Page 18 - Food&Drink Magazine October 2018

SHOW WRAP
Highlights from Foodtech Packtech
Aussie exhibitors headed to Auckland last month to spruik their wares to the local food and beverage market. Food & Drink Business spoke to them on their stands about their NZ strategies.
MORE than 250 suppliers exhibited their offerings across four halls at Foodtech Packtech, which took place last month in Auckland, New Zealand, making it the largest edition in over a decade, according to organisers.
The expo, which has been running for 20 years, included some new features, including the Business Growth Hub, a new space featuring presentations, awards and industry networking, and The Innovation Quarter, a chance to see robots, drones, telescopic, hydraulic docking, augmented reality and virtual reality in action.
The show also featured the Materials Handling & Logistics Expo, as well as a three-day seminar series featuring presentations from industry experts.
Food & Drink Business spoke to a number of exhibitors on their stands who shared some of the highlights on the show floor.
ECOLEAN PACKS A LIGHTER PUNCH
Ecolean’s Mark Easton was in New Zealand to exhibit the
company’s lightweight packaging for dairy and liquid food, for reduced environmental impact. The packaging material consists of part plastic part calcium carbonate (chalk) which provides strength and stiffness to the package and uses less plastic.
Ecolean, which supplies Australian dairy company Bannister Downs, offers a packaging alternative to traditional rigid plastics and cardboard cartons for beverages, and increasingly food products like soups and stocks. Easton says interest was strong at the show.
“The next year is an important year for us, as we will have lots of installations coming on line on both sides of the Tasman.”
ERIEZ SHOWCASES MAGNETICS
Jonathan Schulberg of Eriez Magnetics demonstrated the company’s Vibratory Feeder for wet or dry product. The electromagnetic system can be used in various environments, he says, including hot and cold.
The company also had a
magnetic liquid line trap on show that removes scale, oxides and iron contaminants in liquid and slurry lines, and a magnetic grate to remove iron and tram iron from dry and free flowing products.
Eriez has a 50-year history in Australia but New Zealand is a young market for the company, and Schulberg said it was also looking for prospective partners while at the show.
SMC EXPLORES INDUSTRY 4.0
SMC Pneumatic’s Andrew Clothier says visitors were gravitating to its new tech, including its Industry 4.0 offerings and energy-saving solutions in its broad-reaching pneumatics range.
Clothier said business was strong in the New Zealand marketplace, where SMC leads in its market with 37 per cent market share.
DIVERSECO HOSTS DUARO
Diverseco’s Kevin Aburn
was manning the stand alongside a Duaro collaborative robot from Kawasaki. Also on
show were some of the company's food inspection solutions including an OCS checkweigher and a Mesutronic metal detector, which are both represented in New Zealand and Australia by Diverseco company AccuPak.
SOAR PRINT LAUNCHES FLEXIBLE POUCH
Soar Print’s Paul Jacomb
said the NZ printing company was launching its new flexible pouch printing offering at Foodtech Packtech. The third generation family business has diversified over the years, with pouch printing flexible pouches its latest foray, and Jacomb said the company
can print all sorts of pouches including zip lock bags, stand-up pouches and pre-formed bags
“We are getting lots
of enquiries from new ventures and boutique foodies, and we are feeling our way, so we can respond to what the market wants," he said. "Our optimum run is 10,000 but we can go down to low numbers.”
18 | Food&Drink business | October 2018 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au