On thursday 24 november 2016, the 63rd nvc general meeting of members took place in the evoluon in eindhoven (nl). During this fully packed meeting future trends were addressed in the keynote lecture given by john nicholson from nvc member company havi. His presentation was followed by a lively discussion with the panel of member- experts and the audience.

The 64th gmm will take place thursday 30 november 2017 at the planetarium amsterdam (nl). Directly after the statutory meeting we will probe into the future of virtual reality (vr) technology and its implications for interactive packaging.

After the gmm the festive award ceremony of the 28th edition of the world’s most competitive packaging innovation contest de gouden noot took place. The competition features a very strict, two-step jury procedure, culminating in only one over-all winner. The winner’s trophy with the solid gold walnut inside has evolved into the global symbol of a truly holistic packaging innovation. De gouden noot 2016 has been won by flex/design for the flexa creations color testers, a novel package for consumers based on both creative and functional design that fulfils a real consumer need for testing colours to be used at home. The winner and other nine finalists can be found at www.degoudennoot.com and they can also be seen at the nvc stand at the interpack in germany (entrance north enb/03 from 4-10 may 2017). The kick-off of packaging innovation contest de gouden noot 2018 takes place 1 september 2017.

During the second part of the evening fintech in general and crowdfunding in particular were addressed in the world’s first live crowdfunding event on packaging innovation. This featured two innovative start-ups (pack-e and yesnomaybe), both of them pitching to the 160 strong audience for an €125k investment. As the event moved on, the business organised itself around both innovative packaging ideas and the accompanying investments needed in an unprecedented manner.

Pianoro (bologna, italy) - the marchesini family and the board of directors of marchesini group have chosen the former general director of sacmi, mr. Pietro cassani, to stand as the new chief executive officer of the company.

The new ceo is renowned for his technical and organisational competences and will boost the company’s competitive level in an ever-demanding worldwide market.

“the future challenges of such a rapidly changing world, along with the desire to continue growing, have convinced us to broaden the group of managers who have backed us constantly over the years. The aim is to make the business even more coordinated, a role-leader in its markets and additionally efficient in terms of customer care”, says maurizio marchesini. “mr. Cassani, is joining our team to help us become even greater not only in terms of dimensions but also in terms of reputation and competitiveness in the world of packaging machinery for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; i am also expecting his contribution regarding expansion plans through extraordinary transactions”.

This does not mean in any way that the family intends to resign from the business or from its management; on the contrary, it will strengthen the family’s involvement in a new strategic role to assist customers even closer.

Maurizio marchesini will be the chairman, marco marchesini the executive and production director, valentina marchesini the human resources director and marinella alberghini marchesini the executive and organisational director. The managers, who have helped to turn a small production factory into the fourth top player in the world in the industry of pharmaceutical packaging machines will remain too. 

“i am truly enthusiastic to take on this role”, says mr. Cassani, “i am certain that the values of this business will guide me and, by collaborating with all the players involved, marchesini group will be able to look forward to great achievements”. 

Marchesini group is about to end 2016 with a 4% rise in its turnover (280 million euro) compared with 2015. The orders received, by the end of the year, will be just a few points higher than the result of last year, which was already exceptional.

Les Ulis, France, January 5, 2017. Danone Russia put IMA Erca on the shortlist for its Supplier Awards, placing it among the top 45 of its 6,000 suppliers. IMA Erca is the only packaging machinery manufacturer on the shortlist and was nominated in the category ‘successful innovations’.

IMA Erca delivered a Form, Fill and Seal machine to the food and beverage group’s Russian subsidiary, so that it could launch its Danone Activia yogurt on the market. “We’re pleased that our machine was able to make a positive contribution to the successful product launch of Danone Activia,” said Johan Degardin, Key Account Manager Danone. “This nomination is a huge honor for everyone at Erca who worked on this challenging project.”

IMA Erca delivered the model EF 825 FFS machine with Open Mould technology that was needed to meet the specific requirements of Danone’s newly developed yogurt cups. Their particularly high-quality appearance is achieved by embossing the Danone logo on the bottom of a transparent, deep-drawn plastic cup and decorating the cup with a partial shrink sleeve after it has been filled and sealed. In the past only complete sleeves have been realized.

The Russian product launch of Danone Activia was a smash hit; the machine is currently filling 2.2 tons per hour. IMA Erca and Danone have been working together for decades. Several successes have already emerged from this partnership like the first labeled cup in 1970 or more recently the kiss cup in 2011 which has been awarded and finally this new open mould cup for Activia which was nominated this year.

Wood Dale, Illinois – January 12, 2017 – Packages, bottles and certain products may require discrete codes and brand information that can be tracked through the supply chain. Fluorescing UV ink is only visible under UV lighting, and can be an unobtrusive solution for markets that require product traceability.

With over 40 years of ink development experience, Videojet Technologies Inc., a global leader in coding, marking and printing solutions, has launched an innovative new UV fluorescing ink designed to deliver crisp codes for high end cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other consumer goods.

The new ink is colorless in normal light and fluoresces blue under a black light. With its MEK solvent base, the ink offers very good adhesion to a variety of substrates including coated cartons or glossy labels, vial caps and closures, and dark substrates where a bar code is needed.

Heidi Wright, Business Unit Manager, TIJ & TTO, at Videojet explains “This ink was initially developed for the pharmaceutical market; however, it is also suited to a variety of other applications including retort processed food containers and cosmetic packaging.”

The clear, UV fluorescing ink is ideal for GS1-DataMatrix and other 2D codes, and is resistant to the autoclave process. This ink offers a 2-3 second dry time on non-porous materials such as ABS, HDPE, PET, PVC and nylon, and delivers great adhesion versatility on a wide range of substrates.

This ink is for use in the Videojet 8610 TIJ printer (http://www.videojet.com/8610) which utilizes a revolutionary, purpose-built cartridge designed to use MEK fluids. The 8610 TIJ printer is ideal for applications that require crisp, repeatable codes on to foils, films, plastics and coated stocks, and provides print resolutions up to four times greater than continuous inkjet (CIJ).

