The first aluminium-free packaging for yoghurt cups and other dairy products has been launched by Finnish Enso Paperboards. This environmentally-friendly solution has been made possible by using a new paper based lidding material, called Ensolid, which is prepared with a special barrier coating. The lid is said to have good mechanical properties and to allow for convenient peeling without tearing. The material is also reported to have excellent printability with the polymer coated construction providing an effective oxygen, water vapour and aroma barrier. Therefore, the new lidding material is also suitable for packing ice-cream, juice, soft cheese and other dairy products. Its use by dairies is said to be simple, requiring only minor machine investments.

The world's fifth largest computer company, Compaq Computer Corporation, has selected Sterling Commerce to supply an end-to-end electronic data interchange (EDI) solution for 900 distribution channel partners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This large-scale implementation of EDI software and services will help the computer manufacturer enhance customer service.

Conventional product development cycles typically involve design, prototyping, testing, design modification, re-testing etc., to achieve a pre-production version. ADAMS version 9.0 software, developed by US company Mechanical Dynamics Inc., enables all these functions to be conducted in the virtual domain of the computer, significantly reducing development cost and time tomarket. 

ABB is launching its first micro drive, taking the power rating of its extensive AC drives range from 2.2kW down to 0.37kW, in 200V and 240V single phase and three phase.Simple operation, accurate speed control, easy installation and fast commissioning are features of the low cost ACS 100. Measuring 80mm wide, the drive is the only one in its class with a detachable front mounted control panel.

ABB is breaking into the highvolume, low cost small drives arena with the launch of its ACS 100 AC drive rated from 0.37kW to 2.2kW.

The world’s 1001st “AquaClean” machine has now gone into service in Germany. It was delivered to “Monika’s Textilpflege” in Badburg, a town between Cologne and Aachen. The washing system was developed by the Electrolux-Wascator company for the wet-cleaning of textiles in water. It is already being used in 28 countries all over the world as a profitable and environment-friendly supplement to dry cleaning.

Three new DigitalFlow gas ultrasonic flowmeters have been introduced by Panametrics, Inc. Each uses digital signal processing and the company's patented Correlation Transit-Time technique for accurate, drift-free measurement. They can be used under a wide range of conditions without impeding flow. Maintenance is minimal even in difficult situations because the flowmeters have no orifices to clog and no moving parts to wear out, the company reports.

Swedish Electrolux-Wascator has entered an agreement with the American company Global Technologies to develop a new cleaning technology. Based on the trademark Dry Wash process and the use of liquid CO2 as a cleaning solvent the new technology is aiming at reducing the environmental impact of current dry-cleaning processes.

A new microprocessor based system that combines public address, alarm and communications capabilities for offshore operations has been introduced by U.S. company GAI-Tronics Corporation.  The MarinEx system is designed to meet the routine and emergency communications and safety needs of the offshore oil and gas production market. It will be exhibited at the GAI-Tronic DAC Limited booth [# 824-8] at the Offshore Europe 97 exposition in Aberdeen, Scotland, 9-12 September. 

The extension of its data collection capacity by SSC Satellitbild AB to include the Japanese JERS-1 satellitewill allow companies faster andmore reliable access to a variety of remote sensing information for geographic information systems.