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Food Processing News
News Release from: Sirane | Subject: Foodex
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 10 April 2008
Sirane sets out their stall at Foodex
Meatex 08
The premier UK packaging solutions company, Sirane, this week presents a comprehensive portfolio of new food packaging for visitors to the leading food show in the UK, Foodex Meatex
'Our approach to exhibitions is to lay out as much novel packaging as we can for the customer/visitor to play with,' says Simon Balderson, at Sirane 'And since Sirane is an innovations company - with 35% of our sales from products invented just this year - our task of selection will be a pleasure - not a problem!' Most of the product innovation at Sirane since the last Foodex Meatex show has been driven by the worldwide food sector, with successes all across the board; in seafood, soft fruit, stone fruit, meat, oven-ready, microwave-able packaging, extended shelf life packaging and other types and formats
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 18 Jun 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Sirane will travel direct to the NEC, Birmingham fresh from exhibiting its food packaging in the USA at the Tyson Foods HQ, Arizona.
The best Sirane US product line is currently its range of oven ready metalised trays and tray dividers.
'Presentation is key in packaging - and even more so in the US market.
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Our dividers give food companies so many more options in presenting ready meals and other cook-in options'.
The Sirane thermally-insulating, absorbent susceptor packaging is also new to the US - and is also making significant inroads into Europe in partnership with the Rustlers brand of burgers, made by Kepak.
The leading Sirane brands for these food packaging solutions - Cook-It, Crisp-It, and Roast-It will all be on display at the NEC.
It is, however, in the compostable packaging sector that Sirane, has made most headlines over the last six months: Balderson notes that environmental considerations continue to dominate discussion and development within the food packaging worlds.
'Much of this discussion has been aimed at aligning the material technology with the disposal infrastructure and there is still much confusion in this area: compostable packaging, recyclable packaging, packaging reduction and packaging re-use are all vying for priority and Sirane is working hard for customers in all these areas.
We expect that the market will settle on a combination of these solutions depending on the application involved and the availability of the necessary collection and disposal infrastructure'.
Compostable packaging has also benefited from a number of new materials - not least the new Sirane products from its Dri-Fresh Resolve family - and is enjoying very strong support from consumers and retailers.
'We launched compostable absorbent pads, fruit packaging, meat packaging and other products through 2007 and we were very pleased by the positive market response.
This is certainly a continuing trend for next year and beyond,' says Balderson.
'Recyclable packaging is also growing strongly with polyester as the clear winner due to the widespread existence of collection, separation and recycling infrastructure.
Next year will see more polyolefin recycling infrastructure and we expect to be asked to develop more polyethylene and polypropylene structures as a result,' he adds.
Balderson points out that although the development of recyclable and compostable packaging has been strong this year, it has not been the winner in terms of development demand for Sirane: 'This,' says he 'has undoubtedly been cook-in packaging which goes from strength to strength.
The concept of packing, shipping, retailing and cooking in the same pack has environmental benefits of course (it reduces the amount of packaging involved in the chain) and this fact has not been lost on the market'.
Balderson adds that 'not having to handle the food and the reduction in processing, cooking and cleaning time has clear benefits for busy consumers.
The quality of food packed directly into ovenable and microwaveable packaging has improved and the range has increased rapidly.
Packaging technology has kept pace with the development of new ovenable materials and structures, microwave susceptors, cool to touch packaging and ovenable absorbent packaging.
This latter area is critical for cook-in packaging because hot fat and liquid released during cooking can degrade the taste and texture of the food as well as pose a hazard for the consumer.
It can also be messy which is a particular problem for consumer packaging purchased to eat on the move.
At Sirane we have been leading the development of this technology: Our absorbent microwaveable and ovenable products are providing food processors and retailers with new options for product development and adding value to their range.
The level of innovation and enthusiasm from our customers in this area is astounding.
