Horizontal Form Fill Seal (HFFS)

Maximizing Efficiency and Quality: Key Considerations for Pork Processors Investing in Packaging Machinery

July 20, 2023

When a pork processor is considering purchasing packaging machinery, there are several key factors they should take into account to make an informed decision. Here are some important aspects to consider:

Packaging Requirements: Understand the specific packaging requirements of your pork products. Consider factors such as product size, shape, weight, and desired packaging format (tray sealing, overwrapping, modified atmosphere packaging, etc.). Different packaging machinery specializes in various packaging methods, so align your requirements with the capabilities of the equipment.
Production Volume: Determine the expected production volume and speed requirements of your facility. Some machines are designed for high-speed operations, while others are more suitable for smaller-scale production. Ensure that the chosen machinery can handle your projected output and maintain efficiency.
Sanitation and Hygiene: In the food industry, maintaining high levels of sanitation is critical. Look for packaging machinery that is designed for easy cleaning, with accessible components and washdown construction. Consider features such as stainless steel construction, tool-less changeover, and removable parts for thorough cleaning.
Flexibility and Versatility: Assess the versatility of the packaging machinery. Can it handle different package sizes and types? Does it offer options for customized packaging? Flexibility in adapting to changing market demands and accommodating various product requirements can be beneficial for a pork processor.
Ease of Use and Maintenance: Consider the ease of operation and maintenance of the machinery. User-friendly interfaces, intuitive controls, and clear documentation can reduce training time and enhance productivity. Additionally, machinery with easily accessible components and straightforward maintenance procedures can minimize downtime and increase efficiency.
Reliability and Durability: Look for packaging machinery from reputable manufacturers known for producing reliable and durable equipment. Consider factors such as machine construction, quality of components, and warranty terms. Reliable machinery helps ensure consistent performance and reduces the risk of breakdowns or interruptions in the production process.
Technical Support and Service: Evaluate the level of technical support and after-sales service provided by the machinery manufacturer. Prompt customer support, availability of spare parts, and maintenance services are essential for minimizing downtime and maximizing the lifespan of the equipment.
Cost Considerations: Assess the overall cost of ownership, which includes the initial purchase price, installation expenses, operational costs (such as energy consumption and consumables), and potential maintenance and repair costs. Compare the value offered by different machinery options in terms of features, performance, and long-term return on investment.
Industry Standards and Compliance: Ensure that the packaging machinery meets relevant industry standards and regulations, such as those pertaining to food safety and packaging integrity. Compliance with certifications and guidelines demonstrates the manufacturer’s commitment to quality and adherence to industry best practices.

By carefully evaluating these factors and conducting thorough research, a pork processor can select the packaging machinery that aligns with their specific needs, enhances operational efficiency, and ensures high-quality packaging for their pork products. Consulting with packaging machinery experts or industry peers can also provide valuable insights and recommendations.

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Ossid provides superior tray overwrapping, flow wrapping, weigh price labeling, case scales, and horizontal thermoform fill & seal machinery. We are committed to designing and building solutions that protect product quality and fully meet our customers’ production needs.

The Ossid and Reepack Advantage for North American Flexible & Tray Packaging Equipment

June 28, 2023

In the fast-paced world of packaging equipment, Ossid and Reepack have emerged as leaders in providing innovative solutions to customers worldwide. With a comprehensive range of offerings, including tray overwrapping, lidding/vacuum skin packaging (VSP), horizontal form-fill-sealing, flow wrapping, weigh price labeling, and case scale machinery, Ossid and Reepack have established themselves as trusted partners in the food and medical device industries. In this blog post, we will delve into the advantages that set Ossid and Reepack apart from the competition, focusing on our consultative approach and their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Consultative Selling for Informed Decision Making

Ossid and Reepack take pride in their award-winning sales and service team, led by Jason Angel, the Vice President of Sales for Ossid and Reepack North America. This team operates with a consultative approach, going beyond traditional sales tactics to become trusted advisors to their customers. Rather than simply pushing a particular product, they engage in a collaborative process, guiding customers through the equipment procurement journey.

The ability to provide every form of packaging required sets Ossid and Reepack apart. Our extensive product range allows us to offer customers a thorough evaluation of each equipment type, outlining the pros and cons and walking them through the decision-making process. This consultative selling approach ensures that customers make informed choices based on their specific needs, leading to long-term satisfaction.

Comprehensive Packaging Solutions

One of the significant advantages of partnering with Ossid and Reepack is the breadth of packaging solutions offered. Whether it’s tray overwrapping/lidding, vacuum skin packaging (VSP), horizontal form-fill-sealing, flow wrapping, weigh price labeling, or case scale machinery, Ossid and Reepack have the expertise and technology to address various packaging requirements. This versatility allows us to serve both the food and medical device industries, where packaging demands can be complex and diverse.

