Reusable, inflatable shipping bags maintain Rx temps for up to 48 hours

Greenbox Inflater Pack from Entropy Solutions, Minneapolis, MN, maintains small shipments of temperature-sensitive products at appropriate temperature during transit.
Inflatable outer pack with dual-seal closure consists of polyethylene film, recyclable foam, resembles padded envelope, but offers greater insulation, cushioning, withstands shock, vibration forces to 20 Gs.
Pillow panels of patented phase-change materials help Inflater Pack hold contents at 20-25o Celsius (68-77o Fahrenheit) for up to 48 hours or 2-8o C (36-46o F) for up to 24 hours. “…we have an increased level of confidence when we ship [prescriptions to consumers] using the E23 panels and the Inflater Pack,” reports James Soucey, director of Clinical Services for Wal-Mart Specialty Pharmacy, Lake Mary, FL. “Approximately 15%-20% of our medications must be kept at room temperature – if they get warmer or cooler, they lose their efficacy,” he explains, adding: “Keeping a medication at controlled room temperature during shipment has been mandated by federal and state regulatory commissions for years, but it just wasn’t possible given the options on the market.”
Reusable, recyclable Greenbox Inflater Pack cuts shipping costs in half compared to traditional single-dose shippers consisting of corrugated box, extruded polystyrene, gel pack(s). Smaller 9 x 11-inch pack weighs 1 pound; larger 12 x 14-inch size weighs 1.9 pounds.
To prepare shipment, shipper wraps product in two pillow panels of phase-change material, one liquid, one solid, secures panels with rubber band, inserts wrapped product in envelope, seals it, and punctures spot on each side to inflate it. After removing medication, mailing label, recipient replaces pillow panels in envelope, reseals it, attaches label to return it to Entropy. Reclamation center recycles outer pack, inspects, and cleans phase-change pillow panels in preparation for reuse.
Follow-up: Eric Lindquist, +1 952-941-0306, eric@entropysolutionsinc.com; Link: www.GREENBOXsystems.com.

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PACK EXPO preview: Robots handle corrugated shippers

Robotic machines from Barry-Wehmiller’s FleetwoodGoldcoWyard (FGW), Romeoville, IL, palletize, depalletize corrugated shippers.
Robotic Bulk Depalletizer with magnetic or vacuum pick-head on display at PACK EXPO International, removes full layers of products from pallets. Designed to replace multiple depalletizers, unit also removes, stacks separator sheet pallets. Robotic Rotary Case Palletizer handles up to eight stock keeping units at same time, as well as different case sizes, pallet patterns. System accepts products arriving from multiple lines, can create multi-product rainbow packaging. Barcode scanner confirms product identity. “Our new product offerings feature compact designs to save valuable floor space, handle multiple products in a single cell, utilize electro-servo-driven technology with no hydraulics, require less maintenance, and are designed to outlast conventional palletizing and depalletizing equipment,” says Richard Owens, western regional sales manager for FGW.
Follow-up: Greg Myers, +1 630-759-6800, sales@fgwa.com; Link: www.fgwa.com.

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Packaging Hall of Fame inducts five into Class of 2008

Packaging Hall of Fame inducts five career packaging professionals at ceremony on 11 November 2008.
Class of 2008 consists of Jim Goodman, Goodman Packaging, Waukegan, IL; Tom Lowery, CPP, Ethan Allen, Danbury, CT; Ben Miyares, Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), Arlington, VA; Eric Nord (posthumously), Nordson Corp., Westlake, OH; Herb Schueneman, CPP, Westpak, Inc., San Jose, CA.
Jim Goodman holds 27 patents related to top-load case packing, product handling and orienting. In 1978, six years after its founding, Goodman Packaging introduced the world’s first top-load case packer.
A long-time supporter of University of Illinois, Goodman sponsors internships, hires grads. Company also supports PMMI’s Education and Training Foundation Golf Tournament, PACK EXPO Scholarship program.
An advocate of the use of performance testing over materials standards, Tom Lowery was actively involved in the development of performance testing standards Items 180 and 181 within the National Motor Freight Classification Code (NMFCC) for general commodities/furniture. As chairman of the board of the Society for Packaging and Handling Engineers (SPHE), Lowery led effort to merge with the Packaging Institute International (PI/I) to create the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP), Naperville, IL, and was elected its first chairman in November 1989.
Miyares joined PMMI as vice president, Industry Relations in 1998. He has been active in the packaging business since 1963 — as a writer, market analyst, packaging consultant, conference organizer, commentator and frequent speaker on packaging topics. He is editor and publisher of Ben Miyares’ Packaging Management Update®, a free, weekly online publication from PMMI, which began in 1996 as the first daily packaging headline service on the Web.
Nord, who passed away in June 2008, is known throughout the industry as an inventor, engineer. He filed his first adhesive spray gun patent in 1960 and launched what became Nordson Corp. He retired as Nordson’s president in 1974, but remained ceo until 1983. His spirit of continuous innovation and belief in always finding a better way continue to influence Nordson today as does his dedication to packaging education which has benefited from donations from the company and family foundations.
Schueneman started out as a packaging engineer for Western Electric Co. where developed an award-winning returnable crating system. He moved on to Clorox Co., Oakland, CA, where he was responsible for managing the dynamics testing laboratory. His focus continues in testing first with Lansmont Corp., Monterey, CA, more recently as cofounder/president of Westpak, Inc. He also serves as an adjunct professor/instructor in packaging program at San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
The Packaging Hall of Fame, Class of 2008 will be inducted at a fund-raising reception on November 11th at the Hyatt McCormick Hotel, Chicago, IL, immediately following the close of PACK EXPO International for the day. Tickets for ceremony/reception cost $75/person, with corporate table sponsorships available at Gold, Platinum, Diamond levels. Proceeds support packaging education program through PMMI Education & Training Foundation.
Follow-up: Lara Barbarinsa, +1 888-ASK-PMMI (275-7664), lara@pmmi.org; Link: www.pmmi.org.

