Contract Packaging

Mixed forecast for equipment purchases

Pharmaceutical, paper, and food segments will likely increase packaging machinery spending this year. But overall, a PMMI survey says U.S. domestic equipment sales will equal last year’s $4.9 billion.

July 31, 2001

Industries: Page 702

Closures

The problem with patented packaging

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that patents almost always mean ‘functional.’ Does this mean trade-dress protection disappears after the patent runs out?

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Case coders sparkle at Blue Diamond

New equipment delivers three lines of type for bulk boxes of nuts. The case coders reduce labor costs, downtime, and ink loss associated with previous units.

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Textbook publisher moves to automation

By automating case packing and palletizing, this not-for-profit book publisher saves thousands of volunteer hours annually.

July 31, 2001

Beverage

Used Equipment Marketplaces

EquipmentStore.com (www.equipmentstore.com) is an equipment and machinery exchange that brings buyers and sellers together free of charge. New and used packaging equipment is offered.

July 31, 2001

Consumer packaged goods

Rimtec Corp.: Magnetic clutches

MDC/MSV magnetic synchronous torque-limiting barrier clutches from Rimtec (Addison, IL) provide servo-quality torque transmission with overload protection, transmitting force with no physical contact between the two clutch sections.

July 31, 2001

Beverage

Beer container growth

Market research firm The Freedonia Group announced that the world demand for beer containers will grow nearly 3% per year to 315 billion units in 2005. Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia will lead the demand.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

Mac software unboxed

The Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, leverages the Mac difference in award-winning software packaging that’s a dramatic departure from traditional paperboard cartons used for software. Replacing prior boxed versions, Office 2001 for Macintosh was introduced in October of 2000 in a plastic "clamshell."

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

Coors carton 'on the rocks'

Just in time for the summer picnic season, Golden, CO-based Coors released its Coors Cooler Box, a disposable cooler carton with a patented barrier that holds ice and water.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

Produce, pet foods grow flexibles

The value of flexible packaging is expected to grow 3.5% this year to $19.7 billion, according to the State of the Industry Report 2001. Released in June by the Flexible Packaging Assn.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

StarKist 3-oz pouch is a smaller 'hook'

StarKist Foods Div. of Pittsburgh-based Heinz North America hopes to hook consumers with a smaller, single-serve pouch of StarKist tuna. Introduced in April, the 3-oz Flavor Fresh Pouch is a line extension of the company’s 7.06-oz pouch introduced last fall. The new, smaller pouch is expected to be available nationally by August.

July 31, 2001

Closures

Plastic innovation

In May, Glendale, CA-based Nestlé USA introduced Nestea iced tea concentrate in a striking custom-molded bottle supplied by Continental Plastics Container (Elk Grove Village, IL).

July 31, 2001

Coding, Printing & Labeling

FDA demands proof of botanical claims

FDA is cracking down on increasingly popular botanically enhanced foods and beverages, demanding proof they are safe and do not make false and misleading claims.

July 31, 2001