"Interview with: Michael Senske, President & CEO, Pearson Packaging Systems"

How has the role of secondary packaging evolved?

The primary role of secondary packaging has always been to group products for easier handling, transporting and shipping, as well as to protect the products during the transfer from the manufacturer’s facility to retail stores.

However secondary packaging increasingly is serving a dual role in brand and display marketing due to the steady growth in retail-ready packaging, where the shipping container also serves as a display case. Club stores and retail environments have begun displaying single facing product in its shipping container. So secondary packaging has evolved in becoming an important element of the brand’s design and marketing strategy.

How can secondary packaging help in promoting a brand?

Secondary packaging promotes a brand through its function of protecting the integrity of the product. An undamaged product is much more attractive on shelves than a damaged one. Furthermore, secondary packaging can be a perfect billboard that draws attention to the brand or product if used as a display case.

Manufacturers are investing a lot more in the design of secondary packaging than ever before, which helps them differentiate themselves from competitors.

How has the movement towards sustainability affected secondary packaging?

Twenty years ago we saw mostly virgin boards that had very small amounts of recycled content in the board. We are now seeing a lot more recycled content being used in secondary packaging. Other sustainability efforts include attempts to reduce the amount of corrugate, the thickness of the corrugate, and the actual physical size of the cases.

All of those sustainability efforts place new demands on machine manufacturers. Equipment has to be more tolerant of board variances and special machines are required to run extra small cases.

Any other trends?

The secondary packaging market is seeing many trends. In addition to the shelf-ready packaging and sustainability efforts discussed earlier, the market is seeing an increase in smaller, often re-sealable convenience packages. Flexible material is replacing a growing amount of rigid packaging, while retailers demand more variety on their shelves requiring manufacturers to pack smaller cases or mixed cases. Along with the proliferation of SKU’s, manufacturers are faced with shorter production run times and frequent changeovers, which increases the need for easy and fast equipment adjustment options.

The tube was invented 175 years ago:
etma extends an invitation to the World Tube Congress on 2 June 2016 in Berlin

Exactly 175 years ago, namely in 1841, the American John Goffe Rand invented the tube and applied for a patent. This was the beginning of an impressive success story, the final chapter of which is nowhere to be seen even today: the tube is still a contemporary form of packaging after 175 years and continues to be modern and up to date thanks to a host of innovative developments. Particularly in times like these, the tube offers convincing arguments via its multitude of benefits and its attractive qualities, which are simply indispensable for certain products and applications.

Reasons enough, therefore, for the tube industry to celebrate this anniversary in a fitting manner. etma, the European tube manufacturers association that is managed as a division of the Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e.V. (GDA), is extending an invitation to attend the World Tube Congress in Berlin on 2 June 2016. Under the motto ‘175 Years of Flexible Tubes – And Still Going Strong’ the event will bring together tube producers from all over the world, machine manufacturers, suppliers, clients and other packaging specialists.

“It will not just be a case of looking back,” emphasises etma general secretary Gregor Spengler emphatically. “We want to discuss the tube’s future potential as a form of packaging and give it a new impetus. This is why we think it is important that besides our member companies this trend-setting congress should be attended by representatives of the whole process chain, and not only from Europe but worldwide. The congress programme has been designed accordingly.”

In the morning of 2 June 2016, the opportunities and challenges of the European, North American and Asian markets will be presented and the latest trends demonstrated. To round off the first session, an outlook will be given for price and capacity developments of relevant raw materials.

In the afternoon, attention will be directed completely to the future. A global brand owner will formulate his future expectations and what he requires from the packaging and tube industries. ‘Supply chain 4.0’ in the tube industry will then be outlined. The afternoon session will close with a look into future purchasing behaviour and its effect on the packaging industry. A demanding and varied programme that should arouse plenty of interest.

The etma president Dr. Monika Kopra-Schäfer can see another reason for making the trip to Berlin: “Besides the high quality presentations and expert discussions our congress will, of course, offer an excellent platform for successful networking; spanning various fields of industry and truly global. I am thinking here not least about the gala dinner in the evening, which will provide a festive setting for etma’s ‘Tube the Year 2016’ competition.”