World’s first folder-gluer for short runs handles UV coating

Dresden, 10 th January 2017 – KAMA is further expanding the capabilities of its revolutionary folder-gluer, the FlexFold 52i. The world’s first folder-gluer for short runs can now also efficiently and cleanly glue sealed, smooth surfaces such as UV-coated, metalized or laminated cardboard through the use of plasma treatment.

“The use of UV coating in packaging is increasing, especially with digitally printed folding boxes and high-quality special editions”, notes KAMA CEO Marcus Tralau. The German based machine manufacturer developed the FlexFold 52i especially for such short run-lengths as the only folder-gluer with an almost fully automated setup to carry out the numerous job changeovers highly efficiently in a few short minutes. “To this advantage we are now adding the plasma treatment as an elegant and efficient solution when gluing UV-coated folding cartons”, says Tralau. The plasma treatment system consists of a plasma generator and a plasma nozzle with a transformer; crash-lock- bottom boxes with three-point gluing require three nozzles. The first FlexFold 52i featuring the new option has already been sold.

Solution for smooth surfaces

The challenge when using UV-coated material: the smooth surface offers no hold for the glue. This means that for UV and similar kinds of coating the glue flaps have to be left out. This, in turn, means an extra flexo plate for the coating process and extra set- up time. The corresponding costs can be quite significant when working with short runs. The savings potential when finishing on the FlexFold 52i with the plasma system is correspondingly largeas the printed sheets can be flood coated – without any additional costs for flexo plates and setup.

An energizing solution

When using the plasma treatment, the coated surface is opened up by passing it over a plasma nozzle which gives off highly energised, ionised air to make the surface responsive. “The plasma is like an energy shower of air, it increases surface tension and activates molecules that the glue can hook on to”, explains Tralau. The glue line holds – permanently.

For straight-line and crash-lock boxes

A further advantage: the plasma treatment changes the surface only temporarily. Surfaces without glue applied to them return to their original state and look the same as they did before being treated. This makes the plasma solution optimal for straight-line boxes (often used for pharmaceuticals), but also for crash-lock bottom boxes that have several bonding surfaces and which are very popular for healthcare and beauty products.

KAMA presented the FlexFold 52i with record speed changeovers at drupa and demonstrated the complete workflow for short-run folding carton production exemplarily with the HP Indigo 30000 digital press. www.kama.info.

St. Croix Falls, WI, January 12, 2017 - Brandtjen & Kluge (Kluge) is proud to announce and welcome Albert "Al" Nuño as Director of Sales for Latin America and Senior Advisor Coating Solutions.

Nuño brings significant business experience in Latin America to Kluge and will be responsible for all business activities in the region. He will be representing all Kluge core products: diecutting and foil stamping presses, folding and gluing systems, and UV coating systems. "Al's industry leading experience and outstanding communication skills will be a real asset to our clients," said Michael Aumann, CEO, Kluge. "Whether it be product analysis, application support or a business case to support an investment; Al has the skill set to provide our clients with world class consultation and support."

Kluge's recent acquisition of the UV Coating product lines of Olec, Dorn and FMA will provide a platform for Nuño to put his extensive knowledge of the UV industry to work. Nuño's process and application experience will prove to be valuable to clients as they evaluate UV coating systems and applications, and when they integrate them into their production workflow.

Al is fluent in speaking Spanish allowing him to communicate directly with the markets in Mexico, Central and South America.

Brandtjen & Kluge profile

Adding value since 1919, Brandtjen and Kluge is a fourth generation family owned manufacturer of specialty print finishing and converting equipment. For over 95 years the brand name "Kluge" has represented innovation, technical leadership, productivity and rugged durability to companies worldwide. Headquartered in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, USA, Brandtjen and Kluge markets equipment through a direct sales force in the United States and Canada and has a well-established network of industry-qualified distributors to provide global coverage. For more information visit us at www.kluge.biz.

DELHI, 13 th Jan 2017– Cosmo Films, a leading manufacturer of speciality BOPP films will be showcasing its range of premium lamination films and synthetic paper at the upcoming PrintPack India 2017 show– one of the world’s leading trade fairs for graphic arts industry, scheduled to take place from 4 th to 8 th February 2017 at Greater Noida, Delhi NCR, India.

The premium range of lamination films comprises of the new improvised velvet, black velvet, scuff free matte and digital lamination films. The portfolio has been designed keeping the needs of luxury packaging and high end graphic lamination industries in mind. Synthetic paper is a non tearable paper- like film, engineered as a solution to various marketing and printing industry needs.

Let’s look at the product portfolio to be showcased in greater detail.

Velvet Lamination Films: The flagship product of the premium range, as the name indicates, is engineered to lend a rich velvet finish to the printed surface. Engineered on a special matte base film, this film is ideal for giving a premium finish to premium/luxury liquor, perfume, watches and jewellery packs/boxes. The film can also be used for laminating coffee table books, high end magazines, brochures, manuals etc.

Black Velvet Lamination Films: Recently launched Black Velvet lamination films offer an intense black colour along with a velvet touch to the laminated paper/paperboard or package, thereby enhancing its aesthetics. It is also perfect for post lamination processes like spot UV, foil stamping, printing etc.

Besides luxury packaging applications, black velvet films are also suitable for high end promotional material and stationery such as coffee table books, magazines, brochures, manuals, posters, shopping bags, wedding cards, gift boxes, calendars, diaries etc

Scuff Free Matte Lamination Films: Unlike a traditional matte film, this film provides excellent resistance to scuff marks which could develop during production, transportation and handling of thepack. The matte surface of the film is also ideal for post laminating procedures such as UV spot coating, hot foil stamping, embossing etc. Apart from the luxury packaging applications mentioned earlier, this film is best suited for laminating packing boxes of electronic goods like mobile phones, tablets, power banks etc.

Digital Lamination Films: Regular thermal lamination films do not give adequate bonding with digital printed surfaces containing high levels of fuser oil. The premium digital film has been specially engineered to provide excellent bonding to digital printed surfaces, along with providing excellent optics and protection. This film is available in both gloss and matte varieties.

Synthetic Paper: Synthetic paper is a paper looking plastic film with key features such as non tearability, paper like appearance, moisture resistant, good lay flatness. The film is used as a replacement of paper in applications where non-tearability and weather resistance is desired.

