Herndon, Va.; June 25, 2024 — This year's largest packaging and processing show, PACK EXPO International 2024 (Nov. 3–6, McCormick Place, Chicago), will spotlight sustainability with new and expanded show resources to help brands lessen energy consumption, minimize waste, and reduce overall carbon footprint.

Making its PACK EXPO International debut, Sustainability Central will explore packaging sustainability and what it means to brands. This show floor destination will include expert speakers and a look at actionable, sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. With over 20 educational sessions at Sustainability Central, attendees can gain critical insights on various vital topics from experts at Amazon, Conagra, Clorox, Dow, Nestle, the Consumer Brands Association, Conagra, and other major industry players.

Additionally, Sustainability Central will feature displays from Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, Clemson University, PMMI Business Intelligence, and AMERIPEN among others, sharing their latest planet-friendly innovations, research, and best practices.

For attendees looking to see sustainability-enhancing solutions in action, show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is expanding resources to help the expected 45,000 attendees efficiently navigate the show’s 2,500 suppliers stretched over 1.3 million net square feet of exhibition space.

For advanced online planning, attendees can use the Sustainability Solutions Finder, a professionally vetted and searchable tool, to locate exhibitors with environmentally friendly products and machinery. The tool goes live in late July, and a kiosk will also be located in Sustainability Central.

On-site, attendees can look for the PACK EXPO Green icon to identify sustainable materials and machinery suppliers and educational sessions focused on sustainability. A complete list of current PACK EXPO Green exhibitors can be found in the online exhibitor directory

“We’ve intentionally partnered with companies, exhibitors, and vendors to integrate sustainability into every component of PACK EXPO International, including educational programming, show features, and how we do business as the largest packaging and processing event this year,” says Laura Thompson, PMMI’s vice president of Trade Shows.

In addition to the new and expanded education and show navigation resources, attendees can expect the return of familiar features and initiatives to support their eco-conscious efforts:

Sustainability focused educational sessions also will take place at the Innovation Stage, Processing Innovation Stage, and Industry Speaks.

The Reusable Packaging Pavilion will feature Reusable Packaging Association member companies demonstrating sustainable packaging solutions to help reduce waste, cut costs, and gain supply chain efficiency. Attendees can explore reusable transport packaging products and services and see innovative reuse solutions.

Sponsored by WestRock, The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, located within the Containers and Materials Pavilion, will display award-winning packaging from around the world.

Additionally, PMMI is working with Dow, the Official Sustainability Partner and the Official Sponsor of Show Floor Recycling at PACK EXPO International, to minimize the environmental impact of the event to divert as much waste as possible from landfills. PMMI is also proud to host PACK EXPO International 2024 at McCormick Place, which has been recognized by independent third-party organizations such as LEED, APEX, Green Seal, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its innovative strategies to reduce its carbon footprint.

Learn more about PACK EXPO International’s Sustainability Commitment here. Register for the show at packexpointernational.com

Sydney, Australia, 25 June 2024 — With the snacks market in Italy accelerating and cost-conscious consumers increasingly turning to budget-friendly private-label goods, Preziosi Food, a leading Italian manufacturer of potato chips and snacks, needed a complete solutions partner with the capability to deliver significant production capacity increases in a very short 12-month timeframe. TNA solutions stepped up to deliver and oversaw the implementation of a fully integrated potato chip line, a state-of-the-art pellet frying system, and a complete distribution, seasoning and packaging system that took Preziosi’s production capacity from 17 to 30 million kilos of product per year.

“Preziosi had a very short amount of time to plan and execute the project,” said Eric Geling, Chief Sales Officer at TNA solutions. “Any delays would have impacted the company’s private label contracts. However, working with a complete solutions partner greatly minimised the risk during the installation phase. Our objective was to ensure that each machine delivers on its promise, from the highest output level to the lowest downtime.”

TNA is the only global single-source solutions provider that can deliver equipment for the entire potato snack production line, which aligns well with Preziosi’s main goal of increasing production capacity. TNA’s high-performance potato chip line includes washing, cutting, frying, distribution, seasoning, and high-speed packaging, enabling Preziosi to operate at speeds of up to 1,500kg/hour. The further installation of a state-of-the-art pellet frying system in place of Preziosi’s existing fryer doubled line capacity to 600kg/hour.

“Despite a number of challenges, including the need to keep production going while navigating a complex installation process, with help from TNA, we managed to overcome these hurdles while also achieving steady growth of over 20%,” said Lorenzo Caporaletti, President and CEO of Preziosi Food. “Our requirements were not only cutting-edge technology; we also wanted to manage the installation and improve the plant within a strict 12-month period without stopping or slowing production. It required a lot of creative thinking from both sides.”

With Preziosi producing over 300 SKUs of snacks across potato chips, pellets and extruded items, one of the main aims of the project was to not compromise on the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality, safe and controlled products. As such, TNA’s holistic approach and deep process knowledge enabled its expert engineers to identify areas that could be leveraged to deliver maximum value, ultimately increasing snack production capacity by an impressive 76%.

The high-performance TNA continuous frying system, for example, included patented opti-flow® technology, which ensured consistency in each batch and reduced rejects. Lowering the outfeed temperature of the oil inside the fryer to 150°C via a double heat exchanger also reduced acrylamide formation, greater colour intensity, and a crunchier product overall.

