The total packaging, processing & supply chain event, held from 25-28 July 2018 at PragatiMaidan, New Delhi, recorded huge success with over 400 exhibiting companies and a footfall of more than 20,000 visitors.

The prevalent sign of flourishing industry was seen at PackPlus this year. The exhibition featuring came up as the perfect platform for showcasing the new and the latest technology. Keeping exhibitors busy from the first to the last hour of the event, the Show witnessed a huge flow of visitors from all parts of country.

The exhibition that has over the years evolved to cover the segments of end user packaging, supply chain, flexible & carton packaging and finished packaging products was spread across ten halls of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and saw a growth in all the sections.

New in the League

Several new companies had joined the PackPlus exhibitor list this year, and the results had surpassed their expectations. “We have participated in PackPlus for the first time and it has worked well for us. We have networked with more than 150 quality visitors already and many of these are soon to be converted into clients,” said Vaishali Sharma from DNV Industrial Systems (P) Ltd.

“The best part of the Show is the large gamut of LIVE running machines, which becomes a huge attraction for business visitors. We received a very good response,” stated Rakesh Jain from Maa Shakti Corporation.

All About Business

PackPlus reported a series of business deals and sales, especially on the second and the third day of the exhibition. To name a few, Vardhman Enterprises sold its fully-automatic high speed paper cup machine to Delhi based Ginny International; Ample Graphics sold its multi function automatic box making machine toBahadurgarh based Azure Press; Accuweb Enterprises received order for its narrow web slitting machine as well as the inspection machine andVijaya Grafiks sold carton folder gluer for lock bottom cartons to a Jaipur based company.

Visitors’ Comments

“We are into food processing and have visited the event basically to find pickle filling lines. We met several companies and got a chance to see and compareseveral machines here. So, yes, it has been a fruitful experience for us,” said Sunil Kumar, Amrapali Biotech India, Bihar. “We deal in PP printed bags and rolls. We are glad we decided to visit the exhibition as it is a wonderful show. We have already placed orders of bags with a company in the PackSol segment of the event,” said Ashok Kumar Garg, Salasar Poly Bags, Bhilwara.

Conclave, this year!

The International Packaging Conclave 2018 was held concurrently on 27 Julyat the Business Lounge ofPragatiMaidan. The event delved deep into the implications of the new regulations on food packaging and featured panel discussions & case studies by brand owner company experts.

The Conclave was attended by more than 225 brand owners, convertors, raw material suppliers, packaging technologists and consultants. "The conclave has been very helpful in sharing as well as understadning how food safety is a part of packaging. We explored how coming together with other stake holders safe packaging can be achieved and what are the challenges and opportunities before us," said Mr. Barun Banerjee, Corporate Packaging Manager, Nestle India

Organisers Speak

“We are elated with the huge response PackPlus has received this year. It has been a win-win situation for everyone. We are glad that the industry is growing and opening doors to new technology, assigning PackPlus an important role of providing a presentation platform to these innovations. Several exhibitors have already booked their stalls for the next edition and we target to break these record again next year,” said NeetuArora, Director, Next Events (P) Ltd., the organisers of the Show.

PackPlus 2019 is slated to be held from 28-31 August at PragatiMaidan, New Delhi.

Bangkok, Thailand 6th and 7th December – Platinum Global Solutions is going to conclude its 5th Global Brand Protection Innovation Programme after the successful delivery of 4 Brand Protection events in different regions across the world. 

Platinum Global Solutions’ Practice has been promoting business development practices across all the top Brand Owner Companies through a healthy benchmarking and incisive feedback from all the top leading Brands coming from all across the world. Multiple thought provoking strategies ranging from the future of Brand Protection, Initiatives to manage cyber threats, Evolution of IP and discussion of various Trademark portfolio strategies will be tracked under the symphony of Brand Protection and Intellectual Property with the help of this Platform.

At 5th GBPIP – Asia, top brand owner companies will be gathered under one roof to share their knowledge and experiences from their sustainability journey. Best practices from companies across industries were shared along with strategic keynote presentations by industry thought leaders from the field of Brand Protection, Cyber Security, Intellectual Property, Trademark infringements and Legal concerns. The Future of Brand Protection and Intellectual Property, New Technology implementations and its future outcomes will be stressed upon at the Summit. The key takeaway from the Summit will inculcate the concept of long-term thinking, involving risk management and mitigation, Assessment of Product Security, broader visions of Product Counterfeit risks and Supply Chain vulnerability in the mindsets of Brand Owner companies. 

Companies will be given opportunities to develop their business via presentations, giving their product demos at the exhibition spaces provided to them. The biggest highlight of the event will be the pre-scheduled ONE to ONE partnering meetings with the decision makers of their choice.

The highest scoring companies were recognized to be the part of GBPIP Asia during the two days dedication to Brand Protection customs and forecasts.

Showcasing this concept some presentations are to be presented by:

• Shreedhar Parundekar from Pidilite Industries Limited
• Desarack Teso from Microsoft 
• Ben Chen from HP
•  Patrik Jonasson from GS1 
• Peeraphan Piyatamrongrat from Traveloka 
• Zameer Nathani from Raymond Limited 
• Hainan Xie from LeEco US 
• Maprang Sombatthai from LINE Corp 
• Pumin Yuvacharuskul from eatigo 
• Ken Sawant from Future Channels Thailand Ltd. 

These Industry experts will strive to provide the plenty of opportunities and a knowledge based research to meet the symphony of Brand Protection and Intellectual Property and Legal matters.

Platinum Global Solutions strongly emphasizes a concise and structured framework that needs to be adopted by organizations in order to excel in their sustainability initiatives.

