Lassonde´s - Filling & Packaging Blog

BPM: Business Process Management And Six Sigma

2006-10-03T21:26:00.000+02:00

Business Processes: Business Process Management And Six Sigma

Six Sigma was devised to incorporate continuous improvement in the industry procedures through its methodological systems of identifying faults and correcting them. In short, it minimizes the number of errors that may occur while a task is being performed. This is achieved by way of daily scrutiny of the process and sharpening the techniques used therein. Initially, Six Sigma was implemented only in the manufacturing stream but eventually moved on to other fields where it has proved its mettle.

However, with advancing technology and increasing complexity of situations faced each day mere Six Sigma implementation is not enough. This is where the Business Process Management gets integrated with Six Sigma to create a better performance-enhancing tool.

BPM
Business Process Management are those set of activities, which are undertaken by a corporation to either better the current processes or alter them to suit new age requirements. This phenomenon supports and modifies the company's processes and gives them useful management strategies, models the data flow, manages people, resources and systems at any given time.

Reason For The Merger
The coming together of BPM and 6-Sigma was initiated since what one lacked the other could provide, thereby leading to a better approach towards analysis, understanding and improvising business techniques. For instance, 6-Sigma lacks the ability to collect large amounts of data, which is instantly provided for by BPM. Likewise, BPM is deficient in analytical tools to solve a difficult and complex business crisis and needs Six Sigma methodology to intervene.

Usefulness Of The Union
Integrating Six Sigma and BPM has led to expansion of a corporation's scope of functionality and its service quality. The following points explain the changes occurring due to the collaboration.
It helps in processing long-term performance results of the organization since there is a considerable amount of reduction in the number of errors and useless inventory, which in turn eliminates customer dissatisfaction. The entire value chains of the institution are illustrated in a better and detailed manner, understood in depth and managed properly. Both the processes together give near perfect estimations, which aid in altering business policies if required and also bring about necessary changes in management procedures that enhance performance levels. As Six Sigma fails to effectively control business processes and most of the time relies on the manual methods and control mechanism, which hampers performance initiatives greatly.

BPM involvement aids the controlling process and terminates the drawback instantly. Since 6-Sigma cannot gather the extensive data required for any research and policy implementation, BPM fills in for this lapse by enhancing the projects by accelerating the collection and distribution of critical data. The product design is improved due to combine application of BPM and Six Sigma. Such companies are at a better advantage of creating a superior product right at the inception time. Initializing physical, feature wise market growth is possible by focusing on customer expectations and undertaking surveys since BPM is apt at supplying buying patterns and customer attitude records. Punching Six Sigma data into the BPM system is much faster and more precise.

The Historical Background of Human Resource Management

2006-08-23T07:14:00.000+02:00

The Historical Background of Human Resource Management
by Kaizenlog

Well, this one is a quite interesting post, going a bit into the history of human resource management.

Human resource management has changed in name various times throughout history. The name change was mainly due to the change in social and economic activities throughout history.

Industrial Welfare

Industrial welfare was the first form of human resource management (HRM). In 1833 the factories act stated that there should be male factory inspectors. In 1878 legislation was passed to regulate the hours of work for children and women by having a 60 hour week.

During this time trade unions started to be formed. In 1868 the 1st trade union conference was held. This was the start of collective bargaining. In 1913 the number of industrial welfare workers had grown so a conference organized by Seebohm Rowntree was held.

The welfare workers association was formed later changed to Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Recruitment and Selection

It all started when Mary Wood was asked to start engaging girls during the 1st world war. In the 1st world war personnel development increased due to government initiatives to encourage the best use of people.

In 1916 it became compulsory to have a welfare worker in explosive factories and was encouraged in munitions factories. A lot of work was done in this field by the army forces.
The armed forces focused on how to test abilities and IQ along with other research in human factors at work.

In 1921 the national institute of psychologists established and published results of studies on selection tests, interviewing techniques and training methods.

Acquisition of other Personnel Activities

During the 2nd world war the focus was on recruitment and selection and later on training; improving morale and motivation; discipline; health and safety; joint consultation and wage policies.

This meant that a personnel department had to be established with trained staff.

Industrial Relations

Consultation between management and the workforce spread during the war. This meant that personnel departments became responsible for its organization and administration.

Health and safety and the need for specialists became the focus. The need for specialists to deal with industrial relations was recognized so that the personnel manager became as spokesman for the organization when discussions where held with trade unions/shop stewards.

