World’s first continuous large-bed paper former outperforms competition
BEAVERTON, Michigan – BMG, the world’s leading provider of forming, tooling and automation solutions announces the QuadProTM paper former, which provides the highest production output and lowest scrap rate in the industry by using a patent-pending, continuous forming process. This innovative system is the product of cooperation among three BMG companies, Brown Machine, Freeman Tooling and NAS Nalle Automation Systems. These companies brought together state-of-the-art technologies and processes to create an innovative turnkey paper forming, tooling and automation solution that meets industry demand.
The QuadProTM consistently outperforms the market leader in paper forming. When compared to its competition, QuadProTM achieves up to 3.5 times as much product output, over 95% product yield, and under 5% product scrap. Moreover, it produces higher quality products with improved rigidity.
One significant feature of the QuadProTM is its ability to provide material scoring without cutting blanks while running printed or unprinted paper with automatic continuous decurling and splice detection, enabling easier operation. This means that no operator adjustments are needed, machine jams are drastically reduced, product quality is significantly improved, and machine operation is easier overall. 
The system’s automatic splice detection capability also allows it to bypass score and form stations, achieving a faster changeover and less scrap. Further, its servo-controlled score depth adjustment allows for easy on-screen adjustments stored in a recipe for recall, as well as on-the-fly adjustments that reduce downtime. This helps achieve consistent, ultraprecise score depth in increments of .0005 inches. 
Other benefits of the QuadProTM include its ability to, to cut and form in place, and its automated product extractions, stacking, counting and conveyance. In addition to running printed and unprinted paper, the system can also form plates, bowls, and trays, allowing for a diverse set of products to be produced.
Visit www.BMG-Solutions.com for more information.  
 
About BMG 
BMG in Beaverton, MI, is a global leader in thermoforming, tooling and automation with best-in-class quality and innovative product lines. It designs and manufactures a complete line of continuous thermoforming equipment, tooling, material handling and packaging automation, robotics, and related services including system upgrades, prototyping, process optimization, and technical support. Its equipment has been “Made in North America” for nearly 70 years, with systems operating in over 70 countries serving customers worldwide. Visit www.BMG-Solutions.com for more information.
 

Fully recyclable in existing HDPE streams, caps can be paired with company’s wide variety of sustainability-minded tube solutions for the personal care and beauty markets.
 

Oberdiessbach, Switzerland – Hoffmann Neopac, a global provider of high-quality packaging for pharma, beauty and oral care, has introduced a first-of-its-kind range of post-consumer recycled (PCR) caps suitable for a wide variety of the company’s tube solutions in the personal care and beauty markets. At its inception, the new series will include recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) screw caps from 19-40 millimeters in diameter, a flip-top cap 35mm in diameter, and an octagonal cap for sample tubes. Each is fully recyclable in existing HDPE streams. 

The new product launch represents the first wide-scale rHDPE cap series with such a high PCR percentage – approximately 70%. Combined with its various sustainability-minded tubes, the result is a capability to create packaging solutions comprised of up to 77% recycled material. 

Like many Neopac packaging options, including the company’s line of RECYCLED TUBE solutions, the new rHDPE caps are backed by a bevy of available designations and certifications. They pass muster for ratings of post-consumer content (PCR), post-industrial recycled (PIR), and International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC+), and can come with food-grade light statements from government entities like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).  

Also like several other Neopac solutions, the rHDPE caps help brand owners save on extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees in markets where they are imposed. The rHDPE caps are produced using 50% green electricity in Neopac’s Switzerland and Hungary manufacturing facilities. 

“As tube manufacturers have continued to make progress toward true circularity, caps have always presented a significant sustainability hurdle,” said Cornelia Schmid, Head of Marketing for Neopac. “Rooted in research and materials science, our new rHDPE caps, which contain 70% PCR material, represent a substantial step in the right direction, and we look forward to adding to the series in the coming months.”

The rHDPE are just the latest in Neopac’s ever-growing portfolio of EcoDesign packaging solutions. Earlier this year, the company introduced Eco-Stripped Tube, which combines a significantly reduced sleeve wall thickness with a comparable materials reduction in the shoulder and cap. The result is a 30% reduction in overall virgin materials without sacrificing product protection, haptics or aesthetics. The trimmed-down tubes substantially reduce carbon impact; in fact, four Eco-Stripped Tubes can be made with the amount of materials it takes to produce three conventional tubes of the same size. 

Other solutions in Neopac’s EcoDesign portfolio includes Polyfoil® MMB, whose mono-material barrier brings vastly improved recyclability; Sugarcane Tube, made from renewable raw materials; and PICEA™ wood tube, comprised of 95% renewable material in the tube body and shoulder – including 10% of spruce wood from wood waste in sawmills.
 

About Hoffmann Neopac
Hoffmann Neopac is a privately-owned company, headquartered in Thun, Switzerland. The group produces high-quality metal and plastic packaging in six locations: HOFFMANN tins in Thun and Holland; Polyfoil® and plastic tubes with NEOPAC in Switzerland, Hungary and the US; and 3D Neopac in India. Its longstanding customers include internationally active pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods manufacturers in the European, North American and Asian markets. 