Germany, Frankfurt (October 1st-2nd Oct,2018)-Packaging Innovation and differentiation continue to be the driving forces behind new product introductions. Emerging technologies, sustainable and pharmaceutical packaging will be the focal points of 7th Packaging Innovation Programme,2018.
7th PIP is dedicated to bring leading-edge technology and market information to packaging supply chain participants in the following industries like Food and Beverages, FMCG’s, agricultural chemicals, toiletries and cosmetics, health and beauty aids, pharmaceuticals. The conference is designed to provide the latest information for those in the packaging supply chain. Attendees range from retailers and brand owners to technology providers, equipment manufacturers and converters. Providing a forum which helps facilitate dialogue between supply chain participants is an important element in meeting packaging objectives.
This ground breaking two-day Summit will aim to promote dialogue and solutions for strengthening packaging industry.  Event featured remarks from high-level keynote speakers, and networking sessions. The biggest highlight of the event will be pre-scheduled ONE to ONE partnering meetings with the decision makers of your own choice.
Summit attendees will also hear remarks from our eminent keynote speakers including:

1. Hans Van Bochove, Vice-President Public Affairs and Government Relations, Coca Cola
2. Patrick Pagliarani, Global Packaging Quality Assurance Manager, Danone
3. Clemens Gunther, Marketing Manager Europe(IND), Merck
4. Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Director Sustainability, Carlsberg
5. Carlos de la Cruz Garcia, Head of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs
6. Jürgen Dornheim, R&D Packaging Innovation and Sustainability, P&G
7. Inaki Remiro, Global Packaging & Design, Almirall
8. Ricardo Villalvazo, Skincare Packaging Category Manager, Oriflame
9. Eric Kaddarri, Packaging Team Leader, McBride
10. Monica De Bardi, Packaging Development Engineer, Roche

7th PIP has been recognized as the most ideal event for local makers in industrial sectors to network with industry professionals, source new technologies and products, and build business partnerships, thus effectively spawning the overall growth of the printing and packaging industry. All exhibitors will surely wind up their participation in the event with fruitful results.
Register Now: marketing@pgsolx.com

CHICAGO – June 28, 2018 – Videojet Technologies, a leading global supplier of coding and marking systems and supplies, has launched iQMark™ - a modern supplies brand developed to enable its customers to meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, at the same time remaining compliant with ever more stringent governmental and industry regulations worldwide.

With more and more countries developing regulations based on GHS and REACH, and certain industries developing their own standards that are often more stringent, CSR goals and regulatory compliance can find themselves in conflict where supplies are concerned. Corporations and brand owners want to be viewed in a positive light by their consumers, so there has been a redefinition in the bottom line to include their contributions to social responsibility. Companies are expected to “give back” to their employees, the communities in which they work, and the world at large and corporations are in turn pushing their suppliers to help them meet these goals.

As a result, Videojet has launched iQMark™, a supplies brand that helps customers to identify products such as inks and fluids that best align with their own CSR goals while remaining compliant with governmental and industry standards. The range is comprehensive, with some 30 inks already designated with the iQMark™, and Videojet ink development experts are consistently adding to that number through enhanced research and product development initiatives.

Sherry Washburn, Business Unit Manager, Supplies, at Videojet Technologies, said: “The proliferation of requirements our customers have to consider continues to grow exponentially, and we see it as our responsibility as a supplier to support them as closely as possible where CSR and compliance are concerned. iQMark™ will simplify the way supplies are ordered in terms of how they fit in with individual CSR goals and we are committed to working closely in partnership with our customers to make the process as seamless as possible.

“For example, our iQMark™ V463 ink was formulated to meet the strict Japan ISHL Class 2 Organic Solvent list and compliance with the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) Exclusion List, while our V930, a low VOC (volatile organic compound) cleaning solution, was developed specifically to meet the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) regulation requiring low VOC cleaners to improve air quality. Ink safety data sheets and specification sheets are also available to identify which industry standards and certifications specific inks meet – all of which are in the public domain – and our experts are always available to give professional advice at any point in the process.”

Over a quarter of new Videojet supplies development in recent years has had corporateresponsibility alignment as a component of the product wins and the team is constantly monitoring to ensure products meet stringent requirements throughout their lifecycle. The launch of the iQMark™ brand will further enable the company to communicate with its customers by using common terminology, helping them to identify those supplies that meet the most commonly asked for objectives.

Regulations are necessary to identify and agree upon standards to make the world a safer place, and therefore compliance in all areas is at the very top of Videojet’s agenda. The challenge has been to balance these requirements with the CSR goals of its customers and iQMark™ is the culmination of the company’s considerable efforts in this area.

Flexible packaging is a dynamic and constantly evolving market, and worldwide, the way in which consumers view and interact with packaged products is changing. With a growing focus on convenience, value and sustainability, traditional packs continue to be substituted for innovative and flexible options designed to meet emerging consumer needs.

Vienna will play host to the 11th edition of AMI’s Multilayer Flexible Packaging conference, taking place from 19-21 November 2018 at the Austria Trend Savoyen hotel in Vienna. The conference will explore technical and commercial challenges and opportunities relating to flexible packaging films, raw materials, production techniques and applications over a busy 2-day programme.

The conference will open with AMI Consulting sharing the latest market trends in flexible packaging and will be followed by Amcor explaining how to navigate through an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Reducing environmental impact whilst retaining product quality and safety is a key industry focus. Innovation in areas including film extrusion, resins, additives and adhesives are enabling optimisation of resources and widening end of life options for multilayer films. Presentations from across the supply chain including retail giant Tesco, leading converter Huhtamaki Flexibles Germany, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA) will demonstrate how they are innovating to support sustainability initiatives.

The conference will also examine fresh, chilled and dairy food applications which are utilising innovative multilayer materials and structures for enhanced product protection, barrier and consumer usability. Leading dairy producer Dairy Crest will address their challenges and opportunities, meanwhile Coveris Flexibles Deutschland, Dow Europe, Bostik and Arkema will share best practices and new innovations for these demanding products.

Packaging design and graphics also play a key part in attracting consumers, and allowing brand owners to communicate and engage directly at the point of sale. New developments in this area will be explored by companies including Toyo Inks and Athena Graphics.

Innovation demands in flexible packaging play out against a backdrop of production optimisation and efficiency which will be discussed in detail by Reifenh䵳er Blown Film and Mitsui Chemicals Europe.

Multilayer Flexible Packaging 2018 will bring together companies from raw materials to retailers, offering a dynamic forum to understand key packaging issues, gaps and needs and see how the flexible packaging industry is innovating to solve them.

The winner of the international packaging design competition Better with Less – Design Challenge has been chosen. Exceptionally high-quality entries were submitted, and the winning design ‘Stretching Inner Part’ by Iiro Numminen, was considered by the judges to be extremely appealing, versatile, scalable and easy to implement.

