By Dr. Bernhard Reichenbach

In various areas, “exemplary student” Germany is anything but a role model for other countries. For example, significantly more packaging waste is ­produced here than the European average. In 2016, more than 220 kg per capita were incurred, while the European average of around 167 kg was significantly lower.

If packaging, then at least as sustainable as possible. Therefore, it is not ­surprising that sustainability is one of the main topics of trade fair FachPack 2018 in Nuremberg, about which we report in this issue in advance. At the ­leading European trade fair for packaging, processes and technology, about 1,500 exhibitors will be presenting their new and further developments to more than 40,000 expected visitors.

Another trade fair to take place in Bavaria also casts its shadow: the iba in Munich. With the wide offer of more than 1,300 exhibitors, the world‘s leading exhibition for bakery, pastry and snacks covers the entire spectrum of bakery products.

In addition to packaging technology, the topic area ”Ingredients” is another focus of this issue. Among other things, we report on the annual meeting of the Chocolate Technology Working Group of the Industrial Association for Food Technology and Packaging (IVLV), which was recently held for the 54th time. In addition to fat bloom development, the focus here was on the use of spices and nuts in chocolate production.

Michael Schulze (51) has taken over the management of Hastamat, a packaging machine manufacturer based in Lahnau/Germany. He gained extensive experience as the head of materials management and the head of global procurement management at international companies. From 2004, he managed the distribution and production logistics department at a systems supplier for the packaging and beverage industry. In 2009, he took up the business management of a manufacturer of production facilities for wafers and snacks.

Thomas Becker (54), CEO of Rovema since 2011, has left the company for personal reasons and on the best of terms with the shareholders. Thomas Becker, who studied engineering and business administration, took over the reins of the company in 2011 together with other investors. Since then, he has continuously developed Rovema into one of the market leaders in modern packaging machines. Not least, he played a major role in the takeover of Rovema GmbH by the family equity company Haniel in October 2017.

Klaus Nannt (53) has been appointed the new Managing Director for Marketing and Sales at Kessler & Comp. GmbH & Co. KG. Together with Robert Kaczor, the long-standing Managing Director for Production, Technology and Commercial Administration, he forms the new management team. Born in Bremen, he has broad management and sales experience in the industrial and commercial business. He previously held various executive positions at Kraft Foods, CSM (Meistermarken/Ulmer Spatz), Friesland Campina and Alpenhain.

The Swiss Packaging Institute SVI will be headed by Stephan Bitterlin from 1 October 2018. He succeeds Andreas Zopfi, who left the SVI in the spring. The 53-year-old has been working in the packaging industry for 25 years, most recently as a member of the executive board at Sanaro SA. He is a trained technician and a packaging and logistics engineer. At Philip Morris, he worked as a packaging development project manager and then joined Nestlé Suisse SA where he took on leadership roles in various areas of the packaging division.

M&C S.P.A., owner of Treofan Holdings GmbH, has sold its controlling stake in Treofan Europe to Jindal Films, an film and label manufacturer from India. The transaction is expected to be closed before the end of the first quarter of 2019. “The takeover of Treofan by Jindal Films will open up new global strategic directions for the company and its employees,” commented Dr Walter Bickel, CEO of Treofan (Image: Treofan site in Neun­kirchen/Germany).

Jindal Films is a global leader in the development and manufacture of speciality biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films and has affiliated production plants in India and Europe as well as in the United States. The company and its affiliates have sales offices to support customer needs in countries around the world, including North and South America, Europe and Asia, with a global headcount of approximately 3,000.

From 14 to 17 October 2018, at trade fair Pack Expo International and co-located Healthcare Packaging Expo in Chicago, about 2,500 leading industry suppliers will show their new developments to around 50,000 packaging professionals. Produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, these co-located shows will attract visitors from more than 125 countries. They have become the biggest gathering of packaging suppliers and manufacturers of goods in North America.

“Pack Expo International and Healthcare Packaging Expo bring innovations to life and provide an opportunity to see new developments in action,” emphasises Laura Thompson, Senior Director of Expositions, ­PMMI.

Beyond the technologies exhibited on the show floor, attendees will find tremendous educational opportunities at the Innovation Stage. There, suppliers present free 30-minute seminars on breakthrough technologies throughout the three days.

Coming off its strong debut at Pack Expo East 2018, The Forum at Pack Expo is a new show feature providing attendees an interactive learning experience. The Forum will feature sessions on the latest industry trends followed by small group discussions and Q&A sessions.

From 15 to 20 September, trade fair iba, the world’s leading event for bakery, pastry and snacks, will take place in Munich. It offers a market overview with all the latest innovations and products of the industry. Virtual bakery tours, a central topic area for the to-go market and a Speakers Corner are exciting innovations.

At iba 2018, more than 1,300
exhibitors will cover the entire spectrum of baking goods with their range. “iba has an eye on all the trends in the industry worldwide, as well as the relevant requirements for bakers and confectioners, restaurateurs and industry decision-makers of the food retailing sector,” accentuates Dieter Dohr, CEO and President of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH. “Innovations and concepts will play a central role for companies of all sizes in the areas of manufacturing processes, the out-of-house market, energy efficiency, automation, hygiene, digitisation at the point of sale and in production, shop fitting, packaging and logistics.”

New legal regulations, the changing eating habits of consumers and the use of digital solutions or the ­demand for sustainable packaging: The baking industry is facing big challenges. In addition to the iba.forum in hall B3, the new iba speaker’s corner in hall A1 offers comprehensive orientation.

Also new is the topic area “iba.to go!” in hall B3. For the first time, iba is combining innovations and solutions for snack and beverage concepts for baking traders at a central contact point. There, the entire process chain of snacks is presented – from ingredients and preparation, through to sustainable packaging solutions to logistics and shop design, rounded off with many workshops and displays.

At iba, over 180 companies will be presenting their solutions and novelties in packaging technology and materials, with over 50 exhibitors bundled in the “iba.operate! Packaging & Processing Solutions” section in hall B1. „To medium-sized companies, large bakeries, dough manufacturers and the food retail industry as well as the confectionery and supplier industry, iba offers a market overview in this area, which has never been seen before at this fair,” explains Claudia Weidner, iba project manager.

