Converting equipment

Healthful soft drink splashes onto scene

Aloe Splash® noncarbonated soft drink debuted in April on the West coast in a custom bottle made of polyethylene terephthalate topped by a large, 38-mm sports cap.

August 31, 2000

Converting equipment: Page 59

Converting equipment

Materials Purchasing: Grocer buys into online shopping

Grocery retailer H.E. Butt Co. procures packaging materials through the INC2inc Internet marketplace. Now it’s persuading its vendors to climb aboard.

August 31, 2000

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

A clever strategy for plastic beer bottles

Michigan Brewing sees great potential for beer in plastic when the target market is tightly focused. Custom-labeled bottles for a casino, for instance, have found a receptive audience.

August 31, 2000

Converting equipment

Fewer vendors in manufacturers' plans (sidebar)

Internet ordering proves as easy as H-E-B

August 31, 2000

Converting equipment

Pasteurizable PET bottles

KoSa has developed a PET copolymer packaging resin that may make it possible to bottle and pasteurize beer in plastic.

July 31, 2000

Labels

Heinz' EZ Squirt has more than cool curves

Come October, innovative packaging will help the H.J. Heinz Co. launch Heinz EZ Squirt, the first ketchup designed especially for kids. The Pittsburgh-based ketchup king designed the package with cool curves and pliable sidewalls that are easily squeezed.

July 31, 2000

Converting equipment

International agreements

Convenience Food Systems (Avon, MA) has acquired Dixie Union (Kempten, Germany).

July 31, 2000

Converting equipment

Britvic takes aim at children

Pleased with consumer response to its custom black “dumb bell” bottle for Tango soft drinks in a 500-mL size, UK soft drinks manufacturer Britvic has launched a 250-mL PET version aimed squarely at children.

July 31, 2000

Cartoning

Suiza dairy 'milks' squishy bottle

Country Fresh, a Suiza Foods dairy, debuts single-serve Milk-It! in injection blow-molded bottles designed for children. The bottles will also be used for other milks, and possibly for juice and water.

June 30, 2000

Sustainability

Keeping up with the competition

Icco Cheese Co. of Orangeburg, NY, makes grated cheese for sale under its Old World brand, and it also packs the Ronzoni and San Georgio brands for New World Pasta of Harrisburg, PA.

June 30, 2000

Converting equipment

Appointments, promotions

Alvey Systems, Inc. (St. Louis, MO): Douglas M. Westerman, dir., Central Region; Bruce Bleikamp, account mgr., Major Account Development; Steven Cohron, account mgr., Major Account Development; Hank Kirk, account mgr., Major Account Development.

June 30, 2000

Converting equipment

ANSI/PMMI safety standard released

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute has announced that the revised and updated American National Standard Institute/PMMI B155.1, American National Standard for Packaging Machinery and Packaging-Related Converting Machinery, Safety Requirements for Construction, Care and Use, is now available.

June 30, 2000

Converting equipment

Fruit basket in relief adorns PET bottle

A polyethylene terephthalate bottle with a uniquely sculpted fruit-basket image on its shoulder is now reaching supermarkets in 17 eastern states. The 64-oz, heat-set, hot-fill, grip bottle, supplied by Graham Packaging (York, PA), contains 100% juice products from Apple & Eve.

June 30, 2000