Today it is used primarily for printing visiting & ID cards, garment tags and marketing collaterals such as posters, banners etc and stationary items where longevity is essential such as maps, flip charts, and calendars. However, going forward all important documents for keeps such as medical reports, educational certificates & land documents and instruction manuals would start getting printed on synthetic paper. Another important emerging application of synthetic paper is children & recipe books.

Mr. Jeevan Kulkarni, Head- Domestic Sales, Cosmo Films said, “Being a critical member of the post press industry, we look at PrintPack India as a very promising exhibition to engage with print and graphic arts industry. We look forward to this event to showcase our impressive range of print and lamination centric products.”

Please visit Cosmo Films at stand no.E-8 in hall no. 9 at PrintPack India 2017.

About PrintPack

PrintPack India is one of the largest international exhibitions on graphic art industry organised by Indian Printing, Packaging and Allied Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (IPAMA). This is a unique platform for the buyers and sellers of Pre-press, In-press, Post press, Finishing, Converting, Digital & Signage and Packaging Machines. In conjunction with the PrintPack India show, NPES PRINT BUSINESS OUTLOOK CONFERENCE 2017 is being co-organized by IPAMA on 5 th of Feb’17, and supported by: the All India Federation of Master Printers Association (AIFMP), PRIMIR, the premier market research association of the graphic communications industry and International Color Consortium (ICC).

About Cosmo Films Limited

Established in 1981, Cosmo Films Limited today is one of the global leaders and manufacturers of Bi- axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) films used for packaging, labels and lamination applications. The company is the largest exporter of BOPP films from India and is also the largest producer of thermal lamination films in the world with plant cum distribution centres in India, Japan, Korea & the U.S along with global channel partners in more than fifty countries.

Success for producers bottling still and sparkling water requires a focus on output and efficiency, combined with an uncompromising commitment to food safety. By taking a holistic view of the production cycle, a fully connected line can be optimised through a combination of lightweight packaging, great efficiency and hygiene, always keeping the total cost of ownership (TCO) as low as possible.

Water is a precious commodity. Increasing urbanisation in developing countries - and the resulting need for regular access to drinkable water, and the move away from sugary beverages in more mature markets has driven a growth in demand for bottled water around the world. Global sales climbed in volume by 6.7% between 2014 and 2015 to reach 193 billion litres with still water accounting for 86% of this total 1 . The material of choice in this growing market is PET, covering 86% of all projected bottled water packaging sales in 2016. 2

With more than 40 years’ experience with complete line solutions and the world’s largest installed base of Combi integrated blow-fill- cap systems, Sidel has helped producers to reach and exceed their targets, time after time.

"Smarter solutions and innovations are essential to meeting the needs of the rapidly expanding and ever-changing bottled water market. A complete line approach recognises the roles that lightweight and safe packaging, top quality equipment, optimised line design, smart automation and ongoing services all have to play in meeting the market challenges. It offers producers full control and transparency throughout the bottling process,” says Simone Pisani, Category Marketing Director Water at Sidel.

Value adding innovations by in-house experts

With the aim of improving bottle strength and performance while reducing costs and ensuring the brand stands out on the shelves, 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. Creating and evaluating bottle samples and performing many different laboratory tests, they take care of the safety and quality of customers’ beverages, as well as of the best product’s performance throughout the supply chain, and enhance their value proposition to consumers.

One of Sidel’s many recent innovations within bottled water production is the development of the Sidel Rightweight™ bottle. This design reduces bottle weight and energy consumption during production, while improving the container’s performance across the entire supply chain and delivering a superior consumer experience. The resulting 0.5 litre bottle weighs 35% less than the average commercial alternative, yet achieves 32% greater top-load performance than the lightest commercial bottle, resulting in cost savings of up to EUR 1.74 million per year 3 .

Sidel has also developed a new PET base for still water. Sidel StarLite™ has a unique shape that significantly increases base resistance and stability. Through this solution - which can even be applied to existing lines - overall package weight is lowered without affecting beverage quality.

With StarLite, bottles for sparkling water can also benefit from improved protection against stress- cracking, a similar reduction in base-weight and improved bottle performance.

Compact and reliable water solution

Sidel’s fully integrated, hygienic and innovative solutions - gained from extensive cooperation with leading water brands - help producers to optimise uptime and operating costs. The portfolio includes a range of modular equipment and components, able to increase line efficiency and speed while ensuring food safety and hygiene.

The Sidel Matrix™ Combi, offering blowing, filling and capping processes in one machine, optimises the production line layout with a smaller footprint. It efficiently combines the benefits of the Sidel Matrix blower with those of the SF100 FM filler for still water or the SF300 FM filler for sparkling water. By eliminating intermediate conveyors and reducing the volume of the production environment to be kept under control, hygiene and food safety are improved. Additionally, the Combi offers faster changeovers with savings in power consumption, labour, raw materials, maintenance time and spare parts, lowering operating costs by up to 12%. More importantly, Combi systems offer high performance with efficiency levels up to 4% better than standalone machines.

Integration of carbonating and filling processes

The Sidel Matrix Combi also features Sidel’s Blendfill configuration, combining carbonator and filler in a single system for top quality sparkling water. Utilising the Sidel Matrix Carbonator SM100 beverage tank as a shared tank with the filler, the configuration avoids redundant pressure and level control functions, while reducing consumption of CO 2 as well as the footprint of the equipment.

Optimised cleaning while saving resources

Smart cleaning technology also reduces energy and chemical use by up to 70%. Sidel’s compact Integrated Cleaning System (ICS) is a simple and hygienically designed solution that, combined with the filler skid, ensures quick preparation of cleaning agents so that all equipment parts that come into contact with the water are effectively cleaned.

Reduced waste for improved safety and hygiene

As many factors can affect the amount of product splashing within a filling process - speed, bottle shape, neck dimensions, fill-level to name but a few - Sidel uses all its expertise and in-house simulation tests to help producers overtake the issue. Virtual modelling and real-life testing help avoid any splashing and maintain safety of the filling environment, especially at very high speeds.

