Multi-Cavity Blow Moulding technology with 3-layer Co-Ex and magnetic quick change

Williamston (USA) / Berlin (D), April 27, 2018: Steven D. London, President and COO, comments on BEKUM's appearance at the NPE 2018 in Orlando: “Customers expect answers from BEKUM for the most effective and efficient blow moulding technology that specifically focuses on their production conditions and application. With the EBLOW 407 DL we are putting a system at the centre of our appearance at the NPE 2018, which offers an excellent price- performance ratio in the high-speed production of consumer packaging.

The North American blow moulding industry recognizes that the BEKUM “07” Machine Series offers a full-range of bottle production potential - small bottles through large handled products. To specifically address the growing market need for a “high speed,bottle maker,” BEKUM has successfully introduced the 407 DL machine. This machine offers the benefits of a double-shuttle long stroke machine platen, however, with a focus on cost-efficient production of smaller bottles, especially those for personal care products. With the US-built 407 D and 607 D machine models, the 407 DL will include the patented C-Frame clamp design and is available in Electric (EBLOW) or Hydraulic (HYBLOW) versions as well as Hybrid versions tailored to customer-specific needs. At NPE 2018, the EBLOW 407DL version will be demonstrated running an 8 x 100 mm CLD production of a 1-liter round, 3-layer HDPE personal care bottle in recyclable HDPE. BEKUM’s introduction of the US-Manufactured EBLOW 407 DL machine at NPE 2018 will focus on the following key benefits:

• This machine offers the Multi-Cavity production of a double-shuttle long stroke machine, however with a focus on speed and cost-efficient production of smaller bottles
• Flexibility is provided with the newly developed integrated quick mould change system offering less than 15 minutes mould changes per clamping unit without the use of tools.
• The use of newly developed 3-layer Spiral flow head technology for maximized middle layer HDPE PCR loading and precise circumferential wall distribution.
• With Electric (EBLOW) or Hydraulic (HYBLOW) versions as well as Hybrid versions, BEKUM can tailor the 407 DL machine to address specific customer requirements and operational/maintenance staff expertise.

Technical Machine Specifications of the EBLOW 407 DL:

Max. mold width: 860 mm

Max. mold length: 470 mm

Mold depth: 2 x 130 mm

Mold open daylight: 250 mm

Clamping force: 200 kN (22.4 US tons)

Please visit BEKUM’s booth (W2127, West Hall) at NPE 2018 in Orlando Florida May 7 -11 to learn more about the EBLOW 407 DL machine and how you can “Profit from our Experience in High Output Machinery.”

Asia's most important packaging and processing technology fair for the drink & pharma industries sees the Group showcase its cap and container manufacturing solutions. These solutions incorporate all the advantages of a technology that is winning over the market thanks to excellent productivity, efficiency, precision and process repeatability

One of just a handful of competitors in the world capable of developing a comprehensive range that covers every stage of beverage production, Sacmi will be taking part in the 26 th edition of Propak Asia, the continent's biggest packaging and processing fair for the drink & pharma sectors (Bitec, Bangkok, 13-16 June 2018). Taking centre-stage at the 48 m 2 Sacmi booth (located in the collective Italian Ucima display area, hall 98, stand n° 104 ) will be the company's compression technology, which has profoundly innovated global plastic cap manufacturing standards.

A continuous process offering outstanding repeatability, precision and reduced weight and cost: these are the goals of Sacmi's ongoing research in the Closures sector, the results of which are incorporated in the latest generation of CCM (continuous compression moulding) presses. Equipped with the COOL+ mould, CCM presses have the lowest running costs on the market and consume little energy, all thanks to the intrinsic advantages of this technology, which operates at lower temperatures than injection.

Because it's possible to set the parameters of each individual cavity directly from the operator interface, the solution allows real-time management and monitoring of output quality. The Sacmi team designs the cap and cap-preform system together with the customer, allowing production to evolve towards high-added- value items that combine excellent performance with low weight.

Sacmi CBF (compression blow forming), instead, the revolutionary container manufacturing system that uses a compression system which starts directly with the pellets, has succeeded in extending the advantages of this technology into areas beyond cap production. Precise and versatile, CBF combines the best features of alternative technologies such as EBM, IBM and ISBM with an ability to operate with all the main commercially available resins.

Thanks to excellent thermodynamic stability throughout the process, no gate on container bottoms, high productivity and precision-moulded necks, this technology is already starting to make a marked difference in the industry, especially in the dairy and pharma sectors; some thirty such solutions have already been installed in the USA, India, China, Japan and other countries. More generally, CBF gives manufacturers the opportunity to produce stretch-blown containers at low cost; performance remaining equal, these can be up to 20% lighter, maximise precision and uniformity of thickness and offer perfect process repeatability.

To ensure total quality Sacmi completes its machines and plants with a comprehensive range of vision systems, designed to work at high speed, directly on the line. Modules such as CHS and BVS (for cap and container quality control respectively) allow, via SACMI CVS3000 inspection software and high resolution image capture devices (up to 5 MP), accurate control of even the tiniest defects. All Sacmi inspection systems can be equipped with the advanced CVS360-3D module. Fully designed and developed by the Group's Automation & Inspection Systems Division, it can, thanks to perfect 2D reconstruction of the three-dimensional item, perform precision inspection of an object perimeter even where its shape is complex.

