ACG Capsules opens a new factory in Pouso Alegre-MG, generating local employment

ACG Group, the only supplier in the world offering end-to-end manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, has expanded its footprint in Brazil with the opening of its new capsules manufacturing plant in Pouso Alegre-Minas Gerais. With approximately R$(Brazilian Real) 350 million invested, the factory spans an area of 14,000 square meters and will generate approximately 500 new jobs locally.

Following the acquisition of Nova Nordeplast (Films and Foils company) in 2017, this is the second ACG manufacturing facility in the region. Both will serve the entire LATAM and neighboring areas.

The new ACG capsule manufacturing facility complies with the highest standards defined by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency ANVISA & GMP regulatory bodies.

Selwyn Noronha, CEO ACG Capsules, said, “ACG Capsules is one of the largest capsule manufacturers in the world, servicing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical customers in more than 100 countries. The company already has a significant presence in LATAM, and following this investment, ACG will further be able to meet the growing requirements of the region.”

Both Nova Nordeplast and the new ACG Capsule plant will offer unique and differentiated solutions with faster response times to customers in the region. ACG Capsules has also pioneered printing on hard capsules that allows the pharmaceutical companies to create brand differentiation in the market and thwart the threat of counterfeit or falsified drugs.

“ACG is extremely proud of this new state-of-the-art facility, which demonstrates our long-term commitment to Brazil. As the fifth largest pharmaceutical market in the world, Brazil is a key strategic one for ACG. And the benefit of having local manufacturing will certainly strengthen ties with our customers”, commented Roberson Petrungaro, Commercial Director – LATAM, ACG Capsules.

ACG Films and Foils in São Paulo

ACG Films  Foils, another ACG operation arm in Brazil, is located in the state of São Paulo, in the city of Cotia. This unit provides various packaging solutions to pharmaceutical, food  FMCG industry.

ACG Films Foils’ diversified portfolio offer specialized primary pharmaceutical packaging including aluminum-based range, special packaging films, high barrier, and polymer films. All ACG products are in compliance with US FDA, Europe Pharmacopeia and CFDA standards.

About ACG

ACG group is the world’s only integrated pharma manufacturing solutions company absolutely committed to delivering exceptional solutions to the global pharmaceutical industry. The company’s diverse product range of Capsules, Films & Foils, Engineering, and Inspection systems exceeds the demands of international regulatory requirements. ACG is committed to just one goal: to offer everything needed for efficient capsule and tablet manufacturing.

ACG has over 5 decades of experience and is present in over 100 countries, with more than 4,500 associates workers around the world. Our customer-centric approach has won us many loyal, satisfied customers and partners by nurturing relationships.

Convenient online parameter management for process control technology

The new version R4.2 of the APROL automation platform provides a powerful and convenient system for managing online parameters. APROL DisplayCenter displays a clear overview of online parameters and facilitates the commissioning of measurement and control loops. Online parameters can be dragged and dropped to other systems.

Different views allow a clear display and uncomplicated modification of the online parameters. The faceplate view offers a well-structured user interface. The system logic is displayed in the control module view. Parameters can be entered and control modules can be enabled in the list view. Depending on the requirements, the appropriate view can be selected or you can switch between the views. 

Transfer parameters

The new operating dialog boxes not only provide a better overview of the parameters, but also allow existing online parameters to be transferred to other measuring points. To ensure seamless traceability, when online parameters are fed back into the APROL project engineering tool CaeManager, a new version is automatically created with the comment "Online parameters imported".    

Is an innovative automation company with headquarters in Austria and offices all around the world. On July 6, 2017, B&R became a business unit of the ABB Group. As a global leader in industrial automation, B&R combines state-of-the-art technology with advanced engineering to provide customers in virtually every industry with complete solutions for machine and factory automation, motion control, HMI and integrated safety technology. With Industrial IoT communication standards like OPC UA, POWERLINK and openSAFETY as well as the powerful Automation Studio software development environment, B&R is constantly redefining the future of automation engineering. The innovative spirit that keeps B&R at the forefront of industrial automation is driven by a commitment to simplifying processes and exceeding customer expectations.

February 13, 2019, Noida: Continuing with its string of wins, Uflex Ltd has been recognized for innovative packaging in the category of Excellence in Packaging – Beverages (Large Enterprises) for Asepto Spark ‘Fresca’ at The Economic Times Polymers Awards 2019 held on Feb 12, 2019 at Mumbai.

The company has won the award for Fresca packaging, the first holographic pack of the era. On receiving the award, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President  CEO at Uflex Ltd, said, The idea of our packaging innovation was to enhance the shelf appeal which was deprived in the printed cluster. Asepto Spark and Premium range filled that void and created a new horizon of packaging for brands to look forward to.

Uflex always inspired its customers to reimagine the packaging experience with Aseptos Spark and Premium range. We are committed to creating innovative products and solutions for our customers around the globe, as our packaging innovation offers endless possibilities. This award certainly reinforces our belief that the unique and novel holographic packaging, we created, will change the outlook of aseptic liquid packaging market, Sharma added.

Among many, Asepto offers various holographic patterns to foils stamping and multi-lens approach. Its strength lies in the backward integration strategy that the company has adopted to propel the innovative packaging venture. The company possesses in-house capability of offering packaging solutions for premium-category products. Sharma further added, We can customize designs for customers as per their standard specifications.

Expressing gratitude on this recognition, Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman  Managing Director, Uflex Ltd said, Uflex‘s foundation has been on innovation and earning this award reflects the acceptance of our packaging innovation in the Aseptic Liquid Packaging business. It’s an element of pride for all members of the Uflex family who are associated with this. Until last year, the packaging industry lacked aesthetic rejuvenation for packaging solutions, but with the revolutionary value-added features of Asepto, we are changing the face of the industry. Uflex firmly believes that, in the next decade, packaging will transform the way the point of sale zones are being looked at in the India Beverage Industry.”

Fresca, India’s leading Beverage Company, which has been associated with Uflex for its aseptic packaging needs, decided to also add holographic features to its products, thereby giving its new variant a distinct identity and creating a niche space on the shelves.

About Asepto:
Asepto is Indias first aseptic liquid packaging material brand from the house of Uflex with a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in the industrial hub of Sanand in Gujarat, spread over 21 acres of the sprawling 72 acre land parcel, with a production capacity of 7 billion packs per annum. We are a total system supplier offering products from packaging material to aseptic filling lines known as Asepto Smart -78. The ASEPTO product portfolio offers a wide range of pack sizes from portion to family packs with volumes of 100ml Base, 125ml Slim, 160ml Slim, 200ml Slim, 250ml Base, 1000ml Slim & 1000ml Base. While the packaging industry can only thrive on differentiation, Asepto carries multiple roles to prove that it is ahead of the league. The Spectacular products from Asepto i.e. “Spark and Premium” bring in the real innovation that differentiates us from other beverage packaging. Making the most of our in-house holographic prowess, we are able to bring in never seen before mesmerizing novel holographic, multi-lens, foil stamping and embossing effects that can offer myriad possibilities to market the packs.

