SEA Vision Group will be at the Marchesini Group Beauty stand (A/9PK) at the Cosmopack show in Bologna from 16 to 18 March with a new Artificial Intelligence technology applied to the visual inspection of lipsticks.

Ever since its foundation, SEA Vision Group has concentrated its efforts in the field of industrial vision, aiming to improve continually and to overcome the limitations that typically emerge in packaging and automation processes. Lipsticks - some of the most versatile, eclectic products, with complex quality control - pose very specific problems that require innovative solutions to enable their automated inspection.

This new application receives its public presentation at the start of what experts define as “the year of Artificial Intelligence”, in which the spread of technologies based on deep learning and neural networks is expected to make a big leap forward in quality terms. Accompanying this development, the portfolio of algorithms that underlie the SEA Vision Group software packages will continue to evolve towards new horizons in AI. Today, therefore, we witness the presentation of a still-evolving solution for use in a very dynamic context of great interest, which embraces all aspects of our daily lives.

Lipsticks: a wonderful product but complex to manufacture
After the successful launch - at Achema 2022 - of its solution for automating pharmaceutical Line Clearance processes with the aid of neural algorithms, SEA Vision Group offers visitors to Cosmopack the first glimpse of a new AI-based lipstick inspection system. Through the automation of processes still largely carried out by humans, this solution aims to improve the packaging of a product currently considered one of the world’s bestselling cosmetics. 

The essential ally of all (or almost all) women, lipsticks come in countless colours, finishes, shapes, formulations and combinations, and many of them, especially in the luxury sector, feature logos and sophisticated decorations impressed on the body or tip of the product.  

These distinctive styling features - together with the complexity of the industrial process required to perfectly amalgamate the pigments, oils, waxes and emollients in its formula - mean that lipstick is complicated to produce and to verify in terms of product quality. Even today, in spite of all the efforts made during production to prevent and control a whole series of potential defects, some flaws still pass through quality control undetected. This leads to costly reprocessing: in the worst-case scenario, these products make it onto the market, implying serious risks for businesses in terms of brand reputation.

FOCUS: some examples of defects 
Some of the most common defects on the body of the lipstick are: 
- product defects and deformation: stick diameter and height, shape, tip geometry;
- burrs and drips;
- appearance flaws: surface micro-holes, scratches, chipping, foreign bodies, defects in embossing such as logos or textures engraved or in relief on the body of the lipstick;
- uneven colour: streaks, variations in colour.

The frontier of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence sets out to remedy a large proportion of these potential defects. The SEA Vision Group system (under development by a joint team from SEA Vision Group and ARGO Vision) uses the semantic segmentation of the areas of the lipstick (e.g. body, tip, neck,  mechanism, etc.) to identify every possible flaw pixel by pixel. This is achieved by classifying areas by categories, each of which is assigned a name or “label”. Each part or area of the image is classified by categories and identified by a colour on the screen to provide the operator with immediate information about the areas being inspected. 

The system self-learns how to discern an ever-increasing variety of more and more complex defects, item-by-item. Self-learning takes place both on the basis of proprietary datasets - a mix of real and synthetic images generated with the most advanced data augmentation and neural generation techniques - and by combining the different models and parameters learnt over time.

These deep learning-based semantic segmentation techniques, now the de facto standard in the Artificial Intelligence field, greatly accelerate the development of capabilities for the analysis of objects. In other words, the ever-expanding range of scenarios the system can consider enables the system itself to evolve and become more and more precise.

The learning process defines the quality control algorithms and continually evolves to generate new versions of constantly increasing sophistication and autonomy. In this specific issue, the final goal is to generalise the “concept” of lipstick, making the algorithms more 

and more specialised in quality control regardless of the product’s possible shape, colour and texture (e.g.: satin,  transparent, matt, pearl, glitter, etc.).

“The outstanding feature of this innovation, differentiating it from conventional vision systems, which can only detect defects in images through comparison with models already known at the outset,” explains Alessandro Ferrari, CEO of ARGO Vision, “is the system’s ability to learn from past examples and thus autonomously increase its analysis capability, which is more or less what we humans do when we learn from experience.”  

All in all, pre-neural technologies proved incapable of identifying, with precision, a whole series of defects and flaws which may arise during lipstick quality control. Today, thanks to AI, it is possible to deliver an even higher quality final product, by preventing imperfections that may affect a user’s perception of a specific brand.

What’s more, at Cosmopack SEA Vision Group will also be presenting a complete hardware and software solution developed to oversee the authenticity of a cosmetic product throughout the supply chain. SEA Vision Group’s end-to-end serialisation solution helps beauty industry businesses to combat counterfeiting by providing an innovative technology to protect the brand’s authenticity and guarantee transparency, quality and sustainability.
 

UFlex limited demonstrated another quarter of path-breaking innovations across business verticals. Continued focus on research-led innovation resulted in a number of new product launches.

Let’s look at the pathbreaking product innovations steered by the company in the quarter ended December 31, 2022.

1. ‘F-TFE’ Thermoformable BOPET Film:

‘F-TFE’ Mono or Co-extruded transparent Biaxially-Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate or BOPET film is specially designed for thermoforming applications for depth formation and this film is recommended to be laminated with a sealant layer. Its outstanding properties include high tensile strength, chemical stability, dimensional integrity, and transparency. It is an updated version of our existing grade of F-TFP. Additionally, this film can be corona treated on both sides or on a single side to enable wettability for ink adhesion while printing. A recent sample was approved by an LLP named Print and Pack of Uzbekistan, and UFlex produced 36 MT quantities of 12 microns, 15 microns and 19 microns for them.

2. ‘F-POX’ Excellent Oxygen and Moisture Barrier Transparent BOPET Film: This is an excellent oxygen (0.5 cc/m2/day) and moisture barrier (2.0 gm/m2/day) transparent BOPET film with optical clarity. This is a more superior product than PVDC coated PET film and EVOH PET film. It is also thermally stable and achieves exceptional processability. This film enables seethrough packaging while functioning as a high aroma retention barrier. It is apt for storing dry and chilled food

Chemicals Business

1. Flexseal HSL 1025 (G) and Flexseal HSL 1024 (F): Adding to the long list of green solutions offered by UFlex's chemical business, UFlex developed water-based heat sealable coatings in Q3, 2022 for Kraft paper bags for their e-commerce business. With its base being water, the product is environment-friendly. It is a highly advanced product for sealing a formidable bond between coatings of flexible packaging materials. In addition, it is compatible with Gravure and Flexo application processes to produce high-quality e-commerce bags

2. Flexgreen Sprayable top coat gloss coating:

This LED coating is made for fiberglass-reinforced optical polymer materials, adding to its visual appeal. It is based on radical chemistry wherein the coating instantly cures in UV LED lamps of 385-395 nm wavelengths. With diverse applications in the construction industry, this considerably flexible coating offers excellent curing capability on high-speed machines. Further, as its curing depends on UV LED light, it leads to energy savings of about 30-70% compared to mercurybased UV lamps.

3. Flexcure Super Matt: It’s been designed as a free radical UV coating for absorbent and non-absorbent underlayers like paper, polythene and polypropylene. This coating has applications in product labels and mono-carton packaging for materials like cosmetics, bottle labelling, pharma, and health and wellness range of products.

4. Flexcote MH 785: For a durable bond and excellent seal strength, UFlex has developed a solvent-based adhesive with high solids and low viscosity for medium to high performance in flexible packaging applications. It is a cost-effective solution offering excellent bond and seal strength.

Holography Business

1. 3D Optics as a superior security feature for product authentication: UFlex developed a 3D Flipogram material to authenticate genuine products from counterfeits, protecting consumers from spurious products. Using complex micro-optical technology, the material creates a unique lenticular visual effect. As a result, a simple glance at the product and its 3D visual imagery effect ensures that consumers are purchasing genuine products. The spectacular visual effect of the 3D Flipogram material makes the product stand out and requires no special lighting or reading device to ensure authenticity.

In addition, this technology is unique and cannot be duplicated. This product can find applications in domains such as automobiles, electronics, FMCG, pharma, tobacco, identity cards/certificates, and in the Government excise business. The flexible 3D Flipogram material can be transparent, translucent or opaque as per customer requirements, with the processed film being supplied in 40 and 70-micron versions. It is tamper-resistant and malleable for use in strips or sheet form and printing on it is possible with high precision in multiple colours. Some materials can be used on glass, cans, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, leather and metal. Further, tracking through QR codes or sequential numbering is also possible as per customer requirements.

2. Floating lens film with customized brand logo:

Another great innovation in the quarter ended December 31, 2022 was developing a new and advanced brand protection packaging product consisting of customized emboss film designed for laminates, paper board and UV offset printing on mono cartons. A slight rotation and tilting in light reveals the brand logo, and this has critical applications in the pharma industry to protect from counterfeit drugs. This product will go a long way in ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare professionals.