The Better with Less – Design Challenge, organised by Metsä Board, aimed to find new environmentally-friendly and functional packaging solutions for some of the world’s most frequently used and fastest growing types of consumer packages. Launched in November 2017, the competition inspired designers around the world – altogether 302 design concepts were entered from 38 different countries. The international competition jury included renowned packaging design experts from various fields – related to packaging, design, brand strategy and innovation.

The winning design “Stretching Inner Part” was submitted into the e-commerce category. It is a corrugated box inner part that allows variable sized products to be packed without the need for bubble wrap. This versatile product could be used to pack various types of items and it ensures that the product stays attached to the package during transportation. Numminen will receive the main prize of 10,000 euros for his design.

“The winning design successfully eliminates the need for plastic thermoformed inserts of bubble wrap. The balance between the rigidity of the board and the strength required to support the product weight is well-thought through. This design is extremely appealing, versatile, scalable and adaptable for wide number of uses,” states the chairperson of the competition jury, Cyril Drouet, Design & Innovation Director of Metsä Board.

The 1st honorary mention went to the ‘Plastic banning toilet roll’ by Jeroen Caelen. His work was submitted to the ‘wild-card’ category. This new type of toilet paper packaging consists of a hexagonal tube designed from paperboard which also functions as a toilet paper roll holder. It appealed to both the judges and the wider audience as it was also the public’s favourite design.

The 2nd honorary mention was awarded to ‘The Moisture face creme cosmetic package’ designed by Abdullah Cam. The re-usable paperboard package is combined with a changeable plastic inner part. This solution makes plastic or foil coating unnecessary and recycling the package easier.

Pawel Krawczugo took home the 3rd honorary mention with his design ‘TWIST’, an inconspicuous but functional packaging design intended for the cosmetics industry and other industries. Both the 2nd and 3rd honorary awarded entries were submitted into the cosmetics category.

Metsä Board also offered an additional prize of an internship for one student with its packaging services team in Shanghai. ‘The Playing nature’, a snack packaging design that transforms into small puppets for children to play with, by Alessandro Grossi won the judges over in the student category.

“The honorary mentions and winner of the student category represent functional and fresh package designs with sustainability and consumer experience being at their core. Consumers are looking for brands and packaging that engage them, entertain and most of all connect them with good storytelling. Packages that are designed with sustainable materials and use materials smartly have a great story to tell and help enhance the consumer experience,” Drouet explains.

NEENAH, Wisconsin, June 1, 2018 - Bemis Company, Inc. was recently named one of Forbes 2018 Best Large Employers in America. Bemis ranked among the top 20 engineering and manufacturing companies featured on the list.

President and CEO Bill Austen credits the organization’s employees for the award. “Each and every one of our employees contribute to the success of our great company. This honor from Forbes is an indication of the strong sense of loyalty, dedication and pride our people have in Bemis and our customers, and I thank them,” Austen said.

Each year, Forbes partners with Statista, an online market research company, to anonymously survey U.S. employees regarding whether they would recommend their company to family and friends, as well as their opinion about other companies in their industry. The survey covers a variety of topics including working conditions, salary, potential for development and company image.

This year, Bemis celebrates 160 years in business. The organization’s core values of innovation, accountability, respect and ethics play a meaningful role in the success of its people and business. With a culture built on these elements, along with a focus on creating value and enabling customer success, Bemis is well-positioned for the future.

Platinum Global Solutions brought stalwarts from top brand owners from all industries to discuss and learn how to expand and enhance their legal and brand protection arsenal through best practices and innovative methods while combating trademark infringement and counterfeit operations. Multiple thought provoking strategies related protecting brands in the age of digital economy, initiatives to manage cyber threats, adding tracking technology to combat illicit trade, infringement of intellectual property rights and overall impact of brand protection and Intellectual Property in cross border landscape were tracked under with the help of this prestigious platform.

The Global Brand Protection Innovation Programme and IP Summit ,2018 offered an excellent opportunity to discuss, share experiences, case studies, network with industry leaders and learn about the current and innovative practices in the industry to curb counterfeiting and protect your brand. Brand Protection and Intellectual property being the foremost and one of the overriding areas of discussion globally was discussed at the summit.

This groundbreaking two-day Summit aimed to promote dialogue and solutions for strengthening IP and brand protection. Event featured remarks from high-level keynote speakers, thought-leading panel discussions, and networking sessions. This allowed participants to promote dialogue and solutions for strengthening IP and brand protection. The biggest highlight of the event was the pre-scheduled ONE to ONE partnering meetings with the decision makers of their own choice.

This two-day event was chaired by well reknowned and remarkable speaker Volker Jacumeit, Head of Group, IT and IT-Security from DIN institute.

Summit attendees also heard remarks from prominent keynote speakers including:

• Maureen Kaplan, Head of Global Security Sales-Cloud & Security Services, Vodafone
• Phil Winstanley, Cyber man, Microsoft
• Brendan Lemoult, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs & Anti-Illicit Trade, JTI International SA
• Rubya Ramjahn, Legal Director, eBay
• Neil Lawrence, Global Serialization Champion, GSK
• Kimiya Shams, Legal Counsel, Devialet
• Milind Joshi, Senior Professional, Samsung
• Matteo Mattei, Director Illicit Trade Prevention EU, Philip Morris International
• Huma Allana, Vice President, Legal, Coca-Cola European Partners
• Jad Mhanna, Regional Compliance Officer, Ericsson
• Helen Saunders, COO and Svetlana Iinitskaya, Brand Protection, Team Lead, Incopro
• Daniel Bannett,CEO,Yellow Brand Protection
• Kamile Varekamp,IP Legal Counsel,Inlex
• Margit Hoehne,CEO,PatentGate
• Roger Pallavicini,Sales Director,Jura

Platinum Global Solutions highlights a concise and structural framework that needs to be adopted by organizations in order to excel in their brand protection and IP strategies. It is stepping head to increase the scope of brand protection and intellectual property to gain a wider spectrum of visibility and enhance learning among corporates from all over the world.

The Reifenhäuser Group will present an initial overview of its upcoming strategic plans at the NPE Plastics Show in Orlando, Florida. “We are expanding and have a lot on the agenda,” says Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO of the Reifenhäuser Group. “Our showing at this year’s NPE is bigger than ever before: Reifenhäuser presents its full product portfolio at a booth that’s over 400 square meters in size, and will have more technical and sales staff present.” This expanded presence is a sign of things to come: “We will significantly strengthen our activities in North America, ramping up sales as well as service,” adds Reifenhäuser. At NPE show the company presents its new business unit Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems.

