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T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E C O N T R A C T PA C K A G I N G A S S O C I AT I O N

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Co-Packing For A Cause 04 Battling

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Contents TM

VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2

JULY/AUGUST 2022

EDITORIAL

Melissa Griffen EDITOR

mgriffen@pmmimediagroup.com

ART Dave Bacho CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jonathan Fleming ART DIRECTOR

AUDIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Elizabeth Kachoris SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL AND DATA Jen Krepelka DIRECTOR, WEBSITES & UX/UI Lauren Sanz SENIOR DATA ANALYST

ADVERTISING

6 Co-Packing for a Cause

Nonprofit co-packer provides secondary packaging services and offers employment opportunities to adults with disabilities.

Wendy Sawtell VICE PRESIDENT, SALES • wsawtell@pmmimediagroup.com Lara Krieger PRODUCTION MANAGER • lkrieger@pmmimediagroup.com Kelly Greeby SENIOR DIRECTOR, CLIENT SUCCESS & MEDIA OPERATIONS Alicia Pettigrew SENIOR MANAGER, PRODUCT & REVENUE STRATEGY

PMMI MEDIA GROUP

10 Aveda’s Recyclable Paper Sample

Packet Replaces Multilayer Foil Sachet

Joseph Angel PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER

Aveda and its supply partners found a way to sample product more sustainably, using curbside recycle-ready (or -certified, depending on locale) paper packets.

David Newcorn EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Sharon Taylor DIRECTOR, MARKETING Amber Miller SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Bea Greany BRAND OPERATIONS MANAGER Janet Fabiano FINANCIAL SERVICES MANAGER Lloyd Ferguson FOUNDING PARTNER

18 Sanitary Conveyor Improves Safety, Uptime for Co-Manufacturer

As the nutrition bar marker took off and TruFood embarked on expansions, Luxme’s SaniLux conveyor provided an improved ingredient delivery system to speed production and sanitation, while reducing allergen crosscontamination.

PMMI MEDIA GROUP 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611 PHONE 312/222-1010, FAX 312/222-1310 • CIRCULATION FAX 312/222-1310 E-MAIL info@packworld.com • WEB www.packworld.com PMMI The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies 12930 Woodgate Dr., Suite 200, Herndon, VA 20170 PHONE 571/612-3200 • FAX 703/243-8556 • WEB www.pmmi.org

CONTRACT Manufacturing + Packaging magazine is published for the Contract Packaging Association. For information on association membership, contact Paige Jarvi, 571/287-6818, pjarvi@contractpackaging.org, or visit www.contractpackaging.org.

EDITORIAL CONTACT Have a question or an idea for an article? Contact Anne Marie Mohan, Editor, 312/961-9904. CONTRACT Manufacturing + Packaging magazine prefers to receive press releases by e-mail. Send to mohan@packworld.com. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40064408

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London Brc, Ontario, Canada N6C 6A8

DEPARTMENTS

2 3 4 5 9 16 22 24

Forefront CPA President’s Letter Brand Owner Insight Industry News CPA News Business Intelligence Products Ad Index

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Forefront

Get Ready to Contribute MELISSA GRIFFEN, Editor Hello, contract manufactures and packagers (CM&Ps). My name is Melissa Griffen. I am the new editor of CONTRACT Manufacturing + Packaging magazine. For the last few years I have been covering business intelligence issues, case studies, and webinars and conferences to provide relevant and timely information to the readers of Healthcare Packaging, ProFood World, and Packaging World magazines, working with many of the companies that call on you to make their production a success. I plan to continue to bring such

timely content to this magazine, covering relevant business and highlighting your companies in articles that share how you’ve managed the market challenges that come your way. I will also follow through with Natalie’s – the previous editor’s - promise made in the last issue to make the content available in short video and podcast formats as well, so that you can digest the information in the way that is most convenient for you. This industry is full of valuable information – for your fellow CM&Ps as well as for emerging brands seeking guidance and the consumer packaged goods (CPGs) companies that need you – and there are many ways you can contribute. Please feel free to message me at the email below. Whether it be through Q&As

on business issues, video interviews, case studies, company profiles, and small columns, if you have any story ideas or suggestions, I am available to discuss them. After meeting with Ron Puvak, executive director of the Contract Packaging Association (CPA) to discuss the future of this magazine within the association, I am excited to dive in, working with you and providing pertinent information to the industry. I look forward to meeting you at PACK EXPO International and at other future events, as well as in your facilities.

CM+P

mgriffen@pmmimediagroup.com

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President’s Letter

New Programs on the Rise BY ROB REINDERS, CPA President As reported in the last issue, we have no plans to slow down in 2022, in fact just the opposite. With the success of CPA’s ENGAGE–The Contract Packaging and Manufacturing Experience, we are already planning the next event on the River Walk in San Antonio, TX, taking place February 21-23, 2023. CPA’s ENGAGE event is where the industry meets and collaborates. Significant networking and exhibition opportunities await you! Be sure to mark your calendar. As a reminder, this Fall you can connect with us at: Natural Products Expo East, September 28 – October 1 in Philadelphia, PA. PACK EXPO International, October 23 – 26 in Chicago, IL. PLMA, November 13 in Rosemont, IL. These events give us a chance to promote the industry and our members. No matter the show, our CPA Sourcing Center is always a popular location onsite. While most of our programs are focused on the national level, we are pleased to inform you of a regional program providing further benefits for our members. We have joined the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network (chicagolandfood.org). The Chicagoland’s Food and Beverage industry is the second largest in the nation. Approximately 4,500 firms make up the cluster, accounting for 130,000 employees and $32 billion in sales. The Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network recognizes the importance of the entire food and beverage supply chain from farm to fork, focusing on the food and beverage companies plus their essential key suppliers. This includes dozens of business types making a wide range of food products. In addition, the Network includes suppliers of packaging materials, equipment, machinery, transportation services, and the full range consulting and support services that are critical to supporting food and beverage companies bringing their products to the marketplace. They offer a wide range of local network and educational programs. To learn more, visit chicagolandfood.org. This is another added value benefit CPA hopes you can utilize to help grow your business. We will be collaborating on other initiatives in the future. Additionally, we have been working on a program with much larger implications to our membership. With more program de-

