Breaking News on the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector

Headlines > Packaging

UK’s first dedicated beverage carton recycling plant to open

13-May-2013 - Half of UK local authorities now offer kerbside recycling of beverage cartons – a 12-fold increase from 2006, new figures reveal.

Partners convey new ideas

30-Apr-2013 - Conveying and palletising manufacturer Kensal Handling Systems will display a selection from its product range, including a stainless steel conveyor at The Total Processing & Packaging Exhibition.

Mix up the materials in the laboratory

30-Apr-2013 - Winkworth will unveil a laboratory mixer, the compact Lab Zc, which is designed for mixing, kneading and blending materials for product research and development and easy cleaning.

Servo-driven tray bake portioning

30-Apr-2013 - Automation specialist Quasar Automation will be launching the Soni-Cut tray bake cutting and portioning system at the Total Processing and Packaging Exhibition.

Second chance for Blu-Robots

30-Apr-2013 - Packing equipment specialist Pacepacker Services will launch its Blu-Robot pick and place range of second user automation systems, at this year's Total Processing and Packaging Exhibition. The reconditioned equipment, which is ideal for seasonal packers or low volume product producers, can be used to handle primary and secondary packaging including punnets, netted produce, cartons, retailer trays and sacks.

It's time for teacakes to be picked and placed

30-Apr-2013 - Schubert, the automated packaging system specialist, will be presenting an F44 picker line at this year's Total show.

Two companies show their metal

30-Apr-2013 - Two of industry's detection specialists: Loma Systems which focuses on the food sector and Lock Inspection, on pharmaceuticals, will debut their new collaboration at the Total show.

Universal Robot makes light of automation

30-Apr-2013 - R A Rodriguez will be showing the Universal Robot, a lightweight robotic arm that provides easy automation, at The Total Processing and Packaging Exhibition. It will demonstrate how complementary technology can now add intelligence and even greater scope to its application.

Automation and integration mean productivity

30-Apr-2013 - Ishida Europe will demonstrate how automation and integration can deliver improved efficiencies, maximum throughput and fast return on investment, at The Total Processing and Packaging Exhibition.

Think small when it comes to print

30-Apr-2013 - Videojet will present its new 50 series (1550/1650) small character inkjet printers as part of its 1000 series range, at The Total Processing and Packaging Exhibition. The 1650 and 1550 are designed to minimise planned and unplanned downtime and maximise printer availability for daily and multi-shift applications with line speeds of up to 293m/min and 278.6m/min respectively.

Faster, more efficient changeovers

30-Apr-2013 - Improving the speed and efficiency of product changeovers on multi-product lines is what Sick UK's new RapCo system, launched at Total 2013, is all about. It is claimed to offer a reliable, automated solution to protect product quality while boosting productivity.

A case for shelf-ready packs

30-Apr-2013 - The centrepiece of Endoline's stand will be its latest case erector for shelf-ready packaging (SRP). The 248 is a servo-driven automatic high-speed case erector, which has a glueing system to seal the bottom of each case as it's formed.

Pack a punch

30-Apr-2013 - The Total Processing & Packaging Exhibition , which incorporates packaging show Pakex, The Processing & Packaging Machinery Association show and Interphex, for the pharmaceuticals sector, takes place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from June 4 to 6

Rental service could be small firms' route to automation

30-Apr-2013 - For firms seeking to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency, packaging automation is a logical step. But with many smaller companies strapped for cash and starved of loans, could equipment rental prove to be the rational route to avoid capital expenditure?

UK base cuts cost of carton recycling

30-Apr-2013 - Combined with the latest 12.5% hike in landfill tax, the availability of UK beverage carton recycling capacity for the first time in seven years from July will doubtless spur more local authorities to launch kerbside collections.

‘Light-weight’ food packaging key to sustainability targets

19-Apr-2013 - Industry targets and government policies are driving significant investment in innovation for more lightweight plastic packaging that extends shelf-life, as food manufacturers continually seek to drive down volumes of waste and cut carbon emissions.

News in brief

Own-label food and drink brands mislead consumers: Which?

12-Apr-2013 - Nearly a third of consumers feel misled by own-label brands – including food and drink products – which ape the packaging of leading brands, warns a survey by consumer watchdog Which?

Food packaging and label design could fall into disarray

11-Apr-2013 - The EU’s Food Information for Consumers Regulation (FIC) is threatening to turn pack and label design processes on their head, experts have said, while implementation is slowed by incomplete provisions, divided UK responsibilities and the overlapping issue of ‘traffic light’ labelling.

High-speed sterilising technique wins patents

10-Apr-2013 - Newcastle-based Continuous Retorts (CRL) has been granted a series of European patents and expects US patents to follow for its food processing technology. This is just 18 months after receiving investment from the Finance for the Business North East Technology Fund, managed by IP Group.

Biscuit firm raises cash for growth and 45 new jobs

09-Apr-2013 - A biscuit manufacturer has secured a loan of £276,000 from the Manchester Investment Fund to expand its business and create more than 45 jobs.

Enhanced data capture and analysis cuts wastage

02-Apr-2013 - Ishida Europe has launched an enhanced version of its IDCS data capture system, which records and analyses data from every pack that crosses one of its checkweighers. IDCS II is said to pay for itself with only a few weeks of use.

Single serve packs extend shelf-life

02-Apr-2013 - Sustainable packaging firm RAP has unveiled its new range of 'single serve' portion packs. This followed the launch of RapTray, which the firm claimed was the world's first hermetically sealed, modified atmosphere carton food tray.

New hope for wood-based alternative to oil

02-Apr-2013 - A thermoplastic wood-fibre-based alternative to oil-based packaging for food - particularly trays for sliced cheese - is the aim of a new two-year €1.4M EU Framework 7 research project, which began last November.

Pouches and plastics set to hog new retort growth

02-Apr-2013 - Pouches and rigid plastics will account for over 90% of incremental demand for retortable packaging up to 2017, a report has predicted, but with metal and glass holding on to the bulk of their existing - and very substantial - business.

Opinion

An unintended benefit of EU food legislation

02-Apr-2013 - As the deadline for compliance with the EU Food Information Regulation (FIR) draws closer, the industry is beginning to work out what the requirements mean in practice and how consistency of interpretation can be achieved.

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