Norwegian group Orkla has boosted its ownership in metals maker
Elkem to over 50 per cent and launched a takeover bid for the rest,
writes Anthony Fletcher.
Despite "next big thing" hype on one side and "killer nanobot"
alarmism on the other, nanomaterials are beginning to establish a
commercial presence in the US market - and packaging could become a
key sector, writes...
Equipment manufacturer TNA has launched a triple jaw version of its
groundbreaking Rotary Jaw bagging system. TNA claims that the
system can achieve speeds in excess of 220 bags per minute (bpm),
which is faster than any other bagger...
Agro Oven, a poultry meat producer based in Ukraine's
Dnepropetrovsk region, won the country's first small-business
contest, beating 13 other finalists.
Brussels addresses the issue of consumer cynicism and fear of
agricultural biotechnology in European citizens, setting up a
thematic network on the safety risk assessment of genetically
modified food crops, the Entransfood project,...
Following a two year operating loss, Oeneo has been forced to sell
its Bloomfield oak stave mill in Iowa. Is American oak too 'woody'
for the wine industry, asks Kim Hunter Gordon.
Stretch wrapping machinery manufacturer Arpac is launching its new
ergonomically designed Infrapak Sidewinder 2005 stretch wrapper at
the Promat 2005 Show, which runs from 10 to 13 January in Chicago.
Unfavourable beef operating margins have prompted Tyson Foods to
suspend operations at four beef plants in the US. The affected
plants have been hurt by a combination of tight cattle supplies,
lacklustre domestic beef demand and the...
Common shares of $6.2 billion aluminium rolled products firm
Novelis have begun trading today under the stock symbol NVL on the
Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), writes Anthony Fletcher.
Irish food and drink companies are pooling funds under a new
project designed to increase healthy eating in their home market,
reports Dominique Patton.
Despite an upturn in global wheat, corn and soy production in 2004,
prices for food ingredients sourced from cereal raw materials are
likely to remain under pressure, writes Lindsey Partos.
A Tetra Pak subsidiary has found a dipping and coating solution for
novelty ice creams, which it hopes will eliminate sub-standard ice
cream coatings - welcome news for ice cream manufacturers seeking
to satisfy the quality-conscious...
World demand for packaging machinery is projected to rise over 4
per cent a year through 2008 to over $31 billion, according to a
recently published report by Freedonia.
Pallet and container pooling solutions provider CHEP is forging
ahead with new developments in the company's Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) programme.
Food scientists continue the challenge to come up with food
ingredients suitable for consumers unable to eat wheat, rye or
barley-based foods because of a reaction to the gluten protein
found in these grains.
Adams Food Ingredients, a subsidiary of leading Irish dairy firm
Kerry Gold, has installed a new mixing vat which will allow it to
halve production time for the manufacture of some of its dairy
product ingredients, Tom Armitage reports.
A self-heating pouch that would enable consumers to drink hot soup
on the go could soon be on European shelves, according to a
packaging industry report.
Irrigation with wastewater from the canning industry is not harmful
to the quality of agricultural soil and may even, in some cases,
improve it, according to a new PhD thesis from the Public
University of Navarre in Spain.
Danisco has launched a series of products aimed at helping the
baking industry cope with the move towards whole grain products
that is expected in the US in 2005.
A newly-invented automatic waste transportation and sorting system
has been developed in Finland that operates economically and
ecologically on virtually any kind of premises.
An improvement in the quality of flour ingredients is the focus of
new research by US government scientists who are taking a closer
look at hundreds of different proteins in the wheat kernels.
A significant drive from Asian rice producers has helped boost
global paddy production in 2004 to an estimated record 611 million
tonnes. But the Food and Agriculture Organisation says that supply
is still not meeting needs, writes...
Number one dextrose producer Corn Products International will drive
operations forward in Korea, buying up the remaining slice of its
Korean business from Doosan corporation.
There is little evidence to support the use of many commercial
weight loss programmes, according to a study in the US, which
suggests that the search for new, more effective methods will
continue to preoccupy dieters.
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has urged the government to
help the packaging sector face up to the rising cost of plastics
and printing inks. Anthony Fletcher reports.
Frozen and chilled baked goods are the leading lights among US firm
General Mills' bakery and cereal products as the company begins a
tentative recovery against high raw materials costs, writes
Chris Mercer.
French company Vaslin Bucher has unveiled machinery to control
oxidation of grape must during the pressing process at
significantly reduced costs to current equipment.
Opportunities for suppliers and users of low-calorie bulk sweetener
erythritol open up as Canada clears approval for inclusion of this
natural sweetener in a range of food formulations from cream
fillings to chewing gum.
Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest brewer, has introduced
aluminium beer bottles for its Michelob, Michelob Light and
Anheuser World Select brands in certain bars and clubs across the
United States, writes Kim Hunter Gordon.
One of Sweden's biggest meat and cheese processing companies,
recently under pressure from increased competition, will soon be
supplying sandwiches as well as the fillings by establishing a new
business unit to exploit the growing...
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Hendrix
Meat Group (HMG) by Sovion, a move that will create the largest
meat processor in the Netherlands and one of the largest in
Northern Europe.
Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are strong growth areas
for the flavours market while in western Europe low calorie and low
carb diets will continue to spur demand, claims a new report.
One of Sweden's biggest meat and cheese processing companies,
recently under pressure from increased competition, will soon be
supplying sandwiches as well as the fillings by establishing a new
business unit to exploit the growing...
Competition continues to bite for Swedish speciality fats and oils
business Karlshamns with the firm announcing it will pour Euros
6.68 million (SEK60m) into cost-cutting measures.
The UK canning industry believes that retail giant Sainsbury, which
recently championed Tetra Recart packaging, would be wrong to
dismiss the potential of steel packaging on the basis of one market
survey.
A hi-tech way of preserving open bottles of wine from oxygen
contact could prevent consumers and restaurants from being afraid
to open better bottles of wine, reports Kim Hunter Gordon.
The rising cost of aluminium, oil-derived chemicals and other raw
materials has lead to major soft drink packager Pepsi Bottling
(PBG) to issue a profit warning, illustrating the increasing impact
that peak metals and plastics prices...
Moscow-based confectionery firm Borodino plans to move production
facilities to Volgograd in January 2005 as a means of strengthening
its position in the market, writes Angela Drujinina.
The exaggerated - and not always correct - advertisement of
biologically active additives (BAAs) in food supplements has
resulted in a number of products being removed by the Russian
authorities, writes Angela Drujinina.