Packaging

Contact: 773-399-8000
Website: www.alcanpackaging.com

Alcan Packaging recently announced the availability of its LaserTear cross machine directional (CMD) scoring technology.

The company’s CMD laser-scored film works with zipper applications and creates a “hooded” package that allows for the removal of the entire package header to expose the resealable feature. By scoring below the zipper, company officials say, this technology delivers easier consumer access and eliminates the potential for contents to collect between the zipper and package. The package hood also provides a third layer of protection.

Compatible with vertical form/fill/seal equipment, Alcan Packaging says its flexible film featuring LaserTear CMD scoring exhibits excellent machinability, running at top speeds and meeting tough operational demands.

Company officials say Alcan Packaging’s LaserTear CMD technology is ideal for cheese, fresh meat, snacks, cookies, frozen foods and pet food, in addition to specialty consumer packaged goods.

Website: www.arenaproducts.com

Arena Products Inc. has introduced two new shipping containers for the food industry.

The Atlas 640 Shipping cheese container is designed to replace wax-coated wood as well as stainless steel cheese containers. It features a knock-down design and engineered plastic construction. The containers come in 658-pound and 80-gallon capacities. Company officials say the product offers reduced shipping costs, improved sanitation, less banding, fewer components and quicker cooling.

The Atlas 640 is USDA and Health Canada certified for direct food contact. The containers are manufactured with 100 percent recyclable plastic.

Arena’s 330 Shipper Intermediate Bulk Liquid Shipping System offers large-volume capacity in collapsible and lightweight containers. This shipping system is compact and convenient, and company officials say it utilizes space better and with less costly disposal than 55-gallon drums.

In addition, the Arena containers ship nearly 50 percent more product in the same space required for four palletized drums, company officials say. These containers can accommodate bulk loads of 3,000 pounds or 330 gallons.

Contact: Cryovac/Sealed Air Corp., 200 Riverfront Boulevard, Elmwood Park, N.J., 07407, 201-791-7600

Website: www.sealedair.com

Cryovac’s new Permeable Darfresh is designed for cheese curing in a vacuum pack, the company says.

The new range of Permeable Darfresh top and bottom webs feature regulated permeability to suit the specific needs of gassing cheeses. These thermoformable, fully-coextruded rigid films include three different top webs: standard, high profile and highly permeable.

Permeable Darfresh features an extended shelf life for cheese due to the vacuum process, a highly-resistent pack with high seal integrity and total surface sealing, excellent product visibility and enhancement and the possibility of vertical display.

The new Permeable Darfresh top and bottom webs specifically are designed to pack hard and semi-hard cheeses that release various levels of carbon dioxide during their life cycle, such as Emmental, Edam, Tilsit, Asiago, Gorgonzola, Roquefort or Blue cheese.

Contact: 920-303-7300, e-mail: curwood@bemis.com
Website: www.curwood.com

OSHKOSH, Wis. — Curwood, a supplier of shrink packaging materials for cheese and meat applications, recently announced the availability of its new Form-Tite films, designed to be compatible with Multivac shrink systems.

Curwood’s portfolio of Form-Tite films is recommended for block and chunk cheeses and meats such as ham, salami or prosciutto.

Company officials say the films include low-curl plus high-shrink and formability to conform tightly to the product, as well as high-barrier properties and puncture resistance to extend shelf life and minimize damage. Form-Tite is available in a printable film option to reduce the need for secondary labeling. It also is offered with Curwood’s patented EZ Peel opening technology for convenient opening without knives or scissors.

Curwood offers a free economic analysis to help processors determine potential total cost savings and payback of thermoform/shrink equipment and Form-Tite shrink film compared to their current systems.

Contact: Curwood Inc., 2200 Badger Avenue, Oshkosh, WI 54903, 920-303-7300, 800-544-4672, FAX 920-303-7306

Website: www.curwood.com

Curwood has released Clear-Tite 13 Surround shrink bags featuring an EZ Peel opening and 360-degree printing for cheeses.

Clear-Tite 13 Surround bags are made from high-gloss, low-haze materials to create a package with excellent visibility for product viewing, Curwood officials say. Bags are available in a variety of factory-seal shapes and feature width control and high shrink to eliminate excess film.

The tough, high-barrier bags are engineered to protect cheese for maximum shelf life during refrigerated storage and offer abrasion resistance to minimize scuffing during transport and handling, company officials add.

Website: www.delkorsystems.com

New from Delkor is a top load case packer designed for sanitary packaging applications.

