With over 35 years of packaging industry expertise, Keymac Packaging Systems are working with fresh produce growers and packers in Australia to reduce the amount of plastic currently being used in packaging.
The company has modified its already successful ready meal sleever, the K101, to run a 100 per cent plastic free pack for loose fruit such as apples, pears, kiwis and nectarines at speeds up to 60 packs per minute. The newly launched K101S servo machine increases output to up to 80 packs per minute and this model is already sleeving fruit in Italy.
The pack comprises of a cardboard tray which is filled with loose fruit in either 4, 6 or 8 product count formats. The filled tray then arrives at random to the K101’s infeed where it is timed into the machine and inserted into a pre-glued cardboard sleeve, which is taken from the machine’s hopper by a servo driven rotary feeder.
Speedy and toolless size changes are an important requirement of packers in Europe who may change pack formats several times per day. The K101 can be size changed in around 5 minutes without the need for tools are costly change parts.
The story began in The Netherlands where Keymac received its first order from a large apple grower. Further orders followed quickly from other customers in The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and France who successfully promoted the concept of loose fruit packed in cardboard packs rather than in PET trays or polythene bags to their large supermarket clients and is gaining interest right here in Australia
This entry into the plastic free produce market has been boosted by its upcoming feature and showcase at Foodpro Sydney July 25-28 on the Select Equip Stand E28.
Select Equip are the exclusive distributors of Keymac in Australia and will be showcasing not only Keymac, but a variety of sustainable food packaging solutions at Foodpro.