Packaging Europe Issue 12.3

VOLUME 12.3 – 2017

VALUE CHAIN COLLABORATION: THE FUTURE OF PACKAGING INNOVATION? REALISING INDUSTRY 4.0 WAR ON FOOD WASTE LAMINATED WITH COSMO FILMS’S SCUFF FREE MATTE THERMAL LAMINATION FILM

OVENABLE PACKAGING

CONTENTS

VOLUME 12.3 – 2017

The cover of this edition has been laminated with a BOPP-based Scuff Free Matte thermal lamination film supplied by Cosmo Films Ltd., the world’s largest manufacturer of thermal lamination films. This film is used for laminating all kinds of printed and non printed paper. It offers excellent resistance to scuff marks and scratches, which may develop during handling and transportation. The matte surface of the film is ideal for post laminating procedures such as UV spot coating, hot foil stamping, embossing etc. Apart from the luxury packaging applications, the film is best suited for laminating packing boxes of electronic goods such as mobile phones, tablets, power banks etc. For further info, write to enquiry@cosmofilms.com.

3

Editorial Tim Sykes

Comment 4 Collaboration Unifying the value chain 12 Realising Industry 4.0 From supply pain to supply change 16 Food Declaring war on waste 21 SP Group Do you want all eyes on you? Innovation in rigid bases 22 Ovenable packaging Challenging convention 26 Materials Focus on rigid plastics 30 Machinery Innovations in end of the line 35 Filling Fulfilling needs of the consumer & manufacturer 37 Events ProPak China & RosUpack

38 42 43 44 45 46

Industry Profiles Alvey Group Pioneering multi-line palletising technology GEA Procomac From aseptic filling to secondary packaging: GEA accompanies its customers with safe and flexible systems to achieve their targets Sukano Safe, recyclable and ready made – all in one food trays make for the ultimate convenience food Stevanato Group SPAMI SAM30: The perfect solution for first-in-class glass ampoules manufacturing Airopack Think possibilities. Think Airopack.

Saxoprint Bespoke packaging made easy

ADVERTISERS INDEX A Acmi Airopack Alvey Group Ampacet

14 33 41 29

B battenfeld-cincinnati Germany Blow Moulding

16 19

C Citus Kalix Cosmo Films

48 13

D Drinktec

11

E Elitron

13

G GEA

23

H Heat and Control

7

I IML Solutions

9

P PakTech

11

R Repsol

15

S Sappi Saxoprint SP Group Squid Ink Starlinger Systech

27 47 21 5 44 ii

T Tubettificio M.Favia

17

V Videojet Technologies

31

Editor Tim Sykes

Art Director Gareth Harrey

News Editor Elisabeth Skoda

Art Editor Paul Holden-Abbott

Journalist Libby White

IT Support Andrew Wood Levi Gant Syed Hassan

Profile Writers Emma-Jane Batey Alessandra Lacaita Felicity Landon Romana Moares Barbara Rossi Piotr Sadowski Abigail Saltmarsh Marco Siebel Julia Snow Vanja Svacko Philip Yorke Production Manager Tania Balderson

Administration Amber Dawson Kayleigh Harvey Senior Account Managers Kevin Gambrill Jesse Roberts Account Managers Dominic Kurkowski Colin Osbaldstone Ryan Camsey

Packaging Europe Ltd

Packaging Europe Ltd is part of the Rapid News Communications Group Alkmaar House, Alkmaar Way, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6BF, UK Registered Office: Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. Company No: 10531302.

Registered in England. VAT Registration No. GB 265 4148 96 Telephone: +44 (0)1603 414444 Fax: +44 (0)1603 779850 Email: Editorial: editor@packagingeurope.com Studio: adcopy@packagingeurope.com Advertising: jr@packagingeurope.com kg@packagingeurope.com Website: www.packagingeurope.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PackagingEurope Twitter: www.twitter.com/PackagingEurope

© Packaging Europe Ltd 2017 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

Tim Sykes

EDITOR

U

ntil recently ‘collaboration’ was something of an aspirational buzzword, something that worked better in the theory than the practice of packaging development.

Over the last couple of years I think we’ve observed a shift, as more businesses incorporate the idea of cooperative innovation into their company DNA. Giants such as Tetra Pak are increasingly systematising their value chain partnerships, while ever more converters and machinery manufacturers are looking to pool their knowledge and resources to optimise offerings to end user needs and accelerate time to market. In this edition’s cover story we look at one of the pioneers of collaboration – the Dow Chemical Company – as well as the way LINPAC has discovered new and sometime unforeseen benefits through joint R&D projects.

Meanwhile, we explore two areas in the food segment where packaging innovation can make a significant intervention. Elisabeth Skoda looks into the latest packaging developments that are extending shelf lives and Libby White reveals how brand owners’ creative thinking and packaging technicians’ ingenuity are creating a new generation of ovenable solutions that are transforming the way we cook.

In addition, as packaging supply chains strive for return on their Industry 4.0 investments, Thingstream’s Neil Hamilton talks us through the technological options. Are there simpler options than RFID and satellite tracking when we look to maximise reliability and minimise cost? We also share our round up of the driving trends and latest advances in rigid plastics, end of line machinery and filling technologies.

Speaking of advances, I’m excited and proud to announce a new direction for Packaging Europe following our recent acquisition by the Rapid News Communications Group. You have noticed a new logo on our front cover, and on your next visit to www.PackagingEurope.com you’ll discover a totally new website.

The site loads ten times faster than the last iteration and is better optimised for mobile devises. And (after extensive market research and a fair amount of our own ‘collaborative innovation’) it’s better organised and structured to answer the questions and make the connections in packaging technology that the industry needs. More importantly, over the coming months we will be innovating, investing and working very hard to bring you more essential stories and comment that make sense of demands and opportunities across the European supply chain.

Tim Sykes ts@packagingeurope.com @PackEuropeTim

Packaging Europe | 3 |

COLLABORATION

UNIFYING THE VALUE CHAIN Increased attention to the potential of innovation through collaboration has been a particularly important phenomenon in recent times. Some businesses are extending and deepening the R&D project partnerships they have always participated in, while others are exploring the radical new territory of making systematic collaboration the very basis of technological advancement.

Tim Sykes spoke to Dr Helene Roberts (group marketing and innovation director at LINPAC) and Elena Di Cunzolo (Value Chain leader EMEA at the Dow Chemical Company) about the best approaches to collaboration and the scale of the return on investment in cooperation.

T

he expectations of today’s consumer are high when it comes to packaging serving more than its core preservative and protective functions. In response to the need to differentiate a pack from hundreds of others on shelf, the ability to collaborate is becoming an added value driver across a wide range of sectors and throughout the supply chain. According to a 2017 Mintel report on global packaging trends, consumers are increasingly looking for brands to entertain and engage them. It’s therefore no surprise that brands and retailers are demanding new packaging styles and structures that boost shelf appeal, while helping to form and shape brand identity.

Fresh food packaging manufacturer, LINPAC, values the importance of collaboration to drive differentiation in its extensive multi-material portfolio. “When two packaging specialists team up to pool their expertise and combine novel, complementary elements, | 4 | Packaging Europe

the resulting pack can far exceed what could have been produced as a solo, in-house development,” remarked LINPAC’s Helene Roberts, “particularly when the project is driven by a brand with specific consumer insight.”

Integrate to stand out LINPAC has recently experienced perhaps unexpected consequences from its endeavours in the collaboration arena when a series of joint projects with specialist films manufacturer, Klöckner Pentaplast led to the Klöckner acquisition of the LINPAC Group. With 32 locations across 16 countries, the consolidated group will now be able to offer complete packaging solutions across rigid films, trays and flexible films to the food, pharmaceutical and speciality sectors.

Packaging Europe | 5 |

COLLABORATION

LINPAC has introduced the expertise of other print and materials specialists to continually improve its resource efficient, functional core products in line with market demands.

LINPAC and specialist print partner Parkside Flexibles recently demonstrated the power of cooperation to increase the shelf appeal of LINPAC MAP packs by developing an innovative newsprint design for Young’s Seafood Ltd. The aim of the project was to help innovate previously unprinted LINPAC rPET trays, with the aim of increasing shelf standout for retailers in the chilled section (traditionally a graphic-free packaging category).

Parkside printed a unique flexo reverse newspaper print on the tray for the modified atmosphere pack (MAP), which holds two beer battered cod fillets. The novel, nostalgic print was designed to emulate the newspaper sheets traditionally used to wrap takeaway fish and chips, tapping into the trend for ‘modern retro’ food packaging.

“For the project to be a success, a high degree of collaboration was required between Parkside, the LINPAC Pontivy and UK teams and the Young’s Seafood Ltd. packaging team,” commented Dr Roberts. “Several ideas and samples were produced and presented to Young’s Seafood Ltd. to achieve a well-considered final design, which was initially launched by leading retailer, ASDA. “In addition, the LINPAC-Parkside partnership has also teamed up to innovate the Rfresh® Evolve vacuum skin pack (VSP) for Hilton Foods. A natural-look, grass graphic was printed by Parkside and applied to the LINPAC rPET tray during the thermoforming process to create stand-out shelf presence in what is traditionally a graphic-free category.”

Novel combinations As well as introducing natural-look graphics to its range, LINPAC has worked with specialist cartonboard manufacturer, Graphic Packaging International (GPI) to create a range of patisserie packs for the bakery sector that incorporate cartonboard. The packs, that are suitable for cakes and pastries, combine GPI cartonboard trays with compatible LINPAC rPET lids. | 6 | Packaging Europe

The partnership has enabled various designs, including a shallow ‘fold-out’ cartonboard base with tapered rPET lid, a ‘theatre’ pack with a hinged lid and wrap-around base and a ‘multi-height’ nested tray to enable different pack depths. A ‘clip-in’ solution can be folded flat to minimise storage needs, while being easy to construct at the point of sale.

“None of the patisserie pack designs would have been possible without the LINPAC-GPI partnership, which amalgamated the advanced materials knowledge and design expertise from both companies to optimum effect”, said Dr Roberts.

“What’s particularly pleasing about this project is that both materials are fully sustainable. The combination of the ecologically balanced medium, cartonboard, and the LINPAC lids which are manufactured from in excess of 95 per cent post-consumer rPET recyclate, is just about as sustainable as it gets. Both materials are recyclable post-consumer.”

