INDUSTRY NEWS:MACPAC SPOTLIGHT


Continuing global standards Following a recent audit,Macpacwere accreditedwith the BRC/IOP updatedGlobal Standard for PackagingMaterials Issue 4


Themore stringent new BRC/IOP Global Standard for PackagingMaterialswas introduced last yearwith the first audits taking place in August. Itwas revised to provide greater focus on quality and functional aspects of packaging that compliment established requirements of factory hygiene.


consistently shown a strong commitment to maintaining standards for many years having first held ISO9001 certification since 1994. A spokesman for the company


M


said of the audit’s success: “Achieving BRC accreditation was essential before launching into the food industry 18months ago. The bulk of our business is non-food. A big advantage for our customers is that all the goodswe supply conformto BRC standards so the quality ofmaterials used are as high as they can bewith manufacturing processes to match, ensuring absolute quality of finished goods.” One area ofMacpac’s


specialisation is the design and


acpac are delighted to have been accredited again and have


manufacture of bespoke packaging to the food industry. Unlike some companies, they say, they do not supply stock shapes for items such as trays, but will design a specific shape or size to suit the application. This gives the customer the opportunity to personalise their packaging and add value at the design stage. Some customers like to display the recycling symbols prominently and others like to see their logo displayed or a specific design feature incorporated. This bespoke approach is ideally suited to product launches or special promotions where an individual design can be tested and will stand out from the crowd. Macpac say they are also


geared up to provide a highly competitive bespoke service by virtue of their Real 3D design service and in-house tooling facility. At the beginning of the year, says the thermoforming specialist, amajor food-retailing customer approachedMacpac, with a project requiring an Easter egg to be packaged into a clam pack along with a selection of chocolates (below) Samples of the confectionary were presented with a plain carton boxmock up


that the final pack had to fit within.With less than two weeks to both complete the project and supply finished goods, it was essential to be working with a company that controlled the whole project fromone central facility. Productmeasurements were carefully recorded and fed into the SolidWorks 3D software CAD CAMsuite. A pack design was then prepared for client approval. The design co- ordinates fromthe computer were sent to the CNC lathe where a resinmould of the tool wasmachined. Themachining process can take several hours depending on the complexity of the shape but once complete it


can be positioned in a sampling machine where heated filmis drawn down onto themould to produce a sample of the finished product. Once the sample was approved, the final production tool wasmade fromhigh grade aluminiumalong with a cutting forme. The final production run was completed within the deadline so that the retailer was able to stock shelves in readiness for the busy Easter period. According toMacpac, this is


fairly typical of the bespoke work that the company undertakes, not just for the food and confectionary market, but also for a broad cross section of industries including pharmaceutical, cosmetics, DIY and general retail. The company believes their ability to manage an entire project from the concept through all stages to final production and fulfilment gives them a distinct advantage from a cost perspective as well as turning projects round quickly


and efficiently. 


Macpac Limited, Barton Road, HeatonMersey Industrial Estate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3EG Tel: 0161 442 1642 Fax: 0161 442 1643 Email: info@macpac.co.uk www.macpac.co.uk


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