Interpack Online Prt. 2 ROUGH SH
LINK TITLE: Clear Lam Packaging, Inc.
HEAD: Cubed Packs Are Flexible, Reclosable
The PrimaPak system produces cube-shaped, flexible and stackable packs that can
replace jars, trays and other flexible options, according to supplier Clear Lam
Packaging, Inc.
The company reports the packs don’t need preforms or fitments and use up to 70
percent less plastic than comparable polyethylene terephthalate jars.
In addition, PrimaPak can improve shipping space by 30 percent, reducing the need
for trucks, in turn, lower fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Clear Lam notes the enhanced rigidity of the cube packs offers better product
protection and shelf presence when compared with standup pouches.
ART: Flavor-Tree_PrimaPak.jpg
LINK TITLE: Nowofol Kunststoffprodukte GmbH & Co. KG
HEAD: ‘Easy Tear’ Films Introduced
Polypropylene films featuring linear and parallel tearing properties, Nowostraight,
are debuting from Nowofol Kunststoffprodukte GmbH & Co. KG.
The company reports the film is the latest in packaging opening aids, as a side notch
ensures the pack always tears open in a parallel direction. In addition, it can be used
in foil envelopes, standup bags and other special technical packs.
Further, the material is similar to laser scribed packs as opposed to laser-machined
films, as it serves as a barrier against gases and water vapors, according to Nowofol.
The films are in compliance with EU and FDA regulations, are lightweight and
recyclable.
ART: NOWOSTRAIGHT-print.jpg
LINK TITLE: Esko-Graphics bvba
HEAD: Smart Packaging Software Debuts
Esko-Graphics bvba is introducing a series of tools to make packaging solutions
easier and more cost-competitive for manufacturers and converters, including
online management support and color accuracy tools.
The content management system, WebCenter, is an online packaging management
solution that works to shorten approval cycles and ensure regulatory compliance,
while PantoneLIVE will help brand color accuracy across the supply chain with a
comprehensive color deception system.
In addition, Esko is partnering with three other exhibitors to give attendees a better
understanding of the integrated packaging design solutions being offered. This
includes HP Indigo and HP Scitex (Hall 13, stands C77 and E94), which is showing
digital and wide format printing solutions, powered by Esko software solutions, for
the digital print production of folding carton, flexible packaging, labels and
corrugated production.
The company is also working with Sun Chemical (Hall 7A, stands C6 and C10), one of
the key ink partners to the PantoneLIVE ecosystem, as well as Videojet (Hall 6,
Stand A1), which is showing a joint project where coding and marking of complete
content blocks such as nutrition panels and regulatory content is applied to
preprinted material. This is done through a workflow setup that combines the
production data of flexible packaging with end of line added data.
ART: Esko-WebCenter.jpg
LINK TITLE: Schaap Holland
HEAD: Polyethylene Packaging Goes Green
Green PE, polyethylene (PE) film, made from sugarcane is being offered by Dutch
supplier Schaap Holland.
The packaging material is more energy efficient than comparable PEs in terms of
water consumption and fossil fuels, as Green PE absorbs about 2.5 tons of pollutant
CO2 during the cultivation and manufacturing processes compared with 2.1 tons
emitted during production of petrochemical-based materials, the company reports.
Schaap notes the green packs use the same processing and printing methods for that
of petrochemical PEs. The company adds that supplier Coveris Holdings S.A.’s foils
are all made using the Green PE and are DIN Certco certified and packs made from
the material are eligible to carry the “I’m Green” logo.
ART: Schaap-Sugarpacks.jpg
LINK TITLE: Eurosicma Spa
HEAD: Flow Wrapper Handles 2000 Pieces/Minute
Euro 77 DS 900 flow wrappers can process 2,000 pieces of candy per minute,
according to Eurosicma Spa.
The equipment is designed to run soft candies, jellies, lollipops and pellets with
dedication configurations applied on the disc feeding systems. The company is also
highlighting its Euro 77 TIV Cut & Wrap flow pack machine for short and medium
sized rope-style products. The company reports the TIV can handle 900 to 1,000
packs per minute.