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 1,35,000 TPA and has packaging film manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico Egypt, Poland and USA.

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  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, marinadespastes, 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 G, PepsiCo, Tata Global Beverages, Mondelez, L’Oreal, Britannia, Haldiram’s, Amul, Kimberly Clark, Ferrero Rocher, Perfetti, GSK, Nestle, Agrotech Foods, Coca-Cola, Wrigley, Johnson & Johnson amongst others.

Tray sealing specialist Proseal and its supplier LC Automation are celebrating 20 years of a successful partnership during which the two companies have risen to become leaders in their respective fields. LC Automation provides Proseal with a reliable supply of quality electrical components that form a key part in the manufacture of its market-leading tray sealing machines.

Since the beginning of the companies’ relationship in 1998 – the year Proseal was founded – Proseal has established itself as the UK’s leading manufacturer of tray sealers. This recently culminated in the company winning the Queen’s Award for International Trade 2018.

During the same period, LC Automation has grown to become one of the UK’s leading technical distributors of automation, control and safety products. The company supplies Proseal with a variety of electrical components including control gear, sensors, power supplies, terminals and cables.

“LC Automation supplied the Mitsubishi control gear for our very first machine, the Proseal PR30, and we’ve been using them ever since,” explains Steve Ballantyne, Purchasing Manager at Proseal. “Their first-rate service and components are essential to the smooth production and high standard of our products – we count on them to be able to continue delivering our leading-edge Proseal machinery.”

An important benefit of the relationship for Proseal is the way that it can forecast its machine requirements to LC Automation in advance. This allows LC Automation to predict usage and therefore ensure the product in question is always available when required, meaning there is no disruption to Proseal’s supply chain. In addition, Proseal receives technical support on all the products it purchases from LC Automation, enjoying direct access to Mitsubishi and its extensive support network.

“LC Automation plays a vital but unsung role in what we do, and as we mark 20 years of partnership, we’d like to take the opportunity to thank the company for their continued excellent service,” says Steve Ballantyne. “We look forward to the next 20 years of working together, which we hope will be even more successful!”

SACMI’s metal cap manufacturing solutions and technologies to be showcased at Pakon Expo (8-10 April 2019). From even more productive, efficient crown cap solutions to the latest health, safety and environment-oriented PVC-free products.

Outstanding productivity, design and technological innovation plus total quality control. These are the hallmarks of the metal cap solutions developed by SACMI, the worlds leading developer of such machines with over 70 years experience.

As always, a prominent role will be played by all the latest for crown caps, a long-standing SACMI core business that now looks confidently to the future thanks to the PTC 600; first launched in 2016, this machine boosts, compared to its predecessor in the range, overall productivity by 30% (over 6,000 caps/h). Characterised by ultra-low noise levels (just 3.5 dB, allowing work to be carried out in complete safety), the machine also incorporates an inspection system that guarantees perfect alignment of decoration.

Thanks to decades of experience and know-how, SACMI can act as the sole provider of all downstream liner application and cap embossing solutions. Designed to operate in line with the press, the PMC 600 lining machine has been configured by Sacmi to keep pace with the higher productivity of the PTC, with unmatched reliability stemming from the innovative in- machine cap handling system. The CCD, instead, is a cap embossing solution designed by SACMI for use with both decorated and plain caps.

Always looking to stay one step ahead of market trends, SACMI has also striven to meet growing demand among manufacturers for new solutions that combine health, safety and low environmental impact. Hence SACMIs product line for the application of PVC-free liners directly from pellet, with specific technologies for twist-off caps (PMA) and the long aluminium caps (PMH) used in the wine sector.

Alongside such solutions - which the dual advantages of product healthiness and energy saving - SACMI provides a comprehensive solution for handling the modern standard Pull Ring cap that integrates the PMV lining machine with the RCM machine that moulds and applies the plastic ring with the tab directly on the shell.

All SACMI machines can be supplied with advanced cap and metallic packaging inspection systems, designed and developed by the Groups Quality Process Control Division. All part of the MVS (metal vision system) range, such systems ensure total quality control at every stage of the process. Present in China for decades via its far-reaching branch network, SACMI also stands out from the competition on account of a capacity to provide customers with close support right from the design stage and follow up with advanced after-sales services to ensure customers always get the most out of SACMI machines.

Wolfertschwenden, 8 February 2019 – At IFFA 2019, MULTIVAC will be presenting holistic solutions for processing and packaging meat and sausage products to trade visitors from industry, craft and trade. In addition, concepts for production of sustainable packaging solutions and the topic of digitalisation will be among the focal points of the trade fair. The appearance will be rounded out with the presentation of the extensive product range in the area of labelling and quality inspection.

MULTIVAC’s trade fair appearance will be under the slogan of “The DNA of Better Packaging and Processing”. One focus will be the presentation of complete solutions for cutting and packaging of meat and sausage products. MULTIVAC’s expertise in the area of cutting and portioning, as well as various solutions for efficient connection of cutting systems to downstream packaging machines, will be presented on the basis of several fully automated lines. Particular attention is paid to efficient and gentle transfer of the cut products into the respective pack cavity, for which MULTIVAC offers various pioneering solutions. In addition, solutions for pack marking, inspection, converging and packing in boxes are integrated into the lines.

MULTIVAC also expects a high level of visitor interest in the area of sustainable packaging solutions. A wide variety of concepts that contribute to reducing packaging material consumption in packaging production, as well as concepts for production of packaging that meet current requirements with regard to recyclability, will be on display. One example of this is the MULTIVAC PaperBoard portfolio, which is made up of a wide variety of materials for the production of MAP and vacuum skin packs on thermoforming packaging machines and traysealers.

MULTIVAC will demonstrate MultiFresh TM technology for production of vacuum skin packaging on a compact thermoforming packaging machine and a compact traysealer, which is also equipped with a labelling system for applying promotional labels to the pack.

In addition, an extensive product range in the area of labelling and quality inspection will be presented. The most important exhibits include direct printing systems and solutions for efficient wrap-around labelling of a wide variety of packs, which MULTIVAC has consolidated under the brand name Full Wrap Labelling.

At an additional stand in Hall 12, MULTIVAC will be exhibiting a wide selection of compact chamber machines for craft businesses. Live demonstrations of the latest slicers and portioners will take place in the MULTIVAC Processing Tent in front of Hall 11.

