Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

'Catch and release' packaging

Seafood processor Plitt shifts from waxed corrugated to returnable crates to save money, time, and damage.

September 30, 2003

Materials: Page 631

Containers

Reaching Peak efficiency (sidebar)

Banding together

September 30, 2003

Controls & Machine Components

Obstacles to information integration abound (sidebar)

Methodology

September 30, 2003

Cartoning

Machinery with a vision

As machine vision technology becomes more reliable and cost-effective, manufacturers will begin finding it easier to integrate into their packaging lines.

September 30, 2003

Adhesives/tape

Pressuring the competition

Gro-Tec’s Eliminator herbicide comes in a unique pressure tank applicator that’s now being used for other products, too.

September 30, 2003

Flexibles

Pistachios packed for holiday partying

Paramount Farms bets nut lovers will take this lightweight, reclosable, high-impact package home for the holidays. It represents new technology for rigid containers.

September 30, 2003

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

The $100,000 question

How would you spend $100ꯠ in your plant? We asked that question in a survey and received a diverse range of responses.

September 30, 2003

Containers

EAS and partners show container dexterity

Five new PET bottles for nutrition supplements were created for EAS in just weeks to meet a tight timetable.

September 30, 2003

Containers

EAS and partners show container dexterity (sidebar)

Designing for a market

September 30, 2003

Containers

Labeler sings a new tune at Music Mountain

A new labeler at the heart of a new bottling line is helping Music Mountain Water respond to growing demand for its own-brand and private-label bottled water.See in-plant video

September 30, 2003

Labels

Tempers hot over COOL

The United States’ House and Senate are at odds over whether to cancel country-of-origin labeling for red meat. Meanwhile, big packaging changes are in store for produce marketers.

September 30, 2003

Flexibles

Snack packs stand out

Convenience continues to drive packaging, as evidenced by two new snack packs spotted this month on store shelves.

September 30, 2003

Closures

Plastic carton shows off new Aquafresh tube

A folding carton made of 15-mil polyvinyl chloride is helping new Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste fly off store shelves. For a time since its introduction early this summer, the new brand was reportedly the top-selling item in Wal-Mart’s toothpaste aisle.

September 30, 2003