Label Mixup Prevention Using Vision Inspection
Mettler Toledo
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30-Sep-2004
Northern Foods shuts factories to increase efficiency
Northern Foods is to close two of its UK factories with the loss of 1,000 jobs in an attempt to drive down costs as it struggles against rising raw material...
Thermo develops new monitoring techniques
Processing equipment provider Thermo Electron has developed a number of new monitoring systems design to help manufacturers cut costs and increase product safety.
Microvoided resin achieves 40% higher label yield
Eastman Chemical Company claims that its new 'microvoided' copolyester shrink-label resin, Embrace High Yield, can increase label yields up to 40 per cent compared to other high shrink resins.
Improved functionality for Cerestar starch
Spearing the growing convenience sector starch specialities firm Cerestar improves the functionality of its C*PulpTex brand, aiming to slice away costs for food makers working in the pre-prepared foods sector....
EC fines major firms in French beer cartel case
The European Commission has fined French dairy Groupe Danone and Dutch beer giant Heineken €2.5 million for colluding to control the wholesale beer market in France.
29-Sep-2004
Produkti Pitania invests in meeting western poultry standards
Produkti Pitania, the Russian poultry processor, is to spend $50 million on bringing its production up to western standards amid growing demand from consumers. But, asks Angela Drujinina, how will...
WBD gets EU export license to target expats
Wimm-Bill-Dann, has become one of the first Russian dairy companies to receive a new EU license to export its products to Member States. The move is expected to help the...
Hoop invests in production to expand in Europe
A re-vamped, state-of-the-art factory, which can produce 50,000 bottles of soft drinks every hour, has just been opened by Polish soft drinks company Hoop, giving the company the perfect platform...
New scanner to improve baking batches
A new infrared scanner capable of telling bakers exactly when their dough will be perfect for making bread, cakes and other baked goods has been developed by the UK's largest...
Bunge opens up the east with new port facility
Bunge, the world's leading oilseed processor, has extended its presence in Eastern Europe with the completion of its new Derince port facility in Turkey.
Ishida develops complete packing solution
Ishida Europe has devised a fully automated solution for packing fresh produce, meat and fish into trays that it claims maximises production efficiency, provides comprehensive quality control and offers a...
Starbucks commits to sustainable coffee supply
Starbucks Coffee has formed a partnership with a US development agency and environmental conservationists to help ensure a sustainable supply of high quality coffee from Latin America.
RFID provider targets midsize food firms
Microsoft Business Solutions is working with a small US food manufacturer on an RFID scheme designed to help small and midmarket segment businesses meet RFID mandates and drive efficiencies in...
28-Sep-2004
Podravka eyes EU market through Polish facility
Croatian food group Podravka says it is looking to expand production at its Polish production facility to keep up with demands in the Polish market and to increase exports to...
Ball expands heat-set PET bottle line
Ball has expanded its line of Heat-Tek PET plastic bottles to meet growing demand for both plastic packaging and healthier products.
Sun launches RFID initiatives as mandates loom
Sun Microsystems has been working on a number of initiatives designed to help manufacturers improve supply chain efficiency and achieve RFID compliance in time.
Focus on packaging in supply chain safety
US-based packaging distributor Hughes Enterprises argues that attention to packaging is vital in ensuring total supply chain safety.
Legal loophole over UK packaged meat exposed
A Food Standards Agency survey suggests that a legal loophole is being used by manufacturers to mislead UK consumers over the amount of fat in packaged mince.
New wastewater treatment promises processing cost cuts
An EU-funded project on wastewater treatment could save the spirit and wine industries millions in processing costs.
27-Sep-2004
Rexam gains foothold in Mexican can market
Global packaging group Rexam, the world's leading beverage can supplier, has acquired the 50 per cent shareholding it does not own in the Mexican beverage can business, Vitro-American National Can...
IDC rolls out aseptic gravity flow valve for food industry
Packaging and dispensing solutions manufacturer International Dispensing Corporation has commercialised what it claims is the world's only aseptic gravity flow valve (GFV) for the food industry.
Joint PET bottle coating venture formed
A new company dedicated to developing and manufacturing coating modules for use in beverage filling machines has been created through an alliance of SIG Corpoplast and technology group Schott.
