Proseal has launched its first tray sealer since winning a Queen’s Award for International Trade 2018. The Proseal TTe is a small, compact and robust tray sealer ideal for low-volume production and production trials.

The TTe has been developed specifically to assist the progression of safe food packaging and shelf life extension to underdeveloped countries where packaging is overused and underutilised.

A semi-automatic, draw type, tray sealing machine with full vacuum facility, the Proseal TTe is capable of sealing up to ten vacuum/gas packs per minute with a two- impression tool.

The machine is the latest addition to Proseal’s innovative ‘e’ technology range, which is characterised by its flexibility to perform any style of heat seal to a pre-formed tray – whether atmospheric, MAP, VMAP, Skin, Skin Plus or Skin Deep.

Each of these options can be added at the point of purchase or a later date, or indeed removed if necessary. This enables customers to future-proof their investment by giving them the flexibility to change pack formats in line with customer demands and market trends, without having to purchase new equipment.

Simple in design and operation, fully portable and castor-mounted, the TTe is highly convenient to use. It features a five-minute tool changeover, a simple and accurate film-feed system with an easy film route, and a maintenance-friendly robust construction.

Its ‘Auto-Tool’ feature means that, at the touch of a button, it automatically locates and connects the tooling to machine functions, including all MAP functions.

Another key benefit of the Proseal TTe is its high degree of accuracy. The machine provides accurate temperature and seal pressure control, as well as an automatic seal operation with a precise seal dwell time.

The TTe tray sealer also offers exact temperature and seal pressure control, and a high-accuracy tool alignment system that provides an extremely consistent sealing or film-cutting relationship with the tray flange profile.

As with all Proseal tray sealers, the TTe features a food industry-approved hygienic construction and wash-down protection, as well as full Category 3 guarding.

“With every new machine we release, we aim to take performance and usability to another level,” comments Steve Malone, Proseal’s Director. “It’s exactly this focus on continuous growth and improvement that recently led to our Queen’s Award.

“The flexibility and ease-of-use of our new TTe gives smaller food manufacturers the ideal solution to both their current and future production requirements.”

Cologne, 22 August 2018 - Leybold Managing Director Johan Van der Eeken and Project Manager Stephan Hohenadl today handed over a donation cheque for 5,930 Euros to Eva Heemann and Cemre Altinsoy for the employee initiative `Water for All ́. Since 1984, Water for All has supported projects that provide people in need with access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. It is Atlas Copco's most important non-profit initiative and is funded through employee volunteer contributions. In total, more than two million people have now gained access to clean drinking water thanks to Water for All. The Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh were also recently supported with donations from the Welthungerhilfe. In the long term, the focus is on supporting sustainable water supply and hygiene projects, especially in Africa.

Every company knows this: over time, articles accumulate which are not sold to the extent that their manufacturer would like. And without incentives, little will happen. The sales teams of Leybold found a threefold original way. "It was important to us to find a lever to make the benefits clear to everyone involved. When we presented the concept to the sales department, I was very pleased with the immediate support for this project," says Stephan Hohenadl, who is responsible for this unusual campaign: "To reduce inventories, we launched a so-called 'Red Tag' campaign, which offered corresponding products on the market at special conditions. The articles were then sold at a very attractive price and our warehouse was cleared," explains Hohenadl.

That alone was nothing special - but the sales team's highlight was a percentage share if the minimum sales price was exceeded and, linked to this, the second highlight: the sales team thereby made a percentage contribution to the renowned social project Water for All of the parent company Atlas Copco.

5930,- Euro turn into a donation of 17,790,- Euro for a good cause

"Our cooperation with Welthungerhilfe makes it possible for institutional donors to double the donation and ultimately raise 17,790 Euros for our joint aid projects,” Eva Heemann and Cemre Altinsoy from the Atlas Copco employee initiative were delighted when they accepted the cheque.

"Leybold has been part of the Atlas Copco Group since 2016 and I am very pleased that this initiative has been so positively received and supported by our staff," emphasizes Johan Van der Eeken, who has known Water for All from the Group for years. This campaign is a win-win situation for everyone: "It supports sustainability to a special degree and serves to make life easier for those in need in a direct way," says the Leybold Managing Director.

The industry-leading private label bottled water supplier, Niagara Bottling LLC, with its many plants throughout the US and Mexico, has recently upgraded its Salt Lake City fa-cility with a Sidel complete PET line. The line features two Super Combis, equipped with the innovative and compact ground-level preform feeder, EasyFEED™, along with Gebo Cermex conveying and end-of-line equipment. This investment has enabled the ambitious bottler to significantly increase its productivity through high-speed, efficient manu-facturing and high availability rates of the line.

Niagara Bottling LLC, with more than 50 years of business experience, has based its success in the water market on offering customers a high-quality product, which is safe and has a great taste profile. Grounded on the fact that the PET bottled water market in the US is expected to grow by a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3% year on year between 2016 and 2020 , the company decided to rely on its long-standing business relationship with Sidel and install a new complete PET line to enlarge its production capacity to answer consumers’ demand. This choice is proving key to deliver higher performance and safety, while increasing cost efficiency.

Greater availability and efficiency to boost productivity

Starting point of the new complete line at Niagara’s plant is Sidel’s EasyFEED, an innovative, compact and safe ground-level preform feeder for PET lines. From the hopper, the preforms are lifted by an elevator column to only 2.5 metres. They are then sorted and vertically driven into the bowl of a rotary unscrambler. Positioned at the edge of a rotating table and supported by the neck flange, the preforms are moved onto a rail by a filtered airflow. Instead of traditional gravimetric infeed rails, the preforms are driven by two motorised, food-grade brush belts up to the infeed blowing wheel, contributing to keep the level of preform integrity very high. This patented technology ensures operators’ safety and overall easier operations by significantly reducing the footprint and the height for preform infeed.

Bill Hall, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing at Niagara Bottling LLC, comments, “By keeping operations at ground level, removing the impact of gravity from the feeding process, and using motorised, food-grade brush belts – to move the preforms into the blow moulder – the EasyFEED preform feeder ensures greater control over the production. As a result, we have seen OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) improvements, which are worth about 2% more produced bottles per year according to our estimations. In a line like the one embedding EasyFEED and the Sidel Super Combis, this translates to 2 million cases per year of extra productivity. That would not have been possible with a traditional preform feeder, so we are really happy with this achievement.”

With output speeds up to 82,000 bottles per hour, Sidel EasyFEED is optimal for PET water bottle producers like Niagara Bottling LLC, who need to combine very high-speed production lines with ultra-light PET bottles handling, while increasing the availability of their lines.

“We have seen large gains with the two EasyFEED solutions. In terms of machine availability, they are running above 98%, with a mean time between failures (MTBF) that is more than three hours: this is a big improvement to anything we have seen in the past. In addition, in terms of preform integrity, the handling via EasyFEED is extremely efficient and provides good quality preforms to the blow moulder. Its very high level of availability requires minor interventions from operators. And – when needed – its ground-level design provides maximum safety. All in all, we have gotten better performance from the new preform feeders,” adds Paul Wilson, Vice President of Manufacturing at Niagara Bottling LLC.

