Contract Packaging & Manufacturing Nov/Dec 2023 by PMMIMediaGroup

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CP/CMs on the Road to Success Outlook Group built its success on capabilities less common among contract services, thanks to its history, and adds upon them to benefit customers and streamline their supply chains. p. 6

3 Words From CPA

President on Recalls

9 Coregistics Attains Social ESG Goals Through Charity

11 Empac Boosts Production With Vertical Wrapper 15 New From OpX: “ESG Framework: Journey to a Successful ESG Program”

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Contents TM

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 3

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

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 Lara Krieger PRODUCTION MANAGER • lkrieger@pmmimediagroup.com Kelly Greeby SENIOR DIRECTOR, CLIENT SUCCESS & MEDIA OPERATIONS

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

6 Value-added Services and Niche Capabilities

Outlook Group hones in on capabilities less common among contract services and benefits customers with streamlined supply chains.

15 Navigating ESG in Contract

Manufacturing and Packaging: A Roadmap to Sustainability

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OpX’s newest work product, “ESG Framework: Journey to a Successful ESG Program,” defines the ‘how’ and ‘why’ companies—including contract services—should convert to environmental, social, and governance goals.

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

DEPARTMENTS

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.

2 Forefront 3 CPA President’s Letter 4 Brand Owner Insight 5 Industry News 9 Coregistics Charity Event 11 Case Studies 17 Association News 18 Resource Guide 31 Member Directory 32 Ad Index

EDITORIAL CONTACT Have a question or an idea for an article? Contact Melissa Griffen, Editor. CM+P Manufacturing + Packaging magazine prefers to receive press releases by e-mail. Send to mgriffen@pmmimediagroup.com. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40064408

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

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Forefront

Finding Success in Your Business MELISSA GRIFFEN, Editor

ello dear readers, Such a big topic! And the road to success is bumpy, swerve-y, and never the same for each person or company. The last six months I’ve spoken with many companies that have all seen great success by different means. There is no recipe, no one-size-fits-all solution as each contract packager and contract manufacturer (CP/CM) faces its own challenges in its respective industries. My plan is to find and share success stories in each industry our members pertain to so they can provide inspirational, thought-provoking insights to help you further your own success. From case studies to charities to ESG

roadmaps and more, this issue contains success stories from your fellow members. Another resource that can inform your decision-making, idea generation, and plans is the CPA’s State of the Industry 2022 report, soon to be released. The content is based on interviews with 160 CP/CMs as well as some of their customers. At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Carl Melville of the Melville Group shared the following sneak peaks and more: Inside will be a 22-page report on mergers and acquisitions by an investment banker based out of Chicago who specializes in the industry. It discusses the key categories that have moved the industry forward and what role they played, which include secondary packaging and contract manufacturing. Some reasons that these services have been so successful are lowering costs, efficiency, innovation, and speed-to-market.

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The contract packaging industry has tremendous growth opportunities and though it is fast growing, it does not yet show signs of hitting a ceiling in coming years. However, not all contract manufacturers are thriving, 10% are struggling to keep themselves out of the red. The report sums up the reasons that some contract services are being so negatively affected. The continued effect of SKU proliferation on contract manufacturers and contract packagers. The effect of inflation in connection to the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of recessionary behaviors in consumers. CM+P

mgriffen@pmmimediagroup.com

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President’s Letter

Focus Your Culture on Product Safety BY JERRY THOMPSON, President My fellow CPA members, Over this last year, I have read about multiple recalls on products that had both minor and severe effects on consumers. One example is Trader Joe’s with three separate recalls in July., on soup, falafel, and cookies. Additionally, there were multiple recalls in 2023 for eye drops associated with eye infections that led to partial vision loss, blindness, and even four deaths. It clearly shows why we need to be vigilant on our recall procedures, mock (practice) recalls, and review those documents and procedures. Some suggestions to help us tighten the reins on product safety within our facilities are: • Be sure you have a supply chain that you trust and who can provide documentation and consistent product. • Double check the micros and testing done by the brand or consumer packaged goods company to ensure they were done properly. • Test and verify the product when it enters your facility, with

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testing available and provided. Look at your own processes, validate and test them, and seek to understand why testing occurs on a specific part of the machine and how it works. Review your sanitation and cleaning procedures on your machines and the swab test that are completed on them. • When finished with a project, send out for micros and get tests done to verify contamination did not occur in the manufacturing and packaging processes. • Continue your education with food safety courses. All it takes is inadvertently contaminating a product, a machine not cleaned correctly or too quickly, or a machine failure to contaminate or improperly seal a product. Those errors can result in products which, at the very least, lose their freshness and, at the worst, contain mold or bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, one in 10 people fall ill after eating contaminated food. Food safety starts at the top, but goes through your culture to every single person. It’s always wise to demonstrate the importance of food safety in leading by example. I look forward to seeing everyone at our ENGAGE event in Orlando, Florida. If you would like to discuss product safety further, I am always available to do so! CM+P

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Brand Owner Insight

How Can CP/CMs Differentiate Themselves? Look at the End of the Process! ROBBY MARTIN Contributing Editor “Everything looks like failure in the middle.” This quote is known as “Kanter’s Law” and attributed to Harvard Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter. In the middle of any endeavor, including brand and CP/CM engagements, things can seem the most confusing, most complicated, most… “muddy.” However, it’s also true that getting to the finish line can often feel just as hard! So many systems, materials, and machines must come together at the right time, in the right way to initiate production and shipping of new product launches. Even when it’s an existing product coming from new manufacturing assets, perhaps after an expansion or addition to a co-man’s operation, the startup can still feel like the first time the product has ever been made. Being good at initiating production, startups, initial inventory builds, and initial shipments – commercialization we call it – can be a true differentiator for CP/ CM providers alike. While co-mans may have more pieces in motion during the commercialization phase of an activity, this phase also presents an opportunity for a CP/CM to truly shine! Here are a few thoughts to consider, and develop clarity on, when assessing how you, as a CP/CM, support your clients in their initial execution activities: 1) How much of the product distribution piece are you willing to support? Do you expect to supply your brand owner customer with their product, then be done? Or, do you have the systems and

willingness to tackle shipping orders on customers’ behalf? 2) How much of initial sourcing of materials, ingredients, packaging, etc. are you willing to be involved in? What’s different if those items are provided by the brand owner / customer than if you do it for them? What are the implications of these choices to startup timeline, ongoing lead time, and/or overall product costs? 3) Are you clear on your routine planning processes, including scheduling? Whether you set up your schedules monthly, weekly, or more often, have you communicated those factors to your customers to help them know when they must make volume and schedule change decisions by to have you execute satisfactorily? The more responsive you can be, the better. But, don’t be so responsive that you sacrifice your own sensibilities (not to mention cash flow)! 4) Do you have specific capabilities, especially in the “certifications” space (Gluten Free, Organic, Ethically Sourced, etc.) that make you a better choice than the customer’s own manufacturing facilities? If so, are you keeping those certifications up to date and ready to offer to potential customers? Are you ready to guide them in the process of certifications and application to their products? 5) Have you experienced, and now learned how you want to handle, the volatility of a new product or process startup? Are you OK with the differences between initial volume promises and actual realized orders? Are you OK with your customer staying right “in your back pocket,” or would you prefer that they let you “just make them product?” Be-

tween those two bookends is where the best leveraging of ideas like Partnership and Relationship usually takes place. Startup volatility can range from unexpected outcomes to surprising levels of stress in both the provider and customer organizations. So many questions must be asked when it comes to commercialization preparedness. I haven’t even touched on clear cost communications (can you say tier pricing?) or quality and specification ownership expectations. But I’ve spent the most time, with the most responsibility, in this area of engagements than any other. I know that being clear about what you, as a CP/CM, are willing to do, and how that can contribute to the customer’s launch effort, can be a differentiator when you are in consideration for future projects. Let me offer one more powerful question to ask yourself as you work the process of an engagement, and as you lay plans, and execute them: What would make this the wrong thing to do? I believe this question—which prompts an exercise in preparing for what could go wrong—can also become a true differentiator. The question causes you to develop contingency plans before problems occur. The question can also cause you to realize when you might be stretching your capabilities out a little too much. If developing a contingency plan to address a “what could go wrong” possibility feels like a difficult activity for you, then I would suggest you reconsider whether you truly have the capability to “own” that part of the engagement. CM+P 1 – Kanter’s Law: Harvard Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter; Think Outside the Building (Chapter 6)

