Converting Industry News

Published: September 01, 2000

Covering Converting Industry Updates, Installations, and Important Supplier News

Supplier News
Operating Profits Enhanced by Defect Detection Systems
EAST YONKERS, NY, USA—Excelsior Packaging Group is a high quality flexo packaging printer serving the food, baking, and garment industries. The company recently purchased five PrintVision/9000NT print defect detection systems from Advanced Vision Technology (AVT), Atlanta, GA. Arleen Neustein, Excelsior Packaging's president, learned about the PrintVision system from business associates at Ultra Flex Packaging Corp., Brooklyn, NY, which has three 9000 NT systems. After discussions with Ultra Flex's senior management and press operators, Neustein became convinced that AVT technology offered an important key to enhancing her company's operating performance.

The systems will be installed in the East Yonkers facility to operate with the plant's PCMC 60-in., eight-color press; Windmoeller & Hoelscher AstraFlex ten-color press; and Uteco Emerald ten-color press. The other two systems will be installed at the Vancouver, CA, plant to complement Uteco and Andreotti eight-color presses. According to Neustein, "Every company is looking for the technology and support to produce a better product, work more efficiently, and become more profitable. The AVT systems have consistently proven their ability to accomplish these vital goals." Visit AVT at avt-inc.com; PCMC at pcmc.com; W&H at whcorp.com; Uteco at uteco.com; and Andreotti at andreotti.it.

Multiwall Bag Is Resealable
PURCHASE, NY, USA—The Flexible Packaging business of International Paper has developed a resealable multiwall paper bag. The Serve-N-Seal bag is available in a pinch-bottom bag style and is said to be well-suited to a variety of uses, including pet food and bird seed. The proprietary bag design incorporates a pull-tab card that can be lifted to open the bag and create a convenient pour spout. Then the card can be returned to its previous position and resealed. The Serve-N-Seal bag provides protection for the package contents between uses, the company reports, and the card can be imprinted for special promotions or used as a coupon.

Mark Pfeiffer, manager segment development, says, "Our pet food customers are particularly excited about Serve-N-Seal. A bag that can be resealed has been on the top of their wish list for some time. We found an innovative use of new label and adhesive technology to deliver it to them." Visit International Paper at internationalpaper.com.

Aseptic Carton Extends Shelf Life
NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA—Fat Tuesday, a national chain of specialty drink bars has launched a line of premium retail drink mixes packaged in 9-oz Blend-A-Pak cartons from SIG Combibloc, Columbus, OH. The cartons are said to open easily because of a patented laser-cut bend-and-tear opening. The products are shelf-stable, so they don't need to be refrigerated or frozen, and aseptic processing reportedly ensures consistent flavors, colors, textures, and safety. Their block shape is said to make stacking in storage areas easy and space-efficient, and the cartons are lightweight and shatterproof. According to Gary J. Vega, Fat Tuesday VP and national sales manager, "Quality is the cornerstone on which Fat Tuesday was built, and it continues to be the focus of our future growth. SIG Combibloc's cartons and aspectic processing allow us to maintain the very highest standards of product quality over an extended shelf life, ensuring that when our product gets to the consumer, it's the best tasting drink mix on the market."

G-Flute Supplier Installs Jogger/Aerator
MILWAUKEE, WI, USA—Innovative Packaging Corp., supplier of G-flute corrugated, has installed an in-line, large-format Model A83 VA jogger/aerator load turner system from Automatan Inc., Plover, WI. Loads of G-flute are conveyed through the jogger/aerator for alignment and cleaning. All mechanical in design, the jogger/aerator offers both ergonomic and economic benefits, the co. reports, explaining that push-button operation is key in creating a safe work environment, allowing a single operator to invert, aerate, jog, and square pallet-sized loads, blowing off dust and debris in the process. Automatan provides installation and in-plant training. Visit Automatan at automatan.com.

New Package Ignites Candy Sales
MOORESVILLE, NC, USA—When Beacon Sweets launched its line of Baskin-Robbins Smooth & Creamy Hard Candy, sales were disappointing. Company executives looked closely at the package and decided to take a new approach, calling in designer Michael Brown to revamp the graphics. They also decided to switch packaging suppliers and tapped Sonoco Flexible Packaging, Hartsville, SC, for the job.

According to Richard Zulman, CEO of Beacon Sweets, "We knew we needed a more dramatic shelf presence. We also knew that simply improving the graphics wasn't enough; we also needed to improve the printing."

Sonoco is supplying eight different SKUs in a structure using a Toray 60-ga clear OPP (F61W), reverse printed and extrusion laminated to a Toray 60-ga metallized heat-sealable OPP (PWS). The 8-color packages are printed on an 11-station Cerrutti press at Sonoco's Edinburgh, IN, plant.

With just six weeks to complete the project, Sonoco turned to cylinder engraver Keating Gravure USA, Charlotte, NC, where nearly every step of the production process is handled electronically. Because Keating's Iris printer and internal proof press are "fingerprinted" to Sonoco's presses, time frames are shortened. Russ Smith, Keating Gravure service rep., explains, "This allows us to color-correct files in Charlotte and get the exact same color reproduction on Sonoco's presses hundreds of miles away." Response to the new package has been overwhelmingly positive, says Zulman. "Consumers are buying four and five bags at a time." Visit Cerrutti at cerruti.it; Toray at toray.com; and Sonoco at sonoco.com.

Tenite—A Good Deal for Cards
KINGSPORT, TN, USA—Gambling casinos use Kem Plastic Playing Cards because they are difficult to mark without detection and stand up under heavy use. These cards are made from Tenite cellulose acetate from Eastman Chemical. Cards made from this material will bend and flex without breaking and can be polished to a high surface gloss. Precision Polymer Processors, Carbondale, PA, a joint venture company of Kem Plastic Playing Cards and Gentex Corp., extrudes Tenite into sheets from which the cards are made. According to the mfr., Tenite is easy to mold, extrude, or fabricate and can be solvent-polished, cut, cemented, drilled, or decorated without difficulty. Because of its printability, it is said to be well-suited for cards and other lithographic applications. Visit Eastman Chemical at eastman.com.

Green Converting
Waxed Paper Offers Environmental Benefits
ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS—Eleven manufacturers of waxed paper and suppliers of paper and wax have formed EuroWaxPack, an international association that endeavors to raise awareness concerning the unique advantages that waxed paper offers. Walther van Oers, commercial manager of Rotterdam-based Cats Flexible Packaging says, "Waxed paper has a long history, yet marketing and packaging specialists at food manufacturers and grocery retailers are not fully aware of its benefits, one of which is outstanding gloss. With current technology it is possible to produce high-gloss waxed paper at very low grammages, which can run trouble-free on high-speed packing machines. We have combined forces to get the quality message through."

The association cites these reasons for using wax paper: positive perceptions by consumers; renewable resource; fully biodegradable; recyclable; good barrier properties; good deadfold and twist wrapping properties; can be printed with water-based inks; and no electrostatic charge.

For information contact EuroWaxPack, Laan Copes van Cattenburgh 79, 2585 EW, The Hague, Netherlands; +31-70-312-3917; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..