Eurosicma is also showcasing its high-speed feeding and timing systems, which are
pressureless and run with eight belts, allowing products to be handled at highspeeds without any contact. The company notes the machine is specially equipped
to handle difficult products such as bars with irregular shapes, jellies, nougats,
cupcakes and enrobed, thin and sticky items. The system can also handle around
900 to 1,000 packs per minute.
Euro 88 EDG and Eurofold automatic horizontal wrapping machines are designed to
run dry, filled and sandwich biscuits, crackers and rice cakes that need to be
wrapped on edge. The Euro 88 can run 200 packs per minute, while the Eurofold
processes 90 packs per minute.
Finally, the company is displaying its high-performance Rows Distribution System
for products coming in flat positions from the processing line that need to be lined
up, such as bars, cakes, enrobed items and marshmallows. The distribution
equipment can handle 50 to 55 rows per minute, the company reports.
ART: Eurosicma-flow wrapper.jpg
LINK TITLE: Prefamac
HEAD: Prefamac Highlighting Cooling Tunnels, Chocolate Equipment
Running chocolate of varying colors, Prefamac is highlighting its lines of cooling
tunnels, tempering machines, enrobing equipment and a premium flaking machine.
Switch+ enrobers feature removable trays for faster product changeovers compared
with equipment with fixed trays, Prefamac reports, adding the machine also
includes an updated, external PLC.
The company’s cooling tunnels on display include the Power Slim, Power Plus and
Light tunnels. The equipment can come with full and half covers, double and single
drives, and the tunnels come in 1,600mm, 820mm and 400mm configurations.
Pneumatic, fast and flexible, the premium flaking machine is an extension of the
company’s basic- and curl-chocolate flaking equipment. During Interpack Prefamac
will be running the machine using white and milk chocolate.
ART: Prefamac Enrober.jpg
Link Title: Interpack Technical Paper: Packaging For Confectionery: Low-Cost , EcoFriendly Persuasion
HEAD: Packaging for confectionery and baked goods: low-cost and eco-friendly persuasion
Source: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH (please make source a hyperlink, Link:
http://www.interpack.com/cipp/md_interpack/custom/pub/content,oid,223
68/lang,2/ticket,g_u_e_s_t/local_lang,2)
Energy and raw materials are becoming more expensive, and consumers want to do more for the
environment. This is forcing manufacturers of sweets and snacks to make difficult adjustments: their
products have to stand out from the crowd without extravagant packages that drive up costs. Help is on
hand from packaging producers and machine manufacturers – with material-saving packaging solutions and
more efficient production lines.
“Halloren Kugeln” chocolates have been a longstanding favorite on the confectionery shelves, and without
much publicity. A big-selling product for over 60 years, they have repeatedly assured the Halloren
chocolate factory in east Germany of outstanding business figures. In 2013, the company aims to pass the
EUR 100 million sales mark for the first time after roughly EUR 90 million in 2012. “Since privatization in
1992, we’ve managed to hold our own on the market without neglecting our roots and what we do best,”
says CEO Klaus Lellé.
But the Halloren chief refuses to rely solely on popularity and tradition. To stay successful, Lellé last year
subjected the image of the “Kugeln” to an “all-round facelift”, as they put it at Halloren. The box packages
for the total of 16 different flavors are now based on a strategy with uniform corporate design elements. In
addition, the company’s own snack brand Choc’n Snack is now being sold in stand-up pouches – this way
they are more conspicuous in the shops and are also resealable.
Anyone wishing to survive on the market for confectionery and snacks against the likes of Nestlé and Kraft
Foods has to present his goods well at the point of sale. The range of sweets and snacks has become
enormous: nougat with salted butter, saffron butter biscuits and marshmallow sticks with orange blossom
flavoring and chocolate coating are just some of the new products that manufacturers are flooding the
shelves with. “In a highly competitive environment, companies want to win market shares with a constant
stream of new products,” says Torben Erbrath, spokesman of the Association of the German Confectionery
Industry. The package is the key to the purchase. It not only has to protect the product’s delicate contents,
but also catch the eye. This calls for exceptional creativity from packaging designers: showy colors and
shapes are just as important as effective consumer marketing.
