Ryan Ruskin

The packaging education and training opportunities at WestPack 2020 (Feb. 11-13; Anaheim, CA) will be numerous and diverse, with much to offer packaging production engineers interested in the smart manufacturing tier of automation.WestPack’s expansive conference program comprises three multi-track channels—the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Summit, the 3D Printing Innovation Summit and the…

Digital healthcare, the opioid crisis and updates to ISO standards for medical packaging headlined our pharmaceutical and medical coverage in 2019. Based on page views, here are the top three articles of the year related to pharmaceutical and medical device packaging:3. Notable changes to ISO medical packaging standards explainedIn 2020, the…

You need a strong knowledge base to build a career on. In the highly regulated field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, we can help. Several “Packaging 101” articles scored well with readers this year, earning mention as some of the top topics of 2019 even though they were published in earlier…

A digital printing technology that adds a haptic effect to labels is opening the door to high-end, texturized packaging designs for products in a range of consumer goods categories, including food, beverage, beer, and health and beauty.Developed in Belgium by Xeikon, this solution combines the company’s X-800 workflow and PantherCure ultraviolet…

Across the globe, an increasing number of small and medium enterprises (SME) are driving exceptional growth in the packaging automation market. The sector should grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% over a seven-year period ending in 2024, according to a 2018 report by Research Nester. By then,…

Medical packaging professionals will shortly have a new resource for augmenting their knowledge and skills set. The Medical Device Packaging Technical Committee (MDPTC) of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) is developing a Fundamentals of Packaging course that delves into the unique processes, concerns and challenges of packaging medical devices and…

In today’s cost-conscious and eco-aware world, businesses are looking to control costs but still produce and use ethical, ecological packaging. Are you one of them? If so, look at these suggestions for keeping both sides of the equation in line with current practices, without putting your budget in jeopardy.Sticking to budget…

We’re drowning in plastic packaging waste, according to some sources, and need to act now to fix it. Should we boost recycling rates? Develop non-plastic alternatives? Educate consumers on the many valuable aspects of plastic packaging? Yes, yes and yes.A review of the best-read articles posted on PackagingDigest.com in October 2019…

As the anti-plastics movement steamrolls across the globe, many consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) are shying away from plastic packaging. Are they leading or following consumers? Exclusive research reveals that consumers expect brand owners to voluntarily replace single-use plastic packaging with non-plastic alternatives.But will consumers still want non-plastic packaging options once…

Flow wrappers are evolving with the times. Driving the many improvements in this area of packaging automation are the marketplace demand for more sustainable flexible packaging materials, high operator turnover, and food processors’ emphasis on product quality and safety. On the horizon, too, is augmented reality (AR) technology for better training…