Reston, Va.; March 21, 2017 — Solidifying its position as the premier event in North America for food and beverage processing, ProFood Tech (April 4-6; McCormick Place, Chicago) will host Delkor Systems, Inc.’s exclusive insider’s perspective from two of Walmart’s former Directors of Packaging.

This look behind the curtain of the largest company in the world takes place in the Delkor booth (#2415) on Wednesday, April 5 from 11:00–11:30 a.m. and 3:00–3:30 p.m.

During their discussion “Walmart’s Labeling and Retail Ready Packaging (RRP) Guidelines Demystified,” Chet Rutledge, former senior director, Private Brands Packaging, and Ron Sasine, former director, Private Brands Packaging, aim to keep producers ahead of the curve as retail giants continue to raise packaging expectations. The panel will also address major Walmart efforts to standardize case coding and labeling to maximize efficiency through distribution and store stocking.

In Sept. 2016, Walmart selected the Delkor Cabrio Case as its preferred shipper style in its Approved RRP Guide for pouches, bags, cartons and flat packs. First introduced at Walmart for pouches of shredded cheese, today 75 percent of all shredded cheese pouches sold at Walmart stores in the U.S. are shipped to market in a Delkor Cabrio Case.

“As attendees will see at ProFood Tech, the Delkor Cabrio Case is having a major impact on Retail Ready Packaging,” says Dale Anderson, president and CEO of Delkor. “Because of the success of Cabrio in the cheese category, Walmart significantly expanded the use of Cabrio to include numerous product categories, such as snacks & nuts, frozen vegetables, sauces, candy, non-food products, and more to come in 2017.”

Powered by three of the world’s trade show leaders – PACK EXPO, Anuga and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) – ProFood Tech will welcome more than 6,000 key decision makers to convene with 400-plus of the world’s top suppliers over 150,000 net square feet of exhibit floor.

The education offerings expand beyond the show floor as the ProFood Tech Conference Program, produced by IDFA, will offer a wide range of educational experiences covering issues such as: regulations and food safety, consumer trends and marketing, food processing advances and technology, business and leadership development and health and lifestyle. The conference will kick-off with a keynote address by five-time National Football League (NFL) MVP Peyton Manning on Tuesday, April 4 at 8 a.m.

In addition, ProFood Tech Learning Hub will feature free, 30-minute educational sessions at the Innovation Stage and the all-new Regulatory Matters stage. The Innovation Stage offers attendees the opportunity to learn from industry experts on topics ranging from hygienic operations and improving sustainability, to advanced spray technologies and using robotic automation.

ProFood Tech’s Regulatory Matters stage features presentations by industry experts on topics such as communicating during a food safety crisis, deconstructing Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, combustible dust mitigation in food manufacturing, and constructing a FSMA food safety plan. A roundtable discussion will follow each session, giving attendees the opportunity to share ideas and best practices on these critical topics with peers.

The ProFood Tech Learning Hub will also serve as host to both the Manufacturing Innovation Awards (Tuesday, April 4 at 3:00 p.m.), and the Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards (Wednesday, April 5 at 3:00 p.m.).

Stuttgart, Germany, 7th December 2016

Haselmeier is pleased to announce that its newest production facility in Bengaluru (India) received its official certification from TÜV SÜD on 21st September 2016. Thus, the Indian plant is compliant with the necessary international requirements in all areas and demonstrates the high standards with which Haselmeier has achieved its excellent reputation in the industry.

The final measures to qualify the machines and systems at the Bengaluru facility were executed from January to late summer 2016. This also involved preparing the documentation needed for proper manufacturing of insulin pens, e.g. process descriptions and releases. The plant was audited by TÜV SÜD in July 2016, and the official TÜV certification document was received on 21st September 2016, confirming that our new facility in Bengaluru is compliant with international regulations and standards. TÜV SÜD Certificate No. Q2N 16 07 96203 005 relates to the “manufacturing of injection systems for self-injection and their components”. It includes applied standard EN ISO 13485:2012 + AC 2012 and describes the specific requirements for quality management systems in the medical products industry. Extensive staff recruitments to fill all the positions needed in a smooth-running factory accompanied these activities and procedural processes. The new colleagues were highly qualified for their particular fields of work.

Haselmeier is now in a position to supply the Asian market more easily and more effectively with medication dosage systems and, as a result, significantly improve life for patients. Our Plant Director, Indrajith Natarajan, explains: “Having Haselmeier built similar infrastructure to the existing German Facilities in Bengaluru – India, helps us to provide a quality focused atmosphere for our employees. This leads to the production of self-injection devices on the same quality level as the other Haselmeier facilities. The TÜV certification helps our customers to easily recognize our quality standards."

About Haselmeier

Haselmeier stands for the development and production of innovative self-injection devices with awardwinning designs. The Haselmeier Group primarily works on behalf of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to improve the lives of patients by manufacturing pens and auto-injectors that are easy to use and that can be dosed with precision. The family business covers all steps—from design to planning to industrialisation—in the creation of high-quality self-injection systems.

Founded as early as in 1920 in Stuttgart, Haselmeier has long been an established name in the medtech industry, thanks to its proprietary technologies and international award-winning designs. In four years from now, this well-established company shall be able to look back on a 100 year old success story. Spread across eight global locations on three different continents, the Haselmeier Group employs a workforce of about 220 employees. While the Development department is located in Stuttgart, Haselmeier products are manufactured in the most modern production facilities in Buchen in Odenwald (Germany), Dnešice (Czech Republic) and Bengaluru (India). The international sales are controlled from Stuttgart and have representations in Zurich (Switzerland), Lowell, Maryland (USA), Gurgaon (India) and Guangzhou (China).

For further information, please go to: www.haselmeier.com

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Production lines for still beverages utilising nitrogen dosing can now also take advantage of the Sidel StarLite™ PET bottle base with the launch of the Sidel StarLite Nitro version. The new base ensures bottle resistance and stability, even under extremely high temperature conditions, while also providing benefits in terms of both lightweighting and energy saving.

The new non-petaloid StarLite Nitro base utilises a unique shape that significantly increases base resistance and stability. This means the new base design can simultaneously increase PET bottle rigidity by enhancing resistance to the internal pressure created by nitrogen dosing, even in harsh conditions, while lowering package weight and energy consumption. It also offers packaging design differentiation and optimised aesthetics, importantly without compromising product safety. The StarLite Nitro base takes all the benefits of the StarLite base, introduced in 2013 for the production of still and carbonated beverages bottled in PET, which has been recognised as the 'Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative' at the 2013 Global Bottled Water Awards.

