Conveying & accumulation

E-commerce builds momentum by the bay

Before a larger-than-anticipated audience in San Francisco, representatives from packagers Ethan Allen and Reflect.com address packaging for e-commerce direct-to-consumers.

August 31, 2000

Materials: Page 717

Adhesives/tape

WD-40 promotes 'straw strap'

San Diego-based WD-40 Co. has come up with a way to keep the all-important spray tube on its popular lubricant product from getting lost. The firm’s 8- and 11-oz cans now have a red, yellow or blue stretchable rubber strap around the neck.

August 31, 2000

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

PVC clamshells open up markets for hitching mirrors

Moving out of the box and into marketable, protective clear PVC clamshells gets results for ‘The Backup Buddy,’ a mirror assembly for hitching trailers.

July 31, 2000

Closures

Miller unveils plastic cap

As television ads touting its plastic beer bottle begin to appear with some frequency, Miller has completed its development of an injection-molded plastic closure that replaces ROPP aluminum. Easier-to-recycle package is spotted in Chicago.

July 31, 2000

Closures

Sutter: To twist or not to twist

After seven years of using twist-off closures to seal its 1 ½-L bottles of wine, Sutter Home Winery recently reverted back to sealing its larger bottles with a traditional cork closure.

July 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

Protective/transport packaging

HP cushions for B2C sales

Hewlett-Packard Corp., Palo Alto, CA, is using a new grade of Arcel® moldable foam from Nova Chemicals (Pittsburgh, PA) for protective cushioning for LaserJet™ Model 4050 printers distributed worldwide.

July 31, 2000

Flexibles

StarKist makes waves with pouch

Next month, StarKist Seafood will introduce to retail markets nationwide three varieties of its StarKist tuna in retorted pouches with an 18-month shelf life.

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

Additives, coatings & inks

Product catalog

Matrix Packaging (Lancaster, NY) has released a new full-color product catalog. A quick overview of stock containers with line drawings, available finish sizes and resins are all provided within the catalog.

July 31, 2000

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

Flex America Inc: Flex America Inc: Vf/f/s labeler

EPI Labelers (New Freedom, PA) has introduced a Flex-Pac Labeler™ that integrates to Ishida APEX vf/f/s bagmakers. Applies single-ply or multi-ply, coupon stock or reclosable labels as the bags are being filled.

July 31, 2000

Flexibles

Tang-y pouch transformation

Tang®, a staple in many American diets for 43 years, is changing its look, with five new flavors in stand-up pouches.

July 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Appointments, promotions

Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc. (Austin, TX): Dale E. Stahl, president, COO.

July 31, 2000