PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2018

PET news 6 NEWS PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 09/18 www.petpla.net The versatile supporting programme of fdt Africa From resource conservation and energy efficiency, new raw materials to forward-looking developments in processing and bottling and packaging, food & drink technology Africa (fdt) presents solutions that are tailored to the particularities of the South African market. The supporting programme of the exhibition is equally geared to the needs of the local industry and will shed light on the future topics of the industry. From September 4-6, the food, beverage and packaging industry will meet in Johannesburg. The platform for the market in Southern Africa covers the entire process chain – from raw materials to processing, bottling, packaging and logistics. This year’s fdt Africa supporting programme will shed light on the future of the food and beverage industry in Southern Africa, will pick up on current topics and show practical solu- tions for the industry. The second day of the exhibition offers symposia with the industry leaders Bosch Packaging, Bühler, KHS Manufacturing and Pentair, offering participants an insight into the trends, challenges and opportunities in the areas of water manage- ment, packaging and process technology. On the first and third day of the exhibition, the Speakers’ Corner will provide an overview of topics that are shaping the industry. Experts will assess the developments on the South African market and offer new stimuli for the industry. There will be presentations and lectures by companies and associations including Brewsters Craft, Centec, Pall, the South African Association of Fragrances and Flavour Industry (SAFFI), Sphere Foods Africa, the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association and many others. The presented topics will be very diverse and thus cover a wide range of areas within the industry, such as consumption pat- terns for soft drinks in the sub-Saharan region, quality manage- ment systems for food safety and de-gassers for feed water. www.fdt-africa.com Gea receives accolade for aseptic blow-fill-cap technology with FDA certification In July 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded Gea a letter of no objection (LONO) for its ABF 1.2 technology, an integrated blowing, filling and capping solution featuring a fully aseptic rotary blowing machine. It is the only system equipped with a 100% aseptic blower that is allowed to produce shelf-stable low acid (LA) beverages free from preservatives for distribution at ambient temperature in the U.S. market. The FDA testing is considered one of the most compre- hensive validation protocols available in the aseptic bever- age market. Their stringent requirements ensure enhanced product safety, and their approval is highly valued even out- side the U.S. The FDA clearance confirms that Gea’s ABF 1.2 technology ensures maximum sterilisation efficiency and reliability during every step of sensitive beverage bottling. Gea successfully passed the validation tests which were performed on an ABF 1.2 system installed in the U.S. – and which is now already producing and delivering shelf-stable liquid dairy products to the North-American market. The Gea solution is based on an integrated blowing, fill- ing and capping process that runs within a 100% aseptic environment. Thanks to the microbiological isolator, Gea ABF 1.2 aseptically blows preforms that have been previ- ously treated with hydrogen peroxide vapour (VHP). The result is a single zone sterilisation process that requires no water and fewer chemicals. www.gea.com In-house services for preforms, containers and caps Chemco announces that its research and development department provides tailored solutions to meet the demands of the container market. Transparency and sustainability of the project the customer is envisioning is the ultimate objective for Chemco. This is real- ised by partnering with brand owners and providing services at all levels of development. These include development work such as R&D and prototyping, material chemistry and design up to mould tooling, production, efficiency improvements or packaging. The in-house services allow the company to provide fast develop- ment times. The company emphasises that these services - many are offered either at minimal or free of cost to clients - open- ing the way for innovation rather than just copy-pasting sometimes obsolete ideas. Chemco believes that adding the additional financial burden to every aspect of development will only strain the client and often force them to compromise on their vision for their product, limiting the product’s chances of success. Chemco’s journey in bottle-making started with a small machine that could produce fewer than 2 bpm. Today, Mumbai-located Chemco owns and operates many hundreds of wholly automated machines manufacturing PET preforms and a wide variety of blow mould PET containers as well as caps and closures. www.chemcogroup.com