Packaging Equipment

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In the 1983 holiday classic “A Christmas Story,” Ralphie eagerly checks the mail for his decoder pin from the “Little Orphan Annie” radio show only to be disappointed when he finally solves the code and discovers it is nothing more than an advertisement. Although Ralphie’s first coding experience might not have met his expectations, within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) market, coding technology is living up to its reputation.

Attendees at drinktec 2013, Sept. 16-20, Munich, will have the chance to learn about innovative solutions affecting the beverage market.

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute’s (PMMI) Pack Expo International 2013 is on schedule to be another record-setting event, with its Processing Zone, which hosts processing technologies for manufacturers in the beverage, dairy, baking and snack, and confectionery industries, as well as other vertical sectors, selling out as early as May.

When it comes to choosing labeling equipment, customers are interested in machines that offer the widest range of applications and uses, explains Roy Oomen, category manager of labels and packaging for HP Indigo and Inkjet Press, Tel Aviv, Israel.

At retail, beverage packages are tasked with not only displaying an attractive shelf presence but also ensuring the quality of the product and the integrity of the brand.

Years ago, the word “flexibility” carried a different meaning in the filling systems space — it might have referred to different packaging formats and beverage categories. Today, proliferation of SKUs and the increasing number of particle-filled beverages have stretched the word’s definition in the beverage industry.

ProMat 2013, which took place Jan. 21-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago, gave attendees an inside look at some of the newest supply chain solutions provided by material handling and logistics equipment manufacturers.

For beverage containers on the shelf, standing out tends to be the name of the game. To create a differentiated shelf presence, beverage packages often flaunt different shapes, materials and styles.

 As the beverage industry continues to see increases in packaging shapes and sizes as well as sustainable offerings, it’s clear that beverage-makers aren’t lagging in the innovation department.  

Despite the threat from Hurricane Sandy, Pack Expo International 2012, hosted by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), topped 2010 numbers.