Key Technology

Key Technology, a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group, will introduce its Compass optical sorter for nuts at PACK EXPO. The high-capacity system identifies and removes undesirable product defects and foreign material (FM) such as shells, shell fragments, rocks, and wood sticks. Compass reportedly helps nut processors protect food safety and achieve exact final product quality specifications, including color grading, while maximizing ease of operation and increasing profitability.

FlavorSum

FlavorSum, a North American flavor producer, has shared trend-driven insights to inspire food and beverage innovation pathways in 2025. In the two-part blog series, the FlavorSum team of flavorists, application specialists, and market analysts collaborated to review cultural and flavor trends anticipated to affect product development.  

Image courtesy of Pexels / Fauxels

ABM Equipment

ABM Equipment, a system design-build-integrator, has introduced a new Auto-Pulse Bag Dump Station designed to improve safety, efficiency, and cleanliness in batching, weighing, and blending systems. By reverse-pulsing the filter every time the lid is closed, the bag dump reportedly saves the operator a step, prolongs the life of the filter, and minimizes wasted product. As the demand for safer and more efficient processing solutions grows, ABM Equipment’s Bag Dump Stations are designed to offer significant benefits to industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. These stations are engineered to provide a clean, ergonomic, and user-friendly environment for operators.

Cimcorp

Cimcorp has announced a new collaboration with Penske Logistics (Penske) to enhance the third-party logistics (3PL) provider’s distribution capabilities in the bakery industry. Cimcorp will provide automated systems and software designed to optimize bakery order fulfillment, enabling Penske to improve processing volume, order accuracy, product freshness, and ROI for its customers. Seeking automated solutions to further enhance the supply chain for customers in the bakery industry, Penske selected Cimcorp for its decades of automation and industry expertise, along with its distribution technologies. 

Arla Foods Ingredients

Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a new concept for high-protein bars with a natural positioning. The new concept showcases Lacprodan SoftBar. The whey protein ingredient enables high levels of high-quality protein to be packed into snack bars while maintaining soft texture. In the Essentials Bar it is combined with dairy calcium ingredient Capolac, as well as dates and nuts. Designed to inspire cleaner-label alternatives to the complex lists found on many bars, the recipe contains only 10 ingredients, with no maltitol or added sugar.

Anritsu

Anritsu showcased its latest metal detectors, checkweighers, and X-ray systems at PACK EXPO, including its DualX+ model, designed to tackle a long-standing challenge for food manufacturers: detecting the smallest metal contaminants and low-density foreign material such as bone and stone. DualX technology uses both high- and low-energy X-ray signals, which Anritsu’s proprietary algorithms convert into clearer images, reportedly making it easier to detect low-density contaminants and reduce false rejects. The DualX+ model is for challenging applications, says the brand, like granola and products with highly uneven surfaces.

ECD

ECD today announced that its Baking Division has signed Comprehensive Process Solutions, LLC (CPS) as a partner representative for its thermal profiling portfolio. CPS, led by Owner and Principal Consultant Phillip Stringer, will support ECD baking sales throughout the U.S., effective immediately. ECD’s M.O.L.E. thermal profilers, now available in time-saving touchscreen models, provide precision data capture of thermal events for baked goods and bakery equipment.

EndFlex

EndFlex, an ATS Company, has launched its Boxxer Wrap Around Case Packer. The machine is designed to meet the evolving needs of the packaging industry. Wraparound case packers are used for their ability to provide a high level of protection and stability for packaged products, says the brand. They are particularly beneficial for industries that require secure and efficient packaging solutions.

JLS Automation

JLS Automation featured its packaging systems at PACK EXPO. The company’s integrated lines provide solutions from system design and simulation to machine selection, all the way through FAT testing and installation. A complete packaging system that demonstrated primary loading through case sealing was featured at the show with four scheduled demos. Demonstrating JLS’ cheese packaging capabilities, a Vemag Model HP-12 supplied by Reiser extruded portions of cheese, feeding JLS's hygienic Talon, which loaded the portions into a Variovac thermoformer.

Mettler Toledo

Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection has released its X52 Dual Energy x-ray inspection system to complete its X2 Series. The X52 is designed to meet the demands of challenging applications in packaged products. The X52’s proprietary software provides increased adaptability by seamlessly transitioning between single energy, dual energy or both modes, optimizing the performance of the system depending on the application.