Addison, Illinois, October 21, 2016: Rollprint Packaging Products Inc. is announcing the debut of FormFoilTM Lite, a greener, more cost effective version of the standard cold form foil structures currently in the marketplace. To achieve this, Rollprint uses a proprietary manufacturing process that permits the use of 1 mil in place of the 2 mil foil used in conventional cold-form foil applications. The end result is a material that maintains robust formability, reduces consumption of natural resources, and provides significant reduction in costs.

FormFoilTM Lite is designed to help many organizations meet their cost reduction and environmental impact goals in a variety of a commercial applications including sutures, diagnostics devices and surgical tools. The Director of Manufacturing at one suture manufacturer chose the lighter cold-form foil because “Rollprint’s FormFoilTM Lite has allowed us to downgauge our formable foil thickness.” He continues that the change has, “...reduced our environmental footprint and lowered costs.” All of this, he said, “Without sacrificing quality or shelf life.”

Dwane Hahn, VP of Sales and Marketing, expects the more economical FormFoilTM Lite to reinvigorate the use of cold-form by making it more competitive with other more traditional package formats where perfect oxygen and/or moisture barrier is required. Mr. Hahn says “We’ve had success in a wide variety of cold-form shapes and formats across markets ranging from medical device to consumer applications.” Mr. Hahn also describes how Rollprint has been able to create a cold-form structure with its ClearFoil® high barrier clear lidding” while continuing to maintain the “nearly 0% moisture and oxygen transmission rates that aluminum foil is known for.

FormFoilTM Lite benefits include:

• Downgauging the foil layer
• Requires less energy and material to produce decreasing the environmental/carbon footprint
• Ease of machinability and formability with less material
• Reducing costs allow for a cold form foil package to compete with more traditional package styles

About Rollprint Packaging Products

With manufacturing facilities near Chicago, IL, Rollprint Packaging Products, Inc. is a worldwide supplier of packaging materials for the healthcare and consumer industries. The company offers a complete range of flexible, heat-sealable materials incorporating film, ClearFoil®, foil, Tyvek® and paper. Structures can be designed to accommodate any sterilization method. Available in rollstock, pouches and die-cut lids, Rollprint’s materials can meet the needs of most peelable, chemical resistant and barrier applications.

The company is a founder of Alliantz Flexible Packaging Pte. Ltd., a joint venture with Acme Packaging Co. (Pte) Ltd., Singapore. Headquartered in Singapore, Alliantz serves the flexible packaging supply needs of Southeast Asia and China.

Rollprint is respected throughout the packaging industry for its heat-sealable, peelable rollstock and pouch technology, as well as its ClearFoil® ultra-high barrier transparent laminates, Allegro® peelable sealants and ClearForm® forming webs. Rollprint has supplied flexible packaging materials for healthcare, industrial and food end-use applications for more than 50 years. For additional info: www.rollprint.com.

Vadnais Heights, MN – Nexen Group, Inc. introduces the Model I-300, a spring engaged, air released, power-off brake designed to provide high torque for backlash-free holding and emergency stopping on indexers and positioning systems. The I-300’s high torque and short response time ensure the shortest possible stopping distance. The brake connects to the shaft with tapered, keyless locking devices. It is normally engaged until air pressure is applied to release it. Nexen’s patented braking element locks and holds the shaft in position without any displacement upon engagement or reversing of the load.

Key features for the I-300 brake include:

• Zero Backlash for precise holding
• High dynamic torque: 5300 in-lbs. (600 Nm)
• Torsionally stiff: 6,152,148 ft-lbs. per radian (8,341,193 Nm/rad)
• Spring engaged, air released: 60 psi (4.1 bar)
• Engagement response time: 85 milliseconds
• Stackable for double the braking torque
• Horizontal or vertical mounting
• Flange mounts to machine frame
• Mounts to a bearing supported shaft

About Nexen Group, Inc.

Our heritage is built on producing technically superior products while providing the highest level of customer support. As a leading manufacturer of precision motion control components, power transmission and web tension control products, Nexen works to remain at the forefront of cutting edge engineering and production excellence. Our production capabilities include computerized control and testing systems, dry cutting applications, special coating processes, over 80 multi-axis precision CNC machine tools and automated assembly. By working with Nexen, our customers experience innovations that adhere to industry specifications, optimize their metrics and provide solutions focused on increased uptime, longer machine life and reduced maintenance. For more information, please visit www.nexengroup.com or call 800-843- 7445.

Philadelphia, PA – October 17, 2016 – CROWN Food Europe, a business unit of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), is launching Peelfit™, an innovative, proprietary metal can designed specifically for the dry food market to address demands for greater convenience, lightweighting and product protection.

Manufactured in the United Kingdom, Peelfit™ is currently available in a 99mm diameter format. Fully printable, the can utilizes revolutionary Direct Heat Sealing Technology (DHS) to seal a peelable foil directly to a collapsed bead within the can body. Customers then simply need to fill product through the base of the can and seam on a non-easy-open end without having to make changes to the filling line.

The unique design of Peelfit™ offers a number of sustainability benefits. For example, eliminating the rigid steel ring typically required in double seaming applications makes the Peelfit™ container 16% lighter than cans using conventional foil seam closures. In addition, DHS Technology reduces energy use by 32% when compared to other existing foil seam closures. Like all metal packaging, the can itself delivers 100% protection against oxygen, gas, light, moisture and other contaminants, preserving the nutritional value, flavor and aroma of the contents.

For added functionality, Peelfitplus™ enables the foil to be placed at a lower point along the can wall, creating a chamber between the foil and the container cap that can vary in size based on the position of the bead. This chamber is ideal for holding scoops, dosing devices or promotional materials. A large flip-top lid improves convenience, enabling consumers to store scoops and reseal the container after use, reducing product waste.

“Peelfit™ is the result of extensive development work by Crown’s talented designers and engineers,” comments Olivier Aubry, Business Development and Marketing Director, CROWN Food Europe. “Using technology to reduce the amount of metal used in Crown’s food containers while maintaining performance and functionality is a significant element of the company’s ongoing sustainability efforts. We look forward to bringing Peelfit™ to market during the fourth quarter of 2016 with a major international food company.”

The new cans are available in various heights. Brand owners are also able to leverage a number of decoration and finish options, including matte, gloss and soft touch, as well as holographic and metallic inks, giving packages a premium look and feel.

AMI, Bristol, November 2016 –Asia Pacific is one of the most exciting and dynamic markets for flexible packaging in the world. Across the region, flexible packaging suppliers and producers are exploring ways to further enhance packaging performance, improve processability and drive sustainability.

AMI’s fourth Specialty Packaging Films Asia conference, being held from 23-24 March 2017 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore, will cover the very latest innovations in films, raw materials, production techniques and applications that are setting the new standards for packaging excellence in Asia. The conference will open with AMI Consulting giving an update on the latest market trends driving the industry forwards. The innovation journey of flexible packaging will also be discussed by Thai Plastic Bags Industries.

