pressureless loop accumulation system. This system eliminates the need for back pressure and reduces the risk of product damage, making it a reliable and safe solution for handling products. The accumulator is also equipped with the latest in engineering expertise, ensuring that it is highly functional and efficient.
Garvey’s Infinity is a perfect solution for companies looking to improve their operational efficiency. Its modular design makes it easy to install and integrate into existing systems, and its efficient accumulation technology maximizes production output.
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, flow-wrapping, 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.
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 12 manufacturing, warehouse, and associated facilities, 10 testing centers, and more than 30 offices globally. 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.
High Tek USA, Inc.
www.hightekusa.com
High Tek USA has been a major player in the food weighing and packaging industry for almost 20 years. Founder and CEO, Jason Sigman started High Tek when he noticed that companies weren’t getting a quick turnaround on either the purchase or the repair of their machines. “When a weighing packaging machine goes down, the customer doesn’t have the ability to fulfill orders, which could mean loss of revenue, loss of the food product, and sometimes the loss of their business,” says Sigman. “We make sure that doesn’t happen.”
High Tek’s machines are durable, dependable, and long-lasting, with the star being their Premium Combination Weigher. High Tek’s machines have been created with the customer’s actual needs in mind. Customers want a machine that performs the essential speed and accuracy requirements but is also easy to operate, clean, and repair. This one has so many standard features and options for customers, it delivers everything for those who need it.
High Tek’s 24-hour technical and emergency services just can’t be beaten in this industry. “We have structured our business like firefighters, meaning we have the tools and experience to quickly identify an issue and provide solutions,” says Sigman. “We can schedule emergency services and get a technician on a plane with parts usually within 24 hours.”
Rancho Cordova
847-956-6600
www.hitachi-iesa.com/industrial-marking-and-coding
Hitachi Industrial Equipment & Solutions America, LLC is a pioneering developer of marking and coding solutions. We offer a wide range of Continuous Inkjet Printers and other solutions that are aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing maintenance costs associated with package printing. Since 1975, Hitachi has provided solutions to food & beverage, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and industrial packaging.
The new Hitachi UX2 printer combines innovation with the reliability customers have come to expect from Hitachi. This UX2 continuous inkjet printer has several new features to enhance the coding process:
• Enhanced code quality at higher speeds – The improved dot control algorithms create more legible codes. Even at increased speeds, code quality does not degrade.
• Added convenience and safety – With a sealed Safe-Clean Station, multiple cleaning modes, and self-guided troubleshooting videos available, the UX2 puts control in the hands of the operator.
• Quick line changeovers – Move inkjet printers from production line to line with ease using preconfigured I/O connectors, eliminating timeconsuming mistakes.
• Newly designed print head – Because of the print head modification to catch inkjet build-up, the UX2 printer can run for three times longer by reducing print quality issues and electronic faults.
A vision system is developed specifically able to isolate each character in the dot matrix inkjet printing while most vision systems on the market today are limited in their ability to read dot matrix printing found on primary packaging. This provides some key benefits to manufacturing companies:
• Specifically developed to accurately read inkjet codes regardless of the printer brand being used
• Isolation of each character to detect code degradation
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.
IPG’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 4,200 employees with operations in 35 locations, including 21 manufacturing facilities in North America, five in Asia and three in Europe.
888-419-2358
Intralox is the leading conveyance solutions provider helping move the world’s most critical products. Our extensive portfolio of technologies and services enhances food safety, powers e-commerce, and solves challenges for industries ranging from food processing to industrial manufacturing to logistics and material handling. Our business model relies on direct collaborative partnerships rather than distributors. Serving and supplying directly provides you with distinct advantages, including:
• E traordinary customer service
• Industry-specific e pertise
• aster innovation and implementation cycles
We partner with leading companies across the packaging industry to deliver innovative technology, reliable operations, and optimized line layouts. Whether you’re an equipment manufacturer or end user, you can benefit from our innovative products, comprehensive services, and unparalleled expertise.
Intralox’s belt and equipment solutions for the packaging industry help you:
• Optimi eline layouts for throughput and fle ibility
• uture-proof lines for fle ibility and sustainability
• Standardi e belts, equipment, and components
• educe product loss, operating costs, and downtime
Our acker to alleti er consists of three core facets E pertise,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 working with Intralox early in your project, you can achieve this and more with the right components and the right services before, during, and after installation— delivered on time, every time.
(864) 297-1200
ITW Hartness, a division of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), is the first choice in secondary packaging solutions. Our product portfolio includes highquality accumulation, packing and palletizing equipment that deliver unprecedented OEE, and lead the industry in using IIoT technology to maximize customer value.
ACCUMULATION—Recognized as the global leader in first-in, first-out, pressure-free accumulation, our proprietary DYNAC portfolio includes single-file, mass flow and floor level models to fit any application. With a small footprint flexible enough to handle a wide variety of packaging types, our products are relied on by leading consumer goods companies to prevent micro stops and increase uptime – saving you money.
PACKING—No matter how complex the package, our innovative packing solutions deliver speed, flexibility, and cost savings. Top load drop packing, shrink, tray, wraparound, and robotic case packing solutions make up our diverse portfolio. We work with customers to provide the solution best equipped to meet the unique needs of your product mix and operation.
PALLETIZING/DEPALLETIZING—With more than 500 robots installed and long-tenured experience on our team, ITW Hartness leads the industry with our proven palletizing and depalletizing equipment. Built to handle a wide range of products and packaging formats with no expensive change parts and fully automated changeover, customers see ROI in as little as 18 months or less.
AFTERMARKET—Downtime is expensive. That’s why our experienced customer support team is available 24/7. From onsite service and machine rebuilds to training and equipment updates, customers rely on ITW Hartness to provide unmatched expertise and support.
SYSTEMS INTEGRATION—Using a DYNAC-centric line design philosophy and best-in-class approach to machine center selection, our expert integration team helps select customers maximize end-of-line efficiency. Projects are validated using simulation software to assess performance, allowing customers to understand their investment and ROI even before the install. With proven experience helping customers increase throughout and lower cost of ownership, our equipment portfolio adds reliability and flexibility to any line.
908/362-9266
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.
James Alexander Corp. has expanded its operations floorspace, adding 18,000 square feet to its warehousing capacity and 2,000 feet apiece to manufacturing and office space. The expansion provides additional 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.
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.
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.
JLS Automation supplies hygienic robotic packaging solutions for the food industry that solve complex packaging challenges. Designed for even the strictest sanitary environments, our custom vision-guided primary & secondary robotic packaging systems are user-friendly, fast to start-up, & ensure both worker & food safety.
Several patents have been awarded for our proprietary robotic tooling & high-speed leak detection systems. Our hygienic, vision-guided robotic packaging systems are made to get wet, simple to integrate into your packaging line & never get tired!
Talon® Primary Loading Systems – Hygienic pick-and-place systems for loading thermoformers, flow-wrappers, vacuum skin packs, trays & more.