Including its new production facility in the United States, Neopac employs around 1,250 employees and has a capacity of 1.3 billion tubes. The company is dedicated to sustainability in both its manufacturing processes with renewable electricity and corporate culture, including a dedicated eco-conscious packaging portfolio. For more information, visit www.neopac.com. 
 

The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) successfully launched the EtherCAT International Technology Week (ITW) world series, which took place in an online format from November 21 to 25, 2022. As a new highlight in ETG’s event calendar, the ITW world series will continue well into 2023.

With a full week of webinars dedicated on EtherCAT development topics, and ample time for questions beyond the webinar content, ETG’s top EtherCAT experts provided practical expertise in a wide range of topics. They addressed engineers and product managers starting out in EtherCAT development by showing a possible path for an EtherCAT SubDevice development from the very beginning to final testing and certification. Attendees also learned how to best navigate EtherCAT standards and the knowledge database. Since 2003, the ETG has developed an expansive library of documentation, and a new “Navigate EtherCAT Information” webinar helps maximize use of the EtherCAT standards and documentation ecosystem.

Other content covered how to use one of the most important EtherCAT development tools – The Conformance Test Tool (CTT) – from getting started to its more advanced features, including its remote calling interface for automated testing. There were also specific EtherCAT SubDevice design topics, drive and Safety over EtherCAT implementation content, and even EtherCAT MainDevice and configuration knowledge topics.

The ITW world series, a fully online event, is designed to make its content and questions forum available in different time zones and different languages. After the series started at the end of November in Europe, the U.S. follows in December, China in January 2023, Japan in February, and then South Korea in March. For China, Japan, and South Korea, translations into local languages with subtitles will be included.

The ITW format has its roots in EtherCAT development support events conducted online while inperson ETG Plug Fests were not possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of ETG’s technical experts Gregor Erzen, who is heavily involved in organizing the ITW webinars, explains: “The overwhelming interest in the first ITW in 2021 with more than 300 registrations from 200 companies has shown the value of such an event. And yes, we were lucky to host face-to-face Plug Fests again this year (Plug Fest Japan is also coming up at the end of November). We plan to continue the virtual ITW in addition to live Plug Fests in the future.” His ETG colleague, Florian Hammel is looking forward to the event series and adds: “When the event was first announced online, we received more than 100 registrations within one day. Attendees have showed their incredible interest in many webinars, which shows that the event has the right topical focus and format to best support developers in their everyday EtherCAT implementation efforts.”

The views of 5,000 consumers in Germany, Poland, France, Sweden and Turkey provide insights on macro trends in eCommerce packaging
The annual consumer trend survey by Mondi examines online shopping patterns and consumer attitudes to packaging
New insights on eCommerce behaviour by age reveal the impact of Generations Z and Millennials on the packaging industry

Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, shares its fourth annual consumer trend survey, which offers a deep dive into online shopping behaviour and consumers’ attitudes to packaging. The survey, conducted by RetailX, is the most in-depth study to date, with 1,000 consumers each in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and Turkey. For the first time it also includes an analysis of generational differences in online shopping patterns.

 
We want to be at the forefront of understanding what consumers want when they are shopping online, and what they expect from the packaging protecting their purchases. This research has revealed five macro trends shaping the growing eCommerce packaging market, providing useful insights as we partner with leading retailers to co-create the most sustainable packaging solutions for their needs.

Mondi Group eCommerce Director, Nedim Nisic

With three-quarters of customers in the five markets shopping online at least once a month and spending an average of €12 to €120 a month, knowing why they choose to shop online is important, as is understanding the eCommerce features they value the most. Fashion is the strongest product segment, followed by homeware, consumer electronics and beauty products. The survey confirms that across generations and countries, the top drivers for online shopping are lower prices and convenience, specifically saving time and direct delivery to homes.

The five key trends are outlined below.

 
Trend #1: Protection of goods and environmental considerations continue to be two of the strongest customer requirements

94% of consumers cite protection of goods as their most important factor, especially when it is a product of value. This is followed by ease of closing for returns, which has increased from 74% in 2019 to 88% this year. “As customers have seen the growing availability of easy-close packaging, so they have also realised how well it fits their needs, both in terms of the convenience of being able to easily reseal without hunting for the packing tape but also the sustainability aspect of reusing packaging,” says Nisic. Packaging being environmentally friendly (84%) and easy to dispose of (80%) were the next most important factors.

 
Trend #2: Overpackaging is costing more than expected

Oversized packaging annoys 86% of consumers, up from 79% in 2021, and excess internal packaging annoys 78% of customers. In fact, more than two-thirds (67%) of respondents across the five countries said that overpackaging would put customers off buying from the brand. “Overpackaging is not sustainable or cost-effective. The research now also shows that it can influence buying decisions, with customers choosing not to support retailers that get it wrong.” says Nisic.

Trend #3: The unboxing moment matters

Packaging is not just about functionality; it is about the total experience. This survey found that awareness of ‘unboxing’ is rising in many markets. In Poland, for example, in 2019, 32% of consumers had heard of ‘unboxing’, compared to 66% this year. In 2021, 46% of those surveyed said that a unique unboxing experience inspired by standout product packaging due to packaging would convince them to order from the same retailer again. This year, that has risen to 78%. “The concept of unboxing is more than just a customer unwrapping their order,” says Nisic. “It’s about using the opportunity to give customers a brand experience they will remember for all the right reasons.”

