“The key role packaging plays in building brand preference is no secret,” says Charles D. Yuska, president & CEO of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), sponsor and producer of Pack Expo Las Vegas. “Package design and functionality is critical for brand success and security. However, in a crowded marketplace,

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companies that recognize all facets of packaging – innovative materials, containers and the right machinery – as critical components of building powerful brands are the ones that truly flourish.”

Co-locating with Pack Expo Las Vegas for the first time is the Converting and Package Printing Expo (CPP EXPO). Reflecting the new market synergies of the package printing, converting, finishing machinery and supplies industries, CPP EXPO showcases the latest in printing, coating, slitting and other state-of-the-art finishing processes.

Joining these market-focused co-located events will be several popular technology pavilions from previous shows:

• The Containers & Materials Pavilion, which continues to be one of Pack Expo’s most highly visited features, will feature advanced materials and containers to add brand differentiation, increase turnover at the retail shelf and bring greater convenience to build stronger brand equity.

• Marketers and designers seeking inspiration for their next breakthrough packaging idea can visit the Showcase of Packaging Innovations where hundreds of real-world applications from around the globe will reside. Packages nominated for the Pack Expo Selects program, which recognizes best-in-class consumer packaging, will also be featured in this pavilion.

• Brand security will be another key focus at Pack Expo Las Vegas 2007. Statistics from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce indicate that counterfeiting and piracy cost the U.S. economy between $200-$250 billion per year and the world economy approximately $650 billion per year. To help brand owners combat this growing concern, the Brand Protection Center will highlight packaging initiatives and technologies that guard against bioterrorism, package tampering, counterfeiting and product adulteration.

• The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Pavilion will once again feature solutions that meet the requirements of the entire supply chain.

• The Contract Packaging Pavilion will also return to showcase the latest services, packaging formats and machinery available to the world’s consumer and industrial goods manufacturers.

Visitors to Pack Expo Las Vegas 2007 will also find significant attention given to the topic of sustainability, which is receiving increased support from the food and beverage industry. According to Sustainable (“Green”) Packaging Market for Food & Beverages, a recent report from market research publisher Specialists in Business Information (SBI), shipments of sustainable, or “green,” packaging exceeded $37 billion in 2005. SBI projects the market will continue to see annual increases in value, with the market supply for sustainable packaging surpassing $42 billion in 2010.

An integral part of the show is the Conference at Pack Expo, a comprehensive education program that will help packaging professionals understand and respond to strategic business issues. Conference “tracks” will include Brand Protection, Converting, Cost Savings, E-Machinery, Material Advances, Processing, Safety, Sustainability, Track & Trace and Upgrading Operations.

Keynote presentations from high-level executives at influential packaging groups, including Cal Dooley, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers/Food Products Association (GMA/FPA), and John A. Luke, Jr., chairman and CEO of MeadWestvaco Corp., will be given each day. A third keynote speaker, Dr. David Acheson, Assistant Commissioner of Food Protection at the Food and Drug Administration, has just been added to the lineup.

For more information about Pack Expo Las Vegas 2007, visit www.packexpo.com. Here is a selection of products of particular importance to transport packaging managers.

Protect Water Bottles in Transit

Rehrig Pacific (Los Angeles) launches Bottle Armor, which protects water bottles in transit, translating into millions of dollars in savings for bottlers each year, according to the company. Bottlers face the problem of “micro holes,” which occur when bottles bounce up and down in the racks. These “micro holes,” the company says, result in “leakers,” which cause wet carpets, damaged flooring and unhappy customers.

Bottle Armor cushions bottles in place during transit using shock-absorbing elastomer bumpers and contoured contact surfaces to contain 3-gal. and 5-gal. water bottles. www.rehrigpacific.com/rehrigpallets/bottlearmor.html
Booth # S-5606

Robotic Palletizers

FKI Logistex (St. Louis) showcases its new robotic palletizing system, which features jointed-arm robots capable of palletizing at rates of more than 100 cases per minute, the company says. The system features higher palletizing rates and a reduced footprint compared to other palletizing systems, according to the company. Gentle handling reduces product damage, and four-way orientation of cases gives control over package label positioning.

The robotic solution will be demonstrated in an integrated conveyor loop at the exhibit. Motoman EPL-80 robotic arms with FKI Logistex end-of-arm tooling concurrently palletize and depalletize product to a single-load location. The loop also features FKI Logistex Accuzone 24-volt-powered roller conveyor, which offers zero-pressure, zero-contact product accumulation. www.fkilogistex.com/robotics
Booth # C-3412

Stretch Wrapping System

Lantech’s (Louisville, Ky.) new Q-400XT stretch wrapping system reportedly halves the cost and time for pallet wrapping with Simple Automation that eliminates the need for lift truck operators to touch the load or machine. The all-electric Q-400XT automatically attaches film to the load, wraps it, locks the load to the pallet with a Pallet- Grip film cable and cuts the film. The machine, which wraps 35 to 45 pallet loads per hour up to 80 in. tall, allows lift truck operators to drive up, position the pallet on the 15-rpm turntable, start the machine with a lanyard switch and drive away.

