Empack 2024 preview: Palletizing, filling and packaging innovations to take center stage

05 Apr 2024 --- Empack 2024 in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, is inviting visitors to explore the latest innovations for filling machines, label technology, materials and industrial packaging solutions.

Between April 9–11, automation will play a significant role at the trade show. Under the banner of Automation4Packaging, exhibitors will showcase high-tech machines, robotics, sensors and software designed to optimize the packaging process.

Empack’s goal is to assist customers in configuring their processes efficiently by improving packaging quality and consistency efficiently, boosting productivity, reducing labor costs and shortening turnaround times.

Smart Robotics will showcase its Smart Palletizer at the show. Jonathan Kruisselbrink, the company’s CCO, tells Packaging Insights that with the Smart Palletizer, Smart Robotics supports customers in markets including pharma and food to overcome various challenges in their production or fulfillment process.

Challenges include growing labor shortages, increasing consumer demand and variety and the need for efficiency while decreasing operating costs.

The Smart Robotics/CPS set-up was also presented at Anuga FoodTec in Cologne (Image credit: Smart Robotics).The Smart Palletizer can handle various products and stacking patterns. It can be tailored to comply with changing market demands and customer needs.

The Smart Palletizer allows customers to improve operational accuracy and efficiency without major changes to the existing process. The company’s Technology Trinity ensures reliable and uninterrupted operation, helping to save time and costs and scale businesses.

Filling and sealing innovations
Meanwhile, GKS Packaging will bring three machines to the show floor, a company spokesperson tells us.

The company’s vertical form, fill and seal machines create bags from a flat film from the reel. The machines are suitable for packing many types of food and non-food products.

The Mini has a compact modular design and is constructed out of stainless steel. This design results in a high build quality and robust construction. Due to its low height and small footprint the machine is versatile and can be used in small production areas and industrial environments.

With its large range in pack sizes (40 up to 160 mm bag width and unlimited bag length) and a capacity up to 70 bags per minute, the mini machine can be used in a wide variety of packaging situations. In the standard configuration it produces pillow bags. Optionally the machine can also produce self-standing bags.

Meanwhile, the Flex-Series, of which GKS Packaging will present its M and L machinery, offers a hygienic design and is constructed from stainless steel. Together with the open construction, this makes the machine very easy to clean. The range was developed for industrial packaging houses and smaller packers in need of a flexible machine for their packaging process.Wipak will exhibit its Flowpack solution at Empack 2024 (Image credit: Wipak).

The Flex-M is suitable for packing a variety of food and non-food products. The stainless steel machines offer reliability, flexibility and hygiene. Due to their open construction, the machines are easy to clean.

PPWR-compliant food packs
Empack will also see Wipak present its GreenChoice packaging products.

The packaging provider will showcase products that are available on the European market and invite its customers to discuss latest solutions that are compliant with upcoming legislations, such as the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

“[GreenChoice] is our next step in contributing to a cleaner environment on the product side of our business, enabling customers to choose from renewable, recyclable and recycled packaging,” a Wipak spokesperson tells Packaging Insights.

The packaging provider will showcase its PP- and PE-based packaging solutions, which are designed for recycling.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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