METPACK to 'shape' can packaging

As the country in which Coca-Cola tested its contour-shaped beverage can, Germany is the logical place for canmakers and users to explore new technologies in manufacturing and decorating of steel and aluminum food and beverage cans. That's why METPACK '96, scheduled for May 7 to 11 in Essen, Germany, will be the place to be for canmakers and canners. The exposition is sponsored by Messe Essen (Essen, Germany). Some 150 exhibitors, covering six exhibit halls, will display machinery and materials for the food and beverage cans of tomorrow. The first METPACK, held in '93, used four exhibition halls. The first METPACK Congress will be held May 8 and 9, organized by Packaging Strategies (West Chester, PA). The keynote speaker is William J. Avery, president of Crown Cork & Seal (Philadelphia, PA). In addition, the exhibition sponsor will this year present the first Innovation Award. Packaging diversification Following the keynote address on Wednesday, May 8, Mark Niemiec, vice president of packaging, Campbell Soup Co., Camden, NJ, will present Food Can Advances. Rounding out the program that day will be a panel of metal can packagers sharing their views on Metal Containers in the Marketplace: Herman van den Bergh, of Heineken Intl. Beheer B.V., Fritz Jost, Nestl, and Michael Smither, H. J. Heinz Co. On Thursday, May 9, Matthias Miranda, Continental Can Europe, discusses Reinventing the Beverage Can. John Tidlow, Resource Strategies, will explore Aluminum vs Steel. The general session will conclude with a provocative presentation by Kazuhiro Satoh Toyo Seikan: The Can: It Doesn't have to be Round Anymore or Even All-Metal. Two concurrent program tracks discuss new products. In Track 1, F. Lansdale Herbert, Service Tool, presents Higher Production from Existing Equipment. Gilbert de Guerry of Sollac will discuss Lightweight Steels for Packaging, and Roger Marcel Soler, Kramer Group, will cover Seamer Technology. Track 2 opens with a presentation on Ultra-Lightweight Aerosol Cans from George Diamond, Dispensing Containers Corp. Chris Southworth of Crabtree of Gateshead will reveal A New Body Blank Printer, and Jakob Guyer of Soudronic AG will explain New Generation Electric Can Body Welders. Registration for the Congress is $550. Much like '93, attendees of METPACK often stay on to visit interpack 96 in Dsseldorf, and vice versa. Shuttle buses provide transportation between the two fairgrounds, which are about 30 minutes apart. U.S. Exhibitors The following is a list as of Feb. 13 of METPACK '96 exhibitors from the U.S. or those that market in the U.S.: Alcoa Packaging Equipment, Randolph Machinery Apex Tool Works Automated Containers Sales BASF Buhrke Tech Intl. CarnaudMetalbox Eng. CMC Container Machinery Corp. Container Tooling Corp. Courtaulds Coatings Dainippon Inks & Coatings Dayton Reliable Tool Dayton Systems Group Epic Products Intl. Corp. Fleetwood Systems GAI Systems ICI Packaging Coatings Independent Tool & Die INX International Ink Co. Kellogg Gould Marketing Lempco Industries Littell Inc. LTG Technologies LumenX Meltog Ltd. Nordson Oberg Industries Pactra Preferred Machining Corp. Pressco Technology Rigidized Metals Hans Rychiger Service Tool Intl. Simplimatic Eng. Soudronic Sun Chemical Tipp Machine & Tool TMT Till Machine & Tool Universal Die & Stampings Vista Metals, Inc. Willett