Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Packaging

Get the weight out

By Kevin T. Higgins
February 1, 2009
Lightweighting of PET containers and systems that otherwise reduce packaging costs were in abundance at PACK EXPO.


A stylish profile is left after whittling a third of the plastic from Sidel’s PET NoBottle, which now can be produced at high speeds on an  energy-efficient combi line. Source: Sidel Inc.

The drive to lightweight containers and effect other material reductions is shifting into overdrive, and manufacturers stand to save millions.

A progress report on those efforts was on display in November at PACK EXPO. Greenhouse gas emissions in making and shipping packaging materials, less any recovered materials, are being calculated for packaged goods sold at Wal-Mart, Packaging Director Amy Zettlemoyer-Lazar said in the show’s keynote address. Wal-Mart wants suppliers to reduce package weight by 5% in the next five years. She cited several examples of increased sales and positive shopper feedback from lightweighting initiatives. Kraft eliminated a fifth of the weight for salad dressing containers by altering the profile and switching to an induction seal.

Rehabilitating the PET bottle’s image is an uphill battle for greener packaging, though suppliers are throwing themselves into the challenge with gusto. Wall thicknesses have been reduced to the point of bursting. The neck now contributes the bulk of many bottles’ weight. A sleek profile helped Sidel Inc. lower the weight of its half-liter NoBottle to 9.9 grams, compared to 15g for a conventional container, according to Deborah L. Galloway, marketing manager for the firm’s Norcross, GA-based Americas Cluster. Launched a year ago, NoBottle now benefits from a blowmold line that can output 43,200 bottles an hour. The bottles’ shape memory prevents leakers as it jostles down the FlexLine, which features energy-efficient improvements that cut electric consumption 32% on a per-bottle basis.

A barrel of oil and 7,000 gallons of process water are needed to produce 315 lbs. of label adhesive, according to Nordson Corp.’s Dave Gregetic. To conserve those resources, food and beverage packages can cut adhesive consumption to as little as a tenth the quantity used by wheel-pot applicators with a spray system that spritzes a dot matrix onto a PET bottle or other surface.

Potential savings aren’t as dramatic with magazine-fed systems, but reduced maintenance and downtime were reported by a food plant that just completed a one-year field test. The manufacturer reported a six-month payback. Conversion was completed in three hours.

Shrink wrap and stretch wrap on pallets are next on Sidel’s to-do list, according to Galloway. Any reductions in material use are positive, but the landfill issues with polyethylene film remain. Additives that help microorganisms break down the film are becoming popular in Europe, with one of the world’s largest suppliers joining the fray with degradable PE film. The firm’s Shelbyville, TN division, Manuli Stretch USA, promoted the new stretch film at PACK EXPO, though Company Representative Adele Brianza expects it to be a niche product.

Alternatives to wooden pallets are proliferating. CHEP USA, a global pallet-pooling service, showed off its newest version of reusable plastic pallets, which feature fire retardants to minimize the potential of poisonous gases in the event of a warehouse conflagration. Joining CHEP in a bid for the food industry’s pooled-pallets business is Worthington Steelpac, which introduced a distribution pallet manufactured to Grocery Manufacturers Association standards.

For more information:
Dave Gregetic, Nordson Corp., 770-497-3715, dgregetic@nordson.com
Deborah L. Galloway, Sidel Inc., 770-403-5132, deborah.galloway@sidel.com
Steve Letnich, Worthington Steelpac, 313-590-2663, sjletnic@worthingtonindustries.com

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kevin Higgins was Senior Editor for FE.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    People & Industry News
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Cleaning | Sanitation
    By: Richard F. Stier
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

FA&M 2025 in Rewind

FA&M 2025 in Rewind

More Videos

Popular Stories

Conagra Logo

Conagra Brands to Sell Chef Boyardee Brand to Hometown Food Company

Salt

FDA to Amend Standards of Identity to Include Salt Substitutes

Vilter IHP in plant

Industrial Heat Pumps: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Now and the Future

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 5, 2025

Mass Customization Driving Innovation in the Food and Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry is at the nexus of transformative global manufacturing trends, driving a shift toward personalized, customer-centric solutions. 

June 5, 2025

How Cafe Spice Uses Automation to Propel Private Label

Learn about Cafe Spice’s new, state-of-the-art, highly automated manufacturing facility in Beacon, New York. 

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • Get the micro-oxygen out

    See More
  • Get the PFAS out of food packaging materials ASAP

    Get the PFAS Out of Food Packaging Materials ASAP

    See More
  • beer

    How to get the most out of sensors

    See More
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!