Klöckner Pentaplast Launches MAP Packaging for Protein Packing Lines

Klöckner Pentaplast (kp), a global leader in rigid and flexible packaging and specialty film solutions, has announced the launch of kp Elite^® Nova, a next generation modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) tray that is the lightest in its class.

The tray uses a unique ribbed design to add strength in critical areas, while keeping weight and material use to a minimum, making it around 10% lighter than any other tray in its category without compromising on barrier performance, sealing integrity, or mechanical strength. Developed using finite element analysis, kp Elite^® Nova is ideal for high-speed automated protein packing lines and represents a step forward in sustainable food packaging.

“We’re proud to reveal kp Elite^® Nova; a breakthrough tray that reflects over 60 years of packaging innovation and technical excellence,” said Paul Rawlings, Launch Manager at kp Food Packaging. “With kp Elite^® Nova, food producers no longer need to compromise between sustainability and performance.

“This solution delivers both. The design is endorsed for recyclability by the Tray Circularity Evaluation Platform (TCEP) and is aligned with European Design for Recycling (D4R) guidelines, while still offering remarkable sealing and shelf-life performance.”

kp Elite^® Nova is made with up to 100% recycled PET, including material from kp’s revolutionary Tray2Tray^® initiative, which creates a closed recycling loop for food trays. It is available in a variety of sizes and depths and designed with the realities of food production and logistics in mind.

“At kp, we’re committed to improving access to circular solutions by removing barriers that might prevent customers from making the switch,” Rawlings added. “In a market where EPR fees are taking effect, every gram of packaging material counts. kp Elite^® Nova is leading the protein industry’s lightweight, recyclable pathway to a more sustainable future. It’s a tray that’s built for today but is ready for tomorrow.”

Xact Prepack Partners with Termoformas to Offer Sustainable Trays and Punnets

Xact Prepack, a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, recently announced a new partnership with Termoformas, a renowned manufacturer of high-quality plastic packaging solutions.

The collaboration brings a range of innovative and eco-friendly plastic punnets and trays to the food industry, demonstrating Xact’s commitment to providing sustainable packaging options for its customers.

The range of solutions features a minimum of 80 percent recycled content, making the product highly sustainable. It also means the products are not applicable for plastic tax. This not only benefits the environment by reducing reliance on virgin plastic and minimizing waste, but it also provides significant cost savings. The products are designed for a variety of food applications, including fresh produce, meat, and fish, offering a versatile and sustainable packaging solution that helps businesses meet their environmental and economic goals.

The partnership between Xact Prepack and Termoformas combines Xact Prepack’s expertise in sustainable packaging solutions with Termoformas’ dedication to manufacturing excellence.

The products, manufactured by Termoformas at their new state-of-the-art facility in Alicante, Spain, are designed to meet the demanding needs of the food industry. Beyond their standard range, Termoformas offers a bespoke service for retailers, allowing them to create tailored packaging solutions based on specific needs. This collaborative approach, supported by Termoformas’ dedicated R&D team, ensures that retailers receive packaging solutions perfectly suited to their needs.

Commenting on the partnership, Paul Bennion, Director at Xact Prepack, said: “This partnership with Termoformas is part of our ongoing commitment to providing packaging solutions that meet the needs of our customers and the planet. With growing concerns about plastic waste and its impact on the environment, coupled with the introduction of the UK plastic tax, businesses are actively seeking sustainable alternatives. Our new solutions address both of these concerns.”

Vicente Senabre, CCO at Termoformas, said: “This collaboration with Xact Prepack perfectly aligns with Termoformas’ commitment to driving sustainable innovation in the packaging industry. These products are a testament to our dedication to developing high-quality, eco-friendly solutions that not only meet the needs of our customers but also contribute to a circular economy. We are proud to partner with Xact Prepack to bring our solutions to the UK market and support businesses in their transition to more sustainable packaging.”

Boston Sword & Tuna Ensures Product Safety with Mettler-Toledo Metal Detectors

Boston Sword & Tuna (BST), one of the nation’s largest seafood distributors, has been delivering premium-quality fish and shellfish to customers across the United States since the 1970s. With roots in Sicilian fishing traditions, this family-run business now operates out of a state-of-the-art, 50,000-square-foot facility where they process a wide variety of fresh and frozen seafood. To help ensure final product quality, BST installed Profile Advantage metal detectors from Mettler-Toledo on all three of their packaging lines.

“Inspecting seafood is particularly difficult for most metal detectors,” said Phil Tripoli, Maintenance Manager at BST. “Saltwater and ice put out a magnetic field that can confuse run-of-the-mill systems, so we needed something high tech that could reliably identify metal contaminants without triggering false rejects. Mettler-Toledo is well regarded in the seafood industry, and their Profile Advantage is a great fit for our needs.”

BST installed their first Profile Advantage in 2020 and added two more in 2023 on their other packaging lines. BST’s metal detectors are equipped with a large aperture to inspect 10-pound corrugated cases of fresh and frozen products including cod, salmon, haddock, crab, swordfish, scallops and shellfish.

“We were so impressed with our first Profile Advantage that going back for more was an easy decision,” explained Tripoli. “The entire purchasing and startup process was seamless, thanks to excellent support from Mettler-Toledo and our sales rep, Brian Vernet of Flo-Dynamics.”

To better inspect challenging products like seafood and minimize false rejects, Profile Advantage metal detectors use multi-simultaneous frequencies to distinguish between metal contaminants and natural product characteristics. BST’s quality assurance protocol includes twice-daily calibration tests using certified test strips made from ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel metals.

“Our new inspection systems deliver great detection sensitivity, which is imperative given how frequently metal objects turn up in wild caught seafood,” said Tripoli. “Plus, these metal detectors are consistent. They stay within our required specifications during long production cycles without any adjustments.”

Profile Advantage can store up to 100 different recipes for fast recall during changeovers, while the product clustering capability further simplifies operations by allowing similar products to share the same settings. For brand-new products, the single-pass auto-setup routine identifies the optimal parameters in seconds.

If metal is ever detected, the Profile Advantage’s conveyor automatically stops so the package can be removed from the line for further inspection.

“Any flagged cases undergo reinspection through one of our other metal detectors to confirm the finding,” said Tripoli. “Fortunately, re-runs are very rare, and the few we’ve had prove the accuracy of these systems.”

“As we continue to expand our operations and serve more customers across the country, maintaining the highest food safety standards remains our top priority,” Tripoli concluded. “Our Profile Advantage systems give us confidence that we’re protecting consumers and help us deliver the outstanding product quality that has defined our company for generations.”