A stand-up solution
Alliedflex Technologies Inc. announced the release of its newest pouch-filling machine: the FLX SpoutFill filling and capping machine for spouted pouches. The compact, semi-automatic machine can fill and cap flexible pouches that have a pre-applied spout with liquid/semi-liquid products at a fill volume from 250 ml to 1 liter, the company says. Designed for stand-up pouches with a pre-applied top or corner spout with carrier slot, the FLX filler can fill viscous products containing soft particulates or pulp and it is suitable for hot filling products at 100 degrees Celsius, it says. Additionally, the machine produces a reliable, efficient, safe pouch packaging machinery solution with an output of five to six parts per million based upon 250-ml volume. The FLX SpoutFill is ideal for a pilot plant, lab or research and development to establish filling characteristics, test market samples or for initial start-up production, it adds.
Alliedflex Technologies Inc.
780 Apex Road, Sarasota, Fla. 34240
941/923-1181
StandupPouch.com
Positive promotions
National Retail Solutions (NRS) operates a point-of-sale (POS) terminal-based platform for independent retailers and bodega owners nationwide. The platform provides a portfolio of tools to help retailers more effectively compete via rewards programs, consumer coupons, wholesaler discounts, and integration with Boss Revolution communication and payment service products, the company says. Consumer packaged goods suppliers are able to leverage the NRS platform to provision promotions, coupons and special offers to independent retailers and their diverse customer bases nationwide. Nearly 5,000 independent convenience stores already use NRS’ POS terminal platform, according to the company. The platform, featuring 15-inch dual-facing high-definition screens, helps stores attract new customers and increase sales with special offers, discounts, and coupons on popular brands and ethnic specialty products, it adds. Promotions are targeted to the stores’ existing customers and the 3 million-plus members of NRS’ Bonus Rewards Club program, it says. The POS terminals also provide merchants with easy-to-use tools to control costs, optimize inventory and efficiently process transactions. NRS negotiates coupons and discounts on items that customers buy every day, which are automatically applied on the POS at checkout, the company says. Merchants have seen sales on couponed items increase by as much as 24 percent, it adds. When the deals are integrated with advertising on the POS terminals’ customer-facing screens, sales jump by as much as 42 percent, it says.
National Retail Solutions
520 Broad St., Newark, N.J. 07102
800/215-0931
nrsplus.com
Measuring can seams
Wilkens-Anderson Co. offers its SEAM360 as part of its line of quality-control equipment for cans. The SEAM360 is designed to improve speed and accuracy while eliminating human error and misinterpretation, the company says. Conventional seam inspection occurs at two or three points around a can, but the SEAM360 scans the entire circumference of the can in approximately eight seconds while simultaneously measuring seam thickness and seam height at 360 points to a 0.0002-inch resolution, it adds. The non-destructive SEAM360 quickly and expertly detects any can defects, such as false seams, seam bumps, broken chucks, droops, vees and knocked down flanges, the company says.
Wilkens-Anderson Co.
4525 W. Division St., Chicago, Ill. 60651
773/384-4433
wacolab.com
Industrial pumping
Vertiflo Pump Co. launched the Vertiflo 1400 Horizontal End Suction Pump for pollution control, spray systems, deionized water, wastewater, corrosive liquids and chemicals. The rugged, heavy-duty cast iron frame, which fits all pump sizes, incorporates integrally cast support and ribbed mounting feet, which ensure a solid, dependable pump installation and operation, the company says. The frame has a back pull-out design feature, allowing for easy inspection or service/maintenance without disturbing the piping to the pump, it says. It also has an external impeller adjustment, while the semi-open impeller design accommodates passage of solids or fine substances. All impellers have balance holes near the hub to reduce thrust load and pressure in the packing or seal area. Wiping vanes also reduce axial loading and prevent dirt from entering the sealing area, it adds. Available in cast iron, 316 stainless steel fitted or CD4MCu, the Vertiflo 1400 pumps clear and corrosive liquids with a capacity of as much as 3,600 gallons a minute, a head of 275 feet and can withstand temperatures of as much as 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Vertiflo Pump Co.
