Beyond The Headlines: ProAmpac exhibits frozen food packs, Osaro launches AI-powered depalletizer

23 Feb 2024 --- This week in industry news, ProAmpac announced it is showcasing its frozen food packaging portfolio at this year’s American Frozen Food Institute Convention. Meanwhile, machine-learning robotics manufacturer Osaro marketed its depalletizing system and Avery Dennison conducted a semi-industrial trial to assess label releasability.

In brief: Packaging innovations
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, announced its participation at the American Frozen Food Institute Convention 2024. Featuring ProActive Recyclable Paper RP-1000 and ProActive Recyclable R-2000 film series, ProAmpac will display its latest sustainability offerings for frozen food applications. 

Tim Hortons restaurants across Prince Edward Island, Canada, began a 12-week test of plastic-free, fiber hot beverage lids to reduce the use of single-use plastics. The goal of the trial is to work toward developing a guest-friendly alternative to plastic lids that are easier to compost or recycle. Over the past year, Tim Hortons has transitioned a number of packaging items in an effort to help reduce the use of single-use plastics, including introducing wooden and fiber cutlery and replacing plastic lids on loaded bowls with fiber lids.

Tim Hortons is trialing fiber-based lids for hot beverages.Paper bottle company Paboco launched the Next Gen Paper Bottle by initiating full-scale production, marking a milestone toward a more sustainable future. The paper-based bottle offers a minimal barrier solution while staying fully recyclable as paper packaging. With a new state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Slangerup, Denmark, Paboco is gearing up for full-scale production. The company aims to deliver over 20 million paper bottles by the end of 2025. 

In brief: Tech and label news
Osaro, a machine-learning-enabled robotics for e-commerce company, launched the Osaro Robotic Depalletization System. The advanced warehouse automation system is equipped with Osaro SightWorks Perception Software, which enables the robot to recognize, select and grasp the varied sizes and materials of unevenly stacked packages commonly found on mixed-case pallets that arrive at a loading dock. Osaro’s precise perception technology can recognize foreign objects or damaged boxes, and alert workers so the hazard can be removed before injury or further damage. 

JBT’s Proseal released the Case De-Stacker (CDS), designed to innovate packaging efficiency and streamline operations. The CDS is a fully automated system aimed at enhancing the efficiency of its market-leading case packing equipment. By automating the de-stacking process, manual handling demands are reduced, allowing operators to focus on higher-value tasks while ensuring operational speed and safety.

Avery Dennison conducted a semi-industrial trial to assess label releasability and the quality of recycled packaging flakes during the rigid high-density PE (HDPE) recycling process, in cooperation with The National Test center Circular Plastics. The results demonstrate that Avery Dennison’s standard adhesion filmic label solutions for FMCG applications are fully released from the HDPE packaging during the recycling process even under cold wash conditions. The results further show that current requirements for label adhesives to wash off in either hot or cold temperatures will have little impact on label releasability during recycling. Osaro’s new robotic system can recognize, select and grasp unevenly stacked packages.

In brief: Investments, acquisitions and certifications
Nulogy, a supply chain collaboration solutions provider, announced it has secured a strategic investment from Rubicon Technology Partners, a growth-oriented private equity firm based in Boulder, US, that is focused exclusively on investing in and growing enterprise software companies. The investment by Rubicon will accelerate Nulogy’s growth strategy as the company continues to scale through new product innovation and go-to-market expansion, while aiming to deliver greater value and service to its existing customers.

IFCO, a provider of reusable packaging containers, announced the acquisition of Bepco, a reusable packaging pooling company based in Tallinn, Estonia. Bepco operates a meat and dairy crate pool in the Baltics. The acquisition of Bepco enables IFCO to expand its market presence and diversify its product portfolio in the region. By joining forces with Bepco, IFCO aims to leverage the combined expertise, resources and technological capabilities of both organizations to address evolving customer needs in the Baltics.

Siegwerk received a CDP Scoring B for its actions and contributions to minimize impact on climate change. This is the first year that the company participated in disclosing its climate-related strategy and initiatives through CDP, one of the most widely commended and internationally recognized climate and environmental disclosure and scoring platforms. The CDP scoring scale ranges from A to D, where companies with an A score are among the most transparent when it comes to disclosure and performance of their climate actions. 

By Natalie Schwertheim