Supply chain benefits For brands looking to leverage trust and loyalty and extend their product portfolio beyond traditional categories, packaging collaborations between suppliers can prove to be a catalyst for adding value. Increased shelf presence, material diversity and high levels of sustainability born from key partnerships give brands and retailers the opportunity elevate the humble preservative and protective pack to a stand-out extension of the brand experience.

“Embracing the integration of core capabilities to generate differentiation is something we’ll continue to see more of in all sectors. Working with key partners in the packaging industry to drive innovation, address sustainability challenges and increase speed to market will drive growth in unique complete pack solutions that can be purchased from a single, trusted supplier”, concludes Dr Roberts. “It’s an advantageous situation for everyone in the supply chain.”

At Dow the necessity of collaboration seems to have long burrowed into the collective corporate ethos. “Collaboration is a key enabling factor to drive innovation across the entire

Packaging Europe | 7 |

COLLABORATION

packaging value chain,” remarked Elena Di Cunzolo. “By proactively engaging in strategic collaborative partnerships with key value chain members, we are in the best position to anticipate upcoming consumer trends, address unmet needs, unlock new development opportunities and ultimately accelerate innovation throughout the packaging industry of today and tomorrow.”

efits. “Dow Pack Studios’ industry-leading capabilities have been a critical enabling factor,” said Ms Di Cunzolo, “to achieve fast and successful commercialisation of these and many other value-adding packaging developments, resulting in a triple win for the converter, the brand owner and Dow.”

Pack Studios

The speed of innovation is accelerating around the world. Competitive pressure is increasing everywhere. Moreover, we’re living in a fast-moving world dominated by globalisation and digitalisation, and the packaging industry is no exception. This raises potential barriers to collaboration. “Growing competitive pressure on one side, and the threat of over-transparency of data and information brought by digitalisation on the other side, may sometimes be seen as limiting factors preventing collaboration amongst value chain members,” said Ms Di Cunzolo. “Companies are rightly conscious about the strategic importance to protect their own IP space, so as not to give competitive advantage away – particularly when it gets to innovation and new technology development.

“I personally believe that a good way to address such concerns and effectively promote the collaboration spirit across our industry, is take the lead and always act reliably and responsibly, so as to ensure the best possible balance between sharing of expertise and need for confidentiality, at all stages of a strategic collaborative engagement.”

As charted in these pages, Dow has set up a global model to foster and support the value chain collaboration spirit. Pack Studios is Dow’s global technology network, facilitating the local implementation of innovative packaging solutions, better and faster. “At Pack Studios we design, develop, test and validate new packaging concepts together with our customers and value chain partners,” Ms Di Cunzolo asserted. “Our partners particularly appreciate the benefit of leveraging on Dow Pack Studios’ commercial-scale packaging lines, physical and analytical testing and prototyping capabilities, to test new packaging structures and formats without shutting down their own production to run in-house trials.”

The fruits of Pack Studios are hitting the markets, from the PacXpert and PoucHug formats to optimised adhesives. However, the real gauge of success, according to Ms Di Cunzolo, is not merely the quality of the end solution, but the degree to which a project has helped both converter customers and value chain partners to successfully accelerate innovation, in the process delivering added value and growth. The development of a novel packaging formulation for frozen food bags based on Dow’s INNATE™ and ELITE™ high performance resins was one such collaboration project that met these criteria. It provided significant benefits in terms of high hermeticity and improved puncture and drop resistance of the package, as well as resource efficiency through downgauging. Another is an innovative skin packaging on paperboard solution for meat, fish and cheese barrier packaging that combines all in one improved sustainability attributes and consumer convenience ben| 8 | Packaging Europe

Overcoming obstacles

Commitment I put it to Ms Di Cunzola that ‘collaboration’ has become something of a buzzword: lots of businesses say they are doing it – with varying levels of commitment. “I could not agree more about how much used and abused the word has become,” she responded. “In general though, in our conversations with customers, brand owners, retailers, equipment manufacturers and packaging industry experts, we hear a growing number of players

Packaging Europe | 9 |

convinced that the industry as a whole needs to get more and more strategically engaged in a collaborative and circular approach. Many years ago already, Dow launched a marketing communications campaign that was all themed around the concept of “We Don’t Succeed, Unless You Do”. Such a statement could not be more modern today... Collaboration is now, more than ever, the key to success. It’s the driving force that will generate sustainable development, innovation, and last but not least, competitive advantage in our industry.

“The power of Pack Studios’ offering is the breadth of Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics product portfolio, technical expertise and application knowledge to offer total packaging solutions that can be developed and leveraged everywhere across the globe, while ensuring local agility for fast commercialisation of new solutions. Having said that, we are obviously not alone in this industry; in fact, I personally look forward to seeing other players in the packaging arena willing to invest in collaboration resources and models that can further accelerate innovation and growth across the value chain. Again like we said, collaboration is the name of the game and we expect so much more to come in the future!”

Elena Di Cunzolo, Value Chain leader EMEA at the Dow Chemical Company

| 10 | Packaging Europe

COLLABORATION

Packaging Europe | 11 |

FROM SUPPLY PAIN TO SUPPLY CHANGE: MAKING IoT SIMPLE The Internet of Things is a buzz phrase we keep hearing as something that can drive efficiency and make improvements within supply chains. However, some food brand owners remain daunted by the complexity of the implementation challenge. Neil Hamilton, VP of Business Development at Industrial IoT enabler Thingstream, argues that to date these technologies haven’t been simple enough to integrate. Initial investment is high, and cost is further exacerbated by reliability and coverage issues.

But things are set to get easier in the future with simple new technology becoming more readily available.

H

ype has defined the Internet of Things (IoT) in recent years, and the supply chain is no different. The potential of connected technology to drive efficiencies by tracking the location of anything and monitor its state provides significant value to both suppliers and receivers. In food for example, being able to monitor and prevent spoilage has been proven to significantly reduce waste. Achieving high levels of insight and access is a challenge, and it needs to be made simpler.

The difficulty for those in the packaging industry tasked with improving supply chains through connected technology comes in two areas: cost and accuracy. Necessary investment tends to be high, because of both reliability and coverage issues. If a piece of technology goes wrong, or moves out of range, tracking will go down and be rendered useless. Installation is also expensive, as each monitoring device needs to be built, installed and connected to a network.

Particularly in food and FMCG we’ve seen wide use of RFID and satellite based tracking.

Both of these are useful, but neither provides accurate and anywhere in the world live monitoring. RFID relies on receivers at stocking and processing locations, and satellite tracking is expensive and can be unreliable. The alternative, tracking through mobile operator networks makes more sense, but the challenge comes when the chosen network goes out of range, or the supply chain stretches across multiple countries - an even more expensive roaming SIM is required. This is quite simply not a feasible option for organisations when you are transporting millions of tonnes of food and produce everyday.

Always on?

Solutions in this space are sold on the basis of being always-on and data driven, but unless you’re willing to pay expensive subscriptions to multiple network operators, always-on will never truly be achieved. In some sectors a lack of monitoring can be a serious issue.

According to a study by the United Nations Organisation for Alimentation and Agriculture, almost one third of worldwide food production is lost - representing 1.3 billion tons, which would cover an area as big as Canada in farmed land. Imagine what could be achieved if all of this food could be relatively inexpensively monitored as it moves through global supply chains, alerting producers and receivers when food was near to being spoiled?

Improving the method in which packaged food is tracked and monitored within the supply chain could make a real difference to ensuring food stays fresher and safer for longer. In 2015 a report by the UK Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) showed how much money can be saved by reducing food waste. The report predicts that reducing waste from 20 to 50 percent could save the industry between $120 and $300 billion. The US and Europe are responsible for approximately 60 per cent of all food wasted with an average 21 per cent of this waste arising from spoilage.

For firms handling any type of perishable goods, one of the most significant challenges is keeping produce at optimum conditions. As goods move through supply chains this becomes even more of a challenge. At each step there is potential for a | 12 | Packaging Europe

REALISING INDUSTRY 4.0

Packaging Europe | 13 |

REALISING INDUSTRY 4.0

slight change in condition that could significantly reduce the shelf life of the products.

For this reason it is important to have an affordable system in place whereby issues can be identified and resolved in as close to near real time as possible. Furthermore, Insurance companies will be offering cheaper policies if supply chains are visible end to end, enabling the ability to pinpoint when the chain is broken and goods are damaged or spoiled.

By making IoT technology more affordable, mass adoption can be achieved in supply chains across the globe. From a business perspective - high customer fulfilment rates are critical. Putting waste to one side, technology can also reduce risk and consequently cost.

Ultimately, coverage and cost of implementation are going to be king for any solution to see widescale adoption. For IoT to be truly ubiquitous in the supply chain, we need to see solutions which are both accurate and simple to implement.

USSD – an answer?

A lesser known technology could provide a potential solution. Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) is a universal protocol which appears in all 2G, 3G, 4G, and LTE mobile networks, providing a globally ubiquitous tool for the movement of data. The

| 14 | Packaging Europe

technology is network agnostic meaning cost is also reduced, removing the need to agree contracts with multiple operators.

To truly drive IoT adoption in the supply chain, we’re going to need an alternative approach to what we’ve seen in recent years. Costs need to be lowered, and technology simplified. A company looking to develop an IoT solution which involves the communication with devices living on the edge of a network is simply faced with too many complex decisions at the moment, from how to connect through to the safety of that connection. With USSD, there is effectively no internet involved. Hacking is more difficult and costs can be saved in hardware with no need to install microprocessors, in turn reducing power demand in data transmission.

Better supply chain management is critical to future success of businesses across the packaging industry. A constant connection should be the minimum requirement for any solution, not simply an ideal or aim. USSD presents a compelling technology for future implementations of IoT solutions, enabling a simple to configure, constant and reliable data transmission at an affordable cost. In short, better IoT solutions in the supply chain will provide a strong return on investment, and enable a better connected future for the management of the movement of assets.

Packaging Europe | 15 |

DECLARING WAR ON WASTE Elisabeth Skoda explores the role packaging can play when dealing with the challenge of making food last longer to combat waste.