Flexible Packaging Business

1. Enhancing consumer engagement via variable data incorporation in packaging:

To enhance consumer engagement, UFlex developed a new packaging solution for Mondelez’s Cadbury Choclairs sachet in Q3, 2022 wherein variable data was incorporated using laser coding in white MasterBatch induced PE film. Each pack had a different code which was used by the brand owner to connect with the consumers.

2. Eco-friendly Chotu Pack:

With brand owners continuously looking at reducing environmental impact caused by nonrecyclable packaging, UFlex launched a fully recyclable spout pouch using BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene)/PE films for Kissan Chotu Pack. The new packaging solution developed by UFlex provides more homogeneity and ease of recycling in the value chain for the Chotu Pack

3. 3.2 Litre re-closable stand-up pouch for Surf Excel: In another demonstration of excellence in providing eco-friendly flexible packaging solutions for storing liquids, UFlex developed a large format re-closable stand-up pouch for Surf Excel. This re-closable pouch can store up to 3.2 litres of liquid laundry. This pack was extremely well received with the rising class of environmentally-conscious consumers. This pouch also consumes less shelf space than its rigid counterpart, making it a clear winner.

Printing Cylinders Business

1. Embossing Effect on Fabrics: While embossing has found broad applicability in advertising and marketing industries, it has remained a challenge for the Indian textile businesses. The embossing technique can help create three-dimensional images and patterns on a product's surface through heat and pressure. But when it comes to embossing on fabrics, the challenge for the Indian textile market has been in getting the three-dimensional effect right and the availability of easy-to-use and cost-effective equipment.

Addressing this challenge creatively for the first time in India, UFlex has developed embossed cylinders to produce an embossing effect on fabrics. This revolution in innovation by UFlex is projected to benefit the Indian textile market immensely.

2. Attal Promotional Bags:

The Attal Promotional Bags developed by UFlex are set to benefit many brands. The product packs some unique features like two layers metallic effect in halftone without using metallised film. UFlex has also introduced special security features in this product, like micro text, dot security and line security. These security features will support brands in promoting genuine products and encourage them in their fight against counterfeiting.

Engineering Business

1. LPFS-4U: Innovation is part of UFlex’s strategic vision and the company continues to make great strides in developing innovative products and solutions. The packaging sector continues to witness new innovations and it is imperative to strengthen its core and ancillary business process segments. To cater to the fast-growing and significant pouch sealing and filling segment, UFlex launched a machine in Q3,2022 called LPFS-4U or 4 UP Linear, Pick, Fill, and Seal that guarantees speed, performance, safety, hygiene and caters to environment conscious brands.

This machine is entirely servo driven with an operatorfriendly human interface module and an efficient filling system that can address many applications. This machine can run up to 20 PPM per track and has four channels. LPFS-4U has been well accepted in the market, and UFlex witnessed the first win with a big MNC in Q3, 2022. The developers are confident that this product will have a more-than-normal life cycle and create high value for clients

2. Quick change over in Rotogravure Printing:

Rotogravure printing involves a rotary press with cylinders typically rotating at high speeds used for printing various substrates for packaging/magazines. However, one of the significant drawbacks that professionals face with this technology is the time taken during job changeovers. To solve this, self-shaft chucking, trolley systems and sleeve-mandrel methodologies came into existence. While the industry has learned to live with the drawbacks, UFlex made some innovations to make it even more efficient by enabling auto changeover.

Some of the exciting features added to the process by UFlex include the following:

a) The unique concept of equipping the trolley with a doctor blade

b) The detachable ink tank with click-in positioning to avoid the ink return mechanism separately

c) Doctor Blade oscillation through a pneumatic motor with variable speed control, moving over rollers guide for firmness

d) Precision positioning of the trolley at desired locations

e) By automation, the trolley becomes an integral part of the mainframe in working, helping in accurate output

f) Reduction in job change over time as changeover works simultaneously on all desired stations

g) Reduction in the workforce

h) Improvement in output

i) Quality improvement

This new concept is likely to take the industry by storm, especially in price-sensitive markets like India, where success depends on product economics. UFlex’s inventions go well with the customers’ goals for increased productivity by approximate 400 to 500 kgs more; considering assumptions like four job changeovers per day, 12 microns PET as substrate, operational speed of 300 mpm and considering the job is 1300 mm wide.

About UFlex:

UFlex is India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and solutions company. Since its inception in 1985, UFlex has grown from strength to strength and has built a strong presence across all verticals of the packaging value chain — packaging films, chemicals, aseptic liquid packaging, holography, flexible packaging, printing cylinders, and engineering.

With a 10,000+ strong multicultural workforce across global regions that work toward developing innovative, value-added, and sustainable packaging solutions, the company has earned an irreproachable reputation for defining the contours of the ‘Packaging Industry’ in India and overseas. It provides end-to-end solutions to numerous Fortune 500 clients across various sectors such as FMCG, consumer product goods, pharmaceuticals, building materials, automobiles, and more, in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Noida, the National Capital Region, India, UFlex enjoys a global reach with advanced manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico, Egypt, USA, Poland, Russia, Nigeria, and Hungary

A winner of various marquee global awards for product excellence, innovation, and sustainability, UFlex is the first company in the world to earn recognition at the Davos Recycle Forum in 1995 for conceptualizing the recycling of mixed plastic waste. For more details, please visit: www.uflexltd.com

A day to express appreciation and affection to our loved ones, in 2023 we must take celebrate Valentine’s Day by also being mindful of the waste generated from elaborate gift wraps and single-use trinket packages.  
To supplement your own ideas of innovative and sustainable packaging, we have curated a list of materials and design fitting for the occasion. 
We are not going to lie, our research for this piece did also involve scrolling on Pinterest. 
The concept of a green Valentine’s Day stems from creative use of eco-friendly resources to create aesthetically-pleasing, thematic covering. In this case, “eco-friendly resources” could mean recyclable, reusable, compostable, without harmful chemicals and/or toxins, easy to dispose, or a combination of few or all of these characteristics.

1.    Seed Paper Packaging
Using plantable boxes or paper wrappings to encase trinkets, cards or even chocolates can make an ideal token, both for your loved one and the environment. 

2.    Origami Boxes
Make it more personal and customized! Watch a DIY video and use just paper and a pair of scissors to make a one-of-a-kind casing.

3.    Eco-friendy Gift Packs
Many sustainability-focused brands, like Lush, design special, limited-edition Valentine’s gift packs. They use vegan and ethically-sourced ingredients for their products and package them in recyclable packaging. 

4.    Natural String in place of Chemical Adhesives
Replace hot melts (polymer-based) and solvent-based adhesives with water-based (especially bio-origin varieties) alternatives. Even better, choose a packaging design that allows you to use natural string to hold all the contents together. 

Lastly, always remember that it is the thought that counts. Make sustainable, heartfelt choice beyond just packaging. Gift houseplants instead of plucked flowers, opt for a home cooked meal over a fancy dinner. 

Packaging Connections wishes you and your loved ones a Happy Valentine’s Day!
 

1. 

Impressive growth rates for installations of high-speed inkjet presses – especially sheet fed presses  
Mondi offer widest selection of high-speed inkjet papers in reels and sheets 
High-speed inkjet papers with surface treatment in combination with inkjet pigment inks help the de-inking process for better circularity 
Back at high speed, the Hunkeler Innovation Days in Lucerne, Switzerland will be held from February 27 to March 2. Over the past three years, where the pandemic prevented this industry event from happening, high speed inkjet printing continued to evolve and will continue to do so according to the 2021 Smithers report “The Future of Print Equipment Markets to 2026”.  For both types of high-speed presses – reel fed and sheet fed – the market is growing. In Europe, inkjet reel fed installations are expected to grow by around 50% between 2021 and 2026. Still, sheet fed inkjet installations top these figures as they are expected to grow by 126% in Western Europe and by 288% in Eastern Europe in the same period. 

 
High-speed inkjet papers that meet market developments 

Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper – part of the international packaging and paper group Mondi – developed the largest selection of high-speed inkjet papers in close collaboration with renowned OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). The papers feature ideal gamut, reels as well as sheets in grammages ranging from 60 to 300 gsm and various surface treatments. “All of our high-speed inkjet papers have optimised drying time, especially the fully treated and pigmented papers,” explains Bernhard Cantzler, Head of Marketing & Innovation at Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper. “These allow our customers to achieve rich colours, reduce ink consumption and save on the overall cost. The recent extension of our sheet offering goes hand in hand with the market development,” he adds. 

