An agressive policy of acquisitions and a broadening of the
business into prepared foods, foodservice and sepciality
ingredients contributed to a strong rise in first half sales and
profits at Ireland's Kerry group.
In the US, Spray Dynamics, the Missouri-based worldwide leader in
liquid and dry coating equipment has purchased CMS (Coating
Machinery Systems), a manufacturer of continuous and batch coating
systems, from Vector Corporation of Marion,...
Wellman, the US-based manufacturer of PET resins, has said it is
taking steps to expand its PET resins capacity by approximately 190
million kilograms over the next 18 months, at an estimated cost of
$68 million.
Keller and Heckman, legal representatives to the food industry, has
announced plans to offer two seminars on the regulation of
food-contact materials in Brussels, Belgium, and in Washington,
D.C.
The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) has released information on its new
system for tracking adverse event reports on foods, cosmetics and
dietary supplements.
The European Commission has cleared a flexible packaging joint
venture between Danapac, a Danish manufacturer of packaging
products for the food industry, and Teich of Austria which also
makes flexible packaging products.
Europe's leading food retail chain Carrefour has surprised even
itself with the publication of first half results which were much
better than expected.
Delta Systems, a leader in automation and motion control solutions,
is to supply Flowers Foods with an initial order for an automated
feeding and wrapping system. The equipment will be used in US-based
Flowers Snack's cakes division.
Rexam, the world's largest maker of drinks cans, which counts
Coca-Cola among its blue-chip customers, has bucked the bear market
and looks set for further gains. The upturn comes following a
series of sell-offs which have streamlined...
Ball's recently announced agreed offer for Schmalbach-Lubeca sets
the seal on the consolidation of an important segment of the
European packaging industry that will give the company crucial
increased worldwide leverage.
Australian food and beverage equipment provider, Foodmach, has
introduced a new range of conveyor systems which the company claims
will make jamming and breakages a thing of the past.
Price recovery in the US beverage can market and increased beverage
can volumes in Europe helped Rexam, the consumer packaging group,
report a 30 per cent rise in underlying profits for the first six
months of the year.
Glanbia, the Irish dairy food producer, has reported a €40 million
loss for the first half of the year in the wake of a €75 million
restructuring charge relating to the closure of its UK consumer
meats division.
Danish food giant Danisco has confirmed the acquisition of flavours
company Perlarom, as it expands into the Southeast Asia flavours
market, according to a report from Dairy International.
Ball Corporation has agreed to acquire Schmalbach-Lubeca, the
second largest beverage can manufacturer in Europe. Combined, the
two companies produce more than 45 billion beverage cans annually
in North America and Europe.
As part of its business development strategy in India, the
paperboards division of ITC has taken the initiative to create an
awareness among domestic consumers to safely package food products
from indigenous sources.
The Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines is urging the
United States to reassess its trade law and create a level playing
field for tuna product imports, according to a report on Fis.com.
Coca-Cola and its bottlers in Mexico have taken a legal battle over
their marketing and sales practices to the country's federal
courts, hoping to overturn a ruling earlier this year from
regulators.
The CSIR, South Africa's science and technology provider, has said
the South African fishing industry must start using less water
during fish processing, according to a report from fis.com.
Stora Enso has said that it will take a €1.15 billion charge to
help turn its loss-making North American unit to profit as the
world's top paper and board maker grapples with tough economic
conditions.
Barrington Foods has announced that it is to build a packaging
facility near Ho Chi Minh City in cooperation with its Vietnamese
joint venture partner.
Flooring is a subject that is often overlooked by the food and
beverage industry, however, it is an increasingly important part of
safety and overall hygene. In particular polyurethane flooring has
become an accepted benchmark for...
Australian company Plantic has solved the problem of packaging
waste by developing a 'plastic' packaging that is dissolvable. The
material could even provide a feasible alternative to
non-degradable plastic bags, a market...
North American machinery builders who belong to the Packaging
Machinery Manufacturers Institute , shipped an estimated €6 billion
in packaging equipment and parts in 2001.
SureBeam Corporation, the US-based creator of the electron beam
technology for food safety, has announced the opening of its new
southern California food processing centre, located in greater Los
Angeles.
Kliklok-Woodman, a world leader in the manufacture of cartoners,
vertical form-fill-seal systems and end-of-line packaging
equipment, will be introducing an array of new machines at PMMA
Pack Expo in Chicago this year.
Bemis, the US-based flexible packaging company, has reached
agreements to sell its global pressure sensitive materials business
and to acquire Walki Films division.
The US Department of Agriculture has initiated a probe of Tyson
Foods after the company said earlier this week it would restructure
its pork processing business.
The UK-based degradable carrier-bag manufacturer, Symphony Plastic
Technologies, has won a significant contract to supply Somerfield
and Kwik Save stores.
A tax on plastic shopping bags in the Republic of Ireland has cut
their use by more than 90 per cent and raised millions of euros in
revenue, the government has said.
EarthShell Corporation, the US eco packaging provider, has been
recognised with a Silver Award as part of DuPont's 15th annual
Competition for Innovation in Food Processing and Packaging.
China is to nearly double the capacity of its processing industry
of farm produce in the next three years, making it competitive in
the international market.
Solbar Industries, an Israel-based processor of soy proteins and
soy isoflavones, closed its financial year 2001 with significant
growth in sales and profits.
Schneider Packaging Equipment, the US-based specialist in
end-of-line solutions for case packing and palletizing, has
unveiled its new MP-20 Multi-Packer/Bundler.
Japan's Nippon Meat Packers, battered by a beef mislabelling
scandal, will give results of an investigation today at a news
conference in which its founder is expected to resign as chairman.
Coca-Cola is abandoning the "splash graphic" design it
introduced two years ago and returning to the familiar Coke ribbons
for a look on cans and bottles that is traditional but updated, the
company has announced.
The recent losses posted by US irradiation specialist Food
Technology Services have bought into question the future of the
industry. Company losses of more than €152,000 in the quarter
ending 30 June and falling share prices may be...