Canadian Packaging June 2015

JUNE 2015 | $50

www.canadianpackaging.com

Alexandre Therrien, President, Les Gibiers Canabec Inc.

NAME OF THE GAME Niche game meats processor nails the packaging bullseye with key strategic machinery upgrades Story on page 10

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UPFRONT

PLASTIC STILL THE FUTURE

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JUNE 2015

VOLUME 68, NO. 6 SENIOR PUBLISHER Stephen Dean • (416) 510-5198 SDean@canadianpackaging.com EDITOR George Guidoni • (416) 510-5227 GGuidoni@canadianpackaging.com FEATURES EDITOR Andrew Joseph • (416) 510-5228 AJoseph@canadianpackaging.com ART DIRECTOR Sheila Wilson • (416) 442-5600 x3593 shwilson@annexnewcom.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER Barb Vowles • (416) 510-5103 BVowles@annexnewcom.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER Anita Madden • 442-5600 x3596 AMadden@annexnewcom.ca ANNEX PUBLISHING & PRINTING INC. Vice-President Annex Business Media East Tim Dimpoloulos tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com President & CEO • Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com

HOW TO REACH US: Canadian Packaging, established 1947, is published monthly by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON, M3B 2S9; Tel: (416) 510-5198; Fax (416) 510-5140.

laming plastic packaging for the lion’s share of the world’s environmental ills is a popular generalization that, like most generalization, does not really stand up to in-depth scientific scrutiny and facts.

Yes, it would be nice to wave the magic wand and make all the discarded packaging waste that has escaped into the eco-system disappear at will, but that’s just not the planet or the reality most of us live in.

And in our reality, one does not have to play the Devil’s Advocate to suggest that on the balance, the introduction of plastic pacakging into the modern society’s everyday lives has done far more to enrich the experience of human existence than to undermine or threaten it.

And yet, the plastic industry seems to be besieged on many public fronts by environmentalists, some academia and general public at large as the archetypical eco-villain of the modern world.

Hence, a recent study from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) serves a useful role as a scientifically and empirically sound case for a more positive view of plastic packaging and its relative impact on the global climate change.

Titled Impact of Plastics Packaging on Life Cycle Energy Consumption & Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States and Canada, the exhaustive, 140-plus-page tome does not make for light and breezy reading.

But what it does do is help paint a clearly not-soclean picture of where we would be at today if all the commonly used everyday plastic packaging—

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DISCLAIMER: This publication is for informational purposes only. The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals. Canadian Packaging accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue.

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including caps and closures, beverage containers, other rigid containers, carrier (or shopping) bags, stretchwrap/shrinkwrap, and other f lexible packaging materials were to be suddenly substituted by competing materials.

Using respected LCA (life-cycle analysis) methodology and the baseline year 2010 as a statistical point of reference, the study found that replacing all the aforementioned plastic packaging with other materials in the U.S. would: • require 4.5 times as much packaging material by weight, increasing the amount of packaging used in the U.S. by nearly 55 million tons (110 billion pounds); • increase energy use by 80 per cent—equivalent to the energy from 91 oil supertankers; • result in 130 per cent more global warming potential—equivalent to adding 15.7 million more cars to the U.S. roads.

“We all know that plastic packaging plays a critical role in protecting and preserving everything from groceries to high-end electronics,” says Steve Russell, vice-president of ACC’s Plastics Division.

“This study demonstrates that plastic packaging makes a significant contribution to sustainability by dramatically reducing energy use and lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” he continues.

“America’s plastics makers are working to enhance plastics’ environmental performance after use by increasing recycling and recovery while supporting efforts to prevent litter,” Russell adds, citing the industry ‘Four Rs’ mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle and recover as key “for understanding, measuring and improving sustainability.”

For what it’s worth, we could not agree more.

COVER STORY 10 GAME SPIRIT By Andrew Joseph Feisty Quebec meat games processor aims its sight for a bigger slice of the market pie with high-impact retail packaging and continuous product innovation.

Cover photography by Claude Mathieu

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

FEATURES

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UPFRONT By George Guidoni

15 THE EVERLASTING BONDS

By George Guidoni Ongoing developments in the packaging adhesives field yield a rich crop of product innovation and sustainability benefits.

4-5 NEWSPACK

Packaging news round-up.

6 FIRST GLANCE New technologies and solutions for packaging applications.

8 ECO-PACK

All about packaging sustainability.

9 imPACt Monthly insight from PAC, Packaging Consortium.

35 PEOPLE

Career moves in the packaging world.

20 THE PRINCELY SUM By Andrew Joseph

An award-winning bag design helps open up a slew of promising market opportunities for an innovative Ontario apple grower.

25 THE SUDDEN IMPACK By Andrew Joseph

Hardworking packaging machinebuilder leverages design creativity to become a player of note in the global folding-carton industry circles.

35 EVENTS

Upcoming industry functions.

29 AN EGGCEPTIONAL ENDEAVOR By Andrew Joseph

Quebec entrepreneur aims to conquer the world by bringing caviar tastes down to earth with a highly innovative caviar substitute product.

36 CHECKOUT By Rhea Gordon Joe Public speaks out on packaging hits and misses.

34 POSITIONAL AWARENESS

By Bill Service & Joseph Pawelski

Achieving conveyor line Zen with variable position cylinders.

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NEWSPACK

A GRAND CELEBRATION FOR THE ICONIC SPICE BRAND PILLER’S PILING ON NATURAL As Canada’s epicenter of gastronomic excellence, the city of Montreal offers creative brand-owners a broad range of branding possibilities via its unrivaled name recognition, which the country’s leading spice producer McCormick Canada has used to maximum effect over the last quartercentury.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the company’s popular Club House la Grille Montreal Steak spice seasoning is marking the occasion in grand style this coming barbeque season with a limitedtime packaging update that uses commemorative label graphics and a decorative tamper-evident band overwrapping the top of the 188-gram shaker jar to give the product some extra visual spice and sizzle at the retail-shelf.

Designed by the Toronto-based branding services provider Novellus Graphics, the updated package design pays fitting homage to the history of innovation of the bestselling Club House la Grille product family that forms the backbone of McCormick’s exclusive, trend-setting Club House La Grille Flavour Forecast 2015: Grilling Edition outlook.

Unveiled at special media event in Toronto in late spring, the new forecast identifies five hot new barbequing trends that home chefs can faithfully replicate by using some of the company’s other recently-launched new spices and seasonings marketed under the Club House la Grille label—including Club House la Grille Montreal Steak Spice BBQ Sauce; Smoked Applewood Seasoning; Smoky Cedar & Ale Rub Marinade; and limited-edition Asian Inspired BBQ Seasoning and Spicy Pepper Medley BBQ Sauce.

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“We’ve identified up-and-coming grilling trends and f lavors set to heat up this year, and then created helpful tips to inspire Canadians to bring these trends to life in their backyard,” explains McCormick Canada’s executive corporate chef Michael Cloutier.

“For example, with the backyard brunch trend, we’ve taken a beloved Canadian ritual, the weekend brunch, and combined that with the outdoor get-together, another Canadian classic, for a match made in grill heaven.”

Crafted by a team of authoritative chefs and grill masters, the Grilling Edition forecast’s five new “sizzling” trends include: R everse Sear. Used to “banish dry chicken from the grates,” this novel technique calls for using slow heat to ensure evenly-cooked, juicy meat, and then turning up the f lames to obtain a quick, crispy char.

B ackyard Brunch, developed to make the enjoyment of bacon-and-eggs et al a rewarding culinary experience any time of day.

Smokin’ Veggie Starters—upgrading basic

veggies with bright colors and bold f lavors for better taste and more appetizing presentation.

G rilling Salts—going beyond the basic saltand-pepper seasoning with more intriguing ingredients like smoked spices, citrus peel, and even bacon for added texture and f lavor.

Boss Burgers—enhancing traditional burger patties with exotic f lavors like brown sugar bourbon or shawarma, as well as more varied toppings and condiments such as grilled avocado, mango slaw or lime mayo.

PLASTIC PACKAGING PIONEER A WORLD-BEATER When it comes to packaging industry awards, the annual Dupont Packaging Innovation Awards competition is widely acknowledged to be the proverbial mother of all packaging award competitions—having served as a highly authoritative and trend-setting global showcase of cutting-edge packaging innovation for the last 27 years.

Conducted at the global headquarters of DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers in Wilmington, Del., it is the global industry’s longest-running, independently judged celebration of innovation and collaboration throughout the value chain­— employing the services of expert judging panels to evaluate well over 100 entries from across the world for their technological advancement, responsible packaging and enhanced user experience.

And while Canadian packaging entries have had their moments in the past, Lévis, Que.-based rigid packaging specialists IPL Inc. has raised the bar

• Please be advised that last month’s cover story of Canadian Packaging profiling Veg Pro International Inc. (The Winning Attitude, pages 13-18, May 2015) contained incomplete information for one of the key equipment suppliers to Veg Pro’s production facility in Sherrington, Que. For the record, Sainte-Julie, Que.-based Techno Pak supplied the Sherrington plant with the following machinery: Ishida scales, checkweighers. tray-sealers, filling systems, and

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for packaging excellence to its highest possible level last month—picking up the competition’s coveted Diamond Award for its proprietary SkinnyPack technology.

Introduced in the retail market last year by a Texas-based sauce producer Ana’s Foods to package the company’s popular Ana’s Salsa dip, SkinnyPack is a hybrid packaging technology—both thin and robust—which marries a f lexible IML (in-mold labeling) label to a strong injection-molded structure to create a 100-percent recyclable, monolayer solution that uses almost 60 per cent less plastic than conventional rigid food containers. (See Picture) According to IPL, the fully-recyclable SkinnyPack offers numerous designs and formats to be able to adapt to existing filling manufacturing equipment, while offering high-resolution graphic and the transparency of IML labels to achieve outstanding shelf impact and appeal.

FOR THE RECORD

tray-filler infeed system for multi-ingredient trays; Carsoe denesters; Ceia metal detectors; Nita labelers; Combi case-erector; Bandall band applicator; Control GMC sauce filler; Buhmann tray closer and ultrasonic welder; Storcan conveyors.

• Please be advised that a news story appearing in last month’s issue of Canadian Packaging about the new compostable PürPod100 coffee pods from

SUMMERTIME BBQ GOODNESS

As a prelude to the country’s unofficial barbeque season, the start of a Canadian summer is often a call-to-arms for Canadian meat processors to step up their culinary and packaging game to the proverbial next level, as outdoors-loving Canadians hit their barbeques grills en masse to enjoy spacial get-togethers with friends, family or neighbors.

And for those barbeque hosts who would rather not spend hours cooking raw meat over the hot grill, Piller’s Fine Foods has a perfect and tasty solution with the company’s updated line of pre-cooked, naturally-smoked, European-style sausages that can easily be turned into highly appetizing sausage kebabs, served on a bun, or enjoyed on their own.

Produced at the company’s central meat-processing facility in Waterloo, Ont., the all-pork Knackwurst, Grillwurst and Bratwurst sausages—also available as part of the company’s innovative Piller’s Simply Free range of gluten-free sausages—the vacuum-packed sausages are tailor-made for the barbeques grill, according to the company’s corporate chef Darryl Fletcher.

“Since these Piller’s sausages are fully-cooked, you only need to barbecue them over medium heat for a few minutes until lightly browned,” says Fletcher, better-known by his television pseudonym Chef D and as host of a popular television cooking show At Home with Chef D. “The key thing is not to score the sausages on the grill,” he adds, “so that the succulent juices are retained by the natural sausage casings.”

Packaged in 500- and 600-gram film packs supplied by the Winnipeg-based f lexible packaging converter Winpak Ltd., the Piller’s brand sausages—retailing at major grocery outlets across Canada—boast a highly distinctive shelf appeal thanks to the high-resolution product imagery and brand graphics designed by the Cambridge, Ont.based Milestone Integrated Marketing, along with reassuring, prominently displayed product claims about the absence of gluten, MSG, nitrate and other ingredients that may pose a health risk to people with food allergies.

For example, the Piller’s Simply Free Bratwurst sausages—originating from southwest Germany and made from coarsely ground pork seasoned with marjoram and butcher pepper—is a glutenfree product made without any major food allergens such as milk, peanuts, tree nuts, mustard, sesame, egg, fish, soy and sulphites.

Club Coffee (Page 5, May 2015) misidentified some of the U.S. coffee brands intending to use this technology as products to be retailed in the Canadian market. For the record, at press time Club Coffee had still not made any final decisions on which Canadian coffee brands will be incorporating its breakthrough PürPod100 technology into their single-serving coffee products. The Canadian Packaging magazine regrets the error.

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2015

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NEWSPACK

CASCADES EMBARKS ON MAJOR CAPITAL UPGRADES AT ITS QUEBEC OPERATIONS Canadian containerboard and tissue giant Cascades Inc. is investing over $50 million in various plant and machinery upgrades at two of its Quebec-based production sites to improve its environmental performance and broaden its already-wide product range.

In what is said to be a Canadian first, the Kingsey Falls, Que.-headquartered paper products powerhouse plans to spend over a total of $26 million— backed by a $10-million investment from Natural Resources Canada’s IFIT (Investments in Forest Industry Transformation) program and an additional $4.4-million grant from Québec’s provincial Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks— to introduce a new manufacturing process at its Norampac-Cabano facility (see picture) to extract hemicellulose (cellulosic sugar) from wood chips.

According to Cascades, the new process for the extraction of hemicellulose from deciduous woodchips has “high value-added potential” compared to the Cabano plant’s current production of sodium carbonate-based chemical pulp—offering significant savings in operational costs, energy consumption, and expenses incurred in the responsible purchasing, shipping and disposal of chemical products.

Jointly developed with a U.S,-based partner, the new-generation process of extracting hemicellulose, a natural polymer found in plant cell walls, “presents myriad opportunities ranging from power generation to biofuels such as ethanol, as well as the production of natural sugar-based, value-added paper products,” Cascades says.

“Cascades is once again pleased with this pion-

eering achievement in the areas of innovation and sustainable development, especially within the four walls of one of its original facilities,” says Cascades president and chief executive officer Mario Plourde.

“This project represents a unique advance in biorefinery technological development,” Plourde states, adding the Cabano plant’s lower carbon footprint will boost the facility’s long-term competitiveness and offer a broader range of environmentally-friendly products, thereby maintaining its current employment levels.

“This new process will enable improvements in the efficiency and competitiveness of our Cabano plant’s current corrugated paper production process—thus making existing jobs more secure,” Plourde says.

