Herndon, VA; November 9, 2023 – Packaging and processing companies seeking to share their latest machinery, materials, and innovations with the growing manufacturing industry in the southeast, can now sign up to exhibit at PACK EXPO Southeast, which will debut in spring 2025 in Atlanta (March 10-12; Georgia World Congress Center).

The newest show in the PACK EXPO portfolio, produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, will offer solutions to address the packaging and processing needs of southeast manufacturers in over 40 vertical markets.

“PMMI sees a great opportunity to offer the first comprehensive packaging and processing trade show to service the southeast region. This region has shown favorable growth in several manufacturing sectors, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medicine, aerospace products and parts, textile products, and medical equipment and supplies,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “PACK EXPO Southeast in Atlanta is the perfect location to focus on targeted opportunities in this robust market, which is home to some of the top manufacturing companies.”

Located within driving distance of key manufacturing cities, PACK EXPO Southeast will harness all the power of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, directed at the strong southeast market.

“PACK EXPO Southeast 2025 is a must-attend event for companies that want to make key connections with buyers in this growing region,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows.

“In keeping with our PACK EXPO brand, it also offers attendees the chance to see innovation in action for over 40 vertical markets and the latest solutions to some of their critical manufacturing needs.”

Excitement around the new show is building in the packaging and processing industry, and suppliers identify convenience, growth opportunities, and PACK EXPO’s comprehensive offerings as just a few reasons to look forward to its Southeast debut.

“Every PACK EXPO is critical to the growth of our business, so we couldn’t be more excited to experience all the show has to offer in Atlanta,” says Allison Wagner, business strategy manager, Morrison Container Handling Solutions. “With the market expansions that are happening in the southeast, it makes so much sense to bring all the benefits of PACK EXPO to Atlanta so we can connect directly with customers. We’re looking forward to a successful first show in Atlanta in 2025!”

Holly Dillon, sales manager, Unitronics, also is anticipating PACK EXPO Southeast in Atlanta. She says, “The PMMI shows historically have provided us with great quality leads that convert to long-lasting customers. We’ve been exhibiting with PMMI for more than a decade. Very few shows bring the volume and quality of exhibitors, which PMMI brings to the table.”

Exhibitors have already begun signing up, including Wisconsin-based manufacturer Multi-Conveyor LLC.

“Multi-Conveyor is energized to be exhibiting at the premiere of PACK EXPO Southeast in Atlanta 2025,” says Cheryl Miller, director of marketing, Multi-Conveyor. “This event will undeniably be the most convenient, cohesive means for our southeast regional customers and partner businesses to locally witness our latest technologies ‘live’ on the show floor and meet one-on-one with Multi-Conveyor’s team. Win, Win, and WIN!”

Request information and learn more at packexposoutheast.com, or contact Daniel Smith, exhibit sales manager, or Patrick Bradley, national accounts manager, at sales@pmmi.org

Attendee registration for PACK EXPO Southeast 2025 will open November 2024.

(UPM, Helsinki, 8 November 2023 at 11:00 EET) – UPM Specialty Papers is responding to the growing pet food market’s need to transform traditional packaging solutions by offering paper-based alternatives for plastics and packages that contain soon to be phased out PFAS chemicals.

PFAS chemicals, also known as forever chemicals, are often used to achieve grease resistance that is an important requirement for pet food packaging. However, PFAS chemicals are harmful to health, and are therefore being phased out with regulation. For example, the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is expected to prohibit companies from bringing packaging products containing PFAS chemicals to the market.

“As PFAS chemicals are expected to be banned in the EU, UPM Specialty Papers can support converters and brand owners in this change. UPM’s barrier papers can achieve excellent grease resistance without the use of PFAS chemicals,” says Kalle Luomi, Senior Manager, Product Stewardship, UPM Specialty Papers.

Depending on customer requirements, the company offers a wide range of packaging papers for pet food packaging. One example is the UPM Asendo™ Pro barrier paper that combines recyclability and grease resistance with excellent print properties.

UPM Specialty Papers and partners in the packaging value network can also together co-create packaging solutions that help customers meet their goals such as food safety, recyclability, and other needs. For example, strength is also a necessary feature for pet food packaging that not only needs to endure logistics but also contents that weigh up to 20 kg.

“Great packaging protects what is being sold, but it also sells the product it protects,” Marco Tramontano, Sales Director, UPM Specialty Papers says. “People love their pets: they want to know that their best friend gets the same quality that they do. That’s why we are pleased to offer pet food brands food-safe packaging that also ensures the shelf appeal of their products – and reduces plastic.”