7807 Redsky Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249
513/530-0888
vertiflopump.com
A smarter keg leasing solution
Satellite Logistics Group (SLG) introduced its latest service offering, KegFleet, an intelligent keg leasing solution that allows breweries of any size to lease branded kegs and keep track of inventory through SLG’s KegID program. The new keg leasing solution enables brewers to grow their businesses by making inventory management simple, the company says. By leasing kegs through SLG, brewers who might already source kegs from other vendors now will have the capability to streamline their suppliers and work with one partner that can manage inventory based on business needs, it says. Customers also can utilize SLG’s KegID at a preferential rate with KegFleet kegs. Other features of the KegFleet lease program include custom screen-printed branding, top-quality kegs, unique laser-etched codes for scanning/tracking, clear and transparent terms, and favorable terms with lease-to-own options.
Satellite Logistics Group
12621 Featherwood Drive, Suite 390, Houston, Texas 77034
800/987-KEGS (5347)
slg.com/kegfleet
Excellent filters
Tekleen Automatic Filters Inc. offers its custom-manufactured ABW Series filters designed to meet a wide range of industrial applications, including ASME certified, sea water, high temperature and high pressure. The filters are complete with stainless steel screens and can be installed in parallel for unlimited flow capacities, the company says. The filter bodies, featuring stainless steel and carbon steel with baked-on epoxy coating, include such standard features as lines sizes from 2 to 24 inches; a flow rate of 10 to 20,000 gallons per minute (GPM); a screen opening of 10µ to 4,000µ; and pressure options from 40 to 150 psi. Valve sizes are available in 1, 1.5 and 2 inches and the filters can withstand temperatures of as much as 160 degrees Fahrenheit or an optional 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Other benefits include a flush flow rate of 60 to 160 GPM and a flush of five to 10 seconds within a volume capacity of 5 to 30 gallons. The clean filter pressure drop with 100µ screen is less than 1 psi at the rated flow of the filter, it adds.
Tekleen Automatic Filters Inc.
2672 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90034
310/839-2828
tekleen.com
Bulk shipping made easy
ORBIS Corp. introduced a new series to its BulkPak product line: HDMP4845. The series offers maximum packout to eliminate wasted truck space, reduce freight costs and improve throughput, the company says. When compared with alternative containers, the HDMP4845 allows two additional positions in a 53-foot truck (28 positions total), while maintaining the internal capacity of a standard 45-by-48 bulk container, it says. The heavy-duty containers are manufactured to protect products during picking, assembly, processing, storage and distribution in a variety of industries. They also are collapsible and designed for medium- to heavy-weight products, with a 2,000-pound maximum capacity, it adds. Manufactured from high-density polyethylene, the containers are built for a long service life, lasting durability and environmentally friendly material handling. They also offer transportation advantages and aid in sustainability because an inbound truckload can carry 84 filled HDMP4845 containers, while a return truckload can transport 252 collapsed HDMP4845 containers. The HDMP4845 is available in 25-, 27- and 34-inch heights, and includes patented retention clips for easy panel removal and faster, safer repairs without tools; robust two-piece spring-loaded latches to support safer handling; and as many as two access doors depending on the chosen configuration.
ORBIS Corp.
1055 Corporate Center Drive, Oconomowoc, Wis. 53066
262/560-5000
orbiscorporation.com
A source of power
Antaira Technologies LLC announced the expansion of its industrial networking infrastructure portfolio with the introduction of the LNP-C500G series. As Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology has become popular, more devices have become PoE ready, the company says. Designed for these widely adopted technologies, the LNP-C500G series works well in industrial markets with varying temperature environments that require rugged Power Source Equipment (PSE) networking equipment with gigabit Ethernet port connectivity, long-distance data transmission and reliability, it adds. The five-port industrial gigabit PoE+ unmanaged Ethernet switch is embedded with four 10/100/1000Tx PoE+ (30W/Port) ports and a 110/100/1000Tx RJ45 port. The design of the metal casing is 50 percent smaller than the previous series, enabling it to fulfill industrial applications that have small space requirements but need high bandwidth capabilities. The LNP-C500G series provides a 48~55 volt DC redundant power input with power polarity reverse and overload current protections. The switches also contain high-electrical fast-transient surge protection and electrostatic-discharge protection to prevent unregulated voltage. The device is backed by a five-year warranty.