Enhancing PET packaging quality through next-generation solutions

While the successful journey of the PET bottle starts with the right preform feeder, the Super Combi is crucial in reducing total costs of ownership (TCO) for the customer and maintaining a very high level of efficiency. The team at Niagara Bottling LLC recognises that its tighter layout, a better utilisation of the integrated labeller and the redesign of the labeller itself are extremely beneficial for their production targets. Namely, the labelling technology provided by Sidel is quite exciting for the bottled water producer. “Talking about availability, the labeller has shown impressive results: it offers great ease of operations, together with efficient and top-quality label application, ensuring high-level performances,” explains Paul further.

Niagara is one of the first companies running the brand-new Roll-Fed labeller, which can handle lightweight containers and ultra-thin labels, yet allowing for better glue control and distribution, together with reduced consumption. While developing this labelling solution, which uses hot glue to apply wrap-around plastic labels, ease of operations has been high on the Sidel engineers’ agenda. The vacuum drum is built in light-weight sectors for easy and quick replacement and features newly patented adjustable pads for longer production time and minimal maintenance time. The ergonomics of the solution have been significantly optimised for top productivity and a sustainable footprint, with all main components fully visible and accessible during production or maintenance, without having to disengage the station.

Bill comments, “The product quality secured by Sidel blow moulders and fillers was already well known in Niagara. With the all-in-one Super Combi system, we can handle even ultra-light bottles more easily, yet ensuring higher top loads. Now, with the new labeller in place, we are also getting a truly efficient and reliable solution.”

The Super Combi is the ideal way to maximise production and increase line efficiency while reducing TCO; a fact that Niagara has also noticed. “The all-in-one system has improved our overall packaging quality. Plus the solution comes with a safer environment to fill products in. Also, ergonomically speaking, the Super Combi is both very compact and easy to access. Changeovers are smoother and easier,” remarks Bill. Talking of Super Combi, Paul notes the difference made by its integrated vision system, controlling the whole solution performance: “This is a high-quality piece within the system. It is able to capture any kind of minor defects on the bottle’s surface, body, and base, while duly checking the correct label application, filling level, and cap positioning. All in all, it ensures a top-quality product for our customers – always.”

For the leading producer of bottled water, which covers more than 40 different brands, the re-duction of TCO was the key when they invested in the new piece of equipment. With EasyFEED as the safe and easy-to-operate entry point to the line and Super Combis showing their performance in blowing, filling, labelling, and capping, the end-of-line production needed to be optimised for footprint, efficiency at very high speeds, and overall lower capital expenditure. This is where engineers at Gebo Cermex, part of the Sidel Group, stepped in. The Gebo Cermex high speed shrink-wrapping system, which is part of the end-of-line at Niagara, delivers high quality packs, and the fully accessible low level palletiser with robotic layer preparation at the infeed always ensure reliable, non-stop production. With these features, the solutions hold performance extremely high, providing the entire line – from start to finish – with unmatched efficiency and flexibility.

St. Croix Falls, WI August 20, 2018 - Brandtjen & Kluge, LLC (Kluge), the

recognized industry leader in digital print package converting solutions, is thrilled to be back in Chicago September 30-October 2 for PRINT 18. At the event, Kluge experts will demonstrate high quality finishing equipment solutions showcasing new advancements in diecutting, foil stamping, digital foil transfer, and folding and gluing at Booth #1603 at McCormick Place.

ApexFoil™

Successfully launched at PRINT 17, the ApexFoil™ will be back in Chicago at PRINT 18.

The key properties of foil stamping are simple to identify: Time, Temperature and Tonnage. Until now, although simple to identify, those properties have been difficult to measure and control. Now, operators can use the ApexFoil's Compass™ control system that includes patented features to control the "3-Ts" Time, Temperature and Tonnage. Compass allows operators to greatly reduce, and in some cases, eliminate make-ready on every job.

DIGITAL METAL®

Leveraging the benefits of the digital print workflow, the DIGITAL METAL® process allows digital transfer of foil onto paper and cardboard substrates. At the heart of the process is the DM-Liner®, a digital foiling device that precisely completes the foil transfer, optimizes foil usage and manages inventory intelligently. The DIGITAL METAL® process is highly effective in producing decorative effects for labels, brochures, invitations, magazines, packaging, photo cards, calendars, and more.

OmniFold 3000

The Kluge OmniFold 3000 Automatic Folding and Gluing System is a fully modular converting system designed to fulfill today's need and grow with future demands of the commercial printer and packaging manufacturer. Built to maximize converting capabilities while minimizing set-up time, the OmniFold includes features that bring productivity and reliability to a new level of expectations. These advancements are met with the quality you expect from Brandtjen & Kluge.

World leader in print inspection and quality management also will feature North American debut of HD+ Label Print Inspection Series

Hod-Hasharon, Israel – At Labelexpo Americas in Chicago, AVT, the world leader in print inspection, print process control, and quality assurance, will showcase new solutions for streamlining quality process workflows, which stem from integration with sister company offerings within the Danaher Product Identification Platform (PID). At Booth #5202, AVT also will feature the North America premiere of two of its newest 100% inspection solutions, as well as a host of other systems for digital press inspection & control, inspection for labels & packaging web applications and next-generation automation.

As part of the Danaher Product Identification (PID) Platform, AVT – along with sister companies X-Rite and Esko – will introduce several joint solutions that streamline the entirety of the quality workflow process, from brand owners to printers and back to brand owners. The Platform’s initial three points of integration will be showcased at LabelExpo Americas:

• Esko’s Automation Engine connects to AVT’s 100% inspection platforms (AutoSet), linking pre-press to inspection with close to zero setup time or operator intervention. The result is greater production time per press, higher accuracy and fewer rejections.
• X-Rite’s ColorCert links to AVT’s SpectraLab for inline color measurement, generating color scorecard reports based on SpectraLab measurements and offering increased time savings, system accuracy and visibility.
• Esko’s Web Center also connects to X-Rite’s ColorCert, automatically populating color-related specification fields for job creation, saving valuable time and resources as well as increasing overall system accuracy.

Also at LabelExpo Americas, AVT will offer North American debuts for two new 100% inspection solutions: Helios S Turbo+ and Helios Turbo HD+, the world’s most advanced inspection systems for label and narrow web applications. Each offers unsurpassed high- resolution capabilities even at top speeds, with 100% inspection performed at full press and rewinder speeds without sacrificing superb inspection quality and barcode verification.  

Digital Inspection & Press Control

AVT also will showcase its Helios D, a high-end 100% print inspection solution designed to meet the specific needs of digital printing in the label and narrow web markets. Helios D supports various digital printing technologies at all stages of production workflow, including the identification of specific defects like missing nozzles, ink dripping spots, and color changes as soon as they occur. The result is reduced waste, enhanced production and comprehensive process monitoring. 

