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MACHINERY
MATTERS
A RESOURCE BROUGHT TO YOU
BY AUSTRALIA’S PEAK INDUSTRY
BODY FOR MANUFACTURERS AND
DISTRIBUTORS OF PACKAGING
AND PROCESSING MACHINERY
AND ALLIED COMPONENTS.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
+
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 1 17/9/20 2:32 pm
MACHINERY MATTERS
COVID-19 challenges continue,
virtual AGM offers opportunities
W
elcome to the latest edition of Machinery Matters, brought to you by
the APPMA in an exclusive partnership with PKN Packaging News and
Food and Drink Business.
The challenges from Covid-19 have been, and will remain, the talk
of the town. Businesses have had to continually update and implement their “Covid
Safe” plans based on different states’ varying guidelines and restrictions. While
business in most states is able to operate, allow interactions and trade with some
level of normality, Victoria has continued to struggle in getting on top of the spread
of the virus. However, a positive at the time of writing this column is that infection
numbers have begun trending down, giving rise to increased optimism that Victoria
could join the other states with regards to some form of normality.
While Covid-19 has certainly presented the world with unique challenges, our
industry is essential to the wellbeing of the Australian population and the nation’s
economic recovery. With that in mind, the APPMA has continued to focus on how
the association can best deliver value and benefit, and support to our members and
the broader packaging and processing industry. This has included working in
partnership with the Fight Food Waste CRC, delivering an expanded member and
industry communication program that saw the APPMA host a series of online
webinar and educational programmes, as well as developing the Covid-19 manual
assisting all members in accessing information and managing change through the
pandemic restrictions. In addition, the association was active in sponsorship and
support of food-rescue services such as OzHarvest and Foodbank during these
“Looking forward, past the day challenging times for many Australian families.
From a broader business and economic perspective, events and activities
to day challenges we face as a involving larger gatherings continue to be compromised with the recent
result of Covid-19, as an announcement of the deferral of Foodtech Packtech NZ after previously having 102
essential service industry, there days of no Covid-19 cases. This sends a very real message as to the
unpredictability and challenges facing all industries in relation to the planning,
is no doubt the packaging and implementation and risk assessments associated with businesses and events that
processing and manufacturing involve both small and/or large gatherings of people, whether that be within the
hospitality, tourism, educational industry sectors right through to personal and
industry will play a major role in family events. Unfortunately, without the security of a safe and proven vaccine
the economic-recovery process.” these challenges will continue to be present thereby requiring a continued united
approach to Covid-19 safe practices in the several months ahead.
Looking forward, past the day to day challenges we face as a result of Covid-19
as an essential service industry, there is no doubt the packaging and processing
and manufacturing industry will play a major role in the economic-recovery process
and the longer-term strategic position of Australia as an independent nation. This
will translate into further opportunities for our members and the manufacturing
industry at large.
Along with the entire APPMA board and management team, I am very much
looking forward to being able to re-engage at a face-to-face event. Our very own
AUSPACK is the perfect such place.
Please stay safe and well,
MARK DINGLEY,
CHAIRMAN
CONNECT WITH APPMA
There are various ways to stay in touch with APPMA,
including our website appma.com.au and social media.
appmaau appmaau appmaau
2 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 MACHINERY MATTERS
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 2 17/9/20 10:27 am
APPMA NEWS
Virtual AGM sees new
APPMA Board announced
At the APPMA’s first-ever virtual annual general meeting, results of the recent Board elections
were released, with two directors holding their seats and a new director announced.
T
he APPMA AGM was held on 8 September,
with digital access allowing a higher
number of members to participate than are
usually able to attend in person.
Among items on the agenda was the result of the
recent Board election. As per the previous year
voting was conducted electronically with around 65
per cent of all members participating this time in the
voting process.
Chairman Mark Dingley congratulated Derek Ford
from Visy Automation and Dr Rym Kachouri from
Foodmach on their reappointment and welcomed
Mark Hollingsworth, CEO Rhima Group, as the
newest director.
Dingley thanked the other members who had
nominated for Board positions, noting it was good to
see such a high level of interest in members looking to
contribute and participate more within the association.