Circularity as clear customer requirement 

“Another market development we clearly see is that companies strive to make a positive impact on the planet and are looking for products that foster circularity,” Bernhard Cantzler states. For printed products de-inking, the process of removing printed inks from waste paper, is particularly challenging. The better printed ink is removed from the fibres the better the quality of the pulp, which can then be turned into high-quality recycled paper again. While classic offset inks perform well, this is not always the case with newer printing processes and inks. Inkjet pigment inks are easier to remove from the paper than dye inks. But there is an even better combination as the paper used has an impact on the result: specially treated papers can improve the de-inkability of inks difficult to remove. “The best de-inking result is achieved with inkjet pigment inks on paper with special surface treatment such as Color Copy jet or NEUJET® silk premium,” Bernhard Cantzler explains. “These digital printing papers are optimised along the value chain: during printing, while showing off the excellent printed result and at the end of their project life. In technical jargon Color Copy jet and NEUJET® silk premium feature a very high colour gamut, good fixation of the ink on surface as well as economical use of ink and during recycling the de-inking process is smoother compared to other inkjet paper combinations.” 

Live demonstrations and expertise at Hunkeler Innovation Days  

Mondi’s high-speed inkjet team joins the Hunkeler Innovation Days with a booth in hall 1. Several brands of Mondi’s extensive high-speed inkjet paper portfolio will be printed live at the Kyocera booth on the newly launched TASKalfa Pro 15000c: the number 1 digital colour printing paper Color Copy original, the specially treated, smooth and silky high-speed inkjet paper NEUJET® silk and the totally chlorine free paper BIO TOP 3®. 

About Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper

Uncoated Fine Paper is a business unit of Mondi Group. In its operating sites, Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper produces pulp and environmentally sound office and professional printing papers tailored to the latest professional digital and offset print technologies. The company complies with the strictest international certification standards to support sustainable production processes through the responsible management of forest, water and air resources. Mondi’s Green Spirit approach serves as a guide and signpost, a future-oriented and positive attitude that connects the company to its customers – making an impact together. As part of the Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030), Mondi is the first to offer an extensive uncoated fine paper portfolio as Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze meeting the high standards and demanding requirements of this certification scheme which marks the step from a linear to a circular economy.

Its renowned brands such as Color Copy, PERGRAPHICA®, NAUTILUS®, NEUJET®, IQ, MAESTRO®, BIO TOP 3®, DNS® or ROTATRIM are used in office environments on laser or inkjet printers and by professional printers on digital or offset presses to create brochures, transactional material, folders, invitations, business cards, letterheads or other high-impact communication. Converters appreciate the excellent printability and smooth handling of Mondi’s professional printing papers.

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and films, to developing and manufacturing sustainable consumer and industrial packaging solutions using paper where possible, plastic when useful. Sustainability is at the center of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate.

In 2021, Mondi had revenues of €7.0 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.2 billion from continuing operations, and employed 21,000 people worldwide. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).

Smurfit Kappa has once again been recognised as a top ESG performer by leading research and analytics company Morningstar Sustainalytics. Following a thorough analysis of global companies, Smurfit Kappa’s 2022 ESG Risk Rating improved, seeing the FTSE 100 listed company positioned in Sustainalytics’ list of Top Rated companies both for the industry and regional categories.

Morningstar Sustainalytics is a leading global independent ESG research, ratings and data firm that supports investors around the world with the development and implementation of responsible investment strategies. It rates more than 15,600 companies across the globe and multiple industries.

The ESG Industry Top Rated badge received by Smurfit Kappa is a global benchmark and reaffirms Smurfit Kappa’s ESG Risk Rating as ‘low-risk’. The rating was determined by several factors, including the company’s financial strength, circular business model and geography.

In addition, Smurfit Kappa once again received the Regional Top Rated badge, which covers Europe and categorises Smurfit Kappa’s ESG Risk Rating as ‘low-risk.’

Commenting on the rating, Garrett Quinn, Chief Sustainability Officer at Smurfit Kappa, said: “It’s an honour to receive recognition from Sustainalytics for a second year which includes improved rankings and recognises our work in the field of sustainability by awarding us top rated both in the geographies and industry we operate in.

“At a time when corporate sustainability strategies across the globe are under the spotlight for credibility, this is further strong validation of our well-established sustainability reporting and delivery and is another extremely positive development for Smurfit Kappa, our investors and all of our stakeholders. It’s a testament to everyone involved that these actions have been recognised again by such a reputable third party.”

The rating from Sustainalytics is one of the latest third-party validations of Smurfit Kappa’s leadership in sustainability. 

The recognition builds on Smurfit Kappa’s recent CDP upgrade to ‘A-’ in climate and its leading ‘AA’ rating with MSCI.

Smurfit Kappa is a leader in the circular economy providing sustainable, renewable, recyclable and biodegradable paper-based packaging solutions to over 65,000 customers worldwide. 

Of the billions of tons of plastic that have been produced worldwide, only about 9% has been recycled, and about 12% ends up in landfills. The rest can end up leaking into the environment, polluting oceans and rivers and breaking down into microplastics that are hazardous to human health. There is a clear and urgent need to improve recycling processes and to ensure that more packaging enters the recycling stream. Deinking packaging prior to regranulation helps to prevent the packaging inks from contaminating the materials to be recycled, and ensures that the packaging stays in the recycling stream.

The partners to the initiative recognize that it is only through cross-industry collaboration that progress can be made. Wildplastic is a German startup founded in 2019 aiming to clean the environment from plastic waste. In cooperation with communities of collectors, the start-up works globally to collect “wild” plastic from beaches, landfills, and illegal dumpsites. In spring 2019, Wildplastic started selling the first trash bag that is 100% made of recycled plastic. Currently, their focus is on sourcing Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) such as bubble wrap or certain food packaging. LDPE cannot yet be widely recycled, so the market collection incentive for it is still limited. Wildplastic wants to change this by creating a demand for this material and showcasing the potential of post-consumer LDPE recycling. After collection, the plastic is transported to a recycling partner who washes, melts and processes it into granules. These recyclate granules are then sent to a production partner and used as a substitute for virgin LDPE material. This material is then used to create trash bags and mail bags. A broader scope of applications may be possible if the materials could be successfully deinked first.

In 2021, Wildplastic and the Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM) of TU-Hamburg started a cooperative research and development  project, financed by the Investment and Development Bank of Hamburg (IFB) to study the feasibility of improving the quality of LDPE-recyclates from post-consumer sources. Evonik is supporting this project as a cooperative partner.

“We started to conduct research on deinking of post-consumer plastic waste with Wildplastic  about one year ago. As a technical university, it is important to carry out meaningful research relevant to the real-world problem. From our project, we have learned that a successful circular economy only works by motivating all the stakeholders involved. Siegwerk as the producer of printing ink, can play an important role in this context since it brings the producer’s perspective to solve the problem in the beginning.” said Jinyang Guo from the Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM) from TU- Hamburg during a kick-off meeting between the partners in November 2022.

Siegwerk is supporting Wildplastic in this initiative by providing the deinking chemistry and knowledge to enable the creation of clean recyclates. In order for successful deinking to occur, a precise combination of the right ink chemistry, the right deinking detergent and the right process needs to be applied. Inks on packaging can often be a hinderance to recycling, as the inks degrade during the recycling process and can contaminate the recyclates, leading to unpleasant odors or unsightly colors. Even if the inks are not totally removed, the opportunities for recycling are increased exponentially.

“It is a pleasure to work with our partners from Wildplastic and from the University of Hamburg on this topic. We have a strong can-do attitude in common. The scientific perspective and the conscientiousness contributed by Jinyang helps us to maintain a fact-based and objective view. Not only in the design of experiments but also in the interpretation of results. Wildplastic has the ambition to benefit from deinking in their recycling activities in just a few months and brings in an industrial perspective,” said Ingo Fehr, Senior Project Manager at Siegwerk.

“We have started this collaboration with Jinyang and the University about one year ago following our deep interest to find a solution for specific washing needs for highly challenging post-consumer plastic film materials in a small scale batch operation. From day one we have worked together in a very open and solution-orientated way and with shared passion. It´s all about getting the right people together, therefore we are extremely happy to share our results and to extend our collaboration with the team at Siegwerk,” said Wildplastic co-founder Dieter Gottschalk

About Siegwerk
Siegwerk, a sixth-generation family-owned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogs. With more than 180 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. A global manufacturing and service network ensures customers consistently high-quality products and services. In keeping with the company’s philosophy “Ink, Heart & Soul,” Siegwerk seeks long-term cooperation with its business partners. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne. Further information on Siegwerk can be found at www.siegwerk.com

Over the past two decades, digital technology has redefined the book printing market with solutions that are profitably producing short to medium runs on demand. With Xeikon’s introduction of SIRIUS dry toner technology in 2020, as implemented in the Xeikon SX30000 and SX20000 full color, duplex roll-fed presses, printers worldwide are now successfully carving out a bigger slice of this growing segment by reaping the multiple benefits of the break-through innovation for high-quality print production.

