FPD serves up hot industry topics in 2014

Throughout 2014, the FPD team will deliver special editions, focused on specific topics of interest to food industry professionals. Below are the subjects on our radar; if you’re interested in sharing your insights and experience on any of the focus areas, or if you're a supplier interested in advertising, please email me at jenni.spinner@wrbm.com​

February: Operational Efficiency Month​

Streamlining processing and packaging lines to maximize efficiency is of utmost importance to FPD readers. To help food professionals optimize their operations, FPD is spending the entire month on delivering focused content across a number of platforms. This includes live webinars, white papers, product profiles, dynamic social media discussion and more.

March: Conveyors​

Conveyors may seem a relatively simple piece of equipment, but they are crucial to food processing and packaging, and a lot is demanded of them. This special edition will look at conveying equipment design, tips on increasing efficiency, components that can help boost effectiveness, and more.

April: Automation and controls​

The increasingly complexity of processing and packaging equipment, desire for increased efficiency, and interest of conserving labor costs make automation the obvious choice. This special newsletter discusses the solutions that equipment manufacturers, software providers and other groups offer processing firms, to help their equipment work together smoothly, increase accountability and maintain a competitive edge.

June: Sustainable packaging​

Consumers are interested in sustainable products and packaging, but the concept also is seen as good business sense. Powerhouse brands like Pepsico and retailers such as Walmart are calling for ‘green’ packaging, even setting goals and demands for processing and packaging partners to meet. This special will discuss recyclability, lightweighting, bio-based materials and other concepts related to packaging sustainability.

July: Labelling and printing​

Consumers are demanding more of their packaging in terms of aesthetics;  government agencies are calling for more detailed information to be carried on labels, in the interest of product safety and traceability. This special edition will cover these challenges, along with the range of label facestocks and printing technologies.

September: Active/intelligent packaging​

Packaging can do more than merely hold food inside—emerging technology can indicate when the product inside has gone bad, if it’s sufficiently cold for consumption, if it’s real or counterfeit, if air has infiltrated, and more. This special will cover various packaging features and technologies that can help boost product value, facilitate tracking and engage consumers.

October: Shelf life​

The United Nations has singled out food waste as a worldwide problem, and even Pope Francis as said that wasting food is akin to stealing from the poor. What’s more, it’s taking money away from food companies’ bottom line. This special talks about processing equipment, technologies and materials that can help food products endure.

November: Track and trace​

Track-and-trace technology helps pinpoint contamination sources in the event of an incident, so that the problem can be quickly dealt with. Additionally, the practice can help manufacturers manage production and inventory, facilitate speedy shipment to retailers and distributors, plan future production needs, and more.

December: Flexible packaging​

Consumer packaged goods firms such as Campbell Co. and Kraft Foods are increasingly turning to pouches, bags and other flexible formats. The packages can offer lighter weight than rigid containers (such as glass jars and plastic bottles), and a broad range of decorative possibilities.

Other publications​

You might also be interested in learning what our sister publications are planning for food safety, beverage and dairy production.

February, product inspection systems:​ FoodQualityNews will produce this special look at metal detection, quality verification and other equipment, as well as the software and technologies that can facilitate the processes. The topic is especially timely; food safety and quality are of utmost importance, especially with regulations like the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act requiring diligence all over the supply chain.

February, flexible beverage packaging:​ The BeverageDaily team will produce this special newsletter, focusing on packaging and processing machinery innovations from major suppliers in the pouch space. It also will examine where in the world, and in what beverage sectors the market for beverage pouches is developing, as well as exploring future directions and functional benefits.

April, dairy product quality testing:​ DairyReporter editors have been covering how in recent years, dairy processors (particularly in emerging nations) have been hit by a throng of food quality and safety scandals. On-site and lab-based testing has become a necessity, and often a legal requirement for dairy processors. Using this technology, processors can better ensure the quality and safety of their finished products and avoid expensive and damaging recalls.

May, sanitation:​ This FoodQualityNews special will discuss sanitation systems and materials, testing technology, processing equipment components that foster clean conditions, and more.While food firms and public agencies are making strides in reducing incidents of foodborne pathogen contamination, consumers across the globe are still falling ill and outfits like the FDA are tightening hygiene requirements, so more must be done.

September, advances in beverage filling technology:​ This BeverageDaily special edition looks at the latest breakthrough technologies, and examines the rise of aseptic and ESL filling for a better taste and nutritional profile in better-for-you beverages with better shelf stability. It will also take in the trend towards smaller machines to cater for the explosion of interest in micro-brewing (US and now beyond) and the rise of nascent functional beverage brands; faster machines that offer electricity savings and flexibility in terms of package sizes is another emerging area of interest.

November, dairy processing innovations:​ The DairyReporter staff will share insights on how consumer demand for functional or healthy dairy products, such as Greek yogurt, has led to the development of cheaper, alternative manufacturing technology, while interest in longer life products has driven demand for aseptic filling and packaging technology. In response, firms such as Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc are working long hours to develop innovative processing machinery and packaging to meet the evolving needs of the dairy sector.

Get in contact​

If you are interested in advertising on any of these Special Newsletters, please call Karine Prunier, Head of Sales on: + 33 4 99 52 26 81 or email karine.prunier@wrbm.com​