PKN spoke to the new directors on news of their FAR LEFT: Dr Rym
Kachouri, GM service
election. New recruit Mark Hollingsworth said he and agency products at
was motivated to join the APPMA Board as it Foodmach.
“provides a great opportunity to learn and interact ABOVE: Derek Ford,
with the industry that our membership covers and group sales manager,
the opportunities and challenges it faces, especially Dr Rym Kachouri, GM Service and Agency Products Visy Automation.
in the current challenging times of Covid”. at Foodmach, has been re-elected to her position on LEFT: Mark
Hollingsworth, who has prior industry board the Board for a second term. With an international Hollingsworth,
CEO, Rhima.
experience, said, “I believe it is a great platform to educational and career background, Kachouri brings
promote the industry and grow our coverage... I am to the table a different and valuable perspective on
very privileged to be able to join my fellow directors machinery and automation technology.
on the APPMA Board and I look forward to “In these challenging times, the APPMA is more number of years, and says: “Packaging plays such
contributing positively to our industry.” important than ever to ensure support for our an important role in our everyday lives and supports
Hollingsworth believes APPMA is helping shape member companies and the wider industry, and to so many Australian businesses, so the APPMA is a
the industry for the better with its continued focus provide networking opportunities along with perfect marriage with my own personal love of
on promoting industry interests. opportunities to develop and grow their people and automation. Contributing on the Board is also a way
“In today’s environment, demands are changing their businesses,” she said. to give back personally to the industry that has
and with the continuing public swell around Kachouri aims to contribute to the APPMA becoming provided me so much opportunity and growth over
recycling and now hygiene becoming a big focus an official industry partner that communicates the last 20 years.”
due to Covid, these both impact but also create regularly with the government to support the local Asked about the contribution he hopes to make in
opportunities for our industry,” he said. manufacturing and automation sector. his next term of office, Ford said: “I am really
“As an industry association we can open up to “I want the APPMA to have a voice with federal excited about some new members’ packages and
wider thinking around our corporate responsibility government decision makers,” she said. benefits that we’re working on, increasing public
towards sustainable environmental practices to Derek Ford, group sales manager at Visy visibility of members’ achievements, and of course
ensure we do our bit towards progressing our Automation, says the APPMA creates for its making the AUSPACK and Packaging and
industry in a positive way.” members an opportunity to collaborate with Processing events bigger and better than ever.”
Hollingsworth says he hopes to assist APPMA to suppliers and customers, to recognise the Hollingsworth, Kachouri and Ford will join fellow
grow its membership base with allied companies on achievements of companies and individuals, and to directors Mark Dingley, Robert Marguccio, Mark
the periphery of the packaging machinery sector, raise the level of performance in safety and Emmett, Samantha Saunders, Peter Bradbury,
and to continue with the good work that APPMA has productivity while benefiting the environment. James Windsor, and Robert Becher in leading the
done in the past. He has been active on the APPMA Board for a association in the 2020-2021 year. ■
MACHINERY MATTERS SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 3
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 3 17/9/20 10:28 am
MEMBER NEWS
KHS TO ACQUIRE STAKE IN FERRUM PACKAGING
The KHS Group is to acquire a stake in engineering KHS CFO in charge of purchasing Martin Resch
company Ferrum in a move that the companies say said KHS values Ferrum’s innovative machine
would intensify their longstanding co-operation. technology and its expertise based on many years
Pending approval from antitrust authorities, the tie-up of experience.
would bundle the competencies of both machine- “Ferrum is the worldwide well-known
engineering companies to form a common system manufacturer of can seamers,” he said.
portfolio to provide customers with integrated systems. “Combined with our future-oriented solutions in
Ferrum Packaging AG was founded as a the field of filling and packaging technology, we form
subsidiary of Ferrum and incorporates Ferrum’s an effective union that is valued highly in the market.”
entire worldwide can seaming business. KHS will be To date, the KHS Group has offered tried and
acquiring minority ownership in Ferrum. At the same tested Ferrum can seamers only as accessory
time, Ferrum Packaging Inc., the US subsidiary of components for its canning lines. Effective
Ferrum Packaging AG, will be taking over KHS’ immediately, work in close co-operation will begin
can-seaming business together with its employees on developing even more efficient systems including
and will be integrating it into the joint offer. a filler-seamer block.
