GIC, the leading designer and manufacturer of vertical form fill and seal packaging machinery has introduced the 2020 versions of two machines designed to meet the needs of food manufacturers and processors dealing with delicate crops.
With significant consumer demand for Sweet Potatoes, GIC has high hopes for these specialist machines, which feature a completely redesigned tilting backplate. By positioning the backplate at an angle, the crop slides smoothly into the packaging rather than being dropped. The new design has been extensively tested and proven in the field.
“We developed the GIC2100A and 4100A in response following a request from one particular,” says Andy Beal, Managing Director at GIC. “However, with Sweet Potatoes becoming increasingly popular and a need to look after other delicate produce such as blueberries, cherries, small tomatoes, cranberries and other fruit, we think many other companies will be interested in these two models.
“We’ve also incorporated Ceetak’s QPH and TOSS technology into the GIC2100A and 4100A which will increase their appeal even more!”
Tests by Ceetak have shown that QPH sealing technology, which ensures a high integrity, completely fused hermetic seal, can produce up to a 10% reduction in film usage and up to 25% reduction in film gauge along with minimal cleaning and maintenance.
Integrating QPH sealing technology allows full calibration, control and diagnostics of the system via the GIC touchscreen. A dedicated Ceetak sealing page on the HMI enables the user to control all operating characteristics related to the sealing, cooling and release phases of the cycle. This page also allows the user to calibrate the system to ambient conditions, ensuring efficient use of the system, and diagnose potential faults and warnings through a descriptive dialogue box.
A further benefit to GIC machine users is that the company’s machines can now feature interchangeable jaws, allowing traditional heat seal methods or Ceetak’s high integrity QPH sealing technology to be fitted or removed quickly. This gives operators flexibility in specifying methods of heat sealing polypropylene, polyethylene and laminates on the same VFFS machine.
Based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, GIC was established more than 30 years ago and employs 25 people. The company manufactures an extensive range of vertical bagmakers, producing a wide range of finished bag sizes from 150 to 600mm wide, in both intermittent and continuous motion variants. All GIC machines offer low-cost ownership, robustness, reliability and exceptional build quality.
GIC’s machines integrate seamlessly with upstream equipment such as check-weighers, multi-head weighers, cup fillers and counters, with the company offering efficient and cost-effective after sales to all of its customers in fresh and frozen produce, cereals, snacks, confectionery, pasta, powders and pulses, industrial hardware and liquids.