tails forthcoming, here’s some preliminary background information: We have an agreement with a third party to create a new entity called the Packaged Goods Services Association (PGSA). This program will be an umbrella association comprised of several non-competitive and collaborative service providers and associations. This program looks to encourage and develop opportunities for its members for consumer products offered inside any retail establishment. From automotive to wipes, any product sold can be part of this effort. This program will help define an innovation path with a platform for emerging brands, startups, developers, and established FMCG companies. It is an integrated concept to drive consumer innovation needs. CPA has been providing services to help develop and produce a product since its inception. The service model allows potential copacking clients to ask for help finding a co-packer (members) for their specific needs. This often results in a RFQ being generated or a search via the web site, resulting in 4,000 hits each month. CPA signed an agreement to be the Co-Founder of this innovation model while still maintaining our independence and freedom to operate. The main goal is to develop better leads and opportunities, as well as recruit new members. Our focus is on providing swift help to those in need, without a lot of unproductive searching getting in the way. CPA’s membership will see more opportunities and gain increased industry visibility. Leads generated will be entered into the CPA RFQ. RFQ’s not meeting member requirements will be vetted and enter the incubation process. Once these products have been further developed, to a level that is economically viable, CPA members will be able to review and provide quotes for these opportunities. Stay tuned to learn more about this new and exciting program in the next several months. As always, it is and has been a privilege to lead such a prestigious and dynamic association. As the President of the Board and a long-term member, I see the future is very bright and filled with huge opportunities for the CPA. Please consider this my personal invitation to you to meet with me at one or all of our events this year! CM+P

Rob Reinders is President of Performance Packaging of Nevada, https://pplv.co/.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 CM +P

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Brand Owner Insight

Battling Volatility ROBBY MARTIN Contributing Editor As 2022 rolls on, we seem to move farther away from the two years that will always be known as “the Pandemic,” or “COVID” without necessarily exiting the AFFECTS of the Pandemic. Sourcing disruptions have cascaded down the Supply Chain, sometimes in duplicate, triplicate, or worse. It seems that weather-related disruptions in agriculture industries, and in those industries that depend upon them, are occurring at higher levels than ever. I would argue that this perception could be exacerbated by our need to keep looking for “normal” or a “new normal,” when nothing normal seems to be emerging. Some combination of exhaustion, mental stress due to jobs that can seem harder than ever, and true ongoing Supply Chain disruptions are combining to make jobs, and life, more difficult than ever for many. It seems that what we need to realize is that perseverance is going to be required for the next several months, and maybe years. For a tired, stressed, and weary community (CP/CM and otherwise), perseverance may prove difficult to achieve. Here are a few things to think about as you seek to persevere and help others to do likewise.

Communication We all know that good business, and good business relationships depend on communication. I have to wonder whether we don’t also “all” know that we “all” have opportunities to become better at our communication. Sharing information at an additional level of clarity than before

has become more critical than ever. Perhaps taking the time to pick up the phone or write more complete thoughts and descriptions into your emails can go a long way to provide the extra information that some may need to reach their own understanding. Perhaps this would help them also muster up yet another round of patience in the process. Do not be afraid to spell things out, maybe at a level you’ve never shared before. We are seeking to remain partners in and through all of this, right? Speaking of patience…

Patience I am not necessarily an expert at all things stress related, disruption related, or inflation related. I do know that passing quick judgment on another set of bad news without seeking to understand and accept the context of such bad news is not going to be very sustainable in the current environment. For instance, knowing that your vendor has a delay or other disruption that is going to affect your ability to ship enough of the right product to the right places at the right times is not a fun reality to discover. For many of you today, it is just déjà vu all over again! You can react to your vendor and their delay without also allowing them the chance to provide you with context, or address what they are doing or would like to do to resolve the situation. You can even move right on to the next vendor with your business if the next vendor seems to be able to solve your issue. However, in today’s volatile environment, and maybe because of it, shouldn’t there be even more value in fully understanding one situation (call it the frying pan) before jumping to the next one (possibly to discover that it is the fire)?

Perspective As I was preparing this column, I had the realization that I am witnessing many things in my community, church, and

work that I would never have expected to witness. This is not the right space to discuss many of those things, but one thing we can discuss is where the current environment falls on our own line of career exposure, successes and struggles. Things happen in our personal and work lives that change how we work, what is expected of us, and how we even respond to challenges. Perhaps the current environment, as difficult as it is, should be viewed through a larger lens. Many are fearful that they will be blamed for the disruptions. Others are feeling the brunt of trying to solve issues and problems that they no hand in creating. Most of us just really do want to arrive at a “new normal,” so that we can figure out what our new mode of operation will need to become. Now, I know this is crazy, but could I just challenge us to take a minute to reflect on just what has already been accomplished over the last 2 years? I daresay that many who read this column are still employed, still performing a contributory function in their organization, and have solved more problems and challenges in the last 2+ years than they faced in the previous 5 or more. I just hope you can see the accomplishment that lies within the solved issues on your list. I hope you can at least look yourself in the mirror and know that you have probably made it through, made it over, made it under or just plain MADE IT in ways that you never would have known that you could! Think about that, and then give that person in the mirror a good solid, “WAY TO GO!” See your weariness, your exhaustion, even, in the light of the things you have been able to accomplish, get done, or just survive. You deserve a break, especially from… YOU! CM+P Robby Martin is Senior Engineering Project Manager for Bush Brothers & Company.

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Industry News

Assisting CPGs Through Warehousing Services As the e-commerce industry continues to flourish, as well as ultrafast delivery systems and globalization of supply chain networks, consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies find themselves struggling to meet consumer demands. Contract packagers are making efforts to combat these supply chain issues through warehousing services to ease operations for their customers. GreenSeed Contract Packaging, an external packaging operation serving large and mid-sized CPGs, has expanded its footprint at its headquarters just outside of Chicago. With 20,000 square feet dedicated to warehousing within the facility, the company is prepared to meet the 5023-CPA-Mechanical.pdf

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growing need for product warehousing. David Gray, CEO of GreenSeed Contract Packaging, says, “As supply chain disruptions continue, CPGs need to rely on their partners to navigate these challenges. Part of having a growth mindset is understanding that you must be able to take both a proactive and reactive approach to growth. Sometimes, the market dictates your direction; other times, it can inspire innovation and open a gateway for unexpected growth.” Another way that contract packagers are improving warehousing services is through smart warehousing. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the push to automate was in full force, but has been further

exacerbated by the Great Resignation. According to a Businesswire report, the global warehouse automation market is expected to reach $41 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of almost 15% between 2022 and 2027. Automation methods can range from eco-friendly motion-activated lighting and smart temperature control to blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and more. Research from Statista estimates that the increase in technology adoption in warehouse automation by 2030 will range from 26% to 64%, depending on the kind of technology. Supply chain 4.0 with IoT and analytics is expected to grow to 90% adoption.