On the tissue products side of its business, Cascades is spending $25 million to install a new stateof-the-art converting line at its Candiac tissue plant, while also upgrading its two existing converting plant at Candiac and Kingsey Falls, to produce high-end consumer tissue products.

The company says the investment will create 10 new jobs and protect the 200 existing jobs at the Candiac facility, whose new converting line—

scheduled to start up in July—will raise the plant’s annual capacity to 3.5 million cases of high-quality paper towels for the retail and away-from-home markets.

“This major investment in Quebec is part of our plan to modernize Cascades’ assets to produce higher-quality tissue products more efficiently,” says Jean Jobin, president and chief operating officer of the Cascades Tissue Group.

“In addition, this investment will allow us to better serve our customers by making us more competitive and opening new market opportunities,” says Jobin, noting the new converting line will be the most productive line of all of the Tissue Group’s operations, while adding new formats to its product portfolio.

The company’s investment spree comes shortly after its strategic decision late last year to sell off its North American boxboard production assets to the U.S.-based Graphic Packaging International, Inc. “As part of our strategic plan, Cascades has chosen to focus its investments in growth areas of the future: the tissue paper and packaging sectors,” explains chief executive Plourde.

“The new converting line will be paired with the paper machine that was upgraded in 2011 to install the new and innovative Atmos technology.

“The investment follows on the heels of our strategic deployment in the southeastern United States and on the West Coast, where we are aiming to further strengthen our position in the North American tissue market.”

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FIRST GLANCE CARRY YOUR WEIGHT Consisting of the PrimoCombi combination scale and dual discharge with automatic chutes, along and two Swifty horizontal baggers for pre-made pouches, the new space-saving configuration developed by WeighPack Systems Inc. offers a complete packaging solution for weighing and filling of mini-sized potatoes into carry-handle pouches. Available with an optional product stopper to lessen the impact and reduce the bruising of delicate products, the PrimoCombi is an open-frame combination scale capable of handling a wide range of applications, with the dual-discharge automatic chutes equipped with a pneumatic gate that moves back and forth to facilitate precise product measurement and gentle dispensing. For their part, the two Swifty 1200 baggers—designed to open, fill and seal pre-made pouches—are both outfitted with an easy-load bag feeder that ensures consistent and highly repeatable pouch feeding.

WeighPack Systems Inc.

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TALE OF THE TAPES Designed and engineered for high‐speed f lexigraphic printing applications, the two splicing tapes from tesa tape inc. help facilitate ‘on-demand’ splicing of film webs during critical splice printing process stages. Backed by a high‐performance polyester film, the tesa 51918 is designed to be applied to the new film web in a straight-line pattern for maximum efficiency in web preparation time, with its sophisticated adhesive system designed to securely adhere to the expiring film web during f lying splice printing, coating, and converting applications. The tape’s distinctive black polyester backing is designed to resist tearing when thick films are converted at high web tensions, while its black color also makes it easy to detect even at high print speeds. For its part, the tesa 51904 tape is

Appointment Omron Automation & Safety Welcomes Robert M. Black as President & COO

Robert M. Black President & COO

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL (May 26, 2015) – Omron Corporation’s (Kyoto, Japan) Automation and Safety business in the Americas welcomed Robert (Robb) M. Black to the position of President and COO on May 4, 2015. Black has an extensive background in industrial automation and has held leadership positions at Honeywell, Turck and Rockwell Automation.

“Robb comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience from well-respected global automation companies,” said Nigel Blakeway, CEO, Omron Automation and Safety for the Americas. “He has built a great foundation as a leader in his previous roles in sales, marketing and product management.”

Prior to joining Omron, Black served as Business Director for Sensing and Connectivity at Rockwell Automation. Robb earned his Master’s Degree in Management at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University.

Omron Automation and Safety headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation is a multi-billion-dollar, diversified company with business units producing industrial automation products, electronic components, healthcare equipment and ticketing systems.

Omron Automation and Safety is a global leader providing complete automation solutions for industrial applications. The Pan-American headquarters is located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA.

www.omron247.com

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a versatile, double‐sided splicing tape designed for both film spicing applications as well as new web core starting applications—using its distinctive pink color to help print specialists to prepare new film webs in their splice patterns of choice.

The product’s rugged rubber adhesive system is specially formulated to securely adhere to expiring film webs during the printing, coating and converting operations, as well as offering an effective means of attaching film rolls onto new cores. tesa tape, inc.

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TAKING SIDES Designed for packing sliced meat, cheese and other fresh food products requiring modified atmosphere (MAP) gas f lushing for extended shelf-life, the new ULMA Artic Side Seal f lowwrap packaging machine creates a highly effective longitudinal side-seal with a peelable strip over selfadhesive tape to make the package fully reclosable for storage and later use. Capable of reaching robust production speeds of up to 120 packs per minute, the Artic Side Seal f lowwrapper features a long-dwell sealing head, characterized via an ‘oval’ motion profile in the jaw, to facilitate high-speed production of sealed packs that allow for application of print to both the top and the bottom of the packages, while also providing full product transparency and visibility.

Harpak-ULMA 403

LET THERE BE LIGHT Claimed to meet all the occupational safety standards throughout the world related to protecting the workers’ fingers, hands and arms, the new F3SG-4RA series light curtains from Omron Automation and Safety allow machinery manufacturers in any industry to select one light curtain for all applications, according to the company, regardless of where the machines may ship.

The IP67 washdown-rated light curtains are supported by 24-hour multilingual online diagnostics that allow operators around the world to check error details in their local language. The curtains’ specially-designed mounting brackets that slide into channels in the light curtain body facilitate f lexible positioning anywhere along its length without additional screws, washers and clamps for a quick and simple installation.

Omron Automation and Safety

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TWO SIDES OF THE STORY The new-generation of the dual-sided TwinPrint printer-applicators from FOX IV Technologies incorporates proprietary, exclusively-licensed 2ST printing technology—developed by NCR’s Interactive Printer Solutions division—to enable users to automatically apply a direct thermal label with variable information printed on both the front and back sides, making it easy to print shipping information on adhesive labels, packing slips, promotional labels,

return labels, etc. With no thermal transfer ribbons, end-users can achieve significant operational cost-savings, according to the company, and ensure optimal data security that may otherwise be compromised by leaving product codes and variable information that remain visible on the spent ribbons.

FOX IV Technologies, Inc.

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THE HELPING HAND The HandyTec HH-10 model handheld metal detector from Eriez is a durable, lightweight and highly sensitive metal detector designed to pinpoint small pieces of ferrous contamination in shallow layers of nonferrous products in a diverse range of processing and packaging applications in food processing, glassmaking, metalworking, plastics, pharmaceutical and other industries. The HandyTec HH-10 is ideal for use downstream of the inline metal detector by pinpointing the exact location of tramp metal contamination after the initial detection has occurred and the product f low has stopped.

Eriez Corporation

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FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE Designed to deliver superior contaminant detection, improved product handling, and streamlined maintenance in the processing of dry bulk foods, the new Eagle Bulk 415 PRO X-ray inspection system from Eagle Product Inspection features an innovative cupped conveyor and a four-lane f lap rejecter to ensure optimal contaminant removal and minimal product waste in the processing of nuts, grains, granola, sugar, cereals, coffee and other high-volume bulk products.

According to the company, the Bulk 415 PRO system’s cupped conveyor incorporates raised edges to promote a more uniform product depth across the belt, as well as reducing waste by preventing product spilling onto the f loor, which can occur using conventional f lat belt designs. For its part, the four-lane f lap rejection mechanism—each covering one quarter of the belt—helps to ensure that all contamination is removed from the production process, while keeping the unintended removal of good product to a bare minimum to reduce product waste.

Eagle Product Inspection (PLAN Automation)

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GO WITH THE FLOW Boasting robust design and extended ambient temperature capabilities, the new 652 Series modular high-f low FRL (filter, regulator and lubricator) from ASCO Numatics, a division of Emerson Industrial Automation, includes filters, regulators, filterregulators, slow-start/ quick-exhaust valves, diverter blocks and shutoff valves, with the f lush-style gauges and regulators also offering optional tamperproof and key-lock features.

ASCO Numatics

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ECO-PACK NOW

ITALIAN COFFEE ROASTER SERVES UP A COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING OPTION As one of the world’s most beloved hot beverages, coffee rightfully enjoys a revered status amongst consumers all over the globe—especially in the birthplace of espresso.

Based in the ancient town of Modena in northern Italy, specialty coffee company Caffè Molinari SpA has been at the forefront of the Italian espresso coffee culture for over 70 years, thanks to its high-quality roasting process and, more recently, innovative planet-friendly packaging that may soon help it win over a lot of new fans and admirers.

Launched a few months ago, the company’s new Bio range of organic espresso and decaffeinated coffee varieties is packaged in fully-compostable packaging made with the NatureFlex brand of cellulose packaging films produced by the U.K.headquartered plastic packaging products group Innovia Films.

Converted by well-known international pack­age printer Goglio in nearby Milan, the coffee packs for the new organic blends are constructed using two layers—comprising a white metallized high barrier NatureFlex outer layer laminated to a biopolymer sealant inner layer—to ensure superior seal strength and optimal product integrity.

Described as “an innovative eco-friendly integrated

packaging system,” the eye-catching package includes a specially-designed, patented aroma-protecting Bio valve designed by the Goglio Plastic Division.

According to the converter, the full-pack construction with the valve complies with the EN13432 industrial composting norm and is certified to the internationally-recognized Vinçotte OK Compost standard.

“In order to satisfy our customers who care for their environment and are also health-conscious, we have launched two Bio coffees in fully-certified compostable packs,” says Caffè Molinari’s managing director Giuseppe Molinari.

“Working closely with Innovia Films and Goglio, we have been able to launch this integrated coffee packaging system with a Bio degassing

CCCA Announces 2015 – 2016 Executive

Peter Moore, CEO, Moore Packaging Past Chairman

Mike Lafave, Sr. VP, Containerboard Packaging and Recycling, Kruger Chairman

At the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Corrugated and Containerboard Association (CCCA) held April 23, 2015, the Board of Directors voted Mike Lafave, Senior Vice President, Containerboard, Packaging and Recycling to the Executive Committee as Chairman for the term ending April 30, 2016. Also elected to the Executive Committee were Bob Hagan, Atlantic Packaging Products, 1st Vice Chairman, Gary Johnson, Maritime Paper Products, Secretary/ Treasurer and Jean Parent, Norampac, 2nd Vice Chairman.

Outgoing Chairman’s Report After thanking his Executive Committee, the full Board and the Association’s staff for their support, Peter Moore highlighted the following as significant achievements during the past year.

Titling his remarks as “Achieving More Together” he described, in detail, the following eight (8) issues and accomplishments of the CCCA over the past 12 months.

1. Improvement to the Member’s industry statistical reporting, specifically to address variances due to calendar issues.

2. By-law updates to comply with the Federal Governments’ new legal requirements for not-for-profit organizations and trade associations.

3. Modifications to the Board of Directors structure to extend inclusiveness to all Canadian Containerboard Mill Members and the addition of two (2) independent Directors.

4. Review and updating of the existing by-laws which addressed Canada’s Combines Act and adoption of modifications to reinforce full compliance by the CCCA. 5. Advocacy of the valuable features of corrugated containers including the industry efforts to introduce unique products designed to address changing customer requirements.

6. The continued use of an independent Professional Communications firm to assist in the development of messaging on specific industry issues.

7. Continued sponsorship of the Members’ Human Resources Committee which continues to address the challenges of our human asset needs. This included the updating of the converting members’ Industrial Relations manual.

8. Increased focus by the Members’ Health and Safety Committee to tackle the issue of developing and maintaining an employee safety culture through shared in-plant experiences including the agreement on a Members’ Hazard Alert / Notification methodology, now under final development.

In conclusion, Peter Moore added that value for both Members and Associates alike in CCCA remains high and that the Association’s Mission is being continuously achieved, all the while staying on course within the 5 Pillars of its Strategic Plan.

Proud supporter of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC)

www.cccabox.org

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valve into the market to provide a real environmentally-friendly option,” Molinari adds.

“So far we have had an excellent response from our customers,” he proclaims.

Adds Innovia Films area sales manager for Italy Attilio Cecchi: “The NatureFlex films are ideal for the coffee market because they fit in so well with the growing concerns about sustainability and renewability.

“With environment continuing to be a high priority in packaging, certified organic coffee products really provide a ‘good fit’ with the more sustainable options,” Cecchi explains, pointing out that all NatureFlex films are made from wood that is sourced exclusively from managed plantations operating on the universally-accepted “good forestry” principles.

By beginning their life as a natural product, the NatureFlex films are able to meet the strict compost ability guidelines mandated by the ASTM D6400 standard in the U.S. and the European EN13432 standard for compostable packaging, according to Cecchi.

“This new high-performance white metallized NatureFlex film is ideal for this application not just because it is based on renewable resources,” he says, “but also because it has excellent barrier properties— essential for keeping coffee in perfect condition.”

DOW ON A WINNING STREAK WITH FLEXIBLE PACKAGING INNOVATION

If regularly picking up prestigious industry awards is an indication of a winning corporate culture and mindset, then The Dow Chemical Company may well be the global packaging industry’s runaway winner over the last year or so—having just earned its eight major industry award for the company’s proprietary PacXpert Packaging Technology.

Developed as a radical alternative to rigid packaging, the PacXpert f lexible packaging solution took home a silver medal at the recently-held 2015 Edison Awards gala in New York City after wowing the annual competition’s judges with its impressive performance, cost-savings and sustainability benefits.

“We are honored to add The Edison Award to PacXpert Technology’s growing list of industry accolades,” says Diego Donoso, president of the Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics business. “Whether it’s the functionality, aesthetics or improved sustainability benefits, the innovative design highlights Dow’s promise to provide customers with exceptional packaging solutions that gain consumer acceptance.”

According to Dow Packaging, PacXpert’s f lexible, lightweight design enables multiple sustainability benefits. For one, it reduces content waste by allowing consumers to achieve a better product yield, while requiring less overall raw material during the manufacturing process compared to rigid packaging formats.

Moreover, the empty packages can be shipped f lat—thereby increasing shipping and warehouse efficiency and, subsequently, helping reduce the related GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions.

In addition to the Slver Award in the food and beverage category of the 2015 Edison Awards competition—presided by a judging panel of more than 3,000 industry executives and academics—PacXpert has picked up seven other highly-coveted industry awards in a little over a year, including: • 2015 Plasticon Gold Award of the Plastindia Foundation; • 2015 Trophees de l’Innovation of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; • 2014 China Sustainable Package Technology Award; • 2014 L’Oscar de L’Emballage winner in Flexible/Retort category.

