Controls & Machine Components

Packagers to benefit from ISA--OMAC merger

ELAU, with ties to ISA and OMAC, already sees a convergence in the Make2Pack initiative, integrating best of breed automation solutions across the supply chain.

December 31, 2004

Industries: Page 564

Controls & Machine Components

OMAC and ISA to merge

On January 17, the OMAC Board of Directors announced that it has started detailed planning activities which will lead to a merger with ISA (The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society).

December 31, 2004

Labels

Cut heat shrink label costs by up to 80%

New high speed, high quality shrink labeling machinery uses roll-fed material in place of sleeves that cost 3-5X more.

December 31, 2004

Cosmetics/Personal care

Pfizer swallows $2 million correction

After a judge ruled misleading a promotional claim by Pfizer, New York, for Listerine mouthwash, the company announced a $2 million effort to obliterate the claim from packages.

December 31, 2004

Closures

Small character ink-jet printer

ID Technology has added the ci700 to its Citronix line of small-character, ink-jet printers. Machine offers affordability and flexibility for the most typical CIJ printing applications, applying lot/date codes to food, beverage, paper, household, pharmaceutical, automotive, postal, lumber, and more.

December 31, 2004

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

The wrap-up: Spam® hits Broadway

The ‘beloved’ product that’s spoofed in a new Broadway musical sparks a line extension, giving Hormel the last laugh.

December 31, 2004

Bakery/Snack

Packaging labels contain errors

According to a recent study, consumers are either getting ripped off or eating free food when they buy certain products.

December 31, 2004

Cosmetics/Personal care

Measuring bumps in the road to China

Data collection devices mounted on trucks in China starting in August 2004 are already drawing interest from major U.S. packaged goods companies. Here’s a look at the results and implications of the original China Project.

December 31, 2004

Sustainable Packaging

Reusable container study

Independent study shows multiple reuse of containers significantly reduces environmental burdens compared to single-trip containers.

December 31, 2004

Beverage

Brewer responds to disaster

A Sri Lankan brewery switches from beer to water to assist the tsunami survivors.

December 31, 2004

Consumer packaged goods

Lightweight plastic pallet

The lightweight, low-cost, GPI plastic pallet from Plastic Pallet & Container allows for 4-way entry for fork lifts or hand jacks and has a “picture frame” base that allows for safe stacking without damaging products underneath.

December 31, 2004

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Blister pack

First Choice Packaging Solutions offers its Virtuweld blister-pack clamshell in seven stock sizes. The blister appears welded, but it’s actually snapped together to form an undetectable seal, yet with all the benefits of being unsealed.

December 31, 2004

Bio-based

PLA 'milks' new market

Sustainable packaging is a hot and growing trend. Recently, BIO—TA Brands of America introduced water bottles made of polylactide (PLA) (see packworld.com/go/c123).

December 31, 2004