With speeds up to 20 cases per minute, company officials note the Delkor VCP-120 is ideal for the loading of cups, bottles, tubes or cartons. In addition, the VCP-120 has two servo belt loaders for precise product loading, stainless steel construction, AB Control Logix controls and AB Panelview HMI for user-friendly operation and Seiko readouts for easy and repeatable case changeover. The new Delkor top loader also features a modular design that allows for adding an adhesive or tape erector and closer.

“This machine is well adapted to the needs of food companies that require a sanitary packaging environment,” says Dale Andersen, president, Delkor.

FKI Logistex has launched a new high-speed robotic palletizing solution that uses multiple robotic arms to achieve palletizing rates that experts say are higher than those reached by typical robotic palletizers.

In addition, the robotic palletizing cell enables four-way orientation of cases. Unlike the conventional palletizers, robots use servo wrists to rotate packages, which results in faster, gentler packing, according to the company.

“The new FKI Logistex high-speed robotic palletizing solution offers clients the throughput and flexibility they need to handle a wide variety of packaging applications,” says Steve Ackerman, president, FKI Logistex North America.

The new system can be applied to numerous material handling applications that require high palletizing rates, including food, beverage and consumer goods.

Contact: Jill Raab, marketing communications coordinator, FKI Logistex, 314-993-4700, e-mail jill.raab@fkilogistex.com

Website: www.fkilogistex.com

FKI Logistex has launched the GS100 family of low-price, entry-level case palletizers. The GS100 series provides a fully-automated palletizer for those organizations looking to convert from manual palletizing, as well as larger, multi-line operations where high-speed palletizing is not cost-justified.

The GS100 series is ideal for a wide array of applications, including food, beverage, consumer goods and general manufacturing, company officials say.

The series includes three models for a complete range of pallet-handling options: the GS120, manual pallet handling; GS130, semi-automated pallet handling; and the GS140, fully automated pallet handling. All three models feature all-metric designs, pattern utility, layer-editing functions and premium drive components for reduced maintenance requirements.

Hyster Co. has released the Hyster Yardmaster II reach stacker series.

The new series, which supports load capacities up to 101,000 pounds, is built with a 300-horsepower engine and has a lift speed of 94 feet per minute. It also offers cycle speeds that enable the movement of more containers per hour, according to the company.

The new line, which features the Hyster ComforCab II — designed for driver comfort and increased visibility — also offers an improved hydraulic system that works to increase dependability and reduce maintenance time, officials say.

In addition, the company provides operator training, product customization for special applications and a parts availability program.

Lantech has released a new conveyorized overhead stretch wrapper designed for fork truck loading and fully-automated integration.

Lantech’s S-2500 overhead stretch wrapper features an 80-pallet-per-hour capacity in processing unstable or heavy loads, and is designed for automated, conveyorized operation.

The machine also handles loads up to 58 inches square and 80 inches tall and provides automatic load indexing, film attachment, cutting and wiping. It can be customized with more than 100 off-the-shelf options, such as a top-sheet dispenser or the Pallet-Grip load locking system, according to the company.

The product can be used in-line, end-of-line or freestanding to allow load accumulation. In addition, the machine’s Power Roller-Stretch Plus film delivery system pre-stretches film up to 300 percent for economical operation. The machine also features diagonally opposed two-column chassis that provide stability and facilitate installation, using modular shipping techniques and accessible lag-down points, the company says.

Additional features include the touch screen control, with Lan-Logix interface, which facilitates reprogramming of key wrap parameters.

“Lan-Logix increases productivity by eliminating the need for costly software and hardware to make minor program changes. It includes multiple wrap patterns, precise wrap pattern control, password protection and extensive efficiency-data capture,” the company adds.

“It also provides audible alarms and indicators for low film and a wide range of other faults, and allows easy integration with plant-wide control systems.”

Standard safety features include personnel barriers and fencing with interlocked sliding gate. Photocells automatically monitor the wrap zone for proper load sequencing throughout the process.

Reloading of the film system can be done from floor level, which protects the operator from bending, twisting and reaching motions or standing on the conveyor, according to the company.

Contact: Lantech Inc., 11000 Bluegrass Parkway, Louisville, KY 40299, 800-866-0322, FAX 502-266-5031

Website: www.lantech.com

Lantech Inc. has introduced the RS-6000 20-second stretch wrapping system, which offers a capacity of 180 to 200 loads per hour.

According to Lantech, the new pre-stretch head and speed wrap get film onto the load so quickly that almost all film recovery occurs on the load, resulting in high containment force and reduced film use.

The RS-6000 stretch wrapper can wrap loads up to 50” by 50” x 80.” Starting and ending the wrap cycle is a new cut-and-clamp system that combines a new heat-free Press ‘n Seal film sealing system.