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PACK EXPO preview: Machines produce, fill, label containers

Sidel, Le Havre, France, showcases blowmolding, labeling, filling equipment at PACK EXPO International, 9-13 November 2008, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
In Life Cycle Management area, special calculator allows visitors to compute savings available through options, upgrades of existing equipment. Booth visitors can check out SBO 4 Compact Preferential Heating blowmolding machine producing PET containers with complex shapes; Veloce FM filler, using flowmeter technology for more precise hot-filling accuracy, higher hygiene, better product quality, energy efficiency; laydown cap sterilizer; Cap Feeder CF2024 with Hepa filter blow-off system, backward cap reject device, cap air rinsers, bulk cap dumper/tipper. On display for first time in North America, Rollquattro Evolution F35 labeler applies roll-fed or roll-on/shrink-on labels. Special animation demonstrates FlexLine, first high-speed (720 bottles/minute) line for producing lightweighted 500-millilitre containers like those using Sidel’s NoBottle design concept. “Our goal is for our customers to accomplish more with less,” says Dave Schroeder, vp, Sidel North American zone. “Less material handling, less energy, less resin, less effluent. The results are more productivity, faster output, improved performance and more cost savings. Our products and services put meaningful numbers against the concept of sustainability.”
Follow-up: Deborah Galloway, +1 678-221-3173, deborah.galloway@sidel.com; Link: www.sidel.com.

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PACK EXPO preview: In-plant system produces display canister

In-plant production system erects windowed polypropylene (PP) canister for Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky from Oberto Sausage Co., Kent, WA.
Mandrels on Velocity packaging system from Huhtamaki, De Soto, KS, form containers from PP sheet offset-printed in six colors. Thirty-count multipack canister, which will be displayed at PACK EXPO International offers improved shelf impact for product, while protecting each individually wrapped jerky stick.
Follow-up: Penny Staats, Consumer Packaging Business Unit, +1 913-583-3025, penny.staats@us.huhtamaki.com; Link: www.us.huhtamaki.com.

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PMMI adds 10 members in three categories

Board of directors of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, Arlington, VA, boosts member roster by 10. Newcomers include three General (machinery) members, three Supplier members, four Materials members.
In General category, Adept Technology, Inc., Livermore, CA, produces robotic, motion control, vision inspection systems; Arcobaleno, EZ Fill, Lancaster, PA, manufactures filling, weighing, sealing, stuffing machines; Homer City Automation, Homer City, PA, builds conveying, orienting, feeding equipment. In Component category, Baumer, Southington, CT, manufactures sensor, motion control, vision system components; KUKA Robotics Corp., Clinton Township, MI, builds container, product-handling devices; Numatics, Inc., Highland, MI, produces control, sensor, motor, pneumatic components. In Material/Containers category, Caplugs, Buffalo, NY, manufactures closures for bottles, jars; Packaging Corp. of America (PCA), Lake Forest, IL, produces paperboard, paperboard packaging; Packaging Personified, Carol Stream, IL; converts film for packaging applications; Pregis Corp., Deerfield, IL, makes bags, protective packaging materials.
Follow-up: At PMMI, Matt Croson, vp, Member Services, +1 703-516-0655, mcroson@pmmi.org; Link: www.pmmi.org; at Adept; Link: www.adept.com; at Arcobaleno; Link: www.arcobalenousa.com; at Homer City; Link: www.syntronpartsfeeders.com; at Baumer; Link: www.baumergroup.com; at KUKA; Link: www.kukarobotics.com; at Numatics; Link: www.numatics.com; at Caplugs; Link: www.caplugs.com; at PCA; Link: www.packagingcorp.com; at Packaging Personified; www.packagingpersonified.com; at Pregis, Link: www.pregis.com.