In the 1970's industrial relations was very important. The heated climate during this period reinforced the importance of a specialist role in industrial relations negotiation.

The personnel manager had the authority to negotiate deals about pay and other collective issues.

Legislation

In the 1970's employment legislation increased and the personnel function took the role of the specialist advisor ensuring that managers do not violate the law and that cases did not end up in industrial tribunals.

Flexibility and Diversity

In the 1990's a major trend emerged where employers were seeking increasing flexible arrangements in the hours worked by employees due to an increase in number of part-time and temporary contracts and the invention of distance working.

The workforce and patterns of work are becoming diverse in which traditional recruitment practices are useless.

In the year 2000, growth in the use of internet meant a move to a 24/7 society. This created new jobs in e-commerce while jobs were lost in traditional areas like shops. This meant an increased potential for employees to work from home.

Organizations need to think strategically about the issues these developments raise. HRM managers role will change as changes occur.

Information Technology

Some systems where IT helps HRM are:

- Systems for e-recruitment; - On-line short-listing of applicants; - Developing training strategies on-line; - Psychometric training; - Payroll systems; - Employment data; - Recruitment administration; - References; - Pre-employment checks.

IT helps HR managers offload routine tasks which will give them more time in solving complex tasks. IT also ensures that a greater amount of information is available to make decisions.

Our guest blogger Kaizenlog writes articles on various topics. More articles are available at: http://kaizenlog.blogsome.com

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Switch - Update to Lassondes Filling and Packaging Blog

2006-07-06T22:28:00.000+02:00

Switch - Update to Lassondes Filling and Packaging Blog

Dears,
I´ve just updated some basic settings to my filling and packaging blog that should make it even more suitable and informative. Also some errors in time settings and others have been rectified in order to make it an informative and reliable information source for latest news, events, product reviews and articles for the packaging, food and beverage industry!
All the Best,
Lassonde

Food and Beverage Labelling: Labeling seminar outlines anticipated FDA changes

2006-07-03T19:34:00.000+02:00

Food and Beverage Labelling:
Labeling seminar outlines anticipated FDA changes

Changes to the labeling requirements of calorie content, trans fats and portion sizes are among the issues being considered by the US Food and Drug Administration, according to a recent food labeling seminar.

Organized by the Food Institute and law firm Olsson, Frank and Weeda (OFW), last week's seminar reviewed a number of changes to labelling requirements currently under consideration by the FDA.

“During the seminar we looked at the basic mandatory information on labels currently required by the FDA and USDA, together with what we should anticipate coming within the next 6-12 months,” said Robert Hahn, principle attorney at OFW.

These anticipated changes include a revision of the nutrition facts panel on food labels to emphasize a product's calorie content.

Proposals currently under consideration include increasing the font size of the calorie listing on labels, as well as no longer requiring the ‘calories from fat' listing, as this could detract from the calorie declaration.

According to Hahn, the FDA is also considering allowing a health claim for reduced calorie foods saying that these help reduce the risk of obesity and related diseases.

The FDA may also adjust the way serving sizes are labeled, in an effort to increase people's awareness of how much they eat. Proposals for changes include increasing the font size as well as revising reference amounts for serving sizes based on more recent consumption data.

However, according to Hahn, this remains a controversial issue as it raises the concern that it could promote higher levels of consumption.

Another issue on the FDA's agenda is the clarification of trans fats labeling. This could include setting a daily value percentage for trans fats. This column on product labels has so far remained blank because of a lack of scientific information, said Hahn.

“The footnote considered in the past, which states that intake of trans fats should be as low as possible is also still on the table,” Hahn told FoodNavigator-USA.com, adding that the FDA is also considering harmonizing the nation's 0g trans fats requirements with those of Canada.

Currently US law allows food products with anything up to half a gram of trans fats per serving to carry a ‘0g trans fat' claim. However, Canada is more stringent with the level of ‘undeclared' trans fats permitted, placing these at 0.2g, which means that manufacturers may be faced with more reformulating if they want to continue making a 0g claim.

Other issues being considered by the FDA include defining ‘gluten free', as well as defining ‘low carb' and ‘reduced carb' claims, which, according to Hahn is “closing the barn door after the horse is already out.”

The FDA is also due to issue guidance on the unintentional presence of allergens in food and beverage products, as well as reconsider the regulatory framework for qualified health claims and the permitted levels of lead in candy, said Hahn.

