Controls & Machine Components

Packaging trails the networked future

An astonishing 71% of respondents to an exclusive PW survey report that few or none of their packaging lines are networked. Packagers identify top reasons for wanting packaging-line networks and the major obstacles that hold them back.

August 31, 2001

Beverage: Page 325

Containers

J-I-T decoration cures logistic challenges

A unique in-plant bottle decorating method at Voss of Norway solves procurement and inventory challenges while reducing breakage by 10%.

August 31, 2001

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Food allergens nothing to sneeze at

FDA is looking more closely at food labels and processing/packaging materials to determine whether incidental additives must be declared.

August 31, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

OMAC releases position papers, solicits feedback

After 15 months of studying how best to remedy the complexity that results from proliferation of packaging machine controls, the OMAC Motion for Packaging Initiative working group has issued a series of position papers documenting its recommendations. See them at http://omac.packworld.com.

August 31, 2001

Closures

Nestlé 'concentrates' on tea packaging

In May, Glendale, CA-based Nestlé USA introduced Nestea iced tea concentrate in a striking custom-molded bottle supplied by Continental Plastics Container (Elk Grove Village, IL). The bottle includes a measuring chart along the side that shows how much tea to use per quart of water.

July 31, 2001

Sustainable Packaging

Nestlé is leader of the year; PEF nominations

The Packaging Education Forum will honor Nestlé USA, Inc., as its Packaging Leader of the Year, 2001-2002. Its commercialization of innovative packaging forms reflecting consumer preferences for convenience, quality, safety, and environmental sensitivity were recognized by PEF, as was the Glendale, CA-based company’s support of college-level packaging education.

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Depalletizing

On this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products, glass bottles arrive in tab-lock reshippers stacked on pallets. The reshippers are elevated layer by layer and then swept off on a discharge conveyor leading to the filling line by the Krones depalletizer.

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Uncasing

Bacardi was among the first to install this rotary uncaser from Hartness International on this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products. It uses 10 carriages continuously moving in a circle to pick bottles from reshippers and place them on a conveyor leading to the rinser/filler/capper block.

July 31, 2001

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Monoblock rinsing/filling/capping

On this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products, the cap hopper is nearly 150 feet upstream from the capper. This minimizes dust and clutter on the filling line. The rinser/filler/capper, supplied by Horix Manufacturing, includes a 60-head rinser, 80-head filler, and 20-head capper.

July 31, 2001

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Automated case packing

On this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products, the rotary case packer from Hartness International operates just like the uncaser, except in reverse. Downstream from the case packer, tab-lock reshippers have their tabs slit before flaps are plowed and glued shut.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

Dairy Crest milk pouch trial

EXCLUSIVE NEWS FROM OUR EUROPEAN PARTNER: Dairy Crest is currently trialling a milk pouch system at selected doorstep delivery depots and supermarkets in the UK. Click logo for full article.

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi moves to modernization

A revamp of Line One is just part of a plant-wide move to upgrade, automate, and modernize Bacardi’s Jacksonville, FL, plant. See in-plant video

July 31, 2001

Flexible packaging

'Job shop' takes hands-on approach to skin packaging

Semi-automatic skin packaging machine improves protection of shipments of stainless-steel components and saves money.

July 31, 2001