Pre-show research undertaken by organiser Reed Exhibitions reveals there is likely to be strong buying culture among visitors, with 60% of those questioned indicating that they intend to make a capital investment within the next 12 months. Issues identified as key for this year's show include sustainability, packaging minimisation, the implications of packaging-related legislation, energy issues and conservation and “functional” packaging. The exhibition will also see the presentation, on the evening of May 15, of IOP: The Packaging Society's 2007 Starpack Awards, celebrating the best in innovation from the leading lights in the UK packaging sector.
Here, in the first of three show preview,s Packaging Today highlights some of the most interesting and innovative new equipment, packs and materials set to be shown in Birmingham.
For more information visit: www.totalexhibition.com
Aetna to show latest end-of-line additions
Aetna will exhibit new additions to its comprehensive range of end-of-line machinery with equipment from Robopac, Dimac and Euroimpianti. On show will be a range of semi-automatic pallet stretchwrappers for pallets and trolleys, including the flagship Rotoplat 506, as well as Aetna's mobile battery-operated palletwrapper, and the new Jolly turntable entry-level system.
Visitors looking for high-speed palletwrapping equipment can view the “ever-popular” Robopac Helix fully automatic system, one of an order of three bound for a UK customer. The Helix now operates in over 100 UK factories.
Aetna will also show the Euroimpianti pallet handling automated laser guided vehicle (LGV) and a Euroimpianti Skilled 504 robotic palletiser which, in a 360° working area, can palletise up to 1,600 boxes/hour with a guaranteed positional accuracy to +/-0.5mm.
Hall 5, Stand 5766
PFM to mark 20 years in business at show
Alongside its Scirocco flowwrapper with auto-feeder and popular Vetta 3348 vertical form/fill/seal machine, PFM Packaging Machinery, which celebrates 20 years in business at this year's Total, will introduce its new Pearl flowwrapper.
Originally developed for a specific customer, the Pearl is now being targeted at the bakery, confectionery and produce markets, and, due to its versatility, is said to be ideal for companies producing multiple size packs and for contract packers. The fully servo horizontal wrapper produces a pillow-style pack in a variety of different sizes from a flat reel of heatsealable film.
Shown alongside the Pearl will be the Scirocco, a high-speed, long dwell, high integrity seal flowwrap machine for MAP applications, which will be exhibited with an automatic feeding system. PFM will also show its Vetta 3348 vertical form/fill/seal machine, designed to produce bags with rigid corners, EasyPak recloseable bags, zip bags and doy-style stand-up pouches.
Hall 5, Stand 5360
Robust plastic container range on show from CurTec
Specialist in the design, manufacture and sale of robust plastic containers for the storage and shipment of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients CurTec UK will present its full range, including the Packo small volume containers, Click Pack nestable containers, wide neck and conductive kegs and its new Kiuso nestable container. Capacities range from 300ml-110 litres.
Hall 3, Stand 3026
DataLase to show new casemark applicator
Originator of the DataLase colour change chemistry process DataLase will unveil a new applicator for its recently launched Casemark tape for applying the material directly onto secondary packaging such as shipping crates. The tape incorporates DataLase ink which, when exposed to a low power CO2 laser, changes from white to black, producing a positive image. With the new tape the company says packers and manufacturers can now cost-effectively position variable data such as barcodes on secondary packs precisely where it is required.
Hall 4, Stand 4231
Intelligent checkweighers / metal detectors from Loma
Loma's new IQ3 combined checkweighing and metal detection system and recently launched X4 and “entry-level” XR X-ray systems will take pride of place on the Loma/Cintex stand.
Loma claims its IQ3 metal detectors “lead the field” in sensitivity, stability and reliability. The “true frequency” machines can select the “correct” operating frequency for use with different materials in seconds, while the “revolutionary” case and coil geometry reportedly deliver a quantum leap in immunity from vibration, electrical interference and thermal shock. With IP69K environmental protection, the IQ3 can also incorporate LomaEnet, an Ethernet reports capture and information management system that allows users to view and archive reports to comply with HACCP and weight legislation.
The new Loma X4 range of X-ray inspection systems, claimed to be the market's most advanced, feature a new high-speed USB sensor and windows XP operating system. Product set-up is automated and can be accomplished with minimal operator training. The high-speed technology maximises sensitivity to metal and non-metallic contaminants such as glass, stone, calcified bones, high-density plastic and rubber.
Hall 5, Stand 5321
Lock n' Pop helps keep pallets secure
Limpet Tapes will show the latest development of its Lock n'Pop pallet stabilisation system. Limpet says that, with the cost of stretchwrap showing sharp increases due to high oil prices, Lock n' Pop has become “an even cheaper” alternative, with customers befitting from no price increase last year. Switching from stretchwrap to Lock n' Pop can, Limpet claims, also reduce carbon dioxide generated by 99%. The FDA-approved system can be used on a wide range of materials and allows partial pallet de-stacking without affecting the stability of the remaining load.
Hall 5, Stand 5717
Bespoke snackfood system has giant ability
Ishida Europe says its ability to devise complete packaging lines will be demonstrated by the bespoke integrated snackfood packing system, the Atlas iTPS, being shown alongside the company's “ground-breaking” QX-1100 traysealer, the new IX-GA x-ray system, a “specialist” FFW multihead weigher for fresh food applications and the versatile R Series multihead weigher.