The Group paved the way for this development in January by acquiring EDS, an international supplier of high-end extrusion tools and special dies. “When we acquired EDS, we acquired significant design expertise in dies and film tools. Thanks to the tailor-made EDS product range, our manufacturing expertise, and our global sales structures, we can now serve our customers in an even more targeted and efficient way,” says Reifenhäuser. The Reifenhäuser Group has a strong foothold as machine builder, addressed by the Reifenhäuser Blown Film, Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, and Reifenhäuser Reicofil business units. By adding EDS to the Group, the Troisdorf-based family business took its competencies one step further; Reifenhäuser is now developing the components area into its own business unit.

New business unit Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems

In line with this, the machine builder Reifenhäuser will present itself as a component supplier for the first time at this year’s NPE. The new Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems business unit comprises the activities of Reiloy, of the extruder unit, EDS, and Enka Tecnica. Extrusion Systems develops and manufactures parts and components that convey and shape polymer such as screws, barrels, film tools, extruders, screen changers, spunbond fabric tools, and spinnerets. Uwe Gaedike, managing director of the new business unit says: “The new Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems business unit operates alongside our established extrusion machinery business unit. Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems is well-positioned to optimally serve customers and relevant markets with extrusion components. Thanks to our global presence, customers benefit worldwide: They can expect nothing but state-of-the-art technology, the best quality, outstanding efficiency and fast delivery.“ In the past, Reifenhäuser only supplied extruders and dies for its own lines; however, Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems does not restrict its product portfolio to customers for the machine business units.

Die reworking also coming to North America

“It’s important for us to speak the same language as our customers,” says Uwe Gaedike. Direct service and short delivery times are crucial. For this reason, Reifenhäuser is ramping up capacities at its site in Maize, Kansas, where it is expanding its service business for dies. “We plan to start reworking film dies and spinnerets in North America this year. In order to make that possible, we’re investing in machines and devices, including our own surface plating,” says Gaedike. He adds: “Another step might be to produce and offer complete assembled extruders or flat dies in the U.S. Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems will also target growth in Asia.”

Constantia Flexibles Group is now the third largest flexible packaging company in India after successfully completing its acquisition of a majority shareholding in India’s Creative Polypack Limited after all conditions were fulfilled. The transaction was originally announced on March 23, 2018.

Creative Polypack Limited was founded in 1986 and achieved sales of about 75 million EUR in its business year ending March 31, 2018. It currently has about 850 employees at eight production sites in Baddi, Kanpur, Kolkata, Assam and Puducherry, in northern, eastern and southern India.

Creative Polypack manufactures film-based flexible packaging for the food and home & personal care (HPC) industries, as well as paper-based soap wrappers. The company serves the leading domestic and international consumer goods companies in India.

Constantia Flexibles already has a presence in India since 2013, when it acquired Parikh Packaging based in Ahmedabad, western India.

• Chief Executive Officer of Koenig & Bauer AG honoured for his outstanding merits for printing technology manufacturing

Frankfurt/Main, April 25, 2018 – Together with Andreas Bauer, Friedrich Koenig, the inventor of the steam driven cylinder printing machine and pioneer of modern newspaper printing, established Schnellpressenfabrik Koenig & Bauer in 1817. Two hundred years later, his great-great- great grandson Claus Bolza-Schünemann is at the helm of the company in the sixth generation. The General Assembly of the VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association in Fürth on April 19 was the occasion for an exceptional meeting of ancestor and grandson: Claus Bolza-Schünemann was honoured with the Friedrich- Koenig Medal. Before him, only twelve laureates had received this medal offered for outstanding merits for printing technology manufacturing.

“This award is a great honour for me“, said Bolza-Schünemann immediately after the medal with the portrait of his great-great- great grandfather had been presented to him by Kai Büntemeyer, President of the VDMA Association. “This honour perfectly complements the 200-year anniversary of our company,” he added. Following his grandfather Hans Bolza in 1953 and his father Hans-Bernhard Bolza-Schünemann, he is already the third family member to be bestowed with the Friedrich-Koenig- Medal.

Outstanding merits for printing technology manufacturing

In his laudation for Claus Bolza-Schünemann, Büntemeyer enumerated his merits for printing technology manufacturing which include, inter alia, his function as President of the Research Association Printing Machines (FGD – Forschungsgesellschaft Druckmaschinen e.V.) since 2004, his position as a member of the Board of the VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association since 2012 – and his “prominent role as President of the leading trade fair drupa“. And he went on to say that by taking over thesepositions, Bolza-Schünemann has assumed responsibility for the total printing technology manufacturing sector in addition to his task as CEO of Koenig & Bauer. Besides that, he as an engineer accompanied an impressive variety of innovations in printing technology that emerged in the Koenig & Bauer group: Since 2010 alone, the K15M screen printing machine for printing on glass, the MetalCoat 480 metal coating machine with reduced changeover times, the “Super Orlof Intaglio III“ intaglio banknote printing machine as well as the flexible digital printing platform “KBA RotaJET VL“ for industrial inkjet rotary printing with up to 2250 mm web width. At present, Bolza-Schünemann accompanies the development of the new “VariJET 106” sheet-fed digital printing machine for high-quality and economic personalization and individualization in packaging printing as well as the CorruJET for the flexible printing on corrugated cardboard. This machine impresses both with its printing performance of up to 6000 sheets per hour in the format 1700 x 1300 mm and the resolution of 1200 dpi.

A mediator between analog and digital printing worlds

Claus Bolza-Schünemann, who was born in Würzburg in 1956 and is now a father of four, first qualified as a radio and television technician and afterwards took a degree in electrical and digital technology. Already his first job as a project engineer of the Swiss company Brown Boveri & Cie. (later Asea Brown Boveri) led him to printing technology manufacturing. And he immediately took over the development of the hardware and software concepts for printing machines. Since 1989, he has contributed his know-how to the company in Würzburg, starting as head of the electrical planning and engineering division for web, sheetfed and security presses. Very soon he became a member of the Board of Koenig & Bauer, initially in charge of engineering, development and project management.

