Closured gabletop moves to baby food aisle

Easy Pour gabletop with 1-inch spout/twist cap combo improves portability, opening, reclosure of 7- or 8-ounce cartons of dry cereal mix for babies.

Gabletop carton supplied by Blue Ridge Paper Products, Inc., Canton, NC, for Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp., Latham, NY, borrows reclosure concept from beverage cartons, reduces dry cereal litter often left behind by traditional packaging formats. Graphics announce “New Package,” “Easier to Open, Close, Pour & Store.” New design responds to consumer requests. “Most dry cereals on the market come in a box that can be cumbersome and messy,” explains spokesperson for Beech-Nut, adding, “Metal spouts, thin cardboard and cellophane wrapping left much to be desired for parents who want to make a meal, not a mess. With Easy Pour, parents have more control of the product and improved storage and portability to fit their busy lifestyles.” Four flavors use Easy Pour carton: Barley, Oatmeal, DHA plus+ Brown Rice with Bananas & Raspberries, DHA plus+ Multi Grain with Apples & Yogurt.

Follow-Up: Gary Elliott, vp DairyPak Sales, +1 817-448-8947; Link: www.blueridgepaper.com.

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Fluted steel EO can creates ‘retro’ look for soup in UK

Stockmeyer AG, Sassenberg-Füchtorf, Germany, introduces range of premium soups to UK market in 400-gram, fluted steel cans with retro appearance.

Crown Holdings, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, supplies shaped food cans, Eole III easy-open ends from its Crown Food Europe facility in Seesen, Germany. “We wanted a package that would evoke the premium quality of these soups to help us capture market share,” says Klaus Weber, marketing manager, Buss Fertiggerichte GmbH & Co. KG, Ottersberg, Germany, Stockmeyer’s contract packager for UK market. “Our choice is based on the strength of the experience with the shaped 800-gram can we use for our premium range in the UK. Crown’s unique flute-shaped panels offer a refreshing take on the traditional straight soup can. Beautifully decorated, the shaped cans differentiate the soups at the point of sale and reinforce the high value of the Stockmeyer brand.” Colorful graphics depict contents, include element which reverses Stockmeyer logo, soup flavor on black background. Fluted can with easy-open end handles interchangeably with standard steel food cans on existing filling lines, as well as in continuous, static retort systems.

Follow-Up: Hella Neffati, marketing manager, +1 215-698-6056; Steve Thomas, +44 1905 762290, steve.thomas@eur.crowncork.com; Link: www.crowncork.com.

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Baxter changes labeling to reduce chances of dosage error

Baxter Healthcare Corp., Deerfield, IL, begins packaging redesign program to help clinicians identify medications correctly, reduce chance of medication errors.

First redesign, launched in October 2007, revises labels for 1 millilitre (ml) vials of Heparin Sodium Injection in three potencies, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 units/ml. New label, designed with help of pharmacists, physicians, nurses, features 20% larger font size, unique color combination, large red cautionary tear-off label. However, “no amount of product differentiation is going to replace careful reading by clinician prior to administering a drug,” says Erin Gardiner, a spokesperson for Baxter. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Huntingdon Valley, PA, ranks heparin, a commonly used anticoagulant, as one of top five High-Alert Medications due to significant involvement in medication error incidents, potential for lethal outcomes. In February 2007, Baxter issued Medication Safety Alert to healthcare providers after three infant deaths result from confusion between Heparin Sodium Injection 10,000 units/ml and HEP-LOCK U/P 10 units/ml, which is used to flush IV lines. At that time, both labels used shades of blue as background color. November 2007 incident reportedly involving such an error and newborn twins of actor Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly, results in personal injury lawsuit against Baxter filed on 4 December 2007 in Cook County (IL) Circuit Court. Suit asks $50,000 in damages.

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Sears begins phasing out vinyl packaging, products

Sears Holdings, Hoffman Estates, IL, begins phasing out polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging, products, seeks bio-based alternatives.

New policy calls for retailer to identify safer, more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to PVC for packaging as well as private-label merchandise, sets long-term goal of sourcing bio-based polymers that are sustainably derived, have higher recycled content, can be reused, recycled or composted. Sears also plans to add resin identification codes to packaging for its private-label products, encourage vendors to add codes developed by Society of the Plastics Industry, Washington, DC, to their packaging. Sears Holdings, which includes Sears, Kmart, Lands End, ranks as fourth largest broad-line retailer in US.

