OKURA SHOJI(Tokyo) started sales of modified On-Demand digital color�@press machines, "ZAIKON DCP/32D", as second generation prototype. They are superior to previous ones in running cost and quality of print.

Some manufacturing companies of medical supplies agreed with foundation of voluntary committee group to standardize the packing materials and containers. "Investigation Committee for Standardization of Medical Supplies" is palnned to be founded, soon.

Injection oriented blow molding machines' manufacturer AOKI KENKYUJO(Nagano), exhbited its new models in Korean trade show, KOPLAS(Seoul, Jun.29-Jul.3). The models are AOKI-250LL-50 and SB‡V-250P-40N.

Sales department of photographic sensitive materals, ASAHIKASEI KOGYO(Osaka) presented LARGE-SCALE MULTIPURPOSE PLOTTER/CCB-PLOT SYSTEM which can efficiently process designing and portrait of APR-FA system. This new system makes it possible to drive case-designing, plotting and others and input is done with Machintosh computers so that easy operation be realized for beginners.

COMNET(Osaka) put Machintosh-adaptable package-designing software, BOX-VELLUM, into market. Items and tools can be easily choiced through eye-con menu on display and also drawing is operated by mouse without complicated measuring.

TSUBOI(Nara) has been taking action for mass-sales of bacillus-resist packaging materials extracted from horse-radish for example, SEKISUI WASA-POWER, WASA-POWER tablet, HAKUGEN WASABINA-bacillus remover spray and others. The extract is said to be stronger than general alcohol in sterilizability.

In order to institute juridical person of Rcycle Law of Packaging Materials and Containers, preparatory group was founded. WG(Working Group) of the preparatory group discussed its policy donation fund ration, etc., and finally decided the amount of initial fund, 120 million yen in the first meeting.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Fisheries completed an Investigation Report on technology of high-pressure gas barrier type materials and heavy-duty free oxygen scavenging agents, etc,. This is purposed to popularize packing technology advanced in quality control and environmental preservation among small and middle sized food companies.

SATO(Tokyo) opened its home-pages on internet webs. It provides information of company profile seal/label business and other related issues. URL= http://www.sato.co.jp/label

SHIN OJI SEISHI founded a new company, OJI TACK HANBAI(Tokyo), with OJI KAKO and SAYAMA for the purpose of concentration of sales department dealing tack paper products. To make total control of manufacturing, sales and R&D headquarters of tack products was established in the new company, as well.

Plastic Waste Management Institute announced on result of R&D activity of '95 next-generation plastic waste liquefaction. Liquefaction plant is now under construction in Niigata and lower-cost technology will be researched there with subsidy from MITI(Ministry of International Trade and Industry).

In manufacturing and utility(electricity and gas) industry "developing and designing of lower-environmental-impact products" was the highest ratio answer, 53.4% of companies in questionaire on environment consciousness. In distribution and sales "round trip boxes" was the top 56.5%, and next 51% showed "reducing packing and packaging devices".

Department of FA/Precision Machines of SONY(Tokyo) invented sorting machine of kidney beans. The first one was set in Agricultural Cooperative of Kagoshima, and it has been already working well.

Japan Agricultural Cooperative is to begin suppling of relatively lower cost flexible containers made in China for domestic rice farmers. Supply system at less than half cost of previous ones came to be possible recently and they will be on sale this fall.

HANSHIN BEIKOKU(Hyogo) renewed design of rice packaging bags. Since this July it has switched the design from EBISU(Japanese guardian deity of business) to the local flower and brand name of each production region.

This Spring KATOKICHI(Kagawa) presented new bowl-in-wet-type noodle products, "Cold Soba" "Cold Chinese Noodle" and others. They are easily cooled by water new Shower Cap System, without flipping-up of cover after boiling process therefore, are regarded suitable for Summer seasonal market.

JAB opened explanatory meeting on Environmental Audit registeration system of ISO 14001 in Tokyo. Accordingly with issuance of ISO 14000 system this Oct. JAB is considered to be only one authorized agent in Japan.

WINKREL SHOKAI(Kanagawa) whole sales agent of Italian curved surface printing machine manufacturer OMSO in Japan intensified sales promotion of OMSO's silk screening machines. They are able to cover various bottles and keep initial quality for long time that brings interest to PL Law.

HULLET PACKARD JAPAN(Tokyo) enjoys good sales of full-color ink jet printers which can process A-0 size drafts. New device makes it possible to describe smooth gradation and takes advantage as output machine of developed drawings and color proof sheet.

According to the report of May 96 of Japan Glass Bottles Association, Sales result was 177,651 tons(-4.4% to last May) in weight, and 858.98 million bottles(-3.4% to last May) in pieces. Some kinds, mini-drink bottles, milk bottles and others were on increase however, total amount decreased.

DAINIPPON INK CHEMICALS(Tokyo) invented belt-built-in plastic pallet "DIC Belt-in Pallet", and plans to start official sales in September. This is efficient in preventing collapse of load and in cost reduction.

