• GEA will showcase its Mobile Test Center (MTC) for new food applications
• The MTC enables customers to evaluate process and product concepts as well as prepare them for commercial manufacturing
• Visit GEA at Anuga FoodTec, Hall 5.1, booth C.001/D.019

The need to sustainably transform the food industry and find alternative sources of nutrition has never been more pressing, concludes a report by the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). As a technology partner to the industry, GEA aims to lead the way to tomorrow’s safe, accessible and affordable nutrition by driving game-changing advances in the novel food market. At Anuga FoodTec 2022 in Cologne, GEA will showcase its new pilot line for cell cultivation and fermentation that allows customers to fast-track cellular agriculture’s development from the laboratory to commercial production.

“We will be providing a sneak preview of how technology can help combat increasing food insecurity. Our Anuga showcase under the guiding principle of ‘A Taste of Tomorrow’ will shine a light on GEA’s model New Food initiative, which promotes innovation in the emerging cellular agriculture sector,” says Heinz-Jürgen Kroner, Senior Vice President Liquid & Filling Technologies at GEA. Highlight will be a modular, Mobile Test Center to help customers pilot and scale these new foods.

From the lab to the factory

For the first time, GEA will showcase its Mobile Test Center (MTC) for new food applications. Available for customers to rent or purchase for use on their own or GEA’s premises, this fully equipped, pilot-scale process line for cell cultivation or fermentation can be individually configured.

“While laboratory setups alone are enough to provide experimental evidence that a particular formula or cell growth might work for a specific end product, it is only possible to evaluate those results and develop a viable concept for industrial scaling with a pilot line. Our MTC turns concepts into reproducible processes,” says Kroner. In a word, the GEA Mobile Test Center will bridge the gap between laboratory work and demo plants. Using the test center, customers are able to not only determine parameters ranging from cell viability through mass balance to yield but also to efficiently design processes and develop a future-proof business model for subsequent commercial production.

Reliable concept studies to go

Up until now, making the leap from lab testing novel foods to validating processes on an industrial level has required a significant investment in a demo plant – despite there being no guarantee of success. With its Mobile Test Center, GEA is offering a new way of providing proof of concept for cellular agriculture. Best of all, customers do not need to invest in a full pilot plant to facilitate the process of scaling up to commercial cell-based manufacturing. Instead, they can use the MTC to study cell cultures and microbes as well as improve fermentation strategy, modify formulas, alter growth media and ingredients plus tweak process parameters so as to increase yield and repeatability.

“We need to not only find new ways of feeding people but also to make that food readily available and affordable,” says Kroner, describing the challenge. “Since GEA is a technology expert, this is where our strength lies – in providing our customers with an exceptionally high level of investment security when they enter into novel foods.”

Mobile Test Center with an end-to-end process line

The MTC comprises eight industry-approved, food-grade technologies, including the GEA multifunctional fermenters or bioreactors as well as equipment for mixing, heat treatment, homogenization, separation and filtration. With the freedom to alter the sequence of the various steps and add or repeat process stages, customers are empowered to test cultivation and fermentation strategies as well as product recovery. Thanks to the test center’s flexible process architecture, GEA can individually configure, install and commission the plant on site.

Images (please use the link to download high-resolution material; the link is valid for 30 days)

Fig. 1: Available for customers to purchase, rent or use on GEA’s premises, the GEA Mobile Test Center (MTC) is a fully equipped, pilot-scale process line for manufacturing cellular and acellular new foods. Photo: GEA

GEA Mobile Test Center technologies

Fig. 2: GEA BATCH FORMULA® PRO High Shear Mixer: Capable of blending end products with a solids content of up to 80 percent or a viscosity of up to 100,000 centipoise, this high shear mixer can handle complex products. Photo: GEA

Fig. 3: GEA UHT pilot plant: This plant is a flexible, highly automated system that indirectly heat treats liquid products such as cell culture media or dairy products. Photo: GEA

Fig. 4: Bioreactor/fermenter (pilot line consists of two units with 50-liter and 500-liter volume): GEA’s plug-and-play bioreactor or fermentation solution is available in two sizes and can be used either for cell cultivation and/or fermentation reactions. The adaptable two-in-one pilot plants are suitable for scaling development processes and producing test batches. The picture shows the 500-liter version. Photo: GEA

Fig. 5: GEA Ariete Homogenizer 3030: During homogenization, cell membranes are mechanically ruptured, releasing their contents, which can then be separated and further processed. The GEA Ariete high-pressure homogenizers ensure optimum cell disruption with high flow rates, making them ideal for industrial processing in cellular agriculture. Photo: GEA

Fig. 6: Self-Ejection Separator FSE 10: As part of the downstream process, the GEA centrifuge separates biomass from the fermentation broth. This stabilizes the product feed and consistency, helping to ensure the repeatability of the membrane filtration and other downstream processes. Photo: GEA

Fig. 7: Crossflow ceramic microfiltration plant: Thanks to ceramic microfiltration (CMF) membranes that act as a physical barrier, unwanted solids, bacteria and cells are trapped and separated from the valuable product. That means the unit is particularly good at containment, i.e. protection by way of isolating processes which, for instance, involve genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Photo: GEA

Fig. 8: Crossflow membrane filtration plant for ultrafiltration: Equipped with spiral polymeric ultrafiltration membranes, this versatile membrane filtration plant is suitable for product clarifying or fractioning as well as for concentrating and washing. Photo: GEA

Accessed through a simple smartphone app, vivid three-dimensional projections remain accessible well after the show.

the U.S. subsidiary of Maruho Co. Ltd, a Japanese healthcare company with subsidiaries in Europe and the U.S. with global sales of $800 million – is inviting visitors to this year’s WestPack to take its featured machines home with them. Virtually, that is.