For more information on the labeling seminar, click here.

Increase in the Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry Sector

2006-06-02T10:06:00.000+02:00

Substantial Increase in the Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry Sector

Here we go! Today we´ve learned that the pharmaceutical packaging market is suspected to grow by around 7% this year in the US market only. And worldwide growth seems to come up with similar figures.

The rising demand for pharmaceutical packaging takes - focussing on the US packaging market only - from 7.9 billion US Dollar in 2005 to estimated 11 billion US Dollar per year until 2010.

Analysts that I´ve talked to recently say, that the strongest influence in this growth will come from new regulations and standards for patient drug complience, drug dispensing errors and drug countereiting and diversion.

Strongest growth is expected to come in blister packaging. Also plastic bottles with their lightweight, versability and vast package design improvements are likely to grow more than other kinds of pharmaceutical packaging.

Prefillable inhalers and syrings will also have fast growth potential. In the field of packaging seals and bottle or package caps and closures the market for child-resistant and senior friendly dispensing closures is likely to grow.

It is to be expected that this growth may continue within the EU (European Union) as well, as standards and market damands are going to be tightend and increased there as well.

Please feel free give us your thoughts about this development in the pharmaceutical packaging market and the opportunities you can see within it.

Beverage and Packaging Industry -- Aseptic Filling on the Run!

2006-06-01T22:07:00.000+02:00

Beverage and Packaging Industry
Aseptic Filling on the Run

Aseptic Filling, especially cold aseptic filling seems to be the big boom within this and next year. Major suppliers of aseptic filling systems are now being challenged to supply new advanced technology in order to stay competetive.

New developments have been made within the recent 3 years in the field of aseptic cold filling. Quite obviously the most important one had been the new PET or HDPE bottle sterilization system offered by the world wide operating German company KHS.

The new system is operating with dry sterilization. This means absolutely no rinse water is required in order to perfectly sterilize the bottles prior to filling. The system is using H2O2 which is being infiltrated into the bottles and then being activated and removed immediately afterwards by means of warm sterile air. Not a single drop of water or peracetic acid is being used within the process.

An interesting issue which we would like to discuss at this point. If you come out of the packaging or bevarage industry sector and would like to leave any comments on the subject that might be valueable for the discussion, you´re invited to do so.

Calls for Green Packaging in China to Protect the Environment - Packaging Industry requested for Action!

2006-05-30T09:00:00.000+02:00

China is speeding it´s attempts to change from it´s bad ecology habits to a new thinking in order to improve protection of it´s environment. As China´s vice premier minister neg Peiyan commented during the launch of the recent World Packaging Conference on 10th April 2006. China has begun to work to develop "green packaging" as a part of it´s efforts to build an environmentally friendly society.

Refering to the vast growth of industry and commerce and the corresponding rapid grow of packaging material waste in China, Peiyan said that the huge increase in packaging waste has become not only a Chinese but a worldwide problem that deserves great attention. Rightful he is!

The vice premier minister added that China´s packaging industry is concerned about environmental protection and resource conservation. He called for additonal efforts to be made to promote green packaging by developing waste-recycling technologies and using biodegradable packaging materials.

China´s packaging industry has witnessed robust growth in recent years. According to statistics from the China Packaging Federation, the total packaging output was worth 50 billion US dollar last year, with a year to year growth of more than 20%.

"A challenge to Chinese but also international packaging innovators is to create efficient packaging with the consumption of less energy and less resources and less waste and environmental damage after use", Alexis Stassinopoulos, president of the World Packaging Organization, said at the conference.

Stassinopoulos said the increasing consumption of convenience foods creates a corresponding demand for packaging materials. He said, if we´re going on to waste our limited resources for simple use of packaging goods of whatever kind, our generation will be blamed for destroying resources and environment from generations to come soon after us.

It is estimated that 25 billion pizza boxes were sold all over the world last year, Stassinopoulos said on the packaging conference. "I should also mention packaging from McDonald´s or Kentucky Fried Chicken, which are becoming more and more popular in China" he added.

Do you think the packaging material waste can be reduced within the near future? Is it just to waste natural resources for the simple purpose of packaging? Will the packaging industry be able to develop more intelligent packaging solutions in order to protect both, resources and environment? Please leave your comments.