Osprey® Case Packers - Accurate & gentle loading of thermoformed packs, bags, SUPs, trays, chubs & other primary packs into standard RSC or retail-ready cases in horizontal or vertical orientation.
Peregrine® Vision-Guided Cartoning Solution - Load tri-seal & other cartons easily & efficiently. Elimination of conveyor transfers. Robotic loading & closing. All within a small footprint.
Harrier Bacon Draft Loading System - Automatically load bacon drafts into thermoformers, save floor space, solve labor gaps & increase productivity.
Sandwich Assembly System - Automatically build various sandwiches, accurately stacking each component from the bun/bread to meat, cheese & other ingredients. Lines can include up-and downstream equipment.
Integrated Systems - We take system responsibility for your entire line from concept to design, integration, FAT & installation.
JLS View - Reduce downtime spent on service & maintenance. Virtual service calls utilizing Microsoft HoloLens 2 technology provide easy access to technicians. Save time & get your line back running quickly.
941/493-5502
King Plastic Corporation is the leading manufacturer of quality polymer sheets, slabs, and massive shapes. With over 20 product brands to choose from and applications for every industry you can imagine. The Polymer sheets are made in the U.S.A.
King Hy-Pact®, the super tough polymer sheet is the smart choice for many high abuse applications in the food service, food processing and packaging markets.
The industrial polymer sheet is environmentally stabilized with excellent physical properties. It is the product of a proprietary process called K-Stran™, the most advanced manufacturing process of quality sheets with tight tolerances and custom widths up to 60”. King Hy-Pact® has a clean white color with a smooth, non-skived finish on both sides of sheet for better material flow. It is also available in black. Tests have shown for outdoor applications after 2,000 hours of UV exposure, King Hy-Pact® outperforms both HDPE and UHMW with superior toughness in wear resistance, flexibility and high-impact strength. King Hy-Pact® is the smart choice for many high abuse applications requiring superior properties, outstanding flatness and a smooth surface while providing significant cost savings compared to UHMW. Applications include, but are not limited to, food processing chutes, star wheels, fabricated parts, snowplow blades and dock fenders. The material is easy to machine and fabricate. King Hy-Pact® polymer sheet is NSF listed to meet requirements of commercial food processing operations for direct and indirect food contact.
Applications
Bin and Mixer Linings
Chain and Belt Guides
Conveyor and Guide Rails
Food Processing Components
Machine Parts
Material Handling
Sprockets
Star Wheels
In the kp Food Packaging division, the sustainable protection of everyday needs is very important to us. Our aim is to ensure you get the most sustainable total food packaging solutions that not only protect your food products while extending shelf-life and reducing food waste, but that can also be recycled. We operate across a vast range of fresh food categories, supplying thermoformed trays, rigid films for form, fill and seal applications as well as flexible barrier and stretch films to protect your products.
With 20 manufacturing and distribution facilities across 14 countries worldwide, we maximise the value we deliver to our customers while understanding and meeting local needs.
Supplying solutions for the food packaging starts by understanding market and consumer trends and anticipating their needs. kp works with top brands and retailers to understand and develop unique solutions to make them innovators in their markets.
Our inhouse PET flake cleaning process allows us to use up to 100% postconsumer recycled PET to further support your sustainability goals and optimize the carbon footprint throughout the entire value chain.
With over half a century of experience supporting the food market, kp is uniquely positioned to offer market knowledge, in-house design capabilities and a complete solution to support our customers’ growth opportunities.
Focused on delivering its vision: The Sustainable Protection of Everyday Needs, kp is a global leader in rigid and flexible packaging, and specialty film solutions, serving the pharmaceutical, medical device, label film, consumer packaging, cards/graphics, and home building and construction markets. 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, protecting brand reputation and improving sustainability. kp’s “Investing in Better” sustainability strategy solidifies its commitment to achieving ten clear targets for long-term improvement by increasing recycling and recyclability of products, cutting carbon emissions and continuous improvement in employee engagement, safety, and diversity, equity and inclusion. kp has earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings, putting kp in the top 3% of companies rated in the manufacturing of plastics products sector. Founded in 1965 kp has 31 plants in 18 countries and employs over 5,900 people committed to serving customers worldwide in over 60 locations.
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, nutritional supplement 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.
Every day, millions of bottles, cans, and PET containers run through a Krones line. As a supplier for complete systems, Krones provides beverage bottlers, food producers, breweries and CPG companies all over the world with both individual machines and complete turnkey production lines. Our technology offerings are comprehensive and ever-expanding, with solutions from process technology, filling, and packaging…all the way through material flow, IT, automation, and container recycling.
With our comprehensive Lifecycle Service (LCS) aftermarket support program, Krones also provides full engineering and manufacturing support for implemented production solutions – up to 24 hours, 7 days-a-week. The robust online platform at Krones.shop offers a user-friendly experience to not only order spare parts, but also manage substitution lists, maintain customized stockkeeping, track upgrades, plan overhauls, and more. You can even access Krones Academy training courses for your on-site teams, allowing you to fully maximize your equipment investment.
Multiple Krones subsidiaries throughout North and Central America provide enhanced expertise and horsepower to meet your total packaging, production and processing needs. Serving the beverage, food, dairy, HPC and pharmaceutical industries, Krones Process Group North America provides sanitary process system expertise backed by the global depth and experience of KRONES. Leveraging over 165 years of combined experience, Krones North American subsidiaries Javlyn Process Systems, W.M. Sprinkman Corp. and Trans-Market have aligned, combining resources and knowledge to afford customers the highest level of quality.
Krones Inc. is headquartered in Franklin, Wis. and is the North and Central American subsidiary of Krones AG based in Neutraubling, Germany.
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.
When our customers asked for a labeling machine that was easy-to-use and production-tough, 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.
Since our inception, Label-Aire’s focus has always been on providing customers with the most inventive, intelligent, and reliable pressuresensitive labeling machines. The result? Over 50 years of satisfied customers with lower operating costs and higher productivity than our competitors.
At Mamata, we understand your needs and provide solutions to increase your productivity and reduce changeover times and footprint.
Our machines are based on conventional servo technology. They are designed to offer the best OEE in the simplex pouch packaging segment.
The key features address the crucial areas in terms of efficiency, hygiene, product quality and flexibility.
HFFS Rollstock machines: Our Simplex HFFS machines allows brands to produce and package pouches at upto 120 ppm and are to a Duplex machine. It’s ideal for lay-flat pouches, stand-up pouches with and without zippers, and single-serve sample packs in the range of 80 to 300 mm. Its ability to produce pouches from recyclable mono-material films makes it unique in the industry.
Premade Pouch filling systems: These machines are designed for highspeed premade pouch-filling applications, allowing you to trade old semi-automatic or manual operations for a highly efficient packaging machine. At 65 ppm, it delivers comparable speeds to a Duplex premade pouch system or a Simplex roll stock HFFS. An ideal machine to package trail mixes and nuts, fresh and frozen produce, snack foods, powders, Pet foods, etc. It’s designed to package both PE/PE recyclable mono-material pouches & laminated pouches.