The blister packaging equipment supplier will be showcasing two of its most popular machines, the EAGLE-Omni and EAGLE-Rx, at WestPack Booth #5358, April 12-14 in Anaheim, CA. In addition to live demonstrations of the physical machines, MHI will feature a special augmented reality station where attendees can view, interact with, and project each machine in full size.

In fact, the experience can last well beyond WestPack itself: The technology allows attendees to examine and interact with vivid, 3D projections of the machines at their individual facilities (or anywhere else), simply by accessing a smartphone app. A necessary invention developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the protracted virtual showcase is designed to lead to more comprehensive, informed pre-purchasing decision-making for potential customers.

Measuring just over two meters in length and 1.6 meters tall, the reasonably compact EAGLE-Omni offers a format area of 150x95 mm, and a forming depth of 30mm (3cm) with an upgrade available to 40mm. Performing forming, sealing and punching operations at sequential stations, the versatile machine handles a wide range of forming materials – including PVC, PVDC, ACLAR, PP, PET and ALU – and all typical lidding substrates including ALU, paper, PVC, PET, and laminates.

Ideal for packaging development, materials testing and production, the EAGLE-Omni can produce up to 20 blisters per minute, and is suitable for packaging solids, powders, liquids or devices. Notably, the option of a 40mm forming depth makes it ideal for nutritional products larger than traditional tablets or capsules, such as gummies, devices and other delivery formats.

Meanwhile, MHI’s Eagle-Rx is a high-performance blister packaging machine capable of producing up to 200 blisters per minute at a format area of 90x130mm. Featuring a compact balcony design, the unit can be operated by a single person with no formal training required. The Eagle-Rx offers toolless, recipe-driven changeovers, making it ideal for efficiently alternating between multiple products with varying batch sizes. Its servo technology ensures repeatability and minimizes mechanical adjustments.

For both machines, a key differentiating benefit is the ease and expediency with which prototypes can be produced, thanks to MHI’s groundbreaking 3D-printed blister tool prototyping capabilities.

About Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations
Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations (MHI), the U.S. subsidiary of Maruho Corp. Ltd., was created in 2014. MHI distributes the high quality medical packaging machinery produced by Maruho Hatsujyo Kogyo (MHK). With more than 220 employees, MHK has over 60 years of experience in the manufacturing sector, including the design of high-performance blister machinery and high-precision metal components. MHK is Japan’s second largest medical packaging machinery company.

• Investment in ten-colour flexo press extends Mondi Gronau's existing printing capabilities alongside existing rotogravure.
• New machinery equipped to handle the hygiene industry's growing demand for advanced printing options and greater flexibility in femcare pouch wrapping film designs and materials.
• Customers will benefit from a highly efficient printing service with inline siliconization and inline embossing solutions.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has unveiled a state-of-the-art flexo printing line at its plant in Gronau, Germany. The new machinery will service the hygiene industry’s growing demand for advanced printing options for films and laminates and deliver greater flexibility in feminine care pouch wrapping designs and film choices.

Mondi’s investment in the ten-colour flexo press means the company is now able to supply flexo printing services alongside its existing rotogravure capabilities. Due to the latest sleeve technology, flexo printing produces high-quality results in brilliant colour with a rapid output. In addition, Mondi’s press is able to apply effect inks and matt additives – resulting in premium looking films with the potential to influence purchasing decisions through an elevated user experience.

The new line offers the added appeal of inline siliconization, which eliminates the need for release paper, and inline embossing in answer to consumer preference for quieter, more discreet wrappers. Furthermore, the printing press gives customers the freedom to request complex designs thanks to precise registered printing for eye mark accuracy. This allows Mondi to feature different prints on the front and back of wrapping films and provides the option of partial siliconization for a more cost-effective printing run.

Jürgen Schneider, Managing Director, Personal Care Components at Mondi, comments: “The new flexo printing line enables us to better serve our customers in the hygiene industry through an altogether smarter printing process. Inline inspection systems for colour and silicone quality guarantee product reliability, while low ink consumption, minimal waste and shorter set-up times make this type of printing efficient and therefore also highly suitable for customers with varying lot sizes. What’s more, our installation can handle different film materials, including biodegradable or recycled content stock, which supports our customers’ sustainability goals.”

In the run up to the installation of the new flexo printing line, Mondi’s team in Gronau consulted closely with colleagues from its plant in Jackson, USA, which has offered flexographic printing services for personal care components since 2014.

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer-centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2021, Mondi had revenues of €7.7 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.5 billion.

Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.