For digital inkjet press vendors, AVT offers Jet-IQ, a closed loop quality engine that works in synergy with press controllers to maintain exemplary print quality, offering full connectivity to all steps and solutions of digital inkjet printing. The solution allows digital printers to gain a competitive advantage through enhanced print quality at high speeds, reduced press down time, and full reporting capabilities.

Solutions for Tight Quality Standards Control AVT’s workflow solutions complement its inspection systems through a full range of capabilities. Offline Setup enables customers to perform setup offline based on the job’s PDF; this is essential as run lengths become shorter and shorter, and customers must handle changeovers as quickly as possible.

For AVT, another highlight will be its iCenter platform, a cloud-based solution that empowers printers to manage and control quality and production standards for facilities around the world - ensuring global consistency. Quality standards need only be set once per industry, product type and brand owner; iCenter then automatically applies the correct job- specific quality standards. The advanced Industry 4.0 solution allows printers to tightly control cross-site quality standards, auto-analyze PDF files for inspection, and access business intelligence from production floors with seamless connectivity to MIS and prepress systems for optimized, automated workflows.

According to Jaron Lotan, President & CEO of AVT: "As a member of the Danaher family of companies, AVT has expanded opportunities for strategic partnerships. We are now able to more closely collaborate on smart, interconnected solutions that not only automate workflow but also provide insight into production performance. This is invaluable as we move further into the Industry 4.0 era."

The Kiaro!® QL-120 Integrates Industry’s Fastest Print Speeds with 1200 dpi Resolution for Exceptional Customer Experience

AstroNova, Inc., (NASDAQ: ALOT), a global leader in data visualization technologies, today announced that its QuickLabel® business unit has launched the first of its second-generation Kiaro! digital inkjet color label printers, the Kiaro! QL-120. The QL-120 combines high resolution with the industry’s fastest print speeds, giving business owners a powerful tool to produce professional-quality color labels in-house and on- demand, at a fraction of the cost and time of outsourcing.

Built on AstroNova’s proven industry-leading Kiaro! digital color label printing technology, the new QL-120 delivers enhanced print quality, performance and reliability. With the QL-120, print speed has been increased by 50 percent to 12” (305 mm)/sec and a new high-speed auto-cutter is now standard. Other benefits include the ability to print narrow widths as small as 0.5” (12.7 mm), seamless networking capabilities and extended printhead life. At a resolution of 1200 dpi, the printer ensures that even the smallest font sizes and images look crisp, while superior color management capabilities yield brilliant, true-to-life images. The QL-120’s durable ink formulation has an exceptional color range and allows printing on a wider variety of materials. Because the printed label is more resistant to water, oil, and solvents, the QL-120 is ideal for a broad range of applications from food and beverage, to chemicals, cosmetics, medical and industrial labeling.

“As the latest innovation in our ‘total solution’ product offerings, the QL-120 exemplifies the long history of QuickLabel as a customer-centric business focused on helping companies build great brands,” said AstroNova President and CEO Greg Woods. “The QL-120 allows new and existing customers to print vivid, compelling labels for their branded products cost effectively, when they need them.”

Noida, August 20, 2018: Chemicals Business of Uflex Limited a leading supplier of Inks, Adhesives and Speciality Coatings, is one of the first few companies in India to be assessed and found to be in agreement with the Risk Management Principles & Guidelines as per ISO 31000:2018.

ISO 31000:2018, Risk management guidelines provides principles, framework and a process for managing risk. The assessment of the Risk Management ISO 31000:2018 was carried out by DNV¬-GL.

Voicing his pleasure over this development, Rajesh Bhasin, Business Head, Chemicals at Uflex Limited said, “In this rapidly changing world, businesses are continuously exposed to newer risks and in order to deliver committed business objectives to stake holders, we ensure that all current and future material risk exposures are identified, assessed, mitigated, monitored and reported.”

Acknowledging Team Chemicals effort at this outstanding achievement, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “This framework helps not only improve our competence to deal with forthcoming challenges but also embeds it in our business management philosophy, thereby increasing the operational efficiency and delivery of overall objectives of the company.”

CINCINNATI (August 15, 2018) – ProAmpac, a leader in global flexible packaging, announced today that its Auburn, Washington facility has been awarded Level 2 Food Safety Management Certification by the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Institute. SQF is a recognized organization by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), as well as retailers and food service providers around the world who require a rigorous, credible food safety management system.

Auburn is ProAmpac’s 14th facility to be recognized with food-quality certification and ProAmpac’s eighth manufacturing facility to be certified to SQF Level 2.

“ProAmpac continues to focus on providing customers with high-quality products they expect. The SQF certification for Auburn now offers our West Coast customers a regional fulfillment option,” stated Tom Geyer, President of ProAmpac’s US Flexibles Division. “ProAmpac is committed to quality systems and certifications that support and reflect our customers’ growth and success. Work is currently underway to certify additional facilities to meet the growing demands of our food customers in North America.”

“We are constantly demonstrating our commitment to SQF certification. ProAmpac strives to exceed the growing number of requirements to ensure food safety,” said Rob Manning, vice president of quality. “Auburn’s SQF certification is a milestone. We are proud to have a system in place for monitoring, validating and improving the manufacturing of flexible packaging materials and we plan to acquire additional SQF facility certifications throughout the remainder of 2018. ProAmpac appreciates our employees’ hard work as we strive to provide quality products to our customers.”

New Delhi, 16th Aug, 2018– Cosmo Films, a global leader in speciality films for flexible packaging, lamination and labeling applications introduces a cast polypropylene (CPP) metalized film with high metal bond strength. This film has been specially designed to offer superior inter layer bond strength for making multi-layer laminate structures, which in turn enhances barrier properties.

Apart from CPP’s inherent nature of excellent seal strength, good thermal stability, good yield economics and good puncture resistance, the film provides exceptional metal bond strength of around 450 gm/inch. Available in standard thicknesses ranging from 20 to 30 microns, this newly developed metalized film has a High Hot Tack and Low SIT of 96 to 98 degree Celsius, which enables FFS machines to run at a higher speed, thus helping improve productivity. This film also exhibit superior heat seal strength of 2.5 kg/inch. Some of the typical applications of the film include biscuits & snacks, bakery products, chocolates, chewing gums, dairy products, spices etc.

CPP film is growing in popularity as a more attractive packaging material owing to its versatility. Cosmo offers different variants of CPP films like transparent, white opaque and metalized for multiple applications. It provides excellent seal strength as well as good moisture and gas barrier making it a material of choice for convertors and brand owners.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Pankaj Poddar, CEO, Cosmo Films Ltd. said, “The latest addition of high metal bond strength film has definitely expanded our CPP portfolio and we see a huge potential for this film into flexible packaging. A strong metal adhesion is critical to get good interlayer bond strength which ultimately improves barrier properties, making it an ideal choice for food packaging applications.”

