text: Momentum Energy has been appointed to supply renewables for surplus energy requirements at our 7,100m2 Echuca facility.
  As Foodmach consumes power from the grid, which can be generated from many different sources, the additional fee paid per kWh for electricity ensures that GreenPower® renewable energy is exported to the grid to match Foodmach’s usage. GreenPower is a government-accredited product offered by most electricity retailers to households and businesses in Australia.
  Business Improvement Manager Tim Ford, (who leads Foodmach’s ESG Environmental Social Governance) team, said that the move is part of the company’s people + planet + profit model.
  “We're looking for ways to boost our energy efficiency, reduce waste at all levels and flatten our carbon emissions. Our factory produces around 45% of its own power through a 100kW solar system installed a decade ago. The 400 solar panels have mitigated over 1,000 tons of carbon emissions to date."
  Read more in PKN Packaging News
  Foodmach Donate $20K In Memory of Peter Marks
  Foodmach recently held a function for staff at its Echuca factory where chief executive officer Earle Roberts officially revealed a cast bronze plaque for the late Peter Marks.
  Foodmach chairman Geoff Murdoch also presented Echuca Regional Health with a donation towards its new Cancer and Wellness Centre.
  Mr Roberts said the plaque commemorates a legendary man who was integral to Foodmach’s stellar growth and success over the past five decades.
  “The loss of Peter affected us all deeply. We wanted to dedicate a green space at our factory to keep him in our hearts and minds, and also to help other cancer patients through their treatment,” he said.
  Mr Marks’ family were present to pull the curtain on the cast bronze sign and to witness the donation for the state-of-the-art treatment space.
  Echuca Regional Health chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay said the new centre was designed to provide a calm and welcoming environment for patients and families with a focus on physical and emotional wellbeing.
  “Cancer patients will be able to receive support and treatment from our multi-disciplinary team to ensure optimal treatment,” she said.
  “We are grateful to Foodmach for this generous donation.”
  Mr Roberts said the donation was reflective of the company’s commitment to the community.
  Foodmach also donated $6000 to a staff member’s Leukaemia Foundation fundraiser earlier this year.
  The company is Australia’s largest packaging machinery integrator, currently working on four filling lines for a $33 million project at BWX Ltd and the country’s most complex high-speed filling line at Pernod Ricard Wines.
  Mr Marks held the position of director of Capability and Export for the company and was a central figure in the Australian packaging industry for decades.
  He started with Foodmach in 1977 and, together with four co-workers, led a management buy-out in 2002.
  In his 44 years with the company, he worked in design, manufacturing, project management, installations, sales, estimating and R&D.
  Foodmach operations director Dallas Coote said Mr Marks was passionate, ambitious, creative, and pushed the limits in everything he did.
  “Peter was well known and well respected around the industry in Australia and overseas,” he said.
  “He was a great person to be around and he had a terrific sense of humour. He was caring, optimistic and always sharing his knowledge. He is very much missed.”
  Mr Marks’ career highlight was the award-winning Robomatrix, which set the standard for high-speed palletising and fast product changeovers in Australia.
  He was also the driving force behind Foodmach’s recent project for Med-Con, which saw the company re-engineering Australia’s only medical mask machine in 60 days. Project Med-Con won a COVID-19 response award for the business earlier this year.
  Mr Marks died on February 10, 2021 at the age of 66.
  He is survived by his wife Maggie, daughter Steph and son, Cameron.
  Mr Marks’ work was acknowledged by being selected as a finalist for a Service to Industry award in the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.
  See article in Shepparton News
  Foodmach Wins Hall of Fame Award
  Foodmach scooped the "Leader in Innovative Product Development and Commercialisation" award at the 2022 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.
  Now enjoying its 20th anniversary, the awards acknowledge individuals and companies that embrace new technologies, are globally competitive and excel in business innovation – showcasing Victoria’s leading manufacturing capabilities.
  The award winners were announced at a celebratory event at Crown Palladium with Virginia Trioli as host.
  CEO Earle Roberts collected the award for leadership and commitment to developing smart, innovative solutions for the food, beverage and industrial manufacturing industries.
  Earle said the award recognises the Foodmach team’s outstanding R&D work over the last decade.
  “One of the major challenges facing Australia’s FMCG manufacturers is the never-ending array of new pack sizes and configurations — a result of sustainability efforts and consumer demand. A packaging line is expected to be able to handle multiple changeovers, ideally in a single shift. Foodmach innovations have created paradigm shifts in the way production managers schedule their output; most recently, our Line MES.”
  Foodmach was also a finalist in two other categories: Outstanding Responsiveness to COVID-19 Award for Project Med-Con and Honour Roll – Service to Industry Award for Foodmach Director, The Late Peter Marks.
  Manufacturing in Victoria supports more than 260,000 jobs and contributes around $30 billion annually to the local economy.
  See more about our innovation
  Foodmach Wins Two APPMA Awards
  The APPMA Awards of Excellence is held as part of the AUSPACK 2022 Processing and Packaging show.
  The Awards Gala Dinner was attended by 450 packaging and processing industry professionals, who gathered for the industry's night of nights to recognise this year's winners.
  Foodmach won:
  The Community Contribution Award For Project Med-Con
  'Recognising an organisation that demonstrates leadership and commitment to community wellbeing. This award recognises members’ industry-level contributions during the past two to three years.'
  There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Business Improvement Manager Tim Ford, CEO Earle Roberts, COO Suren Moodley (seen left to right) collected the award on behalf of Foodmach Director, The Late Peter Marks, who championed the project.
  The Import and Distribution Machinery Award – Corporate For the Mengibar MassFlow Filler-Capper
  'Recognising innovation and success in equipment launched in Australia in the past three years'.
  Mengibar filling technology is just what Australia needs for hard-to-fill products, whether high-foaming, high-viscosity, explosive, corrosive or simply just dangerous. See why it won!