Dimitri Van Gaever, Market Segment Director for Graphic Arts, states, “Digital book printing is the fastest growing digital application by volume. While traditional book production is under pressure, printers who have adopted digital technology are in a much better position, because they can handle small and even ultra-small orders, which can be printed to order thereby reducing turnaround time and eliminating warehouse costs. What Xeikon has brought to the table with SIRIUS is exceptional quality combined with unrivalled substrate and format flexibility,with a low printing cost.” 

Following a number of successful installations, including at BookBaby in the US where two Xeikon SX30000 presses are producing books on demand, the first public showing of the SIRIUS technology will take place at Hunkeler Innovationdays in Switzerland,. Visitors will be able to experience Xeikon’s Book Production Solution in action demonstrating three high-end applications, including a coffee table travel book, a full color tourist guide, and a highly illustrated book on architecture. The single-pass, duplex Xeikon SX30000 roll-fed press will be running live in line with a Hunkeler Gen8 roll-to-stack solution producing book blocks which will be bound on an offline Muller Martini Vareo Pro with Infinitrim. The paper for both the inside book pages and the covers will be supplied by Sappi and UPM Specialty Papers.       

As the most productive of the SIRIUS family, the flagship Xeikon SX30000 can deliver up to 2,545 full color printed B2 sheets an hour (equivalent to 404ppm A4) with lower setup costs than conventional technologies. Tackling the widest range of substrates in this category, it prints on uncoated papers, digital coated papers in silk, gloss or matte, and standard offset papers up to 350 gsm, and shines not only in book printing (including covers, dust jackets, and lay-flat photobooks), but also in direct mail, point-of-sale, security documents, and general commercial printing. In addition to the ability to print very high duplex coverage and 1200 dpi resolution, the sustainability of the process is also unequalled. The dry toner is produced in a plant powered 100% by green energy, there are no VOCs emitted, energy consumption is low, and the print is fully deinkable in existing waste streams.  

Visitors to the Xeikon stand will also be able to learn about the Xeikon SX20000 roll-fed press, a cost-effective option for implementing SIRIUS technology into graphic arts production. As well as talking in person to the experts, a large touch screen will give them direct access to Xeikon’s Virtual Showroom at Printing Expo Online. Other applications on display include marketing communications, PoS, specialty print, and interior decoration.  

Van Gaever concludes, “Xeikon has proven its dedication to developing premier solutions for driving more value in book printing, particularly in the high-value, luxury segment and in the fast-moving on-demand market. With SIRIUS state-of-the-art digital printing, we are enabling our customers to deliver superior quality that matches offset without compromise at a very competitive TCO; a value proposition that has already been validated in the field.”

ABOUT XEIKON
Xeikon, a division of Flint Group, is a long-standing leader and innovator in digital printing technology. Grounded in the principles of quality, flexibility and sustainability, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers digital colour presses for label and packaging applications as well as graphic arts and commercial printing. These printing machines work with different imaging technologies, open workflow software and application-specific consumables.

Xeikon is Flint Group’s “Digital Printing Solutions” division for the leading global print consumables and solution provider to the packaging and print media industries. Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of consumables for the printing industry. These include a vast range of conventional and energy-curable inks and coatings, press room chemicals, and pigments and additives for use in inks and other colorant applications. The Flint Group is based in Luxembourg and employs around 5500 people. On a worldwide basis, the company is the number one or number two supplier in every major market segment it serves.
 

Veteran food sector sales specialist to oversee company’s continued growth efforts with both established and prospective customers.

IMA DAIRY & FOOD USA – whose equipment solutions comprise the long-established brands Gasti, Hamba, Hassia, Fillshape, Corazza, Erca, AlphaMAC and Intecma – has hired longtime packaging and dairy sector sales specialist Daniel Margherio as its National Business Development Manager. In this role, Mr. Margherio’s primary focus will be IMA’s Fillshape business unit, which manufactures and designs filling systems for flexible stand-up pouches (both with and without spout) in dairy, food, beverage and personal care applications.

Most recently, Mr. Margherio was Business Development Manager, Liquid Food & Beverage for packaging provider Fres-Co System USA, a position he held since 2016. Prior to that, he held business development management roles with snack and confectionary manufacturer The Warrell Corporation, as well as with Farmland Dairies of Wallington, NJ. At Farmland, Mr. Margherio enjoyed a decade-long tenure particularly relevant to his new role with IMA Dairy & Food. 

Mr. Margherio comes to IMA Dairy & Food at a promising time. The packaging solutions company recently introduced Zero Technology, a means of producing single-serve, sustainability-minded PET cups for dairy and other food items. In Q4 of 2022, the company also took over sales activities for extrusion blow mold machinery suppler AlphaMAC, an Italy-based equipment provider (and IMA Group member) specializing in solutions for the packaging of liquid products. 

“Daniel’s track record of overseeing successful, often double-digit sales growth will help IMA continue to grow our North American market share in the dairy and greater food packaging landscape,” said Patrick Carroll, President of IMA Dairy & Food USA. “His highly relevant background, impressive skill set and engaging personality make him exceptionally well-suited for his new role, and we’re delighted to welcome him.” 

Mr. Margherio earned a degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York (SUNY) Binghamton. He resides in Plymouth Meeting, PA.

About IMA DAIRY & FOOD
IMA Dairy & Food USA serves the dairy and food industries with several brands of the IMA group (Corazza, Erca, Fillshape, Gasti, Hamba, Hassia and Intecma) and offers a portfolio covering nearly all areas of packaging machine application, including:

•    Filling and sealing machines (FS) for preformed cups and bottles
•    Forming, filling and sealing machines (FFS) for packaging products in the food, dairy, and beverage segments (filled up to the aseptic level)
•    Filling systems for flexible stand-up pouches with and without spout for dairy, food, beverage and personal care sectors
•    Wrapping machines for packaging butter, fresh cheese, soup cubes, yeast, margarine, etc.
•    Aseptic vertical and horizontal form, fill and seal machines for stick packs / pouches (with corresponding dosing systems)
•    FFS machines for packaging single portions of coffee, honey, jam, etc. 
 

SÜDPACK has voluntarily published its fourth Sustainability Report – corrobo-rating the progress made in 2020 and 2021 with hard data. The fact that SÜD-PACK was named Germany’s 36th most sustainable SME out of over 4,000 businesses in a cross-sector ranking as recently lends considerable impe-tus to the film producer’s ambitious sustainability strategy. Because the com-panies’ Sustainability Reports were an explicit criterion when selecting the front-runners, especially their ESG targets and the effectiveness thereof. All of the Top 50 firms have one thing in common: for years, they have been com-mitted to the three categories of ecology, economy and social responsibility in equal measure. 
On the second page of the 84-page Sustainability Report, important data im-mediately illustrates that sustainability is key in all areas and in all aspects at SÜDPACK – and is also a permanent call to action. For example, 63 MWh of energy has been generated using its own renewable sources. 57 percent of its total investments are in new technologies that help to improve sustainability. 30 percent of its turnover is already generated by sustainable products. Waste has been reduced by 15 percent. Social responsibility, diversity and compliance are prioritized. 
In contrast to its previous report for 2020, however, areas of activity that are essential for SÜDPACK and its stakeholders have been redefined. The latest report, which represents a significant expansion of its previous sustainability strategy, is now divided into the following topics: corporate governance, sus-tainable efficiency, circular economy, climate protection and social responsibil-ity. In addition to its new set of guiding values and revised code of conduct, corporate governance also includes the economic pillar of sustainability and sustainable efficiency.
Overall, significant progress has been made in all areas during both financial years and documented accordingly in the report: SÜDPACK continues to work intensively on the development of extremely material-efficient, recyclable and therefore sustainable material structures. Its Pure-Line range featuring PP and PE-based high-performance films, its aluminum-free doypack and its film solu-tion that is free of halogenic substances for the manufacture of blister packag-ing are great examples of this.
Circular economy
Huge investments are underway – in new business models, in new technolo-gies and above all in an efficient circular economy. During the preparation and recovery of recyclable materials, the film producer simultaneously pursues two targeted solutions with its commitment to both mechanical and chemical recy-cling. Its internal material management using regranulation and compounding aims to return mechanically recycled plastic waste to film production – from both its own manufacturing and that of its customers. Thanks to its investment in pioneering CARBOLIQ technology, SÜDPACK also expects to be able to con-vert existing and hitherto non-recyclable packaging and plastic waste into valu-able resources on an industrial scale in future. “As one of the leading film pro-ducers, our goal must be to continue to retain all the materials that enter our cycle within the cycle,“ says Carolin Grimbacher, Managing Partner of SÜDPACK. 
Climate protection
Both these initiatives demonstrate SÜDPACK’s ZERO Waste claim. However, ZERO Waste is only part of its ambitious sustainability strategy. The central goal is NET ZERO. Consequently, the company group aims to avoid greenhouse gas emissions wherever possible and offset any unavoidable emissions. Its corpo-rate carbon footprint provides an essential basis for this: by 2025, 95 percent of direct greenhouse gas emissions and those from energy needs (Scope 1 & 2) are to be reduced, as well as 15 percent of indirect greenhouse gas emissions along the value chain (Scope 3). Other measures include the increased use of renewable energy as well as additional investments in photovoltaic systems. As of 2022, for example, all its German sites use 100 percent renewable energy, along with carbon-neutral natural gas. 
To ensure that all its climate protection efforts are actually in keeping with the highest standards of the Paris Climate Agreement, SÜDPACK joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2022. 