VFFS baggers: Our Vertical Form Fill Sealing (VFFS) system achieves exceptional seal integrity and optimal precision across a large range of films at up to 220 ppm, making it the fastest system in the industry for single lane pouch filling.
All above and many more that will ease your packaging process and rise above getting competition.
For your pre-sales and after-sales support, our Florida location is equipped with spare-parts, local technical support, and sales consulting.
To help you define which technology offers the best price and performance ratio for your application, Markem-Imaje offers a full range of end-of-line solutions:
High-resolution Large Character Inkjet (LCIJ piezo)
Print and Apply Labeling
Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)
Low-resolution Large Character Valve Jet
The 5000 Series LCIJ piezo coders with Intelli’Wax printheads rapidly fill and jet Touch Dry® hot melt inks which are solvent-free, safe to handle and environmentally friendly. Codes never bleed or fade, dry on contact and are 100% scannable. The Intelli’Wax printheads combined with our exclusive Intelli’Dark Touch Dry ink produce the industry’s darkest, consistently scannable, direct print codes.
The 2200 Series print and apply solutions build on a proven concept that provides reliability, efficiency and ease of use. It gives you a wide range of interchangeable applicators, optimized operational intervention and an unparalleled application rate.
The innovative eTouch-S® applicator is built with artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure that labels are applied to your exacting standards on every pack, at the highest production speeds and in the safest manner possible. Thanks to its unique SoftTouch technology, the eTouch-S® applicator offers full movement control and application monitoring. An optional Advanced Trigger Sensor can fully automate labeling operations on variable-speed production lines with no operator intervention required.
End-of-line case coding is most effective when it gets the right product to its proper destination with high uptime in your factory. Regardless of which option you choose from us, you can take advantage of the data management capabilities of our CoLOS® platform and services to get the most out of your investment.
813/889-9500
METTLER TOLEDO is the world’s largest manufacturer of metal detectors, checkweighers, X-ray and vision 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 all types of metal contaminants, including the most difficult to detect stainless steel. Systems are offered for dry, bulk, packaged, liquid or frozen products for gravity feed, conveyorized, pumped and throat applications.
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 deliver productivity and profits. A wide range of sizes and configurations are available to handle nearly any container type or package design even at high production rates to ensure accurate product delivery, reduced giveaway, and optimized production processes. Patented weighing technology and over 50 years of package handling expertise ensures repeatable performance from the first to the last package weighed maintaining tight production tolerances.
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.
mk North America is a full-service conveyor company, offering mechanical solutions for all of your packaging and automation needs.
Since 1988, mk has been manufacturing a wide variety of conveyor systems including: belt conveyors, flat top chain conveyors, plastic modular belt conveyors, timing belt conveyors, roller conveyors, and more.
All of our conveyor models are available with our standard t-slot aluminum frames, and many models are also available in stainless steel.
mk’s conveyor line is backed by the mk line of t-slot aluminum extrusionsideal for guards, workstations, carts, and so much more. This ensures that any accessories you buy from mk will be compatible, resulting in seamless integration on the factory floor; all while saving time and money.
mk North America believes in offering not only a better product, but also a better solution. Our dedicated team of conveyor and automation experts will work with you to understand your unique application and related challenges. This partnership results in mk being able to deliver a topquality conveyor solution when you need it.
All of our conveyors are built and tested in our Bloomfield, CT facility and shipped directly to you as completely assembled as possible. So, you can rest assured your conveyor system will be ready to go when it arrives.
Whether you are looking for a single, one-off, conveyor or a complete conveyor system - remember the mk promise to provide a better product AND a better solution.
We look forward to hearing from you and proving our excellence in conveyor system solutions on your next project.
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.
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.
www.modularconveyor.com
518-561-1812
Plastic jars, containers, CRC, continuous thread and dispensing closures manufactured in the USA.
Build your brand and deliver packaging premiumization with MRP Solutions. More than ever, consumers expect quality products packaged to deliver an unmatched user experience and connection to the brand and product. MRP Solutions combines extensive packaging expertise with a consultative approach to reliably uncover customer needs. By understanding business goals, we can tailor smarter, safer and more flexible packaging solutions that reduce cost and increase speed to market, helping businesses capitalize on opportunities. With one of the most robust, recyclable plastic closure offerings in the market, whether you need a standard continuous thread closure, disc top, push pull caps, twist open, child resistant caps or a specialized cap like our Ultra Light® or MegaFlap®, we have an option to fit your project. From fast-order shipping of a wide range of stock components to developing custom product solutions with our in-house innovation team, MRP is your trusted supplier.
MRP Solutions leads the way in sustainable manufacturing. MRP now offers PCR resin pricing in addition to virgin resin pricing on ALL quotes, where applicable. MRP makes it easier than ever to choose sustainable, choose recycled and choose circular.
MRP Solutions is an environmentally responsible manufacturer of packaging. We take pride in our on-going initiative to delight our customers by offering more sustainable solutions which reduce the amount of plastics used, provide recyclable options and promote re-use where ever possible. We have continuously invested in our manufacturing facilities to identify technology which conserves energy, uses renewable energy, and minimizes environmental impacts to our community and neighbors while we find a way to incorporate and re-use all material and recycle all scrap. Our sustainability initiatives start with our products and penetrate everything we touch from the community to our employees and the environment. Our product design and production processes consider
Increase your Productivity with MULTIVAC, your partner for single-source full-line packaging & processing solutions. Our One Line – One Control capability allows all MULTIVAC components, such as product loading, processing, packaging, conveying, printing, labeling, & inspection, to be controlled from a single HMI. With easy setup and changeover through a single interface, we provide the perfect machine for every pack.
As one of the world’s leading suppliers of packaging & processing solutions for a wide variety of foods, life science and healthcare products, and consumer and industrial goods, long-term productivity is at the heart of every machine and solution we develop. Thanks to holistically designed systems, our comprehensive line solutions help you reach your PEAQ Performance with increased Productivity, Efficiency, Availability, and Quality. MULTIVAC Smart Services enable data collection in realtime, optimizing processes and maximizing efficiency throughout your equipment lifecycle.
Our portfolio covers all packaging design, performance, and resource efficiency requirements. In addition, it encompasses an extensive range of packaging technologies, automation solutions, and labeling and quality control systems. Finally, our offering is rounded off by solutions upstream of the packaging process: in portioning and processing and baked goods technology.
Ultimately, we see ourselves as partners making a decisive contribution to your business’s success. As a worldwide group with 85 subsidiaries, we are closely linked with our customers and their markets, allowing us to identify trends and developments early. When you decide on MULTIVAC as a partner, you opt for the highest level of quality and efficiency, comprehensive customer care, and highly qualified sales and service teams.
844-293-2814
Nercon is a conveyor systems manufacturer, providing solutions to the snack, cheese, pet food and treats, beverage, health 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.
