Nalbach Engineering Co. expanded on its product solutions for plastic bottle unscrambling with the release of NECOSORT-III, third generation unscrambler. The machine sorts a range of bottle types and its design consists of a rotating vertical hopper and only two moving parts. NECOSORT-III’s design employs a sorting hopper that is turned vertically, significantly reducing the overall footprint of the system for easy integration into tight production areas. Only two moving parts in the whole system, one of which sorts and moves all of the bottles to the discharge starwheel and the second being the discharge starwheel itself, means significantly less maintenance and downtime. The system is tolerant of damaged bottles keeping high speed production lines such as soft drink, juice and water filling lines in operation. —  Nalbach Engineering Corp., 621 East Plainfield Road, Countryside, Ill. 60525; 708/579-9100; nalbach.com.

Linker Equipment released the SL-Series of Systems for shrink-sleeve labeling applications. These systems include a stainless steel conveyor and tunnel, matched to a plc-controlled and servo-driven labeler. System speeds range from 150 to 300 ppm with the choice of steam or electric tunnels. — Linker Equipment Corp., 5 Evans Terminal Rd., Hillside, N.J. 07205; 908/353-0700; linkercorp.com.

Evergreen Packaging Equipment’s BFCG-32/16 offers an economical solution to gravity-fill bottling needs. This fully CIPable machine fills 8-, 16- and 32-ounce bottles at speeds up to 400 bottles per minute and includes an integrated screw capper. Extended life options include HEPA and auto sanitize. The machine’s features are specifically designed to allow for maximum product shelf life along with superior in-plant performance. — Evergreen Packaging Equipment, 2400 Sixth Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406; 319/399-3200; evergreenpackaging.com.

AmbaFlex introduced the SVM (MultiLane) for single row or mass flow of bottles, cans and containers, showing that spiralveyors are not just for cartons or trays anymore. The SVM saves floor space by improving line layout efficiency. It offers high volume throughput; great for depallitizing or vertical accumulation requirements. — AmbaFlex Inc., P.O. Box 2105, Bedford, Texas 76095-7578; 877/800-1634; ambaflex.com.

Koch Membrane Systems Inc. released its new SUPER-COR XL, SUPER-COR XL PLUS and the SUPER-G Plus line of high-performance filtration modules designed for more compact and efficient juice clarification systems. The effectiveness of these larger membrane modules is a vast improvement over the standard SUPER-COR and SUPER-G tubular membranes. By utilizing the advanced new modules, customers are now able to recover up to 99 percent of their juice with crystal clarity. The XL series in the SUPER-COR product line features 12-foot tubes and is a 20 percent increase over the standard 10-foot length. The new PLUS series available in both the SUPER-COR and SUPER-G product line features modules containing more tubes per housing. — Koch Membrane Systems, 850 Main Street, Wilmington, Mass. 01887-3388; 888/677-5624; kochmembrane.com.

Mettler Toledo launched the Excellence Plus XP balance for analytical weighing. With the synergy of three innovations – SmartSens, a hands-free user option; SmartGrid, a grid-style weighing pan; and SmartScreen, a color touch-screen display allowing full compliance options – the XP balance offers complete weighing performance and user, sample and data security. SmartSens, the XP analytical, can be operated hands-free. The two built-in sensors can be programmed individually enabling the user to tare, open and

batteries contained within the unit and the sensor is reactive in the 3 to 5 foot range. — Crew Design Inc., PO Box 400, Kent, Conn. 06757; 877/669-2739; crewdesign.com.

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp.’s Model 121S is two machines in one – a tab slitter and top case sealer – with a streamlined design that facilitates quick installation on the packaging line and consistent operating speeds to 50 cases per minute. The metering belt infeed ensures proper case spacing, and high traction transfer belting provides positive case transfer. As the case travels, the slitter mechanisms move on sliding rods to lift the flaps and cleanly cut the tabs. Four flap control and closing is accomplished by a combination of mechanical and fixed flap folders. — A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp., 811 Live Oak St., Tarpon Springs, Fla. 34689; 800/273-5975; abcpackaging.com.

Sidel launched a new generation of blowing machines, the SBO Universal range. The equipment delivers a 20 percent reduction in plastic bottle blowing costs stemming from efforts targeting the blowing machine as well as the development of bottle solutions. Thanks to new machine kinematics and a new 40 mm. pitch oven to maintain heating times, Sidel has boosted production output by 12.5 percent, now up to 1,800 bottles per mold. SBO Universal blow molding machines guarantee a yield of 97 percent. A reduction in low levels in the preform infeed system improves the blowing machine’s yield by at least 2 percent. — Sidel, Avenue de la Patrouille de France, Octeville-sur-Mer, BP 204, 76053 Le Havre Cedex, France; 33/232 85 81 83; sidel.com.

Crew Design Inc. designed a Mountain Dew Blinker Bottle, a replica Mountain Dew beverage bottle complete with cap and four-color label. The bottle is constructed from two pieces of injection-molded colored plastic that displays on the cooler door by attaching with two suction cups. An imbedded sensor activates as consumers move by, flashing two green LEDs that glow within the bottle and beckon the buyer. Power is supplied by two AA batteries contained within the unit and the sensor is reactive in the 3 to 5 foot range — Crew Design Inc., POBox 400, Kent, Conn. 06757; 877/669-2739; crewdesign.com.