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KHS opens doors to 1,000-square-meter technology center

KHS AG opens training center for customers at its headquarters in Dortmund, Germany.

Center links to existing training facility to provide hands-on sessions along with theoretical training. Center houses KHS equipment for cleaning, pasteurizing, conveying, labeling, inspecting, serves as testing center for new packaging processes. Facility complements existing technology center in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, which focuses on rinsing, filling, capping/seaming technology for bottles/cans, filtration, beverage blending technology, high gravity brewing systems, flash pasteurizing, deaeration systems.

Follow-Up: Manfred Rueckstein, Marketing Department, +49 231 569-1339, manfred.rueckstein@khs.com; Link: www.khs.com.

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Design center expedites development of polyolefin packaging

PolyOne Corp., Cleveland, OH, expands services to help packaging converters expedite product development with startup of second design center in Europe.

Specialized color design center near Paris in Cergy, France, houses bi-layer blowmolding line, multilayer cast film line to help customers validate additives, colorants for polyolefin packaging. “With this latest color design center, PolyOne is able to provide an advantage for packaging designers and converters that goes far beyond simply matching colors and providing products,” says Bernard Baert, PolyOne svp/gm, International Color and Engineered Materials, Europe and Asia. New facility joins center opened in April 2007 in Assesse, Belgium, which focuses on polyethylene terephthalate processing, prototyping of preforms, containers. According to Christoph Palm, PolyOne gm of Color and Additives in Europe, “Through the resources of our new design center, we help our customers understand both color and polymer technology in an environment that stimulates creativity and innovation.” European facilities augment capabilities of company’s Solutions Lab in Avon Lake, OH, plant-based analytical labs, prototyping equipment.

Follow-Up: David Honeycutt, director of Marketing and eBusiness, +1 440-930-3154, Francis Sasse, PolyOne France, +33 134 403 950, info.color@polyone.com; Link: www.polyone.com.

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Dry powder inhaler simplifies drug delivery

Prohaler™ dry powder inhaler from Valois Pharma, Marly-Le-Roi, France, requires only three steps to operate – open, inhale, close.

Design simplifies dosing since it doesn’t require breath coordination necessary with metered dose inhalers. Prohaler dry powder inhaler uses no propellant, dispenses drug from blister pack containing individual sealed doses. Visual, audible feedback systems facilitate ease-of-use, patient control, while built-in safety features prevent double dosing or wasted doses. Integral dose counter displays number of doses remaining. Dry powder inhalers represent fastest growing segment of drug sales in $20 billion dollar market for treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with estimated 175 million units manufactured globally in 2006.

Follow-Up: Sales Department, +33 1 39 17 20 41; Link: www.valoispharma.com.

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Masterbatches deliver amber PET resin for IBM Rx containers

Amber masterbatches let molders color PET for pharmaceutical injection blow mold prescription bottles in house. Ampacet 681725-PT, 681726-PT masterbatches from Ampacet, Tarrytown, NY, eliminate need for pre-colored resin, meet strict requirements set for pharmaceutical bottles.

UV additive in Ampacet 681726-PT makes it resistant to light-induced degradation. Light transmission of Ampacet 681725-PT, 681726-PT masterbatches ranks 3.6%, 0.7%, respectively, easily meeting requirements that prohibit more than 10% within 290-450 nanometre range. Ampacet’s Formula X™ PET technology eliminates predrying, permits masterbatches to be fed at extruder throat, lowers energy demand. “Molders have long wanted a color masterbatch to gain greater flexibility and efficiency in injection blowmolded pharma bottles, but the exacting specifications set for these bottles have been an impediment to this,” says Douglas Brownfield, strategic business manager.

Follow-Up: Doug Brownfield, +1 513-247-5412, douglas.brownfield@ampacet.com; Link: www.ampacet.com.

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TTI label protects avocados during shipping

Calavo Growers, Inc., Santa Paula, CA, adopts time-temperature indicator (TTI) from PakSense, Inc., Boise, ID, to provide alert if shipment experiences temperature abuse.