FOODMACH LAUNCHES NEW FINANCING OPTION
Packaging automation manufacturer and integrator its success. The rise of IoT technologies such as
Foodmach has introduced a new way to finance blockchain and cloud-based computing makes its
packaging line machines. Foodmach FLEX allows use in factory settings possible.
manufacturers to pay only for the output of the Foodmach CEO Earle Roberts said: “It takes
equipment, not the equipment itself. expertise in line integration and data capture to set the
FLEX is a machinery-as-a-service (MaaS) reporting system up effectively. We’re able to offer
arrangement, whereby the user only pays for the MaaS with confidence due to our controls team’s
desired result of the machine’s function. strength and experience in i4.0 factory integration.”
Foodmach director Phil Biggs said: “FMCG FLEX finance is available for Foodmach’s
manufacturers don’t really want to buy, say, a case palletisers, depalletisers, fillers, case packers,
packer or a filler or a stretch wrapper. What they stretch wrappers and automated and autonomous
actually need is a packed case – or a filled bottle, guided vehicles.
or a wrapped pallet. A machinery-as-a-service The arrangement is based on contractual
model allows FMCG manufacturers to buy what performance targets and terms which are
they want in the first place, which is output of negotiated upfront and stored in a cloud-based and
in-spec products.” secure environment. Equipment is either custom-
The MaaS financing model is predominantly designed and manufactured or – in the case of JET TECHNOLOGIES TO
used by makers of office equipment, medical third party OEMs, supplied – with the usual DISTRIBUTE ESKO RANGE
devices and jet engines. Data capture is integral to start-up support, training and spare parts. Jet Technologies has teamed up with global
provider of software and hardware printing
and packaging solutions Esko to deliver
Esko’s product range to businesses in
Australia and New Zealand.
With its experience and expertise in the
printing and packaging industries and
working alongside the Esko team of
engineers, Jet Technologies will help lead the
distribution and support of the complete Esko
range to expand its availability to Australia
and New Zealand.
Among the Esko solutions are the Crystal
flexo CTP systems, which will work with the
Asahi plate distributed by Jet.
“This new partnership enables Jet
Technologies to strengthen our ecosystem
and deliver innovative solutions that address
specific pain points and meet the ever-
changing needs of our customers across the
region,” Jack Malki, director of Jet
Technologies, said.
4 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 MACHINERY MATTERS
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 4 17/9/20 2:29 pm
MEMBER NEWS
PROFILE SOLUTIONS TO SET LEAK TESTER RECORD
Profile Solutions, an Australian manufacturer of leak the number of leak testers as it had over the entirety
detectors and automation equipment, is on track to of the previous year.
manufacture a record number of leak testers, “Covid has been a trying time, with air freight cost
despite the difficulties of working during the and availability affecting inward and outbound costs
Covid-19 pandemic. and an area government has been very slow to try
A statement from the company said, as of and fix,” the statement said.
mid-July, Profile Solutions had made more than half “We also will have some new models in testing
machines this year that will be finished in the next
few weeks that will open up new markets for us.
“We have seen a very significant increase in the
order of our multi-head machines that fill a sweet
spot which compared to our competition in the US
and EU are half the cost or less of leading suppliers
from those countries.”
Profile Solutions manufactures and sells
high-speed leak testers, which are exported around
the world. While based in Australia, the company
has offices in Singapore and the US.
Some 60 per cent of the company’s current
production is exported to more than 20 countries in
Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
The company says it makes the world’s fastest
single head tester.
WRAP AND LABEL
CLAMSHELLS WITH HERMA
For the requirements of the food industry in
HMPS AND SMC wrap labelling, self-adhesive specialist
DEVELOP CUSTOM Herma offers a versatile labelling machine,
POUCH UNLOADER available locally through Result Group. The
Machine builder HMPS partnered with 752C is designed to wrap a single label
the SMC Corporation ANZ to design around the top, front, and bottom, as well as,
and custom fit a new HMPS pouch optionally, the back of the packaging in one
unloader cell for an export customer pass and thereby sealing it.
in Thailand, claimed to be an For three-side labelling, the label is
industry-first of its kind. dispensed at the front side of the product
The machine is used to unload into the split conveyor belt and applied onto
pouches of pet food from trays. the top and bottom of the packaging as it
According to a statement from SMC, passes through.
it is the first machine where a robot In doing so, the label not only performs
is retrofitted with a vacuum head for sealing and information functions, but also
off-loading pouches of pet food from contributes to the stability of the thin and
a retort. consequently unstable plastic packaging.
