Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Coupon inserter for bags, boxes, other packages

60-second video clip shows coupon inserter from EPI labeling in a variety of applications.

January 17, 2007

Bakery/Snack: Page 52

Sustainability

CPG companies hunt for warehouse club treasure

Success in packaging for the warehouse clubs requires innovation and an understanding of the needs of this unique channel.

January 10, 2007

Bakery/Snack

Visual association--through a 2-year-old's eyes

In recent televised interviews, separate groups of progressively younger children were shown logos or icons of some of the country's best-known brands.

December 18, 2006

Conveying & accumulation

RFID variables tested

During Pack Expo 2006, Robert Clarke, Ph.D., of Michigan State University's School of Packaging (www.packaging.msu.edu, or e-mail [email protected]), presented original research that looked at a number of variables that affect RFID performance in the real world.

December 18, 2006

Flexibles

In-line pouch forming saves time, labor

Japan-based specialty bread crumbs manufacturer FryStar has adopted an in-line form/fill/seal system for production of pillow pouch packaging with reclosable zippers.

December 18, 2006

Bakery/Snack

Pizza with a view

Uno Foods freshens the look of its refrigerated retail pizza with a window on a take-out style box.

December 7, 2006

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

UF squeezes out more R&D projects

From RFID to barrier containers to shelf life prediction, there's more to packaging research at the University of Florida than even staff expected.

November 5, 2006

Flexible packaging

Nothing nutty about this bagging system

The need to pre-mix spices and sugar in small batches is an inconvenience that has been overcome since this purveyor of nuts implemented a dosing/bagging upgrade.

November 5, 2006

Bakery/Snack

Wow, baby--Gerber injects a little personality

Icon brands that stay relevant and create symmetry between products in the brand “family” continue to endure in consumers' hearts. Gerber, a long-trusted brand, is a recent example with a new packaging system for all three of its lines, which help consumers to shop the category more efficiently.

November 5, 2006

Converting equipment

Missing: one extruder

Maybe you were as surprised as I was to hear about the major recall from Ross Products for its 32-oz plastic bottles of Similac.

November 5, 2006

Flexibles

Susceptor suits frozen fish

Gimbert Surgeles of France has launched a line of frozen, breaded fish filets that cook in less than three minutes in the microwave oven thanks to the Microrite™ susceptor sleeve that surrounds them.

November 5, 2006

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Costco's hands-on packaging guy

Scott Carnie is general manager of Costco Wholesale's East Coast Packaging operations in New Jersey.

November 5, 2006

Secondary Packaging

Infeed uniformly sequences randomly spaced packages

Video of Yaskawa's Synch Belt solution shows how randomly spaced packages are precisely repositioned at fixed intervals for subsequent downstream packaging operations.

October 29, 2006