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Industry News

State of the Contract Packaging Market Projected growth at a CAGR of 8.54% is expected up through 2028 on account of changes within the food & beverage space. to accommodate hectic, busy lifestyles. The introduction of environment-friendly packaging options is also expected to strengthen the growth of the market. CP/ CMs seeking to make a change in their processes might consider certifications and further changes to their facility to become GMP-certified and FDA-approved. The competitive landscape of the industry and the profiles of key contract packagers are also examined within the document. Keep an eye out for the “State of the Industry Report,” soon to be released, which will have additional information for this last year and may help in decision-making for 2024. CM+P

The “Contract Packaging Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2023-2028”, in Research and Markets: The World’s Largest Market Research Store, reports the global contract packaging market size reached US$ 63.0 billion in 2022, expected to grow to US$ 103.0 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 8.54%. Part of this growth is attributed to CP/ CMs working “with product managers and manufacturers to consult, plan, customize, and execute the process according to the timeline.” The report explains that CP/CMs are increasingly employed in the food & beverage industry, which has escalating demand for ready-to-eat products

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Contract Packager Profile

Value-added Services and Niche Capabilities Outlook Group hones in on capabilities less common among contract services and adds upon them to benefit customers and streamline their supply chains. MELISSA GRIFFEN, EDITOR

utlook Group was founded in 1977 as an offshoot by a few visionary previous employees of a large printing company in Wisconsin. With the goal to provide high-quality services to their former employer and capitalize on unmet needs in the industry, the company provided source to print and later, die cutting. he privately held company went public in 1982 as Outlook Group expanded into the trading card industry. The previous employer of Outlook Group’s founders chose not to partner with a startup company that eventually created the Trivial Pursuit board game, recommendeding Outlook Group as an alternative instead. Outlook’s work in the trading card sector encompassed printing the cards, collating them, and manufacturing the overwrap using flexible packaging. A further strategic expansion into labels was driven by the commitment to meet the evolving needs of clients.

From jack-of-all-trades to master of a niche industry In 1994, the trading card industry experienced a severe setback due to that year’s baseball strike. As a result, Outlook found itself with $36 million in long-term debt and no immediate business opportunities. The company welcomed a turnaround expert who rescued the business from bankruptcy. This transformation led Outlook to refocus on its core competency: packaging. By shedding non-core businesses and embracing contract packaging, it rebounded and thrived. “We had the makings of a contract packaging, fulfillment-type business model, being able to print, package, ship,

and manage the supply chain. We drove out costs and labor where we could and added efficiency to it,” says Tim Traub, director of integrated packaging solutions at Outlook Group. Outlook Group incorporated its skill in printed packaging into engineering and filling a wide variety of containers, from flexible packaging to jars. This capability, Traub says, has differentiated the company within the contract packaging industry and landed them many longterm customers. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies often outsource new products to evaluate market performance before making long-term decisions. Outlook Group found itself adept at supporting such endeavors and recognized the opportunity to provide full-service solutions through its printing background. Traub says all but one of the company’s customers takes advantage of its vertical integration in-house printing services. Custom engineering of structural packaging designs include printing, converting, die cutting, folding, and gluing, which stems from the trading card business’s unique packaging structures on baseball card displays. Custom engineering also allows Outlook to perform testing to ensure the packaging runs smoothly on its equipment. A recent example is a dry shampoo and dry conditioner, packaged together but shaped differently, which resulted in banging and denting in transportation. Outlook Group designed a card to add protection within three weeks that accommodated both can shapes, ensuring they did not so much as rotate. Another package redesign within the over-the-counter pharmaceuticals

Outlook Group company: Location: Neenah, WI Number of Employees: 325 Main industries served: Food & beverage, OTC, medical device, consumer products, pet products, cannabis Types of products handled: OTC products, class I and II medical devices, consumer goods, indirect food Packaging services offered: printing of folded cartons, flexible packaging & PS labels, clam shell packaging, blister packaging, product cartoning, re-pack, pallet & display build, e-commerce Other services offered: supply chain procurement and management, VMI, e-commerce Certifications: SQF, USDA, FDA, ISO 13485, Interstate milk shippers, G7, GMP

industry entailed a need for the package to fit a very specific piece of equipment. This required modifications, but due to time demands, the packaging could not be so altered that it had to be recertified through the lengthy FDA approval process again. “Between my engineering team and our structural design team, [we made] some very minor modifications to the carton and that’s not going to cause it to be recertified,” Traub says. “So we were able to do that and make it fit the piece of equipment that we needed to fit. ”

Streamlined supply chain, VMI, and e-commerce Such services add convenience as well. Turnaround times for projects decrease as the supply chain gets streamlined and more of the process is done in-house. It shaves off soft costs such as freight and eliminates the supplier waiting game.

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Traub notes that this convenience benefits both the customers and Outlook Group. The company also offers supply chain procurement and management. Their innovative approach trims traditional supply chain touchpoints from 11 to three, reducing costs, streamlining logistics, and enhancing efficiency. By taking control of the supply chain, they simplify their clients’ operations. “Our job is to look at what that total landed cost is, take into account all the management time, reduce it for them, and allow us to be profitable, but allow our customers to be even more profitable,” says Traub. Outlook Group further offers a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) program, which has allowed the company to run a VMI for a label customer with 2600 SKUs. E-commerce is another clientcentric service and integral part of the modern retail landscape. For one customer, Outlook Group produces, prints, folds, and envelopes sewing patterns, sending them off through e-commerce channels. These 6000 SKUs are handled on the customer’s equipment in its own facility. Outlook Group sends off 400-700 orders weekly. Other industries the company provides e-commerce services for include canned goods.

Sustainability and efficiency Outlook Group seeks to champion sustainability in packaging.

Its sophisticated recycling and waste program results in less than 2% of manufactured products going to landfills. The company recycles or repurposes 98% of its materials, from pallets to label matrix and paperboard, to further reduce waste and promote sustainability. Outlook Group considers itself on the leading edge of sustainable materials with biodegradable plastics for flexible packaging and recycled content, among other solutions. Using a vacuum system, the waste matrix gets stripped away from products and materials to be shredded and containerized as fuel pellets. Polyester in flexible packaging gets recycled along with recyclable liner materials. The company has won the Business Friend of the Environment twice in the state of Wisconsin and aims to win a third time. PMMI has recognized Outlook Group as an environmentally friendly organization. Traub notes that sustainable practices extend into labor and freight, helping customers streamline their supply chain, and production efficiency through automation. Outlook Group has purchased two robots in recent years, which has allowed Outlook to take three workers each off of two lines. Now, the company has one large Motoman robot, used to place and remove custom carriers for feeding product—purchased in the early 2000’s for palletizing originally—one Fanuc robot palletizer, and two Universal robots. The first has a 7-axis end of

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arm and picks and places product from a pallet into a cartoning line. The second places finished product into master cartons. The end of arm tooling was built in house and picks up 60 cartons per cycle. The company plans to continue purchasing robots to streamline production and mitigate labor shortage issues, replacing menial tasks so employees can work more fulfilling jobs.