To this very day, Bolza-Schünemann has the distinction of being very open for digital technologies in printing technology manufacturing. For him, interlinked digital Print 4.0 workflows take centre stage – in digital and in analog printing processes. Under his leadership, Koenig & Bauer has excelled with the consistent convergence of the analog printing world and the digital printing world. Inkjet und web offset printing merge in the machines of the company – and make the heart of the technophile CEO beat faster: “Inkjet is a fantastic process. Our RotaJET fires off 5.4 billion ink droplets per second, with the size of every single droplet being exactly modulated,” he says.

“With this enthusiasm for modern printing technology Claus Bolza-Schünemann has guided Koenig & Bauer back to the road to success, fulfilling his position as drupa President and has supported the cooperation in our Association and the market success of the German printing technology sector,” says Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the Printing and Paper Technology Association within the VDMA, emphasising that he more than deserves the Friedrich-Koenig Medal for these merits.

April 23, 2018 Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG in Rahden, Germany has grown over its 243-year history to become the leading bookbinding machine manufacturer worldwide. Early 2018, the company surprised the industry by selling its gluer binders and bookline business to Müller Martini. Kai Büntemeyer, Managing Partner of Kolbus and Chairman of VDMA Printing and Paper Technology, explains in an interview the reasons for their new and clearly defined focus on the packaging market, the practical implementation of the transfer and the challenge of convincing their staff of the benefits from their change of course.

Mr. Büntemeyer, what is left of Kolbus after its surprising sale of its gluer binders and bookline business to Müller Martini?

Kai Büntemeyer: It is not as bad as it sounds. I anticipate that the Kolbus Group turnover will fall by around 15 percent. We are indeed relinquishing a large part to Müller Martini, but at the same time, we are significantly expanding our components business. In 2017, we had a total turnover of more than 135 million Euro, to which component manufacturing for other manufacturers contributed 12 million Euro. Our turnover in this sector will grow because wewill be supplying components to the new "Engineering Works Muller Martini Bookbinding Systems".

What happens to your staff in your custom machines plant?

Kai Büntemeyer: The changeover means 253 staff me mbers will transfer to Müller Martini and develop, manufacture and market bookbinding systems there. In the run-up to the transfer, we spun off a company with these members of staff, the appropriate patents, designs, etc. Müller Martini then took over this company in its entirety. We plan a two-brand strategy in which our product range continues to be available and the sales and service contacts for customers remain the same. We have deliberately sold to a traditional company that plans for the long-term, and not to finance investors.

Will you keep your 150 R&D staff and your 8.5 percent R&D quota?

Kai Büntemeyer: In relation to turnover, the R&D quota will drop because component manufacturing is growing so strongly and over half of our R&D employees will be transferring with our bookbinding systems to the new company. However, we will be clearly increasing R&D in custom machine manufacturing for the packaging sector.

Why the new strategic focus on packaging?

Kai Büntemeyer: The market for bookbinding systems is saturated and is stagnating. It hasbecome a so-called "sunset industry". In contrast, we foresee double-digit growth rates in manufacturing custom machines for packaging, which is why in future we want to concentrate vigorously on packaging made of cardboard and paper - specifically on luxury packaging.

Can Kolbus utilise its existing know-how for this?

Kai Büntemeyer: Yes, the classic Kolbus casemaker already has the technology that will form the backbone of our new packaging range. So, our packaging technology is actually based on established technology, and in the end a book cover is also the book's packaging. The marketing approach taken by brand manufacturers using our packaging technology is not so very different from the way a book is marketed as a hardcover book. In both scenarios, it is all about attractive, high-quality appearance and brand image.

Even if some things stay the same: does 2018 mark a new era for Kolbus?

Kai Büntemeyer: Yes. Definitely. We will still continue the tradition of casemakers but from now on we will be venturing into new territory. There will be much that our staff will find different. In future, component manufacture will operate as an independent entity. Here we will be investing in modernising our machines, but we also expect in return that this sector will seek out new, lucrative markets and assertively address them. And the packaging sector will feel like a start-up for the next three to four years. We will need to set up a product range quickly, act creatively and grow dynamically.

Will you succeed in committing your staff to this change?

Kai Büntemeyer: This is, of course, one of our greatest challenges. At first we met with a lot of scepticism, which I can understand. We are taking a lot of trouble to explain our new strategy because we need to boldly tackle this change and master it together.

How do you explain leaving the printing and paper technology sector?

Kai Büntemeyer: It isn't that we see no future for printing and paper technology but the growth forecasts are, to put it mildly, modest. Market volume will remain huge and ensure good business in the future but I see a problem for us machine manufacturers in that the printing industry will continue to rationalise and will need to massively boost its productivity. This makes it difficult for equipment suppliers. Admittedly the packaging market is also not a goldmine but the cost pressures are not quite so hair-raising.

Is the cost issue the greatest difference between the two markets?

Kai Büntemeyer: Customers expect more and more that our machines will reduce costs and this is something customers in the packaging sector also want. Yet around half our projects are about developing new solutions and options. The book is a product that has been perfected. In packaging, development is never finished: you always need new ideas to generate interest for your products.

Are there any points of contact for digital and analogue printing technology in packaging?

Kai Büntemeyer: We usually process high-quality printed and surface-finished substrates. Our experience in laminating cardboard with high-quality printed substrates is in great demand. A typical customer for us will be someone who also works as a printer in the packaging sector. The process chains here are still not as closely linked as in book printing although this is now changing. Procurement cycles are becoming shorter, which leads to a need for new, networked workflow solutions. A smart, Print 4.0 approach can also be just as interesting for short-term, event-related campaigns as for optimising logistic chains.

A final question: Where do you see Kolbus in 2030?

Kai Büntemeyer: I think the custom machine manufacturer of the future will offer his customer very much more application consulting and support. You can see it beginning now in packaging design and in future it will deeply impact production processes. I am convinced that for Kolbus the future lies in such in-depth consulting service business models. We willhave to see whether customers will own machines or order production capacity from us. Whatever happens, we will be ready for it.

From complete PET processing lines to new solutions for the chocolate industry (with an eye to bakery products), the complete Sacmi range for the beverage and food sector will be taking centre-stage at FieraMilano

The world's only player with a technology portfolio capable of handling every stage of beverage production, from packaging (preform – closure – labels) to finished product, Sacmi will soon be presenting all its very latest at the international Ipack- Ima fair (FieraMilano, 29 May - 1 June 2018). The two buzzwords will be lightweight and integration, with solutions on show that allow users to progress effortlessly from preforms and caps to filled, capped, labelled bottles.