Berlin, 16 August 2018 – Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) succeeded in an interdisciplinary study to demonstrate that soil microorganisms metabolically utilised the carbon in the PBAT polymer both for energy production and also to build up microbial biomass. The researchers used the biodegradable polymer PBAT (Polybutylenadipatterephthalat) labelled with a carbon isotope. This isotope label enabled the scientists to track the polymer-derived carbon along different biodegradation pathways in soil. It showed that the carbon from PBAT was not only converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) as a result of microbial respiration but also incorporated into the biomass of microorganisms colonizing the polymer surface. The researchers are the first to successfully demonstrate where the carbon of a polymer ends up and that a plastic material is effectively biodegrading in soils.

“This clarifies that nothings remains after biodegradation besides water, CO2 and biomass,“ says Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics e.V.. “With this study, two concerns that are constantly being raised about biodegradable plastics have been rebutted – the doubt that microorganisms fully metabolize certified biodegradable plastics and the concern that the oil-based part of the polymer will not biodegrade completely.“

The tested PBAT polymer is a fossil-based, biodegradable polymer, which is used amongst others for the production of biodegradable, certified compostable bio-waste bags (according to EN 13432) or biodegradable in soil certified mulch films (according to EN 17033).

“The results of this study will surely enable municipalities and waste managers across EU Member States to acknowledge the benefits and the functionality of certified compostable plastic bio-waste bags for a separate collection of organic waste as well as in an agricultural context the alternative of soil biodegradable mulch films,“ von Pogrell concluded.

The detailed results and study can be found at the website of the ETH Zurich in the ‚News & Events’ section (www.ethz.ch/de).

Acting in a competitive marketplace, typically impacted by low margins, liquid dairy manufacturers relentlessly seek innovations to achieve product differentiation and a sustainable business. To answer those challenges, Sidel can support the companies to switch their liquid dairy production to PET bottles and benefit from increased marketing opportunities, while leveraging a cost-effective and flexible production. Guillaume Rolland, Vice President Sensitive Products at Sidel, shares his expert insights into this topic.

Q How do you judge the potential of PET in the liquid dairy industry?

As the market leader in aseptic PET, Sidel can leverage a list of business successes – from notable liquid dairy companies – to explain why many industry players active in this segment worldwide have been moving their production to PET. Perfectly defined liquid recipes and processing methods, combined with the right PET bottle and aseptic packaging solutions, can ensure maximum product integrity along the supply chain, while optimising uptime and costs. It is important to understand why PET really is an attractive packaging material for the dairy industry, able to offer great potential in terms of product safety, marketing opportunities, as well as flexible and cost-effective production.

Q Do you see an increasing PET adoption trend in the liquid dairy products (LDP) market?

Globally, the use of PET as a packaging material is expected to continuously grow within the liquid dairy sector. Traditionally packaged in carton or HDPE containers, liquid dairy products bottled in PET are forecasted to grow by 4.4% in the period from 2018 to 2020. 1 With 13.7 billion package units today, PET-packaged products are estimated to reach 14.9 billion units worldwide in 2020. The adoption of PET started in Europe nearly 20 years ago and has been deployed worldwide now, for chilled and ambient distribution drinks, for UHT milk, flavoured milkor soy milk. The trend is even bigger around on-the-go formats than around family formats. In fact, the bottle sizes up to 500 ml represent more than two thirds of those PET packages, meaning 8.3 billion units in 2018, projected to reach 9.6 billion units in 2020. 2

Q What are the main reasons for PET winning across this segment?

When packaging liquid dairy products like white milk, flavoured milk, enriched milk, plant milk, soy milk or drinking yogurt, multiple variables can influence their quality, including microorganisms, light, oxygen and temperature. The PET growth can be credited especially to this packaging material’s 100% recyclability, its excellent barrier properties and its neck and cap tightness that ensures food safety. Moreover, from transparent to opaque solutions, PET packaging alternatives can ensure top product protection and quality, while delivering the expected shelf life without need for aluminium foil for a more sustainable business.

Q Are there key business successes with LDP players that you can share?

It is more than two decades that dairy producers worldwide have been trusting PET bottles to refresh their brands, working with both refrigerated and shelf-stable products. Many of them have been working with Sidel trusting our 40-year aseptic packaging expertise and +35 years of experience in PET production. For instance, LSDH France launched its UHT white milk in PET bottle without aluminium foil in 2007. In Brasil, Jussara switched its UHT white and flavoured milk production from carton to PET, for family and on-the-go bottle formats. Later on, this Brazilian company also launched a range of on-the-go, lactose-free products. In China, the world’s N°1 liquid dairy producer, Yili has released its 6-month shelf life premium drinking yogurt in PET bottles.

Q With light and oxygen affecting milk- and plant-based drinks, how can PET ensure a safe product?

It is important to highlight that PET barrier solutions ensure product safety across the supply chain, with good oxygen barrier properties, 15 to 30 times higher compared to monolayer and three-layer HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). Regarding light protection, this is achieved through different preform manufacturing technologies and their light blocking capabilities. One of them is the injection of monolayer preform, using a standard injection tool system, mixingPET material with master batch from various suppliers. The other one is the multilayer preform, which can be produced using either over-moulding or co-injection technologies. Those barrier solutions are adjustable in terms of additives and weight according to product recipe, bottle size, and the desired extended shelf life to be achieved.

Q Across the globe we see a trend towards functional and health-oriented drinks in different packaging with varying sizes. How can PET address these challenges and help meet the changing customer needs?

For any product type or package format released on the market, PET packaging gives the opportunity to attract consumers with great brand differentiation due to the bottle design freedom offered by the Injection Stretch Blow-Moulding (ISBM) technology and by the inherent and geometric properties of the PET raw material itself. Round or square, asymmetric or with specific handling, its high marketing potential opens up virtually unlimited possibilities to design whatever premium or affordable package. While providing a unique communication platform for brands – that are increasingly using labels or the container itself to engage with their consumers – PET bottles are also allowing users to see the content inside, thanks to their transparency. Easy to open and handle, it is a functional and convenient type of package leading to a great consumer experience.

As market demands are quickly changing, shifting from standard bottle size towards smaller packages, PET offers sheer endless possibilities to enhance production flexibility with simple and easy changeovers on the production line while refreshing the brand of a complete bottle family from large to on-the-go formats to answer every need. Sidel can help in designing a unique and ergonomic bottle in line with dairy brands’ requirements. We can evaluate PET bottle strength and performance across the supply chain: through laboratory tests under real production and supply chain conditions, we determine the most suitable packaging designs, PET barrier solutions, sizes, shapes, caps, and filling volumes.

Q To manage the booming product diversification and SKU’s proliferation, how can the dairy players benefit from a flexible and cost-effective PET bottling production?

In this industry, production flexibility is particularly key in terms of product recipes, bottle formats and shapes, cap and label applications: all of that without compromising on high line efficiency over time. Low and high acid products can be bottled on the same Sidel Aseptic PET packaging line, from 0.2 litres to 2 litres formats. Bottles can be sealed with standard flat caps or sportcaps from 28 mm to 38 mm, including the possibility to add specific over-caps, to further differentiate the bottles. To ensure a reliable and efficient production, the line is designed to offer maximum flexibility with reduced downtime for product changeovers, and a simple three- hour cleaning and sterilisation period between bottle-to-bottle productions.