Giving the final package a memorable look

Labelling is an essential factor to ensuring a product stands out on supermarket shelves. Roll-fed technology uses plastic labels, which have physical and functional qualities making them very attractive to consumers and beneficial for beverages producers. The Sidel Matrix SL70 efficient roll-fed labelling station delivers precise and controlled handling and application for containers of any shape. It is capable of outputs of up to 60,000 bottles per hour. With shorter changeover times for containers of different shapes and dimensions, this ergonomic and reliable system maximises operator safety, uptime and productivity by reducing maintenance time by 40%, while enhancing sustainability as it uses up to 40% less power.

Flexible pack configurations, quick changeovers and optimised transportation

The secondary packaging - the finished pack that the consumer sees at the point of sale - represents a strong opportunity to reinforce brand recognition and so needs to be appealing, durable and functional to catch attention. Carrying the labelled bottles onto the secondary packaging process, Sidel’s smart conveyors can be automatically adjusted to handle different formats. Gently feeding the bottles to maintain consistency and quality, the packers also protect them from elements such as weather, pressure and temperature change. To minimise overall costs, they also optimise the use of heat, glue, cartons and film. All Sidel’s packers ensure quick changeovers for flexible handling of multiple stock keeping units (SKUs).

Sidel palletisers allow easy changeovers in layer formation to organise the right number of single bottles onto - for example - trays, dollies or packs onto pallets. In this way they achieve smart pallet patterns of various sizes and formats of bottles, in order to optimise efficiency during transportation and storage.

Maximum uptime and minimum TCO

Once a line is up and running, Sidel Services™ offers a tailored portfolio to help maintain, regain and even improve performance throughout the equipment’s lifetime. From customised maintenance, through to line improvement, to spare parts and logistics services, the companycombines customer proximity with global experience to shorten lead times and improve customers’ efficiency.

However, it is difficult to improve what is not being measured. The market is looking for systems with “built-in intelligence” capable of translating raw data into actionable information. Sidel's Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT™) handles production issues to meet ongoing challenges and also anticipates them through trends and forecasts based on historical and multi-plant analysis.

“By taking a global view of the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and the entire working life of a production line, as new technologies and solutions are developed, Sidel offers existing line owners options and upgrades, line conversion and training services to ensure that installed equipment does not get left behind, while strengthening operators’ skills. In this way the company is always working to help producers optimise operating costs and reach the lowest possible TCO" adds Simone Pisani.

Noida, 19 January 2017: India’s largest multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex has launched Super Barrier Polyester Film, FLEXPET TM F- PGB-12.

This 12 micron Bi-axially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) film owing to a specially modified surface treatment (on one side) offers very high barrier to oxygen. The other side of the film can be corona treated or left untreated as per the requirements of the convertor. The Oxygen Transmission Rate (O.T.R) of this film is < 6 cm 3 /m 2 /day at 23 degrees Celsius & 0% RH. A big advantage with this film is the fact that it does not require any coating or co-extrusion of Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC) or Ethylene Vinyl alcohol (EVOH) for enhancing barrier properties.

An untreated BOPET normal film of 12 micron has O.T.R. as high as 135 cm 3 /m 2 /day; thereby offering much weaker barrier to O 2 . A normal film quite essentially requires inline or offline PVDC/EVOH coating for enhancing the barrier properties.

The benefits of FLEXPET TM F-PGB- 12 film are multifarious:

• It offers good flexibility;
• Exhibits very good optical properties/ transparency;
• Offers good machinability and handling properties owing to high Tensile Strength at Break (TSB);
• Poses excellent barrier to gas as compared to normal BOPET film;
• Offers cost benefits w.r.t. PVDC/EVOH coated/co-extruded substrates.

Mr. J.K. Sharma, AGM, Technical Service and New Product Development (Films) talking about the USPs of FLEXPET TM F-PGB- 12 said, “This film offers a clear cost advantage to the convertors over other PVDC/EVOH coated/ co-extruded films and is widely used in the packaging for pet foods; roasted coffee and other oxygen & barrier sensitive food products. There is a huge demand for this cost effective speciality BOPET film and we are getting good number of business enquiries.”

Giving more details about the new speciality film, Mr. Pramod Sirsamkar, President Technical & New Product Development (Films), Uflex Limited said, “In a typical two ply laminate our latest film can serve as a superior oxygen barrier while the sealant layer can act as a great barrier to moisture. This is the simplest cross section that one can think of keeping the converting costs to a bare minimum without compromising upon the performance of the laminate. The F-PGB film complies with EU regulation and US FDA for food contact application.”

Commenting about FLEXPET TM F-PGB- 12 film, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “We are producing this film at all our manufacturing facilities i.e. in India, UAE, Poland, Egypt, Mexico and USA. This speciality substrate is yet another example of innovation to create value added differentiation for our clients globally. Considering its superior barrier to oxygen, the film can be laminated with a sealant polymeric substrate to render a superior two layer laminate which is thin and light leaving much lesser carbon footprint at all the three stages of the product lifecycle i.e. manufacturing; transportation and disposal.”

Group soon to take part in the Plastivision fair in Mumbai (19-23 January 2017). Visitors will have a great chance to see the CCM press – the world’s most competitive solution for the production of single-piece caps for CSD, water, hot filling and cold aseptic filling – working in synergy with advanced cap and preform vision systems developed by Sacmi’s Automation & Inspection Systems division

A key player in the country with Sacmi Engineering – a one-stop production, business and assistance centre for the entire Indian market – the Sacmi Group will soon be at Plastivision in Mumbai (19-23 January 2017) to display advanced solutions for plastic cap production and quality control. Playing a starring role will be the innovative CCM48SC, equipped with a mould for the manufacture of HDPE caps for still water (as per the local A27W-4 standard), weighing just 1.29 grams and with a diameter of 27 mm. Already sold to a major local customer, the displayed solution will be put into service after the exhibition period.