Waste of space
However, some manufacturers of confectionery and baked goods tend to overdo it. Companies misleading
customers with fraudulently oversized packages have come in for repeated criticism. A survey by the North
Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) Consumers Association revealed that biscuit and snack packages contained an
average of 40 per cent empty space. Such deception is not only illegal, but also pointless. Many consumers
feel cheated by the purchased products, says Klaus Müller, board member of the NRW Consumers
Association. There are also environmental arguments against XXL packages. Wasting resources has a
negative impact on the environment and damages our climate – something that consumers are well aware
of.
Inflated packages are also counterproductive for economic reasons. Confectionery and baked goods
manufacturers are facing massive pressure on costs, as energy and packaging materials on the one hand and
raw materials like milk, cocoa and sugar on the other are becoming dearer. For instance, the spot price for
cocoa butter, which is used in the production of bars of chocolate, shot up by 80 per cent to USD 8,000 per
tonne in 2013 – and this puts a squeeze on profit margins.
To avoid putting off environmentally aware consumers and to offset cost increases, companies have only
one choice: they have to restrain themselves with the packaging and manufacture their products more
efficiently. Halloren is leading here by example, as the chocolate maker’s new packages make their mark
without elaborate design and extra frills. Other manufacturers also seem to be rethinking their strategies.
Some are resorting to material downsizing, giving preference to packaging materials that are easier to
recycle and that conserve resources by being thinner. “On the packaging market a number of overarching
trends can be identified. Sustainability is one of these megatrends,” says Ralf Weidenhammer, head of the
eponymous packaging company. Among other things, Weidenhammer produces readily recyclable
composite cans for confectionery and savory snacks. With its cardboard cans, the company has helped
brands like Knack & Back and Pringles to achieve greater popularity, enabling them to find the right
balance between extravagance and efficiency. A resource-conserving lightweight, the Pringles can
promises freshness and fun.
Scientists are meanwhile searching for alternative methods that are even greener and cheaper. A sustainable
alternative to transparent multi-layer films, as also employed in Weidenhammer’s composite can, has
recently been developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging – in the form of
a film coating made of whey. In the “Wheylayer” project funded by the European Union, the researchers
make use of whey protein instead of oil-based plastics. The practical thing about it is that the substances
naturally occurring in whey extend foods’ shelf life. What is more, unlike oil, whey is available in
unlimited quantities and is also biodegradable.
At Interpack 2014 from 8 to 14 May in Düsseldorf, many more packaging innovations for confectionery
and baked goods will be on show. Over 1,000 of the roughly 2,700 expected exhibitors have named the
confectionery industry as the target group for their products and services – the items on display will be
correspondingly varied. Machine manufacturers will also be present with many new developments in
Düsseldorf. “Their focus is on boosting efficiency, because every tenth of a cent counts in the production of
confectionery today,” explains Beatrix Fraese of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery
Association in the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).
Making production more efficient
There is still plenty of potential for boosting efficiency in confectionery production, Fraese continues. “A
significant proportion of the machine park is outdated.” This view is endorsed by a current survey by Swiss
plant manufacturer Bühler. According to this, the chocolate industry spends EUR 200 million per year
worldwide on the cleaning, roasting, sterilizing, cracking and grinding of cocoa beans. With its energy
audit and its novel shell burning technology, Bühler promises savings of up to 65 per cent. During the free
energy audit, Bühler engineers track down energy leaks in the cocoa production process. The new
combustion system makes use of the energy derived from the shells for the roasting and sterilization
operations, instead of treating the shells as waste – so no expensive energy has to be bought in for heating.
“The combination of the audit and new technology heralds a new energy drive that will dramatically
change the future,” says Bühler Product Manager Thomas Bischof.
For its part, Bühler’s Danish rival Aasted has developed a new temperature control system for chocolate by
the name of SupaNova Quick Shift. To achieve a smooth melt-in-the-mouth consistency, each chocolate
has to be carefully heated several times so that the crystals in the mixture dissolve. In the new Quick Shift,
a special warm water system makes it possible to control crystallization with greater precision – thus
accelerating production. In addition, the stirrer in the Aasted unit is detachable. The machine is thus easier
to maintain, which improves its availability.