Trend #4: Consumers are increasingly willing to pay a small premium for packaging that meets their needs

Consumers say they are increasingly willing to pay around €1 extra for packaging that best suits their needs. Willingness to pay for best-fit packaging rose from 48% in Poland in 2021 to 81% this year and from 56% in 2021 in Germany to 70% in 2022. Overall in the five markets, 72% of consumers are willing to pay for packaging, with Generation Z (80%) and Millennials (74%) being the most likely to agree.

 
Trend #5: The behaviour and trends of Millennials are driving the market

These are customers who are shopping online with the greatest frequency and are the most likely to be buying online at least once a day (8%) and more than once a week (37%). They are also spending heavily across sectors. Their views are also some of the strongest, with Millennials the most likely to rate the various packaging characteristics as being crucial to them when compared to other generations. They are also the generation with the greatest willingness to pay extra for packaging that suits their needs.

Download the full report right here  https://www.mondigroup.com/eCom-whitepaper-shopping-behaviour  to gain further insights about consumer online shopping behaviour and their expectations of packaging.

About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and films, to developing and manufacturing sustainable consumer and industrial packaging solutions using paper where possible, plastic when useful. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate. In 2021, Mondi had revenues of €7.0 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.2 billion from continuing operations, and employed 21,000 people worldwide. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).

About Mondi Group eCommerce

Mondi Group offers a full portfolio of eCommerce packaging solutions and products that are fit for purpose, innovative and sustainable by design. We are setting new standards in the industry with our expertise in sustainable materials and product design. Driven by an agile and customer-centric mindset, our network of more than 100 in-house packaging designers develop award-winning eCommerce solutions together with our partners. Our focus is on decreasing total packaging costs, reducing waste, and meeting end-consumer needs through a combination of our sustainability expertise and full portfolio of multi-material solutions, including kraft and functional barrier paper, paper bags and corrugated solutions.

Investment made in plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Smurfit Kappa has completed significant investments in its manufacturing plants in Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Obaly Štúrovo in Slovakia respectively. The investments of more than €20 million announced last year further highlight Smurfit Kappa’s expansion and commitment to investing in its Central and Eastern European operations.  

The two plants received significant upgrades, installing state-of-the-art equipment to expand capacity and address the rise in customer demand for paper-based packaging solutions. The investment sees the installation of new converting equipment which will increase the capacity by over 100 million regular and offset printed boxes per annum. 

The investments strengthen Smurfit Kappa’s position in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and will enable the business to further target specific industries, most notably the FMCG and electro-technical sectors.

Both Tony Smurfit, Group CEO of Smurfit Kappa and Saverio Mayer, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Europe, recently attended the official unveiling of the upgraded plants during which customers were given a detailed walk-through of the enhanced capabilities and Smurfit Kappa’s deep-rooted sustainability credentials.

Commenting at the official unveiling of the two upgraded plants, Zdenek Suchitra, CEO of Smurfit Central & South-East Europe, said: “I am delighted to announce that both of our investments at the Olomouc (Czech Republic) and Obaly Štúrovo (Slovakia) plants have finished on time and within our original budget in a time when there is a scarcity of all kinds of materials. These investments, along with the investments we made in two additional sites in the Czech Republic, demonstrate our commitment to our customers and operations in Central and Eastern Europe.

“Through these investments, which have created state-of-the-art facilities for our plants, we are excellently positioned to satisfy our well-established customer base, whilst also venturing into the FMCG, eCommerce and electro-technical sectors. We are in a strong position to continue to deliver our high-quality sustainable solutions, as well as a best-in-class efficiency to the market and to be a better place to work for our people.”

Wolfertschwenden, 23 November 2022 – MULTIVAC Marking & In-spection has developed the DP 245, a new, highly innovative direct web printer for the X-line series of traysealers. The special feature: Although the high-performance model operates at a fixed working height, it automatically adjusts to possible differences in the height of finished packs. 
"With this new process and IP65 protection, we are taking direct web print-ing to a new level," says Michael Reffke, product manager for marking technology at MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection. Even trays with different product protrusions are marked safely, reliably, and precisely thanks to the new, sophisticated technology. The printing position on the pack can be easily and conveniently adjusted using handwheels, so that batch changes require only minimal downtime. 
The variable data, such as the best-before date or a batch number, is printed with the MULTIVAC TIJ 10 using the thermal inkjet process. Printing heights of up to 12.7 mm can be achieved with one printing head, and even printing heights of up to 25.4 mm can be achieved by using a second printing head. As the printer is fully integrated into the operating terminal of the traysealer, MULTIVAC customers benefit from significant advantages in terms of efficient and safe operation. To give just one example, the print layouts are stored in the recipe of the traysealer to ensure that the correct layout is always loaded. 
Low-maintenance thermal inkjet technology
However, the new development is not only impressive in terms of efficien-cy, reliability and precision, but also in terms of cost-effectiveness and print quality: "We deliberately opted for the thermal inkjet process in order to offer our customers real added value in the long term," Reffke confirms. This printing technology involves heating water in the ink. This causes tiny bubbles to form explosively, forcing the ink droplet out of the nozzle. Print resolutions of up to 600 dpi can be achieved, so that even the smallest characters, fonts or codes can be reproduced exactly.
Unlike continuous inkjet printers, thermal inkjet printers also use print car-tridges with integrated printing heads. The advantage: These are very easy and quick to change and, last but not least, also very low-maintenance. 
The new DP 245 is also available in an optional washdown version with IP65 protection, which allows wet cleaning of the traysealer including the direct web printer. 
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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 prod-uct range extends from standard labelling and printing solutions to label-lers 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 pack-aging 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.
 