  Thank you to the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), judges, sponsors, customers, colleagues and competitors for a great night, and for keeping our industry thriving!
  Read more at PKN Packaging News
  Foodmach Turns 50
  By redefining line connectivity and offering end-to-end solutions, Foodmach has become one of Australia’s biggest and most successful packaging integrators. This month, we celebrate 50 years of trading.
  Foodmach began trading in Melbourne in 1972 in response to the monopoly of imported packaging equipment. Since our early forays into palletising, de-palletising and conveying systems for the FMCG industry, we've grown exponentially in size and turnover, generating awards and accolades along the way.
  Now with a national footprint, Foodmach leads the way in Industry 4.0 connectivity in Australia – line integration and control systems being strengths within the business.
  High profile Industry 4.0 projects, such as Dulux’s $165 million smart factory at Merrifield in Melbourne, held up as one of the world’s most advanced industrial batch plants, have been followed by four personal care lines at BWX, and our most complex filling line to date for Pernod Ricard Wines.
  We know that not everyone can afford a greenfield factory, so our controls team specialises in breaking open legacy control systems on older machines for machine interfacing and data extractions.
  Foodmach’s Line MES enables integration on OEM equipment with an existing line and provides next-level line control. It's the centrepiece of our other latest gamechanger, Line as a Machine (LaaM), where Foodmach delivers turnkey packaging lines as a single, Industry 4.0-enabled engine.
  Here's to everyone who made it possible: our people, our community and most importantly, our customers, for choosing Foodmach every time.
  Cheers to 50 years!
  Take a walk down memory lane
  Foodmach Unveils New $500K+ Laser
  Laser cutters are not generally part of a packaging machinery manufacturer’s tool kit, which makes this investment a bold decision by the business, according to Foodmach CEO Earle Roberts.
  He said it is another “significant step onwards and upwards” for a regional business now making its mark on the global stage.
  The machine purchased is a Fiber LME from Italian company Cutlite Penta. Roberts said having ready access to a laser of this quality – instead of being forced to outsource – is a cornerstone of the company’s strategy to maintain independence and control over project timelines.
  “It has been our ability to guarantee delivery times because we control every stage of production in-house at Echuca which has seen us secure major contracts against bids by some of the world’s leading manufacturing brand names, particularly out of Germany,” Roberts said.
  “We took a gamble on our first laser in 2014, and while it proved dependable, it also taught us if we wanted to be ahead of the pack we needed to really invest in next-generation technology,” he said.
  “And that’s what we have now – this Fiber LME from Cutlite Penta uses a 4.0kW laser source to boost Foodmach’s in-house capabilities to a new level."
  Read more at PKN Packaging News
  Foodmach launches Line as a Machine
  Line as a Machine is a new way to look at FMCG production and packaging lines, where Foodmach delivers a turnkey packaging line as a single, Industry 4.0-enabled machine.
  Traditionally, packaging lines comprise a series of machines joined together by conveying. The machines may or may not communicate with each other directly or through a form of line control. Industry 4.0 brings opportunities for connectivity that cannot be realised by traditional factory models, where each piece of equipment effectively operates in a silo.
  Foodmach's solution is to take a holistic view of the entire line and treat it as a single, complete system with complete interoperability.
  CEO Earle Roberts: “It’s all about taking a large amount of data and turning it into something useful for the operators and line managers. Motorcars are a collection of parts from many OEM manufacturers brought together and sold as a single machine with one point of responsibility for delivery, performance and service. We’re emulating that offering so that the customer and end-user have a single production entity ie the complete line, accurate and seamless information, very high reliability and a single supplier for ongoing service and support.”
  LaaM is available now for turnkey lines from Foodmach.
  Read more about LaaM
  Foodmach Wins Pernod Ricard Project
  Foodmach has been awarded the contract to install an Industry 4.0-enabled turnkey filling line for global wine company Pernod Ricard Winemakers.
  Pernod Ricard Winemakers – whose portfolio of premium brands include iconic Australian wines Jacob’s Creek, St Hugo and George Wyndham – is part of the Pernod Ricard Group, the second-largest wine, spirits and Champagne company in the world. In a bid to provide its Australian operations with capacity to satisfy ever-changing market demands, the company has invested in a new combination glass and canning line to be installed at its Rowland Flat site in Barossa Valley, SA.
  The new line will include the GEA Vipoll All-in-One, a space-saving, high-speed filling system that performs all functions from rinsing to sealing in one monoblock. Supplied in Australia by Foodmach, this system handles a wide range of can and glass bottle formats with changeovers of just 20-30 minutes. Foodmach CEO Earle Roberts says Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ ambition to be a centre of excellence in the Pacific, driven by a focus on technology innovation for enhanced speed, safety and efficiency, will be supported by the award-winning GEA Vipoll All-in-One system. Foodmach’s Mach5.0 LMES (Line Management Execution System) will provide overarching control of the entire line, which will run at speeds of up to 24,000 containers per hour.
  Roberts said, 'The project will showcase Foodmach’s ability to deliver a fully integrated ‘Line as a Machine’ (LaaM), where our Industry 4.0 expertise allows the customer to consider the line as a single production entity. Our biggest challenge – and our greatest strength – will be the integration of third party equipment via a range of different controls protocols and PLC hardware.'
  The turnkey project delivery includes Foodmach palletising and depalletising equipment, Petek tunnel pasteurising, can and bottle drying, an extensive range of inspection equipment, Markem-Imaje laser and inkjet coding and print and apply labelling with compliance software, bottle labelling, multi packing, case packing and Robopac stretch wrapping, with all conveying, infrastructure, and safety systems.
  Lee Docherty, Packaging Operations Manager at Pernod Ricard Winemakers: 'The installation of our world-class filler will allow us to improve the speed of production and benefit from enhanced capability. However, we needed a management system that was going to match its sophistication and advanced technology. Foodmach has been a true partner in the development of this technology, and the collaborative approach has enabled us to design a system that is accurate, data-driven and completely intuitive. It allows us to control every machine in a fully integrated interface. We’ll enjoy the full benefits of Industry 4.0 with all the data needed at our fingertips and complete accuracy around OEE [Overall Equipment Effectiveness].'