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A cleanroom mentality and employee engagement Outlook Group seeks to avoid complacency to ensure best practices and safe product, especially related to over-the-counter (OTC) and medical device work orders. Outlook emphasizes the importance of maintaining stringent quality control, a cleanroom mentality, and building a robust quality system. Transparency, continuous improvement, and readiness for unannounced audits by regulatory authorities reinforce its commitment to quality. Though none of its rooms are technically cleanroom, they are GMP-certified and employees wear white smocks to solidify the cleanroom mindset for class II medical devices. Outlook Group also believes in getting employees involved and engaged in the process. Traub says one of the largest improvements Outlook has made in productivity for a particular medical device was suggested by an employee who worked the line daily.

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The suggestion resulted in a frequently replaced feeding part being made differently and more durable. The $10,000 spent every six months to replace those parts within the feeding mechanism are now used elsewhere and throughput is up by about 15%. “The employees, they see it every day, they touch it every single day. So having that communication cycle, the transparency and the willingness to listen to them and make sure that you give them the tools that they need to be successful is key,” says Traub.

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Charity

What Co-packers Gain by Giving Back Part 2 in the ESG series, Coregistics’s charities build employee morale, brand reputation, fulfill social sustainability requirements. MELISSA GRIFFEN, EDITOR Contract packagers can make a difference for communities, not only by helping products get to retail but through supporting local charities and creating charitable events of their own. Coregistics, a supply chain solutions company with a focus on contract packaging and third-party logistics (3PL) services is an example of this commitment to giving back to the community. Fundraising has always been at the heart of Coregistics’ mission. As a familyowned business, Coregistics recognizes the importance of sharing their success with the community. “If we’re lucky enough to have an entity like Coregistics then we have a responsibility to give back to the community and to the people in general. And so, we wanted to make sure that the success we had at the company was shared. We do that by giving back to charitable organizations,” says Chris Wilhelm, president of Coregistics. In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, the Wilhelm family first owned a contract packaging company named Wilpack. It was their first foray into fundraising,

which laid the foundation for Coregistics’ future philanthropic endeavors. Fundraising efforts have remained consistent since then, only the beneficiaries have changed. The company now has 17 locations nationwide, all of which are heavily involved in community organizations and local charities, providing support for families, women’s shelters, children’s homes, and more. Coregistics supports the following charities annually: • Ronald McDonald House –Memphis • New Beginnings Transitional Home for Women & The Caring Center – Indianapolis • Special Olympics of Georgia – Atlanta • Millhill Child & Family Development Center – Central New Jersey

The Gears & Greens golf tournament The most significant of Coregistics’ charitable work is the “Gears & Greens” Coregistics golf tournament, established in 2015. This event has evolved over the years, growing in scale and impact. It has added on auctions, luncheons, and booths selling wares, with all the proceeds going

The Gears & Greens golf tournament brings in more than $160,000 for charitable donations.

Chris Wilhelm, president of Coregistics.

to the charity. The tournament raises substantial funds, with over $160,000 raised in the previous year alone. It owes its success to leveraging industry relationships. The event is an industry-invitational that reaches out to supplier partners for sponsorship and donations, then customers, and even competitors to participate in support of charitable causes. “We’re pretty confident in our reputation, our relationships, and our performance for our customers,” says Wilhelm. “We don’t see the threat of losing business because our competitors are there.”

Selective partnership with charities Coregistics’ partner for the golf tournament is Be The Match, a charity that provides the largest global registry of potential donors and recipients in need of marrow transplant services for blood cancers. When it comes to choosing charitable partners, Coregistics is highly selective. Their primary criterion is to ensure that the funds raised directly contribute to improving people’s lives and well-being. They seek organizations that make a tangible difference, sharing their success NOV EMBER /DECEMBER 2 02 3 CM +P

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Charity

by supporting those in need. The company will change its partner when the charity grows large enough, with significant enough salaries, that the money raised no longer goes straight to the individuals in need.

Charity brings in benefits These charitable events benefit not only the beneficiaries but also Coregistics and its people. At the Gears & Greens golf tournament, the company hosts a donorrecipient meet, where a bone marrow

donor as well as the recipient, who have never met before, are flown in for the event. “It’s a very emotional, very powerful experience when you get to see these people. When somebody wouldn’t be there without the person standing next to him, very rarely is there a dry eye in the house,” says Wilhelm. While meeting social sustainability in ESG goals, the charitable events boost employee morale and commitment. Coregistics’ branding has also been enhanced as a company that genuinely cares, which resonates with consumers in today’s socially conscious environment. The company’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen is a significant advantage. “I think being able to show that we give back and we do support our communities is a major benefit for us when we are recruiting new employees. people being able to see that we do care, and we walk the talk,” says Wilhelm. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are also potentially drawn to Coregistics since they have their own ESG goals to fulfill, so working with a copacker with an ESG-focus can be a real advantage. The Contract Packaging Association (CPA) has also been a supporter, and many CPA members and employees come to the golf tournament. Wilhelm says that his company has built many industry relationships through its CPA membership and attendance at CPA events, whether it be competitors, vendors, or suppliers, and Coregistics leverages those for its fundraising efforts. Coregistics has demonstrated that giving back is not only socially beneficial, but also a powerful tool for fostering a positive corporate image, enhancing employee morale, and ultimately achieving long-term success. “No matter what organization it is, when you have a successful enterprise, you leverage that success to help those in need,” says Wilhelm. CM+P

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Case Study

Vertical Wrapper Boosts Production and Employee Opportunities Custom packager increases line efficiency, grows its business, and trains disabled employees in new skills. BY MELISSA GRIFFEN, Editor

or contract packagers and manufactures, efficiency is high on the priority list to fulfill customers’ needs. The Empac Group, a custom packager providing contract manufacturing, assembly, and packaging services, shares this priority. To meet customer demand and expected forecasts, the custom packager realized it needed a second vertical wrapper alongside its horizontal wrappers, side-seal wrappers, poly baggers,

conveying equipment, steam tunnels, and sleeving equipment. The Empac Group doesn’t rely on equipment alone, however, as a sheltered workshop, supervising adult employees who have physical or intellectual disabilities. One of the company’s missions is to train these individuals in new skills that they may not gain otherwise.

Equipment supplier sourced locally The Empac Group has gained efficiency

and training opportunities with ProMach’s Texwrap equipment over two decades and decided once again to turn to this OEM, located a mile down the road from its Washington, Mo. plant. It purchased a BVS Series 914 continuous motion, highspeed vertical seal wrapper and accompanying aerosol safe tunnel. The company was originally introduced to Texwrap through its distributor, Packaging Systems Incorporated, a provider of installation management services, preventive maintenance, parts, and service for end-of-line automated packaging equipment. Preferring to work with a local supplier, the company continually benefits from Texwrap representatives being sent over to provide a quick fix when technical issues arise. After the purchase of its first bundler, The Empac Group found itself with a growing customer base which led to the purchase of more bundling machines. The BVS 914 was ordered in September, 2022 and arrived inside Empac’s facility in January, 2023.

Flexibility, ease-of-operation, and quick changeovers

Employees with special needs can easily be trained and learn new skills on the BVS Series 914 vertical seal wrapper.

This BVS 914 is used in bundling aerosol cans of household and automotive cleaners in different-sized packs and variety packs. It can run different SKUs and quantities, which provides the flexibility to fulfill diverse orders from customers. The Empac Group also bundles air-fresheners, Tupperware, cases of wine, and other consumer goods. With speeds up to 70 packs per minute, the BVS 914 can run a wide range of products—maximum size of 9 inches wide by 14 inches high. The vertical wrapper is designed for ease of changeover and NOV EMBER /DECEMBE R 2 02 3 CM +P 11

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Case Study

adaptability of equipment, which reduces downtime in everchanging product runs. Tim Poepsel, CEO of The Empac Group, explains that the workforce with special needs looks forward to learning on the equipment due to its ease-of-operation—

at times at slower speeds to meet a person’s ability and to serve as a teaching mechanism.