It is easy to customize them according to business needs.

Beverages major Coca-Cola India has partnered with grocery delivery service, Zepto, for a ‘return and recycle’ initia

Move will save one billion plastic lids – enough to fill 35 Olympic swimming pools – from being sent to landfill ever

 Adam brings with him a wealth of experience in design management from the likes of Elanders, WestRock Company and Ch

Issoire (France), October 26th, 2022, 7:30 am CEST – BIOCORP (FR0012788065 – ALCOR / Eligible PEA-PME), a French company specialized in the design, development, and manufacturing of innovative medical devices, announces the signature of a partnership agreement with Novo Nordisk for the commercialization of Mallya, initially in Japan.

This new agreement is reinforcing the partnership between Novo Nordisk and BIOCORP focused on development of the Mallya product announced in September 2021. Whereas this first development agreement was covering brands in the insulin space only, an additional therapeutic area in which Novo Nordisk has a presence has been included earlier this year.

Mallya (a non-medical device in Japan) is a smart sensor that directly attaches to the Novo Nordisk FlexTouch® insulin pens. Mallya will enable patients with diabetes using FlexTouch® pens to automatically collect and record daily insulin injection data such as the number of insulin units, the date, and the time. Thanks to a mobile application linked to Mallya, patients will be able to track their injection history and follow their treatment in real-time. Mallya is compatible with all Novo Nordisk FlexTouch® insulin pens

Based on the agreement, Novo Nordisk will be commercializing Mallya in Japan from the first half of 2023.

“Earlier this year, we launched the first ever smart insulin pens* in Japan (NovoPen® 6 and NovoPen Echo® Plus). However, most of our patients today in Japan use insulin with FlexTouch®. As such, we are very pleased by working with BIOCORP, which manufactures and imports Mallya, to offer digital health to even more patients” said Kasper Bødker Mejlvang, President and Representative Director of Novo Nordisk Pharma, about the agreement.

* Smart insulin pen: a generic term for insulin pens which can automatically record insulin dosing data (time, quantity) and wirelessly transfer the data to mobile apps, etc. installed in user's smartphone1

“We are very proud of this commercial launch in Japan through our partner Novo Nordisk. Japan is among the leading countries in the use of diabetes management devices and monitoring devices. This is a natural and high potential market for Mallya. In addition to that launch, we’re glad to have our relationship with Novo Nordisk being reinforced on an additional therapeutic area” said Eric Dessertenne, CEO of BIOCORP.

1 David C. Klonoff, MD, Smart pens will improve insulin therapy, Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology 2018, Vol. 12(3) 551-553

ABOUT BIOCORP

Recognized for its expertise in the development and manufacture of medical devices and delivery systems, BIOCORP has today acquired a leading position in the connected medical device market thanks to Mallya. This smart sensor for insulin injection pens allows reliable monitoring of injected doses and thus offers better compliance in the treatment of patients with diabetes. Available for sale from 2020, Mallya spearheads

BIOCORP's product portfolio of innovative connected solutions. The company has 74 employees. BIOCORP is listed on Euronext since July 2015 (FR0012788065 – ALCOR). For more information, please visit www.biocorpsys.com.

New ProTecFlow® Dip Tube provides a lower environmental impact than conventional, virgin plastics solutions.

Wayne, PA – TekniPlex Consumer Products, a globally integrated company that provides innovative solutions through materials science and manufacturing technologies, has introduced a new PCR dip tube in European markets that can be made of up to 100% post-consumer recycled content depending on customer requirements. Ideal for use in industrial aerosol and household cleaning product applications, the ProTecFlow® dip tube offers a reduced environmental impact compared to dispensing tubing products made from virgin materials, while maintaining the same high-quality performance characteristics.

“Consumers are increasingly calling on brand owners to provide more eco-friendly products and packaging, “said Dirk De Mulder, sales director for the liners business in Europe and Asia. “Producing dip tubing with virgin materials is an energy-intensive process. A dip tube made of PCR reduces both natural resources usage and overall environmental impact. ProTecFlow is an example of our commitment to supporting a circular economy model.”

TekniPlex produces the new dip tube at its facilities in Belgium and Italy. The company sources the high-quality PCR resin in Europe from a local supplier, and plans to secure a local supplier in the U.S. to guarantee global availability of the PCR ProTecFlow® dip tube.