Global leader in packaging, marketing fresh/processed avocados uses TXi Label on all shipments of avocados, fresh or frozen guacamole, and other products such as papayas. PakSense Labels in combination with Calavo’s ProRipeVIP® acoustic firmness technology, other quality assurance programs, ensure consumers consistently receive highest quality products. Light-emitting diodes on TXi Label indicate if temperature abuse has occurred, “PakSense Labels help verify that temperature anomalies during shipping do not compromise the integrity of our product and are our eyes and ears when our product is outside of our direct control,” explains Lee Cole, chairman/president/ceo of Calavo. “We adopted the PakSense Labels because of their ease of use and the fact that the data is secure from any editing,” he notes, adding, “We were especially impressed that the PakSense Label embeds a perpetual clock rendering temperature data every minute, versus other solutions that sample temperature every seven to eight minutes. This gives us incredibly detailed data that is digitally portable and secured through chip encryption.” PakSense Labels, which are encased in food-grade packaging, fit inside Calavo containers where they collect surface temperature of product versus general ambient temperature information. Unlike larger data recorders, PakSense Labels do not bruise or otherwise damage fruit. System enables data collected by label to be downloaded, graphed.

Follow-Up: Sales Department, +1 208-629-3358, sales@paksense.com; Link: www.paksense.com.

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Market for disposable electronics grows to $26.2 billion by 2015

Packaging for pharmaceuticals, low-cost medical devices, other everyday objects add embedded electronic devices to provide onboard intelligence.

According to Disposable Electronics: The First Wave for Printed and Organic Electronics report from NanoMarkets LC, Glen Allen, VA, emerging opportunities stem from low-cost, printed radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, organic transistors/memory, e-paper displays, printed sensors, thin-film batteries. Report predicts by 2015 inexpensive printed RFID tags will generate $12.4 billion, partially replace barcodes, endowing packaging, low-cost products with high-levels of intelligence; e-paper displays will replace paper pricing labels, experience sales of $1.6 billion, electronics on coated papers or corrugated will reach sales of $1.8 billion. In addition, evolving manufacturing technologies will broaden functionality, lower costs. Detailed eight-year forecasts break out disposable electronics markets by application, device type. Report also profiles leading firms in market.

Follow-Up: Link: www.nanomarkets.net.

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Caraustar expands protective packaging operations

Caraustar Industries, Inc., Atlanta, GA, opens fifth manufacturing operation for Protect-A-Board, Protect-A-Wrap edge and strap protectors.

“Protect- A-Board and Protect-A-Wrap are two of the fastest growing product lines in Caraustar’s Converted Products Group,” reports Todd Padgett, national sales manager/Protective Products. New operations run at existing tube/core manufacturing facility in Beardstown, IL. Expanded operations at Beardstown services customers throughout Midwest with diversified product line, shortens lead time for Protect-A-Board, Protect-A-Wrap products. Caraustar also produces Protect-A-Board, Protect-A-Wrap, related protective packaging products at converting facilities in Arlington, TX; Austell, GA; Lancaster, PA; Tacoma, WA.

Follow-Up: Robert G. Pender Jr., vp, Sales and Marketing, Converted Products Group, +1 704-916-8405; Link: www.caraustar.com.

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Trial tests RFID tags on reusable containers for produce

Three produce suppliers, Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, AR, three reusable container suppliers, multiple technology providers collaborate on test of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on reusable containers.
Test undertaken under auspices of Reusable Pallet & Container Coalition (RPCC), Washington, DC, seeks to prove feasibility of RFID for reusable transport packaging under demanding conditions of produce shipping.
Large-scale field trial comes on heels of rigorous laboratory testing at Michigan State University School of Packaging, East Lansing, MI, literally starts in fields where produce is picked. During six-month test, reusable containers with multi-cycle RFID tags are loaded with produce, shipped to Wal-Mart distribution centers, then on to stores. When empty, containers are collapsed, returned for cleaning, reuse. Test calls for each container to make minimum of three trips. At end of each cycle, RFID tag is tested for viability, then re-encoded for next cycle.
Produce packers include Tanimura & Antle, Spreckels, CA; Stemilt Growers Inc., Wenatchee, WA; Frontera Produce Ltd., Edinburg, TX; using reusable containers from IFCO Systems NA, Inc., RPC Management Services Division, Tampa, FL; Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, GA; ORBIS Corp., Oconomowoc, WI.
Technology supplier participants include The Kennedy Group, Cleveland, OH; Avery Dennison RFID, Clinton, SC; Alien Technology, Morgan Hill, CA; UPM Raflatac, Fletcher, NC; Impinj Inc., Seattle, WA. Upon completion in spring 2008, RPCC intends to develop economic model for integrating RFID tags with reusable transport packaging. Quality Logistics Management, Sausalito, CA, an EPCglobal-certified Solutions Provider, which is collecting/analyzing data from trial, plans to present results in industry white paper. RFID tagging offers potential to increase supply chain visibility, real-time shipment traceability; reduce errors, costs, container loss; improve control of assets; boost return-on-investment for reusable containers.

