Sustainability high on tna’s agenda

April 6, 2023

Visitors to tna’s booth at interpack can expect to see the company’s processing and packaging solutions for food manufacturers worldwide, including the opportunity to enter a fully functioning virtual factory that enables remote planning, scoping and testing of production lines, reducing carbon footprint and downtime.

For the firt time, the company will be exhibiting the latest iteration of its flaghship vertical fill form and seal (VFFS) packagig system, the tna robag, complemented by the tna auto-splice 3. Combined, the ‘Perfect Pair’ can increase production uptime by up to 5% with a 200mm increase in overall floor space.

tna’s proprietary sustainability calculator will also be available to visitors to assess how the use of single-serration jaws on VFFS packaging systems can help to reduce film consumption and enhance sustainability credentials.

“Our purpose is to help our customers to realise ambitious sustainability goals and create a greener, more prosperous world,” said Nadia Taylor, Co-Founder and Director at tna solutions. “To cater for the growing aspirations of both brands and individuals towards a circular economy, we are very proud to apply our diverse capabilities and food industry experience to create solutions that improve the environmental footprint of manufacturing operations.”

The tna sustainability corner will also showcase the capabilities of the tna tobag to run and process a range of industry compliant sustainable film materials. It also demonstrates an integrated line for snack producers featuring the tna robag and the tna auto-splice 3 with EtherCAT real-time protocol and an integrated display controller system.

The software relays information from the tna checkweigher or from the product in-seal inspection to inform operators on optimal weighing bucket configuration for prompt troubleshooting, to significantly reduce rejected product and material waste.

To further support snack producers on their sustainability journey, the company will showcase single-serration jaws that help to reduce the consumption of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), a recyclable but non-biodegradable material.

The sustainability calculator allows snack producers to evaluate potential film savings. For example, single-serration jaws enable a 5-millimetre material saving per seal. On VFFS systems that produce 150 bags per minute, these savings translate into 2.26 million bags per month. In a factory of 10 packaging lines, operating at least 12 hours a day, this results in almost 390 kilometres of film saved a month.

“As demand for energy-efficient and sustainable operations continues to grow, our customers are seeking solutions to measure and manage the environmental impact of their production plants,” added Eric Geling, Chief Sales Officer at tna solutions. “We at tna believe that what is good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line. Reducing energy, waste and streamlining processing inevitably has a positive impact on product yield and line efficiency.”

Sustainability is high on tna’s agenda, the company has said, and will be a key area on display at the stand. Visitors to the booth will have a chance to understand how tna can help them to take full advantage of the latest technological advancements, software upgrades and sustainable material options.

The company’s motto of ‘business with a purpose’ is further demonstrated in the meaningful contribution it is making to society through the philanthropic work enabled by the Nadia & Alf Taylor Foundation, which has supported vulnerable children, especially in education, across 39 countries over the last 20 years.

“tna supports the collective ambition to make the world a better place and improve lives by supporting people, prosperity, and the planet in harmony,” added Nadia. “We believe true success is that which is shared by our company, our customers, and the broader community, and feel a moral obligation to create value so that we may help the less fortunate, especially children. One of the foundation’s key focus areas is the education of children in the regions in which we operate. It’s the gift that nobody can take away, and we therefore encourage our valued customers to also spend a little time to learn more in this dedicated section of the stand.”

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