OKURA YUSOKI(Hyogo) brought super high-speed palletizing robot "Robot Palletizer A 1500", and began its sales. Its processing capacity is 1500 per hour which is said to be in top class of high-speed palletizers in the world.

K & M JAPAN(Tokyo) deals with clean room related appliances. Its air purifier functioned by needle electric discharge is qualified with GMP(standard for production and quality control of medical supplies) and recently became more popular in medicine factories for sanitation control.

Biaxial oriented blow molding machines are in demand. Domestic soft drink companies moved for abandonment of "self-control" regarding supply of small PET bottled drinks, for example mineral water and that is consequently considered to cause greater demand of such machines.

BOBST JAPAN(Tokyo) demonstrated auto-die cutting machine "AUTO PLATEN/SP 102-E‡U". While this took new device and lower cost technology the characteristics of the former models have been succeeded.

RANPAK(Kanagawa) has sold about 100 sets of buffer-suppling system which utilizes craft paper last 4-5 years. It is juridical person of RANPAK(Ohio/USA) in Japan and plays sales role of craft paper buffering system "PADPAK" in Asia Pacific region as well as Japan.

SHASIN KAGAKU(Kyoto) presented new model of electronicly controled roll sheet cutter available for EPS sheet and other porcessed sheet. Besides the present models, the new one's capacity was leveled up so as to cut 2400mm wide sheet.

"21st. Century Printing Business Forum" was held in Tokyo with about 500 participants. The committee of the forum consists of 4 companies DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG., NIHON SAITEX, FUJI PHOTO FILMS and RAINOTYPE HERU.

As one of marketing strategy of heavy industry packing SEKISUI JUSHI(Osaka) brought a new type of WIDE HEAVY-DUTY PET BAND into market. In hevy-duty packing, ordinary metal band is said that there are some accidental cases of rust scratch and spatter, then, demand of plastic one tends to increase as substitute of metal one.

ANRITSU(Tokyo) invented a high-speed precise weight sorter "High Speed Type Auto-Checker", to cover the needs of individual packaging of candies and chocolate etc,. Speed up of pillow packaging and enforcement of PL law came to cause the demand and they target food medicine electric appliance industry and other fields with sales goal of 200 machines within initial year.

SEKISUI KASEIHIN KOGYO(Osaka) and SUMITOMO SHOJI(Tokyo) coordinately bought up all bonds of DAINOPOLE, EPS manufacturer in Singapore. The name of new company is "SEKISUI PLASTIC S.E.A", and it covers mass production of EPS resin for packaging use in Asian region.

MITSUI BUSSAN(Tokyo) and SEIKEN KAGAKU(Chiba) cooperatively marketed solation agent and volume reduce distillation processor which makes EPS into colloidal substance. This system can sort the recyclable polymer in EPS, and they say that the processing effectively leads cut down of total cost.

NIHON KODAK(Tokyo) started selling develop-less dry film,�gKodak Direct Image Recording Film�h exhibited in DRUPA by EASTMAN KODAK last year. In accordance with marketing of the dry film DAINIPPON SCREEN SEIZO(Kyoto) presented new style image setter outputting block copy film.

RENGO(Osaka) begins joint business of cardboads in Tianjin China. It signed up with TIANJIN 1ST CARTON on manufacturing of cardboards products and Tianjin is the 5th city among its Chinese joint business. The initial fund is about 1.7 billion yen (apprx. 15.5 million USD), and capital ratio is 60% of RENGO and 40% of TIANJIN 1ST CARTON.

Glass bottle manufacturer, ISHIZUKA GLASS(Aichi) began production of PET bottles in its Tokyo factory on commercial basis. 2 types, 500ml and 900ml of PET bottles are scheduled. Investment cost is 500 million yen(apprx. 4.6 million USD), and this production was motivated to catch up with deregulation of small bottled drink industry.

German manufacturer of oriented blow molding machines, BEKM, said that PET/PP bi-purpose molding plants,"RBU SERIES" tended to be on favorable demand in Korea. The general agent in Jpapan is ACE(Aichi).

MITI(The Ministry of International Trade and Industry) announced its 96 March's Report on the production result of plastic processing machines. In general comparing to the result of last month, there showed 7.5% in quantity and 4.0% in sales that keeps increase for last 2 monthes.

EIN ENGINEERING(Tokyo) developed a dry sorting technology of pulpe PE and aluminum film from carton boxes of milk juice, alcohol etc. for recycle. It is surposed to work with MITSUBISHI SHOJI(Tokyo) to commercially complete the networks of recycled materials.

NIHON KIKAI KOGYO RENGOKAI completed a Report of Preparatory Research on Technology Development and Promotion of Environment-Conscious Materials. Some subjects to realize utilization of the materials and basic idea were reported, and it includes the idea of environment evaluation system on the basis of LCA(Life Cycle Assesment).

According to Food Agency the production of processed rice products reached more than 180,000 tons(+20% to last year) and consequently establish the highest ratio of increase since 1991. Especially aseptic packaged rice products showed outstanding increase rate by 62.2% because of its convenience and taste.

OMRON(Kyoto) focuses on adaptable technology to packaging industry and its inspection system is expanding in the market of label and plastic container appliances.