Social responsibility
As a company that has been family-owned since it was founded in 1964 and is deeply rooted in the region, Südpack is particularly committed to people. In the latest edition of its Sustainability Report, the film producer also defines its op-erational framework and presents a number of projects that have been suc-cessfully implemented in recent months or have already been initiated: from individual employee development as well as occupational health and safety, through dealing with suppliers and business partners, to a sustainable supply chain.
Its new set of guiding values is a major cornerstone of cultural understanding. “In a dynamic market environment, how do we want to shape the future of SÜDPACK, how do we as a company want to be represented in public and final-ly how do we integrate new sites and employees into our organization? We are convinced that we can only continue to be among the best in our industry if everyone shares and embraces the same values,“ says Carolin Grimbacher.

Sustainability awards
The latest Sustainability Report is both an ‘explanation’ and a ‘call to action’. Because SÜDPACK not only consistently continues to develop its sustainability roadmap, but also constantly pursues its ambitious goals. Think and act holisti-cally – that is its motto. In order to help other, hitherto less active companies also achieve a more sustainable future, WirtschaftsWoche has chosen “Ger-many’s most sustainable SMEs 2022“. Südpack is among the best – and it was also nominated in the ‘Industrial company with more than 250 employees’ category for the renowned 2022 Environment Award of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
The biennial report 
… is based on the internationally recognized Sustainability Reporting Standards published by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI Standards). The content has been compiled in accordance with the “Core” option of the GRI Standards. 
The report is also available on its website.

About SÜDPACK
SÜDPACK is a leading manufacturer of high-tech films and packaging materials for the food, 
non-food, and medical product industries. The solutions ensure maximum product protection as well as additional pioneering features with minimum material input. 
The family business, which was founded by Alfred Remmele in 1964, is headquartered in Ochsen-hausen. The production sites in Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the USA are equipped with the latest plant technology and manufacture to the highest standards, including the capacity to operate under clean room conditions. The global sales and service net-work ensures a high degree of proximity to the customer and comprehensive application technolo-gy support in more than 70 countries.
With its state-of-the-art Development and Application Center at its headquarters in Ochsenhausen, the innovation-oriented company offers its customers an optimal platform for carrying out appli-cation tests and for developing individual and tailor-made solutions.
SÜDPACK is committed to sustainable development and fulfills its responsibility as an employer and towards society, the environment, and its customers by developing packaging solutions that are unparalleled in their efficiency and sustainability.
 

 Alternative proteins have succeeded in making the leap from niche products to the mainstream. But the entry into this growth market is challenging. What are the trends in products and the market? How do I produce a tasty and healthy product? And how can I design my production to be efficient, sustainable and safe? These and many other questions were addressed in the "Future Proteins" conference, which MULTIVAC and Handtmann held from 1 - 3 February 2023 in Wolfertschwenden. 

More than 240 visitors from around the world convened on Wednesday at MULTIVAC headquarters to take part in the "Future Proteins" confer-ence. They were all united in their interest in food products from alter-native protein sources - for example Camembert alternatives made from cashew milk, shrimps made from soya, and cutlets made from chickpeas. Food products, which are often particularly delicate, and which consequently have to be processed and packaged in a very gen-tle way. “The event was a unique opportunity for the participants to learn not only about the current trends in alternative proteins, but also about the latest sustainable and efficient solutions for processing and packaging these products,”says Dr Tobias Richter, Director and CSO of the MULTIVAC Group. “I was very impressed to see the wealth of ideas, which inspire this forward-looking sector, as well as the range of prod-ucts that arise from these alternative protein sources, and also how great the demand is for sustainable processing and packaging. In short: The "Future Proteins" conference has shown, that we are on the right path.” 

Talks, podium discussions, networking - The participants devel-oped solutions for the pressing questions of the future 

Over three days the organisers, MULTIVAC and Handtmann, offered the visitors a full program, which was supported by the Industry Associa-tion of Alternative Protein Sources (BALPro). This included presenta-tions by outside speakers from the spheres of science, research and in-dustry, which were then followed by podium discussions - on subjects such as product trends, opportunities for market positioning, and ways of reducing the CO2 footprint of packaging over the entire life cycle. Be-tween the talks the conference visitors exchanged views over finger food and refreshments, while also making visits to the Market Place. There the organisers, together with various players - from ingredient suppliers to film manufacturers - along the entire added value chain, presented a wide range of solutions for the manufacture, processing and packaging of alternative proteins. Events in the evening provided opportunities for networking over communal meals, and these rounded off the daily program of sessions. “The feedback from the conference participants was outstanding,” said Harald Suchanka, CEO of Handt-mann. “The visitors appreciated the opportunity to expand their hori-zons, to network with experts and like-minded people, as well as to de-velop solutions together for the pressing questions of the future in a relatively new growth market.” Also highly popular was the "Meet the Experts" format. Here more than 60 experts were available for half an hour of individual discussion with the conference participants. 

Deep dive sessions: Demonstrations of real machine solutions for processing and packaging alternative solutions 

It was the highly practical aspect above all, which made the conference unique. Deep dive sessions in MULTIVAC's Innovation Center offered the more than 240 visitors the opportunity to observe machines and lines at work. The demonstrations ranged from semi-automatic individ-ual machines right up to fully automatic, industrial-scale line solutions from MULTIVAC and Handtmann, all of which featured the processing and packaging of sliced, minced and formed products, as well as other items such as convenience foods and spreads. “We have now complet-ed more than 100 projects in the alternative proteins sector,” says Klaus Deniffel, Project Manager for Alternative Proteins at MULTIVAC. Experi-enced project managers accompany customers at every stage - from the first idea and design of the concept right up to the final efficiency adjustments by the digital MULTIVAC Smart Services. “Each individual solution is configured independently, so that every manufacturer is supported during the challenges in their transformation of proteins.” 
 

About MULTIVAC
MULTIVAC is one of the leading providers worldwide of packaging so-lutions for food products of all types, life science and healthcare prod-ucts, as well as industrial items. The MULTIVAC portfolio covers virtually all requirements of processors and producers in terms of pack design, output and resource efficiency. It comprises a wide range of packaging technologies, as well as automation solutions, labellers and quality con-trol systems. The product range is rounded off with solutions upstream of the packaging process in the areas of portioning and processing, as well as bakery technology. Thanks to our extensive expertise in packag-ing lines, all modules can be integrated into complete solutions. This means that MULTIVAC solutions guarantee a high level of operational and process reliability, as well as efficiency. The MULTIVAC Group has approximately 6,900 employees worldwide, with some 2,400 based at its headquarters in Wolfertschwenden. With over 80 subsidiaries, the Group is represented on all continents. More than 1,000 sales advisors and service technicians throughout the world use their know-how and experience to the benefit of customers, and they ensure that all in-stalled MULTIVAC machines are utilized to their maximum. Further in-formation can be found at: www.multivac.com. 

About Handtmann
The Handtmann F&P Operating Division is part of the owner-managed Handtmann Group with its headquarters in the Southern German town of Biberach. It is a leading manufacturer of food processing technology, and it offers modular line solutions across all processes - from the preparation of products right up to packaging solutions. The product range is supported by in-house developed digital solutions. In parallel with this, the company also invests in sustainable concepts for food in-novation. These include the state-of-the-art Technology Center and Customer Center at the company's headquarters. The Handtmann Group employs around 4,100 staff worldwide, of which F&P has approx. 1,400. With its many subsidiaries as well as sales and service partners, the company is represented globally in over 100 countries, and it is al-so networked across the board with its strategic partnerships. More information at: www.handtmann.de/food
 

Machine manufacturer KAMA, specialist for efficient finishing solutions for short and medium runs, will be showing live demos of converting and high-quality embellishment in digital printing at the Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023 in Lucerne, Switzerland (27. February to 02. March).