No compromise between bottle quality and strength

The Sidel StarLite Nitro base ensures improved PET bottle quality without compromising strength and increases stability throughout the entire supply chain. It enables producers to increase bottle resistance to deformation in any production environment. “The large and stable surface upon which the bottle stands, combined with other structural elements within the bottle design, enables the formed PET bottle to better withstand the internal pressure caused by the addition of nitrogen and improves bottle stability during conveying, depending on the wall thickness of the base,” says Vincent Le Guen, Vice President, Packaging & Tooling at Sidel. This is a particular benefit, for example, in production at high altitude with distribution then at sea level or applications subject to very high temperatures. Developed and tested by Sidel’s packaging experts with numerous computer simulations, this new base has also been subjected to real-world, physical testing to ensure optimal performance through the supply chain.

Reduced bottle weight and blowing pressure

Just like its predecessors in the Sidel StarLite range, the new ‘Nitro’ version decreases the amount of raw material needed to create the finished PET bottles. The optimum strength-to- weight ratio is achieved by reducing the thickness of the bottle’s wall. The resulting bottles require less energy within the blowing process, are lighter in weight and therefore can cost less to produce. "This solution addresses beverage producers’ needs, who are looking for ways to lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) to stay ahead in a competitive market yet still achieve even greater sustainability. The new Sidel StarLite Nitro base also ensures packaging integrity and creates an end-product which is packaged in a way that grabs consumers’ attention”, continues Le Guen. For instance, a 0.5 litre PET bottle with a StarLite Nitro base weighing 1.8 grams can resist an internal pressure of up to 1 bar depending on the design of both the preform and the bottle, and the grade of the PET resin used.

Attractive and flexible PET bottle

The new StarLite Nitro base is an attractive, flexible solution from Sidel that enables the same PET bottle design to be used for beverages produced with or even without nitrogen dosing. It works with regular, ultra clean and aseptic filling. With a design similar to the base of bottles usually used for still beverage production, it avoids confusion with bottles with a mini-petaloid base on the supermarket shelves, traditionally associated with carbonated soft drinks by consumers. The new base is available for bottles ranging in size from 0.2 litre to 2.0 litres. It can be adapted for all generations of Sidel blowing machines, whatever the production output, including the latest Sidel Matrix™ blowers. The StarLite Nitro base can easily be incorporated into most existing bottle designs by Sidel’s packaging engineering team and retrofitted onto existing production lines and moulds, using Sidel's enhanced StarLite mould bases and the company portfolio of line conversion services.

Improved supply chain performance

With this increased stability and resistance, bottles featuring the StarLite Nitro base perform better throughout the whole supply chain, even in harsh conditions. They are ideal for conveying - from filling to the labelling and packing stages - optimising production uptime and keeping stoppages to an absolute minimum. Additionally, bottles produced with the new base will be more resistant to extreme temperatures. In conditions of up to 50°C storage, bottles can withstand up to 25 days without deformation and have the potential to last even longer. They can also demonstrate a 50% decrease in base rollout under frozen conditions.

Tangible cost reductions and sustainable production

The potential for lightweighting of the new Sidel StarLite Nitro base offers substantial cost savings too. For instance, a reduction of just 1 gram in a 0.5 litre PET bottle produced at 2,200 bottles per hour can result in savings of Euros 396,000 per year, based on 5,000 hours of annual production. Following the same calculation process, a reduction of just 1.8 grams in a 1.5 litre bottle can lead to savings of Euros 713,000 1 per year. Having a wider range of parameter settings - or ‘process window’ - yet still achieving the desired blown result, the new base is also easier to blow than existing bases. Introduction of the base can mean a reduction in the need for air pressure of up to 25%. For a 0.5 or 1.0 litre bottle for example, only 18 to 20 bars of air pressure are needed for blowing, compared to the 25 bars needed for traditional bases. This in itself can lead to additional energy savings of up to Euros 90,000 2 every year.

17 November 2016, Noida: The proof of the pudding is in the eating!!! This is exactly what Flexfresh TM liner bags by India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and Solution Company Uflex Limited, have just proven. Recently a prominent European Retail Chain conducted a litmus trial with Flexfresh TM liner bags by shipping blueberries from South America to Europe. This journey usually takes more than 5 weeks by sea. The results have been MORE THAN ASTOUNDING! While the loose blueberries resulted in an average weight loss of 19.96%, those packed in Flexfresh TM shed merely 0.76% weight after a period of 7 weeks, thus registering a phenomenal 96% reduction in weight loss upon arrival.

Notably Flexfresh TM works on the principle of Active Modified Atmospheric Packaging (AMAP) – a solution that Uflex has launched globally in collaboration with the Perfotec B.V of The Netherlands. While Flexfresh TM is a special patent protected polymeric packaging film manufactured by Uflex for packing fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers; Perfotec supplies the Fast Respiration meter for ascertaining the respiration rate of the fresh produce and the associated software for calculating the required film permeability. The Perfotec laser system subsequently uses this information to adapt the permeability of the film offered by Uflex through micro perforations. This solution maintains the ideal Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide inside the liner bags to maintain freshness and extend shelf life of the product. 

In the recently held trials, the objective of the retail chain was to ascertain if it was possible to ship and store the soft fruit (blueberry) for 7 weeks in a Flexfresh™ liner bag. The blueberries were packed in punnets with and without Flexfresh TM liner bags. In a separate lot, loose blueberries were packed with and without Flexfresh TM liner bags. After 7 weeks the blueberries in the liner bags were found to be good, firm, crunchy and tasty. However those packed in a controlled ambience had most of them collapsed and mouldy.

The results also established that pre-packing itself is not enough as it can address the issue of weight loss but not quality. Punnets with and without liner bags resulted in 0.76% and 2.56% weight loss respectively. Both these figures are significantly lower than the 19.96% weight loss registered in case of loose blueberries. The punnets that were not using liner bag still showed the same quality problems like mouldy blueberries.

Upon successfully testing Flexfresh™ liner bags for sea freight of blueberries Mr. N. Siva Shankaran Vice President, Flexfresh™ at Uflex Limited said, “This test indeed is quite a feat and has instilled a lot of faith in our Flexfresh™ packaging solution. More business queries are flowing in. The recent trials have successfully established a shelf life of 7 weeks for the soft fruit without using sulphur pads that cause irritation while consuming. The European Retailer is confident that Flexfresh™ Liner bags for blueberries from the Southern Hemisphere would be used for all shipments in a short span of time. Supplying blueberries by sea will significantly bring down the logistical costs for the importer. It is a clear win-win both for the exporters in South America and the importers in Europe thereby boosting the trade prospects on the whole.”

Expressing delight over the successful trials of Flexfresh TM for blueberries, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “Our association with Perfotec B.V. for bringing contemporary Active Modified Atmospheric Packaging Solution to the world is graining traction by the days. More and more product trials are taking place. The success rates are encouraging. I would like to congratulate and thank the engineers both at Uflex and Perfotec for their unrelenting efforts to bring such an effective packaging solution that is already calling the shots in the global fresh produce sector.”

