PKN presents Pack Chat from foodpro, proudly supported by Heat and Control, bringing you packaging innovations that caught our eye on day three of the show.
Watch the video here:
SUMMARY TRANSCRIPT: Today's focus is on the technologies behind the printed pack. They might not be the first thing visitors notice on the show floor, but innovations in printing, coding and labelling are helping manufacturers reduce waste, improve efficiency, strengthen traceability and create more engaging packaging.
Here’s what stopped me in the aisles today…
Let's start with an innovation that combines premium shelf appeal with improved recyclability.
Detpak's new inline cold foiling process applies cold foil during flexographic printing in a single pass, delivering a premium metallic finish more cost-effectively while eliminating the need for metallised PET. The technology has already been adopted by Goodman Fielder for its premium White Wings flour range, enabling the bags to move from a non-kerbside recyclable format to an ARL-compliant kerbside recyclable pack without sacrificing shelf appeal.
One challenge many food manufacturers face is dealing with obsolete pre-printed labels whenever ingredients or product information change.
Epson's new ColorWorks CW-C4010 and CW-C6510 colour label printers address that by allowing labels to be printed on demand rather than ordering large quantities in advance. That means businesses can update artwork immediately, reducing waste, lowering inventory costs and simplifying compliance, while still producing high-quality colour labels for applications from coffee and bakery products to meat and frozen foods.
One of the more unusual technologies I saw today came from Result Group. Its new Macsa ID UV laser marking system creates a colour change directly within the plastic itself, producing high-contrast permanent codes without inks, additives or thermal damage to the pack. That not only improves code quality but also eliminates consumables and reducesongoing operating costs.
Staying on coding, Markem-Imaje demonstrated how a printed code can become much more than a barcode. Its Waxjet technology prints instantly drying, high-resolution barcodes and graphics directly onto cartons, eliminating the need for labels and reducing production stoppages caused by label and ribbon changes. Those 2D codes can also connect to the company's Colos packaging intelligence platform, providing traceability, product information and consumer engagement through a simple scan.
My final stop today was Aldus Tronics, which has launched its M360 Plus linerless label applicator. By eliminating the release liner found on conventional pressure-sensitive labels, the system reduces waste, fits more labels onto each roll and cuts production interruptions for roll changes. Better still, the equipment is manufactured and customised locally, giving Australian food manufacturers a solution tailored to local production requirements while improving packaging sustainability.
And that’s the wrap for today… Thanks for watching Pack Chat. Join me again tomorrow for another roundup of the packaging innovations that catch my eye here at foodpro.
Thanks again to our sponsor, Heat and Control. Whatever you want to make, Heat and Control will make it happen – proudly supporting the conversations and innovation shaping the future of food processing and packaging.