DR

Helene Roberts, group marketing and innovation director at LINPAC, underlines the importance of packaging in the battle against food waste: “According to the European Commission, an estimated 100 million tonnes of food is wasted annually in the EU from farm to fork. Packaging has an instrumental role to play in addressing this by protecting, preserving and presenting food, helping to extend shelf life and cutting unnecessary food waste.”

| 16 | Packaging Europe

Packaging is key She emphasises the fact that the challenge for today’s packaging manufacturers is to add value to a pack’s core protective and preservative functions to establish packaging as a valuable resource, rather than a by-product: “Value can be added through greater resource efficiency, innovative design features and sustainable materials.”

FOOD WASTE

Tom Garsed, marketing, design and innovation director at Graphic Packaging International, concurs.

“Without packaging, a high percentage of food would be lost before it even reaches the shelf. Apart from protecting and preserving, packaging’s secondary function is to create greater shelf presence, ensuring that the pack is selected and purchased, rather than left on the shelf and eventually put to waste.”

He adds that it is important packaging manufacturers drive sustainable and recyclable solutions, eliminating packaging waste as well as food waste.

“Many packaging materials are currently recyclable but localised infrastructure constraints and a lack of consumer education can lead to a high proportion of post-consumer material going to waste.”

Mark Lingard, marketing manager at Sirane, talks about how the Courtauld Commitment 2025 brought the topic of food waste to the top of the agenda across the industry.

“Both processors/packers and retailers looking to change. With fresh food – be it meat, poultry, seafood, fruit of vegetables – packaging can make a significant difference to the shelf-life, and increasing shelf-life has a positive direct on food waste – to some extent, it’s the same problem. The correct packaging can make the difference of at least a couple of days – more in some cases – which has a huge impact of profit margins.”

Jörg Sabo, Greiner Packaging’s marketing director mentions the changing requirements on food and packaging in recent years: “Consumers ask for high quality, fresh food with no preservatives which still have a long shelf life. Packs should protect the product and be easy to transport and to handle, and of course sustainable.”

Urbanised demands Dr Roberts observes that increasingly busy consumer lifestyles have led to rapid growth in the convenience and on-the-go food sectors.

“Packaging innovation in these areas, such as a recent LINPAC sushi pack project with Mercadona, should now drive greater resource efficiency to meet the requirements of

our customers. In this pack, a cavity has been introduced to the rigid rPET base tray. This enables chopsticks to be stored inside, removing the need for additional packaging.”

Mr Garsed observed the demand for a natural look and sustainable designs, as wider global trends drive greater eco-consciousness.

“The challenge for packaging manufacturers is to meet the demand for premium natural, craft and artisan packaging that can be packed not only by hand but also on a machine-packed scale for mass production. At GPI our aim is to achieve optimum protective and preservative functionality, without losing the integrity of the original concept.”

Mr Lingard notices a strong drive for increasing shelf life by a few days, which means less waste, less discounted food and therefore higher profits.

“At Sirane we have invested a lot of time and research into developing effective antimicrobial packaging, and this is the product which is generating a lot of interest.”

Consumers ask for a long shelf life without the use of preservatives. Greiner therefore uses barrier functions – packaging should protect the goods inside without affecting the food inside.

The reasons behind demand for barrier packaging are multiple, as Mr Sabo. explains: “Growing urbanisation means that more people in densely populated areas have to be supplied with goods with longer shelf life. Longer shelf life also plays a role in the face of an aging society. Older people require smaller portions that don’t have to be bought fresh every day. There is an increased trend for convenience and ready meals, and capsule systems for tea and coffee. Aroma protection, i.e. protection from oxygen is key. Finally, globalisation is a factor. More and more European companies export their products all over the world, and longer distances increase demand for barrier packaging prolonging shelf life.”

Greiner uses two different barrier technologies: IBT (inert barrier technology), and MBT (multi barrier technology). With IBT, a chemically inert silicium oxide layer is applied to the plastic packaging, which protects the product from the packaging as well as outside influences, and with MBT, a special barrier layer such as EVOH or PA is embedded in the middle of a standard plastic, achieving a higher oxygen barrier.

Packaging Europe | 17 |

FOOD WASTE

“IBT is a novelty especially in the area of cups, for which Greiner Packaging achieved multiple awards. Greiner offers its complete technology palette in combination with barriers,” Mr Sabo adds.

for fruit, which are anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. They incorporate a natural solution – a combination of bioflavonoids and natural acids – which when activated by moisture are released into the pack and deliver significant shelf-life extension,” Mr Lingard adds.

Attention to portion

Innovations

Dr Roberts noticed an increased desire for convenience. A growing number of single-person households, which have increased by 30 per cent in recent years, lead do the adoption of portion packs, which across the whole market, according to WRAP, would save up to around 10,000 tonnes of food waste.

“A recent LINPAC collaboration with Cargill and Tesco on a poultry split pack originated from the need for consumers to exert portion control to prevent food waste. The pack allows the consumer to separate chicken breast portions – without breaking the all-important seal – so that one can be cooked and eaten immediately and one ‘saved for later’.”

GPI works on new products together with its customers at the GPI Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Bardon, Leicestershire.

“The process allows for samples and mock-ups to be generated for customers to take and review in-house. Importantly, the GIC is integral to our production area ensuring design excellence and operational efficiency go hand in hand to achieve the desired result,” Mr Garsed says.

Mr Lingard highlights the fact that Sirane works with customers to develop antimicrobial technology that works.

“The traditional route has been through the external packaging, but this has limits.

Instead, we have incorporated antimicrobial technology into the absorbent pad which is in many cases there anyway. Sirane is both a manufacturing company and a development company, so we cater for customers’ demands by listening to their needs and then developing the products, for example with our ABM pads for meat and poultry and the ABV pads

Linpac’s innovations aim to make sure the company stays at the top of their game as single-supplier alternative for their customers.

“In response to customer demand for more sustainable foodservice options, we have launched a range of rPET solutions as an extension of our portfolio of EPS Hotpacs, catering trays plates and bowls. The complete offering now comprises hinged-lid and film lidded rigid rPET solutions for prepared fresh foods such as sandwiches, salads, sushi and bakery,

| 18 | Packaging Europe

Packaging Europe | 19 |

FOOD WASTE

all of which can be hand or machine packed on site, offering flexibility and variety to our customers in the foodservice industry. Each lightweight, crystal-clear solution is manufactured using high levels of post-consumer recyclate, which has been super-cleaned in-house by LINPAC to ensure compliance with all food safety regulations and is recyclable after use,” Dr Roberts explains.

Mr Garsed highlights the GPI FruitPack® to demonstrate how a sustainable, natural material such as virgin fibre kraftboard can offer an attractive yet functional option to protect fruit and vegetables throughout the supply chain.

“The mono-material, shelf-ready pack is available in a wide range of concepts that have been designed for ease of use from packer to consumer. It can be manually or automatically erected, with patented features such as easy-carry handles and a reinforced corner design to enable multi-layer stacking. Made from renewable and recyclable resources, the sustainable pack presents an excellent premium ‘artisan-look’ alternative to existing plastic-based packaging.”

Mr Lingard is keen to point out that anti-microbal absorbent packaging from Sirane has given diced beef two additional days’ shelf-life in recent trials with one major UK meat processing company.

“The independently-run trials showed a two-day increase from nine to 11 days on the shelf-life of the packs containing Sirane’s ABM pads compared to existing packaging. The Dri-Fresh ABM pads for meat/poultry, contain a blend of natural bio-flavonoids and organic acids which work together to extend shelf-life. Together with the absorbency within the pads, they offer an outstanding level of protection and significant shelf-life extension.”

Mr Lingard says.

Mr Sabo emphasises Kavoblow, Greiner Packaging’s innovative development of injection stretch blow moulding. It enables the manufacture of more pieces than before in best quality. In combination with the barrier technology MBT, the pack has a higher oxygen barrier. | 20 | Packaging Europe

Blow moulding and barrier solution are applied in one line and therefore guarantee efficient production.

“Kavoblow technology promises a cohesive EVOH-layer. Products that require hot filling and transparency, such as ketchup and sauce bottles can be manufactured easily with MBT and Kavoblow. This technology opens up new possibilities for plastics packaging and enables products that previously were packaged in glass, metal or aluminium.”

DO YOU WANT ALL EYES ON YOU? INNOVATION IN RIGID BASES TO ENSURE YOUR PRODUCTS STAND OUT ON THE SHELF. SP GROUP is aware that innovation is the only way to achieve excellence. This philosophy ensures it remain pioneers in the creation of new and attractive food-packaging solutions year after year, providing its clients with new alternatives that ensure their products stand out.

T

he following are some of SP GROUP’s most attractive rigid materials.

GOLD AND SILVER RIGID MATERIALS: This solution for bases combines gold and silver with a metallic finish. The attractive metallic effect is striking, and the material is 100 per cent suitable for food use. There are currently two tones of metallic gold available, but SP GROUP can develop custom-made metallic colours on request.

BLACK GLITTER RIGID: This material was designed with premium-quality products in mind. SP GROUP’s black rigid material has been enhanced with metallic glitter to guarantee your product really stands out on the shelf. Available in several thicknesses and in mono-APET or APET/PE, with or without a barrier, it is 100 per cent suitable for food use. Currently available in black, this material may be produced in other colours on request.

PRINTED RIGIDS: Fully printed thermoformable rigid films. This solution in plastic or plastic/paper laminate makes packaging more attractive and combines perfectly with printed lids. A completely new solution that gives free rein to your imagination.

Visit: www.spg-pack.com/en

Packaging Europe | 21 |

CHALLENGING CONVENTION WITH OVENABLE PACKAGING Ovenable packaging is an area of particularly progressive and consumer led innovation. Refreshingly new concepts and developments are being introduced to the market which challenge conventional ways of cooking, whilst injecting flavour, convenience and quality to the process. Libby White speaks to innovators about the ovenable space and where consumer demand will leading this packaging trend next.

E

at in vs Eat out, individualism, health, and convenience are key drivers of innovation in convenience food, according to Arnaud Brunet, Sealed Air Food Care’s EMEA. “When I talk about individualism, I mean segmentation with the industry developing more specialised ready meals: for children, for seniors, halal,” he says. “We are seeing a growing number of meals created for groups within society. For example, the trend towards ready meals for children, driven by convenience, but also the requirement to be beyond healthy and instead being natural or having positive nutritional benefits. This presents its own challenges for ovenable and microwavable solutions.”

