Welch's fills challenge of small plastic bottle: polypropylene 10-ounce bottles are selling well, but required a lot of adjustments on lines that had been used for glass - Welch Foods

Food & Drug Packaging, May, 2003 by Pan Demetrakakes

Alcoa Closure Systems international

800-311-2740; www.alcoacsi.com

Ambec Inc.

434-582-1200; www.ambec.com

The Arpac Group

847-678-9045; www.thearpacgroup.com

Bemis Co,

812-460-6279; www.bemis.com

Exopack LLC

877-447-3539; www.exopack.com

Fleetwood dlv. of Barry-Wehmiller

630-759-6800; www.fleetinc.com

Hartness International Inc.

864-297-1200; www.hartness.com

Henkel Adhesives

847-468-9200; www.henkel.com

Imaje USA

770-421-7700;

www.imajeamericas.com

Klsters Kayat Inc,

800-765-2928; www.kkiusa.com

Lantech Inc.

800-866-0322; www.lantech.com

Pechiney Plastic Packaging

330-923-5281; www.pechiney.com

Stork Food and Dairy Systems

770-535-1875; www.stork-usa.com

SWF Companies

800-344-8951;

www.swfcompanies.com

Walle Corp.

504-734-8000; www.walle.com

RELATED ARTICLE: Westfield keeps labor gap under wraps.

Last the Welch Foods facility in Westfield, N.Y., was caught between a host and a hard place.

Bad weather and a resultant poor grape crop had left the plant, which processes concentrate and other basic ingredients from grapes, with not enough work for its staff. Due to union obligations, layoffs were not an option.

But an abundant harvest of new 10ounce polypropylene bottles filled the gap. The bottles, processed about 14 miles away at the Welch's plant in North East, Pa., needed to be shrink wrapped.

"It made sense to bring [shrink wrapping] in here to keep the Westfield employees gainfully working," says Gordon Conklin. operations manager of the Westfield plant.

Decorative shrink wrap is used on both six-packs and club-Stare 24-packs. The film, supplied by the Bemis Co. and Exopack LLC, lends the multipacks a colorful shelf presence.

The trays of bottles are depalletized by hand and loaded onto a conveyor. For 24-bottle multipacks with more than one flavor, I short, portable conveyors are set up perpendicular to the main line, each one feeding a separate flavor. Workers drop the bottles Into the cases in the required order.

A shrink wrapper from The Arpac Group applies the film; it can wrap either six- or 24-packs, The six-packs are then bundled into a 24-pack case in clear overwrap by a Kisters Kayat wrapper.

"We're excited about the fact that the 10-ounce decorated product is growing; Conklin says. The future might bring more automation to the operation, including palletizing and line feeding.

RELATED ARTICLE: Welch's is juiced about market potential.

An interview with Ross Elkin, Welch Foods' vice president for marketing.

Q What are some of the significant trends in the juice business today?, Hew is Welch's dealing with these trends?

A New developments and an emphasis on nutritional considerations are two factors driving growth in juices. Juice is a category in which consumers want variety. They specifically look for different flavors to try. New blends, new fruit flavors, and new formulations create excitement. Packaging innovation also creates news and drives consumption. Welch's 10-ounce plastic bottle is an excellent example of this.

Nutritional considerations are growing in importance as consumers acknowledge the role diet and nutrition play in health. The potential health benefits of products like purple and white grape juices are compelling to consumers. Also of interest to them are products fortified with vitamins and minerals that consumers know are important.