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Multivac's MultiFresh skin packaging offers processors premium options using thermoforming of tray-sealing technology. 
 

FRANKFURT, Germany – In the sausage-centric city of Frankfurt, Multivac Inc. rolled out technology at IFFA (held May 4-9, 2016) to address the needs of today’s high-volume sausage and hot dog processors. The Multivac Centrifuge Feeder (MCF) is designed to be incorporated in sausage-packaging lines to increase efficiency while delicately handling products and sorting them without the need for traditional labor. Sausages or hot dogs are delivered to the feeder by a conveyor to a rotating centrifuge plate. The products are orientated at the outside edge of the plate by the centrifugal force and are taken up individually from the centrifuge ring. Designed for delicate products, a V conveyor transports them to another conveyor where they are aligned and prepared for the handling module. A gripper picks up a predetermined number of sausages and loads them into the specified packaging format. Compared to manually loaded lines, the hygienic MCF system reduces handling costs by up to 60 percent and is able to handle up to 600 pieces per minute, depending on the rotation speed of the centrifuge plate. “This is a very flexible solution,” said Matt Malott vice president of sales and marketing at Multivac US, “and it is suitable for single-layer and multi-layer packs with any number and orientation of sausages and hot dogs.”

In terms of packaging innovations at the show, Multivac is now able to offer processors of all sizes skin packaging solutions, with its MultiFresh packaging system, which has applications for processors using thermoforming or tray-sealing packaging.

Malott says many retailers in the European and UK markets have already converted their case-ready programs to skin packaging. “We believe MultiFresh skin packaging is the future in the US market,” Malott said. Products are enclosed by a second skin as the upper and lower web are sealed together without altering its shape or size. Malott pointed out that purge is virtually eliminated with the MultiFresh system due to “all-over” sealing, and offers easy opening on the corner of the package. The MultiFresh technology also works very well with bone-in products.

Multivac offers three MultiFresh thermoform packaging machine models, designed for processors of all sizes. Traysealing for MultiFresh is achieved by utilizing a specially designed die for any of the Multivac traysealers. This format change enables processors with the versatility to execute a quick changeover from standard tray packing to modified atmosphere packaging. Offering both the MultiFresh film and the machine solution is exciting for Multivac, according to Malott. Integral to the success of all skin packaging applications and products, Multivac offers a complete range of film gauges, colors and structures within their MultiFresh film program.

To address branding and labeling, skin packaged products often use cardboard sleeves or machine applied labels to carry the items’ primary product and nutritional information.

For more information, call (816) 891-0555 or visit www.us.mulitvac.com