Japanese-owned food packaging manufacturer Krehalon has recently announced direct sales representation in Russia following increased demand for packaging automation and expert technical support for fresh meat packing in the market.
Krehalon’s automated packaging solutions have quickly gathered popularity within the Russian market over the past few years and the company has built reputation of technical experts in the field by helping meat manufacturers reduce labour costs and improve efficiency.
‘Historically, the meat processing industry has been very conservative, cash-poor industry with tough-to-break production mentality. The use of pre-made shrink barrier bags for packing of fresh primal meats has been the traditional packing method used – manually performed and extremely labour–intensive process.’ – commented Krehalon.
‘In our experience, it is often down to limited resources and limited factory space that have stopped the industry from finding better, more efficient, ways of packing. It is also industry’s short-term thinking and lack of knowledge of existing commercially viable automated systems.
But we are starting to see clear change in such thinking within Russia as well as other markets in Europe. Recent fund schemes from the Russian Government to support the country’s shift towards self-sufficiency in meat production are presenting great opportunity for Russian meat packers to invest in modernised equipment and facility reconstruction to accommodate automation.
We are therefore delighted to be able to serve the Russian market directly and offer our technical knowledge and expertise to accelerate this transition.’
Krehalon’s Formshrink® and Flovac™ Shrink Bag Replacement solutions aim to replace pre-made shrink bags and manual bagging with automated packing systems to help reduce labour and packaging material costs and improve production flow and output.
Krehalon has also positioned itself as the “Seal of Quality” in the shrink barrier film and bag markets with the innovative product developments of the Secondary Seal Technology (SSL™) and, recently launched – SSL™ Plus. These innovations use special sealant materials to help minimise blood drip in packaging and preserve product quality through shelf life whilst achieving the perfect ‘skin-tight’ pack presentation.
Krehalon shared their initial plans to showcase their wide range of specialty packaging solutions at Agroprodmash 2020 but fears of uncertainty surrounding the Covid 19 pandemic has left the manufacturer unsure about the show popularity this year:
‘The recent coronavirus pandemic has unfortunately put a lot of industry events on hold and, although we have reserved our space at Agroprodmash since last year, we are yet unsure if the event is taking place. It is unfortunate as this would have also been our very first-time taking part in the show with our own Krehalon booth. Despite not knowing what the future holds, we are certain that our direct representation in Russia will give us plenty of opportunities to meet with our customers and continue building long-term relationships.’
Krehalon are manufacturers and distributors of high-quality shrink barrier films, bags and casings for the food industry. With more than 40 years’ experience in the industry, the company focuses on innovative packaging solutions using patented technologies, market-driven expertise, and product knowledge to meet customer needs. Krehalon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kureha Corporation, a Japanese specialty chemicals and plastics manufacturer listed on the Tokyo stock exchange with annual revenues exceeding $1.2 billion.