MACHINERY MATTERS

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Message from the Chairman

INTRODUCING THE 2019-2020 APPMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MARK DINGLEY  (Chairman); CEO Matthews Australasia

DEREK FORD, National Sales & Marketing Manager, Visy Automation

ROBERT MARGUCCIO (Vice Chairman); Business Team Manager,

Packaging, Heat and Control

RYM KACHOURI, Product Manager – Packaging Technologies, Foodmach

SAMANTHA SAUNDERS (Company Secretary), General Manager,

Intergrated Machinery

STUART SHAW Red Meat Business Manager; Scott Automation & Robotics

MARK EMMETT (Treasurer), Managing Director, HMPS

ROBERT BECHER Manager Director,

INOX Australia

PETER BRADBURY Sales Manager – Robotic Packaging Solutions, ABB

JAMES WINDSOR CEO, Fibre King

MARK DINGLEY,  CHAIRMAN

Award winning author and business coach Paul Allen was the main speaker at the recent member dinner held in Sydney, which drew an audience of around 100

APPMA members and guests.Allen opened his talk by looking at the three main

challenges APPMA members are facing: the high Aussie dollar; contracts that have become too large and complex; and the increasing demand for extended terms, sometimes up to 150 days.

Allen cheered guests by saying he would guarantee them a 15 per cent margin uplift if they followed his plan for 90 days.

He invited members present to note down the customer that kept them awake at night, asking them to write down the revenue received from them, the margin, and what a 15 per cent improvement would mean.

Allen gave what he said were the three key principles of margin retention: first, the need to work out the real cost to serve that customer, and how to generate incremental increase; second, the need to supply on your terms; and third, to teach customers, rather than have them teach you.

PACKEXPO 2019 23-26 SEPTEMBERLAS VEGAS, USAAPPMA is a recognised association partner for PMMI’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas, a quality trade show that focuses on packaging and processing innovation.

MEMBER DINNER BRISBANE12 NOVEMBER 2019BRISBANE MARRIOTT HOTELAll member companies are invited, as are staff and colleagues.

AUSPACK 202125-28 MAY 2021

SYDNEY SHOWGROUNDThe industry’s leading trade show for packaging and processing sectors, owned by APPMA. (See page 40).

WHAT’S COMING UP

CLOCKWISE: Mark Dingley and Paul Allen against the backdrop of a sparkling Sydney Harbour.

The APPMA members in attendance were keen to find out how to take back their margin.

(L -R) Hassan Rahman, Rhima; Rafica El Shami, Greenpack; Robert Silicato and Milan Bawa, Siemens.

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Member dinners hit the markAn occasion for networking and education, APPMA member dinners are popular events on the association calendar. We bring you the highlights from the Sydney dinner in July.

Welcome to another issue of Machinery Matters, brought to you by the APPMA in an exclusive partnership with PKN Packaging News. Once again, this issue is

full of news and insights about members’ businesses, and is a great way to showcase innovations, developments and successes in the packaging & processing machinery industry.

Hearing and having the opportunity to discuss economic information that affects businesses is just one benefit of our member dinners. The other, of course, is networking. With our first event in Sydney a great success (see facing page), the most recent Melbourne dinner on 10 September was probably one of our biggest yet, with the Hon. Lindsay Tanner as special guest speaker. Mr Tanner was regarded as one of the Rudd Government’s strongest economic minds during the GFC. His sectoral knowledge extends well beyond government and bureaucracy to transport, communications, infrastructure, finance, manufacturing and health insurance. An industrial-relations expert, he helped create Workcare (now Workcover) and the Transport Accident Commission. His insights on the impact that local and global factors have on Australian businesses, as well as the influence of major global political leaders on important trade relationships, offered members some fascinating insights. I met up with many APPMA members at this function, and hope to do so again at our Brisbane members’ dinner on 12 November.

The next year two years are shaping up to be a very exciting time for APPMA members. We’ve been working on expanding educational events, increasing services and further developing value-add business and association partnerships. Industry networking, which so many members value, is also part of the 2020-21 focus.

We’ll keep members updated as we finalise plans, so please watch out for announcements in the near future.

Of course, part of our 2021 plans include AUSPACK.While it seems like the most successful AUSPACK

ever has not long finished, planning is well under way for the 2021 event in Sydney (see page 40).

The APPMA member moratorium that enables members to secure their locations for AUSPACK 2021 began on 17 September. I encourage all members to be aware of this process, to ensure you leverage the moratorium’s benefit.