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. www.nerconconveyors.com
Welcome to NITA Sentient Labeling Systems, the original 100% Servo Labeler that dramatically REDUCES OPERATOR TOUCH-TIME and increases productivity - all while integrating the latest next-gen technology, the most intuitive user experience, best-in-class responsive support, and truthfully, pure labeling joy.
We love UPTIME. We’re so driven by it we’ve designed all the features on every NITA to create it. How? By meticulously analyzing your labeling pain points – then solving them – with innovation, technology, and certifiably flawless execution.
And how do we keep you running? By building these incredible UPTIME features into every NITA:
- Parts ordering directly from the machine via built-in 3D drawings that scale down to your specific required item
- A self-diagnosing system that identifies possible issues and suggests fixes or when parts need changing or servicing before they become a problem
- Daily Preventative Maintenance schedules and video tutorials with tieredlevel tasks
- Ultra-fast & precise color-coded changeovers with in-screen 3D location maps or even our incredible Servo-driven FULLY AUTOMATIC product changeover system at the push of a button.
- NitaCare lifetime no-charge live remote tech support built right into your screen
Nita Labeling 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. Experience for yourself what the best labeling company and labeler will bring to your productivity numbers. 100% money-back-guaranteed happiness.
We cannot wait to meet you. For the love of labeling! Your NITA Team
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.
Nordson is a global solution, with direct offices in over 30 countries. Our substantial reach in global manufacturing allows for deep customer relationships, pursuing innovative solutions for customer problems and providing long-term, hands-on customer training, service, and support.
Nordson helps automate your packaging operations with products and solutions with a low total cost of ownership. Our adhesive systems help customers achieve a lower cost per package and reduce adhesive usage. Our solutions maximize package integrity and provide flexibility to meet changing market demands. Because one solution does not fit all applications, we offer a variety of systems to fit a wide range of needs.
Our ProBlue® Flex melter is advanced technology that is modular and scalable. It brings together machine integration, and precise and accurate adhesive dispensing. 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.
The MiniBlue II Slim with EcoBead Inspect ensures package integrity while reducing adhesive consumption. The MiniBlue® II applicator packs high performance, high speeds, and long-term reliability in a compact size. When paired with the EcoBead™ Inspect, users can verify adhesive placement to ensure the integrity of every package and can gather data for continuous improvement.
FILLING, CAPPING & CLOSING
www.novembal.com
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:
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.
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 customers’ mold and our resources, we can produce, finish, inspect and package your product.
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.
AZ Peoria
nVenia leverages the strengths of the ARPAC, HAMER, FISCHBEIN, and OHLSON product brands as a leading equipment designer, manufacturer, and integrator for primary, secondary, and end-of-line packaging solutions.
ARPAC Brand equipment is renowned for integrated fit-for-purpose production lines and includes shrink wrappers, tunnels and bundlers, tray and case formers, case packers, robotic and conventional palletizers, and pallet stretch wrapper systems.
FISCHBEIN Brand equipment is the trusted name in open-mouth bag sewing and sealing systems. Sew systems encompass plain and tape sew models, with sealers for all shapes and sizes of flexible packaging.
HAMER Brand equipment leads the market in large format bagging and automation equipment in some of the harshest production environments. The new HAMER Brand VLR-B machine delivers highly accurate dosing of free-flowing powdered products. The horizontal form, fill & seal systems are ideally suited for large scale bag filling automation, open mouth bagging machines are the industry standard for filling premade bags, and robotic palletizing systems are also ideally suited for stacking large bags.
OHLSON Brand equipment is an economic solution for automating weighing and counting operations. The OHLSON Brand includes multihead weighers, linear weighers, vertical form, fill & seal (VFFS) machines, and premade pouch filling machines.
Combined, these trusted brands deliver next-level performance through the consultative design of integrated production lines to meet the needs of a variety of industries. Our expertise as an integrated packaging systems manufacturer is born from decades of building packaging equipment and answering to the diverse requirements of our clients to package products within a single production line.
Backed by more than 300 years of experience across our brands, together we have one focus: our customers and what they need to solve.
920
www.optima-packaging.com/en-us
Filling, closing, and packaging with state-of-the-art technology. Cuttingedge machine solutions for the entire packaging world – that is our commitment.
Incorporated in 1985, with one employee in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Optima Machinery Corporation was the first international subsidiary of Optima. Over the last 38 years, the business has grown to over 100 employees in the United States and the addition of a service hub located near Raleigh, North Carolina.
Originally established as the North American sales and service point for all Optima divisions, we provide OEM spare parts, service, support, calibration services, CG membrane repairs, multi-pack bagging machine solutions, and direct machine sales for all Optima machines delivered to the U.S. and Canada. We also represent Rianta Packaging Systems with sales and support for machines in the bakery industry.
Optima supports companies worldwide with flexible and customerspecific filling and packaging machines for pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, paper hygiene, and medical devices markets. As a provider of solutions and systems, Optima guides these companies from the product idea through successful production and throughout the entire machine life cycle. More than 3,000 experts around the globe and 19 international locations contribute to Optima’s success and ensure the worldwide availability of services.
833-472-9466
We’ve manufactured and installed vertical baggers, premade pouch fillers and flow wrappers for companies around the world for more than 30 years. We’re not a typical packaging machine company. We’re a single-source provider, so you get ONE point of contact for design, manufacturing, service and integration.
Operating from eight global facilities with a passionate and focused staff, we have a strong service presence, the ability to provide systems integration and an installed base of over 7,000 machines.
Manufactured through our WeighPack, EndFlex and ValTara brands and supported by Paxiom Service, our primary, secondary, and end-of-line packaging machines will increase your production rate and save you valuable time, labor and resources. Here are a few of our popular solutions:
VF
Engineered for high-speed applications, this vertical form, fill and seal machine can handle multiple package formats and produces a wide range of package sizes providing flexibility for both retail and club-size packaging, up to 150 bags per minute.
The Swifty 3600 features an easily accessible bag magazine, automatic zipper opener, bag shaker and integrated exit conveyor. Producing up to 2,700 bags per hour, this bagger will fill pouches from DOY pack, SUP and SURP to pillow, gusseted, quad and carry handle.
PKR-MS
The perfect addition to your flow wrapping line, this top load case/tray packer with delta robot will gently pick your wrapped product by either vacuum or mechanical means and place it into your case or tray at up to 80 packages per minute to be packed for shipping in your preferred pattern.
Visit us online to explore our packaging solutions and watch real-life videos. Whether you need a vertical form, fill and seal bagger for frozen food, a pick and place robot for wrapped baked goods, a premade pouch filling machine for snacks, or one of our other machines, we’re confident we have the automation solution for your business.