The congress registration fee is EUR 690.00 plus VAT. Further details together with the complete congress programme are available in the form of a digital congress flyer by calling +49 211 4796141 or sending an email to info@etma-online.org.

Curative and highly toxic at the same time: As oncological products have both of these properties, packaging them poses a special challenge. We would like to invite you to meet with the experts from Schreiner MediPharm at
Pharmapack Europe in Paris, in Hall 5, Booth 1009, to obtain first-hand information about an innovative solution that is available for these special requirements. 

Cytostatics: Life-Saving Substances with Exacting Demands

So-called cytostactics are highly potent substances to combat cancer cells, but they are extremely toxic for healthy cells. Therefore, it is imperative to provide the respective primary packaging with particularly reliable protection against surface contamination and glass breakage. Schreiner MediPharm meets this challenge with the new Flexi-Cap Protect solution, a further development of its proven Flexi-Cap security concept. 

We invite you to receive first-hand information of how this new solution makes full protection of the bottles possible and what other benefits - from additional protection through a foam layer to track & trace by NFC - label offers to manufacturers. 

Innovative Solutions, Award-Winning and User-Oriented

Like many other solutions by Schreiner MediPharm, Flexi-Cap Protect is the result of a continuous innovation process to which Schreiner MediPharm is committed. The innovations from Oberschleissheim near Munich not only comply with legal requirements, but are always focused on delivering additional benefit to users and patients. Numerous awards such as the TLMI Award or the FINAT Award continually confirm this. Schreiner MediPharm's experts will be delighted to inform you about other innovative packaging and marking solutions for the pharmaceutical industry in an interview.

Coordination of Appointments:
We will be pleased to arrange a personal appointment with the experts from Schreiner MediPharm for you on the first day of the trade fair, Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Please contact us to coordinate the details

Pianoro (Bologna) – From March 15^th to 18^th, the Marchesini Group will be at the most important packaging venue of the African continent, Propack Africa (Expo Centre of Nasrec, Johannesburg, Hall 6 Stand A26). Business partners Gary Wills and Myles Davis will be hosting the Marchesini stand, which has been set-up to showcase the horizontal continuous-motion cartoning machine MA 352 and the MF 910 Mini wrapper/overwrapper. Working together, these two machines create a combi unit capable of meeting every need of versatility and speed to package different types of products, such as blisters, syringes, vials and rigid and squeezable tubes. Specifically speaking, the machines on show at the exhibition have been purchased by a renowned company of the cosmetics industry that was looking for an end-of-line solution capable of packaging 250 plastic vials a minute.

Technical Focus
The MA 352 combines the typical strongholds of Marchesini’s cartoners, being the position of the carton magazine in an easily accessible place, very quick size changeover times and minimal maintenance, plus the ability to manage high production speeds, which is what the market demands mostly.

The model exhibited at Propack has a feeding scroll that arranges the vials on a conveyor belt.

In the meantime, a rotary drum picks up the carton from the magazine and opens and squares it by 150° by means of mechanical rotating arms. Some rods with suction cups at the ends transfer the opened carton from the drum into the toothed chain. The product delivered from the infeed chain is inserted into the carton, together with the instruction leaflet, by means of pushers positioned opposite the operator, which follow the continuous motion of the carton conveyor chain.

Once the carton is complete, it is sent to the MF 910 Mini wrapper/overwrapper. The panels of this unit can be completely opened to make it very quick and straightforward to replace the reel underneath the machine. This type of arrangement offers customers many advantages: first and foremost, any work to be carried out can be done much quicker, consequently cutting machine shutdown times drastically, which results in higher production rates. The production flow is also much more visible so that the operator can monitor the products while they are being wrapped and intervene promptly if necessary.  This also offers greater safety and simplicity of movement, thanks to the possibility to lift the hood of the machine right up. To finish, the design of the MF 910 Mini is the same as the other machines to which it is connected, which is a purely, yet equally important, advantage to the eye.

