PACK EXPO International takes place next month and promises to be an exciting showcase of all things packaging. Taking place in Chicago, IL, PACK EXPO International will be held at the McCormick Place and feature packaging innovations from around the world. But, PACK EXPO doesn’t stop at packaging machinery companies and suppliers. The show reaches out to every aspect of the packaging industry by offering a variety of education opportunities right on the show floor (see here) along with several lounges and resource centers.

To create a better integrated industry PMMI has invited more than 30 leading packaging and processing professional associations from all over the world to come to PACK EXPO International though the PACK EXPO Partner Program (PEPP).

“PEPP is a clear example of how the packaging and processing communities come together at the PACK EXPO shows,” says Jim Pittas, vice president, Trade Shows, PMMI. “PMMI knows how important our association partnerships are to furthering our industries and our missions. The partnership program opens the door to building and strengthening those partnerships.”

This year a new center for contract packaging is popping up to help brands determine how they might be able to use a contract packager. Also, PMMI has found there is some confusion throughout the packaging industry related to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). To help packagers looking to make sense of these new laws, PACK EXPO International offers the Food Safety Summit Resource Center to lend a hand.

Contract packagers come to PACK EXPO

PMMI and the Contract Packaging Association (CPA) are bringing a new feature, the Contract Packaging Association Sourcing Center, to PACK EXPO International. The new show feature, in the Grand Concourse adjacent to the Association Pavilion, will be a showcase for the capabilities of contract packagers.

“In addition to the CPA members who will exhibit there, the Contract Packaging Association Sourcing Center will feature a display of innovative packages alongside experts who can speak to the benefits of using contract packagers,” says Charles D. Yuska, president & CEO, PMMI.

Contract packagers can provide a wide range of services to consumer goods companies (CPGs). To showcase these services and help CPGs learn what they might need, The Contract Packaging Sourcing Center will be near the entrance of the North Hall.

“The opportunity to collaborate with PMMI is very exciting. PACK EXPO consistently attracts top-level brands and buyers, and they are the target market for our messages about the role contract packagers can play,” says CPA president Chris Nutley, president, MSW Packaging. “This gives us a chance to present a full spectrum of contract packaging solutions and knowledge at the most comprehensive packaging and processing trade show in North America this year.”

PACK EXPO International is sure to be another excellent showcase of all the packaging industry is working towards, and this unique convergence of packagers, processors and brands should inspire new collaborations and innovations for the future. 

Education takes the floor

PACK EXPO International 2014 will feature free seminars throughout each day of the show, and it will all take place right on the show floor in the midst of all the action.

Innovation Stage:

The Innovation Stage at PACK EXPO brings you educational talks on breakthrough technologies and techniques with applications in a wide variety of industries. 

The Center for Trends & Technology:

The Center for Trends & Technology – Improving Production through Innovation is sponsored by Rockwell Automation® and its PartnerNetwork™ Program and is free and open to all attendees. From presentations and interactive kiosks, you’ll learn about the absolute latest technologies and emerging trends.

Presentations feature experts from Rockwell Automation, Grantek Systems, Cisco, Interstates Control Systems, Microsoft, Stone Technology and AIOE on topics like:

• Machine Safety – how safety and productivity are complementary
• The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – its impact on your supply chain operations
• The Internet of Things (IoT) – what it means for manufacturing
• Security control networks, remote support and the IoT
• Serialization – best practices in reducing risk
• Line Optimization / Performance – turning plant floor data into actionable information

Food Safety Summit Resource Center:

Stop by the Food Safety Summit Resource Center in Booth #2962 for information, one-on-one consultations and FREE presentations addressing critical food safety issues, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 

Clemson University Packaging Emporium:

By popular demand, Clemson returns to PACK EXPO with its fascinating and revealing biometric technology in a very special exhibit, the Clemson University’s CUshop. Don’t miss the chance to try out their eye-tracking technology, virtual reality and packaging insights testing for yourself. 

Reusables Learning Center:

The Reusables Learning Center, endorsed by the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), brings you free education sessions on integrating reusables into your supply chain and capitalizing on their many benefits.

The Contract Packaging Association Sourcing Center:

In this special space on the PACK EXPO International show floor, you can explore the capabilities and services of the nation’s leading contract packagers, talk with experts and find a partner whose core competency answers your needs.

In-Booth Education:

In-Depth Knowledge for Better Purchase Decisions – How can you improve your buying decisions and get more value from the purchases you make? Get to know suppliers and their products in-depth by attending their in-booth education sessions.

