issue 1 2017

processing & packaging 41
GEA is packed with inspiration
Inspiration is the source of innovation. And innovation – from food producers as well as machine
manufacturers – is a powerful means of creating differentiation and improving profitability. This is
why GEA has ‘Packed with inspiration’ as its theme for the company’s stand at interpack 2017. The
systems for packaging and processing of food, confectionery, dairy, bakery and beverages featured
on the stand show how GEA’s product development is inspired by market trends and customer
requirements. In response to today’s regulated business environment where retailers and
consumers place high demands, GEA delivers reliable, flexible, efficient, and imaginative packaging.
GEA’s 1047
square-meter
stand B09/B31
is in hall 7A at
INTERPACK
World premier
New developments include an
entry-level thermoformer model,
an ultra-hygienic vertical bagger
system, a coating and wrapping
line designed to revive the lollipop
market. But perhaps the main
show stopper is a non-invasive
quality control system for
modified-atmosphere packaging
(MAP), the only system that
checks every pack for oxygen
content as it leaves the
thermoformer.
From entry-level to high-end
packaging
The GEA PowerPak platform is
well established in the mid- to
high-end sector thanks to its
reliability, capacity and range of
configuration and options.
However, smaller-scale operations,
such as start-ups, often don’t need
all the features of these big
thermoformers. For these users,
GEA has introduced an entry-level
thermoformer with basic
configuration and functionality.
Called the GEA DeltaPak, it
provides access to the quality and
reliability of the GEA PowerPak
platform. Moving up the PowerPak
range, which was recently redefined
to make it easier and more
cost-effective to specify a
thermoformer for a particular
application, one of the larger
GEA DeltaPak
machines is on the stand as part of
an integrated slicing/packaging
line. This thermoformer is equipped
with tool-free dieset changing, a
new labeller and end-of-line lane
pick and place converger plus the
new GEA OxyCheck, the world’s
first 100 percent quality control
system for MAP packaging (see
panel).
A cut above the rest
The automated line starts with a
GEA OptiScan, a pre-scanning
system that minimises give-away
and increases yield of sliced
portions by simultaneously
scanning two logs. Slicing is done
with the GEA DualSlicer 1200,
which in combination with an
Interleaver, a Check 4000 and a
ShingleLoader 600 delivers perfect
portions to the PowerPak. To be
able to adjust slice thickness on
the fly – and
therefore get fewer idle
cuts – the GEA DualSlicer has
independent drives for each of its
two grippers, an adjustable rotor
head and a three-stage-portioning
conveyor. This line configuration
achieves very high product
utilisation due to low give-away
and more on-weight portions.
Let’s bag it up
For vertical bagging users, there
are two continuous-operation
SmartPackers, a CX250 with a
multi-head weigher, and a CX400
that meets the highest hygiene
standards. These machines can
handle the latest stand-up
packaging formats – including
Quatro seal and Doystyle – to
ensure products not only stand up
on the shelves, but stand out too.
The GEA SmartPacker CX250 is
popular for candy producer as it
handles products smoothly, making
it possible to bag fragile sweets or
gummy candy at high speeds.
www.foodmagazine.eu.com issue one | 2017