Furthermore, a multimedia experience show in Hall B3 will premiere. From Munich, visitors can have a look at the top bakeries on a national and international level. With the help of virtual reality glasses and 360° videos, they will be able to see right into renowned master bakeries from Germany, Greece, Iceland, Austria or the USA directly at the fair.

Directly at the exhibition in hall B3, iba is offering international visitors new backing workshops in English. Under expert guidance, visitors will learn how to make German classics hands-on – be it pretzels or cheesecake.

Furthermore, the opportunity to take part in free tours of bakeries in and around Munich and exclusive courses at Akademie Lochham. Here, international visitors can learn more about the preparation of wholemeal and mixed bread, the two favourite bread types in Germany.

And the best for last: for visitors and exhibitors to be able to exchange views in a relaxed atmosphere after the fair, the iba Oktoberfest tent will also be on the exhibition grounds – of course with an original Oktoberfest band and traditional specialties.

DeutscheBack GmbH & Co. KG, a member of Stern-Wywiol-Gruppe, has made a name for itself internationally with customized baking ingredients for bread, rolls and pastry goods. The unusual combination of know-how in the fields of enzyme technology, emulsifiers, stabilisers and hydrocolloids with broad expertise in blending and fluidized-bed technology makes it possible to develop quality baking ingredients.

At iba, DeutscheBack together with its sister companies Mühlenchemie and SternEnzym will present solutions for the whole production chain for baked goods. The relevant skills range from flour treatment to the results of the baking process. The aim is to coordinate all the steps in the production chain in order to achieve maximum profitability while meeting the demands of the market. Examples include new applications that keep costs under control in spite of the rising cost of gluten, prevent acryl-amide formation or meet the growing consumer demand for bakery products supplemented with protein and micronutrients.

In order to induce health-conscious consumers to buy, DeutscheBack has launched TopBake Protein Kick, a premix that gives a 75 g roll 15 % of the recommended dietary reference values for magnesium, calcium and potassium and 30 % of the value for vitamin D3 as well as 17 % more protein. The baking experts will show this premix, which has now been supplemented with minerals and vitamins.

With two further products – TopSweet Protein Cookie and TopSweet Protein CupCake – the company now offers protein concepts for pastry goods, too. With a protein content of around 20 % in “Cookie” and 15 % in “CupCake”, enjoyment can be combined with health. An ideal combination for meeting the “on the go” trend.

iba, Halle A3, Stand 549

At trade fair iba 2018 in Munich, Dübör presents innovations in the field of control technology. The company’s new generation of machines has a user-friendly touch screen for interactive user guidance. Thanks to digital controllers, all power and consumption data are continuously tracked and evaluated as part of preventive maintenance. The release agent spray system TSA 800 of the new generation, for example, independently indicates the need for maintenance according to the intensity of use.

The remote maintenance concept from Dübör completes this digital system. Machine and technician dial in via the internet. Access to the remote maintenace is possible via all mobile devices. The data exchange takes place via a secure, encrypted connection. The added value for the plant operator is considerable: a large part of the malfunctions that can be traced back to incorrect settings or operations can be quickly remedied via digital access without costly and time-consuming on-site intervention. The machine availability is restored in a timely manner, unplanned long-term stoppages of production are eliminated.

iba, Halle B4, Stand 411

The significance of the iba has ­continuously grown for Sollich and Chocotech within the past years. The companies will be present on a corporate stand and show interesting new developments.

A highlight will be the Sollich depositing line Sollcofill/Sollcocap (image) for the refining of biscuits. With this system, fillings like caramel, fondant, nut paste, jelly, milk or yoghurt cream or chocolate can be deposited together with ingredients. The performance of the system has been highly increased and stands for a high quality production of sandwiching products. Products which do not meet the quality demands, will be sorted out automatically by the machine, for example, whenever a biscuit does not match the shape.

Chocotech will display a variety of equipment and information on the complete range of candy and chocolate processing systems. The scope of supply includes a number of patented processes and focuses on hygienically designed equipment with energy saving features and quick start-up and stop modes to ensure less product loss.

Among the Chocotech exhibits is the Jellymaster, a hygienic and economic system for continuous cooking of all types jelly and marshmallow masses. The heart of the unit is the Sucrotwist pressure dissolver with its special design. This dissolver is designed for longer continuous production runs. It can handle all gelling agents such as pectin, starch, agar agar, gum arabic, carrageenan and gelatin.

The combination of the Sollich machinery with the cooking equipment of Chocotech for the production of sugar, jelly or caramel masses ensures customers to get production responsibility from one supplier. This enables an efficient and fast commissioning of the production facilities.

iba, Halle A6, Stand 331

At iba, Multivac will be presenting a complete range of solutions for packaging bread, bakery products, biscuits and snacks. In addition to two chamber machines, the exhibits will also include a compact thermoforming packaging machine and a traysealer.

In the bakery industry, there is a clear trend away from frozen products and towards MAP packs. These packs are proving to have benefits in particular for the overall logistics chain, since many bakery products, which are packed under modified atmosphere, can be stored without any additional chilling. When it comes to producing MAP packs, the company offers thermoforming packaging machines, traysealers and chamber machines for a wide range of requirements. Various compact machine models for producing MAP packs will be shown at the trade fair.

One example is the R 085 e-concept thermoforming packaging machine (image). This system makes it easy to enter into automatic thermoforming packaging. It enables packs, which are attractive and appropriate for the individual product, to be produced in small batches for a wide range of bakery products.

iba, Halle B1, Stand 351

FachPack is the European trade fair for packaging, processing and technology. Over a compact three-day schedule in Nuremberg from 25 to 27 September 2018, about 1,500 exhibitors will present their extensive range of solutions for the packaging process chain or industrial and consumer goods.

FachPack, Europe’s No. 1 trade fair for packaging, processing and technology, is much more than just an exhibition. Alongside the 1,500 exhibition booths, the more than 40,000 trade visitors can look ­forward to an attractive supporting programme with numerous presentations on the hot trends in the industry like digitisation, sustainability or design.

How can design help create a successful brand image? What are the trends in brand communication? What new materials and technologies are available for packaging? Issues like these are addressed in the new hall 8 and in a special show dedicated entirely to premium packaging, innovative materials, packaging printing and processing. This is where around 70 companies will present their products and solutions. In the centre of the hall there will be a special show created by Bayern Design, which will display around 30 innovative exhibits.