About MULTIVAC

MULTIVAC is one of the leading providers worldwide of packaging solutions for food products of all types, life science and healthcare products as well as industrial items. The MULTIVAC portfolio covers virtually all requirements of processors and producers in terms of pack design, output and resource efficiency. It comprises a wide range of packaging technologies as well as automation solutions, labellers and quality control systems. The product range is rounded off with portioning and processing solutions upstream of the packaging procedure. Thanks to extensive expertise in packaging lines, all modules can be integrated into complete solutions. This means that MULTIVAC solutions guarantee a high level of operational and process reliability as well as efficiency. The MULTIVAC Group has approximately 5,900 employees worldwide, with some 2,200 based at its headquarters in Wolfertschwenden. With over 80 subsidiaries, the Group is represented on all continents. More than 1,000 sales advisors and service technicians throughout the world use their know-how and experience to the benefit of customers, and they ensure that all installed MULTIVAC machines are utilised to their maximum.

The high quality, user-friendliness and eye-catching decoration of the sleek EasySnacking™ pot from RPC Superfos are key factors in its selection for a new range of ice-creams from Russian manufacturer Taice.

Thanks to In-Mould Labelling, it is possible to show the texture of the ice cream in razor- sharp photo quality on the packaging. This is complemented by the striking purple colour of the lid that catches the consumer’s attention. Overall this smart look of the EasySnacking TM pot makes the product stand out on shelf.

In addition to these powerful colours and smooth design lines, the integral spoon of the handy EasySnacking TM pot is a key feature for Taice. The spoon is neatly separated from the ice cream, and easy to grasp under a tear-off label in the lid. Taice made the vital packaging decision in collaboration with Denis Komarov, the company representative at UnipakCentr.

“The Taice ice cream is of excellent quality so it was important to find a packaging solution on a matching quality level,” he explains. “In the EasySnacking TM pot, we found what we were looking for. We value the entire packaging solution, but the spoon deserves a special mention. It is sturdy, convenient and perfectly in tune with consumer demand for an easy sweet treat.”

Taice is a new player in the Russian ice-cream market. The delicious varieties – including blackcurrant, raspberry, cherry, chocolate, strawberry and sweet condensed milk – are sold to end-users through food markets, cinemas, pizzerias and gas stations.

“People who have enjoyed the Taice ice-cream from the EasySnacking TM pot tell us that they like it very much,” concludes Denis Komarov. “We do get a lot of positive feedback, both in respect of the quality and taste of the ice cream, and in respect of the packaging solution.”

07 February 2019, Noida, U.P (India): Uflex Ltd declared its earnings for the Quarter ended December 31, 2018 and reported consolidated net revenue of INR 1981.1 crore, a jump of 17.7% on Y-o-Y basis. The consolidated EBITDA for Q3 FY18-19 stood at INR 227.7 crore, showing an increase of 13.6% Y-O-Y while the consolidated net profit rose marginally by 3.8% Y-o-Y to 54 crore for Q3 FY19.

Total Production Volume during the quarter was 96876 MT up 4.4% Y-o-Y and Total Sales Volume rose by 3.1% Y-o-Y to 94229 MT.

Talking about the earnings, Rajesh Bhatia, Group CFO at Uflex Limited said, “The performance during this quarter is exceptional against the backdrop of huge volatility in crude oil prices. From a high of $84.94 on Oct 01 2018, the brent crude prices kept on falling consistently to $50.57 on Dec 28 2018, thereby registering a fall of over 40% during the quarter. Such a consistent steep fall often results in de-stocking by the customers to avoid inventory losses and still the overall sales volume increased by 3.1% Y-o-Y. The Aseptic Packaging Business continues to grow and has currently over 40 customers spanning across juice, dairy and alcohol segments and we expect EBITDA breakeven in Q4.”

Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “Flexible packaging industry has been working on plastic waste management and sustainability is influencing many packaging decisions. All FMGG and Pharma brands are looking at bespoke recyclable and biodegradable packaging solutions that are also cost-effective and Uflex is confident of providing leadership in these endeavors, this year.”

He added, “Uflex had taken a lead in putting up Recycling plants ahead of most manufacturers globally. In continuation of our efforts towards sustainability, we have successfully commissioned our Pyrolysis Plant at Noida facility in this quarter, making our packaging division a zero discharge unit.”

Few more key product launches and developments in Q3 FY18-19 are listed below:

• US Patent was granted to FlexFilms USA for a breakthrough BOPET Film used for Alu Alu Blister Packaging. With the patent issuance, the company gets exclusive right of manufacturing and sale of this special BOPET film in US, for the next 20 years. This innovation in pharma packaging will see our 100% environment friendly BOPET film replacing the carcinogenic PVC that is hazardous for human health.
• Uflex steered the path of innovation by unveiling a range of new products in Pharma Packaging for the Indian market, such as:
• Fast Tear Strip Foil: Uflex has developed 20-micron pinhole free soft tempered foil that will replace 30 and 40-micron soft tempered strip foil pack laminate being used by pharmaceutical companies. This foil contributes in providing higher yield gain of 36% leading to tremendous cost savings for pharma companies.
•  PET based Cold Form Blister: Bolstered by the grant of US Patent for BOPET film that is used in Alu-Alu packs, Uflex has developed Alu-Alu packaging, making it an indigenous product since for conventional Cold Form Laminate, PVC and BON have to be imported into India. Alu-Alu packaging provides sustainability and cost optimization over conventional Cold Form Laminate.
•  Child Resistant Senior Friendly (CRSF) Foil: The Child Resistant  Senior  Friendly (CRSF) Foils are available in two types Push-Through and Peel-Push. This requires some amount of pressure for a child to open it, although a senior can open it easily. This protects unintentional damage and tampering of the foil affecting the formulation during handling, as against a conventional blister foils.
•  The Engineering Business of Uflex strengthened it product portfolio through initiatives and developments, like:
•  Design Copyright Grant for Printing Machine with Unique Feature : Received a design copyright for creating first time globally - A Rotogravure Printing Machines for curing of special purpose UV coatings with LED lights, having over 60 to 70 microns of enhanced build-up of material on defined areas, to give an embossed feeling on plastic or paper substrate.
•  Improved Machines for Better Yield: Rotary FFS Machine that was earlier being used for mouth fresheners etc. has been modified to be used for spices, coffee and other powdered products, at much higher speeds. Also, a new version of Slitter Machine with Turret on re-wind for better productivity was developed and launched.
•  IIOT to Transform Converting Machines: On the road to Industry 4.0, Engineering Business of Uflex is on its way to realign its business model through investment in technology & process and adoption of IIOT in manufacturing, thereby enabling the business to compete more effectively and pass on the benefits to customers through overall improvement of equipment effectiveness and predictive maintenance. With this initiative taken, some of the first IIOT enabled converting machines will be launched in last quarter of FY 2018-2019.

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 1,35,000 TPA and has packaging film manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico Egypt, Poland and USA.

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 Beverages, Mondelez, L’Oreal, Britannia, Haldiram’s, Amul, Kimberly Clark, Ferrero Rocher, Perfetti, GSK, Nestle, Agrotech Foods, Coca-Cola, Wrigley, Johnson & Johnson amongst others.

