Weekly Roundup: Antares Vision launches F&B packaging inspection series, PulPac receives funding for fiber-forming tech

22 Jul 2022 --- This week in industry news, Antares Vision Group introduced a series of packaging inspection machines for F&B applications. Meanwhile, PulPac’s project to pioneer Dry Molded Fiber sourced from agricultural residues received more financial support, and Berry teamed up with Hitam to sell disinfectant wet wipes in a refillable container. 

In brief: Packaging inspection
Antares Vision Group introduced a new series of inspection machines offering comprehensive and customizable packaging inspection for F&B applications. To meet wide-ranging customer quality control needs, the company’s All-in-One equipment portfolio incorporates multiple inspection controls into single machines, maximizing production space and workforce efficiencies while offering exemplary quality assurance. 

In brief: Environmental sustainability 
PulPac’s project for fiber forming technology and its potential to operate with fiber sourced from agricultural residues received financial support for R&D and testing within the Eurostars innovation program. Bio-Lutions provides the agricultural residues. The scope is to design, build and test a prototype of a dry molded fiber machine by adapting standard components traditionally used for the production of plastic products. The aim is to validate components for international packaging markets that can use agricultural residues as inputs besides standard pulp. PulPac will address the technical challenge, while Bio-Lutions will support operational requirements and conduct pilot tests with its unique fibcro fibers.PulPac received funding for fiber-forming tech.

Itsu swapped the packaging for its instant udon noodles to the K3 packaging solution from Greiner Packaging UK and Ireland. The K3 packaging features a lightweight PP plastic cup wrapped in a removable cardboard sleeve that features a patented tear-tab so that consumers can easily and intuitively separate the materials for recycling.

Itsu’s K3 packaging is a lightweight PP plastic cup wrapped in a removable cardboard sleeve.Berry teamed up with Hitam to sell disinfectant wet wipes in a practical 5.3 L container, which is a special refinement of the Paintainer pail. Berry’s refillable and airtight wet wipes container with a resealable cap in the lid provides convenience and hygiene for French chemical and analytical consultancy Hitam. It also offers environmental sustainability benefits through its re-usability and monomaterial construction. In addition, the Berry container is durable, reusable and refillable. Each Paintainer pail also provides space for more wipes than the former pack, meaning the ratio between plastic packaging and wipes has changed with the benefit of extra wipes, which is said to reduce the need for plastic.

Canpack Group announced that its ambitious new emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the independent science-based body which promotes best practice in the scientific sphere. SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature. This global body has enabled businesses to set emissions reduction targets in line with climate science and the Paris Agreement.

Berry teamed up with Hitam to sell disinfectant wet wipes in a refillable 5.3l container.In brief: Pouches 
Beumer introduced the BG Line Sorter and BG Pouch System, which utilizes next-generation technology to respectively deliver flexibility and scalability for mid-size-volume operations to mitigate rising demand for e-commerce organizations in the North American region. The BG Line Sorter solution extends the handling mix of parcel and material handling operations by allowing them to sort the widest possible range of items while utilizing a modular design to ensure flexibility to optimize the use of space. With the ability to be reconfigured or upgraded throughout its lifetime with minimal system downtime, Beumer provides the scalability to respond to future business growth with the ease of a plug-and-play operation. 

In brief: Acquisitions
Mill Rock Capital, a growth and operations oriented private investment firm, announced that its portfolio company Mill Rock Packaging Partnersacquired Impressions, a specialty packaging and printing company specializing in the complete production of custom folding cartons and ancillary products for various end markets. Mill Rock Packaging is a growth-oriented specialty packaging company focused on leading design, innovation and technology, strong operational capabilities and customer service.The new Cutlerease stand.

Peli Products Germany, a company focused on design and manufacture of high-performance protective cases, temperature-controlled packaging solutions and advanced portable lighting systems, acquired HVB Kunststofftechnik’s injection and roto-molding business, Peli’s German-based manufacturing partner for the last 14 years. Since the beginning of the partnership in 2008, Peli has been investing in local production of an increasing number of cases – both injection-molded and roto-molded. This is consistent with Peli’s strategy to boost local capabilities that provide an improved customer experience by lowering lead times of supply as well as helping to achieve its global sustainability commitment. It is expected that additional investments will be deployed in the very near future at the manufacturing site to further increase the share of products “Made in Germany.”

In brief: Miscellaneous 
Waddington North America, a Novolex brand, introduced a new stand for Cutlerease, a patented dispenser that offers customers one disposable utensil at a time. The new stand allows Cutlerease to be set up anywhere, saving space for foodservice operations. The stand is available for the triple-tower base to hold forks, knives and spoons or any combination of the three types of utensils. It is 28 inches high and is both sturdy and easy to assemble. This triple-tower stand adds to the already versatile Cutlerease line-up, which includes the single and double bases that are ideal for small counters.

Markem-Imaje, a provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions and industrial marking and coding systems, launched the SmartLase C600, a 60-watt CO2 laser printer. Designed with speed and reliability, the SmartLase C600 is the fastest and most powerful CO2 laser in Markem-Imaje’s range. It is said to deliver “high-quality”, chemical-free, permanent coding and indelible marking to protect against counterfeiting on a variety of surfaces, including PET bottles, glass, labels, confectionery labels, flexible films, inked paper and carton and coated metals.

By Natalie Schwertheim