Over 200,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, giving them an opportunity to get a close look at this cutting-edge Sacmi technology, a symbol of productivity, reliability and energy savings. Acknowledged as the world’s most competitive plastic cap production solution, the CCM has the lowest cycle times on the market, not to mention very low energy consumption (in the proposed application the CCM can manufacture up to 2,000 caps a minute with a cycle time of 1.44 seconds and energy consumption of just 0.4 kWh per kg of processed HDPE). Thanks to the outstanding characteristics of the compression process, which occurs at temperatures lower than those needed for injection, it is also possible to obtain lighter, higher performance caps.

Decades of know-how in the industry and thousands of plants worldwide have allowed Sacmi to refine this technology, which ensures extraordinary process repeatability and, therefore, the manufacture of caps with improved characteristics in terms of weight and size consistency. The CCM48SC is one of the latest developments in the range and will be on show at the fair (hall 1, stand E2-1, 156 m 2 ) together with the advanced CVS 052 vision system, installed on the machine and perfectly integrated with the CCM press control system.

Installed downstream from the press, this solution is part of a comprehensive range of vision systems developed by Sacmi’s Automation & Inspection Systems division for all-round control of every single step on the bottling line, from caps to labels, up to container and preform.

Other proposals deserving of a special mention include the PVS (preform vision system) range for the inspection of PET preforms. Designed by Sacmi, these can operate both in-line with the moulding press – at effective inspection rates of up to 70,000 preforms per hour – and out- of-line before stretch-blow moulding, or in research labs.

Like all Sacmi inspection systems, the PVS range features the latest CVS 3000 2.0 64 bit software version, which lets users set parameters easily and focus control on specific areas of the preform. Thanks to its modularity, the PVS can be enhanced with a whole series of functions such as weight and body control – via an exclusive, patented “grid” method – that have been added to the standard checks (opening, finish, thread, body and bottom) and are managed via a high resolution camera system that allows all-round product analysis.

Quality, productivity, low consumption: these are the very hallmarks of Sacmi, which has had an organised presence in India since the 1980s: since 2014, this has included the “new” Sacmi Engineering company based in Ahmedabad, a flourishing industrial centre in Gujarat State. Sacmi Engineering operates as a single production, business and assistance centre for all projects on the Indian market handled by the two branches in Morbi and Mumbai. Sacmi thus combines technological excellence with service efficiency in an area that has been growing dynamically for years and is thus strategic to the growth and development prospects of all Group businesses.

At its first participation at the triennial event post becoming an independent company, Covestro highlights key products under the mission ‘To make the world a brighter place.’

Covestro, one of world’s leading producers of high-performance polymers, is geared to showcase the power of talented materials at the upcoming triennial exhibition for the plastics industry, Plastivision 2017 that is scheduled to be held from 19 to 23 January in Mumbai.

For the first time, Covestro India will present a plethora of applications showing success stories of collaborative work with customers and external partners. In addition to applications developed for automotive, electrical and medical segments using high performance polycarbonates and blends, and specialty films, a variety of construction solutions from polyurethane coatings and polycarbonate sheets, and some unique industrial applications with polyurethanes and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) will be on display.

Plastivision India is organised by All India Plastic Manufacturer’s Association (AIPMA), the largest non-profit apex body working towards the welfare of the plastic industry. It is also the only trade exhibition from the plastic industry approved by UFI (the premier Paris-based exhibition authority).

Visitors to the Covestro’s booth in Hall No.5 would get a chance to experience how the company is pushing boundaries through its talented and innovative materials catering to the changing needs of the automotive, construction, electronics, as well as, medical industry.

Mr. Ajay Durrani, Managing Director, Covestro India, said, “India is on the cusp of transformation that is driven by the concerted push from government to make itan innovative and energy efficient nation. Currently, the per capita consumption of plastics in India is low in comparison with the global average. The sector has huge unrealized potential, going by the present very low levels of consumption in the country. We believe that in the coming five years, plastics would play a critical role in the growth story of the country. The industry has grown at a healthy rate over the last five years and is expected to grow at a rate of 15% per annum in next few years. This phase of growth will not just witness increase in the per capita consumption of plastics but many of the social problems of the country such as sanitation, food safety, energy efficiency and carbon footprints mitigation would be solved using talented materials.”

Adding to this, Mr. Anand Srinivasan, Head – Polycarbonates, Indian Sub Continent, Covestro India said, “Plastic today has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. From automotive to electronic to even aviation and healthcare, plastic has been playing a key role in making products efficient, innovative and attractive. With the changing market dynamics, personalization, design freedom, and energy efficiency have emerged as the new currency for innovations. Such innovations driven by Covestro’s materials are helping the industry to find answers to some of the biggest challenges facing our world, and develop solutions that benefit both society and the environment. At Plastivision 2017 trade fair, we continue with our endeavour to help various industries embrace material driven innovation and aid OEMs, both in design and functionality, to contribute to a better tomorrow.”

DELHI, Jan 23, 2017– Cosmo Films, a leading manufacturer of speciality BOPP films has just introduced several additions to its range of barrier films and now has a significant portfolio of transparent as well as metalized varieties. These solvent free coated films used for a wide range of FMCG packaging applications not only help in extending the shelf life of the contents inside, but also help with pack structure rationalization.

Let us understand some of these products in greater detail.

Metalized Barrier Films :

[a] High Moisture Barrier Films (HMB): These are metalized barrier films that are corona treated on both sides and can be used for duplex as well as for sandwich lamination in snack foods, shampoo sachets, dry milk powder and powdered drinks sachets/packs, where loss of moisture is a concern.

[b] High Speed Barrier Films with High Hot Tack (HSB): These metalized moisture and oxygen barrier films have a High Hot Tack and Low SIT which enables FFS machines to run at a higher speed, thus helping improve productivity.

[c] High Seal Strength Barrier Films (HSS): These metalized moisture and oxygen barrier films have been specially designed for packaging applications requiring high seal strengths.

[d] Ultra High Barrier Films (UHB): These metalized moisture and oxygen barrier films can be used to substitute aluminum foil since they offer a MVTR and OTR <0.1 cc.

Transparent Barrier Films:

[a] Aroma Barrier Films (AB): These are transparent barrier films typically used for coffee/tea, spices, chewing gum and perfume boxes overwrapping.

[b] Aroma & Oxygen Barrier Films (AOB): These transparent films have both excellent moisture and gas barrier properties and are used for packaging of cream biscuits, chocolates, chips and snacks with some dose of fatty content.