• 2014 Innovation Award of the Emballage Pack Expert Committee; • 2014 WorldStar Packaging Award of the World Packaging Organisation; • 2013 ABRE Gold Award of the Brazilian Packaging Association.

CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2015

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COVER STORY

SPIRIT OF THE GAME

Canadian game and poultry processor boosts production capacity to expand its marketplace reach

Holding packs of rabbit leg confit and confit guinea fowl legs, Les Gibiers Canabec co-owner and president Alexandre Therrien’s runs a high-end business serving 12 different kinds of game meats to its retail and restaurant customers.

BY ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAUDE MATHIEU

G

iven it seems like professional athletes the world over seem to go to the same school of clichés when it describing their game, it is refreshing indeed to come across a business that has really got game, both figuratively and literally.

Based in Quebec City, the 11,000-square-foot facility of Les Gibiers Canabec Inc. opened its doors in 1985 as the first game meats distributor in the province—the term ‘game’ referring to any animal typically hunted for sport or for food. In

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this case, however, the animals harvested are raised in farms, both locally and elsewhere.

“We specialize in the processing and distribution of all available national and international game,” explained Gibiers Canabec president and co-owner Alexandre Therrien to Canadian Packaging magazine during a recent interview.

“We turn game products according to customer tastes into a wide selection of dishes like confits, terrines and cold cuts, providing such high-end fare to restaurants, hotels, butchers, and even to retail supermarkets under our own brand.”

The animal species most processed by Gibiers

Canabec are red deer, bison, wild boar, elk, guinea fowl, rabbit and quail, with Therrien acknowledging that its duck rilletes—prepared similar to pâté and formed in a duck-shaped mold— is its biggest selling product.

“Our recipe is very tasty, and by utilizing a the duck-shape we have created a memorable way to differentiate our product and to really grab the customer’s attention,” he explains.

Employing about 80 staff—depending on the season—Gibiers Canabec processes and packs 15,000 kilograms of meat and poultry products per week on average, though Therrien acknowledges that those numbers can soar by 350 per cent up to 52,500 kilos per week in the month of December in anticipation of the Christmas rush when sales are the greatest in December. According to Therrien, preparation for that peak season gets rolling as early as September, with everyone expected to put in some overtime—including administration staff and even Therrien himself.

“It’s so busy that I will usually spend a solid three weeks out on the production f loor,” Therrien reveals. “It’s something I hope my employees appreciate—seeing me do some ‘real work’ alongside them.

“We have close to a thousand SKUs (stock-keeping units) of finished products—raw and cooked sausages, wild boar bacon, terrines, liver mousse, foie gras parfait, portioned meat for various stews, ground meat, fondues, steak and portioned medallions,” notes Therrien, describing the company’s truly unique product range.

For fondue lovers who have only ever experienced bread with melted cheese or chocolate, Gibiers Canabec provides more exotic offerings, building on a more hearty product range typically found on Quebec dinner tables.

When Gibiers Canabec began producing the fondue for retailers in the province—thinly slicing the meats to a 1.5-mm thickness and preparing a f lavored Bouillon dipping broth for the meat, beef fondue was the only version available at the time.

“But nowadays, the popularity of the product has allowed us to offer 12 different kinds of meat: deer, bison, elk, wild boar, ostrich, kangaroo, duck, guinea fowl, camel, lamb, goose and rabbit,” relates Therrien.

“We specialize in the distribution and processing of meat from local game, as a priority, and international where necessary,” he notes.

Although the supply of game and poultry for Gibiers Canabec is mainly local from within the province of Quebec, Therrien notes he also purchases bison and elk from western Canada, while ostrich, kangaroo and camel meats are purchased direct from suppliers in faraway Australia.

Therrien explains that the company built its own distribution network with its sales force, providing a direct delivery service with the company’s own trucks to get the products to restaurants, caterers, butchers, specialty grocers, and supermarkets like Sobeys and Metro.

“The company’s strength is built on a foundation of two key elements: transforming exotic meat products according to customer tastes while offering a wide variety and availability of cuts, cooked

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COVER STORY

Workers place chubbs of bison meat through a Holac industrial slicer and then handplace the fondue slices on the film tray fed to the Repak RE15 form/fill/seal packer.

dishes, confits, terrines and cold cuts,” explains Therrien.

“The other part of our game plan is to provide chefs a wide variety of fresh game meat with a high reliability of supply each and every day,” he adds.

Although working to the demands of professional chefs can be a daunting challenge, Therrien is fortunate to have a bit of experience in that regard under his belt.

Therrien’s father Laurier—a Gibiers Canabec shareholder but now retired from the day-to-day operations—opened up the renowned CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) five-diamondrated The Lair restaurant in 1978 in Ste-Foy, about 20 minutes outside of downtown Quebec City.

Together with his wife Chantal Miclette, Laurier Therrien prepared exquisite meals consisting of local fine meats and poultry, preparing them with the keen eye of a highly-skilled chef wellrespected throughout the province.

“Along with his cooking skills as an award-winning chef, my father was also a big-time nature lover, hunter and fisherman, who handed down his passions to my cousin Karen and to myself and my team here at Gibiers Canabec.

“She now runs The Lair with her husband, incidentally Quebec’s 2014 chef-of-the-year Frédéric Laplante.”

Therrien says his father saw initially the opportunity to open Gibiers Canabec back in 1995 as a means to distribute high-quality game meat to other restaurant chefs, but he has since worked hard to expand the scope of the business to include retail products.

“My father’s instruction in the art of preparing game and poultry is indispensable,” Therrien Proclaims. This is an art, this know how, that is something that one does not learn in a classroom.”

Terrien, who has brought the same passion and skill his father had in running his restaurant to the way he processes and packages his game meats, describes his delicious dishes as “something one would prepare for the gastronome, the gourmet and the gourmand.”

For Therrien, one of the main challenges facing Gibiers Canabec was how to develop and prepare a packaged product that could maintain the freshness of the original meat or poultry.

“Also, since the animals we were going to prepare and offer for sale were only in season for certain parts of the year, how could we offer our products without fail every day of the year?

“It was a risky venture to begin with,” he says, “but today we know we pulled it off.”

A close-up of the easy-to-use touchscreen operator control panel on the Reiser-supplied Holac Sectomat 230 industrial slicer used by the Gibiers Canabec processing plant.

Producing a perfect seal every time, the Repak RE 15 thermoformer purchased by Gibiers Canabec is a custom-designed machine that was intentionally shortened by 300-mm to accommodate the placement of a Holac Sectomat 230 industrial slicer at the front end of the machine.

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A sampling of the high-end game and fowl products vacuum-packed by the Gibiers Canabec plant’s compact Reiser Repak RE15 horizontal form/fill/seal thermoformer.

While bringing a more exotic meat or poultry dish to the dinning room table was all very good, ensuring it was healthy was just as critically important, Therrien points out.

“We understand that sometimes it can be difficult for people to prepare good meals on a daily basis while espousing variety, so we created a wide range of products while taking the health and welfare of the consumer at heart: ensuring they were all gluten-free products,” extols Therrien.

Gibiers Canabec produces canapés appetizers via its terrines and smoked products, along with raw and cooked meats for meals, even marketing a range of speciality sauces for its various meat products.

“We certainly have something that will satisfy your needs,” says Therrien.

The health aspects of his products are not lost on Therrien, as he strives to ensure that every product Gibiers Canabec produces meets strict guidelines.

“We certainly have nothing against the inclusion of consuming other animal meats, but there is a lack of education in people when it comes to the so-called ‘exotic fowl’ like goose or game meats,” begins Therrien.

A layered mousse product is created via a Vemag Robot 500 vacuum filler distributed

by Reiser Canada, equipped with double-screw technology.

Workers at the Gibiers Canabec processing plant use a VC999 RS420 rollstock thermoformer to pack the company’s popular Porto Liver Parfait product.

Therrien says that contrary to popular belief, duck fat is actually a health benefit, being heavy in monounsaturated fats that some medical researchers indicate could actually help improve the cardiovascular health in humans, while also helping in the production of insulin to help stave off the onset of diabetes.

As the popularity of Gibiers Canabec products continued to grow, finding more production space became an urgent priority. After expanding the facility twice, ultimately no further expansion became possible.

Not ready to move lock, stock and barrel into a new facility, in 2012 Therrien decided to look internally for a solution: how to become lean by optimizing the company’s operational efficiency to increase both production capacity and productivity.

“There certainly was room for us to improve our efficiency quota, and the best way to do that was to invest in better equipment,” relates Therrien. “Achieving this would allow us to continue growing our business for another three years at the current location, providing us with more time to prepare for the inevitable shift in facilities.”

The provincially-inspected facility features what Therrien calls “an excellent quality control system” based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) food safety management protocol.

“Up to now, we have only concentrated our efforts into growing our market within Quebec for reasons of supply, knowing that there is a higher demand here for game meat than elsewhere in Canada,” relates Therrien. “We know that demand could easily outweigh supply, so we are wary of that.

“Our medium-term expansions plans include us becoming involved in a larger geographic market, which we know is key in the eventual evolution of Gibiers Canabec as a company,” he explains.

Although the company does distribute other brands—such as foie gras for Rougie—it does not do any third-party manufacturing or co-packing, preferring instead to focus on its own Gibiers Canabec brand in terms of processing and marketing.

Along with a keen eye towards only providing the highest-quality game and fowl available, the company is also keen on ensuring it is processes and packages its value-added, high-quality products a fitting manner.

Citing the tight floorspace confines, Therrien says that Reiser Canada was the only equipment supplier who was able to provide a turnkey solution with the two FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 106

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COVER STORY machines it required—a slicer and a horizontal form/ fill/seal thermoform packing system.

“We really did have a very small amount of space available, but Reiser’s engineers came in and worked with us on the plans to find the best solution for us,” Therrien recalls. “They even designed a support platform to raise our slicer above the thermoform packing machine.”

Installed in October of 2013, Reiser supplied Gibiers Canabec with a new Holac sectomat Sect 230 slicer—designed for total hygiene and easy sanitation cleaning—and a Repak RE15 system to thermoform-pack its Chinese fondue and burgers, as well as produce vacuum-packs for cooked products such as rabbit legs or guinea fowl confit.

Capable of slicing speeds of up to 400 cuts per minute, the Sect 230 slicer includes an electronicallycontrolled product infeed to produce clean, high-accuracy slices of the Gibiers Canabec fondue products.

“We first prepare the meats in our butcher department, and then use a hydraulic lifter and a clipper to make four-inch diameter tubes of meat, which are then frozen at –20°C,” Therrien explains. “These tubes of meat are our fondue.”

“These meat tubes are then sliced on the Holac Sectomat 230 and conveyed to the Reiser Repak RE15, with each pack then hand-packed into a paperboard package.”

Prior to purchasing this msystem, Therrien explained to the Reiser team that he was looking to alter the way his products were being presented, namely upgrading from the existing present vacuum-pouch packaging format.

After a thoughtful evaluation, Reiser offered Gibiers Canabec a packaging machine that could provide it with exactly what it needed now, with built-in design capacity to accommodate many more future packaging options.

The Reiser range of Repak machines can produce vacuum and modified-atmosphere packages from f lexible and semi-rigid materials, as well as Vacuum Skin Packages (VSP), and packages with formed top webs.

Reiser first visited the facility in June of 2013, fully aware that the target installation date was

Gibiers Canabec uses an Avery Weigh Tronix combination package weighing and labeling system to provide accurate product information disclosure for its customers.

September, which Therrien says was right on the eve of its high production period.

“Reiser was good to their word,” he recalls.

“Not only did they provide us with a high-efficiency slicer, but because of our size constraints, they were able to actually shorten the length of our Repak RE15 by 300 millimeters, which allowed

them to fit the slicer at the front of the Repak.”

Therrien continues: “I like the fact that Reiser did not give up on our demanding criteria. They provided us with something different that wasn’t in their catalog of products, and now we both know they can sell a Repak RE15 that could be shorter than the standard size, if required.”

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COVER STORY Other key processing and packing equipment currently utilized by the Gibiers Canabec facility includes: • A Reiser Vemag V500, purchased in 2010 and used to form sausages, terrine molding and ground meat portioning; • An Avery Weigh-Tronix combination package weighing and labeling system; • A VC999 RS420 rollstock thermoformer; • A TermiCom SE-15 fully water-proof computer system with scratch-resistant, 15-inch color touchscreen manufactured by the Victoriaville, Quebecbased Symcod.

“The weighing stations are connected with our computer system—allowing us to track our inventory in real time,” says Therrien, adding that computerizing the assembly and shipping of all products was the major project of Gibiers Canabec in 2014.

Therrien says he is also quite proud of the packaging of his products—especially on Gibiers Canabec’s new Guinea Fowl Pintade packaging.

“The forest artwork on the sides is part of our brand territory now,” he says. “The artwork is actually representative of a boreal forest, which reflects us perfectly.

“It’s what makes us unique and impossible to copy.”

These new packs are designed as hanger-packs that can be hung on pegs inside a refrigerator. No longer lying flat on top of a shelf, these high-quality meals and

Standing beside the Reiser Repak RE15 thermoformer is the Gibiers Canabec fondue department team (from left): Michèle, Diane and Yves, production manager Richard Desrosiers, CEO Alexandre Therrien, and operations manager Marie-Pier Côté.

its packaging now face the consumer, directly eye-to-eye, instantly grabbing their attention as they pass by in the grocery aisles.

Despite the intriguing nature of its products, Therrien is adamant that his so-called niche market is hardly all that niche.

“People often think that we have little or no competition,” he relates, “but that’s just not true.

“We have more than 20 direct competitors, but that hasn’t stopped us from growing the business.”

Over the past seven years, Therrien says the company has doubled its business sales, crediting the close relationships it maintains with its customers, as well as remaining very active in the development of new products.

“We have been open to developing new partnerships with our suppliers and customers,” he says.

“Last year we reviewed and then reworked all of our branding, and then began to invest more seriously in publicity for our products.

“Our goal is to build a strong brand, with the short-term goal to grow our business by 40 per cent over the next three years.”

Therrien says he is highly motivated by the glowing reviews he receives from his customers, some of whom have been with Gibiers Canabec for over 25 years.

“Along with those rave reviews, the customers say that it appears as though we make a real effort to produce products that really stand out, with flavors that virtually ‘explode’ on their tastebuds.

“We’ve been told that our products show our expertise in the art of fine dining,” he concludes.