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Packager Profile

Co-Packing for a Cause Nonprofit co-packer provides secondary packaging services and offers employment opportunities to adults with disabilities. Natalie Craig, Editor

CI Packaging, a pillar of Boone Center, Inc. (BCI), is a nonprofit co-packer with a social mission to employ adults with disabilities. Based in St. Peters, Mo., this contract packager offers shrink wrap, shrink sleeve, steam tunnel, pouch sealing, poly bagging, display assembly, kit-ting, quality inspection, rework and sorting, and ink jetting for a variety of markets. As labor struggles for co-packers and co-manufacturers are at an all-time high, BCI has a waiting list of talent as adults with disabilities choose to join its workforce. Simultaneously, BCI is also developing and churning out skilled workers that go on to work in other packaging facilities and businesses near BCI’s Midwest locations. All the while, BCI maintains a highquality rating and reputation.

Humanitarianism is in the DNA BCI Packaging was founded in 1959 by Jane Crider and Margaret Holmes with the goal of providing meaningful employment to adults with disabilities. The company started making candles in its St. Charles location. In 1990, the company entered the co-packing industry. “What the company quickly found out is many adults with disabilities are amazing at repetitive tasks,” says Jaclyn NoroñoRodriguez, MBA, CPSP, the former director of sales for BCI Packaging. “When you match up individual skills and abilities to the work at hand, it’s amazing what our employees can accomplish. Success begets success, and to see it in action is just amazing.” As BCI became one of the top employers in Missouri to assist adults with

s BCI is one of the top employers in Missouri to assist adults with disabilities.

disabilities, it created new pillars to help further the company’s mission and the success of its programs. The company launched a competitive employment program in 2009, which serves as a matchmaking service for employers and adults with disabilities. And in 2019, BCI opened its Skills Center which offers vocational training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “We talk a lot about our employment continuum because we have adults with disabilities that may or may not be ready for the competitive environment,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “Maybe it doesn’t work out, and that’s okay. They can apply to work on the packaging side in our facility. Maybe later on, they choose to attend the Skills Center. We continue to coach them in order to grow new skills. The whole purpose is to continue to support adults with disabilities, no matter where they are in life.”

BCI Packaging Headquarters: St. Louis, MO Employees: 350 Annual revenue: $16.7 million Main industries served: Manufacturing Types of products handled: CPG, household goods, pet food, pharmaceutical, dental, and medical. Packaging services offered: shrink wrap/shrink sleeve, steam tunnel, pouch sealing/fin sealing, poly bagging, display assembly, kitting, quality inspection, rework and sorting, and ink jetting. Certifications provided: FDA registered for foods and medical devices, USDA registered for shipping into Canada, Safe Quality Food (SQF) compliant, Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) compliant, and ISO 9001:2008 compliant.

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BCI Packaging Today, BCI handles its main production in its St. Peters facility, which includes 100,000 sq. ft. of production, warehouse, and office space. The co-packer also has a 23,000-sq.-ft. production facility in neighboring town Moscow Mills, as well as a 40,000-sq.-ft. warehouse space in St. Charles. The company also leverages several local partner workshops. BCI has a 99.92% quality rating that it maintains by using QT9’s Quality Management Software for automated workflow and synchronized processes and Nulogy’s PackManager to assist in managing the production floor and warehouse. But its workforce also plays a big role in the company’s success.

s BCI finds the balance between priotitizing the people and optimizing through automation.

Leveraging an untapped workforce BCI’s integrated workforce is made up of both employees with and without disabilities. “Where we’re really struggling on the labor force is with the skilled labor, such as forklift drivers, that allows us to support our operations,” says NoroñoRodriguez. But on the other end, BCI has a backlog of adults with disabilities that want to work at their facility. As an employment matchmaker and vocational skills trainer, it is BCI’s mission to place adults with disabilities at other businesses once they have shown an interest and gained the experience and skills necessary to succeed. And while many companies are struggling with employee turnover due to the Great Resignation, turnover at BCI is ultimately a sign that the company is doing something right. “We have to remember our North Star,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “Yes, we want to make sure that we continue to grow, but we also must make sure that we continue to serve a need. We have clients and need to hit numbers, just like any other business.” On top of its high-quality rating, BCI retains its customers, as more than 80% of BCI’s business are return clients.

s BCI Packaging headquarters

Flexibility is key In a typical assembly line in BCI’s facility, there are line workers with and without disabilities. There are also line leads and production supervisors that are overseeing one or multiple lines. A production manager and her assistant double-check setups and skill levels across the board. Employment support specialists will help develop skills for adults with disabilities while quality auditors check each line at least eight times a day to make sure that the company is meeting product specs and that quality is up to par. Over the past couple of years, BCI Packaging has been seeing a lot of demand for shrink wrapping of anything from household products to pet food. Today, the

demands are changing to include more OEM and pharma business. Just like every contract packager and manufacturer, BCI has to remain adaptable and flexible as its jobs change frequently and largely depend on consumer demands and industry trends. “The flexibility in how we’ve been able to pivot and help every one of our packaging partners make sure they get the product that they need when they need it is huge,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “We are able to provide full visibility through the entire process, thanks to Nulogy, and that makes us pretty unique in the industry.” A recent project Noroño-Rodriguez and her team say they are most proud of required quick problem solving and adapJU LY/AU G U S T 2 02 2 CM +P

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Packager Profile

tivity. One of BCI’s customers had aerosol and liquid products that they were rebranding. They hired BCI to remove a wraparound label and apply a new label. “Simple,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “Well, when we got the product, we learned that the label was not as easily removable. We tried it for a few days, trying to figure out what we could do better. We didn’t think it was going to be that difficult.” BCI worked with a label provider and the client to come up with an over label, instead of having to remove the old label and apply a new one. After applying the over label, BCI ran trials and deemed the new solution to be better. The process took three weeks, but it paid off. “The customer was even happier with the fact that we were proactive about trying out different strategies to fix the problem in-house before we contacted them,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “They’ve actually awarded us another SKU for repeat production.”

Prioritizing people and propelling innovation BCI always needs to optimize as it did with that past project, but it also needs to prioritize its people by giving them hands-on experience on the line. So how do they automate when necessary while also providing more opportunities to handle the product and packaging? During another project, the company was handling a 114-count

jar fill by hand with five people on the line. Line people were manually filling, weighing, and heat sealing the jars, achieving five completed pallets per day. However, the customer requested more output. So, not only did BCI automate parts of the line to increase output up to 25 pallets a day, but they also made it so that they could employ 15 adults with disabilities on that line. “We’re meeting our social mission to continue to employ adults with disabilities, but we’re also making sure that we serve the customer demand,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “Much like that, we’ve implemented other machines with that same thought in mind, to make sure that we continue to create opportunities for adults with disabilities to continue to be employed.” CM+P BCI Packaging is a member of The Contract Packaging Association (CPA) and uses its membership to gain insight on industry drivers and business issues, as well as to network with peers and potential partners. “I’ve formed really great partnerships with other co-packers that are helping us learn how we can become better in certain areas,” says Noroño-Rodriguez. “I feel that I know way more about the industry, thanks to the CPA.” For more information on becoming a CPA member, visit: https://www.contractpackaging.org/