There is huge scope for growth and we are really excited by the prospects for next year and beyond.' Meantime, the Sirane range of compostable packaging is being adapted and developed for an ever lengthening list of food niche markets - in meat, seafood, vegetables and fruit.
Simon Balderson, director, explains that 'soft fruit has always been a big business, and with the trend to healthy eating and lifestyle, the market is rapidly growing: Retailers are looking for the highest value possible, therefore many new varieties of fruit are being grown and many new style of packs are now being marketed.
Yesterday's packaging solutions such as bubble wrap and loose paper and board packaging have all but disappeared from this sector, mainly because of the unsustainable losses through product damage and degradation.
New packaging solutions such as our Dri-Fresh Resolve absorbent cushioning fruit pad - fully compostable and competitive with alternative materials - are helping suppliers to extend shelf life and also guard against damage, discolouration and decay'.
Sirane Dri-Fresh Resolve fruit pad is targeted mainly on the berry and soft fruit sector - raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and so forth - and offers an exceptional absorbent presentation surface.
The compostable Sirane pad cushions the fruit, absorbing excess moisture or juice, therefore decreasing pack and product waste.
Sirane Dri-Fresh Resolve pad for meat has developed in a different way: Following three years of intensive development and a successful launch at the Pro2Pac Excel exhibition in March 2007, Sirane has now held several rounds of meetings with supermarket majors and with their meat packaging suppliers: The result, according to Director Simon Balderson is that 'we are confident that the bulk of the meat packaging sector will move to adopt our new compostable packaging'.
Significant orders have lately been placed by Continental meat packers and the Sirane meat packaging will therefore be finding its way into UK supermarkets by summertime.
Unlike traditional forms of packaging, the new Dri-Fresh Resolve packs - comprised of natural and renewable cellulose materials - have been designed to significantly improve pack and shelf-life performance and succeed in preventing early meat discolouration which, to date, has seen wastage figures of up to eight percent in the industry.
The extra cost of the pack is more than compensated by the savings made on finished product that had previously gone to waste,' says Balderson.
'In addition, all of the packaging and retail chain is enabled to do something of clear benefit to the environment as a whole - and with the credit shared.
The whole carbon footprint of the meat packaging sector will be lowered through adopting compostable materials,' he adds 'and much more so with the launch of our fully compostable meat pack later this year'.
Sirane technology director Ian Beardsall promises that 'our fully compostable meat pack will also set the benchmark for the industry in terms of its materials science.
We are, of course, grateful to supply environmental benefits into the bargain - but the Dri-Fresh Resolve complete meat pack design owes as much to Smart material technology as it does to the environment'.
By any standard the commercial growth and success of Sirane has been impressive.
The Telford-based business now employs some 90 people and has grown to a GBP7million plus turnover from a standing start in 2003.
'The business model we're using appears to be working!' says Simon Balderson, director.
'Our whole business ethic depends on doing whatever the customers want and whenever they want it by'.
Over the Easter break Sirane moved across Telford to a new purpose-built factory in Stafford Park.
The new Sirane factory will occupy some 40,000 sq ft and Balderson pledges that 'we are equipping it to the highest possible standards - aiming to make Sirane the safest and most hygienic food packaging company in Europe'.
New equipment will be sourced and new jobs created in order to meet the increasing Sirane order book.
The new Sirane facilties should be fully kitted out by the end of April 2008.
More than 100 new exhibitors have joined Foodex Meatex following the success of the 2006 event when the revitalised show attracted 16,561 visitors (24% up on the previous event).
Andrew Reed, managing director, William Reed Business Media - events and exhibitions, says 'while the Foodex Meatex show can still be treated as a stand alone event for exhibitors and visitors there are many additional opportunities for visitors through the co-location of the show with Food and Drink Expo, the launch event Baking Industry Exhibition, the Convenience Retailing Show and International Fuel and Forecourt Equipment Show'.
All further details of Sirane food packaging can be obtained from the website.
Foodex Meatex was at the NEC from 6-9 April.
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