The Q-400XT runs on 115-volt power and has a load capacity of 5,000 lbs. Its Power Roller-Stretch Plus film delivery system ensures consistent, tight loads with economical use of film, reduced labor and improved ergonomics, the company says. www.lantech.com
Booth # C-1823 and C-2023

Collapsible Cart

Carico Systems (Fort Wayne, Ind.) introduces the Fold Rack N Roll cart that can hold up to 2,800 lbs. yet collapse into an “L” position for nesting and storage when not in use. The cart is 58-in. wide x 30- in. deep x 79-in. high and features 4 in.-x 5 ½-in. side mesh, 1 7/8-in. x 4 ½-in. base mesh and an Electro- Zinc-plated finish to prevent rust. Its single shelf, which holds 600 lbs., can collapse within the cart.

The cart’s 1 ¼-in., 11-gauge square steel tube base and 1-in., 16-gauge round steel tube sides as well as its 6-in. x 2-in. polyurethane casters bolted to welded plates enhance durability and ease of movement, the company says. www.caricosystems.com
Booth # S-5803

Optimizer Case Printer

Iconotech (Clinton, Conn.) presents its Optimizer case printer, which promises to free manufacturers from their reliance on pre-printed cases and allow them to institute a generic case-printing program. Companies can save thousands of dollars by disconnecting corrugated purchasing from the production schedule, and buyers gain purchasing power by consolidating multiple SKUs into common case sizes, the company says.

Additionally, the Optimizer substantially reduces scrap, obsolescence and recycling by eliminating printing plates, minimizing warehouse space and consolidating corrugated deliveries. It has an operating cost of one cent per case, including labor, according to the company. www.iconotech.com
Booth # S-5125

“Green” Edge Protector

Laminations (Appleton, Wis.) part of Great Northern Corp.’s Specialty Group, showcases its new FlexRoll along with the company’s VBoard family of paperboard edge production products. FlexRoll is a lightweight, sustainable product that keeps the edges of rolled products clean and free from abrasions, rips, wrinkles and smudges. Evenly spaced notches enable triangular fingers to bend around the edges of rolled and contoured products, acting as a barrier against damage during shipping, storage and handling.

Available in calipers of 0.40 in. and 0.50 in., FlexRoll comes in 250-ft.-long rolls and is compatible with other forms of roll packaging, such as headers, banding and stretch wrapping. www.laminationsonline.com
Booth # S-5126

Large-Character Printers

Videojet Technologies Inc. (Wood Dale, Ill.) introduces its Videojet 2330 and 2310 large-character ink-jet printers that produce characters as large as 2.75 in. and 0.66 in., respectively. An automatic self-cleaning and maintenance system keeps printheads free of dust and debris, says the company.

The printers’ CLARiTY touch-screen interface allows operators to change images in seconds and access on-board help information. They can prepare and preview the next job while running the current image, monitor performance, add new ink and perform diagnostics without halting production. The ink is automatically recycled and filtered for re-use. Both printers can operate standalone or integrated into an IT infrastructure. www.videojet.com
Booth # C-2509

Robotic Packer/Palletizer

Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. Inc. (Brewerton, N.Y.) displays its robotic case packer/palletizer, which occupies only 170 square feet of plant-floor real estate. The machine improves productivity and simplifies packaging and palletizing, according to the company. Operators stack case blanks and supply the labeler from outside of guarding enclosures. Then, the ControLogix controller automatically builds cases, loads product and seals and labels the cases, which are palletized in one system cell.

Schneider also showcases Robox Vi, a portable robotic cell with a Fanuc robotic arm, integrated vision system and quick-change, end-of-arm tool. www.schneiderequip.com
Booth # 1019

VFFS Machine

TNA (Coppell, Texas) showcases its robag 3 fx rotary flat jaw, vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machine integrated with the company’s 514 Delta 1 scale. Equipped with four servo drive motors, the robag VFFS machine can process more than 100 bags per minute, with flat bag widths of up to 320 mm and less than ½% of waste, TNA says. The 514 Delta 1 scale ensures bags come off the line accurately and true to size.

The system has been successfully used in the snack, confectionery, biscuit, pasta and powder and fresh-produce markets, according to TNA. The robag system integrates with the company’s roflo gateless distribution and accumulation system. www.tnasolutions.com
Booth # C-4039