Cryovac Sealappeal® OSF33ZP is currently being used for pasteurised children’s meals that require perfect hermeticity and easy peel. He also notes rising interest from the industry for ready meals designed to cater to the needs of the older consumer, this fits with a trend highlighted by Datamonitor that the older generation are showing a preference across Europe for eating at home. The replication of complex recipes, with repeatable consistency of results, the need for extended shelf life and a requirement to lock in flavour and nutritional benefits are critical. All of which can be achieved by using innovative packaging such as Cryovac SimpleSteps®.

Health and wellness is a big trend and, as a result, more manufacturers are emphasising the added nutritional benefits of their products. Processors are launching additive free ready meal ranges using Cryovac LID39ZAP and its unique anti-fog performance to make the product the hero. This is a breakthrough in the pasteurised ready meal market allowing lower temperatures to be used which protects the nutritional quality of the product. | 22 | Packaging Europe

Quality and convenience Mark Lingard, marketing manager at Sirane comments, “I think it is fair to say two things are driving the ovenable packaging market at present. Quality and convenience.”

According to Mr Lingard, due to the competitive nature of the market, and the rise of the discount retailers, the amount of ovenable packaging on the market has increased, so the question has become how to differentiate. Ultimately consumers are looking for two things: a quality product that tastes fantastic, and a product which is easy to use. Processors and retailers want the same, but with the price of the packaging an additional consideration.

Convenience is also an important factor. “At Sirane we are seeing increased interest in two ways of delivering ovenable packaging solutions,” says Mr Lingard. He continues, “There is a lot of interest in ovenable bags incorporated as part of a meal kit, so the consumer buys the food, throws all the ingredients in the bag themselves, and cooks it. We have seen a lot of interest in what we call FPS – a folded, individually packed and sealed cooking bag which is perfect for this kind of product, of which the cooking bag and a suitable tie are provided in a sealed pouch.”

Bemis, a European market leader in flexible packaging for meat and cheese, shares that solutions developed for convenience have also led to other benefits.

A recent consumer study commissioned by Bemis, found that the majority of consumers in the UK region are open to in-pack cooking with Bemis OvenRite®. Bemis OvenRite® dual-ovenable films aim to reduce food contamination while providing delicious, convenient meal options for a variety of markets.

OVENABLE PACKAGING

Packaging Europe | 23 |

“We have seen that OvenRite® often kick-starts customers’ new product development projects, inspiring teams to grow and expand product portfolios with added-value products,” remarks Markku Rommi, director of marketing, Bemis. “Convenience is a key driver for consumer purchase and today’s time poor consumers see the advantages of less preparation, reduced cooking, and clean up times as being an aid to their lifestyle.

Our customers have told us that this is the best way of cooking meat, improving the succulence, texture and flavour while not having to fear for spoiling the meal due to lack of cooking skills.

“Additionally, many love slow cooked meats. However, this is time consuming and inconvenient when done by consumers at home. OvenRite® allows for the packers to slow cook the meat after packaging and present the product to consumers in the same package. Consumers then heat up the pack quickly at home; convenient and easy further to being ecologically sound as only one packaging is used. Maximum convenience and minimal packaging.”

There is still a high percentage of shoppers who have not adopted ready meal solutions for certain categories: chilled soups, prepared salads, on the go ready meal. As Arnaud Brunet notes, “We see that there are many applications with Cryovac Sealappeal OSF & PSF delighting end users with its outstanding easy peel and sharding free performance – delivering Frustration Free Packaging. One such example is the introduction of dual-ovenable (Microwave and traditional oven) packaging for vegetables – simplifying preparation and always delivering a consistent quality eating experience.”

Pushing the boundaries TCL Packaging is something of a pioneer in this area, as one of the first companies to receive high temperature certification for its printed ovenable films. In 2014, the films were successfully tested to 220°C with Smithers Pira. At this time, such film types were in their infancy. There was emerging demand for pre-printed films for cook-in-the bag roast meats and ready meal lidding film. But there was also buyer concern about unpredictable

| 24 | Packaging Europe

molecular behaviour of these films at high temperatures and evidence that some printed ovenable films were not being rigorously tested. TCL replaced surface-printed ovenable films with more sophisticated laminate products with print contained within multiple layers.

This was followed in 2016 by another advance: the launch of a printed stand-up ovenable pouch for the retailer Asda. The printed Doypack took over a year to develop in conjunction with pouch maker B&G Products in Stafford. It is fully certified for microwave and conventional oven cooking to 200°C and can be stored as frozen. A technically complex product, the new ovenable pouch offers a convenient alternative for sauces, ready meals and soups currently sold in rigid plastic and glass packs. They also reduce packaging waste and cut storage and transport costs.

2016 also saw a significant innovation in print, challenging poor quality print on some ovenable packaging. TCL introduced a high definition printed laminate film suitable for temperatures up to 225°C 435°F. This fully-certified film uses a new generation of print techniques and ovenable inks to achieve superior quality, high-density, 150 print screen whilst preserving stability and full integrity at ultra-high temperatures.

Freshness and flavour There has been a trend towards ‘fresh ready meals’ in ovenable (or microwaveable) packaging. Mr Lingard identifies, “From the US we’ve seen significant interest in our selfseal ovenable steam-cooking bags, which can also be microwaved so offer a degree of flexibility, which allow retailers to prepare fresh ‘grab n go’ meals using, for example, fresh fish and butters, along with some veg.

“This fits, I believe, with a general trend towards fresh food rather than the traditional ready meals or frozen meal alternatives. On a similar vein, in this country we’ve been regularly asked for stand-up versions of this kind of ovenable bag, allowing for enhanced product presentation, and developing ovenable versions has been a significant recent development.”

All of this leaves the question of how to differentiate, which has led to some interesting product developments. “At Sirane we’ve been working on ways of allowing the cooking bag

OVENABLE PACKAGING

to flavour the food whilst in the oven, and recently introduced to the market a bag which incorporates wood chips blended with dried herbs and spices,” says Mr Lingard. During the cooking process the flavours are gradually transferred to the food, and this has sparked a lot of interest, which brings us back to the original statement, quality & convenience.”

Arnaud Brunet comments, “For customers who want to bring traditional, restaurant quality meals home, packaging allows processors to replicate restaurant quality meals to consumers who don’t have the skills, or more often the time, to produce the full meal themselves. Recent examples of Cryovac OvenEase® in Poland with outstanding Ossobuco or in Italy with a range of slow cook recipes demonstrate how packaging can leverage high quality ingredients and help processor replicating the gourmet eating out experience.”

Opportunities The opportunities that roast in the bag packaging presents – for new ranges, new flavours and new designs – have reinvigorated many of the basic protein categories.

Roast in the bag packaging manufactured with top quality polyester allows the reassuring browning effect of the Maillard reaction, and moisture retention in the pack means that, arguably, meats cooked in the pack taste better and are more succulently moist than those cooked more traditionally. FFP, having for some years worked with DuPont Teijin, leaders in heatseal polyester technology since the 1980s, believes that the elevated temperatures experienced by ovenable packaging deserve the highest quality materials available and need to be fully approved and able to withstand the temperatures of the oven without degradation.

To be safe in the oven, specific adhesive and ink systems need to be used, and FFP has worked with its suppliers to create the specific formulations that it uses based on test results. Compliance with the Food Contact Framework Regulation (EC) 1935:2004 is crucial, of course, and roast-in-bag packaging goes through a rigorous three stage testing process before it is approved for use. Craig Jameson, technical director says, “We go beyond the strict requirements of the Regulation, by adding an extra test material, Tenax, that can be analysed to prove that no dangerous migration components are present.”

To give an idea of the scale of growth of this sector, FFP has expanded hot room capacity six-fold, from an already market leading capacity. Manufacturing Estercook is a technically exacting process, requiring a period of ‘curing’ at elevated temperatures around 40°C. By ensuring the laminate is fully cured within a computer controlled, purpose designed environment, FFP can guarantee Compliance with EU safety and food contact standards, and keep pace with developing market demand.

Gary Tee, sales director, comments, “The actual numbers are quite amazing. At FFP alone, we have produced more than 300 million packs since the beginning of 2014, and that includes the growth phase. Chicken has been the major market sector, but we have seen projects in pork, fish, duck, beef and turkey. Well over 100 designs are spread among the major UK and European retailers and brand owners, with food manufacturers in North and South America, Africa and Asia. Every major UK grocer now has a substantial offering in roast in bag meats and fish.”

Where next?

In the innovation-led retail packaging arena you can never stand still.

Gary Tee shares the flavour of the future: “New decorative approaches can provide a more rustic, deli-style appearance. For the ultimate in lightweight, convenient packaging, stand-up pouches are now available that reduce pack weight significantly, and they also provide great pack frontage to really enhance shelf impact in all sorts of categories. For foods that may benefit from a dryer cooking environment, or for flavourings to be added.”

Sealed Air believes that skin solutions will be the packaging to support the next ready meal generation. Whatever the channel, frozen or chilled or heat treatment pasteurised or HPP. Solutions including Cryovac SimpleSteps® are allowing processors to reduce additives, salt and preserve taste and nutritional benefits.

Ovenable packaging is has come a long way but remains a young technology. New concepts and new inspirations will drive new growth as brands and retailers continue to look for extra differentiation, convenience and new value.

Packaging Europe | 25 |

RIGID PLASTICS

A VERY MODERN MATERIAL Rigid plastic packaging continues to help shape our modern world, says David Baker of RPC Promens.

P

ackaging reflects and responds to the world we live in – and this world is fast developing and changing. We are living longer; households are getting smaller; our busy lives mean we are looking for convenience in the home and ‘on-the-go’; and many of us are becoming increasingly concerned about the state of the natural world and how we can best protect and preserve it.

Perhaps because in packaging terms, plastics are still a relatively modern material, they have played a key role in shaping our modern lifestyle. The moves of carbonated soft drinks from glass to PET and of milk from glass to PE are two obvious early examples, but in many different sectors – everything from sauces to lubricating oils – plastic has been able to create a more modern image for traditional products.

