Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Time indicator for perishables

Based on diffusion, Timestrip expiration date indicators show very clearly the remaining shelf life of refrigerated or frozen products.

December 31, 2004

Industries: Page 566

Labels

Emphasizing product benefits to the 'bring-it- to-me' consumer

The label can act a versatile communications tool to keep a brand contemporary. Greg Metzger, director of marketing at Red Gold Inc., Elwood, IN, believes the label is a good place to begin in a package review when the goal is extending a longtime brand to a new generation of potential product users.

December 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

ARC study: ROI for RFID is lacking

For a study released in November, the ARC Advisory Group talked to 24 companies that were actively investing in EPC (Electronic Product Code) RFID. The study includes best practices.

December 31, 2004

Labels

Conductive Inks: RFID's silver lining?

If RFID is going to make it to the item level, package printers are likely to play a leading role.

December 31, 2004

Secondary Packaging

UF project meshes bar code and RFID technology

Research at the University of Florida on a productivity-tracking system for manual case packing is receiving an RFID-enabled boost using a multifunctional device.

December 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

The Packaging Pushback Club

Who knows what excuses slow RFID acceptance and implementation? RFID authority John Greaves of Deloitte Consulting does, and identifies these maligned scapegoats.

December 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

RFID one-on-one with Kevin Ashton Part 1

RFID Antenna exclusive: RFID authority Kevin Ashton, co-founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Auto-ID Center and now vice president of marketing with RFID reader vendor ThingMagic, provides insights and observations in this exclusive interview conducted in December. Part 2 concludes next month.

December 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

SATO America, Inc. Unveils New Class of Powerful and Intelligent Barcode Printers

Fast, intelligent Web-enabled GTe Series sets the standard for industrial barcode printers

December 31, 2004

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

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