Controls & Machine Components

How packagers decide on machine controls

Research from PMMI shows that electronic controls are a growing part of packaging responsibility. Here's a look at their penetration, and who 'controls' them in the plant.

January 31, 1996

Spirits/liquors: Page 113

Secondary Packaging

Case sealer

3M Masking and Packaging Systems Div. (St. Paul, MN) has developed a large-sized case sealer specifically for the large appliance and furniture industries.

January 31, 1996

Beverage

Does purchasing drive partnerships?

The results of the PMMI's Productivity survey show that few packagers regard their relationships with machinery makers as partnerships. And purchasing executives are most likely to initiate partnering.

January 31, 1996

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Sutter Home bottle breaks new ground

Commonly used for wide-mouth jars and narrow-neck beers, bottles made with press-and-blow technology haven't been available to wineries--until now. Eye-catching labels complete this package upgrade.

January 31, 1996

Closures

Aluminum "bottle" a first for vodka

While the cool, sleek appearance of brushed aluminum is not uncommon for health & beauty aids, it is unusual to see it in the spirits category. Hertford, U.K.-based MDT Wines & Spirits believes it is the first to use such a container for vodka.

January 31, 1996

Beverage

Ohio bans Bad Frog beer

The old refrain, "there's no such thing as bad publicity," is proving true at Bad Frog Brewery Co., Rose City, MI. In October, the company successfully launched its Bad Frog premium beer within its home state.

January 31, 1996

Controls & Machine Components

Valve/liner system

Inliners Unlimited (Monroe, LA) has introduced a valve to be used with barrier liners as a low-cost way to control gases in drums, pails, boxes or IBCs.

December 31, 1995

Beverage

Supplier news: Achievements

ISO 9001 certification: Minolta Corp.'s (Ramsey, NJ) Instrument Systems Div.; Georgia-Pacific's (Atlanta, GA) Kansas City, MO, plant; Grace Davison's (Baltimore, MD) North American Silicas/Adsorbents product line; Mead Containerboard's (Atlanta, GA) plant in Spartanburg, SC.

December 31, 1995

Conveying & accumulation

Deodorant sticks chill big time in small space

Tom's of Maine doubles its production of stick deodorants by adding an in-line chiller that uses liquid nitrogen to rapidly cool the hot-filled product.

December 31, 1995

Flexible packaging

New Year's promise: Internet packaging data

Imagine this. You get a sample of a stand-up pouch used to market salad dressings in Australian food stores. Marketing is pushing to introduce such a product/package ASAP.

December 31, 1995

Conveying & accumulation

Mexican Coke bottler gets in shape

Coca-Cola's 'true contour' PET bottle is a big success in several parts of Mexico. Promotora blow-molding plant decorates with a shrink label of OPP applied with glue.

November 30, 1995

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Alcohol content labels coming to a head

The BATF is set to issue a proposal on how alcohol content can appear on beer labels. Many brewers strongly oppose mandatory labeling.

November 30, 1995

Beverage

Packagers say systems up to date

The average packaging system is either state-of-the-art or comparable to the top 10% in its industry. So says a survey of 434 packagers conducted by Industry Insights for the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (Arlington, VA).

November 30, 1995