Working as a versatile marketing tool, the PET bottles offer many possibilities when it comes to decoration. On top of roll-fed labels or sleeve labels, a complete sleeve covering the cap can also be used, as such increasing the communication-facing surface. The same bottle shape can be customised with different cap colours and label decorations in order to easily multiply the SKUs with minor changes in the production process. Adaptable to niche markets or mass production, the Sidel Aseptic PET complete lines are optimised from low to high speed outputs, with a range spanning from 10,000 to 60,000 bottles per hour according to the forecasted production volumes.

Q Where do you see potential for cost-effective and eco-friendly production?

Starting from a raw material perspective, PET is the most affordable plastic available on the market, with prices that remained quite stable over the past ten years. 3 In the PET market, the offer exceeds the demand and preform suppliers are available worldwide, both aspects contributing to a competitive supply chain.

It is also notable that the right-weighting potential in PET bottles is huge, as the water industry largely demonstrated. Sidel has been partnering with its customers to define the container’s weight requirements to strengthen the product stability through the supply chain, while ensuring the best consumer experience. For instance, aseptically packaging liquid dairy products in PET via the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis™ – the patented blow-fill-cap solution with dry preform sterilisation technology – ensures packaging right-weighting since the bottle does not suffer any thermal impact due to the sterilisation. For example, the average weight of a 1 litre PET bottle for UHT milk is 24 g, whereas a HDPE bottle for the same application weighs between 28 and 32 g, with no possibility for lightweighting. With the good neck and cap tightness, the sealing does not require aluminium foil; consequently dairy manufacturers have less raw material and less equipment to acquire. Using no water and almost no chemicals, the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis globally contributed to save seven billion litres of water and 57,000 tons of PET, while producing a staggering 46 billion bottles.

Q Do you offer integrated process solutions for LDP players?

Sidel’s fully integrated and technically advanced solutions employ the processing equipment and capabilities of Tetra Pak Processing Systems (TPPS). Over the years, Sidel and TPPS have been combining competencies and expertise to define and execute more than 100 complete line projects. As such, the company is perfectly established to support the liquid dairy sector in new product launches or in a switch to PET.

Q Are there any notable solutions in your portfolio when aseptic matters?

A clear proof point of Sidel’s leadership in aseptic applications is the company’s Aseptic Combi Predis. The solution merges dry preform sterilisation with aseptic blowing, filling and sealing functions within a single production enclosure and respects the fundamental concept which underpins state-of-the-art aseptic packaging rules: producing a commercially sterile product, filled in a sterile zone, in a previously sterilised package. It differs from traditional aseptic technology because the package sterilisation takes place during the preform rather than during the bottle phase. It offers many benefits including safety and simplicity, cost-effectiveness, no water and the use of very few chemicals. More than 100 Aseptic Combi Predis installations worldwide are a clear endorsement of this technology. As a further indicator of the reliability of the system, Sidel received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Aseptic Combi Predis blow fill seal filler, making the solution the world’s first – and only – aseptic PET filling equipment with dry preform sterilisation validated for low acid manufacturing and commercial distribution in the United States market.

Loesch Verpackungstechnik, the system supplier, is exhibiting at FachPack in Nuremberg between 25 and 27 September. In hall 1, stand 1-218, the specialist for confectionery packaging from Upper Franconia is presenting its RCB-HS wrapping head machine. The machine from the Loesch R-Series is designed for the packaging of small-sized chocolate products in premium fold wraps. With the horizontal flow pack of the F-Series, the firm has a concept solution that combines efficiency and performance with low packaging material costs in its range.

“The RCB-HS for small chocolate products and bars combines a premium look and maximum product protection in an end-to-end tightly sealed pack,” said CEO Dr Thomas Cord. “The extremely compact RCB-HS machine platform is designed for top performance and handles the primary packaging in modern chocolate production reliably and flexibly.” The innovative concept of the Franconian experts in special purpose machinery was presented at interpack 2017 and since then has undergone continuous advanced development. “Since the recent successful market launch of the RCB-HS, the platform has established itself in the market,” reported Cord proudly. “The concept has met with enthusiastic response in the Asian market.” Consumers can enjoy products with longer shelf lives and an optimized taste and texture experience. The chocolate products are presented in the premium fold wrap look that has made LoeschPack a global market leader in this segment for decades. “With excellent performance of up to 600 packaged products per minute, the RCB-HS is unrivalled in the chocolate sector. In a variant for open folding, we even achieve speeds of up to 800 products per minute,” said Cord. The firm is systematically working to further develop the R-Series and expanding its product range with regard to the format range, folding, and performance parameters, according to Cord.

Classical fold wrap encounters premium packaging look

The RCB-HS is a continuously operating machine that produces the fold wrap in a wrapping head and circumferentially heat-seals or cold-seals the packaging material. The variant with cold seal-capable film has the advantages of gentle material handling and excellent usability in machines, while the heat-seal variant uses less expensive packaging material. The heat bars always seal film against film, ensuring extremely tight packaging and preventing thermal damage to the products. This eliminates the need to use hot-setting glue when closing the packaging. In the next step, folding elements produce the premium fold wrap. For an optimal packaging look, small heat bars carefully affix the sealed film areas to the underside of the packaging in the discharge area. “Our conscious decision to dispense with glue to seal the packaging reduces machine contamination, minimises operating costs and simplifies machine operation,” said Cord. An integrated opening aid makes it easy to open the packaging. Customers also have the option of applying a tear thread to sections of the packaging or integrating a tear aid into the packaging material. The processing of OPP film as the only packaging material leads to cost and resource reduction in comparison to conventional aluminium in the inner wrap and, typically, paper as the second packaging material. Modern printing technology for films also enables attention-grabbing visual and haptic options to be used for packaging design.

Wide range of formats

“As with all Loesch machines, the RCB-HS features quick, simple format changeover, a wide format range, excellent hygiene properties, high efficiency and performance, outstanding accessibility, and user-friendly operation,” declared Cord. The machine was optimised for quick format changeovers with a minimum of tools: set-up time around 60 minutes. Most belt changeovers and cleaning work can also be carried out without tools. Thanks to its design, the RCB-HS features long cleaning and maintenance intervals. In combination with its high quality of construction, this results in excellent machine availability that can be increased with accessory modules such as an auto-splice device.