In 1993, Branko and Lilly Tisma founded PMI Cartoning, Inc. in Elk Grove Village, Ill. For 25 years, PMI worked to ensure its customers were satisfied with the quality of every single machine that left PMI’s doors. PMI expanded its operations as the company grew. In addition to its headquarters that houses all engineering, parts, service and support staff, PMI opened a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing, engineering and testing facility next to its offices, and a rebuild facility down the street in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
In December 2017, Kyoto Seisakusho Co., Ltd, a leading global packaging solutions provider, acquired PMI. Today, the former PMI Cartoning continues to operate from the Elk Grove location as PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems and offers the same service and high-quality vertical and horizontal cartoners, case packers, and integrated packaging systems customers have relied on for the past 25 years. In addition, new offerings will be available from the Kyoto product line, including over-wrappers and palletizers, which Kyoto has been providing for more than 70 years to the packaging industry.
Our industry and application experience includes food, beverage, cosmetic, confectionery and pharmaceutical, among others. Application and product handling experience allows us to excel with unique applications involving high speeds and difficult-to-handle products. Built to last, it’s not uncommon to find a PMI machine still running 20 years after installation.
After the successful debut of PMI KYOTO’s compact machine line at PACK EXPO 2022, the company is proud to say that three new compact machines have entered their fleet -- the KC-100F compact horizontal cartoner, the KTB-100 compact vertical case packer, and the SPC-3000 horizontal case packer are available for those who wish to maintain space in their factory without compromising on ability or quality.
Pneumatic Scale Angelus is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of packaging solutions for wet and dry filling, capping, can seaming, and labeling applications, as well as versatile container handling systems from Zepf Solutions. We design innovative equipment, using the most advanced technologies, to the unique specifications of our customers. Since 1895, our solutions have set the standard in the Food, Beverage, Craft Beverage, 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.
As one of five Barry-Wehmiller businesses of BW Packaging 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.
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, Consolidated, Continental / Closetech, Mateer, Multi-Tech Systems, OnTrack, and Zepf Solutions.
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.”
Propack Processing & Packaging Systems Inc. is an industry leader in robotics and innovation, manufacturing and supplying high-performance processing and packaging machinery for the global market. At Propack, we pride ourselves on working collaboratively with clients to build strong relationships and ensure the best solutions are developed to meet their unique needs.
For over 25 years, Propack has been designing custom pick and place packaging systems for a variety of markets and applications. With the highest quality machinery, built in North America, 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.
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.
With extensive integrated systems knowledge and experience providing turnkey solutions, our experienced team will design and deliver complete packaging line solutions and seamless integration for primary and secondary packaging operations.
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 customers’ success and our long-term partnerships.
R.A JONES offers an extensive portfolio of solutions for both primary and secondary packaging machinery for FOOD/BEVERAGE, HEALTH CARE, HOME CARE, PERSONAL CARE and other CONSUMER GOODS manufacturers 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 cartoner to fully automated systems. Familiar branded cartoning technology includes: CMV, Legend, Legacy, and Criterion.
CHUB PACKAGING: Our KartridgPak chub packaging equipment established the chub package category decades ago. Features/benefits include: close-clip option, continuous motion, rollstock clips and film, PLC controls, simplified clipping head, stainless steel construction, heat, radio frequency and extruder sealing options, and more.
CUP FILLING/SEALING: Autoprod and Holmatic cup filling systems are the flagship series of cup fillers manufactured and services by R.A JONES. Fill, seal and overcap preformed cups, tubs and trays.
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.
Robatech designs and manufactures sustainable solutions for industrial gluing processes that are reliable, safe, economical, straightforward, and green. Robatech’s experienced sales and service teams get gluing projects up and running and ensure smooth operation of adhesive systems all around the globe.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS FOR A NEW DIMENSION IN GLUING
Robatech’s innovations save resources and thus downsize your operating costs. The smart Vision melter (pictured on the bottom right) not only melts the adhesive gently and with great reliability, but it does so with the industry’s best energy efficiency. And the performance of the Performa heated hose is an excellent match. It reduces energy consumption up to 45% compared to conventional hoses. And to make the system complete, there’s the SpeedStar Compact application head that is not only fast, durable and intelligent, but it saves you up to 40% of adhesive when used for stitching.
PRECISE AND FAST GLUING OF PRIMARY PACKAGING
Primary packaging of food and medicines puts high demands on the gluing process. Robatech offers you reliable system components that allow you to glue small packages precisely and safely even at high speeds. You can expect a consistently high-precision adhesive application with a clean cutoff, safely and cleanly bonded products, high process reliability, high production speeds, and low energy consumption.
ECONOMICAL AND RELIABLE GLUING OF SECONDARY PACKAGING
Do you want to glue secondary packaging efficiently and yet sustainably?
Whether you put primarily packaged products into secondary packaging through standard top-loading or horizontal cartoning, or whether you use on-demand packaging machines, the adhesive process is essentially the same. Robatech’s adhesive application systems apply hot melt adhesives economically and still glue secondary packaging reliably. Maximum system availability increases your production by reducing downtime, while industry leading energy efficiency saves resources and reduces operating costs.
Ryson Spiral Conveyors 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 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, wet environment 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 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.
Ryson’s Bucket Elevators combine vertical and horizontal transportation of bulk materials in one integral unit.
Ryson Bucket Elevators are designed for gentle handling and well-suited to transport a broad range of bulk products. Our signature feature is that they are completely enclosed with overlapping pivoting buckets, that prevent spillage and helps mitigate foreign debris.
Their modular design enables us to customize with ease. They can be configured with multiple inlets or outlets that can be controlled individually. The design makes them easy to install and modify. Available in three standard bucket sizes, yielding capacities up to 300, 700 or 1,800 cubic feet per hour. They can also be delivered in powder-coated carbon-steel, stainless-steel or wet environment versions.
All Ryson equipment is modular and built to order. No matter the application, the Ryson team is up to the challenge of finding solutions for your conveying needs.
Schubert is a global leader in top-loading packaging machines (TLM). The family-owned company based in Crailsheim (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) builds on an interplay of simple mechanics, intelligent control technology and high modularity. With this philosophy and a highly developed culture of innovation the company has been pursuing an entirely independent technological path for more than 50 years. The second generation of the company now employs 1,300 people. Innovations include the vision control system, the transport robot Transmodul or the flowwrapping machine Flowmodul. Schubert provides future-proof solutions that are easy to operate, flexible in terms of format conversion, high in performance and stable in function. The machines package products of all types in trays, cartons, boxes or flow-wrap bags.
With the new Schubert lightline machine series, customers can master standardized packaging tasks with great efficiency and high quality - at attractive purchase costs and short delivery times. It consists of three machine types: The lightline Cartonpacker, the lightline Pickerline and the lightline Flowpacker.
Space-saving design, unbeatable efficiency and excellent quality control are the hallmarks of the Schubert Flowpacker. It can be equipped with four different sealing technologies. The new patented technology makes it possible to program sealing to the millisecond and ensures constant sealing times. For each flow-pack, the cross-sealing unit immediately adapts to the variable speed of our upstream pick & place robots. Like all of Schubert’s sealing technologies, the flying cross-sealing unit can be integrated into every Flowmodul and combined with other sealing technologies.