Opening doors to success According to The Empac Group, its

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20-year relationship with Texwrap and the equipment it has provided have been key in seeing the custom packager grow its business and create an environment where its employees can develop and thrive. “Adding our most recent Texwrap machine has given us the power to increase our output of bundling work for our customers,” says Christa Mohesky, director of operations at The Empac Group. “Texwrap has enabled us to expand our business with current customers, while also growing business with new clients through marketing all of our Texwrap machines.” The custom packager also got a head start on production through early operator training. As part of the equipment sale, The Empac Group sent over popular products they package and a team of employees to Texwrap. The OEM preprogrammed those packaging recipes into the machine and trained the Empac employees on the BVS 914. This allowed the operators to become familiar with the machine to minimize downtime once the equipment was installed. In teaching disabled employees on the vertical wrapper, Poepsel says this allows them “to go on to a competitive community employment. Our division could place them into another position within the community. So, it has opened up a lot of opportunities for our folks.” Texwrap automated wrapper provides The Empac Group with opportunities to train disabled employees, grow its business, and increase its line efficiency. The Empac Group purchased a BVS Series 914 continuous motion, high-speed vertical seal wrapper and accompanying aerosol safe tunnel. Tim Poepsel, CEO of The Empac Group, explains that the workforce, including those with special needs, look forward to learning on the equipment due to its ease-of-operation. The Empac Group’s 20-year relationship with Texwrap has been key in seeing the custom packager grow its business and create an environment where its employees can develop and thrive. CM+P

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Case Study

Rotary Mixer Boosts Output Fivefold, Halves Labor Dietary supplement contract manufacturer increases volume, minimizes time and labor, and reduces dust with factory-refurbished rotary batch mixer.

BY MELISSA GRIFFEN, Editor

n 2020, Phoenix Custom Manufacturing sought to expand production and develop into a full-fledged contract manufacturer of protein powders, amino acids, functional foods, and encapsulated dietary supplements. To lead the firm in its transition, Eric Manfull, an 18-year veteran of the food & dietary supplement industry, was brought on as general manager. Manfull first decided to tackle Phoenix Custom Manufacturing’s nine-month backlog that was due to mixing equipment being unable to meet volume demands. “We needed to blend 330,693 lbs a month, but we couldn’t even scratch at volumes like that with the equipment we had,” Manfull says.

The company previously tried to solve this problem with a used V-blender, but its shaft cracked. Manfull then reached out to Munson Machinery, an equipment provider he’d had success with in the past, which offered a factory-refurbished 700-TS-90-SS Rotary Batch Mixer. Installation took less than a week with no significant issues, only time spent training operators, writing and implementing new SOPs, and validating the blender.

Faster blending with less dust and labor The semiautomatic rotary batch mixer was installed alongside a bag dump station and vibratory sifter fitted with a 10- or 20-mesh screen. To load the mixer, the operator empties 55 lbs bags into the bag dump station which feeds the material

to the sifter using earth magnets and a chute connected to the mixer’s inlet, which remains stationary as the vessel rotates. The rotary batch mixer increases Phoenix Custom Manufacturing’s throughput as its batch capacity more than doubles that of the co-man’s other conical and tumble blender units. The company manufactures about 30 products, some using two ingredients and others as many as 50. While the Rotary Batch Mixer handles protein and amino acid powder applications, the other blenders mix smaller-volume products. Blends discharge from the mixer through a stationary outlet equipped with a pneumatically actuated discharge door that allows the operator to control flow. Protein powder blends flow into bulk bags holding up to 992 lbs. These are transferred in-house to packaging lines that fill pre-formed poly bags and pouches of various sizes. Other products are transferred to a capsule-filling machine and packaged in bottles. “It takes us an hour on each end to load and unload the conical blender of a 1,323 lbs batch,” Manfull says. “We can charge the Rotary Batch Mixer with twice as many ingredients in 15 to 20 minutes and discharge in 10 minutes.” With the faster throughput, the co-man’s nine-month backlog could be cleared within 60 days, as well as current demand. “We do more in one shift with this mixer than we could in two shifts with the other blenders,” he says. “Instead of blending four days a week, 20 hours a day, we’re blending four days a week over one 10-hour shift.” Manfull says employees like the Munson machine as it is easier to operate in terms of charges and discharges with fast NOV EMBER /DECEMBE R 2 02 3 CM +P 13

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Case Study

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blends. The mixer cleans and sanitizes within an hour. After the equipment has dried, the mixer is back into production with minimal downtime.

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Since installing the mixer, Manfull lists increased volume, labor and waste reduction, airborne dust reduction, and more homogenous blends as benefits. Manfull says Phoenix Custom Manufacturing has seen an increase in contracts landed as well. Production was previously 4,400 to 11,023 lbs a week, but with the new equipment, the company produces between 37,479 to 55,116 lbs of product. Manfull says, “It’s been key to our success and a huge savings in time and labor.” The increased throughput per production day leads to less cost per man-hour, reducing labor by half, allowing the co-man to utilize its labor more effectively. Waste is reduced by the internal flights serving a second use in directing it toward and through the mixer’s outlet until the product is fully evacuated. The flights also prevent segregation and improve blend homogeneity. The equipment provides better dust

control to improve the operation and employee health and safety. A flexible coupling seals the sifter outlet to the mixer’s inlet, and ports on the mixer’s inlet and outlet chutes connect to a dust collector, with a single radial seal preventing dust escaping the drum. “We have 10% of the dust that was present before,” Manfull says. Along with the third-party cGMP certification Phoenix Custom Manufacturing has received, the co-man also has HACCP certification by SGS and is working toward obtaining ISO standard compliance and organic, kosher, halal, and gluten-free approvals. These certifications will help across the company’s services, which include blending, encapsulation, sachet filling, bottling and packaging. The factory-refurbished 700-TS-90-SS Rotary Batch Mixer inside Phoenix Custom’s facility. Protein powder blends flow into bulk bags. They then are transferred in-house to packaging lines that fill pre-formed poly bags and pouches of various sizes or in bottles. Waste is reduced by the internal flights serving to fully evacuate product. The machine also incorporates a dust collector to improve employee health and safety. CM+P

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11/9/23 10:26 PM

Sustainability

Navigating ESG in Contract Manufacturing and Packaging: A Roadmap to Sustainability OpX’s newest work product, “ESG Framework: Journey to a Successful ESG Program,” defines the ‘how’ and ‘why’ companies—including contract services—should convert to environmental, social, and governance goals.

ustainability is no longer a buzzword but a strategic imperative to do the right thing by the planet, enhancee reputation, reduce costs, and ensure long-term viability. Along with consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, contract packagers and contract manufacturers (CP/CM) must embrace Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives for their part of the supply chain. At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the OpX Leadership Network released its newest work product, “ESG Framework: Journey to a Successful ESG Program”, which lays out the roadmap to sustainability. The document can help a company, no matter where it is in terms of sustainability, create goals to match its situation and abilities, and then to do more.

How can CP/CMs be environmentally sustainable? CP/CMs should start with the basics, which are understanding how you rank among your peers and low capital expenditure (capex) approaches that address the environmental sustainability concerns of their customers. “One way to start is to look at the customer’s sustainability reports. What in those sustainability reports is viewed as a priority?

CP/CMs should know their contribution to the carbon footprint of the product that they are asked to produce,” says Roy Greengrass, president of The ESG Group, an ESG consulting company. Greengrass, a previous OpX member with decades of experience as an engineering director for several CPGs, including Impossible Foods, contributed heavily to the ESG work product. He says specific goals should be tailored to the materiality matrix of the specific CP/CM and what technology it has in use. Common objectives among contract services are waste minimization, zero or reduced waste to landfill, and carbon footprint reduction. Transparency on sustainability goals and progress can help CPGs find CP/CMs who line up with their ESG initiatives. Greengrass suggests CP/CMs can consider certifications like ISO 14001 and GRI global reporting standards, depending on their size and customer expectations. However, at a minimum, they should be publishing a sustainability report on carbon environmental impact.

