PMMI : Predicting 7% Growth In US Packaging Machinery Sales

Arlington, VA -- The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) predicts a 7% growth in packaging machinery sales in the United States to an estimated $5.91 billion. PMMI's U.S. Purchasing Plans Study represents the collective voice of 453 decision makers responsible for 7,005 packaging lines in 1,213 plants throughout all key segments of the U.S. market.

The predicted increase follows three consecutive years of growth following the economic downturn experienced in 2001.

"End users are telling PMMI that they are confident and optimistic about their business," notes Charles D. Yuska, PMMI president. "This optimism is expressed through their capital expenditure budgets where we have seen increases in planned expenditures across all eight defined market segments that we study."

While much of the confidence and optimism fueling this remarkably higher rate of spending is tied directly to increased corporate sales and profits as well as to the sustained growth of the U.S. economy, this year's rise is also being propelled by a catalyst whose presence has just recently begun to emerge - a distinct improvement in rates of capacity utilization throughout much of the market.

The largest increase in spending is predicted to come from the pharmaceutical and medical segment (11-13) followed by beverages (9-11%), personal care products (7-9%,), food (6-8%) and converters, printers all other (3-5%). The study indicates that 67% of the respondents plan to either increase their spending or keep expenditures at their 2004 level.

Macroeconomic Assumptions

The assessment of prospects for the U.S. economy and capital spending in 2005 are based largely on an analysis of several groups of economic data in combination with the current consensus of economic forecasts. To that end, the projections reflect the following macroeconomic assumptions....

Read the full story online, PMMI Survey Article

Source: http://www.pmmi.org/

CPM : Acquires Assets of Pellet Mill Outfitters

WATERLOO, Iowa -- CPM has acquired the assets of Pellet Mill Outfitters, LLC (PMO) of Commerce City, Colorado. The acquisition adds PMO innovations to the CPM product line, and a former engineer and a former division manager return to the CPM staff.

PMO, a manufacturer of after-market parts for pellet mills, sold replacement parts and peripheral equipment such as the "Quick Release" feed chute, "Enforcer" force feeder, and "Infusion" conditioner. Former CPM engineer Kelsey Thom and former CPM business unit manager Derrald Houston founded PMO as TDM Design, Inc. in 2000. Both have returned to CPM; Thom will play a key role in the engineering department and Houston will serve as sales representative in the Rocky Mountain area.

"We value Thom and Houston for their ideas and solutions they created for their customers," said Ted Waitman, president of CPM. "We are pleased to have them rejoin our team and to incorporate the strength of their product line into ours."

"We look forward to re-joining the CPM family of companies and continuing our approach to building customer support and loyalty by offering effective products and services second to none in the industry," said Derrald Houston. "Utilizing CPM's strength to introduce and support new product technology will create a win-win situation for the market."

"We will continue to serve our customers well with the manufacturing strength of CPM building our most successful products," said Kelsey Thom, "In my new position at CPM, I will continue to enjoy direct contact with customers."

Under the California Pellet Mill, Roskamp Champion, and Beta Raven brands, CPM is the world's leading manufacturer and designer of pelleting, particle size reduction, and automation systems for the animal feed milling and oilseed processing industries. The company operates plants in Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ireland, The Netherlands, China and Singapore.

For more information, contact:
CPM Roskamp Champion
Telephone: 800-366-2563
Website: www.cpmroskamp.com

IBC's : New Brochure Showcases Dry Material Handling Solutions

ALPHARETTA, GA -- Hoover Materials Handling Group, Inc. has introduced a new brochure that details the companies complete Dry Material Handling product line. This comprehensive 12-page brochure features dry handling packaging solutions for containing, controlling and managing flowable solids.

The line includes:
• Intermediate Bulk Containers (“IBCs)/Bins in a variety of capacities and designs including exposed and enclosed hopper-bottoms and cone-top bins. IBCs are available in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum and polyethylene.
• High performance Fill and Discharge Stations designed to provide superior material delivery and proper filling and dispensing.
• Weigh Stations allowing accurate filling of flowable solid material.
• Tumble Blenders providing accurate and efficient blending while virtually eliminating any dusting, spillage, or unnecessary cleaning by allowing the blending process to take place in a closed circuit container.
• Lifts to move and precisely place full containers used for dispensing, filling, or storage of any flowable powder or solid.
• Automatic or semi-automatic wash stations to clean empty bins inside and out, preparing bins for reuse.