  Chris Yule, National Sales Manager, Foodmach, said, 'The line we’ve designed for Pernod Ricard Winemakers is best described as a highly flexible, highly efficient combination glass and can line. It can handle a broad product matrix: still or sparkling liquids in cans or glass in multiple formats with a range of closures – and it can run multiple SKUs concurrently. “While the pasteuriser is self-cleaning, which takes 30 minutes, other SKUs will enter the line to reduce downtime. It is, without doubt, our most flexible packaging line to date.'
  Roberts added that based on Foodmach’s experience with All-in-One installations at CUB’s 4 Pines and Lion’s Malt Shovel Brewery, the team will complete the bulk of the installation and setup with input from GEA technicians only at the very last stage of commissioning. 'Having this level of skill in-house gives us tighter control over timing,' he said.
  The project is due for completion in 2023.
  Foodmach has a long history with the wines and spirits industry in Australia. The company has delivered major packaging line projects at Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Yalumba, Australian Vintage Limited, most of Australia’s large breweries and increasingly, craft brewers such as Pirate Life.
  This news release first appeared in PKN Packaging News
  Andrew Marshall Joins Our Team
  Foodmach has appointed Andrew Marshall as our new Senior Project Manager.
  With over 30 years of experience in project management, operations and engineering in the food, beverage and dairy sectors, Andrew brings a new level of structured execution to Foodmach’s delivery of turnkey packaging lines.
  Andrew’s previous roles within the industry include Programme Manager for Lion Dairy and Drinks, National Engineering Development Manager for Asahi and National Packaging Capability Manager for Carlton & United Breweries. He has both a mechanical engineering degree and an MBA.
  Foodmach Chief Operating Officer Suren Moodley: 'Foodmach specialises in end-to-end project management. The intention is for customers to deal with just one experienced supplier who gives the right advice, manages the entire process and sees it through to a successful handover with ongoing service and support. Andrew’s 30+ years of experience in strategic planning, project management and change management and his mix of engineering skills and business acumen is a game-changer for our projects team.'
  Andrew Marshall: 'I’ve worked with Foodmach as a customer many times on a range of complex and often challenging projects and admire their integrity and commitment to deliver on their promises even when projects are derailed. The company has a culture of empathy for both the people it employs and the people it serves and a focus on continual improvement. It was not a hard decision to join the team. I’m excited about the challenges of working with Foodmach’s customers to ensure their manufacturing capabilities meet future-state needs.'
  Foodmach CEO, Earle Roberts: 'Having worked on the client-side of the business, Andrew knows exactly how to deliver large capital works programs and lean manufacturing methodologies. And he’s a great guy. We are delighted and honoured to have him on board.'
  Read about our end-to-end project management
  Foodmach Wins BWX Project
  Foodmach will partner with BWX Limited to significantly increase BWX’s Australian production capability.
  Natural beauty business BWX (ASX:BWX), whose portfolio includes skincare brands Sukin, Andalou Naturals, USPA and Mineral Fusion, raised $33 million last year to transfer its Australian operations from four facilities in Dandenong South to a greenfield site in Clayton, Victoria.
  Foodmach is tasked with delivering four turnkey packaging lines for a new facility in Melbourne.
  The new factory is designed to maximise efficiency, decrease waste and provide capacity for volume growth. To achieve this, BWX sought expressions of interest from well-qualified established suppliers.
  Duncan Munro – Group Operations Director, BWX: 'BWX is committed to developing relationships with long-term business partners. We believe that’s how we’ll ensure the best outcome for both parties. We’ve selected Foodmach based on its proven expertise and excellent references in the industry. We were looking for a turnkey solutions provider, equipment manufacturers and or agents. In Foodmach, we’ve found all three.'
  'Based on our experience with the Foodmach team so far, we’re looking forward to a smooth project delivery. Success will be a highly-efficient, low-conversion cost and reliable production facility that meets the needs of current and future growth for BWX.'
  Foodmach CEO, Earle Roberts: 'Working with BWX is particularly exciting for us. The industry landscape is changing rapidly. This project is an opportunity to really push the bar in terms of lean manufacturing principles and integration of best in breed equipment in the personal care space. The new packaging lines use some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world—much of which is manufactured in Australia—installed and integrated using a methodology that supports the BWX growth targets, performance metrics/visibility and environmental sustainability ethos.'
  'It’s great to see the personal care industry returning to Australia after many years of manufacturing moving off-shore. Our team is particularly adept at managing the new global business limitations. Foodmach technicians are able to commission new packaging lines by remote and take over the on-site work usually done by European technology providers.'
  The project involves integrating free-issued equipment and turnkey supply across, bottle, jar and tube filling lines and centralised palletising. In addition to the integration of fillers, labellers, cartoners and case packers, Foodmach will also be supplying all conveyors, coding and labelling, checkweighing, palletising and the LMES.
  See more about BWX
  Alan Brooke joins our team!
  Alan will join Foodmach’s Australia-wide team of Sales and Technical Support Engineers.
  The team is focused on Foodmach’s core offerings of conveying, palletising and Industry 4.0 integration and works closely with the company’s Technology Products and International Sales teams to provide turnkey packaging lines.
  Foodmach National Sales Manager, Chris Yule: 'Alan brings with him 30 years of experience through his many roles in FMCG. His expertise in beverage and conveying systems in Australia is exemplary. He’s well known, liked and respected in the industry, and we’re delighted he’s chosen Foodmach.'
  Alan was previously the Sales Manager at Prime Engineering Services for 16 years and Sales Project Manager at KHS Pacific for seven years. He recently project-managed a can filler and conveyor upgrade for Campari Group, increasing production speeds on that line by 30%.
