Treif introduces the SD380 knife sharpener. This automatic sharpener can be used with any knife in the Treif Divider series of slicers, and users simply place the knife on the template, lock the blade in place, and start the machine. The SD380 performs the pre-set number of revolutions at the correct angle, and then deburs the edge. The result is a honed edge, allowing for the best slice quality and appearance.

Poly-clip System Corp.’s TSCA 65 automatic sealing/clipping machine forms roll stock film into a ready-to-be-filled tube which is guided around the stuffing horn and is safely closed by the integrated clipping head to form a clip-pak®. All current types of film, coated and uncoated, as well as sandwich film, can be processed. The machine consists of a synchronized sending/clipping unit and forms a continuously-operating line with the upstream filling unit.

Heat and Control’s Airforce® impingement oven cooks faster and more uniformly to deliver higher product yields and production output. Because it cooks uniformly across the full width of the product conveyor, the oven eliminates the need for overcooking to assure all product reaches a safe core temperature. Cooking conditions are independently adjustable above and below the product for precise control of product color, texture and other characteristics.

Wire Belt Co. of America adds the Flex-Turn® 480 to the CarrySmart line of conveyors. The Flex-Turn 480 provides superior support and a tighter transfer making it ideal for handling small and delicate products. Hygienic features include stainless steel construction, a fully-exposed drive assembly, and reverse bend-tapered blanks. Customers can specify the conveyor height and the direction of the product travel along the belt. Angles anywhere from 40 to 180 degrees can be supplied.

IPL offers its Shure-Lock® rectangular line, a space-efficient solution for packaging, protecting and displaying a variety of food products. The containers provide an increased surface area for printing that maximizes product visibility, and the rectangular shape allows retailers to maximize cube space and place more product in a case, pallet or store shelf. They also feature IPL’s In-Mold Labeling technology, which allows images to be designed into a label, creating a high-quality graphic look.

The model 1700 batch cooker from Anco-Eaglin has been designed for much larger capacities when compared to traditional batch cookers. The cooker has a removable head, making it easier to work on when compared to traditional batch or continuous cookers, and a back-up system provides redundancy if a cooker fails. One 1700 cooker can replace two smaller batch cookers, reducing maintenance and operating costs.

In order to keep a company’s grinder from limiting production capabilities, Mepaco offers the Model 11-10 High Capacity grinder. The machine offers pre-grind rates of up to 144,000 pounds per hour and final-grind rates of up to 48,000 pounds per hour. Available options include the company’s BCA-2 bone collection system, double- or triple-plate assembly, and transition funnels.

O/K International Corp. introduces the OK Supersealer SB3 Bandsealer. The machine has a lift hood for easy access to the interior of the sealer, where the user can see the visual automatic band tension system. The sealer is designed to stand up to aggressive cold and wet environments, and it has an accurate and quick setting of the heater block gap.

The Cryovac® BL-135 Smart Rack™ bag dispensing system, from the Cryovac Food Packaging Division of Sealed Air, gives processors the ability to customize bags with printed information at the touch of a button. The system uses a thermal transfer printer and dispenses rolled, serrated bags, enabling processors to reduce the number of pre-printed bags in inventory. It prints one color in a 2-inch by 4-inch dynamic field, suited for graphics, codes, or other plant-specific information.

Primera Technology offers the LX800 color label printer. The LX800 is a high-performance inkjet-based label and tag printer that prints full-color labels and tags onto media as small as 1.5 inches wide and 0.75 inches long up to a maximum of 8.25 inches wide and 24 inches long. Primary product labels, box-end labels with photos or graphics, and a variety of other labels can be produced at a resolution of 4800 by 1200.

LeakMatic™ in-line and LeakPointer™ stand-alone non-destructive package leak detectors from PBI-Dansensor quickly and accurately monitor packages to provide a reliable water-free leak test of shipping cases and/or individual boxes containing meats and other products. It works with products packaged in paperboard, film, foil, or cans. The sensor uses trace carbon dioxide gas to detect the leak.