Are your operations socially sustainable? Social sustainability goals can be broken into three sections. The first focuses on employee well-being, welfare, and retention. Data sources that businesses should already have include HR records, safety records, turnover rates, safety policies, labor standards, and diversity. CP/CMs should aim to create a safe and inclusive workplace. Beyond the internal are external goals, such as encouraging voluntary community work among employees, charitable donations, and contributing to the community. The third section is focused on supply chain, which includes awareness of how socially sustainable a company’s sourcing and production is, along with tracking of products and materials. “Start where you have the most influence and control, which is within your own four walls. So occupational health and safety, employee engagement, [and] human rights. And then extend to outside, so impacts on communities, where can we extend supplier code of conduct, things of that nature that we expect from external parties,” says Jared Ward, sustainability consultant at Antea Group, a non-profit environmental consulting firm, and contributor to the ESG work product.

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Governance is centered on transparency and effective decision-making. CP/ CMs should demonstrate reliability and transparency in their accounting and manufacturing reporting systems. A CP/ CM’s trustworthiness is also increased when it can demonstrate that decisionmaking is inclusive by considering the input of customers, workers, suppliers, and even the community, as best decisions are made when stakeholders come to a consensus, according to Greengrass. “Being able to share the business case, your ESG roadmap, important targets and metrics, and so on with your stakeholders is going to be critical. The greater extent that a CPG is able to share and create that kind of awareness with its co-packers or contract manufacturers, it’s going to help them understand what their role is in the whole process. This document is the foundational elements of ESG, and the greater extent that they’re in place, the greater the likelihood that you’ll have a successful outcome,” says Steve Perry, co-founder and coach at FSO Institute and concept creator of the ESG work product. Perry adds that the individuals in the solutions group for the ESG work product, tasked with its creation, expressed that there is a gap between what a given company says it will do and what it actually does, which is also true from the community and the consumers. He says the industry needs to work at tightening that gap, which can only be accomplished through transparency and evidence based in fact. “Having that appropriate governance structure with accountabilities and ownership to track that performance over time and make sure we’re going according to our plan is vital, because the G in my mind is really what enables the E and the S, keeps us on track, makes sure we’re accountable for those targets that we’ve set out, and enables that

whole process to achieve those goals,” says Ward.

Why Embrace ESG? Embracing ESG initiatives offers numerous benefits, including: Enhanced reputation and brand, which leads to additional sales and top-line growth Improved operations through better employee retention, engagement, and productivity gains Lowered costs by reducing energy consumption and innovation and optimization of manufacturing processes and supply chains Reduced liability risk across all aspects of business Long-term relationships with partners through collaborative learning and utilization of best practices Financial benefits, as sustainable organizations or product lines continue to outperform their non-sustainable counterparts, according to research found by Ward Meeting consumer demand and stakeholder pressures for sustainable products Perry emphasizes that ESG is a comprehensive approach that aligns with what consumers are increasingly demanding. The ESG work product serves as a mall map, showing each company and contract service where it is—no matter the door it used to enter—and the path to get to where it wants to be, with counsel on short-term and long-term goals that are situationally specific. “Some 12 years ago, everything was centered on the triple bottom line. To improve people’s lives, to help the planet, and to make companies profitable—what a worthy goal,” says Perry. “And now it’s just showing up in this new nomenclature called ESG, which is much more comprehensive, with better metrics, more focused, and it’s more actionable, quite frankly.” Download the ESG work product at https://pwgo.to/opxesg. CM+P

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Association News

CPA Expands its Reach Through Membership and Regional Event Expansions Membership for brands and retailers CPA, The Association for Contract Packagers and Manufacturers, has expanded its membership to brands and retailers. CPA supports member companies and the wider industry by increasing awareness, relevance, and value of external packaging and manufacturing services in a rapidly evolving consumer economy. This membership category will receive all CPA benefits but will not be granted voting rights. The value proposition is networking with a broader base, helping shape industry improvements, and provide a unique perspective and guidance on issues/challenges. CPA is looking for personnel actively involved in External Manufacturing management and assessment.

The Contact Manufacturing Alliance CPA also expanded its external manufacturing resources by helping form the Contract Manufacturing Alliance, designed to bring more awareness to the “eight arms of manufacturing” which includes CP/CMs. CPA is initially promoting the Commercial Kitchens arm of the alliance—often a first step before a CP/CM is

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brought in. Get more information at https://www.contractpackaging.org/Contract-Manufacturing-Alliance.

Successful events and sneak peek at ENGAGE After a successful regional event with Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network in June, CPA organized with the Haney Microfactory in Cincinnati, OH on Oct 12th to discuss the future of supply chain, ESG, and EPR, to provide industry directions. Those in attendance included brands, retailers, CP/CMs, and suppliers. The event featured David Ferber from McKinsey & Co. who offered great insights and provided an overview of consumer trends now and future, along with a panel discussion, tour, and networking event. Special thanks to Haney Microfactory for providing a great venue and tour. More events will follow. CPA’s ENGAGE meeting will be held on Feb 20-22, 2024, at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando FL. By attending, you will be given the opportunity to connect with many existing partners and network with potential new opportunities. ENGAGE will include a keynote speaker from Global Commercialization, insights on trends, EPR, and ESG, a brand/retailer panel to discuss supply chain challenges, sessions and workshops covering topics such as artificial intelligence, and a tour of a facility in the robotics industry. Tabletop exhibitions will have 25 suppliers. CPA expects over 275 attendees. CM+P

11/9/23 12:03 PM

Columbia/Okura LLC. 301 Grove Street, Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: +1 877 204 7444 Email: comarketing@colmac.com www.columbiaokura.com Columbia/Okura LLC is a robotic palletizing integrator, applying expert knowledge and tools to solve customers’ “End of Line” production challenges for a diverse range of businesses, products, and applications. The historical success of our company can be attributed to an exclusive focus on end of line palletizing systems and applications. Columbia/Okura LLC offers robotic palletizing solutions comprised of dynamic products and services aimed at increasing our customers end-of-line packaging efficiency, promoting safety, and reducing their overall cost of production. Like all industrial robots, Columbia/Okura robots are programmable, automating tasks that are often repetitive or harmful to workers. They have the ability to lift and move heavy loads quickly while keeping products safe. The Columbia/Okura miniPAL® is a collaborative palletizing robot built for flexibility and ease of use. It features the UR10e cobot by Universal Robots, known for its safety, precision, and versatility. The miniPAL® is equipped with Pally software, an intuitive pattern-building program—created in partnership with Rocketfarm—that is easy to operate and program for various product types. Columbia/Okura is also excited to offer the miniPAL+®, a new 20kg collaborative solution featuring the UR20 from Universal Robots. With 25 years of equipment design and system integration experience, we have the knowledge to offer the right solution for the job. We offer complete and professional services; from initial system design proposals through project startup and commissioning, as well as after sales support. Our integrated lines offer an end-to-end solution for fully automated bagging and robotic palletizing line solutions from a single, US-based, OEM provider. Our service offering includes integration of manual bagging machines, open-mouth bagging machines, valve bag fillers, air packers, impeller packers, and pallet dispensers.