In accordance with the new APPMA Constitution adopted in 2018, three current director positions were up for re-election in 2019. A call for nominations to fill these positions was sent to all members on 5 July, with six candidates nominating.

Responding to member feedback, the updated constitution gave all members the opportunity to vote at director elections, rather than just those attending the AGM – as was the case in the previous constitution. All 2019 voting was conducted electronically using a Big Pulse, a world-wide proven association-election system designed to ensure eligibility, accuracy and privacy of voting. Once voting opened, 60 per cent of members had already submitted their ballot by the beginning of September, with the successful candidates announced at the 10 September AGM (see below).

Thank you to everyone who nominated and showed such an interest in being part of the association at this level. As you know, directors’ positions are voluntary, so each and every person on the APPMA Board is there because they have a strong desire to contribute to the growth of our industry.

He asked members to consider the impact of giving away freebies, and said negotiation should be a two-way street. “So, for instance, if you have a client who wants 150 days terms you could say that is possible, but we will need a rolling two year contract extension,” he said.

He ended by going through the top ten actions a company can take to improve profitability, which are outlined in his book Take Back Your Margin, a copy of which was to be made available to APPMA members after the event.

Detailed reports on member dinners can be found on the PKN website in the News/Association News section. The November-December 2019 Machinery Matters edition will cover the Lindsay Tanner talk at the Melbourne dinner on 10 September.

The mGrip gripper from Soft Robotics.

MEMBER NEWS MEMBER NEWS

Jet Technologies is bringing out a new real-time oxygen management solution for winemakers, which promises non-destructive and accurate measurement right up through bottling to ensure wine quality.

The portable NomaSense O2 analyser from wine closure solutions provider Vinventions lets winemakers measure oxygen levels at every stage of the process, including bottling. It can also measure oxygen dissolved in wine and in gas phases, according to Daniel Malki, general manager of Jet Technologies.

“Oxygen and gas have a big role to play in creating the sensory profile of wine, including the aromas, structure and colour, and can be the difference between a good and a bad wine.

“It is vital that Australian winemakers have strategies and the right tools in place to manage

oxygen and gas, so they are best-placed to deliver their customers the highest quality wine possible,” he said.

Malki added that many Australian winemakers, particularly those who export their products, have to face the challenge of making them last longer on the shelf.

“Many wines can be opened two or more years after bottling, therefore, for quality control purposes, winemakers need to stay on top of measuring and managing the evolution of their wines in terms of oxygen and gas levels,” he said.

Based on luminescence combined with remote sensor technology, the NomaSense O2 allows measurement of both dissolved and headspace oxygen, plus accurate total package oxygen values, according to Jet Technologies.

Bosch, distributed in Australia by APPMA member Nupac, is set to exhibit its single-source bag-in-box systems at Pack Expo 2019 in Las Vegas.

Bosch will focus on the bakery and cereal markets, demonstrating a pair of machines designed for efficient cracker packaging: the Kliklok Interceptor product handling machine, which deposits bags from a bagmaker directly onto its main conveyor; and the Kliklok MEC midrange endload cartoner.

The Kliklok Interceptor uses a rotor vane system to drop products to the infeed conveyors of endload cartoners, and typically handles 113g or heavier bags of food. According to Bosch, it supports electronic indexing to fill each flight of the cartoner’s infeed conveyor; operating at the same speed as the cartoner will result in less wear and tear from “over-running”, the company says.

The Kliklok MEC can pack up to 170 cartons per minute in a range of sizes from a ¾-inch-thick pizza to a 4-inch-tall cake. Its full-length doors offer easy walk-in access, and according to Janet Darnley, product manager at Bosch Packaging Technology, format changes are toolless, easily repeatable, and able to be completed by a single operator in ten to twelve minutes.

“We have designed the Kliklok MEC to meet our customers’ needs for future-proof sanitary construction as well as ease of use and maintenance. It also stands out for its fast format changes and good access,” she said.

Also on stand will be a virtual reality display of the Elematic 2001, Elematic 1001 SL, and Elematic 3001 compact case packers.

Bosch will exhibit on stand C-800 at Pack Expo Las Vegas from 23 to 25 September, and at FachPak in Nuremberg, Germany, at booth 204 in hall 1 from 24 to 26 September.

SMC has appointed Tim Keech as its new sales and marketing director for Australia and New Zealand.

Keech has plenty of experience in the industrial automation industry, joining the company from a role at Schneider Electric. His areas of expertise include Process Automation and Control, Drive Systems Application Engineering, Control Systems Design, and SCADA.