About Mondi Personal Care Components

Mondi Personal Care Components (PCC) is part of Mondi’s Business Unit Engineered Materials and a leading global supplier of surgical face masks, nonwovens for wipes, melt-blown nonwovens, unique elastic films and laminates, siliconized wrapping films and mechanical fastening components. Committed to quality and producing products that are sustainable by design, we serve the hygiene industry by offering comprehensive baby care, adult incontinence and femcare solutions. Mondi PCC strives to make comfort a way of life and supports every generation by prioritising sustainability through responsible use of resources and, wherever possible, designing for recycling or biodegradability without compromising on performance and comfort. Our geographical footprint includes four plants in China, Germany and the US all supported by a state-of-the-art R&D Centre and pilot plant in Gronau, Germany.

Greater efficiency, lower costs, less plastic and still the same taste and convenience: When MULTIVAC exhibits at the two leading trade fairs, Anuga FoodTec 2022 (Hall 8.1, Stand C010) and IFFA 2022 (Hall 11.1, Stand B11), it will be showing a future-proof solution for packing thinly sliced or very sticky sliced products as part of a slicer line. Thanks to MULTIVAC's innovative Sustainable Liquid Interleaving spray system, there is no requirement for the conventional interleaving film between the individual product slices, and the consumption of plastics during packing can therefore be reduced to the bare minimum.

This process has long been standard with bakery products and sweets. Now MULTIVAC is presenting a versatile spray system, which has been specially developed for packing sliced sausage, ham and cheese or vegan alternatives. The solution can even be used with wafer-thin cut portions (e.g. shaved meat), for which the classic interleaver is not suitable. The space-saving spray system can be easily integrated into new or existing slicer lines. The individual slices are presented very attractively in the pack. Above all however, the slices do not stick to each other, and they can be removed cleanly by the consumer.

The functioning principle is simple - and perfectly designed for the product

The precision nozzles on the new spray system atomise a liquid interleaving medium, which is both odourless and tasteless and can be tailored to the particular properties, e.g. fat content, of the sliced product. The interleaving medium is applied evenly to the underside of the slices. The taste, quality and shelf life of the product are not impaired. The solution also however offers further benefits - particularly in terms of cost-effectiveness. “During our reference calculations, in which we simulated the slicing and packing of cheese, the typical film interleaves made of polystyrene generated total costs of around 3,800 euros per day. The daily costs for the interleaving liquid on the other hand amounted to only 425 euros - this equates to a saving of 85 percent,” explains Manfred Achenbach Senior Vice President of the Slicing Business Unit. The total time involved in refilling the interleaving liquid is up to 95 percent less than that for replenishing and threading the interleaver rolls. Other benefits of the spray system include: less storage space required, longer service life of slicer blades, and also less use of materials.

Trade fair exhibit

MULTIVAC will be showing the spray system at both trade fairs on a high-performance line featuring a slicer and thermoforming packaging machine. The modules for the automatic slicing, infeeding, packaging and labelling of the sliced product are integrated completely into one line, and they can all be operated efficiently and reliably from the HMI of the packaging machine or slicer thanks to the centralised MULTIVAC Line Control.

As part of the demo operation of the line, the product logs are sliced in multi-track format by the slicer, which also sprays each slice with the interleaving liquid. The individual portions are subsequently inspected on a checkweigher. Portions with the incorrect weight are ejected by means of a rocker for later weight correction by hand, while portions with the correct weight are conveyed onwards on a transport conveyor, before being grouped according to the format layout of the thermoforming packaging machine. The portions slide into the pack cavities during the advance, and the optimum loading results are achieved thanks to the flat loading angle. After the products have been packed under modified atmosphere, the MAP packs arrive at the cross web labellers, which apply the required labels to the top and base of the packs.

More added value

The technology has already been proven many times in practice. The spray system has been used successfully since 2018 on a MULTIVAC slicer at a dairy customer for interleaving cheese slices, and a ham producer uses this solution as well for extending the shelf life of his delicate products and intensifying their taste.

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 solutions upstream of the packaging process in the areas of portioning and processing, as well as bakery technology. Thanks to our 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 6,900 employees worldwide, with some 2,300 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 all installed MULTIVAC machines are utilised to their maximum. Further information can be found at: www.multivac.com.

HISTORY OF HOT STAMPING

Decorative stamping is an age-old practice used to imprint gold leaves onto surfaces, primarily to create gilded book covers. It is believed that the preliminary concept is rooted in ancient Egypt. Aa literacy increased in medieval Europe and the demand for books increased, mechanizing the process became a necessity.

Around the 1440, German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg invented the first movable-type printing press. This creation saved artisans hours in beating gold foil into quarter-millionth of an inch in thickness.

Today, Hot foil stamping is a less painstaking process and, due to technological advancements, is more affordable as well.

By the late nineteenth century, hot stamping used heat and pressure to apply foil onto surfaces.

Traditionally, gold and silver metallic foils are used to provide a rich finish although any color and finish options such as glossy, matte and holographic are available on the market.

In packaging specifically, hot stamping is used to create aesthetics; rich, luxurious and elegant looks to promote brand images. It adds to the notion of value associated with the product encased in the packaging.

