If you missed Pack Expo 2006, then you missed a show that, once again, did not disappoint in terms of size, space, opportunity and exhibiting companies. Filling McCormick Place’s north, south and lakefront halls was a piece of cake for the show, which took place in Chicago Oct. 29-Nov. 2.

In fact, the annual show is so large with so many options, a book hundreds of pages long would be necessary to give every booth and event decent coverage. Also, several pairs of good walking shoes would help. In that vein, what follows is a smattering of just a few of the companies that exhibited at Pack Expo 2006. It’s a random sample of exhibiting companies that meat and poultry processors might have visited during their travels through the hallways of the show.

Cambridge International featured its newest innovation, DuraLite™ belts, which are ideally suited for all spiral cage applications, with turn ratios ranging from 1.0 to 2.8 — the widest array possible for any one belt construction. DuraLite belts offer greater load-carrying capacity, smoother and enhanced operating performance, and dramatically fewer breaks or mishaps — reducing downtime and service costs — plus longer service life for maximum return on investment.
For more information,
visit www.cambridgeintl.com/duralite.html
call 800-677-2358 or email reismann@cambridge.com

Carruthers featured its AdvantEdge AE5000-2D dicer, the first dicer to have a clothless belt. The driveable belt takes the cloth out of the equation, using a flexible urethane belt that is more durable and easier to clean instead. The AdvantEdge AE5000-2D can handle as much as 5,000 pounds per hour of product when dicing at a one-by-one-inch dice, and it is versatile enough to slice, dice, strip or maintain grain orientation on tough or fragile products.
For more information, visit www.carruthers.us
call 503-861-2273 or email sales@carruthers.us.

CFS featured its new strategy, “Lifecycle Performance,” through which the company strives to be thought leaders in the industry, driving innovation and solutions for customers now, as well as in the future. CFS aims to enable operators of its equipment through the use of easier controls and improved real-time tracking of lost time and lost efficiency. CFS believes the more visual it can make its analysis systems, the better, more real value a processor can gain from it. Lifecycle Performance allows CFS to deliver that value in the current atmosphere of low-cost production demands from processors.
For more information, visit www.cfs.com

Curwood, Inc. offers its new IntegraShield® Films, designed to replace paperboard in modernized blister packaging. IntegraShield films are compatible with polyester trays and blisters and offer improved graphic reproduction, pilfer-resistance, environmental impact, productivity and more. Also, Curwood offers its new ExpressTote® Bag, an easy-carry, recloseable standup pouch that is very versatile and strong and comes in a wide variety of colors and printed options.
For more information, visit www.curwood.com
call 800-544-4672 or email curwood@bemis.com

OnVu™ time-temperature indicators were featured at Ciba’s booth. The OnVu freshness indicator is reliable, accurate and reproducible, and it is versatile in its application — it is printable and can be incorporated into packaging or the existing label. It is also very undemanding for processors to use — it can be stored at room temperature and is easy to apply and activate. OnVu is suitable for five to seven days storage at a temperature of 5 C, and is perfect for chilled and fresh meat, poultry, fish and dairy products.
For more information, visit
www.onvu.com or email info@onvu.com

Dorner Manufacturing featured its 7400 Ultimate Series conveyor line at the show, promoting the fact that it is the only U.S. equipment manufacturer to have a modular conveyor line certified by the USDA as accepted equipment for the red meat and poultry industry. The 7400 Series, which debuted in 2005, are the lowest profile sanitary conveyors on the market today, and the 7400 Ultimate Series can take high-pressure washings with water, soap, bleach, chlorine, alcohol or foaming chlorine cleaner without the worry of bearings or other important components corroding.
For more information on Dorner’s USDA certification, or
to find out how the 7400 Series can assist customers
with their specific applications,
visit www.dorner.com
or call 800-397-8664.

Ecovation exhibited its services at Pack Expo as a partner in industrial wastewater treatment for processors. The company develops customized, total solutions, utilizing superior, proprietary technologies with proven applications in the food and beverage industries. Ecovation works with customers to provide sustainable, value-added systems that also reduce a plant’s carbon footprint.
For more information,
visit www.ecovation.com or call 585-421-3500.

FMC FoodTech introduced at Pack Expo its new Libra™ Weigh System, which allows processors to accurately and easily meter, weigh and blend products within a processing line. The Libra Weigh System offers processors considerable product yield improvement and more consistent performance in a significantly smaller. FMC FoodTech also displayed its Multi-Head Weigh Scale, which offers a robust and flexible solution for advanced, accurate and user-friendly weighing. It combines up-time performance reliability with a flexible design meeting a variety of customer applications.
For more information,
visit www.fmcfoodtech.com , call 312-861-6000
or email fmcfoodtech.info@fmcti.com

Harpak showed off its Mondini Evoluzione E590 tray sealer, which is capable of handling 125-130 packages per minute in fresh-meat, case-ready applications. Improved hygiene, speed, maintenance access and operator interface were goals of engineers when designing the Evoluzione line, so the E590 reflects those goals. The E590’s features list includes such benefits as touchscreen controls, quick changeover in-feed belts and simplified access to the electrical panel, among other benefits.
For more information, visit www.harpak.com
or call 508-238-8884.

Pactiv Corp. featured a new application system for Hefty® Slide-Rite® Products group, the SR-T100. The unit is easy to operate, compact, mobile and affordable — priced under $90,000, depending on options. The SR-T100 features a very small, 3x4-foot footprint and low cost, making it easier for companies to enter the slider market regardless of size. The SR-T100 also features an extremely compact inserter design, integrated zipper unwind and compatibility with both pre-made and form, fill, seal equipment.
For more information, visit www.pactiv.com
or call 877-PACTIV-1.

Jarvis Products Corporation is now offering the Kronen line of German manufactured slicing and dicing machines.  The model KUJ dicing machine is capable of handling up to 6600 pounds of product per hour, and can accommodate sizes from 0.125 to 0.75 inch dice.  Also, the GS series of belt slicing machines can handle up to several thousand pounds (per hour) throughput for such products as chicken and turkey breasts, bacon and fish fillets.
For more information,
contact Jon Jarvis at 860-347-7271 (fax: 860-347-9905),
email jarvis.products.corp@snet.net
or visit www.jarvisproducts.com

Newly introduced by Urschel in 2006, the Model M6 Dicer made a popular showing at Pack Expo, the company relays. This machine offers a new sleek frame design without detracting from the workhorse strengths found in every Urschel cutter. Increasing sanitation and aiding accessibility, four hinged panels open to key components of the dicing unit, greatly simplifying maintenance and part changeovers. The innovative frame offers an integrated electrical enclosure as well as a streamlined product feed that features two pivoting product guides. The Model M6 will accept input of firm products up to one inch (25.4 mm) in thickness and produces a wide range of dices, strip cuts, and shreds from a wide variety of products including poultry, pork and beef, among others.
For more information, visit www.urschel.com
or call 219-464-4811.

Wire Belt, a leading developer of advanced belting solutions, introduced CarrySmart™, its unique, made-to-order line of conveyors at Pack Expo.  The CarrySmart line includes Flex-Turn, Flat-Flex Straight, Flat-Flex Shuttle Conveyors, and CarrySmart Spreader or Converger Specialty Conveyors. Also highlighted at the show were Wire Belt’s two newest belts, CompactGrid and TC-327. CompactGrid is a stainless steel belt with a tight mesh grid, designed to support smaller products in coating and drainage applications. TC-327 is designed specifically for tortilla cooling conveyors.
For more information, visit www.wirebelt.com
call 603-644-2500 or email sales@wirebelt.com