With environmental and social responsibility truly ingrained into the business landscape, packaging has become a key element within sustainability frameworks. Global consumer goods company Nestlé will share the approach it is taking to reduce environmental impact, and Futamura, Avantium and Natureworks will explore the latest innovations in bio-based products.

Reifenhäuser, Macchi and Davis-Standard will showcase their latest extrusion systems for the production of customized, economical and source optimized films. Meanwhile companies including Dupont, Kuraray and Borouge will demonstrate new resins and high barrier solutions to improve shelf life and reduce food waste.

AMI’s Specialty Packaging Films Asia is relevant for all members of the supply chain including brand owners, retailers, packaging companies, researchers, materials and manufacturing experts. In addition to delivering quality papers, the conference also offers superb and cost-effective networking opportunities with its extensive table top exhibition area.

The full programme can be found on AMI's website: www.amiconferences.com. For further information on attending, exhibiting or sponsoring this event please contact Rocio Martinez, Conference Organiser at AMI Conferences: on rmm@amiplastics.com or +44 (0) 117 314 8111.

Specialty Packaging Films Asia 2017 (23-24 March 2017, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore) The full programme can be found on AMI's website: www.amiconferences.com. For further information on attending, exhibiting or sponsoring this event please contact Rocio Martinez, Senior Conference Organiser at AMI Conferences: on rmm@amiplastics.com or +44 (0) 117 314 8111.

About Applied Market Information Ltd.

Applied Market Information Ltd.(AMI) is a leading global market research consultancy and a leading organiser of conferences for the plastics industry around the world. AMI has offices in the UK and the US. The company provides research, consulting and analytical services and is a major publisher of commercial and technical information for the plastics industry. It organises more than 50 international conferences and seminars each year and also publishes a series of digital magazines, which are distributed free-of- charge globally on the internet and via apps for tablet computers and smartphones

Murfreesboro, TN - October 19, 2016 - A new technical collaboration and licensing agreement between two compounding companies, Formulated Polymers Limited (FPL) in Chennai, India and Polymer Technology & Services LLC (PTS) in Murfreesboro, TN, USA, will expand the availability of PTS compounds in Asia, particularly South East Asia. The agreement was signed in April by FPL Joint Managing Director Sekar Venkateswaran and PTS President Tom Hooper. PTS compounds are already manufactured in China.

“With this collaboration, FPL will have the capability to offer processors supplying the electrical and electronics industry in India and across South-East Asia an expanded range of Underwriters Laboratory-approved flame retardant products,” says Hooper. “This is an important step in our strategy at PTS to reach those processors around the world demanding high performance UL-compliant flame retardant compounds.” PTS now has its own or licensed manufacturing operations in the USA, Europe, China, and India.

Founded in 1992, PTS specializes in the supply of innovative flame retardant compounds—all featuring UL Yellow Cards—based on polycarbonate (branded as TRISTAR®), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), PC-based blends, and ABS. These compounds are already used around the world, most frequently in electrical devices, by many key players in the field. Under the agreement with FPL, PTS will transfer its technology for over 40 UL certified products.

FPL was established in 1993, with a strong focus on development of application-specific engineering plastic compounds. Since then, it has developed over 400 compounds based on a wide range of polymers. These are branded as Formpoly. With these products, FPL is already supplying several important OEMs. “Collaboration with PTS makes a lot of sense for these OEMs, since they will now have a wider choice of materials from a single, local, source,” says Hooper. “In fact, some of them even encouraged it.”

Both FPL and PTS also have technical collaboration agreements with Eurostar Engineering Plastics in Fosses, France, under which they produce and distribute Eurostar’s range of STARFLAM® flame retardant polyamides; this encompasses over 120 UL-certified products.

Troisdorf, October 2016 | This year again, K 2016 attracts trade visitors and experts in extrusion from around the world to Düsseldorf. At the world's most important trade show for the plastics industry, the Reifenhäuser Group unveils progressive extrusion technology to international specialists under the motto "Setting The New Standards", and provides once again proof of its innovativeness. In this regard Reifenhäuser continues its strategy of "Rethinking Technology“. The company has clearly matured its technologies since the last K show - with significant success, so it will present results at this year's K: "Setting The New Standards" stands for extrusion technology beyond the current state of the art.

"Setting The New Standards“ is a clear statement of the world's leading provider of plastics extrusion lines and components. "In the development of products we keep on questioning ourselves. We constantly look for new progressive approaches and like to think outside the box. This is how we develop genuine innovations," describes CEO Bernd Reifenhäuser the corporate philosophy. The result is technology matured even further and new standards with clear competitive advantages in the production of lines for high-quality blown films, sheets, cast films, monofilaments, strapping tapes and nonwovens. "Our technologies will allow our customers to set new standards and gain a competitive advantage also in their industries.“

Reifenhäuser underlines its technological leadership on a fair stand of over 1200 square metres in hall 17, C22: "We will set our competitive Wolfgang Högemann Head of PR & Communications T +49 (0)2241 23510-768 F +49 (0)2241 23510-749 wolfgang.hoegemann@ reifenhauser.com edge and game-changing optimization of line details successfully in scene - also without lines in operation, but with virtual highlights and a digital performance in all our Business Units instead," emphasizes Managing Director Ulrich Reifenhäuser.

The performance is continued in the Troisdorf headquarters: On over 5,000 sqm Reifenhäuser presents lots of know-how, an impressive technology package of a total of nine lines running in production on three open house days. Interested visitors can still register during the fair, including for guided plant tours.

"Our customers want the newest line technology for an efficient production, but more and more, they also take a broader view," says Ulrich Reifenhäuser. The customers must be prepared for the future. This is essential and the reason why we decided for a novelty on our fair stand: the "Rethink Tank“. A kind of innovation corner, where Reifenhäuser presents innovations that are still in the pipeline. The idea behind: Reifenhäuser enters into more detailed discussion, wants to find out what is moving its customers and whether the company's developments are really in tune with the times. "For this we take our time and give room", explains Ulrich Reifenhäuser. At the Rethink Tank the Extrusioneers invite to talk sessions in order to look at new technology ideas from different perspectives - to lead the way for New Standards in the future.

Highlights presented on the Reifenhäuser fair stand:

4.0 à la Reifenhäuser: With its Digital Business Platform Reifenhäuser paves its customers the way to intelligent production. On show will be the novelties of a unique digital architecture.

Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating showcases the REIcofeed 2.2 coextrusion feedblock and the optimized polishing stack of the MIREX- MT-H model type.

Reifenhäuser Reicofil presents its newly developed High Loft process setting the new standard for voluminous nonwovens. In addition, it demonstrates innovative solutions for packaging bulk materials with nonwovens.

Reifenhäuser Blown Film debuts in Düsseldorf a new line generation under the name of "EVO“, and presents technologies for a quality in film flatness and stretching never seen before.

Reifenhäuser Blown Film Polyrema presents optimized machine technology for the production of PE films, novel bio films as a response to national bans on PE plastic bags, and barrier and high-barrier films.

Reimotec unveils newly developed measuring systems for monofilament and strapping tape lines. 

Following our message Setting The New Standards we present game changing technologies at the K show“, describes Bernd Reifenhäuser the company's presentation at the fair. "Reifenhäuser is pushing the limits with its new technology highlights and innovative solutions“.