“It’s certainly nice to be appreciated for one’s hard work.”

For More Information: FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 108

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ADHESIVES

THE EVERLASTING BONDS Adhesive technologies keep evolving with the times to remain an indespensible technology asset for progressive packaging end-users worldwide

Developed by industrial tapes market leader 3M Company as an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic bags, the highly innovative 3M Carry Handles offer retailers a convenient stick-on solution for enabling consumers to take home large-sized or awkward items that uses 97 per cent less plastic than traditional shopping bags.

BY GEORGE GUIDONI, EDITOR

W

hatever packaging adhesives and tapes may lack at first glance in terms of mass sex appeal or aesthetic pizzazz is more than offset in terms of their integral indispensability as a core technology for maintaining structural packaging integrity and functionality.

In fact, it is virtually unfathomable to picture a modern-day packaging line—however automated or not—not housing at least one gluing or tapesealing station employed somewhere along the line to keep the finished primary packages or secondary packaging containers performing as intended to provide optimal protection for the product inside.

In the same vein, there is nothing like a malfunctioning adhesive or tape applicator to make even the most advanced packaging lines out there to come to a grinding and increasingly expensive halt due to poor bonding performance or unsightly quality blemishes and defects.

And as the world continues to produce more packages to accommodate rapid population growth and the emergence of a middle class in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries and beyond, the demand for both packaging adhesives and tapes will continue to ensure steady revenue sources for

manufacturers of dispensing and applicating systems and equipment for the foreseeable future.

According to a recent report from the Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets, the estimated US$4.9-billion market for packaging adhesives is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6 per cent through 2019, with robust growth expected to continue in key packaging applications such as case and carton, corrugated packaging, labeling, bags, folding cartons, and specialty packaging segments.

ives, while their strategy to capture the untapped market in developing economies includes acquisitions and joint ventures.”

It’s a similarly upbeat scenario unfolding the global market for industrial tapes—aka pressuresensitive adhesives (PSA)—where globally-operating market segment leaders such as 3M Company (PSA for tapes) and Avery–Dennison (PSA for labels) are consolidating their leadership positions

NO SLOWING DOWN While the stubborn economic slowdown in the mature North American and European markets has had some negative impact, leading global producers such as Henkel, H.B. Fuller, Bostik and Paramelt have used the slowdown as an opportunity to launch innovative new products and expand their geographic reach into the high-growth parts of the world.

“These companies are consistently focusing on expanding their production capacity to achieve a competitive advantage and thereby serving the customers more effectively,” the report points out.

“Expansion and new product launches were the most preferred strategies by the top players in 2013 that were driving the demand of packaging adhes-

3M Company’s box-sealing systems like this fully-automatic 3M-Matic Case Sealer 7000a Pro are a common sight on secondary packaging lines all over the world.

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ADHESIVES

In addition to providing a solid grip to enable easy carrying of all sorts of large or awkward-shaped consumer packages, the pre-printed 3M Carry Handle also provide retailers and brand-owners alike with plenty of branding opportunities.

in a market expected to be worth an estimated $8.4 billion by 2018, according to a study from RnR Market Research.

“Every company, big or small, wants to penetrate deeper into the existing market and at the same time expand into new and emerging markets to increase their sales margin—thereby increasing their overall revenue,” the report states.

As in many other segments of the packaging industry, packaging sustainability and related environmental issues have had a major impact in the way tapes and adhesives suppliers approach their product development and innovation, including the aforementioned 3M Company’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division business.

“While recycled corrugate boxes are becoming increasingly popular as an eco-friendly and costeffective packaging option, unfortunately each time boxes are recycled their fibres become shorter and weaker,” says Nuno da Silva, business manager of the Industrial Business Division of 3M Canada Company in London, Ont. “The shorter the fiber, the more resistant it becomes to both adhesive and moisture.

“This is particularly risky in the food-and-beverage industry, where recycled corrugate is used in refrigerated environments,” da Silva expands. “In addition, used boxes often contain contaminants

like plastics, glues, inks and waxes, which can be even more resistant to the adhesive.

To address the issue, 3M proceeded to engineer a brand new box taping solution with spectacular sealing capabilities for this particular application.

Marketed under the company’s iconic f lagship Scotch brand label, the patented Recycled Corrugate Box Sealing Tape 3071 provides 10 time the holding strength of the conventional box-sealing tapes by actually penetrating right through the top couple of box surface layers to achieve the required sealing strength and integrity.

BREAKING FREE “For our customers, it’s important to create a seal that won’t break down—no matter how many times their cardboard has,” says da Silva.

“This tape is our innovative solution to help our customer protect their products and their profits without sacrificing their sustainability goals.”

Says da Silva: “No matter the materials, our customers all have one thing in common: they invest an incredible amount of effort and care into their products, and it is our job to help maintain their integrity.

“Even though the materials may vary dramatic-

ally, it’s crucial that our packaging solutions take care of the details to give our customers a consistent, reliable package every time,” says da Silva, citing 3M’s expertise in the manufacture of both tapes and the tape applicating and dispensing systems— covering the full range for handheld manual tape guns to the fully-automatic, high-precision, integrated system solutions such as the new 3M-Matic Case Sealer 7000a Pro system.

Equipped with three patented high-performance patented 3M AccuGlide taping heads, the systems uses the heads to apply three rounds of pressure to give each box a strong,thorough seal similar to what a manual laborer would do, but at ta fraction of the time and in just the right amount of tape.

“All our packaging tapes and equipment are engineered to manage the small details so that our customers can realize the big picture,” da Silva explains.

“We know the details matter to our customers.

“If the seal on just one box pops open in transit, it can result in a loss of profit, reputation, brand value ... you name it,” he says. “And if multiple seals pop open, the losses multiply exponentially, with devastating impact on productivity and resources.”

Says Da Silva: “The scope of packaging material technologies is continuing to expand.

“On one end of the spectrum, many companies are trying to lower their costs by using inexpensive materials like LSE (Low Surface Energy (LSE) plastics.

“While economical, these materials are very difficult to stick to,” Da Silva points out. “On the other end of the spectrum, companies are trailblazing with high-tech composites.

“We’ve seen these materials do amazing things, but they can also be difficult to adhere to.”

David Petteplace, regional manager for Canada with the Markham, Ont.-based Nordson Canada, Limited, a division of the Duluth, Ga.headquartered dispensing systems manufacturer Nordson Corporation, says the applicating systems segment has an important role to play in the packaging sustainability equation.

“Our customers are interested in sustainability through saving adhesives and energy, “Petteplace states, “and our tankless melter technology developments allow melters to be far more energyefficient, in addition to minimizing adhesive waste and downtime caused by charring and debris.

“Moreover, new pattern controls can now dispense the packaging adhesives in extremely precise manner, utilizing exact stitching patterns to help

Nordson Corporation’s recently commercialized tankless hot-melt melting and dispensing technologies include the highly flexible Freedom system range (directly above) and the technologically-advanced ProBlue Liberty Fulfill Multi-Bin system (middle picture), which combines the company’s flagship ProBlue melter with sophisticated auto-fill technology.

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ADHESIVES

Manufactured by Graco and distributed in Canada by OBX Works, the fully-automatic Providing 10 times the bonding strength of traditional box sealing tapes, 3M’s Scotch InvisiPac hot-melt dispensing system is claimed to help end-users reduce their overall Recycled Corrugate Box Sealing Tape 3071 was developed specifically to ensure secure 5/4/15 10:30 1 penetrating beneath the box surface. adhesive usage and costs by 20 to 50 per cent,RepakSealMeatAd2_SWAK_SilvaSausage_Feb2013_CAN_CP_J_Reiser depending on application. sealing of recycled corrugated casesAM

by Page actually

reduce adhesive waste even further,” he adds.

Having been a leading player in the hot-melt dispensing equipment industry for over 50 years, Nordson enjoys well-earned worldwide brand recognition for its universally renowned, signature-blue ProBlue range of adhesive applicators.

But never the type to rest on past laurels, Nordson’s fairly recent commercialization of new-generation tankless melting technology positions it extremely well for meeting the future needs of 21st Century manufacturing, according to Petteplace.

NEW THINKING “Tankless melters are giving manufacturers new options to rethink their adhesive usage and reduce related costs by integrating and optimizing major system components such as adhesive melting, auto-fill technology, system monitoring and diagnostics,” Petteplace explains.

“Essentially, a tankless fill system allows customers to melt what they need and when they need it—limiting adhesive waste,” says Petteplace, citing the company’s well-received launches of the tankless Freedom and Liberty system platforms over the past 24 months, along with the introduction of Spectra pattern controllers, as a potentially key turning point for the adhesive industry at large.

“There is no doubt that they have created significant advancements in adhesive processing, safety, precision dispensing and sustainability,” Petteplace asserts.

“An intuitive, integrated control system gives users complete control of the adhesive dispensing process, from pre-stored patterns to troubleshooting alerts, and easy-to-understand, plain-language tips that walk operators through steps to resolving any issues,” he adds.

“And as time goes on in the packaging industry,” Petteplace reasons,

JUNE 2015

17

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ADHESIVES

Manufactured by Shurtape Technologies, the QuickChange Sealing System (left) is the company’s latest advancement of its patented ShurSEAL Solution technology for producing reliable, tamper-evident seals at optimal line speeds.

“adhesive melters will get smarter and require even less operator attention, just as these more efficient melt systems will reduce the need for large adhesive tanks and the requirement to keep large volumes of adhesive at application temperature.”

Andy Stamp, national sales and product manager for the Cincinnati, Ohio-headquartered hot-melt dispensing and quality control equipment manufacturer Valco Melton, concurs.

“Sustainability efforts continue to be a key ingredient in package design as well as in the packaging equipment design,” says Stamp. “And as the packaging industry continues to feel the pressure to reduce its overall carbon footprint, all-electric gluing systems offer an attractive solution toward fulfilling those goals,” he predicts.

“The possibilities this type of all-electric technology can bring to package design are almost endless, especially for the food and beverage manufacturers who are in a constant state of change.

“Because the industry has moved from mass production to mass customization,” Stamp reasons, “it is no longer enough for packaged goods companies to get large quantities of product to market faster.

“To be successful, they must also stay ahead of the curve and deliver the customized packaging in-

creasingly being demanded by today’s consumers.

“For companies like Valco Melton, this demand is one of the main driving forces behind the development of new, low-impact adhesive solutions where innovative technology and versatility take center stage,” says Stamp, hailing the company’s all-electric CHOICE system range of hot-melt dispensing systems as the future of adhesive dispensing.

HOT NEW TRENDS “Customization, along with other industry trends toward employing more sustainable practices throughout the entirety of production processes, requires adhesive dispensing technologies to be hands-free, maintenance-free, and to consume less energy,” Stamps remarks.

“To meet these needs, our company has really been spearheading the development of all-electric technologies to replace the more traditional pneumatic systems,” Stamp asserts.

“As a result, we’ve made great strides improving uptime, reducing maintenance and part changes—by way of eliminating compressed air and the number of moving parts—as well as in greatly decreasing adhesive usage for overall improved OEE

and reduced carbon footprint,” Stamp relates, adding that he expects hot-melt technologies to keep gaining market share from the PSA tapes in the years ahead.

“The use of tape on primary packaging is already no longer acceptable to some customers,” he suggests, “and as the focus has shifted toward sustainability in the packaged goods industry, most Big Box stores and retailers are now pushing manufacturers to eliminate secondary packaging, as well as to create shelf-ready display cases with primary packaged goods ready for sale.

“Accordingly, tape will continue to decline in market share as retailers increasing demand only for primary packaging to be shipped for the products they sell and bring into their stores,” Stamp asserts.

“I also expect to see increased demand for higherquality adhesives,” he adds. “While they are more expensive than some other lower-quality adhesive products, using a higher-quality adhesive means you don’t have to use as much of it.”

Understandably, leading tape application system manufacturers like Shurtape Technologies, LLC are far less inclined to fully subscribe to that view.

According to the company’s market manager for packaging Bill DeWitt, dismissing the importance of PSA tapes for future packaging applications is result of a distorted view of tapes as a commodity product.

Says DeWitt: “Tape is too often viewed as a commodity product that should be purchased for the lowest price possible.

“However, the quality of tape and how it’s applied to cartons are critical considerations for maintain the integrity of the carton and products, as well as for keeping packaging lines up-and-running,” DeWitt says.

According to DeWitt, most of the negative experiences encountered with tapes and tape applicating equipment can be traced to improper selection of materials and sealing systems for the application at hand.

“The issue of seal integrity is an important consideration because unsecured carton seals can result

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ADHESIVES

The all-electric CHOICE hot-melt applicating systems manufactured by Valco Melton is designed as a much more energy-efficient alternative to pneumatic-based systems.

Valco Melton’s PackCheck hot-melt inspection system in a high-accuracy inline quality control system that quickly detect and rejects poorly-sealed packages right off the line.

“Everyone knows the cost of a workplace injury,” Wong states.

“A properly designed hot-melt system with zero weight guns, supported by tool balancers and light trigger effort, provides an ergonomic solution that will eliminate sore hands and fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.,” he reasons.

“Adding safety to your process is always a bonus that our customers like to use in their proposals to management,” says Wong, while extolling the safety attributes and performance capabilities of the InvisiPac brand of hot-melt dispensers manufactured by the Minneapolis, Minn.-based Graco Inc. and distributed in Canada exclusively by OBX Works.

QUALITY FIRST

A Valco Melton hot-melt dispensing nozzle applyin the EcoStich gluing pattern in a carton-sealing application.

The EcoStich adhesive applicating pattern can also provide secure sealing by dispensing just tiny dots of glue.

in product damage, theft, contamination, and other costly consequences,” he acknowledges. “But more often than not, this issue can be caused by improper adhesion of the tape to the box, insufficient wipedown force achieved by the tape applicator, or using the wrong tape for the carton or environment.

“Addressing these issues from the outset will result in more secure, tamper-evident carton seals to keep the cartons intact throughout the distribution network,” he says, “while ensuring that the packaging lines are running at peak operational efficiency.”

As DeWitt explains, “It is always important to select a quality tape that meets your sealing requirements to ensure your cartons and goods arrive at their final destination intact.

“For example, if you’re sealing high-value electronics, you may want to select a higher grade of tape; if you’re sealing in a cold-temperature environment, look for a specially formulated tape that can withstand colder temps; and if you’re using recycled cartons, pick a tape designed to stick to recycled content.”

Insofar as production line downtime, DeWitt cites inconsistent film thickness, thin adhesive coating, and too little release coating as the most frequent causes of failure.