Pouches have increased in For four-side labelling, the label additionally
popularity over the years as a flexible packaging together to deliver an innovative solution. wraps the back of the packaging. Due to the
option and using a vacuum system to handle this “From SMC’s side, the design was led by our length of the sealing and identification
packaging option remains the most reliable and engineering department in New Zealand, headed up labels, absolutely precise dispensing must
trusted solution. by Sergey Vetrov while I oversaw the project on the be guaranteed – particularly with four-side
HMPS project engineer Sergio Palacio said the ground together with the HMPS team. Our team was labelling, so that no spiral misalignment
customer had an old compressor in their factory proactive, detail orientated and invested in the occurs. The wrap labeller 752C meets these
and requested a solution that is more energy project,” Sutton said. requirements through the compact but
efficient in terms of compressed air. While the specially engineered vacuum head used robust design of all machine components.
“Compressors can be expensive to replace; our in this application is made up of standard SMC Herma head of product management and
customer wanted to automate their line without vacuum products, this solution has been engineered labelling Ulrich Fischer said: “As fresh
causing unnecessary downtime, additional costs into a unique multi-functional and energy-efficient snacks don’t have any additional outer
or drastic changes to the rest of the plant,” vacuum design. packaging, the perfect positioning of the
Palacio said. According to SMC, the latest machine performs labels plays an important role. A precise and
SMC area sales engineer Jason Sutton said the far better than its predecessor and has achieved 28 properly applied label indicates the high
two companies’ design departments worked per cent in energy savings. quality of the packaging contents.”
MACHINERY MATTERS SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 5
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 5 17/9/20 10:28 am
TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY
New technology
can increase
accuracy and
efficiency in a
production line
and help
decrease
instances of
product recalls
and withdrawals.
How automation can minimise
food product recalls
F
ood product recalls are on the rise in treat this technology with caution. But that Series Vision System with the industry’s first
Australia. According to Food Standards perception is changing, with end users and defect detection AI technology that identifies
Australia New Zealand – which co- machine builders increasingly choosing to fit subtle defects with what the company says is
ordinates and monitors food recalls in vision systems on their lines. Furthermore, “human-like sensitivity”.
Australia – there are five official food recalls per regulations are increasing, demanding the For many industry sectors, particularly food
month on average, not including voluntary product capabilities that vision systems provide. and beverage, it is vital to reliably identify subtle
withdrawals. More than one-third of all food recalls Vision can verify codes, graphics (reconciling defects even on flexible lines producing a wide
are because of non-compliant labelling issues. each pack with the product on the line), pack range of items.
Meanwhile, current production trends include components, label presence, print legibility, shape,
shorter runs of multiple variants, reformulated colour and optical character recognition.
versions of established products and redesigned
packaging. These factors have an impact on
Database connectivity means that quality
inspection and production data can be gathered,
“Food recalls can
labelling. Inadequate attention to labelling has led to and traceability and regulatory compliance destroy a new
many mistakes being made and product recalls. can be ensured. It allows data to be analysed
Food recalls can destroy a new product and for adverse trends and to trigger predictive or product and cause
cause long-term damage to brand reputation preventative maintenance.
and sales. long-term damage to
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
brand reputation.”
Effective and integrated plant automation
can play a lead role in minimising costly and TO MINIMISE RISK
damaging recalls. The individual machine controller can offer this level
of connectivity while bringing under one umbrella
NO SILVER BULLET logic, motion, vision, safety, and robotics.
