Packaging Digest - November 1, 2008

ConAgra Foods, one of the world's largest packaged foods companies, is changing its environmental programs from compliance-driven to proactive sustainability initiatives. The company, based in Omaha, NE, owns such popular brands as Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, Banquet, La Choy, Hunt's, Wesson, Van Camp's, Hebrew National, PAM, Egg Beaters and Orville Redenbacher's.

• Departments
• Comment
• The era of bioplastics has not quite arrived yet
• Design Trends
• Energize your day
• Beauty drink 'glows' in sleek bottle
• Juiced-up PET bottle updates the V8 brand
• Italian margarine tub boasts strength, impact-resistance and hot-fill capability
• Coppola produces elegant, single-serve wines
• Single-serve peanut-butter cups are just the right size
• Miller Lite launches pint-size aluminum bottle
• Cruzan Rum toasts a new, premium image
• Slim-can design enhances iced teas' Asian flair
• New Sharpie® package uses less plastic
• New Products
• Bowls and trays
• Industrial PCs
• Adhesion testing
• Probiotics straw
• Economical sleeve labeling
• Pressure/vacuum switches
• Closure technology
• Hand-packing system
• Index drive
• Case packers
• Bagmaker
• Produce packaging
• Battery technology
• Robotic stretch wrapper
• Tube-manufacturing capacity
• Pharmaceutical labeling
• Sensor film
• Microwaveable combined pad
• Sub-miniature manifolds
• Adhesives
• Roller chain
• Bag sealers
• Unpacker/case packer
• Turret rewinder
• Photoluminescent plastics
• Industrial PCs
• Twin-axis robot
• Press
• Multihead weigher
• Labels
• Aseptic filling
• Newsmakers
• Newsmakers
• Sustainability
• Imagining new systems in the wake of the economic downturn
• System Integration
• Involve integrators early

• Features
• Best Practices
• Standardizing work can reduce required effort
• Environmental Study
• Survey says 'green' is growing
• Reusable Pallets
• Pooling fierce foundations
• Stretch Wrapping
• Stretch wrapping the Ranch Hand way
• Sustainable Inks
• Inks can spearhead a 'green' strategy

• New Technology
• Automation and Controls
• Optimizing warehouse machine controls