"This completes our range," she told FoodProductionDaily.com. "All the functions are designed to maximise space, and ensure that access to the equipment is as easy as possible."
The T350's design also ensures that the machine operates as efficiently as possible, something that should appeal to food packagers under pressure to cut costs and increase operational output. Lettelier believes that coupled with its comact size, the machine is at the cutting edge of automated traysealing.
In addition, on the T350, the trays can be filled at a different time and place from the packaging operation. This means that visually appealing loading ans decorating are possible, completely independent of the operating cycle of the packaging machine.
The company claims that the T350 provides packagers with the opportunity to upgrade their semi-automatic machines to a fully automatic traysealer.
"It's now on the market," she said. "In fact, this is the first time we've displayed the T350, and we've already sold three machines."
Other packaging machines on display include the R570 sealer, which is interesting in that it features a double deck line for greater efficiency. It also incorporates a labeller, which can print all the information required.
Multivac claims that theroforming machines such as this ideal for packaging large quantities of uniform products. Vacuum packs, modified atmosphere packaging and skin packs are all produced on theroforming machines.
The B500 is another interesting innovation, in that features a conveyor belt. This allows just one person to operqte the machinery, whereas without the belt, two people would be needed.
"This is an important economic consideration," said Letellier.
Multivac concentrates exclusively on the production of packaging machines, and is displaying its new range of products at Emballage 2004, Paris, until the end of the week.