To avert these problems, tape end-users should always do their homework in regards to their tape’s

critical attributes such as thickness, shear power, tensile strength, tack and elongations properties, and adhesion performance.

“There are many tape options available with different adhesive systems and grades,” DeWitt points out. “Acrylic and hot-melt are the two common adhesive tapes, each providing their own benefits.

“Acrylic tapes offer good initial tack, but the adhesive may flow out when external stress forces are met,” he relates, “whereas hot-melt tapes offer an aggressive bond and higher cohesive strength to stand up against the challenges of the distribution network.

“Many tape manufacturers like Shurtape place their tapes through rigorous testing to ensure they provide strong holding power, which is typically done through a shear test that which simulates the tape being adhered to the side of a carton,” DeWitt relates.

“In most industrial packaging applications, it is best to use a tape that is rated at or above 10,000 minutes of holding power,” he advises.

Alex Wong, head of sales and engineering at the Toronto-based adhesive dispensing systems integrator, OBX Works Inc., says that regardless of the choice of hot-melt adhesives or tapes to do the job, the key issue in today’s manufacturing is the need to make the process as automated as possible just on the account of related occupational safety issues alone, among other key considerations.

“We only use high-quality parts and consumables, and we only work with suppliers that provide quality equipment and customer service,” Wong states. “Our customers expect the same from us and I need to be sure that a process will provide consistent performance.”

Says Wong: “Poor quality adhesives are unstable and can cause problems even after the product has left the plant: We have all seen pop-opens at the grocery store, where I’m often tempted to buy the package just to get it off the shelf!

“Nobody likes to spend a large sum of money,” Wong allows, “but some of our InvisiPac installations have an ROI (return-on-investment) of less than a month, albeit three to six months is more common.

“After that it’s all savings,” he enthuses. “The beauty of the InvisiPac technology is that it reduces hot-melt usage by 20 to 50 per cent, while effectively eliminates nozzle clogs.

“And even though Graco in already enjoying great success with this product, they aren’t finished,” he adds.

“They’ve already released an integrated pattern controller, a new family of guns and a networkready monitoring package only two years after the initial launch,” Wong colludes, “and I just can’t wait to see what’s next!”

For More Information: 3M Canada Company Nordson Canada, Limited Valco Melton Shurtape Technologies, LLC OBX Works Inc.

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PACKAGE DESIGN

THE PRINCELY SUM OF ALL PARTS

Ontario apple farm changing the way consumers purchase apples in grocery produce aisles with help of a multiple award-winning package design

Binkley Apples Limited co-owners Irma and Marius Botden utilize modern farming techniques, such as high-density farming, to grow shorter, high-yield apple trees that allow for faster harvesting at its Thornbury orchards, helping it garner a whopping 15-percent market share in Ontario.

ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY JOHN PACKMAN

W

hile not quite the perfection of the Garden of Eden, the innovative Binkley Apples Limited. of Thornbury, Ont., has certainly found its higher level recently for the quality of its tasty products and of an award-winning packaging design capturing the minds of retailers and consumers alike.

Situated on the 44th Parallel, Binkley Apples is considered to be the most northerly apple-producing area in the Province of Ontario, which has been a hub of apple farming since the 1800s.

To this day, the region boasts about 4,000 acres of apple orchard which, surprisingly makes up a whopping 30-per cent share of the province’s total commercial apple acreage.

“What makes our region so special is the protective lake effect that occurs between the Niagara Escarpment and the deep cool waters of Georgian Bay. “Moreover, the fertile strip between Escarpment

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and our section of Lake Huron is blessed with a microclimate that makes our whole area from Collingwood to Meaford ideal for growing apples,” Binkley Apples owner Marius Botden told Canadian Packaging during a recent interview.

Founded in 1961 by Harold and Ada Binkley, Irma and Marius Botden purchased the orchard in August of 2013.

The Botdens owned Global Fruit, and had previously worked with Binkley Apples as their preferred packer and shipper, with its apples already being sold under the Binkley banner.

“We decided to purchase the Binkley Apples orchards and business as part of a strategy to essentially assure our retail and wholesale partners of our continued commitment to quality and service,” says Botden.

“Plus it was an opportunity to not only add to our fruit production but to become involved in the packaging segment as well.”

Originally from The Netherlands, the Botdens arrived in Canada in 2001 and began planning

high-density orchards in 2004. At the time, the practice was fairly unique to the marketplace, but is something that apple growers everywhere are shifting to in a big way as a means to combat rising labor costs.

Designed by St. Joseph Communications|Content Group, the innovative reclosable plastic Red Prince apple bag provides excellent shelf appeal through optimal package transparency that lets the product speak for itself.

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PACKAGE DESIGN

Binkley Apples has set aside 1.3 million of the St. Joseph Communications-designed 2.5 pound capacity reclosable plastic bags to hold the expected 2015 output of 85,000 bushels, or 3.4 million pounds, of Red Prince apples.

Performing quality assurance, a Binkley Apples employee removes apples from within the wash point to check for consistent pressure brix and internal quality to ensure the proper sugar content, crispness and flavor.

The high-density apple orchards utilized by the Botden’s involves the use of a trellis system, and an apple tree that is distinctly shorter than most, but one that actually produces more fruit.

“Essentially, since the apple trees will remain small but heavy with fruit, the trellis system was installed to help hold them upright in the same manner that is utilized for grape vines,” explains Botden, noting the high-density apple trees don’t require as much pesticide application as others.

Equally vital, is the way the Botden’s workers tend and trim the trees that allows more sunlight to actually reach the fruit throughout its maturation process, which helps produce a better-quality fruit naturally ripened right on the tree.

In addition to producing a higher-density yield of fruit, they are also easier to pick, as the workers can pluck the fruit from the ground in a much faster and less backbreaking way.

“The downside, of course, is that these trees and their lower-hanging fruit are a target for wildlife, and are more susceptible to drought, so proper drip irrigation and fencing is required,” Botden relates.

By any measure, Binkley Apples is proof-positive that it is a successful concept helping make it a successful orchard.

Situated on 700 acres with 900,000 apple trees annually producing 800,000 bushels, the company supplies the market with 32 million pounds of crispy, juicy goodness that are found in grocers across Canada from the Maritimes to B.C, and now

Binkley Apples utilizes corrugated cartons, manufactured by Moore Packaging, placed atop the signature blue pallets from CHEP for delivery to customers coast-to-coast in Canada as well as the U.S.

into Michigan, with calls pouring in from various other locations requesting his products.

Botden refers to his year-round operation as a medium producer, but that’s a rather modest assessment.

The orchard has an approximate 15 percent market share—gathering apples from its own farms, and other local concerns producing mostly medium to large apples of multiple varieties. These include Red Prince, Ambrosia, Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious and McIntosh, in addition to bushels of Cortland, Crispin/Mutsu, Empire, Idared, Jerseymac, Northern Spy, Paulared, Red Delicious, Russet and Spartan apples.

“Consumers have gravitated towards the Red Prince apple in a major way,” relates Botden.

The Red Prince, a pure red apple variety that is a natural cross between a Red Jonathan and a Golden Delicious, is considered first true winter apple.

The apple is harvested in the late fall, but because it is quite tangy at that time, it is placed in a cold storage facility on the farm for three months to balance the apple’s natural sugars and acids. The process creates a sweet, tangy apple that is both crisp and juicy.

“We actually place the Red Prince apples in a temperature-controlled facility, and draw out a large percentage of oxygen to replace it with CO2 (carbon dioxide), basically putting the apple to sleep,” explains Botden. “It’s a similar procedure

for wine, except instead of grapes we’re doing it with this variety of apple.”

The Red Prince was first grown in The Netherlands back in 1994, with the Botdens growing it there on their farm.

Today, the Botdens actually own the exclusive rights to grow and distribute the Red Prince apple in North America.

“One major retailer told us this apple now competes wit their third-fastest selling apple in the chain,” reveals Botden, adding that Binkley Apples receives constant direct feedback from its customers about what they love about the apple and its packaging.

“Another chain said it is now their best-performing apple from January to summer.”

The busiest time for any natural farm is typically in the autumn, and Binkley Apples is no different—ramping up is production to two shifts a day, seven-days-a-week.

In the winter, the orchard gets by on just five employees, but during the spring and summer, it hums along with 80 workers, ripening into a robust payroll for 240 employees during the fall harvest.

“Our packing plant runs along with 24 people during our season low, peaking at 45 employees during the season high,” Botden relates.

While the traditional manner of purchasing apples at a grocery store has been to pluck apples from the various bulk trays in the fresh fruit aisle, Binkley Apples provides consumers and customers

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PACKAGE DESIGN

Binkley Apples uses the globally-renowned Dutch-built GREEFA GeoSort grading machine specifically designed for soft-fruit analysis to ensure product quality is consistent for its customers and consumers. The GeoSort is easily controlled by a Siemens Simatic Touch (inset) operator control panel touchscreen.

with a wide variety of packaging formats: • tray-packs of 113, 100, 88, 80, 72, 64 and 56 apples per case; • three-, four-, five- and eight-pound clear polybags; • Euro boxes; • two- and three-layer RPCs; • d isplay-ready cartons; • g ift-packs, and; • the Red Prince bags for 2.5-pounds of Red Prince apples only.

Each reclosable plastic bag contains 1.13 kilograms of the sustainably-grown Red Prince, and only Red Prince.

Boasting a dominant clear window to show off the fancy-grade apples, the plastic bag looks like a kraft paper shopping bag complete with a rope handle, thanks to some fancy graphic manipulation designed by the Toronto-based St. Joseph Communications|Content Group.

The bag’s design also includes a high-quality PTC (press-to-close) resealable closure that runs

along the upper area. Above all, the folks at Binkley Apples were really impressed with the stand-up footprint of its bottom layer that really grabbed the consumer’s eye.

First used by Binkley Apples this past January, it has quickly created dramatic product differentiation to build fast-growing brand recognition in the retail marketplace.

“Even though we only began shipping in January of this year, this bag has helped vault our sales to new heights, surpassing any of the previous year sales history,” says Botden.

“But that initial run we had in January, was only a trial,” he recalls, “and we wanted to see if it could maintain the sales levels with repeat sales—and judging by the consumer feedback we have been receiving, it has surpassed all expectations.”

If winning awards still counts for anything, then the Binkley Apple Red Prince bag can count by twos: as it was a double winner at the 2015 PAC Packaging Consortium Global Leadership Awards held earlier this year.

Designed by St. Joseph Communications|Content Group, the Red Prince Apples bag took home the Applied Arts Design and Craft Award supplied by Applied Arts Magazine, as well as the Canadian Packaging

Consumer’s Voice Award sponsored by this magazine.

The double win marked the first time in the award’s competition that the top two Best of Show awards were won by the same company.

Although Binkley Apples does sell large quantities of bulk apples, Botden acknowledges that it is difficult to educate the consumer on the full Red Prince apple experience—sustainability, quality, consistency and taste—via the confines of the bulk produce bins.

“After we had conducted focus groups on the consumption of apples, we were better able to understand the confusion consumers were having regarding the packaging already out in the marketplace,” relates Botden.

“So we partnered with St. Joseph Communications to help remove the communication of what exactly the consumer is purchasing.

“The response has been a unanimously positive acceptance from every retailer and every consumer that has been in touch with us,” beams Botden.

“The patented bag design really gives us a unique look on the shelf.”

Printed in China via Vortex Packaging, Botden says it was important that the paper-looking plastic bags actually be recyclable. Though originally purchased in 2007 to design plastic packaging and

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Apples move along a sorting chain on a Greefa GeoSort grading machine. Binkley Apples uses rigorous automatic and manual quality control measures to ensure consistent grading and sizes.

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2 O 2 YEARS

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PACKAGE DESIGN

After the pre-determined numbers of apples are automatically deposited in plastic bags, workers at the Binkley Apples production facility in Thornbury quickly apply a tie closure to each bag and place into corrugated cases.

A conveyor system feeding the GeoSort grader is powered by servomotors manufactured by Lenze America

promote the sale of Niagara-grown fruit through improved retail packaging, Vortex Packaging has since expanded its geographical market by servicing customers like Binkley Apples.

The production facility at Binkley Apples, including its 4,400-square-foot cold storage rooms, is packed with various machinery.

Traveling on two infeed f lume lines, the apples are directed through sizing and grading equipment, before being further divided to 12 different single one-pack packing stations, each for the varying apple colors, sizes and packaging specifications.

For quality assurance purposes, Botden notes that “Each case of apples can be traced from our packing facility to the individual grocery store, and backwards to the farm and the block from which it was grown.

“We’re still a semiautomated business, and we’re always looking to become more automated where possible,” states Botden. “I know that in order to do the same volume of production by hand, I’d need to have at least 150 employees in the packing plant.”

So far in 2015, Binkley apples has installed a new Dutch-built GREEFA GeoSort grader, designed for handling soft fruits featuring a Siemens Touch Simatic panel operator touchscreen, and is currently in the process of installing a new IT

program custom-built for it by a Canadian partner.

The entire packaging line at Binkley Apples is, according to Botden, integrated with an advanced computerized traceability system that allows it to track the apples from the orchards to the customer’s shelf. Botden points out that all bin lots are traced throughout the system as apples enter the waters of its f lume.

“Customer safety is always high on the agenda, which is why we have our PrimusGFSI Food Safety Certification,” says Botden, citing the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), a globally respected and accepted food industry organization.

Despite knowing it has a wonderful product in its Red Prince apples and other varieties, Botden says that Canadian apple industry is very competitive, especially competing with the number of imported apples that are brought in.

“These imported apples have the benefit of lower taxes and wage rates relative to our Canadian standards,” says Botden. “So in order to compete successfully, Binkley Apples has to constantly ensure it only releases high-quality products that pass the muster on food safety.

“But of course, we also have to match out customer service targets while maintaining an equilibrium with pricing,” he acknowledges.

Botden says the high-density farming techniques used at Binkley Apples is one way to combat foreign competition, “it’s also the ability to provide consistent quality and taste.

“But along with packaging f lexibility and innovation, we’ve carved out a nice share of the market.,” Botden sums up.

“And, with inquiry calls coming in from various areas south of the border, our apples will be in the red for a long time yet.”

For More Information: St. Joseph Communications|Content Group Vortex Packaging Niagara Inc. Lenze Americas Corporation GREEFA Siemens Canada Limited CHEP Canada Inc.