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Association News

CONTRACT Manufacturing + Packaging magazine is the official publication of the CPA, The Association for Contract Packagers and Manufacturers. The association provides business development support, industry education, networking opportunities, and industry intelligence for contract packagers and contract manufacturers. This section of the magazine is dedicated to sharing how CPA members can leverage their membership to propel their business and empower operations. For more information on becoming a CPA member and to gain access to industry expertise, best practices, and support, visit: contractpackaging.org

10 BUSINESS DAYS DELIVERY ADVANTAGE

CPA Success Blooms at Events The Contract Packaging Association’s rebranded annual event: ENGAGE – The Contract Packaging and Manufacturing Experience set a record for number of registrations, attendees, and overall event participation. CPA then attended Natural Products Expo West where it displayed two full towers of CPA member material and capabilities. With a great booth location, over 150 leads were generated. The CPA also attended PMMI’s PACK EXPO East with a location in the Workforce Development & Partner Pavilion. With four full towers of CPA member displays the booth traffic was incredible, and the conversations were constant. More than 200 leads were collected.

Visit Us at PACK EXPO Chicago Booth S-2843

Upcoming Shows CPA Will Attend « Natural Products Expo East this September 21-24, in Philadelphia « PACK EXPO International this October 23-26, in Chicago

CPA Scholarships Open for Applicants The CPA has launched a new Scholarship Program to show CPA is committed to supporting the advancement of students who are pursuing a degree in packaging or a packaging-related field. The organization also helps individuals who are looking to improve their professional background and/or increase their skill set in the packaging world. The CPA says it proudly offers the following scholarships: Contract Packaging Association Collegiate Scholarship Collegiate Scholarships are open to students sponsored by a CPA member in good standing with the Association within the United States and Canada (via a supportingletter providing applicant-relationship). These three scholarships for $1000 each provide additional support to students as they navigate through their packaging career. Contract Packaging Association Professional-Certification/Workplace-Grant Scholarship Certification Scholarships are open to employees and family members of employees whose sponsor is a current member of the CPA in good standing. These scholarships provide additional support to industry professionals looking to enhance their skillsets. Scholarships will be awarded throughout the year once proof of registration for a certificate program or class is provided to the CPA and reviewed by the scholarship judges. Scholarship applications must be approved by the judges PRIOR to taking the course. Course(s) fees cannot exceed $2,000. To learn more about educational tools for CPA members, visit https://www.contractpackaging.org/education J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 CM+P

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Aveda

Aveda’s Recyclable Paper Sample Packet Replaces Multilayer Foil Sachets Sampling is a big category for ELC. Aveda and its supplier partners found a way to sample product more sustainably, using curbside recycle-ready (or -certified, depending on locale) paper packets to replace multilayer foil sachets. Matt Reynolds, Editor, Packaging World

veda, The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC) high-performance, plant-based hair care company with a mission of sustainability, late last year partnered with co-packer, packaging supplier, and woman-owned business Xela Pack in the development of what the stakeholders say is prestige beauty’s first-ever paper-based, locally recyclable sachet or packet. Also involved in the partnership is Gentile Packaging Machinery (GPM), the OEM responsible for the form/fill/seal-style machinery built to run this proprietary package format. The two affiliated packaging supply companies serve as a single-entity contract packager to form, fill, and seal the Xela Pack-style sample packs on GPM Machinery. Aveda says the new pack design is a superior solution for sampling applications. In addition to being curbside recyclable by European and U.K. consumers at the end of the sample pack’s life, the packets have been designed with sustainability in mind. They were studied in detail through a peer-reviewed life-cycle assessment, which calculated a reduction of 36% to 68% in water consumption and 37% to 64% in emissions [CO2 equivalent] when compared to multi-layer laminated structures commonly used in the industry. Such sachets are typically made by combining layers of polyester, polyethylene, and aluminum, and they are not commonly curbside recyclable due to their laminated multi-layer construction, flexible nature, and small sizes. Packaging World was able to sit down (via Zoom) with all of the project stakeholders at Xela Pack, GPM, Aveda, and ELC soon after the announcement in late 2021. But it wasn’t until recently, in late February 2022, that the project became fully commercialized, with Xela Pack actively co-packing the new Aveda sample packs for the consumer marketplace. Today, the project is up and running, with Xela Pack using GPM machines to package paper-based Aveda sample packets for European markets.

Sampling challenges Sampling is an important piece of business among The Estée

▲ The new paper-based packets mimicfamiliar Aveda bottles in shape, multiple use capability, and prestige-brand appearance.

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Aveda

Lauder Companies. But it carries its own unique set of challenges and hurdles when it comes to packaging, especially doing so responsibly. “The cosmetics industry does a lot of sampling, and one of the challenges from both a regulatory and a consumer perspective is to find a way to sample via more sustainable packaging,” says Ana Espinosa, Sustainability and Circularity Strategy, ELC. “We have used multiple formats to deliver these types of samples, whether that is through types of foil sachet packets, or sometimes small tubes or small bottles. We are now focused on how to design more sustainable sampling mechanisms that are aligned with our sustainable packaging goals, and helping our brands like Aveda move forward their journey to have packages that are designed in alignment with what we call our ‘five Rs’: recyclable, recycled, reusable, refillable, and recoverable. These help measure our progress towards creating more responsible packaging with circularity in mind.” In the context of these concepts, the company must simultaneously consider the constraints that different recycling streams in different locations present, the specific constraints that come along for the ride with certain materials categories, and, particular to sampling, the constraints that come with small pack sizes. “The idea of designing a paper-based packet to replace sachets came to the minds of multiple people at The Estée Lauder Companies,” Espinosa says. “That’s how this journey started, just having in mind that sustainability is a core value for the company and especially for the Aveda brand.” Aveda also values delivering prestige experiences, aiming to create a luxury environment for the consumer in every single location that the brand connects with them. Sampling is a mechanism for Aveda to introduce products to its consumers, so it’s another important contact point that needs to deliver a luxury and more responsible experience. “At the end of the day we are a prestige brand, and we want to ensure that we are

▲ Formed packs moving into the side seal station.