Squid Ink Manufacturing’s PZ Pilot Plus high-resolution ink jet printing system is an affordable new solution for printing quality marks on a variety of products. The PZ Pilot Plus is an ideal introductory machine for companies looking for an affordable print system for printing bar codes, logos and other high-quality alphanumerics on corrugated cases. It is also available as a non-porous system, capable of printing on substrates ranging from plastic to glass to metal. — Squid Ink Manufacturing Inc., 1173 Osborne Road, Spring Lake Park, Minn. 55432; 763/795-8856; squidink.com.

Daydots is offering a special edition of the Top 20 food safety tips in honor of food safety month in September. The topic for food safety month is monitoring time and temperature, something that is crucial to every type of foodservice establishment. Daydots’ Top 20s provide insight into everything from the most important food safety products and tips on running a family business to advice on preventing foodborne illnesses while preparing meals at home. — Daydots, 1801 Riverbend West Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76118; 800/321-3687; daydots.com.

Douglas Machine Inc.’s new Douglas Contour SPS-75 Shrink Packer’s patent-pending tunnel uses advanced heat and airflow management technology to deliver wrapped packages for maximum package integrity and appearance. Contour SPS-75 features include the Smartrak Steady Stream Infeed System, which removes the gaps that compromise pack pattern accuracy and continuous product flow; pinless metering, which uses new technology and servo drives to gently meter bottled, cartoned, canned and jarred products; and a servo-driven wrapping wand that provides film control and accurate film placement at speeds to 75 cycles per minute. — Douglas Machine Inc., 3404 Iowa St., Alexandria, Minn. 56308; 320/763-6587; douglas-machine.com.

Pall Corp.’s PROFI system is a new automated clarification system that streamlines beer filtration without affecting taste or brand integrity. The system combines centrifuge and membrane technologies to create a seamless filtration process, especially ideal for high-volume beer producers. The system also eliminates the use of diatomaceous earth (DE) from beer production, removing the labor-intensive filtration and maintenance activities associated with DE systems.  — Pall Corp., 2200 Northern Blvd., East Hills, N.Y. 11548; 516/484-5400; pall.com.

Krones AG carried out a design revamp for its continuously operating Wrapapac family of wrap around machines. The goal and result of this redesign initiative was to optimize the range’s functions in terms of smooth running, dependability and improved ergonomics. The Wrapapac W can handle solid board at 60 cycles a minute for creating packs such as refrigerator-friendly convenience packages. The machine now features decentralized servomotors, and the service and operator sides have been kept separate. — Krones AG, Böhmerwaldstr.5, 93073 Neutraubling, Afghan-istan, 4 909 401 70-0; krones.de.

Combi Packaging Systems added two new models to the Combi 2-EZ case erector family. Combi’s new side belt drive case erectors form and bottom seal cases at speeds up to 20 cases per minute. The 2-EZ HS erects case sizes from 8 inch x 6 inch x 5 inch to 24 inch x 16 inch x 18 inch and features a standard 45-inch EX load, walk-in power case magazine and the Combi HS High Speed 2-inch tape head. The 2-EZ SB builds case sizes from 8 inch x 6 inch x 5 inch to 20 inch x 16 inch x 18 inch up to 15 cases per minute. This machine features the standard EZ load, walk-in case magazine and the 3M Accuglide II 2-inch tape head. — Combi Packaging Systems LLC, 5365 E. Center Drive NE, Canton, Ohio 44721; 330/456-9333; combi.com.

Kernco Instruments Co. Inc. offers four new digital refractometers with features not typically available on hand-held varieties. This PDX series covers many applications in beverage plants because of the various ranges offered. Features include Brix, salinity and nD scales; push-button, menu-driven operations; and high accuracy, wide ranges. — Kernco Instruments Co. Inc., 420 South Kenazo Ave., El Paso, Texas 79928-7339; 915/852-3375; kerncoinstr.com.

New England Machinery’s model NERO is a Rotary Orienter System designed for orienting rectangular, oval or square containers according to symmetry, direction or label/decoration location. It can also be used for label inspection. The NERO fits over existing conveying lines and may include as many as 30 orienting stations within a single turret, allowing the system to orient from 20 to 600 containers per minute (depending on container size and configuration). The system offers positive container control process throughout, and gentle orienting to 90, 180 or 270 degrees. It is available with various sensing mechanisms (depending upon the customer’s application) that can detect discriminating features for orientation and may include photoelectric sensors, proximity sensors, UPC scanners or visions systems. The NERO now comes in an optional servo-driven model. This orienter’s versatility allows easy changeover and can orient filled or empty and capped or uncapped containers. Orientation of round containers is also achievable with this model. — New England Machinery Inc., 6204 29th St. East, Bradenton, Fla. 34203; 941/755-5550; neminc.com.

Axon Corp. offers a high-speed shrink-sleeve label applicator capable of production rates in excess of 600 containers per minute. The EZ-Seal 600SL is the latest addition to Axon’s EZ-Seal line of heat shrinkable sleeve label applicators. This new machine provides high production rates at minimal costs for most full body sleeve applications. Capable of operation in either single- or dual-head mode, the machine provides added security over single-head applications. With its small footprint, the Axon EZ-Seal 600 SL fits easily into any production line. — Axon Corp., 3080 Business Park Drive, Suite 103, Raleigh, N.C. 27610; 919/772-8383; axoncorp.com.