While Finland's costly paper mill lockout ended on Friday, some of
the country's larger manufacturers have been busy moving their
operations to lower cost countries.
Worldwide sales of nanotechnology products to the food and beverage
packaging sector jumped to US$860m (€687.5m) in 2004 from US$150m
(€120m) in 2002, according to a new study by consultant Helmut
Kaiser.
A former UK manufacturing company has found another use for its
radio frequency technology - sealing plastic tray packages of
perishable food for supermarkets, retailers and grocers.
Alcan has acquired the assets of Parkside's flexible food packaging
plant in Zlotow, Poland in order to increase its presence in a
growing and competitive economy.
Novelis has been named the 2004 Rexam European supplier of the year
in recognition of the firm's performance in quality, service, and
technology, writes Anthony Fletcher.
The steel packaging industry must promote its strengths better if
it is to survive difficult market conditions, reports Anthony
Fletcher from the 2005 International Steel Packaging Congress
in Dusseldorf.
Superfos is at Interpack 2005 to demonstrate why it believes its
new SuperSeal concept can save packagers money on the processing
line and consumers time in the kitchen.
An innovative 'bag in box' solution has been developed for a Danish
sauce manufacturer to ensure that customers enjoy maximum yield
with the minimum amount of wastage.
The UK government is seeking views on proposals to amend the
regulations that require businesses to recycle and recover target
levels of packaging waste each year.
Gastronome, the second largest poultry processor in France, is
working with packaging specialist Sealed Air Cryovac in order to
achieve increased shelf life and enhanced consumer appeal.
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) has slammed new EU
packaging standards, claiming they are likely to encourage
increased packaging volumes and do little to facilitate greater
recycling.
RPC plans to showcase its latest innovations in rigid plastics
packaging, including an alternative to the tin can for food
applications, at Interpack 2005.
International packaging firm Cascades is to open a new sales office
in western Russia, giving it a chance to capitalise on the growing
popularity of paper, board and recycling within the food industry,
reports Chris Mercer.
Finnish packaging giant Huhtamaki is providing Andros with a range
of packaging solutions for its latest children's fruit-based snack
line, that includes a new bottling technology.
Canadian packaging provider Winpak has acquired the Map Fresh
barrier tray division of Clear Lam Packaging - a strategic purchase
that aims to boost Winpak's existing proprietary technology
capabilities for manufacturing high-barrier...
Ampac Packaging has acquired Flexicon, a leading manufacturer of
high-performance, flexible packaging materials for the food
industry, for an undisclosed amount.
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has urged the government to
help the packaging sector face up to the rising cost of plastics
and printing inks. Anthony Fletcher reports.
A new report shows that with Polish consumption trends beginning to
fall into line with the rest of Europe's, the packaging sector
represents a key opportunity for innovation and investment,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
Investment in a new modified atmosphere packaging line will help
Russian meat processor Atiashevsky to offer products of a higher
quality and a longer shelf life to its major customers - the latest
move by a company which has already...
Consumers and producers are united in their desire for lighter,
functional packaging on the Russian food market, driving the
development of plastics and paper in the dairy, bakery and
confectionery sectors and sending traditional...
A number of lucrative niche markets are opening up in the Russian
food packaging industry, nestling alongside broader trends towards
convenient, lighter packaging, as Chris Mercer finds out.
Automated Packaging Systems has launched a third-generation
protective packaging system to take advantage of a sector that is
predicted to grow by 5.2 per cent annually through to 2008.
Swedish-Finnish packaging giant, Stora Enso, has bought it way into
the increasingly lucrative Polish market by taking a majority stake
in one of the country's leading pulp and paper suppliers.
Western Europe's frozen food packaging sector is predicted to grow
strongly, and there will be greater emphasis on both
environmentally-friendly and premium packaging in the future,
according to a new report.