CCM (compression technology) is Sacmi's response to the needs of the global closures industry. It's a solution that offers the lowest running costs on the market and a series of intrinsic advantages, from reduced cycle times to high productivity and low consumption, from weight reduction to the ability to control every single mould cavity by setting its parameters directly on the operator interface and checking, in real time, output quality.

Features such as these have won over global markets. And those markets have effectively made Sacmi the undisputed technological leader in this industry thanks to a unique capacity to design, together with the customer, the entire cap- bottle system and supply all the technology needed to transform pellets into finished products. An ability to fully integrate the cap-preform system at every level - design included - has allowed Sacmi to develop ever-lighter, better-performing caps and necks, setting new market standards and pushing back barriers in an industry that is increasingly attentive to quality and production sustainability.

Years of research and extensive experience in the industry have now led to the new HEROline: this truly integrated system begins with the production of preform and cap – two processes that are, as of today, perfectly synchronised thanks to Sacmi CPB Link – and then, downstream, integrates all the stretch-blowing, filling and labelling processes. Also configurable, where requested, with the innovative HEROblock (the all-in- one blowing-filling- closing-labelling quadblock), HEROline reduces the number of handling tasks, increases logistical efficiency and cuts energy and raw material consumption. It also ensures extremely versatile product management and development: in short, a response to the challenges faced by the packaging-beverage industry that takes its cue from Industry 4.0.

Real-time monitoring of all plant performance parameters with the Sacmi H.E.R.E. (Human Expertise for Reactive Engineering) supervisor and the innovative Sacmi Total Care service continue the company tradition of making quality and product personalisation its hallmarks. Just think of the possibilities: SACMI solutions let you colour and decorate each individual cap, directly on the line, with the selected logo (COLORA CAP); they also let you digitally print the label for subsequent application, even with small lots or exclusive items, on the already filled, capped container (D- Match).

Also playing a lead role at FieraMilano, on the same stand as the parent company, will be Carle&Montanari-OPM and CM-FIMA, representing Sacmi's Food Division. With over 110 years' experience in designing chocolate processing solutions, the two companies offer no less than five product lines which include machines for cocoa processing and the moulding, wrapping and primary/secondary packaging of chocolate.

The product range is as broad as it is diversified. It spans from individual machines and complete lines for chocolate preparation (mixers, pre-refiners, refiners, conches and temperers) to intermittent and continuous-motion moulding lines (moulds from 275 to 1200 mm) and a complete series of depositors (piston and rotary) for aerated and non-aerated chocolate masses, suitable for all processing types (solid, solid with ingredients, one shot and filled products).

On the wrapping front, CM-FIMA offers an extensive machine range able to wrap all chocolate-based product types in a range of styles: from traditional-wrap pralines (bunch, envelope, wallet, double-twist, one-twist) and special-wrap pralines (open point, sticker, strip, paper cup, etc.) to tablets and bars, hollow figures, eggs and small spheres of every size and type, not to mention an entire series of wrappers for hard and jelly candies.

With regard to primary packaging, Carle&Montanari-OPM has - alongside its tried and tested range of flow-wrap machines, distribution lines, feeding and buffering systems for the confectionery world - chosen to move into the bakery sector. It has done so by using the best available technology to design dedicated handling and wrapping solutions for delicate bakery products such as biscuits, wafers, crackers, etc. From this standpoint, CM-OPM employs automatic feeders and slicers that can handle all bakery products, even where stack, edge wrapping or other solutions are required.

For confectionery and bakery – and other industries – Carle&Montanari-OPM produces a complete line of secondary packaging machines consisting of automatic lines, machines and robots to erect, load and close boxes, displays and cases. These include the TLP series (mono-bi- trifunctional cells with top loading robots) and the WA series (compact, modular wrap-around machines that ensure performance and high speed).

At Ipack-Ima, Carle&Montanari-OPM will, in this regard, be displaying the innovative SmartCell packager, designed to streamline size changeover management. This cell consists of independent, complementary modules for fully automatic case forming and bundle preparation/insertion. The first module – which prepares and forms the case – features fully automated size changeover; the size can be set via the operator interface without any need for manual adjustment as case dimensions vary. On the second module two pairs of conveyor belts and an equal number of fast pickers prepare the bundle. The last module is equipped with a two-axis robot that picks the bundle when it is ready for insertion into the case; again, it features fully automated size changeover, controlled directly via the operator interface.

Such SACMI connecting technologies completely revamp the way we look at production and service and are, in fact, already a reality that visitors to the IPACK- IMA fair will be able to see for themselves at the Group's stand. We look forward to seeing you at FieraMilano (stand D63-C66, hall 1). The SACMI team will on hand to illustrate all the latest technology, developed together with the Group's Beverage R&D facility, which provides close customer support from the design stage onwards and is certified by the global beverage industry's top players. On the Food front, then, CM-OPM and CM-FIMA constitute Italy's first national chocolate industry hub: providers of customer-oriented solutions that employ the best, most innovative technology the market has to offer.

• €100 million investment shapes ABB’s leadership position in machine and factory automation
• Investment in the development of the factory of the future to create 1,000 new jobs
• State-of-the-art innovation and training campus to be built in Eggelsberg, Austria, by 2020
• ABB builds on the B&R success story on the first anniversary of the acquisition announcement

One year after announcing its acquisition of B&R (Bernecker + Rainer Industrie-Elektronik GmbH), ABB is to invest €100 million in Austria to build a state-of-the-art innovation and training campus at the home of B&R in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria. It is the largest organic investment in industrial automation in ABB’s more than 130-year history and lays the foundation for around 1,000 new high-tech jobs in Austria.

The new innovation and training campus will develop technologies for the factory of the future, based on ABB AbilityTM, in which production will be undertaken autonomously by smart and cloud-connected ma-chines and robots. With this investment, ABB is delivering on its Next Level strategy, which defines innova-tion as a key driver of profitable growth. The company invests $1.4 billion in R&D annually, and has a team of around 30,000 R&D and application engineers. B&R has more than 1,000 employees working in R&D and application development.