With its North American headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and with sites in Dallas, Texas and Toronto, Ontario, Schubert is expanding its customer support across the continent. This support encompasses high-level accessibility, preventive service as well as extensive training for customers. Schubert has installed two training machines at its training center in Charlotte.
www.serpapackaging.com
Serpa designs and manufactures a complete range of cartoning systems for the pharmaceutical, medical device, nutraceutical, food, beverage, cosmetics, industrial and personal care markets. For more than 37 years, companies across the globe have looked to us to handle their most demanding secondary packaging challenges.
We provide horizontal, vertical, and top load cartoners that can accommodate both hand load and automatic load applications, designing systems capable of nearly any speed for the desired application. We also provide a broad range of end of line packaging solutions, including case and tray packers, robotic palletizers, literature feeders, paperboard sleeve wrappers, tamper evident labelers, and robotic product handling systems. Additionally, Serpa provides line integration and validation services, designing turnkey integrated end of line packaging systems from start to finish with single source responsibility.
Serpa machines are designed to meet the needs of demanding production environments, featuring ease of maintenance, user-friendly operation, and rapid, repeatable changeover technology. Our high-performance systems can be designed to meet sanitary and FDA validation requirements and are backed by our strong customer support program to quickly resolve issues that may arise.
98% Uptime, Guaranteed
Established in North Carolina as Shurtape Technologies, LLC, we’re a privately owned, global company proudly serving a variety of markets, including packaging, building and construction, HVAC and industrial/ MRO. Our success is built on our passion: for our products, for complete customer satisfaction, and for the markets we serve. And we seek to continually remain engaged with our markets and the customers and craftsmen who use our tape so we can deliver what they need – to the absolute highest standards.
At Shurtape, we craft our packaging solutions to one simple standard. Yours. We know every sealing situation is unique. And we understand that keeping your lines running at peak production is a priority. This is what guides and inspires our team to develop purpose-built packaging solutions that address commons case sealing issues – downtime, material waste, personal injuries, product damage – and deliver the consistent, reliable seals you demand, every time.
In our Packaging Solutions portfolio, we offer a variety of hot melt and acrylic packaging tapes for manual and automated case sealing applications, including HP Series packaging tapes, which have the highest holding power to fiberboard in the industry and perform reliably down to the core, resulting in less unnecessary downtime due to changeover frequency and more efficient tape consumption. To enhance your packaging lines, we also offer a variety of manual and automated case sealing solutions, including ShurSEAL®, which combines our HP Series packaging tape with innovative tape application technology to produce secure, tamper-evident case seals, while maximizing packaging line performance.
For the efficient way you do business, we deliver Secure Seals, Every Time™
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 lineengineering 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 customers’ 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.
1-800-323-2464
www.signode.com
With over $2B+ in revenue, 80+ manufacturing facilities across 6 continents and over 9,000 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 40 of trusted brands to offer complete transit packaging solutions to its customers.
We produce strap, stretch, stapling 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.
Signode offers tailored automation solutions that allow manufacturers of all industries, scales, and needs to maximize productivity and efficiency. Among the wide spectrum of automation capabilities are StorFast® automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), automated palletizers, a complete range of conveyors, Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs), Automatic Unitizing Solutions, and more.
All of these automation solutions are made possible through Signode’s intelligent logistics management systems. These systems have the power and customizable ability to provide everything from a basic Warehouse Control System for managing pallet movement all the way up to a complete Warehouse Management System that is integrated with each customer’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and order management software.
From standalone solutions to integrated systems. Signode provides the tools, consumables, and software to optimize end-of-line packaging operations and protect products in transit. We are excited to go to market as Signode and to share the portfolio of products, services and capabilities that make us the world’s premier end-of-line packaging company.
734/426-3476
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 is there for your Quick Size Changeover needs.
Three solutions, one supplier for effective size changeovers
1. Compact fieldbus actuators for precise fully automated positioning to shorten size changeover times. Offered with IO-Link, Ethernet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, PowerLINK, RS485 and CANopen interfaces.
2. Electronic indicators that monitor changeovers for verification, accuracy, safety and speed. Also, offered with the above mentioned interfaces.
3. Mechanical indicators for low cost, reliable axis positioning.
501-492-3893
The RFL Series range of roll fed labelers was born from the same need as our shrink sleeve labelers - a need for faster, more efficient, more robustly built machines with Allen Bradley controls. In a market where efficiencies and cost of ownership are everything, Sleeve Seal has a proven history of fast, precise label application with minimal maintenance costs. Our engineers have an unparalleled depth of knowledge that has been applied to a new style of label application for today’s market. Sleeve Seal is proud to present our new range of RFL Series of roll fed 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. Other patented innovations, such as a multi blade cutter assembly with quick-change blades have been developed for ease of maintenance.
The line of Sleeve Seal shrink tunnels features a new style of tunable controls that make shrinking labels on containers both precise and repeatable. Our shrink tunnels are available in a broad range of sizes that compliment all our labelers for shrinking labels at high speeds. In addition to newly designed controls, Sleeve Seal tunnels feature 316 stainless steel interior lining and components for maximum corrosion resistance. Every shrink tunnel model features external controls that allow the adjustment of individual arrays without exposing the operator to heat.
Since 1969, Specialty Equipment Corporation has been a leading manufacturer of American-made packaging systems. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, we have built our reputation on manufacturing high-end packaging machinery and material handling systems including:
» Liquid fillers for Pails, Drums, Bottles, and Totes
» Drum and Pallet Conveyors
» Palletizers
» Solids Fillers for Pails, Drums, and Super Sacks
» IIoT software
Specialty Equipment is well known for building the most rugged drum, tote, pail and bottle filling machines for the agriculture, chemical, cleaning, coating, food, lube, and sealant industries.
Benefits of using Specialty Equipment Liquid Fillers:
» Improves Efficiencies & Accuracy
» Increase Production & Maximize Uptime
» Add Savings to Your Bottom Line
Over our 50 years in business, we have 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, bottles, jugs, totes, pallets, and rubber bales, a customized product.
We continue to provide high-quality packaging systems to fortune 500 companies and have developed an intuitive software to improve the filling operations for companies of all sizes.
763/795-8856
Squid Ink is a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and traceability, providing superior-quality inks and lowmaintenance printing equipment.
Squid Ink began in 1991, supplying high-quality replacement inkjet 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 inkjet) printing systems, DOD (drop-on-demand) printing systems, laser coders, and a full library of inks and inkjet 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 Gemini, a new feature-rich printing system that offers 360 dpi print resolution, 5.6” print height, full-color touchscreen, and the option to run from a wireless tablet. The CoPilot Gemini offers users clean and reliable printing of bar codes, logos, and razor-sharp small-character text.