The stretch wrapper can be set up in one day, compared to three days normally needed for a typical overhead stretch-wrapping machine. It is designed to eliminate all overhead maintenance items that might require a ladder or man-lift. Pre-wired at the factory, the new design also allows the machine to ship in a single closed truck with its standard three sections of conveyor, company officials say.

Contact: 866-263-4644

Markem Corp., provider of product identification and traceability solutions, recently introduced its new SmartDate 5 advance thermal transfer coder suitable for a variety of printing needs.

A new controller with a full-color touch screen comes standard on the SmartDate 5 advance. The icon-driven menu guides the operator through setup and procedures while clearly displaying the selected images to avoid errors and ensure correct and efficient coding in the production run from beginning to end, company officials say.

Users also can choose the classic controller design, with its monochrome graphic display, since the two options are interchangeable. Others who prefer to integrate the coder controls with the controls of the parent packaging line can also do so by using Internet browser technology to guide the entire line from a single control point.

Remote code management is an option for the SmartDate 5 advance. The coder allows for easy connectivity with third-party equipment and devices and the ability to source images and data from a PC or factory ERP system.

Coding images can be created using CoLOS Create and downloaded to the coder form the network or a USB memory device. Production data also can be uploaded for analysis and auditing.

The SmartDate 5 delivers a new top speed of 1,000 millimeters per second, a 25 percent increase in performance in the combined printer model. The new coder also is capable of printing consistently at speeds as low as 5 millimeters per second, Markem officials note.

The coder also features a new ribbon-saving feature to shrink the gap between prints to .5 millimeters, allowing up to 10 percent more prints from the same print ribbon.

Multivac has announced the official worldwide market launch for a new generation of thermoform packaging machines.

The new form-fill-seal systems debuted recently at the Worldwide Food Expo in Chicago. The machines offer a new basic design, which company officials say simplifies and accelerates the cleaning process for food processors while adding a host of other features for enhanced performance, ergonomics and efficiency.

The first model of the new line is the high performance R535 equipped with an integrated clean-in-place (CIP) system that automates the cleaning component groups inside the machine. After a pre-cleaning, a cleaning program can be started and controlled from the central control system. This standardized, logged process was designed to ensure adherence to predetermined cleaning cycles, dosages and mixtures of sanitizing. Exterior cleaning of the R535 is executed manually with an attached spray gun.

Company officials say that while the R535 offers advanced CIP and hygiene features, the new machine also sets new standards with regard to performance and economy.

“In respect to the tool sizes and number of packages per minute, the R535 is the clear market leader in its category,” says Jan Erik Kuhlmann, president and CEO, Multivac.

All new Multivac equipment also come standard with IPC control systems for seamless integration with upstream and downstream packaging line components.

PDC International Corp., a manufacturer of steam, convection and infrared shrink tunnels, has introduced a heavy-duty steam tunnel for the shrinking of shrink sleeve labels at slow to moderate speeds that are adjustable.

With a design based on PDC’s higher speed, dual-zone steam tunnels, the new KST 55-710 has adjustments for steam volume, flow and nozzle position in a new compact design. This allows precise application of steam to specific points on the package for improved aesthetics and minimal risk of bottle distortion, company officials say.

Containers can be filled or empty and most shapes including round, oval and square packages. PVC, PETG, OPS and PLA films, in gauges as thin as 40 micron, are compatible. Company officials say the KST 55-710 is ideal for full-body shrink labels and multipacking.

System options include steam filtration to .5 micron to supply culinary grade steam and stainless steel tunnel stands, including a cantilevered version for easy raising and lowering. An available efficiency package features a thermostatically-controlled electronic temperature regulator that meters steam in precise amounts. A powered venting manifold and condensate recovery system also are available.

PDC says this product is recommended for end-use packagers and contract packers, food, beverage and dairy companies and others who need to run shrink sleeve labels or combination tamper evident labels at slow or moderate speeds.

Contact: Primera Technology Inc., Two Carlson Parkway North, Plymouth, MN 55447, 800-797-2772, FAX 763-475-6677

Website: www.primeralabel.com

Primera Technology Inc., a developer and manufacturer of specialty printing equipment, has introduced its LX400 Color Label Printer.

The LX400 Color Label Printer is an inkjet-based printer designed to print short-run, full-color labels. The LX400 prints full-color photos, text, graphics and bar codes. Printed labels are virtually scratchproof and waterproof, company officials say.

Applications include short runs of primary product and box labels for specialty and gourmet foods, private label products, gift baskets and more.

The printer has the capacity to produce labels as small as .75-inch wide and .75-inch long up to a maximum of 4 inches wide and 24 inches long. The LX400 comes equipped with printer drivers for Windows 2000/XP/Vista and Mac OS X version 10.2 or higher. The LX400 interfaces to either a PC or Mac with a USB connection.