  Alan Brooke: 'Foodmach has been a mainstay of the Australian packaging scene for as long as I can remember. I’ve watched the company’s growth and innovation strategy with interest over the years because it’s certainly going places. I’m looking forward to some exciting challenges with Foodmach’s customer portfolio, which includes some of the biggest names in F&B.'
  'I’m very pleased to have Alan on board', said Foodmach CEO Earle Roberts. 'I’ve known him for 20 years and competed with him for some of those. I’ve always held him in the highest regard in terms of his technical expertise, commercial abilities and professionalism. He’s acknowledged in the industry as one of the best engineers in complex line design and brings further strength to our already formidable team. And it’s great to have Alan on our side rather than trying to outsmart him, which has always proven difficult!'
  Chris Yule: 'Foodmach is a little unique in that all our sales staff are Engineers, each of whom brings an area of expertise to the table. We’re invested in both the current and future performance of our people, so we provide mentorship and succession planning to create depth of knowledge. Alan is a revered addition to our collective engineering design and development brains trust.'
  Read it in Australian Brews News
  Foodmach Wins Lion Supplier Award
  Foodmach is proud to have won the Engineering and Site Services Category in the Lion Supplier of the Year Awards.
  After a year of unprecedented challenges for its supply chain in 2020, leading international brewer Lion proudly reinstated its annual supplier awards last night, this year bringing together its suppliers from across Australia and New Zealand for a virtual event to recognise their exceptional contributions.
  Based on performance in the 2020 calendar year, award winners demonstrated the highest standards in delivery performance, quality and service, as measured by a survey of Lion personnel who work with its suppliers on a daily basis.
  Earle Roberts, CEO: “This is a great recognition of our work with Lion over the past year. The award is for a whole-of-team effort, encompassing installations and service work across Australia and New Zealand. The pandemic forced us to rethink almost every aspect of our business and how we provide customer service—and rather rapidly at that—so we’re especially proud to receive it.”
  It was also a moment of recognition for Foodmach Director, the late Peter Marks, who led many of Foodmach’s most innovative developments until his passing in February this year. He was given special mention, both for his contribution to the Australian Packaging Industry and his lead on Foodmach's Robomatrix® palletiser technology.
  Earle Roberts: “It was noted by Lion that Robomatrix at its inception was 10 years ahead of its time and ahead of its European competitors—and that it took European competitors 10 years to catch up. Many generations of Robomatrix later, it’s still a leading innovation in the world of palletisers. Our team continues to uphold Peter’s legacy of innovative thinking and passion for engineering excellence.”
  Pictured: Lion Group CEO Stuart Irvine was joined by Group Supply Chain Director Ian Roberts and Supply Chain Solutions Director Irene Bell to bring together suppliers for a virtual ceremony acknowledging contributions across packaging, ingredients, services, logistics.
  See Lion's Press Release
  Foodmach Partners with Thermo Fisher Scientific
  Foodmach has secured the national distribution for global technology supplier Thermo Fisher Scientific's product inspection range.
  We now supply Australia with the complete range of Thermo Fisher quality and safety inspection solutions, including X-ray detection and inspection, metal detection, check weighing and combination units.
  The Thermo Fisher Scientific partnership adds to Foodmach's growing portfolio of packaging technology agencies.
  Rym Kachouri, our GM of Service and Agency Products: “Coupled with our own conveying, line control and rejection system capabilities, this partnership enables our customers to gain a completely integrated detection, inspection and rejection solution from Foodmach. All of our agency technologies are available as discrete solutions, or as a part of a complete turnkey engineered packaging line.”
  To launch the new Thermo Fisher partnership, we're offering a significant trade-in incentive. With the current focus on reinvestment in local manufacturing, it is timely for manufacturers to upgrade their product detection capabilities.
  Foodmach's portfolio includes Thermo Fisher's new Sentinel® 5000 MultiScan Metal Detector. As its name implies, the metal detector uses multiscan technology to overcome the limitation of fixed single or dual-frequency metal detectors that can miss metal contaminants hidden in product signals.
  MultiScan technology scans a combination of up to five user-selectable frequencies making it a universal solution for multiple applications.
  It can identify contaminants that are up to 70% smaller in volume than previous technologies and provides a high probability of finding ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless steel metal contaminants.
  More about the new Sentinel 5000 MultiScan Metal Detector
  In Memory of Peter Marks
  Foodmach announces the passing of Director Peter Marks.
  CEO Earle Roberts: 'It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our friend and colleague, Peter Marks, who passed away on the 10th of February aged 66 from cancer. His absence will be deeply felt by the entire Foodmach team.'
  Peter held the position of Director of Capability and Export for the company and has been a central figure in the Australian packaging industry for decades. He started with Foodmach in 1977 and, together with four coworkers, led a management buyout in 2002. Peter and his co-directors have worked full time within the business since then, nurturing the team through year-on-year growth. In his 44 years with the company, he worked in design, manufacturing, project management, installations, sales, estimating and R&D.
  Earle Roberts: 'Peter was a visionary whose warmth and empathy touched everyone. He was loved by many in the wider packaging industry from customers to partners and competitors alike. Our thoughts are with his wife Maggie, his daughter, Steph and his son and daughter-in-law Cameron and Roberta.'
  Finance Director, Ian Whiting: ‘Foodmach’s Echuca factory is like a family unit, and Peter was one of our most important members. We will miss his dry wit and can-do philosophy.'
  Operations Director, Dallas Coote: 'Our personal heartbreak aside, it will be a challenge to replace Peter’s special kind of leadership. He somehow managed to be actively connected to everyone in the business across all departments. He led with the kind of enthusiasm for a great idea that made us all want to dig in and help.'
  Peter was the driving force behind Foodmach’s recent Project Med-Con, which saw the company re-engineering Australia’s only medical mask machine in 60 days. His career highlight was the award-winning Robomatrix, which set the standard for high speed palletising and fast product changeovers in Australia.