“We are working with local suppliers to reduce our environmental impact and shorten lead times for customers,” said De Mulder. “In addition, our local supplier provides consistent, high-quality resin from a large volume of available materials, allowing us to deliver on our promise of supply consistency and security.”

AlphaMAC’s fully electric equipment portfolio uses 50% less energy than most legacy machinery.

Leominster, Massachusetts – IMA DAIRY & FOOD USA – whose equipment solutions comprises the long-established brands Gasti, Hamba, Hassia, Fillshape, Corazza, Erca and Intecma – has assumed sales, marketing and service responsibilities for extrusion blow mold machinery supplier AlphaMAC. The Italy-based equipment provider specializes in solutions for the packaging of liquid products, and is also part of the IMA Group.

In North America, AlphaMAC equipment will meet an emerging need for modern, reliable equipment that is energy efficient. For example, currently one company has 80% of the US market share for extrusion blow molding (EBM) machines producing HDPE bottles for refrigerated and aseptic milk-based products. These machines are, on average, about 25 years old, and require energy consumption some 50% higher than AlphaMAC’s fully electric equipment, which do not operate via hydraulic fluid and therefore do not consume energy when idling.

In addition, the age of most EBM machines in the North American market means they lack remote assistance capabilities, leading to higher-than-necessary maintenance costs and a sizable workforce. With the support of   IMA Dairy & Food USA, AlphaMAC’s line will have the technology and personnel support to close these longstanding gaps.

AlphaMAC’s portfolio includes comprehensive, custom-engineered lines for plastic containers production, secondary packaging and quality assurance. Solutions include:

• Extrusion blow molding machines
• Extrusion blow molding molds
• Bottle design development and production optimization tools
• Total quality control systems for bottles
• Secondary packaging solutions robotics systems

“As the industry-wide push for more sustainable food & beverage packaging solutions continues, the North American liquid dairy sector is one where eco-conscious upgrades are overdue,” said Patrick Carroll, President of IMA Dairy & Food USA. “Adding AlphaMAC to the IMA Dairy & Food USA portfolio provides our customers with more sustainable options while significantly expanding our market share potential.”

AlphaMAC’s’s management and technical teams have over 30 years of experience in extrusion blow molding equipment and production lines design and manufacturing, with over 2,000 machines sold in 61 countries. AlphaMACc EBM machines are well regarded for efficiency and favorable total cost of ownership.

About IMA DAIRY & FOOD

IMA Dairy & Food USA serves the dairy and food industries with several brands of the IMA group (Corazza, Erca, Fillshape, Gasti, Hamba, Hassia and Intecma) and offers a portfolio covering nearly all areas of packaging machine application, including:

• Filling and sealing machines (FS) for preformed cups and bottles
• Forming, filling and sealing machines (FFS) for packaging products in the food, dairy, and beverage segments (filled up to the aseptic level)
• Filling systems for flexible stand-up pouches with and without spout for dairy, food, beverage and personal care sectors
• Wrapping machines for packaging butter, fresh cheese, soup cubes, yeast, margarine, etc.
• Aseptic vertical and horizontal form, fill and seal machines for stick packs / pouches (with corresponding dosing systems)

FFS machines for packaging single portions of coffee, honey, jam, sauces, etc.

B&R is enhancing its smart camera portfolio with powerful deep learning functionality. A three-way collaboration with machine vision software specialist MVTec and AI processor specialist Hailo makes the B&R camera a powerful and efficient edge device. At the SPS trade show in Nuremberg, the companies celebrated the first function to come from their joint project.

Machine vision algorithms based on deep learning are opening up exciting new ways to improve quality, boost productivity and prevent waste while making manufacturing more flexible. "Our collaboration with MVTec gives machine builders access to the best selection of the best performing vision functions around," says B&R's machine vision expert, Andreas Waldl. "They're an industry leader in both deep learning and classic rule-based algorithms – two complemental approaches that each play an essential role in machine automation."

Speed reader

The first product to emerge from the project is a deep-learning-based optical character recognition (OCR) function. Called Deep OCR, it achieves remarkably fast read rates, even on fonts that are otherwise difficult to recognize. "For many years, we have been working together with B&R to develop machine vision solutions for customers that set technological standards, especially for embedded systems," says Thomas Hopfner, product manager for licensing and interfaces at MVTec. "This goal is also being followed by our latest cooperation. As a result, customers benefit from the advantages of the deep learning technology Deep OCR without having to sacrifice performance."

TOPS-per-watt winner

High-performance deep learning algorithms require a powerful processor. Yet, implementation as an edge device also made power consumption a critical issue. Today's machine builders need not just computing speed but also power efficiency, and that is where Hailo comes in: in addition to world class performance of 26 tera-operations per second (TOPS), the company's inference accelerators also require remarkably low power consumption. "Hailo helps us put truly groundbreaking speed and intelligence right where our customers need it for their fastest and most adaptive manufacturing solutions," says Waldl.

"This kind of collaboration is exactly what we had in mind when we started Hailo," says Hailo CEO Orr Danon. "The new B&R camera harnesses Hailo's top-performing AI accelerator, and in combination with their state-of-the-art edge devices and MVTec's advanced machine learning algorithms, we are setting new performance standards that will improve productivity and enhance quality in industrial applications."