The South African packaging marketplace
The Marchesini Group is a key player in South Africa as regards the sales of blister lines and liquid packaging machines (both syrups and cosmetics) for pre-filled syringes (especially vaccinations) and rigid tubes for effervescent tablets.
Dealings with multinational and local customers are held successfully by the renowned trading partner MGSA, which takes care of the markets of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, these are the three core centres from which most of the demand for pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging machines comes.

The strategic work and the negotiations fulfilled by the commercial partners Gary Wills and Myles Davis is backed by the just as appreciated work of their expert technicians who know every single secret of the machines installed at the production factories of the customers. These professional technicians attend a certified training course at the Group’s Italian Headquarters in Pianoro (Bologna) and can guarantee assistance within 24 hours from being contacted. Together with the work carried out locally, there is also that carried out in Italy by Carlo Galli, director of the Meca countries and that of the area managers of the Marchesini Group, whose technical and commercial support is fundamental in managing the South African marketplace innovatively and competitively.

 

New ULS Study Shows How Consumers Drive Sustainability, Packaging Trends (BOULDER, CO - JANUARY 21, 2016) The ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report has published a comprehensive study on packaging efficiency. Besides providing contemporary results, the research examines trends in retail packaging since the publication of the original study in 1995 and the follow-up in 2006. Entitled A Study of Packaging Efficiency As It Relates to Waste
Prevention, it is available at The ULS Report website, http://www.use-less-stuff.com.

To gauge efficiency, over 300 containers in fifty-six grocery categories were examined to determine the amount of packaging required to deliver a given amount of product. Study methodology gave credit for source reduction, recyclability, and use of recycled materials. The methodology, findings, and conclusions were reviewed by the Laboratory of Manufacturing and Sustainability (LMAS) at the University of California, Berkeley.

According to ULS Report Editor Robert Lilienfeld, “There are three legs on the sustainability stool – economic, environmental, and social. The study clearly shows that, over the past 20 years, packaging has evolved to more effectively deliver on these sustainability requirements.”

Key learning from the research includes the following:
1. In line with the EPA’s waste prevention hierarchy, source reduction, or light weighting, continues to play a primary role in reducing packaging discards, thus conserving materials and energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plastics, especially in the form of films and flexible pouches, play important roles in significantly reducing discards per unit of product delivered.
2. Recovery for recycling plays an increasingly important role in the effort to reduce packaging discards and overall solid waste levels. This is especially true for steel and aluminum cans, beverage bottles made from PETE, HPDE and glass, and paperboard cartons. These materials are collectively recycled at a 34.2% rate today, up significantly
versus 25.7% in 2005. In fact, the level of primary packaging recycling is now equal to the recovery rate for total waste, and is the primary reason that the total recovery rate increased from 31.4% in 2005 to 34.3% today.
3. Social trends towards more active, healthier lifestyles increase the need for products that provide convenience and weight control solutions. Resulting packages can lead to inefficiencies, as they require smaller sizes or the increased functionality needed to deliver ready-to-eat, ready-to-serve, and out-of-home product solutions. 

Mr. Lilienfeld noted that, “In general, the environmental impact of food is up to 10 times greater than the impact of its packaging. So, a bit more portion control or ready-to-eat food packaging can actually reduce waste, as these packages ensure that the food inside is actually eaten rather than thrown away.”

The ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report (http://www.use-less-stuff.com) is a leading environmental newsletter and has been published since 1994. Editor Bob Lilienfeld is a widely recognized authority on waste prevention and co-author of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are.

Study is also available to download at - http://www.packagingconnections.com/content/study-packaging-efficiency-…

Encouraged by the strategic Russian market’s growing interest in its technological solutions, the Group will be presenting its most important new products, with a strong focus on total integration between cap and preform production and bottling

Beverage projects within the Russian Federation were, in 2015 alone, valued at over 38 million euro, and orders were placed for the entire range of technological and plant engineering solutions. In the wake of this success Sacmi will soon be attending its first Prodexpo fair in Moscow, the international fair, now in its 23^rd edition, dedicated to technology for the food & beverage industry, covering everything from raw materials to processing and packaging (Moscow Expo Centre, 8-12 February 2016).