Food industry manifesto targets obesity
Portion sizes will be cut as the food giants sign a seven step manifesto to tackle the sensitive food and health debate.
RFID technology round-up
The big news within the radio frequency identification (RFID) sector is the fact that labelling giant Avery Dennison has decided to form a new business unit to manufacture and sell...
24-Sep-2004
Buhler offers complete bagging unit control
Buhler has launched a control system capable of supervising an entire bagging unit.
A low cost robotic arm for food production?
Researchers in the UK have developed a new robotic arm that is fully mobile, has accuracy that rivals industrial fixed robot arms and could cost significantly less.
Siemens invests future in RFID
Siemens is to expand its RFID systems offering into the UHF range in order to lower customer warehousing costs, improve supply chain visibility and enhance tracking and tracing applications.
Elopak curves up the packaging market
Leading Norwegian dairy TINE has launched Smak, a range of three lactose-reduced milks, using Elopak's new Pure-Pak Curve cartons with Pure-Cap UE screw caps.
Space station technology applied to food packaging
A film being developed to improve the permeability of gases for use in space stations could also provide a breakthrough for food packaging, writes Anthony Fletcher.
23-Sep-2004
Sweetener business booms for Tate & Lyle
Month-on-month growth for Tate & Lyle's zero calorie sweetener will offset a dip in figures at the firm's European starch operations as long term investment in added-value ingredients starts to...
Raw material costs eat into ConAgra profits
In line with other packaged food companies such as Unilever and General Mills, ConAgra Foods has posted lower quarterly profit due largely to higher raw material costs.
Freezing breakthrough makes better tasting food possible
A scientific breakthrough from freezing specialist Asymptote has been granted a European patent, opening the door to the multi-billion pound frozen food market, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Scientists uncover secrets of mixing ingredients
Engineers from the US have demonstrated that stirring a mix of granular ingredients faster or longer in food manufacturing won't always give you a smooth blend, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Witron installs automated distribution system
Ergonomic and dynamic picking systems have been installed at two cutting edge distribution centres in the UK with the aim of achieving significant supply chain cost savings.
22-Sep-2004
Buhler completes extrusion range with lab tool
Buhler has unveiled the latest model in its range of extrusion systems. The BTSK-30 is a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, which the company claims is suitable for laboratory use and corresponding...
General Mills profit decline indicates industry-wide trend
General Mills is the latest food manufacturer to report a decline in net profit this year, and again the blame goes on raw material price hikes and fierce competition in...
Pactiv earnings hurt by raw material rises
US packaging firm Pactiv has revised its 2004 earnings per share outlook, another casualty of the dramatic increase in raw material prices this year.
Fat bloom findings bring savings for chocolate makers
Chocolate makers could see savings from new research that sets out to tackle the common problem of fat bloom, an unsightly white powdery film that forms on the outside of...
Linde adapts traceable gas for food processing
The industrial gas division of German equipment provider, Linde, has launched Biogon, a range of pure gases and gas mixtures, compatible with increasingly stringent measures being introduced throughout the region.
21-Sep-2004
Spreads marketed as healthy snack options
Savoury spreads are growing in variety as snack alternatives become increasingly popular in Central and Eastern Europe. And looking at the region's latest launches for this category it is clear...
Wheat and soy prices still vulnerable
Prices for ingredients sourced from wheat are vulnerable to increases as global harvests could be impacted by weather risks and generally low stocks.
Challenges of sourcing in China - report
A new report suggests that while the benefits of sourcing in China outweigh the additional logistics costs, western companies must still be prepared to deal with significant procurement and sourcing...
Egg safety legislation gives industry cause for concern
The FDA has proposed an obligatory on-farm Salmonella control check in order to reduce the risk of Salmonella illnesses caused by infected eggs.
Recyclable supply chain helps UB achieve savings
Leading UK biscuit and snack manufacturer United Biscuits (UB) has begun transporting products in recyclable flat-pack boxes in order to achieve cost savings and waste reductions.
People on the move
Our periodic round-up of personnel moves within the food production and packaging industry includes the high-profile appointment of a new chairman at Unilever and the creation of a new division...