A major provider of complete 'pellet to pallet' PET processing lines, Sacmi operates throughout Asia via a far-reaching branch network. More specifically, Sacmi Thailand – located in the capital city's trade fair district, just a stone's throw from the event – provides manufacturers with a pre and post-sales assistance hub that provides close support rightfrom the design stage with personalised solutions that maximise returns on investment. Sacmi Thailand, in fact, is staffed both by technicians from the Italian parent company and local workers specially trained to dialogue with customers in individual target countries.

International pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer opted for Schreiner MediPharm’s Needle-Trap needle protection label to equip the syringes for its epoetin biosimilar. This makes it the first medication for the treatment of anemia to be launched on the market with Needle-Trap–initially in Germany and Austria, to be followed by a successive rollout on the European market.

Pfizer, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, develops innovative medicines and vaccines as well as some of the most popular over-the-counter products. For an epoetin product for the treatment of anemia, the company was looking for a reliable solution to protect healthcare personnel from needlestick injuries when injecting the drug – and decided for Schreiner MediPharm's Needle-Trap once again. Pfizer has already been successfully using this innovative label-based needle protection system on millions of syringes for a heparin drug since 2009.

Needle-Trap features a unique design: The plastic needle trap is an integral component of the label for prefilled syringes and serves to secure the needle after the injection has been performed. Due to its special design, it can be easily integrated into existing pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Only minor modifications of the finishing and application equipment, no adaptation of secondary packaging and minimal space during shipping, storage and disposal are required.

Needle-Trap meets the requirements of EU Directive 2010/32/EU, U.S. NIOSH for safe instruments and DIN EN ISO 23908 for sharps injury protection. In addition, it has been cleared by an FDA 510(k) Premarket Notification in the United States. Healthcare personnel benefit from reliable protection against needlestick injuries that enables simple and irreversible activation. Use is intuitive and requires no changes to the user’s injection technique as the needle protection is integrated into the syringe label.

Leading Dutch pickled vegetable processor Van der Kroon Food Products B.V. has become the first company to market with the recently-launched 500ml multilayer Thermic Ultra jar from RPC Kutenholz.

The blow moulded polypropylene jars are being filled with gherkins, silver onions and piccalilli and sold under the Kroon brand in delicatessen stores. This latest addition to the range meets a strong trend in the Netherlands and other countries for the online ordering of products from supermarket websites. For such requirements, the new shatterproof jar provides enhanced consumer safety.

RPC Kutenholz has been supplying Van der Kroon with multilayer jars for many years, but until now the large sizes have been targeted for foodservice applications.

“We now want to transfer into the consumer side the same good experience we have enjoyed for many years with our jars in the catering sector,” explains Dennis van der Kroon, Director of VDK, adding that he believes that the advantages of lighter weight, product safety, reclosability and high resistance to breakage will all help to convince the retail market and end-users.

Brussels, 25 April 2018 – Celebrating its 25th anniversary today, EUROPEN gathered high-level EU policy-makers, industry leaders and stakeholders to discuss the key role of packaging innovation for a circular economy in our evolving societies.

Senior Executives from EUROPEN members, including Borealis, Crown Europe, Danone Waters, Nestlé Waters and Tetra Pak reaffirmed the packaging supply chain’s commitment to packaging innovation for a circular economy, and emphasised the need for a clear enabling policy framework. Panellists stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity of the Single Market to give businesses the security to invest in tomorrow’s packaging solutions. They also shared the view that collaboration among the packaging value chain is the only way to embed the upcoming changes in society.

In his keynote speech, Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said, “Over the last three years we have laid the groundwork for Europe to move towards a more Circular Economy. With major legislative reforms now completed on waste management, and new proposals on the way very soon to tackle the scourge of single-use plastics, the time has come to put our policies into practice. The European Commission counts on the continued commitment of industry to transform, invest and innovate. This will give European companies a competitive edge, making them global leaders in a rapidly-developing field. We strongly believe that sustainable innovation will bring out the best in our industries and deliver the best standards of living for our citizens."

EUROPEN fully shares this vision. EUROPEN members have recently made ambitious commitments to continuously improve the environmental performance of their packaging and packaged products[1], which will make a sizeable contribution to the EU’s new packaging waste targets for 2025/2030 and path towards an EU Plastics Economy.

Hans van Bochove, EUROPEN Chairman (Coca-Cola European Partners) said, “This year EUROPEN celebrates its 25th anniversary. In the last quarter century, and particularly around the recent development of EU circular economy ambitions, EUROPEN has offered constructive and progressive input to the work of the EU institutions. Today, EUROPEN’s purpose is more relevant than ever. We are committed to seek joint solutions throughout the packaging supply chain for the many challenges ahead, to ensure that the Circular Economy Package and its Action Plan deliver tangible, sustainable and competitive benefits for the European environment, economy and society.”

Sidel and Gebo Cermex showcased their latest advances in packaging equipment and services during the 16 th edition of Djazagro, one of the Maghreb region's leading international tradeshows for the food and beverage industry, which took place in Algiers from 9 th to 12 th April.

With a focus on the local, very dynamic water market and on the growing interest shown by Maghrebi manufacturers around aseptic technologies to package sensitive drinks in PET, the Sidel Group introduced its capabilities as a full solution partner. Delivering packaging equipment and services for the beverage, food, home and personal care markets across PET, can, glass and other materials, Sidel and Gebo Cermex are able to help from the initial conceptualisation to packaging and design to fast production and ramp-up. More than 5,000 employees worldwide are passionate about providing complete solutions that fulfil customer needs and boost the performance of their lines, products and businesses. This is made possible by understanding the needs of these customers’ markets, production, value chains, and above all the challenges they face.

