Netherlands: Doy Style steaming bags run on a GEA SmartPacker boost visual impact
Benefiting from packaging and eating trends
Boosting the visual impact of products in retail outlets is increasingly important because deep freeze chests are being replaced by glass-fronted showcases. Standing packages are gaining popularity over hanging or simple bags. Another food preparation trend is steam-in-the-bag packages, so the Doy Style steaming bag helps boost competitive advantage in more ways than one. However, running this package style using pre-formed bags on a horizontal thermoformer can be expensive in terms of factory space and raw materials. A more cost effective solution is to use a GEA SmartPacker that forms the Doy Style bag on the machine and is very space efficient.
Never having to say ‘no’
In the competitive frozen vegetable marketplace, d’Arta does not like to say no to a customer’s request or idea. So when this private label customer came with an idea for a product, a quick response was essential. Thanks to the good relationship d’Arta has with GEA Food Solutions, its supplier of vertical baggers for their frozen vegetable products, he could move fast. Mr. P. De Backere takes up the story, “We bought the demo machine at the show, and 14 days after it was delivered, we were getting a perfect package and were running at a higher speed than we initially expected! We and our customer were very satisfied.” He added, “One of the things that distinguish GEA from other machine manufacturers is that they consistently come up with solutions of a very high level. So far, we have never had to say no to a customer’s idea thanks to support from GEA Food Solutions.”
Now that the Doy Style capability for GEA SmartPackers has been further developed and is available for new and existing machines, the demo machine has been field upgraded with the latest technical features. Doy Style and other flat bottom packages like Quatro Seal which has display space on all four sides, make excellent billboards for product promotion and information. The GEA SmartPacker CX400 form the stand-up pack styles on the machine at speeds of up to 70 bags per minute. A GEA SmartPacker used for stand-up packs can also package in regular pillow style bags, so it is a highly flexible solution.
A major European player in the frozen vegetable sector
Family business d'Arta was founded in 1988 by Johan Talpe and Jean-Pierre De Backere, and has production sites in Ardooie, Belgium and Avis, Portugal. The company processes 140 million kilograms of vegetables per year for export to Europe, the USA and South America. The range includes private label, their own ‘Greens’ label products, and bulk products for catering markets. To meet its customers’ demands, d’Arta places emphasis on stock management, ensuring even less current products are also ready for quick delivery. With locally sourced natural produce, they have to anticipate possible harvests and potential shortages, and act quickly and efficiently. This puts extra pressure on their processing and packaging machines, where technical aspects are continuously tested and fine-tuned. Pieter De Backere says, “We place very high quality demands on our products and production environment. For example, the bag seal must be perfect, production needs to be very fast, and of course, we want to use attractive package formats that stand out in the store. The GEA SmartPackers meet all these criteria.” The two companies have worked together for 25 years. Because d’Arta works 24 hours a day, five days a week, service is also very important. Unplanned stoppages must be quickly resolved, and GEA Food Solutions provides extensive customer support.
For further information:
GEA Food Solutions
Tel: +31 495 457 820
Fax: +31 492 495 524 125
email: [email protected]
www.gea.com
