Flexibles

Air-pouch void-fill system packs a big payback

A mail-order nutraceutical company packs up the loose-fill peanuts and switches to air pouches for greater productivity, less mess, and reduced costs.

November 7, 2007

Industries: Page 443

Beverage

The other half of the battle--getting to shelf

There’s another often-overlooked step in the innovation process. Relatively few brand owners consider innovating how they get their products to shelf.

November 7, 2007

Sustainability

Cooking up a recipe for innovation? Serve it up in manageable steps

Start by defining innovation within your company culture. Then organize it, approach it strategically, and source it properly. If you fail, resolve to try again.

November 7, 2007

Confection/Candy

Self-lube bearings bring smooth motion to vf/f/s machines

A special polymer injection-molded with dry lubricants blended in is at the heart of the self-lubricating bearings used on these machines.

November 7, 2007

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Brecon betters blister packing

Both thermoforming and cold-forming of foil are routinely done on this new and highly versatile blister-pack line at contract packager Brecon Pharmaceuticals in Wales.

November 7, 2007

Flexibles

Berry packer revamps bagging and casing lines

Renovation of blueberry packaging operations includes installation of vf/f/s machine for retail bags, bag-in-box equipment for bulk packs, plus several new auxiliary systems.

November 7, 2007

Flexibles

New product from old packaging

TerraCycle is churning out new products and new product ideas at an incredible rate. Following is a sampling of some of its new products and initiatives in 2007:

November 7, 2007

Flexibles

TerraCycle: Packaging with a repurpose

TerraCycle, the company built on worm poop, gives used containers new life as plant-food packaging.

November 7, 2007

Sustainable Packaging

Cereal manufacturers should switch from two inner bags to one for club store packaging

Sustainable packaging is an incremental pursuit, quickened when adoptions are made by an entire category. For example, club-store-size cereals with twin bags inside a carton could be switched by cereal manufacturers to one large bag.

November 7, 2007

Recycling

Social responsibility leads the way at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

With all the talk about the Wal-Mart Sustainability Scorecard changing the industry, it is easy to overlook the fact that numerous organizations have engaged in sustainable efforts for many years. At these companies, the push for corporate social responsibility and greater sustainability comes directly from senior management as well as from employees themselves. Sustainable packaging is the extension of corporate values at these companies.

November 7, 2007

Recycling

New food reporting requirement hidden in drug law

You probably heard about that new law giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration new powers over drugs. Surprise! It also gives FDA the power to order food recalls (almost and sort of).

November 7, 2007

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Views of a contract drug packager

Andrew Billington, operations manager at Brecon Pharmaceuticals in Wales, addresses recent trends in packaging.

November 7, 2007

Closures

U.S. closure market shows steady growth

Continuous technological advancements in end-user industries, and an ongoing conversion from metal to plastic closures, are driving growth in the U.S. plastic closures market.

November 7, 2007