By providing comprehensive packaging solutions, Ossid and Reepack eliminate the need for customers to engage multiple suppliers for different packaging equipment. This streamlined approach not only saves time, but also ensures seamless integration of different packaging processes, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity.

Commitment to Service Excellence

Ossid and Reepack’s commitment to customer satisfaction extends beyond the initial sale. Our dedication to service excellence is evident in our responsive and reliable support network. From installation and training to ongoing maintenance and technical assistance, our highly trained technical service team is readily available to address any concerns or issues that may arise.

Our emphasis on building long-term relationships is a testament to our commitment to customer success. By providing prompt and effective support, we ensure that our customers’ packaging operations run smoothly, minimizing downtime and optimizing productivity.

Ossid and Reepack have established themselves as leaders in the North American packaging equipment industry by offering comprehensive packaging solutions and employing a consultative approach to sales. Our ability to provide every form of packaging required, along with a dedicated sales and service team, sets us apart from the competition. With Ossid and Reepack, customers can be confident that they are partnering with a trusted advisor and receiving top-quality equipment that meets their specific needs.

In a rapidly evolving marketplace, where packaging requirements continue to grow in complexity, Ossid and Reepack’s commitment to innovation, service excellence, and customer satisfaction remains unwavering. As industry leaders, we continue to push boundaries and deliver cutting-edge packaging solutions, making Ossid and Reepack the go-to choice for flexible and tray packaging equipment in North America.

Join Jason Angel in the following video as he discusses the key advantages to working with Ossid and Reepack on your next food or medical packaging application.

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OEMs Develop Compatible Solutions for Green Petfood Packaging

April 20, 2023

COLLABORATION AND COMPATIBLE MACHINERY PAVE THE WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

By Troy Snader, Sr. Vice President of Business Development, ProMach’s Secondary Packaging Group

The 2022 PetFood Forum tech talk “Compostable/Recyclable Materials and Machinery Compatibility – Choices and Options,” by Troy Snader, Senior Vice President of Business Development for ProMach’s Secondary Packaging Group.

Walk through any pet store and you will see just how popular organic dog and cat food has become. According to petkeen.com, a staggering $22.8 billion was spent on organic pet food in 2020 – a figure that is expected to increase more than 10% by 2026.

As pet owners are embracing greener, healthier meals for their pets, they are also looking for a similar level of greenness in their food’s packaging. During a tech talk at the 2022 Petfood Forum, participants asked important questions about choices and options to improve the compatibility of form, fill and seal machinery with compostable and recyclable petfood packaging materials:

How would you characterize the state of petfood packaging today?

It is no surprise that consumers are behind the drive for sustainable petfood packaging. People today are looking for healthier, holistic options for their pets, and they are willing to pay more for petfood that contains better ingredients. While there are numerous green and holistic choices when it comes to petfood, there is a substantial push underway to extend green attributes to petfood packaging as well. The key in responding to these market needs is to provide the industry with machinery and packaging materials that meet the sustainability standards petfood manufacturers and consumers are looking for.

How are packaging OEMs responding to this call for sustainable petfood packaging?

Most of the recycled materials we use today are comprised of oriented polyethylene or polypropylene thermoplastic polymers. These two types of materials are mono layer, which are comprised of a single main material. In contrast, many common flexible packaging styles on the market today use laminated films, such as metallic or metalized films like aluminum. These differences in films have posed a challenge to packaging machines in the past, but most current designs in vertical and horizontal form fill seal machines are allowing pet food manufacturers to run these films using existing heat-sealing mechanisms, bars, cartridges, thermal couples, and other components.

What needs to be considered when running recycled or compostable materials?

While strong advances have been made, running recycled or compostable materials at high speeds on vertical and horizontal form fill seal machines can still be difficult, and remains a work in progress for some manufacturers. For example, oriented polyethylene has narrow (and lower) temperature sealing parameters compared to laminated film. What this means is that the optimal temperature window needed to create the seal on polyethylene film is limited, which slows production. By contrast, there is a 40-to-50-degree window to create the seals when running laminates – and a larger available window means faster production.

Why are stretch properties an important consideration for packaging films?

Recycled and compostable films also possess high stretch properties, and this is an important consideration if a customer is trying to run a registered bag. Typically, a registered bag has a 1-to-2-millimeter (plus or minus) cutoff. However, with these types of films, the customer is going to see a cutoff of 5-to-6 millimeters (plus or minus). That is a huge difference a lot of retailers won’t accept; frankly, that’s also out of range of what we would consider acceptable.

These are just a few of the factors that need to be considered and evaluated when running recycled or compostable films on packaging machinery. It is important for OEMs to work closely with material suppliers to innovate and develop practical solutions for more sustainable packaging.