[c] Ultra High Barrier Films (UHB): These transparent films have excellent moisture, aroma and gas barrier properties with OTR<1 cc and are used to convert 3 layer laminates to 2 layers for packaging of aromatic and fat content rich products like dry fruits, nuts, spices etc. These films also offer mineral oil resistance.

Commenting on the development, Mr. S Satish, Global Head –Sales & Marketing, Cosmo Films said, “We are excited by these new additions to our barrier films range, especially the BOPP replacement to the aluminum foil. We are now confident of meeting most shelf life requirements of the food packaging industry with our extensive range of barrier films. All our barrier films also have good printability and hence can be used for monolayer applications also. With our extended range of speciality films and our customized innovation focus, we are confident of meeting the new emerging packaging challenges viz shelf life extension and reduced plastic consumption.”

CHINAPLAS 2017, Asia's No. 1 plastics and rubber trade fair, is an end-user- oriented trade fair focusing on “Intelligent Manufacturing, High-tech Materials and Green Solutions”. Since its debut in 1983, CHINAPLAS has been dedicated to satisfying the demands of customers in the key end markets, including automotive, building and construction, packaging, electrical and electronics, information technology, telecommunications and medical. The last edition of CHINAPLAS successfully welcomed 148,575 visitors, among which 39,454 were overseas visitors from over 160 countries and regions. As an influential event, CHINAPLAS always strives to present state-of- the-art technology and products that can be used to help companies in those industries to innovate and operate more efficiently, sustainably and competitively.

A showcase for high-performance automotive materials

In recent years, the percentage of plastics used in a car has become one of the essential measures for technological advancement. The automotive industry is increasingly incorporating various polymers — especially engineering plastics that offer key properties and performance benefits, such as low density, good melt flow rate, heat resistance and excellent noise dampening. Materials with molded-in color, as well as carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and low-VOC resins have all become hot topics in the industry. With the continuing development of electric vehicles, high-performance materials are finding use in charging piles and interior circuit controls of vehicles. CHINAPLAS 2017 will offer international visitors plenty of examples of the latest in these types of materials and applications. Exhibitors also will be showing the latest in laser processing technology and automated, integrated production line.

Advanced materials embrace building & construction industry

Lightweight, flexible, durable and easy-to- ship plastics also are extensively used in building and construction today. Considering the demands on aesthetic appearance and utility, experts in this industry are exploring applications for all types of advanced materials, from liquid crystal polymers and nano-materials to modified graphene EPS. Examples of all such materials are expected to be on prominent display at CHINAPLAS 2017.

Plastics and 3D printing to promote medical industry

Certain modified plastics offer excellent biocompatibility and have to drive the medical industry’s rapid development. At CHINAPLAS 2017, suppliers of healthcare materials such as silicone rubber, bio-safe resins, and new polymers that offer good resistance to gammarays will all be on show. The medical industry also has been an enthusiastic adopter of 3D printing equipment/technology and of wearable technology. CHINAPLAS 2017 will launch a “3D Technology Subzone” offering the latest in additive manufacturing technologies, equipment, and materials. It is a must-see zone for experts from the medical and other industries.

Green packaging to be on stage at CHINAPLAS 2017

Environmentally friendly packaging is a global hot topic when talking about sustainable development. The packaging industry tends to adopt lightweight, thin films, degradable materials, and package constructions that resist water, oxygen, air and ultraviolet rays. Exhibitors at the show will be displaying examples of all such materials for the packaging industry. In addition, packaging related machinery and automation equipment will be center stage, to include injection molding and extrusion technologies that deliver high-barrier end products, automatic detection equipment, and multilayer film technology.

Multifunctional plastics for electrical & electronics products

The electrical and electronics industries are always seeking higher-performance, lightweight materials that offer excellent toughness and mechanical strength, high temperature resistance and good insulating properties. As a result, engineering plastics are becoming the material of choice for this sector. With end users requesting more from these products, the materials chosen need to be multifunctional, to include antibacterial and self-cleaning properties, good resistance to heat and cold, high elasticity, and even fingerprint resistance. Visitors to the fair can expect to find a full range of such multifunctional polymers on display.

CHINAPLAS 2017 will take place from 16-19 May 2017 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, PR China. To enjoy free admission and other benefits, please pre-register through www.ChinaplasOnline.com/prereg by 1 March 2017. You are welcome to follow CHINAPLAS on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn where you can share your questions, connect with like-minded professionals and entrepreneurs, and get the first-hand tips for visiting CHINAPLAS.

EUROPEN, 24 January 2017 -Following today’s vote in the European Parliament ENVI Committee on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), EUROPEN welcomes the ENVI Committee’s proposed improvements to the legal framework for extended producer responsibility (EPR).

“We welcome the improvements that ENVI has made to the proposed EPR minimum requirements. We are particularly pleased to see efforts to demarcate the producer’s responsibility. Producers, along with other stakeholders involved in waste management, have a shared responsibility towards achieving the Circular Economy objectives. We fully support this shared accountability with defined roles and responsibilities and more transparency and cost-efficiency under EPR,” said Virginia Janssens, EUROPEN’s Managing Director.

EUROPEN welcomes ENVI’s vote to safeguard the Internal Market objective of the PPWD. With regards to the proposed indicative packaging reuse targets, EUROPEN has reservations about how these targets may impact the Single Market: “We question how these new targets would work, particularly in the absence of a baseline, data on reuse and an EU-harmonised calculation methodology,” said Martin Reynolds, EUROPEN’s Chairman, Crown Europe.

EUROPEN welcomes other parts of the proposal that focus on the whole life cycle of packaged products. “We are encouraged to see recognition of the importance of a life-cycle approach in legislation. We now call on the European Parliament as a whole, the Member States and the Commission to support these type of measures and to ensure that the Internal Market – a cornerstone of the EU – is safeguarded fully,” concluded Ms Janssens.