Follow-Up: At ORBIS, +1 888-307-2185, on info@orbiscorporation.com; Link: www.orbiscorporation.com.

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Specialty packaging helps sell gift cards

Decorative tins, boxes, plush carriers, other packaging from Seastone, Provo, UT, house gift cards, boost sales for gift that never needs to be returned.

Consumer appeal boosts gift card packaging sales 250% to more than 100 million units in 2007 versus about 40 million in 2006. Customers include major retailers like Kohl’s, Albertson’s, Home Depot, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walgreens, Wal-Mart. “While gift card sales continue to rise at a steady pace, gift card packaging has exploded as a product category,” says Eric Child, president of Seastone, which pioneered packaging concept. Survey by Comdata, Brentwood, TN, a specialist in electronic payments, shows 57% of consumers are more likely to purchase gift card with special packaging, 45% are more likely to purchase gift card in decorative tin.

Follow-Up: Sales Department, +1 801-762-0088, sales@seastone.com; Link: www.seastone.com.

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Wraparound labeler earns Oscar de l’Emballage Award

PatternJet wraparound labeling system from Nordson Corp., Duluth, GA, wins French packaging industry’s highest honor in Production Equipment Award category.

Presented at 52nd annual Oscar de l’Emballage Awards event in November 2007, PatternJet high-speed labeling system was among 14 winners honored. Judges considered 100 nominations based on technical innovation, design, trade performance in packaging categories including consumables, distribution, production, environment. PatternJet’s closed, noncirculating labeling system accurately controls temperature, prevents adhesive degradation, contamination. Gear-to-line pump technology consistently applies adhesive at any line speed to containers of various shapes, sizes, reduces adhesive waste, and eliminates angel hair. Compared with traditional wheel pot applicators, PatternJet delivers higher efficiency, significant adhesive savings, and lower cost.

Follow-Up: Marketing Department, +1 800-683-2314; Link: www.nordson.com.

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‘Branded’ code makes individual eggs traceable

Each egg now sold by Giant Food Stores, LLC, Carlisle, PA, carries expiration date, tracking code. Retailer will add other messages in coming months.

EggFusion, Deerfield, IL, laser codes permanent expiration date, tracking code on Nature’s Promise and store brand eggs destined for Giant Food Stores, Martins Food Markets outlets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia. Expiration date in month/day format is readily decipherable to help consumer quickly determine freshness. Inputting tracking code on GiantFreshEgg.com calls up information about where, when egg was packed. Introduction of codes on eggs, says Steve Fanion, vp Dairy, Giant Food Stores, eliminates “guesswork and easily informs customers if the eggs in their refrigerator are fresh.”

Follow-Up: Sales Department, +1 312-324-0118, sales@EggFusion.com; Link: www.EggFusion.com.

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Investor buys into supplier of on-demand box-making machines

Peterson Partners, Salt Lake City, UT, invests $4.6 million in Packsize Corp., also of Salt Lake City. Packsize eliminates need for carrying large inventories of corrugated boxes with on-demand, in-house box-making system that converts fanfolded corrugated into required box style/size.

Founded more than 20 years ago in Europe as Emsize, firm also supplies fanfolded corrugated. “Manufacturing in the US has transitioned to become lean and extremely flexible, which requires a new approach to how corrugated packaging is provided,” says Hanko Kiessner, founder/ceo of Packsize.