Cutting labor costs and extending machine operating times – these are also the goals of Walterwerk, a
manufacturer of industrial baking ovens in Kiel. At Interpack, the company will be presenting its Jupiter
IC, a new generation of sweet wafer and snack production lines that produce wafers faster than existing
systems, says Markus Bartels, head of Technical Marketing. Jupiter IC produces more than five wafers per
second, while its predecessors managed only four. Furthermore, the company has designed the new
production line so that it requires less maintenance – another way of reducing costs.
The next generation of machines is already in the development pipeline at Walterwerk. “We’re working on
making our systems even more user-friendly and versatile,” Bartels explains. This is necessary because
growing product diversity is imposing tougher requirements on production systems. “With today’s frequent
product changes and shorter product life cycles, they have to be more flexible and easier to modify,” says
Bartels.
With their numerous innovations, packaging producers and machine manufacturers have adjusted to the
new requirements in the confectionery and baked goods sector. Manufacturers willing to invest will have
plenty to choose from among all the new packaging and more efficient machine solutions. At the coming
Interpack, they can put themselves in the picture.
ART: none
Link Title: Interpack Technical Paper: Food Industry Focuses On Better Packaging,
Smarter Process For Less Spoilage
COPY:
HEAD: Interpack Technical Paper: Food Industry Focuses On Better Packaging,
Smarter Process For Less Spoilage
Source: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH (please make source a hyperlink, Link:
http://www.interpack.com/cipp/md_interpack/custom/pub/content,oid,208
77/lang,2/ticket,g_u_e_s_t/local_lang,2
Food industry focuses on better packaging and smarter process technology for less spoilage
Innovative packages are the key in the fight against food loss and wastage. More effective barrier layers,
germicidal films and freshness indicators are intended to help products to keep for longer and halt
consumers’ throwaway mentality. However, despite all these improvements, companies have to keep a
constant eye on process efficiency and on costs.
In the developing countries, one child in six is undernourished, which amounts to an absolute figure of 100
million. The United Nations (UN) estimates that undernourishment causes the deaths of 2.6 million
children under five years old per year. This means that hunger is still one of the biggest scourges of
humanity.
Yet no one should have to go hungry. Every year some 1.3 billion tonnes of food worldwide ends up in the
bin – a conclusion of the current report “Food Wastage Footprint: Impacts on Natural Resources” of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). If food losses were reduced by using food
more prudently, famines could be curbed.
54 per cent of wasted food, says the report, is lost during production, post-harvest treatment and storage.
Particularly badly affected are the poorer countries of Africa and Asia where shortcomings during
harvesting and logistics destroy 6 to 11 kg of food per capita each year. Exposed to heat, fruit and milk
spoil, and meat is rendered inedible by contamination with dangerous germs. On the other hand, wastage
during processing, transport and consumption is more a problem of the industrialized nations. In Europe
and North America, some 100 kg of food is thrown away per person and year although it is still fit for
consumption. Demands for a change of attitude are therefore coming from the highest authorities. At his
general audience during World Environment Day last June, Pope Francis called for an end to consumerism
and the wastage of food.
Central theme of Interpack 2014
Industry has already got the message. According to a current study by the Royal Melbourne Institute of
Technology in Australia, suitable packages are capable of reducing food loss considerably. Developers are
therefore working hard on new concepts for packaging machines, the related process technology and
“smart” packages. A total of 100 companies from the entire food value chain, from production, retailing
and packaging through to logistics, are now participating in the SAVE FOOD Initiative, a joint project of
the FAO, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. Its goal is to
foster dialogue between industry, research, the political sphere and civil society on the subject of food loss.
Reducing spoilage will also be the central theme at the Innovationparc Packaging at Interpack 2014 in
Düsseldorf. Exhibitors at this special show will be presenting their ideas on how food can be protected
better from 7 to 14 May 2014. Furthermore, during the SAVE FOOD Conference at Messe Düsseldorf’s
Congress Center South on 7 and 8 May, experts from politics, industry and society will be exchanging
views on food loss and wastage.