Sacmi will have its own 15 m² stand at the fair (Pav. 7, hall 1, stand n° 71c32), and looks forward to showing existing and potential customers – over 55,000 industry professionals are expected from 97 countries and, of course, every corner of the Russian Federation – its comprehensive range of solutions for the beverage industry: a range that offers advantages which, in terms of efficiency, productivity and reliability, are ever-more appreciated on international markets in general and on the Russian one in particular, as the numerous orders and ongoing negotiations clearly demonstrate.

A glance at the list of projects, both completed and in progress, highlights the popularity of cap-making machines that use compression technology, a part of the CCM (continuous compression moulding) range, deemed to be the best technology the market has to offer in terms of super-short cycle times, energy savings and best product quality (thanks to total process repeatability). Available in a broad range – from 24 to 80 cavities – and in several different versions to match cap type and requested productivity, the compression press can also be provided with the innovative enhanced-cooling COOL+ mould to give further reductions in cycle times and boost productivity by up to 50% compared to standard moulds.

From the intrinsic advantages of compression to preform production solutions that make use of injection technology, another area in which Sacmi leads the way via the development and expansion of the IPS (injection preform moulding) range. In Moscow Sacmi aims to give visitors a great opportunity to take a close look at new products in the range which have joined the acclaimed IPS 220. These include the new IPS 400 for moulds with up to 128 cavities, a platform that incorporates important features such as new preform unloading methods, very low specific consumption and design solutions that reduce lock-to-lock times to 2.1 seconds.

Keen to intercept the massive potential of the Russian PET market – above all in beer bottling, where Sacmi has been at the forefront since 2012 when changes in legislation opened up stable prospects for producers – the Sacmi Group offers customers the further added value of direct in-line control and inspection systems for preforms (several sales deals regarding the new PVS units are currently being negotiated in Russia), caps (plastic caps, aluminium caps, crown caps) and the entire cap-bottle system. It has to be remarked the new LVS360 3D Control System that can check at 360° any kind of bottle and container. Moreover, advance labelling technologies such as Kube (the new range of modular labellers designed to provide maximum flexibility of use on a constantly-evolving market) and the highly successful Opera series form part of a complete range that stands out on account of excellent modularity; this allows effective management, in parallel, of multiple labelling systems (hot, cold, self-adhesive etc.), all characterised by optimisation of cost and performance.

Lastly, recent developments include the new Colora Cap system for high-definition colour digital printing on caps and closures: this system offers excellent productivity and maximum flexibility (decoration can be modified in real time). Then, thanks to the innovative CPB LINK automatic storage system, Sacmi can integrate cap and preform production with the bottling line, a solution that gives energy savings (HERO project) and better logistics while simultaneously improving process hygiene. Completing the picture is the filling technology, which ranges from filling and packaging of Bag-in-Box type products to innovative FFS (form-fill-seal) units with technology that, in a single process, allows thermoforming of the container starting from a reel of multi-layer plastic followed by ultra-clean pack filling and closure, with an absolute guarantee of efficiency, reliability and product integrity.

Russia has a potential market of 143 million consumers. Sacmi has been there with its own sales office since the 1980s. In 2004 it established a true branch, Sacmi Moscow, capable of acting as a direct partner to customers across the entire Russian beverage-packaging market.

Global Closure Systems (GCS) will exhibit at the Packaging of Perfume Cosmetics & Design Congress on February 3 and 4, 2016 in Paris, stand AB14, with Nicholas Thorne presenting new opportunities and innovative technologies to serve the personal care market – on day 2, at the Aerosol & Dispensing Forum.

With a broad range of over 500 standard references, GCS is the European leader of dispensing closures for the personal care market. The Group also produces custom closures for the leading personal care companies throughout the world.

The first to launch a hinge closure in 1971, GCS has been built upon long leveraging technological knowhow with a keen sense of market trends.

Manufacturing mono and bi-injected dispensing closures with or without valves, CRCs and tube closures, deodorant sticks and skin care roll-ons, jars, toothpaste closures – in all shapes, colours and bottle neck finishes – GCS delivers performance, high-quality and appealing designs for various personal care applications.

Moreover, as new developments continue to occur in the fast-moving personal care sector, consumers are increasingly expecting added value packaging and the user experience is key for re-purchase and hence brand success.