  Geoff Murdoch, Director: 'Peter’s true legacy is a thriving Australian business that will continue to provide a livelihood for hundreds of talented engineers, designers, manufacturing and tradespeople and their families.'
  'It has been a privilege to work by his side.'
  See Peter's last project
  Foodmach Launches FLEX
  Foodmach has introduced a new way to finance its range of packaging line automation.
  Foodmach FLEX allows manufacturers to pay only for the output of the equipment, not the equipment itself.
  The Machinery-as-a-Service (MaaS) financing model has long been used by makers of office equipment, medical devices and jet engines. It is proven and trusted, and now it can help Australia’s FMCG manufacturers compete in our increasingly tough business environment.
  Said Foodmach Director, Phil Biggs: 'Conventional machinery supply arrangements force end-users to buy equipment, when what they really want are results. FMCG manufacturers may not necessarily want, for example, a case packer. What they really need is a packed case, a filled bottle or a wrapped pallet. A machinery-as-a-service model allows FMCG manufacturers to buy what they want in the first place, which is output of in-spec products.'
  'It’s important to recognise that this model is much more than just an equipment financing deal. The end-user is entering into a manufacturing service agreement, with both parties aligned in the sole objective of maximising machine reliability and product output. The OEM wins only when the manufacturer wins, so ongoing performance optimisation is built-in to the agreement.'
  Read more about FLEX
  Foodmach Appoints National Sales Manager
  Foodmach has appointed Chris Yule as National Sales Manager, effective immediately.
  Chris leads a team of six sales and technical support engineers around Australia focused on Foodmach’s core offerings. The team works alongside the Technology Products and International sales teams. The position was created after CEO Earle Roberts was promoted from Chief Customer Officer twelve months ago.
  Chris previously held the title of National Sales Engineer at Foodmach. He has been with the company for 13 years in various roles in engineering and sales, with a break overseas.
  'People are the reason I returned to Foodmach eight years ago, both the staff and our customers,' he said. 'Spending time overseas gave me an even greater appreciation of Foodmach’s positive work culture and the exciting partnerships we have with our FMCG and industrial customers.'
  Earle Roberts: 'Chris’ experience across the entire spectrum of engineering roles within the business make him exceptionally well-qualified to lead the sales team.'
  Chris says he's looking forward to further enhancing Foodmach’s range of products and services.
  Read the full story in PKN Packaging News
  Foodmach To Build 4 More Mask Machines
  Foodmach has been asked to build another four mask machines for Med-Con—bringing the total to seven.
  The extra seven machines will increase Med-Con's annual production from 2 million to 160 million masks a year, with delivery of the first 60 million to the Federal Government by November.
  Project Med-Con, which sees a 40-year-old machine design recreated within 8 weeks is now nearing completion.
  'With nearly 1,000 unique parts in each machine in terms of individual designs and all up nearly 6,000 parts across the three machines, it's been quite an undertaking.' said Foodmach CEO, Earle Roberts. 'We've had to design, manufacturer or procure all of them. The project has tested our internal capacity and our supply chains, which, I'm happy to report, all performed above and beyond expectation.'
  ABC News Coverage
  FOOMACH TO BUILD MEDICAL MASK MACHINES
  Foodmach has been recruited to build equipment that will enable Australia’s only current manufacturer of surgical masks to increase production by 2,500%
  The COVID-19 crisis is causing critical supply-chain shortages in Australia as overseas suppliers look to satisfy local demand first. Stocks of surgical masks need to be replenished urgently if COVID-19 cases continue to grow. In response, the Australian Government is developing innovative arrangements with agile companies who can respond to the urgent demand for supplies.
  Med-Con, based near Shepparton, Victoria, is the only factory in Australia still making surgical masks, but only has three machines. With the help of the Australian Defence Force, a 40-year-old machine design will be recreated within 8 weeks, with two more machines delivered within 12 weeks.
  Project updates can be followed on the project log.
  Read more
  Foodmach Wins 4 Pines Project
  Packaging automation manufacturer and integrator Foodmach has been appointed as the supplier for 4 Pines Brookvale’s new, state-of-the-art filling line.
  Due to commence operation in September 2020, the line upgrade will enable the Brookvale facility to package bottles and cans.
  Chris Willcock, Chief Brewer, 4 Pines Brewing Company: ‘Cans are an increasingly relevant section of the craft beer market and the beer market in general. They’re a vessel very well-suited to a variety of drinking occasions and something we really needed to provide to our customers alongside our diverse range of bottled beer products. The challenge at Brookvale has been our restricted space, which makes it impossible to build a second pack line exclusively for standard and sleek can filling. Off-site filling was an option, but it’s expensive and elevates our risk of problems with product quality.’
  Read more at Brews News
  BUSH FIRE DISASTER RELIEF
  The Foodmach team’s thoughts are with all those impacted by the terrible bushfires across the nation.
  Foodmach has announced it will be supporting the Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund through the FRRR (Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal) and staff donations will be matched dollar for dollar.
  The FRRR is reminding the public that recovery takes time, and help will be needed for many years to come. Donations made now to the FRRR's Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund will be invested, and the returns used to ensure funds are available for community-led initiatives when disaster-affected communities are ready for support. FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton says that pooling and investing these funds also means that one donation can have an impact for years to come. Grants from FRRR's Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund will support the needs that typically emerge 12-18 months after a disaster event – such as support for fatigued volunteer leaders, repairing vital community infrastructure, supporting the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations, or ensuring psychological support is available.
  'At a time like this, all Australians need to pull together. We take our responsibility to our regional communities seriously.' says Foodmach CEO, Earle Roberts. 'And we all need to pitch in to help solve the critical issues. Foodmach has invested heavily in solar power and has applied lean manufacturing principles to the entire organisation. Over the longer term, we will be taking actions to further reduce our carbon footprint.'