The versatility of the material and its suitability for so many different products and applications also mean that rather than merely being able to respond to changing market trends and consumer demands, plastics also provide manufacturers with the opportunity to drive change, and open up new sectors.

To meet the ever-growing demand for convenience foods, for example, plastic is able to offer a variety of attractive and practical packaging formats such as squeezy bottles, trays, microwavable containers, snack pots for eating on-the-move and capsules for single-serve drinks systems. Different plastic manufacturing processes can meet different requirements – at RPC we provide thermoforming for tubs and trays, blow moulding for bottles and jars, and injection moulding for re-closable pots. | 26 | Packaging Europe

Just as important as convenience is the need to maintain product quality and ensure effective protection and preservation. With the introduction of high-performance barrier technologies, plastics are now able to offer many different types of products an extended ambient shelf life of up to 24 months and beyond. From soups to ready meals, dairy products to desserts, and nuts to pickles, this has enabled food manufacturers to develop new products and market opportunities.

The long term protection afforded by these barrier technologies also offers important sustainability benefits in terms of minimising food waste. The ability to re-close many of these pack formats is another important advantage in avoiding waste.

Plastics’ flexibility in creating different pack sizes is also a boon to support effective portion control and reflect the changing demographics of smaller households.

Baked beans, for example, can be packed in a family-size barrier blow moulded jar for use over several meals, or in thermoformed microwavable pots for a single serving.

The cosmetics and personal care sectors have also benefitted from plastics’ design flexibility in the creation of many different eye-catching shapes for maximum on-shelf impact and consumer appeal, which are combined with user-friendly features such as easy opening. Advanced manufacturing and decoration techniques can help to create the luxury, premium image that is vital to success in this sector, such as a smooth finish or a dual-layer construction that delivers a substantial-looking luxury appearance while remaining lightweight and easy to handle.

Packaging Europe | 27 |

RIGID PLASTICS

In terms of decoration, a choice of technologies including silk screen printing, hot stamping, labelling, embossing, vacuum metalizing, spray lacquering and electroplating all help to create a compelling visual effect for a distinctive and individual appearance on shelf.

A particular challenge in developing packs for retail markets is their fast pace, with products continually being revised and relaunched to match new trends and changing consumer demands. For established brands, any changes or improvements have to ensure that new consumers are attracted without alienating existing customers.

Plastic packaging can be highly effective in retaining the core of an original design and re-imagining or enhancing it. Plastic is also an ideal material for the creation of family ranges with one design in a variety of different sizes.

However, for the pack manufacturer, the challenge can sometimes be more than simply creating a new-look pack; the characteristics of the product can also be a factor in the pack design. In the cosmetics sector, for example, airless dispensing technology has supported the successful introduction of numerous products of many different viscosities with technical innovations and enhancements that enable the systems to cope with small particulates or continue to operate smoothly even if air is trapped in the container. In industrial and chemical applications, anti-glugging designs improve safe handling and pouring.

User-friendly features, such as easy opening and closing systems, also provide seniorfriendly solutions for an aging population; tamper-evidence and child-resistance features deliver consumer safety and reassurance.

This combination of attractive design, convenience and functionality has enabled plastics to offer effective and innovative packaging across many other end-markets such as paint, surface coatings, DIY and garden care, household products, pharmaceutical and healthcare.

At the same time, in today’s more environmentally-conscious world, the plastic industry continues to point out the many sustainability benefits of plastic packaging.

As already highlighted, plastics have a major role to play in helping to minimise food waste. In the manufacturing process, the ongoing lightweighting of containers saves on raw material usage and lighter packs help reduce the carbon footprint of transportation.

The development of biopolymers is offering further opportunities for sustainable packaging solutions. Most important for the majority of consumers, plastics can be recycled and used in a variety of second-life applications, everything from containers, waste bins and storage boxes to refuse sacks, outdoor furniture and construction membranes. These benefits mean that plastic packaging fits very well into a circular economy.

Rigid plastics continue to demonstrate how they can adapt to the needs of our modern world. It is this versatility will stand the material in good stead to deal with the next set of market challenges. | 28 | Packaging Europe

Packaging Europe | 29 |

END OF LINE

INNOVATION AT END OF THE LINE The end of line machinery sector has experienced increased demand over recent years, with companies in different industries discovering the advantages that these machines can bring when customers are looking for integration, automation, smart machines and Industry 4.0 applications. Elisabeth Skoda learns more about trends and innovations in the sector from Alvey Group, Qimarox, Endoline Machinery and Gebo Cermex.

| 30 | Packaging Europe

Packaging Europe | 31 |

END OF LINE

A

ndrew Yates, sales director at Endoline Machinery, observes that more companies are pushing to automate their end of line production facility, due to the rise in the minimum wage, with the majority of companies, who previously may not have even considered automation, looking to integrate automated systems and robotics, removing the requirement for manual operation.

“Internationally, price is still a big driver with UK manufactured machines considered expensive, however, the UK does have a good reputation for manufacturing quality end of line machines. There is a growing trend towards adopting automation to reduce labour due to higher wage legislation.”

He notices that in recent months, the company received enquiries from outside its food core business.

“Consumer trends are constantly evolving, and retailers are placing greater pressure on manufacturers to pack products into different packaging formats and styles to keep up with specific demands. As a result, there has been greater demand for systems which offer flexibility, as companies look to future proof their automation investment. To this end, random, high speed, end of line systems have become more sought after. Along with flexibility, we are also being asked about ease of operation, as quite often we’re selling in to companies as a first step into automation and many are operated by unskilled labour with very little technical or maintenance resources.”

| 32 | Packaging Europe

Maarten van Leeuwen, managing director at Alvey Group, explains that customers are waking up to the opportunities machines can give to their business: “Bigger and centralised installations are gaining ground. Customers start to realise that cost of ownership as opposed to acquisition cost is important. In addition, of course, distributed intelligence in the shape of Industry 4.0 is key.”

Jaco Hooijer, operations manager at Qimarox, observes that there sometimes is a discrepancy between what machine builders and users want from a product: “Machine builders are more focused on a specific machine in which they specialise and end-users are looking for system integrators that can integrate all these specialised machines and get these individual machines working as an effective production line.”

Giving customers what they want Mr Yates observed that customers have a large tick list when it comes to automating their end of line production: “Efficiency and low maintenance with high reliability feature highly, however the demand for a quick return on investment, typically within two years, frequently tops this list. Through our high-quality machinery, which offers a good life expectancy and high efficiency rating, we can usually achieve this. If the customer is not asking for a specific application requirement, then they usually require advice on how their packing operation can be made more efficient.”

There is a difference in demands depending on company sizes, he adds: “SMEs are largely looking for a semi-automatic cost effective solution, for instance a packing station, which will allow them to reallocate or reduce labour. Larger companies are looking for fully automated turn key lines to maximise output and minimise labour, as a result we are receiving a lot more pick and place, case loading enquiries. In general demand is increasing for flexible, end-of-line systems. which can not only run at higher speeds than ever before, but automatically handle a wide range of different case sizes through bar code recognition. These high spec systems not only fully automate the packing of several lines into one, but reduce the amount of floor space which several standard machines would take up.”

Mr van Leeuwen adds that Alvey’s customers require reliability and flexibility and a low investment cost.

“These do not go hand in hand, and on general, where possible, customers seem to prefer robots but personally I think this may be subjective as robots are considered to be more ‘sexy‘.”

Mr Hooijer noticed that customers are generally looking at complete solutions: “Customers are looking for integrators with a strong experience in integrating different machines – with a strong focus on the controls of complete lines and factories.”

Marc Aury, President & Managing Director of Gebo Cermex highlights the importance of smart machinery solutions to customers:

Packaging Europe | 33 |

END OF LINE

“A ‘Smart Machine’ is much more than just a piece of machinery. Featuring the latest motion technology, robotics and cobotics, auto adjustment and auto feeding, as well as being a connected machine, it establishes itself as a forward looking comprehensive solution. It is no longer a case packer simply putting products in a case. It is a 360° integrated approach using the latest technologies to deliver all functionalities.”

Recent innovations Mr Hooijer is keen to point out a new and unique stretch hood machine Qimarox is introducing, which will give more possibilities to the user at less cost and due to its flexibility is easy to integrate into end-of-line packaging systems.

“The Qimarox Highrunner mk7 is a modular, serially produced palletising module which can swiftly stack final packages of various shapes and sizes on pallets. Thanks to Qimarox’s latest addition to its range of material handling components, system partners can now supply complete systems for both palletising and packaging of pallets. End customers are therefore assured of a pallet with load that is not only secured and stabilised, but also guaranteed to be packaged both waterproof and dustproof.”

Mr van Leeuwen highlights Alvey’s recent innovations which continue the company’s tradition to offer tailor-made industrial automation: “We have introduced a dynamic slat divider, which is unique in the market, in that it gives flexibility for current and future products. We also introduced a dynamic centre turner for the same reason.”

Another recent innovation is EvoLink, the first fully plug & play conveyor technology solution with decentralised control of every module or peripherals connected to the system.

“The modular system offers maximum flexibility for assembly, modification or extension of conveyor lines. Evolink eliminates difficult programming during the initial installation or at any change of the system configuration. Its integrated wiring saves tedious work of several electricians and apart from the included firmware, it supports different software which | 34 | Packaging Europe

lets users connect to external devices. Drives by companies such as SEW and Lenze offer forwarded intelligence.”

Saving space and time is also key for Endoline, as Mr Yates explains. He uses a recently developed slim line case erector specifically for eggs as an example: “This erector fits in line with egg grading and scanning machinery. This new system is a reduction in width on our standard 221 case erector by approximately 40 per cent. It enables customers to buy a fully integrated packing system that utilises space and is completely integrated in terms of controls, offering a fully turnkey system. The slim line case erector is also ideal for customers with space constraints, an issue which is particularly common in the UK as there are a lot of companies who want to automate, but simply don’t have the room.”

Mr Aury adds that preserving product integrity and offering protection is another key requirement. Gebo Cermex’s new shaped bottle infeed system makes sure this happens. At interpack, the company will showcase its CareSelect™ machine, a patented universal and modular shaped-bottle infeed and collating system for robotic or traditional case packers.