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AUTOMATE NOW

THE SUDDEN IMPACK

Upstart Canadian machine-builder leverages innovation and leading-edge automation technologies to create new-generation folding-carton gluing solutions

Impack Packaging Equipment Design president and owner Dominic Thériault (left) and engineering director Mathieu Tremblay stand beside the company’s MFI microflute inverter.

ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY PIERRE LONGTIN

W

ithin the industrial machine manufacturing sector, a business can either quickly react in step to the ever-changing customer demands merely to keep up the proverbial Joneses, or one could seek to make their own way by creating equipment that bravely goes beyond the existing norm—a proposition often fraught with technological nightmares and vast capital expenses.

Either way, one has to prepare to spend a lot of time, effort and money on promoting the equipment trying to convince potential customers that their solution is the best one for their many needs.

For one Quebec-based solutions provider, getting a leg up on the competition boils down to continuous improvement on its existing designs and, of course, a little help from their friends.

Impack Packaging Equipment Design, headquartered in St. Jacques, Que., is an upstart equipment manufacturer specializing in the analysis of work methods, design and construction of folding cartons, microf luted and corrugated packaging customized to each customer’s exact needs.

The company is the brainchild of current company president Dominic Thériault who, in 2001

started up the business designing and manufacturaging’s customers include many leading folding ing auxiliary equipment for glue lines and foldingand corrugated carton manufacturing compancarton packaging applications ies who enjoy the fact the Impack will work with Moving to its current facility in 2003, the comthem to create machinery that addresses their pany patiently rode out a few ‘difficult’ years, but specific unique needs. has since been enjoying the sunny promises of For an upstart Canadian company, one would strong growth both in Canada and abroad.

“Like many manufacturers, we suffered from the 2008 global economic crisis, but for the past two years sales have resumed and our growth has soared with a well-filled order book,” Impack Packaging electrical designer and project coordinator Mathieu Tremblay told Canadian Packaging in a recent interview.

Designig and building customized foldA side view of the first prototype of Impack Packaging’s new MFI project designed to ing-carton packing invert microflute and corrugated cartons in batches before packing. lines, Impack Pack-

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AUTOMATE NOW

A close-up view of Schneider Electric’s touchscreen Magelis brand control panel displaying the current operational status of the Impack Packaging MFI microflute inverter.

Manufactured by Schneider Electric, a PACDrive system provides all the logic and motion control functionalities of the IMPACK machine via six servomotors.

One of the six servo motors manufactured by Schneider Electric that drive different sections of the MFI machinery built by Impack Packaging & Equipment.

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Bobst is a leading global supplier of equipment and services to packaging manufacturers in the folding-carton, corrugated board and f lexible materials industries, and is well respected by its customers who admire the robust performance its machines deliver.

Founded in 1890, and nowadays operating in 50 countries with 11 production facilities and 4,800 employees, one could correctly surmise that Bobst could work with whomever it wanted to work with.

WORLD STAGE

Built by the Numatics Division of Emerson Industrial Automation, the filter regulator and valve manifold ensure optimal pneumatic control of the MFI prototype machine.

expect it to deal mostly with Canadian businesses, but Tremblay says that simply isn’t the case citing that about half of its projects are for customers situated throughout North America, with the remainder largely split among customers in France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

While the folks at Impack Packaging would only be too happy to assume this global success has been solely because of the great machines it designs and builds, Tremblay wisely points out that recently-developed partnerships have paid huge dividends for them in the global circle—especially the one formed with The Bobst Group.

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Tremblay notes that in 2012, Bobst agreed to market a pair of Impack Packaging brands all over the world except for the U.S. and Canada, where it is already represented by PPC Technologies & Solutions LLC, and the U.K., where Ipack Solutions act as its agent.

Bobst product marketing director for folders-gluers Jacques Reymond explains: “The Virtuo and Ergosa packers produced by Impack fit neatly into the product matrix of Bobst folder-gluer peripherals, both in regards to capabilities and quality.

“Their machines allow us to offer turnkey solutions to customers who need carton packing capabilities on their folder-gluers, regardless of whatever materials, styles and run lengths they need to run.”

Impack Packaging currently produces over 20 configurable products within different product brands, including: • The MFA batch inverter for cartonboard; • Four versions of the Box Turner machines: IN-1; IN-2A; IN -2B; IN-3; • Virtuo automatic packer; • The Ergosa universal packer line, featuring the Ergosa 8A and 8C, MAE Ergosa Pick & Place Module, and Perpack Front Packaging Module; • MFI box turner for microf lute cartons; • Various feeding equipment for folder-gluers.

According to Tremblay, the Impack Packaging range of Ergosa universal packers combines the f lexibility of a semi-automatic packer and the performance of an automated packer.

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A side view of the input section of the Impack Packaging-designed Introduction machine that separates carton batches, featuring six precision pressure regulators from Numatics integrated with a Scatec II copy counter from Baumer to count each box.

Utilizing Festo pneumatic components, the Impack machine precisely controls the merge of batches at the junction section of the machine, so that when a batch comes in from a side, a plate is lowered on the opposite side in perfect alternating sequence.

Considered an ideal equipment choice for businesses achieving medium to high volumes of straight-line, crash-lock bottom, and 4/6 corner boxes, the Ergosa line of equipment is easy to operate and can handle multiple layers and rows.

The equipment’s built-in f lexibility enables the Ergosa packers can be easily installed with any type of folder-gluer ever manufactured.

Reymond notes that the Impack Packaging Ergosa “fits neatly between our HandyPack GT and CartonPack GT units.

“Along with the Virtuo and the existing Bobst range, it means we can help all types of carton manufacturers enhance the profitability of their folder-gluers,” he notes.

According to both Bobst and Impack, the Virtuo automatic packer can easily handle microf lute and lithographic laminated cartons in mid- to long-runs.

OUTSIDE THE BOX “Customer needs vary greatly, and so the exact orientation of a box inside a case might need to vary depending on the box type, formats or the client’s requests,” explains Tremblay.

“We offer a diverse range of equipment that will work best for the customers.”

The IN-1 box turner is described

by Impack as its simplest and most economical way to rotate straight line boxes, allowing a 90-degree rotation of small- to medium-size straight line boxes on the foldergluer compression belt, and is easily reversible for a right or left rotation depending on application needs.

The two IN-2 models are alike in every manner but one. Both rotate all types of boxes from small to very large, have two control modes—stand-alone or controlled by the Ergosa or Virtuo; but the IN2B has three possible configura-

JUNE 2015

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AUTOMATE NOW reshingling of the cartons for semi- or fully automatic packaging.

“It can be used inline with our Virtuo and Ergosa packers, as well as many automatic packers from other competitors,” explains Tremblay, adding the system boats impressive quick-changeover capabilities.

Featuring a non-inverting bypass mode, the MFA allows the production of straight line, 4/6 corner and other cartons without A sampling of products run by Impack clients on various types of machinery, showing having to restrict the off its ability to handle a diverse range of product shapes, sizes, types and thicknesses. overall production line speed.

While noting that there are indeed a lot of good tions of left, right and straight-through, whereas Canadian machine builders out there, Tremblay the IN-2A has just two configurations: straight says that Impack Packaging is able to stand above through and left or right. the crowd thanks to its highly creative corporate Tremblay calls the IN-3, the company’s most culture. advanced carton turner model, saying it can turn “Without a doubt, innovation is our calling,” most box types from small to very large with the Tremblay proclaims. possible configurations of left, right or straight“We are constantly developing aspects on our through. equipment that stand out either because it is unique “The IN-3 is a unique design for us, as it rein its genre, because it simplifies the workf low for mains stationary even during the turning configthe customer, or because it can provide a higher urations,” explains Tremblay. “It’s very quick and performance at a lower cost.” easy to set up, and can be installed on all manufacTremblay says that one of the key aspects of the turers makes and models of folder-gluers—new or success Impack Packaging has enjoyed is due to the existing.” fact that its equipment easily integrates into preROLL WITH IT existing production lines without taking up large Impack also produces the MFA automatic rollover volumes of space. system—something the company calls the first of “For most processors, space within a production its kind. facility is always at a premium,” Tremblay explains.

According to Impack, the MFA lock/auto bot“We’re not just talking about physical f loorspace, tom batch inverting system allows the user to invert but also the amount of room available for workers precisely-counted batches of various thicknesses, to move around the equipment safely. types and styles of lock/auto bottom cartons with a We’re keenly aware of that requirement, and al-

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ways seek to create a community workf low that is in the best interest of everyone involved.

“Compact integration is great, but it also has to be safe,” he states.

Achieving success in any field is something never achieved alone, and Impack Packaging is no exception—citing the technological partnership it has developed with the globally-operating automation components manufacturer Schneider Electric.

On the new automatic MFI machinery that turns micro f luted cartons at speeds up to 20,000 units per hour, Tremblay notes that it comes equipped with two dividers for boxes at the exit point, with a packaging module making the immediate decision to index the cartons left or right, depending on customer requirements.

“Schneider’s participation in the development of this new equipment has been crucial,” says Tremblay, crediting Schneider Electric for supplying the electrical equipment that enabled it to reduce the development costs of the MFI machine.”

“Just working with the people at Schneider Electric has been a boon for us when developing the electrical architecture of this new equipment,” Tremblay adds.

FULL TURN With the MFI’s all important turning module equipped with controls and actuators supplied by Schneider Electric, Tremblay notes that it was a ‘no-brainer’ to incorporate the company’s PACDrive logic motion controller and industrial drive system into Impack’s machine design.

“When you are a small industrial equipment manufacturer, it’s a challenge to develop partnerships with even a fellow small OEM (original equipment manufacturer),” sums up Tremblay.

“So gaining the advantage of working with a global force such as Schneider Electric, and the marketing push from Bobst, PPC Technologies and Ipack Solutions is something we don’t take lightly or for granted,” he states.

“It’s nice to know that everyone involved will work hard to help support and promote our new products, which will only continue increase our visibility and success in the industrial machine manufacturers market.”

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AN EGGCEPTIONAL ENDEAVOR Canadian-caviar processor aims to redefine the product’s market perception and appeal with innovative products and top-class packaging

In three short years, Imperial Caviar & Seafood president Naor Cohen has turned his company into a media-savvy business keen on attracting a younger consumer base to the intricate flavors of caviar, fish roe and innovative kelp-based caviar substitute—with hip new packaging options that are gaining interest from retailers and consumers alike.

ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY PIERRE LONGTIN

T

he general popular consensus about caviar, is that it’s a rich man’s snack-food product.

Although based in factual history, one Canadian entrepreneur is in the process of changing that long-enduring perception by not only creating a ‘cooler’ package designed to capture the attention of a younger audience but also to help introduce a new product to the tastebuds of the far larger segment of consumer public that can afford the savory indulgence.

Imperial Caviar & Seafood, situated in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. is a processor and manufacturer of caviar fish roe, and kelp caviar—a caviar substitute with taste and consistency similar to regular caviar.

“I jokingly tell people I’m in the egg business,” Imperial Caviar owner and president Naor Cohen told Canadian Packaging magazine during a recent interview.

The fact is Imperial Caviar is the global leader in the production of kelp caviar—a zero calorie, zero cholesterol, low-sodium caviar/roe substitute that mimics the real thing with remarkable proximity.

“When it comes to the caviar category in general, Imperial Caviar & Seafood has, within the three years since the business was founded, established itself as the Canadian leader in the caviar, roe and caviar substitute industry,” Cohen proclaims.

The company’s production facility—measuring 10,000 square feet—comprises 1,500 for office, 3,000 for warehousing (both dry and frozen), 3,000 for kelp caviar production, and the remaining 2,500 square feet for the rest of the production, and is a big leap from its former home measuring only 2,300 square feet just a year ago.

Imperial Caviar offers many varieties of both black and red caviar from such traditional fish species such as sturgeon from various locales, and paddlefish, as well as roe harvested from five varieties of salmon; chum, pink, coho, king and Atlantic.

Other Canadian -sourced roe marketed by Imperial includes whitefish, golden trout, pike, masago, lumpfish, salmon and carp from the wild, farm-raised rainbow trout and salmon, and even sea urchin roe hand-harvested from the wild.

Though not invented by Imperial Caviar, the kelp caviar substitute has become a huge business concern in the North American caviar market segment in recent years.

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PACKAGE DESIGN

Unable to find the necessary equipment on the market, Imperial Caviar founder Naor Cohen built a pearl-forming machine for his kelp caviar product, which forms alginate into tiny beads achieving the size and shape similar to real fish caviar and roe products.

Cohen says that his Kelp Caviar brands, substitute caviar and roe products, currently account for 45 per cent of the company’s sales. “It is by far our largest and most profitable product line,” he states.

“It’s the product that started the company and one that we export to 18 countries around the world, with our largest markets in the U.S., United Arab Emirates and Italy.”

Cohen says that part of the allure of the kelp caviar product is that to the average person, it tastes just as one would expect real caviar to taste, though Cohen points out it is less salty.

Although Kelp Caviar is the company’s best seller year-round, Cohen reveals that the company’s fastest selling item is sturgeon caviar, with about 80 per cent of its annual sturgeon caviar volume sold in the last two festive, celebration-filled weeks of the year.

With 10 full-time employees year-round, expanding to about 25 during October through December, Imperial Caviar produces an average of 10,000 kilograms of kelp caviar per week.

“If we measured the production of all Imperial Caviar products we market, including sturgeon caviar and salmon roe, we should produce 200 tons annually,” explains Cohen.

“From a manufacturing perspective it doesn’t sound like much,” he allows, “but for the caviar industry it’s massive.”

Cohen says he’s confident that within the next 12 months, his company will reach $2 million in annual sales, and $5 million by the company’s fifth business year.

Cohen says the company is 100-percent owned by himself, a fact he has every right to be proud of.

“There are no bank loans, no credit lines, and all of the initial investments have been repaid,” he says, including the startup capital infusion from Dave Chiton from the uber-popular CBC television show The Dragon’s Den, after Cohen made a successful appearance on the show.

Describing his extremely popular caviar substitute, Cohen says it is indeed derived from kelp, but not in the conventional manner.

The cycle begins with the harvesting of alginate, an ingredient contained within marine-grown brown algae, that is placed in contact with calcium to irrevocably change its chemical format to a gelatin.

“I believe Unilever discovered it back in the 1950s, but nothing was done with it until much later, when someone had the bright idea to util-

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ize it within the food industry,” he explains.

Cohen says the technique is now used to shape products such as pimentos in olives for all the martini lovers, as well as some onion rings. “We utilized the same concept, only we made caviar out of it,” he chuckles.