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Do-It Corporation P.O. Box 592, South Haven, Michigan 49090 Phone: 269-637-1121 Email: sales@do-it.com www.do-it.com For over 50 years Do-It Corporation has been designing and making hang tabs for the packaging and merchandising display industries. Do-It also manufacturers a number of other products for the retail display industry (see list below). All Do-It products are designed to get your products noticed in the retail environment and increase impulse sales. In addition, all products can be produced in several plastic (including RPETG) and adhesive choices, and some products can be made in XTR Paperboard. Do-It Products: - Hang Tabs - Printed Hang Tabs - Merchandising Display Strips - Printed Display Strips - Bottle Neck Hang Tabs - Carry Handles - Instantly Redeemable Coupons (IRCs) / Wobblers / Shelf Strips - Large Format Printing / Retail Signage Markets Served: - Health & Beauty / Personal Care Products - Food / Snacks - Office / Stationary / Gift Products - Textile / Apparel - Toys / Games Hobby - Consumer Electronics - Liquor - Hardware / Housewares - Pet Products - Contract Packaging Providers

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11/10/23 2:35 PM

Econocorp 72 Pacella Park Drive, Randolph, MA 02368 Phone: 781-986-7500 Email: info@econocorp.com www.econocorp.com For over 60 years, Econocorp Inc. has been a global leader in designing and manufacturing automated secondary packaging equipment, serving the unique needs of co-packers. Specializing in low to moderate speed cartoning, case packing, and tray forming solutions, known for their simplicity. As co-packers, you demand flexible and reliable solutions. Our journey with you begins by understanding your distinct needs and crafting tailored solutions, with expertise spanning a wide array of industries such as beverage, food, pharmaceuticals, and more. Providing cartoning solutions ranging from basic sealing machines to fully automatic systems, capable of 1-120 cartons per minute. Our Econoform solutions include tray-forming capabilities at speeds ranging from 1 to 30 trays per minute, with options for top-loading and sealing. Econocorp case packing solutions can handle products from your upstream operations or large items that require efficient case packaging. These systems can handle 1 to 15 cases per minute and are ideally positioned downstream from our cartoners. We are committed to being your trusted partner in co-packing automation, supporting your growth and success at every step of your journey.

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Heat and Control, Inc. 21121 Cabot Boulevard, Hayward, CA 94545 Phone: 800/227-5980 Email: info@heatandcontrol.com www.heatandcontrol.com Heat and Control®, a world-leading equipment manufacturer, offers the latest technology and the highest quality equipment for packaging, processing, coating and seasoning, conveying, weighing, inspection, and controls/ information systems. Established in 1950, our brands include FastBack® (horizontal motion conveyors and on-machine seasoning), Mastermatic (fryers), and Spray Dynamics® (coating and seasoning application systems), and we partner with other global manufacturing leaders, including Ishida (weighing, packaging and inspection) and CEIA® (metal detection). Packaging–From tray and container filling to fully automated and integrated Ishida snack food packaging systems, we provide end-of-line solutions, including the industry’s best performing VFFS snack bagmaker, Inspira. Food Processing–Choose from our vast range of integrated processing solutions including fryers, oil management, ovens, and coating systems. Seasoning Application–Our comprehensive range of seasoning solutions for on-machine or process area deliver top performance, efficiency, application accuracy, and flavor. Conveying and Product Handling–We provide a wide variety of conveying and product handling systems to move product through the line efficiently. Weighing/Combination Scales–Ishida has revolutionized the industry with the ultra-precise computer combination weigher (CCW). Inspection and Quality Assurance–Protect your consumer and your equipment with detection technology, including Ishida x-ray machines and checkweighers, and CEIA metal detection equipment.

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10/30/23 2:38 PM

McKernan Packaging Clearing P.O. Box 7281 Reno, NV 89510 Phone: 775-356-6111 Email: Sales@McKernan.com www.McKernan.com Over 64 years ago, McKernan began buying and selling surplus packaging (Best Value), later adding a complete Wholesale line. This allows McKernan to offer the highest quality packaging and the lowest minimums. With millions of these package components in stock, most orders ship in less than 48 hours. Search our online inventory at McKernan.com. BEST VALUE McKernan’s Best Value line includes top quality, unbranded packaging components at discounted prices. Our buyers negotiate the best deals, passing on the extra savings to you. New shipments arrive daily. While there is always something new, you may need to move fast as these deals sell out quickly. SURPLUS SPECIALISTS McKernan’s PRECYCLE®, or pre-consumer recycling, buys unbranded excess packaging inventory. Plus, we pay the freight to move it out of your warehouse. McKernan is an environmentally responsible and smart solution to scrapping or traditional recycling. Visit WeBuyPackaging.com for more. SUSTAINABILITY McKernan was a pioneer in the green movement with our PRECYCLE® program. Wanting to continue with sustainable packaging, we are proud to introduce a new line of PCR that supersedes the quality of previous PCR options. THE MCKERNAN EXPERIENCE Whether buying or selling, when you call McKernan, you will speak with a real person. Call 1-800-787-7587 or 775-356-6111 and the front desk staff will connect you with a sales representative or surplus specialist for further assistance.

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11/2/23 11:15 AM

Nercon Conveyor Systems 600 S Commercial St | Neenah, WI | 54956 Phone: 844-293-2814 Email: sanklam@nercon.com www.nerconconveyors.com Need to move a product up or down, side-to-side, accumulate, rotate, or turn it? Maybe need a quick changeover system or to maximize space on a production floor. Nercon is a conveyor systems manufacturer, providing solutions to consumer-packaged goods for snack, pet food, cheese, and candy industries since 1976. Our ProCore® brand serves a unique purpose in the Nercon conveyor product line. Developed by highly skilled engineers over countless hours of analysis and testing, ProCore® conveyors skip the costly start-up of a custom process and begin with a core of proven equipment making projects more cost-effective and turnaround time faster. The ProCore® conveyor family maximizes performance and minimizes downtime. Conveyor designs range from MatTop, belt, and TableTop, moving a variety of packaging. Built to maximize productivity, HydroCore® is Nercon’s sanitary and washdown conveyor system designed to withstand rigorous sanitation practices and daily hygienic procedures. HydroCore’s® hygienic designs disassemble, washdown, sanitize, and reassemble easily. Our uniquely innovative sanitary design is known for its versatility and durability, adding value across all product operations. As an industry leader in conveyor systems and equipment, we are proud of the advanced technology and unparalleled quality our customers can count on. Contact us at (844) 293-2814 or www.nerconconveyors.com to partner on your next project.

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ProSys Fill LLC. 426 East Fountain Road • Webb City, MO 64870 Phone: 417-673-5551 Email: info@prosysfill.com www.ProSysFill.com ProSys is a premier manufacturer of semiautomatic and fully automatic equipment for filling, Squeeze Tubes, Syringes, Airless Pumps, Cartridges and Custom Containers for the Cosmetic, Pharmaceutical, Adhesive, Sealant, Lubricant and Food industries. A global supplier of filling equipment since 1985 with U.S. sales, manufacturing and customer service facilities located in Southwest Missouri. FLEXIBLE & COMBINATION FILLING SYSTEMS • Plastic & Metal Tube Filling Systems • Tube & Airless Pump Filling Systems • Tube & Cartridge Filling Systems • 10, 14 & 30 oz. Cartridge Filling Systems • Hot Melt Filling Systems FEATURES & BENEFITS • Fill Accuracy of +/- 0.1% by Volume • Turnkey & Custom Designs • Air-Free Vertical Bottom-Up Filling • Custom Mix Solutions (Eliminates Batching) • Drum & Pail Presses • SERVO & Custom Solutions • Explosion Proof Controls (Class 1 Division 1&2, ATEX 0&1) • Designed & Built in the U.S.A. MAJOR MARKET GLOBAL INSTALLS • Cosmetic • Pharmaceutical • Adhesive/Sealant • Lubricant

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Romark Logistics 822 South Ave West, Westfield, NJ 07090 Phone: 908/789-2800 Email: contact@romarklogistics.com www.romarklogistics.com Romark leads the industry in custom packaging solutions. Our expertise spans Ecomm, Dcomm, primary, and secondary packaging, serving a wide range of sectors. Expertise: From custom kit assemblies to cutting-edge design, we excel at capturing customer attention. Flexibility: We handle dynamic production schedules with ease. We uphold rigorous standards—cGMP, BRCGS Food Safety, and AIB Certification. Adaptability: We cater to unique needs with evolved D-comm facilities, offering scalability and efficient logistics. We offer low upfront costs and optimized space usage. Clear Benefits: You can start with operations that require a small footprint and minimal setup costs. We provide multi-SKU capabilities, swift change overs, and adaptable layouts. Comprehensive Solutions: Our offerings include Automated Weighing and Sorting · Manual Flexible Packaging · Product Testing and Sampling · Specialized Pallet Displays · Kiosks and Floor Stands · Repacks Innovative Partnerships & Processes: We collaborate with partners to design custom packaging solutions that boost output, reduce costs, and ease automation. Trust Romark for packaging solutions that go beyond industry standards. Together, we’ll redefine packaging excellence.