Be inspired by our technology highlights at the K fair and our Open House!

With 45 years of experience in hot filling and over 1,000 pieces of equipment for hot fill packaging installed worldwide, Sidel is highlighting how beverage producers can safely handle sensitive and natural beverages such as juices, teas and sports drinks. Sidel ensures beverage safety with tailored PET packaging solutions to provide a complete top quality, cost-efficient and sustainable production.

The annual market growth of 6% 1 for the consumption of sensitive drinks such as juices, nectars, still drinks, isotonics and teas presents significant business development opportunities for beverage producers worldwide. The popularity of packaging solutions using PET Hot Fill technology continues to rise in this field. Sidel leads this development with a complete Hot Fill solution that expands packaging opportunities. The company’s packaging engineers and designers are dedicated to developing attractive and sustainable PET bottles to differentiate beverages on the supermarket shelf. Using the most advanced technical and fully integrated solutions, Sidel is able to ensure detailed control and transparency throughout the whole process. Complemented by ongoing tailored services, producers are able to meet changing consumer needs and market requirements.

Integrated efficient production for hot filled beverages

Fully integrated and flexible, Sidel PET Hot Fill packaging solutions provide reliable and safe production. By taking a holistic view of the production cycle and line performance, Sidel optimises uptime and operating costs. Focusing on the specific features of the customer’s packaged beverage, Sidel’s solutions employ the processing equipment and capabilities from Tetra Pak Processing Systems, to ensure processing and filling systems are seamlessly combined to reduce downtime, consumption and costs. Based on control and regulation systems, producers can increase performance and make more informed decisions, ensuring optimum hygiene, efficiency and safety throughout the supply chain.

Pioneer in top quality PET HR bottles

Gabriele Gatti, Sidel Filling Product Manager, comments – “Today, juices, still drinks and teas constitute the fastest growing segment of the beverage industry. PET packaging - already the material of choice for 40% 2 of these beverage types and still growing in popularity - is an attractive and sustainable way for sensitive beverages distributed at ambient temperature.” Combined with aseptic or hot filling production, PET can ensure beverage products’ safety across their shelf life. In terms of Hot Fill, the temperature of the beverage heating process is as high as 80-92°C which is above the normal thermal resistance of conventional PET bottles. “This requires specific packaging and equipment to allow PET to resist to hot filling temperature. In 1986, Sidel pioneered the heat-resistant (HR) stretch blow moulding process to allow PET bottles to withstand these high temperatures, since when the company has driven PET’s transformation into the flexible packaging solution it is today.”

Enhanced design freedom for lightweighted HR PET bottle

Sidel’s global packaging capabilities, including PET bottle design, combined with its expertise in hot fill production, provide the means to produce bottles that are both resistant and attractive. Today, from designing the preform all the way to the blowing process, the company undertakes a singular approach to achieve HR PET bottles of the highest quality. Sidel has significantly reduced the weight of HR bottles while retaining their durability and increasing the bottle design opportunities. This latter achievement is due to the elimination of vacuum panels - previously a design necessity to absorb the variations in volume that the HR bottle and contents undergo passing from hot to cold conditions, and also to the innovative and efficient electrical mould heating and accurate material distribution. As a result, the distinctive bottle shapes stand out on the supermarket shelves - and consistently deliver a great consumer experience.

Responsive mould heating combined with accurate blowing

Sidel’s latest model for HR bottle production - the Sidel Matrix™ eHR blower - adds yet another innovative dimension to the company’s hot fill solutions. Traditionally, PET bottles for hot filling are produced via the heat-resistant stretch blow moulding process at 120°/140°C - a temperature usually attained by circuits of hot oil. By using electricity instead to heat the mould for the PET bottle body, the Sidel Matrix eHR blower enhances operator safety preventing hazards caused by oil leakages, such as operators' slipping and product contamination. Probes are directly located in each mould shell to regulate the temperature as closely as possible to the PET bottle as it is formed. The process is very responsive, heating at a rate three times quicker than by oil, accurately providing the correct temperatures immediately from the very first bottles produced. This results in a blowing process which is uniform between blowing stations, ensuring high bottle quality and consistent performance in the hands of the consumer, even at outputs of up to 2,000 bottles per hour per mould.

Compared with Sidel blowers that used traditional heating with oil, this innovative electrical mould heating and the proven Sidel Matrix blower technologies offer together energy savings of up to 45%. A further saving of 25% can be achieved with Sidel Matrix Ecoven, which uses infrared lamps with ceramic instead of metal reflectors. A reduction by up to 45% of air consumption is possible by implementing Sidel’s air recovery option, AirEco2.

Highest standards of hygiene and operational reliability

To meet the production demands of sensitive and natural beverages, the Sidel Matrix™ hot filler – SF700 FM offers the highest standards of hygiene and operational reliability during filling. It can be used for a variety of sensitive beverages, with or without pulps. Beverages containing particles up to 10 x 10 x 10mm can also be handled with a double stage filling. It is suitable for PET bottle sizes ranging from 200ml to 3 litres. Operating at production rates ranging from 6,000 to 60,000 bph, it features electronic filling valvesequipped with individual flow meters that ensure precise filling volumes while minimising product wastage. Its operation of contactless filling - where there is no contact between the filling valve and the bottle neck - optimises product safety throughout the whole process. Additionally, by integrating the very best of the electrical HR blowing and hot filling technologies in one single controlled production environment, the Sidel Matrix Combi Hot Fill eliminates conveying and allows hygiene and food safety to be maintained.

Safe, effective and sustainable process environment

Once the beverage is filled and the bottle capped, beverage safety and consistency are ensured by sterilising the head-space and cap with the Sidel cap steriliser. It controls this process by tilting the bottle at a precise angle, temperature and contact time. This step puts all internal surfaces and air space in contact with the hot beverage, eliminating microorganisms and extending product shelf life. Sidel’s cooling system cools the product while avoiding thermal stress and preserving organoleptic properties, taste and colour, for a great consumer experience. The modular cooling configuration can be easily upgraded to match the production needs of today and tomorrow. Additionally, the advanced engineering allows a precise sizing of the cooler with a 20% reduced footprint and minimal water consumption compared with traditional solutions. Line integration with Tetra Pak Processing Systems can also lead to energy savings of up to 45% by recovering, for example, warm water from the cooler for pre-heating at the pasteuriser.

Optimising uptime and operating costs

Taking this holistic view of the production cycle and line performance, Sidel helps producers optimise operating costs and reach the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). Sidel Services™ offers a tailored portfolio of maintenance, line improvement, training, spare parts and logistics, line conversion and moulds and packaging services to help maintain, regain and even improve performance throughout the line’s lifetime. In this way, by partnering with the company producers get the benefit of having everything centred around a single, reliable global supplier. Gabriele Gatti comments: “Once the productivity and performance targets of a line are reached, we believe that the minimum goal should be to maintain and even improve these levels over the coming years. As new technologies and solutions are developed, Sidel offers existing line owners options and upgrades to ensure that existing equipment does not get left behind.” Having staff trained on new procedures and emerging methodologies to enhance their performance can also improve production by turning costly downtime into profitable uptime.

