Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/322848
P ro d u c e S h o w D a i l y 4 1 Th u r s d a y, J u n e 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 in the popularity of ultrasonic technology for produce packaging applications, and rightly so. A cold-sealing technology that offers cost-saving advantages and other benefits, ultrasonics is ideal for leafy pro- duce, cheese, confectionery and other applications that require 100 percent seal integrity for an airtight product. PSD: How does this solution benefit pro- duce companies? KM: Ultrasonic technology offers product, material, labor and energy sav- ings, significantly less rejects and improved worker safety. With ultrason- ic technology, the bagger's sealing jaws can seal right through product and push it completely out of the sealing area, resulting in less headspace and improved material savings. On average, traditional heat seals measure 3/8", while ultrasonic seals can be as narrow as 2 mm – a potential savings of 50-80 percent in the sealing area alone. It also reduces or even eliminates the require- ment to manually inspect 100 percent of bags for leakers, resulting in improved labor savings and higher throughput. Additional benefits include less down- time and improved OEE. PSD: What distinguishes your product from the competition? KM: Model XYM11U is the only VFFS bagger that offers the flexibility to seal bags with ultrasonic welding or tradi- tional heat sealing. In fact, the bagger can be converted in the field to run tra- ditional heat seal and/or ultrasonic seal- ing technology in a matter of minutes! This flexibility is just one way that Triangle is helping our customers be Triangle Package Machinery ( Cont'd. from p. 1) more competitive. And, as with all bag- gers in our X-Series line, Model XYM11U is a versatile solution that offers quick changeover of forming tubes, sealing jaws and film rolls, so customers can run multiple package styles and speeds on the same machine. In addition, our X-Series VFFS baggers lead the industry in sanitation stan- dards, and are available in three levels of sanitation, including models that meet USDA/3A requirements. PSD: What other products are offered by Triangle Package Machinery Company? KM: In addition to vertical form fill seal bagging machines, we offer a vari- ety of other packaging solutions, including: combination weighers/scales, bag in box cartoning systems and rotary depositors/tray load- ers. A leading manufacturer of packag- ing machinery since 1923, Triangle's complete line of packaging equipment is proudly built in the USA, right here in Chicago. In fact, Triangle is the only packaging equipment manufacturer to that designs and builds VFFS baggers, combination weighers, rotary depost- ing/tray loading systems and bag in box cartoning systems all under one roof. Visit us at booth #2061 or www.tri- anglepackage.com to learn how the X- Series Bagger with Ultrasonic Sealing can help you reduce labor, material and energy costs while improving production and product quality. See why Triangle baggers are the faster, cleaner, smarter produce packaging solution. For more information, visit www .trianglepackage.com/www.triangle package.com, call 800-621-4170, email info@trianglepackage.com or stop by booth #2061. depending more on a select, less diversi- fied group of clients. As a smaller group of retailers continues to gain clout in the market, they are able to dictate extended payment terms that suit them, but not necessarily sellers. This can create seri- ous strain on a seller's cash flow as the company has delivered the product but must wait longer for the invoice to be paid. It is a top of mind concern for many produce companies selling domes- tically or internationally. PSD: What strategies can businesses use to optimize their working capital? HF: At Bank of the West, our Global Trade Solutions team works with agribusinesses of all sizes to address cash flow challenges and optimize work- ing capital. We do that by helping busi- nesses accelerate and monetize their receivables with U.S. or foreign buyers. We offer a number of solutions, includ- ing purchasing a company's accounts receivables or assuming foreign bank risk on its behalf. PSD: How can accounts receivable pur- chasing benefit businesses? HF: Typically, when a produce company sells to a food retailer and receives pay- ment in 60-90 days, it must wait for its funds and borrow from its bank line in the meantime. Bank of the West offers clients an alternative to borrowing while waiting for those receivables to be paid. Bank of the West ( Cont'd. from p. 1) We can purchase a company's receiv- ables at 100 percent of the invoice's face value, subject to credit approval. We will not notify the retailer, and by the time the invoice is due, our client will collect the funds from the retailer and forward the funds to us. This is an effective alterna- tive to borrowing or pledging invoices to a bank with an advance rate based on creditworthiness. This solution also offers balance sheet benefits that strengthen a company's leverage ratios. PSD: How can businesses minimize risk associated with foreign sales? HF: We offer a similar solution for com- panies selling to foreign buyers by assuming foreign bank risk. Typically, when a foreign buyer negotiates with a U.S. producer, it wants to pay with extended payment terms. Since it is more difficult to assume the risk of a foreign buyer on an open account basis, if the foreign buyer has its bank certify the invoice, Bank of the