The history of process thinking can be traced back to Henry Ford, who improved the manufacturing process of his Ford cars by lining up the assembly steps in process sequences. This revolutionised the manufacturing process and made motor cars affordable for a much wider audience. In the 1980s, the founder of Toyota developed a system for manufacturing and logistics that could improve the way the company worked, reducing waste and improving productivity. This system was the basis for the Lean management philosophy, which has been of great value to many industries – including the liquid packaging industry.

Sidel uses Lean and Six Sigma methodology at all of its production sites to reduce lead times and improve efficiency and quality - all of which benefits beverage producers worldwide.

In pursuit of operational excellence
Simply put, Lean is about minimising waste and working smarter in order to maximise customer value, while Six Sigma focuses on creating consistent processes. In other words, while Lean promotes greater speed and efficiency, Six Sigma focuses on improved quality. Together they allow a company to maximise productivity and improve the customer satisfaction.

A mindset, not just a methodology
Through training courses such as the Lean and Six Sigma Academy, introduction courses and training, more than one hundred Sidel employees have now been introduced to these new principles and methodology and many of them certified as Lean Specialists, Six Sigma “Green and Black Belts”.

Andrea Forzenigo has been pleased to see how the different teams across the global organisation have embraced the challenge to support beverage producers’ different needs. “Lean is much more than training programmes. They are a way of working and a mindset. People at Sidel have been encouraged to see ways that they can improve processes, eliminate inefficiencies and create value for our customers in the beverage industry. Most of the results we’ve achieved are because we’ve turned people’s good ideas into standardised processes globally,” he says.

Continuous improvement
This way of working is far from a one-off initiative and Andrea Forzenigo continues to look at how Sidel can improve its work processes for the benefit of beverage producers everywhere.

Lean principles have been implemented at all Sidel international centres of excellence. The methodology has been used to ensure that all equipment and services meet the needs and demands of beverage manufacturers, both as complete lines and standalone solutions.

Andrea Forzenigo, Executive Vice President of Industrial Operations at Sidel has been responsible for implementing this way of working at Sidel and is pleased with the results it has achieved. “Over the past decade, we’ve systematically worked with all of our processes at all Sidel production sites including our four international centres of excellence. From initial contact to beverage producers to delivery and service, we’ve looked at how we can improve the customer experience and provide higher quality, faster service and ultimately greater value,” he says.

SAN DIEGO, CA – Hardy Process Solutions (www.hardysolutions.com) is celebrating the 20 th anniversary of its breakthrough process weighing PLC Plug-in modules. Hardy was the first weighing company to engineer and manufacture PLC Plug-In Weight modules, which are used in applications including: batching/blending, filling/dispensing, check weighing, level by weight, rate control and rate monitoring. Available in single scale or dual scale configurations, the modules transfer clean, accurate weight data directly to the PLC/PAC, which uses its rack I/O for application control. Modules communicate over the backplane of the PLC, which means no other interface or communication wiring, routers or switches are needed, and writing special communications drivers is unnecessary.

Hardy’s modules are the result of long and collaborative relationships with Allen-Bradley® and Rockwell Automation®. Hardy’s proprietary technology was essential in developing the products Allen-Bradley envisioned to meet specific customer needs. Today, Hardy modules are available for Allen-Bradley ControlLogix®, CompactLogix®, Micro800® or SLC500 chassis. Integration is easy with free Add-on Profiles, free Faceplates/AOIs for HMIs and direct backplane connectivity.

• HI 1756-WS and 1756-2WS Single and Dual ControlLogix® Weigh Scale Modules: Released in 2004, these modules mount directly into an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC Chassis to read weight and diagnostic data using a 24-bit A/D converter from one or two separate sets of strain gauge load sensors or load cells and communicate this data over the I/O chassis backplane to the ControlLogix Processor at 100 times per second.
• HI 1769-WS and 1769-2WS CompactLogix® Module: Released in 2000 and 2002 respectively, thes modules read and condition weight and diagnostic data from strain gauge load sensors or load cells using a 24-bit A/D converter up to 100 times per second. They communicate this data over the I/O chassis backplane to the CompactLogix PLC processor. The 1769-WS won ‘Breakthrough Product of the Year’ from Processing Magazine in 2004.
• Easy 8 Micro800 Weigh Scale Module: Released in 2012 and built for the entry-level Allen-Bradley Micro800 programmable controller, Hardy’s Easy 8 TM is a low-cost, single channel plug-in module that reads, conditions and digitizes load cell sensor and strain gauge signals commonly found in process weighing applications. Using a 16-bit A/D converter, the Easy 8 updates the controller at 55 times per second
• HI 1769-FC and HI 1756-FC: Released in 2004, Plug-in Loss-in- weight Feeder Control (FC) modules contain field proven algorithms that automatically calculate and adjust tuning parameters required to maintain desired loss-in- weight flow rates. These modules use the PLC/PAC’s rack’s I/O to control a variety of material-flow applications, with auger, belt, or vibratory feeders.
• HI 1756-1DF and HI 1756-2DF: Released in 2010, the HI 1756-nDF ControlLogix Dispenser/Filler modules are the easy answer to a variety of material feed applications, especially, when speed and accuracy of the feed are paramount to the process.

ABOUT HARDY PROCESS SOLUTIONS
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Hardy Process Solutions has been providing customers with process control solutions since 1918 and is best known for its innovative technology. The company prides itself on its ability to continuously provide superior product quality and excellent customer support.

Hardy, an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer, currently services the food, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, feed & grain, mining & metal, pulp & paper, oil and gas, power, and general automation industries. We have developed the most interface connection options in the process industry, including DeviceNet, ControlNet, EtherNet, EtherNet/IP, Profibus, Modbus TCP, Analog, and Serial.

Hardy Process Solutions is also a proud Encompass ® Global Partner with Rockwell Automation ® . We are an industrial scale company, offering accurate weighing scales including floor scales, load cells, platform scales, and more. Our plug-in weigh scale modules fit directly into MicroLogix 1500, CompactLogix, ControlLogix, SLC 500, and Micro800 Allen-Bradley PLCs.

Worms / Troisdorf, July 2016 | Reifenhäuser Blown Film hosted an Open House in Troisdorf during the DRUPA trade show held in Düsseldorf. A multitude of customers from around the world attended the event to learn about new opportunities in the application of film extrusion technologies.