Bassam Oussaifi, Sales Director Africa for Sidel, comments, “Beverage and food producers need to stay competitive in an evolving and demanding market, with easy-to- use, smart, flexible and customised solutions. At Djazagro 2018, we have been showing how this understanding of our customers’ needs and the trends in the liquid packaging industry enables us to deliver greater performance for bottling lines.” Jean-Philippe Henriet, Zone Sales Director Middle Eastand Africa, Gebo Cermex, adds “Looking at both Sidel and Gebo Cermex solutions, we can count on a large installed base in Algeria. Our global footprint and expertise, backed up by local customer proximity, is the recipe behind the market-tailored innovations on display on our stand. Our equipment is designed to achieve performance overtime, with no compromises on minimised total costs of ownership (TCO), high product quality and enhanced versatility. Not less important, our set-up is also helping us provide a highly reliable and responsive customer service and support to our customers in Maghreb.”

As a leading player in the industry, at Djazagro 2018, the Group has shown

• how PET packaging solutions can play a critical role in any brand experience: Sidel scientists and in-house packaging designers work on more than 250,000 new bottle concepts every year. At 5 packaging centres and 4 in-house R&D laboratories around the world, they help producers to qualify and industrialise specific packaging solutions that satisfy consumer needs and help to differentiate products on the shelf. They take care of the safety and quality of customers’ beverages, as well as of the products’ best performance throughout the supply chain, while enhancing their value proposition to consumers.
• how bottled water manufacturers, co-packers and brand owners can improve every aspect of production by partnering with a full solution partner, from lightweighting through performance to hygiene, always keeping the total cost of ownership (TCO) as low as possible.
• how simplicity is key to ensure food safety on a line, because a production process with few critical factors is managed more easily and effectively: As a further testament of this rule, Sidel has recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its aseptic Combi Predis™ FMa blow fill seal filler following test runs at a dairy customer in North America. This regulatory acceptance means that the Sidel aseptic blow fill seal solution is the world’s first aseptic PET filling equipment with dry preform sterilisation validated for low acid manufacturing and commercial distribution in the United States market.
• how the 360° approach applied by Gebo Cermex to wrap-around mechanization is the right direction to go. Gentle primary packaging handling, extended secondary packaging knowledge and large mechanization expertise allow the company to play a leading role in this field, as shown by the key-selling, top-performing WB46 – the latest addition to the wrap-around case packer portfolio.

Already the Big Brand interest in the new AIPIA Summit of the Americas (4/5 June Jersey City) is demonstrating how much disruptive technologies, such as Blockchain, AR and the Internet of Packaging (IoP), are gaining traction. All the major food, beverage, healthcare, cosmetics & health and beauty care producers- as well as the leading packaging converters and suppliers - need to add value for their customers, improve security and enhance connectivity along the supply chain.

The Summit, which is being run in partnership with BXP, Brand Experience Magazine (formerly Package Design) has lined up more than 25 speakers, covering the full spectrum of Active & Intelligent Packaging (A&IP) technologies. The centerpiece of the Summit will be the Bayer Consumer Health Challenge where A&IP product and service providers can pitch their ideas to help this owner of brands such as Alka Selzer, Claritin and Dr. Scholl’s to use smart packaging to enhance the consumer experience.

Other Brands offering insights into how they are using A&IP to differentiate, protect and enhance their products will be ABSOLUT (a member of the Pernod Ricard family) and coffee specialists Paulig. While Zappar and Cambridge Design Partnership will use Brand applications to demonstrate how they have utilized A&IP to great effect for Brands such as Avon, PEZ, Bulmers and Danone.

“We believe US Brands have some unique issues which A&IP can address successfully. But all major global Brand owners already recognize the value of Smart Packaging to help them stand out in this increasingly omnichannel environment. Thanks to digital technologies, smaller companies are able to compete head on with these multinationals. How they respond to this is the next big A&IP adventure,” says AIPIA executive director Eef de Ferrante.

“Big Brands such as PepsiCo, Mondelez, Conagra, Genentech and Abbot Nutrition have already signed up to attend the Summit. It will be a Brand fest where packaging’s latest disruptive innovations will get a chance to show their potential and get a thorough evaluation,” he added.

Total integration of the cap and preform production process, an integrated modular plant layout that responds to the principles of Industry 4.0 and all its opportunities. SACMI to showcase all this - and more - in Mexico at the industry's biggest 2018 event.

The world's third biggest market for SACMI Closures&Containers solutions and a key sales area for the entire SACMI Beverage range, Mexico is expected to attract over 16,000 professionals to Expo Pack Mexico 2018, the most important packaging and processing fair being held in the country this year. The event will take place from 5 th to 8 th June in Mexico City.

With a strong, long-standing presence in the country (SACMI de Mexico was established over 27 years ago), the Group will be at Expo Pack Mexico stand n° 3108. Here, visitors will be able to get a close look at SACMI's complete plant engineering and technology range, which includes numerous new products and services designed for Industry 4.0.

A continuous process offering outstanding repeatability, precision and reduced weight and cost: these are the goals of Sacmi's ongoing research in the Closures sector, the results of which are incorporated in the latest generation of CCM (continuous compression moulding) presses. Equipped with the COOL+ mould, CCM presses have the lowest running costs on the market and consume little energy, all thanks to the intrinsic advantages of this technology, which operates at lower temperatures than injection.

Because it's possible to set the parameters of each individual cavity directly from the operator interface, the solution allows real-time management and monitoring of output quality. The Sacmi team designs the cap and cap-preform system together with the customer, allowing production to evolve towards high-added- value items that combine excellent performance with low weight.