F-Series for top flow pack performance

As an alternative to the sealed fold wrap, Loesch offers the FCB horizontal flow wrapping machine for applications with low packaging material costs. The solution from the F-Series high performance platform is suitable for packaging chocolate, biscuits and chewing gum in flow packs. It is available with a large number of applications. “Alongside traditional fold wrap, the packaging machines in our F-Series can be optimally integrated into systems with a storage system, feeder and secondary and end-of-line packaging from LoeschPack,” said Cord by way of explaining his company’s orientation as a provider of complete packaging systems. “The flow wrapping system solutions in the F-Series for a wide range of applications have been successfully placed in the global market for over three years. They represent high performance, overall plant efficiency and high format flexibility at low packaging material costs,” he added. With its next development step for the platform, LoeschPack will expand the range of products in the F-Series. Cord explained that LoeschPack would like to deliver a needs-compatible system to each customer that serves the specific product mix. “Long-dwell” is one of the firm’s latest developments. “The function enables longer seal times for cross- sealing, improving product protection with higher packaging tightness,” said Cord.

Enger, 13. August 2018 – Last year MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection launched the DP 230, the first model in a new generation of direct web printers, for integrating into R 08x and R 1xx thermoforming packaging machines. From the 4th quarter of 2018 onwards, the new models of direct web printers will also be available for the R 2xx and R 5xx thermoforming packaging machines.

When the new generation of direct web printers was developed, there was a particular focus on meeting the latest hygiene and safety standards. As with the machines of the previous generation, the new direct web printers are based on a stainless steel and anodised aluminium construction. All exposed edges are chamfered and dead space has been systematically avoided. This means that liquid can easily drain away during cleaning.

Product improvements

The innovations include hygiene cylinders with stainless steel connections on the film brake and hybrid cables for all connections to the packaging machine. The cover plates are specially designed for use in the food sector and are perforated for ease of cleaning. Since security against loss of product has a high priority in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, the DP 230 direct web printers for these industries are supplied with solid cover plates and plexiglass windows.

MULTIVAC currently differentiates between two models: the DP 210 is equipped with an x-axis propulsion indexer, which enables the printer to move at right angles to the film running direction, so that multiple packs in a pack row can be printed. The DP 230 on the other hand is equipped with an x-axis and y-axis propulsion indexer. This means that the printer can move not only at right angles to the film running direction but also in the film running direction itself, enabling all the packs of a particular format to be printed. Thermal transfer and thermal inkjet printers are used as the printing technology.

The models are available in each version for cut-off lengths up to 400 mm and 900 mm. This means that the direct web printers are ideally designed for each film width and for all the available formats on the thermoforming packaging machine. State-of-the-art servo motors ensure that maximum speed and printing accuracy are achieved.

Compact design

The compact design and user-friendliness of both series also offer significant benefits. Since the direct web printers are fitted above the sealing station before the control cabinet, the loading area remains completely free. In the case of the larger thermoforming packaging machines from the R 1xx series onwards, both the DP 210 and DP 230 can be equipped as an option with a mobile holding device, so that they can easily be pushed to the side when changing the sealing die. This means that the sealing station is then easily accessible. When the machine is to be put back into operation, the direct web printer is simply pushed over the safety guard again, and the loading area is once more completely free.

In order that the direct web printer has a high degree of user- friendliness, MULTIVAC has equipped the printer mounting with a quick-changing device, so that it can be dismantled easily when changing the thermal printhead for example. All removable covers are provided with ergonomically arranged handles, which enable the covers to be handled easily from the operating side.

ALEXANDRIA, MN. (June 29, 2018) – Adding the new Robotic Product Collation and Metering to Douglas’ reliable Contour™ SPS-80 Shrink Packer allowed a large beverage producer to convert their can line from paperboard cartons to trays with film overlap at a rate of 80 packages per minute. This system provides ease of operation, greater product stability, unmatched accessibility and a reduction in changeover time and cost.

About Douglas Machine Inc.

Founded in 1964, Douglas Machine Inc. (Douglas) is a global leader in automated secondary packaging solutions for paperboard, corrugated and shrink film. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of case & tray packers, shrink wrap systems, cartoners, sleevers, multipackers and palletizers. Based in Alexandria, Minnesota, Douglas is an employee-owned company that has installed more than 9,000 machines in 30 countries.

10 August 2018, Noida, Uttar Pradesh (India): India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex Limited has declared the earnings for the Quarter ended 30 June 2018.

The company has been maintaining a sustained growth curve and achieved the Consolidated Income for the quarter ended 30th June 2018 of Rs. 1912 crores as against Rs. 1627 crore for the same period last year, thus registering a growth of 17.5%. The consolidated EBITDA for the quarter ended 30th June, 2018 has been higher at Rs. 255 crore as against Rs. 237 crore for the same period last year up by 7.9%, and as against Rs. 229 crore for the quarter Jan-March 2018, up 11.3%. The profit after tax for the quarter ended 30th June 2018 is also higher at Rs. 94 crore.  
Talking about the numbers for the Q1 FY 2018-19, Mr. Rajesh Bhatia, Global CFO, Uflex Limited said, “Buoyed by the highest ever quarterly production & sales volumes, Uflex achieved Revenue growth of 17.5% in Q1 FY 18-19 over Q1 FY 17-18, thus registering highest ever Revenue in a quarter. During Q1 FY 18-19, overall production volumes grew by 11.6% and sales volumes grew by 14.9%.  
The subsequent quarters for FY 2018-19 are likely to witness incremental export sales volume from the recent customer acquisitions. 
Aseptic Packaging has increased its customer reach and is now supplying to about 20 customers. The trial runs are on-going successfully with some of the large customers.”

In an official document released soon after the Earnings were declared, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi said, “Q1 of Financial Year 2018-19 has witnessed significant Production & Sales volume growth. The margin in packaging films business have improved while the flexible packaging business margins were impacted by the lag effect of about 17% increase in the crude oil prices during the quarter. The fast evolution of our technology, aided us to launch several products in the quarter ended 30 June 2018 that continue to meet the demands of the ever changing customer needs which also adds value to the businesses of our esteemed clients globally. 
As a matter of pride we have been able to contribute to Indian Space Research Organization’s endeavour of development of Satellite Thermal Radiation Insulation film and becoming self-reliant in space technology applications. This is a major win for Make in India and a moment of truth for Made in India. All this has been accomplished through the unrelenting hard work by the metallizing team of Flex Films India without which it would not have been possible for us to accomplish this goal.

You will also be glad to know that we have been certified by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) as a security printer for printing MICR instruments for its member banks. Since we possess all required systems, technology and infrastructure, the Indian Bank’s Association conferred this certification to us and has given us the opportunity for security printing MICR instruments which is a big honor and responsibility in itself.  
To become a leading company and preferred supplier for providing flexible packaging solutions to customers across the globe and to further maximize value for all stakeholders, I encourage my team to follow the mantra of excellence, which means to keep beating your own standards every day and to surpass your past records because if you don't have any record to beat, you can't excel. Let us start off on the right foot, keeping your eyes on the stars with feet on the ground and let success follow us in the financial year ahead..!!” concluded Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi.