Düsseldorf (Germany), February 05, 2019 – Greater process reliability and reduced resource consumption during the packaging of fresh products – both are guaranteed with the latest generation of GEA thermoforming packaging technology, the GEA PowerPak PLUS. The machine was presented for the first time during, the GEA Packaging Days customer event at the production site in Wallau, Germany, at the end of last year. In May, the technology group will use e the international trade fair IFFA in Frankfurt (Hall 8/Stand D06) to showcase the system on a larger scale.

Groundbreaking advances in film handling and hygiene

"Before developing the machine further, we undertook a customer survey. By doing so, we were able to incorporate our customers’ wishes to further improve process reliability and packaging quality as well as machine running times of our already proven thermoforming machines in the PowerPak product range," explains Volker Sassmannshausen, Product Manager Thermoforming. Based on their feedback, we chose to focus on film unwinding and feeding, hygiene and overall handling. Consequently, the sealing station and bottom film infeed of the PowerPak PLUS thermoformer were completely redesigned to facilitate process transparency and traceability – contributing to the greater sustainability of packaging processes in the food industry.

Optimized film handling reduces film consumption

The unwinding systems for both the top and bottom films have been optimized and are now motor-driven and synchronized with the machine’s advancing cycle. In combination with the innovative web tension system, they facilitate a controlled unwinding and a simplified and secure film path. Controlled unwinding in the bottom film infeed module prevents the bottom film from curling. As a result of the innovations in film unwinding and film run, the sealing station design has also been updated. The entire top film unwinding system is located in the area of the sealing station and easily accessed. Typical tolerances of the film reels like mis-alignment or curvature can be automatically adjusted. In addition, the sealing station structure has also been fundamentally improved and is now protected by vertically adjustable and transparent safety doors, which can be lowered quickly and easily when required, eliminating the need for loose, protective hoods.

Other significant innovations in the sealing station include the motor-driven evacuation and gasification valves in combination with pressure sensors. They enable individual, reproducible as well as product- and packaging-dependent processes. And, for example, under-, upper- and product vacuum are able to be controlled and monitored, ensuring the necessary process transparency.

Customer convinced by test results

The PowerPak PLUS thermoforming packaging machine has been in use at Handl Tyrol GmbH since the summer of 2018 for packaging bacon products. "It has proven itself from day one," confirms Dieter Roos, Head of Production at the Schönwies site in Austria. Working primarily with printed films, packing weights and sizes are constantly changing at Handl Tyrol. 

“The new machine model sets a benchmark in terms of film unwinding," reports Roos. "The top and bottom film are threaded quickly and easily. No more adjustments are required, and film is no longer wasted." As a result of the technical innovations in the PowerPak PLUS: Handl Tyrol has seen real economic benefits as a result of shorter set-up times, which are now70 percent quicker and has also halved its film changeover times, with 75 percent less film being lost during changeovers and virtually zero packaging errors.

Maintenance and documentation

With GEA PerformancePlus, modular service and maintenance packages are available which increases equipment availability and produces transparency regarding the actual condition of the equipment. Additional equipment options and software solutions are available from GEA, such as automatic recording of process data as well as the monitoring and logging of customer specific changes in real time. The overriding goal is to integrate the packaging machines into the company’s respective organizational and data structures without any complications and thereby guarantee that documentation obligations are met.

"Our thermoformers are user-friendly and process-reliable, delivering resource-savings while meeting the diverse and demanding requirements of the food packaging industry. We’re proud that we’re able to offer our customers the highest solution competence and assurance they need with our packaging process technology," concludes Sassmannshausen.

About GEA

GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food processing industry and a wide range of other industries that generated consolidated revenues of approximately EUR 4.6 billion in 2017. The international technology group focuses on process technology, components and sustainable energy solutions for sophisticated production processes in various end-user markets. The group generates around 70 percent of its revenue in the food and beverages sector that enjoys long-term sustainable growth. As of December 31, 2017, the company employed almost 18,000 people worldwide. GEA is a market and technology leader in its business areas. The company is listed on the German MDAX (G1A, WKN 660 200). In addition, GEA’s stock is included in the MSCI Global Sustainability Indexes.

Brussels, 5 February 2019 – On the occasion of the first meeting of the European Commission’s high-level Circular Plastics Alliance, which aims to improve the economics and quality of plastics recycling in Europe, EUROPEN calls on all stakeholders, including EU and national policymakers, to ensure that certain framework conditions are put in place.

EUROPEN welcomes the establishment of this Circular Plastics Alliance and looks forward to constructively and actively contributing to the platform. EUROPEN has been supportive of the European Commission’s Pledging campaign as part of its EU Plastics Strategy, from the start. Many members of EUROPEN have individually responded to the call, submitting ambitious commitments on recycled content for plastic packaging where possible, showcasing continuous environmental improvement along the packaging supply chain.

Collaboration along the supply chain and policy coherence are key factors for the success of this Alliance, because the ability of companies to boost the uptake of recycled content in their products will be influenced by several necessary pre-conditions. In particular:

1.  Secondary raw materials need to be available in sufficient quantity and quality at competitive prices relative to primary materials in order to stimulate the uptake of recycled content
2. An appropriate quality framework also needs to be in place.
3. The EU should strive for a genuine internal market for secondary raw materials with relevant infrastructure for sorting and reprocessing available where they are needed.
4. The development of end-of waste criteria is a pre-requisite for such a market.
5.  Packaging functionality is particularly important to bear in mind in this context, especially for packaging in contact with food and beverages. Introducing recycled content in food contact materials is not legal or desirable in some cases currently because it can pose a contamination and food safety risk for consumers. Today, only a few plastic polymers can meet the necessary quality and food safety requirements, but these plastics are not applicable for all food and drink  packaging needs. The EU should swiftly assess whether other recycled plastic materials can be safely used in contact with food and beverages. Food safety and hygiene for consumers is the first priority for the food and drink packaging supply chain.

Hans Van Bochove, Coca-Cola European Partners and EUROPEN Chairman, representing EUROPEN in the Alliance: “The pledges by companies in the packaging supply chain show that we are ready to do our part. Now, it is essential that we have an open dialogue with all parties to clarify how the necessary conditions for these pledges to be achieved can be taken forward by all actors.”

Notes for Editors:

About EUROPEN : EUROPEN - The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment - is a cross- industry organization presenting the opinion of the packaging supply chain (i.e. raw material producers, converters and brand owners plus national packaging organizations) in Europe on topics related to packaging, packaging waste and the environment, independent of specific packaging materials or systems.

Derived from spruce wood waste, PICEA™ Tube exemplifies company’s EcoDesign portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions

Oberdiessbach, Switzerland – Neopac, a global provider of high-quality tube packaging for a broad array of industries and applications, earned a certificate at the Perfume, Cosmetics & Design Paris show for the sustainability of its PICEA™ Tube for the brand Bamse, owned by Trimb Healthcare. The tube is one of Neopac’s EcoDesign products, a comprehensive line of eco-friendly packaging solutions.