“Utilising Rockwell Automation’s iTRAK® technology and capable of achieving speeds of up to 400 products per minute depending on package size, shape and weight, the CareSelect system surpasses traditional ‘endless screw’ collation systems in terms of bottle integrity and protection. It delivers shaped bottles to the packing machine with precision and care in the correct orientation and pitch, turning each bottle 90°. Even unstable shaped products are smoothly and individually handled via independent movers. To eliminate contact between products, flow is managed without accumulation at the infeed and ‘friction time’ between the bottle and the system - when the bottles come into contact with machine parts - is dramatically reduced by at least 20 times compared to an endless screw infeed system.”

FILLING MACHINERY

FUL-FILLING NEEDS OF THE CONSUMER & MANUFACTURER Libby White spoke with three of the big names in filling machinery: Bosch, Sidel, and KHS, about the latest innovations in the field and the trends they see in the marketplace driving their solutions.

R

obert van Mol, product manager for vertical form fill seal at Bosch Packaging Technology, discusses the latest trends driving filling solutions for the confectionary and snacks market. Gabriele Gatti, filling product manager, Sidel, tells us about hot fill technology for the beverages market and sensitive drinks in particular. KHS shines a spotlight on the optimum filling machinery for CSDs, water and beer.

FFS! Every time you go to a supermarket, there are new products, rebranded treats or new pack styles for your favourite brands. This is largely driven by the broad and fast-moving consumer needs, which require equal flexibility from food producers.

“At Bosch we see this trend in the confectionery and snacks segments in particular: individually wrapped snacks for on-the-go demand, family packs for summer picnics, or promotional packaging to grab attention,” says Mr van Mol. As a result, confectionery producers require shorter production runs, frequent format changes and unprecedented flexibility in pack styles, formats and sizes.

To address this need, Bosch Packaging Technology has designed a new version of the proven SVE 2520 DZ (Doy Zip) Vertical Form Fill and Seal (VFFS) machine, which is adaptable to larger formats, up to 320 millimetres high – the SVE 3220 DZ. The compact continuous motion machine allows for a higher output of excellent quality bags, resulting in lower cost per bag and a faster ROI. Additionally, the machine produces seven of the most popular bag styles: pillow, gusseted, block bottom, corner seal, full corner, 3-sided, as well as Doy and Doy Zip with its patentpending zipper applicator. As a result, the premium quality, attractive shape and size of the bags help drive greater visibility and consumer preference for food products at point-of-sale.

Sensor controlled product detection “Confectionery manufacturers are also looking for high-speed hygienic packaging equipment with smart technologies to reduce downtime and operator error,” continues Mr van Mol. “Thus, Bosch has extended its SVC vertical form, fill and seal platform with the new SVC 1820 bagger.”

The SVC features industry 4.0 solutions for increased productivity and improved operator guidance: An integrated Yamato multihead weigher, coupled with patented sensorcontrolled product detection, automatically adjusts machine settings for product transfer, optimising speed and enabling the highest possible output per product type. The sensor detects the product’s behaviour in the format tube of the VFFS machine and enables automation of all functions, including bag sealing and optimal product discharge. Optimized synchronisation of the multihead weigher and the SVC 1820 reduces downtime and delivers consistently high bag quality.

PET aseptic and hot fill technology Juices, still drinks, isotonics and teas currently continue to make up a fast growing segment within the global beverage industry. Gabriele Gatti, filling product manager, Sidel, comments, “With an annual market growth of six per cent the consumption of sensitive drinks such as these presents significant business opportunities for beverage producers worldwide. To capitalise on the opportunities, producers in this field are increasingly turning to packaging solutions using PET aseptic or Hot Fill technology.”

She continues, “For instance, for the production of sensitive beverages distributed at ambient temperature, hot filling into PET bottles is an attractive and sustainable way to ensure the product’s complete safety across its entire shelf life. This does require that the equipment used provides precise and efficient filling while handling bottles smoothly, safely and gently.”

Increasingly automated processes Finding the optimum solution for any bottling line goes beyond any simple choice of equipment.

As well as meeting the demand for established products, in order to stay competitive in a growing market beverage producers today need to anticipate developing trends in new products.

Gabriele Gatti, Sidel, says, “Lifestyles and tastes are changing, with consumers in emerging and established markets alike now looking for healthier products still able to link with traditional, local flavours. The challenge to produce the innovative and different drinks that meet these new criteria is already resulting in shorter production cycles and faster changeovers.”

Packaging Europe | 35 |

FILLING MACHINERY

To answer these needs, along with the quest for longer uptime and improved productivity, several leading equipment suppliers are now enriching their solutions with more automated processes. This gives producers the flexibility to adjust production according to the various beverages and formats with which they deal. Also, systems that are modular and simple in design have the additional benefit of facilitating the rapid replacement of component parts when new technologies are developed or when changes in market demand make it necessary.

Block systems Block systems are in demand more than ever, as the trend is towards increasingly more compact systems. Today, sustainability and a small environmental footprint are important selling points in addition to eliminating the necessity of extra conveying systems.

With its InnoPET BloFill and the TriBlock and FreshSafe Block, the KHS Group offers three blocked systems designed to bottle CSDs and water in PET. Incidentally, while water accounts for 51 per cent of all products bottled in PET worldwide, beer is the beverage most frequently bottled in glass (58 per cent).

KHS is responding to the demand for increased blocking with various adaptations and innovations: smaller containers and bottles are processed on machines with a high packing density of blow stations and filling valves. Automatic format changing as well as fast product changeover increase the system availability. This means that even smaller batches can be produced virtually loss-free. Particularly important for loss-free changeover is an optimum flow of preforms, closures, and products.

A protective layer KHS offers a pioneering innovation with its Plasmax process for high-quality interior coatings of PET packaging. A protective layer of ultra-thin glass made of SiOx (silicon oxide) prevents oxygen and other substances from getting into the PET bottle and stops ingredients such as CO2 from getting out thereby increasing the shelf life of the products.

| 36 | Packaging Europe

InnoPET Plasmax machines for sensitive products and CSDs are now in operation worldwide. The trend towards compact, flexible, and individual machines with variable and smaller capacities is intensified by the craft brewing scene.

Complete systems Bosch has launched the online platform solutions4value.com in response to the growing market need for complete system solutions. Choosing a complete system is far more complex than selecting an individual machine. “Our goal is to make the process of finding the right solution as easy and clear as possible,” says Mr van Mol. “The new microsite allows manufacturers to review various bag, carton and case styles and to identify the ideal system solution for their specific needs.”

Additionally, the next generation Human Machine Interface HMI 4.0 and an innovative format part management system reduce the risk of operator error by indicating whether all format parts are in place and match the selected bag configurations, allowing easy set-up and fast changeovers for increased uptime.

KHS notes the value of monitoring production processes, the demand for which in the craft brewing scene is answered by its Plug&Produce feature for fast commissioning and production. In the age of Industry 4.0, monitoring production processes with the help of measuring instruments and sensors such as pressure sensors in the filling valves and camera-based monitoring of high-pressure injection is standard at KHS. Controlled quality independent of the machine operator is thus achievable. Machine and system availability is increased by predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, and networked systems.

Gabriele Gatti concludes: “To optimise performance, ensure detailed control and transparency throughout the whole process and deliver a bottle which stands out on the supermarket shelf, more and more producers of sensitive drinks are taking a holistic approach to production. This is where the installation of complete lines comes as the natural choice, enhanced by extensive packaging expertise and ongoing services. This is something that only a full solution partner can offer, to ensure great quality, productivity and efficiency throughout the entire working life of the line.”

EVENTS

PROPAK CHINA

The 23rd edition of ProPak China, the nation’s premier processing and packaging exhibition, returning to Shanghai New International Expo Centre on 12-14 July 2017, will again occupy 5 halls with more exhibitors than ever before.

P

roPak China regularly attracts the top buyers from major brands and market leaders of the following products: beer, beverage, cosmetics, dairy, food, household chemicals, industrial and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Buyers of processing and packaging technology from these specialist product sectors, will find at ProPak China 2017, dedicated events featuring their industry under the following brands including BevTek; DairyTek; FoodTek; PharmaTek and CosmeticTek China 2017. More than just an exhibition, managers, factory & plant engineers, contract packagers attending ProPak China will also be able to learn of the latest industry trends and developments at a series of specialist industry seminars.

Show floors pace has sold out quickly, with key Chinese and international packaging and processing market players flocking to the event. A new feature at ProPak China 2017

will be technology for automated intelligent packaging. Exhibitors displaying latest innovations will be seen at CSi Logistic Systems, Gurki, Fujiyusoki, Jornen, Schmalz plus many other leading enterprises.

Once again ProPak China 2017 will be the only exhibition in the country to receive the support and active participation of so many International Processing and Packaging Trade Associations from the world’s leading technology producing nations. Visitors to ProPak can meet representatives and member companies of the packaging, processing and printing associations from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, North America and Taiwan technology.

ProPak China 2017 features the special industry sub-exhibitions FoodTek, BevTek, DairyTek, CosmeticTek and PharmaTek. Visit: www.propakchina.com

ROSUPACK The largest exhibition for the packaging industry in eastern Europe RosUpack its co-located exhibition of equipment, technologies and supplies for print and advertising production, Printech, will this year be supported by two Italian associations.

E

very year more than 20,000 specialists visit RosUpack and Printech to find new suppliers of ready packaging, labels, packaging and printing equipment, raw and expendable materials. The annual exhibitions feature an array of Russian and leading international packaging technology companies, including well-known brands as Mondi, Epson, BOBST, Camozzi, OMAG and others.

This year’s RosUpack will be supported by UCIMA and ACIMGA, reflecting the importance of Russia as an export market for the Italian machinery segment. The emerging economy of Russia has created new opportunities for international machinery and material producers. Relevant sectors of economy exhibited healthy growth in 2016: packaging production +4%, agriculture and food production +6%, retail +2%; e-commerce +10%.

“The two events offer obvious advantages to all those involved in the packaging community, from supplier to brand owners,” remarked Andrea Briganti, Director of ACIMGA. “For our companies, to exhibit at Printech 2017 means to be abreast of the packaging

producers who use the machines for printing and processing, with great advantages in terms of contacts and exchanges. At the same time, it means for visitors to find the latest and best proposals for all the processing steps of a package: a single visit to Printech 2017 thus allows to meet different business needs and to expand their horizons to embrace the prospect of the whole supply chain, gaining valuable information and insights to organizational and strategic order.”