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Conference at PACK EXPO adds two sustainability sessions

Focused on sustainability, newly added Conference at PACK EXPO sessions cover new plastic closure recycling program, intellectual property issues related to sustainability.
Aveda Corp.’s Deb Darling, director, Package Development, details launch, expansion of innovative “Recycle Caps with Aveda” program during session M03 (Monday, NOV 10, 11am). Attorney Hal Fullmer, partner, Woodcock Washburn, LLP examines sustainability from intellectual property perspective in new session entitled “Leveraging IP for Sustainable Packaging Development“ (Wednesday, NOV 12, 9:20am).
Follow-up: Register for Conference at PACK EXPO at http://registration.experient-inc.com/ShowPAC082/Default.aspx?source=SS.

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Injection blowmolder maximizes output, minimizes energy use

World’s largest injection blowmolding (IBM) machine, M-175 from Jomar Corp., Pleasantville, NJ, maximizes output while minimizing space, energy, maintenance requirements.
With three-station bottle production, operation eliminates need for trimming, deflashing, scrap regranulation. As result, one multi-cavity IBM machine typically performs work of two extrusion blowmolding machines. With 175 tons of clamp force, machine runs high cavitation molds using standard resins. Unit features shut height of 10-14 inches (in.), or 254-355 millimetres (mm), maximum trigger bar of 49.25 in. (1,250.9 mm). Vertical plastifier also contributes to smaller footprint, while reducing energy requirements. Tooling development program helps with design, unit-cavity testing, production tooling, start-up services, operator training.
Follow-up: Sales Department, +1 609-646-8000, sales@jomarcorp.com; Link: www.jomarcorp.com.

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Reusable bags help retailer recycle more corrugated

Zero waste target at Sam’s Club, division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR, spawns option of reusable shopping totes in all 594 locations nationwide.
Polypropylene (PP) tote holds more than 50 pounds (lbs.), sells for $2.74/pair. Since tote replaces corrugated boxes Sam’s Club emptied, then allowed customer’s to use to haul purchases home, retailer estimates it will recycle 1,800 more bales of corrugated, package waste/year to boost recovery to 1.9 million lbs. “These new reusable bags will give our members an alternative to using the boxes we provide, and help us reach our goal of zero waste,” says Greg Johnston, evp, Operations, Sam’s Club. “We will continue to offer boxes, but believe we can increase the amount of material we recycle and further ensure we are closing that loop.” White, black bags last approximately five years, sport water, leaf icon, print that says “simple steps to saving green.” Program kicks off 1 October 2008; Sam’s accepts used PP totes for recycling.

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Water bottler increases efficiency with roll-fed labeling machine

Modular labeler improves reliability, energy efficiency, user friendliness for provider of mineral water, functional beverages.
Innoket 360 roll-fed labeler from KHS AG, Dortmund, Germany, labels more than 20 million bottles since installation in August 2008 at Heil- und Mineralquellen Germete GmbH (HMG), Warburg, Germany. “The machine operators are thrilled with how easy the machine is to operate,” says Franz-Josef Hügel, technical manager, HMG, adding, “Changeover procedures can be carried out quickly and easily, and labeling quality is of the highest standard.” Technical innovations for 50,000 bottle/hour machine include ergonomic, hygienic design, easily accessible machine parts. Segmented vacuum drum weighs 6 kilograms (kg), more than two-thirds less than nonsegmented drum, ensures easier handling, shorter changeover time. Self-sharpening cutters save money. Glue tank, gluing roller system relies on induction heating with sensors in roller shell to precisely regulate temperature within ±0.7 Celsius, ensure good bond.
Follow-up: Manfred Rueckstein, + 49 231 569-1339, manfred.rueckstein@khs.com; Link: www.khs.com.