The PICEA™ Tube is comprised primarily of a combination of spruce waste and a plastic matrix of sugar-based raw materials made exclusively for Neopac. In total, the tube is composed of 95.8% renewable materials. Notably, the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) CO2 footprint analysis revealed that the PICEA™ wood tube uses up to 38.9% less CO2 in its life-cycle than a traditional polyethylene (PE) tubes.

Other benefits of Neopac’s PICEA™ Tube include easy printability, recyclable capabilities, and similar barrier properties compared to PE or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubes. The PICEA™ Tube has also attained Ecocert and Cosmos certifications, as well as EU Food Grade status.

Bamse offers a skin care range specially designed for children, with ingredients that are gentle to sensitive skin. Bamse claims to be the kid’s hero in the bathroom: strong, kind and fair. The brand is committed to eco-friendly packaging for its Ecocert-certified product line.

“Not only is the PCD certificiate an incredible honor, but it acknowledges the success and commitment of Neopac’s sustainability efforts,” said Michael Aringhoff, Head of Sales Cosmetics for Neopac. “This recognition will support our endeavors to create additional  eco-friendly products similar to PICEA™, expanding upon our EcoDesign portfolio.”

About Hoffmann Neopac

Hoffmann Neopac is a privately-owned company, headquartered in Thun, Switzerland. The company produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging in five locations: HOFFMANN tins in Thun and CMP tins in Holland; Polyfoil® and plastic tubes with NEOPAC in Switzerland and in Hungary. Its longstanding customers include internationally active pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods manufacturers in the European and North American markets.

The company has recently taken a majority stake in 3D Technopack Ltd, from Mumbai, India, thereby securing its foothold in the Asian market. With the new production facility in the United States, the company employs around a thousand employees and has a capacity of 1.3 billion tubes.

Derived from spruce wood waste, PICEA™ Tube exemplifies company’s EcoDesign portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions

Oberdiessbach, Switzerland – Neopac, a global provider of high-quality tube packaging for a broad array of industries and applications, earned an award at the Perfume, Cosmetics & Design Paris show for the sustainability of its PICEA™ Tube for the brand Bamse, owned by Trimb Healthcare. The tube is one of Neopac’s EcoDesign products, a comprehensive line of eco-friendly packaging solutions.

The PICEA™ Tube is comprised primarily of a combination of spruce waste and a plastic matrix of sugar-based raw materials made exclusively for Neopac. In total, the tube is composed of 95.8% renewable materials. Notably, the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) CO2 footprint analysis revealed that the PICEA™ wood tube uses up to 38.9% less CO2 in its life-cycle than a traditional polyethylene (PE) tubes.

Other benefits of Neopac’s PICEA™ Tube include easy printability, recyclable capabilities, and similar barrier properties compared to PE or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubes. The PICEA™ Tube has also attained Ecocert and Cosmos certifications, as well as EU Food Grade status.

Bamse offers a skin care range specially designed for children, with ingredients that are gentle to sensitive skin. Bamse claims to be the kid’s hero in the bathroom: strong, kind and fair. The brand is committed to eco-friendly packaging for its Ecocert-certified product line.

“Not only is the PCD Award an incredible honor, but it acknowledges the success and commitment of Neopac’s sustainability efforts,” said Michael Aringhoff, Head of Sales Cosmetics for Neopac. “This recognition will support our endeavors to create additional eco-friendly products similar to PICEA™, expanding upon our EcoDesign portfolio.”

About Hoffmann Neopac

Hoffmann Neopac is a privately-owned company, headquartered in Thun, Switzerland. The company produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging in five locations: HOFFMANN tins in Thun and CMP tins in Holland; Polyfoil® and plastic tubes with NEOPAC in Switzerland and in Hungary. Its longstanding customers include internationally active pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods manufacturers in the European and North American markets.

The company has recently taken a majority stake in 3D Technopack Ltd, from Mumbai, India, thereby securing its foothold in the Asian market. With the new production facility in the United States, the company employs around a thousand employees and has a capacity of 1.3 billion tubes.

Derived from spruce wood waste, PICEA™ Tube exemplifies company’s EcoDesign portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions

Oberdiessbach, Switzerland – Neopac, a global provider of high-quality tube packaging for a broad array of industries and applications, earned an award at the Perfume, Cosmetics & Design Paris show for the sustainability of its PICEA™ Tube for the brand Bamse, owned by Trimb Healthcare. The tube is one of Neopac’s EcoDesign products, a comprehensive line of eco-friendly packaging solutions.

The PICEA™ Tube is comprised primarily of a combination of spruce waste and a plastic matrix of sugar-based raw materials made exclusively for Neopac. In total, the tube is composed of 95.8% renewable materials. Notably, the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) CO2 footprint analysis revealed that the PICEA™ wood tube uses up to 38.9% less CO2 in its life-cycle than a traditional polyethylene (PE) tubes.

Other benefits of Neopac’s PICEA™ Tube include easy printability, recyclable capabilities, and similar barrier properties compared to PE or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubes. The PICEA™ Tube has also attained Ecocert and Cosmos certifications, as well as EU Food Grade status.

Bamse offers a skin care range specially designed for children, with ingredients that are gentle to sensitive skin. Bamse claims to be the kid’s hero in the bathroom: strong, kind and fair. The brand is committed to eco-friendly packaging for its Ecocert-certified product line.

“Not only is the PCD Award an incredible honor, but it acknowledges the success and commitment of Neopac’s sustainability efforts,” said Michael Aringhoff, Head of Sales Cosmetics for Neopac. “This recognition will support our endeavors to create additional eco-friendly products similar to PICEA™, expanding upon our EcoDesign portfolio.”

About Hoffmann Neopac

Hoffmann Neopac is a privately-owned company, headquartered in Thun, Switzerland. The company produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging in five locations: HOFFMANN tins in Thun and CMP tins in Holland; Polyfoil® and plastic tubes with NEOPAC in Switzerland and in Hungary. Its longstanding customers include internationally active pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods manufacturers in the European and North American markets.

The company has recently taken a majority stake in 3D Technopack Ltd, from Mumbai, India, thereby securing its foothold in the Asian market. With the new production facility in the United States, the company employs around a thousand employees and has a capacity of 1.3 billion tubes.

New Delhi, January 29, 2019: Manpasand Beverages Limited partnered with GEM Enviro Management, one of the largest PET recycling companies in India, to support the Government’s initiative of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) for plastic waste management. Under this partnership, GEM Enviro will help Manpasand Beverages with the necessary infrastructure to recycle the PET bottles in Maharashtra.