• PE film extruders consumed over 7.4 million tonnes of polymer in 2016
• Polyethylene film accounts for 80% of film products manufactured in Europe
• Future challenges to the PE film industry

The polyethylene film industry in Europe has continued to grow at a steady rate over recent years. Despite trends to use more linear and metallocene materials enabling film producers to make thinner films, the volume demand has continued to rise to reach over 7.4 million tonnes of polyethylene materials consumed for film extrusion in 2016, a 1% rise on the previous year.

Such positivity is best exhibited in Germany, which is the leading country for polyethylene film extrusion in Europe. Germany has seen its film extrusion industry pretty much maintain its status throughout the financial crisis and the subsequent Eurozone crisis with demand in 2016 finally surpassing pre-crisis levels. In contrast Italy, which previously had been the largest market for the production of PE film, film extruders have struggled to regain volumes since the financial crisis with the market still 24% smaller than it was in 2007.

It is estimated that over 80% of all the film products manufactured in Europe are based on polyethylene grades. The growth, and continued dominance of polyethylene in this segment of the market is driven by the development of ever more sophisticated resins, including linear varieties, a wide range of copolymers, and improved grades of conventional HDPE and MDPE resins. Linear grades of polyethylene, including metallocenes are now believed to account for the majority of feedstocks used by film extruders as the greater availability and lower cost of C4 linear grades has increasingly replaced the use of conventional LDPE. AMI estimates the split of demand amongst film extruders as 44% for LL grades, 43% conventional LDPE and 13% HDPE/MDPE.

The polyethylene film industry continues to evolve and change through merger, acquisition and new investments. Staying up-to-date with the changes and developments in this market is a huge challenge. However, AMI’s directory of Polyethylene Film Extruders in Europe helps you track these changes as it provides detailed information on over 1,200 polyethylene film extrusion sites in Europe. Within the directory you will find contact (telephone, fax, email, address and website) information and production (polymers processed, film manufactured and film widths) information.

This latest addition to StarLite™ range of bottle bases ensures better performance of PET bottles for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) produced and distributed in extreme environmental conditions.

The new Sidel StarLite Tropical base is enlarging the family of StarLite bottle 1 solutions originally developed by Sidel packaging experts. This latest addition to the range is designed to offer a flexible solution for CSD, in all packaging sizes from 0.25 to 3 litres. Additionally, it is applicable to the different standard levels of carbonation. It is specifically designed for CSD bottles undergoing harsh conditions - for instance when produced and distributed in the supply chain at very high temperatures or in environments which are particularly humid. The end result is a PET bottle that offers improved resistance in terms of stress cracking and creeping, as well as better stability throughout the supply chain. It also avoids material waste during production and storage while offering a great consumer experience and – importantly - not compromising on the safety standards of the beverage inside.

Improved bottle resistance and stability, tested by in-house experts

The StarLite Tropical base has been designed to improve performance in terms of resistance. Its optimised geometry reinforces all the zones which are more susceptible to stress cracking due to mechanical constraints. This avoids potential breaking of the PET bottle walls and base which can be caused by interactions with fluids or chemicals during the conveying stage.

The base has been evaluated and qualified under rigorous test protocols which are internationally recognised. It successfully completed a very demanding creeping test conducted over 72 hours under 38°C and 50% moisture conditions. This proved a good base roll-out resistance when the bottle is under pressure at high temperature and demonstrated that it is less likely to burst during production or to deform during transportation. Also, Sidel packaging experts conducted various trials through computer simulations, followed by real-world physical tests, to achieve optimum bottle strength. In those tests the StarLite Tropical design resulted in improved bottle stability and – again - more resistance to extreme temperatures (hot and cold). Vincent Le Guen, Vice President, Packaging at Sidel says, “The Sidel StarLite Tropical base is already in production in far-eastern countries by Sidel customers who have trialled the base and achieved great performance results, including significant improvements in resistance to stress cracking.”

The improved bottle stability is achieved through the enhanced base standing surface. High surface contact of the base’s feet ensures easy bottle transportation and smooth conveying, an efficient solution for even high-output lines. This prevents bottles falling when passing through machine interfaces within the PET bottling line and results in a higher production uptime. As Le Guen adds, “The new StarLite Tropical base takes all the benefits of the original StarLite base, enlarging them to all producers of carbonated soft drinks. Now, they can incorporate the large and stable base to their containers’ designs, to greatly improve bottle performance throughout the supply chain.”

Base moulds for all production configurations

Having an enhanced venting design, the new Sidel StarLite Tropical base moulds are offering an optimised cooling capacity to further improve bottle base performances. Available for all Sidel moulds, they are easy to implement in PET production lines and can even be retrofitted to existing Sidel CSD moulds to adapt bottle designs. The new base can be applied to all lines equipped with any generation of Sidel blowers, in standalone - with an additional post-mould cooling base device - or Combi configurations. Line conversion is quick and, in some cases, only needing a simple adjustment to filling-levels.

To serve the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and users, Nemera and Terumo agreed to cooperate to confirm compatibility between PLAJEXTM COP prefillable syringes and the Safe’n’Sound® platform, an add-on passive sharps injury protection device for prefilled syringes (PFS).

In an exciting new era in drug development, the uptake of biopharmaceuticals drives more attention to the development of advanced drug delivery devices. Terumo and Nemera have taken benefit of their polymer science know-how to collaborate and provide the pharma industry with a unique combination of PLAJEXTM polymer-based PFS with Safe’n’Sound® . Patient non-compliance with their drug could result in non-effective therapy or even dangerous consequences for potent drugs.

Safe’n’Sound® is a customizable platform of add-on passive sharps injury protection devices for PFS developed by Nemera. Amidst the key benefits, Safe’n’Sound® offers biopharmaceuticals with:

• a passive device requiring no extra gesture from the user compared to a naked syringe;
• strong resistance to shocks and vibrations for a robust and reliable functionality;
• good visibility of the tip for easy inspection of the formulation even with low filling volume;
• ergonomic features for ease of use.

PLAJEXTM is a sterile ready-to-fill COP syringe developed by Terumo with a strong focus towards biotherapeutic applications. Key features of PLAJEXTM include:

• a silicone oil-free prefilled syringe system, integrating Terumo’s proprietary i-coatingTM plunger stopper;
• steam sterilized for mitigating protein oxidation and aggregation;
• selected materials to minimize interactions with the drug product;
• high transparency and resistance to breakage;
• narrow dimensional tolerance of the moulded parts.

