Meat + Poultry - December 2007 - 110

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Thermoforming system for fresh meats
Multivac has developed a special FormShrink® thermoforming machine for the Dutch meat processor Goedegebuur. It
produces three different sizes of packages alternately, on a
continuous basis. Together with the special shrinking process,
this system enables the adaptation of each package exactly to

the varying weights, shapes and sizes - in the running process, without change-over. Furthermore, there are considerable savings on logistics costs, including labor.
Goedegebuur has been supplying high-quality beef to
restaurants and stores since 1950. The company has specialized in processing meat fresh from the butchery, using only
female cattle with natural breeding. Goedegebuur handles
up to 750 tons of meat per week and delivers products to all
countries of the European Union.
The company has partnered with Multivac for its packaging
needs for many years. Goedegebuur is utilizing three large
thermoforming machines, however, the cutting process always
results in pieces of different sizes. Generally this means that
only similarly sized cuts of meat can be packaged at one time,
while the other pieces are temporarily stored or distributed
on other machines, which is a complex undertaking.

gebuur has been using the new machine for over one year.
"The machine completely fulfills our expectations in terms
of capacity and productivity," says Marcel van der Vlag, sales
director at Goedegebuur. "Just like the other three, this machine is also tailored especially for our production process."
Goedegebuur has been using the machine for more than a
year.
Thanks to the alternating forming dies, the varying sizes
of meat can be put into the appropriate packages immediately after cutting, and the machine runs continuously, without
changeover times, providing a hygienic and productive solution. It also ensures the most
efficient use of
film and allows
Multivac's customer to save on
one to two complete packaging
lines. Developers admit, however, that for applications where only one packaging size is
required, the alternating formats would not be economical,
however. Therefore the machine can be easily adjusted to
utilize just a single forming dies when necessary.

Emphasis on flexibility

The flexibility of the machine exceeds three packaging formats: the R 550 creates FormShrink thermoform packages.
This innovative procedure uses a special film developed
with Krehalon. The packages pass a shrinking tunnel after sealing and are shrunk to fit the contours of the product
precisely without wrinkles. This results in additional stabilAn economical production solution
ity while eliminating dehydration and ensuring an attractive
To address Goedegebuur's needs, Multivac designers came presentation.
up with the concept of developing a thermoforming machine
For fresh red meat products, the FormShrink packages
utilizing two differently sized forming dies capable of alter- means more attractive presentation: the smooth, glossy film,
nating with each cycle, to create a continuous line of larger without creases or excess edges underlines the quality of the
and smaller packages. As part of the design, the larger die products, and thanks to the highly effective airtight seal of the
forms two different
film, the meat retains its colsizes of packages and
or. Fresh meat in FormShrink
the loading section has
packages achieves a shelf life
a continuous sequence
of up to 60 days - double the
of packaging bags in
minimum requirement.
three different sizes.
The aesthetical aspect is
This requires an elabparticularly important to Marorate control technolcel van der Vlag: "Thanks to
R 550 FormShrink package machine
ogy: the film feeding
the FormShrink machine, we
has to be coordinated with the alternating function of the two end up with a very attractive final package for our products.
forming dies, and this with a cycle output that is as economi- This significantly increases our marketing options, especially
cal as possible. When the forms are cut, the distribution of the in the cash and carry arena. And the special shrinking process
packaging sizes has to be considered as well. The challenge improves the machine's adaptation to the various sizes and
for Multivac's engineers was correspondingly large.
weights: this allows us to save on packaging material."
The design challenge was met successfully, and Goedewww.multivac.com
www.MEATPOULTRY.com

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Meat + Poultry - December 2007

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