Mettler Toledo offers the Xpress pallet truck scale, a mobile, battery-operated scale. Available in two different fork widths, the pallet truck scale line offers an onboard weighing system with a six-digit, high-contrast LCD indicator, and four color-coded tactile keys. It has been designed for heavy-duty applications and offers smooth and precise handling.

Packaging Technologies & Inspection LLC offers its new Seal-Scan™ inspection technology on its line of inspection equipment. The Seal-Scan inspects the seal for flaws and defects on flat or stand-up pouches made of any type of material. The Seal-Scan Pti-540 is designed for integration into pouch filling and sealing machines running at line speed, and the Pti-550 is a stand-alone pouch-inspection system. Model Pti-525 provides off-line inspection and an in-depth quantitative evaluation of seals.

Thomas Scientific offers a new line of vortex mixers. The Thomas® Mini vortex mixer can be used with test tubes, flasks, beakers, and a range of small containers. The Touch vortex mixer is a one-touch unit designed for high-speed mixing of samples. The Analog vortex offers variable speed control for gentle or high-speed mixing, and the Multi-Tube vortexers provide vortexing of up to 50 tubes or three microassay plates.

Orkin Commercial Services now offers free training materials via a new online resource called Orkin University Online. Orkin University includes free downloads such as a “5 Steps to a Better Audit” video, sanitation and storage quiz, and a “Before Your Next Health Inspection” checklist. Links to off-site learning materials are also available.

Security booths guard against unplanned intrusions, enable guards to screen visitors and employees before entering vital areas, and improve security infrastructure and emergency responsiveness. Porta-King Building Systems offers a complete line of standard or custom-designed bullet-resistant steel and aluminum pre-assembled buildings. The buildings are built to withstand almost any environmental challenge while protecting a facility from unauthorized entries and threats.

Vac-U-Max offers the Monobloc Central Vacuum Cleaning System, which features “plug and play” installation with a complete controls package and no discharge valve, making it perfect for abrasive and non-free flowing metals. The Monobloc offers up to 740 square feet of filter area and 0.5 micron filtration, and it can support from two to 15 simultaneous operations.

Doran Scales introduces the Model DMS Series Scale Base. Available in maximum capacities from 100 to 1,000 pounds and base sizes of 18 inches by 18 inches, 18 inches by 24 inches and 24 inches by 24 inches, the bases are rugged and built for years of reliable use. A two-part polyurethane finish provides excellent wear and abrasion protection, and the Seven Overload Stop System protects the load cell from shock and overload damage.

Ossid Corp. has redesigned its WPL-1500x weigh/price/labeler. The continuous-motion, fully-automatic system utilizes a precision digital load cell and accommodates a full product range, including whole birds. The system is available with a variety of printing options, including bottom label applicators. The data stored for every package allows for the easy creation of readouts and reports.

Packaging executives from many of the nation’s leading food companies convened at Multivac’s North American headquarters on May 10 to take part in the “Multivac Better Packaging Technologies Forum.” Attendees participated in interactive demonstrations of the latest advancements in automated packaging and had the opportunity to discuss specific applications one-on-one with Multivac Engineers.

Multivac’s advanced Zipper Slider and Formshrink® technologies were the key points of discussion. Formshrink, which made its North American debut at Multivac’s Pack Expo 2004 exhibit, offers processors the opportunity to create customized shrink packaging in-line instead of using roll-fed shrinkable film. The Slider Zipper closing device features locking members especially designed to work with the slider, giving the consumer a convenient, easy, and reliable package closure method.

Attendees gained insight into the design of the machinery and how to best apply the capabilities to a range of products. “This was a thoroughly educational and very worthwhile seminar for us,” said Ricky Lightsey, plant manager at Sunset Farm Foods, Valdosta, GA. “In particular, seeing the latest slider-zipper technology demonstrated in real time is tremendously helpful for us. It allows us to determine our next steps in improving our packaging and enhancing the interaction our customers have with our products every day.”

“The purpose of the forum was not only to give food processors an up-close look at some state-of-the-art packaging, but also to create an environment in which they could ask a lot of questions and have their specific business needs addressed,” says Michel Defenbau, president of Multivac Inc. “We wanted attendees to see how this technology can improve their brands and grow their sales, and we were very successful in demonstrating that.”