Knowledge base

What cookies, pasta and plastics (now) have in common

For many of us it was our first childhood lesson in culinary circularity: Seeing how, when the cookie baking season was finally here again, scraps of leftover dough from cutting were re-rolled and added to fresh dough to make a new batch. Doing the same with homemade pasta is a bit more tricky, which is why smart Italian grandmothers invented maltagliati, but with a little water, olive oil and effort it is certainly possible.

Why does one third of the world’s food never make it to the table and how can packaging help?

It’s not unusual in the Western world to throw away leftovers and discard slightly damaged food without a second thought. Yet when we consider that 135 million people face acute food shortages, it is clear that food waste is an issue we can no longer afford to ignore.

Can paper replace plastic? Packaging design in the fibre cycle

Frozen pizza in a round paper tear-open pack, beer in a bottle made of fibre? Is this the future of packaging, fibre-based protection for food instead of plastic? At the INGEDE Autumn Symposium in Schwedt, experts from industry, authorities and associations discussed possibilities to replace plastic which has fallen into disfavour due to lack of material recycling, the conditions for good recyclability and the limits. The speakers were largely in agreement: There is a need for action for new paper-based packaging with regard to the general conditions, consumer information and labelling, as well as for the further development of sorting systems and disposal routes. One had to move away from national to European solutions in the evaluation of packaging and its suitability for different recycling systems.

Innoform holds the first hybrid conference

On 28/29 October, stand-up pouch experts from Europe will meet in Berlin and simultaneously via livestream. Innoform Coaching is offering this hybrid format for the first time. "We have good booking figures considering the uncertain situation. At the moment we even have more participants than online connections," says Wilma Igelbrink, Event Manager of the 7th European Standing Pouch Conference. The new technology even makes simultaneous translation cheaper and is offered in Berlin.

Know your flow: How an optimized workflow can give your company a competitive advantage

How well do you really know your workflow? And more importantly, are there untapped opportunities to make it faster and more efficient? Here, Jonathan Malone-McGrew, Senior Director of Engagement at Solimar Systems, explains why it might be time to review your current operations.

Food Contact Inks: How To Avoid Ink Migration

The food industry is subject to a lot of safety regulations regarding food-contact packaging and labelling. This extends beyond food safe substrates to the inks used in the process. As a packaging or label printing business, you have to choose the best kind of ink that won't impact the quality of the food content, while simultaneously keeping costs under control. Here’s a brief look at food contact inks and one of the major issues involved. By David Lee, Focus Label

Record 21,700 Robots In UK Factories – IFR reports

The new World Robotics 2020 Industrial Robots report presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) shows a record of about 21,700 industrial robots operating in factories of the United Kingdom – an increase of 5%. Sales of new robots slow with 2,000 units shipped in 2019. This is 16% less compared to 2018.

New project started in SID

Saxon Institute for the Printing Industry develops new standard for offset printing on folding boxboard
Since September 1, 2020, intensive research has been underway on a new project at the Saxon Institute for the Printing Industry in Leipzig. The project, which has just been launched, is intended to develop a standard for the offset printing process on folding boxboard.