GEA claims higher packing speeds with top-filled Doy-style bags
The EasyDoy - demonstrated at the IFFA meat trade show in Germany this month on a GEA SmartPacker CX400 machine - is suitable for products including nuts, dried fruit, confectionery, cheese, meats and vegetables, with speeds of up to 80 bags per minute, said the manufacturer.
GEA SmartPacker CX400
An EasyDoy bag measuring about 200 x 300mm is suitable for 750g of Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) products such as vegetables or nuggets, running at high speed, GEA Food Solutions product sales manager Roel Billekens told BakeryandSnacks.
“Doy-style bags are growing in popularity because they can be formed on the vertical flow packer. The result is a stand-up bag format that is both attractive and efficient in terms of shelf space in the retail outlet,” he said. “Unlike regular Doy-style bags, which are made on the flowpacker in a ‘landscape’ configuration (wider than they are tall), the EasyDoy is formed in an upright ‘portrait’ configuration.
“This means it is filled from the top rather than the side, with a higher fill rate. Packaging speeds attainable with EasyDoy bags are typically only 10% slower than a similar sized pillow bag, whereas other Doy-style bags are up to 50% slower.”
He added that EasyDoy tooling can be retrofitted to existing machines.
Bonduelle Canada
Customers using EasyDoy include Bonduelle Canada for its Arctic Gardens frozen veg, said Billekens.
“The EasyDoy provides more space for product promotion and nutritional information than comparably sized standard stand-up bags,” said Billekens.
“The packaging has a tape strip for reclosing the bag to keep the content fresher for longer, and both the front and back can be fully printed.”
GEA: we are now major player in bakery production
GEA has completed its acquisition of Italian crackers and biscuit production line supplier Imaforni – a move it described as making it a ‘major player’ in the bakery production equipment market.
The combination of Verona-based Imaforni and Venice-based cakes, pies and pizza line manufacturer Comas – acquired by GEA last year – completed the company’s entry into bakery, it has announced.
GEO said it could now provide turnkey systems for a wide range of products, from mixing to packaging, by using proprietary technology and full line integration.
In acquiring Imaforni and Comas, GEA said it had recognized quality, reliability and consistency as key differentiators in a “very competitive market”.
It added that both companies’ products had a reputation for high efficiency, particularly in high-volume applications; engineering excellence; and high quality.
Imaforni and Comas to expand offering
GEO said Imaforni and Comas could now expand their offering to food processing areas including: product reception, bulk handling, liquid and powder processing, process control and packaging services.
Imaforni manager Pierluigi Castello stated he was excited about being part of GEA.
“We are very proud of our position as a leader in the bakery market,” he added. “However, with GEA we are even stronger in terms of market reach, customer proximity and the opportunity to co-develop innovative products and high-performing solutions for our customers.”