What are some solutions for running green films on vertical form fill seal machinery?

We have developed several jaw-face styles that allow vertical form fill seal machines to seamlessly run a variety of film types, like green films. These machines are designed with a smooth HMI interface that allows for the operator to customize sealing for each film type. For example, the operator can dial in the specific heat temperature and length of sealing time, resulting in the perfect seal.

We also developed a pre-made pouch machine that employs several heating and cooling stations. This design innovation allows polyethylene and polypropylene films, which seal at a lower temperature, to be heated up slowly without burning and giving it a nice gradual heat transfer. This design also gives users more time on the machine to maintain their speed. In other words, instead of using one heat seal bar, the machine uses two heat seal bars to maintain its speed integrity.

Why is cooling a factor that needs to be considered when running green films?

Mono-layer films tend to wrinkle on side edges or at the top seal. Adding cooling can help alleviate some of those seal wrinkles to the point where the petfood package is acceptable to retailers and their customers. Many packaging OEMs offer a cooling station which is important when running green films. Machines with integrated cooling stations can produce a largely wrinkle-free bag. Adding multiple heat stations, along with cooling are just two ways to help effectively run a variety of recycled and compostable films on vertical form fill seal machines.

What needs to be considered when purchasing petfood packaging machinery?

Green films in petfood packaging are constantly evolving. Market demands and customer buying preferences today may very well be different five years from now. The best way to stay ahead of those trends is having packaging machinery that is flexible to run a wide variety of films. It’s important to work with a reputable OEM. Reputable OEMs are paving the way forward for greener packaging by working closely with film suppliers to deliver the best practical solutions to petfood manufacturers and their customers.

About the Author

Troy Snader is the Senior Vice President of Business Development for ProMach’s Secondary Packaging Group. He can be contacted at Troy.Snader@ProMachBuilt.com. For more information about ProMach please visit www.ProMachBuilt.com.

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Plan to visit ProMach brand booths at the 2023 Petfood Forum May 1st – 3rd in Kansas City.

Matrix provides flexible packaging machinery solutions to customers worldwide. Vertical form, fill, seal; horizontal form, fill, seal; pre-made pouches; stickpacks and sachets, Matrix can help you find your flexible packaging solution.

Key Considerations for Your Flexible Packaging Equipment Purchase

April 6, 2023

Question: How important is it to consider the equipment’s flexibility or future capability in packaging equipment purchasing?

Answer: You need to know as a company where you want to be in five or 10 years. There are different offerings on each piece of equipment, and more complex machinery can do more things. If you want to take advantage of additional machine features either now or in the future, you’ll want to be looking for the equipment that will satisfy those anticipated needs or have the option to add them at a later date. Equipment is a big purchase for most companies, so you must look a few years down the road.

Question: Is it important to know all the requirements before looking at a purchase?

Answer: You are going to be unsatisfied with a piece of equipment if you did not figure out exactly what you need before buying; the machine will not perform to your expectations. The best way to get started is having those conversations with a supplier. They have the experience to make sure you select the right solution for your application, as well as addressing future needs. ProMach prides itself on the ability to consultatively sell equipment, and make sure the solution meets or exceeds your expectations. Performing your due diligence and asking questions up front will help guide you to the right partner and the right solution.

Question: How important is cost?

Answer: Cost is important, but it is more about matching equipment to the application. Some applications that may be more straightforward in nature may not require an expensive, top-of-the line machine. Many suppliers offer solutions ranging from entry-level with low to medium output, to robust, heavy-duty machines capable of packaging 150+ products per minute. Depending on your application, the machine and its series that you purchase is designed to grow with you. The takeaway here is to identify your application and match the right machine for that need, while being cognizant of how that machine or its family series can grow with you as your production needs expand. Packaging machines vary greatly in price. Chances are you will be running this machine for years to come, so do your research and buy a quality machine that is going to last the long haul.

Other cost considerations are materials (tray/film/etc.), down time, and support. When considering packaging machinery suppliers, make sure you’re finding a partner who will be get the job done right to keep your equipment performing at its peak for years to come. Buying quality machinery should result in less downtime. Support by your supplier should also include machine operation and maintenance training, empowering your team to keep your production output and quality high.

Question: Is there ever a time where it makes sense to hire a co-packer instead of purchasing your own equipment?

Answer: If you are running a new SKU or performing a trial run of a product, why set up an entire line if you do not know if it is going to be successful? In this type of instance, using a co-packer can make sense. If your line normally runs, for example, 12-ounce bags, but you are looking to diversify by offering a smaller bag with a limited quantity, working with a co-packer can be a great way to achieve those production goals. Using a co-packer also alleviates concerns such as staffing or adding equipment to package your products. In certain instances, using a co-packer can be a smart route to take.