The new research and development campus will cover 35,000 m² and be home to a significant number of state-of-the-art facilities. Alongside ultra-modern R&D laboratories, which will develop and test new automa-tion technologies, from industrial control systems up to machine learning and artificial intelligence, there will be an Automation Academy to train and educate customers, partners and employees in these technologies. The ground-breaking ceremony is planned for this summer, and the new campus is expected to be up and running in the course of 2020. Once complete, the Eggelsberg site will be one of ABB’s largest research and development centers.

With the new campus, the world’s second-largest provider of industrial automation solutions will further ex-pand its leadership position in machine and factory automation. The development of disruptive technologies will enable ABB to better serve the highly attractive $20-billion machine and factory automation market seg-ment.

ABB acquired B&R, then the largest independent provider of product- and software-based open-architecture solutions for machine and factory automation worldwide, in July 2017. Today, B&R is integrated into ABB’s Industrial Automation division as its global Machine & Factory Automation business unit. With the combined portfolios, ABB is today the only industrial automation provider offering customers the entire spectrum of technology and software solutions around measurement, control, actuation, robotics, electrification and digitalization.

“B&R has had an excellent start within ABB and has exceeded our expectations. We are well on track to achieve our goal of revenues of more than $1 billion soon,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, at a press conference in Linz with the Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz. “With our €100 million investment, we are strengthening this dynamic and the pillars of this success story: innovation and people. In addition to the new research and development capacity, our investment will expand B&R’s Automation Academy, offering customers, partners and employees globally unique education and training programs.”

“With this clear commitment to the Eggelsberg location, ABB has established itself as the market leader in automation in Austria,” said Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. “True to its word, the company is now making an investment that is of tremendous importance to Austria as a business location of international standing. This is the starting signal for a location offensive in the key segment of digital industry. It is an important impulse for the creation of highly qualified new jobs and the positioning of Austria as a high-tech location.”

This will also be beneficial for the country`s educational landscape. „Further strengthening our good relation-ships with universities, universities of Applied Sciences and higher technical education institutes is part of our innovation and research strategy. This way we can further accelerate our speed of growth and innovation as well as extend our technology leadership,” said Hans Wimmer, Managing Director of B&R.

“This is a great day for B&R,” said Josef Rainer, Co-founder of Bernecker & Rainer Industrie-Elektronik GmbH. “The smooth integration shows that the company Erwin Bernecker and I founded 39 years ago is in excellent hands. I am delighted that ABB continues to write and accelerate our success story with this histor-ic investment.”

The launch of a new category premium health beverage requires standout and sustainable packaging, so leading European health drinks innovator, Konnekt Smartdrinks, chose Ardagh’s shaped aluminium bottles to complete its range of wellness beverages.

The Konnekt Smartdrinks brand has already made a powerful impact on the growing health drinks sector in Europe with its application of the body’s natural energy and amino acid substances to replace sugar, sweeteners and additives. The inclusion of the eye-catching 250ml screw top shaped aluminium bottle for three flavours conveys the brand’s emphasis on innovation, energy and a healthy lifestyle. The simple, yet striking design on the bottles has already been nominated for the 2018 NL Packaging Awards.

Of equal importance to the appeal of the bottle’s shape was its status as a permanent and infinitely recyclable material.

“The shaped aluminium bottle has proved to be the ideal solution for expanding our brand,” said James Russell Reid, founder of Konnekt Smartdrinks. He explained: “Our team has worked hard to create a unique beverage that meets a growing consumer demand to enhance performance, alertness and energy levels through natural ingredients, and the choice of the right packaging was important.”

The aluminium bottles guarantee shelf differentiation and can be bottled on a standard filling line without speeds loss and use standard screw top caps.

The reclosable bottles are manufactured at Ardagh’s specialist aluminium plant in in Beaurepaire, France, where the company’s acclaimed high definition, high resolution printing expertise colourfully captures the essence of the three flavours.

The product is available throughout Europe, the Middle East and India.

CAMBRIDGE, 26 February 2018 – iF DESIGN AWARDS, one of the most important design awards in the world, have named Mundipharma International Limited, which is part of the Mundipharma network of independent associated companies, amongst their winners. The k-haler® device triumphed in the Packaging Design discipline of the Medicine / Pharmaceutics category and was recognised for its innovative patient information packaging and online training tools by the 63-panel jury. This year, the design awards attracted more than 6,400 entries from 54 countries.

The k-haler device and packaging were designed with the whole patient and clinician experience in mind, aimed at helping to address some of the day-to-day challenges faced by patients using an inhaler and improve correct device usage. Collaborating with patients and healthcare professionals, the innovative packaging was developed to encourage users to pause as information about how to use the k-haler device is revealed in a specific and controlled order. The ‘book-like’ carton with patient information clearly differentiates the inhaler set-up guide from the daily use instructions and will signpost patients to online training tools (which include a compelling gamified training sequence).

“We’re delighted that the k-haler device has been recognised for its innovative packaging, which is testament to the research and development that went into its design. The aim is to provide patients with step-by-step instructions for initial set-up and daily use, in addition to online training tools,” comments Jonathan Marshall, Senior Commercial Lead. “These simple and effective patient education materials are designed with the aim to help patients use their device correctly, and potentially improve their long-term outcomes.”

The k-haler device is a novel aerosol device with a simple breath-triggered mechanism, activated with a low inspiratory force, which is designed with the aim to make it easier for patients to use correctly. The k-haler device was developed in conjunction with London agency, Precipice Design.

FOR EUROPEAN MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICALTRADE MEDIA

Research indicates that errors in inhaler technique are frequent (made by over 30% of patients in some cases) and are associated with poor outcomes. 1 Evidence suggests that inhaler type and patient preference are important factors influencing treatment outcomes in patients. 2 Furthermore, ongoing training may also influence the efficiency of drug delivery, patient adherence and long-term control. 3 Research has also demonstrated that simple techniques, such as attaching instruction labels to patients’ inhalers, have been shown to improve retention of good inhaler technique. 4

k-haler received a positive outcome from the European Decentralised Procedure (DCP) in October 2017, and is planned to launch in Europe this year. The k-haler device’s patented technology has the potential to be suitable for a range of inhaled products.

Already an established leader in the cap-making sector, the Sacmi Group is now a pivotal player in PET production. The reason? Solutions that increasingly focus on total integration in order to provide an all-round response to the needs of a fast-growing industry.