The sector has a lot of work ahead of it. Farmers in Africa first have to be convinced that it is better to
package their produce at source than to send it off unprotected. It is not high tech that is called for here, but
education locally. Representatives of companies like Bosch, for example, therefore toured emerging and
developing countries with mobile packaging machines some years back in order to demonstrate to farmers
the advantages of packaged foods.
The throwaway mentality of the Western world, on the other hand, is even more difficult to combat.
According to a survey by Berndt + Partner management consultants, 20 to 25 per cent of food in Europe is
binned even though it is still fit for consumption. One contributory factor is the “best before date” that has
to be printed on all food packages. Once it is reached, food is often thrown away. However, “best before”
does not mean that food is no longer edible after this date, but merely that its color and consistency may
change. The currently still widespread big packs exacerbate the problem. The best before date is often
reached before the package contents have been consumed.
Smaller, customized packages should help to solve the problem. “In our view, portioned packages for oneperson households, for example, can help to stem food wastage,” says Christian Traumann, Managing
Director of Bavaria packaging specialist MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller.
Creative package solutions
Reporting continuously on a product’s state of freshness, time/temperature indicators are another approach
in the battle against spoilage and waste. The useful thing about them is that they render visible any breaks
in the cooling chain, for instance. BASF and the Swiss Freshpoint company are already producing labels
containing a special pigment which are printed straight onto the package. The color changes when the
contents spoil.
Research is also being conducted on active packages that interact with their contents. PET bottles are
treated with oxygen absorbers like iron so that oxygen sensitive beverages such as beer and fruit juice keep
for longer. Then there are films enriched with preservatives like sorbic acid that combat germ proliferation
on foods. Critics claim that the additional chemicals on active packages impair the products’ natural
quality. In their search for a remedy, scientists of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and
Packaging (IVV) in Freising, Bavaria, are developing antimicrobial materials based on plant extracts, e.g.
from rosemary. “This way, food manufacturers can go further towards meeting the consumer’s wish for
natural, health-promoting products,” says IVV materials developer Sven Sängerlaub.
The downside of many food-saving packages, however, is that they are relatively expensive to produce. If,
for example, a “stronger” package calls for more material, it uses up more resources. The sector is therefore
trying to offset the expenditure on “smarter” packages by economizing elsewhere along the food value
chain. The manufacturers of packaging machines therefore endeavor to boost the efficiency of their lines by
increasing the degree of automation and optimizing their processes.
MULTIVAC, for example, offers its customers innovative technologies that ensure among other things that
as little film waste is generated during production as possible, Marketing Manager Valeska Haux explains.
This is achieved with the aid of advanced machine tools, she continues, citing cutting tools as examples.
The integration of handling modules in the packaging line as well ensures package-by-package quality
control for maximum consumer protection, says Haux.
“We boost the efficiency and hygiene of our production lines and prevent waste arising during production,”
explains Mathias Dülfer, Managing Director of Weber Maschinenbau. This company specializing in highperformance cutting machines is constantly refining its range of lines. In the latest machines, innovative
blade technologies, intuitive operating concepts and an open design ensure ease of operation, good
accessibility and inspectability, and simple cleaning. “All this helps to make production even more
efficient, more reliable and hence more sustainable,” says Dülfer.
Packaging foods more securely and with higher throughput – this is also the aim of Spanish machine
manufacturer ULMA Packaging. The company covers all packaging technologies from tubular bag
packages to deep-drawing machines. At Interpack 2014, the Spanish company will be showing new deepdrawing systems for skin packages, among other things. The main function of this kind of packaging is to
extend shelf life while also preventing liquid loss due to evaporation. This retards germ growth.
ULMA has also developed a new control for all machine models with user-friendly software. The newly
developed control promises “a huge boost to productivity on all systems”, the company claims. The
innovations from the manufacturers demonstrate that a whole battery of packaging strategies for preventing
food loss is already available. And that they can be realized on the industrial scale at acceptable cost thanks
to on-going improvements in the efficiency of the production technology. At Interpack from 8 to 14 May,
food manufacturers will have the chance to see them for themselves.