Commenting on this association, Abhishek Singh, Director, Manpasand Beverages Limited said, our customer’s health and wellbeing have always been the foremost guiding principles at Manpasand. Manpasand has always embraced every initiative that has enhanced the customer’s and the society’s interest at large. Thus, we completely support and second the government’s vision of sustainable implementation of the plastic waste management and pledge to create a healthier environment by thoroughly embracing and implementing this PET recycling initiative.

Mr. Singh also elaborated that after the successful implementation of the first phase of the said initiative in Maharashtra, Manpasand looks forward to implementing the programme across India, in the coming years. He also mentioned about how the company is working on other alternative sustainable packaging solutions that creates less waste and are completely recyclable, reusable and renewable.

Expressing their happiness on the alliance with Manpasand Beverages Limited, Sachin Sharma, Director, GEM Enviro Management Pvt Ltd. said that, GEM Enviro Management will help Manpasand Beverages to fulfil its EPR obligation as per the PWM 2016 and Maharashtra State Government Notifications regarding the same. To achieve this we will set up sufficient infrastructure involving collection centers, RVM’s etc. throughout the state of Maharashtra in the next 4-6 months. We will strive to ensure that Manpasand Beverages will become PET neutral in Maharashtra within 8-12 months.

About Manpasand Beverages Limited

One of the country’s leading fruit juice players with Rs. 955 crore plus turnover in FY2018, Manpasand Beverages Limited has the unique distinction of being the first pure play Company in this sector in the Indian capital market. With its flagship brand Mango Sip and a host of other products, Manpasand Beverages represents the successful story of a visionary first generation entrepreneur, Dhirendra Singh.

Manpasand has seven manufacturing facilities located in various parts of India: three at Vadodara in Gujarat, two in Varanasi, UP, one in Dehradun in Uttarakhand and one at Ambala in Haryana. The company is also on track to complete the construction of its new plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The Company has recently performed ground-breaking ceremony for its new plant in Khurda, Odisha.

In the fast and ever-growing fruit-based beverages market in India, the Company has emerged as a significant and formidable brand with its customer-centric approach, value-for-money offerings, strong focus on affordable price points, innovation and research, brand building, aggressive production capacity expansions and strong distribution strategies are the Company major strengths.

Group to take part in Nigeria Food+Bev Tec 2019 with its range of complete solutions for the Beverage Closures industry. Excellence is the defining SACMI hallmark in both technology and services, with customers able to count on personalised, flexible solutions that span from cap to labelled bottle

With branches located at each of the continents three corners, SACMI is investing in Africa with confidence and will, from 26 to 28 March 2019, be showcasing its solutions at Nigeria Food Bev Tec (Landmark Centre, Lagos). A key industry event for sub- Saharan Africa, this fair brings together the worlds major machine suppliers, keen to intercept new development prospects on a market that worth over 260 million euros and, in 2017 alone, grew by a huge 15%.

Capable of developing world-class technologies and plant engineering solutions – such as CCM continuous compression moulding for the manufacture of plastic caps – SACMI plays a key role on emerging markets as a sole provider capable of supporting bottlers andbconverters in the development of dedicated, personalised solutions. Moreover, it does so in close synergy with its Lab, certified by key international players.

Already a pivotal player in Africa thanks to its own branches and facilities dedicated to packaging-beverage development, SACMI has decided to take part in the Lagos fair for the second year running to show potential customers its far-reaching range, which extends downstream from cap and preform production to include complete stretch-blowing, filling and labelling solutions.

Customers can rely on the solidity of a sole partner of internationally acknowledged reliability. Thanks to advanced remote assistance services provided by the SACMI Customer Service Division, customers can - anytime, anywhere in the world - count on a specialised SACMI technician to ensure they always get the most from their production line investment.

This successful approach has, in recent years, resulted in the installation of over 50 lines, in Nigeria and surrounding countries, for the manufacture of plastic and metal caps, IPS solutions for the manufacture of PET preforms and complete bottling lines.

The development of personalised, flexible solutions makes SACMI unique. We are, in fact, the worlds only competitor capable of providing a response for every stage of the beverage line, from design of the cap-bottle system to manufacturing and use of packaging. Recent years have seen extraordinary market growth (the African soft drinks sector sees over 85% of new customers going for complete plants). This clearly confirms the far-sightedness of SACMI investment in Africa, a continent ever-more strategic to the integrated development prospects of our Beverage Closures business.

In 2019 the Group will once again be participating in the industry key event which, after Nashville, now moves on to Denver. Our technological and plant engineering range - specially designed for brewers - will be on show, highlighting the Sacmi hallmarks of versatility, reliability and close customer support at every stage of production

This year the task of hosting the now-traditional Craft Brewers Conference & Brewexpo America falls to the city of Denver. Once again, the key players at the Colorado Convention Centre (8-11 April 2019) will include the SACMI Group. l be out in force with an array of technology and plant engineering solutions to respond to the need for flexibility, reliability and efficiency in an industry that, after years of double-figure growth, still saw production increase by 5% in 2017 (source: US Brewers Association).

Following encouraging feedback from the 35 th edition of the event - held last year in Nashville - SACMI has decided to take its integrated beer-making range to Denver too: a comprehensive range that spans from capsule production to labelling and labelled bottle inspection.

Of particular interest is the range developed for the craft beer sector, which in the US accounts for over 13% of the market. Worth highlighting is the SACMI combi bottling system for bottles (glass and aluminium) and cans, an all-embracing solution that allows fast size changeovers and lets users manage different container types with a single machine.

Advanced SACMI solutions aimed at ensuring filling process quality and hygiene (e.g. electronic flow meters) give brewers not only fully assured beer quality but solidity, reliability and easy use and maintenance. Alongside the four-in-one monobloc, SACMI supplies a complete range of traditional beer and wine filling machines with both electronic and electro-pneumatic control; like the combi system, these are designed to handle different container types and sizes with ease.

SACMI;s long-standing presence in America - via its SACMI USA branch and a dedicated sales network - gives customers guaranteed 24/7 support with personalised consultancy and assistance services before, during and after the sale. Moreover, all SACMI solutions are certified and tested by the Group R&D Lab, accredited with the main international players in the Beverage industry.

Thanks to novel two-chamber technology, Henkel’s Duo-Caps and Power-Mix Caps detergents ensure stain removal, vibrant colors, and freshness with just one cap. The attractive packaging was created by Greiner Packaging. Now, the plastics experts have received the Henkel Sustainability Award for their design in Orlando, Florida.