TYPES OF HOT STAMPING

Foil stamping can be done in two ways: traditional and digital foil stamping.

In traditional foil stamping, the design is edged onto a metal plate. Like with rubber stamping, the design of the metal plate is bonded to the surface of choice by applying pressure onto the foil through the metal plate.

In digital foil stamping, mechanical force in the form of pressure is replaced with a digital printer. This allows for different colors and designs to be printed at the same time.

According to a study by the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), hot foil stamping and other similar enhancements on product packaging can help attract consumer attention faster and keep attention longer than ordinary packaging.

Anuga FoodTec: 27 April 2022, 11 am Konrad-Adenauer-Saal in the Congress Centrum Nord IFFA: 16 May 2022, 11 am Raum T

24 February 2022 marked the beginning of huge fluctuation in the global market. From oil to wheat, the demand and supply chain was greatly disrupted. With Russia being one of the largest exporters of oil, both sanctions against its international trade activities along with its own reluctance to supply to its adversaries have caused a huge hike in gas prices around the world.

Americans suffering from the worst price hikes in 40 years even before the scares of war are now fearing the lack of relief for months at end. Food and gas prices continue to surge and it is anticipated that there will be an immense shortage of wheat in the Middle East and Africa in the coming months.

With the shortage of commodities and oil, the packaging industry, too, is bound to suffer. There are adverse effects on the supply of raw materials through Europe.

Both the paper and plastic industries will suffer from restrictions on supply. Finland being the primary exporter of paper and board to both Ukraine and Russia will especially feel the pain of, at least, temporary loss of business. Sanctions against the export of timber from Russia are grossly affecting the paper packaging industry.

It is also predicted that the prices of polyethylene will be higher than baseline due to the industry’s energy-intensive nature. The previously observed increase in exports of HDPE from Russia has been halted.

This can also be seen as an opportunity for the American and European markets to search for alternative sources, especially in the middle east.

Due to sanctions imposed on Russia, aluminum also reached a record of $4,100 per tonne.

Many packaging industry feeders like Store Enso have stopped operations in Russia.

As we intently watch the development of the conflict and pray for the situation to alleviate, it is currently difficult to predict what the future holds. Long-term impacts of the tension between the two countries and the associated global involvement are yet to be felt.

Each range of edible inks offers high production reliability, making them ideal for industrial food decoration and sm

LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), Albéa Tubes and L’OCCITANE en Provence have recently launched groundbreaking cosmetic tubes and caps for L’OCCITANE en Provence’s “almond” range, supporting the circular economy. The packaging is made by Albéa Tubes with CirculenRevive polymers from LyondellBasell.

The protection of biodiversity and the reduction of waste are at the heart of the international beauty brand L’OCCITANE en Provence. Therefore, when re-designing two tubes of its “almond” product range, L’OCCITANE was seeking a resource-friendly solution and teamed up with cosmetic tubes specialist Albéa and polymer supplier LyondellBasell.

LyondellBasell and Plastic Energy

“We are excited to work with Albéa Tubes and L’OCCITANE en Provence on this project and to contribute to circular cosmetic packaging solutions”, says Richard Roudeix, LyondellBasell Senior Vice President of Olefins and Polyolefins for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. “Our CirculenRevive products, which are part of our Circulen product range of sustainable solutions, are polymers based on advanced (chemical) recycling technology from our supplier Plastic Energy who converts end-of-life plastic waste streams into pyrolysis oil feedstock.”

Plastic Energy is at the forefront of the use and development of advanced recycling technology. Plastic Energy’s recycled oils, branded under the name TACOIL were the source material for LyondellBasell, which was then allocated to the product for tubes and caps using a mass balance approach.

A lifecycle analysis* conducted by independent sustainability consultants concluded that plastics made from Plastic Energy’s TACOIL have a lower climate change impact than virgin plastic.

“Advanced recycling can effectively process contaminated or multi-layered plastics and films that pose challenges for mechanical recycling, making it a complementary solution to help address global plastic waste,” said Carlos Monreal, Founder and CEO of Plastic Energy. “Our advanced recycling process transforms these difficult to recycle plastics into TACOIL, a virgin quality feedstock meeting standards for use in food-grade, medical-grade and cosmetic packaging.”

Albéa Tubes

Packaging specialist Albéa manufactured the actual cosmetic tubes and caps for L’OCCITANE en Provence. As an early signatory to the Ellen McArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment, Albéa has pledged to make all its tubes recyclable by 2025, and increase the use of post-consumer recycled resins.

“The Almond Shower Scrub is the holy grail in terms of responsible packaging today. The tube and cap are designed for full recyclability and made of 93% recycled polyethylene (PE) content. On top, both are made of PE for higher-quality recycling, confirmed as recycling-ready by recycler associations in both Europe and the US. This packaging is in effect closing the loop, and that’s quite a breakthrough!” adds Gilles Swyngedauw, VP of Sustainability and Innovation with Albéa Tubes.

L‘OCCITANE en Provence

Regarding L’OCCITANE, the company believes consumption must evolve into regeneration. As an international beauty company, they have committed to ‘cultivating change’ at every level, starting with the design and production of their packaging.  As part of these efforts, in 2019 L’OCCITANE signed up to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Global Commitment for a new economy for plastic.