20-Sep-2004
US meat packer launches voluntary recall
US meat packing firm Packerland is conducting a voluntary recall of 59,000 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.
Dairy innovation offers hope for UK packaging industry
The UK packaging market has become saturated and highly competitive due to an influx of packaging firms from the EU. But could innovation within the UK dairy sector represent a...
Unilever shocks industry with revised profit expectations
Anglo Dutch food giant Unilever shocked investors this morning by lowering expectations for year profit growth to under five per cent.
Oregano-cranberry mix cuts deadly Listeria bacteria
An oregano and cranberry concoction could be a potent anti-microbial agent for food processors under constant pressure to reduce the risk of foodborne diseases in the ever-expanding food production chain.
17-Sep-2004
Ishida deer weigher opens new markets
Berger Wild, the largest processor of European game, has installed new Ishida weighing technology at its factory in Fischhaus, Germany that will allow the company to produce 500g convenience packs...
Exopack develops salt packaging solution
Flexible packaging specialist Exopack has developed a patented two-handle plastic bag for the Cargill Salt Business Unit of Cargill, one of the world's largest marketers of salt products.
United Nations puts its weight behind food safety
As Europe's codex committee meets next week to discuss proposals for worldwide risk principles, the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO) has today urged countries to improve ways they can respond...
Packaging material prices set to increase yet again
More bad news for packaging firms - BASF has announced further price rises for the plastic polystyrene. Costs are set to be increased in Europe by €100 euros per metric ton.
Retail pressure squeezes Geest profits
The ongoing squeeze on food manufacturers and increasing raw material costs has hit UK food producer Geest.
16-Sep-2004
Russia continues to block dairy imports
Russian veterinary authorities will take a further three weeks to decide the fate of Polish dairies wanting to export to Russia - a move that is seen as part of...
EU risk analysis takes accession countries on board
Risk analysis is on the table at an upcoming European Codex session next week in Bratislava, with the EU 25 offering its support to a proposal for new principles on...
Reject RFID tag technology eases supplier pressure
Videojet Technologies has developed the Videojet Broadcast System as a cost effective means of helping suppliers meet tight retailer mandates on RFID implementation.
Nanotechnology: a food production revolution in waiting
Nanotechnology offers food production many potential benefits, but its development must be guided by appropriate safety assessments and regulation if risks are to be minimised, according to a UK report.
K-Tek launches high -pressure liquid detector
K-Tek has launched a liquid detector guided by wave radar readings that are immune to fluctuations in specific gravity and variations in dielectric constants.
Flexible packaging boom maintains aluminium sales
Shipments of aluminium foil for the first six months of 2004 remained solid, buoyed by the ever-increasing market for flexible packaging.
EU25 backs Codex risk principles
Risk analysis is on the table at an upcoming European codex session next week in Bratislava with EU 25 offering its support to a proposal for new principles on the...
15-Sep-2004
Manufacturers must target Chinese mass market
Western food manufacturers need to target the masses as well as the economic elite if they are to truly take advantage of an expanding market.
GE tests container security
GE's security business has begun testing a cost-effective container security solution for use in maritime shipping. The new product is designed to detect unauthorised access to a container, and can...
Checkpoint integrates RFID with EAS technology
Checkpoint Systems has launched several new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) applications to improve supply chain traceability.
Bakers unite behind salt-slashing campaign
UK bakers have joined their food industry colleagues in backing a new campaign to slash salt levels in food products and consumer diets, but warned against taking things too far,...
Packaging innovations from acquisitive Bradman Lake
Automated packaging developer Bradman Lake is launching its latest robotic top load cartoner for throughputs of up to 300ppm, an innovation that the group hopes will build on its international...
14-Sep-2004
Glisten revels in niche position
In just two years, the UK's Glisten group has garnered a substantial share of the confectionery market by supplying most of the country's leading retailers with an increasing range of...
Smoked mackerel home to potential carcinogens
Extending food scientists' understanding of potential carcinogens in fish products Greek researchers identify high levels of potentially carcinogenic compounds in cold- and hot-smoked mackerel samples.