PACK EXPO Products Preview

Robotic integration delivers greater fulfillment efficiency  

Intelligrated’s (intelligrated.com) latest advancements in robotic integration offer manufacturers and distributors increased flexibility and deliver greater fulfillment efficiency. Intelligrated introduces the next generation of robotic mixed-load palletizing, delivering increased speed and product handling flexibility, with end-of-arm tooling that can handle multiple case sizes in a single pick. This integrated solution is ideal for direct-to-retail manufacturers looking to satisfy increasing demands by retailers for less-than-full pallet loads of mixed products and retail-ready display pallet loads. Intelligrated’s suite of Alvey® robotic mixed-load order fulfillment solutions utilize the latest advancements in robotic integration, configurable end-of-arm tooling, advanced software, controls and vision technology to automate virtually any mixed case requirement. Manufacturers and distributors can replace outdated manual handling processes with the efficiency, accuracy and cost-saving benefits of automation. 

Inspection system offers contaminant detection for rigid containers   

For manufacturers looking to provide 100% inspection for contaminants in rigid containers such as cans, bottles, and jars, the Eagle Product Inspection (eaglepi.com) Tall PRO XSDV is ideal as it uses high performance dual view x-ray technology. By analyzing and processing two images per container, the probability of detecting hard-to-find contaminants, typically in the side ridges of cans, is overcome. More than 1,000 products per minute can pass multiple inspection criteria, keeping lines running to full capacity. Overall line efficiency and downtime is further improved by remote access diagnostics of Eagle experts, reducing on-site visits. The internal shutter technology of the Tall PRO XSDV allows smaller louvers and as it can be installed over existing conveyors, the system provides a smaller footprint than other x-ray systems, with fewer maneuvers for product jams and breakages. 

VFFS bagger offers high speed bagging and enhanced sanitation features   

Model XYS08 from Triangle Package Machinery (trianglepackage.com) is a high speed, compact bagging machine designed to package nuts, rice, powders, small fresh-cut produce, and confectionery products. Model XYS08 has recently been redesigned to offer several attractive features, including the flexibility to seal bags with heat sealing or Ultrasonic welding. With this new capability, Triangle baggers can now provide Ultrasonic sealing on bag widths as small as 2.75”. Additional new features include improved frame design and a more streamlined film cage; updated controls and larger control enclosure; optional adjustable HMI; increased corrosion protection and other sanitation features. Like all X-Series VFFS Baggers from Triangle, Model XYS08 offers quick changeover of forming tubes, film rolls and sealing jaws, which allows users to run supported or unsupported film and multiple bag sizes at speeds up to 150 bags per minute.

Roll-Fed labeler for handle orientation debuts  

B & H Labeling Systems (bhlabeling.com) introduces the Marathon® XLA + O roll-fed labeler for handle orientation. This new labeler achieves label orientation on handled containers with offset spouts up to one gallon in size. Ideal for household products such as vinegar and other foods, the servo-driven Marathon XLA + O offers high speed wrap-around labeling with high operating efficiencies, fast changeovers and a low total cost of ownership. Featuring an extended infeed conveyor and dual feedscrews that orient each bottle and an orientation starwheel that controls the bottle’s rotation until the leading edge of the roll-fed label is applied, the Marathon XLA + O accurately orients labels to handles with a +/- 0.5 inch (13 mm) tolerance. Accurate, consistent label placement on containers enhances product appearance and shelf appeal. 

Case packers for stand-up pouches complement high-speed fillers

Delkor’s (delkorsystems.com) new high-speed (HSP-400) and mid-speed (MSP-200) case packers were specifically designed to package stand-up pouches in a variety of SRP (shelf-ready packaging) formats and standard interleaved shippers. To complement the latest European high-speed, stand-up pouch fillers (300 pouches/60 cases per minute) Delkor developed the HSP-400, a state-of-the-art case-packer incorporating Rockwell Automation’s iTRAK linear servo technology. At speeds of 150 pouches/30 cases per minute, this system is well matched to the majority of pouch fillers currently on the market. By combining a vision-based delta robot with a high-payload, long-stroke Fanuc M-710iC, the need for traditional collation has been eliminated. The vision-based M2iA delta robot accepts skewed or misaligned pouches (+/-25°) at maximum product rate. The M-710iC has the payload and stroke capability to load the latest SRP case designs as well as standard interleaved shippers. Semi-automated changeover allows the system to convert case styles in less than 10 minutes.

Horizontal flow wrappers flow for all automation levels

Bosch (boschpackaging.com) will also exhibit its Pack Series of horizontal flow wrappers, which range from entry-level models to fully automated technologies. For small- to mid-sized businesses, the entry-level Pack 101 offers the widest product size range currently available on wrappers in its class, with quick and easy setup and changeovers. Another offering is the Pack 401, a higher speed wrapper designed for full automation, with options such as integrating with advanced feeding technology, automatic film splicing, as well as product inspection and rejection technology. The Pack 401 is available as stand-alone equipment or can be easily combined with other packaging machines, such as Delta robotics, secondary packaging, product handling and various infeed technology for complete solutions. Additionally, the Pack series includes inverted wrappers for soft, difficult-to-handle products and multipack items, as well as long-dwell wrappers for hermetically sealed packages. 

