HomeAndrew J. GruberContributing EditorControls & automationGantry Robot Replaces Delta-styleWhen space constraints made it difficult to use the top-mounted delta-style robot that Nuspark was accustomed to, the firm opted for a compact gantry-style robot in its tray packer.Materials & containersTwo Exceptional Brands Each Gifted with 0.5M Free ClosuresA medical food for chemo/radiation patients and a low-sugar, carb, and calorie cold-pressed almond juice impress judges of Silgan Closures’ first Free Closures for a Year competition.Materials & containersCorrugated Packaging and Digital Print Technology – An OutlookNick Kirby, CEO of Swanline Group spoke at Digital Print for Packaging Europe in Berlin about how Swanline is integrating digital printing technology, and how he sees the future of this technology evolving.HomeNFL Alumni Org Taps Pharma Traceability Technology for Member Outreach and EngagementTrack My Way platform provides data for ambassador and chapter membership campaigns.RoboticsMobile and Collaborative Robots Ratchet Up Flexible PackagingCobots and autonomous mobile robots figured prominently at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, helping to provide more efficient packaging operations. In some cases, automation suppliers are even combining the technologies.SustainabilityRecyclable Materials Aim to Keep More Plastics Out of LandfillsPlastic container manufacturers are answering the call from consumers for higher percentages of post-consumer recycled materials and easier recyclability of used containers.RoboticsRobots and Cobots Chip in to Pack Food for Hungry KidsShowcasing the capabilities of several automation suppliers in the Robotics Zone at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, a PMMI cooperation with Blessings in a Backpack filled more than 6,000 bags of food for kids facing food insecurity.Secondary/end-of-lineMetal Finisher Saves Labor, Eliminates Product DamageOregon Powder Coating proactively boosts worker safety and product integrity with an orbital stretch wrapper.HomeQuick Hits: FDA Issues Warning Letters to CBD MakersThe FDA issued warning letters to 15 companies selling illegal cannabidiol products that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.SustainabilityReport: 37% of Consumers Willing to Pay More for Eco-Friendly ProductsOf 1,000 U.S. consumers surveyed, 37% are seeking out and willing to pay more than 5% for environmentally-friendly products—a trend is expected to continue to grow.Package DesignCombining Digital Print and Corrugated Packaging for a “Box that Learns”Matteo Bonfanti, designer at Ghelfi Ondulati, Italy, spoke today at Digital Print for Packaging Europe in Berlin, about a recent project that combined traditional materials, new technologies and one HP digital printer, to reach consumers in a timely way.HomePackaging World December Issue AlertIn the December issue of Packaging World, hitting mailboxes soon, Pat Reynolds gets a complete rundown, from P&G's packaging brass, on how packaging priorities meshes with other business drivers. Read the whole issue online here.SustainabilityCoca-Cola Sweden Moves to 100% rPET for All its BottlesThe move is set to eliminate the use of 3,500 tons of virgin plastic each year in Sweden, with a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions over pre-transition levels.HomeAndina Pack Show ReportFour days of touring through the exhibition halls and conference rooms at Corferias, in the city of Bogotá, provided a closer look at innovative products for Latin American market.HomePMMI panel at Andina PackEquipment flexibility and modularity, rigor with the request for proposal (RFP) process, and support of the OEMs with the new challenges sustainability in packaging brings, were among the top demands from multinational brand owners.SustainabilityHouse made of plasticA striking example of commitment to sustainability from flexible packaging waste captured the admiration of visitors to Andina Pack, in Bogota, Colombia.Package DesignRum Label Artwork Inspired by Mayan LegendsEl Salvador’s only rum producer, Licoreras Cihuatán, invites consumers to satisfy their curiosity, with new bottle labels that use symbols of ancient Mayan legends.Coding, printing & labelingLive from AIPIA: QR Code Accesses Baby Formula’s ‘Grass-to-Glass’ JourneyMaterials & containersWhisky Producer Makes All Bottles NFC-EnabledAfter a successful test of NFC mobile marketing technology on hang tags for its scotch whisky, Kilchoman Distillery uses NFC-enabled bottle labels for all of its brands globally.Home$200 Billion Pharma Counterfeit Drug Market Growing by 20% Per YearThis alarming growth is twice the rate of the legitimate pharmaceutical market, and accounts for 2.5% of the total global pharma market.