The Servo generation of the ProCut 76 Foil with advanced features and high automation is running at the KAMA booth in hall 1. The versatile machine covers a unique range of applications from die-cutting, creasing and perforating to embellishment with hot foil, hologram and relief, and meets the highest demands in finishing commercial jobs and folding carton production. KAMA presents the ProCut 76 Foil with the new AutoRegister AR3, which works with two cameras and brings every sheet exactly into position at full speed - ideal for finishing digital prints. The unique solution can be networked with the customer's server via the JobManager software as an interface.

First-class finishing, compact production
High-quality finishing is performed on the KAMA booth with impressive effects from nano, micro and multi-level embossing to hot foil reliefs. The servo main drive for asynchronous stroke control extends the contact time when transferring the pigments and ensures best finishing results even at high running speeds. The optimum foil feed is calculated by the Foil Saver software of the ProCut 76.

KAMA’s flagship finishing machine with up to three separately controllable foil feeders increases added value and opens up lucrative markets, such as for premium folding cartons for luxury items, chocolates, wellness products or cosmetics. 
Depending on the requirements’ profile and production environ¬ment, the ProCut 76 Foil can be equipped with the mobile KAMA heating plate, a heatable honeycomb plate or an integrated head heating. The quick changeover from high-quality finishing to die-cutting/creasing with virtually no nicks will also be on show at the Hunkeler Innovationsdays. 

Made in Germany
The versatile ProCut 76 Foil for the 760 x 600 mm format processes substrates up to 1,500 gsm as well as heat-treated, corrugated material with an output of up to 5,500 sheets per hour. The KAMA GmbH with an expertise of more than 125 years develops and manufactures all machines in its own production site in Dresden. www.kama.info
 

MULTIVAC will be presenting itself at interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf as a supplier of integrated solutions for the healthcare sector. The focus of the company's presence in Hall 16 (Stand C57) will be a fully integrated line, which is designed to meet the high requirements of the medical and pharmaceutical industries. This solution comprises all the stages in the process - from the loading of the sensitive products through to the packaging process itself, and right up to the end-of-line operation, and the main features of the line are its high output, machine availability and degree of flexibility.

Thermoforming packaging line for producing combi packs

On show will be a fully integrated line for the production of combi packs. The heart of the line is a RX 4.0 thermoforming packaging machine in GMP design, with which MULTIVAC is supporting the digitalisation of packaging processes and Industry 4.0/IoT solutions. The machine being shown in Düsseldorf, which is completely enclosed with its own housing, is laid out to produce a combi pack with a syringe, filter and vial: a SCARA robot, which is located in the loading area, places the various products precisely into the pack cavities. After the packaging process has been completed, an integrated handling module at the machine outfeed converges the packs, so that they are perfectly aligned for downstream box packing by a case packer. A high-performance digital printer is integrated into the thermoforming packaging machine for printing the packs very precisely and in compliance with legislation. After the upper web has been printed, visual inspection of the print image is performed by means of an integrated vision system.

Thanks to a comprehensive sensor system, a state-of-the-art machine control, and networking with the MULTIVAC Cloud, the RX 4.0 ther-moforming packaging machine offers a high level of output, flexibility and machine availability, and it ensures that the optimum pack quality and process reliability are always achieved. In addition to the machine's comprehensive sensor system, the intelligent RFID-coded dies also con-tribute to the high level of efficiency, process reliability and operating security. Thanks to their highly developed actuating system, the so-called X-tools enable the die to be changed quickly and reliably during product changes. The whole line can be controlled conveniently and in-tuitively by the user-friendly HMI on the packaging machine. 
MULTIVAC Group at interpack
MULTIVAC will be presenting itself at interpack as a supplier of integrated solutions for packaging and processing. The MULTIVAC Group will be showing its comprehensive range of equipment and services for medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as for all types of food, over a total of four exhibition areas in Düsseldorf. The focus will be on innovative and sustainable processing and packaging solutions, as well as digital services that contribute to designing efficient and resource-saving production processes. 

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About MULTIVAC
MULTIVAC is one of the leading providers worldwide of packaging so-lutions for food products of all types, life science and healthcare prod-ucts, as well as industrial items. The MULTIVAC portfolio covers virtually all requirements of processors and producers in terms of pack design, output and resource efficiency. It comprises a wide range of packaging technologies, as well as automation solutions, labellers and quality con-trol systems. The product range is rounded off with solutions upstream of the packaging process in the areas of portioning and processing, as well as bakery technology. Thanks to our extensive expertise in packag-ing lines, all modules can be integrated into complete solutions. This means that MULTIVAC solutions guarantee a high level of operational and process reliability, as well as efficiency. The MULTIVAC Group has approximately 6,900 employees worldwide, with some 2,400 based at its headquarters in Wolfertschwenden. With over 80 subsidiaries, the Group is represented on all continents. More than 1,000 sales advisors and service technicians throughout the world use their know-how and experience to the benefit of customers, and they ensure that all in-stalled MULTIVAC machines are utilized to their maximum. Further information can be found at: www.multivac.com. 
 

Zeus, the Irish-owned global packaging supply chain solutions company, has today announced the acquisition of Polpack, a leader in packaging materials distribution and packaging machinery solutions in Poland. This is the first step in Zeus’ 2023 acquisition strategy, further consolidating its operations across Europe.

Established in January 1993, privately-owned Polpack has grown revenues to more than €8.5 million per annum. Headquartered in Warsaw, Polpack has 7 sales offices throughout Poland supported by warehousing, logistics and manufacturing facilities. With over 40 staff, the business offers bespoke solutions to a diverse customer base.  During the past 12 months Zeus has added a further €75 million of revenue through acquisition. This latest purchase represents the start of a program of further growth plans in 2023 aimed to navigate business to revenues of more than €500 million.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Zeus CEO Keith Ockenden said: “We set up Zeus Poland in 2010 with revenues now exceeding €5 million and a full range of packaging solutions for food production, retail, manufacturing, e-commerce and 3PL organisations. The acquisition of Polpack is a natural fit for our Poland operation, offering synergies to combine scale, leverage operational efficiencies and expand our product and service offering to our collective client base.”

“Our European reach has strategically expanded during the past two years with Zeus now operating across 16 countries throughout Europe. Polpack’s capabilities in the provision of packaging and machinery solutions compliments our strategy to diversify our offering across Europe within the industrial and transit packaging sector enabling us to offer clients options to consolidate supply chains and leverage greater value.”

Polpack owner Wojciech Zdzieborski said: “Today is a new step in the Polpack journey. We are excited to work with Zeus, combining their global reach and infrastructure with our experience, technical skills, knowledge and understanding of customer needs in packaging machinery, developing and manufacturing. This partnership will improve productivity, enhance efficiencies and deliver greater value to our customers.”

Zeus founder Brian O’Sullivan added: “Our journey over the years has provided opportunities to strengthen our capability, widen our offering and learn new disciplines. The addition of the Polpack businesses into our family will complement the range of solutions we provide our customers, enhance our technical capability within Poland and strengthen resources throughout Europe.”

Customers of Zeus range across sectors and include Kaufland, Lidl, Aldi, ABP, Harrods, Musgrave, Ryanair and McDonalds. Established by Brian O’Sullivan in 1998, Zeus now employs over 900 people worldwide. In 2021, Mr O’Sullivan was announced as the winner of EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Smurfit Kappa has continued to demonstrate its leadership in innovative and sustainable packaging solutions by winning eight WorldStar 2023 Awards.

The stand-out solutions that received top honours this year include a groundbreaking beverage packaging solution for the transportation of water, a paper-based fruit punnet with a useful handle for carrying and an innovative space-saving tube for heating units. 

Building on the success of the 2022 awards, the beverage category was again one of the areas where Smurfit Kappa shone this year. The octagonal Bag-in-Box solution for water, which seamlessly fuses supply chain optimisation and palletisation, was a worthy winner in this category.   

Smurfit Kappa’s sustainability credentials were in evidence throughout all the winning entries. The ‘All-in-Fix’ universal eCommerce packaging eliminated 88% of plastic from the original packaging solution and reduced CO2 emissions by an impressive 21%.

Another eCommerce category winner was the sustainable E-Hug single material stabiliser, which facilitates the safe shipment of different sized bottles.

A striking winner in the Food category was the ‘Goliath Box’ which features angled walls to absorb the internal force exerted by the fruit. This in turns allows for perfect stacking and improved load ventilation. 

Commenting on Smurfit Kappa’s success, Saverio Mayer, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Europe, said: “We are delighted and honoured to have received eight awards for our innovative and sustainable packaging solutions at this prestigious event for our industry.