About MVTec

MVTec is a leading manufacturer of standard software for machine vision. MVTec products are used in all demanding areas of imaging: semiconductor industry, surface inspection, automatic optical inspection systems, quality control, metrology, as well as medicine and surveillance. By providing modern technologies such as 3D vision, deep learning, and embedded vision, software by MVTec also enables new automation solutions for the Industrial Internet of Things aka Industry 4.0. With locations in Germany, the USA, and China, as well as an established network of international distributors, MVTec is represented in more than 35 countries worldwide.

About Hailo
Hailo, an AI-focused, Israel-based chipmaker, has developed a specialized AI processor that delivers the performance of a data center-class computer to edge devices. Hailo’s processor is the product of a rethinking of traditional computer architecture, enabling smart devices to perform sophisticated deep learning tasks such as object detection and segmen-tation in real-time, with minimal power consumption, size, and cost. The processor is designed to fit into a multitude of smart machines and devices, impacting a variety of sectors including security, automotive, Industry 4.0, and retail. For more information visit https://hailo.ai/ 

About B&R

B&R 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.
For more information, visit www.br-automation.com
 

Integreon Global, a family of companies that ensures product integrity and protection through innovative materials, testing services, packaging and monitoring solutions, and contract manufacturing, announced today that Michael Hays has been named President, replacing Maurice Barakat, effective December 5, 2022.  Mr. Barakat will assume the role of Executive Chairman and CEO. 

Mr. Hays’ new position is the culmination of several decades of leadership in the expandable polystyrene (EPS) industry, most recently as Vice President of Altor Solutions.  His career path included management roles in business development, finance, and overall enterprise strategy and board level involvement. 

As a long-term employee and eventual Division General Manager, he was integral in the growth of his original company, Premier Industries, which was later consolidated with Foam Fabricators and eventually transformed into Altor Solutions.  Through each of these strategic phases, Mr. Hays’ expertise contributed to his teams winning numerous industry awards for clients in the technology, automotive, appliance, construction, and health care sectors.  These accolades culminated with Michael receiving the EPS industry’s prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2022.

“Michael is a people-first leader who comes to Integreon Global with a strong track record of expansion, coupled with a reputation for building a world-class packaging manufacturing group.  Michael’s extensive management experience will help our business units accelerate their continuing development as a trusted partner of global manufacturers,” said Maurice Barakat.

“I am proud and honored to become a part of the highly successful Integreon Global family,” said Michael Hays. “This is a wonderful opportunity to both lead and to provide outstanding service to our clients. Integreon has a strong, growing, and diversified suite of business units whose purpose is to protect people and products. The company’s unique blend of skilled experts, advanced materials, and innovative technologies across the entire enterprise positions us perfectly to rise to the challenges of a global marketplace.”

The Integreon group of companies designs and manufactures polymeric foam beads, thermal packaging and monitoring solutions, and provides testing, contract development and manufacturing services.  Integreon operates in four end markets: Pharmaceuticals, life sciences, perishable foods, and foam processors. Each of Integreon’s companies offers custom-engineered solutions and testing services critical to the end-to-end protection and efficient manufacturing of customers’ products.

For more information, visit www.integreonglobal.com.

The Company is a part of the 7th India Water Week 2022 and pledges its support to the Jal Shakti Ministry’s efforts to ensure water security