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11/2/23 11:20 AM

SpanTech Conveyors 101 Hilltopper Way, Glagow KY, 42141 Phone: 270-651-9166 Email: info@spantechllc.com www.spantechconveyors.com Since founded, our goal has been to “build the very best conveyor systems we are capable of.” Today, the results of that goal show. Renowned for durably designed plastic chain conveyors and industry-leading innovation in material handling, Span Tech is recognized as a global leader in developing unique, customizable technical solutions for processing applications in core industries that include food production, beverage production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce. As Span Tech has evolved, so have our projects. Driven by our customers’ needs, we regularly engineer new solutions through a healthy investment in research and development. Span Tech continually invests in research and development to create innovative solutions to problems. We thrive on making products to improve our client’s business. Unlike others, we are the only company in the plastic chain conveyor industry that manufactures most of its components, thus controlling the quality of the complete product offering. In short, we are committed to building the best conveyor systems possible. It’s more than a goal – it’s how we do business.

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Specialty Equipment 1221 Adkins Rd. Houston, TX 77055 Phone: (833) 467-3432 Email: info@specialtyequipment.com www.specialtyequipment.com Since 1969, at Specialty Equipment Corporation, we have positioned ourselves as the leading manufacturer and provider of liquid filling systems in North America. Headquartered in Houston, Texas we have built our reputation on manufacturing and providing high-end packaging machinery and material handling systems including: • Liquid fillers for Pails, Drums, Totes and Bottles • Drum and Pallet Conveyors • Palletizers for Boxes, Pails and Drums • Solids fillers for Pails, Drums and Supersacks • IIoT Software Over our 50-plus years in business, we have developed a full product offering of automatic and semi-automatic filling machines, conveyors, and packaging machines for drums, pails, IBCs, bottles, jugs, rubber bales, and pallets. We serve a wide range of industries including lubricants, sealants, agriculture, chemical, cleaners, coatings, flavors, and food additives manufacturers. Contact us now for more information.

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11/2/23 11:24 AM

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery 1360 Grandview Parkway, Sturtevant, WI 53177 Phone: 877/375-2121 Email: info@spee-dee.com www.spee-dee.com FILL WITH CONFIDENCE Since 1981, Spee-Dee has earned a reputation for building dependable dry filling systems. Customers trust Spee-Dee to improve efficiency, productivity and profitability. AUGER FILLERS Servo technology eliminates time-consuming manual maintenance. Ideal for dry fill applications: ground coffee, powdered drink mixes, baking mixes, sugar, spices, soup bases, protein powders, nutraceuticals and more. ROTARY FILLERS Fill rigid containers with ease and accuracy. Changeovers are a breeze with patented magnetic funnels and tool-less change parts. Ideal applications: vitamin gummies, powders, nuts, snacks, spices and grated cheese. PLC-BASED CHECKWEIGHERS Electro-Magnetic Force Restoration (EMFR) weighing technology is 10x more accurate than strain gauge models. Robust design allows the units to be moved from line to line without damaging load cells. The PLC based controls communicate with your plant network via Ethernet IP. VOLUMETRIC CUP FILLERS Quick-change volumetric cups are easily inserted in minutes, cleaning and maintenance are straightforward and user-friendly. Fill particulates as small as salt or as coarse as popped popcorn.

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Texwrap 525 Vossbrink Drive, Washington, MO 63090 Phone: 636-239-7424 Email: Texwrap@ProMachBuilt.com www.Texwrap.com Texwrap stands as the industry leader and design manufacture of cuttingedge, fully automated shrink wrapping and shrink bundling systems. The Kayat SRX and Tekkra lines of shrink bundlers help round out our shrink-packaging solutions with intermittent motion, continuous motion and configurable bundling systems, including options for clear and print registered film. With our latest innovation the Kayat SRX product series can effectively shrink wrap products in trays, or loose/bulk products. The Kayat SRX features include: -Slide out film feed and cut assembly for easy maintenance -Toolless adjustable wrap bar assembly -Updated Allen-Bradley controls package with predictive maintenance flags -Clear or print registered film capability -Speeds up to 60 cycles per minute. The Tekkra inline shrink bundlers are an ideal solution for wrapping trays of product in clear film. The Tekkra line is engineered and designed to run continuously and withstand the rigorous production environment. The Tekkra inline bundlers features include: -Servo driven seal assembly -Linear slide design -Ergonomic powered film cradles -Robust construction -Accessible shrink tunnel design Our mission is to provide our customers with the latest technological advances while maintaining our commitment to a user-friendly machine that is efficient and easy to maintain. The quality construction, flexibility, easy changeover, and low maintenance features of our systems give Texwrap, Tekkra, and Kayat SRX machinery the lowest total cost of ownership available in the market.

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TRInternational, Inc. 22817 102nd Pl West, Edmonds, WA 98020 Phone: (206) 505-3500 Email: info@trichemicals.com www.trichemicals.com We offer solutions to increase the capacity of your business, expand the variety of products you offer, broaden your range of capabilities, and improve your long-term business relationships. Our team provides high-quality, custom manufacturing and packaging services including: • Custom Chemical Blending | Dedicated finished good tanks, blending and wax kettles, dispersion units, ribbon blending, and flammable room mixing tanks. • Product Development and Formulation • Laboratory Services | Full-service R&D and quality control labs with a wide range of specialty equipment. • Contract Packaging | Semi-automated filling lines for small package containers. • Indoor and Outdoor Tank Farms | Various tank types and capabilities with storage level maintained by indoor control room. • Quality Controls | UV-free, humidity-controlled environments, use of nitrogen blanketing, and sample retention. • Full-Service Logistics • Global Raw Material Sourcing | We have access to 23 stocking and import points across North America and sourcing from 20+ countries. Our services include the following important features: • Proprietary Protection | Trusted partner dedicated to protecting your formulations and providing guidance and custom solutions. • Flexible Services | Broaden your range of capabilities and increase the variety of products you offer. • Quality Control Lab | Decrease your overall costs by improving efficiency and rejection rate and providing your company with technical expertise.

