Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

PC control grows up

Contract packager Beverage Capital becomes one of the first users of a 78-valve liquid filler controlled by a single PC. Benefits include ease of use, faster troubleshooting.

May 31, 1999

Industries: Page 767

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Congress hears an earful about country-of-origin labeling

Testifying before a House Agriculture Subcommittee, representatives of food trade associations gave a resounding "no" to country-of-origin labeling legislation that requires disclosure of the origins of specific ingredients as well as the product itself.

May 31, 1999

Flexibles

Wheel manufacturer eliminates quality defects

An aluminum wheel manufacturer switches from polyethylene foam to polypropylene foam to cushion its wheels for overseas shipment, saving the company the costs of repairing damaged wheels.

May 31, 1999

Secondary Packaging

Somewhere, over-the-counter, the FDA waits for drug packers

OTC drug makers will have to become packaging 'wizards' to fit new Drug Facts information on cartons, containers, tubes and bottles.

May 31, 1999

Filling/capping, dry

Sidewalk Cafe pack 'sticks' out

In Target department stores nationwide, Fullerton, CA-based Hunt-Wesson is testing 1-oz Slim Stick(TM) packs of Swiss Miss® Sidewalk Caf/® instant cappuccino in six-count cartons.

May 31, 1999

Conveying & accumulation

Controls system simplifies automatic case sortation

In the central packaging area of the two-year-old snack plant built by Pretzels, Inc. in Bluffton, In, corrugated cases of bagged snacks are conveyed from packaging to palletizing on a single powered roller conveyor.

May 31, 1999

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Capsule reviews

Here are a few brief reviews of packaging-related Web sites. Lasertechnics (Albuquerque, NM), located at www.lasertechnics.com, has a site that makes a basic, though well-written, pitch for laser coding.

May 31, 1999

Secondary Packaging

Hormel expanding MAP-packed pork

Hormel Foods, Austin, MN, believes it now has a long-shelf-life package system that delivers prepackaged pork cuts through a supermarket chain's warehouse.

May 31, 1999

Coding, Printing & Labeling

No Listeria labeling

Contrary to earlier reports, USDA is backing off the idea of labels warning of possible Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

May 31, 1999

Closures

Trays for audio/visual media 'serve and protect'

For trays that hold cassettes, CDs and video tapes, Vinylweld shifts to new PVC sheet that holds tolerances and protects the media.

May 31, 1999

Closures

Paperboard packs award-winning punch

Award winners in this year's Paperboard Packaging Competition range from digital camera bag sleeves to catheter cards to bagel cartons.

May 31, 1999

Flow wrapping

Valuable relationship shaves time

By having one dedicated flexible packaging vendor, American Safety Razor has slashed order lead times and improved quality.

May 31, 1999

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

PLS speeds changeover, boosts reliability for Lever

A programmable limit switch speeds changeover and extends capabilities of new hot melt applicator and rebuilt filler.

May 31, 1999