Advocacy groups and associations to invite visitors

Innovation out of the box: TechBox Forum Smart packaging carriers, data security at packaging lines or digital campaigns are just some of the topics on the programme of the new TechBox Forum, which takes place on all three days of the fair in hall 3. There will be presentations by renowned industry partners who will share their expertise and facilitate discussions on packaging and labelling technology, intra-logistics and packaging logistics. “Similar to the new hall set-up into the two areas ‘Packaging and Processing’ and ‘Technology and Processing’, we are also offering two thematically matching forums,” explains Cornelia Fehlner, Exhibition Director FachPack at NürnbergMesse. “In addition, the PackBox Forum will be back again, in hall 7 this year, with a series of presentations on packaging materials, packaging printing, processing and design.”

Europe’s packaging associations come together in hall 6. A new feature at this year’s FachPack is the Pavilion of Associations in hall 6. Around ten advocacy groups and associations from various European countries will invite visitors to get to know them, chat and network at this open and attractive pavilion. The German Packaging Institute (dvi), Berlin, also has a stand in hall 6 (6-459), where products that have received the German Packaging Award will be on display.

Numerous other special shows and forums offer education and in-depth knowledge on the various aspects of packaging. And the best thing about this is that all items on the programme are free of charge with no need to ­register beforehand. Among the ­highlights of the supporting programme are the Corrugated Cardboard Forum (26 September 2018, NCC Ost, St. Petersburg Room), the Marketplace “Sustainability and plastics – no contradiction” (hall 7), the “Labels & More” Pavilion (hall 9), the Young Innovative Companies Pavilion (hall 3A) as well as the Robotic-Pack-Line (hall 3).

For the first time at FachPack trade fair, Schubert will be presenting its new Cartonpacker, a machine from the company’s new lightline range. The unit consists of a single module and handles carton packaging in a very small space – with all the expected high quality and efficiency of a TLM system. Thus, the company now provides an attractive and affordable solution with a fast delivery time for packaging tasks which consist of only a few product and format variants and therefore require less flexibility.

Schubert offers the preconfigured, very compact case packer in four variants for different types of cartons: boxes, boxes with lids, wrap-around boxes or RSC cartons. The Cartonpacker offers flexibility in terms of format variants for every type of carton and product. The machine design distinguishes itself by reduction down to essential functions only, which results in lower energy consumption and therefore reduced costs.

In addition to attractive investment costs, customers in all sectors benefit from very short delivery times and fast commissioning with the Cartonpacker. Since the machine is delivered as a unit, installation is streamlined. Assembly and commissioning can be implemented within a week. This enables customers to respond quickly to market demands.

The case packer presented at the fair will package marzipan chocolate boxes into RSC folding boxes. With a throughput of 125 boxes of chocolates per minute, the system can process up to six different product formats. In a single machine frame, RSC boxes are erected, filled with chocolate boxes and closed. At the heart of the unit are three F2 robots from Schubert.

FachPack, Halle 1, Stand 219

At FachPack, 18 members of the South German packaging cluster Packaging Valley will present themselves – twelve of them at the joint stand in Hall 2. Since the inception of Packaging Valley, FachPack has been one of the most important trade fairs for the association as a place to present the latest developments and joint projects. Sustainability, efficiency and comfort are some of the key topics. In particular, new solutions are presented for quickly attainable service concepts, production of small quantities and for the quick processing and evaluation of large data volumes.

The trade fair stand is also new (image). It offers a modern look, giving more intense focus to the association of members. The concept is a unique realm where visitors are invited to enter through open gates to get to know all about Packaging Valley.

Several members of the cluster will present interesting robotic solutions: R. Weiss (hall 2, stand 221), for example, will be showing products for the baking and confectionery sectors. The exhibits include a monoline Unirob picker and a Unirob picker descrambling system. These feed into the Unirob toploading machine with integrated Intelligent Shuttle System, which is also on display.

PCA (hall 3A, stand 341) will be presenting several innovations for the packing and palletising sectors, including a fast, compact tray erector, a packer with a camera system and pre-grouping technology, as well as an automatically adjustable pail gripper.

Transnova Ruf (hall 3A, stand 232) focusses on flexibility and compactness with its Robot Flexline products. They will also be showing an ultra-compact version of the Robot Palletizer, which can be operated without any safety fence and which is therefore very space-saving and economical.

FachPack, Halle 2, Stand 317

Mosca will be showcasing a full range of strapping solutions for a variety of applications. Celebrating its premiere, the compact Evolution SoniXs MS-6 KR-ZV is designed for maximum efficiency and high performance – especially for strapping pallets with reduced strap tension. The system is specially designed for products with feet, such as dollies, wire mesh containers or pallets requiring lower strap tension of up to 450 N. Due to the lower strap tension and force-limited traversing units, the machine, which is supplied CE-compliant from the factory, does not require a safety enclosure. This significantly lowers the purchase price. The operator does not have to leave the safety zone during machine operation and can feed packages faster. The system comes equipped with the patented Mosca SoniXs ultrasonic sealing unit, which is positioned to the side of the product to be strapped. This ensures protection against contamination by falling particles or dripping liquids.

FachPack, Halle 4A, Stand 513

System supplier Loesch Verpackungstechnik, specialist for confectionery packaging, will be showing its further developed RCB-HS wrapping head machine (image: wrapping head). The machine from the R-Series is designed for the packaging of small-sized chocolate products and bars in premium fold wraps. “The RCB-HS combines a premium look and maximum product protection in an end-to-end tightly sealed pack,” says CEO Dr Thomas Cord. “The extremely compact machine platform is designed for high performance and handles the primary packaging in modern chocolate production reliably and flexibly.” Consumers can enjoy products with longer shelf lives and an optimised taste and texture experience. “With an excellent performance of up to 600 packaged products per minute, the RCB-HS is unrivalled in the chocolate sector. In a variant for open folding, we even achieve speeds of up to 800 products per minute,” emphasises Cord.