Wayne Driver, managing director of SMC ANZ, hailed Keech’s energetic personality, strategic business approach, and industry knowledge.

“Tim is now responsible for our sales team as well as our marketing function on both sides of the Tasman. This role is critical to our company’s continued success

and Tim’s approach to our business will add tremendous value in the era of Industry 4.0 and digitisation,” said Driver.

Keech said it is an honour to join SMC, and that he has plenty of optimism for the company’s future.

“It’s exciting to be part of a company that has some unique value propositions around energy savings, cutting edge wireless technology and Industry 4.0 dedicated solutions.

“Working with our partners and strong local engineering team to align these capabilities with the needs of the industry is something that excites us all at SMC,” he said.

OEMs can benefit from a process called “virtual commissioning” to spot errors before equipment is produced, according to technology giant Siemens.

Virtual commissioning involves creating a “digital twin” of a machine before manufacturing; according to Milan Bawa, business development manager at Siemens, the goal of this is to achieve faster commissioning by reducing mechanical and software errors.

“The ideology behind this technology is that an OEM should be able to virtually test the prototype of their machine before starting the physical build,” says Bawa. “The digital twin can be created as early as the design stage of the project, and involves all aspects of the production line in a virtual environment.”

The Australian market can benefit from virtual commissioning, as local OEMs are often under pressure to compete against global manufacturers with lower labour costs, better exchange rates, and more bargaining power with suppliers, says Bawa.

“The technology of digital twin will change the playing field for all local and global manufacturers, by providing the value of being able to perform ‘what if’ scenarios prior to manufacturing.

“The simulation process allows OEMs to analyse why errors are occurring, eliminate the root cause of the problem, and prevent unpredicted commissioning delays, therefore reducing their time to market,” he says.

When considering virtual commissioning, OEMs should ask themselves a number of questions to determine if the technology is the right fit for their business.

These include: if there is a need and opportunity to reduce commissioning times; what can be done to better control fixed costs and predict variable costs; if greater customisation can be offered to end users without incurring greater business costs; whether earlier and more accurate machine behaviour prediction would benefit the business; if additional value can be offered to end users; and if reducing time to market and commissioning costs, and offering predictive maintenance, would help the company gain a competitive advantage.

APPMA member Omron hosted a breakfast seminar in Sydney to demonstrate the benefits of its collaborative robot (cobot) technology.

The event showcased the TM series of cobots, which Omron says can significantly increase productivity, profitability, and workplace safety.

“More than 40 guests learned how cobots can quickly and easily be deployed to perform almost any task in the modern workplace.

“Safe and transportable, with built-in vision, the TM

robot allows for quick start-ups and rapid changeovers. Most importantly, staff no longer have to carry out repetitive, monotonous tasks,” the company said.

One advantage of Omron’s cobot technology is its flexibility, the manufacturer added.

“Whether you’re working in automotive, semiconductors, packaging, food and beverage or pharmaceuticals, the Omron TM cobot is designed to adapt to almost any industry.

“This new line of collaborative robots is safer, simpler to program and easier to integrate with other equipment,” said Omron.

According to Omron, key features of the TM series include less and simpler programming; faster changeover; high level of safety; versatility and adaptability to numerous applications; seamless integration with mobile robots and controller hardware; and a built-in intelligent vision system for pattern recognition, object positioning, and barcode identification.

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INDUSTRY EXPERT JOINS SMCBright future: Tim Keech, SMC.

OMRON SHOWS OFF COBOT ADVANTAGESAPPMA member Romheld Automation is exclusively offering the mGrip modular grippers from Soft Robotics, which are aimed at food manufacturers plus packaging and processing technology businesses, in Australia and New Zealand.

Peter Hope, general manager of Romheld, bills the mGrip as an on-demand modular gripping system with human hand-like dexterity, which offers grasping solutions without the need for sensors, complex vision, or computations.

“Production-ready systems can be built in minutes with custom configurations and spacing options. Using interchangeable components, this remarkable mGrip gripper can cycle three to four times per second to keep up with demanding applications,” he says.

Hope says end of arm tooling is shaking up global supply chains.“We’ve seen dramatic changes in the last few years and are in a good

place to offer revolutions to production and fulfilment needs for Australia and New Zealand. A lot of emerging businesses need efficiency solutions, and these robotic systems are the answer,” he says.

Hope also believes that bakeries, with their many product variations such as cookies and bread rolls, are a natural fit for automation systems like the mGrip.