“We are accelerating our circular economy journey and are engaged to reach an overall 40% recycled content in all our plastic packaging by 2025. The use of advanced recycling technology in our plastic tubes is an exciting step forward.  Collaborating with LyondellBasell and Albéa was key for success.  The new tubes strictly follow ISCC Plus guidelines with a mass balance approach in order to satisfy our two clients: Customer and Nature,” says David Bayard, R&D Packaging Director, L’OCCITANE en Provence.

About Plastic Energy
Plastic Energy is a global leader in chemical recycling, offering a sustainable solution to help prevent plastic waste, transforming previously unrecyclable plastic waste into a valuable resource. Our patented and proven chemical recycling technology converts end-of-life plastic waste into an optimal feedstock (TACOIL) for making virgin-quality recycled plastics. Plastic Energy currently has two chemical recycling plants that are in constant operation in Spain and is one of the few companies worldwide that has sold TACOIL from the conversion of end-of-life plastic waste to replace fossil oils in the manufacturing of new plastics. We are leading our field in the transition to a low-carbon circular economy for plastics. Visit our website at plasticenergy.com and follow us on Twitter and Linkedin.

About LyondellBasell
As a leader in the global chemical industry, LyondellBasell strives every day to be the safest, best operated and most valued company in our industry. The company’s products, materials and technologies are advancing sustainable solutions for food safety, access to clean water, healthcare and fuel efficiency in more than 100 international markets. LyondellBasell places high priority on diversity, equity and inclusion and is Advancing Good with an emphasis on our planet, the communities where we operate and our future workforce.  The company takes great pride in its world-class technology and customer focus. LyondellBasell has stepped up its circularity and climate ambitions and actions to address the global challenges of plastic waste and decarbonization. In 2022, LyondellBasell was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” for the fifth consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

About Albéa Tubes
We invent and make the groundbreaking, responsible tubes you use every day.
We provide plastic and laminate tubes, world-class printing expertise, caps and applicators, and an extensive range of recycling-ready, paper-based, PCR and bio-based tubes.
We proudly serve big and small brands everywhere, combining global footprint and proximity.
We are committed to making all our cosmetic and oral care tubes recyclable by 2025, and more broadly to social and environmental responsibility.
We invented cosmetic tubes. We stand for experience, expertise, innovation and industrial excellence.

About L’OCCITANE en Provence
Since 1976, L’OCCITANE en Provence has been imagining, producing and selling beauty, skincare and wellbeing products with an intention to share nature’s wonders with the world. We believe  that by reviving the strength of all living things, we can help seeds bloom again and reconcile humans with nature. We are Cultivators of Change. Every year, we plant powerful ingredients, which are in perfect symbiosis with their ecosystems. We turn to Mother Earth and marvel at her in bloom. We explore her treasures and investigate our own methods until new breakthroughs are revealed. We craft them into unexpected memories. We team up with people at a local level because we believe that any act can make a difference, no matter how big or small.

Wolfertschwenden, 15 March 2022 - With its new L 312 model, MULTIVAC is launching onto the market a conveyor belt labeller, which now enables attractive full wrap labelling to be used for random weight products as well. The flexible and highly efficient solution will be shown to the public for the first time at Anuga FoodTec 2022 (Hall 8.1, Stand C010) and IFFA 2022 (Hall 11.1, Stand B11).

Retail packs of high-quality meat and fish products in particular are often sold based on their weight. The products must first be weighed, the price calculated, and the information then printed onto the label. The new L 312 performs this task precisely and reliably. This full wrap labeller is augmented with an optional weigh price marking facility.

This has been achieved by equipping the high-performance and robust full wrap model with a weighing system, which can be calibrated and is already approved by most European countries - with plans for approval in other regions of the world. The weighing system determines the weight of the pack very precisely and transfers the calculated product price to the labeller. An integrated thermal transfer printer is then used to print all the relevant information onto the label, such as for example weight, price, best-before date and even barcode, and the print layout can be designed to the customer's particular requirements. The label is then dispensed onto the top of the pack, before being wrapped accurately around the pack like a banderole.

This robust model, which is constructed in a hygiene design, makes the automatic C and D labelling of packs possible at speeds of up to 120 per minute. If required, further label dispensers can be incorporated, so that additional top or bottom labels, as well as the full wrap label, can be applied to the pack.

The L 312 can be integrated into lines or used as a stand-alone solution with manual product infeed. It can also be integrated into MULTIVAC Line Control, which provides the maximum operating convenience. Thanks to the automated labelling process, producers and packers also benefit from a high level of precision, process reliability, and above all throughput. Since the setting parameters for the labeller, printer and weighing system are stored in the particular recipe, this also makes batch changes very fast, enabling downtime to be reduced to a minimum.

The benefits of full wrap labelling are now also available for random weight packs: attractive product presentation, high level of flexibility in the choice of label shape, material and adhesive, as well as maximum labelling accuracy, a large area for information, and an automatic labelling process. To provide additional security, the L 312 can also be equipped with optional label and print inspection.