As an alternative to the sealed fold wrap, LoeschPack offers the FCB horizontal flow wrapping machine for applications with low packaging material costs. The solution from the F-Series high performance platform is suitable for packaging chocolate, biscuits and chewing gum in flow packs. It is available with a large number of applications. “Alongside traditional fold wrap, the packaging machines of our F-Series can be optimally integrated into systems with a storage system, feeder, secondary packaging and end-of-line packaging from LoeschPack,” says Cord by way of explaining his company’s orientation as a provider of complete packaging systems. “The flow wrapping system solutions in the F-Series for a wide range of applications represent high performance, overall plant efficiency and high format flexibility at low packaging material costs”.

FachPack, Halle 1, Stand 218

Combining modern packaging solutions with efficient manufacturing, attractive optics and greater sustainability – this is the key idea of Schur Flexibles Group’s presence at FachPack 2018. Central to the company’s showcase will be its focus on protecting the environment and saving natural resources. The group’s stand will present the entire spectrum of its commitment to sustainability, featuring all the latest functional and sustainable developments, as well as highlighting the specific field of excellence of each group company.

The group invests in the development of new packaging solutions that offer maximum product protection and consistently high functionality at the same time as minimising their environmental impact. These solutions are characterised by significant material reductions, the use of alternative and renewable resources, and in some cases, they result in completely recyclable products such as the top film FlexiClosere (image).

FachPack, Halle 7, Stand 332

Rovema will be exhibiting a sophisticated solution for packaging sweets. A typical application for packaging into attractive point of sale display boxes will be shown, each containing twelve scaled lying 25 g bags.

The packaging line will include a high speed vertical form, fill and seal machine BVC 250 Compact and a combined final packaging system EC. This system combines a box erector, a pick and place unit – including grouping – as well as a closing unit on a footprint of just 10 m². This represents a compact and complete system in which all components can be operated via the central machine control.

The compact BVC 250 vertical form, fill and seal machine is equipped with the product detection Sense & Seal, which detects products in the sealed area. Defective bags are discharged directly or lead out of the bagging machine downwards, by up to 240 bags per minute. The bags are lying with the longitudinal seam upwards (face down), allowing the orientation of the bags to be ready in the way they are stored in the tray. Across a conveyor belt, the bags are transported into the buffer indexing chain and then in individual single cases, ensuring safe and fast transport under the pick and place unit. There, two complete layers of bags are sucked with a vacuum gripper and positioned in the tray according to a defined scheme.

FachPack, Halle 4A, Stand 411

The German folding box industry is on a – slight – upward trend. This was reported by the FFI trade association during a press conference held recently in Frankfurt/Germany. Of note for folding box manufacturers: FFI is launching an international online carton databank in German and English.

By Dr. Bernhard Reichenbach

With production volume amounting to 856,885 t in the 2017 fiscal year, the German folding box industry increased its production volume by 1.7 % over the year prior. Production value grew during the same period by 2.1 % to EUR 1.861 bn. “This completely compensated for declines in the 2016 business year,” said Steffen Schnizer, speaker of the board for the folding box industry trade association Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industrie e. V. (FFI).

FFI member companies proved to be especially robust. With a slight increase in volume (+ 0.6 %), they were able to increase their production value by an impressive 2.9 %. The German folding box industry also recorded growth in profitability. Branch profits grew from 2,162 EUR/t produced in 2016 to 2,171 EUR/t in 2017. This corresponds to an increase of around 0.4 %.

Looking at the European region, the German folding box industry, which employs around 10,000 workers, is responsible for around one-fifth of European production volume. This is approximately twice as large as the corresponding industrial sector of the United Kingdom, France or Italy. With more than 60 companies and over 80 production sites, the FFI represents around two-thirds of the German folding box market.

In 2017, the German folding box industry benefited strongly from strong consumer sentiment amongst German consumers during positive economic development. “Overall, however, the sector has been experiencing a plateau since its all-time high in 2011,” remarked Steffen Schnizer. “The advancing europeanisation for bids and production is subjecting the folding box industry to enormous margin pressure. German locations are constantly reviewing their competitiveness with ongoing efficiency boosts and process optimisation. Advancing digitalisation and Industry 4.0 have become daily business in our industry.” However, the focus is not always on internal business optimisation. Numerous digital processes, such as the networking of branded companies and retailers with consumers, have already been implemented within folding box companies.

A new project by the FFI will be interesting for folding box and carton producers as well as branded companies. The association will start the implementation of an online databank in German and in English, which will contain all of the folding box cartons used in the industry along with their respective technical specifications and certificates.

Under the principle of “one record per supplier item per surface-related mass” the databank will make systematic and current technical information like bending strength, thickness, moisture content, whiteness, etc. available to the public. A search function for such technical criteria, as well as a combination thereof, also allows for a list compilation and comparison of products.

A common misconception is: “Digitalisation and Smart Factory are IT projects.” In fact, the digital transformation of a company is a matter for the top management and part of a comprehensive change management process. This is where the congress “Digitalisation in Confectionery Production” comes in, which will take place from 9 to 10 October 2018 at the Zentralfachschule der Deutschen Süßwarenwirtschaft (ZDS) in Solingen/Germany. The congress is organised in cooperation with the Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) and the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

Expert lectures and live demonstrations provide participants with assistance and concrete information on how to implement digitalisation in their production. At the beginning of the congress, it will be explained what exactly Industry 4.0 is and which advantages it brings. Increased networking of machines, processes and people increases efficiency, reduces costs and saves resources at the same time.

The second thematic block of the congress will deal with concrete questions concerning the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the company. For a start, a realistic evaluation of the participants own company is worthwhile. The question of financing and the search for contacts is particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants will receive concrete advice and learn how they can take advantage of funding opportunities.

The third thematic block is completely devoted to digitalisation in production. It explains a company’s path from automation and digitalisation to a “Smart Factory” in which machines collect, process and communicate data on the Industrial Internet of Things. The congress programme is rounded off by live demonstrations of the company Exozet of remote maintenance with Augmented Reality, as well as the workshop “Practical, Transparent Quality Management in the Digital Surrounding” with Dr Martin Müller of SensoPlus.

Sustainability is a major priority at Metsä Board, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of premium fresh fibre paperboard. The company’s product portfolio encompasses folding and food service paperboard, as well as white kraftliner. These lightweight paperboard grades have been developed to create better, safer and more sustainable solutions for consumer goods, POS and food service applications.