•    Forged upto 50 PPPs with several State Governments and NABARD for integrated water stewardship programme
•    Three-Fold Approach involving community participation to enable equitable access to water consisting of supply augmentation through integrated watershed development, Demand Side interventions for agricultural water use efficiency as well as Internal Operations 
•    Executed watershed development projects covered over 13 lakh acres in 40 districts across 16 states benefitting nearly 3,90,000 people
•    Maximised water efficiency in its Units 
•    ITC has been water positive for 20 years in a row
New Delhi, 03 November 2022: ITC Limited, one of India’s leading multi-business conglomerates, has forged as many as 50 Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) with the Government and other institutions as part of its integrated and holistic initiatives to achieve water security and rural empowerment across India. ITC’s 360-degree water stewardship programme is in alignment with the Government’s key water initiatives including ‘Jal Shakti Abhiiyan’. ‘Atal Bhujal Yojana’ and ‘More Crop Per Drop’. Driven by the Sustainability 2.0 goals articulated by Chairman, Mr Sanjiv Puri, ITC is scaling up its interventions in replenishing water resources and water usage efficiency. It has also embarked on a programme to achieve water positive status at river basin level with focus on 4 basins across the country. The Ghod river basin has already turned water positive last year.
The Company has also partnered the Government in creating large-scale awareness on the need for equitable water management by participating in the ongoing India Water Week 2022. In recognition of its efforts in ensuring water security for all stakeholders, ITC also received the 1st prize in the ‘Best Industry for CSR Activities’ category at the third National Water Awards by Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India in 2021-22.
Over 54% of India is water stressed. Agriculture which forms the lifeline of the Indian economy is vulnerable to the threat of climate change. Recognising the critical need to address this challenge, ITC has taken a three-fold approach to drive water security for its stakeholders and contribute to achieving the national goal of securing a sustainable water future for India. The 3-pronged approach that cognises the varied climatic zones and rain patterns in the country involves 1) a large-scale community based integrated watershed development initiative covering catchment treatment, water harvesting structures development, and groundwater recharge spread over 13 lakh acres  in 16 states with over 25,000 water harvesting structures built and another 1.33 lakh acres acres under biodiversity conservation, 2) a unique demand side water management programme that focuses on improving water use efficiency of agriculture with the demonstrated achievement of water savings in the range of 20-45% across select crops and a total savings potential of 496 million cubic metres during 2021-22  3) maximizing water efficiency across all its operations. 
Owing to its 360-degree water stewardship initiatives, ITC has earned the distinction of being the only global company of comparable dimensions to be water positive for over two decades. ITCs Paperboards & Specialty Papers unit at Kovai is only the second facility in the world and the first in India to be awarded the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)’s Platinum level certification – the highest recognition for water stewardship in the world. Going forward, the Company aspires to create rainwater harvesting potential equivalent to over 5 times the net water consumption by 2030 as a part of its S 2.0 targets.  ITC is in the process of implementing the AWS Standards at its units in high water stress areas and will progressively obtain AWS certification for these sites in by 2035. 
Providing equal focus on achieving water efficiency within the fence, all ITC units are mandated to implement action plans to work towards reducing net water consumption, maximising rainwater harvesting and achieving zero effluent discharge through technology upgradation, advanced processes, stringent audits and international benchmarking.
Commenting on the Company’s integrated water stewardship programmes, Mr S Sivakumar, Group Head, Sustainability, Agri and IT Business, ITC Ltd said “Inspired by our credo of “Nation First, Sab Saath Badhein”, ITC is committed to partnering with the Government in its journey to secure a sustainable and equitable water future for all. Having implemented a 360-degree water stewardship initiative with the help of community participation for over two decades, we have now embarked on a bolder water mission under our Sustainability 2.0 agenda that envisages scaling up our interventions manifold and setting ambitious targets both inside and outside the fence, whilst supporting large-scale sustainable livelihoods. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Government for organising the India Water Week 2022, which will go a long way in creating larger awareness and engendering action on the critical need for water sustainability.” 
Details of ITC’s sustained interventions to ensure water security for all stakeholders:
Supply Augmentation- Watershed Development Interventions
ITC’s Watershed Development Interventions has resulted in upto 40% improvement in Groundwater Table project areas. ITC supports small and marginal farmers to form Water User Groups (WUGs) in which women also participate actively, thereby ensuring community - based participatory ownership and management of local water resources. Leveraging schemes like MNREGA, over 25,000 water harvesting structures has been built including 3,000 well recharge units, thus creating over 45.2 MCUM water storage capacity.  ITC has synergised traditional knowledge and methods of water conservation with modern techniques. Specific interventions in select project areas have focused on reviving local traditional water harvesting systems like Ahar- Pyne and Community Tanks. Farmer friendly technologies are piloted and promoted to intensify our efforts. One such technology is Talya tray – an Israeli Technology to capture rainfall efficiently, which has also shown upto to 48% higher yields. 
River Basin Regeneration
As part of its water stewardship program, the company is also focusing on creating water positive status in river basin areas through sustained and holistic interventions and has achieved water positive status in the Ghod River Basin in a span of 5 years.  Work is now underway in 3 other basins - Upper Bhawani River (sub-basin), Mureru River and Kolans River.
Demand Management - Improving Agricultural Water Use Efficiency
ITC has made strides in the demand-side of water management with a coverage of 728,000 acres across 11 states. The initiative has led to large water savings across crops in the range of 20-45% with a total savings potential of 496 million cubic metres during 2021-22. To achieve large-scale outcomes, ITC promoted crop-specific precision agronomic practices and micro-irrigation leading to reduction in water consumption. The programme involved slew of multi-dimensional initiatives that includes establishing Demonstration Plots, Farmer Field Schools and technical partnerships with reputed institutes including TNAU, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, IWMI, WWF, among others. The Company’s Climate Smart Agriculture programme, which has water management as a key element, today covers over 15 lakh acres, benefitting over 4.5 lakh farmers.
Water Efficiency achievements and Goals in ITC Operations
ITC has been a pioneer in water management in its own operations. ITC’s Paperboards and Specialty Papers unit in Kovai was the 2nd facility in the world and first in India to be awarded the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Platinum level certification in FY 2019-20 – the highest recognition for water stewardship in the world. The company has now set a goal to achieve 40% reduction in specific water consumption by 2030 as compared to the FY 2018-19 baseline. Another goal is to certify of all sites in high water stressed areas as per the international water stewardship standard by AWS by 2035
 

TekniPlex Consumer Products, a globally integrated provider of innovative solutions through materials science and manufacturing technologies, has acquired Empaques Moldeados de America Tecnologias  S. de R.L. de C.V. (EMATEC), a Mexico-based manufacturer of molded fiber packaging solutions for eggs, produce, food service, and other fresh food items. Ematec’s portfolio of sustainable molded cellulose pulp packaging solutions further strengthens TekniPlex’s leading position as a materials-diverse solutions provider in the fresh foods industry.   