Kremsmünster, January, 2019. The Duo-Caps and Power-Mix Caps are completely water-soluble, ensuring perfectly clean laundry at temperatures as low as 20°C/68°F – their two separate chambers allow different washing gels or liquid and powder detergents to be combined. Originally marketed in transparent plastic containers, the packaging was changed over to opaque containers in 2014. To retain an attractive appearance, Henkel opted for an alternative packaging solution from Greiner Packaging: K3®-F – a cardboard-plastic combination – is a winner, not only for its appealing design, but also for its reduced plastic content. Now, the plastics experts have been recognized for their innovative approach at the annual conference of the American Cleaning Institute at which Henkel has given out prizes for outstanding supplier performance since 2007. “We have presented Greiner Packaging with the award for Special Contribution to Packaging Development and Project Management. Compared to the previous packaging, the K3®-F boxes help us reduce our plastic consumption by more than 40 percent,” says Arndt Scheidgen, Head of Advanced Technologies at Henkel Laundry & Home Care, commenting on the panel’s decision.

K3®-F: One package, many advantages

Packaging made of cardboard-plastic combinations has enjoyed great popularity in the food sector for many years. Equipped with a special folding wrap, K3® -F is the ideal packaging solution for Henkel’s Duo-Caps and Power-Mix Caps. Thanks to the innovative, patented tear-off system, the cardboard wrap and plastic container can be easily separated and recycled. The packaging’s plastic content is significantly reduced, while the cardboard wrap maintains the container’s stability. The cardboard finish offers consumers a pleasant feel and, printed with an attractive design, commands attention on the shelf. Henkel markets its Duo-Caps and Power-Mix Caps detergents under more than ten different brand names, including Persil, in over 25 countries. The plastic containers and folded cardboard wraps are delivered to Henkel separately. This way, inventories are kept to a minimum despite myriad decoration variants. K3® -F solutions are perfect for such applications.

A solution that’s easy on the environment

“Boasting an attractive wrap-around decoration, our packaging solution is exactly what our customer is looking for. By switching to K3® -F packaging, Henkel has been able to bring 100-percent recyclable packaging onto the market – cardboard wraps and containers can be easily separated and disposed of,” points out Michael Frick, Global Key Account Director at Greiner Packaging. Sustainability is important to the project partners – both Greiner Packaging and Henkel are signatories to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment launched by the British Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The initiative aims to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging, to make packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and to increase the use of recycled materials in packaging. The new packaging has been on the market in Western and Eastern Europe since 2017.

Packaging facts:

•  Material: PP
• Technology: Thermoforming
• Decoration: Cardboard wrap

About Greiner Packaging

Greiner Packaging is a leading European manufacturer of plastic packaging in the food and nonfood sector. For almost 60 years, the company has enjoyed a reputation for its great expertise in providing solutions in the fields of development, design, production, and decoration. Greiner Packaging addresses the challenges of the market with two business units: Packaging and Assistec. Greiner Packaging employs a workforce of around 4,800 at more than 30 locations in 19 countries worldwide. In 2017, the company achieved annual sales revenues of EUR 641 million (including joint ventures). This represents more than one third of Greiner’s total revenue.

Ophasselt, BELGIUM - The benefits of coating bottles and containers are numerous. Amongst others, it greatly improves their barrier properties and, quite often, ensures their recyclability. In the meantime, it is more economical than other solutions. Now, Delta Engineering presents a range of new coating machines. The technology at the core of them implies new uses of plasma. This has remarkable advantages in the fields of processing, product quality, health and, last but not least, the environment.

Technology

Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter, next to solid, liquid and gas. Now, the Belgian company Delta Engineering presents a new range of coating machines, based on PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition).

In general, CVD in all its forms achieves very homogeneous surface coatings; however, PECVD has the additional advantage over thermally activated CVD that it can operate at lower temperatures. Also, PECVD enables an increased deposition rate.

• Delta Engineering now offers a PECVD-technology depositing thin films from a gas state to a solid state on a substrate, such as the inside of bottles. More precisely, the gas mixture used by the company contains acetylene (C2H2). Microwave energy causes the gas to reach its plasma state. The acetylene molecules split into highly reactive methylidyne radicals (CH • ). They all bind, immediately, with the inner surface of the bottle, thus creating a carbon coating. Hence, it is a non-exhaust process. The appropriate properties of the coating are obtained by choosing the right mixture of gases injected in the bottle.
• Some of Delta Engineering’s new, advanced coating machines imply three steps. In those cases, as a first step, argon plasma cleans and etches the inner side of the bottle, making it easier to be chemically modified. As a second step, a carbon layer is added with the coating technology using acetylene, as described above. In a third step, the company uses R134a, a well-known HFC. With microwaves, the HFC- molecules of R134a are broken down and create a protecting carbon-fluorine layer inside the bottle.

The latter three-steps technology is quite remarkable. Today, most technologies fluorinate by means of direct fluorination; however, this method is under pressure because of the dangers of escaping gas, which is not environmentally friendly and might intoxicate workers. Delta Engineering’s new solution, however, brings on the scene fluorination using plasma treatment. Thereby no gas gets into the atmosphere. Instead of fluorine gas, the company uses the non-ozone depleting R134a. This R134a is also known as a refrigerant, one that is very common indeed and is used in a wide range of refrigeration and air conditioning applications.

Materials

PET

With its new range of coating machines, Delta Engineering brings carbon coating of PET bottles to a next level. Of course, there are other technologies to get the desired barrier properties. An example is co-injection (multilayer) which, unfortunately, has a very high CAPEX. Another example is using plastic blends (chemical additives to improve the barrier properties). These, however, often have unwanted side effects such as effecting clarity, stress cracking, etcetera. Delta Engineering’s plasma coaters clearly stand out from these in terms of material cost, lightweighting, recyclability, and operational performance for production.\

HDPE

The enhanced barrier properties of HDPE bottles and containers treated with fluorine are lauded since long. Delta Engineering now succeeds obtaining them by using its very promising HDPE plasma coating technology. It uses that instead of direct fluorination, which use elemental fluorine, an extremely reactive gas. The new coating machines, however, use chemically bound fluorine atoms. These are harmless - actually, bound fluorine is even quite useful, as we all know since we brush our teeth with fluoride toothpaste, which contains it.

Other materials

Delta Engineering won’t halt at providing good barriers to PET and HDPE. New solutions for other materials are in the pipeline, amongst others plasma enhanced coating of PP. To be followed…!

Coating properties

Carbon

Delta Engineering’s carbon coating makes bottles less susceptible to ingress of oxygen (O2) and loss of carbon dioxide (CO2), and improves water vapour barrier as well. It is an inert layer, preventing any PET-related migrations (with for example acetaldehyde) towards the contents. The layer is also resistant to delamination, under, amongst others, hot and humid conditions. It increases the shelf life of products bottled in PET by a factor of up to five. Furthermore, the coating is food grade.

Applications for carbon

Thanks to Delta Engineering’s carbon coating, PET gets suitable for lots of chemicals, as well as drinks such as beer, sauces, water, tea, coffee, juices, sport drinks, etcetera.

Fluorine

Fluorine greatly reduces solvent permeation and chemical attack. It also reduces or eliminates paneling - the compromising, after some time, of the plastic walls of a bottle or container. Furthermore, it prevents container discoloration, reduces or eliminates odor emission as well as loss of flavor and fragrance. Moreover, it reduces or eliminates loss of active ingredients and interaction of the container with the product. These benefits are not restricted by size, shape or container manufacturer.