While there is no single silver bullet to eliminate all Through advanced technology, the food The new AI technology reproduces the techniques
threats, there are many production-level checks processing industry can minimise product recalls, of skilled inspectors to reliably detect defects that
that can be integrated into control and information increase productivity and improve workplace safety. were once difficult to capture, automating human
systems. Taken together, they can dramatically – Omron, a global leader in automation technology, vision-based visual inspection.
and reliably – reduce the risk of recalls. offers a range of automation solutions designed An AI fine-matching tool learns from the image
Vision systems for verifying packaging, product to improved productivity in the food processing data of non-defective products to quickly acquire
and codes, temperature control, sensors and robot industry – and avoid costly recalls. the expertise that inspectors develop over the
controls can all sit on a single machine control Omron’s latest technology addresses major course of many years. This can reduce costs and
platform with direct two-way, real-time connectivity issues such as quality control, improved efficiency boosts productivity through automation.
with factory or enterprise-level databases. and productivity, worker safety, traceability and
The installed price of vision systems may operating simplicity. The full version of this article can be found on the
have prompted potential beneficiaries to Omron recently has released its latest FH PKN website, www.packagingnews.com.au.
6 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 MACHINERY MATTERS
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 6 17/9/20 10:28 am
CASE STUDY KRONES
Krones provides the tools
that fuel the passion
Creativity and science – two seemingly antithetical disciplines that the Taihu Brewery is
consummately synergising – and its craft beer shows that this combination is superbly successful.
T
aihu Brewery likes to surprise the market
with innovative approaches, such as
tea-flavoured beers or sours with smoked
Taiwanese plum.
The brewery’s managing director, and one of its
founders, Peter Huang said: “We at Taihu Brewery
are extremely adventurous and creative. When it
comes to developing recipes and designing labels,
for many of our beers we take inspiration from Asian
culture.”
But for the brewing process itself, by contrast,
the craft brewers adopt a stringently scientific
approach.
“Our brewery is like a laboratory, in which we
rigorously test every step, every altered ingredient,
and keep detailed records,” Huang said.
“Our paramount goal is to continually improve our
beers. We never brew the same beer twice;
sometimes we alter the fermentation temperature,
sometimes we use new hop varieties. You see, we
never regard anything as perfect, we’re always
striving to become even better.” ABOVE: One of Taihu Brewery’s
founders, and its managing
For these trials and small brews, Taihu has director, Peter Huang
installed a Steinecker MicroCube. With its size of LEFT: Taihu’s head brewer Winnie
ten hectolitres, it’s ideally suited for trying out new Hsu are working with a Steinecker
combinations, and these beers are subsequently MicroCube.
tested for popularity in one of the firm’s own six
taprooms in Taipei. If a recipe proves successful,
Taihu can then use its CombiCube B in the
brewhouse to make batch sizes of up to 50
hectolitres.
The brewery was using a MicroCube from the
very first day – but the choice of this model was
more or less coincidental. Originally, Taihu got in
touch with Krones only for the bottling kit.
Besides the brewing equipment from Steinecker,
the brewery ordered the bottling kit as well: a
“Krones is precision
Huang said the company thought it would be able
to manage the brewing on its own, as it had very
filler-closer block from Kosme.
Huang said Taihu is a small brewery without a big
and professionalism
experienced staff. But, when it came to bottling,
they wanted to be on the safe side to ensure a
engineering department, so the technical support
from Krones was essential.
– without
consistently high-quality, shelf-stable product. “Even as a small brewery, we and our concerns pretentiousness.”
For this purpose, we needed a state-of-the-art were always taken seriously,” he said.
line, which definitely had to come from Krones,” “The entire team is fantastic. Starting with the
Huang said. salespeople and then the project managers, all the
“During these meetings, we then found that for way through to the service technicians, everyone
brewing operations, too, Krones offers solutions for always found time for us. All of them are very
the small output range – and it can safely be said: approachable and friendly – and nevertheless tackle
the salespeople from Freising were very persuasive. things with precisely the professionalism you would
A short time later, we ordered the MicroCube, and expect from a company like this. Krones is precision
then immediately began planning a second, larger and professionalism – without pretentiousness.”
brewery centred around the CombiCube B.” Krones in Australia is a member of the APPMA.
MACHINERY MATTERS SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 7
APPMA Machinery Matters.indd 7 17/9/20 10:28 am
Representing Australia's leading packaging and
processing machinery and allied equipment companies.
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