Because the kelp caviar is actually designated as a gum, rather than a food product, and thus not controlled by a specific agency, Imperial Cavi­ ar has After forming, kelp caviar beads falls into a wet calcium solution, is quality checked for taken it upon itself to shape and then hand-separated to ensure each bead receives a proper water rinsing. follow a food safety protocol similar in deImperial Caviar runs a typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. sign to the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Conshift, five days a week, with two to three people trol Points) safety protocol. directly involved in production.

“We are still required to provide a Health CerThings then start to ramp up quickly through tificate for all our exports signed and stamped by December, with a doubling of work shifts and apthe CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), of proximately 20 people involved in the production course,” notes Cohen, relating that Imperial Cavidepartment. ar purchases pre-processed alginate directly from “The August to December period is all for the the manufacturer. anticipated Christmas rush, when it is a known Using a machine Cohen custom-built himself, fact that people are willing to spend more money the alginate is formed into two to 2.5-mm-sized than usual,” Cohen explains. “In fact, the months beads, colored, and salted to the appropriate conof November and December actually account for sistency, turning it into kelp caviar.

75 per cent of our annual sales.”

“There was no machine available on the market Currently, Canadian sales for Imperial Caviar rethat could help us form the alginate into tiny caviar volve around the East Coast region, with jars of its pearls, so we made one ourselves,” Cohen recalls. products being snapped up off the shelves at major After first creating the machine three years ago, Imgrocery chains such as Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, perial Seafood is currently in talks to commercialize IGA, Provigo. Even though Cohen promises a the pearl-making machine in partnership with comWestcoast expansion coming soon, caviar lovers panies in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. can simply sate themselves with a few clicks of the Cohen says that he did not come up with the kelp mouse via the online Costco.ca website. caviar concept himself, having purchased the ImImperial Caviar also does quite a good deal of perial business in 2009 from other concerns that business via Whole Foods Market in the U.S., were ahead of the time but perhaps lacking the reprompting it to physically open a sales office and quired marketing skills. warehouse in Fairfield, N.J., in order to further Says Cohen: “But as I had always been involved keep up and expand its reach across the border. in the luxury products business—selling quality “While we’ll always be a Canadian company, I beverages to hotels and restaurants—I had a good can honestly state that within the next 12 to 18 idea of a similar clientele to what the caviar busimonths that our U.S. sales will overtake all other ness first entailed.” sales,” he confides.

Between the months of January through July,

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PACKAGE DESIGN

Designed and printed by Pazazz, the striking outer paperboard three-pack of Kelp Caviar brand package includes the sturgeon, salmon and wasabi varieties packed in glass jars manufactured by Dominion & Grimm.

Cohen backs up his optimism by pointing to the fact that he currently has two contracts shipping caviar to Miami for delivery to cruise ships affiliated with the Royal Caribbean tourist shipping line, and with excellent reviews received for his products, he anticipates more individual contracts with other ships on that line.

“They consume a lot of caviar on each of those cruises,” he chuckles.

The caviar and roe eggs are packaged under the Imperial Caviar brand label, while the substitute version goes under the Kelp Caviar banner.

“Despite the popularity of our own brands, we actually do more private-label business,” adds Cohen, relating that Imperial Caviar co-packs a kelp caviar brand for famed martial artist and movie star Jackie Chan.

“I really think we’ve become the go-to business in the caviar industry,” he enthuses.

“Despite the aura of our products, we’re not haughty,” he notes. “We like the media in all its forms, and don’t mind providing answers to them to help demystify the market,” says Cohen.

While Cohen admits that his time on Dragon’s Den was time well-spent as far as creating market visibility, he says that the packaging used by Imperial Caviar continues plays an even more profound role in garnering new clientele.

LOOKING GOOD Because little can be done to affect the taste of regular caviar, with only a light manipulation of f lavors done for the kelp version, with the primary thing that Cohen can affect is the packaging.

“Caviar is caviar,” he explains. “There are higherquality varieties, and even more expensive varieties.

“Those two things are not mutually exclusive to one another, so we use our packaging to better stand out on the retail shelf,” he says.

The company makes extensive use of 50-gram glass jars for 90 per cent of its total volume of caviar, 100-gram glass jars for all kelp caviar product, 500-gram and one-kilogram plastic tubs; and fourand 20-kilogram plastic pails for high-volume customer orders.

“We have also created a new package for Sobeys—a clamshell hanger-pack featuring the glass jar ensconced in a plastic clamshell with a thin paperboard insert for better product identification,” Cohen relates.

“Although this package, not including the glass jar and lid, is manufactured and printed by Pazazz in China, there is an additional $0.19 value per pack,” he asserts.

“We do not, however, upcharge for it. It’s a pricedriven, value-added function,” adds Cohen. “We believe the greater visibility offered by the packaging will create greater client interest and sales.

It’s win-win for everyone.”

A firm proponent of using the main traditional caviar packaging component of glass for retail, Cohen says he gets all his jars and screw-top lids from Dominion & Grimm, a 130-year-old container manufacturer headquartered in Anjou, Que. “We have been working with Dominion & Grimm since the beginning,” Cohen says. “They helped us grow our business, knowing our credit needs and our needs in general.

“Because of the nature of the business, I present them with a six-month estimate of our jars, tubs and pail needs, and whether its one pallet or 10 pallets, they will warehouse it for us, delivering it as required.”

Cophen says he admires the new ‘fat-belly’ glass jars Dominion & Grimm supplies for the Kelp Caviar products.

“These jars have, in my opinion, a more modern shape, which goes a long way in helping to define who we are and how we are positioning ourselves towards a younger audience,” Cohen proclaims.

“They have been a large part of who Imperial Caviar is today.”

Another key contribution is the eye-catching label designed and printed by Pazazz, a one-stop shop for marketing and branding needs. Headquartered in Montreal, Pazazz, a well-known converter, specializes in offset printing up to 56 inches wide”, digital printing, labels, packaging and wide -format printing.

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PACKAGE DESIGN

A piston-driven depositor manufactured by Unifiller Systems fills Imperial Caviar & Seafood’s kelp caviar in glass jars manufactured by Dominion & Grimm at a steady rate of 45 jars per minute.

Imperial Caviar leverages the small-character coding prowess of a Markem-Imaje 9020 inkjet printer to apply a quickdrying ink to generate the recommended best-before dates on the side of each product lid.

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tastic supplier to Imperial Caviar, designing and printing high-quality labels for us—often within a very short turnaround,” notes Cohen. “They really understand our needs.”

Amicably referring to Pazazz as an unofficial partner, Cohen says he is grateful for the role they played in helping him grow his business.

“It sounds ridiculous, but I can just meet with them and tell them what my product is, and their graphics department creates exactly what we need.

It’s almost spooky,” laughs Cohen. “But really, they just seem so in-tune with what I am trying to do in this market segment.”

Adds Cohen: “There continues to be a lot of companies interested in attracting our label business, many offering lower pricing to lure us. But I know you get what you pay for, and I get quality labels and quality service from Pazazz.”

As Cohen relates, packaging has everything to do with marketing within the caviar industry, noting how jar sizes and materials used are essentially standardized, which makes the product very pricesensitive.

“We get calls all the time asking for our best caviar,” admits Cohen. “But I always prefer to provide a choice, as the f lavors are always subjective, and so I mention more than one caviar variety.

“They always ask for our best caviar—and then query again if that’s the most expensive one we have, because that’s the one they really want,” he expands.

“I’ll still offer my opinion that price doesn’t necessarily imply quality. There is also rarity and even outrageous marketing at play here, but failing that, I’ll still happily provide exactly what they are asking for.”

A three-pack of the company’s designer Kelp Caviar featuring the f lavors of Sturgeon, Salmon and Wasabi—each roe substitute appropriately colored

by Imperial Caviar in black, red and green, respectively—are aptly created by the talents of the Pazazz designers.

“Naor is a great guy,” extols Pazazz label division president Shawn Werbitt. “He has an idea of what he wants, and nine times out of 10 time we can blow him away on the first attempt.

“One of those successful projects involved creating the folding paperboard packaging to hold a three-pack of the 100-gram Kelp Caviar jars.”

The whole plan was to create a larger shelf presence for the product to improve on the typical stacked position of 5-centimeter high jars.

“The result is stunning,” says Cohen of the 16cm wide and 13-cm high paperboard pack featuring beautiful photographic images around the front, back and side ends, and even inside the pack.

Because the Kelp Caviar jars only stand 4-cm high including the lid, and 7.5-cm wide at its ‘fattest’, grabbing the customer’s eye can be challenging, which was why Imperial Caviar opted to place the jars within the much larger paperboard pack.

Creating a more snug pack—to protect the glass jars from moving around and spilling the product—Pazazz created a longer side f lap on each end, which is folded back and deep into the pack to provide secure protective cushioning.

As an added bonus, each of those interior cushions contains a recipe suggestion showing ways the kelp caviar can be presented.

For would-be consumers who are put off by the perceived ‘snob appeal’ of caviar, Cohen has attempted to market his products in a less pompous manner, noting how the clamshell hanger-packs

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PACKAGE DESIGN difficult field to do business in, but I like where shipped to Sobeys and the U.S. market are strikImperial Caviar is going,” he ref lects. ingly different from industry conventions.

“We’ve jumped into a niche segment of the cavi“Plus the labels Pazazz designed for us have cool ar market with our Kelp Caviar brand, and because colors and pictures of each species of fish supplying it was so ‘new-ish’, we realized we had to create a the caviar and roe,” Cohen says. different way to market ourselves from the trad“That relaunch of our brands a few months ago itional caviar products. was conceived to appeal to a younger audience for “And thanks to the help from Pazazz and Doa traditional market,” remarks Cohen. “And, it apminion & Grimm,” Cohen sums up, “Imperial pears to have been a success.”

Caviar has carved out a successful trade that looks While traditionalists might sneer at the use of the to get even better in the future.” plastic clamshell packaging to showcase the caviar, Cohen says it also acts to protect the glass jar for For More Information: retailers from theft.

“Unfortunately, not every person is honest, as Dominion & Grimm Inc. 455 there is quite a lot of theft in the retail caviar segAlways looking for a creative edge, Imperial Caviar Pazazz 456 produces a gold-foil pack containing a black ingot of ment because it is quite easy to slip a small 50-gram Unifiller Systems Inc. 457 real caviar, is typically rasped onto foods for that special jar into one’s pocket,” he says. “But the clamshell Markem-Imaje Inc.

458 garnish flavor and glamorous presentation. helps bulk up the product, while also ensuring each product has its own billboard to capture the paying customer’s attention.”

For his part, Werbitt notes that working with Imperial Caviar is always a fun experience, but one which the Pazazz crew takes seriously.

“We look at each project we undertake as though it is our own personal product,” states Werbitt.

“We look at it from three fronts: The T 600 traysealer features flexibilty and high-performance. With its quick and Can I produce it? Is it financially easy changeover, simple operation and MULTIVAC Hygienic Design™, simply opt feasible? and Would I buy it as a for the better solution. consumer?

“If we can answer ‘yes’ to all three things, then we will proceed. If not, we will work with our customers to educate them better.

“When they succeed we succeed, and I think Imperial Caviar is a fine example of that synergy,” Werbitt states.

“We’re currently taking $1.5 million a year in sales,” says Cohen, “but we’re on such a steep growth curve that’s it’s not unrealistic to see us in the $8-million to $10-million sales range in five years’ time.

To keep production f low smooth, Imperial Caviar also employs some equipment on-site to to pack the marine products, including: A fast, powerful but gentle • piston-driven depositer manufactured by Delta, B.C.-based Unifiller Systems. It is used for the substitute caviar products only filling at a rate of about 45 jars per minute. Naturally, the authentic caviar products are still hand-filled, owing to the delicate nature of the product;

Markem-Imaje 9020 •A compact, full-feature, smallcharacter inkjet printer with a quick-dry ink to apply an inobtrusive best-before date along the side of the jar’s lid.

“It’s been a fun ride so far,” Cohen happily acknowledges.

“The caviar market can be a

Economic miracle.

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POSITIONAL AWARENESS

The productivity payoff of using variable position cylinders to enable quick changeovers on today’s high-speed food and beverage production lines

By BILL SERVICE and JOSEPH PAWELSKI

T

he need to improve labor efficiency in plants and warehouses is often exacerbated by poor labor availability in these environments. These problems are particularly acute in the food-and-beverage sector, where the number and variety of products f lowing through these facilities is rising dramatically.

To help deal with these challenges, food-andbeverage manufacturers are upgrading their fixed and dedicated production lines to handle a larger variety of products without expending too much time realigning them.

They started by continually adding two-position pneumatic cylinders until their lines were able to operate four different guide rails to accommodate the various bottle sizes needed.

Eventually, alas, it becomes impossible to fit any more cylinders onto packaging equipment.

Besides, this process requires laborious timeconsuming manual adjustment until additional

beverage industry—allowing manufacturers to changeover an entire line to accommodate a different-sized product in just minutes.

Jointly developed by Parker Hannifin Corp. and Flexibility Engineering, the new Anysize technology is a pneumatic-based position cylinder that can quickly and economically accommodate multiple package sizes by adjusting guide rails anywhere between zero to two inches on either side of the line—enabling them to handle most single container and case product sizes.

Users only need to input the required guide rail width, and the Anysize system automatically makes a thousand or more positioner adjustments, to tolerances of a few millimeters from each other, down the length of the line.

FITTING IN

Because cost is so often a major factor in maintenance or capital investment decisions, one of the key advantages of this technology is that it was designed with the ability to retrofit existing production lines, with a lot of work going into the system’s design to keep the costs down.

Electronic linear actuators can often be too costly and maintenanceprohibitive for the quantities required and harsh environments found in some plants.

With failure of an electrical actuator system requiring highly skilled labor to repair, these people may often be unavailable when needed because they typically have many other responsibilities.

Because Anysize has The Anysize pneumatic-based positioning system enables users to input a guide rail only one moving part per width to let the technology automatically make a thousand or more adjustments, to tolpositioner, and is pneuerances of a few millimeters from each other, down the entire length of a conveyor line. matic-based with only guide rail is needed. This new rail then needs to be one air line, it provides a highly reliable and robust manually adjusted, and eventually adjusted every solution in the event of failure of a positioner. time another cylinder is added to the new rail.

Designed for quick and easy repair, the Anysize In the beverage industry, bottlers face difficulty system is entirely passive and is comprised of a posjust breaking even due to the high costs of adding itioner and control component called a Regulated and changing bottle sizes so frequently to keep up Air Distribution (RAD) box. with the increasing number of different products Used to regulates the system’s air pressure, the and demand for unique and short-run packaging.