13 October 2016, Noida: Upholding its commitment towards down-gauging and light- weighting, India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex Limited has launched 9.5 micron speciality ALOx polyester film, FLEXALOXPROTECT TM F-PGX.

Engineered by Uflex’s fully owned subsidiary company Flex Americas S.A. de C.V at the Mexico plant, this happens to be the thinnest PET ALOx film available globally. Despite being the leanest, the 9.5 micron ALOx polyester film exhibits excellent barrier for oxygen and water vapour as W.V.T.R (gm/m 2 /day) and O.T.R (cc/m 2 /day) are both < 1.0. No player other than Uflex offers such a thin PET ALOx speciality film with such superior barrier properties.

There is a growing demand for transparent flexible packaging that allows retail customers to see-through and check the quality of the product packed inside to their satisfaction. Conventionally metalized films have been used to impart enhanced barrier properties to laminates, but metallization renders the film opaque. The PET ALOx film can offer yet better barrier properties while still being transparent.

Being a down-gauged film FLEXALOXPROTECT TM F-PGX is 24 % lighter than its 12.5 micron variant and almost 60% lighter than the 23.5 micron variant. Furthermore, the price coordinates are better and so is the yield. While the 12.5 micron ALOx film has ayield of 57.14 m 2 /kg and the 23.5 micron film has a yield of 30.4 m 2 /kg, the 9.5 micron speciality ALOx film yields 75.18 m 2 per kg. This brings major cost savings for the converters. The fact that the film is transparent and demonstrates excellent barrier properties, the need for a sandwich (barrier) layer which is typically a metallised film is completely eliminated. The PET ALOx film can be reverse printed and then laminated with a sealing substrate. Depending upon the barrier properties required by the product to be packed, ALOx coated films can be used in 2-ply structures right up-to multi- layered laminates.

FLEXALOXPROTECT TM F-PGX i.e. (PET ALOx) film complies with EC and FDA regulations for food contact and finds extensive use in manufacturing laminates used for packing dried meat, fresh food, snacks, confectionery, microwavable foods, retort convenience food, cheese, baked goods, drinks, pharmaceutical and medical products.

Commenting about the USPs of the speciality film, Mr. J.K. Sharma, AGM, Technical Service and New Product Development (Films) who is credited with the development of ALOx film at Uflex said, “One side of the polyester film is coated with Aluminium Oxide in a special metallizer where aluminium metal is thermally evaporated and reacted with oxygen under high vacuum conditions to achieve its oxide. The ALOx when deposited on clean film surface offers very high barrier against oxygen and water vapour transmission simultaneously giving excellent clarity and transparency to the film.”

Explaining more about the new speciality film, Mr. Pramod Sirsamkar, President – Technical & New Product Development (Films), Uflex Limited said, “PET ALOx is a significantly down-gauged transparent barrier film which by itself is its biggest USP. Besides excellent barrier properties, the film exhibits superior ink anchorage, suitability for retort applications, imparts strength to the ensuing laminate and has optimum coefficient of friction thereby offering great machinability to convertors.”

Speaking about this new development, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “We pay a lot of emphasis on Sustainable Innovation. Development of FLEXALOXPROTECT TM F-PGX is a classic example of the same. The film is down-gauged yet it offers superior barrier properties and machinability. Development of such efficient packaging films enhances the value proposition for converters, brands and the end consumers alike. It’s a win-win.”

Michael Mehnert appointed new Managing Director in the BEKUM Group

Berlin (Germany) / Traismauer (Austria), 29 September 2016: BEKUM is paving the way for a new generation in the BEKUM Group. The family company, managed by its owners for over 55 years, is known throughout the world as a pioneering and technological leader in the blow-moulding industry with high quality standards.

Dipl.-Ing. Michael Mehnert (34), youngest son of the company’s founder Gottfried Mehnert, joined the family company in various functions after successfully studying mechanical engineering in Aachen. In spring 2016, Michael Mehnert was appointed Managing Director of BEKUM Maschinenfabrik Traismauer GesmbH (A-3133 Traismauer; www.bekum.com), with the aim of supporting the long-standing Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. MBA Johannes Schwarz in the management and development of the company.

A new generation to secure the future

Michael Mehnert recently assumed company shares of the BEKUM Group, so that he now functions as shareholder, beside Gottfried Mehnert, thus allowing the company to remain fully in family ownership. Gottfried Mehnert founded BEKUM 55 years ago and has built up the company group. His inventions (such as ring surface calibration, dual machines, advances in co-extrusion) have crucially shaped the extrusion blowing industry and are currently used in almost all blow-moulded articles in the world, for which he received numerous awards (including the Federal Cross of Merit, Plastics Hall-of- Fame Lifetime Award). The new generation in the BEKUM Group was introduced with the share transfer to Michael Mehnert, who would like to preserve the qualities of the company while also setting new directions: “Our common cause is to lead our medium-size family business and its more than 300 employees into a successful future. At the same time, our production relocation to Traismauer was an important step in making BEKUM even more competitive. Other steps will follow as we continue to invest in the company and in innovations. I see it as my job to conserve the qualities of BEKUM while simultaneously bringing fresh momentum to the company.”

K 2016: Retrospective and outlook

This year’s exhibition stand at the K2016 in Hall 14 C03 will also present the company within the context of the new generation. Thus in exhibiting the BA90 from 1958, we are showing one of the first extrusion blowing machines to be constructed by Gottfried Mehnert. It represents the history, tradition and continuity of the company. Next to it, the EBLOW 37 reveals a step into the future. Here BEKUM is deliberately choosing another path with the innovative closing system, so as to achieve better handling, higher energy efficiency, but above all advantages in the processing method for various plastics.

A new pail closure and re-closure system for increasing production line efficiency at minimum cost on paint, chemical and coating filling lines has gained a prestigious packaging award and a significant UN certification.

Launched in 2015, SpRing Latch, manufactured by Europe’s leading paints and coating packaging manufacturer, Ardagh Group, has already established a reputation for providing an automated and cost effective alternative to the manual closing process required when using standard ring latch closures.

Wilhelm Althuber, Global Spend Area Main Buyer for Consumer Packaging at Akzo Nobel commented, “SpRing Latch is just the kind of development we were waiting for. With a very simple, low investment cost solution, we were able to implement SpRing Latch straight away at filling lines and it has made an immediate impact.”

The system’s fully patented unique design automatically expands the ring latch when vertical pressure is applied to the lid, and securely fixes the lid onto the container. This simple yet ingenious manoeuvre seals the lid, and enables the pail to be effortlessly and securely opened and re-closed as required. SpRing Latch can be immediately fitted to the existing line, and therefore represents a very low cost solution with an attractive return.

Paul Stokes, Commercial Director Paints & Coatings, Ardagh Metal, Food & Speciality, Europe, explains: “We launched the product last year to address a problem that has long concerned our customers. We are pleased that have now gained UN qualifications for both 230mm and 286mm diameter pails making them suitable for the filling of hazardous packaged materials. And we are of course delighted that SpRing Latch has won a German Packaging Award as one of the year’s most effective packaging innovations in the functionality and convenience category.”