Follow-Up: Hanko Kiessner, +1 801-944-4814, hanko.kiessner@packsize.com; Link: www.packsize.com.

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Changeover: Pregis…SDA…Tonejet…Chesapeake…RIA…

Kevin J. Baudhuin joins Pregis Corp., Deerfield, IL, as president, Protective Packaging North America, replacing Andy Brewer, who left company in November 2007; Baudhuin comes to Pregis from BOC Group plc, where he most recently served as president, Industrial and Special Products North America…The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), Washington, DC, brings Douglas M. Troutman aboard as director of government affairs; Troutman possesses more than 15 years’ Capitol Hill, lobbying experience, joins SDA from position as senior manager, legislative affairs at Washington, DC, office of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Northbrook, IL; background also includes stint as legislative aide to US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), law degree from Villanova University School of Law, Philadelphia, PA…Digital printing specialist, Tonejet, Cambridge, UK, appoints Ray Southam ceo to lead company into industrial, commercial printing industries; Southam, who joined Tonejet in November 2007, hails from Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd. where he served as cfo for past decade…Board of directors at Chesapeake Corp., Richmond, VA, elects Mary Jane Hellyar, evp, Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, NY, as director; Hellyar, who also serves as president of Kodak’s Film Products Group, replaces Dr. Frank S. Royal, who retires for health reasons…Richard Litt, founder/chairman/ceo, Genesis Systems Group, LLC, Davenport, IA, becomes president of Robotic Industries Association (RIA), Ann Arbor, MI; Litt, the 18th president of RIA, is first from integrator’s ranks…

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Upstream: RFID…glut of PET…Nanotech…HBA…IML…

Global RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) – ROI (Return on Investment) Summit 2008, presented by World Trade Group, London, UK, 29-30 January 2008 at Messe München International, Munich, Germany, brings together leading practitioners from cross section of industries; agenda includes keynote address, Building Radio Frequency Identification for the Global Environment…The Packaging Conference 2008, 4-6 February 2008 at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV, discusses how industry will absorb 2.8-million tons of polyethylene terephthalate resin coming on-stream in US, plus, innovations such as compression molding of preforms, new barrier technology; event hosts, Plastics Technologies, Inc., Holland, OH, and SBA-CCI, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, offer special registration rate until 11 January 2008 (www.thepackagingconference.com)…Officials from various federal agencies, food/drug industry representatives gather at Conference on Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy, cosponsored by Food and Drug Law Institute (www.fdli.org), Washington, DC, 28-29 February 2008 at L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington, DC; agenda includes special panel of staffers from Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC, to discuss agency’s regulation of nanotechnology…Two-track education symposium at HBA Spring Conference (www.hbaexpo.com/spring-conference.htm), 4-5 March 2008 at Javits Center in New York, NY, focuses on International Prestige Package & Design as well as Achieving Well-Being: The New Paradigm…ABCs of IML: A Basic Course, presented by RBS Technologies, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, takes place 27 March 2008 at DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center Chicago North Shore, Skokie, IL, offers introduction/refresher course on in-mold labeling (IML) with subjects such as fundamentals of extrusion blow molding, injection IML, in-mold process, production of in-mold labels…NA 2008 (Material Handling & Logistics Show and Conference, www.NAShow.com), sponsored by Material Handling Industry of America, Charlotte, NC, 21-24 April 2008 at I-X Center, Cleveland, OH, presents Andrew Winston, corporate environmental strategist, author of Green to Gold, who will discuss pressures for greener supply chains in keynote address entitled Green Wave…

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ShortRuns: Pet deaths…

Researchers at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, link deaths of more than 300 dogs, cats to consumption of melamine-tainted pet food involved in massive 2Q07 recall by Menu Foods Income Fund, Streetsville, ON, Canada, other companies; survey commissioned by American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Davis, CA, notes that other contaminants also were involved, focuses on combination of melamine, cyanuric acid, which forms crystals that can block kidneys…M-real Corp., Espoo, Finland, sells carton plant subsidiary, M-real Meulemans SA, Brussels, Belgium, to Autajon Group, Montelimar, France; deal completes M-real’s year-long restructuring plan, gives Autajon annual sales of approximately US$44 million, 240 employees…

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Copyright 2006 Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), 4350 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 600, Arlington, Virginia (USA) 22203.

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