GIC will be showcasing the versatility of its packaging machines at this year’s PPMA Total Show.
The vertical form fill and seal packaging machinery manufacturer will be putting the spotlight on the low cost of ownership of its machines and their suitability for a wide range of sectors, including frozen and fresh produce.
A high-speed GIC8100 with servo gusseting and an integrated TOSS back seal and pack perforation system for packing frozen products will take centre stage on stand C50 alongside an intermittent GIC2100 with a versatile dual sealing system for packing fresh vegetables.
GIC started designing and manufacturing vertical form fill and seal packaging machines in 1984. Today, more than 600 GIC machines are in use across the UK and worldwide, packing fresh and frozen produce, aggregates, confectionery, pet food, powders, and liquids, amongst other products.
“The PPMA Total show is an important date in our calendar, and we’re very much looking forward to this year’s event,” says Andy Beal, GIC’s managing director. “This year, we want to showcase our versatility. We think a lot of people know that GIC has a significant presence in the fresh produce sector, but our machines are capable of packing a much wider range of products, from bullion and aggregate all the way through to pet food and powders.”
A continuous motion machine, the GIC8100 is ideal for high-speed bag styles up to 400mm wide, such as pillow gusseted and block bottom. It can pack everything from fresh produce and snacks through to confectionery, pulses and powders.
The inclusion of the TOSS system has been made possible through GIC’s relationship with Ceetak. The leading hot air sealer can be specified to machines when they need to run at very high linear film speeds.
The relationship with Ceetak also allows GIC to integrate QPH sealing technology into its machines, enabling full calibration, control and diagnostics of the system via the GIC touchscreen. A dedicated Ceetak sealing page on the HMI allows 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.
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.
Working at speeds of up to 60 packs per minute, the GIC2100, which will be next to G8100, can work with the same broad range of products as the GIC8100, but is designed to produce smaller bags, up to 250mm wide.
