Giant Snacks seeds growth in productivity with robotic pick-and-place packing equipment.

Filling, insertion into trays, secondary packaging, and palletizing of tubes is done at 155 tubes/min by a tightly integrated series of robotic systems that require only one operator.

Latest-generation thermal transfer printers and case corner label printers/applicators enhance product identification efficiencies.

Banding equipment slashes energy and packaging material costs, while also reducing both floor-space and environmental footprints.

Case packer is ‘sophisticated’ yet rugged Machine uses best-in-class controls technology to achieve throughput of 35 cases/min. IP67 rating ensures reliability despite rugged wash downs.

Smart Ones frozen meals are whisked through a highly automated packaging line at Heinz’s Pocatello, ID, facility. Cartoning and vision inspection stand out.

In the wake of Katrina, shrimp processor/packer rebounds, rebuilds, and re-invigorates efficiencies by installing an automated scale/bagging system.

This California packager of Mediterranean-style food products distributed to wholesalers found a single source for five discrete pieces of packaging equipment.

From pilot plant testing to determine tag selection and placement to rollout of a Phase 2 scalable line, ConAgra meets the mandate head on.

Herbal Works and Alessi Bakery discover highly valuable packaging solutions at Pack Expo.

In early 2004, the plant installed a Markem Smart Lase™ 110 laser coder for its “specialty” line comprising cartoned packs containing a variety of bagged teas.

Australia-based food manufacturer George Weston Foods (GWF) uses plastic tag closures from Kwik Lok to close its plastic film bread bags, but was experiencing some problems with ink smudging of date codes, price, and other product identification codes on the tags.

Higher throughput with reduced labor costs is among the paybacks gained by United Biscuits since the firm automated its Ginger Nuts biscuit line in Carlisle, England.See video

By hitching its wagon to that increasingly bright star called servo technology, P&G gains flexibility, increased capacity, and better utilization of equipment assets.

Twin blister-pack lines populated by ‘best-in-class’ machines played a key role as Schering-Plough took its Claritin-brand product from prescription-only to OTC status. See video

Concerns over mis-dosing and product integrity have led a Florida drug maker from bulk-packed vials to individually wrapped vials for certain customers.

New materials and new equipment are helping this Swiss chocolate manufacturer send a better product to market while keeping labor costs in check.

This Napa winery knows that only by investing in new packaging machinery can it become the outsourcing solutions leader in the global wine industry.See in-plant video

Barrier materials, MAP technology, and automation upgrades all combine to help Clougherty Packing extend shelf life and improve quality of ground pork and sausage.See in-plant video

An automated mini-donut sorting and wrapping system improves efficiency at Sara Lee’s Paris, TX, bakery.

Custom blow molding, electronic net-weigh filling in a HEPA-filtered enclosure, robotic palletizing—it all helps Superior Dairy succeed with caseless shipping. See in-plant video

Downstream, upstream efficiency

Excelda Mfg., a contract packager of lubricants and other products sold in the automotive aftermarket, has turned to laser coding to improve legibility of the single-line date code it uses on the plastic bottles it fills.

Networking multiple coders to a host PC saves time and provides flexibility for nut cooperative Blue Diamond Growers.

“It’s too easy to spend time and money on the best ingredients, careful production, and attractive packaging only to destroy the quality feel by poor printing of the ‘use-by’ date and batch number on the pack.” Sales director David Marx of Giles Foods knows whereof he speaks. His firm, based in Milton Keynes, England, supplies a range of quiches and specialty breads to major food retailers in the United Kingdom.

Serving sauce for Sargento