To establish and confirm compatibility between Safe’n’Sound® and PLAJEXTM , Nemera and Terumo defined a development plan. The performance of this combination has been verified technically through a Design Verification Plan and validated by users through simulated clinical user studies. Preparations are ready for commercial supply: pharmaceutical clients are discussing several projects and plan to launch their drug product into the international market with the Safe’n’Sound® and PLAJEXTM injection system.

AMI, Bristol, 16th January 2017 – Responding to pressure to recycle more plastics and to add value to reclaimed materials, leading experts and professionals from across Europe gather in Cologne for the first Plastics Recycling Technology conference. The conference, organised by specialist plastics industry consultancy AMI, takes place on 20-21 June 2017.

In addition to a unique networking opportunity, Plastics Recycling Technology 2017 provides expert analysis and discussion in advances to plastics recycling systems, from sorting and cleaning through to compounding and pelletization. Speakers also examine developments in additives for boosting the properties, appearance, compatibility and processability of recycled plastics and explores ways to improve the quality of reclaimed materials so that they can be used in higher value applications.

Plastics Recycling Technology 2017 provides the perfect forum to discover new ways to create a circular economy for plastics. The conference opens with a look at developing strategies for adding value through plastics recycling from STENA RECYCLING INTERNATIONAL, EREMA, TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE, WIPAG and GALLOO PLASTICS.

Attendees will learn about ways of meeting packaging performance requirements from NGR and AQUAFIL ENGINEERING, and advances in technology for recycling of packaging from GHENT UNIVERSITY, AXION and EUROPEAN PET BOTTLE PLATFORM. The programme also features a session focusing on putting recycled plastics to the test with insights from NETAFIM and EXPRA.

Closing the loop for electrical and electronic equipment waste is explored by PHILIPS CL, FRAUNHOFER INSTITUTE IVV, M܌LER-GUTTENBRUNN GROUP and KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN. Delegates gain valuable insights on the important role of additives in plastics recycling from BAERLOCHER and FRAUNHOFER INSTITUTE LBF.

The conference closes with a session focusing on getting the most from your plastics recycling lines including papers from NEXTEK, STARLINGER RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY, B܈LER and VECOPLAN AG.

Pianoro (Bologna) – Following last year’s success at Interphex, Marchesini Group will be returning to the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York for the new edition of the premier pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device development and manufacturing event in the US. This year again, Marchesini’s team is anticipating a well-attended booth especially with the additional attraction of the new Extrafill Syringe Filler at the trade show. Extrafill is made in Marchesini’s facility in Siena, Italy to fill and stopper nested syringes. It has been developed to meet the growing demands of packaging disposable pre-filled syringes in the North American market.

Extrafill is a compact machine, designed to accommodate from two to five filling and stoppering stations and can produce up to 12 thousand pieces per hour. Batching precision is guaranteed by systems that center the syringes and completely protect them during the filling phase to avoid contamination and to ensure a sterile process. Extrafill is equipped with rotating piston pumps and an innovative statistical batch control weighing system, which offers economic and technical benefits compared with traditional solutions.

All the production phases are integrated in one monobloc unit designed to combine the two tub opening and syringe filling/stoppering operations under just one isolator.

A significant innovation of the Extrafill is a robotic arm, which peels off the Tyvek® protective film and pushes the tub of syringes onto a loading belt to continue towards the filling and stoppering stations. The robot - a gripper system that moves just like a human hand - is the outcome of research and development activities carried out by Marchesini Group aimed at devising a specific system capable of handling the product with outstanding efficiency in sterile conditions.

Marchesini’s booth will be staffed by technical experts from the factory as well as the experienced team from our US office, which is now celebrating its 25th anniversary in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

“Interphex is really one of the “best-in-class” meeting places in the world” said Roger Toll, Executive Vice President of Marchesini Group USA. “At our booth, customers will discover a winning mix of innovation, technologies and knowledge, intersected with the full spectrum of cutting- edge development and manufacturing equipment, to create innovative solutions and improve performance and synergies in the pharmaceutical market. This year again, we will answer all their enquiries about aseptic and packaging areas of the industry. We are expecting even more visitors than last year”.

Delhi, feb 8, 2017– cosmo films, a leading manufacturer of biaxially oriented polypropylene (bopp) films which go in for packaging, lamination & labeling applications; has announced start up of its tenth, 10.4 metre bopp line. With installation of this new line, the company will increase its annual capacity by 40%, taking it to 1.96 lakh mt. Company’s current annual capacity stands at 1.36 lakh mt.

The new line whose announcement was made in october 2015 has been commissioned ahead of its schedule and has been installed at company’s existing facility at karjan, near vadodara, india which already houses bopp lines, extrusion coating & chemical coating lines and a metalizer. The commissioned line is the most advanced line available in the market today in terms of its width and output and is the first 10.4 metre line to be installed in the country. The line is equipped to deliver both superior quality products with minimized scratches, oil or additive spots & high surface energy as well as consistent quality due to automatic changeovers. The line is also capable of producing films as thick as 80 microns to cater to segments like textiles which require thicker films.

The line output would cater to both domestic and export markets. The new line is part of a series of expansions which have been announced in the last one year by the company for both its india operations and its subsidiaries in us & korea.

Speaking on the development, mr. Pankaj poddar, ceo, cosmo films ltd said, “i am pleased to inform that the line has been installed ahead of its schedule and well within the projected capex of 200 crores. The high speed line equipped with automated changeovers and automatic consumption of waste will not only lead to an increase in power savings but also help the company with its overall operational efficiencies. The new line is expected to contribute to substantial growth in sales and profit in financial year 2017-2018. ”

About cosmo films limited

Established in 1981, cosmo films limited today is one of the global leaders and manufacturers of bi- axially oriented polypropylene (bopp) films used for packaging, labels and lamination applications. The company is the largest exporter of bopp films from india and is also the largest producer of thermal lamination films in the world with plant cum distribution centres in india, japan, korea & the u.s along with global channel partners in more than fifty countries.