Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Laser-guided vehicles at Latrobe

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Rolling Rock beer brewer Latrobe Brewery, Latrobe, PA, bought three Elettric 80 laser-guided vehicles in early 2000 to move pallets of finished product throughout its warehouse. The same model was running non-stop at the Sasib booth.

October 31, 2000

Industries: Page 716

Flexibles

Three-sided pouch wrapper

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: A new SIG HSF wrapper was unveiled from SIG Pack Systems. Kraft (Glenview, IL) has two machines producing its new Deli Deluxe line of cheese. Reclosability is achieved through online zipper-band application onto the film.

October 31, 2000

Bakery/Snack

Ciba introduces oil and water repellent for paper

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: The new Lodyne® water-based fluorochemical from Ciba Specialty Chemicals is a high-performance oil, grease and water repellent suitable for paper, paperboard and molded paper products.

October 31, 2000

Prepared Foods

Family ties unite CPET tray to peelable lid

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Kahiki Foods, Columbus, OH, introduced family-sized frozen dinner in September, packaged in a dual-oven CPET tray featuring a plastic-coated peelable paperboard lid. The lid is heat-sealed to the CPET tray on a Gralex Model RHS-6 rotary heat sealer, which was on display at the Gralex booth.

October 31, 2000

Coding, Printing & Labeling

RFID tags metal beer kegs

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Metal-iTag™, a new metal asset tracking solution from Marconi's InfoChain div. (Wood Dale, IL), was displayed on empty beer kegs at its booth. Marconi’s Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology offers real-time product identification. Metal-iTag is currently being beta tested with all major brewers nationwide, according to Marconi.

October 31, 2000

Protective/transport packaging

Molded pulp protective packaging breakthrough

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Chalone Vineyard wine bottles will be the first to use Regale’s new protective packaging technology, which reduces costs by 80% and reduces lead time by 90%, according to the supplier. Libbey Glass and Hewlett Packard are currently testing the packaging.

October 31, 2000

Containers

High-speed sleever debut

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Running at an unprecedented 800 sleeves/min, Coastal Sleeve Label (Brunswick, GA) is showcasing its Autowrap wrapper from Hauni Richmond (Richmond, VA). Seams are made online, reducing production time 35%.

October 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Inline-applied slider-closure first

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Sargento Foods is the first commercial user of Pactiv's Hefty® Slide-Rite® closure system on a form/fill/seal package.

October 31, 2000

Flexibles

Low-volume pouch filler/sealer for liquids

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: CA-based Universal Beverage & Packaging is the first North American user of Profile Packaging’s Model PSG NEO-S liquid stand-up pouch fill/seal machine.

October 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Spout pouch takes its stand

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Bell, a European food company, is packaging its new chicken and steak barbecue sauce products in an inverted stand-up pouch with a closure that acts as a base. Huhtamaki Van Leer Packaging Worldwide (Germany) converts the pouch material.

October 31, 2000

Converting equipment

Baking soda shake up

The Arm & Hammer Div. of Church & Dwight now offers its all-natural baking soda in a waterproof “sink-side” container that is an alternative to its venerable 59¢ paperboard “Yellow Box.” The 12-oz white pigmented high-density polyethylene container, which keeps water out, allows consumers to keep baking soda closer to the sink.

October 31, 2000

Flexibles

Coors bottle echoes Rockies

Coors' five-layer plastic bottle for Coors Lite has a Rocky Mountains motif molded into the sidewall.

October 31, 2000

Closures

Screw closures

Line of DOT series screw closures, available from Rexam Closures (Evansville, IN), now includes a 63-mm size. Made of PP and available in any color, the new size can be used with the industry-standard 445 neck finish and is available with a foam liner, heat-seal liner or heat-seal liner with pull tabs.

October 31, 2000