And last but not least, this solution meets the increasing demands of the market in terms of not only efficiency and performance but also sustainability. Full wrap labelling scores heavily, when compared with cardboard sleeves, thanks to its high level of material efficiency: depending on the label material used, savings of up to 70 percent can be achieved on material costs.

[3,275 characters incl. spaces]

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 wide product range extends from standard labelling and printing solutions to labellers and marking systems, which are specifically developed for individual customers. The range of products is complemented by inspection systems for weight checking, detection of foreign objects and visual inspection of packs and labelling. All these units can be integrated into complete packaging lines, and they contribute significantly to meeting the regulations and legal requirements for the quality management of packaging lines. Further information can be found at: www.multivac.com.

  www.redakon.com

Making the plastics stream become more circular is critical to reduce the use of plastics.

• This is the first comprehensive public study analyzing the recycling value chain for single-use beverage containers in five key markets.
• The data shows that today more than 70% of the material used in aluminium cans is recycled into new products – almost double that of glass (34%) and plastic (40%). 

 Research commissioned by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) into the recycling of three beverage container materials – aluminium, glass and plastic (PET) – has shown that aluminium cans best support a circular economy. The study shows that compared with aluminium cans, more glass and plastic bottles end up in landfills because they are not collected. In addition, the losses in the recycling system once collected, is three times higher for PET and glass bottles than for the aluminium cans. 

 On behalf of the IAI, Eunomia Research and Consulting studied data in five regions: Brazil, China, Europe, Japan and the US. It looked at the end-of-life processing losses for aluminium cans, glass bottles and plastic (polyethylene terephthalate - PET) bottles. The study also looked at the collection, sorting, reprocessing and thermal processing, closed-loop recycling and open-loop recycling.  

 Ramon Arratia, Vice President Global Public Affairs at Ball Corporation, noted that “While no drinks container has achieved its full circularity potential yet, aluminium outperforms glass and plastics (PET) at all stages of the waste management system. Today, aluminium cans are the most recycled beverage containers globally. Once the aluminium can is collected from the consumer, it has an unrivalled sorting, reprocessing and remelting efficiency rate of 90% compared with glass (67%) and PET (66%). On this basis, aluminium can be described as a material of choice for a circular economy. This is especially important when we look at the carbon reduction potential of recycling.” 

 Andrew Wood, Group Executive Strategy & Business Development at Alumina Limited, said “The number of aluminium cans collected at the end of their life is about 18% higher than PET bottles and 28% higher than glass. A greater proportion of PET and one-way glass bottles end up in landfills or waterways because they are not collected. In a decarbonising world, this is likely to contribute to higher demand for both recycled and primary aluminium.” 

 The aluminium can was first mass-produced by Coors Brewing Company in the 1950s to improve the taste of beer and provide a more sustainable container than steel cans. It is therefore reassuring to see from this study that the environmental goals of that ground-breaking new product all those years ago are still being realised.  

 Marlen Bertram, IAI’s Director, Scenarios & Forecasts, says, “As the Institute celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we have been reflecting on our organisation’s long history of data collection, analysis and modelling. Aluminium is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet and the IAI is campaigning to ensure end-of-life products are returned into the recycling loop given the economic and environmental benefits of the metal in our global economy. Comparing recycling rates of different materials is meaningless if you don’t know how the rate is measured and into what products the material is recycled back to. This study is the first public study that comprehensively analyses the extent of recycling and losses of three beverage containers in different regions. By increasing the precision of identifying where major losses occur, the study could provide solutions to improving the rate of recycling for all materials. We are clearly in a new era in circularity transparency.” 

Emilio Braghi, EVP Novelis & President Novelis Europe said “Collection and sorting systems are essential to increasing circularity and to unlocking the full potential of infinitely recyclable materials. We need a policy framework that incentivises true recycling and circular systems, where at the end of their life, beverage containers are recycled again and again – without loss to quality. Aluminium is perfectly suited for multiple product-to-

product recycling. We need to move our thinking from waste to valuable resource – reusing existing material to produce new packaging and thereby saving precious natural resources, energy, and lowering emissions.”

You can read more about the findings of this study in our information sheet, A Circularity Case for Aluminium Compared With Glass and Plastic and visit alucycle.international-aluminium.org. 

 Media enquiries: media@international-aluminium.org 

 About the IAI 

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) is the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry. The Institute has the most comprehensive global data on Aluminium with more than 40 years of analysis on production, consumption, energy use and environmental impact. For more information, visit international-aluminium.org, or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter  

 About Ball Corporation 

Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 21,500 people worldwide and reported 2020 net sales of $11.8 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter. 

 About Alumina Ltd 

Alumina Ltd is an Australian company which holds a 40% interest in the global AWAC joint venture, one of the world’s largest bauxite and alumina producers, managed and 60% owned by Alcoa Corp. AWAC also has an interest in the Portland aluminium smelter and had an EBITDA of $1.146 billion in 2021. For more information, visit www.aluminalimited.com.