  Read more about the FRRR
  Foodmach sponsors Foodbank Hamper Day
  Foodbank's Annual Hamper Packing Program reaches $1 Million in donations.
  The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), in conjunction with the Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA), ran their 9th annual Foodbank Hamper Packing Day in Brisbane on the 6th December with 270 volunteers packing 1200 Family Hampers, 300 Ladies Packs, 200 Back to School Packs and writing personal messages on 1700 Christmas cards.
  Food relief organisation Foodbank will hand out the hampers to Queenslanders in need at Christmas. Foodmach co-sponsored the event with industry partners and Foodmach team member Richard Jensen joined the volunteers on the day.
  Burt Beaumont from the AIP organising committee said: 'The AIP and the SCLAA are very proud to officially hit the $1 Million mark in donations and funds this year and to have now packed 10,000 hampers for those in need. We thank Foodmach and all our sponsors so very much, not only for your continued donation towards the Hampers but also the time you took to come and spend the day with us and share the magic that is our Foodbank Day.'
  Foodbank is the largest hunger-relief charity in Australia.
  See the video
  Solar Success!
  Foodmach’s 5400m2 factory in Echuca, Victoria was fitted with a 100K/W solar system in 2013.
  To date, the system has yielded 1 gigawatt of energy, representing over 700 tonnes of CO2 emissions reduction—or the equivalent of a car travelling 3.5 million kilometres.
  The electricity generated would be enough to power the 5,900 plus houses in Echuca for nearly a week.
  Foodmach CEO Earle Roberts: ‘We installed the solar panels and LED lighting in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate ever-increasing power costs. Foodmach is committed to the sustainability and competitiveness of our products and we’re constantly looking for ways to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.’
  Read more
  FOODMACH APPOINTS CEO
  Foodmach has appointed Earle Roberts as Chief Executive Officer, effective as of July 01st, 2019.
  Earle has performed the role of Chief Customer Officer for Foodmach since March 2017, managing sales, marketing and service.
  The former CEO of Fibre King, Earle brings to Foodmach 25+ years of experience and leadership in advanced manufacturing, automation and machinery, engineering and robotics. He is excited about the prospects for the business and the opportunities they present for the 120-strong team of specialists at Foodmach:
  'Truly great businesses value their employees as much as their customers. We’re equally focused on our team members’ job satisfaction and skill development as we are on the development of smart factories and increased profitability for customers. My philosophy is that you can’t have one without the other'.
  PKN Packaging News reports: 'Roberts has boosted Foodmach’s fortunes since taking up the role of CCO, including a recent hat trick at the APPMA Awards of Excellence in March, where the company collected awards for Best New Product, Customer Collaboration, and Best Imported Product.'
  Read more at PKN Packaging News
  SEE UNISECURE® AT WINETECH'19
  Change everything… without changing anything!
  Foodmach will partner with Systech to demonstrate UniSecure at Stand #810 at the Australian Wine Trade Exhibition, WineTech 2019—Adelaide Convention Centre July 22-24th.
  UniSecure is the only proven product authentication solution that leverages existing product barcodes and packaging to create a unique e-Fingerprint® that cannot be duplicated.
  Using unique micro-variations in printed barcodes, UniSecure provides authentication and traceability without the need for any additional unique covert or overt technologies on each individual product.
  Foodmach has introduced UniSecure® for traceability in Australia and New Zealand.
  Tell me more about UniSecure
  Foodmach Wins at APPMA
  The packaging and processing machinery industry’s top achievers were announced last night (Wednesday, 27 March 2019) in the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Awards of Excellence.
  Foodmach won the Customer Collaboration Award for Foodmach's turnkey project at Dulux Merrifield's Industry 4.0 factory of the future.
  Foodmach also won Best New Product Award and Best Imported Equipment Award for the GEA Vipoll ALL IN ONE filler—which can accommodate both carbonated and still beverages, either hot or cold filling, and fills bottles and cans in multiple formats—and was first installed at Lion's Malt Shovel Craft Brewery.
  Thank you to the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association and the judging panels, Dulux for a great partnership and Lion and GEA Vipoll for believing we could. Most of all, thank you to our hard-working team!
  Pictured here: Director Peter Marks, CCO Earle Roberts, Service & Product Manager Dr Rym Kachouri collecting awards for Foodmach.
  Read more about the Dulux Merrifield Project
  FOODMACH FINALIST IN APPMA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
  The finalists in the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Awards of Excellence have been announced. Foodmach is a finalist in three categories for the Dulux Merrifield Industry 4.0 project and the groundbreaking Vipoll ALL IN ONE filler.
  Industry-leading OEMs are among the finalists in the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) Awards of Excellence announced today. With a record number of entries for this year's awards programme – 50 submissions across five award categories – the judges had their task cut out for them.
  APPMA chairman Mark Dingley said, “We had an overwhelming response... This was the highest number of entries we’ve had and shows the value the industry places on this award program.”
  Foodmach's collaboration with Dulux for the Merrifield project has resulted in 'one of the top Industry 4.0 batch plants in the world'. The Vipoll ALL IN ONE FILLER, recently introduced to the Australian market by Foodmach, is a game-changer for beverage production lines.
  Winners will be announced at the Gala Awards Ceremony on 27 March as part of AUSPACK 2019 Packaging & Processing conference and exhibition.
  Read more at Food & Drink Business
  NEW TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
  Historically, the only way to combat counterfeit and diversion risks in the supply chain successfully is to uniquely identify and authenticate individual products. This was done by adding additional unique covert or overt technologies to each product. Foodmach is introducing game-changing technology to Australia and New Zealand.
  Foodmach has signed a partnership agreement with Systech (USA) who have developed anti-counterfeit technology that doesn’t require any additional technology, code or symbology on the consumer packaging. They use inherent variances in the normal barcode printing process to uniquely identify each product produced.
