Quality and Innovation: PPi Technologies Group optimizes equipment efficiency, recommend preventative maintenance, and educate operators and maintenance staff on maximizing performance

“We are developing a range of new Redi-2-DrinQ beverages with a new group of young entrepreneurs for the Millennial and Gen-Z market segments.”

PPi Technologies Group is aleading provider of StandUp pouches, vials, trays, and end-of-linemachinery solutions for food,beverage, and personal care marketsegments. It serves clients in theUnited States.

PPiTG was incorporated in 1996.

The Silicon Review reached out to PPi Technologies Group’s Florida headquarters and spoke with R. Charles Murray, who serves as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Here’s what he said.

Interview Highlights

Q. What groundbreaking and proactive methodology does PPi Technologies Group implement to exceed customer expectations?

We have three divisions, serving different clientele. We go above and beyond to exceed our clients’ expectations in every division.

The PGS Machine division: It’s concerned with supplying StandUp pouch systems from filling to the warehouses that use the least amount of plastic film possible—a film that is either single source or made from the recycled product so that our clients are making the right impact in today’s world of reduce, recycle, reuse, reformat, and renew. The machines are all stainless steel, so no painting is required, and are computer-driven. We can with several patents measure machine performance minute by minute once they are turned on, ensuring the greatest efficiency between man and machines. Our high-speed lines run from 600 pouches per minute with two operators and inform management of all production or maintenance needs or quality alerts. So, computer real-time technology is the driver for this division.

The Redi-2-DrinQ division: It manufactures and sells a full range of alcohol, ranging from cocktails to beers to spirits in pouches. Safety, security, and non-contaminated drinks is the theme of this division.

The Penta 5usa division: Five more sub-divisions operate under this division—all manufacture wellness products.

MosquitoPaQ concentrates on insect control using GRAS components and caused no harm to the user or the environment. Mosquitoes, flies, fleas, bed bugs, and ticks are all targets. DnR concentrates on skin repair using CBD oils, aloe oils, and sunscreens that are safe. BevPaQ concentrates on helping patients with diabetes-2 and has hydrogen water for athletes and folks undergoing radiation treatment. FlexPaQ in collaboration with the University of Florida focuses on the development of gasification that processes hydrogen, and eco methanol to remake plastic and syngas for electricity. Redi-2-paQ is a contract packer with 12 rooms dedicated to alcohol, water, lotions, dry products, juices, chemicals, and pharma OTC FDA compliance packing.

Q. What kind of machinery does PPiTG sell to customers? And how does the company contribute to the StandUp pouch market?

The StandUp pouch machinery market consists of several versions of machines, viz. StandUp pouch machines that can fill and seal pouches made from printed roll stock, StandUp premade pouches, and then combinations of these two technologies covering zippers, spouts, and compartments. The machines are standalone but are part of a production line system with scales or liquid fillers, printers, checkweighers, metal detectors, case and carton packing, and finally the palletizer. There are very few products today that are not packed into pouches. Our expertise is that we can deliver the total system and support it with parts and after- delivery service.

Q. What can you tell us about PouchPac™ Innovations?

PouchPac™ Innovations is the R&D headquarters for our technical expertise. It is where all-out intellectual patents are kept and where we license some patents as needed. At present, it has over 125 issued patents with another 40 in the patent-pending category. Under test are about another 15 projects that will eventually move into patent status. Testing varies from new innovative raw materials to new types of packaging recycled materials and new ways to make packaging. The most exciting project at present is the new recycled paper/ foil/plastic VialPaQ to replace plastic bottles in hotels and the travel industry. This is innovation at its best.

Q. What are your other focus areas?

A lot of time is being spent on making small form-fil-seal StandUp pouch machines that do not require a lot of expertise to operate.Ordering is by computer and delivery is direct from the factory to the plant with ‘google’ eyes used for installation. On the premade pouch machines, we are looking at using ultrasonic sealing for wet products alongside standard heat seals and at new speeds.

We are developing a range of new Redi-2-DrinQ beverages with a new group of young entrepreneurs for the Millennial and Gen-Z market segments. These products are cocktails, sugar beers, Asian fruit flavor hard seltzers, wines, and gel shots. All packed in pouches with straws where needed.

On the wellness product side, we have some huge projects solving the citrus greening problem, large bed, and floor bug hotel problem, and improving the efficacy performance of all our repellents, sprays, and lotions.

Q. In what industries are your clients? Can you provide us with one or two success stories describing the challenges your clients faced and how your solutions helped them overcome those challenges?

Our customers are in the dairy cheese segment, dried fruit and nut pouch segment, all types of beverages, candy and chocolate segment, and pet foods.

We had a visit from a small brewery manufacturer called SunIce. They wanted to sell their product in a pouch so that their targeted market segment of young lady drinkers can carry the pouch with them and not leave it standing for someone to add drugs to the open drink. We designed it with a straw hole for drinking and a zipper so that access could be made to add a block of ice for the taste to the pouch and same time close the zipper for carrying the pouch with the young lady. So the problem of pouch security and taste was solved.

Q. About the future, where do you see PPiTG a couple of years from now?

Looking ahead we do see more and more automatic machinery computer-driven with fast and flexible changeovers. Robotic packing will become much more available due to the lack of operators and we expect many companies to stop in house manufacturing and move heavily into marketing and delivery with promotion becoming very important. That means our Contract Packing operation will grow using our machines on-site or at customer to replace in-house packing. We will deliver back to their warehouses or other warehouses.

Q. Is there anything else you want us to highlight that we might have missed?

All members of our team are key employees. It’s important to note that our employees have long tenure with us, most over 10 years, and without each of them, there would be no PPiTG. Our employees have voted us ‘Best Places to Work’ every year since 2017. They have also voted us ‘Best and Brightest Companies’ to work every year since 2015.

“Our mostexciting project at present is the new recycled paper/foil/plastic VialPaQ to replace plastic bottles in hotels and the travel industry. This is innovation at its best.”