RAD box contains filters for ensuring clean dry Today’s high-speed food-and-beverage plants air and pneumatic components that smooth over need a f lexible packaging system allowing the any f luctuations in plant air. addition of the required rail width, along with the There is typically enough air stored in the RAD ability to make the necessary thousand positioner box to overcome short periods of lost plant air adjustments within a few millimeters of each other pressure, because the system is purely pressurequickly and automatically. based. With a single air line used to control each Due to the cost-prohibitive nature of traditional positioner from a trunk line, pressure of up to 80 electronic linear actuators and stepper motors in pounds per square inch acts on a piston to apply this application, new “variable position cylinforce on a heavy spring. der” technology was developed for the food-andThe advantage of using springs is that the ex-

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The Anysize system uses a single positioner and airline to help a conveyor line accommodate multiple-sized cases.

tension (movement) of a spring is proportional to the load applied to it—hence they will move an exact distance every time if the same force is applied. These springs are designed for an “infinite life cycle,” which for most engineering purposes equals one million cycles.

The standard Anysize model adjusts rails from zero to two inches and anywhere in-between, with newer models able to cover up to four inches.

While used primarily in high-speed PET air conveyor lines and beverage conveyor lines, their use is growing on case conveyor and conventional conveying lines.

BETTER OFF Naturally, the Anysize system has been improved over time. Work on air control led to the first patent on the concept of creating a force balance for positioning, with mechanical feedback consisting of the precision spring in each positioner.

And while the air distribution system originally used an E-P (electro-pneumatic) regulator and a “tank farm” to supply continuous pressure, that approach has been replaced with a pilot-controlled regulator for better pressure control. Further work is being done to improve the stroke of the cylinder by manipulating pre-loading and using statistical modeling of the spring rate distribution.

In the past, addressing the ongoing challenge of producing an ever-increasing variety of products and sizes left manufacturers with little choice but to maintain and upgrade costly production lines that were only able to add f lexibility by increasing complexity.

Today’s variable position cylinder technology— based on the pneumatic cylinder technology already in use—provides manufacturers with a novel means to increase f lexibility and speed, while reducing overall system complexity and cost.

Bill Service is the North American marketing manager for the Pneumatic Division of Parker Hannifin Corp., and Joseph Pawelski is vice-president of technology at Flexibility Engineering.

For More Information: Parker Hannifin Canada Inc. Flexibility Engineering

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PEOPLE  Industrial sensor technologies supplier and integrator Balluff Inc. of Florence, Ky., has appointed Tony Canonaco as president and chief executive officer.

executive officer; and Rick Keller as vice-president for the extrusion coating and solution coating business segments.

Keller

Canonaco

 Athens, Ga.-based Fowler Pro­ducts, a Pro Mach subsidiary specializing in high-speed capping machines and systems, has appointed Franck Vidal as vice-president of sales and marketing.

Vidal

 Automation devices and controls supplier WAGO Corporation has appointed Jeff Zimmerman as regional sales manager for the U.S. northwest region, responsible for coordinating the company’s sales and marketing activities in Oregon, Washington Zimmerman and Idaho.  Norristown, Pa.-based pharmaceutical paperboard packaging supplier Rondo-Pak has appointed Brian McGonigle as director of operations.

McGonigle

Murphy

 Plastics extrusion and converting machinery manufacturer Davis‐Standard, LLC of Pawcatuck, Conn., has appointed James Murphy as the company’s president and chief

Reiland

 Industrial adhesive applicating systems and components supplier Baumer hhs of Dayton, Ohio, has appointed Doug Reiland as sales manager for the south-central U.S. region, and Jenni Jones as inside sales manager.

 German manufacturer of vacuum technologies and gripper systems FIPA has appointed Joseph Opal as regional sales and marketing manager for the North American plastics business, to be based his home office in the Chicago area.

 SATO Holdings Cor­ pora­ tion, Tokyo, Japan-headquartered manufacturer of auto ID (automatic identification) systems and technologies for a diverse range of industrial and consumer applications, has appointed Michael Beedles Beedles as president of the company’s SATO America, LLC subsidiary in Charlotte, N.C.

Stepanian

Opal

 Food and Beverage Ontario, a provincial alliance of Ontario’s leading food and beverage processors headquartered in Toronto, has appointed Anthony Perrotta as director of membership and industry relations.  German industrial automation controls and technologies group Bosch Rexroth has appointed Paul Cooke as regional president for the Americas region, as well as president and chief executive officer of the company’s Bosch Cooke Rexroth Corporation U.S. subsidiary in Charlotte, N.C.

 Dallas, Tex.-based printing press machinery and technologies supplier KBA North America has appointed Alex Stepanian as regional sales director.

 Appleton, Wis.-based corrugated packaging converter and merchandising display manufacturer Great Northern Corporation has appointed Mark Van Pay as director of marketing.

Van Pay

 Cincinnati, Ohio-head­ quar­ tered automated material handling systems manufacturer and integrator Intelligrated has appointed Russ Mellott as vicepresident of software sales.

Mellott

 The Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA) of Utrecht, The Netherlands, has appointed Dick de Koning as the group’s new chairman.

EVENTS July 21-22/July 23-24 Minneapolis, Minn.: Heat Shrink Sleeve Label Technologies Workshop, by AWA Alexander Watson Associates. To register, go to: www.awa-bv.com

ment and technology exhibition by SME. At The International Centre (Mississauga, Ont.) To register, call 1 (888) 322-7333, ext. 4426; or go to: www.cmts.ca

Sept. 15-18

Oct. 7-8

Chicago: Process Expo 2015, the global food equipment and technology show by Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA). Concurrently with the InterBev Process 2015 beverage technologies exhibition by Nürnberg Messe North America, Inc. Both at the McCormick Place. To register, go to: www.myprocessexpo.com

Philadelphia, Pa.: Philly Pack, packaging technologies exhibition by UBM Canon. Concurrently with MD&M Philadelphia, ATX (Automation Technology Expo) Philadelphia, PLASTEC Philadelphia, Design & Manufacturing Philadelphia and Pharmapack North America. All at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. To register, go to: www.UBMCanon.com/PH15

Sept. 19-20 Toronto: CHFA East, natural health and organics industry showcase by the Canadian Health Food Association, with pre-show conference on Sept.

17-18, 2015. At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. To register, go to: www.chfa.ca

Oct. 20-22

Sept. 28-30

Nov. 3-6

Las Vegas, Nev.: PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015, packaging technologies exhibition by PMMI-The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Concurrently with the Pharma EXPO trade show of the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE). Both at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To register, go to: www.packexpolasvegas.com

Milan, Italy: SIMEI 2015, international enological and bottling equipment exhibition. At Fiera Milano Rho. To register, go to: www.simei.it

Sept. 28 - Oct. 1 Toronto: Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) 2015, national industrial equip-

Cologne, Germany: Polyolefin Additives and Compounding 2015, conference by Applied Market Information Ltd (AMI). To register, go to: www.amiconferences.com

Nov. 16-19 Düsseldorf, Germany: MEDICA 2015 and COMPAMED 2015, international medical trade fair and international medical technologies exhibition by Mess Düsseldorf GmbH. Both at the Messe Düsseldorf fairgrounds. To register, go to: www.medica.de or www.compamed.de

Nov. 18-19 Montreal: Advanced Manufacturing Canada (AMC), conference and trade show by SME. At the Palais des congrès de Montréal. To register, go to: www.advancedmfg.ca

aNNoUNceMeNT UniTrak appoints New Managing Director for UK operations

Nick Webber MD of UniTrak Powderflight

UniTrak Corporation Limited, Port Hope, ON has appointed Nick Webber to the position of Managing Director of UniTrak Powderflight Limited, a subsidiary of UniTrak, following the retirement of Doug Snoddon after 35 years of service.

Webber has been Technical Manager since 2001, spearheading various initiatives leading to the success of the Glossop, UK operations.

For 45 years, UniTrak has manufactured conveying equipment as a global supplier to the powder and bulk material handling industry. UniTrak Powderflight is located in Glossop, Derbyshire, UK, and manages the European, Middle East and African markets.

For more information regarding Nick Webber, visit: http://www.unitrak.com/unitrak-appoints-new-managing-director-of-uk-subsidiary/

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SWEET AND SIMPLE PACKAGING FOR THE MASSES

A

lthough drink cartons may seem to be a dime a dozen these days, the creative packaging opportunities they offer with their generous canvas real estate and virtually airtight display capabilities are really a joy to behold when done right—as the Richmond Hill, Ont.-based Rubicon Food Products Ltd. has done with the one-liter Tetra Pak boxes of the company’s Lychee Exotic Juice Drink beverage. Using puzzle-like graphic patterns to create an effective wallpaper effect that completes partial graphics of the lychees when standing the boxes immediately next to one another is a terrifically clever way to create a lively shelf presence where the end result deftly exceeds the sum of its parts, while making each box appear larger than it actually is.

With its subliminal message to buy more than one box to achieve similar effect back at home, the company has literally raised the art of “thinking outside the box” to a whole new level well above what the traditional, self-contained single-pack graphics can achieve—without resorting to a lot of loud ‘look-at-me’ visual clutter to make its point and connection with consumers at the shelf level.

The soft-white background matching the color of the juice is gently enhanced with legible text and a soothing company logo near the top of the box— an eye-pleasing swirl of blue water surrounding whimsical white lettering of the brand logo with a graphic of a hummingbird in full f light.

The New York City-based Quirky Incorporated truly lives up to its name with the package for the company’s Bake Shapes Decorative Muffin Tapers, which at first glance look like they belong more in a toy store than in the kitchen utensils aisle. Easily catching the eye with its colorful assortment of a pair of purple, yellow and green lids—used

to form the dented impression in the top layer of the muffins to make room for toppings and fillings—the simple die-cut f lat piece of cardboard is colored in a playful shade of green and sprinkled with images of fresh berries and finished shapely muffins, along with depiction of a well-manicured hand removing the lid from a freshly-baked muffin. A tasteful example of letting pictures do all the talking, the package boasts only a tiny bit of text in the middle to acknowledge the Bake Shapes inventor Hadar Ferris with a cute “invented by real people like you” tagline. Fittingly, the back of the pack reverts to plain black-and-grey color scheme to match the dark-grey tin bottoms protruding through the die-cut holes. The back panel features brief, well-spaced, easy-to-follow instructions made even easier with the use of line-drawing illustrations, with a small photo of Hadar Ferris herself delightfully putting the face behind the product just below the die-cut peg hole for hanging the whole set off a standard display rack. With its minimal use of material and spare use of colored inks, this remarkably simple, yet eminently delightful and 100-percent recyclable package gets full brownie points for its minimal carbon footprint impact, without any bragging or preaching overtones to go with it.

With minimalist labeling and graphics, the new 3.49-liter plastic jugs of the Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice—produced by Bradenton, Fla.-based Tropicana Products Inc.—features a large f lip-up lid that remains watertight when shaking the contents before pouring, and the clear container allows consumers to see exactly how much pulp is contained in the 100-percent not-from-concen-

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Atlantic Packaging

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Regal Beloit

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Reiser Canada

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trate juice inside. Clearly designed with ergonomics in mind, with the embossed Tropicana brand logo creating a nice shadow effect when caught in light at a certain angle, this family-sized bottle facilitates a well-balanced, one-handed pour of the contents, while checking all the boxes for ease of use and storage, product transparency, and a tight lid that never has to be fully separated from the bottle throughout its life-cycle.

Photos by Rhea Gordon

CHECKOUT RHEA GORDON

Imported here by the Mississauga, Ont.-based Hershey Canada Inc., the Reese brand has long been synonymous with chocolate and peanutbutter goodness served up in an iconic, one-of-a-kind mini-cupcake shape that lets both f lavors enhance one another’s taste. Having recently teamed up with the General Mills Corporation, the Reese brand has bravely expanded into the baking product category with the Reese Cupcakes Kit line that takes the Reese brand name into a whole new market territory. Its prominence on the package leaves no doubt about the identity of the star of the show—leaving the General Mills’ Betty Crocker brand’s trademarked spoon logo to play a largely supporting role. Well complemented with enticing graphics of a cupcake’s crosssection and another cupcake resting on a wooden table, the box is cleverly positioned in the baking aisle close to the Reese mini-pieces peanutbutter and chocolate hard-candy shells— packaged in pouches basting a large cookie decorated with these candies—that are proclaimed to be “perfect for baking.” For this iconic brand, a well-executed product category crossover is literally icing on the cake of a long and proud history of sweet mass appeal that the many legions of its fans will find sweetly rewarding in any way they choose to serve it up.

Rhea Gordon is a freelance writer living in Toronto.

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • JUNE 2015

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We also dispense

peace of mind.

Advanced technology Our tankless melters fill themselves.

Our SureBead® applicators unclog themselves.

Our Spectra® pattern controls troubleshoot themselves.

Our training programs and product manuals are available in a growing variety of languages.

But sometimes bad things happen to good equipment. That’s why we have a global network of customer service support available around the clock, 365 days a year. Our large inventory of ready-to-ship replacement parts are housed in a growing network of warehouses around the world, meaning they can be shipped to your plant quickly – keeping downtime to a minimum.

Unrivaled global customer support.

nVest for Success Get the complete package with the lowest total cost of ownership.

To learn more, contact your Nordson representative, or call (800) 234-0506. www.nordson.com/hotmelt /NordsonAdhesiveSystems /Nordson_HotMelt /NordsonAdhesiveSyst

All rights reserved. © 2015 Nordson Corporation

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Working side-by-side with Veritiv packaging experts, we’ll help you implement unique-to-you solutions.

From materials and design, to automation and fulfillment we provide award-winning solutions that deliver on both form and function. And with approximately 170 distribution centers in North America, our reach is extensive – but we hang our hat on localized and personal service.

• Gain greater efficiencies in your supply chain • Improve the visual and physical design of your packaging • Develop a process that reduces steps and increases speed to market • Meet your sustainability goals and earn certifications Your packaging needs to perform – from concept to destination.

Learn more about our offerings by contacting your Veritiv representative, or visit veritivcorp.com.

WINNER Veritiv™ designs award-winning packaging and is a proud winner of the PAC™ 2015 Global Leadership Award

veritivcorp.com

© 2015 Veritiv Corporation. All rights reserved. Veritiv and the Veritiv logo are trademarks of Veritiv Corporation or its affiliates.

Unisource and xpedx recently combined to form Veritiv™, a leading provider of Packaging Solutions.

We are 100% focused on shaping success for our customer’s business and brands.

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