“At Smurfit Kappa, we have a relentless commitment to making our customers’ packaging better all the time – better in terms of its environmental footprint, better in terms of design and better when it comes to protecting the contents even in the most complex supply chains.”

The eight Smurfit Kappa winning products originate from the Czech Republic, Poland and Spain. The WorldStar Global Packaging Awards ceremony will take place in Düsseldorf in May.

Smurfit Kappa’s winning products in WorldStar 2023

One-piece Glass Seal liners provide exceptional leak protection and luxury aesthetics for a wide array of products, including moisturizers, beauty creams, vitamins, and more. 

TekniPlex Consumer Products, a globally integrated provider of innovative solutions through materials science and manufacturing technologies, has launched a new line of one-piece heat induction seals for glass containers. The company’s Glass Seal solutions offer brand owners heightened aesthetics and leak protection for products housed in glass jars and bottles, which are increasingly recognized as among the most sustainable, renewable packaging options.

 TekniPlex’s Glass Seal liners can help differentiate a wide variety of products in glass containers – everything from moisturizers and beauty creams to vitamins and more. Available in foam-backed and paperboard-backed options, the liners peel away cleanly, leaving no residue on the rim. Tamper-evident and e-commerce compliant, the liners feature a diverse range of tab design options and can be custom-printed or embossed for additional brand appeal and awareness.

As sustainability becomes a key element in various consumer packaged goods niches, many brands are looking to add touches of elegance to their glass packaging, which receives high marks for eco-friendliness thanks to its infinite recyclability. For this same reason, some brands are switching to glass packaging from other materials, and are looking for options that provide product protection, enhance consumer experiences, and offer opportunities for brand differentiation.

 “Glass jars and bottles have always been associated with sustainability, but are also seen as having branding and ease of use limitations,” said Jacqui Barber, Director of Sales, Integrated Performance Solutions, Americas, TekniPlex Consumer Products. “Our Glass Seal solutions address several of these challenges, offering reliable leak protection with a clean peel for an enhanced consumer experience, and a bevy of branding options for product differentiation.”

About TekniPlex Consumer Products
TekniPlex Consumer Products specializes in advanced materials science solutions for companies in the food & beverage and CPG industries with a focus on protecting products, strengthening brands, and innovating sustainably. TekniPlex Consumer Products serves companies around the world in sectors including beauty and personal care, household items, and food and beverage.

With an expanding selection of material-diverse solutions – bolstered in recent years, by a series of strategic acquisitions – TekniPlex Consumer Products is leading the way creating next-generation packaging designs that address real-world challenges in the markets it serves. Most notably, the company is focused on developing more sustainable solutions that continue to provide product safety and consumer satisfaction. 
 

Greenfield expansion project will create local jobs and improve global access to health products

 Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), a leader in the design, development, and production of patient-centered healthcare solutions, will begin product production at its second manufacturing facility and healthcare center of excellence in Bangalore, India as early as April 2023. Leveraging the company’s innovative research and development (R&D) solutions, this new Greenfield expansion project will:
•    Improve regional and global access to advanced healthcare solutions
•    Provide customers with necessary volume to support the forecasted growth for Asia’s domestic healthcare market
•    Boost India’s domestic economy by employing more than 500 new team members over the next eight years in Bangalore, commonly referred to as India’s Silicon Valley
“Healthcare companies have limited access to regional expertise and global capabilities needed to provide patient populations in Asia with modern healthcare solutions at scale,” said Tom Salmon, Berry Global's Chairman and CEO. “Our new facility and global healthcare center of excellence in Bangalore will support Asia’s growing demand for healthcare products, create new jobs, and, most importantly, benefit the lives of patient populations who have historically gone untreated and underdiagnosed.” 
The new Bangalore plant will improve global patient access to products for the Inhalation, Nasal, Ophthalmic, Dispensing, and Self-injection industries. And the new Berry Global Healthcare R&D Center of Excellence will support the development of innovative solutions for existing and new applications to improve medicine administration and functionality, while helping customers’ meet ambitious sustainability goals. 
The R&D center will be launching up to seven new products and projects in 2023 ranging from DPI Inhalers to plastics caps and closures. Included among these products will be Berry’s Pneumohaler, a lightweight, breath-actuated, multidose inhaler dose counter for the control and treatment of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Several new medical packaging products will be available for sampling with industrial prototypes in March 2023.  
Located in close proximity to some of the largest, generic pharmaceutical companies, the Bangalore site's ability to cater pharmaceutical packaging to U.S regulatory requirements will enable the local manufacture of healthcare products, at a global scale. The site will use ISO class clean rooms, as well as leverage Berry’s experience submitting Active Drug Master Files (DMFs) to regulatory agencies, and providing active DMF and filling for regulated markets.  
“Improved drug affordability and greater access to modern healthcare solutions are more important than ever in India, one of the most populated countries in the world. Our new facility and R&D center will benefit the domestic economy by creating new jobs and the regional economy overall by improving healthcare access and providing locally manufactured products,” said Jean-Marc Galvez, President of Consumer Packaging International.
Berry’s new Bangalore site will source the equivalent of around 90% of the facility’s electricity from solar and wind power. The site has also achieved the International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate (ISCC) Plus designation. ISCC Plus certified facilities support customer demand for more sustainable packaging by ensuring materials meet the ISCC’s standards for recycled, renewable, and recycled-renewable materials. This provides traceability along the supply chain and verifies certified companies meet high environmental and social standards. 
The new Bangalore site will follow the same relentless pursuit of safety as Berry’s initial Bangalore facility, which has operated with zero safety incidents for more than fourteen years. This commitment to maintaining high safety standards will contribute to achieving Berry's ultimate safety goal of zero incidents of any type across its 265+ global locations and nearly 46,000 employees.
Several products developed at the Bangalore site will be available for sampling at the 2023 Pharmapack Paris exhibition. These products will include Berry’s innovative, patient-centric packaging and dispensing solutions, as well drug delivery devices for medicines and pharmaceuticals that meet the growing demand for sustainability and digitalization. Among these products will be Berry’s Activated Rispharm (with a Risdrop nozzle), a recyclable, multidose antimicrobial dropper that helps prevent eye microbial infections and produces 16X less waste than a unidose dropper. Activated Rispharm has received a gold rating for functionality from CPHI China a major event in the Asian pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, Activated Rispharm won the Prestigious Packaging Innovation Award at Pharmapack Europe, the premier venue for the pharma packaging and drug delivery device industry in Europe.
Ends

About Berry Global 
At Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), we create innovative packaging and engineered products that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry-leading talent of 46,000 global employees across more than 265 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey. For more information, visit our website, or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter. (BERY- E)

 

Today, DSM Engineering Materials announces the launch of Lucidiris ™. Lucidiris ™ helps customers reduce time to market when developing colors of high-performance materials for a variety of applications. Besides predicting color and mechanical properties, it can predict the envelope of potential color space within critical mechanical properties and prescribe recipes for targeted color properties. Lucidiris™ has been developed for several high-performance material grades and will be extended, including recycled-based and repurposed materials. It is a next step in DSM Engineering Materials’ journey to make product development for their customers quicker and easier via advanced digital solutions.

This state-of-the-art patent protected Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology facilitates the development of material recipes with targeted optical properties while assuring mechanical properties.

With Lucidiris ™ customers will be supported by its ability to:

• Predict color and mechanical properties of polymer compounds upon addition of color ingredients.

• Predict envelope of potential color space that can be produced within critical mechanical properties.

• Prescribe color ingredients to add to a polymer compound to meet targeted properties.

“Lucidiris™ changes our design-build-test-learn development cycle for the customer applications of our materials fundamentally,” said Erwin Houben, R&T Manager Digitization DSM Engineering Materials. “This state-of-the-art AI based digital tool reinforces our strengths in colored materials development and enables to take on some tough challenges for reusing circular materials.”

“And there is more to come,” said Angelika Schmidt, Global R&T Manager of Performance Polymers, DSM Engineering Materials. “Lucidiris™ is our next step into digitization of product development. What we can do for color development already today, will be possible for product development in the future. Combining human intelligence with machine learning will enable us to get to the successful recipes with much less iterations and therefore much shorter development times for our customers.”

To find out more visit: dsm.com/color-development

DSM

DSM Engineering Materials is a business group of Royal DSM, a global, purpose-led company in Health, Nutrition & Bioscience, applying science to improve the health of people, animals, and the planet. DSM’s purpose is to create brighter lives for all. DSM’s products and solutions address some of the world’s biggest challenges while simultaneously creating economic, environmental, and societal value for all its stakeholders – customers, employees, shareholders, and society at large. The company was founded in 1902 and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com.

