Conveyor Belts and North America’s Marine Industry

Making a living on the open waters in and around North America is demanding and dangerous work. Any equipment or technical advances that can reduce risk and wasted effort makes the lives of everyone involved easier.

At The Furnace Belt Company, we have a long history of manufacturing custom metal conveyor belts specifically for the marine and fishing industries. You might be wondering how conveyor belts play a role in the marine sector. A perfect example of this synergy is the shrimping industry.

Recently, the North American shrimping has been booming. Demand and prices for all types of shrimp products has skyrocketed over the past year. Of course, these shrimp do not just jump into the boat they need to be carefully harvested. To do this, shrimpers use a wide variety of pots and nets to capture the shrimp and bring them on to the boat. It is at this point in the process that high-quality conveyor belts are critical.

Due to the varying size of the shrimp, they need to be sorted and stored into different sections of the boat. While this complicated task was and still can be accomplished by hand, modern conveyor technology makes it easier and more accurate. Any time that can be cut from processing only adds to the amount of time shrimpers can stay on the water.  This also goes for all different types of fishing all across the world. The use of conveyor belts is without a doubt the present and future of the entire industry.

We not only take great pride in supporting such a critical North American industry, but also helping streamline and modernize it so that it can survive and thrive throughout the 21st century. If you want to learn more about the role of conveyor belts in the North America’s marine industry, please contact us today.

5 Important Packaging Trends for 2014

Across the board, 2013 was a great year for the global packaging industry. According to the latest numbers, the market brought in a staggering $709 billion in 2013, and it is expected to be worth close to a trillion dollars by 2018.

Of course, to get consumers come back and buy packaged goods, the industry must find a way to stay fresh and up-to-date. So, what new ideas and trends are driving this ever-growing industry? There are quite a few, but five standout to us.

Sustainable Packaging

Going “green” is a popular trend in almost every aspect of modern life. In the packaging industry, it is all about sustainability. The sustainable packaging market will be worth close to $244 billion by 2018, according to a new study from Smithers Pira. This includes reducing size and weight, while increasing recycled content.

Millennials Love Packaging

It turns out that 18-34 year-olds are more influenced by high-end packaging than other generations. In fact, a study shows that Millennials are less brand conscious and more attached to the experience.

Flexible Packaging

More companies and manufacturers are moving from rigid to flexible packaging. The market should grow 3.5 percent annually over the next five years, hitting $231 billion by 2018.

Nano Packaging

Everything is getting smaller, so it is no shock that packaging is also heading in that direction. Nano packaging brought in $20 billion in 2013 and should grow leaps and bounds as it becomes more feasible and affordable. Nano packaging is not only better for the environment but also protects products from spoilage and tampering.

Better Design

Design is always important, but it seems that it has become more critical than ever. While amazing fonts, rebranding, and “hipness” don’t keep products safer, the do drive sales, especially with the aforementioned Millennials.

These are just a few of the important packaging trends for 2014 and beyond, but we think they the ones you need to keep an eye on!