Mangoes undergo texture profile analysis
The gumminess texture of fresh mangoes could be improved through the presence of an enzyme involved in the breakdown of plant cell walls and in combination with calcium chloride.
MTI spears US food testing market
UK analytical instrument firm Monitoring Technologies International builds a stronger platform in the US food testing market, signing a distribution agreement with Strategic Diagnostics.
13-Sep-2004
Chiquita packages bananas with Landec membrane technology
Landec subsidiary Apio is to supply banana giant Chiquita with its patented Intelimer packaging technology.
Nanotechnology boost for UK food scientists
Researchers in the UK have been awarded a £1.4 million government grant to develop a new generation of micro Rheometers to help characterise and develop liquid based products.
Parity launches complete supply chain efficiency programme
Software provider Parity has launched three new supply chain solutions for the food industry designed to achieve complete traceability, better data management and easy access to real-time data.
Barry Callebaut sees own label potential
Switzerland's Barry Callebaut group has made no secret of its desire to move into the added-value segment of the confectionery market, reducing its reliance on the volatile commodity segment through...
Energy costs drive up price of packaging
Soaring energy costs are driving up the price of packaging materials. Anthony Fletcher looks at the state of the market for polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene.
Russia to seal fate of dairy exporters
Russia has become a lucrative market for dairy product exporters in recent years, in particular those based in eastern Europe. But the threat of punitive import duties from the Russians,...
Salt slashed in processed food
The UK food industry has backed a new campaign launched today by the country's food agency to slash salt levels in food products and reduce overall salt consumption in the...
10-Sep-2004
New Zealand Milk installs CRM software globally
New Zealand Milk is installing customer relationship management (CRM) software in 22 operating companies across 18 countries.
Unilever tops lucrative sustainability index for fifth year running
For the fifth year running, Unilever has topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the food production category, an assessment that could prove lucrative.
Heinz invests in quality and innovation centre
Global food giant Heinz is building an international research and technical facility to establish better safety and quality assurance procedures for its products.
Barry Callebaut drives Centres of Excellence strategy
Barry Callebaut is creating dedicated Centres of Excellence to achieve production efficiency and maintain cost leadership within the competitive cocoa market.
Anderol lubricant aims to aid energy efficiency
Food processors can greatly reduce power consumption and meet food safety initiatives through using a new range of food grade lubricants, claims Anderol.
09-Sep-2004
German deposit system a mockery, claims report
A report on Germany's packaging regulations claims that single-use PET beverage bottles are as ecologically sound as refillable glass, making a mockery of the controversial deposit system, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Food production given wake-up call over water scarcity
Scientists warn that mounting global pressure on food production could lead to greater water consumption and increased environmental degradation, and that it is consumers - not producers - who now...
Arla milk powder strategy to counteract EU reforms
Arla Foods is refocusing its production of skimmed milk powder in an attempt to alleviate the effects of the EU milk reform.
Thermo Electron launches on-line CO2 analyser
Thermo Electron has introduced a continuous on-line CO2 analyser that gives fizzy drink manufacturers early detection of CO2 contamination.
UK meeting on flexible packaging
The use of flexible packaging to transport, distribute and market products such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and foods has expanded rapidly over the past decade and this trend is set to...
08-Sep-2004
Variety spices up processed meats
Looking at the range of processed meat products being launched onto the Eastern European market at the present time bears witness to the increasingly ambitious recipes that the region's food...
Polish dairy sector struggles against Russian ban
Poland's dairy producers are struggling to come to terms with the retraction of all export licences to Russia, a key market for yoghurt and other refined dairy products.
Western Balkans set to tap into EU sugar market
Sugar producers from Serbia and Montenegro will once again benefit from preferential access to the European Union market, following the EU's recent lifting of a 15-month ban on duty-free sugar...
Menasha unveils dual ovenable corrugated baking vessel
Food packaging group Menasha has launched a range of patented food baking, packaging, and merchandising containers for the bakery industry.
Flexible packaging revolution in Eastern Europe
Food manufacturers in Eastern Europe are making greater use of flexible packaging in order to increase product variety and attract consumers.