Sacmi CBF (compression blow forming), instead, the revolutionary container manufacturing system that uses a compression system which starts directly with the pellets, has succeeded in extending the advantages of this technology into areas beyond cap production. Precise and versatile, CBF combines the best features of alternative technologies such as EBM, IBM and ISBM with an ability to operate with all the main commercially available resins.

Thanks to excellent thermodynamic stability throughout the process, no gate on container bottoms, high productivity and precision-moulded necks, this technology is already starting to make a marked difference in the industry, especially in the dairy and pharma sectors; some thirty such solutions have already been installed in the USA, India, China, Japan and other countries. More generally, CBF gives manufacturers the opportunity to produce stretch-blown containers at low cost; performance remaining equal, these can be up to 20% lighter, maximise precision and uniformity of thickness and offer perfect process repeatability.

To ensure total quality Sacmi completes its machines and plants with a comprehensive range of vision systems, designed to work at high speed, directly on the line. Modules such as CHS and BVS (for cap and container quality control respectively) allow, via SACMI CVS3000 inspection software and high resolution image capture devices (up to 5 MP), accurate control of even the tiniest defects. All Sacmi inspection systems can be equipped with the advanced CVS360-3D module. Fully designed and developed by the Group's Automation & Inspection Systems Division, it can, thanks to perfect 2D reconstruction of the three-dimensional item, perform precision inspection of an object perimeter even where its shape is complex.

Once again, then, SACMI places its confidence in the dynamic Central American beverage and packaging market, characterised by burgeoning demand for integrated solutions that respond to the needs of both bottlers and converters. With SACMI De Mexico – which has a 60-strong technical/sales team – the Group also provides further added value in the form of a swift spare parts and assistance service and close customer support right from the design phase.

PulPaper is the leading international event in the forest industry’s calendar. It will be held in Helsinki on 29–31 May 2018. The event is a global meeting place where forest industry professionals from around the world will find out about innovations, learn new things and network. PulPaper includes an exhibition, a high-quality conference programme, an evening programme and the opportunity to visit a Finnish mill.

PulPaper uniquely brings together different fields in the forest industry, as two other events will also be held at the same time: PacTec, a packaging industry event, and the new Wood & Bioenergy event for the energy and chemical industries. The combined events provide a great opportunity to meet many operators from different industries. No comparable event is held anywhere else in the world.

The event was last held in 2014, when it attracted visitors from 70 countries. Now, PulPaper will bring the world’s best experts together to explore digitalisation, biorefinery development and breakthrough innovations. The theme of the event is “Visit tomorrow today.” This refers to new innovations and technologies that the forest industry can harness to evolve in the digitalising world, while respecting the environment.

Approximately 400 companies will participate in the exhibition and around 10,000 visitors are expected. PulPaper stand sales are proceeding briskly and the industry’s market leaders have confirmed their participation along with the major equipment and service providers in the business and the leading forestry companies. Digitalisation and innovations will be showcased at seminars and stands presenting the latest practical applications to customers. In addition, the new products and services of tomorrow will be showcased in a themed area for start-ups.

PulPaper looks to the future of the forest industry through innovations

PulPaper will feature a varied seminar programme on three days. The Business Forum and 3D Printing of Biomaterials seminars will be held on Tuesday, 29 May. Business Forum is a new seminar for company management, focusing on themes ranging from consumer habits to sustainable development and from innovations to changes in management.

The two-day PulPaper Conference will be held from 30 to 31 May. More than 40 experts, researchers and company representatives from the Nordic countries, Japan, North America, and other parts of the world will speak at the seminar. The conference will consist of keynote speeches for all participants and a selection of themed conference programmes.

The PulPaper Conference keynote speaker will be Maria Strömme, Professor of Nanotechnology at Uppsala University, Sweden, who will envision innovative products of the future. The second keynote speech will be given by Ilkka Hämälä, President and CEO of Metsä Group, Finland. He will describe how the new bioproduct mill in Äänekoski integrates the traditional pulp industry with the manufacture of new bioproducts.

The other themes of the conference include breakthrough innovations in the industry, biorefinery development, changes in consumer behaviour and the opportunities ushered in by digitalisation. Researchers will present current research results and envision future business opportunities. Practical examples of new operating methods from companies bring a concrete aspect to the conference.

At the end of PulPaper, visitors can acquaint themselves with pioneering companies in the business. Visits to Metsä Group’s new Äänekoski bioproduct mill and Kotkamills’ board mill will be organised on 31 May and 1 June.

How can the natural cider production process be emphasised using sustainable and distinctive on-shelf packaging? This task was recently presented to Ardagh Group and the Spiritus Movens Design Studio in Poland. The result of their work is a new, lightweighted glass bottle with unique embossing designed for Cider Lubelski - the most popular Polish cider from brand owner AMBRA S.A.

Cider Lubelski Classic, Cider Lubelski Unfiltered, Cider Lubelski Antonówka Unfiltered and Cider Lubelski Honey are variants of the premium cider for which a new, lighter glass packaging was created. The new bottle emphasises the light, refreshing and natural character of the drinks, which was one of the most important aspects of the design brief. To reduce the weight of the new 400ml clear and green glass bottles, the NNPB production method was used, saving an estimated 10% weight in each bottle, while maintaining the cider’s high pressure requirements. Lightweighting also means using fewer natural resources and translates into environmental benefits.

An unprecedented new embossing design has also been created using large, bold letters depicting ‘Cydr Lubelski’ around the bottle neck and shoulder. Cider is most popular among residents of large cities, aged 30-50, with higher education and above average income. They are looking for the highest quality, regional, natural and ecological products. When choosing, they are guided not by the lowest price but by the highest quality, and hence by the naturalness and authentic origin of the product.

