Packaging Equipment

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PMMI, the Reston, Va.-based Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and owner and producer of the Pack Expo Portfolio of Trade Shows, is gearing up for Pack Expo International 2016, which will take place Nov. 6-9 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event will be co-located with Pharma Expo, a joint venture with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE).

An increasing number of SKUs, changing packaging formats and sizes, and a growing interest in personalization are driving a constant need for faster production. Labeling equipment is one area that has felt the pressure from these trends, and the industry continues to innovate to provide beverage manufacturers with the fastest, most flexible machinery, experts say.

Packaging experts note that advancements in optical technology, software algorithms that are effective at high line speeds and the ability to inspect materials across the bottling process are essential for today’s modern bottling facilities.

Like the steady drops of rain drumming on a windowpane, the filling of beverages also dictates a steady pace to keep the production line running smoothly. However, it is imperative that the correct filler is used.

After being carefully set in a line, when a single domino is knocked over into the next, the entire line will fall. Similar to the cascading effect of falling dominos, changes within the front-end of beverage operations often will cascade through the manufacturing facility all the way to the end-of-line operations, even to case packing and wrapping.

Thirty-eight percent of consumers prefer aluminum cans when tailgating versus 26 percent who prefer plastic bottles. Thirty-six percent of consumers prefer cans at barbecues or picnics, compared with 30 percent who prefer plastic bottles.