Converting equipment

Can packagers maintain productivity improvements?

As we progress into the new year, nervousness about the economy abounds. And it’s coming from a lot of fronts, including people in the packaging business.

January 31, 2001

Beverage: Page 334

Conveying & accumulation

Something fishy about HACCP

FDA and USDA plan to re-examine seafood and meat inspection programs, and to consider possible tightening of regulations.

January 31, 2001

Bag/pouch fill/seal (pre-made bags)

Fresh pasta maker romances long shelf life (sidebar)

Serving sauce for Sargento

January 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

'Cool' robot palletizes three-up

A robot at Schroeder Milk palletizes cases from three lines in up to three different configurations at a time using specialized tooling to handle cases, pallets or slipsheets. System replaces manual palletization.

January 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

New look for oyster packs

Induction-sealing is a key element in Minterbrook’s redesigned oyster package. Shelf life is extended, tamper evidence improved, and costs cut.

January 31, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Will motion controllers replace PLCs? (sidebar)

Methodology

January 31, 2001

Cartoning

Sanford sold on 'cell' concept

In-line marker assembly and packaging, featuring an eight-station automatic heat-sealing unit, helps manufacturer increase production, save labor costs and meet just-in-time needs.

January 31, 2001

Beverage

Bionic design

When Hydrade Beverage Co. was looking for a design company to put life into its new product, it turned to Sibley Peteet Design (Austin, TX). According to the company, the product, a “high-speed” energy drink, is the only sports beverage that contains glycerol, which research shows to be the ingredient that best hydrates the body.

December 31, 2000

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Switch to PET brings icy look

United Distillers & Vintners recently replaced glass with polyethylene terephthalate for 200-mL (6.76-oz) bottles of its TGI Friday’s® On the Rocks line of ready-to-drink cocktails. The custom bottles are injection/stretch blow molded by Schmalbach-Lubeca.

December 31, 2000

Conveying & accumulation

Integrator specs laser sensor for aerosol can line

Systems integrator adapts special laser to sense defects in cases of aerosol cans for cleaning products maker. Error detection improves to 99%.

December 31, 2000

Labels

Over-the-top effort solves TE challenges

Arm & Hammer’s p-s TE label for its new HDPE shaker bottle of baking soda uses two types of adhesives. The duo performs tamper-evidence while it meets regulatory requirements for foods.

December 31, 2000

Beverage

What's in a name?

European vintners have been protesting the use by their American counterparts of overseas place names, such as Burgundy, in France, or the name of European-grown grapes on their wine labels.

November 30, 2000

Flexibles

Sporty pouch will be a U.S. first

from InterBev 2000: Following more than two years of development, Hydrade Beverage Co., Dallas, TX, unveiled in New Orleans its 500-mL stand-up pouch for the sports drink category. Intended for on-the-go use, the pouch has a laminated PET/foil/PET/PE structure and a resealable fitment for convenience. Sourced and contract filled overseas, it will debut in four varieties in the U.S. in early 2001.

November 30, 2000