What made the Reifenhäuser Open House event so appealing were the lines in operation: Three state-of-the-art blown film lines could be viewed running in production. A special highlight was the EVOLUTION Ultra Flat technology which has become a convincing selling point. Eugen Friedel, Senior Sales Manager at Reifenhäuser Blown Film comments: "Film flatness imperfections occurring in the production of packaging films are inherent in blown film processes. Especially in the conversion of these films they can cause serious problems. With EVOLUTION Ultra Flat featuring minimum stretching of the film via heating-cooling rolls it is possible to produce a web perfectly flat for subsequent winding and conversion." The enhanced efficiency covers the entire value chain. "All steps in the production of packaging film, such as lamination, printing, re-forming and sealing, clearly benefit from the optimized web flatness," says Eugen Friedel explaining the advantages of Ultra Flat. Arguments that could convince, as three lines were sold with Ultra Flat during the Open House.

Beside the Ultra Flat technology further highlights were presented by Reifenhäuser Blown Film on their running blown film lines:

• 11-layer blown film line producing an outer layer from polyamide: Here an asymmetric high-barrier structure was so skillfully chosen that the curling effect of the film was prevented without using a water bath (critical for hygienic production conditions). Curling of the film edges is caused by the different speeds at which raw materials cool down and by the individual crystallization points (for example PE vs. PA, PET). That impedes a smooth conversion of the film. Excellent film properties needed for conversion, lamination and printing were also ensured by the EVOLUTION Ultra Flat haul-off used on this line. Thanks to minimized stretching via heating-cooling rolls, a web of perfect flatness was achieved with this technology.
• 3-layer line producing FFS bags (Form, Fill & Seal) from an LLD-PE rich based material structure regarded as difficult. Operated with a 175mm die, the line easily achieved a consistent record-breaking output of 450kg per hour.
• 5-layer line designed for high output producing high-efficiency lamination film - over 800kg/h were achieved using a 325mm die. Here as well, the advantages of the EVOLUTION Ultra Flat technology were demonstrated.

Eugen Friedel is excited about the excellent feedback from the Open House: "Especially our customers from India and Asia were thrilled about the line configurations we were presenting. Our lines will enable them to cater to increasing market needs for highly efficient barrier blown films in their countries“.

Lower environmental impact and lower logistics costs plus fully guaranteed process hygiene. Good reasons why one of the biggest US players in the industry has chosen Sacmi’s new dynamic buffer to renew its production plants in the USA and Mexico

Drastically reduced CO 2 emissions with respect to utilisation of already super-efficient laser- guided vehicles (LGVs), cutting them to just a quarter of those emitted by traditional storage systems which use fossil fuels, plus enormous advantages in terms of logistic efficiency and process hygiene. This is Sacmi CPB LINK, the new highly automated dynamic buffer chosen by one of the biggest US bottled water production and marketing players as part of a production plant renewal program in Mexico and the US state of Texas.

The outcome of close collaboration between the three Sacmi Group companies that provide plant engineering solutions to the beverage industry (Sacmi Imola, Sacmi Packaging and Sacmi Filling) and the US giant’s own team, the implemented solution integrates cap and preform production with the bottling line, this providing energy and logistics savings.

With Sacmi CPB LINK, in fact, cap and preform storage and subsequent feeding of the bottling line become a single fully automated, integrated process that lets manufacturers slash their logistics costs, smooth management of production flows and boost hygiene-related bottling process safety thanks to thermal and microbiological conditioning of the buffer (ultraclean environment).

“With CPB LINK”, points out Iacopo Bianconcini, marketing manager of the Group’s Beverage and Closures&Containers Division, “Sacmi has provided the first automatic cap and preform storage magazine to act as a link between the cap and preform production solutions and the integrated stretch-blow moulding and filling lines. The result is the first true, complete beverage production line, integrated in terms of both process synchronisation (thanks to the storage buffer) and equipped to respond to the natural need for bottling line flexibility (for example, frequent line stops for size changeovers and changing seasonal output requirements)”.

The system, in fact, allows users to store preforms and caps tidily in stainless steel containers. Further advantages include complete traceability and FIFO management. The SACMI-made vertical magazine is also fire-resistant in compliance with the strictest international standards. It can provide storage volumes of up to 20 million preforms and 150 million caps. Sacmi CPB LINK allows storage capacities to be configured according to customer requirements and can be up to 41 m long and 14 m high.

The result of thorough cost-benefit analysis carried out jointly by team Sacmi and the customer’s own technicians, this investment will provide the American firm (which has been in the industry for over half a century and has, for some years now, expanded operations to cover the sale and marketing of “private label” bottled water) with considerable savings in terms of both CO 2 emissions (nearly halved with respect to the current storage system which uses laser- guided vehicles) and in terms of assured product quality thanks to a fully ultra-clean storage process that requires no chemical solvents.

Summing up: an investment that will allow the producer to continue supplying high quality products at accessible prices and with an impeccable level of customer service and care.

Printer capable of handling small bar codes and images without media adjustments

Kansas City, MO – Fairbanks Scales, Inc., a leader in weighing technology, announces the release of the new PM43 Direct Thermal Label Printer. The PM43, an industrial, mid-range, direct thermal and thermal transfer label, ticket, and tag printer, is ideal for applications within distribution center, warehouse, manufacturing and transportation environments.

The PM43 features a durable, metal construction, making it ideal to increase uptime and reduce maintenance costs in harsh environments. This printer features a large, color, multi-lingual, tamper-proof touch screen user interface, and a built-in web interface to ensure easy device monitoring.

This new printer’s Precision Print feature allows for accurate printing of small bar codes and images without media adjustments, making printing more efficient. The PM43 is the only CCX certified fixed printer with standard IPv6 implementation. Additionally, the PM43 is a USB printer, and features the most connectivity options on the market, including wireless.

About Fairbanks Scales
Founded in 1830, Fairbanks Scales has become the leader in the industrial weighing market by creating and manufacturing an unrivaled range of weighing equipment solutions. From bench, parcel, counting, floor, and truck scales to animal, railroad track, and a full range of specialty scales, Fairbanks Scales has a reputation for being the most agile and attentive industrial weighing partner in the business. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., the company is also uniquely positioned to provide services for non-weighing products based on its nationwide contingent of technicians who can provide preventive maintenance and consistent, reliable service. To request more information or to find the Fairbanks representative or authorized distributor nearest you, please call (800) 451-4107, or visit www.fairbanks.com.

11.7.16 Baumann Maschinenbau Solms GmbH & Co. KG networks and automates processes related to cutting. The medium-sized company with 80 members of staff focuses on research & development as well as module-based technology in order to be able to respond to changes in the market rapidly. In this interview, General Manager Volkmar Assmann explains why he sees the fully networked printing house as a chance for his company. He also talks about growth opportunities within the graphics industry offering chances for growth.