By Dr. Bernhard Reichenbach

For our products we use pure fresh fibres, a renewable raw material which can be traced back to its origins in sustainably managed Nordic forests”, emphasised Pasi Piiparinen, Vice President of New Business Sales at Metsä Board during a recent press conference. By means of its global distribution network, this Finnish company supports a worldwide clientele of brand article companies like retailers or processing and distribution companies. With its about 2,350 employees, Metsä achieved 2017 revenues of EUR 1.8 bn.

Metsä Board is a subsidiary of Finland’s Metsä Group, which conducts pioneering work in the biotech industry and processes renewable wood from sustainably managed Scandinavian forests. Conducting business in 30 countries, this conglomerate’s focus is on wood acquisition and forestry services, wood products, cellulose fibres and fresh fibre paperboard, along with hygiene and baking paper. In 2017, the group and its approximately 9,100 employees achieved revenues of EUR 5 bn. The group’s parent company is the Metsäliitto Cooperative, which is owned by some 104,000 Finnish forest owners.

At the beginning of this year, Metsä Board introduced MetsäBoard Pro FSB EB1, a food service paperboard grade with an eco-barrier. Mikko Mannola, Vice President of Food Service Board Sales at Metsä Board, explains: “This innovative material featuring a special barrier treatment is organically-based, recyclable and biodegradable. In addition to its sustainability advantages, this new product also makes increased efficiency possible in printing and additional processing”. This newest member of the company’s product portfolio will be introduced at the upcoming FachPack trade fair in Nuremberg/Germany.

There, as part of its “PackageLab” campaign, Metsä Board also provides information on innovative impulses and ideas in the fields of material and design. Visitors to FachPack can look forward to seeing how the physical world can now be transformed into a virtual experience with the very latest AR (Augmented Reality) technology integrated into the Arylin app.

Metsä Board is also presenting another highlight with the pioneering “Stretching Inner Part” concept, which is a clever alternative to bubble wrap and the winner of the “Better with Less – Design Challenge” design competition. The concepts from the other finalist competitors will also be on display at the FachPack fair. The aim of the competition was to develop new, more environmentally friendly functional concepts for the most widely used packaging varieties with the highest growth rates. Designers from all over the world were inspired by the competition, which was announced in November of 2017. A total of 302 design concepts were submitted from 38 different countries.

In addition to its leading position as a paperboard manufacturer, Metsä Board is also a leader in sustainability management. In 2018, the company once again received Gold Status for the second year in a row in the EcoVadis rating for sustainability and corporate social responsibility. EcoVadis operates a platform providing an insight for companies around the world into the social and environmental responsibility of their suppliers. The rating is based on four cri-teria: the environment, working conditions, a sustainable supply chain and fair business practice.

FachPack, Halle 7A, Stand 136

By Peter Roßkamp, DeTeMa Gesellschaft für ­Verpacku

QR codes, which allow coding for a large array of information via a URL and enable the consumer to ­access additional product information, have established themselves worldwide. However, the technology has progressed in the meantime, and the barcodes are now invisible on the package. The US-based Digimarc Corporation is responsible for this technological development, with which all GTIN (global trade item numbers) of GS1 Germany customers can now be encoded invisibly.

In part 1, Peter Roßkamp explained the technological details of the new printing concept (sp 7-8/2018). Part 2 will highlight the theme of interactivity at the point of sale and in many phases of the ­customer journey. This is a challenge and an opportunity for marketing: communicating product benefits in such a way that they fit the orien­tation, purchasing decision, and confirmation phases. This can be communicated throughout the entire customer journey because the codes can be integrated into flyers, posters, ads or displays as well as on the individual packaging.

From a marketing perspective, it is very interesting because the shopper‘s interests and touches can be represented in data, regardless of purchase. Integration of other elements in the GS1 data barcodes, such as the integration of lot and series numbers, which can then communicate origin and best by dates, is technically ­possible, yet, the implementation is ­limited. In this context, packaging batches or lots – rather than product batches – are coded.

A significant ­argument for the ­digital code: sensor-based systems like NFC or RFID are complicated for distributors and shoppers/con­sumers, possibly requiring additional hardware on a smartphone. In con­trast, the invisible digital code is low-threshold, and the effort is minimal in all areas – for manufacturers and ­retail as well as for the consumer. The message is simple: load an app and point the camera towards the product.

Although the Digimarc code can be used in all stages of the value-­added chain through to inventory ­management, it will not replace sensor-based codes – just as sensor-based codes will not replace digital codes, especially with regard to customer communication.

There are considerable challenges and hurdles – best described as critical mass. The highest possible proportion of the product assortment must be involved for retailers interested in checkout optimisation. Only then, optimisation is possible. For the shopper, there must also be a minimum amount of items coded in this way before it is reasonably ­useful. The option and benefits remain unknown to the majority of shoppers and consumers and thus entail a strong need for explanation. The natural requirement and challenge is of course the preparation and organisation of product information systems – including landing pages with high customer benefits.

The Digimarc code offers significant benefits in product logistics and especially with customer communication and loyalty. The system is scalable, and the code can be implemented on all packaged goods. Companies have obviously perceived the invisible ­digital code through the aspect of checkout optimisation. The aspect of ­cus­tomer communication will also continue to garner attention – and this will ­make the system more inte­resting for both large private label and brand manufacturers.

“Stronger together” – this is the ambition of the market-leading technology providers Ishida and Heat and Control. Their new worldwide cooperation and company alliance, HCI Snack Solutions, offers the snack industry fully integrated production lines from a single source.

By Dr. Bernhard Reichenbach

The official starting shot for the new cooperation was announced during a recent snacks “open house” event at the Ishida Europe headquarters in Birmingham/England. Ishida Europe Managing Director Dave Tiso explained: “The snack industry has already benefited in the past from our cooperation with Heat and Control on a variety of different projects. This has led us to expand and institutionalise this cooperation”. Tony Caridis, President of Heat and Control, added: “This partnership produces valuable added benefits which, in turn, make our customers around the world more competitive”.

The scope of products and services offered by these partnered companies encompasses every component, ranging from raw product preparation through to the processing, seasoning and coating of snacks. It extends to weighing, packaging and quality control. The individual machines are optimally calibrated with one another. The new cooperation further provides the snack industry with a contact partner for all of its related issues and concerns.