To request a new brochure, visit http://www.hooversolutions.com/dry/request_info.php

About Hoover Materials Handling Group, Inc.
Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Hoover Materials Handling Group, Inc. (“Hoover”) has nearly 60 years of experience as North America's premier manufacturer of Intermediate Bulk Containers (“IBCs”), spare parts and accessories. Hoover’s IBCs are manufactured in an ISO 9001:2000 facility and meet the highest quality standards in the industry.

For more information, contact Hoover at 888-923-5678 or visit online

Wilmington, NC -- The Se San Hydropower Project is an impressive and large project that requires many innovative ideas with machinery to build the dam. One of the most advanced engineering uses in the project is the Rulmeca motorized pulley, which are installed in 50m long conveyors hanging on large free-swinging cranes.

Thanks to the compact, powerful and reliable design of Rulmeca motorized pulleys; the conveyor construction can be developed as light as possible. There are no torsional stresses because the Rulmeca motorized pulleys are centrally located between the conveyor frames. The use of Rulmeca motorized pulleys give the free-swinging conveyors excellent balance.

To provide the balance and give maximum power, the conveyors are equipped with Rulmeca dual drive types 800M with 37 kW output. These are also considerably less overall weight than a conventional external gear and motor arrangement. Rulmeca motorized pulleys enable this kind of conveyor design to haul 1400 t/h of concrete.

Rulmeca Motorized Pulley diameters range from 8.5" to 31.5" with powers from 0.5 to 180 HP. Maintenance is minimal, requiring an oil change only every 10,000 operating hours or five years of single shift operation.

For more information contact:
Mr. Mike Gawinski
Rulmeca Corporation
6740-E Netherlands Drive
Wilmington, NC 28405
Telephone: 910-794-9294
Web site: http://www.rulmecacorp.com

I

New at-line Particle Size Analyzer Package Malvern Instruments has introduced a new at-line particle size analyzer package for dry powder processes.

New Fluidized Bed Jet Mill
The fluidized bed jet mills of the CGS series, for the highest level of fineness at optimal efficiency, are now available in additional sizes.

Robots Offer Fast Efficient Rice Bag Palletizing Columbia/Okura robotic palletizers can be configured to provide high-speed, efficient stacking of a variety of bag types used to package and ship rice.

More headline news...

People post their requests for help and offer their suggestions to others in our open forum.

Mr. Callinan wants really dry calcium carbonate:

What is the best way to dry calcium carbonate powder from 0.5% weight moisture to 0.05% weight moisture ?

I also need it to be no greater than 40 degrees Celsius before being used in a downstream process. I am also aware that it needs to be sealed while it is stored otherwise it will take up moisture from the atmosphere.

We use 3000kg of powder per day. I would also like to extend the process to dry titanium dioxide powder as well. Is a vacuum dryer the best method ?
to post reply, click here)

Thank you,
Tim Callinan
Bostik Australia
tim.callinan@bostik.com

Mr. Hilbert wants pneumatically convey shredded carpet:

Has anyone experienced the pneumatic conveying of shredded carpets (no backing) in a fan conveying system?  Product is expected to be all minus 1.5" and weigh approximately 3 pounds per cubic foot.

Interested in hearing any experiences with specific interest in air to material ratios, conveying velocities, pressure drop, etc.
 (to post reply, click here)

Regards,
Jack Hilbert
Pneumatic Conveying Consultants
pcchilbert@entermail.net

Click here to share your expertise with others in our Help Forum.

Seeking West Coast Manufacturer Representative

Hoover Materials Handling Group, Inc.'s Dry Products Division is seeking a qualified manufacturer representative in California, Oregon and Washington. The ideal organization currently sells complimentary product lines and is looking to expand its product offering.

Hoover's Dry Products Division offers a complete line of Intermediate Bulk Containers ("IBCs") and associated equipment engineered to contain, control and manage flowable solids. Products offered include: metal and polyethylene hopper-bottom bins, fill and discharge stations, cleaning stations, weigh stations, tumble blenders, lifts and dumps.

Interested parties should contact Doug Silverman, General Manager, at 678-228-3108 or dsilverman@hooveribcs.com

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Pneumatic Conveying Design Guide
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Hardcover, 650 pages, December 2003

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Agglomeration Processes : Phenomena, Technologies, Equipment
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This weeks photo is a Columbia/Okura robotic palletizer that can be configured to provide high-speed stacking of a variety of bag types used in packaging and shipping of rice. The unit can handle 24 bags per minute, weighing from 10 to 50 kgs each.

Photo courtesy of Tim Goode of Columbia/Okura LLC.

Send us your photos:  We would love to have your photo of a bulk materials process, packaging, conveying or handling "action shot" for our home page.  Send your photograph and description to: news@powderandbulk.com