West is able to assume the risk of the buyer's overseas bank to pay the U.S. exporter early, sub- ject to credit approval. Shifting the risk of the overseas buyer to the overseas bank also helps protect the producer against losses. For more information on how Bank of the West's Global Trade Solutions team can help optimize your business' working capital, contact Senior Vice President Hamed Farhadi at 925-843-4716 or hamed.farhadi@bankofthewest.com. Learn more at booth #1462. members to view information about pending and historical claims filed against an industry specific firm within the last two years. "Blue Book Services has many new and exciting innovations to share at this Blue Book Services ( Cont'd. from p. 4) year's United Fresh Produce Show," stat- ed Carr, who encourages attendees to visit Blue Book Services at booth #853 to learn more. For more information, visit www .producebluebook.com, call 630 668- 3500, email info@bluebookservices.com or stop by booth #853. high speeds to maintain productivity lev- els. Early detection also ensures foreign bodies can be removed without spoiling numerous batches and so helps to keep costs down. The Bottom Line Packaging fresh produce presents man- ufacturers with specific challenges and pressures. Retailer and consumer expectations for consistent quality can now be met more easily with greater investment in automation. Issues with raising productivity levels, reducing product and packaging material waste, as well as adapting to complex varia- tions in pack size, format and content can all be addressed effectively with the right system in place. Crucially, by delivering measurable improvements in key areas manufacturers can evaluate a tangible return. In fact, the latest developments in automation technology and design go even further to address wider inefficien- cies. Sustainability in terms of reducing tna Solutions ( Cont'd. from p. 4) energy consumption is an ongoing con- cern. New machines are designed to run using minimal air and power consump- tion, and also increasingly feature standby options within the software. Additional information on usage can be gathered by integrating sensing equipment, such as flow meters, motion sensors and kWh meters, into existing Programmable Logic Control (PLC) systems; steps can then be taken to reduce unnecessary waste when data for a complete line is centralized and reported. Consideration is also given to getting the most out of plant floor space with processing and packag- ing equipment now designed to be both compact and powerful. By reviewing the performance of existing fresh production lines and sys- tems, plant managers can identify priori- ty areas for improvement and make the move towards greater automation and efficiency. For more information, visit www.tna solutions.com, call 972-462-6500, follow on Twitter at twitter.com/tnasolutions or stop by booth #753. keting strategies, grower development, strategic acquisitions, exclusive national- ly recognized brands and proprietary seed development to become one of the largest produce companies in the world. The launch of Robinson Fresh uni- fies the C.H. Robinson, FoodSource, Rosemont Farms and Timco Worldwide entities under one global business brand. Combined, Robinson Fresh is a market share leader in key consumer driven cat- egories such as asparagus, corn, dry veg- etables, greens, melons and tropicals. "Robinson Fresh reflects our progress over the past 100 years as a high quality fresh product supplier and pro- vides our customers, growers and employees with an identity closely aligned to fresh food," said Jim Lemke, Senior Vice President at C.H. Robinson. "The launch of the Robinson Fresh brand signifies our ability to adapt to the mar- ketplace, raise our visibility and market our products while still leveraging all of the services provided by C.H. Robinson." By combining a global network of growers spanning across 36 countries with a broad portfolio of product offer- ings that includes exclusive licensed, proprietary and private label brands, Robinson Fresh continues to meet the demands of a fresh product market that is growing in terms of size and complexity. Robinson Fresh is the exclusive mar- Robinson Fresh ( Cont'd. from p. 1) keter of respected consumer brands such as Mott's ® , Welch's ® , Tropicana ® , Green Giant ® Fresh and Glory Foods ® . In addi- tion, Robinson Fresh offers Melon Up! ® , Rosemont Farms ® , Happy Chameleon ® and Tomorrow's ® Organics proprietary brands to ensure quality, increase effi- ciency and offer variety to give retail con- sumers the fresh options they demand. "Robinson Fresh will connect our customer's needs and desires with the collective expertise of an organization that, for over a century, has developed unique products by utilizing talent, processes and technologies that can improve business outcomes in unexpect- ed ways," said Lemke. "The service, value, quality and innovation customers have come to expect from all our busi- nesses will continue to grow through Robinson Fresh." To complement the new branding, Robinson Fresh launched a new website, www.robinsonfresh.com, which contains downloadable content consisting of con- sumer trends, category insights and mar- ket data. As well, Robinson Fresh will support a LinkedIn page and Twitter feed to promote company messages, news and videos in order to provide followers with updated relevant content. For more information, visit www.robin sonfresh.com, call 855-350-0014, email solutions@robinsonfresh.com or stop by booth #1269.