Mr. Assmann, would you please describe your company in just a few words?
Volkmar Assmann: With pleasure. The beginnings go back to the 1960s. At that time, the Baumann Group was a distributor of Wohlenberg cutting machines and began to develop peripheral equipment for them. The aim was to be able to supply cutting systems. This approach made good progress and resulted in the establishment of Baumann Maschinenbau Solms in 1978. Since then, we have offered joggers, pile hoists, air tables and loaders that we now develop, build and distribute with a staff of approximately 80. Our own share in total production is more than 80 percent. Our training quota is over 10 percent, including three to four students enrolled in dual study courses that alternate work experience with academic training. Most of these are then taken on full time. In research and development, we have 10 employees. Therefore, we are in a position to implement ideas and to respond to changes in customers´ wishes rapidly…

…and this keeps your company young…
Assmann: That`s right. In fact, it`s fun to see the young men and women gradually assuming more and more responsibility and using their creativity in tackling tasks at our company. Over the last few years, a change of generations has been brought about, and we now have some men and women in managerial positions who are younger than 30 years. The difficult situation in the recent past also made us focus on further developing technology and qualifying staff. The market has changed fundamentally and requires other machines and system solutions than ten years ago.

You focus on Cutting 4.0. What does this mean?
Assmann: A cutting process that is fully networked and automated as far as possible. That`s what we presented at drupa 2016. We now have automated solutions for all format sizes and aspire to offer our customers the suitable solution for all tasks connected with cutting. We listen closely to what our customers say and provide them with a made-to- measure system solution from our range of components. We have designed our machines on a modular basis and have automated the processes in which they are integrated.

To which extent do your solutions support frequent job and format changes?
Assmann: That´s what they are exactly made for. Internet printing houses have strongly changed the market. Printing companies that previously only handled print jobs now also offer print processing and finishing. The cost pressure is huge, the delivery times are short and the jobs become smaller due to the shorter print runs. The only possibility to remain productive and successful in economic terms nonetheless is automation. Cutting 4.0 is our contribution to the fully integrated process world of Print 4.0. Digitisation offers the chance to eliminate make-ready times in the cutting process completely. Our Gamma system uses the prepress data for the automated preparation of cutting programmes for job changes and combined sheets. Jogging, intermediate storage of jogged reams, transportation to automated cutting and unloading are carried out completely automatically. These processes are all integrated into the ERP system. The process is transparent; the production data can be viewed in real-time. Job and cost control are ensured automatically, as is the continuously up-to- date material management by Service 4.0.

Where does the demand for such solutions come from?
Assmann: From printing houses in high-wage countries that feel the cost pressure and have to respond to it with automation. At drupa, we felt an intensity in the talks and a demand for information that I would not have thought possible before experiencing it. The printing companies don’t just talk about Print 4.0, they are pressing ahead with its implementation.

Does Print 4.0 hold the risk for smaller suppliers that the big ones will share the process chain as total system suppliers among themselves?
Assmann: I don´t see that risk. We offer independent solutions for the cutting process, a process that was often neglected during recent years. The machine pools comprise many machines from the 1970s. Now, the automation pressure triggers investments. Moreover, our solutions are in demand above all because the integration into the process chains based on the JDF standard is pretty problem-free. Apart from minor adjustments, we can dock on to every JDF-based system. Therefore, integration is possible independent of the manufacturer and as a rule already functions by plug&play already now. Since we embed our 4.0 solutions into higher-level ERP systems, I do not see any risk of being displaced from the market. I rather see growth in the graphic sector.

The industry shows fresh courage. Are you thinking about diversificating nonetheless?
Assmann: We have pressed forward with that since 2008. The largest sector up to now is still the graphic industry. However, we also have four other pillars: Securities production, the packaging market, loading systems for measuring machines and contract manufacturing. They all make continuously increasing contributions to our sales – and supplement each other very well. What we develop for the securities and packaging sector can often be transferred to other fields as well.

What about internationalisation?
Assmann: 90 percent of our machines and system solutions still remain in Europe. At the drupa, we held intense talks with distribution partners from Asia, Oceania as well as South America and entered into some contracts. For us, it is important that the partners are active in the graphic and packaging sectors. We wish to address both markets overseas – and grow in both.

What is your vision of Baumann Maschinenbau Solms in the year 2030?
Assmann: First of all, there will be a new managing director because I will enjoy retirement at that time. But besides that, I think that we have chosen many right tracks and that our recently positive development will continue. The graphics sector will remain a supporting pillar, but it will not grow as much as our packaging sector. We must maintain our flexibility and creativity in order to keep pace with the high investment speed. I have great confidence in our young generation that they will succeed.

The gala dinner at the end of the World Tube Congress 2016 organised by etma (the European tube manufacturers association) to mark the 175th anniversary of the tube’s invention provided a glittering setting for the presentation of this year’s winners of the Tube of the Year competition. Some 150 participants and guests from the whole process chain of tube production had gathered in Berlin. “A fitting occasion for the jury, which comprised experienced representatives from our member companies augmented by editors from two well-known trade journals, to get together,” said etma Secretary General Gregor Spengler, who was extraordinarily pleased with the surroundings and the jury’s choices.

The winner in the Aluminium Tube category was ‘The Jam Tube’ from Italian manufacturer La Metallurgica. It contains different marmalades and jams of absolute top quality and in unusual flavours. It is ideally suited for on the go, when travelling or at home, of course. A simple, classic aluminium tube but the prize winner still managed to provide a number of groundbreaking benefits using revolutionary DigIT technology. Photorealistic printing produces lifelike images and at the same time very small production runs also allow very special flavours to be produced precisely in the quantity that is demanded or required. The DigIT system enables customer requirements to be satisfied individually. Each tube is thus a unique product that is documented each time by the respective serial number.

The ‘Überwood Tube’ developed and produced by TU-Plast of Hungary won the Plastic Tube category. This novel concept takes account of the growing demand for organic and natural products and packaging. The polyethylene tube contains more than 25 per cent real wood-based material. And these natural constituents are not only visible in the surface structure of the tube material: the Polywood tube offers a unique tactile experience, one can virtually feel the wood and one can even smell it. The body and head of the tube can be printed in every possible colour. The special structure of the Polywood tube means that hot foil stamping, screen printing and overprint varnishes do not develop their full impact. The manufacturer therefore recommends offset printing for decoration. Not only does this produce great results but it also brings the tube’s authentically natural surface particularly to the fore.

The winner among the laminate tubes was a joint development from L’Oreal Paris and French tubemaker Albéa. The aluminium barrier laminate (ABL) tube for the hair dye product Casting Crème Gloss is a real revolution for the tube market. It not only has an excellent aluminium barrier in the sleeve but in the tube shoulder as well thanks to a membrane that covers the whole shoulder.  