Alcoa Packaging and Graham Packaging Announce Preferred Partnership Agreement

2006-05-27T14:18:00.000+02:00

Alcoa Packaging and Graham Packaging Announce Preferred Partnership Agreement

Alcoa Packaging, a business unit of Alcoa Packaging & Consumer a manufacturer of printed flexible packaging and custom thermoforming, has announced the formation of a preferred partnership agreement with Graham Packaging, manufacturer of customized blow molded plastic containers based in Pennsylvania.

Through the preferred partnership agreement, both firms can provide total container solutions to their customers as the complementary capabilities of Alcoa Packaging's award-winning printed shrink sleeve labels are combined with those of Graham Packaging's blown containers for the branded food and beverage, household, specialty, and automotive markets. Now both firms, with co-promotional sales, marketing and service teams, can move customers from concept to market with containers and flexible packaging solutions that will increase shelf visibility, brand awareness and functionality.

"We are pleased to offer our industry-leading shrink sleeve capabilities with the full product line of one of North America's largest and innovative container manufacturers, Graham Packaging. This partnership agreement creates the opportunity for market growth and new market entry for the benefit of our customers. Now, customers of both Alcoa and Graham can benefit by having one source to turn to for innovative packaging and branding solutions," stated Bimal Kalvani, president, Alcoa Packaging.

"The pairing of our respective companies' capabilities provides consumer goods manufacturers a complete, bundled packaging solution from the design stage to final product supply," remarked Mark Leiden, Vice President Global Marketing, Graham Packaging. "Providing trained sales and service personnel from both firms to support these product lines increases our customers' ease of obtaining uniquely designed, customized containers with high print quality shrink sleeves that will grab the consumers' attention as they shop the crowded retail aisles."

Alcoa Packaging is a proven leader in the printed shrink label industry, providing design services and up to 10 color rotogravure and flexographic printing on a variety of shrink sleeve substrates, superior on-site technical service and management of inventory logistics for multiple account locations with limited turnaround time. Alcoa Packaging continues to be innovative with its shrink sleeve label offerings by continually reviewing new substrates and printing and ink technologies that provide optimum performance.

Graham Packaging utilizes state-of-the-art technology to provide customized packages that are innovative and unique. Graham designers utilize the latest CAD systems and software to develop renderings, drawings, and volumetrically-correct 3-D computer models. Graham also provides complete prototyping support with models, castings, molds, and sample containers from its own R&D laboratories. Graham's technologists choose the latest molding systems available for package production. Graham is also a world leader in customized package manufacturing. Graham prides itself on developing innovative manufacturing arrangements that integrate uniquely with customers' filling operations. This provides Graham's customers with the ultimate in service, quality, and lowest total systems cost.

Details on the preferred partner agreement were not disclosed.
We´ll follow up on this item. What are your thoughts? Comments welcome.

FlexLink Systems acquires TOPS Conveyor Systems in Canada.

2006-05-26T13:00:00.000+02:00

Flex Link Systems is acquiring TOPS Conveyor Systems in Canada.

Some news out of the world of the packaging industry. There has been an agreement reached in between FlexLink and TOPS Conveyor Systems, Inc., of Burlington, Ontario, covering the acquisition by FlexLink of all shares effective as from May 31. The new conveying systems company will operate under the name FlexLink Systems Canada, Inc. TOPS Conveyor Systems company presently employs 30 people and had a net sales turnover of $8.2 million Canadian Dollars in the year 2005.

TOPS is the leading local conveyor system supplier in Canada. The company provides solid knowledge in general application technology and has a well developed and serviced customer base. For the moment, the acquisition is still subject to approval by the authorities, but this seems only to be a question of time.

Any feedback or background information on the subject is welcome.

New Generation of Labelling Machines offers maximum future-proofing

2006-05-26T11:15:00.000+02:00

The new generation of labeling machines offers maximum future-proofing.

The new generation of KHS Innoket SE labelling machines offers a maximum on future proof labelling technology. The image that attracts the most attention is one that always awakens the consumer's interest in the product. It must be target-group-orientated, demonstrate quality and, finally, it should tempt the customer to take the opportunity to buy.

If the label dressing does not provide what the bottlers or packers advertising message repeatedly promises the consumer, investment in the brand will only fizzle out all too quickly. Consequently, the packaging as well as the label must live up to consumer expectations at the point of sale - but whether this causes consumers to reach for brand-name products depends to a great extent on their presentation.