Pianoro (Bologna) – The Marchesini Group will once again be at Ipack Ima, the food and non food processing and packaging tradeshow, which will take place in Milan from May 29 th to June 1 st . Marchesini’s booth (Hall 4, Booth B14) will be showcasing two stand-alone machines for cosmetics, which is a very important business area for the Group. In fact, there will shortly be a new Beauty Division just down the road from the Headquarters in Pianoro dedicated to this industry.

The first solution that visitors may admire is the automatic overwrapper Farplus C, perfect for cosmetics thanks to the wide variety and high quality of the possible closure methods: from standard for individual products, to grouped products for all shapes and sizes of perfumes, including dot seal and tear tape.

Farplus C has a robotic product infeed and a product by-pass off the machine to ensure non-stop production. It can process 80 packages a minute. It is available in the standard version with side holding belts and in an optimised version for packaging cosmetics, with special plates for dot seal closure.

DUMEK will be represented by a 200-litre TURBO-MEK turbo-emulsifier. The TURBO-MEK vacuum turbo-emulsifiers are designed for liquid and creamy products, such as emulsions (cream and milk), serum, oil and balm, gel and lotion; special versions of these machines can process other specific products such as make-up (mascara, foundation), hair dye, toothpaste and mud.

All the operating functions and parameter adjustments of the turbo-emulsifiers can be managed and set from the control panel equipped with software developed in-house exploiting DUMEK technology.

Group to take part in the fourth edition of Oman Plast, presenting all the latest developments in its CCM, IPS and CBF ranges: cap, PET preform and container- making solutions that have, thanks to cutting-edge technology, won over the global industry's biggest players

Sacmi will be taking part in Oman Plast 2018, a major Gulf event that focuses on packaging and closures solutions (Muscat, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, 7-9 May 2018). Thanks to unmatched quality, productivity and energy savings, Sacmi compression technology has profoundly innovated closure manufacturing and will be a prominent feature in the Group's display area (Hall 3, stand n° 957-958).

Incorporated in the CCM (continuous compression moulding) press range - which has the lowest running costs in the industry - compression technology lets manufacturers set the cap parameters and design directly via the operator interface as each mould cavity can be managed independently. Versatility and total quality control run parallel with Sacmi's capacity to provide integrated cap-preform solutions. The latter reduce weight without affecting performance (i.e. lightweight solutions), lowering energy and raw material consumption even further.

Sacmi leads the world in manufacturing HDPE caps with this technology and has succeeded in transferring its advantages to stretch-blown container manufacturing. CBF (compression blow forming) is the world's most advanced blow moulding technique and combines the very best characteristics of alternative technologies such as EBM, IBM and ISBM.

This single-stage platform is characterised by excellent thermodynamic stability, no gate on the bottom of the container, high productivity and precision-moulded necks. It lets manufacturers make containers directly from pellets, using all the main commercially available resins. Thanks to the versatility of being able to use different resins, precision and uniform thickness, Sacmi CBF machines have made huge market gains (especially in the dairy and pharma sectors).

The third essential component when it comes to providing economically advantageous solutions for the beverage packaging world is the Division that develops and produces the PET preform injection machines in the vast IPS (Injection Preform System) range.

The world's only company capable of providing a proprietary technology for every stage of beverage production – from cap-preform systems to blowing, filling and labelling – Sacmi combines plant engineering excellence with a far-reaching service to provide assistance before, during and after the sale.

Through Sacmi Middle-East, based in nearby Dubai, customers can count on spare parts assistance 7 days a week from a team consisting of engineers from the parent company and local technicians, specially trained to provide support during

all start-up, testing and after-market operations. Last but not least, service quality is enhanced further by smooth synergy with the Sacmi Group's Beverage R&D facility, certified by the international industry's top players.

Wolfertschwenden, 17 April 2018 – At this year's ACHEMA, which takes place from 11 to 15 June in Frankfurt, MULTIVAC will be presenting integrated solutions for packing medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as demonstrating its comprehensive expertise in automation. The focus will be on the automatic infeed and packing of sensitive products, as well as packaging solutions for small batches and for labelling and identifying products during the packaging procedure.

The highlights of the trade fair will include a thermoforming packaging machine in GMP design with a single-side chain guide for packing syringes. The machine is equipped with an automatic syringe infeed, which ensures that up to 300 pre-filled glass or plastic syringes per minute can be transported and monitored with great process reliability. The special infeed system ensures that the sensitive products are gently separated and orientated, before being loaded into the pack cavities. The system's high level of flexibility enables different types of products and pack sizes to be handled reliably. Fast and reproducible conversion of the thermoforming packaging machine is achieved through special die changing systems and the use of a complete cutting tool, which can be changed easily and quickly. The proven chain guide on the thermoforming packaging machine ensures that there is simple line clearance. The monitored web advance contributes to a low level of start-up loss after batch changes for example. The function for running the machine empty is also designed to be very simple. This means that this concept is particularly well-suited to small product series and frequent batch changes. At the trade fair a special design with a single- side chain guide will be shown, which enables rigid film in various web widths to be used very flexibly.

As regards the traysealer sector, MULTIVAC will be showing the semi- automatic T 260, which is specially designed for packing sensitive products in small batches. The compact model, which is mobile and can therefore be used very flexibly, is suitable for running a wide spectrum of trays. The T 260 offers companies packing small to medium-sizedbatches a high degree of process reliability, reproducibility and above all flexibility. The sealing die provides controlled sealing pressure and precise temperature distribution, so that a reproducible packaging procedure is assured.

