Pat Reynolds

VP Editor Emeritus

From Cabrio Case to stackable club store to regular brown kraft corrugated shipper, the end-of-line equipment in Fisher Nuts’ new line handles it all. Behind the cases is the LSP-100 robotic case loader.

Smooth New Case Packing at Fisher Nuts

Secondary packaging on this new line includes the latest in case erecting, loading, and closing. The machines also accept three very different case styles all formed from one flat blank.

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What’s Keeping CPGs from Remote Access?

Planning to expand remote access technology use in response to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic is one thing; overcoming the long-standing barriers of resistance to this technology is another.

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Trends in Adoption of Remote Access

In a just-released report from PMMI Business Intelligence, 29% of CPG respondents said they do not allow any remote access in their facilities.

Shown here is one of four case packers that receive bags (lower left) and then discharge finished cases (lower right) into a spiral conveyor takeaway.

Two-phase Upgrade at Ferrara Candy

After four scale/bagger systems produced welcome results on primary packaging efficiency, some impressively versatile and compact case packers were added to the mix.

More from Pat Reynolds

The new line from Seventh Generation includes powders as well as tablets.

Plastic-free Packaging for Homecare Line

Kelly Murosky, Senior Packaging Engineer at Seventh Generation, the Burlington, Vt.-based firm that sells eco-friendly cleaning, paper, and personal care products, talks about the packaging for the new Zero Plastic Homecare line.

Transfer of PET bottles from blowing to filling to capping is all done by star wheels that grip bottle necks, so no bottle platforms are needed.

Vertical Integration Rules at Incobrasa

From blow molding PET bottles to welding 4-L steel cans to injection molding of plugs that seal those cans, this edible oil producer is a big believer in self manufacture.

Remote FAT procedures shown in this screen save include a mechanical engineer at MG2 (upper left) operating an MG2 compact machine, Quality Engineer Sarah Jacobs of Dr. Gustav Klein (upper right), and two MG2 experts shown near the bottom of the screen.

Conducting a Virtual FAT

With COVID-19 making it difficult to schedule in-person business meetings of any kind, this Italian packaging machinery OEM is leaning on remote work solutions.

Oan Fallas Speedybot

End-of-line Specialist Moves Toward Condition Monitoring

Fallas Automation places an even greater emphasis on integrating early warning systems for predictive maintenance since COVID-19 set in.

COVID-19 Response Boosts Employee Engagement

Bill Schreiber, CEO of Batavia, NY-based O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc., talks about how his firm’s response to COVID-19 has led to greater employee engagement.

The shrink-sleeve labeler features servo drive technology and applies either a full-body or a neck label (shown left).

A Line Designed for Container Variety

When your growing contract packaging business has you using one line for filling glass and plastic in eight sizes and applying both lug and CT caps, that line had better be versatile.

Intimations of Sustainability

I’ve always told anyone who would listen that the main reason I’ve so enjoyed being a packaging journalist for all these years is because my job consists of talking with some of the smartest problem solvers on the planet.

Direct digital print on glass includes tactile elements.

Bacardi Personalizes Bottles with Direct Digital Print

BACARDÍ rum, the number one rum in Europe, has launched a limited-editionglass bottle that uses direct digital printing to bring an Augmented Reality experience to consumers.

Customized bottles from Heineken just for the Grand Prix.

Heineken Customizes for Grand Prix

Dutch brewing company Heineken, which has a global partnership with Formula 1 racing, wanted to do something special for the return of the Grand Prix to the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands.