Canadian Packaging

OCTOBER 2011 | $10

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Morgan Curran-Blaney, Director of Manufacturing, Janes Family Foods Ltd.

Tom Janes, Director of Corporate Sustainability, Janes Family Foods Ltd.

SEAS OF CHANGE Responsible fishing and sustainable packaging drive sea-friendly mindset at Janes Family Foods

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Story on page 20

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IN THIS ISSUE: STRETCHWRAPPING • PACKAGING FOR SHELF-LIFE • ADHESIVES

Brand Your Packaging Green

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Sustainable Packaging for a Sustainable Future®

Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd. has been an industry leader in producing and supplying corrugated packaging using 100% recycled fibre. We were one of the first in North America to produce environmentally friendly 100% recycled containerboard and continue the tradition today with the recent addition of our technically advanced New Forest paper mill.

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Corrugated Division Scarborough-Progress Ave., Scarborough-Midwest Ave., Brampton, Mississauga and Ingersoll 416-298-8101 • 1-800-268-5620 • www.atlantic.ca Add Ink (Atlantic Decorated & Display) Toronto 416-421-3636 • www.addink.ca Color Pak (Pre-printed Linerboard) Toronto 416-298-5518 • 1-800-584-5817 • www.colorpak.ca Mitchel-Lincoln Packaging Ltd. Montreal and Drummondville 514-332-3480 • 1-800-361-5727 • www.ml-group.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

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UPFRONT

A TIMELY CONFERENCE CALL

EDITOR George Guidoni • (416) 510-5227 GGuidoni@canadianpackaging.com FEATURES EDITOR Andrew Joseph • (416) 510-5228 AJoseph@canadianpackaging.com ART DIRECTOR Stewart Thomas • (416) 442-5600 x3212 SThomas@bizinfogroup.ca SENIOR PUBLISHER Stephen Dean • (416) 510-5198 SDean@canadianpackaging.com ADVERTISING SALES Munira Khan • (416) 510-5199 MKhan@canadianpackaging.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Kim Collins • (416) 510-6779 KCollins@bizinfogroup.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER Diane Rakoff • (416) 510-5216 DRakoff@bizinfogroup.ca EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lisa Wichmann • (416) 442-5600 x5101 LWichmann@canadianmanufacturing.com EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Tim Dimopoulos • (416) 510-5100 TDimopolous@bizinfogroup.ca

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OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

COVER STORY 20

OCTOBER 2010

| $10 www.canadianpa ckaging.com

Tom Janes, Director of Corporate Sustainability, Janes Family Foods Ltd.

High Seas

Morgan Curran-Blaney, Director of Manufacturing, Janes Family Foods Ltd.

Leading frozen-foods manufacturer champions the noble cause of responsible marine stewardship with a new range of eco-labeled seafood products. By George Guidoni Cover photography by Sandra Strangemore

SEAS OF CHANGE Responsible fishing and sea-friendly mindsetsustainable packaging drive at Janes Family Foods Story on page 20

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today’s new world food marketplace characterized by “globalization, new production processes, technology, consumer awareness and engagement, and the growing complexity of the sector.

“Other jurisdictions, including provincial governments within Canada and other countries, have been successfully reforming their overall regulatory systems and, in particular, their food regulations,” the report points out, singling out six areas for streamlining Health Canada’s mandate “by removing unnecessary regulations or changing the regulatory model to make it less prescriptive and more outcomes-based.”

• Substances added to Food. A tricky balancing act of adding food ingredients to improve public health, while cutting back on salt and other additives with health risks, a well-executed reform in this area could save the Canadian healthcare system up to an estimated $11.65 billion in indirect and $6.82 billion in direct costs.

• Health Claims. “There is no comprehensive legislative framework to deal with foods with health benefits, and also with natural health products, that is clear and straightforward,” the report notes.

• Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). The existing COOL standards in the U.S. often end up being costly irritants between Canada and its largest agricultural export market.

• Inspection. For all the good work by CFIA, the report urges “the adoption of quality management practices throughout the industry and a better system for encouraging the reporting of systems failures as they occur.”

• International Trade. With tariff rates of over 500 per cent for some agricultural products, Canada is not always the model economic trading partner it thinks it is.

While this all may seem to a bit too much to digest at once, it’s hard not to agree that acknowledging problems in all the right places is a good starting point for an effective, modern national food policy for serving Canada’s growing and aging population well into the 21st Century.

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OCTOBER 2011

hile conventional wisdom usually advises against fixing things that are not really broken, it will take more than conventional thinking to upgrade Canada’s complex food safety regulations that are starting to show signs of policy wear-and-tear through benign neglect at the top.

Notwithstanding some high-profile cases of food contamination and related product recalls, Canadian consumers do enjoy one of the world’s most stringent food safety inspection regimes—spearheaded on the federal level by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada. Which makes it all the more surprising to read that the incidence of food-borne illnesses averages about 13 million cases per year in Canada. While most of them are limited to fairly minor cases of gastroenteritis that rarely lead to serious health complications, anything problematic that is measured in millions must have some room for improvement somewhere up the chain of command.

And timely enough, there is a wealth of sensible ideas for reforming Canada’s long-in-the-tooth food safety framework in the recently-published Governing Food: Policies, Laws and Regulations for Food in Canada report from the inf luential Ottawa-based economic policy think-tank The Conference Board of Canada, which identifies key areas due for meaningful strategic reform to provide the Canadian public with a “proportionate, responsive, efficient, effective and transparent regulatory system” it deserves.

“Today, the food sector is one of the most highly controlled sectors of the economy, as government intervention has led to a steady growth in the number of policies, laws and regulations governing food, [and] the structure and organization of food policies and regulations in Canada has often resulted in competing priorities and policy inconsistencies among branches of government at the federal, provincial and municipal levels,” the report says. Such status quo is vastly out-of-step in

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PPING • PACKAGING

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FOR SHELF-LIFE •

ADHESIVES

11-10-17 12:47 PM

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS 5 6-7 8 9-10 11 13 29 29 30

UPFRONT By George Guidoni NEWSPACK Packaging news round-up from across Canada.

NOTES & QUOTES Noteworthy industry briefs and updates.

FIRST GLANCE New technologies for packaging applications.

ECO-PACK NOW All about environmental sustainability. imPACt A monthly insight from PAC-The Packaging Association.

PEOPLE Packaging career moves.

EVENTS Upcoming industry functions.

CHECKOUT By Rachel Horvath Joe Public speaks out on packaging hits and misses.

NEXT ISSUE: End-of-Line Packaging, Food Safety, Automate Now.

FEATURES 14

HOLDING IT TOGETHER

By George Guidoni Adhesive manufacturers redefine their business and strategies to come to grips with sustainability requirements and other pressing challenges.

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25

A REFRESHING PERSPECTIVE

By Andrew Joseph Fast-growing herbs distributor uses EMAP technology for impressive product shelf-life extension.

LEARNING TO FLY By Andrew Joseph Pre-mixed cocktails manufacturer generates industry buzz with its “green” mindset and practices.

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FIELDS OF DREAMS By Andrew Joseph Metal detection technology helps keep produce packer on a safe path to growth.

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 5

NEWSPACK

CENTRAL BANK ON THE MONEY WITH PLASTIC CASH Few things talk louder than money, and Canadians will have plenty to talk about starting next month, when the Bank of Canada releases the first set of the new $100 Canadian banknotes incorporating sophisticated polymer printing technologies to extend the typical shelf-life of the bills by 2.5 times, according to the bank.

“Canada’s new notes will be far more durable and last longer than its paper counterpart,” says Richard Wall, director of banknote production and distribution.

“And since polymer notes will be in better shape for a longer period of time, the Bank of Canada is raising the bar on quality,” states Wall, citing a uniquely innovative printing process combining traditional printing techniques with new inks, polymer material, transparent areas, detailed metallic image elements and other important security features.

Said to among the most state-of-the-art, technologically advanced banknotes in the world, Canada’s new polymer cash is produced on several printing presses applying special ink that reveals the detailed work of the engraver’s design.

After the serial numbers and a protective varnish are applied, the sheets are cut and the notes are packaged for shipment to the Bank of Canada, which has contracted two Ottawa-based security

printing companies to handle the printing and packaging processes.

“Ensuring integrity and consistency from one note to another is not only important for security and functionality reasons: it ref lects the pride we have in our work,” states Richard Wall, lauding the new notes’ advanced anticounterfeiting features.

According to Well, every new batch of notes is examined throughout the process to ensure all machine-readable features work as they should and meet exacting specifications.

While the new cash will have a new feel to its, Well says it will be just as easy to handle for the Canadian consumers as the paper bills.

“Our printing methods, together with the material on which they’re applied, create the feel we associate with banknotes,” he explains.

“Whether we’re conscious of it or not, just by fishing in our pocket, we know a $20 bill from a grocery receipt by its feel,” says Well, adding there are currently an estimated 290 million cotton-paper $100 bills in circulation that will need replacing.

Despite all the alternatives to cash available to Canadian consumers today, the Bank says the demand for banknotes continues to increase— partly driven by general growth in economic activity, but mostly due to the replacement of paper-based bills.

GREEN FAIRY ARRIVES IN CANADA IN LUCID FASHION Alcohol prohibition may today sound like a longgone history lesson for most North Americans, but it’s been about 100 years of banishment of the infamous absinthe spirit in both Canada and the U.S. despite its worldwide popularity, with Canadian consumers finally being able to sample one of the world’s most misunderstood liquors thanks to the recent launch of the Lucid Absinthe Supérieure brand at selected LCBO (Liquor Control board of Ontario) outlets in Ontario.

After being frozen out of the U.S. markets for 95 years, absinthe was finally reauthorized for sale there four years ago with the government’s approval of the Lucid brand of Viridian Spirits LLC, which convinced authorities that Lucid was a genuine, historically accurate product that met all the U.S. regulatory requirements.

“We have witnessed Lucid’s tremendous growth and incredible consumer loyalty in the States,” says Viridian Spirits president Jared Gurfein, “so the obvious next step is to enter Lucid into the Canadian mixology landscape, and position the product as the high-quality genuine absinthe that has made it an international success.”

Estimated to command a 60-percent share of the U.S. absinthe market, the Lucid Absinthe is described as an ultra-premium spirit, whose success is attributed to its hand-crafted quality and specialty distillation process based on the authentic French recipe originating over 100 years ago.

Deriving its distinct green tint from a unique herbal mix of grande wormwood, green anise, sweet fennel and other culinary herbs originating in parts of central and western Europe, the

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spirit has earned its notorious ‘green fairy’ moniker over time in part due to its greenish color, as well as the often-cited psychoactive effects of the high-alcohol drink that was originally consumed with cold water and dissolved sugar cubes.

With its stiff 62-percent alcohol content, the high-potency Lucid absinthe—retailing in sleekcrafted 750-ml glass bottles decorated with upscale labels designed by the Bailey Brand Consulting group—the Lucid brand is produced and bottled in France at the historical Combier Distillery in the heart of the Loire Valley, using the antique copper absinthe stills and apparatus designed by the famous engineering genius Gustav Eiffel in the 19th Century.

According to Viridian Spirits, Lucid’s unique taste profile is characterized by upfront f lavors of anise and fennel, followed by mild mid-palate earthy textures attributable to the absinthe (artemisia absinthium), with other herbs rounding out the f lavor with additional spice and grassy notes, which linger in a moderately long finish.

Although the so-called ‘louching’ method of dissolving a sugar cube in absinthe with cold water is still popular among the drink’s aficionados, the Lucid brand is claimed to be “a versatile spirit that can also be consumed in a variety of classic and modern cocktails and shooters,” according to Viridian Spirits.

As of June 2011, the Lucid Absinthe brand can be legally purchased in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, U.K., Germany, The Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel, and several Caribbean and Latin American markets, according to the company.

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

NEWSPACK

OLYMPIC LEGEND TO PROMOTE SPECIAL-EDITION CANS Olympic fame is often a fleeting short-lived glory.

But for Canada’s Olympic track-and-field legend Donovan Bailey, his adoration by Canada’s sports fans looks set to endure a fair bit longer—thanks to the former world record-breaking sprint star’s new endorsement deal for the Grace Coconut Water brand.

Distributed in Canada by the Toronto-based GraceKennedy (Ontario) Inc., the limited-edition canned beverages—available in 500-ml and 310-ml regular and 310-ml no-sugar versions—are labeled with engaging, tropically-inspired graphics and a personal thumbs-up endoresment by Bailey, who is also featured in the company’s frequent radio, print, outdoor and online ads, making him the highest-profile spokesperson in Canada for the Jamaican-based beverage products group GraceKennedy.

The high-impact label artwork—created by Graphiti Designs—is printed onto the cans right at the company’s canning operation in Thailand.

“We are very excited to have Donovan Bailey as our brand ambassador for Grace Coconut Water,” says GraceKennedy (Ontario) marketing manager Stefan Atton.

“Not only does Donovan share our Caribbean roots, he also shares a passion for promoting good health through proper hydration,” says Atton.

According to GraceKennedy, coconut water is the second-purest liquid in the world after water, providing an excellent natural source of the five essential electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium and phosphorus) to support rapid hydration—making it an increasingly popular beverage worldwide among athletes and health-and-fitness

enthusiasts.

“Having grown up on coconut water, I am a firm believer in its many benefits,” says Bailey, who was born in Manchester, Jamaica, and moved to Canada at the age of 12, growing up in Oakville, Ont. “Whether I was training for the Olympics or building my businesses, I’ve always drank coconut water,” says the two-time world record holder, twotime Olympic Champion, and three-time World Champion declared by the Track and Field News magazine as ‘Sprinter of the Decade’ for his numerous athletic exploits in the 1990s.

NEW LABEL ADDS A SHINY SPARKLE TO MINERAL WATER

It’s hard to beat the sparkle of fine jewelry to break the ice over a fine dinner, so it’s safe to say that the new, limited-edition bottle of the S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water will draw more than a few compliments at fine dining restaurants across Canada—thanks to a stunning new label design paying tribute to the 125th anniversary of the famed Italian jeweler Bulgari.

Launched in late September, the 750-ml Bulgari-inspired glass bottle was jointly created by Nestlé Waters S.A. designers working with Bulgari to mark the jeweler’s remarkable history of brilliance in the luxury goods marketplace, today boasting a diversified global product and services portfolio that includes jewels, watches, accessories, fragrances, skin-care products, hotels and resorts.

“This limited-edition bottle is a tribute to Italian timeless magnificence and a celebration of the colorful and refined Italian spirit,” explains Tracey Peake, group manager of marketing with Nestlé Waters Canada.

Replicating a stunning jewelled necklace from Bulgari’s latest collection, the new S.Pellegrino label is set on a gold background that symbolizes preciousness and exalting the values of both brands of heritage, prestige, quality, unexpectedness, glamour and timelessness, according to Peake.

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

Clean Design All Festo clean design products feature materials that are highly resistant to corrosion. The selfadjusting unique PPS feature eliminates the need for cushion adjustment screws, thereby greatly reducing labour and the risk of contamination.

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NOTES & QUOTES on shelf and drive growth in the private brands business,” says Holownia.  Anthem Worldwide, the brand development business of Chicago-headquartered global advertising powerhouse Schawk, Inc., has picked up three packaging design awards at the recently-concluded Pentawards Worldwide Packaging Design Competition, including: • Silver award in the Food Category for The Snack Artist package developed by Anthem’s San Francisco branch for Safeway Inc. for the retailer’s store-brand potato chips, which also picked up a Bronze award in the competition’s Packaging category.

• Bronze award in the Beverages category for Safeway’s Refreshe store brand of sodas and f lavored waters, also developed by Anthem’s San Francisco office.

Chosen from among 4,291 entries submitted to this year’s Pentawards Worldwide, the awards underline Anthem’s continued creative excellence in the packaging design field, according to the San Francisco office’s managing director Tom Holownia. “During our five-year partnership with Safeway, we have helped one of the most progressive private-label retailers in North America to create powerful brands that stand out

 Toronto-based packaging materials and machinery supplier Celplast Packaging Systems, Ltd. has been awarded the 2011 Distributor of the Year award from the Clysar division of leading f lexible packaging product manufacturer Bemis Company Inc. in recognition of the company’s continued documented service, technical and customer support of Clysar’s shrink film packaging program, designed to help the company’s end-use customers in fresh food and produce sectors reduce their packaging-related costs and environmental footprint. “It is always tough to choose from so many qualified distributors,” says Clysar marketing manager Vicki Larson, “but Celplast, a loyal Clysar distributor for over 20 years, has had a phenomenal year. On track for double-digit growth in 2011, Celplast delivers true value to Clysar customers through their expertise and dedication to providing the best possible shrink packaging solutions.”  Boise, Idaho-headquartered forest products group Boise Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the Hexacomb protective packaging business of the Deerfield Ill.-based Pregis Corporation for about US$125 million. With last year’s revenues of US$102 million, Hexacomb is one of the world’s leading producers of kraft paperbased honeycomb protective packaging products, employing approximately 440 employees at 12 manufacturing facilities across six countries,

converting about 60,000 tons of containerboard annually. “Hexacomb has demonstrated strong growth in both sales and profitability, with compound annual sales growth over 10 per cent since 2009,” says Boise president and chief executive officer Alexander Toeldte. “Operateing in a growing market that is complementary to our existing packaging business, it provides another substantial step up in increasing our margins and reducing our reliance on linerboard export markets.”  Lebanon, N.H.-based packaging line equipment manufacturer and integrator NJM Packaging (formerly NJM/CLI Packaging Systems International) has acquired a “significant” controlling interest in the Montreal-based automated production equipment integrator and distributor Jalbert Automation, according to the company, with an option to purchase more share in the future.  Northbrook, Ill.-based paper products group KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of U.S. Corrugated, Inc. (USC) for US$330 million. Operating a 240,000-tpy (tons per year) recycled containerboard paper mill in Cowpens, S.C., and 20 converting facilities in the eastern and midwestern U.S., USC posted net sales of about $423 million last year, according to KapStone, which says it expects USC to shut down six its existing converting facilities prior to the deal’s formal regulatory approval later this year.

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FIRST GLANCE WEIGH TO GO The new Zippy Bagger XL bagging machine from WeighPack Systems Inc. boasts a robust, fully-enclosed design and a high-capacity wicket holder outfitted with a special sensor to alert the operator when the bag level is low to facilitate the loading of additional bags for uninterrupted production.

Capable of running both polyethylene and laminated bags in a wide range of bag sizes and designed for rapid product changeover, the new bagger— capable of handling up to 65 pounds—features a reinforced, sanitary-design support conveyor to support the bags at all times, along with a quickand-easy height adjustment to accommodate different bag lengths. Designed for large pre-made, wicketed bags with widths of 10 to 20 inches and lengths of 10 to 22 inches, the operator-friendly Zippy Bagger XL—available in both left-to-right and right-to-left configurations—is supplied with an Omron PLC (programmable logic controller) and Weintek color touchscreen interface for user-friendly operation, along with value-added standard features such as a fully-adjustable wicket assembly, a no-bag/no-fill sensor, a continuous sealing head and digital temperature control, with gas-f lush and a plunging funnel offered as optional accessories.

WeighPack Systems Inc.

operating film carriage that will automatically switch into primary wrapping position upon the film being depleted or breaking—saving up to 50 per cent of the downtime associated with operator intervention, according to the company, by enabling the operator to run two rolls of film between roll changes. Requiring no additional cut, clamp, or heat-seal system for operation, the lowmaintenance, fully-automatic SideKick is designed with minimal moving parts, and does not add any footprint requirements for the stretchwrapper.

ITW Muller

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BALING OUT The new series of Samuel Balers from Samuel Strapping Systems are designed for trouble-free and efficient baling of any compressible recycling material—including paper, paperboard, cloth, plastics and nonferrous metals—making them

well-suited for a broad range of industrial, retail and commercial applications.

Featuring 48-inch loading height, automatic cycle operation and automatic full bale shutoff, the ruggedly designed Samuel Balers are outfitted with simple controls and instructions to enable safe machine operation by workers of all skill levels to apply up to six single-loop wires per bale, depending on the model. Boasting heavy-duty structural frame and a pull-down safety gate with chains and sprockets, the low-maintenance balers employ a gravity-driven riven ejection system to release the bale after the bundle has been compressed in a safe, controlled movement.

Samuel Strapping Systems

404

Samuel Strapping Systems manufactures and supplies a broad range of steel and plastic strapping, standard and

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The new CFDK 25 capacitive sensor from Baumer Ltd. is designed for reliable detection of liquid levels in confined spaces. Featuring very f lat housing to enable installation in extremely tight spaces and versatile mounting options, the sensor detects liquids through container materials at distances from two to 15 mm, and it can be installed not only with screws, but also with cable ties, Velcro fastener or glue, according to the company, with a matching mounting frame enabling it to be positioned f lush beneath a conveyor belt in order to detect objects on the belt.

to large turnkey packaging and unitizing systems.

Baumer Ltd.

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KICK START Designed for seamless integration onto virtually any model of the Octopus line of stretchwrapping machines from ITW Muller, the new SideKick is a designed as a second, independently-

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FIRST GLANCE SERVE & PROTECT Developed by Bilcare Research, the new pharmaceutical-grade Bilcare Protect specialty blister film is designed to eliminate the risk of counterfeiting via embedded images that are nearly impossible to duplicate, according to the company, thanks to precise amount of metal deposition used to create an entirely unique differential grating methodology. In addition to being nonreplicable, the permanent blister package does not get damaged or erased even with high-temperature or high-pressure applications, according to Bilcare, or during post-packaging storage. Comprised of PVC and several other specialty polymers, Bilcare Protect’s base film substrate conforms to all the stringent requirements for use CorpPkg_Food_CP_J_ProcessExpo_Reiser 4:51 PM Page 1 and in direct contact packaging6/1/11 of pharmaceutical food products, along with the aluminum and zink

additives also used in the packaging structure to achieve high-end metallic transparency and color.

Bilcare Research

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MELTING POINTS Capable of handling corrugated cases at robust speeds of up to 55 cases per minute, the new Model 450 case erector from A-B-C Packaging Machine Corporation is equipped with a special adhesive dispensing systems designed specifically for applicating from the new soy-based Liquamelt adhesives developed by H.B. Fuller Company.

Because Liquamelt remains liquid at ambient temperatures, there is no need for heated premelt tanks and heated hoses to use with the system—help-

Innovative packaging solutions in every shape and size.

ing reduce energy consumption by up to 40 per cent—and because the adhesive is applied as a foam, machine operators can reduce adhesive consumption by up to 50 per cent compared to other traditional application systems. Featuring a low-level, ergonomically-enhanced, easy-load KD magazine, simple walking-beam mechanical case transfer and a servo-operated sealing ram, the Model 450 case erector ensures user-friendly operation via A–B-C’s Intelligent Control programming that puts production data right at the user’s fingertips either at the touchscreen panel on the production line, or remotely at the plant’s operations center.

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corporation

BUILT FOR SPEED Designed to ensure superior performance for high-speed packaging, cartoning and kitting applications, the new delta-style Motoman MPP3 robot from the Motoman Robotics Division of Yaskawa America, Inc. features a three-arm configuration with a direct-driven rotary axis to simplify design and increase reliability. Claimed to boast the smallest footprint in its class, according to the company, the MPP3 robot is especially well-suited for high-density installations requiring a large working envelope, while its high-speed operation of up to 150 cycles per minute and three-kilogram payload capacity—enhanced with highly reliable manipulators and a common programming language—ensures a multitude of performance benefits in high-speed picking, packaging and palletizing applications.

At Reiser, we offer a variety of packaging solutions designed for all types of food products and applications. From Repak form/fill/seal machines to to Supervac vacuum chamber equipment to Ross modified atmosphere tray sealers, Reiser is the one source for all your packaging needs. Join other satisfied customers that trust Reiser to deliver the perfect solution. For more information, call Reiser at (905) 631-6611.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

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Reiser Canada 1549 Yorkton Court #4, Burlington, ON L7P 5B7 • (905) 631-6611 Reiser 725 Dedham Street, Canton, MA 02021 • (781) 821-1290 www.reiser.com Leading the food industry in processing and packaging solutions.

Yaskawa Motoman Canada

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OPEN WIDE Desigend to replace heavy glass containers, the new range of 24-ounce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic wide-mouth jars from Amcor Rigid Plastics is engineered for hot-filling applications of products such as pasta sauces, apple sauce, salsas, jams and jellies at temperatures up to 250°F, while offering a broad range of consumer benefits such as considerably lighter weight, easier opening and much improved product evacuation, along with unbreakable design, transparency and recyclability. Incorporating the company’s proprietary Performance Widemouth (PWM) technology to deliver a distinctive panel-less design, the bottle’s four horizontal ribs and stiff walls resist the vacuum as the product cools to maintaining optimal bottle shape throughout the filling process, according to Amcor, mimicking the appearance of glass with a container that weighs a mere 51 grams.

Amcor Rigid Plastics

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

ECO-PACK NOW

PACK TO THE FUTURE WITH NEW PAPER VOID-FILL For as long as people have been shipping packages over long distances, there has been a need to protect their goods from damage in transit.

In the early days of postal services, fragile parcels were wrapped in paper—a practice which persisted until the 1960s, when polystyrene packaging foam—aka ‘peanuts” in packagingspeak— became the primary tool for protecting delicate goods during shipping.

While these peanuts are still commonplace, increasing concerns over the packaging’s carbon footprint are casting a serious shadow over their continued large-scale use.

Being made from fossil fuels, the discarded foam chips have a life-span than will make them last in the landfills and water for about a millennia before they totally break down, whereas the alternative foams made from corn starch and other plant-based

feedstocks present big safety issues by attracting pests and inspects during transport.

But an innovative Canadian upstart claims to have developed a perfect solution for this dilemma with the so-called PaperNuts loose fill packaging made from 100-percent recycled paper.

“Paper was the past and it is the future,” says Scott MacRae, vice-president of the St. Catharines, Ont.-based PaperNuts.ca., adding the new product will revolutionize the way all sorts of goods are packaged and shipped.

In addition to being fully-recyclable, biodegradable and compostable, MacRae says the product’s unique design offers superior protection properties for fragile goods being shipped either around the street block or across the world.

“The ongoing growth of online shopping means more and more companies are foregoing retail stores and warehouses by shipping goods directly to the consumer,” he says, “but it is imperative this be done in a way that has as little impact on the environment as possible.

“As far as I’m concerned, we offer the most eco-friendly packaging material on the planet for such an application,” he asserts, citing the filler’s interlocking design that ensures the PaperNuts sit tightly against the items in a package, with their natural expansion making them even stronger during shipping.

HMI controller

NEW FEATHER IN TETRA PAK’S CAP

Success in packaging sustainability is very often a team effort, and it certainly helps to have the world’s largest food-and-beverage manufacturer on your side.

For the aseptic packaging products group Tetra Pak, the company’s quest to become a zero-waste business got a big boost this past summer with Nestlé Brazil’s launch of two popular milks brands in Tetra Pak cartons topped off with caps made sugar cane-based polyethylene (PE).

Processed by Brazil’s leading petrochemicals producer Braskem, the new ‘green’ caps mark the first time that plant-based polyethylene has been used in carton packaging, according to the Swiss-headquartered Tetra Pak. “This is a key step in our renewability journey,” says Tetra Pak president Dennis Jönsson.

“Our cartons already have an excellent renewable material profile, and now the concept of a 100-percent renewable carton is fast becoming a reality,” he states.

According to Tetra Pak, which has publicly pledged to develop 100-percent renewable beverage cartons, all of the paper used to manufacture its drink boxes in Brazil is made from wood logged in certified forests managed according to the responsible forestry management principles developed by the Forest Stewardship Council standards organization.

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Flexible machine control incorporates SoMachine™, a single software suite that runs on multiple hardware control platforms, such as HMI, motion, drive, and logic controllers. With SoMachine you need only one software, one cable, and one download to design, commission and service your machine. SoMachine minimizes your design time and reduces your time to market.

Flexible machine control is part of our brand new MachineStruxture™ solution, designed to take complexity out of the business. In addition to our new architecture, we also offer co-engineering services. With innovative help from our experts, you can design the optimal solutions for your customers. We implement the latest technological evolutions and provide unique hands-on industry application knowledge that helps you stay ahead of the competition.

Flexible machine control To reach 100% flexibility and optimization, flexible machine control incorporates predefined and proven automation architectures and functions and embeds intelligence in multiple hardware control platforms. A single software suite helps you to develop, program, and commission your machines.

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Automation can mean less people on the floor, less floor space needed, and less waste. Devote these resources elsewhere and spend less on your packaging operations.

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10495_CdnPkg ad-TAB_final_v1.indd 1

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20.09.11 17:03

A WORLD WITHOUT PACKAGING WASTE

As Good as Gold

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ent

Summary Statement This project is designed to develop a fact base of global

PAC NEXT Founding Members

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3. Material Optimization Co-Chairs: Angela Dennis, Nestle Canada; John Wilson, E.I. DuPont Canada

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1. Policy Best Practices That Support Harmonization Co-chairs: Scott Cassel, Product Stewardship Institute; Carol Patterson, TDL Group, Tim Hortons.

er

• A great customer relationship strategy. If you are a supplier to a retailer or brand owner then they need your proactive support.

te

su m

• Join an elite club. Our founding members provide an exceptional opportunity to network with some of North America’s biggest retailers and brand owners.

We will start with workshops and five interconnected projects (see model.)

Con

• Cost avoidance. EPR costs approximately $1b per year. Brand owners and retailers are paying significant EPR packaging recovery fees through various blue box programs. PAC NEXT will facilitate the optimization of the recovery process and therefore mitigate cost.

How will PAC NEXT mobilize participating members and partners?

ion izat tim Op

What is the value for my company?

able Innov n i a

on ati

The solutions are economical recovery that leads to improved reduction, recycling, reuse, up cycling, composting, energy-from-waste and other emerging solutions.

2. System Optimization Co-chairs: Al Metauro, Cascade Recovery; Norman Lee, Region of Peel Sys Summary Statement tem This project is designed to better understand critical aspects of the current system, and develop recommendations for improving how we transition resources to viable recovery marketplaces.

Summary Statement Many materials that could be te recovered are ending up in landfill.

Ma This project will develop strategies to identify and improve recovery of high impact materials, as well as increase the value and utility of recovered materials.

O

pt

Our mission is to unite leading organizations across the packaging value chain to collaboratively explore, evaluate and mobilize innovative packaging end-of-life solutions.

• Support your industry. Be responsible! If you are part of this industry you are benefiting from it. Give something back.

• A great learning opportunity. on ati z i By participating on a technical on committee you will be making a contribution while learning from subject matter experts.

nc

Our vision is a world without packaging waste.

best practices related to EPR and other recovery policies – enabling PAC NEXT to become a trusted resource to federal, provincial, state and municipal governments in the development of proactive policies.

Sus t

What is the purpose of PAC NEXT?

• Packaging waste diversion. Packaging is a contributor to landfill. The PAC NEXT aspirational goal is “A World Without Packaging Waste”. Discarded packaging is a resource. It’s “AS GOOD AS GOLD”.

Polic yH arm

PAC has created PAC NEXT to proactively help the industry transition to a world without packaging waste.

We invite you to get engaged today.

l ri a

4. Consumer Engagement Co-chairs: Dave Pullar, Safeway; George Tzogas, Ultima Foods Summary Statement This project will identify, assimilate, and generate insights to consumer attitudes and behaviors as they relate to decisions around packaging from product purchase decisions through to disposal decisions.

5. Sustainable Innovation Center of Excellence Co-Chairs: Alison Wells, Loblaws Inc.; Chris Leys, Jones Packaging Inc. Summary Statement New packaging materials and additives are constantly being introduced into the market with little research done on end-of-life implications. These new packaging innovations may have unintended consequences on our ability to recover and/or recycle high impact materials.

This project will take a fact-based approach to providing industry with a line of sight to emerging packaging trends and an early warning system that helps to avoid system inefficiencies that can result in higher costs and more discarded material going to landfill.

For PAC & PAC NEXT membership contact Lisa Abraham at 416.646.4640 or labraham@pac.ca. Or register at www.pac.ca For PAC NEXT information contact Nina Goodrich at 519.212.3954 or ngoodrich@pac.ca

OctOber 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

WWW.cANADIANPAcKAGING.cOM • 13

HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER

Packaging adhesives evolve in step with rising environmental and supply concerns

BY GEORGE GUIDONI, EDITOR

good product protection, are ene terephthalate) bottles critical engineering efforts that and thermoform packaging,” eing out of sight and out of mind is not require a high-quality adhesive relates Croson, whose the most glamorous way to earn keep in to ensure the seal is maintained Bethesda, Md.-headquartered packaging or any other industry, but for through distribution and conorganization represents North manufacturers of packaging adhesives and adhesive sumer use.

America’s leading adhesives applicating systems, such superficial behind-the“Adhesives engineers are and sealants manufacturers. scenes anonymity has always been the ultimate end staying ahead of the curve in Over the past summer goal of superior performance and engineering. this area by working closely months, Croson recounts, some While adhesives may often be the key ingredient of with design companies and ASC member-companies were sound structural package design and effective prodend-user packaging teams to involved in a joint industry uct protection, any visible trace of adhesive leftovers ensure those goals are being research project—initiated by or residue found on the surface of a finished packmet,” says Croson, adding retail giants Walmart Canada age is naturally treated with scorn and contempt by the tough economic times and Loblaws—to improve the customers and consumers alike as a sign of inferior actually necessitate such recyclability of collected bales packaging execution, and often rightfully so. cooperation to share the high of plastic packaging by ensur- ASC president Matt Croson expects the North American adhesives market to grow annually In this light, being invisible is a compliment of financial R&D burden. ing all the adhesives used with the highest order—and it takes a massive amount “The shaky economy is those packaging substrates by an average of 2.5 per cent in coming years. of top-level chemical engineering expertise and having an impact, and comcome off during the standard groundbreaking R&D (research-and-development) petition will remain tight in North America and washing process to fully separate the individual plasto make it happen just right for the end-use CPG the European Union,” Croson predicts. “In fact, tic pieces—making them readily acceptable for the (consumer packaged goods) manufacturers, the conwe are expecting a slowdown as we head into local recycling streams. sumer public and, increasingly, the environment.

2012, but we don’t expect the market to recede as Right Response With packaging sustainability becoming a hotfar as it did in 2009.

“The adhesive suppliers responded with developing button global issue in recent years, suppliers of “But there is bright news for the entire sector products that meet protocols established by packaging adhesive technologies are being increasas the growth in the use of adhesives and sealants NAPCOR National Association for PET Container ingly challenged to hit the market with less toxic, in Asia is unprecedented and continues to grow,” Resources) and APR (Association of Postconsumer more environmentally-friendly formulations for Croson points out.

Plastic Recyclers) to ensure the adhesives efficiently use by their demanding packaging and manu“We expect double-digit growth across all marwash off during the recycling process,” says Croson, facturing customers, who are themselves relentket segments in Asia in coming years, especially saying such joint cross-sector efforts are becoming lessly hounded by their retail customers about the within China.” increasingly commonplace for adhesive suppliers environmental footprint of their products.

Everchanging global market dynamics are nothing and packaging end-users, who globally represent It’s a vicious but also a virtuous circle for a global new to the German-headquartered consumer and the second-biggest end-use market for adhesives and industry estimated at US$40.9 billion in 2007— industrial products group Henkel Corporation, sealants after the construction sector. representing total world demand of 26 billion whose Adhesive Technologies business sector “There are also other new customer requirements, pounds—with North America accounting for a accounts for approximately 45 per cent of the parent such as the need for easy-to-open-and-reclose pack30.1-percent share of that total, according to marcompany’s worldwide revenues of about $22 billion. aging formats, which are driving some serious prodket researchers at DPNA International Inc. According to Alexandria Symos, Henkel’s maruct innovation for closure fitments at the package And while the ongoing global economic slump has ket development manager for packaging, consumer level—prompting adhesive companies to respond held back the overall market growth for adhesives goods and construction adhesives in Bridgewater, with innovative new ways to seal and reseal consumer and sealants over the last couple of years, Adhesives N.J., the ongoing retail-driven shift to more suspackaging for the aging population,” Croson adds. and Sealants Council (ASC) president Matt tainable packaging products is having a profound “That is always a goal: to work closely with cusCroson says he expects the sector to grow ay average impact in redefining the adhesive suppliers’ busitomers, early and often, as they decide on new of 2.5 per cent in North America over the next three ness focus and strategies. packaging,” explains Croson. “Keeping packaging to five years, in large part as a result of increased “Ten years ago the topic of sustainability cerproperly sealed and protected, and adding the ability focus on environmental and health-and-wellness tainly didn’t receive the attention it does today,” to easily open and close a product while maintaining issues throughout the global packaging supply chain. says Symos, but that has changed considerably since “Sustainability and stricter cusWalmart and other leading retail2007 North American share of adhesives demand by market segments tomer requirements are certainly ers began introducing packaging very strong market drivers for the sustainability scorecard metrics to Assembly operations/ industry these days,” Croson told evaluate their vendors on the ecoother: 10.1% Canadian Packaging magazine nomic footprint of their packaged in a recent interview. goods, along with rapid adoption Paper, board & Woodworking & “This is especially becoming of new packaging display concepts related products: 55.6% joinery: 9.1% more pronounced in Canada, such as the much-lauded Retail where industry is responding Ready Packaging (RRP). to concerted public and regula“Sustainability at the retail level is tory demands to improve the becoming really important for the recyclability of PET (polyethyladhesives industry,” says Symos, Building, construction, citing the RRP’s so-called 5 Easy’s civil engineering & Background: A close-up view of the high- craftsmen: 16.7% requirements for easy identificaperformance Avantra hotmelt tion, easy opening, easy shelving, adhesives launched by H.B. Fuller in easy disposing and easy shopping.

Consumer/DIY (retail): 2.7% 1997, which the company estimates to “These market dynamics touch Footwear & leather: 0.5% have been used to seal over 100 billion many of our market segments,

B

boxes worldwide since then.

14 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Source: DPNA International

Transportation: 5.3%

Continues on page 16

CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

Photos courtesy of H.B. Fuller, Nordson and Henkel

ADHESIVES

The Future of Packaging is Bright Henkel is the worldwide leader of adhesives and coatings for the packaging industry. Henkel Creates Advantage through a broad range of high-performance products and process solutions that drive operational optimization for you and your customers. Whether your interest is bio-based materials, market innovations, securing supply of packaging adhesives or retail-ready packaging, Henkel will provide a solution customized to your needs.

Sustaining the Future of Packaging To receive your sample of case and carton seal adhesive visit: www.henkeladhesivesna.com/packagingadvantage

Adhesives & Coatings for Every Packaging Application Carton Sealing | Case Sealing | Bottle Labeling | Flexible Packaging | UV & EB Coatings

Except as otherwise noted, all marks used are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Henkel and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere. Ž = registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Š Henkel Corporation, 2011. All rights reserved. 7915 (10/11)

FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE

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Henkel Corporation 10 Finderne Avenue Bridgewater, NJ 08807

ADHESIVES HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER Continued from page 14

from carton- and case-sealing systems to foldingcarton manufacturers, corrugated producers, and point-of-purchase display manufacturers,” she explains.

“Manufacturers are now increasingly reliant on the packaging to do the selling and create ‘shelf impact’ for the product,” Symos says, “so it’s critical for packagers to be using high-quality adhesives.

“Without them, the labels fall off, the cartons pop open [and] once this happens, it is no longer possible for the retailer to sell them, which can result in claims to the CPG manufacturer.”

Symos says that having a very diverse range of end-use clients enables Henkel to leverage the company’s vigorous R&D efforts in offering a comprehensive range of customizable solutions for its packaging customers.

Says Symos: “Henkel’s depth and breadth of products and technologies definitely creates advantage for packaging manufacturers around the globe with a full range in adhesives and coatings to meet the needs and end-use requirements of any packaging operation.

“The Henkel product line services all adhesive and coating needs of packagers and CPG manufacturers, spanning carton- and case-sealing, folding-carton and corrugated manufacturing and point-of-purchase display manufacture, along with offering a full line of specialty UV (ultraviolet) coatings that are formulated to increase shelf impact.

“We cater to every function—whether it’s a line

“Not only is it fully-recyclable operator trying to optimize the production line, through the whole deinking process, or the brand manager looking for cost-effective enabling an overall reduction in the ways to increase shelf impact, while improving carbon footprint and an improved sustainability scorecard marks for those products,” scorecard performance,” she says, “its Symos relates. ‘foil-on-demand’ f lexibility provides “As a result, Henkel leverages the the customer with extensive leadknowledge that exists in all areas of time and far less waste, while also the global organization, making us the ensuring effective shelf impact.” leader in innovation and sustainable In addition to carbon-footprint solutions,” she expands. “All of our reduction, sustainability has also field teams are very market-focused, evolved as a pressing industry in which allows for both product and terms of uncertain raw materials application expertise—helping deliver availability—oil in particular. operational optimization to our cus“The key ingredients for packtomers that brings value beyond the aging hot-melt are derived from adhesive or coating. crude oil, and the growing com“We now routinely collaborate The new Liquamelt platform with customers that have also built from H.B. Fuller is marketed as petition from alternative markets the packaging industry’s first for adhesives—such as the EVA up competency in this discipline.” low-density adhesive system films used in photovoltaic pancapable of delivering a cool, Bio Diversity els and athletic shoes markets, for According to Symos, addressing sustainable, on-demand, liquid example—is putting considerable packaging sustainability from the rapid-set adhesive for packaging strain on the supply of key raw adhesives perspective inevitably applications, utilizing adhesives materials,” Symos says, “resulting requires further development of formulated with over 40-percent in volatility of stockfeed prices. renewable bio-based content. more bio-based formulations.

“Petrochemical-based raw “There is a market necessity for material supply is a variable that developing sustainable solutions for sealing boxes had simply not existed to such a pronounced extent and UV coatings, to replace foil stamping and foil previously,” she states. board in terms achieving higher shelf impact,” says “Supply and demand of critical raw materials was Symos, citing Henkel’s Mira Foil brand of UV far less of an issue only a few years ago, and the volacoatings developed as an eco-friendlier alternative tility of feedstock prices was also far less severe.” to foil board.

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with adhesive applicating and dispensing systems supplier Nordson Canada, Limited in Markham, Ont., concurs.

“The most critical issue facing manufacturers and users of hot-melt adhesives is the ongoing shortage of raw materials necessary for their formulation,” Petteplace states. “The reduced petrochemical plant cracking capacity, feedstock shifts from liquid petroleum to natural gas, and competing demand driven by other industries and economies have created ongoing critical shortages.

et

“In addition, the growing demand for petrochemical-based products like tires, athletic shoes, packaged products and disposable hygiene products in emerging world economies places even more pressure on adhesive costs and availability,” he explains.

“So one of our current challenges is providing the market with innovative dispensing equipment and solutions that help packagers optimize every gram of adhesive,” says Petteplace.

For the Westlake, Ohio-headquartered parent Nordson Corporation, which designs, manufactures and markets a vast range of dispensing equipment for consumer and industrial adhesives, sealants and coatings at over 30 locations worldwide, that means being close to its far-f lung customer base, according to Petteplace.

“Nordson recognized this deteriorating situation fairly early on—identifying and developing products and processes and partnering with adhesive companies packaging machinery OEMs to help packagers increase adhesive mileage and packages

sealed per pound of adhesive,” he explains.

Petteplace relates: “The Nord brothers began focusing and conducting business globally in the 1960s, long before global sales were the norm, which is why we have long been recognized as the leader in adhesive dispensing technologies for the packaging, general assembly and disposable hygiene product manufacturing industries.

“As a global supplier to the packaging industry, we are constantly challenged to identify the new trends, opportunities, markets and niches,” he points out.

“Today, over 60 per cent of Nordson’s sales are generated outside of the U.S., as we continue to invest in emerging and growing markets in Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe— developing products that meet specific market, productivity, pricing and skill-level requirements.”

Global Bond Petteplace says such globally dispersed growth strategy has enabled Nordson to practically standardize some of its patented product families as the packaging world’s de facto standard-bearers for adhesive applicating, citing the popular ProBlue range of adhesive melters renowned for their flexibility, configurability and remarkably low energy consumption—helping end-users achieve significant cost-savings on their production and packaging lines.

“Our integrated adhesive melter/automated filling systems and retrofit automated filling systems are specifically designed to increase efficiency and productivity in packaging,” he says.

Continues on page 18

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ADHESIVES HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER Continued from page 17

The new MiniBlue II adhesive applicator from Nordson Corporation employs Saturn Platinum solenoid valves to ensure service life of over 100 million cycles and twomillisecond cycle times.

Nordson’s new OptiBond packaging solution typically employs two ultra-fast MiniBlue II pneumatic dispensing guns in a user-friendly configuration programmed to help end-users optimize their adhesive usage by up to 100 per cent, according to the company.

“Automated filling helps end all waste resulting from adhesive spilling, while delivering more consistent adhesive temperatures for better package bonding, and improving worker safety by eliminating repetitive lifting of the adhesives.”

Single Life Petteplace points to the rapid consumer acceptance of single-serving convenience foods as one of the more notable recent consumer packaging trends impacting the ongoing technological evolution of new-generation delivery systems.

“This trend results in the use of more diverse packaging materials, which in their turn often require new adhesives and application technologies.”

Petteplace says Nordson takes great pride in being able to work with the world’s leading adhesives manufacturers to help speed up the commercialization of new-generation adhesives, especially the bio-based formulations.

“I am quite excited about the commercialization of some of the new adhesive formulations,” he reveals.

“Working with the major adhesive producers has enabled us to help them increase the acceptance of new adhesive formulations globally, such as the reactive adhesive materials for high-end clear-box and opaque plastic packages, as well as the lower-temperature metallocene adhesives used in rigid packaging.

“And the next evolution of bio-friendly raw materials and adhesives promises to be even more exciting for all of us in the industry.

“The speed of change in the packaging industry is much more rapid than it was 10 years ago,” he remarks. “Brand managers recognize that the consumer package aesthetics and functionality are an increasingly important part of the overall brand experience, and hence packages are changing more often with CPG companies looking to gain competitive advantage and market share.

“In turn, package designers continually seek out new materials, design concepts, and better ways to apply adhesives.”

18 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

While Petteplace says he understands the motivation of some CPG brand-owners to squeeze out packaging costs wherever possible to stay in the good graces of their retail customers, he asserts that cutting corners by substituting high-quality adhesives with lower-cost formulations is a selfdefeating fallacy.

“Any CPG manufacturers seeking improved profitability should really avoid trying to economize by using lower-quality, less expensive adhesives,” he cautions.

“Using high-quality adhesives plays a key role in enabling the success of new package designs, new packaging techniques and new packaging materials,” he says, “and poor bonding or sealing will dramatically negate the package’s performance, shelf appeal and brand perception.

“In addition to better bonding and sealing, quality adhesives typically create less charring—resulting in fewer reject packages, less package rework, less frequent adhesive dispensing equipment part replacement, and less maintenance and downtime.”

formance adhesive systems that enable processing of more complex package configurations, more sophisticated substrate design and varied combinations of such, as well as continued improvements in speed and productivity.

“This allows our customers to improve the productivity of their processes without adding capacity,” he notes.

“Clean-running, high-performance adhesives also enable package consistency and integrity, standardization across customers’ networks and applications, and more uptime with fewer maintenance needs.”

Hot Stuff

Channon says H.B. Fuller practically invented the entire category of high-performance hotmelt packaging adhesives with its 1997 launch of the Advantra hotmelt product line—since used to secure over 100 billion cases of shipped product— recently been expanded with the new-generation Advantra Encore technology.

“This proprietary packaging adhesive technology platform provides for better bonding, higher mileUpbeat View age and a broader service temperature range than Despite price volatility and supply uncertainties, traditional metallocene-based and EVA hot-melt Petteplace says he’s cautiously positive about neartechnologies,” he states. term prospects for the global adhesives business.

“Along with our new Liquamelt adhesive platform, “We are very encouraged with the resilience and it also offers our customers unique alternatives that buoyancy of the packaging industry despite all the provide environmental benefits such as lower energy global economic uncertainty,” he responds, “and and adhesive consumption and less waste, and are we will continue to develop technologies that meet more readily available to the packaging market than the changing landscape of substrates, adhesives, traditional hotmelt technologies. new packages and branding needs.

“We are deeply committed to answering the chal“Our focus will always be to help CPG companlenges facing the packaging industry with innovaies maximize their productivity, efficiency and tion by providing tangible solutions to address our product quality, while providing our packaging customers’ unique challenges.” customers with faster, more f lexible and configFor example, the company’s new lines of Flextra urable equipment with increased reliability, safety Fast and Flextra Quiet adhesives were developed and usability,” Petteplace states. specifically for f lexible packaging “We are all facing the same challenges in the adhescustomers to enable them to ives market,” asserts John Channon, North achieve faster processing times American packaging adhesives director working with bio-based packfor H.B. Fuller aging films, Channon explains, Company in St. with the latter formulated Paul, Minn. “Our specifically to dampen customers want to the noise generated by the do more with less handling of f lexible packand raw materiaging made from bioplasals are extremely tic constructions—such volatile—driven as the notorious, noiseDisplayed at the recent PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 by supply conmaking SunChips bags of packaging technologies exhibition, Nordson’s Fulfi ll applistraints and increaspotato chips introduced last cating system is shown here feeding the company’s ProBing input costs. year by PepsiCo. lue and AltaBlue melters supplying packaging adhesives to “Sustainability, Says Channon: “The adhessecurity (package the MiniBlue II and SureBread dispensing guns. ives industry basically holds integrity), demothe world together, and as a graphics and increasing input costs are key trends result we really believe that the future is bright for in the packaging industry right now, and the packboth our company and the industry in general. aging industry is constantly challenged with creat“A box is just a box—it is the adhesive that ing an instant connection with their customers in a actually makes it a packaging container,” Channon fraction of a second while the product is on display. points out.

“So as a result, reduction of input and process costs “And as the world’s strong demand for more suscontinues to be a significant trend, perhaps becomtainable packaging solutions continues to grow,” he ing more intensified as the markets have become concludes, “the adhesives industry will remain the more global in scope,” Channon elaborates. perfect source for further innovations to enable lead“So it is our job, as one of North America’s laring CPGs to achieve their sustainability goals.” gest adhesives suppliers, to provide our customers For More Information: in the packaging industry with high-performance, innovative adhesive solutions that will help them Henkel Canada Corporation 430 overcome those challenges and improve their Nordson Canada, Limited 431 products and processes.”

H.B. Fuller Canada Inc. 432 Says Channon: “The trends impacting our indusAdhesives and Sealants Council 433 try have driven the development of high-per-

CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

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104

COVER STORY

SEA-CHANGE EVOLUTION

Leading Canadian frozen-foods processor helping to stem the tide of ocean resource depletion with fair fishing practices and certified, eco-sensitive consumer packaging Since rejoining the family-owned company started up by his Estonian-born father, Tom Janes has accelerated the efforts to boost the company’s seafood product portfolio, including obtaining full MSC certification for seafood sustainability.

restaurant, with 59 per cent citing taste and 55 per cent picking price as their key motivators.

“We had a hunch that there is low public awareness facing our oceans today, and sadly the results confirm our suspicions,” says Janes, whose family personally witnessed the impact of the collapse of cod stocks in Newfoundland due to overfishing.

“Scientists estimate that as much as 75 per cent of the world’s fishstocks are overfished,” he adds, explaining his company’s recent embrace of the sustainable seafood certification and eco-labeling program developed by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)—resulting in a comprehensive redesign of the folding cartons used to package the company’s popular frozen fish products to include both the MSC label and valuable education consumer information on seafood sustainability.

Says Janes: “It is important for us to realize that each of us can help protect the world’s oceans from overfishing by choosing certified sustainable seafood when grocery shopping, and by not ordering endangered seafood at restaurants.

Broad Reach

BY GEORGE GUIDONI, EDITOR PHOTOS BY SANDRA STRANGEMORE

T

here is an ominous man-made perfect storm raging across the world’s overdepleted and overpolluted oceans, but until recently most Canadian consumers have been blissfully unaware of just how calamitous worldwide overfishing and marine degradation have been to the once-bountiful food source normally taken for granted in a nation blessed with vast coastal exposure to three of the world’s five oceans.

Tom Janes is determined to put an end to that cozy ignorance and indifference in a hurry—well before the world’s fast-vanishing commercial fishstocks begin to disappear in their entirety.

And time is not really on the side of the director of sustainability with the Toronto-based Janes Family Foods Ltd.—a thriving, family-owned fish and poultry processing business founded by his Estonianborn father, Lem Janes Sr., shortly after arriving in Canada from Sweden after World War II. Following stopovers in Halifax, Newfoundland and Montreal, the Janes family eventually settled in Toronto in 1969, where Lem Janes, a profes-

20 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

sional food technician by trade, laid foundations for a steadily expanding frozen foods processor now routinely generating annual revenues of well over $100 million.

Raised in a loving family environment placing high value on work ethic and deep respect for the environment, Tom Janes says he has a natural life-long affection for the sea—partly due to the family’s Baltic heritage and his own experience of growing up in Newfoundland—which gives him a strong sense of personal fulfillment in drawing attention to the tragic plight of the world’s fishstocks and marine habitat.

Earlier this year, the company sponsored a national survey, conducted by Leger Marketing, which revealed the extent to which Canadian consumers are relatively untroubled by the fact that an estimated one-third of the world’s fish and seafood species have collapsed, with the catches declining by at least 90 per cent.

Released at the local World Ocean Day celebration also sponsored by the company, the Leger survey found that only one in 10 Canadian consumers consider sustainability as a factor affecting their choice when buying seafood at a grocery store or

Janes says he hopes to use the company’s geographic reach—the new MSC-labeled Janes fish packs are retailed right cross the country through Metro, Loblaws, Walmart and other national and local grocery stores—will increase public awareness of the scale of the problem, as well as the fact that only one per cent of the world’s oceans are protected as marine reserves, making the rest freely open to all sorts of commercial f leets with dubious fishing and netting practices.

As much as this frustrates Janes, it also gives him extra motivation to champion the cause of responsible marine stewardship, he relates.

“I wish we were able to have all of our catch come in from Canadian waters, but there is simply no longer enough fish there for us to sustain the business,” Janes told Canadian Packaging on a recent visit to the company’s fish processing and packaging operation just north of Toronto in Concord, Ont., which receives its fillets of sole, code and haddock caught in the far-off Bering and Northern Seas.

The highly sanitary, fully HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)-certified, federallyinspected facility processes and packages its various hand-cut fillets in a smooth-running, two-shift daily operation to produce the four premiumquality, pub-style breaded fillets marketed under the Janes Lemon and Herb Fillet of Sole, Janes Lemon Pepper Cod, Janes Lemon Pepper Sole and Janes Premium Haddock labels.

“The fact that all our product is processed as hand-cut fillets definitely give us a big quality edge over many competing frozen-fish products out in

CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

COVER STORY the marketplace, who basically just compress loose pieces and bits of fish into a mass, which is then cut into portions from one big block,” he explains. “Our method is far superior in providing consumers with a far more authentic and tastier seafood experience.

“It is a also a much healthier alternative because it is all processed and prepared specifically for baking, rather than deep-frying, using no transfats, very low saturated fat content, and no hydrogenated oils or preservatives,” adds Janes, who returned to the family business a couple of years ago after a fiveyear foray into the teaching world.

“When I came back to the company,” he recalls, “I really focused on how to enhance our company’s seafood business.

“It seems that while I was on my leave-ofabsence, we focused so much on enhancing our chicken business that we slipped in the sales of our seafood products, where we actually used to be the Cadillac of the industry,” he expands. “We actually had created the entire product category back in the day with our frozen seafood, but it seemed that we then just sort of sat on our laurels and did nothing to grow the business in a substantial way.

“So as we went trough the entire product portfolio, justifying some and canning others that were just not right for our brand, we discovered that the entire supply of seafood worldwide is in very serious jeopardy,” says Janes, recalling how supply sustainability completely dominated the agenda of the International Boston Seafood Show 2010 exhibition he attended last year.

“That’s when the light switch just went on for me and for us as a company,” he recounts. “I thought right away: What would it take for a relatively small company like ours to make that real commitment to sustainability?

“So we came back from Boston and started asking all those questions: Could we get the supply of fish we needed? What would it take for MSC to come in and approve us? How could we market that approval to relate its significance to the Canadian consumers?

“And here we are 11 months later, with all of our seafood product being MSC-approved and MSClabeled,” beams Janes. “We really believe that in time MSC will be one of the most commonplace NGO (nongovernmental organization) symbols that you will see on packages in Canada, and we are very proud to be the first seafood producer to do it here.”

While there are other eco-labels available for global fish producers to mark their products as sustainable, Janes acknowledges, “we thought it would just con-

The entire Janes retail seafood product portfolio is packed in 100-percent recycled folding cartons made from GreenChoice 100 paperboard produced by Strathcona Paper and converted by Boehmer Box LP.

fuse the consumers if we tried other certifications.

“To put it simply, MSC is the furthest-advanced and the most credible NGO in this field, with the methods they use to audit fisheries system being universally accepted around the world,” he states, relating that Janes started applying the blue-andwhite MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood labels and symbol onto the upper-right corners of its 580- and 590-gram folding-carton boxes this past spring.

“We simply couldn’t do it until making certain that we could secure adequate supply of certified fish first,” he says.

Long Road “It was a fairly long and intensive auditing process,” recalls director of manufacturing Morgan CurranBlaney. “We had to go from getting our suppliers certified and then working up all the way to our operations to ensure we are all MSC-approved.

“There’s no turning back after that: once you’ve run out of [certified] fish, you can’t just start putting other regular fish into the box,” he says.

“And of course we had do so for all the five species of fish that we use here,” points out Janes, “including cod, pollock, haddock, sole and salmon, which we’re launching as a salmon-burger type of product.”

While the MSC certification process has raised sustainability awareness to whole new level throughout Janes operations, the company’s genu-

Powered by a heavy-duty SEW-Eurodrive motor (foreground), a Bradman Lake cartoner opens up folding cartons for inserting bags of frozen fish fillets inside.

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

A high-efficiency Baldor motor is used to maintain optimal energy efficiency in the plant’s processing area.

ine commitment to meaningful CSR (corporate and social responsibility) traces back much farther in time, according to Janes.

“As a company we have always been a very environmentally-conscious enterprise—going back to 1992 when we launched our first retail packaging products in Canada,” Janes relates. “It was around the same time that the government of Ontario was announcing and introducing all sorts of new waste-reduction measures, many of which unfortunately got cancelled eventually.

“But when we launched our first retail-packaged products, we went through great efforts and hard work to make sure that our paperboard boxes were not chlorine-bleached, and that they would also be recyclable.

“We worked quite hard on developing a box that would effectively house our products while fully satisfying those environmental concerns,” says Janes, noting those early efforts were extremely useful in positioning Janes as an established leader in corporate environmental stewardship today just as many of its competitors are trying to jump on the sustainability bandwagon to catch up.

“As a company you’re always looking to operate well by always looking at the process in terms of continuous improvement,” Janes says, “which means having less waste in terms of garbage to dispose of, saving energy where you can, saving water and so on.

Continues on page 22

The Domino S-Series Plus laser coder is used to generate permanent product codes right on the packaging substrates.

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 21

COVER STORY A multibucket Ishida scaling system dispenses precise amounts of breaded fish fillets down into the Pacmac bagger positioned below.

(Inset) A Fortress metal detection system is used to ensure optimal quality assurance for fish products processed and packed at the Concord facility.

SEA-CHANGE EVOLUTION Continued from page 21

Curran-Blaney concurs: “It is all about good business, and the nice thing about sustainability is that it all ties in very nicely with cost-savings.

“It’s simply good business not to waste things like energy, raw materials, or packaging supplies in the way you manufacture, distribute and market your products,” he states.

Adds Janes Family Foods product manager Jackie Phillip: “According to MSC, 75 per cent of the world’s fishstocks are either overfished or depleted, and based on those figures scientists predict that if we continue on the same path of not caring about what kind of fish we purchase and consume, there

will be a complete global fisheries collapse in less than 50 years.

“So while consumers may not be aware of the crisis to the extent that we are, we feel it is vitally important for us to make them aware of it, with packaging being a very good medium for us to spread that awareness in the marketplace,” she says.

“The presence of the MSC label our packaging helps assure consumers that the people who are fishing our product for us are doing it responsibly, meaning that they are not doing damage to the ocean or to the other species, while also using a net size that allows the smaller-sized fish to escape, thereby ensuring that there will be a continued supply of this species in the future,” says Janes.

Fair Catch “It is a very comprehensive audit, performed by third-party marine biologists who actually go on these fishing boats to determine and document how they fish and where they fish, and they will continue to repeat these audits into the future to do further checks,” he explains. “It may not be an exact science just yet, but it’s an important first step in ensuring that there will be adequate fish supplies for us in the future.”

Says Janes: “The tragic collapse of the cod fisheries in Newfoundland really should have been a warning to the world as to what may happen with overfishing, but sadly it wasn’t because many people that it was just a Canadian problem.

“Even the haddock we’re catching off Scotland today had catch quotas set on it years ago to get control of the situation,” he explains, “but

Festo pneumatic components are widely utilized on the Bradman Lake cartoning equipment.

there are still many other places in the world where people are still not paying attention to overfishing.

“That’s why we are the very proud to be the first seafood product manufacturer in North America that has explicitly committed its entire product portfolio to be fully MSC-certified,” states Janes.

“We had decided early on not to do it one product at a time, instead relaunching the whole product line at once, so that the consumers see it right away and become aware of what MSC labeling is all about.”

The relaunch involved extensive work on redesigning the boxes to move all the required product information in both English and French onto the front of the box and side-panels, explains Janes, in order to accommodate all the relevant MSC information on the back of the boxes.

“I really think our marketing department had done a brilliant job with the package redesign,” says Janes, specifically singling out the up-close, larger-than-life product photography helping the Janes brand make achieve outstanding shelf impact.

“We used the entire back-panel of the box to educate the consumer about the Marine Stewardship council and the role of Janes Family Foods in promoting marine sustainability,” points out Phillips, while also utilizing the 100-percent recycledcontent GreenChoice 100 paperboard produced by the Toronto-based Stratchcona Paper LP and printed/converted by Boehmer Box LP in Kitchener, Ont. Says Janes: “When we first launched our retail product all those years ago, we knew that packaging was the only way for us to get out our message to the consumers, since we didn’t have money for advertising, so we spent double the cost on the original product photography than what we could have done it for.

“But to this day, we continue to get lots of feedback from consumers about how much they love our packaging and how well it stands out on the store-shelves.

“And now that we have a real serious message to convey to these consumers about marine stewardship,” he concludes, “our packaging very much remains a core part of what our company is all about.”

For More Information:

Concord plant line workers loading up the corrugated shipping carriers, featuring product code information applied by a Videojet Unicorn II case-coder (inset) and closed by a 3M-Matic case-sealer.

22 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Strathcona Paper LP Boehmer Box LP Bradman Lake Inc. Domino Canada SEW-Eurodrive Canada Baldor Electric Company Ishida Canada Inc. Fortress Technology Inc. Videojet Technologies Canada Ltd. 3M Canada Company

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

PACKAGING FOR SHELF-LIFE

A REFRESHING PERSPECTIVE Ontario herbs supplier keeps things fresh longer with its new packaging equipment ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY COLE GARSIDE

From left: Jaycee Herb Traders’ vice-president and coowner Wolfgang Breisser, operations manager and food safety coordinator Joseph Ezeard, and assistant plant supervisor Kuldip Kaur Mann.

T

hroughout history, herbs have been a staple of the human diet in the form of cooking recipes and certain medicines, but never have fresh herbs been more in demand than these days.

And while much of that demand can still be traced to the time-proven medicinal benefits, consumers everywhere are also clamoring in ever-growing numbers for organic and locally-grown herbs for many new reasons—the fresher, the better.

Which has been a real boon for one Ontario fresh herbs supplier whose business has grown in leaps and bounds since it first opened its doors in 1995.

Marketing itself as a high-quality supplier of fresh herbs to major supermarkets and food terminals, the privately-owned Jaycee Herb Traders Ltd. offers a mélange of culinary fresh herbs—including organic varieties.

This includes edible f lowers and herb mixes for the retail, wholesale and food service markets in eastern Canada and U.S. markets, to which the Guelph, Ont.-based operation ships a steady supply of bulk, bunches and individual packages of herbs on a daily basis in ever-growing volumes.

“My business partner and I partnered up with a friend of mine who was growing herbs in Jamaica one day way back, as we thought it might be a good money-maker if I acted as the distribution wholesaler for him here in Canada,” Jaycee vice-president and co-owner Wolfgang Breisser recalls. “It turned out to be a pretty good business decision.”

While Breisser’s early days in the herb business were largely spent in the basement of his family home in Campbellville, Ont., literally repackaging herbs by hand, he says he always remained confident about success being just around the corner.

“We must have done a decent enough job, because in those three years the demand for our product had grown exponentially—prompting us to purchase a production facility in Guelph in 1998,” he says, recounting the company’s triumphant move into the fairly spacious, 15,000-square-foot SQF-certified facility today employing 40 people to repackage 25 SKUs (stock-keeping units) of fresh herbs and mixes for large grocery retailers like Loblaws, Sobeys and Costco, numerous smaller independent grocers, and leading foodservice operators such as Sysco.

Name Game Over a recent Canadian Packaging visit to the Guelph facility, Breisser felt compelled to explain the origin of the company’s quirky name: “While I am originally from Germany, Canada is my home.

So to create the company name, we used the first letter of my friend’s country—the ‘J’ for Jamaica— and ‘C’ for Canada to improvise the Jaycee name.”

Although the business ties with Jamaica ended when his friend retired, Breisser was loathe to change the corporate name of a company that was already successfully positioning itself as a respected supplier and repacker of fresh herbs.

Right from the get-go, Breisser has always been keen to provide only the highest quality herbs to supply his savvy customers, utilizing a score of south-

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

A small sampling of Jaycee herbs packaged on the Multifac thermoforming machine.

western Ontario farms to keep his operation in the green. Depending on the season, he also imports raw product from Spain, Costa Rica, Columbia, Peru, Israel, Mexico and across the U.S. to maintain consistent year-round supply for his Guelph operation.

“It’s not merely about just purchasing plants from a farm,” says Breisser. “I am constantly on the go— searching the globe looking for new and better methods of growing and harvesting in order to ensure Jaycee can always offer the highest technological standards, and clean environmental procedures, in the growth of premium-quality herbs.”

While Breisser has the angles covered to guarantee the company always has the herbs its customers need, the real trick is to ensure that they remain fresh—especially when traveling from international markets to the Jaycee facility, where it is repackaged and shipped out again. Jaycee Herb According to Breisser, the com- Traders uses pany gets deliveries of herbs from a Domino around the world seven days a week. M-Series plus “We always try to ensure that print-andwhatever we get in, we repackage apply carton and ship out the next day,” explains labeler and Breisser, adding that the shelf-life of a Domino the herbs packaged at the plant typ- TG300 Hand ically ranges between eight and 14 Controller (inset) for days, depending on the product.

Aside from the very quick turn- operator-editaround, Breisser says that his prod- able fields. uct’s shelf-life is now significantly extended—thanks to a little help from some of the plant’s recently-purchased new equipment.

Breisser says he had previously tried standard

MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) techniques to extend the shelf-life of the product, but always felt that it was really a stopgap measure at best.

“Whenever a package was opened, the product began to deteriorate as soon as the oxygen hit it— you could literally see the plants spoil in front of your eyes,” he recalls.

“That’s why we no longer gas-f lush our products—instead using Multivac equipment and its EMAP (equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging) technology,” he reveals.

Purchased last February, the model R245 horizontal thermoform/fill/seal system supplied by Multivac Inc.—a leading global manufacturer of packaging machinery for the food and medical Continues on page 24

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 23

PACKAGING FOR SHELF-LIFE

A SEW-Eurodrive Movitrac servomotor keeps the Multivac R245 thermoformer running efficiently.

A Jaycee plant employee carefully placing different types of herbs into trays running on the Multivac R245 horizontal thermoformer.

A REFRESHING PERSPECTIVE Continued from page 23

segments—has been a wise investment for Jaycee.

While it’s true that the Multivac R245 is perfect for industrial applications requiring MAP and EMAP technology, Breisser says he still bought this particular machine for a couple of other reasons.

“First and foremost, within the packaging industry Multivac equipment has an excellent reputation for being robust and solid in its packaging capabilities,” explains Breisser. “Everyone I talked to about my packaging requirements suggested I purchase a Multivac.”

Breisser’s other reason for selecting the R245 was simple enough—the machine is equipped with rows of perforators that punch small airholes through the top film layer of the packaging, allowing just enough oxygen into the package to maintain a longer shelf-life for fresh-cut plants.

“Most fruits and vegetable emit something called Ethylene gas while they ripen, but they need oxygen to stay fresh, Breisser explains. “The holes in the packaging help our product stay fresh inside for days afterwards, even when opened.”

Commonly known by its EMAP acronym, the equilibrium modified-atmosphere packaging method relies on adjusting the permeability of the film used for packaging, whereby the rate of product respiration is manipulated to provide the optimal product shelf-life.

After all the critical lot code data is applied directly onto the recyclable Winpak PET film by a Domino A200+ inkjet coder, brand labels are immediately attached to the plastic packaging with the ALIPACK labeling system.

“Having a proper balance of oxygen and carbondioxide is achieved through the microperforations made in the film by the Multivac R245,” explains Breisser, adding that Multivac provided a customized inline microperforation set-up for Jaycee based on the selected film.

Breisser says the company purchases its recyclable PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film from Winpak Ltd., a Winnipeg-based manufacturer and distributor of high-quality packaging materials used primarily for perishable foods, beverages and healthcare applications.

Captured on Film “It’s very important to ensure the film permeability with the microperforation is set just right, or the product can deteriorate quickly,” says Breisser.

“By setting it just right, like what we can now do with the Multivac R245, we not only ensure the product will travel properly to its destination on the grocery shelves, but also that it can sit on the shelves longer, if need be.”

Designed as a cost-effective packaging solution, the R245 features a hygienic design optimized for sanitation that allows cleaning liquids and residual contaminants to f low off its smooth slanted exterior surfaces. Internally, the drive chain, lifting mechanism, motors, cabling and valves have all been arranged to prevent the build-up of contaminants.

The plant usually runs the R245 at a speed of eight filled packages every 10 seconds, and can

handle four different size tray depths at the same time, according to Breisser.

“It’s a time-saver, to be sure,” says Breisser who packages the product in 20-, 25-, 40- and 80-gram fills.

The R245 also features a Siemens PLC (programmable logic controller) and a SEW-Eurodrive Movitrac servomotor.

Other key equipment utilized at Jaycee includes: • two Domino A200+ high-performance inkjet coders—one of which is paired with an ALIPACK labeler; • one Domino M-Series plus print-and-apply carton labeler with a Domino TG 300 barcoder, featuring Festo pneumatic components for securely attaching product labels onto the cartons; • a TECMA pack model FM 2500 carton erector featuring a SP500 motor manufactured by the Baldor Group division of Reliance Electric; • corrugated cartons manufactured and supplied by Plant Paper Box of Concord, Ont. “Food safety is very important to all of the employees here at Jaycee,” adds Breisser. “We ensure all our employees understand the importance of food safety and apply HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) procedures in all of our processes.

“It’s our continuous quality assurance and full traceability value-added services that provide a peace of mind to all our customers,” he states.

Breisser acknowledges that having high-quality packaging equipment alongside the strictly-maintained food safety parameters has been a key selling point in Jaycee’s continued growth.

“Of course, having excellent quality herbs and combination packages of products is of primary concern to the customer, but we also know that by having our products packaged with the best packaging equipment we can get our hands on, we can also consistently provide the customer with a great product with the longest shelf-life,” he concludes.

“This amalgamation of Mother Nature and technology is the best way for us to grow our business.”

For More Information:

The Multivac R245 horizontal thermoformer provides the products with EMAP protection by punching tiny air holes in the top film covering the product using rows of perforators (inset) to ensure optimal product shelf-life extension.

24 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

Multivac Canada Inc. Winpak Ltd. Siemens Canada Limited SEW-Eurodrive Co. of Canada Domino Canada ALIPACK Srl Festo Inc. TECMA pack Reliance Electric Plant Paper Box

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

STRETCHWRAPPING

LEARNING TO FLY

Ontario’s first microdistillery earns rave reviews for its environmental commitment ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY COLE GARSIDE

B

eing awarded Ontario’s first microdistillery license in 100 years might be enough for some companies to crow about, but not for Black Fly Beverage Company, of London, Ont., who right from the get-go sought to redefine how a small Canadian distiller can compete against the bigger global competition.

Opening its doors in 2005, the privately-owned Black Fly armed itself with a unique and greattasting product and an award-winning penchant for greening its busines operations and packaging.

“We wanted to evolve the Ready-To-Drink (RTD) cooler category, and we knew that as a small producer just starting out that we would have to offer more to the consumer on all fronts,” explains Cathy Siskind-Kelly, who along with her husband Rob Kelly founded the business after spotting an opportunity to offer a unique premium spirit beverage to the Canadian market.

She explained to Canadian Packaging magazine during a recent tour of the facility that the distiller took its name from the small but pesky Canadian black f ly because, like the determined microbusiness the company positioned itself as, it can come in under the radar to deliver a mighty bite. Moreover, notes Siskind-Kelly, the black f ly actually pollinates wild blueberries whose juices are used in two of the distiller’s mixed vodka drinks.

From the beginning, Black Fly sought to produce more than just a simple alcoholic beverage, insisting on premium ingredients such as real juices

A plant employee using the OXO-Biodegradable film to secure product to the pallet for safe transportation.

Black Fly uses a Videojet 1210 small character inkjet printer to apply lot code data to filled bottles of product.

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

and no high fructose corn syrup; packaging innovations such as its unique PET (polyethylene terephthalate) wide-mouth bottles and reduced four-pack glueless carriers, consumer convenience via its nonbreakable and resealable PET bottles when nearly all the competition used glass, providing 15 per cent more volume per serving than competing From left: Black Fly Beverage Company’s controller Rose Schmit; co-founder Rob Kelly; brands, and to do it all accountant Anya Tursa; director of sales Mike Pearce; co-founder Cathy Siskind-Kelly; at a competitive price. production manager Mike Nisker. retail support gave the microdistiller the wings to The company’s curdo some serious soaring. rent line-up of pre-mixed cocktail products includes: Nowadays, Black Fly brands can be found in over Black Fly Vodka Cranberry Mixed Drink; Black Fly 500 LCBO’s in Ontario plus an additional 500 Vodka Blueberry Mixed Drink; Black Fly Vodka stores from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

Citrus Mixed Drink; Black Fly Tequila Margarita, “We’re even in the Yukon,” says Pearce. “They and; Black Fly Tequila Sunrise, with several new said ‘we have black f lies up here, why don’t you products set to launch next spring. bring yours?’”

Originally setting up shop in a nontraditional bouAs much as the distiller is keen to innovate in tique in downtown London, the instant popularity creating unique tasty premium alcoholic beverof the drink inspired the privately-owned distillery ages, it is equally enthusiastic about innovation in to move into a much larger spacious 6,600-squarethe area of green initiatives, applying eco-friendly foot facility in the heart of the city’s industrial secpackaging options and business practices as part of tor, conveniently right next door to the Liberty its everyday functions.

Freezer cold-storage warehousing plant.

According to Pearce, Black Fly gets its supply of Air Time PET-1 bottles—the most recyclable plastic curBack when the company was just starting up, Black rently used in the industry—from a local Ontario Fly attracted the attention of the national CBC manufacturer. broadcaster, who followed the company’s start-up These plastic bottles weigh a scant 40 grams on its popular Venture business show. when empty compared to a similar-sized glass bot“This show aired eight times nationally, and truly tle weighing 260 grams,” points out Pearce, who helped launch our business in terms of assisting us is heavily involved in the greening of Black Fly: in understanding what resonated and excited con“This means the transportation of our products sumers across the country,” says Siskind-Kelly. results in less greenhouse gas.”

“We learned Canadians love to support local prodNoting that Black Fly has a deposit program ucts and want to buy Canadian, and that they were with retailers to encourage bottle returns, Pearce thirsty for a less-sweet, quality-made RTD.” is also proud of how the reduced packaging design Mike Pearce, director of sales, says Black Fly was of Black Fly’s four-pack carriers have enabled it to welcomed into the industry by many small and utilize less corrugated, while still maintining suflarge producers. ficient strength to protect the product.

“Beer companies—large and small—consider “Our open-sided carriers allow consumers to Black Fly to be a non-competitive product. easily see our products while providing a sturdy “In fact, when Black Fly’s not-too-sweet mixed customer carrying container while using less cordrinks are served at large events alongside beer, rugated than traditional top-open and closed conbeer companies know that sales of all products will tainers,” says Pearce noting how carriers provided go up,” Pearce says.

by Rock-Tenn Company (formerly Smurf it “When there is something for everyone, people MBI) are completely glueless, instead using a often like to stay out longer, to enjoy beverages in specially-designed system of folds and punchlicensed event areas.” through closures.

This year, Black Fly has experienced its strongest Black Fly’s latest green initiative is its biodegradyear of sales to date, growing its total revenues by over able pallet-wrap film purchased through distribu56 per cent in Ontario and 21 per cent nationally. tor Canpaco Inc. of Woodbridge, Ont. Black Fly’s early distribution spoke to the enor“We actually first saw this product in an advermous challenges it faced as an upstart craft produtisement in Canadian Packaging magazine offering cer, as its distribution through the LCBO (Liquor a free test trial,” recalls Pearce. “Our production Control Board of Ontario) was limited to just manager Mike Nesker mentioned it to me, and it six stores in the London-area. However, enthusiasseemed like a very interesting product. We conContinues on page 26 tic consumer response, a catchy moniker and good

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 25

STRETCHWRAPPING Manufactured by the Montreal-based Intertape Polymer Group Inc., the OXO-Biodegradable eco-friendly pallet-wrap film greatly reduces the amount of waste plastic entering the landfills.

According to Canpaco, the green-tinted OXOBiodegradable pallet-wrap film is manufactured with an additive that first initiates and then accelerates the film’s breakdown when exposed directly to sunlight—completely transforming it into carbon dioxide, water and biomass within a year.

“Using the OXO-Biodegradable film has really helped us in our recycling. This film has been a perfect choice for us in reducing our impact at landfills,” mentions Pearce. “We like it so much that we have even got some of our suppliers to switch to using it when they ship materials to us.”

Although Black Fly first began utilizing the biodegradable pallet-wrap film late in 2010, it has only been able to go full bore with it since this past

summer, when it was requested by the LCBO to test it fully for strength and durability.

To enhance that stability, Black Fly uses an organic liquid gum adhesive from Lock N’ Pop, an ITW Company.

“Before we pallet-wrap the OXO-Biodegradable film around a pallet of product and apply a single strap around the top layer per LCBO requirements, we first apply the Lock N’ Pop adhesive to the top of each layer of cartons to help prevent load slippage,” explains Pearce, adding that the load stability is further enhanced by the way the cartons An eco-sensitive combination of OXO-Biodegradable are stacked and layered. “It’s a very stable 670-kilopallet-wrap film, Lock N’ Pop adhesive and CHEP pallets gram load,” he states. enables Black Fly to assure its customers of a safe Pearce adds that CHEP, a global leader in pallet product delivery every time. and container pooling, supplies its patented highquality hardwood pallets for Black Fly’s transportacted Canpaco, they came and showed it to us, tation purposes. Pearce says that even if CHEP and, we really liked it.” wasn’t one of the LCBO’s two designated pallet suppliers, they would have chosen them anyway simply because they manufacture top-quality pallets.

Liking what Black Fly was doing, the LCBO honored them with a pair of its prestigious Elsie Awards in the Small Supplier/Agent of the Year category, while also honoring the environmental commitment to its green initiatives with its It mounts in seconds and provides crystal clear, easy-to-see, Environmental Responsibility and Ongoing high-resolution color.

Green Initiatives award, specifically citing Black Fly’s locally-sourced PET bottles and green OXO-Biodegradable pallet-wrap film.

Other equipment utilized at the Black Fly facility include: • A new 1210 small character inkjet coder manufactured by Videojet Technologies Inc.; • Carbon-dioxide gas tank supplied

by Air Liquide to add carbonation to the beverages.

• a 3M case-sealer for secondary packaging applications.

“Many people who migrated away from the RTD category are very excited when they discover a more natural and less-sweet convenient premium spirit beverage available,” says Siskind-Kelly. “As we continue to grow, we also want to continue to be at the cutting edge of great green choices and be environmentally The innovation built into each MagelisTM STU panel benefits everyone: faster, easier Discover the rest of the responsible,” she concludes. installation for you, flexible, highly functional touch screen HMI for your customers.

Magelis family.

“Reducing our environmental footEasier for you because Magelis STU provides a two-piece, snap-together, toolprint via our package design or PET free design that mounts in a standard 22 mm push-button cut-out without bottles or our OXO-Biodegradable drilling any special holes. Fast and easy to install, you’ll save time and cost with pallet-wrap will help Black Fly conevery unit. tinue to be a driving force in the industry, as we develop and expand Your customers will love having a compact HMI packed with so much functionality Magelis STO Magelis XBT GK our unique spirit beverages through3.4” graphic screen Touch screen — versatile communications, sharp 65 k color QVGA screen, and replaceable screen. with keypad With Vijeo™ Designer software, Magelis STU shares a common programming out Canada and beyond.”

LEARNING TO FLY Continued from page 25

Introducing the first small HMI panel you install in a single 22 mm cut-out.

environment with all Magelis HMI panels, ensuring that your operator dialog projects can be developed quickly and easily. And you need only a USB memory stick for application downloads – no need to download from a portable PC.

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Maple Ridge Plastic Inc. Rock-Tenn Company Canpaco Inc. Intertape Polymer Group Inc. Lock N’ Pop Chep Canada Videojet Technologies Inc. Air Liquide Canada 3M Canada

483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491

Visit www.SEreply.com Key Code g597v ©2011 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, Vijeo, and Magelis are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 998-3792_US

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

METAL DETECTION

FIELDS OF DREAMS Ontario produce packer leaves nothing to chance with high-performance metal detection technology ANDREW JOSEPH, FEATURES EDITOR PHOTOS BY COLE GARSIDE

A

ny way you slice it, Pier 27 Produce is a remarkably successful home-grown Canadian business story.

Situated in Keswick, Ont., the company is a third-generation, family-owned supplier of farmfresh carrots, onions, parsnips and beets to local and regional grocery stores in the Ontario area and eastern seaboard of the U.S. “We are actually two businesses,” explains Gary Smith Sr., who is a partner and owner with his brother Paul Sr. and their sons Paul Jr., Gary Jr., Mike, Ian and Brad.

“Smith Farms is the peer company to Pier 27—a family farm started up over 50 years ago by my grandfather Bill Smith.”

With the farming business booming, in 2008 the family decided it would be prudent to open a packaging facility that would help ensure the growth of its farming business.

The Smith Gardens farm is located in nearby Queensville, Ont. where it currently has 22 employees overseeing the growing and harvesting of 800 acres of product: 440 acres of carrot; 280 acres for onion and 40 acres of red onion; 25 acres of beets; and 15 acres dedicated to parsnips.

With combined revenues of just under $30 million a year, the 42,000-square-foot Pier 27 plant and its 70 employees currently process and package up to 28,000 pounds of carrots and 25,000 pounds of onions per hour, according to Smith.

“We generally pack only for ourselves under the Pier 27 brand, but will occasionally help out a company,” says Smith. “We are trying to be selfsupported with just our own product, but we do have a few select local growers, and in our off-season we will also import product from the U.S. so that we can run our plant year-round.”

Smith says that Canadian carrots are generally finished by the end of April and onions can be safely stored through early August, adding that while the farm does not grow organic vegetables, the soil in which the product grows is entirely organic-based.

Smith says that approximately 60 per cent of Pier 27’s product is sold in Canada, with the remaining 40 per cent primarily exported to the U.S. The annual work cycle typically kickstarts each spring with the farm’s regular seeding—both direct seed and transplant—to get an early start on the growing season. The crops are monitored daily until it’s time to harvest them, which is done in early- to mid-July, depending on the season.

After harvesting, the product is sent to the Pier 27 plant for packaging.

“When it arrives at Pier 27, the vegetables are washed, sized and graded to produce a fresh quality pack that is then ready to be sent to our customers,” Smith related to Canadian Packaging magazine during a recent visit to the facility.

With food safety a key pressing issue in the food industry lately, Pier 27 takes its responsibility very seriously, according to Smith.

“We ensure that all of our product is traced from the time it leaves the farm until it reaches our customer,” explains Smith. “We know which field the product came from, which variety it is, when it was packed, and the final destination of the products.”

Safe Play The company utilizes the certification services of NSF Davis Fresh, a Watsonville, Ca.-based firm that provides technical expertise on food safety, validation audited on Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)certification and its traceability requirements.

“NSF Davis Fresh is a third-party auditing company that comes in every year to audit the farm and the plant,” relates Smith.

“They come in for a full day and carefully examine all aspects of the business, questioning us about our food safety and traceability practices that we use on a daily basis.”

After the carrots are packed in plastic bags, and the onions in mesh bags, each product is run through a top-of-the-line Phantom metal detection unit manufactured by Fortress Technology Inc. Based in Toronto, Fortress is a globally-operating company specializing in the design and manufacture of industrial metal detector systems for the food, pharmaceutical, lumber, plastic and textile industries.

“We purchased our Phantom metal detection unit in July of 2010, and it was customized to suit our individual needs,” says Smith adding it was installed in the carrot production area to enhance the company’s HACCP implementation.

The Phantom is used to search out Cut carrots move quickly through a Phantom metal detection system, manufactured by Fortress Technology, at Pier 27’s HACCP-certified facility.

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

Gary Smith Sr. shows off some of the fresh large carrots soon to be processed and packaged at the Pier 27 Produce production facility in Keswick, Ont.

Carrots and onions are Pier 27’s top two cash-crops.

2.5-mm ferrous, 3.0-mm non-ferrous metals and 3.5-mm stainless steel particles that are about the size of a ballpoint pen tip.

“I chose Fortress because they are a local manufacturer, and I like being able to deal with suppliers that are close by. It makes it easier for servicing, and parts are readily available if needed,” reveals Smith, complimenting Dave Pshebnicki from Plan Automation, a sales agent for Fortress who was directly involved in the sale and service of the Phantom for Pier 27.

Says Smith: “We’ve been using the Phantom for over a year now and to date it has not given us any aggravation.

“Also, the customer service we have received has been excellent—whether it’s a simple phone call or an on-site visit to ensure everything is working properly.”

Smith recalls being very impressed earlier this spring when Fortress technicians came to Pier 27 to do calibration, and then provided a certificate stating Continues on page 28

WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM • 27

METAL DETECTION FIELDS OF DREAMS Continued from page 27

the metal detection system was functioning properly.

“Although we can already track our products from the field all the way to the customer,” notes Smith, “we are currently looking to update this to a full traceability software program, whereby all of the crops are seeded with GPS (global positioning system) guidance, to allow us to retrieve exact field location of our crop.”

A key supplier for Pier 27 is a Norampac Inc. plant in Toronto, which supplies Triplewall corrugated boxes with the company logo on it. Used for two-inch carrot cuts, these durable corrugated bulk carriers have a plastic liner added to protect the bin from water damage.

Other key packaging suppliers to the Pier 27 plant include:

• NNZ Ltd. to supply the mesh onion bags; • Tempo Plastic Limited of nearby Innisfill, Ont., who supply pre-printed film bags for the carrots; • CHEP Canaada to supply the shipping pallets.

“We also use a wide variety of specialty equipment in our facility,” explains Smith. “They are all highly specialized systems designed for the carrot and onion packaging applications, manufactured in Germany and New Zealand.”

The mesh bagger and weigher used for onions is manufactured by Affeldt, though Smith says they use Produce Bagger equipment for the larger 25and 50-pound produce, along with some other line components manufactured by local manufacturer Alliston Machinery.

For the carrots, Pier 27 uses the impressive New Zealand-made Wyma Hydro-Cooler to quickly reduce the ambient temperature of the produce down from 850F to 34.50F—a rapid temperature

change which actually helps enhance freshness and extend the shelf-life of the carrots.

The carrot production line also employs the Dutch–built Sormac cutting equipment and a cellophane bagger from Sorma USA. LLC. “This is a competitive industry—but what business isn’t,” ref lects Smith.

“We’ve been farming for over 50 years, and we’ve all been blessed with a lot of hand-me-down experience from my uncle and my dad, which gives us the ability to know what varieties of produce work best on our land to give us the best yields possible—as long as Mother Nature cooperates, of course.

“If we have a good product coming in, it makes it that much easier for us to package it,” says Smith praising the equipment utilized at Pier 27 for enabling a highly efficient production line process.

“Back in the old days, we needed more labor to watch over the machinery than we require now, which also helps us save costs,” he adds. “But really, what matters most to us is our record for providing a safe product for our customers.

“Success in the marketplace usually comes from providing a consistently excellent product that the customer knows is going to be fresh, tasty and safe, which is why we are constantly striving to maintain our well-earned record of providing just that,” Smith concludes.

“Using companies like NSF Fresh Davis for their auditing help and the Phantom metal detection system from Fortress Technology, has really brought about a peace of mind for us.”

Processed carrots prepped for shipment are loaded in Norampac’s Triplewall corrugated bins atop of CHEP pallets.

For More Information: NSF Davis Fresh Fortress Technology Inc. Plan Automation Norampac Inc. NNZ Ltd. Temp Plastic Limited CHEP Canada Affeldt Alliston Machinery Wyma Sormac B.V. Sorma USA. LLC Produce Bagger Inc.

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

EVENTS

PEOPLE

OCT. 25-27 Plymouth, Mich.: IGVR (The International Conference for Vision Guided Robotics), by Robotic Industries Association (RIA) and Automated Imaging Association (AMI). At The Inn at St. John’s Conference Center. To register, go to: www.machinevisiononline.org

NOV. 1-4 Chicago: Process Expo 2011, global food equipment and technology exhibition by the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA). At McCormick Place. Contact FPSA at (703) 761-2600; or go to: www.myprocessexpo.com

NOV. 7-8 Orlando, Fla.: Machines NOW, industrial automation technologies exposition and conference by Schneider Electric. At Marriott World Center. To register, go to: www.schneider-electric.us/go/machinesnow

 Flint Group, Luxembourgheadquartered manufacturer of printing inks, coatings and other consumables for the global package converting and commercial printing industries, Adred has appointed Doug Adred as president of the company’s global Packaging and Narrow Web division.  Royston, Ga.-headquartered pharmaceutical contract manufacturer and co-packer Pharma Tech Industries (PTI) has appointed Preston Wright as senior director of quality, responsible for quality control and assurance for the company’s manufacturing facilities in Royston and Union, Mo. Wright

 Edison, N.J.-based Cryopak, supplier of coldchain packaging products and monitoring systems for the pharmaceutical, food and life science industry applications, has appointed Heidi Jones as sales representative for the U.S. midwest and southern regions.  CABKA North America Inc., St. Louis, Mo.-based supplier of multiway, high-load plastic pallets for high-bay warehousing and automated conveying applications, has appointed Amnon Shalman as chief executive officer.

