EAGAN, MINN. — SOMIC Packaging will celebrate its 10-year US anniversary, a move into new headquarters, and its next generation SOMIC 434 automated packaging system during PACK EXPO from Nov. 3 to 6 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Ten years ago, just 25 miles away from the site of this year’s PACK EXPO in Chicago, Peter Fox, SOMIC chief executive officer, opened the US subsidiary of Germany-based SOMIC. The company tripled its space when it moved to its Minneapolis headquarters in 2018. Now, SOMIC is opening its new headquarters a few miles away to Inver Grove Heights, Minn., nearly quadrupling its workspace to 48,000 square feet.

“PACK EXPO offers us the opportunity to present SOMIC’s achievements over the last 50 years, as well as our rapid ascension here in the United States and Canada the past 10 years,” Fox said. 

SOMIC will feature live demonstrations of its 434 automated packaging system at Booth N-6148 during the four-day show. The system is designed to handle up to 34 cases per minute during a single cycle and is capable of packing flat sachets, stand-up flexible pouches, and a wide array of cans, cups, trays, jars, bottles, tubes and blister-packs. The system offers single- and multi-row grouping and multi-layer stacking.

The 434 system, which features a compact footprint, offers a base carton or case packing section which incorporates custom infeed and collation. Automated machine adjustments have been incorporated to ensure the machine will automatically adjust to different settings when changing from one format to the next.

“The capability to configure the collation and collection group, plus the quality of the engineering and manufacturing process, is what separates SOMIC apart from the competition,” Fox said. “The demonstration will show customers how the infeed orientation, along with the unique collection and rotation features, enhance the ability of the machine to prepare and package retail-ready cases and cartons.”

Other new features added to the new 434 system include machine height safety doors. The new frame construction has a 180-degree opening to provide improved accessibility. Improved ergonomic conditions and new LED corner lighting offers operators better access and improved visibility to aid with format changes, cleaning and maintenance.

“Exhibiting this versatile 434 next-generation case packer demonstrates our continuous upward progress in the marketplace,” Fox said. “It also reinforces our commitment to the design and development of cutting edge, retail ready case packing solutions.”

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