Converting equipment

Shaping technology injects market excitement in metal cans

Until a couple of years ago, American packagers using cans seemed satisfied with the straight sidewall profile and functionality of most metal cans. The cans were strong, easy to fill and seam, and offered a number of labeling, case packing and stacking options.

June 30, 1996

Containers & Closures: Page 254

Containers

Men's products get masculine look

Sleek aluminum tubes give the Zirh Skin Nutrition line for men an eye-grabbing point of differentiation. The line was launched last March and is available nationwide at retail outlets and mass merchandisers.

June 30, 1996

Closures

Composite canister cuts costs

When a metal can supplier phased out the can sizes used by Beer Nuts, Inc. for its namesake snack, the Bloomington, IL-based snack company turned to composite canisters from Sonoco Products (Hartsville, SC).

June 30, 1996

Containers

Plastic drums for citrus

The N55 is the first nestable plastic drum designed for use in the transport of citrus juices, says manufacturer U.S. Coexcell (Maumee, OH). This 55-gal HDPE drum is conically shaped and has a fully removable plastic cover and metal lockband.

May 31, 1996

Conveying & accumulation

Motorized conveyor pulley

The Sparks/Dura-Drive(TM) 4.5" dia motorized pulley provides a 62% increase in radial load weight for belt conveyor systems, says manufacturer Sparks Belting (Grand Rapids, MI).

May 31, 1996

Controls & Machine Components

LDPE drum liner

ValuLiner® VLN from New England Plastics (Woburn, MA) is a 15-mil, smooth-sided, 55-gal LDPE drum liner that folds flat and nests for easy storage, but shakes open to install inside drums without pushing or tugging.

May 31, 1996

Sustainability

Two-piece D&I cans for aerosols

Beverage packers have enjoyed the benefits of lightweight D&I two-piece cans for years. This company is out to prove that aerosol cans can be similarly fashioned.

May 31, 1996

Conveying & accumulation

Blue Diamond shines with new case handling system

From case setup to case taping, corrugated cases are automatically guided through a "smart" handling system, part of which is hoisted out of the way when 1겨-lb totes are running.

May 31, 1996

Conveying & accumulation

PET water bottles flow through filling

AquaPenn rinses, fills and caps PET bottles on a bloc system twice as fast as a former line, producing 1/2-L and 20-oz bottles of spring water. Improved bottle handling slashes downtime, resulting in a nearly 20% increase in efficiency.

May 31, 1996

Sustainability

No assembly required for IBM terminals

Defying traditional notions of protective packaging, IBM ships an all-in-one pack for preconfigured point-of-sale computer terminals. Customers no longer receive separately boxed components, escaping baffling product setup.

May 31, 1996

Conveying & accumulation

Continuous-motion packer speeds up Coke hot-fill line

A new type of continuous-motion bottle packer boosts output of Chattanooga hot-fill line. Simple design cuts maintenance and changeover.

May 31, 1996

Conveying & accumulation

Del Monte Italy tries new aseptic concept

Del Monte Foods Sud Europa S.p.A. (San Felice sul Panaro, Italy) has found a way to go from heavy, stock polyethylene terephthalate bottles to lightweight proprietary designs and cut its bottle costs by two-thirds at the same time.

May 31, 1996

Flexible packaging

Ling Ling tries a blend of MAP and frozen distribution

Shipped and warehoused frozen, these Chinese entrees are displayed in the supermarket's refrigerated deli case, where their modified atmospheres give them an extended shelf life.

May 31, 1996