Cryovac extends vacuum packing for cost demands
dairy products has developed a new machine designed specifically
for lower output cost effective processing.
Cyovac claims that its R175 CD system, the latest addition to its Darfresh packaging line, can provide its skin packaging for fresh food products to smaller processors while reducing installation and operating costs. With processors facing increasing cost pressures for raw materials and other challenges in the food production line, more cost effective alternatives for packaging are increasiongly important to the industry. Product devlopment The R175 CD rollstock model has been designed to offer a compact packaging solution for processors. In addition, through its stainless steel construction can ensure quality standards for packaging foods, through easy access to the product for maintenance. The packager, which is designed specifically for use for its Darfresh range, has applications with a large variety of products including fresh or frozen seafood, meats, poultry and even cheese and ready meals, the company said. While the Darfresh product itself is a not a new innovation for the company, Cryovac says that its latest development is an important step in reducing the investment costs of processors, by reducing capacity. "Thanks to this new generation equipment, [processors] will be able to achieve attractive costs per pack, a shorter lead time along with reduced volumes in the packaging room," Cryovac stated. The Darfresh system According to the company, the Darfresh system uses two different webs of packaging to create a wrap around package for food products that it says acts as a second skin. The packaging is designed to gently, but firmly, wrap directly around all surfaces of a food product to provide an airtight vacuum in order to improve shelf life, Cryovac says. The manufacturer Cryovac is a subsidiary of Sealed Air Corporation, a global manufacturer of packaging materials and systems. The company's food packaging segment is its largest, accounting for about 40 per cent of sales. For the full year 2007, the group reported an 8 per cent increase in food packaging sales to $1.88 billion. "Sales growth in our food business segments accelerated during the year due to the strength of our broad range of packaging solutions," William Hickey, chief executive, said earlier this year However, operating profit for the group fell as higher raw material and marketing costs eroded earnings. Resin costs were particularly high, costing the firm over $20m in the first quarter alone, Hickey said.