MULTIVAC will also be presenting the C 300 TC chamber machine from its wide range of chamber machine products. This model enables pharmaceutical products and sterile medical items to be packed securely in film pouches, and packs can be produced either as vacuum packs or with modified atmosphere and reduced residual oxygen content. A temperature-controlled and permanently heated sealing bar, which can be both validated and calibrated, ensures that this machine achieves reproducible sealing quality.

Using the example of the L 300 conveyor belt labeller, which can be used very flexibly, MULTIVAC will also be showing at ACHEMA, how packs containing pharmaceutical and medical products can be labelled reliably and very efficiently. This model applies labels to the top and bottom of packs as well as over the edge of the pack, and it can therefore be used for all standard labelling tasks. Thanks to its own MC 08 machine control, this model can not only be used in a packaging line but also as a stand-alone labelling solution.

In the sector of inspection solutions, the I 410 for visual inspection tasks will be presented at the trade fair. The areas of application for the I 410 range from completeness checks on the packs, through to presence and position inspection of the labels, and right up to checking the print - and this includes pattern and character recognition, character verification and inspection of legibility and codes. Thanks to the high- resolution line scanner and powerful image processing for both top and bottom scanning, it performs highly reliable inspection of pack quality and labelling.

The fourth edition of the fair, in Guangzhou (China), sees the company play a leading role with its comprehensive metal cap manufacturing and quality control range

Cannex&Fillex Asia Pacific, South-East Asia's key metal packaging technology fair, is back for the fourth time at Guangzhou, China, from 15 to 18 May 2018. The entire Sacmi range, which provides ever-more complete, higher-performing technological solutions based on the use of innovative standards and technologies, will be on show at stand n° 1.323; covering over 50 m 2 , the stand will showcase machines and complete plants for the manufacture of metal caps.

The flagship of the Sacmi range is the PTC 600, the latest high-tech machine for the crown cap sector in which the Group has led the world for over half a century. Launched in 2016, the PTC 600 boosts productivity by over 30% with respect to the already-successful previous solution. Optimal product quality and attentiveness to worker safety complete the picture. Thanks to the metal sheet feed system, which is independent from the press, noise and vibration have been reduced considerably (just 3.5 dB) while integration of the inspection system ensures alignment of the decoration with a margin of error below 0.04 mm.

A pioneer of plant engineering integration, Sacmi will - alongside this 6,000-caps- per-minute solution - also be displaying downstream machines for liner application and cap embossing. Designed to operate directly on the line together with the press, Sacmi's PMC 600 lining machine has been deliberately configured to keep pace with the high PTC output rates; it also features further developments that improve cap handling inside the machine, making the entire process more linear and efficient. Last but not least comes the CCD cap embossing machine, designed to work with both decorated and plain caps.

Sacmi is particularly attentive to evolving market trends and is always ready to intercept them: for example, in several parts of the world long aluminium caps are increasingly popular in the wine sector. That's why we've developed a specific machine, the PMH, which lets users mould a totally PVC-free liner directly from pellets. Product hygiene and greater efficiency (compared to alternative technologies where the traditional discs are cut from the sheet) mean that the PMH optimises energy and raw material consumption, providing significant innovation on both the process (liner moulding directly inside the cap) and product sides.

With regard to modern twist-off caps, Sacmi has, once again, focused on perfecting a high performance solution characterised by PVC-free liners. Called PMA, it stands out from alternative solutions as it allows for the development of liners with a defined annular profile by moulding PVC-free doses directly from the pellet inside the cap; this ensures an early response to what is a growing trend within the food industry. Lastly, Sacmi's PMV and RCM machines (the former applies the liner, the latter moulds and applies the plastic ring with the tab directly on the shell) combine soundness with great design. Just perfect for handling the modern, practical Maxi-P standard which is increasingly popular in the CSD, beer sectors, etc.

All Sacmi solutions can be equipped with advanced cap and metallic packaging inspection systems, designed and developed by the Group's Automation & Inspection Systems Division. These systems form the MVS (metal vision system) range. They ensure total quality control at every stage of production and, what's more, now include important new features such as carbon footprint reduction and improved integration, compactness and more user-friendly installation and use.

Sacmi offers a complete quality control range covering every single metallic packaging manufacturing step (cans, tins, twist-off caps plus aerosol and easy open lids etc.); it consists of carefully-targeted, personalised solutions that can even include all product handling systems (making us the only supplier in the world also able to “cover” this aspect of the service).

For example, the Sacmi stand will be exhibiting the new ULISSE, the name given to the innovative all-in- one MVS 200A. This differs from previous systems in that the electrical control panel and all relative wiring have now been eliminated. With ULISSE, the calculating unit is inserted directly in the lighting/image acquisition unit, a re-engineering of the machine that enhances both compactness and user-friendliness.

This easy-to- install Sacmi-designed solution - which retains the machine's full calculation power, the characteristics of the illumination unit and the resolution of the image capture devices (up to 5 MP) - is flanked by a second solution, the MVS 210 A. The latter is designed to inspect beverage and aerosol lids with diameters of up to 70 mm.

Another new machine on show at the fair is the DECOCAP 360-3D, the new inspection system for twist-off lid exteriors that employs 5 video cameras: one camera inspects the decoration from above and the other 4 examine the side walls. In this case too, the Sacmi illumination unit and software (CVS 3000, incorporated throughout the range) allow perfect 2D reconstruction of the captured 3D image, eliminating any potential distortion that might stem from perspective, the shape of the lid or the reflectiveness of the surface.

