Packaging equipment

What are the new trends in food and drink packaging? Credit: Getty/Edwin Tan

Long read

Packaging trends and innovations: The Interpack 2023 roundup

By Bethan Grylls

Sustainable packaging solutions ruled this year’s Interpack, with exhibitors showcasing a range of innovations that addressed key challenges such as greenhouse gas, cost and efficiency. Here’s our roundup of launches…

Blends has the capacity to process 140 million cans a year

Contract manufacturing profile: Blends Flavours & Colours

Blends Flavours & Colours dramatically boosts canning potential

By Andrew Richardson

Blends Flavours & Colours has invested in significantly growing its canning capabilities as it moves away from plastic in response to its customers' needs, explains factory manager Andrew Richardson.

One of Framptons's bottling lines

Contract manufacturing profile: Framptons

Hatching a plant-based future

By Rod Addy

Framptons is a contract packer and manufacturer for well-established brands. Its flexibility and adaptability have ensured its longevity and it has expanded its capacity in plant-based ‘milk’ production thanks to trailblazing investment in a SIG Combidome...

Made Smarter helps small to medium-sized firms understand where industry 4.0 could fit into their strategies

Made Smarter

How Made Smarter is helping firms grow through digital tech

By Rod Addy

Food manufacturers classed as small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are proving keen to implement industry 4.0 via Made Smarter and it's paying off, says Donna Edwards, director for Made Smarter's North West adoption programme.

A worker at Len Wright Salads

Food manufacturers adopt industry 4.0 via Made Smarter

By Rod Addy

Potato producer Fylde Fresh and Fabulous, chocolate manufacturer Ye Olde Friars and cake and pudding maker Classic Desserts are among the latest businesses to sign up to the north west Made Smarter Adoption programme.

Pressure to crack down on plastics waste and improve recycling is increasing

Complete Package

Complete Package: two-week packaging trend snapshot

By Rod Addy

Valpak outlines options and urges engagement as Extended Producer Responsibility consultation nears end, while Menzies maps out the state of play on the Plastics Packaging Tax in our latest packaging trends overview.

Food and drink packaging trends in April

The Complete Package

The Complete Package: April packaging trends

By Rod Addy

One fish processor boosts output by upgrading packaging machinery, an automatic food pack stacker has been launched for end-of-line operations and aluminium drinks can recycling rates rise - plus the latest packaging data.

Smith: 'The global food industry is collectively recognising the importance of hygienic design'

Ask The Expert, In Collaboration with the Institute of Food Science & Technology

Ask the Expert: Vikan global specialist on hygienic design

By Debra Smith

Debra Smith, a fellow of the Institute of Food Science & Technology and global hygiene specialist at Vikan describes her background and analyses the hygienic design of food processing equipment.

All William Reed food shows at the NEC have been postponed

William Reed food shows postponed due to coronavirus

By Rod Addy

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 health situation, William Reed has taken the difficult decision to postpone its UK Food Shows, originally scheduled to take place at Birmingham NEC from 30 March to 1 April.

Quick pulse heat uses alternating focused heat and water cooling to form a narrow seal

Heat sealing method for bags unveiled by GIC

By Paul Gander

UK machinery manufacturer GIC is now able to integrate quick pulse heat (QPH) sealing into its bagging equipment, improving production and materials efficiency.

Carrie Jones-Barber and Steven Verweij, poised to start the packing line at Evesham

Bakery ingredients firm launches packing line

By Rod Addy

Dawn Foods has made 'significant investment' in a new automated dry packing line at its Evesham factory in Worcestershire, following the launch of revamped packaging across its entire product portfolio.

New advances in modified atmosphere packaging highlights research into barrier board options

Sorting the board from the plastic

By Paul Gander

The launch of a plastics-containing pressed paperboard tray that can be gas-flushed as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has highlighted the high level of current research and development around composites and other barrier board options – and the recycling...

BCMPA chief executive Rodney Steel explained how co-packers are reaping the benefits of Brexit

Co-packers benefit from Brexit doubt

By Paul Gander

Food industry uncertainties both around Brexit and the acceptability of different packaging materials are strengthening the position of co-packers, the boss of the trade body representing the sector has suggested.

Glass manufacturers are focusing on recycling over green production (Photo credit: I-O)

Glass firms eye major recycling boost

By Paul Gander

Market forces are incentivising glass manufacturers to prioritise recycling rates over greener glass production, an industry body has claimed.

A relaxation of modified atmosphere-packed foods legislation has been urged by the industry

Call for FSA to relax MAP guidance

By Rick Pendrous

Food safety experts have called for a relaxation of guidance governing the controls on vacuum and modified atmosphere-packed (MAP) chilled foods, which has been claimed to place UK manufacturers at a distinct disadvantage compared with overseas competitors.

GEA showcased new packaging technology at this year's ProSweets in Cologne

It’s a wrap for GEA on bagging

By Paul Gander

New machinery options for both confectionery wrapping and bagging were unveiled by GEA at ProSweets Cologne in January, emphasising a move in the sector towards sourcing line equipment from a single supplier.

Packing firm IPS has acquired manufacturer FoodPack

FoodPack acquired by co-packing business

By Gwen Ridler

Packing business Integrated Packaging Services (IPS) is to acquire manufacturer FoodPack for an undisclosed sum, boosting turnover by more than £14m.

Automation and Industry 4.0 was a focus at this year's Gulfood Manufacturing

Gulfood 2018

Interest in UK food and drink expertise high at Gulfood Manufacturing

By Matthew Carr

Following the Gulfood Manufacturing conference in Dubai last month, Matthew Carr, client solutions director at food and drink investment specialist at Integrated Food Projects, shares exclusive insights and key learnings from the show for Food Manufacture.

Trinity College Dublin’s new system accurately checks the modified atmosphere gas mix inside any sort of gas-flushed pack

News in brief

Inline and offline MAP gas checks

By Paul Gander

A system for accurately checking the modified atmosphere gas mix inside any sort of gas-flushed pack, both inline immediately after sealing or offline at a later stage in the supply chain, has been pioneered by researchers at Trinity College Dublin....

Matthew Carr shares his prediction for Gulfood 2018

Gulfood 2018

What to expect at Gulfood Manufacturing 2018

By Matthew Carr

Ahead of this year’s Gulfood Manufacturing conference in Dubai, Matthew Carr, client solutions director at food and drink capital investment specialist Integrated Food Projects, shares his predictions for the show, exclusively to Food Manufacture.

Sealpac claims a service contact can reduce downtime by up to 80%

PACKAGING MACHINERY

How a focus on downtime can reduce costs

By Paul Gander

It may no longer be fashionable to look at downtime in isolation, but many packaging equipment suppliers believe this metric still offers some easy wins for manufacturers keen to reduce unnecessary costs.

ABB Robotics’ YuMi dual-arm collaborative robot is being joined next month by a single-arm version

SHOW REVIEW

PPMA Show 2018: between the bigger exhibits

By Paul Gander

Not all of the news from last week’s PPMA Show at Birmingham NEC was about major announcements and unmissably-large pieces of equipment.

Follow us

Related News

Product Innovations

Promotional Features