  Systech UniSecure® is the only proven, non-additive, product authentication solution that leverages existing product barcodes and packaging to create a unique signature that cannot be duplicated. It ensures product authenticity, protects brand equity and assures consumer safety.
  Systech will be demonstrating the new technology alongside Foodmach at AUSPACK 2019. For more information, contact us.
  Read more at PKN Packaging News
  AUSPACK IS COMING
  Foodmach will present a preview of its fast and flexible packaging technology at Auspack, Stand E065:
  Foodmach Bag Depalletising with new vision technology
  Robopac Helix Pallet Wrapper
  Foodmach Case Packer
  Industry-first pallet labelling via integration between a Cobot and a Markem-Imaje labeller
  Markem-Imaje/Cognex Vision Mark & Read Solution
  Robowizard® Pick & Place Programming Tool
  Autonomous mobile robot
  Applied Industry 4.0 integration
  We challenge ourselves to put you behind the wheel of the most powerful production line solution possible, so our comprehensive range of flexible automation accommodates every packaging need, from filling, labelling, inspecting through to conveying, case packing, palletising and pallet wrapping.
  Even better—we integrate all our equipment with your existing line and give you a line management system that gives you useful live data and full operational control. We can get you closer to Industry 4.0 for less.
  Come and see us in action at Auspack!
  For all enquiries, contact Shannon Minett on 0428 666 802 or email sales@foodmach.com.au
  FIRST EXPORT PROJECT LAUNCH
  Foodmach is proud to announce the launch of its first export project to China.
  Polished Robotics is a Foodmach venture that expands its automation offer to robotic surface finishing, laser applications and assembly—and opens up new international markets to its Australian-made innovation. The first project sees successful delivery and installation of a robot finishing cell to Foshan Superband, one of the world’s largest aluminium foundries. Polished Robotics harnesses Foodmach’s manufacturing skills and expertise in robotics automation systems. Foodmach’s strength in automation in the domestic Australian food and beverage market positions it well to entering this dynamic industrial automation space.
  The Grand Opening will be held at Foshan Nanhai Superband Mould Co., Ltd on the 14th December with ribbon cutting by Paul Sanda, Australian Senior Trade Commissioner, and the Deputy Consul General, based in Guangzhou. Superband senior management and Foodmach directors Peter Marks and Geoff Murdoch will be in attendance.
  See more about Polished Robotics
  CODE ONE PROGRAM LAUNCH
  Date coders and labellers are necessary to get product out of the door and onto customers' shelves.
  They are typically robust and reliable, but—like all equipment—do need regular maintenance and consumables such as inks, solvents, labels, ribbons etc to keep running.
  They also sometimes break down or perform out of specifications because of maintenance issues, setting issues, product changes etc.
  Foodmach's new Code One package turns variable coding and labelling costs into one fixed, low monthly cost.
  For one monthly fee, we supply the printer, spare parts, service and even printing consumables. We take care of the lot.
  At the end of the 5-year period, you can choose whether to continue with the rental, upgrade the equipment, or buy the equipment for an attractive price.
  Foodmach can even supply our product traceability software solutions as a part of a Code One package, for complete control of product traceability and finances.
  Call 1800 FOODMACH to see how Code One can help your business.
  Read more about CODE ONE
  TRIBUTE TO CHRIS BISHOP
  In 2004 an excited Chris Bishop bought a major shareholding in Foodmach.
  His enthusiasm for supporting an Australian manufacturer was infectious. He quickly built a rapport with the Foodmach team, from top to bottom.
  Chris was a larger than life personality, with many stories to tell about his involvement in the packaging industry for many decades. One of Chris’s famous lines was 'I am a very fortunate 10-pound pom!'
  Chris had many friends in our industry and was highly respected.
  Chris was Chairman of Foodmach from 2004 to 2015, before divesting and moving on to semi-retirement.
  The whole Foodmach team is saddened by Chris’s passing on Monday, August 27, 2018.
  We offer our condolences to Chris’s family and friends.
  May he rest in peace.
  See more about Foodmach's history
  Dulux Industry 4.0 Success
  DuluxGroup's new $165M greenfield site in North Melbourne has been in operation for three months, with outstanding results.
  Foodmach supplied all the depalletising, conveying systems, robotic orientation, AGV and laser coding/labelling systems, integrating our equipment with equipment purchased from international OEMs, and provided an over-arching line control system able to handle all the challenges of batch paint production, now and into the future.
  The Dulux name is synonymous with quality and innovation. It is consistently voted one of the most trusted brands in Australia overall—across any product category.
  “We face the enormous challenge of wanting to offer both small and large quantities of paint economically, and in our customary high quality,” says Kevin Worrell, Project Director at Dulux Australia. “We wanted to make sure that our new factory would be future-proofed to allow us to respond quickly to the latest trends, create new business opportunities and remain at the leading edge of paint manufacturing well into the future.”
  "This (new) factory is really, really agile. We’ve got the ability to go down to as small as one pallet of paint in a batch, to 30 000 litres of paint in a single batch. That agility gives us an advantage over the opposition. We can now make batches in 1/50th of the size, in 1/8th of the time."
  "We’re able to virtually eliminate manual interventions – reducing from approximately 75,000 per annum – giving us repeatability and pin-point accuracy with our recipes."
  "Industry 4.0 is the future. Foodmach are right at the cutting edge... a great partner to take you in that journey."
  See the video
  FOODMACH ROBOPAC AGENCY
  Foodmach announced an agreement with Italy-based Robopac to take on the agency for Robopac pallet stretch wrappers. The agreement includes sales, service and support of all Robopac fully automatic stretch wrappers in Australia. This range of pallet wrapping solutions complements existing palletizing solutions in the portfolio and enables Foodmach to supply complete end-of-line packaging solutions to Australian manufacturers.
  In addition to pallet wrappers, this agreement gives Foodmach access to the complete range of Robopac case packers, including Dimac and Prasmatic.