Order a sample: https://www.upmspecialtypapers.com/campaigns/new-breed-of-packaging/

Copenhagen / Kastrup, Nov. 7, 2023 ● Kassow Robots, a developer of 7-axis industrial cobot solutions for machine tending, material handling, dispensing, and various other applications, has established a U.S.-based team focused on sales and support. Regional Channel Partner Managers Jim Adamski and Collin Ayres and Technical Support Engineer Chris Hapsias will support Kassow Robots' sales partners, system integrators, and distributors in the U.S. Kassow Robots is part of Bosch Rexroth, which has been its majority owner since 2022

“This team will allow us to work closely with our system integrators and distributors in the United States. They will also extend our reach to new sales partners and markets,” said Dieter Pletscher, Global Sales Manager at Kassow Robots. 

Jim Adamski is focused on working with the U.S. partner network east of the Mississippi River and in Iowa. He joined the Kassow Robots team earlier this year and has previous experience with Bosch Rexroth. He’s worked in the factory automation industry for more than 30 years. Adamski looks forward to helping U.S. companies automate their operations efficiently and manage labor challenges.

“Kassow Robots has a great lineup of 7-axis robots that are easy to set up and program,” Adamski said. “There is vast array of potential applications, such as machine tending, welding, dispensing, and palletizing, that these cobots are equipped to handle because of their flexibility.”

Collin Ayres recently joined the Kassow Robots team after receiving his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. As Regional Channel Partner Manager, he focuses on helping Kassow Robots expand its presence in North America and supporting sales partners in the western part of the U.S.

“It’s an exciting time to be working in automation, and I’ve enjoyed seeing users’ response to interacting with the Kassow Robots cobots at events over the past several months,” Ayres said. “The 7-axis lightweight robots were made for industrial use and enable automation for operations even in the most confined spaces.”

The latest addition to the U.S. team is technical support engineer Chris Hapsias. He is responsible for providing technical support and training for Kassow Robots’ U.S. distributor network. He brings four years of factory automation experience, specifically in the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) space.

“The added range of motion the seventh axis provides for the KR Series robots is impressive,” Hapsias said. “They are user-friendly, with an intuitive tablet-based user interface that allows beginners to program these cobots with little training and robotics pros to dive deeper to program complex operations.”

Kassow Robots’ 7-axis lightweight cobots offer small footprints and increased maneuverability. The unique seventh axis, or “wrist joint,” enables continuous dispensing, welding, and material removal applications, regardless of access angle, without the need to reorient the arm. The cobots are easy to program and operate after a short introduction, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) without robotics specialists to implement automation cost-effectively and independently.

Ottawa, ON, Nov. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Protein Industries Canada has released The Road to $25 Billion, an updated roadmap for Canada’s ingredient manufacturing, food processing, and bio-products sector.

An update on the report originally released in 2021, the new version now outlines the immediate steps required for Canada to seize a $25 billion annual economic opportunity through value-added processing. 

“In a rapidly changing global environment characterised by the new realities of climate change, geopolitical tensions, increased competition, and a rapidly growing global population, maintaining the status quo is no longer an option,” CEO of Protein Industries Canada Bill Greuel said. “We must consider areas of the economy that have the potential to grow and be resilient within this new reality. Canada’s ingredient manufacturing sector is one of those. It can offer prosperity, a strengthened food supply chain and economic resilience to Canada in the face of this evolving landscape.”

Canada’s agriculture and food sector has long been undervalued as an economic driver. Currently, our trading partners import Canadian raw commodities, and generate value through ingredient manufacturing, food production, and bio-product development. Some of these products are exported back to Canada. Bringing this value-added opportunity home represents the $25 billion potential outlined in the Roadmap.

Just as electric vehicles signify a sustainable evolution in transportation and an economic boon, so does ingredient manufacturing and food processing for our agricultural sector.

“The EV battery industry presented a similar question—do we want to continue being an exporter of critical minerals? Or do we want to be a maker of high-value goods? It’s time to ask the same question of our agricultural sector,” Greuel said. “We have a massive opportunity to build on the strength of our commodity production, to start processing more of our commodities here at home and create an economy that is resilient to global disruptions.”

Investing in ingredient manufacturing, food processing, and bio-products not only promises to add $25 billion a year to our economy and create 17,000 jobs, but also offers several additional benefits:

New development to revitalise local communities in the form of 10 to 15 new processing plants across Canada;

More opportunities for farmers;

Reduced emissions on global food systems;

Enhanced security for Canada’s food supply chain; and

The establishment of Canada as a leader in the global food system shift.

“The federal government’s $350 million investment into Protein Industries Canada has been invaluable in bringing attention to the sector and Canada’s opportunity. But we must go further, and with urgency, to build off those investments to ensure Canada remains competitive and captures the value of our commodities to strengthen the Canadian economy.” Greuel said.

The full report can be found at www.theroadto25billion.ca.