February brings the debut of PACK EXPO East to Philadelphia Feb. 16-18. The first processing and packaging trade show specifically for Northeastern manufacturers is owned and produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, known for its portfolio of PACK EXPO trade shows.

With nearly one-third of the nation’s top CPGs located within 200 miles of Philadelphia, the Northeastern United States is a critical center of manufacturing. Meanwhile, the significant growth of the region’s microbreweries and dairy industry continues to add to the momentum. New York state’s microbreweries jumped 160 percent in the past three years, while its dairy manufacturers produced of yogurt, 16 percent of U.S. yogurt (741 million pounds) in 2013.

Located in the heart of Philadelphia, PACK EXPO East will meet the needs of this vibrant, yet previously underserved, Northeastern manufacturing marketplace.

PACK EXPO East will be a resource for food brands, processors, and packagers seeking the latest solutions and insights to improve the sustainability, efficiency productivity and security of the manufacturing supply chain. The show’s several educational features will guide attendees to the suppliers and information they need:

• The Innovation Stage (Booth #696) will be home to educational talks on breakthrough technologies and other innovations presented by the industry’s leading solutions providers. These free 30-minute seminars will be conveniently located on the show floor.

• The Education Pavilion (Booth #697) will serve as a convenient source of information on industry-related training, and certificate and degree programs. Staffed by representatives from colleges and universities as well as PMMI, this feature will also provide opportunities for attendees to learn about PMMI’s educational offerings, including the Mechatronics Certificate Test and the PMMI Certified Trainer Program.  

• The Packaging Design Studio (Booth #1067), presented by Rutgers University’s Packaging Engineering Program, will bring the future of packaging to PACK EXPO East. Attendees can see and examine innovative packaging prototypes, automated loading and unloading systems, and a custom-order snack mix production machine — all designed by students in this elite program.

The centerpiece of PACK EXPO East will, of course, be the aisles full of innovations from suppliers of processing and packaging technologies. Here are a few of the new solutions you can expect to see at the show:

Keep it Fresh – and Green

Fres-co System USA (Booth #651) will employ state-of-the-art visual technology to display a variety of sustainable solutions. Fres-co is a leader in transitioning customers from rigid to flexible packaging across a variety of markets, including coffee, liquid food and beverage, and industrial and agricultural products. At the show, Fres-co will showcase samples of a technology that can decrease customers’ fuel consumption by replacing traditional fiber drum packaging with flexible packages. This solution, known as the Termalock™ industrial sealer, along with other Fres-co technologies, have reduced costs for customers and resulted in substantially improved profit margins.

New Robotic System Maximizes Efficiency, Speed and Flexibility

ADCO Manufacturing (Booth # 1227) will showcase its complete top load cartoning system, featuring its RTL-2x two-axis robotic carton loader. The system, which the manufacturer says is appropriate for applications including snack foods, baked goods in trays, flow-wrapped products, frozen meats, dairy and personal care and cosmetics, can run a variety of package sizes and styles at up to 400 packages per minute. The high-speed parallel kinematic robot design is also said to maximize flexibility, enhance output and reduce maintenance for food manufacturers, with a smaller open footprint and full stainless construction for easy sanitation for food manufacturers. Paired with the RTL-2x, the InterACT intuitive machine interface with online documentation will reduce training time and smooth integration through its industry standard motion controls.

Pouches for Productivity

PPi Technologies Group (Booth #1015) will showcase two innovative pouch technologies at Booth #1015 at PACK EXPO East. The first is the PPi SN Junior form-fill-seal machine, which produces stand-up pouches with re-closeable zippers. This technology provides flexibility in size and enables rapid changeover using EZ Change™ cassettes for higher productivity and operational efficiency.

PPi will also exhibit its PSG LEE premade pouch fill-seal machine, which features a human-machine interface (HMI) with a touch screen. A MAP system is also available for these fill and seal machines, ensuring that products will stay fresh for longer by preventing air leakage. For quality assurance checks at the end of the line, PPi utilizes a Xavis X-ray machine capable of counting pouches as well as weighing them.