One of the items presented during the recent open house event was Ishida’s new ACP-700 case packer for fully automated final packaging, now with maximised performance and flexibility. Dave Tiso emphasised: “This case packer takes up less space than any other comparable machine. In addition, it can easily be integrated into existing production lines”. The new case packer processes a wide range of carton sizes and bag formats with widths of between 108 mm and 330 mm. It dispenses up to 150 bags per minute, respectively up to ten master cartons per minute.

Ishida’s portfolio additionally includes what the company claims is the world’s fastest vertical form, fill and seal machine. Dave Tiso says: “Our latest development, Inspira, is an ideal packaging solution for the high-performance processing of snacks and savoury snack items. Despite its high speed, Inspira continuously ensures flawless packaging quality”. Inspira can process bags at speeds up to 200 per minute.

At packaging trade fair FachPack in Nuremberg/Germany, Ishida is set to present high-performance food product processing systems. On show will be complete packaging lines, multi-head scales, quality control systems, and production optimisation software solutions corresponding with the tenets and requirements of Packaging 4.0.

The food products industry is also striving to achieve the “Smart Factory”. The new Sentinel software allows production to be monitored and optimised remotely. All of the systems presented by Ishida at the FachPack fair can be connected with this web-based Sentinel programme for the permanent analysis of data in the interest of increasing overall system efficiency.

Systems for reliable quality control represent another priority focus. At FackPack fair, Ishida will also be presenting its IX-GN X-ray inspection system, which combines the detection of foreign particles with weight control. IX-GN is a perfect all-rounder for a wide range of food products, reliably detecting impurities and foreign particles made of metal, glass, stone or plastic, even in products where such detection is difficult like cereals.

FachPack, Halle 2, Stand 413

Machine vision systems automatically detect chocolate residues and contaminants and prompt the removal of unclean moulds. Given the limited installation space in many cases, Berlin-based machine vision specialist Bi-Ber manufactures modular systems in different configurations to provide flexible solutions.

The times of individually manufactured mechanical stamps to check the state of moulds are over. Today, inspection of all kinds of moulds is the domain of machine ­vision technology. Instead of long changeover times for the installation of mould-specific stamps, various shapes and sizes are now stored in the system memory, which can be called up instantly. Moulds can be automatically identified, for example via RFID codes. New moulds can be quickly added via teach-in.

Commercially available systems for this task come with image sensors of various kinds, although colour cameras are best suited to check empty moulds. They achieve excellent results in detecting brightness and colour differences between mould and possible contaminants. Combining megapixel cameras with powerful software, Bi-Ber manages to identify dirt and foreign objects as small as 1 mm². This clearly surpasses industry requirements which allow for tolerances up to 5 mm², depending on the manufacturer. The system captures up to 60 moulds per minute.

Bi-Ber configures such inline inspection systems as fully operational software and hardware solutions. All components are mounted in a compact stainless-steel cabinet, which is placed directly over the transfer system. Integrated service doors allow line operators to access the process. Foreign objects as potential contaminants are ruled out by design, since there are no user controls and no loose parts over the moulds. The imaging and lighting components are shielded against the empty moulds by a protective pane. The panel PC with a touch screen for controlling the system is positioned on the side of the transfer system.

Latest-generation inspection systems from Bi-Ber feature various ­improvements. They can be equipped with two cameras instead of just one. This allows for shorter working distances and a reduced height. New benefits also include greater flexibility, because two cameras can monitor up to 1,050 mm wide moulds. All ­segments, all the way to the edges, will be captured with only small distortions. Using LED technology instead of fluorescent tubes also saves space. Moreover, LEDs are very low-maintenance.

A compact design is a concern to many system builders. Consequently, Bi-Ber now manufactures its empty mould check systems in different configurations and sizes. The standard design for 640 mm wide moulds is 1,370 mm high and 600 mm long in transfer direction. Alternatively, the switchgear and panel PC can be installed in a separate control cabinet. The remaining camera and lighting enclosure has a cross section of 200 mm x 162 mm (width depending on mould sizes). It is suitable for extremely flexible integration even if installation space is tightly constrained.

The compact enclosure does not require a mounting surface that matches the full size of the base but can instead be attached with custom mounting brackets. Instead of service doors, it features inspection flaps. The two-part design includes a control cabinet that is about 1,000 mm tall and can be positioned freely, for example next to the transfer line.

Hänsel Processing offers a wide product range for the fabrication of confectionery. Among these solutions are the JellyStar 2014 cooking plant and the newly developed JellyBlend 2036 dosing system.

Hänsel Processing has an outstanding experience in supplying confectionery processing equipment with a very long tradition and experience in this field. The company operates worldwide, backed-up by a strong net of agencies and well-supported by excellently skilled regional sales managers at the main office in Hanover/Germany. It disposes of a process chain reaching from the most modern machine technology via an excellent research and development up to an outstanding service performance.

The company offers a high quality product range for these segments:
• Hard Candy (centre filled, aerated, laminated, milky, sugar free, medicated, specialities)
• Jelly & Fondant (gelatine, agar agar, pectin, gum arabic, starch, fondant crème, bakery fondant, milk fondant, fruit fondant)
• Toffee (milk caramel, éclair, fruit candies, chewy candies, caramel layers, specialities)
• Bar (foam sugar, candy bars, granola, torrone, halwa)

Almost the whole range needed for the production of confectionery, from single machines to complete processing lines, is offered. Among the products are systems for raw material weighing, cooking, flavouring, blending and cooling, centre filling and forming, thin film cooking, controlled caramelising, vacuum cooking or batchwise aeration, continuous aeration, high performance beating, high performance jelly cooking, flavouring and blending as well as universal batch cooking.

When it comes to the manufacturing of jellies and nutraceutical products, the JellyStar 2014 cooking plant, appropriate for all common jellying agents, is characterized by a compact design, offering the possibility to produce high quality aerated and transparent jellies with HPG machines, even if space is limited. The products are processed extremely carefully in this cooker of compact design with short residence time. The proven cooking plant only requires reduced vapour pressure due to low temperature difference between product and steam. The product is not in contact with vapour during the cooking process, and excellent heat transmission by a multitude of steam tubes as well as high turbulences within the cooker assure the production of high quality jellies. The JellyStar line is approved for nutritional gums and jellies, too. Post adding stations provide advanced treatment of nutritional ingredients. The capacity of the JellyStar 2014 is between 60 and 6.000 kg/h.

