Controls & Machine Components

National Instruments: HMIs for LabVIEW

Engineers and scientists can now use National Instruments’ new flat-panel touch-screen, touch-panel computer and panel PC HMI with the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment to develop user interfaces.

January 31, 2006

Industries: Page 511

Controls & Machine Components

Hershey reveals new direction on controls

“We invested heavily in controls technology, but in the last few years we’ve changed directions because in too many cases the technologies we implemented were complicating, not simplifying, our packaging operations.”

January 31, 2006

Closures

Water bottler opts for glass packaging

Naya Sparkling Water launched by Danone Canada, Laval, Quebec, and co-packed by Delta Beverages, entered Canadian markets late last year.

January 31, 2006

Flexibles

MAP pepperoni taps retail markets

Swiss American Sausage Co., a division of Provena Foods, Inc., Lathrop, CA, is a major supplier of pepperoni products to foodservice outlets.

January 31, 2006

Beverage

FUNDS RAISED FOR PACKAGING HALL OF FAME MEMORIAL

More than $11ꯠ in fundraising dollars will be used for the design and construction of a permanent Packaging Hall of Fame memorial at Michigan State University’s School of Packaging.

January 31, 2006

Sustainable Packaging

Envisioning a new environmental package design

Since innovative thinking on ways to balance packaging and the environment is always in short supply, I was curious to see if Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World by Daniel Imhoff would contribute something new to the dialog.

January 31, 2006

Flexibles

People

Bradman Lake Group appointed Simon Wheatley chief executive officer.

January 31, 2006

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Companies

Sato announced a definitive agreement to purchase Checkpoint’s Bar Code Systems Business, with operations in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe, including its hand-held labeling solutions in the U.S.

January 31, 2006

Beverage

True or false

The main reason consumers in North America and Europe don’t buy functional foods is because they don’t believe in the health benefits, according to a new report from ACNielsen.

January 31, 2006

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Stronger allergen labeling in EU

Labels of food products produced in the European Union after November 25, 2005, must clearly state the presence of any of 12 listed allergens. The new directive eliminates the “25-percent rule” that exempted ingredients of a compound ingredient from being declared if the compound ingredient made up less than 25% of the final food.

January 31, 2006

Labeling

Yak ice cream?

FDA is considering a petition by the International Ice Cream Association to update the 30-year old Standards of Identity for ice cream. Ice cream manufacturers want more flexibility to use new technologies and ingredients.

January 31, 2006

Beverage

Pure booze?

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau asked for comment on whether the regulations limiting the use of the word “pure” on labels or in advertising of distilled spirits should be changed.

January 31, 2006

Reusable/Returnable

From shells to shrink

To gain operational efficiency, cost savings, and distribution benefits, this Canadian Pepsi bottler has substituted stretch wrap in place of returnable plastic carriers.

January 31, 2006