About Novelis

Novelis is the leading producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and the world’s largest recycler of aluminum. In line with its purpose of shaping a sustainable world together, the ambition is to be the world’s leading provider of low carbon, sustainable aluminum solutions that advance the business, industry and society toward the benefits of a circular economy. With state-of-the-art can sheet production lines and recycling centers in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, Novelis serves the most recognizable brands worldwide. As the leading recycler of used beverage cans, Novelis globally recycles more than 70 billion cans annually. 

Driven by the aim to attain water sustainability and reduce its consumption and pollution, the Chemicals production unit  of UFlex situated in Noida is now a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facility. ZLD is a strategic waste water management system that ensures that there is no discharge of industrial wastewater into the environment, which is why UFlex has proactively adopted this technology to significantly reduce their freshwater consumption by recognizing the importance of wastewater purification and recycling. The Chemicals plant that has adopted ZLD technology has started saving close to 20 kilolitres of water/ day.

UFlex’ Chemicals business develops eco-friendly, sustainable and food-safe compliant inks, adhesives, coatings and biodegradable packaging solutions such as primers, barrier, gloss and heat-seal coatings which are ecologically conscious with a lower carbon footprint. While  UFlex has been making a conscious effort to bring down the use of water while developing these solutions, with the implementation of ZLD technique the plant has ensured that no liquid waste is eliminated and its maximizes water usage efficiency

The zero liquid discharge Chemical plant uses a 100% supply of effluent treated water of Sewage treatment plant (STP) as well as Effluent treatment plant (ETP). It is subsequently treated through the combination of technologies like Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR), Reverse osmosis (RO), and Agitated Thin Film Dryer (AFTD). The permeate good quality water which is the final product derived is thus re-used in boiler feed, cooling tower makeup water, and fume hoods; without being discharged into the municipal sewer thereby putting the discarded water back to use. The rejected water is converted in to solid waste residue via evaporation process which is in turn discarded as hazardous waste (as per the regulatory norms).

Expressing his delight on this new development, Rajesh Bhasin, Joint President, Chemicals Business at UFlex commented, “At UFlex Chemicals, we are proud to announce that our Noida Production has achieved the status of a Zero Liquid Discharge facility. We have adopted this technology to contribute positively to the environment by considerably reusing and recycling waste water in order to save groundwater consumption and is a big move for us in reducing our overall water consumption and ensuring that wastewater does not get discarded into the environment. We are working hard to follow the circular economy model at our facility and systematically implement means that are environmentally conscious so that we can conserve our natural resources for the future. Progressing further, we look forward to implementing the ZLD technology in our other production facilities as well, in order to contribute towards a sustainable future.”

About UFlex Chemicals Business:

The Chemicals Business of UFlex that was incorporated in 1994 and headquartered in Noida is the leading provider of flexible packaging Inks, water-based, solvent-less and solvent-based adhesives and speciality UV & LED Coatings with the full range of UV and LED inks/ coatings for sheetfed offset, letterpress & narrow web application serving customers across the globe. Noida and Jammu plants are accredited with several certificates—such as ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 50001:2018, and ISO 31000:2018. Its state-of-the-art R&D centre is NABL (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) accredited & recognized by The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The verticals’ prime focus remains on developing sustainable technology, customized products, food-safe toluene free compliant inks as per IS 15495:2020 and providing on-site support to our customers.

About UFlex:

UFlex is India’s largest multinational in flexible packaging materials and solutions and a global polymer sciences corporation. Since its inception in 1985, UFlex has grown from strength to strength to establish presence across the world though manufacturing units and customers. Today, it has state-of-the-art packaging facilities at multiple locations in India and has packaging film manufacturing facilities in India, UAE, Mexico, USA, Egypt, Poland, Russia, Hungary and Nigeria. 

Integrated within its core business profile of Flexible Packaging and Packaging Films are allied businesses like Aseptic Liquid Packaging, Engineering, Cylinders, Holography and Chemicals which further gives UFlex a superior edge over competition. UFlex offers technologically superior and sustainable packaging solutions for a wide variety of products such as snack foods, confectionery, sugar, rice, other cereals, beverages, tea & coffee, dessert mixes, noodles, wheat flour, soaps, detergents, shampoos, conditioners, vegetable oil, spices, marinades & pastes, dairy products, frozen food, poultry, anti-fog, pet food, pharmaceuticals, contraceptives, garden fertilizers, plant nutrients, motor oil, lubricants, automotive and engineering components etc.  A B2B manufacturer, UFlex has also added new consumer facing products to its portfolio, like sanitizers and N-95 masks.

The group with a 10,000+ strong multi-cultural workforce has been providing innovative, value-added and sustainable packaging solutions to numerous Fortune 500 companies, spread across 150 countries worldwide.

