Empack Group launches “Multiseal” technology to optimize the sealing of cherry and blueberry packaging, with the aim of ensuring their preservation during transport to China.
This was specified by Ximena Calderón, general manager of Empack, who argued about the activity that: “We launched Multiseal, an integrated solution that seeks to automate the sealing of Map cherry containers, so that they can arrive preserved and in excellent condition to be marketed in China.”
The company's value is based on four pillars: supplies and equipment of the highest quality. A technical service to keep the equipment running as required. In the last two years, the integration area has been incorporated, which seeks to deliver closed package solutions, physically and digitally communicating the equipment.
“In the post-harvest area, we are exclusively dedicated to conservation. What we try to do is keep products fresh for longer, with the aim of addressing new markets, being able to extend the seasons and also with a bias towards automation,” argues Nicolás Vidal, manager of the post-harvest area of Empack.
A key part of Empack’s success is its close collaboration with Stepac PPC, an Israeli company with extensive experience in modified atmosphere packaging. Both companies work together to develop innovative solutions tailored to the market.
“Our contribution to the post-harvest issue and the collaboration with Empack was the development of new polymers that are capable of working in flowpack machines and, by being able to work faster on these machines, we obtain greater productivity. So the union between both companies was extremely important, because they had the technical part to deal with the segregation issue and we had the technical part of the polymers,” says Ivo Tunchel, business development manager of Stepac PPC.
Some examples are resealable heat-sealing solutions, in this case for cherries (there are also solutions for other fruit species), which basically allow the film to be opened, closed again and thus regenerate the atmosphere.
How Multiseal was born
Multiseal technology emerged as a response to the shortage of labor and low productivity in some sectors of the industry, aggravated by the pandemic. Empack sought an integrated solution that would allow it to take full advantage of the potential of the flowpack equipment, doubling productivity in the sealing, capping and labeling process. However, the high production capacity of the equipment required a continuous supply, which was resolved by implementing the Multiseal solution.
“The situation we have today is a super productive team, but we cannot feed or empty it to its maximum potential because we are working with only one size,” says the manager of the post-harvest area of Empack.
As a result of the above, Empack sought an integrated solution that would allow it to extract all the productive potential of the flowpack equipment, without losing product traceability.
“We consider that a cherry fruit season is between 700-800 hours of operation, with an average productivity we believe that we can exceed one million boxes per unit. The truth is that without the “Multiseal” solution, we are far below that,” Vidal emphasizes.
Regarding the demonstration of this new packaging technology, Francisco Farías, operations manager of Packing San Cristóbal, said: “Thanks to Empack for inviting me to see its Multiseal system. I really think it is a very appropriate solution for what is needed in the industry today. We have been working with the Empack flowpack system for a couple of seasons and the truth is that this Multiseal option will allow us to optimize the use of flowpack machines in the future, giving them greater performance in packaging lines.”
In summary, the Multiseal technology developed by Empack in collaboration with Stepac PPC offers an integrated solution that optimises the sealing of cherry and blueberry packaging. This innovation allows for increased productivity, guaranteed fruit preservation and improved efficiency in the packaging process.
Empack thus continues to position itself as a leader in the packaging sector by offering closed-pack solutions, combining technical expertise with innovation and maintaining close collaboration with companies such as Stepac to develop solutions adapted to the market.
