Page 53 - Plastics News November 2017

PRODUCT NEWS

Sepro launches super-efficient and Uflex gives Makeover for Rice

connected robots Packaging ofd Veetee

epro Group officials have painted a future of robots eetee - one of the largest rice suppliers in the United
Srunning super-efficiently, complete with integration VKingdom had been facing four obstacles that were
and smartphone apps. At Fakuma 2017, Sepro also stymying its overall brand value (a) Diminished shelf
announced it is building robots for Chinese injection appeal of the big bags at the point of sale (POS) (b)
press maker Haitian International Holdings Ltd., covering Ergonomic discomfiture to consumers while carrying the
Haitian presses sold in Europe. Jean-Michel Renaudeau, bags (c) Restricted openabilty of the bags posing difficulty
Sepro's managing director, said the three-axis and five-axis in accessing the product (d) Poor stackability quotient
robots will be labeled "Haitian by Sepro." with frequent slipping of bags. Uflex offered Veetee a
stunning three dimensional pack with front openability
through a Slide to Close (STC) zipper. The front, back and
bottom panels of the pack are a 3 ply structure comprising
Stackable Polyester/ Metallized Polyester/ Polyethylene
(Sealant layer). The side panels/gussets are made of
Polyester/ Polyester/Polyethylene that make it convenient
to have a provision for transparent windows on either side
so that the consumers could see through the rice packed
inside and make an informed choice. The re-closable
feature of the bag allows consumers to retrieve only the
required amount of product at a time and using the rest
later without hampering the quality or aroma.
Thus the barrier properties of the bag remain intact
through-out the prescribed shelf life of the product.
Renaudeau said Sepro now supplies robots for nine Mr. Anup Sachdeva, Joint President Packaging (Global
injection molding machinery manufacturers. Haitian is Exports) at Uflex says, “One of the major pain points that
the robot maker's first Asian partner, he said. "The door Veetee had been facing was the stiff punch handle that
is wide open at Sepro. We have been growing for these their erstwhile European converter was offering. These
last years," Renaudeau said. Renaudeau was discussing punched handles used to almost slit the fingers of the
business growth, saying this year Sepro will deliver more consumers buying 10-15 kg bulk packs. In the bespoke
than 3,000 robots to customers around the world and packaging solution that we engineered for Veetee Rice,
generate about 125 million euros of sales, an increase we have offered a handle that’s on the side gusset. It is
of 20 percent from 2016. But of course, in today's baby soft and is made of a special proprietary polymeric
plastics machinery business, "open" means more than composition. No other convertor across the world has been
money. Renaudeau said Sepro develops its own software able to offer such a soft side handle. When consumers hold
giving it a big advantage in the new world of connected the rice pack through side handle the centre of gravity of
technology. Caroline Chamard, Sepro's marketing and the load shifts downwards.
communication project manager, said 3D simulation and
learning by doing are how people figure things out today,
not by reading a long list of directions. "People expect to
have user-friendliness and services," she said. Renaudeau
said Sepro is working with Carnegie Mellon University's
robotics program in Pittsburgh, near its U.S. operation,
Sepro America LLC in Warrendale, Pa. The company also
works with the Audiencia Business School in France and
groups that promote innovation and automation in western
France.

53 N ovember 2017 Plastics News