This means there is complete protection of the contents and no chemical migration before opening the tube for the first time. In addition, the special web stock prevents air suck back during use. An optimised welding technique used for the side seam and shoulder improves the tube’s efficiency and cost economy. In general, convenience and consumer benefits are a top priority. The tube material is pleasant to the touch and when it comes to visual appearance flexo printing with its superb capabilities offers innumerable options for design and decoration.

Two first prizes were awarded in the Prototypes category. One of the winning tubes is produced by Hoffmann Neopac AG of Switzerland. The tube impressed the jury with its innovative dispensing system, which is protected by the ‘Spin’n‘ dose’ trade mark. It solves the problem of dispensing viscous medicinal products perfectly. The dispenser wheel supplies 0.5 mg or 1 mg doses, even without a pump. The principle and handling are as ingenious as they are simple: applying pressure to the tube produces the initial filling, with the inner chamber of the system becoming filled with product and the coloured ball being forced upwards. One then turns the wheel through 180 degrees. When one presses the tube once more, the product begins to flow, the ball moves to the top and cuts off any further flow. The exact quantity is thus dispensed. For every subsequent application, one only has to turn the wheel and press on the tube. After application of each measured portion the dispenser chamber fills up again automatically with exactly the same portion.

The other winning tube in the Prototypes category also came up with a compelling concept. With its ‘Be Unique’ plastic tube, French tubemaker CTL Tuboplast presented a pioneering combination of its patented in-mould label (IML) technology and its ESTube with a new digital offset printing technology: Use of the so-called mosaic effect enables individual, specific print elements to be applied to each tube, each tube to be individually numbered for limited product editions and a QR code to be used for each individual tube for perfect communication. This results in almost unlimited opportunities for decorating the plastic tubes: 360-degree hot or cold foil embossing from the shoulder to the welding area at the end of the tube, direct colour or heptachrome printing, and an optional combined matt or gloss finish.

etma Secretary General Gregor Spengler was happy about the high degree of commitment of the companies participating in the competition in the tube’s anniversary year, which was reflected in the large number of entries submitted. “The anniversary certainly helped and has kindled ambition. What is more important, though, is the renewed demonstration of the enormous innovative capability and creativity with which our members manage time and again to design the tube as a modern and contemporary form of packaging. Even after 175 years, the tube is simply indispensable in the world of packaging as an all-time classic packaging solution.

Ciel, one of the major water-bottling companies operating in Morocco, has been supplied with the new integrated rinser-filler- capper monoblock unit. The customer’s trust has been gained by the process’ productive flexibility, efficiency and guaranteed hygiene.

The Ciel brand – part of the Coca-Cola Group – has purchased the first innovative monoblock filler unit 12-12-4 ALF produced by Sacmi Filling. Developed in order to bring together rinser, filler and capper functions in one machine, the monoblock unit permits the complete automation of the bottling line, and guarantees maximum operational flexibility, reliability and precision, and a totally hygienic process.

The considerable interest shown in the bottling plant is the result of the monoblock’s specific characteristics, starting with the extremely rapid procedure when changing bottle format: currently set up to handle 5-litre PET bottles, the system can be reset to handle various other formats (down to 500 ml), depending on specific production and market requirements. The design features guaranteeing the utmost efficiency of the bottling process, include the special neck gripper (see photo), which enables even larger format bottles to be handled easily (containers up to 282 mm, with a neck of 38 mm), while the rapidity and efficiency of the sanitization system are facilitated by the special ultra-clean filter that directs a totally sterile laminar flow of air through the monoblock unit.

Intelligent load cells guarantee the continuous, accurate control of each bottle’s weight, with all electronic components placed beneath the filler to ensure they may be accessed and cleaned when required. An ergonomic design and ease of maintenance are features also of the plant’s stainless steel cover which provides the operator with full access to the upper section of the capper. The special dual-speed filler valves with their innovative design (to prevent any kind of leakage or dripping), maximize the plant’s productivity, while a further guarantee of process efficiency is provided by the special transversal-flow, contactless filling system.

The integrated, compact unit supplied is fitted with a rinsing tower, guaranteeing the highest hygienic standards: this operates in line with the capper, specially designed by Sacmi to handle all types of cap (flat caps and sport caps, as well as aluminium screwcaps, crowncaps and snapcaps). Thanks to this important supply, Sacmi has created another important technological partnership with one of the world’s major soft-drinks bottling companies, Ciel, which is rapidly expanding in the Moroccan market and is also an important player in other international markets, from Angola to Mexico where the brand was established in 1996.

Existing lines to be renewed with labelling solutions developed by the Group’s Packaging Division, chosen on account of hard-wearing reliability and flexibility whatever the manufacturing conditions.

Easy to manage, harder-wearing and compact, therefore an excellent solution; moreover, highly flexible modularity ensures efficient operation under all manufacturing conditions. These, then, are the reasons why Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) - one of South Africa’s most important producers and bottlers and Heineken’s regional partner - decided to entrust Sacmi with the renewal of its labelling machines downstream from the bottling line.

NBL’s decision to go with this Sacmi solution was based on the advanced technical characteristics of Sacmi labelling machines and their long-standing reputation and market success; the decision comes, in fact, in the wake of a similar order placed by the beer- making multinational’s Brazilian partner.

The supplied machine – an OPERA 600 60T – is equipped with three labelling modules for cold glue application and the same number of modules for self-adhesive labelling; these allow, respectively, output rates of 62,000 and 60,000 applications per hour. The machine is fully equipped with quality control systems developed by the Group’s Automation & Service Division, such as Sacmi’s patented bottle positioning system (equipped with 6 colour video image acquisition cameras).

“The latest generation of Sacmi modular labellers”, explains Iacopo Bianconcini, marketing manager of the Group’s Beverage and Closures & Containers Division, “stands out on account of an ability to operate efficiently, at high speed, with just a single passage through the machine and across multiple labelling technologies and systems”. Thanks to the automatic splicing system – present on self-adhesive labelling modules – the reel can be changed without interrupting production, thus ensuring consistent optimal performance over time.

In addition to these advantages, Namibia Breweries Limited’s investment decision was also influenced by Sacmi’s unique ability to work alongside the customer right from the design stage and seek out personalised solutions that meet specific production and market requirements. This order also sees Sacmi reinforce its presence in the South African area where there has been a local branch (Sacmi South Africa) for some years now. Dedicated to the Packaging-Beverage market, that branch is part of a wider growth and development investment plan for Africa: it offers a structured presence that also lets the Sacmi Group offer an excellent afters-sales assistance service, providing customer support throughout the lifetime of machine and plant.

Erbalab have recently launched a new range of nutraceutical products in the herbal medicine segment. The product’s innovative delivery system, which uses an airless pump, isolates the active ingredients from the outside air, preventing degradation. The airless pump also helps to deliver the correct dose, which is more quickly assimilated into the body than other traditional delivery mechanisms.

