Closures

Compact sealer passes 'mustard'

It doesn’t get much more mom-and-pop than Fisher Horseradish & Mustard, run by Gideon Fisher, Sr. He heads the 20-yr-old family business on his property in Newburg, PA, where his wife has run a semi-automatic filler.

December 31, 2003

Leaders (UNIVERSAL TAXONOMY PW): Page 1551

Flexibles

2-in-1 packs 'TAP' Rx simplicity

Prevacid NapraPAC™ in two strengths is available from TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Lake Forest, IL.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

RFID costs to packagers estimated

The use of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, as envisioned by Wal-Mart Stores, is estimated to bring savings to retailers and big capital investment costs to those who supply retailers.

December 31, 2003

Sustainability

Sustainable packaging coalition forms

In November, a group of two dozen packaging professionals from companies such as Coca-Cola, Estée Lauder/Aveda, Masterfoods, Nike, PepsiCo, Starbucks, and Unilever agreed to form the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

December 31, 2003

Labels

Creating a sparkling holiday design

Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice Cocktails will be dressed as Nutcrackers this year for the holiday season, thanks to designers at The Bailey Group. The glass bottles are wrapped from head to toe in a “lively and festive” shrink label.

December 31, 2003

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Companies

Sonoco (Hartsville, SC) completed a 10-year agreement with Pasco Beverage Co.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

FDA weighs in on obesity

The Food and Drug Administration commissioner Mark McClellan formed the Obesity Working Group to investigate what role FDA can play in fighting obesity.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

COOL regs issued

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its final regulations on country-of-origin labeling scheduled to take effect in September 2004. Included in the 203-page regulation was a cost/benefit analysis that estimated first year compliance costs at up to $3.9 billion for retailers, wholesalers, and producers with no quantifiable benefits.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Obesity and nutrition initiatives launched

The Grocery Manufacturers of America told the FDA hearing that it will focus on nutrient content claims on food labels, consumer research about food labels, and advertising self-regulation.

December 31, 2003

Containers

Shrink wrapping shines at Platinum Packaging

New automatic feeding and shrink-wrapping equipment at this Gurnee, IL, contract packager adds capacity to collate and wrap gift boxes, calendars, and other specialty items.See video

December 31, 2003

Protective/transport packaging

Void-fill to order

Dart Warehouse’s giant fulfillment operation uses a wide variety of void fillers to match what its customers want.

December 31, 2003

Flexible packaging

Club store packaging and beyond

Written by Jim Peters and published by Packaging Strategies, a recent report analyzes key tactics used by high-volume retailers. Here is the Executive Summary.

December 31, 2003

Converting equipment

Combining x-ray technology and machine vision

Inspection equipment manufacturer combines x-ray technology and machine vision into one system.

December 31, 2003