Easier to open caps, headstand packs, flow-control, clean dispensing… are all features which respond to the consumers ever growing desire for convenience and generate a lot of creativity and innovation in packaging.

As GCS meets this expectation through a range of innovative technologies from silicone valves through to flow control devices, Nicholas Thorne, VP Research and Development for GCS, will provide a valuable insight into the development methodology that combines the traditional practical experience with novel computerised fluid dynamics.

We look forward to seeing you there! Meet us at stand AB14!

“There is no question that the stand-up pouch (SUP) market in the US has been growing very fast in the past five years. It reached 19 billion units in 2014 and that is expected to grow to almost 24 million by 2018,” according to Elias Tamer, Chief Executive Officer, PO Empaques Flexibles. The question is, can suppliers in the US keep up with the market?  Could foreign suppliers offer something more? 

“While converters in the US offer a high standard in quality, design and respond quickly to client needs, there are very strong opportunities for foreign converters to enter the US market,” Tamer believes.

What is missing in the US packaging market today? Why should US manufacturers consider a SUP supplier from Mexico, such as your organization?

There are two main reasons. First, cost competitiveness. Some studies indicate that the difference in manufacturing cost for SUPs between Mexico and the US is up to 15-18 percent. Secondly, opportunity or timing. During this fast growth, there will be a shortness in supply in very specific periods of time when projects emerge, until the market becomes more mature. This will create opportunities for foreign companies, particularly those that are ready in terms of quality, pre-press capabilities, HD printing, and innovation.

Could this reduction in packaging cost give manufacturers a competitive edge?

There are a few factors driving the growing use of SUP in the US, one of which is cost. Compared to other types of packaging, SUP is lighter in weight, uses less raw materials, there is less logistics cost at the beginning and end of the supply chain, and gives more shelf space for retailers.

The reduction in cost for manufacturers could come directly from the pouch itself, versus one manufactured in the US, which can be a deciding factor. If we add the opportunity factor mentioned earlier, we have a good chance of entering the US market.

What hesitations do you encounter from US manufacturers? 

Some worries come from the regulations manufacturers have to meet, which are stricter in some industries. The gap has narrowed in recent years, in terms of technology, logistics, time of response, even the understanding of doing business between countries. That is why we find less hesitation today than before.

What type of companies or products could benefit from switching to SUPs? Why are SUPs considered innovative? 

Pre-made pouches retain a majority share of the US SUP market and the non-retorted pouches used for human food application have seen high growth over the past five years and will continue to growth. 

Companies packaging dried fruit and dehydrated foods can be the first looking for alternatives versus rigid packaging. Also companies in the household care market looking for a change from rigid packaging to flexible packaging, with less regulations than the food industry, could benefit.

How are consumer needs changing today? How can SUPs capture people’s attention?
SUPs have the advantage of offering the product more display area (front and back of the pouch) which helps capture consumer attention at the shelf, enhances engagement and brand loyalty. This is “solid gold” considering the time we have is sometimes just a glimpse. 

Any final words of advice?
SUP is the best option when considering flexible packaging. The gaps between converters in different countries have been filled in terms of technology, quality, response, design, logistics and even the understanding of doing businesses, and now cost advantage and timing are setting a new stage.

The AmericaPack Summit is the premium forum bringing elite buyers and sellers together. The Summit offers FMCG packaging executives and suppliers and solution providers an intimate environment for a focused discussion on how to win the battle for market and mind share through packaging. Taking place at the Red Rock Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, Nevada, February 22-23, 2016, the Summit includes presentations on becoming a packaging revolutionary, activating customer engagement, balancing customer satisfaction and cost efficiency, and elevating shelf standout.

For more information please send an email to alit@marcusevansch.com or visit the event website

Vadnais Heights, MN, January 7, 2015 – Nexen Group, Inc., is pleased to announce a new partnership with Industri/Motion, Inc., an experienced representative of premium manufacturers of power transmission and motion control products. Industri/Motion has a 35-year track record representing high-quality power transmission and motion control products. The company now provides expert coverage of all Nexen products in Chicago and northern Illinois.