RosUpack and Printech take place on 20-23 June 2017 at the IEC Crocus Expo centre, Moscow.

Visit: www.rosupack.com Packaging Europe | 37 |

PIONEERING MULTI-LINE PALLETISING TECHNOLOGY The Alvey Group are a world’s leading specialists in palletising, internal logistics and warehouse automation. The Alvey Group continues to develop unique in-house solutions for the design and installation of integrated industrial systems.

Today the company continues to build upon the success of its new Evolink technology, launched at the ‘All4Pack’ trade fair in 2016, which addresses many of the industry’s most pressing challenges. Philip Yorke reports.

| 38 | Packaging Europe

T

he Alvey Group has its roots in Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, and the USA and has been providing palletising and warehouse solutions that improve productivity, efficiency and profits for over 50 years. Its broad portfolio of industrial services and systems include stacker cranes, robotic palletisers, de-palletisers, case conveyers, as well as many other material handling equipment products and solutions.

These integrated operations, combined with skilled product management, ensure that optimal outcomes are created and delivered on time and within budget. In addition, the company’s global reach and its strategic location of production and service sites, all add to the company’s exclusive value proposition.

Move to centralised installations The Alvey Group posted record sales in 2016 and accomplished a wide range of new certifications including, ‘Safe-Contractor’ status for the UK, the re-validation of its ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 certifications, as well as the revalidation of VCA for its Belgian company. In palletising projects the company observed a growing trend towards bigger and more centralised installations as they begin to realise that cost of ownership as opposed to the cost of acquisition is important, thus adding momentum to the demand for Alvey’s multi-line solutions.

In addition, the company has introduced a dynamic slat divider recently, which is unique in the market and offers greater flexibility for current products and those of

Packaging Europe | 39 |

the future. In 2015 Alvey brought to the market an innovative range of standard pallet conveyers that offered the highest quality at the most competitive price. This was quickly followed by the introduction of a brand new product known as ‘Evolink’, of which more below.

Flexible ‘Plug and Play’ modules Following on from its latest advanced software package - Maestro+, the company has further enhanced its reputation for creating highly innovative solutions with the recent introduction of its Evolink® adaptive control systems. This new technology has been developed in-house by Alvey and is made up of programmable boards and supervisory software, which are designed to efficiently pilot vital warehousing components such as conveyers.

In addition the inherent design of every Evolink board is safety-first. The new product features a unique dual safety circuit that allows the dual safety feature to be connected to any board in seconds. Therefore when a safety-stop is actuated, the precise location of this event is instantly visible on the screen for the operator to see. The Evolink board offers a genuine and flexible plug-and-play option that can save up to 50 per cent of an operator’s time on site and is capable of starting up the installation many weeks early.

Split into modules for flexibility, speed and configuration, the new system allows one to control each module separately without affecting the central control or overall functionality. It is therefore possible to remove an individual function of the conveyer system without having to stop the whole process, and it is possible to keep it running smoothly

| 40 | Packaging Europe

whilst doing so. Furthermore, installation on site is faster and more controllable as a result of the fact that most of the electrical work is pre-wired in production, rather than during the installation process.

The company is also keen to emphasise that Evolink® “can make any component a Plug and Play” unit with its own driver especially loaded for the device that it is controlling, whether that is a labeller, wrapper, sorter or anything else that is required for the production line.

Today the company is aiming to appeal to two distinct groups with its new Evolink system: its own existing customers and other integrators. The new system is very easy to use as the board has two chips, so it is possible to use the integrators’ own software for the WMS or whatever you wish to employ. Therefore there is no need to use Alvey software or conveyors as the system will happily drive anything that is modular and needs a motor. Alvey believes that high-value, high-speed environments such as food and beverage will especially benefit, as well as those which are driven by the changing needs of their customers and on-going market forces.

In the competitive field of industrial automation, progress is constant with technologies and management systems improving every day, in line with new, fully automated systems being developed. From the outset, Alvey has been driving new industrial automation processes and logistics and it continues to invest heavily in R&D to keep its products and services one step ahead of its competitors.

For further details of the Alvey Group’s innovative products and services visit: www.alvey.eu

Packaging Europe | 41 |

FROM ASEPTIC FILLING TO SECONDARY PACKAGING: GEA ACCOMPANIES ITS CUSTOMERS WITH SAFE AND FLEXIBLE SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE THEIR TARGETS GEA presents POLARIS F layer preparation for single packages at interpack 2017.

AT

interpack 2017, the GEA stand (hall 7a, B09/B31) will be “Packed with Inspiration” – a demonstration of engineering excellence for the packaging and processing industries. In Düsseldorf, Germany, GEA will be exhibiting beyond the food package industry and displaying process equipment, solutions and services for the bakery, confectionary, dairy, beverage, and pharma sectors from May 4 to 10, 2017.

One of the leading engineering companies in aseptic filling, GEA is dedicated to keep up with latest market trends, such as the H2O2 technology applied to containers and the growing popularity of palletisation and depalletisation. Having recently installed a high-speed aseptic filling line equipped with POLARIS F in the Middle East and a new packaging system for dairy powder containers in Latin America, GEA chose to show the POLARIS F layer preparation for single packages at interpack 2017 in Düsseldorf.

First trend: simplifying palletisation for the food, dairy, bakery, pharma and beverage industries Built around an anthropomorphic robot POLARIS F represents a consolidated solution specifically designed to simplify palletisation systems for the food, dairy, bakery, pharma and beverage industries. It offers advantages in terms of total cost of ownership resulting from GEA’s attention to detail, close customer cooperation, extensive experience and advanced engineering.

Smooth handling and switching With variable speed operation, the POLARIS F layer preparation system provides the flexibility to handle single packs, with a dedicated gripping head, and prepare an entire layer of product for palletisation. POLARIS F automatically rotates and moves the packs on a preparation table so that they can be prepared in a smooth, gentle way. The gentle movement allows a wide range of complicated and unstable packs to be handled simply and efficiently in a continuous process without any interruption in the preparation of each layer. Products can be switched quickly and easily without the need for any mechanical intervention.

Total cost of ownership in production and maintenance Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a key factor in any cost/benefit analysis. GEA engineers have created a palletisation and depalletisation system that provides true cost benefits over time. The company has achieved this through a process of continual improvement that has minimised the footprint of the equipment thereby releasing free space within the plant for other uses; reduced energy consumption; and made its equipment as easy as possible to operate and maintain. Combined, these factors provide the user with advantages in terms of TCO and a fast return on investment. The global GEA Service network supports customers with services such as corrective, preventive and predictive maintenance throughout the entire life cycle of their installed POLARIS F.

Second trend: H2O2 technology for aseptic filling

To preserve flavour and to maintain quality and safety are prime concerns of aseptic | 42 | Packaging Europe

filling technology. With more than 25 years of in-depth experience of the challenges of beverage companies around the world, GEA develops aseptic filling technology for PET that delivers flexibility and innovation without compromising safety. At the same time, its solutions display the best cost/productivity ratio, and a service culture sustaining the value of the investment. This is possible thanks to H2O2 technology applied to either the preform or to the bottle itself.

H2O2 preform sterilisation technology before blowing

With its Aseptic Blow Filling (ABF), a rotary aseptic blow moulding machine with an integrated aseptic filler and capper, GEA sterilises preforms before they are blown into their final shape. This allows the weight of the bottle to be reduced up to 25 per cent compared to traditional aseptic systems. With 11 projects already delivered, ABF has been validated following different aseptic validation protocols in compliance with the requests of the most important corporate companies, and it is used for the commercial production of High Acid and Low Acid beverages, as well as for dairy applications.

H2O2 bottle sterilisation technology for cold chain distribution

When applying the H2O2 technology to the already blown bottle, Whitebloc is GEA’s last advanced technical solution for filling sensitive beverages and dairy products in cold chain distribution and even shelf stable ones. GEA Whitebloc uses a completely dry H2O2-based decontamination technology for plastic bottles and caps which ensures maximum decontamination efficacy and reliability without requiring any water rinse.

Filling and capping are performed inside an ultraclean environment that guarantees a high level of hygiene thanks to an overpressure of sterile air which prevents recontamination after the H2O2 treatment.

Visit: www.gea.com

SAFE, RECYCLABLE AND READY MADE – ALL IN ONE FOOD TRAYS MAKE FOR THE ULTIMATE CONVENIENCE FOOD One shot, two hits: Sukano innovative solutions address the global food waste challenge using recyclable technology.

S

ukano, a world leader in PET and biopolymer additives and colour masterbatches, has developed a new impact modifier additive formulation that can be used in direct food applications for rigid film processors. The goal is to help the food value chain reduce food waste while enabling PET tray recycling.

An expert team from Sukano has developed an additive masterbatch formulation that allows consumers to have their favourite meals flash frozen at -40º C, packaged and shipped directly to the retailers – all in an oven-safe PET tray that is both thermostable and sturdy, reduces the chance of product failures during processing or transportation.

This was done working in close collaboration with major food companies around the world, allowing the Sukano team to translate the challenges and stringent technical demands of this market segment into a practical product.

In order to prepare frozen food in the oven, ovenable trays must withstand demanding conditions. The oven temperature itself, which is often heated to over 200° C, would alone melt most plastics. Even though it does not melt, this is a challenge for standard PET, as it is subject to degradation mechanisms such as thermal oxidation. The FDA, along with other regulatory entities have already issue their stringent conditions on extractable levels of raw materials suitable for oven cooking.

The dramatic temperature variation for flash frozen food processing for ovenable meals poses high risks for PET trays, which are likely to become brittle and fail during handling and transportation. The use of Sukano’s impact modifier additive masterbatch has provided radical benefits to the value chain: it allows trays to remain thermostable, reduces their brittleness and allows processors to keep their output at their typical industrial levels. Since processing regrind remains mandatory and a default for the industry, the final article also does not have any negative impact on the PET recycling stream, should it be collected and recycled for reuse in other applications in the food packaging industry.

In many ovenable applications, food is in direct contact with the plastic packaging for long periods at high temperatures. Thus, it is important that the end article does not contain any harmful substances that could leach into the food.