Erbalab wanted to frame their product in a retail packaging that captured its innovative and high-quality nature and selected the Burgopak Cabrio design for this very reason. The packaging design, developed by Burgopak creates a spectacle around revealing the product with its innovative opening mechanism and helps to elicit a positive first response from consumers.

Arnaud de Saint Louvent (Operations Director) said: “we’ve had some great feedback from the market on the Cabrio packaging. The Burgopak is a great fit with our aim to deliver innovative and high quality products to our consumers.”

With 16 different varieties, all identifiable through a bright colour scheme, the pharmacy shelves in France have never looked better.

Burgopak is a London based packaging company and design agency, which has been active in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical markets for a decade. With a host of design awards & nominations to their name and through their patented packaging solutions Burgopak have gained a powerful reputation as innovators in the packaging design industry.

The Cabrio is one of the Nutraceutical range of Burgopaks, which also includes blister packs, sachet pack solutions and medical devices packaging

Even after 175 years the tube is a packaging solution with a future 

At the invitation of the European Tube Manufacturers Association, etma, the global tube industry met in Berlin on 2 June 2016 to mark the 175th anniversary of the discovery of the tube by the American John Goffe Rand. As etma’s secretary general, Gregor Spengler, emphasised in his welcoming address to the 130 participants, there were not only representatives from almost all important tube manufacturers at the World Tube Congress but also global specialists and companies from the whole tube supply chain. To continue the success story of the tube as a packaging solution during the last 175 years one has to think outside the box and take a global and comprehensive view of the challenges and future opportunities for the tube as a packaging material. The congress offered an outstanding opportunity for this approach in the form of a series of excellent papers and presentations, with lively discussions that went into further detail.

Dr Monika Kopra-Schäfer, president of etma, Michael Hoard, president of the US Tube Council and Ashok Goel, CEO of Essel Propack, were concordantly optimistic about the future outlook for the tube in the most important markets, Europe, North America and Asia, even though diminishing growth in the global economy could make the situation somewhat more difficult. Moreover, the tube industry will have to cope with substantial challenges due to the increasing complexity of international markets, with ever-smaller batch sizes and continually growing demands with respect to decoration, more stringent statutory requirements for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products coupled with growing expectations with regards the sustainability of packaging. The same applies to the requirements that arise as a result of megatrends, such as an ageing society, changed shopping behaviour, increasingly more mobile consumers (keyword: internet shopping) and ‘big data’ (packaging as a communications tool).

Daniel Stricker of KI Group presented the current situation in the raw materials market for plastics in his consideration of the global development of prices and capacities for those materials relevant to the tube industry.

Philippe Blank of Henkel shed light on the key requirements for packaging from the point of view of a brand owner operating successfully worldwide, Mathias Ponzelar (IWK) pointed out the opportunities that Supply Chain 4.0 offers the tube from the point of view of a leading manufacturer of tube filling machines and Marco Atzberger of EHI Retail Institute cast a fascinating glance into the future of the retail market with his new shopping world and its influence on the packaging sector.

“In addition to specialist input from the speakers, though, we wanted to offer all participants an opportunity for an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas,” stressed congress organiser Gregor Spengler. “Optimised co-operation, particularly at all stages of the process chain, will fuel the tube’s success still further. And that is something that we certainly managed to achieve in Berlin. The numerous discussions and stimulating conversations, and especially the broad range of disciplines and international companies represented bear witness to this.” The congress was sponsored by well-known companies, such as Mall+Herlan/Polytype, SunChemical, PacksysGlobal, Hapa, Aisa, Sprimag, Technopack and Mühlbauer.

SAN DIEGO, May 2016 --- Hardy Process Solutions has released a new line of footed load cells with height adjustable rubber feet.  Footed load cells are used for many applications in industrial manufacturing, including platform scales, tank weighing, hoppers, and conveyor systems. Captive load pin designs not only provide a high degree of structural integrity but also make them flexible for a wide variety of installations.  

According to Eric James, Product Manager, Sensors for Hardy Process Solutions, "These load cells are the perfect combination of advanced features and economy.  Because they are an industry standard load cell form factor, they allow for easy upgrade of existing process weighing systems to utilize C2® electronic calibration. They are also Hardy’s lowest priced load cell offering with both C2 and Hermetic Sealing."

Details available in the document attached

Pioneering development work at Ardagh Group’s specialist aluminium can plant in Cuxhaven, north Germany has resulted in the production of the world’s lightest aluminium seafood can.
The shaped seafood can, referred to in the industry as a “dingley”, has been designed with a conical wall thickness of only 0.170 mm, a significant advance over its nearest competitor at 0.215mm. This impressive innovation was achieved by technicians at the Cuxhaven plant supported by Ardagh’s R&D Centre in Crosmieres, France. Together they applied their in-depth knowledge of beading – the ridges, which come in many shapes and sizes, built into the can to give its body strength and stability.

The development involved detailed testing, which established the most suitable shape and size of the beads as well as ensuring the correct distance between the beads to achieve the same optimum stability as cans with standard thickness.

The Cuxhaven Technical Service Team also developed a modified seaming technique for the new can. Working closely with Larsen Danish Seafood– the first customer in Germany to use the new lightweight can – they overcame the challenge of securing optimised seaming on a lightweight can with a much thinner body and Easy Open ring pull lid. 

Patrick Savouré, Commercial Director, Seafood at Ardagh Group’s metal division commented: “Our innovative ultra-thin seafood can is a continuation of the pioneering work that we carry out to achieve higher standards of performance with reduced material input and weight”. 

“As is a feature of many of our important developments, the cooperation with our customer, Larsen, was a crucial part of the process, and I am delighted that the new can has been well received by their customers.” 

The lightweight can is now available in 100g or 115 g versions to all customers, who will enjoy the additional benefit under the ‘Green Dot’ packaging recovery system, where they will pay less for recovery and recycling. 

Waiblingen, Germany – Bosch Packaging Technology and BillerudKorsnäs developed the world´s first Sealed Paper Packaging. Instead of using polymer film, a new solution enables production of dust-tight packaging for dry products such as sugar, grains, flour or powders using sustainable mono-material paper, which contains no additional polymer fractions. As a result, retailers and consumers profit from clean shelves, high product protection and improved product quality. Swedish paper specialist BillerudKorsnäs contributed its expertise to the optimization of the mechanical properties of the paper, while Bosch Packaging Technology proved its competence as a leading provider of packaging technology. The paper packaging is produced on the first vertical form, fill and seal machine (VFFS) with the so-called ZAP-Module. The module allows coating with the sealing agent on a minimal surface area, preserving the paper`s mono-material character. The solution is based on the proven “PME” machine concept from Bosch. The new solution combines this technology with the Axello^®ZAP paper from BillerudKorsnäs. “This revolutionary concept would not have been implemented without the collaborative effort of both companies. Together we have developed a solution that will change the packaging market,” said Joachim Dittrich, head of Liquid Food product division at Bosch Packaging Technology, responsible for the VFFS ZAP portfolio.