For the mixing of jelly masses with colours, flavours, acids, vitamin solutions and more, Hänsel Processing offers the JellyBlend 2036 dosing systems, designed for one to eight colours, depending on the type. Different principles are used in jelly plants, according to the production conditions. For the newly developed dosing unit, the mixing of the ingredients can be performed gravimetrically, before depositing the mass on a mogul plant. Bubble formation in the jelly mass is reduced by a special agitator. Alternatively, the ingredients can be added by the volumetrically working unit JellyBlend, which is available in pharmaceutical execution for extraordinary exact dosing.

Already for the 54th time, the members of the Chocolate Technology Working Group of the Industrial Association for Food Technology and Packaging (IVLV) met. Also in this year, the wide range of topics allowed the participants to see the bigger picture beyond chocolate. Besides fat bloom development, the use of spices and nuts was paramount to the event.

With more than 120 participants, the traditional IVLV meeting “chocolate technology” finally became too big for the previous venue in the rooms of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) in Frei-sing/Germany. Therefore, it moved to the Lindenkeller in Freising for the first time, where a successful premiere took place.

Besides the warhorse fat bloom, aroma was on the agenda of this year’s meeting. On the one hand, the pure chocolate aroma and its release were subject of discussion, and on the other hand, interesting taste sensations caused by additions was a topic. Aroma research is currently under-going change. For decades, scientists were searching for key flavours, those substances among the many volatiles which are responsible for the characteristic taste of a food. Today, the focus on the so-called Flavour Release is increasing, which describes the release of volatiles when the food is consumed, and what makes them sensory available.

In a lively lecture, Dr Eva Ortner (Fraunhofer IVV) introduced the participants into the world of Flavour Release and the complexity of flavour perception in food. During chewing and swallowing, released flavour volatiles are perceived in a retronasal manner by a breath blow. For example, the sucking of gummy bears only causes a weak aroma impression in contrast to intense chewing, since only here the flavours are released. Additionally, leftover aromas remain in the mouth for a pleasant aftertaste that lasts up to half an hour after espresso consumption.

At the IVV, research work on the Flavour Release is also carried out in vivo, with the direct detection of the aroma substances in the breathing air and the identification with PTR-MS. The analysis of flavour release of chocolate is not only hardened by the already considerably high amount of aroma compounds, but also by the complex matrix of the product. However, in the following lecture, Dr Gottfried Ziegleder (formerly Fraunhofer IVV) demonstrated how technology influences the flavour release of chocolates.

The focus of chocolate production is grinding and conching. It is only during intensive conching that the harmonious taste of the chocolates develops from “cocoa plus sugar” to “chocolate”. Several effects contribute to this. The flow behaviour of the conched chocolate mass is smoother and allows a more intense mouthfeel. The diverse flavours, which were initially included in cocoa particles and dissolved in cocoa butter, are redistributed in the mass. They are increasingly coating the sugar surfaces. As a result, they become more available for sensory perception and provide a long lasting aroma impression over a few minutes. After conching, is not possible anymore to distinguish the taste of sugar and cocoa because both types of particles are carrying cocoa flavour, which results in a holistic taste.

The technological challenge is to optimise the energy input in the conche in order to make the process economical. In cooperation with industrial companies, the Fraunhofer IVV developed valuable insights and put them into practice. The two presentations on Flavour Release made clear how the institute’s technological developments and state-of-the-art flavour research complement each other.

Besides the chocolate aroma itself, more frequently very small amounts of additions such as spices, aromas and colours are used to create an interesting flavour. This provides manifold possibilities, but also risks. In the opening lecture, Dr Ute Weisz (Fraunhofer IVV) reported about conventional spice processing and some alternatives.

Conventional spice processing is remarkably similar to cocoa production in the countries of origin: the raw product is sun dried after harvesting, on rare occasions solar drying is used, and subsequently the products are transported, ground, sterilized and packed for further use. Especially the slow sun drying with partial rehydration during the night promotes mould growth and augmentation of pathogens.

Salmonella is another hot topic in spices. Especially food which is not heated is subject to salmonella affection. This is also true for chocolate and its additions. A remedy is the use of alternative processing for spices in which the spices are blanched and milled before the drying step. Additionally, different sterilisation processes can be used, as reported by Dr Peter Muranyi (Fraunhofer IVV). He also mentioned the increased stability of microorganisms, which were subject to stress such as thermal shocks, or wrong negative colony count caused by antimicrobial substances such as phenols or essential oils in the product.

For some sterilisation processes such as radiation using Xenon-pulsed light, the special surface of spices has to be taken into account. It is often porous or rough, and the effectivity of sterilisation can be reduced. Besides spices, other chocolate additions are affected, such as nuts. As a specialty, the almond pasteurisation in USA has to be mentioned, which was reported by Anett Winkler (Cargill). However, the food safety plan is also relevant for other food and is often carried out by using validated process controls.

The addition of spices is not limited to microbiological challenges, but, considering the small amounts, the processing is also complex. This topic was presented by Isabell Rothkopf (Fraunhofer IVV). She introduced the upcoming project about homogeneous mixing of small amounts into chocolate and the resulting difficulties.

Until now, additions such as spices, flavours and colours are added at the beginning of the process to achieve a homogeneous distribution. In the case of a product change, the cleaning effort is extremely high, and with some products, for example for allergens, it is insufficient. Thus, the addition should be carried out in the process as late as possible. The upcoming difficulties are caused by the limited space, the thermal energy input, which affects tempering, as well as the altered flow behaviour. This highly interdisciplinary project raises a lot of questions and, at the same time, promises exciting reports for the following meetings.