A dedicated packaging system for all types of snack products, the Atlas iTPS comprises an R Series multihead weigher, Atlas high-speed bagmaker, seal tester and checkweigher, and is operated by a single control panel which can be located at any part of the line and can be operated at up to 180 packs/min.
Ishida's recently introduced IX-GA x-ray inspection system will be demonstrated in conjunction with the company's latest DACS-W-CTS checkweigher. The IX-GA can detect and pinpoint foreign bodies including steel, aluminium, tin, glass, stones, hard rubber, plastic, bones and shells down to 0.3mm in size in a wide range of both packed and unpacked foods.
The new “streamlined” high speed QX-1100 traysealer, meanwhile, can topseal trays at up to 200/min, which Ishida says makes it the market's fastest twin-lane traysealer.
Hall 5, Stand 5510
Enhancing security on pharma packaging
MediSeal, part of sachet, blister and cartoning machine manufacturer Körber Medipak, will demonstrate its Last Stage Customisation “logistics” system, whereby 2D matrix codes can be used as a key security feature on pharmaceutical packaging
At the system's heart is a logistics module - the BIB-BOB, which takes unprinted pharmaceutical blisters incorporating a 2D matrix code, which identifies the batch and product, automatically from the packaging line and stacks then in a bulk hopper. The blisters can then be fed back subsequently into the cartoning system, at which stage the code is clearly identified; the country and product details are then applied. Pharmaceutical security is reportedly “guaranteed” by applying the identification feature in the blister machine - both via verification and via ejection of defective blisters from the cartoner.
The mobile BIB-BOB module can be linked quickly and simply to different cartoning systems or complete packaging lines. This means that, for example, small country-specific packaging lots can be combined in one blister machine, substantially reducing downtime. MediSeal says simulations have shown that, with the LSC concept, overall line efficiency of packaging operations increases by 15-25%. At Total the firm will demonstrate the LSC process on a CP400e blister machine.
Hall 5, Stand 5760
Leak detection guaranteed
On show from Warrington-based gas safety, control, mixing and analysis equipment specialist Witt Gas Techniques will be the company's new automatic in-line micro leak detection system Leak-Master Mapmax.
Designed to carry out automatic quality control on the entire packaging line, the detector is non-destructive and uses CO2 detection in place of “costly” helium testing. A portable Leak-Master micro leak detection system with user-friendly touchscreen will be shown working using CO2 as a trace gas, while Total visitors can also see Witt's Pack-Vac leak detection system which uses water and is available in two versions - one with a special attachment for testing vacuum packs.
Also highlighted will be the PA-02 and PA-02/C02 analysers for measuring oxygen and carbon dioxide content in MAP packaging, and the latest version of Witt's can/ bottle piercer attachment, in tandem with the Oxybaby V hand-held gas analyser for verifying the 02 and C02 content in the headspace of drinks cans and bottles.
Hall 5, Stand 5417
OK to show re-designed case liner
OK International is to exhibit its re-designed Superliner SL220 stainless steel case liner. It incorporates enhanced controls and an improved sequence that enables the machine to run at up to 18 cycles/min. The unit makes bags with an adjustable length from rolls of gusseted tubing. The bag is then opened and placed into a case, crate, drum or tray with the neck cuffed over the edges, providing a hygienic container ready for filling with a variety of food and non-food products.
Other standard features include a dual roll holder for easy loading and changing of the rolls of film, a stainless steel conveyor and Allen Bradley controls with self-diagnostics.
Hall 4, Stand 4131
Manufacturer of first Tetra Pak machine will premier rotary cartoner
Curti Group, which says it manufactured and supplied the Tetra Pak machine which “changed the aseptic filling into cartons philosophy” a few decades ago”, will show, for the first time in the UK, its new AVM rotary cartoner for the pharma industry.
The “unique” machine, to be showcased on the joint Excel Packaging Machinery/PAP Services stand, accommodates the new, patented Ecogenius carton, made from a single flat blank sheet. Developed by Curti in-house, the carton can reportedly reduce the material costs entailed in packaging glass products such as ampoules, vials, syringes and carpules by between 10 and 35%. Based in Bologna, Italy, Curti produces vertical and horizontal cartoners, casepackers, micro-bloc packer/palletisers and bespoke, high-speed automation machinery.
Hall 5, Stand 5665
Aetna says using LGVs open up line layouts to allow maximum passage across production and warehouse areas LGV PFM's Pearl flowwrapper will make its Total debut PFM_Pearl CurTec UK will show a wide range of its robust plastic containers PackagingNlandscape DataLase will unveil its Casemark tape applicator Datalase Loma claims its new X4 x-ray inspection systems are the market's most advanced X4 Application of Limpet Tapes' Lock n' Pop product in progress SackApplication The Atlas iTPS is operated by a single control panel Atlas_Screen One of the magazines used in the MediSeal BIB-BOB module MediSealMagazin The Leak-Master Mapmax micro leak detection system Mapmax300dpi Curti's new Ecogenius carton is made from a single flat blank Ampoule_package OK International's Superliner SL 220 case liner features Allen Bradley controls superliner220
