International Converting Industry News
- Published: October 01, 2000
Covering the Full Spectrum of International Industry News, Events & Activities
Asceptic Pouch Finds Market in Medicine
OSLO, NORWAY—Elopouch, the aseptic packaging pouch system from Elopak is being put to new use. Best known for packaging UHT-processed milk, the Elopouch now is being used in a clinical nutrition package from Nutrichem. The nutriBag is a double-bag system for providing clinical nutrition to patients fed liquid food by tube in the stomach or small intestine. Currently, it is in use in Japanese hospitals.
Elopak developed an inner vessel, the Elopouch, that is filled aseptically with a mixture of all the nutrients essential to the human body. The outer bag or secondary transparent packaging with sealed fitment was developed by Nutrichem and serves to administer the product while offering external protection. According to Jorg Weltert, manager of Elopouch Packaging Systems, "The inner Elopouch preserves the essential properties of the ingredients from impairment caused by light and oxygen. Other enteral nutrition packaging requires retortion, or processing twice, but the Elopouch product is processed only once. Consequently there is a lower thermal impact on the contents."
The package enables the product to be suspended for extended periods, offering lengthier transfusion times and more effective emptying of all contents. The bag is lightweight, unbreakable, and easy to handle, the co. reports, and once the opening is punched, the liquid can be viewed as it flows into the outer bag, without the need to fill another container.
Industry Studies
Packaging Fuels Growth of Presses in China
CHINA—The number of new web- and sheet-fed printing presses is increasing in China and is now more than 24,000, according to the TrendWatch Global Report Series Printing 2000 China.
The growth is fueled by packaging, the report says, adding that nine out of ten Hong Kong printing businesses have moved their production facilities into the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong, transforming the cities of Dongguan and Shenzhen into the region's key printing exporting centers. For more information contact TrendWatch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Supplier News
Akzo Forms Turkish Joint Venture
MANCHESTER, U.K.—Akzo Nobel Inks has completed a joint venture to offer products, service, and technical support to the label printing market in Turkey. The company, which will be known as Akzo Nobel Baski Murekkepleri A.S., will be headed by general manager Yalcin Bazos and technical manager Orhan Yildirir. The new facility is located in the industrial area of Beysol, Istanbul, and includes warehouse, offices, and laboratory with on-site ink mixing.
AVT Posts Healthy Six-Month Revenues
HOD-HASHARON, ISRAEL—Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) reports that its revenues in the first half of 2000 increased by 73%, compared to the same period in 1999, to a total of $6.2 million. Net profits for the period were $289,000 (5% of revenues) versus a loss of $727,000 for the first six months of 1999. The company plans to continue efforts in the packaging and converting industry to increase awareness of its automatic inspection systems in the European and North American markets, and to continue its penetration of Southeast Asian and Latin American markets.
Collano Posts Double-Digit Revenue Gains
SEMPACH-STATION, SWITZERLAND—Adhesives manufacturer Collano posted a 12% gain in consolidated revenue to CHF 47.5 million for the first half of 2000. Profit advanced by 6%, mainly due to sustained price pressures in many markets, as well as to higher raw material costs.
Polytech Strengthens Ties in Asia Pacific
MARANO TICINO, ITALY—Polytech SpA, manufacturers of double bubble machinery, has established new regional offices in China and Indonesia. Alessandro Rapetti has been appointed area manager to handle Asia Pacific operations at a new regional office located near Jakarta in Tangerang, Indonesia; ph: +62-21-5372975; fax: +62-21-5387463.
Operating within the facilities of Siti China Ltd., Kelvin Tang and Ed Luo will handle sales and service of Polytech equipment in China. Tang is located in Shanghai; ph: +86-21-62196394; fax: +86-21-62193513. Luo is in Foshan City, Guangdong Province; ph: +86-757-2301900; fax: +86-757-2255449.
Sappi Sells Division to Sonae
SOUTH AFRICA—Global paper group Sappi has sold Sappi Novobord to Sonae South Africa (Pty) Ltd. for an undisclosed amount. Sappi Novobord is a particle and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) manufacturer with factories in Whiteriver and George, S. Africa. Sonae S. Africa is a wholly owned sub. of Sonae Industria.
Association News
NPES/Shanghai Training Center Press and Partners
SHANGHAI, CHINA—The US-Sino Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies Training Center commissioned a new Heidelberg M-130 web press and added two new Technology Partners to the list of companies providing equipment to the Center. The new Partners are Quad Tech and Quark Inc.
The three-year-old Center is a joint venture of NPES, The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, Reston, VA, and the Shanghai Printing Group Corp. The four-color Heidelberg press is capable of up to 40,000 impressions/hr. A number of Technology Partners provided accessory systems for the new press, including a Barco Graphic Systems CTP system; web offset blankets from Day International, a pressroom viewing booth from GTI Graphic Technology; a web guide system from Quad Tech Inc.; and densitometers from X-Rite. The Center's new Technology Partners bring the total number to 34.
German Market for Plastics & Rubber Machinery Slips
FRANKFURT, GERMANY—Following record achievements for production and exports in 1998, the German plastics and rubber machinery industry experienced, as expected, a pause in growth during 1999, according to a report by the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association of VDMA. For the first time after five years of growth, the sector recorded a drop of 6.4%. Value of the output for the core machinery business was euro 3.4 billion. The total value of equipment deliveries for plastics and rubber processing (including flexographic printing machines for films) amounted to euro 5.5 billion for 1999, a fall of 3.6%. For more information contact VDMA, Lyoner Str. 18, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; +49-69-66-03-1832; guk.vdma.org.