Shalman

 Broomfield, Colo.-headquartered metal packaging products manufacturer Ball Corporation has appointed Lisa Pauley as senior vice-president of human resources and administration.

NOV. 8-10 Munich, Germany: ICE Europe 2011, international converting exhibition (ICE)

by Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd. At Munich Trade Fair Center. To register, go to: www.ice-x.com

Free PrODUCt INFOrMAtION For further information on either advertisements or editorial in this issue, please circle the appropriate numbers below.

Once you’ve filled out your contact information, fax this form back to us at: 416.510.5140

NOV. 9-10 Montreal: Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo, by Messe Frankfurt USA. At Palais des Congrés de Montréal. To register, go to: www.cwre.ca/RTE1

NOV. 14-17 Chicago: Automation Fair, annual industrial automation technologies exhibition and conference by the Process Solutions User Group of Rockwell Automation. At McCormick Place West. To register, go to: www.psug.rockwellautomation.com

NOV. 16-18 Düsseldorf, Germany: COMPAMED 2011, international medical technologies exhibition by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. At Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. Contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at (312) 781-5180; or go to: www.compamed.de

NOV. 22-23 Berlin, Germany: European Bioplastics Conference. At Maritim proArte Hotel.

To register, go to: www.european-bioplastics.org

NOV. 26-28 Milan, Italy: SIMEI (International Enological and Bottling Equipment Exhibition). At Fiera Milano. To register, go to: www.simei.it

NOV. 28-30 Paris, France: Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, conference by Organic Monitor. To register, go to: www.organicmonitor.com

NOV. 29 - DEC. 2 Shanghai, China: Labelexpo Asia 2011, labeling technologies conference and exhibition

by Tarsus Group plc. At Shanghai New International Expo Center. To register, go to: www.labelexpo-asia.com

OCTOBER 2011 • CANADIAN PACKAGING

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IMPOrtANt: Please complete the following questions What is the primary business at your location?

Which of the following do you plan on purchasing within the next 12 months?  Advesives  Checkweigher  Machine Vision  Adhesive Applicator  Colour Label Printer  Metal Detector  Bar Code Equipment  Conveyors  Modified Atmosphere  Capper  Filler Packaging Machinery  Cartoners  Ink Jet Equipment  Palletizer  Case Packer  Intermediate Bulk Containers  Pallets  Case Sealer  Labeler  PLC’s, Sensors, Controls Approximate number of employees?

Is this company a:  Package User  Custom Packager  Package Maker  Supplier

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 Strapping Equipment  Stretch Wrapper  Stretchwrap Film  Shipping Containers  Tape  Vacuum Packaging OCtOber 2011

HAVING A GAS WITH PACKAGING UPDATES

H

aving completed a recent move to a hew home, restocking my kitchen essentials has become a more frequent daily experience than it used to be, but it provides a good opportunity to catch up on the latest packaging updates and innovations to add style and sparkle to the new kitchen and bathrooms.

On that front, the shapely new aerosol canister used to package the newly-launched PAM Professional no-stick cooking spray, quickly caught my eye on a recent foray to the grocery store with bold new packaging brimming with revolutionary design ambitions.

Instead of relying on the PAM cooking spray brand’s familiar round containers decorated with cheery, up-close yellowand-orange food graphics and a large red plastic top cap, this new addition to the neoiconic PAM product family, distributed by Conagra Foods Canada Inc Inc., certainly turns it up a notch, or three, style-wise.

Formulated specifically for light-heat cooking on gas oven ranges, PAM Professional scores countless style points with the new stainless-steel, ergonomically-shaped canister at no cost to the package’s commendable functionality.

The canister’s new grip-friendly, contoured shape makes it much easier to wield around in the kitchen, while the f lame-colored band around the can is a handy visual cue that the product is meant specifically for gas stove cooking. For its part, the slimmed-down red cap crowning the hi-tech silver can subtly evokes the distinctive, trademarked red knobs on Wolf Appliances top-of-the-line gas ranges—playfully casting this very useful new cooking product in a similarly high-end, upscale light.

While still on the subject of stylish new packaging upgrades of established kitchen staples, the SO!GO L’MON brand of pure lemon juice—produced in South Africa by So —also makes Gourmet (Pty) Ltd.—also a fairly commanding statement in the produce section of any large grocery store or outlet.

Bottled in 200-ml glass containers fully-wrapped with catchy yellow shrinksleeve labels, this package is a big step up from the long-enduring, lemon-shaped plastic squeezep-bottles still found at countless family fridges across Canada, especially with all the consumer anxietities about storing any drinakble liquid in plastic for too long.

While this package is naturally more pricey than the aforementioned plastic lemons and limes, nice packaging touches and f lourishes—such as twistoff silver metal cap and elegant black-and-sliver lettering—make it pretty enough to take its rightful place right at the dinner table as a low-calorie, high-impact f lavor alternative to traditional oily salad dressings.

With the fall upon and each morning getting darker in a hurry, perking up in the mornings is just not as easy as it was during the care-free summer months. Fortunately, the KORRES Basil Lemon shower gel—manufactured in Greece by Korres Natural —usually gives me just the Products—usually extra kick I need to get my eyes to open up to the new day ahead.

Distributed here by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company,, the 400-ml plastic bottle looks absolutely pristine with its

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX R.S. No.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

101

Atlantic Packaging

Page 4

Product Ltd

For more information on Classified Advertising please contact: 416-510-5198

102

Canpaco

16-17

104

Corrupal

19

105

Eagle Packaging Machinery

28

106

Festo Inc

7

107

Flexlink Systems Canada

6

108

Harlund

8

109

Henkel Corp

110

Premier Tech Systems

111

Robert Reiser & Co. Inc.

112

Samuel Strapping Systems

113

SEW Eurodrive Co. of Canada

114, 115 Schneider Electric • Qty 2. Complete Nail Polish Filling & Pack Lines • Kalish 36in Stainless Steel Turn Table K21 • Sollas Auto Cellophane Overwrapper 17-100 • Lepel Heat Induction Sealer, Model TR300A • Visual Pak 6 Station Blister Heat Sealers • Sollas Auto Stretch Banding Machine SB250 • Bivans Convey-O-Mat 54L & Bivans Tuck-O-Mat 82 • Damark Heat Tunnel, STR-16 • New & Used 3’-21’ Stainless Steel Conveyors • 3M-Matic Top & Bottom Case Sealer 77R • Image Ink Jet Coder 1000 S8 • New Net Weigh/Fillers (customizable)

30 • WWW.CANADIANPACKAGING.COM

CPAC-CHK-TAB.indd 30

15 8 10 9 31

11,26

115

Strathcona

116

Unisource Canada Inc

117

VideoJet Technologies Canada

118

Weigh-Pack

2 12 3 32

uncluttered, close-up nature photography zeroing in on the gel’s key plant-based ingredients, nicely contrasted with a black paper label just oozing with upscale elegance in my all-white, ultra modern new bathroom.

Topped with a securely-fastened, consumerfriendly f lip-top closure, this largish container is surprisingly easy to hold on to while in the shower, while also making good use of its backspace to list several interesting Yes/No Formula Facts on the back of the label.

Photos by Will Gravlev

CHECKOUT RACHEL HORVATH

I have been drawn to little tins and boxes since I was a child, so I was immediately attracted to the girlie-pink So Little i Energy Gum box displayed on a gum counter at a an airport while killing time before a holiday trip this summer.

Stuffed with Canadian-made peppermint-f lavored gum, the made-in-China box features a stylized image of a fashionista figurine on the lid that clearly mimicked the cover art of a Chick Lit paperback book I was holding at the time. Hey, it was a holiday trip!

Boasting a built-in make-up mirror on the inside provides the tin with a perfect after-life purpose in the hands of any mobile young lady to store all sorts of tiny beauty essentials, while the perfectlysized, gum-shaped hole inside facilitates easy, nomess dispensing of the chewing gum pieces inside one at a time. A perfect bit of packaging eye-candy for my purse!

Rachel Horvath is vice-president of television production at Lone Eagle Entertainment Ltd., an independent media production company based in Toronto. She is currently producing You Gotta Eat Here! for the Food Network Canada Canada, premiering in January 2012.

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October 2011

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CANADIAN PACKAGING • OCTOBER 2011

11-11-01 10:33 AM

MECHANICAL DRIVES

SEVERE Duty CoRRoSIoN PRotECtIoN the

F-SERIES SNuggLER®

Parallel Helical gearmotors SEW-Eurodrive’s F-Series parallel helical gearmotor lives up to its name as the ideal drive for tight space conditions. This compact drive, with its multiple mounting configurations, is a rugged alternative to right angled gearmotors.

SEW-Eurodrive has introduced a new line of aseptic gearmotors to meet the high levels of hygiene crucial to the production of food and beverages, as well as the stringent demands of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. SEW has solved this challenge with the aseptic design of helical, parallel shaft helical, helical-bevel and helical-worm gearmotors made entirely of smooth stainless steel, cooled by pure convection cooling — eliminating conventional fan and cooling ribs, which prevents the build-up of germs and bacteria on the surface and allows for easy regular cleaning.

corroSion Protection Product range Power ratings from 0.34 to 2.0 HP Can be mounted directly onto R, F, K, S-Series gear units in all standard positions

F-SerieS Product range Power ratings from 0.05 to 336 HP Output speeds from 0.06 to 464 rpm (based on 4 pole motor) Output torques to 159,300 lb-in.

High Efficiency. Low Cost.

Engineered Together into SEW’s Popular New DR Series.

K-SERIES

Helical-Bevel gearmotors SEW-Eurodrive’s K-Series right angle helicalbevel gearmotors deliver maximum performance and reliability with 95%+ efficiency and high torque density. Durable gearing designed for long service life makes this drive an ideal choice for demanding around-the-clock applications.

Meets NEMA & IEC Standards: The DR motor meets and exceeds international energy standards and comes in two efficiency levels: DRE High Efficiency (IE2), and DRP Premium Efficiency (IE3), which meets EISA 2007 and NR Can Energy efficient standard (CSA C390). The DR motor meets the specifications of NEMA MG1-2006 part 31.4.4.2, regarding voltage spikes and IEC Design H standards.

Increased Power: SEW offers more compact copper-rotor variants of the DRE and DRP induction motors in addition to the traditional aluminium-rotor motors-thereby reducing losses in the rotor, and consequently allowing for increased power within one frame size.

K-SerieS Product range

Export Friendly: The DR Motor is available in metric formats for international export.

Power ratings from 0.05 to 615 HP Output speeds from 0.05 to 326 rpm (based on 4 pole motor) Output torques to 442,500 lb-in.

S-SERIES

Fail-Safe Brake: DR Motors offers an integrated mechanical fail-safe brake that is applied when a power failure occurs.

It is an electromagnetic, springloaded brake powered by DC voltage via a rectifier. The brake can also be released mechanically with either an automatic or manual brake release.

Integrated Encoder: The new built-in encoder is fully integrated into the motor, making it more compact and less expensive. The encoder is installed between the end shield and the fan and is connected at the terminal box, so it can be easily retrofitted.

Helical-Worm gearmotors SEW-Eurodrive’s S-Series right angle gearmotors offer helical-before-worm gearing combining durability with power-packed performance in a compact design that requires no motor belts or couplings.

S-SerieS Product range Power ratings from 0.05 to 46 HP Output speeds from 0.05 to 257 rpm

Versatile Mounting options: Now offering new mounting capabilities.

The motor can be foot-mounted and/or flange-mounted with numerous throughhole or tapped-hole configurations. A NEMA C flange is also available.

Output torques to 35,400 lb-in.

three Brake Sizes: As a cost saving feature DR Motors are available with a choice of up to three different brake sizes per motor size.

Washdown Resistant: Rated up to IP66, the DR series can be built to withstand the rigours of harsh washdown environments.

They can be also supplied with a forced cooling option.

SEW-Eurodrives’ DR Series of AC motors have been engineered from the ground up to meet the motor demands of the 21st century for continuous or long-running drive applications: like high efficiency performance that complies with international standards; a compact

AC MotoRS

and Brakemotors SEW-Eurodrive’s squirrel-cage motors and brakemotors deliver exceptional performance and reliability combined with low maintenance.

Designed for continuous duty under tough service conditions, these low-noise brakemotors are used wherever fast, safe braking is a major application requirement.

footprint that saves space; a modular design that features a detachable foot design to provide the same excellent braking performance but now in a stand-alone brakemotor configuration; and a simple, built-in encoder that can be easily retrofitted. What’s more, these versatile motors are integratable into SEW gearmotors, used as stand-alone motors or into decentralized control architectures.

Driving the world

ac MotorS Product range Power ratings from 0.25 to 100 HP FOR MORE INFORMATION CIRCLE 113

2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 4/8-, 2/6-, 2/8-pole plus others Integral brakes to fit all frames

Toronto (905) 791-1553

Montreal (514) 367-1124

Vancouver (604) 946-5535

www.sew-eurodrive.ca

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