“We are pleased to team up with a partner that has such an in-depth understanding, both of our products and the marketplace,” said Tim Dillon, VP of Sales and Marketing at Nexen. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Industri/Motion.”

“Industri/Motion is pleased to join Nexen Group as a leader in motion control and power transmission,” said Jim Steiner, CPMR-President at Industri/Motion. “Our motion control business segment is key to future growth. Nexen brings innovative, precision product solutions to our motion control/automation customers and partners.”

Nexen Group, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of precision motion control solutions including linear drive systems, precision rotary indexers, and linear locking components. Nexen Group’s power transmission products include: spring set brakes, tooth clutches and torque limiters for a wide variety of automation applications in the Aerospace, Robotics, Machine Tool, Automotive, Packaging, Material Handling and Medical industries.

Schreiner MediPharm has further developed Flexi-Cap, its innovative first-opening indication security concept, for oncological applications: An additional cap protects the bottom of bottles or vials against glass breakage and surface contamination. Schreiner MediPharm will present the novelty as a product highlight at Pharmapack Europe in Paris from February 10 to 11, 2016.

Flexi-Cap Protect works as follows: In addition to the cap which covers the closure and upper part of the container, a second cap is added to protect the bottom and lower part. Both caps are affixed to the container using a label, which can optionally be provided with an integrated foam layer to provide further protection against lateral impact. Consequently, the container’s surface is completely protected. Another important aspect: The two caps and label are applied without heat, so that the medicine’s properties are not impaired. In addition, the upper cap offers space for imprinting warning notices, codes for track & trace systems or integrating NFC inlays for interactive applications.

Cytostatics are highly potent substances to combat cancer cells, but they are extremely toxic for healthy cells. Therefore, it is imperative to protect packaging against surface contamination and glass breakage. In spite of sophisticated filling and packaging processes in the production of pharmaceuticals, contamination of primary packaging cannot be completely avoided. Moreover, glass breakage of primary containers with cytostatics can have serious consequences.

"The different functions of the newly developed special solution Flexi-Cap Protect ensure the protection of users against the severe consequences of possible contamination and simultaneously guarantee the integrity of primary packaging," highlights Ann L. Merchant, President of Schreiner MediPharm.

Picture - Flexi-Cap Protect: An additional cap protects the bottom of bottles or vials against glass breakage and surface contamination

Cutting-edge technology creates luxury packaging for the global leader in the skin care market and provides on-shelf appeal. Global Closure Systems (GCS) manufactures new bi-injected plastic jar packaging which replace glass packs. The shatterproof jars have been designed to improve consumer safety while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the product and brand recognition. Substituting plastic for glass offers practical advantages both for the end user and the supply chain. The new design is also more efficient to produce, which supports GCS’ customer objectives to reduce its overall carbon footprint. To replicate the luxurious look and feel of the old glass containers, GCS leverages its expertise in biinjection and cube technology to manufacture a double-walled jar composed of two layers – the inner part is opaque, the outer is translucent. Both the PP and the PET jars are supplied by Bender, GCS’s production plant in Frankenthal/Pfalz, Germany, which has invested in separate and complex injection-moulding and packing lines that can produce the product at high volumes and therefore more cost-effectively. Shorter cycle times are possible as individual steps in the manufacturing process, such as mold filling and the cooling phase, are carried out simultaneously thanks to the cube-technology. Thanks to its proficiency in cutting edge technologies with a keen sense of market trends, GCS can assist the FMCG companies with the whole process of a new product launch - designing, prototype tooling for market research, product approval and building the moulds in-house or working closely with the leading mould makers to start production in a swift and seamless way. GCS also enables quick and worldwide product launches.

The researchers added varying amounts of turmeric oil to biopolymer films made from cassava starch, glycerol and carb

When seated the v-shape fits between the legs and the lid becomes a tray on the lap which ensures a safe eating exper

First one is the FROSTED variant where the furry beast on the frosty looking “Song of Ice” Whiskey is a Direwolf.

Unilever approached Mondi Kalenobel in January 2018 with the challenge of replacing a multi material laminate, with a