  “Robopac fully automatic pallet wrappers come with revolutionary cube technology,” explains Tim Baron, Product Manager at Foodmach. “This intelligent technology automates the pallet wrapping process and provides exactly the right amount of film, at the right position on the load, with the right containment force to correctly wrap loads and ensure that they reach customers in as-made condition. They also reduce film usage by up to 55%.”
  Smart packaging technologies like Robopac cube technology allow Foodmach to deliver on their vision to give packaging line managers more speed and control than ever before.
  “This announcement follows on from our distribution agreement with Markem-Imaje for coding and labelling in December last year and endorses Foodmach’s position as a highly respected and capable partner for premium packaging automation suppliers from Europe,” said Foodmach Chief Customer Officer, Earle Roberts.
  “All new solutions complement our ability to design and deliver a complete packaging line solution, from end-to-end, with local automation, engineering and manufacturing expertise supplied from our Echuca factory”, he continued.
  Foodmach is partnering with cutting-edge technology suppliers, re-imagining traditional packaging lines into smart factories and building expertise in emerging automation technologies for Industry 4.0 to build world-class packaging lines in Australia.
  For more information on the Robopac range, call Foodmach on 1800 FOODMACH.
  Read this coverage on Packaging News.
  More about our Pallet Wrappers
  WORLD-FIRST CAN/BOTTLE FILLER FOR LION
  Foodmach has teamed up with Lion to bring a ‘new to world’ filler to the Australian market.
  The filler is new technology released by Vipoll at Drinktec in Munich late last year and is the first in the world to be able to run glass bottles, aluminium beverage cans and PET bottles through the one machine. The Vipoll Visitron will be installed by Foodmach as part of a major line upgrade at one of Lion’s iconic craft breweries.
  The filler is a monoblock rinser/filler/capper/seamer and delivers Lion the flexibility to run both bottles and cans in less than half the footprint separate fillers would have required. The use of universal grippers allows for fast changeovers from cans to bottles (less than 30 minutes), and between bottle sizes as required. The filler will be one of the first of its type installed globally and will be in operation by the end of the year.
  Read more at Food & Drink Business
  SMART FACTORIES ARE HERE
  A global study has revealed that nearly half of Asia Pacific manufacturers will have smart factories by 2022.
  PKN Packaging News reports that manufacturers will continue to adopt Industry 4.0 and the smart factory. Workers will use a combination of radio frequency identification (RFID), wearable technologies, automated systems and other emerging technologies to monitor the physical processes of the plant and enable companies to make decentralised decisions.
  Manufacturers expect to expand the level of technology use between now and 2022, specifically mobile technology (27% vs 72%), wearable technology (33% vs 65%), location tracking (38% vs 51%), and voice technology (45% vs 51%)....
  Read more at PKN Packaging News
  Markem-Imaje appoints Foodmach as distributor
  Global coding and marking specialist, Markem-Imaje, has appointed Foodmach as its new authorised Sales & Service distributor in regional Victoria, regional NSW and South Australia, effective from 1 Dec 2017.
  “We are confident that Foodmach we will strengthen Markem-Imaje’s presence and ability to serve our customers in a more efficient and effective way. The newly formed partnership will see an expanded offering, which will support the growth of our business and an increase of our service level,” said Frank Giordano-Hauser, Channel & OEM sales manager, Oceania, Markem-Imaje.
  Leading the business will be Tim Baron, who joins Foodmach from Sick Australia and will take up the role of Business Manager, Coding and Labelling.
  Foodmach will also employ two Markem-Imaje team members based in South Australia: Rachel Harding, account manager and Jake Parry, service engineer.
  Read the full story at PKN Packaging News
  WAYNE PEARSE JOINS THE SAFETY TEAM
  Foodmach has a dedicated team of electrical and safety accredited engineers and software programmers leading the way in safety compliance in Australia/New Zealand. We are happy to announce that Wayne Pearse has just joined our dedicated Safety Team.
  Wayne is highly regarded in the industry. He is TÜV Rheinland certified as a Functional Safety Expert and Engineer for Machine Safety, and has 18 years of experience in the manufacturing industries, designing and implementing modern safety systems based on Rockwell Automation and Pilz safety automation solutions. He is an authorised TÜV Functional Safety trainer, delivering Functional Machine Safety training for customers in Australia/New Zealand and the Asia Pacific.
  Here’s why your business could benefit from a safety audit by Wayne and our dedicated team of experts. We can:
  • Identify existing hazards
  • Identify potential hazards before they have the chance to become dangerous
  • Help develop risk-reduction plans that can be practically implemented
  Call us on 1800 571 825 or email service@foodmach.com.au to see how we can help you meet increasingly strict legal and standard requirements.
  See our Safety Related Product Brochure
  DR RYM KACHOURI APPOINTED TO APPMA BOARD
  Four new directors have been appointed to the National Board of the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA).
  Foodmach is proud to announce that our very own Dr Rym Kachouri was unanimously voted in at the Annual Board Meeting in September. Dr Kachouri is the Service & Product Manager for Foodmach, driving our agency lines and 3rd party product development. She was previously the Technical Manager for Heuft System Technik GMBH in Shanghai, and Post Doctoral Researcher for Pharmazentrum-Biozentrum in Switzerland.
  The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association is the only national organisation to represent the packaging and processing machinery industry. Members include manufacturers and importers who are major suppliers to the food, beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, veterinary and household packaging industries.
  Go to APPMA
  FOODMACH APPOINTS NEW CCO
  Packaging automation integrator Foodmach has appointed Earle Roberts to its team in the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer.
  The former CEO of Fibre King, Roberts will now be responsible for sales, marketing and service at Foodmach with a focus on customer expansion and extending the company’s range of offerings. Roberts brings over 20 years’ experience in the Australian packaging equipment industry.
  Foodmach director Peter Marks said he was pleased Roberts could bring his extensive experience and skills to the table. Roberts was equally looking forward to working with the packaging automation integrator.