PACKAGING BRIEFS Thursday, Nov. 10

Kraft plans MiO-with-caffeine line extension
According to the Financial Times, Kraft Foods is reportedly rolling out an extension of its popular MiO beverage flavoring concentrate in December 2011. The new caffeinated version will be packages in a regular-sized bottle, which will hold the equivalent of 18 cups of coffee. It will be marketed to adults 18 and older.

Coca-Cola China to eliminate PVC labels in China
As reported by China Daily, The Coca-Cola Co. has decided to use non-PVC labels on bottles of all its beverages sold in China. According to Liu Huidong, a senior manager of technology at Coca Cola China, the company will use oriented polypropylene (OPP) and other materials instead.

Nestlé continues to growth overseas with new chocolate production lines
Nestlé has invested more than 12 million Swiss francs to install a new production line for molding a variety of chocolates at its factory in La Penilla de Cayón in the north of Spain. This is just one of eight major investments Nestlé has made in its manufacturing operations in Europe in 2011, including 45 million Swiss francs to extend a factory in Hungary and 38 million Swiss francs to double pet food production in Russia.

Telles Partners with North American distributors to accelerate commercialization of Mirel
Telles, a joint venture of Metabolix Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Co., have appointed Entec Polymers LLC and Channel Prime Alliance as North American distributors of Mirel, a family of bioplastics available for injection molding, thermoforming, sheet extrusion and film applications. Channel Prime Alliance focuses on providing consistent products and services to meet its customers' requirements for plastic products across North America. With more than 25 years of industry expertise, Entec is a licensed compounder, recycler and distributor of thermoplastic resins, with a heavy focus on specialty products and applications through all major conversion technologies.

Fanuc Robotics demonstrates coordinated motion in video
Fanuc Robotics America has released a YouTube video featuring coordinated robot motion with its Constant Path software feature. The video showcases a Fanuc M-10iA robot rotating a basketball while a Fanuc ARC Mate 120iC/10L robot follows the lines of the basketball with a marble. "Constant Path ensures coordination between multiple robots, simplifies teaching and reduces cycle time," says Jason Tsai, general manager of product development, Fanuc Robotics. "This is a major benefit for manufacturers looking to respond quickly to their customer's needs to deliver quality products on time."

DAP executive joins the Adhesive and Sealant Council board
The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) announces that John McLaughlin, president/CEO of DAP Inc., will join the ASC board of directors effective Nov. 9, 2011.

Gerresheimer wins German Packaging Award for its new multilayer plastic vials
Gerresheimer has received the German Packaging Award 2011 in the Retail Packaging category for developing vials which offer previously unattained levels of safety for parenteral drugs. The multilayer plastic vials unite the best properties of plastic and glass in a new high-quality packaging for liquid medications. The new multilayer vials have a unique triple-layer structure consisting of a layer of polyamide sandwiched between two COP (cyclic olefine polymer) layers. The polyamide layer functions as an oxygen barrier, resulting in a 40 times reduction of oxygen transmission compared with conventional plastic type vials. The absence of heavy metal ions increases the stability of oxidation-sensitive solutions and an inert surface minimizes possible interactions.

D&W Fine Pack to acquire Chicago-based packaging group
D&W Fine Pack LLC, a leader in the foodservice packaging industry, has acquired CM Packaging Group, based in Lake Zurich, IL. The transaction, which is expected to close in late November 2011, is subject to regulatory approval and an affirmative vote by the participants in the CM Packaging Group's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Comprised of three business units, CM Packaging, Stone Plastics and PDI, CM Packaging Group is a manufacturer of rigid plastic thermoformed containers and aluminum containers serving the restaurant, grocery, bakery, produce and food processor markets. The acquisition will advance the D&W strategy to be a national supplier of disposable foodservice containers and other products serving the at-home and away-from-home markets. The CM Packaging Group's business will complement the D&W product offerings, with both stock and custom products, and will add five manufacturing locations.

Worldwide Plastics and Royal Interpack announce agreement to sell 100% rPET containers
Royal Interpack Co. Ltd. of Thailand and Worldwide Plastics Co. of San Antonio, TX, have entered into a strategic agreement for selling sustainable packaging solutions to the North American market. In the spring of 2012, Royal Interpack Co. Ltd., with the support of Worldwide Plastics Co., will expand and start manufacturing 100 percent recycled PET containers in the U.S.

Techmer PM adds capacity at Tennessee site
Techmer PM, producer of value-added colors and additives for the plastics and fiber industries, has added new manufacturing capacity to its plant in Clinton, TN. A new line was installed, bringing the total footprint of the plant to over 200,000 sq ft. This line will compound more than 5 million pounds annually, with capabilities in a range of polymer systems. The project represented a $3 million investment with a focus toward higher value-added products.

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