SpRing Latch is now available in two can sizes, 286 and 230 and in the near future also in 328mm diameter.

Join Tim Norman &amp; Carlos Moya for Session T73 on Nov. 9 and 10 at 8:00 am in B403

SAN DIEGO, CA – October 5, 2016 – Tim Norman, Product Manager for Modules and Instruments, and Carlos Moya, International Sales Manager at Hardy Process Solutions, will deliver a technical session (T73) on Premier Integration at the 25 th annual Automation Fair from Rockwell Automation at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Session T73 will take place Wednesday and Thursday (Nov. 9 and 10), at 8:00 am in room B403. During the 90-minute session, Norman and Moya will provide an overview of the integration tools required for Premier Integration with a Rockwell PLC/PAC.

Tim Norman is serial entrepreneur with 25 years of experience identifying and deploying disruptive ideas and technologies in product design and industrial automation. In his current role as a Product Development Manager, Tim evangelizes an “Ease of Use” vision to simplify the installation, use and maintenance of industrial weighing systems. Since 2011, Tim has lead the development of Hardy’s HI 6300, HI 6500 and HI 6600 series of instrumentation, which are embedded with ‘plug & play’ features such as Set-up Wizards, Add-On- Profiles, and Faceplates. 

Carlos Moya is the International Sales Manager for Hardy Process Solutions. He started as a design engineer at Hardy 8 years ago, before moving into sales. Carlos graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He is currently studying for his Masters in International Relations at San Diego State University and was a Fulbright Grantee in Macau SAR, China in 2010.

Hardy Process Solutions has achieved the highest level of weighing integration with Rockwell Automation® ControlLogix ® and CompactLogix ® systems, with a combination of connectivity on the backplane or over wire and integration tools. Using a combination of Add-on- Profiles (AOPs), EDS-AOPs, HMI Faceplates with Add-on- Instructions, and sample programs/function blocks creates a synergistic methodology for EASY and seamless integration for weighing with Rockwell PLCs and PACs using RSLogix® and Studio 5000®.

About Hardy Process Solutions
Hardy Process Solutions has established itself as an industry leader in the weighing automation world by providing highly accurate precision measurements, while seamlessly integrating process weight signals into a plant control system. At Hardy, we deliver industrial weighing solutions that are EASY to engineer and operate. Our customers find this simplicity delivers the lowest total cost to own. That’s why our solutions are easier to install, integrate, commission, diagnose and maintain in all four areas of the supply chain.

1. STOCK - accurate weight and level measurement/monitoring
2. MAKE - adaptable weight & rate material feed measurement/control
3. PACK - for robust rate & weight feed measurement/control
4. SHIP - off-the- shelf static and dynamic check weighing solutions

INS. Following recent investment at the mill in Finland, and as a result of extensive product development, Pankaboard is delighted to introduce a new Folding Boxboard to the product portfolio.

PANKALUX, is a new GC1 Folding Boxboard that has been engineered with the demands of the luxury packaging market in mind, and the luxury beverage sector in particular. The result of the development can be seen as outstanding printing quality, an improved surface for lamination, and improved runnability on high speed packaging lines.

Makings of PANKALUX are immediately available in the substance range of 285 to 560 gsm. The new product will be officially introduced to the market at the FachPack exhibition in Germany, where Pankaboard will be present.

Pankaboard is a global leading producer of special cartonboards with a capacity of 110,000 t/a. The product portfolio consists of high thickness FBB as well as various uncoated speciality boards. The company serves globally a wide range of end uses, including luxury beverage and food packaging, picture framing, capseals and visual communication.

The Hague, The Netherlands – 6 October, 2016 – FINAT, the international association for the label industry, reports two new faces on its governing board, after their election at the association’s General Assembly in June at the occasion of the European Label Forum in Amsterdam. Newly-appointed Treasurer for the association is Georg Müller-Hof, Senior Director Marketing for Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials Europe (NL), with an extensive experience both in the supplier and brand- owner aspects of the label value chain. He replaces ex-colleague Andrew Crawford, until recently Vice President Marketing Materials for Avery Dennison Materials Group Europe. Müller-Hof praises Andrew Crawford as “a tower of strength, an innovator, and a keen environmentalist. We wish him well as he leaves the label industry to explore fresh fields. I look forward to pursuing a similar pathway in my capacity as FINAT Treasurer.”

Also stepping down from the FINAT board was Frank Neumann, formerly Gundlach Logo Etiketten and currently with Achertäler Druckerei GmbH & Co. KG (DE), a printing and publishing house in the Rhein valley with over 100 years of experience. His successor is Bizerba Labels & Consumables GmbH CEO Marc Büttgenbach, who is also a member of the board of the German label association VskE and President of the German Paper and Paper Converting association. A long-time active member of FINAT, he is committed to continuing Frank Neumann’s good work, and also to bring to his new role on the FINAT board a focus on today’s central industry topics such as the Labelexpo events, globally-harmonised industry test methods, parametric pricing, and UV/LED curing.

With PET-packaged juices, teas and sport drinks continually gaining popularity and market ground, beverage producers need a standout packaging solution that can set their brand apart. This means choosing line equipment that allows for substantial differentiation and expanding business opportunities, with the goal of achieving top-grade bottle quality that still packs a visual punch.

Sidel believes the heat-resistant stretch blow-moulding process helps bottles stand out on shelves. This technique, first pioneered by Sidel in 1986, involves traditionally reinforced PET bottles with vacuum panels to withstand high hot filling temperatures.

But a strong bottle is nothing if it is not great to look at. By choosing the right partner, beverage producers can achieve differentiating and cost-effective packaging solutions, making it possible to create Heat Resistant bottles without panels, while allowing for lightweighting. These increased shape design possibilities ensure an ideal customer experience, and are an important factor for brands when promoting their products to the public.

Lastly, beverage producers should consider that consumer purchasing trends favour those brands that express and exercise their commitment to sustainability and minimal waste. A lighter bottle is a more cost-efficient and environmentally conscious bottle. With that in mind, it is important to consider the significant weight reductions made possible by both the right packaging approach and the right equipment, and the noticeable impact these reductions will have on the ability to meet goals while keeping costs low and improving the customer experience. These considerations will help achieve dramatic savings on PET resin, while bottle performance and durability remain consistent.

By selecting the right packaging partner, packaging solutions can be made more safe and also more sustainable. Recent innovations in heat-resistant (HR) bottle production, led by Sidel, add another dimension to hot-fill solutions. By using electricity instead of hot oil to heat the mould for the PET bottle body, the new process heats at a rate three times quicker than the previous method, accurately providing the correct temperatures immediately from the very first bottles produced. This results in a blow process which is uniform between blowing stations, ensuring high bottle quality and consistent performance in the hands of the consumer. Compared with blowers that used traditional heating with oil, this method of electrical mould heating and proven Sidel Matrix blower technologies offer together energy savings of up to 45%.