“Ideal for high mix environments, this modular system can be modified and adapted quickly using mGrip spacers designed to keep up to speed with any industrial robot.

“It offers easy to handle product variations in size and weight; gentle product handling for any food composition; safe, clean operations for all food contact; higher speed production in rate and change-over; and workforce simplicity for production operators,” he says.

The mGrip is available in a circular or parallel kit, each containing all the necessary components for a gripper with variable fingers. They are available in standard aluminium, and food-safe stainless steel options.

MGRIP GRIPPERS TAKE THE CAKE

BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR WINERIES

The portable NomaSense O2 analyser.

DIGITAL TWINS MEAN FEWER ERRORS

A “digital twin” can help OEMs spot problems

before manufacturing.

BOSCH DISPLAYS BAG-IN-BOX AT PACK EXPO

The Bosch Kliklok MEC cartoner.

Krones will display solutions for a closed plastics cycle at K 2019 which will run at Messe Düsseldorf, Germany from 16-23 October.

On the Krones stand (15.1 of hall 15) will be the MetaPure W washing models, which Krones says can be used not just for PET, but polyolefins as well.

“Millions of PET bottles a year are already being recycled on Krones’ MetaPure systems – depending on the demand involved, in different material qualities up to and including food-grade PET.

“Because the company is pursuing a holistic approach, it is step by step expanding its technology to cover additional types of plastic,” it says.

For blow moulding, Krones will exhibit the Contiform 3 Speed, which it says can handle 100 per cent recycled preforms.

“With a station output of up to 2,750 containers per hour, it produces application-tailored packages for still

KRONES CLOSES THE LOOP AT K water, CSDs and sensitive products. “It undercuts the already very low energy and

compressed-air consumption of the Contiform 3 Pro by another up to 15 per cent,” says Krones.

Also on display will be a direct printer with inks that can be removed during recycling, and new injection moulding technology that can handle a flake content of over 70 per cent recycled PET.

Krones says its solutions for a closed plastics cycle are simple and profitable in practice.

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY

AUSPACK 2021 planning kicks off

On-the-go packaging, smaller and more portable pack sizes for food, and sustainability are three top trends shaping the future of global packaging.

As the dust settles on this year’s highly successful Melbourne AUSPACK show, it’s time to start planning for 2021, with bookings opening up in three phases for APPMA members and other exhibitors.

Three trends drive the future of global packaging

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The first exhibitor applications will open this month for AUSPACK 2021, to be held at Sydney Showground in May 2021.

Mark Dingley, chairman of AUSPACK owners the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), has encouraged exhibitors to get in early for AUSPACK 2021 after a record show in Melbourne this year, adding that initiatives from 2019 – such as the AUSPACK Business and Industry Conference and the APPMA Awards of Excellence – will return at the Sydney show.

“The AUSPACK Business and Industry Conference, held as part of the growing Packaging & Processing Week, and the APPMA Awards were excellent inclusions and added a lot of value for visitors.

“We developed the conference to enhance the educational opportunities on offer, while the well-received APPMA Awards – the only dedicated processing and packaging machinery awards program of its type in Australasia – were an excellent way to recognise those making a significant difference,” he said.

The first phase of applications, running from 17

September to 1 October, will be reserved for APPMA members who exhibited at AUSPACK 2017 in Sydney. The second phase, from 2 to 29 October, will be open to all APPMA members; then the third phase, from 30 October to 27 November, will be for all previous AUSPACK 2017 exhibitors. Finally, phase four, from 28 November through to the 2021 event or until sold out, will be open to all exhibitors on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to Albert Kruger, event director at organiser Exhibitions and Trade Fairs (ETF), previous exhibitors at AUSPACK 2017 in Sydney will have the chance to secure their previous spaces, or similar if those are unavailable.

“AUSPACK 2019 was a record-breaking Melbourne show, with so many elements making it a resounding success. From the interactive and engaging visitor experiences, to the product launches that happened right across the show floor, 2019 was one very memorable show.

“AUSPACK 2021 is on target to be even more exciting and rewarding for the businesses who exhibit, and for attending visitors,” he said.

AUSPACK 2021 will run from 25 to 28 May, 2021, at Sydney Showground.

AUSPACK 2021 will return to Sydney Showground.

In the new Global Packaging Trends: Global Growth Markets for Packaging 2019 report, conducted by Euromonitor and sponsored by APPMA alongside PMMI, the Association for

Packaging and Processing Technologies in the US, global packaging data from 2017 across 80 countries is used to forecast what the market will look like up to 2022.

