Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Yogurt producer fills craving for higher throughput

Yofarm reduces waste dramatically with a new auger filler that achieves consistent volume control of yogurt toppings.

October 31, 2001

Filling/capping, dry: Page 50

Filling/capping, dry

Latrobe Brewing Co.: Filling and pasteurizing

At this Rolling Rock brewery, the line's two 108-valve fillers (from SIG Beverages) sit side-by-side. Shortly after filling and capping, bottles enter a double-deck pasteurizer, after which they pass through two down-bottle ejectors.

September 30, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Big containers, big output done Nature's Way

Nature’s Way Purewater fills 180 1-gal containers/min and packs them into 3-count cases at a rate of 60 cases/min. New $4 million, 2000’-long line includes a case packer that accepts 2.5-gal containers, too. See in-plant video

September 30, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Uncasing

Bacardi was among the first to install this rotary uncaser from Hartness International on this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products. It uses 10 carriages continuously moving in a circle to pick bottles from reshippers and place them on a conveyor leading to the rinser/filler/capper block.

July 31, 2001

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Bacardi Bottling Corp.: Monoblock rinsing/filling/capping

On this revamped bottling line for rum and rum products, the cap hopper is nearly 150 feet upstream from the capper. This minimizes dust and clutter on the filling line. The rinser/filler/capper, supplied by Horix Manufacturing, includes a 60-head rinser, 80-head filler, and 20-head capper.

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi moves to modernization (sidebar)

Uncaser, case packer like twins

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Bacardi moves to modernization

A revamp of Line One is just part of a plant-wide move to upgrade, automate, and modernize Bacardi’s Jacksonville, FL, plant. See in-plant video

July 31, 2001

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

U.S. Sugar zips into reclosable bags (sidebar)

Zipper application is outsourced

July 31, 2001

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Axxis Intl.: Filling & capping

At this contract packager of personal care products, empty bottles in pucks from Advantage Puck move into the 12-head liquid filler from Masterfil. After filling, a three-head capper torques down caps, and then the containers exit the filler and move toward depucking.

June 30, 2001

Sustainability

Weirton stretches for film/paper 'cocoon'

This steel producer works closely with a distributor to protect shipments of its 36ꯠ-lb steel coils by stretch wrapping them in vapor corrosion inhibitor film.

June 30, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Two-line strategy copes with growth

Two new lines at U.K. contract packager Axxis Intl. both rely on puck systems to handle personal care products. One line is tailored for long runs, the other for quick-change versatility. See in-plant video

June 30, 2001

Flexible packaging

Heinz speeds oval container to market

Heinz Pet Snacks’ new Savory Bites dog snacks, packed in a tall oval container, epitomize the company’s new speed-to-market initiative.

April 30, 2001

Flexible packaging

Climbing the ladder of f/f/s technology

Beginning a decade ago, Calhoun Bend Mill started with simple packaging equipment, went through a rebuild upgrade and now has two new vf/f/s machines for bags of its food mixes.

April 30, 2001