▲ Printed exterior and liner-laminated interior of the cards, loaded by magazine into the v/f/f/s. JU LY/AU G U S T 2 02 2 CM +P

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▲ Formed packets being raised into the filling station.

creating high performance and luxurious quality in every interaction that we have with our consumer, whether that is through sampling mechanisms like these sachets, retailers, magazines, or directly to consumers,” Espinosa says. “But with a sustainability mission at the heart of the Aveda brand, more responsible packaging needs to be part of that experience as well.” So why now? Paper-based packaging has been around for a while, surely someone thought of this before. “Some of these technologies weren’t available in the past, especially at the scale that they can achieve now,” Espinosa says. “And this is one of the main things that we are envisioning: with Aveda being the first one to take this path, we are excited to be a pioneer in this space to make it easy for others to follow. Paper is one of the materials that is being increasingly looked at because of the nature of it: it has a more robust recycling stream that’s easily recognized by the consumer, and fewer limitations when it comes to the type of decorations that can help support a luxurious sample designed with sustainability in mind.”

Brand & contract packager help one another ▲ Filled and sealed packets in pack eject, running by counting sensors.

▲ Filled and sealed packets in pack eject, running by counting sensors.

The brand/contract packager relationship on this project began a little more than three years ago, with Aveda approaching Xela Pack about more sustainable packaging formats. Xela Pack was already known for ecologically minded, mandrel-formed paper tubes with polylaminate and foil liners, so it was a logical format for Aveda to consider. Due to the novel format of the packaging, and the innovation of using a new sampling mechanism like this, Aveda wanted to ensure it was tested and validated by recognized third parties with expertise in this area. The Aveda team reached out to Xela to work together and find a solution that was going to be recognized by these third parties, while still helping the brand deliver a prestige look. As luck would have it, around the time

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Aveda approached them, Xela Pack had been working on new material specs to accomplish those same goals. The company had high hopes for a non-foil material it had developed that uses EVOH for a barrier layer instead of metalized foil. After hearing from Aveda, the contract packager realized that a major cosmetics brand with such reach and influence would be a fine partner in co-developing it; essentially getting it ready for prime time. What resulted was a several-yearslong beta testing, certification, and marketing partnership between Aveda/The Estée Lauder Companies and Xela Pack/ GPM that was exclusively held between those parties until March 1, 2022.

Mutually beneficial testing and certifications With certification of recyclability in mind, Xela Pack had already begun sending samples of its materials to at least one certifying body. The proprietary foil-less, paper-EVOH laminate that would eventually become the new Aveda sample pack format seemed most promising. But just to see where it stood, the packaging supplier also sent two of its pre-existing laminations for testing, both paper-foil-poly structures. One was a standard lamination that had remained virtually the same since Xela Pack’s inception 30 years ago, with some minor modifications along the way. The other, termed a “white recycled” material, uses 100% recycled paper—roughly 65% postconsumer, 35% post-industrial. Xela Pack first sent the trio of materials to Western Michigan University (WMU), who Gentile says defines a well-recognized recycling certification standard for the U.S. In what the company views as a temporary setback, WMU found that the amount of material being recouped from these laminated constructions, at least in the U.S. stream, was a little less than what is required for certification. This was no major disappointment, rather a data point on a learning curve that has more to do with ratios of material weights and ratios—of EVOH to paper, for instance— than it does of either material’s true recy-

clability. Also reflected is the comparative robustness of European and American recycling infrastructure and adherence— we’re just not quite as far along in the U.S. Xela Pack is currently back at the drawing board, iteratively working toward those U.S. tests and local standards. “The plan is to be launching a new material that is certified recyclable in the U.S., as well as in the U.K. and Europe” adds Carolynn O’Connor, director of sales, Xela Pack. “We have, I think, realistic goals of making that happen this year.” Validating recyclability in other regions was instrumental to Aveda, so it partnered with Xela to test the packages to see if they met UNI standards in Europe. “At that point, we really felt we were part of a great partnership. We had this material that we were working on, they helped guide us through getting it tested with their vast expertise and experience in the space. “Most importantly, in the process we found out that this material that Aveda will be launching in—the paper-poly lamination—is in fact UNI-ready. It can be certified recyclable at this specific level for Europe and the U.K. With our partners at Aveda, we released this information in November 2021—it is the first certified recyclable non-foil Xela Packs ever that they’re launching in.” As luck would once again have it, UNI also said Xela Pack’s pre-existing laminations—both with foil layers, one nearly 30 years old, the other “white recycle”—also qualify to be UNI certified as recyclable. The partnership was indeed paying dividends for all parties. “We are still working toward the ultimate goal of broad recyclability. And in the process, Aveda helped us find that this material can be certified in Europe, and they’re going to be the first to launch in it,” Gentile concludes of the relationship. As launched in March, the finished, certified packaging structure is a 10-point C1S paperboard format, printed on one side, and coated on the other with 2.5 mil of EVOH. It’s actually a multi-poly lamination that uses EVOH for the barrier. Details on the tie layer remain proprietary.

“One of the things that was really amazing about Xela Pack is that they were as hungry as we are in developing something that was going to be luxurious, scalable, and with sustainability in mind,” Espinosa adds. “Working with the Xela Pack team has been very much of our collaboration and a joint development in that sense, understanding the values of each one of the companies and how can we bring both of our expertise together. And that’s one of the things that really drew us to working with them.”

Challenges along the way Early conversations at Aveda centered around what would constitute the right paperboard that the brand should be using, how emissions that this packet is causing can be reduced, and more. Michael Christel, Director Packaging Sustainability, The Estée Lauder Companies, needed to know what the right weight, thickness, and color would be to ensure re-pulpability and recyclability of the packets. They also needed to ensure that, ultimately, the product itself would retain its high performance inside of these packets. All these competing considerations created challenges along the way. “There were lots of iterations of the pack. We started with something that looked a lot simpler than where we ended up, and that was less customizable. We were more on the basics, like the material and what we thought was going to be compatible with some of our product formulas,” Christel says. “And then we started to build the luxury aspect into it. There have been some challenges that we and Xela Pack have been trying to solve. And that has made the process a very innovative one for both of us. Our original intention was to try to design in alignment with our 5R’s as well as circularity. And so, there have been multiple conversations, as well as tests and engagement of external third parties and experts in the field, for us to ensure that this was going to be recyclable, that we had the right materials, that this structure was the proper one, and obviously, that it was compatible with the product. Ultimately, JU LY/AU G U S T 2 02 2 CM +P

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not only were we elevating the packaging, but we were also elevating the consumer experience.”