Today, Squid Ink continues to focus on its core purpose to “help companies deliver products to the world.” An expanding line of integrated products and services reflects Squid Ink’s commitment to meeting new needs and new challenges and ensuring that customers have reliable systems for their packaging application.
Squid Ink, Eastey, and American Film & Machinery (AFM) are all divisions of Engage Technologies Corporation. 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. Eastey (eastey.com) is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty shrink packaging equipment and automated case sealing systems for packaging applications. American Film & Machinery (afmsleeves.com) supplies shrink labelers and tunnels, shrink sleeves, and tamper bands.
Standard-Knapp, a leader in packaging equipment since 1894, specializes in the manufacture of custom, state-of-the-art case, tray and shrink packaging machinery. Standard-Knapp belongs to international group EOL Packaging Experts, GmbH, and acts as the North American distributor and servicer of equipment from sister companies A+F, BMS and NEO.
The newest addition to Standard-Knapp’s line of case packers is the Unipack 2.0, a robotic pick-and-place dynamo that can pack, unpack and repack. Designed for small to medium food and beverage plants, this packer covers a small footprint, and is easily transported with an optional mobility kit. The Unipack 2.0 shines in the 5-15 case/minute range, and features the same color-coded change part system that makes product changeover a snap on all Standard-Knapp machinery.
Standard-Knapp’s flagship machine is the 939S Versatron™ case packer. Its patented Soft Catch technology allow for the packing of lightweight glass into partitionless cases without breakage, via a servo-actuated lift table. This allows the Versatron to actually “catch” the product while it descends into the case. Even gentler packing is achieved by the robotic Pic-N-Place model. The Versatron™ Pic-N-Place uses robust, robotic arms and adjustable, heavy-duty grippers to pick up and gently place packs of product safely into the bottom of every case.
Standard-Knapp’s full line of case & drop packers includes a variety of useful options, modules and upgrades, as well as uncasers, case sealers and product laners.
Standard-Knapp also specializes in tray/shrink technology, including the exciting new TriWraptor™ line of multipackers, shrink wrappers and TSUP (Tray/Shrink/Unsupported/Pad) packer. The TriWraptor line’s flexible highspeed Robo-Wand™ wrapping module provides consistent, tight wrapping across a wide range of product shapes and sizes.
All Standard-Knapp machinery is engineered and built to provide decades of reliable service, 24/7/365.
Syntegon is a leading single-source supplier of processing, packaging, and automation technology to the food and pharma industries. Our product portfolio ranges from standalone, entry-level machines to fully integrated systems. Our mission is to support customers in creating sustainable solutions with market-leading technologies.
Syntegon’s technology is built by some of the most iconic names in packaging. Doboy, Elematic, Kliklok, Osgood, Sigpack, and Woodman are just several in the group. Their legacies of quality, reliability, service, and dedication to the customer embody Syntegon’s core philosophies. United as one team, we are all working toward the same vision — Packaging and Processing for a Better Life.
From mixing raw ingredients to end-of-line case packers, our portfolio for the food industry includes: confectionery and bar processing equipment; product distribution, collation, and loading systems; horizontal flowwrappers; vertical bagmakers; topload, endload and wraparound cartoners; case packers; filling and sealing systems for cups and bottles; thermoforming, filling, and sealing systems; bag sealers; checkweighing systems; and sustainable packaging solutions.
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).
Based in Waiblingen, Germany, and employing some 6000 associates, at 30 locations in more than 15 countries worldwide, a highly-qualified workforce develops and produces complete solutions for the food, pharma, and consumer goods 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, including several locations in North America.
Texwrap, a ProMach brand is centrally located in Washington, Missouri, and is the leader in the design and manufacture of fully automatic shrink wrapping, shrink bundling, and E-commerce systems.
Known as the industry innovator, we hold patents on some of the most significant breakthrough technologies in the shrink-wrapping business. Our full line of standard wrappers includes L-bar sealers, intermittent motion side sealers, continuous motion side sealers and vertical wrappers, as well as shrink tunnels, that are all made in the U.S.A.
The Tekkra & Kayat SRX lines of shrink bundlers helps round out our shrink packaging solutions with intermittent motion, continuous motion and custom bundling systems.
To complete our product offering, Texwrap’s EPS Series of machine’s provides solutions to help E-commerce operations improve profitability by increasing throughput, preventing errors with our proprietary product tracking feature, and creating right-sized packaging that reduces film waste and DIM weight shipping costs.
Texwrap partners with a nationwide network of highly trained packaging distributors in order to better serve our customers. This partnership provides a support structure to ensure the best machinery/application fit, a smooth startup, reliable local service, and long-term return on the machinery investment.
Our mission is to provide our customers with the latest technological advances while maintaining our commitment to a user-friendly machine that is efficient and easy to maintain. The quality construction, flexibility, easy changeover and low maintenance features of our systems give our machinery the Lowest Total Cost of Ownership available in the market today.
773/889-0200
For three generations, our family-owned & operated business has provided innovative sanitary packaging solutions that are built to last & supported in the USA. Triangle packaging machines offer versatility while providing solutions that maximize production. Whether you need to weigh or bag seafood, soup, mashed potatoes, protein, baking mix, put a bag of cereal in a box or a variety of other products, there’s a Triangle solution engineered to meet your application.
Our vertical form-fill-seal baggers are designed with sanitation & ease-ofuse in mind while meeting USDA/3A & FSMA standards. All models come with an open, accessible design, sanitary forming tubes, tool-less change parts & sloped surfaces for easy run-off during washdown.
Simple, automated solution for filling & sealing pre-made pouches. Run Doy bags, 3-sided seal, flat & stand-up pouches (SUP) with ease. Simple integration with multihead weighers, augers or cup fillers.
Flexibility in a small footprint. Quick, auto-changeover from single to dual or quad packs in seconds. Pairs perfectly with a Triangle bagger & weigher combination. A unique belt infeed system protects your product.
From cereal to wet proteins, & everything in between. Unmatched accuracy & speed. Even product distribution for optimal production. Mount directly on top of Triangle VFFS baggers. No mezzanines required.
Field service is available out of our Chicago headquarters & regionally throughout the US. Our 22 service technicians offer an average tenure of 18 years. Spare parts are manufactured in-house & are typically shipped the same business day.
1-866-369-4181
Unified Flex Packaging Technologies is a global manufacturer of flexible packaging systems tailor made to customer specific application requirements. Our manufacturing facility is located in the Canadian manufacturing hub of Woodstock, Ontario with service centers in the US to ensure quick and direct customer service. We have been designing and manufacturing superior quality flexible packaging systems for more than 15 years. Our engineering team alone have a combined 50 years of packaging and automation experience over a wide variety of applications. Our expertise can be measured by the depth of the product lines we offer. We have successfully manufactured systems for liquid, nutraceutical, snack food, produce, protein, industrial product, bakery, and confectionery applications for companies. Our flexible packaging systems are simple to use, reliable and robust made from premium quality non-proprietary parts.