I think, the new labeller is a good step forward.

SIG Corpoplast - Fourth BLOMAX 24 Series III for US converter

2005-09-28T13:01:00.000+02:00

Fourth BLOMAX 24 Series III for US converter

With a total production of about 4,500 million bottles per year, Western Container Corporation (WCC), headquartered in Midland, Texas, is one of the biggest converters for Coca-Cola in the United States. Three additional BLOMAX 24 Series III will now expand WCC's capacities even further.

The Coca-Cola bottle producer Western Container Corporation recently ordered three further BLOMAX 24 Series III for its Big Spring plant in Texas, which will increase its production capacity on BLOMAX machines to 180 cavities. Very satisfied with the first Corpoplast machine bought in 1998 - especially because of the lower cost of production of the bottles - Western Container had already placed several subsequent orders, among others for a high-performance machine for smaller bottles (BLOMAX 16 D) and a BLOMAX 20 Series III.

At the K'2004, the Texan converter then bought one of the first BLOMAX 24 Series III, which was also the 1000th BLOMAX machine to be sold. The SIG Corpoplast service engineers boosted the output of this machine to 1,800 bph per station for a 20 oz (= 591 ml) bottle and Western Container has now ordered three additional BLOMAX 24 Series III with this performance.

In addition to the superior energy efficiency and the high machine availability, it was mainly the excellent service provided by SIG Corpoplast that contributed to this latest decision by Western Container. WCC is particularly enthusiastic about the excellent service from the local SIG team in nearby Plano, Texas.

As an innovative company, Western Container likes to tread new paths and therefore very much appreciates the openness of SIG Corpoplast to new ideas and the professionalism of their technical implementation. For example, SIG Corpoplast incorporated an online monitoring system into the machines for WCC which permits monitoring the bottle quality with camera measuring heads. All blow moulds have been equipped in such a way that they can be used on the BLOMAX machines as well as on machines of other manufacturers.

The business concept of a converter such as Big Spring can only stand the test of time when the efficiency of the entire line is optimised. With this in mind, the BLOMAX machines of the Series III are designed to create optimum conditions for downstream equipment such as high-performance palletisers to meet this objective.

SIG is a global supplier of packaging material, plant systems and services for the beverage industry and a leader in selected markets.

The SIG Beverages Division is an internationally leading manufacturer of plant systems for the production of plastic packaging as well as complete solutions for the beverage industry.

SIG Corpoplast is an internationally leading supplier with 30 years of experience in the design, construction, sales and servicing of machines and systems for producing PET bottles. The machine range comprises stretch blow molding machines of the BLOMAX Series III with outputs of more than 40,000 PET bottles per hour and PLASMAX coating machines for enhanced barrier properties, improved quality and longer shelf life of sensitive drinks in PET bottles.

With its 6,671 employees, the SIG group generated sales of about 1.7 billion euro in the fiscal year 2004.

If you have made any experience with SIG Blow Moulders, feel free to comment.

SIG Combibloc - Premium for Paquito

2005-09-28T13:00:00.000+02:00

Premium for Paquito

"Paquito" brand premium fruit juices are now conquering the French market with a new design relaunch: the Antarctic company has migrated its fruity product range from the gable top package to the aseptic combiblocPremium (1,000 ml) carton fitted with the combiTwist screw cap.

The transition process was preceded by an intense market research phase during which the 1,000 ml volume combiblocPremium carton achieved better consumer response compared to the gable top variant. Moreover, the high satisfaction level at Antarctic with three already successfully commissioned combibloc filling machines was a key factor in the decision process to migrate to this modern packaging system from SIG Combibloc.

Full of energy
Antarctic is part of Intermarché, a retail chain that operates 4,000 outlets across Europe and has a manpower strength of some 112,000 employees. Annual turnover stands at around 38.4 billion euros. In addition to the points of sale, Intermarché operates more than 40 facilities producing fruit juices, milk, mineral water, ice cream, fresh and deep-frozen finished products, fish, meat products and canned items. Antarctic is one of those many operations and produces 80 million litres of juice annually. The company not only fills fruit juices, but also cereal-based products.

Neue Etikettiermaschine von KHS

2005-07-01T10:24:00.000+02:00

KHS hat eine neue Etikettiermaschinen-Serie - KL 2000 entworfen. Hat jemand schon Erfahrungen mit diesem Typ Etikettiermaschine gemacht?