• Indian sub-continent is one of the fastest growing regions for polymer demand

• Oman’s total trade with India nearly doubled last year to USD$9.9bn

• OQ to create new, and strengthen existing Oman-India business partnerships at PlastIndia on the ground floor, hall 2 – C4

OQ, the Oman-based energy transition enabler that specializes in PP and PE grades for flexible and rigid packaging solutions, continues building on a long-lived trading partnership between its home country and India as the company greets familiar faces at the PlastIndia event in New Delhi this week.

Oman’s total trade with India almost doubled last year and was estimated at USD$9.9bn in 2021- 2022 compared to USD$5.4bn in 2020-2021. OQ believes the trade opportunities will only further prosper as India's population, its demand for plastic products and countries’ collaborations continue to grow momentum. An advantageous prospect of a free trade agreement between the two countries is in the works, with discussions at an advanced stage.

The Indian sub-continent is one of the fastest-growing regions for polymer demand with a CAGR of 6 per cent projected for the 2022-2030 period. In addition, by mid-2023, India is expected to become the most populous country in the world – and with rising income levels being seen across the region, demand for plastic products is set to increase exponentially. Harnessing years of success and confidence in the face of challenges, OQ is primed for demand and ready to take action in support of their close partnership with India.

Speaking from OQ’s stand at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, Dr Ali Al Lawati, VP for Global Sales at OQ.

“With unique products manufactured at a world-class plant in Oman, OQ provides multiple industry solutions across several key market segments in India. From flexible and rigid packaging and infrastructure to agriculture and automotive industries, we are excited to empower our business relationship with India and add to what is already a unified and thriving imports partnership between our two nations.”

According to Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Indian enterprises and establishments in the country account for an estimated investment of USD$7.5 billion across several key industries covering finance, aviation, iron/steel, cement, chemicals, automotive, fertilizers and more.

India and Oman share a collective vision to promote economic well-being across their countries, building a collaborative network to transport goods throughout a global supply chain, and attracting highly skilled talent to join their journey towards greater domestic innovation in the polymer market.

Landmark examples of Indian business activity in Oman include:

• Port of Duqm special economic zone: Around USD$1.8 billion contribution to significant investments made by Indian companies and Duqm port authorities.

• SOHAR Port and Free Zone: Several Indian firms have emerged as leading investors, further supporting global trade routes between Europe and Asia.

India and Oman are connected by geography, history and culture, enjoying warm and advantageous relations. Much of this can be attributed to historical maritime trade linkages and the continuing role played by the Indian community in contributing to the progress of Oman.

Contact between Indian and Omani civilizations can be traced back 5,000 years. In 1955, diplomatic relations were established, with the relationship being upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008.

Since then, investment flows have been consistent and further gathering momentum. Today, India is among Oman’s top three trading partners along with the UAE and China and is the country’s third-largest non-oil export market.

Further investment opportunities, including OQ's groundbreaking Ladayn Park initiative, will be showcased at the PlastIndia event on February 1-5 in New Delhi on the ground floor, hall 2 - C4.

To learn more about how OQ can further support India-Oman trading relations, visit the company’s representatives at the PlastIndia exhibition. OQ's booth will be located on the ground floor in Hall 2 - C4

About us

OQ is a global integrated energy company with roots in Oman. It emerged in late 2019 upon the successful integration of nine legacy companies, united to form a stronger, more efficient and consolidated entity. We operate in 17 countries and cover the entire value chain in the energy sector from exploration and production, to marketing and distribution of end-user products. Our fuels and chemicals are sold in over 80 countries worldwide. We also partner with local and international companies in the hydrocarbon sector to increase value for the shareholders and reap greater benefits for the communities.

AlphaMAC’s fully electric equipment portfolio uses 50% less energy than most legacy machinery.

Leominster, Massachusetts – IMA DAIRY & FOOD USA – whose equipment solutions comprises the long-established brands Gasti, Hamba, Hassia, Fillshape, Corazza, Erca and Intecma – has assumed sales, marketing and service responsibilities for extrusion blow mold machinery supplier AlphaMAC. The Italy-based equipment provider specializes in solutions for the packaging of liquid products, and is also part of the IMA Group.

In North America, AlphaMAC equipment will meet an emerging need for modern, reliable equipment that is energy efficient. For example, currently one company has 80% of the US market share for extrusion blow molding (EBM) machines producing HDPE bottles for refrigerated and aseptic milk-based products. These machines are, on average, about 25 years old, and require energy consumption some 50% higher than AlphaMAC’s fully electric equipment, which do not operate via hydraulic fluid and therefore do not consume energy when idling.

In addition, the age of most EBM machines in the North American market means they lack remote assistance capabilities, leading to higher-than-necessary maintenance costs and a sizable workforce. With the support of   IMA Dairy & Food USA, AlphaMAC’s line will have the technology and personnel support to close these longstanding gaps.

AlphaMAC’s portfolio includes comprehensive, custom-engineered lines for plastic containers production, secondary packaging and quality assurance. Solutions include:

• Extrusion blow molding machines
• Extrusion blow molding molds
• Bottle design development and production optimization tools
• Total quality control systems for bottles
• Secondary packaging solutions robotics systems

“As the industry-wide push for more sustainable food & beverage packaging solutions continues, the North American liquid dairy sector is one where eco-conscious upgrades are overdue,” said Patrick Carroll, President of IMA Dairy & Food USA. “Adding AlphaMAC to the IMA Dairy & Food USA portfolio provides our customers with more sustainable options while significantly expanding our market share potential.”

AlphaMAC’s’s management and technical teams have over 30 years of experience in extrusion blow molding equipment and production lines design and manufacturing, with over 2,000 machines sold in 61 countries. AlphaMACc EBM machines are well regarded for efficiency and favorable total cost of ownership.

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About IMA DAIRY & FOOD

IMA Dairy & Food USA serves the dairy and food industries with several brands of the IMA group (Corazza, Erca, Fillshape, Gasti, Hamba, Hassia and Intecma) and offers a portfolio covering nearly all areas of packaging machine application, including:

• Filling and sealing machines (FS) for preformed cups and bottles
• Forming, filling and sealing machines (FFS) for packaging products in the food, dairy, and beverage segments (filled up to the aseptic level)
• Filling systems for flexible stand-up pouches with and without spout for dairy, food, beverage and personal care sectors
• Wrapping machines for packaging butter, fresh cheese, soup cubes, yeast, margarine, etc.
• Aseptic vertical and horizontal form, fill and seal machines for stick packs / pouches (with corresponding dosing systems)
• FFS machines for packaging single portions of coffee, honey, jam, sauces, etc.

For more information, visit www.imadairyfood.com.

Industry leader replaces Maurice Barakat who will remain

as CEO and Executive Chairman

(Short Hills, NJ) - Integreon Global, a family of companies that ensures product integrity and protection through innovative materials, testing services, packaging and monitoring solutions, and contract manufacturing, announced today that Michael Hays has been named President, replacing Maurice Barakat, effective December 5, 2022.  Mr. Barakat will assume the role of Executive Chairman and CEO. 

Mr. Hays’ new position is the culmination of several decades of leadership in the expandable polystyrene (EPS) industry, most recently as Vice President of Altor Solutions.  His career path included management roles in business development, finance, and overall enterprise strategy and board level involvement. 

As a long-term employee and eventual Division General Manager, he was integral in the growth of his original company, Premier Industries, which was later consolidated with Foam Fabricators and eventually transformed into Altor Solutions.  Through each of these strategic phases, Mr. Hays’ expertise contributed to his teams winning numerous industry awards for clients in the technology, automotive, appliance, construction, and health care sectors.  These accolades culminated with Michael receiving the EPS industry’s prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2022.

“Michael is a people-first leader who comes to Integreon Global with a strong track record of expansion, coupled with a reputation for building a world-class packaging manufacturing group.  Michael’s extensive management experience will help our business units accelerate their continuing development as a trusted partner of global manufacturers,” said Maurice Barakat.

“I am proud and honored to become a part of the highly successful Integreon Global family,” said Michael Hays. “This is a wonderful opportunity to both lead and to provide outstanding service to our clients. Integreon has a strong, growing, and diversified suite of business units whose purpose is to protect people and products. The company’s unique blend of skilled experts, advanced materials, and innovative technologies across the entire enterprise positions us perfectly to rise to the challenges of a global marketplace.”

The Integreon group of companies designs and manufactures polymeric foam beads, thermal packaging and monitoring solutions, and provides testing, contract development and manufacturing services.  Integreon operates in four end markets: Pharmaceuticals, life sciences, perishable foods, and foam processors. Each of Integreon’s companies offers custom-engineered solutions and testing services critical to the end-to-end protection and efficient manufacturing of customers’ products.

For more information, visit www.integreonglobal.com.

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