Converting equipment

Tea labels push process printing

Six-color process printing results in deeper colors, higher resolution and more press efficiencies for Hansen's new line of ready-to-drink teas.

June 30, 1999

Consumer packaged goods: Page 180

Cartoning

Buying plans strong for '99

Purchasing plans for packaging machinery will outpace inflation in '99, says a survey conducted for PMMI. Pharmaceutical/medical and beverage businesses see biggest gains, while three industries expect declines.

June 30, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Insulating material

Dow Chemical (Midland, MI) offers 2 new brochures describing Instill(TM) vacuum insulation core for use in vacuum insulation panels. The first brochure highlights how Instill core can provide significant design flexibility, improved insulation performance and cost savings.

June 30, 1999

Conveying & accumulation

Shrink-wrapped protection for white goods

When a British manufacturer of freezers and refrigerators entered a more upscale segment of the market, shrink film was the packaging material of choice.

June 30, 1999

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Combining machinery functions while we broaden options

The big show at Dsseldorf, interpack 99, proved to be another education in the worldwide scope of packaging. Coming just seven months after Pack Expo 98, there are some parallels between the shows, though there's also a whole host of differences.

June 30, 1999

Converting equipment

Gravure printing goes for the gold

This year's winners in the Golden Cylinder Awards competition include packages for golf balls, root beer and oil filters.

June 30, 1999

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Ramsey: Weighbelt feeder

The Series 90.151 low-capacity weighbelt feeder from Ramsey (Minneapolis, MN) is designed for applications with low feed rates and light belt-loading requirements.

June 30, 1999

Consumer packaged goods

Tri-Tronics Company: Tri-Tronics Company: Sensor

Tri-Tronics (Tampa, FL) has added a white LED light source to its line of Colormark II Smarteye(TM) registration mark sensors. The new model CMSWL can detect difficult color combinations like dark-colored marks on a dark-colored background.

June 30, 1999

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

French dogs taste 'fresh' cuisine

Thanks to the first installation of a newly developed form/fill/seal machine, French dogs and their owners are receiving first-class treatment. Effems, a European company of M&M Mars, is now packaging its Frolic™ dog food in a stand-up bag with edge seals that features easy opening and a Trans-Zip™ zipper for reclosure.

June 30, 1999

Consumer packaged goods

Prop 65 for Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts legislature is considering a chemical warning label bill patterned after California's Proposition 65. Testifying in opposition before the state Joint Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee, GMA and NFPA both argued strongly against the bill.

May 31, 1999

Conveying & accumulation

Textbook seller learns a lot about cushioning

Follett Educational Services cuts both costs and customer complaints by switching from foam-in-place to an air cushion void-fill system.

May 31, 1999

Flexibles

Wheel manufacturer eliminates quality defects

An aluminum wheel manufacturer switches from polyethylene foam to polypropylene foam to cushion its wheels for overseas shipment, saving the company the costs of repairing damaged wheels.

May 31, 1999

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Capsule reviews

Here are a few brief reviews of packaging-related Web sites. Lasertechnics (Albuquerque, NM), located at www.lasertechnics.com, has a site that makes a basic, though well-written, pitch for laser coding.

May 31, 1999