“Our application engineer, Arnaud Jansse, oversees our Food Technology Centre,” added Geling. “Leveraging his 30 years of experience, he and his team were able to work with Preziosi to fine-tune the frying process, ensuring each product delivered was as perfect as it could be. Following this, the implementation of our tna roflo® vibratory and horizontal conveyor systems took care of those products, reducing breakages and, therefore, shards in the final package while increasing distribution speeds.”

The deployment of multiple TNA on-machine seasoning systems (OMS) delivered seamless changeovers and easy operation across multiple products simultaneously. This, coupled with five new market-leading tna robag® packaging systems, further ensured Preziosi could continue to outstrip demand and deliver only the highest quality products to its customers and consumers alike.

To read the full case study on TNA solutions’ partnership with Preziosi Food, click here.

MONTRÉAL, June 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saputo Inc. (we, Saputo or the Company) announces today it has completed the previously announced sale of two fresh milk processing facilities located in Laverton North, Victoria, and Erskine Park, New South Wales, to Coles Group Limited, an Australian-based supermarket, retail, and consumer services chain, in a transaction valued at approximately CDN$95 million (A$105 million). The completion of this transaction is part of the Company’s overall network optimization strategy, one of the pillars of its Global Strategic Plan.

“This sale reinforces our roadmap for long-term success in Australia and demonstrates our agility in further adapting our manufacturing footprint to focus on higher-value growth opportunities,” said Lino A. Saputo, Chair of the Board, President, and CEO.

As part of the sale, Saputo is maintaining its valued farmer relationships in Australia and will continue to have fresh milk products processed at the two manufacturing facilities. The employment of approximately 48 people across the two sites was transferred to Coles Group Limited.

Saputo is grateful to its employees at the two fresh milk sites for their ongoing commitment throughout the sale process and wishes them every success in their future employment with Coles Group Limited.

Mespack, a leading international manufacturer of horizontal and vertical form-fill-seal machines for flexible packaging, end-of-line equipment, and water-soluble pods, and Fuji Seal, an international provider of pre-made pouches for many products category such as drink, food, HPC, pharma and homecare, have signed a collaboration agreement to introduce a groundbreaking solution to the pre-made spouted pouch packaging market, leveraging the combined expertise and resources of both companies.

At the core of this partnership lies the integration of Fuji Seal’s pre-made pouches with Mespack’s HF Series machines under One Sales Contract that comprises the commercialization of pouches, equipment, and its maintenance to maintain high production standards. This seamless integration aims to facilitate the adoption of superior technology and new capacity to packaging firms by reducing the complexity of synchronization and aligning all parties, resulting in the achievement of enhanced productivity and reliability across operations.

Mespack’s HF Series machines are renowned for their versatility in filling through the spout, minimizing headspace and accommodating diverse pouch sizes and formats to meet varying product and packaging requirements. Equipped with cutting-edge filling technology, the HF Series guarantees consistent quality fills for preserving product integrity. Furthermore, the HF Series integrates the Mespack Athena digital platform, featuring an intuitive control panel and advanced software for user-friendly operation, monitoring, data analysis and maintenance.

As part of this partnership, Mespack will develop a module to integrate Fuji Seal’s introduction system with Mespack HF Series. Recognized for its precision and efficiency, the innovative system will optimize the pouch loading process, leading to significant reduction in labor costs and an increasing productivity by 90% in pouch introduction, thus setting a new industry standard.

Fuji Seal’s contribution to this partnership lies in its extensive experience and proprietary technology. Their unwavering commitment to innovation and quality ensures that the pre-made pouches used with Mespack’s HF or RM Series, meet the highest standards, offering customers a superior packaging solution. Designed for durability, functionality, and aesthetic appeal, Fuji Seal’s pre-made pouches cater to the diverse needs of various industries.

Through this collaboration, Mespack and Fuji Seal will provide a comprehensive, unique solution comprising high-quality pre-made pouches and advanced pre-made filling machines, resulting in significant time and labor savings for customers.

Both Mespack and Fuji Seal are committed to sustainability and minimizing the environmental impact of packaging, by innovating in mono-materials technology and recyclable pouches. By integrating their technologies, they aim to reduce waste, optimize resource utilization, and promote eco-friendly packaging solutions, aligning with global sustainability objectives.

This strategic partnership for European and American markets underscores Mespack and Fuji Seal’s shared commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. By leveraging their collective expertise and advanced technologies, they endeavor to deliver the most efficient and effective packaging solutions available in the pre-made pouches market.

In words of Guillem Clofent, managing director at Mespack: ‘For Mespack, collaboration with strategic partners is essential to providing the best solutions in the industry. This alliance with Fuji Seal marks the beginning of a journey we will undertake together to advance the pre-made pouch market. Together, with the One Sales Contract, we aim to facilitate the adoption of new technology and capacity for our customers, at the same time that we continue to introduce unique and innovative solutions with high-precision filling in pre-made pouches, enhanced productivity, and significant savings in time and production costs.’

For his part, Masahisa Fukuda, FSI executive officer for pouch business at Fuji Seal, commented: ‘We are thrilled to join forces with Mespack in this strategic collaboration. Our shared dedication to innovation and quality allows us to offer customers a comprehensive solution that combines the best of both companies. With our high-quality pre-made pouches and Mespack’s advanced technology in packaging machinery, we are opening up new possibilities in the spouted pre-made pouch market.’