Automating an all-new pack An unnamed Xela Pack supplier converts the proprietary material into rollstock, after which it’s sent to a printer for decoration and die-cutting. “It’s flexographically printed, and we can do up to seven colors,” O’Connor says. “We have different gloss and matte varnishes that we can use, or a combination of gloss and matte on the same packet.” Die-cut magazines of 2-D sample pack blanks (or cards) are delivered to Xela Pack, to be run on GPM XP-FFS-5 vf/f/s equipment. This is an all-new piece of machinery for GPM, and while details about its formers are proprietary, they can be said to be “mandrelstyle.” As each 2-D card enters the equipment via magazine, it is first embossed, then formed, and finally heat side-sealed. Depending on the application and size of the pack, the machine may use an opener as the pack travels to the filler to ensure the pack is ready to receive product. The final operation on the machine is heat top-sealing the finished product unit. Speaking of product, the system can either use bellows or piston fillers, depending on the application. For Aveda products, like shampoos and conditioners that tend to be viscous, piston fillers tend to be the way to go, but bellows fillers are available for purely liquid applications. The system could also handle dry powders or single units like

pills, but such product isn’t relevant to the Aveda application. Secondary packaging is again application-dependent—unit packs could go into anything from corrugated master cases, to printed chip-board cartons that are more suited to retail—even retail-ready packaging.

Knock-on advantages over legacy foil sachets “We were looking at not only designing the sample so it was recyclable, but also the structure of the sample to see what other potential environmental benefits we could tap into by using Xela’s innovative packet,” Espinosa says. This is why Aveda/ELC conducted a Lifecycle assessment. Regardless of how many ounces of sample material the legacy foil sachets may have been able to hold, they were largely considered single-use or singledose. That’s because, once opened, there’s not much a consumer can do to store the 2-D, lay-flat packs. And more likely than not, a sachet will be ripped raggedly, thus no longer able to neatly contain its contents. These new Aveda sample packs using Xela Pack tech have a gusseted bottom, thus they are 3-D structures. Xela Pack offers a format that can stand upright in a bathroom or shower setting, but Aveda opted not to use that version since these are intended to be one-use sample packs. Not only are the packs 3-D, but they feature a pack profile that includes a narrowing, neck-down portion that culminates in an embossed, tear-off, controlled orifice. The pack

▲ Completed primary packaging packets, ejected through shoots and ready for secondary packaging that varies by application.

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doesn’t reseal itself per se, but it does reclose itself mechanically in such a way that virtually precludes leakage. Dispensing requires 7 lbs. of direct pressure, so the freestanding pack will not leak, even after being opened. To open and use the sample packet, the consumer only needs to bend the closure flap along the embossed placeholder, tear it, use it, pinch it closed, and if there’s any left, save for later. So essentially, the paper sample packet system more closely resembles a bottle than a sachet. If they chose to, consumers could use the contents one day, set it down in the shower, then use it again the following day with no product leakage, thanks to the controlled orifice that mechanically closes itself based on the shape and rigidity of the paperboard. The structure actually prevents air from entering the pack, even after opened, so it could sit in a shower for much longer than a day without any product degradation. “The consumer experience is just much better than that of a foil pack,” O’Connor says. “We did a video where we had sideby-side consumers opening a foil sachet and a Xela Pack side by side, and it’s clear with the foil pack, they don’t have any control of how much product comes out. With the Xela Pack, you can control how much comes out, you can use a little at a time, and there’s no waste. Sustainability is very important to companies, but they also have to consider consumer experience. When giving a sample, that’s an extension of their brand, and bad experiences result in poor brand associations. And for ELC or Aveda, they have to make sure it lives up to their status as a prestige brand.” Summarizes Edmond Irizarry, Aveda’s Executive Director, Global Package Development: “At Aveda, we understand the relevance of sampling our products in a sustainable way: in-line with our mission, and without compromise on product quality or consumer experience. I am extremely proud of our three-year development partnership with Xela Pack to deliver this breakthrough sampling J U LY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 C M+ P

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innovation. We look forward to expanding this technology to other markets, brands, and categories in the near future.”.

CM+P

The Estée Lauder Companies www.esteelauder.com

Gentile Packaging Machinery https://gentilemachinery.com/

Aveda

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7/21/22 15:44

Business Intelligence

CPGs Move More Manufacturing and Packaging Lines to Contract Facilities A PMMI industry report reveals what’s driving growth in machinery sales to the CoMan/CoPack market. Sean Riley, Senior News Director

he needs of CPGs and the machinery required from OEMs to churn out goods were already experiencing a sea of change before COVID-19 completely turned supply and demand on its head. To keep up with these changes, many CPGs employed more contract manufacturers and packagers (CM&Ps) to stay ahead of the evolving whims of consumers seeking convenience, variety, and more eco-friendly items. OEMs report that more than 70% percent of the time, CM&Ps generate technical specifications for equipment, easing some of the burdens on CPGs. “[CM&P] business has grown drastically at an average growth rate of 10.2% over the last five years. We have segments growing much faster than that, but overall, everybody’s experiencing a very high growth rate,” says Ron Puvak, executive director of The Association for Contract Packagers & Manufacturers (CPA). Some of that is attributable to COVID-19, like in food and beverage, which are traditionally the most significant segments of CM&Ps. Still, the numbers indicate that the spike remained once CM&Ps met the immediate need. “CM&Ps haven’t lost that business,” Puvak says. “There has been a conversion [by CPGs] away from doing it in-house, or with dedicated lines, to moving it out to contract facilities.” Another reason Puvak projects this growth to continue—particularly in food and beverage—is where once it was common for CM&Ps to have short-term contracts of six months or less, many are now

▲ OEMs report that more than 70% percent of the time, CM&Ps generate technical specifications for equipment, easing some of the burdens on CPGs.

▲ OEM sales to CM&Ps most often represent between 10% to 25% of OEM sales, with a minority exceeding 50% of sales to CM&Ps.

signing longer-term agreements. Others are turning to CM&Ps as risk management against future supply chain issues. Rather than dedicate complete in-house lines, CPGs and processors can be more flexible and put the capital investment in the hands of the CM&Ps. To understand these new business dynamics, PMMI Business Intelligence surveyed PMMI members on the current

state of machinery sales to the CoMan/ CoPack market to determine what areas are experiencing the most growth and if the growth is here to stay. Food and beverage dominate the largest markets for equipment sold by responding OEMs with beverages, including alcohol (17%) as the largest market, proteins (11%), and confectionery (9%), joining medical devices (13%) in the top

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Business Intelligence

four. Nutraceuticals and supplements are the most popular market among respondents, with over half (53%) selling into that sector, followed by baked goods and confectionery at 41% each, beverages including alcohol and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals rounding out the top five, each at 39.3%. When PMMI asked OEMs about the automation or technology needs CM&Ps are asking for, the most popular solutions are integrated lines which would align with Puvak’s belief that some CPGs are moving entire processes to CM&Ps. Where single pieces of machinery are needed, conveying, feeding, and handling equipment (34%), bagging, pouching, and wrapping equipment (32%), and cartoners/casepackers (31%) were sold the most to CM&Ps. Puvak indicates that these numbers are typical as end of line equipment traditionally dominates CM&P equipment purchases. He adds, however, that many CM&Ps are seeing opportunities to address labor issues via machinery purchases. Variety packs, for example, are something that CM&Ps might have done previously with manual labor, but as robotics become more affordable and the strain on the labor force continues, he has seen an increase in incorporating OEM solutions to replace these repetitive functions. OEM sales to CM&Ps most often represent between 10% to 25% of OEM sales, with a minority exceeding 50% of sales to CM&Ps. According to Puvak, CM&Ps are looking for flexibility and asking themselves: “Can I purchase something that I can use a variety of ways and for a variety of products?” In addition to flexibility, PMMI’s survey asked OEMs to note some specific demands and needs that CM&Ps are requesting when they purchase machines, and the following were the most common: « Quick changeovers « Predictive maintenance and production monitoring « Versatility for different package formats J U LY/AUGUST 2 0 2 2 C M+ P