Antaira Technologies LLC
3490 E. Miraloma Ave., Anaheim, Calif. 92806
714/671-9000
antaira.com
Testing possibilities
Charles Ross & Son Co. announced that its new 4-gallon Planetary Dual Disperser, Model PDDM-4, is available for no-charge demonstrations in the Ross Test & Development (T&D) Center. The advanced planetary mixer is equipped with two high-viscosity blades and two high-speed dispersers. All four agitators rotate on their own axes while orbiting the vessel, ensuring rapid powder wet-out and de-agglomeration. It is designed for vacuum operation and includes a jacketed mix vessel. Ideal for mixing thick slurries and highly filled pastes, the PDDM-4 delivers excellent dispersion and uniformity throughout a wide viscosity range of as many as 2 million centipoise. The PDDM-4 is one of more than 40 mixers and blenders showcased at the Ross T&D Center, which is designed to help customers identify the best possible equipment for each application using the end-user’s raw materials. Proof-of-concept demonstrations include high-shear emulsification, particle size reduction, dry blending, vacuum drying, high-viscosity mixing and three roll milling, the company says.
Charles Ross & Son Co.
710 Old Willets Path, Hauppauge, N.Y. 11788
800/243-7677
mixers.com
Safety first
Kenworth Truck Co. announced that Kenworth T270 and T370 medium-duty trucks now can be outfitted with the Bendix Wingman Fusion advanced driver-assistance system, which includes such safety technologies as radar, a camera, a foundation brake system and SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS. Built on the Bendix electronic stability program, Wingman Fusion offers enhanced collision mitigation, lane departure warning, stationary vehicle braking, and increased speed-limit alert and action. This combination typically enables the system to assess a situation faster and react earlier, alerting the driver and decreasing the vehicle’s speed by as much as twice that of the Bendix Wingman Advanced, while also reducing instances of false alerts and false interventions. Kenworth began offering the Bendix Wingman Fusion as an option for the Kenworth T680 and T880 two years ago, and it has been a popular option in the Class 8 truck market, the company says.
Kenworth Truck Co.
10630 N.E. 38th Place, Kirkland, Wash. 98033
425/828-5000
kenworth.com
Danone Waters optimizes handling and operations at its evian plant
Handling and shipping nearly 7 million bottles of evian water each day, the equivalent of 7,000 pallets, Les-Bains, France-based Danone Waters requires a robust and reliable material handling solution. Located in a historic railway train station at the Publier site in the Haute-Savoie department, the natural mineral water plant spans 130,000 square meters. To ensure robust material handling and distribution, the plant recently installed Interroll Corp.’s smart conveyors, which are designed to work in tandem with Danone’s automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to ensure safe and efficient handling and loading of the water bottles. The AGVs then place the pallets of water bottles on the heavy-duty gravity conveyor, where the gravity lanes direct the pallets to the forklift trucks, which pick up the water bottles to be loaded for delivery. At the end of the line, the largest privately owned railway station in France manages 65 percent of production, with the rest loaded onto trucks lined up in front of the plant. The AGVs transport pallets, weighing as much as 1,200 kg, to the railway loading platforms.
The AGVs place the pallets of water bottles onto Interroll’s heavy-duty gravity conveyors. Sixteen lanes, holding as many as 27 pallets, direct the pallets to the forklift trucks, which pick these up four by four to be loaded onto waiting trains. Despite its apparent simplicity, this solution boasts advanced technologies and Interroll’s extensive expertise. First, to ensure the safety of the installation, operators and goods, Interroll’s MSC 80 Magnetic Speed Control rollers maintain a constant pallet speed of 0.3 meters a second. Second, at the end of the line, and for enhanced operator safety and comfort, a mechanical separation solution enables four pallets to be simultaneously picked up for efficient loading.
Because evian uses as many as 12 different types of pallets for its global markets, Interroll extensively tested its solution before the installation of its gravity pallet conveyor, which included testing the speed of the idler rollers, the number of brake rollers required and the position of the separators. The company also worked with pallet manufacturers to optimize pallet construction and design, ensuring that the pallets optimally roll on Interroll’s heavy-duty gravity conveyor solution. Because the design of the conveyor solution uses gravity and does not need to be powered, the solution, apart from a few wear parts, is nearly maintenance-free while generating no carbon dioxide emissions, making the plant Danone’s first carbon-neutral site, the company says.
Since the conveyor system was commissioned and installed about a year ago, Interroll’s material handling solution has been tested with more than 520,000 pallets in a demanding, high-tech industrial workplace. Danone Waters and evian appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of the application, which has provided them with a cost-effective and long-term solution for the future development of the brand, they say.
Interroll Corp.
3000 Corporate Drive, Wilmington, N.C. 28405
910/799-1100
interroll.com/en-us