Sacmi has enjoyed a strong, decades-long presence in China thanks to dedicated offices and branches. Sacmi also stands out on account of its far-reaching customer assistance network which provides close support right from the design phase and throughout the working life of the machine and/or plant. Thanks to its Global Network and advanced tele-assistance services, the company's specialised staff offer 24/7 worldwide support to guarantee customers get the very best out of Sacmi machines and maximise the returns on their investment.

Cartonplast Group (CPL) offers Europe's most successful outsourcing transportation system with plastic layer pads (PLPs) on a rental basis for glass, cans and PET containers. The following CPL best practice examples provide insights into the practice of the work processes of two different companies and show concrete and positive changes. What works well for one can also work well for the other! The examples serve as a suggestion for companies looking for solutions to similar production problems. In addition, they will illustrate the comparison of traditional cardboard layer pads used to transport glass, cans and PET containers and promote and increase the use of CPL plastic layer pads in as many companies as possible, highlighting the value of the CPL service model to potential customers.

1. Best practice example

„Move to plastic“ at the beverage manufacturer Halewood International

The “Move to plastic” project at Halewood International, the largest independent manufacturer of beverages in Great Britain, was a collaborative initiative with the glass suppliers. The aim in this particular case was to reduce waste at the location, and in return to increase the number of recyclable items. 80% of the container glass products are now transported on PLPs – cardboard intermediate layers are now only used in certain individual cases. The PLPs for the transportation of the glass products to the beverage manufacturer are provided, collected free of charge and reprocessed by CPL-UK. In this way, Halewood can focus on the manufacture and delivery of its high-quality beverage products.

Major changes have also resulted in the operating processes. Due to the reduced use of cardboard intermediate layers, savings have been achieved regarding both time and personnel, who were usually deployed for sorting of the cardboard waste material. The sorting and recycling of damaged PLPs is now organised through CPL-UK, and Halewood does not incur any disposal costs.

Julian Galsworthy, Vendor Scheduling Manager at Halewood International, based in the United Kingdom, confirms the efficiency of the system: “Our production processes have been optimised, as the depalletisation of the glass containers has become easier and faster. In particular, wet and damaged cardboard intermediate layers were causing problems during the depalletisation of the glass containers, and we were suffering production losses. PLPs do not suffer deformations – in contrast to cardboard – and the depalletisation of the glass containers now runs smoothly”.

2. Best practice example

Fast secure depalletizing and reduced production downtime at the instant coffee

manufacturer JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS

JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS (JDE), one of the largest instant coffee manufacturers in Great Britain, was having problems with the weight of the glass on their cardboard intermediate layers – causing issues with their depalletizing process. The glass containers are too heavy to be palletised stably on cardboard intermediate layers. This was a major quality and safety issue. The costs of more sturdy cardboard intermediate layers of the same thickness as PLPs would have been uneconomical – and their vulnerability to damp was also a problem. The company therefore replaced the cardboard intermediate layers with PLPs for the transportation of the glass containers. The surface quality of the PLPs now permits a rapid and reliable depalletisation process and reduced production failure times. Due to the improved strength and durability of the PLPs, the palletisation options for the glass containers have also expanded – more weight can now be packed onto each pallet. In this way, the number of pallets required for transportation has been reduced, and therefore also the transport volume. JDE no longer has to invest in new transport products, as the stability of the PLPs guarantees their reutilisation – in contrast to cardboard.

As James Dockree, Packaging Quality Specialist at JDE in the United Kingdom, explains: “Cardboard intermediate layers do not work efficiently on our palletisers in comparison to the PLPs. Every time glass falls off the pallets, we have a major quality and safety issue”.

Closed-pooling or tailor-made outsourcing service Both best practice examples show how the use of PLPs has optimized production processes and mastered the challenges facing customers. From the delivery and return, sorting and cleaning to the administration of reusable transport products, CPL combines a broad range of outsourcing services. CPL also offers individual outsourcing solutions. Thus, it is possible to use only the PLPs warehouse management, including mobile cleaning at the container manufacturer, integrated into local conditions. As an experienced pool system operator of reusable PLPs on a rental basis, CPL has 15 closely linked service centers. Own stocks of transport and packaging material at the customer are no longer necessary and storage areas are free, because the PLPs circulate in the external CPL pool system. The service and rental fees are cost-saving - replacement and financing costs are eliminated. Unproductively tied capital becomes free for investments in the core business of the customers. The cost-effectiveness of PLPs is also explained by the long service life and disposal costs for the recycling of damaged PLPs are eliminated.

Conclusion: The transport with reusable PLPs is recognized as the most efficient method of transportation - one could also speak of a trend. PLPs are replacing cardboard layer pads and the culture of reusable material is becoming increasingly established worldwide.

CPL's range of services are also visually displayed in the new explanatory video Entertaining and understandable in the animated explanatory format, CPL conveys the complex topic of outsourcing and the use of its reusable transport products for the glass, cans and PET container industry. The video shows how container manufacturers and bottlers benefit, why outsourcing saves costs, mitigates environmental concerns and benefits everyone. "When creating the video, we oriented ourselves to questions that we are repeatedly asked in the day-to-day business of interested companies: For example, if you have to buy the plastic layer pads or where the PLPs are stored and if it is economically useful. Also how the Cartonplast business model differs from other transportation systems", explains Michael Heikenfeld, CSO, Cartonplast Group. To bring the video closer to an international audience, there is an English, French, Portuguese and Brazilian version.

To offer our customers a broader range of services, backed up by improved international effectiveness, the five companies listed above will be joining forces as from today, as Novio Packaging. This combination enables them to offer one another additional support in terms of production, distribution and service provision.