About Uflex
Uflex is India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and Solution Company and an emerging global player. Since its inception back in 1985, Uflex has grown from strength to strength to evolve as a truly Indian Multinational with consumers spread across the world. Uflex today has state-of-the-art packaging facilities at multiple locations in India with installed capacity of around 100,000 TPA and has packaging film manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico Egypt, Poland and USA with cumulative installed capacity in excess of 337,000 TPA. 
All Uflex plants are accredited with ISO 9001, 14001, HACCP & BRC certifications. Uflex caters to markets spanning across the globe in over 140 countries like USA, Canada, South American countries, UK and other European Countries, Russia, South Africa, CIS, Asian and African nations. Integrated within its core business profile are allied businesses like Engineering, Cylinders, Holography and Chemicals which further give Uflex a superior edge above competition. 
Uflex Limited is also a part of the D&B Global Database and winner of various prestigious national and international awards for its products’ excellence. Uflex offers technologically superior packaging solutions for a wide variety of products such as snack foods, candy and confectionery, sugar, rice & other cereals, beverages, tea & coffee, dessert mixes, noodles, wheat flour, soaps and detergents, shampoos & conditioners, vegetable oil, spices, marinades & pastes, cheese & dairy products, frozen food, sea food, meat, anti-fog, pet food, pharmaceuticals, contraceptives, garden fertilizers and plant nutrients, motor oil and lubricants, automotive and engineering components etc.

Some of Uflex’s clients on the global turf include P&G, PepsiCo; Tata Global; Mondelez, L’ Oreal, Britannia, Haldiram’s, Amul, Kimberly Clark, Ferro Rocher, Perfetti, GSK, Nestle, Agrotech Foods, Coca Cola, Wrigley, Johnson & Johnson among others.

[LORAIN, OH – JULY 2018] The new SH-4000P Horizontal Machining Center from Tongtai was developed for mass production lines. The new compact machine has a 35% smaller footprint than the previous model, allowing for maximum shop floor space utilization. At only 69” wide, floor space is minimized. Sold and serviced by Absolute Machine Tools Inc., the Tongtai SH-4000P horizontal machining center is the latest generation, low cost, state-of-the-art high speed machining center. This machine will exceed the demands of any manufacturer with high volume machining needs. The compact size consumes very little valuable floor space while the fast speed will deliver more parts per hour than competitive machines costing thousands more.

The machine is a XY traveling column type design where the pallet moves in Z. The APC unit, located in front of the machine, provides easy access and slashes idle time. The APC is a rotary type pallet changer and it exchanges the pallets in only 5.9 seconds. For pallet rotation in the machining envelope, a full contouring “B” axis precisely indexes the pallet every .001 degree and a hydraulic clamping mechanism is used to clamp the pallet in place for excellent repeatability. The B axis is high speed, with 90-degree index time of 0.5 seconds

The SH-4000P features an ultra rigid Meehanite cast iron frame with an advanced 3-point leveling system. The eco-friendly LHL / LubeUSA grease lubrication system is standard for ways and ballscrews – no coolant contamination and no waste oil. The 40mm (1.57”) diameter ballscrews are class 3 with a double nut pre-loaded and pre-tensioned design allowing a blazing rapid traverse rate of 2362 inches per minute. Furthermore, high-speed acceleration drastically reduces non-cut time (X,Y, Z acc/dec of 1.0G). The ABS (Absolute Pulse Coder) servo system does not require zero return. The machine can be started anytime from any position, saving non-productive time. A standard rear discharge chip removal system includes a center trough design with high volume chip wash for efficient chip removal. A combination dual level caterpillar-type conveyor with fines separator is standard and is suitable for virtually any types of chips / material.

At the center of the machine is our high power integral spindle with 15,000 RPM and spindle acceleration from 0-7000 in just 0.48 seconds and 0-15000 in only 1.9 seconds. Deceleration from 12000 RPM to stop is only 0.8 seconds. Our powerful spindle, which switches windings on the fly, produces 50HP peak (10 min. rating), 35 HP in high and 25HP in low while producing 184 ft./lbs. of peak torque at only 980 RPM. To enhance milling capabilities, a Big Plus dual contact spindle is standard. Air/oil mist is used for spindle bearing lubrication to increase spindle life.

The standard 60 station automatic tool changer provides ultra fast tool selection. Tool change time is only 1.4 seconds tool to tool due to the use of the patented Sankyo RollerDrive™ gearbox for the arm mechanism. Average chip to chip time is only 2.6 seconds. The ATC system is a random style system.

The Fanuc OiM-F conversational control is standard to provide reliable state-ofthe-art controllers and the latest in servo and spindle technology. The OiM-F is capable of handling the most demanding high speed machining applications and is available with a full complement of high speed machining options for mold detail and electrode machining.

Visitors to the exhibition stand of Optima Pharma and Optima Life Science at P-MEC will have the opportunity to find out how the time between an order being placed and production starting can be kept to a minimum. The MultiUse concept, which consists of highly flexible, fully automated filling machines that can process different types of containers, will also be taking center stage. Another key feature of the companies' exhibition presence will be the modern engineering technologies that enable Optima Pharma to complete complex turnkey projects on budget and on schedule.

A SHORTER TIME TO PRODUCTION WITH CSPE

One area of emphasis at the exhibition will be Comprehensive Scientific Process Engineering (CSPE), which has revolutionized the planning and implementation of pharmaceutical filling machines. A combination of scientific methods and technological processes ensures that the time from the order being placed to the start of production is as short as possible.

FILLING VIALS, PRE-FILLED SYRINGES, AND CARTRIDGES IN ONE MACHINE

The MultiUse concept developed by Optima Pharma is the ideal solution for small batch sizes and different container types in the pharmaceutical industry. This type of machine can be used for production on a laboratory scale up to medium-sized batches and for the first time is fully automated and also highly flexible. The MultiUse Filler can quickly be adjusted to different format sizes and types of containers, including vials, pre-filled syringes, and cartridges.

THE LATEST ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES GUARANTEE A FAST START TO PRODUCTION

The turnkey experts will inform visitors to the exhibition about complex projects involving filling and sealing, isolator technology, and freeze-drying. Optima Pharma takes overall responsibility for developing and implementing projects of this kind, from online planning and design through to integrated factory acceptance tests (FATs), building site management, site acceptance tests (SATs), and a comprehensive range of services, using the latest engineering technologies such as flow visualizations.

DECOPULSE TECHNOLOGY HALVES DECONTAMINATION TIMES

The experts from Optima Pharma in Mornshausen and Metall+Plastic in Radolfzell add the finishing touches to the portfolio of products and services on show at P-MEC. Metall+Plastic is a world leader in the design, production, installation, qualification, and validation of customized isolators. The company attracted attention at ACHEMA 2018 with its exciting new technologies, including DECOpulse, a new contamination system, and the user friendly, modular STISO sterility test isolator.

COST-EFFECTIVE FREEZE-DRYING IN A SMALL SPACE

Optima Pharma in Mornshausen develops state-of-the-art freeze-drying machines. The company's most recent innovation is the CS freeze-dryer. It is designed for products that are new on the market and are initially being produced in small and medium-sized batches. The CS freeze-dryer is ideal for installation in existing buildings and can easily be configured to ensure an efficient overall layout for the production system. Its space-saving design also makes it highly cost-effective.