New 20-gallon split hopper debuts

Spee-Dee (spee-dee.com) is launching its new 20-gallon Split Hopper. Spee-Dee is a leading supplier of dry product filling system solutions for the food and beverage industries. The Split Hopper is the ideal powder filler for many applications, including vertical form fill seal machines. That’s because the hoppers for these types of baggers are often several feet in the air; which makes changing tooling and cleaning very challenging. Each half of the split hopper is machined from stainless steel and is then hinged, enabling the hopper to split and swing open for easier access when changing tooling or during cleaning. Spee-Dee also offers a 16-gallon version of the Split Hopper as well.  

Robotic palletizer steps up with smaller footprint

Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. (schneiderequip.com), specializing in end-of-line solutions for case packing and palletizing needs, exhibits its newest small footprint Robotic Palletizer featuring FANUC’s new M-20ia/35, a light payload handling robot with a cable-integrated arm. Schneider’s robotic palletizer provides a simple, economical and portable robotic end-of-line palletizing solution for fluctuating production demands. Capable of picking and packing, assembling, and loading, the robotic palletizer’s long arm can pack pallets up to 70”. It easily fits into small hand palletizing spaces, making palletizing portable to where you need it. The highly rigid arm and advanced servo technology enable increased acceleration performance. This decreases cycle time; leading to higher productivity. Flexibility is built in to simplify the handling of multiple SKUs, often without the need for mechanical changeover. 

Palletizing joins full line of bulk material bagging equipment   

Haver Filling Systems, Inc. (haverusa.com), a leading provider of automated bagging and liquid filling machines, has added fully automated bag palletizing machines manufactured by Newtec Bag Palletizing to its line of bulk material packaging equipment. The low- and high-level Haver palletizers precisely stack bags that are made of various materials and filled with a wide range of dry bulk products to form compact, stable bag stacks. They are used primarily for handling bags in the food and pet food, building materials and chemical industries. There are nine series of Haver palletizers in all. They handle bags that weigh 10 to 110 pounds and have capacities ranging from 100 to 6,000 bags per hour, depending on the material, type of bag and automated options. The equipment efficiently handles various sizes of paper, polyethylene and polypropylene valve and open-mouth bags, as well as form fill seal bags.

New fill-seal and form-fill-seal machines fill dairy applications

Designed for the filling and sealing of pre-formed cups, OYSTAR USA’s (oystarusa.com) M-FS 30 Filling and Sealing Machine features a chainless drive concept allowing for automated format changes in less than 20 minutes. This significantly improves equipment availability for production and, ultimately, OEE as well by making it profitable to produce even variable packaging formats. During format change, a mobile trolley storage unit is attached to the machine. A handling device then removes a trolley from the machine and places it in the storage unit. Afterwards, a trolley with a new format is fed into the machine. This procedure repeats over and over until all of the trolleys have been replaced. Equipped with a single dosing system, the machine transports preformed cups with a fill volume of up to 600 ml and a cup height of up to 150mm.; in total, it can process up to 30,000 cups per hour across a maximum of 12 lanes. 

High-speed, automatic leak detection system debuts 

JLS Automation (jlsautomation.com) will launch its latest subset of PIVT™ (Package Integrity Validation Technologies) system. This innovative collection of technologies utilizes vacuum, vision and other sensor technologies to detect seal contamination, leaks and pinholes that lead to the loss of package integrity. The particular technology or technologies implemented is highly dependent on the nature of the package. PIVT™, which will be demonstrated on JLS’ Osprey robotic case packer, can detect leaks at high speeds and is ideal for packages that contain a brine or juice such as hot dogs, sliced luncheon meats, and sausages. Future iterations are targeted at cheese and bacon packages. This enabling technology allows a robot to identify a leaky package, at line speeds of up to 160 packages/min, and reject it. ROI is accelerated as a result of increased productivity, labor savings and ability to get more salable packages out the door in a shorter period. 

New generation machine detects leaks, sealing and labeling integrity defects 

Luceo Inspection Worldwide (luceo-inspection.com) present the new generation of ThermoSecure L. ThermoSecure L is a food packaging inspection machine that detects and rejects all packaging with poor quality sealing and with labeling or marking errors. Hygienic and ergonomic principles are at the core of the design for this new machine. The requirements of food manufacturers inspired the design of the fourth generation. This new machine was designed in accordance with the requirements of food industry manufacturers and their environments along two fundamental aspects: hygienic principles and ease of use and operation. This fully stainless steel chassis features inclined planes for the drainage of washing water. The new machine contains no glass parts, which is in line with the recommendations of the HACCP directive. Users will appreciate the machine’s operation in production, featuring the automatic change of packaging format by a motorized system with no manual settings required. During the cleaning phases, the conveyor belts can be removed in under a minute without tools.