Applications for fluorine

Delta Engineering’s new plasma coaters are quite helpful for products prone to hydrocarbon transmission through their plastic packaging, such as the following:

     Acetone                     Agrochemicals                Automotive additives           Car care products

    Cleaning fluids            Degreasers                       d-Limonene                           Essential oils

   Flavours / Essence      Fragrances                         Fuels                                   Insecticides
   concentrates 

    Lubricants                    Paint thinners                    Polishes                                 Solvents     

    Toluene                       Waxes                                … and more.

Recycling & circular economy

In the circular economy, products can be made out of finite materials or on basis of renewables. It is a system in which resource input, waste and emission are minimized by closing loops. The new range of coating machines definitely helps achieving that goal. 
  

•  In a circular economy, products which are made of finite materials ought to be designed to be as easily recyclable as possible. Now, bottles and containers designed to be coated using Delta Engineering’s new coating machines stand out by their minimal thickness: about 100-150 nanometer. This negligibly small layer ensures that the packaging remains a monolayer one, and that the ground material of the bottles and containers can easily be re-mixed. The packaging can then be recycled in standard recycling processes, and recycling it has no impact on the thermo- mechanical properties of the material.
• Also renewables can enter into play. The new range of plasma-based coating machines are perfectly able to coat packaging made on basis of renewables such as bio-PET and bio-HDPE. They remain just as easy to recycle as their fossil-based counterparts.

Sustainability

Delta Engineering’s plasma coating machines pave the way for more sustainability. They make recycling more efficient and effective, an essential step towards a circular economy. Furthermore, they open new opportunities to make packaging that has less weight but still meets all desired criteria: less weight means reducing cost as well as carbon footprint. In addition to that, the new PET Plasma Coaters are non-exhaust types, thus making an end to exhaust gases escaping in the atmosphere.

Minimal product cost ***

Plasma coating is a viable alternative to replace multilayer technology. Apart from high capital investment in hardware, the running costs are high as well. Depending on the product, cost from a multilayer bottle is easily 30 to 100% more expensive in comparison against monolayer technology. Plasma coating machines are simple to operate in comparison with the complex process conditions of multi-layer technology.

Proven technology

The new coating machines build upon lots of experience gained in the past.

• The company bases its new carbon coating technology on a discovery made by a Danish engineer in the 1950’s. Since then, the technology has been gradually improved, and has proved itself worthwhile. Delta Engineering lifts the technology to a higher level.
• The technology for plasma fluorination has been on the market for 10 years now. This very promising technology is approved of by a major agrochemical firm.

The machines 

Delta engineering introduces the following plasma coating machines in 2019 and 2020.

ABOUT DELTA ENGINEERING
For around a quarter of a century, Delta Engineering has been synonymous with high-quality blow molding solutions. The company was founded in 1992 to market a new single head leak tester and has since then become a European market leader with an exceptionally wide range of in-house produced solutions. Today Delta Engineering employs over 180 people. Its products are exported worldwide.

Change in the company management

Enger, 28 January 2019 – MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection is today among the leading manufacturers of innovative labelling, marking and inspection solutions. The company has been part of the MULTIVAC Group since 1993. As part of a strategic realignment, there was a change of personnel in the company management in January. Mr Volker Gerloff has withdrawn from the company management; the operational responsibility for the business has been taken over by Dr. Hendrik Frank (Engineering & Technology),Mr Karsten Strothmann (Sales) and Mrs Julia Timpe (Administration).

The new management trio has many years of experience at MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection and will ensure, that the company continues to operate successfully in the market, and that the management realignment will be implemented successfully in all areas.

“Through his efforts during the last 25 years, Mr Gerloff has contributed significantly to the development and integration of the company into the MULTIVAC Group,” explained Guido Spix, Director and CTO/COO of MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG.

Since the company became part of the MULTIVAC Group, the expansion of the product range was systematically driven forward under the guidance of Volker Gerloff. Today the spectrum of products ranges from cross web labellers, conveyor belt and link chain labellers right through to box labellers and direct web printers. Inspection systems such as checkweighers, metal detectors and X-ray inspection systems complement the comprehensive product range.

As recently as December 2018 a new production and office building was inaugurated at the company's Enger site. Following completion of the new building, the overall operating area has increased to around 7,400 square metres – an expansion, which had become necessary due to the company's strong growth. The company currently has around 200 employees and has had to significantly increase its production capacity, particularly in the area of conveyor belt labellers and inspection systems. In parallel with this, all the process sequences in Goods Inward and Stores, as well as in the Manufacturing, Assembly and Dispatch departments, are currently being reorganized to further optimise production.

About MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection

MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection is one of the leading manufacturers of labelling systems and direct web printers. The company, previously called MR Etikettiertechnik, was founded in 1972 in Enger, Westphalia, and has been part of the MULTIVAC Group since 1993. The company's range of products extends from cross web labellers, through transport conveyor labellers and link chain labellers, right up to carton labellers and direct web printers. The product spectrum is complemented by inspection systems, for example checkweighers, metal detectors and X- ray inspection equipment. All these units can be integrated into packaging lines, and they contribute significantly to fulfilling the regulations and legal requirements for the quality management of packaging lines. Last but not least, MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection is a capable business partner for all those specialized enquiries in which tailor-made solutions need to be found.

The speed of improvement and sophistication in digital design is such that no service can afford to stand still for any length of time. 3D visualisation for metal packaging artwork is no exception, and when Ardagh Group launched its “state of the art” 3D Studio to customers in 2016, the focus remained on continued innovation.

We are now pleased to launch new and enhanced capabilities for customers of Food & Speciality, Ardagh Metal Europe, including new technologies, a greater packaging portfolio and improved user experience.

Martin de Olde, Marketing & Business Development Manager at Ardagh’s Food & Speciality business unit explains: “First and foremost, as one of the world’s major packaging companies handling thousands of artwork projects at our graphic studios, Ardagh Group understands that time to market is essential. With the enhanced studio, customers can easily visualize their artwork at the very early stage of the packaging development as a 3D model within minutes.”

“We have built up a huge design library of different metal packaging formats, from food cans to aerosols, kegs, Easy Peel lids and Easy Open lids to enable our customers to launch and develop their brands. Ardagh Group’s commitment to innovation and customer service has seen us add many more 3D formats to the studio, create different upload tools and provide user-friendly online sharing processes.”

“This 3D studio was created in cooperation with our software partner WebPac, which offers cloud-based technology, improved features and greater speed and flexibility. 3D modelling is a powerful tool in the marketing decision-making process with potentially significant savings on launch timelines, and Ardagh Group’s new 3D Studio is truly at the cutting edge of packaging design technology,” adds De Olde.