Italian know-how

Italian technology company AVE Industries is set to break into the US food and drink packaging market following the signing of a long-term strategic agreement with Evergreen Packaging Equipment, a business unit of International Paper.

The deal enables Evergreen to manufacture, sell, and service rotary bottle filling equipment utilising AVE's electronic volumetric filling, bottle handling and capping technologies.

Evergreen believes that the AVE technology will allow the company to provide North American dairy, juice, and beverage industries with better packaging. The versatile range of machinery means that refrigerated products can be packaging at higher speeds than before. Evergreen's Extended Shelf Life (ESL) and Extended Long Life (ELL) technologies, have proved successful in the past, and the firm is confident of success.

AVE is a leading manufacturer of sanitary volumetric filling systems with over 8,000 worldwide installations. AVE rotary filling machines utilise state-of-the-art electronic volumetric filling, and various bottle treatment options, depending on the application. Bottle sizes range from 50ml to 5000ml, with speeds up to 1000 bpm.

Evergreen Packaging Equipment is a global leader in the manufacturing, sales, and service of gable top form-fill-seal fillers and spout application equipment for refrigerated, pasteurised, ESL, and ELL dairy, juice and liquid food products. In addition to gable top equipment, Evergreen also manufactures a full line of gravity bottle fillers for liquid food and beverage applications.

International Paper has global businesses in paper and paper distribution, packaging and forest products, including building materials. The company has operations in nearly 40 countries, employs more than 90,000 people and exports its products to more than 120 nations. Sales of almost $25 billion annually are derived from businesses located primarily in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia/Pacific and Canada.

With approximately 9 million acres of land managed in the United States alone, International Paper is one of the world's largest private landowners and operates according to the principles of the American Forest & Paper Association Sustainable Forestry Initiative.