The Food&Beverage industry is the biggest contributor to Nigerian manufacturing. It generates sales estimated at 16.5 billion dollars and has created 1.5 million jobs. And it is this growing demand for packaged drinks and foods in what is one of Africa's fastest-emerging economies - which has a population of no less than 170 million people - that has led the main international players to set up operations in the country. These, of course, include Sacmi, soon to play a key role at the coming edition of Nigeria Food + Bev Tec, the international fair being held as part of Nigeria Agrofood (27-29 March 2018, Landmark Centre, Lagos).

Needless to say, the Sacmi Group will be there with its own display area (HALL 1 1D.2.1) to illustrate the latest developments in its technology, a technology that has made Sacmi the leading supplier of plastic cap production solutions in terms of both market share (above 80%) and perceived quality. Already the main supplier to top converters operating in Nigeria in beverage flat-top cap and PET preform production, Sacmi is now expanding its acknowledged market leadership in cap production to the role of pivotal player on the preform production front.

This change is being driven by a series of production and business aspects. On one side, Sacmi is the world's only competitor capable of providing solutions for every stage of beverage production, from pellet to pallet. On the other, the Group's far-reaching sales network (Sacmi has two African branches dedicated to the sector, in Morocco and South Africa) and support from the Sacmi Beverage R&D facility, certified by key international players in the industry, provide customers with further guarantees at both the plant design stage and during the subsequent after-sales period.

A further step towards integrated plant engineering and process optimization takes the form of the new Sacmi Heroblock, an all-in- one solution that merges every stage of container/cap production and filling/labelling into a single, high performance process.

With this innovation - which eliminates intermediate handling, thus improving process efficiency and logistics - Sacmi reinforces its role as a provider of turnkey solutions for the global beverage industry. The resulting development and growth prospects are particularly relevant on consumer markets like Nigeria, which is now worth 130 billion dollars and is being fuelled by strong demographic expansion and an ever-larger middle class.

As food brands innovate to meet the evolving needs of their customers, the versatility of the metal can becomes ever more useful as the most contemporary packaging solution. An outstanding recent example is a mini can format developed by Ardagh Group for Bonduelle’s new ‘Touch of’ concept. The French food manufacturer had spotted a gap in the market for smaller servings of vegetables to accompany meals. Research showed that not only would this meet a desire for increased variety, colour and taste on the plate, but also reduce the likelihood of food waste. The result is a new range of canned food comprising sweetcorn, chickpeas, kidney beans and mushrooms in Ardagh’s steel mini can with an easy opening solution. Available across Europe, this healthy portion is proving to be a success. “We have a good track record on innovation with Bonduelle, and I am pleased that our latest collaboration shows that a fully recyclable, convenient steel can is the ideal solution for this exciting new concept,” says Laurent Cordier, Sales Director Food at Ardagh Group’s Metal Division.

Reinach, Switzerland, 20 February 2018 - Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, today announced the introduction of Leucophor® MT liq, a new tetrasulfonated optical brightening agent (OBA) modified to give high whiteness performance in surface applications.

The application of optical brighteners to the surface of paper is usually done by using either hexasulfonated OBAs, when high whiteness levels are required, or tetrasulfonated OBAs, when standard levels of whiteness are sufficient.

With the increasing costs of some of the key raw materials needed to manufacture hexasulfonated OBAs, Archroma asked its R&D experts to develop a tetrasulfonated agent for surface applications that would give comparable levels of whiteness to hexasulfonated grades.

The outcome is Leucophor® MT liq, a REACH-registered, urea-free, modified tetrasulfonated OBA that offers papermakers a new, cost-effective option to achieve high whiteness levels in a surface application, especially at the size press.

Leucophor® MT liq is produced in Archroma’s OBA production facility near Barcelona, Spain, which was extended in 2017 to raise capacity to meet the demands of its European customers.

Andrew Jackson, Product Manager OBAs, Archroma Packaging & Paper Specialties, commented: “With Leucophor® MT liq, we are able to offer a new alternative to both standard tetrasulfonated and hexasulfonated optical brighteners for use in surface applications. This new portfolio option underlines once again Archroma’s continuous commitment to delivering innovation and cost efficiency to our customers, and confirms our position as the leading supplier of OBAs to the paper industry.”

Sterile, Fully Enclosed 2oz. Container with Security Seal Yields Unexposed, Tamper-proof Samples for Enhanced Sampling Accuracy

Auburn, AL – CSP Technologies, Inc. – a leader in packaging solutions that ensure product protection, enhance brand recognition and improve consumer experiences – has partnered with aseptic sampling specialist QualiTru Sampling Systems to develop TruDraw®, a single-use aseptic sampling system for sampling of liquid dairy products. Particularly relevant to milk producers, the product virtually eliminates the risk of external exposure, ensuring an unprecedented level of sampling accuracy.

Comprised of a disposable blue cap with a sterile two-ounce container, TruDraw® provides the highest possible protection against environmental exposure affecting a sample’s accuracy. The comprehensive aseptic sampling system also incorporates a security seal that is unmistakably and irrevocably destroyed upon first opening – a tamper-evident feature placing the certified sampling person at the start of a controlled chain of custody process. As a result, the likelihood of a sample’s adulteration prior to its testing is vastly diminished.

Accurate aseptic sampling is of utmost importance in the dairy industry where the monetary compensation farmers receive is directly tied to their products’ purity, with results ranging from welcome quality premiums to potentially disastrous complete load rejections.

Considering this, TruDraw represents a potentially game-changing innovation in aseptic milk sampling. For decades, the predominant manner of sampling has involved collecting raw milk from atop milk tankers with dippers, a method prone to external contamination from the surrounding environment or, especially, improperly cleaned and handled dippers.

Designed for use in conjunction with QualiTru’s TruStream® sanitary sampling ports, TruDraw® allows for drawing from the side or rear of a trailer, eliminating the need to climb atop it.

TruDraw® is easy to use, with drawing and storing a sample intentionally simplified to allow effortless handling even in inclement weather. The certified sampling person simply twists the system’s blue cap into alignment with the vial’s tab and hinge, respectively, then presses down on the blue cap until it pierces through the vial’s lid. After removing the needle’s safety cover, TruDraw® is inserted into the sampling septum, and product is drawn into the container. Once filled, the certified sampling person removes and discards the blue cap, with the sample securely and aseptically sealed until the tamper-evident label is broken at the testing facility.