Steep Hill Equipment, a leading provider of food processing and industrial equipment, is proud to announce its 3-year anniversary operating in the United States. Since establishing its presence in Edmond, Oklahoma, Steep Hill has rapidly grown to serve a wide range of clients across North America, offering top-tier equipment solutions to the food processing industry. 

 As part of its continued expansion, Steep Hill’s Abbotsford, British Columbia location has also seen significant growth, hosting four major auctions in 2024 alone. This increased activity has allowed the company to meet the growing demands of the food processing sector while reinforcing its commitment to providing accessible, high-quality machinery. “We are thrilled to mark this milestone in the USA and to witness the tremendous growth at our Abbotsford location,” said Brent Larsen, Founder and CEO of Steep Hill Equipment. “Our goal has always been to offer efficient and reliable equipment solutions for the food industry, and we’re proud of the strong relationships we’ve built with our clients and partners across North America.” 

As part of its ongoing auction activities, Steep Hill is currently auctioning a full cherry processing and sizing line. This state-of-the-art equipment provides an invaluable opportunity for food producers looking to enhance their processing capabilities. Steep Hill Equipment remains dedicated to continuing its growth and offering unparalleled service to clients as it looks ahead to the future. 

For more information, visit www.steephillequipment.com

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario Canada (October 2024) – METTLER TOLEDO Product Inspection, a global leader in precision instruments and product inspection technology, has extended its Combination inspection portfolio with the launch of new CM (checkweighing and metal detection) and CX (checkweighing and x-ray) Combination Systems. This significant advancement integrates the new M30 R-Series metal detectors and X2 Series of high performing x-ray inspection systems into high-precision C-Series checkweighers, providing customers with maximum flexibility to choose the right system to suit their individual application, packaging and budget requirements.

Powerful 2-in-1 Solutions

With the introduction of the next generation of the CM and CX Combination Systems, METTLER TOLEDO delivers powerful 2-in-1 inspection solutions that manage Critical Control Points (CCPs) by combining precision weighing with contamination detection in an integrated solution. These new systems offer simplified operation, a space-saving design and reduced total cost of ownership. The integration of the new M30 R-Series and X2 Series also offers higher detection sensitivity, providing an added layer of security and quality control.

The CM Combination System (Checkweighing and Metal Detection)

The CM Combination System integrates the precision weighing C-Series checkweighers with the advanced M30 R-Series metal detectors, creating a completely flexible solution that enhances the portfolio of combination systems with an optimised price-to-performance ratio. The C-Series checkweighers deliver unparalleled accuracy and precision in weight measurement, facilitating compliance with regulatory standards and minimising product giveaway. They feature intuitive user interfaces and advanced data management capabilities, allowing for seamless integration into existing production lines, plus a smaller machinery footprint accommodates limited factory floor space. For high-end applications, these innovative systems can be configured with the new FlashCell™ load cell technology, this means that the checkweighers can complete precision weighing checks at higher product throughputs.  

The M30 R-Series and Profile metal detectors are equipped to detect a range of ferrous, non-ferrous, including aluminium and stainless-steel contaminants optimising for both wet and dry applications. They offer the highest level of product safety and quality. Utilising advanced signal processing and intelligent detection algorithms, the metal detectors provide superior sensitivity and reliability, improving the capability to detect smaller contaminants and significantly reducing false reject rates.

The combination of these advanced technologies allows manufacturers to tailor inspection solutions to their specific application, packaging and budget needs. By merging precise weighing capabilities with state-of-the-art metal detection, customers achieve maximum flexibility to meet diverse packaging requirements. The system also boasts a space-saving design with full integration on a single frame, facilitating easy cleaning and maintenance while optimising production floor space.

The CX Combination System (Checkweighing and X-ray Inspection)

The CX Combination System integrates the high-precision C-Series checkweighers with state-of-the-art X2 Series x-ray inspection systems, creating a powerful solution for comprehensive quality control. The X2 Series x-ray inspection systems feature innovative ContamPlus™ Software, which runs over 30 inspection algorithms continuously and in parallel, detecting hard-to-find foreign bodies while reducing waste. Also featuring the HiGain detector technology, which generates sharper images to deliver outstanding contaminant detection, these systems are capable of identifying a wide range of contaminants, including metal, glass, stone, calcified bone and high-density plastics, while also performing quality assurance checks such as detecting missing or broken products.

