Weekly Roundup: Industry 4.0 enhances glass bottle production in industry first

21 Jun 2019 --- Glass packaging supplier Encirc announced that is building the “world’s first” intelligent glass line at its Cheshire site, UK. Part of the Vidrala Group, Encirc will use Industry 4.0 technology to digitally connect its line from bottle production to bottle inspection in order to improve efficiency. Also, Dutch renewable chemicals company Avantium unveiled plans to open a new bioplastic plant in 2023 with the intention of becoming the market leader in the production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) polymers. Meanwhile, Tekni-Plex has completed the acquisition of three manufacturing facilities from Amcor’s Flexible Packaging business unit.

In brief: Business news
Encirc – part of the Vidrala Group – announced a four-year plan to boost glass bottle capacity by installing a new Industry 4.0 line at its Cheshire site. The installment will enable intelligent swabbing, laser identification marking and improved inspection technology using instant digital communication. “In 2018, we rebuilt a record-breaking container glass-melting furnace, the largest in existence. We didn’t stop there though, as from next year we’ll be the first glass manufacturer in the world to take advantage of an ‘Industry-4.0 Ready’ production line. Not only will these new cobotic processes help us further strengthen our market position, they will also support us in safeguarding and futureproofing our current workforce,” notes Adrian Curry, Managing Director of Encirc.

Avantium – a leading renewable chemicals company – revealed plans to open a new bioplastics plant in 2023 with the aim of instating itself as the market leader in the production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) polymers. “We expect that we need funding in place by the end of the next year of around €150 million (US$170 million), which is a combination of CAPEX, OPEX, start-up costs, working capital and running costs of this business until the plant is onstream,” comments Tom van Aken, Avantium CEO. Avantium also announced that it will be taking full ownership of the Synvina bioplastics business from joint venture partner BASF.Clariant Masterbatches' new Regional Packaging Center in Phanthong, Thailand.

Tekni-Plex completed the acquisition of three manufacturing facilities from Amcor’s Flexible Packaging business unit. The facilities – located in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Ashland, Massachusetts – provide a broad portfolio of sterilizable medical device packaging substrates including coated and uncoated Tyvek, heat-seal and cold-seal coated paper and films, medical grade laminates and die-cut lids and labels. The Amcor manufacturing facilities purchases are the eleventh acquisition Tekni-Plex has made in the past five years, supporting its strategy to grow its business through transformative acquisitions and strategic add ons.

Clariant Masterbatches announced that it is ramping up its support for packaging industry customers in Asia Pacific by creating a Regional Packaging Center (RPC) in its Phanthong manufacturing facility in Thailand. The RPC will be introduced during InterPlas Thailand 2019, which is part of Manufacturing Expo being held in Bangkok, June 19 – 22. Clariant is exhibiting on Stand 4B27.

In Brief: Miscellaneous
A survey commissioned by Stora Enso and Valio found that more than half of Finnish youths prefer cartonboard packaging over plastic packaging when choosing food products. The renewability of the packaging material is important especially for those young people who are most concerned about climate change. The survey carried out in May 2019 shows that four out of five Finnish youths aged 15–29 are worried about climate change. Three out of four would rather choose food packaged in cartonboard than in plastic.Proseal's new ultra-hygienic conveyor.

Tray sealing specialist Proseal launched a new ultra-hygienic conveyor to help food manufacturers meet the highest food quality and safety standards. The next generation OC Conveyor incorporates a number of unique features that avoid potential food traps, together with an enhanced design which ensures fast and thorough cleaning during wash down. The new fully folded construction of the conveyor has removed any box sections or tubing. These are areas where food can sometimes fall or become trapped. In particular, sealed tubes have the potential for bacteria to develop if the integrity of the tube is breached in any way, for example, through a small hole or crack in the weld since the inside of the tube cannot be cleaned.

Lamipak – a producer of high-quality aseptic packaging – launched its All Brown Board product “LamiNatural.” One of the distinct features of LamiNatural is the absence of a layer of white clay coating. This exposes the unbleached paper underneath and gives the product its natural brown fiber appearance. Besides aesthetics, the overall weight of the product becomes lighter and reduces the carbon footprint to manufacture and transport the package. Another added benefit of the design is lower wastage and chemical use – this not only increases the yield of the product but also eases the stress of consumption on natural resources.inner-ēco's new design for its Probiotic Coconut Water line.

Deviation Distilling unveiled new gin bottles with digitally printed labels that are applied to the back of the bottle but visible from the front. American Label created the pressure-sensitive label design using an HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press printer. “Up until a few years ago, this probably wouldn’t have been possible. HP changed its formulation of white ink, and that really was helpful in this. The premium white is more opaque, and it helped us get where we needed with the opacity,” explains Rob Bullen, Digital Label Specialist for American Label.

inner-ēco, a leader in the booming probiotic industry, announced a bold new look for its Probiotic Coconut Water line. The new logo and package, designed to appeal to the health-conscious community, boasts a modern look. “Consumers have embraced inner-ēco since its inception because our products are so effective and high quality,” says Barb Vogel, Co-Founder and CEO of inner-ēco. “We are excited to share our refreshed look, which mimics inner-ēco's mantra: a serious probiotic with a bubbly personality.”