More details available in the file attached

A new warehouse management system for Samboro, a top player on the Central American ceramic scene that has chosen the Sacmi-Toyota Material Handling Italia model

An order and warehouse management revolution that will extend the dream of achieving “just in time” production to the ceramic industry. This, in short, is the goal of Samboro (a major Guatemalan manufacturer and a key player on the Central American ceramic industry), which has chosen the warehouse logistics management model developed by Sacmi-Toyota Material Handling Italia.

The key advantage of this model is that it generates efficiency by minimising warehouse stocks and the time wastage that is innate to traditional order and production process management. Now, one year on from the establishment of a business partnership between the Sacmi Group – the world’s leading producer of ceramic-making machines and plants – and Toyota Material Handling Italia, a specialist in material handling solutions, this model is demonstrating its soundness as a response to changing needs in the ceramic industry: such as the need to produce exactly what the market demands, when and how it requires it, while avoiding storage area "gigantism", until recently the only way of providing a dynamic response to market needs.

"By taking advantage of Sacmi’s extensive experience in the ceramic sector, the Toyota Academy’s consolidated expertise in process analysis and the Toyota Material Handling Italia Logistic Solutions Division’s design of integrated logistics systems, we’ve succeeded in developing a model for Samboro that responds to one of the most pressing challenges in the ceramic industry, that is, minimising finished product stocks"”, explains Stefano Cudicio, a key figure in the Toyota Material Handling Italia Logistics Solutions Division and a member of the Sacmi-Toyota joint workgroup.

Over the last few years, in fact, the utilisation of traditional manufacturing methods and the quest to meet market demand have seen the ceramic industry create storage areas decidedly larger than those dedicated to production, with consequent inefficiencies and higher costs. “The strength and value of the ceramic product”, explains Sacmi Ceramic Division’s Manlio Timoncini, a manager working together with Stefano Cudicio on the joint Sacmi-Toyota workgroup, “lie, and always will lie, in its intrinsic product quality and outstanding aesthetics. That’s why it is essential to gear up from both a technological and organisational standpoint: only then can we deal with the growing dynamism of demand, the ongoing evolution of tastes and the requirements dictated by designer-driven innovation. Only then can we provide personalised, customer-specific differentiated solutions that take cultural contexts and market segments into account”. In other words, there’s a need to deal with ever-shorter ceramic product life-cycles and a market where product development and order management are no longer done how and when the manufacturer wants but only how and when the final customer wants.

But what, in practice, is the model? “The system designed to optimise the logistics of Samboro’s finished product yard”, explain the managers of the joint Sacmi-Toyota Material Handling Italia workgroup, “reduces the number of handling tasks, increases the level of service  and cuts management costs”. By overturning traditional order pick and preparation logic, the solution “is based on a `goods to personnel´ concept in which the fork-lift drivers circulate in the storage area and bring the goods to the pick personnel who, instead, remain in the shipment area. This generates efficiency at every level, saving time, cost and space, minimising the errors made at the picking stage and enhancing both safety and traceability throughout the process”.
The model developed for Samboro is part of a true “organisational philosophy” inspired by the Toyota Way, valid, in principle, for a vast range of goods and manufacturing processes (the internationally acclaimed “Toyota Production System”).

Of course, this model has been adapted to the needs and the nature of ceramic manufacturing. More specifically, notes Stefano Cudicio, “we have implemented steep verticality; in other words we’ve adapted to the needs of both production and final customer, a solution already applied successfully in the plastics and food&beverage sectors with the advanced I_Log (Intelligent Logistics) supervision software that interfaces with every single stage of production and order management, providing real-time information on warehouse status”. So, given the adaptability of the model to a variety of situations and technologies, with logistical sub-systems potentially capable of covering the entire process, “the one applied at Samboro – concerning the finished product warehouse – is just the first step, within a broader kaizen approach, in an organisational revolution aimed at establishing fully ‘make to order’ manufacturing, where warehouse stocks are seen as muda (a Japanese term meaning wastefulness) and minimised or even eliminated altogether”.

Sacmi-Toyota Material Handling Italia thus offers top international ceramic manufacturers a solution in which it’s not just cutting-edge machinery and technology that generate value but also the implementation of integrated logistic models: a change that, like all revolutions, starts with people and processes, the efficiency and effectiveness of which inevitably have an impact on product quality and competiveness.

Specialised in the design and marketing of espresso coffee and other drink pods, Milan-based firm Mitaca recently completed, together with Sacmi, an ambitious investment project for the manufacture of pods with improved aesthetics and quality. The result: two installed CCM compression presses and a technology deemed to offer the best productivity and pod quality on the market.

Already a long-standing partner of Illycaffè and specialised in the design and marketing of expresso coffee and other drink pod systems, Milan-based firm Mitaca has, together with Sacmi, now completed an ambitious investment project for the manufacture of pods with improved aesthetics and quality.

A provider of pod systems for offices and large businesses, Mitaca saw Sacmi technology as being the best the market has to offer in terms of process linearity and high productivity; it’s also a system that allows total quality control of every single pod. This soon led to the installation of two Sacmi-developed CCM 32-cavity compression presses at Mitaca, a firm that has, since 2008, helped Illycaffè develop this particular segment both in Italy and on key international markets.

Key advantages enjoyed by Mitaca with respect to traditional alternatives (such as injection) include halved cycle times for the MPS product (3.2 seconds with the supplied CCM32MB solution) and high productivity rates of around 600 pcs/min.

Lighter pods (just 2.15 grams) have been made possible by, among other things, the intrinsic advantages of this technology: plastic extrusion at lower fluidity indexes, at lower temperatures and with accurate, fully independent control of each individual cavity consequently eliminating scrap.

Thanks to movement of the dose in a more viscous state than with injection and accurate monitoring of each cavity via an integrated vision system, the Sacmi machine ensures improved thickness control of the pod bottom, allowing maximum repeatability of “opening performance” over time and guaranteeing the hermetic seal of every single pod. Last but not least, the production process is simpler and repeatable thanks to the absence (with respect to the alternative technology) of the heat chamber. Mitaca, which for some years now has decided to take a more aggressive stance on the drink pod system production market, has drawn further strategic advantages from its partnership with Sacmi, a key one being the ability to develop solutions right from the start by working in close collaboration with the Sacmi Group R&D Center to ensure optimum product quality and design.