With the right supplier, a complete approach to packaging - from preform and bottle design all the way to complete line engineering and production start-up and beyond - gives producers the chance to combine every step in the packaging process for results that match high PET production standards with uncompromising efficiency.

Sensors and software take Robert Bosch’s lathe from 1887 into the age of Industry 4.0

• Werner Struth: “Bosch is opening up the benefits of connected industry to operators of older machines as well.”
• Customer benefits include predictive maintenance
• Industry 4.0 retrofit solutions is a global market worth billions
• Solution includes new PPMP machine language

Stuttgart, Germany − It is 129 years old, treadle-operated, and an Industry 1.0 gem. The company founder Robert Bosch himself worked with this 300-kilogram cast-iron lathe beginning in the years after 1887. Among other things, it was used to manufacture parts for the magneto ignition device − the very product that helped the company to achieve its breakthrough at the end of the 19th century. Now, at one fell swoop, Bosch has catapulted this historic lathe right out of the museum and into the age of Industry 4.0. The new Bosch IoT (internet of things) gateway provides the necessary technical support. The connected system combines sensors, software, and IoT-compatible industrial controls, making it possible to monitor the condition of the lathe. Speaking in Stuttgart, Dr. Werner Struth, who is the Bosch management board member responsible for industrial technology and manufacturing coordination, said: “This is the only construction of its kind in the world. It shows that even ancient machines can be connected quickly and easily with the IoT gateway.” As a result, he explained, Bosch is “opening up the benefits of connected industry to operators of older machines as well.”

Many machines still not part of Industry 4.0
“Many of the machines used in skilled trades or manufacturing are still not connected to Industry 4.0. Among other things, they lack sensors, software, and connections to companies’ IT systems – which means that they do not fulfill the essential prerequisites for connected industry. In Germany alone, the number of such machines runs into tens of millions. And globally, the market for retrofit solutions like the Bosch IoT gateway is worth billions,” Struth said. He noted that industry needs connected machines if it is to be successful over the long term. That is exactly what the IoT gateway ensures − quickly and flexibly. With this gateway, Bosch shows how operators of older manufacturing systems can connect their machines, and thus monitor them in real time and optimize them. This enables things such as predictive maintenance, reducing downtime while increasing productivity.

Long innovation cycles make retrofit solutions necessary
The IoT gateway makes sense technically and economically: innovation cycles in mechanical engineering differ from those in many other industries. Once purchased, machines often remain in use for decades. They can only be changed to meet new demands at great effort and expense. A large part of the installed machinery worldwide is therefore still not networked with connected industry. The need for retrofit connected-industry solutions is correspondingly huge. The same holds true for Bosch: “We are already using the IoT gateway ourselves and saving money. And our subsidiary Bosch Rexroth will be offering our customers this solution from this fall,” Struth said. The IoT gateway will be presented to a specialist audience at the sps ipc drives trade fair.

Investment pays off in just 18 months
At the Bosch plant in Homburg, for example, engineers have connected a 2007 test facility for hydraulic valves with the IoT gateway. Thanks to new sensors that monitor the quality of the oil used, it is now possible to determine the point at which oil needs to be changed much more precisely than before. This saves time and money, and is good for the environment. In this specific case, retrofitting with the IoT gateway paid for itself within just 18 months. In a next step, Bosch will retrofit 22 of its other test facilities and then a number of other machines. Aside from the gateway, Bosch also provides the software necessary to analyze, prepare, and present the data on the Bosch IoT Cloud, for example.

The IoT gateway: no need for programming
Depending on the application, the IoT gateway is augmented by sensors that are mounted on the machine to be retrofitted. The sensors record factors such as temperature, pressure, vibration, power consumption, oil quality, angle of inclination, rotational speed, and other parameters. The software translates this data in real time into a format that can be integrated into existing production environments − “like a tireless simultaneous interpreter for Industry 4.0,” Struth said. The IoT gateway does not have to be programmed for this purpose; it only needs to be configured using a browser, which means it can be taken into operation much faster. Configuration uses the new, open machine language (PPMP, production performance management protocol) that was presented recently.

Better quality, timely maintenance
After having been “tuned” for Industry 4.0, the museum lathe is ready for essential new features of connected manufacturing. One of these is process monitoring for constant quality assurance, another is condition monitoring in order to prevent unplanned downtimes. For process monitoring, sensors measure a range of values, including the speed at which the workpiece turns. Cutting speeds that are too high or too low decrease the quality of turned metal parts and can damage the tool. For example, a look at a monitor reveals the data recorded and transmitted by the IoT gateway data, showing the workers operating the treadle that they have to pedal faster or slower in order to reach the ideal speed.

In addition, the newly connected lathe recognizes gradual changes to the drive belt. As it grows older, the leather belt can slip between the drive wheel and the spindle carrying the workpiece. For the human eye, this process is initially imperceptible, but sensors can already recognize deviations in the low percentage range. Once a predefined threshold value – 2 percent slip, say – has been reached, the connected system automatically notifies the maintenance worker responsible, who replaces the belt within a preset period. In this way, the sensors, gateway, and software prevent unplanned downtime of what is now an Industry 4.0-enabled lathe. This increases productivity.

507 German marks for the lathe
Robert Bosch bought the lathe in February 1887, and also worked on it himself. It seems to have been in use until 1901. Converted to today’s currency, what was a purchase price of 507 German marks is the equivalent of around 30,000 to 40,000 euros – for the small company that Bosch had only founded in 1886, it was a considerable investment that was calculated for the long term. “It’s still the same today: Machines are expensive. We have to use them as efficiently as possible. Connectivity can play a decisive role here,” Struth said.

05 October 2016, Noida (India): India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex Limited has recently launched Collar Type Twin Head Four Servo Driven Form-Fill & Seal (FFS) Machine. The versatile machine is much in demand by packers and brands alike for packing granular materials and powders with unmatched ease and efficiency.

Designed and manufactured indigenously by the Engineering Business of Uflex at its plant in Noida (India), this machine has two heads for forming and filling pouches of different types and sizes. The four servo system coupled up with a vacuum belt helps significantly reducing rejection rate owing to the perfect alignment and movement of the laminate. The machine is equipped with a control panel placed in the centre of both the heads thereby spelling tremendous ease of operation by a single operator. The machine requires lesser space, electricity and maintenance as compared to two separate machines performing equivalent work, there by economising the operating costs.

Furthermore the machine is fitted with a new design of blade that ensures quality perforation between pouches with well contoured notches offering immense ease of tear-opening to the end-users. The especially designed operating programme for the control panel paves way for a user friendly Human Machine Interface (HMI). The machine can form and fill up to 110 pouches per minute depending upon the product to be packed, quantity to be filled, laminate structure & thickness and the filling system used. This machine forms pillow type pouches with a central seal and is ideal for Official Release / (1) Uflex October /2016 packing extruded snacks, pulses, rice and spices among other products. The filling weight can range between 10gm to 1kg.