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The ProMach Flexibles & Trays business line is a single source provider of flexible packaging and rigid tray packaging solutions, ProMach serves a variety of industries and applications. With numerous machinery installations worldwide and a vast portfolio of rugged and proven solutions, ProMach offers extensive experience handling a wide range of products in diverse conditions. ProMach consults with customers to identify the ideal package type to fit their unique application for each project, giving customers both choice and flexibility. Many of the world’s most successful brands use ProMach solutions to package their products into bags, pouches, sachets, stickpacks, trays, and more.

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A Look to the Future of Sustainable Flexible Packaging Equipment

March 23, 2023

Question: What are the latest trends with sustainable packaging solutions in the industry?

Answer: Equipment suppliers are working towards improved packaging efficiencies with decreased downtime, as well as, energy and material cost savings. Packaging machinery is expected to keep up with retailers’ green initiatives by offering equipment capable of handling a multitude of packaging formats and materials.

The shift away from foam trays has been the biggest game changer in the meat and poultry industry. Rolled edge plastic trays have been a popular alternative offering 100% recyclability, a number of tray color options including clear (especially popular among end consumers), and a much appreciated increase in tray strength. In addition, these trays better contain and protect the packaged product in comparison to foam trays.

The demand for sustainable packaging solutions has also prompted existing and new tray suppliers to develop compostable tray options.

In addition to recyclable trays, an application type growing in popularity in the US market for meat, poultry, and other foods is Vacuum Skin Packaging (VSP) on board, as it uses 70-80% less plastic than a standard #3 tray and offers an extended shelf life for the packaged product.

Question: How has the company responded to the trends?

Answer: Ossid’s Leak Resistant 500E Tray Overwrapper is the industry standard for overwrapping machinery and leak proof packaging equipment with over 1,000 installations worldwide. The Next Generation 500E machine was built based on customer feedback. The NextGen500E can easily package a wide range of tray types and sizes and uses 5-10% less film than non-gripper chain systems.

We are always open to receiving customer feedback to continue improving our current machinery and help develop new technologies.

Ossid has partnered with Italian OEM food packaging industry leader, Reepack, as the master North American distributor, providing all sales, service, and support. By adding Reepack’s high quality tray sealing, thermoforming, vacuum chamber, and flow wrapping equipment to Ossid’s existing offerings, we’re able to offer the best protein packaging solution for each customer’s unique needs. Reepack is focused on producing eco-friendly, energy efficient machinery.

Question: How have these solutions evolved in the last 10 years?

Answer: As consumers today are demanding their brands of choice be more responsible and better stewards of the environment, we understand that this extends to packaging as well. To achieve this commitment, Ossid works closely with its customers to provide packaging systems that accomplish their sustainability goals. Some of the more recent trends of sustainable packaging include the demand for ready meal convenience, food safety, less product waste, and recyclable trays.

Ossid keeps product innovation at the forefront of our efforts. Customer needs and preferences change, our packaging equipment is built with flexibility in mind. When Ossid released the Next Generation 500E Overwrapping Stretch Shrink Wrapper in 2018, the company had sustainability in mind. The machine can accommodate many different styles of trays and can be changed over in under 2 minutes. Designing and manufacturing new equipment is more expensive than designing flexibility into the current equipment. Ossid’s customers are requesting machines that can run recyclable, clear plastic materials, so we built that capability into the equipment.

Ossid designed the NG500E system with the capability to utilize alternative trays just as easily as opaque foam trays.

Ossid NextGen 500E Overwrapper with Sealed Air Film — Tray Overwrap Film Made with 30% PCR

Question: What is unique about your solutions? What are the main benefits?

Answer: Ossid’s Tray Overwrapping product line contains our state-of-the-art gripper chain technology, which reduces waste and excess film by 5-10% when compared with other tray overwrappers on the market. The Ossid 500Si can run a multitude of tray sizes and types, including eco-friendly options, with ease.

Tray Overwrap Recyclable Film Compostable Tray — Recyclable Film with Compostable Tray Packaging Solution for Fresh Proteins and Fresh Produce

Question: Why is there more an interest in sustainable packaging solutions today?

Answer: Today’s end consumers, especially the millennial generation, is increasingly more concerned with limiting their negative impact on the environment. Food packaging is a necessary evil. Consumers are asking and seeking alternatives for what more can be done to safely protect and preserve their grocery items, while feeling good about the reduced plastic and foam usage.

Question: What’s ahead for the segment? What does the future look like?

Answer: Increased focus and innovation around new package materials and styles utilizing more natural elements, such as corn-based resin film, and a transition to more compost or recycle-friendly components.

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