Flexible packaging

Stand-up bags in Scotts' future

Producing potting soil in a package for food stores remains a challenge for The Scotts Company. A flat-bottomed 10-qt bag, printed in nine colors, is the company's first salvo. Traditional markets love it so far.

March 31, 1995

Palletizing/depalletizing: Page 72

Secondary Packaging

Pallet unitizer

Key Tech (Mukilteo, WA) has introduced Loxit, a pallet unitizing system that eliminates the need for stretch wrap. Combines the use of a water-based polymer with a spraying system to create web-like patterns to box or bag surfaces, allowing them to adhere to one another.

February 28, 1995

Cartoning

Automation times six at Apotex

February 28, 1995

Secondary Packaging

Mexican juices packed to U.S. standards

Tray packs of cans and bottles wrapped in shrink film allow Jugos del Valle to compete both in Mexico and in the post-NAFTA U.S. markets.

February 28, 1995

Flexible packaging

Pasta plant extraordinaire

The only way for this new pasta producer to meet the needs of three different market segments is to have a packaging operation designed for maximum flexibility.

December 31, 1994

Secondary Packaging

Case palletizer

Machines in the 880 series of case palletizers from Alvey (St. Louis, MO) employ shaft-mounted drives to reduce the number of sprockets, chains, belts and takeups for such primary devices as the row pusher, apron and hoist.

December 31, 1994

Conveying & accumulation

Empty-bottle handling is no picnic

The lightest of the PET bottles filled on Pepsi's new line weighs just 27.5 g. Controlling these empty containers at high speeds is difficult to say the least.

December 31, 1994

Conveying & accumulation

Palletizer

The Faiveley® Pal-Vite 1000 gantry palletizer from Newtec (St. Louis, MO) uses the same pick-and-place head for one or more infeed lines, eliminating the need for accumulation conveyors.

November 30, 1994

Conveying & accumulation

Pepsi line has future in mind

Fast changeover and overall versatility were foremost in mind when Pepsi designed its high-speed line for hard-to-handle one-piece PET bottles in four different sizes. Machine redundancy, computerization, and modular construction all contribute significantly.

November 30, 1994

Conveying & accumulation

Palletizing system brews up savings for Miller

At Miller Brewing Company's Trenton, OH, plant, a switch from stretch wrap to a cohesive palletizing system has resulted in considerable reductions in material and labor costs while cutting waste as well.

November 30, 1994