According to the report, customers are increasingly demanding packaging suitable for on-the-go consumption.

“Growing desire for convenience is one trend that is seen across packaging industries as consumers are increasingly demanding products that fit into their hectic urban lifestyles. Pack types suitable for on-the-go consumption, prominently in categories such as packaged food and soft drinks, were increasingly preferred by consumers globally,” the report said.

A need for portion control and portability is driving a shift to smaller food packaging sizes as well, according to Euromonitor.

“Smaller pack sizes in food packaging continue to be valued by consumers, who are becoming increasingly health-conscious and are opting for smaller portions when looking for indulgence.

“This is particularly evident in soft drinks and juices where consumers are concerned about their sugar intake. In confectionery, smaller pack sizes supported on-the-go impulse consumption across regions,” the report says.

Two key themes of innovation are emerging: sustainability and recyclability.

“Players have started introducing eco-friendly materials for green and sustainable packaging across various categories. In China, for example, an innovation in plastic pouches from Ecolean is gaining popularity. The Ecolean pouch is lightweight, eco-friendly, and has a convenient shape for portability.

“Similarly, recyclable PET is also gaining momentum in North America due to heightened concerns about the environment,” the report says.

The convenience trend is driving growth of packaging such as flexible plastics and PET bottles, which achieved the highest shares of the 3446 billion total units sold in 2017 at 25.3 per cent and 17.6 per cent respectively. Similarly, bottled water and beer were the top two packaging categories worldwide that year.

“Bottled water accounted for the largest packaging volume share globally in 2017 and is likely to lead in 2017-2022. PET bottles are the most preferred pack type in

MAIN: Top ten pack types across the globe.

LEFT: Ecolean’s lightweight, convenient pouches are gaining popularity in China.

this category, and the development of recycled PET bottles in developed markets is expected to further fuel growth of this pack type.

“Beer ranked second in terms of packaging in 2017 globally. Glass bottles remain the most popular pack type in the category, due to tradition, returnability, and premiumisation. At the same time, metal cans are witnessing healthy growth thanks to the growing popularity of craft beer,” the report says.

While flexible plastic and PET bottles dominate in daily use items like bottled water and sugar confectionery, glass bottles still lead in alcoholic beverages, with 218.9 billion beer bottles, 33.2 billion spirits bottles, and 30.2 million wine bottles sold worldwide in 2017. In total, plastic (including flexibles and PET bottles) are forecast to add 251.1 billion units from 2017-22, and glass bottles will add 24.4 billion.

The report singled out the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions as the next

frontiers for growth in the packaging industry. Asia-Pacific (excluding China) saw 836 billion units of packaging sold in 2017, followed by Western Europe at 648 billion; China alone accounted for 621 billion.

The full Global Packaging Trends: Global Growth Markets for Packaging 2019 report is available to all APPMA members. Contact the APPMA on appma@appma.com.au

TOTAL PACKAGING BY PACK TYPE OVERVIEW

MEMBER NEWS

FIBRE KING CREATES WORLD-FIRST MINI CASEPACKER

Fibre King has launched the world’s first mini can casepacker, targeted at the craft brewing industry.

Working with Gold Coast-based Black Hops Brewery, Fibre King developed what James Windsor, CEO, bills as an off-the-shelf solution for craft breweries transitioning from manual to automated packaging.

“We’ve identified craft breweries as a growing industry and knew that we could develop equipment specific to their needs that would eliminate the need for manual packaging processes.

“Having had the opportunity to work with breweries such as Stone and Wood and Balter Brewing, we were able to understand the challenges within their production line and alter our machines to suit,” he said.

The Little Packer, which Windsor describes as the first affordable, flexible, and compact can-specific case packer, can pack four- and six-pack clusters as well as loose cans if needed; it can also run both 16- and 24-can cartons, and glue boxes with no full-time operator.

“The neat part is that the technology can be applied to other applications such as bottling. We have also had requests within the packaged food industry on how they can incorporate the Little Packer into their production line. The opportunities are endless, and we’ve only just scratched the surface,” said Windsor.

Michael McGovern, owner of Black Hops, said the new machine will help the brewery into its next growth stage, and calls it an evolution in Australian craft beer.

“We’re moving on from small boutique businesses into large national brands, and with that comes growth and scaling up production. This project that I worked on with Fibre King was really coming up with a solution that I couldn’t find anywhere in the world,” he said.

The Little Packer from Fibre King.

For all of your packaging and processing machinery and allied components answers email appma@appma.com.auAs at June 2018

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