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robotics « Process automation For more in-depth findings and to read verbatim responses of OEMs, PMMI members can download the survey results here: oemgo.to/oemcmpsurvey CM+P

« Lines need to be built around new labeling requirements « Easy-to-operate machinery « Turnkey systems for secondary packaging « Sophisticated vision systems and

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Case Study

Sanitary Conveyor Improves Food Safety, Uptime for CoManufacturer As the nutrition bar market took off and TruFood embarked on expansions, Luxme’s SaniLux conveyor provided an improved ingredient delivery system to speed production and sanitation, while reducing allergen cross-contamination. Aaron Hand, Editor-in-Chief ProFood World magazine

s a co-manufacturer for the nutrition and protein bar market, Pittsburghbased TruFood provides a range of processing capabilities—from mixing, extrusion, and slab forming to enrobing, inclusions, topping, and decorating, along with fully automated wrapping and display packing. TruFood collaborates with startups and established brands alike to develop and produce nutrition bars to be sold at retail and club stores throughout North America and Europe, as well as through online distributors. It’s a market that has taken off tremendously, expected to grow from $4.66 billion in 2019 to $7.03 billion by 2027, according to Fortune Business Insights. That growth prompted TruFood to launch an expansion project beginning in 2019, to boost its manufacturing capabilities to better serve the increasing customer demand. High on the list for improvement was the company’s ingredient delivery system. It was a multi-step manual process that required significant time and labor to prepare and transfer fine and coarse ingredient powders and inclusions such as chocolate chunks, soy crisps, and cookie pieces to the mixer. TruFood required an automated ingredient transfer solution that would increase yield and improve line efficiency, but it also needed to guarantee food safety by reducing the risk of allergen cross-contamination between change-

▲ The SaniLux can go from dry to dry, fully allergen sanitized, in just one hour—about 10% of the time it took TruFood previously when the process was manual.

Photo courtesy of Luxme overs for different product ranges. What they found was Luxme’s SaniLux Tubular Chain Conveyor, which could not only efficiently transfer screened and weighed powders and inclusions to the mixer, but also greatly reduce the time needed for a sanitary changeover. “Their willingness to work within our constrained space requirements also impressed us,” says Mike Berko, project engineer for TruFood.

Changeovers in about 10% of the time Though efficient changeovers might be important for any number of food producers, they are particularly so for co-manufacturers, which tend to switch from product to product quickly, depend-

ing on the ever-changing needs of their customers. “As we speak, I have a changeover going on somewhere in our company,” Berko comments. “We have 11 production lines, so we’re constantly adjusting, whether it be production schedules, customer needs, their orders, whatever it may be. So we go through quite a few changeovers. It’s something that we’ve gotten good at. But any time we come across something that’d be helpful to speed that along is obviously a value to us.” Changeovers become more complex when dealing with allergens such as whey proteins or peanuts. As a producer of nutrition bars with a wide range of certifications and claims—including

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kosher, non-GMO, organic, halal, glutenfree, fair trade, and sugar-free—TruFood takes its commitment to avoiding allergen cross-contamination extremely seriously. To ensure proper sanitation, typically everything needs to be fully broken down to expose all product surfaces, Berko notes. “Everything will need to be validated, all food contact surfaces get swabbed and checked for proper cleanliness and removal of the allergens,” he says. Sanitary design and ease of cleaning were critical as TruFood considered a more automated conveyance of its ingredients. With the kinds of allergen scenarios TruFood often deals with in its changeovers, the SaniLux conveyor, with automated clean-in-place (CIP) technology, has the potential to go from what was a multi-shift clean to just hours, Berko says. “We don’t have to break down the system, which is a huge benefit of the cleanin-place technology. We can go from dirty

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to clean in just over an hour,” he says, also commenting on other benefits of not having to break the system down. “The benefit of not having to remove components, with the potential for them to get lost or reinstalled improperly—it’s really adding a lot of value to our process.” There was some apprehension from TruFood’s food safety team about just how effectively the SaniLux conveyor could clean itself in CIP mode—whether it could remove allergens and bacteria to TruFood’s standards on a consistent and sustainable basis. “When we did the testing in Montreal at Luxme, one of our quality managers came with me to witness those tests, and actually performed swabs on the equipment there. That did help things once we got everything back here and were able to run through a couple of cleans,” Berko says. “It’s not something that we worry about. We’re very confident in it.”

Automatic conveying The conveyor itself uses a fixed drive and tension assembly, which automatically tensions the chain continuously during the process and regulates it according to friction, product flow, and variation in atmospheric/product temperature. Capable of 300, 500, or 1,100 ft3/hr capacities, the system is suited for the automatic conveying of all types of food, at any stage of receiving, processing, and packaging. The SaniLux’s enclosed chain-in-tube construction creates a sealed conveying solution, eliminating waste spillage and the risk of external pathogens or allergens entering the material flow to the mixer. “This increases confidence in product integrity during the dry ingredient processing function, as well as reducing risk to personnel,” Berko says. “The chance of water spillages and associated slips and falls, or contact with harmful chemicals during sanitation, have been eliminated.”

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Case Study

▲

TruFood produces millions of nutrition bars each week, which are sold at retail and club stores throughout North America and Europe, and online.

Photo courtesy of TruFood

Booth #3664

In addition, the design of the SaniLux conveyor is inherently gentler to the materials it’s conveying, Berko notes, meaning ingredients retain their size, shape, and appearance, and are delivered to the mixer intact. “There are essentially pockets that the product rides within inside the tube, so it’s not tumbling around; it’s not being agitated,” he says. “It’s just kind of sliding along inside the pipe until it’s discharged.” The inside of the pipe is polished so that it’s very smooth, explains Rick Leroux, Luxme’s vice president. “There’s very little abrasion associated with moving that product over the pipe surface to the outlet,” he says. “You have a product that basically is received by the conveyor in a natural state and is discharged from the conveyor in its natural state.” The conveyor transfer runs at a relatively low speed compared with some conventional technologies such as pneumatic conveying, Leroux adds. “The running speed here is anywhere between 40 and 60 feet per minute; we’re not in the hundreds or thousands of feet per minute,” he says. “So, if we have a change of direction, it’s very smooth, it’s very calm, and it’s very gentle.” The slower speed does not affect TruFood’s throughput, however, because the system was designed to optimize the diameter of the pipe, Berko says. “So that allows the volume to keep pace with our production.”