Combined with the precision weighing capabilities of the C-Series checkweighers, equipped with FlashCell™ technology, this integration offers unparalleled accuracy and consistency for various packaging needs. By bringing these two technologies together, manufacturers can benefit from increased productivity and decreased total cost of ownership. The smart industrial design features easy operation with quick, toolless access to components, enabling belt and curtain removal in less than five minutes. Intuitive user interfaces further simplify operation. An additional option is a Smart Catch Bin, the intelligent separation of contaminated or incorrectly weighed products can also help to enhance both safety and efficiency. This integrated solution not only improves detection sensitivity but also optimises overall production line performance.

Key Benefits of Both Combination Systems:

Maximum Configuration Flexibility: Multiple inspection combination options provide manufacturers with maximum flexibility to find the right solution for their packaging, application and budget needs. This flexibility is achieved by combining the latest advanced contamination detection technologies i.e. M30 R-Series metal detectors and X2 Series x-ray inspection systems, meaning that every need is met.  

Enhanced Operator Efficiency: One-touch operation via the checkweigher supports easy and automated product changeovers. Statistical and status information for the contamination detection solution and checkweigher are available via one Human Machine Interface (HMI), reducing operator training requirements and minimising the risk of user errors. The advanced HMI design improves usability, making the Combination System user-friendly.

Space Saving Design: Shared components, such as conveyors, provide space savings, and having less feet on the floor facilitates easy cleaning.

Reduced Total Cost of Ownership: A single vendor solution provides documentation, installation, configuration support, training and service for two technologies in one, reducing costs over the long term.

Additional Quality Assurance Checks: Vision inspection technology is available as an additional option, making a powerful 3-in1 system which can provide comprehensive quality control by detecting packaging defects, verifying label information and maintaining product integrity.

Industry 4.0 Ready: Both Combination systems can be connected to ProdX™, a state-of-the-art product inspection management software. This complete quality inspection data management system delivers full digital management of product inspection equipment for real-time monitoring and food safety compliance. Visibility of the data can help improve productivity, food safety traceability and facilitate regulatory compliance.  

Joern Migge, Head of Product and Market Management, METTLER TOLEDO, says, “We are excited to introduce the new CM and CX Combination Systems to our customers. These innovative solutions provide unparalleled flexibility, enhanced efficiency and significant cost savings. By integrating the latest M30 R-Series metal detectors and X2 Series x-ray inspection systems, we are able to deliver maximum protection and quality assurance for our customers' products."

For more information, click here or visit www.mt.com/pi-ideal-combi-pr

With its EcoTrace™ LCA service, SÜDPACK has adopted a holistic and data-driven approach to evaluating the environmental impact of its products throughout the value chain. By means of various scenarios and projections, EcoTrace™ makes it possible to compare different packaging concepts, make objective decisions regarding optimal packaging solutions, achieve ambitious environmental and sustainability goals, and expand and optimize product reporting based on reliable LCA data.

According to a study by WWF Germany, the volume of plastic waste could be reduced by around 8% by eliminating unnecessary packaging and introducing improved designs. Up to 365 kilotons, or 9%, of all single-use plastics could be replaced with materials that have a smaller ecological footprint. Furthermore, phasing out multipolymer materials would boost closed-loop mechanical recycling yields by 185 kilotons, or approximately 30%. “By incorporating chemical recycling as a viable recovery option, the potential environmental benefits increase manifold as carbon is retained in the material loop indefinitely,” explains Carolin Grimbacher, Managing Partner of SÜDPACK.

