UK production line supplier Sewtec has opened an R&D facility in England to support customer projects and to develop robotic equipment for the confectionery industry.
Lightweighting and the move to shelf-ready packaging can be more sustainable, but also exposes delicate products such as biscuits to damage and any savings may be outweighed by extra pallet and shrink-wrap costs, writes Jane Gorick.
Biscuit and snack producer Burton’s Biscuit Company has installed equipment at its Llantarnam factory in Wales to make the chocolate cream for a ‘Choccie Dodger’ version of its iconic ‘Jammie Dodger’.
Flexible stand up pouches have gained significant traction in the confectionery industry this year, according to recent market research and interviews with packaging suppliers.
Technology will play a more prominent role in the on-going task to supply people with food in the next five to 10 years with intelligent packaging becoming more popular for getting data about shelf-life.
UK packaging supplier James Cropper has developed bio-recyclable paper packaging partially made from the husks of cocoa beans supplied by Barry Callebaut.
Choosing equipment that allows you to access critical areas for inspection is essential to limiting water use during production, but some processes are better suited to a wet wash, says equipment supplier Sollich.
Special Edition: Hygienic Design & Quality Testing
Auditory testing to measure the crunch noise a product will make when it is chewed in the mouth is quickly becoming widespread in the confectionery industry.
Special Edition: Hygienic Design & Quality Testing
The confectionery industry will move from aluminum surfaces on processing and packaging equipment to stainless steel in the next five years in order to raise sanitation standards, according to Bosch.
Special Edition: Hygienic Design & Quality Testing
Selecting cooling tunnels and enrobers that allow you to pull out the dirty part of the machine to replace with an earlier cleaned component is more hygienic and cuts downtime in half, says equipment supplier Aasted.
Special Edition: Hygienic Design & Quality Testing
Retailers are piling the pressure on confectioners to swap paper records for quicker mobile scanning technology to trace the source of raw ingredients, protecting them in the event of a recall, according to computing firm Intermec.
United Biscuits’ McVitie’s factory in Glasgow has achieved significant energy reductions and cost savings with the assistance of JRP Solutions, a UK-based energy and facilities specialist, which worked in close collaboration with the Carbon Trust Scotland...
Equipment supplier Carle&Montanari-OPM has spotted a rise in the use of retail-ready packaging among confectionery firms in the US and claims picker cell robots allow great flexibility to pack pre-merchandized chocolate and candy.
Bosch Packaging Technology claims that flexibility is crucial for smaller businesses as it launches two new bagging machines at Pack Expo designed for smaller confectioners looking for quick and easy changeovers between products.
There are far fewer confectionery manufacturers to speak to at trade fairs after huge industry consolidation, which has led to more automation, according to processing supplier Bainbridge Associations.
Confectioners are moving towards clear packaging films that display part of the product to win shelf appeal, according to packaging suppler Printpack, which says confectioners should opt for polyester clear films over cheaper polypropylene versions.
Booming demand from the growing middle classes in emerging markets mean confectionery industry investments in processing and packaging equipment will grow 4% to 5% annually, according to a report by processing and packaging association PMMI.
Mondelēz International invested in a European-wide revamp of its regional gum brands this year and the agency involved said consistency demands were the biggest challenge.
Researchers have created antimicrobial packaging films containing high flavanol cocoa extracts that they say inhibits the growth of pathogens like listeria, E-coli and salmonella in food products.
Quasar Automation has completed the development of its 3D vision and laser robot that is set to shake up the previously labor intensive manual operation of icing cakes.
Auctioneer Harry Davis & Co. is auctioning off assets from an old Nestle facility in MN, promising a wide range of processing equipment at bargain prices.
The Paxiom Group has entered the flow wrapping industry having launched a machine capable of wrapping confectionery such as individual mints and chocolate bars.
After a successful launch in North America, Bosch will showcase its Pack 301 IN inverted horizontal flow wrapper at FachPack 2013, along with technology to maximize product safety for manufacturers.
New Jersey-based TerraCycle, which collects non-recyclable, or difficult-to-recycle, waste, has partnered with major corporation Mondelez International, which owns Cadbury, to launch a recycling waste campaign on the Asian market.
French chocolatier Jacquot has installed two new CJ400 printers from Linx Printing Technologies as it replaces printers across its factory in Troyes, France.
RPC Kerkrade has developed two user-friendly “grip pack” bottles for Dreidoppel, a manufacturer of specialist bakery, confectionery and ice cream ingredients in Langenfeld, Germany.
Kinnerton Confectionery has become the first to use High Resolution Gravure printing in the industry for its freshly launched Magnum, Cornetto and Mini Milk chocolates.
Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), a non-profit organization founded by General Mills, has added Switzerland-based food processing equipment firm Bühler to its group of food companies working to help food companies in the developing world.