A winner of various marquee global awards for its products’ excellence, innovation and sustainability, UFlex became the ‘first company in the world to recycle mix plastic waste’ earning it recognition at Davos Recycle Forum in 1995.   For more details, click on: www.uflexltd.com

Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating - specialists for cast film, sheet extrusion and extrusion coating lines - will showcase a completely new production process for cost-effective film/nonwoven composites with an exceptionally low grammage at ICE (International Converting Exhibition) Europe (Hall A5, Booth 1300). The leading international trade show for paper, film, and foil conversion and processing will be held at Messe München (Munich trade fair center) from March 15-17, 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic and current supply shortages have exposed the dependence of companies on global supply chains. This situation is both a warning signal and an opportunity to boost and reorganize the local production of semi-finished products from the ground up. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has now developed a trend-setting production process termed Ultrathin Coating, in particular for the sector of medical protective clothing. The process will permit customers to produce particularly lightweight film/nonwoven composites with greater cost efficiency and, as a result, more competitively. The patent-pending process has several advantages: It cuts film grammage by 66%; material consumption in the overall composite is reduced by 28%; and it slashes costs by up to 34% compared to conventional semi-finished products. Significant cost savings are achieved in various ways, for example, by replacing hotmelt adhesives, which reduces line maintenance to a great extent at the same time.

Mark Borutta, Sales & Marketing specialist at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: "We are currently experiencing a sustained increase in demand for medical protective clothing combined with a return strategy for local production capacity. Against this backdrop, producers achieve a fast return on investment and high profitability with Ultrathin Coating - even when production is based in Europe." What is so special about Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating’s solution is that its sister company, Reifenhäuser Reicofil, an experienced and global leading manufacturer of nonwoven lines, provided their invaluable support to the development

Even if manufacturers already produce medical protective clothing and prefer to handle the coating process internally in the future instead of importing the necessary composites, it is worthwhile to set up an in-house production facility. In either case, the investment in Ultrathin Coating usually pays for itself in less than 12 months. The lower material input also reduces the consumption of fossil raw materials and this in turn responds to the increased demand for more sustainable products

About the Reifenhäuser Group

The Reifenhäuser Group together with its highly specialized business units is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company is a global supplier of high-tech solutions. With its technologies and the know-how of its 1,750 employees, Reifenhäuser has the world's largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies. The CEO of the Group is Bernd Reifenhäuser

According to Swiss Recycling, the signatories of the ‘Closing cycles for plastic packaging and beverage cartons’ Pact

Wolfertschwenden, 11 March 2022 - With its compact and fully automatic T 305, MULTIVAC is launching a new traysealer, which is characterised by its high level of performance, pack quality and flexibility. The versatile all-rounder builds on the success of the proven T 300 traysealer, and it is designed for packing small and medium-sized batches in the food sector, as well as for quick product changes. The new model is suitable for use not only in the food industry, but also in supermarkets and large kitchens, such as for example at caterers, hospitals or educational facilities, and it will be shown to the public for the first time at Anuga FoodTec 2022 (Hall 8.1, Stand C010) and IFFA 2022 (Hall 11.1, Stand B11).

Wide range of possible uses

The new traysealer has been developed to produce attractive MAP and vacuum skin packs in small to medium-sized batches, and it can be used for the widest range of applications, whether ready meals, convenience foods and snacks, meat, sausage products, cheese, fish and seafood, fruit or vegetables. In terms of pack shape and materials, there are practically no limits to the T 305. Using a maximum format width of 420 x 300 mm, it can run a wide variety of trays made of paper fibre or board, plastic, aluminium or foamed materials, and a large range of upper webs can also be run. Sustainable packaging materials, such as mono films or MULTIVAC PaperBoard, can also be used on the traysealer.

Reliability, cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency

Thanks to the latest technology, this robust machine enables a high level of output to be achieved, while also providing the highest pack quality with gentle handling of the trays. The traysealer can be designed with up to four tracks for maximum output of small trays.

Thanks to its energy-efficient drive systems and a machine construction designed for durability, the new traysealer is built around sustainability. When the machine was being developed, special emphasis was also placed on ease of cleaning, user-friendliness, and above all safety: the T 305 is particularly simple to operate via its IPC03 machine control with touchscreen, and its entire loading area can be completely flushed through thanks to cleaning flaps. Necessary recipe and format changes can be performed in a very short time and with maximum process reliability.

In addition to this, operators do not come into contact with hot die sets during their hectic everyday work. And thanks to the DT 305 die changing trolley, format changes can be performed quickly, conveniently and safely. And last but not least, the new T 305 is already ideally prepared for use with the various MULTIVAC Smart Services - and this means for a digital future.

Trade fair exhibit: compact and highly flexible portioning line

At the trade fairs the T 305 can be viewed as part of a highly flexible portioning line for retail packs. A GMS 400 portioning machine cuts steaks and lays them in a shingled pattern on a transport conveyor. The trays are denested in parallel with this conveyor and placed onto a second transport conveyor. Both conveyors converge just before the T 305 traysealer, and the portions slide into the trays. This single-track product flow of filled trays is then diverged into two tracks by a diverger, since the traysealer is designed as two-track. The trays are packed under modified atmosphere in the packaging machine.

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 solutions upstream of the packaging process in the areas of portioning and processing, as well as bakery technology. Thanks to our 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 6,900 employees worldwide, with some 2,300 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 all installed MULTIVAC machines are utilised to their maximum. Further information can be found at: www.multivac.com.

The latest addition to the range is the new Cartaseal^® VWAF, which has been developed in line with the pri

Amelco Industries has optimised the packaging of its mattress innersprings with Mondi’s Advantage MF SpringPack Plus

With a distinctive craft aesthetic, allowing to expand and customise the collection in a more sustainable and cost-ef