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Clarity, barrier properties encourage use of glass

Although many products have converted to other packaging formats, glass remains popular for alcoholic beverages, especially beer, which accounts for 50% of glass container shipments worldwide.
Glass also enjoys clear preference among luxury foods, wine, super-premium spirits, according to 46-page Glass Packaging Industry: A Global Outlook report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., San Jose, CA. Clarity, barrier properties, premium image, well-developed recycling infrastructure appeal to brand owners. Other market strengthening forces include rising per capita expenditures, household incomes in developing countries, technological innovations in container production, labeling. On downside, availability of low-cost plastic containers puts pressure on glass prices, which report predicts will continue to decline for beverage applications, but rise for personal-care product applications. Report provides overview of market, tracks trends, drivers, challenges, includes market abstracts for several countries including US, Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, China, Indonesia, Mexico. Directory section indexes contact details for 167 companies worldwide. Report sells for $950.
Follow-up: Order Department, +1 408-528-9966; Link: www.strategyr.com/Glass_Packaging_Industry_Market_Report.asp.

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Pepsi Challenge powers sustainability websites

At Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (PCNAB), Purchase, NY, two interactive websites encourage consumers, employees, partners to be environmentally responsible.
PCNAB shares commitments related to sustainable packaging, water, energy at www.PepsiEcoChallenge.com. Glossary & Facts section helps visitors understand environmental sustainability while “Pepsi News” updates company projects.
“The Eco Challenge theme draws on our heritage with the Pepsi Challenge,” explains Victor Melendez, vp, Marketing, Sustainability, PCNAB. “As the website points out, today’s challenge goes beyond the cola wars. The Eco Challenge is about protecting our planet’s resources for generations to come.”
On www.PepsiRecycling.com, visitors take short quiz, pledge to recycle more bottles, cans. Sweepstakes provide opportunity to win Pepsi Stuff points, redeemable on www.pepsistuff.com for environmentally sound prizes or use in Pepsi Eco Sweeps for larger prizes.
For every point entered into Eco Sweeps, Pepsi donates $0.10 to Keep America Beautiful, Stamford, CT. Websites dovetail with parent company PepsiCo’s Performance with a Purpose vision, which sets 2015 goal of reducing consumption of water, electricity by 20%, fuel by 25% compared to 2006. Working toward that goal, Gatorade, Propel plants in US save almost 150 million gallons/year with conversion to proprietary air-rinse technology to clean newly manufactured polyethylene terephthalate bottles.

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RFID tags help logs move quickly to right place

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to individual logs expedite production for log house manufacturer, Honkarakenne, Tuusula, Finland, help in building process too.
After each log is cut to correct measurements, Honkarakenne attaches ultra-high frequency EPC Gen 2 ShortDipole tag from UPM Raflatac, Tampere, Finland. Tag contains instructions for subsequent production steps so readers along production line can activate automated equipment as necessary. Vision system checks logs for accuracy before shipping. At construction stage, tags indicate correct location for each log. Honkarakenne, one of first firms to apply RFID tags to construction products, finds it now can manufacture materials for more than one house simultaneously. “Unlike the barcode technology we used before, the RFID tags do not require a direct line of sight with the reader, and they function faultlessly even in demanding industrial environments,” explains Olavi Piispanen, maintenance manager, Honkarakenne. “We have achieved excellent read rates, so it is no longer necessary to identify logs manually.”
Follow-up: Link: www.upmraflatac.com.

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Study highlights private-label beverage trends

Private Label Beverages & Contract Packing in the US, 2008 study from Beverage Marketing Corp., New York, NY, organizes statistics by beverage type.
Text, graphs, charts define trends in contract packaging of carbonated soft drinks, fruit beverages, alcoholic beverages, milk, bottled water, ready-to-drink tea, sports/energy drinks. Report lists contract packers by region, type of beverage, process, packaging formats. One 300-page volume costs $4,095; single-user CD, $4,195; both formats, $4,395 with multi-user discounts available.
Follow-up: Charlene Salito, +1 212-688-7640, ext. 1962; Link: http://beveragemarketingusa.com/dbm83/l.html?90478&57256.

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Beverage study highlights CSD market

Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) in the US, 2008 study covers trends in packaging, brands, distribution.
Study published by Beverage Marketing Corp. details growth, prospects for regular, diet CSDs, brand extensions. Individual chapters in 300-page report analyze packaged, fountain segments, regular, diet products, flavors, pricing, advertising, demographics. Study projects market through 2012, costs $5,395/book, $5,595 for CD (single-user), $5,795 for both.
Follow-up: Marketing Department, +1 212-688-7640; Link: http://beveragemarketingusa.com/dbm83/l.html?90509&57256.