Novio Packaging Group is the new name for the group of companies specialising in packaging solutions and the distribution of primary packaging materials. As explained by directors Marck Jansen and Erik Trum, “Novio refers to new as well as being the abbreviation for Noviomagus – the Latinname for Nijmegen – which itself means ‘new marketplace’. Nijmegen is the home city for the two of us, and is close to the location of our new head offices.” For the rest of 2018, the five companies will continue to operate under their original name with the subheading ‘member of Novio Packaging Group’. From 1 January 2019 onwards, they will all operate simply as Novio Packaging. On that date, Oosterbeek Packaging B.V., Alpha Packaging International B.V. and Maer Flexibles will complete a legal merger.

Better for our customers

For existing and future customers, this new merger will have positive effects. In addition to maintaining the current levels of customer focus and product quality, the new structure means that the group members can support each other in terms of improved knowledge, production, distribution and service provision. In Erik Trum’s words, “By establishing a single point of contact, it is immediately clear to our business relations who they are dealing with and what solutions we can offer them.” The two directors also plan to further expand the range of services and products, internationally. Marck Jansen continued, “With this greater volume, we acquire more buying power and that too is favourable for our customers.”

New premises

In advance of this merger process, the company moved to a new head office location in January last. The office premises offer sufficient space for growth, and in terms of design, everything is geared towards the values represented by Novio Packaging. Trum: explained, “The building tells you who we are: modern, innovative, creative and packed with quality, all with a clear focus on openness and cooperation.”

Over the coming period, you can meet members of the Novio Packing Group’ at the following trade fairs: Fibo Power 2018, Cologne – stand: 10.2 A31 (12-15 April), Natural & Organic Products Europe, London – stand M41 (22-23 April), Hispack 2018, Barcelona – hall 2, stand C315 (8-11 May), Vitafoods 2018, Geneva – stand I50 (15-17 May), Cosmetic Business 2018, Munich – hall 3, stand: A01 (6-7 June)

In partnership with German tool producer Marbach, RPC Bebo has developed a unique thermoformed screw closure system.

Called “Turner”, the system comprises a cup, lid and lidding film, which is sealed on the cup’s seal flange to cover the lid’s entire surface. To open, consumers peal back the lidding film and turn the lid in a 45° counter-clockwise rotation. This easy-open and reliable reclosing offers excellent on-the- go benefits. It is suitable for car cup holders and its robust design means that, though lightweight, it can withstand the rigours of modern on-the- move lifestyles such as being carried in a rucksack, baby changing bag or school bag.

In addition to a variety of food-to- go applications including ice cream, snacks and sweets, the Turner cup and film is also an ideal alternative pack solution for pet foods. It can be specified with barrier properties for protection against oxygen, water vapour, UV and light.

To ensure effective branding and on-shelf differentiation and appeal, a wide range of decoration technologies is available. In common with other RPC Bebo products, these include high definition printing, labelling and premium In-Mould Label Thermoforming (IML-T) for the cup, while the lid can utilise RPC Bebo’s patented high quality Bebo Print for complete edge-to- edge coverage.

At this year's Hannover Messe (Hall 9, Booth D33), the Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG) will demonstrate how interface-free communication can provide seamless connectivity from the sensor layer to the ERP layer and into the cloud. The foundation has already been laid with the companion specification for OPC UA and POWERLINK.

The EPSG will also be showing how the open and standardized protocols POWERLINK, openSAFETY and OPC UA TSN come together to create open architectures for real-time communication in the Industrial IoT. The TSN Ethernet extension makes OPC UA deterministic. In combination with the openSAFETY protocol, it now meets all the requirements for safe line automation at the factory level. OPC UA provides semantic descriptions of information models and security mechanisms that facilitate the convergence of IT and OT.

Modular applications can now be implemented even more easily. B&R's new software component, mapp IO, makes it possible to add I/O modules at any time. This can happen before a machine is delivered or even at runtime, thereby greatly simplifying the task of managing variants of machinery and equipment.

Configuring variants

With mapp IO, I/O configurations can be generated directly from an ERP or order management system. No engineering tools are required, even if third-party drives or modules are added. Additional variants and op-tions are configured directly on the machine using mapp IO and then programmed using mapp CodeBox. With mapp CodeBox, you can program options in ladder logic without affecting the machine's primary appli-cation. The machine can be commissioned without having to modify the original machine software.

With the new software component mapp IO, B&R's entire hardware portfolio can be added to machinery and equipment at runtime.

An OPC UA companion specification is now available for POWERLINK according to a joint announcement by the OPC Foundation and the Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG). The companion specification describes how payload data is exchanged between POWERLINK and any OPC UA platform. The result is integrated communication from the sensor to the cloud – without any interfaces whatsoever.

"As technologies, OPC UA and POWERLINK complement each other perfectly," emphasized Thomas Burke, President of the OPC Foundation, in his announcement. "POWERLINK is among the leading real-time bus systems used in plants and machinery. Together with OPC UA, POWERLINK networks can now communicate seamlessly and securely with the IT environment and into the cloud."

A single network

"This specification allows OPC UA and POWERLINK to fuse into a single network," added Stefan Schönegger, managing director of the EPSG. "We're then able to join devices from different manufacturers and across different levels of the automation pyramid into a single, cohesive system."

A joint working group between the OPC Foundation and the EPSG had been working on the specification since 2016. The document can be downloaded from the OPC Foundation website: https://opcfoundation.org/markets-collaboration/ethernet-powerlink-stan…