“We worked with a full understanding of the application’s requirements for different players, as well as consumer’s needs. In the end, Sukano´s new products do not affect the heat sealability and maintain the organoleptics property integrity of the packaged food,” states John Price, director of technology and operations, at Sukano.

While the majority of the trays are still in black shade, Sukano’s impact modifier additive can be used in trays of any shade.

“The product is recommended to be used at 10-15 per cent LDR. This provides flexibility for designers to create endless shapes at different thicknesses, and still apply the additive levels according to the final content weight and impact modification needed in the end application article,” comments Alessandra Funcia, head of marketing at Sukano.

The latest development in the food industry is to increasingly use CPET trays for sterilisation of food that will be distributed and sold at room temperature. To answer this challenge, the industry needs higher crystallinity levels of PET trays. Sukano has therefore a nucleating additive masterbatch that enables CPET manufacturers to expand its presence in menu trays, addressing this new market requirement.

The products Sukano developed for oven cooking compliant trays went through a thorough raw material screening and selection and only the ones with highest purity and proven consistency batch to batch became eligible for its portfolio. “In addition, we run the newly designed formulas under vacuum, to avoid the generation of any volatiles, keeping the cleanest processing conditions as possible,” highlights Christian Schanzer, global regulatory manager at Sukano.

For more information, visit www.sukano.com Packaging Europe | 43 |

SPAMI SAM30: THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR FIRST-IN-CLASS GLASS AMPOULES MANUFACTURING SPAMI, world’s leader in the designing and manufacturing of automatic glass converting tube lines dedicated to vials, syringes and cartridges since 1971, introduces the innovative SAM30 ampoule line addressing the real needs of glass tubing packaging manufacturers.

L

ike every SPAMI line, the SAM30 is entirely manufactured in the SPAMI plant in Italy, from the tube-loading machine to the packaging module.

The high rate of automation, precision and process control gives incomparable efficiency to the production guaranteeing the highest product quality, complete operation control and efficiency to the customer.

In addition to all other cutting-edge features, the SAM30 includes the automatic inspection system NOVIS, suitable to measure all the glass container dimensions straight from the forming machine, supplying the operator with an indication of the line performance and the process efficiency. The automatic camera inspection is a primary tool to reach the machine optimum set and to monitor the process efficiency, satisfying what the pharmaceutical companies consider as an essential prerequisite for their containers.

SAM30 is equipped with modulating burners for tip forming installed after the high performance NOVIS inspection system, self-centering chucks, to guarantee shorter format change over time, and lower maintenance thanks to their improved lifetime, an after-forming line complete with a cooling system and a length and concavity inspection system, a tear-off and glazing steam unit, a score break unit, a packaging line with an automatic turn table with five packing positions, an aspiration module to remove discards of glass particles, a colour ring unit dedicated to serigraphy up to three rings, a cutting unit, OPC unit and OPC check camera and a print unit and drying colour unit Several sensors allow the complete control of each step of production, from tube loading to serigraphy process.

| 44 | Packaging Europe

The SPAMI annealing process offers multiple benefits, including an electric rotative oven with smaller footprint that grants higher product handling stability through the entire phase. Compared to a traditional walking beam, the rotative oven allows printing up to a few millimetres from the bottom of the ampoule.

The self-adjusting heat control system collects information from thermocouples installed in the oven and automatically manages the electric heating elements, ensuring the ideal thermal curve.

SAM30 is the perfect solution for first-in-class glass ampoules manufacturing, allowing a customizable approach to treatments and processes.

On request, a glass forming machine with 36 chucks and camera inspection for print and other desired cosmetic verification is also available.

Spami is part of Stevanato Group Visit: www.stevanatogroup.com

Applicators There’s a broad range of nozzles and packs of varying volumes available. You can make Airopack your pack for your brand, product and identity.

Packs Off the shelf sizes from 35ml - 200ml, ideal for all products from skin creams to air fresheners or create your own individual brand look and feel.

Formulation & Filling As well as a broad range of standard formulations, we will happily work with you to creaate custom formulations and solutions.

Airopack’s pressure control device provides a smooth, uninterrupted flow and an end to splutters and stop, start, stop.

THINK POSSIBILITIES. THINK AIROPACK. If it’s currently dispensed by aerosol or pump spray, it can be dispensed by Airopack. Airopack is safer and more sustainable so the broader business benefits go far beyond simply being better packaging.

A

iropack’s ability to perfectly dispense every kind of product, from fine particulate sprays to high viscosity formulations, adds value to the entire process. Simplifying manufacture and enhancing the customer experience, Airopack is not just better for the planet, it’s far better for business and your brand too.

There’s no better, more tangible demonstration of innovation than the exploration of a new and different approach to every challenge. A willingness to confront convention and to be unafraid of the new, historically that’s always been a key quality of our company and above all, our people.

Airopack - clearly better

Powered by air

Lower cost of ownership

What could be more natural than a system powered by pure, clean air? Airopack is far better for the planet and its people. No pressurised containers, no chemical propellants or harmful gases, like all the best ideas, it’s ingeniously simple and an absolute joy to use.

The total cost of ownership and manufacturing investments are dramatically reduced.

Filling Airopack® containers doesn’t require the costly equipment or specialised, legally compliant facilities associated with standard aerosol production. There are no hazardous, volatile or flammable gases. Therefore, insurance premiums are far lower, which may make a huge reduction to corporate overheads.

Smarter Technology Airopack features a unique pressure control device (‘PCD’) and a reservoir of clean, natural air. It’s the combination of the PCD and the reservoir that results in an effortlessly smooth and controlled flow, right up until there is literally no spray, cream or gel left eliminating waste.

Spray through 360° Unlike conventional aerosols, there’s no need to keep Airopack upright or vertical.

Airopack sprays smoothly and silently through 360degrees. There’s no difference if you keep it vertical, horizontal, diagonal or upside-down. *Compared to the manufacture of conventional aerosols.

Airopack’s ‘nothing to hide’ transparent and translucent container enables consumers to see how much spray, cream or gel is left and utilise every last drop, thanks to 360° dispensing.

Our commitment to our planet Each transparent Airopack is manufactured mainly from recyclable plastic (PET).

And because there are no harmful gases or other pollutants, we’ve managed to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacture by 30%.* Airopack is the aerosol re-imagined, it’s product friendly, people friendly and above all, planet friendly.

Long, solid, track record For cosmetics and personal care products the packaging is critical. The packaging needs to dispense the product perfectly as well as engage the consumer and provide a premium experience. Creating dispensers which fit individual products rather than making products fit the dispenser, is what differentiates the creators of the Kelders Group from its competitors. It’s how they express their spirit of innovation.

This is why we say at Airopack: “When creativity meets innovations a global gamechanger is born.”

Packaging Europe | 45 |

BESPOKE PACKAGING MADE EASY Packaging plays a very important role in the customer experience. Packaging both builds suspense and creates an emotional bond with the customer. Just think about Christmas, a birthday or any special occasion where gifts are exchanged. Now imagine those presents are packaged in grey or brown boxes without gift paper and no ribbons.

The excitement is somehow missing when the decoration is stripped away. The same emotional reaction occurs with product packaging. Packaging is responsible for the customer’s first impression of a product and can make all the difference in whether a customer decides to purchase a product or not.

Tailor-made packaging for you – the SAXOPRINT® easy box

Simplifying the purchasing decision

help you create that emotional connection, SAXOPRINT is offering a new packaging solution for creating bespoke packaging. With the SAXOPRINT® easy box, you can create individualised packaging, tailor-made down to the very millimetre. First, choose from seven different packaging categories with a total of 25 different standard models. Then, enter the exact dimensions you need for your products. As you adjust the dimensions, a 3D preview will show you the shape of your packaging. In order to get the fit just right, we use the inner dimensions for measurement, ensuring the packaging fits exactly around your product. You can then upload artwork or design online. To help you make your decision, SAXOPRINT® easy box products are all based on standard packaging models from ECMA (European Carton Makers Association) and FEFCO (Fédération Européenne des Fabricants de Carton Ondule).

The benefits of bespoke packaging are as diverse as the packaging range itself.

Depending on the industry, situation and product use, individual packaging gives you the opportunity to highlight your product in many ways. Overall, it is clear that packaging represents the most important touch point that comes in contact with the customer. This importance only emphasises the benefits that bespoke packaging offers you.

The way information is portrayed is often the most important packaging feature for many consumers. Content can be displayed through creative product labelling. Additionally, relevant product information and unique selling points can be included on the packaging. This information gives the customer an introduction to the product and can strengthen the impulse to purchase. The style and feel of the packaging can also help to highlight the quality of the product to the customer.

More colour and visibility

Get your own first impression of the SAXOPRINT® easy box

While brown and grey boxes were largely used in the past, creative mailer boxes, overpacks and folding cartons are now more common. Whether it’s product packaging, gift packaging or shipping packaging, all variations allow you to transport your brand consistently. The simple use of your company logo and tagline on your packaging helps to make a professional impression and boosts brand recognition. Using bespoke packaging for giveaways during a direct mailing campaign can help you to further build your brand and establish customer loyalty. By taking advantage of this creative advertising medium, you can really stand out from your competition.

With all the benefits of bespoke packaging, you might be curious about the quality, selection and service from your packaging supplier. SAXOPRINT offers packaging sample sets both branded and in a neutral style for resellers. Simply order a sample set to get your first impression of all 25 SAXOPRINT® easy box standard packaging models. Once you are convinced of our quality, take advantage of all the benefits bespoke packaging offers you with the SAXOPRINT® easy box.

TO

| 46 | Packaging Europe

Ensuring your product arrives safely Let’s not forget, the main purpose of packaging is to protect its contents from external wear and tear. Any scratch, bump, stain or damage to the product will negatively affect the customer experience and should therefore be prevented. To ensure that a product is transported free of impact or vibration, it should be provided with the appropriate packaging material. Shipping packaging should be adapted to the size of its contents. Bespoke packaging not only makes a great first impression, but also protects your product the best. The use of tailor-made mailer boxes, made possible by the SAXOPRINT® easy box, allows you to create stylish packaging to protect your product down to the very millimetre.

Visit: easybox.saxoprint.co.uk

Packaging Europe | 47 |

| 48 | Packaging Europe