Sustainability

Plastics' broken loop

Recycled-content legislation has receded, environmentalists have been quiet and virgin PET is plentiful and cheap. Packagers are divided on whether to continue their commitments to use post-consumer resin in the U.S. market.

May 31, 1997

Industries: Page 836

Labels

Clearly redefined

When Clearly Canadian was introduced ten years ago, it stood apart from mainstream soft drinks on store shelves. Says Jonathon Cronin, vice president of marketing at Clearly Canadian Beverage Corp.: "When we first launched the brand, the slight blue tint to the glass bottles and the ACL decorating were almost revolutionary." Ten years later, shelves are flooded with eye-catching products, and the pioneering beverage company decided that its core brand needed a boost.

May 31, 1997

Flexibles

Temperature-sensitive film for fresh produce

Apio Inc. Value Added Group of Guadalupe, CA, is among the first companies to use a new technology for fresh-cut produce packaging. Developed by Landec (Menlo Park, CA), the Intellipac(TM) technology is based on an unusual "side chain crystallizable" polymer having an internal "temperature switch." At elevated temperatures, when respiring produce needs more oxygen, the polymer becomes more permeable, allowing the necessary oxygen in.

May 31, 1997

Converting equipment

Pepsi tells Detroit shoppers to get a grip

In early May, Pepsi-Cola Co., Somers, NY, began testing its Quick Grip PET bottle in four Detroit area supermarkets. "Ease of handling and pouring, that's what's being tested here," says Pepsi spokesperson Larry Jabbonsky.

May 31, 1997

Flexibles

Chemical packaging plant explodes

An explosion followed by a fire at a chemical packaging plant in West Helena, AR, killed three firefighters and caused the governor to declare a state of emergency as the area was evacuated due to toxic fumes.

May 31, 1997

Converting equipment

Applications news

Delaware-based Greif Bros. will expand its blow-molded industrial plastic container business from 55-gal drums to 275-gal intermediate bulk containers. By the third quarter of this year, it will take delivery on a blow molding machine made by Rikutec in Alternkirchen, Germany.

May 31, 1997

Consumer packaged goods

Supplier news: Domestic acquisitions, agreements

Amoco Chemicals (Chicago, IL), Magnetic Separation Systems, Inc. (Nashville, TN), Shell Chemical Co. (Akron, OH), and Wellman, Inc.

May 31, 1997

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

T&A hitches its wagon to a brand

Already a leading marketer of its own branded, value-added, fresh-cut produce, Tanimura & Antle took its fresh-cut program to a whole new level on April 28.

May 31, 1997

Closures

PET bottle helps Campbell extend V8 brand

Campbell Soup Co. attracted considerable attention in early '96 when it launched a heat-set polyethylene terephthalate bottle for V8 vegetable juice (see PW, Apr.

May 31, 1997

Consumer packaged goods

Supplier news: Domestic acquisitions, agreements

Univation Technologies (Houston, TX), the joint venture of Union Carbide Corp. (Danbury, CT) and Exxon Chemical Co. (Houston, TX) for PE technology, licensing and catalyst supply, has opened for business worldwide.

May 31, 1997

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

Freeze-dried veggies enjoy PVOH shield

A 0.84-mil oriented polypropylene with a coating of polyvinyl alcohol plays a key role in the distribution of Veggibles(TM), a novel freeze-dried vegetable snack from Beverly Hills Farmers Market.

May 31, 1997

Beverage

Supplier news: Domestic acquisitions, agreements

Spartanburg Stainless Products Inc. (Spartanburg, SC) has signed an agreement to purchase beer and small chemical keg manufacturing equipment from Hoover Materials Handling Group (Alpharetta, GA).

May 31, 1997

Conveying & accumulation

Vacuum conveyor accessories

PIAB Material Handling (Rockland, MA) has introduced a line of accessories that is said to improve the hygienic properties of the PIAB vacuum conveyor.

April 30, 1997