Now in its 20th year, the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) show will take place at the NEC Birmingham from September 30 to October 2, 2008. The event will be officially opened by Sir Digby Jones, now Lord Jones of Birmingham.

Witt Gas Techniques, the gas safety, control, mixing and analysis specialist equipment supplier, will be demonstrating its range of gas distribution, mixing and analysis equipment for use on modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) lines.

Ulma Packaging will be exhibiting a range of high performance systems for the fresh produce, cheese, meat and bakery sectors.

Reiser, specialist in form-fill-machinery, will be exhibiting its Repak thermoformer machine for the first time in the UK. The machine's rapid air forming technology allows packaging to be formed more quickly, which allows the user to buy thinner material, saving cost and waste by reducing packaging by 20%.

Allen Coding Systems will be exhibiting a wide range of high performance thermal transfer, hot foil and laser coding and marking technology, including the new ACF 400 carton coder and recently launched 53LTi high specification intermittent thermal transfer printer.

Thermo Fisher Scientific will be highlighting its wide range of high performance inspection systems aimed at the food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets.

Coding and marking specialist Linx Printing Technologies is launching its latest solutions in laser coding, large character marking and continuous ink jet inks.

Russell Finex, supplier of fine mesh separation, will showcase its range of sieves and filters including the Blow-Thru sieve, the Compact 3in1, the Finex separator with Vibrasonic deblinding system, and an assortment of different sized Russell Compact sieves.

ABB's UK robotics business will be demonstrating its latest generation of picking and packing robots and force control technology.

Sick (UK), sensor and sensing systems manufacturer, is launching Inspector, a powerful and innovative 2D vision sensor. Inspector is as powerful as a camera and as easy-to-use as a standard photoelectric sensor.

S+S Inspection will be launching its new Alumaster, a compact metal detection system for products packed in aluminium foil bags and containers. Designed to be easily integrated into existing conveyor packing lines, the new machine complies fully with food industry hazard analysis critical control point requirements and is available for use in dry or wet environments.

Weber Marking Systems will be making its first appearances in the UK at this year's PPMA Show where it will be demonstrating its new printer applicator, the Model 5300 Series (pictured), and unveiling a brand new printer applicator for pallets, which allows labelling on adjacent sides without stopping the pallet.

Easiweigh, part of the GSH group, has introduced a new, cost-effective, compact, entry-level weighing system aimed at emerging markets and low-volume packing operations. The Solo machine has been designed predominantly for use with dry, free-flowing, low piece-weight products such as snack foods and is capable of weighing up to 2kg.

A new software programme that can link up to 100 checkweighers to provide valuable production data is being launched by Ishida Europe.

Mettler-Toledo's product inspection division will be presenting its broad range of inspection solutions, including the innovative Safeline metal detection equipment, the latest X-ray technologies and cutting-edge checkweighers from Garvens.

Elastomer engineering specialist James Walker Keaflex will be showcasing its rubber moulding capabilities.

The K-Tron group will show a choice of Premier Pneumatics vacuum receivers. The K-Tron P-series vacuum receivers feature sanitary design and meet the 3-A Sanitary Standards for pneumatic conveyors. The receivers are designed to convey delicate materials such as tablets and capsules as well as free flowing and poorly-flowing powders in snack, bakery, cereal and confectionery applications.

BCH will be promoting a wide range of food and confectionery processing equipment solutions, ranging from kettles, atmospheric cooking, pressure cooking, vacuum process technology and energy reducing processes.

Multihead weighing system supplier Multipond will be launching a high-speed combination weigher, the MP28-400/400-A, at this year's show.

Robot supplier Schubert will unveil its new automated method for coupling tools to its TLM robots as part of a high-performance demonstration line which will be packing Actimel yoghurt drink bottles into sleeves.

Habasit Rossi, the UK's leading conveyor belting manufacturer, will be showcasing an exciting range of products. These will be demonstrated on a novel all-in-one belting unit to highlight the vast array of belting solutions for all industry sectors that Habasit Rossi covers. There will be samples of the company's fabric, modular, timing and chain belts.

PIAB, supplier of industrial vacuum technology, will be exhibiting its innovative vacuum solutions for increasing productivity and reducing energy consumption in a variety of automated materials handling and factory automation processes.