NEW ALLIANCE SIMPLIFIES THE SMALL-SCALE MANUFACTURING AND PACKAGING OF TRANSDERMAL PATCHES AND ORAL FILM STRIPS

Optima Life Science has a strong reputation as a converting specialist across a number of industries. As well as combined manufacturing and packaging machines for wound dressings, transdermal patches, and oral film strips, the company makes systems that automatically coat microtiter plates for use in ELISA test kits. At ACHEMA 2018 the company announced a new alliance with Coatema Machinery GmbH. The alliance, which is known as Comedco, will make it easier for pharmaceutical companies to move into manufacturing and packaging transdermal patches and oral dispersable films with pharmaceutical active ingredients.

Optima Pharma and Optima Life Science are part of the Optima packaging group GmbH, which has its headquarters in Schwäbisch Hall in southern Germany. Optima has 2250 employees and 14 sites worldwide.

Optima Pharma and Optima Life Science at P-MEC 2018 in Madrid, October 9 to 11, 2018: Hall H4, Stand 4F61

Six machines, set up for inspecting the lids of food containers filled with milk- derived products, were tested and successfully launched at the production unit in Central Africa

A multinational company operating in the dairy sector, with factories throughout the world, has chosen Sacmi inspection technology for its production unit in Central Africa. The six machines supplied are Sacmi’s new ULYSSE “all-in-one” vision systems, which differ from previous systems in that the electrical control panel and wiring are incorporated into the image acquisition units.

The heart of the solution, capable of detailed inspection of the insides of metal lids (including the curling, sealing compound and panel) is the exclusive patented Chrometriq-100 illuminator. This uses a mix of RGB light to capture three images simultaneously with different lighting, providing a combination of speed and accuracy to inspection operations.

Already installed and tested successfully, the solutions are used for the inspection of metal lids on three-piece metal food cans, intended to contain a series of milk-derived products (condensed, evaporated and powdered milk). This is a step in the direction of total quality control for the African production unit manufacturing both the cans and the lids.

The supply to this dairy primary international company, that for the first time has chosen the Sacmi inspection and quality control systems, confirms the validity of the vision technology, developed by the Group’s Automation and Inspection Systems Division, already a reference point for a wide range of applications in the field of packaging, from the quality control of capsules and lids to that of containers, labels and preforms.

The packaging industry is growing by 10% per annum and is expected to grow at this rate for at least two more decades. IndiaCorr Expo - SinoCorrugated is India’s only business platform for the entire value chain of corrugated packaging industry will offer an integrated platform to explore this rapidly growing market. In its 6 th edition, this year, it promises to impress the industry by hosting a huge delegation of international buyers. The show will take place from October 04 to 06 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (East), Mumbai, Maharashtra. Owners, marketing leaders, manufacturers, retailers, distributors and related would converge to gain the most comprehensive insights on corrugated and packaging market.

With over 250+ exhibitors from India and abroad covering an area of 7,000 sqm, this exhibition has always been the most coveted show for corrugated and packaging industry addressing the needs of corrugated box manufacturers, converters, corrugated box & related packaging designers, industry consultants, printers, converters and end-users. IndiaCorr Expo with its concurrent shows, India Folding Carton 2018 and ICCMA Congress, is a shines bright among all packaging exhibitions in India with wide participation from India and abroad. This year, the show is exceed last year’s record in terms of international exhibitors and visitors. It will have dedicated pavilions for international exhibitors from China, Taiwan, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and many more.

India Folding Carton 2018, which is, co-located with IndiaCorr Expo 2018 is also India’s premier business event & conference for post-print manufacturing equipment and consumables from the folding carton industry. This year, more than 100+ exhibitors are participating with their latest solutions for folding carton and packaging industry. This niche but growing sector will yet again be the focus segment in the upcoming show. Visitors’ profile includes package converters, paper box manufacturers and printers.

HIGHLIGHTS OF INDIACORR EXPO:

• The only dedicated exhibition in India on corrugation and corrugated packaging industry
• Features over 250 representative brands, offering end-to-end solutions from leading Indian and international brands
• 50+ first-time exhibitors such as Aeroshine Inks, Kolorrol Energy, Boix Group, Shree Krishna engineering works, Hari Industries, Hotron Heaters, Maheshwari Adhesives, Micro engineers and many more
• Over 120 live machinery, equipment and product samples at display
• Over 70+ product launches by eminent companies such as Zogo Metaalics, AS Print Aids, EMBA Machinery AB, NITTA Corporation India, Sai Rotary Die Shop, etc
• Brings together participants from countries such as India, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Itlay, USA, Singapore, Sweden, France, Germany, UK and many more
• Runs a concurrent conference—ICCMA Congress featuring panel discussions, meaningful sessions, Q&A rounds and case studies
• Introducing GoConnect business matchmaking platform for exhibitors & buyers to pre-fix business meetings for the show.
• VIP Buyer Programme to gather decision-makers of the packaging industry
• Four dedicated featured zones such as Paper Zone, Flexography Zone, Ink Zone and Digital Printing Zone

With MB240/MB340 and MB240T/MB340T, TSC Auto ID presents its brandnew industrial thermal printer series with the most versatile compact lightweight models. These printers set new standards regarding flexibility, print quality and connectivity.

TSCs MB240 series is the new value leader for 4" wide industrial label printing. The four robust, durable models can be used flexibly for a wide range of labelling applications in manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, retail, health care, offices and events.

The compact allrounders feature the best print quality TSC offers thanks to faster processors and upgraded firmware. The TSC-own “Thermal Smart Control” tracks and precisely calculates the duration that each pixel needs to be heated to provide accurate, crisp and clear labels every time when printing one label at a time or thousands of labels in a batch. MB series offers models with 203 dpi and 300 dpi resolution. The reliable print mechanism supports 8“ O.D. label rolls up to 120 mm label width and 450 meter ribbon capacity.

Additionally, the printers offer easily understandable operator interface, quiet operation even at high label throughput and an easy to use high-contrast 3.5" colour touch LCD panel with 6 buttons. The all-metal construction and die-cast aluminium print mechanism engine, big media capacities and label calibration with one touch only, make this small one a real big printer.

The MB240 series can be equipped with an optional Peel-off Kit, that peels the label as it exits the printer and waits for the user to take the label until printing the next one. The liner is conveniently rewinded inside. Other options include cutters, GPIO, wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n or internal Bluetooth communications.

TSCs TSPL-EZD firmware is state of the art. It offers a fully compatible set of standard industry emulations, including LineMode, Datamax®, Eltron® and Zebra® languages and works in many IT environments including Oracle, Unix, AS/400, Windows and Stand Alone. Other features such as a file manager and programming language support stand-alone and down-time programming solutions allowing to print labels without connection to a host computer, or optionally be able to continue printing labels during times of network failure. The included DiagTool configuration software makes it a snap to replace existing printers.