Relevant impact categories and insights

EcoTrace™ enables SÜDPACK to analyze the entire life cycle of its own products, as well as customer concepts, in terms of their environmental impact. These calculations are based on a cradle-to-grave approach, which takes not only greenhouse gases (CO2e) into account, but also factors like fossil resource consumption, eco- and human-toxicity, as well as various energy sources and end-of-life options, within defined system limits. This is an important approach because around 10% of the environmental impact of SÜDPACK’s flexible films occurs at the end of their life cycle (assuming an average recycling rate of 48% and a thermal recovery rate of 52%).

In collaboration with Sphera, SÜDPACK recently conducted an LCA study in accordance with ISO 14040/44 for its Flow Pack PurePP solution – to assess the potential environmental impact of these innovative high-performance films from the company’s Pure-Line range. The materials in question are flexible film laminates used to produce flow packs for various applications, primarily in the food sector. They are made from PP and, due to their mono-material structure, have a recyclability rate of 92% according to the cyclos-HTP institute.

For the end-of-life analysis, a current German recycling mix served as the baseline scenario and was compared with the results from an analysis of 100% mechanical recycling, 100% chemical recycling, and 100% thermal recovery. Additionally, the study examined the impact of different energy sources used in production, as well as the incorporation of recycled content into the granules.

Summary of the LCA study results

In the baseline scenario, 1 m² of Flow Pack PurePP generates 246 g CO₂e/m² over its entire life cycle. As expected, incinerating the Flow Pack at the end of its life results in the highest emissions, at 293 g CO₂e/m², while mechanical recycling reduces this by approximately 50 g CO₂e/m². Therefore, by using mechanical or chemical recycling as an alternative to thermal recovery, the ecological footprint is significantly improved. Even with chemical recycling, the difference compared to thermal recovery is around 50 g CO₂e/m². If renewable electricity is used, CO₂e emissions are reduced even further – by more than 5%. Moreover, mechanical recyclate performs better than chemically recycled input materials, as the latter require more energy during production.

Overall, the results show that significant environmental impacts occur throughout the life cycle of Flow Pack PurePP, highlighting the need for fact-based assessments to make informed decisions on sustainability criteria.

Smart service

Another benefit of EcoTrace™ is that the results of these studies can serve as a foundation for fact-based product development and optimization based on various sustainability criteria and can also be shared with customers when needed. EcoTrace™ makes it fast and easy to integrate the datasets into the customer’s “LCA for Experts” software.

Herndon, Va.; Oct. 7, 2024 – The outlook is bright for contract services providers and their customers, according to Contract Packaging & Manufacturing: Drivers of Machinery Investments, a report published by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the producer of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows.

Three quarters of the contract packaging (CP)/contract manufacturing (CM) companies interviewed predict their business will grow year-over-year for the next three years. This is because 67% of brand owners plan to maintain or increase their current use of CP/CM services. It’s clear that there are major advantages to outsourcing. CP/CM services provide a host of solutions to brand owners.

Hiring a CP/CM provider also allows brand owners to access machinery/packaging formats not available in-house (59%); to test new products or packaging (48%); to offer a customized product/package, especially for short or limited runs (48%); to supplement in-house capacity and meet surges in sales volume (43%), and to better serve the e-commerce channel (7%). Another 11% of brand owners rely on contract service providers to serve as their production operation, so it’s not necessary to invest in their production lines. 

To meet the needs of brand owners, 87% of CP/CM firms plan to install new equipment in the next three years to increase flexibility (78%), expedite changeover (53%), and simplify machine operation (46%). The most popular machinery additions are in palletizing (40%), case/tray handling (35%), label/decorating/coding (32%), form-fill-seal (31%), cartoning (30%), filling/dosing (26%), bottling line (25%), and wrapping/bundling (22%).

The report, produced in conjunction with DDR/REACH, also describes the array of CP/CM services offered, capabilities providers should possess, and challenges in the segment such as labor shortages, timely delivery of supplies and machinery, and effective management of growth, throughput, and scheduling.

The CP/CM segment will be well-represented at PACK EXPO International (Nov. 3–6, 2024; McCormick Place, Chicago) where brand owners and service providers will find many opportunities to network, participate in free educational presentations, and see the latest technology innovations. To learn more and register, visit packexpointernational.com.