Bill Morris, the newly elected president of the European Aluminium
FoilAssociation (EAFA), believes that the industry needs to better
communicate to food packagers the benefits of using the material.
Packaging manufacturer Pliant has been awarded several significant
R&D contracts worth $5.1 million from the US government to
conduct leading edge research on food packaging, including several
areas with implications for the confectionery...
Thin, flexible and easy to handle - that is the major food
packaging trend emerging on the Polish market, helped along by
rising sales of dairy products and new hygiene laws on baked goods
in shops, writes Chris Mercer.
Superfos has developed plastic packaging with a unique closure
mechanism that it claims strengthens the competitive position of
plastic over glass packaging solutions.
Toray Plastics has developed what it describes as a new line of
technologically advanced, value-added OPP and PET packaging films,
designed to achieve longer shelf life and easier handling.
Active packaging solutions specialist Multisorb Technologies has
launched the FreshMax, an oxygen absorber that reduces the need for
additives and preservatives in food products.
US-based food manufacturer Hormel Foods is about to launch two
chilli brands in new easy-to-open carton packaging from Tetra Pak,
marking a significant change in packaging preference.
A new report from BCC emphasises the importance of innovative
packaging concepts such as oxygen scavengers, MAP and RFID to the
future of food production.
Canbra Foods has developed a new line of clear, handled 64-ounce
rapeseed oil bottle. The bottles are Canbra Food's first-ever
application using Eastman Chemical Company's Eastar copolyester for
handleware, a material that...
Shipments of aluminium foil for the first quarter of 2004 have been
promising, with sales increasing by nearly one per cent compared
with the first three months of 2003, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
A range of multilayer barrier films that are claimed to provide the
stiffness, transparency and thermal resistance needed in lidding
and flow packs for fresh and processed meat, cheese and other
foodstuffs has been launched.
A highly flexible automatic measuring device capable of detecting
the tiniest leaks of CO2 from protective gas atmosphere packaging
has been developed.
The Beverage Can Makers in Europe (BCME) has welcomed the advocate
general's conclusions in the EU Court cases regarding the German
packaging regime. He found that the discriminatory elements of the
German packaging order regarding...
BioEnvelop Technologies has reported a massive 1,486 per cent
increase in sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 compared to
the same quarter ended 30 April 2003. This underlines the growing
importance of the biodegradable films...
A new report examining the latest developments in improving the
shelf-life of various food products has been launched. New
technology has opened the door to a number of innovations that
could save manufacturers money and maintain...
DSM Engineering Plastics is set to expand capacity at its polyamide
plant in the Netherlands. The move underlines the growing
importance of the material, which is used in flexible food
packaging.
Competition between lower-priced resins and higher-performance
variants is set to intensify, according to a soon-to-be-released
report. The development of upgraded commodity thermoplastics is
challenging established higher-performance...
The active, controlled and intelligent packaging sector in the US
has experienced significant growth over the past few years,
according to a new report published this month. Does this signify a
trend towards the widespread adoption...
One third of total wastage in the supply chain is caused by
temperature abuse, according to a Swedish survey in 2002. As a
result, diagnostic packaging has become increasingly popular, and
the concept was on display at Total 2004.
Rexam CEO Rolf Borjesson told FoodProductionDaily.com
yesterday that the packaging industry is only just beginning to
adopt new technology that could transform the food industry, and
that the industry will be characterised by consolidation...
A major packaging industry body in the UK has called for the
establishment of a Packaging Standards Council to deal with public
concerns over waste. In an interview with
FoodProductionDaily.com, the Industry Council for Packaging...
Crown Holdings has developed a new heat-sealed peelable lid for
mackerel fillets. Once the preserve of beverage manufacturers, the
ring pull is increasingly being used in food applications to meet
consumer demands for convenience.
Danish packaging firm Lachenmeier has launched a new stretch hood
machine that can be used by the food packaging industry. "A wide
range of products will benefit from this technology, such food and
beverages, which in the past...