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Thermoformed RPET containers biodegrade

Organic additive imparts biodegradability to 100% post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) packaging from MHI, Division of CEI Inc., Teterboro, NJ.
Trays, clamshells, blisters thermoformed from Good Earth RPET sheet also meet some standards for biodegradability (ASTM 5511), compostability (ASTM 53338.98), as well as requirements for food contact.
According to MHI, RPET processor holds Letter of Non Objection for food contact from Food and Drug Administration, while additive falls into category agency classifies as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). Recycled-content, recyclable RPET packaging offers brand owners opportunity to replace virgin PET packaging, shrink carbon footprint although figure for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is not yet available. Commercial applications of 100% RPET material already include trays for frozen seafood home meal replacement sold in club stores. Good Earth RPET sheet thicknesses range from 0.008 to 40 mils. Recycled sheet requires some fine-tuning of thermoforming process but does not “affect production speeds or quality of finished packages,” says Marc Goldenberg, manager, Environmental Packaging for MHI, adding, slightly “lower production temps are used. Physical properties including heat tolerance, shelf life, clarity and other characteristics are the same as [virgin]…materials.” Recycled-content thermoforms cost about same as virgin, pose no issues to recycling stream, according to in-house tests of reground material.
Follow-up: Marc Goldenberg, +1 978-745-8876, mgoldenberg@cosmeticessence.com; Link: www.goodearthpkg.com.

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Containerboard producer takes another mill off-line

International Paper (IP), Memphis, TN, halts production on No. 2 paper machine at mill in Albany, OR.
Shutdown of 250,000-ton/year machine producing containerboard for corrugated packaging is scheduled to last at least three months, affects 40 employees. “This is a necessary near-term decision made in light of continuing high input costs, current economic conditions and our commitment to match our production to our customers’ needs,” says Glenn Landau, vp/gm of IP’s Containerboard & Recycling business. In September 2008, IP announced plans to cease containerboard production indefinitely on 430,000-ton/year No. 3 paper machine at mill in Valliant, OK.

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Changeover: Aptar…Jet Plastica…

Robert Kuhn, CPA, succeeds Stephen Hagge as cfo at AptarGroup, Crystal Lake, IL; Hagge continues as coo; Kuhn, who joined company in 1987, most recently served as vp of Financial Reporting/controller of Beauty & Home segment…Twenty-year packaging manufacturing veteran Jeff DiPasquale joins Jet Plastica Industries, Hatfield, PA, as ceo; DiPasquale leaves Graham Packaging Co. LP, York, PA, where he worked as vp/gm of personal-care, specialty products division…

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ShortRuns: HayssenSandiacre…Pregis…Caraustar…

HayssenSandiacre opens sales, service office in s’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands…New innovation center at Pregis Corp., Deerfield, IL, develops protective packaging materials, systems; firm also adds system specialists in each region to facilitate communication between innovation center personnel, customers…Carton plant in Kingston Springs, TN, owned by Caraustar Industries, Inc. receives ISO 9001:2000 Quality Certification from Moody International...Graphic Packaging International, Inc., Marietta, GA, plans to close cut-and-stack paper label manufacturing facility in St. Charles, IL, early in 2009 as part of merger integration with Altivity; move is part of company’s plan to reduce operating costs by $90 million by 2010…

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Upstream: Risk Assessment…Sustainability…REACH…

All-day seminar, How to Improve Business Process with Risk Assessment (www.pmmi.org/a/eventregistration.asp?eid=13), 9 October 2008 at The Sherwin-Williams Co., Cleveland, OH, covers why it is critical for packaging equipment suppliers, end users to adopt risk assessment; forum, co-hosted by Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, Arlington, VA, costs $125/person…Packaging Association of Canada (PAC), Toronto, ON, hosts two sessions of Essentials of Sustainable Packaging course (www.sustainablepackaging.org/essentials): 14-15 October 2008 at Hyatt Place Atlanta Airport – South, Atlanta, GA; 28-29 October 2008 at BASF Corp., Newark, NJ; course describes ways to integrate sustainability into packaging development process, costs $995 for PAC members, $1,250 for nonmembers…Webinar on REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization on use of Chemicals) Regulations: Impact on Packagers (www.iopp.org/i4a/ams/publicLogin.cfm ) takes place 10-11 a.m. Central Daylight Time, 17 October 2008; European Union packaging regulation specialist, Sebastien F. Louvion, associate, Mayer Brown International LLP, Brussels, Belgium, speaks at event sponsored by Institute of Packaging Professionals, Naperville, IL…

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

Editorial offices: 31408 Narrangansett Lane, Bay Village, Ohio (USA) 44140-1068; Tel: +1 440-892-0998; Fax: +1 440-892-0208; Email: bmiyares@packmgmt.com. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be redistributed or reproduced in any form without the written authorization of the publisher.