Molded fiber is a renewable bio-based material derived from 100% natural, typically-recycled paper and cardboard fibers, making it highly attractive to brands seeking to expand their bio-based packaging offerings. Ematec also offers a line of post-consumer recycled PET plastic containers such as egg cartons, clamshells, and others.

Following the acquisitions of Keyes and Fibro, acquiring Ematec adds to TekniPlex’s substantial fiber-based solutions portfolio, and leverages its materials science insights and customer relationships. Overall, TekniPlex Consumer Products is becoming increasingly materials diverse, providing fresh foods companies with a broad range of packing and packaging solutions to help stand out in the perimeter of supermarkets.

“Ematec bolsters our commitment to leadership in the fresh foods and foodservice categories, reinforcing our strategy to focus on helping our customers win in the perimeter of the store,” said Eldon Schaffer, CEO of TekniPlex Consumer Products. “Ematec has a solid reputation for developing and commercializing packaging solutions for the segments it serves, and we’re proud to create a powerful fiber solution leveraging the combined strengths of Keyes, Fibro, Ematec, and TekniPlex.”

Ematec’s six facilities and 530 employees in Mexico strengthen TekniPlex’s footprint in the Americas, adding to its existing locations in Mexico, North America, and Colombia, and providing additional manufacturing capacity and diversification capabilities to better serve its customer’s needs.

The acquisition is the latest in a series of strategic moves by TekniPlex in the consumer goods space, especially in fresh food and foodservice solutions. It aims to boost the company’s growth based on its “Sustainability And” approach, combining sustainability-minded materials science solutions with its customers’ business needs such as product performance, supply assurance, competitiveness, and more. Ematec has been in business for over half a century, and has deep roots in the Americas.

About TekniPlex Consumer Products

TekniPlex Consumer Products specializes in advanced materials science solutions for companies in the food & beverage and CPG industries with a focus on protecting products, strengthening brands, and innovating sustainably. TekniPlex Consumer Products serves companies around the world in sectors including beauty and personal care, household items, and food and beverage.

With an expanding selection of material-diverse solutions – bolstered in recent years, by a series of strategic acquisitions – TekniPlex Consumer Products is leading the way creating next-generation packaging designs that address real-world challenges in the markets it serves. Most notably, the company is focused on developing more sustainable solutions that continue to provide product safety and consumer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.tekni-plex.com/consumer

With domestic demand steadily increasing, as well as a growing manufacturing sector, rising demand for better-quality packaging from organized retail outlets, and an upstream market for paper products like tissue paper, filter paper, tea bags, and lightweight online coated paper, this industry is expected to keep growing in India. The value of the print industry in India is expected to go up to almost $410 billion by fiscal year 2024. The Indian packaging market is expected to reach values of around $204.81 billion by 2025, driven by the rising consumer demand for resource-efficient and eco-friendly products across various industries such as food & beverages (F&B), pharmaceuticals & healthcare products (PHC), etc., all of which are currently witnessing tremendous growth across both developed and developing economies including India."

Exports have increased by nearly 80% over the previous year, reaching a total of Rs. 13,963 crore (US$ 1.79 billion) in the financial year 21-22.

With this growth comes a new focus on both domestic and global demand with substantial investments shifting towards more eco-friendly products and technology.

Growth being the objective at its core and new market and opportunities at the forefront, the industry was actively exploring for a unified business platform with unlimited opportunities for paper & allied industries to have face to face interaction, skilled worked force, develop new business opportunities, international growth. Considering all these factors in mind, HYVE India have created the said platform by planning a business event together as PaperexSouth India 23rd -25th November 2022 at Chennai, India.

Paperex South India 2022 will be the place to be for paper industry executives and professionals.

Paperex South India aims to bring together the expert group of exhibitors, industry professionals & targeted visitors base to tap into the booming paper and pulp industry in South India.

Paperex South India event has become trusted platform for business transaction. The event is attended by large gathering of paper manufacturers to explore the new technology, machinery & equipment and raw material for paper & board manufacturing. also, the mass audience of paper traders, printers, publisher, converter and paper packaging companies to explore the vast variety of papers at the show.

Paperex South India 2022 will also have an exclusive Paper Mills CEO/MD Conclave, which aims to provide a platform for key industry stakeholders. It will also be an opportunity for participants to meet exhibitors, discuss business opportunities and network with each other at an exclusive pavilion called Special Paper Manufacturers Networking Pavilion.

The exhibition will have 175 Leading exhibitors from 7 countries including China, India, Nigeria, Sweden, Ukraine

Along with  a technical conference on “Indian Paper Industry - Post Pandemic Growth Prospects” by “Indian Agro & Recycled Paper Mills Association”, and Open Seminar on “Paper, Corrugated Packaging & Printing: Rapid Industrialization & Sustainable Development”.

2000 + trade visitors have already registered from 21 countries including; Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Russian Federation, SriLanka, UAE, USA, Uzbekistan

"Our increased decoration capability allows us to bring in-house a service that was previously outsourced.

"Our increased decoration capability allows us to bring in-house a service that was previously outsourced.