Pandemic timing Like so many of the case studies we’ve talked over the past year or so, TruFood was faced with installing the system during COVID-19 lockdowns. The SaniLux has been running successfully at TruFood’s facility since its installation in May 2020, just at the pandemic was spreading

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Case Study

around the globe. Berko had travelled to Montreal (where Luxme is headquartered) to do some in-house testing of the system just prior to COVID. But by the time TruFood was ready to take delivery, international borders had been shut down, and Luxme engineers were prevented from traveling from Canada to be on-site for set-up and commissioning. TruFood had to rely on virtual rather than in-person help from Luxme for installation. TruFood’s in-house engineering team completed the installation work, and Luxme did the virtual commissioning. “It went remarkably smooth,” Berko says. “Luxme had prepared a very detailed package with installation directions, and they were available pretty much every step of the way. If we needed anything, we were able to get in contact and sort out any issues that we came across.” It went so well, that Berko is not particularly opposed to doing it the same way again. “I understand the world’s changing and it’s probably something we’re going to see a lot more of,” he says. “There is a lot of value in having someone with experience physically with you to do these things, but I would be less

apprehensive to do a virtual install.” At the end of the day, the SaniLux conveyor has improved TruFood’s ability to win new contracts for its business through increased uptime. “It’s allowed us to confidently plan for increased line availability,”

Berko says. “We’ve been able to plan for that, and we’ve been able to deliver on that.” CM+P Luxme tubularchainconveyors.com

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July 2022 Products.indd 22 SpecialtyEquipmentAd_ADF5540_2-875x10-5_Aug_2022.indd 1

 PAC Machinery’s customized air expeller option for its Magnum horizontal automatic bagger is suitable for compressing, bagging, and sealing a range of items  Said to reduce package volume, lower shipping costs, and minimize inventory space requirements  Recommended for long or bulky products or applications requiring special handling or orientation PAC Machinery, www.pacmachinery.com

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New Products

Flush Grid vBelt Conveyor With a portable stainless steel construction, this high-level hygienic 48 in. wide, flush grid and side flexing plastic conveyor belt solution can replace wire mesh Sanitary-design integrated belt lift allows access to clean underneath the chain without having to remove it Chain clean-in-place has a threaded fitting that can be attached to the drain so liquids contaminate the area around the conveyor Removable wear strips are secured in place with pins during operation Multi-Conveyor, www.multi-conveyor.com

Meet Kevin. Kevin is the new operations manager at a rapidly expanding brewery. Integrating a reliable date code system was one of his first objectives, as the current inkjet resulted in inconsistent codes and could not keep up with production demands. The challenge was finding a repeatable, reliable solution to deliver high-quality codes on a beer can’s uneven surface. With Domino, Kevin discovered reliable inkjet coders that prevent the risk of missing or illegible codes. Cheers to Kevin for making the right decision in his new role!

Refillable Wooden Lipstick Case

LESS RISK. LESS WASTE. MORE CONFIDENCE.

The Iconic Woodacity lipstick case features Aptar’s Iconic mechanism and offers a smooth rotation over time Mechanism is contained in a monomaterial, custom-designed casing manufactured by Quadpack and made of 100% certified ash wood from sustainably-managed forests Casing opens with the patented ‘Solo Twist’ system that auto-locks on a quarter turn Easy refillable system allows consumers to refill and switch out various colors Aptar Beauty + Home, www.aptar.com Quadpack, https://americas.quadpack.com

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Learn more about how Kevin gained confidence with Domino.

Experts in Traceability Codes Inkjet | Laser | Case Coding | Label Print & Apply domino-printing.com

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Ad Index TM

COMPANY/WEBSITE

PAGE

DO-IT CORPORATION www.do-it.com

DOMINO AMJET INC. www.domino-na.com

COMPANY/WEBSITE

PAGE

PROSYS INNOVATIVE PACKAGING EQUIPMENT CO. www.prosysfill.com

SIMPLEX FILLER www.simplexfiller.com

FRAIN INDUSTRIES www.fraingroup.com

SPAN TECH LLC www.spantechconveyors.com

IFC

GENERAL PACKAGING EQUIPMENT www.generalpackaging.com

SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT www.specialtyequipment.com

HEAT AND CONTROL, INC. www.heatandcontrol.com

SPEE-DEE PACKAGING MACHINERY www.spee-dee.com

21 24

MORRISON CONTAINER HANDLING SOLUTIONS www.morrison-chs.com

TAISEI LAMICK USA, INC. www.taiseilamick.com

NERCON CONVEYOR SYSTEMS www.nerconconveyors..com

TEXWRAP www.texwrap.com

PMMI, THE ASSOCIATION FOR PACKAGING AND PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES www. www.pmmi.org

IBC

OBC

UNIFILLER SYSTEMS INC. www.unifiller.com

Contract Packaging is a supplement to Packaging World® (ISSN # 1073-7367, a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Packaging World® is published monthly by PMMI with its publishing office, PMMI Media Group, located at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2018 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.packworld.com/subscribe. Paid subscription rates per year are $200 in the U.S., $285 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $475 Europe, $715 Far East and Australia by air mail. Single copy price in U.S. is $20. To subscribe or manage your subscription to Packaging World, visit Packworld. com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals outside the United States. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Packaging World®, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611-3789. PRINTED IN USA by Quad Graphics. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: editors@packworld.com. Mailing List: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address.

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Why attend? z Connect with motivated and funded entrepreneurs ready to build on their initial product success. z Build YOUR brand awareness with emerging brands as they begin their journey towards larger opportunities. z Develop a unique network within this community of emerging brands and become one of their trusted partners.

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PERFORMANCE, PACK AGED

Q. What do all of these product types, shapes, & sizes have in common?

A. They’ve all been wrapped VERTICALLY with Texwrap’s BVS-914 shrink wrapper. Texwrap is the go-to manufacturer for Contract Packagers. We provide greater flexibility to change between pack patterns and Skus, the durability to run 24-7-365, and unsurpassed ease of operation and changeover. But there’s one more reason Contract Packagers rely on Texwrap − high-speed vertical wrapping. That’s right, wrapping upright using printed or plain film, eliminating the need for boots, keeping the side panels free of seams and highlighting brand graphics. To find out more, scan here

Flexibility, Durability, Ease of Changeover... and Vertical Wrapping! Proud member of the

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