Additives, coatings & inks

Smoothening torque transfer

Auger fillers are fast, flexible, and accurate thanks to the composite disc couplings used to transfer torque from servo motors to auger shafts.

June 30, 2003

Industries: Page 623

Secondary Packaging

Tyson's fixed-weight future

This attractive, but otherwise unassuming shrink-wrapped tray introduced in early 2003 is packed with far more than chicken. For Tyson Foods, Springdale, AR, it represents enhanced category management--and the future of case-ready meat.

June 30, 2003

Sustainability

Wild Oats debuts 'corn-tainers'

Natural and organic food retailer Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Boulder, CO, is reportedly the first North American firm to pack deli foods at retail in containers made of NatureWorks™ PLA from Cargill Dow LLC. PLA is a renewable-resource-based polylactide resin derived from corn.

June 30, 2003

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

FDA flashes red light to patent stays

Agency doesn’t want branded drug manufacturers to delay development of generics because of packaging claims. New limits on patents go into effect August 18.

June 30, 2003

Flexibles

Heinz 'bottles' marinade in a bag

To capitalize on the trend towards marinating foods, H. J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh, PA, has added an extra bit of convenience for consumers: liquid marinades in three flavors all presented in a handy bag ready for the food.

June 30, 2003

Beverage

F. Gaviña & Sons: Coding of coffee cans

A Videojet ink-jet coder that marks the lid of each 1-lb can of coffee with a production date code. It replaced an older and less efficient model.

May 31, 2003

Secondary Packaging

F. Gaviña & Sons: Tray packing of coffee product

Installed about a year ago as a replacement was a Model 127SL case/tray packer from S.V. Dice. Its rated speed is 35 cases or trays/min, though currently Gavi–a typically runs in the range of 25/min. After tray blanks are picked and erected and collated cans are pushed onto them, filled trays are discharged toward the shrink wrap system.

May 31, 2003

Conveying & accumulation

F. Gaviña & Sons: Case erecting for coffee producer

Corrugated blanks are pulled from a magazine and automatically set up by this machine, which replaces a manual operation.

May 31, 2003

Secondary Packaging

F. Gaviña & Sons: Shrink wrapping of 1-lb cans of tray-packed coffee

This shrink wrapper, supplied by Packaging Machines Intl., replaces an older system. Tray-packed 1-lb cans of coffee are sent through a shrink tunnel.

May 31, 2003

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

F. Gaviña & Sons: Vertical form/fill/seal of coffee bags

After film is pulled through a vf/f/s section and bags are filled with coffee, a heater bar heat seals the top of the bags. Later, a tin-tie is automatically applied and folded for each bag. Finally, each bag has tape applied to its top and the bags are then discharged from the machine.

May 31, 2003

Converting equipment

Sidel, Pressco announce an alliance

At NPE 2003 in Chicago this week, Sidel Inc. and Pressco Technology announced their signing of a strategic alliance agreement for the distribution and sale of Pressco's Intellispec™ PET container vision inspection system.

May 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Whatever happened to...?

In an effort to reduce its regulatory backlog, FDA decided to withdraw 83 proposed actions published more than five years ago.

May 31, 2003

Consumer packaged goods

Marketing alliance for anti-counterfeit inks

Sun Chemical and InkSure have formed a strategic marketing alliance that will enable them to offer machine-readable ink-based brand and document authentication solutions under the SunSure™ brand name.

May 31, 2003