Interpack 2017
‘More consumers are looking for products that are of superior value or higher quality’
The company celebrates its 30th anniversary at Interpack this year (Dusseldorf, May 4-10) and thanks to its expansion following a number of acquisitions it will represent the company at three locations at the show.
Virtual Reality
Tna will have a technology booth with VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) in hall 15, a confectionery booth with NID, following the acquisiton of that company last month, in hall 3 and a ‘tna innovations hall’ offsite display a few minutes’ drive from the show.
Alf Taylor CEO/co-founder, tna, said thanks to Brexit, Trump and a rise in active, intelligent packaging, the past year has certainly seen some major developments and the consequences of these will affect all of us in one way or another.
“The next couple of years will be all about improving production efficiencies. Whether that’s through more automation or by upgrading to high-speed equipment, maximising the potential of their production lines will be key to food manufacturers responding to the increasing demand for snacks,” he said.
“There is also a clear trend towards premiumization across the food industry, with more and more consumers looking for products that are of superior value or higher quality.
“This not only applies to ingredients, but packaging too, as this plays a role in communicating a product’s premium credentials. Flexibility in equipment design will be instrumental as this will allow manufacturers to update their portfolio by updating the look and feel of their product, ensuring they maintain relevance in the market place, stand out on the shelf and grab consumer attention.”
Varying line speeds
Taylor added for tna, the key to long-term commercial success is to invest in technology that sets new standards and doesn’t just meet current industry expectations.
“For us as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing), this means all of our equipment needs to offer the highest level of flexibility when it comes to handling new materials, package sizes and varying line speeds,” he said.
“The more flexible the packaging system, the less time is required to change production runs to accommodate different pack sizes or formats, resulting in minimum interruption to the production flow.
“At tna, we have launched what we describe as performance 5.0 - a revolutionary new approach to high-speed production line performance. With performance 5.0 food manufacturers will be able to double their output thanks to ultra-high speed equipment, advanced equipment integration and intuitively designed, self-learning technology.
“This also includes faster changeovers and more product capabilities in a single system. That way, food manufacturers can adapt to their future needs. The first part of performance 5.0 will be our new case packer – the world’s fastest for flexible bags – which will be officially unveiled at Interpack.”
Ropac 5
Capable of speeds of up to 300 bags per minute (bpm), the tna ropac 5 will be officially unveiled at Interpack in May. The release will then be followed by the launch of the tna robag 5, the latest generation of tna’s flagship vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) packaging system at Pack Expo at the end of the year.