KHS aims to improve beverage production lines
Filling and packaging systems manufacturer KHS is focusing its efforts on developing new labelling, filtration, racking and crate inspection technologies.
Report suggests bad deal for UK dairy suppliers
Retailer margins on liquid milk and dairy products in the UK have increased significantly over the past 10 years - with the gross margin on mature cheddar rising to as...
UTC Power improves energy efficiency technology
UTC Power has released an improved version of its flagship PureComfort cooling, heating and power system that allows manufacturers to achieve greater energy efficiency along the production line.
07-Sep-2004
Eastman makes PET resin production breakthough
Eastman Chemical, the world's leading supplier of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for packaging, claims to have made a breakthrough in the manufacture of PET resin.
Metro plans full RFID rollout
German retail chain Metro Group is set to follow its RFID test scheme with a full rollout, something that will affect hundreds of suppliers around Europe.
EU-funded remote monitoring scheme unveiled
Scientists behind a three-year EU-funded project to create a remote monitoring system for production machinery claims that the technology is ready to be put into practice.
EU-Coke antitrust case still to be finalised
The European Union said yesterday that the proposed settlement between Coca-Cola and the European Commission to end a long-running antitrust case has still not been finalised.
06-Sep-2004
US rigid food packaging market set to increase
The plastic rigid food packaging market in North America reached about 10.3 billion pounds in 2003 and is expected to increase to over 13.6 billion pounds by 2008 at an...
Cognex unveils hand-held industrial ID reader
Cognex has launched a new suite of hand-held industrial ID readers, designed to make traceability within food production more efficient and easier to access.
Researchers uncover benefits of wheat-based packaging
Could environmentally-friendly biodegradable containers made from wheat starch eventually replace traditional polystyrene-based products? Only if the price is right, reports Anthony Fletcher.
Mettler Toledo weighs in with the BBA platform
Mettler Toledo has launched the BBA platform, its latest range of scales designed specifically for the food industry. The open design platform, which is the world's first IP69K-certified scale, is...
Green solution to electronic waste
As of next year, electronics manufacturers in Europe will be required to take back and partially recycle old equipment. Beginning in 2006, electronics must be completely lead-free. An industry conference...
03-Sep-2004
EU and Russia end meat import stand-off
The EU and Russia have resolved a trade dispute that threatened to halt imports of EU beef, pork and poultry worth $1.4 billion a year.
Pursuit Dynamics builds fluid handling test centre
Pursuit Dynamics has built a new pilot kitchen in order to demonstrate its steam-based PDX fluids handling system, which the company claims can increase production efficiency and conserve energy.
Forrester evaluates RFID middleware market
A new breed of software called RFID middleware will allow suppliers to take advantage of the long-term benefits of RFID implementation, according to a new report.
Fighting fake foods
Japanese technology developer Mediaseek says it has established a joint operation aimed at stamping out the widespread problem of counterfeit food and beverages in China.
02-Sep-2004
Sensor Wireless launches new bottling diagnostic tool
A new wireless diagnostic tool for bottle and can production lines could revolutionise quality control in beverage packaging, according to the firm behind the technology. Anthony Fletcher reports.
Bunzl sales hit by Atkins
UK firm Bunzl claims that the impact of the Atkins diet has been so significant that even packaging groups such as itself have seen their profits affected.
APV unveils new confectionery depositor
APV Baker has developed a new range of ServoForm depositors for the production of hard and soft confectionery, toffees, gums, jellies and lollipops.
01-Sep-2004
Growth in yoghurt fuels innovative launches
Yoghurt has long been a favourite food in central and eastern Europe, so it is not surprising to look at the latest launches in the region for that category and...
Bad weather could cost UK food production £1 billion
The UK government's rural adviser, Lord Haskins, has described the financial implications of this year's awful weather as being more damaging to arable farming than the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak was...
US demand for produce packaging to increase
US demand for produce packaging is projected to increase 5.1 per cent per annum (including price increases) to $3.6 billion in 2008, claims a new report.
GPI launches new aseptic packaging system
Gold Peg International (GPI) has launched an aseptic packaging system that it claims eliminates the need for expensive refrigeration of end food products.
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