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Associate Members Directory

Advertisers in this issue are in bold face

For in-depth searches on individual members’ capabilities, visit pmmimediagroup.com/go/contract-manufacturing-and-packaging Aaron Kendell Packaging Equipment (AEK) (Associate Member) http://www. aekpack.com KC Christensen (630) 238-2660

Fortis Solutions Group (Associate Member) www.fortissolutionsgroup.com Marygrace Quigley (844) 374-5257 ext. 3198

Nalbach Engineering/Container Handling Systems (Associate Member) WWW.NALBACH.COM Misty Melvin 708-579-9100

ADCO Manufacturing (Associate Member) www.adcomfg.com Jason Chevalier (559) 875-5563

FOX IV Technologies, Inc. www.foxiv.com Rick Fox (724) 387-3500

Nulogy Corporation (Associate Member) www.nulogy.com Wendy Phua (416) 204-0427 Ext. 315

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery, Inc. (Associate Member) www.spee-dee.com Terri Fountain 262-886-4402

Frain Industries (Associate Member) www.frain.com Mary Woodrick (630) 629-9900

OMNI Systems omnisystem.com Dean Ketchum 913-982-7547

Surekap (Associate Member) surekap.com Mike May 770-867-5793

Allegiance Staffing (Associate Member) www.allegiancestaffing.com Danny Minor (281) 355-9222 American Specialty Oil Co www. americanspecialtyoils.com Ann Marie Galbo (734) 522-6333 Barry-Wehmiller www.bwflexiblesystems.com Nick Pacak (864) 486-4000 Belden Corp (Associate Member) www.Belden.com Jessica Bancroft (317) 764 9305 BellatRx Inc. (Associate Member) https://bellatrx.com Pegah Falinous (514) 457-0054 Berlin Packaging (Associate Member) http://www.berlinpackaging.com Rick Brandt (312) 876-9200 Bomag Group www.bomaggroup.com Nick Cocanower (260) 235-9061 CMG Plastics (Associate Member) www.cmgplastics.com Jens Duerr (908) 310-3735 Cremer Speciaalmachines B.V. (Associate Member) www.cremer.com Brian Pomponio (+31) 252419038 Delkor Systems, Inc. (Associate Member) www.delkorsystems.com Dan Altman (651) 348-6714 DNP Imagingcomm America (Associate Member) am.dnpribbons.com Ashley Rothey (724) 696-8932

Frazier & Son (Associate Member) www.frazierandson.com Jillian Kniffen (936) 494-4040 Garrido Printing Equipment, Inc (Associate Member) www.garridousa.com Nicolas Garrido (305) 593-9030 ID Logistics https://link.edgepilot. com/s/5ed9a449/oNH_ DyFGqEubDUVuzWbjmg?u=https:// www.id-logistics.com/us/ David Nye (570) 575-4765 Inergroup Insourcing Solutions www.inergroup.com John Powell (214) 493-8458 Inland Packaging (Associate Member) www.inlandpackaging.com Lilly Blum (608) 788-5800 Lako Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. (Associate Member) www.lakotool.com John Bialecki (419) 662-5256 LMI Packaging (Associate Member) www.lmipackaging.com Megan Smith (262) 947-3300 Mamata Enterprise Inc. https://link.edgepilot.com/s/df5a3602oC VR1Gp9LkKxjgv2gRSCLQ?u=http://www. mamata.com/ Varun Patel (941) 205-0227 Martini Incentives Inc (Associate Member) www.martiniincentives.com Robert Ilas 951-232-1213

Sonneborn, LLC www.Sonneborn.com Anna Turner 877-948-2688

Taylor Prime Labels & Packaging (Associate Member) www.taylor.com Bridget Bregel(855) 833-4143

PakTech (Associate Member) www.paktech-opi.com Elizabeth Kouns 5414615000 PMI KYOTO (Associate Member) www.pmikyoto.com Branko Vukotic (630) 930-7974 Polipa North America, LLC (Associate Member) www.polipa.com yusuf sahin 609-688-1034

TEXWRAP Packaging Systems (Associate Member) www.texwrap.com David Nettles 770-883-1271 Thanh Phu Plastic Packaging Joint Stock Company (Associate Member) https://www.thanhphupack.com/ Daryle McDonald (84)02723638936

Polypack, Inc. (Associate Member) www.polypack.com Brian McCann (727) 578-5000

TNA North America, Inc. (Associate Member) www.tnasolutions.com Teri Johnson (972) 273-0113

Priority Plastics, Inc. (Associate Member) www.priorityplastics.com Stephanie Oliva (720) 548-5893

Traco Manufacturing, LLC dba Traco Packaging (Associate Member) www.tracopackaging.com Rich Power 801-225-8040

Roberts PolyPro Inc. (Associate Member) www.robertspolypro.com Roy Tetreault (704) 622-9548 Ronchi America, LLC (Associate Member) www.ronchipackaging.com Tim Wilson (404) 990-1997

Tripack, LLC www.tripack.net Craig Walker (513) 288-3778 Viking Masek (Associate Member) www.vikingmasek.com Jacob Resnick (920) 564-5342

Ropak Manufacturing Company (Associate Member) www.ropak.com Chuck Garrett 256-350-4241

Visstun (Associate Member) www.visstuncups.com Paula Thompson (702) 251-8809

Samco Promotions and Packaging http://samcologo.com/ Toni Dunlap 815-282-8500

Woodex Bearing Company, Inc. / Meco Seals https://www.mecoseal.com Jason Bergquist (207) 710-8268

Scholle IPN (Associate Member) www.scholleipn.com Ryan Balock (708) 836-3641

Zacros America, Inc. (Associate Member) www.zacrosamerica.com Zacros Customer Service (800) 890-1183 Zima-Pack LLC (Associate Member) www.zimapack.com Adriana Zimbardo 8043720707

Elum, Inc. (Associate Member) eluminc.com Stephen Mendes (401) 954-7938

MASSMAN Automation Designs, LLC (Associate Member) www.massmanllc.com Mark Suchy (320) 554-3611

ePac Flexible Packaging (Associate Member) www.epacflexibles.com ePac Flexibles (720) 452-2821

Septimatech Group Inc (Associate Member) https://septimatech.com Quinn Martin 519-746-7463

Matrix Packaging (Associate Member) www.matrixpm.com Marc Wolf (262) 268-8300

Shorr Packaging (Associate Member) shorr.com Bill Bonaccorsi 708-539-7859

Formers International, Inc. www. formers.com James Leija (281) 833-3310

MJS Packaging (Associate Member) www.mjspackaging.com Ken Goldberg 734-744-4900

Shrink Packaging Systems Corporation www.sps70.com Diane Lamb 603-204-2262

Formic (Associate Member) formic.co Misa Ilkhechi (844) 436-7642

Morrison Container Handling Solutions (Associate Member) www.morrison-chs.com Dustin Lee (708) 756-6660

Sidel (Associate Member) www.sidel.com Robin Daun 856-816-3299

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Ad Index TM

COMPANY/WEBSITE

PAGE

COMPANY/WEBSITE

PAGE

COLUMBIA/OKURA www.columbiaokura.com

2, 18

PROSYS INNOVATIVE PACKAGING EQUIPMENT CO. www.prosysfill.com

10, 24

DO-IT CORPORATION www.do-it.com

17, 19

ROMARK LOGISTICS www.romarklogistics.com

ECONOCORP, INC. www.econocorp.com

3, 20

SIMPLEX FILLER www.simplexfiller.com

HEAT AND CONTROL, INC. www.heatandcontrol.com

5, 21

SPAN TECH LLC www.spantechconveyors.com

IFC, 26

SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT www.specialtyequipment.com

14, 27

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

12, 28

TEXWRAP PACKAGING SYSTEMS www.texwrap.com

29, OBC

MCKERNAN PACKAGING CLEARING HOUSE www.webuypackaging.com NERCON CONVEYOR SYSTEMS www.nerconconveyors.com NULOGY CORPORATION www.nulogy.com PMMI www.pmmi.org

16, 23 7 IBC

TRINTERNATIONAL www.trichemicals.com

30, 32

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 300, 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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Your East East Coast Coast Your Connection Connection forPackaging Packagingand andProcessing Processing for

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PERFORMANCE, PACK AGED

A shrink wrapper for every application. Providing Flexibility, Durability and Ease of Changeover CSS-2011

The side sealer workhorse that has a reputation for flexibilty and ease of use. It is the Contract Packaging industry standard for performance, reliability, and total cost of ownership.

BVS-914

Vertical wrappers that provide aesthetically pleasing packages and reduce film usage for bottles, canisters, aerosols, etc. Typical applications are wrapping in line direct from fillers or hand load.

Kayat SRX

The shrink bundler designed to create packages of tray shrink or loose product for the food and beverage industries in either clear or print registered film. A robust, industrial design provides easy access for operation and maintenance.

Find out more: Proud member of the

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