Unified Flex has 7 unique series (Premium VFFS, Economic VFFS, Continuous motion VFFS, Stick Pack machines, Multilane Sachet, Spouted Pouch Fill and Cap, and Pre-Made Bag Packaging Machines) with a total of 17 machine models to provide customers with unique packaging systems for a wide range of products and packaging requirements. Not only will these machines significantly improve your productivity, they will greatly streamline your efficiencies. Speeds can range from 7 to 180 bags per minute and numerous bag types and sizes are achievable, bringing you more packaging options for your products. You can count on Unified Flex Packaging Technologies to deliver intelligent machines, economical solutions, and dependable systems for all your packaging needs.
Call us at 1-866-369-4181 or email sales@unifiedflex.com
727/327-2123
Welcome to Universal Labeling Systems! We are labeling machinery. Since 1984, no one has designed and built more custom, made-to-order labeling systems than Universal. Labeling is all we do and we do a lot of it. 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 these knowledgeable distribution partners are backed by the expertise of our technical staff. Universal’s product manuals include specifications, bill of materials, set-up and operational details, and machine maintenance.
Universal Labeling Systems offers 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 30day 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.
847/459-9500
U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC is a leading manufacturer and supplier of state-of-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, U.S. Tsubaki 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.
888/326/1476
VDG is the leader in the design and manufacturing of drum motors for belt conveyors, with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and longevity. Manufacturing in-house in USA and Canada for 37 years, using cuttingedge production technology and automation, and with continuous improvements through R&D, VDG ensures product quality, fast delivery, and after sales support.
All drive components of the VDG Drum Motor including the electric motor, gear reducer, and bearings are enclosed inside the drum, increasing energy efficiency, operator safety and optimizing space. VDG Drum Motors are designed for 80,000 hours of continuous operation before maintenance, minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance, and operational costs.
The VDG patented IronGrip™ lagging, offered for VDG Drum Motors, enhances the durability and lifespan of the conveyor belt and the lagging. It consists of steel bars welded symmetrically on the drum with hot-bond vulcanized lagging inserts between the bars. IronGrip™ lagging eliminates uneven belt wear, improves belt tracking, increases belt traction by 40%, and has a 4-5 times longer service life compared to standard lagging.
VDG’s stainless steel SSV Series Drum Motor features an IP69K rated sealing system, withstands up to 3,000 psi washdown pressure, and drives modular, wire mesh, and monolithic conveyor belts without using sprockets. The SSV Drum Motor eliminates crevices that trap food byproducts and bacterial harborage, reducing washdown time and water usage by 50% and providing the most efficient and hygienic drive solution for food processing and handling belt conveyors.
The IntelliDrive™ Drum Motor features new synchronous permanent magnet motor technology, delivering 40% increased electrical efficiency, a wider range of belt speeds without loss of torque and an increase in electric motor lifespan compared to a traditional conveyor drive. It enables onsite diagnostics, full motor indexing speed control, and communications with other automated plant equipment.
920-564-5051
Running a business can be complicated. Your packaging automation project shouldn’t be. At Viking Masek, our packaging systems help our customers do business better. Simplified, efficient, and automated. With over 20 years of packaging experience, Viking Masek Packaging Technologies has quickly grown to become an industry leader in durable, innovative packaging machinery.
We manufacture easy-to-use premade pouch packing machines, economical VFFS baggers, high-speed continuous motion vertical baggers, carton packaging, palletizing, robotics, and multilane stick packaging machines. Through Viking Masek Robotics & Automation, we offer our clients state-of-the-art robotic packaging systems. These packing solutions significantly enhance end-of-line processes, directly improving overall equipment effectiveness, customer satisfaction, and company profit.
Our stainless-steel equipment is durable and efficient. By applying the latest engineering advances to machine software, we maximize the efficiency from each machine, giving you faster production and more profitability. We also partner with top packaging film and pouch suppliers to ensure your packaging materials meet your needs for sustainability.
We offer technical service, training, and preventive maintenance plans with the purchase of every packaging machine. Not only does our team of Sales Consultants and Project Managers ensure that our clients’ needs are met from first contact to installation, but our Service Department also works tirelessly to ensure minimal downtime if training or maintenance are required.
From cheese and coffee to raw poultry and fresh vegetables, to pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements, plus much more, Viking Masek has the right packaging solution for you.
Are you ready to take your packaging to the next level? Visit us at www.VikingMasek.com
WestRock is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. We are materials scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers and manufacturing experts with a shared purpose: Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, accountability and excellence, we use leading science and technology to move fiber-based packaging forward.
WestRock’s best-in-class innovation engine leverages the largest set of fiber-based substrates, a vast network of converting and distribution capabilities and an unmatched packaging machinery platform to power the next generation of renewable, recyclable packaging. Our broad portfolio is operated in four segments – Corrugated Packaging, Consumer Packaging, Global Paper and Mill Operations. A uniquely integrated Commercial, Innovation and Marketing function offers unrivaled end-to-end solutions and support to solve our customers’ greatest challenges.
Our global operations include:
– More than 50,000 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific
– More than 30 containerboard and paperboard mills
– More than 320 operating and business locations
– Products in a wide range of markets, including beauty and personal care, beverage, e-commerce, healthcare, home and garden, media and electronics, packaged food, pizza and retail
Sustainability and innovation are fundamental to WestRock’s vision to become the world’s best paper and packaging company. By innovating for our customers and their customers, bettering the planet and supporting people and communities, we’re imagining and delivering on the promise of a sustainable future.
Wexxar Bel is a leading manufacturer of fully and semi-automatic case and tray forming and sealing solutions. From small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, 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 take pride in the quality of your purchase and peace of mind in the reliability and performance of our machines. Many Wexxar Bel customers are excited to show-off their new purchase to visitors and stakeholders while other more long-term customers still feel that pride when they show off their nearly 40 year old still running Wexxar Bel machines. 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
With a wide distribution and service network across North America, customers are always fully serviced and supported quickly and reliably. Whether you decide to work with our certified partners or our own experienced technicians, Wexxar Bel and our partners will listen, understand and solve your packaging problems and issues.
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 ultra-reliable packaging machinery. This obsession with 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 precision accurate forming.
Our dedication to pushing boundaries have also put a focus on providing sustainably made and efficient machines. Our manufacturing facility in Vancouver is powered 100% by renewable energy and we also implemented sustainable practices in our manufacturing facility. Furthermore, we constantly push our machines to be more energy and maintenance efficient, reducing overall energy consumption, redundant parts and increasing overall product life.
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 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.
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.
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 various industries such as cosmetics, medical devices, cannabis, and personal care products.
Yamato is always the best way to weigh.
Yamato Corporation 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, a Yamato scale can weigh it for packaging.
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 range of retail markets, and our industrial solutions are ideal for very high target weights.
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 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. Founded in 1920, Yamato Scale Co. is celebrating over 100 years of providing innovative, high-quality weighing equipment and systems to customers around the world.
Learn more and find your scale at YamatoAmericas.com