Commenting about the features of the new Twin Head Four Servo Driven Form-Fill & Seal Machine [UFLEX–CT4SD Twin (SLIM) Bagger], Mr Ajay Tandon, President & CEO, Engineering Business, Uflex Limited said, “This machine appropriately addresses the pain points faced by the customers in terms of higher rejection rates of formed and filled pouches. Owing to its 4 servo drives and the vacuum belt, the alignment and movement of the laminate is very smooth and perfect thereby significantly reducing the rejects. Further, the seal integrity that the machine offers is of high quality enhancing product safety and customers’ satisfaction and delight. Ease of handling, optimal space utilisation on the shop floor, work flow flexibility and optimised operational costs all put together make this machine a great value for money. We recently exhibited this machine at PackEx India 2016 in Mumbai and the response was absolutely terrific.

The order pipeline is very strong and encouraging. Given the advantages that the machine has to offer, customers looking at capacity expansion or replacement of the erstwhile single head FFS machines are placing orders for the new Twin Head Four Servo Driven Form- Fill & Seal Machine. It took the team almost ten months from designing to launching this machine and I am very happy with the response that it has been getting. In the day and age that we live, time is of greatest essence. Living up to our promise of impeccable after-sales support, we offer real time repair and maintenance assistance from our plant to our customers at their site, through modem connected to internet.”

Amid strong demand for the machine, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “The New Twin Head Four Servo Driven Form-Fill & Seal Machine is a classic example of value engineering by Uflex. Upholding our ethos of continuous improvisation of products and processes we have engineered this machine offering immense flexibility to our customers for packing variety of products. It increases the packaging efficiency of our clients thereby positively impacting their business performance. Nothing is more gratifying than to be able to innovate to the best advantage of our clients globally.”

Over the past few years, the global packaging industry has improved with the significant rise in sales of food packaging containers and technologies. TechNavio’s analyst predicted the global food packaging market will grow at around 8% between 2015 and 2020. The growth is attributed to consumer demand for convenience food. Product packaging has thus become an important aspect for food manufacturers, as consumers tend to select the safest food products nowadays with increasing living standards. Furthermore, the manufacturers are more focused on the environmental containers which also drive the demands of recyclable products.

Consumer demand continues to prompt the food packaging industry for breakthrough so the industry players are looking for equipment that can fulfil the quest for efficiency, functionality and intelligence. The “Food Packaging Zone” at The 24th China International Exhibition on Packaging Machinery & Materials (Sino-Pack 2017) will introduce the latest sealing machines, wrapping machines, vacuum packaging machines, aseptic packaging machines, forming, filling & sealing machines, etc. Concurrently held with Sino-Pack 2017 is the China (Guangzhou) International Exhibition on Packaging Products (PACKINNO 2017) where packaging products and materials for food industry will be exhibited to solve the global needs of food packaging.

Emerging Trends in Food Packaging
The rapid growth of urbanization and continuous innovation of technology have promoted the development of food packaging industry. Three major trends can be summed up for today's packaging market.

i) Personalization: Giving consumers the chance to customize products. Technological advancements have given rise to the surge of personalization. For instance in the last couple of years, Nutella offered personalized jars, and Coca Cola launched her personalized campaign with people’s names and birthday on the cans. All these successful examples have brought the trend to the fore of global mainstream.

ii) Zero-waste initiatives: Companies and consumers alike are becoming more aware of innovative recycling methods and the benefits of implementing these. Brand giants such as Coca-Cola & Carlsberg are leading the way with eco-friendly packaging, and this will definitely The 24 th China International Exhibition on Packaging Machinery & Materials (Sino-Pack 2017) China (Guangzhou) International Exhibition on Packaging Products (PACKINNO 2017) March 1-3, 2017 Area B, China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, PR China 2 encourage many other food and beverage brands to follow in its footsteps and go green with their packaging.

iii) Convenience: Convenience is a major selling point for food and beverage packaging. Features such as ease of opening, resealability, portability, lighter weight, etc. are packaging benefits that influence consumers’ purchasing decisions positively.

Sino-Pack/PACKINNO is expected to feature more than 600 top-notch exhibitors across an exhibiting area of 44,000 sqm. Below are some highlighted top-notch exhibitors of food packaging :

Guangzhou Dayuan Machinery Equipment Co. Ltd will exhibit the automatic & multi- function production line, the machines fulfill the current trend of personalized packaging, the products can also be customized with a variety of unique labels according to customers’ needs. The inaccurate labeling is also eliminated with the adoption of three rollers automated positioning system.

Guangzhou Hong Wang Packaging Limited will showcase cylindrical composite packaging container, all products are accredited with the ISO9001-2008 international quality management system. Paper cans produced by Hong Wang are made of paper, which can reduce environmental damages caused by coking and electrolytic aluminum. It can also be easily opened and torn, as well as being the alternatives for other packaging materials, such as metal, glass, plastics with lower production cost.

Dongguan Meiko Tins Co., Ltd will exhibit various high-quality tinplate metal packages which received certifications of ISO9000, ISO14000, SA800, Sedex, Reach, GSV, etc. They also use dust-free plant to ensure all products are accredited with FDA standard.

Dongguan Uni-Pak Packing Co., Ltd specializes in laminated plastic bag (composite bag, aluminum foil bag, nylon bag, cooking bag, anti-static bag, standing bag, zipper bag, etc.) to facilitate customers’ convenience. The machine can be widely used in food and beverages packaging industries.

Substantial Support from Enterprises Across the Globe 
As a specialized show focusing on packaging, Sino-Pack/PACKINNO provides a one-stop trade platform running through packaging machinery and materials industry. Sino- Pack/PACKINNO 2016 was widely supported by a list of renowned brands and enterprises. Exhibitors specializing in automated machinery (Robots and robotic arms) include ABB, KUKA, Fanuc, The 24 th China International Exhibition on Packaging Machinery & Materials (Sino-Pack 2017) China (Guangzhou) International Exhibition on Packaging Products (PACKINNO 2017) March 1-3, 2017 Area B, China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, PR China 3 Staubli, Efort, Sinsun, GSK, Go-Well, Tech-Long, Yangsen, CSI PAC Foshan, Adept Technology, Universal Robots, Shanghai Triowin and Guangzhou Vanta. Mettler-Toledo, Ishida, Anritsu and Sesotec are the experts of inspection and testing sectors. Other top-notch suppliers of packaging products and materials include Youngsun, Gurki, Schmalz, Hualian, Colamark, Mingyu, SITI, Sino-Lion, Omori, and Huituo. Zhiteng, Jingli , Hongrunfa, UNI-PAK, WEIDE , Foshan BSY , YALAN, Changyuan , Encolors , Acmepak and CGP,etc. 

The 24th China International Exhibition on Packaging Machinery & Materials (Sino-Pack 2017) and China (Guangzhou) International Exhibition on Packaging Products (PACKINNO 2017) will be held during 1-3 March 2017 at Area B, China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, PR China. Visitors are recommended to pre-register at www.chinasinopack.com or www.packinno.com to enjoy additional buyers’ privileges.

For more information, please visit: www.ChinaSinoPack.com | www.PACKINNO.com

Ardagh Group has continued its productive and highly creative relationship with Absolut with the launch of its latest limited edition bottle, Absolut Facet. Once again, Ardagh designers and technologists, working closely with their customer, have achieved outstanding innovation in glass packaging by developing a new colour and shape to create this unique blue bottle featuring an asymmetric design.

