Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

Blister displays ink cartridges

Simi Valley, CA-based Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions (HiKIS) repackaged its Dataproducts Inkjet product line from conventional paperboard cartons to carded blister packs that clearly show the cartridges inside. Additionally, color coding on the blister card differentiates the various brands.

July 31, 2001

Materials: Page 698

Labels

'Enfa' now says Mead Johnson globally

Nearly 600 SKUs of baby nutritional products around the world are now carrying a new Enfa brand design for easy recognition.

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

Flexible packaging

'Job shop' takes hands-on approach to skin packaging

Semi-automatic skin packaging machine improves protection of shipments of stainless-steel components and saves money.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

'Yes' to Internet sales; 'Maybe' to Distributors (sidebar)

Comments reveal confusion about proliferation, distributors

July 31, 2001

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Single line pours out many SKUs with new options

One packaging line plus 10 different containers equals 60 SKUs, thanks to new end-of-the-line bundling and tray-pack equipment and film.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

U.S. Sugar zips into reclosable bags

Private-label sugar producer converts nearly all its customers to zippered flexible bags of powdered and brown sugars. The switch helps to double sales.

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

Closures

The problem with patented packaging

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that patents almost always mean ‘functional.’ Does this mean trade-dress protection disappears after the patent runs out?

July 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Case coders sparkle at Blue Diamond

New equipment delivers three lines of type for bulk boxes of nuts. The case coders reduce labor costs, downtime, and ink loss associated with previous units.

July 31, 2001

Flexibles

Wet wipe packaging

Optima (Green Bay, WI) offers the Wet Wipe II, a machine designed to package premoistened wipes into premade bags. Machine is outfitted with a designated wet cleaning area for sanitation and cleaning of the product-touching components.

July 31, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

TechnaSeal: Automated control system

The Series V automated control system on all lines of pneumatically powered thermal impulse heat sealers from TechnaSeal (Livermore, CA) is designed to increase safety, operating efficiency, and control/validation.

July 31, 2001

Additives, coatings & inks

Materials Marketplaces

PolymerTrack (www.polymertrack.com) details the most competitive HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, polypropylene, PVC, and PET contract prices for large customers.

July 31, 2001