Algae as an ingredient in food products has less to do with slimy plants on the beach than with varieties that generally live as single-cell organisms. Prof. Sascha Rohn from the University of Hamburg’s Institute for Food Chemistry and Dr Michael Sandmann from the Institute for Food and Environmental Research (ILU) in Nuthetal/Germany explain how these organisms can constitute an enrichment in their role as ingredients.

sweets processing: What areas of application are algae suitable for?
Prof. Rohn: In order to avoid overwhelming consumers, what generally happens is that products they already accept are enriched with algae products/preparations. Innovations consisting almost exclusively of algae biomasses are quite rare, since in the end the taste is the decisive factor.
Dr Sandmann: The algae biomass quantities in food products are therefore generally in very low percentages. Potential products include snacks, desserts or yogurt, and increasingly pasta and baked goods.

sp: How is the algae noticeable?
Sandmann: A range of different characteristic flavours appear, but also, in some cases, there is an umami taste or a savoury taste impression. These are sometimes perceived as undesired flavours/tastes. Baking capability is not negatively influenced by an algae biomass concentration of up to six percent. The cookies developed with shortcut pastry showed a characteristic blue-green colour when using Spirulina algae and a yellow-green colour with Scenedesmus algae.

Rohn: The flavour components include volatile compounds stemming from the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and, as a result of the altered fat oxidation, from the remaining ingredients or the algae preparations themselves. The buttery odour of traditional cookies was covered up to some extent as a result of the addition of the algae.

sp: What benefits do these algae provide?
Rohn: Algae can alter the techno-functional and nutritive properties along with the sensory impression of food products. The hay-like odour and taste of Scenedesmus algae creates a spicy, fresh impression in baked foods which could be used in a targeted fashion in savoury products in the future.

Sandmann: Algae are quite easy to cultivate and constitute a biomass that can be created on a sustainable basis. Their biochemical adaptability is an added benefit. By varying the cultivation conditions, one can intentionally influence the composition of the biomass and practically apply the use of algae in a variety of products.

sp: What are the costs for the user?
Rohn: The current costs for the algae are between three Euros and 150 Euros per kilogram. The price varies heavily according to the origin and quality of the biomasses, the majority of which are still imported from far-away countries.

Algae for food products
Algae biomass has a positive effect on human health. Its important constituents include lipids with unsaturated fatty acids, proteins and complex carbohydrates, as well as natural pigments like carotinoids, which can have an antioxidant effect. The great advantage is the very simple production of algae concentrates, requiring only a photobioreactor, water, minerals, carbon dioxide and sunlight. The only algae used are microalgae cultivated “on land” in bioreactor systems. Spirulina and Chlorella are the most important algae varieties, because at present only a few types of microalgae are permitted for use in food products. Scenedesmus algae are highly promising candidates.

Simply removing sugar from a recipe rarely works. Besides providing sweetness, sugar contributes significantly to the appearance, stability and texture of the food matrix. Thus, it is important to select ingredients that improve the food’s nutritional profile and also maintain the required levels of taste and appearance. Beneo offers suitable solutions for a wide variety of concepts.

For some people, sweets evoke memories they can almost taste and smell: Memories of colourful candies, sticky fingers and sweet chocolate stains. Sweets will continue to hold this magic in future, but it will be healthier and contain less sugar.

Yet, reducing sugar is a real challenge, since in addition to good taste it has a wealth of technologically important advantages. What is needed are alternative ingredients that can compete in terms of taste and sensory properties and at best deliver additional health benefits, too. The ingredients specialist Beneo offers support here: Whether it is low calories, low glycemic or high fiber, the right ingredient can be found for a wide range of different concepts.

A high sugar diet is considered unhealthy because it can promote weight gain and chronic diseases like diabetes. This has been known for a long time – so much so that countless products are now labelled as “sugar-reduced” or “sugar-free”.

According to a recent survey, 43 % of consumers are specifically looking for products that contain less sugar (based on information on the packaging). Not only is less sugar crucial, but the type of reduction is also important. For example, 33 % of Germans are concerned about artificial ingredients and cite ingredients of natural origin as their preferred alternative.

In particular, when it comes to the development and optimisation of formulations, the supplier industry can help with its knowledge and ingredients expertise. Simply removing sugar from a recipe rarely works. Besides providing pleasant sweetness, sugar contributes significantly to the
appearance, stability and texture of the food matrix. Thus, it is important to select ingredients that improve the food’s nutritional profile and also maintain the required levels of taste and appearance. Beneo offers suit-able solutions for a wide variety of concepts.

When sugar has to be completely replaced, isomalt is an ingredient of choice. Formulations and production parameters require minimal changes, and sucrose can often be completely replaced by isomalt in a ratio of 1:1. In addition, the only sugar substitute derived from beet sugar provides just half the calories of sugar and is tooth-friendly. While providing moderate glucose release into the bloodstream, it has taste and technological properties that are comparable to commercial sugar.

In order to check technical feasibility, the experts at the Beneo Technology Center regularly produce product samples. Recently, they developed a butter biscuit with isomalt, in which sugar was completely replaced. Since isomalt does not draw any moisture from the ambient air, the texture also benefited: compared to the sugar variant, the biscuits were significantly crispier.

Palatinose (generic name isomaltulose) turns traditional insights and opinions about sugar upside down: from a food law perspective, it is – like table sugar – a disaccharide consisting of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule. However, the link between the molecules is far more stable. This makes isomaltulose the only fully metabolisable, tooth-friendly carbohydrate with a low glycemic effect. It provides the full energy of conventional sugar, yet in a more balanced way and over a longer period of time. The sweetness profile is comparable to sucrose, and the sweetening power is about 50 %.

Health organisations like the WHO and the DGE (German Nutrition Society) recommend not only less sugar, but also a higher fiber diet. Partial replacement of sugar by oligofructose or inulin enriches foods in many ways: the functional ingredients can lower the calorie content, reduce the glycemic effect and, at the same time, increase the fiber content. The polysaccharides obtained from chicory root are not metabolised in the small intestine, and, thanks to their prebiotic properties, they contribute to the maintenance of gut health. Cor-responding EFSA health claims regarding the low glycemic mode of action and the effect on intestinal health are available.

The Beneo Technology Center recently replaced 30 % of the sugar in a chocolate cookie by Orafti inulin. Overall, the flavour profile remained very close to the reference product with no significant differences in sweetness or taste. At the same time, the nutrient profile was optimised by the increased fiber content.

In another sample, a granola bar, the experts replaced almost 30 % of the sugar by Orafti oligofructose. Again, no significant differences in chewability or taste were found. In addition to the nutrient profile, the texture and storage life improved: compared to the reference, the bar pulled more threads when broken and became less hard during storage.