Gaia Gilardini, Global Communications Director, Absolut, explains the origin and inspiration for the bottle’s design: “With the Absolut Facet limited edition bottle, we want to celebrate the unexpected and encourage people be open to the different journeys a night could take you. We believe the best nights are the ones that happen out of the blue -- unplanned and spontaneous. To further demonstrate this, our latest #AbsolutNights campaign also aims to inspire people to celebrate spontaneity and the connections you make along the way.”

The round edges of the Facet bottle have been cut into like a gem, creating a number of faces that catch the light in unique ways. Achieving this unique effect and recreating the precise colour was one of several challenges that Ardagh met before producing the two and a half million bottles at its plant in Limmared, Sweden, as Fredrik Källqvist, from Ardagh describes:

“We have been closely involved in several ground breaking Absolut projects such as Unique with four million differently designed bottles, but each new project encourages us to raise the bar even higher and Facet is no exception. Bringing such a complex design into volume production required painstaking and very detailed preparation, as did replicating the colour to the highest degree of consistency across the complex design and to the required wall thickness.

“Creating such packaging innovation is only possible when you have the total support of your customer, and as with all our joint projects, our successful working relationship with the Absolut team assured that it was a smooth process.”

Absolut Facet will be launched by Absolut at a global event in Amsterdam inspired by the design of the bottle. The event will be in collaboration with the Amsterdam Dance Event (19-23 Oct 206).

Worms / Troisdorf, September 2016 | Blown film lines with the EVOLUTION Ultra Flat film flattening unit from Reifenhäuser Blown Film are on the road to success: The company has installed further lines in North America where superior reel quality is becoming a crucial selling point. Thanks to the unique technology new buyers can be won over, confirmed Reifenhäuser customer BJK Flexible Packaging, at the "Rethinking Day“.

"We produce the flattest films throughout North America", explained Brian Krein, chairman and CEO of the US-based specialty films producer BJK Flexible Packaging at the "Rethinking Day" event held by Reifenhäuser Blown Film GmbH in Troisdorf. With his statement, he confirmed the increasing quality awareness of producers and buyers of value-added multi-layer blown films in North America.

Furthermore, Mr Krein clearly expressed in his lecture that highest production efficiency and high film quality are not contradictory with Reifenhäuser EVOLUTION blown film lines - on the contrary: BJK's CEO explained the guests invited to the Reifenhäuser event that, thanks to the "perfect quality" of rollgoods, his company was definitely able to win over new customers who in the past bought their semi-finished products from other manufacturers. And Steve DeSpain, Sales Director at Reifenhauser Inc., USA, added: "Our success story in North America is just starting to gather pace thanks to the EVOLUTION Ultra Flat film flattening technology. Not long ago, we successfully installed further lines here and brought them onstream in the shortest possible time." According to DeSpain, other promising orders are already in sight.

In early summer of this year, a second Reifenhäuser EVOLUTION blown film line "made in Germany" was taken into operation at BJK, a manufacturer of semi-finished film products, in record time of only one week, lead-managed 2/4 by Reifenhauser Inc. The 5-layer EVOLUTION high-performance line features both Ultra Flat technology and Ultra Cool high-efficiency cooling technology. Five 60mm extruders with 400mm blown film die-head diameter enable an output of more than 600kg/h. BJK mainly runs high-quality PE composite films on the line which is equipped with a fully automatic multi-function winder (EVOLUTION W-P 2200.2), and a shaft and roll handling system.

Ultra Cool is a user-friendly, flexible high-performance cooling system that directly contributes to higher output of blown film; and the Ultra Flat component is a simple-to-operate film flattening system integrated in the film haul-off for increased efficiency in conversion operations.

The system is able to correct and completely eliminate film flatness imperfections that may occur in the bubble collapsing unit or are due to the basic structure of the various raw materials used for the production of complex blown films. Thus Ultra Flat provides flat film that runs smoothly through downstream systems, such as printing presses and bag making machines. This ensures higher efficiency and enhanced product quality.

A further EVOLUTION line, also equipped with Ultra Flat and Ultra Cool technologies, was successfully taken into operation at Packaging Personified Inc. in Sparta, Michigan, last June. The company headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, mainly produces lamination film and high-quality print film on its new 3-layer blown film line. These products require superior roll quality which is key in downstream converting operations. "This offers our customers a hassle-free conversion of their films, be it lamination, printing, re-forming, packing or sealing. The entire value chain in the packaging industry benefits from the enhanced efficiency provided by perfectly flat films produced on Reifenhäuser Blown Film lines," was Packaging Personified's statement highlighting the cooperation with the Troisdorf- based company.

• Concept impresses thanks to scalability and high dosing accuracy
• International jury rated 213 projects from nine countries
• Sigpack VPF offers unique flexibility thanks to expandable modules

Nuremberg, Germany/Beringen, Switzerland – The prototype Sigpack VPF (Vertical Platform for Flat Pouches), the first freely scalable flat pouch machine, has been honoured with the German Packaging Award 2016. The award is presented on an annual basis by the German Packaging Institute (Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut – dvi). The packaging machine won over the jury with the innovative nature of the overall concept and its superb execution in technical terms. In particular, the scalability offered by the machine, which allows manufacturers to switch production at any time from one line to as many as twelve, is what signals a completely new approach within this segment. The jurors gave their verdict on a total of 213 projects from nine countries. Product Manager Frank Bühler and Maik Lamprecht, the Project Manager for Platform Development – from Bosch Packaging Technology in Beringen, Switzerland – accepted the award during the presentation ceremony, which was held as part of this year’s FachPack trade fair in Nuremberg. ‘We are really pleased that our machine has managed to win the Packaging Award as early as the prototype stage. This confirms we have developed the kind of solution the market is looking for. We are already looking forward to working with a wide range of manufacturers from the pharma and food sectors who have already expressed an interest,' explains Frank Bühler.

Production to suit changing customer requirements
The prototype for the Sigpack VPF from Bosch represents a revolutionary concept for the filling of flat pouches: The equipment stands out because it breaks new ground in terms of scalability, and this makes it flexible enough to adapt to whatever the customer requirements may be. Manufacturers from the food and pharma industries will, therefore, be able to tailor production to current market conditions. As well as the option to expand production from two to 12 lines, the size of the bags can be quickly adjusted, too. A further benefit of the Sigpack VPF is its innovative dosing system, whereby each line has its own dosing chamber and its own stock of product. This means for example two products can be filled on the same machine at the same time.

The German Packaging Award
The German Packaging Award has been presented since 1963 on an annual basis by the German Packaging Institute across ten categories. Under the auspices of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, this is an opportunity for the trade association to honour outstanding technical solutions and innovations – for the manufacture of packaging – which have been deemed to improve packaging still further for consumers, the environment, and the markets and add greater value to it. Companies may put forward equipment already on the market and also prototypes. All winners of the German Packaging Award may also be nominated for the international WorldStar Packaging Award, which has been presented by the World Packaging Organization (WPO) since 1970.